A PETITJON From the Towne and County of Leicester, unto the Kings most excellent Majesty.
Also an other Petition from the Grand Inquest of the same County unto his Majesty for the remouing of the Magazine With his Majesties Answer thereunto.
Likewise certain Propositions to his Majesty by Captain Grey and the Earl of Stamfords Souldiers touching the Magazin.
Also a Declaration from the Knights, Es-quires, Gentlemen, Grand lury-men, and Free-holders, in the County of Leicester.
Ordered to be printed by speciall command.
London, Printed by A. N. for William Gay, and are to be sold at his shop in Hosier Lane at the signe of the Axe, 1642. July 29.
To the Kings most excellent Majestie. The humble petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and County of Leicester.
ACknowledging your Majesties Princely protestations for defence of the Protestant Religion, the Lawes of the Land, (which your Highnesse makes the justest measure and rule of your royall prerogative, the liberty and obedience of your subjects) as also for the peace of the Kingdom, disavowing not only intentions of war, as opening an issue to drown your Majesty & posterity, but also taking care that no posture should affright the subjects.
Yet we cannot but in all humility expresse our deep sorrows for your Majesties long estrangement from, and opposition to your highest and safest Councell of Parliament; on the successe whereof the safety, honour, and glory of your [Page 2] Majesty and happinesse of your subjects doth depend.
Well, we can never expect while we see Delinquents protected against the justice of Parliament, promoted to Honour and Offices of high trust and power, such as M. Henry Hastings, who after he had appeared in an hostile manner to the great terrour of your Majesties peaceable subjects, and was rescued from the Minister of Parliament, did notwithstanding (to the greater affrightment of all & miscarrying of divers women) came with a troope of Horse and Foot at midnight to Leicester, demanding the Magazine, and proclayming the Earl of Stamford and divers others by name with all their adherents traitors, and after all this is protected (as wee conceive) and made high Sheriff, and an approved Gentleman cast out for no other cause appearing to us then the discharging of his duty to your Majesty and the parliament.
Wee are deeply affected with these proceedings, as presaging the ruine of all at once.
Therefore wee humbly pray that your Majesties Commission of Array declared to be so directly against Law (which your Majesty makes the rule of our allegeance and obedience) may be [Page 3] recalled, That justice may impartially proceed against all Delinquents, without which a parliament cannot subsist, That you would cashiere all such desperat persons as would ingage the Kingdom in a bloudy civill War, and abandon all the Counsellours of Division, That the honour and innocency of our worthy Knight, and the other five Members impeacht may be vindicated, That you would joyn your self to your parliament, as the only way to save our selves and bleeding Ireland, and that our Magazine and Militia, may remain in the hands of the honorable Earl of Stamford, who is instrusted by the parliament. Wee stand resolved ever to maintain the true reformed protestant Religion, your Majesties person and authority, the Laws and free course of Iustice, together with the high and honourable Court of parliament, as the Bottom wherein all is imbarqued. Wee are Enemies to all that divide betwixt your Majesty and your parliament, or that have or shall affront or cast base aspersions on th [...]t faithfull Assembly, and according to our just and free protestation, wee'l venture our estates and lives herein, and shall ever pray, &c.
To the Kings most excellent Majestie. The humble Petition of the great Inquest for the County of Leicester.
WEe doe in all humblenesse acknowledge that during your Majesties Reigne hithertowe have enjoyd that which is the greatest blessing that can befal a Natiō, a stable and uninterrupted peace, your Declaration expresses your Princely desires of your subject; peace and welfare, being therfore the presages of bloud and ruine do impend and hang over our heads, wee are forced to seeke a preservative by our addresses unto your Highnesse, if it may stand therefore with your Princely wisdome as wee judge it [Page 5] stands with the peace and safety of this County, our humble desire is that there may be a safe distribution of this Magazine to the severall Hundreds in this County to be dispersed therein according to due proportions, and this to be done immediatly from the Magazine, That since it stands with the peace and safety of this County it may never be re-assumed but by a legall power, that the Keepers thereof may have their liberty and protection from dangers, for discharching their trust. Thus shall you dissolve these clouds of calamities that threaten us and elevate us to higher hopes of peace.
