A DECLARATION OF THE COMMONERS of ENGLAND, TO HIS EXCELLENCY The Lord General CROMWELL: CONCERNING  
The Crown, Government, Liberty, and Privileges of the People; and the setting of the Land free from all Taxes, Slavery, and Oppressions; according to the Engagements, Vows, and Promises, both of Officers and Soldiers.  
Likewise his Excellency's Resolution, to remove all Burdens and Oppressions from the People; to advance Trading; to pluck down Tyanny; and to purge and cast out all those, who are Enemies to the Peace and Freedom of this Nation.  
ORdered to be forthwith printed and published; And appointed to be sent into all Counties in England and Wales.  
●●●don, Printed for G. HORTON 1652. feb: 13 1651   

A Declaration of the Commoners of England to his Excellency the Lord General Cromwell.  
THe Government of a commonwealth is the uniting of the people of a Nation into one heart and mind; And blessed is that People, whose Earthly Government is the Law of common Righteousness. When Israel was under a commonwealths Government, they were a terror to all Oppressing Kings in all Nations of the World; and so will England be, if this righteous Law become our Governor: But when the Officers of Israel began to be covetous and proud, they made a breach; and then the Government was altered, and fell into the hand of Kings like other Nations, and then they fled before their Enemies and were scattered. But if we look upon the customs of the Law itself, it is the same it was in the King's days, only the name is altered; as if the Commoners of England had paid their Taxes, Freequarter, and shed their blood, not to reform, but to baptise the Law into a new name, from Kingly Law, to State Law; by reason whereof the spirit of discontent is strengthened, to increase more Suits of Law, then formerly was known to be And so as the Sword pulls down Kingly power with one hand, the King's old Law builds up Monarchy with the other.  
And whereas if an Army be raised to cast out Kingly oppression, and if the Hea●s of that Army promise a Commonwealth's Freedom to the oppressed people, if in case they will assist with person and purse; and if the people do assist, and prevail over the Tyrant, those Officers are bound by the Law of Justice (who is God) to make good their Engagements: And if they do not set the Land free from the branches of the Kingly oppression, but reserve some part of the Kingly power to advance their own particular Interest, whereby some of their friends are left under as great slavery to them, as they were under the Kings; Those Officers are not faithful Commonwealths soldiers, they are worse Tyrant and Thiefs than the King they cast out; and that honour they seemed to get by their Victories over the Common wealth's Oppressor they lose again, by breaking promise and engagement to their oppressed friends who did assist them. For what difference is there between a professed Tyrant, that declares himself a Tyrant in words, laws and deeds, as all Conquerors do, and him who promises to free me from the power of the Tyrant if I'll assist him; and when I have spent my estate and blood, and expect my bargain by his Engagements to me, he sits himself down in the Tyrant's chair, and takes the possession of the Land to himself, and calls it his, and none of mine, and tells me he cannot in conscience let me enjoy the freedom of the Earth with him, because it is another man's right?  
Such a soldier as this Engagement-breaker is neither a friend to the Creation; nor to a particular Commonwealth, but a self lover, and a hypocrite; for he did not fight to set the Earth free from the bondage of the Oppressor, as he pretended by his Engagements; but to remove that power out of the others ●and into his own. And this is just like the Beasts who fight for mastery and keeps it, not relieveing, but still Lording and Kinging over the weak. These are Monarchical soldiers, not Commonwealths soldiers; and such a soldier is a murderer, and his warfare is unlawful. But soldiers of true noble spirits will help the week, and set the Oppressed free, and delight to see the Commonwealth flourish in freedom, as well as their own gardens.  
There is none of this true Nobility in a Monarchical Army, for they are all self-lovers; the best is as a briar, and the most upright amongst them is as a Thorn: speak you Prophets of old if this be not true.  
A Monarchial Army lifts up Mountains, and makes valleys, viz. Advances Tyrants, and treads the Oppressed in the barren lanes of poverty.  
But a Commonwealth's Army is like John Baptist, who levels tha Mountains to the Valleys, pulls down the Tyrant, and lifts up the Oppressed; and so makes way for the spirit of Peace and Freedom to come in to rule and inherit the Earth.  
And by this which hath been spoken, and Army may see wherein they may do well, and wherein they may do hurt. Therefore you Army of England's Commonwealth look to it; the Enemy could not beat you in the field, but they may be too hard for you by policy in Council, if you do not stick close to see Common Freedom established.  
WHereas many of Our Privy Council have with preposterous rigour, and unreasonable severity, endeavoured to kindle and blow up those horrid flames, the sparks of Discontent, which want not the least of pre-disposed fuel for an absolute Rebellion; and like some Cyclopic Monsters, whom nothing will serve to eat and drink, but the flesh and blood of Our own Subjects; in whose common welfare Our interest lies, as much as some mens doth in their perturbations: who think they cannot do well but in evil times; As for Our resigning up the Crown and Government to the Prince Palatine, We are clearly of another Judgement; And truly it is the unfeigned Desire of Our Heart, to wear the Crown and Sceptre no longer, then that His Glory may be Our End; and His Word Our Rule: And upon that Glorious Account We shall leave the success of all to God, who hath many many ways to teach Us those Rules of true Reason, and peaceable Wisdom, which is from above, tending most to God's glory, and his Churches good; which we think Ourselves so much the more bound in Conscience to attend with the most judicious zeal and care, by how much we esteem the Church above the State; the glory of Christ above Our own; and the salvation of men's souls above the preservation of their Bodies and Estates.  
Since the publishing of this Declaration, there hath been high Disputes amongst the Nobility; and some have declared for the King of Scots, desiring a contract of Marriage, the calling in of his person, the day prefixed, and the general Attributes thereof to be solemnly declared, throughout the cities of Heidelburgh, Switzaon, and other places: But others of the Nobility are resolved to the contrary: However her Majesty hath declared, that she desires nothing more than the free Vote, and real Consent, of her People: touching which, many of the Nobility inclines to her Majesty's gracious will and pleasure; but others again seem to be of a contrary judgement.  
And now the Commoners of England in this Age of the world are risen up in an Army, and have cast out that Invasion of the Duke of Normandy, and have won their Land and Liberties again by the Sword, if they do not suffer their Counsels to befool them into slavery again upon a new account. For if so be that Kingly Authority be set up in your Laws again, King CHARLES hath conquered you and your Posterity by policy, and won the field of you, though you have seemingly cut off his head. For the strength of a King lies not in the visible appearance of his body, but in his Will, Laws, and Authority. But if you remove Kingly Government, and set up true and free Commonwealth's Government, than you gain your Crown, and keep it, and leave peace to your Posterity.   
FINIS.