The Humble Petition and Address OF THE Right Honourable the LORD MAYOR, aldermans and COMMONS of the City of London, in Common-Councel Assembled.  
To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty.  
WE, Your Majesty's most Loyal and Obedient Subjects, considering; That it hath pleased Almighty God by a wonderful Providence to bring to light the Devilish Attempts and Plots of our Adversaries, the Papists, against Your Majesty's Sacred Person, Your Government, the True Protestant Religion, the Lives, Liberties, and Properties of Your Protestant Subjects; And, That by the Letters and Papers of the Conspirators themselves it doth appear, that one of the most effectual Means they proposed to accomplish their Designs, was by the procuring the frequent Adjourning, Proroguing, or Dissolving of Your Parliaments; Were surprised with Astonishment at the untimely Dissolution of Your late Parliaments, before Your Majesty and They could fully pursue the Discovery and Suppression of the said Designs and Conspiracies, or provide Remedies necessary for the Preservation of Your Sacred Person and Government, and the Protestant Religion at Home and Abroad. But we stand more amazed at the Unpresidented Boldness of some Private Persons, who (by Printed Papers, and otherwise) take upon them to Arraign and Condemn the Proceed of Your Two last Parliaments, which (as Your Petitioners humbly conceive) plainly tends to bring that part of the Constitution into Contempt, and in the Consequence of it to Dissolve the Ancient Government and its Fundamentals, the Preservation whereof is absolutely necessary for Your Majesty's Honour, Power and Greatness. But We relying upon Your most Gracious Disposition, to receive the Dutiful Addresses of Your Loyal People, think Ourselves obliged, by our Allegiance, to represent to Your Majesty, That by these Means, contrary to your Royal Intention, Occasion is taken by the Conspirators, and their Complices, to hasten and accomplish that Ruin of Your Majesty, Your Kingdoms, and the whole Protestant Interest, which hath been so long Projected and Prosecuted by the Counsels of Rome and its Adherents.  
In the pursuit of which They are chief animated by the continuing Hopes of a Popish Successor, and sharpened by the Justice done upon the late Viscount Stafford, and other Conspirators. And the continued and great Confidence of the Party, is daily visible in the open Numerous resorts of Papists about Your Royal Palace and this City.  
Also we should be deficient in Our Duty, should we not Represent to Your Majesty the Necessity of maintaining Your Dominion and Sovereignty of the Seas, and the full Exercising Your Royal Naval Power; the want whereof hath been the Occasion, that not only very many of Your Subjects Ships, and great Estates therein, have been taken, but also Multitudes of Your good Subjects and Able Seamen, have of late been carried into and held in Miserable Slavery by the Algerines; which will in time (if not redressed) not only be an Encouragement to Others to commit further Outrages and Depredations upon Your Subjects and their Ships, but will also inevitably be the Occasion of the decay of Trade, and of Impairing the Strength so Necessary for the Defence of your Kingdoms.  
And as our Duty, from the Apprehensions we have of the Imminent Dangers that Your Majesty's Royal Person and Government, our Religion, and all that is near and dear unto Us lies Exposed to, obliges us humbly to offer the same to Your Princely Consideration; so we do with all Fidelity and Humility assure Your Majesty, That we are very far from being moved by any Commonwealth Principles, in Opposition to the English Monarchy, which we esteem the best of Governments; or by any Ambitious or Factious Designs; nor are we further concerned for ourselves therein, than is natural for Men under Common Danger to look out for Common Safety.  
And seeing our Danger is so Apparent and Visible, we do in all Humility apply ourselves to your Sacred Majesty, beseeching Your Majesty to have regard to the Valuable, Industrious, and great Part of Your People, by whom Your Government, Your Revenue, and Your Kingdom is supported, and assure Your Majesty we will Expose ourselves, our Lives and Fortunes, and all things dear to Us, for the Preservation of Your Majesty's Royal Person, Your Government and the Protestant Religion.  
And inasmuch as the same can be no way effectually secured but by the joint Endeavours of Your Majesty and Your Great Council the Parliament, Your Petitioners confidently hoping that no Misinformations or Aspersions created or raised by ill Men, for the Accomplishment of their wicked Designs, can have any such Impression on Your Royal Mind as to lessen Your due Esteem of Your great Council the Parliament, Do most humbly pray, That Your Majesty will cause a Parliament to Assemble and Sat, till they have so far proceeded, that due Provision may be made, and full Security had and obtained, for Your Majesty's Royal Person and Your People in all the said Matters.  
And Your Petitioners (as in Duty bound) shall ever Pray, etc.   

Ward Mayor. Commune Concilium tent' in Camera Guildhall Civitatis London Die Veneris xiiiᵒ Die Maij. 1681. Annoque Regni Regis Caroli Secundi Angl ' &c. Tricesimo tertio.  
IT is Ordered by this Court, That the Petition and Address, now read and agreed upon, to be presented to his Majesty; shall after the same accordingly presented, be Printed by the City Printer in one Sheet of Paper; As the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor shall direct and appoint.  
Wagstaffe.   

Printed by Samuel Roycroft, Printer to the Honourable City of LONDON, 1681.