A Horrible thing committed in this LAND  
HEre followeth a Description of the fruits of one of the false prophets of Kent, who hath gone ●●●er the name of a Minister of Christ, but by his fruits you may see that he amongst the rest is such a one as is greedy, and teaches for hire, and bears rule by his means, and all the true Prophets have given in their testimony in all ages against such practices as he is found in; Job saith They spied out a house in the day time. And hath not this man done so in which he hath made all this spoil, but they know not the Light; and such Teachers as he is are they that say the light is natural, and natural conscience, but this man hath made himself manifest that he knows not the light, and that his conscience is corrupt and seared, and he is without natural affection, and as a natural bruit beast which pusheth with his side & shoulder, so hath he made manifest himself to be; who hath not loved his neighbour, neither the innocent, and so he hath not fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, neither hath he loved his brother whom he hath seen, and therefore doth not love God whom he cannot see; and therefore let him and all such for ever cease to speak in his Name, who hates to be reform, they hate the right way of the Lord who sends forth freely, & this is Balaams' way which they are in, nay worse, for he loved the wages of unrighteousness, but durst not take it, but this man hath taken the unrighteous wages at large, who is a shame to the Ministers in these days, who have said they were sent of God, but have brought us these fruits to make them manifest, that they ran, and the Lord never sent them, and therefore they do not profit the people at all, and he is such a one who is a shame to his Country, and unto the fountain from whence he proceeded which hath brought forth such bitter water, and the blessings of such hath the Lord cursed, yea even already saith the Lord, and dung doth he spread upon their faces, & Christ saith, by their fruits the false Prophets are known, he came not to destroy men's lives but to save them. And he said unto Peter, put up thy sword, and he did not destroy people's estates, neither any that he sent forth, but they were as examples, and if any did detain any thing from them which was their due, they for so doing did not render evil, for evil or railing, for railing, they were far from making havoc, but saith the Apostle after my departure shall grievous Wolves arise which will not spare the flock and such drew away Disciples after them, and these grievous Wolves, how do they destroy, how do they raven as the Preiest of the Parish of Elmestone hath done? who is a fierce despiser of them that are good, and all the Wolves that we read on ever since the days of the Apostles, that hath been grievous did never make such a spoil neither such a havoc as he hath done, who without pity or bowels of compassion, hath exceeded them in this thing, showing out his enmity against Robert Minter, his Wife and family to destroy them, but also she as a tender Mother, who with natural care and tenderness, did provide things honest both for herself, and also for her house, in the sight of God and all people, and also for her child which as yet was in her womb, unbrought forth, that when the time appointed of her deliverance should come, she and it might be preserved by such things and necessaries as God had enabled her to provide; And travel coming suddenly upon a woman with child, she had linen  and clouts provided suitable for it; and before it was brought forth, this havoc was made without pity either to the Child or yet to the tender Mother, which might have caused great grief of heart, and sudden labour, if the Lord had not supported her, so that she and the child too might have gone near to have been lost if not both together, and those days her last days, laying down her head in sorrow, taking away their corn, pans, and other things as is hereafter mentioned that she could not have that relief for herself neither, for it as in that case is required. Oh horrible and wonderful, if Jeremiah had been in these days, here had been a wonderful horrible, and a filthy thing to have cried against, nay all the false Prophets, he hath outstripped, and gone beyond them all; what could he require of the child in the womb, or of that man who did not hear him nor did receive any spiritual thing from him, is not this such a one as did oppress a man and his house, and if Isay had lived in these days, would he not have declared him to be a greedy dog, and such a shepherd that could not understand, that looks to their own way, and seeks for their gain from their quarter as you may see in Isa. 56. 10, 11. And if Ezekiel had lived in these days, might not he have prophesied against this shepherd and have cried woe against him, as he did against those shepherds? in Ezek 34. 2, 3, 4, the diseased he hath not strengthened he hath not healed that which was sick, neither hath he bound up that which is broken, neither hath he brought again that which is driven away, but on the contrary, he hath rather made sick, rather diseased, rather made weak, even where there was no sickness, and where there was no disease, and so hath made the heart of the Righteous sad, whom the Lord hath not made sad, but he hath ruled with force and with cruelty, and doth eat the fat, and cloth with the wool, but the beast fed are slain. Now consider should not the shepherds, feed the flocks, as you may see in the second verse, and should not he that plants a vineyard eat of the fruit thereof? now the shepherds are first to feed the flock, and sow unto them Spiritual things, than it were a small matter if they did reap their carnals, a little meat and drink as the Ministers of Christ have, and had, and if Hosea had been in these days who did hear the Word of the Lord, might he not well have cried out, As a troop of Robbers wait for a man, so the company of Priest's murder in the way by consent? Hosea, 6. 