As if all this were not enough Wolsey demanded another loan before the end of the year. This was too much even for the patient and open-handed London burgess. The Common Council determined (4 Nov.) to put a stop to these extortionate demands, and resolved that, "As touchyng the Requeste made by my lorde cardynalles grace for appreste or aloone of more money to the kynges grace, they can in no wise agre thereto, but they ar and wilbe well contendid to be examyned uppon their othes yf it shall please his grace so to do."(1113) The stand thus made by the citizens against illegal exactions gave courage to others. The king’s commissioners were forcibly driven out of Kent, and open rebellion was threatened in other counties.(1114) (M586) There was only one course left open to Henry, and that was to summon a parliament. For nearly eight years no parliament had sat. It was now summoned to meet on the 15th April, 1523, not at Westminster, but at the house of the Blackfriars.(1115) The names of the city’s representatives are on record. The aldermen elected one of their body, George Monoux, and with him was associated "according to ancient customs," the city’s Recorder, William Shelley; whilst the commons elected John Hewster, a mercer, and William Roche, a draper(1116) A few days after the election a committee of fourteen members was nominated to consider what matters should be laid before parliament as being for the welfare of the city.(1117) Sir Thomas More was chosen Speaker. The enormous sum of £800,000 was demanded. Expecting some hesitation on the part of the Commons, Wolsey himself determined to argue with them, and suddenly made his appearance in state. Finding that his speech was received in grim silence, he turned to More for a reply. The Speaker, falling on his knees, declared his inability to make any answer until he had received the instructions of the House, and intimated that perhaps the silence of the Commons was due to the cardinal’s presence. Wolsey accordingly departed discomforted.(1118) His attempt to overawe parliament marks the beginning of his downfall. He still kept well with the city, however, and rendered it several small services. (M587) Emboldened by their recent success the citizens determined to make a stand against other exactions, and when in May, 1523, another demand was made for one hundred bowmen, as in the previous year, they sent their charter to the cardinal and begged that the article touching citizens not being liable to foreign service might remain in force. A similar demand was made in the following November, and again the assistance of Wolsey was called in.(1119) The City on the other hand had recently conferred a favour on the cardinal by discharging Robert Amadas, his own goldsmith, from serving as alderman when elected in March of this year.(1120) (M588)