Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
friend_n authority_n great_a king_n 814 5 3.6971 3 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A37361 A Declaration of some of the sufferings of the people of God called Quakers 1660 (1660) Wing D624; ESTC R37718 40,561 35

There are 6 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

other rude people to the meeting and did exceedingly abuse Friends by dragging them out of the Meeting and kicking them and throwing them against the ground both old and young men and women and tore one Friends hair off his head and abused others so that it is a shame to relate Gloucester-shire 25 of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Two Friends being in a house reading in the Bible there came in some Souldiers and fetcht them before the Captain who askt them several questions to ensnare them about the King and would have forced them to drink the Kings health and when he saw they would not be subject to his will he began to rage and enquired for the stocks and then he called for a halter and put it about one of the Friends neck and so they put it over an iron hook and strained it as if they would have immediately taken away his life and then he committed them into the hands of the Constable and about two hours after they were brought before him again and he asked them about the King again and being not answered according to his will he was much enraged against them and struck them several times on their bare heads with his Pistol and then after much threatning he let them go And the same Captain Abbington came that day to Nailsworth where Friends Meeting was and got Bear and would have had one Friend to drink the Kings health but he refused and said if the King were there himself he did believe that the King would not require it of him then one of the Souldiers presented a Pistol towards him and threatned to shoot and struck fire and the same Souldiers beat and abused other friends at that time and one of the Souldiers fell upon one friend and drew his sword and threatned to run him through and afterwards put a rope about his neck as if that they would have hanged him At another meeting of Friends on the first day of the 4th moneth 1660. the same Souldiers with a drum beating came violently into the meeting place with their swords drawn and Guns and other weapons and one of the Souldiers with a naked sword in his hand puld down the friend that was a declaring and forced him out of the room and took away him and most of the men that were there as Prisoners and the Mayor of Gloucester committed two of them to prison where they yet remain On the third day of the fourth Month Friends being peacably met together to wait upon the Lord at Chillingham there came a Souldier under Captain How and said he had Orders to Break up the meeting and hailed one out and because he could not break up the meeting himself he said he would fetch more Souldiers who when they came said they had Orders to break up such meetings then the Friends asked them to shew their Orders but one replyed his sword was his Order and asked whether they would have it and so fell upon them and haled them forth violently out of the meeting and one of the Souldiers drew his sword at a Friend and said he would run him thorow Cambridge upon the eight of the second Month called April 1660. The Scholers with other rude People came into our meeting place where we were met to worship God did fall violently upon us beating us until they drew the blood of many pulling us out by the hair of the head having no regard to old or young men nor women with child but tearing their cloaths casting them into the nasty and loathsome Channels in the streets and those things they continued to us as a practice in our meetings upon the thirteenth of the third Month called May in the like manner they came into our meeting and violently broke the Locks and boults with great hammers shamefully abusing many and no Magistrate appearing to suppress these things but Alderman Blakely whom they also abused in the like manner throwing him in the Channel Again upon the twenty seventh of the same Month the Scholers joyned themselves together in a great number falling upon us with sticks and struck Friends on the heads faces and hands to the hurting of many a Justice of peace being in the room charged them in the Kings Name several times to be quiet and to keep the peace but they not regarding that Authority proceeded in violence and got a Smiths great hammer and broke open four doors and broke a wooden window and took pieces of the boards and beat us with them and drew us out into the streets and there knocked several of us down shedding the blood of twenty four persons that the blood lay upon the stones in the street in the sight of the People and thus having broke down all the seats windows and stairs that the people could not get up into their lodging chambers and having pulled us out into the streets some they held untill others