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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96961	The wounds of an enemie in the house of a friend. Being a relation of the hard measure sustained by Miles Halhead, and Thomas Salthouse, for the testimony of Jesus: particularly in a long, and sore, and close imprisonment, first at Plymouth, and then at Exeter in the county of Devon, though they have neither offended the law of God, or of the nation. Published for the clearing of their innocency from the cloud of transgression, of which they are supposed highly guilty, and by reason of their silent abiding such sharp, and long, and cruell sufferings.	Halhead, Miles, 1613 or 14-1689 or 90.; Salthouse, Thomas, 1630-1691.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3665; Thomason E870_7; ESTC R2977	52,373	80

with many other words of truth and sobernesse which was not to any one in particular If these be provoking words and worthy of such bonds as we suffer let all men that have moderation bear witnesse And in that you say We refuse to be tryed by the Country Oh! how dare you give such things under your hands when you your selves and all people that were in the Court can bear us witness that we did not refuse to be tryed but did appeale to the highest power that was there unto whom many in the Country came for Justice and from whom we expected righteous judgement for you know we said We were willing to be tryed by the Bench to whom all the Court was in subjection to whose power we were and are subject to for conscience sake and did not resist your power but for the ve pounds that is demanded of us we answer we owe nothing to any man but to love one another therefore we deny to pay so much money for naught but if any man will come to us and say that we have wronged him we will make him satisfaction and pay him the utmost farthing And as for Sureties for the good behaviour they that walk in the light of Christ who is the Surety of a better Covenant then mans Covenant whom we witnesse teaching us to deny the customes and fashions of the world and all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to doe to all men as we would they should doe unt● us And we are tyed to the good behaviour by the Righteous Law of God and dare not lye nor swear nor be drunk nor use any deceit pollicy shifts or double dealing nor respect mens persons for the liberty of the outward man or any other advantage to that in all your consciences doe we appeale whether we be wo thy of such bonds as these where none of our friends nor acquaintance must come at us or speak with us but they must be imprisoned Is the Law of England so exact against us such as have been alwayes faithfull in that which hath been manifested and in the States service and desires nothing else but to worship God in Spirit and truth according to what is manifested and witnessed in the light of Jesus Christ who is the way to the father that when we were locked up in close Prison the Souldiers kept John Gannyclife who is a Constable in their custody for coming to speak with us and another person who did spy in at a hole of the door where we were this they did by an Order from Captain Joyce who hath given it under his hand to take into their custody all such as they suspected to be of us whom they called Quakers But this they doe that the Scripture may be fulfilled which Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples They shall hale you before Magistrates and Rulers who shall cast some of you into prison and the time shall come if they kill you they shall think they doe God good service But here is our confidence in his Promise that he that endures to the end shall be saved and if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him for whose sake we are made willing by his eternall power to suffer the losse of all things that we may receive an inheritance with them that are Sanctified and witnesse against all deceit and abomination to the laying down of our lives if it be required who are Prisoners for the Testimony of Jesus in Thomas Parish neer Exon in Bridewell Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead A copy of their Letter sent the Mayor of Plymouth after their first Apprehension FRIEND SEing the Lord God of power who is Lord of Heaven and Earth hath entrusted thee with the power of a Magistrate to bear the Sword of Justice which is for the punishment of evil doers and the encouragement of those that doe well and to rule for him who brings peace on earth and hath good will towards men even Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth who was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him who is true and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath the witnesse in himself hath set to his seale that God is true he that hath understanding let him read he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love and if any man say I love God and hate his Brother he is a lyar for his Commandement is love and he that rules in love rules with Authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees The Law of God is perfect and endureth for ever he is our Judge and Law-giver before whom all must appear to give an accompt for all the deeds done in the body when every man shall receive according to his works Now Friend to thee for Justice doe we call that the truth may be freed from scandalls and false reports and the oppressed set free which is pure Religion that we may have that favour at thy hands which the Law doth afford to bring our Accusers to us that have any thing to lay to our charge worthy of Bonds that things may be tryed by the light and actions weighed in the ballance of equity that truth may spring up out of the Earth and righteousnesse may run down as a mighty stream and peace