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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26103	A collection of svndry petitions presented to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie as also to the two most honourable houses, now assembled in Parliament, and others, already signed, by most of the gentry, ministers, and free-holders of severall counties, in behalfe of episcopacie, liturgie, and supportation of church-revenues, and suppression of schismaticks / collected by a faithful lover of the church, for the comfort of the dejected clergy, and all moderately affected Protestants.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1642 (1642)	Wing A4073; ESTC R208748	30,703	48

should teach conformity to established Lawes but in contempt thereof in many places wholly neglected All these dayly practised with confidence without punishment To the great dejection of many sound Protestants and occasioning so great insultation and rejoycing in some Separatists as they not onely seeme to portend but menace some great alteration And not containing themselves within the bounds of Civill Government doe commit many tumultuous if not Sacrilegious violences both by day and night upon divers Churches Therefore your Petitioners being all very apprehensive of the dangerous consequences of Innovation and much scandalized at the present disorders Doe all unanimously pray That there bee admitted no Innovation of Doctrine or Liturgy that holy publike Service being so fast rooted by a long setled continuance in this Church that in our Opinion and Judgements it cannot bee altered unlesse by the advice and consent of some Nationall Synode without an universall discontent And that some speedy course bee taken to suppresse such Schismatiques and Separatists whose factious Spirits doe evidently endanger the peace both of Church and State And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. The Petition signed by Lords Knights Iustices of the Peace and Esquires 94. By Gentlemen of quality 440. By Divines 86. By Freeholders and others in all 8936. To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty And to the High Court of Parliament The humble Petition of Colledges and Halls and others well-willers to Piety and Learning throughout the Kingdome of England Sheweth THat whereas many Persons dis-affected to the present forme of Government of the Church of England established not onely by the Ecclesiasticall but also by the Common Law of this Realme and diverse Acts of Parliament have of late in great multitudes petitioned this Honourable Court against the Orders Honour Iurisdiction and meanes of the Clergy And have published such their desires in print and Pulpit and dayly seeke to advance and propagate the same To the great disheartning of all Learning if such designes find favour the grievous scandall of the Reformed Religion as unstable and the unspeakeable advantage of our Enemies of Rome WEe therefore well weighing that the Seminaries must decay when the Garden shall bee wasted in all humility most heartely pray Your Majesty and this Honourable Court that all the Orders of Holy Church of Bishops Priests and Decons which from the Apostles times till these have withstood so many Practices may have yet hopes to flourish under Your gracious Protection And that by your assistance under our most Religious Soveraigne the ancient Catholique Faith and Discipline as also the devout and decent service of God in our Church Liturgy may bee defended from all Innovations and Novelties The meanes and liberties of the Churches as well Cathedrall and Collegeat as Parochiall to them hitherto of right belonging according to the pious Wills of their blessed Founders may bee continued and preserved Many thousand Families which on them depend secured from ruine And that our Nation whose Lawes already favour as much as any in the World the right of the First borne may retaine Ecclesiasticall promotions as the Patrimony of younger Children the prize of labour and study an incitement of learning and a reward of those that can intitle themselves thereto by honest desert And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. This Petition is subscribed generally by all the Doctors Masters and Batchelours of all Degrees and Faculties in the Vniversity of Oxford And by very many other persons of quality Baronets Knights Esquires Ministers and Gentlemen within the Counties of Oxford Berks Wilts South-hampton Dorset Kent Surrey Westmerland Cumberland and other Shires Devonshire Petition To the Right Honourable the Lords Spirituall and Temporall now assembled in the House of PARLIAMENT The humble Information and Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen and others of ability within the Diocesse of Exeter WEe whose Names are underwritten have for these many yeares found the benefit and comfort of Episcopall Government under which wee have lived hitherto peacebly and happily with great freedome and frequency of the Preaching of the Gospell and incouragement of the conscionable and painefull Preachers thereof As wee