Newcastle seventeenth day of the month called Septem­ber.

THese may certifie all Friends, concerning the accusa­tion of the Judge of me Cuthbert Hunter of adultery and fornication, in the Towne and Court of Newcastle the second day of the sixt month called August, which is here briefly, and simply, and plainly, as followeth: An Information being red, wherein I was accused of fornica­tion, and adultery, and divers other things, as that I [Page 2] was not married, and I answered and said, that in for­nication I deny, for it is false, for I am married: He asked me where I was married? I said, I took my wife seven miles from this place; he asked me if I was marri­ed with a Justice? and I said no; he said I had broke the Law, for there was an Act that all that was to be married was to be married with a Justice: I asked him, why the Priests did marry? then he asked me when I was marri­ed? I said I was married in the year 1653. the third month of that year, called May: he asked me if I were marri­ed? with a Minister? and I said, no I was not; and he said, I had broke the Lawes of man and the Law of God, for which I was to be punished: then I desired him to prove before that people wherein, and he said, take him away and let him either find sureties or goe to prison; and I said, I would find none, for I said, I know no Law I had bro­ken, but that which is contrary to the Law of God: and then his Officers called of the Jayler to take him away and these are the words which were spoken at that time.

As for that when he asked me, why I did so, I said, I was moved of the Lord, is false, and was never thought non spoken by me.

Dear friends, this is to certifie of the manner of my marriage, and when I was married, and how I took to me a wife, according to the example I found in the Scripture, that holy men of God did take to themselves wives, but I could not find where ever any of the Mini­sters of God took mony for marrying of any, as these Ministers did then, therefore according to that example I found among the Saints, we did bequeath to each other before witnesse, in the presence of the Lord, before whom we shall give an account, the Father of the wo­man being there, so I became to her a husband, and she to me a wife, and so I own her before all people; this was in the year 1653. in the third month of that year, called May, it was about half a year before I owned the [Page 3] Truth, as a testimony of which I subscribe my name Cuth­bert Hunter.

We whose names are here subscribed are satisfied that this is a true testimony, George Arey, Tho. Arey, Ag­nus Ewbanck, Mary Arey, Tho. Turner, Richard Ew­banck, Lamclet Warde [...]ll.

Whereas Judge Nudigate did say in his charge at Lan­caster, that the light, the principle which we hold in every one, doth lead unto all manner of sin.