And we shall ever pray, &c.
Propositions to his Majesty from Captain Grey, and the rest of the souldiers intrusted from the Earle of Stamford, touching the Magazine.
I That there may be a safe distribution of this Magazine to the severall Hundreds in the County to be dispersed therein according to due proportion, and this to be done immediatly from the Magazine.
II That it may never be re-assumed againe but by a Legall power.
III That the Keepers of it may have their liberty and prorection from dangers for discharging their Trust
Given at the Court at Leicester, IULY 24, 1642.
HIs Majesty hath graciously considered this Petition, and commanded mee to returne this Answer, that as the Petitioners have enjoyed hitherto the blessing of peace under his Majesties Government, so he hath never expressed a greater love of it, and a care to preserve it, then by his late bearing so many indignities to avoid all disturbance of it, the which hee hopes will have that effect with his good subjects; that they will hence-forward have as great a regard to his honour, as hee hath to their peace, of which if all other were equally tender, no presage of bloud, & ruine would hang over their heads. For your Magazine his Majesty hath never looked upon this under any other consideration then to preserve it for the County whose it is. And therefore upon complaint heretofore made to him, that some persons had presumed in warlike manner to leavy it without any lawfull authority, his Majesty out of his good affection to this Countie gave direction to prevent future mischief, that the same should be restored to the disposition of those to whom it belongs, and therefore well approves, that it be disposed in such manner and such place as shall seeme best and fittest to the County, in which his Majesty will not intermeddle. For the freeing and protecting the Keepers of the Magazin or their Seconds, his Majesty knows not the meaning of the Petitioners, if they have had a lawfull trust committed, and done nothing in discharge and execution thereof but what is warrantable, they need no other protection but that of the Law, but if in the violent and forcible removing the Magazine, and in the circumstances of keeping they have done any done any thing unjustifiable, his Majesty believes no trust boldly undertaken can excuse them, and therefore expects that this be immediatly delivered by the Keepers to the disposall of the County without condition.
OUr will and pleasure is, That all our Officers and loving subjects doe suffer the Bearers hereof to passe quietly to their own houses. Given at our Court at Leicester, the 24 of Iuly, 1642.
WHereas the Grand Jury at the Generall Assizes held in the County of Leicester, did prefer a Petition unto his Majesty for the distribution of the Countries Magazin to be divided into every hundred, and therein dispersed into every Town, according to the charge leavied upon them for the providing thereof.
And whereas it was also further in the said Petition desired that the said Magazine might not be re-assumed again. Therefore the Baronets, Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, Grand Jury-men and Free-holders, &c. doe hereby declare. That whosoever shall go about to re-assume or gather into one body again the said Magazine, or any part thereof by any Authority whatsoever, shall be adjudged, esteemed, reputed and taken to be an Enemy to, and a disturber of the publick peace of this County. And because no man may plead ignorance in this behalfe, It is agreed by all sorts, ranks, and degrees of persons above-named, That this Declaration be now openly read, and published, with an audible voice, in the face of the County, at this Generall Assizes held for the County aforesaid. Dated the 25 of Iuly 1642.
The Copy of that the Grand Iury gave the Commanders of the Magazine.
VVE the Gentlemen of the Grand Jury for the County of Leicester, have received the Magazine thereof from the East gate in the Newwork, and do undertake so neer as we may, that it shall be distributed to the severall Hundreds, and therein dispersed to every Towne, so neere as wee can equally. And that it shall be never re-assumed to our powers. In witnesse whereof we have subscribed our names the 25 day of Iuly, Anno Domini 1642. Attested by all the Grand Jury.