IOhn Scafe, • dward Bylling, Thomas Matthews, and about three or four ſcore Perſons more, being at the houſe of Stephen Heart in new Palace yard at Weſtminſter, where on the ſeventh day of the twelfth month called February, 1659. they were peacably met together in the fear of the Lord, Some of the rude Souldiers and others the Inhabitants of VVeſtminſter came in great rage and violently pulled many of them out of their meeting room, and did ſorely beat and bruiſe many, and draged ſome on the ground by the hair of their heads, others had their clothes rent and ſcarffs taken away, and ſome were knockt down; And one Woman with child was ſo abuſed and hurt, that ſhe ſaid ſhe was undone. And after this and other miſchief by them and ſome of the Inhabitants of Weſtminſter was done, they rifled the houſe and broke the glaſſe-windows, and threatened more miſchief for the future, and ſome were heard to ſay they had taken an Oath to that purpoſe.

And at another meeting afterwards, ſome of the rude Souldiers and others came again and did much abuſe Friends and beat them, and pulled the ſaid Stephen Heart out of his houſe and knockt him down, and beat him ſo that his ſenſes were aſtoniſhed.

John Wooldrige and others being on the firſt day of the week peacably met together to wait on the Lord in his own hired houſe at Brainford, there came into the houſe two men who ſaid they were Conſtables, and without any warrant or Legal Authority, they violently pulled him out of his houſe (in which action they wrincht his wriſt and had him before James Hawley (called Juſtice) who without the breach of any Law of God or man, forthwith commanded a Warrant to be made, and ſent him to priſon.

As the people of God were peacably met together to wait on the Lord at Mitcham in Surry, on the third day of the fifth month, 1659. the rude people of the Town came to the place where they were met, and threw hatfulls and a pail full of dirty water on them, and threw dirt on the face of him that was ſpeaking. And as they were going to the meeting many Friends were beaten and abuſed, and ſome thrown down and trampled on, and dragged on the ground by the hair of the head and kickt, and ſome had their clothes torn, and called them Rogues, and threatened to kill them; And one Friend was thruſt into a pond, and knockt down in it, and there kept a pretty ſpace, and when they had ſo done, they drave the Friends like Beaſts out of the Town with ſtaves, and huncht them, and puncht them, and hurt them, and no Officer neither Magiſtrate nor other would ſtir to preſerve them, or keep the peace, which the rude people broke, though ſome of them were told of this cruel uſage, and feared that ſome of them might be killed.

At another meeting on the 7th day of the ſame month, the rude people came again, and threw much dirt and Cow-dung upon them, and ſome was upon the face and into the mouth of him that was ſpeaking and declaring the Truth, and when they ſaw this would not diſturb them, ſo as to cauſe them to break up their meeting, they fired a Gun or Piſtol three times upon them.

At another meeting on the tenth day of the ſame Moneth, the rude people came again to the houſe where they were peaceably met in the Fear of the Lord, and with a Scoop-ſhovel caſt in ſcoop-fulls of dirt and dirty water upon them, which did ſo wet and daub them with them, that they were almoſt covered therewith, inſomuch that they appeared as though they had been dragged through a dirty Channel; And when the rude people had ſo done, then they cryed out ſee how like Witches they look, with other filthy and bruitiſh words not fit to be mentioned, all which the people of God bore with patience, without making any reſiſtance. And when this was done, then they threw in clods of dirt upon them, and drew them forth of the meeting, and tore ſome of their cloaths, and threw down others, and ſtoned others, and brake the windows of the houſe, and the fence of the Friends ground where they met, and drove them through the Town. And ſome of the Friends after all this in going to a Juſtices houſe, were ſorely beaten, and ſome had their blood ſhed, and were in danger of their lives, and thoſe rude people cryed out, let the Juſtice kiſs their breech.

At a peaceable Meeting of the people of God at Sawbridgworth, the rude people of the Town (amongſt whom were ſome of the Servants of him who is called Juſtice Hewet) came to the door and threw in water, rotten eggs, mans dung and ſtones, of which the ſaid Juſtice Hewet being informed, and deſired to preſerve the people of God from violence and the rude multitude in peace, he the ſaid Juſtice Hewet, inſtead of performing the duty of a Magiſtrate, and preſerving the people in peace, ſo incouraged the rude ones, that the hands of the wicked were ſtrengthened and encouraged in their miſchief, and he refuſed to do Juſtice according to his place.