The light which comes from Christ Jesus, which he doth enlighten every one that comes into the world withall, is the condemnation of all sin, wickednesse, un­cleannesse and ungodlinesse, and the light, which is our principle, as he calls it, in every man, will witnesse a­gainst the said Nudigate, who is called a Judge, and doth witnesse against sinne, and the same Light will witnesse Christ, and make every tongue to confesse, and is the condemnation of all that hate it, whose deeds be evill. Oh that ever such should be set up to be a Judge, who utters forth such blasphemy, that to say (the light which he doth enlighten every man that comes into the world withall, John 1.9. to it in every man, which we speak of, which is the light of Christ, which is the condemnation of all sin and unrighteousnesse of all them that hate it) it should lead to commit all manner of sin, as Judge Nu­digate said in his charge: Here thou art manifest to be no Judge for God, but judged with the just. And the light in every mans conscience, which comes from Christ, will and doth witnesse against thee, that thy judgement is false, and speakes a lie, who is out of the truth, and speaks of thy self, and the light in thy own conscience, which comes from Christ, witnesses against thee: For to the light in every ones conscience, Judge Nudigate, with it shalt thou be proved, whether it leads into all manner of sin, or whether it testifies against all manner of sin, let it in all consciences, the judge, whether thou be a Judge for God yea or nay; that in thy conscience shall be a [Page 4] witnesse against thee, and witnesse me, and be a wit­nesse for God against thee. That which shews thee un­godlinesse and sin, and manifests it, is light, and the light doth not lead into the sin, but leads out of the sin, and testifies against it: And this am I moved to give forth, who am a witnesse to the light in all tender consciences, which is a witnesse against all sin, whose minds are turned with the light towards Christ. And thou who should be a Judge upon the evill, art found to be a Judge upon the good (the light) let the light in all con­sciences bear witnesse against thee, which witnesses a­gainst evil, and leads not into it, who here hath manifest­ed thy self, that thou art darknesse, and doth not compre­hend light, but at it stumbles; and the Scripture is fulfil­led upon thee, the saying of John, Light shines in darknesse, and darknesse doth not comprehend it: And if you walk in the light you have fellowship one with another: and the bloud of Jesus cleanseth from all sin: and here again thou may see how contrary to the Scripture thou art, for in the light which leads out of sin is the unity, for the Law of God takes hold upon them who act contrary to the light the light witnesses the law, and the law witnesseth the light, and the law is a Judge upon them who walk contrary to the light, and it is not a Judge upon them who walk in the light; here let the light in all consciences be a wit­nesse against thee, the which light witnesses against all sin, and finds thee in the sin and the blasphemy, who saith, the light leads into all sin, which light is thy condemnation, the light of him that doth evill and hates the light, as you may read John 3. And for the false accusation of the said Judge Nudigate, which did accuse Cuthbert Hunter for adultery and fornication, because he took a wife be­fore witnesse, and was not married with the Priests of the world, which marry people for mony, and for giving of them a form of words for mony, but took a wife accor­ding to the manner he found in the Scripture (witnesses) the holy men of God, and did not goe to the Priests to [Page 5] give them mony, but took before witnesse, and denied the Priests for giving them mony for marrying, for there is no such example in the Scripture, that the Priests were to have so much for marrying people. And this Judge Windham saith, it is contrary to the Law of God, and contrary to the Law of man, which all may see it is a false accusation, for the Law of God witnesses the same, that which Judge Nudigate calls adultery; so whom the Lord joyneth together let no man put asunder, the marriage that is honourable, the bed that is not defiled, all the children of the light doth it witnesse, and honour it, but all mar­riages that are contrary to the light, God does not joyn together; that marriage is not honourable, that bed is defiled, all that is joyned there in that nature contrary to the light, together with that which is contrary to the light, all this is with the light to be condemned, and not honou­rable, for there the bed is defiled, all Covetousnesses, and the Whoremongers, and the Adulterers, such marriages, contrary to the light, God doth not joyn together, but is with the light seen and condemned; the bed that is defiled is not honourable, and there is hardnesse of heart, and putting asunder, but whom God joynes together let no man put asunder, and such whom God doth joyn to­gether with his Light, for God is Light, and the children of light, which be in his Light, doth witnesse his joyning, as the Scripture declares; and such doth the world call Adul­tery: As for example, Judge Nudigate, because they are not married with a Priest, or joyned together with a car­nall Law, but takes one another before witnesses, as the manner of the holy men of God was.

And though the said Cuthbert Hunter did take his wife after the example of the Saints in Scripture, he was not then brought into the truth, for it was half a year before he owned the truth; and as for saying to the Judge, that the Lord moved him, that was another false accusation.

And all the children of light, which sees God and are of God, doth the marriage see that be honourable, and doth [Page 6] them see whom God joynes together, let no man put asunder, and the marriage that is not honourable is with the Light seen and judged, and all the Whoremongers and Adulterers, which is contrary to the Light comprehended and condemned, in which light all the children of light dwell, and have unity, praises, praises to the Lord God for ever. And the said Judge that stumbles at the light, and said it led into all sin, knowes not the marriage that is honourable, whose condemnation is with the light, the light in thy conscience is my witnesse; and all who are not joyned together with God are not moved of the Lord, and a condemnation must goe upon all the marria­ges that are not moved of the Lord, and joyned together by the Lord, for they are not honourable, and them that men or women joyn together, contrary to the light, are with the light condemned, and sundred from the honou­rable mariage in the defiled bed.

The examination of them the world calls Quakers at Lan­caster.

