M. JENKIN'S RECANTATION, OR His humble ACKNOWLEDGEMENT By way of Petition to the Parliament. Wherein he confesseth his sorrow for his Actings against the State, and the Unsuitableness thereof to his Calling and Profession. As also The Parliaments Answer to his Petition.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1651.   

To the Supreme Authority The Parliament of the Commonwealth of ENGLAND  
The humble Petition of William Jenkin, Prisoner;  
Most humbly showeth,  
THat your Petitioner is unfeignedly sorrowful for all his late miscarriages, whether testified against him, or acknowledged by him; and for the great and sinful unsutableness of them to his Calling and Condition.  
That upon earnest seeking of God, and diligent enquiring into his Will, your Petitioner is convinced that the alteration of Civil Governments are ordered by, and founded by the wise and righteous providences of God; who removeth Kings, and setteth up Kings, ruleth in the Kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will.  
That the providences of this God, have in the judgement of your Petitioner, as evidently appeared in the removing of others from, and investing your Honours with the Government of this Nation, as ever they appeared in the taking away, or bestowing of any Government in any History of any Age of the world.  
That he apprehends that a refusal to be subject to this present Authority, under the pretence of upholding the Title of any upon earth; is a refusal to acquiesce in the wise and righteous pleasure of God; such an opposing of the Government set up by the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth, as none can have peace, either in acting in, or suffering for; and that your Petitioner looks upon it as his Duty, to yield to this Authority all active and cheerful obedience in the Lord, even for Conscience sake: to promise (he being required) truth and fidelity to it; and to hold forth the grounds of his so doing to any, as God shall call him thereunto.  
That though an Imprisonment, accompanied with the loss of estate, and to be followed (without your gracious prevention) with a speedy Arraignment before an high and eminent Judicatory, is far from being pleasing to flesh and blood; and though the enjoyment of your grace and favour be a blessing most deserving to be reckoned among the best of Temporals; yet that neither the feeling and fearing of the former, nor the expectation of the latter, could have induced your petitioner against the light of his own Judgement, and the prepondering part of his own Conscience, to have made or presented this Acknowledgement; he sadly forecasting, that a whole skin is but a contemptible recompense for a wounded Conscience.  
That nevertheless (he trusteth) he shall be excusable in tendering thus far even his outward condition, as to represent to your Honours, that he is in most apparent danger of his irreparable loss of his health (the sweetest of outward blessings) unless by your gracious grant he may speedily enjoy a more free and open Air then this close confinement will allow him.  
And this Christian favour (which even for Christ's sake your poor Petitioner most humbly begs) your Honours are as able to enlarge, even to a pardoning of his offences, and a perfect releasing of him from his Imprisonment, as he is submissively forward in desiring them, though confessedly far from deserving them.  
He nevertheless promising, that your compassionate affording hereof, shall be a strong and standing engagement upon him; daily beseeching the heart-making and heart-changing God, that all those who either through former unaccustomedness, or present inadvertency do not clearly discern the mind of God concerning the alteration of this Government, may by observing your prime and pious industry, to advance throughout this Commonwealth the power of godliness, a Scripture reformation, and the truth as it is in Jesus; be won to a yielding to your honours conscionable obedience; and not only in word, but in heart and life may be true and faithful to this present Government.  
William Jenkin.  
Resolved etc. That M. Jenkin be pardened both for Life and Estate; and that M. Attorney General be required to prepare the Pardon to be passed under the great Seal of England; and that his body be forthwith discharged 〈◊〉 Imprisonment, and his Estate from Sequestration.  
FINIS.