WE cannot but extreamly wonder , that the causlesse Iealousies concerning vs , raised and fomented by a malignant Partie in this Kingdom , which desires nothing more then to snatch themselves particular advantages out of a generall combustion ( which means of advantage shall never be ministred to them by Our fault or seeking ) should not onely be able to seduce a weak party in this Our Kingdom , but seem to finde so much countenance even from both Houses , as that Our raising of a Guard ( without further designe , then for the safety of Our Person ; an Action so Legall in manner , so peaceable , upon causes so evident and necessary ) should not onely be looked upon , and petitioned against by them , as a causlesse Iealousie , but declared to be the raising of a war against them , contrary to Our former Professions of Our Care of Religion and Law . And We no lesse wonder , that this Action of Ours should be said ( in a very large expression ) to be apprehended by the Inhabitants of this Countrey , as an affrightment and disturbance to Our People ; having been as well received here , as it is every where to be justified ; and ( We speak now of the generall , not of a few seduced particulars ) assisted and sped by this Countrey , with that loyall Affection and Alacrity , as is a most excellent example set to the rest of the Kingdom , of care of Our safety upon all occasions , and shall never be forgotten by vs , nor We hope , by Our Posterity ; but shall be ever payed to them in that which is the proper expression of a Princes Gratitude , A perpetuall vigilant care to govern them justly , and to preserve the onely Rule by which they can be governed , The Law of the Land . And We are confident , That if you were your selves Eye-witnesses , you would see so the contrary , as to give little present thanks , and hereafter little credit to your Informers : And if you have no better intelligence of the Inclinations and Affections of the rest of the Kingdom , certainly the minds of Our People ( which to some ends and purposes you represent ) are but ill represented unto you .

Have you so many moneths together not contented your selves to rely for security ( as your Predecessours have done ) upon the Affection of the People , but by your own single Authority raised to your selves a Guard , ( and that sometimes of no ordinary numbers , and in no ordinary way ) And could not all those Pikes and Protestations , that Army on one side , and that Navie on the other , perswade vs to command you to disband your forces , and to content your selves with your ordinary ( that is , with no ) Guard , or work vs in an opinion , that you appeared to leavie War against vs , or had any further designe ? And is it possible that the same Persons should be so apt to suspect and condemn vs , who have been so unapt in the same matter , ( upon much more ground ) to taxe or suspect them ? This is Our case , notwithstanding the care and fidelity of Our Parliament , Our Fort is kept by armed men , against vs , Our proper Goods , first detained from vs , and then , contrary to Our Command , by strong hand , offered to be carried away ( in which at once all Our Property , as a private Person , all Our Authority as a King , are wrested from vs : ) And yet for vs to secure Our selves in a Legall way ( that Sir John Hotham may not by the same Forces , or by more raised , by pretence of the same Authority ( for they say he raiseth daily some , and know it no new thing for him to pretend Orders that he cannot shew ) continue the War that he hath leavied against vs , and as well imprison Our Person , as detain Our Goods ; and as well shut vs up in York , as shut vs out of Hull ) is said to be esteemed a cause of great jealousie to the Parliament , a raising War against them ; and of danger to the whole Kingdom . While these Injustices and Indignities offered to vs are countenanced by them who ought to be most forward in Our vindication and their punishment , in observation of their Oaths , and of the trust reposed in them by the People , and to avoid the dissolution of the present Government : Vpon which Case the whole world is to judge , Whether We had not reason , not wholly to rely upon the care and fidelity of Our Parliament ( being so strangely blinded by malignant spirits , as not to perceive Our injuries ) but to take some care of Our own Person , and in Order to that , to make use of that Authority which the Laws declare to be in vs : And whether this Petition , with such a threatning Conclusion , accompanied with more threatning Votes , gives vs not cause rather to increase then diminish Our Guard ; especially since We saw , before the Petition , a printed Paper , dated the 17. of May , under written Hen . Elsing Cler . D. Com . commanding ( in the name of both Lords and Commons ) the Sheriffs of all Our Counties , to raise the Power of all those Our Counties , to suppresse such of Our Subjects , as by any of Our Commands shall be drawn together , and put ( as that Paper calls it ) in a posture of War , charging Our Officers and Subjects to assist them in the performance thereof , at their perils : For though We cannot suspect , that this Paper ( or any bare Votes , not grounded upon Law or Reason , or quotation of repealed Statutes ) should have any ill influence upon Our good People , who know their duties too well , not to know , That to take up Arms against those , who upon a legall Command ( that is , Ours ) come together to a most legall end ( that is , Our Security and Preservation ) were to leavy war against vs ; and who appear in this County ( and We are confident they are so thorowout the Kingdom ) no lesse satisfied with the Legality , Conveniency , and Necessity of these Our Guards , and no lesse sensible of the indignities and dangers ( which makes it necessary ) then We are Our selves : Yet if that Paper bee really the Act of both Houses , We cannot look upon it , but as the highest of Scorns and indignities ; first , to issue commands of Force against vs , and after those have appeared uselesse , to offer , by Petition , to perswade vs to that which that Force should have effected .

We conclude this Answer to your Petition , with Our Counsell to you , That you joyn with vs in exacting satisfaction for that unparalled , and yet unpunished Action of Sir Iohn Hothams ; And that you command Our Fort and Goods to be returned to Our own hands ; That you lay down all pretences ( under pretence of necessity , or declaring what is law ) to make Laws without vs , and ( by consequence ) but a Cypher of vs ; That you declare effectually against Tumults , and call in such Pamphlets , ( punishing the Authors and Publishers of them ) as seditiously endevour to dis-able vs from protecting Our People , by weakning ( by false Aspersions , and new false Doctrines ) Our Authority with them , and their confidence in Vs. The particulars of which Tumults and Pamphlets We would long since have taken care , that Our learned Councell should have been enabled to give in evidence , if , upon Our former offer , We had received any return of incouragement from you in it . And if you do this , you then ( and hardly till then ) will perswade the world , That you have discharged your duty to God , the trust reposed in you by the People , and the fundamentall Laws and Constitutions of the Kingdom , and imployed your care and utmost power to secure the Parliament ; ( for We are still a part of the Parliament , and shal be till this wel-founded Monarchy be turned to a Democracie ) and to preserve the peace and quiet of the Kingdom . Which , together with the defence of the Protestant profession , the Laws of the Land , and Our own just Prerogative ( as a part of , and a defence to those Laws ) have been the main end , which , in Our Consultations and Actions , We proposed to Our Self .