To the Right Honourable, the trusties of the English Nation Assembled in PARLIAMENT: The humble Petition of divers Englishmen, in the behalf of themselves, and the whole Nation.  
Showeth,  
THat whereas your Honours in pursuance of the duty of your high place and calling, have solemnly undertaken and entered into various engagements before God and the World, for to endeavour the restoring of this Nation unto her just freedom, Rights and happiness.  
And whereas your Petitioners looking into the true state of things do find, That notwithstanding any thing whatsoever, that hath been, as yet, done, or attempted by this or any precedent Parliament, in the behalf of this Nation: and after so much English blood spilled under that pretence; The Nation is still suffered to remain (as it hath done almost these six hundred years) in Captivity to the Right, Title, Exercise, and disgraceful Badges of the Norman (pretended) Conquest over us, as is manifest by the tenor of that Title by which (with the consenting suffrage of our Parliaments, Laws, and Lawyers, as yet unrepealed) the Crown of England is still enjoyed, and by a great part both of the matter and form of those Laws, by which we are still governed.  
Now forasmuch as until the Bands of this our national Captivity be dissolved, all else that is done or endeavoured, (how gloriously so ever pretending) being all terminated in the abatement of the royal Prerogative, and is 1 not only of lower concernment, as to the service of this Nation, but 2 also very irregular and insufficient for attaining the Ends proposed; the first, for that is undeniably less contrary unto Honour and true Freedom in a Nation, for to be under arbitrary Government, legitimately instituted (as were the Jews under their anointed Kings, and the Romans under their Dictators) then under the most moderated Sovereignty that springs from and is the exercise of a Conquest; the latter, for that while this Kingdom (or the relation betwixt our Kings and People) continues grounded on the Conquest; the Sovereignty cannot legally nor (consequently) validly be so moderated, but that the supreme Laws will be still (not 
a In all public Acts and Writings emitted in this Kingdom since the (pretended) Conquest, the Honour of the King hath been constantly set before the Good of the People, where e'er they are conjoined.  Salus Populi, as hath been lately, and not till lately, fondly talked in this Kingdom, but) the Honour and Will of the Prince, as sufficiently appears (to omit other Testimonies) from the fate & issue of some Acts of Parliament in K. Edward the 3d time, which 
b See Master Pryn's Sov. Pow. part. 2. p. 38. & 39 & the Book of Stat.  fell to the ground, and were nullified by the King's bare Authority joined with the consent of the Lords, for being prejudicial to the royal Honour and Prerogative, as which are and will be the fundamental and supreme Law in this Kingdom, while it continues so grounded as abovesaid. And for as much as the said Title of Conquest and Depravation of our Laws, are not only Destructive (while they continue in force over us) to the Honour, Freedom, and happiness of our Nation, but also contrary to the fundamental Constitution of this Kingdom, as being usurpantly and perfidiously introduced; for that (according to the unanimous testimony of Records) the Norman Duke was by this Nation admitted to the Crown, in respect of his Claim by Saint Edward's 
c If any object (as many do) that the Norman Right & Title must be either by Conquest, or none at all, for that the Title of Legacy was insufficient, It is answered, that the Legacy of the deceased King joined with the Nations Admission (which followed) was equivalent to an Act of Parliament, and so sufficient to regulate & dispose the Crown, as no rational man can deny.  Legacy joined with his Victory over his Competitor Harrolld, and upon his Oath to preserve our Laws and Liberties, and not otherwise; Insomuch that the Title of England's conqueror may as justly be affixed to the Names of Henry the Fourth, Edward the Fourth, and Henry the Seventh (who all made good their claims by Victories over their Competitors) as to the name of the said Duke.  
And for that also these Abuses are not only thus prejudicial and injurious to our Nation, but also very Derogatory to the Honour of our Kings and to their Interest in the people's affections, as founding their Right and Rule on an usurpant original, and on the ruins of the Honour and Freedom of this Nation, and thereby casting the seeds of irreconciliable hatred betwixt them; Insomuch, that there is none in this Kingdom can stand up in the maintenance of these Injuries, without declaring themselves open Enemies, and the most flagitious Traitors both to their King and country, that ever were.  
And for as much as it hath now pleased Almighty God to put that power and opportunity into your hands for the redress of these Evils, which was never heretofore afforded to your Predecessors, and that ye are now upon a Treaty with his MAJESTY, for new forming the fabric of this State.  
May it therefore please this Honourable House, now at length (before 'tis too late) to take such order, That our Kings may no longer reign over us by the Right or Pretence of Conquest, thereby trampling under foot our chief Rights and happiness, But that the Title of the Norman blood unto the Crown of England, may be grounded (as of right it ought to be) on the legacy of St. Edward, joined with the Nations Admission granted (and to be still granted) upon the Coronation Oath taken, and not otherwise: And that the Right and Title of the said (pretended) Conquest, being thus abolished out of this Kingdom, the disgraceful and needless Badges thereof still remaining among us, (particularly in the matter and language of our Laws) may, in convenient time, be likewise redressed, whereby the English Nation may now at length (after so many ages unjust sufferance) be restored from out of the Quality, Title, and Vesture, of a Captive, under a foreign blood, unto her just Honour, freedom, and happiness, and that so (through your worthy endeavours, in thus putting an end to your Countries long Bondage) there may be laid amongst us a real and lasting Foundation of glory to God on high, of Peace in this Kingdom, and of good will betwixt Prince and People, which otherwise is altogether impossihle to be done.  
And your Petitioners, with the whole Nation and their Posterity, shall ever pray, &c.   

Imprimatur,  
G. M.   

LONDON, Printed for R. L. September 29, 1648.