Lord spake in her and now the thing is come to pass She beginning to speak of her Call J. Endicot said Away with her away with her So she was brought to the Prison-House where she was before close shut up until the next day About the time perfixt the Marshal Michaelson came and called hastily for her when he came into the Room she desired him to stay a little and speaking mildly to him she said She should be ready presently even like a Sheep prepared for the slaughter But he in the Wolvish Nature said He could not wait upon her but she should now wait upon him Margaret Smith her Companion hearing him speak these words with others from the Cain-like Spirit was moved to Testifie against their unjust Lawes and Proceedings being grieved to see both him and many others in such grosse Darkness and Hard-heartedness Then he said You shall have your share of the same with other violent words Then they brought her forth and Drums were beat before and behind her with a Band of Souldiers through the Town and so to the Place of Execution which is about a Mile the Drums beating that none might hear her speak all the way The Words of Mary Dyar upon the Ladder Some said unto her That if she would return she might come down and save her L fe Bonner and Gardener-like She answered and said Nay I cannot for in obedience to the Will of the Lord God I came and in his Will I abide faithful to the Death Their Captain John Webb said she had been here before and had the Sentence of Banishment upon pain of Death and had broken this Law in coming again now as well as formerly and therefore she was guilty of her own Blood To which M. Dyar said Nay I came to keep Blood-guiltiness from you desiring you to repeal the unrighteous unjust Law of Banishment upon pain of Death made against the Innocent Servants of the Lord therefore my Blood will be required at your hands who wilfully do it but for those that do it in the simplicity of their hearts I do desire the Lord to forgive them I came to do the Will of my Father and in obedience to his Will I stand even to the Death John Wilson their Priest of Boston said M. Dyar O Repent O Repent and be not so deluded and carried away by the deceit of the Devil M. Dyar answered and said Nay man I am not now to Repent Some asked her Whether she would have the Elders to pray for her She said I know never an Elder here They asked Whether she would have any of the People to pray for her She said She desired the Prayers of all the People of God Some scoffingly said It may be she thinks there is none here this is a mock M. Dyar looked about and said I know but few here Then they spake to her again That one of the Elders might pray for her She replyed and said Nay first a Child then a young man then a strong man before an Elder of Christ Iesus Some charged her with something that was not understood what it was But her Answer was It 's false it 's false I never spoke the words Then one said she should say she had been in Paradise And she answered Yea I have been in Paradise several dayes And more she spake of her Eternal Happiness that 's out of mind And so sweetly and chearfully in the Lord she finished her Testimony and dyed a faithful Martyr of Iesus Christ And still they are going on in acting their cruel Laws for the same day in the former part of it they sent for Joseph Nicholson and his Wife Jane Nicholson and banished them on pain of Death Then sent for three more and whilest they were examining them there came one to the Court and tells them Now M. Dyar is cast off Then several of the Court spake to this purpose and one scoffingly said She did hang as a Flag for them to take example by But precious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints But now the fruits of New-England Professors are made manifest to the World who are so far degenerated from the Lord that they set up the killing of his Saints as an Eusign or a Flag that many may follow their Cruelty These are the people that say Their Churches are the purest Churches in the World and that their Magistrates are godly Magistrates and godly Ministers A fair shew to the World even another Beast coming up out of the Earth and he had two horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon and he exerciseth all the power of the first Beast before him And their General Court being ended they left Nine of us still remaining in Prison it seems looking for encouragement from England that more may follow their Ensign And we have a further Accompt also That one of our Friends named William Leddra being Banished upon pain of Death he not Departing the Colony but being moved to Return again to Boston was Apprehended and cast into Prison and there lyeth Chained to a Logg with a Horse-lock Condemned to Die By all which it is manifest That in them is fulfilled the words of Christ He that will lose his life for my sake shall find it But we do clearly in the Light of the Lord see That he that seeks to save his own life will kill the Just Witness what these Persecutors in New-England who fled to save themselves have done Therefore let all People take notice That Christ nor his Apostles never gave any President Example or Command to take away the Lives of any Who ended the Jews Law which was to put to death false Prophets and Blasphemers and so all that be in the Power of God may see the Ignorance of the Governours of New-England concerning the Scriptures and the Power of God who know not what spirit they are of POST-SCRIPT LEt the King hear me one Request more which I crave of him and I hope will be judged but just in me to intercede for and noble just and righteous in him to grant Forasmuch as I perceive that divers Informations and Accusations against us may come to the Kings Ear by Word or Letter or Petition whereby our Innocent Cause may be falsly reputed and we made to seem great Offenders in his presence upon which I Request That we may have the knowledge of what any such Informations and Accusations are against us in any relation and who are our Accusers and this is requisite for us to know and just in the King to grant that we may not suffer prejudice or suspition in the Kings mind in any case and neither know what our Accusations nor whom the Accusers are And therefore we should account it great favour in the King and no more than what he may do in Justice and Nobility to suffer us to have the knowledge of what we are Accused of in any case in any manner by any person and this for no other end than that we mâ—y make our Innocent and Lawful Defence and may clear our selves from all false Accusations before the King and all the world that we may not be judged in any matter upon any secret Information and Accusation without being heard in our lawful Defence for if the King should so proceed in Judgment against us upon any