The people of God being peaceably met together, to wait on the Lord in a Cloſe, near the houſe of William Lovel, and upon his own ground, there came one Captain Pinkard, and many of his Troopers on Horſe-back, and entred upon the ground, and in a brutiſh and in humane manner, rode amongſt the Friends, and many of them received much hurt with their Horſes and otherwiſe, and they broke up the Meeting, and took away the ſaid William Lovel and others, and ſen • them to priſon, where divers of them were kept two Moneths, and the ſaid William Lovel kept priſoner nine Moneths, and he was more cruelly uſed, then can be briefly expreſt, for no other cauſe, but for having a meeting at his houſe.

There being a peaceable Meeting of the people of God, at a place called Grin, at the houſe of the Widdow Meeks, the ſaid Widdow for ſuffering a Meeting there was turned out of her houſe, and the houſe its ſelf pul'd down.

There being a peaceable meeting of the people of God, at the houſe of Friend Blacklin in York-ſhire, where were met about thirty perſons, the rude people came into the Meeting and violently pulled them out one by one, and knockt many of them down, and wounded many of them.

A peaceable Meeting of the people of God, was by wicked and ungodly men, broken up at Newark, and the Friends received much hurt, and much of their blood was ſhed, by the rude multitude, and about four ſcore of them were haled out of the meeting one by one, and were cruelly beaten and abuſed.

There being a peaceable meeting of about two hunded of the People of God at Martock upon the ſecond day of the ſecond Month 1657. five men who called themſelves Minſters, and who are called Mr. Hallet, Mr. Stephenſon, Mr. Duke, Mr. Collens, and Mr. Thomas Lye, come to the place where the meeting was, and brought with them a great company of rude people with long ſtaves, Pikes, and ſuch like Weapons, and fell on the Friends, (who were met in the fear of the Lord) and beat them and pulled them and tore their Garments, and made loud out-cryes; and the rude peoples hands were ſo ſtrengthened by the company and countenance of the Prieſts, and their rage and madneſs ſuch againſt the people of God, that had not the Lord wonderfully appeared in his peoples deliverance, ſome might have loſt their lives.

At a meeting of the people of God on the firſt day of the fifth Month 1659. at Threſhford, the rude People came with Kettles, Panns, and blowing horns, and with Pipes, Lowbels, and a Drum, to make a noiſe and a cauſe a diſturbance, and the noiſe they made was great, ſo that friends could not hear the truth declared; Amonſt which rude company there was one who is called a Miniſter, and he to manifeſt him himſelf ruder then the reſt, beat the drum himſelf, to make a greater noiſe then was made before, who with the rude multitude, flung ſtones, and dirt, and water at friends, and ſome of them affirmed that they were hired to do ſo, and that they that hired them ſtood by and encouraged them, giving them Bear and Ale for their ſervice. Now let the underſtanding Reader judge, who were chief Inſtruments in chis wickedneſs, &c. And whether ſuch ſerve our Lord Jeſus Chriſt or their own luſts, and whether the end of ſuch is not deſtruction.

As divers of the People of God were met together in his fear at a place called Elledſdon, there came a company of rude men and women (amongſt whom was the Prieſts wife of the Town of Elledſdon, who came from the ſteeple-houſe) and in great violence haled forth of the meeting about twenty friends and forced them out of the Town, and over a little River; But after ſome ſeaſon the rage of the rude people abated, and ſo by permiſſion of the chief Actors, the people of the Lord met together again, then the Prieſt himſelf came from his ſteeple houſe, and having a ſtone in his hand of two or three pound waight, he deſperately threw it at one of the friends, and his wife alſo threw ſtones at friends, and they did ſo encourage the rude multitude, that they made a freſh aſſault upon them, and with great fury dragged and haled friends out of the meeting again, and threw them down and dragged them on the ground, and the Prieſt encouraged the rude people to ſtone the Friends, and ſaid it was warrantable by the Scriptures, and he would bear them out in it, and that if ever they came again he would ſet his maſtiff dog at them.

