Friend went to the door to know the real cause of these so coming and whether they had any order to hinder our peaceable meeting so speaking in meekness to them telling them our meeting was in the fear of the Lord without a thought of harm to any Creature and desiring to see their order for so doing one of them drew his sword and said that was his order and with it struck him that spoke to him upon which all the rest fell upon friends beating and cutting them and pulling them out of the meeting shedding the blood of many and brusing many in a most uncivil and cruel manner striking down many to the ground with that violence that their sences were taken away some lying upon the ground for dead in which act of cruelty they cryed they were for the King and pleaded his Authority for it and so do abuse his Name and Authority Laws and subjects in which cruelty about forty men of honest and good repute was cut with swords in their heads and bodies and bruised and maimed upon which several are lame and some of them so wounded that it may be their death the particular wounds in head body and arms we shall forbear to mention particularly but the cruelty of it was such that there was no regard unto any man of account office or otherwise which thing being considered in its cruelty might break the heart of him that pitties the people or would preserve the Nation in peace besides several women about ten or twelve were every one of them sore abused with swords and staves and some of them drawn through the water which is not onely suffering unto them but is a great reproach and dishonour unto the supreme authority and government in this Nation which if it continue will produce very bad effects Some of the Names of those that did appear with swords and staves in this cruel persecution are as followeth Christopher Haw Christopher Dixon Christopher Collison William Imson Leonard Wright Mar. Jaques Francis Burg Christopher Burrell Henry Wright John Foster Robert Wray Christopher Dawson Henry Fawcet Christopher Kerby John Wright Mathew Ellerton Westminster On the twelf day of this Month called June we being meet in the new Pallace-yard in the fear of the Lord according to our accustomed manner we were again abused by the Lacquies and rude people and pursued as far as Whithall and many friends had their blood drawn in a cruel manner and after the meeting was ended the prophane People entred into the meeting house and abused the people that dwelt there in so much that we were forced to entreat some Officers of the Army whom we knew to clear the house who with some difficulty did it our oppressions are great and hard to be uttered and Numbered Therefore O King in the fear of the Lord lay them to heart and let them be removed that the Land may no longer mourn for the testimony of Jesus and exercise of a good conscience At Steventon in Bark-shire The seventh day of the eight Month 1660. many of the people of God coming together to worship God at Steventon in Bark shire the Constable with many more being armed with halberts prongs pikes-staves and other weapons came to the house and pulled Friends out in a horrible brutish manner tore their cloaths from their backs and threw about six of them into the water and took one man and trode upon him so long till the blood came from his mouth and till some of the wicked brutish people cryed out take heed you do not stifle him and some near 60. years of age were so served and then they drove us along in the dirt dashing up the dirt upon us and Friends demanding what warrant they had for their so doing they said they had Order but shewed not any and though we told them we had the word of the King for our quiet meetings and General Moncks Order but they regarded it not Norfolk At a meeting in Fowlsham the Constable charged several of the Town to aid him in the Kings Name and hailed Friends out of the meeting beating some of them himself and others throwing them down in the mire rending their cloaths and caried away above one half of one mans cloak and when he had got the rude Multitude together he left Friends in their hands who beat them and threw stones and mire upon them John Hilton York-shire the seventh day of the ninth Month 1660. Upon the twenty fourth day of the eight month in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty Christopher Taylor and Richard Scostrop with many other Friends of the truth being met together in peace without harm to any to wait upon the Lord being in a piece of Ground belonging unto William Cave in the Town of Bramhup Priest Crossland called Minister of that Town and Edward Wadington who called himself high Constable came in amongst us in much hatred emnity having gathered a Multitude of the rude people and baser sort of together and when the said Richard Scostrop and Christopher Tailor being moved of the Lord did instruct Friends and people in the way of the Lord the said Priest Crossland and Edward Wadington was the first that layd violent hands on them and hailed them away charging the rude people who were found in swearing lying and cursing to assist them to which they were ready like their Priest showing forth the fruits of his teaching hailing and pushing them as if they had been theeves that Christopher Tailor was moved to say they were like to murther him and Richard