Burton aforesaid having as is remembred a long Hazle Staff in his hand some-what in length resembling a Hunting Pole which as is remembred he took by the small end in both his hands and there-with he smote Samuel Watson of Knight-stainforth who was then among the aforesaid People so peaceably met together to wait upon the Lord as aforesaid so violently upon or about the Head that with the Violence thereof he to wit the said Samuel fell to the Ground and in that Condition for some considerable time lay as one in a manner dead or bereaved of his Life to the terrifying of those who had so rudely behaved themselves and also of the doer thereof and several of them began to shrink or as it were draw back or aside and excuse themselves as not having a hand in it fearing as it should seem that he had been dead but after he through the Mercy of God was in some sort recovered they to wit the wild Company returned to their former Barbarous Behaviour and Deportment again Hailing Beating Mis-using Punching and Driving several of the said People so met as aforesaid in a Barbarous Inhumane and Uncivil manner out of the Town not leaving them as is remembred until they set a great part of them some considerable space out of the same after they had a little left them as is remembred the said Samuel going to Prayer some of the aforesaid Rude Company came again and in a Rude Uncivil Uncomely Inhumane manner behaved themselves towards the said People both Men and Women which is now too hard to be particularized only one William Farnaby drawing his Knife cut several of the Horses Bridles And so after much Abuse having driven away the said People they to wit the rude Multitude departed many of them Glorying in what they had so done but the just Revenger of the Upright who knows how to deliver the Righteous and how to reserve the Wicked to the day of Judgment to be punished though he may and doth oft-times as in this Case he did spare long and give a large time yea several Years to Repent in yet if they will not Repent and be Reconciled so as the Lord may pass by and Pardon them and Heal them he doth sometimes bring them to become Examples of his Wrath as may be observed in this man to wit John Hudson who was the man that smote down the said Samuel Watson who though he lived several Years after yet going to Richmond about some Business in the Year 1678. in or about the 6th Moneth of the same Year and about the 17th day of that Moneth as is remembred and being going overthwart the Market-Place of the same Town as though he intended to go towards the Door of Anne Hopps Widow another man being with him as he drew near the said Door suddainly he fell down flat upon his Face and there finished his days The said Anne Hopps being by who saw it and gave the Relation of it and was never by her seen more to move And thus he who some time before had in the Wickedness of his Mind smitten down an Innocent man without any just Cause or Offence given or administered unto him so that he lay for a considerable time as a man wholly dead or without Life yet by the Mercy of God was recovered was by the hand of the same just God against whom he had sinned in this behalf smitten down so that he never rose again which may be a Caveat and ought to give Warning to all men of what Degree or Condition soever they be of to beware and have a care what they do and how they behave themselves for though the Lord by many may be looked upon as one that delayes his coming yet at last he may be expected to come unto such and when he comes his Reward is with him to give unto every man suitably as his Works shall be Tribulation and Anguish to every Soul that doth not Righteously but Peace and Joy to the Upright in Heart So while there is a time let all men prize it Upon the 31th Day of the 6th Moneth called August in the Year 1662. being the first Day of the Week came James Metcalfe of Nappa in the Country of York and then in the Commission of Peace to the Door of James Wetherald in Askrigg in the same County where some of the People of God in Scorn called Quakers were peaceably met together only to wait upon and worship the One True and Living God in Spirit and Truth according to his will and those manifestations of him they had received And though he the said James Metcalfe had often known or heard of their so peaceably meeting together at that place before that time and for no other purpose save only as aforesaid to wait upon and worship the Lord yet to the intent to render the said People more Odious or Dangerous or else to render his Appearance the more Terrible he brought with him a great Company of Armed men and being on this wise come to the Door of the said House they caused Friends by the said Armed men to be had out and brought before