to make and Excite discord between the King and his Subjects and to bring into Odium and Disgrace his said Majesty's Kingdom as to Eclesiastical Matters 4. He the said Lodowick Muggleton on the 30th of August in the 23d Year of His Majesty's Reign in St. Giles's Parish without Cripplegate London aforesaid by force and Armes did Unlawfully Wickedly Maliciously Scandalously Blasphemously Seditiously Scismatically and Heritically Write Print and Sell Utter and Publish a certain Malicious Scandalous Blasphemous Seditous and Heritical Book Intituled The Neck of the Quakers Broken 5. In which Book Written to Edward Burne are contained these Unlawful Blasphemous Seditious Heritical and Scandalous Sentences following viz. I Write these Lines unto you Edward Burne knowing you to be the Seed of the Serpent 6 There was repeated out of this Book much more as Page the 18 31 and 54. That whosoever Reads that Book may see those Blasphemies these Quakers did first Judge me with so that I had cause enough given me to Pronounce those sad Sentences of Damnation upon them and those Books was known to the Powers of the Nation many Years before and the Powers of the Nation took no notice of it because that and all others were Pardoned by the King and Act of Parliament till within three Years and that Book was Printed 13 Years before 7. Yet these wicked Judges and Jury and others Conspired together to perswade the Court that this Book was Antidated 13 Years ago yet Published this August 30th 1676 that it might come within the Act of three Years 8. Now these words that were taken out of this Book made some of the Judges Mad with Envie and grin'd their Teeth and their Counsel said it made his Hair stand on an End he was so Affrighted which caused one of the Judges to belch out of his Mouth saying it was to the great contempt and Scandal of their said Lord the King of His Crown and Dignity 9. When as that Book did not meddle with their Established Religion at all neither was it any dishonour to the King but rather an honour if he had but Read it over but Truth doth alwaies offend the reason of Man as is seen by what a Multitude of Hellish Expressions and Palpable lies uttered in their Indictment being patch'd up with Reproaches and Slanders against the purest Truth that ever was spoken by Prophet or Apostle 10. I shall now Record now unjustly Judge Rainsford dealt with me before the Tryal The Sessions before I was Tryed the Bill of Indictment was Read in Court and I answered not Guilty and said unto Davis then Lord Mayor that I would Traviss the Indictment and put in Bail to the Indictment 11. So Davis asked whither I could put in three Sufficient Men that could Swear they were worth Two Hundred Pounds a Man he would Accept of Bail thinking I could not have procured such great Security And Judge Rainsford Sate at the Right-Hand of the Mayor and I heard Judge Rainsford say to the Lord Mayor that it was pitty but I should be Burn'd I heard by his Words and saw by his Countenance that he was and would be a Deadly Enemy 12. But the Mayor could not deny Bail nor to Traviss the Indictment by the Laws of England so the Men were called and the Mayor being Envious asked one of them if they were of my Gang one of them answered and said thus Sr. We do not come here to be Examin'd whose Gang we are of but we came to be Bail for this Man for Six Hundred Pounds for his Appearance the next Sessions The Mayor said no more but Accepted it 13. And when the time drew near I did according to Law with my Lawyer go to this Judge Rainsford and got his Clerk to draw up a Sessarary which was to remove it out of that Court into the Court of Kings-Bench and this En vious Judge being Judge of the Kings-Bench-Court and we could not have a Sessarary in any Court else which he knew well enough which caused his Envie to act so wickedly and unjustly towards me 14. For when his Clerk and my Lawyer had Drawn up the Writing and had recived their Money near Forty Shillings they went into the Judges-Chamber for him to set his Hand to it to remove my Cause into his own Court which was but Law but he made them answer and said he would not set his Hand to it but would hear the Tryal himself at the Sessions 15. So I was Cheated of my Money by his Clerk and he knew it and he deprived me of it and of the just Law which is the Birth right of every free born Man of England 16. But now as to the Tryal I shall in the next place Record some of the most remarkable Words and Passages of the Judges and the Counselors and the Witnesses against me in the Tryal Upon the 17th of January 1676 first the Indictment was Read and the Cryer of the Court said Are you Guilty or not Guilty 17. I answred not Guilty but desired the Court to let my Counsel Plead the Cause because I knew they would have taken hold of my Words and made them a more horrible Crime then the Book it self which Judge Rainsford readily granted and asked Who was my Counsel I said Mr. Gener. 