Letter to the Newport
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/B43733.0001.001
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
Mr. PRYNNES LETTER To the Borrough of NEWPORT in Cornwall, for which he serves in PARLIAMENT.
GENTLEMEN,
BEING freely and unanimously elected by you (without my privity or seeking) to serve as one of your Burgesses in this Parliament, I have since my entrance into the Commons House (the 7th of Novemb. last) endeavored to the best of my skill & Judgment, faithfully to discharge that trust and duty you repos'd in me, (according to my Conscience) to put a speedy and happy period to our unnatural long-lasting bloody Wars, and settle a firm wellgrounded peace, upon such Terms of honor, freedom, safety, & advantage, as no Subjects under Heaven ever yet enjoyed from the Creation til this present, What my indefatigable endeavors were herein, in drawing up all the Bills upon the Kings Concessions in the late Treaty, is well known to most of the Members then sitting, and what I delivered in the House upon the Debate of the Kings Answers to our Propositions upon the whole Treaty (with a sincere and public spirit, aiming at nothing but yours and the whole Kingdoms felicity and prosperity, not any private interest of mine own) I have sent you here in print, being falsely charged by a new erected General Council of Officers of the Army (who have traitorously usurped to themselves the supreme Authority of the Kingdom, & against the known Privileges of Parlia. the Liberty of the Subjects, and the Law of the Land forcibly seised on myself, and divers other eminent Members going to the House to discharge our duties, on the 6th. and 7th. of December last, in pursuance of the Treaty, and secluded me and them from sitting there ever since, to yours and the whole Kingdoms prejudice) among other secured Members in the gross, for an Apostate from the public trust which you reposed in me, only for this SPEECH, and the VOTE of the whole house, for the settlement of the Kingdoms peace, made in pursuance of it; they having no particular matter else to charge me with [had they any just power to impeach or seclude me, which they have not) but this alone. How perfidiously and injuriously they have dealt with, and how scandalously they have traduced and libelled against me, and the other restrained Members in print, upon this occasion only, you may read in the Epistle to the Reader; though mine and the other Members innocence be so perspicuous, that they confess, they have yet no particular matters of impeachment against us, after above 7. weeks imprisonment, but promise shortly to produce some [if they can:) whereas their own Treasonable Rebellions, violences, perjuries and crimes, written with Sunbeams in their very foreheads, are visible to all the world, and need no witnesses to prove their gvilt; their late unparalleled exorbitances and proceedings both against the King, Parliament, Lord's, Members, City and Country being known and apparent unto all. I shall therefore appeal from these usurpers, (who have no more Authority to question or restrain me, for any real or pretended breach of my Trust, as a Member, were I guilty of it, then the meanest Servant hath to call his Master to account for misgoverning his family, or to shut him out of doors:] unto you alone, who elected me, and are best able to know and judge of your own trust; desiring your speedy resolution of this Question, Whether in that here in spoken or voted by me, I have any ways violated the trust or faith which you and every of you reposed in me? For which Speech and Vote, though I am Iudicially accountable only to the Commons House, which knows the true grounds upon which I went, and can only truly Judge of what was there spoken and voted (none being fit to Judge anything but those who know and hear it too ) the maiority of which house concurred with me in the vote, without any division: yet, I hold myself in some sort ministerially accountable unto you for whom I serve as the properest Judges, without the House doors, of what I spake or voted in your behalf. From whom I shall humbly request so much right and justice, upon the perusal of the enclosed Speech and papers, [which I desire may be read openly before all my Electors at your next 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 public meeting) as to testify to the world under your hands and seals (which you set to the return of my Election ] your own Judgments & opinions, whether I have betrayed or broken the Trust you reposed in me or not, by what I spake or voted in this debate? and what sense you have of the Armies forcible secluding and imprisoning me [your Burgess ] from the House, among other Members, above seven weeks space together, contrary to mine and your undoubted Privilege; how far you conceive yourselves obliged by ought that hath been or shall be concluded or voted in the House during the Armies force upon it, & your Burgesses [& most other Members] violent seclusion thence, against all Law and president, and what reparations you expect for this high Injustice to yourselves and me: With what else you think fit to determine touching the premises: And if you deem it necessary, to return your results herein to me, with all convenient speed: who shall make the best advantage thereof for yours, mine own and the Kingdoms benefit: whose peace (by God's blessing) had been fully settled to your hearts content before this time, had not the Enemies of Peace (who gain their livings by the Wars) interrupted our proceedings by Imprisoning and secluding the greatest part of the Members, and particularly
From the Kings Head in the Strand Ian. 26. 1648.
Your most affectionate friend and faithful servant and Burgess. WILLIAM PRYNNE.