A DECLARATION OF THE COMMONS OF ENGLAND Assembled in PARLIAMENT, Expressing their REASONS FOR The Adnulling and Vacating of these ENSUING VOTES.  

15 Januarii, 1648.  
ORdered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, That this Declaration and Votes be forthwith printed and published.  
H: Scobel, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons, Jan. 18. 1648.   
A Declaration of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament, expressing the Reasons of these ensuing Resolutions: viz.  


Die Martis, 12 Decembr. 1648.  
Resolved, etc. THat the Vote of the 8 of June, 1648. for the Revoking of the Orders of the 7 of Sept. the 9 of Sept. and the 27 of Jan. 1647. for disabling Commissary Lionel Copley, Denzil Hollis Esq Sir John Clotworthy, Col: Edward Massey, Mr. Walter Long, and others, from being Members of this House, was of a dangerous consequence, and tending to the destruction of the Justice and Peace of this Kingdom, and is hereby Repealed.  
Resolved, etc. That the Vote of 30 Junii, 1648. whereby this House did concur with the Lords, that for opening a way towards a Treaty with his Majesty for a safe Peace, That the Votes of the 3 of January, 1647. Forbidding all Addresses to be made to or from the King, be taken off, was highly dishonourable to the proceed of Parliament, and apparently destructive to the good of the Kingdom.   

Die Mercurii, 13 Decembr. 1648.  
Whereas the 17 of August, 1648. this House did concur with the Lords, That for opening a way towards a Treaty with his Majesty for a safe and well-grounded Peace, these Votes following should be, and were revoked, and taken off (viz)  
1. Resolved, That the Lords and Commons do Declare, That they will make no further Addresses or Application to the King.  
2. Resolved, By the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That no Application or Address be made to the King, by any person whatsoever, without the leave of both Houses.  
3. Resolved, By the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the person or persons that shall make breach of this Order, shall incur the penalty of high Treafon.  
Resolved, That the Lords and Commons do Declare, That they will receive no more any Message from the King; and do enjoin, That no person whatsoever do presume to receive; or bring any Message from the King to both or either of the Houses of Parliament, or to any other person.  
Resolved, etc. That that Vote for Revocation of the said Votes, was highly dishonourable to the proceed of Parliament, and apparently destructive to the good of the Kingdom.  
Resolved, etc. That the Vote of 28 Julii, 1648. That a Treats be had in the Isle of Wight with the King in Person, by a Committee appointed by both Houses, upon the Propositions presented to him at Hampton-Court, was highly dishonourable to the proceed of Parliament, and apparently destructive to the good of the Kingdom.  
Resolved, etc. That the several Votes of 10 November, 1648. concerning the banishment of George Lord Goring, the Earl of Holland, the Lord Capel, Sir Henry Lingen, Henry Hastings Esq now called the Lord Loughbrough, Major General Rowland Laughorn, and Sir John Owen, are destructive to the Peace and quiet of the Kingdom, and derogatory to the Justice of the Kingdom, and are hereby revoked and made Null.  
Resolved, etc. That the Vote of the 10 of November, 1648. That James Earl of Cambridge be fined the sum of 100000 l. and that he be kept close Prisoner, until he make payment of the said fine, be and is hereby revoked, and he left to Justice.  
Resolved, etc. That the Vote of the 2 of August, 1648. That the Commissioners intended to be sent unto his Majesty to Treat with him, shall have power to Treat with his Majesty in the Isle of Wight, upon such Propositions as shall be offered by him, was destructive to the Peace of the Kingdom, and is hereby repealed and made Null and void.  
Resolved, etc. That the Vote of 5 Decembr. 1648. That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses, are a ground for the House to proceed upon for the settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom, is highly dishonourable to the Parliament, and destructive to the Peace of the Kingdom, and tending to the breach of the Public Faith of the Kingdom.    

The Declaration upon the precedent Votes.  
