The declaration of His Highnes William Henry, by the grace of God Prince of Orange, &c. of the reasons inducing him, to appear in armes in the kingdome of England, for preserving of the Protestant religion, and for restoring the lawes and liberties of England, Scotland and Ireland Here unto are added the letters of the aforesaid his illustrious Highnesse to the sea and land forces of England, together with the prayer for the present expedition. Declaration of his Highness William Henry, by the grace of God, Prince of Orange, &c. of the reasons inducing him to appear in arms for preserving of the Protestant religion and for restoring the laws and liberties of England, Scotland and Ireland. William III, King of England, 1650-1702. 1688 Approx. 55 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A66129 Wing W2328C ESTC R221019 99832402 99832402 36875 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A66129) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 36875) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2142:13) The declaration of His Highnes William Henry, by the grace of God Prince of Orange, &c. of the reasons inducing him, to appear in armes in the kingdome of England, for preserving of the Protestant religion, and for restoring the lawes and liberties of England, Scotland and Ireland Here unto are added the letters of the aforesaid his illustrious Highnesse to the sea and land forces of England, together with the prayer for the present expedition. Declaration of his Highness William Henry, by the grace of God, Prince of Orange, &c. of the reasons inducing him to appear in arms for preserving of the Protestant religion and for restoring the laws and liberties of England, Scotland and Ireland. William III, King of England, 1650-1702. William III, King of England, 1650-1702. Declaration of His Highness William Henry by the grace of God Prince of Orange, &c. of the reasons inducing him to appear in arms for preserving of the Protestant religion, and for restoring the laws and liberties of the ancient kingdom of Scotland. aut Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715. Fagel, Gaspar, 1634-1688, attributed name. [2], 17, [1] p. by Arnold Leers, bookseller at the signe of Plutarch. By speciall order of his Highnesse, Printed at the Hague : 1688. According to J.E.S. Clarke and H.C. Foxcroft, "Life of Gilbert Burnet" (p. 243), the declaration was actually written for William of Orange by Gaspar Fagel and was translated into English by Gilbert Burnet. At foot of title page: With priviledge of the great and mighty the states of Holland and Westfriesland. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Great Britain -- History -- Revolution of 1688 -- Sources -- Early works to 1800. 2002-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 TCP Staff (Michigan) Sampled and proofread 2002-05 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE DECLARATION OF HIS HIGHNES WILLIAM HENRY , By the Grace of God PRINCE OF ORANGE , &c. Of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Armes in the Kingdome of England , for Preserving of the Protestant Religion , and for Restoring the Lawes and Liberties of ENGLAND , SCOTLAND and IRELAND . Here unto are added the Letters of the aforesaid his Illustrious Highnesse to the Sea and Land forces of England , together with the Prayer for the present Expedition . IE MAINTIENDRAY PROT. RELIGION AND LIBERTY Printed at the Hague by ARNOLD LEERS , Bookseller at the Signe of Plutarch . By speciall order of his Highnesse , 1688. With Priviledge of the Great and Mighty the States of Holland and Westfriesland . THE DECLARATION OF HIS HIGHNES WILLIAM HENRY , By the Grace of God PRINCE OF ORANGE , &c. Of the reasons inducing him , To Appear in Armes in the Kingdome of England . IT is both certain and evident to all men , that the publike Peace and Happines of any State or Kingdome , can not be preserved , where the Lawes , Liberties and Customes established by the lawfull authority in it , are openly transgressed and annulled : more especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured , and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced : upon which those who are most immediatly concerned in it , are indispensably bound to endeavour to preserve and maintain the established Lawes , Liberties and Customes : and above all the Religion and worship of God , that is established among them ; and to take such an effectuall care , that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdome , may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civill Rights . VVhich is so much the more necessary because the Greatnes and Security both of Kings Royall families , and of all such as are in Authority , as well as the happines of their Subjects and People , depend in a most especiall manner upon the exact observation and maintenance of these their Lawes , Liberties and Customes . Upon these grounds it is , that Wee cannot any longer forbear to Declare that to our great regret Wee see that those Councellours , who have now the chiefe credit with the King , have overturned the Religion , Lawes and Liberties of those Realmes , and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences , Liberties and Properties , to Arbitrary Government : and that not only by secret and indirect waies , but in an open and undisguised manner . Those Evill Councellours for the advancing and colouring this with some plausible pretexts , did invent and set on foot the Kings Dispencing power , by vertue of which , they pretend that according to Law , he can Suspend and Dispence with the Execution of the Lawes , that have been enacted by the Authority , of the King and Parliament , for the security and happines of the Subject , and so have rendered those Lawes of no effect : Tho there is nothing more certain , then that as no Lawes can be made , but by the joint concurrence of King and Parliament , so likewise lawes so enacted , which secure-the Publike peace , and safety of the Nation , and the lives and liberties of every subject in it , can not be repealed or suspended but by the same authority . For tho the King may pardon the punishment , that a Transgressour has incurred , and to which he is condemned , as in the cases of Treason or Felony ; yet it can not be with any colour of reason inferred from thence , that the King can entirely suspend the execution of those Lawes , relating to Treason or Felony : unlesse it is pretended , that he is clothed with a Despotick and Arbitrary power , and that the Lives , Liberties , Honours and Estates of the Subjects , depend wholly on his good will and pleasure , and are entirely subject to him ; which must infallibly follow on the Kings having a power to suspend the execution of the Lawes , and to dispence with them . Those Evill Councellours , in order to the giving some credit to this strange and execrable Maxime , have so conducted the matter , that they have obtained a Sentence from the Judges , declaring that this Dispencing power is a Right belonging to the Crown ; as if it were in the power of the twelve Judges