IT is notorious enough upon what grounds this War was by us undertaken; how the faults of Government precedent were layd open and reformation promised, wherein the true Religion should be advanced, the King made great and glorious, and the just Priviledges of Parliament, the Lawes of the Land, and the Liberty of the People maintained: But now how much our expectations have failed us, and how we have runne into those evills which wee fought a­gainst, is at last too apparent unto [Page 2]us, who would not at the first be­lieve the things wee now see, inso­much that the Errours of the former Government, are now so farre excee­ded both in Church and Common­wealth; that they are either justified, or at least so much excused, as that it is desired by the most and best of men, rather to enjoy the former a­gaine, then to suffer such a Refor­mation, wherein the Publique good is pretended, and the particular ends of the Reformers intended.

For although our Party have prevailed almost these three yeeres, and the King in the power of the Reformers almost these two yeeres; yet the things promised to be refor­med, and which wee fought for, are scarce so much as entred into, or [Page 3] debated, but cleane contrary things now acted.

The King instead of comming to his Parliament to treate personally with his two Houses, imprisoned; instead of being made Great and Glorious, is become the most infor­tunate in the World, and great and glorious onely in Piety, Patience, and Pitty: our Religion, Lawes, and Liberties so much trampled upon, and destroyed, and the greatest Ty­ranny, and Arbitrary Power set over us, that the wit of man, or malice of the Devil can invent, and all this but to satisfie the Avarice and Am­bition of a few men, who by accu­sing their Brethren have already gotten too much power into their hands, and do [...] now labour to dis­band [Page 4]u [...], not to ease the Country (as is pretended) but as wee are able to prove by their owne Letters and words to bring in other Forces, such as may execute their Wals, and make the Gentry subject to Sequestration, inslawe the People, and (to use their owne words) Roll the Country before them: and to establish Excise, Taxes. and other intollerable charges, not to be avoided, without the effusion of more bloud, then hath yet beene shed in this Quarrell, unlesse God of his infinite mercy please to direct it by some meanes not appearing to us: And that they might (as much as in them [...]es) destroy our Soules as well as our bodies; They goe about to put downe the Booke of Common-prayer in these parts, as [Page 5]they have already done in the rest of the Kingdome, which will be more wanted heere, then in other parts; because the Booke of Common-pray­er is the sole comfort of the people heere, and their way to attaine the knowledge of the Principles of Re­ligion, and coser [...] God: these things though evidentin themselves, yet we shat be ready to make pro [...]fe of, as occasion shall require: And therefore that the whole world may see our integrity, as well in the un­dertaking this Warre in the begin­ning, and our Carriage hitherto, as of our intentions for the future, wee doe now declare:

That wee doe still continue to our first Principles, to bring the King to a Personall Treaty with his [Page 6]Parliament with Honour, Freedome, and Safety, that so the just Preroga­tive of the King, Priviledges of Par­liament, Lawes of the Land, and Li­berties of the people, may be all esta­blished and preserved in their proper bounds, that wee will as much as in us lyes protect the people from Injury, and maintaine the Protestant Reli­gion, and the Common-prayer as it is established by Law in this Land, and therfore crave the Assistance of the whole Kingdome therein.