TO THE KINGES MOST EXCELLENT MAIE●●●E . The humble Petition of two and Twentie Preachers , in London and the sub●rbs thereof .

Wouchsafe ( most gracious Soueraigne ) a fauourable and pitifull eare , vnto the humble petition , of many your distressed subiects . Preachers of the gospell , now called vpon in your Maiesties name , to approue by subscription and practise , fiue seuerall bookes , with certayne Ceremonies therein prescribed . If any thinge were commaunded vs by your Maiestie , which we might doe , without offence to the highest Maiestie , there is not a man amonge vs , that would not willingly obey the same , though it were to the losse of all he hath , yea , of his very life . But being perswaded ▪ that the saide ceremonies , and many thinges else in those bookes , are repugnant to the word of God , we most humbly beseech your Highnes : to spare our consciences in the same , especially seing hetherto , neither our exceptions ( a view wherof we haue to shew ) haue bin answered , nor any one sufficient reason giuen , according to your Maiesties proclamation , to proue the lawfulnes of the thinges imposed , we haue heard and doe beleeue , that your Maiestie hath often saide , that if any can shew the things required to be vnlawfull , your Highnes will not haue them vrged . And except we be able , by the evidence of holy scripture , to proue the same , we will presently yeld to conformitie requyred . In the meane tyme , it might please your Maiestie in your princly wisdome to consider , that howsoeuer these thinges haue not heeretofore , bin by authoritye remooued , yet haue they neuer had quyet possession in this Church vnder the gospell , since the first abolishyng of popery , that our late gracious Queene of famous memory , at the humble suite of the Commons in Parliament , sygnified her expresse will and pleasure , yet vpon record . That no preacher or Minister , should be impeached , or otherwise molested or troubled , for the rites and Ceremonies in question , that the common Iudgment , of almost all the painfull & resiant ministers of the land , is against them : that they haue bin long disvsed in many places , & generally distasted , with the people of better ●cate , as hath appeared in many parliaments of former tymes , and also in this last . In regard whereof , we humbly beseech your Highnes , to take this burthen from our consciences , and to vouchsaue the continuance of our ministry , at the least , vntill the ignorant and scandolous Ministers be remoued , non-residentes reformed , and all the Churches of this kingdome , be prouided of able , godly , and resident preachers , that popery and Atheisme gett not the head amonge vs , to the ruyne of this famous Church and common wealth . And this we verily hope , your Maiestie will not deny vs , the rather for that we are the seruantes of your God , Preachers of that faith , whereof your Highnes is both professor , and defendor : we haue alwayes syncerely , fauoured and to our power furthered , your iust and lawfull clayme vnto this kingdome : we are aduersaryes to them , that are aduersaryes to your soule and body , supremacie , Crowne , and Kingdomes . We haue bin brought vp , and taken degrees in the vniuersities : we are many of vs become greay headed in the seruice of God , and of his Church , hauyng preached the gospell , some of vs ten yeares , some twenty , some thyrty , and some more , and diuers of vs in this Cittye adventured our lyues by preachinge , in the tyme of the late infection : neither are we so fewe , as is pretended : to say nothing of our brethren , which yeeld with much greife and sorrow of harte : we haue wyues and children , kinsfolkes & frend depending on vs , who are all vndone , if we be displaced . God forbid , that euer it should be sayd or written , in succeeding ages ▪ that in the dayes of so religyous , and learned a Kinge , so many learned and paynfull pastors and preachers , were cast out , as vnsauery salt : and that for refusynge such a subscription , as in no age of the Church , was euer vrged , and is more then the law of the land requireth , and for not vsinge such ceremonies , as are prof●table to none , Prince or subiect , and ( to speake the least ) haue bin and continue , to be polluted with Idolatry : and in the meane tyme , so many dumbe Ministers , so many scandolous Ministers and non-resydents ( the shame and bane of the Church of God ) keept in , and that so many learned , godly , and ( many of them ) aged men , were exposed to such reproach and misery , as nether the dumbe and scandolous ministers with theirs of late , nor Monkes , Fryers and Nunnes , in former tymes haue bine . Oh that your Maiestie did knowe , the reproach that is already fallen vppon vs , yea vpon the gospell which we haue preached , the insulting of Papistes and prophane persons , the discouraging of younge students , the pitifull cryes of many thowsandes most faithfull subiects throughout the land , and cheifely in your Highnes chamber , and famous Citie of London . If your Maiestie did but heare and see , these wofull effectes , your royall and compassionate harte ( we are perswaded ) would not be able to indure the same . But your Maiestie is , as an Angell of God , to discerne more than is meete for vs to speake . And therfore forbeareyng to proceed further heerein , we humbly cast our selues , at your Maiesties feete , for the continuance of our ministrye , to the glory of God : and saluation of his people , thorough Iesus Christ , whom we dayly beseech to blesse your Maiestie , and posteritie foreuer .