ose.(756)

(M363)

The re-modelling of the city force to the exclusion of everyone tainted
with independency only served to increase the discontent of the army. It
was bad enough to find the Presbyterians in parliament joining hands with
the Presbyterians in the city against the army; it was worse if the city
trained bands were to receive their arrears of pay whilst the army was
left out in the cold. An attempt was made to bring pressure to bear on
parliament by a mob of reformadoes or disbanded soldiers besetting the
House of Commons on the 7th June. These men clamoured for their arrears of
pay and refused to go away unless the sum of L10,000 should be voted for
them.

(M364)

On the following day (8 June) the City presented another petition to
parliament praying that the army might be paid off as speedily as
possible; that the king, who had recently been carried off from Holmby
House by a troop of cavalry under Joyce, might be disposed of in such a
way as to allow the parliaments of England and Scotland free access to
him; and thirdly that, seeing the danger of the times, an ordinance of the
17th January, 1645, authorising the City to raise cavalry in their own
defence and to apprehend disaffected persons, might be revived. The House,
which was guarded at the time by a city regiment, could scarcely do
otherwise than comply with the prayer of the petitioners.(757)

(M365)

Three days later (11 June) a letter was brought to the city by "two
messengers that looked like soldiers," signed by Fairfax and twelve
others, informing the civic authorities of the army's approach to
London.(758) The City was asked to believe that such action on the part of
the army was only directed against those who were endeavouring to engage
the kingdom in a new war. As Englishmen, if not as soldiers, the writers
desired only "the peace of the kingdom and liberty of the subject,
according to the votes and declarations of parliament." They desired no
alteration of the civil government, nor to hinder Presbyterianism. When
once the State had settled a matter there was nothing for it but to submit
or suffer; they only wished that every good citizen and every peaceful man
might be allowed to enjoy liberty. "These, in brief," continued the
writers, "are our desires, and the things for which we stand, beyond which
we shall not go; and for obtaining these things we are drawing near your
city, professing sincerely from our hearts we intend not ev