HONI SOIT MAL Y PENSE emblem THE humble PETITION OF The peaceful, obedient, religious, and honest Protestants of this kingdom, presented unto the Honourable House of Commons, in their behalf, by Doctor Hynton, 1642. With an Answer to the several Objections proposed against him concerning the Protestants Petition, by a Committee appointed from the Honourable House of COMMONS. Printed in the year 1642: The humble Petition of the peaceful, Obedient, religious, and honest protestants Of this kingdom, presented unto the Honourable House of Commons, in their behalf, by Doctor Hynton. THat you will be pleased to reflect upon the divine Service of God, according to the ancient laws of this kingdom, that thereby the poor Protestants between the two extremities of zeal may not suffer a disturbance of their religion. That you will be pleased to preserve God's anointed his immediate Vicegerent our true and lawful sovereign's Lord the King, in his person in all his regal dignities and lawful immunities without any impeachment of his Regality, in whose honour the reputation of the kingdom depends. That you will be pleased to ratify and confirm all things both concerning His Majesty and the state of this kingdom as they were in those blessed days of Queens Elizabeth and King James, that we may thereby live in these latter and turbulent times, with as much peace to our consciences, with as much dignity to our Nation, in as true love and obedience to our lawful sovereign, and with as much liberty and liberality of our fortunes as our forefathers heretofore have done. That you will not suffer Learning to be defaced nor discountenanced by the ignorant, but rather that you will be pleased to advance is to its Dignity, it being the main supporter of lawful obedience, of order, civility, and regularity in all States. That you will be pleased to qualify the exorbitances of the S●… and unworthy persons, that thereby the City of London and the suburbs may be disburdened from their continual cares and fear it besides their loss of time, healths, and fortunes, which the T●…bands, and the double and treble watches and wards continually 〈◊〉 sustain. That you will be pleased, as the State hath by election both made you members of this Honourable House, and adopted you our Fathers to govern our fortunes, to establish our laws, and to regulate our actions: so we now beseech you to satisfy our consciences, to preserve our reputations, and to admit of a liberal and free debate in Parliament, concerning all these particulars, without interruption, that thereby the glory of God may be exalted, the dignity of our King and kingdom preserved, the immunities of the House according to the ancient custom of England continued, all precipitated tumults appeased, all discords amongst us peacefully united, the valiant and re●…ned acts of our predecessors revived, our tottering fortunes established, our King and kingdom united; that so our minds and conscTences may be fully satisfied, &c. Answer to several Objections concerning the Protestants Petition. 1. QuestVPon what reason do you present this Petition in the name of the Gentlemen of the four inns of Court? Ans. My meaning was; because the Gentlemen of the inns of Court, having lately appeared before the face of the Court, to preserve the King's person, according to their allegiance, his Majesty being in eminent danger, as they conceived, which might not s●eme altogether conformable in these turbulent times, being not invoked by public authority, therefore I deemed it not much incongruent for me; having been a member of that Society, to make my address unto this honourable House, without their especial advice, by preferring an humble Petition, which might manifest a perfect intention of their true devotion, both towards your Honourable Assembly; as also unto their country. 2. Quest. Why did you not take the advice of some particular friends, or of some one inns of Court rather than the general, and for all the Protestants of England? Ans. My meaning was, because I did conceive that the Petition being universal and concerning all the loyal Protestants of this kingdom, it required a general counsel of the whole four inns of Court; that thereby through a perfect and judicious judgement it might receive the better influence from the whole kingdom, upon whose counsel this Nation doth most depend. 3. Quest. What do you mean by the reflection upon the divine service of God? Ans. My intention was that the divine service of God might be duly executed, by reason of our daily schismatical interruptions, frequently appearing in some of our Churches, manifestly repugning the Protestant professed faith in our Religion. 4. Quest. What do you mean by the two extremities of zeal? Ans. My meaning was Jesuits and Brownists. 5. Quest. do you not think that we have as much care to preserve the King's person as you, what do you mean by that? Ans. My meaning was, that you would be pleased to appoint an especial guard to preserve the King's person, by reason of the multitude of people which pass by the Court gate in troops, with acclamations, and in a tumultuous manner. 6. Quest. What do you intend by the King's immunities? Ans. My meaning was, all the Kings regal dignities, it being the glory of our Nation. 7. Quest. Do you intend by settling things as they were in Queen Elizabeth's and King James his days, to abrogate those laws which we have enacted in this Parliament? Answ. God forbid: but my meaning was, that you would be pleased to settle us in that happy peace among us which our Predecessors most happily enjoyed in those precedent days both with our King and Country, without any impeachment or diminution of those laudable and worthy laws by your Honourable House hitherto established. 8. Quest. What do you mean by the peace of your conscience? Ans. My meaning was, that being devoutly employed in the divine service of God, we might not be interrupted in our devotions by the Papists and Separatists. 9 Quest. What do you intend by the defacing of Learning? Answ. My meaning was, the manifest and daily affronts which our honest and learned Divines sustain by schismatical persons, both in the Church and public places, to the great dishonour and dis-repuration of Learning. 10. Quest. What do you intend by the advancement to its dignity? Answ. My meaning was, that Doctors and cobblers might not be equal competitors, but that the cobbler might not go beyond his Last. 10. Quest. What do you intend by Separatists? Ans. My meaning was, the Brownists and Nonconformists to the established doctrine in our true Protestant Church of England, so anciently professed by our predecessors. 12. Quest. Why do you endeavour to introduce the Gentlemen of the inns of Court to petition for the train Band, and double Watches? Ans. My meaning was, because the Gentlemen of the inns of Court having the custody of many and great estates, aught to endeavour a general pacification, that thereby the train Bands, and extraordinary Watches may as well be relieved from their chargeable and careful attendance, as we of our continual fear with dangerous tumults. 13. Quest. What do you intend by free debate in Parliament, without interruption or fear of punishment? Ans. My meaning was, that there may be some on the behalf of the Petition admitted to a liberal and free discourse before the Parliament, concerning the particulars, without fear of punishment. 14. Quest. What do you intend by the valiant and renowned acts of your predecessors? Ans. My meaning was, but only a lively expression, to retain the dignity of our Nation. Quest. 15. What do you mean by this Protest? Ans. My meaning was, no more but to testify my innocency, and the reality of my heart to serve my God, my King, and Country. 16. Quest. What advice and counsel had you to draw up this Petition, and is this your true Copy? Ans. I do confess this to be my true Copy, and do most seriously protest, that I had neither counsel nor advice from any man towards the contriving, either of the heads thereof, or this rough and impolished draught; and I take God to witness, the publication thereof was never. Intended without a general and exact counsel upon every particular, that thereby it might appear laudable before God and man; and therefore I humbly crave and beseech your favourable construction of this loose Paper, submitting myself in all humility to the grave wisdoms of your Honourable Assembly; and with a cheerful heart ready to sacrifice my life and fortune at your commands. FINIS.