Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	heart_n	keep_v	law_n	23,701	5	6.5100	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78011	An appeal from Chancery, to the Lord General and his Councel of Officers, as also to the Councel of State, and to all free-born English men of honest hearts, who have not forfeited their liberty, or captivated their reason, but fear and love the name of God, and the interest of all honest men, ... that Christs kingdom may be advanced, and the kingdom of Satan, with Antichrist, and that of the beast, may be thrown down, with all their covetous, persecuting, ... perjured officers, ..., either that have been corrupt Parliament-men, ... such who are in places of judicature, ... with every corrupt member thereof, ...in England, or in places called Innes of Court, or the devil's school of sophisticating and lying, frauds and hypocrisies, which bring forth a generation of vipers, ... wolves in sheeps clothing, ... or those in places of government in cities, ... who usurp authority over English-men, and that because they are in place or places over them, they combine also with this serpentine brood, and tyrannize over their brethren which never yet brake their trust, as the most of these have done, and that because they will not sacrifice to this devil of unrighteousness, ... to do unrighteously, and to deceive, and defraud, and oppress their brethren, and to undo them, as these experimentally many of them are found and known to do, for filthy lucre sake.	Burt, Nathaniel, fl. 1644-1655.	1653 (1653)	Wing B6141; Thomason E697_21; ESTC R207111	20,805	28

that their hearts may be kept faithful as Moses who when he was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt would not leave a hoofe in bondage that so the Lords work being begun who turneth the way of the wicked upside down Psal. 147. 8 9. but raiseth them that are bowed down and loveth the righteous Wherefore honour faithful ones and abandon these Schools yea abolish them Schools called the Innes of Court whose Scholars plead taunts lyes and sophistications for Law like to their father the devil by which their brethren are murthered and their families undone For as our honoured faithful brother Colonel Pride formerly predicted as in my New-yeers-gift pag. 11. is set forth That it would never be well with England until that mercenary Lawyers Gowns were hung up by the Scotish Trophies These my brethren and their attendants destroy Englands Common-wealth and are of the Beast and of Antichrist and of the devil That Lawyers called Secular Judges proceeded from Romish Clergie-men yea all Lawyers were anciently of the Clergie no Clerk but he was a Lawyer faith Malmsbury in William the second's time they were the first Lawyers in England or amongst them for time and for their knowledge and manners sent to Rome some of them being then Councellors to Abbots had shaven crowns were Arch-deacons and most of the Lawyers then held Church-livings Now my brethren ye may see how Tythes the great Robbery hath come to be maintained And a Monk in Henry the third's time is called the Kings special Counsellor and Clerk faith the observer as much as the Atturney-General since But I admire how Edmund Prideaux formerly the great Letter convoyer to rook the people of 6 d. in the shilling as their quarrelling printed Papers make it appear doth call himself Atturney-General and comes to the Bar and moveth as Atturney-General for the people and yet stands charged with Articles of High Treason and hath done above a yeer which is filed in the Capital Office against him and others for acting traitorously against the Commonwealths peace which is the peace of the people and against English Law and that he is not by the people called to the Bar to be convicted thereof as our enemy and ought to be or else by Law acquitted and his complices for as M. Cook said concerning the late Kings tryal That mercy to the wicked is cruelty to the good and he was a Counsellor of Grays-Inne employed by the State which could not be unknown to M. Prideaux but since gone for Ireland But fellow-souldiers as you have promised us in your Letter and in the Declarations you must help us against these destroyers of us and ours and you also if they can The Bishops by the consent of most were voted out for that they were Antichristian and also destructive to the English Liberty peace utility and freedom and all their Pontifical Robes Orders and Garbs yet see the Secular Judges wear the ancient habit of the Ecclesiasticks because first it was used by the Ecclesiasticks who have been Clerks Justices Keepers of the Great Seal Wardens of the Kingdom Treasurers of England Masters of the Rolls yea Justices of Eyre and of Assize yea some of these as Hugh of Pashtul Clerk made Justice of England by Henry the third Thus you see Popish Tythes and Popish Holy-days and Popish Habits or Vestures still maintained in all Courts in sight of the Scotish Banners where you may finde Popish Antichristian customs and manners