Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	king_n	lord_n	people_n	4,953	5	4.9858	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88183	Englands weeping spectacle: or, The sad condition of Lievtenant Colonell John Lilburne : crying to all who have any conscience or compassion, for assistance and deliverance from his unjust, long and cruell sufferings. Wherein (as in a glasse) all Englishmen may see the slavish condition, unto which (after so much blood, time and treasure spent) they are yet by perfidious men (who vowed and promised to deliver them from all tyrannie and oppression) still most wofully subjected.	Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.; Walwyn, William, 1600-1681, attributed name.	1648 (1648)	Wing L2107; Thomason E450_7	11,140	15

certainely resolve upon it that that man whosoever hee be doth thereby shew himself but a counterfeit and is not to be trusted in the day of thy necessity Instance but one if thou canst O thou officious flatterer who hath stood firme for Englands true freedome that hath despised him thy Patrone Cromwell himselfe stumbling at this stone he is fallen like Lucifer yea and all that steere his unsteedy course doe they not stagger and reele up and downe like so many drunken men and finde no certain path wherein to walke or set their feet since they forsooke the streight way of this just and impartiall man Mr. Lilburne O England or rather thou true part of England that knowest best what just freedome is when thou wouldest know whether thou art bond or free whether those thou trustest with thy freedome power and authority deale well or ill with thee or whether they be just or unjust thou needest not runne to the King nor Parliament neither to the House of the Kings Lords nor to House of the Peoples Commons neither enquire of thy Lawyers nor of thy Priests or Judges but look onely on him consider his just cause peruse his Writings and deferre not to give judgement that they are altogether become abhominable and reprobate to every good work that there is none of them that doth good no not one their throat is an open Sepulchre not only in swallowing up thy good men greedily like a Whale and devouring thy goods insatiably like Bell or rather like hell but with their tongues they speake nothing but lyes of him and the cause for which he suffereth and yet promoteth for thy peace and freedome Look look upon him all yee that passe by yea stand still I say and look steadfastly on him his wife and children Is it not a weeping spectacle and are there no teares yet in thine eyes Whilst thou beholdest it Looke steedily on his bloody stripes terrible gagging cruell imprisonment and barbarous usage and likewise upon his actions and sufferings since Were these unparalleled sufferings not at all because most of them were some yeares moneths or weekes agoe Surely O friends yee seeme by your practice to thinke so if it were otherwise whence comes so great an alteration in you though there be both a constant and couragious progresse in him For no sooner entred he into any one of his afflictions formerly but ye flockt about him like so many Bees at a hive like friends and true comforters indeed so that every one thought well or ill of themselves as they comforted or neglected him And seeing yee have found them all as step-mothers that have weaned you from him O then returne returne revive in love there being no oppression nor burthen nor affliction so great as the neglect of friends to one oppressed burdened and afflicted for a just cause in prison Be not you therefore after all the greatest but lend him your societies your comforts your counsels and assistance as at the first whenevery one was ready to runne ride petition or do any just thing for his encouragement or enlargment And never look that England shall be free or that any good is really intended to this Nation till this worthy man be set at liberty with full reparations for his foule injurious and unjust sufferings and be sure ye neither neglect nor delay your endeavours to effect it whatever it cost you as he accounteth nothing too deare or precious for you for if any one suffer all ought to suffer with him nor think your selves religious either in your Fasts or Feasts or any thing else as in using all lawfull meanes which possibly may deliver the Captive and set the oppressed free Isai 586. This indeed may cost you something for ye are like to go through many difficulties to obtaine it but for these and the like ends have ye your abilities and without ayming at such thinke not your religious exercises enough which costs you little or nothing O! therefore never cease till yee procure him either free enlargement with reparations or a Legall tryall that England may cease to mourne any more over this weeping spectacle FINIS

ENGLANDS weeping spectacle OR The sad condition of Lievtenant Colonell John Lilburne Crying to all who have any conscience or compassion for assistance and deliverance from his unjust long and cruell sufferings Wherein as in a glasse all Englishmen may see the slavish condition unto which after so much blood time and treasure spent they are yet by perfidious men who vowed and promised to deliver them from all tyrannie and oppression still most wofully subjected Prov. 11.26 Matth. 