To the high court of Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the dominions thereunto belonging. The humble petition of divers, in behalfe of themselves, and about fifteene hundred others (necessitous publike-faith lenders) inhabiting in and about London (whom lesse then fifty thousand pounds will fully satisfie and) who are altogether unable to double what they have lent 1655 Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A62722 Wing T1399B ESTC R220121 99831549 99831549 36012

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A62722) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 36012) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2046:19) To the high court of Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, Ireland, and the dominions thereunto belonging. The humble petition of divers, in behalfe of themselves, and about fifteene hundred others (necessitous publike-faith lenders) inhabiting in and about London (whom lesse then fifty thousand pounds will fully satisfie and) who are altogether unable to double what they have lent 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [London : 1655?] Imprint from Wing. Reproduction of the original in the Harvard University Library.

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eng England and Wales. -- Parliament -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2008-01 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-01 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-03 Sampled and proofread 2011-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2011-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
To the High Court of PARLIAMENT of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereunto belonging. The humble Petition of divers, in behalfe of themſelves, and about fifteene hundred others (neceſſitous Publike-faith-lenders) inhabiting in and about London (whom leſſe then fifty thouſand pounds will fully ſatiſfie and) who are altogether unable to double what they have lent. Moſt humbly ſheweth,

THat your Petitioners did in the years 1641, 1642, 1643, 1644. &c. lend ſeveral ſums of money, &c. upon the credit and Faith of the Nation (according to the Propoſitions, &c.) at the requeſts, and earneſt deſires of the Parliament, in their greateſt neceſſities.

That through their good affection to the well-being of their native Countrey, they were carried forth to lend (not only ſo timely, but alſo) ſo largely (in which they were Exemplary to the whole Nation (not doubting to have had it againe in a very ſhort time) that they thereby made themſelves altogether unable to double, (as others did that lent ſparingly (though far better able) whereby many have been utterly diſpoyled of their trades and livelihoods, many become priſoners, others (in abundance) in hourly fear of becoming ſuch, hundreds ſo poor, they have not bread (of their owne) to este, but are ſupported either by friends, Pariſhes, &c.

That they have not been wanting any time this ſeven years to make known the ſad effects of their ſaid want thereof unto the Parliaments, the Councel of State, and to the Lord Prorector, and his Councel, but (to their great grief and encereaſe of their miſery) all hath hitherto proved little more then fruitleſſe coſt and labour.

That according to an Act of the 7. of October 1653. they have preſented their claims to their ſaid ſeveral ſummes before the Comniſſioners therein named, in whoſe cuſtody they yet remaine.

That your Petitioners are not at all againſt general ſatisfaction, (but ſhould greatly rejoyce to ſee it effected) only (fearing it will prove a hard work to be done at once, and) knowing their own neceſſities to be ſo unſupportable, and themſelves ſo forward, and timely appearers both in perſon and purſe; they deſire they may be taken care for, and clearly paid off in the firſt place,

Therefore they are moſt humble and earneſt Sutors unto your Honours, that you would be pleaſed now to take their ſad and diſtreſſed condition into your moſt ſerious and Chriſtian conſideration; to ſettle ſome ſpeedy and effectual way for paying your Petitioners their ſaid ſummes (and the intereſt thereof,) ſo ſhall you take away the great reproach the credit of the Nation yet lies under, the common deriſion your Petitioners have long undergone (by ſuch as have greatly rejoyced to ſee them thus become poor) ſet many priſoners at liberty, inable hundreds to keep and keep up their credis and callings, many to eate their own bread, that now live upon others charity, the ableſt amongſt them to pay their debts, and the whole body of them, their poor wives and children to pray for your Honours temporal and eternal prosperity.

Reaſons, Argument, or Motives humbly offered to the conſideration of the ſaid High Court, and every individual Member thereof, on the behalf, and for the primary, and distinct ſatiſfying of the ſaid Petitioners, viz.

