Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	law_n	people_n	power_n	6,970	5	5.1237	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48453	As you were, or, The Lord General Cromwel and the grand officers of the armie their remembrancer wherein as in a glass they may see the faces of their soules spotted with apostacy, ambitious breach of promise, and hocus-pocus-juggleing with the honest soldiers and the rest of the free-people of England : to the end that haveing seene their deformed and fearfull visage, they may be returning to doe their first pretended workes, wipe of their spots, mend their deformities & regaine their lost credit : in a word, save themselves and the gaspeing libertyes of the surprized and enslaved English nation : least enlargement and deliverance arise to the English from another place, but they and their fathers house shall be destroyed : Ester 4. and 14. : all which is contained in a letter directed to the Lord Generall Cromwel, to be communicated to the grandees of his army / written by L. Colonel John Libvrne May 1652 ...	Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.	1652 (1652)	Wing L2084; ESTC R1524	49,801	36

any private Interest were most solemnly dis-avowed and disclaimed Yea when the Parliament unvoted and expunged at their desire from their journal Booke those votes wherby the Soldiers were declared enemies for petitioning in order to their satisfaction yet these men professed such principles of Freedome and common good that they slighted that particular reparation given them in that great case of common concernement And in their Remonstrance of the 23 of June 1647 declared that they did not value or regard their owne injuries or reparations in comparison to the consequence of the one or prejudice of the other videlicet „ the future security of common right and Freedome in the Nation Nay how did these pretended heroic patriots seeme to disdeigne selfish private Interests or advantages they seemed to thinke it too base sordid and unworthy for their pure Spirits to be a mercenary Armie to serve the Arbitrary power of a state for money or gold and therfore they disavowed their standing as such an Armie and declared that they tooke up Armes in judgement and conscience as called forth by the Parliaments Declarations to the defence of their owne and the Peoples rights Freedomes and Liberties and were not their avowed Principles as purely free as thus truly public for they declared the equitable sense of the Law to be supreme to the Letter and to dispense with it when the Safety of the People is concerned And likewise That all authority is fundamentally seated in the Office and but ministerially in the persons Were ever clearer principle of Freedome planted in any heroic hearts then proceded from these mens mouthes and they penned even by Ireton himselfe the present Generall his sonn in Law and apeece of his heart and soule die not every discerning eye see the tendency of these gallant pure principles to be perfect Freedome and common justice Were not the hearts of the oppressed people by the sight of these declared principles and ingagements upon them Filled with liveing hopes of perfect Freedome from all Kinds of tyrannie and oppression though sheltred under never so visible and specious formes of Parliamentary power c. did not every unprejudiced and truly English heart expect that the crooked wills of men should no more have bin the measure of Englands Freedome But only the streightest rule of Nature Thirdly what fiery zeale and burning Indignation did these our seeming saviours breath forth against those they judged the invaders of our native Freedomes and obstructers of their speedy settlement Were not their words speares and swords and hot burning coales against Sir Philip Stapleton and the rest of that faction Did not these our hopefull and seeming Patriots teach the tongues of the whole Soldiery to cry aloud at New-market and Triploe heaths justice justice justice against those invaders of Englands Freedomes Was it not the first borne of their desires yea were they not so transported with zeale for the removall of those membres whom they called apostates that in their said remonstrance of June 23 1646 dated at St. Albans they pręfixed a certaine day to the Parliament for their suspension from the house menaceing and threatning them to take an extraordinary way unless that by the preęfixed day they were suspended And appearingly so sollicitous were they of purgeing the house from all obstructers of justice common good and Freedome that when the Parliaments commissioners on July the 7 1647 incited them to hasten the treaty betweene the Armie and Parliament for a settlement they answered that no comfortable effect of a trealy could be expected so long as the Parliament was constituted of some persons whose Interests were contrary to common good booke of their Declarations page 78 thus they presented themselven even jealous for the peoples sake and industrious even to emulation for „ freedome and justice Fourthly how tedious irkesome to these our seeming deliverers were the delaies in clearing and secureing the peoples liberties when the hopes of the People deferred made their very hearts sick page 77 How did they profess the nearest and dearest sympathy