Additional Declaration of the Prince of Orange, October 24, 1688

A printed version of the text can be found on pages 149 and 150 of A Kingdom without a King: The Journal of the Provisional Government in the Revolution of 1688, edited by Robert Beddard (Oxford: Phaidon Press, 1988).

After we had prepared and printed this our Declaration, we have understood that the subverters of the religion and laws of these Kingdoms, hearing of our preparations to assist the people against them, have begun to retract some of the arbitrary and despotic powers that they have assumed and vacate some of their unjust judgments and decrees. The sense of their guilt and the distrust of their force have induced them to offer unto the City of London some seeming relief from their great oppressions, hoping thereby to deceive the people and divert them from demanding a secure re-establishment of their religion and their laws under the shelter of our arms. They do also give out that we intend to conquer and enslave the nation, and therefore it is that we have thought fit to add a few words to our Declaration.

We are confident that no person can have so hard thoughts of us as to imagine that we have any other design in this undertaking than to procure a settlement of the religion and of the liberties and properties of the subjects upon so sure a foundation, that there may be no danger of the nation's relapsing into the like miseries at any time hereafter. And as the forces we have brought along with us are utterly disproportioned to that wicked design of conquering the nation, if we were capable of intending it, so the great numbers of the principal nobility and gentry that are men of eminent quality and estates, are persons of known integrity and zeal, both for the religion and gover[n]ment of England, many of them being also distinguished by their constant fidelity to the Crown, who do both accompany us in this expedition, and have earnestly solicited us to it, will deliver us from all such malicious insinuations; for it is not to be imagined that either those who have invited us of those who are already come to assist us can join in a wicked attempt of conquest, to make void their own lawful titles to their honours, estates, and interests.

We are also confident that all men see how little weight there is to be laid on all promises and engagements that can nw be made, since there can be so little regard had in times past to the most solemn promises, and as that imperfect redress, that is now offered, is a plain confession of those violations of the government that we have set forth, so the [defectiveness] of it is no less apparent, for they lay down nothing which they may not take up at pleasure, and they reserve entire, and not so mush as mention, their claims and pretences to an arbitrary and despotic power, which has been the root of all their oppression, and of the total subversion of the government. And it is plain that there can be no redress, nor remedy offered, but in Parliament by a declaration of the rights of the subject that have been invaded, and not by any pretended acts of grace to which the extremity of their affairs has driven them. Therefore it is that we have thought fit to declare that we will refer all to a free assembly of the nation in a lawful Parliament.

Given under our hand and seal, at our Court in The Hague, the 24th day of October in the year 1688.