







 
   
     
       
         The innocent man's first proffer. Or, The proposition of Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburne, prerogative prisoner, in the Tower of London, made unto his present adversaries, and to the whole nation of England, Octob. 20. 1649. For William Hevenningham Esq. of Hevenningham, in Suffolk, These present.
         Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.
      
       
         This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A88200 of text R211292 in the  English Short Title Catalog (Thomason 669.f.14[83]). Textual changes  and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more  computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life.  The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with  MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish.  This text has not been fully proofread 
       Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image.
       
         EarlyPrint Project
         Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO
         2017
         A88200
         Wing L2119
         Thomason 669.f.14[83]
         ESTC R211292
         99870021
         99870021
         163070
         
           
            This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of
             Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal
            . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
          
        
      
       
         Early English books online.
      
       
         (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A88200)
         Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 163070)
         Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 246:669f14[83])
      
       
         
           
             The innocent man's first proffer. Or, The proposition of Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburne, prerogative prisoner, in the Tower of London, made unto his present adversaries, and to the whole nation of England, Octob. 20. 1649. For William Hevenningham Esq. of Hevenningham, in Suffolk, These present.
             Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.
          
           1 sheet ([1] p.)
           
             s.n.,
             [London :
             1649]
          
           
             Imprint from Wing.
             Dated at end: From my Captivity, & Bodily-Bondage in the Tower of London, Octob. 20, 1649.
             Address to the reader in the right-hand margin.
             Reproduction of the original in the British Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
         eng
      
       
         
           Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657 -- Imprisonment -- Early works to 1800.
           Detention of persons -- England -- Early works to 1800.
           Prisoners -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- Early works to 1800.
           Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Early works to 1800.
        
      
    
       A88200  R211292  (Thomason 669.f.14[83]).  civilwar no The innocent man's first proffer. Or, The proposition of Lievtenant Collonel John Lilburne, prerogative prisoner, in the Tower of London, ma Lilburne, John 1649    1990 25 0 0 0 0 0 126 F  The  rate of 126 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with  100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 
        2007-09 TCP
        Assigned for keying and markup
      
        2007-09 Apex CoVantage
        Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images
      
        2007-10 Emma (Leeson) Huber
        Sampled and proofread
      
        2007-10 Emma (Leeson) Huber
        Text and markup reviewed and edited
      
        2008-02 pfs
        Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
      
    
  
   
     
       
       
         
           
             The
             Innocent
             Man's
             first
             Proffer
             .
             OR
             ,
          
           The
           
             Proposition
          
           of
           
             Lievetenant
             Collonel
             John
             Lilburne
             ,
          
           Prerogative
           Prisoner
           ,
           in
           the
           Tower
           of
           
             London
             ,
          
           made
           unto
           his
           present
           Adversaries
           ,
           and
           to
           the
           whole
           Nation
           of
           
             England
             ,
          
           
             Octob.
             20.
             1649.
             
          
        
         
           For
           
             William
             Hevenningham
          
           Esq
           .
           of
           
             Hevenningham
             ,
          
           in
           
             Suffolk
             ,
          
           these
           Present
           .
        
         
           HAVING
           somtimes
           the
           oportunity
           to
           discourse
           with
           you
           ,
           there
           appeared
           that
           in
           you
           unto
           me
           ,
           that
           gives
           mee
           incouragement
           to
           pick
           you
           out
           above
           all
           men
           that
           now
           remaine
           sitting
           in
           your
           House
           ,
           to
           write
           a
           few
           Lines
           unto
           ,
           in
           as
           moderate
           a
           way
           ,
           as
           my
           Condition
           and
           my
           Provocations
           will
           permit
           me
           :
           I
           have
           now
           within
           a
           very
           few
           daies
           been
           seven
           Mōneths
           
             a
             Prisoner
             ,
          
           the
           Legallity
           or
           Illegality
           of
           which
           I
           shall
           not
           now
           
             discourse
             ,
          
           having
           already
           of
           late
           said
           ●o
           much
           in
           my
           owne
           Defence
           
             *
          
           grounded
           upon
           the
           Law
           ,
           your
           owne
           Declarations
           ,
           and
           the
           Armies
           ;
           which
           with
           other
           things
           (
           it
           seemes
           )
           hath
           occasioned
           your
           House
           to
           passe
           a
           speciall
           