VVE are moved to declare the Triyall betwixt us, the prisoners of the Lord, and Tho. Shaw Priest of Aldingam, who by his three Constables did appre­hend our bodies, and bring us to Lancaster, to answer such accusations as Priest Shaw could lay to our charge. We were brought into the Court by the Priest and his Constables, before the Judge there sitting: We coming single before him, cying the Lord alone, and not man, with our hats on, they took them off our heads, standing before him a little space; the Warrants against us was read before the Judge: The Judge asked Priest Shaw what witnesse he had; Shaw answered James Chambers. We answered to our names as we were called, and to com­mitted into the Jaylors hand too among theeves behind the barre, and said little, but that Thomas Hatton told the Judge, he was moved of the Lord to speak against [Page 7] the deceit in him; whereupon the Judge told Priest Shaw he might goe and get his Inditements drawn against us: whereupon the Priest went forth of the Court to get them done against the afternoon, and in the afternoon we were brought before the Judge again, and the Indite­ments which the Priest had drawn against us was read; then the Judge asked the Priest if he had no more witnesses, the Priest said, none but my self and James Chambers, whereupon they were both sworn, that we came maliti­ously to disturbe him.

And the Judge asked the Priest, what Waters Mires spoke to him when he was preaching, the Priest answered the Judge, that he said come down thou lyar: The Judge asked the Priests man what he heard him speak, he answer­ed and said, that Waters Mires said come down thou foul beast, and they swore both, the Priest and his man, that Waters Mires spoke these words the last New-yeares day: whereupon the Judge asked Waters Mires what he said, to this that the Priest and the man laid to his charge, Waters Mires answered, that he was not at Tho. Shaw the last New-yeares day: the Iudge said, was you not there, did you not disturb him? Waters Mires said, I was there, but it was a year and a half since: The Iudge said unto the Priest, he confesseth he was there, but it is a year and a half since; whereupon Priest Shaw answered, he had other things in his mind, he could not certainly tell the words: the Iudge asked Waters Mires, if he called him lyar and foul beast, Waters Mires answered, that he called him beast, but not foul beast, so that that was a lie: The Iudge asked him, how he could make it appear that he taught lyes? Waters Mires answered, in acting those things that Christ forbids, in taking the chiefest place in the Assemblies, being called of men Master, and is a hireling, which Christ cried woe against, and in taking Tithe: The Judge ask­ed if he had any more to say, or any for him?

Thomas Hutton answered, he was a covetous hireling, and took Tithe of those that had their children going a beg­ging, [Page 8] which Christ gave no such commission to those he sent forth, but sent them forth without bag, or scrip, or two coates, or a stick to defend them, but freely they had received freely give, this is the commission, first and last, that Jesus Christ gives to those he sends forth, if any know of another let them speak, but all was silent; but the Judge said, them which serve at the Altar should live by the Altar; Thomas Hutton answered no other rule but what the Apostle saith, If any man plant a Vineyard he may eat of the fruit thereof, and all was silent.

Thomas Hutton was called, to answer to the bill of In­ditement laid against him by Thomas Shaw: the Judge asked Shaw what witnesses he had, he said, James Cham­bers and my self; and they swore, that Thomas Hutton came while he was preaching, and said, he was a dtun­kard, and a liar: whereupon the Judge asked if he made a disturbance in the Congregation; the Priests man said yes, many of the people went out with him, and had more mind to hear him then to stay in the Church: Where­upon the Judge asked Thomas Hutton how he could an­swer these things; the Priest said, my Lord, my neigh­bours knowes I am no drunkard nor lyar: Thomas Hutton answered, I was moved of the Lord to cry against him for deceiving the people, and in teaching lies, which was as a fire in my bosome untill I had delivered it, he made them believe this lie, that the Steeple-house was holier than another place, by his old form of prayer, in saying, how dreadfull is this place, as if the Temple were up again, which was a figure of Christ in his Saints; and further, that we may spend this sacred day in this sacred place, and so deceives the simple, in making them believe, that a house of wood and stone is the Temple or the House of God, which is a horrible lie and deceit: the Judge said, did not Christ preach in the Temple, and whip out them that bought and sold; Thomas Hutton said, the Temple was a figure of Christ in his Saints, which they witnesse him to whip out all sin; so Steven went into the Tem­ple, [Page 9] and witnessed forth the Substance, and told them, that God that made the world and all things therein, dwelt not in Temples made with hands: And the Apostle saith, yee are the Temples of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in you, and walk in you: And Christ told the wo­man, that neither in this place, nor at Ierusalem, but they that worship the Father must worship in spirit and in truth; And Thomas Shaw was telling the people, that none could be perfect here, and yet his Text was, strive to make your calling and election sure, whereupon Thomas Hutton told him before the people, that election was perfect, and whosoever witnesseth election witnesseth perfection, yea, sin and transgression finished: The Judge said, I wish we were perfect: Thomas Hutton answered, he that is born of God sinneth not, but doth witnesse the birth to be perfect, the Temple holy and the Kingdome pure; and further, Thomas Hutton told Thomas Shaw that he and the people sung lies to God in singing Davids conditions, which they could not witnesse, nor his Spirit: the Judge an­swered, hath not Psalmes been sung in the Churches of England continually? Thomas Hutton said, none ought to sing further than they can witnesse his condition: And they asked him, how he could prove Priest Shaw a drun­kard: Thomas Hutton answered, he was drunk in sin, in covetousnesse and pride, taking Tithe of those that have their children goe a begging; so the Iudge said, we must goe on according to Law.

