Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	according_a	law_n	parliament_n	2,488	5	6.5410	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97097	Englands lamentable slaverie, proceeding from the arbitrarie will, severitie, and injustnes of kings, negligence, corruption, and unfaithfulnesse of parliaments, coveteousnesse, ambition. and variablenesse of priests, and simplicitie, carelesnesse, and cowardlinesse of people. Which slaverie, with the remedie may be easily observed. By the scope of a modest & smooth letter, written by a true lover of his countrey and a faithfull friend to that worthy instrument of Englands freedome, Lievten. Collonell Lilburn, now unjustlie imprisoned in Newgate. Being committed first, by order and vote of Parliament without cause shewed, and then secondly for refusing to answer upon interrogatories to their committee of examinations, contrarie to 1. The great charter of England. 2. The very words of the Petition of right. 3. The act made this present Parliament; for the abolishing the Star-Chamber. ...	Walwyn, William, 1600-1681.	1645 (1645)	Wing W681C; Thomason E304_19; ESTC R200316	6,728	7

remove thy Candle sticke out of his place March not so swiftly ye mighty ones one single honest heatted man alone oftimes by unpleasing importunity not only stayes but saves a whole Army from inevitable danger for better is wisedome then weapons of warre Ecclesiastes 9. 18. Timely mementoes and cautions to advised and modest men howsoever uttered are never without good effect If godly David made some good use even of rash Sim●is railing then what happie use may the godly minded make of any faithfull mans words which tend altogether to justice equitie and reason Nor can I imagine any evill is now intended towards you for your faithfull and plaine dealings except by some few and those instigated by one only who by his great successe in getting out Mr. Henry Martine that just and zealous Patriot of his Countrey and some other prevalencies hath swolne so big with confidence of greater matters that he thinkes Lilburns blood the next meat Sacrifice for Oxford so that what the King could not doe to him as one of the Parliaments best friends when he was close Prisoner there the Parliament themselves must endeavour to doe to him in his unjust prisonment here The Poyson of Asps is under that wicked mans tongue with which he labouteth alwaies to poyson Scripture mixing it figuratively in his discourse to corrupt sinister and unworthy ends whose malice and hypocrisie doubtlesse will ere long discover him to all men And I doubt not but that same God that took a h●ppie cou●se with Hama● and delivered Mordita and all his people will in you● greatest necessity and his fittest opportunity fight against all your enemies and deliver both you and all yours our of all your afflictions at least so to mitigat● and sweeten them by supporting you under them or rather bearing of them with you that they shall prove to be exceeding joyes and consol●tions to you and a●● that love you The honest and plaine men of England in dispite of that mans mallice shall be your Judges and will spread forth in order like King Ezekias letter both before God and their owne consciences what a world of injuries and miseries you betweene 20. and 30. yeares of age scarcely to be paraleld any where in this age have with great fidelity magnanimitie and constancie undergone in the discharge of your conscience and defence of the liberties of your native Countrey and will not suffer a haire of your head to be touched nor any reproach to be stucke upon your good name but you shall live and be an honour to your Nation in the hearts of all honest and well affected men which shall ever be the hearty desire of me Your faithfull Friend The Printer to the Reader THere is here a copie of an excellent letter which comming to my hands by the carefull meanes of a worthy friend who is a Wel-willer both to his Countreys priviledges and to those few who eitherstand for them or for the truth have thought it my dutie not to … ther nor obscure such a needfull Epistle ' but rather as times are to manifest it to the world according as it came entituled to me namely A Private letter of publique use Whereby it may appeare now in these dangerous dayes both how the States and Clergie of this Kingdome have pittifully abused the people even our ancient predicestors for many ages both in Church and Common wealth First In bringing them with a high hand under heavie thraldome and great bondage and then keeping them in lamentable slaverie for many hundreds of yeares as still their Successors the States men and Clergie of our dayes doe with all their policie and machinations and what designes they cannot thereby bring to passe they endeavour by all possible meanes whether directly or indirectly even by open violence without shewing any just cause and yet all ●nder the colour of lawes when in the meane time they were called together sworne intrusted and commanded both to rectifie whatsever wicked decrees Popish Cannons Arbitrary corrup● or defective Lawes their predicessors in the dayes of grosse ignorance and palpable darknesse did establish Howsoeuer the body of the Letter doth not specifie in plaine rearmes what the title painteth out in lively colours yet thou being judicious and industrious may easily enough perceive the same by the full scope true intent and meaning thereof intimated to thy understanding under the Authors modest and loving expressions to this worthy instrument of Englands delivery Lievten Collonell Lilburn that he may see more cleerly then it may be he did formerly both how far short even those which we call our best lawes commeth of the marke of perfection justice integrity and reason that the worthyes of Parliament according to their duty unto the people and the peoples due at their hands may not only reforme what is amisse and that now whiles they professe reformation but likewise carrie that dutyfull respect unto him as one of their most trusty servants and that according to the degree nature and eminencie of all his faithfull services and cruell sufferings and that such others though there be few may be rather encouraged to persist then any wise being so rewarded to desist Fare you well Courteous Reader I desire thee to read a late Printed Booke intituled Englands birth-right justified against all Arbitrary Vsurpation whether Regall or Parliamentary or under what Vizar soever Printed October 1645. FINIS

