Still he was not defeated, and the last hours of the great Parliament are obscured in the mists of another intrigue in which the indomitable Republican played a mysterious part. A resolution had been passed that the dissolution should take place on or before March 16th. As the time drew near signs of a strong disinclination to abide by it began to appear. Monk, who had retired to St. James's to keep as much in the background as possible, began to have his suspicions. The original understanding had been that they were to sit for about a week and do nothing but arrange for a new Parliament and an interim Government, and to take measures to keep the military Fanatics quiet. This merely meant that they were to provide Monk with pay for the army and all that was necessary for the preservation of order. They chose, however, to interpret it by passing a Bill for the re-establishment of the militia, and putting it into the hands of their own men. Not content with this breach of faith, they began busying themselves with Church matters. In a Presbyterian and Independent Parliament such questions were not to be settled in an hour. When the writs came out, moreover, it was found that they had been made returnable five days later than the specified time. The Militia Bill had gone to the printers, but had not yet been published. A committee was sent to inquire into the delay. It was found that the Bill had been tampered with in the press. Haslerig was suspected of being at the bottom of it. However that may be, it had the effect he would have wished. Monk's suspicions were changed to certainties. At St. James's it became clear that the Presbyterians were manoeuvring to gain time, till they had the new militia in readiness to support them in prolonging their sitting and recalling the King on their own terms. Pym indeed had so openly advocated this course that the general had had to send for him privately and warn him to hold his tongue. It was just what Monk had feared, but though his own sympathies were in favour of the moderate Presbyterians, he was not going to allow that party to steal a march on the country any more than the Cavaliers or Fanatics or Republicans, and he put his foot down at once.