Thomas Curram was called to answer to the bill of In­ditement laid against him by Thomas Shaw; the Iudge ask­ed Priest Shaw what witnesses he had? the Priest said, none but himself and James Chambers, who said he could not remember what Thomas Curram said, and yet after­wards he was called again, and swore, that Thomas Cur­ram said, come down thou lyar: The Iudge asked Tho­mas Curram what he said to it? Thomas answered, he spoke no such words: the Iudge said, was you not there? Tho. Curram said, I was there: the Iudge asked him what [Page 10] he did say? Thomas answered and said, he was a blind guide; the Preist said, Thomas, wherein am I a blind guide? Thomas answered, God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, but all thy preaching and praying, and singing is in formes.

At the last Assizes holden at Apulby August the tenth. I Henry Howsman was to appear about two fellowes there.

CAll Henry Howsman, saith the Clark, Henry Howsman of Lupton come near, so I coming nearer, the Offi­cers cryed, put of thy hat, but I not regarding much, one took it off, and gave it me again; so going into the nearer room before the bench, I put it on again, which caused many to cry out, put it off, and the Iudge began to be angry with me, and some of them struck it off: and the Iudge said, he would teach me what I did in that place; I said, I was in the presence of God every day about my labours as well as then, and my conscience told me, that I did work and had my hat on before the Lord; well, saith the Iudge, I know that, and that I am no bet­ter than thou, neither think better of my self, but I must teach thee to give honour here, hold him the book, said they, lay on your hand and be sworn, saith the Iudge, con­cerning these two men: I am sworn to speak the truth al­wayes and now also, and that book saith, swear not all: well, saith the Iudge, that is in your Communications, but when you are before Authority you must swear the truth to end controversie: I said, I did witnesse the life in mea­sure that gave forth that book, which would witnesse a­gainst me afterwards if I did not speak the truth, as the Scripture saith, I will be a swift witnesse against the false swearer and the false accuser: saith the Iudge, Fox tells you so, he hath learned you that doctrine; and I stood quiet and silent: come, saith the Iude, lay on your hand, and others cryed the same thing, else the Iury cannot believe you; I said, I could not help it if they were unbelievers: [Page 11] the Iudge said, well friend, if you will not you will forfit your Q [...]u nisants, for you are tyed to prosecute the Law a­gainst these men, I said I was, & as I heard done so I should doe then, I was willing to hold up my hand as a sign, which I hope is not contrary to the Law: well said he, you had best take heed, for there are many false Foxes; but I was silent; and he said moreover, that he would lay a fine up­on my head for not prosecuting.

Christ Iesus saith, swear not at all, who spoke with au­thority, and thou, who art a Iudge, saith, when one is be­fore authority he must swear the truth, and here thy autho­rity is contrary to Christs, and who is in the truth is in the doctrine of Christ, who saith, swear not at all, and he that sweares is out of the truth, for Christ Iesus is the truth, the way and the life, and he saith, swear not at all, and thou saith, this is but in their Communications, and yet in this thy Communication thou would have him to swear, and all who are out of the truth acts thus in confusi­on.

Thomas Ralingson being moved to goe to Lancaster, and walking in the streets, he that was the Sheriffs Trum­peter that sounded before the Iudge, fell upon the said Thomas Ralingson, that had been speaking to a Priest, and threw him down, and struck him rudely, wickedly and de­sperately, and afterward run after him, and got a stick and struck him before many people, and abused him that did not give him any word: And another day he met the said Thomas Ralingson, and struck him, and abused him, and drew bloud on him.

