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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	king_n	law_n	parliament_n	7,403	5	7.2636	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81579	The declaration, vindication, and protestation, of Edward Dobson, citizen, and stationer, of London. VVherein is shewed the many illegall and unjust imprisonments which the said stationer hath suffered, through the malicious and envious informations of Brownists, Anabaptists, Antinomians, and other seditious sectaries: contrary to the lawes of God, the liberty of the subject, and the lawes of the land, all which have been protested, and covenanted to be maintained with lives and fortunes. Together with the manner of his coming from Worcester to Northampton, and of his barbarous usage there, by the governour and others, contrary to the declaration published in the names of the two kingdomes, upon the sincerity of which he did depend. Also a relation of his illegall imprisonment upon a pretended suspition of bringing a saw to the Irish Lords (as is most scandalously published) for their escape out of the Tower.	Dobson, Edward, 17th cent.	1644 (1644)	Wing D1751; Thomason E257_8; ESTC R212485	8,262	8

THE DECLARATION VINDICATION AND PROTESTATION OF EDWARD DOBSON Citizen and Stationer of LONDON VVherein is shewed the many illegall and unjust impri●onments which the said Stationer hath suffered through the mali●ious and envious informations of Brownists Anabaptists Antinomians and other seditious Sectaries contrary to the Lawes of God the Liberty of the Subject and the Lawes of the Land all which have beene Protested and Covenanted to be maintained with Lives and Fortunes Together with the manner of his coming from Worcester to Northampton and of his barbarous usage there by the Governour and others contrary to the Declaration published in the names of the two Kingdomes upon the sincerity of which he did depend Also a Relation of his illegall imprisonment upon a pretended suspition of bringing a Saw to the Irish Lords as is most scandalously published for their escape out of the Tower Poenas profundi fraudes Capitisque Rotundi Et Judae suavium det Deus ut caveam Deliver me O God I pray from all that is amisse Hells punishment Roundheads coz'ning and from a Judas kisse Possumus quod jure possumus Max. Leg. They have sworne falsly in making a Covenant Hosea 10.3 4. novemb 6th BRISTOLL but indeed London Printed in the Yeere M.DC.XLIIII The Declaration Vindication and Protestation of EDVVARD DOBSON Citizen and Stationer of LONDON IF according to the old Proverb Loosers may speak by authority then may not I be silent considering the many pressures and oppressions the arbitrary and tyraunicall Government usurped by my fellow-Subjects but exercised over me and other His Majesties loyall Subjects by reason whereof we are fallen to as sad if not sadder condition then the Athenians under their thirty Tyrants Those then that would have beheld these men at the beginning of this Parliament and have marked with what zeale and hast they went to Westminster to cry Justice Justice against the Earle of Strafford for bringing an arbitrary and tyrannicall government into Ireland would have little thought that ever they themselves would have exercised the same government in England over their fellow-Subjects as now they doe So that they stand not upon the Quid but the Qualis what persons For so long as themselves rule they are content It seemes that they have learned some Maxime of humane policie To hate and decline that in others that they may with the more security and lesse suspition accomplish the same to themselves This arbitrary and tyrannicall government doth very ill beseem a Prince the Earle of Strafford in Ireland or any other Noblemen but doth become Weavers Basket-makers or such kind of Mechanicks in England very well So the Irish Rebellion is called a horrid and bloudy action a cruell warre but the English and Scotch Rebellion is stiled a holy and just Warre the good Cause a fighting the Lords Battells the maintenance of Religion Lawes and Liberty So the Kings tax of Ship-money was counted an illegall imposition a heavy burden and a great grievance because it was taken without the consent of the three Estates in Parliament But the taking though in the same manner the twentieth and fift part of mens estates besides Excise plunder and other illegall Taxes are no burden no grievance but a great ease to the people So the Oath ex Officio though legall w●s a great burden and oppression to mens consciences because it betrayed Off●nders into the hands of Justice But the Scorch and English Covenant though forced with the greatest severity or rather the French League is no offence no scruple at all but a great ease to mens consciences So the silenci●g ignorant illiterate seditious and factious Ministers by the Bishops was stiled a Prelaticall persecution an Antichristian Tyranny and a stopping the mouths of Gods faithfull Ministers But the silencing imprisoning and plundering of learned and pious D. Featly D. Holdsworth M. Vdall and many other Orthodox and Protestant Divines unblameable untill these th … s is nothing with them but the suppression of Popery and Popish Ministers for such they term● all who hold and conforme themselves to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church established by Law And thus have they learned like the Jewes to put darknesse for light and l ght for darknesse to call evill good and good evill It is not unknowne to the world how by their scanda●ous and lying Pamphlets they labour daily to possesse the people of the Kings intention to bring in Popery And what is this think we but onely that they in the interim may with the lesse suspition and more security bring in Atheisme Heresie and all Sects and Schismes which have beene ever since Christ How have they trampled under Feet the Temporall and Ecclesiasticall Lawes As by imprisoning of mens bodies plundering and taking from them their estates and robbing their King of his Forts Townes Navies Magazines and Militia How do they obey Christ who says Render to Caesar though a Heathen the things that are Caesars when they take all from him It is not give to Caesar but render implying that Kings live not upon the gifts and almes of their Subjects but that they have as great if not greater right to their Revenues as Subjects to their goods With what conscience then can the two Houses usurpe the Militia which by the Scripture hath for many yeares belonged to the disposing of Kings as appeares by that Text in 2 Sam. 18.1 David the King set or made Captains over Fifties Hundreds and Thousands It doth not say his great Councell or his Parliament nay the word Parliament is not to be found in all the Scriptures and we know that Parliaments had their originall and being from Kings What monsters then are they that would undermine depose and destroy those that gave them their being Are they any better then vipers who eat out the bowels of their mothers I speake not this of a free Parliament there was never any King deposed or wronged by a free Parliament neither is it de Jure in the power of a Parliament for God sayes plainly By me Kings rule or raigne Prov. 8.15 He doth not say by Parliaments or by the peoples authority nor are they accomptable to their Subjects in case of errour or faults but onely to God as is most cleare in King David who though he sinned against man yet appealed onely to God saying Against thee against thee onely have I sinned c. Psal 51. I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12.13 And whereas King Richard the second is instanced and objected I answer That the deposing of King Richard to the scandall of this Nation was an act of high Treason upon the fairest relation I will now speake something concerning the abuses of the Church and then of my owne And first let us consider the sacriledge profanenesse and many insolencies offered in Gods house by the Parliaments souldiers as they are commonly called as their hewing and hacking downe the stone-workes as if they intended to build their Babel

impieties by murdering me in my reputation and scandalizing me in their Libells giving me a nick-name more befitting the inventors But it 't is not strange that they slander me when they stick not to slander the footsteps of Gods Annoynted their King neither is it any marvell that they rob me when they feare not to rob God by robbing Churches and Church-men their lawfull King and all the true Nobility but by whom are they thus robbed But by those who despise all Arts and Learning like the fox that contemned the grapes because he could not reach them When they had thus plundered me they summon my own mother and brothers to make Oath whether they knew of any more estate that I had either in money goods or debts O monstrous Tyrant I can the Pope can Antichrist use more Tyranny over conscience then these To make a mother take an Oath to ruine undo her own child by discovering his estate that they may rob him And thus they deale with mens servants compelling them by their unconscionable Oathes Iudas like to betray their Masters making them take Oaths to discover their Masters Estates being contrary to the Covenant of their Indenture of keeping their Masters secrets Thus themselves being treacherous false and perfideous to their King would have servants bee so to their Masters Now those that refuse their illegall Oathes and Covenant they imprison as they have done a young Apprentice of M. Smiths for refusing to be unfaithfull to his Master by betraying his Estate for them to plunder In like manner deale they with the Kings Souldiers their Prisoners Either take our Covenant or else lye in Prison and be starved for you shall have no maintainance or allowance from us not so much as of your own Estates which we have plundered you of And thus they dealt with me when they put me in the dungeon in the Gate-house at Westminster Now I say that it is a quaere whether an Oath or Covenant extorted in this nature obliges and bindes the conscience The Schoolmen conclude negatively that Extortum non est tenendum And in my opinion it bindes men to nothing but to repentance Againe it is another quaere whether an Oath or Covenant can be imposed upon the consciences of His Majesties Subjects without his assent or without the consent of the three Estates of a free Parliament The Common Law concludes negatively too An unlawfull Oath it is thought may lawfully be broken though not lawfully taken Herod sinned in keeping his Oath so did Iephthah in keeping his Vow And I wonder why they should call it the Nationall Covenant Sure they meane the Covenant of the S●ismaticks and Browni●●s of the Nation for Protestants will not take it willingly Not to insist upon this I have beene imprisoned and under Custody ten times since the King went a way but not as an evill doer and that is my joy my comfort Onely for a pretended Malignant and because I knew not how to depart from my allegiance for denying to contribute money to destroy the King and Kingdome For refusing to be under the tyranny and slavery of my fellow Subjects and to forfeit the freedome and liberty purchased to us by our great Ancestors with the labour and industrie of so many yeares For these causes and for these crimes have I been plundered imprisoned and robbed Nor am I like to have remedy or to be bettered but rather worse For they have safely done so many evills already that they will still do more But to passe by this Let us loyall English consider how happy we are in our King over other Nations They fight for their King there our King fights for us here Was there ever King so ready to lay downe his life for his Subjects