Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	send_v	time_n	10,202	5	3.6554	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27467	The speech of the Honourable Sr. VVilliam Berkeley governour and capt. generall of Virginea, to the burgesses in the Grand Assembly at James Towne on the 17 of March, 1651 : together with a declaration of the whole country, occasioned upon the sight of a printed paper from England, intituled An act, &c.	Berkeley, William, Sir, 1608-1677.	1651 (1651)	Wing B1976; ESTC R35748	5,013	10

we yet find are brought against us to convince our judgements and Consciences that we are guilty of those Horrid Crimes Therefore though we professe that our judgments and industry have been long solely and necessarily imployed in providing against the necessities of our poore families and by Consequence should not presume that any Act or Transaction of ●ours could be worthy the publique view Yet since the plainest vindication of innocencie is accepted we shall intimate the reasons of ours imploring charitable and abler ●udgments to perfect what we shall hint to them in our answeares to the Aspersions we find Authorised against us And First whereas they say That the Plantations in America were seated at the Cost and established by the Authority of some in England and therfore ought to be governed by the Lawes of England We conceave we may safely confesse all this and yet not run the Hazard of any misprision of guilt nay we thinke this only testimony of theirs were sufficient to cleere us from the Aspersions of Rebells and Traitors if we had no other markes of innocency left us For we say we were some of us sent others permitted to come hither by the gratious favour of our Pious KINGS sworne to governe and be governed as farr as possible the place was Capable of by the lawes of England which lawes we have inviolably and sacredly kept as farr as our abilityes to execute and our Capacityes to judge would permit us and with reason for these lawes onely in such times of tumults stormes and tempests can humanely prevent our ruines These lawes often enjoyned us the Oathes of Allegeance and Supremacy and they tell us that no power on earth can absolve or manumit us from our obedience to ou● PRINCE and his lawfull Successors These lawes tell us that when we have don all vve can to auoyd it we may resist violence with force and in a lawfull defence of ourselves destroy any that shall endeavour to take away our lives or substance These lawes vve professe are our guides and do beleeve vve deserve punishment and infamy if we vvillingly or vvillfully deviate from them Secondly suppose vve vvere such slaves by nature as to be awed vvith the iron rods held over us in what hand soever found would not then themselves thinke vve deserved the worst usage could be inflicted on us For what assurance could vve give of our nevv Loyalty after having so childishly and impiously relinquisht our old Allegeance Could vve reasonably repine to pay vvith our ovvne swea● and bloud those Garrisons which must be kept among as to fix such volatile obedience as ours would appeare to be For as the Question is stated to us we ought to yeild to whosoever possesse themselves of Westminste● Hall Where we experimentally have found the heads of divers factions and pretensions have presided and excluded one the other and we have no Oraculous assurance but it may be so againe therfore in a Condition so dubious and uncertaine as ours would be wherein no lesse then our soules are concern'd we desire them to permit us simple men to take leave to follow the perspicuous and plaine pathes of God and our lawes that they would be pleas'd to remember that good charitable Axiome in them That none should be condemned till they here first Heard Thirdly we are told of Great summes of money laid out ●n this Country For all we have receav'd we are most thankfull But surelyit will be no evidence of ingratitude ●o say to whom we ovve most this must needes be acknowledg'd to our KINGS who gave liberally themselves and permitted Lotteries to be erected for us We confesse private adventurers added much and might have enjoyed the fruit of it * If the first blow to the Colony had not taken from them all hopes or desires of prosecuting that which they so earnestly begun But certainly what ever their liberallity was we should have auoided it more then our Rattle snakes of it had inevitably made slaves our selves our wives children and Posterity Since the Massacre onely private Marchants have adventured hither for private gaines and we confesse have supplied us with that which we could not well have wanted but this we suppose would be no convincing argument to France Spaine or the Low Countries for their subjection to England because these severall places have been thus furnish't by her If then we owe any thing it is to our KINGS liberallity care and protection and w● beseech you give us leave to pay our acknowledgment t● them Fourthly we are told of usurping a Government to our selve● We wish we could transmit our recordes to the view of ou● accusers By them it would appeare how little we deserv● this imputation For since the beginning of the Colony w● have never innovated nor altred any thing in the maine ●● the Government But in case we had done it what mor● likely Patrons could we chuse to protect us then those who accuse us Grant we had banish'd confin'd imprison'd condemn'd and excecuted those that refuse to obey the lawes confirm'd by many consummated free Parliaments would not those pardon and absolve us who have done the same to others that have refused to obey their edicts when they in their consciences beleeve they ought not to acknowledg to be a Parliament Yet the truth is vve have don● none of these things no man here ever suffer'd in his perso● or estate Concerning the differences in England our lavve● keepe them in better awe then to dare to speake against the Protector of them 'T is true indeed * Two chose rather to leave the Country then to take the Oathes of Allegeance and Supremacy and we acknowledg that vve gladly parted vvith them Having ansvveared these accusations vve appeale even to their ovvne judgments that produced them vvhether vve deserve those hatefull names of Rebells and Traitors Bu● vve beleive they vvill still use them to us and others because those Lucky Bugbeares of Rebells and Malignants have frighted divers to the desertion of honest causes Yet being ●as vve suppose in their ovvne consciences free from these ●nputed crimes though very short sighted in such subtile matters vve thinke vve can easely find out the cause of this ●●cluding us the society of Nations vvhich bring us necessa●●es for vvhat our Country produces And that is the Ava●●ce of a fevv interrested persons vvho endeavour to rob us ●f all vve svveat and labour for Therefore on the vvhole ●atter vve Conclude We are resolv'd to Continue our ●●legeance to our most Gratious KING yet as long as his ●●atious favour permits us vve vvill peaceably as for●erly trade vvith the Londoners and all other Nations in ●nity vvith our Soveraigne Protect all forraigne Mer●●ants vvith our utmost force from injury in the rivers ●●ve Letters of Reprisall to any injured vvith in our Capes ●lvvaies pray for the happy restauration of our KING and pentance in them vvho to the hazard of their soules have ●●osed him This is unammously consented to by the Governour Councell and Burgesses Teste Ro Huberd Cl Cons Johan Corker Cl Dom Com * In the Yeare 1622 when ther were but 300 persons lest alive by that Massacre * Factious Clergy men