THREE PETITIONS THE FIRST, The humble Petition of divers well-affected Citizens and Inhabitants in and about the City of LONDON, To the Right honorable the Lord Major, the Aldermen, and Commons in Common councell assembled.
THE SECOND, The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons in Common-councell assembled, To the Right honorable the Lords and Commons in High Court of Parliament assembled.
THE THIRD, The humble Petition of the aforesaid well-affected Citizens of the City of London, To the Right honorable the Lords and Commons in High Court of Parliament assembled.
With the Answer of the Lords and Commons thereunto.
Printed by RICHARD COTES, Printer to the honorable City of London, August 31. 1648.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lord Major, the Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common-Councell assembled: The humble Petition of divers well-affected Citizens and Inhabitants in and about the City of London.
THe extroardinary imminent dangers threatning distraction to the Parliament, City, and Kingdom, occasioned by the sad divisions and discontents among those that have formerly joyned together for the safety of Religion, Law and Liberty, whereby encouragement is given, and advantage taken by the Common enemy to promote and carry [Page 2] on a second bloodie War; Doth inforce your Petitioners with much grief of heart to unfold their apprehension of the sad Causes thereof; that if there be a blessing yet in store for this miserably divided Kingdom, we may more earnestly importune the application of these Remedies humbly represented in the Petition and Paper annexed to the honourable Houses of Parliament.
Therefore your Petitioners humbly pray, That you would be pleased in your grave Wisdoms to take into your most serious consideration the said Petition and Paper annexed, and present the fame to the honorable Houses of Parliament, that such Remedies may be used for the removing of jealousies and present distempers, and obtaining a right understanding between Parliament, City, and Army, and Kingdom, that by the blessing of God a lasting and wel-grounded Peace with Truth may be attained.
And your Petitioners, &c.
To the Right Honourable the Commons in Parliament assembled.
The humble Petition of the Lord Major Aldermen and Commons of the City of London in Common-councell assembled.
THat your Petitioners sitting in Common-councell upon occasions presented by a Committee of the honourable house of Commons, a Petition was exhibited unto them by divers well affected Citizens, with a paper thereunto annexed, and very many hands subscribed, which they desired might be presented to the honourable Houses of Parliament, and being read and seriously considered of in the said Court, they did apprehend the Contents thereof, to be matter of very high concernment, and thereupon thought it their duty to present the same to the honourable Houses of Parliament. And whereas there is mention therein made of some jealousies concerning the City of London, which as they hope cannot be justly charged upon them; so they shall be ready to vindicate themselves from the said jealousies when the honourable Houses of Parliament shall thinke fit to require the same.
And they shall humbly pray &c.
To the Honorable the Commons assembled in the High Court of Parliament of
England sitting at
Westminster.
The humble Petition of divers well-affected Ministers, Citizens and others of the City of
London, and parts adjacent; together with a Paper annexed of their humble desires for the allaying and removall of the jealousies and discontents, the visible causes of our sad divisions and distractions.
THat the many treacherous Plots and contrivances working by the Common enemy in some parts; their open appearing again in other parts of this Kingdome; their great hopes and high assurances they boast of generally by a second warre, to obtain their wicked ends; the destruction of this Parliament, together with the ruine of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties; and the sad divisions and distractions which your Petitioners doe at the same time (to their great griefe of heart) behold amongst those who formerly have been engaged with you in one and the same Cause, now weakning their hands and counsells, alienating their affections; one from another, and fitting them only to be a prey to the Common enemy; doe necessitate your Petitioners, out of their abundant sense and sorrow for these things, to open and unfold the visible causes thereof to this Honourable Court in the Paper annexed; together [Page 5] with those things your Petitioners humbly conceive may be healing Remedies.
Therefore your Petitioners doe humbly pray, That this Honourable Court will take the said Paper annexed into their serious consideration; and that they may be so understood, as whatsoever is therein prefented is out of the sincerity of your Petitioners hearts, and their Zeale to the honour and happinesse of the Parliament and Kingdome, and wholly with submission to your Honours wisedome and determination; and if by what is suggested therein, your Petitioners shall in the least measure be instrumentall to the healing of those wounds which are made by the divisions amongst us; as they shall have great cause to blesse God, so they shall for ever acknowledge the wisdome and goodnesse of this Honorable Court, and be further encouraged to adhere thereunto with their lives and estates.
That the present great divisions and jealousies in this Kingdome in reference both to Church and State, amongst those that have been formerly united and engaged in the Cause of the Parliament and Kingdome, have given great advantage to the Malignant party to make their late insurrections, and to lay the foundation of a second Warre; and that the jealousies and discontents throughout the Kingdome, are such as principally concerne Parliament, City, and Army.
Those concerning the Parliament seem to arise from apprehensions and feares.
I. THat the Parliament intend not really to settle Religion according to the Word of God, and the Solemn League and Covenant, nor the execution of justice upon Delinquents, but what they doe therein, ariseth more out of the severall exigents they are brought into, then out of a love and liking of the things themselves, and ful resolutions to maintain them.
