NEVV-ENGLAND Pesecutors Mauled VVith their own VVeapons Giving some Account of the bloody Laws made at Boston against the Kings Subjects that dissented from their way of Worship Together with a brief Account of the Imprisonment and Tryal of Thomas Maule of Salem for publishing a Book entituled Truth held forth and maintained c. By Tho. Philathes Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Isai 59 14 15. As Troops of Robbers wait for a Man so do the company Priests murder in the way by consent Hosea 6.9 Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth Mischief by a Law they gather themselves together against the Soul of the Righteous and condemn the Innocent Blood Psal 94.20.21 The Preface Christian Reader IT has not been without due Consideration that we have seen cause to set forth and publish a true Account of some of the New-England Church Members cruel and bloody Laws which through the Priests instigating the Magistrates were by them made against both Quakers and all other Religious Persons within New-Englands Jurisdiction that were found to dissent from their Worship as also a short Relation of some few of the many Persons that suffered Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the aforesaid Church with some brief Observations on each Law and the Preamble thereof Unto which is added an Account of the Priests Rulers and Church Members great Hurly-burley or Confusion made about a late Book entituled Truth held forth and maintained c. by Thomas Maule of Salem in which Book is contained thirty eight Chapters relating to the Principles of Truth agreeing with the Testimony of the holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles recorded in the holy Scriptures of Truth together with an Account of Gods Judgments upon divers of the chief persecuting Priests and Rulers and a Declaration the late great â—udgment of God upon the Priests Rulers their Fâ—llowers of whom Twenty were through the Accusation â—y Specter Evidence which Judgment continued amongst the Inhabitants near or about Twelve Moneths till at length there was so many of the Priests and Rulers and others accounted eminent Persons accused by the said Specter or Apparition that the Rulers with as much speed as they had condemned and put to Death dâ—d now face about and clear the Prisons both of the condemned as well as of all others accused by the said evidence for Witches an Account of which is more at large to be seen in said Maules Book of which Books the Persecutors sacrificed sixteen Pounds worth a burne Offering to their Anger and Revenge the which by them was done as also Imprisoning him about Twelve Months before that upon his Tryal he was cleared by a Jury that found him Not Guilty the sums and substance of which tryal will appear in this Book by which it doth manifestly appear that many of the New-England Priests and Rulers with many of their Church-Member Breâ—hren in â—nâ—quity do remain in the same when they fled from Old England to save their Purses and Bodies from suffering by the Bishops Power for their dissenting from their Mother Church against whom it will sufficiently appear have rebelled by persecuting several Persons thereunto belonging as well as all other Religious Persons found within their Jurisdiction to dissent from their Priests Worship As for Instance soon after they came and had settled themselves in this Land they began to persecute after aâ— horrible rate and in a cruel bloody manner did they persecâ—te Ann Hutchinsan and that Company of whom some werâ—â— barbarously murdered so also was Mr. Clark and that Company great Sufferers as likwise Samuell Gorton and that Company who for the want of one more casting Votâ— escaped the Gallows for a Dissenter and the Sufferings of the Lady Moody with many others was very great as also was the Sufferings of Mr. Williams Obadiah Homes Mr. Donstor the President and many others of whom I shall hereafter more at large relate about which time the Priests were so beset with the Baptists Quakers and the Church of England that it caused thè Hirelings to roar out in their Pulpâ—â—s for the help of Moses otherwise Aaron must fall and then they are all undone whereupon the Magistrates mustered the Priests Drudges together and to work they went against Dissenters with all the strength of their Faith Defenders which mostly fell upon the Innocent Quakers as will hereafter appeare which had these Persecuters manifested the least Repentance would have prevented the Authur from publishing the following Account of their bloody Laws and the cruel barbarous Works acted and done thereby to the Kings good Subjects within New-Englands Jurisdiction Tho. Thilathes Persecutors Maul'd with their own VVeapons Anti-Christian Freedom established by the Law of the Old