Five ſpeciall Paſsages: viz. TWO PETITIONS OF THE COVNTIE OF YORKE.
The one Preſented to the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie at York the third of Iune, 1642.
The other, to the Lords and Commons in Parliament Aſſembled.
With the Additionals thereunto annexed.
Die Lunae Jun. 6. 1642. Ordered by the Lords aſſembled in Parliament, that theſe Petitions, together with the additions, be forthwith Printed and Publiſhed.
John Brown, Cler. Parliamentor.
The Petition of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND, to the Lords of His Majeſties moſt Honourable Privie Councell of that Kingdome.
ALSO His Majeſties Letter to the Lords of his Privie Counſell of the Kingdome of SCOTLAND.
AND A Letter from Sir Io. Bourchier to Sir Thomas Barrington Knight and BARONET.
LONDON, Printed for Edward Blackmore, 1642. May 8.
Sheweth,
THat this particular County, moſt affectionate to your Majeſties ſervice, hath well night for theſe three yeers laſt paſt been the Stage, whereon the Tragicall miſeries, which neceſſarily accompany Warre and Armies, have beene preſented and acted, whereby the generall wealth and plenty of this County is exhauſted and brought very low: Which waight of miſeries are ſenſibly become much more heavy, by reaſon of your Majeſties diſtance in reſidence, and difference in Counſells, from your great Councell the Parliament; begetting great diſtempers and diſtractions throughout the Kingdome; and have, ſpecially amongſt us, produced factions and diviſions, drawing into theſe parts great numbers of diſcontented perſons, that may too juſtly be feared doe affect the publike ruine, for their private advantage. All which evils are daily fomented, and made more formidable, by your Majeſties drawing together (as wee conceive not according to Law) many Companies of the Trained Bands, and others both Horſe and Foot of this County, and retaining multitudes of Commanders and Cavaleers from other parts, and by the daily reſort of Recuſants, and perſons diſaffected in Religion, to your Majeſties Court at York; and by the great preparation of Armes, and other warlike proviſions, which begets in us feares of Warrs, to the great terrour and amazement of us your Majeſties peaceable Subjects, and to the great decay of all Commerce and induſtrious courſes, for the wealth and proſperity of the Country, eſpecially of Clothing, which is the maine ſubſiſtence of this County, and is ſince your Majeſties reſidence amongſt us, and the following diſtractions thereupon, ſuddenly obſtructed; inſomuch that many thouſand Families, who are of, and have their livelihood by the Trade of Clothing, are now at the point of utter undoing; which inevitably will prove to be of dangerous conſequence, and will be the in-let to our approaching and unavoidable ruine, unleſſe your Majeſty pleaſe graciouſly to give redreſſe, by removing the cauſes which produce theſe miſerable effects; it being too true, that very many in theſe and other parts of the Kingdome, doe wholly withdraw themſelves from their former Commerce and Dealing; and others, both Merchants and Chapmen, doe generally refuſe to make payment for Goods long ſince ſold and delivered; alledging, that others refuſe to pay them for any Commodity formerly ſold, till the fears and diſtractions of the Land be ſettled: Which if not ſuddenly prevented, will fortwith over-turn all ſuch wayes of advantage and comfort as have formerly made this Kingdome (and this County in particular) proſperous and happy.
