THE opportunity which I have here embraced, and the good Tydings which I have to accompany it, hath moved me to set Pen to Paper, and to acquaint you with the horrid Conspiracy and malicious Design of the Malignant Party at Edmondsby in Suffolk, against the People of [Page 2] God, and the Members of Jesus Christ, who for their faithfulnesse and zeal to the Gospel of Christ, by endeavouring to maintain the puri­ty of Religion, with the losse and hazzard both of lives and fortunes, the inveterate malice & mischievous intentions of these ravening and devouring Spirits began to grow to some maturity, and to appear in a most vild and bloudy shape; for these wicked Members of Sathan, and Enemies to God & Religion, had so con­spired together, against the people of God, that they were resolved to prosecute their Designe, in case that any of them should presume to o­pen their shops on Christmas day, and to that end had prepared divers weapons for the exe­cuting of the same, the particulars, together with the manner of this Conspiracy, I shal here present to the view of all good Christians, as shall manifestly appear by these ensuing lines, viz.

In Edmondsbury in Suffolk God hath delive­red his people from a great and evill Designe, complotted by the Malignant Party in the Town, the manner thus:

The Prentices, and divers rude deboyst Fel|,loweso the number of a hundred and fifty, or [Page 3] thereabouts, had listed themselvs together, and had gotten three Captains.

And this was their Design, to get together at the Crosse (being the place appointed for to meet) on the 25 of this instant Moneth of De­cember (commonly called Christmas day. And their resolutions and determinations were, that whosoever should set open their Shops on the said day, they were resolved to pluck out the owners, and fire their houses, and kill them if they resisted, and pull out their goods, and lay wast and desolate those stately Buildings and dwelling Houses, which are the grace and or­nament of the Town.

And the better to accomplish their Design, the Conspirators had provided great Clubs with great nailes crosse the end of each Club, every Naile weighing a pound.

But their mischievous Designe were disco­vered before-hand, by some Prentices, to whom the Mutiniers came for their hands. And on the Wednesday some stirred about it, for prevention of mischiefe, and went to the Ma­gistrates, and informed them thereof. Where­upon to prevent the gaeat danger that might thereby arise Divers of them having skil in the [Page 4] Law, found it would bee upon themselves if they suffered such a thing to be therefore they sent for divers the day folowing of the conspi­rators, and laid the Law to them, and bound them over to the Seassions.

And on Christmas day, most of the chiefe Magistrates, and many constables, and other Officers assembled together.

Afterwards there were about thirty or forty about Mr. Lanseters dore (in the place called the Cook-row, his shop bring open.

And there Proclamation was made, and in severall places more, that those which were not in their own houses with in half an houre, should be imprisoned: And some were laid hold on, and frighted; so that there was onely a litle hurt done, two men being wounded be­yond the horse-market towards the end of the Town; for when the wel-affected Party be­gan to assemble themselvs together, for the ap­peasing of these tumultuous Villians, some of them made at them with their clubs, & woun­ded these two, but its hoped not mortal, though indeed (as yet) they seeme very dangerous, by reason of the deepnesse of the wounds, and the festering of them.

[Page 5] But after a short time, these Viperous Rascals were apeased, and the streets cleansed on these Vermine; so that their-bloudy Designes were frustrated, and mischievous and machavilian Plot discovered:

For the Great God of Heaven would not suffer his People to bee left as a prey unto the mercilesse Malignants teeth.

And it is to be minded, that above all, they aymed at Mr. Lanceter, who was not possessed with fear of them, but quietly waited upon the Lord, with expectation of Deliverance from the hands of God, which he had, and was pre­served; though hee used no outward meanes to attain it himself.

But this the Lord did to give his People more experience of his goodnesse; and hee is able to do much more, for his hand is never shortned.

And therefore let all the Godly Saints, and praying People, according to the Direction of the Spirit of Christ, from the consideration and experience of Gods former loving kindnesses, and preservations, rest upon him for future times.

Thus having given you a briefe and exact [Page 6] Relation of the great and bloudy conspiracie complotted by the Malignant Party at Ed­monby in Suffolke, I shall humbly take my leave, and remaine

This Relation is confirmed by very good Hands, and at the request of many e­minent, and wel-affected Persons printed, and presented to the publike view of all the Free-born Subjects of England.