THE FIRST AND LARGE PETITION Of the City of LONDON and other Inhabitants thereabouts: For a Reformation in Church-government, as also for the abolishment of Episcopacy: WITH A REMONSTRANCE thereto annexed, of the many Pressures and Grievances occasioned by the Bishops, and the sundry inconveniences incident to EPISCOPACY.  
The Tyranny and Extortion practised in Ecclesiastical Courts, together with the unlawfulness of the Oath EX OFFICIO: preferred to the high and honourable Court of PARLIAMENT.  
Printed Anno Dom. 1641.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The Commons House of PARLIAMENT.  
The humble Petition of many of his Majesty's Subjects in and about the City of London and several Counties of the Kingdom.  
THat whereas the government of Archbishops, and Lord Bishops, Deans, and Archdeacon's, &c. with their Courts and ministrations in them hath proved prejudicial and very dangerous both to the Church and Commonwealth, they themselves having formerly held, that they have their jurisdiction or authority of humane Authority, till of these later times being further perused about the unlawfulness that they have claimed their calling immediately from the Lord JESUS CHRIST, which is against the Laws of this Kingdom, and Derogatory to his Majesty and his State Royal. And whereas the said government is found, by woeful experience, to be a main cause and occasion of many foul evils, pressures and grievances of a very high nature unto his Majesty's Subjects, in their own Consciences, liberties and estates; as in a Schedule of particulars hereunto annexed may in part appear.  
We therefore most humply pray and beseech this Honourable Assembly, the premises considered, that the said government with all its dependences, roots and branches may be abolished, and all laws in their behalf made void, and the government, according to God's word, may be rightly placed among us, and we your humble Supplyants' as in duty we are bound, will daily pray for his Majesty's long and happy reign over us, and for the prosperous success of this High and Honourable Court of Parliament, etc.  

A Particular of the manifold Evils, Pressures, and Grievances, caused, practised, and occasioned by the Prelates and their Dependants.  
I. FIrst, the subjecting and inclining all Ministers under them and their Authority, and so by degrees exempting of them from the Temporal power, whence follows:  
II. The faintheartedness of Ministers to preach the truth of GOD, lest they should displease the Prelates, as namely the Doctrine of Predestination, of Freegrace, of Perseverance, of Original sin remaining after Baptism, of the Sabbath, the Doctrine against universal Grace, Election, for Faith foreseen, Freewill, against Antichrist, non-resident, humane Inventions of GOD'S worship, all which are generally withheld from the people's knowledge, because not relishing to the Bishops.  
III. The encouragement of Ministers to despise the temporal Magistracy, the Nobles, and Gentry of the Land, to abuse the Subjects and live contentiously with their neighbours, knowing that they being the Bishop's creatures they shall be supported.  
iv The restraint of many godly and able men from the Ministry, and thrusting out of many Congregations their faithful, diligent and powerful Ministers, who lived peaceably with them and did them good, only because they cannot in Conscience submit unto and maintain the Bishop's needless devices; nay sometimes, for no other cause but for their zeal in Preaching, or great Auditories.  
V The suppressing of that godly Design set on foot by certain Sects, and sugared with many great gifts by sundry well-affected persons, for the buying of Impropriations, and placing of able Ministers in them, maintaining of Lectures, and founding of Free-Schooles; which the Prelates could not endure, lest it should darken their glories, and draw the Ministers from their dependence upon them  
VI The great increase of Idle, lewd and dissolute, ignorant and erroneous men in the Ministry, which swarm like the Locusts of Egypt over the whole Kingdom, and will they but wear a Canonical Coat, a Surplice, a Hood, bow at the name of JESUS and be zealous of Superstitious Ceremonies, they may live as they list, confront whom they please, preach and vent what errors they will, and neglect preaching at their pleasures, without control.  
VII. The discouragement of many from bringing up their Children in learning the many schisms, errors and strange opinions which are in the Church; great Corruptions, which are in Universities; the gross, and lamentable ignorance almost every where among the people; the want of preaching Ministers in very many places both of England and Wales, the loathing of the Ministry, and the general defection to all manner of profaneness.  
VIII. The swarming of lascivious, Idle, and unprofitable books and pamphlets, Playbooks, and Ballads, as namely Ovid's fits of Love, the Parliament of Women came out at the dissolving of the last Parliament, Barns Poems, Parker's Ballads in disgrace of Religion to the increase of all vice, and withdrawing of people from reading, studying, and hearing the word of God, and other good Books.  