             Commission
          
           of
           
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
             ,
             to
             Try
             mee
             ;
          
           which
           whether
           such
           a
           
             speciall
             Commission
             ,
          
           made
           by
           never
           so
           unquestionable
           an
           Authority
           ,
           bee
           not
           contrary
           to
           the
           
             Petition
             of
             Right
          
           (
           which
           you
           have
           so
           often
           sworne
           ,
           and
           particularly
           Declared
           to
           maintaine
           inviolably
           )
           I
           shall
           for
           brevities
           sake
           not
           now
           dispute
           ;
           only
           give
           me
           leave
           (
           and
           I
           hope
           without
           any
           offence
           )
           to
           put
           you
           in
           minde
           of
           that
           
             excellent
             and
             Printed
             Argument
          
           (
           in
           speeches
           and
           passages
           of
           Parliament
           1640.
           1641.
           
             page
             409
             ,
             410
             ,
             411
             ,
             to
          
           417
           ▪
           )
           of
           Master
           
             Hides
             ,
          
           your
           
             quondam
             fellow-Member
             ,
          
           before
           the
           Lords
           in
           Parliament
           ,
           as
           the
           then
           
             Mouth
          
           of
           the
           
             Commons-House
             ,
          
           in
           
             Aprill
          
           1641
           ,
           upon
           the
           
             speciall
             Commission
          
           of
           
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
             ,
          
           that
           was
           exercised
           in
           the
           five
           Northern
           Counties
           at
           
             Yorke
             ,
          
           in
           which
           argument
           ,
           besides
           many
           
             excellent
          
           and
           
             observable
             passages
          
           about
           the
           midst
           of
           it
           hee
           Interrogates
           and
           saith
           :
           
             What
             hath
             the
             good
             Northern
             people
             done
             ,
             that
             they
             only
             must
             bee
             disfranch●zed
             of
             all
             their
             Priviledges
             by
          
           Magna
           Charta
           
             and
             the
          
           Petition
           
             of
          
           Right
           ,
           
             for
             to
             what
             purpose
             serve
             these
             Statutes
             if
             they
             may
             bee
             fined
             and
             imprisoned
             without
             Law
             ,
             according
             to
             the
             discretion
             of
             the
             said
             Commissioners
          
           (
           of
           speciall
           
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
             )
             what
             have
             they
             done
             ?
             that
             they
             and
             they
             alone
             ,
             of
             all
             the
             People
             of
             this
             (
             then
             )
             happy
             I
             sland
             ,
             must
             be
             disinherited
             of
             their
             byrth
             right
             ,
             of
             their
             Inheritance
             ?
          
        
         
           I
           sh●●l
           at
           present
           make
           no
           application
           for
           my selfe
           ,
           only
           I
           shall
           add
           a
           few
           more
           of
           his
           Lines
           towards
           the
           conclusion
           of
           hi●
           Argument
           in
           
             page
          
           415
           ,
           which
           I
           hope
           cannot
           bee
           offensive
           ,
           being
           spoke
           by
           him
           that
           was
           so
           eminently
           Authorized
           thereunto
           ▪
           where
           hee
           saith
           to
           the
           Lords
           :
        
         
           
             Truly
             my
             Lords
             ,
             these
             vexed
             ,
             w●rne
             ,
             People
             of
             the
             North
             ,
             are
             not
             suitors
             to
             you●
             Lordships
             to
             regulate
             this
             Court
          
           (
           of
           speciall
           
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
             )
             or
             to
             refo●me
             the
             Judges
             of
             it
             ,
             but
             for
             exti●pa●ing
             th●se
             Judges
             ,
             and
             the
             utter
             abolishing
             this
             Court
             ;
             They
             are
             of
          
           Catoes
           
             minde
             ,
             who
             would
             not
             submit
             to
          
           Caesar
           
             for
             his
             life
             ;
             saying
             ▪
             hee
             would
             not
             bee
             beholding
             to
             a
             Tyrant
             for
             Injustice
             ;
             for
             ,
             it
             was
             Injustice
             in
             him
             to
             take
             upon
             him
             to
             save
             a
             mans
             life
             ,
             over
             whom
             hee
             had
             no
             Power
             .
          
           Which
           Court
           of
           
             speciall
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
          
           was
           absolutely
           and
           totally
           abolished
           by
           that
           excellent
           
             Act
             that
             abolished
             the
          
           Star-Chamber
           being
           the
           17
           of
           the
           late
           King
           
             an.
          
           1641.
           
