IT is both certain, and Evident to all men, that the Publike Pea­ce and Happines of any State or Kingdome, can not be preser­ved, where the Lawes, Liberties, and Customes established, by the Lawfull authority in it, are openly Transgressed and Annulled: More especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured, and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be in­troduced: Upon which those who are most Immediatly Concerned in it, are Indispensably bound, to endeavour to Preserve and main­tain the established Lawes Liberties and Customes: and above all the Religion and worship of God, that is Established among them: And to take such an effectuall care, that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdome, may neither be deprived of their Religion, nor of their Civill Rights. VVhich is so much the more Necessary because the Greatnes and Security both of Kings, Royall families, and of all such as are in Authority, as well as the Happines of their Subjects and People, depend, in a most especiall manner, upon the exact ob­servation, and maintenance of these their Lawes Liberties, and Cu­stomes.

Upon these grounds it is, that we cannot any longer forbear, to Declare that to our great regret, wee see that those Councellours, who have now the chieffe credit with the King, have overturned the Reli­gion, Lawes, and Liberties of those Realmes: and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences, Liberties, and Properties, to Arbitrary Government: and that not only by secret and Indirect waies, but in an open and undisguised manner.

Those Evill Councellours for the advancing and colouring this, with some plausible pretexts, did Invent and set on foot, the Kings Dispencing power, by vertue of which, they pretend that ac­cording to Law, he can Suspend and Dispence with the Execution of the Lawes, that have been enacted by the Authority, of the King and Parliament, for the security and happines of the Subject, and so have rendered those Lawes of no effect: Tho there is nothing more certain, then that as no Lawes can be made, but by the joint concur­rence of King and Parliament, so likewise lawes so enacted, which secure the Publike peace, and safety of the Nation, and the lives and liberties of every subject in it, can not be repealed or suspended but by the same authority.

For tho the King may pardon the punishment, that a Transgres­sour has incurred, and to which he is condemned, as in the cases of Treason or Felony; yet it cannot be with any colour of reason, Inferred from thence, that the King can entirely suspend the execution of tho­se Lawes, relating to Treason or Felony: Unlesse it is pretended, that he is clothed with a Despotick and Arbitrary power, and that the Lives, Liberties, Honours and Estates of the Subjects, depend wholly on his good will and Pleasure, and are entirely subject to him; which must infallibly follow, on the Kings having a power to suspend the execution of the Lawes, and to dispence with them.

Those Evill Councellours, in order to the giving some credit to this strange and execrable Maxime, have so conducted the matter, that they have obtained a Sentence from the Judges, declaring that this Dispencing power, is a Right belonging to the Crown; as if it were in the power of the twelve Judges, to offer up the Lawes, Rights, and Liberties, of the whole Nation, to the King, to be disposed of by him Arbitrarily and at his Pleasure and expressly contrary to Lawes enacted, for the security of the Subjects. In order to the obtaining this Judgment, those Evill Councellours did before hand, examine secretly, the Opinion of the Judges, and procured such of them, as could not in Conscience concurre in so pernicious a Sentence, to be turned out, and others to be substituted in their Rooms till by the changes which were made, in the Courts of Judicature, they at last obtained that Judgment. And they have raised some to those Trusts, who make open Profession of the Popish Religion, tho those are by Law Rendred Incapable all such Employments.

It is also Manifest and Notorious, that as his Majestie was, upon his coming to the Crown, received and acknowledged by all the subjects of England, Scotland, and Ireland, as their King without the least opposition, tho he made then open profession, of the Popish Religion so he did then Promise, and Solemnly Swear, at his Coronation, that he would maintain his subjects, in the free enjoyment of their Lawes, and Liberties, and in particular, that he would maintain the Church of England as it was established by Law: It is likewise cer­tain, that there have been at diverse and sundry times, severall La­wes enacted for the preservation of those Rights, and Liberties, and of the Protestant Religion: and among other Securities, it has been enacted that all Persons whatsoever, that are advanced to any Eccle­siasticall Dignity, or to bear Office in either University, as likewise [Page 2]all other, that should be put in any Imployment, Civill or Milita­ry, should declare that they were not Papists, but were of the Pro­testant Religion, and that, by their taking of the Oaths of Allegan­ge, and Supreamacy and the Test, yet these Evill Councellours have in effect annulled and abolished all those Lawes, both with rela­tion to Ecclesiasticall and Civill Employments.

