item: #1 of 13 id: A28439 author: Blount, Charles, 1654-1693. title: A just vindication of learning, or, An humble address to the high court of Parliament in behalf of the liberty of the press by Philopatris. date: 1679.0 words: 6952 flesch: 49 summary: For mens Natural Abilities , like Natural Plants , need pruning by Study : thus we see that Histories make men wise ; Poets , witty ; Mathematicks , subtle ; Natural Philosophy , deep ; Moral Philosophy , grave ; Logick and Rhetorick , able to dispute ; all which Excellencies are to be acquired only from Books : since no Vocal Learning is so effectual for Instruction , as Reading ; for that written discourses are better digested , and support themselves better on their own weight , than words disguised by the manner of expression , cadence or gesture , which corrupt the simplicity of things ; when also the suddenness of Pronunciation allow not the Audience time sufficient to reflect upon what was said . Heaven grant that in time , there be not the same Restraint and Monopoly over Wity Discourse , as there is now over Ingenuous Writing : Since by the same reason , the Royal Jester may demand a Spell of Money for every Jest that is broken in Discourse , as well as the Licenser doth expect a reward for every Ingenious Piece or Jest , that is Printed in Books : When with more Gravity then Wit , having with great Study and Labour , Corrected some such dangerous Author as Thomas a Thumbis ; he from his Learned Grammatical Pen , which casts no Ink without Latin , drops forth that Lordly word IMPRIMATUR ; either because he judged no Vulgar Tongue was worthy to express so pure a Conceit ; or rather perhaps , for that our English , ( the Language of men , ever famous and bold in the Atcheivements of Liberty , ) will not easily find servile Letters enough to spell such an Arbitrary Presumptuous word , as is that of IMPRIMATUR . keywords: author; books; english; hath; interest; learning; liberty; licenser; man; men; press; tcp; text; time cache: A28439.xml plain text: A28439.txt item: #2 of 13 id: A30641 author: Bastwick, John, 1593-1654. title: The humble petitions of Mr. Burton and Dr. Bastwicke presented to the honovrable the knights, citizens, and burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament. date: 1641.0 words: 2574 flesch: 48 summary: The humble petitions of Mr. Burton and Dr. Bastwicke presented to the honovrable the knights, citizens, and burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament. Burton, Henry, 1578-1648. The humble petitions of Mr. Burton and Dr. Bastwicke presented to the honovrable the knights, citizens, and burgesses of the Commons House of Parliament. Burton, Henry, 1578-1648. keywords: answer; booke; burton; court; house; petitioner; text cache: A30641.xml plain text: A30641.txt item: #3 of 13 id: A32510 author: Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685. title: By the King, a proclamation for suppressing the printing and publishing unlicensed news-books and pamphlets of news date: 1680.0 words: 1248 flesch: 60 summary: Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A32510) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 103849) keywords: books; news; tcp; text cache: A32510.xml plain text: A32510.txt item: #4 of 13 id: A37430 author: Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731. title: A Letter to a member of Parliament, shewing the necessity of regulating the press chiefly from the necessity of publick establishments in religion, from the rights and immunities of a national church, and the trust reposed in the Christian magistrate to protect and defend them : with a particular answer to the objections that of late have been advanced against it. date: 1699.0 words: 13370 flesch: 49 summary: And truly , if to this Just Law , another as Equitable were established , That Persons who will not content ' emselves with the Communion of the Established Religion , should thereby be uncapable of any Places of Trust or Office , either in Church or State ; as we find it in Neighbour Countries , I question not but it would have produced a greater Unanimity in Matters of Religion , than the most hopeful Projects of Comprehension . An Enquiry into the Duty of the Magistrate in matters of Religion : Sect. 1. Considered , first , under a state of Nature , 1b . keywords: authority; christian; church; duty; establishment; faith; god; government; magistrate; necessity; press; publick; religion; restraint; rights; sect; worship cache: A37430.xml plain text: A37430.txt item: #5 of 13 id: A38938 author: Brewster, Thomas. title: An exact narrative of the tryal and condemnation of John Twyn for printing and dispersing of a treasonable book with the tryals of Thomas Brewster, bookseller, Simon Dover, printer, Nathan Brooks, bookbinder, for printing, publishing, and uttering of seditious, scandalous, and malitious pamphlets : at Justice-Hall in the Old-Bayly, London, the 20th, and 22th of February, 1663/4. date: 1664.0 words: 27257 flesch: 84 summary: Said he , I have no skill in correcting . Said he , It was my bad fortune to meddle with it ; said I , You lost a Press but a little while since , I wonder you would do this ; he seemed to be sorrowful . keywords: book; brewster; creek; dover; guilty; hide; house; indictment; jury; king; l. ch; lord; man; print; sheets; time; twyn cache: A38938.xml plain text: A38938.txt item: #6 of 13 id: A42050 author: Gregory, Francis, 1625?