To the supream authority of the nation the Parliament of the common-wealth of England the humble petition of Mary Countess of Sterling, and John Blount her husband. Stirling, Mary Vanlore Alexander, Countess of, d. ca. 1660. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A62829 of text R22329 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing T1730A). 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. 44 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A62829 Wing T1730A ESTC R22329 12264523 ocm 12264523 57954 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. A62829) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 57954) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 880:10) To the supream authority of the nation the Parliament of the common-wealth of England the humble petition of Mary Countess of Sterling, and John Blount her husband. Stirling, Mary Vanlore Alexander, Countess of, d. ca. 1660. Blount, John. 8 p. s.n., [London? : 1654] Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Caption title. eng Great Britain -- History -- Puritan Revolution, 1642-1660. A62829 R22329 (Wing T1730A). civilwar no To the supream authority of the nation the Parliament of the Common-Wealth of England. The humble petition of Mary Countess of Sterling, and Stirling, Mary Vanlore Alexander, Countess of 1654 7578 5 0 0 0 0 0 7 B The rate of 7 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-07 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-09 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2006-09 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion TO THE SUPREAM AUTHORITY OF THE NATION THE PARLIAMENT OF THE Common-wealth of ENGLAND . The humble Petition of Mary Countes of Sterling , and John Blount her husband , Sr Robert Croke of Checquers in the County of Bucks Knight , and Dame Susan his wife , Henry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zin●●● , and Jacoba his wife , Sackvile Glemham , and Peter Glemham , your Petitioners , the said Countess , Dame Susan , Jacoba , Sackvile , and Peter , being Grandchildren of Sir Peter Vanloore the elder ; and your Petitioners the said Countesse , Dame Susan , and Jacoba , being also right Heirs of the said Sir Peter , and of Dame Mary Powel , late wife of Sir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SHEWETH , THat the said Sir Peter Vanlore did in his life-time settle the Castle and Parkes of the Devises in Wilts worth 600 l. yearly ; and the fifth part of divers other his Mannors and Lands worth yearly 2500 l. upon the said Lady Powel , and the Heires of her body : And for default of such issue , the reversion of the said Castle and Parks to his own right Heirs ; which your Petitioners the said Countess of Sterling , Dame Susan , and Jacoba are , and entayled the fifth part of the said other Mannors and Lands upon all your Petitioners his Grandchildren , and some others his Grandchildren by name , and so dyed ; and the said Lady Powel upon the sixth day of October 1651 died without issue ; and your Petitioners are thereby become lawfully entituled to the said Castle , Manners , and lands , according to the settlement of the said Sir Peter . 2 That by reason of some implacable differences between the said Sir Edw. Powel , and the said Lady , they lived apart for about 15 years together before her death ; and one Thomas Levingston a Lawyer ( who marryed Anne Caesar one of the Grandchildren of the said Sir Peter Vanloore ) being conceived by the said lady to take part with the said Sir Edw. Powel against her , the said lady Powel , became much disaffected to , and displeased with the said Tho. Levingston , and his wife . 3 That the said lady about Septem. 1651. being dangerously sick ( of the sickness whereof she soon after died ) at a house in Chelsey , where she had long lived sole and separate ; and the said Sir Edw. Powel , and Thomas Levingston & his wife , knowing the said lady had a great estate at her dispose ( some with , and some without the consent of the said Sir Edward , which they contrived to gain unto themselves by several strange unlawful practises ) they , together with one Wil. Hinson another Lawyer , and a Justice of Peace of Middlesex , and neer kinsman of the said Sir Edward , ( and to whom , as 't is commonly reported , he hath given all his estate , and disinherited his own Brother and Heir ) with divers other their kinred , servants , and confederates , did about the 7 day of the same Septem. ( according to a Complot betwixt them ) forcibly enter into the said house at Chelsey , wherein the said Lady Powel then lay dying ; [ and to which the said Sir Edward had no Title ; ] and guarded and secured the same with armed men , caused all the Ladies servants to be presently arrested and violently taken away by one Thomas Crook then Under Sheriff of Middlesex [ whom they brought with them ] and to be imprisoned without Bayl , upon fals & feigned Actions of many thousand pounds , which they never prosecuted , but became non-suit therein ; and with Guards of armed and dissolute men they chained up the Doors of the said House , and in