We the Grand-Jury, Summoned and Sworn for this present Sessions of the Peace, holden for this Town and Borough of Southwark, do with all Humble Deference to our Superiors, Present as followeth, viz.

I. THAT what the Wise and Learned King James, his Majesties Royal Grandfather of Blessed Memory has, from his Own Observation, and sad Experience (among other things) so solemnly Asserted in His Excellent Book of Instructions to his Eldest Son Prince Henry, concerning the Puritans of that Age, may as truly be affirmed of the generality of the Separatists of our Times; to wit, Basil. Doron, p. 31. That they are the very Pests in the Church and Common-weal, whom no Deserts can Oblige, neither Oaths or Promises Bind; Breathing nothing but Sedition and Ca­lumnies, Aspiring without Measure, Railing without Reason, and making their own Imaginations (without any Warrant of the Word) the square of their Conscience; and that ye shall never find with any High-land, or Border-Thieves greater In­gratitude, and more Lies and vile Perjuries, than with these Phanatick Spirits.

II. That Popery and Phanaticism being equally gross Defections from Primitive Christianity, and equally destructive of the Esta­blished Government of these Kingdoms both in Church and State, equal Zeal and Vigor, as we humbly conceive, ought to be used towards the Extirpation of them both: And the rather, for that it is plain from Coleman's Papers, and other unquestionable Evidence, that ever since his Majesties happy Restauration, both Papist and Phanatick, for the compassing their end of Subverting the present Establishment, have been united in their Endeavours to procure a Toleration, as the only means to accomplish it.

III. That all who do less than their utmost towards the Suppressing all Conventicles prohibited by Law, and yet stile themselves his Majesties Loyal Subjects, are meer Usurpers of that Title. And that all who plead for the Relaxation of the Penal Laws against either Popish, or Protestant Dissenters, at this time, under what specious Pretext soever, are, in our opinion, Enemies to the King and the Protestant Religion; and are either such as live in the open Breach of those Laws, or such others as lie under a just Suspicion of being Pensioners to the Pope and the French King, and engaged in a Conspiracy against the Government.

IV. And whereas the often repeated Experiments of Lenity and Indulgence towards Dissenters have been so far from rendering them more Modest in their Behaviour towards the Government, that on the contrary they are thereby become more Audacious in their lewd Practices against it; and those who take upon them to Preach in Conventicles, are generally observed to take Occasion, from the faint Execution of the Laws against them and their Followers, most blasphemously to entitle God Almighty to an Especial, nay, even to a Miraculous Protection of them in their Disobedience to his Vice-gerent, and thereby to make more Proselytes to Fa­ction, than they could do if they were not prosecuted at all: And whereas also from the Practices of the generality of the Dissenters in dispensing with Oaths and Sacraments in Matter and Mode repugnant to their commonly avowed Principles, meerly to qualifie them­selves for Places of Trust and Profit, it is undeniably apparent that they daily prostitute the most Sacred Rites of Religion to serve their secular Interests, and thereby have baffled their own pretences to Tenderness of Conscience, and are become a Scandal to the Christian name. Therefore we humbly conceive, that the only way to maintain the Honor of Christianity, to preserve the Kings Person, the Monarchy, the Religion Established, the publick Peace, the just Rights and Liberties of his Majesties Loyal Subjects, to defeat the Designs of that accursed Mixture of Atheists, Papists, Democraticks and Enthusiasts, of which the Faction, which has so much annoyed the Government, is compounded, and to fasten a just brand of Infamy upon the Impostors, and charitably to rescue and undeceive their deluded Disciples, is a thorow and impartial Execution of the Penal Laws against all Dissenters whatsoever.

V. Moreover, we of this Borough labouring more particularly under this Grievance, that persons notoriously Disaffected to the Royal Interest, are through Arbitrary Incroachments upon the ancient Rules and Usages of Choice, become the Majority of Gover­nors of an Hospital of Royal Foundation among us, and so effectually the disposers of all Offices and Employments relating thereun­to, and the managers of a large Revenue belonging to the same, and generally abuse the Power and Reputation they gain thereby to the perverting of those who prefer a sordid Interest before Duty and Allegiance. We offer our humble Opinion that a speedy Regu­lation in that matter would be a very seasonable means of relieving us, that so the numerous Party of Honest Trading men of this vast Body may be no longer discouraged in their Industry, or cramp'd in their Loyalty by the Artifices of those who meditate our Ruine.

Upon this humble Representation of our sense in the Premisses, we pray that this Honorable Court will take some effectual course for the Suppression of all the Conventicles in this Borough; and exercise its utmost Authority in order to increase the Number, and strengthen the Interest of his Majesties Loyal Subjects among us.