Gentry of Yorkshire 'Petition to the King Presented at the Assizes of York (28 July 1640)'

To the Kings most Excellent Maiesty The humble petition of the gentry in your Maiesties county of Yorke now assembled at your Assizes at Yorke this 2{0}8th of July and 1640:

May ist please your sacred Ma[jes]ty: your most humble subieckts, shew to your most sacred Ma[jes]ty, [tha]t in all humility, this County hath en-deuored to fullfill your Ma[jes]ties co[m]mand last yeare, with the forwardest of your Ma[jes]ties subiects: And the last yeare in the executio[n] of your Ma[jes]ties royall co[m]mands about the millitary affaires did expend one hundred thousand pounds, to our great impouerishme[n]t and far above the proportions of other Countyes: w[hi]ch allthough wee at [th]e time weare willing out of our duties to serue your Maj[est]tie to doe: yett for the future, the burthen is soe heauy [tha]t wee neither can, nor arewill able to beare it: Now then in this our cherefullnesse to serue your Ma[jes]tie wee hoped to haue found equall fauor w[i]th other countyes

But soe it is most gratious Soueraine, to our great greife and as wee conceiue to the great disseruice of your Ma[jes]tie wee find our selues oppressed w[i]th the billiting of vnrully soldiers, whose speches and actions tend to the burning of our Villages, and howses, and to whose Vyolencies and insolencies wee are soe daily subieckt, as we can not say we possesse our wiues, children and estates in saifty, wherfore wee are imboldned hu[mb]ly to present these our co[m]plaints beseching, as the billiting of Soldiers in any of your subiects howses against there wills is contrary to the lawes of this kingdo[m] confirmed by your Ma[jes]ties in the petition of right Wee most hu[mb]ly desier your Ma[jes]tie [tha]t this insupportable burthen may bee taken from vs, least by there insole[n]cies som such sad accident may happen, as may be displeasing to your sacred Ma[jes]tie, and your loyall and obedient subieckts: Who will neuer cease to pray, for your Ma[jes]ties long and happy reinge ouer vs

Phillip Wharton
Har: Fayrefax
Hen: Bellases
Will Savill
Fran: Worthley
Ioh[n] Hottham
Ed: Stanhop
Tho: Gowar
Hen: Griffith
Will Sheifeild
Rich: Parkey
Iohn Ramsden
Hugh Cholmley
Hugh Bethell
Will: Streckland
George Wentworth
Tho: Reymington
Tho: Mettham
Tho Gower
Rob Stecland