UPon the nineth day of September ſo called, we had a meeting about the tenth hour, at the common Goal in Eveſham, there to wait upon the Lord, and after ſome time Humphrey Smith having been in priſon about three weeks before, and being in the priſon, he was moved to ſpeak to the Lord in prayer, then the Goaler, and ſome other Officers came into the Goal to Humphrey Smith, and violently haled him away as he was ſpeaking to the Lord in prayer, and put him down into the dungeon; our friends keeping ſtil together, after ſome time Tho. Woodrove ſpake the word of the Lord to the people, and having done, the Conſtable came and inquired for him, but becauſe they knew him not, he went away that time; but before they departed, another meeting was appointed the third hour in the afternoon, and then the people being come together at the time appointed, Humphrey Smith ſpake to his friends out of the Dungeon the word of the Lord; and when the common Meeting at the Steeplehouſe was ended, our friend Thomas Woodrove was ſpeaking to the people, without the priſon, and many of thoſe that had been at the ſteeplehouſe ſtood and heard him ſpeak, who having done ſpeaking, was ſought after, and took away by a Conſtable without a Warrant, and brought him before the Mayor, and them called Juſtices, and Thomas Mathew Prieſt, and then he was committed to the common Goal for ſpeaking the word of the Lord, and Shomas Mathew Prieſt, at his departure thanked the Mayor for his care and pains, and on the morrow in the morning, Robert Martin, called Juſtice, bid the Wardſmen, if t • e people would not bee gone from the goal-hole, he bid them knock them down, and bid the men throw ſhuffles ful of dirt upon them in the dungeon; and they ſet eight men with weapons, four on each ſide the priſon, to keep away all friends for coming to, or ſpeaking with them they had impriſoned; Humphrey being free to give books to ſome people of the Country there in town, and the keeper did by violence take three books from them, and tore them all; ſo he ſent for a parcel of books he had in town about ſixty in number, which was for the glory of God, & for the beating down of all ſin, written by George Fox, Iames Naylor, Richard Farnſworth and Iames Parnel, theſe books they were taken from the meſſenger by the wardſmen, and brought before the Iuſtices, who afterwards burned them upon the Market-Croſs before the people, being the Fair-day; ſee their malice to them, having broke no Law, Eſa. 59.54. Eſa. 8.13,14,15. & Mic. 3.10,11. Mic. 7.2,3,4. Dan. 6.4. to the 16. Prov. 29 17. This was done, notwithſtanding that ſome of our friends did preſent the Mayor the firſt day in the morning with a paper that had above forty hands a • it, declaring that they expected juſtice to be put in execution according to the late Proclamation, which they denyed to poſt up, though ſome friends poſted it up, and it was pulled down again; they onely bear the names of Juſtices, and do it not, but their actions are ſecretly contrary to law, juſtice, and righteouſneſs, and they are thoſe that call the proud happy, yea by their means thoſe that do wickedly are even ſet up, and delivered, and they lay ſnares for the righteous, and make a prey of thoſe that fear the Lord, whoſe faces are now turned towards Zion, lik • their fore-fathers, Luke 23.25: Act. 22.24,25. Act. 23.12,13. & Act. 24.5,6,9. Act. 25.2,3,4, &c. 1 Kings 18.17,18. Upon the 25 day of the 7 moneth called September, George Kemp, Mayor of Eveſham, ſent for us priſoners, and more of friends in the town, and ſaid, I ſent for you concerning a paper that you have put your hands to, beeing A repreſentation of the Government of Eveſham.

Quest. Do you own this paper?

Anſw. Yea, we do own it, and ſhall prove it to be all truth. He then began to queſtion ſome particular things in it to inſnare us, but after we urged very much, he granted the reading of it, then he examined us that were there, but all that were witneſs to the paper, were not then in the town; we bid him let us be called all together, and we ſhal prove every thing therein; then ſaid he, ſeeing it is of ſo high concernment, and that you have appealed to the Protector, you ſhall every one give ſecurity to anſwer it before the Protector.

Anſ. We have not appealed to the Protector, for any redreſs, but we have diſcharged our conſciences in making manifeſt the corruption of them called Magiſtrates in this Town, both to the Protector and to the whole Nation.

Quest Are you willing to anſwer it before him?

Anſ. If we be by you or the reſt compelled, we refuſe not to go, for we are more free to anſwer it before the Protector than here, for there we expect ſome Juſtice, but here is none. I ſhall engage you all to appear at the Seſſions, and then you ſhall all give ſecurity to anſwer perſonally before Protector, or elſe lye in Priſon. What is the reaſon you will not ſwear, William Dewſberry can ſwear, for in one of his books he ſaith, in the preſence of the Lord I own Magiſtrates: Hum. Smith. So far as that I can ſay, for in the preſence of the Lord I own Magiſtrates that are for the praiſe of them that do wel, & the puniſhing of the evil doers: So he lets us that were Priſoners return to the Priſon, and the reſt departed home.

