The humble Petition of the Citizens, Commanders, Officers, and Souldiers, of the Trained Bands, and Aux­iliaries, the young men and Apprentiſes of the City of London, and Weſtminſter, Sea-commanders, Sea-men, and Water-men, together with divers other Commanders, Officers and Souldiers, within the Line of Communica­tion, and Pariſhes mentioned in the weekly Bills of Mor­tality.

THat your Petitioners taking into ſerious conſidera­tion, how Religion, his Majeſties honour and ſafe­ty, the priviledges of Parliament, and Liberties of the Subject, are at preſent greatly indangered, and likely to be deſtroyed; And alſo fadly weighing with our ſelves what meanes might likely prove the moſt effectu­all to procure a firme and laſting peace, without further effuſion of Chriſtian, Engliſh blood) have therefore en­tred into a ſolemne Engagement, which is hereunto an­nexed, and doe humbly and earneſtly deſire, that this2 whole City may joyne together by all lawfull poſſible meanes, as one man in hearty indevors, for his Majeſties〈◊〉••••ing up to his two Houſes of Parliament,〈…〉ſa•ety, and freedome, and that without the neer approach of the Army, there to confirm ſuch things, as he hath granted in his Meſſage of the 12 of May laſt, in anſwer to the Propoſitions of both Kingdomes: And that by a perſonall Treaty with his two Houſes of Par­liament, and the Commiſſioner•of the kingdom of Scot­land, ſuch things as yet are in difference, may be ſpeedily ſetled, and a firm and laſting peace eſtabliſhed: all which we deſire may be preſented to both Houſes of Parlia­ment from this Honourable Aſſembly.

And we ſhall pray, &c.

A Copy of a Paper delivered to the Commiſſioners of Parliament, from the Generall and Councell of Warre.

WE received this incloſed paper the laſt night from the hands of a very well affected Citizen: It was delivered him by an Officer of the Citie Militia, who being invited to meet ſome Citizens at Skinners Hall, upon Wedneſday laſt, with divers others, to ſigne the ſame; and offering to diſpute the matter of it to them how dangerous and illegall it was; was ſilenced, and told that it was not to be diſputed, but to be ſigned and joyned in, there being divers Citizens and others at the ſame place for that purpoſe, which when he underſtood he took this printed Copie away with him.

By the contents of which, when you read it, you will eaſily perceive what it tends to, and how deſperate and dangerous it is, to the hazard of the whole Kingdome, and to fruſtrat all thoſe endevours of the Parliament, the Army, and Kingdom, for an happy ſettlement. And like­wiſe to precipitate all into a new and bloody warre. We cannot therefore but acquaint you, that we look at this,4 as a buſineſſe ſet on foot by the malice of ſome deſperate minded men, this being their laſt engine for the putting all into confuſion, when they could not accompliſh their wicked ends by other meanes.

To this have all ſecret liſtings tended, and we wiſh that needleſſe and ſuperfluous liſting of Auxiliaries, and connivance at the continuance of the Reformados about the Cities of London and Weſtminſter, have not had the ſame aime. And by this we hope it will appeare, that our jealouſies and feares of ſome ſuch deſperate deſigne to be hatched in and about the Citie, conſidering the ſenſe of men there, have not been groundleſſe, nor our deſires to draw neere the Citie of London with the Army, to diſap­point and break all ſuch plots, and to free the Parliament from violence of them, have not been without juſt cauſe; and we deſire all indifferent men to judge, whether our withdrawing from the Citie in obedience to the Parlia­ments commands, was for theirs and the Kingdomes ſe­curity, or not. We wonder that divers men did calum­niate at our marching ſo neer the Citie, and put ſo bad repreſentations upon it, as that it tended to force the Par­liament, or to plunder the Citie, ſeeing our doing ſo, was to break the black deſigne which now begins to ſhew it ſelfe in its colours: whereas indeed our conſciences wit­neſſe with us that our Armies were cleare and honeſt, tending to reſtore the Parliament unto its juſt liberty, which was much abated in the eyes of all the kingdome, and no doubt by the authors and contrivers of this new covenant and engagement, ſome whereof have been ſo farre from aſſiſting to put the Reformados, and other dangerous perſons out of the lines, that now they are cal­led in to joyne in this conſpiracy.

We entreate you to give the Parliament a full repre­ſentation, of theſe things, which that you may do we5 have ſent you the Papers, together with ſuch informa­tions as may give them an opportunity to diſcover the bottome of this buſineſſe. We were marching from London (when we received this information) in obedi­ence to the Parliament, to give the City content, and to ſtop the mouthes of ſlanderers. But if ſuch deſignes ſo deſtructive to the Parliament, and the worke in hand be ſuffered to goe on, or that the Parliament be inter­rupted in the freedome of their debates, and proceed­ings, as we heare within theſe few days they were, by thoſe that are invited to partake of this confederacy.

Wee beg it of the Parliament, as they tender their owne ſafety the peace of the Kingdome, and preventing of a ſecond Warre, as they would not have the King­dome, loſe the fruite and benifit of all the blood and treaſure that hath beene ſpent in this Cauſe, that they would not ſuffer their freedome and Liberty to be in­dangered by ſuch deſignes as theſe, they having an Army, which by the bleſſing of God in ſpight of all that theirs, and the Kingdomes enemies can doe, will ſtand and fall with them, and be firme, faithfull, and obedient to them in all things, and as ready to releive Ireland when the peace and Rights of the Kingdom are ſetled.

Wee write not this to deſire the Parliament to invite us to march up to them, wee care not how great a diſtance wee are from London, if it bee the Parlia­ments pleaſure, and conſiſts with their ſecurity, and the breaking off thoſe combinations which are hatched in the bowels of that Citie.

We are haſtening out Propoſals which are for the ge­nerall ſettlement, and which we are conſident will ſatiſ­fie all that love truth and peace.

But we ſee plainly, we need more to intend ſecurity, then have cauſe to expect to bring things to a happy iſſue6 by treaty, while ſuch deſignes are on foot We pray you therefore that the Parliament would ſpeedily & through­ly enquire into, and break theſe deſignes, wherein as in all things elſe we ſhall be ready to ſerve them, as they ſhall judge it needfull; and when they ſhall command us.

THe Lords and Commons having ſeene a printed Paper intituled, A Petition to the right Honour­able the Lord Major, the right worſhipfull the Alder­men and Commons of the City of London in the Com­mon or Guild hall of the City of London aſſembled, un­der the name of divers Citizens, Commanders, Of­ficers, and Souldiers of the Trained Bands, Auxilia­ries, and others, young men and Apprentices, Sea-Commanders, Sea-men, and Water-men, together with a dangerous engagement of the ſame perſons by Oath and Vow concerning the Kings preſent comming to the Parliament upon tearmes far different from thoſe which both Houſes after mature deliberation, have de­clared to bee neceſſary for the good and ſafety of this Kingdome, caſting reflections upon the proceedings both of the Parliament and Army, and tending to the im­broiling the Kingdome in a new Warre: And the ſaid Lords and Commons taking notice of great endeavours uſed by divers ill-affected perſons to procure Subſcrip­tions thereunto, whereby well-meaning people may be miſ-lead, doe therefore declare, That whoſoever after publication or notice hereof ſhall proceed in, or pro­mote or ſet his name to, or give conſent that his name be ſet unto, or any way joyne in the ſaid Engagement ſhall bee deemed and adjudged guilty of high Treaſon, and ſhall forfit life and eſtate as in caſes of high Trea­ſon, accuſtomed.