in their own Consciences and are unfaithful and treacherous to that will also in time be so unto men though they may fawn and flatter for their own ends all which we do utterly deny and in our souls abhor and which the Truth which we have received hath led and redeemed us out of Wherefore Friend it was upon my heart to caution thee to take heed what thou dost as to proceed in this work of persecution of innocent people for the exercise of their consciences in the service and worship of God and causing thy peaceable Neighbours to be haled to prisons for their obedience to the Lord God for this will kindle the wrath of the Lord against thee and be the cause of hâ—s heavy judgments to come and fall upon thee in the end and sorrow and trouble will take hold of thee when the Witness of God in thy own conscience shall bring these unchristian-like proceedings against those that did thee nor no man wrong into thy remembrance and give the sentence of condemnation upon thee for condemning and joyning with the persecuting spirit against the innocent and such as fears and reverences his Name And though now some may over-awe thee telling thee there is a Law and thou may think to cover thy self by saying the Law is against us yet I say that will not excuse thee in the dreadful day of account for there was a Law which the Jews had against our Lord Jesus Christ yet that would not excuse those that condemned him But yet this Law doth not at all reach us being rightly considered because we meet really in truth to worship the Lord and to perform holy duty to him and not in any colour or pretence to plot or contrive insurrections for they that do so are the persons that the Law takes hold of and though some may suspect otherwise of us yet that is not sufficient ground so violently to proceed against thy peaceable Neighbours upon a bare supposition because it hath not nor can ever be proved that we have done or intend any such thing at our Meetings and therefore we are grievously wronged and abused and the Law turned to a wrong end even against them that are peaceable and against whom it was not made according to the Preamble of it And therefore it will be well for thee to be cool and considerate in thy mind and not rashly to run or be led on without any respect to the Lord or fear to offend and grieve his good spirit in thy self which will not always strive or without any pity or compassion as a man to thy Neighbours to send them to prison from their Wives Children Husbands and Parents and Families as if they were such intollerable offenders that were not worthy of the common air in the Creation when all that can be proved against them is That they were in such a house and they said to wait upon or worship God And is this now become such a crime Oh that ever men that profess Christianity should be so blind and sottish as to lose their very reason as men to act in this manner which generations to come will even abhor And who would have thought that the Magistrates and people of Reading should be found in this work beyond most in the Nation What is there not drunkards and swearers to be looked after And do not these transgress the Law Is there not a Law against drunkards and swearers and art thou so forward and diligent to execute that as thou with others art that which you say is against our Meetings Are not such at liberty And are not these things which are sins against the Lord God of Heaven and Earth winked at and lightly passed over And must those whom you do only suspect or some of you to be transgressors of mans Law be so violently proceeded against when nothing of fact can be proved against them nor no man can justly charge them of doing any evil against him Consider of these things and lay them to heart and beware what thou dost lest thou be found striving against that which God hath purposed to exalt and remember what one once said If this way be of God it will stand let men do what they can and if it be not it will fall of its self they need not trouble themselves about it And if you that profess your selves Christians had so much reason and moderation as he that was a Heathen you would not trouble your selves so much as you do which will be in vain to strive against the Lord who will exalt his own Name and Truth over your heads though you may be permitted to try many in which the Lord is trying of you in this your day which it would be well if you could see which you can never do till you return your minds to that Principle of God in you which will let you see your selves and how you stand and convinceth of sin and leads out of it all such as do sincerely love and follow it and all such as do slight and disregard it it will be a worm gnawing in their Consciences and a fire that will never be quenched which will make the proud to bow and consume and lay low the glory and haughtiness of all flesh and bring eternal sorrow and anguish upon all that have lived wantonly upon earth and spent their time in pleasure and vanity in ease and fulness The day of the Lord is at hand which will overtake the wicked as a thief in the night and blessed will they be that hast and prepare to meet him by putting off their sins and turning from their iniquities and forsaking the evil way which that thou mayest do is my desire however I have cleared my conscience unto thee and rest a true lover of