Upon the 28. day of the Month, called September, Joſhua Frenſome and Iobn Knight was ſent for before them called Juſt •… es, Robert Martin, and Samuel Garner, and asked them if they owned the printed paper, they ſaid we own it, and can prove it all to be true; them called Iuſtices ſaid it was a Lybell, they anſwered they would prove it was no Lybell by thoſe twenty that are ſubſcribed in print to that paper, which they queſtioned them about, and alſo by forty more; The Deputy-Recorder ſaid whether it be true or falſe it is a Lybell, becauſe it is in diſparagement to the Magiſtrates; ſo them called Iuſtices ſent them both to Priſon: At that time there was in the place, one Thomas Milnard, the Prieſts wife father, who was a perſecutor in the Biſhops dayes, he is one of them called Magiſtrates, he accuſed our friends of ſelling their Bibles, he mentioned one of Hampton, who though he did ſell a Bible hath two or three yet, and the Scriptures we own, yet I can ſell thee a Bible, if thou wilt buy one, for I have three. Thomas Milnard anſwered, I will have none of thy Witchery ſtuff, he ſaid more, that he was confident that the Mayor was bewitched he did not ſend all our friends to Priſon that 25. day of the 9. Month Ioſhua Frenſome, Iohn Knight.

On the ſecond of the eight moneth called October, Iames Wall having a tryal at their Court, he came into the trial of the cau • e, and Robert Atkins commanded his hat to bee taken off, Iames Wall ſaid to him, Thou haſt not yet made me any ſatisfaction for the laſt hat thou cauſeſt to be taken from me, neither is yet reſtored; Robert Atkins commanded the Goaler to take him to priſon, where he hath been without any Mittimus or any thing ſince laid to his charge.

The ſecond of the ſaid moneth, at the Seſſions holden at Eveſham, Thomas Woodrove being firſt ſent for, by himſelf, and brought before the Seſſions, he requeſted that his fellow priſoners might be ſent for, that they might anſwer to the crimes laid againſt them, if there were any.

Quest. You are accuſed to be a diſturber of the peace.

Anſw: Let that be proved, or read any Law that I have tranſgreſſed.

Iudge. There may be a Law broken which cannot be read.

Anſ. Is it poſſible there ſhould be Law broken that cannot be proved nor read?

Iudg. But as for your part you might have had your liberty if you had not came in here in this contemptible way, with your Hat on, therefore you ſhall turn back again to the Priſon, until you do come with your hat off; take him Goaler. He was ſent to the priſon, and the reſt brought up to the Bar.

Robert Atkins ſaid, Do you not know that you are priſoners? I marvel that you wil offer to come before a Court with your hats on; Goaler take off their hats. It was done: thou maiſt as wel take off our Coats.

Iames Wall. Thou haſt not made me any ſatisfaction for the laſt hat thou did cauſe to be taken from me.

Rob. Atkins ſaid, Smith, You are the Ring-Leader of this Sect, and of this people; I know you have Scripture enough, and you can tell of Pauls Condition, and many ſuch things, but you lead people contrary to the wayes of God.

Humph: Smith. Paul was accounted as a Sectarian and a Mover of Sedition, and a peſtilent Fellow

Rob. Atkins. Paul was called ſo, but was not ſo; but you are called ſo, and are ſo.

Anſ. That is not yet proved:

Rob: Atkins. Where have you any Scripture for your keeping on your hats.

Tho. Cartwright. The ſervants of the Lord had their Hats on when they were thrown into the Fiery Furnace, yet they were not thrown in for keeping their hats on, but becauſe they would not bow and worſhip the Kings Image.

Humphrey Smith. There is neither precept, practiſe, example, nor command in the ſcripture, nor yet any Nationall Law for putting off the hat, and ſo long as I continued in ſwearing, lying, and in other wickedneſs, I was never queſtioned by any magiſtrate, but now the Lord hath called me from theſe Sins, I am made a prey of by you; then ſaid they one to another, he hath aſperſed all the magiſtrates in England: Queſt. Did you live in ſuch Sins ſince you came to this Town? Anſ. Nay, Thomas Cartwright ſaid, I have lived in drunkenneſs, ſwearing, lying, and prophaneneſs, until now of late, and none of you ever queſtioned me, but now I have left it I am puniſhed without a cauſe: if any one here have ought againſt me now to charge me withall, let him now ſpeak before the people. Rob. • tkins. Thou lookeſt with a good honeſt face, I thought thou had not been a quaker, therefore I thought to have ſhown the ſome favour, but I ſee by thy beha • iour who thou art; Humphrey Smith ſaid, Moſes that was a qua • er, did look with a better face then he. Robert Atkins: Here is a ſufficient ground, that you have come into the Court with your hats on, to fine you, and ſend you to Priſon untill you learn better manners, therefore I ſhall fine you every one and ſend you to Priſon, where you ſhall lye from one Seſſions til another, untill you come with your hats off, if I may have my will; and though you have been kept very high, J ſhall take courſe that you ſhall be kept ſhorter, and looked cloſer unto, fine ſuch in five pounds and the reſt in three pounds a peece, Goaler take them away; the Goaler hawling us away, Humphrey Smith ſaid, let it firſt be made manifeſt who we have offended, or what we have tranſgreſſed, or what errors J hold, if any can be proved, that the peop •… may be convinced with us of any evill we may be accuſed of, but the Goaler hawling us away Humphrey Smith ſpoke further to the people, and ſaid, they have ſhamed all profeſſion, and all nationall Government: Thus were we thruſt away from the bar in a quarter of an hours time, and not at all called by name nor examined for what we were Priſoners, nor any Mittimus read or mentioned, nor any other crime laid againſt us, or charged upon us, neither was any Witneſs, nor any one by word or bill, that had any thing in the leaſt againſt us, neither did any open his mouth to that purpoſe, or in any ſuch way againſt us, neither did they themſelves accuſe us, though we often requeſted to ſhew us any cauſe why we were impriſoned, but the Goaler took four of us away, but Robert Smith, Iohn Clemens and Sames Wall he left at the bar, where they then ſpake for themſelves; Robert Atkins hearing them, asked if they were quakers too, and called the Sergeants, or Words men to take them away, but they were let alone untill the Goaler came back again from the Priſon, in all which time they were not examined, neither did any one accuſe them of any thing. Rob. Smith ſaid he had been in Priſon 6. weeks for ſaying the Prieſt did lye; now there the Prieſt, George Hopkins is, and I am here to prove him a lyar, and to affirm him to be a lyar before all the Court, if he be not a lyar let him ſpeak, for I can prove him a lyar in ſeverall things; the Prieſt being there gave no anſwer. John Clemens ſaid I was ſent for by the Deputy-Recorder (who ſitteth there) from my fathers ſhop and his work, and he ſent me to Priſon becauſe I did not put off my hat, and for that have I been in priſon 6. weeks, and he called to the Deputy-Recorder, and bid him ſpeake or charge him with what he had againſt him, but he was ſilent, and ſpoke not, neither did any one charge him with any thing; ſo when the Goaler came, he took them away to priſon alſo.

A true deſcription of the impriſonment of William Pit, a ſouldier for the Commonwealth.

I Came from my outward being in the City of Worcester, into the Burrough of Eveſham, to viſit ſome friends which were there in Priſon for bearing witneſs to the truth, as it is in Jeſus being the time of the Generall Seſſions for the ſaid Burrough and coming into the Hall on the third of the 8th. Month, and was walking with many of my friends in the lower end of the Hall, below the Bars and the people, until there came a man with a Halbard, and carried me before thoſe which ſate to do juſtice (but J found none) whereupon the Recorder told me, he did perceive J had a deſire to be amongſt my fellows, and I ſhould, have my deſire, I bid him do his pleaſure, but J demanded him firſt to make it appear I had tranſgreſſed either the Law of God or man, but he could not, then he asked me what I came hither for from my dwelling place; my anſwer was, I came to ſee the Tryall of my friends which are here in bonds for the teſtimony of Ieſus, and I am chargeable to no man; ſo with ſome other queſtions of ſmall account, he bid take him Goaler, ſo I bid him let me know what he ſent me to Priſon for, but he would not, but ſent me to the Common-Goa!, without any Mittimus or knowledge of my perſon or name, or whence I came, neither wil they let me know for what, although I have writ to the Mayor.

The third of the Month, called October, Ioſhua Frencom, and John knight, Priſoners, were ſent for unto the hall, and after Robert Atkins had commanded to take off their hats, which were accordingly, he then cauſed a Bil of indictment againſt them to be read, concerning ſom particulars in a former printed paper, & asked if they were guilty or not guilty; Joſhua anſwered, we can bring witneſs to prove that to be true, which we are indicted for; Rob. Atkins: Wherefore are you indicted? Joſh. For the truth. Rob. Atk. For the truth are you indicted? Ioſhua ſaid, All people take notice, for the Truth it is that we are indicted; and the people clapping their hands, gave a ſhout, and ſome of them ſaid to Rob. Atkins, let ſhame cover thy face, muſt not men ſpeak the truth? Rob. Atk. Take them away, for we ſhall not have peace ſo long as they are here; on the ſame day, before mentioned, Rich. Walker was called, and they read a bill of indictment againſt him, and they asked him whether he was guilty or no; and he ſaid he denyed the bill, but ſaid he owned the paper, and he deſired to have it read, and they did, and when it was read, he ſaid, I appeal to all your conſciences, whether it be not all true, and they ſate all ſilent, and anſwered not a word. Iohn Woodard, Iames Wall, Ioſhua Frencom, Thomas Cartwright, and Will. Walker, were ſouldiers long in the ſervice of the Commonwealth, and moſt of them at Worceſter fight for outward liberty, and now are they fined, or impriſoned, or both, without any Law tranſgreſſed, and are deprived of outward liberty: Humphrey Smith was a friend to the Parliaments Army, from the firſt arſing of them, and afterwards ventured his naturall life, and ſuffered much loſs by the kings army, and now we have not the leaſt benefit of the liberty nor law of the Nation. Upon the third of the 8th. Month, Iohn Goodard was called before the bench, Rob. Atkins ſaid, pluck off his hat, and after his hat was off, the Town-clerk did read ſomthing, & ſaid in his paper that he had ſet his hand to a ſcandalous paper maliciouſly againſt the magiſtrates of the town, and afterwards asked him if he was guilty or not guilty, and he ſaid he was not guilty of wronging any mans perſon, neither had he ſpight or malice againſt any man in England, and the Recorder ſaid, it is eaſie for any man to ſay he is not malicious; and the ſaid Iohn Goodard ſaid, thou maiſt judge of me what thou wilt; and then Robert Atkins ſaid, will you own the paper? And he anſwered that he would own the printed paper; and prove it to be true; and ſaid, here are three men ſtanding by, that have waited ever ſince yeſterday morning, to witneſs againſt Robert Martine, called Iuſtice, for ſwearing: Robert Atkins ſaid he did not ſit there to have it proved; and ſaid, if it were true it ought not to be ſpoke of if it were againſt a Magiſtrate; and Iohn Woodward ſaid, all people take notice if this be not partiality: (The Recorder commanded that Captain Pit wayes hat to be taken off his head, which is a Magiſtrate of the Town, and makes him ſtand bare, and ſuffers a prieſt to ſit by him with his hat on; and the Prieſt hearing this put off his hat, and the Recorder bid him put it on again, and yet he ſends our friends to priſon for coming before him with their hats on.) And then the Recorder ſaid to the reſt of the Bench fine him; and ſome of them ſaid three pounds; and they asked the ſaid Iohn Woodward if he was contented, and he ſaid, you may do what you will with me; and the Recorder ſaid, fine him five pounds: & he ſaid you may put in fifteen pounds, for I expect no favour from your hands; ſo they fined him five pounds. And Iohn Woodard ſaid, Take notice the Grand Iury have brought in, that ſwearers and drunkards are not puniſhed; and ſaid, Hear people, We are not queſtioned for ſweating nor being drunk, or any manner of ſin, or evill communication, but for ſpeaking the truth: and one of the ſtrangers ſaid, I witneſs againſt Robert Martine for ſwearing, and they did not anſwer him a word:

