TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE The Commons IN THE High Court of Parliament aſſembled: The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common-councell aſſembled.
THat as your Petitioners in all humility doe thankfully acknowledge the many former favours of this honourable Houſe manifeſted to this City; ſo in particular2 in granting their deſires, expreſſed in their late Petition, concerning the Tower and the Militia of London: And in communicating unto the Petitioners ſeverall Votes of both Houſes of Parliament, wherein to your Petitioners great joy and comfort are expreſſed, your Reſolutions that you will not alter the Fundamentall Government of the Kingdome, by King, Lords, and Commons: That you will preſerve inviolably the Solemn League and Covenant, and the Treaties between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland; and that you will be ready to joyn with the Kingdom of Scotland, in the Propoſitions agreed upon by both Kingdoms for the ſpeedy ſettlement of the Peace of both Kingdoms; and the preſervation of the union according to the Covenant and Treaties.
3And your Petitioners doe further humbly preſent to this honourable Houſe, That the Inhabitants of the City are much grieved; in that their Magiſtrates and fellow-Citizens have for a long time been under reſtraint, and the City thereby deprived of their Service. And humbly pray,
That in proſecution of your ſaid Votes, you will be pleaſed to improve all good opportunity in perfecting ſo deſirable a good as is therein expreſſed, for the ſpeedy ſettlement of the Peace of both Kingdomes, and preſervation of the Ʋnion according to the Covenant and Treaties, and preventing a new and bloody Warre.
That the Aldermen now in the Tower, the Recorder, and the reſt of their fellow Citizens, reſtrained upon the ſame4 occaſion may be diſcharged and reſtored, whereby the City may bee the better united, their hands ſtrengthened, and they made more ſerviceable to the Parliament and City for their preſervation and ſafety, which they ſhall endeavour to the uttermoſt of their power and abilities.
And the Petitioners ſhall humbly pray, &c.
Die Martis, 23. Maii, 1648.
THe Lords have commanded me to let you know, That they receive the acknowledgments of gratitude, and the great expreſſions of fidelity and good affections from the City of London, with ſuch a ſatisfaction, as that they return you their hearty Thanks: They have commanded me to aſſure you, that they will improve all good opportunities for the attaining that deſired end of theſe unhappy troubles, the ſpeedy ſettlement of a ſafe peace in both Kingdomes, and the preſervation of the Union according to the Covenant and Treaties. They will endeavour to the utmoſt of their Power, to prevent any new and bloody Warre. As to the particulars mentioned concerning the Aldermen now in the Tower, the Recorder, and the reſt of the Citizens reſtrained: They have commanded me to declare to you, That they having had an Impeachment brought up from the Houſe of Commons againſt thoſe Aldermen, have proceeded no otherwiſe then by the uſuall courſe of Parliament they ought to have done. As to the Recorder, there hath been no Commitment or proceedings againſt him by this Houſe. As to the reſt of the Citizens againſt whom there is no Impeachment, but onely a Commitment by a Committee of both Houſes; their Lordſhips will proceed to endevour their ſpeedy releaſe. And they deſire that the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common-Councell, and that the whole City may reſt confident, That their Lordſhips will uſe their endevours for their ſatisfaction: And as it hath alwayes been the ſtudy and labour of this Houſe to expreſs their Care for advantage and union of the City of London; ſo, much more now will they endevour a Compliance with thoſe deſires of the City, which may firmly unite them one to another; and faſten their Hearts, and ſtrengthen their Hands in a ſerviceableneſs to the Parliament, in order to theſe ends, The eſtabliſhment of Religion, The peace and ſafety of the Kingdom, according to our ſolemn League and Covenant.
Die Martis, 23. Maii, 1648.
THe Houſe being informed, That the Sheriffs, Aldermen, and other Citizens were at the door, they were called in, and Mr. Sheriff Bide, after ſome preamble by way of Introduction, acquainted the Houſe, That he was commanded by the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons in Common-councell aſſembled, humbly to preſent to this Houſe, An humble Petition: The which the Petitioners being withdrawn, was read, and was Entituled,
The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common-Councell aſſembled: In which they deſire the diſcharge of the Aldermen now in the Tower, the Recorder, and other their fellow-Citizens under reſtraint upon the ſame occaſion.
The Sheriffs, Aldermen, and other Citizens the Petitioners, were again called in, and Mr. Speaker by the Command of the Houſe, acquainted them that the Houſe had conſidered their Petition, that in it are many deſires, which in the Petition are expreſſed, to tend very much to the union of the City in it ſelf, which how much this Houſe deſires, will appear by the Votes this Houſe hath paſſed upon their Petition. And then Mr. Speaker acquainted them with the Votes concerning the Recorder, Colonell Bromfield, and other Citizens: As to the buſineſſe concerning the Aldermen in the Tower; he informed them, that it is a buſineſſe of very ſerious and important conſideration: they have therefore reſolved to reſume the debate of it on this day ſeven night.