THE
DECLARATION
OF
THE
Lords
,
Gentlemen
,
Citizens
,
Freeholders
,
and
Yeomen
of
this
once
happy
Kingdom
of
ENGLAND
.
SInce
it
hath
pleased
Almighty
God
to
suffer
the
Spirit
of
Division
to
continue
in
this
distracted
Nation
,
and
to
leave
us
without
any
setled
foundation
of
Religion
,
Liberty
,
or
Property
,
the
Legislative
power
usurped
and
contemned
at
pleasure
,
the
Armies
raised
at
first
for
our
defence
,
abused
and
misled
into
unwarrantable
Actions
,
by
the
Cunning
and
Ambition
of
some
of
their
superiour
Officers
;
no
face
of
Government
appearing
either
in
any
single
Person
,
or
Body
of
Men
in
Counsel
lawfully
constituted
,
to
whom
the
grievances
of
the
People
may
with
any
probability
of
success
be
properly
addressed
.
Wee
being
conscious
of
our
Duty
,
and
sensible
of
our
own
,
and
the
Nations
Ruine
,
if
these
Distractions
continue
,
or
resolve
into
a
more
fixt
Oppression
,
by
some
corrupt
settlement
,
inconsistant
with
the
Laws
,
Peace
,
and
interest
of
the
Nation
,
have
taken
Arms
,
in
defence
of
our selves
,
and
all
others
,
who
will
pertake
with
us
in
the
vindication
and
maintenance
of
the
Freedom
of
Parliaments
,
against
all
violence
whatsoever
of
the
known
Laws
,
Liberty
,
and
Property
of
the
Good
People
of
this
Nation
,
who
at
present
groan
under
illegal
,
arbitrary
,
and
insupportable
Taxes
and
payments
,
unknown
to
our
Ancestors
.
This
being
our
Duty
to
God
and
Man
,
and
our
only
Design
,
we
cannot
dispair
of
the
Blessing
of
him
that
gives
victory
,
nor
of
the
chearfull
concurrence
of
all
good
men
,
nor
of
the
undeceived
part
of
the
Army
,
whose
Arrears
,
increase
of
future
pay
,
and
advancement
to
higher
Commands
,
we
shall
by
all
means
procure
;
suffering
no
imposition
or
force
on
any
mans
Conscience
:
To
this
we
doubt
not
but
all
honest
Englishmen
will
say
AMEN
.