THE PETITION OF The LORDS and COMMONS, PRESENTED To His Majesty By the Earl of Stamford, Master Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Master Hungerford, April 18. 1642. Together with His Majesty's Answer thereunto.  
LONDON: Printed by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of JOHN BILL. MDCXLII.   

To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The humble Petition of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament.  
May it please your Majesty,  
YOur Majesty's most loyal and faithful Subjects, the Lords and Commons in Parliament have duly considered the Message received from Your Majesty, concerning Your purpose of going into Ireland in Your own Person, to prosecute the war there with the bodies of your English Subjects, levied, transported, and maintained at their charge, which You are pleased to propound to us, not as a matter wherein Your Majesty desires the advice of Your Parliament, but as already firmly resolved on, and forthwith to be put in execution, by granting out Commissions for the levying of two thousand foot, & two hundred horse for a guard for Your Person when You shall come into that Kingdom: wherein we cannot choose but with all reverence and humility to Your Majesty, observe that You have declined Your great Council the Parliament, and varied from the usual course of Your Royal Predecessors, That a business of so great importance concerning the peace and safety of all Your Subjects, and wherein they have a special interest by Your Majesty's promise, and by those great sums which they have disbursed, and for which they stand engaged, should be concluded and undertaken without their advice: Whereupon we hold it our duty to declare, That if at this time Your Majesty shall go into Ireland, You will very much endanger the safety of Your Royal Person and Kingdoms, and of all other States professing the Protestant Religion in Christendom, and make way to the execution of that cruel and bloody Design of the Papists every where to root out and destroy the reformed Religigion, as the Irish Papists have in a great part already effected in that Kingdom, and in all likelihood would quickly be atempted in other places, if the consideration of the strength and union of the two Nations of England and Scotland did not much hinder and discourage the execution of any such Design. And that we may manifest to Your Majesty the danger and misery, which such a journey and enterprise would produce, we present to Your Majesty the reasons of this our humble opinion and advice.  

1 YOur Royal Person will be subject, not only to the casualty of War, but to secret practices and conspiracies, especially Your Majesty continuing Your profession to maintain the Protestant Religion in that Kingdom, which the Papists are generally bound by their vow to extirpate.  
2 It will exceedingly encourage the Rebels, who do generally profess and declare, that Your Majesty doth favour & allow their proceed, & that this insurrection was undertaken by the Warrant of Your Commission, and it will make good their expectation of great advantage by Your Majesty's presence at this time of so much distraction in this Kingdom, whereby they may hope we shall be disabled to supply the War there, especially there appearing less necessity of Your Majesty's Journey at this time, by reason of the manifold successes which God hath given against them.  
3. It will much hinder and impair the means whereby this war is to be supported, and increase the charge of it, and in both these respects, make it more in supportable to your Subject: and this we can confidently affirm, because many of the Adventurers, who have already subscribed, do upon the knowledge of your Majesty's Intention, declare their resolution, not to pay in their money; and others very willing to have subscribed, do now profess the contrary.  
4. Your Majesty's absence must necessarily very much interrupt the proceed of Parliament, and deprive your Subjects of the benefit of those further Acts of Grace, and Justice, which we shall humbly expect from your Majesty, for the establishing of a perfect union, and mutual confidence betwixt Your Majesty and Your People, and procuring and confirming the prosperity and happiness of both.  
5. It will exceedingly increase the jealousies and fears of your people, and render their doubts more probable, of some force intended by some evil counsels near Your Majesty, in opposition of the Parliament, and favour of the malignant party of this Kingdom.  
6. It will bereave your Parliament of that advantage, whereby they were induced to undertake this war, upon Your Majesty's promise that it should be managed by their advice; which cannot be done, if Your Majesty contrary to their counsels shall undertake to order and govern it in Your own Person.   