Charter Priests and Rulers in New-England THis Court having considering the Proposals presented to this Court by several of the Inhabitants of the County of Middlesex do declare and order That no man whatsoever shall be admitted to the freedom of this Body Politick but such as are Members of some Church of Christ and in full Communion which they declare to be the true intent of the antient Law Anno 1631 1660. Observe Hence you may understand that the County of middlesex for Money and wealth did encourage for sale the high Priests Ware as well as in love to their Bellies to seat themselves near to the Magistrates General high Court of Injustice against Dissenters from their Worship which said Courts were kept in Boston where the Priests Drudges brought of the Dissepters Estates for finâ—s to the Value of many hundreds of Pounds with which the Priests and Rulers with others of their Church Brâ—thren feasted themselves from day to day while they made Laws against them that dissented from the worship of their Priests who when their Bellies were Ruffed with the best Provision and their heads with the richest sort of Wine had not far home to their Common Prayers against all dissenters as well as Quakers and while they feasted themselves with the best of other mens Labour they kept the true Owners thereof with the best entertainment their Goal and Bridewell house did afford as by their cruel suffering therein will hereafter appear and as is related in the Book of Sufferings under these persecuting Magistrates that some went and demanded their fat Oxen of them again to which their answer was Would you that we should sit and starve while we are about your business which was to make Laws to devour them and their Estates which work was of great encouragement to the Priest-ridden Freemen of their Body Politick whose some Church of Christ as in their Law they call it is no other but the plain Church of Anti-christ and so proved to be by their persecuting all other Persons dissenting there-from in their Jurisdiction The Free-mans Law by which a Body make No man that 's true can with their Church pertake He that will honour gain and
VVoman with her having a young Infant at the Breast both which VVomen were imprisoned and cruelly whipt with more of the like Cruelty as is to be seen in the said Book of Sufferings Richard Dowdney An honest harmless Man thoâ— after the Romish Invention was commiâ—ted to Prison and whipt after their usual manner with thirty Stripes with which his flesh was so torn and cut in pieces that many People lamented at the sight thereof that such an innocent man as he was should be so horribly abused as in said Book of Sufferings is more at large to be seen Sarah Gibbins and Dorothy Waugh two young VVomen for being of those called Quakers and coming into their Jurisdiction had for their entertainment in Boston the flesh of their backs beaten to pieces by their Priests chief VVorkman viz. the Executioner of their Law at their Gallows and when so whipt was by another Member of their Churches Peace viz. their Goaler shut up in a close Room where none was suffered to come unto them and there kept three days together without all manner of Food And at another time kept them eight days without all manner of Provision and had not the Lord preserved them at this time beyond what men of themselves are able to do they had perished under the Cruelty of the New-England Church their said Sufferings are more at large to be seen in the said Book of Sufferings William Shattock an Inhabitant in Boston for being one first day found in his House alone was by one of the Priests drudges carried to their House of Oppression for entertaining of Strangers and in the time of his being kept there with the like whipping some of the Priests crew endeavoured to perswade his Wife wholly to leave him and that they would place out his Children to Masters of Families that tended their Meetings whose suffering is more at large to be seen in the said Book of Sufferings Thomas Harris for declaring against Pride and Oppression which the guilty proud Oppressors itching Ears could not endure to hear was committed to their House of Oppression where the Goaler that devout Member of their Church shut him up and kept him eleven days five of which he kept him without Bread and though he had before been cruelly whipt yet this merciless Wretch gave his Weak bruised Body Twenty blows with a pitched Rope whose sufferings are more at large to be seen in the Quakers book of sufferings as aforesaid Several Innocent Women called Quakers had their Bodies searched for Witches which work was done by the old Member women with such cruelty to their Bodies that one of the Women said she did not the like trouble undergo in bearing and bringing forth five