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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26103	A collection of svndry petitions presented to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie as also to the two most honourable houses, now assembled in Parliament, and others, already signed, by most of the gentry, ministers, and free-holders of severall counties, in behalfe of episcopacie, liturgie, and supportation of church-revenues, and suppression of schismaticks / collected by a faithful lover of the church, for the comfort of the dejected clergy, and all moderately affected Protestants.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1642 (1642)	Wing A4073; ESTC R208748	30,703	48

of Bishops would be a scandall not onely to many weake Christians who feare all Innovation as guilty of some ill intendments upon their consciences but also to the strongest which shewes it to be the fault of the giver not the weaknesse of the receiver and if we must not scandalize our weake brethren much lesse our strong since this will intrench upon us in a high measure they not being apt to be scandalized upon umbrages and impertinencies 12 Where Bishops are not there is not an Honourable but Familike Clergy against the Apostolicall rule of double honour 13 By putting downe Episcopacy wee deprive our selves of those solemne benedictions which the Faith of Christendome and the profession of the Church of England enjoyning the Bishop rather to pronounce the blessing at the end of the Communion appropriates to Episcopall preheminence above Priestly authority 14 Two parts of three of the Reformed Churches are governed by Bishops or Superintendents which is properly the Latine word of Bishops and the other part that wants them have often wished them as their owne Doctors doe professe 15 It is against the liberties of the Clergy indulged to them by the Magna Charta granted and confirmed by so many Kings and about thirty Parliaments in expresse act and the violation of any part of it by intrenchment upon the right of the lay Subject justly accounted a great grievance the Charter it selfe being as Fundamentall a Law as we conceive as any other and any of us may feare lest his Liberties may be next in question 16 The foure great Generall Councels in estimation next the foure Evangelists and by the Statutes of the Kingdome made the rules of judging Heresies were held by Bishops the greatest fires and pests of Christendome the old Heresies were by their Industry extinct Church Discipline and pious constitutions by them established many Nations by them converted many Miracles done for the confirmation of Christian Faith one of the Gospels written by a Bishop Saint Marke of Alexandria if wee beleeve as authentike Records as any are extant Three Epistles of Saint Paul written to Bishops Seven Epistles by the Holy Ghost himselfe recorded in the Revelation and sent to seven Asian Bishops as all ancient Fathers accord the names of twelve men beside Apostles mentioned in Holy Scripture which all antiquity reports to have beene Bishops Most of the Fathers whose workes all Posterity embraces with much zeale and admiration were Bishops these also in our apprehensions advance that holy Function to a high and unalterable estimate 17 Very many of the fairest Churches and Colledges and places of Religion were built by Bishops which are faire Caracters to shew their promptnesse to doe publike acts of Piety and that persons so qualified as they were that is Governours and Clergy and fairly endowed is an excellent composition to advance publike designes for the honour of God in the Promotion of publike Piety 18 Since it hath pleased this Honourable Court of late to commend a Protestation to us which we by solemne Vow engaged our selves to attest with our lives and fortunes the established Doctrine of the Church of England wee consider that since the 36. article hath approved and established the booke of Consecration of Bishops the abolition of Episcopacy would nullifie that article and should not we make humble Remonstrance to the contrary we should suddenly recede from our great and solemne Protestation for maintenance of our Church Doctrine But may it please this Honourable Assembly wee consider on the other side 19 The introducing of Lay Elders must needs bring an insupportable burthen to all Parishes by maintaining them at the Parish charge for they must bee maintained or else a transgression is made against an Apostolicall Rule For the principall and indeed the onely colourable pretended place for Lay Elders injoynes their maintenance So that either the people must bee oppressed with so great burthens or else Saint Pauls Rule not obeyed or else there is no authority for Lay Elders as indeed there is not 20 And also there can bee no lesse feare of Vsurpation upon the Temporall power by the Presbitery then is pretended from Episcopacy since that Presbitery challenges cognisance of more causes and persons then the Episcopacy does so making a dangerous entrenchment upon the Supremacy and derives its pretence from Divine Institution with more confidence and more immediate derivation then Episcopacy though indeed most vainely as wee conceive 21 Wee crave leave also to adde this that these two viz. Episcopacy and Presbitery being the onely two in contestation if any new designe should justle Episcopacy wee are confident that as it hitherto wants a name so it will want a face or forme of reason in case of Conscience when it shall appeare Signed by Knights Justices Gentry and Freeholders about 800. By Ministers about the number of 40. The Cheshire Petition for establishing of the Common-Prayer-Booke and Suppression of Schismatiques presented to the Kings Majesty and from him recommended to the House of Peeres by the Lord KEEPER To the Kings most Excellent Majesty and to the Right Honourable the Lords and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of divers of