Scostrop was bloody with their tearing of him not suffering them to speak any words of exhortation to the people But Priest Crossland said they had an order from the King not to suffer us to meet or speak together but we supposing it was not so the Kings word being that none should trouble or molest us for our Religion or opinion while we lived peacably in the Nation we demanded to see his warrant which he denyed and the rude people pulled Richard Scostrop as they were comanded by their Priest up from his knees being calling upon the Name of the Lord in prayer with Friends now let all who have any soberness or understanding consider if this Priest who is called a Minister of Christ abides in his Doctrine or if he be come to the Law and the Prophets who saith do unto all men as you would they should do unto you or did he so unto us and he and the rest dragged us out of their Town and after they had like Wolves amongst sheep teared us out of their Town would not suffer us to stay in the common street or rest but haled us on a long lane and shoved us toward a common far from the Town and would not by any word was spoken keep themselves in peace towards us who offered harm to none Now in this manner and many several waies are we by Magistrates priests and rude
unacquainted with them Therefore they are laid before you and given to you to consider For if the liberty of your Consciences when you were banished had been restrained and you had been forced to deny your Religion it would have grieved you Therefore consider them now that be in your state who had rather die then offend God And whether you do own those things that are done in the Kings Name yea or nay If not that there may be a restraint to their violence to stop the unmerciful men with their Clubs and Staves who are making havock of the Innocent that they may not make the King a cloak to do wickedly For your understandings have been exercised in these things who have known sufferings by which you may the better feel and know the condition of others And now you may consider the Law and the Prophets to do as you would be done by and to shew mercy For we are imprisoned because we cannot take an Oath the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy as before is expressed the Servants of Christ who commands them not to swear but keep to yea and nay in all their Communications And yet we are Imprisoned and Mangled and mis-called as Traytors and threatned that our estates must be taken away and confiscated to the King because for conscience sake towards Christ and in obedience to his Commands we do not swear And many now knowing Friends principles that they cannot swear do avenge themselves upon them by tendering them the Oath that would be much against the King if they had an oppertunity Now these things being done in the Kings Name we that suffers desires to know whether You own that these things should be done in his Name For we gave forth an answer to the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie which we presented to You and the King of which we desire to have an answer from You And whether You will own those things For we do not charge them upon the King because he gave forth the word of a King and a Declaration to the contrary and as knowing who they are that are Actors of these things in the Nation against Honest Godly Innocent Harmless Servants of the Lord that loves Peace and Righteousness and are for the establishment of that in Truth For we are threatned and they say that we shall have no protection because we will not swear and looked upon as Traytors that any man may kill us if we will not swear and have no protection from the Law and from us our Goods is to be taken and our families spoiled Therefore let Justice be done and Judgment be divided a right for that preserves both Government and Magistrates and a People in peace And yet the Taxes and Sessment of us required and yet cannot have the benefit of the Law which you do understand paying that People may have their liberty in Turkie Therefore these things are laid before the King and You that You may understand not as charged upon him what things are done in his Name That with Truth Justice Righteousnesse and Wisdom you may rule And know the Law was not made for the Righteous but for sinners and transgressors and that He and Ye all may distinguish between such For we were in the dayes of Oâ—iver fined and imprisoned and slandered as Jesuites and the like because we could not disobey Christs Doctrine to swear and take an Oath our Principle is known through all these Dominions and many other Nations not to swear any Oaths at all whatsoever is an Oath being forbidden by Christ Jesus and upon no other account and we have given forth a paper to that purpose unto the King Now all other people doth not deny swearing upon this account as we do for Christs Command and Religion sake therefore other peoples condition is not ours Who will swear and doth not scruple taking an Oath upon this account but for other ends Therefore there must be distinction made betwixt us and them Now if you should say To let us have our liberty which was but to let Christs Commands be obeyed this would let up others that say they cannot swear But then you must mind upon what account it is for we have given our account unto