to offer up the Lawes , Rights and Liberties , of the whole Nation , to the King , to be disposed of by him Arbitrarily and at his Pleasure and expressly contrary to Lawes enacted for the security of the Subjects . In order to the obtaining this Judgment , those Evill Councellours did before hand examine secretly the Opinion of the Judges , and procured such of them , as could not in Conscience concurre in so pernicious a Sentence , to be turned out , and others to be substituted in their rooms till by the changes which were made , in the Courts of Judicature , they at last obtained that Judgment . And they have raised some to those Trusts , who make open profession of the Popish Religion , tho those are by Law rendred incapable all such Employments . It is also manifest and notorious , that as his Majestie was , upon his coming to the Crown , received and acknowledged by all the subjects of England , Scotland and Ireland , as their King without the least opposition , tho he made then open profession of the Popish Religion so he did then promise , and solemnly swear at his Coronation , that he would maintain his subjects , in the free enjoyment of their Lawes , Rights and Liberties , and in particular , that he would maintain the Church of England as it was established by Law : It is likewise certain , that there have been at diverse and sundry times , severall Lawes enacted for the preservation of those Rights and Liberties , and of the Protestant Religion : and among other Securities , it has been enacted that all Persons whatsoever , that are advanced to any Ecclesiasticall Dignity , or to bear Office in either University , as likewise all other that should be put in any Imployment , Civill or Military , should declare that they were not Papists , but were of the Protestant Religion , and that by their taking of the Oaths of Allegange and Supreamacy and the Test , yet these Evill Councellours have in effect annulled and abolished all those Lawes , both with relation to Ecclesiasticall and Civill Employments . In order to Ecclesiasticall Dignities and Offices they have not only without any colour of Law , but against most expresse Lawes to the contrary , set up a Commission of a certain number of persons , to whom they have committed the cognisance and direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters : in the which Commission there has been and still is , one of His Majesties Ministers of State , who makes now publike profession of the Popish Religion , and who at the time of his first professing it , declared that for a great while before , he had beleeved that to be the only true Religion . By all this , the deplorable State to which the Protestant Religion is reduced is apparent , since the Affairs of the Church of England , are now put into the hands of Persons , who have accepted of a Commission that is manifesty Illegal ; and who have executed it contrary to all Law ; and that now one of their chiefe Members has abjured the Protestant Religion and declared himselfe a Papist ; by which he is become Incapable of holding any Publike Imployment : The said Commissioners have hitherto given such proof , of their submission to the directions given them , that there is no reason to doubt , but they will still continue to promote all such designs as will be most aggreable to them . And those Evill Councellours take care ta raise none to any Ecclesiasticall dignities , but persons that have no zeal for the Protestant Religion , and that now hide their un concernednes for it , under the specious pretence of Moderation . The said Commissioners have suspended the Bishop of London , only because he refused to obey an order , that was sent him to suspend a Worthy Divine , without so much as citing him before him , to make his own Defence , or observing the common formes of processe . They have turned out a President , chosen by the fellows of Magdalen Colledge , and afterwards all the Fellows of that Colledge , without so much as citing them before any Court that could take legall cognissance of that affair ; or obtaining any Sentence against them by a Competent Judge . And the only reason that was given for turning them out , was their refusing to choose for their President ; a Person that was recommended to them , by the Instigation of those Evill Councellours ; tho the right of a free Election belonged undoubtedly to them . But they were turned out of their freeholds , contrary to Law , and to that expresse provision in the Magna Chartae ; that no man shall loose life or goods , but by the Law of the land . And now these Evill Councellours have put the said Colledge wholly into the hands of Popists , tho as is abovesaid , they are incapable of all such Employments , both by the Law of the Land , and the statutes of the Colledge . These Commissioners have also cited before them all the Chancellours and Archdeacons of England , requiring them to certifie to them the names of all such Clergymen , as have read the Kings declaration for Liberty of Conscience , and of such as have not read it : without considering that the reading of it was not enjoined the Clergy , by the Bishops , who are their Ordinaries . The Illegality and Incompetency of the said Court of the Ecclesiasticall Commissioners was so notoriously known , and it did so evidently appear that it tended to the subversion of the Protestant Religion , that the Most Reverend Father in God , William Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England , seeing that it was raised for no other end but to oppresse such persons as were of eminent vertue , learning and piety , refused to sit or to concurre in it . And tho there are many expresse Lawes against all Churches or Chappell 's , for the exercise of the Popish Religion , and also against all Monasteries and Convents , and more particularly against the order of the Iesuites , yet those Evill Councellours have procured orders for the building of severall Churches and Chappels , for the exercise of that Religion : They have also procured diverse Monasteries to be erected , and in contempt of the Law they have not only set up severall Colledges of Iesuites , in diverse places , for the corrupting of the youth , but have raised up one of the Order , to be a Privy Councellour and a Minister of State. By all which they doe evidently shew , that they are restrained by no rules or Law whatsoever ; but that they have subjected the Honours and Estates of the subjects , and the establisht Religion to a Despotick power and to Arbitrary Government : In all which they are served and seconded by those Ecclesiastical Commissioners . They have also followed the same methods with Relation to Civill affairs : For they have procured orders to examine all Lords Lieutenants , Deputy Lieutenants , Sheriffs , Justices of Peace and all others that were in any Publike Imployment , if they would concurre with The King in the repeal of the Test and Penal Lawes : and all such , whose consciences did not suffer them to comply with their designes , were turned out ; and others were put in their places , who