and Justice may kisse each other for know assuredly although we are counted deceivers yet are we true and nothing doe we desire from thee as thou art a Magistrate but to have the truth cleared by the light and truth set at liberty and if there be any that knoweth the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and hath eternall life abiding in him we desire to be tryed by him even him that is guided by the Spirit of God and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God And whereas some ignorant men say that we deny the Trinity and the God-head which is false for God is a Spirit and as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and the Father Son and Spirit are one and this we witnesse according to the Scriptures and this God is but one in whom all things live move and have their being who is above all and in all and through all God blessed for ever And for the word Trinity there is no such Scripture as speaks of a Trinity so in tendernesse of conscience and love to the Spirit of Truth which gave forth the Scriptures we dare not wrest them nor speak any other language nor add nor diminish from them So Friend to the light of Jesus Christ in thine own conscience and the measure of the

THE WOVNDS of an ENEMIE IN THE House of a FRIEND BEING A RELATION Of the hard Measure sustained by Miles Halhead and Thomas Salthouse for the Testimony of JESUS particularly in a long and sore and close Imprisonment first at Plymouth and then at Exeter in the County of Devon though they have neither offended the Law of God or of the NATION Published for the clearing of their Innocency from the cloud of Transgression of which they are supposed highly guilty and by reason of their silent abiding such sharp and long and cruell sufferings Even the Sea Monsters draw out the brest they give suck is their young ones the daughter of my People is become Cruel like the Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4.3 Have the workers of Iniquity no knowledge who eate up my People as they eate Bread they have not called upon God There were they in great fear where no fear was for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them Psal. 53.4 The dark places of the Earth are full of the Habitation of Cruelty Psal. 74.20 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Psal. 12.5 If he turn not he will whet his sword he hath beat his Bow and made it ready He also hath prepared for him the Instruments of Death he ordaineth his Arrowes against the Persecutors Psal. 7.12 13. LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black spread-Eagle near the West end of Pauls 1656. THE WOUNDS OF AN ENEMY In the House of a FRIEND MILES Halhead and Thomas Salthouse being pressed in spirit to visite the Seed of God in captivity in Plymouth in the County of Devon left their outward Beings and relations in the North and passed thitherward as far as Hunniton near the City of Exeter where a guard being placed for the apprehending of such persons as were suspected to have had a hand in an insurrection broke forth a little before whilst they were on their journey at Salisbury and dispersed at Southmoulton in the County aforesaid they were taken up by them and brought before Colonel Cappleston High-Sheriff of the County upon suspition of being Cavileeres and having had a hand therein who having examined them though he confessed he did not believe them to be Cavalieres not any thing appearing upon or against them as matter of suspition yet caused he them to kept close prisoners at Exeter for the space of about fourteen dayes and then sent them from Officer to Officer towards their homes But being come two miles from Taunton on the way to Bridgwater the Officer that conducted them from thence fell to the ground and lying grovelling thereon in the sight of divers people was able to goe no further whereupon they returned back to the Justice at Taunton and acquainted him with what had befallen the Officer he sent with them and to know what further he would injoyn them who after some consideration told them he would have no more to doe with them and having set them at liberty desired the Lord to be with them Hereupon they passed to Bristoll where and in the Country thereabouts having stayed some time they departed being moved of the Lord towards Plymouth againe having with them a friend of Bristoll born at Exeter and Certificates from the Captaine of the Fort at Bristoll and of a Justice concerning them and their good affections to the Common wealth which before they had not being ignorant when they came out of the North of any such occasion as had fallen out whilst they were on their way that might require any such thing And so through the hand of the Lord they came to Plymouth the sixteenth day of the month called May 1655. and there had severall peaceable meetings in the houses of friends to whom they ministred what they had heard and seen and handled of the word of life and were made manifest with mighty power to that of God in the Consciences of many to whom they were sent who being thereby turned from darknesse to light and the eye being opened in them which the God of this world hath blinded the captives came to witnesse deliverance even the acceptable time the day of salvation The Standard of the Lord being thus set up many people flock thereunto insomuch that the house of John Harris a friend near the Town where a meeting was appointed to be on the first day of the week following being not able to receive them they went into his garden and to them both in the fore and afternoon did they declare the truth of the experience of what they had found of the free grace of God which brings salvation manifested in them provoking them unto love and to good works according to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles as the Spirit gave them utterance exhorting them in the words of sobernesse and truth full of plainnesse and simplicity and tending onely to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ amongst men without using any inveighings against men or opinions and were approved of by those that heard them though severall came onely to hear some new thing Having both of them spoken and finished what they had to say George Brookes then Priest of the Nightingale Friggot a man whom they knew not spake to the people a pretty space of time wholly in the praise and commendation of what they had said affirming it to be the eternall truth and exhorting them to perseverance from that Scripture Take heed that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine telling them that they must expect to suffer persecution but the principle from whence he spake being seen in the light of Jesus Christ which changeth not with which he was comprehended Thomas Salthouse said that he had spoken many good words and faire speeches but asked him whether he lived the life of what he spake for that it was he that had the witnesse in himselfe that setteth to his seale that God is true and their friend who came with them from Bristoll as aforesaid told him he had spoken of a Trinity in Unity and a Unity in Trinity when as no such language was to be found in the Scriptures which being ended Thomas Salthouse spake a few words more to the people exhorting them in the words of the Apostle Let him that stole steal no more and made use of the words of Christ He that entreth not in by the doore into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thiefe and a Robber which he directed not to George Brookes or any one in particular Miles Halhead having not spoken one word nor Thomas Salthouse otherwise then as afore rehearsed and so the meeting ended But the persecution raised against them then began in which the Priest aforesaid to fulfill the words himselfe had said

were willing to ingage for us And the next morning when we came to receive it under thy hand according to thy promise thou there refusedst to give it and the Town Clerk said it would not stand in Law which is like to thy Letter thou sentest us to Exon Prison and so because thou conceivest we are offendors doe we suffer but thou makest thy conceiving a Law to imprison us by And further thou hast manifested thy enmity and persecuting spirit in what thou witnessest falsly against us that all the while we were in Prison we neither sought God by prayer as thou sayest nor desired a blessing of God on any Creature that we received nor gave thanks for them Here let thy mouth be stopped and for shame proceed no further in thy false Accusations to render us and the truth odious for besides the witnesse of God which is true and greater then the witnesse of man many in Plymouth can witnesse against thee in this thing that joyned with us in spirit being moved severall times in prison and out of prison to goe to prayers and to give thanks for the blessing of God that we received And further thou sayest We wander up and down in all parts to vent our wicked Opinions to the disturbance of good people Here thou hast vented forth thy malice out of the spirit of bitternesse against us to make us appear odious to good people if they will lend an ear to thee for wicked Opinions we doe deny And we have not disturbed any good people neither have we wandred in all parts as thou sayest but came the straight Road from Bristoll to Plymouth and were chargeable to none in our Journey but lay at the best Inns where we came and paid for what we had need of for both our Horse and our selves And again thou sayest Indeed Sir they hold many sad Opinions destructive to true Religion and power of godlinesse We say indeed if thou hadst the true Religion thou would have power over thy tongue but thou hast manifested thy Religion to be in vain and thy ignorance both of the true power and also of the form of godlinesse for godlinesse is a mystery and he that hath the form and not the power from such we turn away and with such as have the power and life of what they professe have we fellowship in the light which hath no fellowship with darknesse neither with such as walk disorderly and contrary to the light of Christ who bringeth peace on Earth and good-will towards man And we never contemned thy Authority as a Magistrate neither doe we slight the Generall Disbrow whom thou desirest to have a good opinion of thee who hast made thy conceivings and thy will a Law to imprison us by though we have transgressed no Law but to the Children of light thou art discovered and thy deceit laid open He that hath understanding let him read And this we have written to thee in reference to that thou writest to General Disbrow for thy self and thy Brethren not rendring to thee nor thy Brethren rayling for rayling but in the spirit of love and meeknes we exhort you all to repent and fear to offend the Lord and the least of them who believe in his name lest he come in a day when you are not aware and cut you off in a day when you are not aware and cut you off and you be numbred amongst the transgressors and have your portion amongst them which make war with the Lamb and the Saints and Servants of the most high God This is the day of your visitation while you have time prize it From us who are friends to your soules Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead prisoners in Exon Gaol A Copy of an Indictment Exhibited against and read to them at the Sessions THe Jurors for his Highnesse the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging upon their Oaths doe present That whereas by an Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and his Counsell bearing date the 29 day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty foure for preventing of Duells and all occasions of Challenges and Quarrells and using any disgracefull provoking words or gestures tending to that effect it was Ordered That no persons whatsoever should from and after the publishing of the said Ordinance use any provoking words or gestures whereby Quarrells or Challenges may arise as by the said Ordinance may more at large appear Neverthelesse Thomas Salthouse late of Druggly beck in the County of Lancaster Husbandman and Miles Halhead of Kendall in the County of Westmorland Husbandman not fearing nor regarding the said Ordinance and the penalty therein contained after the publishing of the said Ordinance to wit the twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five at Plymouth in the County aforesaid in the presence and hearing of divers honest persons of the Common-wealth of England there then being did use divers disgracefull provoking words and gestures to George Brooks Clerk in the Nightingale Friggot he being then opening and declaring unto the said persons a certain place of Scripture wherein the said George spake something of the Holy Trinity to wit Thou the said George Brooks meaning lyest in saying there were three persons in the Trinity we doe deny there is no such thing but thou art a deluding spirit come to draw away the hearts of the people from God And farther they the said Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead did further speak to the people then present that they should not hearken to the said George Brooks for that he was a Thief and was come with a lye in his mouth and had stollen what he had from others and had it in his hand poynting to the Bible which was then in the said George Brooks his hand open And further did say it was a lye which the said George Brooks had brought and other harmes to the said George Brooks then and there did contrary to the form of the said Ordinance against the peace publick Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halheads Answer to this Indictment BEing that we were not permitted to speak for our selves when this Indictment or Bill was read to us in the open Court at the Generall Sessions holden at the Castle of Exon. upon the 12 day of the fifth Month 1655 but by the Justices there in Commission the Goaler was commanded to to take us away So to make our defence for the truths sake we are constrained to write something in Answer to the substance of it The sum of it is To make us Offendors in an Act made against Duells and Challenges and the like by the Lord Protector and his Councell and you say We not fearing or regarding the said Act and the penalty therein contained did use divers disgracefull and provoking words to George Brooks Clerk of the Nightingale Frigot To which

the men in severall parts who are summoned by Prelaticall Malignant and Presbyterian Justices so called to abjure Popery or their Names and Habitations to be taken and returned into the Exchequer for the Sequestration of their Estates and these are the men who are taken up in the Country as they are upon their lawfull occasions against whom there being no accusation in Law this Oath is put to them which because they refuse to take out of conscience to an Oath not daring to swear at all because of the Command of Christ Jesus the great Law-giver are imprisoned where many of them have a long time layn and doe yet lye though contrary to Law not unknown to the Chief in Authority some of whom have personally pressed it And not only is this exercised upon men but on women also who till this day since the times of Popery were never known to be so used but have been forborn as that which hath been accounted below the dignity and spirit of a man to exact And the next word now to any one who is reproached with the name of Quaker who are known out of Conscience not to dare to Swear at all is usually give him or her the Oath of Abjuration of Popery though he be their Neighbour whom they know to be and their Consciences tells them is far from any such thing and there they are sure to catch him and to have their revenge on him for Witnessing the Truth as it is in Jesus when otherwise they cannot get him into the compasse or pretence of any Law and having fast here there he may lye for the Eternall Truth for which he suffers seeks not to man for deliverance and those who should regard care little for the matter and the cry of their oppressions seldome enters into their ears Thus in all Ages hath Error sought to support it self against the Truth and to ensnare the Consciences of those of her Children with Oaths when other manner of Persecutions have not reached that so she might be secure and never know sorrow Which Oaths as they are out of the Doctrine of Christ so a Curse have they proved instead of a Defence and the beginner and certaine Fore-runner of the Destruction and Finall Overthrow of that Kingdome as these and former Generations have witnessed though before in never so promising and flourishing condition and seeming in its own eye to want nothing but Oaths to establish it And now the Witnesse of God is drawn forth against this and all manner of Swearing and it is Witnessing in sufferings at the hands of those on whom was pressed the Oath c. And the Covenant and who in their time Suffered by and Testified and Fought against those who imposed and sought to establish both and also against the Bishops Oath Ex Officio which required a man to Swear against himself and Whether the imposing of an Oath upon a man to abjure what is supposed to be his conscience wherewithall to worship God upon the penalty of loosing his Estate if he refuse be lesse let the Wise in heart judge And Whether upon the same ground and by the same Rule the like Oath may not be imposed as to any other thing and exacted