done whereof we have a Narrative ready for the Press but if thou wilt call in thy Book an as Publickly own thy Condemnation as thou hast given the offence and thereby clear Friends of the Reproches thou hast cast upon them then we shall stop any further proceedings against thee in this matter To this I desire thy speedy answer From him who hath long been much wronged and Abused by thee Samuel Cater F. B. this Sam. Cater desired should be given thee desiring thy present answer J. B. Samuel Cater THis day I received thine Dated the 26th of the 10th Month and am not sensible (a) Not sensible No for deceitfulness of Sin Lying and Falshood do produce Hardness and Blindness that I have wronged thee or my Cosin G. S. neither hast thou therein said wherein I have so that in answer I dare say if either of you can make it appear wherein I have wronged either of you I will readily make you or either of you satisfaction but if thou mean the Mony that my Cosin G. Smith paid me as thy Wifes Messenger (b) G. S. had no Message from her to pay the 15 Pounds or Ambassador in satisfaction for the Fine I suffered for thee Anno. 1675. And art not willing to stand by the Agreement made at Quarterly Meeting in Hadenham the first of the 10th Month 1680. and then Recorded in their Quarterly Book that All Controversie betwixt thee G. S. my self should cease (c) That was probably in hopes of thy amendment and making satisfaction for the wrong done but instead thereof hast not thou begun and renewed the Controversie again against Sam. Cater I say if thou art not willing to stand to the said agreement but find thy self uneasie under it I will as I wrote thee word in my Letter dated the 10th of the 6th Month 1682. very willingly consent and agree that thou shalt have a hearing De Novo by Persons indifferently (d) How oft hast thou shuffled with Arbitrators and evaded their Judgments and determinations in the case will such Flams and Pretences as these excuse thee Chosen by us both viz. each others 4 6 10 or 12 Persons and be bound again to stand to their award c. And as for the calling in my Book this I am willing to let the know That on condition the Orders upon Record in out 7th Book which say that for the time to come no Marriages are to be either suffered or permitted meaning amongst us except the Parties both Man and Woman Publish their intentions twice before Mens Meeting and twice (e) That was that both might be concerned in a Godly care to see things clear and to prevent disorder and Scandal what in them is before the Womens Meeting they being thou knowest distinct and apart each from others and the Record against J.A. (f) Which was because of his Irregular proceeding in Publishing his intention in the Womans absence to the Mens Meeting and that but once and refusing to bring her to the next Meeting as desired by Friends for example and satisfaction as Friends had not Vnion with his Irregularity it seems he had not Vnion with them First in that Orderly Method of both Persons Publishing their Intentions twice before the time of Marriage for not taking Wife according to the advice of Friends be raced out and made void that so those that have Freedome to publish according to the said Orders (g) Why should they then be Raced out if a Freedom be granted to proceed according to them what evil or error is in them simply considered as Reason to Race them out or wouldest thou not have those Records Raced out that thou mayest make new ones and Rule in thy loose conceited Spirit may and those that are otherwise minded may be left to their Freedom and also the Book Intituled The Accuser and others against William Rogers be called in (h) No Reason nor Justice in that proposition we allow no such bargain Those Books against Wil. Rogers were occasioned by his which was first and ought to be called in therefore thou art an unjust Judge and Partial I say on condition that these things may be done I am willing to call in mine and shall be willing to use any Christian means for a thorough Reconciliation and healing of Breaches (i) How canst thou be any fit Instrument for such a Christian-work who art in a Spirit of discord and Enmity thy self But whereas thou seems to threaten me with a further Publication of a Narrative c. It doth not frighten me neither do I think it would have been thus long detained from publishing in Charity or good will to me hadst not thee been Conscious (k) If S. C. were so Conscious by the same reason he would not pulish a Narrative at all therefore his Publication of a Narrative proves thee Guilty of presumptuous and false Judgment in this matter to thy self that Publication thereof would have been a further means to have unmasked thee and such as thee art This is my sence and as speedy an answer as I can well give thee who am thy well-wishing though much abused Friend Francis Bugg Joshua Bangs Letter to F. B. I Sent F. B. a few Lines to let him know that if he had any thing to offer in his own defence c. I gave him time to do it whereupon he returned me a great Letter to which I have given something in answer which is as follows F. B. thy great Letter Received which is in Vindication of thy receiving the 5 l. of Justice Shelly which the Widow Root said was part of the 15 l. thou wert Fined for S. Cater and withal could not believe that thou hadst taken 15 l. of G.S. and that is it Edw. Swanton says that Justices Shelly told him that 5 l. of the 15 l. was returned again to thee forasmuch as but 10 l. could be Levied upon one Person for the offence of any other Person according to the words of the Statute But in thy introduction thou endeavourest to Invalidate what he can say about it by saying he was an Informer yes he was an Informer and had 40 s. for so doing but did not Pocket one penny of it but if being an Informer formerly or violating Obligations excludes a Man being believed in any caused who shall believed F. B. in his own cause for was not F. B. an Informer against S. C. in that Laken-Heath Meeting And hath he not got 5 l. more then what he could be justly Fined for S. C. according to the Statute for the Act says speaking of one Person being Fined for anothers Offence that it shall be at the discretion of the said Justice Justices or chief magistrate respectively so as the same to be Levied on any one Person in case of the Poverty of other offenders amount not in the whole to above the Sum of 10 l. And again provided always