punishment for Deere stealing what for every Pigeon killed contrary to law who should weare cloth of such a price who Velvet Gold and Silver what wages poore Labourers should have and the like precious and rare businesse being most of them put on of purpose to divert them from the very thoughts of freedome suitable to the representative body of so great a people And when by any accident or intollerable oppression they were roosed out of those waking dreames then what 's the greatest thing they ayme at Hough w th one consent cry out for MAGNA CARTA like great is Diana of the Ephesians calling that messe of pottage their birth right the great inheritance of the people the great Charter of England And truly when so choice a people as one would thinke Parliaments could not faile to be shall insist upon such inferiour things neglecting greater matters and be so unskilfull in the nature of common and just freedom as to call bondage libertie and the grants of Conquerours their Birth-rights no marvaile such a people make so little use of the greatest advantages and when they might have made a newer and better Charter have falne to patching the old Nor are you to blame others for extolling it that are tainted therewith your selfe saving only that its the best we have Magna Charta hath been more precious in your esteeme then it deserveth for it may be made good to the people and yet in many particulars they may remaine under intolerabl● oppressions as I could easily instance And if there be any necessity on your behalfe it shall not faile with Gods grace to be effected let who so will be offended but if there be not a necessity I conceive it better for this present age to be concealed then any wise divulged But in this point you are very cleare that the parliament ought to preserve you in the Freedomes and liberties contained in Magna Charta at the least and they are not to permit any authority or Jurisdiction whatsoever to abridge you or any man thereof much lesse may they be the doers thereof themselves Something may be done through misinformation but believe it upon consideration they are to make a mends Humanum est errare But as Abraham reasoning with God was bold to say to that Almighty power Shall not the Judge of all the earth doe right Much more may I in this your case be bold to say shall not the Supreame Judicatory of the Common Wealth doe right God forbid That libertie and priviledge which you claime is as due unto you as the ayre you breath in for a man to be examined in crimminall cases against himselfe and to be urged to accuse himselfe is as unnaturall and unreasonable as to urge a man to kill himselfe for though it be not so high a degree of wickednesse yet it is as really wicked And for any man to be imprisoned without cause declared and witnessed by more then one appearing face to face is not only unjust because expressie against Magna Charta both of Heaven and Earth but also against all reason sense and the common Law of equitie and justice Now in such cases as these no authoritie in the world can over-rule without palpable sinne It is not in these cases as it is in other things contained in Magna Charta such as are the freedomes of the Church therein mentioned for some doe argue that their power must be above Magna Charta or otherwise they would not justlie alter the Government of the Church by Arch Bishops and Bishops who have their foundation in Magna Charta But such are to consider that the Government of the Church is a thing disputable and uncertaine and was alwaies burthensome to the people now unto things to themselves disputable and uncertaine as there is no reason why any man should be bound expresly to any one forme further then his Judgement and conscience doe agree thereunto even so ought the whole Nation to be free therein even 〈◊〉 ●aker and change the publique forme as may best stand with the safety and freedome of the people For the Parliament is ever at libertie to make the People more free from burthen and oppressions of any nature but in things appertaining to the universall 〈◊〉 of common equitie and justice all men and all Authority in the world are bound This Parliament was preserved and established by the love and affections of the people because they found themselves in great bondage and thraldome both spirituall and temporall out of both which the Parliament proposed to deliver them in all their endeavours at least Declarations wherin never was more assistance given by a people And for the first it was a great thing the exterpation of Episcopacie b●t that meerly is not the main matter the people expected which indeed is that none be compelled against Conscience in the worship of God nor any mollested for Conscience sake the oppression for Conscience having been the greatest oppression that ever lay upon religious people and therefore except that be removed the people have small ease by removall of the Bishops but rather will be in greater bondage if more and worse spirituall task-masters be set over us These were no small matters also their abolishing the High-Commission and Starre Chamber for oppressing the people by imposing the Oath Ex Officio and by imprisoning of men contrary to law equitie and justice But if the people be not totally freed from oppression of the same nature they have a very small benefit of the taking downe of those oppressing Courts Seeming goodnesse is more dangerous then open wickednesse Kind deeds are easily discerned from faire and pleasing words All the Art and Sophisterie in the world will not availe to perswade you that you are not in New gate much lesse that you are at libertie And what became of that common and threed-bare doctrine that Kings were accountable only to God what good effects did it produce No they are but corrupt and dangerou● flatterer that maintaine any such fond opinions concerning either Kings or Parliaments What prejudice is it to any in any authority meaning well to be accountable for indeed and truth all are accountable and it is but vaine if not prejudiciall for any to thinke otherwise Doth any man entrust and not looke for justice and good dealing from him he trusts And if he find him through weakenesse or wickednesse doing the contrary will he forbeare to set him right if he can Can he sit downe silently with injurie or prejudice I could judge those people very neare to bondage if not to ruine that could be brought to beleeve it there be many instances both Fortaigne and Domestick which yet I forbeare to expresse The greatest safety will be found in open and universall justice who relyeth on any other will be deceived Remember therefore saith God whence thou art faine and repent and doe the first workes or else I will come quickly and will