TO THE KING'S MOST Excellent Majesty, The humble Petition of Us the Inhabitants of Lancashire, whose names are hereunder written, in the behalf of ourselves and divers others, being Recusants:  
Humbly showeth,  
THat whereas we and the rest of the said County, Your Majesty's most loyal Subjects, are disarmed, and not sufficiently provided for the defence of Your Royal Person and our own families; Our most humble Supplication to Your Majesty is, That we may be received into Your most gracious protection from violence, have our Arms taken from us, re-delivered in this time of actual War, and by Your Majesty's special directions be enabled further to furnish ourselves with competency of weapons for the security of Your Royal Person (if we be thereunto required) our Countries and Families, who now are not only in danger of the common disturbance; but also menaced by unruly people to be rob: And when by the Almighty's assistance Your Majesty's Kingdom shall be settled, in case we be again dis-armed, that a full value in money in lieu thereof to us may be restored:  
And we shall daily pray, etc. W. G.C.Tr. C. T.Chr. An. Io. C.   

To Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir William Gerard Baronet, Sir Cecil Trafford Knight, Thomas Clifton, Charle Townley, Christopher Anderton, and John Clansfield and other of Our Subj●●●● Recusants, Esquires, in the County of Lancaster.  
CHARLES R. 
 Trusty and Well-beloved,  
We greet you well, whereas by reason of the Laws and Statutes of our Realm, by which all Recusants convicted are to be without Arms, your Arms have been taken from you; so that now in this time of immiment danger, wherein there are Armies raised against Our Commands, and contrary to Our Proclamations, and are marching against Us, and divers of Our good Subjects, for obeying Our lawful Commands and opposing the rebellious proceed of others illaffected, are by strong hand seized upon and imprisoned, their houses plundered, and their goods taken away; and the like is threatened to ourselves, who as all others Our Subjects ought to have Our protection against all unlawful violence and force: And the Laws made for dis-arming Recusants were made only for a provision to prevent danger in time of peace, & were not intended to bar you from a necessary use of Arms in time of actual war, for your own safety, or for the defence of Our Person against all Rebels and Enemies, which by your duty and allegiance you are bound unto; which is not, nor ever was meant to be discharged or taken away by any Act; And whereas the Arms which were taken from you, aught by Law to have been kept and preserved to have been made use of by you in such time of open war, or of such others as you should provide: yet under the specious pretence of dis-arming Recusants, and persons illaffected, your Arms have been disposed and dispersed into the hands of several persons illaffected, and for the most part Fomenters and Exciters of these Commotions now raised in this Kingdom; Our Will and Command therefore is, and We charge and require you upon your Allegiance, and as you tender the safety of Our Person, and the peace and welfare of Our Kingdom, That you with all possible speed provide sufficient Arms for yourselves, your servants, and your tenants, which We authorise and require during the time of open war raised against Us, to keep and use for the defence of Us, and of yourselves, and of your Country, against all Forces and Arms raised, or to be raised against Us, or against Our consent, or contrary to Our Proclamations, by colour of any Order, or Ordinance, or Authority whatsoever: And We shall (according as We are bound to all Our Subjects) use Our utmost powers for the protection of you and yours, against all injuries and violence. And whensoever these Arms which you shall so provide (after it shall please God to put an end to these dangers and distractions) shall be taken away from your custody, by reason of Our Laws now in this force; We do hereby assure you, We will allow you for the same, so much as you shall have dispended in provision thereof.  
Given under Our Signet at Our Court at Chester, the 27▪ of September, in the eighteenth year of Our Reign.  


Sir William riddel.  
Sir Edw. Widdrington.  
Sir Era. Howard.  
Sir Nic. Thornton.  
Col. Tho. Howard.  
M. Lance Errington.  
M. Errington of Befron.  
M. Geo. Wray.  
M. Ralph Mellet.  
M. Chr. Wray.  
M. Lambton.  
M. Hodgeson.  
M. Smith.  
M. David Errington.  
M. Pudsey.  
M. Antho. Bulmer.  
M. Jo. Bulmer.  
M. Askwith.  
M. Geo. Collingwood.  
M. Forcer.  
M. Evers.  
M. Holtby.  
M. Evers.  
M. William Fenwicke.  
M. Ratcliff.  
M. Haggerston.  
M. Forcer.  
M. Edw. Grace.    
These are the Names of divers of the Colonels, Lieutenants Colonels, Sergeant Majors, Captains, and Lieutenants that are Papists, and Commanders in the Army, under the command of the Earl of Newcastle.  
H. Elsing, Cler. Parl. Dom. Com.  
FINIS