The Popish INQUISITION Newly Erected in New-England, WHEREBY Their Church is manifested to be a Daughter of mystery Babylon, which did drink the blood of the Saints, who bears the express Image of her Mother, demonstrated by her fruits.  
ALSO, Their Rulers to be in the Beasts power upon whom the Whore rideth, manifest by their wicked compulsory Laws against the Lamb and his Followers, and their cruel and bloody practices against the dear Servants of the Lord, who have deeply suffered by this hypocritical generation.  
Some of their miserable sufferings for the Testimony of Jesus, declared as follows; and some of their unjust and wicked laws set down, by which they have made the ungodly to rejoice, and the righteous to lament, that all who fear the Lord, may come out of their footsteps.  
Published by a Lover of Mercy and Truth, and an Enemy to Envy and Cruelty, Francis howgil.  
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1659.:   

TO THE READER·  
GReat hath been the havoc and spoil that the old Dragon hath made since he was thrown out of Heaven, and many hath been the floods which he hath cast out after the woman, and great hath been the waves which he hath made to rise up in the sea; yea, the Nations that hath been as waters, he hath gathered on a heap, and made them burst out in a foaming rage, to overflow, and to drown, and to swallow up the woman, which was made to fly into the wilderness for many days, having a retired place there which God hath prepared for her, for a time, times, and half a time; and the remnant of her seed hath he made war with everywhere, and hath also given great Authority to the Beast who rose out of the sea, to kill with the sword, to cut off, and to destroy all that worshipped him not, and his Image; and he hath had power over both small and great, and hath killed them, and hath compelled them, & forced them to worship him; and all whose names have not been written in the lamb's Book of life, have worshipped him; for all hath wondered after him; and all the Nations have drunk of the whore's Cup of Fornication, and have been inflamed therewith; and all have partaked with her in her whoredoms, the Kings, the Rulers, the noble men, the Captains, and all, both small and great, who have drunk of her Cup, hath made war, and hated the freewoman and her seed; and all the deceivers, false prophets, and seducers, hath traded with her merchandise, and have deceived the Nations with her Sorceries, and they have the sheep's clothing, the outside, and are inwardly ravened. And in the ensuing Discourse thou wilt see great Professors, whom many did judge had been come out of Mystery Babylon many years ago, to wit, the Churches of New-England, who cried up Reformation, thou wilt see them making war for their Mother, Mystery Babylon, for they are her offspring, manifest in every circumstance, by their visage and countenance, by their doctrine and discipline, by their practice and fruit, by their spoil and violence, by their cruelty and bloodshed; their Mother drunk the blood of the Saints, and so are they drinking of the same; and the beast roars in that Na●io●, which rose out of the sea, upon which the Whore rides; and he is in great Majesty there, as ever he hath b●en since the Apostles days, and breathes out threatings, that none must buy nor sell w●o hath not his mark in his forehead, or in his right hand, and who hath not some of his Names of blasphemy, they must be kill●d, or tortured, o● banished, robbed, and spoiled, censured with the Whores censures, a●d then destroyed by the Beast, who calls himself the Higher Power, when as his Authority is from the Drago● who was cast into the Earth, and exercises his rage; and the b●ast by his Authority would roo● out all, ●nd destroy all that keeps the Testimony of Jesus, and are obed●e●t to his will.  
Reader, the ensuing Discourse will prove it; I need not say more, but leave their fruits and actions to declare them what they are; the sufferings of the Lord's servants in that Land hath been great, and thi● in so s●ort a time, that I am sure any sober man cannot but abhor such practices, & say in his heart, D●part from me ye bloodthirsty men. The Narrative of the Sufferings is some of them from men of their own Nation, the rest is the Sufferers own Narration, under their own hands, the substance of which I extracted in short for the readers sake, but much more hath been exercised upon the servants of the Lord in that Nation, and to repeat all their wicked invented Laws and Enterprises, would make a Volume i● self, some of which Laws thou hast in this Discourse, as many as came to my hand; and in those which are manifest, thou ma●st j●dge from what root the rest did spring, which is all judged, and to be judged with the life of God, root and branch; but in the long suffe●ing of God, (if there thou dwell) I bid thee farewell,  
F. H.   

The Popish Inquisition newly erected in New-England; Whereby their Church is manifest to be a Daughter of Mystery Babylon, which doth drink the blood of the Saints, who bears the express image of her Mother, demonstrated by her fruits, &c.  
THE Devil who was a liar and a Murderer from the beginning, who abode not in the truth, who spoke of himself, (and not from the Commandment of God, or the motion of Truth) who is cursed from the presence of the Lord for ever, who hath always made war (since he went out of the truth) against God and all the children of Truth, and he is that seed who has made war with the heir of all things, and against the Woman in all generations, which brought forth the Heir, the manchild; and since he hath usurped Authority, to wit, the Serpent; all the Earth hath been filled with violence where he hath born rule; God did not appoint him to be Lord, nor to be a lawgiver over man, nor over any of God's Workmanship; but he was to be ruled over by man, who was made in the Image of God; but when he came to usurp Authority of himself, contrary to the command of God, he became cursed; & man also, who became subject unto his usurped Authority, which he should have ruled over by the higher Power in which he was made, and had power and authority over all the contrary; but being gone from the power, and joined to him who moved without the power, they both became Enemies to the power, and so came to be cursed by the God of Power for ever, and then became at enmity to the power of the endless life, and fed upon dust, and that which is corruptible, which shall have an end. And now the Serpent and his Seed in the transgression, striveth and resisteth against him who is the higher Power, with all their strength, and all the Weapons formed in the bottomles● pit, by which Weapons he hath prevailed since the Lamb hath been slain, and hath brought all the Creation into bondage which have been subject to his Authority, which is out of the truth; and he doth not only make War against the Seed, (by whom salvation is revealed to the ends of the earth in them, that believe in him) but also he labours to destroy God's Workmanship, and to deface the creatures which God made, and formed by the Word of his Power: And thus all the sons of Adam in the transgression having shaked hands with the Prince of darkness, doth fulfil his unrighteous Decrees, (being gone from the power of God) although man sees that the Way of the Serpent is unequal, yet he hath not power to resist in that nature; and so all are in captivity, and bondage, and slavery unto the noisome lusts which the Devil instigateth and suggesteth into the hearts of all the children of disobedience, and so fruits of the flesh, and of darkness, is brought forth, to the dishonour of the Lord of heaven and earth; and herein the Devil rejoiceth, and the seed of the evil-doer taketh delight, and thereby his strength increases, by drinking in iniquity as Water; he is nourished up in the reign of the shadow of Death, and strives to bring all thither to take up their habitation, and to be servants to the Prince of the air, who was a Murderer from the beginning.  
And so Adam when he had lost the Image of God, and when the heritage of God was laid waste in himself, he begat a son in his own Image, who was Cain, (a murderer) who was of that wicked one that went out of Truth; & he rose up in envy, & slew Abel the just, who was of the Seed. And here's the offspring & the fruit of the Seed of the Serpent; for as God is love, and all that are begotten by him, live in love, and all the creatures that he did make, was to serve one another in love, in the covenant of life and love, in which they were made; so the Devil lives in envy, and all his children, and leads into discord, and perverteth all the creatures from that end which God made them, to serve his end, whose life stands in discord, envy, wrath, and unrighteousness, and whatsoever is evil; and herein is the children of God made manifest, and their Works, and the children of the Devil, and their Works; they that love God, loves the Workmanship of God, and cannot hate his Brother, but hath eternal life abiding in him; but he that's of the Devil, destroys God's Workmanship, kills his Brother, (a man-slayer) and hath not the love of God dwelling in him. And this Seed of the Serpent hath spread itself forth over all the earth since the transgression, both amongst Jews and Gentiles, professors, and profane; them that had the Law, and them that were without the Law; them that have had the Scripture, and them that had no Scripture; and in that which is called Christendom, as well as they which are called Heathens; as well amongst the highest professors, as amongst the grossest profane, in all times since the foundation of the World, that the Lamb hath been slain, and the seat of Iniquity raised up, and this seed hath been made manifest by its fruits throughout all ages and times, throughout all Nations, Kindreds, Tongues, Regions, countries, and Kingdoms; and by the fruit which is brought forth in New-England, they themselves may read their stock, and offspring, and fruits, a little of which, (which is brought to light, and evident) hereafter I shall declare, which when they come to view over their Work again, shame may cover their faces, and astonishment fill their hearts, that such fruits should be brought forth by them who are so high professors of God in words, and of the Scriptures to be the Rule of their obedience and Faith; now shall you be tried by the Scripture, your Rulers, your Teachers, and your Church-members, and the life of the Saints that gave forth the Scripture, will stand a Witness against your Doctrines and cursed practices for evermore; you may read your example, Cain, Herod, Murderers, & Men of blood, the persecuting Jews, who were zealous for God as they thought, who persecuted to death, and said they had a Law, and by that Law Christ ought to die; but you are worse than they, for you had no Law which would take hold upon the righteous and faithful Witnesses of God, till you had made one, or invented one, and digged down to Hell to ask counsel of the Prince of darkness, your God. And further, you may read your example, Nimrod, who came of the stock of Ham, who was cursed as well as the Serpent, as well as Cain; and your thoughts are vain, like the thoughts of your forefathers, the pharisees, whom Christ prophesied of to his Disciples, and said, The time would come when they should hale them out of the Synagogues, and persecute from City to City, and sp●ak all manner of evil of them, and should go about to kill them, and yet think they did God service; so void of understanding hath the seed of the Serpent always been in all generations; which Words of Christ is fulfilled among you professors of New-England, who are thinking (as they did) that you do God service in killing his members, and you are come to that time, your fruits has made it manifest. Oh! could you have believed in times past if it should have been told you that you above all people, should be the greatest persecutors, and exceeded in wickedness, and cruelty, and hard heartedness, the Papists, the Turks, the Heathens, who make little or no profession, in comparison of you, and yet that you should exceed them in rage, cruelty, and madness? It is an abhorrency to all sober people; you have stained the Earth▪ and defiled your Land with blood, and have caused the Name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to be blasphemed among the Heathen, by your wicked, ungodly, barbarous, and brutish actions; and you are in that nature, and in their steps which killed the Prophets, and mocked ●is Messengers, and shamefull● entreated his servants, upon whose heads all the blood shed from Abel to this day, will be required  
But blessed be the Lord, whose Arm hath been stretched forth, and hath gathered thousands out of that nature which is cursed from God for ever, and hath revealed his Salvation unto them, and the everlasting Gospel, which is to be preached again after the apostasy, and hath made us partakers of it, (to wit) the Power of God; and so we see unto whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed, that all Nations since the apostasy, hath drunk of the whore's cup, and are bewitched with her Sorceries, and therefore according to the command of the Lord, and the motion of his eternal spirit, we have born our Testimony against the Apostates and Deceivers, (who retain the Words, and has lost the life and power) to the intent that all that believe in the light which Christ hath lighted every man withal, that people might wait to receive power from on high again, (which all the sons of Adam hath lost in the transgression) that as many as receive the power, may come out of the transgression; and for this end hath God chosen and separated many contrary to their own Wills, and from whatsoever was dear unto them in the outward, to deny it all, and to answer the pure motion of God's spirit whither soever he leadeth, and in so doing, many have found the power and presence of the Lord going with them, and before them, and he hath prospered his own Work in their hands, and hath brought many out of Sodom and Egypt, and out of Mystery Babylon, to Christ the mystery, and to the mystery of Faith which is held in a pure Conscience.  
And we were not ignorant of this, what opposition we should receive from Antichrist and his Ministers, Satan and his Messengers; and how that the whole World lay in Wickedness; and how that Nations, Kindreds, Tongues, and People, had drunk the whore's Cup; and how that all hirelings, deceivers, false prophets, and seducers, would withstand: Neither were we ignorant that the Beasts power which got up in the Throne of Iniquity and exaltation, since the manchild was caught up unto God, & the Woman fled into the Wilderness, wherein he hath compelled all (both small and great) to worship him. Neither were we ignorant of his strength, and of his great Authority that he had in the Nations, and how that the Whore (the false Church) rode upon him; (and also we knew that the Nations were as Waters) nor of the great Waves which would lift up themselves; nor of the multitude of Merchants which makes merchandise of souls for dishonest gain, who are greedy of filthy lucre; nor of the multitude of ships in which they carry their merchandise and deceitful Ware; neither was the servants of the Lord; who hath thus deeply suffered (as I shall hereafter make mention) of the Spirit that ruled in the Professors and Teachers of New-England: Notwithstanding all this (which was seen before) we consulted not with flesh and blood, but was obedient to the heavenly call, and stood (given up to the Lord in life, or in death) to finish the Testimony which God hath put into our hands, that so many may be brought to know the living God revealed in themselves, that so they with us, and we with them, may rejoice in him who is becoming the King, and lawgiver, and the exceeding great reward of all his People; To whom be glory for ever and ever: Amen.  
And now Reader, I shall give thee a plain and true account of the grievous proceedings of the Rulers of New-England, and the miserable sufferings of the Servants of the Lord, whereby thou mayest see the Divinity of New-England, by the fruits and effects it brings forth, the Laws by which they rule their Nation not to be according to the Law of God, nor according to that which is equal in every man's conscience; for that Law takes hold upon the transgressor, but not the innocent; and because of unrighteous Rulers and Laws, many up▪ right-hearted people in that Nation mourns  

