To the Parliament of the commonwealth OF ENGLAND, The humble Petition of divers well affected persons of this Nation, Adhearers to the Parliament, and faithful to the Liberties of the commonwealth. With the favourable Answer from the Parliament to the Petitioners.  

Showeth:  
THat forasmuch as the original ground of our many years burdensome wars and Miseries hath been from the encroachments and Innovations which have been frequently made, and enforced upon the people, at the pleasures of some men ruling merely according to their will, and power: And forasmuch as those many Victories, mercifully vouchsafed by Almighty God, in approbation of his Cause, have not been obtained at a low and easy rate, but as through a Sea of blood, and all kind of miseries, whereof we have had a large proportion, thereby rendering the Cause more precious to our thoughts: And whereas amongst the rest of the grievances of this commonwealth, The unlawful, Antichristian, unsupportable oppression of Tithes, and forced Maintenance is not the least, by which our Consciences are ensnared, our Estates destroyed, our persons imprisoned daily, for that which hath no foundation nor warrant from Christ, or his Apostles, throughout the whole word of the Gospel.  
We are therefore emboldened in conscience towards God, and You, to present these our just desires for the welfare and preservation of this commonwealth, which will be established by righteousness, And therein implore your serious endeavours, that this unjust oppression of Tithes and forced Maintenance may be abolished, as a testimony of your resolutions, to instate this commonwealth in all their just Rights and Liberties, and in so doing, you will engage the hearts of all the honest and godly people of this Nation, who have been bowed down under this Oppression; And all being disengaged, from corrupt and self Interests, will cheerfully adventure their lives and Estates for Your preservations and the Nations Peace, being the just end of our wars, the proper and long hoped for fruits of righteousness, bringing glory to God, in discharge of your trust to him, and to this wearied commonwealth, in losing the bonds of wickedness, and setting us free from Antichristian Tyranny.  Thus will your light break forth as the morning, and your uprightness go before you. 
And your Petitioners shall, &c.   

This Petition with many thousand of hands was presented to the Parliament on Saturday the 16. of July, 1653. and Thanks was returned from the House by the Speaker: And the Answer to the Petition from the House was, That the thing that was petitioned for, they were debating upon it.   

LONDON: Printed by F: Neile in Aldersgatestreet. 1653.