use, boldly declared that the proclamation "was against several oaths
which he had taken as an alderman of London, and against his judgment and
conscience." Chambers said in defence "that his heart did not go along in
that business." Both delinquents were adjudged to lose their aldermanries,
and Soame was also condemned to lose his seat in the House.(956) Whilst
inflicting punishment upon those who determined to remain staunch to the
royalist cause, the House resolved to honour those who supported the new
order of things, and on the 6th June a proposal was made to authorise the
Speaker "to create the dignity of a knight, and to confer the same upon
Thomas Andrews, alderman and lord mayor of London, and Isaac Pennington
and Thomas Atkins [Atkin], aldermen and formerly lord mayors."(957)

(M489)

Thursday, the 7th June, having been appointed a day of public thanksgiving
for the suppression of the Levellers, the Common Council resolved (29 May)
to invite the Commons of England, the Council of State and other high
officers, as well as Fairfax and the chief officers of the army, to a
dinner at Grocers' Hall, in order to "manifest the city's good affections
towards them." The House accepted the invitation and appointed
Christchurch, Newgate, to be the church wherein the thanksgiving service
was to take place.(958) The same deference and respect was paid on this
occasion to the Speaker as was customarily paid to the king, the mayor
delivering the civic sword into his hands on entering the city and
receiving it back again, whilst the chief seat at the banquet was also
surrendered to him.(959)

(M490)

The City showed exceptional honour to Fairfax and to Cromwell, presenting
the former with a bason and ewer of gold weighing 242 ozs. 14 dwts., and
the latter with another bason and ewer, as well as with two flower pots, a
perfume and chafing dish, two fruit baskets, a kettle and laver and a
warming pan, the whole weighing 934 ozs. 9 dwts. Cromwell was also
presented with a purse containing L200 in twenty-shilling pieces.(960)
Thomas Vyner, a goldsmith of repute, who was sheriff at the time, provided
the plate at a cost of L1,412 15s.(961)

(M491)

The House was so pleased with the flattering reception it had received
that the next day (8 June) it appointed a special committee "to consider
of some mark of favour and respect" to be done to the City,(962) and on
the 30th it resolved "that the city of London have the New Park in