them where upon Promise made to appear before the said James Metcalfe the next day they were all save Richard Robinson let go and him the said James Metcalfe committed to the Custody of Richard Besson of the same Askrigg then Constable who let him go Home also and coming again the next day the said James Metcalfe committed Nineteen of them to the Common Jayle at York and Four to the House of Correction until the next Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held for the North-Riding of the said County of York But by the Kindness of the said Constable Rich. Besson to whose Charge they were committed they were stayed at Home most part of a Moneth and then through the Threatnings of the said James Metcalfe sent to Prison until the said Sessions where after much Discourse those Persons here after-named with others were fined and the Fines levied as followeth First Richard Robinson of Countersett in Wensleydale was fined 2 l. for which he had a Mare distrained by Christopher Todd of Middleham Edmond Blades and Bartholomew Blades of Askrigg aforesaid or some of them about the 3d day of the 11th Moneth in the Year 1662. worth by the Owner's Estimation of her 3 l. 6 s. 8 d. Richard Rowth of Hawes was fined 10s for which the aforesaid Persons or some of them did distrain and take a Cow at or about the same time worth about 3l 10s Bartholomew Harryson of Countersett and Isabell his Wife being fined either of them 12d had distrained for the same by the aforesaid Persons or some of them about the time aforesaid some Cloth and Apparel but the same was released by a Neighbour and returned back again only the party got some other Commodities and stayed so much as the Fines came to in Payment for the same James
particular that to the dissatisfaction of the good People in this part of the Nation among whom we live hath the Force of the said Act been put in Execution and the said Thornaby employed himself his Son and other his Agents and Emisaries as Informers to subvert and destroy the Estates of many And as a beginning to his Actions he the said Thornaby together with one Matthew Chawder of Reeth in Swaledale in the County and Riding aforesaid upon the 15th of the 3d moneth called May in the year 1670. he the said Thornaby having the same day been at Richmond Meeting did come to the House of one Elizabeth Cherry Widow in Swaledale aforesaid where finding to the number of Seven Persons besides those of the Family of the aforesaid People called Quakers met together to wait upon and worship the One True and Living God in Spirit and Truth according to his Will they the said Thornaby and Chawder the Informers went to the before-named James Metcalfe and swore to the number of Seventeen Persons by which it may easily be perceived what manner of Persons employ themselves as Informers which ought not neither heretofore have been thought worthy to go unpunished And as a further Evidence of their wilful and desperate Wickedness and Perjury at the same time swore That one Thomas Kipling was then at the said Meeting who the same Day and at or about the same Hour was at Newcastle upon Tine about Thirty Five Miles from the said Elizabeth Cherry's House as was after proved And further also swore at the same time That Richard Robinson of Healaugh Park in Swaledale aforesaid was then also there And when the said Thornaby came about ten dayes after to distrain the Goods and Chattels of the said Richard Robinson for a Fine of 5 s. by their said Oathes imposed upon him he confessed openly He had never seen the Face of him the said R. R. before and so in effect confessed himself Forsworn gave his own Oath the Lye as it well deserved for the said R. R. was not at the said House when the said Thornaby was there as was also proved Likewise they the said Thornaby and Chawder further swore at the same time against William Orton and John Key then both of Marrick for Preaching and Teaching in the said Assembly whereas upon an Appeal made by the said William Orton and John Key upon the Distress of their Goods and Chattels taken for the Fines of 20 l. apiece imposed upon them by reason of the said Oaths it was plainly proved there were no Words spoken by the said William Orton and John Key or either of them in way of Preaching or Teaching but what was spoken was spoken in way of Discourse between the said William Orton and John Key on the one part and the said Thornaby and his Agents on the other part Nevertheless the said James Metcalfe upon the Information and Oathes aforesaid without any other manner of Conviction and without calling or summoning the Parties accused to appear and answer personally before him according to Law did issue forth a Warrant whereby he gave power to the Constables Churchwardens so called and