-1707. title: A modest plea for the due regulation of the press in answer to several reasons lately printed against it, humbly submitted to the judgment of authority / by Francis Gregory, D.D. and rector of Hambleden in the county of Bucks. date: 1698.0 words: 20037 flesch: 65 summary: Concerning this the Council of Laodicea thus Decreed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Christian ought to act like a Jew ; and rest upon the Saturday ; but to prefer our Lords days , and rest in them ; and as for such as should transgress this Canon , the Council passed this Sentence upon them ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let them be accursed of Christ : nor was it left as a thing Arbitrary for Men commonly to Fast upon the Sunday , if a Clergy-man did it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ let him be deposed or degraded ; if a Lay-man did it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , let him be Excommunicated ; so say the Apostles Canons . nay more , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ No Heretick shall Inherit the Estate of his Father . keywords: answer; arguments; author; books; christian; church; doth; faith; god; hath; man; matters; men; opinions; press; reason; religion; truth cache: A42050.xml plain text: A42050.txt item: #7 of 13 id: A47832 author: L'Estrange, Roger, Sir, 1616-1704. title: Considerations and proposals in order to the regulation of the press together with diverse instances of treasonous, and seditious pamphlets, proving the necessity thereof / by Roger L'Estrange. date: None words: 12374 flesch: 66 summary: In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. in the Name of King and Parliament . keywords: act; books; english; god; king; majesty; man; pamphlets; people; person; power; press; presses; printers; printing; publique; stationers; time; work cache: A47832.xml plain text: A47832.txt item: #8 of 13 id: A47914 author: L'Estrange, Roger, Sir, 1616-1704. title: A seasonable memorial in some historical notes upon the liberties of the presse and pulpit with the effects of popular petitions, tumults, associations, impostures, and disaffected common councils : to all good subjects and true Protestants. date: 1680.0 words: 17594 flesch: 65 summary: Malefactors a mourning ( that h●e caused the Kingdom to mourn so many years in Garments roll●d in blood ) by the Execution of Justice , &c. P. 19. Tamum Religio potuit suadere Malorum . The Archbishop of Canterbury , Judge Bartlet , and several other Bishops and Judges Impeach'd ; two Bills pass'd , the One for a Triennial , the Other for Continuance of the Present Parliament ; the Star-Chamber , High-Commission , Courts of the President , and Council in the North taken away , the Council-Table Regulated , the Power of Bishops and their Courts abated ; Innovators and Scandalous Ministers terrifi●d by accusations ; the Forrests and Stannary-Courts brought within compass ; and yet after all this , other things pa. 15. of main Importance for the Good of this Kingdom are in Proposition . keywords: aldermen; church; city; common; council; faction; god; good; government; house; king; london; lord; majesty; man; matter; mayor; pag; parliament; people; petition; power; state; thing; time; war; way cache: A47914.xml plain text: A47914.txt item: #9 of 13 id: A48197 author: Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731. title: A letter to a member of Parliament, shewing, that a restraint on the press is inconsistent with the Protestant religion, and dangerous to the liberties of the nation date: 1698.0 words: 12107 flesch: 44 summary: And 't is all the reason in the world that whoever asserts any such Notions , whether in Discourse , or from the Pulpit or Press , should be severely punished . In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. keywords: clergy; god; law; liberty; men; people; press; reason; religion; tho; truth; way cache: A48197.xml plain text: A48197.txt item: #10 of 13 id: A50883 author: Milton, John, 1608-1674. title: Areopagitica; a speech of Mr. John Milton for the liberty of vnlicens'd printing, to the Parlament of England. date: 1644.0 words: 18674 flesch: 45 summary: Neither is God appointed and confin'd , where and out of what place these his chosen shall be first heard to speak ; for he sees not as man sees , chooses not as man chooses , lest we should devote our selves again to set places , and assemblies , and outward callings of men ; planting our faith one while in the old Convocation house , and another while in the Chappell at Westminster ; when all the faith and religion that shall be there canoniz'd , is not sustient without plain convincement , and the charity of patient instruction to supple the least bruise of conscience , to edifie the meanest Christian , who desires to walk in the Spirit , and not in the letter of human trust , for all the number of voices that can be there made ; no though Harry the 7. himself there , with all his leige tombs about him , should lend them voices from the dead , to swell their number . Till then Books were ever as freely admitted into the World as any other birth : the issue of the brain was no more stifl'd then the issue of the womb : no envious Juno sate cros-leg'd over the nativity of any mans intellectuall off spring ; but if it prov'd a Monster , who denies , but that it was justly burnt , or sunk into the Sea . keywords: bin; books; church; doe; evill; god; good; hath; knowledge; law; learning; liberty; licencer; licencing; life; man; men; order; parlament; people; reading; reason; religion; roman; self; set; text; things; thought; time; truth; world cache: A50883.xml plain text: A50883.txt item: #11 of 13 id: A60058 author: Harris, Benjamin, d. 1716? title: A short, but just account of the tryal of Benjamin Harris upon an information brought against him for printing and vending a late seditious book called An appeal from the country to the city, for the preservation of His Majesties person, liberty, property, and the Protestant religion. date: 1679.0 words: 3801 flesch: 74 summary: A short, but just account of the tryal of Benjamin Harris upon an information brought against him for printing and vending a late seditious book called An appeal from the country to the city, for the preservation of His Majesties person, liberty, property, and the Protestant religion. Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 823:16) A short, but just account of the tryal of Benjamin Harris upon an information brought against him for printing and vending a late seditious book called An appeal from the country to the city, for the preservation of His Majesties person, liberty, property, and the Protestant religion. keywords: book; harris; king; lord; man cache: A60058.xml plain text: A60058.txt item: #12 of 13 id: A85393 author: Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673. title: A fresh discovery of the high-Presbyterian spirit. Or The quenching of the second beacon fired. Declaring I. The un-Christian dealings of the authors of a pamphlet, entituled, A second beacon fired, &c. In presenting unto the Lord Protector and Parlament, a falsified passage out of one of Mr John Goodwins books, as containing, either blasphemie, or error, or both. II. The evil of their petition for subjecting the libertie of the press to the arbitrariness and will of a few men. III. The Christian equity, that satisfaction be given to the person so notoriously and publickly wronged. Together with the responsatory epistle of the said beacon firers, to the said Mr Goodwin, fraught with further revilings, falsifications, scurrilous language, &c. insteed of a Christian acknowledgment of their errour. Upon which epistle some animadversions are made, / by John Goodwin, a servant of God in the Gospel of his dear Son. Also two letters written some years since, the one by the said John Goodwin to Mr. J. Caryl; the other, by Mr Caryl in answer hereunto; both relating to the passage above hinted. date: None words: 35664 flesch: 63 summary: because it is not lightly incident to any intelligent mans thoughts , that God should defame himself , or speak any such thing of himself unto the world , which should be a just ground unto men to think unworthily of him , or of making him like to the vilest or worst of men . For first , if there be a certain number of men peremptorily designed by God to Salvation , all others as peremptorily excluded , what need either the one , or the other , regard either your Ministry , or any other mans ? The former , shall be infallibly and irresistibly converted , and so saved , whether you or any man else , preach the Gospel unto them or no . keywords: answer; beacon; book; cause; charge; christian; faith; firers; god; good; hath; holy; letter; man; men; non; parliament; power; saying; scriptures; self; selves; sence; thing; truth; unto; words; world; yea cache: A85393.xml plain text: A85393.txt item: #13 of 13 id: A93589 author: Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647. title: An end of one controversie: being an answer or letter to Master Ley's large last book, called Light for smoke. One of the Assembly at Westminster. Which he writ lately against me. In which the sum of his last book, which relates to the most material passages in it, is gathered up and replied to. / By John Saltmarsh, not revolted (as Master Ley saith) from a pastoral calling; but departed from the Antichristian ministery by bishops, and now a preacher of the Gospel. date: 1646.0 words: 4622 flesch: 74 summary: The appendix to your book writ by a master of Arts , whether your friend , or your self , for I know not whom you make the two letters C. D. to stand for ; who brings in testimonials of your abilities , learning , piety , good carriage , worth , &c. who methinks speaking so much to your praise as he doth , stands a little too neer you ; we should not seek glory one of another , our praise should be of God , not of men . To the 5. Nor would I have men believe as they list , as you say of me : I would onely not have men forced to believe as others list , as you or your Brethren list : I would have Faith wrought by the Spirit of God , not by the spirits of men , who have no dominion over Faith . keywords: book; god; letter; ley; text; truth cache: A93589.xml plain text: A93589.txt