they beleeved would be more compliant to them in their designes of defeating the intent and Execution of those Lawes , which had been made with so much care and caution for the security of the Protestant Religion . And in many of these places they have put professed Papists , tho the Law has disabled them , and warranted the subjects not to have any regard to their Orders . They have also invaded the Priviledges , and seised on the Charters of most of those Towns that have a right to be represented by their Burgesses in Parliament : and have procured surrenders to be made of them , by which the Magistrates in them have delivered up all their Rights and Priveledges , to be disposed of at the pleasure of those Evill Councellours : who have thereupon , placed new Magistrates in those Towns , such as they can most entirely confide in : and in many of them they have put Popish Magistrates , notwithstanding the Incapacities under which the Law has put them . And whereas no Nation whatsoever can subsist without the administration of good and impartiall Justice , upon which mens Lives , Liberties , Honours and Estates , doe depend ; those Evill Councellours have subjected these to an Arbitrary and Despotick power : In the most important affairs they have studied to discover before hand , the Opinions of the Judges ; and have turned out such , as they found would not conform themselves to their intentions : and have put others in their places , of whom they were more assured , without having any regard to their abilities . And they have not stuck to raise even professed Papists to the Courts of Judicature , notwithstanding their Incapacity by Law , and that no regard is due to any Sentences flowing from them . They have carried this so far , as to deprive such Judges , who in the common administration of Justice , shewed that they were governed by their Consciences , and not by the directions which the others gave them . By which it is apparent that they designe to render themselves the absolute Masters of the Lives , Honours and Estates of the subjects , of what rank or dignity soever they may be : and that without having any regard either to the equity of the cause , or to the consciences of the Judges , whom they will have to submit in all things to their own will and pleasure : hoping by such waies to intimidate those who are yet in Imployment , as also such others , as they shall think fit , to put in the Rooms of those whom they have turned out ; and to make them see , what they must look for , if they should at any time act in the least contrary to their good liking , and that no failings of that kind are pardoned in any persons whatsoever . A great deale of blood has been shed in many places of the Kingdome , by Judges governed by those Evill Councellours , against all the rules and forms of Law ; without so much as suffering the persons that were accused to plead in their own Defence . They have also by putting the administration of justice in the hands of Papists , brought all the matters of Civill Justice into great uncertainties : with how much exactnes and Justice soever that these Sentences may have been given . For since the Lawes of the Land doe not only exclude Papists from all places of Judicature , but have put them under an Incapacity , none are bound to acknowledge or to obey their Judgements , and all Sentences given by them , are null and void of themselves : so that all persons who have been cast in trialls before such Popish Judges , may justly look on their pretended Sentences , as having no more force then the Sentences of any private and unauthorised person whatsoever . So deplorable is the case of the Subjects , who are obliged to answer to such Judges , that must in all things stick to the rules which are set them by those Evill Councellours , who as they raised them up to those Imployments , so can turn them out of them at pleasure ; and who can never be esteemed Lawfull Judges ; so that all their Sentences are in the Construction of the Law , of no force and efficacy . They have likewise disposed of all Military Imployments , in the same manner : For tho the Lawes have not only excluded Papists from all such Imployments , but have in particular provided that they should be disarmed ; yet they in contempt of these Lawes , have not only armed the Papists , but have likewise raised them up to the greatest Military Trusts both by Sea and Land , and that Strangers as well as Natives , and Irish as well as English , that so by those means having rendred themselves Masters both of the affairs of the Church , of the Government of the Nation , and of the course of Justice , and subjected them all to a Despotick and Arbitrary power , they might be in a capacity to maintain and execute their wicked designs by the assistance of the Army , and thereby to enslave the Nation . The dismall effects of this subversion of the established Religion , Lawes and Liberties in England appear more evidently to us , by what wee see done in Ireland , Where the whole Government is put in the hands of Papists , and where all the Protestant Inhabitants are under the daily fears of what may be justly apprehended from the Arbitrary power which is set up there : which has made great numbers of them , leave that Kingdome and abandon their Estates in it , remembring well that cruell and bloody Massacre which fell out in that Island in the year 1641. Those Evill Councellours have also prevailed with the King to declare in Scotland that he is clothed with Absolute power , and that all the subjects are bound to obey him without Reserve : upon which he has assumed an arbitrary power , both over the Religion and Lawes of that Kingdome , from all which it is apparent , what is to be looked for in England , as soon as matters are duely prepared for it . Those great and insufferable Oppressions , and the open Contempt of all Law , together with the apprehensions of the sad consequences that must certainly follow upon it , have put the subjects under great and just fears ; and have made them look after such lawfull remedies as are allowed of in all Nations : yet all has been without effect . And those Evill Councellours have endeavoured to make all men apprehend the losse of their Lives , Liberties , Honours and Estates , if they should goe about to preserve themselves from this Oppression , by Petitions , Representations , or other means authorised by Law. Thus did they proceed with the Archbishop of Canterbury , and the other Bishops , who having offered a most humble petition to the King , in termes full of Respect , and not exceding the number limited by Law , in which they set forth in short the Reasons for which they could not obey that order , which by the Instigation of those Evill Councellours , was sent them , requiring them to appoint their Clergy to read in their Churches the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience ; were sent to prison and afterwards brought to a Triall , as if they had been guilty of some enormous Crime . They were not only obliged to defend themselves in that pursute , but to