Warrant where no Magistrate is at hand by any Constable Commissioner or Select Man and conveyed from Constable to Constable until they come before the next Magistrate who shall commit the said Person or Persons to close Prison there to remain without Bail untiâ— the next Court of Assistants where they shall have a legal Tryaâ— by a special Jury and being convict to be of the cursed Sect of Quakers shall be sentenced to Banishment upon pain of DEATH Obs The Reader may hence understand that the â—eaâ—er the Magistrates Laws did extend to destroy the Lives of the Innocent the more pleasing it was to the Hireling Priests â—ho in honour thereunto would set Time apart for the Churches Thankâ—giving A New-England Antichristian Law And that every the Inhabitants of this Jurisdiction being convicted to be of the cursed Sect of Quakers either by taking up publishing and defending the horrid Opinions of the cursed Quakers or stirring up Mâ—tâ—aâ— Seditâ— or Rebellion against the Goverment of our Church at â— Common Wealth or by taking up their absurd and destructive Practices viz. denying civil Respect and Reverence to Equals and Superiours with-drawing from our Church Assemblies and instead thereof frequenting private Meetings of their own in Opposition to our Church Order or by adhearing to or approving of known Quakers that are opposit to the Oâ—thodox received Opinions of the Godly and endeavouring to disaffect others â—o civil Goverment and Church Order established amongst us and condemning the Practice and Proceedings of this Court against the Quakers manifesting thereby compliance with those whose design is to overthrow the Order established in our Church and Common-Wealth The reader may here Observe the wretched state of these Bloody minded Persecutors who for want of true faith were in the state of thâ—ir elder Brother Cain that was a murderer like unto these who destroy the righteous for their Faith and Obedience to God for which cause these Persecutors bear Cains mark being in fear that those which are not of their murdering Spirits will slay them and knowing themselves to be like principled as was Hugh Peters Venner and many others of their New-England Brethren in Iniquity stirring up Mutiny Sedition and Rebeâ—lion against the English Government and the Order of the English Church established by the Bishops as by the Chronicles of England doth at large appear of their Rebellion and Treason against the King and his Children in that day of their inventing so much mischief against others in our Native Land to set up themselves above all others which Spiâ—it is the same in these their persecuting Brethren who impute that to the Charge of an Innocâ—nt harmeless People which themselves are so highly guilty of as is manifested by their setting up themselves to lord it over the People of God and the Kings Subjects as for fifty or sixty Years time they have done in new-New-England where the hireling Priests kept a constant stroke of puting all that dissented from their Worship into bear skins and setting their Followers to tear them in pieces calling out in their preaching to their people Curse ye Meroz Curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants that will not come to the help of the Lord against the mighty Judg. 5 23. and cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully by witholding his Sword from blood Jeâ— 48.10 with more of the like endeavouâ—ing to perswade that Gods general Judgments would not depart until they had hanged all the Quakers and sent going all other Dissenters The Judgments may remove but when old Charter men Are dead and then Or when God sends here better men Well to rule in Government then Pro. 29.2 From Devil and such Wicked Priests pray God deliver me Then from all Mischief in the World be sure I shall be free Hosea 6.9 New-England Peusecutors Laws against the Kings Subjects Every such Person upon Examination and Conviction before the Court of Assistants in manner as aforesaid shall be committed to close Prison for onâ— Month and unless they chuse to depart the Jurisdiction shall give Bond for their appearance at the next Court of Assistants where continuing obstinate and refusing to retract and reform the aforesoid Opinions and Practices shall be sentenced to Banishment upon pain of Death and in case â—â—the aforesaid Voluntary departure not to remain or to return again into this Jurisdiction without the allowance of the major part of the Council first had and published on penalty of being banished upon pain of Death and any one Magistrate upon complaint or information given him of any such Person shall cause them to be apprehended and if upon Examination of the cause he shall find Just grounds for such complaint he shall commit such Person to Prison until he come to his Tryal as above expressed Observe Here you may still note the Work of the Wicked in whom he that was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning gave them no rest from their bloody pursuit after the Lives of the Righteous whom the Lord did preserve in all their deep sufferings and firey Tryals that not one of the faithful Sufferers for his Cause conformed to their wicked Will who would not endure any that differed in Judgment from their Priests Worship to inhabit within their Jurisdiction who without fear to God or regard to Man contrary to the Laws of the English Native without either fear or regard to God King or Bishops made the defence of their Faith Church and Common Wealth as they call themselves as strong as possible they could with Stock Whip Goal and Gallows on which the chiefest strength of their Faith did depend for when all their other Anti-christian Weapons failed them against the Quakers the Gallows held until the Kings Letter came and removed the strength of their Faith in that also yet they continued by their old wonted way of plâ—king away mens Estates by fining them in great Sums for dessenting from their Priests Worship which from the Quakers Râ—pâ—â—â—â—s them of the Church of England and others amounted to about Twenty Thousand Pounds in the bounds of New-England When Wolves once get a taste of Blood They are for killing all that 's good The Preamble to their Law This Court being desirous to try all means with as much lenity as may consist with our safety to prevent the Intrusions of the Quakers who besides their absurd and blasphemous Doctrines do like Rogues and Vagabonds come in upon us and have not been restrained by the Laws already provided Observe Here note the Foxes Preamble to their Wolvish Law whose Ravinous blood-thirstâ— Naâ—â—re is not contented with the â—lâ—â—ce but strive all they can as have done the Wicked in days past to have the innocent Blood also as did their Brother bloody Bonner in Queen Mary's time whenas to many Thousands of People it is well known that those which suffered in Nâ—w-England under the Name of Quakers were neither in Doctrine Pâ—inciple nor Practise any way guilty of
GOD or KING as is manifested by their Works Priests Rulers Masts for Ships Dâ—ceis and Lyes withall Poor People made to pay for Presents to White-hall new-New-England Persecutors Laws against the Kings good Subjects upon Complaint of the Priests put into Execution again NOW forasmuch as new Complaints are made to this Court of such Persons abounding especially in the Eastern parts endeavouring to draw away others to that wicked Opinion it is Ordered That the last Law Tit. Vagabond Quakers May 1661. be hence-forth in force in all respects provided their Whipping be but through three Towns and the Magistrate or Commissioner signing the Warrant shall appoint both the Towns and number of Stripes in each Town to be given 1662. Obs Here by comparing this their Date to their Law with the date of the Kings Letter how little regard they had to the Kings Mind and Will therein contained which was whether condemned to suffer Death or Imprisoned or to suffer corporal Punishment to forbear to proceed any further therein but forthwith to send the said Persons over into the Nation of England with the respective Crimes or Offences laid to their Charge to the end such course might be taken with them according to the Nature of the Offence as should be agreeable to the English Laws Which express command of the King was but a small time minded by them for upon their considering the cause some small time proposed to themselves that by virtue of their Idol Charter they had as much Power in new-New-England as the King had in old-Old-England and had they the like strength of Men and Shipping would no doubt with stand all Kings and Princes that should adventure to oppose their way now had not I my self heard some of them say these things durst not have charg'd it here upon them to publick view and for a further evidence of the same witness their Proclaiming with a Trumpet before them against the Kings Commissioners in Boston perswading the People as near as as they could That their Commissions were made under a Hedge with much 〈◊〉 of the like Nature too â—orge here toâ— relate Priests Rulerr bloody Work on People hath brought Wo With their consent that silent were to have it so They 'r Works of him that is of Hell ' Gainst God and King all such Rebell new-New-England Persecutors Law against the Kings Subjects Whereas it may be found amongst us that mens Thresholds are set up by Gods Thresholds and mens Posts by Gods Posts especially in open Meetings of the QVAKERS whose damnable Heresies and abominable Idolatries are hereby promoted imbraced ând practised to the Scandal of Religion hazard of Souls and provocation of divine Jealousie against this People For Prevention and Reformation whereof it is Ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof That every Person found at a Quakers Meeting shall be apprehended ex Officio by the Constable and by Warrant from a Magistrate or Commissioner shall be committed to the House of Correction and there to have the Discipline of the House applyed unto them and to be kept to work with Bread and Water for three days together and then to be released or else shall pay a fine of five Pounds in Money to the Country for every such Offence and all Constables neglecting their Duty in not faithfully executing this Order shall incur the Penalty of 5 l. upon conviction one third part whereof to the Informer Obs The Reader may here take Notice of one of these Persecutors many horrid and wicked Lyes so proved by their Contradiction who in their Preambles to their Laws accuse the Quakers with keeping their Meetings private yet at unawares in their Bridewell Law they charge the contrary and though they pretend the sin is great yet it may be bought off for five Pounds in Money as often as they please but the said Sum not being paid them by any one they were much enraged thereat finding their covetous design in making said Law disappointed because it reach no further than to punish them that were not free to pay 5 l. for being at a Quakers Meeting as aforesaid the Penalty of which Law several Merchants in Boston suffered rather than to disobey God by satisfying the lust of such covetous Priests and Rulers who prefer the love of Money before punishing for that which themselves account so great sins as by the Preamble of their Laws they pretend these above-mentioned to be Their bloody Laws are almost done Which Work the Priests at first begun new-New-England Persecutors Preamble to their Laws against provoking Evils as they call them Whereas the most wise holy God for these several years past hath not only warned us by his word but chastized us with his Rod inflicting upon us many general Judgments but we have neither heard the word nor rod as we ought to be effectually humbled for our sins to repent of them hence it is the righteous God hath hightened our Calamity and given Commission to the barbarous Heathen to rise up against us and become a smart Rod and severe Scourge to us in burning and depopulating several hopeful Plantations murdering many of our Inhabitants of all sorts and seeming as it were to cast us off and putting us to shame and not going forth with our Arms hereby speaking aloud to us to search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord our God from whom we have departed with great back-sliding Obs That to acknowledge the Truth is well and well would it be indeed if they were found acknowledging the whole Truth and to repent of shedding innocent Blood which is the great sin of New-England Priests and Rulers as also of the consenting Church Members thereof but of this there is no mention made in their Preamble-confession of words without Works of Truth and Righteousness to God and People according as is at large manifest by their afore-mentioned Laws the neglect of which Execution was by their Priests imputed to be the main cause of general Judgment to come upon them But they use to say If all the Quakers were hanged and all other Dissenters clear'd out of their Jurisdiction then would their Land enjoy Peace Unto which Work the Rulers were bewitched so far as the Devil was permitted to drive them who were as willing to run and to work they went against all Dissenters and set forth a Book against the Baptists entituled The Rise and Foundation of the cursed Sect of Annabaptists in which was as many Lyes as they use to gather for their Pulpit Work on the first Day against the Quakers which Lyes to hear also costs the People Money None are more blind than those that will not see The cause for which Gods general Judgments be New-England Persecutors Law against Provoking Evils as they call them 1. This Court apprehending there is too great a neglect of Discipline in the Churches and especially respecting those that are their Children through the non acknowledgment of them
