TO THE honourable house OF COMMONS Now Assembled in Parliament.  
The humble Petition of the Knights, Gentlemen, Ministers, Freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Dorset.  
Showeth,  
THat notwithstanding the indefatigable pains of this Honourable House, for the redress of all the Grievances of this Kingdom (which your Petitioners do with all humble and possible thankfulness acknowledge) they do to their grief observe by your late Remonstrance, that by reason of the obstructions of your proceedings in the House of Peers by the Popish Lords and Prelates, your godly endeavours want their desired effect: Distractions and fears increase amongst us more and more; the Kingdom is not yet put into such a Posture of defence, as these dangerous times require; the Rebels in Ireland prevail to the extreme hazard of that Kingdom, for want of speedy supplies; the very privileges of Parliament (our dear and undoubted right) have been very much impeached. And besides these common evils, your Petitioners conceive themselves above others in other Counties, in special, endangered. First, By fear of foreign invasion, which we ground upon continual rumours, tending to that purpose, and upon the situation of this County in a sort inviting, it being Champion, and bordering on the Sea. Secondly, By the now more than usual flocking together, and posting up and down of Papists, especially by night, together with their contemptuous and insolent carriage. Thirdly, By the dangerous consequences that may result from the present decay of the Trade of Clothing (the main support of the poor of these Parts.) And lastly, After all these imminent dangers, by being lest almost wholly destitute of means to prevent them; for since the late removal of the last lieutenant, we have no Captains appointed over our Trained Bands to draw them together upon occasion, or to discipline them in the mean time.  
All these weighty considerations enforce us to make our instant address to this honourable House, humbly craving the continuance of your uttermost endeavours for the removal of that obstructive party from the House of Peers; and that our poor distressed brethren in Ireland may be forthwith assisted, and the whole Kingdom (especially this County speedily put into a Posture of defence, by setting fit and able Captains over the Trained Bands, and furnishing them with lawful power to exercise and train their Companies; As also by appointing the levying of more Arms in supply of those many that were carried away and lost in the Northern expedition.  
Which shall engage and enable your humble Petitioners (as our Duty and your Deserts oblige us) for the defence of His majesty's royal Person and Dignity, and the Persons and privileges of this great council of Parliament, with our dearest lives and estates.  
And move us to pray, &c.   

Febr. 21. London, Printed 1641.