To the Right Honourable the Lord Maior, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London in Common council Assembled. The Humble Petition of divers Well-affected householders and Freemen of the said City,  
Showeth,  
THat your Petitioners cannot but thankfully acknowledge the Just and Prudent Resolution of this Honourable council, expressed in your Declaration of the 20th of December last past; And are unshakenly Confident, that that God who put your thoughts and counsels on the Resolve, will strengthen your Courage in prosecuting of those lawful means that may lead to the attainment of that just and necessary end A Free Parliament, without which the undoubted Birthright of the English Nation, in their Persons, Estates, and all Liberties, both Religious and Civil, can never be preserved: And should this Court submit themselves to any other Constitution of men, than such as may Rightfully claim the Legislative power of the Nation, and by acting on any other Authority in Assessing or Levying any sums of Money on your Petitioners Estates, your Petitioners humbly conceive that this Court shall give the whole Nation cause of very sad Reflections on your defection from your said Declaration, with which the most part of the other Countries and Corporations have freely concurred: And your Petitioners may have occasion to complain, that they have most unhappily been cast into the world in a Generation that hath at once made a costly purchase of present misery to themselves, and perpetual slavery to their posterity.  
And therefore your Petitioners humbly pray, That it may please this Honourable Court to Act worthy of your Predecessors, and Your own professed Resolutions, by Declaring to the World, or at least assuring your Petitioners, That you will not Act yourselves, or consent that any other Power or Person shall Impose any Law or Tax upon any of those Citizens, with whose general Concernments this Court is entrusted, until the authority thereof may be derived from a Full and Free Parliament, as being the rightful Representatives of the people, by whom every individual doth consent. By which, and which only, next under God, Your Petitioners can rationally hope their languishing Trades may be revived, and their Hearts and Purses together enlarged to a cheerful and liberal Contribution towards their lawful Government and Protection, According to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right.  
And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.  
This Petition was presented by divers Citizens of quality the 8th of February, 1659.  
The Answer whereunto was,  
That the Court had read this Petition, and will take the same into Consideration so far as concerns this Court: And did give the Petitioners the Thanks of the Court for their respects and patience.   

LONDON, Printed by J. H. 1659.