THAT as we have with all readinesse and chearfulnesse served our Country against the Tyrannicall Oppressours thereof; So we doe, at present, conceive our selves in duty obliged to expresse the deep sense we still retain of the severall weighty, and insupportable burdens, which the Oppressed Commonalty for a long time have been, and still are groaning under. For the speedy removall whereof, We apply our selves to this Honourable House, who undoubtedly ought to relieve the Nation herein, you having now opportunity with power in your hands; God making the Army, and all well-affected people as Wals and Bulwarks to defend you, whilest you faithfully discharge that Trust committed to you for the benefit of this Nation. And being assured, that it is our undoubted right, as Members of the Common-wealth, to represent the grievances thereof to you by way of Petition, and to offer such sutable remedies as we apprehend to be effectuall for their redresse; We humbly tender these ensuing particulars to your serious and speedy consi­deration.

That Justice is not yet executed upon the Grand Delinquents and Authors of our miseries, bloud-shed and calamities, notwithstanding the many and earnest Petitions of Well-affected Peo­ple Grievance, 1. (as that of Kent, and other Counties lately presented) earnestly desiring the same.

For remedy whereof, we humbly offer, That the King, and all others the Grand Contrivers of, and Actors in the first and second warre, may be brought to speedy Triall; As also those of your Remedy. own House that have betrayed their Trust; and all other Capitall Offendours, without respect of persons; and that Justice be executed upon them according to their demerits: Likewise that the Prince, Duke, and other Delinquents beyond the Seas, be speedily summoned, and a time prefixed for their coming in, that so they may receive a due Triall: And in case they exceed that time, to be proceeded against as enemies to the Common-wealth: And that a day be appointed, within two months, for all Delinquents who are not already discovered, to compound; and if they shall not compound in that time, then their estates to be wholly forfeited and imployed for payment of publique debts.

That the intollerable burden of Free Quarter is yet continued upon the people, notwithstanding the Assessements are generally paid, although very unequally laid upon many Counties, Divisi­ous, Grievance, 2. Hundreds, Cities, Townes and Villages; the great oppression by Tithes continued; Excise most unconscionably exacted from the poore, and no Account publiquely given how the vast summes received have beene spent and imployed.

For redresse whereof, We propound, 1. That Free Quarter be immediately taken off. 2. Constant pay, or Assignations; and that the Assessements, whilst continued, be more equally propor­tioned. 3. That Impropriators being first satisfied, Tithes be taken away. 4. That the Excise be taken off from all, except Imported commodities; that no more engagements be laid Remedy. upon it; and that clipt money be immediately called in. Further that it be declared, that as soone as the Engagements already charged, ut supra, be satisfied, it shall be wholly taken away. 5. That all new Taxes be abolished, and an equall way of Subsidies onely continued: And that you may be enabled to take away those Taxes, We further offer, That Forrests lands, the Whole Revenue formerly belonging to the Crowne, Bishops Lands, Deanes and Chapters Lands, Compositions of Delinquents, and Sequestrations, be speedily improved to the best advantage, for the ends afore­said; And that all who have beene, or now are publique Treasurers and Collectors of moneys, be forthwith called to an account, viz. Excise men, Sequestrators, Customers, together with all other Receivers whatsoever; And for that end we desire, that able Accomptants, Men of known fidelity to the publique Interest be imployed for the bringing of the fore-mentioned Treasurers, &c. to a speedy Account, that so the Commons of England may know how the vast summes of money raised under pretence of paying souldiers, have beene disposed of; by which meanes also discoveries may be made of great summes of money which hitherto hath beene concealed.

That by reason of the multitude of Officers who depend for maintenance out of the severall receipts, great summes of money are devoured, and by meanes thereof, Accounts made difficult. Grievance, 3.

For remedy whereof, We offer, That all publique moneys be brought into one common Treasury, which wil much lessen the former charge, that at the end of every six months an exact Accompt be published in print of all those summes of money disbursed by the said Treasurers; which to know, we conceive is of right due to the Commons of England; and that for their Further satisfaction, all Remedy. publique disbursments which are of necessity, may speedily be computed, and the Receipts proportioned thereunto, with some over-plus that may alwaies be in a readinesse for any publique and sudden occasion. Grievance, 4.