18. And he received a Breviat of the Cause shewing the Wrong I had received by their breaking open my House and taking away my Goods contrary to the Laws of England Also I gave into my Counsels Hands the Kings Gracious Act of Pardon That whosoever did Sue any Man for what was Pardoned in that Act afterwards that the Partie so Sued should Plead the General Issue and should Recover Ten Pound a Man of those his Adversaries 19. This Act was given into my Counsels Hands to Plead and that Book that stated the Indictment out of was given into his Hand which Book was Pardoned by that Act being Printed 13 Years ago all was Pardon'd till within Three Years 20. Also their Counsel I know not his Name had one of the Boâ—oks with the whole Volumn bound and Clasp'd which they stole from me in his Hand I saw the Chief Judges were bent upon Mischeif against me 21. Therefore I was resolved to follow the Practice of Christ when Examined by the high Priests Rulers and Counsel gave them no answer neither before Pilate for he knew they watched to catch Words out of his Mouth that they might have some what to Accuse him of to make his Cause worse then what his Enimies did Accuse him with as may be Read Luke 22.70 where Christ held his Peace and answer'd nothing 22. Then said they all Art thou the Son of God and he said unto them Yea say that I am and to this they said What need we any further Witness for we our selves have heard out of his own Mouth so Mark 14. and in verse 62 Jesus answered and said to his question I am the Son of God
Mall and William Picke they were Three inveterate Devils being incouraged by this rich man Yet notwithstanding I proceeded on in the Law and when they saw they were in danger to be overthrown they used all ways possible to defer the Cause 7. And when they Saw that would not do but that I would bring it to Tryal They consulted together and Summon'd me into the Spiritual-Court thinking to have me Excomunicated that I might not have the benefit of the Law against them But I spent Money in that Court and kept off their Excomunication and proceeded in the Common Law towards a Tryal 8. And when they Saw that would not do then they Conspired and Consulted with the Wardens of the Company of Stationers to Search my House for Unlicenced Books upon which the Wardens brought many Booksellers and Printers and Three of the Kings Messingers with them and because my Wife denied to let them come up Stairs they Immediately with a Weapon they had broke open Four Doors that were Lock'd and Boulted Contrary to the Laws of England and they took away Four Hundred Books great and small from me of a considerable Value 9. After they had done this they Consulted with the Bishop of London to put me into the Spiritual Court and Sue me there for Blasphemy and get me Excomunicated that I might not have the Benefit of the Law against them neither for breaking open my House and Stealing away my Goods 10. And for that purpose they got the Lord Chief Justice Rainsfords Warrant for to take me he was a deadly Enemy to me as will appear in that he would have taken away my Life if he could but I defended the Spiritual-Court from being Excomunicated and from his Warrant being Executed or Served upon me until these two Tryals in the Common Law against these two Tenants of the rich Mad were ended 11. I was forced to be absent from my own House for above a Quarter of a Year I was Entertained by that ever honoured and true Believer that young Widdow Ann Hall I was Entertained by her as an Angel of God when other Believers durst not I was kept at her House in Obscurity from Friends and Enemyes not knowing where I was yet I Employed my Lawyers to manage my Business in both Courts and in my absence they overthrew my Adversaries in the two Causes aforementioned in the Common Law and I received again that which the rich Man had taken away with some of my Charges again 12. But the Wardens of the Stationers Company because they could not catch me though they hunted after me as Blood-Hounds but could not find me out to Serve their Warrant upon me then they pressed hard in the Spiritual-Court to get me Excomunicated they fearing I might Overthrow them in the common Law for breaking open my House and taking my Goods for they had committed an absolute Burglary and Fellony by the Laws of England 13. But I being pressed so hard upon in the Spiritual-Court that it came to this Resultation in the Court that if I did not Personally appear the next Court Day then I should be Excomunicated and being advised by him that managed my Business in that Court to appear he saying he thought there would be no Danger 14. Now by his words I was perswaded to appear though against my own Mind for I did fear I should be Trappan'd and as I fear'd it came to pass and it proved of woeful Consequence to me as will appear by what doth follow 15. To omit many Circumstances I shall Record the Heads and Substance of the whole matter and as I did appear in the Spiritual-Court to prevent my self of being Excomunicated The Court had little to say unto me only asked me if I did own that Libel which they knew I denied by my Procter before 16. This was only to Deliver me into the Temporal Magistrates Hand for the Wardens the Lord Mayor the Lord Chief Justice together with the Spiritual-Court were agreed together to Proceed against me this way otherwayes they could never have catched me while they Lived nor have brought me under