IX. The hindering of godly Books to be printed, the blotting out or perverting those which they suffer all or most of that which strikes either at Popery or Arminianism, the adding of what or where pleaseth them and the restraints of reprinting Books formerly lycensed without relycensing.  
X. The publishing and venting of Popish, Arminian, and other dangerous Books and Tenets, as namely; that the Church of Rome is a true Church, and in the worst times never erred in Fundamentals, that the Subjects have no propriety in their Estates, but that the King may take from them what he pleaseth, that all is the Kings, and that he is bound by no Law, and many other, from the former whereof hath sprung.  
XI. The growth of Popery, and increase of Papists, Priests and Jesuits in sundry places, but especially about London since the Reformation, the frequent venting of Crucifixes and Popish pictures, both engraven and printed, and the placing of such in Bibles.  
XII. The multitude of Monopolies and Patents, drawing with them innumerable Perjuries, the large increase of Customs and Impositions upon Commodities, the Ship-moneyes and many other great burdens upon the Commonwealth, under which all groan.  
XIII. Moreover, the Offices and Jurisdictions of Archbishops, Lord-Bishops, Deans, Arch-Deacons, being the same way of Church-Government which is in the Romish Church, and which was in England in the time of Popery, little change thereof being made (except only the head from whence it was derived) the same Arguments supporting the Pope, which do uphold the Prelates, and overthrowing the Prelates, which do pull down the Pope, & other reformed Churches, having upon their rejection of the Pope, cast the Prelates out also as Members of the Beast: Hence it is, that the Prelates here in England by themselves or their Disciples, plead and maintain, that the Pope is not Antichrist, and that the Church of Rome is a true Church, hath not erred in Fundamental points, and that Salvation is attaynable in that Religion, and therefore have restrained to pray for the Conversion of our Sovereign Lady the Queen. Hence also hath come,  
XIV. The great Conformity and likeness both continued and increased of our Church to the Church of Rome, in vestures, postures, Ceremonies and Administrations, namely as the Bishop's Rochets, and the Lawn sleeves, the 4. cornered Cap, the Cope and Surplice, the Tippit, the Hood, and the Canonical Coat, the Pulpit clothed, especially now of late with the Jesuits Badge upon them every way.  
XV. The standing up at Gloria Patri, and at the reading the Gospel, praying towards the East, the bowing at the name of JESUS, the bowing to the Altar towards the East, Cross in Baptism, the Kneeling at the Communion.  
XVI. The turning of the Communion Tables Altarwise, setting Jmages, Crucifixes, and Conceits over them, and Tapers and Books upon them, and bowing, and adoring to or before them, the reading of the second Service at the Altar, and forcing people to come up thither to receive, or else denying the Sacrament to them, terming the Altar to be the mercy-seat, or the place of God Almighty in the Church, which is a plain device to usher in the Mass.  
XVII. The Christening and Consecrating of Churches and Chappells, the consecrating Fonts, Pulpits, Tables, Chalices, Churchyards, and many other things, and putting holiness in them; yea, reconsecrating upon pretended pollution, as though every thing were unclean without their Consecrating, and for want of this sundry Churches have been interdicted and kept from use as polluted.  
XVIII. The Liturgy for the most parts framed out of the Romish Breviary Ritualium Mass-book, also the book of Ordination, for Archbishops and Ministers framed out of the Roman Pontifical.  
IX. The multitude of Canons formerly made, wherein, among other things, Excommunication, ipso facto is denounced for speaking of a word against the devises above said or subscription thereunto, though no Law enjoined a restraint from the Ministry without such subscription and Appeal is denied to any that should refuse subscription or unlawful conformity, though he be never so much wronged by the inferiors Judge, also the Canons made in the late sacred Synod, as they call it: wherein are many strange and dangerous Devices to undermine the Gospel, and the Subject's liberties, to propagate Popery to spoil God's people, ensnare Ministers and other Students, and so to draw all into an absolute subjection and thraldom to them and their government, spoiling both the King and the Parliament of their power.  
XX. The countenancing plurality of Benefices, prohibiting of Marriages without their licence at certain times, almost half the year and lycensing of Marriages without Banes ask.  
XXI. Profanation of the Lords day pleading for it, and enjoining Ministers to read a Declaration, set forth, as 'tis thought, by their procurement for tolerating of sports upon that day, suspending and depriving many godly Ministers; for not reading the same only out of Conscience, it was against the Law of God so to do, and no Law of the Land to enjoin it.  
