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 {176} 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 {177} 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."