PETITIONS FROM THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM.
The documents, copies of which I inclose, are written on the blank leaves in a copy of Willett's Hexapla, edit. 1611. I should be glad to know if the petitions, of which they are drafts, or rather copies, were presented, and when? There is no date to the petitions; but the copy of a letter, on another blank page, which seems to be in the same handwriting (signed "William Middleton"), is dated February 5th, 1658. Any information regarding the parties whose names are appended to the petitions would be acceptable.
"To his Highness the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, the humble Address and Petition of diuers Justices of the Peace, Gentlemen, Ministers of the Gospell, and others, wel-affected persons, inhabitants in the County of Nottingham.
"Upon consideration of the signall and glorious appearances of God on the behalfe of his people and interest, wherein he hath pleased to make great use of your Highness, we account ourselues deeply engaged to acknowledge the wonderfull power, wisdome, and goodness of God, and to ascribe the glory to him alone, yet would we not be found ingratefull to your Highness, as an eminent instrument under God of the peace and liberty we have injoyed, with a continued series of manifold mercies from the Lord, under your Highness' gouernment (notwithstanding all our declensions and unworthynesses), together with the influence it hath had upon the nations abroad to the promoteing of the Protestant interest, we judge it alsoe exceedingly remarkable that the Lord hath so signally blasted the pernicious designes of the common enemy against your Highness' person and gouernment, and against the common interest of the people of God and of these nations, for which we desire unfeignedly to bless the Lord.
"These things premised, we humbly pray,
"That the Lord would please to stir up the heart and strengthen the hands of your Highness, in carrying on what yet remains for the reforming of these nations (according to the word of God) and the secureing of the interest of godlyness and righteousness for the future, that such as are found in the faith and of holy conversation may live peaceably, and receive encouragement to persevere in that upon which the Lord may delight to doe your Highness and these nations good; in order whereunto we humbly propose these following particulars to your Highness' consideration:
"1. First, that a stop may be put to the spreading infection of damnable errors and heresies, by a lively and due suppressing of them according to the mind of the Lord.
"2. That an effectuall course may be taken for the curbeing of all profaneness and libertineisme by the sword of justice, which the Lord hath put into your magistrates' hands.
"3. That your Highness would haue an eye upon the designes of the common enemy in generall, and particularly on this (vid.), their traininge up a young generation in the old destructive principles, as also on the designes of any persons whatsoeuer that indeauour to disturb your Highness' gouernment and the peace of these nations.
"4. That the lawes of the nation may be reuised, that for what in them is agreeable to the rules of righteousness may be continued and executed, and whatever corruption is crept into, or may grow up in, courts of judicature may be duly purged away.
"5. That in your Highness' lifetime such prouision be made for the future gouernment of the commonwealth, as may secure the interest of good people of these nations for succeeding generations, that they may call you blessed.
"And in the prosecution of such ends we shall be ready, as the Lord shall help us, with all that is dear to us, to defend your Highness' person and gouernment, with the true interest of religion and the lawes, and shall ever pray, &c.
"—— Ansley.
Chrystopher Sanderson, Minister of Annesley.
Will. Lee. John Dan.
Geo. Brittain.
Abraham" [Torn off].
"To the honourable the Parliament of England.
"The humble Petition of diuers Gentlemen, Ministers of the Gospell, and others, inhabiteing in the County of Nottingham,
"Sheweth,
"That your petitioners, haueing seriously considered how much of a thorough reformation of religion and pure administration of the ordinances of Christianity would tend to the honour of God, the good of soules, and the abundant satisfaction of the truly godly in this nation, who have long waited for these mercies as the return of their prayers, and the fruit of their expense both of blood and treasure, and being alsoe very sensible that the duty we owe to God, the eminent and signall mercies of God towards this nation, and our own solemn engagements, doe strongly oblidge us euery one in our places, to the utmost of our power, to indeauour the promoteing and aduancement of pure gospell worship, we are humbly bold to address ourselues to your honors.
"We are not undmindfull of, nor would we be unthankfull for, what hath been indeauoured this way by former Parliaments, yet we cannot but sadly resent the many obstructions this work hath hitherto met withall, and how much it hath been retarded, chiefly, we confess, by our own sins, and the sins of these nations, partly through the malice of Satan, the diuisions of brethren, the secret and subtile practices of Romish emissaries, fomenting errors and heresies, and not a little, as we humbly conceive, through the want of church gouernment, settled and established by the ciuil authority, whereby those unto whom the exercise of church power is committed by Christ may be impoured to keep back ignorant and prophane persons from polluting the ordinances of God, as alsoe by reason of some ancient lawes, alledged and urged by diuers as yet in force, injoyning ministers to dispense the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, without affording them (as we conceiue) sufficient power regularly to keep back such as are not duly qualified for the same, by reason whereof ministers are liable to prosecution att law (of which we have had a late instance in this county).
"We therefore, your petitioners, in faithfulness to the interest of God and his glory, Christ and his gospell, our own and other men's soules, and from our sincere desires of the aduancement of the kingdome of Christ in these nations, in the promoting whereof the interest and welfare of states and nations is uery much concerned, we neither could nor durst be longer silent, but being persuaded of your willingness to act for Christ, and hopeing that God hath raised you up to carry on the work of reformation already begun amongst us, and to be repairers of our breaches and restorers of pathes to dwel in, we are incouraged humbly to pray,
"1. That such ancient lawes as may be yet in force relating to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, so far as they are or may prove burdensome to truly godly and conscientious ministers and people, may be duly regulated.
"2. That so far as you in your wisdomes shall think fitt, ordinances of Parliament that have been made after aduice had with the late Assembly of Diuines in order to Church settlement, may be returned upon, and begun reformation carried on.
"3. That in regard a thorough settlement of Church affaires may be long under debate, in the mean time some speedy and effectuall course may be taken, where by ignorant and scandalous persons may be kept from the Lord's Supper.
"And your petitioners shall ever pray.
"Charles Jackson.
Lancelot Coates.
Will. Coup.
Francis Brunt.
Will...llow [obliterated].
John Hoyland.
Tho. Shaw.
Hen. Clark.
Will. Farnworth.
Chrystopher Clark.
Will. Saunder.
George Flint.
Dauid Taylor.
Charles Shepheard.
Es. Brettun."
T. S.
Leeds.