A True and Perfect Relation of particular Passages at York.
HIs Majesty having summoned the Free-holders of the County of Yorke, to appear before him on Hewarth Moor, on the day above said, to satisfie them concerning his Intentions, many of them did
appeare together with a great multitude of Labourers and poore people, as also divers
of the Inhabitants of the County of Lancaster, in all according to the estimate of my selfe, and divers others of judgement about
the number of seventy thousand or upwards, they came not in any warlike way, nor put
themselves into any posture or order, neither was the third part of the Free-holders,
and Farmers of orkeshire there.
His Majesty had appointed 800. foot compleatly armed [...]o guard his Person, and about 11. of the clock came to the Field or Moore accompanied
with a great number of Lords and Knights of great quality.
The Prince also led a Troope of Horse consisting of 150 Knights, Esquires and Gentlemen,
some whereof had foure, some three; and most two men a peece, which made another Troope.
As soone as his Majesty came neere the Moore, the people did entertaine him with a very loud shout, and being come into the Moore,
and as much filence made as could be, his Majesty made a Speech, therein declaring
his constancie in the Protestant Religion, and his great affection to that County,
intimating that he resolved to recide amongst them in those parts to keep the County
in peace. His Speech being ended, he rode round the Moore, and about the number of
65000. followed him, crying all the way (God blesse the King,) but the rest which
were about 5000. all Free-holders, separated themselves to Petition to his Majesty,
and had their Petition ready to present to him, the effect of it, was to beseech his
Majesty to come to the Parliament, &c. but their Petition was intercepted by th [...] Lord Savill, who carried himselfe very strangely in that particular, and in a forcible manner,
suffered them not to deliver the same: His Majesty having rode round the Field, all
the people brought him off the Moore with a great shou [...], and there m [...]ny left him, but 20000. accompanied him to the Court Gate, and saw him safe at Court,
and with a great shout left him.
A great multitude of the people never came at the Field, but staid in the City, and
others came but into the Moore, when the rest came out. And having thus made their
appearance about eight of the clock at night all were returned out of the Field.
To the Kings most Excellent Majestie.
The humble Petition of Your Majesties most faithfull and loyall Subiects, the distressed
Protestants in Your Majesties Kingdome of Ireland, concerning His Majesties Resolution for that Kingdome.
VNto Your most Sacred Majestie, that Your Majesties most faithfull and loyall Subjects,
the distressed Protestant party of Your Kingdome of Ireland, have, and do suffer a most heavie and cruell tyranny, raised and prosecuted by the
rebellious Papists in Your Majesties Kingdom of Ireland, to the utter ruine and subversion of our fortunes, liberties and persons. For even
so farre hath this hideous Hidra of Rebellion proceeded, and their ungratefull treachery hath taken such progresse, that beside
their unnaturall rising up in Arms, and their unparaled [Page]expressions and detestations against Your Majesties government over them, and against
all the English Nation; They have spilt (unprovoked) the blood of many thousands of Your Majesties
most loyall and faithfull Subjects, and destroyed the Estates of all the Protestants
in this your Majesties Kingdome, not sparing unto them out of their inhumane crueltie,
the least part of the fruits of their care and industrie, but have most maliciously
endeavoured to ruine both them and their posteritie, and (as may appear by many and
severall concurring circumstances) have by this means laboured (notwithstanding your
Majesties continual Grace and Goodnesse unto them when they stood in the condition
of good and loyall Subjects, and also your often proffered grace unto them since their
Revolt, which their own ingratitude will not let them be sensible of) even to deprive
your Majestie of your Royall Crown and Dignitie, and to place over them some one of
their Rebellious faction, or some other forraign Prince, and so altogether to shake
off the English-government. And whereas your gracious [Page]Majestie out of a just sense of the great miseries and afflictions, of Your distressed
and oppressed Subjects in Your Kingdome of Ireland, occasioned by the barbarous and inhumane cruelties of the rebellious Papists there,
had firmly resolved (by the assistance of the Almighty God) to visit this your distressed
Kingdome in your own royall person, for the full and finall suppression of this Rebellion,
and out of your Majesties most gracious care and vigilancie unto this Nation to purchase
the peace thereof with the hazard of your own loyall person.