The people of the Lord being met together to wait upon the Lord, many rude Souldiers that belonged to the Iriſh Brigade came to the meeting place with ſtaves and crab-tree cudgels, and thruſt and puſht one another upon Friends, and one ſtanding up and bidding them be civil and quiet, they cryed out pull him down, and out with him, and ſo fell upon him, and the reſt of Friends, and forced them out of the meeting place, ſtriking them with their ſtaves, and ſome friends getting up into ſome upper rooms the Soldiers followed them up, & broke open the door and came to them, and there beat them & abuſed them very much, and at that time they drove ſome Friends into the water, and one they puſht down in the water, and bruiſed him ſo that the Blood ran down, another mans head was broken, and his blood ſhed in the ſtreet.

Some of the People of God being met together, &c. in the houſe of one John Elſon, in St. Johns ſtreet, (ſo called) there came a great company of rude people who violently threw ſtones at the ſaid John Elſon, (and other Friends) and broke his windows very much, and endeavoured to break down his door, and after the meeting was ended, the rude multitude fell upon one man, and pluckt off much of his hair, and ſhed much of his blood, and rent the clothes of others, and threw dirt in the ſaid John Elſons face and eyes, and ſpit upon him.

Many Friends being aſſembled together in the fear of God in Cummerwell in the Pariſh of Bradforth, there came ſeveral Troopers of Captain Edward Hungerfords Troop, who forced into the meeting, and pul'd out one Robert Storr, and had him to the City of Sarrum before the Commiſſioners, who upon examination of him ſaid, they found that he had been at an unlawful meeting, and ſo committed him to priſon.

Friends being peacably met together (in Maſe-moor) to wait upon the Lord, there came one John Coney of that place with a ſword in his hand, and violently thruſt open the door, and came into the room, and ſaid be gone, and ſtruck one Nicholas Wasfield ſeveral blows with his ſword in his ſcabbard, after which he drew his ſword, and thruſt violently at the ſaid Nicholas Wasfield, and gave him many ſore blows on the ſhoulders with his naked ſword, and being asked by whoſe order he did this, he ſaid by the Mayors order.

At another meeting of Friends at Cirenciſter in the County aforeſaid, on the 15. day of the 3d. Month, 1660. and on the 16. day at Nailſworth, there came (a wicked man that is a great Profeſſor, with ſome others with him, with their ſwords drawn and their piſtols cocked, and lighted matches in their hands) into the meeting, and laid hands on one Friend, and had him before the Mayor of Gloceſter, who ſaid to the Marſhal he ſhould take him away, and ſet a ſtrong guard of Musketeers to look to him, and this they did upon ſuſpition that he was a Jeſuit.

Friends being met together in the fear of the Lord at Calne, there came into the meeting ſeveral rude Souldiers with two Serjeants, who are under the command of Colonel Edward Bainton, and of his own company, commanded by Captain Lieutenant John Lavington, and commanded Friends to depart their meeting, who deſired to ſee their order, for breaking up their meeting, they being peacably met together, but the Souldiers anſwered their ſwords was their authority, and ſo with violence did hale Friends out of their meeting, uſing threatening words, and came in amongſt Friends with drawn ſwords and muskets cockt, although Friends made no reſiſtance.

At a meeting of Friends at Carliſle, the Souldiers came to the meeting, and with violence haled and thruſt out Friends out of their own houſe, and carried ſome to their guard, and one Friend they pluckt out by the head when he was at prayer, and pluckt him down.

John Thomas a ſervant of Sr. George Middleton (ſo called) ſet upon three women with impudent ſcoffs, ſaid he would kiſſe one of them, and did abuſe them and wrong them, and pluckt their coats looſe. And the ſame man did abuſe Friends, and he would have cut Friends with an Ax, but that he was reſtrained by ſome of his fellows, and the ſame Knights man ſet upon ſix friends as they were going to a Meeting to wait upon the Lord, who beat them and abuſed them, and bruiſed their faces, and ſhed much of the blood of two of them.

Friends being at a Meeting at Northwich, there came one John Cumberbatch of Nantwich, with many others of the new raiſed Militia, and haled out three of our friends, and carried them before the Commiſſioners, and keeps one a Priſoners, and ſhewed much abuſe to friends.

Friends going to a Meeting at or near Bellerbe, the Militia Souldiers beat them and broke their Meeting, and violently abuſed them, and ſtruck them with their naked Swords, and would not ſuffer them to meet, and this they did in the Name of the Higher Powers.