Accusation without hearing our Defence as well as our Accusers Charge how should he but endanger himself in passing unrighteous Judgement against us to his own hurt And therefore that the King may be truly directed to just Judgment by hearing the Accused in their Defence as well as the Accusers in their Charge and that Gods People and his glorious Truth may not be unjustly judged without hearing their Defence and for the avoiding of unjust Judgment and Persecution in the Land and for the reproving of false Accusers for these Causes the King ought to shew so much favour and justice to let us know what our Accusations are and by whom in all things that are or may be presented to him for there is not any thing whereof we can be accused concerning either Civil or Religious Matters but I hope we can make our Defence clear and prove Gods Innocency with which we are cloathed from all false Informations and Accusations And this Request I present to the King and not presumptuously but with all due respect to the honour of God and love to his People and Reverence to the King E. B. London the 15th of the first Month 1660. THE END
be not works contrary to the Scriptures and the Spirit that gave them forth and contrary to a good Conscience I am yet ignorant and must leave it to the Judgment of the King before whom this matter is brought to receive his Judgment 2. Let the King consider how they have ignorantly condemned themselves in the same things for which they have judged others for while they seem to Complain of the Imposiâ—ions of the Bishops which they stile prevailing Hierarchy If it was Transgression in the Bishops in dayes past to impose upon these Petitioners and to persecute them for Non-Conformists How much more are these men guilty of Imposition and Persecution of tender Consciences Nay they have exceeded in the same Transgression and become seven-fold guilty of the sins themselves which they Complain against in others for they have gone further in Cruelty and Persecution towards the innocent Quakers than ever the Bishops proceeded against them even so far further as the murthering of a Man is more than cutting off his Ear and the Cause of the Quakers towards these Petitioners hath been as Innocent as ever theirs was towards the Bishops Oh Hypocritical generation who are Condemning of others for that whereof themselves are guilty and Imposing upon others in a far higher degree than ever the Bishops imposed on them witness their Law in New-England which judgeth every man to pay 5 s. per day who come not to their Assembly and imposing Fines of 40 s. and 50 s. a piece on such as meet together to Worship the Lord which are evident Signes of an evil Conscience as themselves speak The next thing that I note upon which the King ought to Consider the Petitioners say concerning the Quakers open Capital Blasphemers open Seducers from the Glorious Trinity the Lords Christ the Blessed Gospel and from the Holy Scriptures as the Rule of Life open Enemies to Government it self as Established in the Hands of any but men of their own Principles malignant Promoters of Doctrines directly tending to subvert both our Church and State By way of Answer to this let the King Consider 1. The envious and detestable Spirit of maliciousness of these Accusers and how vehement and fervent their persecuting Spirit is drawn forth with reproachful tearms in the highest degree like as if they could not utter sufficiently the Envy of their hearts or as if they wanted words to demonstrate their malignity and devouring malice against that People whom they in scorn call Quakers and all this to present us odious and abominable before Thee O King I say but this of them unto thee The Lord forgive them if they have not sinned unto death and unpardonably I have no desire of Revenge towards them but I leave vengeance to the Lord who will recompence in his season neither do I desire to provoke or incense the King against them only duty to God and the King teacheth me and love constraineth me and an absolute necessity presseth much upon me to spread our denyal of their bitter and malicious Accusations against us before the King unto whom we are thus fowly accused And I say I am Confident That the King hath better experience of us than to believe these our malicious Accusers And I do Appeal to him from the knowledge which he hath already of us that he believes we are Innocent and not guilty of those things thus unjustly Charged upon us and I question not but he will rightly understand that these Accusations are more out of Hatred and Envy against us than out of desire to benefit the King by such presentation 2. I do Testifie unto the King and before the whole World That we do profess and believe concerning the Father Son and Spirit and the Lord Iesus Christ and the blessed Gospel and the Holy Scriptures I say We do believe and make Profession in Truth and Righteousness concerning all these things and by our Doctrines and Instructions do perswade all People to believe and not Seduce any from these Truths of the Gospel And this is known through these Kingdoms concerning us though we stand now Accused falsly concerning these Matters before the King But as for the Scriptures being the Rule of Life We say The Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures is the Rule of Life and Faith unto the Saints and leads not contrary but according unto the Scriptures in the beleif and practice of whatsoever the Scripture saith and if these Petitioners did make the Scriptures the Rule of their Lives and Practices for the denial of which they here accuse us they would not have Cut off Ears Banished and put to Death for the Cause of Conscience which is contrary to the Scriptures and proceedeth from another Spirit than that which gave forth the Scriptures 3. Concerning Government our Principles and Practices are known to many and partly to the King We are not Enemies unto Government it self as these our Accusers do charge us but it is our Principle and hath ever been and is our Practice to be subject to whatsoever Government is set up over us either by doing or suffering and neither to vilifie nor rebel against any Government or Governours by any malicious Plots or Contrivances but to walk in meekness and humility towards all being subject for Conscience sake as I have said either by doing or suffering and I doubt not but the King is sufficiently informed hereof and believeth this Testimony 4. As for our Doctrines tending to subvert both Church and State this is also a false Accusation and Slander for our Doctrines are to convert and not to subvert even to Convert to God and Truth and Righteousness that men should live in these things and forsake all that which is contrary and this effect our Doctrines have wrought in the World as the Testimony of many