THE DECLARATION Of the Right honourable, RALPH LORD HOPTON, lieutenant general of all His majesty's Forces designed for the West of ENGLAND. TO All His majesty's loving SUBJECTS Inhabiting in the several Counties of Cornwall, Devonshire, Summerset, Wilts, Bristol, Bath and Wells, and the Counties adjacent. From Plymouth, May. 20, 1650.  
Printed in the Year. 1650.   

THE DECLARATION Of the Right honourable, RALPH LORD HOPTON, lieutenant general of all His majesty's Forces designed for the West of ENGLAND.  
GENTLEMEN,  
WHen I consider (but not without astonishment) with what Serpentine Policy, simulated Piety, sly delusions, grand Impostorisms, and palpable jugglings the rebels have cloaked over their unparalleled Treasons, casting before you the sweet delicious baits of Reformation, Liberty, Freedom, &c. till they have smote a hook through your jaws, entangled you in their nets, and new-chained you to perpetual bondage, more than kinging it over your Lives, laws and Estates, I cannot only grieve, but much pity the deplorable condition your two much credulity, and greedy listening after these State-Syrens hath betrayed you unto.  
I hope (after all this time) when you are so feelingly sensible of the heavy pressures that lie upon you; I need not seek to unblind you; nor discover unto you by what nefarious, wicked, and desperate designs they have prosecuted the very quintiscense of all Impiety, and skrewed themselves up to the height of all wickedness.  
As under a specious Pretence of Reforming ●●ligion, they have quite Abolished the same, killed, plundered and imprisoned, sequestered and outed the most zealous Professors thereof; and taken to themselves the Maintenance belonging thereto, altogether disheartening not only the Professors, but all true Lovers, Cherishers and Maintainers thereof.  
When they Covenanted and swore to maintain the King's majesty's Person, they not only shot Bullets of Iron and Lead in his face, but laid violent hands thereon, and barbarously and inhumanly murdered Him, even before the gate of H●s own R●yall Manor, contrary to Christian Religion, the laws of God, Nature, Reason, or any former warrantable precedent whatsoev●r.  
Neither did their Malice anchor here, but they have above all thought of wickedness dissinherited his right heir (now our most gracious King Charles the Second) against their former Oaths, keeping Him from his Birthright, and lawf●ll Inheritance, and ●ll that hopeful and kingly Progi●y by these Miscreants d●barred from possessing their Hereditary Revenues, and having ●●olished Kingly Government have usurped all Power to themselves, and shared their Princely Revenues amongst themselves and their Confederates, exposed those royal Branches to the mercy of Strangers, which none but the veriest Miscreants Nature ever yet produced, but would have shamed to do.  
Neith●r hath their arrogance stopped here, but their blushless Ambition hath elevated them to that pitch of Pride, th●t they have set themselves down in his own Princely Throne, where they more than king it over their fellow subjects, tyrannising over them more than ever King of England did before or since the Conquest; and not only over pa●t, but over all His M●iesties Kingdoms.  
Y●t h●ve they persuaded the too credulous People into an expectation of their maintaining the Laws of the Land and the Liberty of the Subject, whilst they perfidiously have deprived them of both, in murd●ring some, and Plundering ●thers, till at last they had involv●d all in more than Egyptian slavery to the Arbitrary Wills, and lawl●sse swords of a merciless gener●tion of atheists, Sectaries, and desperate rebels; that fear no God, nor acknowl●dge no King.  
What they have done under colour of maintaining the privilege of Parliament, I know you cannot be ●gnot●nt; but must acknowl●dge, that they have apparently and vilely against all Faith, Covenants, Oaths, Attestations, made before G●d and his Angels, violated the s●me, by murd●ring the king, Den●ing the House of Lords to sit, ●nd by p●uc●ing divers of their own Members out of the House, and Imprisoning them, ●ill the remainder of their Desp●r●te R●bells in the remnant of their J●ncto had Voted and Unvoted the pleasures of the Grand●es, or Leading Reb●lls of th●Faction; All these are so undeniable Truths, that they are able to si●●nce the most brazen-faced Impostor of them all, even Cromwell hims●●f.  
Under such like specious Pretences, and flowe●s of Pretend●d●d Reformation have these pestiferous Snakes (or rather S●●ak●) hid their poisonous stings, yet have so bewitchingly charmed the deluded People (by the Name and power of Parliament, though th●y retain nothing of the t●ue essence, but the mere App●llation thereof) to become their Slaves and V●ssalls: by which fallacious Jugglings, prosecuted by Cromwell and such d●sperate rebels, have they Reformed Three flourishing kingdoms into Three Languishing and distracted Nations, and have raised a Factious and brorken crew of mechanics, men of wicked lives, evil manners, and very desperate Principles to bear sw●y over you, calling themselves a Parliament, a counsel of State; a High Court of Justice, &c. when ind●ed they appear at best but woolves in Lions skins, an● those that have wad●d so far in Rebellious courses, that they cannot return; and therefore (as the devil drives them) must on, though to their own Destruction.  
countrymen, I hope you retain still the hearts and Courage of true-bred English, that had rather bow to the Head, the worship the h●●l, yield obedience to one King, than many Tyrants.  
