For the KING And both Houses of PARLIAMENT For you who have known Sufferings now in this the day of your prosperity in the Fear and VVisdom of God to read over and consider these Sufferings of the People of God in scorn called Quakers which they have suffered in the dayes of the Common-wealth and of Oliver and Richard Cromwel and which they now suffer in your day for Conscience sake and bearing Testimony to the truth as it is in Iesus For which there have suffered Imprisonments Stockings Whippings losse of goods and other abuses which is hereafter more at large exprest Together with the causes wherefore they have Suffered and still do suffer 3179. Persons And there lies yet in Prison that were committed in the Names of the Common Wealth and of Oliver and Richard Cromwel that we know of 79. Also there hath dyed in Prison in the Common Wealth and Olivers and Richards dayes 32. Persons And there is Imprisoned in the Kings Name since his Arrival one whereof dyed in Prison 177. Persons So there is at present in Prison in all we know of 256. Personâ— And besides the meetings are daily broken up by men with Clubs and Arms whicâ—… peaceably meets according to the people in the Primitive Times and are thrown into Waters and trod upon till the very blood gusht out of them by rude people the number of which meetings that have been broken up can hardly be uttered And this we would have of you to set them at liberty that lies in Prison in the Name of the Common Wealth and of the two Protectors and in the Kings Name for speaking the Truth and for good Conscience sake who cannot lift up a hand against you nor no man and that our meetings may not be broken up by rude people with their Clubs and Swords and Staves who peaceably meet together in the Fear of God to Worship him And one of the greatest things that we have suffered for is because we could not Swear to the Protectors and all the changeable Governments and now are we imprisoned because we cannot take the Oath of Allegiance And now if our yea be not yea and nay nay to You and all men upon the earth let us suffer as much for breaking of that as for breaking an Oath for we have suffered these many years both in Lives and Estates under these changeable Governments because we cannot swear but obey Christs Doctrine who Commands we should not swear at all Mat. 5. James 5. And this we Seal with our Lives and Estates with our yea and nay according to the Doctrine of Christ Hearken to these things and so consider them in the Wisdom of God that with it such Actions may be stopt thou and you that have the Government that may do it We desire that all that are in prison for conscience sake may be set at Liberty and for the time to come they may not be imprisoned for Conscience and the Truths sake and if you question the innocency of their Sufferings let them and their Accusers be brought up before You. LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1660. To the READERS FRiends you that are the Heads and Rulers and Makers of Laws and Magistrates in all these Dominions We desire you with consideration to Read these things over and if there be any Mercy in You to consider these things and how long we Suffer and was alwayes Sufferers under the Powers before You we have been a Suffering People and how we have been struck with Armed and Weaponed men several and divers Weapons and Stoned and yet have never struck again nornever threw stone again now such Fighters and Strikers may not boast of a great Conquest Neither is it becoming to a man nor to them that professe the Name of Jesus that hath thus turned against us neither is it commendable nor of a good Report nor Savour for them that be right Men would judge such things And again besides our Houses broken to pieces our Goods spoiled and we haled before Courts and Magistrates our Windows and Houses broken up our Friends banished from Place to place and thrust out of Towns and Places and not suffered to come to their Wives and likewise Women thrust away from their Families as you may Read in this following Declaration which is sad and a grief that ever any such things should be found amongst any that professe the Name of Jesus Therefore these things are given to You that all things may be restored in Righteousnesse Truth and Equitie and that Violence Cruelty and Oppression and Injustice and Injurious persons and the Jaws of the wicked and the Violence of men may be stopt that Truth and Righteousnesse may run down your Streets and that set up that you may be a praise to them that doth well and wishes your welfare and the peace of all men that the Rod may not be laid upon the Righteous and the Sword turned backward but to the evil doers you may be a terrour and that you may distinguish between them that the Law is made for and that it is not made for and that the People of God may not be persecuted that Worship God Here is a Declaration of the great and cruel Sufferings and Martyredom that the Elect People of God before the World began in scorn called