THE PETITION OF Divers Eminent Citizens of LONDON, presented to the LORD MAYOR and Court of ALDERMEN the 28th of April, 1681.  
To the Right Honourable Sir Patient Ward Lord Mayor of the City of London, and to the Right Worshipful the Aldermen his Brethren. The humble Petition of us whose Names are hereunto subscribed, Citizens of the said City. 
 Humbly showeth,  
THat the Designs of the Popish and Jesuitical Party, for subverting and destroying the Protestant Religion and the established Government of this Kingdom, have for some years passed been carried on in an extraordinary way, encouraged by the hopes the Papists (as your Petitioners believe) had of a Popish Successor, Witness the burning of this City, with intention of a Massacre at the same time, their many and frequent attempts of firing other parts of the City, and other places in the Kingdom; and to such a height did those hopes transport the agents of that party, that they took upon them to hold Correspondencies with foreign Princes, to influence His Majesty's Councils to dissolve the then Parliament, and to frame a Declaration to have been published in His Majesty's name on that Occasion; and at last to contrive that Devilish and horrid Plot for assassinating His Majesty's Royal Person, putting the Papists in arms, bringing in foreign forces both into England and Ireland, to establish their Religion, and destroy the Protestants. What endeavours have been by them set on foot to prevent the Discovery & fuller Detection of their Villainies, the Murder of Sir Edmond Godfrey, the attempt on Justice Arnold, the means used to take off and discourage the King's Evidence, the suborning Persons to swear falsely, and the setting up several Sham-plots contrived by themselves to be charged by false Witnesses on His Majesty's Protestant Subjects, are evident and apparent to all the World.  
That by reason hereof such have been, and still are the fears and distractions in the minds of People, that many have withdrawn from the City, others declined their Trades and all true Protestants been in continual fears and anxieties of mind, whereby great expense and charge in keeping and maintaining continual Guards, hath been necessitated, and yet most people live under daily apprehensions, doubting every night what may be their condition before Morning.  
That on His Majesty's summoning a Parliament to meet the 6th of March, 1678. It was hoped that effectual course would have been taken to detect and bring the Conspirators to condign punishment, and by Laws to have secured the Protestant Religion against their attempts. (It being impossible, as your Petitioners humbly conceive, that the same can any way be done, but by authority of Parliament.) And those hopes were the more raised from His Majesty's most gracious Declaration of the 21 April 1679. on the change of his Privy Council, that he was resolved in all weighty and important Affairs (next to the Advice of his great Council in Parliament, which he would very often consult with) to be ●●vised by that Privy Council; but that Parliament was prorogued the 27. May 1679 and afterwards many of that Privy Council were changed, and then followed a Dissolution of the Parliament. A new Parliament was called to meet in October 1679. but kept off by many Prorogations till October 1680.  
And before any thing could be perfected for the security of Religion, the same was dissolved, and another summoned to meet at Oxford, which was also dissolved, and nothing done; thereby the Protestant Religion, and the Lives and Liberties of His Majestios Protestant Subjects exposed to the uttermost hazard, in case His Majesty, whom God long preserve, should departed this Life before a due provision by Law could be made.  
And Your Petitioners having heard that some persons of this City as well in the Names of many other Citizens and Inhabitants of this City, as in their own Names, have gone about to procure hands to a Petition to Your Lordship, and this Honourable Court, insinuating (as Your Petioners are informed) That His Majesty's expression in His Late Declaration touching the two Last Parliaments of His Resolution to have frequent Parliaments, etc. was a full Security against all the fears of Popery, and the Designs and Conspiracies of Papists (which there is cause to believe) are yet carrying on as much as ever against His Majesty's Royal Person, the Protestant Religion, and the Government of this Kingdom.  
Your Petitioners, though they hope their fellow Citizens who have signed the said Petition▪ may be good Protestants, and mean well to their Religion and City, yet knowing how cunning and subtle the Papists and Jesuitical Party are by false Aspersions and Suggestions, and Secret Insinuations, to raise and ●oment Divisions amongst Protestants, to set them one against another, and make them Instruments of their own Ruin; and fearing lest something of this kind may have given Rise to the said Petition, They have thought themselves bound by their Allegiance to His Majesty, and the Duty that lies upon them in reference to the Religion they profess, which they desire may be transmitted to their Posterity, To make this Address to Your Lordship and this Honourable Court, and humbly to declare,  
That as matters stand at present, considering the Bloody and Wicked Designs of Papists, their indefatigable and unwearied Endeavours animated (as is humbly conceived) by their hopes that the Successor to the Crown will be of their Religion, and justify whatever they shall do to introduce it; They humbly conceive that it is not a Declaration to have frequent Parliaments, that can contribute any thing to the Safety and Preservation of His Majesty's Royal Person (whom God long preserve) the Security of the Protestant Religion, and the Lives and Liberties, and composing the minds of those that profess it; But it must be the Sitting of a Parliament, so as fully To examine the Plot, to prosecute the Conspirators, and to provide suitable Laws against the seared Evils; And without which nothing can be effectual; His Majesty in Parliament giving Life to those Laws by His Royal Assent; And therefore  
Your Petitioners humbly pray, That a Common Council may he called, and that upon Consideration of the whole matter, such humble Address may be made to His most Gracious Majesty, as the necessity of the Case shall be found to require.  
Presented Thursday April 28. 1681. And Your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray, etc.   

London, Printed for B.A. And Published by Richard Janaway, in Queens-Head Alley in Pater-Nosier-Row. 1681.