The humble PETITION OF The Gentry, Ministers, and Freeholders of the County of York assembled at the Assizes there holden.  
Presented to His MAJESTY the 5. of April 1642.  
Together with His Majesty's Speech at the presenting thereof.  
And His gracious Answer thereunto.  
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 Gentry, Ministers, and Freeholders of the County of York, now assembled at the Assizes there holden.  
Most humbly showeth,  
THat, although the piercing anguish of our Souls, proceeding from the general distractions of this Kingdom, be eased by the comfort of your Majesty's Royal Presence, and gracious Confidence in the Affections of this County, which hath filled our Hearts with Hopes, and our Tongues with Joy, yet the fellow-feeling of the passionate Sorrows, and heart breaking Apprehensions which overwhelms the other parts of this afflicted Kingdom, do enforce us (after the humble tender of our Lives and Fortunes, for the Safety and Assurance of your Majesty's Royal Person, Crown, Honour and Estate, just Prerogative and Sovereignty, in any capacity wherein we may serve your Majesty according to the Laws) to follow that Sacrifice of bounden duty, with our earnest Prayers and Petitions, which shall not cry in your Princely Ears for help to almost-ruined Ireland, nor implore your Majesty's Concurrence for the propagation of the Protestant Religion, and suppression of Popery, since your Majesty's Gracious Declaration of yourself, in those particulars, renders it an unpardonable Crime to desire further Assurance, or Addition to your Majesties own words, Sacred before God and Man; But emboldened by your Royal Resolution declared, to take away not only the just Fears, but also the Jealousies of your loyal Subjects, and enforced by that infallible Oracle of Truth, That a Kingdom divided cannot stand. We, from the centre of every one of our hearts, most earnestly supplicate▪ That your Majesty (being most interessed in the flourishing State and Union of your Dominions, and by long experience in Government, best acquainted with Prevention of Dangers, and Remedy of Evils) will be graciously pleased to declare such fit Means and Expedients as may take away all Distances and Misunderstandings betwixt Your Majesty and Your great Council; to whom we will also address ourselves for such endeavours, on their parts, as may beget in Your Majesty a confidence in their Counsels, and that blessed Union so necessary to this perplexed Kingdom, and most desired by us, and all Your Majesties loving and faithful Subjects.  And your Petitioners shall ever pray for your Majesty's long and prosperous Reign, etc. 
  

5o Aprilis, 1642. His Majesty's Speech to the Sheriff, Gentry, Ministry, and Freeholders of the County of York, when they presented to Him their Petition.  
Mr. Sheriff, and Gentlemen,  
I Believe you expect not a present and particular Answer to your Petition, because it is new unto Me: Only in general I must tell you, That I see by it, that I am not deceived in the Confidence I have in the Affections of this County to my Person and State; and I assure you that I will not deceive your Confidence which at this time you have declared in your Petition, to have in Me: And I am glad to see that it is not upon mistaken Grounds, as other Petitions have been to me since I came to this place: Concerning which, let me observe unto you, That my Answers were to clear those mistake; for I never did go about to punish or discourage them from petitioning to Me in an humble way, though the subject did not agree with my Sense; Albeit within the memory of man, people have been discouraged, and threatened to be punished for Petitions.  
I observe that your Petition is so modest, that it doth not mention any particular for your own good; which indeed I expected, as knowing that in some particulars you have great reason to do; and therefore, that you may not far the worse for your Modesty, I will put you in mind of three particulars, which I conceive to be for the good of this Country.  
The first is concerning your trained Bands, to reduce them to a lesser number, for which, I confess to stand engaged by promise to you, which I had performed long since, if I had been put in mind of it: And now I tell you, Show me but the Way, and (when you shall think fit) I shall instantly reduce them to that Number, which I promised you two years ago.  
The second is, That which is owing to this County for Billet-money; The truth is, That for the present I cannot repay it; Only I will say this, That if all the Water had gone to the right Mill (upon my Word) you had been long ago satisfied in this particular. And so I leave to your discretions which way you will advise, and assist Me to comply with the Engagements to you in this point.  
The third is, That for which I was petitioned as I came up the last year, both by the Lord Major and Aldermen of this City, and likewise by divers others of this County, as I went ; And that is, concerning the Court of York. And first let Me tell you, That as yet I know no Legal Dissolution of it, for hitherto formally there is nothing come to Me, either directly or indirectly, for the taking of it away: therefore I may say, It is rather shaken in pieces, then dissolved. Now my Desire is, in compliance to what I answered the last year unto the several Petitions delivered to Me upon this subject, That you would consult and agree among yourselves in what manner you would have the Court established, most to your own contentments, and to the good of all these Northern parts, in such a Legal way, as that it may not justly be excepted against; and I assure you, in the word of an honest Man, that you shall not blame Me, if you have not full satisfaction in it.  
Within a day or two ye shall have a particular Answer to your Petition, which shall be such ● One as I am confident will give you good satisfaction, and put you into such a way, as, I hope, may produce good effects to the good of all this Kingdom.   

HIS MAJESTY'S ANSWER To the aforesaid Petition of the Gentry, Ministers, and Freeholders of the County of YORK. At the Court at YORK. 7. Aprilis 1642.  
His Majesty, according to His Promise made to you at the delilivery of this Petition, hath commanded me to subscribe this His Answer.  
IN the first place, He is glad to see, That what you say concerning the Relief of His distressed Subjects in Ireland, and the Propagation of the true Religion amongst us, against all Superstition of Popery, is only to show your Confidence in his princely Word; wherein He again hath commanded me to assure you, That He will neither deceive your trust, nor wrong Himself so much as not to be very punctual in performance of the Engagements He hath already made concerning those particulars, which besides the performance of His Word (which He holds most dear unto him) his own Inclinations naturally induce Him unto.  
Now concerning the Prayer of your Petition, His Majesty doth graciously interpret, That your desiring Him to declare such fit means and expedients as may take away all Distance and Misunderstandings betwixt His Majesty and His great Council, is no otherwise then to have the more authentic ground, and the better direction which way to carry yourselves in your Addresses to the Parliament for that effect. And therefore His Majesty assures you, That not only the best, but (as He conceives) the sole way for this good Understanding between His Majesty) and His Parliament (which He assures you that He no less desires than yourselves) is, That the Parliament will take His Majesty's Message of the twentieth of January last into consideration speedily, seriously, and effectually; and that the Militia of this Kingdom may be settled by Act of Parliament, according to His Majesty's explanation of His Answer concerning the Militia, which He made in the Answer He returned to both Houses, upon the Petition presented to Him the 26. of March last. And therefore His Majesty desires you, to take those Answers and that Message into your serious Consideration, and thereupon to proceed (according to the 〈…〉 in your Petition) in 〈…〉 to the Parliament, as 〈…〉 judge fittest for the good 〈◊〉 ●his Kingdom, and the expressions of your Duty and Affection to His Majesty's Person and State.  
Signed by Master Secretary Nicholas.  
FINIS.