26.44 45 46. The righteousnesse of the upright shall deliver them but transgressors shall be taken in their own wickednesse Then shall they also answer him saying when saw we thee an hungry or athirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister unto thee Then shall he answer them and say verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me And these shall go into everlasting paine and the righteous unto life etenrall Printed in the Yeere 1648. Englands weeping Spectacle or the sad condition of Lievtenant-Colonell JOHN LILBURNE Crying to all who have any conscience or compassion for assistance and deliverance from his unjust long and cruell sufferings CErtainly in it selfe and to a sound and vertuous mind nothing is so sad so irksome and grievous as the unjust sufferings of an honest and faithfull man who for his hatred to oppression and love to the just Liberty of his Countrey is made a prey to Tyrants and the subject of their scorn pride and malice And if this be so as it must needs be Paul testifying that for a good man some would even dare to die thereby signifying his excessive griefe when vertue and goodnesse suffers and in this respect who can forbeare to weep that considers the long and cruell sufferings of M. Lilburn which were not for any unjust action nor for obtaining some particular good to himselfe but in the constant pursuance of the generall good of this long-betrayed and inslaved Nation When first he began to understand himself had he been like unto most young men of his age and time who either wast their abilities on vaine fantastick pleasures or hunt after the sordid rewards of ambition and covetousnesse minding little else but the pride vanity and luxury of a sinfull life mixt at best only with a forme of Godlinesse without the power or life thereof no doubt but he might soone have come to have been a man of this world to have been some body in the City and place where he was bred and have enjoyed those contents which most men seeke either in honour or profit But it seems his conscience was soon awakened upon his Masters call God to whose service he had dedicated himself made him to know betimes that he had other work for him to doe and being called he neither suffered the motions of God in his conscience to be choaked with the cares of this world nor the deceitfulnesse of riches nor consult with flesh and blood but as Moses he chused rather to suffer affliction in pursuance of a just cause then to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season Hereupon he finding all Authority corrupted and perverted from the true end the preservation and freedome of the people to its contrary the ruine vexation and bondage of the people his conscience presently sets him awork waving all selfe-respects to the discovery thereof by printing and publishing of bookes whereby to open the understandings of men and stirring them up to a timely prevention of that intolerable bondage which he perceived to be coming fast upon them Whilst he was thus employed the Lordly Bishops and corrupt States-men whose wickednesse was laid open through his endeavours did by the craft of their officious instruments and trechery of fained friends lay hold of him and proceed against him in Star-Chamber where after most corrupt proceedings he is put to that vile Oath Ex Officio enjoyning him to answer to all such questions as they should demand even to Articles against himselfe which being contrary to nature reason Law and Religion he absolutely refuses to answer insists upon his right and declares the illegality and abominable wickednesse of such proceedings For refusing whereof they sentence him to be whipt at a Cart from the Fleet-prison to Westminster-hall and there to be set on the Pillory for many houres to be a wonder to all men and with what malice this cruelty was executed how bloodily he was whipt how cruelly gagg'd and after that how barbarously he was used in his imprisonment in the Fleet would be no lesse sad then tedious to rehearse yea and is of it selfe sufficient had his sufferings ended there even to make every true-hearted English-man with the Prophet Jeremy to wish that his head were a well of water and his eyes fountaines of tears that he might weep day and night that any government pretending Christianity should be so inhumane or any people professing the knowledge of God or common equity should be so sottish as to stand by observe and suffer such inhumane cruelty whereof the particulars have been so fully and frequently related that it is needlesse here to repeat them these are times wherein Christians are not Children in knowledge but rather in conscience and practice or else this weeping Spectacle would make their heats to bleed and burne within them till they had found out some way of deliverance for him But did his sorrowes end here No but as the injustice and cruelty of his adversaries abated not his courage as they supposed and expected but rather increased and heightned his resolution according to the nature of true Christian fortitude so hath the same ever since moved him with undaunted courage to stand in opposition to the oppression and injustice of the times and by that meanes begotten him more and greater affliction even principally from the Parliament it selfe who pretended not onely to deliver him but all England out of all kind of bondage and oppression It 's confest they began well like true Christians indeed in delivering the captive and setting the oppressed free whereof he was one and it was well for them he was so for he was no unthankfull one but immediately occasion so requiring ventured his life for their preservation against Lunsford and his crue of Ruffians at Westminster where the Parliament of England that had preserved him was by his speciall meanes under God preserved the greatest number that were there even Sir Richard Wiseman himself being there by his incitement who notwithstanding is since too much forgotten and where this our weeping Spectacle was then a bleeding Spectacle to all beholders and for which and much more both before and since all true lovers of Englands Liberties are beholding to him and had not things then as well as since been done by halves and deceitfully our troubles had then ended or at least not halfe so long indured And how sensible