In order to Ecclesiasticall Dignities and Offices they have not only without any colour of Law, but against most expresse Lawes to the contrary, set up a Commission, of a certain Number of persons, to whom they have committed the cognisance and di­rection of all Ecclesiasticall matters: in the which Commission there has been and still is, one of His Majesties Ministers of State, who makes now publike profession of the Popish Religion, and who at the time of his first professing it, declared that for a great while be­fore, he had beleeved that to be the only true Religion. By all this, the deplorable State to which the Protestant Religion is redu­ced is Apparent, since the Affairs of the Church of England, are now put into the hands of Persons, who have accepted of a Com­mission that is manifesty Illegal; and who have executed it contra­ry to all Law; and that now one of their chieffe Members has abjured the Protestant Religion and declared himselfe a Papist; by which he is become Incapable of holding any Publike Imployment: The said Commissioners have hitherto given such proof, of their submission to the directions given them, that there is no rea­son to doubt, but they will still continue to promote all such designs as will be most aggreable to them. And those Evill Councellours take care, ta raise none to any Ecclesiasticall di­gnities, but persons that have no zeal for the Protestant Religion, and that now hide their unconcernednes for it, under the specious pretence of Moderation. The said Commissioners have suspended the Bishop of London, only because he refused to obey an order, that was sent him to suspend à Worthy Divine, without so much as citing him before him, to make his own Defence, or observing the common formes of Processe. They have turned out a President, chosen by the fellows of Magdalen Colledge, and afterwards all the Fellows of that Colledge, without so much as citing them before any Court that could take legall cognissance of that affair; or obtai­ning any Sentence against them by a Competent Judge. And the on­ly reason, that was given, for turning them out, was their refusing to choose for their President; a Person that was recommended to them, by the Instigation of those Evill Councellours. Tho the right of a free Election belonged undoubredly to them. But they were turned out of their freeholds, contrary to Law, and to that expresse provision in the Magna Charta; that no man shall lose life or Goods, but by the Law of the land. And now these Evill Councel­lours have put the said Colledge wholly into the hands of Popists, tho as is abovesaid, they are Incapable, of all such Employments, both by the Law of the Land, and the statutes of the Colledge. The­se Commissioners have also cited before them all the Chancellours and Archdeacons of England, requiring them to certifie to them the names, of all such Clergymen, as have read the Kings declaration for Liberty of Conscience, and of such as have not read it: without considering that the reading of it, was not enjoined the Clergy, by the Bishops, who are their Ordinaries. The Illegality and Incom­petency of the said Court of the Ecclesiasticall Commissioners, was so notoriously known, and it did so Evidently appear, that it tended to the Subversion of the Protestant Religion, that the Most Reverend Father in God, William Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Me­tropolitan of all England, seeing that it was raised for no other end, but to oppresse such persons as were of Eminent Vertue, Learning, and Piety, refused to sit or to concurre in it.

