THE HUMBLE PETITION, OF The peacefull, obedient, religious, and honest Protestants of this Kingdome, presented unto the Honourable House of Commons, by Doctor Hynton, in their behalfe the 7. day of January, 1641.
THat you will be pleased to reflect upon the divine Service of God, according to the ancient lawes of this kingdome, that thereby the poore Protestants between the two extremities of zeale may not suffer a disturbance of their religion.
That you will be pleased to preserve Gods annointed his immediate Vicegerent our true and lawful Soveraigne Lord the King, in his person in all his Regall Dignities and lawfull immunities without any impeachment of his Regality in whose honour the reputation of the Kingdom depends.
That you will be pleased to ratifie and confirme all things both concerning His Majesty and the state of this Kingdome as they were in those blessed daies of Queene Elizabeth and King Iames, that we may thereby live in these latter and turbulent times; with as much peace to our consciences, with as much dignity to our Nation, in as true love and obedience to our lawfull Soveraigne, and with as much liberty and liberality of our fortunes as our forefathers heretofore have done.
That you will not suffer Learning to be defaced nor discountenanced by the ignorant, but rather that you will be pleased to advance it to its Dignity, it being the maine supporter of lawfull obedience, of order, civility, and regularity in all States.
That you will be pleased to qualifie the exorbitancies of the Separatists and unworthy persons, that thereby the City of London and the Suburbs may be disburdened from their continuall cares and feares, besides their losse of time, healths, and fortunes, which the Trainebands, and the double and treble Watches and Wards continually doe sustaine.
That you will be pleased, as the State hath by election both made you members of this Honourable House, and adopted you our Fathers to governe our fortunes, to establish our Lawes, and to regulate our actions: so we now beseech you to satisfie our consciences, to preserve our reputations, and to admit of a liberall and free debate in Parliament, concerning all these particulars, without interruption that thereby the glory of God may be exalted, the dignity of our King and Kingdome preserved, the immunities of the House according to the ancient custome of England continued, all precipitated tumults appeased, all discords amongst us peacefully united, the valiant and renouned acts of our predecessors revived, our tottering fortunes established, our King and Kingdome united; that so our minds and consciences may be fully satisfied. &c.