Selected quad for the lemma: land_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
land_n estate_n say_a tenement_n 3,026 5 11.0305 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A88231 The peoples prerogative and priviledges, asserted and vindicated, (against all tyranny whatsoever.) By law and reason. Being a collection of the marrow and soule of Magna Charta, and of all the most principall statutes made ever since to this present yeare, 1647. For the preservation of the peoples liberties and properties. With cleare proofs and demonstrations, that now their lawes and liberties are nigher subvertion, then they were when they first began to fight for them, by a present swaying powerfull faction, amongst the Lords, Commons, and Army, ... so that perfect vassalage and slavery (by force of armes) in the nature of Turkish janisaries, or the regiments of the guards of France, is likely (to perpetuitie) to be setled, if the people doe not speedily look about them, and act vigorusly for the preventing of it. / Compiled by Lievt. Col. John Lilburne, prerogative prisoner in the Tower of London, and published by him for the instruction, information and benefit of all true hearted English-men. Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657. 1648 (1648) Wing L2153; Thomason E427_4; ESTC R202741 121,715 88

There are 7 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

unto the power of the House in committing me J stooped but at their doore desired to be committed by a legall Warrant which by their own Law published in Sir Edward Cooks institutes Votes and Ordinances all warrants of commitments whatsoever ought expresly to containe the certaine particular case wherefore a man is committed and ought to conclude and him safely to keep till he be delivered by due course of Law and for the full proof of this read the 68 69. pages of the following discourse and the 11 12 13 14 15 pages of Mr. Iohn Wildmans late defence called Truths Triumph or Treachery anotamised But if the Warrant be in generall words and be also to keep him during their pleasure and made by the Parliament the prisoner is murthered and destroyed by such an imprisonment For he must either stoop to their wills and so betray his liberties and sin against his own soule or else he must remaine in prison till he starve and rot before any Iudge in Westminster Hall will grant him a Habeas Corpus to bring him up to the barre of Justice either to receive his punishment according to Law or else his liberties as uniustly imprisoned and this made me the other day at the House of Commons to contest for a legal warrant before I would go to Prison but that mercinary Turkish Ianisary Col. Baxster laid violent hands upon me telling me expresly he was not either to reason or dispute the Houses commands but to obey them caused his Soldiers to draw their swords upon me in halling of me away by force violence he stabed Magna Charta the Petition of Right c. to the very heart and soule did asmuch as in him lyes by that act destroy all our Lawes and liberties for if authority must be backt with the sword to put in execution all their unjust commands then farwell all law and liberty forever and accursed be the day that ever the Parliament raised an Army to fight for the preservation of our lawes and liberties if now they convert their power and turne their swords and guns against us by force of armes to destroy our lawes and liberties John Lilburne 6. Feb. 1647. In the third yeare of the reign of Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland AT the Parliament begun at Westminster the seventeenth day of March An. Dom. 1627. in the third yeare of the reigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. And there continued untill the 26. day of Iune following and then prorogued unto the 20. day of October now next ensuing To the high pleasure of Almighty God and to the weale publique of this Realme were enacted as followeth The petition Exhibited to his Majestie by the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled concerning divers Rights and Liberties of the Subiect with the Kings Majesties royall answer thereunto in full Parliament To the Kings most Excellent Majestie HVmbly sheweth unto our Soveraigne Lord the King the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in Parliament assembled That whereas it is declared a●d inacted by a Statute made in the time of the reigne of King Ed. the first commonly called Statutum de Tallagio non concedento a a 34. Ed. 1. chap. 1. That ●o tallage or aid shall be laid or levied by the King or his Heires in this Realme without the good will and assent of the Arch B●shops Bishops Earles Barons Knights Burgesses and other the free men of the Commonalty of this Realme And by authority of Parliament holden in the five and twentieth yeare of the reigne of King Edward the third b b 25. Ed. 3 Rot. Par. it is declared and inacted That from thenceforth no person should be compelled to make any loanes to the King against his will because such loanes were against reason and the franchise of the Land And by other Lawes of this Realme it is provided that none should be charged by any charge or imposition called a Benevolence nor by such like charge c c 25. Ed. 1. 6. 1. Ed. 3. 6 11. R. 2. 9. 1. R. 3. 2. by which the Statutes before mentioned and other the good Lawes and Statutes of this Realme your Subjects have inherited this Freedome That they should not be compelled to contribute to any tax tallage aid or other like charge nor set by common consent in Parliament 1. R. 3. 