<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2007-04-25</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Pip Willcox</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>proofed text and revised markup</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="A86813">
<STC T="W">H3538</STC>
<STC T="T">E437_11</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99862762</BIBNO>
<VID>114938</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE HUMBLE
PETITION
OF THE
Lord Major, Aldermen, and
Commons of the City of <HI>London</HI>
in Common-councell a&s;&s;embled:
TO THE
RIGHT HONORABLE
THE
<HI>LORDS</HI> and <HI>COMMONS</HI>
IN
Parliament A&s;&s;embled.
Together with their <HI>ANSWERS</HI>
to the &s;aid Petition.</P>
<P>Printed by RICHARD COTES Printer to the
Honorable City of LONDON, 1648.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="petition">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>TO THE
RIGHT HONORABLE
THE
LORDS
IN
PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">The humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen,
and Commons in Common-councell a&s;&s;embled.</HEAD>
<OPENER>Humbly &s;heweth,</OPENER>
<P>_THat they had lately pre&s;en|ted
unto them an informa|tion
from one <HI>John Everard,</HI>
a true Copie whereof is
hereunto annexed, whereby
he doth give intimation of
&s;ome Speeches that pa&s;&s;ed from certain per|&s;ons
<PB N="4" REF="3">
at <HI>Wind&s;or,</HI> of an intention to di&s;arm
the City, and then to Plunder the &s;ame:
And that divers reports to that effect have
been brought unto us by Letters and other|wi&s;e
from divers parts of this Kingdom, and
from Forain parts: Which Reports, toge|ther
with the pre&s;ent Drawing and Conti|nuing
of the Army &s;o near the City; and
the encrea&s;e of the number of Souldiers in
the Tower, hath been, now is, and will be
occa&s;ion of great fears, and a great decay of
Trade, and an enhauncing of the Prizes of
Victuals within this City: The which fears
are much encrea&s;ed by the taking and keep|ing
down of the Chaines within the &s;ame.
And the Petitioners doe humbly conceive,
That their danger is encrea&s;ed, and their
&s;trength much abated by the di&s;uniting of
the command of the Forces of the City, and
the Parts within the late Lines of Communi|cation,
and the weekly Bills of Mortality.
For the removing of which Feares, and
obtaining of tho&s;e things which may con|duce
to the &s;afety of the Parliament and of
<PB N="5" REF="3">
this City; The Petitioners doe humbly
pray,</P>
<P>That con&s;ideration may bee taken of the
information given by the &s;aid <HI>John Eve|rard;</HI>
and that upon a further examination
thereof, &s;uch cour&s;e may be taken therein
as your Honors &s;hall think fit.</P>
<P>That the Chaines within the City of
<HI>London,</HI> which were lately pulled down,
may forthwith bee repaired and &s;et up
again: And that the Army may be &s;pee|dily
removed to a further di&s;tance from
the City.</P>
<P>That by an Ordinance of Parliament,
Major Generall <HI>Skippon</HI> (who was long
&s;ince cho&s;en, and &s;till by Act of Common-councell
is continued Major Generall o|ver
the Forces of the City) may be appoin|ted
to be Major Generall within the late
Lines of Communication, and the weekly
Bils of Mortality; By which meanes he
may the better be enabled to reunite the
Forces within the City, and the &s;aid late
Lines of Communication, and weekly
<PB N="6" REF="4">
Bills of Mortality, for the better defence
of the City, and the Places adjacent: And
likewi&s;e for the pre&s;ervation of the Par|liament,
to whom the City do re&s;olve to
adhere according to their Solemn League
and Covenant.</P>
<CLOSER>And your Petitioners &s;hall pray, &amp;c.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="oath">
<PB N="7" REF="4">
<HEAD>The Information of <HI>John Everard,</HI>
Concerning &s;ome Speeches that pa&s;&s;ed
from certain per&s;ons at Wind&s;or, of an
intention to Di&s;arm the City of <HI>London,</HI>
and then to Plunder the &s;ame.</HEAD>
<P><HI>IOhn Everard</HI> maketh Oath, That he having &s;ome oc|ca&s;ion
of bu&s;ine&s;&s;e at <HI>Wind&s;or</HI> upon Thur&s;day the 20
of <HI>April,</HI> 1648. as he did lye in Bed, did heare &s;ome
Gentlemen di&s;cour&s;e in the next Chamber, the number
of whom he cannot tel, but by their di&s;cour&s;e they could
not be le&s;&s;e then three or four; And that he doth beleeve
they were all Officers of the Army under the command
of his Excellency the Lord <HI>Fairfax;</HI> one of them was
Quarterma&s;ter-generall <HI>Gravener</HI> as he &s;uppo&s;eth; ano|ther,
one Colonell <HI>Ewer,</HI> or &s;ome &s;uch name: And
after &s;ome merry di&s;cour&s;e, they began to be &s;erious,
