A DECLARATION OF Master William Lenthall Esquire, Speaker of the honourable House OF COMMONS, WHEREIN Is contained the grounds and reasons that moved him to absent himself from the service of the House, on Friday July 30. 1647.  
TOGETHER With his resolution not to attend that Service, till (by an effectual prevention of the like tumults) the Parliament be enabled to proceed in a free and Parliamentary way, without disturbance or enforcement.  
Published by his command, for the satisfaction of the kingdom.  
OXFORD Printed by J. Harris, and H. Hills, living in Pennifarthing street, 1647.   

A DECLARATION OF MR W. LENTHALL. Esq. SPEAKER of the House of Commons, being the reasons and grounds that moved him to absent himself from attending the service on Friday, July 30. 1647.  
ALthough it may happily be contrary to the Expectation of some, that i attend not the service of the House of Commons at this time, as i have constantly done for almost seven years' last past; yet can it not be reasonably expected by any that will consider the violence offered to both the Houses of Parliament, and to myself in particular the last monday, July 26. Insomuch that i can safely take it upon my conscience, and so i doubt not may all the Members of both Houses also, that they sat in continual fear of their lives, and by terror thereof were compelled to pass such Votes as it pleased an unruly multitude to enforce upon them; which as i did then openly declare in the House, so i cannot but believe that they are all void and Nul, being extorted by force and violence, and in that manner that they were: And i cannot any longer dispense with myself to be an instrument in passing such Votes, and to give any colour or shadow of Parliamentary authority unto them, which were not the Votes of the representative body of the kingdom; but of a tumultuous multitude, as those must needs be accounted that seemed to pass the House on Monday July 26. and which shall pass hereafter until better provision be made for the safe and free sitting of the Houses of Parliament; there being no effectual course taken by the City since the adiournment of the House, to prevent the like tumults for the future no nor so much as a Declaration from them, to show their dislike thereof: but on the contrary, it was generally voiced in the town, that there would be a far greater confluence of Apprentizes, reformadoes, and others by Friday at the Parliament doors; and particular notice was given to me, that after they had made the House Vote what they pleased, they would destroy me: i had likewise information given me that there would be a great number of Apprentizes of a contrary opinion and affection to the other, about the Parliament doors on Friday morning, which i foresaw must▪ of necessity cause a great combustion, and in probability occasion much bloodshed.  
The prevention of which mischief (together with the consideration aforesaid) have weighed more with me, than any thing which may concern my particular: and especially having served the Parliament faithfully and diligently for the space of almost seven years in a free and Parliamentary way of proceeding: that i might not now be made a servant to such a rude and tumultuous multitude, to transfer upon them the colour of Parliamentary authority, therewith to abuse, and deceive the minds, and to destroy the lives, liberties and estates of the People of this kingdom, and having taken a solemn protestation and Covenant, in my place and calling, to maintain the privileges of Parliament, and the rights and liberties of the subject, i could not now satisfy myself how i should discharge my duty therein, but by absenting myself at this time, rather than by my presence, to give any shadow or countenance of the authority of Parliament, to such apparent violation thereof, neither can the omission of a circumstance or some formality in the adiournment of the House, when through force and violence it cannot meet quiet in any sort as a Parliament, be any prejudice to the future sitting and proceeding thereof, when it may meet and sit again as a free Parliament▪ it being well known that nothing can dissolve this Parliament, but an Act of Parliament.  
When a company of Apprentices, Reformadoes and others, shall call the Ordinances of both Houses of Parliament pretended Ordinances, shall lock the doors of the Houses upon them, shall swear not to let them out till they have passed what they pleased concerning the Militia of London and other things (though the House had immediately before voted otherwise) shall threaten the Houses in case they do not instantly satisfy their demands; shall knock, hoot, and hollow at the Parliaments doors, that the Members could not be heard to speak or debate, and after the House of Commons had passed a Vote concerning the Militia of London, and that the Speaker by the Vote had judged the major part to be for the negative, shall not suffer the House to be divided, but in a threatning way require those that gave their Votes against them to come out to them if they would, when after the House was adiourned, they shall by main force thrust back the Speaker again into the House, and force the Members in their presence and sight, (direct thrusting themselves into the House) to Vote what they demanded, when they shall justle, pull, and hale the Speaker, all the way he went down to his caroche, and force him (to avoid the violence) to betake himself to the next caroche he could get into, for refuge: When they shall breathe forth bloody threats against the Members, as they come out of the House; and since against me in particular, at the next sitting of the House, as i am credibly informed, and when there is no appearance but that they will continue to do as formerly they have done, or far worse on Friday: i could not in discharge of my trust, Protestation, and Covenant, sit in the chair of the House of Commons, whilst it shall be in such a condition; but so soon as it may sit again, in freedom and safety, i shall be ready to return to the service of the House, but till then as i have upon the forementioned grounds fully satisfied my own conscience, so i doubt not but i shall give the whole kingdom (whose interest is most concerned in it) ample satisfaction in the necessity of my action.  
WJLLJAM LENTHALL. Speaker.