Overseers to distrain for the several Fines imposed by him on the said Seventeen Persons so reported by the aforesaid false Information to be at the said Elizabeth Cherry's House And lest he the said James Metcalfe should come short in Wickedness or otherwise that he might gratifie the Informers he directed his Warrant to the Constables Churchwardens and Overseers and more especially to the said Thornaby whom he terms a Gentleman and Chawder whom he calls a Yeoman giving unto them thereby also power to distrain as well as the other and also more SPECIAL Power inasmuch as the Warrant was more especially directed to them although that very Act by which they did pretend to proceed doth give the Power of Distress only and joyntly to the Constables Churchwardens and Overseers and to no other And the Appointment of One is the Exclusion of Another according to that Rule or Maxim in Law Designatio unius est exclusio alterius as when an Act of Parliament which is the Introduction of a Novel Law as this is giveth the Power and Interest to one certain person by that express Designation of one all others are excluded for 't is a further Ground in Law Expressum facit cessare tacitum That which is expressed makes that which is implyed to cease Read Hawkes his Grounds of the Laws fol. 448 and 466. Cooke's Comm. fol. 183. Ployd 106. Stradling's Case And also further by the said Warrant in the King's Name commands them to distrain the Goods and Chattels of the aforesaid Richard Robinson for a Fine of 5 s. imposed by him the said James Metcalfe upon the said Richard Robinson under pretence that the Wife of the said Richard was at the aforesaid Meeting against whom the said James Metcalfe had no Information neither did she stand Convicted before him And here all may see what manner of Man the said James Metcalfe was and whether fit to be in the Commission of Peace or no and what he would have done if not restrained by a more secret Hand For if the Law by which in this behalf he pretended to proceed were not strict enough to answer His Will and the Informers Ends he would as in this Case he did add to it to make it worse And whether these things be according to Justice and conducing to the Honour and Reputation of the King his Government and Parliament and to the Advancement of his Interest in these Nations let the Wife in Heart judge And whether they which act such things could or can be truly said to be the King's Friends and to Love and Honour him and seek the Conservation and Advancement of his Interest and Government who so grosly and in the Face of a wise People Abuse him who is said to be The Fountain of Justice and should Act no Vnjust Thing by sending forth such Warrants in his Name and acting such things under the Notion of his Authority as are quite contrary to Law and conducing very much to the Subversion of Justice Truth and Righteousness which things flourishing and abounding in any Kingdom causes Happiness and gives Satisfaction to the Good People thereof but being subverted and turned backward as in this Case many times brings Ruin But the afore-mentioned Proceedings False Oathes and Informations being in part laid before and presented to the view of some more Eminent Persons Members of the then Parliament who appeared Haters and Detestors of such Illegal and Unjust Proceedings and from whom better Returns of Justice was expected their Advice was To indict the said Thornaby and Chawder of Perjury which being accordingly done the said Chawder knowing himself guilty Fled but Thornaby being an Impudent Person appeared at the next General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace for the said Riding held at Richmond where the Grand Jury upon Evidence
for themselves and Children and that without Just Cause will have much ado to clear themselves from being Men of Blood or Blood-guilty or Blood-thirsty Men. And here by the Protecting of Thornaby in his said Perjury as well as in other Cases it may plainly be perceived That it was not so much Joseph Craddock and James Metcalfe ' s Zeal to put the Laws in Execution and increase the King's Revenue by getting of Fines and his Honour by distributing Justice impartially that made them so forward as it was their Envy and Evil Will against the Quakers so called for if it had they would have done Justice upon Thornaby for his False Oathes according to Law 5 Eliz. chap. 9. 