Warlike manner kept it and the neerest friends and kindred of the said Lady from her untill she died , engaging their Confederates to secresie and fidelity by Rings of Gold given to them with this Motto inscribed , viz. ( Never to be forgotten or requited ) and discharged the said Lady Powels Apothecary for but delivering a civil Message from some of her friends , and placed a new Physitian of their own engagement , and strange servants ( whom the Lady knew not , and against her wil ) to attend her in her last sickness ; and fearing least the said Lady should make any discovery of their wicked doings from her chamber window ( which open'd into a neighbors ground adjoyning ) they forbade that Neighbour , to permit any of the said Ladies friends to come inground , or stand near the house . 4 That having thus by force and practice secluded all but themselves , they ( upon the 18 day of the same Septemb. ) brought Judge Warburton ( who knew not the Lady Powel ) from London , unto the said house at Chelsey , then chained up and kept guarded ; and then , and there procured the said Lady ( as the said Judge certifies ) to levy several Fines of the said Castle , Parks , Mannors and lands , unto one Anthony Basset ; which Fines ( as the said Complotters affirm ) were declared by some Writings , which she shortly after sealed to the use of the said Sir Edward Powel , Levingston , and his wife : And the said Lady Powel did about that time also ( as they pretend ) dispose a great personal Estate ( which was your Petitioners said Grandfathers ) to the said Levingston and his wife ; although the said Lady utterly detested them as persons of a most evill and dangerous conversation , and oft times hath been heard to wish the said Anne Levingston were not of her kinred . 5 That the said Confederates suspecting [ as they had cause ] the sudden death of the said Lady Powel [ who died thus imprisoned upon the 6 day of Octob. following ] might render all their plots and fines ineffectual ; They by practice between one Gardiner an Attorney , and James Pickis a Cursistor , procured several Writs for passing the said Fines to be made out antedated in Easter Term before , and made returnable in Trinity Term next after ; and to deprive your Petitioners of all possibility of redress , caused the same Fines to inrolled of Record , as acknowledged and levyed in Trinity Term [ four moneths before they were acknowledged , and contrary to the true intent of the Statute made in the 23 year of the Reign of the late Qu-Eliz : and the practice so dangerous [ if admitted ] as tendeth to the deceiving of all such as shall purchase or deal for any lands , and to establish wickedness by a law . 6 That yet doubting all these plots would not hold ( wickedness filling them with fear of discovery ) they procured a sequestred Parson to certifie under his hand , that the said Lady Powel was reconciled to the said Sir Edward , and had received the Sacrament of the Supper , and procured a paper under the said Ladies hand to signifie her well pleasedness , although upon , or neer that very day that paper was subscribed , the said Lady Powel did publikeby rebuke the said Mrs. Levingston , and affirm , That their plot was to disinherit the right Heirs of the lands ; but that she would be torn in pieces with wild horses before she would do it . And the said Certificates are things so altogether unusual , and full of suspition , that the Judges of the Common-pleas in dislike thereof did publikely in open Court tell the said Levingston , that he had over-acted his part therein . 7 That the Petitioners so soon as they possibly could , complained of the said wrong to the Court of Common-pleas , where the chief Justice thereof did openly affirm , That he knew not what was force and fraud , if these Actions of the said Confederates were not ; and Judge Puliston , and Judge Atkins , two of the other Judges , did also in open Court several times earnestly expresse themselves against the foulnesse of the said Levingstons practice , in obtaining the said Fines ; but said it was past their power to relieve your Petitioners , but there was a Parliament then sitting that could , and they believed would relieve them . 8 That your petitioners have for the space of a year and half addrest themselves to the late Parliament for relief , which was so far sensible of the foulness of the Crime , That they caused it particularly to be excepted out of the Act of General pardon ; but never found leisure-time for the hearing thereof , or giving your petitioners relief , or to provide for prevention of like wickedness for the future . Your petitioners believing , That God hath sitted you with Spirits to relieve against Oppression , and to do and act righteousness , Humbly beseech you to vouchsafe a Hearing to your petitioners Complaint , and to afford them such relief , That the said Fines and Deeds ( so unduly obtained ) may be produced and vacated , Offenders punished , and like wickedness for the future by some good law prevented . And ( as they now do ) so they shall continue to pray that the Spirit of Wisdom , Councel , and