Forgery detected and innocency vindicated being a faithful account of the seasonable discovery of an horrid and detectible slander raised on the Anabaptists of New-England, in the diabolical pamphlet entituled, Mr. Baxter baptized in blood, designing so maliciously the reproach and exposure of all under that denomination.

Forgery Detected, &c.

IT hath been always the Malicious Practice of that grand Slanderer Satan and his Inſtruments, ſince the firſt times of Chriſtianity, when they could not reſiſt the Power of Religion, to defame the Perſons and Aſſemblies of all Chriſtians, with foul and hateful Crimes laid to their charge; putting them into Skins of Beaſts, that Dogs might devour them, as appears by the Apoligies of Tertullian, and other of the Ancients, who wrote in their behalf. By which it appears that thoſe Defamations fixed no laſting blot upon Men and Meetings, unleſs with ſome Raſh and very Credulous Perſons.

But this unparallel'd Slanderer hath hatcht a Forgery beyond all Story, not only under the ſpecious pretence of Piety (intitling God himſelf, his holy Word, and all that is ſacred therein) but ſet forth with the formalities of Names, Speeches, Actions, Time and Place; Orderly & moſt Pathetically diſcribing the moſt Execrable Murder that ever was known; Exceeding the Cruelties of the moſt Savage Heathen; And as his own words to the life expreſſeth it, ſuch a villany which the Myrmidons, and Scythians in the midſt of Barbariſm it ſelf never heard of, viz. of firſt Stripping and cruelly Whipping, then Unboweling and Fleying alive a Reverent Godly Miniſter in his own Houſe, in the midſt of the howling Grones and Scrichings of his dear Relations lying bound before him; And this by Anabaptiſts, and that for no other provocation, but being worſted by him in Diſputation. And the better to create belief, this dreadful Story muſt here be made publick by his pretended Mournful Brother, as a known Inhabitant in this City, and the real Stamp of Publick Allowance (ſuruptitiouſly obtained, to avow the truth thereof) put upon it.

That by ſo faining (yet credibly relating the Fiction of this unſpeakable Villany perpetrated in New-England by ſuch Anabaptiſts that never were) he might bring into Obloquy, Hatred, and Hazard, all of that name in other places, as acceſſary to a Murder done, which was never done.

And may it not be truly ſaid that the Bounds of Chriſtian Profeſſion are not wide enough to afford us an Example parallel to the prodigious Malice of this lying Defamer, pretending this horrid Fact as done by Anabaptiſts, that he might the better expoſe the whole Profeſſion of them in all Parts, though never ſo Innocent, to the Hatred and Rage of the People in all places againſt them; the whole deſign of the Pamphlet being no other than to put them into Sambenita's, that is, painting them like Devils, both in corrupt Doctrines, and wicked Converſations, that he might render them the more odious and obnoxious throughout the World; concluding it in theſe words, viz. I have penn'd and publiſhed this Narrative in perpetuam rei memoriam, that the world may ſee the Spirit and Temper of theſe Men, and that it may ſtand as an Eternal Memorial of their Cruelty and Hatred to all Orthodox Miniſters.

But thanks be to the God of Truth and Righteouſneſs, who hath timouſly and ſeaſonably diſcovered ſo horrible a Slander and Impoſture, by the arrival of a Ship which came from New-England, above twenty dayes ſince this Murder was ſaid to be committed; the Maſter of which Ship, and a Merchant living at Boſton in New-England, the place where this Fact is ſaid to have been acted, teſtifying upon Oath that they knew of no ſuch Fact, no ſuch Perſons, either Murdering or Murdered; Nor any Cauſes or Circumſtances, of any ſuch deed done, in the place from whence they came, or in the whole Plantation of New-England; and that they hold it for a meer Fable and abſurd Fiction, as appeareth by the Affidavit it ſelf before the Lord Mayor, hereto annexed, viz.

The Affidavits of the two New-England Men.