Quakers have suffered and at present do suffer by the Professors of the World of the form of Godlinesse but denies the Power thereof who from them have turned away which to the KING and the PARLIAMENT who are the present Rulers and Governours of these Dominions are to be Read that they consider may remove Oppression and Persecution do Justice to the Innocent that revengeth not themselves neither lifteth up a hand against any one who commits their cause to the Lord to plead least the Lord sweep you away as he hath done them that went before you that heard not the cry of the Oppressed who have been as the sheep for the slaughter all the day long killed and buffeted who have given their Backs Cheeks and Hair to every one that would smite them and pluck it off who have been in the deep Sufferings all a long and had no helper in the Earth but their lives from it hath been taken Snares Bonds and Prisons in all Places attends them yet they have learned the lesson in all these Sufferings and Conditions to pray to the Lord to forgive their Enemies And who have kept their Integrity and Fervencie and Sincerity and abideth in the Doctrine of Christ that Commands them so to do A DECLARATION of some of the SUFFERINGS OF THE People of God CALLED QUAKERS FRIENDS WE lay these sufferings before you who have known sufferings and been exercised therewith for you in this the day of your prosperity in the Fear of the Lord and his Wisdom to read over and consider the sufferings of the People of God who have
suffered all along in the dayes of the Common-wealth and of the two Protectors and now suffers in the Kings Name for Christ and his Truths sake and for obeying his commands And we have suffered all along under these changeable powers before you our meetings have been broken up our houses pluckt down our windows broken and pulled out of our Meetings and cruelly abused knockt down and stones and dirt thrown at us and have suffered cruel mockings and shameful reproaches and many whipt stockt and laid in Irons and Dungeons and nasty Straw and prisoned till death and some put to death in these Dominions and the onely thing hath been for the speaking of the truth and warning people of the day that is come upon them yea many in sackcloth and ashes who would not hear nor regard whose day of visitation is over And there hath suffered for Conscience sake and the Truths sake the causes being hereafter expressed the number of 3179. 1. For meeting together in the Fear of the Lord as the Saints did in the primitive times and exhorting one another and building up one another and praying together in their several houses as the Apostles did from house to house have been beat imprisoned and not suffered to pray together as Daniel did but pluckt us up by the hair of the head when we have been at prayers and some have been stockt and whipt and others their Horses taken from them and some fined and imprisoned some until death and some knockt down and left for dead others drag'd on the ground by the hair of their heads and cruelly beaten and trod upon their cloaths rent and blood shed not sparing women with Child nor old age the number of 827 persons And they broke up our Meeings in the Common Wealths and Olivers time under pretence that we plotted to bring in Charls Stuart and now he is come in they are broken up by some of your Magistrates under pretence that we are against the King but we are in that which cannot lift up a hand nor plot against him nor no man by which we see all things and have unity with God and meets together to worship him in the Spirit and Truth and thus are we deprived of it by many who have been against us as much formerly as now who if they were tryed they are neither Friends to themselves nor to God nor the King who will not let us have so much liberty as Ballet singers and such as use playes nor let us meet to pray together and build up one another in the Holy Faith which was the command of the Apostle to the Saints in the Primitive times for which practice have we suffered all along as sheep for the slaughter and as such as have no helpers in the earth whose lives from it are taken And our sufferings has been also great in Scotland Ireland Virginia and New England the number of Sufferers and multitude of which sufferings and meetings which have been broken are to large hardly to be mentioned or numbred 2. And for not going to the publick worship many have been fined and imprisoned and their goods taken from them Now where do you ever read that ever the Jews or Gentiles ever fined the Christians for not coming to the Temple at Jerusalem or the Synagogue or Dianas Temple Nay is it not worse then the Turks paying their Sessments and Taxes May they not have their liberty there to meet together to Pray and Worship God ye men of understanding consider this 3. And for warning people to repent in the Markets and other places of their sin and wickednesse have been whipt stockt and put in Fetters and Irons and some imprisoned the number of 516 persons 