hurt by them And if I should have set down the Names and Contents of every Popish blasphemous and otherwise ungodly Books that hath come abroad within these two last years it would make this Representation too large either for me to write or any man to reade that hath not more time or business of less concernment than my self or those to whom it is chiefly intended They publish their Blasphemies and Errours in printed Pamphlets which they disperse all these Lands over in such abundance as is incredible almost every week bringing forth several Chapters of an Anti-Bible much worse than the Turkish Alcharon which probably are printed or paid for after they are printed by a General Bank for such is the contrivance that those that are sold are sold cheaper than Books ever used to be sold these many years and many hundreds if not thousands of many of them given away and left at houses by Agents which they have in every County to perform both the one way of dispersing and the other by sale and gift with indefatigable diligence suitable enough both to the Devotion and Policy of the Grand Juncto of Jesuites who we may rationally judge as they project and counsel these courses so do they like well these proceedings and say Ha ha so would we have it I do not doubt but it can be proved that this last year there came forth in Print two Books every week one with another that are either Blasphemous Heretical Seditious or Obscene having a direct tendency to un Christian and uncivilize all the Youth of the Land besides many Popish Books and supposing that but a thousand of a sort were printed as no doubt we may allow so many to each Impression for though it may be but five hundred of some of them were printed yet fifteen hundred of others of them and some of them have been printed two or three times the number then of such Books as were printed this last year amounts to 104000 which is twice the number of what Bibles have been sold in that time in all these three Nations And by this were there no other demonstration it is manifest that the increase of Quakers and other Antichristian and Anti-magistratical persons is very great and no less is the danger from them which indeed is the greater by how much the less they are feared or by how much the more they are slighted Can les be expected than open opposition by force of Arms to Magistracy and Ministry from such men when their number and advantages shall concur who generally so slight the one as not accounting it fit for so much honour as a Cap or Title of civil respect doth signifie and malign the other so much as the names of enemies of God Heathens Baals-Priests Murtherers Sorcerers Witches Conjurers Devils Aegyptians Sodomites Fire brands of Hell c. do imply The Books of the Quakers are so well known that any may easily be informed what their Opinions and Blasphemies are many of them as well as Socinians Seekers Levellers are set down in the Second Beacon Fired I shall only name the drift of one Book which came forth this Year 1656 and sold very much entituled A Cloud of Witnesses That Christ Jesus is the Word of God and not the Bible which is called the Scriptures made by Henry Clark and printed by Giles Calvert in which blasphemous Book there is a great shew of Argumentation managed with no small craft and subtilty to make out the thing undertaken also reviling and jeering the Ministers for calling it the word of God when they take their Text out of it or quote it for the proof of any thing they deliver The words of the Book are these Pag. 3. lin ult But the blinde Guides the Priests of England that preach for Tythes Hire Gifts and Rewards they do teach the people and say Hearken to the Word of the Lord as it is written in a Chapter and a verse Pag. 6. lin 28. Do not hearken any longer to the blinde Guides the Priests which crie Lo here Hearken to the word of the Lord saith one as it is written in the Chapter and the verse Lo here saith another Hearken to the Word of the Lord as it 's written in this Chapter and this verse See here saith one it is written in this Chapter and this verse See here saith another as it 's written in this Chapter and this verse But they are false Prophets riss up to seduce if it were possible the very Elect but saith Christ Go not forth believe them not the Kingdom of Heaven is within you the Law is written in the heart And with half an eye one may see the Spirit of Rome and Spain guiding this Authours paw which because it cannot deprive us of our Bibles here as it doth the people of those Dominions hath alwayes laboured by throwing lies and slanders upon it to work us to such a disesteem of it as voluntarily to disown it For Pag. 3. lin 32. he tels us That since the first giving of the Scriptures forth they have been translated by private Interpreters into many Languages and the many Languages have several Copies of their private Interpretations with some words added to and some words left out To these great evils may be added the Atheism Ignorance Prophaneness Beastiality Rebellion