The charge given by the Ld. Ch. Justice Jefferies at the city of Bristol, Monday, September 21, 1685, in his return from his western campaigne Jeffreys, George Jeffreys, Baron, 1644 or 5-1689. 1685 Approx. 13 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 3 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A46718 Wing J527 ESTC R1431 12887036 ocm 12887036 95037

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A46718) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 95037) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 386:3) The charge given by the Ld. Ch. Justice Jefferies at the city of Bristol, Monday, September 21, 1685, in his return from his western campaigne Jeffreys, George Jeffreys, Baron, 1644 or 5-1689. 4 p. s.n., [London? : 1685] Caption title. Place and date of publication from Wing.

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eng Great Britain -- History -- James II, 1685-1688. 2004-06 Assigned for keying and markup 2004-07 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-08 Sampled and proofread 2004-08 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
THE CHARGE GIVEN BY THE Ld. Ch. Justice Jefferies, AT THE CITY of BRISTOL, Monday, September 21. 1685. In his Return from his Western Campaigne. Gentlemen,

I Am, by the Mercy of God, come to this great and populous City, a City that boasts both of its Riches and Trade, and may justly indeed claim the next place to the great and populous Metropolis of this Kingdom. Gentlemen, I find here are a great many Auditors, who are very intent, as if they expected some formal or prepared Speech, but assure your selves, we come not to make neither set Speeches; nor formal Declamations, nor to follow a couple of puffing Trumpeters; for, Lord, we have seen those things Twenty times before: No, we come to do the King's business; a King who is so Gracious as to use all the means possible to discover the Disorders of the Nation, and to search out those who, indeed, are the very Pest of the Kingdom: To this end, and for this purpose are we come to this City. But I find a special Commission is an unusual thing here, and relishes very ill; nay, the very Women storm at it, for fear we should take the upper hand of them too; for by the by, Gentlemen, I hear it is much in fashion in this City for the Women to govern and bear sway. But, Gentlemen, I will not stay you with such needless Stories, I will only mention some few things that fall within my knowledg; for Points or Matters of Law I shall not trouble you, but only mind you of some things that lately hath happened, and particularly in this City (for I have the Kalender of this City in my Pocket); and if I do not express my self in so formal or set a Declamation (for as I told you, I came not to make Declamations) or in so smooth Language as you may expect, you must attribute it partly to the pain of the Stone, under which I labour, and partly to the unevenness of this days journey.

