A SHORT DECLARATION BY Colonel EDWARD massy, (one of the Imprisoned MEMBERS of the HOUSE OF COMMONS; Lately a Prisoner at S. James's-house, Westminster; under the Power of the Sword, in the hands of that Rebellious Army under the Command of the Lord FAIRFAX) For his Vindication.  
TOGETHER WITH HIS PROTESTATION AGAINST The Illegal and Tyrannical proceed of the said ARMY. January 19 An. Dom. 1648.  PSALM 37. ver. 32, & 33. 
The Wicked watcheth the Righteous, and seeketh to slay him.  
The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.  
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1649.   

A SHORT DECLARATION BY Colonel Edw. Massey, etc.  
COuld I have satisfied my thoughts in that Manifestation of my faithfulness and zeal to God's Cause, the King, Parliament, and Kingdom, which hath sufficiently been held forth, and witnessed as well by my former Actings, as late sufferings in, and for the same, I should gladly have rested therein content: And although to the late Aspersions cast jointly upon us the imprisoned and secluded Members of Parliament, by a paper Entitled An humble Answer of the General Council of Officers of the Army under His Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax, to the Honourable House of Commons, concerning the Imprisoned and sucluded Members, etc. We have jointly Answered, not doubting (if may pass the Press) but it will sufficiently satisfy all unbiased and indifferent Readers, and return those Scandals upon their own Heads, showing themselves to be the Traitors, Apostates, Self-seekers, corrupt Members, etc. which they would fain Charge upon us.  
And yet, because there lieth not only an obligation upon me in common, with those my Fellow-members. (as with them borne under one King of the same Nation, brought up in, and professing one and the same glorious Faith, called to the same trust in Parliament; further, tied by several Oaths of Allegiance, Supremacy, Protestation, and Solemn League and Covenant together in Conjunction and Brotherhood:) But further also, something as a Soldier, (before I was called to the Honour of being a Member of Parliament) wherein I may seem more concerned, as one that with his Sword hath openly, and before the face of the world Justified and Vindicated (according to what God enabled me) that, the best of Causes which the Parliament then Asserted, Declared for, and bound themselves by a solemn Oath and Covenant to follow and pursue.  
1. I shall therefore, first in that my undertaking, desire to clear and vindicate myself from any false aspersions which are, or may, by malice itself, be unjustly cast upon me, for the blasting of my Reputation.  
2. And next, I shall give my reasons of my freeing myself from the hands of my unjust Adversaries, and Gaolers.  
And being by God's great mercy and goodness at present from under their hands, I shall protest against both them, and all their adherents as Actors of violence, and as Unlawful, Disloyal, Covenant-breakers, and Perjured persons, if they shall persist in their treasonable Desinnes.  
In the beginning of these unhappy and sad differences between the KING and His Parliament, I beheld the Transactions, and read the several Declarations of them both, (with the best diligence and circumspection I was able;) And finding both Parties professing much the same thing, (as to the peace and welfare of the Church and Kingdom, (only differing in the way) I was not a little at a stand; but after a longer contest, and that the Royal Standard was set up at Nottingham, And finding that the Parliament in their several Addresses to His Majesty, still continuing their former Professions of duty to Him, etc. According to their former Protestation, and many Declarations, that they never intended, either co alter the Fundamental Government of the Kingdom, by King, Lords, and Commons, etc. But that their taking up the Sword was only for the Defending of His Majesty's Person and Authority, for the removal of the evil Counsellors, that so His Throne might be established in Righteousness, and for the bringing of His Majesty to the Parliament, and to make Him a glorious King, and the like. As also for the Defence of our Religion, and settling a happy Reformation in the Church (which by some Superstitious Bishops had received some blemishes in their Discipline, not becoming the purity and simplicity of the Gospel:) The bringing Delinquents to condign Punishment, and lastly (amongst many others) the preservation of themselves, and Privileges of Parliament from Ruin and Destruction, of that Sword threatened against them for doing of their duty in the performance of the Kingdoms Trust, etc.  
Upon these Grounds, considering that it was possible for His Majesty by some about Him (who only aimed at their own Advantage and Design) to be misled, and drawn aside, to the danger of the Kingdom, and His own prejudice, which he might not foresee, much less intent.  