9 And if Micah who was truly full of that spirit, would he not have said of him, as he said of them that caused the Lords people to err, and did by't with their teeth, and cry peace to them that put into their mouths, but them that did not, they prepare war against them? as Micah 3. and 5. And such a one who hates the good and loves the evil, who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones, and who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and they break their bones, and chaps them as for the pot and cauldron. But throughout all the Prophet's search and see unto whom ye can compare him, for Job saith in the 24, and 10. they cause him to go naked without clothing, they take the sheaf from the hungry; and so all the true Prophets have borne witness against such practices as these, though for so doing, they were sawn in sunder, imprisoned, whipped, tormented and afflicted, in trials of cruel mockings, scourge, imprisonments and bonds; Let all the Saints and Children of light try him, and judge of him or any who hath any savour in themselves, if he be good and savoury among Christians to be called a Minister of Christ, I am sure true Christians can give him no such name being he is in an another nature, but will turn away from him as from a proud man and a covetous man, as the Apostle exhorts in 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. and from such a one as hath the form of Godliness, and not the power, and so we do turn away from such and from them that binds heavy burdens upon people, grievous to be born, which Christ cried woe against, and is not this grievous to be borne, to be thus spoiled, to be thus bitten? let him bring us one Scripture either from the false Prophets or yet from the true, where any of them did such things to the height, as he hath done even to clouts and pins, not leaving them a change to their backs but what they had on, how woefully is this man run on in the apostasy; for the Apostles and Saints they had bowels of compassion of love, and them that gainsaid the truth and withstood them, they waited in patience and all long sussering, that if it pleased God they might have repentance unto life, and they had their conversation honest amongst the Gentiles, and such as did become the Gospel of Christ, and of God, and the Ministers of Christ exhorted to these things, and they were no strikers nor brawlers, nor covetous, but said such could not inherit the Kingdom of God▪ and covetousness was not once to be mentioned amongst them, nor idle words and jesting, but as becometh saints to put it away, for they that did such things, which were false brethren and false Apostles, they received the recompense of reward in themselves as was meet, for the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience and they received this for their error as was meet. And the Apostle exhorted to all goodness, and to use hospitality without grudging, and he did so that laboured in the word and doctrine unto whom a dispensation of the Gospel of Christ was committed, as ye may see where he saith these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that are with me: And he saith in the first of Thessalon. 4. and the 6. that no man go beyond his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified. Now you may see the Apostle a Minister of Christ, he could bring in his Testimony, he could testify that he had not gone beyond his brother in any matter, and he laboured with his hands that the Gospel might be without charge, this was a good Testimony, and away to win people to God, for it was for that end that the Apostle preached to bring people unto God, to turn them from the darkness to the light, from evil unto good, and the servant of the Lord, saith he must not strive but be apt to teach to be gentle endureing in much patience, in affliction; Come, are ye here? nay you afflict, many of you, and are in cain's way, as this man who beyond the bond or limit of charity hath extended, and he is not in Christ, but hath brought forth the fruits of the flesh, and not of the Spirit; for did ever any Minister of Christ who was in the Spirit, bring forth such fruits? nay they were ashamed of such, and cried against them that they were in cain's way, Kores & balaam's, following and loving the wages of unrighteousness, and these were as wells without water, and clouds without rain, carried about with a tempest: do you not see how fiercely they go on, and what a tempest they come withal, that they that receive the light must endure great afflictions, bonds and imprisonments, but it is but that their folly may be made manifest, and they shall proceed no further, but as natural brute beasts are made to be taken and destroyed, and shall perish in their own corruptions, and the servants of the Lord that endures to the end shall be saved, and his jewels will he bind up, and so all ye that are in the light, and who for receiving hath suffered loss of goods and liberty, yet ye dwelling in the light, will see your reward and your crown of rejoicing, and God on your part will be glorified and well spoken of, but of your enemies evil, it's because they know not God that they know not you, neither do they know the light, they know not that which exerciseth the conscience