and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Person shall by any clause of this Act be liable to pay above 10 l. for any one Meeting in regard of the Poverty of any Person or Persons What can be Plainer then this but in Contradiction hereunto says F.B. Justice Shelly and his other Counsellors told him that for neglect of the Speaker a Preachers declaring his Name and Habitation one Person may be Fined 15 or 20 l. for his offence or to this Effect Francis Justice Shelly was a Man I had no acquaintance with but I have heard he was a Judicious understanding Man and I much question whether he spoke to that purpose but rather take it to be of thy own Hatching yet since Justice Shelly is Dead if thy other Counsellor be alive let him give his Reasons under his Hand with his Name to it that we may know where to find him for the time is coming thou wilt stand in need of the Assistance of such a Counsellor that can make lies seem true bring something out of nothing and make a foul false Cause look fairly And what I have said is not to Vindicate or commend Edw. Swanton wherein he hath done amiss not yet condemn F. B. for well-doing neither do I know whether there will be any necessity to make use of his Certificate in Order to Manifest thy deceit since thou hast confessed so much but if there be because the Statute Backs what he Certifies the Justice said it will be as credible as any thing thee and thy Counsellor can say which so plainly Contradicts the Statute And now since thou hast done as thou hast how canst thou Escape the just imputation of Folly or Knavery Thou mentions much charge and cost thou hast been at in Journeys and otherwise whose fault was that Oh! but thou hast a smooth turn for that too because thou couldest not have Arbitrators indifferently chosen or to that effect I Query were they not such as thou accepted of And didst thou not engage to stand to their Award Nay further didest thou not say after thou knew their Award that thou wouldest sit down by it or stir no further in it or to that purpose But to return notwithstanding all thou canst say for thy self I take notice what the Widow Root said of thee and how confident she was of thy Honesty that thou wouldest not take 15 l. having 5 l. returned thee again see how some honest Friends are betraied into a conceitedness of thy Honesty so smooth and subtle have thy carriage been I have also perssed the Act to find what colourable pretence thy Counsellor can have to say that 15 l. or 20 l. may be Levied upon any one Person for the Preachers not declaring his Name and Habitation and the Act is worded thus and if the said Preacher or Teacher so convicted be a stranger and his Name and Habitation not known or is fled and cannot be found or in the Judgment of the Justice Justices or chief Magistrate before whom he shall be convicted shall be thought unable to pay the Sum the said Justice Justices or chief Margistrate respectively are hereby impowered and required to Levy the same by Warrant as aforesaid upon the Goods and Chattels of any such Persons who shall be present at the said Conventicle c. Now had the word Persons been in the singular number it had made something to the purpose but Francis thy covering I do think will be too scant to cover thy deceit and I do believe it had been better for thee every way that thou hadst not so earnestly hunted after S. C's 15 l. But since thou hast gone so far in it there is little hopes of any better Service in thy miscarriages then that others may thereby beware that they enter not into the like Temptations and so be caught in the same Snare Joshua Bangs At Hallywell-Row in Mildenhall the 13th of the 12th M. 1683. Edward Swantons Certificate of F. B's having 5 l. of the 15 l. Fine repayed Him by the Justice THis may Certifie all whom it may concern that whereas Fran. Bugg of Mildenhall in the said County Avereth that he Paid 15 Pounds or above for his being present at a Conventicle or Meeting in Laken-Heath some years last past which I do believe to be true but I do affirm that Five Pounds of the aforesaid Sum was Allowed and paid unto him back again by Justice Shelly or his order as the said Mr. Shelly Informed Me and this I am ready to Testifie upon Oath at any time when by Lawful Authority thereto called Given under my hand this Ninteenth day of January Anno Dom. 1682. Laken-Heath in Suffolk Edward Swanton Reader By this Certificate thou mayest see Fran. Bugg hath retained Five pound to himself and Edw. Swanton says if he be so confident as to deny it notwithstanding what he hath herein given forth he can produce more if need require to Assertain the truth of it A short Reply to Francis Bugg's Foul Slanders cast upon me and his Cousin George Smith in his Book called the Painted Harlot Stripped and Whipped Printed 1683. Wherein not only his Folly but also his bitter Envy is discovered against us and others who never gave him just cause so Maliciously to Abuse us First I take Notice of F. B's saying that I Revived the Controversie which was formerly between him G. S. and my self after saith he It was ended by Friends at Hadenham the First of the 10th Month 1680. Which saying of his is false and his own Letter Dated August 10th 1682. plainly proves the contrary and gives him the Lye For before he sent me that Letter nor some time after I never wrote a word to him nor any other Man from the time of that Hadenham Meeting whereby to stir up any thing of that Nature neither was I willing to have meddled with it any more and that he himself very well knew notwithstanding he thus saith for when he sent me that Letter Dated as before wherein he did not only Invite me to begin again about that Controversie which he said was ended but in that Letter used many Scurrillous words whereby to Provoke me and G. S. thereunto as it plainly appeared thereby when we came to see it but I understanding it came from him I never opened it but sent it him back again not being willing to concern my self in any Controversie which was also the cause I did not meddle to answer any part of his former Book Intituled De Christiana Liberiate wherein he much abused me with the rest of Friends in this Isle of Ely and although I refused to meddle with his Book and Letter whereby he might have occasion to be Quarrelling with me again he sent the second Letter to London to Friends there that he had sent to me and a Copy also thereof to Cambridge to A. D. and complained to her that he had sent me the like and I would not Read