Consciences shall bear witness Oh let the King Consider of our Defence as well as of our Enemies Charge who have thought it not enough to whip most cruelly banish cut Ears and put to death the Innocent but must still accuse them falsly and seek to cover themselves by fawning and flattering Addresses unto the King like as if they had done no evil when as the God of Heaven is witnesse to whom we can Appeal That our Brethren suffered the Tortures of shameful Death in New-England through their unjust Lawes and Sentences as Saints and Servants of the living God for the Name of Christ Jesus and for his Truth which they held until Death and not for evil-doing And the Executioners of these inhumane cruelcies seem so far from Repentance for their Evil doing that they rather Justifie themselves in what they have done and cease not to Smite and Wound and Reproach the Innocent and that before the King and that after they have martyred them Again These Petitioners say After all other means for a long time used in vain We were at last constrained for our own Safety say they to pass a Sentence of
Banishment against them upon Pain of Death such was their dangerous impetuous and desperate Turbulency to Religion and to the State Civil and Ecclesiastical as that how unwilling soever could it have been avoided the Magistrate at least in Conscience both to God and Man judged himself called for the Defence of all to keep the Passage with the Point of the Sword held towards them this could do no harm say they to them that would be warned thereby their willingly rushing themselves thereupon was their own act and we with all humility conceive a Crime bringing their blonds upon their own heads By way of Answer to this let it be Considered 1. What Means was for a long time used before they put them to Death is shameful to mention was it not by the means of cruel Whippings Banishment Imprisonment cutting off Ears and taking their Goods by violence It is true by this means the Petitioners dealt with the Quakers and never by any Christian-like means for the very first of our Friends that ever came among them they made them prisoners ere they came on shore and inhumanely dealt with them and banished them and this was the first and fairest means that ever was used by them which are not Gospel-Means nor the Way by which the Church of New-England ought to have proceeded had our Friends been in Error and such as they say of them it had been their duty to have gained them by Love by Mercy and by long-suffering these are the Weapons of the Spirit of God which ought to be used towards them that are in Error in order to the Converting of them from the Error but contrary to this the Magistrates and Church-Members of New-England took Cains Weapons and dealt Cruelly and not like Christians nor like sober men towards the Innocent but their thus proceeding was in vain as themselves acknowledge for notwithstanding the Gospel of Christ grew and encreased and many were Converted to the Faith of Christ Jesus throughout New-England 2. Let it be Considered What their dangerous and desperaâ—e Turbulency was to States Civil and Ecclesiastical Did ever these poor People whom they condemned and put to shameful death lift up a hand against them or appear in any Turbulent gesture towards them Were they ever found wiâ—h any Carnal Weapon about them Or what was their Crime saving that they warned sinners to Repent and the ungodly to turn from his way We appeal to the God of Heaven on their behalf whom they have Martyred for the Name of Christ That they had no other Offence to charge upon them saving their Conversation Doctrines and Practices as Saints of the Most High God and this is witnessed by many of their Neighbours though themselves have hardened their hearts against the reproof of Gods Witness And we certainly believe it was their Malice and Envy that constrained them to passe Sentence of Death upon them and not the Equity of either just Law of God or Man for they deserved not the merit of Death such was the Innocency of their Cause and they are no more safe by the taking away the lives of our guiltlesse Brethren than they were before no more safe I say but more liable to the Justice and Terrour of the Almighty and to the Justice of the King and the good Laws of England for and because of their Barbarous Cruelties but as I have said we leave Vengeance to the Lord and commit them to the Justice of Gods hand which we doubt not but it will passe upon them in his day and season 3. Whereas they would seem to extenuate their Crime of putting to shameful death the Lords servants they tell the King as if they only kept the Passage with the point of the sword held towards them as if they had no intention to hurt them and this the Magistrate did both in Conscience to God and man I say it is to be considered what occasions were given them to stand in the passage with the point of the sword towards this People Was it for any cause on their part but as aforesaid for reproving their sin and crying against their wickednesse when as their lives and conversations were harmless and innocent amongst them I say this was no just cause for the Magistrates to stand in the passage with the point of the sword and therefore they were unjust in so doing if they had done no more and proceeded in the way of Insolent Usurpers for what reason had they to stop the passage with the point of the sword for hindring of as good Subjects as themselves to passe thorow the Kings Dominions Is not this derogating from the Honour and Authority of the King for the subordinate Magistrates of New-England to usurp such Authority over free-born People of England as to prevent them from Egress and Regress in lawful occasions in any part of the Kings Dominions and I suppose this will be found contrary to their Patent and Prescription delivered them by CHARLES the First even this standing in the Passage with the point of the Sword toward the Innocent and imposing great Fines upon men that came to their Harbour to sell their lawful Commodities if they had but the name of Quakers though no other thing could be charged against them yet they were imposed upon by Fines and Imprisonment and the point of the sword was held out against them and all this I suppose is contrary to their Patent and in Derogation and Dishonour to KING CHARLES the Second 4. But to extenuate their own fact of putâ—ing to shameful death the Innocent they charge their Death to be a wilfull rushing and their Death was their own Act and their Blood was upon their own Heads Concerning which let it be considered they no more wilfully rushed upon their Death neither is their Blood on their own heads more than the Prophets and Apostles that were slain for the Testimony of Jesus But these Petitioners do plead These Quakers so called knew there was a Law proclaimed against them Sentence of Banishment upon pain of Death but they would not keep away but came again and run themselves upon the Sword point and after this manner of arguing they would make it appear their death was of themselves and their blood was on their own heads But these poor Evasions and favourable Interpretations of their own Cruelties ought not to cover them from the Justice of God nor from the Justice of tâ—e King for it 's to be considered that where God commands one thing and men another God ought to be obeyed rather than men and it is fully believed by us that these Sufferers did not go into New-England in their own cause but in Gods Cause and in the Motion of his Holy Spirit and in good Conscience towards God they did rather suffer the losse of their own lives for their obedience towards God than to disobey him to keep the Commandments of men and this was the Apostles case when they were