The Clerks who such Writs dictate write signe and give counsel they were restrained by Pope Innocent the fourth his Decretals to assume Church-dignities since then the multitude of Clerks ran to the hearing of the Secular Laws Hence it is that the ancient Habit of the Secular Judges was the same and yet is with that of the Ecclesiasticks as Francis White who printed a book for the sacred Law of the Land expresseth in the 291 292 293. for which he cites D. Wats gloss ad Paris faith William of Bussey Seneschal and chief Councellor to William of Valentia would have loosed says the same Monk meaning John Mansel in Henry the third's time the stays of his Coyf to shew his Clerkly tonsure his shaven crown Therefore as in Israel's time when the Law of truth was found in the Priests mouth and no iniquity in his lips in peace and equity he walked to God and turned many from iniquity but since went out of the way and caused many to fall by the Law and kept not Gods ways but became partial in the Law therefore God made them to be despised and vile before all the people Mal. 2.6,7,8,9 since the Priests lips should have preserved knowledge And hath not our Clergy in our remembrance been in as great places and honour and have come to be despised for being partial and causing many to fall by the Law and are they not gone and despised and since that the King gone and despised for being partial in the Law and causing many to fall by the sword whom the Law would have preserved And since is not the Parliament not onely purged but dissolved for that if ever any had known the Law or if ever any walked in the truth before God in peace and equity they should and not corruptly and partially gone contrary to truth peace and law and equity and by their evil example encouraged others so to do to provoke Englands misery and cause themselves to become despised and vile in the eyes of all the people and their fellow Committee-men and their Children to be despised which they have and will finde as sure as we have seen the Scripture mentioned fulfilled Wherefore London let the prophesie of Ninevehs fall or ruine be thy warning Nahum 3.1,9 Wo to the bloody City which is full of lies and Robery and know as Solomon faith Prov. 21.3,7 To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifice and that the robbery of the wicked shall destroy them for that they have refused to execute judgement And all you corporated Companies know that you are exhorted to accept of this warning as you are Citizens concerned with your Masters and Officers left you come also to be dissolved and despised but especially you of the Sadlers who have been sought by Petitions and Letters for peace sake but made stiffe your necks against it take you among the rest notice that this Babylon of covetousness oppression defraude and partiality and hypocrisie is not falling but fallen for because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlots as the Prophet Nahum expresseth it who is beautiful and a mistress of witchcraft and selleth the people through her whoredoms and the Nations through her witchcrafts which Rev. 18.2 to the 19 verse may fitly be applied cried by the Angel And he cried out mightily saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great city and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of all soul spirits and a cage of

leave aspersing of them and leave the words to sober judgements whether they were blasphemy against God or no they setting the sincerity of their hearts as it were above God to save the spilling of blood and charge it upon God and also the breach of the Amity when the Apostle St. James faith Chap. 3.17 18. The wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without judging and without hypocrisie And the fuit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace But observe the noble General and the Souldery in their Declaration say page 6. We have been necessitated though with much reluctancy to put an end to this Parliament which yet we have done we hope out of an honest heart preferring this cause above our names lives families or interests how dear soever with clear intentions and real purposes of heart to call to the government Persons of approved sidelity and honesty believing that as none will expect to gather grapes of Thorns so no good men will hope that if persons so qualified be chosen the fruits of a just and righteous reformation so long prayed and wished for will by the blessing of God be in due time obtained Wherefore my dear and honest Brethren truly honest English men let us minde our time for to reform not altogether the Law which next unto Gods Law is sacred much of it but the abusive mercenary lying Lawyers and their dependants who are diabolical and corrupt the most of them scarcely being Christians who like the sons of Zeruiah are to strong for us and our liberties utilleties rights and profits yea to the dayly imprisoning of us against Law and English right liberty and Freedome many times to the destruction of our