Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	great_a	part_n	time_n	2,743	4	3.3144	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75397	The Answer of a letter from a friend, concerning elections for the ensuing convention		1688 (1688)	Wing A3281; ESTC R204332	1,967	4

The ANSWER of a LETTER from a FRIEND Concerning ELECTIONS for the Ensuing CONVENTION SIR TO Answer Yours without repeating that the Prince by his Circular Letters hath recommended our Elections to all Burgesses cannot be looked upon as any Infringment or Diminution of our Liberties and Priviledges Seeing that you know that all our Liberties and Priviledges whither by Custome or express Acts are given to the Burgh it self and only to its Magistrates in any Case as Representing the Burgh But this hath be●n a great part of the unhappiness of our late times that what hath been allowed to the Magistrates as representing and in behalf of the Burgh they have assumed to themselves as their own Propertie and thereby distinguished themselves from the Body of the Burgesses as their Masters rather then their Representors Now it being evident that it is the Priviledge of the Burgh to chuse it's own Magistrates according to the Agreement called the Set as also to chuse and send Commissioners to Conventions and Parliaments And it being evident that the Burgh hath for several years been deprived of the Liberty of choosing their own Magistrates by having Persons imposed upon them by Court Letters at pleasure and the present Set of Magistrates and Council being still whatever may be pretended of a little Formality of Freedome in the last Election of this Court and Arbitrary Composition what could be more just than that since our Magistrates and Counsel to whom in the Ordinary course the Electing for Conventions and Parliaments hath been allowed in behalf of the Burgh are not now our Magistrates and Council that is to say of our pure and free Election but the Courts The Call we have got to this Convention should be directed to the Body of Burgesses to whom the Priviledge of sending to Conventions is principally given and not to our Magistrates and Council since in effect they are not Ours nor can be called our Representors And by this you may also understand that seeing they ly under this just Prejudice as not to be allowed to Elect in the Ordinary Way they can yet far less pretend that any of them should be Elected whatever the former use was But the Truth is Elections at all times ought to be free and if any of the Magistrates pretend an Interest in them as a Property it is an abuse which now they should be made to understand by a just disappointment And to enlarge a little this Reflection is it not the blessing of the Prince's coming that we be relieved of former imposings and restored to our Liberties and hath he not already for that end freed our Elections of all the Limitations of Oaths and Engagements whereby formerly they were restrained seeing then it is certain that it hath been by these Oaths and Engagements that Good men hath been secluded from the Magistracie and a Knot of Men got into the Possession of it for many years who viis modis too well known whether in Latine or English have appropriated it to their own Caball to the enriching of themselves and ruining of the Town what can be more reasonable and agreeable to the Mercy that God offers then that wee should lay aside that whole Gang and choise men uncorrupt and untainted with their Practices And to proceed since the Prince hath already set us upon the true Foot in order to the restoring of our Liberties and that now all Burgesses are equally called as well as concerned in the Election it is further evident that whatever course the Magistrates in Possession may lay down for keeping of Order in the manner of Electing every Burgess hath an interest to inspect it And whatever List the Magistrates do make of Electors and in whatsoever manner every Burgess may be present to remark that he may object in due time seeing otherwise by bringing in of men that are no Burgesses for Electors he may be deprived of all the benefit intended for him But this is so plain from reason it self and the parity of the Act of Parliament concerning the Elections of Shires whereby all the Electors are ordained to make Revise and alter their Lists that it were needless to insist on it And therefore all Burgesses ought undoubtedly either to have free Access to the observing of the making of the Lists or at least the List ought to be timously published before the day of Elections that every man may know his Coelectors and be in case to Object against such as have no Interest to be there ●nd when both these are done the Electors have still a further priviledge of demanding a pole wherein men are not to be barely numbred but every one to be impartially questioned and examined by Persons appointed by both sides By which things I hope ye may rest well satisfied that all the concern of the Neighbours that bestirr themselves in this matter is to assert and restore the Liberties Priviledges of the Burgh no ways either to Violate or Usurp them But men who have found it their Interest in Times past to Inhance and Usurp at Pleasure may now cry out of Faction and endeavour to Prepossess the weaker sort as if these who intend to deliver the Town from their Dominion were seeking it to themselves But let all honest Neighbours in the sence of GOD 'S Mercy and the just Consideration of their own Rights and Priviledges Examine things as they are and concure as they ought to do Then both you and I may be most assured that they will find nothing intended but the good of the Burgh and Kingdom and the intire satisfaction of all honest Men. Farewell