Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A25341
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Antient testimony of the primitive Christians and martyrs of Jesus Christ revived against tythes, or, A relation of the sufferings of William Dobson of Slade-end in the parish of Brightwell in Barkshire because for conscience-sake he could not pay tythes ... and for thirteen years was much exercised by imprisonment and loss of goods and the last day of the 3d month call'd May 1677 dyed a prisoner for the same : to which is annexed a short account of the sufferings of Michael Reynolds ... because he could not for conscience-sake pay tythes ...
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1680
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Wing A3074; ESTC R25883
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11,756
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16
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R. W s. Councellor began to Plead against William after their usual manner for Carrying away his Hay and Corn without paying Tythe which they valued as they said at 12 l. and odd Mony which with treble Damages amounted to 36 l. and odd Mony and for proof thereof R. VV. brought his former False Witness John Smith of Satwel against whose Evidence VVilliam made exception signifying to the Judge that that was the Man who at the Assizes held at Abingdon the year before had Sworn falsly against him and therefore his Evidence ought not to be received The Judge asked whether he had Indicted him for Perjury VVilliam said no but I can prove it against him then the Judge said he must receive his Evidence until he be Indicted so Smith was Sworn who took Oath that every Acre of Wheat was worth 50 s. Which was very false for Wheat was then at a very â—ow rate and the Judge also said he could not see how it could be so much worth however the Clark cast it up according to what Smith had Sworn and the single value they said did amount to 12 l. with treble Damges to 36 l. But the Judge was so moderate that he left it to the Jury and bid them to withdraw and so they did and abated one third part of that which the Witness had Sworn it was worth which â—…gnifieth they gave not much Credit to his Evidence The Jury brought in the single value at 8 l. With treble Damages at 24 l. and thereupon Ralph Whistler brought an Execution and the 20 th day of the 3 Month 1668. Moses Slade then Under-Sherriff and Thomas Skeats of Redding Bayliff Seized on and took away from William Dobson a Gelding and 〈◊〉 Cows all he had and drove them to Wallingford and Sold them 〈◊〉 14 l. and which were well worth 17 l. And when they had taken away the Goods without Doors R. VV. not being satisfied therewith â—…irred up the Under-Sherriff to go again to take away more Goods who â—…t two very bad Fellows as by their actions appeared namely William â—…ild and Henry Weston Bayliffs who went into William Dobson's House the 29 th day of the same month and took away all the Pewter and Brass they could find as Kettle Skillet Platters and Skimmer One Bed and Bolster one pair of Blankets two pair of Sheets four Sacks and a Winnowing-sheet also of wearing-cloths a Doublet two pair of Breeches and a great Coat of William's and two Wastcoats four Petticoats and a Searge Hood of his Wives And when they had loaded upon the Horse what they had got within doors they went about to drive away the Hoggs that were left but the Swine ran away and would not be drove by them and so they had not the Hoggs that time But the other Goods they carried to the George Inn in Wallingford which Goods and Cloaths were worth about 11 l. but what they sold it for we have not heard Yet notwithstanding Ralph Whistler was not satisfied as if indeed he were reâ—olved to ruine or at least to weary out this poor man Having heard that â—e had bought some more Cows to yield some Milk for his Children sent Child the Bayliff again and his Brother in the 11 th month 1668 to William's House and then they took away three Cows which was all he had and were worth 10 l. So that the Goods taken away on this Execution as before is mentioned for 8 l. the single value demanded in Cattle and Houshold-goods and wearing-cloths was valued to be worth thirty eight Pounds Yet the next Year Ralph Whistler caused William to be Arrested again and in the 8 Month 1669. Or in a short time after was sent to Reading Goal from his poor Wife and Children and the latter end of the 9 th Month following he was removed by Habias Corpus to Westminster and returned over in Court and at the rising of the Court was called to the Barr and Charged and asked who was his