THE DECLARATION Of the Nobility, Gentry, Ministry and Commonalty of the County of KENT.  
Together with the City and County of Canterbury, the City of Rochester, and the Ports within the said County.  
HAving with sadness weighed the multiplied calamities wherein we are at present involved, how friendless we are Abroad, and how divided at home; the loud and heart-piercing cries of the poor, and the disability of the better sort to relieve them; the total decay and subversion of Trade, together with the forfeiture and loss of the honour and reputation of the Nation, and (what is more dear to us then all these) the apparent hazard of the Gospel through the prodigious growth of Blasphemies, Heresies and Schism, all which own their birth to the instability of our Governors, and the unsettlement of our Government. Lastly, how in all these, an universal ruin threatneth us, and will (if not timely prevented) doubtless overwhelm us. We thought it our bounden duties, both as Christians, out of tenderness to our Religion; as English men, to our country; and as Friends, to ourselves and our Relations, to represent and publish to the world our just griefs for, and our lively resentments of this our deplorable condition, and to seek all lawful and probable means to remedy and redress the same.  
Wherefore having the leading Examples of the renowned Cities of London and Exeter, together with the Counties of the West, before our eyes; and the clamours and out-cries of the People always in our ears, (whereof the one encourageth, and the other enforceth us to this our Declaration) we thought that we would not be silent at such a time, when our silence would speak us to be either Assentors to our own ruin, or Abettors of such proceedings as have neither Law nor Equity to support them.  
We therefore, the Nobility, Gentry, Ministry and Commonalty of the County of Kent, together with the City and County of Canterbury, the City of Rochester, and the Ports within the said County, do by these Presents unanimously Declare, That our desires are for a Full and Free PARLIAMENT, as the only probable means, under God, to lead us out of this Maze and Labyrinth of confusions in which we are at present engaged; that is, that the old secluded Members, so many of them as are surviving, may be readmitted into the House, and that there may be a free Election of others to supply the places of those which are dead, without any Oath, or Engagement previous to their Entrance, these we shall own as the true Representatives of the People; these we shall with our Lives and Fortunes, to the utter most of our power, assist, and with all cheerfulness submit to, and acquiesce in whatsoever they shall Enact or Ordain.  
Thus concluding, that all public spirited men, and good Patriots, will with all readiness join and concur with us in a matter of so universal concernment, and that we shall find Opposition from none but such as prefer their own private Interests, and temporal respects, to their Religion and laws of the land; we shall as boldly subscribe our Names as we do heattily declare our Desires.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
THe forward zeal of some well-disposed persons, to express their Cordial and unanimous Concurrence with their countrymen of the several Counties and Cities of England; having caused a Declaration imperfect, in a very weighty and material Clause thereof, to be Printed and published, in the name of the County of KENT, &c. It was thought fit, that the genuine and true Copy of the said D●claration should be set forth, as it was intended to be presented to the Speaker, and to the present great Arbitrator of the Nations peace and ha●piness, General Monck; but through the misinformations of some unquiet spirits, (who while they may have leave to accuse, will leave no man innocent, nor the State without trouble) the persons of many Gentlemen are secured, and others threatened, by a great force Marched into the Country, the Presentation was necessarily omitted, and the Names and Subscriptions not exposed to public view, for reasons very obvious and evident.