RICHARD MARTIN, Maſter of the good Ship the Bloſſom of Boſton, of New-England, Merchant; and HENRY MOUNTFORT of Boſton aforeſaid, Merchant, make Oath, That on the 26th Day of February laſt paſt, they theſe Deponants ſet ſaile from Boſton aforeſaid, for the Port of London; and theſe Deponants alſo ſay, and affirm, that they the ſaid Deponants for diverſe Years laſt paſt have had their conſtant Reſidence and Aboad in or near Boſton, aforeſaid; But theſe Deponants and either of them for himſelf ſaith, that they never heard of or knew any Miniſter called or known by the name of JOSIAH BAXTER, nor was there, to theſe Deponants Knowledge or Belief, any Diſpute or Controverſie whatſoever between the ſaid BAXTER, and the ANABAPTISTS in New-England, of or concerning any Point of Religion: Neither was there any Report at Boſton aforeſaid, or any other Place in New-England, of or concerning any Murder pretended to have been committed upon the ſaid BAXTER, or any other Perſon or Perſons whatſoever by any ANABAPTISTS in New-England. And theſe Deponants do verily believe that the late Book intituled Mr. BAXTER baptized in Blood, is an abſolute Pamphlet, and a very great Falſhood, for that theſe Deponants were reſiding at Boſton aforeſaid two and twenty Dayes after the ſaid Murder (in the ſaid Pamphlet mentioned) is pretended to have been committed.

21 May 1673. Ambo jurat. ſuer. coram me, RICHARD MARTIN. HENRY MOUNTFORT. RO. HANSON, Mayor.

Hereupon the Lord Mayor was pleaſed by his Officers not only to interdict the vending the ſaid ſcandalous Pamphlet, but to ſeize it in the hands of the Hawkers and Mercuries that ſold the ſame, and to ſuppreſs a ſecond Impreſſion thereof in the Preſs, committing alſo to Priſon ſeveral of the Publiſhers.

And whereas this barbarous Murder is ſaid to be publiſhed by Benjamin Baxter living in Fen-Church-ſtreet, the the mournful Brother of the ſaid Joſiah Baxter (falſly ſaid to be murdered) whom after all our diligent ſearch both in Fen-Church-ſtreet and elſewhere, we cannot find; as appears by the Teſtimony of the Churchwardens, Overſeers, and Beadles of Fen-Church-ſtreet here following, Viz.

The Certificate of the Officers of the Ward.

WHereas We have lately ſeen a Pamphlet, entituled, Mr. Baxter baptized in Blood, ſaid to be publiſhed by his mournful Brother, Benjamin Baxter living in Fen-Church-ſtreet, London, We the Church-wardens, Overſeers and Beadles, do Certifie that there is no ſuch Man doth or hath within our memory lived in the two Wards of Aldgate and Longburne, in which Fen-Church-ſtreet is ſcituate. To the Truth of which Atteſtation we whoſe Names are under-written, have ſet our Hands this preſent 27th day of May, 1673.

Church-wardens. Thomas Baylie Will. Wickins Gordard Fletch Thomas Fiſher Overſeers. Sam. Loveday Ralph Almond Beadles. Will. Tyrlington Thomas Smith

It is true we find one William Baxter a Packer living in Fenchurch-Street, who declareth that he never had a Brother at Virginia or New-England; that he had never heard of this Joſiah Baxter, a Miniſter, nor knew any thing at all of the Story or its writing or being publiſhed.

We have by diligent ſearch, providentially found out the firſt Publiſhers of this lying Pamphlet, one of whom by name Seymer (a pretended Doctor of Phyſick) we have met with; the other who is known by the name of Lawrance Savil (yet through guilt hiding his head) we have not met with; who confeſſeth himſelf (by a Letter to one of us) drawn in and cheated by this imaginary and ſuppoſititious Benjamin Baxter: but how likely a ſtory he tells, and whether there is not good cauſe to conclude him the man himſelf, let the intelligent Reader judge by the peruſal thereof, hereunto added, viz.

Lawrance Savil's Letter. SIR,

THE Doctor (viz. Seymer aforeſaid) has urged and preſſed me by ſeveral Letters to give the world a full and ſatisfactory account of this buſineſs of Mr. Baxters Pamphlet: Mr. Benjamin Baxter, the Author of the late Pamphlet, about nine Weeks ſince inſinuated into my Acquaintanice, firſt in Grays-Inn Walks, and afterwards at a Coffee-houſe in Holborn; I met him often in the Walks, from thence we went to the Coffee houſes; I was well pleaſed with his Company, becauſe hee ſeem'd an ingenious Perſon, a good Scholar, and an Orthodox Member of the Church of England; He uſed alwayes to diſpute againſt the Anabaptiſts, and in Coffee-houſes to be ſo fierce in his Invectives againſt that Party, that ſometimes he became ridiculous to the company; he would often much comment on the encreaſe of that party. Afterwards he told me, he was compoſing a general Hiſtory of the firſt Original and Progreſs of the Anabaptiſts, with a full confutation of their Tenets; which he was confident would be a work very acceptable to the ſober part of the Nation.