And tho there are many expresse Lawes against all Churches or Chapells, for the exercise of the Popish Religion, and also against all Monasteries and Convents, and more particularly against the or­der of the Jesuites, yet those Evill Councellours have Procured or­ders for the building of severall Churches und Chappels, for the Ex­ercise of that Religion: They have also procuted diverse Monasteries to be Erected, and in contempt of the Law they have not only set up severall Colleges of Jesuites, in diverse places, for the corrupting of the youth, but have raised up one of the Order, to be a Privy Councellour and a Minister of State. By all which they doe evi­dently shew, that they are restrained by no rules or Law whatso­ever; but that they have subjected the Honours and Estates of the subjects, and the Establisht Religion, to a Despotick power and to Arbitrary Government: In all which they are served and seconded by those Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

They have also followed the same methods with Relation to Civill affairs: For they have procured Orders, to examine all Lords Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, Sheriffs, Justices of Peace, and all others that were in any Publike Imployment, if they would concurre with The King in the Repeal of the Test and Penal Lawes: and all such, whose Consciences did not suffer them, to comply with their designes, were turned out; and others were put in their places, who they beleeved would be more Compliant to them; in their Designes of defeating the Intent and Execution of those Lawes; which had been made with so much care and caution, for the Security of the Protestant Religion. And in many of these pla­ces they have put professed Papists, tho the Law has disabled them, and warranted the subjects not to have any regard to their Or­ders.

They have also invaded the Priviledges, and seised on the Char­ters of most of those Towns that have a right to be represented by their Burgesses in Parliament: and have procured surrenders to be made of them, by which the Magistrates in them have delivered up all their Rights, and Priveledges, to be disposed of, at the plea­sure of those Evill Councellours: who have thereupon, placed new Magistrates in those Towns, such as they can most entirely confide in: and in many of them, they have put Popish Magistrates, notwith­standing the Incapacities under which the Law has put them.

And wheras no Nation what soever can subsist without the admi­nistration of good and impartiall Justice, upon which mens Lives, Liberties, Honours, and Estates, doe depend; those Evill Coun­cellours have subjected these to an Arbitrary and Despotick power: In the most important affairs, they have studied to discover before hand, the Opinions of the Judges; and have turned out such, as they found would not conform themselves to their intentions: and have put others in their places, of whom they were more assured, with­out having any regard to their abilities. And they have not stuck to raise even professed Papists, to the Courts of Judicature, notwith­standing their Incapacity by Law, and that no Regard is due to any Sentences flowing from them. They have carried this so far, as to deprive such Judges, who in the common administration of Justice, shewed that they were governed by their Consciences, and not by the directions, which the others gave them. By which it is apparent that they designe to render themselves the absolute Masters of the Lives, Honours and Estates of the subjects, of what rank or dignity soever they may be: and that without having any regard either to the equity of the cause, or to the Consciences of the Judges, whom they will have to submit in all things, to their own will, and pleasure: hoping by such waies, to Intimidate those who are yet in Im­ployment, as also such others, as they shall think fit, to put in the Rooms of those whom they have turned out; and to make them see, what they must look for, if they should at any time act in the least contrary to their good liking [...] and that no failings of that kind, are pardoned, in any persons whatsoever. A great deale of blood has been shed in many places of the Kingdome, by Judges governed by those Evill Councellours, against all the rules and forms of Law; without so much as suffering the persons that were accused, to Plead in their own Defence.

They have also, by putting the administration of justice, in the hands of Papists, brought all the matters of Civill Justice into great uncertainties: with how much exactnes and Justice soever that these Sentences may have been given. For since the Lawes of the Land doe not only exclude Papists from all places of Ju­dicature, but have put them under an Incapacity, none are bound to acknowledge or to obey their Judgements, and all Sentences given by them, are null and void of themselves: so that all persons who have been cast, in Trialls before such Popish Judges, may justly look on their Pretended Sentences, as having no more force, then the Sentences of any private and unauthorised person whatsoever. So deplorable is the case of the Subjects, who are obliged to answer to such Judges, that must in all things stick to the rules, which are set them by those Evill Councellours, who as they raised them up to those Imployments, so can turn them out of them at pleasure; and who can never be esteemed Lawfull Judges; so that all their Sentences are in the Construction of the law, of no Force and Efficacy. They have likewise disposed of all Military Imploy­ments, in the same manner: For tho the Lawes have not only Excluded Papists, from all such Imployments, but have in parti­cular, Provided that they should be Disarmed; yet they in Contempt of these Lawes, have not only armed the Papists, but have likewise raised them up to the greatest Military Trusts, both by Sea and Land, and that Strangers as well as Natives, and Irish as well as English, that so by those means, having rendred themselves Masters both of the affairs of the Church, of the Government of the Nation, and of the course of Justice, and subjected them all to a Despotick and Ar­bitrary power, they might be in a Capacity to maintain and Execute their wicked designs, by the assistance of the Army, and thereby to enslave the Nation.

