THese Noble Gen­tlemen and my selfe have called you together by vertue of His Majesties Com­mission of Array directed to us, I shall acquaint you with the grounds and reasons of it, which are these, the defence of His most sacred Person, of your Liberties, Laws, Religion, and the just pri­viledges of both Houses of Par­liament. [Page 4] These are the ends of this Commission, and of all His Majesties actions and endeavors, they tend hither as to their pro­per Centre and place of rest; I know herein you easily beleeve me, the least doubt cannot remain with them that have so often had his Royall word, his solemne and frequent protestations to this pur­pose, and the Word of a King is sacred as His Person, what then are His solemne Protestations?

I hope this is the farthest jour­ney you shall take, and that your Countrey shall be the onely Spheare wherin you are to move, I am sure His Majesty heartily desires it should be so; But if there be urgent and necessarily occasi­ons that you must goe further, I [Page 5] will accompany you, and not any shall be exposed to that hazzard I will not be my selfe; your trou­ble shall be mine, your danger mine, all fortunes I will partici­pate with you, and my care of e­very one of you shall be equall to that I shal have of my self I should have been glad to have found any where, such zeale and readinesse to serve the King; but rejoyce much more to find them here, a­mongst you my Countreymen, in this place, the place of my birth, and my affections; It should argue some diffidence I had of you to perswade you to perswade you to obedience and loyalty to your Prince, and in­deed I should lose time in so do­ing, when I already see your hearts full of them, and well may [Page 6] they be so to him that is so careful and tender of the good of you, So gracious a Prince, as unexampled in vertues as in Royalty; besides I should but lay open my owne folly in thinking any Arguments could be more prevalent and of greater efficacy with you then those I have already named, your religion, the safety & preservation of your Prince, of your Lawes, and Liberties, and of all that is deere and neere unto you, to these I may adde, the faithfull keeping of those religious Oaths and Pro­testations you have taken; with whom these would not be power­full I am sure nothing under Hea­ven could, no not Heaven it selfe.

I have acquainted the KING, and fully, with your forward­nesse [Page 7] to serve him, and told him that this Countrey hath beene onely remoter from His Person, but as neere to him in heart as York-shire, and that in our dutifull affections to Him we will not be second to any subjects He hath. I have no more to trouble you with, you may all now depart e­very one to his own home, where I pray God you may happily live, and enioy the benefit of those good Lawes the care of former times hath transferred to you, and the goodnesse of His Maiesty hath bestowed, and is still ready to bestow more upon you.