upon the same penalty The Witnesse of God hath its time of Raigning as well as Suffering and will as certainly Raigne as it doth Suffer it was ever so in all Ages these later above any have known it so and so it will be in this and in the Ages to come Let those whom it concerns who have had a time of Suffering and Reigning and now cause others to Suffer consider before it be too late The Judge standeth at the door and according to the Greatnesse and Majesty of the Truth that is witnessed and the Sufferings that attend its Testimony and the condition of those who cause it to Suffer as having been Witnesses and Sufferers themselves and the Sword of the Lord upon that which hath caused to Suffer and have known his Presence and Mighty Power therein wonderfully and his strange Overturnings whereby to cause to Raigne what hath been so testified unto by Sufferings will be the Judgement Except they repent You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities saith the Lord Whilst they are the sufferings of Sion who is there that considereth or layeth them to heart but the Rod of the wicked shall not alwayes lye on the back of the Righteous there 's a time when the Testimony of the Truth in sufferings will be finished and other men will have their Day who have cryed Aha and nagged the head and stamped with the feet and helped on their sufferings and caused them to suffer and looked on their brethren in the day of their distresse wherein the Lord will mock at their calamity and their sorrowes which shall come upon them as on a woman in travell and they shall not escape whilst the righteous who have mourned in Sion joy in the Lord and rejoyce in the God of their salvation having beauty for ashes the Oyle of joy for mourning and the Garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse for God is Judge The next day they were brought before the Bench again Court Will ye confesse that you wronged G. Brookes in calling of him Thief and be sorry for it and make him satisfaction Answ One of us did not speak one word to him and therefore I deny to make him satisfaction or to be sorry for it and what was spoken was no such thing therefore we will not lye for our liberty nor confesse that we are sorry for that which we never spoke Court You are fined five pound a piece and must goe to the House of Correction till payment and to find Sureties for your good behaviour and for refusing to take the Oath we shall take course to send to the North to seize on your Estates according to the Proclamation And so to Prison were they returned and what followes entred as the Record of their proceedings A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed and Delivered at the Generall Sessions of the Peace publick holden at the Castle of Exon. July 10. 1655. THomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead for provoking words against George Brooks Clerk who refused to be Tryed by the Countrey fined 5 l. a piece committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for their good behaviour And thus as the day before they were returned to Prison instead of being admitted to a Tryall according to Law after the Indictment against them was read and they had made a sufficient Legall Plea thereunto and Desired their Accusers might be brought in and they liberty to speak in their own Defence as aforesaid so now Judgement is given against them without a Tryall or Hearing or bringing in so much as one Accuser and yet the Record saith A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed Have such things as these before these dayes been

Page Mayor The Answer of Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead to the above written Warrant A True Copy of a Miltimus by which we Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead are committed to the Goal at Exon. by John Page Mayor of Plymouth with Answers in defence of the truth to the false accusations cast upon us to make truth odious but for Sions sake we cannot hold our peace and suffer lyes to goe for truth First Accusation Disturbers of the publick Peace ANswer The Accusation is false for we have not disturbed the publick peace nor have we fellowship with any such as break the peace but have freely declared the way that leads to peace and doe desire that Grace and Peace may be multiplyed publickly to the ends of the earth and that all the occasion of strife and envy may be taken away and that the feet of them that are running on in the broad way that leads to destruction may be turned into the way of peace The second Accusation For divers other high misdemeanors against the late Proclamation by his Highnesse the Lord Protector prohibiting the disturbing of Ministers and other Christians in their Assemblies and Meetings ANswer The breach of this Proclamation we charge upon thee who when we were assembled and met together in a friends house to wait upon the Lord as hath been the practice of all Christians in former Ages and which the Law of this Nation doth allow Thou sents the Constables with a Warrant from thee and fetchest us out of the house from among our friends and broughts us two before thee and thou saidst thou hadst not time then to examine us but sents us to Prison Here let all people that love the light whose eyes are open judge whether we or our accusers have broken and transgressed this Proclamation which we and our friends claim our priviledge in we being free born men and friends to the Common-wealth and have disturbed none in their Assemblies nor were we at any publick meeting that thou canst charge upon us but amongst our own friends as many can witnesse for us if they may be heard And here we charge upon thee that which thou callest misdemeanours for we are clear in the thing and what is charged upon us here is false as many can