the Nobility Justices Gentry Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are nominated in the Schedule annexed Your Petitioners with all cheerefulnesse and contentation ●ffying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care and the prudent and religious endeavours of this Honourable Assembly and with due humility and obedience submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof yet conceive themselves bound in Duty HVmbly to represent to your mature considerations that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed Spirits are such as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention The pure seed of our Faith the Doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by so many Acts of Parliament and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us Our pious laudable and ancient forme of Divine Service composed by the holy Martyrs and worthy Instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State your religious Predecessours honoured by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome and with such generall content received by all the Laity that scarse any Family or person that can read but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer In the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort wherein the famous Church of England our deare Mother hath just cause to glory And may shee long flourish in the practise of so blessed a Liturgy yet it is now not onely depraved by many of those who

established may continue in force with such alteration if there bee cause as to your Honours Wisdomes shall seeme meet And as in Duty bound Wee shall dayly pray c. Subscribed by one Viscount five Knights above a hundred Gentlemen of quality all the Clergy of the County and above six thousand Commoners being all of them Communicants The Remonstrance and Petition of the County of Huntington the Knights Gentlemen Clergy Free-holders and Inhabitants To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the continuance of the Church-Government and Divine Service or Booke of Common-prayer Presented to the House of Peeres by the Lord Privy Seale the 8. of December 1641. We humbly shew THat whereas many attempts have beene practised and divers Petitions from severall Counties and other places within this Kingdome framed and penned in a close and subtle manner to import more than is at first discernable by any ordinary eye or that was imparted to those who signed the same have beene carried about to most places against the present forme and frame of Church-Government and Divine-Service or Common Prayers and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality sollicited to the same with pretence to bee presented to this Honourable assembly in Parliament and under colour of removing some Innovations lately crept into the Church and Worship of God and reforming some abuses in the Ecclesiasticall Courts which wee conceiving and fearing not so much to aime at the taking away of the said Innovations and Reformation of abuses as tending to an absolute Innovation of Church-Government and subversion of that Order and Forme of Divine Service which hath happily continued amongst us ever since the Reformation of Religion Out of a tender and zealous regard hereunto wee have thought it our duty not onely to disavow all such Petitions but also to manifest our publike affections and desires to continue the Forme of Divine Service and Common-prayers and the present Government of the Church as the same have beene continued since the first Reformation and stand so established by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome For when wee consider that the Forme of Divine Service expressed and contained in the Booke of Common prayer was with great care piety and sincerity revised and reduced from all former corruptions and Romish Superstitions by those holy and selected Instruments of the Reformation of Religion within this Church and was by them restored to its first purity according as it was instituted and practised in the Primitive times standeth confirmed established and enjoyned by Act of Parliament and Royall Injunctions and hath ever since had the generall approbation of the godly and a publike use and continuance within this Church And that Bishops were instituted and have had their being and continuance ever since the first planting of Christian Religion amongst us and the rest of the Christian World that they were the lights and glorious Lamps of Gods Church that so many of them sowed the seeds of Christian Religion in their blouds which they willingly powred out therefore that by them Christianity was rescued and preserved from utter extirpation in the fierce and most cruell Persecutions of Pagan Emperous that to them wee owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospell and the Reformation of the Religion wee now professe from Romish corruption that many of them for the propagation of that Truth became glorious Martyrs leaving unto us an holy example and an honourable remembrance of their faith and Christian fortitude that divers of them lately and yet living with us have beene so great Assertours and Champions of our Religion against the Common enemy of Rome and that their Government hath beene so ancient so long approved and so often established by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and as yet nothing in their Doctrine generally taught dissonant from the Word of God or the Articles established by Law and that most of them are of singular learning and piety In this case to call the forme of Divine Service and Common-prayers Erronious Popish Superstitious Idolatrous and Blasphemous and to call the Government by Bishops a perpetuall vassallage and intollerable bondage and at the first step and before the parties concerned bee heard to pray the present removall of them or the utter dissolution and extirpation of them their Courts and their Officers as Antichristian