so called in New-England but whether true or not I do not affirm And to conclude I shall give an account of the Quakers sufterings in one small Town in New-England by which the whole may the better be comprehended which is as followeth An Account of Goods taken from the People called Quakers in the Town of Sandwich in New-England  l. s. d. Taken from Robert Harper 44 00 00 Taken from Ralph Allen 68 00 00 Taken from Joseph Allen 05 12 00 Taken from Thomas Greenfield 28 00 00 Taken from Edword Perry 89 00 00 Taken from Richard Kirby his son Richard 54 12 00 Taken from George Allen 25 15 00 Taken from William Allen 86 17 00 Taken from Matthew Allen 48 16 00 Taken from William Gifford 57 19 00 Taken from Thomas Ewer 25 08 00 Taken from William New-land 36 00 00 Taken from Daniel Wing 12 00 00 Taken from Ralph Allin 18 00 00 Taken from Peter Gaunt 43 14 06 Taken from Thomas Jenkins 19 10 00 Taken from Michael Turner 13 10 00 Taken from John Newland 02 06 00 In all 678 19 06 The other part of their Sufferings in this small Town of Sandwich was with whipping and long Imprisonment and though the sufferings of the Inhabitant Quakers of Sandwich were great yet under Boston Government the sufferings of this People did abound in Cruelty above the other Collonies adjoyning to Boston Government from which the other united colonies adjoyning took their example to persecute the Quakers as iâ— short I have before related but the Lord open the dark Understanding of their Mind and give them a heart Suitable to Repent that they may live to God as they ought to do which Repentance must appear by the fruits of Repentance otherwise there can be no Salvation to them that leave this Life without Repentance because that there is no repenting in the Grave which if men did without Repentance then they dye in their sins and cannot share with the faithfull in the things of Gods heavenly Riches which are in store for all them that love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ CHAP. XXX Concerning the Lords Harvest and of the Labour in his Vineyard EVen now as in dayes past the Lords Harvest is Great but the Labourers are few because many have received of the Lord to work in the Vineyard but are not faithful to that of him which they have received for which cause their part of labour in the Vineyard remains not done and they remain clothed with the works of their own Labour which is not of the Spirit of God therefore do they labour in Vain for it is the diligent hand through the gift of God which enriches the Soul of him that is a faithfull Labourer in the Lords Vineyard when the negligent and floathful ones are sent empty away for all have in measure received the seed of the Harvest but through unfaithfulness the harvest of Truth and Righteousness is not perseâ—â—ed in them because through their unfaithfulness to the gift of God the Seed taketh not root for the ground proves barren which is the cause of the seeds not taking root to bring forth fruit acceptable to God for as the feed in measure hath been sown in all forts of ground it only takes root to bring forth good fruit in the honest heart which is faithfull to God in the work of the Vineyard for many are called to labour in the Vineyard that through unfaithfulness to their call are never chosen among the faithful Labourers in the work of the Lords Vineyard therefore pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth more faithfull Labourers or the Harvest is great many unfaithfull Labourers there be which hinder others from receiving the Truth for they have sown divers strange seeds in the Lords Vineyard where the many Pastors have trodden the Lords portion under foot and have made his pleasant Portion a desolate Wilderness which being desolate it mourneth unto the Lord for which cause the Lord hath sent his Servants as in dayes past to warn the learned wise rebellious Ones from the evil or their way that People may find ease from under these heavy burdens with which their Teachers have yoked them and encouraged them to beat one destroy the other perswading them it was good service for God in so doing in which state many have itching ears that will not endure to hear found Doctrine but heap up Teachers which turn them from the Truth into Fables through which the Vinyard is encumbered with a multitude of fruitless Trees Bryars Thornes and Thistles among which the Lyon waits for his prey and the Subtil Foxes have their hiding places where the Wolf also seeketh to devour which things are left for Preachers to consider and not to teach People to dash one against the other but to love one another and to pray for their Enemies and do no other thing to another then they themselves are willing to be done unto until which time the Just Judgment of God is their Reward for all their evil wayes towards him and his People for whom the Lord is making way through his righteous Judgments which take pleace upon all them that obey not his Word to keep his commands they like potsherds shall even dash one against the other until all be consumed which is not fitly framed and tempered according to the Lords own mind but the Lord is making way for the growth of his own Seed which shall bring forth abundant of increase to the praise of God and honour of his Name for the harvest is Great and the Labourers are few but the Lord will daily add more and more that by the strength of his own Power he will make his Vineyard fit according to his own defire where every one shall remaine in peace under his own Vine unto which many are