TO THE HONOURABLE, THE KNIGHTS, CITIZENS AND BURGESSES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT.  
The Humble Petition of Aldermen, Common-Cournel-men, Subsidy-men, and other Inhabitants of the City of LONDON, and the Suburbs thereof.  
SHOWETHS,  
That they do with all humble thankfulness acknowledge that great labour and care, which this honourable Assembly hath undergone now for the space of above one whole years, endeavouring the reformation and removal of those many pressures & grievance in Church and Commonwealth; And do humbly present that grateful acceptance & high esteem, which not only the Petitioners, but also all well affected to the honour of this Majesty and prosperity of this Kingdom have, of these your great and unwearied endeavours, which although they (by reason of the Popish Lords and Bishops Voting in the House of Peers, and other impediments as they humble conceive) have not hitherto produce those happy effects you aimed at; Yet, to the Petitioners great comfort, divers of those pressures are already removed: as Arbitary Courts, Ship-money, Monopolies, and other illegal Impositions, where with they burdened, and further hopes given by the happy Act of this PARLIAMENTS continuance.  
That (notwithstanding all this) the Papists and their adherents, whose malice ceaseth not, have by sundry secret and desperate plots, attempted the ruin and destruction of this State and Kingdom, and however some of them have hitherto by God's providence, and your prudence, been discovered and become abortive: Yet the sad effects of other of them, are not only felt, and much more feared in this Realm of England, but also have of late broken out into open Rebellion in Ireland, where most barbarous, savage, cruel, and inhuman actions are practised towards our Brethren by Nation and Religion, whose lamentable and deplored condtion the Petitioners much pity and lament, and have just cause to fear, that as already there hath been much Christian blood spilt, so in short times, if speedy help be not sent, not only the many great Debts there owing to divers of the Petitioners, and others of this Kingdom, will be wholly lost, but (which is fare more) the very name of the English and Protestant Religion there, will be rooted out, which those Rebels (the Foundation of whose Religion is written in letters of blood) do only oppose.  
And for that divers of the Petitioners receive daily information from all parts of this Kingdom, of the bold insolent carriage, and threatening speeches of the Papists in this Realm, arising (as the Petitioners humbly conceive) not only from the prevailing of the Rebels in Ireland, ●ut also from the want of such secure and speedy course against Papists here, as the present condition of this Kingdom requireth, and this honourable Assembly hath earnestly endeavoured.  
From which grounds, the Petitioners cannot omit to represent unto you, the great terrors, fears, and distraction, that they lie under, of a ●●ddaine surprise by their bloody hands, By means whereof, the Trading of this City and Kingdom is much more of late decayed, than it ●ath been for divers years past, no man following his Trade cheerfully, while the lives of himself and Family, and the public safety of the kingdom are in danger; and while he knoweth not how soon they may feel the like cruelty and inhumanity from the Papists, and their adherents, as these in Ireland have done, which if ever it shall happen, this honourable Assembly must expect to have a deep share in their malice ●nd cruelty, against whom they have already by themselves and their Abettors endeavoured, to raise a disrespect in the hearts of the people, to ●●vide between the King Majesty and his Parliament, and seditiously to misconstrue the Citizens dutiful and loyal entertainment of his Majesty, to be a differting of this honourable Assembly, the least thought whereof, the Petitioners do utterly detest and abhor.  
To the end therefore, that the destructive plots of the Papists and their adherents may be defeated, the grounds of their hopes and insolences removed, confidence Forces with all expedition sent subdue those abominable and bloody Rebels in Ireland; This City Kingdom, (for prevention of the like mischiefs here, and securing the peace thereof) put into a posture of defence, the Petitioners freed from their fears, encouraged in their Trades, and in due time receive such just Answers to their former Petitioners, as shall seem best to your great wisdoms.  
It is humbly prayed, that you will vouchsafe to be a means to the King's Majesty and the House of Peers, that life may be speedily given to your good endeavours by ●heir concurrence with you in the punishing of Delinquents, and redressing the pressures and grievances in Church and Commonwealth (amongst which the abuses crept into the ancient government of this City, they humbly desire may in due time be taken into consideration.) And for the better effecting hereof, that the Popish Lords and Bishops may be removed out of the House of Peers, as was desire in the presence of divers of this honourable Assembly, by the representative body of this City in this Guild-hall, when 50000 li. was freely lent to raise Forces for Ireland, the greatest part whereof was speedily brought in by the Petitioners.  
And the Petitioners who well know their own safeties, are wrapped up in yours, shall not fail to put up daily Prayers to Almighty God for your good success, and to maintain and defend, to the utmost hazard of their lives and estates (according to their late Protestation) the King's Majesty, and high Court of Parliament, against all wicked Counsellors, and malignant opposers, who endeavour, either by secret plot or open force, to prejudice the one or the other, or to make division between his Majesty and the Parliament, whom God and the Laws of this Land, have united in so near a Relation.  

A true relation of the manner how it was delivered.  
This Petition was subscribed with above 20000 hands of Aldermen, Common-counsel men, Merchants, and others of great rank and quality, two hundred hereof did ride in Coaches, (the II. Decem. 1641.) to deliver the same. The House of Commons (after some mediation) admitted their Persons Petition, which Petition was presented by Mr. Fookes, Merchant, who related to the Honourable Assembly, that he could have brought them as many persons as there were hands to the Petition, but that he judged it not fit to come thither in a tumultous manner; declaring (likewise) how they met with some obstructions (in their ga●●ering of hands) by ill affected persons. And when he had thus done speaking, they were commanded to withdraw: In the Interim, the Petition was read in the ●ouse, and then they were called in again: they being come in, the Honourable Assembly certified unto then that their Petition was very loving and thankfully accepted of with reality of affections, promising them that they would take the several branches of their Petition into Consideration giving them order (likewise) to present the Names of such ill affected Persons, as did hinder or discourage them in seeking to redress their grievances in so lawful a way, and a strict order should be taken with them.    

Printed in the year 1641.