A Declaration by which the most dark sullen Clouds of Jealousies and Fears in all unbyast Men as to the free enjoyment of their Religion and Property are dispelled from our Horizon and in which Your unparallel'd Grace and Bounty like that Universal Charity of the Sun shines equally upon all the Unjust as well as the Just and by which as in the Miraculous Preservation of Government in the Ark even Creatures of most contrary Principles live together in the quiet enjoyment of themselves under the Divine Influence of your Protection Wherefore Most Dread Sovereign to give you the earnest of a greater Harvest we hereby most heartily and sincerely declare that we will on all Occasions defend your Majesties most Sacred Person and Government with the utmost of our Lives and Fortunes against all Opposers whatsoever And that whensoever it shall Please your Majesty in your Princely Wisdom to call a Parliament we do hereby Testifie and unanimously Agree to chuse for Burgesses such as have your Majesties gracious Recommendations and shall concur with your Majesties known pleasur in Annulling and Abolishing the Penal Laws and Test that so your said gracious Declaration may likewise be the true Sense of all your Subjects in an Act of Parliament And lastly Great Sir let us amongst the first of your Subjects upon the long wish'd for blessed Occasion of the thrice happy Delivery of your great and Royal Consort Congratulate your most Sacred Majesties not only wishing long Life Health and Prosperity to the Prince a Blessing to these Nations but shall also ever offer up our Prayers that Almighty God will graciously bestow a Male Posterity from the same Royal Line to sway the Scepter of these Kingdoms to the end of the World In Testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed the Seal of the said Burrough this 16th day of June in the Fourth Year of your Majesties Reign Anno Dom. 1688. To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of your Majesties Loyal Subjects the Mayor Recorder Aldermen and all the Members of your Majesties Antient Corporation of Clisston Dartmouth Hardness in your County of Devon Dread Sovereign WE Presume full of transports of Joy to throw our at your Royal Feet heartily to Congratulate the happy Birth of the Prince the greatest Blessing that good Subjects could desire or Heaven could grant And as the best Obligation of Loyal Hearts we sincerely offer up our Prayers and wishes that he may enjoy a long and happy Life That your Sacred Majesty as well for his Sake as for the invalue ble Good and Benefit of these Kingdoms may live to the utmost Period of humane Life to instruct him by your gracious Example in Piety Prudence Courage and all the Royal Qualifications of a King of which your Sacred Majesty is the most Perfect Pattern And when you shall change this Crown for an Immortal One may he then with these your Dominions inherit also your Royal and Princely Virtues And we presume also at this time to repeat our fixed and Loyal Resolutions of serving your Sacred Majesty on all occasions with our Lives and Fortunes And we sincerely offer you our hearty Thanks for your late Declaration of Liberty of Conscience And whenever your Majesty shall Summon a Parliament we will chuse such Members as shall entirely and without conditions answer your Royal Expectation in Repealing the Penal Laws and Test not thinking it consistent with the Duty of Subjects to make Conditions with their King With so Gracious a King But as your Majesties Mercy and Indulgence is free and unlimitted so shall our Obedience be May your Sacred Majesty live long and happily may all your Enemies either heartily Repent and implore your Mercy or suffer by your Justice and may your Throne be Established in Peace So heartily pray your Majesties Loyal Subjects of this your Antient Burough In Testimony whereof we have affixed our Common Seal the 23d day of June in the Fourth Year of your Majesties Reign Anno Dom. 1688. The following was the first on the occasion of the Birth of the P. P. Wales To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble and hearty Address of the Mayour Aldermen and Burgesses of your Corporation of portsmouth Dread SIR HAving received by an Express from his Grace the Duke of Berwick the joyful News of her Majesties being safely brought to Bed of a Prince we thought it our Duties in the first place to pay our humble and hearty Thanks to the Almighty Hand that hath bestowed this Blessing upon us and hath Crown'd the Wishes of all your good Subjects with that Act of Grace which they have so long and so earnestly prayed for In the next place we must not we cannot omit to Congratulate your Majesty and your Royal Consort the Queen in this great Jubilee of the Nation in renewing and confirming to your Sacred Majesty by all the outward Marks of an inward and real Joy our true Allegiance to your Majestly and your Royal Successors Permit us then Great Sir to make this our early Offering of Fealty to the Royal Infant in his Cradle and to present him here with the first Fruits of our Loyalty our unseigned Wishes for his long Life and Happiness that he may inherit with the Crown the great Virtues of his Royal Parents and when old Age the Publick Cares and Troubles of a Crown hath made you weary of this word Printed in the Gazette instead