A Petition to the Lords Chancellors
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A16995.0001.001
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
A PETITION THO THE LORDES CHANcelours of both universities, & to all the noble LL. of Albion & Ierne, to help reformation of errors bred by not Knowing that To Katelthein eis adou in the Crede meaneth
The ignorance of which article hath wrought much ruin to the Gospel:
D . BANCROFT complained, R. H. to the LL. of Amsteldam, when j was preaching at Middelburg, that j called him Athean, vilain, jew, traitor. To these four j must answer. For the three first: he is no further charged then an allower of the common notes: & so longe the King cannot help him. The jew Pharar hath caught him. Let him accept my defense for him, printed, & sent him, then if he any wit have, he will swear that my pen cleareth him from all blames which he would fasten upon himself. Now touching the treason of the Libel: The Earl of Argiles cosin Germane, which was with me at Geneva, told the K. how the senatours shown him, that upon Bancroftes libel, scoffing my hope in the scottish mist, a plot was Layd to kill me: hindering some hopes more then 40000 soldiers▪ & 300. french crowns were offered me to hasten away: j believed it not, till it came so nere that even Beza made accompt j should never go away All this, ypon Bācroft his scophing of the Scottish mist. Touching the Divinity that to Descend to Hel in the Crede is to go yp to Heaven: your honors see, that D. Bilson hath most mightily proved that: so Bancroft allowing Bilson scoffeth himself: whē he scoffeth that which D. Bilsō proved to be most sure: that he must be a most open atheist scoffing himself in the depth of Divinity, or the K. must be the matter of his Libel: as the K. often sware in Scotland, that I should have what I would: for my dangers in his cause. And thus I answer. when the K. hath geven sentence, he may mot plead against that. I hope the K. will bridle him from that: by your Lps honorable advertisement: & remember his vowed recompense.
Your Lordslips most humble. Hugh Broughton.