Gentlemen, I may say, that even some of the youngest amongst us may remember the late horrid Rebellion, how men, under colour of Law, and pretext of Justice, after they had divested a most Gracious and most Merciful Prince of all his Royal Power, by the Power of the Sword; they, I say, under colour of Law, and pretext of Justice (which added the more to the Crime, that it was done under colour of such pretended Justice) brought the most Mild and Meekest Prince (next to our ever Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, if we may but compare him to a Man) to die a Martyr, the first blessed Martyr, (pardon the expression; besides our most blessed Jesu, who suffered for us on the Cross, I say, besides that Blessed Son of God) this, I say, was the first Royal Martyr; not suffering him to speak for himself, or make his defence; a Liberty which is given to the vilest Traitor; and this was done (not to descant on the number) by Forty one. The Rebels not resting here, for Rebellion is like the sin of Witchcraft, Divested the Lineal, Legal, and Rightful Heir of the Crown, of all his Power and Prerogative, till the Mighty God of Heaven and Earth, God Almighty, restored him to his Just Right: And he, as if begot in Mercy, not only forgave all Offences, and pardoned voluntarily, even all that had been in actual Arms against him (excepting those accursed Regicides) but also made it a Crime for any one that should but remember, or upbraid any of their past Crimes and Rebellions. Good God! O Jesu! that we should live in such an Age, in which such a Prince cannot be safe from the seditious contrivances of Pardoned Rebels! Had we not the Rye Conspiracy, wherein they not only designed to have Murthered that Most Blessed (for so now we may conclude him to be with God Almighty) and Gracious King, but also his Most ever Dear and Victorious Brother? Had we not the Bill of Exclusion, which our most Gracious King told us, he could not, without a manifest Infringement of the Royal Prerogatives of the Crown (which are too sacred for us to touch) consent to? Had we not the Cursed Counsel of Ahitophel? Kings are God's Vicegerents on Earth, and are indeed God's on Earth, and we Represent them. Now when God Almighty had of his Infinite Goodness, called this Blessed Prince unto himself, he sends a Prince, who assures us he will imitate his Royal Brother and Renowned Predecessor in all things, especially in that of his Clemency and Mercy, and that too upon the word of a King. A King, I will assure you, that will not be worse than his Word. Nay (Pardon the Expression) that dare not be worse than his Word. Which of you all, that had a Father Murthered by another, (and that deliberately too, under colour of Justice, which added to the Crime; and your Brother, nay your selves thrust out from your Inheritance, and banished from your Country; nay, that sought your Blood likewise) would not when it was in your power revenge such Injuries, and ruin such Persecutors. But here our most blessed Prince, whom God long preserve, hath not only forgiven, but will venture his Life for the Defence of such his Enemies? Has he not ventured his Life already, as far as any man, for the Honour of these Kingdoms? Nay, I Challenge this City to shew me any one man of it, that perchance may not be worth a Groat, that has ventured his life so far for the safety of these Kingdoms, as this Royal Prince hath done. Good God! what an Age do we live in! shall not such a Prince be secure from the Sedition, Rebellion and Plots of Men? He is scarce seated on his Royal Throne (where God Almighty grant he may long reign) but on the one hand he is invaded by a Condemned Rebel and Arch traytor, who hath received the just reward of his Rebellion. On the other hand up starts a Poppet Prince, who seduces the Mobile into Rebellion, into which they are easily bewitched; for I say, Rebellion is like the sin of Witchcraft; this man who had as little Title to the Crown as the least of you (for I hope all you are Legitimate) being overtaken by Justice, and by the goodness of his Prince brought to the Scaffold, he has the confidence (good God! that men should be so impudent) to say, That God Almighty did know with what joyfulness he did die, (a Traytor); having for these two years last past lived in all Incontinency and Rebellion, notwithstanding the goodness of an Indulgent Prince so often to pardon him; but it is just like him. Rebellion (as I told you) is like the sin of Witchcraft. For there was another which I shall not name, because I will not trample on the dust of the Dead, but you may remember him by the words of his Speech; he tells you, That he thanks his God that he falls by the Ax, and not by the Fiery Trial. He had rather (he had as good have said) die a Traytor than a Blessed Martyr.

Great God of Heaven and Earth! what reason have men to Rebel! But as I told you, Rebellion is like the sin of Witchcraft; Fear God and Honour the King, is rejected by People for no other Reason, as I can find, but that it is written in St. Peter. Gentlemen, I must tell you, I am afraid that this City hath too many of these People in it. And it is your Duty to search them out; for this City added much to that Ships Loading; there was your Tyly's, your Roe's, and your Wades-men, started up like Mushrooms, Scoundrel Fellows, mere Sons of Dunghills; these men must forsooth set up for Liberty and Property. A Fellow that carries the Sword before Mr. Maior must be very careful of his Property, and turn Politician, as if he had as much Property as the Person before whom he bears the Sword; though perchance not worth a Groat. Gentlemen, I must tell you, you have still here the Tyly's, the Roe's, and the Wade's: I have brought a Brush in my Pocket, and I shall be sure to Rub the Dirt where ever it is, or on whomsoever it sticks. Gentlemen, I shall not stand Complementing with you, I shall talk with some of you before you and I part: I tell you, I tell you, I have brought a Besome, and I will sweep every Mans door, whether great or small. Must I mention Particulars? I hope you will save me that trouble; yet I will hint a few things to you, that perchance I have heard of. This is a great City, and the Magistrates wonderful Loyal, and very forward to assist the King with Men, Money and Provisions, when the Rebels were just at your Gates: I do believe it would have went very hard with some of you if the Enemy had entred the City, notwithstanding the Endeavours that was used to accomplish it. Certainly they had and must have great incouragement from a Party within, or else why should their Design be on this City. Nay, when the Enemy was within a Mile of you, that a Ship should be set on fire in the midst of you as a Signal to the Rebels, and to amuse those within; when if God Almighty had not been more gracious unto you han you was to your selves; (so that Wind and Tyde was for you), for what I know, the greatest part of this City had perished; and yet you are willing to believe it was Accident. Certainly here is a great many of those men which they call Trimmers. A Whig is but a meer Fool to these; for a Whig is some sort of a subject in comparison of these; for a Trimmer is but a Cowardly and base spirited Whig; for the Whig is but the Journey-man-Prentice, that is hired, and set on in the Rebellion, whilest the Trimmer is afraid to appear in the Cause; he stands at a doubt, and says to himself, I will not assist the King until I see who has the best of it; And refuses to entertain the King's Friends for fear the Rebels should get the better of it. These men stink worse than the worst dirt you have in your City; these men have so little Religion, that they forget that he that is not for us is against us. Gentlemen, I tell you, I have the Kalender of this City here in my hand. I have heard of those that have searched into the very sink of a Conventicle to find out some sneaking Rascal to hide their Money by night. Come, come, Gentlemen, to be plain with you, I find the dirt of the Ditch is in your Nostrils. Good God! where am I, in Bristol! this City it seems claims the Privilege of Hanging and Drawing amongst themselves; I find you have more need of a Commission once a Month at least. The very Magistrates which should be the Ministers of Justice, fall out one with another to that degree, they will scarce Dine with each other, whilst it is the business of some cunning men that lye behind the Curtain to raise Divisions amongst them, and set them together by the Ears, and knock their Logger-heads together; yet I find they can agree for their Interest. Or if there be but a Kid in the case; for I hear the Trade of Kid-napping is of much Request in this City, they can discharge a Felon, or a Traytor, provided they will go to Mr. Alderman's Plantation at the West-Indies. Come, come, I find you stink for want of Rubbing. Gentlemen, what need I mind you of these things? I hope you will search into them, and inform me. It seems the Dissenters and Phanaticks fare well amongst you, by reason of the favour of the Magistrates; for example, if a Dissenter, who is a Notorious and Obstinate Offender, comes before them to be fined, one Alderman or other stands up and says, He is a good man (though three parts a Rebel); well then, for the sake of Mr. Alderman, he shall be fined but 5 s. Then comes anothe, and up stands another Goodman Alderman, and says, I know him to be an honest man (though rather worse than the former); Well, for Mr. Alderman's sake he shall be Fined but half a Crown; so Manus manum frirat, You play the Knave for me now, and I will play the Knave for you by and by. I am ashamed of these things: And I must not forget to tell you, that I hear of some differences amongst the Clergy, those that ought to Preach Peace and Unity to others: Gentlemen, these things must be looked into. I shall not now trouble you any further, there are several other things, but I expect to hear of them from you. And if you do not tell me of some of these things, I shall remind you of them. And I find by the Number of your Constables, this is a very large City, and it is impossible for one or two to search into all the corners of it; therefore mind the Constables of their Duties, and call on them for their Presentments; for I expect every Constable to bring in his Presentment, or that you Present him. So Adjourn, &c.

FINIS.

Upon Affidavits read, and other Evidence against Sir William Haymand the Mayor, Alderman Lawford and others, for Kid-napping, there being Bills privately preferred to the Grand Jury by John Rumsey, and being found, he made the Mayor and the Aldermen concerned to go from the Bench to the Bar to plead to the Informations; using many Expressions, saying of the Mayor, See how the Kid-napping Rogue looks, &c.