A Representation to King and Parliament, of some of the Unparralleld Sufferings of the People of the Lord, called Quakers, in New-England. Together with the Remarkable Judgments of God upon sundry of their Persecutors.
IN these few Lines; O KING; Thou and thy Parliament, may see the continued Sufferings of thy faithful and loving Subjects, under the cruel and bloody hands of the Priests and Rulers, in New-England, who in the dayes of O. C. (the time of thy Suffering) as if countenanced and Commissionated by him, did, for divers years, most barbarously spoil and ruine the Goods of thy Innocent Subjects there, halling them out of their Habitations to Prison, far from their Families and little Ones, cruelly torturing their Bodies with Whipps, and pitched Ropes, and locking up neck and heels in Irons many hours, with famishings near unto death, being without pitty to the aged Parents, or to their helpless Children; Chaining to a Log of Timber Night and Day, a long and very cold Winter; dragging Men along by the hair of their Heads, and the tender Women (as they were on their knees in Prayer) dragg'd out of the House by the hands, with their faces towards the Earth, over Stumps, and old Trees, through very deep frost and snow, to Prison near a Mile; and causing the Innocent to be hanged up naked by the hands, with a logg hanged to the feet, and the body cruelly beaten by the hands of a strong Negro with Cords; one burned in the Hand, and in his Mouth bound a great Key; others their Ears part cut off; together with Banishing Fathers, Mothers and Children, and offering to send their little Ones thousands of miles from their Native Country and Fathers House, to be sold for Servants or Bond-slaves; and last of all, in the height of the spirit of the wicked one, the spirit of madness, blindness, blood and murther, they spared not, but cruelly put to death the Servants of the Living God. And now, O King, since the very day the Lord brought thee into this Land again, and gave unto thee thy Regal Power, have they in thy Name, made strange and cruel havock of thy true Subjects, in putting to Death and Banishing; and in thy Name with many torturing Whippings of Old and Young, at Posts, and at wheels of great Guns, and at Carts Tails, dragging the naked Bodies of Parents and Children through divers long Towns, through the dirt & filth of their Chanels and Cart-ways; and in thy Name commanding one Friend and Brother to help Imprison the other; yea, in thy Name they have lately prest the Son to help to force his tender Father and Mother to Goal, sundry miles, in the extremity of Winter season, to the hazzard of their Lives; and such as refused to obey their Unnatural and Abominable Commands, they have fined at their Courts; and thus from Court to Court do these Monsters of Men, in thy Name, Fine and break open the Houses of the Quakers, and Rob them of their Goods, and take away that they should eat in, and that they should drink in, yea the very Cloathes from their Backs in Winter, and the Bed they should lye on, while they keep the Body sundry miles off in Prison, driving Husbands & Wives divers miles for Prison, in times of great Frost and Snow, keeping them close Prisoners in a very cold Room, to the endangering of their Lives, and to the ruine of their Families, had not the Lord preserved. All this, and much more, too tedious to mention at this time, have they done to the servants of the Lord in New-England in thy Name; saying, that Thou ownest their doings, and esteemest their Laws as thy Laws; And these hard things have the Servants of the Lord patiently suffered, and sustained at their hands, for no other cause but for their faithful obedience to the Spirit of the Lord in their hearts, which Spirit of Holiness teacheth them, That Forced Worships and Worshippers are both Abomination to the Lord. These few Lines are written not from any desire of the least Revenge from thy hand upon them, but that thou mayest know it, and make known thy dislike of their wickedness, that so the blood of the Innocent there, if possible, might not be laid to your charge in the terrible Day of the Lord, in which both High and Low must come to Judgement, and receive according to their Deeds done in the Body, in which day the Lord will make known (in the sight of all his Enemies) his mighty Power for the saving of his beloved Ones, and for the delivering and helping of them, who had no helper in the Earth.
A Brief Relation of the Eminent Hand and Judgments of the Lord upon some of the Rulers, Priests and People of New-England, who were of them that Persecuted the People of the Lord, called Quakers, there.
OLD John Endicot Governour, that Nero-like unjust Judge of the Innocent, who in his mad Nebuchadnezzar-like spirit, threatned and endeavoured to weary out and to destroy the Servants of the Most High, and to root out their very Name from amongst them. He with his Hangman, that Murderer, who together had imbrued their hands in the blood of the Innocent Lambs of the Living God, were both by the hands of the Lord hewed down & at one time laid on their death-beds, so that some did say, Who would have thought the Head and Tail should go so near together? So the Lord cut down Endicot, Root and Branch, and his Hangman its said died in great horror of Mind, and torment of Body. And this is according to the Word of the Lord fore-spoken by the mouth of his Servants concerning them.
