THat whereas your Honours in pursuance of the duty of your high place and calling, have solemnly undertaken and entered into various engagements before God and the World, for to endeavour the restoring of this Nation unto her just Freedome, Rights and Happinesse.

And whereas your Petitioners looking into the true state of things doe finde, That notwithstanding any thing whatsoever, that hath been, as yet, done, or attempted by this or any precedent Parliament, in the behalfe of this Nation: and after so much English bloud spilt under that pretence; The Nation is still suffered to remaine (as it hath done almost these six hundred yeares) in Captivity to the Right, Title, Exercise, and disgracefull Badges of the Normane (pretended) Conquest over us, as is manifest by the tenour of that Title by which (with the consenting sufferage of our Parliaments, Laws, and Lawyers, as yet un-repeal'd) the Crown of England is still enjoyed, and by a great part both of the matter and forme of those Laws, by which we are still governed.

Now forasmuch as untill the Bands of this our Nationall Captivity be dissolved, all else that is done or endeavoured, (how gloriously so ever pretending) being all terminated in the abatement of the Royall Prerogative, and is 1 not onely of lower concernment, as to the service of this Nation, but 2 also very irregular and insufficient for atteining the Ends proposed; the first, for that is undeniably less con­trary unto Honour and true Freedom in a Nation, for to be under arbitrary Government, legitimately instituted (as were the Jews under their anointed Kings, and the Romans under their Dictators) then under the most moderated Sovereignty that springs from and is the ex­ercise of a Conquest; the latter, for that while this Kingdom (or the relation betwixt our Kings and People) continues grounded on the Conquest; the Sovereignty cannot legally nor (consequently) validly be so moderated, but that the Supreame Laws will be still (notIn all pub­like Acts and Writings emit­ted in this Kingdom since the (pretended) Conquest, the Honour of the King hath bin constantly set before the Good of the People, where e're they are conjoyn'd. Salus Populi, as hath been lately, and not till lately, fondly talked in this Kingdom, but) the Honour and Will of the Prince, as sufficiently appears (to omit other Testimonies) from the fate & issue of some Acts of Parliament in K. Edward the 3^d time, whichSee Master Pryns Sov. Pow. part. 2. p. 38. & 39. & the Book of Stat. fell to the ground, and were nullified by the Kings bare Authority joyned with the consent of the Lords, for being prejudiciall to the Roy­all Honour and Prerogative, as which are and will be the Fundamentall and Supream Law in this Kingdom, while it continues so groun­ded as abovesaid. And for as much as the said Title of Conquest and Depravation of our Laws, are not onely Destructive (while they continue in force over us) to the Honour, Freedom, and Happinesse of our Nation, but also contrary to the Funda­mentall Constitution of this Kingdom, as being usurpantly and perfidiously introduced; for that (according to the unanimous testimony of Records) the Normane Duke was by this Nation admitted to the Crown, in respect of his Claim by Saint Edward's If any object (as many doe) that the Nor­mane Right & Title must be either by Con­quest, or none at all, for that the Title of Le­gacy was insuf­ficient, It is an­swered, that the Legacy of the deceased King joyned with the Nati­ons Admission (which follow­ed) was equi­valent to an Act of Parlia­ment, and so sufficient to regulate & di­spose the Crown, as no rationall man can deny. Legacy joyn'd with his Victory over his Competitor Harold, and upon his Oath to preserve our Laws and Liberties, and not otherwise; Insomuch that the Title of England's Conquerour may as justly be affixed to the Names of Henry the Fourth, Edward the Fourth, and Henry the Se­venth (who all made good their claimes by Victories over their Competitors) as to the name of the said Duke.

And for that also these Abuses are not onely thus prejudiciall and injurious to our Nation, but also very Derogatory to the Honour of our Kings and to their Interest in the Peoples affections, as founding their Right and Rule on an usurpant originall, and on the Ruines of the Honour and Freedom of this Nation, and thereby casting the seeds of irreconciliable hatred betwixt them; Insomuch, that there is none in this Kingdom can stand up in the maintenance of these Injuries, without declaring themselves open Enemies, and the most fla­gitious Traitors both to their King and Countrey, that ever were.

And for as much as it hath now pleased Almighty God to put that power and opportunity into your hands for the Redresse of these Evils, which was never heretofore afforded to your Predecessors, and that ye are now upon a Treaty with his MAJESTY, for new forming the Fabrick of this State.

May it therefore please this Honourable House, now at length (before 'tis too late) to take such order, That our Kings may no longer reign over us by the Right or Pretence of Conquest, thereby trampling under foot our chiefe Rights and Happinesse, But that the Title of the Normane Bloud unto the Crown of England, may be grounded (as of right it ought to be) on the Legacie of S^t. Ed­ward, joyned with the Nations Admission granted (and to be still granted) upon the Coronation Oath taken, and not otherwise: And that the Right and Title of the said (pretended) Conquest, being thus abolished out of this Kingdom, the disgracefull and needlesse Badges thereof still remaining among us, (particularly in the matter and language of our Laws) may, in convenient time, be likewise redrest, whereby the English Nation may now at length (after so many ages unjust sufferance) be restored from out of the Quality, Title, and Ʋesture, of a Captive, under a forreign bloud, unto her just Honour, Freedome, and Happinesse, and that so (through your worthy endeavours, in thus putting an end to your Countries long Bondage) there may be laid amongst us a reall and lasting Foundation of glory to God on high, of Peace in this Kingdom, and of good will betwixt Prince and People, which other­wise is altogether impossihle to be done.

And your Petitioners, with the whole Nation and their Posterity, shall ever pray, &c.