XXII. The pressing of the strict observati●● of S●ints D●yes, whereby great sums of Monies are drawn out of men's purses for working on them, a very high burden on most people, who getting their living by their daily employments, must either omit them and be idle, or part with their money, whereby many poor families are undone, or brought behind hand, yea many Churchwardens are sued, or threatened to be sued by their troublesome Ministers, as perjured persons for not presenting their Parishioners, who failed in observing Holidays.  
XXIII. The great increase and frequency of whoredoms and Adulteries, occasioned by the Prelate's corrupt administration of Justice, in such Cases, who taking upon them the punishment of it, do turn all into monies for the filling of their purses, and lest their Officers should defraud them of their gain, they have in their late Canon, in stead of remedying their vices, decreed that the Commutation of Penance, shall not be without the Bishop's privity.  
XXIV. The general abuse of that great ordinance of Excommunication, which GOD hath left in his Church to be used as the last and greatest punishment the Church can inflict upon obstinate and great Offenders, and that the Prelates and their Officers, who of right, have nothing to do with it do daily excommunicate men either for doing that which is lawful, or for vain idle and trivial matters, as working or opening a shop on a Holiday, for not appearing at every beck upon their summons, not paying a fee or the like, yea they have made it, as they do all other things, a hook or instrument wherewith to empty men's purses, and to advance their own greatness, and so that sacred ordinance of God, by their perverting of it, becomes contemptible to all men, and seldom or never used against notorious offenders, who, for the most part, are their favourites.  
XXV. Yea further the pride and ambition of the Prelates being boundless, unwilling to be subject to either man or Laws, they claim their Office and Jurisdiction to be Jure divino, exercise Ecclesiastical authority in their own names and Rights, and under their own Seals, and take upon them Temporal dignities, places and offices in the Commonwealth, that they may sway both swords.  
XXVI. Whence follows the taking Commissions in their own Courts & Consistories, and where else they sit in matters determinable of Right at Common Law, the putting of Ministers upon Parishes, without the Patrons and people's consent.  
XXVII. The imposing of Oaths of various and trivial Articles yearly upon Churchwardens, and Sidemen, which without perjury, unless they fall at jars continually with their Ministers and Neighbours, and wholly neglect their own calling.  
XXVIII. The exercising of the Oath Ex Officio and other proceed by way of Inquisition reaching even to men's thoughts, the apprehending, and detaining of men by Pursivants, the frequent suspending and depriving of Ministers, fining & imprisoning of all sorts of people, breaking up of men's houses and studies, taking away men's Books, Letters, and other writings, seizing upon their Estates, removing them from their callings, separating between them and their wives against both their wills, the rejecting of prohibitions with threaten and the doing of many other outrages, to the utter infringing the Laws of the Realm, and the Subject's liberties, and arraigning of them and their families, and of latter time, the Judges of the Land are so awed with the power and greatness of the Prelates, and other ways promoted, that neither prohibition, Habeas Corpus or any other lawful remedy can be had or take place for the distressed Subjects in most cases, only Papists, Jesuits, Priests, and such others as propagate Popery or Arminianism are countenanced, spared, & have much liberty, and from hence followed among others these dangerous Consequences.  
1. FIrst the general hope and expectation of the Romish part, that their superstitious Religion will ere long be fully planted in this Kingdom again, and so they are encouraged to persist therein, and to practise the same openly in divers places, to the high dishonour of God, and contrary to the Laws of the Realm.  
II. Secondly, the discouragement and destruction of all good Subjects, of whom all Multitudes both Clothiers, Merchants, and others being deprived of their Ministers, and overburdened with these pressures, have departed the Kingdom to Holland, and other parts, and have drawn with them a great part of manufacture of Cloth and Trading out of the Land into other places, where they reside, whereby wool, the great staple of the Kingdom, is become of small value and vends not, Trading is decayed, many poor people want work, Seamen lose employment, and the whole Land much impoverished, to the great dishonour of this Kingdom, and blemishment to the government thereof.  
III. The present wars and Commotions happened between his Majesty and his Subjects of Scotland, wherein his Majesty and all his Kingdom are endangered, and suffer greatly, and are like to become a prey to the common Enemy, in case the wars go on, which we exceedingly fear, will not only go on, but also increase to an utter Ruin of all, unless the Prelates with their dependencies be removed out of England, and also they and their practices, who, as we, under your Honour's favour, do verily believe and conceive have occasioned the Quarrel.  
All which we humbly refer to the consideration of this Honourable Assembly, desiring the Lord of Heaven to direct you in the right way to redress all these evils.  
FINIS.