A DECLARATION OF THE LORDS and COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.

WHereas certain Informati∣on is given from seve∣rall parts of the Kingdom, that divers Troops of horse are imployed in sun∣dry Counties of the King∣dom, and that others have commission to raise both horse and foot, to compell his Majesties Subjects to submit to the illegall Commission of Array, out of a Traiterous intent to subvert the Liberty of Page  2the Subject, and the Law of the Kingdom, and for the better strengthning themselves in this wicked attempt, do joyne with the Popish and Jesuiticall faction to put the Kingdom into a combustion and civill War, by leavying forces against the Parliament, and by these forces to alter the Religion, and the ancient Government, and lawfull Libertie of the Kingdom, and to introduce Popery and Idolatry, together with an Arbitrary form of Government: And in pursuance thereof, have Traiterously, and Rebelliously leavy∣ed war against the King, and by force rob∣bed, spoiled and slain divers of his Majesties good Subjects travelling about their law∣full and necessary occasions in the Kings pro∣tection according to Law, and namely that for the end and purpose aforesaid, the Earl of Northampton, the Lord Dunsmore, Lord VVil∣lowby of Eresby, Son to the Earl of Linsey, Hen∣ry Hastings Esquire, and divers other unknown Persons in the Counties of Lincoln, Nottingham, Leicester, VVarwick, Oxfordshire, and other pla∣ces, the Marquesse of Hertford, the Lord Pau∣let, Lord Seymer, Sir Iohn Stawell, Sir Ralph Hop∣ton, Page  3Iohn Digby Esquire, and other their Ac∣complices, have gotten together great forces in the County of Sommerset.

The Lords and Commons in Parliament duly considering the great dangers which may ensue upon such their wicked and Tray∣terous designes, and if by this means the po∣wer of the sword should come into the hands of Papists and their Adherents, nothing can be expected but the miserable ruine and de∣solation of the Kingdom, and the bloody massacre of the Protestants: They do De∣clare and Ordain, that it is, and shall be law∣full, for all His Majesties loving Subjects, by force of Arms to resist the said severall par∣ties, and their Accomplices, and all other that shall raise or conduct any other forces for the ends aforesaid, and that the Earl of Essex Lord Generall, with all his forces rai∣sed by the authoritie of Parliament; as like∣wise the Lord Say, Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Earl of Peterborough, Lieutenant of Northamp∣tonshire, Lord Wharton, Lieutenant of Bucking∣hamshire, Earl of Stamford, Lieutenant of Leice∣stershire, Earl of Pembrook, Lieutenant of Wilt∣shire Page  4and Hampshire, Earl of Bedford, Lieute∣nant of Sommersetshire and Devon, Lord Brook, Lieutenant of VVarwickshire, the Lord Cram∣borne, Lieutenant of Dorsetshire, the Lord VVil∣loughby of Parham, Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, and all those who are or shall be appointed by Ordinance of both Houses to perform the place of Deputy Lieutenants, and their Deputy-Lieutenants respectively, Densill Hol∣lis Esquire, Lieutenant of the Citie and County of Bristoll, and the Majors and She∣riffs of the Citie, and Deputy Lieutenants there, and all other Lieutenants of Counties, Sheriffs, Majors, Deputy-Lieutenants, shall raise all their power and forces of their seve∣rall Counties, as well Trained Bands as o∣thers, and shall have power to conduct, and lead the said forces of the said Counties a∣gainst the said Traytors and their adherents, and with them to fight, kill and slay all such as by force shall oppose them, and the Per∣sons of the said Traytors, and their Adhe∣rents and Accomplices to arrest and impri∣son, and them to bring up to the Parliament, to answer this their Trayterous and Rebel∣lious Page  5attempts according to Law, and the same or any other forces to transport and conduct from one County to another, in ayd and assistance one of another, and of all o∣thers that shall joyn with the Lords & Com∣mons in Parliament, for the defence of the Religion of Almighty God, and of the Li∣berties and Peace of the Kingdom, and in pursuit of those wicked and Rebellious Traytors, their Conspirators, Ayders, and A∣bettors and Adherents, requiring all Lieu∣tenants of Counties, Sheriffs, Majors, Justi∣ces of Peace, and others His Majesties Offi∣cers and loving Subjects, to be ayding and assisting to one another in the Execution hereof, and for their so doing, all the parties above mentioned, and all others that shall joyn with them, shall be justified, defended and secured by the Power and Au∣thority of Parliament.