ant,(885) to compliment the aldermen and great magistrates of the
city on their courage and fidelity. It was a petition--the Speaker said,
addressing the deputation--for peace, and such peace as the House and all
honest men desired. It had come at a most seasonable time, when parliament
was the object of much abuse and men dared not own their true opinions.
The petition was the more valuable from the quality of the
petitioners--"divers aldermen and great magistrates of the city of London,
many reverend ministers, who have always held close to the cause, and
others, the gentlemen of birth and quality that have less valued their
blood than the hazard and loss of so noble an undertaking." On behalf of
the Commons he returned them real and hearty thanks, assuring them that
the House approved of the petition and the matter thereof, and that in
prosecuting the peace it would take care to preserve the religion, laws
and liberties of all those who have been constant to these ends.(886)

(M448)

On the 18th July the City caused two petitions to be presented to both
Houses, one of which asked for an impost to be laid on Newcastle coals,
and the other repeated the old request for an amalgamation of the city's
militia with that of the neighbouring counties. To the first no answer was
vouchsafed. To the second the Commons replied that the matter had already
been referred to a committee; whilst the Lords directed an ordinance to be
drawn up pursuant to the wishes of the petitioners. The petition relative
to the militia was met by a counter-petition from "divers well-affected
citizens of London and inhabitants in and about the same," the authors of
which the Common Council wished to discover.(887)

(M449)

In the meantime enlistments of horse and foot had been to such an extent
carried on clandestinely in the city, under pretext of the parliamentary
powers granted to Skippon, that the municipal authorities began to get
nervous. Servants and apprentices were reported to have enlisted one
another at all hours of the night, and to have issued spurious
commissions. Against the continuation of such proceedings, which
threatened the city with danger, the authorities petitioned both Houses
(22 July). The Lords consented to revoke a commission granted to Skippon
to raise a troop of cavalry for the protection of parliament,
independently of the Committee of Militia; the Commons, on the other hand,
determined to let the order stand.(888) The