To all the honest, wise, and grave-citizens of London, but more especially to all those that challenge an interest in the Common-Hall. A. L. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A88790 of text R210876 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason 669.f.12[54]). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 6 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A88790 Wing L6 Thomason 669.f.12[54] ESTC R210876 99869629 99869629 162847 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A88790) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 162847) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 246:669f12[54]) To all the honest, wise, and grave-citizens of London, but more especially to all those that challenge an interest in the Common-Hall. A. L. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n., [London : 1648] Imprint from Wing. Dated at end: 23. Junii 1648. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng London (England) -- History -- 17th century -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. A88790 R210876 (Thomason 669.f.12[54]). civilwar no To all the honest, wise, and grave-citizens of London, but more especially to all those that challenge an interest in the Common-Hall. A. L. 1648 1047 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2007-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-07 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-08 Pip Willcox Sampled and proofread 2007-08 Pip Willcox Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion To all the Honest , Wise , and Grave-Citizens of London , but more especially to all those that challenge an interest in the Common-Hall . GRAVE CITIZENS YOU cannot but account it an extraordinary great blessing from God , that a day of Right , or rather of Inheritance ( as I may call it to every Citizen ) should offer it selfe unto you , the 24. day of this instant June , for a common-Hall : Time hath now put that into your hands , which Petition upon Petition could not obteine , for such is our miseries , that those which had Power had not Will to grant our Requests , and experience hath not only satisfied mee , but ( I thinke ) every honest man , that the ground of our neglects or rather denyalls , are selfe interests , and private respects , which indeede are and have beene , from time to time , the very fludgates to let in our miseries , and the very choake Peare to Peace , the blessed ground of all our happinesse : for who more averse to any motion or Petition for Peace in this City , then they that are invested in places of power and profit , and what greater unhappinesse can befall us then this , that our grand Trustees , should as much as in them lyes , bring King , Kingdome , and Citie into an everlasting undoing ; behold then you gallant and brave Citizens , and know that it is yet in your power ( through the mercies of our God ) to prevent a finall ruine , of this distressed , distracted , dying Kingdome ; and the better to effect it , let it bee your first worke on the Hall-day ( and bee sure to doe it the first ) remove the causes , and the effects will cease , bee not over-power'd with policie , nor with enforcement of arguments , nor with the approach of Souldiers , and Troopers ; the two first may seeme to perswade you , the latter may terrifie you into an everlasting undoing , but I say first presse on to the marke , lest you shut the stable doore when the steede is stoln ; which is , to point out the Acans that trouble your Citie , for it is to bee feared , except those wicked ( I had like to have said accursed ) things bee removed , this City and Kingdome will hardly bee established in Peace ; Oh! what maddesse is it for you to nurce such serpents in your bosomes as would ( not many moneths agoe ) have totally destroyed you ? putting their helping hands to introduce a mercilesse , and blood thirstie Armie into the bowels of this famous Citie , such now you have in high places and high Offices , but roote them out , and make choyce of those that will ( all sinister ends set apart ) act for the peace and prosperity of this languishing Citie , and Kingdome , you may bee hold to doe this , for it is your right , granted in your Charter , to locate , or dislocate , place , or displace , any Officer that is in this City ; therefore grave Citizens betray not your own immunities , loose not your priviledges , stand for truth and peace , and according to your oathes of allegiance , your protestation , your late Covenant , pittie the sad condition of your most religious , and gracious King Charles , pressing hard that a petition may bee forthwith drawn , for a speedy Personall Treaty with his Majesty : the best way in all humane apprehension to establish Peace , and prevent those dangers , which seeme to approach neer unto us . Looke , Oh looke ! with an impartiall eye , and yet with the eye of pittie ( before it bee too late ) upon the distemper of the whole Kingdome , and consider how this Citie is almost hated of all , beloved of few : What black curses there are against you abroad , what distempers and murmurings within , your daily actions hourely dissever you from the love of strangers , that know you not , and from the love of your neighbors and friends that know you , witnesse Surrey , Kent , and Essex . Besides looke towards the North , and you shall see a cloud , so full of darkenesse moving this way , that it seemes to threaten our finall ruine ; but some may say , wee neede not feare for wee have money , and men , and Amunition enough , and this Fort , and that Tower ; but good Citizens bee not lulled asleepe with carelesse securitie , for what can money , and men , and Ammunition doe , so long as Acans trouble your Citie ? goe on then boldly ( in the name of God ) to your own worke , and in the election of Officers let mee give you this caution . In no waies to trust any Generall with full power in this great and populous City , that dares not trust his Wife , Children , Family and Fortunes in it . Trust not your Officers of Excise . Trust not any man that hath place of great profit ; as you tender the peculiar well-fare of your Selves , your Wives and Children ; and as you tender the well-fare of this Glorious City , Let none snch beare Office in this Choice : This done , a short time may make you and the Kingdome happy in a well grounded Peace : Which shall ever bee the Prayer of your well-willing Friend and Brother-Citizen A. L. 23. Junii 1648. Lastly , let mee remember you of a brother Citizen one Mr. Mathew Barker , who was taken out of his house the last weeke , and imprisoned in severall places , without Baile or Mainprize , not yet any Cause shewn . Hodie mihi , cras tibi .