Now you that be Rulers, Iudge and Sheriffe, who hath no more rule over your own men, but bring such peace-breakers and strikers in the high-way, without any molestation, here all may see, you that suffer such things, how you strengthen the hands of evill doers, of strikers and bloud-shedders against the innocent, and you suffer this to goe unpunished: say you, they should keep peace, [Page 12] and you keep a man to break peace, and the said Trumpe­ter went up to the Goale, and threw a stone into the Goale among some prisoners, which have lain in a year because they could not pay the Priest Tythes, and he broke there­with the face of Richard Mire, one of the prisoners, and made him bleed sore, shedding much of his bloud, and of Thomas Raling sons before, this was the Sheriffs Trumpeter, that sounded before the Iudge, who after that went up in­to the prison among the prisoners, and beat Richard Asburner in the prison, and then opened a Coffer which was in the Goale, where the prisoners had things, and took out of it many bookes and packs, and carried them away.

The word of the Lord to thee Nudigate, who goes by the name of a Judge, and should take upon thee the seat of Iustice, and in the execution of thy place thou goes about to accuse the just, and to flander the innocent, and to speak evill of things thou knowest not, and goes about to strengthen the hands of the wicked against the people of God, and suffered them to be beat, and abused, and persecuted by those that was under thy own authority. and that thou saw with thy own eyes, but for which know assuredly, that the just and righteous God will be avenged of all such unrighteous ones as thou, before him who is the righteous God of heaven and earth shalt thou, and all such as thou, be arraigned to give an account for the thing done in the body, for all thy actions is upon record before the Lord God of heaven and earth, that thou hast done and suffered to be done to the servants of the most high God, and the Iudgements of God thou shalt not escape: Thou that should be a Minister of the Law, and a Minister of Iustice and equity over the people, but in thy place thou hast ministred untruths, scandals and re­proaches and false accusations upon the innocent, and hath blasphemed the Name of God in saying, that the light leads into sin: And whereas Christ Iesus saith, I am [Page 13] the light of the world, and doth enlighten every one that comes into the world; And this light every particular hath a mea­sure of, which, thou saith, leads into sin, and this is the condemnation of the world, the light, and such as thou loves darknesse rather than light, because thy deeds are evill, the light is thy condemnation; and thou that saith, the light leads into sin, hath made it manifest, that thou art not a child of light, but a child of darknesse, for God is light, and in him is no darknesse at all; and in thy dark naturall mind, which knowes not the things of God, which art in the envy and strife, which is out of the light, which is with the light to be condemned; in this mind thou ut­ters forth scandals and reproaches upon the children of the light, which live in the light, and walk in the light, which thou knowes nothing of, but art an enemy too, but to the light in thy conscience I speak, which shines in darknesse, and darknesse comprehends it not, which light, if thou hearken to it which checks thee, it will let thee see that thou ought not to lie, nor to stander, nor to blas­pheme the Name of God, nor to speak evill of things thou knowes not; and if thou would hearken to it, it would lead thee to Iustice, Equity and Righteousnesse, for the light of God in every ones conscience is just and righteous, and leads to Iustice, and Equity, and out of sin, and if thou would hearken to it, it would let thee see thy grosse darknesse and blasphemy, that thou should say, that leads into sin, which is pure and cannot sin, the light which is and ever was the Saints Teacher, and it shall be thine eternal condemnation, for all thy hard speeches that ever thou hast spoken; Oh be ashamed and tremble be­fore the Lord God, that thou should utter forth such un­truths, and make thy folly so manifest in a place where thou ought to doe justice.

And a Warning to thee, and all that ever takes upon them that place, to beware of speaking evil of things you know not, you may read your portion in Jude; and the [Page 14] children of the light, who walk and dwell in the light, and bring their deeds to the light, that they may be proved and tried, them you cannot touch, and the scandals laid upon them by the children of darknesse, are by the chil­dren of light made manifest, and set in their own places where they ought to be, and herein is the truth cleared, and false accusers of truth are made manifest; and the light, which thou saith leads into sin, shall stand, and make manifest all works of iniquity, and by it thou art eternally condemned.