And next, looking upon the Parliament, the King's Greatest Council, the Collective body, and trusties of the People, and by His Majesties own free Act confirmed to be a Parliament of Power, and so their Ordinances made Authentic and of Force, notwithstanding the denial of His Majesty's presence, being both knowing men and Religious, I supposed they would not possibly be so mad or wretched, as not to see the things they prosecuted first, to be Just; and next, the way thereunto to be warrantable and lawful, supposing none of them could have any thought or aim beyond the Public good (which is the best Good) especially having so largely declared to the world, they intended nothing beyond what they had professed to His Majesty (as before) I was (with divers other faithful Gentlemen) induced to receive a Commission, as Lieutenant Colonel, to the Right Honourable the Earl of Stamford, under the Hand and Seal of His Excellency the Earl of Essex, (ever of beloved and renowned Memory) in which was specified the ground of my taking up Arms, to be for the Defence of the true Protestant Religion, the safety of His Majesty's Person, and of the Parliament, the Preservation of the Laws, Liberties, and peace of the Kingdom, and the Protection of His Majesty's Subjects, from violence and oppression, etc.  
In which, and according to the Tenor of which, I served in the sincerity of my heart, without any Equivocation, or further Intentions, according to that little skill God had endued me with, how faithfully, and to how much advantage to them, and their Cause, in the midst of all discouragements; the Parliament and Kingdom cannot be ignorant; and how little personal advantage I have made by the said service (more than that content I have had in myself and Conscience, making it my delight to do, and perform my Trust to the Parliament and Kingdom) I do not appeal to those Officers and Soldiers that served with me, as also those Parts and Countries wherein I most served, and through which I Marched: And therefore need not despair to hope that when God in mercy shall please to settle the Kingdom in Peace, I shall find from the Parliament and Kingdom that Justice, in their care for the paying unto me my Arrears (which is great) which they have not denied to divers, whose faithfulness or services have not spoken louder for them, than mine have done for me; Nor whose expenses for the advantage of their service came in competition with mine, which those Votes and promises of 1000 l. per an. (not yet performed unto me) put me upon. And now having thus faithfully served the Parl. & Kingdom, finding myself for the same (only) rewarded with a Prison, my complaint of the same is the more; For I dare appeal to the very Hearts and Consciences of my greatest enemies. (who falsely lay upon me the enjoying of Sir Ioh: Winter's Estate, which he himself enjoyeth by their special favour, and for their particular service) either now sitting in the House of Commons, or in the General Council of the Army, (as they create, and so style themselves) or any other: That they have nothing either worthy of Restraint, or bones to lay to my charge, only their own sinful fears, which to their own souls they have contracted by their own horrid Apostasy, from all their former professions of Zeal to God's Glory and Church, of Honour and Safety to the King, and His Posteriiy, and of faithfulness and Obedience to the Parliament, and in them to the whole Kingdom for their peace and welfare. And therein, and in order to their further Designs, (by blood and cruelty) to overturn all the foundations of Government, both in Church and State; And to enslave the Kingdom, by bringing it under their Vassellage and iron Yoke; the satisfying of their own Lusts, Covetousness, Pride, and Ambition.  
These are the true Grounds of their Imprisoning myself, with the other faithful Gentlemen, my Fellow-members, who have ever stood firm to our first Principals, and hated to join hands with them in their such horrid and Treasonable Designs, and Actings against either the King's Person, the Parliament, the Constitutions and Laws of the Kingdom, or the welfare of the People: All which, by divers Oaths, and our Covenant, we are sworn to Preserve and Maintain.  
And now they seeing that myself could not be brought (by God's mercy to me) unto any compliance with them in their sinful ways, by all their temptations and allurements; but on the contrary, found my expressions and resolutions to oppose them therein, according to my duty and trust, (which God enabling me, I shall ever do) They, for the expression of their malice, as well as the manifestation of their fears, most injustly and illegally secured my Person (with divers other Gentlemen) and made me a Prisoner to their treacherous and tyrannical Sword: In the mean time, aspersing me with all manner of scandals, lies, and false reports of their own forging, That so the unknowing credulous, might be surprised by them, in giving credit to something thereof, (at which such as know me would laugh to scorn at the reporting) posting me from place to place, and from Prison to Prison, detaining me full 6 Weeks without assigning or showing Cause thereof, or laying any particular Crime to my particular Charge, against their own sentence and Maxim (as a matter of great injustice to others (of their Faction, though Legally Imprisoned) to be detained Prisoner above 48 hours, without giving in a particular Charge against them; so that I having been kept so long, and saw that my Imprisonment was only by a forceable hand, and no legality in it (as at our Protest given in at the Kings-head in the Strand it was confessed by Marshal General Lawrance; and since also confessed by the General Council of the Army in their humble Answer to the House of Commons before cited. And that I could expect no Legal trial or Justice no more than he that's fallen into the hands of Thiefs and Murderers, (the Case being the same, or worse) as also upon good consideration had of the little advantage my stay would be, and what advantage by God's mercy my freedom (from those hands of violence) might prove to a future justifying not only of myself, but of all the rest of the injuriously imprisoned Members, and our joint Cause: I supposed, seeing the Almighty opened a door for my delivery, it had been a denying of his mercies to me, and a tempting of the Lord to have given me over to the lusts and malice of those mine, and the Kingdom's Enemies; and therefore, by God's leave, I gave myself a Habeas Corpus to enjoy as much of that freedom that was my own, as that it should please God to give me for the good and advantage of his Cause & People; which Covenant-breakers, and Perjurers, have so vilified and trodden under feet: And notwithstanding my freedom taken, yet do I hereby profess, that if at any time, I shall by a Legal Authority be Called to Answer any thing that may be laid to my Charge, I shall willingly and readily do the same, as well for the Vindication of myself, as the satisfaction of all men whatsoever; although I, and all honest men must protest against that Jurisdiction this Army hath usurped to themselves, as not only Illegal, but Tyrannical, and Treacherous; as also against that part of the House of Commons, now sitting under the Power of the Sword; as no House, nor competent Judges over myself, or any other Member of Parliament or other, until the Houses be freed from all violence and force, and all the Members be restored.  
