To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty, The Humble Petition of the Commissioners of the late Parliament, and others of His Majesties Loyal Subjects of the Kingdom of Scotland.
Humbly Sheweth,
That Whereas after our many Sufferings the time past, extreme necessity hath constrained us for our Relief, and obtaining our Humble and Just Desires, to come into England, where according to our Intentions formerly declared, we have in all our Journey lived upon our own Means and Victuals, and Goods brought a-long with us, and neither troubling the Peace of the Kingdom, nor harming any of Your Majesties Subjects of whatsoever quality in their Persons or Goods, but have carried our selves in a most peaceable manner, till we were pressed by strength of Arms, to put such Forces out of the way, as did without our deserving, and (as some of them have at the point of death confessed) against their own Conscience, opposed our peaceable passage at Newburn on Tine, and have brought their Blood upon their own Heads, against our purposes and desires expressed in our Letters, sent unto them at New-Castle, for preventing the like, or greater Inconveniences. And that we may without farther opposition come into Your Majesties Presence, for obtaining from Your Majesties Justice and Goodness satisfaction to our just Demands, we, Your Majesties most Humble and Loyal Subjects, do still insist in that submiss way of Petitioning, which we have keeped since the beginning, and from which no provocation of Your Majesties Enemies and ours, no adversity that we have before sustained, nor prosperous success that can befall us be able to divert our minds.
Most humbly entreating, That Your Majesty would in the depth of Your Royal Wisdom, consider at last our pressing Grievances, provide for the Repairing of our wrongs and losses, and with the advice and consent of the Estates of the Kingdom of England convened in Parliament, settle a firm and durable Peace, against all Invasion by Sea or Land, that we may with chearfulness of heart pay unto Your Majesty, as our Native King, all Duty and Obedience that can be expected from Loyal Subjects, and that (against the many and great Evils, which at this time threaten both Kingdoms, whereat all Your Majesties Good and Loving Subjects tremble to think, and which we beseech God Almighty in mercy timeously to avert) Your Majesties Throne may be established in the midst of us, in Religion and Righteousness; and Your Majesties Gracious Answer we humbly desire, and earnestly wait for.
1640.—September 5.
4. The King’s Answer to the above Petition, dated at His Majestie’s Court at York, the 5th of September 1640.[271]
His Majesty hath seen and considered this Petition, and is Graciously pleased to return this Answer by me, that he finds it in such general terms, that till you express the Particulars of your Desires, His Majesty can give no direct Answer; therefore His Majesty requires that you set down the Particulars of your Demands with expedition, he having been always willing to hear and redress the Grievances of His People: and for the more mature Deliberation of these great Affairs, His Majesty hath already given out Summons for the meeting of the Peers of the Kingdom in the City of York upon the 24ᵗʰ of this Month, that so with the advice of the Peers you may receive such Answer to your Petition, as shall most tend to His Honour, and the Peace and Wellfare of His Dominions. And in the mean time (if Peace be that you desire as you pretend) He expects, and by these His Majesty commands, that you advance no further with your Army to these parts; which is the only means that is left for the present to preserve Peace betwixt the two Nations, and to bring these unhappy Differences to a Reconciliation, which none is more desirous of than His most Sacred Majesty.
Signed, Lanerick.