to
the best posture they can for the vigorous prosecution of the war, as the
best means now left (under God) for the obtaining of peace." Parliament
had passed an ordinance--they proceeded to say--for raising L50,000 a month
for nine months for payment of an army under Sir Thomas Fairfax, and they
now asked the City to advance a sum of L80,000 on the security of the
money so to be raised in the last five months out of the nine. The matter
was referred to a committee to carry out.(669)

(M317)

The passing of the New Model ordinance was followed by the passing of a
self-denying ordinance,(670) the original purport of which was to exclude
all members of either House from commands in the army, but was afterwards
so far modified as to compel existing officers to resign their
appointments, leaving it to parliament to re-appoint them if it would.
Essex, Waller and Manchester resigned, but when the time came for
Cromwell, the prime mover in the re-organisation of the army, to follow
suit, he and two or three others were re-appointed to commands in the new
army. The immediate effect of the passing of this ordinance upon the city
of London was that Pennington, who had been appointed by parliament
lieutenant of the Tower, had to resign his post. The nomination of his
successor was, however, left with the Common Council, who sent up the name
of Colonel Francis West for the approval of the Commons (24 April).(671)

(M318)

Whilst the army was undergoing a process of reformation outside London,
considerable activity prevailed within the city with the object of
strengthening its position. The Committee of Militia was instructed to
raise a sufficient number of men to guard the city forts so that the
trained bands might be free for more active duties. Large sums of money
were voted to pay arrears due to gunners, "mattrosses" and workmen who had
been engaged in erecting the fortifications. The sum of L500 was ordered
to be laid out in the purchase of gunpowder. The scout-master for the city
was encouraged in his duty of bringing information of movements of the
royalist army by the payment of arrears due to him, and steps were taken
to bring up the regiments of the city auxiliaries to their full complement
by enlistments from the several wards.(672)

(M319)

The first serious undertaking confided to Fairfax and the New Model army
was the siege of Oxford. The utter uselessness of such an enterprise,
whilst Charles was free to roam