gathered and unto them will be the gathering CHAP. XXXI Something of an Account concerning Gods Judgments upon divers of the chief persecuting Priests and Rulers in new-New-England as also relating to some of their Laws Acts and Orders for the further Reformation of them called their Churches with some what relating to their form and manner of Habit in that day IT hath been found lawful and expedient in all Ages as appears by the holy Scriptures to record the Works of the Righteous that as Land Marks they might remain for all to follow them in the way of Righteousness and also to record the Works of the Unrighteous that as Way-Marks all might take warning to hate evil and do good for had the first Inhabitants of New-England remained faithful under the Bishops Yoke in fleeing from one City and Town to the other the Yoke and Burden of Christ would have become easie and light but not bearing the Cross of Christ in opposition to their natural Wills they fled beyond the Command of God in fleeing the Land though seemingly under a fair pretence of gathering Churches and
Truth held Forth AND MAINTAINED According to the Testimony of the holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles recorded in the holy Scriptures With some Account of the Judgments of the Lord lately inflicted upon new-New-England by Witch craft To which is added Something concerning the Fall of Adam his state in the Fall and way of Restoration to God again with many other weighty things necessary 〈◊〉 People to weigh and consider Written in true Love to the Souls of my Neighbours all Men which includeth that Love to them 〈…〉 by Thomas Maule Printed in the Year 16â—◠〈◊〉 PREFACE Friendly Reader AMong the many Writers in this Age who profess themselves Gospel Ministers great iâ— the number of false Prophets and wordâ— teachers whose Doctrines Principles Practices are inconsistant with the Doctrines Principles and Practices of the holy Prophets and Apostles in days past who brought glad tidings of Peace to â—he souls of many People who were turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Pow-God Acts 26.18 even so ingmeasure is it with true Gospel Ministers in this day who turn Peoples minds to the inward manifastation of the gift of Gods Spirit which ministers Life to them that hear and obey unto them its life indeed for the gift of God is Life eternal and as every true faithful Minister of Christ hath received the gift of God freely they minister freely from he same as good Stâ—wards of the manifold Grace of God dâ—ing unto all men at they would have all mâ—n do unto them not striving for Mastership but are gentle unto all men and apt in teach patient in 〈◊〉 instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 〈◊〉 24 25. that 〈◊〉 by the Church may be edefied for the true Ministers of Christ are Servents to Christ and not Masters own 〈…〉 as many Anti-christian Teachers are 〈…〉 Hâ—â—itage 〈…〉 Persons in admiration for advantage but the true Ministers of Christ are men of sorrow desolâ—ed and rejected oâ— mend as he was they are not made ministeâ—s by the mill of 〈◊〉 but by the will of God and blameless as the Stewards of God not self willed nor soon angry nor given to Wine nor strikers â—or are they greedy of filthy Luâ—re but lovers of Hospitality and sober Just holy temperate holding fast the faithful Word as they have been taught that they may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gain-sayers for there are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers even as those in days past whose mouths must be stopped for they subvert whole Houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy Lucre sake and as in that day they had a Prophet of their own said the Cretians are alwayes Lyars evil Beasts flow bellies Tit. 1.7.8 9 10 11 12. even so as by Luther and others who have left their Testimonies agreeable with what is found incorded in the Scriptures of Truth which give a true account of the Doctrine Principles and Prectices of the many Teachers in this age who will not preach 〈…〉 Mony This witness is true wherefore rebake thâ—â— sharply that they may be found in the Truth for they profess they know God but in Works they deny him Tit. 〈…〉 By which is it not manifest that the love of Money which is the root of all evil is in them that will not prench without Money what better are they theâ— the 〈…〉 and false Prophets we read of Jer. 14.14 Do they 〈◊〉 bare rule by their means in all Nations where 〈◊〉 seeâ— for their gain each from his Quarter Isa ◠〈…〉 Do they 〈◊〉 preach for hire and divine for Money Mâ—â— 3.11 And do they not preach peace so long as men keep paying but when any come to see their deceit and cannot put into their mouths then they preach open war 〈…〉 And have not the false Prophets Anti-christian 〈◊〉 and hired Priests destroyed â—he lives of many thousands of People for their obedience to the faith which work by consent of the Magistrâ—â—â— hath had its day in New-England when they put to â—ath four of the People called Quakers at Boston concerning the which an Account will hereafter follow which was by the Priests accomplished by the consent of the then Rulers for without the consent of Power the Priests could not Persecute which they wait to do as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so have the company of Priests murdered in the may by consent Hos 6.9 So that by their fruits men may know them Luke 6.13 Mat. 7.13 16. for they are tryed which say they are Apostles and are not and they are found to be Lyars Rev. 2.2 Come