THE LIBERTY OF AN Apostate Conscience DISCOVERED BEING A Plain Narrative of the Controversie long depending between Francis Bugg an officious Agent in William Rogers's Behalf and Quarrel on the one part And Samuel Cater and George Smith Prisoners for the Testimony of Jesus in Ely Goal on the other Part. With their Answer to his Painted Harlot c. Whereby F. B's Liberty of Conscience is proved an Injurious Bondage Published for the Information of all Friends of Truth and others concerned and for Caution to all such Agents as have Promoted or Spread the late Books of Fr. Bugg and W. Rogers 1 Thess 4.6 Let no man go beyond or Defraud his Brother in any Matter because the Lord is the Avenger of all such London Printed by John Bringhurst at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-street 1683. AN Introduction TO FRIENDS AND Friendly Readers WHereas my self with others concerned have given account of the Unjust Actions and Unrighteous proceedings of Francis Bugg as hereafter mention'd This I do say and in the Fear of the Lord testifie that it is not done out of Envy and Ill will to the Man or to insult over him by laying open his Nakedness but do truly desire his sincere and unfeigned Repentance even as we have done ever since he began this his Unrighteous Work and for that end we have waited long upon him and have laboured much with him for if wholesom Advice and Brotherly Admonition could have prevailed with him to have turned him from his Evil way which of late Years he hath followed aâ— this Narrative and his Malicious Books do plainly shew this had never been But seeing he still followeth his unruly work and will not be reclaimed to turn from this Evil Spirit which hath led him into these things we do look upon our selves Conscientiously concerned for the Glory of God and the Honour of his Truth and also for the good of all honest and tender People who have or may have better Thoughts of him than he doth deserve and that so under the Profession of Truth which he in some measure hath gone under and may thereby deceive or betray any and draw them from the peaceable Truth into that Spirit with him into Strife and Contention which hath been the work he hath followed these several Years which is the work and fruit of an Evil minded Man as saith the Scriptures An Evil Man out of the Evil Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth Evil things And Christ saith By the Fruit ye shall know them For Men do not gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figgs of Thistles Whereby he sheweth how impossible it is that â—n Evil minded Man should bring forth that which is Good And now having given a true and faithful account of the disorderly and unjust Words and Actions of this Man I with the rest concerned with me therein do leave it and commit it to the just Witness of God in all Consciences to judge of the wrong he hath done to Truth to me and others And whether he hath not iustly brought this upon his own Head since we could not prevail with him to forsake his unruly work And if any be hereafter ensnared hy him and drawn aside out of the way of the Lord they must bear their own Burden And I with the rest concerned in this matter shall be clear in which I rest believing God in his own time will clear my Innocency and more fully manifest his guilt who has abused me and others without any just cause given him by us who am a True Friend and Lover of all that truly Love and Fear God and a wiâ—ness against Envy and Deceit where ever it doth appear Ely Prison 17. 12. 1682. S. C. THE LIBERTY OF AN Apostate Conscience c. THis may satisfie all into whosoever Hands it may come that whereas there is a Differeâ—ce made by Francis Bugg of Mildenhall in the County of Suffolk with Samuel Cater of Little-Port in the Isle of Eley concerning a Fine about which the aforesaid F. B. hath been so troublesome to me other friends both in this County elsewhere which there has been raised untrue Reports and therefore for clearing the Truth and to satisfie all that desires a right Information of proceedings therein from the beginning thereof I have therefore taken care with some other Friends so far as they are concerned therein to give a true Narrative of the Business from the beginning to this very Day of the most material passages that so the Truth being known it may thereby appear who hath done the wrong in this matter him or my self for which I have been so long abused by him About the Year 1675 I being at a Meeting at Mildenhall where Francis Bugg dwells there came one George Ereind of Lakenhoath and desired me to have a Meeting at his House and before I promised him he being a Stranger to me and Francis Bugg being there I advized with him about it he having knowledge of the Man and he told me that a Meeting would do very well there and desired me to go so after I had spoke further with the aforesaid George Ereind and found he desired the Meeting in a serious and weighty consideration I found freedom in my self to promise him to be at his House the next Day and also told him he might let his Neighbours know it and accordingly I went and F B. with me and several more belonging to Mildenhall Meeting and when we came at the Friends House there came in several of his Neighbours and after some time spent in waiting upon the Lord and calling upon his Name in Prayer I was moved by his Power to stand up and declare the Truth to all that were there present in which time whilst I was speaking Two Priests with some other Men came into the Meeting and one of those Men that came in with the Priests asked a Man that was in the Meeting before what their Speakers Name was who said he did not know and a Woman Friend said his Name was written in the Book of Life where he could not read then they asked Francis Bugg what is your Speakers Name His answer was in the hearing of the Officers and Informers * Mark Fran. Bugg was Informer here HIS NAME IS SAMUEL CATER all which time I was declaring the Truth and no Man asked of me my Name But after F. B. had told it they all went away and asked no further after it As also doth appear by this following Certificate and I continued the Meeting until I had cleared my self of what the Lord laid upon me at that time and then we departed in Peace being well refreshed with the Love and Goodness of the Lord whose Presence was with us to our comfort yea and F. B. himself said that he was glad we were there that Day what ever came of it for we had had a good Meeting And now whereas F. B. or some of his Abettors have
