THat your Petitioners have a very great ſenſe of the many afflictions, inflicted upon theſe poor diſtreſſed Nations, and of the many endeavours of the Mad and Fanatick Party, to intrench upon their Liberties, and to involve them ſtill into more and more ruine, to their utter fall and deſtruction, had not the Almighty God, of his infinite Mercy been pleaſed to reſtrain in ſome meaſure his afflicting hand, and reſtore their breaches, by re-calling the Secluded Members, of the late Parliament, and re-eſtating them in their truſts, to the Confuſion we hope of thoſe Malevolent Spirits, who for the furtherance _____ own private ends and Intereſts, have indeavoured the Ruine and Deſtruction of theſe three Kingdoms.

That the ſaid Parliament, having devolved their power into the Hands of this Right Honorable Council, during the preſent interval, we cannot but hope that your Honours will be pleaſed ſtill to proceed in thoſe good waies which the Parliament begun, for the ſettlement of theſe Nations in Peace and Quietneſſe, and for the depreſſing the deſigns of the Anabaptiſts, Independents, Fift-Monarchy men, Quakers, and the reſt of the Sectarian Rabble, whoſe Malevolent Spirits can never be content with any Government but their own, and who have ſo often endeavoured to uſurp an unjuſt, illegal, and Tyrannical power over the Nations, and reduce them to a ſlavery under them and their Heretical Opinions.

That your honours cannot but be highly ſenſible of theſe their many and violent endeavours, fomented by the Envy and Ambition of ſuch men, who though they cannot allow of their Opinions, yet would willingly condeſcend unto them, ſo that they do but contribute to the accompliſhing of their ends and deſires; and who ſeeing that their Ambition fails them, Extend their Envy to the utmoſt, reſolving, that if they cannot govern themſelves, they will endeavour the ruine of any Government, though never ſo well eſtabliſhed either in Church or State.

That though it hath pleaſed our mercifull God and Father, hitherto to fruſtrate all the deſigns and deſires of that Factious and Malignant Party, yet we have reaſon to fear (Conſidering their late intentions, the many Arms and Ammunition, &c. taken from them) that their hopes of reign are not yet Quell'd, but that they will ſtill ſeek all poſſible means and opportunities, to ſubvert any Government, which may but in probability tend to the Quiet and ſettlement of theſe Nations, as being neceſſarily contrary to the deſigns and Intereſts of thoſe turbulent minded men.

That your Petitioners upon ſerious Conſideration of theſe things, as Lovers of their Countries Peace and Quietneſſe, have thought fit humbly to preſent theſe things to your Honours, eſpecially weighing the great incouragement which will be given to theſe Sectaries and Fanaticks, by the Releaſement of Major General Lambert their Head and Chief out of the Tower, whereby they will be emboldened to attempt and endeavour more deſperate and dangerous things to the Diſturbance of our Reſt and Peace.

That we likewiſe humbly conceive, that the ſaid General Lambert may legally ſtand indicted of High Treaſon, if the breach of the Privileges of Parliament (upon which pretence Our late Glorious King ſuffered Martyrdome) may be ſo deemed, he having by no Law, but only that of Arms, infringed that which ſate as a Parliament of their Privileges and Sitting, and by a Military force driven them out of the Houſe.

Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray, (ſince the Vote of the late Parliament leaves it wholly to your Honours Pleaſure, whether the ſaid Lambert ſhall be releaſed upon Security, Paroll, or not,) that your Honours would ſo far regard the Good and Wellfare of theſe Nations, as not to permit the Releaſement of a Perſon, whoſe turbulent and ambitious Spirit might ſo far diſquiet our Peace, but to bring him to a ſpeedy tryal to anſwer for his Rebellions and Treaſons.