Him High and Mighty Prince and Dread Soveraign and such like and that they are the Kings Servants c. when as not long since they have signified by their words quoted against them That there was Danger in the King of SCOTS as they called him and reputed him a Troubler of ENGLAND and numbred him with the Popish Princes of Germany or amongst them Let but the King Consider their own words and he shall plainly read as well the temper of their Spirit against him not long since as he shall see their Hypocrisies and fawning flatteries at this time and he may fully perceive that these Petitioners are given to Change though they would make him believe otherwise And this their Address unto the King is like the approach of the uncircumcised Gibeonites unto Joshua ch 9. who wrought wilily and deceitfully using the same words to Joshua We are thy Servants as these Petitioners have used to the King whose deceitful Address is equally parallel with that mentioned The Case is worth observing Joshua 9. vers 4 6 9. 3. As for being Zealous of Government and Order not Seditious nor Schismaticks as they say it is to be Considered That their Government and the Order thereof is not only different and contrary to the Goverment and Order of the Churches of Christ but different and contrary also to the wholsome Constitution of the Civil Government of England who have made Laws and executed them to Banishment and Death without any Power derived from the lawful Authority of England which is absolute contrary to their Pattent by which they Hold their Jurisdiction which saith They shall make no Lawes contrary to the Lawes of England c. And I shall not Charge them in the Kings Presence further of Sedition and Schism than Himself believeth concerning them Again The Petitioners say They could not live without the Publick Worship of God and they were not permitted the use of Publick Worship without such a Yoak Subscription and Conformity as they could not Consent unto without sin c. In Answer to this this is to be Considered That these Petitioners have laid heavier Yoaks of Subscription and Conformity upon others than ever was laid upon themselves Witness their Imposing Fines upon such as cannot conform to their Worship some ten shillings some forty shillings and some five pounds if any shall be absent from their Assembly it is so much a day and if any keep any Meetings different from their Way of Publick Worship it is so much a time and these are unjust and illegal Impositions and it is a heinous yoak of Tyranny put upon the neck of the Kings good Subjects without any Power derived in this case from the King This they themselves do and yet are Complaining of such Impositions and Yoaks laid upon them by the Bishops which were not compareable to these which discovers their own just Condemnation in the same Matters for which they Accuse others And thus these CONSIDERATIONS are Presented to the King in Vindication of that Innocent People called Quakers whom these Petitioners have Accused as Guilty of heinous Crimes that themselves might appear Innocent of the Cruelty and Injustice and shedding of the Blood of Iust men without Cause being men of Guilty Consciences upon whom the Terror of God and of the King seems to be because of what they have done But now let the King rightly Consider of the Case between Us and Them and let him not hide his Face from the Hearing of the Cry of Innocent Blood And for a further Testimony of the Wickedness and Enmity of these Petitioners and to Demonstrate how far they have Proceeded contrary to the good Lawes and Authority of England and contrary to their own Pattent Hereunto is Annexed a Breif of their unjust Dealings towards the Quakers so called E. B. A DECLARATION Of some part of the SUFFERINGS of the People of God in scorn called QUAKERS from the Professors in NEW-ENGLAND Only for the Exercise of their Consciences to the Lord and Obeying and Confessing to the TRUTH as in his Light he had discovered it to them 1. TWo Honest and Innocent Women stripped stark naked and searched after such an inhumane manner as modesty will not permit particularly to mention 2. Twelve Strangers in that Country but free-born of this Nation received twenty three Whippings the most of them being with a Whip of three Cords with Knots at the ends and laid on with as much strength as they could be by the Arm of their Executioner the stripes amounting to Three hundred and seventy 3. Eighteen Inhabitants of the Country being free-born English received twenty three Whippings the stripes amounting to two hundred and fifty 4. Sixty four Imprisonments of the Lords People for their obedience to his Will amounting to Five hundred and nineteen weeks much of it being very cold weather and the Inhabitants kept in Prison in harvest time which was very much to their losse besides many more Imprisoned of which time we cannot give a just account 5. Two beaten with Pitched Ropes the blows amounting to an hundred thirty nine by which one of them was brought near unto death much of his body being beat like unto a jelly and one of their own Doctors a Member of their Church who saw him said It would be a Miracle if ever he recovered he expecting the flesh should rot off the bones who afterwards was banished upon pain of death There are many Witnesses of this there 6. Also an Innocent man an Inhabitant of Boston they banished from his Wife and Children and put to seek a habitation in the Winter and in case he returned again he was to be kept Prisoner during his life and for returning again he was put in Prison and hath been now a Prisoner above a year 7. Twenty five Banishments upon the penalties of being whipt or having their Ears cut or branded in the Hand if they returned 8. Fines laid upon the Inhabitants for meeting together and edifying one another as the Saints ever did and for refusing to swear it being contrary to Christ's Command amounting to about a Thousand pound besides what they have done since that we have not heard of many Families in which there are many Children are almost ruined by these unmerciful proceedings 9. Five kept Fifteen dayes in all without food and Fifty eight dayes shut up close by the Jaylor and had none that he knew of and from some of them he stopt up the windows hindring them from convenient air 10. One laid Neck and Heels in Irons for sixteen hours 11. One very deeply burnt in the right hand with the letter H. after he had been whipt with above Thirty stripes 12. One chained the most part of Twenty dayes to a Logg of wood in an open Prison in the Winter-time 13. Five Appeals to England denied at Boston 14. Three had their right Ears cut by the Hangman in the Prison the Door being barred and not a Friend suffered to