from among them and do not pertake of their sins that ye may be free from their Plagues which the Lord is bringing upon the Whore and the false Prophets Teachers which 〈◊〉 wrought Iniquity against the Lord and his chosen People From my dwelling House at Salem in New-England 1st 3d. Mon. 1690. Thomas Maule Humane Learning I have not God doth to me afford His Teaching by his Spirit good To understand his Word T. M. The Heads or Contents of the ensuing TREATISE Chap. 1. COncerning the 〈◊〉 of Gods quickening Spirit by Jesus Christ pag. 1. Chap. 2. Concerning Christ the true Seed and Everlasting Covenant of God to his People p. 10. Chap. 3. Concerning the Man Christ Jesus which was conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary and suffered Death for the Redemption of all men p. 16. Chap. 4. Concerning the holy Scriptures p. 2â— Chap. 5. Concerning Faith Hope and Obedience which by the Power of God through Jesus Christ worketh Salvation to them that truely believe Also something concerning Silence p. 30. Chap. 6. Concerning Perfection and that Warfair which the faithful are to pass through before they come to witness fâ—ll and free Redemption from sin p. 47. Chap. 7. Concerning the Worship of God in Spirit p. 5â— Chap. 8. Concerning true Prayer by which the faithful find acceptance with God by faith in the Son of his Love p. 6â— Chap. 9. Concerning the Lords Supper which People call the Sacrament p. 65. Chap. 10. Concerning Baptism and sprinkling Infants which many hold most necessary to Salvation p. 70. Chap. 11. Concerning the true Sabbath p. 76. Chap. 12. Concerning Election and Reprobation p. 79. Chap. 13. Concerning the 〈…〉 tion through Faith in Chr◠〈…〉 p. 87. Chap. 14. Concerning the 〈…〉 p. 93. Chap. 15. Concerning the Ministers of Christ and the Ministers of Anti-christ Also of humane Learning and the use of it and how it came in practise among the Reformed Churches in this latter Age. And concerning Gospel Maintenance in what manner and to whom it belongeth p. 99. Chap. 16. Concerning divine Inspiration and Revelation p. 109. Chap. 17. Concerning the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Anti-christ p. 114. Chap. 18. Concerning the true Language and proper Nature of Speech and the true Names of the Days and
be related for the convincing of People concerning the Truth of God by Jesus Christ but all that hath been with all whatsoever of holy care and means that may be used is but for the further Condemnation of them that refuse Obedience to the gift of Gods divine Light which men have received as a Talent or Talents for them to improve for their Lords use and the benefit of their Souls for the Lord of Life waits with the Tenders of Life and Salvation for every Soul where the heart and mind is willing to forgo all the ways of Unrighteousness and to give up in true Obedience to serve the Lord with an upright heart and willing mind as becometh his People so to do for there is no Salvation of God by Jesus Christ to any mans soul but by true Faith and Obedience to God in Christ who sivingâ— is noâ— a God to them 〈◊〉 love and delight in any one thing which is not 〈…〉 his holy Commands for as the Lord of 〈…〉 of God in all things for the Servation 〈…〉 so them that witness Sâ—â—vation in and through him must through Faith and Obedience come through the Cross even as he hath done for as he was outwardly crucified on the outward Cross for the sins of the People somust the Power of God through Christ come to crucifiâ— every lustful affection which would exalt it selâ— above the Witness of Gods holy Truth which no man can savingly partake of but as he comes through faith and obedience to partake of Gods heavenly Riches which are in store for all them that love the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ whom it any man will hear let him not harden his heart by Disobedience in â—nbelief for the Devils Power is of no other strength than to tempt the mind of man to serve him which if men obey his Temptations to serve him in sin it begets the heart into a hard stare of Unbelief to believe no other but a sinning life all the days of their appointed time in this life the cause of which is altogether through their Obedience to the Devils Temptations whose Power never did neither can force any man to sin but as they yeild their Obedience to his alluring Temptations which if through faithfulness men would watch and pray to God the strength of his Power by Jesus Christ would give them Victory against and over every lustful Desite of the corrupted heart which is by nature inclineable to serve no other save the Devil which seeks all unrighteous ways to destroy the soul of Man which through Faith and Obedience to what God hath of his divine Grace and Light of his Spirit made manifest by Christ Jesus through which they may be saved And though some may despise at my small measure in the aforesaid Work yet this I have an aâ—â—urance of and that from the Lord of Life thaâ— as 〈◊〉 keep faithful to that measure of his good Spirit of Grace Light and Life which through Faith and Obedience he will increase my Faith and enlarge my Understanding to understand his Will and Mind more and more in the things which concern the wellfair of the Souls well-being with God in Jesus Christ CHAP. XXVIII The Substance of my Letter to the Committee of the Militia in Salem in answer to what they did desire of me I Received yours by one of the Committee relating to my joyning with your laying out Disbursments for a Town stock of Ammunition and Provision against