To the Right honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament:  
The humble Declaration and Resolution of the deputy-lieutenants, colonels, Captains, and Officers, assented unto, and with great cheerfulness approved of, by the soldiers of the Trained Bands within the County of Southampton, at the general Musters begun the 21 day of June, 1642. being to the number of above five thousand men, besides a great many volunteers, who then offered to serve in Person.  
HUMBLY acknowledge,  
THat the Ordinance of Parliament concerning the Militia, doth much conduce to the defence of the true Protestant Religion, The security of His majesty's sacred Person. The preservation of the public Peace, and privilege of Parliament, against the evils that threaten them, by foreign Invasion, Rebellion, or Insurrection. Nevertheless, with great sense and grief of heart, we cannot but apprehend the continual practices and Attempts of the Malignant Party, to invalidate the said Ordinance, wickedly endeavouring to cross the settlement of the Militia as aforesaid, by colour of a Proclamation set forth in His majesty's Name, forbidding the Execution thereof; Which we humbly conceive to be illegal, upon those Reasons laid down in the late Declaration of both Houses of Parliament, concerning the said Proclamation; and thereby unjustly to hazard the very Being and Constitution of this Kingdom.  
Therefore in pursuance of the said Ordinance, and in obedience thereunto, being assembled in Arms, we have thought it our duties, hereby to make our humble tender unto this Honourable Assembly, of our Lives and Fortunes, in maintenance of the said Ordinance, so necessary for the defence of our Religion, His majesty's sacred Person, The public Peace of this Kingdom, The privilege, and very Existence of Parliament.   

The Lord's Answer.  
MY Lords have taken your Petition into Consideration, and receive much contentment in the good affections you have expressed 〈◊〉 seasonably and necessarily, for the good of the King and Kingdom, and for their lordship's 〈…〉 enter in the performance of their Duty▪ For which they give you hearty thanks: And my Lords do 〈◊〉 That (God willing) they resolve to insist in their form 〈◊〉 declared Resolutions for the upholding the true Religion, The King's Authority in the highest Court, whic 〈◊〉 by sundry late Declarations and practices to abuse the people, they find so much vilified and invaded, th' 〈◊〉 privileges of Parliament, The free course of Justice, The Laws and Peace of this Kingdom, notwithstanding any dangers and hazards that for that Cause befall them.  
That for the manifestation of their good Affections, and their lordship's kind acceptation thereof, the 〈◊〉 have commanded your Petition and this Answer, to be forthwith printed and published.   

Die Veneris, 2 Julii, 1642.  
Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, That this Declaration and Answer be forthwith Printed an 〈◊〉 Published.  
Joh. Brown, Cler. Parl.   

July 6. London, Printed for Joseph Hunscott. 1642.