A Declaration of the Lords and Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT, For the suppressing of all Tumultuous Assemblies, under pretence of framing [...] presenting Petitions to the Parliament.
THe Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled do Declare, That as it is the Right and Priviledge of the Subjects of England to present unto the Parliament their just Grievances by way of Petition, in a due maner, and they shall be always ready to receive such Petitions, and to provide such remedies for redress of such Grievances, as they in their wisdom and judgement shall think best; so in regard that by the tumultuous Assemblies of persons in several Counties and Cities of this Kingdom, in the framing of such Petitions, divers plots and designs are carried on by Malignants and Delinquents, and persons ill-affected; to the endangering the destruction of Religion, this present Parliament, and the Laws of this Kingdom, and Liberties of the Subject, and by the like tumultuous presenting of the same by great numbers of riotous and ill-affected persons, contrary to former usages in ancient times, many mischiefs have ensued and bloodshed, and both Houses of Parliament hindred and interrupted in their Debates and Resolutions concerning the settlement of the great Affairs, peace and safety of the Kingdom; The said Lords and Commons do hereby also Declare and Ordain, and be it Ordered and Ordained by Authority of this present Parliament, That every such Petition, which hereafter shall be brought up and presented to the Houses of Parliament, from any County or City, or other ways, shall be brought up and presented only by a convenient number, not exceeding twenty persons; and all such Petitions shall be by them delivered to the Knights, Citizens or Burgesses who serve in Parliament for the said County, City or Borough from whence the said Petitions come, or to some Member of either of the said Houses, by them to be offered to the said respective Houses; and that all persons who shall bring up any such Petition, do behave themselves peaceably, orderly, and without offence: And if any person or persons shall hereafter under such or the like pretence, tumultuously assemble as aforesaid, the said person or persons so offending, shall be adjudged as persons ill-affected to the Parliament and Kingdom.
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That the several and respective Committees in the several Counties of England and Wales, be injoyned, and are hereby required to disperse through their Counties, and publish in all the Market-towns, The Ordinance passed on Saturday last concerning Petitioning; And that the Knights and Burgesses of the several and respective Counties, do send Copies of the said Ordinance, to the said Committees, to be dispersed and published accordingly. It is further Ordered, That Edward Husband the Printer do forthwith Print a sufficient number of these Ordinances, and bring them in by to morrow twelve of the clock at the farthest.