year from Persons chiefly of their own Churches for the sin of Uncleanness as also some years no less then forty Hundred Pounds a year for Fineâ— which they compelled from the people of God and the Kings good Subjects dissenting from their Priests Worship with which and ten Thousand Pounds yearly paid the Priests for preaching and as much yearly paid the Rulers for making Laws and Judging all which came out of the poor Peoples labour within the bounds of New-Englands Priests and Rulers Where men can make what Laws they please Such Priests and Rulers live at ease New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as tâ—â—y call them It is ordered by this Court. That no person within this Jurisdiction nor any of their Relations depending upon them whose visible Estates real and personal shall not exceed the true value of two hundred Pounds shall not wear any Gold or Silver Buttons or Gold or Silver Lace or Bone Lace above two Shillings per yard or Silk Hoods or Silk Scarss Points or Ribbands or great Boots upon the penalty of ten Shillings for every such Offence And further ordered by the Authority aforesaid That the Select men of every Town are hereby impowered enabled and required to asseâ—s every such Person so offending in any of the Particulars above-mentioned in the Country Rates at two hundred Pounds Estates according as such men pay to whom such apparel is allowed Alwayes provided That this Law shall not extend to the Restraint of any Magistrate or publick Officer of this Jurisdiction their Wives and Children who are left to their own discretion in wearing Apparel or any settled Military Officer or Souldier in the time of Military Service or any other whose Education and imployment have been above the ordinary Degree or whose Estates have been considerable though now deacyed 1651. It is further ordered and Enacted by this Court and the Authority thereof that all Persons within this Jurisdiction that shall wear any Apparel exceeding their quality and Condition of their Persons or Estates and either of these be so Judged by the Grand Jury and County Court of that shire where such complaint is made all such Persons being convicted shall for the first Offence be admonished for the second Offence pay a Fine of twenty Shillings for the third Offence forty Shillings a time and so following as the Offences are multiplied to pay forty Shillings a time â—o the Treasurer of that County And further ordered That if any Taylor shall make or fashion any Garment for Children or Servants contrary to the mind and order of their Parents or Governours every such Taylor shall for the first Offence be admonished and for the second Offence forfeit double the value of such Apparel or Garment as he shall make or fashion contrary to the mind and order of such Parents or Governours as aforesaid the one half thereof to the Owner and the other half to the Country And all Grand-Jurys are hereby enjoyned to present all those whomthey shall judge breakers of this Order 1662. Obs That in the year aforesaid 1662. through the Priests advice they were hot in persecuting both Quakers Baptists and all other Dissenters thinking thereby to fine and whip the Christians from their Religion which according to the advice of their hireliâ—g Priests being in hopes to do that when they had so done and over-come the aforesaid provoking evils of Pride in Apparel that God would the more hear their loud Prayers and remove his great Judgments from amongst them for it is certainly true my self is witness to the same that have often heard them say That Gods Judgments would never remove from amongst them till all the Quakers and other Dissenters were hanged or cleared out of their Jurisdiction And for another Instance â—once was present when Thomas Maule of Salem came to one of the aforesaid Rulers for a Warrant to search for one hundred Pounds worth of Silks and other rich Goods stole out of his shop the night before to whom this Ruler answered He would grant him no Warrant but would complain to the Court of any man that did grant him a Warrant to search for his Goods Moreover in my hearing said to him If a man knock you on the head or hang you the recompence is in your own hands for you are not to be protected by the Laws of this Government This was the Justice of this great Ruler and Church Member free of their Body Politick as they call themselves whose Laws allow that Apparel to themselves which to others they impute the wearing of to be one of the provoking Evils for which Offence as they call it the Offender by their Law must be equally rated with such to whom the Law allows the said Apparel as also to pay 40 s. a time as the Offences multiply and if not able to pay then to be punished Pride Oppression and Covetousness abound All which by Priests and Rulers Law is found New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as they call them Whereas there is much Prophaneness amongst us in Persons turning their backs upon the publick Worship before it be finished and the blessing pronounced It is Ordered by this Court That the Officers of the Churches or select men shall take care to prevent such Disorders by appointing Persons to shut the Meeting-house Doors or any other meet way to attain the end Obs The time was now near at hand in which all their wicked Works against Dissenters as well as on other accounts came to be throughly looked into by the King and Powers in England who found their Unrighteousness so great that as before related their building began a pace to be overthrown which People perceiving many of the Priests Hearers began to give little heed or regard to their Idol Worship to which they had been so long kept for divers years meerly by the strength of unrighteous Laws and now at this time finding the Priests and Rulers strength to confide in little more besides the Meeting-house Doors in a little time after they had been in Meeting were willing to depart without hearing any more of the Priests long winded Railing against the Baptists Quakers and all other Dissenters for which cause I say many Persons turning their backs upon the Worship before it was finished and the Money-blessing pronounced the Priests Money Box always when done held out by one of the Church Officers would fall much short of the Priests pay for his Sermon to what it use to do when their cruel Laws were in more force than at this time but the strength of their Meeting-house Doars did at length also fail yet at times as the evil Spirit moved in them they must run whom the Devil permits to drive into such Unrighteousness would be afflicting one Dissenter or another especially by Fines which by Cart loads of Corn I have then seen the Priests drudges fetch from the People called Baptists as also Goods and Cattle from others It was
credit at their hand He must forsake all good then by their cause may stand Preamble to the Persecutors Laws made against the People of God and the Kings good Subjects WHereas there is a cursed Sect of Hereticks lately risen up in the world which are commonly called Quakers who take upon them to be immediately sent of God Infallibly assisted by the Spirit to speak and write blasphemous Opinions despising Government and the Order of God in Church and common Wealth speaking evil of Dignities reproaching and reviling Magistrates and Ministers seeking to turn People from the Faith and gain Proselites to their pernitious way Observe Here 's the Persecutors preamble to their Antichristian Law the unrighteousness of which is of their Father the wicked One who from the beginning hath been an Accuser of the Brethren wherefore the things of the Kingdom of God are hid from them Mat. 11.25 Luke 10.21 In which state they remain as the rebelious Jews calling good evil and the truth blasphemous Opinions having no more justly to accuse the Quakers of evil then had the wicked Jews against the People of God in the Apostles day and will in this following work appear so to be to every true Christian Readers view of the same Here now begins these free-mens sin The Cause for which Gods Judgments bring Preamble to these Persecutors Law The Court Considering the Premises and to prevent the like Mischief as by their means is wrought in our native Land Observe That of their many Lyes and Unjust charges against both the Quakers Baptists and other Dissenters as well as against them of the Church of England is a Record to the end of Time as also of their many other unrighteous Works against the People of God and the Kings Subjects which had they and their Brethren been as clear from all means of mischief as the Quakers there had neither Rebellion Treason or Murder against the King been alledged to the charge of their new-New-England Brother Hugh Peters Venner and others of their Brethren in England which they call our native Land New-England Persecutors Law 1. Do hereby order and by the Authority of this Court Be it ordered and Enacted That no Master or Commander of any Ship Bark Pinnace Ketch or other Vessel henceforth bring into any Harbour Creek or Cove within this Jurisdiction any known Quaker or Quakers or other blasphemous Hereticks upon the Penalty of the Forfeiture of Oâ—â— hundred Pounds to be forthwith paid to the Treasureâ— of the Cuntry except it appeareth that such Maâ—ter wanted due 〈…〉 of information that they were such and in 〈◊〉 â—â—se he â—ay clear himself by his Oath when sufficienâ— proof 〈◊〉 the contrary is wanting and for default of payment of the said Fine of one hundred Pounds or good Security for the same such Master shall be committed to Prison by Warrant from any Magistrate there to continue till the said Fine be satisfied to the Treasurer as aforesaid 2. And the Master or Commander of any such Ship or Vessel that shall bring them being legally convicted shall give in sufficient Securiry to the Governour or one more of the Magistrates to carry them to the place whence he brought them and on his refusal so to do the Governour or said Magistrate or Magistrates shall commit such Master or Commander to Prison there to remain till he shall give in sufficient Security to the content of the Governour or said Magistrate 3. And if any Person or Persons within this Jurisdiction shall henceforth entertain and conceal any Quaker or Quakers or other blasphemous Hereticks Knowing them to be such every such Person shall forfeit to the Country Forty Shillings for every hours entertainment and concealment of any such Quaker or Quakers as aforesaid and shall be committed to Prison as aforesaid till the Fines be fullly satisfied and paid Observe That several of the Kings Subjects Masters or Commanders of Vessels suffered to the utmost extreamity of this unrighteous Law which is so repugnant to the Law of God and the Kings Laws that in making and prosecuting the same they oâ—t do all their fore-Fathers and elder Brethren in Iniquity which Law was so well pleasing to the Priests who the more that people might believe their work to be sanctified set one day apart for Preaching and Praying as a day of Thanksgiving for the same hoping that by the means of a thorow prosecution of this Law to keep their Jurisdiction clear of every Person called a Quaker and that then their freemen would take the more courage against the Baptists and them of the Church of England for with the Quakâ—rs they were hard beseâ— and in fear they would deprive them of their God and as Leâ—etrius their Trade would come to nothing and in fear of being slain as was their elder Brother Vagabond Cain who as these had no certain dwelling in the Truth which if their Worship had been the true Worship of God as we read John 4.24 but on the contrary as we read Mark 7 6 7 8 9. Mat. 15.8 they worship't they knew not what John 4 22 in which state of Disobedience they were far from the Rule of doing as themselves would have been done unto Mat. 7.12 Luke 6 31. but in fleeing the Land to sâ—ve their Purses with which their minds did abide regarded not the Rule to entertain Strangers Heb. 13.2 but on the contrary gaâ—e them the like entertainment as the wicked Jews did to Christ and his Apostles from whose Rule of â—râ—eing all things â—râ— held fâ—t that which is good from the sâ—me do these Persecutors Law restrain as will more at large hereafter appear Of the like Laws we never finde By men that God and King do mind New England's Antichristian Law 4. And every Person or Persons that shall encourage or defend any of their pernicious ways by speaking writing or meeting on the Lords Day or at any other time shall after due means of conviction incur the Penalty ensuing viz. Every one so meeâ—â—ng shall pay to the use of the Country for every time Ten Shillings And every one speaking in such a Meeting shall forâ—eit Five Pounds Observe That by 〈◊〉 Law and the other afore-mentioned Law of forty Shillings for every hours entertainment to any Person or Persons or others whom they account blasphemous Hereticks as they did account all that dissented from their Priests Worship by which two Laws they gained abundance of Money for Fines of the Inhabitants who were found either at the Quakers Meeting or to entertain their Relations and Kindred though Father or Mother Brother or Sister or any other Friend or Friends or Relations and Kindred whom in their Law They call by the name of Strangers and Vagabonds as by the following Laws will further appear and that every man by Membership admitted to the freedom of their Body Politick was according to their Priests way of teaching become a Ruleâ— to lord over the Faitâ— of every Dissenter by