Another Eminent Persecutor, (who had a hand in Judging and Murthering of the Innocent) Humphery Atherton, their Major General, who sitting to Judge the Just, he and his Brethren having sent out Mary Dyer to be murdered, and tydings being brought to the Bench that she was turned off the Gallows, he said to the servants of the Lord, Prisoners at the Bar, That Mistress Dyer did hang for a Flag for them to take warning by; and that the Quakers did often tell them, That the Judgements of the Lord would come upon them, but the Judgements of the Lord are not come upon us yet. But the Just Hand of the Lord met with him in his Jollity and Pomp, as he was riding home from his Play-fellows in Boston, and near the Place where they used to finish their Journey in Whipping and dragging the Quakers at a Carts-tail out of Boston, his Horse gave him such a deadly throw, that it's said, He never spake word after his fall; but his Eyes swelled, as started out of his Head, and as it were Blood and Brains came out of his Nostrils and Ears, and his Tongue in a gastly manner hanging out of his mouth; A Flagg indeed was he for Blood-guilty Men to be warned by; according to the word of the Lord, fore-told by the mouth of his Servants.
John Danford, a Member of their Church, and Captain of their Castle by Boston, being laid (in the heat of the day) upon his Bed, the Hand of the Lord in a strange manner, with a crack of Thunder, and flash of Lightning, in a moment smote him to death; so it's testified, he never spake more.
On that day the Rulers and Priests of Boston had agreed to mingle their Sacrifice with the Blood and Lives of the Innocent, the Persecutors returning, and rejoycing in the murdering and hanging of William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson, as sundry of them were passing over a great Draw-Bridge, it suddainly brake down in pieces with them, and divers of them were wounded and bruised with the weighty fall thereof; and one or two of them, who seemed to joy in the Death of the Innocent; its said, That the Bones of their Armes, with Thighs and other parts of their Bodies, were broken to pieces, and after a few days torment of Body, and rotting alive, died: And in this also was the Word of the Lord fulfilled, spoken to the Bench by the mouth of that faithful Martyr, who said, Take heed ye Rulers what ye do, and be warned before it be too late, and know, that in that day you put us to Death, shall the Judgements of God come upon this place.
Old Thomas Wiggin Magistrate, a bloody Persecutor, who was deeply engaged in the Sufferings, and in the taking away of the Lives of the Martyrs of Jesus, who often without bowels of pitty, would shed the Blood and devour the Goods of the Innocent; him also hath the Hand of the Lord cut down, and his Children may come to want: And this also is according to the Word of the Lord, by the mouthes of his Servants to him.
James Oliver, that Beastly, and bloody spirited Creature, who as one implacable, unmerciful, without bowels of common natural affection, who was so swift to shed Innocent blood, that he struck down the Servant of the Lord, William Robison, as he was taking him out of Prison to hang him. Whose inhumane cruelty, bloodshed, and murderous spirit, the Righteous God hath in Remembrance, who was fierce to take away the Lives of the Righteous; the blasting hand of the Lord is risen up, against and over him; according to the Word of the Lord spoken by his faithful Servants, whom he helped to hang on a Tree.
John Webb, that proud Persecutor, whom the Lord hath laid wast, who with a Body of Men in Armes, led forth Mary Dier to be murdered and hanged: 'Tis said, as he was busie in killing a Whale, or great Fish, was suddenly after a strange manner carried into the Sea and drowned; and here was a remarkable Hand also upon this Persecutor, according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of his Servants.
Captain Johnson, who led forth the Servant of the Lord, William Ledra, to be murdered and hanged, compassing him about with Men of War, with Swords, Guns, and Drums; the Just Hand of the Lord, for his bloody act, hath fallen upon him also, for he is as a man unman'd and bereaft of his wonted understanding, and so sottish, that his Brethren, as its said, have degraded him; and this is according to the Word of the Lord, spoken by his Servants concerning him.
Marshal Brown of Ipswich, who Persecuted the Servants of the Lord, and unrighteously took away their Goods; soon after the Lord cast him upon the bed of languishing, where for a time, it is testified, he lay in great horror of Conscience, and torment of Body, and so departed this Life; and this is according to the Word of the Lord by the mouth of his faithful Witnesses.
Samuel Archer, Marshal in Salem, who was of their Church-fellowship, he had often Robbed and spoiled the Goods of the People called Quakers, to pay his Masters Reckonings at the Taverns; he was suddenly cut off, and is come to nought, and his remembrance rotts; according to the Word of the Lord against such as do resist the Holy One willfully.
James Underwood, a wicked Persecuting Constable who made it his work to disturbe the People of God in their holy waitings on the Lord, who would Press one Friend to help him to lead another as Prisoner; after this his wickedness against the Lord, and his People, though he had a considerable Estate, yet the hand of the Lord being against him, he came to nought; this also is according to the Word of the Lord which his Servants testified concerning Persecutors.
An Eminent hand of Gods displeasure upon some of the Priests also: John Norton, Chief Priest in Boston, and chief in stirring up the Rulers to Murder, Hang and Persecute, and to take away the Lives of the Innocent, He by the immediate power of the Lord was smitten, and as he was sinking down, by the fire-side, being under Just Judgment, he confessed the hand of the Lord was upon him, and so died; and the Word of the Lord, by the mouth of his Servant, whom he stirred up the Rulers to put to death, was fulfilled upon him.
Old Edward Norris, Priest in Salem, he stirring up the Rulers and People there to madness, saying, What was done to the Quakers, was not Persecution but Prosecution; as he was vindicating his bloody Principle, was suddenly and strangely smitten dumb in his Pulpit, and after a while died.
