A discourse in defence of the Londoners last Petition for PEACE: showing the Legality, Honesty, Iustice, and Commodity of the said Petition to the high Court of Parliament,  
Against the opinions of some factious and turbulent spirits, who desire a continuance of the war.  
Written by H.G.C.L.B.  Nulla salus bello, pacens nos poscimus omnes. 
IN DOMINO CONFIDO  printer's device consisting of a fleur-de-lis against a plain background with the motto "In Domine confido" (See McKerrow nos. 268-272.)  
London, Printed for John Carter.   

A Discourse in defence of the Londoners last Petition for Peace.  
GOd is the God of Peace,( saith the Prophet;) so is he called the Lord of Hosts, and the God of Battels: Peace is the Attribute of his mercy, War of his justice; by it he bruiseth offending Nations with a rod of Iron, scattering them in his wrath, and consuming them in his heavy displeasure: by Peace he pours upon them the blessing of Peace, the due of Hermon, which always engenders wealth, happiness, and plenty. Such have been the heavenly showers, that have for many yeeres fertilized the beauteous face of this kingdom, now for the sins of the people over-whelmed with a tempest of civill and intestine differences, raging like an earth-quake in its very bowels: war on the one side( namely the Parliaments) having been apparently necessary and defensive; on his Majesties, misadvised by malignant counsels, destructive and ruinous.  
For the composition of these distractions, divers hopeful overtures have been propounded betwixt his Majesty and his high Court of Parliament, which had they been as graciously received, as hearty and loyally intended, wee had now enjoyed( that blessing and testimony of the Almighties love) peace in our dwellings. In these wars( as wee may rightly term them on our side) for our country, the honourable and ancient City of London hath been most forward and zealous in their bounties, towards the support of the charge which hath depended on these military proceedings: but surely Man, in his own nature being a rational creature, must needs delight in that which is accident to his reason, nay inseparable from it, the desire of peace, — pacem nos poscimus omnes, discord and dissension being the prop●rty of savage beasts, who by the ferocity of their nature thirst after blood: And certainly in no one thing doth man more resemble the divine goodness then in gentleness and pitty. This desire of peace( as I am engaged to believe) hath induced many able and honest religious Citizens of London, to entreat in all humility the high Court of Parliament to shape some course in their wisedoms, for the composing all differences with his Majesty. Which petition of theirs( disliked by many factious and turbulent spirits) I shall endeavour to prove legal, honest, just, and commodious, so far as it is concurrent with and directed by the Votes of the honourable the high Court of Parliament. And first, to prove its legality; that must needs be legal which seeks the preservation of the fundamental laws of this kingdom; This Petition seeks the preservation of the said fundamental laws; Therefore legal is this Petition. Nought in this syllogism can comprehend a doubt, except the minor, which is thus easily proved: That seeks the preservation of the fundamental laws, which labours to induce the preserver of all laws: Peace is the preserver of all laws, which this Petition labours to induce; Ergo, This Petition is legal. The Declaration is evident. again, the legality of this Petition is onely proved quatenus it is concurrent with, and directed by the Votes of the high Court of Parliament, that being the fountain from whence the fundamental laws of this kingdom are derived; and whatsoever strikes at the root of our laws, must needs strike the laws themselves: Therefore neither this Petition, nor its abettors, can be said any longer to carry legality in their proceedings, then those proceedings are concurrent with, and directed by the Vetes of that sacred assembly. But certainly the good and able Citizens, in their Petition so humbly drawn and presented, never intended any thing, but what should be consonant and consentaneous to the dispose of the Parliament: and if so, the legality of their Petition may justly arise triumphant over all the calumnies of those fiery and factious spirits, that so delight in war and blood-shed.  
