To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common counsel Assembled.  
The humble address of many thousand well-affected, and peaceable minded Citizens of the said City.  
Showeth,  
THat notwithstanding the repulse formerly given us by your demand of Reasons for our desires for a Common-Hall, which in effect amounted to a denial, requiring of us that aforehand which should be the only proper subject and matter of Debate in that free, and general Convention; Yet we cannot so sit down, but do earnestly press our former desires for your calling a Common-Hall, hoping it may satisfy you at present only to say, That though by the constitution of this City, we are to own you in Court of Common council assembled our Representative, and Trustee for the managery of our ordinary affairs, yet we do not thereby so exclude ourselves but that in time of extraordinary danger, and miseries approaching, (as this is,) every of us so far as the Government of Polity of this City will allow, may personally appear in council, for the aversion of those evils, which else we are sure to feel more then representatively. And certainly we have much more reason at this time to insist upon that our Ancient, indubitate right in this particular, then ever heretofore, considering how beyond all precedents of former times we were prelimited, through a force then upon us, in the Election of some Persons still among you, the sad effects whereof we have ever since found in the disturbance of your counsels all along. But we shall not desire to look back at all, if we may yet be satisfied in what is just and necessary for us to obtain, for prevention of stopage of that blood daily threatened to be spilled over the face of the whole Kingdom: For which purpose we request,  
First, That no self-ends of any particularly interessed & engaged Persons amongst us may be a means to deprive us of that happiness, and honour in becoming chief Instruments for the settlement of this bleeding and miserable embroiled Kingdom, which we may now easily attain to, by timely interposing our Power, and complying with that part of this quarrel which carries justice and right along with it, there being no safety for us at all by continuing neutrals any longer.  
Secondly, That without a general consent first obtained in Common-Hall, the Interest and power of this City (which is earnestly sought for by All parties now in Action) may not be engaged to any Party in a new War, so much as to permit or countenance any levys of Horse or Men to be raised or received amongst us, or near us, (which we may prevent) either upon the public or any particular score, and if any such have been or are made, we shall expect an account thereof to the end the heavy imputation likely thereby to fall upon this City, may be laid at the right door.  
Lastly, That a Common-Hall be forthwith called; because our expectation of one upon midsommerday next according to the Ancient and laudable custom of this City is likely to be crossed by Ordinance of the Houses absolutely forbidding the same upon pretence of Tumults they fear may arise thereby: Or if we shall not be restrained in our meeting then, yet such a force is intended to be held over us that day by the conjunction of Lieutenant general Cromwel's Forces (now upon their return out of Wales hitherward) with others appointed for that purpose, that we shall be limited and confined in our Counsels and debates there to the sense of some few Persons whose determinations backed with force have hitherto kept us from concurring in that course for the settlement of this pitifully distracted kingdom, which we see all others besides ourselves now so busy about, and wherein we hope this City will not come behind any others if a free and full debate thereof may be granted in Common-Hall, not only to set forward our desires, but to guide our undertakings therein:  
To obtain which, as it hath often been, so now again it is the most humble suit of  
Your many thousand Petitioners &c.