against Superiours of so great a part of the people in England both old and young farre exceeding the wickedness of former times which if let alone England will prove a fruitfull nursery of Traitors Murtherers Beggars Thieves and hereby we shall bring down wrath from Heaven upon the Land It is reported by our own Countreymen that have traveled in other Lands That England is by strangers noted to be as infamous for uncleanness as Venice it self The Causes of all this wrath of God poured out upon the Land for to be given up to such wickednesses or for a Land to be defiled with such abominations are judgements as well as sins is next to the policy of Hell and Rome The sins of the Land I. The sins of every individual person either in rejecting the Gospel and easie yoke of Christ despising his Embassadours or not being zealous in promoting Piety and Truth in our selves and others in opposition to lukewarmness and fond indulgence toward those over whom we have Authority or in whom we have any interest or not mourning for the sins of others which we could not prevent or in not being thankfull for mercies received both Personal and National and fruitfull in good works under the enjoyment of them Upon this occasion I shall name one famous mercy which I fear most men have not seriously laid to heart and been thankfull unto God for sure I am he hath been very little publickly praised though it was a publick mercy and as great a one to these Nations as the Deliverance from the Powder-plot After the late King was cut off and the long Parliament dissolved there
an Order to Sr Christopher Pack Lord Maior of London to cause Biddle to be apprehended which was honestly done by the Marshal of the City and thereupon a City-Officer was sent to acquaint the Honourable Councel that Biddle was apprehended and to know their further pleasure in the Case who returned such an answer as gave encouragement for the prosecuting of him at the Common Law Whereupon the Ordinance of the 2d of May 1648. entituled An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for the punishing of Blasphemies and Heresies was pitcht upon as the only Law in force that would reach him if any for other Law against Blasphemy none could be found since the way of Convicting a Blasphemer by Bishops was at an end except that against the Ranters which would not reach him And according to that Ordinance process was made one being bound to prosecute did exhibit these two Indictments against him London ss At the Gaol Delivery of Newgate holden for the City of London at Justice-Hall in the Old Bailey London On Wednesday the fifth day of September In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five London ss THe Jurors for the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. upon their Oaths do present that John Biddle of London Gent not having the fear of God in his heart nor the Laws of England any whit regarding the four and twentieth day of March In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five at London That is to say in the Parish of Gregories in the Ward of Faringdon within London aforesaid out of his Devillish minde and Imagination falsly willingly and feloniously did devise compose and write a certain Heretical and Blasphemous Book entituled A two fold Catechism The one a Scripture-Catechism the other A brief Scripture Catechism for Children In which said Book amongst other things the said John Biddle then that is to say the said four and twentieth day of March in the said Year of our Lord one thousand six hundred fifty and four at the Parish and Ward afore-said falsly Devillishly and Feloniously did write put assert affirm and maintain That God is not present in all places doth not know and forâ— knâ—w all things That the Father the Son and the holy Ghost are not one Eternal God That Christ is not God equal with the Father That the Godhead and Manhood of Christ are not several Natures That the death of Christ is not meritorious in behalf of Believers And the same Book afterwards that is to say the said four and twentieth day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and four there with the said Errours Heresies and Blasphemies aforesaid therein contained falsly willingly devillishly and feloniously did imprint and publish and caused to be imprinted and published with the intent to spread abroad within this Commonwealth of England the Errours Heresies and Blasphemies aforesaid to the high Dishonour of Almighty God to the great Danger of the growth and spreading of Heresie and Blasphemy within the Commonwealth of England in Contempt of the Laws of England against the Form of an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the publishing of Blasphemies and Heresies made published and set forth on Tuesday the second day of May In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fourty and eight and against the Publick Peace c. SADLER London ss At the Gael-Delivery of Newgate holden for the City of London at Justice-Hall in the Old Bailey London On Wednesday the