II. That they intend to alter the ancient and fundamentall Government of this Kingdome by King, Lords, and Commons.
III. That they intend not only the necessary continuance of the Army at present, and to make use thereof for subduing the Common enemy, and quieting the distempers of the Kingdome, but to governe the Kingdome by an Army, to be perpetually maintained to that end, and consequently the [...]nuing of Excise and Taxations.
[Page 7] IV. That they intend not really to make a Peace with the King, though they might have it with safety and security to Religion, Law, and liberty.
For Remedy whereof, it is earnestly desired,
- I. That the Parliament would please fully and effectually to declare their sincere resolutions to perfect the worke of Reformation, according to the Word of God, and the Solemn League and Covenant, with execution of justice upon Delinquents, and their resolutions to remaine stedfast and unmoveable therein, notwithstanding any pressure of a Popish and Prelatick party, and the influence of any other party or forces whatsoever.
- II. That they publish to the Kingdome their resolutions not to alter the Government thereof by King, Lords and Commons.
- III. That the Parliament will proceed with all cleernesse and possible speed to obtaine a Peace upon termes that are secure for Religion, Law, and Liberty; and for those that have adventured their lives and estates for the Parliament for that end; that the Treaty the Houses have resolved upon, at the Isle of Wight, or shall resolve upon at any other place, may bee so managed, that it may be a reall demonstration to the Kingdome, that as the Parliament will not recede from the grounds of their cause, so there shall be no other just cause given, either by delay or obstruction, to a safe and well-grounded peace on their parts.
That upon such a settlement, timely care may be taken of easing the people of the burden of Armyes and Taxations, and incouragement given to the advance of Trade.
Jelousies concerning the City.
I. THat they seeme to recede from their former sound Principles upon which they have engaged with the Parliament, in their earnest pressing the Parliament for Peace, for a Personall Treaty, and the Kings comming to London, without the like expressions of their zeale for the reformation of Religion, [Page 8] freedome of Parliament, and Libertie of the Subject to be provided for in that Treaty, and secured in the settlement of Peace; whereby they have too much gratified and strengthned the common enemy in their late destructive designes.
II. That the former readiness of the City to discover the secret plots of the Malignant Party, and to oppose them when they are discovered, both in the City and country, seemeth to be much abated, and that the listing of Horse and Foot, and preparation of Armes by many in the City and out parts, for the late insurrections in the Counties adjacent, together with the generall with holding their Contributions to the forces that should oppose them, raises a jealousie of the Cities affections to the Parliament: and that the late confidence taken by a private person comming from the Scottish Army into the Citie, to levie money upon the faith of the kingdome of Scotland, for their Army invading the kingdome of England, causeth a jealousie that secret compliances are held, and aides given to that Army by too many in the Citie.
For remedy whereof it is desired,
That the Parliament would recommend it to the City, that they doe Declare, That as they have earnestly desired a Treaty with the King for peace, so they are resolved to assist the Parliament with their lives and estates to obtain safe Concessions for the preservation and security of Religion, Law, and liberties, and that they declare their great dislike and detestation of the late Tumults in the City, and insurrections in the Counties, and the revolving of the Ships and Castles, and their readiness to assist the Parliament with their lives and estates against them, and the late invasion by the Scottish Army now joyned with the Malignant and Popish party in the North; And that they will chearfully submit to the wisdom and determination of the Parliament in all the weighty affairs of the Kingdom.
The discontents and jealousies of the Army.
I. FRom their aversness to the settlement of Religion in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the solemn League and Covenant; And their countenancing by their power multitudes of persons of unsound judgments, and those opposite to such a settlement.
II. Their not submitting formerly to the Parliaments commands, and intermedling with the transactions of State, and their disaffection to the City of London, both Ministers and people well-affected, who have been faithfull to the Cause, and stand for Reformation.
III. That if by the assistance of the persons and estates of the well-affected (who are mutually engaged with them in the publick Cause) they should be enabled to overcome the present Insurrections and Armies raised against it, they would turn their successe to the advancement of their owne private power and ends.
For remedy whereof,
It is desired that the Parliament would recommend it to the Generall, Commanders, and Officers of the Army, That they doe declare their resolutions to submit to what they shall doe in the establishing of religion, the settlement of the Peace of the Kingdome, the prefervation of the fundamentall government thereof; and that they declare an amicable respect and agreement with the City of
London: and that when the Parliament in their wisedome shall thinke fit to lessen or disband the Army that they accordingly yeeld obedience.
THe Lords have considered of your Petition, and the Petition of divers well-affected Ministers, Citizens, and others of the City of London and parts adjacent, and have commanded me to return Thanks unto you for your good affection expressed in this particular, and doe desire you that you will return Thanks to those well-affected Ministers, Citizens, and others of the City of London and parts adjacent, for their good affection which they have expressed in desiring the removall of all jealousies, and endevouring a perfect union of the well-affected, in order to the procuring of a safe and well-grounded Peace.