At a Meeting of Friends in Wesbidge, Thomas Lecock had his head broke that the blood ran down, and was knockt down, alſo another man was feld down with ſtones, alſo a maid was ſhot in the neck with a Piſtol which did receive much harm, and one William Allen was pluckt out of the Meeting, and when they had got him out, they cryed fall on, and few there was of our Friends that paſſed away without receiving much hurt, and it was judged by friends, that a load of ſtones and dirt were thrown into the Meeting room at Friends.

At a Meeting of Friends in Cambridge on the twentieth day of the 3d. Moneth, 1660. there came a great company of Scholars and other rude people to the meeting, and did exceedingly abuſe Friends, by dragging them out of the Meeting, and kicking them, and throwing them againſt the ground both old and young, men and women, and tore one Friends heir off his head, and abuſed others ſo, that it is a ſhame to relate.

Two Friends being in a houſe reading in the Bible, there came in ſome Souldiers and fetcht them before the Captain, who askt them ſeveral queſtions to enſnare them about the King, and would have forced them to drink the Kings health, and when he ſaw they would not be ſubject to his will, he began to rage, and enquired for the ſtocks, and then he called for a halter, and put it about one of the Friends neck, and ſo they put it over an iron hook, and ſtrained it as if they would have (immediately) taken away his life, and then he committed them into the hands of the Conſtable, and about two hours after they were brought before him again, and he asked them about the King again, and being not anſwered according to his will, he was much enraged againſt them, and ſtruck them ſeveral times on their bare heads, with his Piſtol, and then after much threatning he let them go. And the ſame Captain Abbington came that day to Nailſworth where Friends Meeting was, and got Bear, and would have had one Friend to drink the Kings health, but he refuſed and ſaid if the King were there himſelf, he did believe that the King would not require it of him, then one of the Souldiers preſented a Piſtol towards him and threatned to ſhoot, and ſtruck fire, and the ſame Souldiers beat and abuſed other friends at that time, and one of the Souldiers fell upon one Friend, and drew his ſword, and threatned to run him through, and afterwards put a rope about his neck, as if that they would have hanged him.

At another meeting of Friends on the firſt day of the 4th. moneth, 1660. the ſame Souldiers with a drum beating, came violently into the meeting place with their ſwords drawn, and Guns and other weapons, and one of the Souldiers with a naked ſword in his hand puld down the friend that was a declaring, and forced him out of the room, and took away him and moſt of the men that were there as Priſoners, and the Mayor of Glouceſter committed two of them to priſon, where they yet remain.

The Scholers with other rude People came into our meeting place (where we were met to worſhip God) did fall violently upon us, beating us until they drew the blood of many, pulling us out by the hair of the head, having no regard to old or young, men nor women with child, but tearing their cloaths, caſting them into the naſty and loathſome Channels in the ſtreets, and thoſe things they continued to us as a practice in our meetings; upon the thirteenth of the third Month called May, in the like manner they came into our meeting and violently broke the Locks and boults with great hammers, ſhamefully abuſing many, and no Magiſtrate appearing to ſuppreſs theſe things, but Alderman Blakely, whom they alſo abuſed in the like manner throwing him in the Channel.

Again upon the twenty ſeventh of the ſame Month the Scholers joyned themſelves together in a great number, falling upon us with ſticks, and ſtruck Friends on the heads, faces and hands to the hurting of many; a Juſtice of peace being in the room charged them in the Kings Name ſeveral times to be quiet and to keep the peace, but they not regarding that Authority, proceeded in violence, and got a Smiths great hammer, and broke open four doors, and broke a wooden window, and took pieces of the boards and beat us with them, and drew us out into the ſtreets, and there knocked ſeveral of us down, ſhedding the blood of twenty four perſons, that the blood lay upon the ſtones in the ſtreet, in the ſight of the People; and thus having broke down all the ſeats, windows and ſtairs, that the people could not get up into their lodging chambers, and having pulled us out into the ſtreets, ſome they held untill others put dirt into their mouths; at the ſame time alſo they ſtabbed two women in the ſtreet, as it is judged, with penknives, the one being an Aldermans Wife in the Town, the other a widow woman.

And in the like manner every firſt day of the week do they continue abuſing of us more or leſſe, And the Mayor of the Town who ſhould diſcourage and puniſh theſe evil doers, doth countenance and incourage them in it, ſetting his Officers to ſtop us from our meeting, ſaying, we ſhall have no more meetings, and hath given order unto his Officers to hinder us the next firſt day. Theſe are but a hint of things to repreſent the whole.