be present while it was doing though some much desired it 15. One of the Inhabitants of Salem who since is banished upon pain of Death had one half of his House and Land seized on while he was in Prison a month before he knew of it 16. At a General Court in Boston they made an Order That those who had not wherewithal to answer the Fines that were laid upon them for their Consciences should be sold for Bond-men and Bond-women to Barbados Virginia or any of the English Plantations 17. Eighteen of the People of God were at several times banished upon pain of Death six of them were their own Inhabitants two of which being very aged people and well known among their Neighbours to be of honest Conversations being Banished from their Houses and Families and put upon Travelling and other hardships soon ended their dayes whose Death we can do no lesse than charge upon the Rulers of Boston they being the occasion of it 18. Also three of the Servants of the Lord they put to Death all of them for obedience to the Truth in the Testimony of it against the wicked Rulers and Laws at Boston 19. And since they have banished four more upon pain of Death and twenty four of the Inhabitants of Salem were presented and more Fines called for and their Goods seized on to the value of Forty pounds for meeting together in the fear of God and some for refusing to swear These things O King from time to time have we patiently suffered and not for the transgression of any Just or Righteous Law either pertaining to the Worship of God or the Civil Government of England but simply and barely for our Consciences to God of which we can more at large give Thee or whom thou mayest order a full Account if Thou wilt let us have admission to Thee who are Banished upon pain of Death and have had our Ears cut who are some of us in England attending upon Thee both of the Causes of our Sufferings and the Manner of their disorderly and illegal Proceeding against us Who begun with Immodesty went on in Inhumanity and Cruelty and were not satisfied until they had the Blood of three of the Martyrs of JESUS Revenge for all which we do not seek but lay them before Thee considering Thou hast been well acquainted with Sufferings and so mayest the better consider them that suffer and mayest for the future restrain the Violence of these Rulers of New-England having Power in Thy hands they being but the Children of the Family of which Thou art Chief Ruler Who have in divers of their Proceedings forfeited their Patent as upon a strict Inquiry in many particulars will appear And this O King we are assured of that in time to come it will not repent Thee if by a Close Rebuke Thou stoppest the Bloody Proceedings of these Bloody Persecutors for in so doing Thou wilt engage the hearts of many honest People unto Thee both there and here and for such Works of Mercy the Blessing is obtained and shewing it is the way to prosper We are Witnesses of these things Who Besides long Imprisonments and many cruel Whippings Had our Ears cut John Rous John Copeland Besides many long Imprisonments divers cruel Whippings with the seizing on our Goods are Banished upon pain of Death and some of us do wait here in England and desire that we may have an Order to Return in Peace to our Families Samuel Shattock Josiah Southick Nicholas Phelps Joseph Nicholson Jane Nicholson Here follovveth a brief Relation of the Bloody Sentence of Death passed on Three of the Servants of the Lord by John Endicot viz. William Robinson Marmaduke Stevenson and Mary Dyar And also the Manner of their Execution at Boston in New-England VVIlliam Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson two Servants of the Lord called Quakers were imprisoned in Boston in New-England and at the beginning of the 7th Month 59. they were called before the Court of Assistance by whom they boâ—h were Sentenced to be Banished upon pain of Death yet notwithstanding the Sentence aforesaid they made a Decree to have William Robinson whipt and Commanded the Constable to get an able man to do it which thing being accomplished they caused William Robinson to be brought into the open Street and there stript him and having put his Hands through the holes of a Carriage of a great Gun where the Goaler a Member of their Church held him till the Executioner gave him twenty stripes with a Three-fold Cord-whip with Knots at the ends which stripes were laid on in a violent manner according to the Desire of some of the Blood-thirsty Rulers who commanded him to be Whipt severely whereupon he together with his fellow-Sufferer M. S. were shortly after Released Yet it being laid upon them from the Lord not to depart that Jurisdiction they in obedience thereunto passed abroad and had great Service for the Lord within the Jurisdiction aforesaid many being by them convinced of the Evil of their wayes for the Power and Presence of the Lord of Life was with them to the confounding of their Enemies And upon the 13th of the 8th Month it being upon them so to do they Returned again to Boston where they with seven other Friends were Apprehended and cast all of them into Prison But William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson were delivered to the Custody of the Goaler to be kept in Chains in a Room by themselves which accordingly was done and they had Chains laid upon their Right Leggs But the next Week on the 20th of the 8th Month 1659 William Robinson Marmaduke Stevenson and Mary Dyar of Rhode Island were had into the Court where John Endicot with others of the Council were Assembled And being called to the Bar John Endicot Commanded the Keeper to pull off their Hats which accordingly was done Then John Endicot began to speak unto them very faintly as a man possessed with much fear in these words That they had made several Lawes anâ— tryed and endeavoured by several wayes to keep them i. e. the Quakers from amongst them and neither Whipping nor Imprisoning nor Cutting off Ears nor Banishing upon pain of Death would not keep them from amongst them And further said He or They desired not the Death of any of them Yet notwithstanding his following words were Give eare and hearken to your Sentence of Death which words as was said before passed from him very faintly Then William Robinson desired that he might give them an Accompt of the Cause and Reason why after Banishment upon pain of Death they stayed in their Jurisdiction But John Endicot being filled with fury would not permit it to be done but soon after in Envy called W. R. by his Name and said unto him Hearken to your Sentence of Death William Robinson this is your Sentence You shall be had back to the place from whence you came from thence to the place of Execution to be hanged on the Gallows till