2. Yet neverthelesse of late divers Commissions directed to sundry Commissioners in severall Counties with instructions have issued by meanes whereof your people have been in divers places assembled and required to lend certaine summes of money unto your Majestie and many of them upon their refusall so to do have had an oath administred unto them not warrantable by the Lawes or Statutes of this Realme * * Oaths Ex Officio unlawfull and have been constrained to become bound to make appearance and give attendance before your privie Councell and in other places and others of them have been therefore imprisoned confined and sundry otherwayes molested and disquieted And divers other charges have been laid and levied upon your people in severall Counties by Lord Lievtenants Deputy Lieutenants Commissioners for Musters Iustices of Peace and others by command or direction from your Maiesty or your privie Councell against the Lawes and free customes of the Realme * * All Magistracy in England is bounded by the law thereof e e 28. Ed. 3. 3. And where also by the Statute called THE GREAT CHARTER OF THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND d d 9 H. 3. 29. It is declared and enacted f f 25. Ed. 3. That no free man may be taken or imprisoned St. 37. Ed. 3. 18. St. 38. Ed. 3. 9. St. 42. Ed. 3. 3. St. 17. R. 2. 6. or be disseized of his Free hold or Liberties or his free Customs or he outlawed or exiled or in any manner distroyed but by the lawfull iudgement of his PEERS or by the Law of the Land And in the eight and twentieth yeare of the reigne of King Edward the third e it was declared and enacted by authority of Parliament That no man of what estate or condition that he be should be put out of his Land or Tenements nor taken nor imprisoned nor disherited nor put to death without being brought to answer by due processe of Law Neverthelesse against the tenour of the said Statutes and other the good Lawes and Statutes of your Realme to that end provided f divers of your Subiects have of late been imprisoned without any cause shewed * * Imprisonment without cause shewed is illegall See also Cooke 2. part institutes upon the 29. chap Magna Charta And when for their deliverance they were brought before your Iustices by your Majesties Writs of Habeas corpus there to undergoe and receive as the
other Court shall directly or indirectly or by any art shift colour or device have take or receive any money fee reward covenant obligation promise agreement or any other thing for his report or Certificate by writing or otherwise upon pain of the forfeiture of 100. l. for every such Report or Certificate and to be deprived of his office and place in the same Court the one moity of the said forfeitures to be our Soveraign Lord the King his heires and successors the other moity to the party grieved which will sue for the same at any time during the said suit or within one yeare after the same cause discontinued or decreed and in his default of such suit to him or them that will sue for the same by originall Writ Bill plaint or Information in his Majesties high Court of Star Chamber or in any his Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster in which suit by Writ Bill plaint or Information no wager of Law Essoin Priviledge Supersedeas Protection or any other delay shall be suffered or admitted Provided neverthelesse that it shall be lawfull for the Clerke to take for his paines for writing of every such Report or Certificate 12. d. for the first side and 2. for every side after and no more upon paine to forfeit 10. s. for every peny taken over and above the said summe to be had and recovered as aforesaid Having given you the most materiall Statutes that I conceive at present makes for your most advantage that I can find in the Statutes at large I shall here insert three or foure Statutes made this present Parliament that in my judgement is extraordinary well worth your knowledge and understanding the first thus followes Anno 17. Caroli Regis An Act for regulating of the Privie Councell and for taking away the Court commonly called the Star Chamber WHereas by the GREAT a a 9. H. 3. 29. CHRTER many times confirmed in Parliament It is inacted that no freeman shall be taken or imprisoned or disseised of his free hold or Liberties or free Customes or be Outlawed or exiled or otherwise destroyed and that the King will not passe upon him or condemne but by lawfull judgement of his Peers or by the Law of the Land And by another Statute made in the b b 5. E 3. 9. fifth yeare of the Reigne of King Edward the third It is inacted That no man shall be attached by any accusation nor fore-judged of life or lim nor his Lands Tenements Goods nor Chattels seised into the Kings hands against the forme of the GREAT CHARTER and the law of the land And by another Statute made in the five and twentieth year c c 25 E. 3. 4. of the reigne of the same King Edward the third It is accorded assented and established that none shall be taken by petition or suggestion made to the King or to his Councell unlesse it be by Indictment or Presentment of good and lawfull people of the same Neighbourhood where such deeds be done in due manner or by Processe made by Writ originall at the Common Law and that none be put out of his Franchise or Free-hold unlesse he be by duty brought in to answer and fore-judged of the same by the course of the Law and if any thing be done against the same it shall be redressed and holden for none And by another Statute made in the 28 year d d 28. E. 3. 3. of the Reign of the same King Edward the third It is amongst other things inacted that no man of what estate or condition soever he be shall be put out of his Lands or Tenements nor taken nor imprisoned nor disinherited without being brought in to answer by due processe of Law And by another Sta●●te made in the 42. yeare e e 42. Ed. 3. 