My lord and gentlemen. Havinge a due regarde both to the publique trust and to the good and wellfare of the cittye of London I have made choice of Serjeant Major Skippon to bee Serjeant Major Generall of the army under my comaund beinge well assured of his fidellïtye and abillity to discharge that trust. And yet knowinge of what concernement his present imployment in ye citty may be I have thought fitt to give your Lorpp and you gentlemen notice hereof wth this assurance that in this choice I have had a speciall regard as to the publique so particulerly to the securetye of the cittye of London. And that in it I do not intende wholy to deprive you of him but so as his service may be rendered usefull both to this armye and to your cittye whose good and wellfare I shall carefully provide for ye uttmost of my power and do rest your ffaithfull ffriend Essex. From my quarter at Hammersmith this 16th day of November 1642.
No. 62.
Resolution of the Common Council for putting the City and Suburbs into a posture of defence, 23 Feb. 1643.
Journal 40, fo. 52.
That a small fort conteyning one bulwark and halfe and a battery in the reare of the flanck be made at Gravell lane end. A horne worke wth two flanckers be placed at Whitechapell windmills. One redoubt wth two flanckers betwixt Whitechapell church and Shoreditch. Two redoubts with flanckers neere Shoreditch church wth a battery. At the windmill in Islington way, a battery and brestwork round about. A small redoubt neere Islington pound. A battery and brestwork on the hill neere Clarkenwell towards Hampstead way. Two batteries and a brestworke at Southampton house. One redoubt wth two flanckers by St Giles in the Feilds, another small work neere the turning. A quadrant forte wth fower halfe bulwarks crosse Tyborne high way at the second turning that goeth towards Westminster. At Hide parke corner a large forte wth flanckers on all sides. At the corner of the lord Gorings brick wall next the fields a redoubt and a battery where the court of Guard now is at the lower end of the lord Gorings wall, the brestwork to be made forwarder. In Tuttle feilds a battery brestworke, and the ditches to be scowred. That at the end of every street wch is left open to enter into the suburbs of this citty defenceable brestworkes be made or there already erected repayred wth turnepikes muskett proof, and that all the passages into the suburbs on the northside the river except five vizt. The way from St. James towards Charing Crosse, the upper end of Saint Giles in Holborne, the further end of St. John Street towards Islington Shoreditch church and Whitechappell be stopped up. That the courtes of guard and the rayles or barrs at the utmost partes of the freedome be made defensible and turnepikes placed there in lieu of the chaynes all muskett proof. And that all the shedds and buildings that joyne to the outside of the wall be taken downe. And that all the bulwarkes be fitted at the gates and walls soe that the flanckes of the wall and streets before the gates may be cleared and that the gates and bulwarks be furnished with ordnance.
No. 63.
Letter from the Mayor, &c., of Gloucester to the City of London, touching the removal of Colonel Massey. Dated 29 May 1645.
Journal 40, fo. 132.
When we were in suche distresse by a close seige, that our freindes held our condicõn desperate, and our enimies did assure themselves of prevailing over us; by Gods providence we had reasonable releif from your famous and ever renowned citie wch doth now embolden us to present unto you our present estate, which is in breife. That our heartes wth the heartes of the country in generall are surrounded wth feare and greife for the removall of Collonell Massey from us, whose endeavors amongst us God hath soe wonderfullie prospered. Wee represented our sadd sense thereof and our reasons in particuler by peticõn to the honoble houses of parliament, but such meanes was used by some for the accomplishment of their owne ends therein that our peticõn was not read in the howses. So that wee are like to be deprived of him, and thereby much distraccõn, if not confusion sorely threatned to us and this countrey, thereby to the encouragement of the enimy and discouragement of or friends. Therefore we doe humbly apply ourselves unto you desiring you to interpose for us to the Parliament for his contynuance wth us. Wherein you will not only doe us a singuler favour, but we are confident much further the publique service thereby, and which shalbe most gratefully acknowledged by