which with the Book is now committed to your hands who have taken a solemn Oath to do the thing that is right in the sight of Gods as near as you can therefore you ought well to consider the horrid Wickedness of Thomas Maules setting forth the Book now â—eâ—ore you in which there is contained a great aâ—al of blasphemous matter against the Churches and Government of this Province You weak 〈◊〉 that when the Husband-man hath takeâ— great care and labour to fâ—nce in his fâ—â—ld of Wheat and there comes a ravenous Creature and makes a Gap through the Fence for other like Creatures to go through and spoâ—l the Corn and to trample down and lay waste the Hâ—sband-mans Field will he not use his utmost endeavour to destroy such a ravenous Creature that doeâ— so how much the more are we to preserve the Hâ—dge of the good Hâ—sband-man with which he hatâ— by his Ordinances and good Government fenced and hedged his Churches and People in this Prâ—â—giâ—â—â— against which the wicked work of Thomas Maule doth wholly tend to overtâ—â—ow all good in Church and Common-wealth which Goâ— hath planted amongst his People in this Province wâ—ich â—ause with the saide Maules Book is now before you to do that which is right relating thereu◠〈◊〉 near as God shall inable In answer to which Speech Thomas Maule made this Râ—ply to the Jury and said Jury look well to the work which you are now going to do the Cause is now committed to you who are to be Governed by the Kings Law no Law of our Nation have I broken as to you will appear the Book has no evidence in Law against me further then to you it doth appear I have writ or caused to be printed any thing contrary to sound Doctrine and Inconsistant to the holy Scriptures of Truth which if you take up with any part of these Judges unjust Charge against me and say there is such like matter in my Book as they charge me with you may seek to the Printer for satisfaction for of any such like matter in the Book I know not and my hand is only to my Copy which now is in another Government in the hands of the Printer and my Name to my Book made by the Printer does not in Law evidence to prove the same to be Thomas Maule no more then the Spector Evidence in Law is of force or validity to prove the person accused by said evidence to be the Witch but rather conclude the Spector to be the Witch therefore Jury look well to your Work for you have sworn True Tryal to make and just Verdict give which if you miss of doing me Justice the fault will lie on your part for these my Accusers on the beach are but as Clerks to â—onclude your Work with Amen In some small time the Jury brought in their Verdict for the Prisoner whom they found not Guilty At which the Judges seemed much disatisfied therewith and assâ— the Jury how that could be having the Book before them wâ—o answered That the Book was not sufficâ—ent Evidence for that Thomas Maules Name was there unto set by the Printer and the matrer therein contained not cognizable before them they not being a Jury of divines which this case ought to be Then Judg Danford made this Spâ—ech That tho Thomas Maule had escaped the hands of Men yet he had not escaped the hand of God who would find out all his Evils and Blasphemies against his Church and People and for which Wickedness God did reserve him or further Jaâ—gmâ—â—o come upon him In answer to which said Maule replyed That he was no way guilty of their Charge but had great cause to praise God â—or his diâ—â—â—erance by the Jury who were made Instruments of freeing him out of the hands of them who had manifested their unrighteous Works against the People of God and the Kings Subjects as their Fathers beâ—ore had done In which time of the said Reply Judge Danford called out Take him away take him away The Reader may hence understand that the distance of these Persecutors from the King and much further froms Gods Truth is the cause that by them many of the People of God and the Kings Subjects suffer more then they would do were they where their complaint could readily be heard by the King who would not suffer his Subjects to be persecuted under the Anti-christian Power of the New-England Church who yet continue the old stroke according to their Power against the Quaâ—â—rs at this very tâ—me of liberty of Conscience respecting to Religion now allowed by the King and Powers of England as for instance they now do suffer in their Jurisdiction especially in the Town of Linn where for the Priests maintenance they compell the Quakers Oxen their Pots and Platters with the of other Houshould goods more worse in that respect then of the first two wiked Priests we read Sam. 2.12 13 14 15 16 17. For which sin God will reward the wickâ—â— Priests FINIS
credit at their hand He must forsake all good then by their cause may stand Preamble to the Persecutors Laws made against the People of God and the Kings good Subjects WHereas there is a cursed Sect of Hereticks lately risen up in the world which are commonly called Quakers who take upon them to be immediately sent of God Infallibly assisted by the Spirit to speak and write blasphemous Opinions despising Government and the Order of God in Church and common Wealth speaking evil of Dignities reproaching and reviling Magistrates and Ministers seeking to turn People from the Faith and gain Proselites to their pernitious way Observe Here 's the Persecutors preamble to their Antichristian Law the unrighteousness of which is of their Father the wicked One who from the beginning hath been an Accuser of the Brethren wherefore the things of the Kingdom of God are hid from them Mat. 11.25 Luke 10.21 In which state they remain as the rebelious Jews calling good evil and the truth blasphemous Opinions having no more justly to accuse the Quakers of evil then had the wicked Jews against the People of God in the Apostles day and will in this following work appear so to be to every true Christian Readers view of the same Here now begins these free-mens sin The Cause for which Gods Judgments bring Preamble to these Persecutors Law The Court Considering the Premises and to prevent the like Mischief as by their means is wrought in our native Land Observe That of their many Lyes and Unjust charges against both the Quakers Baptists and other Dissenters as well as against them of the Church of England is a Record to the end of Time as also of their many other unrighteous Works against the People of God and the Kings Subjects which had they and their Brethren been as clear from all means of mischief as the Quakers there had neither Rebellion Treason or Murder against the King been alledged to the charge of their New-England Brother Hugh Peters Venner and others of their Brethren in England which they call our native Land New-England Persecutors Law 1. Do hereby order and by the Authority of this Court Be it ordered and Enacted That no Master or Commander of any Ship Bark Pinnace Ketch or other Vessel henceforth bring into any Harbour Creek or Cove within this Jurisdiction any known Quaker or Quakers or other blasphemous Hereticks upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of Oâ—â— hundred Pounds to be forthwith paid to the Treasureâ— of the Cuntry except it appeareth that such Maâ—ter wanted due 〈…〉 of information that they were such and in 〈◊〉 â—â—se he â—ay clear himself by his Oath when sufficienâ— proof 〈◊〉 the contrary is wanting and for default of payment of the said Fine of one hundred Pounds or good Security for the same such Master shall be committed to Prison by Warrant from any Magistrate there to continue till the said Fine be satisfied to the Treasurer as aforesaid 2. And the Master or Commander of any such Ship or Vessel that shall bring them being legally convicted shall give in sufficient Securiry to the Governour or one more of the Magistrates to carry them to the place whence he brought them and on his refusal so to do the Governour or said Magistrate or Magistrates shall commit such Master or Commander to Prison there to remain till he shall give in sufficient Security to the content of the Governour or said Magistrate 3. And if any Person or Persons within this Jurisdiction shall henceforth entertain and conceal any Quaker or Quakers or other blasphemous Hereticks Knowing them to be such every such Person shall forfeit to the Country Forty Shillings for every hours entertainment and concealment of any such Quaker or Quakers as aforesaid and shall be committed to Prison as aforesaid till the Fines be fullly satisfied and paid Observe That several of the Kings Subjects Masters or Commanders of Vessels suffered to the utmost extreamity of this unrighteous Law which is so repugnant to the Law of God and the Kings Laws that in making and prosecuting the same they oâ—t do all their fore-Fathers and elder Brethren in Iniquity which Law was so well pleasing to the Priests who the more that people might believe their work to be sanctified set one day apart for Preaching and Praying as a day of Thanksgiving for the same hoping that by the means of a thorow prosecution of this Law to keep their Jurisdiction clear of every Person called a Quaker and that then their freemen would take the more courage against the Baptists and them of the Church of England for with the Quakâ—rs they were hard beseâ— and in fear they would deprive them of their God and as Leâ—etrius their Trade would come to nothing and in fear of being slain as was their elder Brother Vagabond Cain who as these had no certain dwelling in the Truth which if their Worship had been the true Worship of God as we read John 4.24 but on the contrary as we read Mark 7 6 7 8 9. Mat. 15.8 they worship't they knew not what John 4 22 in which state of Disobedience they were far from the Rule of doing as themselves would have been done unto Mat. 7.12 Luke 6 31. but in fleeing the Land to sâ—ve their Purses with which their minds did abide regarded not the Rule to entertain Strangers Heb. 13.2 but on the contrary gaâ—e them the like entertainment as the wicked Jews did to Christ and his Apostles from whose Rule of â—râ—eing all things â—râ— held fâ—t that which is good from the sâ—me do these Persecutors Law restrain as will more at large hereafter appear Of the like Laws we never finde By men that God and King do mind New England's Antichristian Law 4. And every Person or Persons that shall encourage or defend any of their pernicious ways by speaking writing or meeting on the Lords Day or at any other time shall after due means of conviction incur the Penalty ensuing viz. Every one so meeâ—â—ng shall pay to the use of the Country for every time Ten Shillings And every one speaking in such a Meeting shall forâ—eit Five Pounds Observe That by 〈◊〉 Law and the other afore-mentioned Law of forty Shillings for every hours entertainment to any Person or Persons or others whom they account blasphemous Hereticks as they did account all that dissented from their Priests Worship by which two Laws they gained abundance of Money for Fines of the Inhabitants who were found either at the Quakers Meeting or to entertain their Relations and Kindred though Father or Mother Brother or Sister or any other Friend or Friends or Relations and Kindred whom in their Law They call by the name of Strangers and Vagabonds as by the following Laws will further appear and that every man by Membership admitted to the freedom of their Body Politick was according to their Priests way of teaching become a Ruleâ— to lord over the Faitâ— of every Dissenter by
Warrant where no Magistrate is at hand by any Constable Commissioner or Select Man and conveyed from Constable to Constable until they come before the next Magistrate who shall commit the said Person or Persons to close Prison there to remain without Bail untiâ— the next Court of Assistants where they shall have a legal Tryaâ— by a special Jury and being convict to be of the cursed Sect of Quakers shall be sentenced to Banishment upon pain of DEATH Obs The Reader may hence understand that the â—eaâ—er the Magistrates Laws did extend to destroy the Lives of the Innocent the more pleasing it was to the Hireling Priests â—ho in honour thereunto would set Time apart for the Churches Thankâ—giving A New-England Antichristian Law And that every the Inhabitants of this Jurisdiction being convicted to be of the cursed Sect of Quakers either by taking up publishing and defending the horrid Opinions of the cursed Quakers or stirring up Mâ—tâ—aâ— Seditâ— or Rebellion against the Goverment of our Church at â— Common Wealth or by taking up their absurd and destructive Practices viz. denying civil Respect and Reverence to Equals and Superiours with-drawing from our Church Assemblies and instead thereof frequenting private Meetings of their own in Opposition to our Church Order or by adhearing to or approving of known Quakers that are opposit to the Oâ—thodox received Opinions of the Godly and endeavouring to disaffect others â—o civil Goverment and Church Order established amongst us and condemning the Practice and Proceedings of this Court against the Quakers manifesting thereby compliance with those whose design is to overthrow the Order established in our Church and Common-Wealth The reader may here Observe the wretched state of these Bloody minded Persecutors who for want of true faith were in the state of thâ—ir elder Brother Cain that was a murderer like unto these who destroy the righteous for their Faith and Obedience to God for which cause these Persecutors bear Cains mark being in fear that those which are not of their murdering Spirits will slay them and knowing themselves to be like principled as was Hugh Peters Venner and many others of their New-England Brethren in Iniquity stirring up Mutiny Sedition and Rebeâ—lion against the English Government and the Order of the English Church established by the Bishops as by the Chronicles of England doth at large appear of their Rebellion and Treason against the King and his Children in that day of their inventing so much mischief against others in our Native Land to set up themselves above all others which Spiâ—it is the same in these their persecuting Brethren who impute that to the Charge of an Innocâ—nt harmeless People which themselves are so highly guilty of as is manifested by their setting up themselves to lord it over the People of God and the Kings Subjects as for fifty or sixty Years time they have done in New-England where the hireling Priests kept a constant stroke of puting all that dissented from their Worship into bear skins and setting their Followers to tear them in pieces calling out in their preaching to their people Curse ye Meroz Curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants that will not come to the help of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5 23. and cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully by witholding his Sword from blood Jeâ— 48.10 with more of the like endeavouâ—ing to perswade that Gods general Judgments would not depart until they had hanged all the Quakers and sent going all other Dissenters The Judgments may remove but when old Charter men Are dead and then Or when God sends here better men Well to rule in Government then Pro. 29.2 From Devil and such Wicked Priests pray God deliver me Then from all Mischief in the World be sure I shall be free Hosea 6.9 New-England Peusecutors Laws against the Kings Subjects Every such Person upon Examination and Conviction before the Court of Assistants in manner as aforesaid shall be committed to close Prison for onâ— Month and unless they chuse to depart the Jurisdiction shall give Bond for their appearance at the next Court of Assistants where continuing obstinate and refusing to retract and reform the aforesoid Opinions and Practices shall be sentenced to Banishment upon pain of Death and in case â—â—the aforesaid Voluntary departure not to remain or to return again into this Jurisdiction without the allowance of the major part of the Council first had and published on penalty of being banished upon pain of Death and any one Magistrate upon complaint or information given him of any such Person shall cause them to be apprehended and if upon Examination of the cause he shall find Just grounds for such complaint he shall commit such Person to Prison until he come to his Tryal as above expressed Observe Here you may still note the Work of the Wicked in whom he that was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning gave them no rest from their bloody pursuit after the Lives of the Righteous whom the Lord did preserve in all their deep sufferings and firey Tryals that not one of the faithful Sufferers for his Cause conformed to their wicked Will who would not endure any that differed in Judgment from their Priests Worship to inhabit within their Jurisdiction who without fear to God or regard to Man contrary to the Laws of the English Native without either fear or regard to God King or Bishops made the defence of their Faith Church and Common Wealth as they call themselves as strong as possible they could with Stock Whip Goal and Gallows on which the chiefest strength of their Faith did depend for when all their other Anti-christian Weapons failed them against the Quakers the Gallows held until the Kings Letter came and removed the strength of their Faith in that also yet they continued by their old wonted way of plâ—king away mens Estates by fining them in great Sums for dessenting from their Priests Worship which from the Quakers Râ—pâ—â—â—â—s them of the Church of England and others amounted to about Twenty Thousand Pounds in the bounds of New-England When Wolves once get a taste of Blood They are for killing all that 's good The Preamble to their Law This Court being desirous to try all means with as much lenity as may consist with our safety to prevent the Intrusions of the Quakers who besides their absurd and blasphemous Doctrines do like Rogues and Vagabonds come in upon us and have not been restrained by the Laws already provided Observe Here note the Foxes Preamble to their Wolvish Law whose Ravinous blood-thirstâ— Naâ—â—re is not contented with the â—lâ—â—ce but strive all they can as have done the Wicked in days past to have the innocent Blood also as did their Brother bloody Bonner in Queen Mary's time whenas to many Thousands of People it is well known that those which suffered in Nâ—w-England under the Name of Quakers were neither in Doctrine Pâ—inciple nor Practise any way guilty of
Pounds for Fines imposed upon them because Dissenters from their way of Worship whose Priests and Rulers had also of their People yearly Sallarys according to the same Proportion of the aforesaid Sum of twenty thousand Pounds through which means as these Persecutors lived at a high rate on that which others had laboured hard to get went in thred-bare Coats and their Families in want of that which was their own and devoured by this persecuting Crew aforesaid whereby their great Oppression reached the whole People of the ordinary degree even as a sweeping Rain that clears all before it Balaam's State is theirs who for unrighteous Gain The People do Oppress themselves for to maintain New-England Persecutors Laws against the Kings Subjects Suspended during their pleasure This Court heretofore for some Reasons inducing did judge meet to suspend the Execution of the Laws against Quakers as such so far as they respect corporal Punishment 〈◊〉 Death during the Courts pleasure Obs That tho' these Persecutors saw there was cause to suspend their bloody Laws against the Kings good Subjects so far as they did respect corporal Punishment or Death yet it must be only during their own pleasure not the Kings no they could not stoop to that But whether they did not herein manifest a Spirit of Rebellion against God the Kings Order as by his Letter will appear and the Laws of the English Nation I leave others to judge Now the occasion of procuring this Order from the King was their great Cruelty in banishing sober honest People out of their Jurisdiction upon Pain of Death if they returned for as before is said of Dr. Child Samuell Maverick and other Merchants whose Imprisonment and three hundred Pounds a piece saved them from the New-England Gallows and none without the like hazard might make complaint to England but several banished Quakers adventured to lay their said suffering case before the King whose mercifu◠Ear heard their Cry and took Compassion on his suffering Subjects and forth-with stopt New-England Persecutors wicked hands from shedding more innocent Blood being acquainted with their great Wickedness and knowing the manner of their Spirits by what their Brother H. Peters Vennor other of their N. England Brethren had done both against his Father and himself as by his Letter he begins with them as afterwards it proved so to be as a wise man with the Tope Tile or covering of a fair outside Building whose inside is full of all manner of Deceit and the Foundation thereof very dangerous by degrees in working down-wards till he comes to the Foundation which afterwards was wholly removed through the loss of their Charter which to them had been as an Idol Godd in which they trusted as much as ever the People did in Baal and if ever Silver and Gold procure such another it may be at a high Rate and they are like to be as cruel as before But the English Laws are far before New-England Idols God will not ever permit the Devils Power Nor wicked Men the Righteous to devour A Copy of the King's Letter Charles R. TRusty and well beloved We greet you well Having been informed that several of Our Subjects amongst you called Quakers have been and are Imprisoned by you whereof some have been Executed and others in danger to undergo the like We have thought fit to signifie Our Pleasure in that behalf for the future and do hereby Require That if there be any of those People called Quakers amongst you now already condemned to suffer Death or are Imprisoned and obnoctious to the like Condemnation You are to forbear to proceed any further therein but that you forth-with send the said Persons whether condemned or imprisoned over into this our Kingdom of England together with their respective Crimes or Offences laid to their Charge to the end such course may be taken with them here as shall be agreeable to our Laws and their Demerits And for so doing these Our Letter shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge Given at our Court at White-hall the 9 th day of Septemb. 1661. in the 13 th Year of Our Reign Subscribed to Our trusty well-beloved John Endicot Esq and to all and every other Governours of Our Plantation of New-England and to all the Collonies thereunto belonging that now are or hereafter shall be and to all and every the Ministers and Officers of Our said Plantation and Collonies whatsoever within the Continent of New-England By His Majesty's Command W. Morris Obs Now these Persecutors had nothing to charge these Innocent People with but that they were Quakers against whom they had provided a Law but this Law was repugnant to the Laws of the English Nation and therefore upon the receipt of the Kings Letter they durst do no other than set at liberty both them condemned to suffer Death and those imprisoned also but herein they did not obey the Kings Command for he commanded them to send these Quakers so imprisoned or condemned over to England with the particular Crimes laid to their charge but this they would not do and good reason why they had to Crimes to lay to their Charge but that they were Quakers And being brought to this pinch instead of sending a Ship load of Quakers and a large Roll of their Crimes of Treason Rebellion Subversion of Government c. home to the King they send a Ship load of Masts for a Present to the King with a parcell of horrid Wicked Lyes against the Quakers to defray the charge of which Present the poor Inhabitants were severaly Rated After which their great Deceit and abominable Hypocrisie the King came to find out not only in doing as aforesaid but upon many other accounts too large here to relate and before I conclude enough against them will appear to manifest their great Wickedness against God the King and People Yet notwithstanding all this they could not long forbear their old work of Persecution but soon put their Law in execution again for the Kings Letter was dated 1661. and they revived their old Law again in 1662. which was done more in obedience to the Devil and to please their hireling Priests than in honour to God or respect to the King against whom they did rebell in so doing as appears by his Letter and their not sending any of the Quakers over into the Kingdom of England but instead thereof sent a Present with a parcell of Lyes too large here to relate and put their Law into Execution again and as sharp cruel and barbarous was the Execution respecting corporal punishment as formerly though the Towns were not to be so many in which they were to be whipt yet the Whip with three single hair twisted small Cords each being knotted fit for the Devil and Priests Work was the same as before the Kings Letter came and did so continue till near or about the time they lost their Idol viz. their old Charter on which was their dependance above
GOD or KING as is manifested by their Works Priests Rulers Masts for Ships Dâ—ceis and Lyes withall Poor People made to pay for Presents to White-hall New-England Persecutors Laws against the Kings good Subjects upon Complaint of the Priests put into Execution again NOW forasmuch as new Complaints are made to this Court of such Persons abounding especially in the Eastern parts endeavouring to draw away others to that wicked Opinion it is Ordered That the last Law Tit. Vagabond Quakers May 1661. be hence-forth in force in all respects provided their Whipping be but through three Towns and the Magistrate or Commissioner signing the Warrant shall appoint both the Towns and number of Stripes in each Town to be given 1662. Obs Here by comparing this their Date to their Law with the date of the Kings Letter how little regard they had to the Kings Mind and Will therein contained which was whether condemned to suffer Death or Imprisoned or to suffer corporal Punishment to forbear to proceed any further therein but forthwith to send the said Persons over into the Nation of England with the respective Crimes or Offences laid to their Charge to the end such course might be taken with them according to the Nature of the Offence as should be agreeable to the English Laws Which express command of the King was but a small time minded by them for upon their considering the cause some small time proposed to themselves that by virtue of their Idol Charter they had as much Power in New-England as the King had in Old-England and had they the like strength of Men and Shipping would no doubt with stand all Kings and Princes that should adventure to oppose their way now had not I my self heard some of them say these things durst not have charg'd it here upon them to publick view and for a further evidence of the same witness their Proclaiming with a Trumpet before them against the Kings Commissioners in Boston perswading the People as near as as they could That their Commissions were made under a Hedge with much 〈◊〉 of the like Nature too â—orge here toâ— relate Priests Rulerr bloody Work on People hath brought Wo With their consent that silent were to have it so They 'r Works of him that is of Hell ' Gainst God and King all such Rebell New-England Persecutors Law against the Kings Subjects Whereas it may be found amongst us that mens Thresholds are set up by Gods Thresholds and mens Posts by Gods Posts especially in open Meetings of the QVAKERS whose damnable Heresies and abominable Idolatries are hereby promoted imbraced ând practised to the Scandal of Religion hazard of Souls and provocation of divine Jealousie against this People For Prevention and Reformation whereof it is Ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof That every Person found at a Quakers Meeting shall be apprehended ex Officio by the Constable and by Warrant from a Magistrate or Commissioner shall be committed to the House of Correction and there to have the Discipline of the House applyed unto them and to be kept to work with Bread and Water for three days together and then to be released or else shall pay a fine of five Pounds in Money to the Country for every such Offence and all Constables neglecting their Duty in not faithfully executing this Order shall incur the Penalty of 5 l. upon conviction one third part whereof to the Informer Obs The Reader may here take Notice of one of these Persecutors many horrid and wicked Lyes so proved by their Contradiction who in their Preambles to their Laws accuse the Quakers with keeping their Meetings private yet at unawares in their Bridewell Law they charge the contrary and though they pretend the sin is great yet it may be bought off for five Pounds in Money as often as they please but the said Sum not being paid them by any one they were much enraged thereat finding their covetous design in making said Law disappointed because it reach no further than to punish them that were not free to pay 5 l. for being at a Quakers Meeting as aforesaid the Penalty of which Law several Merchants in Boston suffered rather than to disobey God by satisfying the lust of such covetous Priests and Rulers who prefer the love of Money before punishing for that which themselves account so great sins as by the Preamble of their Laws they pretend these above-mentioned to be Their bloody Laws are almost done Which Work the Priests at first begun New-England Persecutors Preamble to their Laws against provoking Evils as they call them Whereas the most wise holy God for these several years past hath not only warned us by his word but chastized us with his Rod inflicting upon us many general Judgments but we have neither heard the word nor rod as we ought to be effectually humbled for our sins to repent of them hence it is the righteous God hath hightened our Calamity and given Commission to the barbarous Heathen to rise up against us and become a smart Rod and severe Scourge to us in burning and depopulating several hopeful Plantations murdering many of our Inhabitants of all sorts and seeming as it were to cast us off and putting us to shame and not going forth with our Arms hereby speaking aloud to us to search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord our God from whom we have departed with great back-sliding Obs That to acknowledge the Truth is well and well would it be indeed if they were found acknowledging the whole Truth and to repent of shedding innocent Blood which is the great sin of New-England Priests and Rulers as also of the consenting Church Members thereof but of this there is no mention made in their Preamble-confession of words without Works of Truth and Righteousness to God and People according as is at large manifest by their afore-mentioned Laws the neglect of which Execution was by their Priests imputed to be the main cause of general Judgment to come upon them But they use to say If all the Quakers were hanged and all other Dissenters clear'd out of their Jurisdiction then would their Land enjoy Peace Unto which Work the Rulers were bewitched so far as the Devil was permitted to drive them who were as willing to run and to work they went against all Dissenters and set forth a Book against the Baptists entituled The Rise and Foundation of the cursed Sect of Annabaptists in which was as many Lyes as they use to gather for their Pulpit Work on the first Day against the Quakers which Lyes to hear also costs the People Money None are more blind than those that will not see The cause for which Gods general Judgments be New-England Persecutors Law against Provoking Evils as they call them 1. This Court apprehending there is too great a neglect of Discipline in the Churches and especially respecting those that are their Children through the non acknowledgment of them
th 1695. ACcording to the within Warrant I have been at the House of Thomas Maule and there have found thirty one of said Pamphlets and them secured as required and have seized the said Maule and delivered him to the keeper of their Majesties Goal in Salem there to be secured in order to his apearance at the time and Place within mentioned and have sent the said Thomas Maule by the bearer Jeremiah Neale to answer as within exprest which Jeremiah Neale I do constitute and appoint to be my lawful Deputy to make return of this Warrant with the Body of said Maule and to act in all things which shall be further ordered relating to me concerning the within Warrant George Curwin Sherriff This is a true Copy of the Origenal Return attested By Jeremiah Neale Sherriff-Deputy Thomas Maule being brought by the said Neale and said Goaler out of Salem County into Boston County where appearing at the Council Chamber before the said Governour and Council who put divers Insnaring Questions to said Maule He made this Reply That no righteous Law did bind or injoyn him to answer further then he saw good and that they had not acted agreeable to Law in compelling him into their County to stand tryal before them who in the case were not his equal Judges and if they did intend to proceed against him he did expect the benefit of the Kings Laws which did aâ—â—ow his Judges to be Twelve men of his Equals belonging to the same County he was of The which being consented to four hundred Pounds Bond was given for his appearance to answer them at their High Court of Injustice against him at Ipwswich the 19th of the 3d Month May 1696. But before said Maule came to his Tryal they Imprisonâ—d him and sacrificed sixteen pounds worth of his Books a burnt Offering to their Anger and Revenge though upon his Tryal the Jury could not find him in the least guilty of any evil fact relating to their Charge about his Book The time of the Courts setting being come said Maule was called to his Tyral before Thomas Danâ—ord Elisha Cook and Samuell Sewal three of the Council and Judges of this Court who demanded of Thomas Maule If he did own that Book intitulâ—d Truth held forth and maintained c. to be of his putting â—orth To which he said The outside of the Book did not fully manifest to him what the inside thereof did contain The Book being given to him when he had lookt it throw return'd it again with this answer That all Printed in the Book he did own to be Truths which he did vindicate maintain excepting the Printers Errors and some mistakes occasioned through Authors which were common to good Books Then Judge Danford said You are to answer for Printing this Book without Liscence of Authority To which said Maule answered That if he were accountable for so doing it was not to them but to the Bishops of the Engâ—sh Church and the King did allow him the same liberty to have his Book printed as they did to any of their subjects which seperated or dissented from their way of Worship Then Judge Cook said You are to answer for publishing your Book in this Government without the Lisence of the present Authority To which said Maul replyed The Goveâ—nment is the Kings or ought so to be and the Books are my own Goods who as an English Merchant have good right by the Kings Laws to dispose of my Goods in any of the Kings Plantations Then Anthony Chickley the Kings Attorney said Your Books are not lawful goods to be disposed of amongst the People because they contain notorious wicked Lyes against the Churches and Government of this Province as likewise false Doctrine utterly subversive to the true Christian and professed Faith besides Scandals upon many private Persons To which said Maul made this Reply That the Charge was yet to prove and which they could never prove against him and so long as there was no evil fact he was no Transgressor of any righteous Law and if their Chaâ—ge were true as it is not it is no more than what they and their Priests are guilt of against all Persons as well as the Church of England that dissented from their Priests way of Worship for which cause and persecuâ—ing the People of God and the Kings Subjects to death their Doctrine Principles and Practices were condemned by all true Christian People that did know or hear of their unrighteous Works which fâ—â—â—hese many years have caused Gods Judgments to come upon this Land and for not repenting are you now given up to murder one an ther through the Devis accusation by Specter Evidence accusing both Priests Rulers and People of being Witches Then Judge Cook to this purpose said You are a horrible Lyar and it werâ— better you would forbear in this nature running your self into further Troublâ— by accusing the Churches and Government after such a horrible wicked rate as you have done and still do persist in for which you are to suffer according to your Deserts To which said Maul made this Reply That the Truth by him to them was spoken and so loâ—g as he did not â—xceed the bounds thereof he did not fear their Whip Goal or Gallows and withal that relating to this his Testimony he had suffered ten times 〈◊〉 their Jurisdiction five times by Imprisonment three times by the loss of Goods taken from him and twice by cruel Whipping and now before this Tryal they had both imprisonmed him and burnt sixteen Pounds worth of his Books and 〈◊〉 yet not given him any Copy of the particulars of the Charge against him To which Judge Danford said It is but reason that Thomas Maule should have a Copy oâ— what we have to charge him with and also time to consider of it which by the renewing of his Bond he may have till next Salem Court Which was agreed to Then Judge Cook said That he would have Thomas Mâ—ule to be more careful of what he said relating to the Scriptures and not to undervalue them as he had already done by comparing his Book with the Bible To which Maul answered That to compare that with the Bible which was agreeable to the holy Scriptures in the Bible could be in no way found to contradict or undervalue the Bible And as to Errors now so much talkt of he did not know of any Book that was free for as some of the learned have said Beza committed eight hundred Errors in his first Translation of the New Testament which by amending through his second Translation left three hundred Errors therein And by comparing Mat. 27 v. 5. wâ—th Acts 1.18 proves as great a Mistake as any he knew to be in his Book Judge Cook commanded this Sentence to be writ down Then said Maul desired it might be writ down That at present he did so believe Which being done he said That if through his now so believing did pâ—ove
year from Persons chiefly of their own Churches for the sin of Uncleanness as also some years no less then forty Hundred Pounds a year for Fineâ— which they compelled from the people of God and the Kings good Subjects dissenting from their Priests Worship with which and ten Thousand Pounds yearly paid the Priests for preaching and as much yearly paid the Rulers for making Laws and Judging all which came out of the poor Peoples labour within the bounds of New-Englands Priests and Rulers Where men can make what Laws they please Such Priests and Rulers live at ease New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as tâ—â—y call them It is ordered by this Court. That no person within this Jurisdiction nor any of their Relations depending upon them whose visible Estates real and personal shall not exceed the true value of two hundred Pounds shall not wear any Gold or Silver Buttons or Gold or Silver Lace or Bone Lace above two Shillings per yard or Silk Hoods or Silk Scarss Points or Ribbands or great Boots upon the penalty of ten Shillings for every such Offence And further ordered by the Authority aforesaid That the Select men of every Town are hereby impowered enabled and required to asseâ—s every such Person so offending in any of the Particulars above-mentioned in the Country Rates at two hundred Pounds Estates according as such men pay to whom such apparel is allowed Alwayes provided That this Law shall not extend to the Restraint of any Magistrate or publick Officer of this Jurisdiction their Wives and Children who are left to their own discretion in wearing Apparel or any settled Military Officer or Souldier in the time of Military Service or any other whose Education and imployment have been above the ordinary Degree or whose Estates have been considerable though now deacyed 1651. It is further ordered and Enacted by this Court and the Authority thereof that all Persons within this Jurisdiction that shall wear any Apparel exceeding their quality and Condition of their Persons or Estates and either of these be so Judged by the Grand Jury and County Court of that shire where such complaint is made all such Persons being convicted shall for the first Offence be admonished for the second Offence pay a Fine of twenty Shillings for the third Offence forty Shillings a time and so following as the Offences are multiplied to pay forty Shillings a time â—o the Treasurer of that County And further ordered That if any Taylor shall make or fashion any Garment for Children or Servants contrary to the mind and order of their Parents or Governours every such Taylor shall for the first Offence be admonished and for the second Offence forfeit double the value of such Apparel or Garment as he shall make or fashion contrary to the mind and order of such Parents or Governours as aforesaid the one half thereof to the Owner and the other half to the Country And all Grand-Jurys are hereby enjoyned to present all those whomthey shall judge breakers of this Order 1662. Obs That in the year aforesaid 1662. through the Priests advice they were hot in persecuting both Quakers Baptists and all other Dissenters thinking thereby to fine and whip the Christians from their Religion which according to the advice of their hireliâ—g Priests being in hopes to do that when they had so done and over-come the aforesaid provoking evils of Pride in Apparel that God would the more hear their loud Prayers and remove his great Judgments from amongst them for it is certainly true my self is witness to the same that have often heard them say That Gods Judgments would never remove from amongst them till all the Quakers and other Dissenters were hanged or cleared out of their Jurisdiction And for another Instance â—once was present when Thomas Maule of Salem came to one of the aforesaid Rulers for a Warrant to search for one hundred Pounds worth of Silks and other rich Goods stole out of his shop the night before to whom this Ruler answered He would grant him no Warrant but would complain to the Court of any man that did grant him a Warrant to search for his Goods Moreover in my hearing said to him If a man knock you on the head or hang you the recompence is in your own hands for you are not to be protected by the Laws of this Government This was the Justice of this great Ruler and Church Member free of their Body Politick as they call themselves whose Laws allow that Apparel to themselves which to others they impute the wearing of to be one of the provoking Evils for which Offence as they call it the Offender by their Law must be equally rated with such to whom the Law allows the said Apparel as also to pay 40 s. a time as the Offences multiply and if not able to pay then to be punished Pride Oppression and Covetousness abound All which by Priests and Rulers Law is found New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as they call them Whereas there is much Prophaneness amongst us in Persons turning their backs upon the publick Worship before it be finished and the blessing pronounced It is Ordered by this Court That the Officers of the Churches or select men shall take care to prevent such Disorders by appointing Persons to shut the Meeting-house Doors or any other meet way to attain the end Obs The time was now near at hand in which all their wicked Works against Dissenters as well as on other accounts came to be throughly looked into by the King and Powers in England who found their Unrighteousness so great that as before related their building began a pace to be overthrown which People perceiving many of the Priests Hearers began to give little heed or regard to their Idol Worship to which they had been so long kept for divers years meerly by the strength of unrighteous Laws and now at this time finding the Priests and Rulers strength to confide in little more besides the Meeting-house Doors in a little time after they had been in Meeting were willing to depart without hearing any more of the Priests long winded Railing against the Baptists Quakers and all other Dissenters for which cause I say many Persons turning their backs upon the Worship before it was finished and the Money-blessing pronounced the Priests Money Box always when done held out by one of the Church Officers would fall much short of the Priests pay for his Sermon to what it use to do when their cruel Laws were in more force than at this time but the strength of their Meeting-house Doars did at length also fail yet at times as the evil Spirit moved in them they must run whom the Devil permits to drive into such Unrighteousness would be afflicting one Dissenter or another especially by Fines which by Cart loads of Corn I have then seen the Priests drudges fetch from the People called Baptists as also Goods and Cattle from others It was