witnesse that our demeanour hath not been disorderly nor contrary to the Lawes of God nor the Lawes of this Nation And although the word diverse be mentioned yet none in truth can be laid to our charge nor proved against us The third Accusation Against an Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and his Counsell lately made against Duells Challenges and all provocations thereunto ANswer This Accusation against us is falsly charged upon us the Act we own and the Magistrates sword of Justice we own which is for the punishment of evill doers and the incouragement of them that doe well Our weapons are not carnall but sprituall nor have we challenged any man nor done violence to any nor provoked any nor used any other language then Scripture holdeth forth as Thee and Thou to a particular person whether he be King Priest or Prophet Judge or Justice and if any be offended by this or provoked by it let him speak or write the unlawfullnesse of it for against fightings quarrellings challenging and provoking one another to wrath by corrupt communications doe we declare freely knowing the ground of it for where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evill worke The fourth Accusation Whereas Thou sayest We have refused to give Sureties for our personall appearance at the time and place mentioned ANswer Let the light of Christ in thy own conscience judge Thee and witnesse against Thee for us and for our friends that can bear us witnesse that sufficient Security was proffered to Thee for our Appearance but to make thy selfe manifest and thy Counsellors how hast thou written these lyes in the name of the Lord Protector and strengthned thy self to accuse the Innocent by using his name but to the Children of light is thy deceit discovered and laid open The fifth Accusation And whereas thou sayest In the mean time to be of the good behaviour ANswer We doe affirm before Thee and all the word that we are of the good behaviour and seek to be at Peace with all men and we know that in the truth you cannot charge us with any evill behaviour or that we walked disorderly amongst you wherefore be witnesse against thy self for out of thine own mouth Thou shalt be judged for that thou hast charged upon us we are not guilty of as many can witnesse for us And under these lyes and false Accusations doe we lye in Prison at Exon in Devon whose names are Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead Whom the world scornfully calls Quakers The Copy of a Warrant aforesaid with the Answer above written to it was given in to the hands of General Disbrow at Plymouth with this following Testimony to the truth thereof WE whose names are hereunto subscribed doe testifie That the severall particulars in this Answer made by our friends are true to wit That they did not at all disturb the publick peace Nor were they at any other Meeting but that which was appointed by us to disturb any Ministers or other Christians in their Assemblies and Meetings Nor are they guilty of any Challenges Duells and Provocations thereunto in the least measure whilst they were amongst us And as for their refusall to give security two of us whose names are Robert Cary and Arthur Cotton had given security to the Mayor by entring into Recognisance for their appearance at the next Sessions the day before their sending to prison but that the Town Clerk made it void the next day pretending it could not be according to Law Ralph Fogg Arthur Cotton Robert Cary Richard Smith Anthony Todde John Harris the younger Thomas Faulkner Nicholas Cole John Martindale Richard Lepincote John Harris the Elder The Copy of a Letter from the Mayor of Plymouth to Generall Disbrow concerning Miles and Thomas Plymouth 1 June 1655. Right Honourable CAptain Hatsell hath communicated to me what you rote him in reference to those two men Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead of whom and of their imprisonment your Honour had heard something from some persons of this place and received a copy of a Letter which they sent me By the inclosed copies of their Examinations your Honour will see some part of the cause of their confinement which was on their refusall to give Bayle for their appearance the next Generall Sessions to be held for the County of Devon they being as I conceive offendors within the late Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and Counsell made against Duells Challenges and all provocations thereunto and also his Highnesse his late Proclamation against Quakers and they still refusing to give Bayle for their appearance as aforesaid went from hence to the Goal at Exon. on Tuesday last Indeed Sir

their carriage here was not becoming men much lesse Christians and besides their contempt of Authority and all the while they were in Prison they never sought God by prayer at any time nor desired a blessing on any Creature they received or gave thanks for them and these very men were about two months past taken up by Collonel Coppleston High Sheriff of our County and after 14 dayes restraint were sent away by him for Taunton from Tithing to Tithing as by their own Examination and they shew no occasion they have to come to these parts They are by profession Quakers but Husbandmen by their calling one of them is a Lancashire man the other of Westmorland and they left their Families Relations and Callings about three Months since as they say and doe net work nor employ themselves in their Callings to procure themselves a livelihood but wander up and down in all parts to vent their wicked Opinions discover their irregular practises in the breach of Peace disturbance of good People Indeed Sir they hold many sad Opinions destructive to the true Religion and Power of godlinesse I have hereby according to my Duty given your Honour an account of what