THE humble PETITIONS OF THE bailiffs, PORT-MEN, AND OTHER the Inhabitants of Ipswich, in the County of suffolk.  
LONDON: Printed for H. Blunden. 1641.   

TO THE honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, of the House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT.  
The humble Petition of the bailiffs, Portmen, and other the Inhabitants of the Town of Ipswich in the County of suffolk.  
Sheweth,  
THat your Petitioners having heretofore complained to this honourable assembly of many pressures upon their consciences, and oppression in their estates and liberties, by Bishop Wren and his Officers, and the scandalous Ministers by him brought in amongst us, in the room of those godly and able Pastors, which were by him suspended, and drawn from us, or vexed even to death: And having had a liberty( through the favour and patience of this honourable House, which we most thankfully aclowledge) to make our proofs of our suggestions, and having along time waited for justice to be done upon those offenders, are now constrained to let this honourable assembly know, that we still suffer under the malign influence of some of the parties, who either are not cast out from us, or boast of their hopes to return and do as formerly; and that we are not clear of all fears of a reflux of miseries, in regard whereof we cannot prevail with godly and able Ministers to settle with us, whereby divers of our Parishes are without preaching, to the increase of profaneness on the Lords day and other times amongst us.  
And therefore humbly pray for the prosecution of these Delinquents to sentence and execution thereof. And further sheweth,  
That we have long languished under the manifold distempers and calamities, which have overspread and overwhelmed this whole Kingdom, to the dishonour and hazard of the destruction thereof, manifested in your late Remonstrance, and are very apprehensive of the fervent zeal, and pious intentions, and unparalleled pains, for the relief and removal thereof, That being a populous and Port Town, subsisting chiefly by Clothing and Shipping, whereof we have many able for traffic and service of the State upon all occasions, we do quickly feel and suffer deeply in the distrubance and decay of Trading and Merchant affairs in London and elsewhere And that we are equally sensible with the city, and other parts of the Kingdom, who have already complained of the multiplying and increase of the general and public distempers, threatening confusion and ruin by reason of the delays in relief of distressed Ireland, and the dangers threatened from thence to us; The supply of arms and Ammunition the Rebels there have had from foreign parts, and the encouragement from the Popish party here; the number, liberty, power, and boldness of the Papists and their party; The corrupt clergy and laity in England, acted by the same principles with the Papists in Ireland, and encouraged by their success, and the not executing the Laws against the condemned Priests and others, and the licence Traitors and other ill-affected persons have to pass the Sea, and escape the justice of Parliament, and do us mischief in other places; The rumours of great preparations in foreign parts; The not putting of the Kingdom into a posture of defence, nor the Forts and Megazines into safe hands, The defects of arms in our Trained Bands, now altogether unexercised; The sad and unhappy misunderstanding between the King and Parliament by evil Councellors; The interruptions of your proceedings which under God are the great security of our hopes; The high and destructive breaches of Parliament by violent attempts, which struck us with no little amazement and terror, The stoping of many good bills and other preparations for Reformation in Church and Commonwealth by the Prelates and Popish Lords in the House of Peers, The standing of Bishops and their officers in their places, The imposition and urging of the Service Book and Ceremonies, therein being the misery of a dumb and ignorant ministry, the occasion and blindness and superstition in the people.  
The Petitioners therefore do in all humility assume that boldness to declare to this honourable assembly, that they have in due and high esteem your cares and travels, for the safety and welfare of the public; And they are unfeignedly willing, and shall be ready with their utmost power, lives, and estates according to their Protestation, to do service both by Sea and Land, for the maintenance and defence of the true reformed Protestant Religion, his Majesties royal Person, the power and privileges of Parliament, and the Members thereof, &c.  
And do humbly pray that your serious councils, and unweatied Labours for the Common good, may with all alacrity and vigour be continued, that the government and discipline of our Church be perfectly reformed, according to the light of Gods Word, A course taken for the purging of the Church, of unable and unfaithful Ministers, and for a supply and maintenance of better, And a Reformation made in the universities, the Nourseries of our public ministry, by advice of a free and general Synod, That Ireland may be timely succoured, The Votes of Popish Lords in the House of Peers taken away; The Papists disabled from doing mischief, and the Laws put in execution against them; Delinquents brought to condign punishment; That the Kingdom may be put into a posture of defence; Our Port Town secured; The Forts, M●gazines, and other strength of the Kingdom, with the guarding of the Narrow Seas, be put into the hands of such as the Parliament may confided in; That the privileges of Parliaments may be maintained, and the breaches thereof vindicated; That this honourable House be a mean to his majesty, and the House of Peers, for their concurrence to the healing up of the breaches, and quieting the distractions, and redressing grievances, and causes of our fears before complained of.  
And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.  
FINIS.