May it please your Majestie.

YOur Majesties most humble and faithfull Subjects, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Com­mons House of Parliament, having considered your Majesties Reply to their Answer, touching such persons as have been licenced by your Majesty to passe into Ireland, doe most humbly beseech your Majesty to believe, that they shall alwayes with thankefulnesse and Ioy receive from your Majesty any satisfactory Answer to th [...]ir just re­quests: [Page] And, as they hope thny shall find in your Majesty a readinesse to rectifie these things, which have beene done to their prejudice, so will they bee carefull to remove all appre­hensions of their Actions or Speeches, which may seeme to cast any dishonour upon your Majesty.

For your Majesties better satisfaction concerning the possitive affirmation, that many of the chiefe Commanders now in the head of the Rebels (after the Ports were stopped by order of both houses) have been suffered to passe by your Majesties im­mediate Warrante May it please your Majesty to consider that herein they have affirmed nothing but what they had cause to believe was true, the grounds whereof they humbly present to your Majesty.

The first ground is this, that both Houses of Parliament, (having upon your Majesties commendation taken into their care the suppression of the Rebellion of Jreland) had reason to be especially watchfull over the Ports, because the Rebels abounding in numbers of men for the most part ignorant of their Armes could by no meanes become dangerous or for­midable to this Kingdome. but by the accesse of Soldiers and Commanders, wherewith they were like to be furnished ei­ther out of France or Flanders, from both which places the passage into Ireland is speedy and easie through this King­dome, and thereof they could not chuse but be very sensible of whatsoever gave liberty or opportunity to such a passage, as of a very hurtfull and dangerous grievance, for prevention whereof they did upon the seventh of November agree upon an Order and restraine all passage into Ireland, but upon due strict examination by such persons as were trusted to make those Licences.

A second ground that the other Licence granted to the Lord Delvin, and then acknowledged by your Majesties Answer were such (both in regard of the persons, to whom they were granted,) as were apt to produce such an effect as is mentio­ned in that positive Affirmation that is, to open a way for the passage of Papists and other dangerous persons to joyne with the Rebels, and to bee Heads and Commanders amongst them, which is thus proved.

The Warrant granted to Colonell Butler, (since the order of Restraine by both Houses of Parliament) did extend to all Ports of England and Scotland, and did give free passage to himselfe and to his Company, without any qualification of person, or Limitation of Number, and this Colonell was himselfe a Papist, had a Brother in Rebellion, and Generall of the Rebels in Munster, was expected, and very much de­sired by those Rebels, who for a long time had kept a Reg [...] ­ment to be commanded by him; as we have beene credibly informed.

The second was granted to a Sonne of the Lord Nettersfield, which Lord had foure Sonnes in England since the Rebellion, one of which is setled in England, three others intended co passe into Ireland, and were all dangerous persons being Pa­pists, bred in the Wars, in the service of the King of Spaine, and one of them lately become a Iesuit.

The third to the Lord Delvin extends to himselfe and some persons more unnamed, that one of those who should have past with him is taken to be a Jesuit, and another calls him­selfe Ploneket, seems to be a man of some breeding and qua­lity, and like to have beene serviceable to the Rebels, and to have done mischiefe, if he had gone over.

The fourth to Sir George Hamilton, and three more unnam­ed; This Gentleman is likewise a profest Papist, and may be doubted to be of the partie of the Rebels, one of that name being mentioned in the instructions of Sempill the Jesuit, a­mongst divers other dangerous persons of the popish party in Scotland and Ireland, which instructions were found in a Ship staeyd in Cornwall, which was going into Ireland with divers Iesuits, Soldiers, and others for the incouragement of the Rebels.

A third ground is this, that by vertue and Authority of of these Licences severall persons have passed over, which now are in Actuall Rebellion, and have command amongst the Rebels, which is thus proved.

One Captaine Sutton, did by vertue of your Majesties Li­cence and Authority imbarque at White-Haven from whence he passed into Jreland, where he went into Rebellion with [Page] the Lord Dunsany, and hath since obtained the place of a Co­lonell amongst the Rebels, as we are credibly informed.

Two of the Sonnes of the Lord Netterfield, one a Jesuite, and the other a Soldier, passed into Ireland in December last, both of them by vertue of your Majesties Warrant, as we have cause to beleeve, for that they went both together in one Ship, and the Licence acknowledged to be granted by your Warrant must needs be granted to one of them, seeing the other Brother who lately endeavoured to passe over, did produce no Licence, and upon his Examination doth abso­lutely deny that he had any.

A fourth ground (which we humbly offer to your Majesty) is this, that your Majesty cannot be assured that no other did passe upon young Licence as your Majesty doth conceive, and are pleased to expresse in your Answer, and that we had great cause to beleeve that divers other had passed over by your Warrant, besides the persons afore-mentioned, and that for these Reasons.

1. Because we received such a generall Information, that di­vers now in the Head of the Rebels were passed by your Ma­jesties Licence, which being true in part and easie to be effec­ted, in regard of the Nature and extent of the Warrants and probable to be attempted, in regard of the subtilty and vigi­lancie of that party, to make use of all advantages, seemed to deserve credit, which we should not have given to it, if it had beene a naked information without such circumstances.

2. Because wee had concurring Advertisements from Jre­land and Chester, that divers Priests, Iesuits, and Popish Com­manders had passed over, and were landed there and parti­cularly some of Colonell Butlers Company, and that the Of­ficers of the Ports had kept no Entrie of the names of these p [...]rsons, or of the Warran [...]s by which they were transported.

These we hope will be sufficient to perswade your Majesty to belee [...]e, that as we had some cause to give credit to the said Jnformations, so we had no intention to make any ill use of them to your Majesties dishonour, but did impute the blame to your Ministers, who might have beene more care­full to have informed y [...]r Majestie of the Quality o [...] those [Page] persons named in your Licences, and so to have limited them that they might not have extended to others, as they did, how many and dangerous soever.

And they pray your Majesty to rest assured, that they shall alwayes be tender of your Honour and reputation with your good Subjects, and for this cause have made this true Declara­tion of the full State of this matter, that they may thinke no otherwise of it then the truth, and in all things shall labour to establish a good understanding and confidence, betwixt your Majesty, and your people, which they heartily desire, and pray for, as the chiefest meanes of preserving the Honor, safety, and prosperity of your Majesty, and your Kingdome.