TO
THE
RIGHT
HONOURABLE
,
THE
LORDS
AND
COMMONS
IN
PARLIAMENT
.
The
humble
Petition
of
the
Mayor
,
Aldermen
,
and
Common-Councell
of
the
City
of
EXETER
.
Humbly
sheweth
,
THat
they
have
received
late
Petitions
from
the
Commons
of
the
said
City
and
County
,
signed
by
very
many
hands
,
wherein
they
present
the
great
decay
and
deadnesse
in
the
Trades
of
the
said
City
;
especially
in
the
manufacture
of
Serges
or
Perpetuanies
:
as
also
the
distresses
of
our
Brethren
in
Ireland
,
which
Kingdome
hath
afforded
great
reliefe
and
trade
to
these
parts
:
And
in
their
said
Petitions
doe
apprehend
the
grounds
of
all
to
arise
from
the
distractions
in
the
City
of
London
,
which
,
as
they
humbly
conceive
,
are
occasioned
by
the
infringing
of
the
Rights
and
Priviledges
of
Parliament
,
and
the
just
liberty
of
the
Subject
;
and
by
the
opposition
and
hinderances
which
the
Bishops
and
Popish
party
have
laid
in
the
way
of
the
proceedings
of
your
honourable
Assembly
:
And
doe
further
shew
,
that
(
unlesse
God
by
some
speedy
and
timely
remedy
doe
prevent
it
)
this
City
and
County
are
like
greatly
to
be
indangered
by
reason
of
the
decay
of
the
Comerce
(
with
its
inseparable
companion
Poverty
)
which
will
,
as
they
justly
feare
,
stirre
up
many
thousand
persons
to
insolent
and
outragious
actions
.
They
doe
therefore
earnestly
pray
us
to
present
the
premisses
to
your
Honours
,
with
their
great
feares
and
sensible
apprehensions
,
that
the
source
of
all
doth
spring
from
the
Bishops
,
the
Popish
party
,
and
their
designes
.
We
thought
it
our
bounden
duty
humbly
to
preferre
and
present
the
same
to
your
Honours
accordingly
,
being
very
sensible
of
the
said
grievances
and
feares
,
and
knowing
that
they
cannot
but
inevitably
occasion
ruine
and
confusion
to
this
City
and
County
,
unlesse
God
in
his
mercy
prevent
it
by
your
Honours
wise
and
speedy
endeavours
.
Wherefore
we
humbly
pray
your
Honours
to
take
these
our
desires
&
humble
requests
into
your
deepe
considerations
:
That
the
true
Protestant
Religion
may
be
still
preserved
,
the
Rights
and
Priviledges
of
Parliament
maintained
,
and
the
just
Liberties
of
the
Subject
supported
;
and
that
the
Popish
party
may
be
dis-armed
,
which
(
notwithstanding
the
former
Lawes
and
Orders
)
have
been
neglected
;
and
that
the
Kingdome
may
be
put
into
a
posture
of
Defence
,
and
the
Forts
and
places
of
strength
may
be
committed
to
the
hands
of
trusty
persons
;
and
that
the
power
of
voting
in
Parliament
may
be
taken
from
the
Bishops
and
Popish
Lords
,
and
also
the
said
distresses
of
our
afflicted
Brethren
in
Ireland
may
throughly
be
taken
to
heart
,
and
speedily
remedied
.
So
may
we
expect
the
happinesse
and
flourishing
of
this
Kingdome
,
and
shall
have
more
and
more
cause
to
blesse
God
for
his
Majesty
;
and
your
Honours
.
And
,
as
duty
bindes
us
,
shall
ever
pray
,
&c.