appear before professed Papists , who had not taken the Test and by consequence were men whose interest led them to condemne them ; and the Judges that gave their opinion in their favours were thereupon turned out . And yet it can not be pretended that any Kings ; how great soever their power has been , and how Arbitrary and Despotick soever they have been in the exercise of it , have ever reckoned it a crime for their Subjects to come in all submission and respect , and in a due number , not exceeding the limits of the Law , and represent to them the reasons that made it impossible for them to obey their orders . Those Evill Councellours have also treated a Peer of the Realme , as a criminall , only because he said that the subjects were not bound to obey the orders of a Popish Justice of Peace : tho it is evident , that they being by Law rendred incapable of all such trusts , no regard is due to their orders . This being the security which the people have by the Law for their Lives , Liberties , Honours and Estates , that they are not to be subjected to the Arbitrary procedings of Papists , that are contrary to Law put into any Employments Civill or Military . Both Wee our selves , and our Dearest and most Entirely Beloved Consort , the Princesse , have endeavoured to signify in termes full of respect to the King the just and deep Regret which all these Proceedings have given us ; and in Compliance with his Majesties desires signified to us , Wee declared both by word of mouth , to his Envoy , and in writing what our Thoughts were touching the Repealing of the Test and Penall Lawes ; which wee did in such a manner , that Wee hoped Wee had proposed an Expedient , by which the Peace of those Kingdomes , and a happy aggreement among the Subjects of all Persuasions , might have been setled : but those Evill Councellours have put such ill Constructions on these our good Intentions , that they have endeavoured to alienate the King more and more from us : as if Wee had designed to disturb the quiet and happines of the Kingdome . The last and great Remedy for all those Evills , is the Calling of a Parliament , for securing the Nation against the evill practises of those wicked Councellours : but this could not be yet compassed , nor can it be easily brought about . For those men apprehending that a lawfull Parliament being once assembled , they would be brought to an account for all their open violations of Law , and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion , and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects ; they have endeavoured under the specious Pretence of Liberty of Conscience , first to sow divisions among Protestants , between those of the Church of England and the Dissenters : The designe being laid to engage Protestants , that are all equally concerned to preserve themselves from Popish Oppression ; into mutuall quarrellings ; that so by these , some advantages might be given to them to bring about their Designes ; and that both in the Election of the Members of Parliament , and afterwards in the Parliament it selfe . For they see well that if all Protestants , could enter into a mutuall Good Understanding one with another , and concurre together , in the Preserving of their Religion , it would not be possible for them to compasse their wicked ends . They have also required all Persons in the severall Counties of England , that either were in any Imployment , or were in any considerable Esteem , to declare before hand that they would concurre in the Repeal of the Test and Penall Lawes ; and that they would give their voices in the Elections to Parliament , only for such as would concurre in it . Such as would not thus preingage themselves were turned out of all Imployments ; and others who entred into those engagements were put in their places , many of them being Papists : And contrary to the Charters and Priviledges of those Burroughs , that have a right to send Burgesses to Parliament , they have ordered such Regulations to be made , as they thought fit and necessary for assuring themselves of all the Members , that are to be chosen by those Corporations : and by this means they hope to avoid that Punishment which they have deserved ; tho it is apparent that all Acts made by Popish Magistrates are null and void of themselves . So that no Parliament can be Lawfull , for which the Elections and Returns are made by Popish Sheriffs and Majors of Towns ; and therefore as long as the Authority and Magistracy is in such hands , it is not possible to have any Lawfull Parliament . And tho according to the Constitution of the English Government and Immemoriall Custome , all Elections of Parliament men ought to be made with an entire Liberty , without any sort of force , or the requiring the Electors to choose such Persons as shall be named to them , and the Persons thus freely elected ought to give their Opinions freely upon all Matters , that are brought before them , having the good of the Nation ever before their eyes , and following in all things the dictates of their Conscience , yet now the People of England can not expect a remedy from a free Parliament , Legally called and chosen , but they may perhaps see one called , in which all Elections will be carried by Fraud or Force , and which will be composed of such Persons , of whom those Evill Councellours hold themselves well assured , in which all things will be carried on according to their Direction and Interest , without any regard to the Good or Happines of the Nation . Which may appear evidently from this , that the same Persons tried the Members of the last Parliament , to gain them to consent to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Lawes , and procured that Parliament to be dissolved , when they found that they could not , neither by promises nor threatnings , prevail with the Members to Comply with their wicked Designs . But to crown all , there are great and violent Presumptions , inducing us to beleeve , that those Evill Councellours , in order to the carrying on of their ill designes , and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the Effecting of them , for the encouraging of their Complices , and for the discouraging of all Good Subjects , have published that the Queen hath brought forth a Son : tho there have appeared both during the Queens pretended Bignes , and in the manner in which the Birth was managed , so many just and visible grounds of suspicion , that not only Wee our selves , but all the good Subjects of those Kingdomes doe vehemently suspect , that the pretended Prince of Wales was not born by the Queen . And it is notoriously known to all the world , that many both doubted of the Queens Bignes , and of the Birth of the Child , and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfy them , or to put an end to their Doubts . And since our Dearest and most Entirely Beloved Consort , the Princesse , and likewise Wee our selves , have so great an Interest in this Matter , and such a Right , as all the world knows , to the Succession to the Crown , since also the English