passed here in reference to these men I could say much more in reference to their Examination and discourse with them but I fear I have already trespassed upon your Honours patience in the perusal of these lines and humbly desiring your excuse for giving you this trouble and doe most thankefully acknowledge your Honours continued favours to this place and for which we stand very much obliged desiring your Honour still te retain such an Opinion of us as those that desire to doe nothing unbecoming Christians and persons that desire the welfare and peace of this Common-wealth and Government and shall ever labour to appear Your Honours very humble Servant JOHN PAGE Mayor for my Self and Brethren THis is the second time this Mayor hath affirmed this abominable lye under his Hand and Seal notwithstanding that two sufficient men of the Town of Plymouth had entred into a Recognizance before him for their Appearance which the next morning he denyed to give under his hand as he had promised and voided the Recognizance the Town Clerk saying it would not stand in Law and sent them to Prison And here as he twice chargeth them for refusing to doe that which they had done before him and which he had refused to deliver them under his hand according to his promise and made voyd as the cause of their imprisonment so he committed them to Prison for refusing to doe that which the Town Clerk said would not stand in Law and so according to what he affirmed was contrary thereunto Canst thou who doest such things as these blush Is it not hereby apparent that cause is sought for and made where there is none to destroy the innocent What the measure wants of filling with false Accusations that the Indictments meaning and this Mayors conceiving shall make up to cause the righteous to suffer Where is that late Proclamation intituled against Quakers There is one against disturbing of Christians in their peaceable Assemblies and there is the 37 Article of the Government which saith That all that professe faith in God by Jesus Christ shall not be restrained from but be protected in the profession of the faith and exercise of their Religion c. Both which thou hast broken in sending thy Officers and taking them from their peaceable meetings of Christians waiting on the Lord by thy Warrants The Law forbids the reproaching of any and all evill speaking as evill doing yet this Mayor who calls himself a Minister of the Law reproacheth the Servants of the most high God who fear before his presence and tremble at his word as the holy men of God have done from the beginning on Record in the Scriptures with the name of Quakers and intitles the Generation of those who seek the face of the Lord with the name of Quakers which he so reproacheth by profession What difference is there between a calling and profession Is coming to Plymouth in obedience to the movings of the Lord to visite friends and to speak to them the words of eternall life to Preach the everlasting Gospel and to exhort them to love and good works according to the Scriptures of truth no occasion shewed they not this as the occasion of their coming thither and is it not a lawfull one And have they not there many seals of their Ministry who by it are turned from darknesse to light and from the Kingdome of Satan unto God How can they employ themselves in their callings of husbandry when kept in Prison how can they return to their Families Relations and Callings when thus detained as they were at first hindred in their Journey on their lawfull occasions and are still by Thee Doest thou complain of them for not doing that which by imprisoning of them thou hast made impossible Did they want a livelihood before they were laid hands on or do they now though it 's neer nine months since the time of their commitment by thee Did they ask any thing of thee or of any one else wast thou or Plymouth burdened or made chargeable by or had not the Town the advantage of their expence for themselves and Horses and the friend that was with them how knowest Thou that they want a livelihood or hast Thou or thy Generation administred to them or to their Families and Relations during near nine months of restraint and six of them in a close imprisonment without a cause in a strange place 200 miles from their outward Habitations whereby they are kept from imploying themselves to procure a livelihood for themselves Families and Relations Is riding the strait Road from Bristoll to Plymouth lying at the best Inns and paying for what they have for themselves and Horses a wandring Thinkest thou what the Law calls wandring is not known and how much thou hast broken the Law upon them and what penalties thou art under for so doing and art thou sure thou shalt never be called to an account deceive not thy self May not a man travell where he will in times of peace paying for what he hath and behaving himself peaceable what if they had come onely to see the Town of Plymouth Make it thy own case wouldst thou not judge it hard measure for them to doe to thee as thou hast done to them Art thou not ashamed of lying to say they wandred in all parts when they travelled the direct Road Or callest thou the going about to Preach the Gospel a wandring Did not the Apostles and holy men of God doe so and yet were they not as hardly thought of and reviled by those of thy Generation then as these are now by thee and those of the same Generation and as wickedly persecuted by reason of whose cruelty they wandred in Desert in Mountaines in Dens and Caves of the earth

