-
Subject Index A-B
-
Subject Index C-F
-
Subject Index G-K
-
Subject Index L-O
-
Subject Index P-Z
Email: info@searcs-web.com
Searc's Web Guide to 17th Century Ireland - Thomas Delaune (1635-1685)
|
|
Email: info@searcs-web.com Searc's Web Guide to 17th Century Ireland - Thomas Delaune (1635-1685) |
|
Thomas Delaune was born in Cork where he became a school master before emigrating to
England. In London Delaune married a Baptist preacher's daughter and became a Dissenter.
In 1683 he published
Compulsion of Conscience Condemned and in 1684 he published A Plea
for the Non-Conformist; 'giving the true state of the Dissenters case and how far the
Conformists separation from the Church of Rome, for their Popish superstitions and
traditions introduced into the Service of God, justifies the non-Conformists separation
from them for the same'. The Plea was addressed to Charles II's Chaplin in
Ordinary, Dr. Benjamin Calary, whose A Scrupulous Conscience was published the previous
year.
Delaune was promptly committed to Newgate Prison for writing 'seditious and dangerous
matters against the Government' and he and the printer, Ralphson, were tried in January, 1684
at the Old Bailey where Delaune was found guilty, fined 100 marks and sentenced to one
year's imprisonment. It was also ordered that Delaune's books be publicly burnt in front
of the Royal Exchange, London. At the end of his year in prison Delaune was unable to pay the fine and he and his family were kept prisoners in Newgate Prison where he wrote A Narrative of the Sufferings of Thomas Delaune (1684) which he likewise addressed to Dr. Calary and from which the extract below is taken. Within the next year Delaune, his family and the printer Ralphson all died in Newgate Prison. © On the 29th of November last, late in the evening, I was apprehended by one Robert Stephens, a messenger to the press; and by him carried before Sir.Thomas Genner, now Recorder of London, who asked me divers questions, the most material of which are mentioned in the following letter sent afterwards to him: By the same recorder I was sent to the Compter in Wood Street, where I had most wretched accommodation; I was turned in amongst the common-side prisoners, where a hard bench was my bed, and two bricks my pillow; and not suffered to see some of my acquaintance that were prisoners there as Dissenters. Next morning Mr. Stephens got me called to the lodge, and to his praise be it spoken, narrowly searched me for papers, but found none for his purpose, and so left me to be turned in again; but a little while after I was sent by a fresh warrant to Newgate... and lodged amongst felons, whose horrid company made a perfect representation of that horrible place which you describe when you mention hell. But after two days and two nights, without any refreshment, the unnaturalness of that society and place having impaired my health, the constitution of which at the best is very tender, and crazy, but I am now in the Press Yard, a place of some sobriety, tho' still a prison... On the 10th day of December Two Bills were found against Mr. Ralphson and me, by the Grand Jury of London. On the 13th day of the same month we were called to the Sessions-House in the Old Bailey; and then our indictments were read in English, to which we pleaded not guilty. We desired copies of the said indictments, and time to make our defence till the next sessions; which the Court after some pause granted. The substance of the indictment against me was thus - Iuratores pro domino Rege Supar Sacram Suum presentant quod. Tho Dealune nuper DeLondon Gener ligeanc fu, etc. In plain English thus, as to the material part of it. The jurors for our Lord the King, upon their oath present, that Thomas Delaune, late of London, Gent. not regarding his due allegiance, but contriving and intending to disquiet and disturb the peace and common tranquillity of the Kingdom of England, etc. to bring the said Lord the King into the greatest hate and contempt of his subjects. Machinating and farther intending to move, stir up and procure sedition and rebellion, and to disparage and scandalise the Book of Common Prayer, etc. On the 30th day of November in the 35th of the King, at London in the Parish of St. Botolph without Bishop's Gate, in the Ward of Bishop's Gate aforesaid; by force and arms, etc unlawfully, seditiously and maliciously, did write, print, and publish, and caused to be written, printed and published, a certain false, seditious and scandalous libel, of and concerning the said Lord the King, and the Book of Common Prayer, aforesaid, intitled A Plea for the NonConformist... On the 16th of January we were called again to the Sessions-House, but there being some Tryals that prov'd very tedious, we were not brought on. The next day we were called to the outer Bar, after the attendance of divers hours in a place not very lovely, and in the sharpest winter that you have known, which I likely prov'd the original of that indisposition which carried my two friends beyond the jurisdiction of Sessions, Baledocks, or Press-Yards, to a glorious mansion of rest. Then a Jury was sworn to pass upon us... I desired my indictment should be read in Latin, which was done. Then the gentlemen of Law, aggravated things with their usual rhetoric. One of them, (I think the Attorney-General) was pleased to say that the prisoner that stood there before (for Mr. Ralphson was tried before me) did labour to undermine the State, and that man (meaning me) would undermine the Church: so that to incense the Jury against us, he said, heres Church and State struck at. Which Sir was very improbable to be true, for 'tis wonderful that any Church or State so potent as this is, should fear two such underminers, as that extravagant harangue termed us. For my part I cannot righteously be charged with any attempt against either, unless my obedience to you, be so. And then if I be guilty, you that tempted me to it, can never prove yourself innocent. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 |
|
|