Proposition of Liev. Col. John Lilburne prisioner in the Tower of London, made unto the Lords and Commons assembed at Westminster, and to the whole kingdome of England, October 2. 1647.

Author: Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.2016-02

University of Oxford Text Archive

The Proposition of Liev. Col. John Lilburne, Prisoner in the Tower of London, made unto the Lords and Commons ass•mbled at Westminster, and to the whole Kingdome of England, October 2. 1647.

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The Proposition of Liev. Col. John Lilburne, Prisoner in the Tower of London, made unto the Lords and Commons ass [...]mbled at Westminster, and to the whole Kingdome of England, October 2. 1647.

I Grant the House of Lords, according to the Statute of the 14. Ed. 3. chap. 5. to have in La [...] a jurisdiction for redressing of grievances, either upon illegall delayes, or illegall judgements given in any of the Courts at Westminster Hall, provided they have the Kings particular Commission therefore, and all other the legall Pu [...]ctillos contained in that Statute, which jurisdiction and no other, seemes to me to be confirmed by the Statutes of the 27. Eliz. chap 8. and 31. Eliz. chap. 1.

But I possitively deny, that the House of Lords, by the knowne and declared Law of England, have any originall Iurisdiction over any Commoner, of England whatsoever, ei her for life, limb, libertie or estate, which is the only and alone thing in controversie betwixt them and me, And this position I will in a publique Assembly, or before both Houses in Law debate with any 40, Lawyers in England that are practisers of the Law, and I will be content the Lords shall chuse them every m [...]n, and if after I have said for my selfe what I can, that any three of these forty Lawyers sworn to deliver their Iudgements according to the known Law of England, give it under their hands against me, I will give over my present contest with the Lords, and surrender my selfe up to the punnishment and sentence of the present Lords and Commons.

Provided at this debate, I may have six or ten of my own friends present to take in writing all that passeth thereupon.

Witnesse my hand and Seale, in the presence of divers witnesses in the Tower of London, this 2. of October, 1647.

Iohn Lilburne.

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