24th January, 1643. The Kings Letter sent to the M{rs} & Wardens of this Company was read in Court and the printed Letter in it and the Cittyes Petic͠on and his Ma{ties} gracious answer unto it. And but that the morrow was fast day being the last Wednesday in this Moneth the ffreemen and apprentices of this Company could not be summoned to appeare then, it should have bin read. Soe that in the Interim an Order of Comand from the Lords and Comõns was directed to this Company to countermaund the said Letters in these words, Die Martis 24{to} Januarii, 164-2/3. At the Comittee of Lords and Comõns for the safety of the Kingdome. Whereas there are divers Letters pretended to be sent by his Ma{tie} to the M{rs} and Wardens of the severall Halls in the city of London with Two litle Bookes therein closed the one intituled The humble Petic͠on of the Maior, Aldermen and Comõns of the City of London to his Ma{tie.} And the other intituled his Ma{ties} Letter and declarac͠on to the Sheriffes and City of London Dated the 17{th} of January, which evidently tendeth to sedition and setting of the whole State in a Combustion. These are therefore strictly to charge & comand the M{rs} and Wardens of every Hall in the City to whome the said Letters and Bookes inclosed shalbe directed to forbeare to publish or open any of them till both the Houses of Parliament shall give further order therein. And the M{rs} and Wardens of every Hall are required to bring the said Letters with the Messengers thereof to this Comittee which they will take to be an Argument of theire good Affection to the Parliament Pembroke Montgomery Bolingbroke Ed: Manchester W. Say & Seale Ed: Howard Jo: Evelin Jo: Pym Antho: Nicoll. 17th January, 1644. It is ordered that in respect of the greate troubles and distractions of these times there shalbe noe publique Anatomy this yeare dissected. 1644. The Company seem to have become greatly impoverished by the venture in Ireland, the rebuilding of their premises, and the forced loans to the King and the Parliament. In a certificate given by the Master and Wardens (5th September, 1644) to be produced in a suit in which they were defendants, they state that their debts are £3,000, and that they can get no return of any of the money lent for public purposes, or even the interest of it.