so far doe the Priests and men of this Generation who in works pretend to the Prophets and Christ Jesus and the Apostles and the holy men of God and the Scriptures outstript their fore-fathers in a sottish and malicious persecuting of the truth for till this example the like hath not been heard of since the foundation of the world and is voyd of understanding and ridiculous amongst all rationall men On this foot he that tells an envious person that he is a murderer and he that looks on a woman to lust after her is an adulterer and the covetous person that he is an Idolater and he that speaketh a Divination of his own heart for the word of the Lord useth witchcraft and he that knowes not nor speakes from the mouth of the Lord is a dumb Dog that cannot bark and he that saith when the Lord saith not is a devourer the murderer of soules and he that biteth with his teeth and prepareth war when men put not into his mouth is a greedy Dog and those who are in the nature and Generation of the Pharisees who professe what they are not and persecute and murder the life of what they professe where it is manifested are Serpents Generation of Vipers with such like would be Indicted as Offendors against the Ordinance for preventing of Duells He that taketh what is none of his as to the things without the things of this world is a Thief and truly is so judged and accounted of He that taketh the words of the Prophets and Christ Jesus and the Apostles which they spake from the life and useth his tongue and saith the Lord saith when the Lord spake not to him having not the life that spake them forth taketh that which is none of his and is a Thief as to the things which are within the things that are spirituall and truly is so judged and accounted of He that steals without hath an outward Law to passe upon him as a Transgressour he that steals within hath the Law of Christ Jesus by which he shall also be judged for further then the outward the Law of man hath no power and this is agreeable to that of God in every mans conscience also to the Ordinance against Duells which they and all the Children of light own in its place as a bearing of the sword against fightings quarrellings evill speakings and such like as evill doing which the Principle of light which is Jesus Christ discovers and witnesseth against and the root from whence they proceed to wit from mens lusts that are within them And he that said Let him that stole steale no more was the Minister of God who addeth the Law upon the transgressour and he that said He that entreth not in by the doore into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber is the Law-giver the Prophet whom whosoever doth not hear in all things shall be cut off from his people and he that said I am against the Prophets that steales my word every one from his neighbour is the Lord of glory who shall judge the quick and the dead by the man Christ Jesus the Law-giver and Minister of God at his appearing and coming But the Priests have gotten a new weapon against the Lamb to wit the Ordinance against Duells and with it they will fight against his battle Axes and Weapons of War to wit his Witnesses and none shall testifie against their deceit with a spirituall weapon but they will have it to be a carnall one and will take an Ordinance of man to fight against it and judge it by which never intended it But their Weapon formed shall not prosper the overflowing scourge shall sweep away their refuge of lyes and their coverings are ripping off nor can the Rocks and Mountaines hide them from the wrath of him who sitteth on the Throne and judgeth righteously And whereas something is mentioned in the Indictment of the Trinity one of them said I know no such Scripture that speaks of three persons in the Trinity but the three the Scriptures speak of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost these three are one and that Baptism by one Spirit into one body and the Father the Word and the Spirit the Scriptures declare to be one and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and this we own he that can receive it let him And this was spoken as to what G. Brookes said of a Trinity in Unity and a Unity in Trinity which as he was told the Scriptures no where spake Court To this Indictment they were demanded to answer guilty or not guilty Answer We are not guilty in what is there charged upon us Court By whom will you be tryed Answer By you whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile and set the oppressed free from whom we doe expect justice and equity Court Will ye be tryed by God and the Country Answer We are willing to be tryed by this Bench and desire that our accusers may be brought in and that we may have liberty to speak for our selves and make our defence against the false accusations laid to our charge Court Will ye be judges of your own case Jaylor take them away which was done immediately When they were first apprehended and brought before the Mayor and Magistrates of Plymouth many honest people who were present at the meeting aforesaid and were ready in the Hall to testifie the truth of things were all turned out and not a man or woman that favoured them permitted to stay notwithstanding which and the keeping fast of the doores of the common Hall that so none of them might returne in did they in the presence of near one hundred of other people desire openly that if either man or woman had any thing to lay to their charge they would speak but no man or woman appeared to speak nor ever were their accusers brought face to face that they might see them or hear them speak And now after seven weeks imprisonment being brought before the Sessions and such an abominable pack of falshood and lyes in an Indictment exhibited against them unto which they pleaded not guilty and declared againe and againe in answer to what they required of them to wit by whom will ye be tryed That they were willing to be tryed by the Bench whom the Lord God of power had set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man c. as aforesaid and desired their accusers might be brought in and that they might have liberty to speak for themselves and make their defence against the false accusations layed to their charge because they spake it not in the form of words which they would have though they both pleaded and submitted to a tryall as aforesaid and a Jury might they have called and tryed them by or otherwise
and hurried with rage and madnesse by the Prince of the Aire who rules mightily in the children of Disobedience beyond bowells and naturall affection And this is the case and this is the condition of these two innocent servants of the Lord who having all their dayes been seeking after the Lord and walking in that which is called good conscience and Godlinesse and having at length through the riches of that free love of God in Jesus Christ come to find what they had so diligently sought for even Eternall life which is in the Son and to witnesse it in their measures and in the light of Jesus Christ by whom the world was made to comprehend and see where all professions and people are who know not nor believe in the light to wit Jesus Christ the light of the world who lighteth every one that cometh into the world nor doe witnesse the life of Jesus made manifest in them as by the light they have been brought to see it in their owne particulars and knowing the terrours of the Lord out of bowels of love to the precious soules of people which are eternall and at the command of the Lord have left their Country and Relations as to the outward in the North and travelled for their sakes to shew unto them what they had found and tasted and seen and handled of the word of life that so their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus and being come thither did no other thing then to meet in the fear of the Lord with friends to wait upon him and to declare the truth of the experience of what they had found of the free grace of God which brings salvation manifested in them provoking them unto love and to good works according to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles and exhorting to holinesse and the things that are eternall as the day approacheth from the measure of the life of God which they had received as the Spirit gave them utterance out of which meetings they were taken contrary to the practice of the Church of Christ and the example of the Saints in the Scriptures and the instrument of Government and dealt withall as hath been mentioned And which indeed is hardly to be believed but hath been said is true for no other thing but as aforesaid have they done or that is not according to the righteous Law of the holy God which shall be answered with that in every mans conscience And to make appear truly to the contrary are all men