Then be told me he had a particular Kindneſs for me, and that I ſhould have the publiſhing of it, by which he was ſure I might gain no leſ then 100 l. I returned him thanks for his Kindneſs, and told him I was not as quainted in things of that Nature, but that it was more fit for ſome Bookſeller to deal in, and that it would require a Disburſment of a conſiderable Summ of Money, which I was loth to venture. He inſtantly replied, that though I was ignorant in the buſineſs of Printing, yet he underſtood it well, and had printed ſeveral things, but now his Buſineſs coming on ſo faſt, he had no time to follow it himſelf, but (if I pleaſed) would wholly imploy me in it, and would disburſe the Money for Printing and Paper, but leave the Profit intirely to me. I muſt confeſs theſe Offers ſeem'd very fair, I could not handſomly refuſe ſuch Kindneſs. So the Buſineſs was concluded, and I every Day expected this Elaborate Work for the Preſs. I ſaw him no more for eight Dayes together (at which I much wondred) but one Evening at Grays-Inn I met him in a moſt heavy and diſconſolate Condition: after I had preſt him to diſcourſe the Cauſes of his Grief, he told me his Sorrows were unexpreſſible, that his dear Brother that was formerly gone to Virginia he heard was kill'd by the Anabaptiſts; and then in a great Paſſion he flung me three Letters, and had me read them; He ſaid he was reſolved to immortalize the Fact, and let it ſtand for ever as an Eternal Memorial againſt that Party. I was much troubled at the ſad Fate of his Brother, and ſo we parted. Some three Dayes after we met again, and then he ſhewed me the Copy of this Pamphlet, and told me be came juſt then from Lambeth, and that Doctor Parker had Licenſed it, for (ſaid he) I ſhewed Doctor Parker the three Letters, and could not forbear Weeping. Could you your ſelf have doubted of the reality of the buſineſs, if you had ſeen the Licenſe to it, his Tears and paſſionate expreſſions, and alſo the three Letters? So at laſt I condeſcended to do it. The next day I went to Mr. Darby, and deſired him to print it; he took a veiw of the Copy, and ſaid he was not ſatisfied of the truth of it: But he would recommend me to a Cavalier Printer (as he expreſſed it) in Jewen-Street, who would readily perform the buſineſs. I deferred the publiſhing for ſeven or eight dayes, expecting to hear ſome Objection againſt it, but meeting not with any, I publiſhed it. Mr. Baxter conſtantly met me every day, and always urged the expedite and ſudden publication of the Narrative. I told him it was coming forth. He told me I ſhould command what money I deſired, for this and ſeveral other Books he had to come forth. I replied, that none was wanting yet, but when it was printed, the Printer was to be paid. Upon May 15 I ſhewed him a proof-ſheet; he ſaid he was glad the buſineſs was ſo forward, he would go to the Goldſmith to Morrow; for, ſaid he, that will be ſoon enough for the Printer; But in the mean time, ſayes he, pray let me have 4 or 5 Guineys till to Morrow. I told him I had not ſo much about me, but what I had he ſhould have: So I let him have 40 s. So we parted. The next Day I expected him, but he came no more, neither have I ever ſeen or heard from him ſince.

Formerly when I asked him concerning his Lodging; he ſaid he lived in Fen-Church-ſtreet, but he was ſeldom at home, and it was impoſſible for me to meet with him: He ſaid he was an Atturney, and had good imployment that way. Thus has this Fellow put me upon a buſineſs, and now unworthily deſerted me. And now I begin too late to perceive him either to be a Cheat, or to be groſly cheated and gull'd with falſe Letters; For he ſeveral times ſaid he had not heard of his Brother ſince his Departure out of England till now. If I can do any further Service in the Matter, I ſhall be very ready and willing, for unleſs Baxter appears in his own Defence, and pay me the Mony I lent him, I ſhall certainly conclude him a Cheat.

