YOur honest Resolutions and Affections to me and your Countrey, for the defence of my Person, and the Laws of the Land, have been, and are so notable, that they have drawn me hither onely to thank you: I go to other places to confirm and undeceive my Subjects, but am come hither onely to thank and encourage you: You have made the best judgement of happinesse, by relying on that foundation, which the ex­perience [Page 2] of so many hundred yeers hath given such proofe of, The Assurance and Security of the Law: And assure your selves when Laws shall be altered by any other Authority, then that by which they were made, your foundations are destroy­ed; And though it seems at first but to take away my Power, it will quickly swallow all your Interest. I ask no­thing of you (though your demeanour gives me good evidence that you are not willing to deny) but to preserve your own Affections to the Religion, and Laws established; I will justifie and pro­tect those Affections, and will live and die with you in that quarrell.

IF I could have suspected your affe­ctions, or have censured the duety of this County by some late Actions in it, I should not have taken this pains to have given you a Testi­mony of my Affection to you, and to remove those Objections, which being raised by a Ma­lignant Party, may, by their cunning and in­dustry, get credit even with honest mindes. The truth is, I come to you to assure you of my pur­poses and Resolutions for the Defence of what ever is or should be dear unto you, your Religion, your Liberty, your Common Interest, and the Law of the Land: and to undeceive you of that Opinion, which I hear hath mis led many of you, That the pretended Ordinance of the Militia is warranted by my Consent and Authority. As I have already informed you, by my severall De­clarations and Messages, that the same is against the known Law, and an Invasion of my unquestionable Right, and of your Libertie [Page 4] and Property, so I do now declare unto you, that the same is imposed upon you against my Expresse Consent, and in Contempt of my Re­gall Authoritie; And therefore whosoever shall henceforth presume to Execute or Obey the same, I shall proceed against them, as against such who promote Rebellion, and actually leavie War against me: And I doubt not, but you will sadly consider, That if any Authoritie with­out and against my Consent may lawfully im­pose such Burthens upon you, it may likewise take away all that you have from you, and subject you to their Lawlesse Arbitrarie Pow­er and Government: And how far they are like to exercise that Jurisdiction towards you, you may ghesse by the Insolence of Sir John Hotham at Hull, who (being a Subject) not only presumes to keep His Soveraign, by force of Arms, out of His Town, but murthers his Fellow-Subjects, imprisons them, burns their Houses, drowns their Land, takes them Captives, and commits such Outrages, and Acts of Hostilitie, as the most equall and outragious Enemies practise in any Countrey; That you may see how impossible it is for your Liberties and Properties to be preserved, when your King is Oppressed, and His just Rights taken from Him. Who hath brought these Cala­mities upon your Neighbours at Hull, every Man sees; and they onely can bring the same upon you. I will not beleeve you to be so insensible of the be­nefits you have received from me, that I need put you in minde of the Gracious Acts passed by me this Parliament on your behalfs; And if there [Page 5] be any thing wanting, to the making you the happiest Subjects in the world, I am sure it is not my fault that you have not that too: Be not deceived with words, and Generall Expressi­ons; It is not in your power to name one Parti­cular, which might make you happy, that I have refused to Grant: Be not frighted with Appre­hensions, That this Countrey is like to be the Seat of a war; the Seat of a war will be onely where persons rise in Rebellion against me; that will not, I hope, be here, and then you shall be sure of my Protection. I will live and die in your Defence; And that you may be in a Readinesse, and a Posture to Defend your selves and me, a­gainst any Invasion or Rebellion, I have Armed severall Persons of Honour, Quality and Repu­tation amongst you, and of your own Countrey, with a Commission of Array to that purpose: There is no honest end declared in that Ordi­nance, which is not provided for by this Commis­sion, which being according to the old known Law, is fit for your Obedience, and I doubt not will finde it.

In a word, I assure you, upon the Faith and Honour of a Christian King, I will be alwayes as tender of any thing which may advance the true Protestant Religion, protect and preserve the Lawes of the Land, and defend the just Priviledge and Freedom of Parliament, as of my Life, or my Crown: and when I fail in either of these, I will not look for your assistance; till then you are concerned not to see me suffer.