The humble PETITION OF THE Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common-council ASSEMBLED.  
To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in High Court of PARLIAMENT.  
Printed by Richard Cotes, Printer to the Honourable City of LONDON.   

TO THE HONOURABLE THE House of Commons ASSEMBLED In High Court of PARLIAMENT:  
The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common council assembled.  
Shows,  
THat your Petitioners do with all readiness acknowledge the High Court of Parliament to be the supreme Power and Judicatory in this Kingdom, constituted for the defence and contrivement of the safety and freedom of this Nation, unto whom all other Powers and Societies of men ought to submit, & with their utmost ability to assist and support, in whose well-being and happy progress, the peaceable and slourishing condition of this Nation doth principally consist. The contempt and overthrow of whose power and authority, cannot but be the woeful inlet to all Tyranny and confusion, the people's slavery, and the Law's subversion.  
And your Petitioners do with all thankfulness acknowledge and remember the unwearied pains, uncessant labour, and constant endeavours of this present Parliament in the common cause of God and this Kingdom, wherein (though your enemies have been many and great, their oppositions strong, their counsels deep, and your discouragements not a few;) Yet (through the good hand of God upon you) with the united assistance of our Brethren of Scotland) and the well-affected people of this Kingdom, joined together in a solemn League and C1ovenant, whose lives and treasure under God became your Bulwark, (among whom this City hath been by you often acknowledged to be contributers of an ample share) Your enemies have been dispersed, their counsels broken, your endeavours crowned with honour, and your Armies rest successful.  
And though the long desired fruits of peace, of freedom and common Justice, the easing of the people's burdens and reforming of abuses, have been much obstructed and retarded by the necessities of a long continued war, the sad divisions amongst all orders and societies of men in the Kingdom, the fears of apparent dangers and sudden changes to arise thereby; yet when your Petitioners look upon their exemption from monopolies and other illegal impositions, the deliverances they have had from the power and tyranny of the Prelates and their vexatious Courts, the demolishing of the High-Commission, Star-Chamber, and that unparallelled benefit and freedom this Kingdom now enjoys in the removal of the Court of Wards, whereby the persons, the posterities and estates of the Subjects were so much encumbered and enthralled (all which by many are ungratefully forgotten and cast out of mind) and which therefore out of duty your Petitioners have emboldened themselves thus publicly to enumerate, they cannot choose but with renewed hopes expect ere long to see the Kingdom flourish and their troubles ended.  
And when your Petitioners do consider how not many months agone, the whole Kingdom seemed to be reduced to the obedience of the Parliament, their Brethren of Scotland returned home with good content, the City replenished again with Inhabitants, the exchange of moneys with foreign Nations brought into a good Medium, Trade in a prosperous condition, the Excise and Customs increasing thereby, a way of settlement agreed upon by the Parliaments of both Nations, and all things looking with a face of quietness and sweet composure; They cannot but with grief of heart remember the unhappy disagreement between the Parliament and Army, and that late dangerous engagement, which as it was set on foot in or about this City, without their knowledge or consent, so they do utterly disavow and abhor it. Those many discontents and great disturbances which accompanied the same and followed thereupon both to Parliament and City. Those unparallelled outrages and affronts committed by Reformadoes and other tumultuous and discontented persons upon both Houses, and the Armies advancing towards this City; The Common-council hurried into a Declaration and into divers Military preparations intended by them for no other end but the safety of Parliament and City.  
Whereupon hath followed the free-quartering of the Army about the City, which hath occasioned the dearness of Provisions, and given opportunity to evil minded persons to foment differences and discontents both in the City and Army, and hath caused foreign Nations and others to call home and remove their stocks to parts beyond the Seas, to the great decay of trade in this City and Kingdom; and by the disproportion of exchange, this Kingdom is not only deprived of foreign Bullion, but (through the encouragement taken thereby) have their own coin transported away.  
That your Petitioners are deeply sensible of the great displeasure of the Parliament towards this City, manifested in the limiting the extent of their Militia, taking away the nomination of the Persons entrusted therewith, and of the Lieutenancy of the Tower of London; the guarding of the Parliament and Tower with Soldiers of the Army, the imprisoning of their Recorder, several Aldermen, and other Members of this City.  
Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray, That the Honour, Power and Privileges of Parliament may by your Wisdom and Justice be inviolably preserved; That the Army may be so provided for, that they may be enabled to remove their Quarters to a farther distance from the City, whereby the price of Provisions may be abated and Trade encouraged; That Freequarter may be prevented, and supernumerary Forces disbanded; That a more vigorous course may be taken in settling of the Peace and Government of the Kingdom so long desired; That the Covenant may be duly observed; That all well-affected Persons that have adhered to the Parliament may be effectually protected and defended; That the Recorder, Aldermen, and other Citizens now imprisoned (so as it may stand with the Honour and Wisdom of Parliament) may be enlarged, which your Petitioners shall esteem a great favour to this City: And that all the late unhappy proceed as unto this City and Members thereof may be forgotten and obliterated; That your Petitioners may enjoy the splendour of your former favours, and be thereby enabled to be the more serviceable to the preservation of the Parliament and City, and reuniting of all that are well-affected thereunto: Which is their most earnest and hearty desire.  
And your Petitioners shall pray, etc.   

Die Mercurii, 1. Decembr'. 1647.  
THE Lords have commanded me to let you know that they return you Thanks for the acknowledgements you now make for the benefits received by this Parliament; and for the care of the Honour and Privileges of Parliament, as the supreme Court and Judicatory of this Kingdom: Together with those good affections which are very largely and seasonably expressed by this your Petition.  
They desire you to be assured, that they will improve their utmost endeavours for the easing of the burdens that lie upon the Kingdom, for the procuring of a just and safe Peace; neither will they omit any means that may restore aga in the City of London unto a flourishing and happy condition in respect of Trade, as a return for those great and faithful services that they have done to the Parliament and Kingdom.  
As to the other particulars in the Petition which relate to the Power of this House, they shall take them into their consideration, and do therein what shall be according to Honour and Justice.  
Job. Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.   

Die Mercurij 1. Decembr. 1647.  
THe House being informed that the Sheriff and divers Aldermen, and Common-council men were at the door desiring to prefer a Petition to the House; They were called in, and Sheriff Bide acquainted the House that they were commanded by the Lord Major, Aldermen, and Commons in Common-council assembled to prefer a Petition from them to this House; the which the Petitioners being withdrawn was read.  

Resolved, etc. 
 THat this shall be the substance of the answer to the Citizens, Viz.  
To give them thanks for the expression of their good affections to the Parliament, that as to the desires in their Petition, in some of them order hath been taken already, some are under consideration, as that concerning free quarter, and other; and as to their last desire touching some members of the City that lie under restraint, the house will speedily do therein what may consist with the justice and honour of this House.  
The Citizens were again called in, and Mr. Speaker by the command of the House gave them the substance of the aforesaid answer.  
Hen. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com.    
FINIS.