blesse God for his favour to us in the behalfe So wee doe humbly and earnestly professe our desire that the same Government may bee still continued both to us and our posterity submitting all personall offences and redresse of abuses to your Honourable Wisdomes In witnesse whereof wee have hereunto subscribed Signed by Knights Esquires Gentlemen and other Inhabitants neere upon Eight thousand The Staffordshire Petition To the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Gentlemen Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants within the County of STAFFORD hereunto subscribed Who Most humbly pray THat the present publique forme of Gods Worship and administration of the blessed Sacrament with other Rites agreeable to Gods holy Word and purest antiquity which hath beene formerly sundry times established by godly Acts of Parliament may now againe in these broken and troubled times bee to Gods glory and the Churches Peace re-established and confirmed That Episcopacy being the ancientest and Primitive Government of the Church renowned for successes victorious against Schismes and Heresies and especially of late yeares against that Hydra of Heresies the Roman Papacy glorious for ancient and late Martyrdomes happy before the corruption of Popery and since the Reformation in the Plantation and Preservation of Truth and Peace eminently serviceable to this Common-wealth most compliable with the Civill Government into the Fabrick and body of which it is riveted and incorporate most apt easie a● all times by the State to be reduced into Order may for the future as formerly by your Great Authority bee continued and maintained for the glory of God preservation of Order Peace and Vnity the Reformation and suppression of wickednesse and vice and the mature prevention of Schismes Factions and Seditions The which wee your humble Petitioners the more earnestly beseech your Honours to grant For that strong feare doe possesse our hearts that the sudden mutation of a Government so long setled so well knowne and approved cannot recompence with any proportionable utility the disturbances and disorders which it may worke by novelty being most confident in your Honours Wisdome and Iustice That all excessive exorbitances and incroachments which shall bee found issuing not from any poison in the nature of the Discipline but rather from the infirmity or corruption of the person unto which the very best Government is subject shall bee duely regulated and corrected And your Petitioners shall duly pray for your Honours happiest proceedings Subscribed by 3000. of the best quality of the County To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty And to the Right Honourable the LORDS and the Honourable the House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT The most humble Petition of divers Baronets Knights Iustices Gentry Ministers and Freeholders Inhabitants

of Bishops would be a scandall not onely to many weake Christians who feare all Innovation as guilty of some ill intendments upon their consciences but also to the strongest which shewes it to be the fault of the giver not the weaknesse of the receiver and if we must not scandalize our weake brethren much lesse our strong since this will intrench upon us in a high measure they not being apt to be scandalized upon umbrages and impertinencies 12 Where Bishops are not there is not an Honourable but Familike Clergy against the Apostolicall rule of double honour 13 By putting downe Episcopacy wee deprive our selves of those solemne benedictions which the Faith of Christendome and the profession of the Church of England enjoyning the Bishop rather to pronounce the blessing at the end of the Communion appropriates to Episcopall preheminence above Priestly authority 14 Two parts of three of the Reformed Churches are governed by Bishops or Superintendents which is properly the Latine word of Bishops and the other part that wants them have often wished them as their owne Doctors doe professe 15 It is against the liberties of the Clergy indulged to them by the Magna Charta granted and confirmed by so many Kings and about thirty Parliaments in expresse act and the violation of any part of it by intrenchment upon the right of the lay Subject justly accounted a great grievance the Charter it selfe being as Fundamentall a Law as we conceive as any other and any of us may feare lest his Liberties may be next in question 16 The foure great Generall Councels in estimation next the foure Evangelists and by the Statutes of the Kingdome made the rules of judging Heresies were held by Bishops the greatest fires and pests of Christendome the old Heresies were by their Industry extinct Church Discipline and pious constitutions by them established many Nations by them converted many Miracles done for the confirmation of Christian Faith one of the Gospels written by a Bishop Saint Marke of Alexandria if wee beleeve as authentike Records as any are extant Three Epistles of Saint Paul written to Bishops Seven Epistles by the Holy Ghost himselfe recorded in the Revelation and sent to seven Asian