3. of the Reign of the said King Edward the third It is enacted that no man be put to answer without presentment before Iustices or matter of Record or by due Processe and Writ originall according to the old Law of the Land and if any thing be done to the contrary it shall be void in Law and holden for error And by another Statute made in the 36. year of f f 36. Ed. 3. the same King Edward the third It is amongst other things inacted That all Pleas which shall be pleaded in any courts before any the Kings Iustices or in his other places or before any of His other Ministers or in the Courts and places of any other Lords within the Realm shall be entred and enrolled in Latine And whereas by the Statute made in the third yeare of King Henry the seventh power is given to the Chancellour the Lord Treasurer of England for the time being and the Keeper of the Kings Privie Seale or two of them calling unto them a Bishop and a Temporall Lord of the Kings most honourable Councell and the two chiefe Iustices of the Kings Bench and common Pleas for the time being or other two Iustices in their absence to proceed as in that Act is expressed for the punishment of some particular offences therein mentioned And by the Statute made in the one and twentieth yeare of King Henry the eighth The President of the Councell is associated to ioyne with the Lord Chancellour and other Iudges in the said Statute of the third of Henry the seveth mentioned But the said Iudges have not kept themselves to the points limited by the said Statute but have undertaken to punish where no law doth warrant and to make Decrees for things having no such authority and to inflict heavier punishments then by any law is warranted And forasmuch as all matters examinable or determinable before the said Iudges or in the Court commonly called the Star-Chamber may have their proper remedy and redresse and their due punishment and correction by the Common Law of the Land and in the ordinary course of justice elsewhere And forasmuch as the reasons and motives inducing the erection and continuance of that Court doe now cease and the proceedings Censures and Decrees of that Court have by experience been found to be an intolerable burthen to the Subiect and the meanes to introduce an Arbitrary power and Government And forasmuch as the Councell Table hath of late times assumed unto it self a power to intermeddle in Civill causes and matters only of private interest between party and party and have adventured to determine the Estates and Liberties of the Subiect contrary to the Law of the Land and the rights and priviledges of the Subiect by which great and manifold mischiefes and inconveniencies have arisen and hapned and much incertainty by meanes of such proceedings hath been conceived concerning mens rights and estates For setling whereof and preventing the like in time to come Be it Ordained and Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That the said Court commonly called the Star-Chamber and all Iurisdiction power and authoritie belonging unto or exercised in
death and incurre the forfeitures of his Goods and Chattells Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of any estate of free-hold or Inheritance in the said Kingdoms of England and Ireland which the said Earl or any other to his use or in trust for him have or had the day of the first sitting of this present Parliament or at any time since Provided that no Iudge or Iudges Iustice or Iustices whatsoever shall adiudge or interpret any Act or thing to be Treason nor in any other manner than be or they should or ought to have done before the making of this Act and as if this Act had never been had or made Saving alwayes unto all and singular persons and bodies politique and corporall their Heires and Successors others then the said Earl and his Heires and such as claim by from or under him all such right title and interest of in and to all and singular such of the said Lands Tenements and Hereditaments as he they or any of them had before the first day of this present Parliament any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding Provided that the passing of this present act and his Maiesties assent thereunto shall not be any determination of this present Sessions of Parliament but that this present Session of Parliament and all Bills and matters whatsoever depending in Parliament and not fully enacted or determined And all Statutes and Acts of Parliament which have their continuance untill the end of this present Session of Parliament shall remain continue and be in full force as if this Act had not been Now after these small collection of Statutes I shall give you some generall heads of things that I conceive are very necessary for you to know for the preservation of your lives liberties and estates in this murdering robing plundering and law and liberty destroying age and because tythes are of such concernment to al the honest nown substantive free men of England and so dayly a grievance to the conscientious and moral iust men of this Kingdome by reason of the Priests and persons coveteous indeavouring to rob the people of there truly come by goods which they have no right unto either by the Lawes of God reason equity or nature against which that you may be the better fortified I shall insert here the plea and answer of William Browne unto the bill of the parson of Stepny with some marginall notes upon it and some other things depending upon it The plea thus followeth The Plea answer of William Brown one of the defendants to the Bill of complaint of Josuah Hoyle intituled by the said bil Doctor of Divinity and vicar of the Parochiall church of Stepney alias Stichen heath in the County of Midlesex pretended debtor to the Kings Majesty that now is THe said defendant by protestation not confessing nor acknowledging any thing in the said bil of cōplaint material against the said defendant to be true but rather devised set forth of purpose to put him this defendant to wrongfull vexation costs and charges and expences in Law for plea saith that by the plantifes own shewing forth the complainant hath no just cause to sue this defendant upon his said bill in this honouable Court neither is this defendant compellable to answer the same for that the said complainant by his said bil alleadgeth and saith that there is and time out of minde where of the memory of man is not to the contrary hath been an ancient custome and usage that the inhabitants of the said parish