THe greatest service which a Parliament can do to a King, is to let Him understand the disorders of His, State, that by wisdom they may be amended: For as every disease ends, either by death or curing; so do disorders (which are the diseases of a State) either end with the Subversion of that State, or else by a Universal Reformation.  
Upon serious consideration whereof, and to exonerate the people of this Land from the sundry exorbitant Oppressions, daily multiplied upon them, which threatened the ruin of many private Families, and the public desolation of the Kingdom; We the Commons of England, in this present Parliament assembled, Having with much faithfulness and affection to the public Good of this Realm, laboured for these eight years last passed, with many great fears and dangers; undergone many difficulties and calamities, and suppressed many distempers and disorders, in opposition to a Malignant Party in this Kingdom; who would have unslaved the bodies and souls of the people of this Nation, by the bringing in of Popery, and seeing up of Tyranny: Both which we have so amply manifested to the whole world, in our former Declarations, as we judge it needless here again to repeat. Yet we cannot be so injurious to Truth, as not to remember how for the Redress of which Abuses, and for bringing the contrivers thereof to condign punishment, We did often make our just complaints to the King; First, by many humble Petitions, then by Remonstrances and Declarations: Which not taking any effect, but justice being still denied us, the main obstructions whereof did constantly flow from the King's immediate Design, Which divers ways will most evidently appear, if we do but call to remembrance, how he did not only require the English Army raised by his Command, in opposition of the Scots, to march up against the Parliament and the City of London, but practised with the same Scotish Army itself to do the same; offering to corrupt them, by the donation of the four Northern Counties, and the Plunder of the City of London. In the second place, how suddenly and unexpectedly he went into Scotland, notwithstanding our earnest Endeavours and Desires to the contrary. Thirdly, how he countenanced, if not contrived and authorized that horrid Rebellion in Ireland, wherein were murdered in the Province of Ulster only (not to speak of the rest of that Kindgdom) and that in the space of eight weeks only, above One hundred and forty thousand Protestants, by so many varieties of cruel deaths, as all the first ten Persecutions against the Primitive Christians could never parallel. And lastly, his withdrawing from the Parliament, and setting up of his Standard against it, The like never before practised by the worst of our Kings; by which means the Regal Power (which was intended for the Weal and Defence of the people) being hereby turned against them, rendering thereby Ireland (the purchase of our Ancestors) in apparent hazard of being utterly lost, our Trade by Sea and Land to be decayed, our Estates to be wasted, and some hundreds of thousands of our Nation slaughtered and massacred.  
We hereupon despairing of any good return of Justice from the King, did appeal unto the great God of Heaven and Earth for the same; who after four years' Wars, did give a clear and apparent sentence on our side, by delivering into our hands all the Castles, Towns, and Persons of our Opposites, even of the King himself, or forcing them to fly the Land, and in Foreign parts to remain as Exiles.  
And whereas it pleased God by these his mercies, to put us into such a condition of power, that if we did not make England the happiest Nation in the world; not only this present Age, but all Posterity would judge, that either we wanted wisdom to do it, or will to effect it. Yet here again we were encountered with unexpected difficulties, by the apparent defection of some of our own Members, who (not regarding the glory of God, nor good of the Commonwealth, but being carried away by base avarice, and wicked ambition) did labour the bringing in of the King again, with all his faults, without the least repentance or acknowledgement of his former Transgressions either against God, or his People.  
And having to that purpose by many subtleties of theirs, improved their Party amongst us, to a considerable number, they endeavoured to do that by fraud, which by open force of Arms our greatest Enemies had so often failed in.  
To which and, finding that nothing but the Army could obstruct their design, it whom they had observed more than a bare mercenary Spirit, as having by the extraordinary blessing of God finished the War in so short a time after their undertaking of it; Manifesting thereby, That their affections to the public, exceeded that of their particular employment, doing so much service in a few months for the Parliament, as if they had plotted to have made themselves uncapable of serving them any longer.  
