THE REMONSTRANCE AND DECLARATION of the Knights, Esquires, Gentlemen, and Freeholders, in COLCHESTER, Now in arms for the King and kingdom.  
Printed in the year 1648.   

The Remonstrance from Colchester.  
PEtitions( the birth-right of Subjects) are by Law our addresses to our King, ( Gods Vicegerent) by custom our approaches to the Houses of Parliament( His Majesties great counsel;) by them wee used humbly to present our modest desi●es, and were wont to receive answers( as Gideons fleece the due) without noise, yet satisfactory; but that was denied our first Petition, and before our second could bee ready, our brethren of Surry by theirs echoed our prayer to both Houses of Parliament, but received their answer( as the Jews their Law) in thunder and lightning, a two edged sword the tongue, and the report of Muskets the voice which spake nothing but wounds and death.  
We therefore thus admonished, resolved thus to present our grievances to the World, and our petitions to heaven, for a blessing upon our intended endeavours.  
Our grievances are these:  
1. First, the distraction and threatened ruin of our glorious Protestant Church, the neglect and abuse of Religion, the destruction of our universities,( the springs of all Learning, Divine and human) occasioned by the fierce and ignorant Separatist, set up and maintained as Rulers both in Church and State, by the prevalency and violence of a rebellious and destructive Army, under the command of the I.. F●irfax, and countenanced by the seeming authority of a pact, unfree, and over-a●●ed Houses of Parliament.  
2. Nex●, that contrary to the oath and duty of allegiance,( from which no power can, nor yet hath pretended to absolve us) our sovereign Lord the King is by the design of the said Arm●, drawn from his house at Hampton Court, to the Isle of Wight, and there by the power of Col. Hammond and others of the Army, imprisoned, and detained from his Parliament; by which act the said Hammon and all adhering to him, are according to the Votes passed in both Houses 16. March 1641. Enemies to the pe●ce of the kingdom.  
3. A third, is the violent and unchristian separation of the King, his royal Consort and Children, at once depriving his Majesty of the two first blessings bestowed on man.  
4. The forcing the queen and Prince of Wales to seek in a foreign Nation, what in their own they could not enjoy, liberty, safety, and support.  
5. The exercise of marshal law while the Courts of Justice are open, and sitting at Westminster, the obstructing justice in our Courts of Judicature, and by the private Committee of Indemnity perverting judgement, and exercising arbitrary power, which is a subversion of our ancient laws, and an introducing of a tyrannicall government, as was resolved by both Houses in the cases of the earl of Strafford, and Archb●shop of Canterbury, and writ in their blood.  
6. sixthly, the present mischief and future danger to the whole kingdom, by reason that the public affairs of highest concern, are managed and carried on by a few particular men in a private Committee at derby house, wherein( contrary to the selfe-denying Ordinance) the prime Actors are chief Officers of the Army, and have by our unhappy differences, possessed themselves of the most beneficial Offices and employments of the kingdom; and the other places of profit and commodity, are by their design conferred on others, members of the Army and houses of Parliament, to purchase their compliance and Votes in all matters agitated in the houses of Parliament: by reason whereof all motions for his Majesties return to his Parliament( the first step to our desired peace) have been either totally rejected, or by them politicly delayde, because peace would determine both their power and profit.  
7. The estates of Delinquents, the Lands of Bishops, deans and Chapters,( designed by several Ordinances for discharge of public debts) are by the houses and power of the Army shared and divided among themselves, while the public debts be unsatisfied, the common soldier unpayd, the maimed unreleeved, the widow and children of the slain unprovided for, and all left burdens to the Common wealth.  
8. That the Army consisting of mean, ignorant, and illiterate men,( only guilt with hypocrisy divine and civill) under pretence of tender consciences( the better to induce and tolerate all heresies) have expelled and suppressed all learned Orthodox Divines, and Church Government, and crying liberty, liberty, have subjected our persons and estates to arbitrary Law and tyranny; and by rape embracing the legislative power, cuckolds the body politic, giving Laws to the whole kingdom, and yet by Petitions and Remonstrances make both Houses Father( as their own) the adulterous issue.  
9. That this Army assuming to themselves the modeling and settlement both of Church and S●ate, at Windsor in April last, in their counsel did consult these three Questions.  