a time of Invasion Now you your selves well know that I never did with-hold the promotion of any Work among you or any other of Power in this place so far as it hath not been inconsistent with the Truth of God according to my Faith which leadeth me to assist and help according to my measure when and where God shall direct until which time if I should conform to your desire where then will follow my Reward And as to your War both Temporal and Spiritual where doth the benefit of it appear to a People whose unrighteous cruel Bloody Laws yet remain only wanting Power against the Lives and Estates of their honest Neighbours whom your Priests esteemed as those of your Church Members whom your selves do now put to Death as Witches which possibly some of them may be so and if that God should further permit the Devils Power against the Rulers Priests and Hearers it would follow to be the greatest of all other of Gods just Judgments that ever have befallen New-England since they began to stock whip cut off Ears banish order for Bonds men and women long and cruel Imprisonment and taking away to the value of twenty hundred Pounds besides the Lives of them four Righteous â—e sons put to Death at Boston all which hath been the afflicted state of the Lords People which in Derision have been known by the Name of Quakers And if the Children of them that destroyed the Lives and Estates of the Lords People in that day will say That they had no hand in the same I say that their assertion is utterly false so long as they condemn not their Predecessors actions and I prove it by the rebellious Jews many thousands of whom had no actual hand in destroying the Righteous in those days and they could say even as these in this day That they had no hand in the same but forasmuch as they did not bear a faithful Testimony for Gods holy Truth against the Unrighteousness of their Priests and Rulers the just Judgments of God hath reacht their Posterity to following Generations even so is it with New England while the Land remains defiled with the Blood of the Lords Servants slain at Boâ—on which new-New-England former Priests and Rulers have done in the Name of God and the Kings Name without any warrant or example from either but in their blind persecuting Spirit have maintained their persecuting way from a command in the Law which relates to false Worshippers in that day which in this Gospel Day they have charged upon the Lords People which worship the only true God in the Spirit and in the Truth which if God should permit the Power of the Devil by the spirit of Persecution then might more than three parts of the People of the World lose their Lives among whom it is evident the Lord hath a Number belonging unto him though at present stâ—angers to the outward Sufferings of Christ for he is the Light of the Gentiles and Salvation to the ends of the Earth and by him the Remnant of the Nations which fear God and work Righteousness are saved and he hath commanded That Wheat and Tears should grow together until the Harvest of which things I only hint to you for your understanding my Mind concerning the Proceedings in New-England whose former Priests and Rulers have not manifested the like Repentance as that of Judas who repenting himself oâ— betraying innocent Blood and withal returned the Money which he had unrighteously taken
follow that they are false Worshippers then why they put to Death according to that Command in the Law and their Substance taken away to defray publick Charge contrary to the express Command of God in the time of the Law Exod. 22 18. Deut. 28.16 13 1â— 1â— But when men come â—o burn their Books of curious Arts then the oldness of the Law will dye and newness in Spirit will appear through the growth of Gods Word which in that day shall prevail Acts 19.17 18 19 20. until which time let Christs saying to the Rebellious Jews be sufficient that is when they brought the Woman taken in the act oâ— Adultry saying Moses in the Law commanded that such should bâ— stoned to Death Christ bids Let him that is without sin cast the first stone but no man among them being without sin the woman escaped even so may Witches not guilty of Murder escape in this day for he that â—s wholly clear of every degree of Witch-craft may cast a stone at Witches that is when as evidently proved as the Womans act was in Adultry John 8.4 5 6 7 8 9 10. for where the nature of Witchtraft remaineth it evidently appears by Peoples Threats one to the other and their living in Malice Hatred and Envy one against the other watching and waiting for the opportunity of advantage one against the other and if no advantage present of damnifying one the other yet the sin of Witch-craft in one degree is as deeply rooted in them as the sin of Adultry is rooted in him that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultry with her already in his heart Mat. 5 28. for the intent of Wickedness is of greater abomination in the sight of God than the act of sin is in the sight of sinful men Of which number I am now concerned to give an account of New England's first Inhabitants and of them which yet remain without Power but in the very nature of their fore Fathers justifying the Laws by which the Lords Servants were persecuted to Death at Boston for which Judgment after Judgment hath fallen upon this place even since and the Lords just Judgments were to bring them to a sight of that sin of Blood but instead of reâ—enting their hearts have waxed harder and harder against the Truth of God delivered by his Servants