Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
book_n law_n lord_n people_n 2,758 5 4.7826 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A01138 The charge of Sir Francis Bacon Knight, his Maiesties Attourney generall, touching duells vpon an information in the Star-chamber against Priest and Wright. With the decree of the Star-chamber in the same cause. Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626.; England and Wales. Court of Star Chamber. 1614 (1614) STC 1125; ESTC S121055 15,080 60

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

THE CHARGE OF SIR FRANCIS BACON KNIGHT HIS Maiesties Attourney generall touching Duells vpon an information in the Star-chamber against Priest and Wright WITH The Decree of the Star-chamber in the same cause Printed for Robert Wilson and are to be sold at Graies Inne Gate and in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Bible 1624. THE CHARGE OF SIR FRANCIS BACON Knight his Maiesties Attourney generall touching Duells vpon an information in the Star-chamber against Priest and Wright MY LORDS I thought it fit for my place and for these times to bring to hearing before your Lord-ships some cause touching priuate Duells to see if this Court can doe any good to tame and reclaime that euill which seemes vnbrideled And I could haue wished that I had met with some greater persons as a subiect for your censure both because it had bin more worthy of this presence and also the better to haue shewed the resolution my selfe hath to proceed without respect of persons in this businesse But finding this cause on foote in my predecessors time and published and ready for hearing I thought to loose no time in a mischeefe that groweth euery day and besides it passeth not amisse some-times in gouernment that the greater sort be admonished by an example made in the meaner and the dogge to be beaten before the lyon Nay I should thinke my Lords that men of birth and quality will leaue the practise when it begins to bee vilified and come so lowe as to Barbers-surgegeons and Butchers and such base mechanicall persons And for the greatnesse of this presence in which I take much comfort both as I consider it in it selfe and much more in respect it is by his Maiesties direction I will supplie the meanesse of the perticular cause by handling of the generall poynt to the end that by occasion of this present cause both my purpose of prosecution against Duells and the opinion of the Court without which I am nothing for the censure of them may appeare and thereby offendors in that kind may read their owne case and know what they are to expect which may serue for a warning vntill example may bee made in some greater person which I doubt the times will but too soone afford Therefore before I come to the perticular whereof your Lordships are now to iudge I thinke it time best spent to speake somewhat First of the nature and greatnesse of this mischeefe Secondly of the causes and remedies Thirdly of the Iustice of the law of England which some stick not to think defectiue in this matter Fourthly of the capacity of this Court where certainly the remedy of this mischeefe is best to be found And Fifthly touching mine owne purpose and resolution wherein I shall humbly craue your Lordshipps ayde and assistance For the mischeefe it selfe it may please your Lord-shippes to take into your consideration that when reuenge is once extorted out of the Magistrates hand contrarie to Gods ordinance Mihi vindicta ego retribuam and euery man shall beare the sword not to defend but to assayle and priuate men beginne once to presume to giue lawe to them-selues and to right their owne wrongs noe man can foresee the danders and inconueniences that may arise and multiply there-vpon It may cause soddaine stormes in Court to the disturbance of his Maiestie and vnsaftie of his person It may grow from quarrells to banding and from banding to trooping and so to tumulte and commotion from perticuler persons to dissention of families and aliances yea to nationall quarrells according to the infinite variety of accidents which fall not vnder fore-sight so that the State by this meanes shal be like to a distempered and vnperfect body continually subiect to inflamations and convulsions Besides certainely both in Diuinity and in Pollicie Offences of presumption are the greatest Other offences yeeld and consent to the law that it is good not daring to make defence or to iustifie themselues but this offence expresly giues the Law an affront as if there were two lawes one a kind of gowne-Gowne-law and the other a law of reputation as they tearme it so that Pauls Westminster the Pulpet and the courts of iustice must giue place to the law as the King speaketh in his proclamation of Ordinary tables and such reuerent assemblies the year books and statute books must giue place to some French and Italian pamphlets which handle the doctrine of Duells which if they be in the right trans●amus ad illa lets receiue them and not keepe the people in conflict and distraction betweene two lawes Againe my Lords it is a miserable effect when young men full of towardnesse and hope such as the Poets cal aurorae filii sonnes of the morning in whom the expectation and comfort of their friends consisteth shall bee cast away and destroyed in such a vaine manner but much more it is to bee deplored when so much noble and gentle blood shall be spilt vpon such follies as if it were aduentured in the field in seruice of the king realme were able to make the fortune of a day and to change the fortune of a kingdome So as your Lordships see what a desperate euill this is it troubleth peace it disfurnisheth war it bringeth calamity vpon priuate men perill vpon the state and contempt vpon the lawe Touching the causes of it The first motiue no doubt is a false and erronious imagination of honour and credit and therefore the King in his last Proclamation doth most aptly and excellently call them bewitching Duells For if one iudge of it truely it is noe better then a sorcery that enchanteth the spirits of young men that beare great myndes with a false shew species falsa and a kind of satanicall illusion and apparition of honour against religion against lawe against morall vertue and against the presidents and examples of the best times and valiantest Nations as I shall tell you by and by when I shall shew you that the law of England is not alone in this poynt But then the seede of this mischeefe being such it is nourished by vaine discourses and greene and vnripe conceipts which neuerthelesse haue so preuayled as though a man were staid and sober minded and a right beleeuer touching the vanity and vnlawfulnesse of these Duells yet the streame of vulgar opinion is such as it imposeth a necessity vpon men of value to conforme them-selues or else there is no liuing or looking vpon mens faces So that we haue not to doe in this case so much with perticuler persons as with vnsound and depraued opinions like the dominations and spirits of the ayre which the Scripture speaketh of Here-vnto may be added that men haue almost lost the true notion and vnderstanding of Fortitude and Valour For Fortitude distinguisheth of the grounds of quarrels whether they bee iust and not onely so but whether they be worthy and setteth a better price vpon mens liues then to bestow them idely Nay it is