fifth day of September In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five London ss THe Jurors for the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. upon their Oaths do present that John Biddle late of London Gent. not having the fear of God in his heart nor the Laws of England any whit regarding the eight and twentieth day of June In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five at London That is to say in the Parish of Faiths in the Ward of Faringdon within London aforesaid by Teaching publickly in the presence and hearing of very many people then and there present Unlawfully Willingly Obstinately Devillishly and Feloniously did maintain and publish That Jesus Christ is not God And that Jesus Christ is not equal with God the Father To the high Dishonour of Almighty God to the great Danger of the growth and spreading of Heresie and Blasphemy within this Commonwealth of England in Contempt of the Laws of England against the Form of an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the punishing of Blasphemies and Heresies made published and set forth on Tuesday the second day of May In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fourty and eight and against the Publick Peace c. SADLER The Bils being found by the Grand Inquest the Tryal began Witnesses ready Among whom an eminent and worthy Gentleman of Publick Place was one to evidence That a Book which he brought with him from the Parliament Records that contained all the Blasphemies charged upon him in the first Indictment was that very individual Book which he owned at the Barre of the last Parliament as published by him The Indictments were read Biddle with much ado was prevailed with to plead and obtained leave of the Court to put in his Exceptions to the two Bils of Indictment ingrossed in these words London ss At the gaol-delivery of newgate holden for the City of London at Justice-Hall in the Old-Bailey London on Wednesday the fifth day of September In the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five Exceptions taken by John Biddle Gentleman Prisoner at the Barre to two Bils of Indictment preferred against him grounded upon an Ordinance entituled An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the punishing of Blasphemies and Heresies Dated Die Martis secundo Maii 1648. First The Prisoner saith That the said Indictments are insufficient both in Matter and Form because they are grounded upon an Ordinance of Parliament which is not binding longer than the Parliament sitteth and that Parliament is long since dissolved Secondly There is nothing of obstinacy expressed in the Indictment without which though the Ordinance were of force there is no Offence against it Thirdly The Ordinance if it were of force doth direct the offender to be indicted the next Gaol Delivery and therefore this being the second Gaol-Delivery after complaint and imprisonment the Ordinance is not pursued by elapsing the time prefixed Fourthly Though the Ordinance were admitted to binde after the Dissolution of the Parliament Yet the same Parliament did after the said Ordinance viz. the ninth of August 1650. make an Act against the same Opinions as are mentioned in the Ordinance and therefore if cause were the prisoner may be proceeded against upon the Act
but cannot be proceeded against upon the said Ordinance which was precedent to the Act and intended by the Parliament to expire with it self Fifthly That although the said ordinance had not expired with the Parliament that made it Yet by the 38th Article of the Instrument of Government the same Ordinance is made and esteemed as null and void Jo. Norbury Moses Keling John Biddle SADLER This the Court having received adjourn'd the further Trial of the Cause untill the next Sessions after But two days before the said next Sessions his Highness the Lord Protector possibly upon the ground before specified by a special Order took him out of Newgate and sent him by a party of horse to the Isle of Silly where no doubt he is kept a prisoner IN the second place as to the Licentious Liberty of the Press it may be affirmed That there is no Law sufficient to prevent the Printing and Publishing of Blasphemous Heretical and Obscene Books which I shall make out as followeth After the Decrees of Star-Chamber for regulating of the Press were null'd the Lords and Commons put forth an Ordinance June 14th 1643. and therein ordained That no Book Pamphlet Paper or Sheet be Printed bound Stitcht or put to sale by any person or persons whatsoever unless the same be first approved of and Licensed under the hands of such person or persons as both or either of the Houses of Parliament shall appoint and in the same Ordinance did authorize certain persons to make diligent search in all suspected places for such scandalous unlicensed Books Papers Pamphlets and all other Books not entred in the Register-Book of the Company of Stationers or not signed with the Printers name and the same to seize and carry away to the Stationers-Hall there to remain at the dispose of both or either of the Houses of Parliament and to apprehend the persons imployed about them Afterward the Ordinance of Lords and Commons of Septemb. 