TO THE King's MOST EXCELLENT majesty.  
THE humble gratulation; AND Petition of the Trained Bands, and Freeholders, and others the Gentry, and communality of the County Palatine of Chester, whose Names are under-written. Delivered upon Hoole-Heath, by the trained Bands, a copy of the same being hung upon the top of every Colours; Subscribed by the several Companies, and so Presented to the KING.  
Your Petitioners,  
WIth inexpressable joy of heart do acknowledge and render all humble thanks, for this great pledge of your majesty's favour, and affection towards this country, that in this time of so much trouble and distraction, you have revived their dejected spirits with the real comfort of your royal presence, and entrusted Your sacred Person amongst them. And Your majesty's most loyal and affectionate Subjects, knowing there is no Seed so pure amongst which spring not up some Tares, they humbly pray that by Your Princely wisdom and Providence, they may be secured from the just jealousies of such malignant Persons amongst them, who envying the peace of the Country, they have too much cause to fear, wait but for an opportunity to make spoil of them, whiles they with such fidelity and diligence endeavour your defence, as becomes their duties. And though they cannot but with great regret and sorrow of heart apprehend, that notwithstanding all those unexampled acts of justice, mercy, and grace, wherewith you have for ever obliged this Nation and People, in the greatest bonds of gratitude, ever put by Prince upon his Subjects, that there should still remain any cause, or shadow of fear and jealousies amongst any of Your Subjects, pretending loyalty or gratitude, much more that there should be actual levying of arms, and waging of war within this Nation, to the barbarous assascination and ruin of one another.  
Yet since divers of our fellow Subjects are destroyed, slain, and plundered, by those forces, under pretence of public good, and that Your Majesty hath thought fit to disavow Your assent to such leavyes, to prohibit them by Your Proclamations, and to declare them raised against Your Sacred Person, and to take away Your Life, we being no judges of the grounds of such jealousies as should justly occasion those arms. And declaring to all the world that we see no cause for them, do humbly pray, that whiles Your Majesty is amongst us, you will be pleased to call before you the Collectors of such moneys as have been levied upon this County, under pretence of relief of Ireland, (whose miseries we see daily increase) to give account in whose hands the same remains, or to whom transmitted, that by your piety and providence it may be so disposed, that the right end may not be abused, nor the Subjects own moneys, inverted against them to their own ruin, whiles they are employed in Your defence, who as they are bound by their oaths of Supremacy, Allegiance, and the late Protestation, are ready with their lives, fortunes, and utmost power, to assist and defend Your Sacred Majesty, against all conspiracies, power, and attempt whatsoever, made or to be made against Your royal Person, crown, and Dignity, or any of Your Princely issue, whose long, peaceable, and prosperous reign, over all your three kingdoms, in your full rights, power and glory, your Petitioners unanimously pray God to continue.   

London, Printed for M. T. 1642.