Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
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A56082
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The declaration of the reasons and motives for the present appearing in arms of Their Majesties Protestant subjects in the province of Maryland Licens'd, November 28th 1689. J.F.
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Protestant Association (Maryland)
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1689
(1689)
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Wing P3823; ESTC R219029
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5,832
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8
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us in relation to Laws but these Laws that are of a certain and unquestioned acceptation are executed and countenanced as they are more or less agreeable to the good liking of our Governours in particular One very good Law provides That Orphan Children should be disposed of to Persons of the same Religion with that of their deceased Parents In direct opposition to which several Children of Protestants have been committed to the Tutelage of Papists and brought up in the Romish Superstition We could instance in a Young Woman that has been lately forced by Order of Council from her Husband committed to the Custody of a Papist and brought up in his Religion 'T is endless to enumerate the particulars of this nature while on the contrary those Laws that enhance the Grandeur and Income of his said Lordship are severely Imposed and Executed especially one that against all Sense Equity Reason and Law Punishes all Speeches Practices and Attempts relating to his Lordship and Government that shall be thought Mutinous and Seditious by the Judges of the Provincial Court with either Whipping Branding Boreing through the Tongue Fine Imprisonment Banishment or Death all or either of the said Punishments at the Discretion of the said Judges who have given a very recent and remarkable Proof of their Authority in each particular Punishment aforesaid upon several of the good People of this Province while the rest are in the same danger to have their Words and Actions liable to the Constructions and Punishment of the said Judges and their Lives and Fortunes to the Mercy of their Arbitrary Fancies Opinions and Sentences To these Grievances are added Excessive Officers Fees and that too under Execution directly against the Law made and provided to redress the same wherein there is no probability of a Legal Remedy the Officers themselves that are Parties and culpable being Judges The like Excessive Fees imposed upon and extorted from Masters and Owners of Vessels Trading into this Province without any Law to Justifie the same and directly against the plain Words of the Charter that say there shall be no Imposition or Assessment without the Consent of the Freemen in the Assembly To the great Obstruction of Trade and Prejudice of the Inhabitants The like excessive Fees Imposed upon and extorted from the Owners of Vessels that are Built here or do really belong to the Innabitants contrary to an Act of Assembly made and provided for the same Wherein Moderate and Reasonable Fees are assertained for the Promoting and Encouragement of Shipping and Navigation amongst our selves The frequent Pressing of Men Horses Boats Provisions and other Necessaries in time of Peace and often to gratifie private Designs and Occasions to the great Burthen and Regret of the Inhabitants contrary to Law and several Acts of Assembly in that Case made and provided The Seizing and Apprehending of Protestants in their Houses with Armed Force consisting of Papists and that in time of Peace their hurrying them away to Prisons without Warrant or Cause of Commitment there kept and Confined with Popish Guards a long time without Trial. Not only private but publick Outrages and Murthers committed and done by Papists upon Protestants without any Redress but rather connived at and Tollerated by the chief in Authority and indeed it were in vain to desire or expect any help or measures from them being Papists and Guided by the Counsels and Instigations of the Jesuits either in these or any other Grievances or Oppression And yet these are the Men that are our Chief Judges at the Common Law in Chancery of the Probat of Wills and the Affairs of Administration in the Upper House of Assembly and the Chief Military Officers and Commanders of our Forces being still the same Individual Persons in all these particular Qualifications and Places These and many more even Infinite Pressures and Calamities we have hitherto with Patience lain under and submitted too hoping that the same Hand of Providence that hath sustained us under them would at length in due time release us and now at length For as much as it has pleased Almighty God by means of the great Prudence and Conduct of the best of Princes Our most gracious King Witham to put a Check to the great Innundation of Slavery and Popery that had like to overwhelm Their Majesties Protestant Subjects in all their Territories and Dominions of which none have suffered more or are in greater Danger than our selves we hope and expected in our particular Stations and Qualifications a proportionable Share of so great a Blessing But to our great Grief and Consternation upon the first News of the great Overture and happy Change in England we found our selves surrounded with Strong