The grievous Suffering of Robert Hodshon, by the Governor of the Dutch Plantation in New-England.  
I Robert Hodshon being moved of the Lord to go to New-England, to declare the Word of Truth made known by his Spirit, was obedient thereto, who after a prosperous Voyage, arrived at Long-Island, where our own country people did inhabit under the Dutch Jurisdiction, finding drawings, and two more with me, we left the ship, and passed to a place called Gravesend, wher● our Testimony was received; From thence we passed to a Town called Semico, where we were received with gladness; so we passed to another Town called Hampstead, where we were received also; so I being left in the Town at a Friends House, (the other two being passed away) the next day being the first day, I passing to another friend's House, and some Friends following me into an Orchard, where we had thoughts to have met together, I being walking alone, there came a man from the Magistrate, and laid hold of me, and haled me to the Magistrate, and kept me a prisoner in his own house, while he himself went to his Worship; many staid and heard the Truth the forepart of the day declared; After he came home, and see so many with me, and could not stop my mouth, he wrote a ●ittimus, and gave another man charge to keep me at his house; so the latter part of the day I had many came to me, and those that had been mine Enemies, after they had heard Truth, confessed to it. So that Magistrate that committed me, took his Horse, and rode away to the Dutch Governor to make his complaint; but the other Magistrate, and most part of the Town, would not join with him against me, but some few of the ruder sort. There was I kept a prisoner till the Governor of the Dutch sent a Guard of twelve musketeers, and the Gaoler, and the Sheriff came about twenty miles; so I was committed to them, and they searched me, and took away my Knife, Books, and Papers, and pinioned me with Cords; the next morning they took two Women, one having a young child sucking, and committed them also, and more if they could have found them; and thus they entertain strangers in New-England. And then a Warrant went forth to bring those people that did receive us; and so he fined them, and commanded them to pay, within six Weeks, or else depart the Jurisdiction; and one man he committed, and laid Irons upon him, and fined each of them three pounds. So I being pinioned till I came near where the Dutch were, being tied with a Rope to a cart-tail, through the Woods near 30. miles, and then I was cast into a Dungeon so odious as I never saw, for wet, dirt, and nasty stink; and the next day I was brought to Examination, and an English Captain there to interpret, and took in Writing in their own Language, committing me again to the Dungeon, suffering not any English to come to me. The next Court calling me out again, reading my Accusation in their Language, the Captain interpreted some of my Accusation, and thus said before the Court, That it is the general's pleasure, seeing I did behave myself thus, that I must pay 600. Gilders, (which is 50. pound) or else to serve at a Wheel-barrow, locked with a Chain. I did ask him if I might give an Answer; and they answered, No; but shut me up in a Dungeon. So on the second day in the morning they took me forth, and locked me to the wheel-barrow (amongst the slaves) to work; I told them, I was never used to that work; and they took a hard Ship-Rope, (near four Inches about) and commanded a Black-More to beat me with it; so he beat me so long till I fell down, and the Sheriff commanded him to take me up again, and beat me again; so it was judged by the standers by, that he gave me an hundred blows: Then they forced me to go into the Fort where the Governor lived, and went to know what they should do with me; so they sent a Moor to gather Rods to whip me; and so with the blows, and the heat of the Sun, I sunk down where I stood in the Fort, and there I was till the seventh hour in the night; When the Gaoler came to unlock me from the Barrow, I was so sore swollen, that it was as much as I could do to stand, and was put that night in the dungeon; the next morning I was taken out about the fifth or sixth hour, and was locked to the barrow till the seventh hour at night, with a Century over me, that none should speak to me, and if I spoke to any, they told me they would punish me more; yet for all this, my mouth was opened to declare the Word of Truth. Afterwards they shut me up in the Dungeon about a Week, and then brought me forth again; and then they stripped me to the Waste, and hung me up by the hands, and tied a great Clog to my feet, the Gaoler being full of Wine and the Black-Moor a strong man, came with Rods, and whipped me, (the stripes cannot be numbered) back, sides and breast, which was cut very sore; and then I was put into the Dungeon, two nights, and near two days, giving me neither Bread nor Water; the Gaoler being drunk and asleep, two soldiers got in at the door, and got me some Water; so afterwards they took me forth again, and asked me if I would pay the Fine; I told them I could not: They asked me if I would work, or be whipped every day; I asked them what I had done, or what Law I had broken, and to know my Accusers; So they took me and hanged me up again, (as they had before) and put my body to great pain, in keeping my body so long hanged, and giving me about ten stripes, and then asked me if I would work, and then gave me stripes again, four or five times, than they let me down, and put me into the Dungeon; then a Woman came to me, and washed my stripes, and afterwards parted from me, and went home to her husband, and letting him know how it was with me, he proffered the Sheriff a fat Ox if he would suffer me to come to his house; for his Wife after she parted from me, looked when word should come that I was dead; but the Governor would not suffer me to come forth unless the whole Fine was paid; there were many friendly (both Dutch and English) that would have paid it, but I could not consent; and then afterwards (within three days) I was moved to work, and was made able and strong within three days after I was so sore abused, (as the first going into prison) which did much confound and torment them to see me work; Many English came to me to have my consent the fine should be paid, and grieved to see me made a slave; but I could not yield that any should give one penny. But after I had wrought one week, I had liberty to speak to many that did resort to me; and Captain Williams (one of my greatest Adversaries) said I should be freed, for he had lost the love both of Dutch and English; and so for his own benefit, he begged my release of the Governor, a man more fit to be ruled over, then to rule: And this is the fruit of the Governor and Sheriff, who would be counted Christian Magistrates; but the Mercies of the wicked are cruel. But in all this the Arm of the Lord did support me, wherein I had peace in the inward man; and so I was brought to Road Island.  
Robert Hodshon.   

The ninth Month, 1657.  
Christopher Holder, John Copland, Richard Doudeny, and Mary Clark, all imprisoned at Boston, and after brought to their Court, which was in much fury and rage, in Cain's way, accusing them of Sedition, and said they were worthy of death; Rich. Doudeny received thirty stripes. They made this law at their County-Court held at Boston, as follows.  
It is hereby ordered, when the Quakers shall have paid the Officers their fees, and five shillings a day to the three men to carry them away to Road Island, out of this jurisdiction, &c.  
And now Reader thou mayest observe, they in this Jurisdiction are worse than the Gadarenes, who desired Christ to depart out of their coasts, but did not require five shillings a day of him, for a man to carry him away, as these corrupt Rulers and Officers of the Jurisdiction of Boston; but this is but the beginning of their Master's Work, more thou shalt hear hereafter, which will make thee admire that the gathered Churches of New-England should bring forth these fruits.  
Several Inhabitants of New-England have been fined for meeting together in the fear of the Lord, who have waited upon him to feel his Mind and Will revealed in them, and among them, according to the example of the primitive Christians.  
William Newland for having a Meeting in his house, and refusing to swear, suffered five months' imprisonment, and was fined 20. shillings, for which they took a Heiser worth 30: shillings.  
Ralph Alin for having a Meeting in his house, was five months imprisoned, and fined 20. shillings. And for not putting off his hat he was fined 20. s. and had one sheep distrained.  
Peter Gaunt for not putting off his hat, was fined 20. s.  
William Alin for not putting off his hat, had a Kettle taken away.  
Daniel Wing (for the same) fined 20. s.  
Edward Perey (for the same) had Pewter taken away valued at 7. s.  
John Inkins had an Iron Pot taken away:  
Peter Gaunt (for the same) had Pewter taken away, valued 12. s.  
Robert Harper (for the same) 4. s.  
Thomas ever (for the same) had his pot taken away in which he dressed his Victuals.  
Tho. Greenfeild for not swearing, fined 20. s.  
Fourteen of the Inhabitants of Sandwich, fined 5. l. a piece for keeping the command of Christ, who said, Swear not at all; These was fined at the last Court at Plymouth.  
O you hypocrites, whose hearts are full of Venom! Would you be called Christian Magistrates, and Members of the Body of Christ, while you bring forth such fruits as these, Apples of Sodom, and Grapes of Gomorrah? Will you let us reason together a little? Did the Church of Corinth fine the rest of the Corinthians who met not together at one place, and fetch away their Kettles and their Pans? Did the Members of the Church at Galatia, when the other Galatians worshipped them not, fine them 20. s. and fetch away their Heifers? Or did the Members of the Church of Antioch, fine the rest of the Gentiles that did not believe, for not coming to them to worship, and take away their Pots in which they dressed their Victuals? Or did the Jews (Which were unbelievers, that worshipped in the Temple) fine the rest of the believers that were at Jerusalem, for not doffing their hats? Or did they fine them five pounds a piece because they would not swear? Or did the Church at Jerusalem fine the Temple-Worshippers, (the Jews?) If you can give an example either from believers or unbelievers, do; if you cannot, be ashamed of your doings, and repent of your Wickedness. And are you like to be Rulers for a commonwealth, who destroys the Estates of them who are Members of the Common Wealth? Such Church-members made the Woman fly into the Wilderness; and such Rulers destroyed Israel's commonwealth, who grinded the faces of the poor, and chopped them in pieces as flesh for the cauldron. And this is truly verified among you Rulers of New-England, who has turned judgement backward, and not suffered equity to enter; but these actings hastens the scattering of your Church, (Falsely so called) and will incur the Wrath of the Lord upon your Nation, and make you an abhorrency to all that fear the Lord.   

The cruelty of Francis Newman, and others of the Magistrates of New Haven, towards the Lord's Servant, Humphrey Norton, their cruel whipping of him, burning him with the Letter H. and fining him ten pounds, and both him and John Rows whipped at Plymouth Patten.  
Humphrey Norton being moved of the Lord to visit the Dutch Plantation upon the Continent of New-England, and passing thitherward through an English Plantation, was apprehended by Order from the Magistrates of that place, where he prevented him, and put him aboard of a Vessel that went for a place called New-Haven, where he was carried before one Francis Newman, a Magistrate in that place, having nothing to charge him with besides his giving forth of Papers which he had writ in answer to their Priests, yet committed him to a wide, open prison, which wanted repairing, and in the coldest season of the year, suffered him not to have either Fire or Candle, but chained him to a Log all that night, and the next day and night, the morning following he was brought before the said Newman, and two other of the Magistrates, who having nothing to accuse him with, (but concerning the Papers aforementioned) one of the Justices (so called) stood up, and declared, That if the said Humph. Norton would return, and acknowledge he had done amiss, and declare against himself, he should be cleared; who answered, He could not declare that which was false, for he had declared the truth already. So after they had used both flattery and threats, (to little purpose) this Newman in much rage commanded him to prison again, saying, he would prosecute him in the same prison, & the same manner chained him to a Log, they kept him sixteen or seventeen days, and then brought him before them again, and read his Charge, which he desired he might have a Copy of, to answer to; and a Priest being present (to whom the said H. Norton had sent some queries) who undertook to answer him before the people, and the said H. N. replied to him as he answered each query; then they tied a Key 'cross his mouth till the Priest had done, and was gone, and the Court broke up, although they promised he should answer when the Priest had done; but they returned him to prison till the Afternoon; then they sent for him to a private place, using flattery to ensnare him; but seeing they could not, they returned him to prison. The next morning they sent for him again, and then read a Sentence against him, That he should be severely whipped, and burnt in the hand with the Letter H. for spreading his Heretical Opinions; all which was severely executed upon him the same day, in the sight of the Magistrates and nine or ten Priests, and many people; they also fined him ten pounds, for that the colony had been put to charges and trouble with him, which they had the conscience to take of a Dutch man, who had compassion on the suffering man, and would needs pay it for his release, although much persuaded to the contrary by H. Norton. Being released from thence, and sent out of their Coasts, (according to their Sentence) he with another friend, called John Rous, passing into Plymouth Patten, was there also apprehended, and cast into prison, and after called before their Court, and sentenced (again) both of them to be whipped, which was the same day performed upon them, H. Norton received thirty lashes, and John Rous fifteen, or sixteen, and so sent away. This is but little in comparison of their cruelties exercised on the bodies of many of our Friends, which the Lord takes notice of, as farther hereafter thou mayest hear.   

Humphrey Norton's relation of his, and John Rous's sufferings again in Plymouth-Patten, by the Magistrates and Governor there.  
I being returned to Road-Island, and hearing there was information taken against me (in Plymouth-Patten) upon oath, and also that they had entered me upon record for being convicted of several errors, (a necessity was laid upon me to appear in those parts, besides what drawings I had to visit the great Seed of God that there is, When the fullness of time was near come for the finishing of that service, there was a cry in me for two days together, Bonds abide thee, Bonds abide thee, and their Court and colony presented to me;) With zeal and courage for God, I made my way, with my beloved Brother, John Rous, who had drawings thither, and did accompany me; The strength of darkness being on their parts, and their late-made Laws being so abominable and wicked, the few days we had to visit the Seed, we were forced (so as in the Wisdom of the Father) to keep hid in the Wilderness, and to have the Church to meet us there, it being against me (if I could prevent it by lawful means) to go bound to Pilate, but that in the power and Authority of God we might at their Court appear, in which time the particulars were presented to me, with the truth of every thing, which I sent before me to the Governor and Magistrates, to make way for me by a Constable, with a line to him to this purpose, That neither the Governor nor Constable needed to seek any further after me, for it was my intent (with J. Rous) to appear before their Court and country, if God permit; Which repairing thither (upon the first day of their sitting) quietly into their Town of Plymouth, with some friends accompanying us, their Under-Marshal (so called) came to us (upon sight) in the street, and said he did arrest us in the Lord Protector's Name, and so took us away to prison, and there kept us (without suffering any to come to us that he could hinder) for the most part of two days, whilst they were sitting upon their Egyptian juries; and being then brought before their Court and Magistrates, we were demanded the occasion of our coming, and whether we had not had warning to depart their colony? My answer was to the governor, That part of my grounds I had sent before me, with his name (and several other of the Magistrates names) upon the outside, and asked him whether he had received it, or not? Which thing he would neither acknowledge, nor deny; upon which I tendered him another Copy of the same, and required that it should be read in the audience of the Court, and that I might have liberty to declare the rest of my grounds, the which he would neither receive, nor suffer to be read; afterwards I made way that I might read it myself, and he caused me to be pulled down, and haled forth, and abused both me and John Rous, with his tongue, and caused us to be haled to prison again. About a day after I sent a little Note to them, to require of them that we might not be shuffled off in that manner as we were, but that we might be called before their Court again, which was done in a wicked and corrupt manner, labouring by what means they could, to prevent the people from the hearing and sight of us, which when we were called, the Governor began with his rage and railing, (the strength of darkness being with him) laboured (if he could) to stop me from speaking, so that our ground and cause could not be heard, according to our desires; & as he abused me with Words, calling me a number of filthy names, and that he looked upon me as the wickedest of all my Consorts, or Words to that purpose; but at last their Sentence passed upon us, to be whipped, or to pay five pounds▪ (according to their Law) I told them, if it were the Will of God, I could freely lay down my life in witnessing against that Law. Upon the day we were called forth to suffer their Law, and being brought to the Stocks, the people and Magistrates gathered together to see the execution; it was received by us with great courage & boldness, to the astonishing of the heathen, & to the tendering of many; after which, the Magistrate said we were cleared, paying our fees. Back again to prison were we returned, (and continued for our fees not being paid) and there continued about five days; and the Marshal perceiving that we were what we spoke, came upon the day following, and laid before us the poor condition of his Wife and Children, and told us the doors were open to us, he would stand to what the Lord would move our hearts to communicate to his Wife and Children's necessities; upon which account we came forth.  
Humphrey Norton.   

Laws made at their March-Court, holden at New-Plymouth, where the Governor caused Deputies to be called on purpose to make these following Laws against Friends, to prevent the spreading of Truth.  
It is enacted by this Court, and the Authority thereof, That no Quaker, or person commonly so called, be entertained by any person, or persons within this Government, under the penalty of 5. l. for every such default, or be whipped; and in case any one shall entertain any such person ignorantly, if he shall testify on his Oath that he knew them not to be such, he shall be freed of the abovesaid penalty, provided that he upon his first discerning them to be such, do disc●ver them to the Constable, or his Deputy.  
It is enacted also by the Court, and Authority thereof, That if any Quaker, or person commonly so called, shall come into any Township within this Government, and by any person, or persons, be known, or suspected to be such a one, the person so knowing or suspecting him, shall forthwith acquaint the Constable (or his Deputy) of them, on pain of presentment, and so liable to censure in Court, who forthwith shall diligently endeavour to apprehend them, and command them to depart out of the Township and this Government; and in case any such person delay, or refuse so to depart, than the said Constable, or Deputy, shall apprehend them, or him before a Magistrate in their Township, if there be any; and if there be none, to the select men appointed by the Court for that purpose, who shall cause them, or him to be whipped by the Constable or his Deputy, or pay five pounds, and then conveyed out of their Township. And the same course is to be taken with them as often as they transgress this Order.  
It is enacted by this Court, and the Authority thereof, That henceforth no such Meetings be assembled or kept, by any person, in any place within this Government, under the penalty of 40. s. for every Speaker, and 10. s. for every hearer, and 40. s a time for the owner of the place, that permits them so to meet together; and if they meet together at their silent, (so called) than every person so meeting together, shall pay 10. s. a time, and the Owner of the place shall pay 40. s.  
It is enacted by the Court, That henceforth no public Meetings be set up within this Government, but such as the Court shall approve off.   