did in the year 1672. when the States Generall of the United Provinces were Invaded in a most injust warre , use their uttermost Endeavours to put an end to that Warre , and that in opposition to those who were then in the Government : and by their so doing , they run the hasard of losing both the favour of the Court , and their Imployments ; And since the English Nation has ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem , both to pur Dearest Consort the Princesse , and to Our selves , WEE cannot excuse our selves from espousing their Interests in a matter of such high Consequence , and from contributing all that lies in us for the maintaining both of the Protestant Religion , and of the Lawes and Liberties of those Kingdomes , and for the Securing to them the continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights . To the doing of which Wee are most earnestly solicited by a great many Lords , both Spirituall and Temporall , and by many Gentlemen and other subjects of all Ranks . THEREFORE it is that Wee have thought fit , to goe over to England , and to carry over with us a force sufficient by the blessing of God , to defend us from the violence of those Evill Councellours . AND WEE being desirous that our Intentions in this may be rightly understood , have for this end prepared this Declaration , in which as wee have hitherto given a true Account of the Reasons inducing us to it , So Wee now think fit to DECLARE that this our Expedition is intended for no other Designe , but to have a free and lawfull Parliament assembled as soon as is possible : and that in order to this , all the late Charters by which the Elections of Burgesses are limited contrary to the ancient custome , shall be considered as null and of no force : and likewise all Magistrates who have been Injustly turned out , shall forthwith resume their former Imployments , as well as all the Borroughs of England shall return again to their ancient Prescriptions and Charters : and more particularly that the ancient Charter of the Great and famous City of London , shall again be in Force ; and that the Writts for the Members of Parliament shall be addressed to the Proper Officers , according to Law and Custome . That also none be suffered to choose or to be chosen Members of Parliament but such as are qualified by Law : And that the Members of Parliament being thus lawfully chosen they shall meet and sit in Full Freedome ; That so the Two Houses may concurre in the preparing of such Lawes , as they upon full and free debate , shall Judge necessary and convenient , both for the confirming and executing the Law concerning the Test and such other Lawes as are necessary for the security and Maintenance of the Protestant Religion ; as likewise for making such Lawes as may establish a good aggréement between the Church of England and all Protestant Dissenters , as also for the covering and securing of all such , who will live peaceably under the Government as becomes good Subjects , from all Persecution upon the account of their Religion , even Papists themselves not excepted ; and for the doing of all other things , which the Two Houses of Parliament shall find necessary for the Peace , Honour and Safety of the Nation , so that there may be no more danger of the Nations falling at any time hereafter , under Arbitrary Government . To this Parliament wee will also referre the Enquiry into the birth of the pretended Prince of Wales , and of all things relating to it and to the Right of Succession . And Wee for our part will concurre in every thing , that may procure the Peace and Happines of the Nation , which a Free and Lawfull Parliament shall determine ; since wee have nothing before our eyes in this our undertaking , but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion , the Covering of all men from Persecution for their Consciences , and the securing to the whole Nation the free enjoyment of all their Lawes , Rights and Liberties , under a Just and Legall Government . This is the designe that wee have proposed to our selves , in appearing upon this occasion in Armes : in the Conduct of which , Wee will keep the Forces under our Command , under all the Strictnes of Martiall Discipline : and take a speciall Care , that the People of the Countries thro which Wee must march , shall not suffer by their means : and as soon as the state of the Nation will admit of it , Wee promise that Wee will send back all those Forreigne Forces , that Wee have brought along with us . Wee doe therefore hope that all People will judge rightly of us , and approve of these our Proceedings : But VVee chiefly rely on the blessing of God for the successe of this our undertaking , in which Wee place our whole and only Confidence . Wee doe in the last place invite and require all Persons whatsoever , All the Peers of the Realme , both Spirituall and Temporall , all Lords Lieutenants , Deputy Lieutenants , and all Gentleman , Citisens and other Commons of all ranks , to come and assist us , in order to the Executing of this our Designe ; against all such as shall Endeavour to Oppose us : that so VVee may prevent all those Miseries , which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery : and that all the Violences and disorders , which have overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government , may be fully redressed in a FREE AND LEGALL PARLIAMENT . And Wee doe likewise resolve that as soon as the Nations are brought to a state of Quier , Wee will take care that a Parliament shall be called in Scotland , for the restoring the Ancient Constitution of that Kingdome , and for bringing the Matters of Religion to such a Setlement , that the people may live easy and happy , and for putting an end to all the Injust Violences that have been in a course of so many years Committed there . Wee will also study to bring the Kingdome of Ireland to such a state , that the Setlement there may be Religiously observed : and that the Protestant and Brittish Interest there may be secured . And VVee will endeavour by all possible means , to procure such an establishment in all the three Kingdomes , that they may all live in a happy Union and Correspondence together ; and that the Protestant Religion , and the Peace , Honour and Happines of those Nations may be established upon Lasting Foundations . Given under our Hand and Seal , at our Court in the Hague , the Tenth day of October in the year 1688. WILLIAM HENRY , PRINCE OF ORANGE . By his Highnesses speciall command C : HUYGENS. His Highnesses Additionall Declaration . AFter wee had prepared and printed this our Declaration , wee have understood , that the subverters of the Religion and Lawes of those Kingdomes , hearing of our Preparations , to assist the People against them , have begun to retract some of the Arbitrary and Despotick powers , that they had assumed , and to vacate some of their Jnjust Judgments and Decrees . The sense of their Guilt , and the distrust of their force , have induced them to offer the City of London some seeming releefe from their Great Oppressions : hoping thereby