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<DATE>2007-10-04</DATE>
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<NAME>Emma Leeson Huber</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B070914.apex.</ITEM>
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<STC T="W">F151</STC>
<STC T="T">669.f.13[57]</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99869841</BIBNO>
<VID>162953</VID>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="1" MS="y"><!-- PDF PAGE 5 -->
<HEAD>A DECLARATION OF His Excellency the Lord Fairfax, Lord General, AND His Councel of VVar, Concerning their Re&s;olution to pre&s;erve and protect the Freedom of Trade and Commerce.</HEAD>
<P>VVHereas the Enemies of the Peace of this Kingdom, being &s;ufficiently &s;en&s;ible how all their de&s;igns for the ruine and de&s;truction thereof have, by the ble&s;&s;ing of God upon our endeavors, been rendered abortive and made &s;ucce&s;sle&s;s to the producing of that effect, have notwith&s;tanding, out of their re&s;tle&s;s de&s;ire to bring their wicked purpo&s;es into execution, watched for and pur&s;ued all opportunities, that they could either make or meet with, conducing to that end; and have not cea&s;ed to lay upon us and lade us with all manner of Slander and Calumny, that might not only make us unacceptable to tho&s;e of whom We have be&s;t de&s;erved, but al&s;o render Us odi|ous to all the World: And being informed that the &s;aid Enemies of the Kingdom have, upon occa&s;ion of &s;ome of our late ju&s;t and nece&s;&s;itated Actions, given publikely out, and written to the parts beyond the Seas, that We intend to put all into Ruine and Confu&s;ion, and to &s;eize upon all Mens E&s;tates, de&s;troy Propriety, Trade and Commerce, and that their goods cannot be in any &s;ecurity while We are in this Town, or keep in our hands any of the &s;trengths of the Kingdom; and under&s;tanding that thereupon Bills of Exchange begin to be que&s;tioned, and &s;ome per&s;ons begin to convey away their goods; We being very &s;en&s;ible how much the Wealth, Peace and Happine&s;s of this Kingdom is concerned in the Freedom and Fulne&s;s of the Trade and Commerce thereof; and how much the &s;aid Enemies of Peace &s;hould prevent their fore&s;aid wicked end, if their &s;aid Calumnies &s;hould go on to be beleeved: We do therefore hereby declare, That as by all the Adventures of our Lives and Blood We have &s;ought nothing more then the pro&s;perity of this Kingdom, and the e&s;tabli&s;h|ing of Ju&s;tice and Righteou&s;ne&s;s in the Land; &s;o there is nothing that We more abhor then tho&s;e wicked Calumnies, that We &s;hould invade the Propriety of any not wilfully making them&s;elves Enemies, or do any thing any way, to hin|der or ob&s;truct that Trade and Commerce by which this Kingdom doth both &s;ub&s;i&s;t and flouri&s;h: But that We &s;hall, in a mo&s;t e&s;pecial manner, protect, defend, encourage and maintain, in all ju&s;t ways (according to the Law of Nations, and the manner hitherto practi&s;ed in this Kingdom) all manner of Trade, Traffique and Commerce either by Engli&s;h or Strangers: and that We &s;hall neither do, nor &s;uffer to be done, as far as is in our power, any violence, wrong or in|ju&s;tice to the per&s;ons or goods of any, as afore&s;aid, exerci&s;ing any Trade or Commerce in this Kingdom, either by Sea or Land: Which we thought fit to publi&s;h for the &s;atisfaction of all per&s;ons concerned herein.</P>
<CLOSER>By the appointment of his Excellency the Lord General Lord <HI>Fairfax,</HI> and his Councel of War, <SIGNED>Signed,
JO: RUSHWORTH,
Secretary.</SIGNED> <DATELINE><DATE>Decemb. 15. 1648.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
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<P>LONDON, Printed for <HI>John Partridge</HI> and <HI>George Whittington.</HI> 1648.</P>
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