THat your petioners having by vertue of your highnes writ chosen Iohn Hampden Esquire Knight for our Shire in whose loyalty and wise­dome, we his Countreymen, and Neighbours have e­ver had good cause to coufide: how ever of late, to our no lesse amazement then greife, wee finde him with other members of Parliament accused of Treason, and having taken to our serious consideration, the man­ner of their impeachments we cannot but (under your Maiesties favour) conceive, that it doth so oppugne the rights of Parliaments, to the miaintenance whereof our Protestation bind us: That we beleive it is the ma­lice (which their zeale to your Maiesties service, and the State, hath contracted) in the enewies to your Ma­iesty, the Church, and common wealth hath occasio­ned this fowle accusation rather then any defert of theirs; who doe likewise through their sides wound the iudgement and care of us your Petitioners, and others by whose choice they were presented to the House.

Your petitioners most humbly pray that Master Hamp­den, and the rest that lye under the burden of that ac­cusation may enjoy the Iust priviledges of Parliament.

And your Petitioners will ever pray &c.

THat having with great ioy of mind often heard of the pious inclination of this Honourable Assembly unto the Refor­mation of Church Government, and having of late (not without some re­gret) seene a Petition in the name of the Knights, [Page 6] Gentlemen and others of this County, tending most to the Confirmation of Episcopall power: We have thought it our duty likewise to rouse up our affection unto Gods cause, and in all humility to lay these ex­pressions thereof at the feet of this great Councell, as being (under God) the chiefe Arbitrator betweene our ioy and sorrow.

FOr the present Church Government, of what right it is wee may not dispute, presuming it to be subiect to the power of this Honourable assembly; Neither doth it much import how ancient it is, or how neere the Apostles dayes, seeing we know that in the dayes of the Apostles themselves, the mystery of iniquity be­gan to worke, and that by the efficatious operation of the same, the man of sinne hath advanced himselfe from the Episcopall chaire to the top of Antichristian Tyranny. But that this Government is the wifest and most pious that any people hath been blest withall since the Apostles days (what ever others may beleeve) we presume is no part of the Creed of this great coun­cell; whose godly zeale in purging the corruptions, and punishing the enemie of the true Church, being alrea­dy in part made manifest, doth give us rather a inst cause to hope that God hath yet some further blessing of Reformation for us, to be wrought by the same hands, In prosecution whereof, if it shall enter into your hearts at this time to give a deadly wound unto that power, against which you have received so many complaints, we are sure you shall not walke in an un­knowne path, but such as hath beene troden before you by almost all the Churches of God which have exchanged the superstition and bondage of Rome, for the glorious light and liberty of the Gospell. Neither [Page 7] may it be conceived as the least degree of indignity of­fered to the blessed memory of those ancient or later Bishops who have so well deserved of the Church of God both in life and death, if that Government which they have adorned by their singular piety and vertues being through the corruption and wickednesse of those which have succeeded them made intolerable, shall by your iust authority be abolished. Or if the number and merit of learned and godly Bishops famous in their ge­nerations be presumed to be a reasonable inducement for the continuation of that Government, we leave it to consideration of this wise Councell, whether the great and far surpassing multitude of ambitious; ungod­ly, and infamous Prelates, in most Countries and Ages by-past, be not a more effectuall motive for the extirpa­tion of the same. Hereunto if we adde the present ex­perience even in these our dayes of their many insolen­cies and ontrages against the truth and power of God­linesse, suppressing and corrupting Gods Ordinances, Vnhollowing his day, persecuting his Ministers; Their late mischevous attempt to impose on us and our pos­terity an in supportable Yoake of servitude and that which deserveth the highest pitch of Zeale and all the bowels of this Honourable Senate, the notorious mul­titude of profane and scandalous Ministers the most ac­tive and malitious enemies unto Reformation, and the authoritie from which it is desired. Wee trust that all this to gether, with much more well knowne to this Honorable Assembly, will be sufficient to justify the feares wee have conceiued of so dangerous a power.

WHERE FORE being perswaded in our mindes, that it will be a worke acceptable unto God, of great ad­vantage and comfort to the Churches of Christ, and no lesse conducing to the saftie, peace and strength of [Page 8] all His Majestis eKingdomes? wee most humbly im­plore the Authority and zeale of this honuradle As­sembly to proceed unto the full accomplishment of the same; And having laid the Axe to the root of this Tree, to do unto it as to a plant which the Heauenly Father hath not planted, that neither the spreading boughes of the same may over-shadow the Vineyeard of the Lord, nor the bitter fruit thereof make sad the heart of the people of God any more for ever.

THESE are the desires of your most humble Petitioners, and wee are perswaded, would have beene the expressions of Multitudes more of true-hearted Christians and Subiects, had there not beene some indirect practices used in soliciting the former Petion; whereby many wonne to subscribe thereunto, who have sit hence decla­red themselves in the point of Episcopacie, to have beene at the doing thereof otherwise affected. Howbeit unto us it is sufficient, that relying wholly on the good Providence of God, the pietie and wisedome of this Ho­nourable assembly, and the sincerity of our owne intenti­ons, wee cannot want the comforts of a good hope, while we have the liberty to powre out our soules unto Almigh­ty God to continne and encreased his favours and graci­ous aspect towards this honourable & religious assembly.

SIr Simon Harcot and the Governer of Dublin Castle have disarmed all Papists in Dublin, and have overthrowne the Rebells and killed many, so that no Rebell is to be seene within 7. miles of Dublin. The 9. of this moneth the Protestant Soldi­ers beate down the Masse house in Dublin, & threatned to hang the Masse Priest, & broke down all the Images & spoyled their Trinkets. Tredath was ready to be relieved by sea. That day we came away we saw the Irish make fires to raise more helpe, so their hopes will be frustrate. Corne is reasonable at Dublin, con­sidering our occasions; the Iesuites and roring Irish captaines would willingly be gone with the Protestants mony & goods, but we hope they shall leave their heads first, if wee can but be supplyed gaine from England.