former Trusts: And for their better proceeding therein,
have employed the Presbyterian Ministers as well in and about
London, as other places, who forbeare not to venture a
sequestration, in disobeying the Commands of Parliament
for observation either of Humiliation or Thanksgiving
dayes; They presse and struggle hard for Monarchy in this
Nation, for the restauration of Lords, and excluded Commons,
and their Covenanting brethren.
Many of the Citizens refusing to pay the Assessements
which are now assigned over to the souldiery here, souldiers
are threatned to be sent to quarter upon them; and to that
end his Excellency wrote a Letter to the Lord Major and
Aldermen of the City, intimating that quartering of souldiers
upon the the refusers cannot be avoyded unlesse they
forthwith pay in 1300 l. and be more conformable for the
future in paying their dues.
Tociter. Aug. 6.
SIR, Yours of the fourth instant came safe to my hands,
Newes little, but what I shall here informe you of; those
that would be accounted Honest men in this Countrey are
possest with such strange Fancies, that all they can doe is
too little to asperse and disgrace the present Government,
not onely in a private, but in a publick manner. The Text
at the Sermon made at our Assizes was in hac verba, (viz.)
When there was no King in Israel, every man did what seemed
good in his owne eyes. A strange dividing businesse to draw
mens hearts from obedience to this Authority; in which
particular (to speake truth) our Clergy in these parts are
too much guilty. I much wonder no course is yet taken
by the Councell of State or His Excellency, for stopping
of those Souldiers who have laine upon Cheshire and those
parts all or most part of this Summer, and now they should
be shipt for Ireland they come away by us twenty in a day,