THE Lords Free Prisoner MUch honoured and beloved in our Lord having been often put upon it by one friend and another to give an account by word of mouth of the case of my present consinement in Newgate-Prison that when you hear a true Narration of the matter of fact you may be the better able to judge of the matter of right I therefore give this short History of the Sum and Substance of my former and present Cross for Christ which I through Grace and Mercy obtained from my Lord do take up and bear for him thus following him to fulfil after him This letter is a Word-Apologie under Patient-suffering For a faithful Testimony or a necessary Vindication and a just Defence of F. B. As to his Cases of suffering Several Imprisonments the cause of those sufferings his call to them his carriage under them to the honour of his Lord to the furtherance of the Gospel and for the wiping off of several injurious Aspersions and false Charges which have been unjustly and wrongfully cast upon him What my Call has been to the Ministerial Office I have elsewhere published I am a Minister of Christ sent forth by him to bring in an open Testimony for him for the glory of the latter day I have for these last twenty years especially or more been honour'd with several imprisonments for the cause and sake of Christ of the Gospel and of Righteousness to pass by some of them which were but short for some few days I was eight years and three quarters of a ninth year under confinement at Dorchester Prison in Dorsetshire for Preaching Praying Reading and opening and applying the Scriptures and of singing Hymns and such like parts of my office and for not Conforming to the corruption of the times in the matters of worship during which time I had wonderful experiences of the wisdom power loving kindness of Jehovah Elohim and many other Covenant favours in special unto me in healing stre ngthning conforting teaching inlightning in a peculiar manner and in divers ways of spirit illuminations whereof I have elsewhere given an account Upon my discharge from that confinement without paying one penny of that Fine which was laid upon me I went on with my Mninisterial Office and work as before here and there as I had opportunity and a call but I was quickly apprehended again and imprisoned at Salisbury in Wiltshire for about eighteen weeks which filled up my Ten days of Tribulation in the Lètter of it aday for an year wherein I greatly rejoyce it was for the same cause as is before mentioned after that Term of weeks I had my discharge from that confinement without paying one farthing of the Fine or Mulct How much to be admired the appearings of Jehovah Aelohim my Adonai were in a very signal way and manner for me and against many of my Adversaries in his just judgments upon and against them were worthy of an Historical Narration but I would keep within the compass of one Sheet Upon my release I came to this City London for the further filling up of my Testimony in and near it At Bethenal-Green my labours were neither unacceptable nor unprositable where with some who desired it I had Providential Communion for some time After a while my Residence was more in the City and Subburbs having gathered a people unto Christ who submitted unto Believers Baptism we passed solemnly into a Gospel way of Church-state and Relation and full Communion founded on these two great Principles owning professing of Jesus Christ to be the one and the only Lord over our Consciences and Law-giver to our Souls and of the holy Scriptures of Truth being our one and our only Rule of Faith Worship and Life And thus my liberty in preaching of the Gospel continued for that very self same just proportion of time as my former confinements lasted that is to say full nine years and some part of a tenth and this in direct answer to That word seasonably suiteably brought in upon the hearts of my self and of my yoak-fellow several years since Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted vs and the years wherein we have seen evil About two years and a half since my self and the friends in Gospel-fellowship with me were to seek of a convenient Meeting-place for open worship where all whose hearts were made willing might have liberty to come to joyn with us in the spiritual glorious heavenly duties of the new Testament Administration of Grace for I was always for Christ's open house-keeping since I hadinner aequaintance with him There were three places which particularly had in our eye one at Great Morefields a second at Spittle-fields a third at Pinners-hall upon debate in Christian friendliness and love and not being all of one mind concerning any one of these three places at last as soon as proposed we laid aside all our own prudential determinings of this matter †Natural decencie and Gospel-order resolving and determining all our Cases and the prudence of believers consisting in this to find out know choose and acquiesce in the determination of the Alwise Sovereign Supreme will of our Lord according to his word in the way of his providence and we after we had sought the Facès of Aelohim to choose for us did refer and deliver the determining of it wholy unto him accordingly the lots were given forth a several one for each of the three forementioned places one for Great More-fields where I then lived a second for Spittle-fields whither a little after I removed a third for Pinners-Hall and a forth for elsewhere we not being to limit the All-free Agent the Faithful Creator the Gracious Redeemer the Providential Governour to some one of these three for we knew not till he gave forth the express signification of his mind and will whether any one of these three must be the place or he would design us elsewhere having agreed upon one to draw the lot we all looked up to the God of Heaven expecting his Allotment the lot opened speak Pinners-Hall to be the place of our solemn Assembling for instituted worship Upon this we rejoyced and all our Spirits as one united Spirit ran together with Christ's Spirit in our thoughts and meditations into that place choosing over Christs choice sweetly delighting and contentfully acquiescing in that place resolving there to be whilst we had an open door there this the rather because our Lord Jusus Christ had so far honoured us as to intrust us with one of the most open noted places in all London where to be finishing of our witness for Christ and for the Truths and Duties of the present Age and Day Having agreed with the owner for the liberty of that place we forthwith on the next Seventh-day-Sabbath entered that place of Meeting I was directed unto that Scripture which doth speak of Christ's bearing the Glory and wearing the Crowns