First, whether shall wee join with the Levellers, and new model both Church and State.  
Next, whether with the moderate Party, treat, and receive the King with more qualified and limited power.  
Thirdly, whether depose the King, disinherit the Prince, crown the Duke of Yo●ke, and appoint a protector.  
The first was held to promise most of liberty and profit; but threatened greatest danger in effecting, and difficulty in continuing.  
The second was said to be easiest obtained and continued, because nighest to the present frame and co●stitution already settled, but would b●ing them little of profit, and less of sovereignty.  
The third( like Benjamin, last in birth, but first in the the Parents affections) was held not difficult to be acted but to be maintained, for it would require both the expense of much blood and money, and the kingdom to react york and Lancaster, under the names of Wales and york.  
To this L: G. Crumwell answered it was the better, for that would necessitate the continuance of our Army, which secures our persons, will enforce our reasons, make just our demands, and facilitate their grant. For the blood that will flow from the cheap veins of Common Souldiers, whereof England hath plenty ▪ and wee will not want. For the money, London is our bank, and from their purses it shall drain to our coff●rs.  
Commissary Ireton, L. G. Crumwels Son in Law said, the work was half done, for wee have already ●oted no addresses to be made to the King, and him guilty of crimes enough to depose him, and by imprisoning his Person, have fitted him for a private life, and by it taught the people that he is subject to the dispose of both Houses of Parliament whose Ordinances are onely powerful by our swords, and therefore our Actions shall be legal by their vote. Further the Prince( said he) is linked with his Father in crime, and therefore cannot be s●v●red in punishment; he hath been Gen●rall in a western Army, warring( as his Father) against the Parliament, a crime that as it rendered the Father fit to be deposed, so doth it the son unfit to succeed in the Government. And that the discent of the crown purge not him( as it did Hen. 7.) let us in the Fathers life time crown the Duke of york, now in our power, whose tender yeares have preserved him innocent, and presents him f●tter for protection and our design, and should any blame our severity towards the King and Prince, others will commend our clemency towards the Duke of york.  
Upon the r●sult of this counsel, L. G. Crumwell in the House of Commons tel● Mr. Speaker, that it was time to set on foot our great design, and that such as should not concur in Votes with us, be not continued of us.  
The motion being mis-timed, and divers of his party absent, it was only wondered at by Mr. Knightly, and dyed with the words. The scene now alters from Westminster to Carisbrooke Castle, and the King that could not be removed by Votes, must now by poison, the Actor Col. Hammon, mayor Rolfe, &c. all Members of the Army, yet must wee by cursed Excise that insenceibly devours the poor by insupportable monthly Taxes, that impoverish the rich, contrary to Law and our Allegiance, contrary to our Protestation and Covenant( enforced upon us) we must traitorously maintain and pay this Army that traitorously contrive and endeavour the disposal and murder of our sovereign Lord the King, the subversion of our Protestant Church, our fundamental and known laws.  
We therefore declare to the world that God blessing us, we will with hazard of our lives and fortunes disband and discipate this Army, the suppressors of the pure Protestant Religion, the imprisoners, and would be the murtherers of their sovereign Lord the King, and grand oppressors of the Common-wealth; then free from imprisonment our said sovereign, and him( God willing) restore to his lawful Government, just Rights and Throne in Parliament, this done we shall joyfully and readily deposit our justly assumed arms, and on our knees beg what his Majesty hath often most graciously offered, and will undoubtedly grant his most royal and gracious pardon to all his misled Subjects, willing to return to their Allegiance, and forward to bring the King back to his own house.  
We therefore hereby earnestly desire and request all loyal and well-affected Subjects, as well Members of both Houses of Parliament as others, to be herein aiding and assisting to us. First, by not recruiting the Forces of the Lo. Fairfax; next, by withdrawing all aid and assistance from his Army, by with-holding excise and Monthly taxes allotted for their pay and support, and to give us with their prayers such assistance as their aligeance, and opportunity shall advice, and we trust that the God that judgeth rightly will crown our loyal action with happy success, and our success with a glorious Peace, which is hearty prayed for, and shall( God willing) be resolutely fought for by us, his Majesties loyal and faithful Subjects in Colchester.  
FINIS.