A PETITION From the Town and County of Leicester, unto the Kings most excellent Majesty.  
Also an other Petition from the Grand Inquest of the same County unto his Majesty for the removing of the Magazine  
With his Majesty's Answer thereunto. Likewise certain Propositions to his Majesty by Captain Grey and the Earl of Stamfords' Soldiers touching the Magazine.  
Also a Declaration from the Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, Grand jurymen, and Freeholders', in the County of Leicester.  
Ordered to be printed by special command.  
London, Printed by A.N. for William Gay, and are to be sold at his shop in Hosier Lane at the sign of the Axe, 1642. July 30.   

To the Kings most excellent Majesty. The humble petition of the Inhabitants of the Town and County of Leicester. JULY 22.  
ACknowledging your Majesty's Princely protestations for defence of the Protestant Religion, the Laws of the Land, (which your Highness makes the justest measure and rule of your royal prerogative, the liberty and obedience of your subjects as also for the peace of the Kingdom, disavowing not only intentions of war, as opening an issue to drown your Majesty & posterity, but also taking care that no posture should affright the subjects.  
Yet we cannot but in all humility express our deep sorrows for your Majesty's long estrangement from, and opposition to your highest and safest Council of Parliament; on the success whereof the safety, honour, and glory of your Majesty and happiness of your subjects doth depend.  
Well, we can never expect while we see Delinquents protected against the justice of Parliament, promoted to Honour and Offices of high trust and power, such as M. Henry Hastings, who after he had appeared in an hostile manner to the great terror of your Majesty's peaceable subjects, and was rescued from the Minister of Parliament, did notwithstanding (to the greater affrightment of all & miscarrying of divers women) came with a troop of Horse and Foot at midnight to Leicester, demanding the Magazine, and proclaiming the Earl of Stamford and divers others by name with all their adherents traitors, and after all this is protected (as we conceive) and made high Sheriff, and an approved Gentleman cast out for no other cause appearing to us then the discharging of his duty to your Majesty and the parliament.  
We are deeply affected with these proceed, as presaging the ruin of all at once.  
Therefore we humbly pray that your Majesty's Commission of Array declared to be so directly against Law (which your Majesty makes the rule of our allegiance and obedience) may be recalled, That justice may impartially proceed against all Delinquents, without which a parliament cannot subsist, That you would cashier all such desperate persons as would engage the Kingdom in a bloody civil War, and abandon all the Counselors of Division, That the honour and innocency of our worthy Knight, and the other five Members impeached may be vindicated, That you would join yourself to your parliament, as the only way to save ourselves and bleeding Ireland, and that our Magazine and Militia, may remain in the hands of the honourable Earl of Stamford, who is entrusted by the parliament. We stand resolved ever to maintain the true reformed protestant Religion, your Majesty's person and authority▪ the Laws and free course of justice, together with the high and honourable Court of parliament, as the Bottom wherein all is embarked. We are Enemies to all that divide betwixt your Majesty and your parliament, or that have or shall affront or cast base aspersions on th●t faithful Assembly, and according to our just and free protestation, we'll venture our estates and lives herein, and shall ever pray, etc.   


To the Kings most excellent Majesty. The humble Petition of the great Inquest for the County of Leicester. JULY 23.  
We do in all humbleness acknowledge that during your Majesty's Reign hithertowe have enjoyed that which is the greatest blessing that can befall a Nation, a stable and uninterrupted peace, your Declaration expresses your Princely desires of your subjects peace and welfare, being therefore the presages of blood and ruin do impend and hang over our heads, we are forced to seek a preservative by our addresses unto your Highness, if it may stand therefore with your Princely wisdom as we judge it stands with the peace and safety of this County, our humble desire is that there may be a safe distribution of this Magazine to the several Hundreds in this County to be dispersed therein according to due proportions, and this to be done immediately from the Magazine, That since it stands with the peace and safety of this County it may never be re-assumed but by a legal power, that the Keepers thereof may have their liberty and protection from dangers, for discharching their trust. Thus shall you dissolve these clouds of calamities that threaten us and elevate us to higher hopes of peace.  
And we shall ever pray, etc.   

Propositions to his Majesty from Captain Grey, and the rest of the soldiers entrusted from the Earl of Stamford, touching the Magazine.  
I That there may be a safe distribution of this Magazine to the several Hundreds in the County to be dispersed therein according to due proportion, and this to be done immediately from the Magazine.  
TWO That it may never be re-assumed again but by a Legal power.  
III That the Keepers of it may have their liberty and protection from dangers for discharging their Trust.   

Given at the Court at Leicester, JULY 24, 1642.  
HIs Majesty hath graciously considered this Petition, and commanded me to return this Answer, that as the Petitioners have enjoyed hitherto the blessing of peace under his Majesty's Government, so he hath never expressed a greater love of it, and a care to preserve it, then by his late bearing so many indignities to avoid all disturbance of it, the which he hopes will have that effect with his good subjects, that they will henceforward have as great a regard to his honour, as he to their peace, of which if all other were equally tender, no presage of blood, & ruin would hang over their heads. For your Magazine his Majesty hath never looked upon this under any other consideration then to preserve it for the County whose it is. And therefore upon complaint heretofore made to him, that some persons had presumed in warlike manner to levy it without any lawful authority, his Majesty out of his good affection to this County gave direction to prevent future mischief, that the same should be restored to the disposition of those to whom it belongs, and therefore fore well approves, that it be disposed in such manner and such place as shall seem best and fittest to the County, in which his Majesty will not intermeddle. For the freeing and protecting the Keepers of the Magazine or their Seconds, his Majesty knows not the meaning of the Petitioners, if they have had a lawful trust committed, and done nothing in discharge and execution thereof but what is warrantable, they need no other protection but that of the Law, but if in the violent and forcible removing the Magazine, and in the circumstances of keeping they have done any done any thing unjustifiable, his Majesty believes no trust boldly undertaken can excuse them, and therefore expects that this be immediately delivered by the Keepers to the disposal of the County without condition.  

CHARLES Rex.  
OUr will and pleasure is, That all our Officers and loving subjects do suffer the Bearers hereof to pass quietly to their own houses.  
Given at our Court at Leicester, the 24 of july, 1642.   
WHereas the Grand Jury at the General Assizes held in the County of Leicester, did prefer a Petition unto his Majesty for the distribution of the Country's Magazine to be divided into every hundred, and therein dispersed into every Town, according to the charge levied upon them for the providing thereof.  
And whereas it was also further in the said Petition desired that the said Magazine might not be re-assumed again. Therefore the Baronet's, Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, Grand Jurymen and Freeholders', &c. do hereby declare. That whosoever shall go about to reassume or gather into one body again the said Magazine, or any part thereof by any Authority whatsoever, shall be adjudged, esteemed, reputed and taken to be an Enemy to, and a disturber of the public peace of this County. And because no man may plead ignorance in this behalf, It is agreed by all sorts, ranks, and degrees of persons , That this Declaration be now openly read and published, with an audible voice, in the face of the County, at this General Assizes held for the County aforesaid. Dated the 25 of july 1642.  

The Copy of that the Grand jury gave the Commanders of the Magazine.  
WE the Gentlemen of the Grand Jury for the County of Leicester, have received the Magazine thereof from the East gate in the Newwork, and do undertake so near as we may, that it shall be distributed to the several Hundreds, and therein dispersed to every Town, so near as we can equally. And that it shall be never re-assumed to our powers. In witness whereof we have subscribed our names the 25 day of july, Anno Domini 1642. Attested by all the Grand Jury.    
FINIS.