For the Inhabitants of Worcester to view, and consider well of, especially they of Nicholas-Parish.  
The Case of us, viz. Edward Bourne, John Knight, Joseph Allibon and Richard Hill, of Nicholas-Parish in the City of Worcester.  
BEing Excommunicated, and a Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo is come down to imprison us, upon which Edward Bourne is closely confined, who was a Prisoner before for no Evil, except it be an Evil to exhort, advise and persuade People to dwell together in Love, 
[a] Note, That if to do these things be accounted an Evil by any amongst you, yet they are not so accounted by the Lord.  and to be at Peace amongst themselves, and to live in the fear of the Lord, and to obey his Voice, by whom we are all called upon, To follow Peace and Holiness with all Men; which is his Call unto all People, without which no man shall see the Lord, though they make mention of his Name, and call upon him never so often; see Matth. 7.21. and Heb. 12.14. He that readeth, let him understand. So consider, whether it be Righteous in the sight of God, to imprison any for persuading and advising People to do as above is mentioned, especially when such believe, they shall sin, if they neglect the same. So, you see 'tis for obeying the Voice of the Lord, for hearing and doing what God speaks to us by his Son Christ Jesus, by whom we are called unto Peace, that this measure is measured unto us. And consider, if they must go into everlasting Fire, who did not visit Christ in his Members in Prison; what will become of them that cast them in? 'Tis not for us to be silent, and to hold our peace, and not to warn people of the danger they are in, when the Lord makes us sensible thereof, and requires it at our Hands: Though it may be said concerning us, We are no Prophets, nor no Prophet's Sons, as Amos said; see Amos 7.14, 15. Yet the Lord who knows best what is to be done, may call whom he will to such a Service as this, he knows best who is the fittest for it: Who said to Amos, who was a gatherer of Sycomore Fruit, and followed the Flock; Go prophecy to my people Israel. And to David the Lord said, I took thee from the Sheepcote, from following the Sheep, to be Ruler over my people, over Israel; and I was with thee whither soever thou goest; and have cut off all thine Enemies out of thy sight, etc. see 2 Sam. 7, 8, 9, etc. So can any know who are fit for the work and service of the Lord, so well as he? Will it not be a great presumption in any so to take upon them. 'Tis appointed for all to die, and after that to come to Judgement; to bear and lie under the Sentence and Judgement of him that judgeth Righteously, where people will be blessed or cursed forever. And know, that in the Grave will be no repentance. So, if the Lord make any of us sensible of the Misery he is bringing upon such as mind not his Call, nor do not obey his Voice; if we do not discharge a good Conscience towards them, in warning them thereof, will not their Blood lie upon us? Will not the Righteous Lord, who loveth Righteousness, and requireth Truth in the inward parts, require it of us? See what the Lord said to Ezekiel, See thou, O Son man, I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel.; therefore thou shalt hear the Word at my Mouth, and warn them from me: When I say to the wicked man, Thou shalt surely die: If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked man from his way, that wicked man shall die in his Iniquity; But his Blood will I require at thy Hand, Ezek. 33.7, 8. begin the Chapter, and read to verse 10. You who shall read this, consider thereof, and the Lord give you understanding.  
And now concerning our Case, who are Excommunicated, and a Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo is come down to Imprison us: This hard measure is measured unto us by Unmerciful persons, who mind not Christ's command, To do to others, as they would be done unto themselves. Though they call themselves Christians, and account themselves Christ's true followers: but the Tree is known by its Fruit. Concerning whom we can say, (praised be the Lord therefore; notwithstanding they have measured such measure to us) The Lord forgive them, and change their Hearts from Hardness to Softness, from Stonyness to Fleshiness, that they may be as God would have them to be, who is merciful and kind, and would have people to be so; lest as they have done, it be done to them again; according as they have measured, it be measured to them again. For he shall (said the Apostle and Servant of Christ Jesus) have Judgement without Mercy, who shown no Mercy, James 2.13.  
The Wardens of Nicholas Parish, viz. for the last Year, one of which is High-Warden this Year, demanded a little Money of every one of us; the whole they demanded was Eight Shillings, towards the repair of the Church (so called) which we could not pay them, because we believed we should offend the Lord in doing it; and not because we loved our Money so well, that we could not part with it. So it was not for Covetousness-sake we were not willing to part with so much Money; for we have parted with a great deal more many times, as many know, and that freely, when by the Law we could not be compelled thereunto, when we believed it necessary so to do; which we did not, nor do believe in this case to be necessary for us; for reasons you may know more hereafter, if occasion shall require the same, than at present we may give you. It may be what we shall say at present for ourselves herein, may be satisfactory to you: However, to such who are reasonable, who desire to do to others, as they would be done unto themselves; Let us ask you, why should we be forced and compelled by rigour, to do what God hath not given us to believe we may do without offending him therein? You may say, You see no Harm therein. Suppose it be as you say, You see no Harm therein? then you may come off the better, when to God you must come to a reckoning, to give account of all things you have done: For 'tis said, The time of Ignorance God winked at. I wish you may reform in what you see the Lord would have you come to a Reformation in. But be it so as you say; Must it follow, that others must do so, because you see no Harm therein, when they believe it will turn to their Harm to do it? Will it be safe for others to walk by your sight, or by their own? But tell us what is the good you see herein? Are you the better approved of in the sight of the Lord therefore, do you believe? You may answer the Question if you see it meet. Ought not every Man and Woman to do as God hath given them to believe they ought to do? And if any do that which God hath not given them to believe they should do, but forbear so to do; or if in the least they cannot have satisfaction in themselves, but they shall do amiss therein? Will not such sin in so doing, since the Apostle saith, Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind in what he doth: For whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin? Rom. 14.5.23. If this be your Rule, ought you not to walk according to it? But if you have a better Rule than this to walk by, you may do well to let us know it.  
So this is our case, and thus it stands with us; and here, as in a Glass, you may see where we are, and upon what Foundation we stand: And if you can find in you Hearts to open your Purses to part with Money to throw us into Prison, and so to disable us from paying Taxes on the Poors account, and other accounts, which according to our Abilities we were always ready to do, and so to wrong the Poor, and bring a heavier burden upon yourselves, which in likelihood will be in outward things, as well as upon your Consciences, which certainly will hereby be loaded, and the righteous Spirit of God grieved in you, to gratify such persons, whose Fruits declare them to be Envious and Malicious; though they pray, that God would deliver them from all Envy and Malice. The Lord look upon it, and judge between you and us herein.  
These Wardens caused us to be cited into the Chancellors Court, where we often appeared, and wrote to them to satisfy them concerning ourselves, and to have satisfaction from them, which they have not yet answered, nor never will, we believe; through whose do we are Excommunicated, that is, delivered up to the Devil, as 'tis said, which is sad to consider of; for we have done them no wrong: and Christ says, Love your Enemies. Now if they were Christ's true followers, do you believe they would deal thus by us? We do not believe they would. And do not these cry down the Papists for their Cruelty? The Inquisitors in Spain for their grievous Persecution, and say, They are Antichristian therein? But satisfy us who can, whether a better spirit be the guide of these, in these their do, than such are guided by? And whether it be not one and the selfsame Spirit which guides the one, that guides the other? But for what they have done against us, we say, The Lord forgive them. From  
Your Friends and Neighbours, 

