To the Kings most Excellent Maiesty.
The humble Petition of the Governour, Assistants, and Fellowship of the Merchants-Adventurers of England.

MOst humbly sheweth, That the Petitioners being, during these miserable distractions of the Kingdome, encompassed on all sides with many difficulties; and well weighing the dangers they may fall into in Forraigne parts, if your Majestie should withdraw Your Royall Protection from them, upon any displeasure to the Companie.

Doe humbly Prostrate themselves before Your Royall Majestie, and for their Assu­rance, in so many feares, humbly beseech Your Majestie to grant them some particular Declaration, at present, of your Royall Grace and Goodnesse towards the Fellowship, whereby they may bee enabled to uphold the little remainder of the Staple Trade of this Kingdome, and pro­ceed in the same with encouragement, as Your Majesties true and Loyall Subjests.

And as in duty bound, they shall daily Pray, &c. Signed by Sir HENRY ROW, Governor.
At the Court at Oxford, 26. Martii. 1643.

HIs Maiesty hath commanded me to give this His answer. That if the Petitioners are not conscious to themselves of any disloyalty to His Maiesty, they have no reason to feare the withdrawing His Royall Protection from them, His Maiesty being so desirous to preserve and advance the publique Trade (a thing of so high concernment to the whole King­dom) that He hath left no means unattempted to that end. But if the Peti­tioners, or any of them, are falne from their Duty, Obedience, and Al­legiance to Him, upon an opinion, That His Maiesty could not have the benefit of the Lawes here against them, He will never consent that they shall have the benefit and Protection, due only to His good Sub­iects, abroad, and so evade His Iustice every where; but will precisely observe His resolution declared so long since, and so gratiously, in an­swer to the Petition presented in the beginning of Ianuary last from the City of London, in and by which the Petitioners, and all other Persons concerned, had sufficient Warning and instance of His Maiesties Grace and Favour to them.

EDW. NICHOLAS.

Printed at Oxford by LEONARD LICHFIELD, 1643.

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