14 Eliz. chap. 11. and not have protected False Swearers under the Notion of doing Service for the King who is Dishonoured by such Services and his Name Abused by such Applications neither would they have hindred the King of such a Considerable Sum of Money as upon proof of the said Perjury had been due unto him by the said Law But I may truly say Justice is turned backward and Equity cannot enter for if it could False Oaths and Perjury would not be made the Instruments of ruining men in their Estates as in this Case they were and have been And now whether such Actions and the Proceedings before mentioned were not and are Dangerous Practices and of Bad Consequence against the growing and encreasing Evils whereof a prudent Parliament had more need to provide a speedy Remedy than against the Peaceable Meetings of the Lord's People let the Wise in Heart judge For by the latter God is Honoured his Name and Power Exalted and Magnified his Truth Spread and Increased and by the Protection Toleration and Encouragement thereof the Kingdom and Government may expect to be Blessed and Established But by the former as God is Dishonoured so the King and his Authority is Abused his Laws Violated his Subjects Ruined and their Liberties Infringed and therefore have need to be remedied For it is an antient but honourable Rule or Maxime Salus populi suprema lex i. e. The Safety of the People is the chiefest Law But this seems with these men and in this matter to be laid waste or disregarded while the Hedge which the Law sets for the Protection of every man's Life Liberty and Estate comes thus to be thrown down and laid open for every Wild Bore and Ravenous Beast such as the said Thornaby even as it were the very Scum and Off-scouring of men by False Oaths or otherwise to enter in root up and lay waste the Rights and Interests of Honest Harmles Self-denying People such as the Law in it self principally delights to honour and for whose only Protection the same Law appears to have been chiefly made For even upon these Encouragements and the Oaths and Informations of the said Thornaby and other his Agents and Emisaries were all those Goods taken and Spoil ensuing made most whereof by Warrants from Joseph Craddock and James Metcalfe in the Country and by Thomas Craddock and John Bartlett in Richmond for no other Offence but only for peaceably meeting together simply to wait upon and worship the One True living God in Spirit and Truth according to his Will and not for Plotting or Contriving Insurrections neither for any Sedition or Dangerous Practices these or any of them being not so much as by the said Informers or any of them laid to their Charge And first Taken from the before-ntioned Richard Robinson of Healaugh Park in Swaledale by Warrant from the said James Metcalfe grounded 〈…〉 false Oaths and Informations of William Thornaby Matthew Chawder for a Fine of 5 s. imposed upon himself who was proved not to be at the said Meeting when Thornaby and Chawder were there and for a Fine of 5 s. for his Wife against whom James Metcalfe had no Information neither did she stand convicted before him yet by his Warrant did Henry Watson Constable and William Thornaby about the twenty fifth day of the third moneth 1670. take Pewter from the said Richard Robinson worth about 19 s. By the same Warrant did the same Constable at or about the same time distrain and take from Robert Addeson of Healy three Pewter Platters and one Brass Pot worth about 12 s. And about the same time did the same Constable and Informer by the said Warrant distrain a Mare of one Nicholas Rawes in Swaledale aforesaid for a Fine of 5 ◠imposed upon him worth about 2 l. 10 s. Also the same Constable about the same time and by the same Warrant did distrain and take from Simon Harker of Swaledalc aforesaid for a Fine of 5 s. one Brass Pot worth about 7 s. Upon the 22d day of the 3d Moneth called May 1670. did William Thornaby Elder and Henry Spence both of Richmond Informers together with James Metcalf of Bainbrigg Constable and one Robert Jackson of the same place came to the House of Thomas Fawcett of Hawes in Wensleydale where finding some of the aforesaid People called Quakers peaceably met together to Wait upon and Worship the Living God according to his Will in the Way of his Commandments he the said Thornaby and other his Agents begun to take the Names of some of them so met but not coming to his Purpose in respect he did not know them all and thereupon going away he met with one Thomas Shore a most Notorious Bad Man who to the Countrie 's great Satisfaction was afterwards for his bad Carriage removed by the Justice of Charles then Lord St. John now Marquess of Winchester who gave him Information of the Names of several so met which he had not before got upon which Information together with what he had got before he the said Thornaby together with the said Henry Spence went to before the said James Metcalfe and desperately Swore against a great Number of Persons many whereof he knew not That they were at an Vnlawful Assembly or Conventicle at the place aforesaid though such as meet to wait upon the Lord have not heretofore been accounted an Unlawful Assembly but Encouraged Heb. 10. 