THat your Petitioners cannot but with all thankfulnesse acknowledge the great goodnesse of God in casting our Lot in a free Nation, wherein so high and honourable a Court as a Parliament, is ap­pointed [Page]to interpose betweene the people and all tyranny and oppression, and the spe­ciall manifestation of this goodness, in call­ing together this Parliament in a time of such imminent danger of the losse of all the subjects liberties, and likewise wee cannot but be sensible of the special concurrence of the divine power with your counsels, endea­vours, and Agents, whereby many grievan­ces were redressed, burthens removed, & the decayes of our Nation began to be repaired, and the hearts of all the well-affected filled with large hopes of beholding againe the glory of the free-born English Nation. but with griefe of heart wee are constrained to declare to this honourable Court, that our living hopes begin to fade, and are almost exchanged into dying feares, while we sad­ly behold the same coruptions in the courts of Judicature still remaining, that the sub­jects have for many yeares groaned under, the displacing of many men (of known fide­lity, in their engagements for the preservati­on of the Subject liberties) out of the Mili­tia of the great City of our Kingdome, and [Page]the under-mining the fundamentall liber­ties of our Nation, by discouraging of the free Commons of England, from presenting in the most humble way their grievances; All which we humbly conceive to proceed from some Members sitting in this honou­rable house, against whom the free Commons of England have not had liberty to bring in their aconsations and charges. Wherefore, while we are groaning under afflicting fears that the sad apprehensions of these growing miseries should so foment Jealousies in the peoples hearts, that the old designe against the Kingdomes liberties is now acted and managed in a new forme, that thereby the distractions of the Kingdome should bee augmented, and the Subjects prevented of their enjoyment of a safe, well-grounded, & long-expected peace. Wee cannot but hum­bly implore this honourable house.

That the corruptions in the Courts of judicature, might bee speedily considered by this Honourable House, that the places of trust in our yet distracted Kingdome might bee committed to those who have faithfully interested themselves in the common cause of preserving the Subjects liberties. And that the re­movall of every such person or persons out of any [Page]pl [...]ces of trust wh [...]tsoever might be speedily debated and determined. That a Declaration be forthwi [...]h published to the Kingdom, to declate the liberty and duty of [...]ll and every the f [...]ee Commoners, to pre­sent to you all manner of gri [...]vances whatsoever, with such offers of remedy, as the wisdome of GOD shall direct them to propound; as also the liberty of every free Commoner, to repaire freely to this Hono­rable house, wi h all accusations and charges against any Member whatsoever si [...]i [...]g in Parliament. And that every Member remaining under any charge (ei­ther of incapacity of admission into the House, or un­faithfulnesse in his trust) might immediatly bee sus­pended from acting in the affaires of the Kingdome, (whe [...]soever proofs of any such charge shall be offe­red) till he be ei [...]her judged or acquitted, That hereby every Subjects heart and mouth might be void of all exceptions against this Honourable House, that so all misunderstandings between you and your Army, might be prevented, and the hopes of all those utter­ly frustrated, that under any pretence whatsoever (to maintain their own interests) would foment divisions between you and them, to the embroyling the King­dome again in bloud, that then a happy peace might be built upon the Foundations of Judgment, Justice, and Righteousnesse, and the glory, freedome an [...] hap­pi [...]esse of our Nation, may countervaile all the bloud and treasure that hath beene expended in their just prosecution.

And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.