Children besides what more they suffered under the power of those who were as free to run as the Devil was to drive them to perform his lust in the doing the aforesaid Anti-christian work of which more is to be seen in the aforesaid Books of the Quakers suffering under the Anti-christian power of New-Englands Churches William Brend for coming into Bostons Jurisdiction where all the aforesaid work of Anti-christ was acted and done and for being one of them called a Quaker and declaring the Truth was cruelly whipt and shut up into close Prison where the Goaler and devout Member of their Church lockt his Neck and Heels together so close that there was only room for the Lock to go between in which manner he kept him sixteen hours and then gave his weak bruised Body One Hundred and Seventeen Blows with a pitched Rope having thus beaten him for dead an out cry was among the People That the Goaler had killed a man which to appease the People bills were set upon the Prison doors and else where That the Goaler should be dealt with but said Brends coming to life again though the Doctors said it would be admitable if he did recover for his flesh was beaten into a meer Gelly of Blood however as God would have it he came to recover again then to prevent the Goalers being punished for this his great peice of Wickedness to said Brend John Horton their chief high Priest said if William Brend will endeavour to beat our Gospel Ordinances black and blew it was just upon him if he was beaten black and blue and withall in said Book that his counsel was to his Church Brethren in Iniquity To put off the Bear skin and put on the Fox Skin which indeed is â—â—â—eling Priest like the more to deceive poor ignorant People of whom God hath opened the Eyes of many by which they see hirelings deceit William Robinson a Merchant Maâ—maduke Stevinson and William Leddra as Informed the one a clotheâ— the other a husband man and Mary Dier wife to Mr Dier of Rode Island all which four were â—eat sufferers In Bostons Jurisdiction under the cruel bloody hands of the Church Members before they drove them with great number of their Priests club man to their bloody alter and many more by the Priests and Rulers with their conâ—enting Members in Iniquity were intended to be sheâ—â—â—leed an offering to their Anger and Revenge had not the Kings Letter as aforesaid stopt their bloody hands and when the Priests drudges with their mâ—ny Swords Staves Guns and Drums to drown the Testimony of the Lords Servants from being heard among the People had drove them to their Bloody Altar where they chearfully delivered up their Lives for the Truth of God and Testimony of Jesus which was to the beholders Admiration and great rage of their Persecutors when they were executed they cut down their Bodies letting them fall to the breaking the Skulls of some and ripped off their Shirts dragging their naked Bodies either by the heels or with a Rope and as they dragged them gnashed their Teeth with meer Madness as they went on with their work of dragging their Bodies to a filthy stinking Pit into which they threw some of their naked Bodies and never would grant their Freinds liberty to secure their bodies from Ravenous Creatures by putting about the place any manner of fence whatsoever Seeing the Wickedness of these Persecutors to be great and their Lyes against the People of God many I shall here give one instance of the many which might be produced to prove them lyars that â—ay The Quakers might have had their liberty to have been gone but would not accept it therefore say such Lyers they were accassary to their own Death But to prove the contrary here is the copy of a Merchants letter in print who was no Quaker but an eye and ear witness to what follows viz. Boston the 26th of March 1661. ON the 14th of this Instant here was one William Leddra put to Death The People of the Town told me he might go away if he would but when I made further enquiry I heard the Marshall say that he was chained in Prison from the time he was condemned to the day of Execution I
am not of his Opinion but yet truly me thought the Lord did mightily appear in the Man I goes to one of the Magistrates of Cambridge who had been of the Court that condemned him as he told me himself and I asked him by what Rule he did it he answerd me That he was a Rogue a very Rogue But what is this to the Question said I Where is your Rule He said He had abused Authority Then I goes to the man and asked him Whether he did not look on it as a breach of Rule to slight and undervalue Authority and said That Paul gave Festus the Title of Honour though he were a Heathen I do not say those Magistrates are Heathens I saw then when the Man was on the Ladder he looked on me and called me Friend and said Know that this day