put dirt into their mouths at the same time also they stabbed two women in the street as it is judged with penknives the one being an Aldermans Wife in the Town the other a widow woman And in the like manner every first day of the week do they continue abusing of us more or lesse And the Mayor of the Town who should discourage and punish these evil doers doth countenance and incourage them in it setting his Officers to stop us from our meeting saying we shall have no more meetings and hath given order unto his Officers to hinder us the next first day These are but a ●aint of things to represent the whole Witnesses hereof Henery Forster William Allen John Smith John Webb Samuel Nottingham Mathew Blakely Edward Salmon John Moone Eusebius Read Thomas Golden John Peace Thomas Read Thomas Hawkes George Nash Philip Williamson Clement Crabb John Harte Ruben Stevens Jeremiah Rose Richard Steaton Edward Wright Samuel Cater Robert Letchworth Gregory Tingy James Blakely Alderman John Cranwell John Parnell Bark-shire the twenty seventh of the third Month called May 1660. Friends being peacably met together at Kingstone-lye in that County there came to the meeting place many rude people four of whom went into the meeting with swords drawn to break up the meeting and one friend desiring to know their Order for so doing their answer was their swords was their order and so they violently abused Friends as followeth Richard Greenway was dragged by the hair of the head out of the meeting and thrown into a standing poole of stinking water and mud Richard Ballers was wounded with a sword John Clerk was pricked with a sword Edward Ballard was pricked with sword Robert Crook had his head br●ke and was thrust into a pond and Edward Walte● had his head broke Barth Mayling and Thomas Coeburn were both thrown into a pond and beat Robert Samson was beaten Adam Lawrence thrust into a pond and beat Andrew Pearson thrown into a pond head-long these were all dragged to the pond by the hair of the head
A DECLARATION of some of the SUFFERINGS OF THE People of God CALLED QUAKERS FRIENDS WE lay these sufferings before you who have known sufferings and been exercised therewith for you in this the day of your prosperity in the Fear of the Lord and his Wisdom to read over and consider the sufferings of the People of God who have suffered all along in the dayes of the Common-wealth and of the two Protectors and now suffers in the Kings Name for Christ and his Truths sake and for obeying his commands And we have suffered all along under these changeable powers before you our meetings have been broken up our houses pluckt down our windows broken and pulled out of our Meetings and cruelly abused knockt down and stones and dirt thrown at us and have suffered cruel mockings and shameful reproaches and many whipt stockt and laid in Irons and D●n● 〈◊〉 and be●ty 〈◊〉 and prisoned till death and some put to death ●n these Dominions and the onely thing hath been for the speaking of the truth and warning people of the day that is come upon them yea many in sackcloth and ashes who would not hear nor regard whose day of visitation is over And there hath suffered for Conscience sake and the Truths sake the causes being hereafter expressed the number of 3179. 1. For meeting together in the Fear of the Lord as the Saints did in the primitive times and exhorting one another and building up one another and praying together in their several houses as the Apostles did from house to house have been beat imprisoned and not suffered to pray together as Daniel did but pluckt us up by the hair of the head when we have been at prayers and some have been stockt and whipt and others their ●●rses taken from them and some fined and imprisoned some until death and some knockt down and left for dead others drag'd on the ground by the hair of their heads and cruelly beaten and trod upon their cloaths rent and blood shed not sparing women with Child nor old age the number of 827 persons And they broke up our Meetings in the Common Wealths and Olivers time under pretence that we plotted to bring in Charls Stuart and now he is come in they are broken up by some of your Magistrates under pretence that we are against the King but we a●e in that which cannot lift up a hand nor plot against him nor no man by which we see all things and have unity with God and meets together to worship him in the Spirit and Truth and thus are we deprived of it by many who have been against us as much formerly as now who if they were tryed they are neither Friends to themselves nor to God nor the King who will not let us have so much liberty as Ballet fingers and such as use playes nor let us meet to pray together and build up one another in th● Holy Faith which was the command of the Apostle to the Saints in the Primitive times for which practice have we suffered all along as sheep for the slaughter and as such as have no helpers in the earth whose lives from it are taken And our sufferings has been also great