Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	parliament_n	pass_v	session_n	2,510	5	10.2151	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37728	A brief representation of the Quakers case of not-swearing and why they might have been, and yet may be, relieved therein by Parliament.	Eccleston, Theodor, 1651-1726.	1694 (1694)	Wing E141; ESTC R26092	4,027	8

a_o brief_a representation_n of_o the_o quaker_n case_n of_o not-swearing_a and_o why_o they_o may_v have_v be_v and_o yet_o may_v be_v relieve_v therein_o by_o parliament_n it_o be_v a_o certain_a truth_n that_o among_o christian_n and_o protestant_n especial_o there_o be_v divers_a particular_a thing_n about_o religion_n conscientious_o scruple_v by_o some_o as_o unlawful_a that_o other_o esteem_v orthodox_n and_o therefore_o it_o be_v not_o to_o be_v wonder_v that_o the_o quaker_n differ_v from_o many_o other_o though_o not_o from_o all_o in_o this_o case_n of_o oath_n they_o believe_v they_o be_v absolute_o forbid_v to_o swear_v in_o any_o case_n by_o that_o positive_a command_n of_o christ_n matth._n 5._o 34._o and_o the_o earnest_a exhortation_n of_o his_o apostle_n james_n 5._o 12._o and_o that_o this_o be_v undeniable_o their_o christian_a persuasion_n be_v evidence_v by_o their_o suffering_n these_o many_o year_n for_o not_o swear_v and_o therefore_o their_o case_n may_v be_v worth_a the_o charitable_a notice_n of_o the_o government_n by_o law_n to_o relieve_v they_o therein_o and_o not_o for_o their_o religious_a persuasion_n to_o continue_v they_o and_o their_o family_n expose_v to_o ruin_n who_o among_o their_o neighbour_n cheerful_o pay_v to_o the_o support_n of_o the_o government_n and_o by_o their_o trade_n and_o industry_n according_a to_o their_o capacity_n advance_v the_o national_a stock_n it_o may_v therefore_o be_v humble_o offer_v '_o that_o it_o be_v not_o the_o interest_n of_o the_o government_n to_o refuse_v they_o relief_n their_o industry_n in_o trade_n both_o at_o sea_n and_o land_n bring_v profit_n to_o the_o government_n as_o well_o as_o other_o the_o station_n they_o stand_v in_o as_o merchant_n farmer_n manufactor_n improver_n of_o land_n and_o stock_n be_v advantageous_a to_o their_o neighbour_n as_o true_o as_o other_o and_o as_o it_o seem_v not_o the_o interest_n of_o the_o government_n in_o general_n that_o they_o shall_v be_v any_o way_n discourage_v in_o their_o honest_a industry_n so_o neither_o be_v it_o the_o interest_n of_o a_o eminent_a part_n of_o the_o government_n that_o they_o shall_v not_o be_v relieve_v viz._n the_o judge_n for_o the_o frequent_a suit_n that_o be_v bring_v against_o quaker_n before_o the_o chancery_n and_o exchequer_n judge_n be_v no_o doubt_n very_o troublesome_a and_o burdensome_a by_o the_o difficulty_n of_o get_v at_o a_o just_a issue_n for_o want_v of_o swear_v whereby_o justice_n be_v delay_v and_o their_o cause_n often_o hold_v very_o long_o and_o no_o doubt_n when_o just_a judge_n see_v the_o quaker_n wrong_v and_o abuse_v and_o can_v relieve_v they_o it_o be_v irksome_a to_o they_o so_o that_o it_o be_v humble_o conceive_v it_o will_v be_v a_o great_a ease_n to_o those_o court_n to_o have_v the_o quaker_n relieve_v in_o this_o case_n of_o oath_n neither_o be_v it_o without_o advantage_n to_o the_o king_n be_v other_o court_n to_o be_v able_a to_o use_v the_o evidence_n of_o one_o who_o be_v now_o a_o quaker_n that_o perhaps_o be_v not_o so_o some_o year_n ago_o when_o he_o be_v a_o witness_n to_o a_o bill_n bond_n book-debt_n or_o deed_n of_o indenture_n or_o when_o he_o be_v steward_n or_o trustee_n or_o servant_n either_o to_o person_n of_o quality_n or_o to_o other_o of_o trade_n or_o estate_n nor_o may_v their_o testimony_n be_v unuseful_a to_o coroner_n in_o case_n of_o unnatural_a death_n nor_o inconvenient_a in_o case_n of_o trespass_n or_o felony_n etc._n etc._n and_o it_o be_v further_o propose_v that_o it_o be_v not_o the_o interest_n of_o the_o subject_a to_o continue_v they_o unrelieve_v for_o it_o be_v not_o the_o interest_n of_o those_o the_o quaker_n be_v indebt_v to_o because_o though_o such_o may_v sue_v and_o harrass_n the_o quaker_n in_o person_n and_o estate_n yet_o they_o may_v long_o want_v a_o decision_n of_o their_o debt_n or_o claim_n as_o to_o the_o right_n of_o it_o for_o want_v of_o a_o answer_n upon_o oath_n it_o be_v not_o the_o interest_n of_o those_o they_o be_v concern_v with_o in_o any_o doubtful_a case_n because_o of_o the_o difficulty_n to_o come_v to_o trial_n and_o for_o those_o that_o owe_v money_n to_o the_o quaker_n to_o be_v