which were to be for a Memorial hung up in the Temple of Jehovah Accordingly we did in our Spirits set up as it were Spiritual Crowns for King Jesus with which to honour him if he would be the Glory in the midst of us and Spirit and bless his Ordinances in the Ministery of them This he has done drawing many young men and maidens by the cords of his love more especially this last year All the glory be to him who has so powerfully and freely exalted himself and advanced his rich Mercy his abounding Grace his free Love which has been gathering in some of his Sheep and Lambs into his Flock and brought so many of them into his Fold which has so inraged the Grand Enemy of mankind thus to smite one of Christ's under-shepherds and to cast him into Prison On the seventeenth day of the twelfth Moon according to vulgar account in the year 1682. Whilst I was at our usual hour of convening openly at my Ministerial work in Pinners-Hall Reading and Interpreting of the Scripture a Constable with his Staff of Office attended with several other under Officers with their old rusty Halberds rushed in upon our Assembly requiring in the Kings Name to give off and to come down to which I answered I was there in the discharge of my Office in the Name of the King of Kings he mentioned that he had a Warrant from the Lord Major to disturb our Meeting I replyed I had a Warant from Christ who was Lord Maximus to go on and so keept on my work he commanded one of the under Officers to pul me down I answered out of that Scripture I was upon that Christ was travelling in the greatness of his strength he speak in righteousness who was mighty to save that the day of vengeance was in his heart and the year of his redeemed ones was come and that he would pull down his Enemies this was whilst the under Officer was pulling me behind from the place where I was speaking This is in short what passed there for the sum of it for I write in this and in what follows so far as I can well remember though it may not be expressed in the very same words From thence they guarded me and about six more to the Lord Major's Hall who when we were before him demanded of the Constable and other Officers for what cause they had brought us before him the Constable answered they took us at a Meeting and that I would not give off when he commanded me so to do The Lord Major applyed himself to me saying that we and such as we would bring in Popery I replyed that we were more Christians and more against Popery than those whoso wrongfully accused us for we owned Christ for our one and our only Lord over our Consciences and Law-giver to our Souls and the Scriptures of Truth for our one our only Rule of Faith Worship Life we declared against Popery as being against God against Christ against Christianity against the Word of Christ against the the Laws of Christ against Humanity You speak great words for your selves said the Major Sir said I we are ready to proveall this to any of your Chaplains or any other whatsoever if we are called unto it who shall be Judge said the Major I replyed Sir we will refer the determination of it to your own Conscience if you will give us a fair hearing What calling or profession are you of said the Major Sir I am a Minister of Christ and this also I am ready to prove if any question my call Are you of any other profession or calling Answer no Sir nor never was It's under a pretence of such private Conventicles that all the Popish-Plots are hatch't and carried on Answer our Assemblings are in one of the most open publick places in all London for such Meetings where both doors stand wide open for any to come who will and so it useth to be in my private dwelling Do you keep Saturday Sabbath Answer I observe the seventh day as the weekly Sabbath day Do you keep the Sunday said one who stood next to the Major Answer There is but one day in the week that is the weekly Sabbath-day You break the Kings Lavvs said the Major Answer we observe keep and obey the Scripture-Laws of King Jesus who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords upon this I was bid to stand or sit by Afterwards they examined four who are in Church-Fellowship with me the Major inquireing what their callings were and where they lived which the Clark wrote down and usually the burden of the Song was Have you been at St. Omars as if we all had been Jesuitically educated and principled whereby to insinuate as if vve vvere bringers in of Popery the quite contrary vvhereunto is the Truth Tvvo others also were examined upon the same Interrogatorys but well agreeing in the same Witness for the main with us one whereof affirmed that he thought there was scarce any one Congregation in all London that brought in a fuller Testimony against Popery than our Congregation did The rest of the Friends were bid to depart when several of them I think it was reported were Fined Ten Pounds a Man I stay'd behind but a little after I vvas told I might be gone so I returned to my dvvelling In the after noon I came to Pinners Hall again at the wonted Season we having a Key unlocked the door and some few of us went in The Constable and under Officers being very near quickly hasted and shut the doors upon the rest and required us to be gone as before we kept our places and had oppertunity to speak to the Consciences of the Officers who all declared their unwillingness to meddle in such work one of our Friends demanded of the Constable a warrant he said he would go or send to the Major we waited but no fresh warrant that we saw came from the Major then the Constable commanded an under Officer to pull me from the place where I was who at last trembingly and palefac'dly laid his hand upon me thus they led us out when we came out multitudes were in the streets I returned with the rest and a great Conpanie to my house where I read and expounded the word I preached prayed hymned performed my office to the Satisfaction and profit of many hearers which lasted untill about that Hour which they commonly call four of the Clock and so the Companie peaceably withdrew Upon the next Seventh-day-sabbath the Twenty and fourth day of the same forementioned month I went at the accustomed time unto one of the doors of Pinners Hall which being shut or locked fast I went about to the other door where having knocked the door was opened those who were present went in Another Constable with some under officers quickly rushed in at our assembly whilst I was in Prayer the Conftable commanded us to depart I kept on
