The humble PETITION Of 85. Gentlemen and Freeholders', and 15. Ministers of the County Palatine of CHESTER.  
Preferred to His Majesty at YORK, the seventh of May, 1642. In behalf of themselves and others.  
Together with His Majesty's gracious Answer.  
YORK: Printed by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of JOHN BILL. 1642.   

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.  
Humbly showeth,  
THat though our Fears and Distractions have been many and great, and much increased by your Majesty's absence from your Parliament, yet were we never destitute of hope, that the Fears and Prayers of your dutiful and truly-affected Subjects might be powerful with your Royal Breast, so far as to embrace, with tenderness, your whole Kingdom, in its representative Body, your great Council. But now our Sorrows are doubled, our Fears multiplied, and even the little hope we had fails us, hearing the report of your Majesty's Resolution to undertake a dangerous voyage into Ireland, whereon we reflect with much terror and amazement; yet we are confident your Majesty will pardon our love and duty, if in our hearts we cannot consent to a Journey wherein your Royal Person is exposed to variety of peril by Land and Sea, Wind and Water making no difference betwixt the greatest King and the meanest Subject: and if God (the Guardian and Preserver of Princes) should safely waft you over, yet your Majesty's Person cannot, in our apprehension, be secure amongst so many Popish, Cruel, and Barbarous Rebels, who have forgot Religion, Piety, and even Humanity itself, murdering your Majesty's innocent Protestant Subjects, without respect of Age, Sex, or Condition, thereby rendering themselves unworthy, and incapable of any Grace or favour from Your Majesty, their Actions calling for Your exemplary Justice upon them, and our hearts affections imploring Your Gracious consideration of these ensuing particulars.  
1 To comfort our hearts by deserting your journey into Ireland, and by residing where you may with more conveniency and security, consult with your great Council.  
2 To consider to what danger (if your Resolution for Ireland continue) You expose us by the Popish Faction, when your Majesty shall leave us naked, we not being put into a posture of Defence, to repel the rage and attempts of the enemies to our Religion, who (we have too just cause to fear) but wait for an opportunity to bring to birth their cruel Conceptions; and what so great advantage can they hope for, as by your Majesty's absence.  
3 To advise, Whether this Journey will not much retard the intended Relief for Ireland, since upon the first Rumour, many who were minded to subscribe, demur in their proceed, and others wish they might recall what they have subscribed, and not to deprive us at once of that poor remainder of hope we have to reap further good by the endeavours of your Parliament, whereof we shall despair, when your presence shall be wanting to perfect their Proposals and Conclusions.  
4 To consider how David (that Religious and Valiant King) offering to go in Person against his Rebels, was by his people (in the tenderness of his Person) humbly dissuaded from that Resolution, they valuing his Person above ten thousand of their own: which gracious and provident Petition David graciously yielded unto, saying, What seemeth you best, that will I do; which we humbly beg may be the effect of your Majesty's Answer to your humble Petitioners, who forbear to press your Majesty with number of Persons, or multitude of Hands (though plentifully enabled to either) knowing your Majesty's disaffection to both.  
And we shall ever pray, etc.   

At the Court at YORK .9. May 1642.  
His Majesty hath given me express command to give you this His Answer to your Petition.  
THat He sees plainly that this Petition of yours hath been framed without having heard the Answer His Majesty gave to His Parliament, upon their Petition to Him for desisting from His journey into Ireland; for He cannot think that that Country (from whence He hath received formerly so good expressions of their loyal Intentions, by two former Petitions presented long since to Him and the Parliament) would have been so much mistaken, as to have made this Petition, after they had seen and well considered His Majesty's said Answer. And His Majesty observes very well, that this Petition is not like others, which by an untimely Zeal, have desired Him to return to His Parliament; you only desiring Him there to reside, where with more conveniency and security He may consult with His great Council, then by going into Ireland: His Majesty being confident, That your well weighing of His Answers concerning that subject, hath been the cause that you have not imitated some few other Countries in that particular; And that you have well considered the Rebellious Affront offered to Him at Hull, by a hostile opposition of His entrance; and therefore believes that the same Reason which made you, at this time, express your tender care of His Person, and the former good expressions you made of your Loyalty and right-set Affections to the good of the whole Kingdom, may sooner induce you to petition the Parliament to apply themselves to a right understanding of His Majesty's ways and intentions, and to do Him justice for that Affront, then make you to prefer any such ill-grounded Petition. And that you may be the better informed of His Majestiesties' proceed in those particulars; He recommends to your view and consideration, His Answers, to the Declaration presented to Him at New-market, to the Petition presented to Him at York the 26. of March last, concerning His journey into Ireland, His two Messages and Declaration concerning Hull, all which, when it shall be fully represented to the rest of your County, He doubts not but that you will rest very well satisfied of His constant Resolution for the maintaining of, and governing you by the Law of the Land, His unmoveable Resolutions for the maintenance and defence of the true Protestant Profession, and the suppression and chastising of the barbarous Irish Rebellion. As for your apprehensions of danger of being left naked, and not put into a posture of Defence, His Majesty assures you, That He will take care that it shall be done in the true old legal way which hath been used in this Kingdom, without bringing in strangers to govern you, or admitting new and exorbitant Powers, derogating both from His Majesty's undoubted Legal Authority, and the Liberty of the Subject which, as He hath constantly denied, so He expects, and no ways doubts, but that you will give Obedience to that, and that only, which shall proceed from His Majesty in a legal way.  
Subscribed by M. Secretary Nicholas.  
FINIS.