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 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY City.'*" In the Directory it was ordered that the fonts in the London churches were to be disused, and new fonts ' or some other necessary thing ' ^'^ set up for the purpose near the reader's desk.'*^ This order was promptly obeyed in the majority of churches/'^ new fonts with or without covers being bought in most cases.'** A committee was appointed in 1645 t° control the revenues and direct the services in Westminster Abbey. The dean and clergy with one exception were expelled, and others appointed ' in the place of those whose offices the Committee shall find it necessary to continue.' Money was to be set apart to pay for Sunday sermons and the daily morning lectures.'*^ The fourteenth of January 1645-6 was kept in the City as a day of solemn humiliation. Sermons were preached at St. Michael Bassishaw before the mayor and corporation, who, with a few exceptions, took the oath and Covenant ; ^"^ and a petition was presented to Parliament earnestly depre- cating toleration ' of any other form of religion than the Presbyterianism already adopted by Parliament and the citizens.''*^ On the same day it was announced in Parliament that the king was prepared to allow religion to be settled as it was in the reigns of Elizabeth and James, ' with full liberty for the ease of their consciences who will not communicate in that service established by law, and likewise for the free and public use of the Directory prescribed, and, by command of the two Houses, now practised in some parts of the City of London, to such as shall desire to use the same.' '^* The City's petition was graciously received, and a month later Parhament issued the long-desired order that the election of elders was to be carried out without further delay ; **' but the citizens were not wholly satisfied, as they heard that commissioners were to be chosen in every province to have superinten- dent power in Church government, an arrangement to which they had a great objection.'^" The Common Council sent a petition to Parliament on the subject,^" which was so strongly resented as a breach of privilege ^'^ that the City took fright and withdrew it.^'^ In May Parliament was urgently entreated in a document called the ' Remonstrance ' to take some steps to suppress assemblies of Brownists, Anabaptists, and other sectaries, and to check the increase of heresy and schism in London.'^* The Lords formally thanked the Common Council for presenting this Remonstrance from a large body of ' citizens of the best rank and quality,' as well as from the '*' Corp. Rec. Letter Bk. QQ, fol. 234, 245. See Lamb. Lib. Tenison MS. 679, fol. 113; Lords' Jouni. X, 545, &c. "" St. Dunstan in the West Vest. Min. 1645. ''' Christ Church Newg.ite Vest. Min. 1645. ^^ St. Martin Orgar Vest. Min. 1645 ; St. John Walbrook Chwdns.' Accts. 1645 ; St. John Zachary Accts. 1645 ; St. Margaret New Fish Street Vest. Min. 1645 ; St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street Vest. Min. 1645 ; St. Magnus Accts. 1645 ; Allhallows Honey Lane Accts. 1645 ; St. Stephen Walbrook Accts. 1645 ; St. Mary at Hill Vest. Min. 1645, &c. "* At St. Margaret's Westm. a basin was thought sufficient for the purpose ; Chwdns.' Accts. 1645. ^ An Ordinance of Pari. Sec. (B.M. Pampldets, E. 3 10, no. 17). ^^ Corp. Kec. Letter Bk. QQ, fol. 195 ; Joum. xl, fol. 160, i663, 174. '" Corp. Rec. Joum. xl, i6oiJ-i66ii ; Lords' "Joum. viii, 104-5 ; Com. Journ. iv, 407. "' Lords' Journ. w, 103 ; S.P. Dom. Chas. I, dxiii, 13 ; Sharpe, Lond. and the Kingdom, ii, 226-7. ^" Lords' Joum. viii, 178. See St. Stephen Walbrook Chwdns.' Accts. 1646 ; St. Peter Westcheap Vest. Min. 1646, 165 I. '" Corp. Rec. Letter Bk. QQ, fol. 2I4<5. '" Corp. Rec. Journ. xl, fol. 1 73/^-1 74^. ^^^ Hist. MSB. Com. Rep. vi, App. 104. ''^ Com. Journ. iv, 479. '" Corp. Rec. Journ. xl, fol. 176 ; Letter Bk. QQ, fol. 218 ; Lords' Journ. viji, 332. 333