have alwayes paid unto the Vicars of the said parish for the time being a composition rate for milch Cowes orchards gardens lands and sowes and oblations of poultry as in the said bil of complaint is set forth which if any such custome and usage be the same is triable at the COMMON law † † This is a mistake of the councell that drew the plea for tythes by the statute law of this Kingdome are only recoverable in the ecclesiasticall courts and not at the common law as fully and clearly appeares by the 1 of Ed. 6. chap. 13. and the ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction is totally abolished by act of Parliament this present Parliament anno Caroli Regis 17. so that by law the Parsons can recover no tythes and not in this honourable Court upon the said bill of Complaint And therefore this Defendant humbly prayeth judgement of this honourable Court whether he shall make any further answer to the said complainants Bill of Complaints Neverthelesse if he this Defendant shall be ordered to make any further or other answer unto the said Complainants Bill of Complaint then and not otherwise this Defendant all benefit and advantage of exception to the uncertainties insufficiencies of the said Complainants said Bill still to this Defendant now and at all times hereafter saved for further answer thereunto this Defendant saith That he verily beleeveth it to be true that for some hundred of yeares while the Kingdome groaned under the Papall yoake and was subiect to the Popes supremacie Tyths and certaine manner of Tything and other oblations were exacted and taken by the PAPALL Bi●hops Parsons Vicars and Curates of many Parishes and of a great part of this Kingdome untill ●he Popes supremacie and iurisdiction within this kingdome and all appeale to the sea of Rome were abrogated and annulled by divers severall Statutes * * Penalty for maintaining the authority of the Bishop of Rome 5. Eliz. chap 1. Penalty to draw any subjects from their ●bedience to the King to the Roman religion Idem And this Defendant verily beleeveth that the Popish Bishops Parsons and Vicars and their substitutes since retained and continued in the Church of England did afterwards receive and take tythes and certain manner of tything and other oblations of several parishes within this kingdome for their wages Cure and reading the Book of Common Prayer † And this Defendant saith ●hat the said Inhabitants of the said Parish in the said bill mentioned or any of them did never ●ay or were ever accustomed to pay unto any Vicars of the said parish the said composition for milch Cowes Orchards Gardens Lands and Sowes or other oblations as in the said bill is and set forth or any other composition or rate for the same but only to such Vicars thereof as were made and ordained Ministers by the Bishops some or one of them † † The names functions and stiles of Bishops are taken away Ord. 9. Octob. 1646. and their Episcopall iurisdiction and power with their tythes vicarages personages c. And what composition or rate for milch Cowes Orchards Gardens Lands or Sowes or other oblations the said Inhabitants or any of them did pay unto any of the said Vicars for the time being of the said parish in the said Bill mentioned since the abolishing of the Popes supremacie the same was payed for officiating reading the book of Common Prayer and administring the Sacraments
remedy hath ordained and established by authority aforesaid That no Iustice of peace within the Realm of England in any County shall be assigned or deputed if he have not lands or tenements to the value of 20. l. by yeare and if any be ordained hereafter to be Iustices of peace in any County which hath not lands or tenements to the value aforesaid that he thereof shall give knowledge to the Chancellor of England for the time being which shall put another sufficient in his place and and if he give not the said knowledge as before within a moneth after that he hath notice of such Commissions or if he sit or make any warrant or precept by force of such Commissions he shall incur the penalty of 20. l. and neverthelesse be put out of the Commission as before and the King shall have the one half of the said penalty and he that will sue for the King the other half and he that will sue for the King and for himself shall have an action to demand the same penalty by writ of debt at the common Law Provided alwayes that this Ordinance shall not extend to Cities Towns or Boroughs which be Counties incorporate of themselves nor to cities towns or boroughs which have Iustices of peace of persons dwelling in the same by commission or warrant of the King or of his progenitors Provided also that if there be not sufficient persons having lands tenements to the value aforesaid learned in the Law and of good governance within any such County that the Chancellor of England for the time being shall have power to put other discreet persons learned in the Law in such Commissions though they have not lands or tenements to the value aforesaid by his discretion 27. H. 8. chap. 24. The 20. of Henry the 6. Chap. 8. fol. 336. In what case the Kings Purveyors that would take Cattell may be resisted ITem it is ordained by the authority aforesaid that the Statutes before this time made of Purveyors and buyers shall be holden and kept and put in due execution And in case that any purveyor buyer or taker will take and make purveyance or buy any thing to the value of forty shillings or under of any person and make not ready payment in hand that then it shall be lawfull to every of the Kings liege people to retain their goods and cattels and to resist such purveyors and buyers 28. Ed. 3. 