in that day in which Day of Gods Truth to them their requital was by destroying the Lives of the Lords People with whole innocent Blood New-England remains defiled for the very first stept of the first Inhabitants towards this land in may be questioned whether or not they fled beyond the command of the Lord for finding the Bishops Yoke uneasie under which if they had remained faithful the Yoke of the Lord would have been easie and his Burden light but instead of manifesting the Lords cause in the other City they fled this Land which fleeing was it not beyond what the Lord hath commanded when persecuted in one City to flee to the other that each place or each People may hear the Truth which all that are called of God are to deliver according to their measure which if any say that it was sufficient warrant from God for them to flee the Land and as Paul did preach the Gospel where Christ was not named then why followed they not Paul as for example he followed Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save and 〈…〉 by turning People from Darkness to Light and 〈…〉 Power of Satan to the Power of God but how 〈◊〉 they turned the Native Indians where Christ 〈…〉 named did they not in their first settlement 〈◊〉 them in to the Grave where there is no Repentance a strang turning in feed by a People that pretended so much to Gods Truth as they did and not come so far as the Law and the Prophets but to do unto the poor Natives otherwayes then they themselves would be done unto well might such a work not be expected to promote a People for the Service of God Honour of his Name who hath well rewarded the Inhabitants of New-England for their unrighteous dealings towards the Native Indians whom now the Lord hath suffered to reward the Inhabitants with a double measure of Blood by Fire and Sword which had they followed the command of the Lord to have prayed for their Enemies and done to others even as themselves would have been done unto the â—nhabitants might have been free from these great and terrible Judgments of God which for sin and evil is their Reward in this Day So its evident that through their unfaithfulness to God in their first settlement of this Land and since hath been the leading cause of their being further left to do these unrighteous things which have increased the Lords Wrath against them and their following Generation who remain guilty for not repenting of sin and evil against God for whose Truth they ought to have born a faithful Testimony in their publick â—ssemblies against all the unrighteous Ways of their fore-Fatcers which have been against the Lord and his People of which I may relate something that others thereby may receive warning not to follow Unrighteousness but to remain faithful to their measure lest the Lord deliver them up through Unbelief to hardness of heart and they do as New-England's Priests and Rulers have done which hath caused the hand of the Lord to be against them and all that actually or by silence have consented to their unrighteous ways which have been maintained by the Sword of the Magistrate which the Priests in the day of their Power whitted sharp through their false pernicious Doctrines which did encourage the Rulers of that day to deshoy all the Lords Servants that were found within their Government under the Name Quaker to whom they allotted the Valley of Achor for a door of Hope Josh 7 24.25 perverting the Truth of God through their preaching up things in the Law which Christians are not to do in the time of the Gospel Deut. 13. 1 King 1.10 2.24 Luke 9.54 which notwithstanding they would preach and pray That all were accursed that did their Work negligently against the Quakers whose living among the People the Priests did impute to be the cause of Gods Judgments which they said was the Peoples just Reward for suffering any one Quaker to live among them whereupon the Rulers with the silent consent of the greatest part of the Inhabitants did make sharp and bloody Laws against the Quakers whereby they were long imprisoned under many Hardships as in respect of the hard cold Clymate without fire and for days together without food having their Friends denyed of visiting them in any kind but as the Lord was daily with them their strength in love did increase towards him who did uphold and support them in their great Sufferings which were of that Nature that one would even wonder that a People of so much preaching and praying
planting them where Christ had not been once named But their preaching their Gospel and planting their Churches seemeth to me of the nature of the Spaniards among the Indians in New Spain who destroyed the Natives by Fire and Sword even so was it with them that at first came to preach the Gospel and plant Churches in New-England the effect of which Work is recorded in their Book of Gods Providences towards them in suffering them to destroy the Natives not considering how to love their Enemies and to pray for them unto whom the King of Heaven and Earth had given this Land to possess but as in that day by reason of the Native not understanding the nature of Guns and Powder one English Man with his Gun would put ten Indians to flight so in fifty or sixty years time of being acquainted with the Unrighteousness of the English they are now become so unrighteous in the same way that as a Judgment upon the English their Fire and Sword is so terrible that at the sight of ten Indians do one hundred well armed English men take their flight for the Natives now understanding Trade do say the English