TO
THE
HONOURABLE
,
THE
KNIGHTS
,
CITIZENS
AND
BURGESSES
OF
THE
HOUSE
OF
COMMONS
IN
PARLIAMENT
.
The
Humble
Petition
of
Aldermen
,
Common-Cournel-men
,
Subsidy-men
,
and
other
Inhabitants
of
the
Citie
of
LONDON
,
and
the
Suburbs
thereof
.
SHEWETH
,
That
they
doe
with
all
humble
thankfulnesse
ackowledge
that
great
labour
and
care
,
which
this
honourable
Assembly
hath
undergone
now
for
the
space
of
above
one
whole
years
,
endeavoring
the
reformation
and
removal
of
those
many
pressures
&
grievance
in
Church
and
Common-wealth
;
And
do
humbly
present
that
grateful
acceptance
&
high
esteem
,
which
not
only
the
Petitioners
,
but
also
all
well
affected
to
the
honour
of
this
Majesty
and
prosperity
of
this
Kingdome
have
,
of
these
your
great
and
unwearied
endeavors
,
which
although
they
(
by
reason
of
the
Popish
Lords
and
Bishops
Voting
in
the
House
of
Peeres
,
and
other
impediments
as
they
humble
conceive
)
have
not
hitherto
produce
those
happy
effects
you
aymed
at
;
Yet
,
to
the
Petitioners
great
comfort
,
divers
of
those
pressures
are
already
removed
:
as
Arbitary
Courts
,
Ship-money
,
Monopolies
,
and
other
illegall
Impositions
,
where
with
they
burthened
,
and
further
hopes
given
by
the
happy
Act
of
this
PARLIAMENTS
continuance
.
That
(
notwithstanding
all
this
)
the
Papists
and
their
adherents
,
whose
malice
ceaseth
not
,
have
by
sundry
secreat
and
desperate
plots
,
attempted
the
ruine
and
destruction
of
this
State
and
Kingdom
,
and
however
some
of
them
have
hitherto
by
Gods
providence
,
and
your
prudence
,
been
discovered
and
become
abortive
:
Yet
the
sad
effects
of
other
of
them
,
are
not
only
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
deplored
condtion
the
Petitioners
much
pitty
and
lament
,
and
have
just
cause
to
feare
,
that
as
already
there
hath
been
much
Christian
blood
spilt
,
so
in
short
times
,
if
speedy
helpe
be
not
sent
,
not
only
the
many
great
Debts
there
owing
to
divers
of
the
Petitioners
,
and
others
of
this
Kingdome
,
will
be
wholly
lost
,
but
(
which
is
farre
more
)
the
very
name
of
the
English
and
Protestant
Religion
there
,
will
be
rooted
out
,
which
those
Rebells
(
the
Foundation
of
whose
Religion
is
written
in
letters
of
blood
)
do
only
oppose
.
And
for
that
divers
of
the
Petitioners
receive
daily
information
from
all
parts
of
this
Kingdome
,
of
the
bold
insolent
carriage
,
and
threat●●ing
speeches
of
the
Papists
in
this
Realm
,
arising
(
as
the
Petitioners
humbly
conceive
)
not
only
from
the
prevailing
of
the
Rebels
in
Ireland
,
●ut
also
from
the
want
of
such
secure
and
speedy
course
against
Papists
here
,
as
the
present
condition
of
this
Kingdome
requireth
,
and
this
honourable
Assembly
hath
earnestly
endeavoured
.