in Scotland Ireland Virginia and New England the number of Sufferers and multitude of which sufferings and meetings which have been broken are to large hardly to be mentioned or numbred 2. And for not going to the publick worship many have been fined and imprisoned and their goods taken from them Now whe●e do you ever read that ever the Jews or Gentiles ever fined the Christians for not coming to the Temple at Jerusalem or the Synagogue or Dianas Temple Nay is it not worse then the Turks paying their Sessments and Taxes May they not have their liberty there to meet together to Pray and Worship God ye men of understanding cons●der this 3. And for warning people to repent in the Markets and other places of their sin and wickednesse have been whipt stockt and put in Fetters and Irons and some imprisoned the number of 516 persons 4. And ●●r not swearing as Christ commands they should not swear for obeying his Doctrin● and keeping to yea and nay in their Communications according to his command have been Stockt Whipt Fined and Imprisoned and suffered the losse of their goods ●●8 Persons And we have suffered under pretence of being Papists and Popishly affected and our Friends have suffered for going beyond the Seas to declare against the Papists George Ba ly imprisoned till death in France one John Love imprisoned till death in the Inquisition in Rome and John Parrot ●es there yet in Prison to finish his Testimony for the Truth and against Idolatry and yet the Oath of Abjuration hath been tendred unto us to make a prey on us knowing that our Principle was that we could not swear no manner of Oath for which cause we have suffered in our Lives and Estates and now the O●th of Supremacy and Allegiance is tendred to us against the Pope to make a prey upon us that knows our Principle is against the Papists that knows our P●●nciple that we cannot swear at all no Oath but keeps to yea and nay in our Communications according to Christs Doctrine who declares against all Popery and the supremacy of it Now if 〈◊〉 yea be not yea and nay nay so found to you and all men upon the earth then let us suffer for breaking of that as much as for breaking an Oath and besides very illegally is that Oath put to us as you may see in the examining of the manner of their putting it to us 5. For not paying towards the repair of Steeple-houses and for not paying Clerks wages have had their goods spoiled strained and taken away above treble the demand 256 which is worse then ever we read of the Jews or Gentiles that ever they made the Christians do to repair Dianas Temple or the Jews Synagogue or Temple that they fined them and took their goods for not doing so 6. For visiting Friends in Prison and carrying them necessaries that lay in nasty Straw and Dungeons Fetters and Irons lockt up beat and bruised their bodies like jellies have been ●mprisoned and beat and some whipt and stockt others fined and their goods taken away and some sent away w●●h passes as wanderers and vagabonds though Persons of Estates and some have had their goods taken and been imprisoned besides for entertaining of their friends which ●s worse then the heathen did to the Apostle who suffered his acquaintance to come to him and visit him and he taught in his own hired house in Rome where the Seat of the Emperour was and worse then ever we read the Heathen and the Jews did to the Christians in the Primitive times and therefore what can be paraleld with this Generation for it is for Truth and not for evil doing for which we suffer and for bearing witnesse to the Truth Therefore ye men of Reason
But after some season the rage of the rude people abated and so by permission of the chief Actors the people of the Lord met together again then the Priest himself came from his steeple ho●●● and having a stone in his hand of two or three pound waight he desperate●y threw it at one of the friends and his wife also threw stones at friends and they did so encourage the rude multitude that they made a fresh assault upon them and with great fury dragged and haled friends out of the meeting again and threw them down and dragged them on the ground and the Priest encouraged the rude people to stone the Friends and said it was warrantable by the Scriptures and he would bear them out in it and that if ever they came again he would set his mastiff dog at them Wrexham in Wales the eight day of the eleventh Month 1659. The people of the Lord being met together to wait upon the Lord many rude Souldiers that belonged to the Irish Brigade came to the meeting place with staves and crab-tree cudgels and thrust and pusht one another upon Friends and one standing up and bidding them be civil and quiet they cryed out pull him down and out with him and so fell upon him and the rest of Friends and forced them out of the meeting place striking them with their staves and some friends getting up into some upper rooms the Soldies followed them up and broke open the door and came to them and there beat them abused them