We doe therefore in all humility and duty, in the ſence of our preſent deplorable condition, beſeech your Majeſty to pardon Vs, if We importune Your Majeſty more than others, ſince We have endured, and are in hazard more than any; and that from theſe apprehenſions, We may offer to Your Majeſty our earneſt Petition, for redreſſe and prevention of theſe evils daily threatning danger to Your Majeſty, and deſtruction to us; which we conceive is impoſſible any other way to be effected, than by Your Majeſties entertaining a right underſtanding betwixt Your Selfe and Parliament, and affording Your Gracious eare and conſent to ſuch counſels and Propoſitions, as ſhall be tendered by them to Your Majeſty, for the honour and greatneſſe of Your Majeſty and Poſterity, and the good of this Church and Kingdome, and by Your Majeſties declining all other Counſels whatſoever, and uniting Your confidence to Your Parliament: And that Your Majeſty would in no way think fit to put us upon that Rock of dividing the duty we owe to Your Majeſty, Your Parliament, and the whole Kingdome, to which we are ſo deeply engaged by our Proteſtation, which Your Maieſty (to our knowledge) never diſſented from, nor declared againſt; and that whilſt Your Maieſty expects our performance in one part thereof, we may not (being equally engaged) impeach at all, or in the leaſt degree doe leſſe than our duty in the other, which (we ſtand reſolved of) by no meanes either of feare or favour to bee drawn to doe: and that Your Maieſty would take into conſideration, that Your Parliament being the ſupreame Judicatory of Your Kingdom, the very eſſence thereof muſt of very neceſſity bee deſtroyed, if their Counſels and determinations be ſubiected to alteration, or reverſall, by the Counſels or opinions of any private perſons, how learned or iudicious ſo ever; and ſeeing your Maieſty hath paſſed an Act, that this Parliament ſhall not be diſſolved, or adjourned, without conſent of your Majeſty, and both Houſes, Wee humbly beſeech your Majeſty to take into your gracious and provident thoughts, that nothing may be done tending thereunto, and that the Lords and great Officers now called hither by your Majeſties command, may ſpeedily return to the High Court of Parliament, whereby it may be evident to the World, that your Majeſty intends not to decline the Law ſo enacted; and that ſince your Majeſty hath graciouſly declared your confidence in the affections of this County, Your Majeſty would not think it fit an extraordinary Guard ſhould be raiſed thereour, and the Cavaleers, and others of that quality ſtill continued about your Majeſty, as men moſt uſefull, and as if kept for ſome d•ſigne; they not having (for ought we know) either intereſt in, or affections to the publike good, their language and behaviour ſpeaking nothing elſe but diviſion and warre, and their advantage conſiſting in that which is moſt deſtructive to others.
And laſtly, that ſince your Majeſty hath called in this County to attend your Majeſty this day, your Petitioners do moſt humbly ſupplicate, that none, either Cavaliers or others, (who in truth have not preſent fortunes in this County) may be admitted into any meeting this day, concerning the publike buſineſſe thereof, or hereafter into any preſent Vote, or Conſultation, when any further meeting may be, to prepare and conſider of ſome fit anſwer to what your Majeſty ſhall propound; we humbly conceiving it neither juſt nor equall (but a thing to be proteſted againſt) that any whoſoever ſhould be thruſt upon us, as men of this County, that are not either by their fortune or reſidence, any part of us.
And now your Petitioners doe even heartily pray, that the God of Heaven (in whoſe hand are the hearts of Kings) would this day incline your Majeſties heart ſeriouſly to conſider theſe preſent and imminent miſeries that this your Kingdome now groanes under; in the peace whereof (viſibly under God) conſiſts the preſervation of the Proteſtant Religion, the redemption of our Brethren in Ireland, and the eſtabliſhment of that Kingdom to your Majeſty and Poſterity, from thoſe deſperate and unparaleld Rebels; that ſo your Majeſty might graciouſly grant theſe your Petitioners humble deſires; which (whatſoever will be ſaid to the contrary) your Petitioners are well aſſured would abundantly redound to the glory of God, the honour and ſafety of your Majeſty, the good of your Poſterity, and the only probable meanes, under God, with peace and plenty to make this your Kingdome happy; beſides the acquiſition of your peoples hearts, the greateſt treaſure of Princes: all which will gloriouſly repreſent your Majeſty a lively portraiture of him, who is the fountaine of Wiſedome and Piety: To whom we ſhall ever pray for your Majeſties long and proſperous Reigne.
