THat this particular County, most affectionate to your Majesties service, hath well nigh for these three yeeres last past been the stage, whereon the Tragicall miseries, which necessarily accompany warre and Armies, have beene presented and acted, whereby the generall wealth and plenty of this County is exhausted and brought very low: Which waight of miseries are sensibly become much more heavie, by reason of your Ma­jesties distance in residence, and difference in Counsels, from your Great Councell the Parliament; begetting great distempers and distractions throughout the Kingdome, and have specially amongst us produced factions and divisions, drawing into these parts great numbers of discontented persons, that may too justly be feared do [...]ect the publike ruine, for their private advantage. All which evils are daily fomented, and made more formidable, by your Ma­ [...]sties drawing together (as we conceive not according to Law) many Companies of the Trained Bands, and others both Horse [...]nd Foot, of this County; and retaining multitudes of Commanders and Cavaleers from other parts; and by the daily resort of [...]ecusants, and persons disaffected in Religion, to your Majesties Court at Yorke; and by the great preparation of Armes, and other warlike provisions, which begets in us fears of Warres, to the great terrour and amazement of us, your Majesties peaceable Subjects; and to the great decay of all Commerce and industrious Courses, for the wealth and prosperity of the Country, espe­cially of Cloathing, which is the maine subsistence of this County, and is since your Majesties residence amongst us, and the fol­lowing distractions thereupon, suddenly obstructed; insomuch that many thousand families, who are of, and have their liveli­ [...]ood by the Trade of Cloathing, are now at the point of utter undoing; which inevitably will prove to be of dangerous conse­ [...]uence, and will be the in-let to our approaching and unavoidable ruine, unlesse your Majesty please gratiously to give redresse, [...]y removing the causes which produce these miserable effects, it being too true, that very many, in these and other parts of the [...]ingdome, doe wholly withdraw themselves from their former Commerce and Dealing: and others, both Merchants and Chap­ [...]n, doe now generally refuse to make payment for Goods long since sold and delivered; alledging, that others refuse to pay [...]hem for any Commodity formerly sold, till the feares and distractions of the Land be setled: Which if not suddenly prevented, [...]ill forthwith over-turne all such wayes of advantage and comfort as have formerly made this Kingdome (and this County in [...]articular) prosperous and happy.

We do therefore in all humility and duty, in the sence of our present deplorable condition, beseech your Majesty to pardon Vs, if We importune Your Majesty more than others, since We have endured and are in hazard more than any; and that from these apprehen­ [...]ons, we may offer to Your Majesty our earnest Petition, for redresse and prevention of these evills daily threatning danger to [...]our Majesty, and destruction to us; which we conceive is impossible any other way to be effected, than by Your Majesties entertai­ [...]ing a right understanding betwixt Your Self and Parliament, and affording Your Gracious eare and consent to such counsels and [...]ropositions, as shall be tendered by them to Your Majesty, for the honour and greatnesse of Your Majesty and Posterity, and the [...]ood of this Church and Kingdom, and by Your Maiesties declining all other Counsels whatsoever, and uniting Your confi­ [...]ence to Your Parliament: and that Your Maiesty would in no way think fit to put us upon that rock of dividing the duty we owe to Your Majesty, Your Parliament, and the whole Kingdome, to which we are so deeply engaged by our Protestation, [...]hich Your Majesty (to our knowledge) never dissented from, nor declared against; and that whilst Your Maiestie expects our [...]formance in one part thereof, wee may not (being equally engaged) impeach at all, or in the least degree goe lesse [...]an our duty in the other, (which wee stand resolved of) by no meanes either of feare or favour to bee drawne to [...]oe: and that Your Maiesty would take into consideration, that Your Parliament being the supreame Judicatory of [...]our Kingdome, the very essence thereof must of very necessity be destroyed, if their Counsels and determinations bee [...]biected to alteration, or reversall, by the Counsells or opinions of any private persons, how learned or ju­dicious soever; and seeing your Majesty hath passed an Act, that this Parliament shall not bee dissolved, or adjourned, without consent of your Majesty and both Houses, Wee humbly beseech your Majesty to take into your gracious and provident thoughts, that nothing may be done tending thereunto, and that the Lords and great Officers now called hither by your Majesties command, may speedily returne to the high Court of Parliament, whereby it may be evident to the world, that your Majesty intends not to decline the Law so enacted; and that since your Maiesty hath graciously decla­red your confidence in the affections of this County, Your Maiesty would not thinke it fit an extraordinary Guard should bee raised thereout, and the Cavaliers, and others of that quality still continued about your Maiesty as men most usefull, and as if kept for some designe; they not having (for ought we know) either interest in, or affections to the publique good, their lan­guage and behaviour speaking nothing else but division and war, and their advantage consisting in that which is most destructive to others. And lastly, that since your Majesty hath called in this County to attend your Maiesty this day, your Petitioners doe most humbly supplicate, that none either Cavaliers, or others, (who in truth have not present fortunes in this County, may bee admitted into any meeting this day, concerning the publique businesse thereof, or hereafter into any present Vote, or Con­sultation, when any further meeting may be, to prepare and consider of some fit answer to what your Majesty shall propound; we humbly conceiving it neither just nor equall (but a thing to be protested against) that any whosoever should be thrust upon us, as men of this County, that are not either by their fortune or residence any part of us.

And now your Petitioners doe even heartily pray, that the God of Heaven (in whose hand are the hearts of Kings) would this day incline your Majesties heart seriously to consider these present and imminent miseries that this your Kingdome now groanes under; in the peace whereof (visibly under God) consists the preservation of the Protestant Religion, the redemption of our Brethren in Ireland, and the establishment of that Kingdome to your Majesty and Posterity, from those desperate and unparaleld Rebels; that so your Majesty might graciously grant these your Petitioners humble desires; which (whatsoever will be said to the contrary) your Petitioners are well assured would abundantly redound to the glory of God, the honour and safety of your Majesty the good of your Posterity, and the only probable meanes, under God, with peace and plenty to make this your Kingdome happy; besides the acquisition of your peoples hearts, the greatest treasure of Princes: all which will glo­riously represent your Majesty a lively portraiture of him, who is the fountaine of Wisdome and Piety: To whom wee shall ever pray for your Majesties long and prosperous Reigne.