12. and in no wise suffer them to make any such p●rveyances buyings or takings And to keep the peace better every constable tithingman or chief pledge of every town or hamlet where such takings or purveyances shall be made shall be helping or assistant to the owner or seller of such things to be taken against the forme of this Ordinance to make resistance in the manner aforesaid in case that such constables tithingmen or chiefe pledges be required so to doe upon pain to yeeld to the party so grieved the value of the things so raken with his double damages and that none of the Kings liege people be put to losse or damage by the King or any officer for such resistance And that none of the K●ngs officers shall cause to be arrested vexed or impleaded in the Court of the Marshalsey or else where any of the Kings liege people for such detaining or not suffering to be done upon paine to loose 20. l. the one moity thereof to the King and the other moity to him which will in such case sue and that the Iustices of peace in evety County shall have power by authority of this Ordinance to inquire hear and determine as well at the suit of the King as of him that will sue of any thing done against this Ordinance and thereof to make due punishment and execution and to award damages to the party plaintife when any defendant is thereof duly convict and that upon every action to be taken upon this Ordinance every party defendant shall be put to answer unto it without the aid of the King and in such actions to be taken processe shall be made as in a writ of trespasse done against the peace and that in every Commission of Purveyors buyers or takers to be made this Ordinance shall be contained and expressed And moreover that this Ordinance among other Statutes of purveyors buyers or takers before this time made shall he sent to the Sherifes of every County of England to proclaim and deliver the said Statutes and Ordinances in the manner and forme contained in the Statute of purveyors and buyers 2. H. 6. 2. 36. E. 3. 6. made the first year of the reign of our said Lord the King upon the paine contained in the Statute And moreover the King will and commandeth that the Statute made the 36. year of King Edward late King of England the third after the conquest touching the purveyors of other persons then of the King shall be put in due execution 2. H. 4. 14. The 23. of Henry the 6. Chap. 10. fol. 340. No Sheriffe shall let to Farme his County or any Bailiwick The Sheriffes and Bailiffes fees and duties in severall cases ITem the King considering the great perjury extortion and oppression which be and have been in this realme by his Sherifes under Sherifees and their Clerkes Coroners Stewards of franchises Bailifes and keepers of prisons and other officers in divers counties of this realm hath ordained by authority aforesaid in eschewing of all such extortions perjury 20. H. 7. fo 12. 21. H. 7. fo 36. 4. H. 4. 5. Kel fo 108. ●1 H 7. fo 16. Rast pla fo 318. Coke pla 365. 3. E. 1. 26. Dyer fo 119. and oppress●ion that no Sherife shall let to farme in any manner his county nor any of his Bailiwicks Hundreds nor wapentakes nor that the said Sherifes under Sheifes baili●ffes of Franchises nor any other Bailiffe shall return upon any writ or precept to them directed to be returned any inquests in any panell thereupon to be made any Bailiffes officers or servants to any of the officers aforesaid in any panell by them so to be made nor that any of the said Officers and Ministers by occasion or under colour of their office shall take any other thing by them nor by any other person to their use profit or avail of any person by them or any of them to be arrested or attached nor of any other of them for the omitting of any arrest or attachment to be made by their body or of any person by them or any of them by force or colour of their office arrested or attached for fine fee suit of prison mainprise letting to baile or shewing any ease or favour to any such person so arrested or to be arrested for their reward or profit but such as follow that is to say For the Sheriffe twenty pence the Bailiffe that maketh the arrest or attachment foure pence and the Gaoler if the prisoner be committed to
resident within the Shire where they shall be chosen the day of the date of the Writ of the summons of the Parliament And that the Kni●hts and Esquires and other which shall be choosers of those Knights of the Shires be also resident within the same Shires in manner and forme as is aforesaid Rast pl. fo 446. And moreover it is ordained and established that the Citizens and Burgesses of the Cities and Boroughs be chosen men Citizens and Burgesses resiant dwelling and free of the same cities and boroughs and no other in any wise 7. H. 4. 15. 8 H. 6. 7. 10. H. 6. 2. 23. H. ● 15. The 2. of Henry 5. Chap. 1. and 3. fol. 282. What sort of men shall be Iustices of the Peace FIrst that the Iustices of the peace from henceforth to be made within the Counties of England shall be made of most sufficient persons dwelling in the same counties by the advice of the Chancellor and of the Kings Councell without taking other persons dwelling in forain Counties to execute such office except the Lords and Iustices of Assises now named and to be named by the King and his Councell 1. Ed. 3. 16. 34. Ed. 3. 1. And except all the Kings chiefe Stewarde of the Land and Seigniories of the Duchie of Lancaster in the North parts and in the South for the time being 13. R. 2. 7. Chap. 3. Of what estate those Iurors must be which are to passe touching the life of man plea reall to forty markes damages ITem the King considering the great mischiefes and disherisons which daily happen through all the realm of England as well in case of death of a man as in case of freehold and in other cases by them which passe in enquests in the said cases which be common Iurors and other that have for little to live upon but by such inquests and which have nothing to loose because of their false oaths whereby they offend their conscience the more largely and willing thereof to have correction and amendment 2. H. 7. fo 13. 10. H. 7. fo 14. 9. H. 5. fo 5. 10. H. 6. fo 7. 8. 18. 7. H. 6. fo 44. Dyer fo 144 Cook Inst part 1. 