Witneſſes hereof Henery Forſter William Allen John Smith John Webb Samuel Nottingham Mathew Blakely Edward Salmon John Moone Euſebius Read Thomas Golden John Peace Thomas Read Thomas Hawkes George Naſh Philip Williamſon Clement Crabb John Harte Ruben Stevens Jeremiah Roſe Richard Steaton Edward Wright Samuel Cater Robert Letchworth Gregory Tingy James Blakely Alderman John Cranwell John Parnell

Friends being met together (at Bellerby in the County aforeſaid) in the worſhip and ſervice of God, there came to the door divers armed men crying, where be theſe rogues, we have order to break up your meeting, ſome of them ſaying we will cut you as ſmall as bread; whereupon a Friend went to the door to know the real cauſe of theſe ſo coming, and whether they had any order to hinder our peaceable meeting, ſo ſpeaking in meekneſs to them, telling them our meeting was in the fear of the Lord without a thought of harm to any Creature, and deſiring to ſee their order for ſo doing, one of them drew his ſword, and ſaid that was his order, and with it ſtruck him that ſpoke to him, upon which all the reſt fell upon friends beating and cutting them, and pulling them out of the meeting, ſhedding the blood of many, and bruſing many in a moſt uncivil and cruel manner, ſtriking down many to the ground, with that violence that their ſences were taken away, ſome lying upon the ground for dead, in which act of cruelty they cryed they were for the King, and pleaded his Authority for it, and ſo do abuſe his Name and Authority, Laws and ſubjects; in which cruelty about forty men of honeſt and good repute was cut with ſwords in their heads and bodies, and bruiſed and maimed, upon which ſeveral are lame, and ſome of them ſo wounded that it may be their death, the particular wounds in head, body, and arms we ſhall forbear to mention particularly, but the cruelty of it was ſuch that there was no regard unto any man of account, office or otherwiſe, which thing being conſidered in its cruelty might break the heart of him that pitties the people, or would preſerve the Nation in peace; beſides ſeveral women about ten or twelve were every one of them ſore abuſed with ſwords and ſtaves, and ſome of them drawn through the water, which is not onely ſuffering unto them, but is a great reproach and diſhonour unto the ſupreme authority and government in this Nation, which if it continue will produce very bad effects.

Some of the Names of thoſe that did appear with ſwords and ſtaves in this cruel perſecution are as followeth,

The ſeventh day of the eight Month 1660. many of the people of God coming together to worſhip God at Steventon in Bark ſhire, the Conſtable with many more being armed with halberts, prongs, pikes-ſtaves and other weapons, came to the houſe and pulled Friends out in a horrible brutiſh manner, tore their cloaths from their backs, and threw about ſix of them into the water, and took one man and trode upon him ſo long till the blood came from his mouth, and till ſome of the wicked brutiſh people cryed out take heed you do not ſtifle him, and ſome near 60. years of age were ſo ſerved, and then they drove us along in the dirt daſhing up the dirt upon us, and Friends demanding what warrant they had for their ſo doing, they ſaid they had Order, but ſhewed not any, and though we told them we had the word of the King for our quiet meetings, and General Moncks Order, but they regarded it not.

At a meeting in Fowlſham the Conſtable charged ſeveral of the Town to aid him in the Kings Name, and hailed Friends out of the meeting, beating ſome of them himſelf, and others throwing them down in the mire rending their cloaths, and caried away above one half of one mans cloak; and when he had got the rude Multitude together he left Friends in their hands, who beat them and threw ſtones and mire upon them. John Hilton.