should not stand to what they did if they went contrary to the Agreement whereunto he had set his hand So the meeting desired us to go out so we withdrew and then they chose the 12 Friends out of the meeting in manner following viz. the Meeting chose one Friend and agreed that he should chuse whom he pleased next and so the last man chosen was to chuse the next until the 12 were all chosen and when they had chosen the 12 they sent for us into the meeting and told us how they had chosen them and read their Names unto us then I told them I was well satisfied with the Choise and what they did in the matter wherein they were to be concerned between F. B. and my self I would be contented to stand-by their Judgments and F. Bugg promised he would do the like then they withdrew to a Friends house to draw up their Award and F. B. asked me if I would not go and open my Cause to them I told him He might do what he pleased in the matter for himself but I see no need for it for it had been spoken of so often before them that they could not be without a Knowledge of it but he went to them and spake what he pleased and so left them to give Judgment so when they had agreed and drawn up their Award they sent for us and read their Award to us the substance thereof was THey found Samuel Cater clear of that Demand of Francis Buggs Therefore Awarded that he was to Pay F. B. Nothing c. And that all Differences that have arisen between them about that and all other things be from this Day fully ended and that they may be Lovers and Friends as they were before the Difference happened These be the Arbitrators Names John Ainsloe Wil. Brazier John Webbe Robert Smith John Prine Peter Watson Rich. Read Sam. Fulbugg Phillip Taylor Edward Firth Jacob Baker Edward Love Now when they read this Award F. B. said they had given away his cause but however he would be quiet and meddle no more But he soon broke his promise again and in a little time after he began to threaten the Arbitrators and wrote to them to that purpose that they had given away his mony and thereby had done him wrong and although that by their Arbitration he had now done with S. C. But now he intended to begin with them for there was a Law in the Nation That if Arbitrators did not do that which is Equal and Just when so Chosen the Party Grieved might recover Damage of them and they should have no more favour then the Law would afford them Then about this for a time he made a great adoe and gave a Lawyer Brevitts ☞ whereby he instructed him how to plead against Friends and of the state of his cause to come to our Quarterly Meeting to plead his cause which said Breviats the Lawyer shewed to William Penn and Thomas Rudyard after which the matter fell and the Lawyer never came to our Meeting then he began again with me and sent to me to have another Arbritation and Quarrelled with me again for the Fifteen Pound But I not having freedom to grant his desire nor to meddle with him any more so that he could not have his will of me Then he Threatened to prefer A Bill in Chaucery against me for his Mony and went to William Penn and shewed him one that he had prepared as I was Informed Then William Penn being grieved that the Enemies of Truth should have such cause given them to rejoyce over us by having such a cause as that brought before them he with another Friend wrote to me that if I could to get an end of this Business it might be well for although they believed that his Demands was very unjust and there was nothing due to him upon that account and that he was much to blame yet for Peace sake if it could be made an end of it might be well then I knowing he had desired another Arbitration I condiscended to it and sent him word that seeing he was yet disquiet about this mony if he knew how to have another Arbitration which would please him amongst Friends I would condiscend to it and put my Innocent cause once more upon Tryal then he seemed to be pleased and came over to my House and pretended all would be ended for whether he had any money or not he would be tcontented so he said he would chuse 6 and I should chuse 6 also and withall he said he would be bound with me to stand to the Award which Bonds were made and sealed But when the Arbitrators came to meet although they were neer to Agreement yet they did not agree for after F. B. understood that they were like to agree and his will not answered he said none should give away his Mony for if it must be given away he would give it away himself And when the Arbitrators were come to an Agreement and were drawing up the Award then F. B. came in amongst them without being desired and called Edward Neal one of the said Arbitrators to speak with him and when he came in again from him he would not stand to what he had Agreed to before then they could go no further for F. B. made the Bonds himself they were made so that if all the 12 or so many of them as there met were all to agree or else their Award was not to stand good whereby it appears although he was willing to be bound to stand to the Award yet he had made such provision that if he had not his will end Answered he would have nothing done for be having provided such a Man as would do what he would have him or nothing as it did plainly appear to all honest Friends that were there present Which thing was as wicked of F. B's part and him that joyned with him in his deceitful practice as it was before when he promised and gave it under his hand to stand to and abide by the Award of the other 12 Friends chose by the Meeting and after they had done it he promised to be quiet and meddle no more in the matter so awarded and so foully and ungodly went from his Word whereby all may see that reads this Narrative of his Words and Actions whether he hath not proved himself a false deceitfull Man both to God and Man and whether he hath not wickedly wronged his own Conscience by Covenant-breaking Lying and Deceit from time to time for the sake of Money whereby all may perceive that have any sense of truth and honesty how unfit he is to take upon him to treat about the Principles of true Religion and to plead for Liberty of Conscience against Imposition who hath thus wilfully abused and defiled his own Conscience for unjust gain Then after they could not end it I was much grieved to see the trouble that Friends and
