YOur Majesties most humble and faithfull Subjects, the Knights, Citizens, and Bur­gesses of the Commons House of Parliament, having conside­red your Majesties Reply to their Answer, touching such persons as have beene licenced by your Majestie to passe into Ireland, doe most humbly beseech your Majestie to believe, that they shall always with thankfulnes and joy receive from your Majesty any satisfactory Answer to their just requests: And, as they hope, they shall finde in your Majesty a readinesse to rectifie those things, which have beene done to their prejudice, so will they bee carefull to remove all apprehensions of their Actions or Speeches, which may seeme to cast any dishonour upon your Majesty.

For your Majesties better satisfaction concern­ing the positive affirmation, that many of the chief Commanders now in the head of the Rebels (af­ter the Ports were stopped by order of both hou­ses) have been suffered to passe by your Majesties immediate warrant. May it please your Majesty to consider that herein they have affirmed nothing [Page 2] but what they had cause to believe was true, the grounds whereof they humbly present to your Majesty.

The first ground is this, that both Houses of Par­liament, (having upon your Majesties commen­dation taken into their care the suppression of the Rebellion of Ireland) had reason to be especi­ally watchfull over the Ports, because the Re­bels abounding in numbers of men for the most part ignorant of the use of their Armes could by no means become dangerous or formidable to this Kingdome, but by the accesse of Souldiers and Commanders, wherewith they were like to be furnished either out of France or Planders, from both which places the passage into Ireland is speedy and easie through this Kingdome, and thereof they could not chuse but be very sensible of whatsoever gave liberty or opportunitie to such a passage, as of a very hurtfull and dangerous grie­vance, for prevention whereof they did upon the seventh of November agree upon an Order and re­strain all passage into Ireland, but upon due and strict examination by such persons as were trusted to make those Licences.

A second ground that the other Licence granted to the Lord Delvin, and then acknowledged by your Majesties Answer, were such (both in regard of the persons to whom they were granted, and the extent of the words in which they were granted,) as were apt to produce such an effect as is men­tioned in that positive Affirmation, that is, to [Page 3] open a way for the passage of Papists and other dan­gerous persons to joyne with the Rebels, and to bee Heads and Commanders amongst them, which is thus proved.

The Warrant granted to Colonell Butler, (since the order of restraint by both Houses of Parliament) did extend to all Ports of England and Scotland, and did giue free passage to himselfe and to his Company, without any qualification of persons, or Limitation of Number, and this Colonell was himselfe a Papist, had a Brother in Rebellion, and Generall of the Re­bels in Munster, was expected, and very much desired by those Rebels, who for a long time kept a Regi­ment to be commanded by him, as we have beene cre­dibly informed.

The second was granted to a Sonne of the Lord Nettersfield, which Lord had foure sonnes in England since the Rebellion, one of which is settled in England, three others intended to passe into Ireland, and were all dangerous persons being Papists, bred in the Wars, in the service of the King of Spaine, and one of them lately become a Jesuit.

The third to the Lord Delvin extends to himselfe, and foure persons more unnamed, that one of those who should have past with him is taken to bee a Je­suite, and another who calls himselfe Ploncket, seems to be a man of some breeding and quality, and like to have beene serviceable to the Rebels, and to have done mischiefe, if he had gone over.

The fourth to Sir George Hamilton, and three more unnamed; This Gentleman is likewise a profest Pa­pist, and may be doubted to be of the partie of the [Page 4] Rebels, one of that Name being mentioned in the instructions of Sempill the Jesuit, amongst divers o­ther dangerous persons of the popish party in Scot­land and Ireland, which instructions were found in a ship stayed in Cornwall, which was going into Ireland with divers Jesuits, souldiers, and others for the in­couragement of the Rebels.

A third ground is this, That by vertue and Autho­rity of these Licences, severall persons have passed over, which are now in Actuall Rebellion, and Joyned with the Rebels, and some have command amongst them which is thus proved.

One Captaine Sutton, did by vertue and Authori­ty of your Majesties Licence imbarque at White-ha­ven, in the Coompany of Colonel Butler, and was driven backe by foule weather; Whereupon the Co­lonell stayed, and went to Chester, but that Captaine reimbarqued himselfe in the same Bottome, and pas­sed into Ireland, where he went into Rebellion with the Lord Dunsany, and hath since obtained the place of a Colonell amongst the Rebels, as we are very cre­dibly informed.

Two of the Sonnes of the Lord Nettersfield, one a Jesuite, and the other a Souldier, passed into Ireland in December last, both of them by vertue of your Majestes Warrant, as we have cause to beleeve, for that they went both together in one Ship, and the Licence acknowledged to be granted by your War­rant must needs be granted to one of them, seeing the other Brother, who lately endevoured to passe over, did produce no Licence, and upon his Examination [Page 5] doth absolutely deny that he had any.

A fourth ground (which we humbly offer to your Majesty) is this, That your Majesty cannot be assured that no other did passe upon your Licence, as your Majesty doth conceive, and are pleased to expresse in your Answer, and that we had great cause to beleeve that divers other had passed over by your Warrant, besides the persons afore-mentioned, and that for these reasons;

1. Because we received such a generall Informati­on, that divers now in the head of the Rebels were passed by your Majesties Licence, which being true in part, and easie [...]o be effected, in regard of the Na­ture and extent of the Warrants, and probable to be attempted, in regard of the subtilty and vigilancie of that party, to make use of all advantages, seemed to deserve credit, which we should not have given to it, if it had beene a naked information without such cir­cumstances.

2. Because wee had concurring Advertisements from Ireland and Chester, that divers Priests, Jesuites, and popish Commanders had passed ouer, and were landed there, and particularly some of Colonell But­lers Company, and that the Officers of the Ports had kept no Entrie of the names of these persons, or of the Warrants by which they were transported.

These we hope will be sufficient to perswade your Majesty to beleeve, that as we had some cause to give [Page 6] credit to the said Informations, so we had no intenti­on to make any ill use of them to your Majesties dis­honour, but did impute the blame to your Ministers, who might have beene more carefull to have infor­med your Majestie of the Quality of those persons named in your Licences, and so to have limited them, that they might not have extended to others, as they did, how many and dangerous soever.

And they pray your Majesty to rest assured, that they shall alwayes be tender of your Honour and re­putation with your good Subjects, and for this cause have made this true Declaration of the full state of this matter, that they may thinke no otherwise of it then the truth, & in all things shall labour to establish a good understanding and confidence, betwixt your Majestie, and your people, which they heartily de­sire, and pray for, as the chiefest meanes of pre­serving the Honour, safetie, and prospe­rity of your Majestie, and your Kingdome.