Spirit of Truth doe we exhort thee to take heed that the spirituall man judge all things in righteteousnesse and truth So we remain Prisoners of the Lord not as evill doers our conscience bearing us witnesse in the presence of the Lord in whom is everlasting strength who are friends of the Truth and of the Common-wealth of England Known to the World by the Names of Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth The copy of another Letter to the Mayor of Plymouth concerning Swearing John Page Mayor of Plymouth FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee to cast us into Prison and hast Examined us and hast found no breach of any Law by which thou can'st lawfully punish us but under a pretence hath tendred us an Oath to swear against the Supremacy and Purgatory We doe in the presence of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth deny the Pope and all things therein mentioned with as much detestation as thou thy self or any in the world can or doth our consciences also bearing us witnesse in the presence of our God who is able to deliver us although we are cast into a Prison nay if we be cast into a Den of Lyons and a fiery Furnace with the three Children as you may read in Daniel that would not fall down to worship the Image neither will we disobey the Command of Jesus Christ who saith Swear not at all and the Apostle James saith Above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation And all that doth the will of God shall know of the doctrine of Christ and whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son If any come unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed and this we doe affirm that swearing is out of the doctrine of Christ although you may alledge many Scriptures for Swearing as in the first Covenant and that an Oath among men for confirmation is to them an end of all strife but he that is made the Surety of a better Covenant who hath put an end to all strife where it is witnessed saith Swear not at all although that you may alledge that the Angels swore yet know this that when he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith Let the Angels of God worship him So we lay it upon thee to witnesse for us or against us whether Yea or nay is not to be preferred before swearing by all those who professe Religion seeing that Jesus Christ hath commanded not to swear at all and he saith If yee love me keep my Commandements and if we suffer imprisonment for keeping the Commandements of Christ it is not grievous to us for we refuse not to swear for any guiltinesse that is in us or that can be charged upon us for we are against all false wayes false worships false Lawes but we deny swearing because Jesus Christ hath commanded us not to swear at all So if we be kept in Prison let it never be said by you That it is for any thing but because we dare not swear knowing that to disobey the Commandements of Christ is the way of Cain who was driven out from the presence of God and became a Fugitive and a Vagabond and this some of you would charge upon us to be Vagabonds who in tendernesse of conscience and in the obedience to the light of Jesus Christ and in love to him our lives are not dear to us to lay down if it be required for the confession of him before men and the keeping of his Commandements for to this end are we called and our rejoycing is in this that in simplicity and godly sincerity our conversations hath been and is honest as many can witnesse for us against those who in their wisedome goe about to entrap and ensnare the innocent And this we write not to justifie our selves but for the sake of the simple ones who have heard many lyes and false reports of us of this doe we put thee in mind not that thou art ignorant that all the glory and honour belongeth to the Lord God who hath said He will not give his glory unto another and Vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord who will ease himself of all his Adversaries and recompence tribulation to them that trouble afflict or offend one of the least that believe in his Name So in love to thee and all people for the eternall good of all doe we heartily wish that grace and peace may be multiplied so we rest in the will of our father to doe or to suffer that he may be glorified by us to whom all glory belongeth for evermore and pray that the sin of Persecution may not be committed by thee nor any that professe to be the friends of Englands Whose Names are known to be Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth HEar ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare O house of the King for judgement is towards you because you have been as a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor And ye revolters are profound to make slaughter though I have been a rebuker of them all Hear I pray you O Heads of Jacob and yee Princes of the house of Israel Is it not for you to know Judgement Shalt thou reigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not their Father eate and drinke and doe Judgement and Justice and then it was well with him he Judged the Cause of the poor and needy then it a as well with him was not this know me saith the Lord And hear yee Rulers who hate the good and love the evill who pluck the skin from off the people of the Lord and their flesh from off their bones yea who abhor Judgement and pervert all equity who turne Judgement into worme wood and leave off righteousnesse in the Earth who decree unrighteous decrees and write grievousnesse which ye have prescribed Woe unto you for Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey a man is made an Offender for a word a snare is laid for him that reproveth in the gate the just is afflicted and turned aside for a thing of nought and the poor in the gate from their right The righteousnesse of the righteous is taken from him he that rebuketh in the gate is hated he that speaketh uprightly is abhorred iniquities are conceived are travelled withall are searched out A diligent search is accomplished the inward thought and the heart is deep they dig as low as