THat your Petitioners finding the great decay of Trade, (and that by trade this City subsists,) and that thereby their Masters, whom they serve, are maintained, and already are much impoverished by the decay thereof; and thereby, and by the burthens imposed upon them, are in a short time like to be ruined; and your Petitioners expectation, by their service, to enjoy any benefit of Trade hereafter, or to live with any comfort, to their great discouragement, as yet▪ is vain and hopeless: And that the Peace in this Kingdom, by the Judgment of the Councel of this City, and of all the Adjacent Counties (as by their several Printed Petitions may appear) will not be had but by a Personal Treaty with his Majesty; And that that Treaty by the Judgment of your Lordship, the Aldermen and Common Councel of the City, and the Officers of the Trained Bands, for the place, is conceived to be in this City, as the fittest and most convenient.

And whereas the two honorable Houses of Parliament seem jealous that there may be tumults raised in the time of Treaty; We your Petitioners do not only engage that no such tumults shall be raised by us, but that if any be raised by any ill affected Persons whatsoever, we shall be ready to spend our lives in their suppressing.

Yet notwithstanding, some factious persons, who having enriched themselves by this unnatural War, (being adverse to all Peace and setledness, and especially to the Fundamental Government of this Kingdom by MO­NARCHY, and the established Laws which we have covenanted to maintain) do endeavor to obtain from this Honorable Court, by some Petition of theirs, that the said Treaty may be defensive, which tends in effect (and is their design) it may not be at all.

And that London is the fittest place for the said Treaty, these Reasons do evince in our understanding; (viz.) First, For that is the only safe place for the preservation of his Majesties person. Secondly, For that it is his Majesties Chamber. Thirdly, For that he is there neer his great Councel. Fourthly, For that all other places have been as yet unsuccessful. Fifthly, From hence no Force can surprize him. And sixthly, It is ne­cessary that the stain of fomenting this War be taken off from this City, by some signal demonstration of the loyalty of the City to his Majesties Person.

We therefore humbly pray that your Lordship and the rest of this Councel will adhere to your former late Resolutions, and not render us desperate as persons that must be voyd of any expectation of the fruit of our services by any continuing Trade: for it is our apprehension and the judgment of many wise men, that Peace must be concluded by a Personal Treaty in this City, or not at all: And if no Peace be esta­blished, the Trade, we shall be sure of, is of Blood, Spoyl, Famine, and Bondage, which make us desire,

• 1. That you will give no countenance to any such Petition so destructive to his Majesty and his Posterity, the Peace of the Kingdom and Welfare of this City.
• 2. That no private Listings be further made in this City until such Treaty.
• 3. That there may be a Cessation of Arms procured by your mediation in all parts of the Kingdom, until the Treaty be ended; and that a speedy course be taken to disband all Armies.
• 4. That your Lordship and this Honorable Court would be pleased to present these our Desire to the two Houses of Parliament.

And we shall ever pray.