THough His Majestie had no great rea­son to beleeve, That the directions sent to the Earle of Warwick, to go to the river of Humber, with as many Ships as He should think fit, for all possible Assi­stance to Sir John Hotham; (whilest His Majestie expected the giving up of the Town unto Him) and to carry away such Arms from thence, as his discre­tion thought fit to spare out of His Majesties Own Ma­gazin; The chusing a Generall by both Houses of Par­liament, for the Defence of those who have obeyed their Orders and Commands (be they never so extravagant and illegall;) Their Declaration, That in that Case, they would Live and Die with the Earle of Essex their Ge­nerall; (all which were Voted the same day with this Petition) and the Committing the Lord Major of Lon­don to Prison for executing His Majesties Writs and Lawfull Commands, were but ill Prologues to a Peti­tion which might compose the miserable distractions of the Kingdome; Yet, His Majesties passionate desire of the Peace of the Kingdome, together with the Preface [Page 4]of the Presenters, That they had brought a Petition full of Duty and Submission to His Majestie, and which de­sired nothing of Him, but His consent to Peace, which His Majestie conceived to bee the Languge of both Houses too) begot a greedy hope and expectation in Him, That this Petition would have been such an Introducti­on to Peace, that it would at least have satisfied His Mes­sage of the eleventh of this Moneth, by delivering up Hull unto His Majestie. But to His unspeakable grief, His Majestie hath too much cause to beleeve, That the end of some persons, by this Petition, is not in truth, to give any reall satisfaction to His Majestie, but by the spe­cious pretences of making offers to Him, to Mis-lead, and Seduce His People, and lay some imputation upon Him, of denying what is fit to be granted; otherwise, it would not have thrown those unjust Reproaches and Scandalls upon His Majestie, for making necessary and just Defence for His Own Safetie, and so peremptorily justified such Actions against Him, as by no rule of Law or Justice can admit the least colour of defence; and after so many free and unlimited Acts of Grace passed by His Majestie, without any Condition, have proposed such things, which in Justice cannot be denyed to Him, upon such Conditions, as, in Honour, He cannot Grant. How­ever, that all the world may see how willing His Majesty would be to embrace any overture, that might beget a right understanding between Him and His two Houses of Parliament, (with whom He is sure He shall have no contention, when the private practices, and subtill insinuations of some few Malignant Persons shall bee discovered, which His Majestie will take care, shall bee speedily done) He hath with great care weighed the particulars of this Petition, and returnes this Answer:

That the Petitioners were never unhappy in their Pe­titions or Supplications to His Majestie, whilest they desired any thing which was necessary or convenient for the preservation of Gods true Religion, His Majesties safety and honour, and the Peace of the Kingdome; and therefore when those generall envious foundations are laid, His Majestie could wish some particular instances had been applyed. Let Envie and Malice object one particular Proposition for the preservation of Gods true Religion, which His Majestie hath refused to consent to what Himself hath often made for the ease of tender consciences, and for the Advancement of the Protestant Religion, is notorious by many of His Messages, and Declarations; what regard hath been to His Honour and safecy, when He hath been driven from some of His Houses, and kept from other of His Towns by Force; and what care there hath been of the peace of the King­dome when endeavour hath been used to put all His Sub­jects in Arms against Him, is so evident, that His Majestie is confident, He cannot suffer by those ge­nerall imputations▪ Tis enough that the world knowes what He hath granted, and what He hath de­nyed.