I had had and yet the Business remained I then took Fran. Bug aside and told him that although I was well satisfied in my Conscience that I had never done him wrong and that I did not owe him one penny and that his Demand was unjust and unreasonable yet for Peace sake rather than this difference should Remain to trouble Friends and diquiet our selves I would give him of my own free will five Pounds towards his loss relating to the said Fine his answer was that would not do so we parted at that time than I spake to his Friend and Abettor Edw. Neale aforesaid and told him he had not done that day like an honest Friend in his Place nor like a man that feared God whose work is to make Peace and pursue it with all men and he and others of them that Fran. Bugg had Chosen had an opportunity thereby to have made Peace in this matter that so long had been troublesome to the Church of God but he more especially I understood had hindered that day by refusing to Joyne with the rest that would have done it which days work would certainly become his burthen at one time or other his answer was we might make an end of it between our selves if I would for he knew Fran. Bugg's end was not for Money but Justice in the case I told him I nâ—ver did see other by Fran. Bugg buâ— that his end was wholly for Money neither was there any Justice in the case that he should have 15 Pound of me for nothing and besides his words was always to me give him so much Money and he would be quiet and when we were together alone at that time he said the same But I have not freedom to answer his unreasonable demâ—nds therein knowing my self clear of any thing of guilt concerning the matter whereof he charged me now this was the seventh time that I had given up the aforesaid case to the Judgment of Friends and four of the 7 times Fran. Bugg excepted of and Joyned with me and promised and became engaged as is before mentioned to stand to the Award or Judgment of the Friends to whom we gave up our Cause but went from his word every time Now the next thing wherein like a Deceitful man who shews himself void of any fear of God as hath and yet will appear by his following actions for he Surprised his Cosin Geo. Smith of Littleport through his Deceitful craft and got the said 15 Pound of him who is Fran. Bug's own Mothers Sisters Son a man that hath been Convinced about 13 or 14 years and ever since he came amongst us hath walked uprightly according to his measure and hath been of a blameless Conversation amongst Men from his Youth and lives in good credit and reputation a relation whereof he hath given which hereafter followeth under his own hand Also how far he was concerned in this matter by my Wife under her Hand whom Fran. Bug calls my Wife her Agent as sent by her c. And when Edw. Neale Will. Rogers and Tho. Crisp and others whom Fran. Bug accounts of his party who hath of late Joyned and Combined together in a Spirit of discord and opposition against the Godly and mutual care of faithful men and women in their distinct Meetings in several things which concerns our publick Testimony before the World amongst whom the Lord hath gathered us to bear Testimony against those loose and unjust ways that many both Priests and People lives in and Practices in that weighty matter of Marryage with several other things comes to read this relation of Fran. Bug's words and actions and will yet own him as a Brother amongst them and as an Agent to Abet their cause without repentance and making satisfaction both by word and deed for the wrong he hath done as aforesaid it s no great matter what they profess neither will it be much to the dishonour of honest and faithful men and women to be reproached by them but yet this I do say and so I shall conclude this Business that if it please God to give Fran. Bug and Will. Rogers and the rest of them true and unfeigned Repentance for that wherein they have done amiss whereby they have strengthened the hands of evil doers and laid stumbling blocks in the way of the simple by their Writing and Printing in this wilful and unjust manner against the faithful Servants of the Lord whose care hath been to keep all clean and savoury amongst the People of God I say I shall be truly glad thereof who am a friend to all that truly Love and Fear God Who am in strait Boreds for the Testimony of Jesus Christ in Ely Prison his 9th Month 1682. Samuel Cater Elizabeth Cater 's Testimony HEre followeth a Testimony under Eliz. Cater's hand how She came to encourage G. Smith to Treat with Fran. Bugg about his differing with her Husband Sam. Cater aforesaid and how farr she gave him order which was thus Geo. Smith coming to my house one day when my husband was not at home and told him that I was very much grieved and troubled at Fran. Bug's continuing so bad and envious against my husband and although I was satisfied that what he so furiously abused him for was unjust upon which account my husband hath not freedom to answer his unreasonable Demand I could be glad it were some ways ended then Geo. Smith told me that he also was much grieved for the difference for said he I Love thy husband well and Fran. Bug also and he is my near Kinsman for it doth trouble me that there should be a difference between them but I do account my Cosin is much out of the way in this matter but if thou Please I will speak with him and see if I can get him to be quiet then I desired him he would and I told him withall that although I knew that neither I nor my husband owed Fran. Bugg one penny neither was there any due upon that account he Demanded yet for Peace sake rather then my husband and friends should be any longer disquieted about it I would part with some Money if it cannot be done without although my husband knows nothing of it then Geo. Smith told me he would take an opportunity and speak with him and he did not question but to make an end of the business with little Money if any at all This is the truth of the matter to shew how farr I was Concern'd therein Eliz. Cater An Account given by George Smith concerning the Mony which Fra. Bugg deceitfully obtained from him concerning Samuel Cater THese are to certify all into whose hands this may come That whereas there was a difference long depending made by Fran. Bug with Sam. Cater about a Fine which the said Fran. Bug demanded of Sam. Cater which he had not Freedom to pay him looking upon his demand therein to be unjust and I coming to Sam. Caters