cheated them of their Land and also of the many ten Thousand Pounds worth of Furs with which they have traded with the English who were bounded by a Law that only a few of them which were mostly in the Priests and Rulers favour could trade without paying five pounds in Money for every pint of strong Drink they sold to any Indian without lisence from the Rulers who did lisence such as aforesaid to sell what they thought good insomuch that some of the Traders have boasted that their profit was one thousand pound in Furs for one hundred pounds in Rum Gun powder and other Goods with which they traded but of all their trading goods they said Rum was the chief for the Indians nature did so require and desire after strong Drink that all would be drunk in some short time for which cause the English Traders might then buy at any rate and also to lengthen out out their stock by mixing Rum and Brandy with two thirds Water but ill gotten goods do not long remain with the Wicked for the Indian Traders with their great Estates have the Indians destroyed most of them and their Estates with Fire and Sword and if New-England hath been purchased of the Natives as they say after the like nature it hath been how can the English have peace with the Indians until they have repented of their sin and made full restitution to them for their wrong received from the English especially about their Land which all know God gave unto them and before the English came here it s generally acknowledged the Indians were a moral People in way of Trade with each other but since the English undertook the work of reducing them into the knowledge of their Doctrine Principles and Practices they are become the worst of men in stupidity to work â—â—ickedness so that it is concluded that those Indians which have complyed with the former Government by which they have gained the Name of Praying Indians have been the greatest Enemies to the English in the late Wars and this I know that some of them called praying Indians have far exceeded them called cursing Indians in Mischief against the English and in general the praying Indians are no more to be credited than they that never prayed in their life so that the great sums of Money or Goods sent from England to promote the Prieâ—â—s and Rulers Work of converting the Indians in New England hath no more answered the end than all the Money and Goods which in the time the Priests have received of their people for preaching for in that day the nearer people were drawn by their Priests to joyn with their Church the further they were drawn from serving God in the true and living way as is sufficiently manifest by their persecuting of People to death so that the more the Indians complyed in joyning with the Church the more subtiler they grew and now in subtilty exceed the Foxes Bears Lyons and Wolves which if a true man were bâ—â— by the one he could have no true recompeace by complaint to the other in which day they accounted their Devotion so holy that if one that was a Member was was reading in his Psalm Book and another that was no Member did but cast his eye to behold what he was reading the prerson that was reading would close his Book as a thing unfit for them accounted as Dogs to partake with with them in their holy things and at that day in the Church of Salem the Women in time of service had their faces covered with a Vail which practice did not many years continue and when this practice was laid aside they had for the more order in their Church to keep people from sleeping a man that wholly tended with a short clubbed stick having at the one end a knop and at the other end a Fox Tayl with which he would stroke the Wemens faces that were drousie to sleep and with the other end would knock unruly Dogs and Men that were a 〈◊〉 in which time the Persecutors were not only known by their persecuting but also by their habit of high crowned Hats and two inch broad Bands with short hair above or even with their Ears and peaked Beards for their manner was to cut their hair by the brims of a dish upon their heads They had also a Law about Men and Womens Apparel by which in wearing of black silk Hoods and Scarfs the Priests and Rulers Wives might be known from others and them accounted rich might be known by their fine Cloth and Gold and Silver Buttons and thereupon came they to receive Honour of the poorer sort which were yearly rated to maintain their Priests c. And in that day a man or woman tho' never so base and wicked yet should they find acceptance of favour with the Priests and Rulers by informing against the Quakers who were recorded as Lyars Blasphemers Seducers Hereticks Rogues and Vagabonds with much more of the like nature Now having related in several places of this Book some what of the unrighteous Laws Acts Orders and Practices of new-New-England I shall now relate a little concering their last insnaring Law against the same people called Quakers through their pretended zeal for Conformity by chusing Tyding Men in each Town under their Government which were year after year sworn to give true Information vvhere they found the Quakers to meet or any other professing people vvhich vvere not lisenced to meet by the Priests and Rulers vvho for so meeting according to that Lavv did forfeit House and Land to the Country and then the Priests and Rulerrs vvere called the Country and the persons of vvhat quality soever that vvere taken at any of the the aforesaid Meetings were forth-vvith to be vvell vvhipt in the house of Correction the penalty of