For His Majesties raising Forces, and making prepa­rations for War, (whatsoever the Petitioners, by the ill Acts of the Enemies to His Majesties Person and Go­vernment, and by the calumnies and slanders raised a­gainst His Majestie by them, are induced to beleeve) all men may know, what is done that way is but in Or­der to His Own Defence. Let the Petitioners remem­ber That (which all the world knowes) His Majestie was driven: from His Palace of White-hall for fafety of His Life; That both House of Parliament, upon their [Page 6]own Authority, raised a Guard to themselves, (having gotten the Command of all the Train-bands of London to that purpose) without the least colour or shadow of Danger; That they usurped a Power, by their pretended Ordinance, (against all principles and elements of Law) over the whole Militia of the Kingdome, without and against His Majesties Consent; That they tooke Posses­sion of His Town, Fort, and Magazine of Hull, and committed the same to Sir John Hotham, who shut the Gates against His Majestie; and by force of Arms, deny­ed entrance thither to His Own Person; That they ju­stified this Act, which they had not directed, and took Sir John Hotham into their protection for whatsoever He had done, or should do against His Majestie; And all this whilst His Majestie had no other attendance, then His Own meniall Servants: Upon this, the duty and af­fection of this County prompted His Subjects here to provide a small Guard for His Own Person; which was no sooner done, but a Vote suddenly passed of His Ma­jesties intention to levie War against His Parliament (which God knowes His Heart abhorreth) and not­withstanding all His Majesties Professions Declarati­ons, and Protestations to the contrary, seconded by the cleer Testimony of so great a number of Peers upon the place, Propositions and Orders for levies of Men, Horse, and Arms were sent throughout the Kingdome; Plate, and Money brought in, and received; Horse, and Men raised towards an Army, mustered, and under Command; and all this contrary to the Law, and to His Majesties Proclamation: And a Declaration publi­shed, That if He should use force for the recovery of Hull, of suppressing the pretended Ordinance for the Militia, it should be held levying War against the Parliament; [Page 7]and all this done before His Majestie granted any Com­mission, for the leavying, or raising a Man: His Majesties Ships were taken from Him, and committed to the cu­stody of the Earle of Warwick, who presumes, under that Power, to usurp to himself the Soveraignty of the Sea; to chase, fright, and imprison such of His Majesties good Subjects as desire to obey His lawfull Commands, although He had notice of the legall Revocation of the Earle of Northumberlands Commission of Admirall, whereby all Power derived from that Commission cea­sed. Let all the world now judge who began this War, and upon whose account the miseries which may follow must be cast, what His Majestie could have done lesse then He hath done; and whether He were not compel­led to make provision, both for the Defence of Himself and recovery of what is so violently, and injuriously ta­ken from Him, and whether these Injuries, and Indig­nities are not just grounds for His Majesties Feares, and Apprehensions of further mischief and danger to Him: Whence the Feares and Jealousies of the Petitioners have proceeded hath never been discovered, the dangers they have brought upon His good Subjects are too evi­dent; what those are they have prevented, no man knowes: And therefore His Majestie cannot but look upon that charge, as the boldest, and the most scandalous hath been yet laid upon Him, That this necessary provi­sion, made for his Own Safety and Defence, is to over­rule the judgement and advice of his great Councell, and by force to determine the questions there depend­ing, concerning the Government? and Liberty of the, Kingdome: If no other force had been raised, to de­termine those questions then by his Majestie, this un­happy mis-understanding had not been: And his Majesty [Page 8]no longer desires the Blessing, and Protection of Al­mighty God upon Himself, and His Posterity, then he and they shall solemnly observe the due execution of the Laws, in the defence of Parliaments, and the just free­dome thereof.

For the Forces about Hull, His Majestie will remove them, when He hath attained the end for which they were brought thither; when Hull shall be reduced again to His subjection, He will no longer have an Army be­fore it; and when He shall be assured, That the same ne­cessity, and pretence of publike good, which took Hull from Him, may not put a Garrison into Newcastle, to keep the same against Him, He will remove His from thence, and from Tinmouth; till when the example of Hull will not out of His memory.

For the Commissions of Array, which are legall, and are so proved by a Declaration now in the Presse; His Majestie wonders why they should at this time bee thought grievous, and fit to be recalled; If the feares of Invasion and Rebellion be so great, that by an illegall pretended Ordinance it is necessary to put His Subjects into a posture of defence, to Array, Traine, and Muster them, He knows not why the same should not be done in a Regular, Known, Lawfull way; but if in the executi­on of that Commission any thing shall bee unlawfully imposed upon His Subjects, His Majesty will take all just and necessary care for their redresse.

