To the honourable the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses Of the House of Commons in PARLIAMENT assembled. The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Parishes, of Stepney, Shoreditch, Whitchappell and Algate, the Chappelgy of Wapping, the Precinct of St. Katherins, and the Parish of St. Peter Advincula, adjacent to the TOWER, and without the liberties of LONDON.  
Shows,  
THAT a great part of the Inhabitants of the Places abovesaid, are Mariners, and other Persons belonging to Navigation, who are often at Sea, or aboard their Ships and Vessels, and so their Houses and Families left destitute of defence, and exposed to danger in time of any Uproare; Another part of the same Inhabitants, are Trained Soldiers (bearing their own charges) under the command of the Lieutenant of the Tower, at whose pleasure they are called, either in their whole number, or several smaller divisions of them, both night and day into the Tower, to do service there, or unto other places remote from their own dwellings, whereby also their Houses and Families are destitute of defence, and open to like danger in time of any commotion; And the residue of the said Inhabitants, are moft Handy-crafts-men, undisciplined in Military affairs, not set in any order for defence, and thereby as liable to danger, as any others.  
That the apprehensions of these and greater dangers, are increased in the Petitioners, from the grounds and reasons here under mentioned, which they humbly offer to your grave consideration: (viꝪt.) because  
1. The Tower of London (which the Petitioners formerly accounted a defence and safeguard to them) is taken out of the Custody of Persons of honour and trust; a number of Cannoneirs with their Labourers drawn into the same, many pretending attendance upon the Bishops, reside there, the new Warders lately put into the same, are many of them Alehouse-keepers, and most of them, of lose Conversations, yet have great trust in the Tower; and the Trained Soldiers of the Hamlets, who watch in the Tower, are confined unto straight places, where, for want of power and number, they can neither prevent any desperate design, which may possibly be attempted, nor be any way serviceable, for the defence of the Place.  
2. Divers words (some whereof are particularised in the Schedule annexed) have been spoken, by sundry Persons dwelling in the places above said, tending to the disuniting of the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, to the defamation of divers Members of this honourable House, and intimating some bloody design in hand, against the well affected of the Kingdom, under the names of Puritans and Brownists.  
3. One Richard Cray, a new Warder in the Tower, and a Constable of a large Precinct near Wapping, hath (besides his dangerous speeches) endeavoured to raise men in Arms, to keep those whom he calls Puritan and Brownists, from coming to Church, and hath with many others, his partakers, greatly opposed, the two worthy Preachers at Stepney, Mr. Burroughs, and Mr. Greenhill.  
4. On Thursday night last, when the Citizens of London were up in Arms, for their defence, upon the rumour of approaching danger, divers of the Petitioners having Armed themselves also, for their own defence, and being peaceably in their Watch, to prevent further inconvenience, the said Cray in a violent manner took the Arms from some of the Petitioners, threatened the rest, and said, if he had known, he would have been better provided for them, meaning (as they conceive) either to hurt, unarm, or oppose them.  
The Petitioners therefore humbly pray, that they may have Authority from this honourable Assembly, freely to put themselves into a Posture of defence, for the better enabling of them, to maintain his Matesties' Person and Authority, the power and Privileges of Parliament, and their own lives, liberties and estates, according to their late Protestation: And that they may have liberty to that end, to choose Officers for their better guidance and instruction, to exercise themselves in Military Discipline, and to provide Arms and Ammunition, that some speedy course may be taken for the better ordering of the said Tower, and to prevent the dangers by fireworks and otherwise, which may arise from that place: And that the said Cray and others, who have threatened, or opposed the Petitioners, may answer the matters laid to their charge, and receive such condign punishment as this honourable Assembly in your great wisdoms shall think fit.  
And the Petitioners shall daily pray, etc.   

The CHEDULE.  
5. RIchard Cray a Constable of the Parish of Stepney, and one of the new Warders in the Tower of London, hath lately since the last Pacification with the Scots, and the happy union between these two Kingdoms, affirmed that the Scots, are all Rogues and Rebels; That he hopes all Puritans and Brownists shall be worse hampered, tortured and torn, then ever the Papists were, and that he himself would help to do it, and this he delivered with a great deal of vehemency, smiting his hand upon the Table  
Matthew Owen on the 5th of January instant, affirmed, that Mr. Pym, and the other four, did carry two faces under one hood, that the Papists would be quiet enough, if they might be let alone, and that it was long of the Puritans that all this stir is.  
John Walter of Limehouse, on the 27th of December last, being asked why the Drum did beat, did enter into many railing speeches, calling divers people of honest report, a company of damned Puritan-whores and rogues, and said he hoped ere long, to see all their throats cut, or they hanged, as those are in Ireland.  
Thomas Bungie affirmed, that he would join with the Papists against the Puritans and Brownists, if the Papists should rise.