F.H. and E.B.  
MY dearly beloved Friends, about the last of the sixth Month, 1657. I came from Barbadoes, with another Friend with me, an Inhabitant of the Island, and according to the appointment of the Father, landed on Road-Island in the beginning of the eighth month, on an out-part of the Island, but the Vessel went for Boston; and being come thither, I heard of the arrival of Friends from England, which was no small refreshment to me; and after I had been there a little while, I passed out of the Island into Plymouth-Patten, to Sandwich, and several other Towns thereabouts; and after some time I was in Conecticut-Patten, with John Copeland, where the Lord gave us no small Dominion; for there we met with one of the Disputers of New-England, who is a Priest of Hartford, who was much confounded, to the glory of Truth, and his shame; and after some staying there, we returned to road-island, (where H.N. was) and after some stay there, we went to Plymouth-Patten, and they having a Court, we went to the place where it was, (having sent before, the grounds of our coming) but we were straightway put into prison, and after twice being before them, (where we were much railed upon) they judged us to be whipped, H. N▪ received twenty three stripes, and I fifteen, (with Rods) which did prove much for the advantage of Truth, and their disadvantage; for Friends did with much boldness own us openly in it. And after we were let from thence, we returned to Road-Island, and from thence to Boston, and bore witness (in their meetinghouse) against their Worship, in a few Words, till they haled us forth, and had us to their house of Correction, and that evening we were examined, and committed to the prison; and on the seventh day in the evening they whipped us with ten stripes apiece, with a threefold Whip, to conclude a wicked Weeks Work, which was this; On the second day they whipped six Friends; on the third day the Gaoler laid William Brand neck and heels, (as they call it) in Irons, (as he confessed) for sixteen hours; and on the fourth day the Gaoler gave W. Brand one hundred and seventeen strokes with a pitch Rope; on the fifth day we were put in prison, and on the seventh day we suff●●ed; and after a while a Warrant was given forth, that if we would not work, we should be whipped once in every three days, and the first day have fifteen stripes, the second time eighteen, and the third time twenty one. So on the seventh day was a Week after our first whipping, four of us received fifteen stripes apiece, and on the fourth day after, we were released: So we returned to Road-Island, and continued there a while, and after some time H.N. went into Plymouth-Patten, to Friends there, and I was moved to come to Boston; so that day five Weeks as I was released, that day five Weeks I was put in again, where was Christopher Holder, and John Copeland, and we do lie according to their Law, to have each of us an ear cut off. But we are kept in the Dominion of the Lord, over all our Enemies. This is the proceedings of the great professors of New-England, whose fruits declare to all sober people, what stock they are of, even of Cain, that hated and slew the just.  
John Rous.   

Here followeth the trials, and Examinations, and Sufferings of the three Servants of the Lord, Christopher Holder, John Rous, & John Copeland, and the cruel and unmerciful proceedings of John Indicot, who is called a Governor of Boston, and their Court, called, The Court of Assistance. but it is of their Father the Devil's work, against the above said three servants of God, and harmless and innocent Lambs of Christ.  
It came to pass that we two, Christ. Holder, and J. Copeland, being moved of the Lord to go to Boston, set forth thitherwards on the third day of the sixth month, ●nd the same day came to a Town in that Jurisdiction, called Dedham, and it being near Evening, we turned into the Ordinary, where we lodged that night, and early in the morning came two Constables (with some others) and demanded of us whither we were going; our answer was, We intend to pass towards Boston. Then they said they had a warrant to bring us to Boston before the Magistrates. Then we required to see it; but they would not show us it; so after some hours, one Constable, and two men with him, had us to Boston, and brought us to the Governor's house, who when he saw us (being much perplexed in spirit) said in a rage, You shall be sure to have your ears cut off; then he asked our Names, so we told him; then he said, You have been twice here before, and said, he looked upon it to be a great judgement of God to them, that we were suffered so often to come amongst them, to trouble them, and asked us why we came, seeing you know we would not receive you? We answered, The Lord hath commanded us, & we could not but come: Then he maliciously said, The Lord commanded you to come? it was the Devil. Then he urged us to prove our call by the Scriptures; Our answer was, Our Names are not written in the Scriptures. The Governor (whose name is John Indicot) said, he did believe we spoke true, for he did think our Names were not written in the Scriptures; and farther said, It were something if you could make it appear to me that you are sent of God. We answered, That while he stood in unbelief, though we speak never so plain to him, yet he would not believe it. Then one Nathaniel Williams standing by, said to this effect, Seeing that you knew we would not receive you, it must needs be out of malice that you came. Our answer was, That the Lord God who searcheth the hearts of all, knows that we came not in malice, but in obedience to him. Then J. Indicot asked us, Whether we did believe that Christ's body was in heaven? Ans. We know that his body is in heaven. So he sent for the Gaoler, and bid him take us away, and said we should hear from them tomorrow. So he had us away; and put us in the House of Correction, as they call it. So on the morrow (being the fifth day of the sixth month) they had a Court at Boston, before which we were brought; When we came before them, they caused our hats to be taken off, and thrown on the ground; Then J. Indicot said, You were before me yesterday, and I asked you to prove your call, but you did not, because you said I would not believe it; therefore I ask you to prove it before the people, & it may be they will believe you. Then we asked them if they would believe us when we spoke the truth? ay, I, if you prove it by Scripture, we must as before. To prove our call hither by express Words of Scripture, we cannot, because our Names (neither this place) is not mentioned in Scripture; but that we have examples in Scripture from the Prophets and Apostles, who in obedience to the Lord traveled from place to place, as we do, that we can prove. Then I. I. laughed, and said, Are you Prophets and Apostles? Then he asked us, whether we did believe that Christ had a body in heaven distinct from the body of his Members. We answered, That Christ's body is divided from his members, we do not believe. I.I. turned to the people, and said, They mea● his mystical body. Then we said, we know no such word in Scripture as Mystical, and put them to prove by Scripture that Christ had two bodies. Than one stood up (like a Priest) and asked us whether we did not believe that Christ had a body in heaven made of Sinews, Flesh, and Bone, distinct from the body of his Members? Then we asked what the body of his Members was? To which they gave no answer. Then the Secretary made a speech to this effect, saying, That these men have been here twice before, and have received the Law, and was sent out of this Jurisdiction, and now are come the third time; And so wrote an Order, and delivered it to the Governor, who delivered it to the Gaoler, and bid him take us away, and keep us according to his Order; but they read not the Order to us then. So he had us away to the house of Correction again; and the next morning the Gaoler came to us, and asked us to work; Then we required to see his Order; so he showed us it: The Order was to this effect:  
To the Ke●per of the House of Correction; You are by virtue hereof, to take into your custody the body of Christopher Holder, and John Copeland, and them safely to keep close to work, with Prisoners Diet only, until their ears be cut off, and not suffer any to converse with them whilst they are in your custody.  
Then he asked us again to work, and said, As you are rational men, I would wish you not to put your bodies to so much sufferings, saying, he had an Order to have us whipped twice a Week if we would not work, and showed us the Order that was made for the other Friends that were in the prison before us, whereby they were whipped; but we answered him not: Then he said, he would not be harsh with us, but would give us time to consider of it till noon. So after some time, he came to us again, and asked us as before; then we answered, We were shut up, and were not at liberty to work; Then he haled us, and had us into the room where the Work was, and kept us there till night, and then had us into the Common Gaol, and on the morrow had us down again where the Work was, and said he would keep us there till our backs were slashed, and set Bread and Pottage by the Work, but we had not freedom to meddle with it neither. So at night we were had into the Common-Gaol again, where we were shut up in a close Room, and had Bread and Pottage set by us, but they said they would not take any thing for it but Work; in which place we remained eight days, they not knowing of any thing we did eat. Then the Gaolers Wife came to us, and said, if we would have Milk, we might have it bought for us; and if we would have Beer, we might buy it of her; So from that time the other Friends who were in the House of Correction, (some time after) was suffered to bring us what we did want, in at a Window. Some time after C.H. and J.C. were put in prison, I John Rous was commanded of the Lord to go Boston also, and as way was made, (according to the Will of God) I prepared to go thitherwards, and on the 25. of the sixth Month, (in the Evening) I came to Boston, so I went into an inn, and not being desirous to be a snare to any man, I declared who I was, to the man of the house, who fetched the Marshal, and the Marshal had me to the Governor; and when I was brought before the Governor, he came towards me in a lofty manner, and said, Put off thy hat; I answered, I cannot; so my hat at his command was taken off. J.I. asked me why I came to town? I said, To visit my Friends that were in prison; and (if I may have liberty) if they want any thing, to minister to their necessities. He answered in derision, That was a charitable deed; Why did not Humphrey Norton come? He asked me if I had any Letters; To which I was silent. So he bid the Marshal search me, who did according to his command; and I. Indicot took several Papers out of my Letter-case, and kept them. And after some questions about the body of Christ, (to which I answered him according to the Scriptures) and telling me that was no new thing we held; for (he said) if he had time, he would show me out of Books which he had in the house, that several heretics (before us) held the same Opinions. To which I answered him little, (knowing that the Spirit of God is pure from all heresy, whatsoever blind men m●y say of it.) I.I. bid the Marshal have me to prison, the which was done without Warrant or Mittimus, that I saw or heard of.  
Again, on the seventh day of the seventh Month, we three were sent for (from the prison) before the Court of Assistance held at Boston, who (when we came) commanded our hats to be taken off, the which being done, (after some time) I.I. asked us one by one, Whether we knew the Law against Quakers? We answered, We knew their Law. Then he asked us, Why we came hither? We answered▪ That the Lord (whose Law is just) required it of us to come, in obedience to him we came. Than one called Major Denison, asked us, Whether every man is not Master of his own house? We answered, The Lord God is Master of Heaven and Earth, and he can send whither he will, and whom he will: Then J. I. said, Were you not here before, and were sent away, and were warned not to come again, and now are come a third time, (to which Rich. Bellingham added) in contemp● of Authority? We answered, Amos must prophesy at Bethel, though he be forbidden. Then Major Denison said, If a man should forewarn another man from coming into his house, and should stand with a Pike (or a Sword) at his door, and yet for all this, the other should attempt to come into his house, and should be slain, Would not this man's blood be upon his own head? Ans If the Lord sent a man to such a man's house, to warn him (or any in his house) to repent, or of the judgements that was to come; if this man was slain, he was innocent in the sight of God, and had cleared his conscience towards the man, and his blood would be upon his head that slew him. Then some Words passed betwixt us, whereby the Governor was called by his Name; then Major Denison spoke to this effect, It was not fit for us to call him by his Name; [Mark but the pride of this man's heart] To which it was replied, He might have showed more Wisdom; for hís' Name is John Indicot, and men's Names are given for men to be called by. Then they fell to plead for being worshipped and honoured with the honour which is from below, which unbelievers live in, and seeks, and would have it, and brought many Scriptures for resp●ct of persons. They were answered, They that respects persons, commits sin. Than one said, That is in Judgement. To which it was replied, Now you are in judgement, Why do you then plead for it? If you were Magistrates of God, you would speak in the Majesty of God; but they were light, and vain, and laughed.  
John Indicot asked, What is the honour that you would have given to men?  
Ans. Love is the honour due to all men; and further said, How can you believe, that receive honour one of another? If you were believers, you would not seek it; but the unbelieving Pharisees sought it, and were reprehended by Christ; and the same reproof reaches to all men who are seeking the same. Denison said, It might be ignorant people would wonder that we should make so much ado about putting off the hat, and seeking honour to our persons, for therein lies the ground of contempt of Authority. Both ignorant and wise may wonder at it indeed, that you make such a do about the hat; is putting of hats, and bowing the knee, obedience to the higher Power? Is that the honour from above? Nay, Christ saith its below. And though Denison said, they fought not honour to themselves, yet (Reader) thou Mayst judge by their late Act, (which hereafter I shall mention) that they were so unwilling to lose this honour, (which is corrupt and below) that rather than they will want it, death and banishment shall come upon him that will not give it them. And further, Denison (out of the pride of his heart) said, We are stronger than you, look to yourselves.  
Answ. The Lord is stronger than all, and he shall reign.  
Than one of them said, We were deceived and deluded.  
Ans. If we were deluded, and out of the way, you had more need to pity us, then do as you do.  
One of them said, We pity you, while we punish you. [Mark the deceit of this Man▪] than after some more words, (wherein they called us bold boys, and blasphemers) J. Indicot said, You come in a way, and show of love and humility, and the spirit of meekness, but you are such as Christ spoke of, who outwardly have sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening Wolves.  
Ans Christ there speaks of a people very like yourselves. Then i I. made a speech unto us, to this effect: Exhorting us to make our peace with God, saying, That the way we walked in, (deceiving of people, and speaking against Ministers and Ordinances, and despising of Magistrates) is the way that leads to hell; and said, [the Boaster] I speak from heaven, but you will not believe me.  
Answ. Nay, we do not believe thee, (he who is a man of blood, speaks from the pit of darkness, where his residence and abode is) but as for deceiving of people, and speaking against Ministers of Christ, and despising of Magistrates, we are not guilty. So they bid the Gaoler take us away, the which he did; and this is the substance of our Examination at that time.  
Again, on the tenth day of the same Month, we were called before the Court; And when we came before them, the Deputy-Governor made a Speech to this effect:  
These men have been formerly here, and they have been sent away; and though they know the Law, yet are come again in contempt, and to revile Magistrates and Ministers, and to break all order in Churches, and deceive the people; and so what ever become of them, whether loss of ears, or loss of life, your blood be upon your own heads. [Mark, worse than Pilate, and the envious Jews.]  
To which he was replied, you heap false accusations upon us, and God will heap his judgements upon your heads; and if we suffer either loss of member, or loss of life, our blood will be required at your hands, for the Lord hath sent us hither. J. I. said, Prove that, (and said) Christ's Messengers were to pray for them that persecuted them; but you prophesy his judgements upon us. We have not done any thing that deserves either death or bonds. Then Indicot said, You are greater Enemies to us, than those that come openly, while you come under pretence of peace, to poison the people. Than one of us said, It grieves me to hear thee speak so many false things. Then they urged us to prove that we were sent of God.  
Ans. That which you do unto us, doth prove that we are sent of God; for the same things that Christ said should be done to his Disciples, (by those that were contrary to him) have you done unto us, as whipping, &c. To which Major Denison said, than evil-doers that are whipped, suffer for Christ's sake. To which John Rous replied, If we were evil-doers, the judgements of God would he heavier upon us then that which we suffer by you; but not being evil-doers, we have peace with God, and his peace keeps us above all sufferings. To which Major Denison replied, Mr. Rous (for so I may call you, having heard your father is a Gentleman) what judgement of God do you look for greater (Than is upon you) then to be driven from your father's house, and to run about here as a vagabond, with a company of deceivers, except you look for a Halter, or to be stricken with a thunderbolt? [Reader, do but mark this Christian-Magistrate, for so he would be called.] Joh. Rous said, I was not driven from my father's House, but in obedience to the Lord I left it; and when the Lord shall have cleared me of this Land, I shall return to it again. Then J. Indi●●t called to the Secretary to read the Law, than he read this Clause in it, That if any that had suffered the Law, should presume to return again, they should have one of their ears cut off; (worse than the Jews, when the Apostles came again into a City after they were commanded not to come, yet when they came, they cut not off their ears) Then J. Indicot did as he used to do, spoke many words in derision; Then one of us said, More gravity would become thee. To which J. Indicot said, Do you come to reprove us? Major Denison said, If you could show unto us your commission, as plain as we can show you that you transgress our Law, &c. [Reader, take notice, they had no Law at all when the Quakers came into New-England, till they consulted with the Prince of darkness to make one.] Whether you believe us, or no, from the Lord we have received our command, and his Spirit is our Seal. Then J. Indicot said, They have nothing to prove it by, but the Spirit within them, and that is the Devil. Ans. Take heed of blaspheming the Spirit. J. Indicot said, You come in contempt. Reply, The Lord God (who knows the hearts and reins of all mankind) judge betwixt us and you, whether we came in contempt.  
So after some words, we spoke something to them concerning their Law, and said, We have seen some of your Laws that have many Scriptures in the margin, but what example have you in Scripture for cutting off ears? J.I. said, What Scripture have you for hanging then? M. Denison said in way of derision, Yes, they would be crucified. So they hastened the Governor to dispatch us quickly, who spoke to the Secretary to read the Law to us three; so he called us three by our Names, and (as he was going to read it) the Governor and Magistrates whispered together, and (while we were expecting to have the law read against us) J. Indicot turned suddenly about, and in great haste and bitterness passed his sentence upon us three, in these Words, It is the Sentence of the Court, That you three shall have your right ears cut off by the Hangman. Then we seeing their unjust proceedings against us, and that they were both our Accusers and Judges, we were stirred in Spirit to appeal to the chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth of England, the which Appeal we made one by one; but they made a light thing of it, and hastened the Keeper to take us away; so we were had away, and put into the prison again; and the same day was Laurence Southwick, and Casandria his Wife, and Josiah their Son, called before their Court, who had been prisoners in the house of Correction eleven Weeks, for being taken in a Meeting at Salem, who have been imprisoned here before; So they began with them, saying, This man was a member, and this Woman a member; Then Josiah asked them, What error he held? They said, You do believe and hold forth, That there is that in every man, that if he will, he may be saved by it. Josiah replied, There is no power in any man's Will to save himself. Laurence said, The reason why you gave me admonition, was because I entertained two men in my house; They answered, They were Quakers. He replied, It was Christopher Holder, and John Copeland. So they were had to the house of Correction again, and on the morrow a Bond was sent them for to sign, (of which a Copy followeth) for the signing of which Bond, liberty was offered.  
We, Laurence Southwick, Josiah Southwick, and Casandria Southwick, do bind ourselves jointly and severally, in the sum of 40. l. to the Treasurer of the County; The Condition is, That we, and every one of us, will forthwith depart the jurisdiction of the Masatuthers; or that we, or any of us, shall publish or maintain any of the diabolical Opinions of the Quakers, or entertain any of their sect that resort unto us from other parts. The which Bond they cannot sign, and therefore they remain prisoners still.  
So on the 16. day of the 7th. Month, 1658. the Marshal (with a company of bloodthirsty men) came to the prison where we were, & when they had let in so many as they thought meet, they locked the door, & did not suffer one friend to come in, though some did much press it, especially one Friend who was moved to come from Rhode-Island to bear witness against their cruelty at the time of their executing of it on us. So when they had made the doors fast, the Marshal (With some others) came into the room where we were, and read an Order to this effect, as follows.  
To the Marshal General, or to his Deputy; You are to take with you the Executioner, and to repair to the House of Correction, and there see him cut off the right Ears of John Copeland, Christopher Holder, and John Rous, Quakers, in execution of the Sentence of the Court of Assistance, for the breach of the Law, tituled Quakers.  
Edward Rawson, Secretary.  
So they had us forth into another room, where was more light; Ioh. Rous said to the Marshal, We have appealed to the chief Magistrate of England; He answered, He had nothing to do with that. Christoph. Holder said, Such Execution as this should be done publicly, and not in private. One called Cap. Oliver, replied, We do it in private, to keep you from twattling. So the Executioner took C.H. and when he had turned aside his hair, and was going to cut off his Ear, the Marshal he turned his back on him, because he would not see it; the which I. Rous taking notice of, said, Turn about, and see it; (for so was his Order) and the Marshal (being filled with fear) turned, and said, Yes, yes, let us look on it. So in the fear of God we suffered boldly, saying, Those that do it ignorantly, we desire (from our hearts) the Lord to forgive them, but for them that do it maliciously, let our blood be upon their heads; and such shall know in the day of account, that every drop of our blood shall be as heavy upon them as a millstone. So when they had done, they slank away as a Dog when he had sucked the blood of a Lamb, and is discovered. And this is a Declaration of the sufferings of us three, C.H. I.R. I.C. The Friend that came to bear witness against their cruelty, (whose Name is Katherine Scot) is committed to the House of Correction.  
Boston Prison, the 17. of the 7th. Month, 1658.   