matter Thou also saidst in thy Paper thy Cosin G. S. as my Wife's agent made the restitution for the Fine As to that thy Cosin G. Smith is able to give account what he did in that Case and I believe will But if it be as thou sayes what is the matter then that thou still quarrelest with Me about the same thing again for when Restitution is made Controversie amongst Honest Men use to be at an end But Francis it s to be feared that the Restitution thou got by thy Cosin G. Smith thou didst not come by it fairly but like a Crafty deceitful Man without regard to Truth or Honesty went beyond the Man and Trap and him out of his Mony as will be made appear and now thou hast thus unjustly got that 15 Pound from thy Cosin thou art uneasie with it for thy own Conscience although thou hast taken this Liberty to do so wickedly cannot be at ease with it neither is it possible thou shouldest thy proceedings have been so unjust and unrighteous from the first beginning of thy medling with Me unto this day And the first step thou set wrong in this matter which thou so long hast abused Me about was when thou turned Informer against Me and told the Officers and Informers my Name in the Meeting which I might have done my self if thou hadst nor been so forward to have told them and thereby prevented them of asking Me for it was ever my practice so to do when I have been in the like danger of sufferings And it is well known to Friends where I have Travelled and which is also well known to thee And as that was wrong so was every step thou hast set since about getting Mony of Me for thy work and now thou hast got this Mony of mine as unjustly as ever any Informer did that I ever heard of except thy Brother Judas who betrayed Christ Jesus for Mony who after He had got it Torment and Trouble was his Portion as his end Manifested and I wish thou mayest repent of this thy ungodly work thou art in before it be too late for thou must never expect true Peace in this unrighteous work of Darkness which thou hast of late followed And now thou art writing to Me again to have another Arbitration when G. S. nor I never wrote word to thee since the time thou speakest of its being ended But Fran. I had Arbitrations enough with thee about this matter yea too many except thou wouldest have been truer to thy promises and engagements then thou hast been as I sha ll make appear to thy shame in an Narrative of the business Neither shall I trouble Friends nor my self any more with thee in that kind and whereas thou sayest in thy Paper if another Arbitration I will not admit of then thou wouldest have Me to Sign a Paper which thou hast sent to which I answer that I have learned better things of Christ since I believed in his Name who saith That not one Sparrow shall fall to the Ground without his Fathers Providence and that the very Hairs of our Heads are Numbered Then to joyn with thee to make Laws and impositions to bind the Consciences of my Brethren to serve thy will who hast Erred from the Faith which stands in the Power of Gods as it appears by this thy new invented Cannon that thou hast here Contrived whereby it appears that when thou goest to a Meeting where there 's a Friend that Ministers thou darest not trust God whether he will suffer the Enemies of his truth and People to lay a Fine upon thee for thy Testimony or not for thou wilt make a provision to save thy self if thou can by imposing upon Ministring Friends to tell their Names and Habitations to Informers whether they be asked or not and what is this but to lay a Yoak where God hath laid none and to Limit his Servants and Messengers on whom he lays a true necessity at such times to declare and speak as he moves by his Power and gives them utterance by his Holy Spirit and not to speak as Man Teacheth but as the Holy Ghost Teacheth on such thou wouldest lay a Bond that they must leave speaking as being moved by the Lord and speak as Francis Bugg hath prescribed or else they must be Noted as Transgressors of Francis Bugg's new rule which He hath prescribed without sujection to which nothing will satisfie thee as it appears by this thy unruly work against Me for although thou pretends that if the Friends in the Ministry do not tell their Names yet if they will make satisfaction it shall serve But it is not so for thou says in thy Paper that my Wife by G. S. hath made thee Restitution what is the matter then that thou art so disquiet with Me was it not enough for Me to loose 15 Pound and 3 Shillings by thee who never was Penny the better by thee in my life but wronged by thee before that both by Word and Deed but still I must be thy object to vent thy wicked Poyson at What will nothing do except Conformity to thy new Orders which is of thy own inventing and that Unscriptural too no where spoken of neither in the Old nor yet New-Testament nor practiced by Christ nor his Apostles This Order I do not find to be Apostolical Now this new invented prescription which thou hast sent to Me to subscribe I have here set down in thy own words as followeth MEmorandum I S. Cater do hereby Testifie that it is my Judgment that all Friends in the Ministry where they are Strangers ought to tell their Names and Habitations upon the apparent sight of Informers coming into a Meeting taking Friends Names in Writing or otherwise in Order to convict the Meeting that so we all may stand in the like suffering Capacity or if any have not Freedom thus to do that then they ought to make satisfaction to such who suffers for them through their Concealing their Names and Habitations And that such as refuse to perform his or their Place in either of these two particulars ought from thence forth to be Reputed blame-worthy and Noted as such Witness my Hand Now this is the Canon or Order that F. B. hath contrived and which he tells Me if I will Sign I shall have all my Mony again which He doth unjustly detain from Me. Which invented Order of his I do in truth say that for Conscience sake I cannot nor dare not Subscribe although I for refusing do loose all my 15 Pound which He hath gotten into his Hand for these Reasons following First it is not my Judgment that all Friends in the Ministry are bound without being asked to tell Informers their Names and Habitations being not thereunto required by the Lord whose mind they then have being Ministring in the power of Christ Jesus whose word they are to declare Faithfully and not their own nor F. B's Secondly it is my