lives as well as our estates and inheritages by fraudes forgeries perjuries extortions briberies false returnes by Sheriffs and Bayliffs or Secondaries false and partial reports by Masters of Chancery false orders by Councellers Registers and Clarkes inserted either for bribery self-ends partiality or by combination to uphold their friends in their diabolical and antichristian kingdome and to destroy the innocent and quit the guilty as by my late Newyears-Gift more fully set forth and that colourably by motions both private and publick by informations Petitions fals suggestions demurrings which are but denying lyings both to bills and in answerings thereunto to choak the truth yea calling truth a lye or a slander if it be against a man in place as a Justice of Peace an Alderman a Justice of Peace his Clarke if it be against a Sheriff or his Varlet vulgarly called a Serjant of the Compters or any of the Sheriffs Officers or the Clarke of the Peace or the Jaylers the Sheriffs Deputy yea could the hangman the Sheriffs deputy deal unjustly he should not want a lying mercenary Lawyer or concealer of the Law or serpentine soliciter or partial Parliament-man that was or a Master of the Chancery to solicit plead or report for him or his masters being in place of power or profits pretending such are scandalized also you have these corruptions in Guildhalls and in Corporations and Fraternities of men which should be honourable just and true with their Officers and Clerks and attendants Therefore my dear and honest brethren if you will avoid Englands confusion and therein your own assist the honorable General and his Councel of Officers in your prayers and the Councel of State against all these corruptions and corrupt lying Lawyers and Officers and chat by chusing persons so qualified into all places for future as may bring forth the blessed fruit of a just reformation in righteousness to the refreshing of all the good hearts who have been panting after those things As the Declaration at White Hall April 22 1653. pag. 9. expresses and delay you not to do it since these noble and honest souldiers have begun lest you by your negligence and cowardise betray both them again and your selves and posterity and are forced to take up Davids lamentation 2 Sam. 2. concerning Joabs malice and treachery to Abner and therein to David and to the peoples unsettelment wherein David complaineth I am this day weak and but newly apointed or the people all agreed about the government and ●●●●men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me the Lord 〈◊〉 the doer of evil according to his wickedness 〈◊〉 fore I do appeal unto all honest and faithful Englishmen 〈…〉 not forfeited their liberty and freedome whether of the 〈…〉 to be faithful active and trusty herein and 〈…〉 work which is already begun for the settelment of the Nations in peace and righteousness carefully to watch the sons of unrighteosness and corruption enemies to our settlement concealers of English Law and traytors to our peace and liberty freedome and profits and in time to expunge them out of place and power but for the corrupt lyers which call themselves Lawyers but are not by advice for ever to expunge them and their attendants who act and practise unrighteously and illegally yea to extirpate them of all sorts that so the Channel or Current of Law and Justice may issue flow or run from or through such men as may be men that are known to be such men as fear God and hate covetousness partiality gifts or bribery extortions frauds false returns dissentions false entries or registerings lyings suggestings demurrings which are but denyings or deceits or delayings For as David said 2 Sam. 23.2,3 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and the strength of Israel said Thou shalt bear rule over men being just and ruling in the fear of God Now all unrighteousness lying and partiality is diabolical Anti-christian and a transgression both of the law of God and man for if ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self But if you have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors Iames 2.8.9 Now when the Lawyers for the Law which is good and equitable to all without respect of persons rendering to every one their due shall delude the Courts by false suggestions not rendering the case right in their motions on purpose to take advantage against the other party by informing the Judges in Court with a lye by which means both Justice and Law is perverted and the Judges abused who are sworn to do true judgment when they come to their places according as God commanded Israel Deut. 16. 18 19 20. Judges and Officers shall thou make thee c. and they shall judg the people with righteous judgment Now how can the Judg or Judges judge the people righteously when the Councellor both concealeth the law from the people and the truth of the matter from the Judg or Judges informeth by his motion or motions he being seconded by another Lawyer or lyar like himself falsly of the cause and matter depending how can it be but