Here follows the cruel and merciless sufferings of William Brend, by the hands of Pharaoh's taskmasters, who would be called Christian Magistrates, but by their fruits thou mayest see by whom they bear rule, and for whom they rule. The Testimony (as follows) under his own hand, take.  
ON the 18th. day of the 4th. Month, 1658. I came to Salem, (being moved thereunto by the Lord) where there was several Meetings, which was of service for the Lord. Upon the 27. of the 5. Month, we had a Meeting at Nicholas Philip's House, (some five miles from Salem▪) and after we had been some time together, (and were waiting upon the Lord) in silence, there came one Edward Batters, (who called himself a Commissioner, as he said) and a Constable with him, and the said Batters commanded the Constable to take us away. I asked him for his Warrant; he said he had none; Then we refused to go with him. Then he bade the Constable command some friends (that were present) to aid him. They refused, seeing the Constable had no Warrant. Batters willing to drive on his Master's Work, went out, and brought two other men (which he had ready near the House) to force us away, but still we refused to go with him, unless they would carry us by force; though they hailed us, and forced off our clothes, yet we went not; (See the fruits of New-England-members on their Sabbath, which they pretend to be so zealous for) So they went away without us. This was about the fourth hour in the Afternoon, and we tarried thereabouts till after the Sun was set, expecting their return, seeing we had wronged no man. There was a man at this Meeting, called R. Adam's (who lived at a Town called Newbury) hearing the truth declared, did desire if we came that way) to come to his hou●e, and have some conference with their Minister: We came to this man's house the 29. of the 4. Month, in the morning, and when we came there, he desired that their Minister might be sent ●or, whom he said was so moderate a man, that he would not wrong us: But the Priest (notwithstanding all his seeming moderation) brought a Club-Man with him, (whom he called a Magistrate) one Captain Garish, and others with him; and as we were walking in the Wood, one came and told us the Priest was come, and several others with him; they promised Robert Adam's they would not injure us, but we might freely pass away as we came. So we went into the house, and had many Words with the Priest, some of them were, That there is a necessity of men's sinning in this life▪ A Doctrine (not only preached, but) lamentably practised in New-England. But Cain's nature began soon to rise, and they began to threaten us that they would exercise their Power again●t us and so kept us several hours, notwithstanding their promise: but at last said. If we would promise to depart their Town, they would let us go, which we could not do, nor make a Covenant with death. So we passed away, and after we were gone almost half a mile, Garish came riding after us, and bid us go back, but we refused; then he forced us along with several men to assist him back again to Robert Adam's house, and there kept us till the Constable came, whom they had privately sent for; and Gar●sh writ some kind of Warrant, and sent us to Rouly, to be conveyed from Constable to Constable, till we were brought back again to Salem. They brought us to Rouly in the night, so the next day we passed through J●swich, and other places, which was of service to the Lord; We came to Salem where their Court was sitting; We were brought before them in the night, where one Simon Broadstreat sat as Judge, Daniel Denison, William Hathorn, with another Assistant; Simon Broadstreat asked us, if we knew before whom we were: Then after they had pulled off our hats they asked our Names, We told them. They asked us if we were Quaker; We answered, We were of those whom the World in derision calls so▪ Simon Broadstreat s●id, he never saw any of us before, and he began to tell us we held dangerous Errors: We bade him declare what they were▪ Then (like the rest of Cain's race) he began to accuse us, We denied that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem; and that we denied the Scriptures▪ But we declared the contrary, and that we owned no other Jesus but he that suffered at Jerusalem; and the Scriptures of truth we owned. And then they said, We were much wronged; and further said, What we had declared concerning Christ and the Scriptures, they owned. Then they would know our call to come into those parts. We answered, We came to visit the Seed in captivity. Then they began to threaten us with their Law, and before confessed they owned what we said. We asked wha● they had to lay to our charge, but they had nothing, but said they had a Law against such a people as we owned ourselves to be of and according to that Law, sent us to the house of Correction, and bid the Constable take us away, and kept us prisoners; Some of Salem people, which were summoned to answer for being at the Meeting beforementioned, six of them were sent to prison with us to Boston. The second day of the fifth Month being the sixth day of the Week, and the presence of the Lord was with us, and we stayed at Laurence Southwick's house, where we had a meeting of friends which passed some part of the way with us, after we had given up ourselves to the Lord by prayer ●nd supplication. And when we came to Boston, we were separated into several rooms in the Prison, and we into a room that the bloody Gaoler had provided to put us in, he hearing we were taken, resolved (in his wicked heart) to torment our bodies, or to make us bow to their wicked and cursed Law, (as he said to us.) He took us up into a high room in the inner, Prison, had stopped it so close, that he left not a hole for any air to come in, nor suffered any to come at us; and stopped all necessaries from us, as Food, and whatsoever might be serviceable to us, neither let us have any Victuals for our money; but after some time he brought a few Pottage and a piece of Bread; We would have given him money for it, but he said, he would have nothing but Work for it; and further said, If we did eat, he would make us work for it; so he kept us without any, five days▪ On the second day of the Week he called us down to be whipped, which was executed upon us in twenty blows, with a three-stringed Whip, with knots at the ends, with as much fury and violence as ever he could lay it on. So after I spoke a few words against their bloody Law, (which lay upon me to witness against) by which we suffered, he locked us up again, (as beforementioned) and about an hour after he came to signify to us, That we were clear, (according to the Law) and might pass away if we would pay the Marshal to go with us out of the colony: [Oh inhuman! We to pay a man for banishing of us!] the Answer was, If he would set open the doors for us, we would pass away; And after he demanded, Whether we would work his work? We refused: Then he began to threaten us what he would do to us, and said he would put me in Irons that night; so the next day he came with his Irons, and put one Iron on each thigh, and another about my neck, and he locked them together with a Horse-Lock, that there was no more liberty between the Irons than the Lock allowed, (so that my body was crumbled together, my head close to my thighs) those Irons was upon me from about the fifth hour in the morning, till after the ninth hour at night; (which was sixteen hours.) And when I lay in the Irons, I was strengthened in the power of the Lord. The next day in the morning he came as he did before, to know whether I had occasion to go down, I went down, and when I came into the lower room where his Mill stands, he haled me towards the Mill, and bid me go to work; he took a Rope about an inch thick, and laid upon me as hard as he could lay upon my back and arms, until his Rope untwisted, and then he left off, and (as it was said by the Prisoners) he gave me about twenty blows at the least, so that with those blows, my back and arms were swelled. Then I went up into the room, (where we were locked in) than he brought another Rope bigger and stronger than the former and haled me down again into the lower room, and said (as he often did) that he would make me bow to the Law of the country; he bid me work, which I could not do for all the world's frowns or favours. It being in the heat of Summer, I had nothing but a serge Cassock upon my shirt; then he began to lay on again (With his Rope) upon my back, that had been whipped but two days before, and the day before lay in Irons, and had laid so many blows upon me (before) that morning; but he (like an unreasonable man) had no compassion, but with violence laid fourscore and seventeen blows more on me, as hard as he could lay them on; and if his strength (and his Rope had not failed him) he would have laid more on; but he threatened to give me as many more the next morning, if I would not bow to the law, and also that friend that was with me, if he would not yield; but the Lord prevented this cruel man of his purpose. So he locked us up in the room, (as at the first) and yet the Lord did bear me up, that I fell not under the strokes of this wicked man, being kept from diet five days, and my body weakened both for want of air and diet, and having lain in Irons so many hours, and receiving so many blows, that soon after I was laid down upon the boards, I felt the parts of nature decaying, and natural strength to fail me, that my body was turned as cold as the earth, and a striving there was in nature for life, (Which was near departed from me) so that at last all my senses were stopped, that I had neither seeing, feeling, nor hearing, for some time, but the power of the Lord broke through me, and life broke through death, and the breath of the Lord breathed into my nostrils, and a noise went forth into the Town, among the people; so the wickedness that was intended, (and murder in secret) was manifest openly▪ and many came into the prison to see what was done both small and great) which when they saw, their eyes afflicted their hearts; for they saw my back and arms bruised, and black, and my flesh become as a jellly, and swollen with the blows, and the blood hanging as in bags under my arms, with the cruel beating having received an hundred and seventeen blows, (at the least) as was told by them that heard and saw them And what the Lord hath done, is to make this profession and hypocrisy of theirs manifest, that all that fears the Lord may come out from among them. And whether these be Magistrates that rule for God, and whether these Laws be according to the righteous Law of God, which is made to destroy God's Workmanship, and to deface his creatures, and whether these be the fruits of them that are members of Christ, let the wise in heart judge. The Cause is the Lords, and whatsoever we suffer, it shall be for the furtherance of the Gospel of Christ, which is the Power of God to salvation, to them that do believe: And my peace is in him who is the Prince of Peace, who bears me up in his Arms above all the Rage and Wickedness of the Wicked, which shall come to an end; To him be praise for ever and ever: Amen.  
From the Common-Goal in Boston, this 13th. of the 5th. Month, 1658. William Brend.   

