A TRUE RELATION Of the unlawful and unreasonable Proceedings of the Magistrates of HARWICH in ESSEX, against the People of the Lord( called QUAKERS) Also the manner of their Imprisoning of GEORGE FOX the younger, whom they with ROBERT GRASSINGHAM accused to the PARLIAMENT; And also the manner of the PARLIAMENTS Proceedings against them.  
IN the Year 1656, it was so ordered of the Lord, that there came unto the Town of HARWICH some of 〈…〉 as they were coming from the Steeple-house, and 〈◇〉 they passed into an Inn; but the then MAYOR hearing thereof sent unto them, command●ng that they should depart the Town, which they had not freedom in the Lord presently to do, but after a short spac● th●y ●ent out: And it being upon them to r●turn again, they did so and lodged at that Inn all night, and the next day they peaceably passed away; so nor long after, the Woman that kept the Inn, was commanded to come before the Magistrates of the Town, who appeared to be offended w●th her● for lodging of those People, and made her to promise them, that she would lodge no more such Persons, by threatening to take away her licence if she did; So grea● was their envy at the appearance of the Truth in that Town, But it pleased the Lord, that shortly after, some of the Inhabitants ther●o●●●re Convinced of the Truth; ●nd so a way was made for Mee●●●● the●●nd several received the Truth in the Love of it, in and about that Town so that they could not for Conscience sake pay to the repairing of the Steeple house any ●onger; and therefore had not freedom to Bury their dead in the ground belonging thereunto; but they joined together, and bought a pa●c●l of ground to Bur● their dead in ( as did Abraham, the Fat●er of the Faithful.) So in the Year 1659. it was so ordered of the 〈◇〉 that one who lived a little out of that Town died, and sever●l people, wer● accompanying the dead body to Bury it in the place purchased for that 〈…〉 of the Magistrates hearing of it, sent the Constables with a Guard, commanding them not to suffer the dead body to be laid in that place ( though the Grave was made) and by the command of that Magistrate, the dead body was taken away by force, and butted in the Steeple-house Yard.  
also in the eleventh Month in the same Year, there dyed another Friend near the same Town, and several Friends came along with the dead body, to have butted it in the place afore-mentioned; a Grave also being made; but Miles Hubburd the now MAYOR, and the other Rulers would not suffer the dead body to be laid therein; but caused it to be taken away by force, and so they carried it and set it by the Sea side, where it lay above ground part of two dayes and one night, and then it was covered over with small stones, but by whom I know not; Of these things a Record is kept, by Friend● in Harwich.  
Also in the 3d. Month in the Year 1660, I being in Essex in the work and service of the Lord, whereunto he hath called me by his mighty Power, and therein sent me forth, to publish his Everlasting Truth which he is spreading abroad in this the day of his Power, by which he is gathering those that breath and thirst after his Righteousness, out of the dark ways and worships of this world, into the true and living Way & Worship, which Christ Jesus, the true Light, in the dayes of his flesh spoken of; which is in the Spirit and in the Truth: I say, as I was labouring in the Work of the Gospel in that County, I had much drawings in the Spirit of Truth, to appoint a Meeting in the Town of Harwich; And that such thereabout who had desires to hear the Truth of God declared, might have notice given them, that in the Will of the Lord I purposed to be there on the 13th day of the month aforesaid it being the first day of the week, So notice was given of the Meeting some dayes before; And upon the first day in the morning there were about forty peaceable people,( as Men, Women and Children) coming in a Boat over a River which runs by the Town unto the Meeting, but the Magist●ates of the Town hearing thereof, sent some Officers to the water side to hinder them from coming on shore ( who were peaceably coming to wait on the Lord, and to hear the Truth declared) so these Officers, with a great number of rude people, did hinder those peaceable people from coming on shore, and forced them back again; also the same morning Robert Gassingham sent two of his servants with a Boat to have fetched over some of our Friends to the Meeting, but the Officers would not suffer them to go over, but charged them in the KING's Name to come back, and carried them before the Magistrates, who commanded that they should forthwith be set in the stocks, and they were so; and there were kept for some hours.  