Upon the twenty fourth day of the eight month in the year one thouſand ſix hundred and ſixty, Chriſtopher Taylor and Richard Scoſtrop, with many other Friends of the truth being met together in peace without harm to any, to wait upon the Lord, being in a piece of Ground belonging unto William Cave in the Town of Bramhup, Prieſt Croſsland called Miniſter of that Town, and Edward Wadington who called himſelf high Conſtable, came in amongſt us in much hatred & emnity, having gathered a Multitude of the rude people and baſer ſort of together, and when the ſaid Richard Scoſtrop and Chriſtopher Tailor being moved of the Lord, did inſtruct Friends and people in the way of the Lord, the ſaid Prieſt Croſsland and Edward Wadington, was the firſt that layd violent hands on them and hailed them away, charging the rude people who were found in ſwearing, lying, and curſing to aſſiſt them, to which they were ready, like their Prieſt, ſhowing forth the fruits of his teaching, hailing and puſhing them as if they had been theeves, that Chriſtopher Tailor was moved to ſay they were like to murther him, and Richard Scoſtrop was bloody with their tearing of him, not ſuffering them to ſpeak any words of exhortation to the people. But Prieſt Croſsland ſaid they had an order from the King not to ſuffer us to meet or ſpeak together, but we ſuppoſing it was not ſo, the Kings word being that none ſhould trouble or moleſt us for our Religion or opinion, while we lived peacably in the Nation, we demanded to ſee his warrant, which he denyed; and the rude people pulled Richard Scoſtrop as they were comanded by their Prieſt, up from his knees, being calling upon the Name of the Lord in prayer with Friends; now let all who have any ſoberneſs or underſtanding conſider if this Prieſt who is called a Miniſter of Chriſt, abides in his Doctrine, or if he be come to the Law and the Prophets, who ſaith, do unto all men as you would they ſhould do unto you, or did he ſo unto us; and he and the reſt dragged us out of their Town, and after they had like Wolves amongſt ſheep, teared us out of their Town, would not ſuffer us to ſtay in the common ſtreet, or reſt, but haled us on a long lane, and ſhoved us toward a common, far from the Town, and would not by any word was ſpoken, keep themſelves in peace towards us who offered harm to none.

Now in this manner and many ſeveral waies are we by Magiſtrates, prieſts and rude people who are incouraged and by their leaders cauſed to err, perſecuted in pretence of warrant from the King, and power given from him, and as it was in Olivers time done by them unto us, ſo is it now, and our ſufferings in many places greater, and the hand of the evil doers more ſtrenghthened againſt us, who ſince we were a people, have not perſecuted any, or ſought revenge againſt our perſecutors in the leaſt manner, but with patience have ſuffered what hath been done unto us, knowing that all who will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution, and be hated of all men for his Names ſake, and do rejoyce that we are counted worthy.

Theſe Friends of the truth whoſe Names are under written, who do give their Teſtimony of the truth and of Things herein mentioned, who were preſent at the time of this perſecution, Nicolas Rawſon, John Jackſon, Michael Renold, Anthony Weſt, William Overhead, John Barber, with many more Friends.

This day week our meeting was broken, and ſome had before one called a Juſtice, who theatened if we met again, to ſend us to priſon.

Friends being met together in the fear of the Lord in Portſmouth, videlicet, On the twenty one day of the eight Month laſt paſt they met together in ſilence at a Friends houſe, where as they were waiting upon the Lord there came a guard of Souldiers and beſet the houſe, and ſome they hailed out of the meeting, and dragged the man out of the houſe down the ſtreet to the main guard, and then brought him up to his houſe again, and ſhut him with the reſt in the houſe until the ſecond day about the ſeventh hour at night, and then turned them forth and withdrew their guard; then upon the next firſt day being the twenty eight day of the eight Month, as Friends were met together, there was likewiſe a guard of Souldiers beſet the houſe and kept about twenty and one perſons cloſe priſoners in the Friends houſe (which was all that were then gathered together) and there kept them, not ſuffering any proviſion to come to them but 〈…〉 they kept them all there until about the ſixth day of the week following, and then came and haled forth ſuch as was not of the Town and ſet them at liberty, but the reſt being about ten Friends they keep ſtill priſoners in the houſe; then the laſt firſt day thoſe that were not Impriſoned met together in another place at a Friends houſe, and them they haled forth of their meeting and committed the men to a priſon in the Town called Felltons hole, where they ſtil remain, and all this is (as they ſay) becauſe Friends will not promiſe them not to meet any more in Town as the baptiſts hath done; This is a ſhort relation of their cruelty in that place towards Friends.

David Jones Impriſoned in that County for not coming to the ſteeple-houſe, who if he would pay 1. s. per week for 12. Moneths paſt, all which time he hath not been there, which comes to 2. pounds 12. s. he might be releaſt.

John Pollard and Joſeph Pollard impriſoned firſt in Colcheſter Caſtle 13. Moneths and 2. weeks, then returned from Colcheſter to the upper Bench priſon, and there kept priſoner five Moneths and a week, and is ſince committed to the Fleet Priſon, at the ſuit of Mathias Armiger, Farmer of Tythes, who with Benjamin Maddock (for leſs then 2. years Tythes valued to be worth about 35. pound) have taken 57. Cows and Bullocks, with one Bull, in all worth about 12. ſcore pounds from the ſaid John and Joſeph Pollard, and returned nothing again, and is kept a Priſoner beſides.

