Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	oath_n	strife_n	swear_v	3,032	5	9.0688	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54467	Persecution appearing with its own open face, in William Armorer as will be sufficiently manifest to all that may impartially read this following relation of the cruel proceedings of the said William Armorer, with some others, against the innocent people of GOd called Quackers, in the town of Reading, in the county of Berks, of his taking them up, and imprisoning great numbers of them, and of the continuance of their sufferings to this day, being almost three years and a half : and of his unwearied and cruel practices against that innocent people from time to time : discovered and laid open, to the end that lyes and false reports may be stopped and that the King and all people may be rightly informed, and truly acquainted with the case, as it is clearly and truly in it self.	Armorer, William.	1667 (1667)	Wing P1658; ESTC R12485	70,047	89

Justice on the Bench Were they called before the Oath was read or was the Oath read first and they called after The Prisoners cryed That is the Question Then said the Clerk I must speak the truth I cannot well tell but the Gaoler gave me a Note of their Names and I called them particularly But whether it was read to them before or after they were called I cannot tell but if I had thought they had been so critical I would have been more careful A Prisoner said Take notice of that Jury So the Jury went forth and staid not long but brought them in not guilty So the Cryer demanded money of the Prisoners for the Jury and the Court broke up being adjourned till the afternoon and our Friends departed being cleared by the Jury only the Gaoler told several of them they must appear again in the afternoon The Court being sate again several of our Friends appeared but being informed by some that they intended to insnare them again and being cleared by the Jury they went out of the Court as judging they had no reason to stay to be ensnared by such as had enmity against them most of the moderatest Justices being gone But Tho Curtis and his Wife Geo Lamboll and his Wife and three Friends more being called they appeared the rest being absent the Justices threatned to fine the Gaoler for those that were wanting saying Did we not give you Order to stay them Who answered As soon as I heard your Order I run down the stairs upon my faith but they were gone T. C. said I suppose they would not have gone away had they known your Order But being cleared by the Jury they thought it was sufficient and I my self was gone not intending to come again but when they told me I was called for I came again for I am not ashamed to shew my face nor afraid of any thing that I have done and I know W. Armorer his man Venter is warrant enough to take me at any time Judg. Though the Jury did clear you of that Indictment yet they could not clear you of you● Ob●dience Then the Clerk reading over their Names they called for Thomas Heifield T. C. said That is a man that hath served the King faithfully and hath many cuts in his head and wounds about his body that he received in the Kings Army yet he is regarded no more then others though he fought and ventured his life for the King and being come now to make conscience of an Oath must be ensnared with the Oath of Allegiance Then A. Curtis was called T. C. answered Here is ano●her whose Father laid down his life and suffered death for the service of the King yet she also must be ensnared with the Oath Then they called for the Statute-Book T. C. said We see your snare well enough it is not the part of men of Honour ●o seek to ensnare those whom the Jury hath cleared but these things will appear as a blot in your Scutcheon We do believe you aim to ensnare us and it is our Estates you seek after and it is well if some of you have not begg'd them already Then Procter the Councellor stood up in great rage and bid the Clerk read the Oath to them T. C. said Be not so hasty for thou didst but a little time since charge these two men pointing to William Armorer and the Clerk with being perjured for thou toldst the Ju●y That either they must bring us in guilty or else these men were perjured and the Jury brought us in not guilty And thou need'st not be so fierce now for the time was when thou wast as fierce in O. Cromwell's dayes Then the Judg bid the Clerk read the Oath being done asked T. C. if he heard ●t who answered yes So they held the Bible to him He told them he could read them a better Lesson in that Book ●f they would hear having the Book in his hand ●hey bid him say after the Clerk who read the Oath which he did till he came to that clause And I do swear c. Then he said But I do not for I cannot swear but what I have said I do helieve and question not but I shall prove as good a Subject to the King as some of you So they bid the Gaoler take him away Then Geo Lamboll was called They asked him whether he would take the Oath of Allegiance Who answered As to the Oath of