Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	word_n	worthy_a	wrong_n	26	3	8.3483	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54467	Persecution appearing with its own open face, in William Armorer as will be sufficiently manifest to all that may impartially read this following relation of the cruel proceedings of the said William Armorer, with some others, against the innocent people of GOd called Quackers, in the town of Reading, in the county of Berks, of his taking them up, and imprisoning great numbers of them, and of the continuance of their sufferings to this day, being almost three years and a half : and of his unwearied and cruel practices against that innocent people from time to time : discovered and laid open, to the end that lyes and false reports may be stopped and that the King and all people may be rightly informed, and truly acquainted with the case, as it is clearly and truly in it self.	Armorer, William.	1667 (1667)	Wing P1658; ESTC R12485	70,047	89

and Hanah Kent he sent to the House of Correction I. P. for three Months and Hanah Kent for six Months and demanded of Lydia He sant Ma●y Kent and Sarah Kent Twelve pence a piece for not being at his Church that day they being under age for not paying of which he sent them to the Gaol where they have been prisoners above twelve Months and another Child Eliz Whithart being taken with them at the same Meeting having but one Arm a Neighbour having told him that her Father was dead and that it was judged the cause of his death was his being kept long in Prison through W. Armorer his means in the extream cold weather at last he let her go The 19th of the 6th Month called August 66 Anne Hatt who was committed for six Months onely for being at a Meeting to wait upon and Worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth being kept in in the heat of Summer in the Gaol where W. Armorer had thronged up so many together and caused to be kept in so close that he could not endure to hear of one abroad dyed in the prison and finished her Testimony for the Lord and his Truth being found faithful in her day in which she walked in Gravity Sobriety and the fear of the Lord whose end is blessed among the holy Martyrs for evermore The 15th of the 11th Month called January 1666 The Sessions began at Reading and the next day being the 16th day Joseph Phipps and Sarah Lamboll were called to the Barr But the Jury being gone out upon the Tryal of a Friend that was committed on another account brougbt him in not guilty which thing not pleasing the prisoners adversaries Joseph Phipps was put by to be tryed by another Jury and accordingly in the afternoon when he was to come to his Tryal which was upon the third Account for Meeting W. Armorer called to the Bailiffs saying go out and pick a Jury there are honest men enough in the Town you know Tho Skeats the Baliiff answered yes Sir William I 'le fit you upon which he went forth and warning one Charles Belwood formerly W. Armorers Man he seemed very unwilling to come which when W. A. understood sent for him again the second time threatning to fine him if he did not come it may be believing he would be a man fit for his purpose for he hardly ever failed in any Jury to bring in a Quaker guilty So a Jury being called one of the prisoners Sarah Lamboll wife of George Lamboll who is one of the Premunired persons was called to the Barr and they tendered the Oath of Allegiance to her again and sent her back to the Gaol Then Joseph Phipps was called to the Barr and his Indictment was read to which he had pleaded not guilty the Sessions before at Newberry So he pleaded that there were not the number of five that was of age when he was taken at the Meeting Edw Do●by who sate Judg replyed that was no matter though there were but one of the age of sixteen years yet if there were five at the Meeting he would send that one to prison as a breaker of the Law The Prisoner replyed how can they make up the number if they are not takeable Judge yes they do make up the number being persons though we cannot punish them by that Law but we have another Law by which we can fine them Twelve pence a piece for not going to Church Ay says W. Armo●er there are the three Girls Lydia Hersent M. K●nt and Sarah Kent I sent to prison for not paying their Twelve pence a piece and there they shall lye till they pay it other words were spoken to the same purpose and so the Jury went forth the Judg very much insensiing the Jury against the Prisoner that they might bring him in guilty And W. Armorer sent the Clerk with them with the Act and Indictment to inform the Jury and after some time the Court sent to know whether they were agreed answer was returned no So W. Armorer sent Rich Grover his Clerk who returned saying they are not agreed and I think never will And after a little space they sent for the Jury and asked if they were agreed they answered no the Court asked why they answered they were not satisfied as to the number of persons that were at the Meetings and that there was nothing proved as to matter of exercise and if there were the number there was nothing proved what they did there The Judg then called to R. Grover who was the witness against the Prisoner to know what he said who answered That the Prisoner confessed that they were there to seek the Lord. Upon which the Judg doubled the words over again s●ying look you there he said they were there to seek the Lord The Prisoner replyed saying is it a crime worthy of Banishment to seek the Lord The Judge Edw Dolby said yes by which the Reader may perceive what lodges in these mens hearts who would be called Christian Magistrates Oh unheard of Cruelty let the very Turks and Heathen be astonished to hear of these things and let the names of such be buryed in Infamy for ever and let their memorial rot who account a crime worthy of banishment or death to confess the seeking of God Well but not to digress though it be hard to go over these things without continual admiration but that we desire not to be larger then a bare Relation of their unreasonable proceedings leaving it to the ingenuous Readers understanding for amplifications So then W. Armorer spoke something to the Jury and that he could never find our Friends in any exercise c. Upon which one of the Jury-men replyed That he looked on it as an unequal thing that he should be Witness and Judg too At which W. Armorer began to be angry and demanded what the Jury-man was and would see his face and bid him pull his Hat from his Nose and asked whether he did go to Church and whether he was not one of them Who answered No he was none of them nor never was at any of their Meetings and that he did go to Church So the Jury being called over by their Names the Court bid them divide those that would find the Prisoner guilty from those that could not which were six of each Upon which W. Armorer began to threaten those that could not find the Prisoner guilty and would have had them fined The Judg said No let them go together again and it may be they may be better satisfied So the Jury went out the second time and after some time the Court sent out to know whether they were agreed Answer was returned No. But the Court sent in again threatning the Jury that they would adjourn and then would not accept of any private Verdict but they should be kept there all night without fire or candle Which accordingly after a little space was done and the Court broke up