The dismall effects of this subversion of the established Religion, [Page 3]Lawes and Liberties in England appear more evidently to us, by what wee see done in Ireland: Where the whole Govern­ment is put in the hands of Papists, and where all the Protestant In­habitants are under the daily fears of what may be justly apprehen­ded, from the Arbitrary power which is set up there: which has ma­de great numbers of them, leave that Kingdome and abandon their Estates in it, remembring well that Cruell and Bloody Massacre which fell out in that Island in the year 1641.

Those Evill Councellours have also prevailed with the King to de­clare in Scotland that he is clothed with Absolute power, and that all the subjects are bound to obey him without Reserve: upon which he has assumed an Arbitrary power, both over the Religion and Lawes of that Kingdome, from all which it is Apparent, what is to be looked for in England, as soon as matters are duely prepared for it.

Those great and insufferable Oppressions, and the open Contempt of all Law, together with the apprehensions of the sad Consequen­ces that must certainly follow upon it, have put the subjects under great and just fears; and have made them look after such lawfull Re­medies as are allowed of in all Nations: yet all has been without ef­fect. And those Evill Councellours have endeavoured to make all men apprehend, the losse of their Lives, Libertys, Honours, and Estates, if they should goe about to preserve themselves from this Oppression, by Petitions, Representations, or other means autho­rised by Law. Thus did they proceed with the Archbishop of Can­terbury, and the other Bishops, who having offered a most hum­ble petition to the King, in termes full of Respect, and not exceding the number limited by Law, in which they set forth in short, the Reasons, for which they could not obey that order, which by the Instigation of those Evill Councellours, was sent them, requiring them to appoint their Clergy to read in their Churches the Declara­tion for Liberty of Conscience; were sent to prison and afterwards brought to a Triall, as if they had been guilty of some enormous Crime. They were not only obliged, to defend themselves in that pursute, but to appear before Professed Papists, who had not taken the Test and by Consequence were men whose interest led them to condemne them: and the Judges that gave their opinion in their favours were thereupon turned out.

And yet it can not be pretended, that any Kings; how great soe­ver their power has been, and how Arbitrary and Despotick soever, they have been in the exercise of it, have ever reckoned it a crime for their Subjects to come, in all Submission and Respect, and in a due number, not exceeding the limits of the Law, and represent to them the Reasons that made it impossible for them to obey their or­ders. Those Evill Councellours have also treated a Peer of the Realme, as a Criminall, only because he said that the subjects were not bound to obey the orders of a Popish Justice of Peace: tho it is Evident, that they being by Law rendred incapable of all such trusts, no re­gard is due to their orders. This being the security which the people have by the Law for their Lives, Liberties, Honours and Estates, that they are not to be subjected to the Arbitrary procedings of Pa­pists, that are contrary to Law, put into any Employments Civîll or Military.

Both Wee our selves, and our Dearest and most Entirely Beloved Consort, the Princesse, have endeavoured to signify in termes full of respect, to the King the just and deep Regret which all these Procee­dings have given us; and in Compliance with his Majesties desires si­gnified to us, Wee Declared both by word of mouth, to his Envoy, and in writing; what our Thoughts were touching the Repealing of the Test and Penall Lawes; which wee did in such a manner, that wee hoped wee had proposed an Expedient, by which the Peace of those Kingdomes, and a happy aggreement among the Subjects, of all Per­suasions, might have been setled: but those Evill Councellours, have put such ill Constructions on these our good Intentions, that they have endeavoured to alienate the King more and more from us: as if Wee had designed, to Disturb the quiet and Happines of the Kingdome.

