the rest of the Certificate signers have done like my Neighbour J. Antrum they have made a poor hand on 't that after so many years feeding upon Sermons from Meeting to Meeting they at last are left so hungry to eat their own words but 't is no wonder for their Ministers have done it also to our certain knowledge And tho' many People know not how to judge or what to believe as to these things yet surely they are not hid from Almighty God who will judge righteously 3dly To the fourth Query they say That that Witness has for many Tears been a prejudiced Person and declared he hath not had unity with the Quakers since he came into the Country Now Observe They do not in the least mention wherein the Evidence I have given may be suspected its enough belike they say it and yet to invalidate my Evidence they insinuate to the world in print That my evidence is not to be taken notice of because they say I am prejudiced which is an indirect declaring me perjured because what I there evidenced was upon my solemn Attestation before Authority I am apt to believe that if such a man as S. J. had the like thing as this against me he might improve it to my cost Does not such actions as these render their Meeting rather Seditious than Religious thus to meet together to defame men in print by rendring them unfit to give Evidence without having matter of Fact to charge them with muchless to prove against them But as to the Charge it self That I am prejudiced I do not only hope it is not true but have and do pray to God that it may not be true however I believe my self to be at least as clear as those that affirm it of me But that I have declared my self to have no Vnity with the Quakers since I came into the Country I know to be a Lye and in short I 'll declare the matter from which Francis Devenport draws that Consequence viz. after I had been four years in the Country I was at a Monthly Meeting at the House of John Woolstone in Burlington where the Meeting seemed in two parties W. Peachy W. Cooper and others contending violently against T. Olive c. about the way or method ot exhorting Offenders I perfectly remember T. Olive's words were these If any one have it in their heart from the Lord to go to an Offender let them go in Gods Name I am one with them but for the Meeting to send Persons I am against This passage I once told F. Devenport accidentally and withal told him I was one with T. O. in that thing and am still of the same mind and this thing F. Devenport hath kept it seems as a Weapon under his smooth Coat near ten Years to strike me with at this opportunity So here the Reader may see where their Unity stands Yet as I know no Disunity I had with the Quakers â—isâ— then so unless he can prove T. Olive and those of his side then viz. D. W. J. W. and others no Quakers he cannot say but I had Unity them T. Olive was a man whom I always loved and have oft said That 't was my belief no man had better kept his Integrity that came into these parts than T. O. had done and do believe the Quakers and he had Unity notwithstanding his dissent from some in that point And therefore F. Devenport ought not to have let prejudice so rule his Reason as to have witnessed to a Lye against me upon this Consequence But I suppose F. D's word will pass amongst more than mine Solomon saith Favour is not to men of Knowledge and F. D. in one main point declares himself true to his Brethren and therefore must needs merit their Unity viz. to hide his Religion under a Bushel as long as he lives for he has declared That no man shall know his Faith but by his Works so that the Pharisees of Old may stand in competition with him for they were very just men as to the outward And thus he can at once kick the Command of the Apostle out at the Church Door viz. 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear And as to S. Jenings surveving of R. Matthews Meadow his answer to it in Book called state of the case c. he has both abused me and his own knowledge in calling what I evidenced An idle story and yet neither does nor can say the story is not true and how can that which is true be idle for the substance of what I declare upon my Attestation is That he surveyed that Meadow by Simon Charles which is not denyed but owned by him in short the judicious Reader may early see that S. Jenings his Answer is onlâ— a crafty Shuffle even such as a plain honest Quaker would blash at for I appeal to S. J. himself That suppose the survey of his own Meadow which lies off from his Plantation too were by a mistake or neglect in the Recorder wrong or short recorded whether he would not count it unjust in any that should take that advantage to take away his Meadow and thereby ruin his Plantation Here lies the plain honesty of the case And whereas S. J. tells Elias Far in his Letter printed with the Certificates That all the Meadow was not pretended to be for Matthews But I say that 's a mistake at least in S. J. for there was no more Meadow in that place but what was surveyed and recorded to Matthews seven years before which Meadow terminated in a small run of water at the lower â—nd where grew some Bushes and there 's a