Pounds for Fines imposed upon them because Dissenters from their way of Worship whose Priests and Rulers had also of their People yearly Sallarys according to the same Proportion of the aforesaid Sum of twenty thousand Pounds through which means as these Persecutors lived at a high rate on that which others had laboured hard to get went in thred-bare Coats and their Families in want of that which was their own and devoured by this persecuting Crew aforesaid whereby their great Oppression reached the whole People of the ordinary degree even as a sweeping Rain that clears all before it Balaam's State is theirs who for unrighteous Gain The People do Oppress themselves for to maintain New-England Persecutors Laws against the Kings Subjects Suspended during their pleasure This Court heretofore for some Reasons inducing did judge meet to suspend the Execution of the Laws against Quakers as such so far as they respect corporal Punishment 〈◊〉 Death during the Courts pleasure Obs That tho' these Persecutors saw there was cause to suspend their bloody Laws against the Kings good Subjects so far as they did respect corporal Punishment or Death yet it must be only during their own pleasure not the Kings no they could not stoop to that But whether they did not herein manifest a Spirit of Rebellion against God the Kings Order as by his Letter will appear and the Laws of the English Nation I leave others to judge Now the occasion of procuring this Order from the King was their great Cruelty in banishing sober honest People out of their Jurisdiction upon Pain of Death if they returned for as before is said of Dr. Child Samuell Maverick and other Merchants whose Imprisonment and three hundred Pounds a piece saved them from the new-New-England Gallows and none without the like hazard might make complaint to England but several banished Quakers adventured to lay their said suffering case before the King whose mercifu◠Ear heard their Cry and took Compassion on his suffering Subjects and forth-with stopt new-New-England Persecutors wicked hands from shedding more innocent Blood being acquainted with their great Wickedness and knowing the manner of their Spirits by what their Brother H. Peters Vennor other of their N. England Brethren had done both against his Father and himself as by his Letter he begins with them as afterwards it proved so to be as a wise man with the Tope Tile or covering of a fair outside Building whose inside is full of all manner of Deceit and the Foundation thereof very dangerous by degrees in working down-wards till he comes to the Foundation which afterwards was wholly removed through the loss of their Charter which to them had been as an Idol Godd in which they trusted as much as ever the People did in Baal and if ever Silver and Gold procure such another it may be at a high Rate and they are like to be as cruel as before But the English Laws are far before New-England Idols God will not ever permit the Devils Power Nor wicked Men the Righteous to devour A Copy of the King's Letter Charles R. TRusty and well beloved We greet you well Having been informed that several of Our Subjects amongst you called Quakers have been and are Imprisoned by you whereof some have been Executed and others in danger to undergo the like We have thought fit to signifie Our Pleasure in that behalf for the future and do hereby Require That if there be any of those People called Quakers amongst you now already condemned to suffer Death or are Imprisoned and obnoctious to the like Condemnation You are to forbear to proceed any further therein but that you forth-with send the said Persons whether condemned or imprisoned over into this our Kingdom of England together with their respective Crimes or Offences laid to their Charge to the end such course may be taken with them here as shall be agreeable to our Laws and their Demerits And for so doing these Our Letter shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge Given at our Court at White-hall the 9 th day of Septemb. 1661. in the 13 th Year of Our Reign Subscribed to Our trusty well-beloved John Endicot Esq and to all and every other Governours of Our Plantation of New-England and to all the Collonies thereunto belonging that now are or hereafter shall be and to all and every the Ministers and Officers of Our said Plantation and Collonies whatsoever within the Continent of New-England By His Majesty's Command W. Morris Obs Now these Persecutors had nothing to charge these Innocent People with but that they were Quakers against whom they had provided a Law but this Law was repugnant to the Laws of the English Nation and therefore upon the receipt of the Kings Letter they durst do no other than set at liberty both them condemned to suffer Death and those imprisoned also but herein they did not obey the Kings Command for he commanded them to send these Quakers so imprisoned or condemned over to England with the particular Crimes laid to their charge but this they would not do and good reason why they had to Crimes to lay to their Charge but that they were Quakers And being brought to this pinch instead of sending a Ship load of Quakers and a large Roll of their Crimes of Treason Rebellion Subversion of Government c. home to the King they send a Ship load of Masts for a Present to the King with a parcell of horrid Wicked Lyes against the Quakers to defray the charge of which Present the poor Inhabitants were severaly Rated After which their great Deceit and abominable Hypocrisie the King came to find out not only in doing as aforesaid but upon many other accounts too large here to relate and before I conclude enough against them will appear to manifest their great Wickedness against God the King and People Yet notwithstanding all this they could not long forbear their old work of Persecution but soon put their Law in execution again for the Kings Letter was dated 1661. and they revived their old Law again in 1662. which was done more in obedience to the Devil and to please their hireling Priests than in honour to God or respect to the King against whom they did rebell in so doing as appears by his Letter and their not sending any of the Quakers over into the Kingdom of England but instead thereof sent a Present with a parcell of Lyes too large here to relate and put their Law into Execution again and as sharp cruel and barbarous was the Execution respecting corporal punishment as formerly though the Towns were not to be so many in which they were to be whipt yet the Whip with three single hair twisted small Cords each being knotted fit for the Devil and Priests Work was the same as before the Kings Letter came and did so continue till near or about the time they lost their Idol viz. their old Charter on which was their dependance above
of Persecution for at that time a Young Man who had been ordained by the Bishop of London to preach at Carolina where being sickly was advised to remove and change the air whereupon he came to Boston and was civilly â—ntertained by some Old England men and after some time recovering his Health he came to be known to be a Minister of the Church of England and for that he was a Master of the French Language he was by some French Protestants and others of the Church of England recommended to a poor and dark Corner of the Province to preach to a small number of poor People amongst whom he passed some few Moneths before the persecuting Priests found him out but at last hearing that he preached baptized according to the way of the Church of England they stirâ—ed up the Magistrates against him who were at their beck and soon sent a Constable who beset his Longing and required him to desist from his preaching c. at his peril but he knowing on what foot he stood continued his preaching and baptizing according to his Commission from the Bishop of London till at length he was threatned with Whipping and understanding that the Constables had Warrants from the persecuting Magistrates to seize him and for that end beset his Lodging whereupon he returned privately to Carolina 4. Nor were the Affronts offered to Robert Ratcliffe the first estblished Minister of the Church of England in Boston to be passed in silence He came over in the Year 1686. with Authority from the Crown of Engâ—and to establish a Church in Boston this mans meekness and Sobriety was sufficiently knwn yet were his Affronts manâ— by which they sought to weary him out not only by personal Abuses and publick Injuries in breaking the Church Windows teaâ—ing the service book making Crosses of Mans Dung on the Doors and filling the Key-holes with the same but also seized his Clark and compelled him to Prison in a Wheel barrow of which nature they acted many abuses against the aforesaid and his Church insomuch that no Minister longer being able to endure their horrid Anti-christian Abuses which did more dayly increase against him and his Church was necessitated after about four years stay amongst them to leave his Charge and go for England where the late Queen preferred him to a living 5. And as a father sign of their hatred to that Church at the time of the Revolution they Imprisoned three Gentlemen Members thereof without any charge against them or since save that they had officiated as Justices of the Peace under the Kings Commission and although they Joyned with eight or ten more of their own Church Members who sate and Joyntly acted with them in the same County yet could find no complaint against their own Church Members so apparently partial were they to their own party and violent to others by which as aforesaid though not the thousand part of what might be brought against them of their great Wickedness against the People of God and the Kings Subjects yeâ— with a little more of the like nature to be added hereunto will by their works be sufficient to the uâ—dâ—rstanding of every true Christian That the new-New-England Church is not the true Church of Christ that worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth viz John 4.24 Having thus mentioned some of the abuses offered to some Members of the Church of England I shall now draw Conclusion so soon I have given a short account of the Tryal of Thomas Maule of Salem about his Book call'd Truth held forth c. I shall begin thus viz. Thomas Maule a Young Man about twelve years of Age came from England to the Island of Barbodoes and from thence for his health sake came to new-New-England where hearing much preaching and loud praying he began to think with himself what manner of People are these whose Streets ring with the noise of Preaching and Pâ—aying and having lived amongst them about three years he did experience their words to be good but by their works to have no good hearts at the end of which time he removed himself to another of their Towns called Salem where he found the Church Members to be in all respects as to Religion one with them in the other Towns of their Jurisdiction but in Salem he found a People of few words and good works agreable thereunto with which people he Joyned by keeping to their Meetings which so inraged the Church Members that with their Priests they stirred up the Rulers against him and fined the man where he kept fifty Pounds for entertaining him after which for his keeping open shop upon one of their fast days and speaking the Truth against their Priests railing against the Quakers and the like they five times imprisond him thrice took away his goods aâ—d thrice cruelly whipt him besides their many other Abuses and also accusing him of posting his Books on the first day of the week but he affirming the contrary and though two evil minded persons whereof one was a Thief who then unknown had stolen Goods in her keeping both which did say he posted Books as aforesaid notwithstanding iâ— being utterly false and the evidence of no credit yet recorded they him a Lyar when he had spoken no other but the Truth relating to the same shall now proceed to the sum and as aforesaid From which I shall now proceed to the Sum and substance of his late Trial which was writ by a hand then present in their Courts as followeth The Copy of their Warrant Province of the Massachusets Bay TO the Sheriffe of the County of Essex his under Sheriffe or Debuty greeting Whereas there is lying before the honourable Lieutenant Governour and Council a printed Pamphlet entituled Truth held forth and maintained put forth in the name of Thomas Maule said to be Thomas Maules of Salem within your County published without Licence of Authority in which is contained many notorious and wicked Lyes and Slanders not only upon private Persons but also upon Government and likewise divers corrupt and pernicious Doctrines utterly subversive of the true Christian and professed Faith These are therefore in his Majesties Name to Will and require you forthwith to make search in the House of the said Maule and where else you shall be informed any of the said Pamphlets are or may be found seize and secure all that you shall find thereof and to cause the said Thomas Maule to appear before the Lieutenant Governour and Council at the Council Chamber in Boston upon Thirsday the 19th Currant to answer what shall be objected against him on his Majesties behalf In the Premises hereof fail not making return of this Warrant with your doings therein Dated at the Council Chamber in Boston December 12th 1695. By Command of the Lieutenant Governour Council Jsaac Addition Secretary A true Copy attested by George Curwin Sherriff A Copy of the Return of their Warrant Salem December 14
