THE GRAND JURIES ADDRESS and PRESENTMENTS TO THE Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Bristol, etc.  
To the Right Worshipful Sir Richard Hart Knight, Mayor of the said City, 
●on. Civit. ●●ISTOC.  and the Right Worshipful and Worshipful the Aldermen of the same, his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, of, and for the City, and the County of the same, now assembled in their General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, begun and beld the 12th day of April instant, and by several Adjournments continued to this 26th day of the same Month, Anno Dom. 1681.  
WE the Grand Jurors for our Sovereign Lord the King, and for the Body of the County of the said City, as becomes good Christians, do publicly and solemnly acknowledge and profess our Zeal for the true Reform Religion, as the same is by Law established in the Church of England, as becomes Loyal and Dutiful Subjects, We take this Opportunity to repeat and testify our Allegiance and bounden Duty to His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, acknowledging with all possible Gratitude the great happiness and Tranquillity, that (since his most happy Restauration) all his good Subjects have been blest with under his most gracious Reign and Government; and as becomes good Citizens, We render our unfeigned thanks to the Right Worshipful Master Mayor, for his singular prudence and integrity in his administration (as Chief Magistrate) of the Government and Affairs of the City, according to the Duty of his Office; and especially we must not omit to perpetuate and transmit to Posterity (amongst the Records of the Court) the memory of those eminent and good offices done by Himself, and such of the Worshipful Aldermen and worthy Citizens of this City as have joined with Him, in his and their hearty and active endeavours to secure and preserve the Honour, Welfare and good Government of this City, with our Franchises and Privileges from being invaded or trodden down by Ambitious, Factious, and unreasonable Men, some of whom, by means of extraordinary Favours conferred on them by this City, have had the happiness to be advanced into His Majesty's Royal Grace and Favor, and have been by Him honoured with Dignity, and preferred unto places of considerable Trust and Profit; howsoever by them deserved or requited. As to what chiefly relates to our present duty; forasmuch as the Religion established and professed in our Church, hath the highest Obligations to Loyalty and Obedience, and is the firmest Ligature of all Humane Societies, and unless that be secured and defended, we cannot reasonably promise ourselves the Blessing either of Peace or Trade (both which particulars the Right Worshipful Master Myor at the close of the charge given us, was pleased in especial manner to commend to our Consideration) we thought it our duty to employ the greatest part of the time allotted us for this present service, about enquiring into the true Causes of the decay of the first of these (namely Religion) and with humble submission, to propose to this Court the ways and means to vindicate and restore it to its former purity and beauty amongst us, that so the two other (viz.) Peace and Trade, which are so mainly Influenced by the former, may be Restored and Increased also.  
And upon such enquiry, we find it too evident and apparent, and in pursuance of our oaths and duty we present, that those who have abandoned their Parish-Churches, and refusing to resort thither, are become frequenters of unlawful Conventicles, and some other, who (though they have not perhaps, for fear of the penalties of the Laws, or for other respects, altogether forsaken their Parish-Churches) are become notable Encouragers and Countenancers of Conventicles, do give the greater ●ound to our Religion, and administer the greatest scandal to 〈◊〉 true Professors thereof, and are the principal Authors of all ●●reat disorders and breaches of his Majesty's peace, disturbances of the Government of this City, Tumults, Riots, and other factious, seditious, and disloyal practices that have happened amongst us, whereby, and by the dangerous and pernicious Principles and Doctrines, as are taught at such Conventicles, and are daily spread abroad within this City, by such as are inspired and actuated by Fanatic zeal and Democratick fury, the very Foundation of our establishments, both in Church and State, are endeavoured to be removed, and the minds not only of such as are Inhabitants here, but of such also as being strangers would otherwise resort hither for the sake of the Commerce and Traffic, are quite taken off from their Trade and Business, and are possessed many of them with doubts and fears, others with hopes of great alterations, if not a total subversion of the Monarchy and Government, and too much of that time, which would be better employed by some in their Callings, is spent in debating of State-matters, and in hearing and reading News; which, though oftentimes it proves false, yet is very glibly swallowed by the Credulous Vulgar, who commonly delight to be entertained with fables and falsehoods, especially such as reflect on his Majesty, his Affairs or Government, which we present as being of great detriment and hindrance to our Trade, as well as destructive to his Majesty's peace, and tending to the Impoverishment of the City.  