25. and particularly against one Thomas Winn of Grisedale and Thomas Bedam's Wife of Hawes neither of whom the said Thornaby or Spence saw there for the said Thomas Winn was not that day in Wensleydale as might have been proved And for a further Evidence of this mans Wickedness he the said Thornaby coming into an Assembly afterwards where many of the said People he so Swore against was present he voluntarily Swore He knew not a Face among them but Three viz. Richard Robinson Bartholomew Harryson and John Thompson And yet upon these mens Oathes and Informations together with the Oathes and Informations of others after given and without calling the Parties accused before him did the said James Metcalfe issue forth his Warrants by which these Goods and Chattels here-after-named were taken from the People following in Wensleydale And First
William Thornaby began to pull the Bedding off the Bed and opened a large Chest and groaped in the Corners of it and sought a Box to the bottom in which was some Linnen more like one that was seeking for MONEY than a MEETING And the said Thornaby sought the Buttery to see what he could find there worth carrying away and gathered their Wearing Apparel together and when one that saw it told him He was a right Plunderer the said Thornaby replyed It might not be the last time he might Plunder there though then they took what they well could for of Bed-Clothes and Yarn they took to the worth of about 4 l. And the said Stephen Winne being a poor man was by this and the like former Cruelties left in Want of Necessaries for his poor Family not having any manner of Bed-Clothes for him and his said Family to lie on besides the Abuse his Wife sometimes sustained from the said Informers and their Affrighting of his Children by their Boisterous Deportment who or one of them this time so vehemently cryed that Henry Spence the Informer a Wicked and Bad Man desired them to get done he could not endure to hear the Child cry so and by this Cry which made even the Wicked and Ungodly relent it may easily be perceived their Deportment was Wicked and Uncomely Upon the 5th day of the 11th moneth called Ianuary 1671. Anthony Swinbank of Mosedale Constable Geoffrey Dâ—nsdall of Gayle and Richard Metcalfe of Aporset the one being a Church-warden so called and the other an Overseer did by Warrant from the aforesaid Iames Metcalfe dated as was said a year before distrain and take from the aforesaid Christopher Routh of Hawes in Wensleydale five Beasts worth about 9 l. And we were further informed from a Credible Hand That the said Iames Metcalfe Urged or Threatned the Constable to distrain who being unwilling thereunto alledged He knew not the Goods or to the like purpose as is remembred then Iames Metcalfe told him He knew his Neighbour Francis Metcalfe's Goods to which as we had notice the Constable replyed He to wit Francis Metcalfe was grown poor and had not a Cow but as he hired then Iames Metcalfe asked If they did not bring the Milk into Francis's House The Constable said Yes James Metcalfe replyed She might be distrained or to this purpose as is remembred Which much manifests the continued Wickedness of this man to wit James Metcalfe he appearing as one that had shut out all Pity and given up himself to answer the Informers Ends and made himself Instrnmental towards the Ruin of his Neighbours whom God suffered not long to escape for shortly after this he dyed and was cut off to the Informers Loss who not long after sled or departed out of these Parts one of his chief Props and Supports being on this wife fallen And there were several others that had Fines imposed on them some the Constables or other Officers would Labour or endeavour with Kinsfolks Relations or Neighbours to lay down and have sometimes laid it down themselves rather than they would levy for the same sometimes Neighbours out of kindness have driven away and hid the Parties Goods that were to be distrained and that without the Owners Consent or Knowledge nay against their Wills because they would not have seen such spoil havock made of the Goods of those whom they knew to be Peaceable and Harmless People and Laboured and do Labour in Honest things to be serviceable in their Generation And several of the said Officers have expressed the trouble which was upon them to be concern'd in such things as tended to the Injury of their Honest and Harmless Neighbours By which it is manifest that according to the Interpretation they put upon the said Act or rather by the Use made of it the Honest and Conscientious were and are Troubled Burdened and Oppressed and the Envious Cruel Unmerciful and Covetous Strengthened Upheld and Encouraged Now the hand