THat the innocency of our intentions, and justice of all our undertakings, may more clearly appear to all men of uncorrupt understandings, & hearts not made too servile by the long & odious custome of oppression: VVe the Knights, Gentlemen, and Franchlins of the County of Kent, the most free people of this late flourishing Nation; by the wisdome and valour of our Ancestors, delivered from the Laws of a Conquerour, and to these late daies of unhappy confusi­on and distraction enjoying the same, through all the Reignes of the most glorious and victorious Kings and Princes of this Nation: Doe hereby declare and manifest to all the world, That our assembling and meeting together at this time, is no other then for a vindication of our selves and purposes, from the scandall, and aspersions of the Committee of this County; who upon occasion of a Petition in behalf of the County of Kent, assented and subscribed to by the Grand Jurie at the Ses­sions of the Judges upon an especiall Commission of Oyer and Terminer executed at the Castle of Canterbury the 11. of May last, for the said County; have not onely made Orders against the same, and commanded them publickly to be read in all Churches, sentencing and condemning the said Petition and all the Abettors thereof: and have summoned the Troups of Horse, and forces of Foot of this County for suppression of the said Petition: which tends not only to the suppression of the Liberty, even of the most enslaved persons of the world; but also, as much as in them lies, shew an endeavour upon any causes whatsoever, which suits not with their humours, to over-awe the sen­ses of other men, and upon opposition therein think they have ground enough to take away the lives and fortunes, or both, of their said opposers.

In consideration of which, and that now the said Committee finding themselves unable to in­volve this County in bloud, have made their addresse to the Parliament, & Army; and make strange and malicious representations of our purposes, thereby discovering nothing so much as their own pride & malice. VVe the said Knights, Gentlemen, & Free-Yeomen of the County of Kent do herein appeale to all the world to judge, If it were not high time for us to put our selves into a posture of Defence; and doe further declare, that we will prosecute our said Petition with our lives and for­tunes, not doubting of a fair reception from the two Houses of Parliament; whom we know to have been instigated against us by the said Committee: And therefore saving to our selves the enlarging of the said Petition, we have resolved to charge the said Committee with encreasing the Taxes of this County above the due proportions, and onely for maintaining their owne private luxury & pride; with usurping a power over the Estates & fortunes of the Free-men of this County not granted to them by any power of Parliament; with a tyrannicall & imbitter'd spirit naturally in­grafted in them, and expressed by words & actions, all along the exercise of this power, (which makes them unfit for rule) to the exasperating of the peoples hearts into all animosity, & over­throwing of all love and peace in this County: which also hath been followed to that height of persecution, That had not the two Houses given a stop to their exorbitant proceedings, we had suf­fered much more under the torment of these mens projected designes: wherein we acknowledge our selves also to have been secured in the temper and moderation of the Houses. VVe have no more to say or do, but to defend our selves, till we can have a right understanding of our purposes and actions before the Houses; In the mean time, we shall looke upon all opposition, as the provocation of a conscious & enraged Committee: & in respect of the Invasion lately made upon the persons of our neigh­bours, we think fit not to lie at the mercy of Souldiers; but to have refuge to our Armes, from which no threats, or face of Souldiery shall drive us, knowing well the justice of our cause, and the temper of our owne hearts.