WArr hath deeply plunged this land into the misery of a Civill destruction, so that the cleerest Judgment cannot discerne, what should be the event thereof. For both Armies being provided of great strength, they flatter themselves with an ex­pectation of victory, the losse and effusion of bloud being certaine, the gaine nothing but the ruin of the Common-wealth, under a pretended shew of Re­ligion, which doth perswade the acting of the blou­dy Tragedy. In these doubtfull, times no County can stand as a looker on, but must declare theit Re­solution either to stand for the King or Parliament, so that the affections of the Commons are now cleer­ly discerned, and in this doubtfull matter are disco­vered either to be friends or foes; their hearts by their inclination, to either side being laid naked to view of the world.

That which shall now be the subject of this Decla­ration, is the constant Resolution of the Kentish men, whose cleere intents do give example to other coun­ties, [Page 2] to be firme and true with themselves and Reli­gion which now lies a bleeding.

The Kentish-men were formerly conduced by their owne opinions, to thinke it the safest course to stand upon their owne guard, or else to assist the King in this civill War, their Petitions not being so well accepted as those of other Counties presented to the Parliament, so that it was supposed that upon any occasion they would raise forces to assist the King, and with all the aide they could afford him, encrease the flame of this Civill dissention.

Now the Kentish men are happyly converted to a­nother opinion, thereby giving certaine testemony of a great acknowledging their former errour. And they do now intend to be no more blinded, with a glori­ous shew of standing for the King; but in all matters do addresse their desires to the Parliament, and to ho­nour and defend both Houses.

The causes moving forward a designe, and the good end whereunto any action is directed, do make it perfect and worthy of glory, if therefore the reader would consider the cause, and end, exciting the Ken­tish-men to this Resolution, he shall finde they wete ind [...]ed thereunto by the perswasion of Religion and Re [...]son, they saw their could be no Reformation of the Church, unlesse they complyed with the Parlia­ment, and therefore they sent a late Petition to the Parliament, which gave them better satisfaction then the former did, desiring that the Parliament would be pleased to go on to a through Reformation, and ma­ny other good desires they intimated in that Petition [Page 3] shewing how much they desired to expedite their proceedings, and in many high expressions declared their Resolution, and constant affection to the Parli­ament.

Religion and the sacred care thereof, was the first strong inducement to worke this happy change in their affections, and now have made a late demon­stration of their firme love to stand for the truth, and and those great defenders thereof the Parliament, they having now as ardent a desire, to advance the common cause, as those other Counties; who made more early adresse to the house.

The next consideration that begot in them a good opinion of the Parliament, was the inhumane deal­ing of the C [...]valiers, unto which the Turkish slavery being compared would appeare mercy, they have their eares strook with the terrour of their bloudy actions, their pillaging and plundering of houses, their extreame cruelty to such as they take, tortur­ing them with words, before they will afford them the happynesse of an expected death; thereby to lengthen their misery, and to rejoyce at their owne wickednesse, in Sacrificeing the liues of all they take, and killing Weomen with child, thinkeing it to be a worke of Divelish pollicy to kill a Round-head.

What Souldiers heart though obdurate as Vlisses Mirmidons, can seeing these most bloudy and treacherous crueltyes refraine from teares, [Page 4] teares, to know and behold so many butcheryes daily by them committed.

These Kentish men wisely pondring and weighing this unnaturall cruelty, have forsaken the Cavaliers and both condemned them and their actions. Now they have forsooke those flattering perswasions of exposing their lives and fortunes, amongst the rabble of roaring Cavaliers, and have given themselves up to serve the King and Parliament, in such manner as their consciences do guide them with the light of a pure zeale. In this they shew that they were never conquered, because no bad or private respects could subdue them to an obedience against the Common-wealth; but all our strength shall be imployed to the desire of our Religious and honourable Parliament. The Kentish men are a people that are sooner drawne by gentle meanes then any way enforced, their af­fection must flow uncompelled, and their former standing off, or coldnesse in the great affaires of the Common-wealth is now grown strong in ardent de­sires, earnest wishes, and actuall expositions of their affection to the Parliament, what a strange alteration hath some few Moneths wrought; Kent was then supposed to be for the King, but for the Parliament now, they will vindicate the Parliaments Priviledges, they desire now (as all others true subjects do) that there may be peace betweene the King and Parlia­ment, and that the wounds of this War may be hea­led, and not by the hand of Delinquents opened rea­dy to bleed unto destruction.

They have beheld the Kingdomes distractions, and htiw bleeding hearts suffered in the misery that hath [Page 5] fallen upon this Common-Wealth, they know that Religion is that sacred knot which neither great Ale­xander nor any King can cut asunder, but there will follow a generall dissolution of all government, and this land be converted into the first principles of heathen barbarisme, or which is worse, blind and su­perstitious Popery. And they have no lesse observed the progresse of wicked cruelty among the Cavali­ers, and from their bloudy designes against the Parli­aments Forces, have instructed themselves how they ought to be affected to such wicked Cavaliers, giving thereby example unto other Counties, to stand firm in their resolution for Religion and the Parliament.