A happy handfull, or Green hopes in the blade; in order to a harvest, of the several shires, humbly petitioning, or heartily declaring for peace.

About this Item

Title: A happy handfull, or Green hopes in the blade; in order to a harvest, of the several shires, humbly petitioning, or heartily declaring for peace.
Author: Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.
Publication: London :: printed for John Williams at the sign of the Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard,; 1660.
Rights/Permissions: To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Subject terms: England and Wales. -- Parliament -- Early works to 1800.; Political science -- Sources -- Early works to 1800.; Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800.; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800.; Great Britain -- Constitution -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item: "A happy handfull, or Green hopes in the blade; in order to a harvest, of the several shires, humbly petitioning, or heartily declaring for peace." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A85018.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2024.

Pages

A Declaration of the Gentry of the County of DEVON, Met at the General Quarter Sessions at Exeter, for a Free Parliament: Together with a Letter From EXETER.

To the Right Honourable William Lenthall Speaker of the PARLIAMENT.

WE the Gentry of the County of Devon, finding our selves without a Regular Government, after your last interruption designed a publick Meeting, to consult Remedies, which we could not so conveniently effect till this Week, at our General Quarter Sessions at Exon: Where we finde divers of the inhabitants groaning under high Op∣pressions, and a general defect of Trade, to the utter ruine of many, and fear of the like to others, which is as visible in the whole County, that occasioned such disorders, that were no small trouble and disturbance to us; which, by Gods blessing upon our endeavours, were soon supprest and quieted, without Blood. And though we finde, since our first purposes, an alte∣ration in the state of Affairs, by your Re-assembling at the Helm of Government, yet conceive, that we are but in part Redrest of our Grievances; and that the chief Expedient for it will be the recalling of all those Members that were secluded in 1648. and sate before the first Force upon the Parliament. And

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also by filling up the vacant places. And all to be admitted, without any Oath and Engagement, previous to their En∣trance. For which things, if you please to take a speedy course, we shall defend you against all Opposers, and future Interrupters, with our Lives and Fortunes. For the Accom∣plishment whereof, we shall use all Lawful Means, which we humbly conceive may best conduce to the Peace and Safety of this Nation.

Exon 14. of Jan. 1659.

SIR,

THE Inclosed Copy of what this Grand Meeting, to which the most Considerable of the Gentry have Subscribed. Mr. Bamp∣field, Recorder of Exon, is gone this night Post to deliver it to the Speaker. That the Cornish men have done more, is no News.

This City in very great numbers, Lordly exprest their desires for a Free Parliament. The Apprentices and Young men of the City, got the Keys of the Gates, and keep them lockt, without taking notice of the Magistrates, and less of the Souldiers.