TRUTH CLEARED FROM REPROACHES, AND SCANDALS, Laid upon it by those, who goes by the name of Judges, and who went the Northern CIRCUIT.  Math. 5.11. 
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.  Heb. 11.26. 
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of Egypt.  Micah 3.10, 11. 
They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity; the Heads thereof judge for rewards, and the Priests thereof teach for hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for money, yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us? no evil can come upon us.  
Also some Examinations of those whom the World calls QUAKERS.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year of our Lord, 1654.   

The fourteenth day of August at the general Assizes holden at Lancaster.  
Judge Nudigate said openly in his charge at Lancaster in the face of the whole County, giving reproachful language upon those people whom the world calls Quakers, and many scandals and false aspersions he cast upon them in his charge: and he spoke there publicly, and said, that the Principles that they held, which is the light within, would lead into all manner of sin: and he said further, that there was a man before them at Newcastle, which had committed adultery with a woman, and when they asked him why he did so, he said, he was moved of the Lord, this he affirmed in his charge at Lancaster, the truth of which will appear as followeth.  

Newcastle seventeenth day of the month called September.  
THese may certify all Friends, concerning the accusation of the Judge of me Cuthbert Hunter of adultery and fornication, in the Town and Court of Newcastle the second day of the sixth month called August, which is here briefly, and simply, and plainly, as followeth: An Information being red, wherein I was accused of fornication, and adultery, and divers other things, as that I was not married, and I answered and said, that in fornication I deny, for it is false, for I am married: He asked me where I was married? I said, I took my wife seven miles from this place; he asked me if I was married with a Justice? and I said no; he said I had broke the Law, for there was an Act that all that was to be married was to be married with a Justice: I asked him, why the Priests did marry? then he asked me when I was married? I said I was married in the year 1653. the third month of that year, called May: he asked me if I were married? with a Minister? and I said, no I was not; and he said, I had broke the Laws of man and the Law of God, for which I was to be punished: then I desired him to prove before that people wherein, and he said, take him away and let him either find sureties or go to prison; and I said, I would find none, for I said, I know no Law I had broken, but that which is contrary to the Law of God: and then his Officers called of the Jailer to take him away and these are the words which were spoken at that time.  
As for that when he asked me, why I did so, I said, I was moved of the Lord, is false, and was never thought none spoken by me.  
Dear friends, this is to certify of the manner of my marriage, and when I was married, and how I took to me a wife, according to the example I found in the Scripture, that holy men of God did take to themselves wives, but I could not find where ever any of the Ministers of God took money for marrying of any, as these Ministers did then, therefore according to that example I found among the Saints, we did bequeath to each other before witness, in the presence of the Lord, before whom we shall give an account, the Father of the woman being there, so I became to her a husband, and she to me a wife, and so I own her before all people; this was in the year 1653. in the third month of that year, called May, it was about half a year before I owned the Truth, as a testimony of which I subscribe my name Cuthbert Hunter.  
We whose names are here subscribed are satisfied that this is a true testimony, George Arey, Tho. Arey, Agnus Ewbanck, Mary Arey, Tho. Turner, Richard Ewbanck, Lamclet Warde●ll.  
Whereas Judge Nudigate did say in his charge at Lancaster, that the light, the principle which we hold in every one, doth lead unto all manner of sin.  
The light which comes from Christ Jesus, which he doth enlighten every one that comes into the world withal, is the condemnation of all sin, wickedness, uncleanness and ungodliness, and the light, which is our principle, as he calls it, in every man, will witness against the said Nudigate, who is called a Judge, and doth witness against sin, and the same Light will witness Christ, and make every tongue to confess, and is the condemnation of all that hate it, whose deeds be evil. Oh that ever such should be set up to be a Judge, who utters forth such blasphemy, that to say (the light which he doth enlighten every man that comes into the world withal, John 1.9. to it in every man, which we speak of, which is the light of Christ, which is the condemnation of all sin and unrighteousness of all them that hate it) it should lead to commit all manner of sin, as Judge Nudigate said in his charge: Here thou art manifest to be no Judge for God, but judged with the just. And the light in every man's conscience, which comes from Christ, will and doth witness against thee, that thy judgement is false, and speaks a lie, who is out of the truth, and speaks of thyself, and the light in thy own conscience, which comes from Christ, witnesses against thee: For to the light in every one's conscience, Judge Nudigate, with it shalt thou be proved, whether it leads into all manner of sin, or