Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A85685
|
To the right honourable the knights, citizens and burgesses now assembled in Parliament. The humble petition of Lewis De Gand, a French nobleman, Lord of Brachey and Romecour.
|
Gand, Louis de.
|
1641
(1641)
|
Wing G195; Thomason 669.f.4[26]; ESTC R210196
|
1,530
|
1
|
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of LEWIS DE GAND a French Nobleman Lord of Brachey and Romecour HVMBLY SHEWING THat whereas since some certaine moneths I your petitioner did for some certaine businesse of mine come over from France into England in a ship bearing the royall English Armes and for greater security having the Kings Letters Pattents it is happened I know not by what mischance that the Spanish Dunkerkers not a whit respecting or God or the King or England contrary to the right of Nations did set upon us in the very English haven and have Robbed me your Petitioner of all the money I had to the value of two hundred pound English And that you may the better be certified of the truth of what I say I can call to witnesse divers Englishmen which came over with me your petitioner in the same ship and namely Master George Thomason and Master Iosuah Kirton and Master Robert Martin all three marchant book-sellers the two first in Pauls Church-yard the one at the signe of the Rose the other at the signe of the white-horse the third in old Bayly at the signe of Venice who will without doubt relate unto you how ignominiously the said Dunkerkers have behaved themselves even against you in this their wicked robbery For first they have beene so audacious as if they were Lords of the Seas yea of England it selfe to discharge their artillery against our ship and to constraine us to yeeld unto them After that we having let them see the Kings letters Patents yet never the lesse disdaining them they have furiously set upon me your Petitioner with naked swords and forced me to deliver them all my money the English that were present not a little wondring at their audacity Thirdly they were so greedy of prey that they letted not to use the Kings naturall subjects namely some Irishmen as if they had beene Frenchmen Finally if I adde unto what is said that all this hath beene committed even in the English haven your selves may judge how great an injury is it redounding unto your selves And if the Spanish Embassadour here in England or the Governours of Dunkerke to whom often hath beene written of this matter by the said Embassadour would by some way or other have covered this their most manifest shame and not pretend Justice in this their most unjust account in saying that they should doe against their conscience if they should presse to restore unto an enemy against the law of nature a prise taken upon him I your petitioner a stranger would not have troubled you with this my particular businesse you having imployment enough in so many waighty affaires of your owne But yet I your petitioner being not so a stranger but that I have of late composed a book in Latine of the prayses of the King and Kingdome dedicated unto the Kings Majesty intituled Sol Britannicus would not I say have troubled your eares with this my particular cause except it touched the honour of all England For if you suffer the Spanish to commit such things why may it not be permitted unto the French the Portingalls the Hollanders as many as are living in this Kingdome peaceably with the Spaniards to have the like power upon the Spaniards And what hindreth us to use them here as enemies but the Friendship that is betweene our Princes and you likewise but the honour and reverence due unto you by us strangers living in this your kingdome All which respects seeing the Spaniards have notoriously sleighted and not regarde but injuriously violated Therefore I humbly crave at your hands that you would be pleased either to cause the said money which hath beene taken from me perforce in your owne ship and haven and the said ship having the Kings Armes which should to me have beene a most sure asyle to be restored unto me with all the dammages which I have sustained thereby or else to give me leave to recover it as I can upon the next Spaniard I shall meet withall And untill you have taken such an order concerning this matter as may well become England I your petitioner most humbly beseech you to cause the Spaniards to provide me some meanes whereby in the meane while I your petitioner may live And the petitioner shall ever pray for your honours c.