HONI SOIT x MAL Y PENSE   royal blazon or coat of arms  
❧ To the Kings most Excellent Majesty.  
The humble Petition of the Gentry, Citizens, and others Your majesty's loyal Subjects of the County and city of York.  
Most gracious sovereign,  
WE Your majesty's faithful Subjects and Petitioners, do in all humility acknowledge Your majesty's abundant Grace in calling this present Parliament, to consult with, and advise Your majesty touching the redress of the oppressions, and other grievances of Your Subjects, both in the Church, and civil State of this Your Kingdom of England: And we do with like humble thankfulness, acknowledge Your majesty's forwardness and Fatherly care to relieve them, declared by sundry most just and excellent Laws already enacted, for the re-estating of Your Subjects in their ancient Rights and privileges, and for taking away part of those Pressures that lay upon them. And amongst the rest, We have more particular cause to be thankful for Your majesty's gracious care, in part securing this County, by putting a Garrison into Hull, commanded by such Persons, in whom we have just cause to confide: Which Princely proceedings of Your Majesty hath infused a strong confidence into Your Petitioners, That Your Majesty inclined to ease your Subjects in all whatsoever grievances; Whereof they have complained to Your Majesty in Parliament, as well touching Reformation of Church Government, and Ceremonies in Religion, as touching the civil Government, and Administration of Justice, Yet so it is most gracious sovereign, That now of late the Rights, and Liberties of Parliament, being the Representative body of the whole Kingdom, And the Rights and Liberties of every Subject involved therein, have been in a most dangerous and unusual manner invaded and violated: Whereof we, with the rest of Your majesty's loyal Subjects (to our unspeakable grief) are most sensible; And to enlarge the cause of our sorrows, We do now understand that Your Majesty hath withdrawn Your royal Presence, from Your Great council, who wanting the comfort of it, are not able to proceed with such effect, as is requisite in those great Affairs of Church and State, that are daily presented to them; Which Characters of displeasure, we humbly presume, have been engraven in Your majesty's most gracious disposition, by the subtle work and council of those disaffected persons, who study nothing more, then to beget differences and jealousies between Your Majesty, and Your more loyal Subjects of the reformed Religion, with intention to hinder and disturb the perfect Reformation in matters of Religion, and sending over Succours to Your distressed Protestant Subjects in Ireland, where the Papists do most inhumanly destroy all that will not renounce the reformed Religion, and embrace Popery.  
YOur majesty's Petitioners therefore most humbly pray, That Your Majesty will be pleased henceforward to shut Your Sacred Ears against such malignant counsels, And in all affairs to repose Your confidence wholly upon the wisdom and fidelity of Your Great council now assembled in Parliament, and by their advice to settle and dispose such places of trust, as may conduce to the safety of Your majesty's Dominions; not doubting but their care will equally tender Your majesty's Honour with the public Interests and welfare of Your kingdoms. And that those Members of Parliament lately accused of Treason may have a fair and speedy trial, according to the privilege of the House, that so they may either receive condign punishment. If they have offended, or being acquit, may cheerfully attend those weighty affairs, appertaining to their charge. And lastly, That Your Majesty will not hereafter suffer to be enterprised any thing tending to the Violation or breach of privileges of Parliament.  
And Your Petitioners shall pray for Your majesty's long and prosperous reign, &c.  
This is the perfect Copy which was presented to His majesty this instant February.   

Febr. 19 London, Printed for Joseph Hunscott. 1641.