very much and at that time they drove some Friends into the water and one they pu●● down in the water and bruised him so that the Blood ran down another mans head was broken and his blood shed in the street Middle-sex the sixth day of the third Month 1660. Some of the People of God being met together c. in the house of one John Elson in St. Johns street so called there came a great company of rude people who violently threw stones at the said John Elson and other Friends and broke his windows very much and endeavoured to break down his door and after the meeting was ended the rude multitude fell upon one man and pluckt off much of his hair and shed much of his blood and rent the clothes of others and threw dirt in the said John Elsons face and eyes and spit upon him Wilt-shire the 13. of the 3d. month called May 1660. Many Friends being assembled together in the fear of God in Cummerwell in the Parish of Bradforth there came several Troopers of Captain Edward Hungerfords Troop who forced into the meeting and pul'd out one Robert Storr and had him to the City of Sarrum before the Commissioners who upon examination of him said they found that he had been at an unlawful meeting and so committed him to prison Gloucester-shire the 8. day of the 3d. month 1660. Friends being peacably met together in Mase-moor to wait upon the Lord there came one John Coney of that place with a sword in his hand and violently thrust open the door and came into the room and said be gone and struck one Nicholas Wasfield several blows with his sword in his scabbard after which he drew his sword and thrust violently at the said Nicholas Wasfield and gave him many sore blows on the shoulders with his naked sword and being asked by whose order he did this he said by the Mayors order At another meeting of Friends at Cirencister in the County aforesaid on the 13. day of the 3d. Month 1660. and on the 16. day at Nailsworth there came a wicked man that is a great Professor with some others with him with their swords drawn and their pistols cocked and lighted matches in their hands into the meeting and laid hands on one Friend and had him before the Mayor of Glocester who said to the Marshal he should take him away and set a strong guard of Musketeers to look to him and this they did upon suspition that he was a Jesuit Wilt-shire the 16. day of the 3d. Month 1660. Friends being met together in the fear of the Lord at Calne there came into the meeting several rude Souldiers with two Serjeants who are under the command of Colonel Edward Bainton and of his own company commanded by Captain Lieutenant John Lavington and commanded Friends to depart their meeting who desired to see their order for breaking up their meeting they being peacably met together but the Souldiers answered their swords was their authority and so with violence did hale Friends out of their meeting using threatening words ●nd came in amongst Friends with drawn swords and muskets cockt although Friends made no resistance Cumberland At a meeting of Friends at Carlisle the Souldiers came to the meeting and with ●iolence haled and thrust out Friends out of their own house and carried some to their guard and one Friend they pluckt out by the head when he was at prayer ●nd pluckt him down Lanca-shire the 13. day of the 3d. Month 1660. John Thomas a servant of Sr. George Middleton so called set upon three women with impudent scoffs said he would kisse one of them and did abuse them and wrong them and pluckt their coats loose And the same man did abuse Friends and he would have cut Friends with an Ax but that he was restrained by some of his fellows and the same Knights man set upon six friends as they were going to a Meeting to wait upon the Lord who beat them and abused them and bruised their faces and shed much of the blood of two of them Che-shire 17. day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Friends being at a Meeting at Northwich there came one John Cumberbatch of Nantwich with ●any others of the new raised Militia and haled out three of our friends and carried them before the Commissioners and keeps one a Prisoners and shewed much abuse to friends York-shire 12. day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. Friends going to a Meeting at or near Bellerbe the Militia Souldiers beat them and broke their Meeting and violently abused them and struck them with their naked Swords and would not suffer them to meet and this they did in the Name of the Higher Powers Cambridge 8. of the 3d. Moneth called May 1660. At a Meeting of Friends in Wesbidge Thomas Lecock had his head broke that the blood ran down and was knockt down also another man was feld down with stones also a maid was shot in the neck with a Pistol which did receive much harm and one William Allen was pluckt out of the Meeting and when they had got him out they cryed fall on and few there was of our Friends that passed away without receiving much hurt and it was judged by friends that a load of stones and dirt were thrown into the Meeting room at Friends At a Meeting of Friends in Cambridge on the twentieth day of the 3d. Moneth 1660. there came a great company of Scholars and
