TO
THE
RIGHT
HONOURABLE
THE
LORDS
AND
COMMONS
ASSEMBLED
IN
PARLIAMENT
.
The
humble
Petition
of
many
of
the
Gentry
,
Ministers
,
Free-holders
,
and
other
Inhabitants
of
the
County
of
Kent
,
and
the
Cities
of
Canterbury
and
Rochester
,
and
County
of
Canterbury
,
with
the
Cinque Ports
,
and
their
members
,
and
other
Corporations
within
the
said
County
,
Most
humbly
sheweth
,
THat
your
Petitioners
,
or
many
of
them
have
heretofore
exhibited
to
both
Houses
of
Parliament
a
Petition
concurring
with
those
of
the
renowned
City
of
London
,
and
other
severall
Counties
of
this
Kingdome
,
expressing
their
true
zeale
to
true
Religion
in
the
pure
worship
of
God
,
and
their
loving
affections
to
the
Kings
most
excellent
Majesty
,
both
Houses
,
and
the
Kingdomes
:
That
your
poore
Petitioners
doe
with
all
humility
returne
their
utmost
thankes
unto
this
Honourable
Assembly
,
for
your
favourable
and
gentle
acceptance
of
their
Petition
,
your
great
care
and
vigilancy
,
and
uncessant
labours
for
the
advancement
of
the
true
reformed
Religion
,
the
Honor
and
welfare
of
his
Majesty
,
and
his
Kingdomes
,
and
for
your
continued
endeavours
for
a
right
understanding
betweene
his
Majesty
,
and
his
Parliament
;
for
your
instant
addresse
to
his
Majesty
,
to
disswade
him
from
his
personall
Expedition
for
Ireland
,
and
especially
for
that
to
us
so
welcome
Declaration
of
Lords
and
Commons
,
April
9.
1642.
concerning
your
pious
intentions
for
a
necessary
Reformation
,
which
renewes
our
hopes
,
and
we
hope
will
further
your
account
in
the
day
or
the
Lord
,
who
are
come
up
as
Saviours
on
Mount
Sion
,
and
that
your
Petitioners
;
doe
most
heartily
rejoyce
to
behold
the
happy
union
of
both
Houses
of
Parliament
,
and
the
mutuall
concurrence
of
them
and
the
whole
Kingdome
,
wherein
under
his
Majesty
,
the
safety
of
all
the
three
Kingdomes
doe
consist
.
Yet
your
Petitioners
cannot
but
plainly
expresse
with
what
sad
hearts
they
thinke
on
the
many
evill
occurrents
which
interrupt
your
unparalelled
paines
,
and
intercept
the
fruit
of
your
faithfull
Counsels
,
from
us
among
which
this
is
not
the
least
(
viz.
)
a
Petition
(
as
we
conceive
)
of
dangerous
consequence
,
and
published
at
the
last
generall
Assises
holden
for
this
County
at
Maidstone
,
and
then
(
yea
,
yet
)
advanced
for
subscribers
,
intended
to
be
exhibited
to
this
Honourable
House
,
as
the
Petition
of
the
whole
body
of
this
County
,
to
cause
the
whole
Kingdom
to
beleeve
that
Petition
to
be
the
act
of
the
whole
County
of
Kent
(
or
the
major
part
thereof
)
whereby
a
great
blemish
and
scandall
is
brought
upon
this
loyall
and
peaceable
County
,
being
styled
the
Kentish
Petition
,
which
we
know
is
not
the
act
of
the
body
of
the
County
,
as
it
seemeth
to
speak
,
for
as
much
as
it
was
disavowed
by
many
of
the
then
grand
Jury
,
and
Justices
on
the
Bench
,
and
by
all
us
your
Petitioners
,
whose
names
are
under-written
.
1.
Wherefore
our
humble
prayer
is
,
that
your
Honours
would
be
pleased
first
to
accept
this
our
Vindication
of
our selves
and
this
County
,
who
utterly
disclaime
the
said
Petition
,
humbly
leaving
it
to
the
Wisdome
,
Justice
and
Clemency
of
this
Honourable
Assembly
,
to
difference
betweene
the
active
contrivers
and
promoters
,
and
unadvised
subscribers
thereof
.
2.
To
lift
up
your
hearts
above
all
discouragements
in
the
wayes
of
the
Lord
,
according
to
that
your
so
religious
resolutions
for
Reformation
in
the
Church
,
for
a
Consultation
with
godly
and
learned
Divines
,
and
for
the
establishing
of
a
Preaching
Ministry
throughout
the
whole
Kingdome
:
And
we
your
Petitioners
being
sensible
,
that
to
oppose
or
flight
his
Majesties
Parliament
,
and
the
orders
thereof
,
were
to
hazzard
the
safety
of
his
Majesties
Royall
person
,
and
all
his
Kingdomes
,
and
to
further
the
designes
of
our
enemies
,
who
hope
by
causing
our
division
,
to
triumph
in
our
confusion
.
And
we
your
Petitioners
are
unanimously
resolved
to
maintaine
and
defend
,
as
far
as
lawfully
we
may
,
with
our
lives
,
power
and
estates
,
his
Majesties
Royall
person
and
dignities
,
as
also
the
power
and
priviledges
of
his
Parliament
,
according
to
our
Protestation
.
And
shall
daily
pray
that
your
hands
may
be
sufficient
for
you
to
accomplish
every
good
worke
.
This
Petition
was
delivered
,
and
read
in
the
House
of
Commons
the
fifth
of
May
,
1642.
with
8000.
hands
thereto
.