THE REMONSTRANCE AND PETITION OF THE County of huntingdon, the Knights, Gentlemen, Clergy, Freeholders, and Inhabitants.  
To the Right Honourable the Lords, and Commons assembled in Parliament, for the continuance of the Church-government, and DIVINE SERVICE, or Book of COMMON PRAYER.  Matth. 21. vers. 13. 
My house shall be called the house of Prayer.  
IN DOMINO 〈…〉  
Printed in the Year. 1641.   

TO THE RIGHT honourable THE LORDS AND COMMONS ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.  
We humbly show,  
THat whereas many attempts have been practised, and divers Petitions from several Counties, and other places within this Kingdom, framed and penned in a close and subtle manner, to import more than is at first discernible by any ordinary eye, or that was imparted to those who signed the same, have been carried about to most places against the present form and frame of Church-government, and Divine Service, or Common Prayers, and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality solicited to the same with pretence to be presented to this Honourable Assembly in Parliament, and under colour of removing some innovations lately crept into the Church, and Worship of God, and reforming some abuses in the ecclesiastical Courts, which we conceiving and fearing not so much to aim at the taking away of the said innovations, and reformation of abuses, as tending to an absolute innvovation of Church-government, and subversion of that Order and form of Divine Service which hath happily continued amongst us ever since the Reformation of Religion: Out of a tender and zealous regard hereunto, we have thought it our duty, not onely to disavow all such Petitions, but also to manifest our public affections, and desires to continue the form of Divine Service, and Common Prayers, and the present Government of the Church, as the same have been continued since the first Reformation, and stand so established by the laws and Statutes of this Kingdom.  
For when we consider that the form of Divine Service expressed and contained in the Book of Common Prayer, was with great care, piety, and sincerity revised and reduced from all former corruptions and Romish Superstitions, by those holy and selected Instruments of the Reformation of Religion within this Church, and was by them restored to its first purity, according as it was instituted and practised in the Primitive times, standeth confirmed, established, and enjoined by Act of Parliament, and royal Injunctions, and hath ever since had the general approbation of the Godly, and a public use and continuance within this Church. And that Bishops were instituted, and have had their being and continuance ever since the first planting of Christian Religion amongst us, and the rest of the Christian world, that they were the lights and glorious Lamps of Gods Church, that so many of them sowed the seeds of Christian Religion in their bloods, which they willingly powred out therefore, that by them Christianity was rescued and preserved from utter extirpation in the fierce and most cruel Persecutions of Pagan Emperours, that to them we owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospel, and the Reformation of the Religion we now profess from Romish corruption, that many of them for the propagation of that Truth became glorious Martyrs, leaving unto us an holy example, and an honourable remembrance of their faith and Christian fortitude, that divers of them lately, and yet living with us have have been so great asserters and Champions of our Religion against the common Enemy of Rome, and that their Government hath been so ancient, so long approved, and so often established by the laws and Statutes of this Kingdom, and as yet nothing in their Doctrine( generally taught) dissonant from the Word of God, or the Articles established by Law, and that most of them are of singular learning and piety. In this case to call the form of Divine Service and Common Prayers Erroneous, Popish, Superstitious, Idolatrous and Blasphemous, and to call the Government by Bishops, a perpetual vassalage, and intolerable bondage: and at the first step, and before the parties concerned be heard, to pray the present removal of them, or the utter dissolution and extirpation of them, their Courts, and their Officers, as Antichristian and diabolical, we cannot conceive to savour or relish of piety, justice, or charity, nor can we join with them herein, but rather humbly pray a Reformation of the abuses, and punishment of the offenders, but not the ruin or abolition of the innocent.  
Now on the contrary, when we consider the tenor of such writings, as in the name of Petitions are spread amongst the common people, the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming at London, and over all Countries, the Sermons preached publicly in Pulpits, and other private places, and the bitter invectives divulged, and commonly spoken by many disaffected persons, all of them showing an extreme averseness and dislike of the pr●●●t Government of the Church, and Divine Service, or Common Prayers, dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established form of Government and Church Service, their several intimations of the desire of the power of the keys, and that their congregations may be independent, and may execute ecclesiastical censures within themselves, whereby many Sects and several and contrary opinions will soon grow and arise, whereby great divisions and horrible factions will soon ensue thereupon, to the breach of that union, which is the sacred band and preservation of the common peace of Church and State: their peremptory desires and bold assuming to themselves the liberty of conscience to introduce into the Church whatsoever they affect, and to refuse and oppose all things which themselves shall dislike, and what they dislike must not onely to themselves but also to all others be scandalous and burdensome, and must be cried out upon, as great and unsupportable grievances, yea though the things in themselves be never so indifferent, of never so long continuance in use and practise, and never so much desired and affencted of others, so that where three or four of them be in a Parish, though five hundred others desires the use and continuance of things long used, all must be altered or taken away as scandals and grievances for these three or four, though to the offence of many others, and whatsoever they will have introduced, must be imposed upon all others, and must by all be admitted without scandal or offence, whereby multitudes of godly and well-affected people are in some things deprived or abridged of what they desire and take comfort in, and have had a long and lawful use and practise of, and other things imposed upon them against their wils and liking, as if no account were to be made of them, or no liberty of conscience were left unto them: which bold attempts of some few to arrogate to themselves, and to exercise over all others, what high presumption is it? and how great a tyranny may it prove over the mindes and consciences of men? The great increase of late of schismatics and Sectaries, and of persons not only separating and sequestering themselves from the public Assembly at Common Prayers and Divine Service, but also opposing, and tumultuously interrupting others in the performance thereof in the public Congregation, the frequent and many Conventicles held amongst them, and their often meetings at all public conventions of Assizes, Sessions, fairs, Markets, and other public Assemblies, their earnest labouring to solicit and draw the people to them, and the general correspondence held amongst them to advance their ends herein. Of these things we cannot but take notice, and must needs express our just fears, that their desires and endeavours are to work some great change and mutation in the present state of the Church Government, and in the form of the public Worship of God, and Divine Service, and Common Prayers.  
Of the common grievances of the Kingdom, we as others, have been and are sensible, and do profess that we have just cause with joy and comfort to remember, and with thankfulnessesse to aclowledge the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the growth of Popery, the better supply of able and painful Ministers, and the removing of all innovation, and we doubt not but in your great wisdoms you will regulate the rigour and exorbitancy of the Eccles●asticall Courts to svit with the temper of our Common laws, and the nature and condition of freemen: And we hope and humbly pray, that the present form of Church government and of Church service, and Common Prayers now established by the Statutes of this Kingdom shal be settled, and that all such as shall oppose themselves against the same, or shall do or speak any thing in derogation or depraving of the said Divine Service, or Book of Common Prayer may without any further toleration or connivance undergo the pains, punishment, and forfeitures due therefore; and that such care shall be taken for placing of orthodox and peaceable men, Lecturers in all places, whose Doctrine may tend rather to sound instruction and edification than led to schism and Faction; all which we humbly submit to your great judgements, and shal pray to God to assist and direct you from above with his heavenly wisdom, to guide and bring all your consultations to happy conclusions.  
FINIS.