WE the Freeholders, Citizens, Burgeſſes, Commons and Freemen of the reſpective Counties, Cities, and Boroughs of England and Wales, taking into our ſerious Conſiderations the many late various Forms and Revolutions of our publick Government, with the miſerable Distractions and Oppreſsions of our ruinated Churches and Realms ſince the violent changes of our antient eſtabliſhed Kingly Government, and Conſtitution of Parliaments, conſiſting of King, Lords, and Commons, by whoſe united Counſels and Intereſts we were happily ſecured againſt all treacherous Plots and Conſpiracies of forein Enemies, and pernicious Domeſtick Vipers, and advanced to the higheſt degree of worldly Peace, Proſperity, and Felicity. And finding by above eleven years ſad Experience, that there is neither Hope nor Probability of reſtoring our 3. ſhipwrack'd Nations to their Priſtine Tranquillity, Unity, Wealth, Honour, Traffick, Security, but by a ſpeedy Reſtitution of our antient Form of Parliaments, and publick Regal Government; and with all obſerving, that in the Writs of Summons now iſſued for a Parliament to be held at Westminſter, on the 25th. day of April next, there is no known ſingle Chief Governour, nor yet any real Commiſsioners nominated, (but only Fictitious Utopian Keepers of the Liberties of England) with whom the Members appearing in Parliament can neither conferr nor conſult, concerning the difficult and urgent Affairs either of the Realm or Church of England; And that all the Lords and Great Men of the Realm (the antienteſt hereditary Members of Parliament, the Grand Councellors of the Kingdom, and Chiefeſt Aſſertors of our Liberties in all precedent times) are totally omitted out of theſe new Forms of Writs, and all Clauſes in them, contrary to all former Preſidents, without whoſe concurrent Advice and Aſsiſtance with the Commons Houſe in this approaching Parliament, no firm Peace or Settlement can probably be expected, a full and free Engliſh Parliament, (from which no legal Members, much leſſe the whole Englſh Peerage and Nobility ought to be excluded, being the principal thing the Generality of this Nation lately petitioned and declared for, as the only Inſtrument under God to compoſe all Differences and diſſenting Parties, and put a happy period to our manifold long-laſting Diſtractions and Confuſions: Have thereupon apprehended it our bounden Duty, ſeriouſly to recommend theſe enſuing INSTRUCTIONS to our reſpective Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes elected, and to be elected and returned by us for our Repreſentatives and Truſtees in this approaching Parliament; who receiving full and ſufficient Power for themſelves, and the reſpective Commonalties of the ſaid Counties, Cities and Boroughs from the ſaid Commonalties alone who elect them, to do and conſent to all ſuch things as ſhall be ordained by Common Council of the Realm in the ſaid Parliament, in their Rights and Behalfs, are thereby obliged in point of Duty and Conſcience as their publick Servants and Proxies, vigorouſly to purſue all ſuch juſt Preſcriptions for the Common welfare and Eſtabliſhment of our Native Country, as they ſhall preſent unto them.

We therefore eaneſtly deſire and require them in purſuance of the Truſt repoſed by us in them, to improve their uttermoſt Endeavours and Counſels, (there being no particulars preſcribed to them in the Writs themſelves, as heretofore) to effect theſe few Individuels.

1. To reſtore the antient Conſtitution, Rights, Privileges and Freedom of our Engliſh Parliaments, their reſpective Houſes and Members, and to preſerve them from all future Mutulations and Violations by armed Force or otherwiſe, that ſo they may by free un-interrupted and combined Counſels proceed to the ſpeedy Settlement of our diſtracted Churches and Nations, without any Diverſions or Obſtructions by Souldiers or popular Tumults.

2. To re-eſtabliſh the antient Fundamental Regal Government of this Kingdom, and the Dominions thereunto belonging (under which we and our Anceſtors in former Ages have flouriſhed in great Peace and Proſperity) according to our known Laws, Oaths, Proteſtations, Covenants, and multiplyed Declarations, and ſecure it againſt all future Underminings and Powder-plots of Jeſuitical and Fanatick Conſpirators.