of World and when that Hand which gave you to us shall take you from hence to place you in a better this young Prince may succeed you in you Throne and sway your Scepter with the same Piety Justice and happy Temper your Majesty hath hitherto done and we not doubt but will always do And since by Divine Providence we have been once more Taught our Duties and Heaven seems to be inclined by this Blessing bestowed upon us to forgive the Nation its past Faults we shall henceforth take more care never to provoke that God that gave us our King and this Prince but shall EVER say and pray Long live King JAMES the Second our Gracious Queen MARY and the PRINCE In Testimony of these our hearty Congratulations and sincere Wishes we have caused the Seal of your Majesties Corporation abovesaid hereunto to be affixed Dated this 12th day of June Anno Dom. 1688. and in the Fourth Year of your Majesties Reign July the 8th the following presented to the King To the KING's most Excellent Majesty WE the Grand Inquest for the Body of the County of Middless having a deep Sence of your Majesties Grace and Favour in giving us and all your Subjects Security and peace by your Majesties most Gracious Declaration for Liberty of Conscience lately repeated and confirmed to us do in all Humility return our due and unfeigned Thanks to your Majesty for the same and for your Royal and pious Endeavours and Resolution to perpetuate the present Tranquility to succeeding Generations for their exceeding
Benefit and your Majesties everlasting Glory And we resolve as much as in us lies to contribute to so good and necessary Work and join our most humble and hearty Endeavours that all Penal Laws in matters of Religion save for the contempt and neglect thereof and the unequal Tests may be Abrogated That we and our Fellow-Subjects having no partition Wall between us may unite in Love Peace and Happiness under your Majesties Gracious and Powerful Protection We do most solemnly and heartily Congratulate your Majesties great Happiness and Satisfaction in the Birth of our high hopeful PRINCE and account it no less Happiness to these Nations And it shall be as our Duty our constant zealous Care to pray to Almighty God for the continuance of Life Health and Happiness to his ROYAL HIGHNESS and for a Blessing on both your Majesties in a numerous Issue and with long Life and constant Happiness and Success in all your Majesties great and pious Undertakings and subscribe our Your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects and Servants To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of the Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of your Majesties Loyal City of Durham July 2d 1688. Most Gracious Sovereign WE your Majesties most Dutiful and Obedient Subjects of this Corporation having in the first place most humbly offered up our publick Praises and Thansgivings to Almighty God for the happy Birth of the young Prince the greater Blessing that could Possibly descend upon these your Kingdoms do now hold our obliged also to present our most humble Congratulations to your Sacred Majesty and your Royal Consort the Queen upon this joyful occasion and shall always pray that your Majesties may be blessed with more Children and more Sons that there never may be wanting one of your Royal Stock and Race to wear the Imperial Crown and to sway the Scepter of these your Dominions To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of the Lord Lieutenant Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace of the County of Kent at the General Quarter-Sessions holden at Cantorbury the 10th day of July 1688. for the Eastern Division of the said County Dead SIR WE your Majesties Loyal and Dutiful Subjects having rendred to Almighty God our most sincere and humble Thanksgivings for the ineffable Blessings bestowed upon your Royal Majesty your Kingdoms and Dominions in the happy Birth of a Prince We do now Sacred Sir esteem it our Duty and highest Obligation prostrate at your Majesties Feet gratefully to acknowledge that your Majesties admirable Goodness Piety and Justice have obtained from our most gracious God this so inexpressible a Blessing The consideration whereof as it ought so are we confidently assured it will open the Eyes of all Men who are not wholly possessed with the Spirit of Contradiction to behold with grateful Hearts your Majesties most Fatherly and Pious Care for the welfare of your People So that when your Majesty shall think fit to call a Parliament we shall all to the utmost of our Endeavours make choice of such Persons to serve therein as may unite your Subjects in Charity and Christian Correspondence by their unanimous Consent to the Repeal of those disuniting Penal Laws and Tests whereby Divisions and Animosities have so long harboured amongst us Great Sir That Almighty God will grant your Sacred Majesty your Royal Consort the Queen and his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales long Life Happiness and Posterity is the most zealous Prayer of Most Gracious SIR Your Majesties most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of the Clothiers of the Counties of Devon and Sommerset May it please Your Majesty VVE cannot but in a due sense of your Majesties great Goodness to us render our most humble and hearty Thanks for your