        
         
           But
           Sir
           ,
           If
           it
           shall
           be
           objected
           against
           me
           that
           you
           are
           necessitated
           to
           take
           such
           an
           extraordinary
           course
           with
           me
           ,
           as
           a
           speciall
           Commission
           of
           
             Oyer
          
           and
           
             Terminer
          
           is
           ,
           because
           I
           will
           not
           own
           your
           authority
           :
           Yea
           ,
           and
           i●
           I
           so
           continue
           ,
           to
           deale
           with
           me
           as
           you
           dealt
           with
           the
           late
           King
           .
           Unto
           which
           at
           present
           I
           answer
           ,
           First
           ,
           
             the
             Kings
             Case
             and
             mine
             is
             different
             ,
          
           for
           hee
           refused
           to
           answere
           to
           his
           Charge
           principally
           out
           of
           ●his
           consideration
           ,
           
             Because
             hee
             had
             inherent
             in
             him
             an
             old
             received
             Principle
          
           (
           as
           appeares
           in
           his
           Answere
           to
           the
           
             Petition
          
           of
           
             Right
             anno
          
           1627
           and
           in
           many
           of
           his
           Declarations
           made
           since
           the
           beginning
           of
           the
           late
           Warres
           ,
           and
           by
           his
           Speeches
           at
           his
           Death
           ,
           
             by
             virtue
             of
             which
             ,
             hee
             judged
             himselfe
             as
             not
             liable
             o●
             capable
             of
             being
             Judged
             by
             any
             Power
             on
             Earth
             ,
             but
             only
             by
             God
             alone
             :
          
           And
           as
           being
           in
           any
           sence
           ,
           not
           in
           the
           least
           ,
           for
           any
           Action
           he
           did
           
             (
             though
             in
             it selfe
             never
             so
             vile
             )
          
           subject
           to
           the
           punishing
           part
           of
           the
           Law
           .
        
         
           Now
           ,
           for
           my
           part
           ,
           I
           ●oe
           not
           in
           the
           least
           ,
           refuse
           to
           be
           tryed
           out
           of
           that
           consideration
           ,
           for
           I
           acknowledg
           my selfe
           but
           a
           bare
           
             Englishman
             ,
             subiect
             to
             the
             Lawes
          
           thereof
           ,
           as
           well
           in
           the
           
             Penal
          
           as
           in
           the
           
             Directive
          
           part
           of
           them
           ,
           unto
           the
           ordinary
           rule
           of
           which
           ,
           with
           all
           my
           heart
           ,
           I
           am
           willing
           to
           stoope
           ,
           and
           wish
           my
           adversaries
           would
           doe
           the
           same
           ,
           and
           then
           I
           beleeve
           the
           Controversie
           would
           not
           long
           last
           betwixt
           us
           .
        
         
           But
           seeing
           betwixt
           my
           Adversaries
           and
           my self
           there
           is
           a
           difference
           about
           the
           
             Legallitie
             and
             Justices
             of
             Power
             ,
          
           which
           in
           some
           late
           printed
           Papers
           and
           popular
           Discourses
           ,
           is
           made
           use
           of
           against
           mee
           ,
           as
           though
           I
           had
           a
           selfe
           conviction
           in
           my
           own
           Conscience
           ,
           of
           my
           own
           guilt
           ,
           and
           therefore
           to
           avoid
           ,
           as
           much
           as
           in
           mee
           lies
           ,
           a
           Tryall
           .
        
         
           To
           ●ake
           off
           which
           ,
           and
           to
           lay
           my selfe
           ,
           and
           my
           Adversaries
           nakedly
           ,
           and
           fully
           open
           to
           the
           Judgement
           and
           Censure
           of
           all
           ingenious
           and
           rationall
           men
           in
           
             England
             .
             I
             doe
             hereby
             ,
             under
             my
             Hand
             and
             Seale
          
           (
           for
           that
           end
           it
           may
           be
           shewed
           to
           your
           House
           )
           
             Proffer
             you
             ,
          
           beside
           what
           I
           lately
           
             Proffered
          
           Mr.
           