praying as I was supplyed assisted suiteably till an under officer pulled me away towards the shutting up of my requests So they carryed me out of that place towards the Lord Majors As I was guarded along by the Officers I carried my Bible openly in my Hand through the streets declaring practically as well as verbally that the taking away of my liberty was for the cause and sake of Christ of the word of Christ Thus I marched a long the Major when we came to his Hall was gone as we were told to the Sessons The Constable passed by some other Justices and Aldermen but would not carry me before them but made me go in and out here and there towards the Sessions as I passed a long I vvas made a Gazing-stock variously reported some against me others for me one calling me a Christian Jevv others saying I vvent along vvith my Bible as one of the old Martyrs thus through good report and evil report I trudged along as they said of my Lord and Master some he is a good man others hay but he deceiveth the people great flockings after us there vvere to publish the Testimony the more the Lord preaching to the Consciences of thousands the boys in the street at last pointed at one of the under officers and cryed out an informer an informer pelting of him with dirt stones who had he not shelterd himself near me he bad been in great danger at last they brought me to the Sessions house where I was led to a private Room After a while I was called up to an higher Room where were Three Magistrates the door keeper saying that none else should get in but my self I declared in hearing of the Magistrates that Courts of Justice ought to be open that I might have witness of what passed at examination for I knew not what some might swear falsely against me but some friends got in one of the Magistrates asked the Constable for what cause he had brought me there while he answered I apprehended him at Pinners Hall he would not come down till an officer pulled him down I answered I was here for doing work for my Lord Christ for preaching praying as I was going on one of the Magistrates cut me off short your praying is prating I replyed Sir take heed how you reporach that great ordinance of Praying the God I pray unto is a God hearing prayer he has heard my prayers will as he has done it so he can answer it terribly a gainst those who speake so reproachfully against such prayer another of the rulers spake somewhat against dissenters I answered whilst there was a Christ in Heaven a bible on earth there would be dissenters from them and from their ways if so said he yet I hope we shall not be so troubled with dissenters as we have been but this being a cause depending upon the Law we will confer with the Recorder about it so they withdrew After a while I was brought into the court of open sessions at the old Bailey where being charged with breaking the Kings Laws and as if I would introduce poperie might have been at Saint Omars I held forth my Bible declaring aloud for my Lord Christ and for his word and Lawes and that it was a maxim in their own Law that the Law of God was the Law of the land and if so I was ready to plead this cause thus as I could he heard the Lord spirited me to be finishing my testimonie for Christ who as I told them was judge at the sessions I was more than once told they would not hear me preach I declared against popery agen and agen as I could be suffered Upon this the Recorder called upon me then to take the oathe 's he being unknown to me before Sir said I I suppose by your gown that you profess knowledg in your Law and by that Law you ought not to put me to oaths for my libertie is taken from me upon another cause and that must be first issued so that then when an end is put to that I may be at leasure to consider what answer to return It was askked whether ever I had been at the Universities and at what University and whether I had taken any degree I answered at Oxford where I had taken two degrees by that the Recorder knew that so many years 〈…〉 several Oaths must have been taken by such Oh those University-Oaths so many and so often multiplyed by inconsiderate Students how much guilt has been contracted thereby yet notwithstanding the Recorder called for another answer from me I replyed An Oath was for Confirmation an end of all strife which this neither had not would be still he required the taking of the Oaths I answered I had given him a Scripture answer going it over a second time Read the Oaths to him said the Recorder or some other upon the Bench as they were reading one commanded me to pull off my Gloves another to lay my hand upon their Book I having no Scripture Warrant and Law for either kept on my Gloves and did not put my hand upon their Book I over-heard one of them say his hand is already upon his own Bible read on Hereupon I laid down my Bible as one was a reading they intending hereby as I gathered that so holding up my Bible as I did one or other would have clapped my Bible to my mouth and so have interpreted it as my taking the Oaths but the Lord gave me to see the snare was laid for me upon this they concluded me resolute and said take him Jailor or away with him whereupon one of the Keepers of the Jayl led me to Newgate-Prison where my Lord is with me to the sweet feeding and full satisfaction of my whole man greatly rejoycing overcomingly-Triumphing Abasing of self and Advancing of Jehovah Elohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit Those who honour me they are the words of my Lord I will honour and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed This is the filling so far of the farther Testimony of Christs servant and witness to the death Francis Bampsield LONDON Printed for W. T. and sold by L. Curtiss where Mr. Bampfields works may be had 1683. †in a small Treatise Intituled them Acher a name an after one a name a new on c. †Revel 2. 10. †Psal 90. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 40. †Prov. 16. 33. †Revel 3. 8. Acts. 5. 20 21 25. 42. †Zechar. 6. 9. 15. †Revei 2. 10. †Isa 63. 1. 6. †Psal 82. 1. c. †Heb. 6. 16. †1 Sam. 2. 30.