1. BEcauſe they, &c. in and about London were alwayes the firſt lenders, and moſt forward appearers upon every ſtreight and occaſion, and were in that reſpect the great wheele that (by example) moved all the reſt in the Countries that lent any thing at all.

2. Becauſe men in and about London (and in particular, your ſaid Petitioners,) did lend much more in proportion (as well as more timely and frequently) then any others; as being at the very elbow of, and daily converſant with the Members of that Parliament; and under the powerful Miniſtery of ſuch, as uſed all their utmoſt abilities to perſwade men to lend, and take Armes for the Parliament; all which were as ſo much fuel heaped upon the fire of their good affection, which joyned with hopes of ſure and ſpeedy repayment, carried them forth to lend above, and beyond their abilities.

3. Becauſe that they, their ſons, ſervants, &c. in and about London, were none of the leaſt part of the firſt Army, nor of recruiting the after Armies, whenſoever broken by the enemies, which cauſed them to ſay, It is in vaine for us to fight any longer, unleſſe London be burnt or deſtroyed; for let us beat their Armies as oft as we will, yet that curſed City ſtill ſends forth more.

4. Becauſe they humbly conceive their ſaid active forward affectionis not to be equalized in all the Land; for no where elſe is any to be found, that (like the Widow) threw in all they had; or of ſuch as took up money at intereſt (and pay intereſt for it ſtill,) on purpoſe to lend it to the Parliament; or of hundreds that lent a 4, and 3d part, or half of their whole eſtates voluntarily.

5. Becauſe they have been ſo greatly inſtrumental in many kinds, to advance the Common Cauſe owned by the Parliament, viz. in their conſtant readineſſe upon all occaſions (even at the very beck of the Parliament) with their own horſe, armes, &c. to move into the adjacent Countieſ, &c. to feaze the Armes or perſons, &c. of ſuch as appeared enemies; as alſo by their unwearied activeneſſe amongſt their neighbours, to rectifie their affection, perſwade them to lend, or give money, &c. and at all meetings and places in the years 1642. 1643. &c. where any way or means for publike good or ſafety was intended, debated, &c. about forming and raiſing the Auxiliaries, in arming and encouraging them; in fortifying the Cities of London, Weſetminſter, &c. and in guarding the Parliament, Tower, Forts, &c. and many going into the Army, and all this at their own charge; by all which wayes and occaſions, they exceedingly hindered themſelvs in their callings, (by loſſe of time, and expence of much money, and ſome loſt them quite,) and ſo were utterly undone; and beſides, they have owned and ſtood cloſe by the ſaid Cauſe in the greateſt ſtraits and worſt of times.

6. Being tradeſmen, and lending beyond their abilities (as aforeſaid) to anſwer the oft and earneſt deſires of Parliament, they have exceedingly wanted their money ever fince to manage their callings, and ſome forced either to leave them quite off (for want of money) or deale upon credit, as well as they could; and being ſo forced to buy hard pennyworths, they are over-topt with young ones (who having great ſtocks (as never lending any thing) and your ſaid Petitioners ſmall ones, they even eate them out, and get their trading and cuſtomers from them; and beſides, ſome are grown ſo old, and ſo caſt down with grief (that they ſhould be ſo long kept from their ſaid money in their ſo great neceſſities) that they are not able to work or look after their trades as formerly; many are ſhut up cloſe in priſons, and hundreds more ready to be haled in daily after them, and therefore have the more need of their money.

