The humble desires of the Knights, Gentlemen, Ministers, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County and Burrough of LEICESTER.
Delivered to His EXCELLENCY, The Lord Generall MONCK, At St ALBANS
the Thirtieth day of Ianuary, 1659. by
George Fawnt Esquire, High Sheriffe of the said County,
William Boothby, Richard Orton, and
Richard Halford Esquires, entrusted for that purpose by the Body of the whole County.
WE the Knights, Gentlemen, Ministers, Free-holders, and Inhabitants, of the County of Leicester, humbly conceiving, that the first Force put upon the Parliament, hath been an encouragement and occasion to all the rest: And finding that your Excellency (under God) hath been the principall means, for repairing the last interruption; are the more encouraged to desire your assistance, in the promoting of these our just desires, as a visible means of an happy Peace and Settlement of these Nations. And whereas every free-born person of England is supposed to be present in Parliament, by the Knights and Burgesses of the place where he liveth, and thereby is presumed to give his consent in all things that asse in Parliament. There is not (as we are credibly informed) one Knight for all the Counties in Wales, nor for divers Counties in England, and some of them the greatest in England, as that of Yorksire. We therefore desire, that all vacant places be supplied, whether they became vacant by death, judgment of Parliament: And that those that were secluded by force in the year 1648, may sit again. And that no previous Oath or Engagement be put upon any, that is chosen by his Country to sit and vote freely in Parliament.
That the fundamentall Laws of England, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberties of the People, and the Property of Goods, may be asserted and defended, according to the first Declaration of Parliament, when they undertook the War; and no Taxes or Free-quarter imposed upon any, without Authority of Parliament.
That the true Protestant Religion may be professed and defended, all Heresies, Sects, and Schisms, is countenanced and suppressed; a lawfull Succession of godly and able Ministers continued and encouraged; and the two Universities, and all Colledges in both of them, preserved and countenanced.
That a fitting and speedy course be taken, for paying and discharging the Arrears of such Officers and Souldiers, as submit to Authority of Parliament, and that they may be speedily reduced to a lesser number, for easing of the great Taxes and Burthens of these Nations.