TWO PRESENTMENTS OF THE GRAND JURY IN BRISTOL, AT THE General Quarter-Sessions OF THE PEACE Holden there in October, 1681.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year MDCLXXXI.   


To the Right Worshipful, Thomas Earl, Esq MAJOR; and to the Worshipful Court of Aldermen, His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for this Ctiy of Bristol, and County of the same City, now Assembled in the General Quarter-Sessions of the Peace, begun the 4th day of October, in the three and thirtieth year of His Majesty's Reign, An. Dom. 1681. and by Adjournments continued to this present 19th. day of the same.  
The Humble Presentment of the Grand Inquest.  
WE, the Grand Jurors for the Body of this City, and County of the same City, being by the Sacred Obligation of an Oath. Administered to us at our first entrance into this Service and Trust, and also by that Suitable and most Excellent Charge given Us pursuant thereunto, Engaged to Inquire for Our Sovereign Lord the King, for the Body of the said County, in Discharge of the said Obligation do Present as followeth.  
The Excellency and Necessity of Laws and Government are more than insinuated unto Us by the Early Provision made for them, even in the Infancy of the World, and first Original of things; and also by the special Care and Constant Endeavours that have been ever since used for keeping the same Sacred and Inviolable, and for delivering of it so, down to Posterity through all Generations unto these days.  
The unspeakable Miseries, Mischiefs and Dangers which inevitably follow on the want hereof, we need not have recourse to former times to relate; the Present Age having felt effectually the smart thereof, and many of ourselves cannot but remember.  
On the other hand, the great Benefit, Satisfaction, and Comfort, which are restored when the Government is returned to its Ancient Constitution, as it was by the miraculous Restoration of his Sacred Majesty to his Throne and Dignity; and the Blessed Effects thereof which we have enjoyed for above twenty years' last passed; cannot be of less weight than to persuade all (whom their own Wills and Interests have not hardened into Obstinacy) to the Highest and best Esteem of our present Governments, and to exert their utmost endeavour towards the Countenance and Support thereof.  
It is hearty to be wished that all men would be of such Good Principles, and Ingenuous Dispositions as to live contentedly and Obediently under the best Government, of the best of Princes; and in the enjoyment of the best of Privileges, the Protestant Religion, Liberty, Property and Peace can afford us. But Experience teaches us that though it may be desired, yet it can never be expected; whilst Interest leads men the contrary way, whilst Disobedience is so interwoven with some men's Creeds, and whilst Rebellion doth pass for a Profitable Sin.  
This Year hath been a Year wherein the face of Public Affairs have appeared in great variety; it hath been a year of Great Expectation, of Great Discoveries, Great Endeavours, and Great Disappointments. Providence hath seemed to be involved in a Cloud, and to discover itself only by its Chequer Workings; notwithstanding all which being now Happily arrived at the End thereof, and having this Opportunity put into our hands, we cannot but with all Humility and Thankfulness of Heart, acknowledge the Infinite Goodness and Mercy of Almighty God exercised towards us in the manifold mercies we still enjoy; in the Gracious Continuation of Health in our Dwellings and Peace within our borders; when most part of our Neighbour Nations are imbroiled in Wars, and the dismal consequences thereof. For preserving the King's Majesty in his happy Reign over us, notwithstanding all the wicked Machinations of the sons of Violence, whereby they have Diligently sought to Murder, or Depose him; and those, whether our Open and Declared Enemies, of the Religion of the Church of Rome, or other Seditious and Ungrateful men, who under pretence of Zeal, Religion, and Loyalty, put themselves in a Better Condition to perpetrate their Wicked Designs; who though from Differing Interests, and unto Differing Ends, yet concur with the former in this Third thing; The Ruin of Monarchy, and the Subversion of the Government. But the hand of Justice hath Begun to find them out, and hath Distrbuted to some of them the Just Reward of their Treasonable and Wicked Erterprises. So that there is Good Hopes that Vengeance will not suffer such Murderers to escape, and that such Bloodthirsty and Deceitful men shall not live out half their Days.  