Upon the ſecond day of the 8th. Month, called October, our Friend, Captain Pitway, ſo called, was called before the Bench; and Robert Atkins, the Recorder, ſaid to him, I underſtand that you have been a Magiſtrate, and one of the chiefeſt of the Bench, and I do much admire that you ſhow no more reverence to the Court then to come with your hat on, [mark reader,] and now a ring-leader of this ſect, I will take courſe with you; and he anſwered to this purpoſe, I ſee little juſtice done: and then Atkins ſaid, you ſhall ſee juſtice done, and ſaid, pluck off his hat, that is one piece of juſtice; then Atkins ſaid, you are bound over to your Good Behaviour, and then it was read what was ſworn againſt him, and that which was falſe in it he denyed, and that which was true in it he owned; and then Robert Atkins bid him relate what he did own, and he ſaid that he owned that the ſaid Robert Martine, called Iuſtice, was a drunkard: and becauſe he did pluck the priſoners out of their beds, and bred ſuch a diſturbance in the night, and bidding the people whoop, and whooping himſelf, that he ſaid did cauſe him to ſay what he ſaid, and ſaid if they would but give him leave to bring in his witneſſes, he would prove it to be true; and then he bad him bring in his witneſſes on the morrow: then the recorder did tell him of a paper that he had put his hand to, which was ſcandalous againſt the Magiſtrates of the town, and he ſaid he put his hand to a paper which was no ſcandall but truth, and he was there ready to prove it to be true, and then for that time he was put by, and the next morning about the ninth hour, he was then called again, and then they read an Indictment againſt him, for ſetting his hand to a paper, which they ſaid was maliciouſly againſt the Magiſtrates, and asked him if he owned it; and he ſaid, all malice and ſpight I deny, but for the printed paper he owned it to be true, and was there ready to prove it: and Robert Atkins ſaid, we conceive it to be ſcandalous, and would not ſuffer him to call his Witneſſes, and ſaid, We muſt proceed to fine, and ſo fined him 20. l.

The 14th. Day of October, being the firſt day of the Week, there vvas a meeting at Captain Edward Pitwaye's houſe, in the morning, and there vvere tvvo of our friends coming to the meeting, and as they paſſed by the Goale they looked in at the the Goal hole, and ſpake to the priſoners, and before they had ſtayed half a quarter of an hour, there came the Mayor and put them in priſon, and ſaid they ſhould go into the priſon right or vvrong: and in the afternoon, Edward Young, the Mayor, came to our meeting before the Goal, vvhere our friend, Humphrey Smith, ſpake out of the Goal-hole, and the Mayor came and laid violent hands of many of our friends, and ſent them avvay to priſon, and ſeveral Country people he ſet in the Stocks, although vve vvere all peaceable, and not a man did give him, or his Conſtables that vvas vvith him, a vvord that vvas uncivill, but deſired that vve might be peaceable in our meeting, but the Mayor vvas very outragious, and one he did kick, and another he did lay hands on, and ſaid, he had almoſt forgotten the civil Gentleman, and ſo ſent him to priſon, and did put our friend, Humphrey Smith, and the reſt that were in the Main-Goal into the Dungeon, and ſaid we ſhould not ſee his face again, it may be, this twelve months, except he had order from above to take him out; and ſome Women he laid hands on and plucked them, and ſaid if he had a priſon for them they ſhould go to Priſon.