thy soul Reading-Gaol the 3 d day of the 3 d month 1665. From a Sufferer for the testimony of a good Conscience and for keeping the command of the Lord Jesus in which I have peace with him which no man can take away J. C. The Assizes being holden at Abingdon the 7th and 8th days of the 5th Month called July 1665 to which place Twenty six of the Prisoners were brought by the Gaoler viz. The twenty one before mentioned who at the Sessions at Newberry were put off to the Assizes to have their Tryal and A Curtis and S. Lamboll who were committed as dangerous and suspicious persons and the other three were Christopher Cheeseman A. Sharp and S. Binfield who were committed on the third account for meeting and were called to the Barr before Judg Tiâ—rell who after some questions of Name place of abode what they were c. said to the Prisoners at the Barr Judg. What you go to unlawful Meetings and Conventicles and will not obey the Kings Laws c. One of the Prisoners answered I am clear from all evil against the King and of all Plots and contriving Insurrections c. for our doors stand
Persecution APPEARING With its own OPEN FACE IN WILIAM ARMORER As will be sufficiently manifest to all that may impartially read this following Relation of the Cruel Proceedings of the said William Armorer with some others against the Innocent People of God called QUAKERS in the Town of Reading in the County of Berks Of his taking of them up and Imprisoning great Numbers of them And of the eontinuance of their Sufferings to this day being almost Three years and a half And of his unwearied and Cruel Practices against that Innocent People from time to time Discovered and laid open to the end that Lyes and false Reports may be stopped and that the King and all People may be rightly informed and truly acquainted with the Case as it is clearly and truly in it self Matt. 5. 11 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison c. Psal 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law LONDON Printed in the year 1667. To the READER Friend THou mayest be sensible That great and many have been the Trials and Sufferings of the People of God in Ages and Generations past who did bear witness against wiâ—kdeness Idolatry and Oppression and all the unrighteous Laws and Decrees of men bearing a righteous Testimony for God his Way and Truth upon earth for which cause they have always been persecuted by wicked and ungodly men whom the Devil the Enemy of mankind hath always made his Instruments to withstand the work of the Lord God in every dispensation of time wherein the Lord hath been pleased to appear and manifest himself unto men and as Truth and Righteousness hath flourished and born rule in the heart and the true worshipped of God been exalted and set up so much the more hath Deceit Cruelty and Oppression appeared against it through wicked and cruel-minded men whereby the Lord was displeased and provoked to anger and his indignation and wrath was many times kindled against the Kings and Rulers of the Earth because of the Afflictions and Oppressions of his People which he did see and take great notice of as the heavy Plagues and dreadful Judgments which were known and felt in the earth were signal Testimonies of whereby for the Cause before-mentioned they were brought to perpetual shame and confusion and an example to all that should come after and tread in their foot-steps As in the case of Cain who was wrath and slew his brother Abel about Sacrifice because Abel's was accepted and his was not being wicked and Abel offâ—red unto God a more acceptable Sacrifice then Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous Gen. 4. Heb. 11. Also in the case of Lot it may be seen how wickedness and oppression did abound in the men of Sodom against him and how they compassed his house because of the men the Angels of the Lord which were with him and pressed to break the door to search for the strangers These were the Sodomites wâ—o were made Examples of Gods Eternal vengeance to all persecutors and ungodly men Gen. 19. Aâ—so in the case of the children of Israel when the Lord manifested himself unto them by Moses in Egypt who commanded them to worship contrary to the worship aâ—d wills of the Egyptians and walked contrary to their wayes and customs and were oppressed and held in bondage till God was provoked to destroy them seeing his heavy Plagues and Judgmâ—nts did not reform them Exod. 3. 14. And also the Judges and Kings of Israel who were wicked and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and regarded not him nor his way and people how the Lord the Most High God dealt with them according to their doings and how he often cut their dayes short in the earth and made their Names a reproach for ever Also in the case of Haman whom the King Ahasuerus had exalted and given Power and Authority unto how he insulted over the Kings peaceable Subjects and poor Jews misrepresenting and falsly accusing them to the King because Mordecai the Jew could not give that honour to him which belonged to the Lord telling the King That their Laws were divers from all people and that they kept not the Kings Laws and therefore said it was not for the Kings profit to suffer them And the King giving too much credit unto this envious bloody-minded man consented to him against the Jews and bid him do as he would to