A TRUE RELATION OF A LATE BARBAROUS ASSAULT Committed upon Robert Pie Esq  
One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of HEREFORD.  
Who Died thereof 30 JAN. 1680.  
BY John Bodnam Esq A Notorious Papist: Whom he went about to apprehend, for Refusing to Obey the ORDERS of the QVARTER SESSIONS; Whereby he was Summoned to take the OATHS of ALLEGIANCE, etc. As it was Certified, etc.  
LONDON: Printed by THO. JAMES. M.DC.LXXXI.   

A True RELATION Of a Late Barbarous ASSAULT Committed upon ROBERT PIE Esq  
WHether it be Folly or Madness for the Papists to give such bloody Experiments of their Cruelty, is a thing which one would think might be easily determined among Christians. And yet they have their witty as well as their crafty Defenders of all their Villainies. Certainly at length Men will take the Measure of Hercules by his Foot, and guests at their Sanguine Designs of General Massacres, by their Violent Outrages upon particular persons. One would think that it were an Article of the Roman Catholic Faith to murder Protestant Justices of the Peace. Ever since the Discovery of the Plot, they have been committing some Villainy or other. They began with Sir Edmondbury Godfrey; the next Object of their revenge was Mr. Arnold, and now we are to give you the Relation of another Exploit no less wicked then either; God, as we have great Reason to believe, still hardening their hearts, to open the eyes of those that blindly defend their Cause, and labour to extenuate their Crimes.  
Since the Discovery of the late Plot, it is well known what care has been taken to give orders to several Justices of the Peace in their several Stations to watch the Designs and Proceed of the Papists, and to take care of the Public Tranquillity in their several Counties. In Pursuance of which Orders several Warrants were granted at the Quarter-Sessions for the County of Hereford against one John Bodnam of Brunguin in the said County Esq as being known to be an obstinate and violent Papist, and one that still refused to take the Oaths which the Law required, or to Obey any Warrant either of any single Justice of the Peace, or jointly Signed at the Sessions, but keeping close in his House as his Garrison, defended himself against the Constables, and their Assistants, some of whom he hath shot and wounded. This Mr. Rodnam living near to a Place called the Meene, the Mansionhouse of Robert Pie Esq one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the same County, an Eminent and Worthy Protestant, and a Gentleman of great Honour and Value in his Country, and now to be lamented with an equal sorrow to that which bewailed the fall of Sir Edmondbury Godsrey, so like to his; the said Mr. Pie, could not but think it a Scandal to the Government, and a great neglect of his Duty, in regard of his Office, that so notorious a Papist should live as it were under his Nose, so openly refractory, and in a rebellious defiance of the Law. For which reason he gave out a Warrant for his Apprehension, which the Constable being afraid to Execute alone, he therefore sent some of his own servants to Aid and Assist him. But Mr. Bodnam, keeping his doors fast, defended himself so well, or rather so ill, that the Constable and his Assistance were forced to retire and leave him, for the safety of their lives, than which a Tore, or an Outlaw could have done no more.  
Sometime after this, that is to say, on the 12 th' of January last, it was Mr. Pies misfortune to spy his unruly Neighbour Bodnam, walking in his own grounds; whereupon, having at the same time an Order of Sessions for the said Mr. Bodnam's Apprehension about him, and bethinking with himself, that his Oath and the Duty of his Place, in Honour obliged him to apprehend an Offender who had so often offended; he went to him, and commanded him to surrender himself as a Prisoner to the Law. Mr. Bodnam, having a Hedg-Bill in his hand, replied according to the usual Language of his Popish Litany, (Damn me) Stand off, or I'll cleave you down. The Justice made answer, Mr. Bodnam, You know I am too much a Man to sear you. For it seems he had formerly hand to hand taken him Prisoner, and let him go upon his parole, which he afterwards perfidiously and dishonourably broke; and for his justification sent him word, That no Faith was to be kept with Heretics. Mr. Pie, having therefore given him to understand, as before, that he did not fear him, told him further in these words, I came not now as a single person to fight you, but as a Magistrate, according to Law, to apprehend you; and therefore I require you to surrender yourself peaceably: Which Mr. Bodnam refusing to do, Mr. Pie bravely and vigorously pressed in upon him, which this same Papistical Butcher perceiving, stepped back, and in good earnest let sly at his head with his Hedg-Bill (no bad Argument for the truth of the Black Bills prepared for the Papists in Ireland) and having stunned the valiant Magistrate with the first, with the second blow selled him to the ground; presently company coming in prevented the immediate Murder of the Gentleman and seized upon the Criminal Bodnam. The Wounded Mr. Pie recovered his Senses sometime after, but it was only to increase his Pain: For after he had continued ill about Eighteen days in a lingering condition, upon the 30 th' of January last he departed this lifer, the Sacrifice of Papistical Disobedience and Rebellion, not only to the unspeakable Grief of his Family and Relations, but of all who had the Honour to be acquainted with him. Nor is he less lamented by all the true Protestants as well in the same, as in the Adjacent Counties. 'Tis true the Murderer will be doubtsess hanged; but here is the severity of the Exchange, We have lost an Industrious and Valiant Magistrate; the Papists only a lose base Butcherly Villain.  
This is now the Second Prank that has been played in Hereford shire, or by men of that County, the worst of Contagions, should it from thence spread any farther. Here are fair warnings and fair discoveries of the very bottoms of the Papists hearts, but they cost too dear. Here is a petty Kingdom, that is to say, a whole Family, put into a fatal Confusion at two blows, to show their Designs were real against, the Great Master of the Universal Family of the Nation. And these are the barbarous Effects of Popish Zeal, from which Good Lord deliver us.  
Now 'tis a hundred to one, but that as soon as this same Caitiff shall be hanged, the Papists will deny that ever there were any such Persons as Mr. Pie or Bodnam, and perhaps that there is any such County of Hereford. But such Blots in their Scutcheons as these, will not be so easily wiped away. But they will find the English Inquisition after Blood, to be as resplute as their own Spanish Inquisition after Heresy; and therefore his Holiness would do well to admonish his Creatures to proceed with less passion, and to be more Submissive to the Commands and Orders of their Temporal Princes.  
FINIS.