I am willing to offer up my Life for the Witness of Jesus Then I desired leave of one of the Officers to speak I said Gentlemen am a stranger both to your Persons and Country and yet a Friend to both and I cryed aloud for the Lords sake take not away the mans Life I said Remember Gamaliels counsel to the Jews If this be of God it will stand if not it will come to Nothing but be careâ—ul you be not found fighters against God And the Captain said Why had not you come to the Prison And the reason was because I heard the Man might go if he would and therefore I called him down from the Tree Come down William said I you may go away if you will Then Capt. Oliver said it was no such matter and asked me what I had to do with it and besides told me to be gone I told him I was willing for I cannot endure to see this And when I was in the Town some did seem to simpathize my Grief but I told them they had no Warrant from the Word of God not President from our Country nor Power from his Majesty to hang the man I rest Your Friend THOMAS WILKY Samuell Shattock Joshua Bufsum John Small John Barton John Smith Edward Wharton Samuell Gaskill Danell Southwick his Father and Mother Sisters and Brother and John Kitchin and his Wife with others in Salem were great Sufferers by these Persecutors both by long Imprisonment cruel Whipping loss of abundance of Goods Cattle besides Land of John Smiths and several banished upon pain of Death and others of them ordered to be sold for Bond-slaves all these were of Salem and more of the same Town suffered much Obs By the fore going Lines the Reader may perceive how they have Persecuted all persons differing in Judgment from the way of their Priests Worship In the next place I shall here Instance a little relating to what them of the Church of England suffered by which the Reader may the better understand their bold attempts who neither fear God nor regard King or Bishops First you note the manner of settleing their Courts viz. the manner was and yet is at the opening of their Courts to have some one or more of their Priests to pray and to make tedious long insiped Graces as they call them before and after Meals as also to consult what Penalties and Sufferings were most fit to â—e inflicted on Offenders against their Arbitrary and unjust Law and especially against any that were found to dissent from their way of Worship in which cast the Priests Advice would commonly be to lay on load enough and the Advice was believed to be sanctified though at the same time they could not but understand they drank the Wine of the condemned so expresly charged as a sin on the Magistrates Rulers and Priests of Jerusalem of no small provocation to the holy One of â—srael though the matter in Controversy relating to such as dissented from their Priests Worship was no matter of Offence against the Law of God nor the Laws of the English Nation notwithstanding they minded not but would proceed according to their own wills without respect to any no not so much as to the Church of England of which many suffered under the New-England Church which pretended to make no seperation in point of Faith and Doctrine as witness that Letter of their fore fathers and Leaders into this Land from on board the Arrabella to the Bishops and Fathers of the Church of England calling them Brethren and begging their Prayers and as who would know more of it let them see it in a little book printed at Boston by Joshua Scottaway about the year 1693. remarkable in that it is set forth by a Member of their own Communion but how well they carried it to the Church of England and its Sons these few of the many Instances which might be produced may sufficently evidence against them that they spared not any found to dissent from their Priests way of Worship as for Instance Dr. Childs Samuel Maverick and other Merchants of whom I have before hinted were of the way of worship of the English Church and by these Persecutoâ—â— cruel Laws were not suffered to have the least benefit of or by thâ—t Worship and being wholly denyed of their priviledge belonging to the Worship of the Church of England they were found to Petition to England for the maintaining their Right in Boston but so soon as this was known to these Persecutors they impeacht the aforesaid Persons of High Rebellion for attempting the same and forth-with imprisoned them and fined each of them three hundred Pounds the whâ—ch Money was the means of their escaping the New-England Church Members Gaâ—lows whâ—ch was not only for Murderers and the like but also for thâ—se that dissented from their Priests Worship and were found to Petition to England for freedom and liberty of the English Churches way of Worship as of the like Nature more will appear against these Persecutors by what follows 