We Your Majesties most faithfull (although distressed Subjects) out of that duty
which becomes the breast of every loyall subject, as also out of the respective desire
of your Majesties welfare and securitie, knowing that upon Your happinesse consists
the felicitie of this and of the rest of Your Majesties Kingdoms. And also considering
the cruell and bloody disposition of those with whom Your Maj. must encounter; Do
in all humble and thankful manner, from the bottom of our hearts, and with hearts
& bodies prostrate at your Maj. feet, & with the loyall duty of faithful subjects,
render most harty [Page]thanks for this your Maj. most royal and Princely purpose to relieve your poor distressed
Subjects, and to take just and deserved vengeance on the causers of chese calamities,
for the vindicating of Your honour, Revenging the blood of so many of Your Majesties
most faithfull and loyall Subjects, and the securing the future safety of Your Majesties
Crowns and Kingdomes.
And we Your Majesties most loyall Subjects, considering the condition of those with
whom Your sacred person must deale, to be bloudy, contumacious, and desirous to shake
off Your Majesties Government from off them, (and so to forget that duty which Your
Grace and Goodnesse hath formerly engaged them to acknowledge and to perform for
Your Sacred Clemencie expressed to their Errours and Enormities) do humbly beg and
beseech you, That you would forbear to hazard your Royall person among such barbarous
Monsters, but that you would rather take speedy and such Order for our Relief, as
in Your Princely wisdome shall be thought fit and convenient, without the danger
of Your Princely person, unto whom the least misfortune cannot befall, [Page]without a generall grief unto all Your most faithfull Subjects, and by that means,
your loyall Subjects suffer a greater affliction then the burthen of their present
calamities.
May it therefore please Your most Sacred Majestie to take these humble and hearty
desires of Your Majesties most faithfull and loyall Subjects into your Princely consideration,
and out of the loving care and vigilancie which Your Majestie hath alwayes expressed
for the Advancement of Your Majesties Subjects their Peace and Prosperitie, the danger
and hazard of Your Sacred Person.
And we shall pray, as in duty we are, &c.
A Letter sent from the Kings Majestie, to the Lords of His Privie-Councell
RIght trustie and wel-beloved Cousins, and Councellers, we greet you Well. Although
We have already Written Our minde to you Our Councell; yet upon Our second thoughts,
arising especially from some bad rumours, coming to our knowledge, finde it necessarie
both for Our Selfe, and for the good of that Our Kingdome, to declare, and make known
both Our disposition and desires more fully.
We know and feel the charge to be great, and the place to be high, wherein God (the
King of kings) hath placed Us, and that We must render an accompt of all Our actions
to him, who in his own time shall judge all men without exception of persons. We
have no other intentions, but by Our government to honour him by whom Kings raign,
and to procure the good of Our People: and for this end to preserve the right and
authoritie wherewith God hath vested Us, and [Page]which by his Providence hath been derived to Us, by many Princely progenitors: in
the which glory, that Our ancient Kingdome, and native Realm of Scotlaud doth participate.
We did not require of you, that you should sit as Judges upon the affairs of another
Kingdome: We only intended to have both Our sufferings & Our actions, (as they are
exprest in many papers past betwixt Us and Our parliament) made throughly known unto
you: that since We have none besides you whom wee can acquaint with Our proceedings,
you may clearly see that We have been so far from wronging Our Parliament of England,
that we have given them all satisfaction, even above that which they themselvs in
the beginning did expresse, or almost desire: and as much as could well consist with
safety of our person and Honor. We will not put you in minde of your naturall affection
toward Us, which We know will rather be kindled then extinguished by Our distresse:
Nor of your Covenant, wherein you are zealous of Greatnesse and Authority, and wich
standeth in that sense wherein you did sweare and subscribe it: Nor of any good Lawes
made in Our late Parliament (of which We hope the present and succeeding generations
shall reap the fruits, when We are dead and gone:) Nor of any promises made unto Us,
Upon which We were willing to yeild to such things for setling the government of
that our kingdome, in Our personall absence which neither could We have granted, nor
would you have craved (as your selves did professe) had our greater affaires permitted
Our residence amongst you. And whereas We are most unjustly blamed and calumniated,
1. That We are popishly affected: 2. That we are the cause of the bloodshed in Ireland. 3. That we intend to bring in forraign forces: We here do protest and declare in
presence of him who knowes the most secret of Our intentions and actions, that We
are no wayes conscious to Our Self of the guiltinesse of any of the said aspersions:
and do take him to witnesse Our innocency therein, who onely hath the priviledge to
be the searcher of ha [...]ts. And if any, after so full and plain profession, shall distrust this Our free Declaration,
We attest God, that the fault is in the malignity of their rebellious humours, and
no wayes deserved on our part.
Given at our Court at York, the 20. of May. 1642.
FINIS.