he humble Petition of the most part of the Scottish Nation in the North
of _Ireland_, in their own names, and in name of the rest of the
Protestants there.

_Humbly sheweth_,

That where your Petitioners, by the great blessing of the Lord, enjoyed
for a little while a peaceable and fruitfull Ministerie of the Gospel, yet
through our own abuse of so rich a mercy, and through the tyrannie of the
Prelates, we have been a long time spoiled of our Ministers (a yoke to
many of us heavier then death) who being chased into _Scotland_, were not
altogether un-usefull in the day of your need; And we having been since
oppressed and scattered, as sheep who have no shepherd, now at last the
wise and righteous hand of the Lord, by the sword of the Rebels, hath
bereft us of our friends, and spoiled us of our goods, &c. left us but a
few, and that a poor handfull of many, and hath chased from us the rest
that were called our Ministers; the greatest part whereof we could scarce
esteem such as being rather Officers to put the Prelats Injunctions in
execution, then feeders of our souls: So that now being visited with sword
and sicknesse, and under some apprehension of famine, if withall we shall
taste of the sorest of all plagues, to be altogether deprived of the
Ministery of the Word, we shall become in so much a worse condition then
any Pagans, as that once we enjoyed a better: Neither know we what hand to
turn us to for help, but to the Land so far obliged by the Lords late rare
mercies, and so far enriched to furnish help of that kinde; a Land whence
many of us drew our blood and breath and where (pardon the necessary
boldnesse) some of our own Ministers now are, who were so violently
plucked from us, so sore against both their own and our wills; yea, the
Land that so tenderly in their bosoms received our poor out-casts, and
that hath already sent us so rich a supply of able and prosperous
Souldiers to revenge our wrong.

Therefore, although we know that your zeale and brotherly affection would
urge you to take notice without our advertisement, yet give us leave in
the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, to intreat, if there be any
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
spirit, if any bowels of mercy, that now in this nick of time, when the
sword of the Enemie making way for a more profitable entertaining the
Gospel, having also banished the Prelates, and their followers, when our
extremity of distreste,