On 22 December 1641, the king appointed Lunsford as Lieutenant of the Tower of London. The next day, the common council of London presented a petition to the House of Commons against his appointment. Bowing to pressure, the king removed him from the post on 26 December. The following day, Lunsford was called before the Commons for examination. On leaving the house, he was engaged in a free-for-all in Westminster Hall. Roundhead propagandists painted Lunsford with a reputation for sadism, brutality, and cannibalism. This episode was seen as contributing to the king's growing unpopularity and ultimate demise.