markt Tree or two still to be seen only the Bushes being burnt root and branch it shews like Meadow further but the number of Acres would have determined the matter which was to be 25. our Law allowing so to 500 Acres of Land And this was all that was wanting in the wording the survey which if that had been which it seems was by some means omitted the survey had been perfect And therefore if it be printed over never so often Sam. Jenings is to blame for medling with that Meadow especially the Owner being absent and also inasmuch as I told him how the case stood shewed him the Meadow and also a Copy of the Record when he was about to survey said Meadow and would have disswaded him from it as he knows But to return to the matter In the Burlington Certificate they tell of a Warrant they have by them insinuating as if J. Skeen took a course at Law with S. Jenings for saying Thou pitiful Whip-jack I despise thee for that is the thing cited in the Book of the Tryals pag. 30. which we say is false and therefore if they look again they 'll find it
The Innocent VINDICATED FROM THE Falshoods Slanders Of Certain Certificates Sent from America on behalf of Samuell Jenings and made publick by J. P. in Old England By Daniel Leeds He that hideth Hatred with Lying Lips and he that uttereth a Slander is a Fool Prov. 10.18 Printed in the Year 1695. THough my Lot be fallen in a Scribling Contentious Age which makes many things of weight and substance slighted which was ready to deter me from writing yet I find it my Duty according to my capacity to detect Falshoods and Slanders covered with a profession of Truth of which sort the Book of Certificates published by John Pennington is plentifully stored But 't is not my intent to make Reply to the particular Accusations the said Penington brings against G. K. he being more capable to answer himself if he thinks it worth his while to waste Ink Paper about it for truly I think the man would have wanted matter to make up his Book if he had not repeated the same things over over again and his being so hard put to his shifts to revile G. K. not daring to accuse him a Doctrine tho' there lies the main pinch that the chief part of what he writes against G. K. he takes oâ—â— of S. Jenings Book who is G K's adversary concluding I conceive that because his brother S. Jewings alledges this that and t'other thing against G. K. that therefore it must needs be infallibly true and that must be a sufficient proof against G. K. in time of need and while he blames G. K. for unfair managing Controversie he cannot see how unfair himself is in this and in several other things both falsly asserting and misrepresenting G. K's words But the morning of the great discovering Day is dawned wherein all shall be laid open and no man shal hinder it But to the Certificates my intent is to speak chiefly to that sent from a Monthly Meeting at Burlington the 6 t. 6 m. 1694. which comprehends most of the rest I shall first show how it was obtained as I had it as well from some that signed it as from others which refused to sign it and next I shall shew how it is stuft full of Lyes and Slanders that the impartial Reader may see how they sly to Lyes for a Refuge and to Slanders for Revenge When News came from England that S. Jenings was beset in London by reason of his his Brethrens Actions at Philadelphia coming out in print Ann the Wife of S. J. made application first to some Members of Chesterfield Meeting obtained a Certificate to relieve her Husband in that distress for which I blame her not Then J. Wilsford and Fr. Devonport two of that Meeting came to the Meeting at Burlington to propogate the business there And having framed a Certificate it was read in the Meeting and some readily signed it but some others more willing to see with their own Eyes made some scruple and one or two it seems questioned the truth of what was written about D. Leeds which scruple Fr. Devonport took off by saying That he had heard D. Leeds say That he hath not â—â—ia Vnity with the Quakers since he came into the â—â—â—try which is a Lye as shall be shewn anon Others refused wholly to set hand to it and shewed their Reasons which I could insert but for brevity's sake omit at last it appeared one third of the Meeting did not sign to it which look't a little odd to those that had signed it whereupon they resolved upon this Expedient viz. to write it over again and for one man to sign it in the Name of the Meeting and so bring in all those to be guilty of signing that had refused A notable way to force a Vnity and for this purpose they made use of James Marshall that it might look with a fairer face and laid aside their Clerk for that time because as J. Wilsford said he was given to drinking and Company keeping But the Certificate being compleated F. Devonport hasted with it next morning down the River to send it for England â—here being printed and returned hither again is now come under consideration which before they endeavoured to prevent me and others of For I having an account as aforesaid went to their next Monthly Meeting for a Copy of the Judgment they had drawn up against me and sent