TO all the Heads and Rulers of this Nation, and Great men, and Rich men, who would have the ha •… put off to you; and would have your perſons reſpected, which is contrary to the Law of God, for he that reſpecteth perſons committeth ſin, and he is a tranſgreſſor of the Law of God; and you that ſay authority commands it, and would have your perſons reſpected, you that do ſo commit ſin, and would have others to commit ſin, and ſo to tranſgreſs the Law of • od, and to depart from the Faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which is without reſpect of perſons, which faith is held in a pure conſcience, which all who reſpect perſons acts contrary to that which doth convince them, and caſts the Law of God behind their backs, and are reprobates concerning the Faith of our Lord Jeſus: When Haman would have had Mordicai to have bowed to him, when he could not diſobey the Law of God, Haman might ſay he diſobeyed, and was not ſubject to authority, as you do now, when men ſtands patiently by you, which ſay authority commands it to put off the hat, who would have the creature worſhipped more than the Creator, upon ſuch the judgements of God comes: as you may read, Rom: 1 • . And as the three Children could not bow to the Image which Nebuchadnezar had ſet up, they might ſay they diſobeyed authority, and was not ſubject to authority, as you may do now, becauſe men do not off their hats in your Seſſions and Courts, and ſo they come to be fined, which there is no example for in all the Law of God, but it is a judge upon all that reſpect perſons to which the ſoul muſt be ſubject. And all who follows the luſts acts contrary to the Light which doth convince, there that is let in which wars againſt the ſoul; he that makes Laws and acts in that nature, and with it, which follows the luſts, and ſets up that which wa • s againſt the ſoul, which the ſoul cannot be ſubiect to, but to the higher power, that which anſwers the Law of God, and the higher power is that which doth convince, which the ſoul muſt be ſubiect to, and not to mans will, neither to that which is made in it, nor to that which doth command, for the croſs is to it, and ſo all you which would have hats put off to you ſeeing there is not one example among all the heatheniſh Kings or rulers as you read in all the Scriptures: and all you who hath & doth profeſs the Scripture to be your rule, ſearch it throughout, and ſee if you can find any example in it, that ever any that were rulers for God that commanded any to put off their hats to them; and if you cannot, you may ſee you are grown higher in iniquity, pride and ambition than them all: Nebuchadnezar loſt his Kingdome; & Haman & Pharoah deſtroyed, who oppreſſed the ſeed, of God. And beware all ye that ſcoff & ſcorn, & perſecute the righteous ſeed of God, the power of God is the ſame now that it vvas then to throvv you dovvn, and that of God in all conſciences ſhall anſvver it. And you vvho profeſs your ſelves Chriſtians and Chriſtian Magiſtrates, and the Scriptures to be your rule, ſearch it, and ſee if you can find any example among all the Saints of God, or any of the Chriſtian Magiſtrates that did beare rule for God, command any to put of their hats to them: Did ever Moſes, Ioſhua, or Iephtha, Solomon, or Hezekiah, vvho vvere Iudges and Kings in Iſrael, command any to put off their hats that came before them? Or did any of theſe impriſon them? if they did not, or ever Pharoah, Herod, Pilate, Darius, or Foelex, or any of the heatheniſh Kings or Governours command any to put off their hats that came before them, or fine them, or impriſon them, if they did not; now ſeeing none of theſe commanded any to do it, what can you plead for it but your own wills? and beware how you make that your Law, as you will anſwer it, for you muſt all give an account to the juſt God of heaven and earth, who will tender to every man according to his works, without reſpect of perſons. From the Lord I warn you, and to the Light in all conſciences I ſpeak, that with it you may ſee the ſame nature ruling in you that ruled in Haman, who would have had Mordecai to have bowed down to have ſatisfied his will, which he would not do though the King had commanded it, and he was juſtified by God in not doing of it; and Haman, who would have been honoured, brought to ſhame and confuſion. Read Eaſt. 2.7 10. Therefore all ye Rulers, fear the living God, and give over perſecuting the Saints, which cannot reſpect your perſons for Conſcience ſake, for the Lord God of Heaven and Earth wil be avenged of all his Adverſaries, and upon all the oppreſſors of his own people, that would make them tranſgreſs the righteous Law of God, which reſpects no mans perſon, and you that do ſo are enemies to God, and ſo denies the Faith of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which is without reſpect of perſons, Iam. 2. With the Light of Chriſt you are all ſeen, and with the Light you are to be condemned, you that act contrary to it, for this is the condemnation, the Light, ſaith Chriſt; as you may read, Iohn 3.19,20,21. Iohn 1.9.

AND now all you that are called Magiſtrates, in Eveſham, who are yet in the murderous nature, hating, perſecuting, and reviling the innocent whom you cannot iuſtly accuſe, this have I written that you may look back and be aſhamed of all your former filthy actions, which have been contrary to all that ever ruled for God, therefore now minde that of God in your Conſciences, which will witneſs for me, and iudge and condemn your unjuſt actings, which have been contrary to the righteous Law of God in your heart, and alſo to all the Laws in the nation; and thou, George Kemp, when thou didſt examine us, theſe, or the like words I then ſpake & now write to thee, that thou, or any other, to ſhow, if they can, what Law I, or Thomas Cartwright, had tranſgreſſed, or who we had harmed, or what uncivill carriage, words, or actions, we had offered to any man; yet a Conſtable came and took us before them called Magiſtrates, who having notice that we that are called Quakers would not ſwear, nor put off our hats to worſhip the Beaſt in any man, but uſe plainneſs of ſpeech to all, by which we are made a prey of, ſo are many enſnared when there is no other way found out to intangle them that cannot bow to your generation, that are found fighters againſt the Lord. And thou Robert Atkins Recorder, and the reſt that joyned and ſate with thee at the Aſſizes in the perſecuting of the Saints, even of thoſe that have alwayes had their outward habitations in the ſame town, and none of you, nor any other adverſaries could then charge them with any thing of tranſgreſſion or evill behaviour towards any, yet you fined many, and ſent them to priſon, and fined them in ſums of money for coming before you with their hats on, and declaring againſt your filthy actions in a printed paper, wherein your former actions are truly declared, as fiftie of us can witneſs, and that in your own conſciences may witneſs the ſame.