A true Relation of what some have suffered for conscience-sake in Salem, and some other places in the masathusets' colony in New-England.  
IN September, in the year 1657. there came two young men to Salem, one Christopher Holder, and John C●peland, these men came from England to Road-Island, who on the first day of the Week came to the meetinghouse, who when their Meeting was ended, they began to speak, who were thrust out of the Meeting in great fury; one that was a Commissioner in the town, pulled him back by the hair of the head, and thrust his hand (with his Glove) in his mouth, to stop his mouth, one Samuel Shattock was present, and pulled his hand from his mouth; He was the next day sent with them to Boston, with an Accusation sent by Captain Hathorn, That he was a Friend to Quakers, and pleaded for the maintenance of their Opinions, for the which he was sent to prison, & the other two men; the two men were whipped 30 lashes a piece with a three-corded Whip, with knots on the end, laid on with great fury; and S. Shottock was bound in a bond of twenty pounds, to answer it at Court, and was not to speak with one of them called Quakers, but when he mad● his appearance, none appeared to prove the Charge; he was required to come the next Week, so made three journeys to the Court, and then could prove nothing; The Deputy-Governor would have him bound over longer; but the Governor said, They could not answer it, in as much as Evidence did not appear. So it was entered into the Court-Rolls, that he should make his appearance at the next New-Commons.  
Now there was one Laurence Southwick and his Wife, was sent to Boston-Prison for entertaining these two strangers; the man, they let come home again, because the Church was to examine him & cast him out; but the Woman was kept 7 weeks in prison, although they had no law then made against the thing. In the end of this time, having nothing against the woman, did at last ask her if she owned such a Paper as some in prison had written, concerning their owning of God, and Christ, and the Scriptures? She owning of it, was fined forty shillings, and so let her go.  
Now about this time there were some observing that cruelty that was practised by them, (altogether unbecoming Christians) and the drift of their Preachers was to encourage and drive on this design, which filleth up most of their Sermons, and that time which should have been better spent; insomuch that when we went to look for bread, we had a stone given us, and a Serpent instead of a Fish: At length finding it so unprofitable, had no rest nor peace in our spirits to sit down under it, as the Ordinances of God, and spiritual Worship, which was altogether empty of God, did then withdraw ourselves from them, and did meet together on the first days of the Week; the Constable was then sent to take the Names of them that met; and on the next day they were brought b●fore Captain Hathorn, (who was a Commissioner) and he read the Law to them for conviction, to pay five shillings a Week for not coming to the Meeting; but this did not content them, but did afterwards send for them again before him, and three of them were sent to Boston by the Constable, with Laurence Southwick, his Wife, and his Son Josiah Southwick, who were com●itted to the prison, no breach of any Law being proved, but for not meeting, for which they made them pay besides, so they put them in the house of Correction, and whipped them in the dead time of all the Winter, and the Gaoler required seven shillings six pence fees for each of them, and kept some of their clothes for it; 7. s. 6. d. was each of their fees.  
 l. s. d. Now they took from Laurence Southwick for six Weeks absence from their Meeting, 33. s. 1 13 0 Afterwards for six Weeks absence for his Wife, 33. s. 1 13 0 And from Josiah Southwick (upon the same account) 27 s. 1 7 0  
And from an old man and his Wife, one Edward Harnet, he was aged about sixty years and nine, and his Wife aged about seventy three years of age, who was forced in his old age to sell that which he had, which was a poor house, and a little land, and now to be gone, or wrong his conscience, his labour being almost done, and being not able to stand under the Fine of five shillings by the Week, did sell; and notwithstanding the poor honest man was going away from troubling of them, the Marshal was sent, and took away thirty seven shillings from the poor aged people.  
Now about this time there was one William Shattock in Boston, (a poor man that did refrain from the public Meeting) was had to the Court, who (because he had not to pay the five shillings a-Week-Fine) was put in prison, [they judged him a friend to Quakers] he was (by the Courts Order) whipped, and kept prisoner from his Family; and the Gaoler took all his Work for himself, allowing his Family not a penny. He at last sent to the Court to know what they would do; he had this Word sent to him, That if he was able to pay five shillings a Week, he might stay; but the Deputy-Governor said, Seeing he had no house of his own, into his house he should not come, [for he was his Tenant] & that none should receive him into their houses, therefore he must abide in the House of Correction. The case being so hard he desired that he might then look out for a habitation in another Jurisdiction: So they gave him but two or three days' time to depart the colony; so he was forced from his Family, having his Wife and four small Children.  
The time proved so troublesome, that it was the desire of some to look out for a habitation in Road-Island Patten, So there went three from Salem, John Small, John burton, Josiah Southwick, towards the Island, and the first night came to a Town called Dedham, and went to the inn to lodge, they had not been long there, but the Captain of the Town came (his name is Cushar) and examined them of matters of Religion, and whether they owned their Churches and Ministers; Who being not free to answer according to his will, told them he would send them where they should. They told him upon what account they went; but he got them secured that night, and the next morning sent them back to B●ston, with a Constable, and two men, with a halberd and black staff, (as if they had been murderers) and carried them before the Deputy Governor, who threatened them to send them to prison, but they desired to go to the Governor, (who had a little more consideration than the other) and said, That they could not hinder men from that; So let them go but did afterwards send a Warrant to the Marshal to levy 12. s. upon them, to pay the men for bringing them back again to Boston; the Governor, and Deputy-Go●ernor's hand was to it.  
After this, there came two men more to Salem, (of those called Quakers) and it was their desire to have a meeting with us; so there was a meeting, and about twenty persons (and upwards) of the Inhabitants, and whilst we were peaceably together, there came one Edmond Batters (a Commissioner) with a Cons●able with him (it was about 5 or 6 miles from the Town at a Farm-House) who came in with great rage, and took account of our names; the Court being at Sal●m, the following week we were sent for, & some of us were kept prisoners two days by our own houses, at another house▪ out of these the Court chose six persons to send to prison, as axamples to the rest, their names are after expressed) these they sent to the house of Correction, as Quakers; they did earnestly desire to know what a Quaker was? They answered him that spoke, saying, Thou art one, because thou comest in with thy hat on; He replied again, That was a horrible thing to make such cruel laws of whipping, and cutting off ears, and burning thorough the tongue, for not putting off the hat: So we were sent to the house of Correction, and four of us was whipped, the other two was before whipped, as is beforementioned, Lawrence Southwick and his son, but his wife was whipped the second time; and the names of the Inhabitants were ●awrence Southwick, Cassandria Southwick, Josiah Southwick, Samuel Shattock, Josiah Buffum, Samuel Gasken.  
Now besides the six Inhabitants, they sent the two strangers to prison, the one was William Brend, that was a dweller in the city of London, and the other was an inhabitant of Barbadoes, his name is William Leddra; Now the strangers were put into the Goal, and the inhabitants in the house of Correction, the gaoler (a cruel tyrant) he required the strangers to work, but they refused to do his work; and for the cruelty the gaoler exercised on William Brend, (the passages are before mentioned) some of their own society was dissatisfied, because the gaoler was a Church-member, and would have had him been cast out of the Church; but when he was called before the Church, John Norton the Teacher would hardly suffer any to blame him, but did countenance him in it; so he was past by, and let alone. Now the same Week came one Humphrey Norton, a stranger, and one John Rous, they were put in prison also; so the ●oalor required them to work, but they refused, and did desire to eat their own bread, so they were cruelly whipped; and because they would not work, John Indecot Governor, and Richard Billingham Deputy-Governor, wrote an Order of cruelty to the gaoler, That all the Quakers then in prison should be severely whipped twice a Week, beginning with fifteen lashes, (with a cruel Whip) and every time to exceed three; which was barbarous cruelty, which they put in execution; but compassion was in some of the townsmen, that they paid their fees and released them; now in the end of three Weeks some of the inhabitants were released, such as had not been in prison once before; now these cruel acts made more of the Inhabitants of Salem withdraw from their Assemblies, because their hands were defiled with blood.  
Now about three Weeks after the former Court at Salem, the Court did again sit, and had divers persons brought before them (upon this account) for not coming to the Meeting; the General Court having now made a Law, the first Law was, to pay five shillings a Week for not coming to them; now to add to that, we must pay ten shillings every time we meet (to worship the Lord) together; and if any one spoke in our Meeting, they must pay five pounds a time, (each person:) Amongst those that were presented, came in one Nicholas Philps, with his hat on, who hearing them say that the Quakers deny Magistrates, and having a Paper in his Pocket that did express under some of their hands, that they owned Magistrates, did give it to them; they asked if he would own it? He answered, Yea; then they fined him forty shillings for owning that, and for not putting off his hat, sent him to Ipswich Correction-house, where he was whipped at first entrance; the Gaoler requiring him to work, he told him, if he would let him go home to his Work, he would work; for he thought it unreasonable for them to require him to work for them, and for the Gaoler to take eight pence out of every shilling that he got, and he (the mean time) to hire men at home about his own Harvest; and told them, Houses of Correction (in England) were for such as was not fit to guide themselves, idle persons, and Vagrants, and not to take men from their Families and Employments, that did help carry on the common charge of the country. But they whipped him for not working; he was whipped three times in five days, a poor, weak, crooked man.  
These Courts was carried on by Simon Broadstreet, Magistrate, Major Denison, and William Hathorne.  
Now about six or seven Weeks after that, there was some of us quietly and peaceably met together to worship the Lord, and shut the door, (about a mile from the Town;) the Constable (and one more) came and required us to open the door, but we answered them not; so he took an axe, and broke up the door upon us, and took notice of our Names; and soon after was Ipswitch Court, where some of our Names were sent in; the Magistrates choosing out four of us, sent for us, who were carried by the Constable thither, and was there apprehended for not coming to meeting to their public Assembly, & was fined five shillings a Week; and for meeting by ourselves, was fined ten shillings a time; and for coming in with our hats on, was again sent to prison as Quakers, and whipped, and at the first entrance hardly used.  
Those that was committed, was Samuel Shattock, Nicholas Philps, Josiah Buffum; & continued in Ipswitch Gaol about three Weeks, and three days, (it was then the time of the General Court in Boston, the second Sessions of it:) So three days after the Court began, there passed a Warrant out under Edward Rawson's hand, (Secretary) to the Gaoler of Ipswitch, to bring away the prisoners (that was Quakers) with speed, to deliver them up to the Master of the House of Correction in Boston, to keep in safe custody. So thither we were brought, and the same day that we were put into the Correction-House at Boston, we were called forth before the Court, [Reader, take notice that the Law that they made against Quakers, was thus expressed; That they was a cursed sect of Heretick●, that spoke and writ blasphemous Opinions, and that the Doctrines they held was diabolical; With many more charges of that nature] When we came to the Court, we desired a fair trial according to their own Law, and that we might be tried, if we had delivered any blasphemous heresy, or devilish Doctrine; That we might be tried either by the General Court, or a Jury of twelve men, whose Charges we would bear, de●iring a fair hearing of things. Now when we desired a fair hearing of matters, the Magistrates that had been our former Judges, Major Denison, and Simon Broadstreet, did then the more set themselves against us, to make good their own actings towards us; but when we desired a fair hearing according to the law, (by which we suffered, and held them to it, to prove us Blasphemers, and heretics, (they could not at all prove any such thing against us) they said, We were not punished for matter of judgement, but for Fact: We desired to know what was our Fact? They answered, That we did withdraw ourselves from their Meeting, and kept Meetings of our own, and owned such as was enemies to them, and by that did manifest ourselves enemies to all Government in Church and commonwealth. It was answered, That we sought not the hurt of any of them; & for that as they called fact, their Laws had already taken hold of us by Fines; but seeing that their law run upon heresy and Blasphemy, we desired to be tried according to it; but they would not hear us, so we were sent back to prison. Now the next day was Boston-Lecture-day, whereon Chansey (Master of their college) preached; and seeing they could justly prove not any thing against us, (as the Law speaks) did thus deliver himself, Suppose (said he to the Magistrates) you should catch six Wolves in a Trap, you cannot prove that they have killed any Lambs, or sheep, and now you have them, they will not bark nor bite, yet they have the plain mark of Wolves; whether you would let them go, yea or nay? [There being six of us then in prison upon that account.] And this is the Doctrine of one of the false Prophets in New-England, whose hands is full of blood, and hearts full of deceit and wickedness, which the Lord sees and takes notice of.  
Now when they wanted to make us appear to be what was expressed in the Law, the Priests went thus to work, that seeing they could not prove that, therefore their plot was (as we heard) that on the Lecture-day the Magistrates and Ministers combining together for to call us forth, & went to work; (about half an hour after we were thus informed,) So we were called forth, and a great company of their Teachers was present, and the General Court made John Norton their mouth to examine us, who put questions to us, but we refused to answer him, because we referred our cause to the Court to be tried, and he being not one of them, we was not free to give him answer; When he saw that, he then put questions in the Magistrates mouths to ask us, but durst not trust them with the managing of them neither; So we told the Court it was a great disparagement to them, and that they did much undervalue themselves, as if they were not wise enough to propound their own questions to us, without the help of him; but he would not be put by, but put forth many subtle ensnaring questions, to catch advantage, and no Scripture-answers would in the least give him satisfaction; but he could not at all accomplish his ends at that time by us; so when they could not have their wills, did then address themselves by petition to the Court, (as we were informed) to forward their designs for death and banishment, and presented particulars to the Court for trials; so at last it was concluded by Vote among the Magistrates, that such and such persons should be banished upon pain of death, (as their Law doth express.) Now when it had thus past, it was sent to the house of Deputies, desiring their consent; but it met with hard service amongst them, for those of understanding amongst them, judged it absurd and ridiculous; but at last when it came to be voted, they that that was against it judging their side the greatest put it to Vote, and it so fell out, that there was twenty seven of them in all at that time, and fourteen was for it, and the Speaker and twelve more was against it; one of the Deputies that was against it, was sick, he desired the Speaker to send for him when it was put to Vote, but the Speaker concluded that they should carry it without him, & let him alone, & the want of his Vote cast the Case, which when it was cast, the man hearing of it, was exceedingly distressed in his spirit, that his absence should occasion the passing of such an unrighteous Law.  
Now after this, it was in question, Whether all the particulars in the Law, should go to make one transgression; but that was rejected; So that one of these (if the Judges please) may expose to death or banishment, the not coming to their meeting, or not putting off the hat to a man's equals. So the Court released us at present, only we were to be gone by the Court of Ele●tion in May. Now before the conclusion, we sent into the Deputies, That seeing the chief offence was not putting off the hat, we desired to know if our punishments had not been sufficient for our offences, some of us had been twice imprisoned ten Weeks, and twice whipped, one of us had been four times whipped; three had been twice imprisoned, and twice whipped, and the last time kept prisoners twenty Weeks, that was Husbandmen the time of Hay and Harvest, their things lying upon spoil all the chief time of Summer, that had many cattle to look after, who was imprisoned from the first of the fifth Month, July, till towards the latter end of the ninth Month, called November, and nothing could be charged on us, but for meetting together on the first day of the Week, and coming before them with our hats on. Now in the time of our imprisonment, one of us (Josiah Southwick) sent to the Governor and Magistrates at their meeting, & desired a little liberty to go home, (his goods being on the spoil) and he would give bond to come again faithfully to the prison at their appointed time, but they denied it.  
Now there was one William Marston that lived at Hampton, they finding two little Books in his House, one was John Lilburn's little Book sent to his Wife from Dover-Castle, and the other was a Sheet of Paper of William Dewsberry's, called, The mighty day of the Lord; for the which they took from him ten pounds; this man withdrew from the public meeting at Hampton, they rated him three pounds to the Priest for his Wages, and took it violently from him, and was also fined five pounds for not coming to their Meeting, and took away a Barrel of salted Beef that he had provided to send to sea, more moneys they took from him, but the true account of all we yet had not; besides many other particulars (which would be too tedious to mention) which the Inhabitants of the Masathusets endure, with what more, may be expected in the prosecution of this unjust and unrighteous Law, which if there may not be an allowance of Appeals from the State of England, to the Inhabitants, their Subjects in New-England, it's like to be a bloody time amongst us; for they have not only combined to kill and banish amongst themselves in the Masathusets, but (as we hear) have by all means used to hedge up all ways of succour to us in the Neighbour-Collonyes, which some of them had more tenderness than themselves: But our trust is in the Most High, whose living presence is the fullness of all satisfaction to us in all outward straits.  
All these particulars have been since Septemb. 1657. to this present writing, 28. of the 9th. Month, 1658. in which time they drunk thirty and two draughts of cruel whippings of strangers and Inhabitants; and three strangers they cut their ears off: All these whippings and ear-cuttings, was done privately, in the private Prison-Houses. This William Marston (as is before expressed) coming through Salem, (when we were in prison) Josiah Southwick's Wife sent some provision to her Husband, and Lau. Southwick's Daughter sent some to her Parents then in prison by this man, who was (for it) carried before the Governor, and by him was committed to prison, and there was kept two Weeks, and made pay five shillings Fees to the Gaoler, and let go.  

This affirmed under our hands, 

Samuel Southwick.  
Josiah Southwick,  
Laurence Southwick,  
Samuel Gasken,  
Josiah Buffum.     
Now after all this, there was a Court held at Salem, the last day of November, 1658. this Court sent for about fifteen of the Inhabitants for not coming to their Meeting, twelve of which did appear; of these, nine of them were fined (for sixteen Weeks absence) four pounds a piece▪ one was fined three pounds fifteen shillings, and one fined twenty shillings, the other did now enter into pay; The sum of what was fined by this Court, was forty pounds, fifteen shillings.   

And now the Devil being let loose for a little season, he rages, and goes into utter darkness, ●nd fetches up all the Powers of darkness, and they combine together to fortify his Kingdom, that so none but he (who was a murderer from the beginning) may have any rule in the Town of Boston, or the Jurisdiction thereunto belonging; and now he thinks his Kingdom is sure. The last piece of Work which the Rulers have done for their Master, is as followeth.  

An Act made at a General Court held at Boston, the 20th. of October, 1658.  
Whereas there is a pernicious sect (commonly called Quakers) lately risen, who by word and writing, have published and maintained many dangerous and horrid tenants, and do take upon them to change and alter the received laudable customs of our Nation, in giving civil respect to equals, or reverence to superiors; whose a●●ions tend to undermine the civil Government, and also to destroy the Order of the Churches.   

