To the KINGS most Excellent MAJESTY.
The humble PETITION of the Governor, Assistants, and Fellowship of Merchants-Adventurers of England.

MOST humbly sheweth, That the Petitioners being, during these misrable distractions of the Kingdome, encompassed on all sides with many difficulties; and well weighing the dangers they may fall into inforraigne parts, if Your Majesty should withdraw Your Royall Protection from them, upon any displeasure to the Company.

Doe humbly Prostrate themselves before Your Royall Majesty, and for their Assurance, in so many faares, humbly beseech Your Ma­jesty to grant them some particular Declaration, at present, of Your Royall Grace and Goodness towards the Fellowship, whereby they may be enabled to uphold the little re­mainder of the Staple Trade of this Kingdom, and proceed in the same with encourage­ment, as Your Majesties true and Loyall Subjects.

And as in duty bound, they shall daily Pray, &c. Signed by Sir H [...] Row, Go [...]ernor.
At the Court at Oxford, 26. March 1643[?]

HIs Majesty hath commanded me to give this His Answer. That if the Petitioners are not conscious to themselves of any disloyalty to His Majesty, they have no reason to feare the with­drawing His Royall Protection from them. His Majesty 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 Majesty 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 Subjects 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 Majesties Grace and Favour to them.

EDW. NICHOLAS.

Printed at Oxford by LEONARD LICHFINLD. 1643.

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