to England wherein I told them I understood I was defamed They answered They had not defamed me nor wrote any untruth of me To which I replyed If you have not wronged me I hope you will be the more willing to do me justice in granting me a Copy I 'll pay for the writing of it c. These and many more words passed but at last the result was having none of their Ministers there That I could have no answer till next Meeting I went again next Meeting but no Copy could I obtain J. Wilsford gave me an answer in these words viz. G. Keith und a Company of you have printed and exprosed us so shamefully to the World until you condemn that thou shalt have no Copy by my Consent To which I replyed People behold your Preacher he preaches Revenge is his Christian Doctrine he will not do Justice because others have done unjustly as he alledges With that two of the Meeting rose up and faced me with a fierce Countenance mixt part with Revenge and part with Scorn uttering bitter words and one of them I remember rendered me a Jesuite And this was all the Justice I could obtain from them But the Certificate being printed in England as aforesaid and returned to America having missed the hands of S. Jenings so that he could not keep them up from the Persons concerned as he did his own Lying Book called The state of the Case c. one of these Books of Certificates is come to my hands And the first thing I note is They alledge Peter Boss makes a great Noise with his Queries Witnesses to prove them To which I say The Noise was so little before S. Jenings arrested him so made the Noise himself that very few of that Meeting heard it much less in other parts and although they resent it so hethens a Crime in P. Boss for querying with S.J. whether those Reports were true or not yet we see the twelve men of the Jury those of them his own Brethren could not find it so much as a Slander so little was the wrong done by P. B. had it not been for a Law made by a pattern from New-England as VV. Byles told me that makes it finable to speak slightingly of Magistrates the Jury must have cleared P. Boss in the case And then what becomeâ— of this heinous Crime of murthering a mans Reputation as S. J. calls it 2dly They accuse P. Boss of prejudice against S. J. ever since the Meeting gave Judgment against him in the case of a difference between him
and his Neighbour Ass As to the Meeting giving Judgment against P. B. I know to be false being present at the Meeting when the thing was debated but if his Enemies since have got a Judgment into the Meeting Book about that difference be it to them that did it 3dly They alledge he flattered perswaded queried with People to make up those bundles of stuff meaning the Queries But I believe this is not true for these Reasons 1st P. Boss is known to all that know him to be no flatterer but a man plain and blunt and truly for this reason I find my self the more concerned in his Vindication because I even hated flattery 2dly There was no need of his flattering or perswading for 't is known to all the Meetings and all hereabouts that most of those Reports concerning S. Jenings were frequent about the Country long before P. B. queried concerning the truth of them 4ly They accuse P. B. of being rude wicked and cruel to his Maid-servant because he could not obtain his Will This must needs be a base Slander at least for 1st they insinuate hereby as if he would have lain with her which tho' 't was said she had reported some such thing yet being examined news was brought that she denyed it And I remember that I then took it as the general sence of the Meeting that she endeavoured to make her Master weary of her to be set free or change her service a thing very desirable to most that come Servants from England to these parts 2dly They do not in the least declare wherein he was rude wicked cruel as they ought to have done if they had been just to him They say in their Chesterfield Certificate That their well-beloved Brother S J. was just to all men Why then are they not just to P. Boss and tell wherein he was rude wicked cruel and yet S. Jenings be just to all though it appears by their own Certificates to clear him That he be at a Man Servant till he broke a Cane and whiâ—â— a Maid Servant in her Bed see p. 32 42. I say could this be just in S. Jenings as they say He was just to all p. 19. and yet he rude wicked cruel in P. Boss in beating his Maid If he did so Reader pray consider from what Fountain this Burlington Certificate spring Well might a third part of the Meeting refuse to sign it And lastly To render him yet more Odious if possible they say If Friends and soebr People did but know how reproachful his Life and Conversation has been amongst us c. Now I demand of these Enemies of P. Boss to show wherein his Life and Conversation is so reproachful Is he a Blasphemer or Thief or Knave or Whoremonger or Adulterer Is he a Drunkard an Extortioner a Lascivious or a Proud Person Nay is he a quarrelsom or ill Neighbour Next time you print pray be so just as to tell us and the world wherein his Conversation is so reproachful But herein you manifest to the judicious your Spirit of