The Copy of the Petition presented to the Honourable Houses of Parliament, by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, &c.  
Wherein the said Archbishop desires that he may not be transported beyond the Seas into New England with Master Peter's, in regard of his extraordinary age and weakness.   portrait of william laud with city background 
London printed for Io. Smith, near the new exchange. 1643.   

THE Humble Petition of William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury, and now prisoner in the Tower. To the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that this grave Assembly would permit or give way, that the Petitioner might not be transported into New England with Mr. Peter's in regard of his age.  
Humbly showeth,  
THat your Petitioners constant solitude here in this place, hath given him time to consider of Your Petitioners self and his actions, especially the latter, which as they had divers motives and ends from whence they sprung and whither they tended, so according to them your Petitioner was generally censured; your humble Petitioner therefore will here lay down what your Petitioner did labour for, and upon what grounds, that every one may see that human intents are not always prosperous in their events, for which your Petitioner is now exceedingly troubled and grieved, humbly desiring that your Petitioners present sufferings and sorrow may be considered in mercy and compassion. And whereas it is chiefly laid unto your Petitioners charge that your Petitioner sought and endeavoured to change the present Religion, and instead thereof to introduce Innovation and Popery; which purpose was so odious and hateful to the people, that being once possessed of this opinion, they generally cried down your Petitioners purposes and intents, who knowing the great diversity of Religions which have been and are in the World, and the strange fantastical exorbitancy of some of them, which agreeing in many things and in their chief principles and foundations, do yet exceedingly differ in many points and Tenets which they do severally hold and maintain.  
Upon those considerations your Petitioner thought it would become his place being Archbishop of Canterbury, and Primate of all England, to show a fervent zeal to Christianity, in reconciling as much as might be the Protestant and Cotholique Religion together, that though the principles of both were inconsistent, and in many things far different, yet they might be in some sort made conformable the one to the other, and be brought at least to as near a distance as possible could any way be devised, that so they should agree in such points as formerly they varied about. And your Petitioner having made this the groundwork of your petitioners labours, hoping that if your petitioner could effect that which your petitioner had propounded, her Majesty seeing that all differences of opinion are not fundamental and of Faith, might be reconciled in some sort, her Majesty would more easily be drawn to adhere and join with our Church; so your petitioners end and purpose of all your petitioners endeavours was not Innovation of Religion, but to work such a conformation and likeness in both, that her majesty's opinion might be drawn on and induced to embrace the Truth, holding thereby to be a speedy means of her majesty's conversion. If therefore your petitioners hearty zeal to God's glory, and her majesty's conversion to the protestant Faith by that means and may which your petitioner intended, did not work that great and good effect in her Majesty as was expected, nor the petitioners endeavours in that kind were held fitting and agreeable to the petitioners dignity and place: your petitioner doth implore this grave and Honourable Assembly, that in Mercy, not in judgement your compassion may be showed, in pardoning those errors wherein your petitioner hath offended. For all men, especially such as are advanced to these eminent Honours, (which your petitioner lately enjoyed) are subject to the common condition of human frailty in matters of Judgement, showing themselves in the greatest estate to be but men ready to err, and fall from the happiness wherein time and favour had invested them, and that most commonly in age, wherein your petitioner deeply stepped forward even to the years of 68 all his desires having proceeded contrary and thwart to those grounds whereon they were builded.  
Your Petitioner therefore humbly beseeches, that in his age and last part of his Life, this grave and Honourable counsel, now Assembled in high Court of Parliament would look upon him in mercy, and not permit or suffer your Petitioner to be transported, to endure the hazard of the Se●s, and the long tediousness of Voyage into those transmarine parts, and cold Countries, which would soon bring your Petitioners life to a period; but rather that your petitioner may abide in his Native Country, until your petitioner shall pay the debt which is due from him to Nature, and so your petitioner doth submit himself to your Honourable and grave wisdoms for your petitioners request and desire therein.  
And Your Petitioner shall humbly pray, &c. From the Tower of London, this 6th. of May. 1643.  
FINIS.