did the Parliament then seem to be of his sufferings and service What could be desired that was not then voted in his behalfe whether in condemnation of his tyrannous adversaries or in justification and reparation of his sufferings and losses even as far and as faire as the wits of men could devise which is evident by their Votes then manifested And this at that time gained them abundance of friends for he was exceedingly beloved and pitied throughout the Land Oh that all their proceedings since had been agreeable to this he is not a changer with the times though they in their actions be much changed For it had not then appeared that this they did to him was not for justice sake but rather to advance a party whereby to compasse their owne ends and not the publike good But so really thankfull is this good man for their seeming good to him and to the publike in him for he and the publike are but one as time will prove effectually that no sooner did their necessities declare for VVarre but he ingages himselfe and all the friends he had one way or other to ingage for them and for their sakes supposing then they minded really the Commons Liberties and the redresse of all grievances forsakes his calling wherein he lived comfortably and leaves his wife dearer to him then himselfe as she well deserved honouring and comforting him before she was so even when he was more like Job upon the dunghill by his sufferings then a man at that time for her society And at Kenton-field ventured his life freely for them and his Countrey so that he gained very much respect from all who observed his faithfulnesse and valour Nor does he desist here though by what he had seen both at Worcester and at this fight he had cause to doubt that there was no intention of a speedy end to the war or of liberty to the people but occasion at Branford againe requiring his service he there for many houres with an inconsiderable party of men that can never be too much honoured holds all the Enemies Forces at a bay and inforces them to a stand till London was provided which otherwise in probability had ben surprized on a sudden and where he lost himselfe to redeem his Countrey being in a worse condition then those many worthy men there slaine for he was led in a most despicable manner from thence to Oxford where he underwent a long and loathsome imprisonment with most barbarous usage from Smith the cruell Jaylor and a most dangerous triall for his life before Judge Heath and though he daily expected certaine death yet stood he firme against all kinds of temptations and promises whether of honour or profit or deliverance from his present misery firme as built upon a Rock even the Rock Christ Jesus and a cause as his conscience had digested it just as justice it selfe And for defence whereof he had certainly and suddenly died the most shamefull death if the faithfulnesse of his wife had not even in the very instant prevented the judgement and execution for she knowing his danger ceased not to solicite the House of Commons daily and hourely to interpose their power for his preservation and when by ordinary solicitation she could not prevaile necessity so much inforcing she took the boldnesse to present her self at the Commons Barre there begging and importuning their care of her husbands life and was by divine providence so happy as to obtaine their Order and Letter to Judge Heath requiring a forbearance of his execution and withall threatning the death of two of their friends being then prisoners here in case they took his life With which letter big with child as she was she undergoes a task through all the strong Courts of Guard which none else as things then stood durst undertake in performance whereof she met with so many sad and difficult accidents to a woman in her condition as would force tears from the hardest heart to heare them related but they are too large for this place though those that know them cannot but remember them to her perpetuall commendation who by wisdome patience and diligence overcame them all and for her reward both saved her husbands life and after a season obtained his liberty Neither was he wearied by these his sufferings nor unthankfull for the respects shewed unto him by the Parliament as witnesse his speedy ingagement under the Earle of Manchester in which service it is well knowne he was so faithfull resolute and successefull that he became the darling and bosome-friend to the now Lievtenant-Generall Cromwell through whose unhappy intimacy he had so great an inspection into the actions of the Earle himselfe and likewise of Col. King that when Cromwell impeached the said Earle upon many dangerous articles he had not so materiall a witnesse or that durst so effectually appeare as his trusty friend Lievetenant-Colonell Lilburne who not knowing what belonged to fear or distrust boldly discovers upon examination all that he knew or could testifie and which made up so much as the house of Commons upon report of the Committee voted the charge to be fully proved But here endeth the charge to Mr. Lilburne and all true hearted English mens great griefe which otherwise if it had been prosecuted might then have made an end of all these warres troubles and oppressions and here began Mr. Lilburne and all other honest mens overthrow by meanes of those deceitfull instruments unto this day For instantly upon this cessation and alteration diverse unworthy officious men were set awork both upon him and all that loved him and his cause even by printed railing lying pamphlets to abuse vex and provoke him unto which he answering replying in way of justifying himself and his friends is hastily complained on to the Parliament his person summoned by Warrants from the Committee of Examinations where as before in Starchamber he is demanded questions against himselfe which he refusing to answer they make no longer debate but immediately send him to Newgate purposely to disparage and provoke him more and more wherein Mr. Miles Corbet and Mr. VVhitaker were very forward And though they had no Commission so to doe yet the house of Commons both justifies the Committee and directs the Recorder of London to prepare for his tryall at Sessions for his life as if there had been some capitall crime or dangerous matter against him and in this base prison he lyeth almost three months and of what slaunders were reported and Plots divised against him all this time not onely his and his friends sad experience at present but the accusing conscience of his enemies will in due time bear witnesse And then upon his owne motion to Newgate Sessions and upon their hearing him in open Court by a publick speech defying all his accusers and all their accusations was by proclamation set free without any legall crime layed to his charge either by Parliament or any other whereby