4. And for not swearing as Christ commands they should not swear for obeying his Doctrine and keeping to yea and nay in their Communications according to his command have been Stockt Whipt Fined and Imprisoned and suffered the losse of their goods 2â—8 Persons And we have suffered under pretence of being Papists and Popishly affected and our Friends have suffered for going beyond the Seas to declare against the Papists George Baâ—ly imprisoned till death in France one John Love imprisoned till death in the Inquisition in Rome and John Parrot lies there yet in Prison to finish his Testimony for the Truth and against Idolatry and yet the Oath of Abjuration hath been tendred unto us to make a prey on us knowing that our Principle was that we could not swear no manner of Oath for which cause we have suffered in our Lives and Estates and now the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance is tendred to us against the Pope to make a prey upon us that knows our Principle is against the Papists that knows our Principle that we cannot swear at all no Oath but keeps to yea and nay in our Communications according to Christs Doctrine who declares against all Popery and the supremacy of it Now if our yea be not yea and nay nay so found to you and all men upon the earth then let us suffer for breaking of that as much as for breaking an Oath and besides very illegally is that Oath put to us as you may see in the examining of the manner of their putting it to us 5. For not paying towards the repair of Steeple-houses and for not paying Clerks wages have had their goods spoiled strained and taken away above treble the demand 256 which is worse then ever we read of the Jews or Gentiles that ever they made the Christians do to repair Dianas Temple or the Jews Synagogue or Temple that they fined them and took their goods for not doing so 6. For visiting Friends in Prison and carrying them necessaries that lay in nasty Straw and Dungeons Fetters and Irons lockt up beat and bruised their bodies like jellies have been imprisoned and beat and some whipt and stockt others fined and their goods taken away and some sent away with passes as wanderers and vagabonds though Persons of Estates and some have had their goods taken and been imprisoned besides for entertaining of their friends which is worse then the heathen did to the Apostle who suffered his acquaintance to come to him and visit him and he taught in his own hired house in Rome where the Seat of the Emperour was and worse then ever we read the Heathen and the Jews did to the Christians in the Primitive times and therefore what can be paraleld with this Generation for it is for Truth and not for evil doing for which we suffer and for bearing witnesse to the Truth Therefore ye men of Reason and of Understanding consider thâ—se things that there may be a restraint of violence and not of virtue but that virtue may be cherished Few minds the sufferings of the Saints and the afflictions of Joseph but the Apostle said Them that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution them that have been our greatest Persecutors have been the
greatest in the form of Godlinesse but denyed the power 7. And for not paying Tythes for Conscience sake that bears Testimony to the everlasting Priesthood that ends the first that takes Tythes who redeems out of the earth have suffered long and tedious Imprisonment besides the losse and spoil of their goods while at the same time their bodies have been kept in prison in those holes and nasty Dungeons 918. and some have suffered as aforesaid for small summs as four pence twelve pence eighteen pence and two shillings and for about 706. pounds 8. shillings and 11 pence demand for Tythes the Priests and others have taken 3000 pound 3 shillings and eight pence and some of them have not been contented with treble damages but some of them have taken ten times more then their pretended due hath been which we never read that so many did suffer in the Apostles and primitive times for not paying tythes to the Jewish priesthood which Christ ended and tythes or to the Gentiles as we have done in our age within this nine or ten years nor in all these heads or particulars above mentioned though many of the Martyrs we believe have suffered for not swearing and not paying Tythes since the Apostles dayes by them who are called Christians as you may read in the book of the Martyrs that suffered and bore their Testimony to the life of Jesus which used the word Thou to a single person 〈…〉 as we 〈◊〉 for Conscience sake and cannot give men the honour below and though we would have all men cloathed with that honour which is from above and we have all men in esteem and would have them be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth Imprisoned in the Kings name Because for Conscience sake they cannot swear as Christ commands they should not swear but keep to yea and nay in their Communications 74 persons Hartford-shire Richard Martin Edward Fag Thomas Sellet Committed