7. Becauſe they have had many verbal and printed promiſes of Parliament, of ſetting ſome eminent marks of honour upon the Citizens of London, for their unparallel'd, large and voluntary Lones, &c. none of which have beene made good unto your Petitioners, (and therefore they deſire to be paid their ſaid ſummes in the firſt place, and they ſhall take that as honour enough, and forget all the reſt) but rather the contrary hath befallen them; for hitherto London (within the freedom) bears the fifteenth part of the Taxes of all England, (of which the Petitioners have borne the more by reaſon of their firſt forwardneſſe; many of them not daring ſince to aske any caſe (as living altogether upon their credits, left their weak eſtates ſhould be diſcovered, and ſo be utterly undone) which is ſo great a diſproportion, that one that lives within, of equal eſtate with one that lives without the freedome, is taxed at ſix pence for the others penny; and in that heavie Tax of 10000. li. per week, the 50 Subſidies, fortification moncy, &c. which were laid upon London only, and no where elſe: alſo the Exciſe, which is little or nothing to moſt Countrey men, though of great eſtates; but lies very havie upon many Artificers, traders, &c. in London, though of very meane eſtates; all which hath cauſed many of the ableſt Citizens to leave the Citie, and take houſes in the Suburbs, or ſome few miles off, to avoid the ſaid burthens; which thoſe that ſtay behinde are neceſſitated to bear till they ſink quite down under them.

8. Becauſe the Parliament did promiſe and declare, that none that were forced to lend, ſhould be paid till all that willingly lent was firſt paid.

9. Becauſe they promiſed and declared, that none ſhould be neglected or flighted, (that faithfully ſtood to the ſaid Cauſe, (as your Petitioners have done) but ſhould be thankfully rewarded, to their own honour, and the good of their poſterity: they onely deſire that which is properly due unto them without further honour, and therefore hope they ſhall certainly be provided for by your honours.

10. Becauſe it ſeemes (to them) very vnlikely, that Gentlemen, Yeomen, &c. in the Countries (who generally lent ſparingly,) or townſmen, (unleſſe one perhaps of hundreds) ſhould have the like need of their money with your Petitioners, who have ſpent ſeven or eight years time in ſeeking after it, and the others in 11. on 12. years neither ſeeking nor petitioning for it; but if any be ſo neceſſitous there, they do heartily wiſh and deſire their ſpeedy ſatisfaction.

11. Becauſe as it hath already been very great, ſo it is certain it will be much greater hurt to them if they be kept longer from their ſaid money; whereas to rich men, or ſuch as can double, it will be no dammage at all to ſtay a little longer, (becauſe you are to give them intereſt all the time it is out) and it may be ſome would put it to intereſt elſewhere, if they had it, as having no uſe for it themſelves.

12. Becauſe they have been ſo long Petitioners (have amongſt them ſpent ſo great a quantity of money, and ſo much precious time, in ſeeking after, and petitioning for it;) and that they do again moſt earneſtly pray that they may be provided for: they may be eaſed from their long, cold, hungry, grievous and weariſome journeyes and attendance in ſeeking for it; which hath been ſo prejudicial to many of them, that it had been mercy in the Parliament, to have told them at the firſt, that they would not have paid them at all, rather then to have put them off from time to time to the ruine of many already, and of abundance more if not ſpeedily prevented by your Honours effectual providing for their ſatisfaction.

In anſwer to that old and common objection, (by which ſome have hitherto hindered your Petitioners ſatisfaction) viz. that the Parliament muſt be juſt, and do things without partiality, and therefore may not provide for them before they provide for all lenders in general.) They anſwer, it is not counted unjuſt, or partial for any private man, that holds money at intereſt, of ſeveral people, to pay ſome of them their money in, and continue to owe the others their money longer, at the ſame rates and ſecurities as before: and further they anſwer, that it was not accounted unjuſt or partial, to borrow it of one before another; nor in one man to lend his money, &c. or appear before another; for then no mans money, or appearance was turned back, becauſe his rich or politick-lending neighbours, were not come along with them: nor was there any that foretold the middling or poorer fort of people, that they muſt keep enough to be able afterward to double what they then lent; nor was the meaneſt, or moſt zealous, called in queſtion, why they lent ſo much, or ſo often; and therefore they hope your Honours will hearken to no ſuch diſhonourable objections, but go on to pay your ſaid Petitioners in the firſt place, and the reſt as ſoone as it may be done.