call heaven nor earth to witnesse (for they that will not credit mee otherwise, will not doe it on these Protestations) I saw nothing of ille in this petition. Neither had I other intent in ye assenting to it then that there might bee a fayr intelligence heetweene the King and the two howses, by their complying wth hys Maty, wthout ever trying who was strongest, and the subject governed by Lawes, not by arbitrary revokable Votes, Orders, or Ordinances wch I did apprehend as a thing of great concernment, yet what I feared, if ye difference continewed, might bee forced on us, and saw no probable way of preventing but by letting them understand a considerable part of ye kingdome did not like to bee so ruled.
   33. Yet I did not think this a petition no man would except against. There are severall men, and they will have severall minds whilst wee are on earth, and ye desires and reasons of all are to bee weighed by those to
whom it properly beelongs to give remedy, elce I know not how to give the name of a Court of Justice to an howse of Commons, if it admit the desires and reasons of such onely as goe wth their sense to bee heard: but of this heereafter.
   34. On Saturday ye 26th of March, Sr Henry Vane, ye elder,¹ then at Fayr Lane, sent unto mee to dyne wth hym. The next day I caryed wth me a Copy of the Petition ; for being retyred home from th' Assizes, I had
caused some to be draune and dispersed to my acquaintance, subscribing them according to the resolution there taken; one of these I caryed wth me and proffered Mr James,² who refused to accept it, and gave some reasons. He was ye first ye I met wt]l, beeing a person of integrity and judgment, that did not approve it. I did there professe I would not have joyned in it did I conceive
   ¹   The celebrated Treasurer, whose seat was Fairlawn, in Wrotham; he was cousin-german to Sir Roger.—ED.
    ²   Of the Court Lodge, Ightham.—ED.