3. To revive and ratifie the miſerably ſubverted and violated Great Charters, Fundamental Laws and Statutes of the Land, made for the preſervation of the Perſons, Lives, Liberties, Free-holds, Eſtates and Properties of all Engliſh Freemen, againſt all Arbitrary and Tyrannycal Judicatures, High Courts of Iuſtice, Proceedings, Tryals, Executions, Iudgements, Baniſhments, Impriſonments, Confinements, Confiſcations, Forfeitures, Attainders, Outlawries, Sequeſtrations, illegal Taxes, Impoſitions, Exciſes, and publick Charges whatſoever, not granted by Common-conſent in Parliament, and to prevent all future Contempts and Violations of them, after ſo vaſt expences of Treaſure and Bloud for their juſt defence.

4. To eſtabliſh an able, learned, Orthodox Miniſtry, and juſt and righteous Magiſtracy throughout our Dominions, and to take ſpecial care that the Goſpel of Chriſt may be duly and ſincerely preached, propagated, the Sacraments and publike juſtice freely and rightly adminiſtred in all places, without neglect or obſtruction, to the conſolation, protection of all good Chriſtians, and well-doers, and the terror and ſuppreſſion of all Malefactors.

5. To advance all ſorts of Trade, Merchandize, and Navigation, by diminiſhing all exceſſive Cuſtoms, Exciſes, Impoſts at home, by making Peace and holding good correſpondence with all forein Kings and Nations abroad, and uſing all other good means conducing thereunto.

6. To redreſſe all publick Grievances, Oppreſſions, Frauds, and Miſdemeanours; to diminiſh, retrench and regulate all exorbitant Taxes, Exciſes, Impoſts, Fees, Extortions, Salaries and ſuperfluous Forces, Garriſons, Officers, (Civil or Military) by Land and Sea.

7. To procure a ſpeedy, honorable, ſafe, Chriſtian Treaty and accord with our long Exiled Proteſtant King, and Royal poſterity, upon moderate, juſt, righteous terms and Propoſitions on either ſide, whereby the bleeding Proteſtant cauſe and Religion, (much endangered in all places) may be promoted and ſecured, the Plots of Popiſh Enemies to extirpate them prevented; the Peace, Government, Laws and Liberties of our Kingdoms, reſtored, preſerved, and perpetuated to poſterity; the juſt publick Debts of the Nation and Souldiers arrears diſcharged; a general Act of Indempnity▪ Pardon and Oblivion for all ſorts of perſons juſtly capable thereof, procured; all former Injuries, Feuds, Animoſities totally extinguiſhed, and all juſt ſales of juſtly confiſcated Eſtates, made without Fraud, Govin, practice or Dureſſes for valuable conſiderations, confirmed or recompenced; that ſo all parties and intereſts being perfectly reconciled, may henceforth ſtudiouſly endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, and to live peaceable and quiet Lives under their lawfull Kings and Governours in all Godlineſſe and Honesty; being Epheſ. 4. 2, 3▪ 4, 5, 6. 17, 18. all Members of one and the ſame Mystical politick Body, having all one Spiritual and Temporal Lord▪ one Faith, one Baptiſm, and one God, and Father; which ſhould both perſwade and oblige them to put away all bittern • ſſe, wrath▪ anger, • lamour, evil ſpeaking, and all malice, and to be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven them, forbearing one another in love. But if we ſtill proceed to 1 Tim. 2. 〈…〉 Gal. 5. 15. bite and devour one another, (as we have done for many years by-paſt) we ſhall ſodenly be conſumed one of another, and made a prey to our common Enemies, which the accompliſhment of theſe Inſtructions by Gods bleſſing, and the Parliaments wiſedom, will prevent, and make us once more THE GLORY AND LADY OF ALL CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS, as we are now their reproach.