First, BY taking off from us those Laws that have been made against PAPISTS, viz. That of 20 l. a Month, and that of two thirds of Estates; And all those Laws that have been unjustly layed upon us; and some they have imprisoned, and others they have spoyled their Goods, and taken more then the Annual value of the Rent of their Land, though they be Copy-holders, which is Contrary to the Rule of Court, (as it is said,) and so have made no difference of Copy-hold and Free-hold Estates; and of them that be true and real PROTESTaNTS, and not PAPISTS, to the almost Spoyling and Ruining of many Families.

And therefore we desire that you would make a distinction betwixt tender Consciences, dissenting Protestants, & Papists.

Secondly, Besides these late Laws that have been made against us, for Banishing of us; And for meeting together, to worship God, which hath been counted a sufficient crime (if we confessed we met together, to worship God in Spirit and in Truth, as CHRIST Commanded above Sixteen Hundred years since,) to Banish us, ruine and spoyl out goods; Whereby many have been made Widows, and Fatherless.

Thirdly, Likewise the late Act against Conventicles, viz. 20 l. the Speaker, and 20 l. the House, and 5 s. or 10 s. for every hearer, and all for worshiping of God in Spirit and in Truth; for doing so, hath been looked upon to be a Crime enough to spoyl our goods; And you cannot be unsensible what a multitude of Families are almost ruined, and their goods spoyled, both without and within; so that several at this time have not a Bed to lie upon.

Fourthly, And we hope you are not unsensible of the Debauchery of the youth and People, and of their Debauched Meetings, and their Cursings and Daming Oaths, and Swearing to the Dishonour of God, and true Christianity, and to the grief of them that fear God, in this Land, and how many Judgments God hath brought upon it, for its Sins and Iniquities.

Fifthly, And you are not Ignorant; what Poor, Desolate and Desperate rude wicked men, are, and have been informers up and down the Nation, and you know, let them be what Informers they will, the Justices, Mayors, and Bayliss must obey them, or else they forfeit 100 l. each of them; and also the Constables and other Officers 5 l.

Sixthly, And also we do believe, that you are not unsensible how many Hundreds of our Friends are cast into Prison in the Nation, by Bishops and Priests, by Writ of Excommunicato capiendo, and some kept till death; so that many are made Widows, and Fatherless; and truly the Cry of all these things is entred in the Ears of the lord of Hostes, James the 5. And therefore see how contrary their practices are to the command of Christ, who said to his Mi­nisters, go without a Bagg or a Staffs, freely ye have received, freely give; And now see who will go without Staff and Bagg, and not force People to put into it; and the Apostle said, a Bishop must be no Striker, nor Fighter, nor Covetous, nor given to filthy lucre, but gentle, Timothy the 3.

And again Paul Wrote to Titus, that a Bishop must be unreprovable, as a good Steward, not froward nor angry, not Striker, not given to filthy lucre, Titus the 1.

And the Elders that were to feed the Flock, they were to do it willingly not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as Lords over Gods heritage, but Examples to the Flock, 1 Peter and the 5.

And the Apostle said, be had coveted no Mans Silver nor Gold, nor Apparel, but ye know that these Hands have Ministred to my necessties, and to them that were with me; and that it was a blessed thing to give rather then receive, Acts the 20th.

Now we desire the Bishops and Priests, that say the Scripture is their Rule, to see how their doings are short of this Doctrine, and practice of Christ and his Apostles, let the Courts and Goals, and the spoyling of Goods witness, for where did Christ and his Apostles, cast any into Prison, and Spoyl their goods, for means and wages.

Seventhly, And you are not unsensible how that many of the true PROTESRANT DISSENTERS, in the Na­tion, are Excommunicated, so that they are Barred from all Justice, Right, and Law, both to themselves, and others.

Eightly, And we have suffered greatly, both in Estates and Persons, because we cannot Swear, which is in obe­dience to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine, that forbid all Oaths and Swearing, and sets up yea and nay in the Room of it; And we declare both to King and Parliament, what we can say instead of an Oath, that if we break our yea and nay when we are called to any Office, or Evidence, to testifie the truth in any cause, then let us suffer the same Punishment, as Perjured Persons do that break their Oath, and this is our true Christian PROTESTANT Testimony unto you.

And we also believe you know that many suffered in Holland, for refusing to take an Oath before the Magistrates in Hol­land made a Law, that those who scrupled an Oath, their yea and nay should be taken instead of an Oath, in regard of their tender consciences; which now our friends there have the benefit of, in which they are servicable to their Generation; and this thing we intreat you to take into Consideration, for God almighty knows, that it is not in wilfullness, stubborness, or Rebellion, that we refuse to Swear; But in tenderness and obedience to the command of Christ Jesus and his Apostles.

Ninthly, And you are not unsensible, when that we are called to testifie the truth in many cases, not only in that which concerneth our selves, but that which concerneth you, and others, are like to suffer, because we in obedience to Christs command cannot Swear; Here you and we suffer and lose our Rights, and cannot have Justice and Law; and not only so, but loose our service in our Creation and Generation. And remember the Christians in the ten Per­secutions, because they could not Swear, they put a mark upon him, and said he is a Christian, and will not Swear; And is it not hard, that Christians now should be persecuted, and Imprisoned, and the Goods spoyled by profest Christi­ans, because they will not Swear and take Oath, and yet they are willing to suffer the same punishment, as Perjured Persons that break their Oaths, if they break their yea and nay.

Tenthly, And since that we in the Country have given our Votes for such Parliament men, as we judged to be sober and real Protestants, and had a sence of the Grievances of the People, we have suffered much more, then we did be­fore, both by the Laws that are made against Papists; The 20 l. per Month, and two thirds of our Estates, and that of Conventicles by Informers, that many arc almost ruined in their Estates, and so we desire you to take off these suffer­ings from us, and Relieve us in these things.