Whereupon they first attempted, to send the greatest part of it into Ireland; the Scotish Army being at the same time possessed of the four Northern Counties, the Person of the King Himself being also in their power; the two Keys of this Kingdom, Barwick and Carlisle, in their hands; besides, the Town of Newcastle (being the main and most necessary support of London, and the Southern parts for firing) wholly at their devotion. All which signified nothing else, then that we should abandon those of our own Blood and Country (who had faithfully and religiously served us) to cast ourselves into the protection of a Foreign Nation, who had besides a Foreign Interest.  
But failing in this their first attempt, in the second place (after the going home of the Scots) they laboured to break this Army by Disbanding it, which otherwise (as they feared) would have broken their Designs.  
But that not succeeding, their next work was to raise the City of London in actual arms against it: Wherein being likewise disappointed of their expectations, some of them for the same being charged by us with High Treason, and other High Crimes and Misdemeanours; most of them so charged, having left the Land, and some others for the same being imprisoned: The King in the mean time showing no manner of contrition, or giving the least hopes of any good accommodation, after seven Addresses made unto him in vain.  
We thereupon judging it not fit, that the obstinacy of any one man (how great soever) should ruin so many thousand good people of this Kingdom, did Vote, no further Addresses to be made unto Him (as being a Person uncapable of any further Trust:) But did declare, That we would settle the present Government, in such a way, as might best stand with the Peace and Happiness of this Kingdom.  
And which we had long since (by God's assistance) happily effected; had not a Malignant Party amongst the Seamen, the like in the Counties of Essex, Surrey, Sussex, and the City of London; many of which have since been in actual Arms against us, by their pressing and urgent Petitioning of the Parliament for a Personal Treaty with the King at London, and to disband the Army; thereby diverted, and frustrated, our earnest and hearty desires.  
Which Petitions of theirs, though most of them delivered in a tumultuous manner; and all of them, in such a way, as if they were resolved to admit of no denial; yet were so countenanced by a disaffected number amongst us (who in all probability did correspond with them in their Engagements) as some of the Petitioners had thanks given them, after they had manifestly broken the Privileges of Parliament. Besides, the Matter being so repugnant to all Reason, that the granting of it, as the case than stood (Wales being in some measure revolted, the Scots hourly expected to come in, Kent and Essex in arms, and a very considerable part of the Navy abandoning of their Trust) had been at one stroke to undo all that ever God had done for the Parliament, and to render all his Mercies vain and fruitless.  
And that we might be the more diverted from settling the Peace of this distracted Kingdom, the said persons (taking advantage of the sundry engagements the Army was then employed about, and that at once, in divers remote parts of the Realm; and of the absence of sundry well-affected Members, acting in their several respective Counties, for the quenching of that flame, which these persons in all likelihood by their artifices had kindled, did by the subtlety of many terrifying Arguments, and threatening Petitions (making the world believe, as if there was an impossibility to settle the Peace of the Kingdom without the King) not only recall those Votes of Non Addresses to the King (made upon such and so many Reasons of great weight and high concernment for the good of the people, as unto the least of which they never gave any Answer) but did likewise recall such Members of this House, as stood charged (as aforesaid) with high Treason, and other high Crimes, without Answering or giving any satisfaction to the least part of their Charge.  
And notwithstanding that God by the setlement of Wales, the miraculous and speedy reducing of Kent, the defeat of the Earl of Holland, the containing of the major part of the City of London in their due obedience, the confusions arising in the Revolted Navy, the Rendering of Colchester; and lastly, the most incomparable Defeat of Duke Hamilton and his Army, did manifest to Earth, that Heaven was opposite and displeased with those their Counsels, and that once more God from above, had given sentence for the Parliament against the King.  
