SHewing that in all Ages past, since the happy subjection of this King­dome, to the imperiall Crowne of England; it was and is a principall stu­dy, and Princely care of his Majestie, and his most Noble Progenitors, Kings and Queenes of England and Ireland, to the vast expence of Treasure and blood, that their loyall and dutifull people of this Land of Ireland, being now for the most part derived from the Brittish Ancestor, should be governed according to the municipiall and fundamentall Lawes of England, that the Statute of Magna Charta, or the great Charter for the liberties of England, and other laud­able Lawes and statutes, were in severall Parliaments, here enacted and declared, that by the meanes thereof, and of the most prudent and benigne government [Page 2] of his Majestie, and his Royall Progeni­tors, this kingdome was (untill of late) in its growth to a flourishing estate, where­by the said people were hearetofore ena­bled to answer their humble and naturall desires, to comply with his Majesties Royall & Princely occasions, by the free gift of 150000. l. ster. and like wise by ano­ther gift of 120000. l. ster. more during the governement of the Lord Viscount Faulk-land, & after by the gift of 40000. l. & their free & cheareful gift of 6. entire subsidies, in the 10. yeare of his Majesties Reign, which to comply with his Maje­sties then occasions signified to the then house of Cōmons, they did allow should amount in the collections unto 250000. l. although as they confidently beleeve, if the said subsidies had not beene levied in a moderate parliamentary way, they would not have amounted to much more then halfe the said sum, besides the foure entire subsidies, granted in this present Parliament. So it is, may it please your Lordship, that by the occasion of the en­suing and other grievances and innovati­ons, though to his Majesties no conside­rable profit, this kingdome is reduced to that extreme & universall poverty, that the same is now lesse able to pay a Subsi­dies, then it was heretofore to satisfie all [Page 3] the before recited great payments, & his Majesties most faithfull people of the same, doe conceive great feares that the grievances and the consequences thereof may hereafter be drawn into precedents to be perpetuated upon their posterity, which in their great hopes and strong be­liefe, they are perswaded is contrary to his Majesties Royall and Princely inten­tion towards his said people, some of which said grievances, are as followeth.

I. First, the generall and apparent decay of Trades, occasioned by the new & ille­gall raysing of the booke of Rates and Impositions; as xij. d. a piece, custome for Hides bought for 3. 4. or 5. s. and many other heavie Impositions upon native & other commodities exported and impor­ted, by reason thereof & of the extreame usage, and sensures, Marchants are begg­red, and both dis [...]nable, and discouraged to trade; and some of the honorable per­sons who gaine therby are often Iudges and parties, and that in Conclusion his Majesties profit thereby is not conside­rably advanced.

II. Secondly, the arbitrary decision of all civill causes and controversies, by paper petitions before the Lord Lieutenant and [Page 4] Lord Deputy, & infinite other judicators upon references from them derived in the nature of all actions, determinable at the common law, not limited unto cer­taine times, seasons, causes, and things, whatsoever, and the consequence of such proceedings, by receiving immoderate & unlawful fees by Secretaries, Clerkes, Pur­sivants, Serjeants at Armes, & otherwise, by which kind of proceedings, his Maje­sty loseth a considerable part of his Re­venue, upon originall writs, & otherwise, and the subject loseth the benefit of his writ of errour, Bill of reversall, vouchers, and other legall and just advantages, and the ordinarie course & Courts of justice declined

III. Thirdly, the proceedings in civill cau­ses at the Councell boord, contrary to the law and great Charter, and not limit­ted to any certaine time, or season.

IV. Fourthly, that the Subject is in all the materiall parts therof denied the be­nefit of the princely graces, and more e­specially of the statute of Limitations, of the 21. Ian. granted by his Majestie in the 4. yeare of this Reigne, upon great advice of the Counsell of England and Ireland, and for great consideration; & then pub­lished [Page 5] in all the Courts of Dublin, and in all the Courts of this Kingdome in open Assizes, whereby all persons doe take notice, that contrary to his Maje­sties pious intention, his Subjects of this Land have not enjoyed the benefit of his Majesties Princely promise therby made.

V. Fiftly, the extrajudiciall avoyding of Letters Patents of estates of a very great part of his Majesties subjects under the great Seale (the publique faith of the Kingdome) by private opinions delive­red at Counsell Board, without legall E­victions of their estates, contrary to the Law and without precedent or example of any former age.

VI. Sixtly, the Proclamation for the sole exemption and uttering of Tobacco, which is bought at very low Rates, and uttered at high and excessive rates, by meanes whereof thousands of Families within this Kingdome and of his Majesties sub­jects in severall Islands, & other parts of the West Indies (as your Petitioners are informed) are destroyed, and the most part of the Coyne of this Kingdome is ingrossed into particular hands: Inso­much that your Petitioners doe conceive [Page 6] that the profit arising & ingrossed ther­by, doth surmount his Majesties reve­nues Certaine and casuall within this Kingdome, and yet his Mastjestie recei­veth but very little profit by the same.

