A PETITION to the Kings Majesty.  
ALSO A Glorious Victory, Certified in a brief Relation of the total Routing of Prince RVPERT.  
And the taking of all his Ordnance, arms and Ammunition, bag and baggage.  
LONDON, Printed for F. L. july the 6th 1644.   

An humble Petition to the King, desiring His majesty to take into consideration the great charge that is laid upon Him, and the sad, and bleeding Condition of His People.  
gracious and most renowned sovereign, when God said of Governours, I have said ye are Gods, in few words he comprehended many notable things putting not onely subjects thereby in mind how honourably they are to conceive of their superiors, but Magistrates besides, how religiously they should behave themselves in their places. For God vouchsafing them his own name, will have them no doubt in some sort to answer unto his Divine nature. Not that they can be in this world Spirits as he is, Eterna●l as he is, almighty, Incomprehensible as he is: For ill fareth it with that King( said the Macedmians very well) which would be counted a God rather than a King, as the tragical end of Alexander the Great, the horrible death of Cal●gula, the confusion of Herod, and others do witness.  
But the are thy Gods when they do their duties rightly according unto his word, for Magistrates must bear in mind continual●y as many things besides, so especially these four heads.  
1. First, that their calling is good, and that they are in such place, wherein they may and must both benefit their Cou●… try, and profit the Church. For their authority is from God.  
2. Secondly, both how the come into such excellency above other men, and how they continue in their state of dignity, how as Princes to rule. By the Grace of God, &c. and the Scriptures do witness. By me Kings reign, and Princes decree Iustice, by me Princes rule, and the Nobles, and all the Iudges of the Earth.  
3. Thirdly over whom they have government. For they rule men ▪ not beasts: Free men, not bond-slaves: And therefore must behave themselves wisely, as over reasonable creatures, and Kingly to do them good, not as Tyrants to spoil them.  
Fourthly, to what end they bare Authority, that there Subjects may lead a quiet, and peaceable life, in all godliness, and honesty; A life quiet from foreign enemies abroad; peaceable from civill discord at home, from Idolatry in Religion, honest from impurity in conversation. So that all their consultations and doings are to be directed, either to all these ends, or to one of them, that is, to quietness, Peace, godliness, or honesty.  
They must procure qui●tnesse from foreign Enemies, therefore have they both men and munition, therefore bee subsidies given, that the enemy when he shall offer to invade, may be resisted. And that war is good, let the brainsick Malignant cavaliers imagine what they will without book, which is taken in defence of religion, the realm, and good people. For there is a time of war, and a time of Peace. Notwithstanding this by the way is to be had in continual remembrance, that when the ways of a man do please the Lord, he will make all his enemies at peace with him. And till then, neither Force of War, nor policy of wit shall prevail.  
Peace at home must be sought for, which is then done, not only when wisely it is fore seen that no Traitors, like vipers, burst out from tht bowels of the commonweal, to the destruction thereof by their coming forth, but also when justice is extended rightly into all persons, For which cause a Common weal is not unfitly compared unto music, and good magistrates unto good musicans, for as good music consisteth not of one, but of divers sound proportionably answering together, so doth a Common weal of sundry kinds of men, keeping themselves within the limits of their own callings, and as there is nothing more delightful to the ear then good music, and contrariwise nothing more ungrateful then much noise, and no concord, so is there nothing more acceptable before God, or profitable for man, then good Orders duly observed, nothing more precious then when the last will be the best, and they which should be allow are lifted at last, which Iustice is exercised, in seeing that no man do use what contracts, Bargains, and dealing he left for profit, nor any man ever means for preferment.  
Religion must be advanced, the care whereof is committed unto magistrates of God himself for thus we red. When the King shall sit upon the Throne of his kingdom, then shall he writ him this Law, repeated in a book, by the Priests of the Levites, And it shall be with him, and he shall red therein all the daies of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, and to keep all the words of this Law, and these ordinances to do them, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not from the Commandement, to the right hand or to the left, but that he may prolong his dayes in his kingdom he and his sons. Whereby it is apparent as what damnable opinions they are, which think either with Atreous, that Princes must regard profit, not Religion or with Machivill, that Christianity causeth too much humility in Governours, as though that either they were too good to obey the Commandements of God, or God would enjoin them any thing which were not good, either for themselves or their people.  
But besides it is to be noted carefully, if he according to the doctrine of Paul which neglects the care of bringing up ones f●mely religeously in the fear of God, hath denied the faith and is wo●ser the● an infidel, that they are in a most damnable estate which prohibit many House-holds promises and people to be instructed therein.  
Furthermore, as it is the part of good p●rents not only to nourish the bodies of their Children with meats, but especially to nurture their minds with good learning, so it is the duty of good Princes( which are the parents of their people) not so much to provide for the safety of their bodies, as for the salvation of the souls, of their children the●r Subject●.  
Finally, if they will bee counted rightly, as they are certainly enti●led defender of the faith &c. then must the purity of Gods word by them be maintained against all impiety, Idollatry and superstition.  
They must see that their subiects led an honest life, whe●eby as well upprightnesse among men in their Contracts is commended, as gravery without lightness in b●haviours comprehended, and both are brought to pass ●ither by Law, example, or Punishment. By law things seemly are commanded, unhonest forbidden, and those whom council of the wise with gen●len●sse can not restrain the law often times by threatening can keep under By example, for as the Prince is, such are the people, and such superiors, such Subjects, by punishment, they whom neither the terror of the law can draw from wickedness, n●r the good examples of their governors 'allure to w●ll doing are kept in awe.  
Fifthly and lastly, of all, magistrates must bear in mind that one day assuredly, how soon it is uncertain, they shall render an acc●u●t unto the King of all Kings, of their b●haviour in their places, either to their everlasting comfort if they have done well, or to their endless torments with the Reprobates in Hell, if they have been wicked, where their pains by so ▪ much shall be greater then other mens, by how much their charge was greater, and their callings for honour higher then others, for mighty men shall mightily be tormented.  
We do not instruct your Majesty in these points, only desire, and humbly pray, that your sacred Majesty may be such a one as may have honour in this life, and eternal glory in the life to come.  
And therefore do humbly beg of your gracious Majesty, that you would be pleased to call to mind your own honour, your posterity, your Parliament, and your people, and by prayer and Imitation of your Prodecessors settle the kingdom in Peace by your Parliament, so shall you have peace and honour here, and eternal glory in the life to come.   

A brief relation of the routing of Prince Rupert.  
RVpert hearing of the ra●sing of the siege at York, marched up with a nume●ous Army towards our Forts, and ●ased them, our men were drawn up in a Batalia, Rupert fell upon the rear of the earl of Manchesters forces near Todcaster, charged upon them, and they being so great a strength, the earl of Manchesters new levied Forces began to give back, the Enemy pursued our men, fell on again and gained two pieces of Ordnance there, Rupert fell upon Sir Thomas Fairfaxes horse, and there was a very hot fight, many slain on both sides: our forces retreated, but ralleing our men again, and general Leshly coming on with his foot, they fell on very furiously, many were killed on both sides, and then the enemy beginning to retreat our men followed pursuing, and totally Routed Rupert, took all his Ordnance and ammunition, bag and baggadge, Rupert himself being fled as is supposed into york.  
5 july 1644.( Of raising the siege at york this is the event—— and now Malignant tell me what you think)   

This is Printed according to Order.