Upon which and divers other reasons we have resolved, by the full and concurring agreement of both Houses, that we cannot with discharge of our duty consent to any Leavyes, or raising of Soldiers to be made by Your Majesty for this your intended expedition into Ireland, or to the payment of any Army or Soldiers there, but such as shall be employed and governed according to our advice and direction; and that if such Leavyes shallbe made by any Commission of Your Majesty (not agreed to by both Houses of Parliament) we shall be forced to interpret the same to be raised to the terror of Your people, and disturbance of the public peace, and hold ourselves bound, by the Laws of the Kingdom, to apply the Authority of Parliament to suppress the same.  
And we do further most humbly declare, That if Your Majesty shall by ill counsel be persuaded to go, contrary to this advice of Your Parliament (which we hope Your Majesty will not) We do not in that case hold ourselves bound to submit to any Commissioners, which Your Majesty shall choose, but do resolve to preserve and govern the Kingdom by the counsel and advice of Parliament for Your Majesty and Your Posterity, according to our Allegiance, and the Law of the Land.  
Wherefore we do most humbly pray, and advise Your Majesty, to desist from this your intended passage into Ireland, and from all preparation of men and Arms tending thereunto, and to leave the managing of that war to Your Parliament, according to Your Majesties promise made unto us, and Your Royal Commission granted under Your great Seal of England, by advice of both Houses, in prosecution whereof, by God's blessing, we have already made a prosperous entrance by many defeats of the Rebels, whereby they are much weakened and disheartened, and have no probable means of subsistence, if our proceed shall not be interrupted by this interposition of Your Majesty's Journey, but that we may hope upon good grounds, that within a short time, without Hazard of Your Majesty's person, and so much dangerous confusion to Your Kingdoms (which must needs ensue) if you should proceed in this resolution, we shall be enabled fully to vindicate Your Majesty's right and authority in that Kingdom, and punish those horrible outrageous cruelties, which have been committed in the murdering and spoiling so many of your Subjects, and bring that Realm to such a condition as may be much for the advantage of your Majesty; and this Crown, the honour of your government, and contentment of your people. For the better, and more speedy effecting whereof, we do again renew our humble desires of your return to your Parliament; and that you will please to reject all Counsels and apprehensions, which may any way derogate from that faithfulness and Allegiance, which in truth and sincerity we have always born and professed to Your Majesty, and shall ever make good to the uttermost with our lives and fortunes.   

His Majesty's Answer To a Petition presented to Him at York, April 18. 1642. by the Earl of Stamford, etc. in the name of both Houses: Concerning His Message lately sent to them, declaring His Resolution to go into Ireland.  
WE are so troubled and astonished to find the unexpected reception, and misunderstanding of Our Message of the eighth of April, concerning Our Irish journey, that being so much disappointed of the approbation and thanks We looked for to that Declaration; We have great cause to doubt, whether it be in Our power to say or do any thing which shall not fall within the like interpretation. But as We have in that Message called God to witness the sincerity of the profession of Our only Ends for the undertaking that journey: so We must appeal to all Our good Subjects, and the whole world, whether the Reasons alleged against that journey be of weight to satisfy Our understanding, or the counsel presented to dissuade Us from it, be full of that duty as is like to prevail over Our affections.  