their Law 17. Therefore the Wardens Merne and Clark they got the Lord Chief Justice of England's Warrant with a Constable ready and as soon as I was Discharged in the Spiritual-Court at Docters-Commons that curssed Court is meerly to betray People into the Hands of their Enemies and to ruin the Estates of the Poor People for it is of no more Consequence for the good of the Nation then to throw Stones against the Wind. 18. For the Wickedness and Envie of the Ignorant People is such because they cannot be revenged of the Innocent and Just by the Temporal Laws of the Land then they Cite the Innocent that cannot Bow Down to their Worship into the Spiritual Court which I have had great Experance of this curssed Court which did betray me into the Hands of wicked envious Magistrates as will appear 19. For as soon as I was coming out of the Court the Constable served the Lord Justice Rainsford's Warrant upon me Then was I delivered into the Hands of Satan to be plain into the Hands of Devils 20. And I was led to Guild-Hall before the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen the Mayors Name was Thomas Davis a Stationer by Trade a deadly Enemy to me and to all Moral Justice and a Man made up more of Mallice and Ignorance of the Law of the Land than Ntural Wisdom or Moral Knowledge And as to Spiritual Knowledge he was as Blind as a Beetle 21. The Constable gave Judge Rainsford's Warrant into the Lord Mayor's Hand and the Wardens gave the whole Book bound into his Hands and the Lord Mayor asked me whither I did own this Book I said I did 22. Then he commanded me to withdraw into another Room and I did so with an Officer with me I stay'd a little while and the same Constable brought my Mittimus from the Lord Mayor to carry me to the Geoal of Newgate until the next Sessions 23. So I being carried to Prison I was Bailed out until the 17th of January in the Year 1676 then did Merne and Clark draw up an Indictment against me but out of one of those Bookes they stole from me called The Neck of the Quakers Broken CHAP. II. Of the Bill of Indictment and of the Cruelty of the Judges 1. NOW followes the Bill of Indictment as I was Condemn'd for The Persons or Jury Sworn for our Lord the King gave in that Lodowick Muggleton late of London Labourer being a Man Pernicious Blasphemous Seditious Heritical and a Monster in his Opinions 2. Pretending that he the said Lodowick Muggleton is one of the two last Witnesses of Almighty GOD and devising and intending to Spread Abroad his Pernicious Blasphemous Seditious and Monstrous Opinions and to disturb the Peace and quiet of this Kingdom of England and dispise and debase the True Religion Established and Exercised therein 3. As also
never had committed any Sin that I knew of that did trouble my Conscience 22. Yet the fear of Hell produced many deep Sighs and Groans even from the bottom of my Heart for fear God had made me a Reprobate before I was Born because he did not answer my Prayers nor speak Peace to my Soul notwithstanding my earnest Desires and Zeal for him I knew not at that time 23. Yet many times I had great Refreshments of Soul and as I thought Communion with God whereby my Hope was increased for a Season but it was quickly lost again so that the Troubles of my Mind did continue still many years 24. Yet at some times I had Elevasions in my Mind and Raptures of Joy that I thought I should never be moved again 25. But a while after all was lost again and Doubting took place in my Soul but since I saw the cause of those Raptures and fears of Hell were both groundless CHAP. VI. After the Prophet hath given a Description of his Marriage of his Wives and of his Children from the Twenty sixth year of his Life to the Thirty Eighth he then shews the alteration of the Religion in the Puritan People and of the Confusion that was amongst them 1. AFter this it came to pass in the Twenty sixth year of my Life I took a Wife that was of my own Mind and Religion She was a Virgin of about 19 years of Age and I had by her Three Daughters in three years and an half 's time 2. The first Daughter I had by her was named Sarah after her Mother's Name She is yet alive and is become the most experimental and knowing'st Women in Spiritual Things of that Sex in London but I shall say no more of her here because I shall have occasion to speak of her hereafter 3. Also my youngest Daughter Elizabeth which I had by my Wife Sarah is now living but the second Daughter died when three years and an half was expired my Wife Sarah died also 4. After this my Children being young I put them forth to Nurse in the Country and lived a single Life and followed my Trade and lived very well 5. Only the Spirit of fear of Hell was still upon me but not so extream as it was the year before 6. After this in the Thirty second year of my Life I took another Virgin to Wife Her Name was Mary she was about nineteen years old and I had by her three Children two Sons and one Daughter the eldest died at three years old and the youngest was a Daughter and she died three days after she was born and my Wife Mary died five days after 7. I had only one Son living by her and I had her to Wife a matter of six years and that Son