WEe being reſolved humbly to petition His Majeſty for the redreſſe of thoſe grievances which we now lie under, did deſire to have met in the Caſtleyard at York, we conceiving it the fitteſt place to conſider of ſuch publique affaires as concerned the County; which we were not only denied of, but charge was given to the Officer there, that we ſhould not have admittance; and when we aſſembled upon the place appointed by his Majeſty, and did acquaint the County there met with the forme of a Petition, the ſenſe whereof they formerly approved of, and then upon the reading thereof, generally conſented to, and deſired the ſame ſhould be preſented to his Majeſty, wee were violently interrupted by the Earle of Lindſey, who with a great Troop attending him, in an imperious way, ſnatcht out of a Gentlemans hand of good quality, a copy of the fore-names Petition, which at the deſire of the Countrey he was reading to them, and ſome of his Lordſhips company laid hold of his Bridle and Cloak, haling him in great fury, and ſaid, you are a company of traiterous Rogues and Villanes, and often lifted up his Cane, as if he would have ſtruck him. And alſo a Knight of this County was affronted by the Lord Savile, upon his reading the draught of a Petition to himſelf, upon the place aforeſaid, the day above: Firſt, his Lordſhip told him it was a Pamphlet, which he denied, thereupon the Lord Savile demanded it of him, which he refuſing to deliver, his Lordſhip laid hands upon his ſword, and almoſt pluckt him from his Horſe; upon which the ſaid Knight, fearing ſome miſchiefe would be done him, delivered the ſame: And then the ſaid, Lord Savile told him, he laboured to ſow ſeeds of Sedition, and if he would fight, there ſhould be fighting enough, and many of the ſaid Lord Savil's company held up their Canes at him, and one of them ſaid, hold your prating, it were good to Cane you: Which provocations, had not the people been peaceably inclined, might have produced bloody effects. Notwithſtanding all which, and divers other inſufferable injuries, ſo confident were we, of his Majeſties former profeſſions, never to refuſe any Petition preſented by his people to him in an humble way, that we deſiſted not to wait our beſt opportunity, to preſent the ſaid Petition to his Majeſty: (A copy whereof wee here humbly preſent unto your grave conſiderations,) which his Majeſty notwithſtanding pleaſed not to accept of.
We therefore humbly deſire theſe Honourable Houſes well to weigh theſe particulars, and to take ſuch courſe therein as may tend to the preſervation of our Liberties, and the peace of the Kingdome. And that you would pleaſe to addreſſe your ſelves to His Majeſty on our behalfe, that through your wiſdomes our Deſires may finde better acceptation with his Majeſty.
And we ſhall heartily pray, &c.
THe Lords and Commons obſerving not only the wiſdom, but the affections of the County of York expreſſed in theſe Petitions, and likewiſe that they cannot be diſcouraged from their conſtant fidelity to the laws and government of this Kingdom, which have their life and being from the Parliament, have thought it fit to declare their good acceptations of their affections, aſſuring them that they will intereſt themſelves in this their Demands, which tends to the honour and ſafety of his Majeſty, the peace of his Kingdom, and may prove an effectuall means to keep us from the deſperate miſchiefs thoſe Lords that oppoſed this Petition, would have brought this Kingdome into.