That it hath beene, and still is, a great grievance and vexation unto the Officers and Souldiers of the Army, Garrisons, and others our fellow Commoners, who have causes extraordinary rela­ting to, and occasioned by the late troubles depending before the Committees of your House, and other Committees of the severall Counties; as also divers dis-affected and corrupt Justices of the Peace, by whom their persons have beene slighted, their businesse (though never so just) neglected and protracted, to the great expence of time and money; which hath impoverished some, and almost destroyed others, whilst enemies to the State, whose causes have beene unjust, doe by their friends, Allies, wealth or potency, soone obtaine to be heard and answered.

For redresse whereof we desire you will appoint Committees of Indempnity in each County, and that all corrupt Members of Committees, and Justices may be outed, and such onely chosen and impowered in the Common-wealth, as are of impartiall, upright and judiciall spirits, who by their judgements and fidelity, may doe justice to the meanest, and that speedily without the Redresse. aforesaid charge and trouble to the Common wealth.

That there is by sad experience found (especially to the poor) a daily decay of Trade (the main pillar of this Common-wealths subsistence) occasioned by the continuation of Monopoli­zing Charters, and associated Companies, who have power to interrupt and deterre all other Natives from the Exercise of free Trade and Commerce: and of late also in a more speciall manner, Grievance, 5. the Irish Pirats by their increase and strength, have made themselves almost Lords of the Narrow Seas, robbing and carrying away Ships and Goods from the mouths of our own Harbours, to the great losse and undoing of many.

For remedy whereof we humbly desire, That you will declare that all free Dennizons of this Nation, and Friends to the Weale publike, may enjoy their Rights by imploiment and improve­ment of their Estates and Stocks, without the afore said restrictions in free Traffique and Commerce both Forraign and Domestique; and that all such monopolizing and encroaching Charters, Remedy. may be abolished; and that for the better suppressing all Pirats; and securing of Trade, there may be a speedy and powerfull Guard appointed for the Seas, and entrusted with persons of approved integrity; most part of the Frigots to set forth From Portsmouth, which we humbly offer as the most convenient place upon the Southern Coast, for the furthering and advance of that Service: And that for an encouragement of all Sea-men, there may be established a way of competent subsistence for those that shall lose their limbes or livelihood in any Service for the Defence of their Countrey, as also for the Widdows and Children of such, or any others that shall die in the said Service, whereby they may be preserved from perishing.

That the chargeable proceedings in the Common Law, and all Courts of Judicature (a Grievance of long continuance, and universally knowne and felt) are not yet abollished, but the Na­tives still exposed to great trouble and vast expence, which doe uphold the corrupt interest of a Generation of men, who like Locusts and Caterpillers will (if not timely prevented) devour the Grievance, 6. Common-wealth.

For prevention whereof, we offer, That twelve able and impartiall men, be chosen by the well-affected of each Hundred or Division, any seven of them to have Power to hear and determine all differences arising within the said Hundred or Division: and that there be every twelve months at the most, a new Election, that so none of them may continue in that Trust unlesse they be Red. elected thereunto. And also that plain and just Rules be laid down for them to act by, from which they may be bound by some Penalty not to recede. And for the better Security and main­tenance of the Premisses, its humbly desired, that the Lord FAIRFAX may be appointed by this House to grant Commissions to such persons as are of approved fidelity to the publike In­terest, for the well ordering and disposing of the Militia.

These things we doe with all clearnesse and faithfulnesse offer to your speedy Consideration, as that which we conceive for the substance of it) will tend to a settlement of this Nation, together with the particulars (not here expressed) contained in the late Remonstrance of the Army, and Petition of the 11th of September last, which if insisted on, and vigorously prosecuted (not answered with a formall complement, as hath been usuall, but really accomplished) will be a happy beginning of the establishment of the Peoples Freedoms; but if the present happy opportu­nity in your hands, shall be neglected, we are like to be (if God prevent it not) compleatly miserable, and shall become the scorn of all Nations, and a shame to posterity, having so freely spent our Bloud and Treasure, to purchase Justice and Freedome, and in stead thereof be reduced to a worse condition of oppression and slavery then formerly.

Wherefore as a Testimony of that affection and duty we bear to our Native Countrey, we leave these things before you, hoping that God may yet use you as Instruments to ease this oppressed Na­tion, however we are confident he will open a way for the People, to obtain these and all other their just Rights and Liberties by overthrowing all unrighteous powers whatsoever.