222 APPENDIX. "I, A. B., do, in the Presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and pro- test, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my Life, Power, and Estate, the true, reformed, Protestant Religion, expressedin the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations, and according to the Duty of my Allegiance to his Majesty's Royal Person, Honour, and Estate ; as also the Power and Privilege of Parliament, the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and every Person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do, in the lawful Pursuance of the same : And to my Power, as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose and by good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to condign Punishment all such as shall, by Force, Practice, Counsel, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary in this present Protestation contained. "And further, I shall, in all just and honourable Ways, endeavour to pre- serve the Union and Peace betwixt the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; and neither for Hope, Fear, nor other Respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow, and Protestation." This protestation was immediately taken by the majority of the House then assembled, and directions were sent into the country for its being taken by sheriffs, magistrates, and others. It was not until 20th January, 1641 -2, that Mr. Serjeant Wilde presented from his committee sitting at Grocers' 1-Iall, the copy of a letter to be_ signed by the Speaker and sent to the several sheriffs of counties respectively, requiring "them and the jus- tices of the peace of the counties to meet together in one place, as soon as possible they may, and then to take the protestation themselves ; and then, dispersing themselves into their several divisions, to call together the minister, the constables, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor of every parish, and tender unto them the protestation, to be taken in their presence, and to desire them speedily to call together the inhabitants of their several parishes, both householders and others, being eighteen years of age and upwards, and to tender unto them the same protestation, and to take the names both of those who took it and of those who refuse, and to return them to the knights and burgesses, &c." In consequence of this requirement, which was highly offensive to the gentry of Herefordshire, a declaration was got up and printed under the title of " The Declaration or Resolution of the County of Hereford :' on
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