Moſt humbly ſhewing,
WHereas they upon the report and ſight of great Convocations ſuddenly endeavoured and unexpectedly brought into this great Counſell day, for the moſt part by thoſe who have beene eſteemed by the Countrey and challenged by the Parliament, as Incendiaries, plotters, and enemies to the peace of this Kingdome, have•ccaſionally conveened at Edenburgh. And having heard of Letters from His Majeſty, and Declaration from the Parliament of England anent the preſent diſtractions of that King•ome, they have reaſon from bygon experience, and preſent preſumptions, to feare the inten•ions and endeavours of theſe evill affected perſons and their adherents, leſt by their convotations and ſollicitations they take occaſion of theſe differences to raiſe jealouſies and diviſions betwixt theſe Kingdomes. And conſidering the common intereſt of all the Subjects of this Kingdome to preſerve the late peace, ſo happily concluded betwixt theſe Nations, by the providence of God, His Maieſties goodneſſe and wiſedom, and the moderation of the Parliament of England, and ſo ſolemnly eſtabliſhed by the late Treaty, oath of Parliament, publike faith, and the great Seales of theſe Kingdomes; as in all other points, ſo eſpecially in theſe Articles (whereunto the reſt are called but prefaces) for ſetling and entertaining a ſolid peace betwixt theſe Nations in true union; leſt upon any pretence they ſhould be daſht one againſt another. Wherein it is declared the duty of the eſtates, yea of every ſubiect for to conveene and ſuppreſſe any evill affected perſons who would raiſe Armes againſt the ſubiects of the other Kingdome without conſent of Parliament, as traytors to the eſtate, much more to Petition againſt it; and wherein there is appointed a Commiſſion of the eſtates for the conſervation of this peace in the interim betwixt Parliaments. All which the Petitioners, amongſt the reſt of the good ſubiects of this Kingdome, did hazard their lives and eſtates to obtaine: And did demand in the Treaty upon their dangerous experience of the Councell of England there medling in the affaires betwixt His Maieſty and this Kingdome, to the engaging of the Nations in Warre, which is ſo often condemned by the eſtates of this Kingdome in their Remonſtrances, preſſing that common rule of Equity, To doe as you would be done unto; which now is and may bee retorted on this Kingdom. Like as deſiring earneſtly, that your Lordſhips in theſe publique reſolutions of ſo great conſequences to theſe Kingdoms, may carry along with you the hearts and conſciences of the body of this Kingdom, and prevent that the breaches grow not wider by falſe confidences grounded upon ſudden undertakings of any perſons, as alſo their naturall affection and duty to their gracious〈1… pages missing〉
YEſterday being at Heworth-Moor, I obſerved one reading ſomething, ſo as I drew nee to him, and by enquiry I found that it was a Petition, that was to be preſented preſent to His Majeſty: thoſe that heard it read, approved of it. Meeting with a friend, I enquire of him if he had not the Petition, or a copy of it; which he told me he had: I entreated hi•that he would lend me it; which accordingly he did: And having read part of it, my Lor•Savill came with a great company in a furious manner, and demanded what I did ther•and told me that I was reading ſome Pamphlet to the People, and that I was labouring t•ſow ſome ſeeds of Sedition, to ſeduce the Kings Subjects: Whereupon I told him that it wa•a Petition that I was reading privately to my ſelf, which I upon his approach put in my pocket. My Lord Sav•ll in an imperious manner demanded of me to deliver it to him; which refuſed: Then his Lordſhip laid his hand on the belt of my ſword, and almoſt pulled me of my horſe, and forced me to deliver the Petition to him; leſt otherwiſe ſome greater miſchie•might have come to him; for his Lordſhip told me, If we loved fighting we ſhould hav•fighting enough. I told his Lordſhip, I came this day to labour for peace. And immediately before his Lordſhips departure, he told me that he knew me well enough; then I told his Lordſhip, that I hoped he knew no ill by me. Many that were with his Lordſhip held up their Games in a terrifying manner; and one of them ſaid, Hold your prating, it were good to cane you: and when his Lordſhip and the reſt were gone, one of them turned back, and bid me be quiet, or elſe I ſhould be caned; and that it were a good deed to ſet me in the ſtocks. Afterwards there was one Captaine Blague, who was one of my Lord Savils company, came in an intruding manner into my company, and I being diſcourſing with Sir Richard Darley and ſome other, and telling them how I was affronted even now by my Lord Savill, and formerly having fire throwne into my Coach, and ſome other affronts done unto me, which I have formerly told you of; this Captain told me I did ill to lay aſperſions upon perſons of Honour: Whereupon I told him I did not lay it upon my Lord, but that I was ſo abuſed and affronted: upon due conſideration, I verily beleeve he came to make ſome quarrell.
Sir, upon my parting from you, you deſired to heare from mee; here I thought good to let you know thus much concerning my ſelfe. Thus with my ſervice to you and my Lady, I reſt
ORdered by the Lords in Parliament, That this Letter be forthwith Printed and publiſhed.
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