The people called in scorn Quakers, are risen up from under the powers of darkness, and they are come forth from the rising of the Sun, where the morning hath appeared without Clouds, and though set at nought by you, yet they are a mighty people, and of the Royal offspring, even of his Family who is the first-born of every creature, and the heir of all things; the Shout of a King is among them, who is greater than Abaddon, or Appolyon; his living presence is with them, and they shall come upon you hypocrites and dissemblers, as mortar and clay; and though you lift up your horns high, and pusheth every way with them against the Lamb and his followers, yet your horns shall be broken by him who is their King, by his horn of Salvation, which now is lifted up far higher than the horn of an Unicorn, and you shall be as ashes under their feet. We are not ignorant of the swelling of the Sea, nor of the strength of the Beast which hath risen out of the Sea. We were not ignorant of his strength in New-England; but he is brought among the Quakers, and dwells in their Tabernacle, who is able to make war with the Beast and his followers, though you have cast up your banks very high, and fortified yourselves, as the Pope by his Inquisition; yet you must be gone over, and be made level, and yet not by Clubs, nor Staves, nor Whips, nor hot Irons, Cain's Weapons, the Weapons of the Murderer, which you have taken up, which shall be broken; though your bows be as steel, yet they shall be broken by the arm of the Lord, (the Quakers strength;) And what is the horrid tenants, and dangerous things they hold out, that you open your mouths so wide? The horrid and dangerous Tenent is, They alter the laudable customs of your Nation; Would not thou judge (Reader) when there hath been so many great Words and Accusations, that some capital Fact would be laid down? But behold the Capital Crime, The Quaker will not put off his hat, nor his coat, nor none of his clothes to his equals, nor to a persecuting fellow, who hath a few Buttons, and a few Ribbans, who calls himself a Superior; and here is a crime (indeed) which deserves banishment and death, nothing below this will be able to satisfy Justice for this Crime, by the Judgement of the lawmakers of Boston. And when became this such a laudable custom, that it is worthy of so much praise? Ye blind and ignorant, have you not read the Scripture, He that respects persons, commits sin, and he that hath men's persons in admiration, will transgress for a Morsel of Bread? And ye never learned this of Elihu, this laudable Custom, (as you call it) he said, I know not to give flattering titles to man, for in so doing my Maker would take me away, but envy hath eaten out all knowledge out of your hearts. And is this your Church-Order, to take away men's Beasts, Kettles, Pots, Sheep, and pewter? Or is this your Order, to fine men five shillings every day they come not to your Synagogue, or because men cannot break the command of Christ, and swear among a company of cruel, covetous, bloodthirsty men, to fine them five pounds? Tell the Nations when this Order was made in the Churches, among all the Orders and Directions that Christ and his Apostles gave to believers, and to the Churches to be observed; I never read of any such as these. Oh ignorance, folly, and madness! What, fine five pounds a piece if they will not join with you in Worship, nor come to hear a covetous hireling dream an hour! What? banish them that will not come to you? What? put to death if they come again? Greater cruelty never appeared among all the persecuting Emperors of Rome, in the greatest Apost●cy. Well, if this be your Church-Order, its time for the Lord to arise and scatter you; and blessed shall he be that bears his Testimony (for God) against you, though to the loss of his life, his end shall be peace.  
By denying all established forms of Worship, and by withdrawing from orderly Church-fellowship, allowed and approved by all Orthodox professors of the truth, and instead thereof, and in opposition thereunto, frequent private meetings themselves, insinuating themselves into the minds of the simple, or such as are least affected to the Order and Government of Church and Commonwealth.  
You that have established such a form of worship, and such an Assembly as this, that if any come into your Assembly, and speak the word of the Lord for the edification of the hearers, so that people● minds may be informed, you pull them out by the hair of the head, and stops their mouths with Napkins or Gloves; and if any reprove him that doth so disorderly, you send him to prison, and fine him; its time to withdraw from such disorderly Assemblies as yours are. And if this be the Order of your established Form, approved of by Orthodox Professors, than the Church of Corinth was not Orthodox, for there one might speak one by one, that all might hear, and be edified and comforted; but this is accounted disorder in your Church, and by your Rulers; and they that walk according to that Order approved of among the Saints of old, must bear the Name of disorderly persons, and the sentence is, Prison, and be fined, and be whipped. Indeed Amaziah the Priest of Bethel, was of your priest's mind, and of the mind of your Rulers and Assemblies; you may read your example when Amos (the Herdsman) said, The Songs of the Temple should be turned into howling, and prophesied against such a generation as you are, Hear this, ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the Land to fail, Amos 8.4. There is your example, (you Rulers of New-England) who takes away poor people's Estates, (their goods) and casts them in stinking holes, and tears their flesh from off their backs, as you have caused to be done unto many poor people who are dear unto the Lord. Amos 8.7. harken what the Lord's sentence was to such a people, The Lord hath sworn by the Excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Ver. 8. Shall not the land t●emble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? And it shall rise up wholly as a flood, and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. Read the 9, and 10. I say, Amaziah was of your mind, he sent to Jeroboam, and said Amos had conspired against Bethel and the Altar, (their Church-Assembly) and against the Land, so that it was not able to bear his words, Amos 7.10. And just like the King and Priests then, so are you now; Church and State is like to be overthrown (say you) by the Quakers, [Herdsmen and Plowmen] no Orthodox Divines, nor Orthodox Professors, but seditious, say you; (like as the envious Jews, who falsely accused the Apostles in the same words.) And say you, They frequent meetings of their own: Why not? Did not the Apostles and Saints meet from house to house? Went they to the Temple at Jerusalem, or into the Jews Synagogues (after Christ was ascended) to worship? You ignorant men, and yet cry, Scripture is the rule of faith and obedience; how is the Scripture your rule now? When any worship God anywhere but where you meet, banish them, fine them five shillings, and ten shillings, and five pounds a day, and if they return, Death; Where is your rule? The generations to come, will number you among fools, as men that have lost your natural understanding, through your madness and envy, which one day you will repent of.  
Whereby divers of our Inhabitants have been infected, notwithstanding all former Laws made upon the experience of their arrogant and bold obtrusions to deseminate their principles among us, prohibiting their coming in this Jurisdiction, they have not been deterred from their impetuous attempts, to undermine our peace, and hazard our ruin.  
And what, hath all your unrighteous Decree● done you no good? All your lying and invented expressions in your Laws, (to make your matter heinous) not accomplished your purposes? Hath not your Law for five shillings aday, brought all to your confederacy? nor ten shillings aday, nor fetching away their Beasts, Pots and Ketttles, will not all this hinder them, but they must depart from you? Will not all the whippings again, and again, (as John Indicot your Governor, did confess to his own shame, that you had done) will not all serve? Call all your enchanters together, and see, something is the matter more than ordinary, and cannot all this you have done, deter them from your Jurisdiction? Yet you resolve to make another Law, and try what that will do; now have you covenanted with death, and hath shaken hands with the destroyer and murderer; sure enough your peace is undermined, for else all these horrid, cruel enterprises you would never have followed, (which you have begun) and ruin, and woe, and eternal misery, and everlasting sorrow is to them that are in that nature you live in, which is cursed from God for ever.  
For prevention thereof, this Court doth order and enact, That every person or persons of the cursed se●t of the Quakers, who is not an Inhabitant of, but is found within this Jurisdiction, shall be apprehended without Warrant; where no Magistrate is at hand, any Constable, Commissioner, or select man, and conveyed from Constable to Constable, to the next Magistrate, who shall commit the said person to close prison, there to remain (without bail) until the next Court of Assistance, where they shall have a legal trial.  
Now comes up the Rear of the Beast, and the reserve of the Prince of darkness, to back & fortify all the wicked enterprises they attempted before. Who gave you power to order, & so to enact, to apprehend without Warrant? So you have made every man a Magistrate, and a Ruler in your Jurisdiction, and I believe if they should kill, or take away the life of any, you would give them an Absolution: Is this the example of Christ, or any Church-members, or any Christian-Magistrate? And why do you call them a cursed Sect of the Quakers? You have cursed them whom God hath blessed, whom no Weapon that is formed against, shall prosper. And as for your legal trial, we know your rule, your own wicked, proud, arrogant, imperious, and envious Wills, and this must sit as Judge and Tryer. Well, you have now set yourselves against the Lord in your strength, having the old Dragon for your Leader; Will this serve you? The Angel of the everlasting Covenant hath a Chain in his hand to bind him, and to dissipate your wicked Counsel, and confound you in the midst of your devices.  
And being convicted to be of the sect of the quakers, shall be sentenced to be banished upon pain of death.  
You who are banished from the presence of God (your selves) and are in Cain's way, Vagabonds, driven out into the Earth where the Dragon dwells, you would banish them out of the Earth whom God hath showed his face and presence unto; and you are a Sect which hath risen from the great Whore, (your Mother) who hath made all Nations drunk, she that did drink the blood of the Saints; and you are the fruit of her Womb, & are like your Mother; you have drunk the blood of the Saints whom God hath sanctified & washed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ; and now you are grown so bloodthirsty, that nought but banishment and loss of life, will satisfy your rage; your Cup shall be filled with the Wine of the Wrath of God, which shall be poured forth without mixture, and that will be your portion to drink.  
Reader, still take notice, All these laws mentioned in this Book, and the fierce censures and punishments inflicted upon the servants of the Lord, is, because they will not compliment, (like flattering Courtiers, and roisters, & fiddlers) and use flattering titles to men who are in unbelief, who seek respect & honour one of another, (which is below) and because they cannot ●oin with them in their hypocritical Assemblies, nor partake of the Table of Devils, (who destroys men's lives) nor drink the whore's Cup, (which hath drunk the blood of the Saints) and this is a Fact worthy of banishment and death, in the account of these bloodsuckers. And now they come to their own Inhabitants, and thou shalt hear their judgement concerning them, and thou shalt see how they love their Neighbours.  
And that every Inhabitant of this Jurisdiction being convicted to be of the aforesaid Sect, either by taking up, publishing, or defending the horrid Opinions of the quakers, or the stirring up Mutiny, Sedition, or Rebellion against the government, or by taking up their absurd and destructive practices, viz. Denying civil respect to equals and superiors, and withdrawing from our Church-Assemblies, and instead ●hereof, frequent meetings of their own, in opposition to our Church-Order.  
Now all may see how these men loves their Neighbours▪ themselves, and here is a great deal of aggravating, high, boasting words, packed up together in this unrighteous and ungodly Act, as, Sedition, Rebellion, and Absurd, and Destructive Principles; and (like scolds) they make a great noise and clamour; but if thou inquire into the Fact, is it not putting off the hat, and disowning their Assemblies? and (in their account) banishment and death is punishment little enough for this transgression. These men would set up their Assembly as Nebucha●nezar's Image, and whosoever will not bow, must into the furnace, or be banished, robbed, spoiled, and killed; or like Jeroboam's Calf at Dan and Bethel, and if Israel will not come to Da●, or Amos cry against Bethel, Amaziah will cry to the King, He hath uttered Sedition and Rebellion among the people, and he hath conspired against the King and the Land cannot bear his words? And is not this the same language, They will not come to our Church, our Assemblies? But they meet of themselves and opposes us, and breeds mutinies, sedition, and rebellion in the Government. These Priests of New-England, a●d Rulers, would have banished all the Apostles, and have killed Paul and Stephen, who said, God dwelled not in Temples made with hands, neither was worshipped in Temples made with men's hands; and drew people out of the Temple, into private houses, and fields, and by the sea side; and these men would have killed Christ, (the same generation did) in whose footsteps they are; he said, neither at Jerusalem, nor at Samaria; but they that worship the Father, worship him in spirit and truth▪ Might the Jews have replied, Was not the Temple builded by the command of God? And is it not so agreed upon by the whole Nation of the Jews? And wilt thou say that God is not worshipped? Thou art mutinous and rebellious. And the Samaritans might have said, This is the Mount we met in, and it is agreed upon by our Rulers and people, and it is the laudable Custom of our Country, and our Assembly, and dost thou teach thy Disciples to separate from Jerusalem, and from this Mount? Then thou art seditious, and a Mutinier, and a stirrer up of Rebellion, an Enemy to our Nation and country; And wilt thou respect no man's person? Nay, (said the Pharisees, tempting) We know thou respects no man's person, What sayst thou of Caesar? They might have said, What, wilt thou not respect thy equals and superiors? Then thou art not civil, and art against the laudable custom of our country, which all our approved Orthodox persons doth allow of, thou must be banished, and if thou return, death.  
Or by adhering to, or approving of any known quaker, and the tenants and practices of the quakers, that are opposite to the Orthodox received Opinions of the godly, and endeavouring to disaffect others to civil Government and Church-Orders, or condemning the practice and proceedings of this Court against the quakers.  
Now if any (like Nicodemus) would come but by night, (who are yet no Quakers) if the Rulers and Priests of New-England know of you, you must out of the Synagogue, and be banished, and if return, be put to death; for this is an Orthodox received Opinion, to banish and kill them that comes not to their Assembly, and puts not off the hat, than the Orthodox received Opinion of the Church-members of New-England, is banishment, and if return death; and he that justifies the practice and proceedings of that Court, is not justified of God: What, Whippers, Robbers, Spoilers, Killers and destroyer's, Marrers of the Workmanship of God, Wrestlers with flesh & blood, bloodsuckers? he that justifies you, is condemned of God; he that condemns your Court, and proceedings, and practices, will God (and all the holy Angels) justify, and the Church of God. It may be you will call this rebellion, and so it is against the Prince of darkness, from whence you have received your Authority.  
Manifesting thereby, their complying with those whose design is to overthrow the Order est●blished in Church and State, every such person upon conviction before the said Court of Assistance, in manner as abovesaid shall be committed to close prison for one Month, and then unless they choose voluntarily to depart this Jurisdiction, shall give Bond for their good behaviour, and appear at the next Court, where continuing obstinate, and refusing to retract and reform the foresaid Opinions, shall be sentenced to banishment upon pain of death; and any one Magistrate upon information given him of any such person, shall cause him to be apprehended, and shall commit any such person to prison, according to his discretion, until he come to trial, as abovesaid.  
And here is an end of their wicked Law, which must come to an end.  
You that build up a Nation with iniquity, and a Church (so called) with blood, who lays traps for the feet of the innocent, and makes Laws to destroy men's Estates, and to banish men from the Earth, which is the Lords, and the fullness of it; and furthermore, makes Laws to destroy men's lives, and shed blood; woe and Misery is to your Church and State, and the righteous God of Heaven and Earth will plead the cause of the innocent and needy, and overthrow that which you have established; and if they will not recant, (as you call it) which is to deny Christ before men, than banishment and prisonment, and their Estate wasted, and they destroyed, than you think you are secure; your Laws is cursed, your Religion cursed, and your Enterprises cursed; What, is not your Gospel able to defend itself, but you must take up the Beasts Weapons, Cain's Weapons, (the murderer) the Devil's Weapons to defend your Church and State, carnal Weapons, hellish Weapons, the dragon's Weapons? Hath your deceitful Merchants (the hireling Priests) made you believe that this is an Orthodox received Opinion? They received this out of the bottomless pit, and the Weapons (with all that handle them) shall go down thither again, and the Lamb shall reign over the Beast and his followers; though you have established wickedness by a Law, and think yourselves secure, yet God will provoke you, that the rottenness of your hearts may be brought forth, and that all your deceit may be made manifest, that all that fear the Lord may come out from amongst you, for woe and misery shall compass your Tabernacle, and the dread of God is against you.  
And the next thing whereby the Devil and his Ministers fortifies themselves, is certain Articles exhibited by them (like the Pope's Inquisition, although they are full of ignorance and blasphemy) and these they intend to impose upon any ●an, and if they answer not according to their blind understandings, than they say they are convicted as heretics, and must be sent to prison, and if they do not retract, banished and whipped in the mean time, and his Estate made havoc on, and then banished, not to return upon pain of death, and if he do return, to be put to death; and this is the fruit of their Orthodox received Principles, and of the laudable custom of New-England. And now I come to the Articles.   