And thus the Magistrates of that Town encouraged the rude people against us, by their unjust proceedings: Now it is usual with the Magistrates of that Town, to suffer such as come to their Steeple-house-worship, to come or go over the water upon the first day of the week.  
And about a Month before, on the first day of the week, the MAYOR being informed that some of our Friends were coming over, he with some other Officers of the Town, went down to the water side, being bent against the innocent; but when the Boat came on shore, it appeared that they were other people who were going about their occasions; and when they saw the Mayor, they said unto him, We made bold to come over; he answered them,— It was well enough, I thought( said he) you had been Quakers;— and thus did he manifest his partiality in the sight of many in that Town; so notwithstanding the Rulers cruelty in causing about forty of our Friends to be forced back, and setting two in the stocks, as afore-mentioned; we that were in the Town peaceably Assembled ourselves together in the fear of the Lord, to wait upon him; and for near about the space of two hours I had liberty to preach the Gospel to the people, being filled with the Power of the Lord; But with in a short time after the space afore-mentioned, there came a great company of rude Sea men with others of the Town, and the house being filled before with peaceable people, these rude ones could not easily get in; but when they saw that they could not well get to me, because of the press of people, some of them then cursed me bitterly, biding that they call the Pox and Plague upon me; others crying out— hang him Rogue, hang him;— and another conspiringly said,— Let us get a Halser( which is a long Rope) and therewith pull down the House upon the Rogues;— others cried out,— The King is coming now, who will hang or banish you all,—( it being a little before his coming.) Now when I heard and saw this great ungodliness, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon me, and I was filled with his unresistible Power, in which I was made to utter these words, saying, WO, WO unto the RULERS and TEACHERS of this Nation, who suffer such ungodliness as this, and do not seek to suppress it; then went some of the multitude and accused me to the Magistrates, who presently came and commanded the chief Constable ( and some others) to fetch me out, who forthwith pressed in, and in the King's Name commanded me to go with him, and so he brought me out of the House into the street, where the Rulers stood amongst the rude multitude, then he that was MAYOR said hastily,— Which is he, which is he,— some answered,— This is he,—( pointing towards me) then said the Mayor to the Constables,— Take him and put him into Prison;— then said I to him, if I have done any thing worthy of death or bonds, I shall not refuse either, but I desire thee to show me what Law I have transgressed ( if thou be able) which thou oughtest to do before thou sendest me to Prison, that I may know for what thou sendest me thither; he said, I should know that afterward; but he would neither let me know my Accusers, nor could he show me any Law I had broken, neither would he tell me for what cause he sent me to Prison, nor did he at all examine me, but commanded the Constables to take me away; so I was forthwith haled to Prison, without a Mittimus.  
And Robert Grassingham, whose outward being was at Harwich, being at the Meeting out of which I was haled, he innocently in tender love went along with me to Prison, and as he went in the street he seeing the rude multitude thronging me, said to the Constables, You ought to see the Peace kept, and nor to suffer the rude people to abuse the Prisoner ( or words to this effect.)  
So some time after I was imprisoned, there was a Mittimus sent to the jailor, signed by Miles Hubburd Mayor, Anthony Woolward, and Daniel Smith; wherein I was falsely charged with causing a tumult in that Burough, and disturbing the Peace thereof; and thus they sought to cover their persecution, by false accusing of the innocent, whom the Lord acquits; But the Rude, Cursing, Tumultuous, Peace breaking people ( whom they had let up and strengthened by their unlawful proceedings) had nothing done unto them, but were let go free; yet all this did not satisfy their persecuting spirit, but they further proceeded in their cruelty, and accused both me and Robert Grassingham to the PARLIAMENT; Now as for R. G. I know nothing that they could pretend against him, except they were displeased with his going with me to the Prison, as afore-mentioned; nor did they in he least charge him to his face with any thing; but the MAYOR some time besore that, did say unto him in the hearing of several Friends;— If I could but get you out of the Town, then could I deal w●ll enough with the rest ●f the Quakers;— But the Lord hath a Seed in that Town which fears not the rage of man, though one of their Brethren,( through the cruelty and unlawful proceedings of those Ruler●,) be taken from them at present; So the PARLIAMENT upon the receiving of their false Information, Issued forth an Order for the bringing up of R. G. and me: A true Copy thereof is as followeth.  