NEVV-ENGLAND Pesecutors Mauled VVith their own VVeapons Giving some Account of the bloody Laws made at Boston against the Kings Subjects that dissented from their way of Worship Together with a brief Account of the Imprisonment and Tryal of Thomas Maule of Salem for publishing a Book entituled Truth held forth and maintained c. By Tho. Philathes Truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Isai 59 14 15. As Troops of Robbers wait for a Man so do the company Priests murder in the way by consent Hosea 6.9 Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth Mischief by a Law they gather themselves together against the Soul of the Righteous and condemn the Innocent Blood Psal 94.20.21 The Preface Christian Reader IT has not been without due Consideration that we have seen cause to set forth and publish a true Account of some of the New-England Church Members cruel and bloody Laws which through the Priests instigating the Magistrates were by them made against both Quakers and all other Religious Persons within New-Englands Jurisdiction that were found to dissent from their Worship as also a short Relation of some few of the many Persons that suffered Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the aforesaid Church with some brief Observations on each Law and the Preamble thereof Unto which is added an Account of the Priests Rulers and Church Members great Hurly-burley or Confusion made about a late Book entituled Truth held forth and maintained c. by Thomas Maule of Salem in which Book is contained thirty eight Chapters relating to the Principles of Truth agreeing with the Testimony of the holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles recorded in the holy Scriptures of Truth together with an Account of Gods Judgments upon divers of the chief persecuting Priests and Rulers and a Declaration the late great â—udgment of God upon the Priests Rulers their Fâ—llowers of whom Twenty were through the Accusation â—y Specter Evidence which Judgment continued amongst the Inhabitants near or about Twelve Moneths till at length there was so many of the Priests and Rulers and others accounted eminent Persons accused by the said Specter or Apparition that the Rulers with as much speed as they had condemned and put to Death dâ—d now face about and clear the Prisons both of the condemned as well as of all others accused by the said evidence for Witches an Account of which is more at large to be seen in said Maules Book of which Books the Persecutors sacrificed sixteen Pounds worth a burne Offering to their Anger and Revenge the which by them was done as also Imprisoning him about Twelve Months before that upon his Tryal he was cleared by a Jury that found him Not Guilty the sums and substance of which tryal will appear in this Book by which it doth manifestly appear that many of the New-England Priests and Rulers with many of their Church-Member Breâ—hren in â—nâ—quity do remain in the same when they fled from Old England to save their Purses and Bodies from suffering by the Bishops Power for their dissenting from their Mother Church against whom it will sufficiently appear have rebelled by persecuting several Persons thereunto belonging as well as all other Religious Persons found within their Jurisdiction to dissent from their Priests Worship As for Instance soon after they came and had settled themselves in this Land they began to persecute after aâ— horrible rate and in a cruel bloody manner did they persecâ—te Ann Hutchinsan and that Company of whom some werâ—â— barbarously murdered so also was Mr. Clark and that Company great Sufferers as likwise Samuell Gorton and that Company who for the want of one more casting Votâ— escaped the Gallows for a Dissenter and the Sufferings of the Lady Moody with many others was very great as also was the Sufferings of Mr. Williams Obadiah Homes Mr. Donstor the President and many others of whom I shall hereafter more at large relate about which time the Priests were so beset with the Baptists Quakers and the Church of England that it caused thè Hirelings to roar out in their Pulpâ—â—s for the help of Moses otherwise Aaron must fall and then they are all undone whereupon the Magistrates mustered the Priests Drudges together and to work they went against Dissenters with all the strength of their Faith Defenders which mostly fell upon the Innocent Quakers as will hereafter appeare which had these Persecuters manifested the least Repentance would have prevented the Authur from publishing the following Account of their bloody Laws and the cruel barbarous Works acted and done thereby to the Kings good Subjects within New-Englands Jurisdiction Tho. Thilathes Persecutors Maul'd with their own VVeapons Anti-Christian Freedom established by the Law of the Old Charter Priests and Rulers in new-New-England THis Court having considering the Proposals presented to this Court by several of the Inhabitants of the County of Middlesex do declare and order That no man whatsoever shall be admitted to the freedom of this Body Politick but such as are Members of some Church of Christ and in full Communion which they declare to be the true intent of the antient Law Anno 1631 1660. Observe Hence you may understand that the County of middlesex for Money and wealth did encourage for sale the high Priests Ware as well as in love to their Bellies to seat themselves near to the Magistrates General high Court of Injustice against Dissenters from their Worship which said Courts were kept in Boston where the Priests Drudges brought of the Dissepters Estates for finâ—s to the Value of many hundreds of Pounds with which the Priests and Rulers with others of their Church Brâ—thren feasted themselves from day to day while they made Laws against them that dissented from the worship of their Priests who when their Bellies were Ruffed with the best Provision and their heads with the richest sort of Wine had not far home to their Common Prayers against all dissenters as well as Quakers and while they feasted themselves with the best of other mens Labour they kept the true Owners thereof with the best entertainment their Goal and Bridewell house did afford as by their cruel suffering therein will hereafter appear and as is related in the Book of Sufferings under these persecuting Magistrates that some went and demanded their fat Oxen of them again to which their answer was Would you that we should sit and starve while we are about your business which was to make Laws to devour them and their Estates which work was of great encouragement to the Priest-ridden Freemen of their Body Politick whose some Church of Christ as in their Law they call it is no other but the plain Church of Anti-christ and so proved to be by their persecuting all other Persons dissenting there-from in their Jurisdiction The Free-mans Law by which a Body make No man that 's true can with their Church pertake He that will honour gain and
which the Christian Reader may fully comprehend the nature of these Free-mens Body Poâ—â—â—ick Vnto Religion thâ—se Free-men do pretend We â—â—ay all see that Money is their end New-England Antichristian Law 5. If any Person shall knowingly import into any Harbouâ— of this Jurisdiction any Quakers Books or Writings concerning their damnable Opinions he shall forfeit 〈◊〉 every such Book or writing five Pounds and whosoever shall disperse or conceal such Book or Writing and it be found with him or her or in his or her House and shall not Immediately deliver the same to the next Magistrate shall pay five Pounds for dispersing or concealing every such Book or Writing 6 And every Person or Persons whatsoever that shall revile the Office or Person of Magistrates or Ministers as is usual with the Quakers such Person or Persons shall be severely whipt or pay the Sum of Five Pounds in money The Reader may here note That the substance of matter contained in these two last Laws is very agreeable with what is before as also with what will follow all which is to promote the works of Unrighteousness against God and his People thereby to hinder others from receiving the Truth who for proving all things to hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 must as by their Law pay five Pounds either for bringing any Quakers Books or writings into their Jurisdiction or keeping the same in their House when they are without immediate delivering the same to the next Magistrate which doth evidently manifest their design is to gain the Peoples Money as well as to hinder them of receiving the Truth which fâ—lfil what is written They will neither enter theÌ„ Kingdom of Heaven themselves nor suffer others that are entering to go in Mat. 22.13 but as those wicked Jews did so do these Hypocrites most unrighteously charge the People of God with reviling the Office and Persons of Magistrates and Ministers when as on contrary their Testimonies were true for Gods cause against Pride Covetousness and Oppression which greatly abounded in the Magistrates Priests and Persecuting free-men who for the most Part by their hireling Priests were taught beyond all grace and common good and that the whole Government of their Church and Common-wealth as they call it had as they concluded that dependency upon their â—old Charter that as by their Law it is manifest they neither feared God nor minded the Laws of the English Nation for they had assumed to themselves the Power of both God King and Bishops wholly confiding in the strength of their old Idol Charter Where Persecutors once gain Power Like Lyons Bears and Wolves devour new-New-England's Anti-christian Law 7. And every Person that shall publish and maintain any Heterodox Erronious Doctrine shall be liable to be questioned and sencured by the County Court where he liveth according to the merit of his Offence The Reader may hence understand That the County Courts were plenty of these Persecutors Plenty of jackalls to hunt for their prey which was to find out every Person in their Jurisdiction that departed from the way of their Priests Worship such person and Persons became a prey Isâ— 59.15 who were â—ccused to publish or maintain the Heterodox or Frâ—onious Doctrine at the opening of which Courts were always some of their Priests to pray pretending that what they did against Dâ—ssenteâ—s would be the more sanctified through the means of their Prayers which they pretended was for the honour of God and good of the Souls of them on whom the said Court did inflict punishment both to their Body and Purses so that what with these Hirelings unsanctified Prayers and the like Advice to the Magistrates they would be sure to lay load enough on the backs of the aforesaid Dissenters especially upon the Innocent harmless Quakers whom so often in their Law they call Accursed for unto them was the Priests greatest Rage manifested through their wicked advice to the Magistrates to have them all hanged of whom four were put to Death and more had been had not their Bloody Hands been stopped through the means of the Kings Order to the Contrary a Coppy of which Letter will hereafter appear in this Book which before it came many were they that were put to cruel Sufferings both by long Imprisonment cruel Whippings Cutting off Ears Branding with Red hot Irons ordering Men and Women to be sold for bond Slaves searching the Bodies of Innocent Women for Witches besides Banishing upon pain of Death and abundance of their Estate taken for Fines on which these men so free to do the Devils Work did live eating and drinking at a high rate whilst others suffered as aforesaid This was the work of wicked Priest â—nd Pulpit Lyars Whose work was like the Jesuites the Monks and Frayrs New-England Antichristian Law 8. whereas there is a pernicious Sect commonly called Quakers lately arisen who by word and writing have published and maintained many dangerous and horrid Tenets and take upon them to change and alter the laudable Customs of our Nation in giving civil Respect to Equals o Reverence to Superiors whose Actions tend to undermine the Authority of civil Government as also to destroy the Order of the Churches by denying all established Forms of Worship and by with drawing from the orderly Church Assemblies allowed and approved by all Orthrodox Professors of the Truth and instead thereof and opposition thereunto frequenting private Meetings of their own insinuating into the minds of the simple or such as are less affected to the Order and Government of our Church and Common Wealth whereby divers of our Inhabitants have been Infected and seduced and notwithstanding all former Laws made upon Experience of their arrogant bold Obtrusions to Disseminate their Principles amongst us prohibiting their coming into this Jurisdiction they have not been detered from their impetuous Attempts to undermine our Peace and hasten our Ruin The Reader may here note the great Wickedness of these unrighteous Priests and Rulers who to accuse the innocent run themselves into further mischief through their bold Attempts against God and the King which hath proved to be their ruin for whilest they were digging Pits and making Rods and laying Snares the innocent God was preparing his Judgments against them and all those whose silence gave consent thereto by which â—udgments they do not only suffer suffer the loss of their Fruit and Grain throughout their Jurisdiction but also are delivered into the hands of the Barbarous Indians whom God suffers to make them a double measure of the like Cruelty which themselves as by their â—â—ws have inâ—icted upon others besides the loss of their old Charter and great Idol God ever will for Iâ—nocent Blood Reward Though while the Wicked live little it regard New-England Antichristian Law For prevention thereof this Court doth Order and Enact that every Person of the cursed Sect of Quakers who is not an Inhabitant but found within this Jurisdiction shall be apprehended without