gracious Hearing our miserable Complaints of the Exportation of Wool and of your Majesties speedy as well as effectual Redress thereof in the issuing out your Commission for that purpose by which your Majesty hath preserved and put a new Life to Trade which next to the great and glorious Design of Liberty of Conscience is undoubtedly the best support of the Wealth and grandure of a Nation and therefore we can now return with Joy to our respective Habitations And as it has pleased God to our great Joy to Bless your Majesty with a Royal Prince to sway the Scepter of these Kingdoms after your Majesty so we heartily pray God there may never want of your Princely Posterity to sit on the Throne of your Majesty and that he may in due time inherit your Princely Virtues as well as the just Dominion over all your Kingdoms To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of the Grand Inquest at the General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace held for the County Palatine of Durham this 11th day of July 1688. Most Gracious Sovereign VVE your Majesties Loyal and Obedient Subjects upon the first opportunity of representing the Body of this Country hold our obliged next to our publick Thanksgivings to Almighty God to Congratulate your Majesty and your Royal Consort the Queen in the most joyful News of the Birth of a young Prince now Prince of Wales May his Royal Highness long Live and your Majesties be blessed with a numerous Issue and your Throne Established in all succeeding Ages which is the hearty and unanimous Desire of Your Majesties most Dutiful Subjects c. We the Lord Lieutenant High Sheriff and Justices of the Peace of this County now present at the said Quarter-Sessions of the Peace do concur with the Grand Inquest in this Address To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble and hearty Congratulation of the High Sheriff Justices of the Peace and Grand Jury of the County of Worcester holden at the General-Sessions of the Peace the 10th day of July Anno Dom. 1688. PErmit Dread Sir amongst the loud Peals of Joy that ring in every corner of this Kingdom to join our Huzza with the rest of your Majesties Subjects for a Blessing bestowed on us so long so earnestly desired Happy we that live to see a Prince of Wales from your Loins and happy our Posterity that live to be Governed by a Prince of such a Father May your Majesty live long to see those great Endowments Heaven has enriched him with and he live to outdo whatever History speaks Great of his Ancestor's Actions and if possible even those of James the Second whilst we contribute by a stedfast Loyalty to farther all your just Designs and not frowardly oppose you in any thing since Heaven seems to grant what you ask And that your desire may never receive denial shall be the constant Prayer and Wishes of c. The humble and unanimous Congratulation of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Sommerset at their General Quarter-Sessions held at Bridgwater the 10th day of July in the Fourth Year of his Majesties Reign Anno Dom. 1687. Subscribed
likewise by several other Gentlemen then and there present Most Gracious Soverign ALtho' we have with all sincerity made our respective Acknowledgment to Almighty God for the great Blessing he hath vouchsafed this Nation by making your Majesty the Parent of a most Hopeful and Illustrious Prince and have given us great and ample Demonstrations of our Joy for the same in our several stations as we were capable yet nevertheless we do not think our acquitted of our Duty without an humble Congratulation with your Majesty and your Royal Consort upon this happy Occasion and assuring your Majesty that whenever the over-ruling power by which Kings Reign shall resume that Crown you now so justly wear we will bear all Faith and true Allegiance to this Illustrious Prince but that the commencement thereof may be late are and shall always be the Prayers of Your Majesties most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects To the KING's Most Excellent Majesty May it please your Majesty THE Mayor Aldermen and Commons of your Majesties Antient and Loyal City of York were transported with Joy at the Birth of the young Prince And after they had made what Demonstrations they could at Home of their Rejoycing thought it their Duty to send and have sent some of the principal Members of their Body to Congratulate your Majesty for so great and extraordinary a Blessing both to your Majesty and your Subjects The great God who hath at sundry times miraculously preserved your Majesty both at Sea and Land hath at this time enlarged his Blessings to your Majesty and your People by giving us a Royal Prince who we pray may live long to Inherit the Virtues and Crown of his Ancestors and that there may never want one of your Royal Family to sway the Scepter of these Kingdoms for the support and maintenance whereof we are and shall always be ready to Sacrifice our Lives and Fortunes And that the God of Heaven would be graciously pleased to shower down his Blessings upon your Majesty your Royal Consort the young Prince and the whole Royal Family is the hearty Prayer of us Your Majesties most Dutiful Obedient and Loyal Subjects To the King's most Excellent Majesty The hearty Congratulation of the Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of