hast again therein abused us and wrote Lies to exuse thy self about the old concern which is not a way to stop controversie but to increase it and further if thou hadest been minded that it should not have been revived again why didest thou send thy mallicious Letter to Geo. Whitehead and to the 2d days Meeting in London who see and are satified it was to revive the controversie again and again why didest thou send the same Letter or a Copy of it to Ann Dockwra letting her know thou hadest sent that Letter to Me and that I had sent it back to thee again without opening of it and She says that thou wert minded to make it Publick only She accompted She had perswaded thee to the contrary by something Shee had wrote to thee and withall Shee said that I had done well in that I did not look into thy Letter and thereby have been stirred up to enter into further controversie again with thee so that She as well as others that have come to the sight of thy Letter do see that the tendency thereof was and is for controversie but thou sayest thou Intends to Manifest Me to be a reviver of the Old contreversy because thou believes I have spoke of it and that thou mayest have wherewith to accuse Me thou like one of the Officers in th Star-Chamber when in force Queries of Me in thy Letter whether at one time or other I have not spoke of it since the agreement was made between the Quarterly Meeting and thee for sayest thou if Sam. Cater have spoke of it then the agreement of the Quarterly Meeting is broaken yet also sayest thou knowest not that ever thou Covenanted or promised not to write a Letter to Me about it to that I answer if thou that wert at the Quarterly Meeting and there made an agreement with the Meeting and promised to cease from all Controversie and that all the writings thou hadst writ about the Old Controversie in general should be by thee brought to Ely Prison in the 11th Month following and there be burnt which thou saidst thou didst even all that were in thy Hand and what was in thy other Friends Hands thou saidst thou wouldest send to them to do the like Now say I if thou wert at the Quarterly Meeting and made the promise and agreement with them thy self doest not look upon they self at bound by that Order or agreement from writing to Me and others about the same Controversie again how comes it to pass that I who was not at the Meeting could be bound by that Order and agreement not to speak of it For of Sam. Cater hath spoken of it sayest thou the Order of the Quarterly Meeting is broaken on his part but I never saw any such agreement this is strange Logick yea Confusion indeed it s like the rest of thy proceedings about and concerning this matter and thou wilt have as hard work to prove this as thou hast to prove that I refused to tell my Name in Laken-Heath Meeting which is false and may be proved so Thou also speaks as if the report of this Controversie was in London Bristol Hartford Lincoln c. whereby thou wert abused and mispresented what then if it were so that this business follows thee and thy malicious Book if thou hast done well in it thou needs not be ashamed of it but if thou hast done evil why doest thou not make satisfaction seeing thou pretends so much to be a Christian Quaker But Francis I am apt to believe that not any have abused thee therein for who can speak worse of thee then thou deserves And besides if it be spoken of in those places aforesaid must it needs follow that it was through my speaking of it was it not publick to the Nation does not many Hundreds know how unjustly thou demanded that Mony of Me and how restless thou wert to obtain it when thou hadst got it in that deceitful manner of thy Cosin G. S. did not he give accompt thereof to the Monthly Meeting and were not Friends satisfied that thou went beyond him and gave it as their judgment that his simplicity was betrayed and that he ought to have his Mony again and did not he give the same accompt again to the Quarterly Meeting before Friends of five several Counties and could this be a private business to be kept from being spoken of by Me but I suppose thou thinks I may have spoke of it to some body or other that might ask Me if F. B. had paid Me or G. S. the 15 l. 3 Shillings he got so unjustly into his Hands which the Meeting expected he would have returned again as well as burn his writings As to that let Me know when thou writes again what thou wouldest have me to say about it when I am asked since I have not Freedom to tell a Lie to cover thy deceit and whereas thou offers in thine to return Me 7 Pounds to Shillings if I will accept it as Token of thy condescention which thou sayest thou hast told some Friends of and that thou wouldest give Me so much Mony as a Free Gift To that I answer I have neither need nor Freedome to receive such Gifts of thee But that which I do expect and desire of thee is to return to Me or thy Cosin G. S. that 15 Pounds 3 Shilling which thou so unjustly obtained from him and whereunto I have just right and thou mayest keep thy Gifts for them that will accept of them form I desire nothing of thee but my own neither shall I receive it but as my own and as to thy comparing Me to the Pharisees who lay Heavy Burdens upon the People c. it s but one of thâ— Slanders and hard and ungodly Speeches whicâ— thou must give an account to the Lord for so it s known to the Lord and to Faithful Friends my Innocency both in that and other things whereof thou hast unjustly accused Me and otheâ— Friends who truly fears God and are clear and innocent in the sight of God of those things thoâ— chargest them with for which thou hast a bittâ—â— Cup to Drink at the Lords Hand who will nâ—â— acquit the workers of iniquity who sin against tâ—â— light in their own Consciences as thou hast doâ—â— for several years This is â—ll at present from him who desires Repentance before Mercy be hid from thy Eyes Samuel Cateâ— Ely Prison the 25th of the 10th Month 1682. Sam. Cater's Letter to F. Bugg the 26th of the 10th Month 1682. THis is to let thee know that if thou wilt not make thy Cosin G. Smith and my self satisfaction for the wrong thou hast done us both by word and deed and also call in thy wicked Book which thou hast caused to be Printed in which thou hast belied abused and misrepresented Friends to the World then we shall make thy ungodly Accounts and fraudulent proceedings more Manifest then ever we thought to have