272. a. Rast pl. fo 117. hath ordained and established by assent of the Lords and Commons aforesaid that no person shall be admitted to passe in any enquest upon tryall of the death of a man nor in any enquest betwixt party and party in plea reall nor in plea personall whereof the debt or the damage declared amount to forty marks if the same person have not Land or Tenements of the yearly value of forty shillings above all charges of the same so that it be challenged by the party that any such person so impanelled in the same cases hath not Lands or tenements of the yearly value of forty shillings above the charges as afore is said 28. Ed. 3. 13. 8. H. 6 29. The 8. of Henry the 6. Chap. 7. fol. 304. What sort of men shall be choosers and who shall be chosen Knights of the Parliament ITem Whereas the election of Knights of Shires to come to the Parliament of our Lord the King in many Counties of the Realm of England have now of late been made by very great outragious and excessive number of people dwelling within the same Counties of the Realm of England of the which most part was of people of small substance * * This is a Statute of bondage and lesse of liberty 1. H. 5. 1. 10. H. 6. 2. 6. H. 6. 4. 11. H. 4. 1. 23. H. 6. 15. Rast pla fo 440. and of no value whereof every of them pretended a voice equivalent as to such elections to be made with the most worthy Knights and Esquires dwelling within the same Counties whereby manslaughters riots batteries and divisions among the Gentlemen and other peoples of the same Counties shall very likely rise and be unlesse convenient and due remedy be provided in this behalf Our Lord the King considering the premisses hath provided ordained and established by authority of this present Parliament that the Knights of the Shires to be chosen within the same Realm of England to come to the Parliaments of our Lord the King hereafter to be holden shall be chosen in every County of the Realm of England by people dwelling and resident in the same Counties whereof every one of them shall have land or tenement to the value of forty shillings by the year at least above all charges and that they which shall be chosen shall be dwelling and resident within the same Counties And such as have the greatest number of them that may EXPEND FORTY SHILLINGS by yeare and above as afore is said shall be returned by the Sheriffes of every County Knights for Parliament by Indentures sealed betwixt the said Sheriffes and the said choosers so to be made And every Sheriffe of the Realm of England shall have power by the said authority to examine upon the Evangelists every such choos●● how much he may expend by the yeare And if any Sheriffes re●urn Knights to come to the Parliament contrary to the said Ordinance the Iustices of Assises in their Seasions of Assises shall have power by the authority aforesaid thereof to enquire And if by enquest the same he found before the Iustices and the Sheriffes thereof be duly attainted that then the said Sheriffe shall incura●● pain of an hundred pound to be paid to our Lord the King and also that he have imprisonment by a yeare without being le● to mainprise or baile And that the Knights for the Parliament returned contrary to the said Ordinance shall loose their wages 10. H. 6. 2. Provided alwayes that he which cannot expend forty shillings by yeare as afore is said shall in no wise be chooser of the Knights for the Parliament And that in every writ that shall hereafter goe forth to the Sheriffes to choose Knights for the Parliament mention be made of the said Ordinances The 18. of Henry the 6. Chap. 11. fol. 332. Of what yearely value in lands a Iustice of Peace ought to be ITem whereas by Statutes made in the time of the Kings noble Progenitors it was ordained that in every County of England Justices should be assigned of the most worthy of the same counties to keep the peace and to doe other things as in the same Statutes fully is contained 1. Ed. 3. 16 18. Ed. 3. 2. 13. R. 2. 7. 17. R. 2. 10. which Statutes notwithstanding now of late in many Counties of England the greatest number have been deputed and assigned which before this were not wont to be whereof some be of small behaviour by whom the people will not be governed nor ruled and some for their necessity doe great extortion and oppression upon the people whereof great inconveniences be likely to rise daily if the King therefore doe not provide remedy The King willing against such inconveniences to provide
the same Court or by any of the Iudges Officers or Ministers thereof be from the first day of August in the yeare of our Lord God 1641. clearly and absolutely dissolved taken away and determined and that from the said first day of August neither the Lord Chancellour or Keeper of the great Seale of England the Lord Treasurer of England the Keeper of the Kings Privie Seale or President of the Councell nor any Bishop Temporall Lord Privie Councellor or Iudge or Iustice whatsoever shall have any power or authority to heare examin or determin any matter or thing whatsoever in the said Court commonly called the Star-Chamber or to make pronounce or deliver any Iudgment Sentence Order or Decree or to doe any Iudiciall or Ministeriall Act in the said Court And that all and every Act and Acts of Parliament and all and every Article clause and sentence in them and every of them by which any Jurisdiction power or authority is given limited or appointed unto the said Court commonly called the Star-Chamber or unto all● or any the Iudges Officers or Ministers thereof or for any proceedings to be had or made in the said Court or for any matter or thing to be drawn into question examined or determined there shall for so much as concerneth the said Court of Star-Chamber and the power and authority thereby given unto it be from the said first day of August repealed and absolutely revoked and made void And be it likewise enacted That the like jurisdiction now used and exercised in the Court before the President and Councell in the Marches of Wales and also in the