to prison the ninth of the fifth moneth 1660. the cause was they were summoned at a Sessions to appear as Jurors which they did and were willing to serve their Country but because they could not swear the Court fined them five pound each of them and to lie in prison until they paid it one James Cooper being the chief Judge of the Court. Oxford-shire Thomas Goodaire Benjamin Staples Committed to Prison the fifteenth day of the seventh month 1660. by Sir Wiliam Walter so called and Sir Thomas Pennaston because for conscience they could not swear and the Oath of Allegiance being tendred to them the second time for refusing again to swear the said William Walter being Judge with the rest of the Bench passed this sentence against them following You are out of the Kings protection and all your Lands Goods and Chattels are forfeited and to be seized upon for the use of the King and you are to remain in prison during the Kings pleasure Cheshire Alexander Parker imprisoned in Chester common Goal because for Conscience sake he could not take the Oath of Allegiance c Twenty of these following were committed to the common Goal in Chester because for Conscience sake they could not take the Oath of Allegiance the eighteenth of the eighth moneth 1660. by Grosvenor and Peter Dutton called Justices William Thomlisson Richard Thomlisson Randle Coxton Randle Hare Thomas Taylor John Madocks Iohn Badly William Hill John Parker Roger Smith Owen Painter John Newton Richard Thomlisson Henry Morcy Ed. Acton White William Lake John Maddock Thomas Probbin Robert Prichard Roger Andrews Iohn ap Vrian Roger ap Vrian William Matthews Glamorgan-shire Twenty of these following were taken out of a peaceable meeting and had before the Governour of Cardiff and the rest of them called Justices who profered them the Oath of Allegiance and because for Conscience sake they could not swear they are committed to prison in Cardiff with the other two and there remains Edward Edwards Iohn Richard Toby Hody Rowland Thomas Matthew Ienkin. Iames Thomas Thomas Iohn William David Perc. Robert Jenkin Evan. James Lewis John Mayo Walter William Morgan Harvy John David Thomas Roberts Evan Phillip William Harvy William Moor. Thomas Williams Francis Gauler Richard Adams Wilt-shire Thomas Troud of Dinton being summoned to serve in a Jury at the last Assizes at Sarum he did appear intending to do the said service as truly and justly as the Lord should enable him but refusing to take the Oath was fined ten pounds and committed to prison in Fisherton Anger and there remains Cumberland John Bewly committed to the Goal in Carlisle the nineteenth day of the seventh moneth 1660. by John Eylonly and John Deuton called Justices because for Conscience sake he could not swear James Adamson committed to the aforesaid Goal by him called Sir Francis Sawkeld the seventh day of the eighth moneth 1660. because for Conscience sake he could not swear William Laithwait committed to the aforesaid Prison by the said Francis Sawkeld the same day the cause was there being a great contention about James Adamsons words which he had spoke to the Justice between the Justice and the people the said William standing by said take heed of adding to his words at which the Justices Clerk swore so William said to the Justice if justice were rightly executed it would take hold on swearers then said the Justice laughingly well I le take ten groats of him another time then the swearing Clerk spoke to the Justice to proffer William the Oath of Supremacy c. And because he said he could not break the Command of Christ who saith Swear not at all he was committed to Prison as aforesaid and there remains Northampton Daniel Wills George Robinson William Acton All committed to Northampton Goal in the Seventh Month 1660. Because for Conscience sake they could not take the Oath of Allegiance c. Lancashire Iohn Lawson William Gibson James Smith Imprisoned in Lancaster-Castle because for Conscience sake they could not take the Oath of Allegiance Surrey Thomas Patchen and Henry Gill Imprisoned for not swearing by Daniel Harvey Adam Brown and Nicholas Carew Berkshire Henry Hedges John Giles Humphrey Knowles Leonard Cole Andrew Pearson All in Prison in Reading Goal because for Conscience sake they could not take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy Cornwall John Kirton Edward Angier Imprisoned in Lanceston because for Conscience sake they could not swear Pembrookshire Thomas Barret David Gibbon James Picton Imprisoned by one called Sir William Mâ—rton and one Simon Degg because they could not take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy Thomas Symins Hugh Symins Committed to Prison by James Lloyd and James Bowen called Justices upon the complaint of one Jenkin Lewis Clerk that they had neglected the Parish Church for one whole year the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy was tendred to them and because for Conscience sake they could not swear they were sent to Prison William Bateman Morgan Eynon Henry Reely Committed to Prison because they could not take