For His Majesties coming nearer to His Parliament, His Majestie hath expressed Himself so fully in His seve­rall Messages, Answers, and Declarations, and so parti­cularly avowed a reall fear of His safety, upon such in­stances as cannot bee answered, that He hath reason to take Himself some what neglecsted, That sines upon so [Page 9]manifest reasons, it is not safe for His Majestie to come to them, both His Houses of Parliament will not come nee­rer to His Majesty, or to such a Place, where the Free­dome and Dignity of Parliament might bee preserved. However His Majestie shall be very glad to hear of some such example in their punishing the Tumults, (which He knowes not how to expect, when they have declared that they knew not of any Tumults, though the House of Peeres desired, both for the Dignity and Freedome of Parliament, that the House of Commons would joyne with them in a Declaration against Tumults) which they refused (that is, neglected to do) and other seditious A­ctions, Speeches, and Writings, as may take that appre­hension of danger from Him: Though, when He remem­bers the particular complaints Himself hath made of bu­sinesses of that nature, and that in stead of inquiring out the Authors, neglect of examination hath been, when offer hath been made to both Houses to produce the Au­thors, (as in that treasonable Paper concerning the Mili­tia) and when he sees every day Pamphlets published a­gainst His Crown, and against Monarchy it self, as the Observations upon His late Messages, Declarations, and Expressions, and some Declarations of their own, which give too great encouragement in that Argument to ill-affected persons; His Majestie cannot with confidence entertain those hopes which would be most welcome to Him.

For the leaving Delinquents to the due course of Ju­stice, His Majestie is most assured He hath been no shel­ter to any such; if the tediousnesse and delay in prosecu­tion, the vast charge in Officers Fees, the keeping men under a generall Accusation without tryall a whole year and more, and so allowing them no way for their de­fence [Page 10]and vindication, have frighted men away from so chargeable and uncertain an attendance, the remedy is best provided where the disease grew. If the Law be the measure of Delinquency, none such are within His Ma­jesties protection: But if by Delinquents such are un­derstood who are made so by Vote, without any tres­passe upon any known or established Law; If by De­linquents those nine Lords are understood, who are made Delinquents for obeying His Majesties Summons to come to Him, after their stay there was neither safe nor honourable, by reason of the Tumults and other Vio­lences, and whose impeachment, He is confident, is the greatest breach of priviledge that, before this Parliament, was ever offered to the House of Peeres; If by Delin­quents such are understood, who refuse to submit to the pretended Ordinance of the Militia; to that of the Na­vie; or to any other which His Majesty hath not con­sented to; Such, who for the peace of the Kingdome, in an humble manner, prepare Petitions to Him, or to both Houses, as His good Subjects of London and Kent did, whilest seditious ones, as that of Essex, and other places, are allowed and cherished; If by Delinquents such are understood, who are called so, for publishing His Pro­clamations (as the Lord Major of London) or for reading his Messages and Declarations (as divers Ministers about London and elsewhere) when those against him are dis­persed with all Care and Industry, to poyson and cor­rupt the loyalty and affection of his people; If by De­linquents such are understood, who have or shall lend his Majesty money in the Universities, or in any other places; his Majesty declares to all the world, that he will protect such with his utmost power and strength, and directs, That in these Cases they submit not to [Page 11]any Messengers or Warrants, it being no lesse his duty to protect those who are innocent, then to bring the guilty to condigne punishment; of both which the Law is to be judge: And if both houses do think fit to make a Generall, and to raise an Army for defence of those who obey their Orders and Commands, his Majesty must not sit still, and suffer such who submit to his just power, and are solicitous for the Laws of the Land, to perish and he undone, because they are called Delin­quents. And when they shall take upon them to dis­pence with the attendance of those who are called by his Majesties Writ, whilst the send them to Sea to rob his Majesty of his Ships, or into the severall Counties to put his Subjects in Arms against him, his Majesty (who onely hath it) will not lose the power to dispence with them to attend his Own person, or to execute such Offices as are necessary for the preservation of himself and the Kingdome, but must protect them, though they are called Delinquents.

For the manner of the proceeding against Delin­quents, his-Majesty will proceed against those who have no priviledge of Parliament, or in such, Cases where no priviledge is to be allowed, as he shall be advised by his learned Councell, and according to the known and unquestionable rules of the Law: it being unreasonable, that he should bee compelled to proceed against those who have violated the known and undoubted Law on­ly before them who have directed such violation.

