Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	life_n	speak_v	word_n	4,493	5	4.1347	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59754	Mr. Sheridan's speech after his examination before the late House of Commons on Wednesday the 15th of December, 1680	Sheridan, Thomas, 1646-ca. 1688.	1681 (1681)	Wing S3227_VARIANT; ESTC R37543	8,436	4

Reflective a Paper found in his hand and among mine 'T is true that about three Weeks before I found another of the same Contents in an Old Crabbed hand to me unknown which after I had Read and concluded it might possibly be left by some of my Acquaintance in their Visits and being unable to guess at the person not knowing how long it had layn there being Dated above a Month before I immediatly threw it into the fire Yet in this Paper which has made so great a noise there is neither Felony nor Treason and being the Act of another and never by me publish'd having neither Sub nor Superscription nor Writ to nor for from me nor Copi'd by my Order cannot I presume be a Libel nor I hope imputed to me to whom it came perfectly by Accident If it were lawful to speak ones guesses from the Contents it shou'd seem to have come from a Learned Gentleman one of your own Members then in the Country Skill'd in the Spanish Tongue to which both my Cousin and I are perfect strangers nor was either of us out of London then or for sometime before If I cou'd as well hit upon the person as his Quality I wou'd give a more Satisfactory account of this matter and I hope this Honourable Assembly will the sooner Credit me when they reflect that upon seeing another Paper of my Kinsmans writing I wou'd not by a lie deny this to be his hand As for my Writing to Mr. Gadbury I refer my self to the Letter in Sir W. Waller's hands I have told you the accidental occasion I desir'd from him whose Acquaintance I knew large even among the Members of that Parliament the most material of public News I neither ask'd for Schemes or Figures I have ever Laugh'd at the idle and ridiculous Art of Judicial Astrology invented at least practis'd to Impose upon and Pick the Pockets of the Ignorant and the Credulous And now as to the Cause of my Commitment The story Dr. D. told me as News of Peter Norris his knowing as much of the Plot as any man in England his going or being gone into France to fetch a Priest to be a Witness I can only say as near as I remember I gave the same account to Mr. Secretary not as an Informer but as News for not being look'd upon as such I was not desir'd to Swear nor cou'd I to a hear-say In this I call Heaven to witness I had no Sinister design but an Honest intention of having the full Truth brought to Light Nor do I know nor have I any reason to believe that Mr. Secretary's after proceedings were from any other principle Upon my telling him the Name of Norris and his saying he had never before heard it and commanding me to send the Doctor to him or the others Description As soon as I met with the Doctor which was several dayes after this Discourse and he as not knowing Mr. Secretary refusing to go I desir'd from him the Description which some time after he brought me I gave or sent to Mr. Secretary for I cannot tell whether But of this I am certain that all I knew of the Affair was from the Doctor only and that I never communicated it to any but Mr. Secretary and that by what I writ under the Description appears to be near a Month after Norris his departure and consequently cou'd not be design'd to stop his Journey or prevent the Priests coming over or obstruct the fuller discovery of the Plot which no man living desires more than my self believing it the Interest of every honest Subject and Protestant out of which number I cannot be excluded to have all in 't from the highest to the lowest punish'd according to merit and that tranquility it has so long disturb'd re-settl'd in the Kingdom And now I hope none of the Members of this Honourable House can imagine I cou'd be guilty of so Horrid a Crime as having any knowledge of the Priests being poison'd as is suspected or given out he might be I am so ignorant of this or any part of the Conspiracy that I do not so much despise as decline because not needing it the generous offer of Mr. Speaker or other Members Intercession for my Pardon I acknowledge as I ought the Favour with all fitting respect but I thank God I am so Innocent that I dare as now I do challenge the whole world to make out one particular where in Word or Action in the whole course of my life I have done or spoken falsly or unjustly and yet no man ever suffer'd more Calumnies without any cause or the least shadow of Truth beyond the witty malice of those whose Eyes are blinded and Consciences sear'd by Envy and Interest who from pretended Friends are become my