2. The next was their aim to punish Mr. Jordan who was a Preacher according to the way of the English Church but he living in Ferdinando Georges Patent they were fain to use much of their deceit to get him to Boston which by deceit was at last on this wise performed by one of their Brethren in Iniquity who with a small Vessel traded in the place where the said Mr. Jordan preacht he pretended great kindness to this Mr. Jordan and withal invited him aboard his Vessel to feast it and when he had got the antient Gentleman aboard brought him Prisoner to Boston and there delivered him into the hands of these persecuting Priests and Rulers who for his preaching and baptizing according to the way of the English Church they imprisoned and fined him in a great Sum of Money The story is large and would swell this small Book beyond its intended Bulk to relate it at large 3. Then again about the Year 1684. when their Charter was even sick at heart and ready to expire yet they could not forbear dabbling in their old dirty puddle
of Persecution for at that time a Young Man who had been ordained by the Bishop of London to preach at Carolina where being sickly was advised to remove and change the air whereupon he came to Boston and was civilly â—ntertained by some Old England men and after some time recovering his Health he came to be known to be a Minister of the Church of England and for that he was a Master of the French Language he was by some French Protestants and others of the Church of England recommended to a poor and dark Corner of the Province to preach to a small number of poor People amongst whom he passed some few Moneths before the persecuting Priests found him out but at last hearing that he preached baptized according to the way of the Church of England they stirâ—ed up the Magistrates against him who were at their beck and soon sent a Constable who beset his Longing and required him to desist from his preaching c. at his peril but he knowing on what foot he stood continued his preaching and baptizing according to his Commission from the Bishop of London till at length he was threatned with Whipping and understanding that the Constables had Warrants from the persecuting Magistrates to seize him and for that end beset his Lodging whereupon he returned privately to Carolina 4. Nor were the Affronts offered to Robert Ratcliffe the first estblished Minister of the Church of England in Boston to be passed in silence He came over in the Year 1686. with Authority from the Crown of Engâ—and to establish a Church in Boston this mans meekness and Sobriety was sufficiently knwn yet were his Affronts manâ— by which they sought to weary him out not only by personal Abuses and publick Injuries in breaking the Church Windows teaâ—ing the service book making Crosses of Mans Dung on the Doors and filling the Key-holes with the same but also seized his Clark and compelled him to Prison in a Wheel barrow of which nature they acted many abuses against the aforesaid and his Church insomuch that no Minister longer being able to endure their horrid Anti-christian Abuses which did more dayly increase against him and his Church was necessitated after about four years stay amongst them to leave his Charge and go for England where the late Queen preferred him to a living 5. And as a father sign of their hatred to that Church at the time of the Revolution they Imprisoned three Gentlemen Members thereof without any charge against them or since save that they had officiated as Justices of the Peace under the Kings Commission and although they Joyned with eight or ten more of their own Church Members who sate and Joyntly acted with them in the same County yet could find no complaint against their own Church Members so apparently partial were they to their own party and violent to others by which as aforesaid though not the thousand part of what might be brought against them of their great Wickedness against the People of God and the Kings Subjects yeâ— with a little more of the like nature to be added hereunto will by their works be sufficient to the uâ—dâ—rstanding of every true Christian That the New-England Church is not the true Church of Christ that worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth viz John 4.24 Having thus mentioned some of the abuses offered to some Members of the Church of England I shall now draw Conclusion so soon I have given a short account of the Tryal of Thomas Maule of Salem about his Book call'd Truth held forth c. I shall begin thus viz. Thomas Maule a Young Man about twelve years of Age came from England to the Island of Barbodoes and from thence for his health sake came to New-England where hearing much preaching and loud praying he began to think with himself what manner of People are