and order was given that none should come at the Jury and that they should not have fire nor candle c. The Jury being kept all night and the Court being sate the next morning they sent to the Jury to know if they were agreed Who returned answer No. But after some time two of the Jury-men began to yeeld it is judged rather through fear and weariness then being satisfied in their judgments And some of them cryed A verdict a verdict and so they came in And the Court asked if they were agreed One of them answered He was not satisfied W. Armorer replyed You shall be satisfied and the Fore-man saying Guilty they took no farther notice though four of them were not satisfied but in hast calling the Prisoner to the Barr the Judg Edw D●lby past sentence on him That he should be transpo●ted to some of His Majesties Plantations there to remain seven years So was returned back to the Gaol The Prisoner seeing of them resolved to do their work said little to them but some short time after sent a Letter to Edw Dolby a Copy whereof here followeth Reading-Gaol the 23d of the 11th Month 1666. Justice Dolby SEeing thou satest as Judg of the Sessions the last week and gavest sentence of Banishment against me and being not permitted to speak then for my self in the Court but threatned to be gagged though my life was concerned I now send this unto ●hee desiring thy ser●ous consideration hereof And what hath been done against me and how unjustly I have been proceeded against from first to last till sentence of Exilement from my Native Countrey be past I leave to the witness of God in thy own Conscience which can bring thy actions to thy remembrance and will speak the truth of all things as they are To which I do refer thee for a more particular account of all things that have past and with which I leave my cause to be pleaded even in thy own conscience between the Lord and thee only hereby I give a hint of some things c. Thou mayest remember that when W. A●morer and thy self came to the house of Thomas Curtis I was there with two persons more above the age of sixteen years besides A. Curtis and some children who are not to be accounted as persons to make up the number five And it appears by the Act that four may meet and also W. A. and several others of the Kings Justices have told us that four may meet and they would not meddle with us and it is ridiculous to think that children of twelve or fourteen years of age will plot or contrive insurrections for against such persons as do so contrive insurrections and plot against the Government the Act was intended according to the Preamble of it c. And besides if such childrens being there do make up the number how is it that you punish not the children by that Law And if the children are not under the breach of that Law how can three persons break it there being no more there I leave to thy consideration And the Witness did only say we were there to seek the Lord or that we said so now I hope the Act will not simply in it self take hold of such as meet together to seek the Lord for that is according to the Liturgy of the Church of England which saith That in all places and at all times men ought to perform holy duty to God and no other could be proved against me but that we said we were there to seek the Lord and is it not a sad thing that men should so far lose their reason and moderation and deny Christianity as to banish people for meeting together to seek the Lord and to perform holy duty to him when nothing else can be proved except they will make it a crime worthy of Banishment and Death to be at the House of Tho Curtis which no Law doth for no man can prove nor ever shall find that we meet to contrive Insurrections or plot against the Government and the God of Heaven knows who knows the intents of the hearts of all men that we never so much as thought much less intended any such thing and thy own conscience may tell thee the same And this not being proved how can any impartial Jury find us guilty of the breach of this Act and bring us in guilty of Banishment and Death if we return when nothing can be proved but that we were at such a place and said we were seeking the Lord For nothing else did ever appear And yet notwithstanding the Jury must go on right or wrong or else be threatned with fines c. in case they bring in not guilty when they are upon their oaths and ought to go according to the Evidence and not to put their consciences to the vote and to give away the Liberties Lives Rights and Priviledges of free-born English men and to oppress and destroy the Kings Subjects by violating his Laws and turning of them to a wrong end as in this case This Act was made against such as do at their Meetings contrive insurrections c. and not against such as do meet really to seek the Lord as appears by the Preamble of it Therefore such as do punish people for seeking the Lord do go quite contrary to the Act and turns it to a wrong end and are no true Friends to the King in so doing though they pretend Law and to act according to Law when indeed their own wills and malicious minds leads them contrary to Laws and how contrary it was to the Consciences of some of the Jury-man thou mightest see who were not satisfied no nor it is believed and credibly reported are not to this day but is a load upon their Consciences and may well be in that they gave away their power and indeed the power of the Law being over-awed by high words for they ought to have been sat●sfied in their own Consciences and not to have looked at the displeasure of any man being sworn well and truly to try c. which I doubt not but thou very well knowest if thou hadst but done accordingly and whether these things be according to Reason and Equity upon which the ancient Laws are said to be grounded I say I shall leave to the Witness of God in thy Conscience which answers the righteous Law and which will deal truly and plainly with thee and will either condemn or justifie thee in the day of Account For Friend know this and mind also in secret That an account to God the Judg of quick and dead must be given by thee and all men upon the earth and assuredly he doth behold and mark thy actions and they are recorded in a Book of remembrance which shall be accounted for and though thou maist hide thy self as from man yet thou canst not hide thy self from him who is the searcher of all hearts and the tryer of all reins