THE PETITION OF THE Lords and Commons of ENGLAND, now Assembled in PARLIAMENT: Presented to the KINGS most Excellent majesty with the Remonstrance.  
Concerning the present state of this kingdom.  

ASPICIS VT VIVNNT PELLICANI SANGVINE PVLLI SIC CHRISTO EFFVSO SANGVINE VIVIS HOMO   seal of pelican with young  
London, Printed for John Thomas. 1641.   

The PETITION of the Lords and Commons of England presented to his majesty with the Remonstrance.  
Most gracious sovereign,  
YOur Majesties most humble and faithful Subjects in this present Parliament assembled, do with much thankfulness and joy, aclowledge the great mercy and favour of God in giving your Majesty a safe and peaceable return out of Scotland into this your kingdom of England, where the pressing dangers and distempers of the State have caused us with much earnestness to desire the comfort of your gracious presence, and likewise the unity and Justice of your royal authority to give more life and power to the dutiful and loyal councils and endeavours of your Parliament, for the prevention of that eminent ruin & destruction which in your kingdoms of England and Scotland are threatened.  
The duty which we owe to your Majesty and our Country cannot but make us very sensible and apprehensive that the multiplicity, sharpness, and malignity of those evils under which we have many yeares suffered are fomented and cherished by a corrupt and ill affencted party who amongst other their mischievous for the alteration of Religion and government have sought by many false scandals & imputations cunningly insinuated and disposed amongst the people to blemish and disgrace our Proceedings in this Parliament, and to get themselves a party and faction amongst your Subjects ●or the better strengthening of themselves in their wicked courses, and hindering those proceedings and remedies which might by the wisdom of your Majesty and council of your Parliament be opposed against them.  
For preventing whereof and the better information of your Majesty, your peers, and all other your loyal Subjects, have been necessitated to make a Declaration of the State of the kingdom both before and since the Assembly of this Parliament unto this time which we do humbly presenr to your Majesty without the least intention to lay any blemish upon your Majesties person, but onely to represent how your royal authority and trust have been abused to the great prejudice and danger of your Majesty and of all your goods Subjects.  
And because we have reason to believe that those malignant parties whose proceedings evidently appear to be mainly for the advantage and increase of Popery, and is composed, set up, and acted by the subtle practises of the Iesuites and other Engineers and Factors for Rome and to the great danger of this kingdom and most grievous affliction of your loyal Subjects have so far prevailed as to corrupt divers of Bishops and others in prime places of the Church, and also to bring divers of those Jnstruments to be of your Privy council and other employments of trust and pensiveness about your Majesty, the Prince and the rest of your royal children.  
And by this means hath had such an operation in ●our council and most importants affairs and pro●eedings of your government, that a most dangerous ●ivision and chargeable preparation for war betwixt ●our kingdoms of England and Scotland, the conti●uance and increase of jealousies betwixt your Majesty and your most obedient Subjects, the violent distraction and interruption of this Parliament, the Rebellion of Ireland, insurrection of the Papists in this kingdom, and bloody Massacre of your people have been not onely endeavoured and attempted, but in a great measure compassed and affencted.  
For preventing the final accomplishment, whereof your poor Subiects enforced to engage their persons and estates to the maintenance of a very expensiue and dangerous war, notwithstanding they haue already since the beginning of this Parliament, undergone the charge of 150000 l. sterling or there abouts, for the necessary support and supply of your majesty, in this present and perilous design, and because all our most faithful endeavours and engagements will be inefectuall for the peace, safety, and preservation, of your majesty, & your People, if some present, real, and efectuall course be not taken for suppressing this wicked and malignant party:  
we your most humble obedient Subiects do in all faithfulness and humility beseech your majesty.  
1 That you will be graciously pleased to concur with the humble desires of your People, in a parliamentary way for the preserving the peace and safety of tbis kingdom, from the malicious designs of the Popish party.  
For depriving the Bishops of their votes in Parliament, and abridging their immoderate power usurped over the Clergy, and other your good Subjects, which they haue most perniciously abused, to the hazard of Religion, and great prejudice and oppression of the laws of the kingdom, and just liberties of your People.  
For the taking away of all such oppressions in Religion, Church government, and Discipline as have been brought in and fomented by them.  
For the uniting all such your loyal Subjects together as join in the same fundamental truths against the Papists, by removing some oppressions and unnecessary Ceremonies, by which divers weak consciences haue been scrupled and seem to be divided from the rest; for the due execution of those good laws which have been made for ●ccuring the liberty of your Subjects.  
2 That your majesty will likewise be pleased, to remove from your council, all such as persist to favour & promote any of these pressures and corruptions wherewith your people haue been grieved, and that for the future your majesty will vouchsafe to employ such persons in your great and public affairs, and to take such to be near you in places of trust, as your Parliament may haue cause to confided in, and that in your Princely goodness to your people you will reject and refuse all mediation and solicitation to the contrary, how powerful and neare-soever.  
3 That you will be pleased to forbear and alienate any of the fo●●eited escheated Land● in Ireland which shall accrue to your Crown by reason of this rebellion, that out of them your Crown may may and the better supported, and some satisfaction made to your Subjects of this kingdom, for the great expense they a●e like to undergo in this war.  
Which humble desires of ours being graciously fulfilled by your majesty, wee will by the blessing and favour of God most cheerfully undergo the hazard and expenses of this war, & employ ourselves to such other courses, and councils, as may support your royal estate with Honour and Plenty at home, and with Power and reputation abroad, and by our loyal affections, obedience, and service, lay a sure foundation of the greatness and prosperity of your majesty, and your royal posterity in future times.  
FINIS.