Selected quad for the lemma: master_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A35624
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The Case of many Protestants in the county of Cambridge humbly tendred to the consideration of the present Parliament
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1681
(1681)
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Wing C945A; ESTC R24731
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1,618
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1
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The Case of many Protestants in the County of Cambridge humbly tendred to the Consideration of the present PARLIAMENT IT would be tedious to enumerate the Names and Particulars of the Sufferings of Protestants in this County from a severe Execution of the Laws expressely made in the Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James against Papists and because we intend with all Modesty to represent our own Case we shall not take notice what favour the Papists who indeed are but few have found amongst us nor should we rejoyce in their Prosecution but we must say the Burden lyes heavy upon us that do in our Souls detest Popish Idolatries Many of us have been long proceeded against and Returned into the Exchequer as Popish Recusants and there are about Fifty Free-holders as such made Tenants to his Majesty and the two Thirds of their Revenue levyed upon them in such a manner that it were better for them to hold their Lands of a Neighbour Gentleman at a Rack-rent and even beyond the Extent of the Law the Copy-hold Lands of some are seized We have given all possible demonstration in our spheres of our Abhorrence of Popery and of our Sense of the Danger threatning his Majesty and the Protestant Religion from the Hellish Popish Plot and yet since the most happy Discovery thereof we have found a more rigorous Execution of these Laws than in all the time of his Majesties Reign For since the Elections to this Parliament we have had at least One hundred and fifty Protestants convicted as Recusants and some are now Prisoners upon those Laws and all prosecuted in the Exchequer Mr. Francis Holcroft a Nonconformist Minister being met alone upon the Road in June last by Thomas Ducket Esq a Captain in the Militia was taken Prisoner by him about seven miles from Cambridge and committed to the common Gaole by a Warrant of something an unusual nature from the Captain and his Lievtenant It was Enacted in the 35 of Queen Elizabeth That if any person shall forbear for the space of a Month to hear Divine Service and shall be present at a Conventicle and be thereof Convicted he shall be committed to Prison there to remain till he Conforms and makes the Declaration and Submission in that Act directed And that upon refusal he shall Abjure the Realm and if he shall not depart or abjuring shall retutn he shall dye as a Felon without Benefit of Clergy Some not being contented to keep Mr. Holcroft Prisoner are putting this Law in Execution upon him an Accompt whereof follows At the General Quarter Sessions of the Peace the 7th of October 1680. before Sir Thomas Hatton Sir Levinus Bennet Sir Robert Cotton Dr. Cooke who had the Chair Dr. Stoite c. he was Indicted as follows Cambridge-shire ss THe Jurors for our Soveraign Lord the King upon their Oath do present that Francis Holcroft late of Chesterton in the aforesaid County Gentleman the 1st of September in the 28. Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord the King that now is being of the Age of sixteen Years and more at Chesterton aforesaid in the County aforesaid did obstinately refuse to repair to any Church Chappel or usual place of Common-Prayer to hear Divine Service now establisht by the Laws and Statutes of the Realm and did forbear to hear Divine Service as aforesaid from the said first day of September in the 28. Year of the King by the space of one Month thence ensuing and that the said Francis afterward that is to say the 30th day of March in the 29 th Year of the said Kings Majesties Reign at Chesterton aforesaid in the County aforesaid in the Mansion-house of one Robert Stainsmore in Chesterton aforesaid was of himself voluntarily present at an unlawful Assembly Conventicle and Meeting of divers persons to the Jurors unknown and in the said house then and there gathered under colour and pretence of the exercise of Religion against the Laws and Statutes of the Realm of England against the Peace of the Kings Majesty his Crown and Dignity and against the form of the Statute in such case made and provided It is a notorious part of the Popish Plot to have Protestant Dissenters esteemed Papists which Plot hath indeed been in the World as long as Christianity it self but we are infallibly assured of a discrimination for Mat. 10.25 26. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if they have cal'd the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of the houshold fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and bid that shall not be known