THat your former gracious acceptations of Petitions from persons of as meane quality as our selves, together with your late kinde imbracement of that Petition from our Masters, and others of eminent quality (for which we present our hum­ble thanks) hath concited us (though in regard of our present condition not so much considerable) to addresse our selves in all humility to this Honourable Assembly (whom we conceive the only meanes under God for our redresse) beseeching you to endea­vour a period to these ruinating distractions.

And though the present calamity doth not so immediately reflect upon your Petitioners, yet we considering the losse of so many of our fellowes lives, and the daily hazard the rest are exposed unto, and foreseeing the face of our owne ruine in our Masters present condition, as also prizing our Parents and friends loves and livelyhood, as deare as our owne, holding our selves ingaged by the Lawes of Conscience and Nature, to be no lesse Solicitors for the bleeding Miseries of the Church and State, in regard (though Servants) we are Subjects, and humbly conceive our selves concerned herein.

We come therefore in the still voice to embowel our grievances, and zealous desires before you, not presuming to dictate to your graver judgements, but humbly desire you to par­don our boldnesse in petitioning; and unanimously beseeching you to consider the present distractions, the continuall and increasing violation of our Religion by Papists and Sectaries, the breach of our knowne Lawes, the invasion of the Subjects Liberty, and generall decay of Trade.

Reflecting also with serious thoughts upon those inevitable dangers that hover over our heads, usherd in by a Civill unnaturall and bloody Warre, whose effects are the impartiall distruction of Christians, the effusion of much innocent blood, the impoverishing and dis­peopling of the Kingdome, and exposing the body of the State to the mercilesse Tyranny of Famine, Sicknesse, Invasion, the Prodroms of an universall confusion.

All which (better knowne to your apprehensions) we humbly desire you to ponder, and leave no just way unatempted which may conduce to the settlement of the differences that the undiscerning Sword be not Ʋmpire to decide controversies of so neere concernment, neither give audience to the fementors of this Warre, whose only ayme (we fear) is to prey upon the Lives and Livings of his Majesties loving Subjects, that so the Gospell of Peace neede not be maintained by Warre, but that these semented joynts of Church and State may hold fir­mer, the bond of Ʋnity, to the glory of God, the good of his Majestie, the preservation of Parliament, the only happinesse of this Kingdome, and enablement for a supply of the neces­sities of our destressed brethren ofIreland.

And your Petitioners as in duty bound, shall daily pray for a blessing upon your consulta­tions. To which we subscribe our hands and hearts, each ready to sacrifice his life for the accomplishment hereof.