A DECLARATION AND PROTESTATION OF THE Lords and Commons in Parliament to this Kingdom, and the whole World: Wherein( amongst divers of His Majesties late illegal proceedings) is discovered, how several Commissions under the Kings authority have been granted to many professed Papists( herein nominated) for places of command in this war with power to raise men and arms, which in sundry places they have performed.  
Also, how Sir John Hinderson and colonel Cockram were sent to Hamburgh and denmark, to raise Forces there, and in other foreign parts, to bring into this Kingdom With the names of some who have been proclaimed Rebels in Ireland, Now in great favour with his Majesty.  
For which and other reasons they are resolved to enter into a solemn oath and covenant with God to the utmost of their power, with the hazard of their lives and fortunes to defend the truth against the Kings popish Army, and all that shall join with them in the prosecution of this wicked design.  
Also, Two Orders of both houses of Parliament, The one for shuting up shops: the other for placing Courts of Guard, Posts, Bars, and chains, in all by-Lanes of several Parishes adjoining to this City.  

Die Sabbathi Octob. 22. 1642.  
ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That this Declaration shal be forthwith printed and published, and red in all Churches and chapels within the Kingdom of England, and Dominion of Wales, by the Parsons, Vicars, or curates of the same.  
J. Brown clear. Parliamentorum.   
London, Printed for I. Wright. Octob. 25. 1642.   

IT is this day ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That houses for Courts of Guard, and Posts, Bars, and chains, be forthwith erected and set up in such places and by-Lanes of the Parishes of St. Margarets Westminster, S. Martins in the fields( in the confines of Westminster) S. Clements Danes, S. Mary Savoy, S. Andrews holborn, S. Giles in the fields, Coven Garden, S. Iohn-street, S. james at Clarkenwell, S. Giles Cripplegate, Shorditch, Whitechappel, Islington, Mile-end, southwark, Lambeth, or any other place or places, as shall be thought necessary and convenient for the defence and safe guarding of the said Parishes, places, and by-Lanes, the charge thereof to be born by the inhabitants of the several Parishes aforesaid respectively, who shall be ranted and assessed by such persons respectively, as the Lord-Lieutenant of that County or any two of his Deputies shall nominate for that purpose. And if any shal refuse to contribute their proportion, then the said persons so to be name to rate and assess, shal certify the names of such refusers to the Lord-Lieutenant, or any two of his Deputies, who are to acquaint one or both Houses of Parliament therewith, that such further order may be taken therein as to them shall be thought most convenient; And that a competent number of the Trained-bands and Companies of Volunteere in and belonging to the said Parishes, shall day and night attend with their arms in or near the said Court of Gard; who shal have power and authority hereby to apprehended, seize and arrest all suspicious persons, Ammunition and arms, passing through the said Parishes, places, or by-Lanes, or any part of them, until either of the said Houses of Parliament be made acquainted therewith, and their pleasure be further known concerning the same; And the Captains and Officers of the Trained-bands and Volunteers. And the persons here under name are required to take care that the Premises be carefully performed accordingly, which persons are to be name by the Lord Lieutenant, or any two or more of his Deputy-Lievtenants.  
I Brown clear. Parliamentorum.   

Die Lunae, 24. Octob. 1642.  
IT is this day ordered by the Lords and Commons; That all people within the City of London and Westminster and the privilege places, liberties, and suburbs thereof, and in the Borough of Southwark, be required to shut up their shops, and forbear their Trades and other ordinary employments, that so they may with the greater diligence and freedom for the present attend the defence of the said places, and put in execution, and perform such commands for the defence and safety thereof, as they shal from time to time receive from both Houses of Parliament; the Committee for defence of the Kingdom, the Lord general, or the Lord mayor and Committee for the Militia.  
J. Brown clear. Parliamentorum.   

Die Sabbathi 22. Octob. 1642.  
