To the Right Honourable, the Lords and Commons Assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND, sitting at WESTMINSTER. The Humble Petition of divers Well-affected Citizens of the City of London, and parts adjacent. Together with a Paper annexed, of their Humble desires, for the allaying and removall of the jealousies and discontents, the visible causes of our sad Divisions, and Distractions.
THat the many Trecherous Plots and Contrivances working by the Common enemie in some parts, their open appearing again in Arms in other parts of this Kingdom, their great hopes, and high assurances they boast of generally by a second War, to obtain their wicked ends, the destruction of this Parliament, together with the ruine of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties; And the sad Divisions and Distractions which your Petitioners do at the same time (to their great grief of heart) behold amongst those who have formerly been engaged with you in one and the same Cause, now weakning their hands, and Counsels, alienating their affections one from another, and fitting them only to be a prey to the Common Enemie; do necessitate your Petitioners out of their abundant sense, and sorrow for these things, to open and unfold the visible causes thereof to this Honourable Court in the Paper hereunto annexed, together with those things your Petitioners humbly conceive may be healing remedies.
Therefore your Petitioners do humbly pray, that this Honourable Court will take the said Paper annexed into their serious consideration, and that they may be so understood, as whatsoever is therein presented, is out of the sincerity of your Petitioners hearts, and their zeal to the Honour and Happinesse of the PARLIAMENT and KINGDOME, and wholly with submission to your Honours Wisdom, and Determination: And if by what is suggested therein, your Petitioners shall in the least measure be instrumentall to the healing of those wounds which are made by the Divisions among us; as they shall have great cause to blesse God, so they shall for ever acknowledge the wisdom and goodnesse of this Honourable Court, and be further encouraged to adheere thereunto with their lives and estates.
And Your Petitioners &c.
THat the present great divisions and jealousies in this Kingdom, in referrence both to Church and State, among those that have been formerly Ʋnited and engaged in the cause of the Parliament and Kingdome, have given great advantage to the Malignant party, to make their late Insurrestions, and to lay the foundation of a Second War; and that the jealousies and discontents throughout the Kingdom, are such, as Principally concern Parliament, City, and Army.
Those concerning the Parliament seeme to arise from apprehensions and fears.
I. THat the Parliament intend not really to settle Religion according to the word of God, and the solemn League and Covenant, nor the execution of Justice upon Delinquents; but that what they do therein, ariseth more out of the severall Exigents they are brought into, then out of a love, and liking of the things themselves, and full resolutions to maintain them.
II. That they intend to alter the Antient and Fundamentall Government of this Kingdome, by King, Lords, and Commons.
III. That they intend not only the necessary continuance of the Army at present, and to make use thereof for subduing the Common enemie, and quieting the distempers of the Kingdom, but to Govern the Kingdom by an Army, to be perpetually maintained to that end; and consequently, the continuing of Excise and Taxations.
IV. That they intend not really to make a Peace with the King, though they might have it with safetie and security to Religion, Law, and Liberty.
For Remedie whereof, it is earnestly desired,
I. THat the Parliament would please fully and effectually, to declare their sincere resolutions to perfect the work of Reformation according to the word of God, and their solemn League and Covenant, with execution of Justice upon Delinquents, and their resolutions to remain stedfast and unmoveable therein, notwithstanding any pressure of a Popish and Prelatick party, and the influence of any other party or forces whatsoever.
II. That they publish to the Kingdom their resolution not to alter the Government thereof by King, Lords, and Commons.
III. That the Parliament will proceed with all cleernesse and possible speed, to obtain a Peace upon terms that are secure for Religion, Law, and Liberty, and for those that have adventured their lives and estates for the Parliament. For that end, that the Treaty the Houses have resolved upon at the Isle of Wight, or shall resolve upon at any other place, may be so mannaged, that it may be a reall Demonstration to the Kingdom, that as the Parliament will not recede from the grounds of their Cause, so there shall be no other just cause given, either by delay, or obstruction, to a safe and well-grounded Peace on their parts.
IV. That upon such a settlement, timely care may be taken of easing the people of the Burthen of Armies and Taxations, and encouragement given to the Advance of Trade.
Iealousies concerning the City.
I. THat they seem to recede from their former sound Principles, upon which they have engaged with the Parliament, in their earnest pressing the Parliament for Peace, for a Personall Treaty, and the Kings comming to London, without the like expressions of their zeal for the Reformation of Religion, Freedom of Parliament, and Liberty of the Subject to be provided for in that Treaty, and secured in the settlement of Peace, whereby they have too much gratified and strengthened the Common enemy in their late destructive designes.
II. That the former readinesse of the City to discover the secret Plots of the Malignant party, and to oppose them when they are discovered both in City and Country, seemeth to be much abated, and that the listing of horse and foot, and preparation of armes by many in the City and out parts, for the late insurrections in the Counties adjacent, together with the Gen. withholding their Contributions to the forces that should oppose them, raises a jealousie of the Cities affection to the Parliament, and that the late confidence taken by a Private person coming from the Scottish Army into the City, to leavy mony upon the the faith of the Kingdome of Scotland, for their Army invading the Kingdome of England, causeth a jealousie; that secret Complyances are held, and aides given to that Army by too many in this City.
For Remedy whereof, it is desired,
THat the Parliament would recommend it to the City, that they do declare, that as they have earnestly desired a Treaty with the King for Peace, so they are resolved to assist the Parliament, with their lives and estates, to obtaine safe Concessions for the preservation and security of Religion, Law, and Liberty, and that they declare their great dislike, and detestation of the late tumults in the City, and Insurrections in the Countries, and the revolting of the Ships and Castles, and their readines to assist the Parliament, with their lives and estates against them, and the late Invasion by the Scottish Army, now joyned with the Malignant and Popish Party in the North, and that they will cherefully submit to the wisdome and determination of the Parliament, in all the weighty affaires of the Kingdome.
The discontents and jealousies concerning the Army, &c.
I. FRom their aversnes to the settlement of Religion in Doctrine, Worship, Disipline, and Government, according to the word of God, and the solmne League and Covenant, and their Countenancing by their power multitudes of persons of unsound Judgement, and those opposite to such a settlement.
II. Their not submitting formerly to the Parliaments Commands, and intermedling with the Transactions of State, and their disaffection to the City of London, both Ministers, and People well-affected, who have been faithfull to this Cause, and stand for Reformation.
III. That if by the assistance of the persons and estates of the well-affected (who are mutually engaged with them in the publique Cause) they should be enabled to overcome the present insurrections, and Armies raised against it, they would turne their Successe to the advancement of their owne private power and ends.
For Remedy whereof,
IT is desired that the Parliament would recommend it to the Generall, Commanders, and Officers of the Army, That they do declare their resolutions to submit to what they shall do in the Establishing of Religion, the settlement of the Peace of the Kingdome, the preservation of the fundamentall Government thereof. And that they declare an amicable respect and agreement with the City of London, and that when the Parliament in their wisdomes shall think fit to lessen, or disband the Army, that they accordingly yeild obedience.