the King and to the whole Dominion and to the whole Christendom both in Word and Writing and Print So we desire you to give us an answer Or to give forth something to stop the proceeding of the forcing Oaths on us and that we shall not be imprisoned upon this account nor our goods spoiled to the ruine of our Families for it is known that we could never swear in the dayes of Oliver nor Richard nor the Parliament nor in the time of the Committee of Safety so called nor our friends beyond the Seas in other Nations Yet we have suffered more in this Nation then in any other Nation concerning that thing not swearing and if our yea be not yea and nay nay then let us be punished for that if â—ou 〈◊〉 doubt or question as much as â—ou wouldâ—… do for not swearing And if ye doubt or question our faithfulness that lie in Prisons and Irons and Dungeons because we cannot take an Oath let us be sent for up before You to satisfie You further for that Oaths is put the more in the enmity to us because they know we cannot swear whereby the unjust thinks to revenge themselves upon us which there is no people in the Nation doth refuse the Oath for Conscience sake but us For they know that friends will stand to their principles and therefore they know they can make spoil And now it lies upon You to remedy these things and to break the jaws of the wicked as Job did that rends the Innocent to pieces And our Friends and People beyond Sea in Holland that cannot swear for Conscience sake to obey the comands of Christ the Magistrates puts no oath to them neither doth cause them to suffer or lay any penalty upon them for not swearing who keep to yea and nay in all their communications according to Christs Doctrine and the Apostle Mat. 5. chap. and James 5. Acts the 17. Paul disputed daily in the Market and in the Synogues and this was their practice and you may see the impatience of them oft-times in the Synagogues and Markets and many times their patience of their hearing of him which he calls Noble and in the Church which the Apostles had planted they might all speak one by one if any thing was revealed to him that sat by the first was to hold his peace and this was the order in the Church of God 2. Cor. 1â— And now in the Churches so calld that are established since the Apostles daies if one that sits by something be reveled to him from the Lord to speak it forth it is called disturbance and he is haled out and persecuted and if he bid people Repent in the Markets and streets that swears and curses and
Sute of Edward Goring and John Apstle Nottinghamshire William Claytor Imprisoned because for Conscience sake he could not pay Tythes Cornwal Richard Tregenna Imprisoned at Bodmin for Tythes at the Sute of James Forbes Priest John Ellis prisoner at Pensame for Tythes Westmorland Richard Berket Richard Seddal Imprisoned in the eighth Moneth for not swearing in a Sheriffs return Norfolk John Hilton in present sufferings because he could not swear being summoned to serve in a Jury at a Coppy hold Court and therefore John Lovel Lord of the said Court and now Justice of Peace commanded his Bayliffe to seize all the estate of the said John Hinton which is done accordingly to the vallue of about a hundred pound and farther threatens to throw the said John Hinton his Wife and Children out of the possession which he bought and paid for and that for no other cause but because he could not swear though he exprest his willingnesse to serve if he might have been accepted without an Oath Sussex Abraham Chrichenden Nicholas Beard Imprisoned for Tythes this ninth Month 1660. Bucks John Lucas and two more in Alisberry Goal for Tythes Southampton Twenty one taken out of a peaceable Meeting and because they could not promise not to meet any more were kept several dayes prisoners not suffering their food to be brought to them eleven of which were afterwards releast but ten still remains prisoners Wilts Giles Shurmur John Garner And two more commmitted to prison for Tythes Huntingtonshire Francis I ambested of Elton imprisoned the eighth day of the ninth Moneth 1600. for Ththes by John Cooper Priest of Elton aforesaid William Griffin imprisoned for Tythes by the said John Cooper the thirty one day of the sixth Moneth 1660. John Apthorp of Abotsly imprisoned the same day for Tythes by John Luke impropriator York-shire William Overon John Barbar Miles Frankland All imprisoned for Tythes at the Suit of Robert Hitch Priest Matthew Watson imprisoned at the Suit of Robert Ludson Priest William Norrison imprisoned by one called Sir William Cholmly for having a Meeting at his house Dorsetshire Hercules Toby and John Butler imprisoned by Edmund Butler the second day of the sixth Moneth 1660. for not paying him Tythe Robert Ring of Glazen Broadford a man of about fourscore years of age cast into prison for the Tythe of one Acre of Corn by Elias Harvy an Impropriat or the seventeenth day of the eighth Month 1660. Elizabeth Masters Widdow cast into Prison for Tythe by Elias Harvy the scventeenth of the eighth Moneth 1660. whose husband hath already suffered imprisonment until death because he could not for Conscience sake pay him Tythe to satisfie his covetous desire John Gillet cast into prison by John Hodder Priest the ninteenth of the eighth Moneth 1660. for not paying Tythe to satisfie