Friend went to the door to know the real cause of these so coming and whether they had any order to hinder our peaceable meeting so speaking in meekness to them telling them our meeting was in the fear of the Lord without a thought of harm to any Creature and desiring to see their order for so doing one of them drew his sword and said that was his order and with it struck him that spoke to him upon which all the rest fell upon friends beating and cutting them and pulling them out of the meeting shedding the blood of many and brusing many in a most uncivil and cruel manner striking down many to the ground with that violence that their sences were taken away some lying upon the ground for dead in which act of cruelty they cryed they were for the King and pleaded his Authority for it and so do abuse his Name and Authority Laws and subjects in which cruelty about forty men of honest and good repute was cut with swords in their heads and bodies and bruised and maimed upon which several are lame and some of them so wounded that it may be their death the particular wounds in head body and arms we shall forbear to mention particularly but the cruelty of it was such that there was no regard unto any man of account office or otherwise which thing being considered in its cruelty might break the heart of him that pitties the people or would preserve the Nation in peace besides several women about ten or twelve were every one of them sore abused with swords and staves and some of them drawn through the water which is not onely suffering unto them but is a great reproach and dishonour unto the supreme authority and government in this Nation which if it continue will produce very bad effects Some of the Names of those that did appear with swords and staves in this cruel persecution are as followeth Christopher Haw Christopher Dixon Christopher Collison William Imson Leonard Wright Mar. Jaques Francis Burg Christopher Burrell Henry Wright John Foster Robert Wray Christopher Dawson Henry Fawcet Christopher Kerby John Wright Mathew Ellerton Westminster On the twelf day of this Month called June we being meet in the new Pallace-yard in the fear of the Lord according to our accustomed manner we were again abused by the Lacquies and rude people and pursued as far as Whithall and many friends had their blood drawn in a cruel manner and after the meeting was ended the prophane People entred into the meeting house and abused the people that dwelt there in so much that we were forced to entreat some Officers of the Army whom we knew to clear the house who with some difficulty did it our oppressions are great and hard to be uttered and Numbered Therefore O King in the fear of the Lord lay them to heart and let them be removed that the Land may no longer mourn for the testimony of Jesus and exercise of a good conscience At Steventon in Bark-shire The seventh day of the eight Month 1660. many of the people of God coming together to worship God at Steventon in Bark shire the Constable with many more being armed with halberts prongs pikes-staves and other weapons came to the house and pulled Friends out in a horrible brutish manner tore their cloaths from their backs and threw about six of them into the water and took one man and trode upon him so long till the blood came from his mouth and till some of the wicked brutish people cryed out take heed you do not stifle him and some near 60. years of age were so served and then they drove us along in the dirt dashing up the dirt upon us and Friends demanding what warrant they had for their so doing they said they had Order but shewed not any and though we told them we had the word of the King for our quiet meetings and General Moncks Order but they regarded it not Norfolk At a meeting in Fowlsham the Constable charged several of the Town to aid him in the Kings Name and hailed Friends out of the meeting beating some of them himself and others throwing them down in the mire rending their cloaths and caried away above one half of one mans cloak and when he had got the rude Multitude together he left Friends in their hands who beat them and threw stones and mire upon them John Hilton York-shire the seventh day of the ninth Month 1660. Upon the twenty fourth day of the eight month in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty Christopher Taylor and Richard Scostrop with many other Friends of the truth being met together in peace without harm to any to wait upon the Lord being in a piece of Ground belonging unto William Cave in the Town of Bramhup Priest Crossland called Minister of that Town and Edward Wadington who called himself high Constable came in amongst us in much hatred emnity having gathered a Multitude of the rude people and baser sort of together and when the said Richard Scostrop and Christopher Tailor being moved of the Lord did instruct Friends and people in the way of the Lord the said Priest Crossland and Edward Wadington