The declaration of the high-sheriffe of York-shire, and of the Commander in Chiefe of the Parliaments forces in the north,: and the rest of the gentlemen commissioners in that county of Yorke, the 19. of May 1648. Of their intentions to rise for the suppression of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, and Sir Philip Musgrave, and the forces under their command. Also, a message from Gen. Hales, to his Excellencey the Lord Gen. Fairfax, touching his holding out of conditions of uncertain mercy to the people, and the resolution of the Kentish army, to live and dye, and stand and fall together. Subscribed in the name, and by the appointment of the knights, gentry, and inhabitants of the county of Kent. Imprimatur Gilbert Mabbot.

THE DECLARATION OF THE HIGH SHERIFFE OF Yorkeshire, and of the Commander in Chiefe of the Parliaments Forces in the North, and the rest of the Gentlemen Commissioners in that County of Yorke, there assembled the 19. of May 1648: of their intentions to rise for the suppression of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, & Sir Phi∣lip Musgrave, and the Forces under their Command.

THe Parliament having lately (with much ex∣pence of blood and publike Treasure) redu∣ced the whole Kingdom from the miseries of a long and dangerous Warre to a hopefull beginning of Peace, and having taken off Free-Quarter, and re∣duced

the Forces of the Kingdom to a small Army, which is to be continued only for a season, untill the ill humours, stirred up by the Warre, should be setled again, (the n••cess••ie whereof most evidently appears at this time) and being in hand to take off all other burthens and gri••vances of ••he people, and to settle the Government according to the ••ncient Lawes and just freedom of this Nation. The same Malignant Parti•• and Councel that first involved the Land in th•• la••e Warre, envying that the p••ople should ••njoy the blessing of Peace, have now again invaded the North with some Forces brought in under Com∣mand of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, Sir Philip Mus∣grave, and others, who have already seized upon Bar∣wick and Carlile, and have poss••ssed themselves of all or most part of Cumberland and Westmerland, raising Forces in those parts, in great numbers, and drawing to them from this Gountie, and other parts of England verie great multitudes of P••p••sts, Malignants, and o∣ther persons of desperate condition, that were for∣merly ingaged in the late Warre, against the Parlia∣ment and Kingdom of England, and are now marched up verie near the Borders of this Countie, which they threaten everie day to invade, and by that means must infallibly bring upon all the Inhabitants the same or worse evills than those formerly suff••red by the Warre, the bleeding wounds whereof are not yet stanched, which we having taken into serious consideration, and well knowing, that, how specious soever their pretences are, yet they intend the intra∣ducing of a Tirannicall Government, and the de∣struction

of the Lawes, Liberties, and Religion of this Kingdom; and that if they be suffered to enter into this Countie, they will make it the seate of a most dangerous and lasti••g Warre, and thereby will undoubtedly destroy the lives of a great number of I••habitants, and utterly con••ume the Estates and Livelihoods of all sort•• of people whatsoever, which we being resolved (by the helpe of Almightie God) to prevent, and avoid, so much as in us lies, and to that end (having given order for the raising of Forces in this Countie, according to the V••tes and Resolu∣tions concluded upon Us) We do Declare, that our intentions therein are no other than to oppose the in∣vasion of this Countie, and the spoile thereof, by the said Forces rais••d by Sir Marmaduke Langdale and his adherents; and that such forces as shall thus be raised by us shall neither be drawn out of the bounds of this Countie without their own consents, nor shall be longer continued in Armes then untill the Countrie shall be secured from the danger now threatned, which we thought necessarie to publish in this man∣ner to all persons well-affected to the Peace and wel∣farre of the Countie, and the maintenance of the Protestant Religion, to incourage them cheerefullie to rise, and take up Armes in this so just and nec••s∣sarie Defence of themselves, wherein we cannot doubt to finde their complyance with Us; and to this extraordinarie way we are at this instant neces∣sitated, because we hea•• that a part of ••he Parlia∣ments Army, that were lately ingaged in suppressing the like attempts of the Enemie in Wales, are still im∣ployed

in se••ling of the peace of those parts, though part of that Army be now also upon their March this way for our Protection, yet the danger of the Countrey is so eminent, and at hand, as it requires all mens active readi∣nesse to defend it, and we doubt not that every one doing his duty therein, God will blesse our endeavours.

June the second 1648.

Thomas Darcy Cler: