A BRIEF RELATION OF THE Persecutions and Cruelties That have been acted upon the PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS In and about the City of London Since the beginning of the 7 th Month last til this present time WITH A general Relation of Affairs signifying the state of the People through the Land LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. A Brief Relation of the Persecutions and Cruelties that have been acted upon the People called Quakers c. IN our last Intelligence we concluded with the Relation of proceedings of what happened the last day of the sixt month at the meeting at the Bull and how cruel and merciless the Train-bands were towards our friends that day and how that many were wounded and bruised and knocked down in a barbarous manner the woful effects of which persecution hath more then sufficiently appeared to the amazement of many in this City who have admired the sufferance of such dealing so illegal and cruel in this famous City And we shal not need at this time to aggravate the cruelty of that day by many circumstances for the woful effects shal prove the matter for since that day diverse are departed this life that were beat and wounded and abused in that meeting and particularly one man who lay under the grievous pangs of death for ten days after he had received such cruel bruises and blows then departed this world and upon some considerations by his friends that were present with him on his death-bed and especially they knowing as by all appearance it was manifest that he was killed and murdered and that his wounds and bruises received at the Meeting were the absolute occasion of his death It was found convenient that the Coroner of the City should be sent for and that an Inquest should pass upon his dead body that the murder might be manifest and not be hid in secret accordingly it was done the dead Corps were carried to the Bull into the Meeting-room where he received his death-blows and his body was exposed to publick view to which place multitudes of people of the City did resort to see the woful sight of the dead Corps which was such a sad sight that it made many beholders astonished his dead body was so black with bruises and even rotten and like a Jelly that none can scarce express the grievous symptoms of cruel blows that had fallen on that body which had occasioned his death and for diverse hours together many came to behold the same and went away afflicted in their hearts by the sight that their eyes had seen and the Coroner came and impanelled a Jury of the Neighbors and gave them a charge according to his Office to make true inquiry upon their oaths and to present what they found the cause of his death to be accordingly they viewed the Corps throughly and had a Surgeon or two with them to advise concerning the cause of the death of that person and after some time spent in consulting among themselves and in viewing the Corps then passed together in private desiring the Friends to bury the body which that evening was done and that time they suspended to give in their Verdict for diverse reasons known to themselvs though without doubt it was the judgment of the Surgeon then present and of themselves also according to their evidence and of all that beheld the dead Carkase that he was absolutely murdered and that the blows received at that Meeting aforesaid were the real cause of his death and diverse times since the Coroner and Jury have met together upon the occasion to hear witnesses and to determine concerning the matter and many substantial evidences have been brought in testifying of that grievous cruelty acted that day by the Train-bands aforesaid which have sufficiently proved the manner of the said murder with its several aggravating circumstances according to the expressed method of this following Letter sent by a Friend to the Mayor of the City the next day after the death of the said person Friend I Am moved of the Lord to write unto thee concerning a person lately dead who being met with many others of the people of God at the Bull and Month the 31. day of the last Month the usual time and place of their Meeting for the worship of the living God was so beat and bruised by that party of the Trained Bands of the City which were sent to that place to disturb the Meeting who did so beat and wound many of our Friends and use that violence towards the innocent people that 't is scarce to be believed that men should be so inhumane cruel and merciless to their honest neighbours as they were at that time and place But that there is now a sufficient witness of their cruelty by the death of this person who was absolutely murdered yea purposely and wilfully as may be justly suspected I may suppose thou hast heard of this thing for it was done not in the night but at the mid-time of the day not suddenly unawares by mishap but intendedly and in a long space of time a doing and not in a corner but in the streets of the City of London All which circumstances doth highly aggravate this Murder to the very shame and infamy of this famous City and its Government And now seeing it is thus come to pass consider in the fear of God and take his counsel what thou oughtest now to do as chief Magistrate of this City wherein such Murder is so hainously committed for the end that innocent blood may not be hid nor this cruel deed be covered with hypocrisie but that this matter may be enquired into as of right it ought and sought out by thee and Iustice and true Iudgement brought forth that thou mayest for ever stand clear both before God and men when called to an account and that the City may be cleared also of innocent blood which now lies upon it by this man's death Friend I say again in dear and tender love to thee Consider what thou hast to do in this case it 's not to be over-looked and connived at by thee as a thing of nought for really and in truth the City is defiled by the innocent blood of a servant of God who is slain for his Worships sake and these things will be brought to account before God the Iudge of all who is provoked to anger because of these things and may also 't is not impossible be brought to an account in this world when the sufferings of Gods people are finished which will once be as sure as the Lord lives whose purpose is to deliver his people from all their Oppressions and they shall be free though the Rulers of the earth do what they can to the contrary whom God will deal with as he dealt with Pharoah if the now Israel of God may not be permitted to meet to worship the true and living God and a generation shall not pass till it be accomplished And the innocent
it seems forgotten all his mercy so that there was not one Groats-worth of mercy for the prisoner for James White being called he was sentenced 10 pounds according to the Act and the Bishop cried out Abate him not one Groat Thus they proceeded against nine in the like condition fined them ninety pounds The rest it being the first time less there being twenty or above men and women which all of them bare it with a great deal of boldness courage and patience blessing God that they were found worthy to suffer for his sake Also one William Fallowfield a Westmoreland man coming into this County to visit some friends and so to pass towards York to visit a brother he had living there being taken at a Meeting before he got out of this County was cast into Prison and there continued nine weeks was fined 50 shillings returned to prison there to remain so that here remains onely nine prisoners at this present four for Tythes three Praemunir'd one for having Meetings in his house the other for his Fine As to the body of friends in these parts all are valiant for the truth upon earth and not at the least dismaid at the manner of these proceedings finding daily by experience the peace and presence of God with them having faith that God will assuredly finish the good work which he hath begun amongst us to his own praise and glory for ever for which we with you and all the Elected and Chosen of God remain waiting until the accomplishing thereof Your dear Brethren in the bowels of the love of God I.L. I.H. H.N. Durham Gaol 12th 8th Mon. 62 For the King and his Council Being an account of above seven hundred of the People called Quakers who remain Prisoners in England for good Conscience SUffolk 24 Bucks about 40 Hartfordshire 60 Staffordshire 02 Hide in Kent 14 Kings Bench 12 White Lyon 80 Newgate 114 Fleet London 03 New-Prison 04 Reading many lately released remaining 8 Maidstone 08 Cumberland 53 Westmorland 12 Leicestershire many lately released remain 4 Counter London 02 Hole in Martins 01 Worcester-shire 03 Norfolk 27 Lincoln 05 Warwick 26 Oxford 17 Shropshire 07 Gloucestershire 7 Hampshire 07 Cambridge 20 Sussex 06 Darbyshire 02 Essex 19 Bishoprick of Durham 20 Stafford 01 Nottingham 06 Cornwall 18 Exon 02 Northampton 25 Yorkshire 1â—â— Dorsetshire 11 Bristol 03 Ipswitch in Suffolk 08 Ilchester about 40 Salisbury about 30 Bridewell London 32 Isle of Ely divers lately committed This is the most exact Account that at present we can procure Most of these were committed since the Act came forth against our Meetings And several remain in prison that were committed before this Act came forth to the number of about four hundred We desire that the King would favourably consider the afflictions of these persons who suffer for righteousness sake and not as evil-doers nor as Enemies to the King and that he would grant a Release to those oppressed persons for their grievous bonds So may the King be more happy and prosperous and escape the Judgements of God which the Oppressions of his people if continued will doubtless bring upon the Land which the Lord is provoked unto And that the King be prosperous in good things is our desire London this 22. of the 8th month 1662. POSTSCRIPT BEtween 30. 40. Horsemen who said they were the Kings souldiers quartering in Southwark went to a Friend's House near London broke open the doors notwithstanding there was one there that would have open'd any door to them under pretence of searching for Arms robbed a poor serving-man who was left to look to the house and took away two pair of Stockins from him and a pair of Shoes and a Bible and Knife and drank four or five Bottles of Wine up and swore God damn him and called him son of a Whore and so went away A Relation of what fell out the 26. of this Month. THE conclusion of our present News is not the least material This same day a great stir was in the City and both many Horse and Foot marching in the Streets all the day and in the forenoon the Friends being met for the Worship of God at ths Bull there came Horse and Foot great number and took away all the men and dispersed the Meeting and guarded the men all away to Newgate and took up divers in the Streets as they passed along In like manner they did at the Meeting in Johns street and at the Meeting in Aldersgate-street and in Wheeler-street and at the Meeting in Jameses and in Southwark and Friends were hardly used at every Meeting and to Newgate that day were committed of our Friends about one hundred and twenty persons and put in the Common Gaol above one hundred in one room among the Felons and in Old-Bridewell were committed above thirty and to New-Prison about twelve and are all continued Prisoners Likewise there were taken very many of the Baptized People and others Not one Meeting that we hear of about the City but was dealt with in like manner and Rich Brown himself was in the head of the Souldiers about the Streets on that day So there were divers hundreds committed that day to divers Prisons THE END
of the Corporation and so by the Law not accountable at the County-Sessions But the morning before the Sessions the Mayor Steward and Company gathered together and went to the County Justices and told them we were a people too mighty for them to deal with and therefore desired them to take us into their cognizance So we four persons whose Names are under subscribed were called after a few words spoken to us on the account of our Indictment for not going to hear Common-Prayer some said Tender them the Oath of Allegiance So we pleaded to our former business and asked if we were discharged from that They said we were onely paying our Fees which we denyed but they made haste to the Oath having intended what to do before and read the Oath to us and asked us to swear We asked time of consideration which he called the Lord Fanshaw acknowledged to be a reasonable question so they would grant us till the morning but withall we must say whether we would take it or not then so they recorded the refusal On the next day we were called again for they were so eager on it as if they were in great haste and took so much pains as if that were the onely business they had to do and some in the Court said three or four of these would do the Work or to that purpose They had prepared an Indictment and read it to us and besides alledged many Scriptures to prove the lawfulness of swearing but when we spake to those Scriptures as they asked us to do then Fanshaw would cry out Grand Imposters and yet would often in his words pity us and say he would help us but the Law would not permit unless we would take the Oath When the Jury were going forth with the Indictment we would have spake to them but they would not permit us and said we must not speak to the Jury until they came in which is contrary to the Law Some few words we did speak to the Jury and some of them said they were more sorry than we were but they could not help it and some or one of them said that they would not have found it but that they durst do no other and though they are reputed but Enemies to us most of them yet they said That scarce one was willing to find it After some more time about three quarters of an hour they brought in the Indictment and found us guilty So without sentence we were sent away to Prison And after about three hours we were called again the Lord Fanshaw being gone and but few Justices left the Judge of the Sessions one Hen. Chansie and about four more present after some impertinent quotations of Scripture to prove the honorable esteem the servants of the Lord had of swearing he said That he was sorry that it was his hard misfortune to pronounce so sad a sentence as this was against us and bid the Clark of the Sessions to read our sentence which was That we should be put out of the Kings protection have no benefit of the Law and to forfeit our Lands Goods and Estates to the King and to answer it before the King and his Council or else Processes of Premunire to be issued forth against us and we to be kept close Prisoners the which we are continued And it was said by the Gaoler That we should be kept without pen ink or paper and he to be fined 20. l. if he let any come at us beside such as brought us provision but this latter is not so executed on us They have not yet seized our Estates but they say they expect it hourly and many are their threats against us that the loss of our Estates and thus imprisoning of our persons is not all but to send us beyond sea and that one hath begged us for that end already but we are kept above the terror of these things knowing that our God can if he see it good for us deliver us out of all these things This we thought meet to lay before you and if you think it for truths advantage that any thing further should be done let us hear from you And so we remain your Friends in the pure truth Henry Sweeting Rich. Thomas Abraham Rutt Iohn King Hartford the 14th of the 8th Month 1662. From Durham Friends and Brethren THe Beloved of God our Saviour and the Lord Iesus Christ foras much as it hath pleased God through the riches of his Grace to make us partakers with you in this suffering fellowship of the Gospel as also of the love joy peace and presence which attends all who in uprightness of heart suffer in the like sort though indeed ours is not to be compared to what we have heard hath been in the City by a certain intelligence which hath its date as I remember from the first 6th mo to the first 7th And gives us a full and ample account during that time and we do credibly believe it to be according to truth and it much satisfies us here to see their rudeness and cruelty so rightly Stated Wherefore we shall give you a short hint of what was done in these our Sessions concerning the said people commonly and scornfully called Quakers use it as you shall see fit Upon the 8th of this instant 8. month 62 the prisoners being called all but those three whom we hinted to you in our last were so unlawfully Praemunir'd the last assizes being prosecuted against and cast into prison upon the late Act against unlawful Assemblies and Meetings until the time of the Iudges sitting here and then at that self same time run into this relapse and here left with several others who were cast in here and lies upon the account of Tythes who were not as this time called forth Upon the first day of their Sessions was called one William Foster a man of sober and good repute in his Country who hath laid here since the Assizes for not consenting to find Bond for the good behaviour he not being convinced of any evil that he had done but contrariwise suffered that peaceable people to meet sometimes in his house to wait upon God was called forth and asked if hee could yet find Sureties for the good behaviour which he for conscience sake denying is cast into prison again as formerly there to continue That self same day in the evening some more of the said people were called the Bishop being then upon the Bench after the reading of the Act made against that people and some debate betwixt him and the Iustices about their proceedings at the other Sessions which he thought the said Bishop not to be cruel enough towards them yet said he loved mercy in his heart But the very first that was called before him having been fined 50 s. before and then coming upon the second account the Bishop sitting as Iudg of the Court and will not let to be accuser alâ—o being a furious man had