real Adversaries contrary to Reason and Justice But further none can believe I cou'd keep any dangerous Correspondence when it s well known that for these three years and a half all my Letters were no otherwise Directed than for me at the Royal Coffee-house Besides it appear'd at the Committee by Norris his own Papers that this Priest Dowdall whose Name I never heard before died September last was twelve Months eight Months before I heard there was such a man in the world as Norris and at a time when I was in another Country And since you have thought fit to acquit Dr. D. who was my Author and Principal and who own'd himself a Roman Catholick I hope you will not think it equal that I a known sincere Protestant and but an Accessary shou'd stand Committed and Committed after such a manner as neither Felon nor Traitor not only Accus'd but Convicted cou'd suffer a Closer Confinement And here Mr. Speaker I intreat your leave to ask Pardon if at the Committee my behaviour has offended any of the Members of this Honourable House and to say whatever heat I express'd was the effect of Passion to which I was mov'd by hearing several of them in public as at Locketts and other Eating and Coffee-houses had call'd me Papist and a second Coleman with other Aspersions I cou d not bear without resentment To this was added my being commanded a Messenger for Dr. D. an office beneath me and wherein I cou'd not expect to be successful not knowing whether he wou'd appear without Compulsion I hope it will not be accounted an unexpiable Crime for a Gentleman of more Years and Discretion than I can pretend to to shew himself disturb'd at a conoeiv'd Indignity or Affront and in hopes it may not be accounted so hainous I do once more withall due Submission beg pardon There is one thing more I cannot without trouble touch upon the Reflections the Written Votes very different from the Printed bring upon my Reputation In those 't is said it appears that I have succeeded Mr. Coleman than which there never was a more groundless false or malicious invention And also that I question'd your Authority and said your Proceedings look'd like the late Rebellion However Sir William Roberts came to make the Report my words were to Sir John Morton in another Room and to him I appeal whether they were not thus Upon his advising than I shou'd fare the better if I freely shew'd my Papers I told him I wou'd not hid one nor dispute their power tho I had heard others did and that the Seizing Closets and Writings was not only Illegal but look'd upon as one of the Causes of the last Rebellion thereupon he wish'd I had not said the Words I reply'd I meant no harm by those Objections and notwithstanding my mentioning them they shou'd find in me a readiness to obey and an intire submission and added if the were offensive I unsaid them and ask'd his pardon as I now humbly do from the whole House if I am thought herein to have offended And to do Sir John Justice he was pleas'd to promise he wou'd take no notice of the Discourse unless commanded to whom with the rest of the Committee I refer my self whether of my own accord I was not going along with them when I met your Messenger If I had been guilty of any Crime I had not only Warning but Threats and Advices to fly many days some weeks before when I was told by Letters from unknown hands and by several persons of Honour and Quality that I was design'd to be brought into trouble I need not in this place say for what reason And here I cannot by the way but take notice of a Report made by Justice Waroup at this Bar and so read at Coffee-houses that he shou'd have Search'd Mr. Sheridans Lodgings and there found only a Parcel of Popish Books whereas he never was in mine but at Mr. Brunetly's House an Italian Merchant whose Books those must have been and therefore I hope this was some Clarks rather than his mistake And now since no man can be plac'd beyond the reach of Malice and the devices of the wicked and that I happen to be brought hither as a suppos'd Criminal I am extreamly pleas'd I have the good fortune to meet with so wise and equal Judges as compose this August and Honourable Assembly where I am so far from fears that I do not doubt but upon an exact 〈◊〉 and an Impartial Examination my having been so infinitely produc'd and so wrongfully expos'd to the publick will be so far from gratifying my Adversaries unjust desires that they will not only be defeated but my self greatly advantag 〈◊〉 and therefore I leave my Cause as the Footstool of your Justice and willingly submit to your Pleasure and Determination praying no other favour than what I am 〈◊〉 you wou'd grant without asking your full Consideration of the whole Matter your speedy Condemnation or Acquittal as I shall be found Guilty or Innocent FINIS