Atturney whereupon he nominated William Church Clark of the Fleet and gave him his Fee and appointed him to put in a Plea of Nell debet parpatriam to the Declaration which he promised to do and William expected a Tryal at the next Assizes holden at Reding in the first Month 1670. Buâ— so it was that he had no Tryal nevertheless upon the 16 th day of the same Month William Childe the Bayliffe and Robert Hopkings took away all the Cattel that William had viz. Horses Cows and Hoges and drove them all to an Inn in Wallingford and Sold them the next Market day for 19 l. But the Goods were valved to be well worth 80 l. they using to Sell large Penniworths of his Goods or else they might have wanted Chapmen to take it off their hands Indeed it is to be admired how great the Lords Love and Mercy was to this William Dobson by which he was preserved in patience to undergo so great exercises and to look with an outward eye it might seem strange how the man could subsist and carry on his business to maintain such a Familie when no sooner he can make shift to buy a few Cattle but on a sudden they are had away by Droves and that at such times in which it is most to his disadvantage and to more than the yearly value of what the Farm was worth by the year besides the loss of time by Imprisonment and tossings of his Body from place to place into Confinements But to return again to the matter this is not all neither would all this before-related satisfie William's unwearied Adversaries But after Ralph VVhistler had thus cruelly dealt with him the Priest of the Parish will needs have one fling at him and we say 't is well if he did not encourage R. VV. in his eager prosecution and unreasonable proceedings and now VVilliam's Goods are gone his Body must to Prison again upon Excommunication and the 29 th day of the first month before mentioned in which R. VV. had caused all his Cattle to be fetch away VVilliam was to visit his Friends who at that time were many close Prisoners upon a consciencious account in Reding Goal the Goaler seeing him there told him if he had not come he must have fetcht him and pull'd out a Warrant and shewed it to him which came from the Sheriff for the apprehending VVilliam Dobson by virtue of a Writ of Excomunicat ' capiendo for not going to their Worships and not receiving the Sacrament as they called when as he was so little out of Prison and so tumbled and tossed up and down that he was hardly in a capacity to go if he had been minded But he did not only bear Testimony against the maintainance viz. Tyths but that Ministry which Preach for Hire and Divine for Mony and that Worship which is in the VVorld out of the Leadings of God's holy and blessed Spirit So John Thorp the Goaler stopp'd him and kept
him a Prisoner with the rest of his Friends whom he came in kindness to visit and continued a Prisoner two years and a half and then it pleased the Lord so to order it contrary to expectation that VVilliam was released with the rest of his Friends from their long Imprisonments by the King's Letters Patents in the 8 th monh called October 1672. And in the time of his Imprisonment on Excomunicat ' capiendo Ralph VVhistler and his Servants in the Harvest time took away VVilliam's Corn in the Field what they pleased somtimes a whole Land of Corn together after it was cut down upon the account of Tyths and at several times after a scambling manner so that the value thereof which in that two years and a halfs time was taken away in Corn could not easily be computed But VVilliam being again out of Prison and through the blessing of Almighty God had a little increased his Stock Ralph VVhistler pretending that the former Execution was not yet Levied upon the 24 th day of the 1 st month 1673 4 he sent John Button a Bayliff and VVilliam Robins Assistant of VVallingford who seized on and drove away 4 Cows and 3 Horses which were valued to be worth 27 l. And the 28 â—… day of the same month VVilliam having borrowed a Horse for he could not keep any of his own his Man was drawing a Cart and Wheels with the Horse in VVallingford street where Moses Slade the under Sheriff laid violent hands on the man and took the Cart and Wheels away from him which were judged to be worth four Pound Again VVilliam having bought some more Horses to Plow withal it being about or in the Seed-time could not well be without supposing by that time surely Ralph VVhistler was satisfied but the 13 th day of the 3 d. month 1674 John Button the Bayliff took away from VVilliam's Servant out of his Team two Colts with their Harness on which were judged to be worth 9 l. upon the former Execution as they pretended So that for two