Also we return our True and Unfeigned Thanks to our Sovereign Lord the King for all those Unspeakable Benefits which from the Throne of his Majesty are Freely dispensed for the Advantage of his People, for his great Wisdom in Foreseeing approaching Dangers, and taking timely care to Prevent them from falling on his Subjects. And for all those frequent instances of his Grace and Goodness towards this City; and more especially for his Gracious Condescension in his last most Gracious Declaration, to give the meanest of his Subjects an account of some of the Greatest of his Actions, wherein amongst many other things (of his Royal Bounty promised) he is pleased to insert his Special Care of the Protestant Religion as by Law established; his Intentions of Governing by Frequent Parliaments, and his Resolutions that he will never suffer his People to be Ruined by Arbitrary Power, either of Himself or their Fellow-Subjects.  
In the next place we Present our Hearty Thanks to the Worshipful Sir Richard Hart, late Mayor of this City, for the Several and Singular instances of his Extraordinary Readiness and Care in Serving this City in those Emergent Occasions which happened in the year of his Majoralty; In the beginning whereof things appeared with a Sad and Dismal Aspect, for that the Factious Party in this City being grown to a Head, knew no Bounds to their own Mischievous Designs: First they Branded the Magistrates and Ministers, and other his Majesty's best Subjects with the Odious Name of Papists; then they procured several Aldermen to be Seized on and Imprisoned. The the● late Sheriffs to be taken into Custody, our Ministers, to be several of them severely Threatened and one (with whom they began) to be severely Handled, to be under a long Confinement, and exposed to their Malicious Slanders by Libelers and Pamphleteers even of their own Procuring, and all this at great Distance from their Own Homes, to the vast Expense of their Estates and manifest Hazard of their Lives. For Accomplifhing whereof, they got themselves admitted Members of such Clubs in London, as made them fit for Acting this, and what they had farther Projected. And then they proceeded publicly to Threaten utter Ruin to several other Aldermen; many Members of Common-Council, and other substantial Inhabitants of this City to the number of several Scores at once, under the Notion of Pulling down the Artillery; and no less than utter Undoing to a whole Grand Jury for Declaring their Opinion in the matter of Petitioning.  
They go on (by their Old refuge of Lies) to render the Interest of this City very Contemptible in the Face of the Nation, openly Declaring at Westminster, before the Members of the Honourable House of Commons, that our Mayor was there a Factor for the Abhorrers of Bristol, and that Himself was one of them, and did publicly Declare before the Commons of England that it was a Crime in Bristol in the year 1679 to Acknowledge that there was any Popish Plot. All things seeming to lie at the mercy of their false Tongues, and to be Obnoxious to the Prosecution of their unreasonable Anger.  
It was now Crime enough to be declared Loyal, and almost Capital to contradict Fnaticism, for to that Confidence were they grown, That these Words [You shall answer this before the House of Commons] were as confidently spoken by the most Inconsiderable of them to those that were not of their Judgement on very Trivial Occasions as a Man in Authority may say to a Thief [You shall be sent to Prison] or too a Drunkard [You shall be set by the Heels.] Thus intending to carry all before them; to what further Heights they would have proceeded, neither themselves nor any other could know, had not Deliverance arisen in such a way as they never thought of, except it was to to damn it as Impossible.  
This was the time wherein our said then Mr. Mayor was pleased to (the manifest hazard of Himself, his Credit and Estate,) to interpose and assert the Right and Interest of this City, and with great Care and Industry did bring off the Cause thereof very much to its Reputation and Advantage; for which, and for his Readiness to do the like on all other Occasions, and for the whole Management of Public Affairs during his year of Mayoralty, we present him with our Hearty Thanks.  