lived until John Reeve and I was chosen of God and about a year and an half afterwards being about nine years old he died so all the Children of my second Wife died 8. After my Wife Mary died I was then about Thirty eight years old but at the time when I was Married to my Wife Mary about six years before there was Raising of Arms by the Parliament against the King 9. And generally the Puritans were all for the Parliament and most of my Society and Acquaitance in Religion did fall away from that way we did use and declined in Love one towards another and every one got a new Judgment and new Acquaitance and new Discipline 10. Some of them turned to Presbytery and would have Elders and some turned Independants and would not let none work to them but their own People that was in Church Fellowship others fell to be Ranters and some fell to be meer Atheists 11. So that our Puritan People were so divided and scattered in our Religion that I knew not which to take too or which to cleave unto for I was altogether at a loss for all the Zeal we formerly had was quite worn out 12. And to joyn with any of these new Disciplines I could not except I would play the Hypocrite for a Livelihood which my Heart always hated notwithstanding my Kindred by my first Wife Sarah where all Puritans and Zealous in Religion 13. And I had a great stroke of Work of them and they were a great Generation of them and most of them pritty Rich in this World and most of them went into Church Fellowship so that I lost several of them because I could not joyn in Church Fellowship 14. For thought I there is no more satisfaction to be found in Church Fellowship than before for none could serve God and be more Zealous for God and for Righteousness than we were before 15. So that going into Church Fellowship would not satisfie my Soul as to my Salvation no more than before 16. For satisfaction of Mind as to another Life was always my Aim and End that I strove after but could not attain to it as yet 17. So I being at a great loss in my Mind what to do I had lost my Friends and Relations because I could not follow them in Church Fellowship and I had no freedom in my self so to do 18. For I had seen the utmost Perfection and Satisfaction that could be found in that way except I would do it for Loaves but Loaves was never my aim but a real rest in my Mind I always sought after but could find it no where CHAP. VII The Prophet shews his great dissatisfaction and loss in Religion even almost to Dispair yet in the Conclusion resolves to hold his Integrity to do Justly and keep from actual Sin but mind Religion no more but left Happiness and Misery to Gods disposal 1. SO I seeing these Puritans of my Acquaintance they had no Comfort nor Peace of Mind as to a Life to Come that were in Church Fellowship than before nor so much 2. Then I saw several of them that were Zealous before towards God and Righteousness towards Man and now they had left that Zeal and turned Ranters not only in Judgment but in Practice to the Destruction both of Soul and Body 3. When I saw this that neither the Righteous could find Peace in the Days of their Righteousness but were afraid of Hell nor those that turned from their Righteousness to actual Wickedness I thought I must needs go to Hell 4. Yet they said all was well and quiet with them so that I was as David was almost like to have slept and to have said in my Heart sure there is no God But all things comes by Nature because the Righteous could find no Peace in their Righteousness as I could not nor the Wicked were not troubled for their Sins 5. But when I went into the Sanctuary of my Mind I considered the visible things of Nature I could not conceive how this vast Element we see could make it self or how the Sun Moon and Stars could give Being to themselves 6. How could the Beasts of the Field the Fouls
see by the Lawes of England how you can possibly bring this Man in Guilty therefore Jury look to it 16. Then stood up Judge Rainsford and said That if it was not Law we will make it Law and further said who knoweth but this Raskal might Antidate the Book 13 Years ago and Publish it this 30th of August last past 17. The Envy of this wicked Judge made him speak against his own Conscience for he knew it was impossible for me to do such a thing as to get it Printed so lately for he knew it were those that Stole my Books published them 18. And further this Rainsford vented his Envy exceeding high and called me Incorrigable Rogue that should Assume to himself to be in Gods place a Man Pernicious Blasphemous Seditious Heritical and a monster in his Opinions Pretending himself one of the two Witnessess of Almighty God to the great Scandal and Contempt of our Lord the King his Crown and Dignity as also the Religion of this Kingdom rightly Established And further said he was Sorry that the Laws of England were so unprovided to Punish Crimes of this Nature 19. And further he goeth on in his Rage against me and saith Gentlemen of the Jury if you do not bring this Man in Guilty you will be pertakers with him in all his Horrible Blasphemy and grand Apostisie 20. Many more hateful Words with the Fire of Hell that proceeded from his Heart and did