it who wrote to me and in her Letter said I did well in not opening F. Bs. Letter whereby to enter into farther Controversie with him and yet he is so impudent as to say in this Idle Ridiculous work of his That it was I that Revived the Controversie again which is as absolutely false as Truth is Truth But after he had thus sent his malicious Letter about and it came from London whither he had sent it wherein he had Reviled me and his Cousin G. S. again so that his hard charge against us for breaking Covenant falls upon himself with his Slanderous comparing of us to Berket the Papist which will return upon his own Head for he broke the agreement made between him and the Meeting and not I nor G. S. for altho I was not there neither knew any thing of it until some Friends came from the Meeting and told me what was done yet for Peace sake and out of respect I had to the Meeting I was willing to condescend to it and did abide by it until he broke it but when came to see and hear how he had abused us again both it City and Country we did then resolve to give a true Narrative of the business as it truly was and leave it to People to judge Whether he hath wronged us or we him Seeing his restless Spirit would not let him be at quiet which accordingly we did write to him to give him account thereof as by the Narrative doth more fully appear The next passage I take Notice of is how F. B. hath in effect Confessed himself Guilty of going beyond his Cousin G. S. in getting the Mony aforesaid as by his own Tongue and Pen he hath here Confest for says F. B. in Page 35 Treating about the Mony he got of G. S. He pretended Trouble or else he was really Troubled in that he thought all I aimed at was a bare tender and upon that without any other terms would have returned it These words of F. Bs. gives just cause to believe that he betrayed him by his Subtilty out of his Mony as G. S. hath given account or else why should F. B. himself say who is seldom wanting to make a deceitful cover for this his work of Darkness G. S. might think than all he intended in having the Mony all Tendered was but a bare Tender and that he would have returned it again which saying of F. Bs. gives ground to believe that G. S. had some cause so to think from something that F. B. had spoke or promised to G. S. before he tendered him the Mony as G. S. hath declared for he is not so weak a Man as to think of having all the Mony returned again without some Grounds for it But however they that shall say That F. B. got this Mony Fraudulently or by over-teaching or going beyond his near Kinsman them he seems to be much offended with accounting they Grate much upon his Reputation But let F. B. give his getting the Money what Name he please I know it is a way that is not used by such as are accounted Honest Morral-Men setting Christianity aside which brings Men not only to Act and Speak justly uprightly and truly and to walk inoffensively both towards God and Men but also Patiently to suffer Injuries and to do good against Evil however 't is commendable in its place to do justly between Man and Man which F. B. in this matter hath fallen farr short of as doth yet farther appear from his own words as may be seen in page 36 his words are these Speaking about the said Money he got of his Cousin G. S. I did proffer saith he to Return 7 l. 10 s. which I had more then G. S. Voluntarily proffered me Note that F. Bs offer of returning the said 7 l. 10 s. was about three years after he had Received it of his Cousin G. S. and that not until he was severely Reproved for his unfair dealings by Friends and farther he did not offer the Mony as Repenting him for his so unjustly obtaining it Therefore it may be very well questioned how F. B. came by the said 7 l. 16 s. Seeing he says himself that G. S. Did not Voluntarily proffer it him then does it not follow that without question G. S. tendred him the whole thinking thereby to have pleased him in his wilful humour and thinking as F. B. himself saith He would have been pleased with a bare Formal Tender thereof and so have returned the whole 15 l. again but seeing F. B. did not return it all again according as he says G. S. his thoughts might be that he would yet to keep the other half also which was by him never Voluntarily proffered him let F. B. make what covers and excuses he can for himself People that know what it is to Live uprightly and to deal justly between Man and Man will account this Deed of F. Bs. to Spring from a Covetous and Overreaching-Mind and a Deed that does not become such a Man as would be accounted a Christian Quaker and one that hath taken upon him lately to complain of others more Honest and Just then himself as appears But it had been well for F. B. if he had better spent this time which he now spends in Silly Scornful Scribling and Printing against his Ancient Friends and such whom he used to speak very well off before the Enemy of his Soul thus filled him with Envy It had been better I say for him to have waited upon God in Humility to have seen first the Beam cast out of his own Eye as Christ saith before he had so much concerned himself to pull the Mote out of anothers Eye But now mark after F. B. had thus got this Mony of his Cousin G. S. the the next thing he endeavoured to do was to quiet him that he might keep it and to that end he first gave him a paper as he himself saith for me to sign which he said If I would Sign he would Return all the Mony again But G. S. knowing that he had nothing to do with papers but the Mony which he had made him a tender of seeing he never spake of any such paper before the Money was tendred Slighted the paper but prest-hard upon him for the Money again as more at large appears in the Narrative that he might carry and Repay the 10 l. again to the Person of whom it was borrowed But F. B. would not part with the Money but be thought himself of another way to try Salve the Sore which he had made in his Cousins mind by keeping the said Money from him as himself saith in Page the 35 of his Book to his Cousin G. S. after he had got the said 15 l. his words are these However to comfort him I told him that Samuell had 10 l. lately sent him from London and that he had taken 40 s. at one place when he went into Scotland towards