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<DATE>2013-01-30</DATE>
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<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B120627.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A96746">
<STC T="W">W3152A</STC>
<STC T="C">R230911</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99896073</BIBNO>
<VID>153768</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>A DECLARATION OF MAJOR George Wither, Pri&s;oner in the Tower of LONDON With his De&s;ires to Sir <HI>John Robin&s;on,</HI> His Maje&s;ties Lieute|nant: Writ on three fair Trenchers, with a Piece of Char-Coal. Worthy of the <HI>Readers</HI> &s;erious Peru&s;al.</P>
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>depiction of George Wither</FIGDESC>
</FIGURE></P>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>S. Jones.</HI> 1662.</P>
</DIV1>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<HEAD>A DECLARATION Of Major George Withers, Pri&s;oner in the Tower of LONDON;</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Concerning the Kings mo&s;t Excel|lent Maje&s;ty, the Presbyterian Party, and all publick and private Congregati|ons what&s;oever, &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>VVHereas the Rebels of King <HI>David</HI> con&s;trained him to flight, and God was plea&s;ed to bring him home a|gain, it is apparent, that tho&s;e who at fir&s;t had been very forward to drive Him out, at la&s;t, made ha&s;te
<PB REF="3">to joyn with tho&s;e who had been In&s;trumental to bring Him in: And He, with God in Mercy &s;o complyd that Indempnity was granted, and not a man for that Rebellion &s;uffered Death, it being <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> that had contrived the Trea&s;on, deceiving the well-meaning People.</P>
<P>And although that Rebellion co&s;t a Traittous Childs Life; yet it cannot be denied, but by our unnatural War, a Royal Fathers Life was lo&s;t: And through Providence and Iu&s;tice, after many Years, the Heavens cryed aloud for this Royal Martyr, and &s;ome blood-&s;hed that produced Trai|tors having their ju&s;t Rewards. Yet by all true Subjects and Humane Rea&s;on His Gracious Ma|je&s;tie may be ju&s;tly excu&s;ed; Whom Natural Affe|ction moved to &s;hed, the Blood of &s;uch Barbarous Wretches, by whom His Royal Father received Martyrdom.</P>
<P>And &s;ince it plea&s;ed the Mo&s;t High, to indue His Princely Heart from above with Mercies mo&s;t in|finite &s;o I wi&s;h that every one in his re&s;pective place and &s;tation may not onely have a high e&s;teem, but forever prize &s;o great and &s;ignal a Mercie, as the happy Re&s;toration of His Sacred Maje&s;tie: for in|deed, no Iem &s;o beautifies a Royal Diadem, as Mercie, when it is enamelled with Iu&s;tice, and re|veted with Prudence.</P>
<P>And as to this His Maje&s;ties happy Re&s;toration, &s;ame que&s;tionle&s;s, out of true Loyaltie, and ju&s;t Al|legiance, contributed to His Maje&s;ties Accommo|dation; and &s;ome again no doubt, onely to work their own Salvation out.</P>
<P>But this is a mo&s;t a&s;&s;ured Truth, that many who
<PB REF="3" MS="y">formerly contained again&s;t Maje&s;tie it &s;elf, are now &s;o truly convinced of their former Errors and the excellencie of His Maje&s;ties abundant Worth and Princely Endowments, that His Royal Per&s;on in them is &s;afe: for in &s;uch who have received His Maje&s;ties Gractous Pardon, and unparalleld Cle|mencie, there will Love and Loyaltie much encrea&s;e and abound.</P>
<P>And as for my own particular, I mu&s;t ingenu|ou&s;ly Declare, That I who compul&s;ively obeyed the late preceding Powers, doth now mo&s;t willingly &s;ubmit to His Maje&s;ties; promi&s;ing all due Alle|giance to His Sacred Maje&s;tie</P>
<P>Further Declaring, That when I &s;aw God on His Side appear, I was reclaimed not by Fear, but Con&s;cience. Yea not onely fore-&s;eeing, but al|&s;o fore-telling the Downfal and Ruine of the V&s;ur|pers then in Power.</P>
<P>And that His Maje&s;ties Happine&s;s and Pro|&s;peritie may &s;urvive and flouri&s;h from my Soul I humbly unplore and de&s;ire, That His Maje&s;tie may &s;uch means a&s;&s;ay, not giving Ear to tho&s;e who would with&s;tand the Good and Pro&s;peritie of His Maje&s;tie, the Peace of the Church the Welfare of the&s;e his Maje&s;ties Realms and Dominions, and the Work which God hath now in hand.</P>
<P>And whatever doth befall I &s;hall di&s;charge my Con&s;cience, hoping that will not wholly be de&s;pi&s;ed, which here in all Loyaltie and Faithfulne&s;&s;e. I humbly &s;upplicate. <HI>That Ju&s;tice may be His Maje|&s;ties Scepter, and Mercy His Crown: And that it may long flouri&s;h on His Princely Head, and the re&s;t of the Royal Progeny, &s;o long as the Sun and Moon &s;hall endure.</HI></P>
<PB REF="4">
<P> And the onely Peace <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> my Soul <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word">. That Hi<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> Maje&s;tie may take all Opportunities to render Him a Ble&s;&s;ed In&s;trument, not onely to raign gloriou&s;ly here, but al&s;o to Eternity hereafter: And that His Earthly Throne may appear more glorious, then the Throne of any Prince what&s;oever &s;ince the Con|que&s;t.</P>
<P>And that His Name may be a Terror to all His Enemies, and &s;hame and confu&s;ion to befall tho&s;e who &s;hall dare to di&s;turb the true Peace and Tran|quility of the&s;e Nations.</P>
<P>And for my own particular, I &s;hall patiently &s;ub|mit to the Divine Will and Plea&s;ure of the King of all Kings, and what His Vicegerent on Earth &s;hall be plea&s;ed to do, not asking (what&s;oere I &s;eem to want,) ought more then His Maje&s;tie &s;hall graci|ou&s;ly be plea&s;ed to grant: Not doubting, but what is wanting here on Earth, will be &s;upplied to me in Heaven.</P>
<P><HI>Many &s;uch like Papers did he write, during his Confinement in the Pre&s;s-yard at Newgate, &s;ome whereof being of very dangerous Con|&s;equence, and not fitting to be publi&s;hed. And &s;ince his being removed from thence to the Tower, Sir John Robin&s;on His Maje&s;ties Lieu|tenant had Orders to detain him Clo&s;e Pri&s;o|ner, and to keep him from Pen Ink and Paper; Which accordingly was done, but with as much Civility, as po&s;sible could be expected for any one in his Condition.</HI></P>
<PB N="7" REF="4" MS="y">
<P> <HI>Yet notwith&s;tanding this &s;omewhat began to exa&s;perate his troubled Spirits, and after &s;ome contemplation, was moved to write to the Lieu|tenant with a piece of Charcoal, on three fair Trenchers, De&s;iring what favour po&s;sibly could might be allowed him; and that as he was an|tient, &s;ome Liberty might be extended towards him, &amp;c.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
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