and propounded what they thought fit to bee done
in reference to the pre&s;ent exigencies of the Kingdome,
upon which &s;ubject they di&s;cour&s;ed an houre or more:
They made no doubt of the comming in of the <HI>Scots;</HI>
and with the &s;ame confidence beleeved that the City of
<HI>London</HI> would joyne with the <HI>Scots;</HI> For the preven|ting
<PB N="8" REF="5">
of which, they could find no way but to Di&s;arm the
City both Friend and Foe: And afterwards, they &s;aid,
they would intimate that tho&s;e who were the Friends
of the Army, &s;hould come forth into the Fields, and
there they &s;hould be armed: And that they &s;hould have
the power of the City of <HI>London</HI> put into their hands,
to keep the re&s;t of the Citizens in awe: And that they
&s;hould be maintained at the Charge of the City, &s;o long
as it &s;hould bee thought fit to continue them. And be|cau&s;e
that Money is the &s;inews of Warre, having which,
they doubted not but to procure Men enow, if there
were occa&s;ion to u&s;e them: And therefore for the pre|&s;ent
advancement of the &s;ame, if need were, (this City
being Di&s;armed) they would make them advance a Mil|lion
of Money, or el&s;e plunder them: And the Party
that &s;pake this, &s;aid, Hee had acquainted Commi&s;&s;ary-generall
<HI>Ireton</HI> with it. All which, or to the like effect,
was &s;poken in this Deponents hearing.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>John Everard.</SIGNED>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<P>Copia vera.</P>
<CLOSER><DATE>23. Aprilis, 1648.</DATE>
Jur. coram
<SIGNED>Jo. Warner <HI>Major.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</POSTSCRIPT></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="answer">
<PB N="9" REF="5">
<HEAD>Die Jovis, <DATE>27. April. 1648.</DATE></HEAD>
<P>MA&s;ter Sheriffs, and Gentlemen of the Common-councell
of the City of <HI>London;</HI> The Lords have
commanded me to return Thanks to the Lord Major,
Aldermen, and Common-councell of the City of <HI>Lon|don,</HI>
for the good affections that they have expre&s;&s;ed in
this their Petition, a&s;&s;erting the re&s;olutions of the City
to adhere to the Parliament according to their &s;olemn
League and Covenant.</P>
<P>They likewi&s;e have commanded me to a&s;&s;ure you,
That it hath ever been a principall part of their care to
prevent any danger or inconveniency that might threa|ten
the di&s;turbance of the quiet of the city of <HI>London,</HI>
or tend to the decay of the Trade thereof, though to
their great grief the&s;e late troubles have much hindred
the &s;ucce&s;&s;e of their endevors therein; which care they
are fully re&s;olved &s;till to continue to the utmo&s;t of their
power. And they a&s;&s;ure you, That it never entred into
their thoughts to have the City of <HI>London</HI> to be di&s;ar|med:
And they hope there can be no &s;uch intentions in
any others who wi&s;h well to the &s;afety of the Parliament.</P>
<P>As to the report which hath been brought unto you by
one <HI>Iohn Everard,</HI> they will put it into a further exami|nation,
that they may be &s;atisfied of the truth or fal&s;hood
of it: and except there be further proof of it, they hope
&s;uch a report &s;hall not render the Army to be &s;u&s;pected
<PB N="10" REF="6">
of any &s;uch de&s;ign, con&s;idering the many former and
late experiences that the Parliament and City have had
of the fidelity and good &s;ervices of the Army.</P>
<P>As to the particular of &s;etting up the Chaines within
the City, they doe fully leave it to the Lord Major,
Aldermen, and Common-councell, to doe therein as
they &s;hall think fit.</P>
<P>To the la&s;t particular concerning Major Generall
<HI>Skippon,</HI> he being a member of the Hou&s;e of Commons,
the Lords can re&s;olve nothing therein, without a joynt
concurrence of that Hou&s;e; but they will take it further
into their con&s;ideration.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Joh. Brown,</SIGNED> Cler. Parliamentorum.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="order">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD>Die Jovis, <DATE>27 Aprilis, 1648.</DATE></HEAD>
<P>THe Hou&s;e being informed that divers Aldermen and Citi|zens
were at the doore, they were called in, and Alder|man
<HI>Bide</HI> one of-the Sheriffes of the City of <HI>London,</HI> after
&s;ome &s;hort preamble, acquainted the Hou&s;e that he was com|manded
by the Lord Major, Aldermen and Commons in Com|mon-councel
a&s;&s;embled, the repre&s;entative Body of the City of
<HI>London,</HI> to pre&s;ent a Petition to the Hou&s;e: The Petitioners
being withdrawn, the Petition was read, and an information