WE the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in the presence of Almighty God, for the satisfaction of our own consciences, and discharge of that great trust which lies upon us, make this Protestation, and Declaration to this kingdom and Nation, and to the whole World, That no private passion or respect, no evil intention to His Majesties Person, no design to the prejudice of his just honor and authority engaged us to raise Forces, and take up arms against the Authors of this war wherewith the kingdom is now enflamed.  
And we have always desired from our hearts and souls, manifested in our actions and proceedings▪ and in several humble Petitions and Remonstrances to His Majesty professed our Loyalty, and Obedience to his crown, readiness and resolution to defend His person, and support His estate with our lives and fortunes, to the uttermost of our power.  
That we have been willing to pass by not onely those injuries, ignominies, slanders and false accusations, wherewith we have been privately oppressed and grieved, but likewise many public encroachments and high usurpations to the prejudice of Religion and Liberty, divers bloody traitorous and cruel practices and designs for the utter ruin and destruction of the Church and State, so as we might for the time to come have been secured from that wicked and mallignant party, those pernicious and traitorous Councells, who have been the authors and fomentors of the former mischiefs and present calamities, which have and still do distemper this Church and State.  
That for the same purpose, and for the avoiding of blood we directed the earl of Essex Lord General by himself or others, in some safe and honourable way to cause to be delivered an humble Petition, wherein we do desire nothing from His Majesty, but that he would return in peace to His Parliament, and by their faithful council and advice compose the distempers and confusions abounding in His kingdoms, as he is bound to do; we therein professing in the sight of Almighty God, which is the strongest Obligation and assurance that any Christian, and the most solemn public Faith, which any such State as a Parliament can give, that we would receive Him with all honour, yield Him all true Obedience and subjection, and faithfully endeavour to defend His Person and estate, from all danger, and to the uttermost of our power, to establish to Him and to His people, all the blessings of a glorious and happy reign, as it is more largely expressed in that Petition.  
For the delivery of which Petition his Excellency hath twice sent unto the King, humbly desiring a safe conduct for those who should be employed therein, but His Majesty refused to give any such safe conduct, or to receive this humble and dutiful Petition by any address from the earl of Essex, saying that if Justice had been done the Gentleman which brought the second message could not expect his liberty.  
By all which and many other evidences& inducements, we are fully convinced in our judgements and belief, that the Kings Councells, and Resolutions are so engaged to the popish party, for the suppression and extirpation of the true Religion, that all hopes of peace and protection are excluded, and that it is fully intended to give satisfaction to the Papists by alteration of Religion, and to the cavaliers and other Souldiers, by exposing the wealth of the good Subjects, especially of this City of London to be sacked plundered and spoiled by them.  
That for the better effecting hereof, great numbers of Papists have in show conformed themselves to the Protestant Religion by coming to the Church, receiving the Sacrament, and taking the oaths of allegiance, and supremacy which some of their own Priests have encouraged them to do, by maintaining that they might do all those things, and yet continue good catholics, under which cover His Majesty did at first begin to strengthen himself, those of that Religion being weak, and unable to endure the envy and discontent which the arming of the Papists would procure in the kingdom, and therefore endeavoured to keep off all jealousies and suspicions by many fearful Oaths and Imprecations, concerning his purpose of maintaining the Protestant Religion and the laws of the kingdom, causing some professed Papists to be discharged out of his Army, and none to be received that would not endure the test of coming to Church, receiving the Sacrament, and taking the oaths.  
