Majesty commanded that they should Dine, before they left the Court.

His Majesties Command was fully and effectually performed. For as soon as they had in most humble Manner taken their Leaves of their Majesties, they were brought by the Right Honourable the Earl of Dorset, and by Mr. Comptroller, and other Officers of the Court, into a Room; where a Table was prepared for them, and none other, to Dine at. Where they were bountifully Feasted; being honoured with the Presence of the Earl of Dorset: Who vouchsafed to Dine with them. And in their Majesties Names gave them exceeding great Welcome; expressing to them that Love, which he ever hath abundantly manifested to the City. Mr. Comptroller likewise Dined with them; using them with very great Respect.

While they were at Dinner, there came Two Gentlemen to them, one from his Majesty, the other from the Queen; to let them know, that their Majesties had remembred the Health of the Lord Maior, and the whole City. Which they all entertained with all due Respect; returning their humble Thanks, for that their Majesties extraordinary Favour.

Dinner being done, they took their Leaves of the Honourable Earl, and other Officers of Quality and Eminency of the Court, and departed: Returning to the Lord Maior with great Joy and Comfort. To whom they made Relation of their Majesties Grace and Favour to his Lordship, the whole City, and themselves.

Thus have you seen (as briefly as we could) the Work of this Day; and in it, as well the Demonstration of the Cities Love, and dutiful Affection to his Majesty, and his Royal Consort, as their Majesties gracious and loving Acceptance of it. The former being but the bounden Service of Good and Loyal Subjects; the other, an extraordinary Act of Favour and Grace, worthy to be graven in Tables of Brass, to be preserved to all Posterity.

And of later Times, however, the City, upon the fatal putting to Death of King Charles the First, was forced to comply with the Government that was then set up by a mighty prevailing Hand; yet for the lasting Memory of the City's Stedfastness to the Ancient Kingly Government, and to the Maintenance of the English Freedom, the Maior, and several of the Aldermen, utterly refused to publish an Act made by the Commons, soon after the said King's Death, Intituled, An Act for the Exheredation of the Royal Line, the Abolishment of Monarchy in the Kingdon, and the setting up of a Commonwealth. These that so refused, were Sir Abraham Reinardson, Maior, Thomas Adams, John Langham, and James Bunce, Aldermen. For which the Maior was put out of his Maioralty, and he, with those Aldermen, committed to the Tower. In April following, the Three Aldermen were to be brought to the Bar of the then Governing Lords. Which they hearing of, bravely and stoutly, as good Citizens, and true Englishmen, refused their Authority; and signified to the Lieutenant of the Tower, that they would not obey his Order to bring them before the Bar of that House, declaring their firm Resolution to stand for the Defence of the established Laws of the Land, and their Protestation against the Lords Jurisdiction over them, or any other Commoners in Criminal Cases: With an Appeal from the said Lords to their proper and competent Judges, i.e. a Jury of their Equals, and Judges sworn to proceed according to the known Laws of England. All this may be seen by the Letter and the Petition following.

SIR,
"WE received a Paper from you, seeming to authorize you to carry our Persons before the Lords, to answer to a Charge: We are constrained to inform you hereby, that our Persons ought not to be hurried to and fro, or disturbed at the Pleasure of any Man, neither can we yield Obedience to the Commands of any, which are not Legal. And therefore in case you intend to disturb us on Tuesday next, we expect to see a Legal Warrant from some Person or Court, which have a Jurisdiction over us, in case of a real or supposed Crime: And we must acquaint you, that the Lords have no Legal Power to summon us to answer to any Crime, whereof we are accused or suspected: And therefore you must expect to answer for whatsoever Injury you offer to our Persons: And know hereby, that we shall not voluntarily go from hence to Westminster, by Virtue of the Paper received, but shall suffer you to carry us, if you shall send Force which we cannot resist."

" From our Chambers in the Tower of London, April the 23d, 1648.
Your Friends and Servants,
Thomas Adams,
John Langham,
James Bunce. "

" SHEWETH,
THAT if your Petitioners shall submit to your Lordships Jurisdiction over Commoners in those Criminal Cases or Novalisms in Law, Intituled, Articles of Impeachment of High-Treason, and other Misdemeanors: They shall not only be Feloes de se, but also shall murther the Persons, and ruin the Estates of all the Freeborn People of England; and that which is more, they shall betray the Common-Law, which is the Supream Authority (under God) of the Nation, and the Inheritance of every Freemans Posterity. And that which is worst of all, they shall be instrumental to pull down all the Judicatories of the Kingdom, and reedify an Arbitrary Government many Stories higher than ever the Star-Chamber, High-Commission, or Council-Table were. And by the same Rule that your Lordships have Fined several Commoners Five Hundred Pounds a Man, for not Kneeling or Submitting to your Lord-"