Samuel Thornton, being in a Meeting at Leeds, with many more of the Lords people, though he be a free man of the ſame Town, was taken violently out of the Meeting by Martin Iles and John Dawſon Alderman, and hailed to Priſon, and there detained 5. dayes, with ſeveral others which was alſo haled forth of the ſame Meeting, which were Inhabitants within the ſaid Borrough, and the ſaid Samuel Thornton, by the ſaid Alderman was ordered to be whipt and ſent from Conſtable to Conſtable, which was done accordingly, though the place of his natural birth was but three miles from thence, and he well known in the ſaid Town.

Alſo, Samuel Thornton was taken forth of a peaceable Meeting of the people of God at Holbetk, by order of the Prieſt there, and haled to Leeds before the ſaid Alderman with two more, who cauſed a Mittemus to be made and ſent him to the Correction-houſe at Wakefield for a Vagrant, where he was detained three Moneths, and he had been an Apprentice in the ſame Town, and after was called to the Seſſions and there fined 10. pounds and ſent to Priſon again, though he had broken no known Law, nor for any other thing, but for being in a peaceable Meeting amongſt Gods People.

Dudly Templer of Wethersfield in Eſſex, ſent William Allen to Priſon, for no other cauſe but for coming to the Town of Wethersfield to a Meeting there, and ſince from time to time his Clerk with many of the Town, in a violent manner have pulled us out of our Meetings, and not ſuffered us to be at quiet, but ſometime ſet guards of men in ſeveral places to keep us from meeting, and ſometime fined ſeveral for coming to our meeting, and from John Child, by a warrant from him or by his Order, they pretending a warrant, they took a horſe, Sadle and Pillion and what belonged to him, and kept him three weeks but one day, and then ſent him home, without ſadle, bridle, pillion and the reſt which they keep to this day, notwithſtanding have been oft demanded of them; And they beat many friends much for coming to the Town, and ſuffered rude boyes and others without reproof to abuſe ſober people, to the ſhame of Juſtice and the poſſeſſion of their Town, and this hath been done in the preſence and hearing of him the ſaid Dudly Templer and not reproved; And he himſelf hath ſcoffed at Friends, and evil intreated many, and ſet the rude people on to hale us out of the Town, when if any thing could have been charged againſt us, he being a Juſtice and a Commander of a Troop of Horſe, might have brought any of us to tryal, and not in ſuch a manner, contrary to Law and Juſtice, have abuſed us, and broken the peace of this Nation, and ſo rendred himſelf uncapable to to Rule, and is to be ruled by Juſtice himſelf.

And of this his proceedings hundreds can teſtifie who have been eye-witneſſes, and ſufferers by him, and his Clerk, and others of the Town of Wetherfield.

At a Meeting in Thaxted in Eſſex, the People of God being met peaceably together to wait upon the Lord, a great company of rude people of the Town gathered otgether about the houſe, ſwearing and curſing what they would do to the Quakers as they called them, and the place of their meeting being neer the high way, they caſt in dirt and ſtones, to the great annoyances of the peaceable people that were then waiting upon the Lord, and they were much abuſed by ſtones and abundance of dirt caſt upon them, which the rude people took out of the open ſtreet; and there came a drunkard ſwearing and raging, like unto a mad man, and he and the rude people broke into the houſe, and laid violent hands upon many of the peaceable people, and endeavoured to pull him down that was ſpeaking to the people in the fear of God.

And for ſome hours in this manner they abuſed ſober people in their own houſe that were met together to wait upon the Lord and to worſhip him in ſpirit; and when ſome went to ſome of the Magiſtrates in the Town to acquaint them with this abuſe, deſiring them to keep the peace, they made light of the matter, and would not appeaſe the rude Multitude nor preſerve the ſober people in their juſt right and liberties, for it was ſaid that one of the Magiſtrates ſhould ſpeak to the drunken fellow aforeſaid to come up into our meeting, and bad him make ſport; and ſo great was the abuſe that the ſober People was forced to remove their meeting to another place, whither the rude people alſo followed them, and did caſt dirt and ſtones at them.