Monday May the 21th, 1660.  
The House being informed, that two Quakers, that is to say, George Fox, and Robert Grassingham, have lately made a disturbance at Harwich, and that the said George Fox who pretends to be a Preacher, did lately in his Preaching there, speak words much reflecting on the Government and Ministry, to the near causing of a Mutiny 
† As for the Government and Ministry of the Town of Harwich, their streets like Sodom, have shown its effects: And the Angels and Lot might as justly have been charged with making a Disturbance in Sodom, when the ungodly thronged Lotts door, as R. G. and I in Harwich, as the sober Reader may see: Also, when I was in Prison there, I have seen out at the Window, many go staggering with Drunkenness in the street, and both in the day and in the night, they have come to the grace and cursed me bitterly, and stammered out Oaths by reason of Drunkenness, and then cried,— God save KING CHARLES,— saying,— He would hang the Quakers, and the Anabaptists;— and these have gone unpunished; But when sober people have come to the grace to hear the Truth declared, them the Goalors Company hath thrown water upon, and the MAYOR hath come and commanded them to depart from the Window, and the Goalor hath come & shut it up, and threatened me. , and is now committed by the Mayor and Magistrates there.  
Ordered, That the said George Fox and Robert Grassingham be forthwith brought up in Custody, and that the Sheriff of the County of Essex do receive them, and give his assistance for the conveying of th●m up accordingly, and delivering them into the charge of the Sergeant at arms at●ending this House.  
Ordered, that the thanks of this House be given to the Mayor and Magistrates of Harwich, for their care in this business.  
William Jessop Clerk of the Commons House of Parliament.   
So after they had kept me ten nights in HARWICH Prison, the SHERIFF of Essex with several armed men, came for me with the Order aforementioned; so great a company of men with halberds fetched me out of the hole wherein I was put ( which was not four Yards long, nor so broad as long) and these men would nor suner me to speak with the MAYOR( though I much desired it) but they guarded me through the streets, and delivered me to the SHERIFF and his men, who were to bring me up to LONDON; so as we were coming upon the Road, we not with Robert Grassingham, who was coming from London towards Harwich, in pursuance of an Order which he had received from the Commissioners for the Admiralty and Navy, for the Refitting of one of the Kings frigates, which then lay in that Port, whereof he was then S●ip-wright; but notwithstanding R G. shewed his Order to the Sheriff, yet he brought ●im back to London with me, and delivered us into the Custody of the Sergeant at arms attending the House, who the same night committed us to Lambeth-House, and gave Order( as the jailor said) That but few of our Friends should be suffered to come at us, and when any were suffered, that then some should stand by and hear what was said; and if any Letters went from us, or came to us, that the Goalor or some of his Family should hear them, which was observed for ●ome time: Also we were confined to our Chamber, for the space of six weeks and upward, and had nor that liberty allowed us to walk in the Yard, which all the other Prisoner● had; and another time the Gao or said, that the Sergeant had given him an Order,— That no person should come at me, no not so much as to bring me food;— but indeed the Goalor suffered my food to be brought in; but as for others which came to visit me, they were kept back for some time: so near about three weeks after we were committed to Lambeth, we wrote to the PARLIAMENT, and sent the Writing enclosed in a few lines to the Speaker; but he do●ng nothing in the th●ng, we caused it to be Printed, and several hundreds of the Paper, were given to the PARLIAMENT Men; a true Copy is as followeth; 
For the HOUSE of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT at Westminster.  