That His Majesty being now grown stronger, and able as he conceives to make good His own ends by arms, His Confidence in the Papists doth more clearly appear; persons imprisoned for Priests and Jesuits have been released out of the goal of Lancaster, professed Papists have been invited to rise and take up arms, Commissions under His Majesties authority have been granted to many of them for places of command in this War, with power to raise men, and great numbers have been raised by them, and they daily increase, as namely to sir Nicholas Thornton, Sir Thomas Howard baronet, Sir Edward Widdington, Sir William Riddell, Mr. Smith of Ash, Master George Wray, Master Edward Grey of Morpeth-Castle, Master lancelot Errington of Dento, Master lancelot Holtby all of Northumberland, bishopric of Durham, and New castle, to Master Clifton, Master William Walton, Sir Willam Gerrard baronet, Sir Cicill Trafford, Mr. Anderson of Lostock in the County of Lancaster, and divers forces are raised and paid by the earl of Worcester and his son the Lord Herbert, and as we are informed by an express messenger sent from those parts, The said L. Herbert, a notorious Papist is made general of all South Wales; and we are further informed out of yorkshire, by divers persons of great worth and quality, that those that raise Forces in those parts for his Majesty doarme and employ papists, and use their advice in their consultations, All which is contrary to the solemn oaths, Protestations, and Execrations, whereby his Majesty bound himself to maintain the Protestant Religion, and the laws of the Land, By which he endeavoured to get a confidence in the people of his good intentions, which how well it is answered we leave the world to judge.  
That Sir I. Hinderson, and colonel Cokram men of ill report, both for religion and honesty, are sent to Hamburgh and denmark, as we are credibly informed, to raise forces there, and to bring them to Newcastle, and to join with the earl of Newcastle, and the Army of Papists which they intend to raise there; And that divers endeavours have been used in other foreign parts, to bring in strange forces into the Kingdom; That the King hath received about him divers papists of Ireland, some of which are indicted of high treason for their rebellion there, notoriously known to have been in actual rebellion; as namely, the Lord Taffe, Sir John Dungane, proclaimed a Rebel, colonel Fitzwilliams, Dr. Meara indicted for the rebellion in Ireland and fled for the same, and yet appointed physician to Prince Rupert; And that his Majesty hath sent for the petition of the Irish Rebels which the Justices had stopped, with evident expression of favour to them, whereby that Kingdom is like to become an unfit habitation of any Protestants, and a Seminary of War and treason against this Kingdom.  
That divers English Traytors, actors in the former designs against the kingdom and Parliament, are chief counsellors and actors in this unnatural war against his subjects, as the Lord Digby, o'neill, Wilmot, Pollard, Ashburnham and others.  
That we have been likewise credibly informed that divers Jesuits and Priests in foreign parts make great collections of money for relief of the papists in Ireland, and the furthering of his Majesties designs here against the Parliament, and that by them and some others fled out of this Kingdom for treason, great means are made to take up the differences betwixt some Princes of the Roman religion, that so they might unite their strength for the extirpation of the Protestant Religion, wherein principally this Kingdom and the Kingdom of Scotland are concerned, as making the greatest body of the reformed Religion in christendom, and best able to defend themselves, and succour other Churches.  
For all which reasons we are resolved to enter into a solemn oath and covenant with God, to give up ourselves, our lives, and fortunes into his hands; And that we will to the utmost of our power and judgement maintain his truth, and comform ourselves to his will, that we will defend this cause with the hazard of our lives against the Kings army, and against all that shal join with them in prosecution of this wicked design, according to the form to be agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, to be subscribed by our hands. And that we will for the same ends associate ourselves, and unite with all the well affencted in the City of London, and other parts of his Majesties Dominions.  
That we expect our brethren of Scotland, according to the act of Pacification, whereby the two kingdoms are mutually bound to suppress all debates and differences to the disturbance of the public peace, That they will help and assist us in defence of this cause; which if the Popish party prevail, must needs either involve them in that alteration of Religion which will be made here, or engage them in a war against this kingdom, to defend their own Religion and liberty. And we doubt not but the God of truth, and the great protector of his people will assist and enable us in this our just defence, to restrain the malice and fury of those that seek our ruin, and to secure the persons, estates, and liberties of all that join with us; And to procure and establish the safety of religion, and fruition of our laws and liberties, in this and all other his Majesties Dominions, which we do here again profess before the everliving God, to be the chief end of all our Counsels and resolutions, without any intention or desire to hurt or injure his Majesty, either in his person or just Power.  
FINIS.