We likewise present our Hearty Thanks to the Worshipful Court of Aldermen for their readiness to Stand by, and Encourage, and Assist our said May or in all those things that tended to the Public Good: For that by your Joint Endeavours herein the Credit and Reputation of this City is publicly retrieved, so that his Sacred Majesty hath been graciously pleased to conceive Better and more Friendly thoughts of us, and we hope for the future will find no cause to esteem us otherwise than as one of his Loyal Cities.  
The little Experience which we have had within the space of one year last passed hath let the World see, That when men of ill Principles set their Ambitious eyes upon the Government. Their restless Endeavours will stick at nothing which they think may conduce to the bringing it into their Hands; and that those who think themselves too good to be Governed by Law, think all others but good enough to Receive Law from them. But Blessed be God we now see the Crest of the Faction fairly fallen, the Countenance of its Abetters Dejected, and their Actions receive public Discouragement so that the great Expectation they had of fingering once more the Management of the Government, being wholly for this time Disappointed: We do hearty wish they would now sit down contentedly under the Government as it is already Established, as it becomes Good Christians and Dutiful Subjects: but if not, if they will still persist to trouble the Waters for their own more profitable Fishing— We all know the Law is made for the Lawless and Disobedient, and the Sword of Justice is entrusted in the hands of the Ministers of Justice for the Chastising of evil Manners, and for the punishment of evil Doers, as well as for the encouragement of them that do well: and therefore if the Laws Enacted are in force, and if Laws in force were intended for the Good of the People, by whom, and for whom they were made; we hope and expect that we shall never have cause to complain of our Magistrates for denying to us the Benefit of those Laws in not applying them to the ends of our Advantage, for which they were at first so designed, and afterwards committed to their Administration.  
We should not have said so much on this particular had it been the Condition of this Place alone: but the true Vox Patriae, in all the Loyal Addresses lately presented to the King's Majesty, agree that the cause of all the troubles we have been sensible of, or may now fear, hath been occasioned by those amongst us, who by Dissenting from, declare themselves Enemies to the Government as it is now Established, and that the only way to preserve Peace is to bring the Actions of all men to be conformable to those wholesome Laws, by which all good men endeavour to regulate their Lives; and against the Severities and Execution whereof, none but the Guilty and Self-condemned Criminals Storm and Revile.  
We do therefore Recommend it to your Worships, as a matter most worthy your utmost care, The Observation and Preservation of the good Laws of this Kingdom, in Reference both to Ecclesiastical and Civil Concernments; That you by all means Discourage all manner of Profaneness and Debauchery; That you continue to be Constant and Vigorous Asserters of the Protestant Religion according to the Laws of this Kingdom now established, the true Profession whereof is an Antidote against the numerous evils we lie under, and the Causes of what we farther fear; and a Through United Conformity whereunto would be an Invincible Bulwark against the wicked Machinations of all our Enemies: And that you would be pleased always to endeavour the Preservation of the Peace of this City by all those means the Law hath prescribed, and Experience hath taught are necessary to be used.  
Many things have been presented to this Court, and now lie before your Worships by former Grand-Juries; particularly those of Easter and Midsomer-Sessions last, which we Recommend to your Worship's care, as worthy to be considered of in order to their Amendment: Many things also have been Presented by the Constables of the several Wards in this Quarter-Sessions: And what other things have further come to our Knowledge, we have Ennumerated in a Paper hereunto annexed; To which we humbly refer the Court; and conclude with Our Hearty Prayers that God would Bless all your Worship's Endeavours for the rendering of this City an United and a Flourishing City: That God will bless this Kingdom with the great Blessings of Prosperity and Peace, and all his Majesty's Subjects with the Blessed Effects thereof. And chief, that God would bless the Kings most Excellent Majesty with Health, Length of Days, Victory, Riches and Honour: That he may live to see the Fruit of all his extraordinary Care, and Wonderful Wisdom, in Swaying the Sceptre of these Kingdoms, returned to him in Love and Loyalty from all his Subjects. That those that Rise up against Him may be as the Dust before the Wind: That all his Enemies may be clothed with Perpetual Confusion, and that upon his Sacred Head and the Head of his Royal Posterity, the Crown may for ever Flourish.   

