Review of city forces in Hyde Park. 22 Oct., 1650.
A few weeks later (22 Oct.) the city forces and those of Middlesex to the number of 8,000 mustered in Hyde Park, where they were addressed by the Speaker and members of the House. Before the end of the month a contingent of recruits from London was on its way to join the army in Scotland, "but near half of them," we are told, "ran away in their march, and listed themselves in the garrisons of Newcastle and other garrisons by the way."[1008]
Resolution of Common Council on elections in Common Hall, 14 Oct., 1650.
At Michaelmas Andrews was once more elected mayor. The proceedings of the committee appointed a twelvemonth ago to enquire into the mode of electing the mayor of London have not come down to us. Possibly the committee made no report, for a new committee was nominated a few days before Andrews was re-elected, "to consider what may be the most right and fitt way for electinge of all that are wont to bee by the Comon Hall."[1009] On the 26th September (1650) a report on the subject was laid before the Common Council, and consideration adjourned.[1010] On the 14th October, the court having considered the report, came to the following resolution:—[1011] "That it apeareth to them by the auncient charters of this citty that the lord maior and[pg 330] sheriffs of this citty are eligible by the comons and citizens of this cittie and that the eleccon of the lord maior and sheriffs was aunciently by severall persons chosen out of the wards joyned with the Common Councell. And that the same waye is most convenient still to bee continued."
Act of Common Council touching elections in Common Hall, 4 Nov., 1651.
The matter was not allowed, however, to rest here. Petitions were sent in by the livery companies, and debate followed debate until the 7th December, when the court put a stop to further discussion by ordering that "this busines shalbee wholey laid aside."[1012] A year later (4 Nov., 1651) the Common Council passed an Act much to the same effect as the above resolution. Elections in Common Hall were thenceforth to be by the aldermen, common councilmen and "a like number of other honest men" of each ward, and not by the companies.[1013]
Removal of royal statues, arms, etc., by order of the Council of State.
Although the kingly office as forming part of the Constitution had been declared by parliament to be abolished immediately after the execution of Charles, emblems of royalty might still be seen displayed in the city and elsewhere many months afterwards. On the western façade of St. Paul's, for example, there remained statues of James and of Charles. These the Court of Aldermen had been ordered to remove (31 July, 1650). They were further ordered to see that the head of Charles's statue at the Royal Exchange was struck off, the sceptre in the effigy's hand broken, and an inscription set up hard by proclaiming the abolition of tyranny—Exit Tyrannus Regum Ultimus—and the dawn of liberty. On the 14th August the[pg 331] entire statue was ordered to be removed.[1014] This was done, and on the following day a certificate to that effect, under the hand of the Town Clerk, was forwarded to the Council of State.[1015] Nevertheless there were many places, many churches and companies' halls in the city, where the royal arms and portraits of the late king had been allowed still to remain, and these the Council of State directed the mayor and aldermen in December to search for and cause to be removed.[1016] In February, 1651, the Court of Aldermen showed greater activity in the matter, and the lord mayor was directed to issue the necessary precept for the removal of all "monarchichal armes."[1017]
Letter of thanks from Cromwell to the mayor, read 7 March, 1651.
In the meantime, oppressed as the citizens were with constant demands on their purses, they contributed what they could toward the relief of the sick and poor of the army in the North,[1018] and on the 7th March, 1651, their efforts were rewarded by a letter of thanks from the lord general himself.[1019]