and many others were abused York-shire the thirteenth of the third Month called May 1660. Friends being met together at Bellerby in the County aforesaid in the worship and service of God there came to the door divers armed men crying where be these rogues we have order to break up your meeting some of them saying we will cut you as small as bread whereupon a Friend went to the door to know the real cause of these so coming and whether they had any order to hinder our peaceable meeting so speaking in meekness to them telling them our meeting was in the fear of the Lord without a thought of harm to any Creature and desiring to see their order for so doing one of them drew his sword and said that was his order and with it struck him that spoke to him upon which all the rest fell upon friends beating and cutting them and pulling them out of the meeting shedding the blood of many and brusing many in a most uncivil and cruel manner striking down many to the ground with that violence that their sences were taken away some lying upon the ground for dead in which act of cruelty they cryed they were for the King and pleaded his Authority for it and so do abuse his Name and Authority Laws and subjects in which cruelty about forty men of honest and good repute was cut with swords in their heads and bodies and bruised and maimed upon which several are lame and some of them so wounded that it may be their death the particular wounds in head body and arms we shall forbear to mention particularly but the cruelty of it was such that there was no regard unto any man of account office or otherwise which thing being considered in it cruelty might break the heart of him that pitties the people or would preserv● the Nation in peace besides several women about ten or twelve were every on● of them sore abused with swords and staves and some of them drawn through the water which is not onely suffering unto them but is a great reproach and dishonour unto the supreme authority and goverment in this Nation which if it continue will produce very bad effects Some of the Names of those that did appear with swords and staves in this cruel persecution are as followeth Christopher Haw Christopher Dixon Christopher Collison William Imson Leonard Wright Mar. Jaques Francis Burg Christopher Burrell Henry Wright John Foster Robert Wray Christopher Dawson Henry Fawcet Christopher Kerby John Wright Mathew Ellerton Westminster On the twelf day of this Month called June we being meet in the new Pallace-yard in the fear of the Lord according to our accustomed manner we were again abused by the Lacquies and rude people and pursued as far as Whithall and many friends had their blood drawn in a cruel manner and after the meeting was ended the prophane People entred into the meeting house and abused the people that dwelt there in so much that we were forced to entreat some Officers of the Army whom we knew to clear the house who with some difficulty did it our oppressions are great and hard to be uttered and Numbered Therefore O King in the fear of the Lord lay them to heart and let them be removed that the Land may no longer mourn for the testimony of Jesus and exercise of a good conscience At Steventon in Bark-shire The seventh day of the eight Month. 1660. many of the people of God coming together to worship God at Steventon in Bark shire the Constable with many more being armed with halberts prongs pikes-staves and other weapons came to the house and pulled Friends out in a horrible brutish manner tore their cloaths from their backs and threw about six of them into the water and took one man and trode upon him so long till the blood came from his mouth and till some of the wicked brutish people cryed out take heed you do not stifle him and some near 60. years of age were so served and then they drove us along in the dirt dashing up the dirt upon us and Friends demanding what warrant they had for their so doing they said they had Order but shewed not any and though we told them we had the word of the King for our quiet meetings and General Moncks Order but they regarded it not Norfolk At a meeting in Fowlsham the Constable charged several of the Town to aid him in the Kings Name and hailed Friends out of the meeting beating some of them himself and others throwing them down in the mire rending their cloaths and caried away above one half of one mans cloak and when he had got the rude Multitude together he left Friends in their hands who beat them and threw stones and mire upon them John Hilton York-shire the seventh day of the ninth Month 1660. Upon the twenty fourth day of the eight month in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty Christopher Taylor and Richard Scostrop with many other Friends of the truth being met together in peace without harm to any to wait upon the Lord