Obedience he could promise very much and he should keep his promise though some did repute us as lyars Then Sarah his Wife was called to the Barr They asked her if she would take the Oath She answered At present she was not satisfied that she might safely do it or to that purpose And the other three Friends Tho Tudway John Paine and James Marlow being called they asked them the same question T. Tudway asked Whether it was better to obey Christ then them They said That was not the Question He told them he could not swear The others answering to the same purpose they were taken away Then A. Curtis was called to the Barr One of the Justices said Come Nan I know you will take it A. C. Yes if thee or any one could convince me that I might lawfully do it and not break Christs command who hath said Swear not at all And being asked the same question often answered to the same purpose as before One of the Justices said But the Apostle said That an Oath for confirmation endeth strife She answered That Christ the everlasting Oath of God who puts an end to strise him I know saith Swear not at all William Armorer being on the Bench said This is the old tone A. C. It was before thee wast and will he when thou hast no being They still continuing to ask her if she would take it answered Yes if any one could make it appear that I might lawfully do it and not break my peace with God in my Conscience But they asked her again and bid her answer if she would take it or not Who replyed I shall give no other answer So the Gaoler took her away The same day at night Tho Tudway one of the Prisoners living in the same Town having been to see his Wife and Children as he was going to Gaol again overtook William Armorer and having passed him he called and sent his man and stayed him and asked him why he did run away from the Sessions T. T. said I did not but am going to Gaol for I am a Prisoner and thou hast nothing to do with us for we are the Gaolers Prisoners and we were all at the Sessions and that was sufficient and said it was hard measure that he might not go see his Wife and Children Justice Brown being present said it was but you must be obedient to the Laws And W. A. said You must take the Oath an Oath for confirmation endeth strife T. T. said But I am not

committed upon the third supposed offence Being brought to the Town-Hall expecting to hear their Accusers they were not called nor suffered to come in the hearing of the Court but kept at the lower end of the Hall several hours the Justices having little to do but the trial of these four persons it being the third day of their sitting and most of the Justices being gone and having kept the Prisoners several hours they sent them to prison again and the Court adjourned till the second hour in the afternoon the Grand Jury being gone out waiting for the Witnesses some hours which were John Venter W. Armorer his man and Rich Grover his Clerk Hugh Smith Daniel Seamer and his Son which Witnesses being sworn were very much different in their Ev●dence some saying they saw them at the Meeting but heard them say nothing nor do nothing but only that they were there The Court being sate the Cryer called for the Grand Inquest who appeared and brought in their Verdict Ignoramus Upon which W A●mo●e● rose up from his seat in great ●age saying I will come off the Bench and swea● against them and w●ll 〈◊〉 my Oath That I have found Christ Cheeseman twenty times at ●●e mee●ing and when I came he would tell me there was not my numb●● So I was fa●n to wipe my nose wiping his finger then on his Nose ●nd return back like a Coxc●mb as I went and thus I have been p●ag●●● with him and I will take my Oath Th●t when I have ask●d them s●v●ral times wh●t they did at the meeting they have told me to wait up●● t●e L●rd and to seek God c. T●en Pr●ct●r sa●d If that can be proved that they have co●fessed they were there to seek or wa●t upon ●od it is enough and would have encouraged the Jury of fi●d the Bills up●n it Oh abominable unheard of w●ckedness and cruelty that to wait upon or seek God sh●uld be accounted such a crime as to deserve no less punishment then seven years banishment or death it self Well but W. A●mo●er his man Vent●● being called and beginning to speak his Master W. A. sa●d to him J●ck you ●●membe● the 23d day of the Month H●s man answered 'T is no matter for the day of the ●o●th I know the time well enough Upon which a sta●der by sa●d A Rogue do●s n●t know ●he day of the ●●nth He deserves to be kickt out of the C●u●t And the people fell out into great laughter And so the Jury went forth the second time the Jury still scrupling the business could not agree to find the Bills And W. Armo●e● r●s● off the be●ch in grea● rage a●d took h●s Cath and then went into the Council Chamber to info●m the Ju●y So t●at there wa● only ●he Judg E●ward D●●b● and o●e Justi●e P●●ct●r left on the bench W. Armorer being sword as a W●●tness and whether they two could ma●e a Sessions neither of them being of the Qu●●um no doubt but they can tell Well notw●thstanding