TO this Honourable and high Court, that there hath bin seve­tall Petitions former­ly delivered to the Lords of the Coun­cell of this King­dome, wherein our grievances and oppressions have bin at large set forth and our great desires expressed by the same for the reliefe of our sufferings and [Page 2] our humble Demands for tolleration in our Religion and Liberties in the exercise there­of and the confirmation of our Ancient Lawes and Priviledges, by former Acts of Parliament, confirmed and granted to us in the Raignes of former Princes of England, but the same our Petitions have bin rejected and no favour shewed to us, but all severity that possible could in execution of the Lawes of latter times made against those of the Catholique Religion, which enforced our taking up Armes for the defence of the same. There hath likewise been humble Remonstrances and De­clarations aswell presented to your Lordships as published publiquely in this Kingdome, but the same hath also bin disregarded and re­jected, not somuch as obtaining any Answer thereto, as may any way gaine us hope of our future injoyment of our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, by which being brought to despaire of any redresse of our grievances, and many oppressions by which we have bin over burthened withall hitherto, yet notwith­standing our Requests could not be hearkned unto, but in both Kingdomes by both Coun­cels [Page 3] repulsed, that we might cleere our selves of obstinate refusall to use and try all lawfull and dutifull meanes that may be to the King and his Parliament, for the satisfying our just desires to the vttermost, We doe yet againe in the behalfe of our selves, and all of the Ro­man Catholique Religion, to present our humble Declaration and Petition to your Lordships and the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament, In which wee de­clare.

1. That whereas they have since their taking vp Armes bin by divers false Papers and Pam­phlets declared to have vsed inhumane and savage Cruelties, and most bloody Massacres against the persons whom they have overcome in skirmishes, which have opposed and endevoured to destroy not onely our Religion, but Lives and fortunes, which by the Lawes of God, of Nature and reason, wee are bound to Maintaine and vphold, by which wee have bin made infamour to all men, even in for­raigne Nations, for which wee are much grieved; Wee therefore to cleere our selves of this Scandall and Defamation, doe say and protest, that since our taking vp Armes wee have not vsed any Cru­elty [Page 4] to the adverse party, otherwise then have happened to fall by the Sword in Battaile, of which wee have tasted, or if wee have taken Prisoners we have preserved and kept them with respect, as is in Warre vsed, till wee have seene the vsage of our men taken by the other part, and even as they have been dealt withall so have wee, which wee conceive to be but just and Congruent to the law of Armes; But for dismembring, dis-joynting, rip­ping vp Women with Child, and sleying of Jn­fants, wee are innocent concerning the same as to our selves, and if any of the ruder sort of Soul­diers have beene guilty of the same, when we were acquainted therewith we severely punished them, as for Example, one Trahon for Ravishing a Wo­man with Child, and after ripping her vp, was sentensed to be hanged in Chaines for his vile fact, which was accordingly performed, and others have beene punished for the like offences.

2. That by Order from the Parliament all Declarations, Papers, Writings, or Pamphlets, whereby wee are called Rebells, and Traytors, to our King and Country, and Scandalyzd, disgraced and malitiously abused, may be restrained and cal­led in.

3. That the Paliament would be pleased to conceive that our desires are not to withdraw our selves from the subjection of our Lawfull King or obedience to any Lawes by his Majesty and Parlia­ment, made for good Government, that destroyes not our Religion, Lawes and Liberties, for the ex­ercising of the same according to the Ordinances of the Roman Catholique Church, but endeavour to vindicate the same to the losse of our Lives and Fortunes.

4. That wee are ready and willing io submit our selves to his Majesty, upon any lawfull, ho­norable, and reasonable Conditions, but no condi­tions being propounded by his Parliament, that may be any way safe for us to yeeld unto, and per­ceiving the distractions and divisions betweene the King and his Parliament whereby they Con­curre not so well together as is desired, we are vn­resolved what to doe in any way of submission till there be a Concurrence and agreement between King and people, and in the meane time wee must be in­forced to doe what we can to preserve our selves and Estates.

5. And lastly, that the Parliament would be pleased to admit and appoint a meeting betweene [Page 6] the Lords and Nobility of our Army and the Lords Commanders in the English Army, whereas con­ditions of Truce and Cessation of Armes betweene both may be offered and Concluded, for a certaine time, which shall be thought Convenient to setle the present and particular divisions, betweene the King and his Parliament; And in the meane time to consider of Articles and prapositions where­by a finall and Perpetuall Pacification may be made and Confirmed by the States of both King­domes.

These our desires and humble requests, wee pray may be taken into the Consideration of the high Court of Parliament with all Expediti­on and an Answer of the same returned, by which we may know what to trust to.