and Diabolicall wee cannot conceive to savour or relish of piety justice or charity nor can wee joyne with them herein but rather humbly pray a Reformation of the abuses and punishment of the Offenders but not the ruine or abolition of the Innocent Now on the contrary when wee consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of Petitions are spread amongst the Common people the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming at London and over all Countries the Sermons preached publikely in Pulpits and other private places and the bitter invectives divulged and commonly spoken by many disaffected persons all of them shewing an extreme aversenesse and dislike of the present Government of the Church and Divine Service or Common Prayers dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of Government and Church Service their severall intimations of the desire of the power of the keyes and that their congregations may bee independent and may execute Ecclesiasticall censures within themselves whereby many Sects and severall and contrary opinions will soone grow and arise whereby great divisions and horrible factions will soone ensue thereupon to the breach of that union which is the sacred band and preservation of the Common peace of Church and State their peremptory desires and bold assuming to themselves the liberty of conscience to introduce into the Church whatsoever they affect and to refuse and oppose all things which themselves shall dislike and what they dislike must not onely to themselves but also to all others bee scandalous and burdensome and must bee cried out upon as great and unsupportable grievances yea though the things in themselves bee never so indifferent of never so long continuance in use and practise and never so much desired and affected of others so that where three or foure of them bee in a Parish though five hundred others desire the use and continuance of things long used all must bee altered or taken away as scandals and grievances for these three or foure though to the offence of many others and whatsoever they will have introduced must bee imposed upon all others and must by all bee admitted without scandall or offence whereby multitudes of godly and wel-affected people are in some things deprived or abridged of what they desire and take comfort in and have had a long and lawfull use and practise of and other things imposed upon them against their wils and liking as if no accompt were to bee made of them or no liberty of conscience were left unto them which bold attempts of some few to arrogate to themselves and to exercise over

should teach conformity to established Lawes but in contempt thereof in many places wholly neglected All these dayly practised with confidence without punishment To the great dejection of many sound Protestants and occasioning so great insultation and rejoycing in some Separatists as they not onely seeme to portend but menace some great alteration And not containing themselves within the bounds of Civill Government doe commit many tumultuous if not Sacrilegious violences both by day and night upon divers Churches Therefore your Petitioners being all very apprehensive of the dangerous consequences of Innovation and much scandalized at the present disorders Doe all unanimously pray That there bee admitted no Innovation of Doctrine or Liturgy that holy publike Service being so fast rooted by a long setled continuance in this Church that in our Opinion and Judgements it cannot bee altered unlesse by the advice and consent of some Nationall Synode without an universall discontent And that some speedy course bee taken to suppresse such Schismatiques and Separatists whose factious Spirits doe evidently endanger the peace both of Church and State And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. The Petition signed by Lords Knights Iustices of the Peace and Esquires 94. By Gentlemen of quality 440. By Divines 86. By Freeholders and others in all 8936. To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty And to the High Court of Parliament The humble Petition of Colledges and Halls and others well-willers to Piety and Learning throughout the Kingdome of England Sheweth THat whereas many Persons dis-affected to the present forme of Government of the Church of England established not onely by the Ecclesiasticall but also by the Common Law of this Realme and diverse Acts of Parliament have of late in great multitudes petitioned this Honourable Court against the Orders Honour Iurisdiction and meanes of the Clergy And have published such their desires in print and Pulpit and dayly seeke to advance and propagate the same To the great disheartning of all Learning if such designes find favour the grievous scandall of the Reformed Religion as unstable and the unspeakeable advantage of our Enemies of Rome WEe therefore well weighing that the Seminaries must decay when the Garden shall bee wasted in all humility most heartely pray Your Majesty and this Honourable Court that all the Orders of Holy Church of Bishops Priests and Decons which from the Apostles times till these have withstood so many Practices may have yet hopes to flourish under Your gracious Protection And that by your assistance under our most Religious Soveraigne the ancient Catholique Faith and Discipline as also the devout and decent service of God in our Church Liturgy may bee defended from all Innovations and Novelties The meanes and liberties of the Churches as well Cathedrall and Collegeat as Parochiall to them hitherto of right belonging according to the pious Wills of their blessed Founders may bee continued and preserved Many thousand Families which on them depend secured from ruine And that our Nation whose Lawes already favour as much as any in the World the right of the First borne may retaine Ecclesiasticall promotions as the Patrimony of younger Children the prize of labour and study an incitement of