Again, its honesty is so conspicuous,( the clause aforesaid observed) that it is as it were Sol quidem 〈◇〉( as the Greeks call it) a Sun enlightening every one, and shining every way. For if we may believe that stoical Legislator of the romans, Cicero in his Paradox, namely, {αβγδ}, Quod 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉, That onely is good that is honest; what can be honester then this Petition, since there is nothing can be more replenished with goodness: goodness in respect of its obedience to the divine mandate, which bids us seek peace and ensue it, pronouncing in another place, Beati p●cefice; and Blessed are they that seek the peace of Sio●. Good it is certainly in respect of the effect it would produce, namely, an union between the King and his people, a reconciliation between the dissentious and Cadmean Brethren of this Nation, who with hostile hands seek to tear out one anothers throats: Good also in regard of the definition of honesty itself, which is in brief, nihil injust agere, and what better way can there be to compose the injustices now emergent in this kingdom, then to take away the cause of them, Sublata causa tollitur effectus; the causes of innumerable rapines, thefts, murders, burning and plundering( then which there can be no greater or more dire injustice) hath been these wars; they taken away( as is the intent of this Petition) those injustices would easily cease, and therefore the honesty of the Petition ( luke meridiaenae clurius) is conspicuous to all indifferent judgements; those men that would still have war, taxing themselves of dishonesty in disallowing the honesty of this Petition, as far as it is concurrent with, and directed by the votes of Parliament, that is, as far as it and the authors of it do in all humility submit their judgements to the directions of that illustrious Senate, the universal body of the kingdom, who no doubt, know in their wisdoms, how, and on what terms to propound peace to his majesty for the good o the Subject and safety of the kingdom, and will no longer seek to continue this fatal and unnatural war, then the necessary defence of the state enjoins them; and certainly, so long as this City Petition was but an humble tender of their wishes to the high Court of Parliament, leaving them to be directed and effectuated by their discretions, who can but grant it honest and legal? Thus much for the two first points of the argument: briefly to the two last.  
For its justice, if that justice qui tribuit suum cvique proprium, as infallibly it is, nothing can be furnished with a clearer equity then this Petition: first, it seeks to give to God Almighty that which is his own, namely, the settling of his due and true worship: secondly, it strives to give the King that which is his own, the obedience of his subjects: and thirdly, it endeavours to confer on the subject that which is his own, the confirmation of their privileges and properties: For sure no man can imagine that these petitioning Citizens can be so foolish as to entreat the Parliament to think of Propositions for peace, that might enslave and inthr●ll their liberties, and the immunities of their fellow subjects, they would surely rather hazard and consume their estates and lives in the just defence of the Parliaments proceedings: If they have any other sinister end reserved to themselves, their Petition can neither be just, honest nor legal, because it can have then no concurrency with the votes of the high Court of Parliament, who being entrusted with the security and freedom of the kingdom, will rather endure all the horrors of a war then by a prejudicial peace give away, nay, as it were, betray the very essence of the subject his liberty. For the commodiousness which is aimed at in this Petition, surely there can none so much abuse his own reason, as to doubt it.  
First, by these wars this City, the most famous Emporium or Mart town of all Europe, is devested of the greatest part of the glory, honour and riches accrued to it by merchandise, foreigners being fearful to bring their wears into any country which is plunged over head and ears in domestic troubles; and till peace and happy concord be settled some way in this kingdom, that increase of commerce can never be established in this City; nor can they export out of this City their commodities into the Country, which is now so full of Malignants souldiers nothing of value can escape their rapacious fingers: and certainly, if the taking away discommodities may be allowed commodious, nothing can be fuller of utility to this City and kingdom then peace, such a peace I mean, as may be concurrent with, and directed by the votes of the high Court of Parliament, and past dispute, in the matter of this Petition nothing can be found which is either illegal, dishonest, unjust, or discommodious, if the manner of it do not render it guilty of all of them; I mean the manner of presenting it, such a multitude following the delivery of it to Westminster to the high Court of Parliament, such an assembly rather carrying the face of a tumult then of men who came to Petition for redress of grievances. Frustra sit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora; half a dozen of the most substantial of the Petitioners, might with as much ease, and a more free acceptance, have had access to the honourable the high Court of Parliament, then such a numerous company; but they demeaned themselves civilly and peaceably, yet it had been easier for them to have done so, being but a few, then in such a multitude, among which, all could not be alike in their behaviour. But to conclude all this discourse, the Atlas of our English heaven the Parliament knows better in their wisdom what is fit, honourable and just, for the City of London, and the whole kingdom, then the Citizens or Subjects themselves; wee having onely matters contingent to our own safeties by relation, they by evident proof, having a sure and notorious intellgience of all the machinations of the Malignants against our lives and liberties: no mans Petition therefore for peace( though in itself, pax est optimum rerum) can be either legal, honest, just, or commodious, further then it is concurrent with, and directed by the Votes of the honourable the high Court of Parliament, whom God in his mercy preserve for ever.  
FINIS.