THE BLOODY QUAKER OR The  Murder discovered.  
Being an exact and true Relation of a bloody Murder, committed by one Farmer Restal a Quaker of Stoke near Tueksbury in  who with his Son murdered the wife of one Robert Hamond to whom he was indebted the sum of Thirty pound, as also another young woman which had been married but four days before, and how the murder was discovered by the means of a Boy which over run them, likewise their arraignment at Gloucester Assizes, their condemnation, with the Execution of the Son, the 7th of this present July and how the Father is at present repreived.  Exodus 21. v. 12. 
He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.  
With Allowance.  
London, Printed by P. L. 1668.   

THE Bloody Quaker, OR The  Murder discovered.  
WEll did the Apostle say that covetousness was the root of all Evil, there is scarce any vice whatsoever but hath covetuousness for his source and original, it is covetuousness which causeth the breach of almost all laws both Humane and Divine; men woulsd not steal, did they not covet other men's goods. Trade men would not cozen and cheat, did they not covet to grow rich by unlawful practices, though most commonly what is bad gotten is as evily spent: it was covetuousness which caused Judas to betray our Saviour, Subjects since to sell their King, some for covetousness have betrayed their Masters, others detected their dearest Friends and relations is that which causeth so marl-pits in law, so many dissensions and devisions among●●●●hem which should be Brethren, it makes many to wear a mask of Religion, and to have God in their mouths, and the Devil in their heart, nay to so great a height doth covetousness come that it reaches even to life itself, causing cruel and horrible Murders to be committed as shall be instanced in a most sad and lamentable example lately committed in , by one who carried a vizard of Religion, and seemingly served God, but really had the Devil to his Master.  
This Miscreant of whom we thus write, was one Farmer Restal of Stoke near Tueksbury in , a great follower of the sect called Quakers, a seeming Saint but real Devil, one that could thee and thou it with the best, turn up the white of the eye, and exclaim against the ungodliness of the times, when Satan had taken possession of his heart, and was no further religious then only to serve his own wicked and covetous ends. I do not speak this against any that are zealous professors of the truth, I wish the number of them were more, who do worship God in the sincerity of their hearts; but only to show you how that many people take upon them the vizor of Religion only for sinister ends, some that are poor to get maintenance by it, others under the colour thereof to rebel against their superiors, some that they may cousin with t●e less suspicion, and others not to be afraid to act the highest villainies thereby, thinking the pretence thereof w●uld carry them above the thoughts of being suspected for such persons.  
This Farmer Restal was indebted to one Robert Hammond the sumn of thirty pounds, for which Hammond had his Bond and the time of payment being now expired, and he then in Ireland, and wanring money to go forwards with his business, he sends his wife over into 〈…〉 get the ●ame, thinking her presence 〈…〉 veil more for the procurement thereof then if he 〈…〉 and Letters, which many times miscarry, and if rece●●●…●●●…yer oftentimes fail of what they are sent for, as wanting that moving force which a man's presenee may procure.  
Over into England comes this innocent woman, little dreaming the date of her life was so near exspiring, the poor woman was glad she had escaped the dangers of the Sea, little mistrusting a far greater danger attended her on land: and that an English man's heart should be more bloody than an Irish woolves, who only seize to satisfy hunger, and not to kill whom they pretend to love. Being come to Stoke where this Restal lived, she demands the money of him due to her Husband, Restal gives her very good words, pretends he is hearty glad to see her, and thou (says he) shall not fail to have thy money, the woman being something earnest for the same, as desirous to return quickly again to her Husband, he bid her go to Cheltnham, a Town some three miles distant from Stoke, and to carry the Bond with her, where he would not fail to come unto her, and give her full satisfaction.  
O damned hypocrisy! O deep dissimulation! O that men should be of such a bloody merciless disposition, as to seek the ruin of their fellow Creatures, man was born without any offensive weapons, and yet none more cruel against those of his own sex than he, serpents by't not each other: Wolves will not kill Wolves, Bees sting not but their Enemies, but man (far worse herein then beasts) for the lucre of a little gain will not fear to deface God's Image in man, and to imbrue his hands in his brother's blood.  