the fear of the Lord may rest upon you , and abide with you , for his glory , the good of his people , establishing Righteousness in the Nation , that the Calamities thereof may cease , when men of publike Spirits shall stand up that date and will do justice . SOME CONSIDERATIONS HUMBLY PROPOSED To the Worthy Members of Parliament , By Thomas Levingston Esquire , and Anne his Wife , and William Powel , otherwise Hinson Esquire ; concerning a Petition and Complainst against them by John Blount , and Mary Countess of Sterling his Wife , and Others , now under consideration before the honorable Committee for receiving PETITIONS . FIrst , The matter in difference between the Plaintiffs , and these Defendants , is , onely the Title unto the Estate lately belonging unto the Lady Powel deceased , the Defendant Anne's Mothers Sister . Secondly , the Complaint against the Defendants , is , That they did wickedly force the said Lady Powel , by several evil practises used upon her , to settle her Estate upon her Neece ( the Defendant Anne ) and did cause a Fine to be antedated for the perfecting of the said Settlement : And therefore the Plaintiffs desire the said Fine , and the Defendant Anne's Deeds to be produced and vacated . Whereas the Force complained of hath been legally examined and tryed . For the Force complained of by the Plaintiffs is a pretended forcible Entry upon , and also a forcible Detainer of the House of the said Lady Powel , and that was legally tryed by a Jury upon the place where the force is supposed to be committed , and no force found . And the pretended antedating of the Writs for the Fine complained of , is no more then the antient usual practise in levying Fines for many hundred years , when any settlement is made of any Estate in the vacation time . For the Writs must bear date in a Term , and cannot bear date in the succeeding Term , and therefore must bear date in a preceding Term . And in most of the assurances and settlements , made of any mens estates in England by Fines acknowledged between the Terms , the Writs must bear date and be returnable the Terms foregoing ; and if those be not good in law , most mens Titles to their Estates are void ; and if this were not admitted , the people could not make any perfect Conveyances and Assurances of their Estates by Fines in the vacation time . And as well the said pretended force and antedating of the said Writs , as all other the supposed evil practises that the Plaintiffs could then suggest were examined before the Judges ( one of which took the said Fine in a judicial way , the said Lady acknowledging to him that she did the same freely and willingly , and without constraint . ) And upon the Plaintiffs first reproachfull false suggestions , they gave rules to stop further proceedings upon the said Fine . But upon full hearing of both Parties , with their Councel , gave their Judgement that the said Fine should be proceeded in , to be perfected , which was done accordingly . Therefore the said Complaint against the Defendants is irregular ; For their Complaint ought now to be against that Court of Justice , who have examined and determined the Matters complained of , and caused the Settlement complained against to be perfected , if they have done Injustice therein : and the parties ought not to be further vexed and molested , when their Cause is Legally heard and judged . But , if the supposed evill gaining a Title to the said Estate by the Defendants be not fully examined , yet , it is both Examinable and Determinable in the ordinary Courts of Law and Equity ; And many Settlements of several Estates by Fines and Deeds have been anulled and vacated upon sufficient proof made , that they have been unduely gained or procured by evill practices . Yet the Honourable Committee for receiving of Petitions , onely upon hearing the said Complaint against the Defendants , without their Answers or Defence , have required the Defendants Deeds and Evidences concerning the Defndants Annes Title to the said Estate , to be produced , which may be of very evil consequence , that their Adversary claiming the same Estate should peruse or be advertised of their Title before any Tryal be brought upon the same . The Defendants in all humility and submission offer it to consideration . First , Whether the Legislative Power , as Legislative can try the Matters in question suggested against the Defendants . For if the Defendants have evilly and wickedly gained a pretended Title to the said Estate , they have transgressed , either the common law , * or the Statute law of the land , or else they have done contrary to the Rules of good conscience , and equity . If either of the first , the Defendants punishment for their offences , will be known by the laws they have broken ; and it is onely the Jurisdictive power , as Jurisdictve , that can try the Defendants for those offences . The business being no more then the Application of the laws in being to the offences done . If the Defendants have done the latter ( that is ) done contrary to a good conscience , and eequity , in gaining the said Title , then that must