you are dead And then soon after the Goaler was called to have him away which accordingly was done Soon after William Robinson was taken out of the Court his dear Brother and fellow-Sufferer Marmaduke Stevenson being present The Governour being partial spoke unto him saying If you have any thing to say you may speak but he was silent and gave no Answer whereupon Sentence was pronounced against him also in these words You shall be had to the place from whence ye came and from thence to the Gallows and there to be Hanged till you are Dead Whereupon these words were uttered forth by M. Stevenson Give ear ye Magistrates and all who are Guilty for this the Lord hath said concerning you who will perform his Promise upon you That same Day you put his Servants to Death shall the Day of your Visitation pass over your Heads and you shall be Cursed for evermore The mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Therefore in love to you all take Warning before it be too late that so the Curse may be removed for assuredly if you put us to Death you will bring Innocent Blood upon your own heads and swift destruction will come upon you After which words were spoken he was had to Prison again to his Brother W. Robinson The like Sentence was also passed against Mary Dyar after they were taken away by John Endicot in these words Mary Dyar You shall go to the place from whence you came namely the Prison and from thence to the place of Execution and there to be Hanged until you are Dead Whereupon she made Answer The Will of the Lord be done Then Command was given to the Marshal to take her away she returned Answer Yea and joyfully I go And in her Passage to the Prison she often used Speeches of Praise to the Lord for the same and spoke to the Marshal to let her go alone for she would go to the Prison without him The Marshal Answered I believe you Mris Dyar but I must do what I am Commanded This is a short and true Relation of the Sentence passed upon them not for evil-doing but only for bearing their Testimony â—gainst all manner of Wickedness and testifying to the Truth as it is in Jesus keeping their Consciences clear both towards God and Man Novv Concerning the Martyrdom of these Three Servants of the Lord I shall give a short and true Relation The 27th day of the same Month was the day appointed that they were to be Executed having notice thereof given them the Night before which accordingly was done For on the 27th day being the 5th day of the Week in the latter part thereof after their Lecture so called was done William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson were had forth of the Prison into the open Street where James Oliver was Captain over a Band of Armed Men by information 200. which were prepared to Guard them to and at the place of Execution with Drums and Colours and Halberds Guns Swords Pikes c. besides many Horsemen to keep off the Multitude of People The two dear Lambs being placed near the hinder part the chief Marshal and Drummer next before them Then Command being given to march to the Place of Execution W. Robinson spake these words saying This is your Hour and the power of Darkness Then the Drummer made a Noise with his Drum and shortly ceased again Then Marmaduke Stevenson said This is the Day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath visited you Other words being spoke not understood by reason of the sound of the Drum So they walked along in pure retired Chearfulness to the Place of Execution triumphing in the strength of the Lamb over all the wrath of man and fury of the Beast in the pure retired Heavenly Dominion of the Invisible God And when they came to the Ladders-foot they took their leave each of other and William Robinson stept up the Ladder and spake to the People saying This is the Day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath visited you This is the Day the Lord is Risen in his Mighty Power to be Avenged on all his Adversaries And the Rope being about his Neck as he spake the Executioner bound his Hands and Leggs aâ—â— his Neck-cloth being tyed about his Face he said Now ye are made Manifest So the Executioner being about to turn him off the Ladder he said I Suffer for Christ in whom I live and for whom I die So he being turned off Marmaduke Stevenson went up the Ladder and spake to the People saying Be it known unto all this Day that we Suffer not as Evil-Doers but for Conscience sake And as the Executioner was about to turn him off these words he expressed This Day shall we be at Rest with the Lord. Thus the faithful Witnesses sealed their Testimony for the Lord against the Dragons Power and blessedly departed with Praises in their mouths entering joyfully with their Beloved into Everlasting Rest This Accompt was sent from Plimouth in New-England by Peter Peirson Mary Dyar having received the same Sentence only for coming a second time to Boston to visit her imprisoned Brethren there was with them carried to the place of Execution and after they two were executed she stept up the Ladder and had her Coats tyed about her feet and the Rope put about her neck and as the Hangman was ready to turn her off they cryed out Stop for she was Reprieved and having loosed her feet bad her come down but she was not forward to come down but stood still saying She was there willing to suffer as her Brethren did unless they would null their wicked Law but they pulled her down and a day or two after carried her by force out of Town Here followeth the Copy of a Letter that Mary Dyar sent to the Rulers of Boston after she had received the Sentence of Death To the General Court now in Boston VVHereas I am by many charged with the guiltinesse of my own Blood if you mean in my coming to Boston I am therein clear and justified by the Lord in whose Will I came who will require my Blood of you be sure who have made a Law to take away the Lives of the Innocent Servants of God if they come among you who are called by you Cursed Quakers although I say and am a living Witnesse for them and the Lord that he hath blessed them and sent them unto you therefore be not found fighters against God but let my Counsel and Request be accepted with you To repeal all such Laws that the Truth and Servants of the Lord may have free passage among you and you kept from shedding Innocent Blood which I know there are many among you would not do if they knew it so to be nor can the Enemy that stirreth you up thus to destroy this holy Seed in any measure countervail the great Dammage that you will by thus doing procure Therefore seeing the Lord hath not
