of that place, are like to suffer for their Loyalltie, who upon bare suspicion
only, that they had a hand in the late Insurrection there, which
they say was an effect of the Designes of the late King; are denounced
guilty of a very hainous offence, and that was of framing and promoting
a Malignant Petition, which (as they say) tended to the destroying of
the Army &c. --- A grosse fault indeede : --- Yet, this was accounted
a vertue, and so countenanced in the beginning of these times,
when they petitioned against Bishops &c. and since that hath been voted
the Birth-right of the People to Petition for Redresse of grievances:
Neverthelesse Mr. Uttin (for petitioning) is fined 500.l. disabled for
the future to beare any Office in the Cittie, and Ordered to bee
Imprisoned in the Fleete for six moneths. And Mr. Tooley (whom
they conceive to be bee a man of a greater Estate) fined 1000.l. to bee
imprisoned three Moneths, and disabled from bearing Office any more
in the said Cittie (the last whereof I presume they have reason to thank
them for.) The fines to bee bestowed on such as they call honest men
who suffered much for complying with the Army against those Malignant
Mutinieres that rose to oppose them.
But the Saints or any of their Party may petition at Pleasure, nay
the simplest of their letters is enough to call a whole Counsell to consider
their grievances : and this the meeting of the Officers of the Army
sufficienly evidences; which was occasioned for no other thing then
to debate severall Letters which they had received from Hob (the Ploughman)
Tom (the Carter) and Will (the Weaver) in order to which they
were so serious, that in the first place they tooke the boldnesse to tyre
God with a tedious two-houres howling for directions in what they
were going about; and when they had done, pulled out their learned
Epistles, which after the reading of them, they found they jumpt to one
purpose; which was,
First, That the Officers of the Army would bee graciously pleased to
Reforme them the Lames Which they found very much defective; and that
they Would think of some course to shorten the Law-Suits, and that with lesse
trouble and charge.
Secondly, That, by all meanes, they Would vouchsafe to thinke of a way
whereby to provide a setled maintenance for Preaching Ministers, otherwise
then by Tithes.
Thirdly, That the disposall of the Publique Treasury belonging to the
Common-Wealth may bee allwaies with due respect to what is most needfull
and due by Arreare, and Where there is most neede, and the Parties
in greatest Wants : And that no rewards might bee made, until after the
Publique debts were satisfied, unlesse the Want were extraordinay,