From
which
grounds
,
the
Petitioners
cannot
omit
to
represent
unto
you
,
the
great
terrors
,
feares
,
and
distraction
,
that
they
lie
under
,
of
a
●●ddaine
surprize
by
their
bloody
hands
,
By
meanes
whereof
,
the
Trading
of
this
City
and
Kingdome
is
much
more
of
late
decayed
,
then
it
●ath
been
for
divers
years
past
,
no
man
following
his
Trade
cheerfully
,
while
the
lives
of
himself
and
Family
,
and
the
publique
safety
of
the
●ingdome
are
in
danger
;
and
while
he
knoweth
not
how
soon
they
may
feele
the
like
cruelty
and
inhumanity
from
the
Papists
,
and
their
ad●erents
,
as
these
in
Ireland
have
done
,
which
if
ever
it
shall
happen
,
this
honourable
Assembly
must
expect
to
have
a
deep
share
in
their
malice
●nd
cruelty
,
against
whom
they
have
already
by
themselves
and
their
Abbettors
endeavoured
,
to
raise
a
disrespect
in
the
hearts
of
the
people
,
to
●●vide
between
the
King
Majesty
and
his
Parliament
,
and
seditiously
to
misconstrue
the
Citizens
dutifull
and
loyall
entertainment
of
his
Ma●●sty
,
to
be
a
differting
of
this
honourable
Assembly
,
the
least
thought
whereof
,
the
Petitioners
doe
utterly
detest
and
abhorre
.
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
,
confidence
Forces
with
all
expedition
sent
subdue
those
abhominable
and
bloody
Rebels
in
Ireland
;
This
City
Kingdome
,
(
for
prevention
of
the
like
mischiefes
here
,
and
securing
the
peace
thereof
)
put
into
a
posture
of
defence
,
the
Petitioners
freed
from
their
feares
,
encouraged
in
their
Trades
,
and
in
due
time
receive
such
just
Answeres
to
their
former
Petitioners
,
as
shall
seem
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
●heir
concurrence
with
you
in
the
punishing
of
Delinquents
,
and
redressing
the
pressures
and
grievances
in
Church
and
Common-wealth
(
amongst
which
the
abuses
crept
into
the
ancient
government
of
this
City
,
they
humbly
desire
may
in
due
time
be
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
desire
in
the
presence
of
divers
of
this
honourable
Assembly
,
by
the
representative
body
of
this
City
in
this
Guild-hall
,
when
50000
li.
was
freely
lent
to
raise
Forces
for
Ireland
,
the
greatest
part
whereof
was
speedily
brought
in
by
the
Petitioners
.
And
the
Petitioners
who
well
know
their
own
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
Counsellors
,
and
malignant
opposers
,
who
indeavour
,
either
by
secret
plot
or
open
force
,
to
prejudice
the
one
or
the
other
,
or
to
make
division
between
his
Majesty
and
the
Parliament
,
whom
God
and
the
Laws
of
this
Land
,
have
united
in
so
neare
a
Relation
.
A
true
relation
of
the
manner
how
it
was
delivered
.
This
Petition
was
subscribed
with
above
20000
hands
of
Aldermen
,
Common-Counsell
men
,
Merchants
,
and
others
of
great
ranck
and
quality
,
two
hundred
hereof
did
ride
in
Coaches
,
(
the
II.
Decem.
1641.
)
to
deliver
the
same
.
The
House
of
Commons
(
after
some
mediation
)
admitted
their
Persons
Petition
,
which
Petition
was
presented
by
Mr.
Fookes
,
Merchant
,
who
related
to
the
Honourable
Assembly
,
that
he
could
have
brought
them
as
many
persons
as
there
were
hands
to
the
Petition
,
but
that
he
judged
it
not
fit
to
come
thither
in
a
tumultous
manner
;
declaring
(
l●kewise
)
how
they
met
with
some
obstructions
(
in
their
ga●●ering
of
hands
)
by
ill
affected
persons
.
And
when
he
had
thus
done
speaking
,
they
were
commanded
to
withdraw
:
In
the
Interim
,
the
Petition
was
read
in
the
●ouse
,
and
then
they
were
called
in
again
:
they
being
come
in
,
the
Honourable
Assembly
certified
unto
then
that
their
Petition
was
very
loving
and
thank●●lly
accepted
of
with
reality
of
affections
,
promising
them
that
they
would
take
the
several
branches
of
their
Petition
into
Consideration
giving
them
order
(
like●ise
)
to
present
the
Names
of
such
ill
affected
Persons
,
as
did
hinder
or
discourage
them
in
seeking
to
redresse
their
grievances
in
so
lawfull
a
way
,
and
a
strict
order
should
be
taken
with
them
.