these whose Streets ring with the noise of Preaching and Pâ—aying and having lived amongst them about three years he did experience their words to be good but by their works to have no good hearts at the end of which time he removed himself to another of their Towns called Salem where he found the Church Members to be in all respects as to Religion one with them in the other Towns of their Jurisdiction but in Salem he found a People of few words and good works agreable thereunto with which people he Joyned by keeping to their Meetings which so inraged the Church Members that with their Priests they stirred up the Rulers against him and fined the man where he kept fifty Pounds for entertaining him after which for his keeping open shop upon one of their fast days and speaking the Truth against their Priests railing against the Quakers and the like they five times imprisond him thrice took away his goods aâ—d thrice cruelly whipt him besides their many other Abuses and also accusing him of posting his Books on the first day of the week but he affirming the contrary and though two evil minded persons whereof one was a Thief who then unknown had stolen Goods in her keeping both which did say he posted Books as aforesaid notwithstanding iâ— being utterly false and the evidence of no credit yet recorded they him a Lyar when he had spoken no other but the Truth relating to the same shall now proceed to the sum and as aforesaid From which I shall now proceed to the Sum and substance of his late Trial which was writ by a hand then present in their Courts as followeth The Copy of their Warrant Province of the Massachusets Bay TO the Sheriffe of the County of Essex his under Sheriffe or Debuty greeting Whereas there is lying before the honourable Lieutenant Governour and Council a printed Pamphlet entituled Truth held forth and maintained put forth in the name of Thomas Maule said to be Thomas Maules of Salem within your County published without Licence of Authority in which is contained many notorious and wicked Lyes and Slanders not only upon private Persons but also upon Government and likewise divers corrupt and pernicious Doctrines utterly subversive of the true Christian and professed Faith These are therefore in his Majesties Name to Will and require you forthwith to make search in the House of the said Maule and where else you shall be informed any of the said Pamphlets are or may be found seize and secure all that you shall find thereof and to cause the said Thomas Maule to appear before the Lieutenant Governour and Council at the Council Chamber in Boston upon Thirsday the 19th Currant to answer what shall be objected against him on his Majesties behalf In the Premises hereof fail not making return of this Warrant with your doings therein Dated at the Council Chamber in Boston December 12th 1695. By Command of the Lieutenant Governour Council Jsaac Addition Secretary A true Copy attested by George Curwin Sherriff A Copy of the Return of their Warrant Salem December 14
th 1695. ACcording to the within Warrant I have been at the House of Thomas Maule and there have found thirty one of said Pamphlets and them secured as required and have seized the said Maule and delivered him to the keeper of their Majesties Goal in Salem there to be secured in order to his apearance at the time and Place within mentioned and have sent the said Thomas Maule by the bearer Jeremiah Neale to answer as within exprest which Jeremiah Neale I do constitute and appoint to be my lawful Deputy to make return of this Warrant with the Body of said Maule and to act in all things which shall be further ordered relating to me concerning the within Warrant George Curwin Sherriff This is a true Copy of the Origenal Return attested By Jeremiah Neale Sherriff-Deputy Thomas Maule being brought by the said Neale and said Goaler out of Salem County into Boston County where appearing at the Council Chamber before the said Governour and Council who put divers Insnaring Questions to said Maule He made this Reply That no righteous Law did bind or injoyn him to answer further then he saw good and that they had not acted agreeable to Law in compelling him into their County to stand tryal before them who in the case were not his equal Judges and if they did intend to proceed against him he did expect the benefit of the Kings Laws which did aâ—â—ow his Judges to be Twelve men of his Equals belonging to the same County he was of The which being consented to four hundred Pounds Bond was given for his appearance to answer them at their High Court of Injustice against him at Ipwswich the 19th of the 3d Month May 1696. But before said Maule came to his Tryal they Imprisonâ—d him and sacrificed sixteen pounds worth of his Books a burnt Offering to their Anger