The last and great Remedy for all those Evills, Is the Calling of a Parliament, for securing the Nation, against the evill practises of those wicked Councellours: but this could not be yet compassed, nor can it be easily brought about. For those men apprehending that a lawfull Parliament, being once assembled, they would be brought to an account, for all their open violations of Law, and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion, and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects, they have endeavoured under the specious Pretence of Liberty of Conscience; first to Sow divisions among Prote­stants, between those of the Church of England and the Dissenters: The designe being laid to engage Protestants; that are all equally Concerned, to pteserve themselves from Popish Oppression; into mutuall quarrellings; that so by these, some advantages might be gi­ven to them to bring about their Designes; and that both in the Election of the Members of Parliament, and afterwards in the Parliament it selfe. For they see well that if all Prote­stants, could enter into a mutuall Good Understanding, one with ano­ther, and Concurre together, in the Preserving of their Religion, it would not be possible for them to compasse their wicked ends. They have also required all Persons in the severall Counties of En­gland, that either were in any Imployment, or were in any Conside­rable Esteem, to declare before hand, that they would concurre in the Repeal of the Test and Penael Lawes; and that they would give their voices in the Elections to Parliament, only for such as would concurre in it: Such as would not thus Preingage themselves were turned out of all Imployments: And others who entred into those engagments, were put in their places, many of them being Papists: And contrary to the Charters and Priviledges of those Burroughs, that have a Right to send Burgesses to Parliament, they have ordered such Regulations to be made, as they thought fit and necessary, for assuring themselves of all the Members, that are to be chosen by those Corporations: and by this means they hope to avoid that Punishment which they have Deserved: tho it is apparent, that all Acts made by Popish Magistrates are null, and Void of themselves; So that no Par­liament can be Lawfull, for which the Elections and Returns are made by Popish Sheriffs and Majors of Touns; and Therefore as long as the Authority and Magistrary is in such hands, it is not possible to have any Lawfull Parliament. And tho according to the Constitution of the English Government, and Immemoriall Custome, all Elections of Parliament men ought to be made with an Entire Liberty, without any sort of force, or the requiring the Electors to choose such Persons as shall be named to them, and the Persons thus freely Elected, ought to give their Opinions freely, upon all Matters, that are brought be­fore them, having the good of the Nation ever before their Eyes, and following in all things the dictates of their Conscience, yet now the People of England can not expect a Remedy from a free Parliament, Legally Called and Chosen. But they may perhaps see one Called, in which all Elections will be carried by Fraud or Force, and which will be composed of such Persons, of whom those Evill Councellours hold themselves well assured, in which all things will be carried on according to their Direction and Interest, with out any regard to the Good or Happines of the Nation. Which may appear Evidently from this, that the same Persons tried the Members of the last Parliament, to gain them to Consent to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Lawes, and procured that Parliament to be dissolved, when they found that they could not, neither by promises nor Threat­nings, Prevail with the Members to Comply with their wicked De­signs.

But to Crown all, there are Great and Violent Presumptions, In­ducing us to Beleeve, that those Evill Councellours, in order to the carrying on of their ill Designes, and to the Gaining to themselves the more time for the Effecting of them, for the encouraging of their Complices, and for the discouraging of all Good Subjects, have published that the Queen hath brought forth a Son: tho there have appeared both during the Queens pretended Bignes, and in the man­ner in which the Birth was managed, so many just and Visible grounds of suspicion, that not only wee our selves, but all the good Subjects of those Kingdomes, doe Vehemently suspect, that the pre­tended Prince of Walss was not born by the Queen. And it is noto­riously known to all the world, that many both doubted of the Queens Bignes, and of the Birth of the Child, and yet there was not any one thing done to Satisfy them, or to put an end to their Doubts.