Bishops as all ancient Fathers accord the names of twelve men beside Apostles mentioned in Holy Scripture which all antiquity reports to have beene Bishops Most of the Fathers whose workes all Posterity embraces with much zeale and admiration were Bishops these also in our apprehensions advance that holy Function to a high and unalterable estimate 17 Very many of the fairest Churches and Colledges and places of Religion were built by Bishops which are faire Caracters to shew their promptnesse to doe publike acts of Piety and that persons so qualified as they were that is Governours and Clergy and fairly endowed is an excellent composition to advance publike designes for the honour of God in the Promotion of publike Piety 18 Since it hath pleased this Honourable Court of late to commend a Protestation to us which we by solemne Vow engaged our selves to attest with our lives and fortunes the established Doctrine of the Church of England wee consider that since the 36. article hath approved and established the booke of Consecration of Bishops the abolition of Episcopacy would nullifie that article and should not we make humble Remonstrance to the contrary we should suddenly recede from our great and solemne Protestation for maintenance of our Church Doctrine But may it please this Honourable Assembly wee consider on the other side 19 The introducing of Lay Elders must needs bring an insupportable burthen to all Parishes by maintaining them at the Parish charge for they must bee maintained or else a transgression is made against an Apostolicall Rule For the principall and indeed the onely colourable pretended place for Lay Elders injoynes their maintenance So that either the people must bee oppressed with so great burthens or else Saint Pauls Rule not obeyed or else there is no authority for Lay Elders as indeed there is not 20 And also there can bee no lesse feare of Vsurpation upon the Temporall power by the Presbitery then is pretended from Episcopacy since that Presbitery challenges cognisance of more causes and persons then the Episcopacy does so making a dangerous entrenchment upon the Supremacy and derives its pretence from Divine Institution with more confidence and more immediate derivation then Episcopacy though indeed most vainely as wee conceive 21 Wee crave leave also to adde this that these two viz. Episcopacy and Presbitery being the onely two in contestation if any new designe should justle Episcopacy wee are confident that as it hitherto wants a name so it will want a face or forme of reason in case of Conscience when it shall appeare Signed by Knights Justices Gentry and Freeholders about 800. By Ministers about the number of 40. The Cheshire Petition for establishing of the Common-Prayer-Booke and Suppression of Schismatiques presented to the Kings Majesty and from him recommended to the House of Peeres by the Lord KEEPER To the Kings most Excellent Majesty and to the Right Honourable the Lords and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of divers of the Nobility Justices Gentry Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are nominated in the Schedule annexed Your Petitioners with all cheerefulnesse and contentation ●ffying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care and the prudent and religious endeavours of this Honourable Assembly and with due humility and obedience submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof yet conceive themselves bound in Duty HVmbly to represent to your mature considerations that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed Spirits are such as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention The pure seed of our Faith the Doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by so many Acts of Parliament and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us Our pious laudable and ancient forme of Divine Service composed by the holy Martyrs and worthy Instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State your religious Predecessours honoured by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome and with such generall content received by all the Laity that scarse any Family or person that can read but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer In the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort wherein the famous Church of England our deare Mother hath just cause to glory And may shee long flourish in the practise of so blessed a Liturgy yet it is now not onely depraved by many of those who