             Prideaux
             ,
          
           which
           is
           contained
           in
           the
           18
           ,
           and
           19
           ,
           
             pages
          
           of
           the
           substance
           of
           that
           Discourse
           now
           in
           Print
           ,
           and
           here
           inclosed
           ;
           
             That
             I
             am
             willing
             and
             ready
             ,
             if
             they
             please
             ,
             to
             choose
             one
             of
             your
             owne
             twelve
             Judges
             ,
             that
             sit
             in
             one
             of
             the
             three
             publique
             Courts
             at
          
           Westminster
           ,
           
             and
             all
             or
             any
             of
             my
             Adversaries
             shall
             choose
             which
             of
             the
             eleven
             remaining
             they
             please
             ,
             and
             I
             will
             freely
             and
             voluntarily
             ,
             Obliege
             and
             b●nd
             my selfe
             under
             my
             hand
             and
             Seale
             before
             witnesses
             ,
             to
             stand
             to
             their
             finall
             and
             absolute
             determination
             (
             upon
             the
             P●●nciples
             of
             Law
             )
             for
             all
             differences
             betwix
             them
          
           (
           or
           any
           of
           them
           )
           
             and
             me
             ,
             although
             it
             reach
             to
             bannishmen●
             ,
             losse
             of
             Estate
             ,
             Limb
             ,
             or
             Life
             ,
             so
             my
             adversaries
             will
             doe
             the
             like
             :
          
        
         
           Provided
           ,
           the
           hearing
           may
           bee
           open
           ,
           publique
           ,
           and
           free
           ,
           indifferently
           for
           both
           parties
           ,
           and
           that
           the
           Judges
           give
           their
           Judgement
           in
           writing
           under
           their
           hands
           ,
           with
           their
           reasons
           for
           their
           so
           doing
           to
           every
           point
           of
           their
           Judgement
           .
           And
           ,
        
         
           Provided
           I
           may
           for
           my
           owne
           benefit
           ,
           use
           ,
           or
           advantage
           ;
           choose
           two
           ▪
           friends
           ,
           freely
           to
           take
           ,
           as
           well
           as
           their
           pennes
           will
           enable
           them
           ,
           all
           that
           passeth
           ,
           
             pro
          
           and
           
             con
             ,
          
           without
           danger
           to
           their
           Persons
           ,
           Liberties
           or
           Estates
           ;
           or
           without
           hazard
           of
           having
           their
           papers
           (
           by
           force
           or
           Authoritie
           )
           taken
           from
           them
           ;
           and
           this
           I
           thinke
           is
           as
           faire
           as
           any
           rationall
           man
           under
           Heaven
           can
           desire
           ,
           and
           which
           I
           cannot
           believe
           you
           can
           judge
           to
           the
           contrary
           ,
           especial●y
           considering
           it
           is
           so
           consonant
           to
           that
           righteous
           Rule
           of
           the
           Sonne
           of
           God
           (
           Jesus
           Christ
           )
           contained
           in
           the
           Scripture
           (
           the
           volumne
           of
           truth
           )
           
             viz.
             to
             doe
             as
             you
             would
             bee
             done
             to
             ,
          
           which
           is
           the
           sum
           of
           both
           the
           Law
           and
           Gospell
           ,
           and
           of
           all
           righteousnesse
           amongst
           men
           .
        
         
           And
           I
           hope
           this
           is
           so
           faire
           ,
           that
           those
           that
           most
           thirst
           after
           my
           blood
           cannot
           ,
           nor
           will
           not
           refuse
           it
           .
           
             But
             to
             make
             it
             more
             f●i●e
             if
             they
             judge
             it
             inconvenient
             to
             fix
             upon
             two
             of
             your
             owne
             Judges
          
           (
           who
           in
           Interest
           are
           positively
           ingaged
           against
           me
           )
           
             I
             will
             bee
             content
             they
             shall
             choose
             one
             Sch●●ller
             ,
             commonly
             called
             a
             Clergy
             man
             ,
          
           and
           I
           will
           choose
           another
           ,
           or
           
             a
             Cittizen
             ,
             or
             a
             Countreyman
          
           (
           which
           they
           please
           )
           and
           I
           will
           doe
           the
           like
           .
        
         
           So
           with
           my
           humble
           service
           presented
           to
           you
           ,
           craving
           pardon
           for
           my
           boldnesse
           in
           troubling
           you
           ,
           with
           whome
           I
           have
           had
           so
           little
           face
           to
           face
           acquaintance
           ,
           earnestly
           intreating
           your
           utmost
           Interest
           speedily
           in
           acquainting
           your
           house
           herewith
           ,
           in
           the
           publiquest
           manner
           you
           can
           :
           I
           commit
           you
           to
           the
           Lord
           my
           God
           ,
           my
           protector
           and
           preserver
           ,
           and
           rest
           ,
        
         
           
             Yours
             (
             desirous
             particularly
             to
             be
             engaged
             to
             serve
             You
             )
             JOHN
             LILBURNE
             .
          
