A Happy Handful, Statement 23
THE Declaration of the Gentry of the County of NOTTINGHAM.
And of the Town of Nottingham, preſented by way of Addreſs to his Excellency the Lord General MONCK, the 28. of February, With a Letter to his Excellency, and another to the Speaker of the PARLIAMENT.
WHat the people of this Land have ſuffered in their greateſt Concernments, both Religious and Civil, by the late Diſorders, and frequent change of Government, hath for a long time been the Argument of a general and ſad complaint both to God and Man: What the moſt publick ſenſe of the Nation is, as to the means of ſetling it in the poſſeſſion of its antient and native Liberties, is ſufficiently known by the ſeveral Declarations of ſo many Counties already preſented and publiſhed: What God in great mercy hath done by your Excellencies means, as his choſen Inſtrument, to revive our dying hopes, in plucking us as a brand out of the fire, and that with ſo gentle a hand, is the wonder and rejoycing of our ſouls.
In teſtimony therefore of our thankfulneſs to God, and our grateful ſenſe of your Excellencies moſt valiant and wiſe management of the Power he hath intruſted you with: As alſo to evidence as Fellow-members our concurrence and ſympath, with thoſe other parts of this great Body: We the Nobility Gentry, Miniſtry and Commonalty of the County of Nottingham, and of the County of the Town of Nottingham do Declare,
That as it is our Judgement that the Nation ought, ſo it is our earneſt deſire, and ſhall be our endeavour by the uſe of all lawful means that it may be free in its Members in Parliament, deputed from all parts, impowred by antient and undoubted right to elect, the beſt Expedient whereto, at preſent, we conceive to be either an admiſſion of the Members ſecluded in 1648. and a filling up of Vacancies by new Elections, or the ſpeedy calling of another Parliament with ſuch Qualifications as were then agreed on before there as a force upon the Houſe.
We alſo claim it with the reſt of the Nation as our uniqueſtionable right, That nothing be impoſed upon us by way of Tax, or otherwiſe, but by our conſents firſt given and declared in a Full and Free Parliament.
And now, conſidering how great things in proſecution of theſe juſt ends are already done for us, as we do in moſt humble manner bleſs and praiſe his glorious name that hath thus far anſwered our deſires, ſo we do moſt earneſtly beſeech him to perfect in his due time what is ſo happily begun, and in order thereto to bleſs and conduct your Excellency through all the remaining difficulties that may obſtruct our preſent neceſſary Settlement upon the true laſting foundation of our known Laws and Priviledges.
In the vindication whereof we beſeech your Excellency to be confident, not only of our beſt wiſhes and thanks, but alſo of our utmoſt aſſiſtance to the hazard of our lives and fortunes.
My Lord,
THis encloſed was intended to be preſented to your Excellencies before we had notice of your Excellencies happy removal of all Force, excluding Members from ſitting in Parliament wherein though our deſires are thereby granted, yet we cannot but addreſs the ſame to you, that it may appear what your Excellency hath done therein is according to our ſenſe and deſire, as well as thoſe of other Counties that have gone before us in time, though not in affection, and that we ſhall in our places and callings be ready to make good what we have publickly declared for, as the Parliament and your Excellency ſhall command us, and remain
Nottingham, Feb. 23. 1650. My Lord, your Excellencies moſt humble and faithful ſervants.
Mr. Speaker,
WE being deſirous amongſt other Counties to expreſs our thanks to the Lord General Monke, for his endeavours in our reſtitution to Peace and Settlement, and to manifeſt our adherence to him, and thoſe under his command, in the further proſecution of thoſe good ends mentioned in our Addreſs to him, after we had ſubſcribed and ordered theſe Gentlemen to wait upon him with the ſame, We received the joyful news, that all force was removed, and a free admiſſion given to all Members to ſit in Parliament, whereby our deſires are ſo far accompliſhed, that we might have acquieſſed therein, but only that we would not have our intentions and deſires, though obtained, buried in oblivion, We thought fit to preſent that Addreſs to the Lord General, and judge it our duties to expreſs our thankfulneſs to God for your re-admiſſion, and our readineſs in our places and callings, to aſſiſt you in what you have ſo happily begun, and humbly deſire that by your Authority our Militia may be ſo ſetled that we may be ſerviceable to your Commands, and capacitated to defend our ſelves againſt any diſcontented perſons that may upon this change endeavour a diſturbance of the publick Peace, or deny your Authority.
Nottingham, Feb. 23. 1659. Sir, Your humble and faithful ſervants.