these Persecutors charge but on the coâ—t any differing there-from as Light from Darkness Truth from Error God fâ—om the Devil Christ from Beliâ—â— and Heaven from Hell from whence is the Power and Spirit of all those that put people to Death for their Faith and Obedience to God who permits these things to be done by the instruments of the wicked one for a tryal of Faith to those who are made wiâ—ling to part with all for the sake of him that first loved them and gives them that Power through which they receive strength to withstand all the Powers of Hell from whence proceedeth the Spirit of these persecutors as did them in dayes past John 8.44 Mat. 23.31 33 34 35 36. whose safety did as these do remain by the strength of unrighteous Laws and as they said so say these We have a Law and by our Law every Person dissenting from our Church Order and against the Government of our Common Wealth as is manifest the Quakers do by condemning the Proceedings of this Court against Dissenters who by our Law ought 〈◊〉 dye Which proves these Persecutors to be true Vagabonds by having no dwelling in the Truth Vagabonds are as was their Brother Cain Who murder them that in the Truth remain New-England Persecutors Laws against the Kings Subjects Have ordered That every such Vagabond Quaker found within any part of this Jurisdiction shall be apprehended by any Person or Persons or by the Constable of the Town where he or she is found and by the Constable or in his absence by any other Person or Persons conveyed before the next Magistrate of that shire where they are taken or Commissioner invested with Magistratical Power and being by them adjudged to be a wandering Quaker viz. such that hath no orderly alâ—owance in this Jurisdiction and not giving civil Respect or by any other means manifesting himself to be a Quaker shall by warrant under the hand of the said Magistrate or Commissioner directed to the Constable of the Town or to any other meet Person be stripped from the middle upward and tyed to a Carts Tail and whipped through the Town and from thence Immediately conveyed to the Constable of the next Town towards the borders of our Jurisdiction as their Warrant shall direct till they be conveyed through the outwardmost Towns of our Jurisdiction Observe That by the following Copy of one of their many Wâ—rrants of the like Bloody and cruel nature their Whipping of the Innocent Quakers who by their Law must have no allowance to trade buy or sell within the bounds is of their Juâ—isdiction for which cause of being so prohibited and found within their Jurisdiction and by them called Vagabonds whenas a 〈…〉 being found as Cain was to have no dwelling in the Truâ—â— are the right true Vagabonds endeavouring as much as in them lies to whip others from their certain dwellings is 〈◊〉 Truth to become Vagabonds like themselves A Coppy of one of their many Warrants TO the Constable of Dover Hampton Salsbury Newberâ— Rowley Ipswich Wenham Linn Boston Roxbury Dedham and until these Vagabond Quakers are carryed out of this Jurisdiction You and every of you are required in the Kings Name to take Ann Coleman Mary Tomkins Alice Ambrose and make them fast to the Carts Tail and driving the Cart through your several Towns to whip them upon their Naked Backs and not exceeding Ten Stripes on each of them in each Town and so to convey them from Constable to Constable till they come out of this Jurisdiction as you will answer it at your peril And this shall be your Warrant Dated at Dover December the 22th 1662. Per me Richard Walden Observe Here are Eleven Towns in the Warrant and from the first Town Dover to the last Town Dedham is about eighty Miles and Ten Stripes on each of them in each Town is One Hundred and Ten stpipes a peice with a Whip made with three small single hair twisted Cords each of which being knotted fit for the Priests Work to defend their Faith and so laid on the naked Backs of the innocent Quakers as if it were possible the Knots might kiss the Bones which cruel work was agreeable to the Priests exhorting their Drudges from these Scriptures Judg. 5.23 Jer. 48.10 which Work was as far from the Work of God in this day as Heaven is from Hell as may be read Luke 9.54 55·56 Mat. 5.44 45 46. Luke 6.31 32 33. Mat. 13.28 29 30. 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 6. but contrary to these Persecutors act as we read John 8.44 Mat. 6.24 For his Servants they are to whom they obey Rom. 6.16 But as their laws were bloody and their execution Cruel and Barbarous so hath God suffered both he that drew the Warrant with many more of his persecuting Brethren to be destroyed and their Riches consumed by the great Judgments of God upon them as is more at large to be seen in the aforesaid late book entituled Truth held forth and maintained by Thomas Maule And when the Quakerâ— were commonly so whipt with their torn Flesh and bloody backs had about fifty miles to travel through the Wilderness Woods before they came to their Friends at Rode-Island and so hard weather with frost and snow that divers People have been killed there-with in travelling between Town and Town though but two or three Miles distant from each other The Devil and the Priests and all such Warrant Makers In full Communion are with all such Church Pertakers The Persecutors Law against the Kings good Subjects And if such Vagabond Quakers shall return again then to be in the like manner apprehended conveyed as often as they shall be found within the limits of our Jurisdiction provided every such Vagabond Quaker have been thrice convicted and sent away as aforesaid and returning again into this Jurisdiction shall be apprehended and Committed by any Magistrate as aforesaid unto the house of Correction within the County where he or she is found until the next Court wâ—thin that County where if the Court judge not meet to release them they shall be branded with the Letter R on their left Shoulder and be severely whipt and sent away in manner as before Observe hence you may understand that the Law of these Cain-like spirited Vagabonds did extend agaiâ—st every true Christian as well as those called Quakers found within their Jurisdiction to dissent from their Priests Worship and to manifest a dislike against their unrighteous Proceedings against the People of God and the Kings Subjects which was tyranical cruel bloody and barbarous that if any Person though the Church of England was found to petition to the King and Bishops to maintain their right respecting their worship agreeable to the way of the English Church it was accounted high Rebellion by these Persecutors so to do for which Offence no less then Imprisonment and three Hundred Pounds would keep them from being hanged on the new-New-England gallows till dead dead and
of this nature by imprisonment and paying three hundred pounds apiece was Dr. Child Samuel Maverick and other Merchants in Boston kept from being hanged for their being taken with a Petition to send to England as aforesaid Of which when I come to give an account of the English Church being persecuted by these New-England Free-men to do what they saw most pleasing to their Priests shall the more speak relating to the aforesaid suffering of Dr. Child Samuell Maverick and others of the Church of England as aforesaid From all Bloody Free-men pray God deliver me They are for Hanging all that one with them not be The Persecutors Law against the Kings good Subjects And if after this he or she shall return again then to be proceeded against as Ineorrigible Rogues and Enemies to the common Peace and shall immediately be apprehended and committed to the common Goal of the County and the next Court of Assistants shall be brought to the Tryal and proceeded against according to the former Law made 1658. for their punishment on Pain of Death Psalm 94.20 21. Obs You may understand that of this nature it hath been in all Ages to the People of God for as it is written He that is born after the fâ—esh persecuteth him that is born after the Spirit even so it is now Gal. 4 2â— and that the People are great sufferers as by these Laws when they fall into the hands of Hypocrites which pretend so much to Religion as did the wicked Jews to destroy the righteous in that day which work as we read in the holy Scriptures Books of Martyrs and the like true Histories ever did as now it doth begin at the house of the persecuting Priests who would have none live save those that are one with them in all things that tend to the upholding them with Money for preaching which is made up with other mens words whose Life and experience they witness nothing of but at random make a sixt days Image with stolen words with which they fright the People that know no better then to buy of their Ware which further then they write it down lose it before the next market day such like is the preaching and teaching of every Hypocritical Hireling and Persecuting Priest whose Doctrine does leaven every Persecutor of their Church to follow them in the like covetous practice through whose Hypocrisie and Deceit many have been horribly cheated Now if New-Englands Churches be not highly guilty of these things as well as persecuting People to Death for Religion then the People in Forreign Countries are the more to blame to cry out at the sight of New-England Vessels so much as they do against Persecutors Deceit Hypocrisie false Doctrine Surfeited Horses and the like of stinking Fish and other Cheats with which it is common for Hypocrites and Persecutors to trade Hypocrisie Deceit is cloaked with Religion By men whose wicked Laws for Blood do make provision No men more wicked then Persecuters be To find it true in Scripture may it see Mat. 23.32 33.34.35.36 New-England Persecutors Laws against the King Subjects And for such Quakers as shall arise from amongst our selves they shall be proceeded against as the former Law Anno 1658. doth provide until they have been convicted by the Court of Assistants and being convicted he or she shall then be banished the Jurisdiction and il after that they shall return and be found in any part of this Jurisdiction then he or she so sentenced to banishment shall be proceeded against as those that are strangers and Vagabond Quakers in manner as before expressed Obs The Reader may hence understand that as their Laws were bloody the cruel nature of their unbelieving hard hearts was in the execution of their Laws agreeable thereunto who being bewitched by a Company of hiâ—eling Priests not to obey the Truth were through obedience to wicked Spirits mad after the Blood of the Innocent that the devout Members of their Antichristian Church did Act with that fury to the Quakers as if they could never use too much Cruelty upon them which was the more by the Priest-ridden Executioners through the Priests pronouncing Woes and bitter Curses against all such as should fail in the neglect of their work for the Devil against both Quakers Baptists and them of the Church of England as well as against all other Dissenters which Curses they still back't with Scripture words as aforesaid Judg. 5.23 Jer. 48.10 which work as the wicked did so these pretended was done by them for the honour of God and glory of his Name and that their Church was the purest Reformed Church of all other Christian Churches in the World But if the pureity of a Church consist in such wicked works as they have done by virtue of unrighteous Laws against the People of God and the Kings Subjects then it is manifest by the length of time in the like cruel bloody Work that their Mother Church of Rome is more purer then theirs But if Persecution be the work of the Devil as by Scripture it is manifest so to be then according to Christs own words they are Children of him whose work they do then it must consequently follow that Romes Church being the first under the Name Christian found to persecute that all under that name found to persecute are her children whom so often they call the great Whore The Devil 's Work not only done to Quakers But all Dissenters were in parâ— Pertakers New-England Persecutors Law against the Kings Subjects And it is further Ordered That whatsoever charge shall arise about apprehending whipping conveying or otherwise about the Quakers to be laid out by the Constable of such Town where it is expended and to be repaid by the Treasurer out of the next County Levy And further ordered That the Constables of their several Towns are hereby impowered â—rom time to time to impress Cart Oxen and other Assistance for the Execution of this Order 1661. Obs The Reader may hence understand That for the cloaking of the Devils Work they made all their unrighteous Warrants run in the Kings Name as if he was the Author of their cruel Work against Dissenters whenas it manifestly appears both by the holy Scriptures and also by the Kings Letter a Copy of which will follow That they had no Warrant Precept or Command either from God or the King but did wholly act and do according to their own Wills which still remain the same to work Mischief against both Quakers Baptists and the Church of England also as will hereafter evidently appear but their Horns at present are shortened and their Cloak begins to appear threed-bare and now their Hypocrisâ—e and Deceit will no longer hide their Wickedness from the King and People whose Money out of the Treasury must serve to defray the Charge of the Devil's Work against the Kings good Subjects who had taken from them by the persecuting Churches in new-New-England to the value of Twenty Thousand
