The declaration votes, and order of assistance of both houses of Parliament, concerning the magazine at Hull, and Sir Iohn Hotham governour thereof.: And His Majesties answer thereunto. With the statute of II H.7. cap. I. mentioned in the said answer. / Published together by His Majesties command..

The Declaration, Votes, and Order of Assistance of both Houses of Parliament, Concerning the Magazine at Hull, and Sir Iohn Hotham Governour thereof.

THe Lords and Commons in Parliament, find∣ing just cause to fear, not onely the despe∣rate designes of Papists, and others of the maglignant partie at home, but also the ma∣lice of Enemies, incited by them from abroad, Thought it necessary for the safetie of this Kingdom, to secure the Town of Kingston upon Hull, being one of the most considerable places for strength, and affording the best conveniencie for Landing of Forreign Forces; And where a great part of the Magazine of the Kingdom for that time was placed; And for that end appointed Sir Iohn Hotham, one of the Members of the House of Commons, being a Gentleman of the same County, of a con∣siderable Fortune, and approved Integrity, to take upon him the government of that Town, and to draw thither some of the Trained Bands for the Guard thereof: In which apprehen∣sion and resolution thereupon taken, they are the more con∣firmed by the sight of some intercepted Letters of the Lord Digby, (a principall person of that partie) written to the Queen and Sir Lewis Dives, whereby that partie discovered an endeavour to perswade His Majestie to declare Himself, and retire into some place of safetie in this Kingdom, in opposition to wayes of Accommodation with His people, and to give the better opportunity to himself, and other dangerous persons to resort thither; which could have no other end but to in∣cline His Majestie to take Arms against His Parliament and

good Subjects, and miserably to imbroil this Kingdom in civill Wars.

About which time Captain Legg (a man formerly imployed in the practice of bringing up the Army against the Parliament) had direction by Warrant produced by him, under the Kings hand and signe Manuall, to enter Kingston upon Hull, and to draw thither such of the Trained Bands as he should think fit: And that the Earl of Newcastle came thither in a suspicious way, and under a f igned name, and did endeavour to possesse himself of the said Town, by vertue of the like Warrant and Authoritie.

They further conceiving, that the Magazine there being of so great importance to this Kingdom, would be more secure in the Tower of London, did humbly Petition His Majestie to give His consent the same might be removed, which notwithstand∣ing His Majestie did refuse; And thereupon some few ill affected persons about the Citie of York, took upon them the presum∣ption, in opposition to the desires, & in contempt of both Hou∣ses, to Petition His Majestie to continue the Magazine at Hull, Alleadging it to be for the safetie of His Majestie, (as if there could be a greater care in them of His Majesties Royall Person then in His Parliament) And His Majestie, the next day after the delivery of that Petition, being the three and twentieth of this instant April, took occasion thereupon to go to the Town of Hull, attended with about four hundred Horse, (the Duke of York and the Prince Elector being gone thither the day before) and required Sir Iohn Hotham to deliver up the Town into His hands: Who perceiving His Majestie to be accompanied with such Force as might have mastered the Garrison of the Town; And having received intelligence of an intention to deprive him of his life, in case the King should be admitted, informed His Majestie of the trust reposed in him by both Houses of Par∣liament, and that he could not, without breach of that trust, let Him in; beseeching His Majestie to give him leave to send to the Parliament, to acquaint them with His Majesties commands, and to receive their directions thereupon, which he would do with all expedition. Which Answer His Majestie was not plea∣sed

to accept of; but presently caused him and his Officers to be proclaimed Traitours before the Walls of the Town, and thereupon dispatched a Message to both Houses, therein charging Sir John Hotham with high Treason, and aggravating his offence, because he pretended the Parliaments command, (In the mean while hindering him of all means of intelligence with the Parliament) For His Majestie immediatly caused all Passages to be stopped between him & them; And in pursuance of the same, one of his servants, who was sent by him with Letters to the Parliament to inform them of the truth of those proceedings, was apprehended, his Letters taken from him, and his person detained, whereby (contrary to the common liber∣tie of every Subject) he was not onely deprived of means to clear himself of that heavie accusation, but of all wayes of in∣tercourse, either to receive directions from them that trusted him, or to inform them what had happened.

The Lords and Commons-finding the said proceedings to be a high violation of the Priviledges of Parliament, of which His Majestie had in severall Messages expressed Himself to be so tender; A great Infringement of the Libertie of the Sub∣ject, and the Law of the Land, which His Majestie had so often lately professed should be the rule to govern by, and tending to the endangering of His Majesties Person, and the Kingdoms peace; Thought fit, as well for the vindication of their own Rights and Priviledges, the Indemnity of that worthy person imployed by them, as for the cleering of their own proceed∣ings, to publish these ensuing Votes, which were made upon a former relation that came from the King.