1. If a●y person or persons, besides their refusing to come to the public Assembly of Divine Worship, shall either deny the blessed Trinity of persons in the Divine Essence:  
Ans. And is this one of your Orthodox received Articles? Then the Pope is as Orthodox as you; And what is there to be found, or can be expected in your public Assemblies, amongst a company of envious men, whose hearts are filled with envy, whose hands are defiled with blood? Divine Worship, say you, like Wolsie, Bonner, and that bloody crew, Divine Service, said they: But you might more truly have said, human invention, and vain tradition: And Trinity of persons in the Divine Essence; Where learned you this Article? from the Pope? from the Mass Book? Yet the Father, Son, and Spirit is owned, and these three are one; and the Father, Word, and Spirit, and these are one; but I challenge all you Orthodox Professors, to show me from Scripture where the Holy Ghost, (or Spirit) is called a Person; be ashamed of your ignorance, ye illiterate men.  
2. Or shall den● the person of Christ to be distinct from the Father, and the Holy Ghost; or shall deny the Person of Christ to be distinct from every believer.  
Ans. Do but mark the, madness and confusion of these mighty rabbis, before there must be three persons in one Essence, and now Christ must be distinct from the Father and the Holy Ghost; before in God, and now distinct from God; this is damnable Doctrine, which hath been brought in since the apostasy; for the Scripture saith, God was in Christ, reconciling the World to himself then; how was he distinct from the Father, when the Father was in him? And I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and I and my Father are one; Nay, saith New-England Doctors, They are distinct. An● the fullness of the God head dwelled in him bodily. Now prove you that the Father and the Holy Gbost are distinct from Christ. Or how is Christ's Person distinct from every believer, when he that is a believer hath him revealed in him, and he that is a true believer, eats his flesh, and drinks his blood? how is he then distinct? What nearer union can there be expressed? Is that distinct from a man, that he hath in him? But it may be they will say, (as the rest of the dreamers do) he is in believers by his Spirit, distinct from his body: Then I say, Christ is not divided; for a person without a Spirit, or distinct from the Spirit, is not Christ; but this blind Doctrine came up since the Apostles days, and was counted as Orthodox by the counsels at niece and Latteran, a company of Apostates; and hath been counted by the Beasts followers, a great point of Divinity.  
3. Or deny the manhood of Christ to be a manhood distinct from the manhood of any other man.  
A. The Man Christ Jesus who was of the seed of Abraham, according to the flesh, and the Son of God, according to the Spirit, his flesh is distinct from you who live in envy, whose flesh is as the flesh of Horses, and as the flesh of Dragons, who devours; you know not the holy flesh of Christ, but the man of God doth, who is born of the spirit, and the flesh of Christ is his meat; and they that believe in him, are bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh; you ignorant dreamers, how then is his flesh distinct? But do you feed upon ashes as your Father doth, (the cunning Serpent) for God's Wisdom is hid from you.  
4. Or shall deny the Scripture, or the written Word to be the Rule.  
A. We own the Scriptures, which you ignorantly call the written Word, as though all the Scriptures were but one word; the Word is Christ, which was revealed in the Saints which spoke the words forth, and he is the Way and the Rule of life to them that believe, and his spirit is the leader and guider into all truth, and the Rule of obedience; and you are they that denies the Scriptures, and the Rule of holy walking, you own it in words, and in works deny him, witness all your forementioned deeds of darkness: and hypocrites and dissemblers cries, Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Life, when their life that they live, stands in sin, wickedness and deceit.  
5 Or shall openly revile either Church or State, or Church-Worship, Church-Officer, or Ordinances Divine, or the public Assembly of the people of God, to worship him according to the prescription of the Gospel.  
A. Your Church, and State, Church-Officers, and Ordinances, and Assembly, and your Worship is manifest to be a place where Dragons are, who stings, devours, kills and destroys God's Workmanship; and he that speaks for you, God will condemn him; for he that justifies you, justifies the wicked, and that is an abomination to the Lord. And let the Nation see your prescription, (in that which you call your Gospel) where Christ commanded the Churches, or gave his Disciples such prescripts as these. If the rest of the Jews or Gentiles will not come to your Assemblies, fine them 5 s. a day, and 10. s. a day, or 40. s. a Month; and if any speaks anywhere in my Name, but where you meet, let him that speaks be fined 5. l. and if they will not pay, fetch away their Goods, Beasts, Horses, break open their Houses, and take Hatchets, and beat down their doors, and take the names of them that meet, and hale them to the Court, and there fine them 5. l. a man, and send them to prison, and load their backs with stripes, and whip them severely, and if any refuse to doff his hat, and will not say, Reverend Mr. Peter, and reverend Mr. Paul, and reverend Mr. John; or, If it please you Mr. Mark, or Mr. Andrew and Philip, then go you to the Judgement-seat, and tell the Magistrates, and let them indict them, and put in a great deal of aggravating words, as Mutiny, Sedition, Insurrection, Rebellion, and the like; and let them say unto them, You are against the laudable custom of our country; and last of all, banish them, and if they return again, put them to death, and let them say as Richard Bellingham, (the Deputy-Governor of Boston) said to John Copeland, and John Rous, and Christopher Holder; We commanded these men not to come again, but they are returned again in contempt of the Magistracy and Ministry, and so whatsoever comes upon you, loss of ears, or loss of life, your blood be upon your own heads. I say, Let the Regions know your Prescript in your Gospel, and your Rule of life for these practices, and then you will convince the Quakers, and satisfy all people.  
6. Or shall entertain any such in a way of conventicle, or private meeting, or shall resort unto the conventicle of any such who are known refusers to come to the public Worship of God in the public Assembly.  
A. These men would have banished Paul, he was a man publicly known to refuse to go into the Temple and Synagogues, except to lead people out of them; and yet they have got his words in their mouths; and these men would have imprisoned the Church of Corinth, and Galatia, and Thessalonica, and the Church of Antioch, for they met in houses, and denied the rest of the Synagogues of the Jews, and the Temples of the Gentiles, and they had private meetings, and often by the seaside & Mountains, and other places; & although Bishop Land be dead, his spirit speaks and acts in New-England; he made such Articles as these against Conventicles, and told of the laudable Customs and Worship of the Nation; but these men hath far exceeded him in cruelty; they have done more wickedness in one year, than he in seven.  
7. Or shall openly contemn, revile, or disobey, or dissuade others from yielding subjection to the Christian Magistrate, as at present established in this Jurisdiction.  
A. Shame and contempt is already come upon the Magistrates of that Jurisdiction, and shall more and more increase, who rules not for God, but for the Murderer; and they who have established wickedness by a Law, none can be subject to them nor their Laws for conscience-sake, for they that do wrongs their own souls; but rather bear their testimony against, and suffer under it, till God arise and plead their cause. It may be they will call this Sedition and Rebellion.  
8. Or being questioned by lawful Aut●ority, shall refuse to give direct Answers, or plain, to the aforementioned particulars, together with their obstinate persisting in any of the premised D●linquencies.  
A. So here is an end of the Inquisition; if they will not give plain Answers, than to prison; but in plainness that is, if they will not accuse themselves, then to prison; so whether answer, or not answer, directly, or indirectly, all's one; if they answer contrary to these Articles, than heretics, to prison, and whip them, and fine them 5. l. and if they will not accuse themselves, but answer as the Lord shall give them to answer, (when asked by such tempters as these) than they conclude their Answer is not plain, but indirect; and if they say nothing at all, then conclude them guilty, send them to prison, cut off their ears, whip them with Ropes, whip them with Whips, take their goods, banish them from their Estates and Families, and if they return, put to death, and then say, Whether loss of ears, or loss of life come to you, your blood be upon your own heads. Pilate was not clear, though he said the like as Richard Bellingham.  
O Lord arise, and plead the cause of the poor of the flock; for ungodly men is risen up in the pride of their hearts, and blasphemes thy Name and thy Tabernacle, and them that thou hast redeemed, they seek to destroy.     

Here follows a Narration of the sufferings of many godly people of Salem: The particulars was sent from one Friend to another.  
DEar Friend, I sent thee in the last Information the Fines of the Court to be levied upon Friends, which was 40. l. 15. s. but I was likely to have sent thee a larger sum, the Marshal promised me a Copy, but was not so good as his word; for that which I saw in his hand, (which he hath Order to take) I do believe will amount to above one hundred pounds; He did secretly attach half of my house while I was in prison, (I never heard of it till now) so when I heard of it, I went to him to see whether it were so; he told me he had done it, and attached my ground about it; and told me if I would pay about ten pounds, I might have it before another; for he told me there had been two men with him to buy it, and that he must forthwith get it prized by men, and put it to sale so that I am not like to have so much as a passage to the backside of my house, and so by that means makes the rest uncapable at all to sell, so that my house is like to be a standing-testimony in this place against them; But in the Lord I rejoice that I have any thing to suffer the loss of, for the Lord; I did endeavour to have gotten a copy of the Fines, & to have sent thee before the Ship went, but I am prevented; Remember my love to thy Husband; Friends here are all well.  
From Salem the 26 of the 10th. Month, 1658. Thy Friend in the Truth, Samuel Shattock.  
Now all sober people take notice of the wickedness, cruelty and madness of these Rulers, and Church-members, who are thus filled with rage and envy, who hath made and enacted all these wicked Laws, and moreover have put them in execution, and have imprisoned many a long time, over and over, and whipped them again, and again; and knocked down their doors, haled men out of their own houses, & from their Families and Estates, and have fined them 5. s. a day, and 10. s. a day, and 5. l. a day, and have wasted their Estates, spoiled their goods, tear their flesh with knotted Whips, (men and women of great age) cut off the ears of some, burned some with hot Irons, set them in the stocks, bound some neck & heels in Irons 16. hours; beaten with pitched ropes; detained all air from them; shut them up in nasty holes, not suffering them to have any lively sustenance for many days, and last of all banish them, & take away their money by force, and give it to their butcherly Marshal to banish them, & if return, death; & then say, Whether loss of members, or loss of life come upon you, your blood be upon your own heads; and hath seized upon their Beasts, Pots, Kettles, Houses and Lands, for their Fines, which they have most wickedly imposed; & for all this barbarous cruelty, & inhuman dealing, nothing they have against any of the forementioned sufferers, but because they will not worship this bloody Spirit, nor put off the hat, nor give flattering words to their Equals; and because they will not come to their Assemblies, and join in hypocrisy with this envious & perverse generation, in this their hypocritical Worship; & all these forementioned things hath been acted upon them; and these are the horrid tenants, and the seditious practices they so much cry out of: Do you think that this is like to make people close with you, and own your Assemblies to be true Churches of Christ? Nay, though your deceit was never so apparently manifest, as now, some might be deceived, (and judge you were a pure reformed Church in the time of their ignorance) now who are but moderate, cannot but see you a synagogue of Satan, and a Cage of uncleanness, and cannot but separate from you, as the believers did from your forefathers the Jews, who cried up their Temple, and Ordinances, and Assemblies, and the Law, and yet slew the Heir, and did unto his Servants then, as you do now; and (just as they) thought they did God service if they brought them into bondage, and did kill them, and persecute them, even as you do now; I say, they fulfil the Scripture in this, and upon that generation all the blood was required; and you are in the same footsteps; you have forgotten the Law of God, Even as you would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them, Would you be so dealt with? Would you be whipped again, and again, with knotted Cords and Ropes? Would you have your houses robbed and spoiled because you go not to their Meetings? Would you be banished, and would you be put to death because you cannot submit to other men's wills? Let the light in all your consciences answer: Well, the same measure that you have measured out to others, even the same will be measured to you. And do you think that these proceedings will affect people to submit to your Commandments and Government? Would you have such Laws made against you, or executed upon you? If not, Repent of your doings, and amend your ways; for though this may keep people in slavery a moment, yet all who fears God, or minds but the witness of God in their own consciences, they will see you, and separate from you, and not partake with you in your evil deeds. And would you be called Magistrates for God? Then do the work of God, and abuse not yourselves with mankind, and turn not your swords against the innocent, which should be against transgressors; but you being in envy, makes Laws contrary to the Law of God, and contrary to the witness of God in every man's conscience, and then you cry, They have transgressed our Laws, and breaks the l●udable customs of our country; How can any reasonable man keep them, but wrong his own soul, and sin against his own conscience? And you that think to establish a Land by iniquity, and build up an Assembly with blood and violence, and think by this means to bring honour to God, you dwell in thick darkness, and are come to the midnight thereof; dreadful, dreadful will the day of the Lord be unto you, you shall cry to the Hills and the Rocks to fall upon you, and hide you from the Wrath of the Lamb, who now is risen in his mighty power, out of his mouth proceeds a two-edged Sword; flaming fire is gone before him, and it is tempestuous round about him, & all the wicked, and ungodly, & hypocrites, shall be as driven s●ubble before his bow; and he shall smite his Enemies in the hinder parts, and break all their weapons of war, and they shall be slain before his face.  
In that day the hearts whom you have made sad, shall sing and rejoice over you, who would not have him to rule over you, nor among you, but shuts his members in prison, and banishes his little ones, who are dear unto him as the Apple of his eye; he will arise to their joy and rejoicing, and will appear to comfort all his, and shame shall cover the face of all his Enemies. Therefore all in New-England, (who have been deceived with the Wine of the Fornication of the Whore) come out from among them, and separate from them; and though they cast you out, the Lord will receive you; and though they waste and make spoil of your Estates, the Lord will provide for you, and become your Lord and Master, and will provide for your Families and little ones; and though they despise you, the Lord will embrace you, and the children of light will love you, & they that fear the Lord will receive you; therefore all be valiant for the Truth, and endure the cross, and the light affliction, (which is but for a moment) and you will receive the exceeding weight of glory, which God will reveal in his own time to you, (if you continue in faith and patience) which shall be a reward and a recompense for all your sufferings; for he is appearing (and hath appeared) that is able to make war with the Beast, and to dry up the sea out of which he arose, and take peace from the Earth, and scatter the Nations, and break them, (as the East Wind scatters the Clouds) and exalt his Name over all: And blessed and happy are all they that are faithful in bearing their testimony for him against deceit, and suffers any thing for his Names sake, their end shall be happy, and they shall receive the Crown of glory, which God (the Father of life) will give to all that fear and obey him, and keep in the faith unto the end.  

