A Declaration of the County of SƲRREY.

AS we conceive it the Freedom of e­very Engliſhman, to petition the Supream Authority of the King­dom, for redreſs of grievances, nay for the re­moval of things eſtabliſhed by Law; ſo we muſt acknowledg it to be our duty to reſt ſa­tisfied in the Judgment of Parliament, after the final determination thereof, till another Parliament can be called, which may be in a capacity to grant what by the preſent is de­nyed. The conſideration hereof did en­duce us to make an eſſay, to obtain ſuch things as in our preſent apprehenſions did appear the moſt conducible to the Peace of the Kingdom; In order whereunto we de­ſired in that our Petition, that the King might be reſtored, never entending in the ge­neral, that he ſhould be brought in without4 ſatisfaction and ſecurity, firſt given to the Kingdom: For we know well, (although the ſtream of many of our Countrymens affections run ſtrongly toward the bringing in of the King upon any terms, nay, without any conditions;) yet ſhould it be ſo, the Kingdom muſt of neceſſity be miſerably in­ſlaved; For the King muſt, by the ruin of his oppoſers, advance thoſe that have ſided with him, and have ſuffered by him; and what diſcontents and commotions that wil pro­duce, we that have faithfully ſerved the Par. are not a little ſenſible off. We confeſs many of the Kings party joyned with us in our de­ſires, and ſeemed to concur with us in our ends and intentions, but by their deport­ment then, and ſince in appears, they only made uſe of that pretence of petitioning, to diſcover their oppoſer•, and to exaſperate as many as they could, thereby to draw them to an engagement one againſt another, that by ſuch a confuſion they might the eaſilier accompliſh their deſign of reſtoring the King to an unlimited power, and enſlave all the well-affected party in the Kingdom.

We could not but take notice of the threat­ning words which they gave out againſt the Kingdoms beſt Friends, and what provoca­tions they put upon the Souldiery, on pur­poſe to pick a quarrel with them; and at that time, though our hands were to the Petition, and we preſent, yet our ſouls abhorred ſuch their deboiſt behaviour.

We cannot but teſtifie our diſlike of their abuſing the Souldiers, and endeavouring to force the Parliament: and alſo, that the Souldiers ſhould in ſuch a violent manner aſſault all men, and ſo barbarouſly kill, wound and plunder all men, whether Friends or Foes, without exception.

We cannot but declare unto all our Coun­trymen, who deſire the Peace of the King­dom, that for the Future we ſhall not pre­ſume to trouble the Parliament with any more Petitions, we being now convinced of this truth, (viz.) that it is much below the People of England to Petition their Tru­ſtees.

And therefore in purſuance of Future ſafe­ty, we ſhall deſire our Countrymen to en­gage with us in theſe following particulars.

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• 1. That if it ſhall be adjudged ne­ceſſary to bring in the King, that ſuf­ficient ſatisfaction and ſecurity be first given to the Kingdom, and that his power for the future be limited and de­clared.
• 2. That a period be ſet to this Par­liament.
• 3. That the charge of the Army be duly computed, and an equal tax layd upon all lands for the payment thereof, we being reſolved not to ſuffer free-quarter any longer; and that ſo ſoon as the occaſions of the Kingdom will per­mit, the Army be disbanded.
• 4. That no man be continued in power among us but ſuch as ſhall have appeared faithful to the Kingdom in the late War.
• 5. That we may aſsociate our ſelves together as one man to ſtand up for the7 defence of one another, till theſe our juſt deſires be accompliſhed.

And we further declare that we ſhall not reſt ſatisfied, or ceaſe the proſecu­tion of theſe ends, neither ſhall we think our Truſtees in Parliament have diſcharged their duties unleſs they ap­pear effectually in the proſecution ther­of, that we may be reduced to a certain­ty, either by a ſettlement of the King­dom with, or without the King, by an eaſe of our heavy preſſures, by an in­creaſe of trade, and by the due execu­tion of Juſtice; in the performance whereof the Kingdom may expect a return of peace and plenty. And we further adde; That it is our ſence, that thoſe families which are deſtroyed by the late ſlaughter of their friends at Weſtminſter ought to be taken care of, for without mercy there is no juſtice.

And laſtly, we are reſolved, That in purſuance of the forementioned ends to uſe our utmoſt endeavors, and in or­der thereunto ſhall put our ſelves into a poſture of defence; So that as it is not in our thoughts to offer violence to any that ſhall continue peaceable, ſo it ſhall not be in the power either of the King, Parliament, or Army, to deſtroy us at pleaſure; either by Committees, taxes, free quarter as formerly, neither ſhall we deny obedience to any juſt C̄omands of Parliament; only ſhall act as per­ſons neceſsitated to ſeek ſecurity; the Parliament having declared unto us, that a Kingdom muſt not be left with­out a means to preſerve it ſelf.