THE ANSWER OF THE Deputy Lieutenants OF THE County of DEVON.  
TO THE DECLARATION of Sir RALPH HOPTON and other his traitorous Adherents that have lately in an hostile manner invaded the said County, and plundered, and pillaged many of the Inhabitants thereof.  
LONDON, Printed by R. Olton and G. Dexter, for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop in Pope's head Alley. MDCXLII.   

THE ANSWER OF The Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Devon. to the Declaration of Sir RALRH HOPTON and other his traitorous Adherents, that have lately in an hostile manner invaded the said County, and plundered, and pillaged many of the Inhabitants thereof.  
In the Presence and fear of Almighty GOD the searcher of all Hearts, and judge of all Men, We thus declare.  
1. THat we never did, nor ever will take Arms, but in all true Loyalty to his Majesty, the Defence of the established Religion, his Majesty's just Prerogative, and the Liberties of the English Subject, in the Rights of Parliament.  
2. That the occasion of this War is given by those that by injurious calumniation, and false surmises of the Parliaments intention to lessen, or abate his Majesty's Royal Prerogative for the future, have withdrawn his Majesty's person and affection from that his great Counsel.  
3. That the Persons of all the Lord Lieutenants were approved by his Majesty; that most of these Lords and their Deputies were formerly employed in the said Service.  
That the War in Sommersetshire was begun upon those that were peaceably marching to a Muster in the ordinary way.  
4. That some of those that were persecuted for raising that War, were the men that infested Cornwall and now Devonshire with violence and oppression.  
5. That the Sheriffs raising of the power of the County is unjust, because the Musters by authority of Parliament are no unlawful Assemblies.  
6. That the Commission of Array is illegal, because so declared in Parliament, after it had been presented and petitioned against as a grievance, by some Counties, amongst the rest this of Devonshire, because it is in many points opposite to the Liberty of the Subject, and cannot be executed with equity.  
7. That the Commission of Array, and the Sheriff's power now put in execution against the Parliaments proceed, are breaches of the Peace, and destructive to the Kingdom, in raising a Civil War within it; and to Religion, by hindering the suppression of the Rebellion in Ireland, and by inciting the Papists to join with the Array Forces in England.  
8. That all those that take Arms against the Parliament, and their Defenders, do falsify their Potestation generally taken, and do cause a breach of his Majesty's promise, and as we believe his gracious intention, not to make War against his Parliament.  
9 That no Subject can truly keep his Oath of Allegiance, that doth not keep his Protestation, the Oath of Allegiance being made to the King as his Liege or lawful Lord.  
10. That such as make War upon the Parliament, do what in them lies to destroy all Parliaments, and consequently to change the government of the Kingdom by Statute Laws, and Courts of Justice, into an Arbitrary Government, which is no less than Treason.  
These grounds thus laid, being infallibly true, and since the person of his sacred Majesty is as it were made Captive to the wills of those that for private ends and their impunity for Capital offences, keep his Majesty from his great Council: And since these Cavaliers that have fallen into Cornwall and now into Devonshire, are of the same party and design.  
We can do no less then forewarn all his Majesty's loving Subjects, not only of the illegallity of their proceed, but also of the dangerous and inevitable evil consequently falling upon this Kingdom, if they should prevail. And to invite all such as love his Majesty, and desire to maintain the hearty affection of his people towards him and his posterity, not to be alured by their persuasions and insinuations of their loyalty, and our Rebellion, or by their threats of death, our destruction, to be terrified from their duties to God, the King, and the public weal, but to stand firm for the holy truth which they have professed in all loyalty, as they have protested, not sparing their Purses or their pains, or the hazard of their lives for the defence thereof.  
And whereas divers of the good Subjects of this Country have been lately seduced through fear to obey their unlawful and pernicious commands, though they cannot but see them tending to their own ruin, we do invite them to return to their first professed Allegiance and duty to the King and Parliament, and we shall be ready to embrace them in the Arms of Christian Love and friendship, and be their Mediators to the Parliament for their full reconciliation, if we find it to be done speedily and really.  
And whereas great scandal hath been taken, and many fears put into the people minds, that our Troupers and Dragoneers are Authorized to plunder and take away the goods of the Inhabitants of this County, we desire that all men should hereby know, that no Trouper or other Soldier, ever had any other Authority then to secure the persons of noted opposites or to secure the Arms and Horses for War, of such as would turn them against us, or cannot keep them from the adverse party, for all other goods which have or may be taken in that manner, we disavow the giving of any such Authority, and will do our best to punish all such as shall be found Delinquents in that kind.  
FINIS