The Humble PETITION OF THE Committee, Gentry, Ministry, and other the inhabitants of the County of LEICESTER, As it was presented to the right honourable The Commons Assembled in PARLIAMENT; October 2. 1648. With the Parliaments Answer thereunto.  
London, Printed for G. Calvert. 1648.   


THE Humble Petition OF The Committee, Gentry, Ministry, and other the inhabitants of the County of LEICESTER;  
Humbly sheweth,  
THat whereas Your Petitioners have long lain under the burden of these intestine and devouring Wars, and are now lifted up with the hopes of a blessed Sunshine of Peace breaking forth upon us for the dispelling of all those mists that have wrapped us up in this long Misery: In which Peace well settled none shall more rejoice then your Petitioners, being ready to accept it as the fruit of all our labours, losses, crosses, yea all our hazards in this great adventure: hearty praising the Lord for all your faithful endeavours to extricate us, and our afflicted Friends of these three Kingdoms out of our deep and unparalleled miseries: And perceiving the present Treaty to be looked on by you as the great and last way to bring over unto us this so much beloved and longed for Peace, in which( seeing our concernment is so eminent, and our posterity gasping to receive the fruits of what we have sown in tears and blood) we humbly crave leave to mind you of two Declarations, the one from the Assembly of the Church of Scotland, dated July the 5. 1645 charging his Majesty with spilling the blood of many Thousands of his best Subjects in the three Kingdoms: and the other of your own, Febr. the 15. 1647. wherein you give Reasons for no further Addresses, and speak as high as that of Scotland. We might add thereunto that also in answer to the Scottish Commissioners Papers, dated the 4th of March 1647. All which have made our ears to tingle and our hearts to tremble, expecting with amazement what satisfaction you might have to these loud-crying and Heaven-provoking Crimes: viz. That about the death of his Royal Father: The betraying of Rochel; The Spanish Fleet with an Army in it: His Proclamation to cry down Parliaments: His correspondency with Rome: The private Articles of his Marriage: His Commissions to the Rebels in Ireland: His violent attempt upon the House of Commons: The inviting of foreigners to enslave the three Nations: His proclaiming the Parliament of England Rebels: The designed bloody Massacre in London by his Commission: His destructive principle of yielding an Account to none but God: His inviting over the Irish Rebels to subdue this Parliament: His backwardness to declare against them: Together with the eight years Misery of the three Kingdoms; Cum multis aliis. And yet yourselves say these are but some few of the many Reasons why you cannot repose any more trust in him.  
The premises considered, we desire, for ourselves and the whole Nation, we may not be left in the dark concerning these Suggestions and Charges; which if true, that proceedings may be accordingly, that we may not build our Peace upon such ruining foundations: but if otherwise, that his Majesty may be cleared so fully, that we may neither fear your Treating with him nor Trusting him in the great and weighty affairs of the three Kingdoms. And we most earnestly beg, that since Your God and Ours hath put so many principal Enemies into Your hands, even to wonder, that impartial and personal Justice may equally and speedily be administered, which we look at as the undoubted Remedy of all our Maladies; for Justice exalteth a Nation and establisheth a Throne. in the obtaining of these( we suppose) but just Requests, we are ready to adventure our All with You and for You.  
And shall daily pray, &c.  

The said Petition was by twenty Gentlemen, Ministers& others of the said County delivered at the Bar, which was acceptably received, red and debated; the Petitioners being withdrawn, were again called in,& had this Answer by Mr Speaker returned.    

The Answer of the House to the Petitioners, by Mr. Speaker.  
Gentlemen of the County of Leicester,  
THe House hath red your Petition and hath considered of your desires and hath commanded me to give you this Answer,  
That they are engaged in a Treaty with the King, wherein they will take care for the preservation of Religion, Laws, Liberties, and Protection of those that have engaged with them: and so far J am Commanded to acquaint you.   
FINIS.   

Jmprimatur, G M.