The question now was between a forced dissolution of the Wallingford-House council of officers and a dissolution of the Parliament itself.

That, in spite of Richard's objection to violence, seemed on the eve of being decided by a murderous battle in the streets of London.

Fleetwood, summoned to Whitehall to see the Protector, neglected the summons; and through the night between Wednesday the 20th and Thursday the 21st of April there was a rendezvous in and round St.James's, by Fleetwood's order, of all the regiments in town.

A counter-rendezvous, in Richard's name, was attempted at Whitehall; but Whalley, Goffe, and Ingoldsby, who would have commanded here and done their best, found that they had no soldiers to command, the bulk of their own regiments, with some of Richard's guards, having preferred the other rendezvous.

What then happened is told by Ludlow in a single sentence.