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.

To the Honourable House of Com∣mons, assembled in Parliament. The Humble Petition of the Gentry, Ministers, and Commonalty of the County of Kent, agreed upon, at the generall Assizes of the County.

Most Humbly sheweth,

THat wee cannot but take notice, how welcome to this Ho∣nourable House, many Petitions have beene, which yet came not from an assembled body of any county (as this doth) wee doe therefore hope to find as gentle and favourable a reception of this, as any other have found of their Petitions, our hearts witnessing unto us, as good, peaceable, and pious purposes as the best.

These are therefore the true and Ardent desires of this County.

1 That you will be pleased to accept our due, and hearty thankes for those excellent Lawes (which by his Majesties grace and good∣nesse) you have obtained for us.

2. That all Lawes against Papists, be put in due execution, and an account taken of their disarming, and that all children of the Papists may be brought up in the reformed Religion.

3. That the soelmn Liturgy of the Church of England (Celebri∣ous by the piety of the Bishops and Martyrs who composed it) esta∣blisht by the supreame Lawes of this Land, attested and approved by the best of all Forraigne Divines, confirmed by the subscription of all the Ministry of this Land, a Clergy as able and Learned as any in the Christian world ere injoyed, and with a holy Love embraced by the most and best of all the Laity, that this holy exercise of Reli∣gion may by your authority be injoyed quiet and free from interrup∣tions, scornes, prophanenesse, threats and force of such men, who daily doe deprave it, and neglect the use of it in divers Churches, in despight of the Lawes established.

4. That Episcopall Government, as ancient in this Iland as Chri∣stianity it selfe, deduced and dispersed throughout the Christian world, even from the Apostlicall times, may bee preserved (as the most pious, most prudent, and most safe Government) for the peace of the Church.

5. That all differences concerning Religion and Ceremonies, may be referred to a lawfull free, and Nationall Synod, as your Remon∣strance promiseth, to a generall Synod of most grave, learned, pious and Iudicious Divines, (the proper agents) whose interests, gifts, and callings, may quicken them in that great Worke, whose choyce to be by all the Clergy of the Land, because all the Clergy are to bee bound by their Resolutions, and the determination of this Synod to bind us all, when you have first formed them into a Law, and this we take to be according to the ancient and fundamentall Law of this Land, confirmed by Magna Charta.

6. That some speedy and good provision may be made (as by his Majesty hath beene, and is by all good men desired) against the odi∣ous and abominable scandall of schismaticall and seditious Sermons and Pamphlets, and some severe Law made against Lay-men, for da∣ring to arrogate to themselves, and to execute the holy function of the Ministry, who (some of them) doe sow their impious and dis∣contented Doctrine even in sacred places, by abuse of sacred Ordi∣nances, to the advancing of Heresie, Schisme, Prophanenesse, Liber∣tinisme, Anabaptisme, and Atheisme.

7. That if the coertive power of Ecclesiasticall Courts by way of Excommunication be already abrogated, or shall be thought fit so to be, that there be some other power & authority speedily established, for suppressing the heynous, and now so much abounding sins of In∣cest, Adultery, and Fornication, and other crimes, and for recove∣ring Tythes, repayring of Churches, Probate of Wils, Church as∣sesses, providing Bread and Wine for the Communion, and choyce of Church-Wardens, and other Officers in the Church, and especi∣ally for Ministers, who neglect the Celebrating of the Holy Com∣munion, and the Parishioners for not Receiving.

8. That the Professors of that Learned faculty of the Civill Law, and (without which this Kingdome cannot but suffer manifold In∣conveniences) may not find discouragements, and so divert their stu∣dies and Professions.

9. That honour and profits the powerfull encouragements of In∣dustry, Learning, and Piety, may be preserved without further dimi∣nation to the Clergy.

10. That you please sadly to consider the bleeding wounds of our Brethren in Ireland, and with speedy succours endeavour to preserve them, whereunto his Majesty hath promised a gracious concur∣rence.

11. That you will please to frame an especiall Law for the Re∣gulating of the Militia of this Kingdome, so that the Subject may know how at once to obey, both his Majesty, and both Houses of Parliament, a Law whereby may bee left to the discretion of Gover∣nours, as little as may bee, but that the number of Armes, and what measure of punishment shall bee inflicted upon the offendours, may bee expresly set downe in the Act, and not left to any Arbitrary power, and that according to the president of former Lawes, the of∣fendours may not bee tried out of the County.

12. That the precious liberty of the Subject (the Common birth∣right of every English man) may bee as in all these points preserved entire, so in this also, that no order of either of both Houses, not grounded on the Lawes of this Land, may be enforced on the Subject, till it bee fully enacted by Parliament.

13. That his Majesties gracious Message of the 20. of Jan. last, for the present and future establishment of the Priviledges of Par∣liament, the free enjoying of our estates and Fortunes, the Liberty of our persons, the security of the true Religion professed, the maintai∣ning of his Majesties just and Regall Authority, the establishing his Revenue, may bee taken into speedy consideration, the effecting whereof will satisfie the desires of all us, his faithfull and loving Sub∣jects.

14. That all possible care may bee taken, that the Native Commo∣dities of this Kingdome, may have a quick Vent, and that Cloathing, and other Manufactures may bee improved, wherein the livelihood of many thousands doe consist, and that Trade may bee ballanced, that the importation doe not exceed the exportation, otherwise it will prove a consumption of the Land.

15. That you please to frame some Lawes concerning Depopu∣lations, Purveyances, Cart-taking, delayes in Iustice, Traffick, Fishing in the Coasts, Fulling earth, that our Sea Forts may bee repaired, and our Magazines renewed.

16. That you please to consider the generall poverty that seemes to overgrow this Kingdome.

17. Lastly, Wee humbly beseech you to consider the sad condi∣tion, that wee and the whole Land are in, if a good understanding

bee not speedily renewed betweene his Majesty, and both Houses of Parliament.

Our hopes are yet above our feares, secure them wee beseech you, God direct and guide your consultations for the removing of all distrusts and Iealousies, for the renuing that tye of confidence and trust, (which is the highest happinesse) betweene our gracious Prince, and his loving Subjects.

And you shall have the dayly prayers of your humble Oratours of the Commonalty of Kent.