A PETITION FOR PEACE: OR, The humble Petition of divers well affected Magistrates, Ministers, and other Inhabitants in the City of London, and parts adjacent,  
PRESENTED To both Houses of PARLIAMENT on Wednesday the 12. of July, 1648.  
With the ANSWER of the Honourable House of Commons thereunto.  
ALSO, Alderman Fowk's SPEECH, made to both Houses of Parliament, at the presenting of the said Petition.  
Die Mercurii, 12 Julii, 1648.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That the Petition, and this Answer unto it be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, July 14. 1648.   

Alderman Fowk's Speech, made to both Houses of Parliament, july 12. 1648.  
May it please you, Mr. Speaker,  
DIvers Magistrates, Ministers, Citizens, and other Inhabitants in the City of London and parts adjacent, who have been, and still do continue faithful to the Parliament of England (being very sensible of the great danger that the Parliament and all that have adhered to them are now in, and the causes thereof) have thought it seasonable (in discharge of their duty to Almighty God and this Kingdom, and in pursuance of their Protestation, Vow and Covenant) by Petition, humbly to express their sense of our present condition, to pray, That you will adhere to, and not recede from those first and just Principles, by which you have engaged all the honest well-affected people of the three Kingdoms to serve you; and to Declare, That the Petitioners, with many thousands more, as formerly, so are still ready, in pursuance of the said Protestation, Vow and Covenant, with their Lives and Estates, to adventure all with you and your Forces, in this Common Cause, against all opposition.  
This Petition (Mr. Speaker) is the work of very few days, yet many thousands have subscribed it, and more have done the like; but the Petitioners wanted time to affix their Names hereunto: It is accompanied only with Twenty of the Petitioners in obedience to your Order made to that purpose, and in regard of former inconveniences happened by a more numerous attending Petitions.  
Of these Twenty persons (Mr. Speaker) some are Magistrates of London and parts adjacent, some are Reverend Ministers of the Assembly and City, some are Noble Colonels, and other Commanders, and the rest all Gentlemen of good quality, by whose appointment, and in the Name of all that have subscribed it, I do humbly present it to the grave and serious consideration of this Honourable House.  

To the Right Honourable, The Lords and Commons assembled IN PARLIAMENT:  
The humble Petition of divers well-affected Magistrates, Ministers, Citizens, and other Inhabitants in the City of London and parts adjacent:  
SHOWETH,  
THat we cannot but take notice of the many obstructions you have met withal, whilst with indefatigable care & diligence you have been earnestly labouring and endeavouring the deliverance of the people of this Kingdom from those many and great invasions made, and much more intended upon our Religious and Civil Liberties, had not you (assisted by the Almighty God) interposed; for which we cannot but render all humble and hearty thanks: and now finding the same evil spirit reviving, and working much more strongly and effectually, though much more closely and cunningly, under specious pretences, attempting that by subtlety, which they through the goodness of our God could not obtain by power, using such things as an occasion and means to divide, which at first were ordained for the uniting of all the godly and honest people of the three Kingdoms, upon safe and just Principles (viz.) the Protestation of May 1641. the Vow in June 1643. and the Solemn League and Covenant in February 1643. and other your several Votes and Declarations to the same effect: although your Petitioners do most hearty desire a right understanding, and happy reconcilement between the King and Parliament, yet it is far from the thoughts of the Petitioners (and they hope of any others, that have lately out of good affection petitioned for a Personal Treaty) to make use of the Tumults, Commotions, Revolts of Castles and Ships (thereby engaging the Kingdom in a new War) or of any other difficulties the Parliament hath been or may be exposed unto, to precipitate their Counsels, or to destroy their Forces that now are or hereafter shall be raised, being (as the Petitioners humbly conceive) contrary to their said Protestation, Vow and Covenant, as it is also to necessitate the Parliament to a Treaty, until such satisfaction and security be first given, as may attain the ends of our former engagements.  

Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray, That you will adhere to the said Protestation. Vow and Covenant, & to the constant tenor of all your former Declarations, and not recede from those first and just Principles (viz.) the safety of yourselves, and all that have and shall adhere to you, and the Reformation and Preservation of Religion, and the maintenance and defence of our Laws and Liberties, which you have openly held forth to all the world, and by which you have engaged all the honest and well-affected people of the three Kingdoms, to serve you with their lives and estates, lest you betray yourselves and them to the merciless cruelties of those that seek your and their destruction, and draw the blood of many innocent persons upon you and yours.  
For prevention whereof, your Petitioners further humbly desire, you will faithfully persevere in the due prosecution of your said just undertake and engagements, and that such a course by your wisdoms may be taken for security and satisfaction to be given as aforesaid, that neither His Majesty, nor any other, may have occasion or opportunity of renewing the old, or raising a new War; and in so doing, that God who hath hitherto owned you and your cause, will assuredly do so still, and we your Petitioners with many thousands more (as formerly) so are still ready in pursuance of the said Protestation, Vow and Covenant, with their lives and estates, to adventure all with you and your forces in this common cause, against all opposition.  
And we shall ever pray, etc.     

THE ANSWER OF The Commons assembled in Parliament TO The aforesaid Petition.  
THe House being informed, That divers Aldermen, Magistrates, Ministers, Officers of the Soldiery, Gentlemen and Citizens were at the door, desirous to present a Petition to the House, they were called in, and Mr. Alderman Fowk, after some short Preamble, did present the Petition, the which, the Petitioners being withdrawn, was read, and was entitled, The humble Petition of divers well-affected Magistrates, Ministers, and other Inhabitants in the City of London, and parts adjacent.  
The Petitioners were again called in, and Mr. Speaker by the Command of the House, delivered them an Answer to their Petition to this effect;  
The House hath received your Petition, and taken into their serious consideration the matter thereof; They find it, A Petition for Peace, for Peace indeed, such a Peace as is pursued by this House, and all honest men, with preservation of Religion, Laws and Liberties of the Subjects in a safe and well-grounded Peace, upon the Principles whereupon we first engaged.  
They look also upon the seasonableness of it, at such time when men's Spirits, by the Artifice of Malignants, are so heightened against the Parliament, that honest men scarce dare own the former Cause; and yet at this time you dare justify your first Principles: And when there is scarce power to imprison any of our Enemies that either hath or doth now engage in these new and bloody Designs without Tumults and Rescues, and yet now you dare avouch your former undertake.  
They also observe the Qualities of your persons, Divers Aldermen, and great Magistrates of the City of London, many Reverend Ministers, who have always held close to the Cause, and many Noble Commanders and Officers, and other the Gentlemen of birth and quality, that have less valued their blood, than the hazard and loss of so Noble an Undertaking; In which they perceive the constancy of your Resolutions to the Cause of the Kingdom, and of your Affections to this House.  
I am commanded to give you their real and hearty thanks, and to Declare unto you, That they are resolved to adhere to their first Principles, and with their Lives and Fortunes maintain the same, and all that do adhere to them therein; and also do approve of your Petition, and the matter thereof: And they have further Commanded me to assure you, That in the composing of the Peace they are now upon, they will take care of the preservation of Religion, Laws and Liberties of all those that have or shall adhere and remain constant to these ends.  
H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.  
FINIS.