be tried by the known Rules of Equity , known and practised in this Nation ( For there cannot be a particular Equity that concerneth the Defendants onely ) And that cannot be within the limits of the legislative power , as legislative , when the work is onely to measure a Fact by the Rule already in being . Secondly , It is humbly offered to be considered , Whether any Reasons be offered by the Plaintiffs against the Defendants , why the legislative power , should in an extraordinary way , should take this particular Controversie out of the hands of the Ordinary Courts of law , and Equity , when others of the same nature concerning Titles , unduly gained have been , and are daily tried , judged and determined by them Thirdly , Whether any Reasons be offered by the Plaintiffs , why they are not relievable by the ordinary proceedings of law , and equity , if there be just cause for the same . Fourthly , If the Legislative power shall please in this Case to exercise the Jurisdictive power , ( for otherwise they cannot take conusance of it ) * 't is humbly offered to be considered , Whether it can concern them to examine the Defendant Annes Title to the said Estate by the said Fines and Deeds ( as is now required by the said Committee ) before they have tried the Defendants for their supposed offences in the undue gaining of the said Fine and Deeds ? For if the Defendants be not guilty of any such offences , the Parliament cannot be supposed to intermeddle with the Defendant Annes Deeds or Title . Now the Defendants being clear in their own consciences from any wicked practice , plot , or combination , whereof they are falsly and maliciously accused by the means , occasion , and procurement of one Crump , otherwise Crompton , who was a mean menial servant unto the said Lady Powels husband , and had indeavoured wickedly to separate the said Lady from her hushusband to her dishonour , and who striveth and hopeth to gain a great personal Estate to himself by suggesting many falshoods against us the Defendants , and inciting others upon such grounds to contend for the said Lady Powels real Estate . We the Defendants upon the Considerations aforegoing humbly pray , Either a dismission of the matters in question , to the ordinary course of Justice and Equity . Or otherwise if the Parliament please to take the Tryal of them unto themselves , That the Defendants may be first legally tried in such manner as the Parliament shall direct , for the offences whereof they are accused , before their Deeds and Title to the Estate in question be called for out of their hands , And your Petitioners shall pray , &c. AN ANSWER To a Printed Paper ; Entituled , Some Considerations humbly proposed to the worthy Members of Parliament , by Thomas Levingston Esq and Anne his Wife , and William Powel , otherwise , Hinson Esq concerning a Petition and Complaint against them , by Mary , Countess of Sterlin , and others ; now under consideration before the Honorable Committee for receiving Petitions . THe Complainants first observe , that the Defendants have very wisely , for their own advantage , mistated the Case of the Complainants ; for they complain of a most notorious practice , of force , and fraud , to dis-inherit them ; And the Defendants in their Paper state the Case as if the Complaint were onely of force ; and to the fraud and practice answer not at all . The true state of the Case stands thus , and will be made good by these particulars : The Complainants say they complain of a dis-inherison , done unto them , in Septemb. 1651. of lands neer 1200 l. yearly value , and of a great personal estate gotten from them , by wicked practises , upon the late Lady Powel , their fathers sister , while she lay dying , put in execution by the said Thomas Levingston , and Anne his wife , William Hinson , and Sr Edward Powel , since deceased , and divers others , their Confederates . They say that Sr Edw. Powel , and his Lady , had lived asunder for 15 years before , in implacable differences , wherein the said M. Levingston , and his wife , and Wil. Hinson , were conceived by the Lady , to take part with the said sir Edward against her ; That sir Edward and M. Hinson were indebted to some [ in trust to be at the Ladies dispose ] the sum of 8000 l. and that by an outragious force in the said Septem. in the time of her last sickness ( whereof she upon the 6. of Octob. next after died , in which moneth 2000 l. of the 8000 l. was payable ) they by confederacy violently entred into the house where the said Lady had long lived separate , and then lay sick , and to which the said sir Edward had no title ( for 't was bought with the Lady Vanlores money , and conveyed in trust ) arresting and haling all her servants from her by one Crook then Under-Sheriff of Middlesex ( whom they brought with them for that purpose ) upon false and feigned Actions of many thousand pounds , which they never prosecuted , but became non-suit in . That they chained & bard up the doors of the said house , & kept it with guards of arm'd & hired men , with granadoes , swords , guns , and pistols , charged with bullet , and ordered to do execution ; oblieging their confederates to fidelity , by Rings of Gold given them with this Motto , viz. ( Never to be forgotten or requited ) That they discharged the Ladies Apothecary , and violently excluded all her kindred , friends , and servants , that knew her many diseases and infirmities , and would not admit them to sight of her , saying , They should never see her face more ; nor did they , [ being violently kept from her by the said Force ] That they placed upon her a new Physitian , and new servants of their own Engagement against her Will . That during this force they brought Iudge Warburton ( who knew not the Lady Powel ) from London to Chelsey , to take several Fines of her . That they procured a strange Minister ( of Mr Levingstons acquaintance [ but unknown to the Lady Powel ) to be assistant to them in these practises , and forbade the Doctor of the Parish , ( an honest godly Divine ] to come to the house , and though the Lady in her life-time desired and appointed him to preach her Funeral Sermon , they forbade him to come to the Funeral , and appointed a guard of their Confederates in the force to keep him out of the Pulpit at the Funeral of the Lady ( had he thither come ) and to keep in that stranger Minister who preacht the Funeral Sermon , and then read some unusual Writing in justification of the Confederates , That M. Hinson then was , and still is a Justice of Peace of that County , and he and Mrs. Levingston were always present and very active in this force , managing and directing all things of , and in order to it ; and she upon the remove of the Ladies servants , cryed out , The Plot hath taken , the Plot hath taken ; and gave order to those of the force , That if Mr. Vandenbemde the Ladies kinsman did but go out of the house , to keep him out ; for that then she knew how to do her work ; * and therupon they got him out by a device suddenly contrived amongst them , and ever after kept him out by the force ; and neither he , nor any of the Ladies friends , kindred , neighbors , or servants ever after saw the Lady . The Complainants say this practice to gain the said estate , was in the end compleated by 7 several Fines , pretended to be acknowledged by the said Lady ( upon the 18 day of the said September , during the said force ) and by confederacy with Clerks perfected in 11 dayes ( all out of Term ) and inrolled of Record neer 4 months , before themselves confess them to be acknowledged ; and by colour of several Writings pretended to be executed by the said Lady during the said force , a little before she died , to the use of Sr Edw. Powel , and Mrs. Levingston , whom she utterly detested . And they say that Mrs. Levingston endeavoured to gain the said Estate by several other transcendent wicked practices ; to the amazement of such as heard the Evidence of them before the Honourable Committee for Petitions . Answers to Mr Levingston's Objections in the said printed Paper contained . AS to the Defendants pretence that the force was not found by the Jury upon the place , it is truth , that upon an Indictment of forcible entry , grounded upon the Statute of 8 H. 6. the Jury did not upon the Evidence then given find a forcible entry within that Statute ; but the Defendants themselves well know , and their Councel did then confess , that a foul force was fully proved ; but the title of the house in Chelsey into which they riotously entred was not then proved to be in any of the Prosecutors , by reason that the Deed of the Title to the house could not then be had ( but it is since found ) and the want of that Deed , at that time , was the onely cause why the forcible entry within that Statute was not found ; although a foul force otherwise was fully proved , and by themselves could not be denied , and is since also found by Verdict against the said Confederates in the Vpper Bench before the Lord chief Justice Roll. Secondly , the Petitioners complain not onely of antidating Writs , ( which the printed Year-book of 1 H. 7. fol. 9 disallowes ) but of making the Fines ( supposed to be acknowledged the 18. of September ) Records of Trinity Term ( neer four Months before the acknowledgment of them , to prevent the Petitioners of all relief in any inferior Court . And the first of the Proclamations upon the said Fines is entred upon Record as made of Trinity Term also , against all truth and sense , and contrary to the Act of Parl made 4 H. 7. for bar by Fine , and 5 years non-claim ( the practice of which false recording of Proclamations upon Fines is dangerous to all mens estates ) and the Petitioners are advised , That the false recording of Fines so late acknowledged in Sept. to be made Fines of Trinity term before , is not warranted by ancient course , or usual presidents ( if it be ) they expect the Records [ to warrant such course ] should be produced by the Defendants ; And the Petitioners say , That it is also contrary to the Act of Parliament made in the 23 of Queen Eliz. against false practice , and deceits in Fines , it being to little purpose for that Statute , so carefully to provide that the day of