Prophaneness as these Persecutors say I find the Cause the Priests did want more pay Old Charter Magistrates Hypocrisie with an Instance of their Deceit and Cheat amongst themselves at their General High-Court of Injustice to others An eminent Merchant in Boston who is said to have erected the Town-House at his own charge besides several other considerable Gifts to publick Uses he kept an honest sober young Man to sell his Merchandize and its like somewhat differing in Judgment from their Priests way of Worship he through a mistake sold a Bridle for something more than was allowed by these Rulers for men to advance on the Shilling and being complained of was fined a great Sum of Money and besides was ordered to stand one hour in a publick Place with the Bridle in his Chaps and the Fine was divided amongst the Magistrates as one of them testified who being out of Court at the time when the Division was made was by his Brethren in Iniquity defrauded of his share who was so offended at the same that he openly complained of the Wrong he had received by his Brethren in this matter Obs You may perceive that these Old Charter-men had strange kind of Laws whereby to enrich themselves and impoverish others as is already proved by their aforesaid unrighteous Laws so also by this it appears to agree with the same That no Merchant must advance more than 4 d. profit in the Shilling for Goods from England by means of which Law their Cloathing and Necessaries were to them all of their way at a cheap rate for themselves were only Merchants of Law and their Priests Merchants of that which they call their Gospel which Law is their Wills and their Gospel other mens Lines made ready to their hands but the Laws of the English Nation are otherwise and the true Gospel to them that believe is the Power of God to Salvation By Religion with Deceit Makes Hypocrites to be a Cheat. A brief Account of some of the Three Hundred and Nine Persons that suffered Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the New-England Church besides those four Servants of the Lord cruelly-Murthered by a Law made at the Rulers and Priests high Court of Injustice against Dissenters found within their Jurisdiction belonging to Boston which are as followeth viz. NIcholas Vpshall an old Man full of Years seeing their Cruelty to the harmless Quakers and that they had condemned some of them to dye both he and elder Wisewell or otherwise Deacon Wisewell Members of the Church in Boston bore their Testimonies in publick against their Brethrens horrid Cruelty to the said Quakers And the said Vpshall declared That he did look at it as a sad fore-runner of some heavy Judgment to follow upon the Country Which they took so ill at his hands that they fined him Twenty Pounds and three Pound more at another of their Courts for not coming to their Meeting and would not abate him one Grote but imprisoned him and then banished him on pain of Death which was done in a time of such extream bitter Weather for Frost Snow and Cold that had not the Heathen Indians in the Wilderness Woods taken compassion on his Misery for the winter Season he in all likelihood had perished though he had then in Boston a good Estate in Houses and Land Goods and Money as also Wife and Children but not suffered to come unto him nor he to them but more of his Sufferings are at large related in the Books of the Quakers Suffering Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the New-England Church and so proved to be by their fore-going Laws And more of their Cruelty will here follow The next I shall mention is Anne Burden whose Husband being dead and having left Money due to him from several in New-England his said Widdow came into their Jurisdiction to get in the said Debts for the use of her self and Children Now thâ—se Persecutors had nothing to charge her with but that she was a plain Quaker and for that and coming into their Jurisdiction she must abide the Penalty of their Law and which they executed upon her and then sent her away without getting in her just Debts for which she came into their Jurisdiction Which was one of their inventions to pay Debts to Dissenters with especially the Quakers Christopher Holder and John Copeland men of good Estates and of good Life amongst men for being of those called Quakers and coming into their Jurisdiction and declaring the Truth were cruelly whipt with their old wonted Whip of three fold Cords each being well knotted fit for their Church work where-with their Member Whipper gave each of these men Thirty Stripes a piece which were so cruelly laid on that at the sight of their torn flesh and bloody backs a tender-hearted Person fell down dead after they had been thus whipt they were put into Bridewell and there kept for three days without Bread or Water and with their wounded backs were forced to lie on the Boards without Bed or Straw and for Nine VVeeks were kept close Prisoners where none except the Goaler that devout Member could come unto them After which both they and Coll. Rous's Son of Barbadoes had their Ears cut by the Member of their Peace viz. the common Hang-man Now the reason why John Rous escaped with the cutting his Ears only was the kindness they had for him in respect to the knowledge they had of his Father and his being a Gentleman as is more at large in the said Book of Sufferings Mary Clark a Merchants VVife in London who for being called a Quaker and coming into their Jurisdiction must undergo their Law though a Mother of Children and tender of Body to which they had no regard but after their manner imprisoned her for twelve VVeeks and with their Church VVhip fitted as aforesaid for their Priests work gave her weak tender Body twenty cruel Stripes which was the more harder laid on by reason of their Hirelings saying The Quakers did not flinch for their being so whipt because the Devil was got between the skin and the flesh or the flesh and the Bone but more of this is to be seen in the Book of Sufferings under the Anti-christian Power of New-England's Priests and Rulers Lawrence Southwick and his VVife an antient grave couple either one or both of them being Members of their Church in Salem who in good Nature differed from most part of the said Church for their entertaining some strangers called Quakers were fined and their Goods taken away besides their Sons and Daughters were great Sufferers by long Imprisonment and cruel VVhipping as also they had their Goods taken away by the Priests Drudgeâ— and some of the said Southwicks Children were ordered to be sold for Bond-slaves and he and his VVife and Son Josiah either the one or all three of them were banished the Jurisdiction upon pain of Death Horred Gardner a Mother of many Children a young