WHile ye declare for a Common-wealth, and the just Liberties of all persons as men and Christians; and while other people in the Nation (though enemies to such a Government) have freedom to worship after their manner; the true friends of Christ (that cannot be enemies to good Government) many of whom have ventured their lives in the late War, for the Rights and Liberties of the people, being awakened to Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth, are not onely slandered and reviled with all manner of evil sayings, but most cruelly buffeted, beaten and stoned to the shedding of their blood, in several dark places of the Land, which are full of the habitations of cruelty, as if their lives were at the mercy of the worst of men, and they were onely to be used as sheep for the slaughter; An in­stance whereof we shall present you with (in stead of many) what was acted in two several Meetings at Sa­bridgworth in Hartford-shire, the third and one and thirtieth of the fifth Month, on the third, day a mul­titude of the sons of Belial boys and men stormed the house wherein Gods people were met together in meekness and fear, with stones, dirt and other things of offence, and breaking in upon them did very much abuse them, especially as they went away, no Offi­cer appearing to keep the Peace, and endeavour to suppress the tumult, though two Constables and a Church-warden lived hard by, and a Justice of Peace Sir Thomas Hewet so called, was at the place of his wor­ship, within hearing of the clamour and shouting, to whom also the suffering people shewed themselves in such a pickle, as would have moved any person of [Page 2] common humanity to pitty, and interpose his utmost power, for their rescue; but his answer to their mild complaints was frowns and checks, biding them go for remedy to them that gave them their Liberty; and saying, such usage was as lawful as their Meeting, whereupon the rude rabble took incouragement to a­buse them before his face; and that day month being more numerous, they were much more fierce and cruel, striking horse and rider as they came thither, pulling down some and wallowing them in the mire, daubing others with dirt both faces and cloaths, and filling their hats therewith, and clapping them on their heads; and afterward assaulting the place (where neer 300 were met together) with shouting and flinging of stones, they brake down the tiles, boards, windows and walls of the house, and did fling in at the breaches such showers of stones, dirt, rotten eggs, mans dung and water, that few or none could escape the marks of their fury, and they cut off great part of some mens coats, and did tear off a very good scarf from about a womans neck, which still is kept from her, laid some for dead and sorely bruised, and battered others, and so annoyed all with their conti­nual throwing for the space of three hours, that one side of the house being broken down, they were for­ced to quite the place; and as they attempted to es­cape were stopped, and not suffered to pass without renewed tokens of inhumanity, for the mad crue nei­ther restrained by authority (the Constables absent­ing again on purpose, and Clement Buck a Church­warden slighted the admonition of a Justice of Peace there present, who warned him to keep the Peace, and the rest to take heed they did not break it, and was used as coursly as the rest for his pains; and their [Page 3] Neighbour Justice bearing with (if not a betting) their madness, for his men were the first that brake in upon them the former Meeting, and one of them was pre­sent at the latter, incouraging the Tories;) nor their violence resisted the harmless people taking all patient­ly, incouragement was taken to act over their cruelties with repeated aggravations, and that without respect to Age, Sex or Condition, so that aged persons, chil­dren & women with child, fared alike with others; yea, as if nothing could satisfie but the lives of the inno­cent; they did lay in wait and pursue some of them with stones and dirt almost two miles from that place.

Now though it cannot be denied, that this hath been the entertainment the best of Gods people have met withal in the world, from the enmity of the serpents seed, which is alwayes higher, as the Spirit of glory shines brighter upon the womans seed; and therefore crucified the Lord of Glory. And though it is given to Gods people not onely to believe, but also to suffer: yet seeing that which is done to them is reckoned as done to himself, & not knowing what the passing by of such an example of violence, especially at this time may produce; for preventing as much as in us lyes (the shed­ding of innocent blood, which pulls down the heaviest judgements upon a People or Nation that are guilty thereof.) We have laid this foul business before you, to whom it belongs to do Justice, and execute judge­ment in the midst of us; and this is not to keep a day unto the Lord, neither are these fruits worthy a good Government or a right Reformation, being scarce to be found where there is any Government; Righteous­ness exalteth a Nation, but sin is a shame for any people. It is a great shame to the Magistrate, Minister and the whole Nation, that such outrages should be committed, but [Page 4] much greater that they should be permitted. Look to it therefore O ye Rulers of the Land, and bear your Testimony against such wickednesse, least o­therwise you appear consenting thereunto, and there be found among you the blood of the poor innocent, and so the fierce anger of the Lord break forth upon you, and there be none to deliver: If the sufferings of the innocent in France, Germany and Ireland are mat­ter of lamentation, with them that have any thing of tendernesse and compassion, these cruelties so newly acted, and so very neer, must needs affect you: It is high time to do something to stay the hand of the Lord that is stretched out for such abhominations. This last Tragedy was acted the immediate day before the intended insurrection, and the Actors expressed great confidence of the success thereof, saying, That there is no Parliament, and that King Charles would not al­low such meetings. You have yet power in your hands to prove them lyars, yea to vindicate your authority [which was trampled upon in this action] and to let them know, there is a Parliament that abhors such bar­barisms, and is indeed resolved to defend the honest interest and people of the Nation against all bloody adversaries whatsoever: So will you be a terror to e­vil doers, and a praise to them that do well, and your hands, and the hands of them that are with you may be strengthened to do excellently for the land of your nativity.