to quiet the People , and to divert them from demanding a Secure Reestablishment of their Religion and Lawes under the shelter of our Armes : They doe also give out that wee Intend to Conquer and Enslave the Nation , And therefore it is that wee have thought fit to adde a few words to our Declaration . Wee are Confident , that no persons can have such hard thought of us , as to Imagine that wee have any other Designe in this Undertaking , then to procure a setlement of the Religion and of the Liberties and Properties of the subjects upon so sure a foundation , that there may be no danger of the Nations relapsing into the like miseries at any time hereafter . And as the forces that wee have brought along with us , are utterly disproportioned to that wicked designe of Conquering the Nation , if wee were Capable of Intending it , so the Great Numbers of the Principall Nobility and Gentry , that are men of Eminent Quality and Estates , and persons of known Integrity and Zeal both for the Religion and Government of England , many of them being also distinguished by their Constant fidelity to the Crown , who doe both accompany us in this Expedition , and have earnestly solicited us to it , will cover us from all such Malicious Insinuations : For it is not to be imagined , that either those who have Invited us , or those that are already come to assist us , can joyne in a wicked attempt of Conquest , to make void their own lawfull Titles to their Honours , Estates and Interests : Wee are also Confident that all men see how litle weight there is to be laid , on all Promises and Engagments that can be now made : since there has been so litle regard had in time past , to the most solemne Pormises . And as that Imperfeit redresse that is now offered , is a plain Confession of those Violations of the Government that wee have set forth , So the Defectivenes of it is no lesse Apparent : for they lay doune nothing which they may not take up at Pleasure : and they reserve entire and not so much as mentioned , their claimes and pretences to an Arbitrary and Despotick power ; which has been the root of all their Oppression , and of the totall subversion of the Government . And it is plain , that there can be no redresse nor Remedy offered but in Parliament : by a Declaration of the Rights of the Subjects that have been invaded : and not by any Pretended Acts of Grace , to which the extremity of their affairs has driven them . Therefore it is that wee have thought fit to declare , that wee will referre all to a Free Assembly of the Nation , in a Lawfull Parliament . Given under our Hand and Seal , at our Court in the Hague , the 24. day of October in the year of our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY , PRINCE OF ORANGE . By his Highnesses speciall Command C : HUYGENS. THE DECLARATION OF HIS HIGHNES WILLIAM HENRY , By the Grace of God PRINCE OF ORANGE , &c. Of the reasons inducing him , To Appear in Armes for Preserving of the Protestant Religion , and for Restoring the Lawes and Liberties of the ancient Kingdome of Scotland . IT is both certain and evident to all men , that the publike Peace and Happines of any State or Kingdome , can not be preserved , where the Lawes , Liberties and Customes established by the lawfull authority in it , are openly transgressed and annulled : more especially where the alteration of Religion is endeavoured , and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced : upon which those who are most immediatly concerned in it , are indispensably bound to endeavour to preserve and maintain the established Lawes , Liberties and Customes : and above all the Religion and worship of God , that is established among them ; and to take such an effectuall care , that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdome , may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civill Rights . VVhich is so much the more necessary because the Greatnes and Security both of Kings Royall families , and of all such as are in Authority , as well as the happines of their Subjects and People , depend in a most especiall manner upon the exact observation and maintenance of these their Lawes , Liberties and Customes . Upon these grounds it is , that Wee cannot any longer forbear to Declare that to our great regret Wee see that those Councellours , who have now the chiefe credit with the King , have overturned the Religion , Lawes and Liberties of those Realmes , and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences , Liberties and Properties , to Arbitrary Government : and that not only by secret and indirect waies , but in an open and undisguised manner . And indeed the lamentable effects of an Arbitrary Power and of Evill Counsells are so Manifest in the deplorable State of the Kingdome of Scotland , that both our reason and conscience doe prompt us to an abhorrence of them . For when wee consider the sad condition that Nation , though always affectionate to the Royall Family , and governed for many Ages by Laws made by the authority of their Kings , and of the Estates of Parliament , and by Common customes , is reduced to , by endeavours that have been used to change the constitution of the Monarchy regulate by Laws , into a Despotick or Arbitrary Power : which doth evidently appear not only by the actings of Evill Councellours in power , but by the deliberate and expresse publick Declarations , bearing that the King is an Absolute Monarch , to whom obedience ought to be given in all things without reserve , thereby to make way to introduce what Religion they please , without so much as the necessity of the consent of the Nation by their Estates in Parliament . Whilest wee consider and ponder these things as wee cannot but be touched with a tender sense of those miseries , so the giving such a remedy to them as may be proper and may answer the expectation of all good men , and true Protestants , is the great thing which wee propose to our selves in this undertaking : the Equity where of will be justified to the world , if what hath been acted at the instigation of those Evill Councellours be further impartially weighed . It is well known , that the Laws , Priviledges and Rights of the Kingdome have been overturned to the great prejudice of King and people , whilest thus all foundation of confidence and trust is removed . And it is no less known what have been the Arbitrary procedures of an encroaching Privy Councell ; for although by the Laws enacted by the authority of King and Parliament , it is expressly prohibited that the Popish Religion should be professed or Seminary Priests suffered within the Kingdom , or that the children of any Noblemen or Gentlemen should be sent abroad to be educated in Popish Colledges ; yet have these Evill Councellours ordered or suffered young Noblemen to be taken from their relations , and to be sent abroad to be instructed in Jesuites Colledges , and have likewayes caused Schools to be erected under the conduct of Popish Priests , and that in the Capitall City of the Kingdom . In an open contempt also of the known Laws of the Kingdom , Papists