with the peoples oppressions in their said Declaration of June 14 And did they not upon July 23 declare that their respect to the peoples safety inforced them to admit of no longer delayes and that they could allow the house not above four or 5 daies wherein they might give assurance and security to them and to the People of a safe and speedy proceeding to settle the Armies and Nations Rights and Freedomes Thus the speedy settleing of common right and Freedome was visibly and declaredly the choycest object of all their actions and intentions that was seemingly the golden ball of all their contention „ the fruit that their soules so exceedingly seemed to lust „ after and the ultimate pretended end of all their painfull and hazardous race Whatsoever they desired for themselves was professed to be insisted upon onely in relation to the public ends asore said Did not their Hearts seeme so far inflam'd with desire of the settlement of the peoples right and Freedomes that no quiet rest content or satisfaction of mind could possess them so long as the People groaned under tyranie and oppression yea they seemed so far to preferr the peoples good before their owne advantage that they declared they would never have entred into so hot a contest with the Parliament for reparations for their private wrongs and abuses suffered from them or their incroachments upon their particular Freedomes had not their suffering those particular wrongs bin prejudicial to common and universal right and Freedome Now Sir Behold these your great commanders and seemingly Religious Freinds thus cloathed with the glorious garment of their owne Declarations of such a curious texture thus adorned with variety of the fairest promises as so many „ bright oriental pearles „ and doe they not appeare like „ Absolom without spot or blemith from head to foote „ 2 Samuel 14 25 „ are they not like to Saul higher by the head then all the people 1 Sam 9 2. „ can you forbeare to cry there is none in the world like unto them „ Did ever more hopefull sonns spring from Englands fruitfull wombe Did ever more lightsome starrs arise in this Horizon Did not their hearts seeme to be the thrones of righteousnes and their brests the habitation of goodnes and compassion to the oppressed and afflicted was not justice as a robe to them and mercy as a diademe did they not appeare to goe forth in the strength of the Lord To breake the Jawes of the wicked and oppressors to pluck the spoile out of their teeth Did they not then give such hopes of deliverance to those who were bound in chaines of tyrranie and of releife to the poore afflicted who had none to helpe them that the cares that heard their words rejoyced and the blessing of many which were ready to perish came upon them And what Egle-eye could at first discerne „ that this glorious cloathing was but

now with comfort and rejoiceing tell you that I bless God that I have this testimony in mine owne Conscience that the Cause for mannageing of which I am bannished did at the first and all along to this very houre doth appeare to my understanding judgement upon the strictest scrutinie betwixt God and mine owne soule that I am able to make to be as righteous and as just a cause as ever was in the World and all so however Mr. HILL THE CHAIR-MAN reported it to the house yet Mr. PRIMATES PETITION was as fully proved before him and the Committee of Parliament in every circumstance of it so far as its capable of proofe saveing that single clause of SIR ARTHVR HASILRIGS holding private correspondence with some of the Commissioners as any puition in the world need to be proved but it was no wonder it went as it did when SIR ARTHVR HASILRIG WITH Mr. HIL THE CHAIRMAN WITHOVT A THIRD MAN DREW VP THE GREATEST PART OF THE REPORT IN THE SPEAKERS CHAMBER WHILE THE HOVSE WAS SITTING as one that tooke them at it told we with his owne tongue Which report we were never permitted to see nor none for us nor to heare red although we earnestly intreated for it and by importunity endeavoured it And besides I am confident of it there was not three men that judged the cause in the House that ever at the Committee were constant hearers of it from the beginning to the end And by what I have heard from Parliament men that were at the Committee severall daies Mr. HILL NEVER REPORTED TO THE HOVSE ONE TENTH PART OF OVR EVIDENCES AS WEE LAID THEM DOWNE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AND THE SAID Mr. HILL WAS OPENLY IN THE HOVSE TAXED WITH SEVERALL MATERIALL OMISSIONS BY A PERSON OR PERSONS THAT HEARD NOT ONE HALFE OF IT AT THE COMMITTEE And besides when the GENERALL HIMSELFE set his shoulders to the worke with all the might he had in the World to have the sentence so pass and goe on it is unimaginable it could goe otherwise then it did for one THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND THAT WISHETH ME WELL TOLD ME IT WAS IN THE GENERALLS HOVSE BY HIM AND A CABAL OF PARLIAMENT MEN AGREED OF TWO OR THREE DAIES BEFORE IT WAS VOTED OR DECLARED IN THE PARLIAMENT And some dayes after it was passed the GENERALL HIMSELFE IN THE OPEN HOVSE as one that heard him told me IN ASPEECH OF HIS DID AVERR AND DECLARE VPON HIS CONSCIENCE THAT THE SENTENCE IT SELFE PASSED AGAINST ME WAS AS HONEST AND AS JVST A SENTENCE AS WAS EVER PASSED BY THAT HOVSE But I doubt not through the assistance of God in a short time to make it clearly and evidently to appeare in every circumstance that it is the MOST VNJVST ILLEGAL AND VNRIGHTEOVS SENTENCE THAT EVER WAS passed by any authority or power in the World that ever professed to governe by Lawe As in abundance of their declarations they have professed before God and the World they ought and would doe But at the present I shall only trouble you with one instance and that in a short Declaration of theirs intitled a Declaration of the Parliament of England for maintainning the fundamental Lawes of this Nation dated Feb. 9. 