THat your Petitioners having suffered in as deep a nature, both in our Religion, Laws, Estates, and Liberties, as the many thousands of our Brethren, who have already made known their condition to this Honourable Assembly: Notwith­standing we cannot but thankfully acknowledge the benefits which we have re­ceived already by your unwearied labours, faithfull endeavors, and undanted re­solutions against all delayes, desperate plots upon your Persons, Estates, and Li­berties; many heavie taxes we are eased of; much freedome we enjoy in our Consciences and livelyhood; defending us from the violent cruelties, and for­midable power of the Prelates and their Courts, making good our Laws against Treasons end evill Counsels, maintaining the true Religion and the glory of it, maugre the endeavors of Arminians, Bishops, ill-affected Clergy, and others, and the distructive plots of Papists, and the power of popish Lords, opening the mouths of faithfull Ministers long since silenced, enlarging those who were in prison and exile; appointing Lieutenants of trust; providing relief for distressed Ireland, the crying ob­ject of pitty, and subject of our enemies cruelty, our humble desires are above all.

That the Laws of God be truly maintained; Government and Discipline so setled, that we may con­forme therein, to the perfect rule of Gods word; able, learned, and painfull Ministers may be encoura­ged, scandalous, speedily displaced; Pluralities and unwarranted orders and dignities of the Clergy taken away; that the probates of Wills and Testaments, may be reserved to the cognizance of the Temporall Courts; that places of concernment in the Kingdome, may be in the hands of Persons of integrity and good conversation; Papists may be totally disarmed, the Persons confined, the subtile conveyances of there estats discovered, and prevented; secret evill Councells and Councellors taken away from His Majesty; Delinquents punished; sale of Honour, and Offices restrained: That our County, more then seventy miles, naked to the Sea, may speedily be put into a posture of warlike defence by Sea and Land; Sea-men encouraged, fishing maintained, Ireland farther relieved, the Clergy, and others disobey­ing your late Orders in our Cathedrall, and other Churches, questioned, the Universities throughly purged, the Masse utterly abolished.

For the perfecting of which, and all other your honourable endeavours, that the glory of God may be by your zealous and loyall intentions propagated, The honour and safety of his Majesly and his King­domes, advanced, the priviledges of Parliament, and every Member thereof maintained; We shall never be wanting with our prayers, lives, and estates, according to our Protestation, to give you our uttermost assistance.