A DECLARATION OF THE PROCEED OF Major General Massey, Sir Marmaduke Langdale, And Lieut. Col. John Lilburn, TOUCHING The King of Scots; and the present Engagement between the States of Holland, and the Parliament of England; with the coming in of Prince Philip (son to the Queen of Bohemiah) the creating of him Vice-Admiral; And three famous English ships taken. Likewise a Remonstrance and Declaration of the Presbyterians, and XV Propositions sent to the most illustrious Princess the Queen of Sweden. London, Printed for G. Horton, 1652. Decemb. 22. A DECLARATION OF Major General Massey, and Lieutenant Colonel John Lilburn, to the States of Holland, touching the present war and engagement with the Parliament of England. Right Honourable, THe Royal party are so puffed up with thoughts of Victory from the Netherlands, that I fear it will go near to cast them by their thoughts of Humanity. For many dangerous papers are published to asperse your Government, and bring an odium upon it; Amongst the rest, Major General Massey hath presented a Declaration to the States, showing the great interest of the United Provinces, in the restitution of the King of England; for so they are pleased to call him; but alas poor Gentleman, I dread their integrity, and am opiniated, that the great bandying on all sides, tends more to by-ends, than his interest; for certainly, the imperious Statists of the present Times, endeavour to wax greater by the people's ruin, rather than by the Royal Restauration: However, little Massey has reduced some Lordlike Resolves to the obedience of Sovereignty, insomuch that he now gins to appear again in his wont posture for his declared Majesty, and vigorously doth he negotiate with the States for the restoring of him to his disjointed Throne. Sir Marmaduke Langdale hath declared likewise for his young Master's Interest, and since his leaving of the Venetian service (whose heroic Achievements in that honourable and Christian Warfare against the Turk, will remain as a memorable Trophy fo● all Christendom, and eternize his everlasting fame throughout all Ages; for with four and fifty thousand men, even in the space of seven hours, he totally routed two hundred & fifty thousand Turks, and killed and took prisoners above threescore thousand men, etc.) hath summoned in divers of the English Cavalry, and has man'd forth eight statlely ships that he brought with him from Venice. Prince Philip, brother to Prince Rupert, and fourth son to the most illustrious Princess the Qu. of Bohemia, is Vice-Admiral, and Sir William Page Rear-Admiral. They vaunt it out high, as if they were already Masters of the Sea, and seem to limit the bounds of the English, and give Law to the Ocean. Prince Rupert is coming to join with them, whose Highness presented 15 Propositions to the Queen of Sweden, inciting aid and assistance for his Cousin Charles; and divers have arrayed themselves, in obedience to Sovereignty. Lieutenant Col. Lilburn is very active, and great is the concourse of people towards him; he hath set forth a Declaration, touching the Liberty of the People, and the Freedom of Nations, which gives ample satisfaction to the States. The Dutch Fleet we understand have taken a gallant Merchant's ship of Hull, and two other ships coming from the Barbadoss; which are ●steem●d to be worth one hundred and fifty thousand pound. Amsterdam 18 December, 1652. The Results of the Presbyterian Assembly at York. ON the 15 of this instant December, a great dispute was held by divers Ministers in York Minster, where they insisted upon a very high Argument, to prove the true and visible monarchy of the Church, and after a clear demonstration, given in by Mr. Cotton, and some other Presbyterian Ministers, of the infallibility thereof; the said Mr. Cotton declared as followeth: Beloved, The Inundations of revived Heresies are so abounding amongst us, that they are even the Tares of the Devils own sowing in the Harvest of God, that it would rather become the work of Angels than men, to retrieve a real Church amongst so patched a people. Oh! there was a time when God said, Build me a house that my Name may dwell there for ever; but the Tyrants of the World have destroyed the Temple, to adore the Chapels of their own hearts; for that house is no longer thought worthy to be a house of prayer, but is become a den of thiefs; A witty Age, but a wicked world. For many there are, who decry down the Ministry, & the proprieties of the church. O but let us consider, when the Revenue of the Ministry is once taken off, what itinerant piece of Homily, will venture the merchandise of his labour for an uncertainty of bread? into what contempt and scandal would that glorious calling crumble into, when every Clodpate shall sit in Judgement, whether a Divine deserve his Sunday dinner? 'tis true indeed, such pitiful shreds of predication as the world may produce, may preach through plain song to the humour of the Vulgar, and the people perhaps delight to have it so: but yet let me tell you 'twill be a doleful Message, when judgements become their own Prophets, and the plagues of heaven find no fore runners of their horrid presence. O but these are times of revelation, and men are more familiar with the Deity then in the days of old! I grant indeed there is abundance of pretended intimacy with divine workings, else certainly the modern confidence were a strange presumption; but nevertheless (with submission to the supreme censure) the Widow would hardly have found her groat by putting out the candle; neither we in slighting the Ordinances of God, which are the ministerial means of our illumination, shall ever by the feel of our groping invention be able to direct our straying feet in the ways of Righteousness, under the ridiculous notion of prophetical inspiration. FINIS.