And since our Dearest and most Entirely Beloved Consort, the Princesse, and likewise wee Our Selves, have so great an Interest in this Matter, and such a Right, as all the world knows, to the Succes­sion to the Crown, Since also the English did in the year 1672. when the States Generall of the United Provinces, were Invaded, in a most Injust warre, use their uttermost Endeavours to put an end to that Warre, and that in opposition to those who were then in the Gover­nment: and by their so doing, they run the hasard, of losing, both the favour of the Court, and their Imployments; And since the En­glish Nation has ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem, both to pur Dearest Consort the Princesse, and to Our selves, WEE cannot excuse our selves from espousing their Interests, in a matter of such high Consequence, and from Contributing all that lies in us, for the Maintaining both of the Protestant Religion, and of the La­wes and Liberties of those Kingdomes, and for the Securing to them, the Continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights. To the doing of which, wee are most Earnestly Solicited by a Great many Lords, both Spirituall and Temporall, and by many Gentlemen and other subjects of all Ranks.

THEREFORE it is, that wee have thought fit, to goe over to England, and to Carry over with us a force, sufficient by the bles­sing of God, to defend us from the Violence of those Evill Councel­lours. AND WEE being desirous that our Intentions in this, may [Page 4]be Rightly Understood, have for this end prepared this Declaration, in which as wee have hitherto given a True Account of the Reasons Inducing us to it, So wee now think fit to DECLARE that this our Expedition, is intended for no other Designe, but to have a free and lawfull Parliament assembled, as soon as is possible: and that in order to this, all the late Charters by which the Elections of Burges­ses are limited contrary to the Ancient custome, shall be considered as null and of no force: and likewise all Magistrates who have been Injustly turned out, shall forthwith resume their former Im­ployments, as well as all the Borroughs of England shall re­turn again to their Antient Prescriptions and Charters: And more particularly that the Ancient Charter of the Great and fa­mous City of London, shall again be in Force: and that the Writts for the Members of Parliament shall be addressed to the Proper Offi­cers, according to Law and Custome. That also none be suffered to choose or to be chosen Members of Parliament but such as are quali­fied by Law: And that the Members of Parliament being thus lawfully chosen they shall meet and sit in Full Freedome; That so the Two Houses may concurre in the preparing of such Lawes, as they upon full and free debate, shall Judge necessary and convenient, both for the confirming and executing the Law concerning the Test and such other Lawes as are necessary for the Security and Maintenance of the Protestant Religion; as likewise for making such Lawes as may esta­blish a good aggréement between the Church of England, and all Pro­testant Dissenters, as also for the covering and securing of all such, who will live Peaceably under the Government as becomes good Sub­jects, from all Persecution upon the account of their Religion, even Papists themselves not excepted; and for the doing of all other things, which the Two Houses of Parliament shall find necessary for the Pea­ce, Honour, and Safety of the Nation, so that there may be no more danger of the Nations falling at any time hereafter, under Ar­bitrary Government. To this Parliament wee will also referre the En­quiry into the birth of the Pretended Prince of Wales, and of all things relating to it and to the Right of Succession.

And Wee for our part will concurre in every thing, that may pro­cure the Peace and Happines of the Nation, which a Free and Law­full Parliament shall determine; Since wee have nothing before our eyes in this our undertaking, but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion, the Covering of all men from Persecution for their Con­sciences, and the Securing to the whole Nation the free enjoyment of all their Lawes, Rights and Liberties, under a Just and Legall Go­vernment.

This is the designe, that wee have Proposed to our selves, in Ap­pearing upon this occasion in Armes: In the Conduct of which, Wee will keep the Forces under our Command, under all the Strictnes of Martiall Discipline: and take a speciall Care, that the People of the Countries thro which wee must march, shall not suffer by their means: and as soon as the State of the Nation will admit of it, Wee promise that wee will send back all those Forreigne Forces, that wee have brought along with us.

Wee doe therefore hope that all People will judge rightly of us, and approve of these our Proceedings: But wee chiefly rely on the bles­sing of God, for the successe of this our undertaking, in which Wee place our whole and only Confidence.