ANOTHER PRESENTMENT OF THE Same Grand-Jury AT ANOTHER ADJOURNMENT OF THE COURT, Viz. The Twenty fourth day of October, 1681. To the Right Worshipful, Thomas Earl, Esq Mayor of this City, etc.  
The Humble Presemment of the Grand Inquest.  
WE, The Grand Jurors for the Body of this City and County, etc.— Having drawn up our former Presentment, with intention to have given it into the Court on a former Adjournment; since which time some New Matter being come to our Knowledge, which we cannot without apparent Violation of our Trust, neglect to bring before your Worships, do make bold farther to Present.  
And we do therefore Present, That the Court of Oyer and Terminer, and General Goal-delivery held for this City and County, being Lawfully called upon the eighteenth day of this instant, October; The Wilful Departure of Sir Robert Atkins, our Recorder, from the said Court, and thereby annihilating the same (his Presence being essential to the Constitution thereof,) after the Grand Jury were Sworn, the Justices on the Bench, the appearance of Prosecutors and Witnesses in several Notorious Murders and Felonies attending, and the Bills of Indictment against some of them, (viz. One against Nicholas Butler for Felony and Burglary, another against Francis Warden for Felony and Burglary, and another against Elizabeth Windgett, for Murdering her Bastard Child, being by the said Grand-Jury found, and ready to be delivered into Court: The Sheriffs ready attending with their Goal, and the Prisoners at the Bar waiting their Deliverance, is a most Unpresidented denial of Justice, and a most Unwarrantable and Arbitrary Proceeding. In comparison whereof, the so much complained of Discharge of a Grand-Jury in Middlesex, some time since, before their usual time of being Discharged (there being only a possibility the Bills might be preferred to them: And the Court continued still to be a Court, and to do Justice without them) is not so much as to be mentioned or thought of: This necessarily tending to the Impunity of Notorious Offenders, besides other Mischiefs; as the Prosecutors and Witnesses being Discharged of their Recognizances, by the Discontinuance of the Court; The Offenders continued in Gaol without Prosecution; His Majesty's Gracious Charter to this City, by which the said Court is Granted, beyond expression, Affronted; The Mayor and Aldermen, his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, openly Contemned; The Honour and Justice of this City greatly Disparaged; and his own Unfaithful Execution of his Office, as Notoriously Betrayed and made Public.  
And it is our Opinion that his endeavouring to avoid the Swearing of Sir Richard Hart, an Alderman, is not only an Aggravation of this Offence, but another denial of discharging his Duty: For he, the said Sir Richard Hart, being by the said Sir Robert Atkins himself, together with the Mayor and Court of Aldermen, Nemine Contradicente, Legally and Duly Elected, the Swearing of him became a Duty Executive i● the Mayor and Recorder, the Arbitrary part of it being determined by the Election: For should it be in the Power of the Mayor, or Recorder, or both, to refuse Swearing as Alderman duly Elected, the very Constitution of Aldermen, on which the Justice of this City doth principally depend, as it is prescribed in our Charter, would necessarily be Destroyed; and the whole Power of making Aldermen be virtually devolved into the Mayor and Recorder alone.  
Wherefore we make it our humble Request, that either by Complaint to the Kings most Sacred Majesty, or by Displacing the said Sir Robert Atins, or by such other Methods of Proceed, as to your Worships shall seem most Fitting and Effectual, we may be Redressed for this present Grievance, and be secured for the Future against such Failure of Justice, and Arbitrary Proceed within this City.  
God Save the King.  


James Millerd.  
John Hollister.  
Nicholas Standfast.  
Joseph Bullock.  
Samuel Rogers.  
Jasper Caus.  
Francis Fisher.  
Scarborow Chapman.  
John Matthew.  
William Jones.  
Thomas Davidg.  
Francis Ballard.  
John Bachelor.  
John Estwick.  
John England.     
FINIS.