hid it from me it lyeth upon me in love to your Souls thus to perswade you I have no self-ends the Lord knoweth for if my Life were freely granted by you it would not avail me nor could I expect it of you so long as I should daily hear or see the Sufferings of these People my dear Brethren and Seed with whom my Life is bound up as I have done these two years and now it is like to encrease even unto death for no evil doing but coming among you Was ever the like Laws heard of among a People that profess Christ come in the flesh And have such no other weapons but such Laws to fight against Spiritual Wickedness withall as you call it Wo is me for you of whom take you Counsel search with the Light of Christ in ye and it will shew you of whom as it hath done me and many more who have been disobedient and deceived as now you are which Light as you come into and obeying what is made manifest to you therein you will not repent that you were kept from shedding Blood though it were from a Woman It 's not mine own Life I seek for I chuse rather to suffer with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Egypt but the Life of the Seed which I know the Lord hath blessed and therefore seeks the Enemy thus vehemently the Life thereof to destroy as in all Ages he ever did Oh hearken not unto him I beseech you for the Seeds sake which is one in all and is dear in the sight of God which they that touch touch the Apple of his Eye and cannot escape his Wrath whereof I having felt cannot but perswade all men that I have to do withal especially you who name the Name of Christ to depart from such Iniquity as shedding Blood even of the Sainâ—s of the Most High Therefore let my Request have as much acceptance with you if you be Christians as Esther had with Ahasueras whose relation is short of that that 's between Christians and my Request is the same that hers was and he said not that he had made a Law and it would be dishonourable for him to revoke it but when he understood that these People were so prized by her and so nearly concerned her as in truth these are to me as you may see what he did for her Therfore I leave these Lines with you appealing to the faithful and true Witnesse of God which is One in all Consciences before whom we must all appear with whom I shall eternally rest in everlasting Joy and Peace whether you will hear or forbear with Him is my Reward with whom to live is my Joy and to dye is my Gain though I had not had your forty eight hours warning for the preparation to the Death of Mary Dyar And know this also That if through the Enmity you shall declare your selves worse than Ahasuerus and confirm your Law though it were but by taking away the Life of one of us That the Lord will overthrow both your Law and you by his Righteous Judgements and Plagues powred justly upon you who now whilst you are Warned thereof and tenderly sought unto may avoid the one by removing the other If you neither hear nor obey the Lord nor his Servants yet will he send more of his Servants among you so that your end shall be frustrated that think to restrain them you call Cursed Quakers from coming among you by any thing you can do to them yea verily he hath a Seed here among you for whom we have suffered all this while and yet suffer whom the Lord of the Harvest will send forth more Labourers to gather out of the mouths of the Devourers of all sorts into his Fold where he will lead them into fresh Pastures even the paths of Righteousness for his Names sake Oh! let none of you put this good day far from you which verily in the Light of the Lord I see approaching even to many in and about Boston which is the bitterest and darkest Professing place and so to continue so long as you have done that ever I heard of let the time past therefore suffice for such a Profession as brings forth such Fruits as these Lawes are In Love and in the Spirit of Meekness I again beseech you for I have no Enmity to the Persons of any but you shall know That God will not be mocked but what you sow that shall ye reap from him that will render to every one according to the deeds done in the body whether good or evil Even so be it saith Mary Dyar A Copy of this was given to the General Court after Mary Dyar had received the Sentence of Death about the 8th or 9th Month 1659. A further Accompt concerning Mary Dyars Martyrdom MAry Dyar being freed as aforesaid returned to Road-Island and afterwards to Long-Island and there was most part of the Winter over the Island where she had good Service for the Lord and then came to Shelter-Island whence she thought she might pass to Road-Island and being there sometime she had Movings from the Lord to go to Boston and there she came the 21 of the 3d Month 1660. and the 30th day was their Governour Chosen and the 31 of the 3d Month in the former part of the day she was sent for to the General Court The Governour said Are ye the same Mary Dyar that was here before speaking of one in Old-England that Returned and would have made them believe he was not the same man with more words to that purpose and said Have not you such Evasions Mary Dyar I am the same Mary Dyar that was here the last General Court The Covernour said You will own your self a Quaker will you not M.D. I own my self to be so reproachfully called The bloody-minded Goaler having now opportunity to have his blood-thirsty Will fulfilled said She is a Vagabond The Governor said The Sentence was passed upon her the last General Court and now likewise You must Return to the Prison from whence you came and there Remain unâ—il to Morrow at Nine of the Clock then from thence you must go to the Gallows and there be Hanged till you are Dead Mary Dyar said This is no more than that thou saidst before I I the Governour said and now it is to be Executed therefore prepare your self to Morrow at Nine of the Clock being the first day of the 4th Month 1660 Mary Dyar Answered and said I came in Obedience to the Will of God the last General Court desiring you to Repeal your unrighteous Lawes of Banishment upon pain of Death and that same is my work now and eanest Request because ye refused before to grant my Request although I told you That if ye refused to Repeal them the Lord will send others of his Servants to Witness against them John Endicot asked her Whether she was a Prophet She said She spake the words that the