His most gracious Majesty, out of a tender and Fatherly affection to all his good People and Subjects of His kingdom of England, is not only willing, and ready to pardon, and grant an Act of Oblivion to all and every one (excepting such who shall be found guilty of that most horrible murder committed on the sacred Person of his Dear Father) that upon sight or knowledge of this my Declaration, do immediately, at the appoach of his majesty's Army into any of their Counties, abandon those wicked Parricides, and rise, and join with me, and those Forces already raised, (by Commission from his Majesty) for this so necessary service;  
His majesty promiseth, by the word of a King (which He hopeth all true subjects will believe) that so soon as God shall enable him to recover his Rights, that he will summon a Parliament, by which he will ratify and confirm what ever hath been done formerly by his Royal Father, and free Parliaments, or what ever else shall be Judged necessary for the well-being of his People, and establishing this Kingdom on the true and lasting foundation of a long and happy Peace; assuring you, that nothing under heaven shall be more pleasing unto Him than the Prosperity of his subjects, in as full an assurance of the enjoyments of their laws, Liberties, Freedoms, and birthrights, as ever were granted by any of his Predecessors to this day.  
Neither doth His majesty require or demand of any of his good subjects, but that they (abandoning rebels return to that dutiful obedience, for which they have Warrant from God's holy Word; and assist Him in their faithful service, not only to free themselves from the yoke of slavery, but assist him in bringing to Justice those most horrid murderers of his Royal Father, to re-establish him in his just right of Government, to vindicate the privilege of Parliament, and so by God's blessing, bring Peace and righteousness to kiss each other; so that by it both Prince and People may be made alike happy; and this lately Famous island wash off those deep died stains of blood in the Fountains of affection to each other; knowing that he that commanded us not to kill, commanded us to love one another, not to heap burdens, but to bear one another's burdens.  
Wherefore (Dear countrymen) if there yet remains any spark of Loyalty, any sense of duty to God, obedience to your King, affection to your Country, love to your Friends, pity to your Wives, Children, or Houses, or to your own souls, shake off this servile yoke of base Tyranny; and see what a happy exchange it will be, when in stead of the sword, oppression and Violence of every rebel or Rakeshame, you are Governed by a hopeful, Just, and prudent Prince.  
I have hitherto found both your Love and Valour firm to God, your King and Country; and am persuaded in so little time I cannot lose the principal, because I have not desired the Interest; but since Time hath ripened His majesty's occasions to maturity, I am persuaded you will deny neither, but undauntedly draw your swords with me to revenge the horrible and execrable murder of your King, redeem your Nation from infamy, and yourselves from slavery, restore your King, and make yourselves famous to all posterity.  
Therefore (Countrymen) I desire you, not only as Christians, but fellow-soldiers, subjects, Brethren and Friends (at the approach of the Army committed to my charge, and designed for the West of England) to join yourselves with us, in His majesty's service, which is so necessary, and full of all Conscience, Duty, honour, and all other just Interests.  
And for myself, or the Army under my Conduct, I do promise by the word of a soldier, that to the utmost of my power, I will use all fair means possible for reducement of these Western Counties to his majesty's Obedience, without any spoil, forage, Fyring of Houses, Plunder or the like, or uncivil or unchristian dealing with any; and when engaged, not to shed more blood than what I shall be necessitated to do for preservation of myself, and those committed to my charge.  
Therefore let none who shall engage with me, fear or apprehend any dangers that may ensue so much as abhor the present evils under which you groan; no parallel being found either in Sacred Writ, or Modern History, of any People besides yourselves, so free as you under a late gracious King, and so soon enslaved, vassallaged, and brought to so vile and unjust servitude and Oppressions, laid on you by the worst of men.  
Therefore (Gentlemen) for the better encouragement of all you that shall any ways suffer, or be damnified in aiding o● assisting us in the o●pposition, suppressing, or subduing of these execrable rebels; I do by His majesty's special command Declare.  
That so soon as God shall restore His majesty to his Rights, all such losses, or sufferings (of any that shall be aiding or assisting unto us in His majesty's service shall be taken into special consideration, and repaired out of the Estates of those in actual Rebellion against His majesty; and their so acceptable Service be rewarded, according as they shall be found to deserve; And likewise have safe Protection for themselves and Families, and safe conduct for any their shipping from any sea-Port-Town that shall be brought to yield Obedience to His Majesty, to what coast they shall desire.  
And in this my so Just, reasonable and Pious request, and dutiful undertakings for His sacred majesty, and the good of my Country in general; I hope not only to be backed with the Blessing of God, but the aid and assistance of all honest men; which is the desire of  
Your Affectionate Friend, and Servant. HOPTON.  
FINIS.