' TIs possible the small affairs of this Town may go far, and be mis-represented; to the end you may be truly, and (as far as I could learn) fully informed, you have this Narrative, which I had from eye and ear-witnesses of the whole. My self was present only part of one day, viz. at the paying off the Bill, whereof more anon. That you may the better consider of the whole, you may understand, that Mr. Francis Bampfield, some years since, was long and ear­nestly solicited by the Town of Sherborn to succeed Mr. Lyford (a very Reverend and Loyal Minister deceased) in the Vica­ridge of that place; and besides other Reasons, they were especially importunate with him for this, viz. his loyalty to the King, (for you must know that this Town has been noto­rious for their Loyalty) whose Cause he constantly asserted un­der all the changes to the last, as it is in these parts generally known, and what he suffered upon that account, and was also a painful Preacher of the Word, which two, it seems by [Page 4]him for one (amongst many others) are things consistent, viz. Piety and Loyalty. This Mr. Bampfield continued some years amongst this People, instant in his work, and was, as I have heard and do believe, utterly unsatisfied in conscience with the conditions required by the late Act for uniformity: whereupon he (as many other good men beside, which many every where, as far as I can learn, do most sadly lament) The Lords day before Bartholomew day last took his solemn leave of his people; at which (as I hear, for I was not present) there were a great Church full of weeping eies, and sad hearts, though some it may be secretly rejoyced, (for so goes the World now adaies) and in a short time after he removed himself and Family to another hired house in the Town, where for the most part he has continued ever since, till Fri­day last, being the 19th of September, when in the evening he was in his house, and with his Family praying, and opening and applying of a Scripture, (as his manner was for some years before he came to Sherborn, which my self have some­times heard) which was at this time, 1 Thess. 1.5, 6, 7. whence he had this Observation: That way the Devil and his Instru­ments take to hinder Grace, God will wisely over-rule to further it. To this work divers of the Town came and took their part, (as all other good Subjects and good Christians, as I should judge, if they might would do; for certainly one may serve God and be a good Subject, whatever some may think) and whilst he and his Neighbours were attentive at this Exercise, in comes one Sugar with other Soldiers (a man noted for no great bashfulness or sobriety, but it seems one that would serve for such a purpose) and required them all in the Kings name (I am sorry any should abuse it to such a purpose) to be silent, and depart the Room; which, as bold as he was, he did not without so great consternation upon himself, speaking a word in a breath, as was much observed by many.

Now you must know, that some time before this, some were sent to two of the Deputy Lieutenants of the County, to know whether the course of Duty used in Mr. Bampfield's Family were conceived by them to be against Law, and if so, [Page 5]that they would desist; but without any answer, one Thornton of this Town, an Apothecary, who came in with Sugar, said he had a Warrant from the Deputy Lieutenants to serve upon Mr. Brampfield and Mr. Phillips his Assistant, and ten more of the chiefest that were there, (a rare president to leave it to under-Officers to insert whom they please as the chiefest, and so to wreak their malice) and thereupon took the Ministers, (I do not reckon the interruption of the Duty) and about five and twenty more (for to so many were the ten presently grown) and carried them (all men, what reason priviledg'd the women I know not) to prison, to the Provost-Marshal, (an Officer that Magna Charta has no ac­quaintance with) in the same Town, where they all conti­nued Prisoners till Wednesday night after, dividing the Mini­sters in a room a part from their People. I had almost for­gotten to tell you, that all this was not only without hearing any defence, but without so much as a Summoning, or any other notice of complaint (if any ever were) made against them.

Whilst they were thus imprisoned, their entertainment was somewhat unusual; about two and twenty of them (whereof one was a very aged man) had but one room for five daies and nights, wherein was but one bed: but the Priso­ners spent the time better there than in sleeping, as I have heard from many, viz. in praying, repeating of Sermons, and singing of Psalms. Saturday about 7 or 8 of the Clock in the Evening, the Prisoners had got leave to meet and pray together, (for you must know that was a thing not to be en­dured without leave) and whilst one of them was at Prayer with the rest, the Soldiers opened the door, brake in and spake aloud to him that prayed, calling him Rogue, and bid­ding him make an end, and with other Soldiers, laid hands on him, and with great violence wholly interrupted him, and forced away the Prisoners.