the acknowledgment of the Fine be certified ; and yet to suffer a Clerk [ contrary to the truth of that Certificate ] to record the Fine as acknowledged neer 4 moneths before the same is certified , and confessed to be acknowledged ; And that if this course of false recording fines and proclamations thereupon shall be admitted , it will then be in the power of a Clerk of the Common-Pleas , to deceive any Purchaser of the Land he hath bought and paid for , and to praeclude the rightful Owner of the full time allowed him by law , to make his just claim to save his Inheritance ; and indeed it will prove the greatest Cheat in the Land : for when a Purchaser hath taken his Assurance by Feoffment or Deed inrolled , and paid his money , he shall notwithstanding have his Assurance over-reached by a false antidated fine to another person ; nay , one Fine shall over-reach and out-strip another . The Complainants do also say , That the vacuating of these Fines shakes no mans Title or Assurances , but such as are built upon so foul a practice , which the Complainants say there never was ; and therefore no man else in danger . To that part of the Objection , That if this course of recording Fines of the Term before be not admitted , no man can make a perfect purchase in vacation ; We answer , That the Purchaser may keep his money until his Assurance be perfected , which is without mischief to either party ; however , of evils the greatest is most to be avoided ; and that is the danger of deceit to all Purchasers , by the allowance of this course of antidating Fines . Secondly , We say the Purchaser may have a good assurance by Fine acknowledged in vacation ; and the States silver being entred , it will be a good fine of the ensuing Term , though the party die ; and where acknowledgments of fines have been so late in a long vacation , the use hath been to make them fines of the ensuing Term ; and if it had been so done in this Case the Court of Common-Pleas ( finding a prastice ) might then have stopped the fines which by this course ( the Cyrographs being made up as of the Term before ) was prevented : And 't is to be observed , that the Complainants complain not alone , because the writs were antidated ; but as they were antidated by practice . Also , whether the Lady Powel acknowledged these Fines , or not , appears not to the Complainants ; for the Confederates had excluded all but themselves : And the Judge declared in Court , and elsewhere , that he never saw the Lady Powel before ; and if a Judge ( as 't is possible he may ) take a Fine , either by force , or of a supposititions person , these Fines are binding by the Commonlaws of England , and cannot be avoided but in Parliament ; for that by the common law no averment lies against a Fine of Record , how untrue soever . And the truth is , the Judges * vehemently exclaimed against so much of this practice , as then was made appear unto them ( for much more hath been discovered by their own Confederates since ) and the Judges did not deny to vacuate the said Fines , as unsatisfied with the practice , but as conceiving it beyond their power to give relief ; because the States silver being entred , and the Cyrographs made up in haste to compleat the practice before the Term began , the Fines were thereby become perfect Fines pleadable at Law ; and not to be nullified but in Parliament ; which the Judges openly declared they believed would give remedy . The 4th Objection that the Petitioners ought now to complain of the Court of Common-pleas , is answered in the Answer to the last Objection before ; onely this is observable , that Mr. Levingston would fain have the Petitioners complain of the Court of Common-pleas , that he might find subterfuge under them , and his offence impunity , by involving the Court in participation of the Crime , whereas the Judges themselves declared the Petitioners relief to be in Parliament only . As to the fifth Objection , that the Petitioners are relievable in the inferior Courts , and therefore ought not to sue to Parliament for relief , We answer , It is true , Chancery hath in some Cases made Decrees against Estates gained by practice ; but these Decrees bind onely the persons , and work not upon the title or interest of the land ; nor can that Court punish the Offenders : and the Petitioners are not willing to follow Mr. Levingstons person for their Inheritance , not knowing whether he may resolve to go , or abide imprisonment , in case Chancery should order him to reconvey . They say also , that Chancery cannot make a good Title of these lands to the Petitioners ; nor will any man deal with them for their interest in the land upon a Decree in Chancery , should the Petitioners have need ( as indeed they well may have ) to mortgage , sell , or settle them ; for the truth is , no Court but Parliament can vacuate Fines inrolled of Record , though gotten by practice ; and that was agreed in Star-chamber 12 Jac. by the then Lord Chancellor Egerton , and all the chief Judges of England . And that Fines are only to be vacated in Parliament Mr. Levingston well knew ( whatever he pretends ) when he made his Agreement with Mr Vandenbemde ( one other of the dis-inherited Grandchildren ) to give him his share of the lands in question , gotten from him by this practice * ; for by the Articles betwixt them , Mr Levingston provided to defend himself against your Petitioners Complaint in Parliament at Mr. Vandenbemdes costs and charges ; which shews , Mr Levingston knew and expected that your Petitioners must and would come to Parliament for relief . As to Mr Levingston's Objection , Why Parliament should not intermeddle herein ; because his offence is either against Common law , Statute law , or Rules of Equity ; and therefore he onely to be censured by Common law , Statute law , or Court of Equity , We answer , That all fraud is against the common law ; and that his false Antidates , and recording of his Fines and Proclamations thereupon are against two Statute laws ; the one of 4. H. 7. and the other , 23 Eliz. before mentioned ; and all his whole action is against the Rules of good Conscience , in that , Mr Levinstgon being a person of a gainful profession , and having at present an estate in land of 600 l. yearly , by the guift of your Petitioners Grandfather ( besides the land in question , ) of part of which he also was to have a share ) and having no child himself , should yet by so foul a practice go about to dis-inherit the Petitioners ( three whereof are the mothers of 19 children ) of the best part of their livelyhood , to maintain themselves , and them : But we say , as before , no Court can vacuate a recorded Fine , but Parliament ; how transcendent soever the Crime in obtaining of it be ; and therefore we appeal to Parliament to do it , and to punish the offence : For when a Lawyer shall so notoriously practice to violate the Laws , and all Rules of Equity , and good Conscience , his Knowledge ought to aggravate his Crime . And by the Argument of Mr Levingston , the Parliament should have no power to punish any offence at all ; for all Offences are either against common law , Statute law , or good Conscience ; And therfore by this Rule all Crimes must be censured and punished by the Courts below ; and Parliament should have no jurisdiction over any Crime at all ; which , how abhorrent from Reason , and contrary to Experience it is , let all men judge that understand any thing at all , what the power or course of Parliament is . And the Complainants observe , that M. Levingston doth very wisely desire to be judged in Chancery ; for that , Chancery cannot vacate the Fines , nor punish his offence , how transcendent soever it shall appear to be . But we say , it is the proper work of Parliament to relieve where the inferior Courts cannot , and the inferior Courts cannot nullifie a fine ; therefore , Parliament must , otherwise there will be a failer of power to do justice ; And it is manifest , where great frauds or force have appeared to the Parliament , it hath been usual for them to give a remedy where there was none before ; and a more full , or more speedy remedy , where there was remedy by law before , especially in matter of complaint of complicated nature ( as this is ) where both the Civil Title , and matter Criminal , is in question before them . And we say , That Fines , Recognizances inrol●ed , and Conveyances gotten by practice , or duresse , have been complained of , and vacuated in Parliament ; and that shall be made manifest by examples , if it be denied . As to the consideration offered , Why the Deeds should not be produced to the honorable Committee before the Crime be examined , We answer , That the fight of the Deeds would more clearly manifest the practice , by comparing the Ladies Seal and hand-writing , and the names of the Witnesses endorseder subscribed ; and more especially in this Case is it necessary , that all Deeds be produced , and publikely perused , because the Petitioners have reason to believe , that M. Levingston hath in the Deeds ( whereby he claimes the personal estate ) contrived great guists and bequests to some persons whom he intends to produce as Witnesses for him to prove the Deeds for the land ; and so Witnesses that swear for their own benefit shall not be detected for want of sight of all Deeds ; Nor is this Order of the honourable Committee to compel him to being in his Deeds more then necessity to discover the practice requires ; nor more then Chancery and other Courts use to do in matters of complaint of fraud and practice , and many other Cases . As to so much of Mr. Levingstons Considerations as concerns the means , occasion , or procurement of the Petitioners Complaint , they deny , That they complain by any other means or procurement , then their own , and for their own Inheritance , Estate , & Right ; and they recriminate his charge of malice and falshood upon himself , he having lately had three of his Witnesses convict of perjury in the Upper-Bench before the Lord chief Justice Roll , and two others of them indicted , and to be tried for perjury the next Term , in other Causes that have issued from these practices . And that the Defendant Mr Levingston did heretofore offer