SHeweth, that they with all hum­ble thankfulnesse, acknowledge that great labour & care which this Honourable Assembly hath undergone, now for the space of one whole yeare, endeavou­ring the reformation and remo­vall of those many pressures and grievances in the Church and Common-wealth, and doe humbly present that gratefull acceptance and high esteeme, which not onely the Petitioners, but al­so all well affected to the honour of his Majesty, and prosperity of this Kingdome, have of these your great and unwearied endeavours, which although by reason of the Popish Lords and Bishops, voting in the house of Peeres, and other impediments (as they humbly conceive) they have not hitherto produced those hap­py [Page]effects you aimed at, yet to the Petitioners great comfort, divers of those pressures are already remo­ved, as Arbitrary Courts, Ship mony, Monopolies, and other illegall Impositions, wherewith they were burdened, and further hope given by the happy Act of the Parliaments continuance.

That not withstanding all this, the Papists and their adherents, whose malice ceaseth not, have by many sundry secret and desperate plots, attempted the ruine and destruction of this State and kingdome; and how­ever some of them have hitherto by Gods providence and your prudence, been discovered, and become a­bortive, yet the sad effects of others of them, are not onely felt, and much more feared in this Realme of England; but also have of late broken out into open rebellion in Ireland, where most barbarous, savage, cruell and inhumane actions are practised towards our brethren by nation and religion, whose lamentable and deplorable condition the Petitioners much pitty and lament, and have just cause to feare, that as alrea­dy there hath been much Christian bloud spilt; so in short time, if speedy help be not sent, not onely the many great debts there owing to divers of the Petitio­ners, and others of this kingdome, will be wholly lost, but which is more, the very name of the English, and the Protestant Religion, will bee rooted out by those Rebels, the foundation of which Religion is written in letters of bloud, doe onely oppose: and for that di­vers of the Petitioners receive daily information from all parts of this kingdome, of the bold and insolent carriage and threatning speeches of the Papifts in this Realme, as the Petitioners humbly conceive, not only [Page]for the prevailing of the rebels in Ireland, but also from the want of such secure & speedy course against Papists here, as the present condition of this kingdome requi­reth, and the honorable Assembly hath earnestly ende­voured, from which ground the Petitioners cannot omit to represent unto you the great terrors, feares, & distractiōs they lay under of a sudden surprise by their bloody hands, by meanes whereof the trading of the City and Kingdome is much more of late decaied then it hath beene for many yeares past, no man following his trade chearfully, whiles the lives of himselfe and family, and the publicke safety of the kingdome are in danger, and while hee knoweth not how soone they may feele the like cruelty and inhumanity from the Papists, and their adherents, as those in Ireland have done, which if ever it should happen in their malice and cruelty, against whom they have already by them­selves and their abettors, endeavoured to raise a disre­spect in the hearts of the people, to divide betweene the Kings Majesty and his Parliament, and seditiously to misconstrue the Citizens dutifull and loyall enter­tainment of his Majesty, to be a diserting of this Ho­nourable Assembly, the least thought whereof the Pe­titioners do utterly detest and abhor: to the end there­fore that the destructive plots of the Papists and their adherents may be defeated, the grounds of their hopes and insolencies removed, considerable forces with all expedition sent to subdue those abominable and bloo­dy rebels in Ireland, this City and Kingdome, for pre­vention of the like mischiefe, and fecuring the peace thereof, put into a posture of defence, the Petitioners freed from their feares, incouraged in their trades, and [Page]in due time receive such just answers to their former petitions, as shall seeme best to your great wisdomes.

It is humbly prayed that you will vouchsafe to be a meanes to the Kings Majesty and the house of Peeres, that life may be speedily given to your good endea­vours, by their concurrence with you in the punish­ment of delinquents, and redressing the pressures and grievances in Church and Commonwealth, amongst which the abuses crept into the ancient government of this City, they humbly desire may in due time bee ta­ken into consideration: and for the better effecting hereof, that the Popish Lords and Bishops may be re­moved out of the house of Peeres, as was defired in the presence of divers of this Henourable Assembly, by the representative body of this City, when fifty thousand pounds was freely lent to raise forces for Ireland, the greatest part wherof was speedily brought in by the Petitioners.

And the Petitioners, who well know their owne safeties are wrapt up in yours, shall not faile to put up daily prayers to Almighty God for your good suc­cesse, and to maintaine and defend to the utmost ha­zard of their lives and estates, according to their late protestation, the Kings Majesty and high Court of Parliament, against all wicked Councellors, and ma­lignant opposers, who endeavor either by fecret plots or open force to prejudice the one or the other, or to make divisions betweene his Majesty and the Parlia­ment, whom God and the lawes of this land have uni­ted in so neare relation.

And we shall, as in duty bound, pray, &c.