A Letter writ to Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, By Edward Bagshvve [sic], close-prisoner there. Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671. 1664 Approx. 6 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A77239 Wing B417C ESTC R209133 43077469 ocm 43077469 151527 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. A77239) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 151527) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2263:4) A Letter writ to Sir John Robinson, Lieutenant of the Tower, By Edward Bagshvve [sic], close-prisoner there. Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671. 1 sheet ([1] p.) s.n, [London? : 1663/4 [i.e. 1664] Signature of letter dated March 16. 1663/4. Reproduction of original in: Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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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). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Robinson, John, -- Sir, ca. 1625-1680. Prisons -- England -- Officials and employees -- Early works to 1800. Broadsides -- London (England) -- 17th century. 2008-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-09 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-11 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Letter writ to Sir John Robinson Lieutenant of the Tovver , By EDWARD BAGSHVVE , Close-Prisoner there . SIR , THough I believe you have no Remorse , yet I suppose you cannot but be conscious , how unworthily you have used me ; and because , whenever you do any thing which is injurious & oppressive , you are apt to excuse your self by your Orders , in the observance of which , especially when they are harsh and severe , you pretend to a great deal of care and strictness ; I desire therefore to know what Warrant you had to commit me unto the Dungeon , and to detain me there four dayes , under such Rigorous and Unchristian Circumstances , that none could have been guilty of doing , but one , who , together with his Religion , had put off all sence of common Humanity . You have told me indeed , and it is a Position , not only false and damnable in Divinity , but utterly destructive of our English Liberty , that The King hath a Prerogative above the Law , by which he may punish Whom and How he pleaseth : But were I willing so far to unman my self , and to deny both my Religion and Reason , as to admit of that , yet I am sure , His Jaylor hath no Prerogative , but stands upon the 〈◊〉 Level with the rest of his Brethren : And therefore it is my purpose to call you to an Account for that barbarous , and , in a Christian State , never sufficiently to be abhorred Action , unless you have the King 's , or his Secretaries Hand to authoririze you for the doing of it . But , Sir , that saying , how unjustifiable soever , is but part of your Crime , for when I advised You not to do any thing but what you could justifie by Law : You replied , that You had nothing to do either with the Law or Parliaments ; and You do daily manifest by your Lawless carriage , both to my self and the rest of the Prisoners here , that you spake as you thought . But , Sir , such an Assertion , in persons who are entrusted with the Lives of others , is so Black and Horrid ; and the condition of those who are under your Power , is by it , made so Unsafe , that I dare no longer conceal my knowledge , but intend forth with to signify unto some Members of the House of Commons , what a Monstrous and Unnatural kind of Offender you are ; of which I thought fit to give you this private Notice , that you might not be surprized , but prepare your self , either to defend , or , which I rather wish , to expiate your Fault by Repentance . Sir , It is possible you may think , that a just and due sense of my own Unmerited and Illegal Sufferings , hath excited me to seek for Justice upon 〈◊〉 Inflicter of them ; but I can assure you , that , in t●●● Action , I am as free from Malice , as You , in yo●● late one , was from Piety and Honour : It is a se●vice which I owe , first to God , and next to my O●pressed Country-men , who are in Bondage unde● You , to discover unto the Parliament , what a wretched and unworthy Task-master is set over them , who , though he is crept in to be one of their Number , by whom Laws are made , and Grievances should be redressed , yet is not afraid to profess , that he hath nothing to do either with the Law or Them. Sir , As a Friend , and one that is ready to forgive you all my Personal Injuries , let me entreat you to bethink your self in time , and by a solemn Retracting of what you then said , prevent your being brought upon the Stage : Or if , in confidence of your present Power , you resolve to persist in the owning of such Tyrannical Principles , and in Practices correspondent to them , hereafter , you can accuse none but your self , if your sins 〈…〉 ut and hunt you unto punish 〈…〉 〈…〉 Sir , Ready to serve you in all Christian Offices , EDW. BAGSHAVVE . March 16. 1663 / 4. POST-SCRIPT . SIR , THe fore-going Letter had been delivered into your own hand , in the same private and concealed manner which there is mentioned : But your Uncivil , as well as Illegal , denying me the Use of my Pen and Ink , hath forced me to send it you from the Presse , so that now it is no longer in my power to keep your Counsel : But hereafter , if this occasions your being questioned for so Insolent an Expression , I hope you will be satisfied that Guilt is a very Ill Counsellor , since the very means you designed unduly to silence my Complaint , hath made me find out another , which you will be less able to resist the effects of . And now , Sir , that the World will take notice of your Absurd and Ungodly Demeanour , never imagine that any thing but speedy Repentance can secure you : And because I fear , that you have sinned even in your own thoughts , so much unto Death , that you despair of any Recovery , I leave you to the Anguish of your Conscience , till the Hand of Justice brings your Fears upon You. FINIS .