Having said thus much to the particulars of the Pe­tition, though his Majesty hath reason to complain, That since the sending this Petition, they have beaten their Drums for Souldiers against him, armed their new Ge­nerall with a Power destructive to the Law and Liberty [Page 12]of the Subjects, and chosen a Generall of their horse; his Majesty out of his Princely Love, Tendernesse, and Compassion of his People, and desire to preserve the peace of the Kingdom, that the whole force and strength of it may be united for the defence of it self, and the relief of Ireland, (in whose behalf he conjures both his houses of Parliament, as they will answer the contrary to Almighty God, his Majestie, to those that trust them, and to that bleeding miserable Kingdome, that they suffer not any Moneyes granted and collected by Act of Parliament to be diverted, or imployed against his Majesty, whilest his Souldiers in that Kingdome, are ready to mutiny or perish for want of pay, and the barbarous Rebels prevail by that encouragement) is graciously pleased once more, to propose and require:

That his Town of Hull be immediately delivered up to him; which being done (though his Majesty hath been provoked by unheard of Insolencies of Sir John Hotham, since his burning and drowning the Countrey, in seizing his Wine and other Provisions for his house, and scornfully using his Servant, whom he sent to re­quire them, saying, It came to him by Providence and he will keep it; And so refusing to deliver it, with threats, if he or any other of his fellow-servants should again re­pair to Hull about it; and in taking and detaining Priso­ners divers Gentlemen, and others, in their passage over the Humber into Lincolnshire, about their necessary oc­casions, and such other indignities, as all Gentlemen must resent in his Majesties behalf) his Majestie, to shew his earnest desire of Peace (for which he will dis­pence with his Own honour) and how far he is from desire of Revenge, will grant a free and generall Pardon all persons within that Town.

That his Majesties Magazine taken from Hull, bee forthwith put into such hands as he shall appoint.

That his Navie be forthwith delivered into such hands as he hath directed for the government thereof, the de­taining thereof after his Majesties directions published and received to the contrary, and imploying his Ships a­gainst him in such manner as they are now used, being no­torious high-treason in the Commanders of those Ships.

That all Arms, Levies, and Provisions for a War, made by the Consent of both houses (by whose example his Majesty hath been forced to make some preparations) be immediatly laid down, and the pretended Ordinance for the Militia, and all power of imposing Lawes upon the Subject, without his Majesties consent, be disavow­ed without which, the same pretence will remain to pro­duce the same mischiefs; all which his Majesty may as lawfully demand, as to live; and can with no more Justice be denyed him, then his Life may be taken from him.

These being done, and the Parliament adjourned to a safe and secure place, his Majesty promises, in the pre­sence of God, and bindes himself, by all his confidence and assurance in the affection of his people, that he will instantly, and most cheerfully, lay down all the force hee shall have raised, and discharge all his future and intended Levies, that there may be a generall face of Peace over the whole Kingdome, and will repair to them; And de­sires that all differences may bee freely debated in a Par­liamentary way, whereby the Law may recover its due reverence, the Subject, his just Liberty, and Parliaments themselves, their full vigour and estimation; and so the whole Kingdome a blessed Peace, Quiet, and Prosperity.

If these Propositions shall be rejected, his Majesty doubts not of the protection and assistance of Almighty [Page 14]God, and the ready concurrence of his good Subjects, who can have no hope left them of enjoying their own long, if their King may be oppressed and spoyled, and must be remedilesse. And though his Towns, his Ships, his Arms, and his Money be gotten and taken from him, He hath a good Cause left, and the hearts of his people, which, with Gods blessing, he doubts not, will recover all the rest.

Lastly, if the preservation of the Protestant Religion, the defence of the Liberty and Law of the Kingdome, the Dignity and Freedome of Parliament, and the Re­coverie and the Relief of bleeding and miserable Ireland be equally precious to the Petitioners, as they are to his Majesty (who will have no quarrell but in defence of these) there will be a cheerfull and speedy con­sent to what his Majesty hath now proposed and desi­red.

And of this, his Majestie expects a full and positive Answer, by Wednesday the 27. of his instant July: till when he will not make any attempt of force upon Hull; hoping in the Affection, Duty, and Loyalty of the Petitioners; and in the mean time expects, That no supply of Men be put into Hull, or any of his Majesties goods taken from thence.