was the first that layd violent hands on them and hailed them away charging the rude people who were found in swearing lying and cursing to assist them to which they were ready like their Priest showing forth the fruits of his teaching hailing and pushing them as if they had been theeves that Christopher Tailor was moved to say they were like to murther him and Richard Scostrop was bloody with their tearing of him not suffering them to speak any words of exhortation to the people But Priest Crossland said they had an order from the King not to suffer us to meet or speak together but we supposing it was not so the Kings word being that none should trouble or molest us for our Religion or opinion while we lived peacably in the Nation we demanded to see his warrant which he denyed and the rude people pulled Richard Scostrop as they were comanded by their Priest up from his knees being calling upon the Name of the Lord in prayer with Friends now let all who have any soberness or understanding consider if this Priest who is called a Minister of Christ abides in his Doctrine or if he be come to the Law and the Prophets who saith do unto all men as you would they should do unto you or did he so unto us and he and the rest dragged us out of their Town and after they had like Wolves amongst sheep teared us out of their Town would not suffer us to stay in the common street or rest but haled us on a long lane and shoved us toward a common far from the Town and would not by any word was spoken keep themselves in peace towards us who offered harm to none Now in this manner and many several waies are we by Magistrates priests and rude
people who are incouraged and by their leaders caused to err persecuted in pretence of warrant from the King and power given from him and as it was in Olivers time done by them unto us so is it now and our sufferings in many places greater and the hand of the evil doers more strenghthened against us who since we were a people have not persecuted any or sought revenge against our persecutors in the least manner but with patience have suffered what hath been done unto us knowing that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and be hated of all men for his Names sake and do rejoyce that we are counted worthy These Friends of the truth whose Names are under written who do give their Testimony of the truth and of Things herein mentioned who were present at the time of this persecution Nicolas Rawson John Jackson Michael Renold Anthony West William Overhead John Barber with many more Friends Darlington the eighteenth of the ninth Month 1660. This day week our meeting was broken and some had before one called a Justice who theatened if we met again to send us to prison South-hampton Friends being met together in the fear of the Lord in Portsmouth videlicet On the twenty one day of the eight Month last past they met together in silence at a Friends house where as they were waiting upon the Lord there came a guard of Souldiers and beset the house and some they hailed out of the meeting and dragged the man out of the house down the street to the main guard and then brought him up to his house again and shut him with the rest in the house until the second day about the seventh hour at night and then turned them forth and withdrew their guard then upon the next first day being the twenty eight day of the eight Month as Friends were met together there was likewise a guard of Souldiers beset the house and kept about twenty and one persons close prisoners in the Friends house which was all that were then gathered together and there kept them not suffering any provision to come to them but 〈…〉 they kept them all there until about the sixth day of the week following and then came and haled forth such as was not of the Town and set them at liberty but the rest being about ten Friends they keep still prisoners in the house then the last first day those that were not Imprisoned met together in another place at a Friends house and them they haled forth of their meeting and committed the men to a prison in the Town called Felltons hole where they stil remain and all this is as they say because Friends will not promise them not to meet any more in Town as the baptists hath done This is a short relation of their cruelty in that place towards Friends Monmouth-shire David Jones Imprisoned in that County for not coming to the steeple-house who if he would pay 1. s. per week for 12. Moneths past all which time he hath not been there which comes to 2. pounds 12. s. he might be releast Fleet London John Pollard and Joseph Pollard imprisoned first in Colchester Castle 13. Moneths and 2. weeks then returned from Colchester to the upper Bench prison and there kept prisoner five Moneths and a week and is since committed to the Fleet Prison at the suit of Mathias Armiger Farmer of Tythes who with Benjamin Maddock for less then 2. years Tythes valued to be worth about 35. pound have taken 57. Cows and Bullocks with one Bull in all worth