THE PETITION Of the Knights, Gentlemen, and Free-holders of the County of North-hampton: Together with the two Petitions of the Knights, Gentlemen, Ministers, Free-holders, and other Inhabitants of the County of Kent, as they were presented to both Houses of Parliament on the eighth, and ninth of February.  
Printed at London for F. Couls, and T. Banks. 1642.   

To the Honourable, the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses assembled in the Commons House of Parliament.  
The humble Petition of the Knights, Gentlemen, and Free-holders of the county of Northampton.  
Sheweth,  
THat the Petitioners desirous to declare their real approbation of your proceedings in Parliament, ever since the beginning thereof, do in all thankfulness aclowledge the great pains and faithfulness you have manifested in the good laws enacted, justice done upon Delinquents, and many heavy pressures removed, in divers Rights and Liberties restored, great dangers prevented, desperate plots defeated, and provision made for their future prosperity and security, in the satisfaction given to all his Majesties loyally affencted Subjects, by publishing your late Remo●strance of the kingdom, so necessary to the removing of those aspersions, which were by malignant spirits cast upon your proceedings, and preventing those evils which might have followed ther●upon.  
And whereas the Petitioners, as well by your good beginnings, as by your said Remonstrance, have been encouraged to expect a perfect R●formation in Religion, and happy settling of the affairs of the Common-wealth: But now, to their great grief, do find your good endeavours therein much interrupted, and almost frustrated by the malignant party; designs daily multiplied against the Religion, laws, and Liberties of thi● kingdom, dangers threatened fr●m f●rraine Invasions and home-conspiracies, persons disaff●ct●d to the peace of the kingdom tumultu●usly assem●led, to the great disquiet of his Majesties good Subjects, the privileges of Parliament lately broken in an unexampled manner; some Members of either House charged and ●●●sued in a violent and u●usall way, the Popish Rebels in ●●eland increased in number and boldness, to practise inhuman and outrageous cruelties against the Protestants there; ●a●y B●ls and other good Propositions sent from your ●ou●e, passing no further; which the Petitioners look upon as issues of bad counsels, and the Voting of Popish Lords and Bishops in the House of peers.  
The Petitioners humbly pray the continuance of your endeavours, towards the perfecting such a Reformation in Church and Common-wealth, as in your wisdom shall be thought fit. That the designs of such as are popishly and sed●tiously affencted, may be frustrate; and his Majesties good Subjects s●cured from fear and danger; That you will be a means to his majesty and the House of peers, that the V●tes of Popish Lords and Bishops in that House may be taken away, evil counsellors removed, the Papists disarmed, and the persons of the principal of them secured: The late designs against his majesty, the Parliament, and kingdom, preached to the bottom; that the Authors of them may be discovered, and receive condign punishment, who ever, and how great soever they be: The Tower of London, and the Isle of Wight, and other places of importance to the safety of the kingdom, put into such hands as may be confided in: The Militia of the kingdom so disposed, that it may be in a posture of defence upon any immergent occasions; scandalous Ministers outed, the Protestants in Ireland speedily relieved, the Petitioners assured of the freedom of their persons, as well as of the property in their estates; and those liberties derived to their p●steritie, which have been preserved to themselves, by the often expense of the blood of their Ancestors. And that in all the particulars mentioned, you will use such lawful ways and means, as the present necessity, and desperate condition wherein the kingdom is, shall sugg●st unto you.  
And the Petitioners, according to their duty, do humbly offer their persons, estates, and utmost power ▪ to the defence of the Kings majesty, the privileges and Rights of Parliament, your Persons and Orders, which shall be for the honour of God, the peace and happiness of this kingdom, against whatsoever power shall be employed to the danger of your persons, and disturbance of your proceedings.  
And all shall add their daily prayers to God for your safety and prosperity.  

