The Levellers new remonstrance or declaration sent to His Excellencie the Lord General Fairfax,: concerning their present proceedings, and making choice of a glorious King, and heavenly protector, for the redeeming of them from slavery, and judging the cause of the oppressed righteously. Also, their demands and proposals to the judges and ministers of this nation, touching the reign and government of the late King Charles; with a discovery of those persons who held their royalty by the power of the sword.

THE LEVELLERS NEW DECLARATION Sent to his Excellency the Lord Generall Fairfax, concerning their present proceedings, in making choise of a King and Heavenly Protector.

Right Honourable,

THe intent of our writing to you, is not to request your protestion, though we have received an unchristian like abuse from some of your soldiers; for truly we dare not cast off the Lord, and make choice of a man or men to rule Us. For the Creation hath smarted deeply for such a thing since Is∣raell chose Saul to be their King; therefore we acknowledge be∣fore you in plain English, That we have chosen the Lord God to be our King and Protector. Yet in regard you are our brethren as an English Tribe, and for the present are owned to be the outward Governors anp Saviours of this Land, and whose hearts we que∣stion not, but that you endeavour to advance the sume King of righteousnesse with us; therefore we are free to write to you, and to all the World. And if after this Representation of our, either

you or your forces called souldiers, or any that owns your Laws of propriety, called Free holders, do abuse or kill our persons we declare to you, that we die, doing our duty to our Creator, by en∣deavouring from that power he hath put into our hearts to lift up his Creation out of bondage, and you and they shall be left with∣out excuse in the day of Judgment, because you have bin spoken to sufficiently. But if you do sleight us and our cause, then know we shall not strive with sword and spear, but with spade & plow and such like instruments to make the barren and common lands fruitfull, and we have, and still shall, commit our selves and out cause unto our righteous King, whom we obey, even the Prince of peace to be our protector; and unto whom you likewise pro∣fesse much love, by your preaching, prayings, fastings, & in whose name you have made all your Covenants, Oaths, and promises to us: I say unto him we appeale, who is and will be our righteou•• Judge, who never yet sailed those that waited upon him, but eve•• did judge the cause of the oppressed righteously. We desire that your Lawyers may consider these questions (which we affirm to be truths) and which gives good assurance by the law of the land that we that are the younger brothers or common people have a true right to dig, plow up, and dwell upon the Commons, as we•• have declared. Whether Wil. the Conqueror became not to be•• King of England by conquest, & turned the English out of their birth ••ights, by reason whereof all sorts of people suffred, & com∣pelled the conquered English for necessity of livelihood to bee servants to him and his Norman souldiers. 2 Whether K. Charles was not successor to the Crown of England from Wil. the Conque∣ror, and whether all Laws that have bin made in every Kings reig•• did not confirm and strengthen the power of the Norman Con∣quest, and so did, and does still hold the Commons of England un∣der ••lavery to the Kingly power, his Gentry and Clergy. 3 Whether Lords of Mannors were not the successors of Co••onels & c••ie•••• Officers of Wil. the Conqueror, and held their Royalty to the Com∣mons by the power of the Sword.

And here now we desire your publick preachers, that say, they preach the righteous law, to consider these questions, which con∣firms us in the peace of our hearts, that we that are the Common people born in England, ought to improve the Commons, as we have declared, for a publike Treasury and lively hood, and that those that hinder are rebels to their Maker, and enemies to the cre∣ation. 1. We demand I or no whether the earth with her fruits was made to be bought and sold from one to another? and whether one part of mankind was made a Lord of the land, and another part a servant by the law of creation before the fall? I affirm and chal∣lenge you to disprove that the earth was made to be a common Treasury of livelihood for all, without respect of persons, and was not made to be bought and sold. 2. I demand, whether all wars, blood shed and misery came not upon the creation, when one man indeavored to be a Lord above another, and to claim proprie∣ty in the earth one above another. 3. Whether the work of resto∣ration lies in removing covetousnesse, casting that Serpent out of heaven (mankind) and making man to live in the light of righteous∣ness, not in words only, as Preachers do, but in action, whereby the ••…••…ation shines in glory? I affirm it.

4. Whether is the King of righteousnesse a respecter of persons yea or no? It you say no, then who makes this difference, that the elder brother shall be the Lord of the land, and the younger brother a ••lave and beggar? I affirm, it was and is covetousnesse, since the ••all.

6. Whether does the King of righteousnesse bid you love or ••ate your enemies, if you say love them, then I demand of you, why do some of you in pulpits and else where, stirre up the people to beat, to imprison put to death or banish or not to buy ••nd sell with those that endeavour to restore the earth to a com∣mon treasury again? surely at worst you can make them but your enemies; therefore love them, win them by love, do not hate them, ••hey do not hate you.

Edenburgh June 6. Young Mr. Row employed as a Messenger with the Po••∣tage of a Letter to this Parliament came hither on Wednesday last; the next mor∣ning the Letter was read in Parliament, great notice was taken of some passages •• reading the same, and especially at the words [Of the Common-wealth of Eng∣land] Which upon reading occasioned some uncivill smiles from many of the Mem∣bers by way of derision; Others, not containing themselves, brake forth into high language; and an eminent Member of that Parliament made a large Speech upon those words, reflecting much upon the honour of another Nation. And upon the score another person of quality then present in that Assembly, exprest himself to thi•• purpose. How in reason they could be accounted friend by enemies.

The Letter admitted of no further publike debate a present no•• more likely •• be for the future, till a responce come from Holland of their last address to his High∣ness.

