WE blesse God for you, as the Instrument whom he hath raised up, and made eminent in putting an end to the sad and dreadfull warre, wherein this Kingdome was involved not many moneths since; our eyes are still upon you, and our pray­ers for you, that God would crown your labours with an happy period of our miseries, ending in the injoyment of our due and native liberties, which are the things we have chosen our fellow Subjects serving in Parliament to obtain for us. They are the things for which we have adventured our lives and estates free­ly, being the first county that appeared for them. They are the things we have so often petitioned for, and could not have so much as expected a delay of answer to these our just desires.

But to our grief we speak it, we have been rejected, and are become hopelesse of satisfaction, by some men who have not onely prevailed in discountenancing our just petitions (the pro­per way of the subjects addresses) but have almost made it a fault for the Subjects to petition even for things that are due to them both by common birth-right and the law of the Kingdome, and which frequently have been confirmed unto us by severall or­dinances and Declarations of Parliament; we are not ignorant that even some men amongst them, whom in due time we shall not stick to name, are such as by their subtill thoughts have en­deavoured to render your Army odious to the Parliament and Kingdome, which rather then they shall not obtain, they will [Page 2] not stick to inflame the Kingdome in a second unnecessary and unjust warre. That being the onely help under God left us, of having a firm peace settled in this Kingdome.

These things being come to this passe, we take upon us the boldnesse to beseech your excellency, being a person whom your justice, courage, fidelity and zeal for the common good, have made eminent, and given so great an interest in the hearts and affections of all men who have any sense of their common good and just liberties, That you will be pleased to mediate in our behalf to the honourable Court of Parliament, for the ob­taining of our so dear and near concernment: without the injoy­ment whereof even our lives will be uncomfortable to us.

And although this our addresse may seem strange or hazard­ous unto you, yet we doubt not but the justice of our desires will preserve you. As for our own parts, we are resolved in the me­diation hereof, to assist you to the uttermost of our power, &c.

WE do with much thankfulnesse acknowledge the great care and pains that have been un­dergone by those our faithfull and well be­trusted Worthies of Parliament, who even in the saddest of times, when deserted by many of their own Members, have not spared the hazard of their lives, estates, and fortunes, for the preservation of the just Liberties, Immunities, and Franchises of the free-born Subjects of this Kingdome, being desperately and strongly invaded, by a powerfull and malignant party: And have also made many solemne protesta­tions and declarations of their aimes, intents and purposes, whereby we have been greatly incouraged to yield all chearfull and due assistance in so necessary a work; yet now, to our great grief observing, by reason (as we conceive) of the machinati­ons and contrivances of some desperately affected to the weal, [Page 2] and quiet of the publick in generall, and to the honour of your ever honoured Army in particular, many obstructions daily to intervene and f [...]ll in, whereby both they and we, notwithstan­ding the still reall intentions of our forenamed worthies, are as yet clea [...]ly debarred the fruition of these our often promised, much wisht for, prayed for, fought f [...], rights and priviledges, whereof we had [...]ll hope long since to have been partakers:

Wherefore we your said Petitioners do most humbly intreat and beseech your Excellency, whom God hath eminently and highly honoured, & we wel know to have a tender & compassi­onate care over the distresses of this miserable afflicted King­dome, to use your utmost endeavours withal expedition, before the disbanding of the Army now under your Excellencies com­mand, that those Firebrands and Incendiaries, who have endea­voured new divisions in the Kingdome or by their slanderous tongues to fix undeserved reproches upon the Army, may be brought to condigne punishment, and that we your Petitioners, with the rest of our faithfull brethren in the Kingdome may have a certain relief in our grievances hereunto annexed.

I. That divers Counties and Corporations in this Kingdome viz. Devonshire, Cornwall, Wales, formerly in open hostility & for the present wholly disaff [...]cted to the proceedings of Par­liament, have notwithstanding retained eq [...]ally with the most cordiall to the State, their priviledges of electing members, a thing very destructive to the safety of the Common-wealth, which is the chief end of Parliaments, and one main cause of many present grievances; Wherefore we desire that such Ele­ctions may be revoked, and the place declared uncapable of any [Page 3] such priviledge, during the sessions of this Parliament, or untill such time as it shall appear that their former enmity and rancor against the Parliament be laid aside.

II. That whereas the honourable houses have raised up the expectations of the well affected, by promising the improve­ment of their time and care to apply remedies against their pres­sing evils, as appears more fully in their declaration, the 17. of April, 1646. yet the said Commons have to their great grief been frustrated of their hopes, and instead of being relieved, have to their great grief been vexed, imprisoned, and otherwise molested.

III. Our Petitions to the Parliament are not as in former times either received or answered, whereby no redresse can be had to our pressing grievances, as in particular those against tythes, that for the enlargement of our fellow Commoners, long, and, as we humbly conceive, unduely detained in prison.

IV. The putting in of M [...]lignants, Neuters, and persons who have not shewen any affection or done any service for the Par­liament during these troubles that have layen upon the King­dome, into places of honour trust and profit, as governours of Towns, Castles, Forts, Justices of peace, Commissioners of Excise, Committees of Accounts, &c. whereby the most cor­diall friends of the Parliament are slighted, disregarded, and up­on very slender causes indicted, committed, imprisoned.

V. That the body of the Kingdome consisting much of Co­pyholders, who for the most part have been very cordiall and faithfull to the Parliament, may not now be left finable at the will of the lord, in regard the generality of them have been ve­ry malignant, and much dis-affected to a Parliamentary or through reform [...]tion; and from whom they cannot but expect very severe dealing.

VI. That all men who have received any State-moneys, as well Parliament men as others, may be called to an account [Page 4] for such moneys. And that Committees (not as now for the most part Neuters or Malignants but) of approved fidelity may be elected for that purpose.

VII. That one Cordwell a man of a most notorious lewd life & conversation, & withall a most desperate Malignant, did pro­cure a Warrant for the apprehending three Souldiers under the command of Col. Albom Cox, brought them before one King of S. Albanes a Justice of Peace, where their said Colonell did appear with them, and made it very clear and apparent to the said Justice that what they did was by command from their Captain, and no more then what was expresly contained within their Ordinance, which the said Justice did acknowledge, and was fully satisfied in their Ordinances, authorizing them there­unto, yet notwithstanding the said King would have committed them to Hertford Goale, had not their said Colonell and Captain become bound for their appearing at the next Sessions. And the said Cordwell did preferre a bill of Indictment against them, and had it not been for two or three honest men that served of the Grand Jury, the said bill had been found to the great perill of the lives of the said Souldiers, there being but little favour or mercy to be had for Parliament Souldiers by the Justices of our County.