A DECLARATION Publiſhed by the Right Honourable, JAMES, Earle of Darby, L^d. Stanly, Strange of Knocking, and of the Iſle of Man, &c.

PLauſible beginnings are not alwaies the fore­runners of good ends; they may promiſe faire, but it is the end, that either crownes all under­takings with reputation, or brands them with ſhame; making a moſt exact diſcovery of the Undertakers intentions, whether good or evill: Many honeſt-meaning-men, who eight yeares ſince viewed the face of the Parliaments actions, and judged of their integrity, by their Proteſtations and Declarations, entertained a very chari­table and honorable opinion, both of them and their Cauſe, and therein thought not too much to hazard both their Lives and Eſtates with them: who are long ſince ſat downe in the chaire of repentance, having by ſad experience found, their large pre­tences to prove but the ſhadowes of weake performances, and their greateſt labours to produce no other effects, then to burden this diſtracted Nation with unheard-of tyranny and miſerable oppreſſion: But they that beheld their actions, even in their primitive and beſt times, with a conſiderate and judicious eye, did eaſily perceive them to purſue their owne ambitious ends, more than the welfare of this miſerable Land; that they were men, whoſe thoughts were filled with bloud, and judged them through pretence of Zeale to be Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, and what better could be expected from the illegall proceedings of thoſe Men, who preſumed from Servants to become Maſters, but that they ſhould endeavour to bring in Democracy, and aboliſh Monarchy; their actions being altogether ſuch, as muſt needs2 produce ſtrange effects, and ſet open the floudgates of ruine, to overflow this Kingdome in a moment.

For my owne part I have, with my utmoſt power and skill, taken moſt perfect, and exact notice of all their proceedings from their firſt beginning of entrance into Action unto this day; and therein can finde nothing but a large comment upon that Text of Samuel, Rebellion is as the ſin of witchcraft. I ſate in their Houſe of Peeres more then a full year, till finding their courſes to be ſo ſtrangely un-Parliamentary; I was conſtrained, with di­verſe others of the Loyall Nobility, to forſake the Houſe, and repair into my Country, being truly aſhamed to bear any part in their rebellious enterpriſes, wherein they have proceeded vvith ſuch impudent violence: that they have Plundred, and Ruin'd all the Ancient Nobility, and Gentry of this Kingdome; fought many Deſperate, and Bloudy Battails againſt their Sove­raign, His Children and Subjects, impriſoned His Sacred Perſon; and not only ſo, that but they might out-go all their Predeceſ­ſours in Rebellion, and become unprecedented therein; they clou­ded the very Rayes of Sacred Maj. in bringing the Royal Owner of the Throne to their Bar of Injuſtice; and beyond all that, upon a Scaffold, at high noon-day, in the face of the world, as a Male­factor, before His own Court Gate in his uſuall place of Recrea­tion, after a moſt ſhamefull manner by the hands of the common Hang-man, inhumanely murdered their Soveraigne, un-headed the Lords Anointed; and not contented with His Bloud, in pro­ſecution of their moſt deadly, and implacable malice have ſince to the utmoſt of their power, endeavoured to ſtaine the Candour of His Royall Name, in fixing thereon, the ignominious brands of Tyrant, Traytor, and Murderer: ſtyling Him in all their Prints, the Grand, and Capitall Enemy of the Kingdome; and laying their Guilt of all the Bloud that hath been ſhed, upon His Innocent ſhoulders: and beyond all this, have quite diſcar­ded, baniſhed, and caſheired all the Royall Iſſue; and ſolemnly proclaimed our preſent dread Soveraign Lord King CHARLES the Second, and His Pincely Brother the Duke of York Traytors, in the uſuall places, to the amazement, and deteſtation of the whole world.