All depending here upon the Royall Intentions and Motions of his Majesty; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that nothing of publike concernment admits either of debate, or resolution, till th•••• be known; their course being to be steered according to the same, which is both dai¦ly and hourly expected. As for the Kingdom in generall, it is at present very q•••••••• and peaceable.

The Lords of the Sessions sate down on Fryday last; the Commissioners of the Kirk are likewise met in Councell. David Losley is (after Conquest) returned hi¦ther so also is Col. Ker and Gol. Straughan; their Brigade of Horse ordered still 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quarter in the North of Scotland.

The Priests are high for concluding a Union, and for revenge, will wave the•••• Covenant in a great measure, to strike in with the Royall Party, and Argyles Fact••∣on being inconsiderable to their number, its much feared a peace will upon these 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Overtures too soon be concluded.

It is not safe for our English interest to be so much divided, which gives 〈◊〉〈◊〉 much occasion for a forraign Invasion; for if this Parliament send for their fo•••••••• out of Ireland (which is much feared, so soon as the peace is concluded) with a con∣junction of the Royall and Presbyterian party of this Nation; which will make a great Body, and will make work enough for both the late dissenting parties 〈◊〉〈◊〉 England.

The young King hath sent severall Propositions to the Parliament, in answer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their Demands, the substance whereof followeth:

• First, That the Presbyterian Government shall be established and setled, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the dayes of his Father.
• Secondly, That Popery and Ep••scopacy shall be utterly abolished out of th•• Kingdome.
• Thirdly, That those who have assisted Him, or His Father, against the Pa••¦liament of Scotland, shall be restored to their estates.
• ...

• Fourthly, That all persons who have acted for Him, or His Father, against the Parliament, shall be vncapable of sitting in Parliament, or bearing any publique Office for some ye••rs.
• Fifthly, That the King shall act nothing (for the future) but by consent of Parliament.
• Sixthly, That there shall be an Act of Oblivion granted to all persons in that Kingdom, except such as had a hand in the death of the late King

DUndalk in Ireland, 8 June, 1649. The Scots had a Randezvouz at Blures Moor within two miles of Li••••••gurby; they are between 4 or 5000 strong; the Lord of Aids is their Generall but must not act without the Presbytery: The division betwix Prestons party, and Owen-Roes continue, Ormond and Preston hath taken some Garrisons from Oneal. Our party have permitted 300 of Oneales own Regiment to quarter in our parts amongst the Creats within 2 miles of Dun∣dalk. I hear that Ormond hath sent expresse Orders to the Governour of Kingsale castle, not to admit Prince R••pert to have any command in it. Col. Mu••k is very active and lies much in the field: If our expectations fail not from England, but that relief come hither before Harvest there is great possibility of doing very consi∣derable service in this Country in a short time. There was never so much Corn sowed, and fair upon the ground at one time in the Rebels quarters, then there is this year. Sergeant Pinelston was this day made one of the Judges of the Com∣mon-pleas and M••. Rigby▪ Mr. Ask, and Mr. Warberton, were first made Sergeants of the Quaite, and presently after one of them made Judge of the Common-pleas, and the other two of the Upper Bench. Something of the formality more particu∣larly thus: There sate in the Common-pleas (besides the Lord chief Justice, St. John and Judge Phesant) the three Lords Commissioners of the Great Seale; and after a motion made, and granted to every one of the Sergeants, the Lord Com∣missioner Whi••l••ck, made a short speech unto them, intimating, That the Parlia∣ment taking speciall notice of their abilities and good affections to the Nation had ordered that they should have Commissions to be Judges, &c. The speech being ended, they were called up into the Court, where they took their Oaths, and rece••∣ved their ••ommissions.

M••ny Letters this day came to col. Popham, representing the condition of our Navy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sea which hath blocked up Kingsale, a town more remarkable for its strength then for i•• weal••h and better defended by its Fort then by its Castle. Col. B••••cket is ••••••mander in chief of it for the Prince. There is some hope that a good accoun•• 〈…〉〈…〉 will suddenly be given to the Parliament. Some action hath alrea∣dy h•••••…•••••… 〈…〉〈…〉 sharp conflicted sputed, in which fight we boarded three of the Princ••s Men of Wa•• and seized on the Mariners, wherein was above thirty pieces of O••••••••••nc•• and in our pr•••••…•••••…t sunk another of them, with the losse of three or fou••

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It is said that the Royall party which are surrounded in Kingsale, begin to co••¦sult for a negotiation with the Parliaments Forces.

The aforesaid Mr. Wistanley doth declare, that the Reformatio•• that England now is to endeavour, is not to remove the Norma•• Yoke only, and to bring us back to be governed by those Lawe•• that were before William the Conqueror came in as if that wer•• the rule or mark we aime at: No that is not it; but the Refor¦mation is according to the word of God, and that it is the p•••…•••… Law of righteousnesse before the fall, which made all things un•••• which all things are to be restored: and he that endeavours no•• that is a Covenant breaker.

Letters from the City of Dublin of the 8. instant, doth fur••her advertize, That the Marq. of Ormond doth now begin to appear•• neer the Confines thereof that he hath mustered within 25 mile•• of them, and was 1••00 Horse and Foot say some that were pre∣sent: Others, that the number was 12000 Foot, & 24 Horse, wit•• these, and all his great Officers, be••ween whom all differences ar•• composed, He hath taken in the Garrisons of Castle Shamiagh an•• Talbots town, and is besieging a third, and drawne, as is certified, about Trim, where he had 700 Horse, and some Foot, for diver•…•… weeks, who had continually skirmished with the town, and loss o•• both sides, the Scots in Ulster are come 3 dayes march South i•• favour of Ormond, as its believed to fall upon General Oneal.

FINIS.