to send the discontented out of the kingdom; and they asserted that by
their engagement on Triploe Heath they could not conscientiously move a
step till the liberties of the nation were settled on a permanent basis.
The first act of mutiny occurred in Bishopsgate. A troop of horse refused
to obey their colonel; and, instead of marching out of the city, took
possession of the colours. Of these, five were condemned to be shot; but
one only, by name Lockyer, suffered. At his burial a thousand men, in
files, preceded the corpse, which was adorned with bunches of rosemary
dipped in blood; on each side rode three trumpeters, and behind was led the
trooper's horse, covered with mourning; some thousands of men and women
followed with black and green ribbons on their heads and breasts, and were
received at the grave by a numerous crowd of the inhabitants of London and
Westminster. This extraordinary funeral convinced the leaders how widely
the discontent was spread, and urged them to the immediate adoption of the
most decisive measures.[1]

The regiments of Scrope, Ireton, Harrison, Ingoldsby, Skippon, Reynolds,
and Horton, though quartered in different places, had already[a] elected
their agents, and published their resolution to adhere to each other, when
the house commissioned Fairfax to reduce the mutineers, ordered Skippon to
secure the capital from surprise, and declared it treason for soldiers to
conspire the death of the general or lieutenant-general, or for any person
to endeavour to alter the government, or to affirm that the parliament or
council of state was either tyrannical or unlawful.[2]

[Footnote 1: Walker, 161. Whitelock, 399.]

[Footnote 2: Journals, May 1, 14. Whitelock, 399.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1649. May 7.]