And therefore we further present the tolerating of, or connivance at, such unlawful Conventicles, to be utterly inconsistent with the honour and safety of the Church, and the interest of the Religion by Law established, his Majesty's peace, and the good Government and Trade of this City; and do humbly desire that the Laws and Statutes in force against such like conventicles, as well as against Popish Recusants, if any be within this City, may be put in speedy and effectual execution, in order to their being suppressed and convicted: and that such as frequent such Conventicles, especially the Preachers, may be proceeded against, and punished as the Law directs, the rather for that they have been so often complained of by several former Grand Juries, at several former Sessions, in the Mayoralty of former Mayors, by presentments of the like nature, which have proved so fruitless, that were it not that the conscience of our Oaths and Duties did prevail upon us above all other discouragements, we should have forborn these Presentments at this time.  
We present that all such are guilty of the breach of their Oaths of Burgesses, who knowing of any unlawful assemblies (whether under pretence of Religious Worship, or otherwise) as have been, are, or shall be within this City, contrary to the Laws, do not give notice thereof to Master Mayor for the time being, or such other Person or Persons, as by the Tenor of the said Oath they are directed.  
Item, We Present, that Sir John Knight, Kt. one of the Aldermen of this City, who according to the Duty of his Office, aught to be Aiding and assisting to Mr. Mayor for the time being, in the execution of his Mayoralty, did on the eleventh day of February last passed, in a furious and menacing manner, Affront and Assault the Right Worshipful Mr. Mayor, on the public Toulzey whilst he was in the Execution of his Office of Mayor, and had the Sword of Justice before him; He the said Sir John Knight shaking a Cane he then held in his hand at the said Mr. Mayor, and calling him base fellow, and giving him the lie, in the presence of divers persons of Quality, and others; in contempt of our Sovereign Lord the King, to the dishonour of this City, and the Government thereof.  
We Present the said Sir John Knight, for his public Stigmatising and Branding all such of His Majesty's Loyal Subjects, as gave their votes at the last Election of Parliament men within this City, for Mr. Ma●or and Mr. Tho. I●arle. Members to serve for this City in the last Parliament, with divers reproachful, odious, and Ignominious Names and Characters, especially of Papists, Popish dogs. Jesuits, and Popish Devils.  
Item, We present Sir Robert Atkins Knight of the Bath, and Recorder, one of the Aldermen of the City, and the said Sir John Knight, John Lawford another Alderman of the same City, Henry Merret, Henry Glesson Senior, William Douning, Samuel Halles, Stephen Watts, John Hine and Humphrey Cres●●, Members of the Common Council of the same City; and Charles Plum●●●● Miner, a Citizen and free Burgess of the same City, for that they, in and by a certain Writing under the Title of a Petition, by them Subscribed and Published within this City, directed to the Honourable the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled; did safely, maliclously, and scandalously cause to be inferred divers, notorious and scandalous Untruths and Falsehoods, tending to the Dishonour and the Reproach of the good Government of this City, of Mr. Mayor, and the present Sheriffs of the same: and divers other persons of Quality and Loyalty; particularly, those of the Artillery within the said City, and to the stirring up of causeless heats, Animosities, and breaches of His Majesty's Peace amongst His Majesty's Subjects within this City, and elsewhere; and we humbly submit it to the consideration of this Court, whether the said Sir Robert Atkins his continual Nonresidence amongst us, and his deserting the Service of this City, in his not Advising and Assisting Mr. Mayor, in matters of great Importance to this City, be not a sufficient cause for removing him from his place of Recorder of the said City.  
