TO THE supreme authority OF ENGLAND The COMMONS Assembled in Parliament.  
The Humble Petition of divers well-affected WOMEN, of the Cities of London and Westminster, the Borough of Southwark, hamlets, and Parts Adjacent. Affecters and Approvers of the Petition of Sept. 11. 1648.  
Showeth,  
THat since we are assured of our Creation in the image of God, and of an interest in Christ, equal unto men, as also of a proportionable share in the Freedoms of this Common wealth, we cannot but wonder and grieve that we should appear so despicable in your eyes, as to be thought unworthy to Petition or represent our Grievances to this Honourable House.  
Have we not an equal interest with the men of this Nation, in those liberties and securities, contained in the Petition of Right, and other the good Laws of the Land? are any of our lives, limbs, liberties or goods to be taken from us more than from Men, but by due process of Law and conviction of twelve sworn men of the Neighbourhood?  
And can you imagine us to be so sottish or stupid, as not to perceive, or not to be sensible when daily those strong defences of our Peace and welfare are broken down, and trod underfoot by force and arbitrary power.  
Would you have us keep at home in our houses, when men of such faithfulness and integrity as the four PRISONERS our friends in the Tower, are fetched out of their beds, and forced from their Houses by soldiers, to the affrighting and undoing of themselves, their wives, children, and families? Are not our husbands, or selves, our children and families by the same rule as liable to the like unjust cruelties as they?  
Shall such men as Capt. Bray be made close Prisoners, and such as Mr Sawyer snatched up and carried away, beaten and buffeted at the pleasure of some Officers of the Army; and such as Mr Blank kept close Prisoner, and after most barbarous usage be forced to run the Gantlop, and be most slave-like and cruelly whipped; and must we keep at home in our houses, as if we our lives and liberties and all, were not concerned?  
Nay, shall such valiant religious men as Mr Robert Lockyer be liable to Law Martial, and be judged by his Adversaries, and most unhumanly shot to death? Shall the blood of War be shed in time of Peace? doth not the word of God expressly condemn it? doth not the Petition of Right declare, that no person ought to be judged by Law Martial (except in time of war) and that all Commissions given to execute Martial Law in time of Peace, are contrary to the laws and Statutes of the Land? Doth not Sir Ed. Cook in his chapter of Murder in the third part of his Institutes, hold it for good Law (and since owned and published by this Parliament) that for a General or other Officers of an Army in time of Peace, to put any man (although a soldier) to death by colour of Marshal Law, it is absolute murder in that General? And hath it not by this House in the case of the late Earl of Strafford been adjudged high Treason? And are we Christians, and shall we sit still and keep at home, while such men as have born continual testimony against the unjustice of all times, and unrighteousness of men, be picked out and be delivered up to the slaughter, and yet must we show no sense of their sufferings, no tenderness of affections, no bowels of compassion nor bear any testimony against so abominable cruelty and injustice?  
Have such men as these continually hazarded their lives, spent their estates and time, lost their liberties, and thought nothing too precious, for defence of us, our lives, and liberties, been as a Guard by day, and as a Watch by night; and when for this they are in trouble and greatest danger, persecuted and hated even to the death; and should we be so basely ungrateful, as to neglect them in the day of their affliction? No, far be it from us: Let it be accounted folly, presumption, madness, or whatsoever in us, whilst we have life and breath, we will never leave them, nor forsake them, nor ever cease to importune you (having yet so much hopes of you, as of the unjust Judge mentioned Luke 18. to obtain Justice, if not for Justice sake, yet for Importunity) or to use any other means for the enlargement and reparation of those of them that live: and for Justice against such, as have been the cause of M. Lockier's death: Nor will we ever rest until we have prevailed, that We, our Husbands, Children, Friends, and Servants, may not be liable to be thus abused, violated, and butchered at men's Wills and Pleasures. But if nothing will satisfy but the blood of those just men, those constant undaunted Asserters of the people's Freedoms will satisfy your thirst, drink also, and be glutted with our blood, and let us all fall together: Take the blood of one more, and take all: Slay one, slay all.  
And therefore again, we entreat you to review our last petition in behalf of our Friends above mentioned, and not to slight the things therein contained, because they are presented unto you by the weak hand of women, it being an usual thing with God, by weak means to work mighty effects: For we are no whit satisfied with the answer you gave unto our Husbands and Friends, but do equally with them remain liable to those snares laid in your Declaration, which maketh the Abetters of the Book laid to our Friends charge, no less than traitors, when as hardly any discourse can be touching the affairs of the present times, but falls within the compass of that Book: So that all liberty of Discourse is thereby utterly taken away, than which there can be no greater slavery.  
Nor shall we be satisfied, however you deal with our Friends, except you free them from under their present extrajudicial imprisonment and force upon them, and give them full Reparations for their forcible Attachment, &c. And leave them from first to last, to be proceeded against by due Process of Law, and give them respect from you, answerable to their good and faithful Service to the commonwealth.  
Our houses being worse than Prisons to us, and our Lives worse than death; the sight of our Husbands and Children, matter of grief, sorrow, and affliction to us, until you grant our desires, and therefore, if ever you intend any good to this miserable Nation, harden not your hearts against Petitioners, nor deny us in things so evidently just and reasonable, as you would not be dishonourable to all Posterity.