'Petition of the Scots in Ireland to the Lord Deputy, Council and Parliament of Ireland (1639)'

This petition followeing was presented to lord deputy, and the Counsell of Ireland by the lords spirituall, and temporall, knights, gentlemen and others of the scottish nation inhabiteing in the kingdome of Ireland: most humbly sheweing, that wee his Ma[jes]ties most obedient, loyall, and faithfull subiects of the scottish nation inhabiteing in this kingdome of Ireland; haue with inward sorrowe hitherto observed the disorders in Scotland occasioned by a late Covenant, oath, or bond, vnlawfully entred into, swoarne, and mentioned by some of our Country men there without his sacred Ma[jes]ties royall assent: and forasmuch, as wee altogether dislike those their courses, And doe with greate greife apprehend, that perhapps these inconsiderate proceedings of that faction, maye by some bee soe vnderstood, as to reflec= reflect vppon vs, though inocent there in, or give any collor for the least suspicion of our fayleing in our loyalties to his sacred Ma[jes]tie whoe by the lawes of God, and nature, is theires and ours vndoubted soveraigne: wee therefore humbly crave leave to become humble suitors vnto your lo[rdshi]ps, that at this tyme, when wee, vnder favour, conceave it is become necessarie, wee maye bee admitted to vindicate our selves from soe greate a blemish, as from the contagion and malignity of the lewd and desperate transgressions of that faction, And to that end, that your lo[rdshi]ps would bee pleasd to prescribe some waye by oath, or other wayes, as your lo[rdshi]ps in your wisdomes shall thincke fitt, whereby wee maye not onely declare our selves free from any imputation, or suspic[i]on of our concent to these their proceedeings, but alsoe testifie, and approve to his Ma[jes]tie and all the world, aswell our bounden duty, faith, and allegience to him, our soveraigne, and gratious leidge lord, and kinge, and his royall power, and authority, and blessed goverment, as alsoe our dislike of that Covenant Covenant, oath, or bond, And all other Covenants, oathes, or bonds, entred into; or swoarne, or to bee entred into, or{gap: illegible} swoarne by any of his Ma[jes]ties subiects, without his Ma[jes]ties royall authority, which wee are desirous by all meanes possible to manifest by offering our lives, and fortunes for vindicateing the authority, royall power, and honour of our dred sou[er]aigne against all Persons whatsoever, whensoever, and howsoever your lo[rdshi]ps shall thinke fitt, and his Ma[jes]ties service shall require in equall manner, and measure, as any other his Ma[jes]ties subiects in this kingdome shall doe, And being confident that noe man of charitable disposition will impute to the whole nation, the disloyalty of that faction, and the rather, for wee hope, it will hereafter appeare that that Covenant, bond, and oath, haue by force bine imposd upon verie greate numbers of our nation by the tyranny of that faction, whoe when the occasion shall inable them vnto yt, will notwithstanding expresse their loyalty to his most excellent Ma[jes]tie as becomes all Christian faythfull subiects to doe, wee hartily wish that noe man should conceave a misse of the nation in generall, but rather ioyne with vs in humble supplication to God Almighty that the contagion of the ill example spred noe further a broade, And in giveing the same assurance of their loyalties to his sacred Ma[jes]tie which wee by these presence doe most humbly and hartily proffer to our most dread, and deare soveraigne, beseeching God to pardon our sinnes, divert his Iudgments blesse, preserve and prosper the kinge, convert, or confound his enimies, God blesse your lo[rdshi]ps in your places and persons: This petition 22v was presented the second of this Maye, by M.r Lesly B[isho]ppe of Ruffo, some of the Irish Scotts nobillity, and Gentrie assisting: lord deputy calld at the delvery of it into the Counsel Chamber Mr. Seriennt Wittfeild, and Mr. Fotherly the kings 2. Commissioners sent over verie lately to take the survaye of londo london dery lands, and to see and pervse all those leases, and tenures, that his Ma[jes]tie might the better dispose of those lands, according to such overtures as haue bine made to him by the present tenants: In the presence of these Commissioners, lord deputy read the petition, and after hee had well weighed the contents of it, His lo[rdshi]pe commended both their loyalties, and their greate wisdomes in presenting of yt, and that indeede, hee thought it most convenient some oath should bee drawne to which they should sweare, but before hee proceeded further in it, hee would first acquaint his Ma[jes]tie with the humble request, and afterwards hee would proceede, as hee should receave directions, soe they were dismist for a tyme {gap: elision}23r {gap: elision}23v 24r {gap: elision} these are (almost) the words of each letter: I am at a losse to sett downe the true condition, and the designes of the Covenanters, for all the kings party a this side Bar-wicke conclude the Covenanters to bee in a verie weake condition, but yet many complaine in their letters that the condition of the Covenanters are straingly conceald from our armie, almost asmuch, as if {gap: illegible} Scotland were in the Indies