according to the Order of the Gospel 〈◊〉 watching over them as well as Catechizing of them inquiring into their spiritual states that being brought to take hold of the Covenant they may acknowledge and be acknowledged according to their relation to God and his Church and their Obligation to be the Lords and approve themselves so to be by a suitable Profession and Conversation And do therefore solemnly recommend it unto the respective Elders and Brethren of the Churches throughout this â—urisdiction to take effectual course for the Reformation therein Obs By the afore-mentioned cruel bloody Laws against the People of God what nature their Church Government was of in which Covenant the words Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees was put of and instead thereof they put in Beware of the Leaven of the Quakers for which see Salem Church Covenant so called caused to be so done by their high Priest John Higinson who in his preaching told the People The Quakers Light was a stinking Vapour from Hell with much more of the like as was usual with him in his daily Preaching and Teaching against the Quakers Baptists and other Dissenters this Old-Charter Priest with other of his devout Church-Brethren in Iniquity use to wish their Children might be Rogues and Whores rather than Quakers which was too 〈◊〉 tho justly fullfilled upon many of them as well as upon this old Priests whose Daughter was highly accused of Witch-craft and now maintained by the Parish It is dreadful to consider what Wickedness is in mens hearts to wish such horrid Wishes as the Jews did Mat. 27.25 which justly came upon them as upon these of the like Spirit No Members Child a Member tâ—en could be From Quakers Blood in all respects found free New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as they call them 2. Whereas there is manifest Pride openly appearing amongst us in that long hair is worn by some men either their own or the hair of others made into Perriwigs and by some Women wearing Borders of Hair and their cutting and curling and laying out their Hair which Practise doth prevail and increase especially among the Younger sort This Court doth declare against this evil Practise as Offensive to them and divers sober Christians amongst us and therefore do hereby Enact and Advise all Persons to use moderation in this respect And further to impower all Grand Juries to present to the County Courts all such Persons whether Male or Female whom they shall judge to exceed in the Premises and the County Courts are authorized to proceed against such Delinquents either by Admonition or Fine or Correction according to their good Discretion Obs That through the long continuance of Disobedience which is as Rebellion and the sin of Witchcraft being highly guilty of Innocent Blood these Persecutors had lost their Dominion over their own Families who began to run into great Superfluity and Eâ—travagancy of those things which were not comely decent and of good Report in which they did greatly increase and now abound beyond all the Power of their Laws to restrain Whereâ—oâ—e they may now see their ungodly wicked Wishes are come both upon themselves and Children for the Curse of the Lord remaineth in the House of thâ—m that have either actually or by consent been found before the Lord guilty of shedding Innocent Blood Prov. 3.33 Mal. â— 1 12 3. From all evil Wishes pray God deliveâ— me And from all Wickedness me and mine keep free N. England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as theâ— call them 3. Notwithstanding the wholsom Laws already made by this Court for the restraining Excess in Apparel yet through the corruption in many and neglect of due execution or those Laws the evil of Pride in Apparel both for costliness in the poorer sort and vain new strange Fashions both in Poor and Rich with naked Breasts and Arms or as it were pinnioned with the Addition of Superfluous Ribbands both on Hair and Apparel for redress whereof it is Ordered by this Court That the County Courts from time to time shall give strict Charge to present all such Persons as they shall judge exceed in that kind if the grand Jury shall neglect their duty herein the County Courts shall impose a Fine upon them at their own Discretion Obs The outward Appearance of these Persecutors by their smooth words sair speeches as also their short hair even or above their Ears with high crownd Hats peacked Boards as likewise their two or three inch broad Bands and their Apparel agreeable thereunto by which they appeared in the outward like men differing from all other people whatsoever which with their Priests dayly preaching and their often loud praying and their works not agreeable with their words were by their fruits manifested to be men of the like Spirit whom Christ bid beware of Mat. 7.15 which the more to be accounted good Christians under which name they pretended all their proceedings against the evil of pride to be for the honour of God and the good of the People Souls when on the contrary it appears otherwise by their selling that which themselves account sin for money which doth clearly manifest their work to be done in honour to themselves whose love is to the Peoples Money for the satisfying their own coveteous Desireâ— which work doth manifest Coveâ—â—â—sness Pride and Oppresion and Oppression in such Priests and Rulers that eat up the sin of the People Hos 4 8·9 Micah 3.11 Gods Cause is that to which they do pretend But all men may see Money is their end New-England Persecutors Laws against provoking Evils as they call them And it is further ordered That the County Court single Magistrate or Commissioners Court in Boston have hereby Power to summons all such persons so offending before them and for the first Offence to admonish them and for each offence of that kind afterwards to impose a fine of Ten Shillings upon them or if unable to pay to inflict such punishment as shall be by them thought most suitable to the nature of the Offence and the same Judges above-named are hereby impowered to judge of and execute the Laws already extant against such Excess Obs Whipping or the like punishment was only to such persons unable to pay their Fine though the offence was no breaeh of any English Law but these Sin-sellers Laws are distinct from all the Laws of other Nations that I have read or heard of and indeed in most things their Doctrines Principles and Practices the same which are not only condemned by all true Christians but also by the Indians Turks and other moral Heathens who abhor the practice of living upon the Fines of people not found to transgress the Law or Laws of their Nation as these new-New-England Priests and Rulers do whose income for such like things by them imputed to the Peoples transgressing such like Laws as abovesaid is no less then Twelve Hundred Pounds a year besides fifteen hundred Pounds a
Prophaneness as these Persecutors say I find the Cause the Priests did want more pay Old Charter Magistrates Hypocrisie with an Instance of their Deceit and Cheat amongst themselves at their General High-Court of Injustice to others An eminent Merchant in Boston who is said to have erected the Town-House at his own charge besides several other considerable Gifts to publick Uses he kept an honest sober young Man to sell his Merchandize and its like somewhat differing in Judgment from their Priests way of Worship he through a mistake sold a Bridle for something more than was allowed by these Rulers for men to advance on the Shilling and being complained of was fined a great Sum of Money and besides was ordered to stand one hour in a publick Place with the Bridle in his Chaps and the Fine was divided amongst the Magistrates as one of them testified who being out of Court at the time when the Division was made was by his Brethren in Iniquity defrauded of his share who was so offended at the same that he openly complained of the Wrong he had received by his Brethren in this matter Obs You may perceive that these Old Charter-men had strange kind of Laws whereby to enrich themselves and impoverish others as is already proved by their aforesaid unrighteous Laws so also by this it appears to agree with the same That no Merchant must advance more than 4 d. profit in the Shilling for Goods from England by means of which Law their Cloathing and Necessaries were to them all of their way at a cheap rate for themselves were only Merchants of Law and their Priests Merchants of that which they call their Gospel which Law is their Wills and their Gospel other mens Lines made ready to their hands but the Laws of the English Nation are otherwise and the true Gospel to them that believe is the Power of God to Salvation By Religion with Deceit Makes Hypocrites to be a Cheat. A brief Account of some of the Three Hundred and Nine Persons that suffered Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the new-New-England Church besides those four Servants of the Lord cruelly-Murthered by a Law made at the Rulers and Priests high Court of Injustice against Dissenters found within their Jurisdiction belonging to Boston which are as followeth viz. NIcholas Vpshall an old Man full of Years seeing their Cruelty to the harmless Quakers and that they had condemned some of them to dye both he and elder Wisewell or otherwise Deacon Wisewell Members of the Church in Boston bore their Testimonies in publick against their Brethrens horrid Cruelty to the said Quakers And the said Vpshall declared That he did look at it as a sad fore-runner of some heavy Judgment to follow upon the Country Which they took so ill at his hands that they fined him Twenty Pounds and three Pound more at another of their Courts for not coming to their Meeting and would not abate him one Grote but imprisoned him and then banished him on pain of Death which was done in a time of such extream bitter Weather for Frost Snow and Cold that had not the Heathen Indians in the Wilderness Woods taken compassion on his Misery for the winter Season he in all likelihood had perished though he had then in Boston a good Estate in Houses and Land Goods and Money as also Wife and Children but not suffered to come unto him nor he to them but more of his Sufferings are at large related in the Books of the Quakers Suffering Persecution under the Anti-christian Power of the New-England Church and so proved to be by their fore-going Laws And more of their Cruelty will here follow The next I shall mention is Anne Burden whose Husband being dead and having left Money due to him from several in New-England his said Widdow came into their Jurisdiction to get in the said Debts for the use of her self and Children Now thâ—se Persecutors had nothing to charge her with but that she was a plain Quaker and for that and coming into their Jurisdiction she must abide the Penalty of their Law and which they executed upon her and then sent her away without getting in her just Debts for which she came into their Jurisdiction Which was one of their inventions to pay Debts to Dissenters with especially the Quakers Christopher Holder and John Copeland men of good Estates and of good Life amongst men for being of those called Quakers and coming into their Jurisdiction and declaring the Truth were cruelly whipt with their old wonted Whip of three fold Cords each being well knotted fit for their Church work where-with their Member Whipper gave each of these men Thirty Stripes a piece which