To
the
Right
Honorable
the
HOUSE
of
LORDS
,
Assembled
in
the
High
Court
of
PARLIAMENT
.
The
humble
Petition
of
the
Deputy
Lieutenants
,
Iustices
of
the
Peace
,
and
Commons
of
the
County
of
ESSEX
,
on
the
behalf
of
themselves
,
and
the
County
.
Humbly
sheweth
:
THat
your
Petitioners
who
have
in
all
your
dangers
been
found
ready
to
ingage
their
lives
and
fortunes
for
your
securities
in
the
defence
of
Religion
,
and
just
Liberty
,
as
by
our
Nationall
Covenant
by
us
solemnly
taken
we
are
obliged
▪
We
who
have
been
by
Gods
acceptance
made
more
then
ordinarily
Instrumentall
in
all
the
suppressing
of
the
Common
Enemy
;
We
who
have
laboured
to
preserve
our selves
,
not
thereby
so
much
seeking
our
private
comforts
,
as
that
we
might
be
continued
a
people
able
to
do
You
service
in
all
Your
pious
and
faithfull
undertakings
;
have
now
a
great
and
unsupportable
Army
quartered
upon
us
,
which
for
the
Reasons
hereafter
mentioned
we
desire
may
be
removed
,
and
otherwise
disposed
of
.
And
in
the
first
place
we
humbly
offer
to
Your
considerations
,
how
unconvenient
a
thing
it
will
be
,
for
so
great
an
Army
to
lay
out
their
Quarters
so
neer
a
Parliament
,
where
all
things
are
wanting
,
and
dear
;
as
makes
us
fear
there
is
some
designe
to
have
an
awing
influence
upon
the
proceedings
of
Parliament
,
and
those
who
are
willing
to
submit
to
Your
Government
:
And
we
the
rather
fear
it
,
because
the
Army
is
now
brought
into
these
parts
,
when
all
the
Kingdom
takes
notice
that
You
are
about
the
disbanding
of
it
,
and
setling
the
Government
of
the
Church
;
both
which
,
we
humbly
conceive
,
are
most
necessary
to
be
dispatched
.
And
we
have
reason
to
beleeve
,
that
some
in
that
Army
will
not
be
promoters
of
those
good
and
necessary
Works
,
being
men
of
Erroneous
Judgements
,
and
opposite
to
the
Government
of
the
Parliament
;
who
make
it
their
businesse
in
all
places
where
they
come
,
to
work
upon
the
ignorantest
people
,
perswading
them
into
the
like
Errours
,
which
tends
much
to
the
destruction
of
all
good
Government
,
either
in
Church
or
Common-wealth
.
In
the
next
place
,
they
humbly
desire
this
Honorable
Assembly
,
to
remember
their
first
free
will
offerings
upon
the
Propositions
,
with
what
chearfulnesse
,
and
in
what
multitudes
they
put
themselves
forth
to
make
up
the
first
Army
,
which
was
raised
for
the
defence
of
the
Parliament
.
After
that
,
raised
two
private
Armies
,
at
their
own
Charge
,
for
the
publique
Service
of
the
Kingdom
;
The
one
,
under
the
Command
of
the
Lord
Gray
of
Wark
;
and
the
other
under
the
Earl
of
Manchester
;
whom
they
payed
severall
yeers
:
and
all
that
time
did
not
onely
defend
themselves
at
home
,
but
upon
every
Alarum
went
forth
into
other
Counties
with
their
Trained
Bands
,
and
other
Auxiliary
Forces
.
And
now
God
hath
blest
us
out
of
the
hands
of
our
Enemies
,
our
hope
is
,
we
shall
not
be
eaten
up
,
enslaved
,
and
destroyed
by
an
Army
raised
for
our
defence
.
In
the
last
place
,
we
humbly
offer
to
Your
Considerations
,
the
sad
and
dying
condition
of
Ireland
,
That
this
Army
,
or
such
part
thereof
as
shall
be
thought
necessary
,
might
be
imployed
for
the
Recovery
of
that
Kingdom
,
wherein
the
safetie
of
this
,
is
so
much
concerned
.
And
Your
Petitioners
,
as
in
duty
bound
,
shall
,
&c.