A COLLECTION OF SVNDRY PETITIONS Presented to the KINGS Most excellent Majestie AS ALSO To the two most Honourable Houses now assembled in PARLIAMENT AND OTHERS Already signed by most of the Gentry Ministers and Free-holders of severall Counties in behalfe of Episcopacie Liturgie and supportation of Church-Revenues and suppression of Schismaticks Collected by a faithfull Lover of the Church for the comfort of the dejected Clergy and all moderatly affected Protestants Published by his Majesties speciall Command Ezek. 34.18 20 21 22 23 24. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but you must tread downe with your feet the residue also Therefore thus saith the Lord God Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the diseased with your hornes till you have scattered them abroad therefore will I save my flock and they shall be no more a prey and I will judge betweene Cattell and Cattell And I will set up one Shepheard ouer them and he shall feede them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepheard J the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them J the Lord have spoken it Printed for William Sheares 1642. The Collector to the Reader READER LET mee put thee in mind as these times doe mee of a speciall Law in that singular Patterne of a well composed State Sparta So sensible were they of the ill effects of Innovations in Government that who ever proposed a new Law presented himselfe with a Halter about his neck his Head paid the trespasse of a new invented Prejudice But oh Quantum mutantur Tempora quantum nos So rare a gift have the illuminated fancies of this all-knowing age That old women without Spectacles can discover Popish plots young men and prentizes assume to regulate the Rebellion in Jreland Sea-men and Marriners Reforme the House of Peers Poore men Porters and Labourers spy out a malignant party and discipline them The countrey clouted-shoe renew the decayed trade of the Citie The Cobler patch up a Religion all these petition for a translation both of Church and State with so little feare of the Halter that they would thinke themselves neglected if they had not thanks for their care of the Re-publicke only he that desires the ratification of an old Law or of a long setled Ecclesiastick Government lookes as if the Halter were his share And though there be thirty thousand hands subscribed to it 'T is ods not one of all those dares preferre a Petition to that purpose Oh! Quis pudor quod non praestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas Oh! what a shame is it that an ignorant Seperatist shall covertly draw Subscribers out of blind zeale to loose papers and those to be annext to some Embryon yet unhatcht and delivered in the name of a County with confidence when a Knight of a shire shall perhaps smother the true child and dares not owne it That a few Innovators shall be able to summon to Black-heath South-warke and Saint-george his fields thousands of credulous people with implicite faiths to goe along with Petitions shall be shewed them when they come there for the alteration of Lawes and Government and the Resolutions of an assizes or Sessions of Iustices published in all Parishes signed by all the Free-holders of a County for the supportation of Lawes and Government shall not produce one Patriot to present the unanimous desires of a County yet it fals out often so when single hearted men are encounter'd by a faction each man thinkes he stands alone unassured of a second when ten of the other confederated make more noyse then 10000. silent men Episcopacy and Lyturgie are both legally planted at this time both violently assaulted The question is whether the battery or the defence be the stronger the one side charges furiously the other suffers silently patiently and a reserved strength oft masters a violent But each orthodox sonne of the Church thinkes himselfe in Eliahs case that hee alone is left of all the Prophets and alas what can hee doe And perhaps thou my Reader art one of those Courage man the same God that taught him to know he had reserved seven thousand that had never bowed their knees to Baall when he opens thy eyes can shew thee not seven but seventy times seven thousand true Protestants that will lend their hands and hearts to uphold that Apostolicke order this blessed forme of divine service The busines is 't is a hard time every man's afraid to breake his shins by being foremost But the Ice is broke already This Collection of these many sleeping Petitions wil shew every County that the way is open And since noise and number are taken into consideration the forwardnesse of the Assaylants will I beleeve put shame upon the Defendants to be so farre behind The Iudges being honourable and impartially receiving the arguments on both sides I presume none will discover a distrust of a faire acceptance or betray a Trust out of a personall respect by detayning such Petitions as the Counties have committed into their hands If all such as are already signed see the light I am sure this volume will be a large one and the Number and quality of the Defendants as much over-sway the Opponents as their arguments drawne from the Lawes of God and man will out-weigh the Motives of those who only will because they will As if it were cause enough to overthrow established Lawes that they have desired it though they shew no reason for it But if all other Counties all true Protestants with like liberty expresse their affections the distractions of the Church will be quickly setled To that good worke I have lent my hand by lending thee and the world this light Farewell A PETITION DELIVERED In to the Lords SPIRITUALL and TEMPORALL By Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet from the County Palatine of Chester concerning EPISCOPACY To the High and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT The Nobility Knights Gentry Ministers Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are subscribed in the severall Schedules hereunto annexed Humbly shew THat whereas divers Petitions have lately beene carried about this County against the present forme of Church-governement and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality solicited to the same with pretence to bee presented to this Honourable Assembly which wee conceiving not so much to aime at Reformation as absolute Innovation of Government and such as must give a great advantage to the Adversaries of our Religion wee held it our duty to disavow them all And humbly pray that wee incurre no miscensure if any such clamours have without our privity assum'd the name of the County Wee as others are sensible of the common grievances of the Kingdome and have just cause to rejoyce at and acknowledge with thankefulnesse the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the growth of Popery the

pursuance of their pious intendments and in allowance of their Reasons doe also presse to your great Tribunal and begge of you that which is the honour of Kings to be Nutricij of the Church and her most ancient and successive Government Wee therefore humbly beg of you to leave us in that state the Apostles left the Church in That the three Ages of Martyrs were governed by That the thirteene Ages since them have alwayes gloried in by their Succession of Bishops from the Apostles proving themselves members of the Catholike and Apostolike Church that our Lawes have established so many Kings and Parliaments have protected into which we were baptized as certainely Apostolicall as the observation of the Lords Day as the distinction of Books Apocryphall from Canonicall as that such Bookes were written by such Evangelists and Apostles as the consecration of the Eucharist by Presbyters as any thing which you will doe by upholding the Government of the Church by Bishops which we againe and againe begge of you to doe having pitty on our Consciences and not forcing of us to seeke Communion as yet we know not where So shall we be bound to pray with a multiplyed Devotion for the increase of publike and personall blessings to your Honourably assembly to your Noble Persons Wee also doe with all Humility begge leave to represent these our Considerations subjoyned which wee hope you will favourably expound to be a well-meant zeale and at least a confidence of duty and charity to those our Fathers from whom wee have received and daily hope to receive many issues of spirituall Benison 1 WEe consider that Christ either left his Church without a lasting Government or else Bishops and Presbyters under them are that Government the former wee feare to say lest wee might seeme to accuse the Wisdome of the Father of Improvidence in the not providing for his Family the Feeder and the Ruler in Scripture being all one in Office ●n expression in person So that if hee left no Rulers hee left no Feeders The latter wee are more confident of for that Christ did clearely institute a disparity in the Clergy which is the maine Stone of offence appeares in the Apostles and seventy two Disciples to whom according to the voyce of Christendome and traditive Interpretation of the Church Bishops and Presbyters respectively doe succeed and also many actually did succeed the Apostles in their Chaires being ordained Bishops by the Apostles themselves that did survive and also beyond all exception that Christ did institute a Government appeares in those Evangelicall words who then is that Faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shal make Ruler over his houshold c. which Rulers are Bishops and Priests under them or else the Church hath beene Apostate from her Lord shee having clearely for fifteene hundred yeares had no other Rulers then such 2. Wee consider that whether it can be a Church or no without Bishops is at least a question of great consideration and the Negative is maintained by Apostolicall and Primitive men and Martyrs and by the greatest part of Christendome and those few in respect of the whole that dissent being most certainely not infallible to bee sure with Episcopacy it may be a Church eatenus therefore it is the surest course to retaine it for feare we separate from the Church the Pillar and ground of Truth 3 No Ordination never was without a Bishop and if any Presbyter did impose hands unlesse in conjunction with a Bishop hee was accounted an Usurper and anathematized by publike and unquestioned authority and so without Bishops no Presbyter then no absolution no consecration of the Sacraments of the Lords Supper and for these wants no man can make a recompence or satisfaction 4 No Presbyter did ever impose hands on a Bishop which if so famous a resolve or publike voice of Christendome may have an estimate shewes their disparity and that a Bishop hath a Character which cannot be imprinted without at