FRIENDS,  
BY your Order touching us, Dated the 21st. of the Third Month, called May, we understand you have been falsely informed concerning us, by some who have falsely accused us; Therefore this is our just and reasonable request; that we, together with our Accusers, may face to face be brought before you; and if any thing can be justly proved against us worthy of Death, or Bonds, we shall not refuse either; But if their can be nothing justly proved against us, then ought our Accusers to be ashamed, and we to be acquitted.  
Now we do believe it to be unjust and unreasonable, that a man should be halled out of a peaceable Meeting, as one of us was at Harwich in Essex, and sent to Prifon without being Examined, or a Mittimus( only for declaring against the Cursing and the Wickednefs of the Rude People, and against such as suffer such Ungodliness, and do not seek to suppress it) and there to be kept ten nights, and from thence to be transported 〈…〉 that we both should be here confined to our Chambers, as we have been, for about three weeks last past, seeing nothing is proved against us, nor we yet brought to an Examination; neither did your Order express any such Confinement: so these things are laid before you in plainness, that justice herein may be done by you.  
By us who are Sufferers for Righteousness sake, and we have and shall have peace in our Suffering, and in writing ourselves thus, except we were convinced by the Law of God, or any just Law of our Nation to the contrary.  
Lambeth House, the 15th. of the 4th. Month, called June, 1660, 

George Fox, the Younger.  
Robert Grassingham.     
A Copy hereof was delivered to the Speaker of the House of Commons, enclosed in a Letter to himself, in these words following; 
For the Speaker of the House of Commons.  
Friend,  
WE desire thee to communicate this enclosed to the House of Commons, it being a few Innocent, Just and Reasonable words to them, though not in the Eloquent Language of Man's Wisdom, yet it is in the Truth which is Honourable.  
We are Friends to Righteousness and Truth, and to all that are Found therein. 

R. G.  
G. F.     
And being informed that as yet nothing is done in Answer to those Reasonable and Just desires, which are above mentioned. It is therefore thought meet to have it Printed, that so each Member of Parliament, as well as Others in outward Authority, may be acquainted with our Innocency, who( with many others) unjustly suffer Bonds and other Cruelties. This in tender Love, is a Warning and Visitation to you all, that in this your day of trial, you continue not Oppression upon the Righteous, nor Afflict the Meek, whom the Lord regards, lest you fall as those whom God cast out before you.  
Yet notwithstanding all this, the PARLIAMENT would do nothing in our business; Then some who desired that we together with our Accusers might be brought to a hearing, went to some of the Members, and desired that it might be moved in the House; but they would not; then a Reason was desired, Why not? Their Answer was, Because our Paper was not a 〈◇〉 nor directed with this Title ( 〈◇〉 Right Honourable the House of Commons, &c.) and except we would Petition and give them that Title aforementioned, we might lie where we did if we would; and yet they confessed, that there was little of Fact charged against us, and that our Paper was Rational, and our Request therein Reasonable.  
So because we have learned to speak truth in plainness to every man, and could not for Conscience sake give flattering titles to any, least our Maker should take us away, nor Petition any but him; therefore were we denied Justice, and are made a prey upon by those who seek honour one of another, and not that, which cometh from God onely.  
So after we had lain about fourteen weeks in Lambeth G●te-House, without being examined; then one of the Members of PARLIAMENT moved our business in the House, whereupon an Order was made; a true Copy whereof followeth; 

Thursday the 30th of August, 1660.  
Ordered, That George Fox and Robert Grassingham, who by virtue of a former Order of this House, were taken into Custody by the Sergeant at arms attending this House, for some disturbance at Harwich, be forthwith Released, and set at Liberty, upon Bail first given to Render themselves, when they shall be in that behalf Required  
William Jessop Clerk of the Commons House of Parliament.    
