sk the House
to a dinner at Grocers' Hall to commemorate Lambert's defeat of the
royalists. The invitation was accepted, and Thursday, the 6th October,
named as the day on which the House would be prepared to go to the city to
hear a sermon at Christchurch, Newgate, and afterwards dine with the
municipal authorities.(1110)

(M562)

On that day week (13th October) the House suffered another indignity at
the hands of the army. No sooner had Lambert defeated the royalist
insurgents in Cheshire than he and his fellow officers made extraordinary
demands of parliament. When these were refused they betook themselves to
brute force and sent troops to shut out members from the House.(1111) So
arbitrary a proceeding was distasteful to the citizens of London as well
as to the nation at large.

(M563)

When lord mayor's day came round and Thomas Aleyne was to enter upon his
year of office there was some apprehension in the minds of Fleetwood and
the Council of Officers, who were now supreme, lest the day should be made
an opportunity for display of popular feeling in favour of parliament. It
was suggested, therefore, to the Court of Aldermen by Fleetwood that it
might be well to omit the usual shows and attendance of the companies on
that day. The court, however, thought otherwise, and directed a deputation
to wait upon his excellency and acquaint him with the preparations that
had already been made, and with the disappointment which the citizens
would feel if they had to forego the customary solemnities, which could be
carried out, in the opinion of the court, without any risk of
disturbance.(1112)

(M564)

Monk, who was in Scotland, disapproved of the action of Lambert and his
fellow officers, and prepared to march southward for the purpose (he said)
of vindicating the rights of parliament. Whether he had any ulterior
motive in view at the time is not known. Every effort was made by the
officers of Lambert's army to secure the support of the City before Monk's
arrival. On the 4th November and again on the 8th, Fleetwood, Whitelock
and others conferred with the civic authorities. On the latter occasion
Whitelock did not hesitate to declare that Monk's real design was the
king's restoration at the risk of a civil war. "I shewed the danger of it
to the city and nation and counselled them to provide for their own
safety, and to join for the safety of the whole nation and for
preservation of the peace." The Common Council expr