TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE Lords and Commons In Parliament Aſſembled.The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common-Councell aſſembled.
THat your Petitioners being deeply ſenſible of the ſad, miſerable, and deplorable condition of the King, Parliament and Kingdom, by the long continuance of a bloody and unnaturall Warr, (whereof they had great hopes to be freed) after the Common enemy was ſubdued; the Army of our Brethren of2 Scotland withdrawn; and the Kings Majeſty placed at Holdenby, by conſent of both Kingdoms, (in order to a happy compoſure of all differences both in Church and State;) But contrary to expectation, your Petitioners, to the great grief and ſorrow of their ſoules doe finde the Government of the Church to be ſtill unſetled; Blaſphemy, Hereſie, Schiſm, and prophaneneſs increaſed; The relief of bleeding Ireland obſtructed; The Warr (to their great aſtoniſhment) again renewed; The people of England thereby miſerably impoveriſhed and oppreſſed; The blood of our fellow Subjects (ſpilt like water upon the ground;) Our Brethren of Scotland (now entred this Kingdom) in a hoſtile manner; His Highneſs the Prince of Wales commanding at Sea a conſiderable part of the Navie, and other Ships under His power, having already made ſtay of many Engliſh Ships, with Merchandizes and Proviſions to a very great value. By reaſon whereof, Navigation will be deſtroyed, Seamen deſert us, Merchants inforced to leave off trading, Clothing and other manufactures of3 this Kingdom fall to the ground, Wooll which is the ſtaple Commodity of the Land remain unſold, the Mint ſtand ſtill, Cuſtomes and other profits by Merchandizing will be very much abated, if not utterly deſtroyed; Corn, Salt, Cole, Fiſh, Butter, Cheeſe, and all other proviſions brought by Sea to this City and Kingdom ſtopped; The innumerable number of the poorer ſort depending onely upon manufactures, wanting work and bread, (as is greatly feared) will in a very ſhort time become tumultuous in all parts of the Kingdom; And many inforced to remove themſelves and families into Forraign parts, and there ſettle the manufactures of this Kingdome never to be regained: And which will unavoidably (in a very ſhort time) totally ruine the people of this Kingdom.
Your Petitioners humbly conceive no viſible way can prevent the apparent ruine of theſe Kingdomes, but the ſpeedy freeing of His Majeſty from that reſtraint wherein He now remaines; and by a Perſonall Treaty, reſtoring to the King His juſt Rights; to the Parliament4 their undoubted priviledges; to the People their Native Freedomes and benefit of the Lawes, being (the Birth-right of every Subject) and by the due attendance of the Members of Parliament in diſcharge of their truſt to the Kingdome; and in obſerving the ſelf-denying Ordinance.
The Premiſſes conſidered, your Petitioners doe humbly pray, That the Kings Majeſty may bee ſpeedily freed from that reſtraint wherein hee now remaines, and humbly invited unto a Perſonall Treaty, for the ſetling of a ſafe and well-grounded Peace; And that therein the Union betweene the two Kingdomes may bee preſerved; That in the interim all acts of hoſtility both by Sea and Land may by command from King and Parliament ceaſe; and Trade free without interruption; That the Government of the Church may bee ſpeedily ſetled according to the Covenant; diſtreſſed Ireland releived; the People of the Land (by disbanding all Armies) may bee eaſed of their intollerable burthens; The Liberty of the5 Subject reſtored; the Lawes of the Land eſtabliſhed; the Members of this Honorable Houſe enjoyned to attend the ſervice of the Kingdome; that the Self-denying Ordinance may be effectually obſerved. And that this Honorable Houſe would be pleaſed, ſpeedily to take into their ſerious conſideration the ſad condition of ſuch Merchants, whoſe ſhips and goods are under the power of that Fleet, which is now with His Highneſſe the Prince of Wales, and ſuddainly to finde ſome expedient for their releaſment.
And your Petitioners ſhall daily pray, &c.
THe Lords have commanded me to let you know, That they doe thankfully accept your often renewed expreſſions of your ardent zeal and care that all poſſible meanes ſhould be uſed for the procuring a ſafe and wel-grounded Peace; wherein they doe ſo farr ſympathize with your deſires, that they do aſſure you, you may with all confidence expect their conſtant and induſtrious employment of their utmoſt endeavours for the obtaining of ſo great a bleſſing, whereunto they hope Almighty God will give a happy ſucceſs. And for the particulars contained in your Petitions, they will take them into ſpeedy conſideration, that you may reap all ſatisfaction and contentment thereby, ſo farr forth as lies in their powers, as they are bound in their duty they owe to the Common wealth, and as they are obliged to the renowned Citie of London for their inceſſant demonſtrations of their affection and ſervice to the Parliament ever ſince the beginning of theſe unhappy diſtractions.