Liberties as our now King Charles Who is like to the good Shepheard that will lay downe his life for his sheep as appeares by his readinesse to hazard his life and sacred p●●son in defence of us his poore distressed Protestants groaning under the bloody and cruell persecution of Papists in Ireland and Brownists Sectaries Puritans and Roundheads in England Saint Paul fought with beasts at Ephesus But the King fights with beasts in England unreasonable beasts who would have the Bishops preach and keep hospitality and yet will allow them no meanes They say that the Bishops would bring in Poperie but they would bring in Popery themselves For they would take away all the Clergies meanes and make them all begging Friers But to returne againe to my owne occasions I was no sooner discharged out of the Gate-house but one Thomas Weaver one of the Earle of Essex's Life-guard meets me in Thames street and after some greeting would needs have me to prison againe without any Warrant I endeavoured to perswade and convert this Weaver but all was in vaine for I had no sooner cast the beame out of his eye but the shuttle got into his braine and so I left him I now come to speak of my coming to Northampton from Worcester which was thus I hearing of a Declaration published in the names of the two Kingdomes the second of February last past 1643. for the acception of all those that would come in and having divers occasions my mother being dead to come to London I relied upon the sinceritie of this Declaration and came accordingly from thence to Northampton No sooner was I c●me to Northampton and presented my selfe to the Governour Colonell Whetham a quondam-Baker in London but immediately I was stript and rob'd of fifteen pounds and after wards scandalously abused in a lying London-Pamphlet that I had a Crucifix about my neek Indeed the bringing so much money was enough to make any man a Papist a Malignant a Spie or what they please Somthing must be said for the unjust and perfidious taking away my monie and goods els the robberie would be too grosse From thence I was sent to London and examined by the Committee for Examinations and promised by them my monie about a fortnight after that I went to petition for my monie so promised and was for peti ioning committed to the Gate-house where I lay five weeks without anie reliefe This course usage made me to think that the aforesaid Declaration was nothing but a stratagem or policie of the new State to get mens persons as well as their estates into thei power and then use them as they please I wonder what Sir Edward Deering got by coming in to them nothing surely but was made as they have made me a religious beggar We might well think that those that break their oath with their King will scarce keep faith with us they having learned the Jesuits Maxim Fides non est tenendacum Haereticis Malignantibus Not long after this I was againe apprehended by one Cox and Hunt two wiseakers upon a pretended and forged suspition of bringing a Saw to the Irish Lords and was had without any Warrant to Guild-hall from thence without any examination or Mittimus brought to the New-Prison in Maiden-lane and from thence to the Tower before the pretended Lievtenant Isaac Pennington of whom I demanded my accusers but they were not to be found After they had detained me some seven or eight daies close prisoner not letting me all that while lie in a bed they send one Plucknut a shark to say I was not the man that he saw go into the Tower with the Saw he was a tall black man and had a black beard upon these words I was discharged Now I appeale to all the world whether this be according to the Lawes of God or the Lawes of the Land which they have so zealously covenanted to maintaine It is said Acts 25.17 It seems unreasonable to send a prisoner and not examine the crimes against him and our Saviour dismist the woman because her accusers did not appeare Joh. 8.10 11. Besides 't is against the Lawes of the Land as appeares by Magna Charta 9. Hen. 3.29 in these words That Iustice shall be delay'd defer'd or deni'd to no man But why do I speake of Law or Gospell to these who regard neither Who have not the feare of God before their eyes Rom. 3 18. Who feare not to resist disobay their King God commanded his people to submit to the yoake of Nebuchadnezzar a heathen and an Idolatrous King and threatened divers punishments to those who did resist disobay and not submit to him as is most cleare in the 27 of Jer. 8 11. and called him and King Cyrus his Annoynted though Heathens If then God would have his people to submit and obay Nebuchadnezzer a Heathen and an Idolatrous King certainly then much more would he have us to submit not resist and obey our Protestant and Christian King who is not addicted to any of those personall vices which many of his predecessors have beene Lastly and to conclude I doe declare and protest for my Vindication that notwithstanding the many slanderous untruths that I am a Protestant but not of the Amsterdam Geneva or New-Eengland Cut I am for Monarchy regulated according to Law The Doctrine and Discipline of the Church established by Law and hope to see the King like Solomon upon his throne and with his countenance to scatter these cursing Shemei's these railing Rabshake's and round breeches like dust before the winde Finally if the King prevaile all his loyall Subjects will be happie but if the worst should come and God should punish us for our sins by letting Rebells prevaile yet Malo vinci cum Caesare quam vincere et regnare cum Pompeio I had rather fall be overcome ruined and undone with my King the Nobility and loyal Gentry fighting for the true Protestant Religion the Lawes of the Lands and the Priviledges of Parliament Then to conquer overcome rule and raigne with Essex fighting for Schismatiks Hereticks Sacriledge Rebellion and Treason FINIS