Then shortly after this Order was issued forth, the Sergeant at arms sent his Clerk, to demand Fees, and Chamber Rent of us; then I asked him before several Witnesses, if we were detained onely for that? he then said, He knew not but that we were Freed, and that we might go, if we would pay his Master, who had sent him to demand fifty pounds of us for Fees, besides Chamber Rent; for which the Chamberlain of the Prison  told us, That the Sergeant demanded ten-shillings a week; So we denied to uphold such wicked oppression▪ & could not for Conscience sake satisfy his covetous & unrighteous desire, but choose rather to suffer, than to come forth by yielding to such a horrid oppression; yet were we willing to have given him to the full value of all the things we made use of in the Chamber, and it being the highest room in a lofty Tower, and all the windows open, it was not fit for men to Lodge in, by Reason of the Wind and Rain beating in, until we had gotten them Glassed without any charge to the Sergeant, and we had so little of his in our Chamber, that we offered this( to wit) that if two reasonable men would prise the things, we would pay him for them, and give him the Things also; or if he would not stand to that, then we would give him two shillings and six pence a week, for the time we had been there; We also  told our Keepers, that if we denied to give them any thing, that they could recover by Law, the Law was open, but they ought not according to their own Law to keep us upon that account, but to turn us out, and then take their course at Law; And so we demanded our Liberty several times; but notwithstanding all this, the Sergeant detained us still.  
And the day before the PARLIAMENT Adjourned, our Names in a List with other Prisoners in his Custody, was given in to the Parliament, who notwithstanding their Act of Indemnity and Oblivion, and their former Order, for our being forthwith Released and set at Liberty; they made another Order, That it should be Referred to the Kings Privy Counsel, to consider of us, and to give such Order touching us, as to our Liberty, or to continue under Restraint, as they should find Consistent with the public Peace, and the mean time we are to remain in the Sergeants Custody; so by this Order we are still detained, and nothing is yet done by the Privy council touching us.  
Now let the Reader consider, how unreasonably and contrary to Law we have been used, who have been kept seventeen weeks in this Prison, and never brought to any examination. Besides the time that I was kept at Harwich.  
Now if the PARLIAMENT had rightly weighed and considered the matter, when they Ordered the thanks of the House to be given to the Mayor and Magistrate of Harwich, for their care in that busin●ss touching us; truly, they might have found more cause to have reproved them for their folly, than to have given them thanks.  
For if it had been true, that we had made some Disturbance at Harwich( as it is said in the Order for our Release) yet if the Magistrates of Harwich had rightly understood their duty, and f they had not been blinded with the mad zeal of persecution, they might have seen that it belonged to their place to have ended the matter of a disturbances and not to have troubled a Parliament with such a frivolous thing; But it is certain, that pers●cutors in all Ages were blind: And what a thing is th●s, cannot three Justices of the Peace( so called) nor a Parliament, determine in the ma●ter of a Disturbance( if it had been so that we had made one, which we did not) but that such a thing as that, must be turned over to the King's Privy Council to be considered of? or is it because they would keep the innocent in Prison, and are ashamed to bring them to an examination, having nothing justly to charge them withal? I leave this to be answered, by that of God in all who shall red this.  
And seeing there have be●n many false Reports touching the cause of our imprisonment, and also that some of our enemies have reported, that we may come out of Prison if we will, it was upon me to publish the manner of our imprisonment, and of our being kept, and by whom, that the truth of the matter may plainly be seen, which being truly considered, people may see that it is even now as it was in the Prophets dayes of old, For judgement is now turned backward, and Justice standeth afar off, Truth is fallen into the streets, and Equity cannot enter; yea, Truth faileth, and he that departeth from Evil maketh himself a prey, and the Lord hath seen it, and it displeaseth him, because there is no true Judgement, Isaiah 59.14, 15. and as they did in the dayes of Amos, even so do this generation; yea,  They now turn judgement into Wormwood, and leave off Righteousness in the earth, they hate him that re●uketh in the Gate, and abhor him that speaketh uprightly; Therefore will the Lord break forth like fire, Amos 5. 
G. F. Lambeth House the 21th of the 7th Month, 1660.   
THE END.  

London, Printed for Robert Wilson, at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Wind-Mill, in Martins Le Grand, 1660.