Now are you made manifeſt and ſeen in the Light, and declared to all the ſimple, to be ſuch who are out of the counſell of God, acting in your own wills, to your own ſhame; are theſe your actions? the fruits of your Miniſtry you are upholding? do you thus requite the Lord for his Deliverance from the outward Sword? Are you now leading into Captivity, and ſet wholly to perſecute and to delight your ſelves in miſchief? Now hear and conſider, all ye rulers of the earth, that ſet your ſelves in battel againſt the Lord; Thus in the day of his power wherein he is ariſing, yea the Lord of Hoſts is riſen to take vengeance againſt • u his enemies, and to break you all like a Potters Vessel; yea, the wrath of the Lord of Hoſts is kindled, which burns all the day, and his jealouſie is waxed hot againſt you, and his wrath you ſhall not eſcape; the day of the wrath of the Almighty is at hand, wherein he is raining, and will rain ſnares upon the wicked dayly, and the wicked ſhall be taken in their own craftineſs, and ſhal howle and lament for all your abomination, for the Lord is coming a ſwift witneſs againſt all proud, lofty and ſcornful perſecutors, who live in covetous practiſes, whoredomes, and the like: Wo unto them that take counſell, but not of me, ſaith the Lord; Wo unto you that go down to Egypt for help; Wo unto you that decree unrighteous decrees; Wo unto you that lay ſnares for the innocent, the judgements of the living God are your portions for ever if you repent not ſpeedily: Oh! repent, repent; return, return before it be too late, that you may not all utterly be deſtroyed for ever, for by you the juſt upright man is laughed to ſcorn, and judgement is turned away backwards, and juſtice ſtandeth afar off, truth falleth in the Streets, and equity cannot enter, and he that departeth from evill maketh himſelf a prey; but the Lord loveth the righteous, and he knoweth the wicked afar off, for on them he will rain ſnares, fire and brimſtone and horrible tempeſts, this ſhall be the portion of your cup Wo unto you that call evill good, and good evill; that put darkneſs for Light, and Light for darkneſs. Wo unto you that are wiſe in your own eyes, and prudent in your own ſight. Wo unto you that are mighty to drink wine, and men of ſtrength to pour down ſtrong drink; which juſtifie the wicked for rewards, and caſt the innocent into holes, as the fire devoureth the ſtubble, and the flame conſumeth the chaff, ſo your Root ſhall be rottenneſs, and your bloſſome fade as the duſt, becauſe you have caſt the Law of the Lord behinde your back, yea, the Lord will render to every one of you, in one day, according to the evill of your heart, and what meaſure you have meaſured to us, ſhal be meaſured to you again, and the Lord in his good time he wil deliver us out of the hands of the wicked and unreaſonable men, which make a man an offender for a word, and the time will come when you ſhall know that you have been fighters againſt God, and have been perſecutors of the righteous ſeed of God, which are in ſcorn called Quakers: Therefore all people, both Judges and Rulers, high and low, while you have time priſe it, and repent from all your dead works and ſerve the living God now in this the day of your viſitation, for there is no darkneſs nor ſhadow of death where you workers of iniquity may hide your ſelves from the preſence of our God, who is a conſuming fire, before whom all his enemies ſhall vaniſh like ſmoak, and howle, becauſe of the torment that is coming upon all that are found in Babell, out of which the Lord hath called many of us up into the Marriage of the Lamb, where vve rejoyce over Babylon that is fallen, and all that are found in her, from vvhom vve are delivered to offer up praiſes, and honour, and obedience unto the living God of povver, vvho ſitteth on the Throne, To him be given glory and honour for ever and ever, Rev. 19.1,2,3,4,5. and the 18.20:

NOvv a word in love to all people, to warn you every one to minde your own condition, and ceaſe from the buſie mind, that goeth forth from the light of Chriſt in thee, to meddle with other mens matters, and ſo give way to the adulterated ſpirit in thee, that is adulterated from the Lord, and ſo the feet abides not in the houſe, but followeth after that which entreth forth after that which ſaith, Lo here, and lo there, and ſo mindeth not the Priſoner vvithin thee, vvhich groaneth for deliverance, and cries for vengeance upon the head of the vvicked one in thee, vvhich bears rule and leadeth thee from obedience of what is made manifeſt to thee by the Light of Chriſt, to go forth feeding upon the Tree of Knowledge, where thou wouldſt be as God, knowing good and evill. But to that in thy conſcience do I ſpeak thou knoweſt enough already to be thy condemnation, for the Light of Chriſt is come into the worldly heart, which ſheweth thee ſin, and evill, and wickedneſs is thy condemnation, becauſe thou loveſt thy own unfruitfull works rather than the Light which ſheweth thee it; therefore ſaith the Lord, the people have choſen their own ways, and delighting themſelves in acting that which was not good, and have gone a whoring after their own inventions, and will have none of me, but caſts my Law behind their backs, and rejects my counſell, and abhor my correction, and receive not the fear of the Lord, although I have ſent my ſervants the Prophets, riſing up early, and ſending them to cry in the ſtreets, the chief places at Concourſe, at the entring in of the Gates, and in the high places, ſaying unto all, O do not this abominable thing which I hate: and this voice doth alſo call in thee, ſaying, this is the way, walk in it, when thou art turning to the right hand or to the left; and yet the Lord hath long waited to be gracious, and to heal thy back-ſlidings, and love thee freely, but thou turneſt to him thy back and not thy face: O ye rebellious children! How long will you delight your ſelves in miſchie? and how long wil you walk in a way that is not good? How long wil you hold the truth of God in unrighteouſneſs? O people! will you nor be made clean? When ſhall it once be? How long wil you follow after the falſe Teachers that are gone forth from Christ, the Light & the Truth, into the world? who have eyes full of Adultery, with the Spirit that is adulterated from the Lord: Hearts, have they, exerciſed with covetous practiſes, and ſuch that are greedy after the error of Balaam, for rewards: Theſe are they that cannot ceaſe from ſin, 2 Pet. 2.14, but have a form without the power, and from ſuch turn away: and mind the light of Chriſt the true teacher, & the true Light that ſheweth ſin & evill; when no man can accuſe thee, yet the Light will then condemn thy unjuſt practiſes, and check thee in ſecret for ſwearing, lying cozening, and the like; this is the Grace of God which appeareth, unto all men, which teacheth to deny all Ʋngodlineſs, and worldly luſts, which all they that are Chriſts have crucified with the affections; who are become dead unto ſin and alive unto righteouſneſs, and then how can theſe that are dead unto ſin live any longer therein? for the wages of ſin are death, and he that committeth ſin is the ſervant of ſin, and whileſt we were with you committing ſin, we were free from righteouſneſs, but being now made free from Sin by the clenſing of his Blood, we became the Servants of righteouſneſs: Therefore all you that are yet the ſervants of Corruption, mind your condition, his ſecvants you ar • to whom you obey, whether of ſin unto death, or of righteouſneſs unto life, and not one of you can ſerve two Maſters, therefore be no longer dec • iued, God will not be mocked any longer by you: if you continue ſowing to the fleſh thou ſhalt as certainly of the fleſh reap Corruption; therefore all ye that are reader • and not obſervers, and hearers of the Word and not doers, you are all deceived, Iam. 1.2 • . the ſwearer, lyar, drunkard, hater, proud, covetous a • d ſcorner are deceived already, none of all theſe ever comes to enter into the Kingdom of God, until he be brought out of their deceit, wherewith the Serpent hath deceived all the Children of wrath, for no unclean thing ever enters into the Kingdome of God, which is righteouſneſs, and joy, and Peace in the Holy Ghoſt. And all you that are condemning thoſe that perſecuted the Prophets, and impriſoned them; and you that are condemning thoſe for perſecuting impriſoning, and crucifying Chriſt and his Apostles, and are ſaying, if you had been in the dayes of your forefathers, you would not have perſecuted the Saints as they did, and yet in the mean time you your ſelves are in the ſame nature as they were, and the Works of your fathers that ſ •… vv the Prophets you vvill do, for this day are you perſecuting the righteous Seed, that ever ſuffered under your Generation priſons, Stocks, D • ngeons, yea death it ſelf: Therefore hear and conſider; Did ever the ſervants of Ieſus Christ cauſe any to be impriſoned? Or did they ever ſtrike, ſtone, hate or revile any? Did they ever make uſe of any Nationall law, made by the will of man, to enſnare any? Or ever havvle any before earthly Magistrates? Therefore conſider, you that are laying ſnares for the innocent, and are havvling them to priſon that cannot bovv to Hamans nature nor yours, that Heatheniſh cuſtome of putting off the Hat, and that cannot ſvvear, but abide in the Doctrine of Chriſt, Mat. 5.33,34. And them that do not break the lavvs of God or man, are dayly caſt into priſon, and great ſums of Money impoſed upon them by the Wil of proud man; Are not the great men of the earth taking counſell againſt the Lord, and againſt his Annointed? Is not Pilate and Herod agreed to crucifie Chriſt in his Members? Are not the chiefe Prieſts and Rulers joyning together novv as they did? Act. 24. Are not many moved vvith envy? Are not the rulers novv ſeeking for ſomthing againſt thoſe they can finde nothing vvorthie of death or of bonds? like that of Act. 25.25,26. Is there not like tumult raiſed by the ſvvearing rude Multitude, as vvas Act. 17.5? Are not many ſaying as they did of Chriſt, one ſaid he is a good man, the other ſaid nay, but he deceiveth the people, Iohn 7.12. Are not the great ones of the earth ſometimes ſaying now, as a certain Orator ſaid of Paul (that was not made a Miniſter by the will of man) that he was a Peſtilent fellow, a mover of Sedition, and a Ring-leader of the Sect of Nazarites? Act. 24.5. Are there not many Hamans now, that would have the true Mordecaies to bow to them, and becauſe they wil not, all their glory in the world availeth them nothing, and therefore are ever ſaying of thoſe who are Jews indeed, as it is ſaid of the Jews East. 3. that they are a certain up-ſtart-people ſcattered abroad, which regards not the Kings laws, neither are they for the Kings profit? And would not many Hamans in England give large Money if they might prevail to have the righteous cut off for ever out of the Nation? as it was East. 3. Nay, are not you more blind and worſe perſecutors than they were, either in the dayes of the prophets or Apoſtles, who then ſpake the word of the Lord as they were moved from the mouth of the Lord, 2 Pet. 1.21. and they had not a Scripture to prove it by, yet you blame them that caſt them into Priſon? Now we ſpeak plain Scripture, and write plain Scripture, (which you ſay is your Rule) and we ſpeak nothing, neither do we act or uphold any thing but what is declared by plain Scripture, yet are impriſoned therefore: Are you not worſe than your forefathers. Now Daniel was put in the Den, becauſe, ſay they, he hath broke the Kings command in praying, Dan. 6. But I was put in the Dungeon and there kept ten dayes onely for praying and making ſupplications to the living God, and in it I did not break any Nationall Law, therefore are ye not worſe than your fathers? Again, they might have charged Paul with preaching contrarie to the Scriptures, for he ſaith if they were circumciſed Chriſt ſhould profit them nothing, Gal. 5.2. and yet Circumciſion was a command of God to laſt in Israel for ever. Gen. 17.13,14. and Christ himſelf was circumciſed, yet the outward circumciſion Paul preached againſt, therefore Paul was perſecuted; but we now having ſo far a Declaration written Luk. 11. from thoſe holy men of God, who ſpoke forth the Scripture from the ſame Spirit, Chriſt the Light of the world, that was before the world was, in which Enoch walked with God, Noah preached and obeyed, Arbaham believed before the Scripture was, in the which, Moses the man of God ſaw and writ the creation that was many hundred years before his naturall birth; in the ſame the Prophets ſtood and propheſied of Chriſt to be the Light of the Gentiles, and of them that ſit in darkneſs, Iſa. 4 • .6. & 9.1. who came to fulfil that which was ſpoken of him by the Prophets, from the ſame light and life which dwelt in him, Col. 1.19 in the which the Apoſtles preached, in which we alſo preach repentance to the world, as Chriſt the Light of the world did, Mat. 4,17. Mark 1. Luk. 3 4. And we ſay from the ſame ſpirit unto the righteous; it ſhall go well with them, Iſa. 3.10,11: Mal: 3:18: which is according to the Scripture, and ſo we ſpeak the truth of God, which your ſelves holds forth in words, but you live in untighteouſneſs: Rom: 4:18:

Therefore all people leave off your wickedneſs, and turn to the living God, who ſo loved the world, that he gave his only Son. Rom. 5. the light of the world which world is ſet in mans heart, Eccleſ. 3:11. of which Chriſt is the inlightner, the which whoſo followeth, ſhall not walk in darkneſs, but ſhal have the light of life, Iohn 8:12: Now why wil you love the unfruitful works of darkneſs? why wil you go on in your wickedneſs? Do you not know, that the wicked ſhal do wickedly, and none of the wicked ſhal eſcape, and that the unrighteous cannot inherit the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor 6:9: and that the Lord wil in no wiſe acquit the wicked, Exod: 34:1: but wil wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of every one that goeth on in iniquity, Pſa. 69.21. Now in the light of Chriſt thou mayſt read thy portion with the wicked, which ſhall be turned into hell, as they that forget God, and caſt his righteous Law behind their backs, and trample the blood of the innocent under their feet, and turn the grace of God into wantonneſs, fooliſh jeſting, corrupt communication, vain jangling, idle words, the fooliſh heart being ful of laughter, it is the ſport of a fool to do miſchief, the God of the world having blinded the eye, the Prince of the power of the ayr beareth rule in all the children of diſobedience; Therefore all ye ſlow of heart to believe all that the Prophets and Apoſtles have ſaid, you fooliſh people without underſtanding, that have eyes but ſee not, and ears that hear not, fear ye not mee, ſaith the Lord? wil you not tremble at my preſence? Ier. 5.21,22. which is terrible unto all the workers of iniquity, who are now committing iniquity with greedineſs, drinking it downe as the Oxe drinketh water, heaping up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and righteous judgments of God, which are now revealing from heaven upon all manner of unrighteouſneſs of men, Rom. 1. wherein in this day of the revelation of Ieſus Chriſt, all that do wickedly ſhal be as ſtubble before him that ſits as a Refiners fire, Mat. 3.2,3. and is coming a ſwift witneſs againſt his Adverſaries: therefore all people conſider your wayes, ſee what you are a doing, for none can eſcape the wrath at hand, whither can you go? whither can you fly? where can you hide your ſelves from the preſence of the Lord? who is come to call for an account for every idle word, all unrighteouſneſs is ſin, that which he will not ſuffer to go unpuniſhed; therefore whileſt you are called to day Oh! harden not your hearts any longer; let not your words be •… out againſt the Lord any more; let the wicked forſake his ways, and own the light of Ieſus Chriſt, while it now ſhineth, leaſt the Lord cauſe darkneſs, and thy feet ſtumble for ever at the dark mountains, Ier: 13.16 and ſo thou come • o be for ever ſhut ou • into utter darkneſs, where there is no recovery; therefore give ear a little, hear and thy ſoul ſhal live: Deſpiſe not the day of thy viſitation; hear, for wiſdome cries, and underſtanding puts forth her voice, yea, ſhe ſpeaketh excellent things, Prov. 8 Oh ye ſimple, turn you in hither, and yee fools be ye of an underſtanding heart, why wil yee die, Oh ye houſe of Iſrael! ſeeing I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dieth: turn yee again, and ye ſhal live; go on, and yee ſhal dye the death eternally: Therefore if thou haſt any love to thy own ſoule, that is more worth then the whole world, mind thy condition, flatter thy ſelf no longer between God and Mammon, thou canſt not ſerve two Maſters, while thou ſerveſt thy own will, which is above the Croſs, thou art contrary to the fathers wil, which is, that all men ſhould be ſaved, and come to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Ieſus, who is the Saviour of the ſoul, and the teſtimony of Ieſus is th • ſpirit of propheſy, Rev. 19.10. which sheweth things to come, Iohn 16 13. whereby the ſecrets of the Lord are revealed to us that fear him, Amos 3.7. Pſa. 25.14 and the minde of Chriſt comes to be known • (1 Cor. 2.16.) unto the ſpiritual man that judgeth all things, bu • he himſelf is judged of no man, 1. Cor. 2.15. for Chriſt the ſonne o • righteouſneſs is raiſed up in him, Mal. 4.2. where the ſon bears rule, unto whom all judgment is committed, Ioh. 5.22. by whom now the Saints do judg the world, 1 Cor. 6.2,3. that keepeth in wickedneſs, therefore I witneſs againſt all the world, that the works thereof are evil, Io 1:1 fer in the world the dogs and the euil workers are, who are all diſc. ouered in the light of Chriſt.