Court before the President and Councell established in the Northern parts And also in the Court commonly called the Court of the Duchy of Lancaster held before the Chancellor and Councell of that Court And also in the Court of Exchequer of the County Palatine of Chester held before the Chamberlain and Councell of that Court The like iurisdiction being exercised there shall from the said first day of August 1641 be also repealed and absolutely revoked and made void any Law prescription custome or usage Or the said Statute made in the third yeare of King Henry the seventh Or the Statute made the one and twentieth of Henry the eighth Or any Act or Acts of Parliament heretofore had or made to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And that from henceforth no Court Councell or place of Iudicature shall be erected ordained constituted or appointed within this Realm of England or Dominion of Wales which shall have use or exercise the same or the like Iurisdiction as is or hath been used practised or exercised in the said Court of Star-Chamber Be it likewise declared and enacted by authority of this present Parliament That neither his Majestie nor his Privie Councell have or ought to have any Iurisdiction power or authority by English Bill Petition Articles Libell or any other Arbitrary way whatsoever to examine or draw into question determine or dispose of the Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods or Chattels of any the Subiects of this Kingdome But that the same ought to be tryed and determined in the ordinary Courts of iustice and by the ordinary course of the law And be it further provided and enacted That if any Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the great Seale of England Lord Treasurer Keeper of the Kings privie Seale President of the Councell Bishop Temporall Lord Privie Councellor Iudge or Iustice whatsoever shall offend or doe any thing contrary to the purp●rt true intent and meaning of this Law Then he or they shall for such offence forfeit the summe of five hundred pounds of lawfull money of England unto any party grieved his Executors or Administrators who shall really prosecute for the same and first obtain judgement thereupon to be recorded in any Court of Record at Westminster by action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information wherein no Essoine Protection Wager of Law Aid Prayer Priviledge Injunction or Order of restraint shall be in any wise prayed granted or allowed nor any more then one Imparlance And if any person against whom any such Iudgement or Recovery shall he had as aforesaid shall after such Iudgement or Recovery offend again in the same then he or they for such offence shall forfeit the summe of one thousand pounds of lawfull money of England unto any partie grieved his Executors or Administrators who shall really prosecute for the same and first obtaine Iudgement thereupon to be Recorded in any Court of Record at Westminster by action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in which no Essoine Protection Wager of Law Aid Prayer Priviledge Injunction or Order of Restraint shall be in any wise prayed granted or allowed nor any more then one Imparlance And if any person against whom any such second Iudgement or Recovery shall be had as aforesaid shall after such Iudgement or Recovery offend againe in the same kind and shall bee thereof duly convicted by Indictment Information or any other lawfull way or meanes that such persons so convicted shall be from thenceforth disabled and become by vertue of this Act incapable Ipso facto to beare his and their said Office and Offices respectively and shall be likewise disabled to make any Gift Grant Conveyance or other disposition of any his Lands Tenements Hereditaments Goods or Chattels or to make any benefit of any Gift Conveyance or Legacy to his own use And every person so offending shall likewise forfeit and loose unto the party grieved by any thing done contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Law his trebble dammages which he shall sustain and be put unto by meanes or occasion of any such Act or thing done the same to be recovered in any of His Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information wherein no Essoine Protection Wager of Law Aid Prayer Priviledge Injunction or Order of Restraint shall be in any wise Prayed Granted or Allowed nor any more then one Imparlance And be it also provided and enacted That if any person shall hereafter be committed restrained of his liberty or suffer imprisonment by the Order or Decree of any such Court of Star-Chamber or oth●r Court aforesaid now or at any time hereafter having or pretending to have the same or li●e jurisdiction Power or Authority to commit or imprison as aforesaid Or by the Command or Warrant of the Kings Maiestie his Heires or Successours in their own person or by the Command or Warrant of the Councell-board or any of the Lords or other of his Majesties Privie Councell that in every such case every person so committed restrained of his libertie or suffering imprisonment upon demand or motion made by his Councell or other employed by him for that purpose unto the Iudges of the Court of Kings Bench or Common Pleas in open Court shall without delay upon any pretence whatsoever for the ordinary Fees usually paid for the same
