ous liberty. Charles himself
had held out hopes of greater freedom to the Irish Catholics, who saw no
reason why they should be worse treated than the rebellious Puritans of
Scotland. The scene of massacre and cruelty which followed has been
described by others, and remains to this day (in the words of Carlyle) "a
huge blot, an indiscriminate blackness, one which the human memory cannot
willingly charge itself with."

(M193)

As soon as news of the outbreak reached parliament, application was
forthwith made to the City for assistance. On the 3rd November lord mayor
Gurney issued his precept(465) to the aldermen informing them that on the
previous day divers lords and others of both Houses of Parliament had come
to the Common Council and asked for a loan of L50,000 at eight per cent.
Seeing that the matter was of so great importance, each alderman was
desired to take steps in conjunction with his deputy and common councilmen
of his ward to get liberal contributions made towards the loan.(466)

(M194)

The attitude of the City now became more marked. Whilst consenting to find
the money required, it asked parliament that the persons of the Catholic
lords might be secured, and that the bishops, who were the cause of every
good measure being defeated in the Upper House, might be deprived of their
votes. It had a minor grievance in the custom that had arisen of members
of both Houses granting their servants "protections" against creditors, a
procedure extremely prejudicial to the city merchant and tradesman, and
one which they would willingly see remedied.(467)

(M195)

The City's declaration against the bishops, which Dr. Gardiner(468)
characterises as being "the turning point in the struggle," augured badly
for Charles. Nevertheless, he had friends in the city. The new mayor was a
strong royalist, as also were the majority of the aldermen, and they took
the opportunity of Charles paying his first visit to the city (25 Nov.)
since he ascended the throne to demonstrate their loyalty. On the 17th the
Court of Aldermen appointed a committee to make the necessary
arrangements,(469) whilst the mayor issued his precept the same day to the
civic companies to prepare a certain number of their livery, well horsed
and apparelled, to assist him in escorting the king and queen from the
church of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, to the Guildhall on the morning of the
eventful day, and thence, after the banquet, to Whitehall.(470) The Commo