your Majesties City of Bath Dread Sovereign NO sooner did the happy News of a Prince being born reach our Ears but we thought it our Duty to Congratulate your Majesty for so great a Blessing and knowing it is unjust to be silent on this occasion we do therefore offer up our Thanks to the great Jehovah for the sending of an Heir to your Majesty and your Kingdoms from your Royal Loins which is that alone that can confirm our present Happiness under your Government and give us a comfortable prospect of the continuance of it and we as far as in us lies shall in our Proper station contribute to the Assisting your Majesty in your pious Intentions in setling these your Kingdoms in Peace and Tranquility whensoever your most Sacred Majesty shall in your Princely Wisdom think fit to require it of us And we heartily implore the Almighty to send your Majesty and us more such Royal Pledges by your gracious Consort and bless Your Majesty with long Life to see our young Prince by your Majesties tender Care fitted to Govern all his people These are the Prayers of us your Majesties most Dutiful and Obedient Subjects In Testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our Common Seal this 25th Day of June in the 4th Year of His Majesties Reign To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The. Humble Address of the Mayor Aldermen Bailiffs and Capital Citizens of the City of Carlisle Great SIR WE Your Majesties most Loyal Subjects cannot but express our exceeding Joy that if we may-say it transports us above Mortals and places us on Earth in a most Heavenly Condition living under Your Majesties most Sacred Protection a Prince Born for high Exploits and the Peace of these Three flourishing though lately distracted Kingdoms as the whole Series of nine Years Revolution can testifie Your Majesty in a most high measure hath been the care of Almighty God whose Projects never fail but ever in the end brings all humane policy that is contrary to Confusion Witness your Miraculous Preservations at Sea amidst a number of unparalleled Dangers Witness the easy Conquest You gained or rather the just Punishment You inflicted upon Rebels who durst oppose your Sacred Authority But to close all witness this Heavenly Blessing to compleat the Miracle A Prince Born to the Worlds Astonishment that gives us hopes of a numerous Issue an Heir we question it not that will Inherit as well as Crown his Father's Heroick Virtnes Qualities above the greatness of Constantine and in Conclusion if need be finish what Your Majesty to make us happy has so fortunately begun for whose Safety we faithfully promise to spend our Lives and Fortunes and will dally bless God that has given You a Fruitful Consort In Testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our Common-Seal the 2d Day of July in the 4th Year of your Majesties Reign Anno Domini 1688. To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble and unanimous Address of your Majesties Justices of the Peace at the General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace holden at Leads for the West-Riding of the County of York this 12th day of July in the Fourth Year of your Majesties Reign MAY it please your Sacred to suffer us your most Loyal Subjects moved by the most ardent Affection profoundest Duty and truest Interest to Congratulate You our and the three Kingdoms Happiness in the Birth of a Prince humbly praying the God of Heaven for Life Health and Prosperity to your Majesty his Royal Highness and your Royal Consort with the addition of whatever may contribute to your and their Happiness here And after a long Reign over us may your Majesty inherit an Erernal Crown in a better Kingdom And may there never want one of your Royal Line to sway the Scepter of these Kingdoms till Time shall be no more is the most fervent sincere and unfeigned Prayer of Your Majesties Obedient Loyal Subjects To the KING's most Excellent Majesty The humble Address of the Grand Jury for the County of Hertford at the Assizes held at Hertford the 23 day of July in the fourth Year of your Majesties Reign SIR HAD not a Party averse to comply with your Majesties gracious Inclinations been too prevalent in this County an Address would have been sooner made to your most Sacred Majesty for your most gracious Declaration of Indulgence and tho we are too to late yet we hope we shall not be unwelcome in making a due and just return of our most humble and hearty Thanks and grateful Acknowledgments for your Majesties gracious Intentions to your Subjects in general in Abrogating of the Penal Laws and Test. We will not like others go about thanking your Majesty for your particular Favours of
