AN HUMBLE REMONSTRANCE TO THE KING & PARLIAMENT In the Behalf of Many Decayed and Decaying CITIZENS and FAMILIES of London, Occasioned solely by the Dreadful Fire of That CITY, AND Some concurring Calamitous Events of Providence since.  JOB 19.21. 
Have Pity upon me, have Pity upon me, O ye my Friends; for the Hand of God hath touched me.  
Per PHILANTHROPUS PHILAGATHUS.  
Printed at London, 1675.   

AN HUMBLE Remonstrance TO THE KING and PARLIAMENT.  
May it please your Majesty, And the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament.  
IN hopes there may be some Analogy in the sympathy of the Politic, as in that of the Natural body: I have adventured to represent unto Your grave Wisdom's consideration, the languishing Condition of those many Souls, that still labour and groan under the Mortifying effects of that dismal Fire of London, seconded with a War since; to the aggravation of their Losses, and depression of their endeavours for recovery; who being (as it were) Dismembered, are rendered useless to the Nation, but might be yet very serviceable in their Generation, were some charitable thoughts contrived and exercised towards them. And seeing they are numerous who have thus suffered, many of whom have known how to abound, being reduced now to the other extreme of Want, seem Adequated for an higher Aspect than that of particular Charity, an are therefore more Adapt Objects for the Influences of the Head. The blessing of Almighty God having hitherto concurred with your Counsels for the Establishment and Prosperity of the Crown, and procuring Peace to the Nation (as at this time) I doubt not but your. Wisdoms will conceive it an Act of Gratitude unto the same Almighty bounty, if you shall take thought of his distressed: the sooner compassion may move you in this respect, may be the more acceptable Offering to Heaven, that chooseth to do good, when most wanted: For that this also exceedeth the nature of a private concern, and may conduce to replenish that depopulated City with its own Members. Neither will the number of these Objects, and the measure of their supply, make the Work seem insuperable to so great and grave a Council, who have already done such Wonders, for the re-composing of Loyalty.  
It is very lamentable to consider how many of our Fellow-Members of the Nation and City have sunk with their Losses into despair of Restoration; and have with their meanness of being, lost even Life itself; whilst others, weltering themselves in Pleasures, and prodigalizing their Superfluities with greater hazard, might, to their perpetual Renown, apply a part thereof towards the Resurrection of their Brethren. Those yet remaining, will be the more easily assisted, who possibly may be reserved for some eminent Service to their Country: For they are not contemptible, because Disciplined under Affliction: the best men having been Educated and made such, in the School of Adversity.  
Most Worthy Senators, I need not have recourse to Apocryphal Chronologies for Heroic Examples of this sort: there being enough in Sacred History of infallible Authority, attended with a multitude of incitements, for the encouragement of such Pious Acts. A frequent Precedent hereof we may find amongst ourselves, namely, when His Majesty is graciously pleased to Grant Briefs upon particular Commiserable Accidents. The same Grace which moves that, is more loudly called upon, and with more forcible Arguments, in a Common Calamity. The greater the Relief is which is required, the more Praiseworthy and acceptable in the sight of God and good Men, when afforded. Those who have been wounded under a common Judgement, are therefore no more despicable, than a vanquished Forlorn-Hope of a Battle, who have withstood the shock intended the main Body; and if the Divine Wrath hath been suspended by the sufferings of some, for trial of he Virtues of those who have escaped, perhaps as great Sinners (as the others) their Condition is worthy of the more pity and supply; and is not unlike that Justice used among Merchants, when in a Storm at Sea, one or more joint Adventurer's Goods are thrown overboard, or otherwise damnified, to save the whole, they reduce that to an Avarage; whereby the Loss is made tolerable, which might otherwise prove ruinous. The Vessel of this Nation, hath for some years been conflicting and labouring under dismal and heavy Judgements, as the Plague, Fire, and Sword, etc. and now at last she is arrived (through Divine Blessing upon your prudent Counsels) into an Harbour of Peace, it is hoped you will now have opportunity both to consider and repair the Breaches that have been made upon her in these Tempests.  
Most Noble Heroes, I dare not prescribe to so great a Magazine of Wisdom that inhabits you, ways and Methods, for the raising and proportionating such Relief, as the Necessities of those miserably-sindged Citizens calls for: not in the least doubting, but if you shall please to look that way, the work will be easily effected; and the God of Mercies invoked and inclined to reward it. The vicissitudes of Providence our eyes have witnessed, doth sufficiently certify the mutability of Humane enjoyments; and should dispose us to consider, others misfortunes may be ours; and how welcome in the like condition, a generous assistance would be to us, such a sympathy doth excite to do accordingly. The aforesaid Sufferers are, in another respect, worthy Objects of your help and interposition, for the stopping of the merciless fury of their Creditors upon them; whereof the Prisons about London are severe Testimonies; as if they had been Men marked out by Divine Vengeance, merely to become a Prey to their insatiate Covetousness, or a Sacrifice to their Cruelty; and this countenanced by the Law, because of Debt, without any reflection upon the inevitable Hand of God that disabled them. Can your Eyes be in every corner of this Nation, to behold the particular Oppressions of this nature, by one man to another, it would move your Bowels to contrive a remedy, that might wash off the reproach contracted upon our Christian profession for want of it. As works of Charity and Mercy have the preference, and should be first espoused, so that your Wisdoms in a compassionate mind, will take into consideration the Sufferings of these Forlorn men, and thereupon select a Committee to inspect the quality of their Losses by the Fire and Contingencies, and of their present Griefs and Causes; without peradventure you will find their Relief not difficult, if you shall please to recommend it to the Nation, either by way of a Voluntary Contribution, or one or two months' Tax, according to the Exigency of the Work. It can only thrive in your Hands; you may be a means to recover some Languishing Souls as well as Bodies; and the recompense of such works is unutterable. Some more worthy Pen may put you in mind of other matters fit for your enquiry, as the review of some Laws made a long time since; the reason whereof (circumstances of Time, Trade and Temper considered) will not reach to our days; as the Statute of Bankrupts, etc. not to omit the exorbitancy of some practices at Law, under which the Nation groans.  
Most Worthy Patriots, I have with what brevity the Subject would dispense, cast my Offering at your Feet, hoping it may meet with 〈◊〉 Acceptation and Success, as may redound to you●●●mortal Glory and Happiness.  
FINIS.