appear in his Face his Zeal was great to have me Punished Nay he thought in his Heart that Hanging was too good a Death for me for said he This Crime of horrid Blasphemy as he accounted it was worse than Murder Fellony or Treason and was Sorry that the Laws was so unprovided to punish such Crimes 21. I was so moved in my mind to hear this Cursed Devil to Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit that sent me and gave me Power to give Sentance of Eternal Damnation upon such Blaspheming Devils That I could have wished that God would have Executed some vissible Vengeance from Heaven upon this Blasphemous Judge to have smote him with a natural Blindness for I knew he was Spiritually Blind for I had done wrong to no Man 22. Only I had Executed the Commission of God faithfully in giving Sentance upon all dispising Devils who sinned againg the Holy Ghost This was that Sin the high Priests and Elders committed in Christ's time against him in that they said he cast out Devils by Belsebub the Prince of Devils 23. I know this that Judge Rainsford would have said the same to Christ himself had he been in my place for his Blasphemy was great not only against me but against God that sent me which God he knew not 24. Therefore my Anger was kindled against him and desired an immediate vissible Vengeance from Heaven upon him that might have been a vissible Witness whither God did own him or me 25. But there was a secret Voice within me said thy Commission is Spiritual and hath to do with the Spiritual and Eternal Estate of Mankind and that all such Persons are the Seed of the Serpent and are to receive for their Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost their Punishment in the Life to come even Eternal Damnation which is the second Death where the Worm of Conscience shall never Dye nor the Fire of Hell shall never be quenched to Eternity 26. Then I was quiet and willing to bear all they could do unto me even to the loss of my Life CHAP. IV. The Prophet is brought in Guilty of his Sentance and Judgment with the nature of his Sufferings 1. AFTER that Judge Rainsford had made his Speech to the Jury then was the Goler commanded to take me away from the Bar and put into a little Room for a season and after a little space I was called for to the Bar again and Jefferies being then in the Recorders place that Bawling Devil was to give Sentance and Judgment upon me 2. And when I did appear before him a great Fire was between us where they did Burn those in the Hand which were Condemn'd to that Punishment but all that was over before I did appear 3. And this Jefferies Sate in the Judgment Seat as Pilate din against Christ and I stood a Prisoner at his Bar and when he saw my Face the first Words he speak he called me Impudent Rogue because my Countenance did not change nor look sad nor asked any Favour of the Court and said nothing to all their Threats Revilings and Reproaches whereby they Reproached me 4. Then he asked the Jury Is Muggleton Guilty or not Guilty They stay'd a little space before they speak Jefferies asked again is Muggleton Guilty or not Guilty the Jury said Guilty 5. Then he Proceeded in Judgment and said the Court is sorry the Laws of England are so unprovided to punish Crimes of this Nature therefore the Court hath thought Fit to give you but an Easie Easie Easie Punishment 6. You shall be committed and put to stand upon the Pillory in three of the most Eminent Places in the Citty That is one Day in Cornhil near the Exchange London Another Day in Fleet-street near the end of Chancery-lane and the Third Day being on the Market Day to Stand in West-Smith-Field London from the Hours of Eleven in the Forenoon until one in the Afternoon 7. On which said several Days a Writing Paper shewing your Offence to be put upon your Breast and also your Blasphemous Books in three Parts to be devided and with Fire before your Face near the Pillory aforesaid by the Common Hangman then and there to be Burn'd 8. And then to be returned into Newgate in safe Custody until your Fine of Five Hundred Pound be paid and then to put in good Security to be of good Behaviour the time of your Life but none of your own Gang as he call'd them shall be Security for you These are the Words of the Sentance that Jefferies passed upon me the 17th of January 1676. 9. The Paper that was tyed to my Brest every Day I stood upon the Pillory to shew my Offence and cause of this Suffering the Words were as followeth 10. Lodowick Muggleton Standeth hear for Writing causing to be Printed Selling Uttering and Publishing a Blasphemous Book 11. After this Sentance and Judgment was passed upon me I shall Record as short as I can the manner of the Execution of this Sentance and how I did suffer it and bear the Curse of their wicked Wills for they did make that Law which was not Law as Rainsford said before and as Judge Atkins when he saw me Condemn'd contrary to Law he went off the Bench and said there were no fair Dealings with me 12. This Sentance have I Suffered in every Tittle in the greatest Rigour that could be inflicted even beyond their own Law they made me Ride in a Cart as a Thief or a Murtherer Bareheaded without Hat or Cap which never