THat your Petitioners do with all thankfulness acknowledge your Honors care and indefatigable diligence in watching over the good and safety of this Commonwealth; and that you have with impartiality admi­nistred Iustice, especially in visiting the Iniquity of Blood, Murther, Oppres­sion and Injustice, upon the Heads even of the greatest Contrivers of, and Actors in our Miseries. And they can­not but gratefully take notice of your constant Resolutions and Endeavors for promoting Religion in the power [Page 4]and purity thereof, with the suppression of Sin; a full manifestation whereof the whole Nation hath received in your late Acts past against Blasphemies, Pro­phane Cursing and Swearing, Sabbath breaking, Adultery, Fornication, and the like. Neither can your Petitioners look upon it as the least Argument of your Care of the Publique, that you have professed to give all just ease in re­spect of the Burthens and Taxations of the Nation, when the Necessity of the continuance thereof shall abate.

That your Petitioners do from their hearts abhor and detest all designs tend­ing to create New Troubles; and do bless God for the happy discovery of them, and especially of that lately hatch­ed in these Northern parts; and do make it their earnest Request to your Honors, That all those in these parts [Page 5]who may be proved to have had any hand in such ill Designs, whether they be Old or New Malignants, may be brought to condign punishment; And that the rottenness of some few amongst your Petitioners (Enviers of, or Ene­mies to this happy Change of Govern­ment) may not draw any imputation upon this County, which is still ready to manifest its adherence and good af­fection to this present Government, with the utmost hazard of their Lives and Fortunes; whereof as they have hitherto for time past given undeniable Testimonies, so they will be still ready to demonstrate the same upon all good occasions; and your Petitioners do in their judgements conceive, That the VVar with Scotland is Necessary, and undertaken for your own and the Countreys peace, they being fully sa­tisfied. [Page 6]That the Malignant Interest against which they have so long Con­tested, with the Expence of so much Blood and Treasure, is that onely which is carried on by those of that Nation.

That this County is burthened be­yond its proportion, for want of fit persons to represent in Parliament their Condition, and hath very much suf­fered through the marching Soldiery to the Irish VVars, it being in the High-Road, and endamag'd very much that way; in respect of which Bur­then and Sufferings, it hath in former times been much eased, and some­times freed from Taxes common to others.

And lastly, your Petitioners do humbly Represent unto your Honors the great inconvenience and loss that [Page 7]falls upon Infants and others, for want of a setled Office for Probate of VVills, and granting Letters of Administrati­on, there being yet no legal course esta­blished for this County in that particu­lar; The Prerogative Court having no power amongst your Petitioners, and for want of such an Office the course of Iustice is very much ob­structed.

Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray, That your Honors will be pleased to take the premises into Consideration; and, so soon as your great Occasions will permit, to afford them such Relief as to your Wisdoms shall seem meet; And that they may have liberty to pro­ceed to New Elections of fit per­sons [Page 8]to Represent them in Parliament, wherein they will be ready to observe such Rules and Cautions as you in your Wisdoms have or shall direct.

And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.