Lords Day there was no publick Worship of God in the Town; in the Forenoon the Prisoners again desired leave to hear their Minister in the Goal, which at first (it seems it was an unreasonable request) was denied; but afterwards Mr. [Page 6] Bampfield should have leave to preach to the Prisoners, but none of the Town must come in (which yet many desired, and some at other times purchased of the Soldiers, who were presently after they had payed the fine plucked out again) Mr. Bampfield preaching in the Prison, divers of the Town got into a backside where they could hear his voice, which did belong to one Vincent, who threatens them all with Writs for the trespass, though leave was first obtained of his Wife, and ten times more offered than he received dammage. You see how many ways are taken to vex and ruine such as are quiet in the Land.

One evening, that the Soldiers also might shew a little de­votion, they would needs have Common-Prayer in the Goal amongst themselves, and when he that read it was come as far as Lighten our darkness, one of them thinking that to be part of a Psalm, began to put it into a tune, which made the rest no small mirth. Lords day at night the Prisoners and Mi­nisters had leave upon request to come together again, and Mr. Philips to preach; but whilst he was in prayer before Sermon, the Soldiers came in violently and took away his Chair, distur­bed that Exercise also, so as they had no Sermon, & to be short (for it seems such things may not be long) upon Wednesday there came together 4 or 5 Deputy Lieutenants who called before them first Mr. Bampfield then Mr. Philips, & afterward the rest of the Prisoners, where Sir John Stroad of Parwham had the Chair (who as common fame says, formerly abjured the King,) & probably was by the Gentlemen his Companions now preferred to this service for his eminent Loyalty) Mr. Bampfield being examined, owned that he had been at prayer with (and was at the time of the interruption preaching to) his Family, and that his door being open divers of the Town came in and took their share therein (and by the way observe, that during this inquisition the door was shut, and none of Mr. Bampfields friends suffered to come, though the Law re­quire all Courts of justice to be open, and if it should be o­therwise, the mischiefs were almost infinite.) After several hearings and withdrawings, in all which the Deputy Lieu­tenants did not lay to his charge any one the least expression [Page 7]in Prayer or Preaching (and yet me thinks the quarrel should not be against these two) which was seditious, or any other way peccant against any of their Laws, which I think worthy of some observation. However, cause or no cause, the De­puty Lieutenants (for so I call them yet) by their Sir John a­foresaid, declared this meeting tending to sedition, and re­quired sureties of Mr. Bampfield for his good behaviour and appearance at next Assises, which Mr. Bampfield gave accor­dingly, as afterward did his assistant Mr. Philips, and all the rest of the Prisoners, and thus the cause was transferred from the Court Marshal to the ordinary Courts of Justice, and yet the Prisoners were fain to pay not only fees to the Justices Clerks for their Recognisances, but fees to the Provost Mar­shal of the Deputy Lieutenants, in the mean time the same individual persons being both Justices and Deputy Lieute­nants, besides what they paid for the Soldiers dyet and their waiting and their drinking, which were several particulars in the Bill, besides that some of the Prisoners were so poor as to be judged not worth the fees demanded. I had almost o­mitted some passages during this imprisonment. Divers that brought victuals to their friends or relations, were not suffer­ed to deliver it, some also the Soldiers made themselves mer­ry with, and took amongst themselves. Some had their suste­nance brought in polls of hats, that so it might be concealed and not taken from them by the Soldiers. To one of the Pri­soners (who had been Soldier in the late war for King Charles the first) his sister bringing victuals, had it violently ta­ken from her.

Some were imprisoned, who came only to visit the Priso­ners, another also of the Prisoners, (and Soldier of the Kings) had bail of a 1000 pounds offered for his liberty, that he might go home to his Wife, who then lay in at his House a­bout a flight shot from the Goal, but (it seems this of­fence was very heinous) could not prevail, others that came to visit the Prisoners were violently handled, one tumbled, another kicked down stairs by the Soldiers, (the charge of whose good attendance and service all the while, came all in upon the Prisoners Bill) and whilst the Prisoners were praying [Page 8]the Soldiers were doing as you know some Soldiers use to do. Thus you see how kindly some of his Majesty's Loyal Subjects are dealt with up and down the Country, which I the rather write, because if he were throughly informed, probably some would be more moderate, for I cannot yet perswade my self, that these and such like doings are any whit for his ser­vice. The Lord wisely over-rule that way to further (which the Devil and his Instruments take to hinder) his work.

Sherburn Septemb. the 25. 1662.