Old Priest Wilson, who reviled the Servants of the Lord as they were led forth to be put to death, was also by the Hand of the Lord swept away.
Timothy Dolton, Priest of Hampton, he hearing it certified, that The Light within, was the Light of Christ; Cried out, Oh horrible blasphemy! He soon after dies.
Priest Mitchel of Cambridge, who lately stirred up the Rulers to Persecution and Madness, soon after was smitten down by the hand of the Lord; and it's testified, That his very Tongue, while he was alive, turned exceeding black in his mouth, and soon after he died.
Sundry others, not here mentioned, hath the hand of the Lord visited with Judgments upon themselves, & upon the fruit of their Bodies, taking away the Lives of divers of their First-born by unusual deaths; and from year to year to this day, since they murdered the Servants of the Lord, hath the hand of Justice blasted their Corn in their Fields; for when their fields of Wheat are in the Ear, and near to Blossome, then is it in a strange manner smitten with Death at the Root; and when the Husbandman seeth the Curse or Blast upon it, hasteth to mow it down, while it is green, for Fodder; but its loathsome to the Beasts of the field, so that they care not to eat it. This is remarkable, and a lively Figure of New-Englands Abominable Profession, and a true token of Gods displeasure against them; according to the Word of the Lord spoken to them by the mouth of his Servants whom they put to death.
And now hath the Lord, in Bloody Boston, poured out a sore Plague, even a rent between Rulers, Priests and People; so that in the bitterness of their envious hearts, they are risen up one against another, to the endangering of dashing their Babel to pieces: And this they know was foretold, and certified to and amongst them, by Word and Signs, by the Lords Servants, who testified in the Name and Spirit of Truth, That as a Potters Vessel, so should they be broken never to be joyned together any more. These things are written not in Malice or Prejudice to any of the forementioned Persecutors, but in tender love to all Rulers, Priests and People, that they in the fear of the Lord may be warned by them, to take heed how they open their mouths, or lift up their hands against the Innocent, for God is on their side; and although some, to their own destruction, have been suffered to persecute and put some of the Bodies of the Children of the Living God to death, yet against the Life and Power of the Lord in them, they nor their weapons shall never prosper, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And as for them that remain of the dark Persecuting Priests, Rulers and People in New-England, whose hands have been dyed in the Blood and lives of the Innocent, Oh that there were in them an heart truly sensible of their great wickedness against the Lord, and against his People, that so they might be truly humbled before the Lord, and so come to be delivered from the wrath to come, which will most assuredly overcome and destroy all them that fight against the Lord.
Oh New-England, New-England, how can the tender-hearted, (whom thou hast most cruelly Persecuted and despitefully used) in the sence of thy sad state, forbear to take up a Lamentation for thee; who seemed beautiful in thy beginning, and lovely wast thou whilst in thy integrity, which was but for a moment, or as the early dew, for thy day was eclipsed in the morning, and thou soon went a whoring from the Guide of thy youth, and so thou becamest as a monstrous woman in his sight, and now thou art unto him as Sodom, and thy off-spring as Gomorrah, who perished in the morning; for thy Wickedness is as Scarlet, and thy Iniquities as Crimson before the Lord. Let the ears of Kindred, Nations and People, that hear of thy horrible Apostacy, tingle; for thou soon grew'st great, and said'st in thy heart, I am as Queen of all Nations; and in the greatness of thy Pride, as thou attempted'st to climb up high, even into the Throne of God, How art thou fallen, oh thou untimely daughter of Babylon! Let all People and Professors who hear of thy deadly fall, fear, and tremble, and dread the Living God, and with speed come out of their empty Forms, the Chambers of Death, and come into the mighty Power of the Endless Life of God, that in it you may escape the wrath of the Almighty, which is coming upon the World, which lies in wickedness. Wo unto you ye Rulers and Hierling Priests of New-England, for the Lord hath found you in the way of Cain, who have drunk the blood of Martyrs and Saints, and mingled it with your Sacrifices, and in the filthy error of Balaam, Persecuting and Killing the Just. Wo unto you Rulers and Priests of New-England, who have taken counsel to destroy the Work of the Lord, and have laboured to suppress the Sun in its rising: Ye are as Pharaoh and his Magicians; for you have withstood him who is come in his mighty Power, to lead Israel out of Aegypts darkness and house of Bondage. Wo unto you Priests and Rulers of New-England, who have cut off the Life of the Prophets from amongst their Brethren, and have cruelly entreated the Children of the Lord, whom he hath sent, and raised up amongst you: You have slain the Lords Worthies upon your High Places; therefore upon your Mountain comes no Dew nor Rain, and your House is left desolate, because the Lord is departed from it, for in it is found the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus; and there it is you have killed the tender Lambs in the Bosom, and the Royal and lovely Babes as they were Sucking the Brests of their Mother. For these things sake will I arise and plead with you, O ye the greatest of mine Enemies, saith the Almighty, who in the height of your Pride boasted, and said, There was not such another Church in the World, as the Church at Boston: But your bloody hands have made you manifest to be the worst, among them called Churches in the whole World.
Printed in the Year 1669.