Yet these Members (as if they would resist the will of Heaven, and in despite of God himself, bring the King home with Honour, Safety and Freedom) did notwithstanding proceed to make such Propositions to the King at the Isle of Wight, for a safe and well-grounded Peace; as if they had been granted & kept (of which there was no probability) would but have returned the people again to their former slavery; forasmuch as by these Propositions neither this Parliament, nor any succeeding one, was put into a capacity of ever being able to make any good Laws, the King being still suffered to continue his Negative Vote, so long opposed, and so strongly Voted and Declared against by this Parliament, thereby leaving still in his power a check to any just Desire of the people.  
Which Personal Treaty thus carried on, without any one previous Proposition for the honour of the Treators, or security of the things treated for (both which were once thought necessary by those very men, who now gave way to this) as it could not choose but abundantly satisfy and delight the disaffected party of the Kingdom; so the good and honest minded people thereof (who had ventured their lives and fortunes with us in the common cause) did apprehend it with much horror, even trembling to consider, That whereas they expected a happy Peace should have been the price of their blood, and the reward of their labours, a peace thus concluded, would have proved but the beginning of their future miseries; and did not stick to complain, That hereby we had left them in a far worse estate, after all their Victories, then when they undertook the Wars with us in our lowest condition.  
Which we cannot condemn them for, when we remember withal, That this Treaty was entertained upon such Propositions, as the King himself also should make; which was formerly held to be so destructive to any well settled peace, as neither the Houses of Parliament, nor the Commissioners for the Kingdom of Scotland, did think it fitting to admit, when he was in his greatest height of power.  
Neither can we believe, That any Agreement we could have made with the King in the Isle of Wight (in the condition he was then in) would ever have been observed, either by himself, or any of his Party. For setting aside the bare name of Honour, Safety and Freedom, which the Treaty did pretend unto, neither the King, nor any of his, did ever hold him in any other condition then that of a Prisoner.  
For clearing whereof, besides that in His Message sent to both Houses, October 2. He proposeth to have liberty to come to Westminster, and to be restored to a condition of absolute Freedom and Safety; which can import no other, then that he judged himself at that present (being in the time of Treaty) to be deprived of both. And His Letters to a prime Magistrate of the City of London declare, That he held himself at that time as great a prisoner as ever. And the Prince in his Declaration made at Goree, says plainly, That the King in truth is still in prison; and invites the Earl of Warwick to join with him to rescue his Father from his unworthy imprisonment.  
And since enforced Oaths are (in many men's judgements) not necessary to be kept, what assurance could we have, That He (who so often had failed of his promises made to us, when he was free, and at his own disposal) would make that good to us, when he came to be reestablished in His Royal Power, which he had obliged himself to do, when he was in durance, and a prisoner.  
And since hardly any example can be produced, either Foreign, or Domestic, of any Prince once engaged in a War with His Subjects, that ever kept any Agreement which he made with them, longer than mere necessity did compel him thereto: The examples whereof to the contrary, are so many and so manifest; and the late bloody violation of the Peace betwixt the Crown of Spain, and those of Naples, is so fresh in our memories, as we cannot expect any Propositions agreed upon at the Isle of Wight, should bind the King more, than the Fundamental Laws, and Coronation Oath; besides, his often Protestations, and Engagements in the Name of a King, and of a Gentleman, which He hath so often violated.  
And if we had disbanded our Army, is there any thing more probable upon earth, then that the King would have raised another: Which if he should have done, and we not endeavoured to do the like, what were that neglect, but an apparent betraying of our Cause and Trust? Giving up that without a stroke, which we had acquired and made good by so many victories. And if we should have taken up Arms, what were it, but putting of the Realm again into a new Combustion? Wherein, whether God would bless us as before, since we made no better use of his former mercies, as it is only in his Divine Wisdom to determine, so it would be little humane providence or policy in us (if it be not a bold temptation of God) to put it any more to the trial.  
