ON Thursday Evening I came hither from the Gloucester Assizes, where I have been engaged in a Trial between some of those who are call'd Methodists and some violent Rioters. Perhaps this News may a little startle you, and put you upon Enquiry (as it hath done some others) ‘How we came to go to Law with our Adversaries, when it is our avow'd Principle to suffer patient­ly for the Truth's Sake?’ I will tell you, my dear Friend:—Tho' perhaps there is nothing in the World more abused than the Law, and there are very few that go to Law out of a proper Principle; yet we hold, that there is a proper Use of it, and the Law is good, when used lawfully. — Whe­ther or no we have used it lawfully in the present Case, I shall leave my Friend to judge, after I have told him the Motives that induced us to [Page 3] engage in it. — The, Methodists, you know, are every-where accounted Enthusiasts, in the worst Sense of the Word; but tho' they are ac­counted such, yet they would not be Enthusiasts in Reality. — Now we look upon it to be one Spe­cies of Enthusiasm, to expect to attain an End with­out making use of proper Means.—We also think, that Believers should be very careful not to be fond of suffering Persecution, when they may avoid it, by making Application to the High Powers.—We are likewise of Opinion, that good Christians will be good Subjects, and consequently it is their Duty, as much as in them lies, to put a Stop to every thing, in a rightful Way, that may prove destruc­tive to the King or the Government under which they live.—Christian Ministers in particular, we think, ought to consider the Weakness of People's Grace, and, in Pity to precious Souls, do what they can to remove every thing out of the Way, that may discourage or prevent poor People's hearing the everlasting Gospel.—These Conside­rations, my dear Friend, for some time past, have led me to examine whether the Methodists in general (and I myself in particular) have acted the Part of good Subjects and judicious Christian Ministers, in so long neglecting to make an Application to the superior Courts, and putting in Execution the whol­some Laws of the Land, in order to prevent those many dreadful Outrages which have been commit­ted against us.—I need not descend to particulars.— Our Weekly History is full of them; and before [Page 5] that came out, several of our Brethren, both in England and Wales, have received much Damage from time to time, and been frequently in great Hazard of their Lives.—Wiltshire has been very remarkable for mobbing and abusing the Methodists; and, for about ten Months last past, it has also pre­vail'd very much in Gloucestershire, especially at Hampton, where our Friend Mr. Adams has a Dwel­ling House, and has been much bless'd to many People. This displeas'd the Grand Enemy of Souls, who stirr'd up many of the baser Sort, privately encouraged by some of a higher Rank, to come from time to time, in great Numbers, with a Low­bell and Horn, to beset the House, and beat and abuse the People.—About the beginning of July last their Opposition seem'd to rise to the highest.— For several Days they assembled in great Bodies, broke the Windows, and mobb'd the People to such a Degree, that many expected to be murder'd, and hid themselves in Holes and Corners, to avoid the Rage of their Adversaries. Once, when I was there, they continued from Four in the Afternoon till Midnight rioting, giving loud Huzzas, casting Dirt upon the Hearers, and making Proclamations, ‘That no Anabaptists, Presbyterians &c. should preach there, upon Pain of being first put into a Skin-pit, and afterwards into a Brook.’—At another time they pull'd one or two Women down the Stairs by the Hair of their Heads. And on the 10th of July they came to the Number of near a Hundred, in their usual Way, with a Low-bell and [Page 6] Horn, about Five in the Afternoon, forced into Mr. Adam's House, and demanded him down the Stairs whereon he was preaching, took him out of his House, and threw him into a Skin-pit full of noi­some Things and stagnated Water.—One of our Friends, named Williams, asking them, if they were not asham'd to serve an innocent Man so? They put him into the same Pit twice, and afterwards beat him, and dragged him along the Ken­nel. Mr. Adams quietly return'd home, and betook himself to Prayer, and exhorted the People to re­joice in suffering for the Sake of the Gospel. In about half an Hour they came to the House again, dragged him down the Stairs, and led him away a Mile and a Half to a Place called Bourn-brook, and then threw him in. A Stander-by, fearing he might be drowned, jump'd in and pulled him out; whereupon another of the Rioters immediately push'd him into the Pool a second Time, and cut his Leg against a Stone, so that he went lame for near a fortnight.