At his wit’s end for money, James had recourse to benevolences. The bishops offered him the value of the best piece of plate in their possession to help him out of his difficulties, and their example induced many of the nobles to open their purses. Application was again made to the City for a loan of £100,000.(193) This they declined, but made the king a free gift of £10,000, one moiety being paid by the City’s Chamber and the other being furnished by the livery companies.(194) (M77) It was now that the City began to resort to the practice of recruiting their Chamber by nominating and electing as sheriffs those who were likely to prefer paying a fine to serving—a practice which more especially prevailed during the troublous times of the Stuarts. Nearly a dozen individuals were elected one after another to the office at Midsummer of this year, and one and all declined. Some, like Sir Arthur Ingram, had sufficient influence at court to obtain their discharge without fine, others paid fines varying in amount, which served to fill the City’s exchequer.(195) (M78) Another reason, however, is given for so many refusals to serve as sheriff just at this time, and that was that men declined to serve sheriff with Peter Proby, who had once been a barber.(196) The shrewd ex-barber soon overcame any feeling of antipathy that may have been entertained towards him on entering upon municipal life. In 1616 he was sent with Mathias Springham to manage the city’s Irish estate.(197) In 1622 he was elected mayor and in the following year was knighted. (M79)