were so cruelly laid on that at the sight of their torn flesh and bloody backs a tender-hearted Person fell down dead after they had been thus whipt they were put into Bridewell and there kept for three days without Bread or Water and with their wounded backs were forced to lie on the Boards without Bed or Straw and for Nine VVeeks were kept close Prisoners where none except the Goaler that devout Member could come unto them After which both they and Coll. Rous's Son of Barbadoes had their Ears cut by the Member of their Peace viz. the common Hang-man Now the reason why John Rous escaped with the cutting his Ears only was the kindness they had for him in respect to the knowledge they had of his Father and his being a Gentleman as is more at large in the said Book of Sufferings Mary Clark a Merchants VVife in London who for being called a Quaker and coming into their Jurisdiction must undergo their Law though a Mother of Children and tender of Body to which they had no regard but after their manner imprisoned her for twelve VVeeks and with their Church VVhip fitted as aforesaid for their Priests work gave her weak tender Body twenty cruel Stripes which was the more harder laid on by reason of their Hirelings saying The Quakers did not flinch for their being so whipt because the Devil was got between the skin and the flesh or the flesh and the Bone but more of this is to be seen in the Book of Sufferings under the Anti-christian Power of New-England's Priests and Rulers Lawrence Southwick and his VVife an antient grave couple either one or both of them being Members of their Church in Salem who in good Nature differed from most part of the said Church for their entertaining some strangers called Quakers were fined and their Goods taken away besides their Sons and Daughters were great Sufferers by long Imprisonment and cruel VVhipping as also they had their Goods taken away by the Priests Drudgeâ— and some of the said Southwicks Children were ordered to be sold for Bond-slaves and he and his VVife and Son Josiah either the one or all three of them were banished the Jurisdiction upon pain of Death Horred Gardner a Mother of many Children a young
am not of his Opinion but yet truly me thought the Lord did mightily appear in the Man I goes to one of the Magistrates of Cambridge who had been of the Court that condemned him as he told me himself and I asked him by what Rule he did it he answerd me That he was a Rogue a very Rogue But what is this to the Question said I Where is your Rule He said He had abused Authority Then I goes to the man and asked him Whether he did not look on it as a breach of Rule to slight and undervalue Authority and said That Paul gave Festus the Title of Honour though he were a Heathen I do not say those Magistrates are Heathens I saw then when the Man was on the Ladder he looked on me and called me Friend and said Know that this day I am willing to offer up my Life for the Witness of Jesus Then I desired leave of one of the Officers to speak I said Gentlemen am a stranger both to your Persons and Country and yet a Friend to both and I cryed aloud for the Lords sake take not away the mans Life I said Remember Gamaliels counsel to the Jews If this be of God it will stand if not it will come to Nothing but be careâ—ul you be not found fighters against God And the Captain said Why had not you come to the Prison And the reason was because I heard the Man might go if he would and therefore I called him down from the Tree Come down William said I you may go away if you will Then Capt. Oliver said it was no such matter and asked me what I had to do with it and besides told me to be gone I told him I was willing for I cannot endure to see this And when I was in the Town some did seem to simpathize my Grief but I told them they had no Warrant from the Word of God not President from our Country nor Power from his Majesty to hang the man I rest Your Friend THOMAS WILKY Samuell Shattock Joshua Bufsum John Small John Barton John Smith Edward Wharton Samuell Gaskill Danell Southwick his Father and Mother Sisters and Brother and John Kitchin and his Wife with others in Salem were great Sufferers by these Persecutors both by long Imprisonment cruel Whipping loss of abundance of Goods Cattle besides Land of John Smiths and several banished upon pain of Death and others of them ordered to be sold for Bond-slaves all these were of Salem and more of the same Town suffered much Obs By the fore going Lines the Reader may perceive how they have Persecuted all persons differing in Judgment from the way of their Priests Worship In the next place I shall here Instance a little relating to what them of the Church of England suffered by which the Reader may the better understand their bold attempts who neither fear God nor regard King or Bishops First you note the manner of settleing their Courts viz. the manner was and yet is at the opening of their Courts to have some one or more of their Priests to pray and to make tedious long insiped Graces as they call them before and after Meals as also to consult what Penalties and Sufferings were most fit to â—e inflicted on Offenders against their Arbitrary and unjust Law and especially against any that were found to dissent from their way of Worship in which cast the Priests Advice would commonly be to lay on load enough and the Advice was believed to be sanctified though at the same time they could not but understand they drank the Wine of the condemned so expresly charged as a sin on the Magistrates Rulers and Priests of Jerusalem of no small provocation to the holy One of â—srael though the matter in Controversy relating to such as dissented from their Priests Worship was no matter of Offence against the Law of God nor the Laws of the English Nation notwithstanding they minded not but would proceed according to their own wills without respect to any no not so much as to the Church of England of which many suffered under the New-England Church which pretended to make no seperation in point of Faith and Doctrine as witness that Letter of their fore fathers and Leaders into this Land from on board the Arrabella to the Bishops and Fathers of the Church of England calling them Brethren and begging their Prayers and as who would know more of it let them see it in a little book printed at Boston by Joshua Scottaway about the year 1693. remarkable in that it is set forth by a Member of their own Communion but how well they carried it to the Church of England and its Sons these few of the many Instances which might be produced may sufficently evidence against them that they spared not any found to dissent from their Priests way of Worship as for Instance Dr. Childs Samuel Maverick and other Merchants of whom I have before hinted were of the way of worship of the English Church and by these Persecutoâ—â— cruel Laws were not suffered to have the least benefit of or by thâ—t Worship and being wholly denyed of their priviledge belonging to the Worship of the Church of England they were found to Petition to England for the maintaining their Right in Boston but so soon as this was known to these Persecutors they impeacht the aforesaid Persons of High Rebellion for attempting the same and forth-with imprisoned them and fined each of them three hundred Pounds the whâ—ch Money was the means of their escaping the New-England Church Members Gaâ—lows whâ—ch was not only for Murderers and the like but also for thâ—se that dissented from their Priests Worship and were found to Petition to England for freedom and liberty of the English Churches way of Worship as of the like Nature more will appear against these Persecutors by what follows 2. The next was their aim to punish Mr. Jordan who was a Preacher according to the way of the English Church but he living in Ferdinando Georges Patent they were fain to use much of their deceit to get him to Boston which by deceit was at last on this wise performed by one of their Brethren in Iniquity who with a small Vessel traded in the place where the said Mr. Jordan preacht he pretended great kindness to this Mr. Jordan and withal invited him aboard his Vessel to feast it and when he had got the antient Gentleman aboard brought him Prisoner to Boston and there delivered him into the hands of these persecuting Priests and Rulers who for his preaching and baptizing according to the way of the English Church they imprisoned and fined him in a great Sum of Money The story is large and would swell this small Book beyond its intended Bulk to relate it at large 3. Then again about the Year 1684. when their Charter was even sick at heart and ready to expire yet they could not forbear dabbling in their old dirty puddle
th 1695. ACcording to the within Warrant I have been at the House of Thomas Maule and there have found thirty one of said Pamphlets and them secured as required and have seized the said Maule and delivered him to the keeper of their Majesties Goal in Salem there to be secured in order to his apearance at the time and Place within mentioned and have sent the said Thomas Maule by the bearer Jeremiah Neale to answer as within exprest which Jeremiah Neale I do constitute and appoint to be my lawful Deputy to make return of this Warrant with the Body of said Maule and to act in all things which shall be further ordered relating to me concerning the within Warrant George Curwin Sherriff This is a true Copy of the Origenal Return attested By Jeremiah Neale Sherriff-Deputy Thomas Maule being brought by the said Neale and said Goaler out of Salem County into Boston County where appearing at the Council Chamber before the said Governour and Council who put divers Insnaring Questions to said Maule He made this Reply That no righteous Law did bind or injoyn him to answer further then he saw good and that they had not acted agreeable to Law in compelling him into their County to stand tryal before them who in the case were not his equal Judges and if they did intend to proceed against him he did expect the benefit of the Kings Laws which did aâ—â—ow his Judges to be Twelve men of his Equals belonging to the same County he was of The which being consented to four hundred Pounds Bond was given for his appearance to answer them at their High Court of Injustice against him at Ipwswich the 19th of the 3d Month May 1696. But before said Maule came to his Tryal they Imprisonâ—d him and sacrificed sixteen pounds worth of his Books a burnt Offering to their Anger and Revenge though upon his Tryal the Jury could not find him in the least guilty of any evil fact relating to their Charge about his Book The time of the Courts setting being come said Maule was called to his Tyral before Thomas Danâ—ord Elisha Cook and Samuell Sewal three of the Council and Judges of this Court who demanded of Thomas Maule If he did own that Book intitulâ—d Truth held forth and maintained c. to be of his putting â—orth To which he said The outside of the Book did not fully manifest to him what the inside thereof did contain The Book being given to him when he had lookt it throw return'd it again with this answer That all Printed in the Book he did own to be Truths which he did vindicate maintain excepting the Printers Errors and some mistakes occasioned through Authors which were common to good Books Then Judge Danford said You are to answer for Printing this Book without Liscence of Authority To which said Maule answered That if he were accountable for so doing it was not to them but to the Bishops of the Engâ—sh Church and the King did allow him the same liberty to have his Book printed as they did to any of their subjects which seperated or dissented from their way of Worship Then Judge Cook said You are to answer for publishing your Book in this Government without the Lisence of the present Authority To which said Maul replyed The Goveâ—nment is the Kings or ought so to be and the Books are my own Goods who as an English Merchant have good right by the Kings Laws to dispose of my Goods in any of the Kings Plantations Then Anthony Chickley the Kings Attorney said Your Books are not lawful goods to be disposed of amongst the People because they contain notorious wicked Lyes against the Churches and Government of this Province as likewise false Doctrine utterly subversive to the true Christian and professed Faith besides Scandals upon many private Persons To which said Maul made this Reply That the Charge was yet to prove and which they could never prove against him and so long as there was no evil fact he was no Transgressor of any righteous Law and if their Chaâ—ge were true as it is not it is no more than what they and their Priests are guilt of against all Persons as well as the Church of England that dissented from their Priests way of Worship for which cause and persecuâ—ing the People of God and the Kings Subjects to death their Doctrine Principles and Practices were condemned by all true Christian People that did know or hear of their unrighteous Works which fâ—â—â—hese many years have caused Gods Judgments to come upon this Land and for not repenting are you now given up to murder one an ther through the Devis accusation by Specter Evidence accusing both Priests Rulers and People of being Witches Then Judge Cook to this purpose said You are a