—Both the Constable and Justices were applied to, but refused to act; and seem'd rather to countenance the Mobbing, hoping thereby Metho­dism (as they called it) would be put a Stop to, at least at Hampton. For a Season they gained their End. — There was no Preaching for some Time, the People fearing to assemble on Account of the Violence of the Mob.—Upon my Return to Town I advised with my Friends what to do.—We knew we wanted to exercise no Revenge against the Rio­ters, and yet we thought it wrong that the Gospel [Page 7] should be stopped by such Persons, when the Go­vernment under which we lived countenanced no such thing; and also, that it was absurd to thank God for wholesome Laws, if they were not to be made use of. We knew very well that an Apostle had told us, that Magistrates were ordain­ed for the Punishment of Evil-doers; and that they bear not the Sword in vain. — We were also fearful if any of our Brethren should be mur­dered by future Riotings (as in all Probability they might) that we should be accessary to their Death if we neglected to tie up the Rioters Hands, which was all we desired to do.—Besides, we could not look upon this as allowed Persecution, since it was not countenanced by the Laws of the Land, and we might have Redress from these Rioters and infe­rior Magistrates by appealing to Caesar, whose real Friends and loyal Subjects we judged ourselves not to be, if we suffer'd his Laws to be publickly tramp­led under Foot by such notorious Rioting; and which, tho' begun against the Methodists, might ter­minate in open Rebellion against King George.—For these and such like Reasons, we thought it our Du­ty to move for an Information in the King's bench against five of the Ringleaders, and fixed upon the Riot which they made on Sunday July 10. when they put Mr. Adams and Williams into the Skin-pit and Brook. But before this was done, I wrote a Letter to one whom they called Captain, desiring him to inform his Associates, ‘That if they would acknowledge their Fault, pay for curing a Boy's [Page 8] Arm, which was broke the Night I was there, and mend the Windows of Mr. Adams's House, we would readily pass all by; but if they per­sisted in their Resolutions to riot, we thought it our Duty to prevent their doing, and others re­ceiving further Damage, by moving for an In­formation against them in the King's-Bench.’ I also sent a Copy of this Letter to a Minister of the Town, and to a Justice of the Peace, with a Letter to each from myself:—But all in vain.—The Rioters sent me a most insolent Answer, wrote me Word, ‘they were in high-Spirits, and were resolved there should be no more Preaching in Hampton.’— Finding them irreclaimable, we moved the next Term for a Rule of Court in the King's-Bench to lodge an Information against five of the Ring-leaders, for the Outrage committed, Violence of­fer'd, and Damage done to Mr. Adams and Wil­liams, on Sunday July 10.—The Rioters were ap­prized of it, appear'd by their Council, and prayed the Rule might be enlarged till the next Term.—It was granted. In the mean while they continued Mobbing, broke into Mr. Adams's House one Sa­turday Night at Eleven o'Clock, when there was no Preaching, made those that were in Bed get up, and searched the Oven, Cellar, and every Corner of the House, to see whether they could find any Metho­dists. Some Time after, they threw another young Man into a Mud-pit three Times successively, and abused the People in a dreadful Manner. The next Term came on.—We proved our Accusations [Page 9] by twenty-six Affidavits; and the Defendants mak­ing no Reply, the Rule was made absolute, and an Information filed against them. — To this they pleaded NOT GUILTY; and according to the Method in the Crown-Office, the Cause was referred to the Assize held at Gloucester, March 3d. — Thither I went, and on Tuesday Morning last the Trial came on. It was given out by some, ‘That the Methodists were to lose the Cause, whether right or wrong.’ And I believe the Defendants depended much on a Supposition that the Gentle­men and Jury would be prejudiced against us. We were easy, knowing that our Saviour had the Hearts of all in his Hands. Being aware of the great Consequences of gaining or losing this Trial, both in respect to us and the Nation, we kept a Day of Fasting and Prayer thro' all the Societies both in England and Wales. Our Scotch Friends also joined with us, and chearfully committed our Cause into his Hands by whom Kings reign and Princes decree Justice. We had about thirty Witnesses to prove the Riot and Facts laid down in the Informa­tion.— Our Council opened the Cause (as I heard, being not present when the Trial begun) with much Solidity and sound Reasoning: They shewed, ‘That Rioters were not to be Reformers; and that his Majesty had no where put the Reins of Government into the Hands of Mobbers, or made them Judge or Jury.’—One of them, in particu­lar, with great Gravity reminded the Gentlemen on the Jury of the Advice of Gamaliel, a Doc­tor [Page 10] of the Law, recorded Acts v. 38, 39. ‘Re­frain from these Men, and let them alone; for if this Council, or this Work be of Men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.’ Our Witnesses were then called.—I came into Court when the second Wit­ness was examining.—Mr. Adams and four more (three of which were not called Methodists) so clearly proved both the Riot and the Facts laid to the Charge of the Defendants, that the Judge was of Opinion there needed no other Evidence.—The Council for the Defendants then rose, and exerted a good deal of Oratory, and I think said all that could well be said, to make the best of a bad Matter. One urged, ‘That we were Enthusiasts, and our Principles and Practices had such a Tendency to infect and hurt the People, that it was right, in his Opinion, for any private Person to stand up and put a Stop to us; and whoever did so was a Friend to his Country.’—He strove to influence the Jury by telling them, ‘That if a Verdict was given against the Defendants, it wou'd cost them Two Hundred Pounds:—That the Defendants Rioting was not premeditated; but that coming to hear Mr. Adams, and being offended at his Doctrine, a sudden Quarrel arose, and thereby the unhappy Men were led into the present Fray, which he could have wish'd had not happen'd; but however, it did not amount to a Riot, but only an Assault.’ Their other Council inform'd [Page 11] the Jury, ‘That they would undertake to prove that the Methodists began the Tumult first.’— He was pleased also to mention me by Name, & ac­quainted the Court, ‘That Mr. Whitefield had been travelling from Common to Common, making the People cry, and then picking their Pockets, under Pretence of collecting Money for the Co­lony of Georgia; and knowing that Gloucester­shire was a populous Country, he at last came there. —That he had now several Curates, of which Mr. Adams was one, who in his Preaching had found Fault with the Proceedings of the Clergy, and said if the People went to hear them, they would be damned.—He added, that there had lately been such Mobbing in Staffordshire, that a Regiment of Soldiers was sent down to suppress them; insinuating that the Methodists were the Authors—That we had now another Cause of a like Nature depending in Wiltshire, and that we were not of that mild, pacifick Spi­rit, as we wou'd pretend to be.’ — This, and much more to the same Purpose, though foreign to the Matter in hand, pleased many of the Audi­tors, who expressed their Satisfaction in hearing the Methodists in general, and me in particular, thus lashed, by frequent laughing.—The Eyes of all were upon me —Our Saviour kept me quite easy. —I thought of that verse of Horace,

[Page 12] Tertullus's accusing Paul came also to my Mind, and I look'd upon myself as highly honoured in having such Things spoken against me falsly for Christ's great Name's Sake.—To prove what the De­fendant's Council had insinuated, they called up a young Man, who was own Brother to one of the Defendants, and one of the Mob.—He swore point blank, ‘That Mr. Adams said, if People went to Church they wou'd be damned; and if they would come to him, he wou'd carry them to Je­sus Christ.—He swore also that the Pool in which Mr. Adams was thrown, was no deeper than half way up his Legs. He said first that there were but about ten of them that came to the House of Mr. Adams; and then he swore that there were about threescore.—He said there was a Low-Bell, and that one of the Defendants did ask Mr. Adams to come down off the Stairs, but that none of them went up to him, upon which Mr. Adams willingly obey'd, went with them briskly along the Street, and, as he wou'd have represented it, put himself into the Skin-pit and Pool, and so came out again.’ He said also some other things, but thro' his whole Evidence appeared so flagrantly false, that one of the Council said, ‘It was enough to make his Hair stand an end.’ The Judge himself wish'd, ‘He he had so much Reli­gion as to fear an Oath.’—So he went down in Disgrace. Their Second Evidence was an aged Woman, Mother to one of the Defendants.—She swore, ‘That her Son did go up the Stairs by [Page 13] Mr. Adams, and that Mr. Adams tore her Son's Coat, and would have broke his Neck down Stairs.’ But she talk'd so fast, and her Evidence was so palpably false, that she was sent away in as much Disgrace as the other. Their third and last Evidence was Father to one who was in the Mob, tho' not one of the Defendants. The chief he had to say was, ‘That when Mr. Adams was coming from the Pool, one met him, and said, Brother, how do you do? Upon which he answered, that he had received no Damage, but had been in the Pool and came out again.’ So that all their Evidences, however contra­ry one to another, yet corroborated ours, and prov­ed the Riot out of their own Mouths. The Book was then given to a Justice of the Peace, who had for­merly taken up Mr. Cennick, for preaching near Stroud, and had lately given many signal Proofs thas he was no Friend to the Methodists.—But he intending to speak only about their Characters, and the Council and Judge looking upon that as quite impertinent to the Matter in hand, he was not ad­mitted as an Evidence. — Upon this, his Lord­ship, with great Candor and Impartiality, sum'd up the Evidence, and told the Jury, ‘That he thought they should bring all the Defendants in Guilty; for our Evidences had sufficiently proved the Whole of the Information, and also, that the Riot was premeditated. — He said, That, in his Opinion, the chief of the Defen­dant's Evidence was incredible; and that, sup­posing the Methodists were Heterodox, (as perhaps [Page 14] they might be) it belong'd to the Ecclesiastical Government to call them to an Account; that they were Subjects, and Rioters were not to be their Reformers."’—He also reminded them of ‘the dreadful ill Consequences of Rioting at any Time, much more at such a critical Time as this; that Rioting was the Fore-runner of, and might end in Rebellion; that it was Felony, without Benefit of Clergy, to pull down a Meet­ing-house; and, for all as he knew, it was High Treason to pull down even a Bawdy house.—That this Information came from the King's Bench, that his Majesty's Justices there thought they had had sufficient Reason to grant it; that the Matters contain'd in it had been evidently prov'd before them, and consequently they should bring all the Defendants in Guilty.’

Upon this the Jury were desir'd to consider of their Verdict. There seem'd to be some little De­mur amongst them. His Lordship perceiving it, inform'd them, ‘They had nothing to do with the Damages, (that was to be referr'd to the King's Bench) they were only to consider whether the Defendants were guilty or not.’ Whereupon, in a few Minutes, they gave a Verdict for the Prose­cutors, and brought in all the Defendants guilty of the whole Information lodg'd against them. — I then retired to my Lodgings, kneel'd down, and gave Thanks, with some Friends, to our all-conquer­ing Emanuel.—Afterwards I went to the [...] pray­ed, and returned Thanks with the Witnesses, exhorted [Page 15] them to behave with Meekness and Humility to their Adversaries, and after they had taken pro­per Refreshment sent them home rejoicing.—In the Evening I preach'd on those Words of the Psalmist, By this I know that thou favourest me, since thou hast not suffer'd mine Enemy to triumph over me. — God was pleased to enlarge my Heart much.—I was very happy with my Friends afterwards, and the next Morning set out for London, where we have had a blessed thanksgiving Season, and from whence I take the first Opportunity of sending you as many Particulars of the OCCASION, PROCESS, and ISSUE of our TRIAL, as I can well recollect. What Report his Lordship will be pleased to make of the Case, and how the Defendants will be dealt with cannot be known till next Term; when I know, I shall apprize you of it, as also of our Be­haviour towards them. —In the mean while let me entreat you to give Thanks to the blessed Jesus in our Behalf, and to pray that his Word may have free Course, may run, and be glorified, and a Stop be put to all such rebellious Proceedings.