1648. made by them since they tooke of the Kings head declaredly for Tyrannie Oppression and and exerciseing an Arbitrary power in which they positively declare that they are fully resolved to maintaine shall will uphold preserve and keepe the fundamentale Lawes of this Nation for and concerning the preservation of the lives properties and Liberties of the people with all things incident thereunto with the alterations touching Kings and House of Lords allready resolved in this present Parliament for the good of the People Which short declaration of theirs is fully backed by them with a larger delaration made the 17 of March after And although there be an absolute necessity that lies upon me as speedily as I can to goe to the press with such a thing yet in what I write or print by the assistance of God all mighty I shall keepe within the bounds of a Christian THAT VALVES HIS PEACE WITH GOD ABOVE ALL EARTHLY TREASVRES IN THE WORLD and of a rationall man THAT HATH PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOME AND JVSTICE INGRAFTED IN HIM THAT HE WILL NOT BALKE OR CHANGE FOR ALL THE FEARES OF ALL THE DEATHS IN THE EARTH and of an English-man THAT LOVES HIS NATIVE COVNTRIE ABOVE ALL OTHER COVNTRIES IN THE WORLD and in a great measure hath the sense of his duty in acting towards its Freedome and wellfare INGRAVEN VPON HIS VERY HEART and as a discreet man THAT WILL NOT MEDDLE WITH THE NATIONS AFFAIRES OR GOVERNMENT WHERE HE SOIOURNES OR DOE ANY THING TO THE UTMOST OF HIS POWER THAT MAY GIVE THE LEAST DISCONTENT TO THOSE MAGISTRATES UNDER WHOSE PROTECTION IN HIS BANNISHMENT HE LIVES And besides I bless God I have both publicly and privately walked in all peace quietues and uprigtnes towards the General and Parliament since I owned their authority and neither directly nor indirestly medled with them to give them the least offence or to occasion in them the least cause of jealousy of me for undermineing or endeavouring to undermine their power and authority and therfore can I the more glorie and rejoyce under their harsh and cruell dealeing with me BUT THE LORD IS RIGHTOUS AND I AM CONFIDENT WILL SPEEDILY RETURNE IT SEVENFOLD INTO THE BOSOMES of those who were the principal causers of it Judges 1 6 7 and 2 Sam 21 1 2 5 6 14 and 2 Sam 12 31 compared with the 11 of Judges 17 18 19 20 23 27 Ester 7 9 10 and 8 11. and 9 2 3 4 5 15. Isaiah 10 12 13 18. Mat 7 2. Marke 4 24. Luke 6 37 38. Rom 2 3. James 2 12. Revelations 18 6 7 8. But to returne back by my wives Letters I perceive the LORD GENERALL gives a verie unworthy and strange kind of character of me which seemes to worke beleife upon the Spirits of some of my Freinds and further saith that I may thinke my sentence greater then my offence if they did not feare other things by me of which also it seemes some of my Freinds are satisfied In Answer to all which I say its true upon the 28 of March 1649 the present Lord Generall caused me to be fetched out of my bed by a multitude of armed horse and foote and got me sent to the tower for a traitor yet when I came to my triall for my life there was never any thing of that laid unto my charge for which at first I was imprisoned but only actions pretended to be done by me many moneths after my imprisonment when I lay under so many barbarous provocations put upon me by the Generall and his confederates AS HAD BIN SVFFICIENT according to Solomons saying TO MAKE A WISE MAN MAD. But how just it was to goe about to take away my life upon that score I leave you

build me a wide house and large chambers and cutteth him out windores and it is seeled with cedar and painted with vermilion Shalt thou reigne because thou clothest thy selfe in Cedar did not thy Father eat and drinke and doe judgment and justice and then it was well with him he judged the cause of the poore and the needie then it was well with him was not this to know me saith THE LORD But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy Coveteousnes and FOR TO SHED INNOCENT BLOOD and for oppression and for violence to doe it therfore saith the Lord thou shalt be buryed with the buryal of an Asse without lamentation saying AH MY BROTER or AH LORD or AH HIS GLORY Therfore let not the Generall for all his greatnes despise the day of small things For who would have beleived or immagined 10 yeares agoe that Oliver Cromwell a meane private inconsiderable man in comparison should by this day have had 3 Nations at his becke and command for I am sure of it when he I about 10 yeares agoe by the Parliaments authoritie were first made captains my particular Interest in England was soe far beyond his that I could then have easily raised a