THe various changes and troubles that this Nation of late yeares hath been involved into (the oppreſſions and miſeries thereby entering into the doors of every private perſon) hath made us ſenſible of the miſ-government and male-adminiſtration of publick affairs; and though we are not exerciſed in matters of Rule, but wholly ſubjected to the ſeveral Uſurping Powers that have been over us, yet are we thereby (though to our ſad and woful experience) taught the reaſons of our growing miſeries and ſtrange alterations in Government, (unhinging and moving the Nation from the firm foundations of all ſafety and peace) and we cannot expect any remedy, but a further addition of confuſion and miſery, untill the Original Cauſe and Root of thoſe evills be clean taken • way, all that is of perſonal and private Conſtitution (whether of antient or latter date) weeded out, and the Publick ſecured and centered upon the grounds of common Concernment, equal and impartial to all. Of old time indeed our Parliaments have been intermixt and clogg'd with Kingſhip and Peerage, and though owned and of long continuance, yet were they of great abuſe and violation to the juſt Rights of the People, (a meer Family-Intereſt, and in perpetual oppoſition to the whole) neither King nor Lords being any part of the true Parliaments of England, but an impoſed power upon them from the Intereſt of the Old Norman Sword; a true Parliament being the Repreſentative of the People, their choſen Deputies in Council, neither King nor Lords being choſen or repreſenting either County, City, or Burrough, but meerly as unnatural Wens and Bunches upon that Authority, the evills whereof this Nation hath felt through all ſucceſſion of times, the Over-balance of thoſe Families proving fatal to the whole, multiplying miſeries and calamities upon us at meer will and pleaſure, till the ſame at laſt (extending too far) broke forth into an abſolute warr, the Parliament taking up armes againſt the King in the juſt vindication and defence of our Lawes and Liberties; and after many ſharp and bloody battles, it pleaſed God to give the People in Parliament Conqueſt over theſe Prerogative Powers.

But after the firſt Warr was over, and God had delivered the King (the Capital and Grand Author of our Troubles) into your hands, deſperate Combinations and Endeavors were then uſed by the now ſecluded Members to render that Conqueſt fruitleſs and in vain; which the better to effect, a malignant tumult of Apprentiſes and rude people was procured to come up to Weſtminſter, who put the firſt grand Diſturbance and Force upon the Parliament, that the Speaker and thoſe Members who had not forfeited their right of Seſſion in Parliament, were forced to fly from the Houſe for ſhelter to their Army, while the apoſtate Members in their abſence choſe themſelves a new Speaker, raiſed the City, and proceeded to the forming of an Army under Poynze and Maſſey, admitting the impeached Members to ſit in the Houſe, and Vote as formerly, when they had been expelled by this Houſe in full Parliament from their Seſſion there, for the treaſonable Engagement in the City of London 1647. and drawing the Scots to invade this Nation.

And now the Old Enemy again (under a pretended Right from the firſt Election of the ſaid impeached and confederate Members) endeavoureth their readmittance in Parliament, on purpoſe to re-inforce our old bondage of Monarchy again upon us, putting the Ambition of a ſingle Family in competition with the Republick of England; this being the apparent deſigne of the now ſecluded Members againſt us. But as your Honors have upon juſt grounds declared and adjudged their Excluſion lawfull, So we will with our lives and fortunes ſtand by you therein.

Now after your Honors had paſt over this firſt grand Interruption, and were freed in your Counſels from the ſaid trayterous Confederates, and ſo entered upon the free exerciſe of your Truſt again, cut off the King, and were ſettling the Government in the way of a Free State, without Kingſhip, Peerage and Perſecution, wholly paid off your Armies and Navies, and even brought us to the Harbour of Freedom and Safety, another Interruption ſucceedeth by that Apoſtate and Tyrant Oliver, who introduceth a more abſolute Monarchy then before. And being thus removed from the Freedom of a Common-wealth to a Family-Intereſt again, horrible and innumerable were the Evills which naturally followed: Peace made with the Dutch upon diſhonorable terms, when by your Navies they were almoſt ſubdued; the Act of this Parliament for the encreaſe of Navigation and Trade totally neglected, an unneceſſary and deſtructive Warr with Spain contracted, Taxes and Impoſitions exacted without conſent in Parliament, all Law and Juſtice over-awed at pleaſure, the great Treaſure of the Nation left by this Parliament in Banck wholly ſpent, new vaſt Sums raiſed, and an unparallel'd Debt contracted, multitude of Shipping loſt, and thouſands of the free People of England deſtroyed in Jamaica and Flanders, all Trade ruin'd, and Beggary and Confuſion brought upon us; no other being the Iſſues to be expected from Kingſhip or Single Perſon.

But it having pleaſed God to take this Tyrant from us, and to blaſt the deſignes of that Family, and once again to make way for your Return, whereby the hearts of your moſt cordial Friends were made glad and revived with freſh hopes of an happy ſettlement by your hands, and in that little reſpite of time you had you gave an honorable beginning to that happy Work; but the ambition and private intereſt of the Great Officers of the Army not being able to endure the ſame, you received another Interruption, which carried the face of a more univerſal and fatal Calamity to the Nation then all that went before; this Parliament, our Lawes, and all future Parliaments ſeeming thereby to be extinguiſhed, (the blow being aimed thereat) and all Civil Authority diſſolv'd. In which time of publick Confuſion, your Servants (the Watermen) moſt of us gave in our names to Colonel William Wetton and his Officers (being by them much animated thereunto) with full reſolution to venture our lives under his Command, for Reſtauration of this Parliament again, againſt all Enemies and Oppoſers thereof.

And now it having pleaſed Almighty God, by a moſt wonderfull and no leſſe then miraculous appearance to bring you together again in great honor and freedom, we do render all due praiſe and acknowledgments to God for the ſame, and do heartily congratulate your moſt happy Return, owning this Parliament to be the Natural Head of our Countrey, the Supreme Authority of the Commonwealth of England, and do humbly preſent our Obedience to your Honors Command in the juſtification and defence of your Perſons and Authority againſt all Enemies whatſoever; hoping you will now clearly free us from all perſonal and private Faction, (God hitherto blaſting all the Counſels and Undertakings of ſuch) and ſafely ſettle us upon the ſpeedy ſucceſſion of Equal Repreſentatives, wherein (according to your late Declaration) our Lawes and Liberties may be preſerved, all Arbitrary Powers prevented, Trade and Navigation encouraged, Diviſion and Differences ended, and the whole People quieted in the common Brotherhood of Unity, Freedom and Peace; that not only this Age, but the Generations to come may be happy therein, and call you Bleſſed; which is the hearty Prayer of