The humble PETITION OF The Lords and Commons in PARLIAMENT, Sent to His MAJESTY at YORK.  
Concerning the Removal of His Majesty's Arms, Cannon, and Ammunition, in His Magazine at Hull.  
And the taking off the Reprieve of six condemned Priests, prisoners in Newgate.  
With His Majesty's Answer thereunto. 14. April. 1642.  
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.  
The humble Petition of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament.  
Most Gracious Sovereign,  
YOur most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled, finding the stores of Arms and Ammunition in the Tower of London much diminished, And that the necessity of Supplies for Your Majesty's Kingdom of Ireland (for which they have been issued from thence) daily increaseth, And that the occasion for which the Magazine was placed at Hull is now taken away, And considering it will be kept here with less charge and more safety, and transported hence with much more convenience for the service of the Kingdom of Ireland;  
They therefore humbly pray, That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to give leave that the said Arms, Cannon, and Ammunition, now in Magazine at Hull, may be removed to the Tower of London, according as shall be directed by both Your Houses of Parliament.  
And whereas six Priests, now in Newgate, are condemned to die, and by Your Majesty have been reprived;  
They humbly pray Your Majesty to be pleased, that the said Reprieve may be taken off, and the said Priests executed according to Law.   

His Majesty's Answer to the aforesaid Petition.  
WE rather expected (and have done so long) that you should have given Us an Account why a Garrison hath been placed in Our Town of Hull, without Our consent, and Soldiers billeted there against Law, and express words of the Petition of Right, then to be moved (for the avoiding of a needless charge you have put on yourselves) to give Our consent for the Removal of Our Magazine and Munition (Our own proper goods) upon such general Reasons as indeed give no satisfaction to Our judgement. And since ye have made the business of Hull your Argument, We would gladly be informed, Why Our own Inclination (on the general Rumour of the Designs of Papists in the Northern parts) was not thought sufficient ground for Us to put a Person of Honour, Fortune, and unblemished Reputation, into a Town and Fort of Our own, where Our own Magazine lay, and yet the same Rumour be Warrant enough for you to commit the same Town and Fort (without Our consent) to the hands of Sir John Hotham, with a power unagreeable to the Law of the Land, or the Liberty of the Subject: And yet of this, in point of Right or Privilege (for sure We are not without Privilege too) We have not all this while complained. And being confident that that place (whatsoever discourse there is of public or private instructions to the contrary) shall be speedily given up, if We shall require it, We shallbe contented to dispose Our Munition there (as We have done in other places) for the public ease and benefit, as upon particular advice We shall find convenient, though We cannot think it fit, or consent, that the whole Magazine be removed together; but when you shall agree upon such Proportions as shall be held necessary for any particular service, We shall sign such Warrants as shall be agreeable to wisdom and Reason: And if any of them be designed for Ulster or Leinster, you know well the conveyance will be more easy and convenient from the place they are now in: Yet We must tell you, That if the Fears are so great from the Papists at home, or of foreign Force (as is pretended) it seems strange that you make not provision of Arms and Munition, for defence of this Kingdom, rather than seek to carry any more from hence, without some course taken for supply, especially if ye remember your engagement to Our Scots Subjects, for that proportion of Arms which is contained in your Treaty. We speak not this, as not thinking the sending of Arms to Scotland very necessary, but only for the way of the Provision; for you know what great quantities We have assigned out of Our several Stores, which, in due time, We hope, you will see replenished. For the charge of looking to the Magazine at Hull, as it was undertaken voluntarily by you at first, and (to say no more) unnecessarily, so you may free Our good People of that charge, and leave it to Us, who are the proper Owner of it.  
And this, We hope, will give you full satisfaction in this point, and that ye do not, as ye have done in the business of the Militia, send this Message out of Compliment and Ceremony, resolving to be your own Carvers at last; For We must tell you, if any Attempt or Direction shall be made or given in this Matter, without Our Consent or Approbation, We shall esteem it as an Act of Violence against Us, and declare it to all the World, as the greatest violation of Our Right, and breach of Our Privilege.  
Concerning the six Priests condemned; 'tis true, they were reprieved by Our Warrant, being informed that they were (by some restraint) disabled to take the benefit of Our former Proclamation; since that, We have issued out another, for the due execution of the Laws against Papists, and have most solemnly promised, In the Word of a King, Never to pardon any Priest (without your consent) which shall be found guilty by Law, desiring to banish these, having herewith sent a Warrant to that purpose, if (upon second thoughts) ye do not disapprove thereof. But if you think the execution of these persons so very necessary to the great and pious work of Reformation, We refer it wholly to you, declaring hereby, That upon such your resolution signified to the Ministers of justice, Our Warrant for their Reprieve is determined, and the Law to have the course.  
And now let Us ask you (for We are willing to husband time, and to dispatch as much as may be under one Message; God knows, the distractions of this Kingdom wants a present remedy) Will there never be a time to offer to, as well as to ask of Us? We will propose no more particulars to you, having no luck to please, to be understood by you. Take your own time for what concerns Our particular; But be sure ye have an early speedy care of the Public (that is) of the only rule which preserves the Public, The Law of the Land; Preserve the Dignity and reverence due to that. 'Twas well said in a speech made by a private person, but published by Order of the House of Commons, this Parliament: 
It was part of Pyms speech against the Earl of Strafford.  The Law is that which puts a difference betwixt Good and Evil, betwixt Just and Unjust; if you take away the Law all things will fall into a Confusion, every man will become a Law to himself, which, in the depraved condition of humane Nature, must needs produce many great Enormities; Lust will become a Law, and Envy will become a Law, Covetousness and Ambition will become Laws, and what Dictates what Decisions such Laws will produce, may easily be discerned. So said that Gentleman, and much more, very well in defence of the Law, and against Arbitrary power; 'Tis worth looking over and considering. And if the most zealous Defence of true Protestant Profession, & the most resolved protection of the Law, be the most necessary Duty of a Prince, We cannot believe this miserable Distance and Misunderstanding can be long continued betwixt Us, We having often and earnestly declared them to be the chiefest Desires of Our Soul, and the end and rule of all Our Actions.  
For Ireland, We have sufficiently, and (We hope) satisfactorily expressed to all Our good Subjects, Our hearty sense of that sad business in Our several Messages in that Argument; but especially in Our last of the eighth of this Month, concerning Our Resolution for that Service; for the speedy, Honourable, and full performance whereof, We conjure you to yield all possible Assistance and present Advice.  
FINIS.