[1689, May 7.]
[Declaration of War against France.]
Their Majesties
DECLARATION
Against the French King.
William R.
It having pleased Almighty God to make Us the happy Instruments of Rescuing these Nations from Great and Imminent Dangers, and to place Us upon the Throne of these Kingdoms, We think Our Selves obliged to endeavour to the uttermost to Promote the Welfare of Our People, which can never be effectually secured, but by preventing the Miseries that threaten them from Abroad.
When we consider the many unjust Methods the French King hath of late Years taken to gratifie his Ambition, that he has not only Invaded the Territories of the Emperor, and of the Empire now in Amity with Us, laying Waste whole Countries, and destroying the Inhabitants by his Armies, but Declared War against Our Allies without any Provocation, in manifest Violation of the Treaties Confirmed by the Guaranty of the Crown of England; We can do no less then Joyn with Our Allies in opposing the Designs of the French King, as the Disturber of the Peace, and the Common Enemy of the Christian World.
And besides the Obligations We lie under by Treaties with Our Allies, which are a sufficient Justification of Us for taking up Arms at this time, since they have called upon Us so to do, the many Injuries done to Us and to Our Subjects, without any Reparation, by the French King, are such, that (however of late Years they were not taken Notice of, for Reasons well known to the World, nevertheless) We will not pass them over without a Publick and Just Resentment of such Outrages.
It is not long since the French took Licences from the English Governor of New-found-Land, to Fish in the Seas upon that Coast, and paid a Tribute for such Licences, as an Acknowledgment of the sole Right of the Crown of England to that Island; and yet of late, the Encroachments of the French upon Our said Island, and Our Subjects Trade and Fishery, have been more like the Invasions of an Enemy, then becoming Friends, who enjoy'd the Advantages of that Trade only by Permission.