that the Law should be wrested these mercenary Lawyers having taken rewards to blinde the Judges eyes contrary to the command Exod. 23.1,7,8 Thou shalt not receive a fals tale or report and I know none abounds in this abomination like that place called the high Court of Chancery Thou shalt keep thee far from a false matter thou shalt not slay the innocent and the righteous thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wife and perverteth the words of the righteous doth not this I pray good people concern the Councellors Masters of Chancery six Clerks Registers and all inferior officers and solicitors as really as the Lords Commissioners who are the Judges of that Court or the Master of the Rolls to these and all other in Judicature I may say as Habakkuk1 3.4 We are full of spoiling and violence and there are that raise up strife and contention Therefore the law is dissolved and judgment never goeth forth for the wicked doth compasse about the righteous therefore wrong judgment proceedeth And thus comes their oaths to be forgotten that they should administer justice truely and duly and also that justice shall not be sold or delayed or denyed to any Magna Charta cap. 29. Or as one Frances White repeates it in his book termed for the sacred Law pag. 171. We sell no man nor deny or delay no man justice and right I would I could say so now in our dayes The Law is still the same and ought to be in force although the corrupt Parliament be dissolved I hope I may not say England is un-Parliamented for ever since Captain General Oliver Crumwel in his Declaration on April the last 1653 promiseth men of fidelity and honesty shall be called from several parts of this Common-wealth to the Supream Authority as in the Declaration April 22 also was promised and as Oliver Crumwel commands all men to give obedience unto the Laws of the Nation so he also promiseth endeavors shall be used that no oppression or wrong be done to the people It is a maxime in Law as Markham saith The Law alwayes eschewes delayes The Barons of the Exchequer are commanded to do right to all men without delay 22. H. 6 40.a v. 2. C. 25 Stat. Glou. C. 2 They are sworn to do it 20. E. 3. C. 2. 28. E. 1. C. 10.4 Inst. 109. One would believe they were sworn to deal justly and truly in the Chancery also and to give every man his right without delay why then have some men been suing therein fourteen years and better and are no nearer their right then when they first began and now againe as new to learne what to do as before their Clerks and inferiour Officers being so lockt up and reserved that in that Court there is no certaine rule of proceedings but new Motions and new Petitions begets new order upon order restraint upon restraint delay upon delay report upon report as well false as true to the undoing of the poorest sort of people or major part that have occasion therein to claim equity and right as though they had new Masters of Chancery and all other Officers and Ministers settled every Term or every feal-day wherein motions are made to procure new orders or lying demurrers argued which indeed are but a sophisticating denyall to a Bill and a clear deceit or delay on purpose to vex the party that sueth and to over-rule him when they please and by charges of Fees to his Councellers or rewards or gifts who seem to plead but betray him or else they shall leave off the Argument and suffer him to be over-ruled and over-powred on purpose to beget new motions new orders new rewards new fees it being that which maketh them rich upon the peoples ruines even many times both Plaintiff and Defendant where they be of equality without an administrator is for discovery of estate necessitated to sue many and they great men or in place reputed great or of some Halls or Corporations whether City or otherwise then it may be it is the undoing onely of the Administrator and the other are saved whole by the Hall-stock or City-stock or favour of the Court and the Plaintiff may not be suffered to plead or have liberty to speak because it is against the Lawyers profits rewards gifts fees and this more especially denied in the Court of Chancery which one would thinke a Freeborn English-man should have the equallest respect in it being termed a Court of equity and conscience But I am afraid they being set so high have followed that corrupt Assembly lately called a Parliament so close at the heels that if they step not speedily backward by repentance they having made crooked paths as well as the Parliament so that they have no conscience no equity in their doings as you may read in Isaiah chap. 59. so that though we do and have looked for equity yet there is none Judgement is turned backward and truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter and be that refraineth maketh himself a prey Wherefore Judges and Lawyers be advised by Jeremiah chapter 7. trust not in lying words but amend and redress your wayes and your works and execute judgement between a man and his