learning and a reward of those that can intitle themselves thereto by honest desert And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. This Petition is subscribed generally by all the Doctors Masters and Batchelours of all Degrees and Faculties in the Vniversity of Oxford And by very many other persons of quality Baronets Knights Esquires Ministers and Gentlemen within the Counties of Oxford Berks Wilts South-hampton Dorset Kent Surrey Westmerland Cumberland and other Shires Devonshire Petition To the Right Honourable the Lords Spirituall and Temporall now assembled in the House of PARLIAMENT The humble Information and Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen and others of ability within the Diocesse of Exeter WEe whose Names are underwritten have for these many yeares found the benefit and comfort of Episcopall Government under which wee have lived hitherto peacebly and happily with great freedome and frequency of the Preaching of the Gospell and incouragement of the conscionable and painefull Preachers thereof As wee blesse God for his favour to us in the behalfe So wee doe humbly and earnestly professe our desire that the same Government may bee still continued both to us and our posterity submitting all personall offences and redresse of abuses to your Honourable Wisdomes In witnesse whereof wee have hereunto subscribed Signed by Knights Esquires Gentlemen and other Inhabitants neere upon Eight thousand The Staffordshire Petition To the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the High Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Gentlemen Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants within the County of STAFFORD hereunto subscribed Who Most humbly pray THat the present publique forme of Gods Worship and administration of the blessed Sacrament with other Rites agreeable to Gods holy Word and purest antiquity which hath beene formerly sundry times established by godly Acts of Parliament may now againe in these broken and troubled times bee to Gods glory and the Churches Peace re-established and confirmed That Episcopacy being the ancientest and Primitive Government of the Church renowned for successes victorious against Schismes and Heresies and especially of late yeares against that Hydra of Heresies the Roman Papacy glorious for ancient and late Martyrdomes happy before the corruption of Popery and since the Reformation in the Plantation and Preservation of Truth and Peace eminently serviceable to this Common-wealth most compliable with the Civill Government into the Fabrick and body of which it is riveted and incorporate most apt easie a● all times by the State to be reduced into Order may for the future as formerly by your Great Authority bee continued and maintained for the glory of God preservation of Order Peace and Vnity the Reformation and suppression of wickednesse and vice and the mature prevention of Schismes Factions and Seditions The which wee your humble Petitioners the more earnestly beseech your Honours to grant For that strong feare doe possesse our hearts that the sudden mutation of a Government so long setled so well knowne and approved cannot recompence with any proportionable utility the disturbances and disorders which it may worke by novelty being most confident in your Honours Wisdome and Iustice That all excessive exorbitances and incroachments which shall bee found issuing not from any poison in the nature of the Discipline but rather from the infirmity or corruption of the person unto which the very best Government is subject shall bee duely regulated and corrected And your Petitioners shall duly pray for your Honours happiest proceedings Subscribed by 3000. of the best quality of the County To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty And to the Right Honourable the LORDS and the Honourable the House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT The most humble Petition of divers Baronets Knights Iustices Gentry Ministers and Freeholders Inhabitants

A COLLECTION OF SVNDRY PETITIONS Presented to the KINGS Most excellent Majestie AS ALSO To the two most Honourable Houses now assembled in PARLIAMENT AND OTHERS Already signed by most of the Gentry Ministers and Free-holders of severall Counties in behalfe of Episcopacie Liturgie and supportation of Church-Revenues and suppression of Schismaticks Collected by a faithfull Lover of the Church for the comfort of the dejected Clergy and all moderatly affected Protestants Published by his Majesties speciall Command Ezek. 34.18 20 21 22 23 24. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture but you must tread downe with your feet the residue also Therefore thus saith the Lord God Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the diseased with your hornes till you have scattered them abroad therefore will I save my flock and they shall be no more a prey and I will judge betweene Cattell and Cattell And I will set up one Shepheard ouer them and he shall feede them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepheard J the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince among them J the Lord have spoken it Printed for William Sheares 1642. The Collector to the Reader READER LET mee put thee in mind as these times doe mee of a speciall Law in that singular Patterne of a well composed State Sparta So sensible were they of the ill effects of Innovations in Government that who ever proposed a new Law presented himselfe with a Halter about his neck his Head paid the trespasse of a new invented Prejudice But oh Quantum mutantur Tempora quantum nos So rare a gift have the illuminated fancies of this all-knowing age That old women without Spectacles can discover Popish plots young men and prentizes assume to regulate the Rebellion in Jreland Sea-men and Marriners Reforme the House of Peers Poore men Porters and Labourers spy out a malignant party and discipline them The countrey