towards God and man, and this man is not fit to teach others who is not taught of God, and is not in the practice of the Godly, let them that are in authority try him if he be not insufficient, and hath taken a yoke of bondage upon his neck, and is not he entangled with these things? And again, is he not scandalous, and an evil example to the flock that he is set over? And consider with what he can feed them, or what benefit can they receive from him? And to inform you, it is for conscience sake that we cannot pay tithes, and because the priesthood is changed which did receive tithes; and so for bearing witness to this Priest who is a Priest for ever made after the power of an endless life, is this spoil made by him who professes him in words, but in works hath denied him, whom we in all our sufferings bear testimony to, even unto him who endured the Cross, and despised the shame for the glory that was set before him; and so the servant must not be greater than his Lord, this we know, and if it were not for him, we could not endure with patience, but he hath appointed his that through many tribulations they shall enter the Kingdom of God; but woe is to the troublers, and to Zions oppressors, for the Lord will not cast off his people, neither shall they be clean forsaken, but the destroyer for their sakes shall be rebuked, and he hath said vengeance is mine and I will repay, And so we are not careful in this thing (it being for conscience sake, and not for saving of the earth) to answer any in this matter, but the God whom we serve will in his time deliver us, and if not, be it known unto you that we shall not uphold such false-prophets, neither worship their God in the Idols Temple, but God who is a Spirit, him we will worship, and him will we obey, and will not fear what man can do, man that can but kill the body, and can do no more, but rather we will fear him that after he hath killed the body, can cast both body and soul into Hell; and we are turned away from such as he is, for from the least of them even unto the greatest, they are all given to covetousness and to deal falsely, crying peace where there was no peace, were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not ashamed, neither could they blush, though as a fountain casteth out her waters, so did they cast out their wickedness; violence and spoil is heard in her, before me continually is grief and wounds, as you may see in Jeremiah 6. 7. to 16. Now can we call those the Ministers of Christ, which are in these things, that are not ashamed and cannot blush, or how can we hold them up any longer? or why should any be displeased that we declare them to be false Prophets, deceivers and Antichrists, seeing such fruits is found among them, and his fruit is laid before you to be read? and if he blush and be ashamed, and make restitution, according to God's Law, unto whom he hath wronged, than it may go well with him, if not, he will fall among them that fall in the day when the Lord visits him.  
And now is he warned and exhorted to prise his time, and the rest of you that are found in these practices. And unto whom this shall come, if you will justify such practices as you are in to be according to the Ministers of Christ, come forth openly to those people that are called Quakers, and you shall be heard, or else for ever cease to backbite, or rail upon them when they are not there.  
Thomas Robertson.   

Taken from Robert Minter Farmer the fourth day of the fourth month, in the year 1658. for Tithes, by the Priest Alexander Bradley in the Parish of Elmstone in the County of Kent.  

First, Two featherbeds.  
Three feather-bolsters.  
One pillow.  
One flock-bed.  
One flock-bolster.  
One bead-stead.  
Two pair of curtains.  
Two pair of valens.  
Iron rods for two beds.  
Cords for two beds.  
Four blankets.  
Two cover .  
One rug.  
Ten pair of sheets.  
Two pair of pillowbears.  
Six towels.  
Five tablecloths.  
Twenty one pieces of pewter.  
Three spoons.  
Four brass kettles.  
A brewing-furnace.  
One warning-pan.  
One skillet.  
Four chists.  
One trunk.  
One dozen of trenchers.  
Three forms.  
Two tables.  
One frame.  
Three milking-pails.  
One spade.  
One mattock.  
One dung-fork.  
Five horse-harnesse.  
One pillion and covering.  
Eleven quarters and an half of Wheat.  
Thirteen sacks.  
Three bushels of barley.  
One hundred and an half of Hops.  
Twenty and one Lambs.  
Three sheep.  
Five calves.  
Thirty hogs and pigs.  
Ninteen changes for men and Women.  
Forty five double clouts for a young child.  
Twelve beds.  
Five double neckcloaths.  
Four pair of sleeves.  
Six caps for a woman.  
Two neckcloaths.  
Thirty two small pieces of fine linen for a child.  
Seven chin-staies.  
Four blankets.  
One mantle.  
Three shirts.  
Three biggins.  
Four double crosse-cloaths for a Woman.  
One first suit for a child.  
One swaddle-band.  
One back-band.  
Two double bibs.  
One vail.  
One dressing.  
Three pin-cushins and pins.  
Beside a thousand of pins.  
One night-waste-coat.  
Half a cheese.   
And the Priest's company broached a vessel of strong bear of which they drank so excessively, that they left the tap drooping out all the rest.  
The value of the goods taken was judged to be worth ninty three pounds sixteen shillings and eight pence.  
Robert Minter.   

This is but one of many hundreds that have been spoiled of their goods (and some of their lives) by this troop of Robbers and Murderers; more of their cruelty may be read in a book Entitled A Record of sufferings for Tithes in England.  
THE END.   

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1658.