tend the Council of State at Whitehall
on the following afternoon, when they were formally thanked for the
support they had given to parliament and encouraged to continue in the
same course.(1106)

(M558) (M559)

Nevertheless, when the danger was over the House thought fit to run the
risk of alienating the favour of the City by an attempt to force the
re-election of John Ireton as mayor for the coming year upon the unwilling
citizens. On the 2nd September the House resolved that "John Ireton" [thus
ignoring his knighthood], then lord mayor of the city of London, should
continue to execute the office of lord mayor for the year ensuing, and
ordered "that it be recommended to the city of London to see the same done
accordingly."(1107) The Common Council being in no mood to comply with
such request drew up a long petition to parliament,(1108) in which the
government of the city was shown to depend upon "two strong supports,"
viz., the customs of the city and its charters, confirmed as they had been
by divers Acts of Parliament; that by virtue of these charters and customs
the mayor was chosen by the citizens, that he remained in office for no
more than one year, and was presented to the supreme power of the nation
for approbation. The petition went on to remind the House how on various
occasions, and notably on the 13th January, 1644, and the 6th and 18th May
of the same year, parliament had formally acknowledged the constant
affection and assistance it had received from the city, and concluded by
praying the House to lay no restraint upon the free election of their
mayor by the citizens nor infringe the ancient customs and charters of the
city, a breach of which "would exceedingly hazard, if not totally destroy,
the peace, good order and happiness of the most ancient and well governed
city" in the nation, if not in the whole world.

(M560)

The House taking this petition into consideration on the 28th
September--the day preceding that on which the election was to take
place--resolved by thirty-eight votes to thirteen "that the city of London
be left at liberty to make choice of their mayor according to their
charter, notwithstanding the previous vote of the House of the 2nd
September instant."(1109) The citizens thereupon showed their
independence by electing Thomas Aleyne.

(M561)

A good understanding or "correspondence" between parliament and the city
having thus been arrived at, the Common Council resolved to a