them and left them wholly to the mercy of a merciless man to destroy them and in the Kings Name he began to proceed against the Jews so that his Villany must be done in the Kings Name which was his Cloak and to execute the Kings Laws or that destructive unrighteous Decree which he through wicked Enmity had obtained as if the King had sworn him to do all mischief in his Name which would have been great dishonour to the King if he should have brought his wicked intentions to pass and would undoubtedly have provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger against the King to destroy him But the Lord appearing for his innocent people the Kings heart was turned and he perswaded from his Resolution which he had made through mis-information and then see what followed this proud Haman who was exalted as it were from the Dunghill to the Throne Esth 3. 7. And again how the Princes and Presidents of King Darius who fearing that Truth and Righteousness should be exalted by Daniel and Deâ—eit and Wickedness thrown down thâ—y finding no occasion against him except it were concerning the Lâ—w and Worship of his God for they could not deny but he wâ—s an honest peaceable man and his conversation among men was blameless and harmless and what was the matter then why did they persecute him and throw him into the Lyons Den Why these envious men that purposed to destroy him coming into his Chamber and finding him seeking the Lord or making petitions to his God as he use to do at other times notwithstanding there was a Law made against it with his window open they went to stir up and incense the King against him saying Hast thou not signed a Decree That every man that shall ask a Petition of any God or Man within thirty dayes save of thee O King or as thou hast prescribed shall be cast into the Lyons Den and here is one Daniel who regardeth not thee O King nor the Decree that thou hast signed but makes his petitions three times a day c. Dan. 6. And this was his crime for worshipping God or asking petitions of him according to his usual manner
Order there being so many it may be the burden was too heavy for him to bear so they were dropp'd and taken no notice of And Tho Curtis and George Lamboll were not had thither but the seven men before mentioned committed for not giving Sureties were called and discharged and the rest of the men last taken being there called were indicted for being at an unlawfull Meeting and having pleaded Not guilty the Court demanded Sureties for not finding of which they were sent back again to Gaol The 13th day of the 11th Month 62 the Sessions for the County was held at Reading but none of our Friends the Prisoners were called but were kept till the next Quarter-Sessions holden at Newberry the 28th of the second Month called April 63 and being had thither twenty one in number being called into the Court the Judg said to them You are dischaâ—ged and pray God bless you but though we do discharge you yet we cannot give away the Cleâ—ks fees The Prisoners told them they would speak with the Clerk which having done told him they could give him no money but however he discharged them And Geo Thoâ—ne Mayor having thus gâ—ven the onset upon his peaceable and harmless Neâ—ghbours for their tender Conscience sake and having haled them to prison and thronged them together and hurried them backward and forward from one Sessions to another till his own works had even tired him his fury being pretty much spent another Instrument appeared to carry on that wâ—rk to wit William Armorer who came on with open mouth as it were as if he would have devoured at once the sheep of the Lords Pasture and as if he had bid defiance to the Lord God of Israel and were resolved to destroy his chosen people being furnished with great strength and authority and having his will for his Law and prisons ready to receive all that come to his hand or rather what his own heart and hand found out searching the Houses Chambers and Shops of innocent people for that end as if it were Crime enough to be called a Christian Quaker and his punishment must far exceed the quality of the Crime being almost three year and a half 's Imprisonment And thus he has continued to this time as the Reader may observe Upon the 27th day of the first Month in the Year 1664 William Armorer came to the house of Thomas Curtis where the people of God were peaceably met together to wait upon and worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth according to their usual manner and pulled out of the Meeting the young children then took thirty four men whose Names are as followeth viz. William Lamboll Richard Hutchins William Tompson Jasper May Edward Lambourn John Fellow James Marlow Anthony Sadler Thomas Tudway Iames Whiteheart Walter Emerton Ioseph Phipes Tho Speed Tho Chelton Tho Cenicke Tho Heifeild Tho Hinde Daniel Green Henry Pizeing Iames Lavell Hen Bristow Rob Pider Tho Curtis Geoâ—ge Lamboll Leonard Key Iohn Kembell Ionathan Lamboll Leo Coale Io Paine Iohn Becke Tho Norris Edward Fellow William Whistler and Christopher Page and caused the Clerk to make a Mittimus the substance whereof was for being at an unlawful meeting contrary to an Act of Parlâ—ament made about a year or two before c. and delivered them to Richard Iohnson and Iohn Creed Constables who had them to the County-Gaol in Reading The 3 