about 12. score pounds from the said John and Joseph Pollard and returned nothing again and is kept a Prisoner besides York-shire Samuel Thornton being in a Meeting at Leeds with many more of the Lords people though he be a free man of the same Town was taken violently out of the Meeting by Martin Iles and John Dawson Alderman and hailed to Prison and there detained 5. dayes with several others which was also haled forth of the same Meeting which were Inhabitants within the said Borrough and the said Samuel Thornton by the said Alderman was ordered to be whipt and sent from Constable to Constable which was done accordingly though the place of his natural birth was but three miles from thence and he well known in the said Town Also Samuel Thornton was taken forth of a peaceable Meeting of the people of God at Holbetk by order of the Priest there and haled to Leeds before the said Alderman with two more who caused a Mittemus to be made and sent him to the Correction-house at Wakefield for a Vagrant where he was detained three Moneths and he had been an Apprentice in the same Town and after was called to the Sessions and there fined 10. pounds and sent to Prison again though he had broken no known Law nor for any other thing but for being in a peaceable Meeting amongst Gods People Dudly Templer of Wethersfield in Essex sent William Allen to Prison for no other cause but for coming to the Town of Wethersfield to a Meeting there and since from time to time his Clerk with many of the Town in a violent manner have pulled us out of our Meetings and not suffered us to be at quiet but sometime set guards of men in several places to keep us from meeting and sometime fined several for coming to our meeting and from John Child by a warrant from him or by his Order they pretending a warrant they took a horse Sadle and Pillion and what belonged to him and kept him three weeks but one day and then sent him home without sadle bridle pillion and the rest which they keep to this day notwithstanding have been oft demanded of them And they beat many friends much for coming to the Town and suffered rude boyes and others without reproof to abuse sober people to the shame of Justice and the possession of their Town and this hath been done in the presence and hearing of him the said Dudly Templer and not reproved And he himself hath scoffed at Friends and evil intreated many and set the rude people on to hale us out of the Town when if any thing could have been charged against us he being a Justice and a Commander of a Troop of Horse might have brought any of us to tryal and not in such a manner contrary to Law and Justice have abused us and broken the peace of this Nation and so rendred himself uncapable to to Rule and is to be ruled by Justice himself And of this his proceedings hundreds can testifie who have been eye-witnesses and sufferers by him and his Clerk and others of the Town of Wetherfield Essex At a Meeting in Thaxted in Essex the People of God being met peaceably together to wait upon the Lord a great company of rude people of the Town gathered otgether about the house swearing and cursing what they would do to the Quakers as they called
hail and teare and push us sorth adoors and ran against us as wee passed along the streets we acquainted them that the King had promised no such thing so they brought us to prison and thrust us in and gave the Jaylor orders to keep us there untill the Comissioners came to Town and at present there we remain prisoners for the truths sake Thomas Onyon Robert Newcome Walter How lings John Roberts Philip Gray Richard Townsend Thomas Barnfield John Silvester Thomas Elridge William Hinton Richard Bartlot John Ovendell Henry Stacy Richard Bowly Thomas Knight John Clark Thomas Bowly John Cripes Jacob Howlings Roger Sparks William England Durham Darlington the third of the tenth Month 1660. Where we the people of God called Quakers had a meeting peaceably and waiting upon the Lord in the aforesaid Town the Captain sent some Souldiers and violently broke up our meeting and carried away forty or more of us to the Castle of Durham and as we were passing along we met the Captain and the Justice who threatened us much in high expressions and five of us they single out and said we should go to prison if we did not give bond for our good behaviour and four of them is sent to Durham Castle for no other cause but for meeting together to worship God in spirit according to Christs Doctrine which now is come to be fulfilled and witnessed Portsmouth the second of the tenth Month 1660 As the people of the Lord were met together to worship God in the spirit peaceably in the said Town Captain Sprag sent several files of armed men with firelocks and violently haled out of our meeting eighteen men and women and punched them dragged them along shut the Gates men and wives were turned from their habitations and children and families and callings and are not permitted to come in again though some came in again yet were turned out of