the Jury returned the second time a●d brought in Ignora●us Upon which Procter began to be very angry saying to the Jury Would you do so having such Evidence and Sir William Armorer an honourable Gentleman having taken his Oath also The Jury answered 'T was true Sir W. A. was an honourable Gentleman but was a man subject to passion Procter replyed saying If he were it did not become them to tell him so Then W. Armorer prest the Judg to have them fined ten pounds a man The Judg answered No if that were their judgment between God and their own Conscienees be it But W. A. prest to have them bound to their good behaviour because they had some scruples concerning his swearing being as they said tender in conscience touching so dubious a matter and did question whether they might take his oath or not for it may be observed that Procter himself but the day before did tell the Jury that if they did not bring in the Prisoners guilty they would make W. A. and the Clerk perjured persons and the Jury did not bring in the Prisoners guilty c. So the Prisoners being cleared by the Jury the two Justice on the Bench and W. Armorer not being pleased with it committed them to the Gaol again as factious persons till they should pay their fees So the Sessions ended And the next day being the 13th day of the Month W. A sent for the f●ur Prisoners before mentioned to his house where three of them were brought by the Gaoler but one of them being an ancient weakly woman having taken cold the day before by reason of their being kept so long at the Sessions it being very cold weather and not being well was left behind Which when W. A. understood he began to be very angry and bid the Gaoler fetch her though on Horse-back So the Gaoler fetcht her also and having kept them about two hours being very cold weather nothing was said to them but were returned back again to prison The 16th day of the same month they were had before him again to his House where was also Tho Kenton Mayor W. A. commanded Grover his Clerk to read the Oath of Allegiance to them which being done told them if they would take it they should have their liberty They answered that they were Prisoners by an Order of Sossions till they would pay their Fees and therefore would not answer to any such questions until they were at liberty And after some discourse they were committed again for refusing the Oath c. And the 28th of the 12th month called February 64 they were sent for again before W. Armorer who told them they were as they were before if they would pay their fees they should have their liberty So when they came out of his house the Gaoler bid them go to their own homes And whether these proceedings be according to ●aw or mens wills the Reader may judg but we are sure the innocent suffers The 22 d of the 11th Month called January 64 W. Armorer came to the Meeting and took Joan Willesby Mary Winter and Mary Richardson and sent them to the house of Correction for three dayes upon the second offence as he calls it And there being six men more viz. William Lamboll William Tompson Leo Key Anthony Sadler Tho Speed and John Boult he pull'd one of them down by violence from his seat and sent for the Gaoler whose servant came whom W. A. commanded to take them to prison which was done by his man Venter and the Gaolers man who haled them to the Gaol without Warrant or Mittimus The next day he sent for the six men to his house where he with Tho Kenton the Mayor asked them if they would ta●●●he Oath of Allegiance and called to Grover his Clerk to read it One of the Friends W. Lamboll asked to what end do you require me to swear W. A. said To be true to the King W. L. ●s swearing Allegiance

and order was given that none should come at the Jury and that they should not have fire nor candle c. The Jury being kept all night and the Court being sate the next morning they sent to the Jury to know if they were agreed Who returned answer No. But after some time two of the Jury-men began to yeeld it is judged rather through fear and weariness then being satisfied in their judgments And some of them cryed A verdict a verdict and so they came in And the Court asked if they were agreed One of them answered He was not satisfied W. Armorer replyed You shall be satisfied and the Fore-man saying Guilty they took no farther notice though four of them were not satisfied but in hast calling the Prisoner to the Barr the Judg Edw D●lby past sentence on him That he should be transpo●ted to some of His Majesties Plantations there to remain seven years So was returned back to the Gaol The Prisoner seeing of them resolved to do their work said little to them but some short time after sent a Letter to Edw Dolby a Copy whereof here followeth Reading-Gaol the 23d of the 11th Month 1666. Justice Dolby SEeing thou satest as Judg of the Sessions the last week and gavest sentence of Banishment against me and being not permitted to speak then for my self in the Court but threatned to be gagged though my life was concerned I now send this unto ●hee desiring