To the Kings most Excellent Majesty.  
The humble Petition of the Gentry, Ministers, freeholders, and other Inhabitants of the County of YORK, Assembled by His majesty's special Summons at Heworth Moor near the City of York, on Friday the third of June, 1642.  
Showeth,  
THat this particular County, most affectionate to your majesty's service, hath well nigh for these three years' last passed been the stage, whereon the tragical miseries, which necessarily accompany war and Armies, have been presented and acted, whereby the general wealth and plenty of this County is exhausted and brought very low: Which weight of miseries are sensibly become much more heavy, by reason of your majesty's distance in residence, and difference in Counsels, from your Great council the Parliament; begetting great distempers and distractions throughout the kingdom, and have specially amongst us produced factions and divisions, drawing into these parts great numbers of discontented persons, that may too justly be feared do ●●●ect the public ruin, for their private advantage. All which evils are daily fomented, and made more formidable, by your Ma●●sties drawing together (as we conceive not according to Law) many Companies of the Trained Bands, and others both Horse ●nd Foot, of this County; and retaining multitudes of Commanders and cavaliers from other parts; and by the daily resort of ●ecusants, and persons disaffected in Religion, to your majesty's Court at York; and by the great preparation of arms, and other warlike provisions, which begets in us fears of wars, to the great terror and amazement of us, your majesty's peaceable Subjects; and to the great decay of all Commerce and industrious Courses, for the wealth and prosperity of the Country, especially of clothing, which is the main subsistence of this County, and is since your majesty's residence amongst us, and the following distractions thereupon, suddenly obstructed; insomuch that many thousand families, who are of, and have their liveli●ood by the Trade of clothing, are now at the point of utter undoing; which inevitably will prove to be of dangerous conse●uence, and will be the inlet to our approaching and unavoidable ruin, unless your Majesty please graciously to give redress, ●y removing the causes which produce these miserable effects, it being too true, that very many, in these and other parts of the ●ingdome, do wholly withdraw themselves from their former Commerce and Dealing: and others, both Merchants and Chap●●n, do now generally refuse to make payment for Goods long since sold and delivered; alleging, that others refuse to pay ●hem for any Commodity formerly sold, till the fears and distractions of the Land be settled: Which if not suddenly prevented, ●ill forthwith overturn all such ways of advantage and comfort as have formerly made this kingdom (and this County in ●articular) prosperous and happy.  
We do therefore in all humility and duty, in the sense of our present deplorable condition, beseech your Majesty to pardon us, if We importune Your Majesty more than others, since We have endured and are in hazard more than any; and that from these apprehen●●ons, we may offer to Your Majesty our earnest Petition, for redress and prevention of these evils daily threatning danger to ●our Majesty, and destruction to us; which we conceive is impossible any other way to be effected, than by Your majesty's entertai●ing a right understanding betwixt yourself and Parliament, and affording Your Gracious ear and consent to such counsels and ●ropositions, as shall be tendered by them to Your Majesty, for the honour and greatness of Your Majesty and Posterity, and the ●ood of this Church and Kingdom, and by Your majesty's declining all other Counsels whatsoever, and uniting Your confi●ence to Your Parliament: and that Your majesty would in no way think fit to put us upon that rock of dividing the duty we owe to Your Majesty, Your Parliament, and the whole kingdom, to which we are so deeply engaged by our Protestation, ●hich Your Majesty (to our knowledge) never dissented from, nor declared against; and that whilst Your majesty expects our ●●●formance in one part thereof, we may not (being equally engaged) impeach at all, or in the least degree go less ●●an our duty in the other, (which we stand resolved of) by no means either of fear or favour to be drawn to ●oe: and that Your majesty would take into consideration, that Your Parliament being the supreme Judicatory of ●our kingdom, the very essence thereof must of very necessity be destroyed, if their Counsels and determinations be ●●biected to alteration, or reversal, by the counsels or opinions of any private persons, how learned or judicious soever; and seeing your Majesty hath passed an Act, that this Parliament shall not be dissolved, or adjourned, without consent of your Majesty and both Houses, we humbly beseech your Majesty to take into your gracious and provident thoughts, that nothing may be done tending thereunto, and that the Lords and great Officers now called hither by your majesty's command, may speedily return to the high Court of Parliament, whereby it may be evident to the world, that your Majesty intends not to decline the Law so enacted; and that since your majesty hath graciously declared your confidence in the affections of this County, Your majesty would not think it fit an extraordinary Guard should be raised thereout, and the Cavaliers, and others of that quality still continued about your majesty as men most useful, and as if kept for some design; they not having (for aught we know) either interest in, or affections to the public good, their language and behaviour speaking nothing else but division and war, and their advantage consisting in that which is most destructive to others. And lastly, that since your Majesty hath called in this County to attend your majesty this day, your Petitioners do most humbly supplicate, that none either Cavaliers, or others, (who in truth have not present fortunes in this County, may be admitted into any meeting this day, concerning the public business thereof, or hereafter into any present Vote, or Consultation, when any further meeting may be, to prepare and consider of some fit answer to what your Majesty shall propound; we humbly conceiving it neither just nor equal (but a thing to be protested against) that any whosoever should be thrust upon us, as men of this County, that are not either by their fortune or residence any part of us.  
And now your Petitioners do even heartily pray, that the God of Heaven (in whose hand are the hearts of Kings) would this day incline your majesty's heart seriously to consider these present and imminent miseries that this your kingdom now groans under; in the peace whereof (visibly under God) consists the preservation of the Protestant Religion, the redemption of our Brethren in Ireland, and the establishment of that kingdom to your Majesty and Posterity, from those desperate and unparalleled Rebels; that so your Majesty might graciously grant these your Petitioners humble desires; which (whatsoever will be said to the contrary) your Petitioners are well assured would abundantly redound to the glory of God, the honour and safety of your Majesty the good of your Posterity, and the only probable means, under God, with peace and plenty to make this your kingdom happy; besides the acquisition of your people's hearts, the greatest treasure of Princes: all which will gloriously represent your Majesty a lively portraiture of him, who is the fountain of wisdom and Piety: To whom we shall ever pray for your majesty's long and prosperous reign.   

Printed at London for Edward Blackmore, at the sign of the Angel in Paul's churchyard, June 7. 1642.