and Violent Endeavours from our Governours here being the Lord Baltemore's Deputies and Representatives to defeat us of the same We still find all the means used by these very Persons and their Agents Jesuits Priests and lay Papists that Art or Malice can suggest to divert the Obedience and Loyalty of the Inhabitants from Their Most Sacred Majesties to that heighth of Impudence that solemn Masses and Prayers are used as we have very good Information in their Chappels and Oratories for the prosperous Success of the Popish Forces in Ireland and the French Designs against England whereby they would involve us in the same Crime of Disloyalty with themselves and render us Obnoxious to the Insupportable Displeasure of Their Majesties We every where hear not only Publick Protestation against Their Majesties Right and Possession of the Crown of England but their most Illustrious Persons villified and aspers'd with the worst and most Traiterous Expressions of Obloquy and Detraction We are every day threatned with the Loss of our Lives Liberties and Estates of which we have great Reason to think our selves in Imminent Danger by the Practices and Machinations that are on foot to betray us to the French Northern and other Indians of which some have been dealt withal and others Invited to Assist in our Destruction well remembring the Incursion and Iurode of the said Northern Indians in the Year 1681 who were conducted into the Heart of the Province by French Jesuits and lay sore upon us while the Representatives of the Country then in the Assembly were severely press'd upon by our Superiors to yield them an Unlimited and Tiranical Power in the Affairs of the Militia As so great a Piece of Villany cannot be the Result but of the worst of Principles so we should with the greatest Difficulties believe it to be true if Undeniable Evidence and Circumstances did not convince us Together with the Promises we have with all due Thinking and Deliberation considered the Endeavours that are making to Disunite us among our selves to make and Inflame Differences in our Neighbour Colony of Virginia from whose Friendship Vieinity great Loyalty and Sameness of Religion we may expect Assistance in our greatest Necessity We have considered that all the other Branches of Their Majesties Dominions in this Part of the World as well as we could be informed have done their Duty in Proclaiming and Asserting their undoubted Right in these and all other Their Majesties Territories and Countries But above all with Due and Mature Deliberation we have reflected upon that vast Gratitude and Duty incumbent likewise upon us To our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen's most Excellent Majesties in which as it would not be safe for us so it will not suffer us to be Silent in so great and General a Jubile withal considering and looking upon our selves Discharged Dissolved and Free from all manner of Duty Obligation or Fidelity to the Deputies Governours or Chief Magistrates here as such They having Departed from their Allegiance upon which alone our said Duty and Fidelity to them depends and by their Complices and Agents aforesaid endeavoured the Destruction of our Religion Lives Liberties and Properties all which they are bound to Protect These are the Reasons Motives and Considerations which we do Declare have induced us to take up Arms to Preserve Vindicate and Assert the Sovereign Dominion and Right of King WILLIAM and Queen MARY to this Province To Defend the Protestant Religion among us and to Protect and Shelter the Inhabitants from all manner of Violence Oppression and Destruction that is Plotted and Designed against them which we do Solemnly Declare and Protest we have no Designs or Intentions whatsoever For the more Effectuate Accomplishments of which We will take due Care that a Free and full Assembly be Called and Convened with all Possible Expedition by whom we may likewise have our Condition and Circumstances and our most Dutifull Addresses represented and tendered to Their Majesties From whose great Wisdom Justice and especial Care of the Protestant Religion We may Reasonably and Comfortably hope to be Delivered from our present Calamities and for the Future be secured under a Just and Legal Administration from being evermore subjected to the Yoke of Arbitrary Government Tyrany and Popery In the Conduct of this We will take Care and do Promise That no Person now in Arms with us or that shall come to Assist us shall commit any Outrage or do any Violence to any Person whatsoever that shall be found Peaceable and Quiet and not oppose us in our said Just and necessary Designs And that there shall be Just and due Satisfaction made for Provision and other Necessaries had and Received from the Inhabitants And the Soldiers punctually and duely Paid in such Ways and Methods as have been formerly accustomed or by Law ought to be And we do Lastly Invite and Require all manner of Persons whatsoever Residing or Inhabiting in this Province as they tender their Allegiance the Protestant Religion their Lives Fortunes and Families to Aid and Assist us in this our Undertaking Given under our Hands in Mary Land the 25th Day of July in the First Year of Their Majesties Reign Annoque Domini 1689. God Save King WILLIAM and Queen MARY Published by Authority MARYLAND Printed by William Nuthead at the City of St. Maries Re-printed in LONDON and Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers Hall 1689.