the greedy desire of that covetous hireling that never hath enough These following are fined and imprisoned for not putting off their Hats and not giving men the honour below and some for meeting together in the fear of the Lord in their several houses as the Saints did in the primitive times and for not paying Clerks wages UPon the sixteenth day of the 7th Month 1660. there being a meeting of the Lords people who in scorn are called Quakers in the Town of Sherborn consisting of about thirty persons inhabitants of the same Town and the Parishes adjacent who being met together to wait upon the Lord and worship him having no other end nor purpose in their thus assembling together There came into their meeting one Bestel a Schoolemaster of the same Town with a Constable and others who did wickedly blaspheme Gods Truth and commanded them of the meeting to go with them to the Justices whereupon one asked if they had an Order either from Judge or Justices they answered That for Order they had none but the Constable was a Warrant of himself but they said nay and refused to go with them Then Bestel commanded the Constable to do his Office whereupon they pulled and haled them out of the house where they were peacably met and the said Bestel commanded the Constable to set one man to each of them and so to hale and drive them along to the Justice and after they had haled and beaten them along some part of the way they left them Then one demanded their Order for their thus laying violent hands on them So one put his hand on his sword and said That was their Order many of them having swords and staves Then Bestel with the Constable commanded the Tithing-man to have them back again while they themselves went to the Justices to fetch a Warrant So they were brought to the Bayliffs house of the Town where they were kept all night with watchmen to guard them and the next day were had before Winston Churchel called a Justice and others who demanded of them Whether they did not know of an Order against their meeting together in a riotous manner thus they demanded of them though they were peaceably met together to wait upon the Lord as the Lords people use to do and with some other words asked them if they would give sureties which thing they could not do being peaceable men and having not broken any just or known Law but onely were met together to wait on the Lord in his fear having the word of a King That none should be wronged for Religion as long as they live peaceably So the Constable was commanded to take them away a Mitimus was made by which nine of them were sent to the County Prison at Dorchester and five more passed their words to appear at the Sessions which was about two weeks after where they did all appear who being brought before the Court of which John Davis sat as Judge and with him sat Winstone Churchel Giles Strangeways George Fulford and Thomas Baynard c. called Justices their accusation was read wherein was many false and wicked things charged against them which by them were never done nor spoken Then they were called over and the Schoolmaster likewise who was the causer of their imprisonment but he being not present nor any other to prove what was charged against them the aforesaid Iohn Davis Judge of the Court questioned Winstone Churchel who committed them for not binding over the said Schoolmaster to prosecute against them Then George Fulford one of them that should have done Justice and have freed the innocent when none appeared to accuse them of any evil or the breach of any known Law stood up and said There need no other evidence against them then their standing with their hats on in the face of the Court which he said did represent his Majesties person so silence was commanded in the Court and that all should be uncovered upon pain of Imprisonment but they keeping on their Hats were asked the reason why they did so who answered It was not in contempt of the Court but for Conscience sake that they
so encourage the rude multitude that they made a fresh assault upon them and with great fury dragged and haled friends out of the meeting again and threw them down and dragged them on the ground and the Priest encouraged the rude people to stone the Friends and said it was warrantable by the Scriptures and he would bear them out in it and that if ever they came again he would set his mastiff dog at them Wrexham in Wales the eight day of the eleventh Month 1659. The people of the Lord being met together to wait upon the Lord many rude Souldiers that belonged to the Irish Brigade came to the meeting place with staves and crab-tree cudgels and thrust and pusht one another upon Friends and one standing up and bidding them be civil and quiet they cryed out pull him down and out with him and so fell upon him and the rest of Friends and forced them out of the meeting place striking them with their staves and some friends getting up into some upper rooms the Soldiers followed them up broke open the door and came to them and there beat them abused them very much and at that time they drove some Friends into the water and one they pusht down in the water and bruised him so that the Blood ran down another mans head was broken and his blood shed in the street Middle-sex the sixth day of the third Month 1660. Some of the People of God