A Happy Handful, Statement 22
THE DECLARATION OF THE Gentry, Clergy, and Commonalty of the County of ESSEX.
WEre it not that our former too unhappy Zeal (in Idolizing thoſe perſons who are now become, by far more oppreſſing than the Egyptian Task-maſters) at this time ſeconded with ſilence, would beſpeak us ſtupid and inſenſible; we needed not to repeat the Sighs and Groans of an Oppreſſed and almoſt Ruined Kingdome: But leſt a tacit ſilence ſhould render us complaint with Their Sacrilegious and Regicidious Proceedings, we are neceſſitated to declare our preſent Thoughts and future Reſolutions. We cannot look upon our preſent Rulers without caſting an Eye upon a Militant Church, and there we finde them converting a Houſe of Prayer into a Den of Thieves; an Orthodox, Learned and Reverend Clergy, by them reduced to the extremeſt want, under pretence of propagating the Goſpel; and thoſe (who are yet permitted to exerciſe their Eccleſiaſtical Function) treatned to be deprived of Gods Allowance, except in effect, they will forſake Him, and fall down to their Baal. We cannot look into our Cloathing Towns, but we behold Famine ready to aſſault them, the poor and diligent Labourer, for want of work, not able to buy him bread, ſo that thoſe, who before wrought with their hands at home, are now forced to wander abroad, and work with their tongues to beg life, whilſt we, who although willing, are hardly able (through the Oppreſſion which lyes upon us) to relieve them: And when we look upon the Inſtruments of theſe our Mieſries, and conſider their Perſons and Qualifications, we cannot finde one publick Spirit (not one wiſe man) among them; Their number is inconſiſtent with our Laws, and a large part of that ſmall number are reputed Relatives to Gaoles and Brothil-houſes: Perſons who outwardly profeſs God, but in their lives and actions utterly deny him, who through their moſt perfidious Treacheries, and reiterated Perjuries, have blaſted the honour of our Nation, and rendred our Religion contemptible to all our Enemies; Who (while they pretend to ſtrive for Religion and Liberties of the people) have no other Cauſe but Cains, thinking their Sins greater than can be forgiven; and therefore per fas, aut nefas, they endeavour to lay a foundation for their own Security, although in the Church and Kingdomes deſolation. Theſe Premiſes conſidered, we conceive our ſelves obliged, and therefore readily and unanimouſly we do declare, That with our Lives and Fortunes we will protect, abet, and aſſist all tho e worthy Remonſtrators of the moſt Renowned City of London, anſd the ſeveral Counties of this Kingdome, in the purſuance of their ſeveral Declarations for a Full and Free Parliament; which is the onelyonly means (under God) to bring us out of this miſerable Confuſion, in which at preſent we are plunged. And we further declare, That we will pay no Tax, or other Impoſition whatſoever, but by Authority from our Repreſentatives in a Full and Free Parliament: Into whoſe hands we ſhall commit our Lives and Fortunes, and into whoſe Reſults we will ever acquieſce.
Our eyes are up unto our God for Help, and thence our Hopes are fixed on General Monke, that God hath called him forth to be the Ʋmpier and Determiner of our Diviſions and Oppreſſions, by whom he will lead us through the Wilderneſs of our preſent Confuſion, and bring us to our deſired Canaan. In this Confidence we pray to God to Bleſs, Direct, and Keep Him.
Advertiſement.
THis our Declaration had came forth a week ſince, had not the Trappanning Diligence of an unworthy Member of our Country endeavoured the ſurprizal of it and us: Let not three hundred and thirty hands (an inconſiderable number for ſo great a County) beſpeak this Declaration forged, we being forced to do in one day the work we had cut out for ſeven; had we had time, we had brought ten thouſand hands, ſuch as upon a good occaſion, will bring hearts ſuitable to the merits of their Cauſe.