A DECLARATION Of the SAD and GREAT Persecution and Martyrdom Of the People of God called QUAKERS in NEW-ENGLAND for the Worshipping of God Wherof 22 have been Banished upon pain of Death 03 have been MARTYRED 03 have had their Right-Ears cut 01 hath been burned in the Hand with the letter H 31 Persons have received 650 Stripes 01 was beat while his Body was like a jelly Several were beat with Pitched Ropes Five Appeals made by them to England were denied by the Rulers of Boston One thousand forty four pounds worth of Goods hath been taken from them being poor men for meeting together in the fear of the Lord and for keeping thâ— Commands of Christ One now lyeth in Iâ—on-fetters condemned to dye ALSO Some CONSIDERATIONS presented to the KING which is in Answer to a Petition and Address which was presented unto Him by the General Court at Boston Subscribed by J. Endicot the chief Persecutor there thinking thereby to cover themselves from the Blood of the Innocent Gal. 4.29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now God hath no respect to Cains Sacrifice that killed his Brother about Religion London Printed for Robert Wilson in Martins Le Grand SOME CONSIDERATIONS Presented unto the King of England c. BEING Partly an Answer unto a Petition and Addresse of the Gen. Court of Boston in New-England presented unto the King as is said Feb. last the 11th day OH King this my occasion to present thee with these Considerations is very urgent and of great necessity even in the behalf of Innocent Blood hoping that my Work will find such favour with thee as to induce thee to the reading and serious consideration hereof my occasion is this Because of a Paper presented to thee called The humble Petition and Adresse of the General Court at Boston in New-England In which is contained divers Calumnies unjust Reproaches palpable untruths and malicious slanders against an Innocent People whom they scornfully call Quakers whom for the Name of Christs sake are made a Reproach through the world and by these Petitioners have been persecuted unto Banishment and Death it is hard to relate the Cruelties committed against these People and acted upon them by these Petitioners they have spoyled their Goods imprisoned many of their Persons whipped them cut off their Ears burned them yea banished and murdered them and all this I aver and affirm before thee O King wholly unjustly and unrighteously and without the Breach of any Just Law of God or Man but only for and because of Difference in Judgment and Practice concerning Spiritual things without any transgression of the Law of God or their own Laws Saving that they made Laws against them on purpose to spoil their Goods imprison their Persons cut off their Ears yea and kill them which Laws were made by them without any Power truly derived from the lawful Authority of England contrary to their Paâ—ent And now O King these same Men have presented thee with a Petition in which is asserted very many exâ—ream Reproaches as I have said in contempt and derision of that People and all this as if those People were guilty of heinous crimes that it might appear to thee as if these Petitioners had done nothing but Justice in what they have done and they seek to cover themselves and to hide their Wickedness before thee in what they have unjustly acted and this seems to be the current of some part of the same Petition already presented unto thee like as if they had done no Evil though they have uniustly banished cut off Ears whipped inhumanely and taken away lives as aforesaid and they would have thee believe they are Innocent towards thee and towards us when as it is evident as the Sun at Noon-day that they are our persecuâ—ors and that they have unjustly persecuted us unto death for the Name of Christ and that also they are not unto thee as they hypocritically feign themselves And therefore O King for the clearing of our selves and the Name of the Lord which we profess and for the reproving of their bold and impudent Insolencies both in what they have already done to us and now in seeking to cover themselves unto thee and also if there be any doubtfulness in thy heart of these matters for these ends and causes with respect to the Fear of God and Honour to the King I hereby presume to pursue their said Petition even unto thy Court and to wipe away the slanders and reproaches of Ungodly men as much as possible hoping hereby thou wilt receive due and just information in this matter of proceeding between us and them that thy Just Judgment may be given accordingly And I shall transcribe some few of their own words presented to thee and thereupon spread some few Considerations before thee also and I pray God give thee an understanding to judge justly in this and all other cases The first thing that I note is Whereas they say That they have chosen rather the pure Scripture-worship with a good Conscience in this poor remote Wilderness to wit New-England among the Heathens than the pleasures of England with subjection to the imposition of the then so disposed and so far prevailing Hierarchy which we could not do without an evil Consciencee c. say thay The Considerations presented to the King upon these words are divers 1. The Worship Doctrine Discipline and Constitution of the Church of New-England is different and contrary and not purely according unto the Scriptures in the Administration of the Gospel nor in a pure Conscience purely guided by the Spirit of God though they seem to justifie their own way and case before the King and this may justly be made appear in his presence upon good occasion only at this time I assert the Case and if ever God gives opportunity I may prosecute it with Proofs and Evidences and that to the great Reproof of the Church so called of New-England who are not only in Doctrine Worship and Conversation contrary to the Scriptures but impudent and too presumptuous to affirm their own Self-justification and Innocency before the King when as it is manifest as the Day is from the Night that the Pastors and Members of the Church of New-England want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and follow the spirit of Persecution Violence and Cruelty and are void of a Good Conscience both to God and Men To prove this there needs no greater Evidence than their own Deportment towards the Harmless Quakers for these five years time who as I have said have spoiled their Goods and imprisoned their Persons cut off their Ears banished them and Inhumanely put them to death and all this only because of difference in judgment and practice in Religious matters when as no manner of Evil could be charged upon them in the things between Man and Man And if these