hundred volenteers to have followed my banner for his one and injoy really a greater power in them then ever any of there most Absolute Kings this 500 yeares had Fiftly I answere that I have heard from travellers that the ELEPHANT which of all the beasts in the world is the most warlike one carrying a Castle able to secure many men upon it's backe and being in many places in the East-Indies soe expert in warr that if an Iron chaine be tyed to its trunke it will with it mowe downe whole rows of men and yet for all this of all the creatures in the world is the most affraid of the little silly contemptible pismire the which if it Creepe up it's trunke and git into it's brains as some tyms they doe the little creature will more mad that great furious strong beast then the shakings of multitudes of speares and the powring of shewers of warlike darts and arrows upon it I wish my LORD GENERALL for his owne sake haveing done soe great things in England as he hath done may seriously consider what he will git at my hands when he hath done the worst he can to me for if I fall I can as I have often through the goodnes of God rise againe but soe can not he for his fall if it come will bee soe great it will breake his necke and I looke upon him as my grand adversary and against great nor small must I now not fight nor contest with to the purpos saveing only himselfe And truly I am apt to thinke how contemptable soever he may Judge me to be that if he force me to it to the utmost nesessitie I shal be able through the strength of almighty God to trouble him as bad as the greatest Army of Cavileers that ever he fought with in his life did and to make his very hartstrings to ake for skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life But peace with him not only for my owne good but the good and benifit of the whole Nation is the thing I desire from my hart and soule Therefor I will heere presume to advice him as Joab advises David when he had like to have taken in the City of Rabbath and therefore advised him to gather his people together take it in himselfe least he tooke it and it should be called by his name even soe say I a New Parliament is the people of Englands right and the obtaineing of one for them is even at the very doore I am sure of it therfore let my Lord Generall arise and gather his Army about him and effectually and in good earnest revive his or our Agreement and speedily procure thereby a New Parliament for the people which I dare avow infalliby to demonstrate he may as easily freely and safely doe it if he will but say the word as kiss his owne hand I will maintaine it he hath no real dureable safety in the world but in the doeing of it but I thinke Politicus in his notable preambles to his thursday newes-bookes hath already sufficiently cleared that point I say therfore if he will in the hearts of the honest and understanding people of England be esteemed and bee really their darling let him arise and doe it with all his might quickly least I or some other contemptible or unthought of instrument or instruments doe it for the people in despight of him and so run away with the honour of it and have it called by our name For let him remember when the Scots first invaded England in the yeare 1639 by their declareing they came in for to procure the English people their liberties and that they might enjoy a Parliament which they had bin without ten or eleven yeares together they tied the Kings hands behind his back therby and won the Zealous stout English peoples hearts away from him and thereby procured for the English People a Parliament in spight of the teeth of all that opposed it Nay and thereby made the Kings owne Soldiers knock their commanders on the head that were leading them against the said Scots I say no more at present but bid himselfe make the farther application only adding that I am consident of it that hee will be the highlyest esteemed man to the people of England that is in the world that can or shall be an Instrument upon the principles aforesaid to procure a New Parliament for them thereby rationally probably to free deliver them from their unsupportable and un-imaginable oppression bondage and slavery which they are under worse and greater by a thousand degrees then ever it was in the worst of the late Kings times For now I will maintaine it there is no man in England that can rationally or upon any probable grounds call either his land his trade his Estate his life his wife or his children his owne or be sure to enjoy them free from violence one single day to an end And in the multitude of instances I need to give you no more then mine owne which is now upon me For have I done the Generall or the Nation or any particular man in it any wrong oppression or injustice if it be said I have I challenge the sight of my whole charge and a particular declaration that I shall enjoy the benefit of the Petition of right and the Parliaments and Generalls pass freely to come into England „ and there to stay for a time and returne back againe without let or molestation and I doe hereby engage with speed to meet by Gods assistance the greatest and stoutest adversary that I have in England there at the barr of iustice And I am sure if they can legally prove me guilty of any wickednes or oppression