A Sight of the Transactions of these Latter Years, Section 2
The Proteſtation.
We the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes of the Commons Houſe in Parliament, finding, to the great griefe of our hearts, that the deſignes of the Prieſts and Jeſuites, and other adherents to the See of Rome, have of l…te been more boldly and frequently put in practiſe than formerly, to the undermining and danger of the ruine of the t…ue reformed Proteſt…nt religion, in his M…jeſti…s Dominions eſtabliſhed: And finding alſo that there have been, and having juſt cauſe to ſuſp… that there ſtill …, even during this ſitting in parliament, indevours to ſubvert the fundamentall Laws of England and Ireland, and to introduce the exerciſe of an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government, by moſt pernicious and wicked Councels, practiſes, plo…, and conſpiracies: And that the long intermiſſion, and unhappy breach of Parliaments, hath occaſioned many illegall Taxations, whereupon the Subject hath been proſecuted and grieved▪ And that divers …nnovations and Superſtition… have been brought into the Church; multitudes driven …ut of his Majeſties Dominions, jealouſies raiſed and f…ented betwixt the King and his people a popiſh Army levyed in Ireland, and two▪ …rmies brought into the bowels of this Kingdome, to the hazzard of his Majeſties royall perſon, the conſump…ion of the Revenues of the Crown, and Treaſure of this Kingdom: And laſtly, finding great cauſe of jealouſie, that indevours have been, and a…cuſed to bring the Engliſh Army into a miſunderſtanding of this Parliament, thereby to incline that Army, with force to bring to paſſe thoſe wicked Councels, Have therefore thought good to joyn our ſelves in a Declaration of our united affections and reſolutions, and to make this enſuing Proteſtation.
… A. B. do… in the preſence of Almighty God, promiſe, Vow, and proteſt, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my life, power, and eſta…e, the true reformed proteſtant Religion, …reſſed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, againſt all popery▪ and popiſh Innovations within this Realm, contrary to the ſame …octrine, and … duty of my Allegiance, his Majeſties royall Pe…ſon, Ho…our, … alſo the power and priviledges of Parliament▪ … the Subject, and every perſon that maketh this Proteſtation, …n … he ſhall doe, in the lawfull … of the ſa…. … to my power, and … as lawfully I …, I will …, and by all good way… … to bring … puniſhment, all ſuch as ſhall either by … ▪ practiſe, Councels, pio…, conſpiracies or otherwiſe, do any thing to the contrary of any thing in this preſent proteſtation contained. And further, that I ſhall … all juſt and Honourable wayes indevour to preſerve the … and peace between the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland; and neither for hope, fear, nor other reſpect, ſhall relinquiſh this promiſe, Vow, and proteſtation.