On the 3rd February the House had come to a resolution that the sum of £300,000 might justly be appointed as a "friendly assistance and relief" for the Scots. The manner in which it was to be raised was left for further consideration.(451) It was now arranged that £80,000 of that sum should be at once paid over to them, and that on August the 25th they should cross the Tweed. The City was called upon to find £40,000—or one-half of the amount immediately required—by Wednesday, the 28th July.(452) By order of the House of Commons (29 July) it was to be repaid with interest out of the poll money when levied.(453) So eager were the citizens to contribute towards the work of ridding the country of the Scottish forces before Charles should have an opportunity of using his powers of persuasion upon them that there was a difficulty in getting a sufficient number of tellers to receive it.(454) (M186) In addition to this heavy drain upon their resources, the citizens were called upon by the House of Commons (31 July) to forthwith pay the sum of £3,000 which they had undertaken to advance, upon the public faith of the House, towards "the furnishing of the queen-mother of France in her journey out of the kingdom."(455) Ever since October, 1638, Mary de Medicis had resided at St. James’s Palace, and had caused no little discontent by her intermeddling in the affairs of the country and the favour she displayed towards Catholics. On her first arrival in London the citizens had accorded her a hearty welcome.(456) The acknowledgment that Charles subsequently made of his gratification at the City’s action on this occasion was rendered somewhat ungracious by his requesting that a gift of the value of £1,000, "or thereabouts," should be made to the queen-mother in further demonstration of the City’s love. After communicating with the Common Council the Court of Aldermen agreed to present her with a cup of the value of £800, "or thereabouts."(457) (M187) Charles had determined to set out for Scotland on Monday, the 9th August, in spite of every effort to get him to postpone his journey. So great indeed was the fear of danger likely to be incurred if he carried out his intention at this juncture that the House of Commons determined to sit on Sunday to contrive measures for avoiding the threatened risk—a proceeding which they publicly declared they would never have adopted, "but upon inevitable necessity, the peace and safety both of Church and State being so deeply concerned."(458) In answer to a fresh appeal Charles consented to put off his journey for one day, and on Tuesday (10 Aug.)—the day on which the treaty with the Scots was finished and the queen-mother left England—he set out for Scotland. (M188) (M189)