tition the municipal
authorities of London were asked to second, with the hope of prevailing
upon parliament to send at least that relief which had been so often
desired and so often promised. A whole fortnight elapsed before the letter
and petition were brought to the notice of the Common Council (20
Sept.)--the letter from Gloucester had taken a week in transit, such was
the state of the country--and then it was resolved to send a deputation
from the city, including the two sheriffs, to express to the Committee of
Both Kingdoms the desire of the City that they would be pleased to take
the petition into speedy and serious consideration, and to provide for the
safety and defence of Plymouth.(686)

(M328)

The Londoners themselves were suffering from an inconvenience from which
they had hitherto in vain sought relief from parliament, and that was the
large number of royalist soldiers--amounting to no less than 3,000--which
after the battle of Naseby had been quartered on the city.(687) Now that
the war was practically over, so far as the king was concerned, the Common
Council again took the matter in hand, and it was suggested that the
Convocation House and its cloisters situate on the south side of St.
Paul's Churchyard should be fitted up at a cost of L40 for their
reception. By this means Bethlehem hospital, where many of the prisoners
had been housed, would be free to minister again to the wants of the
poor.(688)

(M329)

The troubles with Charles had scarcely terminated before a new struggle
commenced. A monster had been raised, after much hesitation and with no
little difficulty, in the shape of a well-organised and regularly paid
army, the command of which was virtually in the hands of a small political
party known as Independents. The great fear was lest this party, with the
army at its back, should over-ride the wishes of the Presbyterians, a
party which was numerically stronger than the Independents, both in the
House and in the country; and to avoid such a catastrophe the
Presbyterians of England were ready to join hands with their brethren in
Scotland.

(M330)

The House, however, was unfortunate enough at this critical juncture to
offend the Scots as well as the citizens of London. The Scottish army had
been invited to march southward to attack Newark, whither Charles had
betaken himself after witnessing from the walls of Chester the defeat of
his troops on Rowton Heath (24 Sept.), and the Commons ha