YOU cannot but account it an extraordinary great blessing from God, that a day of Right, or rather of Inheritance (as I may call it to every Citizen) should offer it selfe unto you, the 24. day of this instant June, for a common-Hall: Time hath now put that into your hands, which Petition upon Petition could not obteine, for such is our miseries, that those which had Power had not Will to grant our Requests, and experience hath not only satisfied mee, but (I thinke) every honest man, that the ground of our neglects or rather denyalls, are selfe interests, and private respects, which indeede are and have beene, from time to time, the very fludgates to let in our miseries, and the very choake Peare to Peace, the blessed ground of all our happinesse: for who more averse to any motion or Petition for Peace in this City, then they that are invested in places of power and profit, and what greater unhappinesse can befall us then this, that our grand Trustees, should as much as in them lyes, bring King, Kingdome, and Citie into an everlasting undoing; be­hold then you gallant and brave Citizens, and know that it is yet in your power (through the mercies of our God) to prevent a finall ruine, of this distressed, distracted, dying Kingdome; and the better to effect it, let it bee your first worke on the Hall-day (and bee sure to doe it the first) remove the causes, and the effects will cease, bee not over-power'd with policie, nor with enforcement of arguments, nor with the approach of Souldiers, and Troopers; the two first may seeme to perswade you, the latter may terrifie you into an everlasting undoing, but I say first presse on to the marke, lest you shut the stable doore when the steede is stoln; which is, to point out the Acans that trouble your Citie, for it is to bee feared, except those wicked (I had like to have said accursed) things bee removed, this City and Kingdome will hardly bee established in Peace; Oh! what maddesse is it for you to nurce such serpents in your bosomes as would (not many moneths agoe) have totally destroyed you? putting their helping hands to introduce a mercilesse, and blood thirstie Armie into the bowels of this famous Citie, such now you have in high places and high Offices, but roote them out, and make choyce of those that will (all sinister ends set apart) act for the peace and prosperity of this languishing Citie, and Kingdome, you may bee hold to doe this, for it is your right, granted in your Charter, to locate, or dislocate, place, or displace, any Officer that is in this City; therefore grave Citizens betray not your own immunities, loose not your priviledges, stand for truth and peace, and according to your oathes of allegiance, your protestation, your late Covenant, pittie the sad condition of your most religious, and gracious King Charles, pressing hard that a petition may bee forthwith drawn, for a speedy Personall Treaty with his Majesty: the best way in all hu­mane apprehension to establish Peace, and prevent those dangers, which seeme to approach neer unto us. Looke, Oh looke! with an impartiall eye, and yet with the eye of pittie (before it bee too late) upon the distemper of the whole Kingdome, and consider how this Citie is almost hated of all, beloved of few: What black curses there are against you abroad, what distempers and murmurings within, your daily actions hourely dissever you from the love of strangers, that know you not, and from the love of your neighbors and friends that know you, witnesse Surrey, Kent, and Essex.

Besides looke towards the North, and you shall see a cloud, so full of darkenesse moving this way, that it seemes to threaten our finall ruine; but some may say, wee neede not feare for wee have money, and men, and Amunition enough, and this Fort, and that Tower; but good Citizens bee not lulled asleepe with carelesse securitie, for what can money, and men, and Ammunition doe, so long as Acans trouble your Citie? goe on then boldly (in the name of God) to your own worke, and in the election of Officers let mee give you this caution.

In no waies to trust any Generall with full power in this great and populous City, that dares not trust his Wife, Children, Family and Fortunes in it. Trust not your Offi­cers of Excise. Trust not any man that hath place of great profit; as you tender the pe­culiar well-fare of your Selves, your Wives and Children; and as you tender the well-fare of this Glorious City, Let none snch beare Office in this Choice: This done, a short time may make you and the Kingdome happy in a well grounded Peace:

Lastly, let mee remember you of a brother Citizen one Mr. Mathew Barker, who was taken out of his house the last weeke, and imprisoned in severall places, without Baile or Mainprize, not yet any Cause shewn. Hodie mihi, cras tibi.