Prejudice and Revenge for it seems 't is sufficient for you to call a man wicked and of a reproachful Life and leave it to others to show wherein he is so We are informed and that by one of your own Friends of the Ministry which came lately out of England That S. J. when last in England made search and enquiry of P. B's Conversation while he dwelt in England and doubt not but if he had found any thing against him it would freely have come forth in print But finding not particular matters against him in England not America they 'l venture to brand him for a Person of a reproachsal Life The Burlington Certificate says it and therefore it must be so Now I would have none to think that I justifie P. Boss as a man free from failings no more than my self S. Jenings c. for truly we have little cause if rightly considered to â—â—veigh one against another being all of one lump of Corruption and the Grave will soon equal us all but for a pretended whole Meeting to grate so upon a Man in print endeavouring to destroy his Reputation as a Man without declaring matter of Fact is so far short of common humanity that it is intollerably abusive and to do him the same justice they did me in denying him a Copy when demanded The next thing in course is about S. J's riding a Horse-race with J. Slocum and being drunk Now this I say I do not believe S.J. will be drunk for I know he has a stronger Head to bear drink than to be diguised by it unless by chance And if S. J. be wronged in this case who is to blame not P. Boss but W. Biddle â—un for I know several Persons that I can give credit to that affirm they had that report from W. B's own Mouth therefore let the saddle be laid upon the right Horse But one thing by the way I have been credibly informed that some or one of S. J's Friends went with J. Slocum before a Magistrate in East-Jarsey to get him declare the truth of the matter upon his Attestation but the Magistrate refused to attest J. Slocum alledging it was probable he might be drunk also Now if this be true I account it great discretion in the Magistrate 2dly They say the third Query is proved a Lye by a Certificate from the Person concerned and this is my Neighbour John Antrum poor man I am really sorry for him because I think no means no body harm but to say by what instruments or means he was so weak to be drawn by to deny the truth and give under his hand that he had no right to Land there I shall omit at this time but this I must say that all or most of his Neighbours know that he then declared that he had a right to the Land and that S. J. had surveyed it from him and was in an extream passion about it as soon as he heard of it and I having been the former Surveyor he came to me to ease himself expecting I could help him knowing that I knew his right there he having before told me of his intention about taking it up but I let him know it was out of my power to do any thing in that kind being out of Office but he exprest himself in great trouble about it to me and my Wife calling the Surveyor Knave and said I pray God keep me in my right Senses S. Jenings has done right Taylor-like that takes a piece of one mans Garment and a piece of anothers to make one for himself for I hear said he he has surveyed Matthews Meadow too These were his words with many more not only to me and my Wife but to several others at other times and places So that the Reader may very well see that Peter Bosâ— is not the Lyar or raiser of that Report And if
did not suffer for owning or denying the Light within them which yet is a Leader unto him but they suffered for professing him that was born of the Virgin Mary to be Christ the Son of God even that same Jesus whom the Jews slew and hanged on a Tree and they could not say nor hang the Light there yea the very same that they slew and hanged on a Tree that God hath now exalted it was he they suffered for and 't is he that I hope for Salvation by and pray that he will enable me to obey his Precepts D. L. A Postscript by another Hand WEre it not but that I know how to spend my precious Time better could fill a vollumn to shew the Perâ—â—rsions and Falshoods of Sam Jenings Thomas Elwood anâ— J. Penington in their late Pamphlets against G. Keith c. but there being some Reply made to the two first by G. K. and the above short answer to the latter I shall at present only detect two or three Falshoods in S. J's book called The state of the case c. and so conclude In the first place I observe that both Sam. Jenings Thomas Elwood and John Penington being hard beset to clear their Friends from the Errors charged and proved against them they endeavour to invalidate the Evidences of honest men S. J. p. 7. says These two Witnesses were much at the Devotion of G. R. his creatures to use as he pleased Which I charge upon Sam. Jenings as a wicked Lye and demand of him to shew wherein these two Witnesses were G. K's Creatures to used as he pleased In the next place I find his Brother Elwood to follow his steps and in his book called A further discovery p. 25. says Those 2 Witnesses who were both known to be strong in party with G. K. and great Adversaries to W. S. But I