neighbour left you also and your complices be compared as they were of old to a den of Thieves and are suddenly dissolved as the Parliament was For as David faith Psalm 94 Hath the throne of iniquity fellowship with those which forgeth wrong for a Law or frameth mischiefe for a Law and gather themselves against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent God will recompence them in their own malice the Lord our God shall destroy them For the Lord abhorreth these seven things the haughty eyes a lying tongue hands that shed innocent blood a heart that imagineth wicked interprises feet that be swift in running to mischief a false witness that speaketh lies and him that raiseth contentions among Brethren Prov. 6.16,17,18,19 Now you cannot be ignorant being Lawyers and in place that justice is a constant and perpetual will of rendering unto every one their due and that the knowledge of the Law is both divine and humane and a science distinguishing what is just what unjust and the precepts of the Law teacheth to live honestly to do no injury to any one and to render every one their due The first book of the institutions of the Laws of England Tit. 1. pag. 1 Observe It was the Parliaments delayes dissolved them or caused it Declaration of the 22 April 1653. His Excellency and Officers desired by many to move the Parliament to reform what was a miss in Government and to settle the Commonwealth upon a foundation of justice and righteousness pag. 6. and they delayed it being by them Petitioned thereunto and grew averse with much bitterness see that it be not so with you Lawyers and others that are in places of power and profits doubtless though there were as cunning Lawyers

Hubarts hand to summon me to a private hearing my Lawyers being out of Town to circumvent me I having but 23 hours given thereby to appear two dayes after writ this ensuing Letter viz. A Letter sent to the right Worshipful NATHANAEL HUBART One of the Masters of the CHANCERY Worshipful Sir WHO are as a Doctor or Master and read in the Lawes of this our Israel our England or ought to be and therefore have sent out your Warrant being one of the honorable Court of Chancery upon the Lords Commissioners Order upon Iohn Iretons Petition Esquire though your Warrant also name Andrew Riccards Esquire yet as I told or declared yesterday before you Alderman Riccards never did Petition in the business neither was he ever sub-poena'd to answer to the Bil Worthy Sir I complained in Chancery it being called a Court of equity as a place I hoped I should be relieved in under God that did establish equity and executed judgment and righteousnoss in Iacob Psal. 99. 4. Who is Lord of Lords which regardeth not persons nor taketh rewards Deut. 10. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Act. 10. 34. where I expected to finde men in the fear of the Lord acting faithfully executing not mans judgment but the Lords judgment as Jehosophat said to the Judges of Israel 2 Chron. 19. 6 7 9. which Law of God Moses had before commanded the Israelites Levit 19. 15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honor the person of the mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor I pray when Micah prophesied and reproved the Heads of Israel were not they the Magistracy thereof and Governors as Aldermen and Sheriffs aswel as Priests and Prophets Micha 3. 8 9 10 11. yet he telleth them that they abhor judgment and pervert all equity c. he being full of power of the Spirit of the Lord Sir I pray that I may finde in your Court wisedome judgement and equity That I may say God is in this Court or place as Jacob said Gen. 28. 16. Sir I pray observe my case I being a suitor or plaintiff in your Court being Administrator of or to my honored father deceased complaining that divers and several persons combining together do conceal and detain much of the Intestates estate and abused him in his lifetime and me since his death and that this combination of theirs is by power and fraud carried on and that Sheriff Ireton his Officers did to delay and abuse my father in his life time and me since his death make a false return of a Latitat by which we are by one Iames Ryton and Matthew Mason defrauded of 100 pound in mony and if not here in your Court of equity releived for ever also so like to be and also of 2500 pound estate by others as the bill declareth and setteth forth or thcreabeuts and this is truth and no lye or scandal both to him and others Sir I would not offend God or the Law of the Land which is my birthright and which as my right I ought to have Sir I observe among the choyce cases of the Chancery Arnold plaintist and Roberts desendant Anno 19. 