A DECLARATION Of the Counties of KENT AND ESSEX In pursuance of their Petitions concerning the King's Majesty. The further proceed of the Petitioners of the County of Surrey, and News from Kingston. With a Letter from Burry, concerning seven hundred of the Townsmen taking up Arms to defend themselves, and their Declaration thereupon. C R royal insignia MAy 18th London, Printed by B. A. MDCXLVIII An exact RELATION OF The late rising at Bury, and seven hundred men in Arms keeping the town. SIR, ON Friday last here began a great combustion in this town about setting up of a Maypole, which grew to that height, that by Saturday six or seven hun●●●● men were gotten into Arms; some of them cried out; saying, they were for God and King Charles, and began to lay hold on some soldiers which were in town, & set guards in several places, pretending they were in fear that the soldiers would come in upon them, and disarm them: some of those which stood for the Parliament were forced to leave the town and their goods to shift for themselves, and go away to friends in the Country. To appease this combustion, some troops of horse which were quartered in these parts were drawn before the town, and finding the townsmen well armed and in a posture of defence they kept in a body before the town all ●hat night; the next day many Country Foot joined with them; by reason whereof kept in on every side; and when they perceived they had brought themselves into a strait, and had no means to recover themselves, but by submission desired a parley, which was granted, & for want of better connditions (for indeed they could obtain no other they yielded to mercy. And how much this will conduce to securing them from what they pretended to be the greatest part of their fear, viz. the losing of their Arms, I leave to your judgement: However, we hope the event will be the peace and quiet of the town; which I hope is that which other places look after. We hear that the trained Bands in Essex have had some meeting the last week, and intent a General Rendezvouz shortly, I pray God all things may be for the best. Sir, I am Your obliged friend, R. S. Bury May 17. 1648. A Declaration of the Inhabitants of the County of Kent, to the Distorbers of the peace; subscribed by twenty seven thousand three hundred seventy three hands. OBserving with what diligence and expedition, Parties are drawn together, armed, and by whom; we cannot but demand; to what end? The Country is quiet, and desires so to continue our Interest in peace, not rapine and bloodshed: yet are we also resolved not to fall tam● sacrifices to the spirit of slumber and delusion, and render up our Religions, Laws, lives and fortunes upon such cold conditi●ns. We must ●●ve leave to tell you, that a Petition, concluded on, and avowed by the universality of this County, representing their honest desires, in a modest way, to the two Houses of Parliament, according to the practice, nay the approbation of this present Parliament— That this Petition is by the most active in this new commotion, discountenanced and menaced, which makes us reasonably suspect whither those designs may tend whereof they have the sole conduct. Our addresses are to the Parliament, not you, and from them we shall await a seasonable return; our desires being of a moment above your cognizance. That we labour for is peace; and in a peaceable manner: Nor can we without horror think of a fresh imbroylment. The Petition we do all own, affirming the scope thereof so innoten, that we dare deliver it up to heaven with our souls; and so determine to do, if thereunto reduced by any troublesome interposition, till the great Council of the Kingdom to whom only and and properly it refers shall advise upon it. Wherefore to avoid the effect of jealousies, (the fountain of this la●e war) we desire also the causes may be removed, least introductive to another. When you have satisfied this scruple, you have obliged your friends. The Engagement and Declaration of the Grand Jury, Freeholders', and other Inhabitants of the County of Essex, in prosecution of their late Petition, presented to both Houses of Parliament, May 4. 1648. WE the Grand Jury Freeholders', and other the Inhabitants of the said County in prosecution of our said Petition do engage ourselves one to another, and declare. 1. That we will not pay any more Excize, or other taxes, till all the desires expressed in our said petition be fully obtained by us. 2. That we will admit of no Soldiers to come into our County, but such as agree with us in our said petition and this engagement. 3. That we will employ our utmost endeavours to preserve and defend our Royal Sovereign King Charles, his Kingly Government, the Subjects liberty, and the known Laws of the Kingdom, that is to say, the Common and Statute Laws, and will never submit our self to any other kind of Laws, much less to any arbitrary power whatsoever. 4. That we will protect and defend one another and all that shall adhere to us, in the pursuance, performing, and keeping of this Engagement, and if any Inhabitants of our County, shall refuse to join with us herein, we shall esteem as a person disaffected to the peace, and welfare of the sam●. A Method of putting the County of Essex in a posture Of Defence. Offered to the consideration of the Gent. thereof and Trained Bands, at their several Rendezvouz, and to all other of the Inhabitants, who shall meet in those respective places or else where in the said County, in prosecution of their Petition. 1. THat such Officers may be chosen for the said Trained Bands, as the County and the Petioners may confide in, and that all such Soldiers of the Trained Bands, who shall not approve of, and subscribe to the Petition, be turned off, and others chosen to serve with their Arms in their places. 2. That the Earl of War wick be entreated to repair speedily into the County that they may have one to command in chief among them, and to consult among them upon all sudden accidents; and if his Lordship's occasion will not permit to come so requested, to depute such a person to execute that charge as they shall approve of. 3. In regard the number contained in the trained Bands may not be thought competent for the security of the county, that such Gentlemen thereof, in whom they may repose trust, may have liberty to list those persons of the said county well affected to the late Petition, who shall voluntary peesent themselves for the ●●sire of the same. 4, That a day may be appointed for ●●●●…ting of the trained. Bands, and a muster made of all such of the county as shall voluntary appear for the service of it. 5. That in order to the safety of the county, the Sheriff, and Grand Jury be desired to take care of the particulars. As for the report of a fight at Kingston on Thames, and the like it proves to be of no validity: but altogether groundless and no disturbance there at all, but on Tuesday night, last a Gent. was rob between Kingston and Putney, which was done by 3 Horsemen in the habit of Soldiers, which are apprehended, whether they were of the Army or not doth not yet appear. Some of the Country men which came with Surry petition were taken into custody at White-Hall: but are all discharged again, Some of the Countrymen complain of the loss of their money and Cloaks, if they know who to accuse for it, they will doubtless have satisfaction. Two of the Soldiers that were wounded in that commotion are since dead. This present Thursday the 19 of May there was a meetting at Brainford for election of a Knight of the shire to serve in Parliament instead of Sir john Franklin deceased. Imprimatur G. M. FINIS.