Lord or for him that tooke them Bro. Riot 2. 3. 52. H. 3. 3. 13. Ed. 1. 39. V. N. B. fo 43. 44 Regist fo 85. 52. H. 3. 21. Regist fol. 81. Fitz. N.B. fo 68. F. for to answer and make the deliverance after such time as the Lord or taker shall be admonished to make deliverance by the Sheriffe or Bailiffe if he be in the Country or neere or there whereas he may be conveniently warned by the taker or by any other of his to make deliverance if he were out of the Countrey when the taking was and did not cause the Beasts to be delivered incontinent that the King for the trespasse and despite shall cause the said Castle or Fortresse to be heaten down without recovery And all the damages that the plaintife hath sustained in his beasts or in his gainure or any otherwise after the first demand made by the Sheriffe or Bailiffe of the beasts shall be restored to him double by the Lord or by him that tooke the beasts if he have whereof and if he have not whereof he shall have it of the Lord at what time or in what manner the deliverance be made after that the Sheriffe or Bailiffe shall come to make deliverance And it is to wit that where the Sheriffe ought to return the Kings writ to the Bailife of the Lord of the Castle or Fortresse or to any other to whom the return belongeth if the Bailife of the Franchise will no● make deliverance after that the Sheriffe hath made his return unto him then shall the Sheriffe doe his office without further delay and upon the foresaid paines And in like manner deliverance shall be made by Attachment of the plaintife made without writ and upon the same paine And this is to be intended in all places where the Kings writ lyeth And if that be done in the Marches of Wales or in any other place where the Kings Writs be not currant the King which is soveraign Lord over all shall doe right there unto such as will complain Now after this businesse of Tyths which by the universall complaint against it all over the Kingdome appeares to be an intollerable and insupportable burthen I shall a little open unto you another mischiefe of far more dangerous consequence and that is the subvertion of our fundamentall lawes and liberties and the exercising of an Arbitrary Tyrannicall government which I find to be the principall crime laid to the charge of the late Earl of Strafford for which he lost his head upon the Tower Hill at London in the yeare 1641. And that it was his principall crime appeares clearly to me by his Bill of Attainder which you may read before pag. 29. and by the fi●st Article of his impeachment which as I find it printed in the 117. pag. of a book called Speeches and Passages of this Parliament from the 3. of Novemb. 1640. to Iune 1641. printed for Will. Crook at Furnifalls Inne gate in Holbourne 1641. The very words of which thus followeth That he the said Thomas Earl of Strafford hath traiterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall lawes and government of the Realmes of England and Ireland and in stead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against law which he hath declared by trayterous words councells and actions and by giving His Majestie advice by force of Armes to compell his loyall Subiects to submit thereunto Now whether this very traiterous crime of the Lord of Strafford be not really acted since the warres ended both by the present House of Lords and by the present Grandees in the Army I thinke is obvious to every knowing rationall understanding unbiosed mans eye in England in that both of them have taken upon them to meddle with things not within their cognizance or jurisdiction and to out men of their lives liberties and properties without any legall processe and proceeding all the ordinary Courts of Iustice in England being open where only and alone all causes whatsoever between party and parties desidable by the lawes of this land are to be tryed and determined and no where else it being as lawfull for a Iudge Iustice of peace or a Constable to make Laws as for a House of Lords to execute Laws their legall and proper work at most upon their own usurped principalls being to make new laws repeal old laws to give their consent to raise mony for the preservation of the publique and to see it be rightly disposed of but they themselves ought not in the least to finger it much lesse by votes to give it to each other it being contrary to the Law of England for Fofees in tru●t which they would have us to believe they * And it ● but a b● belief s● I say an● wil maintain it against a● the proc●ers of th● present ● House o● Lords hav● in England tha● they have no more right to their pretended legislative ● power the● a thiefe that by force tak● my purse● from me Nor no more right to b● called th● legislator● of England the● a man to be called an honest womans husband that by force and violence robs her of her virginitie and so commits a rape upon her and by threat to save her life compells her to hold her peace And I desire all the Commons of England seriously to consider how the Lords that flow from William the Conquerers sword and the meer will of his successors can rationally pretend to a legislative power when in their joynt Declarations with the present House of Commons they have declared the King their Creator hath none but is bound by his Coronation oath to pass● all such lawes as the folk or Commons shall chuse and what greater evill can there be in the world the● seeing that all legislative power in the nature of it is Arbitrary that for life an arbitrary power should b● placed in the Lords and heriditary in their sons be they fooles or knaves therefore up with them by the roots and let no power hereafter be exercised in England but what acknowledgly flowes as a trust from th● people or their Representatives and who are subiect as other men to the Lawes are to give any thing to themselves to punish all mayle Administrators of Iustice and to heare and redresse all appeares upon eronious judgements given or made in any of the Courts in Westminster-Hall or elsewhere Yet notwithstanding have they Arbitrarily and Tyrannically summoned and convened men before them for things desideable and determinable only at Common Law without any due processe of Law and have taken upon them contrary to all law Iustice equitie and conscience to be both Informers Prosecutors Witnesses Parties Iurie and Iudges and thereupon have past most illegall arbitrary and tyrannicall censures upon the free Commons of England and thereupon have distroyed and outted them of their lives liberties properties free holds and estates when as by the fundamentall law of the Land no Iudge