Now the devil gins to work, the Father and Son lay their heads together, and as Pharaoh said, come let us work wisely when he did the most foolishly of all, so they consult together, they have away to pay the bond without money. it is but killing the woman and taking it from her, they can do it privately and not be seen, never considering the allseeing eye of God from whom nothing is hid, nor regarding that old but true saying, that murder will b● revealed, by whomsoever committed.  
Fraught thus with murderous intentions, having Bills in their hands away they high to overtake the poor innocent woman, who to secure her Bond, had put it in her bosom next her skin, they having overtook her, demand it of her, she poor woman (little dreaming the price of her life lay thereon) denies to give it them. The Devil who had gotten possessioo of their hearts,, prompts them to take no denial, but to add murder to their intentional theft, better not to begin at all then not to go thoroughly on, thus when men are going down the road to Hell, they run amain, they made no more ado but with the Bill cloven her head, so that the poor soul presently died, and now the two murderers think with Jesabel to kill and take possession, they question not now the having of the Bond, and think by this act their debt is fully and wholly satisfied.  
But whiles they were searching for the Bond, they were affrighted with the fear of discovery by the appearance of a young woman, one that had been married but four days before, and now accidentally came by that way, what shall they do now in this case: the Devil puts it into their hearts that they had no ways but to proceed on in murder, as much danger of being hanged for one as two, they res●●●●●●e shall tell no tales of them, her mouth must be 〈…〉 death, the woman perceives what they had done, 〈…〉 intentions, and flees away so fast as she could, but alas her legs could not carry her away fast enough, she is overtaken and by those bloody inhuman villains murdered also.  
O monsters of Nature, more savage than Lions, Bears or Tigers, O viperous brood fleshed in wickedness; whose hearts are hardened, and consciences seared! O cruel hypocrisy that men who carry the vizards of Religion should so degenerate from all goodness, that neither the love of God, nor fear of punishment can deter from such barbarity! O who can think of ye without horror, or speak of ye without detestation, you have purchased ye a lasting name by infamy, and without the greater repentance, everlasting torments in hell fire.  
When they had thus murdered the two women, looking about they espied a Boy who was also coming that way, whom when they saw they intended to have sent him on the same errand with the two former, for now their hands was in the shedding of blood was not a tertour to them; but providence disappointed them of their thoughts, the Boy perceived what they had done, and thought he also should be a guest at that bloody banquet, he therefore to prevent it betook him to his heels, and fear adding wings to his feet he out ran them, who pursued him hastily, being vexed that they had lost their prey, the Bird being thus escaped out of the hunter's nets, the Townsmen are raised, the murderers are taken, and had before Justice, the matter was too manifest to be denied, they are committed to Gaol, the whole Country being filled with wonder and admiration of so horrible a murder.  
O that men professing Religion should dare to commit such horrid actions, had they not spilt the blood of those two helpless innocent women, with what face could this Restal have taken away the Bond from hamond's wife, knowing the money justly due unto her, had it not been a plain th●ft, may we not justly say the Devil hath stolen such men's consciences away,! O how does these times outstrip the former in wickedness, sins of a scarlet dye, hardly to be paralleled, nay even amongst those Nations whom we term barbarous.  
At the assizes at Gloucester they pleaded not guilty, when suddenly the young man's mouth (whose hands had been so deeply imbrued) now gushed forth with blood, to the great astonishment of all the people, and to the horror and confusion of that bloody murderer.  
In brief they were both proved guilty, and therefore had justly the deserved sentence of condemnation pronounced against th●m, and in execution thereof, the young man was executed the 7 day of this instant month of July. the old man was for the present repreived.  
I wish their sentence and the young man's untimely end, may be a warning to all that are alive, to beware of covetuousness, which brings with it a chain of other sins, and was no question the original of these Restals, or rather Rascals bloody acts, and let all people be warned to provide for their latter end, seeing though we rise well and lusty in the morning, we know not by what accident the thread of our life may be cut off before night, and take this for a true maxim that there is no man whatsoever that never so much despizeth his own life, but yet is master of another man's.  
FINIS.