annexed of one <HI>John Everard</HI> taken upon oath before the Lord
Major, 23. of <HI>Aprill,</HI> 1648. The Petition was intituled, The
Humble Petition of the Lord Major, Aldermen and Commons
in Common-Councell a&s;&s;embled.</P>
<P>Ordered upon the que&s;tion by the Commons in Parliament
a&s;&s;embled, That this Hou&s;e doth approve of the de&s;ires of the
City, concerning Major Generall <HI>Skippon.</HI></P>
<P>Re&s;olved, &amp;c.</P>
<P>That the de&s;ire of the Petitioners concerning the Chaines be
granted, and that the Committee of the <HI>Militia</HI> do &s;ee it done.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Harbottle Grim&s;ton</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Major Generall <HI>Skippon</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Knightley</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>John Evelyn</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Bond</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Doddridge</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Henry Mildmay</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>John Corbet</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Colonell <HI>Harvey</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Robert Harley</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Prideaux</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Miles Corbet</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>John A&s;he</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Colonell <HI>Ven</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Swynfon</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Boy&s;e</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Alderm. <HI>Pennington</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Blaki&s;ton</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Va&s;&s;all</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Tho. Soame</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Alderm. <HI>Atkin</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Greg. Norton</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Erle</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Reynalds</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Long.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Martin Lumley</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Grove</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Scuwen</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Dove</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Sir <HI>Rob. Pye.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Bulkley</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Major Gen. <HI>Browne</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Commi&s;&s;ary <HI>Ireton</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Colonel <HI>Purie</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Mr. <HI>Say.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB N="12" REF="7">
<P>This Committee or any five of them are appointed to ex|amine
the information given in by Mr. <HI>John Everard,</HI> mentio|ned
in this City Petition, The information given in by Mr.
<HI>Walker</HI> a Member of this Hou&s;e, and that he doe name unto
the Committee the Reporter of it to him; and all other in|formations,
Forrain or other, that concern the &s;ame bu&s;ine&s;&s;e;
and have power to &s;end for parties, Witne&s;&s;es, Papers, Records,
and they are to meete upon it to morrow at two <HI>p^t^. merid.</HI>
in the Court of Wards, and the care of this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e is more
particularly referred to Alderman <HI>Pennington</HI> and Mr. <HI>Doddridge.</HI></P>
<P>Re&s;olved, &amp;c.</P>
<P>That the thankes of this Hou&s;e be returned to the Citizens
for their good affections expre&s;t in their Petition.</P>
<P>Mr. Speaker is appointed to acquaint the Citizens, That the
drawing of part of the Army &s;o neere the City was occa&s;ioned
by Orders given out in the time of the late Tumult; That the
Hou&s;e will take that bu&s;ine&s;&s;e into &s;erious con&s;ideration, and
doe that therein which may be for the good and &s;afety of the
Parliament and City &s;o farre as thereby they may receive &s;atis|faction.</P>
<P>The Sheriffes, Aldermen and other Citizens were again cal|led
in, and Mr. Speaker by the command of the Hou&s;e, acquain|ted
them with the Re&s;olutions and Proceedings upon the Pe|tition,
and did give them the thanks of this Hou&s;e for their ve|ry
good affections expre&s;t in the Petition to the Parliament.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>H. El&s;ynge</SIGNED> Cler. Parl. D. Com.</CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
