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TO THE KINGS MOST Excellent Maiestie.
The most humble Petition of your most faithfull Servants and Subiects, the Iustices and Gentlemen assembled at the generall Sessions for the County of Devon.
THat your Petitioners prest by the earnest complaints herewith humbly pre∣sented, and well experienced in your Princely Clemencie and Iustice, are thereby heartned to tender into your Royall hands both their and our most lowly and loyall desires.
It is not (Dread Sovereigne) the feare of Poverty that doth only or chiefly afflict us, though if things continue but a while in the present State, we see it comming unresistably as an armed man, nor yet of death if our lives might be spent in your Majesties service. But your Petitioners beholding Popery in Ireland prevayling (that mercilesse Religion where it doth pre∣vaile) and in England too much countenanced. For our owne Conscien∣ces sake, and for the salvation of our infant Childrens soules, wee humbly beg your Majesty upon our knees to looke into the cause. Distractions in your Parlia∣ment. How can it be otherwise? When Popish Lords are admitted to vote in your principall Affaires, and your chief Prelates appeare in a malevolent conjunction with them against the best proceedings. Oh! that the King of Kings would be pleased to put it into your Majesties Royall heart to sequester the different in Religion, to privacy, and your Bishops to their spirituall Callings, your Majesty would soon find (as your Petitioners confidently believe) an effectuall benefit and a present correspondencie. Had your Church Gover∣nours beene cordiall and substantiall in their duties, those swarmes of Papists in Ireland and England too, had (probably) been prevented.
If in your House of Commons any be suspected of ill affections, it is far from your Petitioners to desire their impunity, only your Petitioners implore, their faire tryall according to the Privilege of their Parliamen∣tary places, wherein your Petitioners and their Posterity have an interest. To which wee undervalue all things, but our Religion and loyalty.
In the name of God let them there receive the fruit of their demerits. This Iustice as it will be a perpetuall comfort to your Majesty in your soul, so shall it be a reall and compleat satisfaction to your Petitioners, who as they are in all duty bound, will for ever pray for your Majesties temporall and eternall happinesse.