Wee doe in the last place invite and require all Persons whatsoever, All the Peers of the Realme, both Spirituall and Temporall, all Lords Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants, and all Gentlemen, Citi­sens and other Commons of all ranks, to come and assist us, in or­der to the Executing of this our Designe; against all such as shall En­deavour to Oppose us; that so wee may prevent all those Miseries, which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Ar­bitrary Government and Slavery: And that all the Violences and di­sorders, which have overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government, may be fully redressed, in a FREE AND LEGALL PARLIAMENT.

And Wee doe likewise resolve that as soon as the Nations are brought to a state of Quier, Wee will take care that a Parliament shall be called in Scotland, for the restoring the Ancient Constitution of that Kingdome, and for bringing the Matters of Religion to such a Setlement, that the people may live easy and happy, and for put­ting an end to all the Injust Violences that have been in a course of so many years Committed there.

Wee will also study to bring the Kingdome of Ireland to such a state, that the Setlement there may be Religiously observed: and that the Protestant and Brittish Interest there, may be secured. And wee will endeavour by all possible means, to procure such an establishment in all the Three Kingdomes that they may all live in a happy Union and Correspondence together; and that the Protestant Religion, and the Peace, Honour, and Happines of those Nations, may be esta­blished upon Lasting Foundations.

AFter wee had prepared and printed this our Declaration, wee have understood, that the subverters of the Religion and La­wes of those Kingdomes, hearing of our Preparations, to assist the People against them, have begun to retract some of the Arbi­trary and Despotick powers, that they had assumed, and to va­cate some of their Jujust Judgments and Decrees. The sense of their Guilt, and the distrust of their force, have induced them to offer to the City of London some seeming releefe from their Great Oppressions: hoping thereby to quiet the People, and to divert them from demanding a Secure Reestablishment of their Religion and Lawes under the shelter of our Armes: They doe al­so give out that wee Intend to Conquer and Enslave the Nation, And therefore it is that wee have thought fit to adde a few words to our Declaration.

Wee are Confident, that no persons can have such hard thought of us, as to Imagine that wee have any other Designe in this Undertaking, then to procure a setlement of the Religion and of the Liberties and Properties of the subjects upon so sure a foun­dation, that there may be no danger of the Nations relapsing in­to the like miseries at any time hereafter. And as the forces that wee have brought along with us, are utterly disproportioned to that wicked designe of Conquering the Nation, if wee were Ca­pable of Intending it, so the Great Numbers of the Principall Nobility and Gentry, that are men of Eminent Quality and Esta­tes, and persons of known Integrity and Zeal both for the Reli­gion and Government of England, many of them being also di­stinguished by their Constant fidelity to the Crown, who doe both accompany us in this Expedition, and have earnestly solici­ted us to it, will cover us from all such Malicious Insinuations: For it is not to be imagined, that either those who have Invited us, or those that are already come to assist us, can joyne in a wicked attempt of Conquest, to make void their own lawfull Titles to their Honours, Estates and Interests: Wee are also Confident that all men see how litle weight there is to be laid, on all Promises and Engagments that can be now made: since there has been so litle regard had in time past, to the most solemne Promises. And as that Imperfeit redresse that is now offered, is a plain Confession of those Violations of the Government that wee have set forth, So the Defectivenes of it is no lesse Apparent: for they lay doune nothing which they may not take up at Pleasure: and they reserve entire and not so much as mentio­ned, their claimes and pretences to an Arbitrary and Despotick power; which has been the root of all their Oppression, and of the totall subversion of the Government. And it is plain, that the­re can be no redresse nor Remedy offered but in Parliament: by a Declaration of the Rights of the Subjects that have been invaded: and not by any Pretended Acts of Grace, to which the extremity of their affairs has driven them. Therefore it is that wee have thought fit to declare, that wee will referre all to a Free Assembly of the Nation, in a Lawfull Parliament.