here openly charged who can even their greatest adversaries because of whose cruelty and oppression and to manifest what it is this Relation is undertaken Neverthelesse through the power of the Lord in whom is everlasting strength whom they witnesse and for whom they suffer they glory in tribulation and stands over the heads of their greatest enemies who puffe at them knowing that he who shall come will come and will not tarry when their Testimony in sufferings is finished for the Seeds sake and the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus for whom they suffer in bonds and are ready even unto the death from the hands of those who professe him as dying at Jerusalem and yet crucifie him in his truth members and have the generation of their forefathers from the beginning And then neither Guards nor Gates shall be able to keep them For our God is King over the whole Earth and his Kingdome is begun to be set up and to him whom man despiseth to him whom the Nation abhorreth to a servant of Rulers Kings shall see and arise Princes also shall worship because of the Lord who is faithfull and the holy one of Israel which hath chosen him saith the Lord the Redeemer of Israel and his holy one who commandeth deliverance for Jacob and Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and their Queens thy nursing mothers they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth and lick up the dust of feet and thou shalt know that I am the Lord for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me The sons also of those that afflict thee shall come bending unto thee and all those that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Syon of the holy one of Israel Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternall excelency a joy of many generations Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty one of Jacob For thus saith the Lord even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with them that contendeth with thee and I will save thy children and I will feed them that oppresse thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and Redeemer the mighty one of Jacob And the Nation and the Kingdome that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Therefore hear now this thou afflicted and drunken but not with wine Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fury thou shalt no more drink it againe But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee which have said to thy soule bow down that we may goe over and thou hast layed thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over A Testimoniall of severall honest men of Plymouth concerning the meeting aforesaid and the passages thereat upon which is laid the pretended ground and cause of the sufferings of Miles Halhead and Thomas Salthouse at which they were present FOrasmuch as we are concerned in the sufferings of our dear Friends Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead who have been kept close Prisoners in and near the City of Exeter almost six Months contrary to equity and justice they having not broken the least clause of any Law we think it necessary to give a briefe Relation of the state of their Sufferings After some trouble and difficulty which the said Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead indured in coming to Plymouth May 16. 1655. they came safe to Plymouth where then had severall Meetings with most of us and the first day of the week following we had a Meeting which was appointed by us at John Harris his house a little out of the Town where both our Friends spake in the forenoon and afternoon and were approved of by those that heard them there being no lesse then thirty persons of the company in the afternoon that came
THE WOVNDS of an ENEMIE IN THE House of a FRIEND BEING A RELATION Of the hard Measure sustained by Miles Halhead and Thomas Salthouse for the Testimony of JESUS particularly in a long and sore and close Imprisonment first at Plymouth and then at Exeter in the County of Devon though they have neither offended the Law of God or of the NATION Published for the clearing of their Innocency from the cloud of Transgression of which they are supposed highly guilty and by reason of their silent abiding such sharp and long and cruell sufferings Even the Sea Monsters draw out the brest they give suck is their young ones the daughter of my People is become Cruel like the Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4.3 Have the workers of Iniquity no knowledge who eate up my People as they eate Bread they have not called upon God There were they in great fear where no fear was for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them Psal. 53.4 The dark places of the Earth are full of the Habitation of Cruelty Psal. 74.20 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal. 12.5 If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath beat his Bow and made it ready He also hath prepared for him the Instruments of Death he ordaineth his Arrowes against the Persecutors Psal. 7.12 13. LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black spread-Eagle near the West end of Pauls 1656. THE WOUNDS OF AN ENEMY In the House of a FRIEND MILES Halhead and Thomas Salthouse being pressed in spirit to visite the Seed of God in captivity in Plymouth in the County of Devon left their outward Beings and relations in the North and passed thitherward as far as Hunniton near the City of Exeter where a guard being placed for the apprehending of such persons as were suspected to have had a hand in an insurrection broke forth a little before whilst they were on their journey at Salisbury and dispersed at Southmoulton in the County aforesaid they were taken up by them and brought before Colonel Cappleston High-Sheriff of the County upon suspition of being Cavileeres and having had a hand therein who having examined them though he confessed he did not believe them to be Cavalieres not any thing appearing upon or against them as matter of suspition yet caused he them to kept close prisoners at Exeter for the space of about fourteen dayes and then sent them from Officer to Officer towards their homes But being come two miles from Taunton on the way to Bridgwater the Officer that conducted them from thence fell to the ground and lying grovelling thereon in the sight of divers people was able to goe no further whereupon they returned back to the Justice at Taunton and acquainted him with what had befallen the Officer he sent with them and to know what further he would injoyn them who after some consideration told them he would have no more to doe with them and having set them at liberty desired the Lord to be with them Hereupon they passed to Bristoll where and in the Country thereabouts having stayed some time they departed being moved of the Lord towards Plymouth againe having with them a friend of Bristoll born at Exeter and Certificates from the Captaine of the Fort at Bristoll and of a Justice concerning them and their good affections to the Common wealth which before they had not being ignorant when they came out of the North of any such occasion as had fallen out whilst they were on their way that might require any such thing And so through the hand of the Lord they came to Plymouth the sixteenth day of the month called May 1655. and there had severall peaceable meetings in the houses of friends to whom they ministred what they had heard and seen and handled of the word of life and were made manifest with mighty power to that of God in the Consciences of many to whom they were sent who being thereby turned from darknesse to light and the eye being opened in them which the God of this world hath blinded the captives came to witnesse deliverance even the acceptable time the day of salvation The Standard of the Lord being thus set up many people flock thereunto insomuch that the house of John Harris a friend near the Town where a meeting was appointed to be on the first day of the week following being not able to receive them they went into his garden and to them both in the fore and afternoon did they declare the truth of the experience of what they had found of the free grace of God which brings salvation manifested in them provoking them unto love and to good works according to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles as the Spirit gave them utterance exhorting them in the words of sobernesse and truth full of plainnesse and simplicity and tending onely to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ amongst men without using any inveighings against men or opinions and were approved of by those that heard them though severall came onely to hear some new thing Having both of them spoken and finished what they had to say George Brookes then Priest of the Nightingale Friggot a man whom they knew not spake to the people a pretty space of time wholly in the praise and commendation of what they had said affirming it to be the eternall truth and exhorting them to perseverance from that Scripture Take heed that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine telling them that they must expect to suffer persecution but the principle from whence he spake being seen in the light of Jesus Christ which changeth not with which he was comprehended Thomas Salthouse said that he had spoken many good words and faire speeches but asked him whether he lived the life of what he spake for that it was he that had the witnesse in himselfe that setteth to his seale that God is true and their friend who came with them from Bristoll as aforesaid told him he had spoken of a Trinity in Unity and a Unity in Trinity when as no such language was to be found in the Scriptures which being ended Thomas Salthouse spake a few words more to the people exhorting them in the words of the Apostle Let him that stole steal no more and made use of the words of Christ He that entreth not in by the doore into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thiefe and a Robber which he directed not to George Brookes or any one in particular Miles Halhead having not spoken one word nor Thomas Salthouse otherwise then as afore rehearsed and so the meeting ended But the persecution raised against them then began in which the Priest aforesaid to fulfill the words himselfe had said
the men in severall parts who are summoned by Prelaticall Malignant and Presbyterian Justices so called to abjure Popery or their Names and Habitations to be taken and returned into the Exchequer for the Sequestration of their Estates and these are the men who are taken up in the Country as they are upon their lawfull occasions against whom there being no accusation in Law this Oath is put to them which because they refuse to take out of conscience to an Oath not daring to swear at all because of the Command of Christ Jesus the great Law-giver are imprisoned where many of them have a long time layn and doe yet lye though contrary to Law not unknown to the Chief in Authority some of whom have personally pressed it And not only is this exercised upon men but on women also who till this day since the times of Popery were never known to be so used but have been forborn as that which hath been accounted below the dignity and spirit of a man to exact And the next word now to any one who is reproached with the name of Quaker who are known out of Conscience not to dare to Swear at all is usually give him or her the Oath of Abjuration of Popery though he be their Neighbour whom they know to be and their Consciences tells them is far from any such thing and there they are sure to catch him and to have their revenge on him for Witnessing the Truth as it is in Jesus when otherwise they cannot get him into the compasse or pretence of any Law and having fast here there he may lye for the Eternall Truth for which he suffers seeks not to man for deliverance and those who should regard care little for the matter and the cry of their oppressions seldome enters into their ears Thus in all Ages hath Error sought to support it self against the Truth and to ensnare the Consciences of those of her Children with Oaths when other manner of Persecutions have not reached that so she might be secure and never know sorrow Which Oaths as they are out of the Doctrine of Christ so a Curse have they proved instead of a Defence and the beginner and certaine Fore-runner of the Destruction and Finall Overthrow of that Kingdome as these and former Generations have witnessed though before in never so promising and flourishing condition and seeming in its own eye to want nothing but Oaths to establish it And now the Witnesse of God is drawn forth against this and all manner of Swearing and it is Witnessing in sufferings at the hands of those on whom was pressed the Oath c. And the Covenant and who in their time Suffered by and Testified and Fought against those who imposed and sought to establish both and also against the Bishops Oath Ex Officio which required a man to Swear against himself and Whether the imposing of an Oath upon a man to abjure what is supposed to be his conscience wherewithall to worship God upon the penalty of loosing his Estate if he refuse be lesse let the Wise in heart judge And Whether upon the same ground and by the same Rule the like Oath may not be imposed as to any other thing and exacted upon the same penalty The Witnesse of God hath its time of Raigning as well as Suffering and will as certainly Raigne as it doth Suffer it was ever so in all Ages these later above any have known it so and so it will be in this and in the Ages to come Let those whom it concerns who have had a time of Suffering and Reigning and now cause others to Suffer consider before it be too late The Judge standeth at the door and according to the Greatnesse and Majesty of the Truth that is witnessed and the Sufferings that attend its Testimony and the condition of those who cause it to Suffer as having been Witnesses and Sufferers themselves and the Sword of the Lord upon that which hath caused to Suffer and have known his Presence and Mighty Power therein wonderfully and his strange Overturnings whereby to cause to Raigne what hath been so testified unto by Sufferings will be the Judgement Except they repent You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities saith the Lord Whilst they are the sufferings of Sion who is there that considereth or layeth them to heart but the Rod of the wicked shall not alwayes lye on the back of the Righteous there 's a time when the Testimony of the Truth in sufferings will be finished and other men will have their Day who have cryed Aha and nagged the head and stamped with the feet and helped on their sufferings and caused them to suffer and looked on their brethren in the day of their distresse wherein the Lord will mock at their calamity and their sorrowes which shall come upon them as on a woman in travell and they shall not escape whilst the righteous who have mourned in Sion joy in the Lord and rejoyce in the God of their salvation having beauty for ashes the Oyle of joy for mourning and the Garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse for God is Judge The next day they were brought before the Bench again Court Will ye confesse that you wronged G. Brookes in calling of him Thief and be sorry for it and make him satisfaction Answ One of us did not speak one word to him and therefore I deny to make him satisfaction or to be sorry for it and what was spoken was no such thing therefore we will not lye for our liberty nor confesse that we are sorry for that which we never spoke Court You are fined five pound a piece and must goe to the House of Correction till payment and to find Sureties for your good behaviour and for refusing to take the Oath we shall take course to send to the North to seize on your Estates according to the Proclamation And so to Prison were they returned and what followes entred as the Record of their proceedings A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed and Delivered at the Generall Sessions of the Peace publick holden at the Castle of Exon. July 10. 1655. THomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead for provoking words against George Brooks Clerk who refused to be Tryed by the Countrey fined 5 l. a piece committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for their good behaviour And thus as the day before they were returned to Prison instead of being admitted to a Tryall according to Law after the Indictment against them was read and they had made a sufficient Legall Plea thereunto and Desired their Accusers might be brought in and they liberty to speak in their own Defence as aforesaid so now Judgement is given against them without a Tryall or Hearing or bringing in so much as one Accuser and yet the Record saith A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed Have such things as these before these dayes been
as they pleased they asked them whether they would be Judges in their own case when as they desired no such thing but to be tryed by them who were in Authority and turned them aside for a thing of naught and called to the Jaylor to take them away which command of theirs was presently executed And here let all that are sober and who calmnly weigh things in the balance of equity judge whether innocent men in a case of this nature wherein without a cause and contrary to the Law of the Land they were Imprisoned and so hardly dealt withall and wickedly Indicted and stood before enemies having largely experienced that neither Law nor justice had took place in their behalfe but oppression and cruelty as hath been mentioned should for their parts being demanded by whom they would be tryed make in reason equity and justice any other answer then by those whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile and to set the oppressed free from whom they expected equity and justice or to put themselves on any other issues without being guilty of a manifest wilfull throwing away of their innocency and of a continuation of sufferings by their own consent If those in Authority will have a tryall by other manner of men that they cannot help and of their sufferings that might follow thereupon they are not accessary nor will it by such men be judged a contempt of Authority in that they submit to a tryall A man will in reason chuse to have right taken away from him by force rather then to put himselfe upon an issue from which he can expect no other and so as it were by his own consent to give it away And to that of God in the consciences of those then present and of all others who seriously observe with what rage and malice these innocent people are prosecuted and how contrary to Law and justice proceedings are every where had against them as if they were fit onely to be destroyed yea even to that of God in the consciences of their enemies themselves doe I appeal whether righteous judgement can be by them expected from those whom the Lord God of power hath not set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile in things relating to the kingdome of Jesus Christ which can onely be seen and judged in his light to whom all judgement is given both in Heaven and in Earth And the children of light can give consent to no other judgement and tryall nor from any other can they expect right and judgement but where that is But to put this matter out of doubt and to manifest how instead of seeking judgement and relieving the oppressed which the Lord requires who is a God of judgement the needy are turned aside from judgement and the righteousnesse of the righteous taken from him Those who understand the Law know that as to all Indictments of trespasse of which nature this is pretended to be of misdemeanor and breach of the peace to answer not guilty or to put in a Traverse is a sufficient legall plea and the Clerk of the peace is to record it and joyne issue and is punishable if he doth it not and that onely in cases of life the Law or custome of England requires the person Indicted to joyne this issue of saying by the country when after he hath pleaded not guilty it is demanded of him by whom he will be tryed And here all People may take notice what measure of injustice these innocent Servants of the Lord receive who are sent to Prison instead of being heard in their just defence and their accusers brought forth when after they had legally pleaded these things were by them lawfully demanded and how contrary to Law and justice and to the libertyes of Englishmen lately vindicated with so much blood is this proceeding how plainly doth it speak as if no other thing were intended in bringing them to the Bar then to asperse and destroy their innocency as their libertyes had been before injured by above seven weeks Imprisonment and by arraigning them as abominable offenders in the face of the country to endeavour to render them odious to the people who had heard so much of their oppressions and thereby amongst them to seek to beget a beliefe that their sufferings were just from which least they should clear themselves and in so doing their long sufferings come to an end which to lengthen and make grievous to the purpose resolutions were had to Prison they are sent and the benefit of the Law denyed them in a tryall What greater injustice can there be then this and oppression what higher violation of Law and liberty of these things the Roman heathen were not guilty and to be so dealt withall the worst of their adversaryes would cry out against were it his own case as justly he might Yet this is the measure which the witnesses of the great and living God receive from this adulterous generation and who is there that regardeth or layeth it to heart though it is every mans concernment and may become the condition of others how soon they know not To close this particular let the wise in heart judge whether amongst those a man is found whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judg righteously between man man to put a difference between the precious and the vile who thus turne aside the needy from judgement and take the righteousnesse of the righteous from him And whether they had not cause to say being asked by whom they would be tryed that they desired to be tryed by such whom the Lord God in power had set in Authority to judge righteously as aforesaid About the space of an houre after they were called in again Court It is thought fit that you take the Oath of Abjuration because of your contempt of Authority which accordingly was to them tendred and a Bible holden to them that they might swear Answer In the presence of the eternall God and before all this people we doe deny with as much detestation as any of you doth the Pope and his Supremacy and the Purgatory and all therein mentioned and declare freely against it and we doe not deny to swear because of any guilt that is upon us but in obedience to the command of Christ who saith Swear not at all and we will not come under the condemnation of an Oath for the liberty of the outward man after which they were returned to Prison The Mayor of Plymouth when he first apprehended them tendred them this Oath which when they had refused and given the reasons of their so doing he sent them back to Prison and afterwards signifying that as the cause of their detainment to a friend they sent him in writing more fully their answer
there unto then they had liberty to expresse when they were examined but there still continued them Prisoners And now after seven weeks further durance it was tendred them againe and they refusing are returned againe to Prison Christ Jesus the onely a beggoten Son of God by whom the b world was made the c light of the world who d lighteth every one that cometh into the world who is greater then e Solomon who is f Davids g Root and Lord whose day h Abraham saw and rejoyced whom i the Angels of God are commanded to worship who is the k end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth l the surety of a better Testament the m Mediator of a better of the n everlasting new Covenant the o Prophet whom Moses said the Lord their God should raise up like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and it shall come to passe that every soule that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people he who p said Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away who q came not to destroy the law of the Prophets but to fulfill who is r the Oath of God the Å¿ end of contention and strife where he is witnessed the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse t the Judge of all whose u sheep hear his voyce saith You x have heard it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine Oathes but I say unto you swear not at all but let your communications be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill Then which there is no command in Scripture more plaine and positive either for obedience to Magistrates or forbidding to doe that which is evill And the Apostle James saith But z above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation And yet how are his sheep the children whom the Father hath given him and who in obedience to this his command dare not to swear at all but are come to the yea and nay in their communications imprisoned and cruelly dealt withall throughout this Nation for refusing in conscience to swear at the will of man who calls himselfe a Magistrate of God and requires obedience as to the Minister of God to this his command which is contrary to the command of the higher powers Jesus Christ by whom a Kings reigne and Princes execute justice to whom b all power belongeth unto whom the Father hath committed all judgement and at whose c name every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse and who will render d tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God And yet those who swears where they forbid them they punish and thus doe they exalt themselves above all that is called God The bloody Persecutors in the times of Popery thought not their other persecutions of the poor Protestants to secure the Papacy against them but the Sacrament of the Altar they had by a Law whereupon to examine them by which they sought to destroy their consciences or their bodies in the fire and many of their lives they had in witnesse of the truth against it upon whose examinations the next question usually was what say you to the Sacrament of the Altar and where they suspected a man to be a heretick as they called then the witnesse of the Lord and had malice against him presently was tendred the Sacrament of the Altar The Bishops of late who in words denyed the Sacrament of the Altar and cryed out against the Papists for shedding of the blood of the Martyrs who testified against it were not satisfied with what dispersions they had made of the tender conscientous Puritans the witnesses then against them in and out of these Dominions but that their Kingdome might be established and remaine unmoveable an Oath et caetera they had for every one to take who should be admitted Priest to uphold the Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops c. Whereby to catch and work out of the Priesthood and their beings and lively hoods the residue of those non conformable factious men as they called them whom by no other device they could reach or attach and at length the sword they drew and joyned with the Papists in a war against them These carrying the war against the Bishops and Papists a part of them climbing up into the Chaire of Presbytery to affect and establish the Authority they intended over the State and the consciences of their brethren in the three Nations had a Covenant and neither in Church as they called it nor State and how universall as to others time had manifested as it was by some timely foreseen and understood and prevented was any to be intrusted but such as should subscribe to that and as many of those as they could though never so deserving in the wars for the Nations interest of liberty and justice and faithfull turned they out of imployment who in conscience scrupled it as Hereticks and Schismaticks though above any of them they affectually answered the just and righteous ends thereof but what use these men of the Presbitery made of it against the libertyes of England and what a snare it proved as to that is not yet forgotten and when they saw they could not submit the Army thereto who were made the Sword of the Lord for the ending of the Wars against the Papists and the Bishops they drew the sword against them and their poor wasted Countrey and not prevailing in a first War many of them joyned with the Papists and the Bishops and the then neighbour Nation of Scotland and the Rebells in Ireland and the common enemy yet to accomplish And now an Oath of Abjuration of Popery is found out and tendred to them to swear as suspected Papists upon the penalty of the sequestration of their estates if they refuse who have been known throughout their time to be constant Witnesses for the Truth and most faithfull to the Common wealth and its Army and have born the brunt and heat of the day in the late Wars with the perill of their lives in the field and the losse of their Estates against the Popish Prelaticall and Presbyterian party and have been known all their time to be most contrary to Popery and now in life above any witnesse against all Popish and formall Religion who dare not in conscience to the Command of Christ swear at all And these are
heard of in this Nation Is it not hereby manifest that nothing but to cause the Innocent to suffer is sought after by them who to help those to right that suffer wrong and to relieve the oppressed are entrusted by the Law And is not the Justice and Relief of the Law hereby made voyd and of none effect and trampled under foot by those who are in Commission to execute Justice What is become of Liberty of liberty for tender consciences If things must be so talke no more of Law let not liberty come forth of your lips When they were first imprisoned at Plymouth the Mayor said they were detained for denying the Trinity then for refusing to take the Oath of Abjuration then he sent them to the common Goal at Exeter and charged them with disturbing of the Peace and Other high misdemeanours against the Act prohibiting the disturbing of Ministers and other Christians in their peaceable Assemblies and against the Ordinance for preventing of Duells and for not finding Sureties for their good behaviour At this Sessions they are Indicted for disgracefull provoking words spoken to G. Brookes calling him Thief c. That being read They are had a way and being brought again the Oath of Abjuration of Popery was tendred Them after which they are returned to Prison and the next day are demanded To confesse that they had wronged G. Brooks in calling him Thief and to be sorry for it and to make him satisfaction What turnings are here and falshoods traversed to destroy the Innocent When as One of them spake not a word to him and the Other no such word nor to any such purpose as is contained in the Indictment as is already manifested and as in their Answer to the Warrant by which they were committed and the Attestation of ten honest men at Plymouth delivered to Generall Disbrow and in another Declaration of theirs all hereunto annexed at large appeareth and notwithstanding no accuser was ever brought to their faces and thy heard in their own Defence or to speak for themselves though both at Plymouth and this Sessions they demanded it and because they denyed to make him satisfaction for what they never did and to be sorry for words which they never spoke and so to lye for their liberty A Legall Tryall is denyed them and without a Tryall or Hearing Judgement given against Them wherein they are Fined 5 l. a piece and committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for their good behaviour after their having been kept Prisoners for above seven weeks before and in that manner as aforesaid by those who had broke the Law upon them in taking them from their peaceable Meeting waiting on the Lord when as they had transgressed no Law And to make sure work have they cast them into a place which is no Prison in Law and therefore a remove cannot be had out of it by a Habeas Corpus to the Upper Bench nor falls it under the consideration of the Judges in their Circuits Doth our Law judge a man before it hear him and know what he doth And indeed well might they avoyd it and be ashamed of their Cause and Proof for besides a Cloud of Witnesses which could have been brought and divers that were then present ready to give Testimony to the contrary as hath been mentioned and of the Innocency and Harmlesnesse of that Meeting and what was said therein upon which is grounded as is pretended the cause of all their sufferings Peter Pepham one of the Witnesses which were ready to Swear against them was heard to say the day before his going to Exeter to this effect I am going to Swear against the Quaker and if Swearing will doe it I will make them to suffer soundly He being a known Cavaliere and sometime a Servant to Duke Hamilton And besides G. Brookes and his two Witnesses there is not one to be found of these many who made up the Meeting of whom divers came out of novelty to Testifie what they affirm but the contrary for what they spake was generally well approved of And to mention only one particular One who had been a Captain in the Kings Army very well known in Plymouth did freely declare to a friend That having a scorn and contempt of the men and their way his end in coming to hear them was to see what he could catch from them to render them odious but having heard them he confessed that he thought them to be harmlesse innocent honest men and he would not lift up a finger against them if he might gain thereby ten thousand pounds And he freely declared to both the Witnâ—sses with whom he was very well acquainted That if they Swore any evill against them they would be perjured men Also that he never was so much convinced of the evill of his wayes and the power of God by any Minister that he had heard for many years before And for G. Brookes himself he is one whole conversation stinks in the Nostrills of those who savour of Civility and honesty who know him and his Conversation There needs to this no further instance then of his beastly wicked behaviour in the Nightingale Friggot of which he was then Priest which was such that even some of the Seamen of that Ship justified one who reproved him to his face of the Vanity Madnesse of his Conversation about three weeks before the Meeting aforesaid and told the said George Brooks that They should not be so wicked in their wayes were it not for his example And the Steward of the Ship aforesaid in the presence of two or three Witnesses affirmed That he was had and wicked enough before the said George Brooks came into the ship but since he was ten times worse and that he and some other in the ship could not endure to hear him Preaching or bauling as he called it yea a friend of the said Priests who manifesting some dislike in the Garden at the Meeting aforesaid that his friend G. Brooks should be questioned by what Spirit he spake at length confessed That his life was not conformable to his Doctrine And so abominable was his filthinesse that in the same Frigot was he made a publick Example for his Drunkennesse having a Quarter Canne hanged about his Neck and is since for that and his other wickednesse set on shore or turned out or the said Ship as appeareth by the Certificates of the Captain of that Friggot and two other Captaines of Friggots hereunto annexed And yet in the Cause and behalf of this Son of Belial so full of lyes and falshoods in every particular are the Innocent servants of Christ Oppressed and Afflicted as if they were not fit to live and after almost two months imprisonment lying on the ground because they refused to confesse and be sorry for calling him Thief which they never did nor was there any one that made proof thereof to their faces after their long and hard bonds
Page Mayor The Answer of Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead to the above written Warrant A True Copy of a Miltimus by which we Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead are committed to the Goal at Exon. by John Page Mayor of Plymouth with Answers in defence of the truth to the false accusations cast upon us to make truth odious but for Sions sake we cannot hold our peace and suffer lyes to goe for truth First Accusation Disturbers of the publick Peace ANswer The Accusation is false for we have not disturbed the publick peace nor have we fellowship with any such as break the peace but have freely declared the way that leads to peace and doe desire that Grace and Peace may be multiplyed publickly to the ends of the earth and that all the occasion of strife and envy may be taken away and that the feet of them that are running on in the broad way that leads to destruction may be turned into the way of peace The second Accusation For divers other high misdemeanors against the late Proclamation by his Highnesse the Lord Protector prohibiting the disturbing of Ministers and other Christians in their Assemblies and Meetings ANswer The breach of this Proclamation we charge upon thee who when we were assembled and met together in a friends house to wait upon the Lord as hath been the practice of all Christians in former Ages and which the Law of this Nation doth allow Thou sents the Constables with a Warrant from thee and fetchest us out of the house from among our friends and broughts us two before thee and thou saidst thou hadst not time then to examine us but sents us to Prison Here let all people that love the light whose eyes are open judge whether we or our accusers have broken and transgressed this Proclamation which we and our friends claim our priviledge in we being free born men and friends to the Common-wealth and have disturbed none in their Assemblies nor were we at any publick meeting that thou canst charge upon us but amongst our own friends as many can witnesse for us if they may be heard And here we charge upon thee that which thou callest misdemeanours for we are clear in the thing and what is charged upon us here is false as many can witnesse that our demeanour hath not been disorderly nor contrary to the Lawes of God nor the Lawes of this Nation And although the word diverse be mentioned yet none in truth can be laid to our charge nor proved against us The third Accusation Against an Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and his Counsell lately made against Duells Challenges and all provocations thereunto ANswer This Accusation against us is falsly charged upon us the Act we own and the Magistrates sword of Justice we own which is for the punishment of evill doers and the incouragement of them that doe well Our weapons are not carnall but sprituall nor have we challenged any man nor done violence to any nor provoked any nor used any other language then Scripture holdeth forth as Thee and Thou to a particular person whether he be King Priest or Prophet Judge or Justice and if any be offended by this or provoked by it let him speak or write the unlawfullnesse of it for against fightings quarrellings challenging and provoking one another to wrath by corrupt communications doe we declare freely knowing the ground of it for where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evill worke The fourth Accusation Whereas Thou sayest We have refused to give Sureties for our personall appearance at the time and place mentioned ANswer Let the light of Christ in thy own conscience judge Thee and witnesse against Thee for us and for our friends that can bear us witnesse that sufficient Security was proffered to Thee for our Appearance but to make thy selfe manifest and thy Counsellors how hast thou written these lyes in the name of the Lord Protector and strengthned thy self to accuse the Innocent by using his name but to the Children of light is thy deceit discovered and laid open The fifth Accusation And whereas thou sayest In the mean time to be of the good behaviour ANswer We doe affirm before Thee and all the word that we are of the good behaviour and seek to be at Peace with all men and we know that in the truth you cannot charge us with any evill behaviour or that we walked disorderly amongst you wherefore be witnesse against thy self for out of thine own mouth Thou shalt be judged for that thou hast charged upon us we are not guilty of as many can witnesse for us And under these lyes and false Accusations doe we lye in Prison at Exon in Devon whose names are Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead Whom the world scornfully calls Quakers The Copy of a Warrant aforesaid with the Answer above written to it was given in to the hands of General Disbrow at Plymouth with this following Testimony to the truth thereof WE whose names are hereunto subscribed doe testifie That the severall particulars in this Answer made by our friends are true to wit That they did not at all disturb the publick peace Nor were they at any other Meeting but that which was appointed by us to disturb any Ministers or other Christians in their Assemblies and Meetings Nor are they guilty of any Challenges Duells and Provocations thereunto in the least measure whilst they were amongst us And as for their refusall to give security two of us whose names are Robert Cary and Arthur Cotton had given security to the Mayor by entring into Recognisance for their appearance at the next Sessions the day before their sending to prison but that the Town Clerk made it void the next day pretending it could not be according to Law Ralph Fogg Arthur Cotton Robert Cary Richard Smith Anthony Todde John Harris the younger Thomas Faulkner Nicholas Cole John Martindale Richard Lepincote John Harris the Elder The Copy of a Letter from the Mayor of Plymouth to Generall Disbrow concerning Miles and Thomas Plymouth 1 June 1655. Right Honourable CAptain Hatsell hath communicated to me what you rote him in reference to those two men Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead of whom and of their imprisonment your Honour had heard something from some persons of this place and received a copy of a Letter which they sent me By the inclosed copies of their Examinations your Honour will see some part of the cause of their confinement which was on their refusall to give Bayle for their appearance the next Generall Sessions to be held for the County of Devon they being as I conceive offendors within the late Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and Counsell made against Duells Challenges and all provocations thereunto and also his Highnesse his late Proclamation against Quakers and they still refusing to give Bayle for their appearance as aforesaid went from hence to the Goal at Exon. on Tuesday last Indeed Sir