the Town again from their Families and imployments some desiring to have their Instruments to labor withal was not permitted besides were kept in a house where Friends met by a guard nineteen daies denyed to see their wises Families Children and gave commandment no victualls should be brought to them and a Officer said if they turnd us out of the Town and set Souldiers to plunder our houses they served us well enough though we never acted any thing against this Goverment Ireland FOr speaking the truth to people in Steeple-houses Markets and other places have sufferred in the Nation of Ireland and for other causes herein exprest have been fined whipt Stockt Imprisoned and suffered loss of their goods 94 persons For meeting together in the fear of the Lord in their own houses according to the practice of the Apostles and the true Churches in the Scriptures mentioned have been Imprisoned c. nineteen persons For speaking the truth to the people in Steeple-houses and Markets and other places have been Whipt and Imprisoned and some stockt and shamefully beaten and abused thirty four persons For not swearing as Christ commands they should not swear two persons had goods taken from them worth eight pounds ten shillings and one had taken from him seventy barrels of Salt For not paying Tythes for conscience sake that bears Testimony to the everlasting Priest-hood that ends the first that takes tythes eight persons for two pounds sixteen shillings four pence demanded for Tythes have had taken from them goods worth thirty four pounds ten shillings Stopt as they were passing the streets and high ways about their occasions and Imprisoned twelve Persons For receiving Friends and for visiting Friends in Prison one was Imprisoned and another fined five pounds Sufferers for other causes for the truths sake eleven Persons An Account of the sufferings of Friends in Scotland where there hath suffered for the causes hereafter exprest in all ninety one Persons SCOTLAND For denying the Priest practices have been Excommunicated forty five Persons For meeting together in the fear of the Lord have been stoned and beaten eleven persons For speaking the truth to people in Steeple-houses and Markets and asking Priests questions have been Imprisoned and some stockt and whipt and some banished in all fifteen Persons There was likewise Imprisoned and otherwise abused and some banished and no cause why shewed in all eighteen persons A Declaration of some Part of the Sufferings of the People of God in scorn called Quakers from the Professors in New-England onely for the exercise of their Consciences to the Lord and obeying and confessing to the Truth as in his light he had discovered it to them TWo honest and innocent women stripped stark naked and searched after such an inhumane manner as modesty will not permit particularly to mention Twelve strangers in that Country but freeborn of this Nation received twenty three whippings the most of them being with a whip of three cords with knots at the ends and laid on with as much strength as they could be by the arme of their executioner the stripes amounting to three hundred and seventy Eighteen Inhabitants of the Country being freeborn English received twenty three whippings the stripes amounting to two hundred and fifty Sixty four Imprisonments of the Lords people for their obedience unto his will amounting to five hundred and nineteen weeks much of it being very cold weather and the Inhabitants kept in Prison in harvest time which was very much to their loss besides many more Imprisoned of which time we cannot give a just account Two beaten with pitcht roops the blows amounting to an hundred thirty nine by which one of them was brought near unto death much of his body being beat like unto a Jelly and one of their own Doctors a member of their Church who saw him said it would be a miracle if ever he recovered he expecting the flesh should rot off the Bones who afterwards was banished upon pain of death there are many witnesses of this there Also an Innocent man an Inhabitant of Boston they banished from his Wife and Children and put to seek a habitation in the Winter and in case he returned again he was to be kept Prisoner during his life and for returning again he was put in Prison and hath been now a Prisoner above a year Twenty five Banishments upon the penalties of being whipt or having their Ears cut or branded in the hand if they returned Fines laid upon the Inhabitants for meeting together and edifying one another as the Saints ever did and for refusing to swear it being contrary to Christs Command amounting to about a Thousand pounds besides what they have done since that we have not heard of many families in which there are many children are almost ruined by these unmerciful proceedings Five kept 1â— dayes in all without food and 58. dayes shut up close by the Jaylor and had none that he knew of and from some of them he stopt up the windows hindering them from convenient aire One laid neck and heels in Irons