20 Eliz. the then Sheriff was merced five pound for a false return of an Attachment is your Court in a book called the Practise of Chancery pag. 124. and as yet I am delayed and abused and demurred too and can have little or no relief or right in any place but stopped by Petitions or abused by false Returns or denyed Warrants upon Attachments from this Court and bound up as my adversaries do please in all places yet I pay both Court and Councel-fees but can not have justice and right or equity Sir this is the truth of my Case the God of truth knows yet if my Bill be unpleasing to Court Rules or persons I shall humbly intreat you not onely to expunge such things as are distastive or as my adversaries call slander to hinder me of my right and thereby to swallow and conceal the Intestates estate and to pervert the Law which is good and equitable to all or ought to be without respect of persons but to be a means to dismiss my Bill and then I shall advise with Counsel of this honourable Court which are now out of Towne when they shall returne to begin againe as shall by Court be thought fit and in the mean time I shall pray the righteous God to establish equity and judgement in England as formerly in Jacob and shall pray such reasonable Costs as they in wisdom and equity shall appoint or order in Court I being an Administrator and shall pray for them and rest thankful to you From my house in windmillCourt between Christs Hospital and the lame Hospital Mar. 11.1652 London Yours Capt. Nathaniel Burt. To the honourable William Lenthal Master of the Rolls The humble Petition of Capt. Nathanel Burt Plaintiff against Thomas Starky and Thomas Web Francis Dashwood Willaim Pease William Kettle of the Company of Sadlers Defendants Sheweth THat your Petitioner exhibited a Bill in Michaelmas-Term last against the Defendants and others who combined together to conceal much of his deceased Fathers Estate neer a 2500 l. in Money Leases and Morgages he formerly being a member of the said Sadlers Company in his life and in extream age dying intestate and your Petitioner also a member of the Sadlers Company but by serving in the Wars became estranged both from them and his deceased Father yet he being his eldest son he became Administrator to his honoured Father being deceased and is by the Court Christian bound therein to give an account thereof justly and truly Now so it is may it please your Honour that according to his duty and right both to his deceased Father formerly living in whose life time your Petitioner began to complain and was by him then also authorized so to do in some cases and since his death as Administrator to his Father which came to him by birthright and divers of them would have hindred him therein if they could the better to have defrauded your Petitioner and to have disabled him to give accompt to Court Christian and to have swallowed his deceased Fathers estate and shared it among themselves your Petitioner having formerly both in his Fathers life time and since his death petitioned them as a company of sober and just men in whom should have dwelt peace and righteousness full six months for a fair and peaceable end laying himself downe at their feet therein and intreating for his right without going to Law after his Fathers decease as before and that his Fathers lost Leases and Fine might be restored now to him he being Administrator and all other Moneys and Morgages which were concealed and imbezelled from his said Father and your now Petitioner as in the Bill is expressed whereby your Petitioner was forced to appeal into the Court of Chancery for equity and yet

dissolved Parliament to examine the frauds and oppressions of Corporations which was grown up therein and to renew them they being upon the old Patents Grants and Charters of Monarchy and their Successors and so fallen with them that your Petitioner procured from the said Committee three several Orders against these combinators Sadlers for their oppression and wrongs done to the whole commonalty or brotherhood of Sadlers against them and their now pretended charter wherein the Fraternity of working Sadlers are particularly interested and are proper heirs thereunto of right if ever it be settled and the means left by our ancestors deceased to releive such as should be in distress though by these usurpers abused oppressed wronged and injured aswell as your Petitioner Which by a messenger to them belonging was served upon them in all their height of jollity to cause them to answer to the said complaint and to bring the forfeited dead Charters by which they did oppress and wrong their fellow members of the said Society up to be examined and renewed and also that they should bring away to the then honorable Committee their Books of accompts and Book of Orders that so the oppressions and abuses might be understood and the people eased and the corruptions reformed and they settled as might best consuit then with that present Government but these corrupt Assistants of Sadlers fearing the trial or examination herein corrupted some thereunto belonging and never left with them or their Councel appointed therein the grand Charter but a latine Coppy or the Books of accompts at all and to coole your Petitioner a while in the prosecution thereof sent to your Petitioner and gave him two of his fathers detained Leases which in