A Renowned SPEECH Spoken to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, May, 28 at the last great Assembly of the Gentry and Commonalty of Yorkshire, by that most Judicious Gentleman Sir Philip Stapleton, One of the Committees appointed by the Honourable House of Commons to attend his Majesty's pleasure, and to give Information to the Members of the said House of all passages that concern the good of the King and Kingdom.  
Wherein is declared the great uncertainty of his Majesty's undertake, the said undertake not being seconded with the unite applause and joint Assistance of the whole Kingdom.  
Likewise discribing the manifold and innumerable dangers that attends Civil discord, and homebred contention, showing by Precedents of York and Lancaster, what cruel effects such designs produce both to the King and Subject.   

London, Printed for J. Horton, 1642. June 2.   

A Renowned Speech Spoken to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, at the last great Assembly of the Gentry and Commonalty of Yorkshire, by that most judicious Gentleman Sir Philip Stapleton.  
Most gracious Sovereign,  
LEt not me incur your Majesty's displeasure, if I that am one of the poorest of the Subjects presume to speak some few words unto my Lord the King.  
According to your Majesty's Command we the Gentry and Commonalty of Yorkshire are here met to know your Majesty's pleasure, and knowing to fulfil what we with Honour may perform, or with Loyalty execute, nor have we brought with us the least thought of such a fear since. 'Twere disloyalty in the highest Degree to think a Prince so gracious, (from whom we have received such large expressions of Royal Love, and Favour) should Command any thing not suitable to Law and to our Consciences, fare be it from us to think it, only let me take Licence with your Royal favour to tell what some men mutter. As touching your Majesty's Demands to have a guard of Horse and Foot to wait upon your Majesty.  
First, that the malignant Party hath counselled your Majesty to take this course, and under this pretence to gain a power of Horse and foot which should be employed against the Parliament.  
We hope much better, nor can We give just, credit to such vain, Reports, yet should We with our Persons and Estates purchase a ruin to ourselves and Kingdom, it would be a sad reward for all our Service.  

Oh my dread Lord,  
Let but your serious Judgement call to mind what sad Disasters, homebred strife doth breed in private Families, and if in them what mischief in a Kingdom, a Kingdom that is divided into as many factions as there is Counties, the Church, the State, the Court, the City, and the County too full of dissension, let your Majesty call into your mind the Hellish Plots the Papists daily laid to ruin and destroy, your Royal Father, could they have him and yet love you so dear believe it nor my Lord, their slattering tongues and their dissembling Trains are inwardly a poison; their Oily Counsels seem to quench this Fire, but with that oil they do your fall conspire, cast bacl your Eye to York and Lancaster, how many Nobles lost their Noble Lives, how many Subjects paid their lives as Tribute to their then doubtful King how was this Kingdom wasted and destroyed, and in the end when war did cease to frown, he lost a Kingdom, to obtain a Crown.  
Besides great King, admit a Guard were raised as is intended, (depending on your Royal Wisdom in the use of them) what could such Forces do against Kingdom, what can raw Soldiers do against those thousands of expert Soldiers, which have taken Oath to defend your Royal Majesty and the high Court of Parliament, but if your Majesty shall put yourself in opposion, and raise Forces against your Loyal and obedient Subjects, they ought in Laws of Nature, both humane and divine, for to defend and make resistance and should this come to pass which God forbidden) Tillage and Trade must cease, Foreign Commerce and Traffic must have end, and hostility must be the practice of this Kingdom, both to defend your Sacred Majesty from your Domestic Enemies, the Papists, (which but assembled by your gracious Licence would soon declare themselves your own and Kingdom's greatest Enemies) and to secure the Kingdom from the invasion of Foreign Enemies, that daily watch advantage to get a footing in this fruitful Isle, and to suppress the Gospel, and it is greatly to be feared that by their Grand incendiaries here, they are the chiefest Authors of these great distractions.  
I fear I have displeased your Majesty, if so I crave your gracious pardon 'tis my true Love and zealous Loyalty to your Sacred Majesty, and this my Native Kingdom, that makes me bold to press your Majesty, beside the interest and assurance I have of the fidelity of that great Council, whereof by the favour of my Country, I was chosen a member, which trust I will till death faithfully discharge both to your Sacred Majesty, and this my Country.   
FINIS.