being in a piece of Ground belonging unto William Cave in the Town of Bramhup Priest Crossland called Minister of that Town and Edward Wadington who called himself high Constable came in amongst us in much hatred emnity having gathered a Multitude of the rude people and baser sort of together and when the said Richard Scostrop and Christopher Tailor being moved of the Lord did instruct Friends and people in the way of the Lord the said Priest Crossland and Edward Wadington was the first that layd violent hands on them and hailed them away charging the rude people who were found in swearing lying and cursing to assist them to which they were ready like their Priest showing forth the fruits of his teaching hailing and pushing them as if they had been theeves that Christopher Tailor was moved to say they were like to murther him and Richard Scostrop was bloody with their tearing of him not suffering them to speak any words of exhorta●ion to the people But Priest Crossland said they had an order from the King not to suffer us to meet or speak together but we supposing it was not so the Kings word being that none should trouble or molest us for our Religion or opinion while we lived peacably in the Nation we demanded to see his warrant which he denyed and the rude people pulled Richard Scostrop as they were comanded by their Priest up from his knees being calling upon the Name of the Lord in prayer with Friends now let all who have any soberness or understanding consider if this Priest who is called a Minister of Christ abides in his Doctrine or if he be come to the Law and the Prophets who saith do unto all men as you would they should do unto you or did he so unto us and he and the rest dragged us out of their Town and after they had like Wolves amongst sheep
entertained Thomas Thurston one night and to the value of four pounds ten shillings for not Training under John Odbor captain John Day fined to the value of three pounds fifteen shillings for entertaining Thomas Thurston and to the value of four pounds ten shillings for not Training Woodman Stocley fined to the value of three pounds fifteen shillings for not taking the oath of a Constable Richard Preston was fined to the value of three pounds fifteen shillings for entertaining Thomas Thurston one night into his house Taken from John Baldwin to the value of five pounds five shillings for not Training Taken from Thomas Cole to the value of forty eight pounds because he could not swear Thomas Mears was fined to the value of eight pounds five shillings because he could not swear Likewise John Norwood Sheriff took away in goods from the said Mears to the value of five pounds because his Son could not Train Taken from Robert Clerkeson to the value of five pounds because he could not swear and for not Training to the value of forty shillings Taken from Henry Woolchurch because he could not Train to the value of five pounds five shillings Taken from Edmond Burton because he could not swear to the value of eight pounds he being a poor man Taken from Susan Eliot to the value of sixteen shillings for her man missing once Training Taken from John Larking to the value of fifteen pounds because he could not swear Taken from Robert Harwood to the value of eleven pounds because he could not swear Taken from John Homwood to the value of seven pounds ten shillings because he could not Train Taken from Thomas Vnderwood because he could not swear to the value of seven pounds ten shillings he being a very poor lame man and not the use of his Limbs to labor and hath a Wife and four smal Children James Pascal a poor man having a wife and two smal children and his wife big with another John Norwood Sheriff took from him for the value of three pence three farthings to the value of three shillings three half-pence in meat that was provided for his wife and children and said that the Court had lent it him for the imprisoning of Tho. Thurston Jonathan Neale had taken from him because he could not train to the value of fourty five shillings Hugh Drue fined to the value of four pounds ten shillings he being a very poor man and in debt sold his Cow to satisfie part of his debts Baltomores Officers having knowledg of it seized upon that he sold his Cow for which was to the value of five pounds five shillings because he could not train William Davis for not training fined to the value of four pounds ten shillings and had taken from him in Goods to the value of five pounds eleven shillings he being a very poor man William Cole had taken from him one Servant valued to be worth sixteen pounds which was his Apprentice bound for seven years valued to be worth by them five pounds five shillings taken from him because he could not Train John Norwood Sheriff came and demanded of Samuel Chew to the value of eighteen pence for the Imprisonment of Tho. Thurston he denying to pay it took from him to the value of three shillings Taken from Richard F nsal upon the same Demand for Imprisonment of Thomas Thurston