would ask T.E. how he knows they were strong in party with G.K. and wherein it appeared they were great Adversaries to W. S. Had there then been any difference controversie or party taking whereby these Witnesses had shown themselves strong in party with G. K. and great Adversaries to W. Stockdale I say Nay and T. E. has therein uttered a great Falshood And I advise him next time to have more ground for what he asserts than S. J. bare say-so But this way I find they take to discredit G. K's evidences it s a new trick they have found out and true or false will be believed by some for nothing was alledged against them at the time they gave evidence but on the contrary T. Loyd said then of one of them he might be counted among the Elders c. But he not runing with the stream his Veracity now must be questioned concerning what he did evidence four years ago They having thus endeavoured by Lyes and Falshoods to discredit G. K 's evidences let 's hear how S. J. multiplyes the Evidences against G. K. viz. T. Fitzwater having charged G. K. with denying the sufficiency of the Light he brings only W. Stockdale as an evidence to prove it but Sam. Jenings in his state of the case p. 3. says T. Fitzwater brought W. Stockdale W. Meaning to evidence to the truth of his charge But as we know T. F. never pretended to bring W. Meaning as an evidence so nor is there any such person in these parts therefore forgery in S. J. to make two where there 's but one Then again whereas G. K. had occasionally related how S. J. in a Monthly Meeting called one of his fellew Members Non-sensical Puppy to wipe off this he says p. 41. when he met with it in print he made enquiry heard it was spoken by one T. Tress an odd sort of a singular man c. But here it may be observed That S. J. is not just in this Relation for it was not only T. Tress but R. Ward also that did then and do now evidence to the truth thereof But I suppose S. J. thought it best to mention but one evidence that the matter related against him might seem the more probable to he false So where only One Evidence is brought against G. K. he 'll forge another to make up two that the charge against G. K. may seem true as p. 3. but where Two evidences are against himself he 'll relate only One of them to make the charge seem not true see p. 41. Behold ye Signers of Chesterfield Certificate this is him ye call your well-beloved Friend who was just to all men will ye say he is just in this matter before related I suppose not Well might he be ashamed to let his Book go publickly abroad here in America where so many knew it to be made up chiefly of Lyes Perversions Forgeries and therefore it was great Policy in him to keep his books up and not let one of them be seen by those that were abused therein But now they are come to hand another way his Clandestine way of spreading them is to no purpose And it now lies upon him to vindicate his said book and make a just Reply to G. K's Answer to him Some of the Persons abused by his Book have demanded a publick Conference where they offer to detect his Falshoods but this I find he evades There is one passage more which I cannot well pass by without detecting the notorious Falshood thereof and that is in pag. 24. of S. J.'s Book where he insinuates That G.K. gratiâ—â— his hearers by telling them of a preaching Quaker in Maryland That got another mans Wife with Child which they could not discern by the Light within and of another being carried out of a Taâ—â—house drunk I shall say no more in answer to these but that we charge them on S. J. as notorious Falshoods and defie the whole world to make good that ever G. K. uttered such expressions in his Preaching And S. J. might be ashamed to fill his Book with such lying stuff But T. Elwood has in great part followed S. J. foot-steps and taken many things upon his credit else surely he would not have uttered so many Falshoods and Perversions which we think to detect shortly FINIS
their mistake nay a sly insinuation to make the VVorld believe that J. S. took a course at Law S. J. for calling him Ill Names VVe grant there was a VVarrant written but 't was about their difference concerning the Road to Burlington when they were stopt and there had like to have bâ—â—â— Mischief done and I heard the VVarrant was never executed but this was for Actions and Threats as being Vnhorsed and the like and it was not J. Skeen but his VVife that complained being filled with fear of Mischief S. Jenings having ordered his Son and Servants to stop any of J. Skeens family coming that way and that he himself would Unhorse them if he met him viz. J. S and had endeavoured it with Forks c. and broke the Bottles of Rum that J. S 's Son was carrying to the Reapers 't is to be noted also That some of that Meeting were greatly dissatisfied with S. Jenings behaviour in that affair and resolved to bring it up in the Meeting before S. J. removed to Philadelphia but when the time came his greatness was such as they had not courage to do it But to say their differences were quickly ended is but daubing for I know that at the next Monthly Meeting after J. S 's Death some of S. J 's Friends