Hitherto all had promised well, but on the 4th August Charles thought fit to issue another writ calling upon the nation at large, and not only port and maritime towns, to furnish ship money, on the ground that as all were concerned in the mutual defence of one another, so all might contribute towards the defence of the realm.(373) The City found itself called upon to provide two more vessels of 800 tons apiece.(374) The authorities, however, were so slow in executing this further order that the Sheriffs were made to appear every Sunday before the lords of the council to report what progress was being made.(375) (M146) In June, 1636, Richard Chambers, a merchant, who had previously displayed a bold front against the king’s demand of tonnage and poundage, for which the Star Chamber had condemned him to a term of imprisonment (1628-1629), again came to the fore, and carried the question of the king’s right to levy ship money to the Court of King’s Bench. The judges, however, refused to allow the question to be argued. "There was a rule of law and a rule of government"—said Justice Berkeley, scarce realising the true import of his words—"and many things which might not be done by the rule of law might be done by the rule of government." Chambers was again committed for contempt, but was afterwards liberated from prison upon payment of the £10 at which he had been assessed. He contented himself with bringing an action in the King’s Bench against the mayor, who had made the assessment on the ground of some technical informality.(376) (M147)