most Gracious Declaration And we will use our utmost Endeavours to elect such Members for your Majesty's next Parliament as shall make your Majesty most happy and your Subjects easie We do also cordially rejoice in the joyful Deliverance of the Prince from his late dangerous Indisposition not doubting but God will bless him with a long and heathful Life to the great Comfort of your most Sacred Majesty and all your Loyal Subjects May your Majesty enjoy the greatest and utmost Blessings this World can afford with whatever is most dear to your Sacred Majesty and also a long and peaceable Reign over us So prays your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects as we shall ever be ready to manifest when Occasion calls with our Lives and Fortunes in Defence of your Person and your Heirs in your Majesty's Prerogatives against all Opposers whatsoever To the KING'S most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Sudbury in the County of Suffolk Great Sir ALmighty God having blessed your Majesty and your Royal Consort our gracious Queen with a Son and your People with a Prince We with all Alacrity agreeable to the Happiness and with Duty and Humility which becomes Loyal and Obedience Subjects do congratulate your Majesty Such Blessings are from Heaven the Rewards of Virtue of which your Majesty hath given this Nation many and Signal Testimonies particularly and for which we have brought our Hearty and Unfeigned Thanks in that your Majesty hath been graciously pleased to declare that you will Protect and maintain the Church of England as now by Law Established and all other your Majesty's Subjects in the free Exercise of their Religion and in the Peaceable Enjoyment of their Civil Rights and Properties And as your Majesty intends to entail these Blessings upon your People by a Law so we do assure your Majesty that when in your Princely Wisdom you shall think convenient to call a Partlament we will heartily endeavour to chuse such Members as shall concurr with your Majesty therein And it shall ever be our Prayers that your Majesty's Reign may be long and prosperous That our Prince may inherit your Inimitable Virtues with the Crowns and both enjoy a Crown of Glory To the KING and QUEENS Most Excelient Majesties The Humble Congratulation of the Lord Lieutenant the Deputy Lieutenant the High Sheriff and the Grand Inquest with the rest of the Justices of the Peace and Gentlemen of your Majesties County Palatinate of Lancaster holden at the general Assizes this 29th day of August 1688. Dread Sovereign Nothing but the want of a more early Opportunity of representing the Body of this County could have with-held your Majesties most Loyal and Joyful Subjects from a more speedy Congratulation of your Majesty and your Royal Consort upon the Birth of the Prince of Wales Succession in the Right Line has been the Care and now immediately from your Majesty is the Joy not only of us but of all your Dominions the transports of Eorreign Courts upon this Illustrious Birth is an early presage that his Fame shall be more extended and his Virties more shining than their Illuminations May his Heroick Endowments fill all Europe with Terror and Regard yout Majesties with Comfort and Satisfaction and your Dominion with Peace Security and Happiness till time shall be no more which shall be the faithful Endeavour and lasting Prayer of your Majesties most dutiful Subjects and Faithful Servants To the KING's Most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of your Majesties Corporation of Garstang in the County Palatine of Lancaster Great Sir IT has been the Singular Happiness of this Corporation that how often so ever we have hither to approached your Royal Feet with the tender of our Duty and Loyalty we were always dismissed with the Comfort of your Majesty's gracious Acceptance These former Encouragemeets together with the Happy News of the Birth of the Illustious Prince of Wales has doubled both our Duty and Diligence to return again with Joy and Satisfaction to your Sacred Feet humbly to congratulate both your Majesty and your Royal Consort of this Happy Occasion May Heaven bleso both your Majesty and these Kingdoms in fixing the Throne and advancing the Crown by a name pous Isse the growing Virtues and exemplary Conduct of his Royal Highness in future Times add Comfort to your Majesty years relieve the Cares and Toil of the Scepter ingage the Affections and fix the Loyalty of your Subjects So pray your Majesty's ever Loyal Subjects and Dutiful humble Servants To the KING's Most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Lord Lieutenant High Sheriff Deputy Lieutenant Justices of the Peace and Grand Jury of the County of Northumberland assembled at the Assizes held at the Castle of Newcastle for that County the 13th day of August 1688. Great Sir HAving already with most sincere Devotion pald our Acknowledgments to God Almighty the Father of Mercies we come now most humbly Prostrate at your Majesty's Feet to offer our hearty Congratulations to your Majesty and Royal Comfort for the inestimable blessing of a Prince of Wales a Prince given by divine Providence to the Prayers of your Kingdoms to perpetuate your Majesty Glory and our Felicity May he so thrive and we doubt it not under the Great Examples of your Majesties Piety and Prudence that you your self may live to see him consummate in all the true Arts of Government We further promise with the best of our endeavours to send such Members to the next Parliament as will Co-operate with your Majesties gracious Intentions according to your Royal Declaration in repealing the Penal Laws and Test as Obstacles to your Majesties Glory and equal Justice as well as to our Ease and Happiness well knowing that your Majesty will heal us as a most Indulgent and Impartial Father doth his many Sons giving every one a share in his Esteem and Affection according to their particular Merits and Qualifications FINIS