we Answer THe fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisedome hath taught us to regard and honour all men in the Lord and that Act we own which is made against quarrelling and fighting and cursed speaking which is the fruit of the flesh and that the Magistrates bear not the sword in vain but adds the penalty to the transgression of it and not to add the Law where there is no transgression proved And we doe declare and many can witnesse that unlesse you call the Scripture disgracefull words there was none spoken to him by us And we doe affirm that one of us did not speak one word to him and yet we are both accused and imprisoned and if this be the penalty of the Act that if one man offend two must suffer let all that know the Law of England with moderation judge And whether discoursing of the Scripture be a transgression of that yea or nay For what was spoken many of our friends of Plymouth which you confesse to be honest people that are friends to the Common-wealth of England did hear us you say Yet might they not be permitted to hear us examined before the Mayor and Magistrates of Plymouth upon the 23 day of the third month in the Common Hall in the presence of neer one hundred people and all our friends that heard the discourse and know the truth of it were put forth of the Hall and the door kept fast And we desired that if either man or woman had any thing to lay to our charge they might then speak But we never had our Accusars brought before us that we might see them or hear them speak And for that George Brooks spake concerning the three persons of the Trinity these words was spoken by one of us I know no such Scripture that speaks of the three persons in the Trinity but the three that the Scripture speaks of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And the Baptism by one Spirit into one body and the Father the Word and the Spirit the Scripture declares to be one and he that hath the Son hath the father also And this we doe own he that can receive it let him And no such word was spoken by us as calling him a deluding spirit and therefore the Accusation is false Neither did we say that he came to draw away the hearts of the people from God as you say for he stood up and vindicated what we had declared to be truth and that of God in his conscience will witnesse against you in this thing And in that you say We spake to the people not to hearken to him and that he was a THIEF and pointed to the Bible which was then in his hand and other harms to the said George Brooks against the peace publick Here under a cloak of maliciousnesse have you made Lyes your refuge but with the light you are comprehended and your works of darknesse brought to it and reproved for we did neither call him Thief nor say he had stollen the Bible that was in his hand which you say we pointed at And you speak of other harms against George Brooks and say We meaned that he lyed And here you make use of meanings as if here were not false Accusations sufficient to drive on your design of Persecution you might have mentioned those other harms you speak of if you knew of any but it 's like you have mentioned the worst you heard of which we declare to be false as many can witnesse that heard the discourse that are inhabitors of Plymouth and friends to the peace of Englands Common-wealth So all yee that take your Oaths and give informations consider what you doe for because of Oaths the land mourns and the Lord God will come near to judgement and will be a swift witnesse against the lyar and the false Swearer that are out of the doctrine of Christ who saith Swear not at all but in all your communications let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more is evill And every one of you in particular take heed to the light of Christ in your consciences and there is your Teacher loving it that will keep you from accusing any man falsly and lead you out of all controversie and strife up to Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth on him who brings peace on earth and good will towards men who is the Prince of Peace of whose Government there shall be no end who is God over all blessed for evermore This we have written in Answer to the Bill of Indictment against us Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead Prisoners for the truths sake in Bridewell in Thomas Parish neer Exeter in Devonshire Record of the Sentence given against them at Sessions Devon A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed and Delivered at the Generall Sessions of the Peace publick holden at the Castle of Exon. July 10. 1655. THomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead for provoking words against George Brooks Clerk who refused to be Tryed by the Countrey fined 5 l. a piece and committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for the good behaviour The Answer of Miles and Thomas thereunto TO you Justices by whom we are committed we Answer as we did when we were before you and doe affirm that one of us spake not a word unto him George Brooks and to satisfie all such as may hear this thing under which we suffer as if we were Thieves or Murtherers we shall lay open to the view of all people the ground of the Discourse We being met together at a friends house neer Plymouth to wait upon the Lord there being more people then the house would contein we went into a Garden and after we had spoken some words of Exhortation to the people and had declared the truth of the experience we had found manifested in us of the free grace of God that brings salvation provoking them to love and to good works according to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles as the Spirit gave us utterance at that time Then George Brooks unknown unto us stood up and spake to the people with the words of Paul to the Corinthians and said Take heed that yee receive not the grace of God in vain with many words in Vindication of what we had spoken witnessing that it was the eternall truth which we had spoken So after all was ended some began to enter into some discourse with him and one of us asked him whether he could witnesse what he had spoken to be from the life and power of it saying Thou hast uttered many Scriptures and good words but it 's he that hath the witnesse in himself that sets to his seal that God is true Then directing my speech to all that were there by way of Exhortation I spake the words of Paul to the Ephesians Let him that stole steal no more
with many other words of truth and sobernesse which was not to any one in particular If these be provoking words and worthy of such bonds as we suffer let all men that have moderation bear witnesse And in that you say We refuse to be tryed by the Country Oh! how dare you give such things under your hands when you your selves and all people that were in the Court can bear us witness that we did not refuse to be tryed but did appeale to the highest power that was there unto whom many in the Country came for Justice and from whom we expected righteous judgement for you know we said We were willing to be tryed by the Bench to whom all the Court was in subjection to whose power we were and are subject to for conscience sake and did not resist your power but for the ve pounds that is demanded of us we answer we owe nothing to any man but to love one another therefore we deny to pay so much money for naught but if any man will come to us and say that we have wronged him we will make him satisfaction and pay him the utmost farthing And as for Sureties for the good behaviour they that walk in the light of Christ who is the Surety of a better Covenant then mans Covenant whom we witnesse teaching us to deny the customes and fashions of the world and all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to doe to all men as we would they should doe untâ— us And we are tyed to the good behaviour by the Righteous Law of God and dare not lye nor swear nor be drunk nor use any deceit pollicy shifts or double dealing nor respect mens persons for the liberty of the outward man or any other advantage to that in all your consciences doe we appeale whether we be wo thy of such bonds as these where none of our friends nor acquaintance must come at us or speak with us but they must be imprisoned Is the Law of England so exact against us such as have been alwayes faithfull in that which hath been manifested and in the States service and desires nothing else but to worship God in Spirit and truth according to what is manifested and witnessed in the light of Jesus Christ who is the way to the father that when we were locked up in close Prison the Souldiers kept John Gannyclife who is a Constable in their custody for coming to speak with us and another person who did spy in at a hole of the door where we were this they did by an Order from Captain Joyce who hath given it under his hand to take into their custody all such as they suspected to be of us whom they called Quakers But this they doe that the Scripture may be fulfilled which Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples They shall hale you before Magistrates and Rulers who shall cast some of you into prison and the time shall come if they kill you they shall think they doe God good service But here is our confidence in his Promise that he that endures to the end shall be saved and if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him for whose sake we are made willing by his eternall power to suffer the losse of all things that we may receive an inheritance with them that are Sanctified and witnesse against all deceit and abomination to the laying down of our lives if it be required who are Prisoners for the Testimony of Jesus in Thomas Parish neer Exon in Bridewell Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead A copy of their Letter sent the Mayor of Plymouth after their first Apprehension FRIEND SEing the Lord God of power who is Lord of