of the Evil Doer should not be strengthened And this will be found a Truth That to Justifie the Wicked and Condemn the Righteous are both an Abomination to the Lord. All which Goods so as aforesaid taken and Spoil before-mentioned made in the Interest of Honest Harmless Self-denying People was for no greater or other Crime or Offence save only for peaceably meeting together simply and Innocently to wait upon and worship the One True and Living God in Spirit and Truth according to his Will and for such meeting together and Praying before him according to the Apostles Doctrine and neither for Plotting Contriving Insurrections or other dangerous Practices these or any of them not being so much as laid to our Charge but if they could but find to the Number of Five of us or above sometimes fewer as may be perceived before besides those of the Family peaceably sitting together waiting upon the Lord or the like number visiting a Sick Friend or Neighbour or doing the like Christian Humane and Neighbourly Duty yet this was made occasion great enough for them to inform upon and for some of the Justices so called to issue out Warrants upon to take and to Spoil our Goods yea so great hath been the Envy of some of them to wit Joseph Craddock and James Metcalfe as the Constables have reported that they or the one of them to wit Joseph Craddock hath commanded them to wit the said Constables To distrain whatsoever Goods they found upon their Land whom the Warrants were against or in their Possession be it whose it would So that if any Neighbours or Relation in Compassion to the Sufferers and their innocent Children for their Sustenance would have lent them a Cow to give them Milk to live upon when their own was taken from them or a Horse or a Mare to ride upon they have been affraid to do so by reason of such Threatnings and of Actions brought forth suitable to the same for some were taken upon the like account as the Mares from Stephen Winn and William Horner though the Act by which they did pretend to proceed imposeth the penalty of Distress upon the Goods and Chattels of none save upon the proper Goods and Chattels of the Offender only neither is the Land in this behalf a Debtor or the Goods there upon lyable to distress if not the Goods of the Offender as aforesaid And hereby the Officers who had a mind to do wickedly have been Encouraged and those who had not a mind to do so wickedly were sometimes through fear compelled to take the Goods of others as they did Yarn out of the House of a Weaver brought him to work and Stuff already wrought for others thereby ministring occasion to People seeing their Goods so taken from them to leave working with them hereby endeavouring as it were to stop Trading with them and hinder a lively-hood or the Issues of Life from coming to them and so are the men that in this case are found
Gurnell of Marsett fined 10s had four Pewter Dishes and one Riding-Coat distrained and taken for the same by the aforesaid Edmond and Bartholomew Blaydes the 13th day of the Moneth aforesaid worth about 1l 9s Mary Lambert of Busk fined 10 s. had Stockings distrained and taken for the same by the aforesaid Edmond and Bartholomew Blaydes worth about 12 s. There were several other Persons at that time fined besides what is before-mentioned so that the Fines in all came to 19 l. 13 s. But whether any of the Residue was distrained for or no I know not Now followeth an Account of some of the Sufferings and other Exercises of several of the said People of God in Scorn called Quakers which hath happened unto them since the beginning of the Year 1670. in and about Richmond Massam and some of the adjacient Parts and Dales within the North Riding of the aforesaid County of York occasioned by the Proceedings of Joseph Craddock now living and James Metcalfe deceased Together with some few others in the Commission of Peace within the said Riding and also by the Proceedings of the Mayor and Recorder of the said Town of Richmond upon the Information of William Thornaby the Elder Inn keeper of the aforesaid Richmond and late one of the Serjeants there but cast out of that Place for his Evil Carriage and Misdemeanours together with his Son and other Agents and Emisaries of his who being given up to Spoil and Destruction did with Covetousness seek after their Neighbours Goods and did greedily endeavour to catch them by any means not regarding what became of the Owners so they could but get their Prey taking their occasion by and Encouragement thereunto from the late Act of Parliament Entituled An Act to Prevent and Suppress Seditious Conventicles c. FRom which I say according to that Construction they passed upon it and Use they have made of it such Loose and Dissolute Persons as the said Thornaby