As for my Friend the Doctor, he was altogether unconcerned in the matter, and did only recommend me to a Printer at my Requeſt. All this that I have writ, I will avouch to be moſt true, and if you pleaſe to print it, I will ſtand to it, and juſtify it to be the naked Truth of the Buſineſs.

May 20 1673. Your real Friend, Laurance Savill.

An addreſs being made to the Council-Board; they, upon the Examination of the buſineſs, finds it Falſe and Fictitious, and accordingly ordered the publiſhing the ſame in the Gazette, viz.

The Order of Council.

VVHereas there is a Pamphlet lately publiſhed, Entituled Mr. Baxter Baptized in Blood, containing a horrible Murder committed by four Anabaptiſts upon the Perſon of Mr. Joſiah Baxter, neer Boſton in New-England. The whole matter having been inquired into, and examined at the Council-Board, is found altogether Falſe and Fictitious.

Edw. Walker.

The Licenſer being alſo made acquainted with the whole matter, confeſſeth his miſtake, and too ſudden Credulity in the Licenſing ſo ſtrange a Pamphiet, as appeareth by the Teſtimonial hereto inſerted under his hand, viz.

Dr. Parkers Teſtimonial.

VVHereas there was a certain Pamphlet lately publiſhed under the Title of Mr. Baxter Baptized in Blood, containing a Narrative of a Murder committed on the Perſon of one Joſiah Baxter a Miniſter neer Boſton in New-England; which Narrative was allowed of, Licenſed, and publickly expoſed to Sale. Theſe are to certifie that the Allowance and Licenſe thereof was obtained at the deſire and ſuggeſtion of one Lawrance Savil, who in Order to procure the ſame, did really produce to the Licenſer Letters and Teſtimonials under the hands (as he pretended) of ſeveral Perſons in New-England, containing the particular Circumſtances of the ſaid Relation, and aſſerting the truth of the ſame, as in the printed Copy is expreſſed. All which upon further inquiry and examination, the ſaid Licenſer hath ſince evidently found to be Fictitious and untrue, contrived and invented here in England, without any Warrant or Atteſtation from beyond the Seas. And ſo much he hath thought fit to publiſh, to the end that no Perſon may be abuſed or Impoſed upon by a Report, which, as he is now ſufficiently convinced, is both falſe and groundleſs.

Read in Council, 30th May 1673. Sam. Parker.

BY all this, and what more we hope yet to find out of this wicked and inhumane deſign, (as cruel in the intention, as the fact is in the fiction, and both equally deteſtible) our Integrity and Innocency will the more appear.

And although to be falſely accuſed, directly or indirectly, is a great exerciſe; yet to be cleared, and timely acquited we look at to be a good providence of God to us. For what have we done, or what are our Principles in Religion, that men ſhould think us any wayfitted or diſpoſed to conceive, commit, approve, and not abhorr ſuch abominable crimes as theſe are? what is in our Practice of being Baptized in Water upon the profeſſion of Faith, that ſhould incline us to ſuch henious doings, above all others, in the thoughts of any ſenſible or rational men?

And although perhaps this Pamphlet hath wrought ſome prejudice in the minds of many men againſt us for a while, yet conſidering how ſeaſonably it hath pleaſed God to detect and defeat the malicious and cruel deſign of this Diabolical Stratagem,

We have cauſe to acknowledge the goodneſs of God therein; and patiently to bear ſuch ſlandrous Reports, eſpecially remembring that what is now our Caſe, was the common Caſe of all Chriſtians heretofore, to be defamed and evil ſpoken of without cauſe, though it hath not befallen many to be ſo clearly and fully acquitted.

We leave this Record to poſterity, as a ſignal example to future Ages, how injuriouſly and cruelly the Malice of ſome men hath vented it ſelf againſt us and our Profeſſion, and how ſpeedily and opportunely the Goodneſs and favour of God hath appeared in our timely and ſucceſsful Vindication. When as that which this wicked Author hath boaſted to the perpetual Memory of the Fact, will be found to turn upon him to his eternal Shame.

FINIS.