were for putting the matter on against the Widdow and I well remember one in the Meeting answered Let the Widdow alone poor Womâ—n she hath Exercise enough for the loss of her Husband and so that matter was no more meddled with And if they mean it was quickly ended because it could be continued no longer by reason of J. S's Death I suppose they are in the right And whereas they tell of Henry Beck and and J. Smith two of the Evidences getting young VVomen with Child they ought also to have been just to these men and let the world know that the Young VVomen were their espoused VVives that they got with Child They still are wanting in that excellent Virtue which they say S. Jenings hath To be just to all men for they have not been just to these two but do as much as in them lies to defame well-meaning men and render them Odious what though they were overtaken with that Infirmity in their Youth must they therefore be rendered to the World in print as unfit for Evidences when neither the Law of God nor Man does now condemn them Surely if Sam. Jenings be just to all men as they say needs no such Rubbish to defend him Again they say of J. Bainbridge That he has been a Drunkard Fighter Quarreller Rude and Wicked I say I know not but the Man has been so and if he be mended now does that offend them pray which of us have not been wicked in one respect or other but it seems their buness is not encourage men in turning from evil but to render them Odious for the evil they have done O! what a woful case are we in if God should deal so by us Now Jo. Bainbridge denys that ever he called his Mother Jezabel as they affirm and says They cannot prove it they have belyed him in that and that his Mother leâ—â— the Country and went to England for such behaviour in him is utterly false Then as what is said of James Silver in the Certificate they declare that he said it was extorted from him meaning his Evidence in the Book of the Tryals never thinking it should bâ— put in print These last words never thinking it should be put in print he owns he said but says the other is false he never said it was extorted from him for he says That when they asked him concerning the Truth of what he declared his answer was Ay it is all true and a great deal more but he did not think when he spoke it that it should have been printed he was sorry for that And that it is true that he gave them that answer the best Friend of mine going by the House of T. G. in Burlington heard him speak the same words to those that were interrogating him who told it to me the same day and therefore I am fully perswaded of that being another Falshood also I believe the man knew not the meaning of the word extort And altho' Benj. Moore calls it a great Lye in that Ja. Silver says his Master Jenings took him by the Throat yet to my knowledge Benjamin himself has formerly declared such like words as that his Master griped him by the Collâ—r and other Complaints he has made which I have met with at Neighbours Houses But one thing I observed which in the defence of Ja. Silver I shall relate viz. That on a time when S. Jenings was going to England the said B. M. came to his House to make up some Accounts with him or the like and I saw S J. give his old Servant Benjamin a very good Leather Garment or two and 't is observable that B. Moore never after that hath been heard to give his Master a hard word for which I do not blame him but truly when men say and unsay and so make mischief among their Neighbours I judge them to blame for that for I take it to be an argument of being void of Conscience Lastly I find among the Certificates That Benj. More jun. charges Joh. Silver and J. Smith of stealing Oats Powder Shot Wool Eggs and the like but I leave them to answer for themselves that are defamed by it for I judge it a Defamation if true because 't is divulged many years out of time and tho' it be like the bundles of stuff in the rest of the Certificates yet I should be loath any man should have the like advantage against me as they have against the said B. M. if he dare own it especially unless I had potent partial Friends but 't is enough for me to have such Enemies By this time I hope my old Friends will no more judge others for making up bundles of stuff and raking up Dirt for if they do they certainly condemn themselves as much as ever men did as he that reads impartially must acknowledge And I desire they would take notice of this That I have not used that method against them but what a Defender cannot avoid to take up what failings I could against them 't is not my way I scorn it I know we are all subject to weaknesses of the flesh so that I have not been curious since I had the understanding of a man about Tythe Mint Annis Cummin or the skirts of Religion and therefore have been judged by some a loose Person but 't is the weightier matters of Religion that I have been and am concerned for and chiefly the Faith and Merits of our Lord Jesus of Nazareth so that when I hear him denyed slighted or undervalued then a Zeal arises in me and I cannot be silent I mean that Jesus for whom the holy Apostles and blessed Martyrs suffered they