A declaration of his excellency, George Lord Goring Earl of Norwich with the gentry and freeholders of the county of Essex, in armes for the prosecution and just defense of their generall petition, and solemne ingagement, and their offer unto all such officers and souldiers as shall repair unto them.

Author: Norwich, George Goring, Earl of, 1583?-1663.1648

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A DECLARATION Of his Excellency, George Lord Goring Earl of Norwich, with the Gentry and Freeholders of the County of ESSEX, in Armes for the prosecution and just defence of their generall Petition, and solemne Ingagement; And their offer unto all such Officers and Souldiers as shall repair unto them.

COuld prosperity make us insolent, this overture should be the story of our present fortunes; how numerous, how unanimous, how associated, how befriended, or (in a word) how Heaven and Earth conspire to our deliverance: Consider with what assurance we have mannaged our very despaires, and raised our selves to this height out of nothing. Consider withall, that we move still by the same resolves, as we are favoured and incouraged by that hand of providence which at first raised us.

From this posture (Gentlemen and Fellow-Subjects) we salute you in a temper of love, and Christianity, disengaged (we assure you) from any interest or mixture of revenge or feare: Peace is the end we aime at, and by peace, if it be possible, we propound to accomplish that end.

To which purpose, upon a sad and compassionate thought, how many innocent soules are seduced by the imposture of a pretended Liberty; and how many more corrupted, by their owne importune necessity, into an erroneous and unfortunate ingagement; all which must in probability perish, except they may be recovered by the offer of this and this onely expedient.

What Officer or Souldier soever, now in armes against us, shall before the 21. of this present July, make his repaire unto us, or any part of our Forces, and there enter into an Ingagement, not to act any thing against us for the future, shall have his Arreares audited and paid: And we do further oblige our selves, to interpose unto His most sacred Majesty for an Act of Indempnity; the successe whereof from our Gracious Soveraigne Lord the King we at all doubt not. And for the performance on our parts, we tie our Honours, and the Faith of the County; Avowing withall, that wee designe nothing of alteration either in Church or Commonwealth, but what this present Parliament hath declared to be the duty of good Christians and Loyall Subjects.

July 12.

Printed in the Yeer 1648.

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