clouted-shoe renew the decayed trade of the Citie The Cobler patch up a Religion all these petition for a translation both of Church and State with so little feare of the Halter that they would thinke themselves neglected if they had not thanks for their care of the Re-publicke only he that desires the ratification of an old Law or of a long setled Ecclesiastick Government lookes as if the Halter were his share And though there be thirty thousand hands subscribed to it 'T is ods not one of all those dares preferre a Petition to that purpose Oh! Quis pudor quod non praestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas Oh! what a shame is it that an ignorant Seperatist shall covertly draw Subscribers out of blind zeale to loose papers and those to be annext to some Embryon yet unhatcht and delivered in the name of a County with confidence when a Knight of a shire shall perhaps smother the true child and dares not owne it That a few Innovators shall be able to summon to Black-heath South-warke and Saint-george his fields thousands of credulous people with implicite faiths to goe along with Petitions shall be shewed them when they come there for the alteration of Lawes and Government and the Resolutions of an assizes or Sessions of Iustices published in all Parishes signed by all the Free-holders of a County for the supportation of Lawes and Government shall not produce one Patriot to present the unanimous desires of a County yet it fals out often so when single hearted men are encounter'd by a faction each man thinkes he stands alone unassured of a second when ten of the other confederated make more noyse then 10000. silent men Episcopacy and Lyturgie are both legally planted at this time both violently assaulted The question is whether the battery or the defence be the stronger the one side charges furiously the other suffers silently patiently and a reserved strength oft masters a violent But each orthodox sonne of the Church thinkes himselfe in Eliahs case that hee alone is left of all the Prophets and alas what can hee doe And perhaps thou my Reader art one of those Courage man the same God that taught him to know he had reserved seven thousand that had never bowed their knees to Baall when he opens thy eyes can shew thee not seven but seventy times seven thousand true Protestants that will lend their hands and hearts to uphold that Apostolicke order this blessed forme of divine service The busines is 't is a hard time every man's afraid to breake his shins by being foremost But the Ice is broke already This Collection of these many sleeping Petitions wil shew every County that the way is open And since noise and number are taken into consideration the forwardnesse of the Assaylants will I beleeve put shame upon the Defendants to be so farre behind The Iudges being honourable and impartially receiving the arguments on both sides I presume none will discover a distrust of a faire acceptance or betray a Trust out of a personall respect by detayning such Petitions as the Counties have committed into their hands If all such as are already signed see the light I am sure this volume will be a large one and the Number and quality of the Defendants as much over-sway the Opponents as their arguments drawne from the Lawes of God and man will out-weigh the Motives of those who only will because they will As if it were cause enough to overthrow established Lawes that they have desired it though they shew no reason for it But if all other Counties all true Protestants with like liberty expresse their affections the distractions of the Church will be quickly setled To that good worke I have lent my hand by lending thee and the world this light Farewell A PETITION DELIVERED In to the Lords SPIRITUALL and TEMPORALL By Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet from the County Palatine of Chester concerning EPISCOPACY To the High and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT The Nobility Knights Gentry Ministers Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are subscribed in the severall Schedules hereunto annexed Humbly shew THat whereas divers Petitions have lately beene carried about this County against the present forme of Church-governement and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality solicited to the same with pretence to bee presented to this Honourable Assembly which wee conceiving not so much to aime at Reformation as absolute Innovation of Government and such as must give a great advantage to the Adversaries of our Religion wee held it our duty to disavow them all And humbly pray that wee incurre no miscensure if any such clamours have without our privity assum'd the name of the County Wee as others are sensible of the common grievances of the Kingdome and have just cause to rejoyce at and acknowledge with thankefulnesse the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the growth of Popery the

our unanimous desires That the Government of this Church may continue as is now by Law established And that the Liturgy may bee setled with such alterations if there bee cause as your Wisdomes shall approve That the Lawes against Papists which oppose our Religion And against Sectaries of late dangerously encreased among us that trouble the Peace thereof may bee put in full execution And where those Lawes are defective such further remedy therein may bee provided as to your wisdomes shall seeme fit That a free Synod of Orthodox and peaceable Divines may bee convened according to the forme of the Primitive and Purest times of Christianity for composing of all differences in Doctrine and Ceremonies of Religion That the Safety of this County and Kingdome may bee provided for by the disposing of such a Militia as may consist with the native Liberties of the Subject That you would bee pleased to continue your Care in hastening the further Reliefe of our distressed Brethren in Ireland And your Petitioners shall bee