and Revenge though upon his Tryal the Jury could not find him in the least guilty of any evil fact relating to their Charge about his Book The time of the Courts setting being come said Maule was called to his Tyral before Thomas Danâ—ord Elisha Cook and Samuell Sewal three of the Council and Judges of this Court who demanded of Thomas Maule If he did own that Book intitulâ—d Truth held forth and maintained c. to be of his putting â—orth To which he said The outside of the Book did not fully manifest to him what the inside thereof did contain The Book being given to him when he had lookt it throw return'd it again with this answer That all Printed in the Book he did own to be Truths which he did vindicate maintain excepting the Printers Errors and some mistakes occasioned through Authors which were common to good Books Then Judge Danford said You are to answer for Printing this Book without Liscence of Authority To which said Maule answered That if he were accountable for so doing it was not to them but to the Bishops of the Engâ—sh Church and the King did allow him the same liberty to have his Book printed as they did to any of their subjects which seperated or dissented from their way of Worship Then Judge Cook said You are to answer for publishing your Book in this Government without the Lisence of the present Authority To which said Maul replyed The Goveâ—nment is the Kings or ought so to be and the Books are my own Goods who as an English Merchant have good right by the Kings Laws to dispose of my Goods in any of the Kings Plantations Then Anthony Chickley the Kings Attorney said Your Books are not lawful goods to be disposed of amongst the People because they contain notorious wicked Lyes against the Churches and Government of this Province as likewise false Doctrine utterly subversive to the true Christian and professed Faith besides Scandals upon many private Persons To which said Maul made this Reply That the Charge was yet to prove and which they could never prove against him and so long as there was no evil fact he was no Transgressor of any righteous Law and if their Chaâ—ge were true as it is not it is no more than what they and their Priests are guilt of against all Persons as well as the Church of England that dissented from their Priests way of Worship for which cause and persecuâ—ing the People of God and the Kings Subjects to death their Doctrine Principles and Practices were condemned by all true Christian People that did know or hear of their unrighteous Works which fâ—â—â—hese many years have caused Gods Judgments to come upon this Land and for not repenting are you now given up to murder one an ther through the Devis accusation by Specter Evidence accusing both Priests Rulers and People of being Witches Then Judge Cook to this purpose said You are a horrible Lyar and it werâ— better you would forbear in this nature running your self into further Troublâ— by accusing the Churches and Government after such a horrible wicked rate as you have done and still do persist in for which you are to suffer according to your Deserts To which said Maul made this Reply That the Truth by him to them was spoken and so loâ—g as he did not â—xceed the bounds thereof he did not fear their Whip Goal or Gallows and withal that relating to this his Testimony he had suffered ten times 〈◊〉 their Jurisdiction five times by Imprisonment three times by the loss of Goods taken from him and twice by cruel Whipping and now before this Tryal they had both imprisonmed him and burnt sixteen Pounds worth of his Books and 〈◊〉 yet not given him any Copy of the particulars of the Charge against him To which Judge Danford said It is but reason that Thomas Maule should have a Copy oâ— what we have to charge him with and also time to consider of it which by the renewing of his Bond he may have till next Salem Court Which was agreed to Then Judge Cook said That he would have Thomas Mâ—ule to be more careful of what he said relating to the Scriptures and not to undervalue them as he had already done by comparing his Book with the Bible To which Maul answered That to compare that with the Bible which was agreeable to the holy Scriptures in the Bible could be in no way found to contradict or undervalue the Bible And as to Errors now so much talkt of he did not know of any Book that was free for as some of the learned have said Beza committed eight hundred Errors in his first Translation of the New Testament which by amending through his second Translation left three hundred Errors therein And by comparing Mat. 27 v. 5. wâ—th Acts 1.18 proves as great a Mistake as any he knew to be in his Book Judge Cook commanded this Sentence to be writ down Then said Maul desired it might be writ down That at present he did so believe Which being done he said That if through his now so believing did pâ—ove
