SInce the great and bloudy battaile fought at Kinton, his Majestie taking into his consi­deration, the great ef­fusion of bloud that hath bin, and the la­mentable probability of more like to be shed in this most unnaturall and civill war, if some speedy course be not taken for the setling of a Peace, and causing of a consultation betweene the King and his Parliament, the Kings most excellent Ma­iesty was most graciously pleased to pub­lish [Page] his great and unspeakable greife con­ceived by the losse of so many of his faith­full and loyall subiects in that bloudy bat­taile fought at Kinton, and also his most hearty and unfained desire of Peace, and proclamation for reconcilment wherein he doth evpresse his generall sorrow appre­hending the losse of his Subiects, and his free pard on unto his subiects, if they shall imbrace those his Royall proffers of Peace; Whereupon the Houses taking this his Majestyes Proclamation into their consi­deration, and also conceiving the great inconveniences that must needs fall on this Kingdome of necessity by reason of a Civill Warr, considering further the great calamity and desolation that may fall on this Nation perforce ensue by reason of this civil discord, and how that if those distractions were not remedyed we must share with Germamy in her desolation, and be as ruinate as that our neighbour Nati­on. Wherupon it was resolved that the Earle of Northumberland, the Earle of Pem­brock [Page] with 2 Lords more and 4 members of the House of Commons should be dis­patched with a petition vnto his Maiestey if his Maiestey would be pleased to grant them safe conduct, and so it was Ordered that they should go to Wallingford where it was then reported that his Maiestie did lye, to procure His Maiestie to be moved concerning the same Petition, the substance is as followeth.

That wheras the Parliament had bin in­formed that his Maiestie had declared himselfe to be very tender of sheding of bloud, rather wishing that there might be a union betweene his Maiesty and his Par­liament.

And so that their may by this meanes Iustice take its Legall and due pro­ceedings against Malifactors, and that they may be brought unto a iust triall, and so by this meanes that this land may inioy a most blessed flourishing and happy peace after her long and grevious time of suf­ings.

The Parliament decareing them, likewise the same pious and most dutifull affection being willing, and allwaies desirous to concur with his Majesty in all possible meanes for the advancment of his Majestys honour the good of the Church and Common wealth.

That as they for there owne parts have not giuen any iust cause or occasion to his most sacred majesty, to take up Armes and to levie war against them, and the rest of his Maiestyes louing and loyall Subjects, so they do also now with all humillity, and harty affection, signifie unto his sacred Maiesty, that their endeavours and good affections shall not be wanting or defective, to use or imploy all possible meanes for the setling of the present destractions in this his Majesties Kingdome, and give­ing his Majesty all dutifull and Loyall o­bedience; as becomes faithfull and obedi­ent subiects. And that they neither have-nor do take up armes for any particular ends of their own no sinister respects, nor [Page] drawn on by any privat conditions what­soever then inducing thereunto, but only out of the bond of conscience wherin they stand bound to Almighty God, to maintain the true and ancient Protestant Religon protested in this land, his Maiesties iust prerogatives, the fundamentall Laws of the land, from violation and subversion, and the liberty of the subiect, it being abu­sed by great violence and by oppresion. Humbly desirng His Maiesty to declare those ill and subverting Councell, which have drawn his Maiesty from his great Councell of Parliament, and by their ill suggestions occasioned those present di­stractions, wherein these present times are involved; and that he would be gratiously pleased to returne, and come in a Peace­able manner and treate with his great Councell; and deliver up those that are Delinquents, and insendiaries of these pre­sent evills and troubles, to receive their tryall according to their merrit of their cause, and the Lawes of the Land.

Upon Satterday last Sir William Killi­grew returned to the House, and brought His Majestyes answer, concerning the cleering of the Petition of both Houses, and the Committee which they should send with the same, with the promise of their safe conduct, which answer was to tdis effect.

That His Majesties desires did wholly concurre with theirs for a union and a pa­cification, and that he would be willing and alwaies ready: to receive any Petition that should be presented unto him from from his Parliament, provided alwaies that they should not present the same un­to him, by the hands of those that he had in his former Proclamations proclaimed and published to be traytors, or excepted in bis declarations, and that a Committee of both houses of those members not taxed by his Maiesty shall have accesse unto his Maiesty, and safe conduct shall be graunted and performed accordingly.