A PETITION PRESENTED To the Right Honourable THE LORDS and COMMONS In Parliament assembled By the Inhabitants of the City of Westminster, the Hamblets of the Tower, the Burrough of Southwark, and Parts adjacent within the weekly Bills of Mortality: Being subscribed by above Twenty thousand Persons, wel-affected to the King, Parliament, City, and Kingdom.
In concurrence with the City of London for A Personall Treaty, And the happy Uniting of the MILITIA'S of the Out-parts with the said City.
Together with the Answer of the PARLIAMENT.
Imprinted at London for Andrew Kembe, July 21. 1648.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS In Parliament Assembled.
The humble Petition of divers well-affected Inhabitants of the City of Westminster, the Hamblets of the Tower, the Borough of Southwarke, and Parishes adjacent within the Weekly bills of Mortality.
THat your Petitioners, notwithstanding their greivous sufferings and heart-breaking feares of utter ruine to all that is precious in this sometime flourishing Kingdom, by the continued, nay increasing [Page 4] Distractions thereof, cannot but look on your present resolutions of a Personal Treaty with the Kings Majesty, as a doore of hope opened by the God of Salvations, for the cure of our otherwise remedilesse and all destroying Distempers; and as they give you hearty and humble thankes for your Votes and Resolutions already passed to that purpose: So they cannot but as English-men, nay Christians▪ humbly and earnestly beg Your speedy and effectuall progresse therein, untill the great Creator of the ends of the earth Create a happy Peace to this now miserably tossed and afflicted Kingdome.
That whereas the Honourable Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Common-Councell of the City of London, have in order to the said Personall Treaty [Page 5] made severall late Addresses to the right Honourable Houses of Parliament, offering their utmost indeavors both of Estate and Life for the securing his royall Majesty and both Houses of Parliament, from all force and tumults, impeding or disturbing the said Treaty, and desiring in order thereunto▪ that the Militia of the Out parts may be Vnited to and with the said City of London, as it was constantly during our sad troubles with very good successe and advantage to the publicke safety, alwaies fixed untill of late.
Your Petitioners in concurrence with the said ingagement and desires of the Honourable City of London, Do humbly pray, That the said Personall Treaty may be hastened and the Militia of the Out-parts Vnited with the said [Page 6] City in one Militia, according to an Ordinance already offered by the said City (only in the hands of such Persons as are Cordiall to the ends of the Protestation, Solemne League and Covenant,) which wee humbly conceive, may best tend to the preservation of his Majesties royall Person and both Houses of Parliament, in their setling a safe and well-grounded Peace, by this so much desired Treatie.
Die Lunae, 17. Julii, 1648.
THE House being informed, That divers Inhabitants of the City of Westminster, Hamblets of the Tower, and Borough of Southwarke, and Parishes adjacent, within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, were at doore, They were called in, and presented a Petition, which after the Petitioners were withdrawne, was read, and was intituled, The humble Petition of divers well affected Inhabitants of the City of Westminster, Hamblets of the Tower, and Borough of Scuthwarke, and Parishes adjacent within the weekly Bills of Mortality. Ordered, That this Petition be referred to the Committee where Mr. Sandys▪ has the Chaire appointed, to consider of the other Petitions of the out parts, The Petitioners were againe [Page 8] called in, Mr. Speaker by command of the House gave them this answer, The House has received your Petition and read it, & the House hath already voted, that the Militia shall be joyned, and for the manner how, they have referred it to a Committee, to which they have likewise referred your Petition, and the House has taken notice of the expression of your ample good affections, and of your approbation of their Votes touching a Treaty: For the matter, being for peace, no good man but desires it, and for your great and good affections expressed in this Petition, The House have commanded me to give you reall and very hearty thanks.