VII. Seventhly, the unusuall and unlawfull increasing of Monopolies to the advantage of few, to the disprofit of his Majestie and the impoverishment of his people.

VIII. Eightly, the extreame and cruell usage of certaine late Commissioners and o­ther, towards the British Farmers and Inhabitants of the City and County of London-derry, by meanes whereof the worthy plantation of that Country is al­most destroyed, and the Inhabitants are reduced to great poverty, and many of them forced to forsake the Country, the same being the first and most usefull Plantation in the large Province of Vl­ster, to the great weakening of the King­dome, in this time of danger, the said Plantation being the principall strength of those parts.

IX. Ninthly, the late erection of the Court of high Commission for causes Ecclesi­asticall in these necessitous times, the [Page 7] proceedings of the said Court in many causes without legall warrant, and yet so supported as prohibitions have not been obtained, though legally sought for, and the excessive fees exacted by the ministers thereof, and the incroaching of the same upon the jurisdiction of other Ecclesia­sticall Courts of this Kingdome.

X. Tenthly, the exorbitant and barbarous Fees and pretended Customes exacted by the Clergie against the Law, some of which have been formerly represented to your Lordship.

XI. Eleventhly, the Petitioners doe most heartily bemone that his Majesties ser­vices and profits are much more impai­red then advanced by the grievances a­foresaid. And the Subsidies granted in the last Parliament having much encrea­sed his Majesties Revenue by the buying in of Grants and otherwise, and that all his Majesties debts then due in this King­dome were satisfied out of the said Sub­sidies, and yet his Majestie is of late (as your Petitioners have been informed) in the house of Commons become indebted in this Kingdome in great summes, and they doe therefore humbly beseech that [Page 8] an exact account may be sent to his Ma­jestie, how and in what manner his trea­sure issued.

XII. Twelfthly, the Petitioners doe hum­bly conceive great and just feares at a Proclamation published in this King­dome in Anno Dom. 1635. prohibiting men of quality or estate for to depart this Kingdome into England, without the Lord Deputies License, whereby the Subjects of this Kingdome are hindered and interrupted from free accesse and ad­dresse to his sacred Majestie and Privie Counsell of England, to declare their just grievances, or to obtaine remedy for them, in such sort as their Ancestors have done in all ages, since the Reigne of King Henry the second, and great fees exacted for, every of the said Licenses.

XIII. Thirteenthly, that of late his Majesties late Atturney generall hath exhibited in­formations against many ancient Bur­roughs of this Kingdome into his Maje­sties Court of Exchequer, to shew by what warrant the said Burroughes, who heretofore sent Burgesses to the Parlia­ment, should send the said Burgesses to the Parliament. And thereupon for want [Page 9] of an answer, the said Priviledge of sen­ding Burgesses was seized by the said Court, which proceedings were altoge­ther Coram non Judice, and contrary to the Lawes and Priviledges of the house of Parliament (and if way should be given thereunto) might tend to the subversion of Parliaments, and by consequence to the ruine & destruction of the Common-wealth, and that the house of Commons hath hitherto in this present Parliament bin deprived of the advice and Counsell of many profitable and good members by meanes thereof.

XIV. Fourteenthly, that by the powerful­nesse of some Ministers of State in this Kingdome, the Parliament in its mem­bers and actions hath not his naturall freedome.

XV. Fifteenthly, that the fees taken in all the Courts of Justice in this Kingdome, both Ecclesiasticall and Civill, and by o­ther inferior Officers and Ministers, are so immoderately high, that it is an unspea­keable burthen to all his Majesties Sub­jects of this, who are not able to subsist, except the same be speedily remedied & reduced to such a moderation as may stand with the condition of this Realme.

[Page 10] And lastly, That the Gentry, Mer­chants, and other his Majesties subjects of this Kingdome, are of late by the grie­vances and pressures aforesaid and other the like, very neere to Ruine and destru­ction. And Farmers of Customes, Cu­stomers, Waiters, Searchers, Clearkes of unwarrantable proceedings, Purse­vants, and Gaolers, and sundry others ve­ry much inriched, whereby and by the slow redresse of the Petitioners grievan­ces, his Majesties most faithfull and du­tifull people of this Kingdome, doe con­ceive great feares that their readinesse approved upon all occasions, hath not beene of late rightly represented to his Majesty.

For Remedy whereof, the said Peti­tioners doe humbly and of Right be­seech your Lordship, that the grievan­ces and pressures may be speedily redres­sed. And if your Lordship shall not thinke fit to afford us present reliefe therein, that your Lordship may admit a select Committee of this House of persons uninteressed in the benefit ari­sing, the aforesaid grievances to be li­censed by your Lordship, to repaire to [Page 11] his sacred Majesty in England for to pursue the same, and to obtaine fitting Remedies for their aforesaid and other just grievances and oppressions, and upon all just and honorable occasions, they will without respect of particular inte­rest or profit to be raised thereby, most humbly and readily in Parliament, ex­tend their utmost endeavours to serve his Majesty, and comply with his Royall and Princely occasions, And shall pray, &c.

Copia vera.