And notwithstanding, that it pleased God so to harden the King's heart, that he would not abolish Episcopacy, but only suspend it; and consented, that the Bishop's Lands should be let for a long term only, the old Rents being still reserved for their maintenance; whereas we had sold the said Lands outright, and the old Rents were all that many had bought of the Bishop's Estates; yet so willing were these men to comply with the King, as they were not only contented that the Buyers (who adventured upon the Public Faith of the Parliament) should be defrauded of their Bargains (some of them wholly, all of them in part) but that Episcopacy itself, which they had Covenanted to extirpate, should yet remain in the root; and a more than probable conjecture, that it might recover itself again.  
And whereas the King would not consent to the capital punishment of any one Delinquent (there being only one offered unto him, namely, David Jenkins (the rest being beyond the Seas, and out of our Power) yet contrary to their Covenant, and contrary to the main (if not only) end, of making this War (which was to bring Delinquents to condign punishment,) they did in this also acquiesce in the King's Answer.  
Which in plain terms was to decline the cause of the people, and to assert that of the Kings; betraying thereby our own Cause, and justifying His, making that good by this only action, which our greatest adversaries have ever constantly upbraided us withal; which was, That we had no Justice on our side, because we durst never bring any of them to judgement.  
Which Actions of theirs, being apparently contrary to all that which the Parliament had from the beginning of their troubles held out to the People, and which were the only Motives to induce them to undertake this War; So as by this means Episcopacy remaining still in the Root, wanting only a little warmth of fair weather, to make it bud forth again; and in the interim no care taken at all for the constant settlement of Religion: And on the other side, for want of justice upon the Capital Offenders, all good men discouraged, and even repenting that they had ever undertaken the Cause; which would have been by this Agreement so vilely and unequally stated, as if the King's party should be an hundred times beaten, they must be an hundred times indemnified: But on the other side, if the Parliaments Party should happen to be at the loss but once, all the godly people in the Land should have been destroyed for the present, and the very cause of Liberty and Religion itself endangered to be lost irrecoverably for the future.  
And whereas God having so eminently owned this Cause, that the Enemy could never prevail against it, either by open force of Arms, or any secret machination of their own devising: Hereby, through the treachery of some, unto whose Trust the defence thereof was committed, the Cause should not only at this time be utterly lost, but all Posterity for ever discouraged to take up Arms, or join with a Parliament again; Against whom if for the King any should get the Victory, all Honours, Profits, and worldly Felicities, would consequently offer themselves to be the reward of their labours; and if they should happen to be overcome, there would be no Tribunal on Earth, whereby to punish them, or call them to account for their Actions.  
Wherefore, unless we should deny the goodness of our Cause, which God hath adjudged on our side, by the gracious blessings of so many signal Victories; Unless we should betray our Friends, who have engaged with us upon our Votes of Non-Addresses, to the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes; Unless we should value this one Man, the King, above so many Millions of people, whom we represent; and prefer his Honour, Safety, and Freedom, before the Honour, Safety, and Freedom of the whole Nation; Unless we should scorn and contemn any Peace, which the great God of Heaven and Earth (our assured help in our greatest distresses) hath given us; and that we must rely only upon such a Peace, which the King (a mortal Man, and our implacable Enemy) shall allow us; Unless we should give ourselves up to the slaughter, and suffer our own Members to undermine the Parliament and the Kingdoms Cause; Unless we should stake All which we have, to the Kings Nothing, and Treat with him, who hath not any thing to give us; and after God hath put us in Possession of All, and more than we asked, than we must Treat with the King, whether we shall have it or no. Lastly, Unless we should value the blood of so many Innocents', and the Army of so many Martyrs, who have died in this Cause, less than the blood of a few guilty persons, by what Name or Title soever styled, We could do no less than repeal those Votes before specified, as being highly repugnant to the glory of God, greatly dishonourable to the proceed of Parliament, and apparently destructive to the good of this Kingdom.  
Yet we are resolved (by God's assistance) and that speedily, so to settle the Peace of the Kingdom by the authority of Parliament, in a more happy way, then can be expected from the best of Kings.  
FINIS.