Heaven and Earth hath entrusted thee with the power of a Magistrate to bear the Sword of Justice which is for the punishment of evil doers and the encouragement of those that doe well and to rule for him who brings peace on earth and hath good will towards men even Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth who was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him who is true and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath the witnesse in himself hath set to his seale that God is true he that hath understanding let him read he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love and if any man say I love God and hate his Brother he is a lyar for his Commandement is love and he that rules in love rules with Authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees The Law of God is perfect and endureth for ever he is our Judge and Law-giver before whom all must appear to give an accompt for all the deeds done in the body when every man shall receive according to his works Now Friend to thee for Justice doe we call that the truth may be freed from scandalls and false reports and the oppressed set free which is pure Religion that we may have that favour at thy hands which the Law doth afford to bring our Accusers to us that have any thing to lay to our charge worthy of Bonds that things may be tryed by the light and actions weighed in the ballance of equity that truth may spring up out of the Earth and righteousnesse may run down as a mighty stream and peace and Justice may kisse each other for know assuredly although we are counted deceivers yet are we true and nothing doe we desire from thee as thou art a Magistrate but to have the truth cleared by the light and truth set at liberty and if there be any that knoweth the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and hath eternall life abiding in him we desire to be tryed by him even him that is guided by the Spirit of God and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God And whereas some ignorant men say that we deny the Trinity and the God-head which is false for God is a Spirit and as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and the Father Son and Spirit are one and this we witnesse according to the Scriptures and this God is but one in whom all things live move and have their being who is above all and in all and through all God blessed for ever And for the word Trinity there is no such Scripture as speaks of a Trinity so in tendernesse of conscience and love to the Spirit of Truth which gave forth the Scriptures we dare not wrest them nor speak any other language nor add nor diminish from them So Friend to the light of Jesus Christ in thine own conscience and the measure of the
Spirit of Truth doe we exhort thee to take heed that the spirituall man judge all things in righteteousnesse and truth So we remain Prisoners of the Lord not as evill doers our conscience bearing us witnesse in the presence of the Lord in whom is everlasting strength who are friends of the Truth and of the Common-wealth of England Known to the World by the Names of Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth The copy of another Letter to the Mayor of Plymouth concerning Swearing John Page Mayor of Plymouth FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee to cast us into Prison and hast Examined us and hast found no breach of any Law by which thou can'st lawfully punish us but under a pretence hath tendred us an Oath to swear against the Supremacy and Purgatory We doe in the presence of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth deny the Pope and all things therein mentioned with as much detestation as thou thy self or any in the world can or doth our consciences also bearing us witnesse in the presence of our God who is able to deliver us although we are cast into a Prison nay if we be cast into a Den of Lyons and a fiery Furnace with the three Children as you may read in Daniel that would not fall down to worship the Image neither will we disobey the Command of Jesus Christ who saith Swear not at all and the Apostle James saith Above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation And all that doth the will of God shall know of the doctrine of Christ and whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son If any come unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed and this we doe affirm that swearing is out of the doctrine of Christ although you may alledge many Scriptures for Swearing as in the first Covenant and that an Oath among men for confirmation is to them an end of all strife but he that is made the Surety of a better Covenant who hath put an end to all strife where it is witnessed saith Swear not at all although that you may alledge that the Angels swore yet know this that when he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith Let the Angels of God worship him So we lay it upon thee to witnesse for us or against us whether Yea or nay is not to be preferred before swearing by all those who professe Religion seeing that Jesus Christ hath commanded not to swear at all and he saith If yee love me keep my Commandements and if we suffer imprisonment for keeping the Commandements of Christ it is not grievous to us for we refuse not to swear for any guiltinesse that is in us or that can be charged upon us for we are against all false wayes false worships false Lawes but we deny swearing because Jesus Christ hath commanded us not to swear at all So if we be kept in Prison let it never be said by you That it is for any thing but because we dare not swear knowing that to disobey the Commandements of Christ is the way of Cain who was driven out from the presence of God and became a Fugitive and a Vagabond and this some of you would charge upon us to be Vagabonds who in tendernesse of conscience and in the obedience to the light of Jesus Christ and in love to him our lives are not dear to us to lay down if it be required for the confession of him before men and the keeping of his Commandements for to this end are we called and our rejoycing is in this that in simplicity and godly sincerity our conversations hath been and is honest as many can witnesse for us against those who in their wisedome goe about to entrap and ensnare the innocent And this we write not to justifie our selves but for the sake of the simple ones who have heard many lyes and false reports of us of this doe we put thee in mind not that thou art ignorant that all the glory and honour belongeth to the Lord God who hath said He will not give his glory unto another and Vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord who will ease himself of all his Adversaries and recompence tribulation to them that trouble afflict or offend one of the least that believe in his Name So in love to thee and all people for the eternall good of all doe we heartily wish that grace and peace may be multiplied so we rest in the will of our father to doe or to suffer that he may be glorified by us to whom all glory belongeth for evermore and pray that the sin of Persecution may not be committed by thee nor any that professe to be the friends of Englands Whose Names are known to be Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth HEar ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare O house of the King for judgement is towards you because you have been as a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor And ye revolters are profound to make slaughter though I have been a rebuker of them all Hear I pray you O Heads of Jacob and yee Princes of the house of Israel Is it not for you to know Judgement Shalt thou reigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not their Father eate and drinke and doe Judgement and Justice and then it was well with him he Judged the Cause of the poor and needy then it a as well with him was not this know me saith the Lord And hear yee Rulers who hate the good and love the evill who pluck the skin from off the people of the Lord and their flesh from off their bones yea who abhor Judgement and pervert all equity who turne Judgement into worme wood and leave off righteousnesse in the Earth who decree unrighteous decrees and write grievousnesse which ye have prescribed Woe unto you for Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey a man is made an Offender for a word a snare is laid for him that reproveth in the gate the just is afflicted and turned aside for a thing of nought and the poor in the gate from their right The righteousnesse of the righteous is taken from him he that rebuketh in the gate is hated he that speaketh uprightly is abhorred iniquities are conceived are travelled withall are searched out A diligent search is accomplished the inward thought and the heart is deep they dig as low as