Letter to the General
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A74119.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
M
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PRYNNES LETTER TO THE GENERALL
The third of January 1648.
Demanding what kind of Prisoner He is? And whose Prisoner? with an appearance to his Action of false imprisonment, which he Resolves to prosecute against those who have imprisoned him, for the public interest and freedom. of the Members and Subjects.
My Lord,
IT is now a full Moneths space since I [with other Members of the Commons house] have been forcibly apprehended and kept prisoners by some of your Officers and Marshall, against the Privileges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subject, the Laws and Statutes of the Realm, and all rules of Justice, Conscience & Right reason; without the least shadow of Authority, or any cause at all yet made known to me, of which [were there any] neither God nor man, ever yet made your Lordship or your Officers Judges. I therefore desire to know from your Lordship, what kind of prisoner I am? and whose? If a prisoner of peace: neither your lordship nor your Officers are any Justices of peace, or Civil Magistrates in this place, to restrain me for any civil crime, were I guilty of it, much less without proof or hearing, in case I were no Member: but being neither guilty nor accused of any such crime, and a Member too, no Magistrate can, nor ought to imprison me upon any pretext, at least without the Houses license first obtained. Ifa prisoner of War, which I cannot probably be, being never in Arms, and apprehended near the Commons house door, going peaceably and unarmed thither to discharge my duty; then you, and your Officers thereby acknowledge, that you have LEVYED WARRE AGAINST THE PARLIAMENT, and it's MEMBERS; and what a Capitall offense this is, and what a punishment it deserves, I need not inform your Lordship, or your Council, who have for this very crime condemned and shot some to Death, As TRAYTORS: and demanded speedy Justice and Execution for it upon THE KING HIMSELFE. I have but one thing more to trouble your Lordship with, and that is, to demand whose Prisoner I am? having yet seen no Warrant nor Order, from yourself, or your Officers for my restraint, though I have oft demanded it of your Marshall: If your Lordships Prisoner, there appearing yet no Legal Authority, cause or warrant for my restraint, I must then crave so much Justice from your Lordship (being but a Subject, and not yet paramount all Laws) to order your Attorney to give an Appearance for you in the KINGS BENCH, the first return of the next Tearme, to an action of false imprisonment, for this my unjust restraint; which I intend(by God's assistance) effectually to prosecute. If your Officers Prisoner only and not yours, which I conceive, who yet abuse your name and authority herein, though it be a rule in Law and Divinity too, Qui non prohibit malum quod pocest, Inbet; yet I shall be so just as to set the saddle upon the right horse, and commence my action only against such of your Officers, who have been most active in my imprisonment, for damage and reparations, which if there be any justice remaining under Heaven, I doubt not but I shall recover in God's due time, in this public cause which so highly concerns the Honor, Freedom, and Priviledgesof Parliament and Subjects Liberties; for defense and maintenance whereof, as I have hitherto spent my strength, adventured my life, Body, liberty and Estate, so I shall now again engage themall, and all the friends & interests I have in Heaven and Earth, rather then they shall suffer the least diminution, prejudice or Eclipse by my stupid patience under this unjust captivity; though I can as willingly forgive and put up private Iniuryes, when the public is not concerned, as any man. All which I thought meet to inform your Lordship off, whom I am heartily sorry to see so much dishonored, abused, and misled by rash ill-advised Officers, and dangerous, destructive (& I dare say Jesuitical) councils, to the Parliaments dissipation, the Kingdoms prejudice, Ireland's loss; most good men's and ministers grief, your best friends astonishment, your Enemies and the Papists triumph, our Religions scandal, and your own dishonor; which I beseech you as an Englishman, a Christian, a professor of piety and Religion, a Soldier, a General, to lay sadly to your heart, as the earnest request of
From my Prison at the Sign of the Kings-Head in the Strand: 3. Iauuary 1648.
Your Lordships faithful Friend and Monitor WILLIAM PRYNNE.
To the Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax, GENERALL of the Present Army, these present.
An Additionall POSTSCRIPT.
WE read Luke 3.14. That when the Soldiers demanded of John the Baptist saying; And what shall we do the said unto them; DOE VIOLENCE TO NO MAN [or put no man in fears] NEITHER ACCVSE ANY FALSELY; and be content with your allowance; not imprison depose, or murder Kings, pull down Parliaments imprison, violently shut out and drive away Parliament men, and then lay all false accusations and scasdalls upon them, to color your violence, subvert kingdoms, alter States; break all bonds of Laws, Oaths, covenants, obligations, engagements to God and men; usurp all civil, military and Ecclesiastical power, and the Kings Royal Palaces into your own hands, as supreme Lord's and Kings; raise what new forces, and levy what new Taxes you please, take up what Freequarters and houses, seize & plunder what public Treasuries and monies you please, without Commission or Authority, obey neither God nor Man, neither Parl. nor Magistrate; & be content with nothing, but alter & subvert all things. These are St. Peters new Doctrines and Revelations, to our Officers and Soldiers now, &those Jesuits who lurk amongst them not John the Bapt. whose Canonical advise is now rejected as Apochryphall even among the army Sts. who prefer every ignis fatuns, though from Douay or Rome itself, before this burning & shining old light, & are guided only by a new minted law, of pretended providence, or necessity, of their own forging, and not by the Revealed will and law of God, the sacred light whereof their present works of Darkness dare not approach, least they should be reproved and condemned by them. But some 43 actions of false imprisonment by the imprisoned, and 150. actions of the Case by the secluded Members, brought against these dominering lawless Officers and Grandees of the Army, where in good Damages will be recovered, and some 12. Indictments of High Treason against them, for laying violent hands upon the Kings Person, & the Members, & levying War against the Parliament, will teach them more Obedience, Humility, and Modesty, then either John the Baptist, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, or Saint Peters will do; and be like Giddeon thorns & briars of discipline to these men of Succoth, with whom no fair means will prevail: who might have learned so much law and justice from an Heathen Soldier and Governor Festus Acts 25.27. it seemeth unto me UNREASONABLE to send, (much more to commit) a pri • ner, and not withal to signify THE CRIMES LAYD AGAINST HIM; And come short of that ingenuity of the Heathenish CHEIFE Captain, who seized upon Paul, thereby to appease the tumult at Jerusalem, Acts 22, 27.29. who as soon as ever Paul told him, he was a Roman, and FREE BORN, then straightway they departed from him who should have examined him; and THE CHIEF CAPTAIN ALSO WAS AFFRAID, after he knew that he was a ROMAN, AND BECAUSE HE HAD BOUND HIM. And should not the false imprisoning of a Parliament man, and Freeborne English Man, be as formidable to our chief Captain • (being a Christian, I say sworn and vowed to defend the Houses Privileges and Members persons as the imprisonment of a Roman was to this Chief Captain, and they as ingenious and just as he, who shall rise up to Judgment against them and condemn them at the last.