allow_v to_o fly_v into_o chancery_n for_o a_o refuge_n to_o obstruct_v pay_v just_a debt_n be_v such_o a_o injury_n as_o it_o be_v hope_v no_o one_o that_o be_v rational_a will_v countenance_v or_o desire_n shall_v be_v continue_v upon_o they_o and_o may_v it_o not_o then_o be_v assert_v that_o it_o be_v no_o honest_a man_n true_a and_o just_a interest_n to_o have_v the_o quaker_n deny_v relief_n no_v not_o the_o gownsman_n of_o westminster-hall_n who_o few_o fee_n from_o the_o quaker_n as_o plaintiff_n may_v suggest_v though_o undue_o that_o they_o have_v no_o long-tailed_a debt_n to_o sue_v for_o nor_o title_n to_o recover_v but_o if_o they_o so_o suppose_v it_o be_v a_o mistake_n for_o it_o be_v rather_o their_o despair_n of_o relief_n and_o their_o well-known_a inability_n to_o pursue_v a_o cause_n that_o be_v their_o common_a determent_n to_o begin_v so_o that_o of_o all_o cause_n that_o crowd_v those_o court_n few_o be_v bring_v by_o the_o quaker_n though_o they_o may_v need_v it_o as_o much_o as_o other_o to_o the_o great_a loss_n of_o the_o learned_a in_o the_o law_n as_o well_o as_o the_o poor_a injure_v quaker_n and_o one_o may_v think_v it_o be_v great_a pity_n a_o industrious_a people_n shall_v be_v keep_v liable_a to_o all_o injurious_a suit_n and_o so_o much_o bar_v from_o sue_v for_o their_o right_n be_v their_o cause_n never_o so_o reasonable_a just_a or_o necessary_a see_v their_o relief_n be_v to_o they_o so_o needful_a so_o harmless_a to_o all_o and_o so_o useful_a to_o the_o government_n and_o their_o neighbour_n let_v we_o a_o little_a consider_v the_o common_a objection_n which_o may_v be_v sum_v up_o in_o short_a thus_o first_o objection_n how_o shall_v we_o then_o be_v at_o a_o certainty_n second_o why_o shall_v the_o law_n be_v alter_v for_o they_o for_o three_o it_o will_v be_v to_o raze_v old_a foundation_n four_o and_o let_v they_o into_o the_o government_n which_o its_o hope_a will_n not_o be_v difficult_a to_o answer_v one_o by_o one_o and_o that_o to_o reasonable_a satisfaction_n and_o to_o the_o first_o viz._n the_o doubt_n of_o certainty_n it_o may_v be_v rational_o affirm_v that_o whosoever_o be_v bind_v to_o tell_v the_o truth_n especial_o against_o man_n own_o interest_n where_o the_o temptation_n if_o any_o main_o lie_v such_o be_v either_o so_o bind_v by_o the_o law_n of_o god_n or_o the_o law_n of_o man_n or_o both_o now_o the_o obligation_n by_o the_o law_n of_o god_n be_v bind_v on_o good_a man_n whether_o they_o give_v answer_n on_o oath_n or_o on_o their_o solemn_a affirmation_n in_o the_o fear_n of_o god_n and_o knave_n be_v only_o bind_v by_o the_o penal_a law_n of_o man_n which_o if_o make_v equal_o severe_a to_o those_o that_o give_v fallacious_a answer_n as_o well_o without_o oath_n as_o by_o oath_n will_v be_v equal_o effectual_a and_o bind_a both_o to_o they_o that_o give_v answer_n without_o swear_v and_o to_o they_o that_o swear_v the_o second_o objection_n that_o it_o will_v be_v a_o alteration_n of_o the_o law_n not_o of_o the_o substance_n of_o the_o law_n but_o of_o a_o circumstance_n and_o if_o that_o have_v no_o detriment_n in_o it_o but_o that_o the_o alteration_n be_v real_o a_o amendment_n and_o a_o conveniency_n to_o a_o honest_a industrious_a people_n pray_v why_o shall_v it_o not_o be_v do_v what_o session_n of_o parliament_n be_v there_o that_o pass_v but_o some_o law_n or_o other_o be_v make_v for_o the_o ease_n security_n or_o relief_n of_o the_o subject_a if_o foreigner_n be_v too_o hard_o for_o our_o seafaring_a people_n out_o go_v a_o act_n of_o navigation_n to_o prevent_v it_o if_o our_o poor_a at_o home_n want_v silk_n to_o work_n with_o how_o soon_o be_v it_o grant_v notwithstanding_o the_o same_o act_n to_o come_v over_o land_n and_o not_o direct_o in_o ship_n from_o the_o place_n of_o its_o produce_v as_o the_o say_a act_n before_o do_v enjoin_v and_o shall_v the_o ease_n of_o trade_n be_v so_o soon_o grant_v against_o a_o positive_a statute_n and_o the_o ease_n of_o conscience_n be_v so_o long_o deny_v in_o this_o as_o positive_a a_o command_n of_o christ_n at_o least_o real_o so_o believe_v and_o accept_v and_o for_o the_o three_o objection_n that_o it_o be_v to_o raze_v old_a foundation_n answer_v no_o as_o it_o be_v say_v it_o be_v rather_o to_o mend_v they_o a_o proper_a work_n for_o parliament_n do_v not_o parliament_n abrogate_v popery_n with_o all_o its_o claim_n of_o antiquity_n do_v not_o a_o parliament_n make_v the_o act_n of_o habeas_fw-la corpus_fw-la against_o the_o claim_n of_o prerogative_n and_o be_v it_o more_o