Selected quad for the lemma: peace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
peace_n	constable_n	justice_n	warrant_n	3,871	5	9.8211	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27451	To the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, now sitting at Westminster a representation of the outrages and cruelties acted upon the servants of Christ, at two meetings at Sabridgworth in Hartford-shire.	Berd, Robert.	1659 (1659)	Wing B1958; ESTC R38694	3,272	9

TO THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMON-WEALTH OF ENGLAND Now sitting at WEST MINSTER A Representation of the Outrages and Cruelties acted upon the servants of Christ at two Meetings at Sabridgworth in Hartford-shire LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. WHile ye declare for a Common-wealth and the just Liberties of all persons as men and Christians and while other people in the Nation though enemies to such a Government have freedom to worship after their manner the true friends of Christ that cannot be enemies to good Government many of whom have ventured their lives in the late War for the Rights and Liberties of the people being awakened to Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth are not onely slandered and reviled with all manner of evil sayings but most cruelly buffeted beaten and stoned to the shedding of their blood in several dark places of the Land which are full of the habitations of cruelty as if their lives were at the mercy of the worst of men and they were onely to be used as sheep for the slaughter An instance whereof we shall present you with in stead of many what was acted in two several Meetings at Sabridgworth in Hartford-shire the third and one and thirtieth of the fifth Month on the third day a multitude of the sons of Belial boys and men stormed the house wherein Gods people were met together in meekness and fear with stones dirt and other things of offence and breaking in upon them did very much abuse them especially as they went away no Officer appearing to keep the Peace and endeavour to suppress the tumult though two Constables and a Church-warden lived hard by and a Justice of Peace Sir Thomas Hewet so called was at the place of his worship within hearing of the clamour and shouting to whom also the suffering people shewed themselves in such a pickle as would have moved any person of common humanity to pitty and interpose his utmost power for their rescue but his answer to their mild complaints was frowns and checks biding them go for remedy to them that gave them their Liberty and saying such usage was as lawful as their Meeting whereupon the rude rabble took incouragement to abuse them before his face and that day month being more numerous they were much more fierce and cruel striking horse and rider as they came thither pulling down some and wallowing them in the mire daubing others with dirt both faces and cloaths and filling their hats therewith and clapping them on their heads and afterward assaulting the place where neer 300 were met together with shouting and flinging of stones they brake down the tiles boards windows and walls of the house and did fling in at the breaches such showers of stones dirt rotten eggs mans dung and water that few or none could escape the marks of their fury and they cut off great part of some mens coats and did tear off a very good scarf from about a womans neck which still is kept from her laid some for dead and sorely bruised and battered others and so annoyed all with their continual throwing for the space of three hours that one side of the house being broken down they were forced to quite the place and as they attempted to escape were stopped and not suffered to pass without renewed tokens of inhumanity for the mad crue neither restrained by authority the Constables absenting again on purpose and Clement Buck a Church-warden slighted the admonition of a Justice of Peace there present who warned him to keep the Peace and the rest to take heed they did not break it and was used as coursly as the rest for his pains and their Neighbour Justice bearing with if not a betting their madness for his men were the first that brake in upon them the former Meeting and one of them was present at the latter incouraging the Tories nor their violence resisted the harmless people taking all patiently incouragement was taken to act over their cruelties with repeated aggravations and that without respect to Age Sex or Condition so that aged persons children women with child fared alike with others yea as if nothing could satisfie but the lives of the innocent they did lay in wait and pursue some of them with stones and dirt almost two miles from that place Now though it cannot be denied that this hath been the entertainment the best of Gods people have met withal in the world from the enmity of the serpents seed which is alwayes higher as the Spirit of glory shines brighter upon the womans seed and therefore crucified the Lord of Glory And though it is given to Gods people not onely to believe but also to suffer yet seeing that which is done to them is reckoned as done to himself not knowing what the passing by of such an example of violence especially at this time may produce for preventing as much as in us lyes the shedding of innocent blood which pulls down the heaviest judgements upon a People or Nation that are guilty thereof We have laid this foul business before you to whom it belongs to do Justice and execute judgement in the midst of us and this is not to keep a day unto the Lord neither are these fruits worthy a good Government or a right Reformation being scarce to be found where there is any Government Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a shame for any people It is a great shame to the Magistrate Minister and the whole Nation that such outrages should be committed but much greater that they should be permitted Look to it therefore O ye Rulers of the Land and bear your Testimony against such wickednesse least otherwise you appear consenting thereunto and there be found among you the blood of the poor innocent and so the fierce anger of the Lord break forth upon you and there be none to deliver If the sufferings of the innocent in France Germany and Ireland are matter of lamentation with them that have any thing of tendernesse and compassion these cruelties so newly acted and so very neer must needs affect you It is high time to do something to stay the hand of the Lord that is stretched out for such abhominations This last Tragedy was acted the immediate day before the intended insurrection and the Actors expressed great confidence of the success thereof saying That there is no Parliament and that King Charles would not allow such meetings You have yet power in your hands to prove them lyars yea to vindicate your authority which was trampled upon in this action and to let them know there is a Parliament that abhors such barbarisms and is indeed resolved to defend the honest interest and people of the Nation against all bloody adversaries whatsoever So will you be a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well and your hands and the hands of them that are with you may be strengthened to do excellently for the land of your nativity Robert Berd Henry Stout John Bresbon Sammuel Rud John Goodman John Odel John Reynolds John Winchester Daniel Halden John Pain Abel Walston John Mighel Jeremiah Plummer Thomas Everrard c. POST-SCRIPT SInce the writing hereof one of the persons that was most abused at the above mentioned meeting John Goodman by name one of whose eyes were almost put out in the house with stones dirt wherewith he went bleeding away and yet was set upon by three of these bloody men who knocked him down and in likelyhood had taken away his life but for some women that cryed out and caused them to leave him hearing they were so far from repenting of their wickednesse that they threatened to deal worse the next oppertunity had a Justice of Peace his warrant to bring them three c. before him or some other Justice in the county now the Constable willing to gratifie his neighbors did go with them before Thomas Hewet aforesaid where they were sure to have favour in this case who when they were come before him together with many witnesses and others that came to hear and see how things were carried asked them what was the matter John Goodman answered there was cause enough for he was knocked down the Justice replyed if you come for justice behave your selves as before a Justice meaning they should be bare and presently before the said Goodman could say any more the Justice gave the word and his servants that stood ready thrust him and them that came with him out of doors And this was all the right the Justice could afford him for the wrong he had suffered Now whether this be to act the part of a Justice of peace or to minister Justice and true judgement Let all sober men judge he hath done very much herein to strengthen the hands of evil doers by justifying the wicked condemning the innocent And as it may well be concluded from whence this barbarous tumult received their incouragement so it may as easily be known where the blood that might or hereafter may be shed by this party is chargeable And whether it be for the honour and safety of the Common-Wealth that men of bloody principles be continued in commission for the peace in a time of reformation It is left to the serious consideration of the present Authority of the Nation THE END