bject on which they had hitherto
dared only to speak in a whisper. So bold indeed did they become that on
the very day of the dissolution a man came with a ladder to the
Exchange--not "Royal," but "Great" Exchange--in the city and obliterated
with a brush the inscription, _Exit Tyrannus Regum Ultimus_, which had
been set up in August, 1650, near the site of the late king's statue,
destroyed by order of the then Council of State, as already narrated.
Before the end of the month another statue was in course of making to take
the place of the one that had been thus destroyed.(1164) As time went on,
and Monk's design to bring in Charles became more apparent, the citizens
grew yet bolder. The Skinners' Company went so far as to set up again the
royal arms in their hall on the occasion of an entertainment given to Monk
himself.(1165)

(M600)

Towards the close of April, when it was evident that the king's
restoration was a mere question of time, the Common Council showed an
anxiety to place on record an account of the attitude taken up by the
City, and to vindicate its action throughout the late troublous times. It
appointed (26 April) a committee "to peruse the records of this court and
report what of them are fit to be considered of, and their opinions
thereupon; and also to prepare a narrative for the vindication of this
court and city touching the same." The committee at once set to work, and
in four days were ready with a draft of "a declaration and vindication of
the lord mayor, aldermen and commons of the city of London in Common
Council assembled," which received the approval of the court (30 April),
and a printed copy of which was ordered to be sent to every member of
parliament and Council of State.(1166)

After expressions of satisfaction at the thought of an end having been put
to the distractions of the kingdom by General Monk, and at the hopeful
prospect of a return to the old form of government by king, lords and
commons, under which the country had so long prospered at home and been
respected abroad, this declaration proceeded to disavow the various Acts
of the Common Council as established in 1648, when, "in the general deluge
of disorder introduced upon these kingdoms" in that year, the government
of the city passed into the hands of "men of loose and dangerous
principles," who proceeded to pass Acts "tending to the murder of the late
king and total extinguishment of kingly government," and who by no means