Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	law_n	liberty_n	6,707	5	6.5575	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77239	A Letter writ to Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, By Edward Bagshvve [sic], close-prisoner there.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.	1664 (1664)	Wing B417C; ESTC R209133	1,719	1

A Letter writ to Sir John Robinson Lieutenant of the Tovver By EDWARD BAGSHVVE Close-Prisoner there SIR THough I believe you have no Remorse yet I suppose you cannot but be conscious how unworthily you have used me and because whenever you do any thing which is injurious oppressive you are apt to excuse your self by your Orders in the observance of which especially when they are harsh and severe you pretend to a great deal of care and strictness I desire therefore to know what Warrant you had to commit me unto the Dungeon and to detain me there four dayes under such Rigorous and Unchristian Circumstances that none could have been guilty of doing but one who together with his Religion had put off all sence of common Humanity You have told me indeed and it is a Position not only false and damnable in Divinity but utterly destructive of our English Liberty that The King hath a Prerogative above the Law by which he may punish Whom and How he pleaseth But were I willing so far to unman my self and to deny both my Religion and Reason as to admit of that yet I am sure His Jaylor hath no Prerogative but stands upon the 〈◊〉 Level with the rest of his Brethren And therefore it is my purpose to call you to an Account for that barbarous and in a Christian State never sufficiently to be abhorred Action unless you have the King 's or his Secretaries Hand to authoririze you for the doing of it But Sir that saying how unjustifiable soever is but part of your Crime for when I advised You not to do any thing but what you could justifie by Law You replied that You had nothing to do either with the Law or Parliaments and You do daily manifest by your Lawless carriage both to my self and the rest of the Prisoners here that you spake as you thought But Sir such an Assertion in persons who are entrusted with the Lives of others is so Black and Horrid and the condition of those who are under your Power is by it made so Unsafe that I dare no longer conceal my knowledge but intend forth with to signify unto some Members of the House of Commons what a Monstrous and Unnatural kind of Offender you are of which I thought fit to give you this private Notice that you might not be surprized but prepare your self either to defend or which I rather wish to expiate your Fault by Repentance Sir It is possible you may think that a just and due sense of my own Unmerited and Illegal Sufferings hath excited me to seek for Justice upon 〈◊〉 Inflicter of them but I can assure you that in t●●● Action I am as free from Malice as You in yo●● late one was from Piety and Honour It is a se●vice which I owe first to God and next to my O●pressed Country-men who are in Bondage unde● You to discover unto the Parliament what a wretched and unworthy Task-master is set over them who though he is crept in to be one of their Number by whom Laws are made and Grievances should be redressed yet is not afraid to profess that he hath nothing to do either with the Law or Them Sir As a Friend and one that is ready to forgive you all my Personal Injuries let me entreat you to bethink your self in time and by a solemn Retracting of what you then said prevent your being brought upon the Stage Or if in confidence of your present Power you resolve to persist in the owning of such Tyrannical Principles and in Practices correspondent to them hereafter you can accuse none but your self if your sins 〈…〉 ut and hunt you unto punish 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sir Ready to serve you in all Christian Offices EDW. BAGSHAVVE March 16. 1663 4. POST-SCRIPT SIR THe fore-going Letter had been delivered into your own hand in the same private and concealed manner which there is mentioned But your Uncivil as well as Illegal denying me the Use of my Pen and Ink hath forced me to send it you from the Presse so that now it is no longer in my power to keep your Counsel But hereafter if this occasions your being questioned for so Insolent an Expression I hope you will be satisfied that Guilt is a very Ill Counsellor since the very means you designed unduly to silence my Complaint hath made me find out another which you will be less able to resist the effects of And now Sir that the World will take notice of your Absurd and Ungodly Demeanour never imagine that any thing but speedy Repentance can secure you And because I fear that you have sinned even in your own thoughts so much unto Death that you despair of any Recovery I leave you to the Anguish of your Conscience till the Hand of Justice brings your Fears upon You. FINIS