For Our resolving of so great a Business without the Advice of Our Parliament; We must remember you howoften by Our Messages We made the same offer, if you should advise Us thereunto: To which you never gave Us the least answer: But in your late Declaration told Us, That ye were not to be satisfied with words: so that We had reason to conceive you rather avoided (out of regard to Our person) to give Us counsel to run that hazard, then that you disapproved the inclination. And what greater comfort or security can the Protestants of Christendom receive, then by seeing a Protestant King venture and engage His Person for the defence of that Profession, and the suppression of Popery, to which We solemnly protested in that Message, never to grant a Toleration, upon what pretence soever, or an Abolition of any of the Laws there in force against the Professors of it. And when We consider the great calamities, and unheard of cruelties Our poor Protestant Subjects in that Kingdom have undergone for the space of near, or full six Months, the growth and increase of the strength of those barbarous Rebels, and the evident probability of Foreign Supplies, (if they are not speedily suppressed) The very slow succours hitherto sent them from hence; That the Officers of several Regiments, who have long since been allowed entertainment from you for that Service, have not raised any Supply or Succour for that Kingdom: That many troops of Horse have long lain near Chester untransported; That the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on whom We relied principally for the Conduct and managing of Affairs there, is still in this Kingdom, notwithstanding Our earnestness expressed that he should repair to his Command; And when We consider the many and great scandals raised upon Ourselves by report of the Rebels, and not sufficiently discountenanced here, notwithstanding so many professions of Ours; And had seen a Book lately printed by the Order of the House of Commons, Entitled; A Remonstrance of divers remarkable Passages concerning the Church and Kingdom of Ireland, Wherein some Examinations are set down, which (how improbable or impossible soever) may make an impression in the minds of many of Our weak Subjects; And lastly, When We duly weigh the dishonour which will perpetually lie upon this Kingdom, if full and speedy relief be not dispatched thither, We could, nor cannot think of a better way to discharge Our duty to Almighty God, for the defence of the true Protestant Profession, or to manifest Our affection to Our three Kingdoms for their preservation, then by engaging Our Person in this Expedition, as many of Our Royal Progenitors have done, even in Foreign parts, upon causes of less Importance and Piety, with great Honour to themselves, and advantage to this Kingdom: And therefore We expected at least thanks for such Our Inclination.  
For the danger to Our Person; We conceive it necessary and worthy of a King to adventure His life to preserve His Kingdom, neither can it be imagined, that We will sit still, and suffer Our Kingdoms to be lost, and Our good Protestant Subjects to be Massacred, without exposing Our own Person to the utmost hazard for their relief and preservation: Our life, when it was most pleasant, being nothing so precious to Us, as it is, and shall be to govern and preserve Our people with Honour and justice.  
For any encouragement to the Rebels, because of the reports they raised, We cannot conceive that the Rebels are capable of a greater Terror, then by the presence of their Lawful King in the head of an Army to chastise them: Besides, it will be an unspeakable advantage to them, if any reports of theirs could hinder Us from doing any thing which were fit for Us to do, if such reports were not raised: This would quickly teach them, in this jealous Age, to prevent by such reports any other persons coming against them, whom they had no mind should be so employed.  
We marvel that the Adventurers, whose advantage was a principal Motive (next the reason before mentioned) to Us, should so much mistake Our purpose, whose Interest we conceive must be much improved by the Expedition we hope (by God's blessing) to use in this Service: this being the most probable way for the speedy Conquest of the Rebels: Their Lands are sufficiently secured by Act of Parliament.  
We think not Ourselves kindly used, That the addition of so few men to your Levies (for a Guard to Our Person in Ireland) should be thought fit for your refusal: and much more, that having used so many Cautions in this Message, both in the smallness of the number: In Our having raised none until your Answer: In their being to be raised only near their place of Shipping: In their being there to be Armed, and that, not till they were ready to be Shipped: In the provision, by the Oaths, that none of them should be Papists (all Which appears sufficient to destroy all grounds of jealousy of any force intended by them in opposition to the Parliament, or favour to any malignant party) any suspicion should notwithstanding be grounded upon it.  
Neither can it be understood, That when We recommended the Managing of that War to you, That We intended to exclude Ourselves, or not to be concerned in your counsels, That if We found any expedient (which in Our conscience or understanding We thought necessary for that great work) We might not put it in practice. We look upon you as Our great Council, whose advice We always have and will (with great regard and deliberation) weigh and consider: But We look upon Ourselves, as neither deprived of Our understanding, or devested of any right we had, if there were no Parliament sitting. We called you together by Our own Writ and Authority (without which you could not have met) to give Us faithful Counsel about Our great Affairs: But We resigned not up Our own Interest and Freedom. We never subjected Ourselves to your absolute determination. We have always weighed your Counsels, as proceeding from a Body entrusted by Us: And when we have dissented from you, We have returned you the Reasons, which have prevailed with our conscience and understanding, with that Candour as a Prince should use towards His Subjects; and that Affection, which a father can express to his children. What application hath been used to rectify Our understanding by reasons, or what Motives have been given to persuade Our Affections, We leave all the world to judge. And then We must tell you, howsoever a Major part may bind you in matter of Opinion, We hold Ourselves (and We are sure the Law, and the Constitution of the Kingdom hath always held the same) as free to descent (till Our Reason be convinced for the general Good) as if you delivered no Opinion.  