are put into places of Highest Trust both Civil and Military , and entrusted with all the Forts and Magazins . The rights and Priviledges of the Royall Burrows , the Third Estate of Parliament , having as many Deputies in it as all the Shires in the Kingdom , are taken away , and they hindred in the free election of their Magistrats and Town-Councells , to the manifest violation of their Charters , established by Law and Immemoriall possession . And all this is done by meer Arbitrary power without any Citation , Triall or Sentence . And whereas no Nation whatsoever can subsist without the administration of good and impartiall Justice , upon which mens Lives aud Liberties their Honours and Estates depend , yet those Evill Councellours have subjected these to an Arbitrary and Despotick power : having turned out Judges , who by Law ought to continue during their Life or their good behaviour , becase they would not conform themselves to their Intentions , and put others in their Places , who they believe would be more complyant , and that without any regard to their abilities : by which it evidently appears that those Evill Councellours design to render themselves the Absolute Masters of the Lives , Honours and Estates of the subjects , without being restrained by any rule or Law. By the inflence of the same Evill Counsellours hath a most exorbitant power been exercised in imposing Bonds and Oaths upon whole Shires without any Law or Act of Parliament : in permitting Free quarters to the souldiers , although they had a sufficient Establisment for their pay , whereby the Kingdom was doubly burdened without any redres ; in imprisoning Gentlemen without any , so much as alledged , Reason , for ceing many to accuse and witness against themselves , imposing arbitrary fines , frighting and harassing many parts of the Countrey with Intercommoning and Justice-Aires , making some incurre forfeiture of life & fortune for the most generall and harmless converse even with their nearest relations outlawed . And thus bringing a consternation upon a great part of the Kingdom , which when Outlawries and Intercommonings went out against multitudes upon the slenderest pretexts , was involved so universally in that danger , that those Councellours themselves were so obnoxious as to find it necessary to have Pardons and Indemnities , whilest the poor people were left to mercy ; impowering Officers and Souldiers to Act upon the subjects living in quiet and full peace , the greatest Barbarities , in destroying them by hanging , shooting and drouwning them without any forme of Law , or respect to Age or Sexe , not giving some of them time to pray to God for mercy : And this for no other reason but because they would not answer or satisfy them in such questions as they proposed to them without any warrant of Law , and against the Common Interest of Mankind , which frees all men from being obliged to discover their secret thoughts ; Besides a great many other Violences and Oppressions , to which that poor Nation hath been exposed without any hope of having an end put to them , or to have Relief from them . And that the Arbitrary and Illegall proceedings of those Evill Councellours might be justified and supported , such a Declaration hath been procured by them , as strikes at the root of the Government , and overturns the most sacred Rights of it , in making all Parliaments unnecessary , and taking away all defences of Religion , Liberty and Property , by an assumed and asserted Absolute Power , to which Obedience is required without Reserve : which every good Christian is perswaded to be due to God Almighty alone , all whose Commandements are always Just and Good. These Evill Councellours have used their utmost endeavours to abolish Penall Laws excluding all who are not Protestants from publick Trust , which give too great a check to their designes . For the accomplishing of this a Liberty hath been granted to Dissenters , but such a●one , as that the continuance thereof is plainly insinuated to depend upon their hearty concurrence for Abolishing the abovementioned Penall Laws , the only legall defence of their Religion ; Although the Dissenters have just cause of distrust when they call to mind how some hundreds of their Ministers were driven out of their Churches without either accusation or citation : the filling of many of whose places with Ignorant and Scandalous persons hath been one great occasion of all those Miseries which that Countrey for a long time hath Groaned under . And Dissenters have but small ground to rest on any present ease founded upon a Proclamation which may be recalled every hour , and which in the first and second Editions of it gave no relief to them , especially considering that not many monts before , the greatest of the forementioned severities and barbarities had been exercised upon them . But to crown all , there are great and violent Presumptions , inducing us to beleeve , that those Evill Councellours , in order to the carrying on of their ill designes , and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the Effecting of them , for the encouraging of their Complices , and for the discouraging of all Good Subjects , have published that the Queen hath brought forth a Son : tho there have appeared both during the Queens pretended Bignes , and in the manner in which the Birth was managed , so many just and visible grounds of suspicion , that not only Wee our selves , but all the good Subjects of those Kingdomes doe vehemently suspect , that the pretended Prince of Wales was not born by the Queen . And it is notoriously known to all the world , that many both doubted of the Queens Bignes , and of the Birth of the Child , and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfy them , or to put an end to their Doubts . And since our Dearest and most Entirely Beloved Consort , the Princesse , and likewise Wee our selves , have so great an Interest in this Matter , and such a Right , as all the world knows , to the succession of these Kingdomes , which those Men have attempted to violate , for preventing of all redress of miseries , by the lawfull Successors of the Crown , educated by the good providence of God , in the true Profession of the Protestant Religion , Wee cannot excuse our selves from espousing the true interest of these Nations in matters of such high Consequence , and from contributing all that lies in us , for the defence of the Laws and Liberties thereof , the maintaining of the Protestant Religion in them , and the securing of the People in the enjoyment of all their just Rights . But that our Intentions may be so manifest that no person may doubt or pretend to doubt thereof , to excuse themselves from concurringh with us in this just Design for the Universall good of the Nation . Wee do Declare that the freeing that Kingdom from all hazard of Popery and Arbitrary power for the future , and the delivering it from what at the present doth expose it to both , the setling of it by Parliament upon such a solid Basis as to its Religions and Civill concerns as may most effectually