A Happy Handful, Statement 30
A DECLARATION OF THE NOBILITY and GENTRY that adhered to the late KING, in and about the City of LONDON.
AFter the miſeries of a Civil War, and the many vain and fruitleſs Attempts toward Settlement upon ſeveral Intereſts and Imaginary Forms of Government, It having pleaſed Almighty God by unexpected and wonderful meanes to give theſe Nations a Probable hope of being reſtored to thoſe Lawes and Priviledges which have been tranſmitted to them from their Anceſtors.
We doe Declare, That we think our ſelves obliged, next to Divine Providence to attribute this Glorious Work to his Excellency the Lord General MONCK, who as he had the Courage to aſſert the Publick Liberty, And the Prudence to carry it on againſt ſo many difficulties, has alſo had the happineſſe to lead us thus far through the Wilderneſs of Confuſion, without Paſſing the Red Sea of Blood.
And becauſe the Enemies of the Publick Peace have endeavoured to repreſent thoſe of the KING'S Party as men implacable, and ſuch as would ſacrifice the common Good as their private Paſſions. We doe ſincerely profeſs that we doe reflect upon our paſt Sufferings from the hand of God, and therefore doe not cheriſh any violent Thoughts or Inclinations to have been any way Inſtrumental in them; And if the indiſcretion of any Spirited Perſons tranſports them to Expreſſions contrary to this our Senſe, we utterly diſclaim them, And deſire that the imputation may extend no farther than the folly of the offenders.
And we farther declare, that we intend by our Quiet and Peaceable behaviour to teſtifie our Submiſſion to the preſent Power, as it now reſides in the Council of State in expectation of the Future Parliament, upon whoſe Wiſedome and Determinations, we truſt God will give ſuch a Bleſſing, as may produce a perfect Settlement both in Church and State.
And as his Excellency hath not choſen the Sandy Foundation of Self-concernment, but the firm Rock of National Intereſt, whereon to frame our Settlement: It is our Hope and Prayer that when the Building comes to be raiſed, it may not like Rome have its beginning in the Blood of Brethren, nor like Babel be interrupted by the Confuſion of Tongues. but that we may all ſpeak one Language, and be of one name, That all mention of Parties and Factions, and all Rancour and Animoſities may be thrown in and buried like rubbiſh under the Foundation.
Subſcribed by
The Marquiſs of Dorcheſter
The Earl of Northampton
The Earl of Devonſhire
The Earl of Barkſhire
The Earl of Dover
The Earl of Peterborough
The Earl of Norwich
The Earl of Corke
The Earl of Carbery
The Earl of Deſmond
The Viſcount Ogle
The Viſcount Grandiſon
The Viſcount Lumley
The Viſcount Brounker
The Lord Lucas
The Lord Bellaſis
The Lord Loughborough
The Lord Lexinton
The Lord Brereton
Tho. Fuller Bp. of Kerry
Sir William Compton
Sir Francis Vane
John Ruſſel
Wil. Aſhburnham
Edward Villers
Thomas Howard
Will. Howard
Sir Jarvis Clifton Knight and Baronet
Sir Tho. Corbet Bar.
Sir Tho. Littleton Bar.
Sir John Greenvil Knight and Baronet
Sir Wil. Thorold Bar.
Sir Tho. Preſtwich Bar.
Sir Orlando Bridgman
Sir Ed. Pie
Sir Lewis Kirke
Sir Tho. Smith
Sir Rob. Stapleton
Sir Wil. Coney
Sir Nich. Criſp
Sir Hugh Cartwright
Sir Sutton Cony
Sir Henry Chichley
Sir Wil. Morton
Sir Ed. Savage
Sir Tho. Armſtrong
Sir John Stephens
Sir Humph. Bennet
Sir Wil. Howard
Sir Hen. Wroth
Sir Wil. Dacres
Sir Rich. Malevory
Sir Arthur Gorge
Sir Anthony Jackſon
Sir Robert Bolles
George Morley D. D.
Tho. Warmſtry D. D.
Jer. Taylor D. D.
Phil. King D. D.
E. Penrodock
Will. Legg
George Penrodock
Tho. Lower
Herbert Price
Tho. Panton
Robert Ruthen
Coll. Fretſwel
John Jeffryes
Adrian Scrope
Wil. Burgh
John Mayard
Ed. Roſecarack
And many others.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Fuller, A Happy Handful (1660)