least an equall hand 5 VVithout Bishops no Confirmation of Children and yet confirmation called in Scripture Imposition of hands Saint Paul in his famous Catechisme accounts a Fundamentall point and the Church hath alwayes used it and it was appropriate to Bishops by the laudable custome of Christendome and by the example of the Apostles in the case of the Samaritane Christians whom Phillip the Evangelist had converted and is charged upon the Parents of Children that they bring their children to Bishops to be confirmed and it was never otherwise but just as in the case of Ordination videlicet by singularity and usurpation till of late that the Iesuits to enlarge their Philacteries have striven to make Bishops not necessary by communicating Confirmation to the Priests of their Order 6 To take away Bishops is against the Wisdome of the State of England ever since the Reformation and having beene attempted by clancular practises was checked by the Princes respectively and their Councell and confidently by the wisdome of preceeding Parliaments and this although the Bishops then were lesse learned and as much infamed 7 We are sure that Episcopall Government hath consisted with Monarchy ever since the English Monarchy was Christian we are to try whether any innovated Government can or will 8 Wee consider that if it could consist with Monarchy when it was byassed by the Popes prevalent incroachment much more since the Reformation when the King hath the raines in his owne hand and can give them Lawes and ascertaines them by their immediate dependance both for their Baronies and Election and personall Iurisdiction on the Crowne and by the Statute of Submission 9 Wee consider that Saint Hierome pretented as the maine Authenticke enemy against Episcopacy yet sayes That Bishops were constituted as an antidote and deletory to dis-improve the issues of Schisme and that by the Apostles who best knew the remedies And now that Schismes multiply there is more need of Bishops so that they cannot be taken away upon pretence their Regiment is not necessary for the taking them away makes them more necessary by the multiplication of Schismes 10 All Learning will be discountenanced if not extinguished upon the demolition of Episcopacy the Bishops being parties for the advancement of Learning and on the other side if the Government should be in the hands of Presbitery or lay Elders we know no reason sufficient to stifle our feares lest preferment be given to people unlearned and unfit to have the mannaging of Soules especially since a learned Clergy will be suspected by their Lay-Elders as too knowing to be ruled by their Dictates which will not have so much artifice and finenesse as to command by strength of reason which our feares are also increased by considering that by the multiplication of Lay-Elders or other Governours their personall interest being increased partiality must be more frequent and all this is besides their incompetency of judging the abilities of Schollers 11 The remove all

from us who have hitherto in these stirring Times sate still this humble acknowledgement of our due and necessary thankes Wee with the inmost and choicest thoughts of our soules doe esteeme and prize your Majesties most righteous intentions of governing your liege people according to the wholsome Lawes of this Kingdome A thing so often and with such earnestnesse avowed by your sacred Majesty whereunto we yeeld that hearty credence which is due to so religious a Prince Wee doe also with all humility and thankfulnesse acknowledge your manifold and evident manifestations to the world that you affect not an Arbitrary Government But the common prosperity and happinesse of all your loyall subjects by your readines to joyn with your Parliament in speedy raysing of forces for a timely suppression of that odious Rebellion in Ireland by your late Proclamation for the putting in due execution the Lawes against Papists By your most gracious condiscending to the desires of your Great Councell in signing the Bill for the trienniall Parliament for the relinquishing your Title of imposing upon Merchandize and power of pressing souldiers For the taking away the Star-chamber and High Commission Courts for regulating of the Councell Table As also for the Bils for the Forrests and Stannerie Courts with other most necessary acts Moreover wee are confident and well assured of your Majesties zeale for the advancement of the true Protestant Religion And with inexpressible joy doe understand your most Christian and pious resolution for the preservation of those powerfull encouragements of Industry Learning and Piety the meanes and honour of the Ministry for the maintenance and continuance of our Church Government and solemne Liturgy of the Church of long continuance and generall approbation of the most pious and learned of this Nation and of other countries Composed according to the Primitive Patterne by our blessed Martyrs and other religious and learned men As also your gracious pleasure that all abuses of Church and State shall bee reformed according to the modell of