being met together c. in the house of one John Elson in St. Johns street so called there came a great company of rude people who violently threw stones at the said John Elson and other Friends and broke his windows very much and endeavoured to break down his door and after the meeting was ended the rude multitude fell upon one man and pluckt off much of his hair and shed much of his blood and rent the clothes of others and threw dirt in the said John Elsons face and eyes and spit upon him Wilt-shire the 13. of the 3d. month called May 1660. Many Friends being assembled together in the fear of God in Cummerwell in the Parish of Bradforth there came several Troopers of Captain Edward Hungerfords Troop who forced into the meeting and pul'd out one Robert Storr and had him to the City of Sarrum before the Commissioners who upon examination of him said they found that he had been at an unlawful meeting and so committed him to prison Gloucester-shire the 8. day of the 3d. month 1660. Friends being peacably met together in Mase-moor to wait upon the Lord there came one John Coney of that place with a sword in his hand and violently thrust open the door and came into the room and said be gone and struck one Nicholas Wasfield several blows with his sword in his scabbard after which he drew his sword and thrust violently at the said Nicholas Wasfield and gave him many sore blows on the shoulders with his naked sword and being asked by whose order he did this he said by the Mayors order At another meeting of Friends at Cirencister in the County aforesaid on the 15. day of the 3d. Month 1660. and on the 16. day at Nailsworth there came a wicked man that is a great Professor with some others with him with their swords drawn and their pistols cocked and lighted matches in their hands into the meeting and laid hands on one Friend and had him before the Mayor of Glocester who said to the Marshal he should take him away and set a strong guard of Musketeers to look to him and this they did upon suspition that he was a Jesuit Wilt-shire the 16. day of the 3d. Month 1660. Friends being met together in the fear of the Lord at Calne there came into the meeting several rude Souldiers with two Serjeants who are under the command of Colonel Edward Bainton and of his own company commanded by Captain Lieutenant John Lavington and commanded Friends to depart their meeting who desired to see their order for breaking up their meeting they being peacably met together but the Souldiers answered their swords was their authority and so with violence did hale Friends out of their meeting using threatening words and came in amongst Friends with drawn swords and muskets cockt although Friends made no resistance Cumberland At a meeting of Friends at Carlisle the Souldiers came to the meeting and with violence haled and thrust out Friends out of their own house and carried some to their guard and one Friend they pluckt out by the head when he was at prayer and pluckt him down Lanca-shire the 13. day of the 3d. Month 1660. John Thomas a servant of Sr. George Middleton so called set upon three women with impudent scoffs said he would kisse one of them and did abuse them and wrong them and pluckt their coats loose And the same man did abuse Friends and he would have cut Friends with an Ax but that he was restrained by some of his fellows and the same Knights man set upon six friends as they were going to a Meeting to wait upon the Lord who beat them and abused them and bruised their faces and shed much of the blood of two of them Che-shire 17. day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Friends being at a Meeting at Northwich there came one John Cumberbatch of Nantwich with many others of the new raised Militia and haled out three of our friends and carried them before the Commissioners and keeps one a Prisoners and shewed much abuse to friends York-shire 12. day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Friends going to a Meeting at or near Bellerbe the Militia Souldiers beat them and broke their Meeting and violently abused them and struck them with their naked Swords and would not suffer them to meet and this they did in the Name of the Higher Powers Cambridge 8. of the 3d. Moneth called May 1660. At a Meeting of Friends in Wesbidge Thomas Lecock had his head broke that the blood ran down and was knockt down also another man was feld down with stones also a maid was shot in the neck with a Pistol which did receive much harm and one William Allen was pluckt out of the Meeting and when they had got him out they cryed fall on and few there was of our Friends that passed away without receiving much hurt and it was judged by friends that a load of stones and dirt were thrown into the Meeting room at Friends At a Meeting of Friends in Cambridge on the twentieth day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. there came a great company of Scholars and other rude people to the meeting and did exceedingly abuse Friends by dragging them out of the Meeting and kicking them and throwing them against the ground both old and young men and women and tore one Friends heir off his head and abused others so that it is a shame to relate Gloucester-shire 25 of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Two Friends being in a house reading in the