redress all the above mentioned Grievances , are the true reasons of our present undertaking as to that Nation , And therefore Wee persuade our selves that our Endeavours to give the best assistance wee can for the Relief of so distressed a Kingdome , shall not only not be misconstrued , but shall also be accompanied with a chearfull and universall Concurrence of the whole Nation , that even those who have been Instruments for the enslaving of it , will now show their Dislike of what they have done , by their timeous and reasonable Diligence for its Rescue ; and that if any shall not give us that Assistance which their Conscience to God , and their Respect to their Countrey oblige them to , they shall be justly charged with all the Evills that may be the effects of such a want of their duty . And as wee our selves desire to trust to the Almighty God alone for the success of our Arms , so wee expect of all good men , that they will apply themselves most earnestly to Him for his Blessing upon our Endeavours , that so they may rend to the Glory of his Great Name , to the Establishment of the Reformed Churches , and to the Peace and Happiness of that Kingdome . Given under our hand and Seal at our Court in the Hague , the tenth of October in the Year of our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY , PRINCE OF ORANGE . By his Highnesses speciall command C : HUYGENS. To all Commanders of Ships and all Seamen that are now imployed in the English Fleet. GENTLEMEN AND FRIENDS , OUr Right Trusty and Well beloved Admirall Herbert is fully Instructed by Us : And therefore Wee expect that you will give an Entire credit , to every thing that he shall say to you in our Name : Wee have prepared a Declaration , containing the Reasons that induce Us to undertake the Present Expedition , in which Wee have no other designe but the preservation of the Protestant Religion , and the restoring of the Lawes and Liberties of England . The totall ruine of your Religion being as much designed by the Papists in England , as it is already accomplished in France ; and it will as certainly be effected , if they are able to prevail at this time . Wee can not beleeve , but that you must be already sensible , that you are only made use of as Instruments , to bring both your selves and your Countrey under Popery and Slavery , by the means both of the Irish and the Forreigners who are preparing to compleat your Destruction . And therefore Wee hope that God will put it in your hearts at this time , to Redeem your selves , your Countrey and your Religion from all those Miseries . This in all humane appearance can onely be done , by your coming now to assist Us , who are labouring for your Deliverance . And Wee doe assure you that Wee will be ever mindfull of the services that youw shall now doe Us : And Wee promise to you that Wee will place particular marks of our Favour on all those who will upon this Occasion deserve well of Us and of the Nation , Wee are with all sincerity Your truely wel wishing and affectionate Friend Given at Our Court at Dieren the 29. day of Septembre 1688. WILLIAM H : PRINCE OF ORANGE . By his Highnesses speciall command C : HUYGENS. To all the Officers and Souldiers in the English Army . GENTLEMEN AND FRIENDS . WEe have given so true and so full an account of our Intentions in this Expedition , in our Declaration , that as Wee can adde nothing to it , so Wee are sure that you can desire nothing more of Us. Wee come to preserve your Religion , and to restore and establish your Liberties and Properties : and therefore Wee can not suffer our selves to doubt , but that all Protestants and true Englishmen will come and concurre with us in our designes to secure these Nations from Popery and Slavery . You must all see plainly , that you are made use of only as Instruments , to enslave the Nation and to ruine the Protestant Religion : and when that is done you may judge what you your selves ought to expect , both by the casheering of all the Protestant and English Officers and Souldiers in Ireland , and by the Irish Souldiers that are brought over to be put in your places , of which you have seen so fresh an Instance , that wee need not put you in mind of it . You know how many of your Fellow Officers have been used , only for their Standing firm to the Protestant Religion and to the Lawes of England : and you can not flatter your selves so farre , as to expect to be better used , if those who have broke their word so oft , should by your means be brought out of the straits , to which they are reduced at present . VVee hope likewise , that you will not suffer your selves to be abused by a false notion of Honour : but that you will in the first place consider what you owe to Almighty God and your Religion , to your Countrey , to your selves and to your Posterity : which you as men of Honour ought to preferre to all Private Considerations and Engagements whatsoever . VVee doe therefore expect , that you will consider the Honour that is now set before you , of being the Instruments of saving your Countrey and of securing your Religion . VVee will ever remember the services that you shall doe upon this occasion : and VVee promise to you , that VVee will place such particular marks of our Favour on every one of you , as your behaviour at this time shall deserve of us , and of the Nation , in which VVee will make a great distinction of those , that shall come seasonably to join their Armes with Ours . And you shall ever find us to be Your VVell VVishing and assured Friend WILLIAM HENRY , PRINCE OF ORANGE . By his Highnesses speciall command C : HUYGENS. A Praier for the present Expedition . ALmighty God , the Lord of Hosts , and the aid and refuge of all that trust in thee , Wee humbly pray thee , to blesse and prosper this Undertaking , for the glory of thy Name , and for the good of thy People : Let not our sins provoke thee , to deny thy blessing to thy Servant the PRINCE , compasse him with thy favour as with a shield : Direct him in all his Councels , and be thou ever present with him and assisting to him in all his Actions : that so he may be Successefull in this great Designe : and that he may Imploy all the power , that thou puts in his hands , to the honour of thy Great Name , to the establishing and advancing of thy true Religion , and to the Procuring of the peace and Happines of these Nations : Blesse both the Army and Fleet under his Command , with Successe and Victory . And grant ô Gracious God that all of us , may be turning to thee , with our whole hearts ; Repenting us truely of all our past sins , and solemnly vowing to thee , as wee now doe , that wee will in all time coming , amend our lives , and endeavour to carry our selves as becomes Reformed Christians . And that wee will show our Zeal for our holy Religion by living in all things suteably to it . Hear us Holy Father , and set thy Angels to encamp round about us , for wee put our whole trust in thy Protection and Defence , which wee humbly pray thee to grant us , for the sake of Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer . Amen .