d. day of the 2 d Month called April 1664 came William Armorer again to the meeting and took two men viz. Robert Paine and John Bolt being all the men that were at the meeting And said to them what a Devil are you met again I will send you all to Prison what a Devil are you all Dumb hath the Devil cast his Club over you and bewitched you I. Boult said We have learned of a better Spirit even the Spirit of Christ Jesus which teacheth us to deny the Devil and all his Instruments William Armorer Who a Devil will believe you hang you you are deluded by the spirit of the Devil I will send you all to Prison I. Boult Many good people will believe us and we wholly deny the spirit of the Devil having chosen a better spâ—rit the spirit of Christ Jesus which is a spirâ—t of love and meekness of patience and humility W. A. You say true it is so I. B. And the spirit of the Divil is an angry furious hasty persecuting spirit W. A. saâ—d he is so I. B. Come let us try who is of this spirit thee or us W. Armorer A Devil on you I could find in my heart to lay you over the pate with my Cane I. Boult I hou oughtest to keep the peace and I hope thou wilt not go to break it did'â—t thee ever read that Christ or any of his Apostles did Persecute any W. Armoâ—er Did none then Châ—ists flock is but a little flock and there is but a few of you but I will make you fewer I will hunt you out and send you to Prison I. Boult that 's the weakest thing that thou can'st do if thou can'st convince me of any thing that is evil I will hear thee and let the Priâ—ons alone after some other discourse he caused a Mâ—ttimus to be made and sent them to Goale And the 19th day of the same Month the General Quarter Sessions for the County was held at Newbeâ—â—y but the Prisoners before mentioned were noâ— had thither nor Called neither at the Sessions for the Burrough of Reading held about the same time though most of them were Inhabitants of the same Corporation The First of the 3 d Month called May 1664 came William Armorer again to the Meeting and took one man and six women viz. Tho. Bartlet Anne Hat Anne Sharp Hanah Webb Sarah Paâ—ne Dorothy Clarke and Elizabeth Crage and made a Mittimus much after the manner of the former and sent them to Goal by Rich. Iohnson Constable The 8th of the same Month came W. Armorer to the Meeting again there being no man there he took seven women Bridget Smith Anne Curtis Sarah Lambol Iudeth Smith Katharine Woodard Martha Cheeseman and Elizabeth Hampon and made a Mittimus as before and sent them to Goale by Tho. Coats Constable Upon the 2â— d of the same Month Wâ—lliam Armorer came again to the Meeting in great fury as formerly but finding only a few Children and young Maidens he pulled them out himself and his men having a great Club or Staff in his hand struck one of the Maidens a sore Stroke that she felt it for some time after and told them he would send them to Prison and other throatning speeches what he would do to them if they came there again And on the seventh of the fourth month the Gaoler called for all the Women and Maids before-mentioned except six viz. Ann Hatt Ann Curtis Saâ—ah Lamboll A. Sharp Sarah Paâ—ne and Eliz. Crage and gave them leave to go out of prison and to come again when he sent
the inner door W. Armorer his man Venter by violence took it from her but the street-door being shut he could not get in Then in great rage W. Armorer called for somthing to break open the door and some Hammer or Sledg or such like thing being brought they went about to do it but others perswaded W. Armorer to pacifie him that there was another way into the House The 23 d of the same month came W. Armorer again to the meeting according to his usual manner and took three men and six women viz. Christo Cheeseman Ranold Aveâ—y Tho Hine Mary Wrenn Eliz d ee Widow Jane Hussy Judeth Smith Katharine Edsoll and Eliz Lavell younger and committed C. Cheeseman on the third account though it was but his second and accused them of carrying of Letters about the Countrey and then came together on that day to plot c. But when they came to have their trial then that is not mentioned but the main business is to prove they were there to worship God or to seek God or to seek Christ c. and this is the crime for which they proceed against them to Banishment as will more fully appear by the following Relation and not a word of plotting then when they come to the proof And the rest were sent to the House of Correction for forty eight hours Tho Curtis his maid-servant being one of them So that the whole Family were now prisoners the maid being taken out of her masters house The 6th of the 9th month called November 64 William Armorer came again to the meeting and swore there was a goodly company and caused the children to be pulled out and with a staff that had a goad or some sharp peick at the end of it pricked some of them that they were very sore and black where he pricked them and took one man and six women viz. Tâ—o Hine Anne Harrison Rachel Cape Hannah Emerton Mary Sanders Alâ—ce Milerd Mary Winter and sent them to the House of Correction for three dayes And the first of the tenth month called Dâ—câ—mber 64 William Armorer came again to the meeting and caused the children to be pulled out telling them he had a stick at home that he had forgot would make them feel him which was supposed to be the