for four pence halfpenny taken from him to the value of twenty pence halfpenny Thomas Turner was in Court having business there and Coming with his Hat on before the Court where was present Edward Lloyd and Samuel Withers they caused his Hat to be taken from him and never returned it again Again the said Tho. Turner was before the Court where was present Samuel Withers and Thomas Todd and Thomas B●sson and because he could not bow to them they caused his hat to be taken away and never returned it again Ralph Hawkings because he could not swear had taken from him to the value of ten pounds five shillings he being but a poor man and it is likely it is more than one third of his Estate Robert Dun had taken from him because he could not Train to the value of eight pounds five shillings Francis Barnes had taken from him because he could not Train to the value of six pounds five shillings John Ellis for not Training had taken from him to the value of six pounds five shillings Henry Carline had taken from him because he could not put off his Hat in Court to the value of three pounds fifteen shillings Taken from William Eliott because he could not Train to the value of four pounds seventeen shillings six pence Edward Coppedg because he could not Train had to the value of five pounds seven shillings six pence taken from him and suffered punishment by whipping on the bare Back a very poor man having a Wife and two smal children More taken from Henry Carline for not Training one Cow one Calf one yearling Heifer prized by them but at the value of five pounds thirteen shillings six pence John Woollcott had taken from him by John Norwood Sheriff because he could not Train to the value of five pounds five shillings VVilliam Read because he could not Train had taken from him one Servant valued at four pounds ten shillings by them which had about a year to serve he being a very poor man and his servant was accounted to be worth seven pound ten shillings Ishmael Rite and VVilliam Stockden and Guy White for not Training the Sheriff VVilliam Coursey by order from Captain John Obdor hath violently taken from them to the value of seven pounds and the Sheriff threatned to turn us out of our house and Plantation John Askham Justice of Peace being by at that time And further they arrested Ishmael Rite to the Court and would have him to take the oath of a Constable he refused to take the oath but told them he would perform the office faithfully so far as his conscience was clear but that would not satisfie them they threatned to fine him to the value of seven pounds ten shillings the Sheriff took away for fees to the value of forty five shillings John Holladay for not Training had taken from him the va●●● in goods five pounds six shillings and three pence Again for not assisting the Sheriff John Norwood to take Thomas Thurston was whipt severely These are not all the sufferings by much which this poor people have undergone and not for evil doing but for keeping Faith and a good Conscience which many hath put away and made shipwrack of else all these inhumane barbarous cruel works of darkness could never have been brought forth which hath shamed their Government and their Profession Friend and friends we having the word of a King and again renewed by a Declaration that we should not suffer upon the account of Religion and being given forth by you that have suffered for your Religion and beyond the Sea had more
tolleration then in your own Nation which we have had the same likewise and now in the Kings Name do we suffer and specially by such as have been against You that be in authority which is to get favour with you And our Meetings are broken up with much violence and haled out and abused and bruised and thrown into waters and many imprisoned and bruised to the dangering of their lives And these things are done in your Names and you may be unacquainted with them Therefore they are laid before you and given to you to consider For if the liberty of your Consciences when you were banished had been restrained and you had been forced to deny your Religion it would have grieved you Therefore consider them now that be in your state who had rather die then offend God And whether you do own those things that are done in the Kings Name yea or nay If not that there may be a restraint to their violence to stop the unmerciful men with their Clubs and Staves who are making havock of the Innocent that they may not make the King a cloak to do wickedly For your understandings have been exercised in these things who have known sufferings by which you may the better feel and know the condition of others And now you may consider the Law and the Prophets to do as you would be done by and to shew mercy For we are imprisoned because we cannot take an Oath the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy as before is expressed the Servants of Christ who commands them not to swear but keep to yea and nay in all their Communications And yet we are Imprisoned