being a man of a desperate Condition hath been Emboldened under the Notion of An Informer for the King to commit such Gross and Horrid Villanies as in the times of a more Sober and Christian-like Dispensation or Distribution of Law and Justice could be looked on by Sober and Discreet Persons as it is by such at this day whose Hearts have been sadded to see it to be no less than Theft and Robbery And that Act according to that Construction they have passed upon and use they have made of it no better or other than a Cloak for such to Act by or under who would have acted as badly before but that they feared Punishment by a Law nay some known Thieves condemning their Doings in this behalf disdaining to act so grosly upon an Innocent Harmless People as they in this Case did upon us being Encouraged thereunto as will appear by the Sequel of this Discourse which is no other than Truth and not all that might be truly said of their Evil Actions in this behalf neither by such whose Endeavours should have been to Suppress Vice and Encourage them that do Well for to this end only should the Magistrate bear his Sword and not to set up and carry on the Interest of False Swearers and other Injurious Persons whose Proceedings in this behalf they Countenanced and Encouraged under pretence of putting that Act in Execution made as appears by the Title and Preamble thereof To Prevent and Suppress Seditious Conventicles Only and to provide a more speedy Remedy against the growing and dangerous Practices of Seditious Sectaries and other Disloyal Persons c. And if made only for such as are Dangerous Seditious Disloyal Contrivers of Insurrections and Plotters and such as are only Pretenders to Tender Conscience but are not really Conscientious and for such as are Disturbers and Breakers of the Peace according as the same ought to be then not for Peaceable Harmless People such as the Harmless People called Quakers are and have been who make and have made it their Endeavours only to Serve Wait upon and Worship the One True and Living God in Spirit and Truth Really and not in or under a pretence only of Religious Exercise do they meet together under that Pretence to Plot or Contrive Insurrections neither to stir up any Sedition or Disturb or break the Peace or offer Violence to any as Experience on their behalf doth witness who have given their Cheeks to the Smiter and their Heads to them that have plucked off the Hair not answering again Neither is it to be believed that a Christian-Parliament and such the Parliament of England would be thought to be who are guided in the Counsel Wisdom and Fear of the Lord and therein directed will ever make Laws to limit the Lord God to this or that Form or to this or that Way of Worship and that he shall either be Served and Worshipped in such a Way as they have prescribed that is to say according to the Liturgy of the Church of England the Inventions of men or he must not be served at all for this were to limit the holy One of Israel and to make God even the Living God Subordinate to Sinful Man but rather to let him have his Liberty to be served and worshipped as he will and in what way he most delighteth and chuseth For doth not the Wind blow where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but neither knowst from whence it is nor whither it goes and so are all they that are born of the Spirit And therefore not to be restrained under great Mulcts and Punishments for this was never the Practice of the People of God in any Age but the contrary Neither can they which practise such things now claim any Interest or Part with the People of God in this Age nor in the Scriptures of Truth and Writings of the Prophets and Holy men of God who were never Persecutors but on the contrary were Persecuted even as it is at this day He that lives after the Flesh Persecutes him that lives after the Spirit And therefore I say in Christian Charity considering they professed themselves to be Christians that made it might the said Act if we did not know their Intent in making it be looked on only to concern Seditious Turbulent Unruly Peace-breaking Persons whose Actions demonstrate them to be so and only to be made and intended for such rather than for Harmless Innocent Self-denying People such as the Innocent People called Quakers are and have been whose Endeavours I say both now and at all times ever since they were a People have been and yet are To keep a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards Man and not to Plot and Contrive Insurrections Neither have our Meetings been or yet are a Terror to the People among whom we live or reside and have our Converse they being generally otherwise perswaded of us and know or believe us to be otherwise minded yet against upon us in