which with the Book is now committed to your hands who have taken a solemn Oath to do the thing that is right in the sight of Gods as near as you can therefore you ought well to consider the horrid Wickedness of Thomas Maules setting forth the Book now â—eâ—ore you in which there is contained a great aâ—al of blasphemous matter against the Churches and Government of this Province You weak 〈◊〉 that when the Husband-man hath takeâ— great care and labour to fâ—nce in his fâ—â—ld of Wheat and there comes a ravenous Creature and makes a Gap through the Fence for other like Creatures to go through and spoâ—l the Corn and to trample down and lay waste the Hâ—sband-mans Field will he not use his utmost endeavour to destroy such a ravenous Creature that doeâ— so how much the more are we to preserve the Hâ—dge of the good Hâ—sband-man with which he hatâ— by his Ordinances and good Government fenced and hedged his Churches and People in this Prâ—â—giâ—â—â— against which the wicked work of Thomas Maule doth wholly tend to overtâ—â—ow all good in Church and Common-wealth which Goâ— hath planted amongst his People in this Province wâ—ich â—ause with the saide Maules Book is now before you to do that which is right relating thereu◠〈◊〉 near as God shall inable In answer to which Speech Thomas Maule made this Râ—ply to the Jury and said Jury look well to the work which you are now going to do the Cause is now committed to you who are to be Governed by the Kings Law no Law of our Nation have I broken as to you will appear the Book has no evidence in Law against me further then to you it doth appear I have writ or caused to be printed any thing contrary to sound Doctrine and Inconsistant to the holy Scriptures of Truth which if you take up with any part of these Judges unjust Charge against me and say there is such like matter in my Book as they charge me with you may seek to the Printer for satisfaction for of any such like matter in the Book I know not and my hand is only to my Copy which now is in another Government in the hands of the Printer and my Name to my Book made by the Printer does not in Law evidence to prove the same to be Thomas Maule no more then the Spector Evidence in Law is of force or validity to prove the person accused by said evidence to be the Witch but rather conclude the Spector to be the Witch therefore Jury look well to your Work for you have sworn True Tryal to make and just Verdict give which if you miss of doing me Justice the fault will lie on your part for these my Accusers on the beach are but as Clerks to â—onclude your Work with Amen In some small time the Jury brought in their Verdict for the Prisoner whom they found not Guilty At which the Judges seemed much disatisfied therewith and assâ— the Jury how that could be having the Book before them wâ—o answered That the Book was not sufficâ—ent Evidence for that Thomas Maules Name was there unto set by the Printer and the matrer therein contained not cognizable before them they not being a Jury of divines which this case ought to be Then Judg Danford made this Spâ—ech That tho Thomas Maule had escaped the hands of Men yet he had not escaped the hand of God who would find out all his Evils and Blasphemies against his Church and People and for which Wickedness God did reserve him or further Jaâ—gmâ—â—o come upon him In answer to which said Maule replyed That he was no way guilty of their Charge but had great cause to praise God â—or his diâ—â—â—erance by the Jury who were made Instruments of freeing him out of the hands of them who had manifested their unrighteous Works against the People of God and the Kings Subjects as their Fathers beâ—ore had done In which time of the said Reply Judge Danford called out Take him away take him away The Reader may hence understand that the distance of these Persecutors from the King and much further froms Gods Truth is the cause that by them many of the People of God and the Kings Subjects suffer more then they would do were they where their complaint could readily be heard by the King who would not suffer his Subjects to be persecuted under the Anti-christian Power of the New-England Church who yet continue the old stroke according to their Power against the Quaâ—â—rs at this very tâ—me of liberty of Conscience respecting to Religion now allowed by the King and Powers of England as for instance they now do suffer in their Jurisdiction especially in the Town of Linn where for the Priests maintenance they compell the Quakers Oxen their Pots and Platters with the of other Houshould goods more worse in that respect then of the first two wiked Priests we read Sam. 2.12 13 14 15 16 17. For which sin God will reward the wickâ—â— Priests FINIS