A DECLARATION Published by the Right Honourable, JAMES, Earle of Darby, L ^d. Stanly, Strange of Knocking, and of the Isle of Man, &c.

PLausible beginnings are not alwaies the fore­runners of good ends; they may promise faire, but it is the end, that either crownes all under­takings with reputation, or brands them with shame; making a most exact discovery of the Undertakers intentions, whether good or evill: Many honest-meaning-men, who eight yeares since viewed the face of the Parliaments actions, and judged of their integrity, by their Protestations and Declarations, entertained a very chari­table and honorable opinion, both of them and their Cause, and therein thought not too much to hazard both their Lives and Estates with them: who are long since sat downe in the chaire of repentance, having by sad experience found, their large pre­tences to prove but the shadowes of weake performances, and their greatest labours to produce no other effects, then to burden this distracted Nation with unheard-of tyranny and miserable oppression: But they that beheld their actions, even in their primitive and best times, with a considerate and judicious eye, did easily perceive them to pursue their owne ambitious ends, more than the welfare of this miserable Land; that they were men, whose thoughts were filled with bloud, and judged them through pretence of Zeale to be Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, and what better could be expected from the illegall proceedings of those Men, who presumed from Servants to become Masters, but that they should endeavour to bring in Democracy, and abolish Monarchy; their actions being altogether such, as must needs [Page 2]produce strange effects, and set open the floudgates of ruine, to overflow this Kingdome in a moment.

For my owne part I have, with my utmost power and skill, taken most perfect, and exact notice of all their proceedings from their first beginning of entrance into Action unto this day; and therein can finde nothing but a large comment upon that Text of Samuel, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. I sate in their House of Peeres more then a full year, till finding their courses to be so strangely un-Parliamentary; I was constrained, with di­verse others of the Loyall Nobility, to forsake the House, and repair into my Country, being truly ashamed to bear any part in their rebellious enterprises, wherein they have proceeded vvith such impudent violence: that they have Plundred, and Ruin'd all the Ancient Nobility, and Gentry of this Kingdome; fought many Desperate, and Bloudy Battails against their Sove­raign, His Children and Subjects, imprisoned His Sacred Person; and not only so, that but they might out-go all their Predeces­sours in Rebellion, and become unprecedented therein; they clou­ded the very Rayes of Sacred Maj. in bringing the Royal Owner of the Throne to their Bar of Injustice; and beyond all that, upon a Scaffold, at high noon-day, in the face of the world, as a Male­factor, before His own Court Gate in his usuall place of Recrea­tion, after a most shamefull manner by the hands of the common Hang-man, inhumanely murdered their Soveraigne, un-headed the Lords Anointed; and not contented with His Bloud, in pro­secution of their most deadly, and implacable malice have since to the utmost of their power, endeavoured to staine the Candour of His Royall Name, in fixing thereon, the ignominious brands of Tyrant, Traytor, and Murderer: styling Him in all their Prints, the Grand, and Capitall Enemy of the Kingdome; and laying their Guilt of all the Bloud that hath been shed, upon His Innocent shoulders: and beyond all this, have quite discar­ded, banished, and casheired all the Royall Issue; and solemnly proclaimed our present dread Soveraign Lord King CHARLES the Second, and His Pincely Brother the Duke of York Traytors, in the usuall places, to the amazement, and detestation of the whole world.

And whereas of late, there hath been some overtures made to [Page 3]me, by one Henry Ireton, who stiles himselfe Commissary Gene­rall of their Army, whom his manners stiles the Parliament of England; In whose name, and for whose service he demands, that I deliver up this Ile of Man: And for a gratefull acknow­ledgement of that service he ingages on their part, that I shall have an act of Indempnity for all that I have done, and my Lands to be restored to me without Composition, and upon my Ingagement not to oppose the proceedings of the Parliament in their present Government, I shall peaceably, and quietly enjoy the same. In answer to which I declare; That according to the dictate of my own Conscience and Reason, and according unto the ob­ligation I stood ingaged unto His Majesty, my late dread Soveraign, as well by my common Allegeance, as by my more particular duty of personall Service, in the beginning of these unhappy Differences, and Divisions of the Kingdome, I ingaged my self on His Majesties Party▪ wherein I have constantly persever'd, either in acting, or suf­fering, untill this day; concurring with those of the contrary Party, onely in hating detestable Newtrality.

According to my best ability I did diligently execute all such Commissions as I did receive from His Majesty; and did al­wayes use my utmost endeavour to retaine the people in their due obedience unto Him, as I shall ever faithfully practice towards my present Soveraigne, His Sonne, holding my self bound unto Him in the same Bonds of Allegeance and Loyalty, as I was to the late King, of ever blessed Memory, His Father; and doe hereby declare, that I doe, from my very Soul abhor, all base compliance with any of His Majesties Enemies, whether Forraigne, or Domestick: And particularly, if I could endure to be Treacherous, I would never doe it with the prevailing Party in England, whom I know to have renounced all princi­ples of Civility. Honour, Honesty, and Conscience; and whose Ingagements, Vowes, Protestations, or Oathes, I would not take, as security for the least attome of dust on which I tread: And I doe protest in the presence of God, and the whole world, that in ballance to my Allegeance, Honour and Conscience, I scorn their pardon in reference to any thing I have acted, or shall act hereafter: and value my Estate no more then the most contemptible mote that flies in the sunne.

And I doe hereby declare, that to the utmost of my power I shall faithfully endeavour to hold out this Island to the advan­tage of His Majesty and the annoyance of all Rebels and their Abettors; and doe cheerfully invite all my Allies, Friends, and Acquaintance, all my Tenants in the Counties of Lancaster and Chester, or elswhere, and all other His Majesties faithfull and loyall Subjects to repaire to this Island as their generall Ren­dezvous and safe harbour, where they shall receive entertain­ment, and such incouragement as their severall qualities and con­ditions shall require, where we will unanimously imploy our Forces to the utter ruine of these unmatchable and rebellious Regicides, and the finall destruction of their Interest both by Land and Sea: Neither shall any apprehension of danger either to my Life or Estate appall me, but I shall on all occasions (by Gods assistance) shew my selfe ready to expresse my duty and loyalty with the hazard of both; and this I shall adventure for the future with more alacrity, forasmuch as in all my former actings in His Majesties service, I never did any thing with rela­tion to the trust reposed in me, that awakens my conscience to repentance.

A LETTER sent from the Right Ho­nourable, JAMES, Earle of Darby; to Commis­sary Gen: IRETON: in Answer to his Sommons of the Isle of Man.

I Have received your Letter with indigna­tion, and with scorne returne you this An­swer, That I cannot but wonder whence you should gather any hopes, that I should prove like you, treacherous to my Sove­raigne; since you cannot be unsensible of the manifest candor of my former actings in His late Maje­sties service, from which principles of Loyalty, I am no whit departed: I scorne your proffer, I disdaine your fa­vour, I abhorre your Treason; and am so farre from de­livering up this Island to your advantage, that I shall keep it, with the utmost of my power, to your destruction: Take this for your finall Answer, and forbeare any further solici­tation; for if you trouble me with any more Messages of this nature, I will burne the Paper, and hang the Messen­ger; this is the immutable resolution, and shall be the un­doubted practise of him, who accounts it his chiefe glory to be