thy ser●ous consideration hereof And what hath been done against me and how unjustly I have been proceeded against from first to last till sentence of Exilement from my Native Countrey be past I leave to the witness of God in thy own Conscience which can bring thy actions to thy remembrance and will speak the truth of all things as they are To which I do refer thee for a more particular account of all things that have past and with which I leave my cause to be pleaded even in thy own conscience between the Lord and thee only hereby I give a hint of some things c. Thou mayest remember that when W. A●morer and thy self came to the house of Thomas Curtis I was there with two persons more above the age of sixteen years besides A. Curtis and some children who are not to be accounted as persons to make up the number five And it appears by the Act that four may meet and also W. A. and several others of the Kings Justices have told us that four may meet and they would not meddle with us and it is ridiculous to think that children of twelve or fourteen years of age will plot or contrive insurrections for against such persons as do so contrive insurrections and plot against the Government the Act was intended according to the Preamble of it c. And besides if such childrens being there do make up the number how is it that you punish not the children by that Law And if the children are not under the breach of that Law how can three persons break it there being no more there I leave to thy consideration And the Witness did only say we were there to seek the Lord or that we said so now I hope the Act will not simply in it self take hold of such as meet together to seek the Lord for that is according to the Liturgy of the Church of England which saith That in all places and at all times men ought to perform holy duty to God and no other could be proved against me but that we said we were there to seek the Lord and is it not a sad thing that men should so far lose their reason and moderation and deny Christianity as to banish people for meeting together to seek the Lord and to perform holy duty to him when nothing else can be proved except they will make it a crime worthy of Banishment and Death to be at the House of Tho Curtis which no Law doth for no man can prove nor ever shall find that we meet to contrive Insurrections or plot against the Government and the God of Heaven knows who knows the intents of the hearts of all men that we never so much as thought much less intended any such thing and thy own conscience may tell thee the same And this not being proved how can any impartial Jury find us guilty of the breach of this Act and bring us in guilty of Banishment and Death if we return when nothing can be proved but that we were at such a place and said we were seeking the Lord For nothing else did ever appear And yet notwithstanding the Jury must go on right or wrong or else be threatned with fines c. in case they bring in not guilty when they are upon their oaths and ought to go according to the Evidence and not to put their consciences to the vote and to give away the Liberties Lives Rights and Priviledges of free-born English men and to oppress and destroy the Kings Subjects by violating his Laws and turning of them to a wrong end as in this case This Act was made against such as do at their Meetings contrive insurrections c. and not against such as do meet really to seek the Lord as appears by the Preamble of it Therefore such as do punish people for seeking the Lord do go quite contrary to the Act and turns it to a wrong end and are no true Friends to the King in so doing though they pretend Law and to act according to Law when indeed their own wills and malicious minds leads them contrary to Laws and how contrary it was to the Consciences of some of the Jury-man thou mightest see who were not satisfied no nor it is believed and credibly reported are not to this day but is a load upon their Consciences and may well be in that they gave away their power and indeed the power of the Law being over-awed by high words for they ought to have been sat●sfied in their own Consciences and not to have looked at the displeasure of any man being sworn well and truly to try c. which I doubt not but thou very well knowest if thou hadst but done accordingly and whether these things be according to Reason and Equity upon which the ancient Laws are said to be grounded I say I shall leave to the Witness of God in thy Conscience which answers the righteous Law and which will deal truly and plainly with thee and will either condemn or justifie thee in the day of Account For Friend know this and mind also in secret That an account to God the Judg of quick and dead must be given by thee and all men upon the earth and assuredly he doth behold and mark thy actions and they are recorded in a Book of remembrance which shall be accounted for and though thou maist hide thy self as from man yet thou canst not hide thy self from him who is the searcher of all hearts and the tryer of all reins