THese are to give your Honour and Worships to understand: That your Petitioners have taken notice, of many worthy actions done for the honour of God, the safe­ty of the King and Kingdom, the preservation of the Gospel and true religi­on amongst us, and especially by the strict Keeping of the Lords-day: as in re­forming the river of Thames, by Watermens not labouring on the Sabbath-day: and it is an honourable act of them that have done it, which we ascribe to no other but the Parliament: and some of your petitioners have been trou­bled for Trifles, not worth the nominating: like those Pharisees in the Gospel, which rebuked our Saviour Christ Iesus his Disciples for pulling the ears of corne on the Sabbath-day (yet they themselves ride on the Sabbath-day in Coaches) as if God saw not that sinne, by setting Men and Horse at worke, as Hackney Coach-men (which is their trade) why not Water-men or any other Trades-men, if they be suffered? But your Petitioners having experience of many worthy actions which you have already done, for King, Church, and State, your loyaltie to your King, your piety in desiring an established Church-Government, and for your fidelitie to the Parliament (which they themselves cannot deny) to the wonder of the world, and to the everlasting Fame of this Honourable Citie London, that so great a City, so populous, which may, and (as we have read) hath been compared to a petty world, for the statelines of its Governours, and Corporations therein.

Wherefore, that to everlasting Fame you may be Eternized, that you all (as one man) will be pleased to move the Honourable Houses of Parliament, that as they have reformed the ancient river Thames, That they would be pleased to reform, the almost as ancient renowned City London, of Coaches travelling about the City on the Lords-day, which is a higher breach of the fourth Commandment then that which the Par­liament have reformed; by setting the Beasts to work on that day, which ought (by the law of God) to rest as well as man, and he that doth but rest, little differeth from a Beast.

And to take notice how many Churches in London are annoyed by their passing by in Sermon time, to the great dishonour of God, and to the hindrance of the hearers of the Word, which is the onely means un­der God of our salvation; And if not speedily Reformed, it will breed a great scandall on the Parliaments Reformation, which may be such like words as these, That they could see to reform Boats; but they can­not, or will not reform Coaches.

This petition hath been read in the Ears of a Thousand Citizens of good rank and qualitie.