derman Fowke, who acted as spokesman, declared himself authorised to
state that if the militia of the city and kingdom were not settled by the
king and parliament there would be no course left open to the city
authorities but to act according to their conscience and to abide by their
covenant. A similar petition was presented to the House of Lords (7 Feb.).
A week later (14 Feb.) a counter-petition was addressed to the Commons by
the inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets, Westminster and Southwark,(721) and
on the 13th March a committee was appointed to arrange, if possible, a
compromise.(722)

(M347)

Before this question was settled another had arisen to widen the breach
between parliament and the city in the shape of an ordinance for
establishing a system of Presbyterianism throughout England.(723) One
clause of this ordinance--clause 14--was particularly objectionable as
introducing the authority of the State into matters of Church government.
Commissioners were to be appointed, of whom nothing was known, to regulate
the Church in each province. The Common Council, being urged by
inhabitants of the city to oppose a measure so opposed to the Word of
God,(724) presented petitions to both Houses (to the Lords first, they
having not yet assented to clause 14) praying that no officers might be
appointed to exercise any Church censures contrary to the Scriptures, and
that their appointment might be in accordance with the Word of God.(725)
The petitions were so badly received by both Houses that the municipal
authorities took fright, and asked that they might be withdrawn and
expunged from the Journals of Parliament. Their request was acceded to,
but only on condition that the petitions were likewise expunged from the
City's Records.(726)

(M348) (M349)

The reconciliation between parliament and the city was followed by an
interchange of courtesies. The royalist army under Hopton had recently
surrendered to Fairfax in the west of England (14 March), and had been
disbanded; and the last hope of Charles had vanished in the defeat of
Astley's troops after a sharp engagement at Stow-on-the-Wold (22 March).
"You have now done your work" were the parting words of the veteran
commander to his soldiers, "and may go play, unless you will fall out
among yourselves."(727) On the 26th March a deputation from both Houses
waited on the Common Council, and invited the mayor, aldermen and council,
as "the representative body of the city,"