28 1647. Ordained these penalties on the Makers Printers and Publishers of any Book Pamphlet Treatise Ballet Libel Sheet or Sheets of News except the same be Licensed viz. Upon the Maker 2lb or fourty dayes imprisonment Upon the Printer 1lb or twenty dayes imprisonment and the Presses to be broken in pieces The Bookseller 10â— or ten dayes imprisonment The Hawker or Pedler to lose all the Books and to be whipt Thus far the business grew better and better But Septemb. 20. 1649 the Parliament did enact That whoever shall Write Print Publish Sell or Uâ—ter or cause to be Made Printed or Uttered any Scandalous or Libellous Books Pamphlets Papers or Pictures whatsoever shall be punished viz. The Author 10lb or fourty dayes imprisonment The Printer 5lb or twenty dayes imprisonment and his Press broken in pieces The Bookseller 2lb or ten dayes imprisonment And repeals the penalties in the Ordinance 1647. Not at all enjoyning the Licensing of Books as the former Ordinances did except only new books concerning the Parliament and the Army The Differences between the former Ordinances of Parliament which are repealed and the Act of Septemb. 20. 1649. The Ordinances 1. Provided That nothing should be printed under a penalty that was not first Licensed 2. The Ordinance did appoint Licensers for all Books 3. The Ordinance made the not Licensing of a Book to be as a Judgement upon it that it was a breach of the Law to print it so that no man could plead ignorance 4. The Ordinance permitted no Books whatsoever to be printed untill Licensed though they had been entred though indeed none in those dayes were entred that were not first Licensed The Act. 1. The Act provides under a penalty that only no News-Books be printed without Licence 2. The Act appoints none for any but News-Books 3. The Act allows of the Printing and Publishing of any thing that shall not prove in the Judgement of the Councel of State or two Justices of Peace faulty so that it fals out often the Printer Bookseller or Writer of a Book cannot certainly tell whether his action in Writing Printing or Publishing of a Book be unlawfull untill it be so adjudg'd by the Councel of State or two Justices of Peace after the fault is committed 4. The Act permits all Books whatsoever to be printed if they be but entred in the Stationers Register-books without any Licence except News-books and accordingly Books are now entred and not Licensed Whence I infer 1. That there is no Law in force for the sufficient hindering of the Printing of Blasphemous Heretical and Scandalous Books If it be said That the Councel of State or the Justices mentioned in the said Act have power to hinder by judging a Book scandalous c. The Answer is It is acknowledg'd that they have but they will not they cannot leave their great imployments to repair to all Printing Houses every week or oftner in their own persons and there stay and read all Books that are to be printed and pass an orderly judgement upon each which they must do if by the Acts in force they will hinder the printing of such Books and this as it never was done so is it impossible to be done 2. That the late Orders of his Highness the Lord Protector to Major-General Barkstead and others to put in execution the Acts and Ordinances against Blasphemous Heretical and Sâ—â—ndalous Books are altogether ineffectual as to the suppression of them there being no such Acts or Ordinances indisputably in force And now I am come to the third and last thing which is That there is no Law against any mans being and doing almost what himself will in matters of Religion and the concernments of his soul he may learn the Principles of Religion or live in Ignorance hear Gods Word or reproach it and the Ministers thereof yea and teach his children to revile them go to Church or stay and fuddle or sleep at home and teach all that are under him or near unto him to be like himself miserable Atheists slaves to the Devil the world and the flesh ready to sink into hell continually and do not know or consider of it whence it comes to pass that millions of persons seldom have the Word of Salvation preached unto them they perish for want of knowledge all manner of wickedness spreading and growing like weeds that are let alone Among all sorts of people rich and poor young and old who are prophane seditious and uncivil but those of them for the most part that have no Teacher but blinde wilfull conceited Self Who are Blasphemous and Heretical and Prophane But those who either had not good Teaching or if they had yet were at Liberty whether they would learn or no Whence is it that so many are so busie in contriving and forming of parties and factions yea in plotting Rebellion and the disturbance of the Publick But because they are not trained up in Christs school and imployed in learning the principles of Religion the will of Gods Commands