ready to maintaine with their Lives and Estates his Majesties Person Honour and Estate together with the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. To the Most Honourable and High Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Gentlemen and other of the Inhabitants of the County of Cornwall HAving seene and heard the many though scarce divers Petitions to this Honourable Assembly by the Inhabitants of divers Counties and Cities of this Land as also Corporations Companies and Trades some against Bishops some against the Common Prayer and all against such Iudiciall and things Super-elementary to the region of their capacity of judging and matters onely belonging to the Iudicature of this grave Synod which seemes either to distrust or direct or both your great Wisdomes Wee therefore the Gentlemen and other the Inhabitants of Cornwall with as many hearts though not hands with as many good willes though not persons not in imitation but rather by provocation and necessity in these times to shew our good minded affections doe humbly prostrate the utmost of our service to your feet In which or rather after which wee take leave humbly to begge THat you will bee pleased to bend your auxiliary and good affections to the redresse of the distresse of the miserable Protestants in Ireland To gaine whose good prosperity peace and tranquility to preserve the Soveraignty of that Land to our Royall King and to maintaine His and this Kingdomes Honour We shall willingly lay downe our lives and fortunes That you will bee pleased to continue your great respect dutifull love and true obedience to our Royall Soveraigne by maintaining his just and no way Antilegall Prerogative That you will bee pleased to put the Lawes in due execution against all Iesuites Seminaries Papists and Recusants That you will bee pleased to looke upon the other side and duly weighing the actions or rather factions of some whom most men call Citizens to scourge their irregular and disorderly Schisme and Hereticall Sects into right paths of serving God to frequent his House and to Pray as well as Heare to allow Order and obey Conformity to reverence Learning and bow to Authority to bee under a Discipline and live in order That you will bee pleased to maintaine and establish the Ancient Fundamentall and most venerable Lawes Order and Discipline both of our Church and Common-wealth to continue the reverenced Office and punish the offending persons of Bishops to have in high account and eternize as farre as in you lies the Divine and excellent forme of Common-prayer to correct braine-forg'd doctrine by your examplary precepts strike a Reverence of Gods House into every mans breast That you will bee pleased to intimate to the people your Honourable and wise intentions concerning Divine Service lest while you hold your peace some rejecting it in part others altogether they vainly conceive you countenance them Lastly not to trouble your great affaires any longer That you will bee pleased to take into your Sage consideration those Scandalous and ill-affected Pamphlets which fly abroad in such swarmes as are able to cloud the pure aire of Truth and present a darke ignorance to those who have not the two wings of Iustice and Knowledge to fly above them Now to polish this our worke with a smooth demonstration of our modest intents that the tinctures which in Introduction fell on the fore-mentioned presents may slide without a staine from this Wee doe in all humility declare that neither distrust of your intentions nor opinion of any of our Counsels worthy your eares ever tainted our thoughts but that wee have still beene and are confident that this most wise Synod hath ever thought fit resolv'd and will confirme into action what wee now humbly request therefore this our present not so much a Petition as a Prayer of willing and thankefull hearts for the hoped sequell is onely to shew our true intentions and good will towards his gracious Majesty and this High Court as Instruments of the peace of our soules and bodies for which wee are unanimously and immutably resolv'd to spend our dearest bloud Published by I.B. Gent. To the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the high Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants within the County of HEREFORD Who Most humbly pray THat the present publique forme of Gods Worship and the Administration of the blessed Sacraments with other Rites agreeable to Gods holy Word and purest Antiquity which have beene sundry times established by godly Acts of Parliament may now againe in these broken and troubled times bee to Gods glory and the Churches Peace re-established and confirmed That Episcopacy being the Ancient and Primitive Government of the Church Renowned for Successes Victorious against Schismes and Heresies and especially of late yeares against that Hydra of Heresies the Roman Papacy Glorious for ancient and late Martyrdomes Happy before the corruption of Popery and since the Reformation in the plantation and preservation of Truth and Peace eminently serviceable to this Common-wealth most compliable with the Civill Government into the Fabrick and Body of which it is riverted and incorporated and most apt and easie at all times by the state to bee reduced into Order may for the future as formerly by your great authority bee continued and maintained for the glory of God the preservation of Order Peace and Vnity the Reformation and suppression of wickednesse and vice and the mature prevention of Schismes Factions and Seditions That Cathedrals the Monuments of our Forefathers Charity the reward of present Literature and furtherance of Piety bee also continued The which wee your humble Petitioners the more earnestly beseech your Honours to grant for that strange feares doe possesse our Hearts that the sudden Mutation of Government so long setled so well knowne and approved cannot recompence the Disturbances and Disorders which it may