The annals of King James and King Charles the First ... containing a faithful history and impartial account of the great affairs of state, and transactions of parliaments in England from the tenth of King James MDCXII to the eighteenth of King Charles MDCXLII : wherein several material passages relating to the late civil wars (omitted in former histories) are made known.

To the King's most Excellent Majesty.

The humble Petition of your Commissi∣oners of the late Parliament, and others of his Majesties most Loyal Subjects of the Kingdom of Scot∣land.

Humbly Sheweth,

THat whereas through many sufferings, in this time past, Extream necessity hath con∣strained * 1.1 us, for our reliefs, and obtaining our humble and just desires, to come into England; where, according to our Intentions formerly de∣livered, we have in all our Convoy, lived upon our own Means, Victuals and Goods brought along with us; and neither troubling the Peace of the Kingdom of England, nor hurting any of your Majesties Subjects of whatsoever quality in their Persons or Goods, having 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 deservings, and (as some of them at the point of death have con∣fessed) against their own Consciences opposed our peaceable passage at Newburne upon Tine; and have brought their own blood upon their own heads against our purposes and desires, ex∣pressed by Letters sent to them at Newcastle. For preventing of the like, or greater Incon∣veniencies, and that without further opposition we may come to your Majesties presence, for obtaining from your Majesties Justice and Goodness, full satisfaction to our just Demands, we your Majesties most humble and loyal Sub∣jects, do persist in that most humble and submis∣sive way of petitioning, which we have kept from the beginning, and from the which, no provo∣cation of your Majesties Enemies and ours, no Adversity we have hitherto sustained, no pro∣sperous success that can befall us, shall be able to divert our minds; most humbly entreating, that your Majesty would in the depth of your Royal Wisdom consider at least our pressing Grievan∣ces, and provide for the repair of our wrongs and losses, and with the Advice of the States of the Kingdom of England, convented by Parlia∣ment, settle a firm and durable Peace against all Invasions by Sea and Land.

That we may with Cheerfulness 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 Loyal and Loving Subjects tremble to think, and which we unanimously beseech God Al∣mighty

to avert; that your Majesties Throne may be established in the midst of us in Religion and Righteousness.

And your Majesties Answer we humbly de∣sire, and earnestly wait for.

At the Court at York, Sept. 5. 1640.

HIs Majesty hath seen and considered this * 2.1 within-written Petition, and is graciously pleased to return this Answer by me, That he finds it in such General Tearms, that till you express the particulars of your Desires, his Ma∣jesty can give no direct Answer thereunto: wherefore his Majesty requireth, that you would set down the particulars of your Demands with expedition; he having been always ready to re∣dress the Grievances of his People. And for the mature deliberation of the weighty Affairs, his Majesty hath already given out Summons for the meeting of the Peers of this Kingdom in the Ci∣ty of York, the Twenty fourth day of this Month, that 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 welfare of his Dominions. And in the mean time, if Peace be that you so much desire, as you pretend; he expects, and by this his Maje∣sty commands, that you advance no further with your Army into these parts, which is the only means that is left for the present to preserve Peace between the two Nations, and to bring these unhappy Differences into a Reformation; which none is more desirous of than his most sacred Majesty.

Lanerick▪

Great were the oppressions of his Majesties Subjects in the County of Northumberland and Bi∣shoprick of Durham, each of which were assessed at 300 l. per diem, upon pain of plundering; whilst in the mean time, according to the Scotch mode of mercy, they permitted their Souldiers to rifle Houses, break-up Shops, and to act what o∣ther Insolencles they pleased; but more particu∣larly the pious and learned Dr. Morton, Lord Bi∣shop of Durham, the Dean of that Church, and all the Episcopal Clergies Lands, having been here∣tofore used and put to superstitious uses, were seized for the use of the Scotch Army, an action much applauded, and very grateful to our English Pres∣byterians, whose interests were the same, and actions had now openly the same tendency. Thus luckily went on every thing in England for the promotion of the Scotch designs; but an unlucky accident from Scotland did somewhat abate the tumour of their success: For the Earl of Hoding∣ton, a Covenanter, who commanded as Major General in Lowthian, having regain'd some pieces of Cannon taken by the English Garrison of Ber∣wick, which had been left as unuseful by Lesley at Dunse, and having convey'd them to Dunglasse, was the next day slain with twenty more Knights and Gentlemen in the midst of his Court by the Stones which flew from a Vault near adjoyning, which it seems was then casually blown up with the Ammunition in it.

The Earl of Strafford was very desirous, and several times did advise his Majesty to have put an end to these Commotions by the decision of Battel, which in all likelyhood might have pre∣vented the ensuing Troubles; but the King was loth to run the hazard, not knowing how to recruit himself if worsted, unless he should con∣descend as much, or more, to his own Subjects in the ensuing Parliament, which was now re∣solved upon by the advice of the Peers conveened at York, whither the Peers were summoned to at∣tend his Majesty, where on the 24th of September, his Majesty spake as followeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sept. 4. The Petiti∣on of the Scotch Commissio∣ners of the late Par∣liament.
• * 2.1

  His Maje∣sties An∣swer thereunto