THE DECLARATION OF THE Rebels in Scotland;  
IT is not unknown to a great part of the world how happy the Church of Scotland was whilst she enjoyed the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in Purity and Power, of the which we have been deplorably deprived by the Re-establishment of Prelacy; so it is evident not only to impartial persons, but professed Enemies, with what unparallelled Patience and Constancy the People of God have Endured all Cruelties, Injustice and Oppression, that the Wit or Malice of Prelates and Malignants could Invent or Exercise.  
And being most unwilling to any thing which might import Opposition to lawful Authority, or Engage the Kingdom in War, although we have been a long time groaning under the overturning of the work of Reformation, Corruption of Doctrine, slighting of Worship, despising of Ordinances, and the Changing of the Ancient Church-Discipline and Government, thrusting our so many of our Faithful Ministers from their Charge, Confining, straightly Imprisoning, Exiling, yea and putting to Death many of them; and introducing upon their Flocks a company of insufficient and scandalous persons.  
And Fining, Confining, Imprisoning, Torturing, Tormenting, and Scourging, Stigmatising Poor people, Plundering their Goods, and Quartering upon them Rude Soldiers, Selling of their Persons to foreign Plantations, horning, and intercommoning many, whereby great Numbers in divers Corners of the Land were forced to leave their Dwellings, Wives, Children and Relations, and made to wander as Pilgrims in hazard of their Lives, none daring to reset (or receive them) harbo●● o● supply them (though Starving) or so much as speak to them for fear of the same Punishments.  
And these things acted under colour of Law and in Effect tending to Banish not only all sense of Religion, but also to extinguish all Natural Affection, even among persons of the nearest Relations; and likewise groaning under the Intolerable Yoke of Oppression in all our Civil Interests, ou● Bodies, Lib●r●es and Estates; so ●hat a●●●●a●● n●● of Outrages have ●een most Arbitrarily Exercised upon us through a Tract of divers Years bypast, particularly in the Year 1678. by sending against us an Armed Host of barbarous Savages, contrary to all Law and Humanity; and by laying on us several Impositions and Taxes as formerly, so, of late by a meeting of prelimited and overawed Members in a Convention of Estates in July 1678. for Keeping up of 〈◊〉 ●●me● For●e entrusted as to a great part of 〈◊〉 in ●●e hands of Avowed Papists, or Favourers of them, by whom sundry Invasions have been made upon us, and most Exorbitant Abuses, with incredible insolences committed against.  
And we being continually sought after, 〈…〉 for Diviner Worship Ministers and 〈…〉 Apprehended, and most rigorously 〈…〉 and so being 〈…〉 Attend the Lords Ordinances in the Field even in the 〈…〉 place, 〈◊〉 there often hunted out to the Effusion of 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 many of us▪ so that we were inevitably 〈…〉 either 〈…〉 selves by Arms at these Meetings, or be altogether deprived of the Gospel Preached by Christ's Faithful Ministers, 〈…〉 slaves.  
And at one of whese Meeting 〈◊〉 on the first of 〈…〉 being the Lords Day, Captain Graham of Clangours being▪ Warranted 〈◊〉 late Proclamation to Kill whomsoever he ●ound in A●●os at Field Conventicles, did furiously Assault the People Asse●●ble● and 〈…〉 provoke did ●●●elly bind like▪ Beasts, a Minister, 〈…〉 other People whom he did that very Morning find 〈…〉.  
And several being killed on both sides, and they knowing 〈…〉 that by their Law, if apprehended, they behoved 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 to their own defence and continued together, and there after ●●ny of our Friends and Country 〈◊〉 being under the same 〈◊〉 and expecting the same measure, did freely offer their Assis●●●●.  
We therefore being inevitably and of absolute Necessity forced to take this last Remedy, the Magistrates, having shut the Door by a Law against any Application; That whatsoever, our Grievances either in Civil or Sacred Matters be, we had not the priviled●● of a Supplicant or Petitioner.  
Do judge ourselves bound to declaim that these, with many other horrid grievances in Church and State, which we purpose to manifest more fully hereafter, are the true Causes of this our Lawful and Innocent Self defence.  
And we do most solemnly in the Presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of Hearts, declare, that the true Reasons of our continuing in Arms, are candidly and sincerely these.  
First, The Defending and Securing the true Protestant Religion, and Presbyterial Government founded on the Word of God, and summarily comprehended in our Confession of Faith, and Catechisms, and established by the Laws of this Land, to which the King, Nobles and People, are solemnly engaged in our National and Solemn League and Covenant.  
And more particularly, the defending and maintaining the kingly Authority of our Lord Jesus Christ over his Church, against all sinful supremacy deregatory thereto, and encroaching thereupon.  
Secondly, The preserving and defending the King's Majesty's Person and Authority in preservation and defence of the true Religion of the Kingdom, that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our loyalty that we have no thoughts nor intentions to diminish his just power and greatness.  
Thirdly, The obtaining of a free and unlimited Parliament and a free General Assembly in order to the redressing the aforesaid Grievances for preventing the Eminent Danger of Popery and Extirpating Prelacy.  
This therefore being the Cause we do appear for, and do Resolve in Gods great name to own, hereby homologating or assenting to all the Testimonies, of all the Faithful sufferers for truth in Scotland these Eighteen Years bygone.  
We humbly request the King's Majesty would be pleased to restore all things as he found them, when God brought him home to his Crown and Kingdoms, and if that cannot be obtained than we hearty and humbly Invite, Entreat, Beseech and Obtest in the Bowels of Jesus Christ All who are under the same Bonds with us to Concur in the defence of this Common Cause and Interest, and that they would not stand still and see, not only us oppressed, the foresaid Cause Ruined, Adversaries highly and proudly insult against God, and all good men. Friends of the Truth discouraged, yea the Protestant Religion in Britain and Ireland, destroyed; but even themselves within a little while made a Prey of, or else force when we are broken, (which the good Lord prevent) dreadfully to wrong their own Conscience.  
Finally because we desire no man's hurt or blood, we request our Country men now the standing Forces of the Kingdom, some of them being our Friends and Kinsmen not to fight against us least in so doing they be found fight against God, whose Cause and Quarrel we are sure he will own and signally Countenance, seeing we fight under his Banner who is the Lord of Hosts.  
FINIS.