THE DECLARATION OF THE REASONS and MOTIVES For the PRESENT Appearing in Arms OF THEIR MAJESTY'S Protestant Subjects In the PROVINCE of MARYLAND.  

Licenced, November 28th 1689.  
J. F.   
ALthough the Nature and State of Affairs relating to the Government of this Province, is so well and notoriously known to all Persons any way concerned in the same, as to the People and Inhabitants here, who are more immediately Interested, as might excuse any Declaration or Apology for this present inevitable Appearance: Yet forasmuch as (by the Plots, Contrivances, Insinuations, Remonstrances, and Subscriptions, carried on, suggested, extorted, and obtained by the Lord Baltemore, his Deputies, Representatives, and Officers here) the Injustice and Tyranny under which we groan, is palliated, and most, if not all the Particulars of our Grievances shrouded from the Eye of Observation, and the Hand of Redress. We thought fit for general Satisfaction, and particularly to undeceive those that may have a sinister Account of our Proceed, to Publish this Declaration, of the Reason and Motives inducing us thereunto.  
His Lordship's Right and Title to the Government, is by Virtue of a Charter to his Father Cecilius, from King Charles the First, of Blessed Memory. How his present Lordship has managed the Powers and Authorities given and granted in the same, We could Mourn and Lament only in silence, would our Duty to God, our Allegiance to his Vicegerent, and the Care and Welfare of ourselves, and Posterity, permit us.  
In the First Place, In the said Charter, is a Reservation of the Faith and Allegiance due to the Crown of England (the Province and Inhabitants being immediately subject thereunto) but how little that is manifested, is too obvious to all  Persons that ever had any thing to do here; The very name and owning of that Sovereign Power is sometimes Crime enough to incur the Frowns of our Superiors, and to render our Persons obnoxious and suspected to be Ill Affected to the Government.  
The Ill Usage and Affronts to the King's Officers belonging to the Customs here, were a sufficient Argument of this; We need but instance the Business of Mr. Badcock and Mr. Rousby, of whom the former was forcibly detained by his Lordship, from going home to make his just Complaints in England▪ upon which he was soon taken Sick, and 'twas more than probably conjectured that the Conceit of his Confinement was the chief Cause of his Death, which soon after happened. The other was Barbarously Murdered upon the Execution of his Office, by one that was an Irish Papist, and our Chief Governor.  
Allegiance here, by these Persons under whom We Suffer, is little talked of, other then what they would have done and sworn to his Lordship, the Lord Proprietary; for it was very lately owned by the Precedent himself, openly enough in the Upper House of Assembly, That Fidelity to his Lordship was Allegiance, and that the denial of the one, was the same thing with refusal or denial of the other. In that very Oath of Fidelity that was then imposed under the Penalty and Threats of Banishment, there is not so much as the least word or intimation of any Duty, Faith, or Allegiance to be reserved to Our Sovereign Lord the King of England.  
How the Jus Regale is improved here, and made the Prerogative of his Lordship, is too sensibly felt by us all, in that absolute Authority exercised over us, and by the greatest part of the Inhabitants, in the Seizure of their persons, Forfeiture and Loss of their Goods, Chattels, Freeholds and Inheritances.  
In the next place, Churches and Chapels (which by the said Charter should be Built and Consecrated, according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of the Kingdom of England) to our great Regret and Discouragement of our Religion, are erected and converted to the use of Popish Idolatry and Superstition, Jesuits and Seminary Priests, are the only Incumbents (for which there is a Supply provided, by sending our Popish Youth to be Educated at St. Omers) as also the chief Advisers and Councillors in Affairs of Government, and the Richest and most Fertile Land set apart for their Use and Maintenance; while other Lands that are piously intended, and given for the Maintenance of the Protestant Ministry, become Escheat, and are taken as Forfeit, the Ministers themselves discouraged, and no care taken for their Subsistance.  
The Power to Enact Laws, is another branch of his Lordship's Authority; but how well that has been Executed and Circumstanced, is too notorious. His present Lordship upon the Death of his Father, in order thereunto, sent out Writs for Four (as was ever the usuage) for each County to serve as Representatives of the People; but when Elected, there were Two only of each Respective Four, picked out and summoned to that Convention. Whereby many Laws were made, and the greatest Levy yet known, laid upon the Inhabitants.  
The next Session, the House was filled up with the remaining Two that was left out of the former, in which there were many and the best of our Laws Enacted, to the great Benefit and Satisfaction of the People. But his Lordship soon after Dissolved and Declared the best of those Laws, such as he thought fit, null and void by Proclamation; notwithstanding they were Assented to in his Lordship's Name by the Governor, in his absence, and he himself sometime Personally Acted and Governed by the same; so that the Question in our Courts of Judicature, in any point that relates to many of our Laws, is not so much the relation it has to the said Laws, but whether the Laws themselves be agreeable to the Approbation and Pleasure of his Lordship? Whereby our Liberty and Property is become uncertain, and under the Arbitrary Disposition of the Judges and Commissioners of our Coures of Justice.  
