A DECLARATION Of the Knights, Gentlemen, and Freeholders Of the County of Surrey: Concerning their late PETITION AND The Slaughter and Imprisonment of several of their COUNTRYMEN; With their RESOLUTIONS thereupon.  
Published for the Information of the Kingdom.  
may 18th Printed in the Year, 1648.   

A Declaration of the County of SURREY.  
AS we conceive it the Freedom of every Englishman, to petition the Supreme Authority of the Kingdom, for redress of grievances, nay for the removal of things established by Law; so we must acknowledge it to be our duty to rest satisfied in the Judgement of Parliament, after the final determination thereof, till another Parliament can be called, which may be in a capacity to grant what by the present is denied. The consideration hereof did induce us to make an essay, to obtain such things as in our present apprehensions did appear the most conducible to the Peace of the Kingdom; In order whereunto we desired in that our Petition, that the King might be restored, never intending in the general, that he should be brought in without satisfaction and security, first given to the Kingdom: For we know well, (although the stream of many of our Countrymens' affections run strongly toward the bringing in of the King upon any terms, nay, without any conditions;) yet should it be so, the Kingdom must of necessity be miserably enslaved; For the King must, by the ruin of his opposers, advance those that have sided with him, and have suffered by him; and what discontents and commotions that will produce, we that have faithfully served the Par. are not a little sensible off. We confess many of the King's party joined with us in our desires, and seemed to concur with us in our ends and intentions, but by their deportment then, and since in appears, they only made use of that pretence of petitioning, to discover their opposer●, and to exasperate as many as they could, thereby to draw them to an engagement one against another, that by such a confusion they might the easilier accomplish their design of restoring the King to an unlimited power, and enslave all the well-affected party in the Kingdom.  
We could not but take notice of the threatening words which they gave out against the Kingdoms best Friends, and what provocations they put upon the Soldiery, on purpose to pick a quarrel with them; and at that time, though our hands were to the Petition, and we present, yet our souls abhorred such their deboist behaviour.  
We cannot but testify our dislike of their abusing the Soldiers, and endeavouring to force the Parliament: and also, that the Soldiers should in such a violent manner assault all men, and so barbarously kill, wound and plunder all men, whether Friends or Foes, without exception.  
We cannot but declare unto all our Countrymen, who desire the Peace of the Kingdom, that for the Future we shall not presume to trouble the Parliament with any more Petitions, we being now convinced of this truth, (viz.) that it is much below the People of England to Petition their trusties.  
And therefore in pursuance of Future safety, we shall desire our Countrymen to engage with us in these following particulars. 

1. That if it shall be adjudged necessary to bring in the King, that sufficient satisfaction and security be first given to the Kingdom, and that his power for the future be limited and declared.  
2. That a period be set to this Parliament.  
3. That the charge of the Army be duly computed, and an equal tax laid upon all lands for the payment thereof, we being resolved not to suffer freequarter any longer; and that so soon as the occasions of the Kingdom will permit, the Army be disbanded.  
4. That no man be continued in power among us but such as shall have appeared faithful to the Kingdom in the late War.  
5. That we may associate ourselves together as one man to stand up for the defence of one another, till these our just desires be accomplished.    
And we further declare that we shall not rest satisfied, or cease the prosecution of these ends, neither shall we think our trusties in Parliament have discharged their duties unless they appear effectually in the prosecution thereof, that we may be reduced to a certainty, either by a settlement of the Kingdom with, or without the King, by an ease of our heavy pressures, by an increase of trade, and by the due execution of Justice; in the performance whereof the Kingdom may expect a return of peace and plenty. And we further add; That it is our sense, that those families which are destroyed by the late slaughter of their friends at Westminster ought to be taken care of, for without mercy there is no justice.  
And lastly, we are resolved, That in pursuance of the forementioned ends to use our utmost endeavours, and in order thereunto shall put ourselves into a posture of defence; So that as it is not in our thoughts to offer violence to any that shall continue peaceable, so it shall not be in the power either of the King, Parliament, or Army, to destroy us at pleasure; either by Committees, taxes, free quarter as formerly, neither shall we deny obedience to any just Commands of Parliament; only shall act as persons necessitated to seek security; the Parliament having declared unto us, that a Kingdom must not be left without a means to preserve itself.  
Signed by J. Segmour by consent and in the name of the whole. Gilford, May 18. 1648.   
FINIS.