to one Dowthwait a reward of 50 l. value to swear your Petitioners out of other part of their inheritance [ to the value of 500 l. yearly ] is sworn by Douthwait himself upon his Examination in Chancery in another Case . And the Petitioners do aver , That they ●omplein as well for the personal estate , as real , ( being both unduly gotten from them by M. Levingston , and his wife ) and when by Justice of Parliament the petitioners shal have set aside M. Levingstons pretended Deeds , the petitioners ( being Heirs , and next of kin to the Lady Powel shal then be ready [ as occasion serves ] to say as much truth against Mr. Cromptons title to the personal estate , ( if he shall then make any ) as Mr. Levingston shal say . And the Complainants say that they did heretofore in open Court refuse to be concluded by the reference proposed betwixt Mr. Levingston , and Mr. Crompton [ concerning the personal estate in question ] wherin one M. Sadler was named a Referree for Mr. Levingston . And the petitioners do affirm , th●● Sir Edward Powel , and M. Hinson , alias Powel his kinsman being bound by recognizance of 8000 l. for payment of 4000 l. in trust to be at the Lady Powels kinsman as aforesaid , and that 2000 l. part of the said 8000 l. being to have been paid in that very Moneth where in the Lady Powel died , 't is evident to every man for what cause Sir Edw. Powel , and Mr. Hinson his kinsman have been so assistant to M. Levingston , to get that estate which Sir Edward and M. Hinson were debtors to , and M. Levingston hath power to release if his Deeds thus gained shall be upheld . And the Petitioners do observe , that M. Levingston , and his wife , would fain insinuate a scandal , and stick some oblequie upon that dead Ladies reputation , who living ( as they would have the world believe ) obliged them with the guift of her whole estate . But truth will out ; and were M. Levingston and his wife conscious to themselvs , that the lady Powel had really intended her estate to them , the Petitioners believe , they would in modesty and common gratitude have forborn to have hinted that reproach and scandal to her , who [ being in her grave ] cannot now make answer for her self . And lastly , the Complainants say , That all the English Histories and Records cannot parallel this transcendent practice , whereby the estate in question is gotten from them ; and that they have hitherto pursued it as with Hue-and Cry ; and shall give a more particular account of it hereafter , this being but minutes of it , and in haste . The Progress of the Fines . These several Fines , were acknowledged the 18th day of September , 1651. The Several Writs of Covenant , sued forth for the passing of these Fines , are all antedated , and bear teste the 30th day of May , 1651 , and made Returnable Tres Trinitatis following which is the 16th day of June . The Dedimu● Potestatem to enable the Judge to take these Fines , in sued forth after the acknowledgement of them , and antedated and made to bear date the 31th of May 1651 , Returnable Tyes Trinitatis as aforesaid ; So that the return of this antedated Commission , is expired above 3 months before the acknowledgement , and yet this is not Error relieve-able at Law . The States Silver is entred upon Record of Trinity Term 1651 , near four moneths before the acknowledgment ; but in truth was not entred until the 24th day of September , 1651. It is Endorsed upon the foot of the Fines , that the first Proclamations were made the 18th day of June in Trinity Term 1651 , according to the Form of the Statute ; Which is a meer falsehood , impossibility , and contrary to the Statute . The whole Transaction of these Fines , from the beginning to the end , was acted and done within 11 days , all out of Terme , to wit ; between the 17th day of September , and the 29th day of the same moneth , to fore-close the Court of Common-Pleas , that it might not be in their power , to relieve the Petitioners upon Complaint which they made to the Court , upon the first day of the next ensuing Term . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A62829e-960 * Rom. 4. 25. Where there is no Law , there is no Transgression . Romans 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of Sinne . Romans 7. 7. I had not known sin but by the Law . * The wisdom and care of the Parliament in their late constitution of the Committee for Petitions , provided against the confounding the Legislative power with the jurisdictive & limited them to receive such Petitions onely for the Parliament , as are proper to the legislative power , or not relievable elsewhere , Notes for div A62829e-1610 * Mr. Vandenbemde was offered by Mr. Levingston a year before to be of this Plot , and to have share of the benefit but he refused it . * Judge Atkins said in open Court it sounded ill in his ears here , that it would found worse in Parliament , and worse in the high Court of Heaven . * Mr. Levingston by ( agreement with Mr. Vandenbemde ) is to have 4 years profits of Mr. Vandenbemde's share of the land 's in question to bear his charges against the Petitioners Complaint in Parliament .