Subscribed at the Swan in Northampton, Ian. 21. with these names.  
Fra. nicols.  
John Cartwright,  
Erasmus Driden.  
Devoreux Farmer.  
Richard Samwell.  
Clifton Catesby,  
Rich. Samwell, jun.  
John Ward.  
John Maunsell.  
Richard Knightley.  
Ed. hardy.  
jo. Sawyer.  
Tho. Pentlow.  
jo. kirk.  
William Ward.  
George Needham.  
George Grendon.  
William Waters.    

To the Right Honourable the House Peers assembled in Parliament.  
The humble Petition of the Knights, Gentlemen, Ministers, Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Kent.  
Sheweth.  
THat the Petitioners do with joy and humble thankfulness aclowledge the good Correspondency and Concurrence, which( by the blessing of God) this Honourable House h●th held w●th the Worthy House of Commons, in passing the Bill to take away the Votes of the prelates in this Honourable Hous●, and ●isabling them from temporal employments; And for setting the kingdom into a Posture of War for its defence.  
And the Petitioners do in like manner most humbly and hearty profess, That they will ever honour this Honourable House, and to the utmost of their power defend the same, so far as your Lordships shall continue to hold Corr●sp●ndence and Concurrence with the said House of Commons in all their just desires and endeavours. Upon which the Petitioners do humbly conceive, greatly dependeth the peace and W●lfare of this kingdom.  
And the Petitioners most humbly pray, That this Honouable House( declaring therein your Noble Resolutions for he public good) would bee pleased to go on with the said House of Commons, to a through Reformation, especially of the Church, according to the Word of God; To press dispaech for the relief of Ireland; To expedite proceedings against Delinquents; To Vindicate Parliament privileges; To discover, remove, and punish evil Counsellors; To deprive the Popish Lords of their Votes; to disarm and scarch ●ut Papists, and put them into fafe custody; To suppress mass, both in public and private; To cast out scandalous Ministers, plant painful Preachers every where; And discover who are Church Papists, as well as known Recusantss.  
And the Petitioners shall daily pray.   

To the Honourable, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons House now assembled in Parliament.  
The humble Petition of many Knights, Gentlemen, Freeholders and other Inhabitants in the ▪ County of Kent.  
Sheweth ▪  
THat we these many years past have been pressed with many unusual and heavy burdens on our consciences and states, to our great grief and discouragement, yet good hath been shewed us from the Lord our God, who hath extended mercy to us to give us a little reviving by the provideece and uncessant care of this Honourable House, whose matchless diligence hath already removed many almost insuperable difficulti●s, whose pious intentions( under our God) upholds our hopes for removal of al our pres●ures which continue upon us by the Popish Lords and Prelates with their party in the House of Peers, which have been the great oppos●rs of your just proceedings and zealous endeavours, whereby our grievances increase upon us.  
First the trade of clothing being decayed to the impoverishing of the County, and to the bringi●g of many thousands of the poor d●pending thereon to unavoidable necessities.  
2. That this his Maj●sties County bordering upon the Sea cost is exposed to danger by foreign enemies, whose fears threaten us being greatly weakened by so many arms forced from us for the Northern Service.  
3. That our brethren the Protestants in Ireland lye bleeding under the inhuman hand of Popish Rebels, who have conspired and lift up the head to root out true religion there, and without timely prevention to cause confusion here.  
4. That the privileges of Parliament( in the peac● whereof ●s our peace) broken in so a unparelled a manner, to the great amazement of us, who according to our duty are come to make expression of ●ur loyalty to our sovereign and fidelity to his Parliament, in maintaining and defending, as far as lawfully we may, with our lives, power and estates his Majesties royal Person and privileges of Parliament against all adversary attempts.  
Wherefore our ardent prayer is that by the wisdom of this Honourable House the popish Lords may be outed the House of Peers, the causes of our grievances taken away, the County put in a posture of defence, the ports fortified and committed to trusty hands, our arms restored, the fire in Ireland sp●edily quenched, delinquents punished, and the privileges of Parliament confirmed, which will turn our mourning into a good day.  
And wee shall pray that God would crown this happy Parliament with such success, that the Lord may be an habitation of Iustice, and the Church the m●untaine of holinesse,  
FINIS.