The said Assembly being sometime after Dissolved by Proclamation, another was Elected and met, consisting only of Two Members for each County, directly opposite to an Act of Assembly for Four, in which several Laws, with his Lordship's Personal Assent, were Enacted: Among the which, one for the Encouragement of Trade, and Erecting of Towns. But the Execution of that Act was soon after by Proclamation from his Lordship out of England, suspended the last Year, and all Officers Military and Civil, severely prohibited, executing or inflicting the Penalties of the same. Notwithstanding which suspension, being in effect a dissolution and abrogating the whole Act, the Income of Three Pence to the Government by the said Act, payable for every Hogshead of Tobacco Exported, is carefully Exacted and Collected.  
How Fatal, and of what Pernicious Consequence, that Unlimited and Arbitrary pretended Authority may be to the Inhabitants, is too apparent, but by considering, That by the same Reason, all the rest of our Laws, whereby our Liberry and Property subsists, are subject to the same Arbitrary Disposition, and if timely Remedy be not had, must stand or fall according to his Lordship's Good Will and Pleasure.  
Nor is this Nullifying and Suspending Power the only Grievance that doth perplex and burden us, in relation to Laws; but these Laws that are of a certain and unquestioned acceptation, are executed and countenanced, as they are more or less agreeable to the good liking of our Governors in particular; One very good Law provides, That Orphan Children should be disposed of to Persons of the same Religion with that of their deceased Parents. In direct opposition to which, several Children of Protestants have been committed to the Tutelage of Papists, and brought up in the Romish Superstition. We could instance in a Young Woman, that has been lately forced, by Order of Council, from her Husband, committed to the Custody of a Papist and brought up in his Religion. 'Tis endless to enumerate the particulars of this nature, while on the contrary, those Laws that enhance the Grandeur and Income of his said Lordship are severely Imposed and Executed; especially one that against all Sense, Equity, Reason, and Law, Punishes all Speeches, Practices, and Attempts relating to his Lordship and Government, that shall be thought Mutinous and Seditious by the Judges of the Provincial Court, with either Whipping, Branding, Boreing through the Tongue, Fine, Imprisonment, Banishment, or Death; all, or either of the said Punishments, at the Discretion of the said Judges; who have given a very recent and remarkable Proof of their Authority in each particular Punishment aforesaid, upon several of the good People of this Province, while the rest are in the same danger to have their Words and Actions liable to the Constructions and Punishment of the said Judges, and their Lives and Fortunes to the Mercy of their Arbitrary Fancies, Opinions, and Sentences.  
To these Grievances are added,  
Excessive Officers Fees, and that too under Execution, directly against the Law made and provided to redress the same; wherein there is no probability of a Legal Remedy (the Officers themselves that are Parties, and culpable) being Judges.  
The like Excessive Fees imposed upon, and extorted from Masters and Owners of Vessels, Trading into this Province, without any Law to Justify the same, and directly against the plain Words of the Charter, that say, there shall be no Imposition or Assessment, without the Consent of the Freemen in the Assembly: To the great Obstruction of Trade, and Prejudice of the Inhabitants.  
The like excessive Fees Imposed upon, and extorted from the Owners of Vessels that are Built here, or do really belong to the Innabitants; contrary to an Act of Assembly, made and provided for the same: Wherein, Moderate and Reasonable Fees are ascertained, for the Promoting and Encouragement of Shipping and Navigation amongst ourselves.  
The frequent Pressing of Men, Horses, Boats, Provisions, and other Necessaries, in time of Peace; and often to gratify private Designs, and Occasions, to the great Burden and Regret of the Inhabitants, contrary to Law and several Acts of Assembly in that Case made and provided.  
The Seizing and Apprehending of Protestants in their Houses, with Armed Force consisting of Papists, and that in time of Peace; their hurrying them away to Prisons without Warrant or Cause of Commitment, there kept and Confined with Popish Guards, a long time without Trial.  
Not only private but public Outrages, and Murders committed and done by Papists upon Protestants without any Redress, but rather connived at, and Tolerated by the chief in Authority; and indeed it were in vain to desire or expect any help or measures from them, being Papists and Guided by the Counsels and Instigations of the Jesuits, either in these or any other Grievances or Oppression. And yet these are the Men that are our Chief Judges, at the Common Law, in Chancery, of the Probat of Wills, and the Affairs of Administration, in the Upper House of Assembly, and the Chief Military Officers and Commanders of our Forces; being still the same Individual Persons, in all these particular Qualifications and Places.  
These and many more, even Infinite Pressures and Calamities, we have hitherto, with Patience lain under and submitted too; hoping that the same Hand of Providence, that hath sustained us under them, would at length in due time release us; and now at length, For as much as it has pleased Almighty God, by means of the great Prudence and Conduct of the best of Princes; Our most gracious King Witham, to put a Check to the great Innundation of Slavery and Popery, that had like to overwhelm Their Majesty's Protestant Subjects in all their Territories and Dominions (of which none have suffered more, or are in greater Danger than ourselves) we hope and expected in our particular Stations and Qualifications; a proportionable Share of so great a Blessing. But to our great Grief and Consternation, upon the first News of the great Overture and happy Change in England; we found ourselves surrounded with Strong and Violent Endeavours from our Governors here, being the Lord Baltemore's Deputies and Representatives, to defeat us of the same.  
