WHen I directed that Summons should bee sent out for your meeting here this day , my principal end was , That I might give you thanks for the great forwardnesse and expressions you have made of your affections to me since I came into this Country , and to assure you , That as the whole Kingdome hath great reason to value you exceedingly for it , so I shall be very unsatisfied with my selfe , till I have found some way to fixe a marke of favour , and estimation upon this County , and this People , which may tell posterity , how good Subjects you have beene , and how much Gentlemen ; and J am confident the memory of it will grow up with my sons too , in a just acknowledgment . This was the most I intended to say to you , but there is an unquiet Spirit abroad , which every day throws in new accidents to disturb , and confound the publique Peace . How I was driven from London , when I chose this place for my safety , is so notorious that all men know it , who know any thing ; with what strange violence , and indignities I have been pursued , since I came hither , needs no other evidence , then Sir Iohn Hothams behaviour at Hull , who is now arrived at that insolence , that hee will not suffer his Treason to be longer confined within those Walls but makes Sallyes out of the Towne , upon his fellow Subjects drownds their Land , burnes and plunders their houses , murthers , and with unheard of cruel●ie , torments their P●rs●ns ; And his with so much delight , That he would not have the patience , to wair what answer should be sent to my just demands , though in that respect , I engaged my selfe to forbeare to use any force , and kept my word ; but chose the night before that came , ( as if hee well knew what answer I was to receive ) to act these outrages .

You see the sad effects of Feares and jealousies , the mise●ies they have produced ; No man can tell you the least good they have brought forth , or the least evill they have prevented : What inconvenience and burthen my presence hath beene here , what disturbance it hath brought upon the publique , or grievance upon any private person , your selves are the best Iudges ; And what ever scandall some men have pleased to cast upon the Cavaliers ( which they intend should reach all my retinew , and by degrees shal involve all Gentlemen ) I am confident , there hath not binany eminent disorder , or damage befallen any man , by any Person of my traine , or under my Protection . I am sure my directions have been very strict in that point , and if they had not bin observed , I think I should have heard of it by nearer complaints , then from London ; I pray God the same care may be taken there : I am sure it hath not been . And to give you the fullest testimony of my affection to you , & to the peace of this County , & to shew you that no provoca●i●n shall prouoke me to make this place the seate of the War , I have for your sakes , passed over the Considerations of Honour ; And notwithstandi●g the reproaches every day laid on me , laid no siege to that place , that they may not have the least pretence of doing you mischiefe , but resolve by Gods help to recover Hull some other way , for that I will ever sit down under so unexcusable a Treason no honest man can imagine . But it seemes other men are not of my minde , but resolve to make a Warre at your owne doores , whatsoever you do , or I suffer . To what purpose else is their new Generall armed with an au hority to kill and destroy all my good Subjects ; their levies of Horse and Foote , some whereof are upon their March towards you , with Canon mounted , and the sending so many new Souldiers into Hull , when there is no approach made towards it , but to sally out , and to commit Rapine , and by degrees to poure out an Army upon you : In this I must aske your advice , what you will doe for your selves , what you would have me doe for you . You see how I am stript of my Navie at Sea , which is imployed against me , of my Forts and Townes at Land , which are filled with armed men to destroy me ; my Money and Provisions of my House taken from mee , and all my Subjects forbid and threatned if they come neere mee , that I may by famine or solitarinesse be comp●lled to yeeld to the most dishonourable Propos●●ions , and to put my Selfe and Children into the hands of a few Malignant Persons , who have entred into a combina●ion to destroy us : And all this done under pretence of a trust reposed by the People . How far you are from commi●ting any such trust , most of the persons trusted by you , and your owne expressions of duty to me , hath manifested to all the world ; and how farre the whole Kingdome is from avowing such a trust , hath already , in a great measure , and I doubt not will more every day appeare , by the professions of every County : For I am wholly cast upon the affections of my people , and have no hope but in the blessing and assistance of God , the justnesse of my cause , and the love of my Subjects , to recover what is taken from mee and them , for I may justly say they are equall losers with me .