years Tyth demanded at 4 l. 10 s. a year which came to 9 l. these cruel and unreasonable men for so they have made their actions to render them to all that shall take a view thereof took away and sold as much Cattle viz. Cows Horses Hoggs and other good and wearing-cloaths from VVilliam Dobson as was worth 78 l. which was about eight times the single value that Ralph VVhistler demanded which is very unreasonable and will surely be a blot and bring a line of reflection and that justly too upon him and his Posterity though thereby he might think to increase his Riches 't is well if it prove not as a Canker in his Estate as to some others such gain has proved which by Oppression is heaped together And the memory of such unneighbourly proceedings will remain upon Record when Ralph VVhistler is gone to his Grave and the Lord if it be his Will forgive him and lay not this to his charge in that day when God shall open the Book of every mans Conscience and give righteous Judgment to every man according to their Deeds done in these Bodies whether they are Good or Evil. But to return again to the matter that 's yet behind In the beginning of the 3 d. month 1675 VVilliam being then at Liberty was served with a Subpoena to appear before the Barons of the Exchecquer at the Suit of Ralph VVhistler and about the middle of the month following he was arrested by VVilliam Child Bayliff with the Sheriff's Warrant but through the Sheriff's means was not sent to Goal until the beginning of the 7 th month called September at which time the Goaler sent for him to Prison and after a little time VVilliam with 20 morâ— of his Friends that were then Prisoners were by the Goaler Johâ— Tharp shut up in two very close Wards over the Dungeon where thâ— Felons lay sick of the Small-pox and one of them dying in the Dungeoâ— with that Distemper John Thorp caused the Muckle and nausty Straw whereon the Felon dyed which was in a very sad and loathsom condition to look upon to be burnt there in the Dungeon underneath those Rooms where William and his Friends were shut up and thâ— Smoak and infectious Dain thereof was so offensive as is hard to expresâ— the same which seized on several besides William and the same day he and several of the others grew ill and had the Distemper and someâ— died in a short time after and William was so nigh death that few thaâ— saw him could think him a man likely to continue and was given up by those that were about him as a dying man And at that season the living Power of God as a spring of Love and Life fill'd his heart and burst ouâ— as a Stream in uttering forth many heavenly Expressions and wholsoâ— Exhortations to his Friends and Brethren to prize the Love of God anâ— to be faithful unto him signifying how good the Lord had been unto him And much more to the same effect he spoke with fervent zeal and clearness as if he had been in perfect strength to the comforting his Fellow prisoners And speaking so loud some of the Goaler's Family viz. Walter Cowdry and the Maid-servant came up into the Wards to hear and see what was the matter and when he had fixt his eyes on them he spoke very sensibly to them and also concerning John Thorp and Walter Cowdry the then Turn-key their cruelty towards him and his Friends and with great zeal he thunder'd out God's dreadful Judgments that he said would suddenly be poured out against the Goaler and his Confederates in that barbarous proceeding against the Innocent in such Wickedness and Cruelty Also signifying that the day of their visitation was near at an end And much more he spoke to that effect to the admiration of all that were present And the Goaler and his Wife are since both dead But it pleased Almighty God with whom all things are possible that after a long time of weakness William Dobson recovered a little strength of body and had a little Liberty to take the Air and somtimes to go to see his Family and be there to look a little over his outward concerns but remained weakly in Body and never recovered his former strength from that time And notwithstanding the Priest of the Parish of whom Ralph Whistler rented the Tyth was dead and Whistler off from the Bargain of renting it and had counted with the Priest before he dyed and abated to the Priest what he valued the Tyth of William's Farm to be worth Yet Ralph Whistler kept him a Prisoner for non-payment thereof to â—is dying day though he owed him nothing which said William in his â—ife-time is a further manifestation of Ralph Whistler's cruelty and unâ—easonableness in his actinggs towards him for the space of thirteen years because for the space of thirteen years he could not for Conscience-sake