Queene Elizabeths dayes of ever blessed and famous memory By the one you have weakned the hopes of the sacrilegious devourers of the Churches Patrimony if there be any such And by the other provided against all Popish Impieties and Idolatries and also against the growing danger of Anabaptists Brownists and other Novelists All which Piety Love and Iustice wee beseech God to returne into your Royall bosome But yet most gracious Soveraigne there is one thing that sads our hearts and hinders the perfection of our happinesse which is the distance and mis-understanding between your Majesty and your Parliament whereby the hearts of your subjects are filled with feares and jealousies Iustice neglected sacred ordinances prophaned and Trading impaired to the impoverishing of many of your liege people For the Removall whereof wee cannot find out any lawfull meanes without your Majesties assistance and direction Wherefore we humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty to continue your most Christian and pious Resolution of ruling your people according to the Lawes of the Land and maintaining of the same of being a zealous Defender of the estabilshed Doctrine Liturgie and Government of our Church from heresies Libertinisme and prophannesse an advancer of Learning Piety and Religion an Encourager of Learned Painefull Orthodox Preachers And whatsoever your Parliament shall offer to your Royall view conducing to this blessed end the common good and tranquillity of your subjects to be pleased to condiscend unto and graciously to confirme and withall to declare unto us some expedient way how we may make a dutifull addresse unto your Parliament for the taking away of these differences and impediments which stay the happy proceedings of that most honourable Assembly whereof your Majesty is the Head which once removed wee doubt not but you will bee as neare your Parliament in Person as in affection That there may be a blessed harmony betwixt your Highnesse and that great Councell wee shall with all alacrity oserve the same Humbly rendring our lives and fortunes for the preservation of your Royall Person Crowne and Dignity according to our bounden duty and allegiance And heartily praying for your Majesties long and prosperous Raigne over us Wee the Subscribers of this Petition doe hereby give authority unto the Bearers hereof to put our names to such Transcript hereof as shall be presented to His Majesty Attested by Knights and Esquires 64. Divines 55. Gentlemen 740. Free-holders neare 7000. To the Kings most Excellent MAIESTIE The humble Petition of the County of Cornewall WEe your Majesties loyall subjects In all duty render unto your Majesty all thankfulnesse for your Majesties unexampled favour and grace in granting unto your Subjects in concurrence with your Parliament such Lawes and Freedomes which have most fully expressed your Majesties Gracious Goodnesse unto your people And wee most thankfully receive your Majesties free offer of a generall pardon whereof wee most humbly desire to be made Partakers And wee most humbly beseech your Majesty never to suffer your Subjects to be governed by an arbitrary Government nor admit an alteration in Religion And your Petitioners being most feelingly grieved for your Majesties discontents partly occasioned by divers scandalous Pamphlets and no way lessened by seditious Sermons Doe wish a confluence of all comforts honour and happinesse unto your Majesty and doe heartily pray for the reconcilement betwixt your Majesty and your Parliament And in all thankfulnesse for your Majesties said Grace and Goodnesse your Petitioners doe offer themselves most ready to maintaine and defend with their lives and fortunes your Maiesties sacred Person Honour and Estate And lawfull Prerogative against all persons whatsoever according to the oaths of allegeance and Supremacy May 22. 1642. Jndorsed Wee the Petitioners to this Petition doe constitute and appoint Peter Courtney Walter Langdon Benatus Bellot and Nevill Bligh Esquires to deliver this Petition in the name of the county of Cornwall to His sacred Majesty To the Honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament The Humble Petition of the Gentry Ministers and Commonalty of the County of Kent agreed upon at the generall Assizes of the County Most Humbly sheweth THat wee cannot but take notice how welcome to this Honourable House many Petitions have beene which yet came not from an assembled body of any county as this doth wee doe therefore hope to find as gentle and favourable a reception of this as any other have found of their Petitions our hearts witnessing unto us as good peaceable and pious purposes as the best These are therefore the true and Ardent desires of this County 1 That you will be pleased to accept our due and hearty thankes for those excellent Lawes which by his Majesties grace and goodnesse you have obtained for us 2. That all Lawes against Papists be put in due execution and an account taken of their disarming and that all children of the Papists may be brought up in the reformed Religion 3. That the soelmn Liturgy