And lastly, since above all brands of Infamy, the name of Hypocrites, and Traitor, striketh and woundeth deepest at the heart of any Person, if but under a common or civil capacity, much more such as are truly Englishmen and Christians, and fare more yet, of such as not only have made profession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but sworn, and Covenanted to maintain the same, the glory thereof; That I may clear myself before men (as I hope I have approved myself to God, I do in his presence, who is the searcher of all hearts, in all humility make this following Profession and Protestation:  

That I never intended (in all the services I have done for the Parliament and Kingdom, either as a Soldier in the field, or as a Member of the House of Commons) the least evil towards His Majesty's Royal Person King CHARLES my undoubted Legal King and Sovereign, or to His Royal Issue, or Posterity, His Crown or Dignity; but engaged in the Parliaments service with a clear intention and sincere heart according to the Parliaments Protestations, Declarations, Solemn League and Covenant, for the good of the KING and His Posterity, the Parliament and their Privileges, the Establishment of the Laws of the Land, and this poor distressed and oppressed Kingdom, for its peace and welfare.  
And therefore I shall add this following Protestation, That I take that violence offered to the KING'S Majesty's Person, to the Houses of Parliament and their Members, and to the Laws of the Kingdom, by the Army under the Command of Thomas Lord Fairfax; to be a most damnable and treasonable Act, and contrary to that faith they have sworn to God, or trust reposed in them by the Parliament and Kingdom: And do hereby further protest, being induced hereunto by no other motive or argument, than for the satisfying of my own Conscience, and in duty to GOD, the KING, Parliament, and Kingdom, not through any the least thought of personal Revenge for any injustice I (in my particular) have suffered at their hands; for, God that knows my heart, knoweth that I bear not unto the Person of any one amongst them, the least malice, but gladly shall pass by any injury they have done unto my particular Person or honour: But to testify my Abhorrency to their ways of sin and violence, as thereby they make themselves Enemies to God and his Church, and truly wish and pray for them, that yet they may look back and Repent, that so they may obtain mercy and pardon from God, and not that they, by their going on in the same, be punished and followed with divine vengeance, which is the portion of all the Contemners of his word, etc.  
Lastly, that if the said Army, The General Council of the Army (as they call themselves) or any other Rank or quality of men of what sort soever their Assistants, shall design, act, or do any thing further against the KING'S Majesty's Person, or Office, or against any of those other ends we are obliged (according to the tenor of our Engagements by our several Oaths of Allegiance, Supremacy, Protestation, and Solemn League and Covenant) to maintain; or shall endeavour to introduce any New form of Government, contrary to our Laws and former Constitutions of the Land (which every faithful Subject is with his life and fortune bound to maintain) I shall not only look upon them, and repute them the most vile and perjured Traitors in the world (as by whom both our Nation, and Religion, is become not only a hissing to all our Neighbour Nations round about, but our very Religion made to stink in the nostrils of the very Adversaries of the truth of God, by their hypocrisy; and to cause all the Reformed Churches in the whole world to cover their faces with shame on our behalves) But also to my last breath with what strength God shall ever put into my hand (his Grace enabling me) use it for bringing of them and their Adherents, as Traitors, to all exemplary and condign punishment: and I doubt not but God will stir up the hearts of all faithful Patriots, who are tied by any of the aforesaid Oaths, or otherways, to resolve as one man with hearts and hands to pursue the like resolutions to God's glory, his Church and Peoples good, and this poor Kingdom's happiness.    

POSTSCRIPT.  
THat this DECLARATION wrote with my own Hand may pass the Press, is my desire and hopes, though neither my opportunity or time would permit me to see it Corrected or Printed.  
EDW: massy.  
FINIS.