We Present John Roe, to be a Common lover of Discord and strife amongst his Majesty's Subjects within this City, one of the chief Authors of all those sad Divisions that have lately risen amongst us; a person of a Vicious and Profligate life and Conversation, a Liar, a False Accuser of His Majesty's Subjects, and not fit to approach the person or company of Mr. Mayor, or any other of the Magistrates of this City, much less to bear the Sword before him; and in case he be not already dismissed from bearing the Sword before Mr. Mayor, We ●umbly pray his Worship, that at some convenient time he will please to conveen an house of the Common Council, in order to dismiss him, and choose some fit and Loyal person for that Service.  
Item, We Present that Rich. Fairclougth, John Weeks, George Fowns, _____ Young, John Moon, _____ Steele, _____ Throughton, and divers others, whose Names we do not as yet know, not being in Holy Orders as we believe, but being Nonconformist Preachers, do frequently take upon them to Preach and Teach without being Licenced, in several unlawful Conventicles and Meetings, let up and continued within this City, contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalf; whereby they seduce divers of his Majesty's Subjects from their Loyalty and Obedience: And that the Laws in Force, especially the Act of Parliament made at Oxon, for the restraining of Non-Conformists to come into Cities or Corporations, or within five miles of them, be put in speedy execution against them; It being imposiple that the peace of this City should be preserved to long as such Incendiaries are tolerated amongst us.  
Item, We Present that the Coffe-house and Tippling-house of John Kimber near the Toulzey, in the Parish and Ward of St. Ewen within this City, hath a door newly made therein near adjoining, and opposite to St. Ewins principal Church door, whereby divers dissolute, idle and disorderly persons sitting Tippling and Sinnaking Tobacco in the said Coffee-house at time of saying of Divine Service, and doing other Holy Offices in the same Church, do with derision and contempt look on such as are at their Devotions in the said Parish Church, and by their Tippling and Tobacco taking there, do offend and interupt such as are so at Church in such their Devotion, and greatly Scandalise them.  
And We further Present, that the said Coffee-house is commonly frequented as well on Lords days as other days, by many Schismatical and Seditions Sectaries, and other Disloyal persons, where for their encouragement in Tippling, they are usually entertained with false News, Lying and Scandalous Libels and Pamphlets, tending to the Reproach and Dishonour of the Established Religion, and of his Majesty and Government; and divers of his great Officers and Ministers of Seat. For avoiding whereof, and the great inconveniences and mischiefs thereby arising; and for removing the Offence thereby justly given to divers of His Majesty's Loyal Subjects; We Present it as necessary, and Humbly pray, that if it lie in the Power of this Court, the said house may be suppressed, and not applied to that ill use, or else that this Court will take Order that no Printed or Written News or Pamphlets be suffered to be Read or Published there, or in any other Coffee or Tippling-house, but only such as shall first be shown to Mr. Mayor, or the Alderman of the Ward for the time being, where such Coffee house is, and be by one of them Allowed or Approved of, as fit to be Read or Published.  
The rest of our Presentments are contained in several Schedules hereunto annexed: Thus having done Our parts in Presenting according to our Consciences, We presume your Worships will not be wanting in punishing, as Your Duty, and as the Law directs; by which means future Grand Jurors will be encouraged to present Offenders and offences likewise. And if so, We may Reasonably hope to see Disloyal, Seditious, Factious, and Disorderly persons discountenanced; and Peace, and Plenty, and all outward Happiness to flourish amongst us; to the envy of his Majesties, and our Enemies; to the Joy and Comfort of us all, and of his Majesty also, whose Life and Reign, GOD Almighty long preserve, AMEN.  


Walter Gunter,  
George Larkin,  
Robert Brookhouse,  
John Ollife,  
Edw. Millard,  
Tho. Lugg.  
Tho. Turner,  
Rich. Gibbins,  
Will. Lewis.  
Thomas Durbin,  
Thomas Rich,  
Benjamin Rostern,  
Rob. Lippiac,  
Rich. Kirwood,  
Tho. Rogerson.  
Thomas Tilie,  
Hen. Daniele,  
Will. Scott.     

EDINBURGH, reprinted by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the Kings most Excellent MAJESTY, Anno DOM. 1681.