To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, at WESTMINSTER.  
The humble PETITION OF THE Knights, Gentry, Clergy, and Commonalty of the County of Kent, subscribed by the Grand jury, the 11th of May 1648. at the Sessions of the judges, upon a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer, then executed at the Castle of Canterbury for the said County.  
Sheweth:  
THat the deep sense of our own miseries with a Fellow feeling of the discontents of other Counties exposed to the like sufferings, prevaileth with us thus humbly to present to your Honours these our ardent desires.  
1. THAT our most gracious Sovereign Lord King CHARLES, may with all speed he admitted in safety and Honour, to Treat in person with his two Houses of Parliament, for the perfect settling of the Pence both of Church and Common Wealth, as also of his own just rights, together with those of Parliament.  
2. That for prevention and removal of the manifold inconveniencies occasioned by the continuance of the present Army, under the Command of the Lord Fairfax, their arrears may forthwith be Audited and they disbanded.  
3. That according to the Fundamental Constitution of this Common Wealth, we may for the future, be governed and judged by (the English Subjects undoubted birthright) the known and established Laws of the Kingdom, and not otherwise.  
4. That according to the Petition of Right, our properly may not be invaded by any Taxes or Impositions whatsoever, and particularly that the heavy burden of Excise may no longer be continued, or hereafter imposed upon us.  
All which our earnest desires, we humbly recommend to your grave and serious considerations; not doubting of that speedy satisfaction therein, which the case requires, and we humbly expect: Whereby we may well hope to see (what otherwise we cannot but despair of) a speedy and happy end of these sad and heavy pressures and distempers, whose continuance will inevitably ruin both ourselves and our posterities; your timely prevention whereof by a cheerful condescent to what we here propound in order thereunto, shall oblige us ever to pray etc.   

By the Deputy-lieutenants of the County of Kent, the City and County of Canterbury, at their general meeting at Maidstone, the 10. of May 1648.  
Whereas we understand that divers persons have given out, that they intent to assemble themselves towards the latter end of this month, or the beginning of the next, at several days and places, upon pretence to carry a Petition to the Parliament, which doth concern matter against the authority of both Houses, and tendeth to the raising of Seditions and tumults within this County, we having lately received a special command from the House to use our best endeavours to preserve the peace of the County do hereby in order thereunto, advise all whom it may concern, to forbear all occasions of public disturbance by any such tumultuous assembling of themselves, and from raising of parties and factions against the Parliament, upon this or any pretence whatsoever; and if any well affected Persons have been abused and misled so as to sign and procure hands to any such seditious paper under the name of a Petition, and upon false giving out that the Deputy Lieutenant's of this County do approve thereof, to the end that such well meaning persons may be undeceived, we having seen a Copy of the said pretended Petition, do hereby signify our utter detestation of such seditious practices, and do advise all wellwishers to their Countries peace, to take heed thereof, and to counsel and persuade their Neighbours accordingly: And if any pretended Copies of such pretended Petition come unto, or be in their hands, to deliver up the same unto the next Deputy Lieutenant: And we do hereby require the Ministers of the several Parishes publicly to read this signification in their Parish Churches upon the next Lord's Day after the receipt hereof, immediately before they begin their Morning Sermon● and the Churchwardens of the several Parishes are hereby required the next day after the time appointed, for the said publication to certify wh●● hath been done therein, under their hands un●o the next Deputy Lieutenant; who is hereby directed forthwith to transmit the said Certificate unto the standing Committee at Maidston, that so notice may be taken what Ministers and Churchwardens, or other persons do their duties therein: And such as shall be found wilfully faulty may be proceeded against accordingly.  


Anthony Wilding.  
john Rivers.  
Richard Lee.  
Thomas Lewis.  
Ga. Oxinden.  
Rich. Beale.  
Tho. Seyliard.  
Law. Godfrey.  
Win. james.  
Io. Bix.  
William Keniorash.    
To the Mayor of Gravesend, who is hereby required to cause Proclamation hereof to be made in open market next day after the receit hereof in the height of the Market, by the common Crier, and afterwards to deliver it to the Minister of the said Parish, to read it in the Churches, as abovesaid.   

The Petitioners Vindication and Answer to the Deputy-lieutenants Declaration against the said Petition.  
WE the Knights, Gentry, Clergy, and Commonalty of the County of Kent, who have subscribed, and do intent to present, the real Petition (which is abusively called a pretended one, and a seditious paper) to the Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament at Westminster, according to the just Rights and Privileges of the Subjects of England, in pursuance of the subscriptions of the Grand Jury of our County the 11. of May 1648. (who are and aught to be the representers of the sense of our County) have taken notice of a late Order or Declaration of th● Deputy Lieutenants of our County of the 16. of May 1648. ●ending to the discountenance and suppressing of our said Petition; and untruly charging the same to contain matter against the Authority of both Houses, (to whom it is addressed) and the Petitioners to be raysers of sedition and tumults. In a deep sense whereof, and indignation of such false scandals imposed on us, we do declare to the world.  
That the matter of our Petition, contains in it nothing but what is just and fit for free borne Subjects to demand, and tends to the preserving of the Peace, not only of our County, but of the whole Kingdom.  
And the manner of our intentions to prosecute the same, shall be so peaceable (on our parts) as shall not give occasion of tumults or public disturbance.  
We do protest against raising any factions against the Parliament, to whom we address ourselves for a just relief of ou● grievances: in pursuance of the right of Subjects, and their own Ordinances, and (our desires being so just, and our intentions so peaceable) we must declare, that (notwithstanding all the menacing threats published to our discouragemen) we shall go on to prosecute our just rights and desires, in such a way as shall neither render us guilty of sedition, or public disturbance, nor of betraying ourselves to the violence of such who shall unjustly endeavour to oppose us.  
And we do desire all persons of our County, well affected to the said Petition, not to be discouraged from the just prosecution thereof, upon any threats or orders whatsoever. Our intention being (if it shall please God so to dispose of us) to sacrifice our lives and fortunes in the prosecution of those our just rights and desires.  
We have not a desire to deceive any, nor have we endeavoured to misled any with pretending the Deputy Lieutenants of our Counties approbation of our Petition. Nor do we desire any to join with us, but those whose reason and conscience dictate to themselves the sense of our Petition.   
FINIS.