The Protestant PETITION and ADDRESS.  
London, April 30. 1681.  
Upon Thursday last there was Presented to the Lord-Mayor and Court of Aldermen, (no Common-Council at that Time Sitting) This Following Address.  
To the Right Honourable Sir Patient Ward, Kt. Lord-Mayor of the City of London; And to the Right Worshipful, the Aldermen his Brethren. The Humble Petition of Us whose Names are here Subscribed, and of many Thousands of the most Eminent Citizens and Inhabitants of the City of London; his Majesty's Loyal Subjects. 
 Shows,  
THat your Petitioners being deeply sensible of the many Instances which they have had the Honour to receive, of his Majesty's Princely Goodness and Bounty; and more particularly, in His Royal Assurances of a full Resolution to have Frequent Parliaments; and both In, and Out of Parliament to use his utmost Endeavours to extirpate Popery; to redress all the Grievances of his Good Subjects; and in all things to Govern according to the Laws of the Kingdom: Which his Sacred Majesty hath been Graciously pleased, with a most Express Solemnity, to promise, and to publish unto the World in his Late Princely Declaration.  
In the Contemplation of a Goodness so ample, and so effectual, that there is nothing further wanting toward the Composing of men's Minds; the creating of a Right Understanding betwixt his Majesty and his Liege-People; and (under God's Providence) toward the Establishment of a Distracted Nation, in Agreement, Peace, and Plenty; saving only the Dutiful Return of Veneration and Obedience, from the Subject, in acknowledgement of the Fatherly Tenderness of so Indulgent a Sovereign.  
Your Humble Petitioners cannot but in Reverence, and Gratitude, Declare, that We are Unanimously Resolved to lay our Lives and Fortunes at His Majesty's Feet, in Defence of his Sacred Person, against all Opposition whatsoever; and in the Maintenance of the Established Religion, and the Government both of Church and State, as it is settled by Law; pursuant to the Tenor of his Majesty's Royal Declaration, and the Duty of all Loyal Subjects.  
May it Therefore please your Lordship, and this Honourable Court, to present This our Humble Address, Declaration, and Resolution, to his most Gracious Majesty, in such manner as unto You shall seem meet;  
And Your Petitioners (as in Duty bound) shall ever Pray.  
NOw forasmuch as the Petition above-Recited hath been Invidiously Represented to the World, as a Popish Contrivance; a Jesuitical Design; a Petition for Slavery; and, at the best, but a Superfluous Acknowledgement to his Majesty for Doing his Duty: (to the great Reproach, and Scandal of the Loyal Petitioners:) We the Subscribers have deemed it Necessary, and Reasonable, for our Own Vindication; the Satisfaction of all Honest men; and as a matter of good Example unto Others, to publish the Petition itself: Appealing for the Truth of the Copy, and the Quality of the Petitioners, to the Original Papers remaining in the Court where they were presented; and Declaring withal, that as it was but the work of a Day and Half, to gather the Hands; (without any Preparatory toward it;) So the Subscribers are, every man of them, Regular Protestants of the Church of England, and live in Obedience, and Conformity to the Law.  
The Reader will observe, upon the View of this our Petition; First, that it is Peaceable, and Modest; being only a Dutiful Discharge of our Affections and Consciences, in Thankfulness to his most Gracious Majesty, without intermeddling in any Nice and Political Matters; or reflecting, in any sort whatsoever, upon the Do, or Opinions of Other People, Secondly, that it is a Gratitude to his Majesty, for the most Generous, and Consummated Obligations that it is possible for a Prince to lay upon his People: That is to say, for his Royal Assurance of Frequent Parliaments; of Extirpating Popery: Supporting the Protestant Religion; Governing by the Laws; and Protecting his good Subjects against all Violence whatsoever.  
We shall leave the Reader here to think his Pleasure of those men that reckon it a Scandal for a Subject to acknowledge the Bounty of his Sovereign; And comfort ourselves in the Integrity of our Own Souls: And in This further Assurance, that we have as many Hearts, and may have as many Hands, in approbation of This our Proceeding, there are True Protestants; Loyal Subjects; and Right Englishmen, in his Majesty's Dominions. And so we shall Conclude, without making any Descant, upon the Passions, Interests, or Designs of those that Oppose us.   

Printed for the Subscribers, April 30. 1681.