A DECLARATION Of the Right Honourable, JAMES, EARL Of DERBY, Lord Stanley, Strange of Knocking, and of the Isle of Man. Concerning his Resolution to keep the Isle of Man for His Majesty's service, against all force whatsoever. Together with His Lordship's LETTER, in Answer to Commissary General Ireton.  
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1649.   

A DECLARATION Published by the Right Honourable, JAMES, Earl of Derby, Ld. Stanley, Strange of Knocking, and of the Isle of Man, etc.  
PLausible beginnings are not always the forerunners of good ends; they may promise fair, but it is the end, that either crownes all undertake with reputation, or brands them with shame; making a most exact discovery of the Undertakers intentions, whether good or evil: Many honest-meaning-men, who eight years since viewed the face of the Parliaments actions, and judged of their integrity, by their Protestations and Declarations, entertained a very charitable and honourable opinion, both of them and their Cause, and therein thought not too much to hazard both their Lives and Estates with them: who are long since sat down in the chair of repentance, having by sad experience found, their large pretences to prove but the shadows of weak performances, and their greatest labours to produce no other effects, then to burden this distracted Nation with unheardof tyranny and miserable oppression: But they that beheld their actions, even in their primitive and best times, with a considerate and judicious eye, did easily perceive them to pursue their own ambitious ends, more than the welfare of this miserable Land; that they were men, whose thoughts were filled with blood, and judged them through pretence of Zeal to be Wolves in Sheep's clothing, and what better could be expected from the illegal proceed of those Men, who presumed from Servants to become Masters, but that they should endeavour to bring in Democracy, and abolish Monarchy; their actions being altogether such, as must needs produce strange effects, and set open the floudgates of ruin, to overflow this Kingdom in a moment.  
For my own part I have, with my utmost power and skill, taken most perfect, and exact notice of all their proceed from their first beginning of entrance into Action unto this day; and therein can find nothing but a large comment upon that Text of Samuel, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. I sat in their House of Peers more than a full year, till finding their courses to be so strangely un-Parliamentary; I was constrained, with divers others of the Loyal Nobility, to forsake the House, and repair into my Country, being truly ashamed to bear any part in their rebellious enterprises, wherein they have proceeded with such impudent violence: that they have Plundered, and Ruined all the Ancient Nobility, and Gentry of this Kingdom; fought many Desperate, and Bloody Battles against their Sovereign, His Children and Subjects, imprisoned His Sacred Person; and not only so, that but they might outgo all their Predecessors in Rebellion, and become unprecedented therein; they clouded the very Rays of Sacred Maj. in bringing the Royal Owner of the Throne to their Bar of Injustice; and beyond all that, upon a Scaffold, at high noonday, in the face of the world, as a Malefactor, before His own Court Gate in his usual place of Recreation, after a most shameful manner by the hands of the common Hangman, inhumanely murdered their Sovereign, un-headed the Lords Anointed; and not contented with His Blood, in prosecution of their most deadly, and implacable malice have since to the utmost of their power, endeavoured to stain the Candour of His Royal Name, in fixing thereon, the ignominious brands of Tyrant, Traitor, and Murderer: styling Him in all their Prints, the Grand, and Capital Enemy of the Kingdom; and laying their Gild of all the Blood that hath been shed, upon His Innocent shoulders: and beyond all this, have quite discarded, banished, and cashiered all the Royal Issue; and solemnly proclaimed our present dread Sovereign Lord King CHARLES the Second, and His Pincely Brother the Duke of York Traitors, in the usual places, to the amazement, and detestation of the whole world.  
And whereas of late, there hath been some overtures made to me, by one Henry Ireton, who styles himself Commissary General of their Army, whom his manners styles the Parliament of England; In whose name, and for whose service he demands, that I deliver up this I'll of Man: And for a grateful acknowledgement of that service he engages on their part, that I shall have an act of Indemnity for all that I have done, and my Lands to be restored to me without Composition, and upon my Engagement not to oppose the proceed of the Parliament in their present Government, I shall peaceably, and quietly enjoy the same. In answer to which I declare; That according to the dictate of my own Conscience and Reason, and according unto the obligation I stood engaged unto His Majesty, my late dread Sovereign, as well by my common Allegiance, as by my more particular duty of personal Service, in the beginning of these unhappy Differences, and Divisions of the Kingdom, I engaged myself on His Majesty's Party▪ wherein I have constantly persevered, either in acting, or suffering, until this day; concurring with those of the contrary Party, only in hating detestable Neutrality.  
According to my best ability I did diligently execute all such Commissions as I did receive from His Majesty; and did always use my utmost endeavour to retain the people in their due obedience unto Him, as I shall ever faithfully practise towards my present Sovereign, His Son, holding myself bound unto Him in the same Bonds of Allegiance and Loyalty, as I was to the late King, of ever blessed Memory, His Father; and do hereby declare, that I do, from my very Soul abhor, all base compliance with any of His Majesty's Enemies, whether Foreign, or Domestic: And particularly, if I could endure to be Treacherous, I would never do it with the prevailing Party in England, whom I know to have renounced all principles of Civility. Honour, Honesty, and Conscience; and whose Engagements, Vows, Protestations, or Oaths, I would not take, as security for the least atom of dust on which I tread: And I do protest in the presence of God, and the whole world, that in balance to my Allegiance, Honour and Conscience, I scorn their pardon in reference to any thing I have acted, or shall act hereafter: and value my Estate no more than the most contemptible mote that flies in the sun.  
And I do hereby declare, that to the utmost of my power I shall faithfully endeavour to hold out this Island to the advantage of His Majesty and the annoyance of all Rebels and their Abettors; and do cheerfully invite all my Allies, Friends, and Acquaintance, all my Tenants in the Counties of Lancaster and Chester, or elsewhere, and all other His Majesty's faithful and loyal Subjects to repair to this Island as their general Rendezvous and safe harbour, where they shall receive entertainment, and such encouragement as their several qualities and conditions shall require, where we will unanimously employ our Forces to the utter ruin of these unmatchable and rebellious Regicides, and the final destruction of their Interest both by Land and Sea: Neither shall any apprehension of danger either to my Life or Estate appall me, but I shall on all occasions (by God's assistance) show myself ready to express my duty and loyalty with the hazard of both; and this I shall adventure for the future with more alacrity, forasmuch as in all my former actings in His Majesty's service, I never did any thing with relation to the trust reposed in me, that awakens my conscience to repentance.  
From Castletowne in the Isle of Man, July the 18. 1649. DERBY.  
A LETTER sent from the Right Honourable, JAMES, Earl of Derby; to Commissary Gen: IRETON: in Answer to his Summons of the Isle of Man.  
SIR,  
I Have received your Letter with indignation, and with scorn return you this Answer, That I cannot but wonder whence you should gather any hopes, that I should prove like you, treacherous to my Sovereign; since you cannot be unsensible of the manifest candour of my former actings in His late Majesty's service, from which principles of Loyalty, I am no whit departed: I scorn your proffer, I disdain your favour, I abhor your Treason; and am so fare from delivering up this Island to your advantage, that I shall keep it, with the utmost of my power, to your destruction: Take this for your final Answer, and forbear any further solicitation; for if you trouble me with any more Messages of this nature, I will burn the Paper, and hang the Messenger; this is the immutable resolution, and shall be the undoubted practice of him, who accounts it his chief glory to be  
His Majesty's most loyal and obedient Subject, DERBY. From Castletowne, July 12. 1649.  
FINIS.