RIght Dear and beloved friends, so many as are resolvedly willing to be fellow Assistants in this so just and commendable service having no lesse then the authority of this Parliament, as by their Order above inserted appeares, with Major Generall Skippons speciall Warrant, to justifie this our practice and proceedings: Be pleased therefore freely to subscribe your names, with the places of your abode, and whether you are most willing to serve with Horse, Musket, or Pike; as also whether you are provided with such Arms, as you intend to serve with; and this is expected from you only at such houres and seasons as all that is near and dear unto us shall appear to be in imminent danger; your names shall bee returned with what speed may bee to the Major Generall, that so having distinct knowledge of our numbers, with our resolutions, he may as he is resolved, grant us authority to choose fit persons from among our selves, to lead, order, and conduct us with security, when a suddaine Alarme or confusion shall bee in this City or near adjacent, that so for future wee may not bee, as formerly, in an incapacity to preserve ourselves in case of danger. And in thus doing, you shall not only answer the desires of the Parliament, and of the Major Generall, but also of us your faithful friends, who are jointly resolved in every respect to enjoy the same measure with you, whether it be life or death, or any other condition, we being fully sensible that what, concerning visibility, is lovely in our eyes, lieth at the stake; thus in the discharge of our duties & places, we shal be satisfied, quietly waiting & expecting comfortable success, as it shal by the God of our strength be handed unto us, as the fruit of our labors and endeavors.
THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of LONDON, IN Common-Councell ASSEMBLED, With the annexed Papers: Presented to the Right Honorable THE LORDS and COMMONS in Parliament Assembled: WITH The Answer of both Houses to the said PETITION.
Printed by RICHARD COTES, Printer to the Honourable city of London, July 24. 1648.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE Lords and Commons In Parliament Assembled. The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common-Councell assembled.
THat your Petitioners being very sensible of the great discontents and jealousies for the present, and great dangers like to ensue for the future to the Parliament and City, by reason of divers listings of Horse and Foot, within this City and liberties thereof, by servants and apprentices Listing one another in a clandestine way, at unseasonable times in the night; and taking power to grant Commissions to other Apprentices and servants to doe the like, pretending to do the same by vertue of printed Papers [Page 2] which they call Commissions (one of which is hereunto annexed) tending to the raising of tumults, dividing and breaking of the Trained-bands and Auxiliary forces of this City, thereby disabling them to preserve the Parliament from force and violence, according to their many former engagements, and endangering the peace of this City: All which practises the said Listers conceive to be warranted by the Order of the House of Commons of the Fifth of this present Iuly, and an Ordinance thereupon of the 12. of the same.
In consideration of the dangerous consequences whereof, your Petitioners humbly pray, That this honourable House would be pleased to take the premisses into speedy and serious consideration, and to put a period to the power and execution of the aforesaid Order and Ordinance granted to Major-Generall Skippon for listing Horse and Foot; And that all persons listed by authority thereof, may be discharged; And that by the speedy passing of the Ordinance for uniting of the Militia's of the City and the parts adjacent; and for the raising of Horse therein mentioned, they may be the better enabled to defend the King, Parliament, and City, according to their former engagements; the which your Petitioners wil be ready to make good with their lives and estates, according to their solemn League and Covenant.
THat the House doth declare it an acceptable service in any persons that will List themselves, Horse, or Foot, under the command of Major Generall Skippon, for defence and safety of the Parliament, City, and Kingdom: And that the said Major Generall Skippon is hereby authorized to Inlist all such persons, and Command them, and draw them out of the late Lines into any Part, as he shall see occasion; and to conduct and lead them, and to fight, kill and slay all such as shall oppose, rise, or make any Insurrection against the Parliament, or to the disturbance of the peace of the Kingdom.
In pursuance of an Order from the honorable House of Commons, bearing date the 5. of July, 1648.
THese are to desire you to Inlist all such persons as shall voluntarily offer themselves, for the defence and safety of the Parliament, City, and Kingdom; and to return their names unto Me with all convenient speed you may. And for so doing, This shall be your warrant.
In pursuance of the abovesaid Order from the honorable House of Commons, bearing date the 5th. day of July, 1648. directed to Major Generall Philip Skippon, and by vertue of his Warrant to me directed, bearing date the 7th. of the same.
THese are to desire you to Inlist all such persons as shall voluntarily offer themselves for the defence and safety of the Parliament, City, and Kingdom; and to return their names unto me with all convenient speed you may, that I may return them to the Major Generall: And for your so doing, this shall be your Warrant.
Dated the 9 day of July, 1648. To Mr. John Brown, or such as he shall desire to further the said service.
THe Lords have commanded me to let you know,The Answer of the Lords. that they will be ready to make good the confidence that the City of London hath of their Lordships care to preserve the safety and quiet of the City, which hath merited so much from them, and to prevent those things that may occasion any distraction or disorder amongst them; the inconveniences which are now expressed by your Petition, were not apprehended when the votes passed, giving that authority to Major Generall Skippon, but since the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Common-councell are sensible of danger and distraction that may arise in the City by such a power, they will doe what in them lies for the recalling of those Votes, that so the quiet and order of the City may not be disturbed, and that no interruption may be given to the endeavors of the City for the perfecting their former ingagements to the Parliament.
THe House being informed that the Sheriffes of London were at doore, they were called in; and after a prologue made by Sheriffe Bide, presented a Petition in the name of the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, which after the Petitioners were withdrawn was read; and was intituled, The humble Petition of the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common-councell assembled; and the Petitioners being again called in, Mr. Speaker by the command of the House gave them this answer; Mr. Sheriffe, and the rest of you Gentlemen, the House has considered of your Petition, and taken it into serious consideration, and have commanded mee to give you this answer, That when the House made this Ordinance there was very great cause of danger, and just grounds to this House to proceed accordingly, that as great danger doth appear still to the House, and therefore they have resolved to continue the same; and this House doth desire and expect of the Common-councell of the City, and the Militia, that they doe suppresse all Listing whatsoever within the City, and Liberties of the same, unlesse the same be done by authority of Parliament; and the House hath appointed a Committee to receive the complaints of any indirect carriages in Listing of any Forces, and to examine and redresse the same.