           
             From
             my
             Captivity
             ,
             &
             Bodily-Bondage
             in
             the
             Tower
             of
             
               London
               ,
            
             
               
                 Octob.
              
               20.
               1649.
               
            
          
        
         
           
             
               Courteous
               Reader
               ,
            
          
           
             SInce
             I
             sent
             the
             foregoing
             Epistle
             ,
             I
             understand
             that
             
               Wednesday
            
             next
             being
             the
             24.
             of
             
               Octob.
            
             1649.
             is
             positively
             resolved
             by
             my
             Adversaries
             ,
             to
             be
             the
             day
             of
             my
             Triall
             ,
             and
             therefore
             I
             cannot
             chuse
             but
             publish
             this
             in
             print
             ,
             and
             because
             a
             late
             Pamphlet-scribler
             ,
             and
             pretended
             vindicator
             of
             S.
             
               Arth
               Haslerig
               ,
            
             said
             to
             be
             Mr.
             
               Thomas
               May
               ,
            
             the
             Councell
             of
             States
             Pentioner
             ,
             renders
             me
             in
             his
             late
             false
             and
             lying
             book
             to
             be
             an
             Atheist
             ,
             a
             denier
             of
             God
             and
             the
             Scripture
             ,
             and
             given
             up
             to
             all
             Licesiousnesse
             ,
             and
             an
             absolute
             Confederate
             with
             Prince
             
               Charles
               ,
            
             to
             set
             up
             his
             absolute
             Will
             and
             Prerogative
             in
             this
             Nation
             ;
             &
             therefore
             not
             knowing
             whether
             my
             Life
             will
             bee
             mine
             so
             long
             till
             I
             am
             able
             to
             publish
             a
             Vindication
             at
             large
             ,
             against
             his
             base
             calumniations
             ,
             I
             shall
             desire
             you
             to
             take
             this
             at
             present
             ,
             and
             if
             I
             die
             before
             more
             come
             ,
             let
             the
             constant
             Series
             of
             my
             Actions
             and
             Writings
             bee
             my
             future
             testators
             )
             That
             if
             to
             beleeve
             constantly
             all
             that
             is
             contained
             in
             the
             Law
             and
             the
             Gospell
             ,
             and
             to
             have
             confident
             hope
             of
             the
             Resurrection
             of
             the
             Dead
             and
             the
             Life
             to
             come
             ,
             and
             particularly
             of
             my
             owne
             ,
             and
             to
             live
             Conscientiously
             in
             all
             good
             Conscience
             ,
             as
             in
             the
             sight
             of
             that
             God
             that
             searcheth
             and
             knoweth
             the
             hearts
             of
             all
             the
             sons
             of
             Men
             ,
             both
             before
             God
             and
             Men
             ,
             be
             sufficient
             cause
             to
             be
             judged
             an
             Atheist
             ,
             &c.
             then
             I
             am
             one
             .
             And
             if
             to
             oppose
             ,
             with
             all
             my
             might
             and
             strength
             ,
             all
             Interests
             whatsoever
             ,
             that
             would
             set
             up
             a
             single
             man
             ,
             or
             more
             ,
             to
             rule
             and
             govern
             by
             Will
             and
             Pleasure
             ,
             without
             bounds
             ,
             limits
             ,
             check
             or
             controle
             ,
             be
             sufficient
             grounds
             to
             be
             judged
             a
             
               Cavaliere
               ,
            
             and
             for
             Prince
             
               Charles
               ,
            
             then
             must
             I
             Ingenuously
             confesse
             I
             am
             such
             a
             
               Cavaliere
               ,
               &c.
            
             and
             I
             hope
             so
             to
             dy
             ,
             for
             which
             I
             blesse
             God
             I
             am
             ready
             and
             fitted
             ,
             let
             it
             bee
             by
             what
             butcherly
             hands
             it
             will
             .
          
        
      
    
     
       
         Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
         
           Notes for div A88200e-30
           
             *
             See
             my
             
               Salva
               Libertate
            
             sent
             to
             the
             Lievetenant
             of
             the
             Tower
             in
             
               September
            
             last
             ,
             and
             my
             Discourse
             with
             Master
             
               Prideaux
               ,
            
             Intituled
             ,
             
               Strength
               out
               of
               Weakenes●●
               .
            
          
        
      
      
  