horrible Lyar and it werâ— better you would forbear in this nature running your self into further Troublâ— by accusing the Churches and Government after such a horrible wicked rate as you have done and still do persist in for which you are to suffer according to your Deserts To which said Maul made this Reply That the Truth by him to them was spoken and so loâ—g as he did not â—xceed the bounds thereof he did not fear their Whip Goal or Gallows and withal that relating to this his Testimony he had suffered ten times 〈◊〉 their Jurisdiction five times by Imprisonment three times by the loss of Goods taken from him and twice by cruel Whipping and now before this Tryal they had both imprisonmed him and burnt sixteen Pounds worth of his Books and 〈◊〉 yet not given him any Copy of the particulars of the Charge against him To which Judge Danford said It is but reason that Thomas Maule should have a Copy oâ— what we have to charge him with and also time to consider of it which by the renewing of his Bond he may have till next Salem Court Which was agreed to Then Judge Cook said That he would have Thomas Mâ—ule to be more careful of what he said relating to the Scriptures and not to undervalue them as he had already done by comparing his Book with the Bible To which Maul answered That to compare that with the Bible which was agreeable to the holy Scriptures in the Bible could be in no way found to contradict or undervalue the Bible And as to Errors now so much talkt of he did not know of any Book that was free for as some of the learned have said Beza committed eight hundred Errors in his first Translation of the New Testament which by amending through his second Translation left three hundred Errors therein And by comparing Mat. 27 v. 5. wâ—th Acts 1.18 proves as great a Mistake as any he knew to be in his Book Judge Cook commanded this Sentence to be writ down Then said Maul desired it might be writ down That at present he did so believe Which being done he said That if through his now so believing did pâ—ove
an Error he did hope through a contrary belief to be free of the Error before his next Tryal Then Judge Cook said Then your belief is changeable and so contrary to the Quakers Principle of Perfection that it overthrows their whole Religion at once To which Thomas Maule made this Reply That it was not so because said he every true Believers warfare makes a change from worse to better that through Grace by Faith they come to forsake the Error to joyn with the Truth which makes free from all that is evil and had not the like in measure been my state to have departed from evil I had not become a prey to you who have caused me to suffer for the Truth as it is manifest you have done Then Judge Danford said Thomas Maul forbear we have something else to do than to spend time to hear you pâ—ate after this kind of rate To which Thomas Maul answered That he was willing to forbear without further Trouble to him by or from them A Copy of the Grand Jurys Presentment as also a Copy of the Judges Charge AT a Superiour Court held at Salem for our Soveraign Lord the King in the County of Essex in the Province of the Massathusets Bay in new-New-England the 10th day of the 9th Month 1696. The Grand Jury do present Thomas Maul of Salem Sâ—op-keeper for publishing or putting forth a Book entituled Truth held forth and maintained wherein is contained divers Slanders against the Churches and Government of this Province and for saying what he did before the honourable Court at Ipswich in May last as will appear on Record reference thereunto being had may more at large appear as in this hereunto annexed James Stivens Fore-man Thomas Maule being bound over by Recognizance to this Court and being asked concerning a Book put forth by him entituled Truth held forth and maintained c. did in oppen Court declare anâ— say That there was as great mistakes in the Scriptures as in his Book and instanced comparing Mat. 27. v. 5. with Acts 1. v. 18. and this being read to him desires to be understood That at present he believes so at the Superiour Court of Judicature held at Ipswich on the third Tuesday May last 1696. A true Copy by Adington Davenport Clerk Dr. Benjamin Bullivants Speech in the first part of the Pleas 〈◊〉 the Presentment is as followeth viz. To the Presentment of the Grand Jury exhibited against Tho. Maule this present Court always saving to himself the liberty of such further Pleading and Defence as by Law are due unto him viz. First That the uncertainty of matters alledged in the said Presentment is so notorious that he that runs may read them and the Lord Cook says The Law requires certainty in all cases especially such as are Penal to the Lives or Estates of the Subject which uncertainties are Secondly That neither County Year or Day are laid in the said Presentment Thirdly That the Presentment is not laid to be made for the King who if any one hath Offence by whatever in this case alledged against the Defendant neither is his Majesties Name or Sâ—ile used in the Presentment as is necessary and required particularly by the Laws of this Government Fourthly That it is not laid upon Oath as it ought to be if it hold a man to his Answer Fifthly That the Jury had no Plantiff to inquire for they being sworn Well and truly to try and true Deliverance make between our Soveraign Lord the King and Thomas Maule the Prisoner at the Bar. And Yet the Kings Name and Stile entirely omitted in the Presentment aforesaid Sixthly That if it were true the Defendant should have said as is laid to his charge in the Indictment That there was as great Mistakes in the Scriptures as in his Book yet this can charge no facâ— by Law punishable upon him the Presâ—ntment wanting an invendo or meaning whether they were the holy Scriptures or words of God since there are prophane as well as holy Scriptures and the Defendant may be supposed in Construction of Law to intend as well prophane as sacred Scriptures Seventhly That it was not laid to be against the Peace of the King or so much as a Misdemeanor To these Arguments Judge Danford answered That the Presentment was according to former Vsage and their Custom and that want of form could not destroy the â—udictment or binder the coming to his Answer Judge Cook said As to the Invendo that it would have been necessary if the particular Quotations had not been named which he did believe Thomas Maules Counsel would not deny to be the Books of the holy â—â—riptures which was conceded unto Then was Anthony Chickley the Kings Attorney caâ—â—ed upon to know what he had to say to it on the behalf of the Kâ—ng who only said He would answer to the third Exception brought against the Indictment viz. That it wanted the stile of the Kâ—ng assiâ—tâ—g aâ—d not want it founding his assertion on thâ— Preamble of the â—â—â—ictment it being said at a superiour Court held at Salem for our Soveraign Lord the King Reply to this was made on the behalf of the Defendant That the Preample had no relation to the Body of the Presentment since the Presentment was presumed to begin at these words The Grand Jury do present The Court after some further debate over-ruling the Pleas the Prisoner is left to say for himself Thomas Maule to the Judges on the Bench as followeth viz. To you who have set your selves to be Judges in this case against me as you are invested with Mâ—gistratical Pâ—wer by Commission from the King I do respect you out wherein you do assume to your selves the Power of the Bishops Court as in this case I do no more value you than I do Jack-straw And if you will approve your selves wise men you ought to mend the many Rents by you already made through the mis mannagement of the Truâ— committed to your Charge before you proceed to make a further breach upon me who has not given you any just occasion so to do which if you are resolved to make a Rod for me that it may be easie for the more ease of your own that is to come for it is said by him that cannot lye The same measure that men make the same shall be made to them again and if your Power by which you act against me do long continue he that now enjoys a good Estate under your Government in seven years time after this rate may not be left worth a Grote for as you are set to watch over the People things are at that pass through your means that they have the greater need to watch over you otherwise they are like to be undone by the heavy burdens you lay upon them Then the Cause with the said Maules Book and a Speech made to this purpose by Judge Danford was committed to the Jury viz. You have now heard the Cause
which with the Book is now committed to your hands who have taken a solemn Oath to do the thing that is right in the sight of Gods as near as you can therefore you ought well to consider the horrid Wickedness of Thomas Maules setting forth the Book now â—eâ—ore you in which there is contained a great aâ—al of blasphemous matter against the Churches and Government of this Province You weak 〈◊〉 that when the Husband-man hath takeâ— great care and labour to fâ—nce in his fâ—â—ld of Wheat and there comes a ravenous Creature and makes a Gap through the Fence for other like Creatures to go through and spoâ—l the Corn and to trample down and lay waste the Hâ—sband-mans Field will he not use his utmost endeavour to destroy such a ravenous Creature that doeâ— so how much the more are we to preserve the Hâ—dge of the good Hâ—sband-man with which he hatâ— by his Ordinances and good Government fenced and hedged his Churches and People in this Prâ—â—giâ—â—â— against which the wicked work of Thomas Maule doth wholly tend to overtâ—â—ow all good in Church and Common-wealth which Goâ— hath planted amongst his People in this Province wâ—ich â—ause with the saide Maules Book is now before you to do that which is right relating thereu◠〈◊〉 near as God shall inable In answer to which Speech Thomas Maule made this Râ—ply to the Jury and said Jury look well to the work which you are now going to do the Cause is now committed to you who are to be Governed by the Kings Law no Law of our Nation have I broken as to you will appear the Book has no evidence in Law against me further then to you it doth appear I have writ or caused to be printed any thing contrary to sound Doctrine and Inconsistant to the holy Scriptures of Truth which if you take up with any part of these Judges unjust Charge against me and say there is such like matter in my Book as they charge me with you may seek to the Printer for satisfaction for of any such like matter in the Book I know not and my hand is only to my Copy which now is in another Government in the hands of the Printer and my Name to my Book made by the Printer does not in Law evidence to prove the same to be Thomas Maule no more then the Spector Evidence in Law is of force or validity to prove the person accused by said evidence to be the Witch but rather conclude the Spector to be the Witch therefore Jury look well to your Work for you have sworn True Tryal to make and just Verdict give which if you miss of doing me Justice the fault will lie on your part for these my Accusers on the beach are but as Clerks to â—onclude your Work with Amen In some small time the Jury brought in their Verdict for the Prisoner whom they found not Guilty At which the Judges seemed much disatisfied therewith and assâ— the Jury how that could be having the Book before them wâ—o answered That the Book was not sufficâ—ent Evidence for that Thomas Maules Name was there unto set by the Printer and the matrer therein contained not cognizable before them they not being a Jury of divines which this case ought to be Then Judg Danford made this Spâ—ech That tho Thomas Maule had escaped the hands of Men yet he had not escaped the hand of God who would find out all his Evils and Blasphemies against his Church and People and for which Wickedness God did reserve him or further Jaâ—gmâ—â—o come upon him In answer to which said Maule replyed That he was no way guilty of their Charge but had great cause to praise God â—or his diâ—â—â—erance by the Jury who were made Instruments of freeing him out of the hands of them who had manifested their unrighteous Works against the People of God and the Kings Subjects as their Fathers beâ—ore had done In which time of the said Reply Judge Danford called out Take him away take him away The Reader may hence understand that the distance of these Persecutors from the King and much further froms Gods Truth is the cause that by them many of the People of God and the Kings Subjects suffer more then they would do were they where their complaint could readily be heard by the King who would not suffer his Subjects to be persecuted under the Anti-christian Power of the new-New-England Church who yet continue the old stroke according to their Power against the Quaâ—â—rs at this very tâ—me of liberty of Conscience respecting to Religion now allowed by the King and Powers of England as for instance they now do suffer in their Jurisdiction especially in the Town of Linn where for the Priests maintenance they compell the Quakers Oxen their Pots and Platters with the of other Houshould goods more worse in that respect then of the first two wiked Priests we read Sam. 2.12 13 14 15 16 17. For which sin God will reward the wickâ—â— Priests FINIS