Edward Bourne,  
Joseph Allibon,  
John Knight,  
Richard Hill.   Worcester-City-Prison, the 1st of June (so called) 1682.  
Since this was writ, John Knight was Imprisoned, being Arrested, on the account herein mentioned, who is under a close Confinement with Edward Bournand also Richard Hill.   
THE END.  

Books Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle, at the Sign of the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane in Shoreditch, and at his Shop without Bishopsgate, 1682.  
NO CROSS, NO CROWN; Being a Discourse of the Holy Cross of Christ. By William Penn.  
A Legal Examination of Abuses of LAW, concerning 

1. Forcible Entry,  
2. Imprisonment without Warrant,  
3. Riots, Routs and Unlawful Assemblies;  
4. The public Peace and breach of it;  
5. How Arbitrary and Illegal the late proceed at Bristol are;  
6. Oppression and Duress by Goals and Gaolers, etc. How contrary to Law: What privilege the Law allows to Prisoners.    
Due Order of Law and Justice pleaded, against Irregular and Arbitrary Proceed. By George Whitehead.  
An Address to Protestants upon the present Conjuncture, in Two Parts. By William Penn.  
Humphrey Smith's Books collected into one Volumn.  
The Arraignment of Popery; Being a short Collection out of Ecclesiastical Histories and Chronological Accounts of the State of the Church, viz How long it was before the Universal Pope and Mass was set up, and the bringing in of their Rudiments, Traditions, Beads, Images, Purgatory, Tithes, Inquisitions, etc. And the Cruelty they have acted since the Pope got up. Also, the manner of the Spanish Inquisition.