same with which he prick'd them before being under age he couâ—d not have his will in imprisoning of them Others of the children he threatned to have forely whipt and having turned them going took two ancient Women Bridget Smith and Margery Richaâ—dson and sent them to the Gaol on the third account and seâ—t four viz. Anne Hatt Margery Symonds Grace Hutchins Jane Hussy to the House of Correction for twenty four hours And being not satisfied when he had got them in prison but would have had the Gaoler put them in one room together and no body to come at them and what provisions was brought them should be put in at the Grates and hath cauâ—â—d their papers to be taken from them pretending they had sent a Paper to the King and Council which was very false And now we come to the proceedings of the said William Armorer and the rest of the Justices at the general Quarter-Sessions held in Reading for the County of Berks the tenth eleventh and twelfth day of the Eleventh Month called January 1664. The Justices being come into the Town the morning before they sate a Paper was sent by one of the Prisoners to them to read but being refused by W. Armorer who would have had it burnt it was sent to the Court and delivered to the Cryer which W. Armorer perceiving it cryed out Burn it for it should not be read and therefore it is thought meet here to be published A true Copy of which here followeth Friends IT will be a good and precious thing To have the fear of God before your eyes and therein to act in all things towards all people and then you will act in righteousness and do the thing that is just if in the fear of the Lord you stand and are exercised therein in your proceedings for it is that which makes men honourablâ— and in Ages to come to be had in renown by the generation of the râ—ghteous and the memory of suâ—h who in the fear of the Lord do act in their day in Justice and Righteousness shall live for ever when the Name of the wicked shall â—ot and be blotted out from under Heaven who have had no regard to the fear of God neither hath Equiâ—y and Justice have had place in their hearts and such shall eat the fruit of their own doings and receive a just reward from the hands of the Lord according to their work in the day when God shall judg the secrets of all mens hearts and search out the hidden things of darkness and then shall every man be rewarded according to their deeds done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil Wherefore Friends the Lord hath put it into my heart to write unto you and that I may be clear in his fight and that the neglect of such a thing may not lye upon my Conscience as disobedience I say unto you Be considerate and sober in your minds and calmly and seriously weigh what you are going about and let not rashness and envy oversway you because that the God of Heaven takes notice of your proceedings and your actions are registred in a Book of Remembrance But let Justice be your Rule and let the Law of Equity be your Guide let the Light of Jesus in your hearts and Cousciences be your Counsellor because if you start aside from that and act not according thereunto you cannot please God nor do the thing that is justifiable in his sight but you will bring guilt upon your Consciences which no man upon the earth shall ever acquit you of and the sentence of condemnation you will certainly feel by the Spirit of the living God which judgeth righteously without respect of persons And to lye under that guilt and sentence from the Lord in your own hearts and consciences will be sad and heavy indeed for a wounded conscience who can bear If the Lord wound men inwardly in their consciences because of transgression against his righteous Law of Equity who can bind them up or heal them Will the saying We have a Law and by our Law he the just ought to dye or suffer Will this ease them Oh no! that will not remove that weight and burden from off their consciences which they do bring upon them by acting and walking contrary to the Light or Law of God in their own hearts and because of this the Lord often brings shame and confusion upon men and dishonour and a curse in all ages hath attended and followed those that have been found in that way of afflicting troubling disquieting and persecuting innocent and harmless people because of the exercise of their Conscience towards God and for
have truly and experimentally tasted thereof from the love of God which we feel in Christ Jesus in whom we have the assurance thereof unto our souls Wherefore I say Oh ye men in Power and Authority in the world Be cool in your minds and let the cause of the Oppressed and Afflicted people of God be pondered by you and take heed of turning your hand against them for if you do make that your work To root out and destroy them it will be too hard for you and your eyes shall never see the accomplishment thereof but if some or many of us do seal our testimony with our dearest lives and blood yet will the Lord raise up more in the same power and spirit to bear witness unto his Name in the same way in which we serve him and you will be found fighting against God till he be provoked to anger against you if Justice and Mercy be not shewed to them and ye shall not obtain mercy and favour at the hand of the Lord which that you may is my desire who desires the good and salvation of your