Here follows an Answer to two Letters (of John Indicot's, and Richard Billingham's) stuffed full of envy and inveterate words, and sent to some (like themselves) to strengthen their hands in wickedness; the Letters answered as follows.  
John Indicot Governor of Boston, and Richard Billingham, who have made yourselves manifest by your actions and carriages, by your papers and writings, to be of the serpent's seed, who makes war with the Lamb and his followers, who joined with the Dragon, and casts out floods after the Woman, and the remnant of her Seed, to destroy her and them, that so you might rule in the Kingdom of darkness without molestation.  
Richard Billingham, thy inveterate words, and thy persecuting spirit, the sound of which hath reached as far as old England; you that were criers out of persecution and cruelty in times past, are now become as cruel persecutors as any of the Beasts followers. You fled the Cross of Christ here in England▪ when you were proved and tried, when you should have born witness for God in your generation; and now that which fled the cross, persecutes them who takes up the cross, and follows Christ in the strait way, (which you never yet set foot in;) and that nature which was to be limited by the cross of Christ, you carried with you into New-England, and now it manifests itself by your bloody cruelty; and insolent wickedness which you have a●●ed, which makes your Names and practices to stink amongst all sober people, and are become as cruel and brutish as the barbarous heathens; and the Papists Inquisitors are short of you in cruelty, madness, and wicked inventions; and now ye rejoice in iniquity as though it were the high-way only to felicity.  
Richard Billingham, Thou sayst, Thou art glad to hear of Mr. Gurden's careful and faithful proceedings against the incorrigible, obstinate, roguish Quakers.  
As for Gurden, he is manifest to be one of the same race with thee, in Cain's way, in envy and wrath, and hath manifested his folly in the County of Suffolk, so that all sober people abhors and detests his practices, and is counted no other than a peevish, wilful, blind, ignorant man, before whose face the fear of God is not; and his proceedings will never bring honour to him, but rather infamy, and reproach, and perpetual shame; and truly the least of the children of light (& them that have but moderation as men) are ashamed of his practices, both superior and inferior; and thou that rejoicest and art glad of his proceedings, (and also some other whom thou writest to, which is one with thy spirit) thy rejoicing is not good, and thy joy shall be turned into mourning, and shame shall cover thy face when the Lord God of Heaven and Earth ariseth in his righteous judgement, than shame and confusion shall cover your faces.  
Thou sayst, They are a formidable people, and not to be neglected, for many follow their pernicious ways.  
I say, They are a people whose beginning hath been but small, who hath come through great tribulation, whose end shall be great; they are the heritage whom God hath chosen to place his Name in, and to reveal his power unto, and to be witnesses of his salvation unto the ends of the Earth; and they are, and have been, and shall be a dread unto all their Enemies; and though thou Mayst seek to oppose, and use all thy diligence, and neglect no opportunity to withstand them, yet it is but as if thou shouldest set Thorns and Briers in battle against the Lord.  
Thou sayst, If the Lord hath given these heretics commission to kill the witnesses, they are malignant enough to make it the most direful execution that ever befell God's people.  
Heretics are they that deny Christ the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, amongst whom thou, (with John Indicot) and the rest of the bloodthirsty men in New-England, whose malignity hath appeared, whose cruelty hath surpassed, and super-abounded many that are gone before you; and the witness you have killed in your selves, and the Witnesses you seek to destroy without you; and your execution against both the Witnesses hath been as wicked as most of the persecutors of old, who hath ploughed long furrows upon the backs of his people, so have you done with your whips and stripes, again, and again, (by your own confession) which hath not only teared the flesh of God's people, but reached to their sinews, and to their Joints, and yet you would be called Christians: Oh full of ignorance and gross stupidity! Christ came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; and you pretend yourselves Rulers, and Christian-Magistrates, and would not be accounted men of blood, and instead of saving, you seek to destroy, as your actions have made manifest against William Brend, a man fearing God, a sober man, known to many of the Inhabitants of the City of London, to be a just man in his generation, in causing one hundred and seventeen stripes (and upward) to be executed on his body by a pitched Rope, as though he had been a block, or a stone, altogether insensible; Shameless men, and full of impudency and hardheartedness, in whose hearts there is no remorse nor fear of God Witness your cutting off the ears of John Copeland, Christopher Holder, and John Rous, men fearing God, and as well educated as yourselves, and for no transgression at all of any Law of God, neither of any of your own; but when you had none that could reach to be a cover for your cruelty, you go into the nethermost Hell to invent Laws, Christians are ashamed of, and all sober people detest it; and so let your actions bear witness to your faces, & let all sober people judge who are in the malignity, and who are slayers of the Witnesses.  
And these Quakers by open profession, (thou sayst) tendeth to ruin all Christian society, compassing Sea and Land to that end.  
Thou vomits out thy rage, and casts up mire and dirt, (like a raging Wave) but thy bond is set. That which the quakers professeth, tendeth to the uniting all that believe unto Christ, and one unto another in love, and unity, and peace, in meekness, long-suffering, and patience; but all such Societies that thou art of, who art associated with Death and Hell, and in confederacy with all the Army of the Beast, who is full of rage, venom, insolency, and wickedness, whose heart is set on fire of Hell, which makes all this flame and smoke ascend out of the pit, where thou and the rest art associated with the residue, and hath your dwelling-place.  
And thou sayst, Their Religion is to speak rebellion and sedition in the presence, and to the face of Authority.  
God will confound thy lying lips, and bridle thy deceitful tongue, and cause sorrow to fill thy heart in the day of his righteous Judgements, for all thy hard speeches, false accusations, slanderous words, all sober people in Englend, Scotland, and Ireland, knows thee to be a liar. All people in every Sect have been stirrers up of parties, and have (in one thing or other) striven to rebel against that power which hath gone about to limit them in their ends; but the people (scornfully reproached) called Quakers, have born all, hath suffered under all in patience, and hath let many floods go over them, and many waves compass them, and yet have rested in patience, knowing that it is better to suffer wrong, then do wrong; though I tell thee, the Quakers (so called) might more justly (in the three Nations) claim propriety and liberty for the exercise of their pure consciences, & also their persons & Estates, than any other people in the three Nations besides; for they are they that have stood by the authority in time of greatest danger, in time of the Bishops, when persecution was the greatest, which you (like Cowards) fled from, they stayed in the midst of it, bearing their testimony against the gross ignorance of them who exercised Lordship over the Heritage of God in that time; and also in all the late wars in the three Nations, there are few of them but have joined with them that cried up reformation, and seemed to seek after righteous things; and their fidelity to righteous Government, magistracy, and ministry, is manifest to all unbiased spirits; and though now at last when we expected free liberty for the exercise of our consciences, & preservation of our persons and es●ates, (which had been a just recompense for all our sore trials travels and labours;) but behold, a troop of Robbers have laboured to nip and spoil the Plant of renown which God is bringing forth, and have made havoc of our Estates, and cries up the Powers of the Earth to stand by them for their own ends, only to maintain their covetous greedy practices; and behold the priests of these Nations, they are now, as they have been in former generations, fomenters of mischief, stirrers up of sedition, and patronizers of rebellion, and seeking to make parties to hold up their deceit, and calls upon Authority to persecute, and tells the Magistrates they ought to do so, and teacheth them to abuse their power, to the provoking of the wrath of God against a Nation or a People.  
And thou sayst, In the presence of Authority they labour to make the Magistrate to be a man of blood.  
Thou ignorant man, who hast lost thy natural reason, Will a Magistrate (who is become a man of blood) become advantageous to us? But rather have not we suffered? And would not you be counted bloody Magistrates? Then cease your shedding of blood, your whipping, your beating, your burning, and stigmatising, and cutting off ears; for else your own actions hath, and will evidence and demonstrate you to be men of blood, and you will be recorded amongst the bloodthirsty and cruel persecutors, and you can expect nothing from the hand of God, but severe destruction.  
And thou sayst, They encourage people against lawful Authority, not regarding their lives so they may attain their ends.  
Would you be accounted lawful Authority? What Law of God hath authorized you to turn your Sword against the innocent and upright? And many love not their lives to death to finish their testimony against the Dragon and his Power, the Beast and his authority, which would compel all (both great & small) to worship him; and were you not blind, you might see that you are his followers, and not the Lamb's followers.  
Thou sayst, Was there ever State so bereaved of reason, as to suffer such things, the honour of God, the safety of Religion, the peace of the country, invaded by these emissaries of Satan?  
You are that State that is bereaved of sense, and bereaved of reason, who think to defend your Religion by Clubs, & Staves, Cain's Weapons, and think to bring honour to God by killing his servants, and defacing his Workmanship which he hath made, and are amongst the Pharisees recorded, who thought they did God service when they went about to kill his members; and are not your thoughts the same, you blind and slow of heart to believe?  
And shall not the Magistrates be as confident to punish, a● they to offend capitall●?  
What is the offence? you had no Law till you had made one to satisfy your wicked end, and your insatiable cruelty; and though you may be confident that this will stop the spreading of the truth of God over the Earth, you shall know (ye potsherds) your confidence will fail, and Truth shall go over you [Hills] as a flood.  
At this time (thou sayst) we have twelve quakers in prison in Boston.  
To thy shame be it spoken, who gives such entertainment to strangers, and to men of your own Nation; you are far from Abraham's spirit, and far from Jacob's or Jobs spirit, who opened his door to the traveller, and entertained the stranger; and you are out of the Law of God, who commanded to entertain strangers; and were not you once strangers in that Land? and do you thus requite the Lord for his kindness, as to shut them up in holes, and dens, and caves, and (Pharoah-like) hath your taskmasters to exercise your cruelty upon them? Oh unheard of cruelty, and unparalleled wickedness! The memorial of your cry will not easily be blotted out, but will sound into the ears of generations to come; and the Record of you, will be unthankfulness and ingratitude; and your inhuman cruelty hath appeared to your own neighbours who have resided long amongst you, men of great age, and of Fame in your country for uprightness, have become your prey; and this is fulfilled amongst you, which was spoken of by the Prophets, Her Princes are as ravening wolves, who are greedy of their prey, who gnaws not the Bones till the Marrow.  
Thou sayst, They prevail much.  
They have prevailed, and shall prevail; for strong is the Lord of Hosts that is with them, and goes before them, whose Arm compasses them about, and refresheth them, and preserves them in patience in the midst of all your cruelty▪ for no Weapon that is formed against him (whom they bare witness of) shall prosper; and every tongue that riseth up in judgement against him, will he condemn.  
Thou sayst, There are two Jews amongst them.  
What if there be? Used not you (and the rest of the Clergy) to pray for the conversion of the Jews? And are you now angry if any of them be turned from darkness to light? But none can escape thy slanderous tongue without reproach.  
Thou sayst, The juncture between the Jesuits and these heretics is strong.  
Thou art nearer joined to the Jesuits than the Quakers, for they and you in New-England are working one and the selfsame work: Will not most people in the Regions know thy lies? Is it not publicly known in many countries, that two of the Quakers were imprisoned by the Pope and Jesuits at Rome lately, and hath been put in the Inquisition, and one of them prisoned till death, and the other remains in prison under cruel bonds to this day; and now read whether the juncture between the Jesuits and you be not great, who are acting in one and the selfsame Work, and brings forth one and the selfsame fruit, the Apples of Sodom, and the Grapes of Gomorah, whom God destroyed, which will be the end of all the wicked except they repent.  
There is more danger (thou saith) in this people to trouble and overcome England, than the King of Scots, and all the Popish Princes in Germany.  
Thy tongue is set on fire of Hell, which makes thee utter forth all these horrid lies, and false Accusations, and bitter things against the Lord and his people; and will not all sober people in England see thy envy? Hath not England had sufficient proof of our fidelity against the King of Scots, and the Popish Princes, and Confederates with him? And thousands in England shall be witness for us against thee and all thy false Accusations.  
Thou sayst, They strengthen all disc●ntents against the present Government, and hatch all Plots, and encourages all combinations and insurrections.  
The present Government of these Nations will be a witness for us against thee, That (amongst all the people in the Nations) we have been most passive and suffering; and the discontents, and plots, and combinations from time to time, have been amongst the Presbyter-Priests and their Faction, of whose stock and offspring you are.  
And further thou sayst, They vent horrid blasphemy against God, which ought to be persecuted with the severest censures.  
Thou art of that generation that called the Master of the House Beelzebub, and in the steps of the persecuting Jews, who said, He hath spoken blasphemy, what need we any more witness? But how can we speak evil, or blaspheme him who is our life? And in the day when he ariseth to judge all the Earth in righteousness, he will justify us, and clear us, and condemn thy malignity, and thy hard speeches, and vain thoughts, which lodge in thy corrupt heart, from whence all these unsavoury words hath been uttered forth; and is that New-England-Divinity to teach persecution, that thou art so impudent to own it in words? That which persecutes with the severest censures, is of the Devil, and is in Cain's way; and dost thou lay down this for a Doctrine to Engl●nd, to appease the wrath of God towards it? I say, Persec●tion and severe Censures, ●s that which kindleth the wrath of God against these Nations, and did overtake the Bishops, the King, and all their Confederacy, and overthrew the Nobles of the Land, the ancient, and ●e honourable, which were the head; and all the false Prophets, which were the tail; and that same Wrath shall be over you, who are of that stock and offspring, manifested by these deadly actions, and characters of most horrid and wicked cruelty, which the Lord God will confound and blast, and set his Truth above it all.  
And (John Indicot) thou sayst, The quakers trouble us very much; though we cause them te be whipped, and sent away again, and again, yet they return again.  
Thou Mayst see there is another spirit in them, then was in you, when you fled from old England, (from under the Bishops) you would suffer nothing for the truth, and therefore were you given up to the same spirit that was in the persecutors here in England, this is entered into you now, and become ten fold stronger; but now he that is stronger than all hath appeared, and is coming to trouble you, and disquiet you of your rest which you have taken up in the Earth; What, hath your Gospel (and the Ministers thereof) no more strength in them to convince the gainsayers, then gainsayers have to seduce them that are in the truth? The day of your trouble is come, and the beginning of sorrows is kindled upon you, & a greater woe follows after; for the Rod of God is stretched out over you, and shall reach unto you, and turn your counsels backward, and confound you in the midst of your combinations; Where did any Christian-Magistrates whip and imprison any for Religion's sake or conscience-sake, or cut off their Ears? Where is your Law? Did any Minister of Christ persuade the Magistrate it was lawful for him to do so? Give us some evidence, and let us see your rule, and by what Authority you do these things, and from whence you have your authority? I am sure God never authorized it, Christ, nor his Ministers, nor no Christian-Magistrate (that ruled for God) never countenanced any such thing, as to whip again, and again, to beat with Ropes till men fall down as dead, till men's flesh becomes as jellly, as some of your own Nation have said; and shall not the Saints be bold to tell you, that this is of the Devil, who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning, in whose footsteps you are, who shall receive a reward according to your works.  
And thou sayst, Divers of you do think, that unless the Court do make a Law to banish them, and not to return upon pain of death, this colony will n●t be rid of them.  
Nay, nor then neither, though you make covenant with death, and agreement with hell, and shake hands with the Prince of darkness, your Covenant shall be broken, and your confederacy disannulled, and you confounded in the midst of your counsels; What, have you your Law yet to make to serve your turns? It seems you act not by the Law of God, (which is made already) which is equal, just, and good, and is for the transgressor of Justice, Goodness, and Equity, but takes not hold upon the just, equal, nor good, but you must now have another invented to satisfy your envious minds, and to accomplish your wicked determinations; and you that think to make a Law to banish, and to put to death, your thoughts are vain, and wicked, and God will bring them to judgement, and condemn you for them; for Christ came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them; but the Devil makes Laws to destroy, and not to save. Read your example, and let shame cover your faces, and astonishment fill your hearts, that you should become so brutish and vain in your thoughts, as to think to limit the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Can you command the wind that it blow not? Can you stop the bottles of heaven that they pour not ●orth water? If you cannot, no more can you limit the Lord. And if you make any such Laws to banish, or put to death, it will procure the indignation and wrath of God more speedily than if the King of Scots, and all the Popish Princes in the World did enter into the midst of your Land. But this is come to pass that your hypocrisy and deceit might be made manifest in the sight of the sun, and that all men may see what profession of words is without the life of Christ to rule in men. If it should have been told you (when you fled from this Nation) what you would do (in the time to come) against God and his servants, you would have said, (with Hazael) Are we Dogs? But the heart of man is deceitful, (unconverted) and your deceived hearts hath led you aside.  
Thou thinkest they are the worst heretics.  
Thy eye being blinded, and thy understanding darkened, and thy heart full of envy, how shouldst thou think otherwise? But thy thoughts shall be discovered to thee, and thou shalt be convinced of the evil of them.  
Thou sayst, One (whom many think is a Jesuit) pressed for a conference with one of our Teachers, called Mr. Norton, but the quaker was quickly weary of it.  
You live by your thoughts, and knows nothing; if he had been a Jesuit, it's like he might have had more favour from you; And the Minister might be very bold, knowing beforehand no evil was like to befall him, having the Rulers (with their Clubs) on his side; the Prison-doors, and House of Correction, ready to receive the Quakers; the Gaolers and Task Masters with their Whips, and butcherly fellows with their Knives to cut off their ears, at the pleasure and wills of a company of envious men, before whose face the fear of the Lord is not. But it is like you will make the Quaker weary soon, if he would look out at your cruelty, if you did (as sometime some of your Priests and Rulers caused to be done in New-England) stop Napkins in their mouths, and bound keys over their mouths that they could not speak, and boast, and say, The Quaker had nothing to answer. Well, all these things are recorded, and are written as with a Pen of Iron, and they are engraved where they shall not be blotted out, and you are registered among the uncircumcised, with Mesech and Tubal, the great Princes of Gog, which makes war against the Lamb and his followers; but the Lamb and the Saints shall have the victory, and you shall be trodden as ashes under the toll of their feet, for they shall melt away that hate the Lord.  
Reading, the 16. of the 12. Month, 1658.  
The End.