For Our journey itself, The circumstances of your Petition are such, as We know not well what answer to return, or whether We were best to give any. That part which pretends to carry reason with it, doth no way satisfy Us: The other, which is rather reprehension and Menace, than advice, cannot stagger Vs. Our Answer therefore is, That we shall be very glad to find the work of Ireland so easy as you seem to think it, which did not so appear by any thing known to Us, when we sent Our Message. And though we will never refuse, or be unwilling to venture Our person for the good and safety of Our People; We are not so weary of Our life, as to hazard it impertinently. And therefore since you seem to have received Advertisements of some late and great Successes in that Kingdom, We will stay some time to see the event of those, and not pursue this Resolution, till we have given you a second Notice. But if We find the miserable Condition of Our poor Subjects of that Kingdom be not speedily relieved, We will (with God's assistance) visit them with succours, as Our particular Credit and Interest can supply Us with, if you refuse to join with Vs. And We doubt not but the Levies We shall make (in which We will observe punctually the former, and all other Cautions, as may best prevent all Fears and jealousies, and to use no Power but what is Legal) will be so much to the satisfaction of Our Subjects, as no person will dare presume to resist Our Commands; and if they should, at their peril. In the mean time We hope Our forwardness, so remarkable to that service, shall be notorious to all the world, and that all scandals laid on Us in that Business, shall be clearly wiped away.  
We were so careful that Our journey into Ireland should not interrupt the proceed of Parliament, nor deprive Our Subjects of any Acts of justice, or further Acts of Grace, for the real benefit of Our People; That We made a Free offer of leaving such Power behind, as should not only be necessary for the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom; but fully provide for the happy Progress of the Parliament. And therefore We cannot but wonder, since such Power hath been always left here by Commission for the Government of this Kingdom, when Our progenitors have been out of the same during the sitting of Parliaments: and since yourselves desired that such a Power might be left here by Us, at Our last going into Scotland, what Law of the Land have you now found to dispense with you, from submitting to such Authority Legally derived from Us in Our absence, and to enable you to Govern this Kingdom by your own mere Authority?  
For Our return towards London, We have given you so full an Answer in Our late Declaration, and in Answer to your Petition presented to Us at York the 26 of March last, that We know not what to add, if you will not provide for Our Security with you, nor agree to remove to another Place, where there may not be the same Danger to Vs. We expected that (since We have been so particular in the Causes and Grounds of Our Fears) you should have sent Us word, that you had published such Declarations against future Tumults, and unlawful Assemblies, and taken such Courses for the Suppressing of Seditious Sermons and Pamphlets, that Our Fears of that kind might be laid aside, before you should press Our return.  
To Conclude, We could wish that you would (with the same strictness and severity) weigh and examine your Messages and Expressions to Us, as you do those you receive from Us: For We are very confident, that if you examine Our Rights and Privileges, by what Our Predecessors have enjoyed; and your own addresses, by the usual Courses of your Ancestors; ye will find many Expressions in this Petition, warranted only by your own Authority, which indeed We forbear to take notice of, or to give Answer to, lest We should be tempted (in a just indignation) to express a greater Passion, than We are yet willing to put on. God in his good time (We hope) will so inform the hearts of all Our Subjects, that We shall recover from the mischief and danger of this Distemper; On whose good pleasure We will wait with all patience and humility.  
FINIS.