immortal souls and not your destruction and am a true Friend to Justice and Righteousness and those who are exercised therein and suffers with the despised people of God for the Testimony of a good Conscience Jo Coale From the Gaol in Reading the 16th of the 11th mon 1664. In the morning the 11th day of the month aforesaid about fifty Prisoners were called to the Barr of which were about eight of the Baptized people an Indictment was read against them for wilfully refusing the Oath at Abingdon the 12th of July c. To which at Newberry they had pleaded not gâ—â—lty The Jury being sworn they were going to swear Champion the Clerk but Tho Curtis desired to speak a few words before he took his Oath being granted said Whereas there was an Indictment read against us for refusing the Oath of Allegiance when the Oath was never tendered us for the Statute saith it should be tendered upon the Evangelists and it is the opinion of the Judges That it must be read to the party otherwise it cannot be a lawful tender as for instance about thrâ—e years since Capt. Pecke with divers others being called at an Assizes before Baron Turner in this place the Judg asked him whether he would take the Oath of Allegiance Capt. Peck told him he was not committâ—d for refusing that but was taken at a Meeting The Judg replyed I do not read it to you I do but ask you the question for if I should read it to you you would be in danger of a Premunire c. And this is our case We were not committed at first for refusing the Oath of Allegiance but were taken at a Meeting and when we expected to have our Trial according to our Mittimus they asked us whether we would take the Oath but it was not read to us for the first of us that was called they were very angry with about his Hat and never so much as asked him whether he would take it The next that was called was no Quaker so called and he coming before them bowing with his hat in his hand they askâ—d him to take it and he did take it but then was not I nor forty more of us called to the Barr as we can prove by many witnesses Another thing is the Indictment ought to comprehend the whole Oath but this is false in many places Then one Proctor a Counsellor and a Justice so called being on the Bench stood up saying As to your being taken at a Meeting the Court takes no notice of that you are here indicted for refusing the Oath of Allegiance and the Clerk hath sworn to the Indictment And wherereas you say the Oath was not read to you you say false for I my self was at Newberry Sessions and the Oath was read to you there Then several of the Prisoners cryed it was false it was never yet read to them Proctor asked whether the Indictment was read T. C. Yes Then said Proctor The Oath was in the Indictment T. C. That matter 's not that was the Indictment and no Legal tender of the Oath to us for we declare in the presence of God That the Oath was never read to us and you do us much wrong you ought not to deal so hardly by us you ought to help the Priâ—oners at the Barr instead of which you are set against us Procter said It is for my King and Countrey Jo Kemboll one of the Prisoners replyed He did not believe the King did desire to enrich himself with the undoing so many poor men and their Families The Judg of the Sessions Edward Dolby stood up and asked William Armorer again Whether it was not read to us Who answered Yes Then Tho Chelton one of the Prisoners câ—â—â—ed to him to come off the Bench being a Witness against us Which hâ— did and swore that the Oath was read to them all and that they were called one by one and so returned on the Bench again and sate as one of their Judges And Champion the Clerk swore also to the same purpose But the Prisoners still denyed that it was tendered to them but were interrupted Then Procter stood up and said You Gentlemen of the Jury I desire you to take notice Here is Sir William Armorer a Person of Honour and Mr. Champion the Clerk of the Peace have sworn That the Oath was read to them all Now you must either bring in these men guilty or else you will make these two William Armorer and the Clerk perjured persons One of the Prisoners Richard Billingsly said I am here indicted and another with me for refusing the Oath of Allegiance the same 12th day of July at Abingdon and I was not called till the 13th day after W. Armorer was gone out of Town and yet he and the Clerk have taken their Oaths That it was there tendered to us all they being put in the same Indictment but I was not so much as called that day as the Reader may see by the foregoing Relation But they would have waved that T. C. desired the Court would take notice of this thing That these two men were indicted in this Indictment for refusing the Oath the 12th of July when as they were not called that day at all and though W. A. and the Clerk have sworn that we were called to the Barr particularly yet they were not called that day and W. A. went out of Town early the next morning before the Court sate and they were not called in two hours after he was gone and therefore the Indictment was false Then the Judg said to Champion the Clerk Did you call these men particularly and did you read the Oath to them Cleâ—k I did call them particularly to the Barr by their Names and the Oath was read to them upon which many of the Prisoners cryed out it was false it was false But said a