Chancery he complained to be fraudulently detained and concealed from your Petitioner and took a new fine of your Petitioner so that his Father had lost both his leases and also his Fine which if the book of accompts had been examined would plainly have made it appear as they well knew yet unjustly and unrighteously they will not answer in the Chancery but sordidly still conceal the Collateral part of the BiH though these leases was part thereof and by combination of Lawyers demur to him therein which is but a denial on purpose to delay and vex your Petitioner yea to destroy him whereupon your Petitioner by order from the Master of the Rolls procured a dismission of his owne Bill and paid Thomas Web 20 s. costs in the behalf of himself and of the rest therein concerned May 2. 1653. yet would these combinators and Lawyers still detain the said Bill in Court the better to have their ravenous wills satisfied to destroy your Petitioner by charge or imprisonment even out-daring Justice Law or Equity Your distressed Petitioner laying claim to the promises made by your Excellency in both your Declarations 22 and 30 of April 1653 that such endeavours should be used that no opposition or wrong should be done to the people by any that exercise Administration of Justice by the Laws of the Nation humbly imploreth your Honours to be rescued out of the mouths of the roaring Lyons and Bears who else would break the bones of your Petitioner who being Administrator did but sue for the discovery of a concealed estate and in conscience equity ought rather to be cherished by them then destroyed yea eaten up which they some of them have threatned and their practises do make good the same which promises declared if performed will set you as mount Sion for establishment and work the hearts of the people to praise God for you and your perishing Petitioner if herein relieved these acting against Justice and equity yea the Law of the Nation shall for you be inlarged towards God And he and his shall ever pray c. May the 16. 1653. Nathanael Burt. The Lord Generals Order to me when he came out of the Councel was that I should attend the Councel for Order of this Petition Being as in the Petition is declared encouraged by the promises of the Souldiery in their Declarations mentioned so also calling to minde the Letter from the General meeting of the Officers of the Army Jan. 18. 1652. to stir up all their fellow-souldiers to assist them to help the people of this Nation who through corruption are subject to grievous oppressions through the obstruction of Justice of which they were generally and strongly convinced it was their duty to awaken themselves for the procuring and preventing many apparent inconveniences as first faithful men fearing God hating covetousness may be chosen into the interest of the Common-wealth Secondly that the Laws may be regulated in such sort that what is good in them may be maintained and the corruptions abuses delays vexations unnecessary travels and expences and whatsoever shall be found really burdensome and grievous to the people may be taken away Then behold as you have dissolved the corrupt Parliament who voted unvoted and abused vexed and delayed the people of England and hardned others by these practisings to do the like as Ecclus faith Chap. 10. 2. As the Judge of the people is himself so are his Officers and what manner of man the Ruler of the city is such are they that dwell therein And as the Master of the Rolls and Lords Commissioners do and the Chancery hath been known to do for the memory of man most abusively as well as other Courts sometimes but not so frequently as the Chancery or Rolls Lend us also your assistances and all faithful Englishmen stand by them and one another to open these Cages of birds who are become ravenous and their houses full of deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich they shine and are waxen fat yea they surpass the deeds of the wicked Jer. 5. 26 27 28. Thus as there were wicked men found in Israel who did set inares and traps to catch men is it not so now in England and as they judged not the cause of the fatherless or the right of the needy is not the same cry amongst us at this day which the Officers of the Army be convinced of that those in the Army and elsewhere have not so improved their interest one to another as they ought the Lord having done great things for us of England as their Letter of Jan. 28. 1652. sets forth might say to us Isai. as he did to his Vineyard And he looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry and this you see is not long since the Officers of the Army printed it and that they have made some progress against Oppressors and unrighteous men since Assist them therefore dear Country-men English-men and let us not by jealousies grieve the hearts and weaken the hands one of another to the destruction of our Liberty Freedom and Peace as by the said Letter they observe But let us keep our selves close to God and let us implore him so to act in them