PAX QVAERITUR BELLO OLIVARIUS DEI GRA: REIPUB: ANGLIAE, SCOTIAE, ET HIBERNIAE, & c PROTECTOR  blazon of the Commonwealth  
A Declaration of His HIGHNESS, for a Collection towards the relief of divers Protestant Churches driven out of Poland; And of Twenty Protestant Families driven out of the Confines of Bohemia.  
HIs Highness the Lord Protector, having received a Petition from several Churches of Christ, professing the Reformed Religion, lately seated at Lesna, and other places in Poland, representing their sad and deplorable condition, through the persecution and cruelty of their Antichristian Enemies in those parts, in the time of the War in Poland, by whom they have not only been driven from their habitation, and spoiled of their goods upon the account of Religion only, but forced to fly into Silesia for preservation of their lives, and for the Liberty of their Consciences, where a considerable number of them continue in great want and misery. The truth whereof hath been witnessed, aswel by Deputies sent unto His Highness from the said Churches, authorized by an Instrument under the hands of the Pastors of five of those Churches, as also by the Testimony of several Protestant Princes, who out of a deep sense of the Calamity of those distressed Exiles, have afforded them shelter until it shall please the Lord otherwise to provide for them. And His Highness having in like manner received a Petition from Twenty Protestant Families heretofore seated in the Confines of Bohemia, where Misnia belongs unto it, representing their distressed and lamentable condition, through the persecution of the jesuites and Inquisitors of the House of Austria, by whom they have been driven out of their habitations, and spoiled of their goods, upon the sole account of Religion, who now for the safety of their lives, and for the liberties of their Consciences, are retired into the Marquisate of Culembach, where they find a present shelter in this their very sad and calamitous condition, which hath been witnessed both by their Deputies sent unto His Highness, authorized by an Instrument under the hands of the chief of those Families, as also by a public Certificate from thence. And it being the earnest desire of the said afflicted Churches and Families, aswel by their several Petitions, as by their Deputies, that His Highness out of compassion to their sufferings, would be pleased to recommend their lamentable condition to their Brethren in these Nations, in whom they hope to find Bowels of Mercy, yearning towards those, who professing the same Faith with them, are now under so great extremities and misery for the Cause of the Gospel, and testimony of the Lord Jesus.  
His Highness being greatly afflicted with the miserable and calamitous condition of the said Churches, and Families, and not doubting but the people of these Nations, whom the Lord hath graciously and wonderfully preserved from that Antichristian Bondage and Tyranny, will have a fellow-feeling of the afflictions of their Brethren, hath with the Advice of His Privy-Council, thought fit to recommend their case to the Charity of those whose hearts the Lord shall stir up in these Nations, to afford them some seasonable relief, whose liberality in this kind hath been testified in their large Contributions to the relief of the poor Protestants in the Valleys of Piedmont, to the refreshing of their Bowels (touching the faithful distribution whereof an account is ordered by His Highness to be printed for general satisfaction.) And to the end the said Collections may be carefully made, and the moneys thereupon collected be disposed of, to the relief of the said poor Churches, and their Members, and the Families aforesaid, and to no other uses, His Highness doth hereby require and command the Ministers and Churchwardens of the respective Parishes within England and Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, the next Lord's Day after this Declaration shall come unto their hands, to publish the same, and on the Lord's day following to make a Collection of the charitable Contribution of the People in their Parishes, and that within three days after, they pay over the sum or sums so Collected unto the high Sheriff of the respective Counties, to be by him paid into the hands of Sir Thomas Viner, and Sir Christopher Pack Knights, Aldermen of the City of London, who are appointed Treasurers for this service, and who shall transmit the moneys so to be by them received for the relief of the said poor distressed Churches, and their Members, and the aforesaid Twenty families, in such manner and proportions as the Committee formerly appointed for the disposing of the moneys for the relief of the said poor Protestants in Piedmont, shall, with respect to their several numbers and sufferings, think fit, and direct, and to the end none of the moneys collected for so pious and charitable an end may miscarry, The Minister and Churchwardens aforesaid, are enjoined upon payment of the said money to the respective Sheriffs as aforesaid, to send up unto the said Sir Thomas Viner a note in writing under their hands, of the sum so Collected, the Parish and County where such Collection was made, and the person to whom the same was paid, to the end care may be taken, and the same may be duly returned and employed to the use intended.   

London, Printed by Henry Hills, and John Field, Printers to His Highness. 1658.