Their lordships well approving of Mr. Attorney's care and proceeding therein did now resolve and order, that Mr. Meawtis, clerk of the council attendant upon the said commissioners for foreign plantations, should in a letter from himselfe to Mr. Winthrop inclose and convey this order unto him. And their Lordships hereby in his Majestys name, and according to his express will and pleasure, strictly require and enjoine the said Winthrop or any other in whose power and custody the said letters patent are, that they fail not to transmit the said patent hither by the returne of the ship in which the order is conveyed to them, it being resolved that in case of any further neglect or contempt by them shewed therein, their lordships will cause a strict course to be taken against them, and will move his Majesty to reassume into his hands the whole plantation. _b. The Refusal of the Colony_ Hutchinson's _Massachusetts Bay_ (1765), App. V. See introductory matter to _a_, above. _An Addresse of the General Court To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners for foreigne Plantations_ [_September 6/16, 1638_] The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Massachusets in New England, of the Generall Court there assembled, the 6th day of September, in the 14th yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES. * * * * * Whereas it hath pleased your Lordships, by order of the 4th of April last, to require our patent to be sent unto you, wee do hereby humbly and sincerely professe, that wee are ready to yield all due obedience to our soveraigne Lord, the King's majesty, and to your Lordships under him, and in this minde wee left our native countrie, and according thereunto, hath been our practice ever since, so as wee are much grieved, that your Lordships should call in our patent, there being no cause knowne to us, nor any delinquency or fault of ours expressed in the order sent to us for that purpose, our government being according to his Majestyes grant, and wee not answerable for any defects in other plantations, etc. This is what his Majesties subjects here doe believe and professe, and thereupon wee are all humble suitors to your Lordships, that you will be pleased to take into further consideration our condition, and to affoord us the liberty of subjects, that we may know what is layd to our charge; and have leaive and time to answer for ourselves before we be condemned as a people unworthy of his Majesties favour or protection; as for the quo warranto mentioned in the said order, wee doe assure your Lordships wee were never called to answer to it, and if wee had, wee doubt not but wee have a sufficient plea to put in.