WHereas I have made my Appeal to your Court, for Justice against Mat­thew Caffyn, who is one of your Members, immediately after the Fact I complain of, was committed, for these Reasons following, viz.

• 1. I did so Appeal to you rather than to others, because yours is the Highest Court, and from which there is no Appeal, as you suppose.
• 2. Because the Crime was of an High Nature, and doth not only call in question, but strikes at the Authority, Prerogative, and Laws of the King, &c.
• 3. Because it was a Leading Case never practised by any Church in the World, and in it self more cruel and unjust than what is approved of by the Church of Rome; where­fore I expected Justice speedily to be obtained, and also you had Power so to do.

• First, I expected Justice, because I was informed by divers Members of your Court, that you had Power to redress Grievances, reverse unjust Judgments, and correct Of­fenders, &c.
• 2. By reason I had Liberty given me by the mouth of Caffyn's Court, and that too without shew of dislike of any Member, to make my Appeal to whom I would.
• 3. By reason I gave your unjust Judge and his Fellow-Criminals timely notice, that I would make my Appeal to this High Court.
• 4. Because the Fact was notoriously scandalous to the Dishonour of the Profession, and those that are honest Professors; and therefore deserved speedy Correction.

Thus I came to your Court, to let you know, that my Witnesses were present to prove the Premisses; but I soon perceived several of the Apostles hereafter mentioned, to look asquint when I press'd for Justice, and that instead of accepting of my Appeal, they cunningly would, if possible, have perswaded me, both then, and every Court since, to refer it, notwithstanding you well knew, I came not to refer, but to make my Appeal for Justice.

Wherefore, when I resolutely avoided that Bait, you then told me, that according to the Laws or Canons of your Court, I must first make my Appeal to a Quarterly Meeting in the same Country where the Fact was committed. To which I answered, That by consent of each Party you had power to accept of an Appeal, as well as a Reference; I also pleaded, that it was unreasonable for you to compel me to make my Appeal to such a Court as had given their Consent to the Criminals Proceedings before they were acted, they being inferiour Persons, and over whom the said Criminal him­self was Supreme Bishop and Universal Apostle.

Howbeit, forc'd I was to this unjust and crooked Method; but the more willing I was to submit, because you promised me, that if Justice were not done in the Coun­trey, then you would accept of my Appeal and do me Justice; but alas! That Design of the Confederates I perceive, was to wear out Time, corrupt Witnesses, tire me out [Page 2]with expensive Attendance, to wrest Justice, justifie the Villain, and scandalize the Oppressed, as plainly thus appears, viz. For that when I had followed your own Me­thod, as aforesaid, and nothing being done in the Country to determine the matter accor­ding to Justice, I then did again appeal to your Court with hopes to obtain Justice: but contrarywise, I found a great part of your Apostles to be traitors to Justice, and damnable Enemies to my Appeal, which they opposed with Might and Main, notwithstanding their Promise to accept thereof; howbeit to the Vote it was put, and the honest Par­ty out-voted the — Opposers, and much against their Stomachs, to a Hearing it came; but then to prevent Justice, a Plot must be laid against my Witnesses, and tho' their Reputation be unspotted; yet they must be censured, and look'd upon as per­jur'd Persons, or such Rogues and Villains as would falsly accuse the Innocent; and under that pretence were not then suffered to make use of their Papers, in which, for their Memory, they had written the Truth of what they heard, to prevent mistakes; but they must speak what they knew, and as they could remember without them tho' several years had past between; and when they had spoken, it was not to be regarded; but one of Caffyn's Faction being Chair-man, the Court was dissolved in Confusion, and then said, That God had withdrawn himself from them: So that I well perceive its in vain to attend this Court with my Witnesses any longer, until it purge it self of its cor­rupt, partial and unjust Members.

Howbeit, about a year or two before this last Court, the matter in Controversie was debated by the consent of the major part of your Court, and by such the major part of your Court, That very thing with all its Circumstances for which I was condemned, was judged and declared to be both lawful, just and honest, notwithstanding my Witnesses were not heard, but only as they took it from the Criminals own Mouth: Moreover you know, that several Persons, Members of your Court, have expresly, (either honestly or deceitfully) Admonish'd the said unjust judge, &c. to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance, &c. as a Copy thereof subscribed will demonstrate; notwithstanding all which you also know, That he as an Heretick, remains obstinate, persevering in his Acts of Wickedness, and repenteth not. Wherefore know ye, That by these presents, and in the name of him, and for the honour of the Gospel, under whom, and for which you pretend to hold this Court, I do now demand Judgment against the said Matthew Caffyn, and also that you forthwith reverse his unrighteous Judgment, as being sinful, papistical, cruel and unjust, and that you admonish his Congregation, who through Flattery, Threats, or any other way were deluded to joyn with him in his sinful Practice, to put away the Evil of their Doings by Repentance, and giving Satisfaction answerable to the Injuries, which by means thereof have been occasioned: For it may be judged, that they, to wit, his simple Con­gregation, are ignorant of the sence of your Court, and of the Admonitions you sent them.

But if now at last, after all your Pretence [...] and Promises that Justice should be done; your Declarations, That that very thing with all its Circumstances for which I was condemned, is just, honest and lawful, your admonishing him to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance, &c. I say, if after this long waiting, all this be but Seven years Hypocrisie and Deceit, and that you at this time also refuse to give Judgment against the said unjust and papistical Apostle, Then know ye by these presents, that I demand satisfaction of this Court; and as it is my Duty, so I will according to the Ad­vice of the true Apostle of Christ, submit my self to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as Supreme, or unto Governours, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of Evil Doers, and for the praise of them that do well; wherefore this being the Will of God, that by well doing I may put to silence the Ignorance and Villany of foolish and dishonest men; therefore to that end I do re­solve to Indict your Apostle, and all the Members of this Court (that do not en­ter their Protestations against him and his Defenders, &c.) in the Crown Office (if His Majesties Ministers think themselves concern'd to take Cognizance thereof) of and up­on the ensuing Articles (which in matter of Fact you know, is no more than what I have charged, and several times offer'd to prove against him in your Court, as my Printed Paper to you presented will demonstrate) as follows.

