TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, THE PEERES ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT. The humble Petition of the high Sheriffe, Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, Ministers, Freeholders and others Inhabi­tants of the County of BEDFORD,

Sheweth,

THat we are unable to expresse our joyes, or declare the thankfulnesse of all our hearts, for the happy concurrence of your Lordships with the Honourable House of Commons, upon which the prosperity and welfare of our Church and State depends; onely in this ye are able (by the blessing of God) to effect great and high atchievements, and to lay prostrate the desperate plots & devices of our wicked adversaries, whose chiefest designe (as we have just cause to beleeve) hath bin to cut in sunder this Gordian knot, and by dividing to triumph in our ruine and confusion. Wee most humbly therefore supplicate your Lordships that this blessed consent and unity may long con­tinue, and at this present (being a time of great distraction) for the perfecting of what you have so hap­pily begun for a full and complete reformation of the government, and grievances of this Church and Common-wealth: And we, to the last of our lives, and utmost of our estates and fortunes, are resolved of defend His Majesties Royall Person and State, and your Lordships in these your joynt and honou­rable proceedings. And though you should have no cause to need our swords, yet for this happy consent and union, and for your Lordships prosperity, shall ever be the daily and hearty prayers of your Petitioners, &c.

Sir John Burgoyne Baronet, who was intrusted with the delivery of this Petition, had further direction personally to declare their particular thanks to the Lords for their Concurrence with the House of Commons, in the late Ordinance concerning the Militia, together with a desire, that the same may be (speedily) put in execution; for which especially, as for the rest in generall, their Lordships returned them hearty thankes.

TO THE HONOURABLE, THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS, AND BURGESSES In the Commons House of PARLIAMENT assembled. The humble Petition of the high Sheriffe, Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, Ministers, Freeholders and others Inhabitants of the County of BEDFORD.

Sheweth,

THat your Petitioners are truely sensible of your pious care, in the reformation of Religion from those scandalous and superstitious innovations, which were introduced into the Church, with intent to subvert the Protestant. Re­ligion; as also of your incessant labours, prudent Deliberations, and undefatigable paines for the Common-wealth; and that with all humble thankfulnesse they daily blesse Almighty God, the Kings Majestie, the Peers, and this Ho­nourable Assembly, for many excellent Lawes and Ordinances, made and enacted in this present Parliament, and especially for providing against the long intermission of Parliaments, suppressing the eruptions, and preventing the revivall of illegall taxes, abolishing the Courts of Star-Chamber and high Commission, regulating of other exorbitant Jurisdictions: For ta­king away the Bishops Votes in Parliament, and disabling of all persons in holy Orders for exercising any Temporall Jurisdiction or Authoritie; and for the late Ordinance for the disposing the Militia of this Kingdome into the hands of such honourable and faithfull personages, as are therein expressed. That your humble Petitioners are immutably resolved with the hazzard of their lives and fortunes, in all just and lawfull wayes, to maintaine and defend you in your Rights and Pri­viledges against the enemies of God, the King and State, according to their ingagements in the late Protestation; and in all humility do pray the continuation of your Honourable indeavours, that there may be a speedy advancement of all dispatches for the reliefe of IRELAND. That for the removing of our just and increasing feares, and preventing of imminent dan­gers, the late Ordinance for the Militia may be fully and speedily executed. That the Seas may be strongly and safely guarded under the conduct of persons of honour, worth and ability. That the Papists may be dis-armed and the most dangerous of them secured; That the Masse both publicke and private be abolished; That the undoubted reputation of your late ac­cused members may be repaired, and the Priviledges of Parliament effectually vindicated; The suffrages of the Recusant No­bility be excluded from the House of Peers: And that there may be a further discovery and removall of those evill Councel­lours, by whose pernicious practices the happy progresse of the great Affaires of this Kingdome is retarded; That all delin­quents, especially those that have been the principall causes of our miseries, may be speedily brought unto exemplary and condigne punishment. That all possible meanes may be used for the prevailing with his Majestie that he would be grati­ously pleased to repaire to, and abide neere his Parliament; And that the Prince, and the rest of his Majesties children, may be under the care and government of such persons, in whom this Kingdome may confide; That Manufactures and Trading be upheld; That all burdensome and scandalous Ceremonies be taken away, and such an Ecclesiasticall Discipline and Go­vernment as is agreeable to Gods word may bee settled, by such wayes and meanes as to your wisedomes shall seeme expe­dient. That the Universities be purged and reformed. That corrupt and scandalous Ministers may be removed, a learned, pious and conscientious Ministery generally settled, and sufficiently maintained, (having an especiall regard and care to Market Townes and populous places.) That the pious and painfull Divines, who for unjust, and inconsiderable causes were deprived by the Bishops, or their Subordinate Officers, may receive ample reparations. That for the compleating the happinesse both of Church and State, there may be as well a faithfull Magistracie, as a painfull Ministerie.

And your humble Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.

It is this day ordered by the Commons House of Parliament, That Mr. Speaker, in the name of the House, shall take particular no­tice of, and give the Gentlemen of Bedford-shire particular thankes for their desire of the Kings returne to Parliament, and of their desire to have the Ordinance of the Militia speedily to be put in execution.

Hen. Elsinge Cler. Dom. Com.

Both which Petitions, being presented the 16. of March 1641. by the aforenamed Sir John Burgoyne, accompanied with about two thousand persons, were gratefully received, to the ample satisfaction of the Petitioners.

Printed on Bread-street-hill by a true copy, with the Petitioners approbation, at the charge of John Chambers, 1641.

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