A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



view it constituted direct treason by the adoption of the Parliamentary nominee 

 for the Ueutenancy in opposition to the king's officer, Lord Strange, already 

 appointed. On the other hand, by the expression of loyalty to the king's 

 person in contra-distinction to the condemnation of the actions of his advisers, 

 therein contained, it left to the petitioners a loophole of lavi^ful escape from 

 such a charge. 



The Parliament took the Lancashire petition so seriously that they at 

 once acceded to the request of the petitioners to put the county mihtia ' in a 

 posture of defence,' by sending back the four Puritan members (Assheton, 

 Shuttleworth, Rigby, and Moore), to act as a commission to embody the 

 militia. With these were associated other persons of quality chosen by the 

 lord-lieutenant to serve as deputies,'' amongst whom were Sir Ralph Assheton 

 (of Whalley), Ralph Assheton of Middleton, esq.. Sir George Booth, Sir 

 Thos. Stanley, Sir Will. Brereton of Honford, John Bradshaw, esq., Thos. 

 Birch, esq., Thos. Standish, esq., and Mr. Nicholas Starkie of Huntroyde, 

 with a few others. Some of these were likewise appointed as justices of the 

 peace, and known Rovalists such as Sir Gilbert Hoghton, Robert Holt, 

 Alex. Rigby of Burgh, Edm. Assheton, Sir Alex. Radcliffis, Wm. Farington, 

 Orlando Bridgeman, Roger Kirkby, and others were dismissed from that 



commission. ^**° 



But bold as the Puritan members might feel in London with the opinion 

 of Parliament behind them, it was no light task to return and execute their 

 commission in a county swarming with Roman Catholics and adherents of the 

 earl of Derby and of Lord Strange. Possibly it was a sense of their danger 

 and isolation that prompted them to make a final appeal to the king, by their 

 petition of 2 May, 1642, to him at Hull. 



Nothing could have been more moderate or affectionate than this petition 

 which proceeded to state that 



We . . . your Majesty's most loyal subjects out of the zeal to God's true Religion, 

 your Majesty's honour and safety and the Peace and welfare of our dominions, ... do in 

 all humility present and prostrate ourselves and supplications at your Royal feet, beseeching 

 your Majesty to return to your great Council . . . and we with the rest of your faithful! 

 subjects shall continually praise and pray for your prosperous and happy Reign over us."" 



A second petition following this first was on the last day of May pre- 

 sented to the king at York, subscribed to by 64 knights and esquires, 55 

 divines, 740 gentlemen, and above 7,000 freeholders, members of the true 

 Protestant religion in the county palatine of Lancaster. This petition enu- 

 merated the gracious acts of the king in consenting to the reform of grievances, 

 and praying him to be pleased to agree to the Parliament's legislation, beseech- 

 ing the king for direction as to where they were to turn for authority, he 

 being absent from the Parliament ' whereof your majesty is the head.' ^"' The 

 king's answer was prompt and extremely gracious, but committed him to 

 nothing more than general observations, and apparently gave no satisfaction to 

 those who received it.^°^ 



To put the RoyaUst party in Lancashire in the wrong Parliament had 

 already issued an order prohibiting the bringing together of armed forces, even 



'' See Cwi/ If'ar Tracts, 2, note I . "» Com. Journ. 24 Oct. 1 64. 1 



"" Quoted Civii irar Tracts, 6. '" Quoted ibid, 8-1 1 



'"Mbid.p. II (6 June, 1642). 



234 