We still find all the means used by these very Persons and their Agents; Jesuits, Priests, and lay Papists, that Art or Malice can suggest, to divert the Obedience and Loyalty of the Inhabitants from Their Most Sacred Majesties, to that height of Impudence, that solemn Masses and Prayers are used (as we have very good Information) in their Chapels and Oratories, for the prosperous Success of the Popish Forces in Ireland, and the French Designs against England, whereby they would involve us in the same Crime of Disloyalty with themselves, and render us Obnoxious to the Insupportable Displeasure of Their Majesties.  
We every where hear, not only Public Protestation against Their Majesty's Right and Possession of the Crown of England; but their most Illustrious Persons vilified and aspersed with the worst and most Traitorous Expressions of Obloquy and Detraction.  
We are every day threatened with the Loss of our Lives, Liberties, and Estates, of which we have great Reason to think ourselves in Imminent Danger, by the Practices and Machinations that are on foot to betray us, to the French, Northern, and other Indians, of which, some have been dealt withal, and others Invited to Assist in our Destruction; well remembering the Incursion and jurode of the said Northern Indians, in the Year 1681; who were conducted into the Heart of the Province, by French Jesuits, and lay sore upon us, while the Representatives of the Country, then in the Assembly, were severely pressed upon by our Superiors, to yield them an Unlimited and Tiranical Power in the Affairs of the Militia. As so great a Piece of Villainy cannot be the Result, but of the worst of Principles; so we should with the greatest Difficulties, believe it to be true, if Undeniable Evidence and Circumstances did not convince us.  
Together with the Promises, we have; with all due Thinking and Deliberation, considered the Endeavours that are making to Disunite us among ourselves, to make and Inflame Differences in our Neighbour Colony of Virginia, from whose Friendship, Vieinity, great Loyalty and Sameness of Religion; we may expect Assistance in our greatest Necessity.  
We have considered, that all the other Branches of Their Majesty's Dominions in this Part of the World (as well as we could be informed) have done their Duty in Proclaiming and Asserting their undoubted Right in these, and all other Their Majesty's Territories and Countries.  
But above all, with Due and Mature Deliberation, we have reflected upon that vast Gratitude and Duty incumbent likewise upon us, To our Sovereign Lord and Lady, the King and Queen's most Excellent Majesties, in which, as it would not be safe for us; so it will not suffer us to be Silent, in so great and General a Jubilee, withal considering and looking upon ourselves, Discharged, Dissolved, and Free from all manner of Duty, Obligation, or Fidelity, to the Deputies, Governors, or Chief Magistrates here, as such: They having Departed from their Allegiance (upon which alone our said Duty and Fidelity to them depends) and by their Complices and Agents aforesaid, endeavoured the Destruction of our Religion, Lives, Liberties, and Properties, all which they are bound to Protect.  
These are the Reasons, Motives and Considerations, which we do Declare, have induced us to take up Arms, to Preserve, Vindicate, and Assert, the Sovereign Dominion, and Right, of King WILLIAM and Queen MARY, to this Province: To Defend the Protestant Religion among us, and to Protect and Shelter the Inhabitants, from all manner of Violence, Oppression, and Destruction, that is Plotted and Designed against them; which we do Solemnly Declare and Protest, we have no Designs or Intentions whatsoever.  
For the more Effectuate Accomplishments of which, We will take due Care, that a Free and full Assembly be Called, and Convened with all Possible Expedition, by whom we may likewise have our Condition and Circumstances, and our most Dutiful Addresses represented and tendered to Their Majesties: From whose great Wisdom, Justice, and especial Care of the Protestant Religion; We may Reasonably and Comfortably hope to be Delivered from our present Calamities, and for the Future be secured under a Just and Legal Administration, from being evermore subjected to the Yoke of Arbitrary Government, Tyranny and Popery.  
In the Conduct of this, We will take Care, and do Promise, That no Person now in Arms with us, or that shall come to Assist us, shall commit any Outrage, or do any Violence to any Person whatsoever, that shall be found Peaceable and Quiet, and not oppose us in our said Just and necessary Designs: And that there shall be Just and due Satisfaction made for Provision, and other Necessaries had and Received from the Inhabitants: And the Soldiers, punctually and duly Paid; in such Ways and Methods as have been formerly accustomed, or by Law ought to be.  
And we do Lastly, Invite and Require all manner of Persons whatsoever; Residing or Inhabiting in this Province, as they tender their Allegiance, the Protestant Religion; their Lives, Fortunes and Families, to Aid and Assist us in this our Undertaking,  
Given under our Hands in Mary Land, the 25th. Day of July, in the First Year of Their Majesty's Reign, Annoque Domini 1689.  
God Save King WILLIAM and Queen MARY.   

Published by Authority.  
MARYLAND, Printed by William Nuthead at the City of St. Mary's. reprinted in LONDON, and Sold by Randal Tailor near Stationer's Hall, 1689.