And whereas of late, there hath been ſome overtures made to3 me, by one Henry Ireton, who ſtiles himſelfe Commiſſary Gene­rall of their Army, whom his manners ſtiles the Parliament of England; In whoſe name, and for whoſe ſervice he demands, that I deliver up this Ile of Man: And for a gratefull acknow­ledgement of that ſervice he ingages on their part, that I ſhall have an act of Indempnity for all that I have done, and my Lands to be reſtored to me without Compoſition, and upon my Ingagement not to oppoſe the proceedings of the Parliament in their preſent Government, I ſhall peaceably, and quietly enjoy the ſame. In anſwer to which I declare; That according to the dictate of my own Conſcience and Reaſon, and according unto the ob­ligation I ſtood ingaged unto His Majeſty, my late dread Soveraign, as well by my common Allegeance, as by my more particular duty of perſonall Service, in the beginning of theſe unhappy Differences, and Diviſions of the Kingdome, I ingaged my ſelf on His Majesties Party ▪ wherein I have conſtantly perſever'd, either in acting, or ſuf­fering, untill this day; concurring with thoſe of the contrary Party, onely in hating deteſtable Newtrality.

According to my beſt ability I did diligently execute all ſuch Commiſſions as I did receive from His Majeſty; and did al­wayes uſe my utmoſt endeavour to retaine the people in their due obedience unto Him, as I ſhall ever faithfully practice towards my preſent Soveraigne, His Sonne, holding my ſelf bound unto Him in the ſame Bonds of Allegeance and Loyalty, as I was to the late King, of ever bleſſed Memory, His Father; and doe hereby declare, that I doe, from my very Soul abhor, all baſe compliance with any of His Majeſties Enemies, whether Forraigne, or Domeſtick: And particularly, if I could endure to be Treacherous, I would never doe it with the prevailing Party in England, whom I know to have renounced all princi­ples of Civility. Honour, Honeſty, and Conſcience; and whoſe Ingagements, Vowes, Proteſtations, or Oathes, I would not take, as ſecurity for the leaſt attome of duſt on which I tread: And I doe proteſt in the preſence of God, and the whole world, that in ballance to my Allegeance, Honour and Conſcience, I ſcorn their pardon in reference to any thing I have acted, or ſhall act hereafter: and value my Eſtate no more then the moſt contemptible mote that flies in the ſunne.

And I doe hereby declare, that to the utmoſt of my power I ſhall faithfully endeavour to hold out this Iſland to the advan­tage of His Majeſty and the annoyance of all Rebels and their Abettors; and doe cheerfully invite all my Allies, Friends, and Acquaintance, all my Tenants in the Counties of Lancaſter and Chester, or elſwhere, and all other His Majeſties faithfull and loyall Subjects to repaire to this Iſland as their generall Ren­dezvous and ſafe harbour, where they ſhall receive entertain­ment, and ſuch incouragement as their ſeverall qualities and con­ditions ſhall require, where we will unanimouſly imploy our Forces to the utter ruine of theſe unmatchable and rebellious Regicides, and the finall deſtruction of their Intereſt both by Land and Sea: Neither ſhall any apprehenſion of danger either to my Life or Eſtate appall me, but I ſhall on all occaſions (by Gods aſſiſtance) ſhew my ſelfe ready to expreſſe my duty and loyalty with the hazard of both; and this I ſhall adventure for the future with more alacrity, foraſmuch as in all my former actings in His Majeſties ſervice, I never did any thing with rela­tion to the truſt repoſed in me, that awakens my conſcience to repentance.

A LETTER ſent from the Right Ho­nourable, JAMES, Earle of Darby; to Commiſ­ſary Gen: IRETON: in Anſwer to his Sommons of the Iſle of Man.

I Have received your Letter with indigna­tion, and with ſcorne returne you this An­ſwer, That I cannot but wonder whence you ſhould gather any hopes, that I ſhould prove like you, treacherous to my Sove­raigne; ſince you cannot be unſenſible of the manifeſt candor of my former actings in His late Maje­sties ſervice, from which principles of Loyalty, I am no whit departed: I ſcorne your proffer, I diſdaine your fa­vour, I abhorre your Treaſon; and am ſo farre from de­livering up this Iſland to your advantage, that I ſhall keep it, with the utmoſt of my power, to your destruction: Take this for your finall Anſwer, and forbeare any further ſolici­tation; for if you trouble me with any more Meſſages of this nature, I will burne the Paper, and hang the Meſſen­ger; this is the immutable reſolution, and ſhall be the un­doubted practiſe of him, who accounts it his chiefe glory to be