WHereas wee of the true Protestant Religion and the maintainer of the Gospell under our gracious King and Parliament, and have beene continually loving and faithfull Subjects to his Sacred Majesty, and notwithstanding the generall and hard oppressions suffered by subordinate Governours, to the Ruine of our lives, if it had not beene prevented by the providence of God, and the good care of our King and Parliament, to prevent their designes before it came to perfection, yet having all liberty of the true Religion from his Majesty out of the effluence of his Princely care to us, and wee waying no Corporall losse in respect of that great Immunity of the Soule, we are inviolably resolved to infix our selves in an im­mutable and pure Allegiance forever to his Sacred Majesty, and his Successors, for the maintenance of the Gospell under them, and to subdue all those which doth oppose it, if his Majesty would be pleased out of his Princely care, and providence, to give us leave.

So it is, that if his Majesty and this Honourable Parliament, would bee pleased to give unto Us and the Owners of these Ships the Priviledges to have Letters of Marts and free passage into the Seas, by the providence of the Almighty GOD, wee shall in a short time subdue all these Rebels and any that doth oppose his Majesty, or this Kingdome, or other Kingdomes for the maintenance of the Gospell which doth belong to his Majesty: and knowing none to bee so desirous to maintaine it but the true Protestants, and none more readier then wee that doth belong to the Sea, and thereby pre­tending the generall good of his Majesty and this Kingdome.

But wee the said Sea-men and true Protestants, and loyall Subjects to his Majesty; doe hereby proffer our selves and Lives for the maintenance of it, touching our Religion in which wee were Baptized in and under the Faith of our Saviour JESVS CHRIST.

But likewise, if his Majesty and this Parliament would bee pleased to let us bee supported there, for to raise the name of the true Protestants heere in England and Ireland, and seeing this surprise so dangerous, tending absolutely to the overthrow of the Liberty of our Consciences and Countrey, if it bee not prevented in time; and also our gracious Kings Power and Priviledges forced from him, in which, and in whose prudent Care have formerly beene over Us and the Gospell, our sole quiet, and comfort consisted, and without the which, the feare of our present Ruines did prescribe opinion and premonish us to save our selves; Wee therefore as well to regaine his Excellent Majesties said Pre­rogative, it being onely due to Him and his Successours, and being the essence and life of Monarchy, hoping thereby to Confirme a strong and invincible Unity betweene his Royall and ever happie Love unto us and our faithfull Duty, and Loyaltie to his incomparable Majestie. And the Rebels having ta­ken up Armes, and possessed themselves of the best and strongest Forts of the Kingdome of Ireland to oppose his Majesty, and all those which doth maintaine the Gospell, the which wee doe hope that the Almighty God, will save and defend us from the tyrannous resolution of our Enemies, and this in our Consciences as we doe wish the Peace of the same to our selves and posterity, is the pretence and true cause that doth make us to declare our selves to God and the World for the reliefe of these our poore distressed Brethren in Jreland.

Wee doe declare unto God and the World, that what we doe is for the maintenance of our King and our Religion, and to defend our Brethren by our reliefe at Sea.

Wee doe desire that the Government of that Kingdome of Ireland might bee put into the hands of some godly and Religious man, and not to have any Papists to inhabit there, nor within the Kingdome of England, nor any Popish Lords to have place in this Honourable Court of Parliament, but to bee utterly cast out.

Also wee doe desire, that those Commanders which are bound forth for that service into Ireland, should take the Oath of alleagiance and Supremicie: so that they which doe goe under them may be se­cured that they shall not be betrayed into the hands of the Rebels, but to stand to maintaine the Faith and the Truth of the Gospell.

Wee taking it into our serious consideration, doe for feare our Brethren should be over-come of a sudden, and for the security of this Kingdome of England, we have thought fit to have this our Decla­ration to be published, that his Majestie and this Honorable Parliament would be pleased to consider of it, and give us the Priviledges of Letters of Marts for to keepe these our Enemies in subjection.