• [Page 3] First, That the said Matthew Caffyn of Broadbridge near Horsman in Sussex, hath in a Papistical manner contemned the Laws, and Royal Prerogative of the Supreme Ma­gistrate of this Realm, and threatens to excommunicate such as shall stand to plead for, and maintain the said Laws and Royal Prerogative, after, or at the same time, that he himself doth declare the said Laws, &c. to be unjust and odious.
• 2. That the said Caffyn by Popish usurpt Authority, hath passed Sentence of Excom­munication against a Protestant and Liege Subject of this Realm, before it was pro­ved that any known Law was transgressed; and because he endeavoured to justifie the Laws and Prerogative of the King, and Privilege of his Liege Subjects, against the Authority of this little Pope.
• 3. That the Principles, Tenets, and Government of this little Pope, are as dange­rous as the Principles and Tenets of those who are now in Newgate, or of late have been hang'd at Tyburn, for Conspiring the Death of the King, and Subverting the Go­vernment of the Realm.
• 4. That the Government of this English Pope is more Hypocritical and unjust in its Cruelties, than the Butcheries which are approved of by the Pope and Church of Rome.
• 5. That his little Holiness hath debauch'd a good Conscience, if ever he had any, and hath gone a whoring these seven years, notwithstanding he hath been several times admonished to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance, &c.

Furthermore, by these presents, I do impeach and accuse several Apostles, formerly Members of this High Court, viz. George Hammon, Captain Morcock, and Ʋridge of Kent, the Apostle Marner of St. Martins Le grand; as also Tho. Croucher, Miller, Francis Stanley, Amory, and others, as being Enemies to Justice, and Comforters, Sup­porters and Defenders of the said Matthew Caffyn; and therefore I do desire this Court, that they may be removed from being concerned as Judges therein, until they be brought to Tryal, they being the Persons by whom the Peace of your Government was destroyed to that Degree, that it was declared and agreed, That God hath withdrawn himself from your Assembly.

I need not tell you that it's pleaded by divers Members of your Court, that your Court hath not Power to redress Grievances, reverse unjust Judgments, or do Justice; which if true, who shall believe you the Members of this Court any more? For have you not pretended to such Power, and wheadled me with fair Promises to attend you with my Witnesses, to my great Charge, and now indeed have you no Power? Why did you mock God and me, and all the Baptist-Congregation almost throughout England? But in Truth, I perceive this is only your last Shift: Fain you would defend your DARLING from the ROD of JƲSTICE; and therefore out of pure Pity to him, you are content, for the present, to deny that Power you have always heretofore pretended to; and now possibly with a pitiful Jugling Hypocrisie, you may exclaim against the thing, viz. Superintendency and Dependency, which you owned when I entred my Ap­peal; but now you really pretend the Churches of God are Independent: Well then, what are you a General Assembly for? Are you nothing but Ropes of Sand? And are you not gross Hypocrites and Juglers not to tell me so before? But to take you now at your words, the Design of your General Assembly it seems, is not to do Justice, and you have no Power (I am pretty well assured you want the Will) to correct; and hence it will follow, that though you well know Caffyns Principles to be most Diabolical and dangerous to Church and State; yet you will, and must still own and communicate with him, as your dearly beloved Brother in the Lord Jesus.

Sirs,
I love the word Reformation well, but the thing better, and should be glad to see a Reformation: But tell me I pray, must the Exclusion of Justice and Honesty be the first step to your Independent Reformation? If you will be Independent, and yet will allow the Apostles to be Judges of Secular Jurisdictions, you then do but dissolve your General Council, to set us up, as it were, a King-Pope in every Parish; but if you now pretend you will have nothing to do as Judges in Secular Causes, because you are commanded to submit to every Ordinance of the Supreme Magistrate, &c. and are really so honest as to mean what you say: Then pray Sirs, give the World a Demon­stration [Page 4]of it, you having opportunity enough so to do. The Villain, your Brother, now stands before you, who hath usurp'd such Authority, as to judge of Law and Royal Prerogative, as I have said before; either make him an Example, or at least, since you promised to do Justice, provided I would sue for it according to your own Methods, to which I have submitted; yet Justice cannot be obtained, tho' so promised. Now pray Sirs, will you be reformed, and not be honest? If you promised to my prejudice that which you cannot perform, I demand Satisfaction for all that Charge, &c. which I have sustained, in hopes to obtain the thing you promised; or otherwise, you must confess that your pretence of Reformation is grounded upon a dishonest Bottom, and hath no better resemblance than to be such.

I would not be mis-understood; it's possible the Reader may conclude from what hath been said, that all the Anabaptists in England are alike. To this I only say, that most of the Anabaptists in England are Independent, they meddle not with State Affairs, they assume not to excommunicate Persons, but upon the same terms as they baptize them, viz. plain Text of Scripture for their warrant therein; and therefore this High Court, especially Caffyn and his Abettors, would not permit of them into their Assembly; wherefore such as Mr. Plant, Mr. Hicks, Mr. Kiffyn, and many more in City and Coun­trey, are wholly innocent in this matter.