Chap. VIII. The HIS T 0 R Y if the PuRITANS. 273 returning thanks to the houfes, they retreated to Wickham, and appoint- K. Charles I, ed commifiioners to fettle all remaining differences with the parlia- ~ ment. But the city of London, by the influence of the impeached members, C:•mm~tions kindled into a flame; for the parliament by an ordinance of May 4· m the ctty. having put the nomination of the officers of the militia into the hands of the common-council ; tbeft had difcharged the old ones, and put in fuch as they could confide in for oppofing the army, and efiablifhing uniformity according to the covenant; the qjjicers in order to defeat their de!ign in!ified, that the ordinance of May 4· be repealed, and the Ib••P· 386. militia put into the hands of thofe who had conducted it during the courfe of the late war. The houfes with much reluctance, confented to the repeal July 23. which alarmed the citizens, and occa!ioned thofe tumults which brought upon them the very mifchiefs they were afraid of. Denzil Hol!is with the other impeached members who were retired into the city, prevailed with the common-council to oppofe the repeal, and petition the houfe, that the ordinance of May 4· might remain in full force. At the fame time fame citizens met at Skinners-Hall, and fubfcribed a folemn engagement to endeavour with the hazard of their lives to procure " a perfonal treaty with the king; --that he might return Rulhw. p. " to his two houfes with honour and fafety; --that his majefl:y's con- ~7·. " cefiions of May 1I. might be confirmed, and the militia continue in 3 ;f.'n, P· " the hands of the prefent committee." How vain was all this bu(tie, ' when they knew the king was in the cullody of thofe wh~would pay no regard to their demands. The houfes indeed forbid the figning of the en– gagement by found of trumpet, but fuch was the mifguided zeal of the citizens, that they held aifemblies, lifted foldiers, and gave them orders to be ready on the fidl: notice. The parliari1ent was now in great perplexity, con!idering the impofiibi- 'lumults in lity of contenting the preibyterians and the army at the fame time; while tbe parlia– the citizens, relolved to carry their ooint by one method or another, went~'% houfo, up to Wejtmilifier Jul)' z6. with ft;ch a number of apprentices and young 6: 2 : w. P· men, as terrified the houfes by their tumultuous and infolent behaviour; for Rapin, p. ~hey would fcarc'e fuffer the door to be fhut; fame thrufl: themfelves 4°4· 111to the houfe with their hats on, crying out, votf, vote, and when the JPeake~ would have left the chair to put an end to the confufion, they obliged h1m to return, till the militia was fettled t6 their mind, and the king Tf7hich occa– voted to come to Lmdon. This (fays Mr. Baxter) looked like a force up- jiomfove– on the pJr!iament; and ind ~ed both houfes were fo terrified and prefied ral of tbt b l h · 11. · fid ] members to e ween t e city prewvtc[!ans on one 1 e, and the army on the ot 1er 1 · 1 tl. . . l , ' re zre a u that they adjourned n:nmediately from Monday to Friday, in which inter- army. VoL. JI. · N n val
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