and Mangled and mis-called as Traytors and threatned that our estates must be taken away and confiscated to the King because for conscience sake towards Christ and in obedience to his C●mmands we do not swear And many now knowing Friends principles that they cannot swear do avenge themselves upon them by tendering them the Oath t at would be much against the King if they had an oppertunity Now these things being done in the Kings Name we that suffers desires to know whether You own that these things should be done in his Name For we gave forth an answer to the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie which we presented to You and the King of which we desire to have an answer from You And whether You will own those things For we do not charge them upon the King because he gave forth the word of a King and a Declaration to the contrary and as knowing who they are that are Actors of these things in the Nation against Honest Godly Innocent Harmless Servants of the Lord that loves Peace and Righteousness and are for the establishment of that in Truth For we are threatned and they say that we shall have no protection because we will not swear and looked upon as Traytors that any man may kill us if we will not swear and have no protection from the Law and from us our Goods is to be taken our families spoiled Therefore 〈◊〉 ●ustice be done and Judgment be divided right for that preserves both G●●●rnment and Magistrates and a People in peace And yet the Taxes and Sessinent of us required and yet cannot have the benefit of the Law which you do understand paying that People may have their liberty in Turkie Therefore these things are laid before the King and You that You may understand not as charged upon him what things are done in his Name That with Truth Justice Righteousnesse and Wisdom you may rule And know the Law was not made for the Righteous but for sinners and transgressors and that He and Ye all may distinguish between such For we were in the dayes of O●iver fined and imprisoned and slandered as Jesuites and the like because we could not disobey Christs Doctrine to swear and take an Oath our Principl● is known through all these Dominions and many other Nations not to swear any Oaths at all whatsoever is an Oath being forbidden by Christ Jesus and upon no other account and we have given forth a paper to that purpose unto the King Now all other people doth not deny swearing upon this account as we do for Christs Command and Religion sake therefore other peoples condition is not ours Who will swear and doth not scruple taking an Oath upon this account but for other ends Therefore there must be distinction made betwixt us and them Now if you should say To let us have our liberty which was but to let Christs Commands be obeyed this would let up others that say they cannot swear But then you must mind upon what account it is for we have given our account unto the King and to the whole Dominion and to the whole Christendom both in Word and Writing and Print So we desire you to give us an answer Or to give forth something to stop the proceeding of the forcing Oaths on us and that we shall not be imprisoned upon this account nor our goods spoiled to the ruine of our Families for it is known that we could never swear in the dayes of Oliver nor Richard nor the Parliament nor in the time of the Committee of Safety so called nor our friends beyond the Seas in other Nations Yet we have suffered more in this Nation then in any other Nation concerning that thing not swearing and if our yea be not yea and nay nay then let us be punished for that if thou dost doubt or question as much as thou wouldest do for not swearing And if ye doubt or question our faithfulness that lie in Prisons and Irons and Dungeons because we cannot take an Oath let us be sent for up before You to satisfie You further for that Oaths is put the more in the enmity to us because they know we cannot swear whereby the unjust thinks to revenge themselves upon us which there is no people in the Nation doth refuse the Oath for Conscience ●ake but us For they know that friends will stand to their principles and therefore they know they can make spoil And now i● lies upon You to remedy these things and to break the jaws of the wicked as J●b did that rends the Innocent to pieces And our Friends and People beyond Sea in Holland that cannot swear for Conscience sake to obey the comands of Christ the Magistrates puts no oath to them neither doth cause them to suffer or say any penalty upon them for not swearing who keep to yea and nay in all their communications according to Christs Doctrine and the Apostle Mat. 5 chap. and James 5. Acts the 17. Paul disputed daily in the Market and in the Synogues and this was their practice and you may see the impatience of them oft-times in the Synagogues and Markets and many times their patience of their hearing of him which he calls Noble and in the Church which the Apostles had planted they might all speak one by one if any