whether it testifies against all manner of sin, let it in all consciences, the judge, whether thou be a Judge for God yea or nay; that in thy conscience shall be a witness against thee, and witness me, and be a witness for God against thee. That which shows thee ungodliness and sin, and manifests it, is light, and the light doth not lead into the sin, but leads out of the sin, and testifies against it: And this am I moved to give forth, who am a witness to the light in all tender consciences, which is a witness against all sin, whose minds are turned with the light towards Christ. And thou who should be a Judge upon the evil, art found to be a Judge upon the good (the light) let the light in all consciences bear witness against thee, which witnesses against evil, and leads not into it, who here hath manifested thyself, that thou art darkness, and doth not comprehend light, but at it stumbles; and the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee, the saying of John, Light shines in darkness, and darkness doth not comprehend it: And if you walk in the light you have fellowship one with another: and the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin: and here again thou may see how contrary to the Scripture thou art, for in the light which leads out of sin is the unity, for the Law of God takes hold upon them who act contrary to the light the light witnesses the law, and the law witnesseth the light, and the law is a Judge upon them who walk contrary to the light, and it is not a Judge upon them who walk in the light; here let the light in all consciences be a witness against thee, the which light witnesses against all sin, and finds thee in the sin and the blasphemy, who saith, the light leads into all sin, which light is thy condemnation, the light of him that doth evil and hates the light, as you may read John 3. And for the false accusation of the said Judge Nudigate, which did accuse Cuthbert Hunter for adultery and fornication, because he took a wife before witness, and was not married with the Priests of the world, which marry people for money, and for giving of them a form of words for money, but took a wife according to the manner he found in the Scripture (witnesses) the holy men of God, and did not go to the Priests to give them money, but took before witness, and denied the Priests for giving them money for marrying, for there is no such example in the Scripture, that the Priests were to have so much for marrying people. And this Judge Windham saith, it is contrary to the Law of God, and contrary to the Law of man, which all may see it is a false accusation, for the Law of God witnesss the same, that which Judge Nudigate calls adultery; so whom the Lord joineth together let no man put asunder, the marriage that is honourable, the bed that is not defiled, all the children of the light doth it witness, and honour it, but all marriages that are contrary to the light, God does not join together; that marriage is not honourable, that bed is defiled, all that is joined there in that nature contrary to the light, together with that which is contrary to the light, all this is with the light to be condemned, and not honourable, for there the bed is defiled, all Covetousnesses, and the Whoremongers, and the Adulterers, such marriages, contrary to the light, God doth not join together, but is with the light seen and condemned; the bed that is defiled is not honourable, and there is hardness of heart, and putting asunder, but whom God joins together let no man put asunder, and such whom God doth join together with his Light, for God is Light, and the children of light, which be in his Light, doth witness his joining, as the Scripture declares; and such doth the world call Adultery: As for example, Judge Nudigate, because they are not married with a Priest, or joined together with a carnal Law, but takes one another before witnesses, as the manner of the holy men of God was.  
And though the said Cuthbert Hunter did take his wife after the example of the Saints in Scripture, he was not then brought into the truth, for it was half a year before he owned the truth; and as for saying to the Judge, that the Lord moved him, that was another false accusation.  
And all the children of light, which sees God and are of God, doth the marriage see that be honourable, and doth them see whom God joins together, let no man put asunder, and the marriage that is not honourable is with the Light seen and judged, and all the Whoremongers and Adulterers, which is contrary to the Light comprehended and condemned, in which light all the children of light dwell, and have unity, praises, praises to the Lord God for ever. And the said Judge that stumbles at the light, and said it led into all sin, knows not the marriage that is honourable, whose condemnation is with the light, the light in thy conscience is my witness; and all who are not joined together with God are not moved of the Lord, and a condemnation must go upon all the marriages that are not moved of the Lord, and joined together by the Lord, for they are not honourable, and them that men or women join together, contrary to the light, are with the light condemned, and sundered from the honourable marriage in the defiled bed.   

The examination of them the world calls Quakers at Lancaster.  
WE are moved to declare the Triyall betwixt us, the prisoners of the Lord, and Tho. Shaw Priest of Aldingam, who by his three Constables did apprehend our bodies, and bring us to Lancaster, to answer such accusations as Priest Shaw could lay to our charge. We were brought into the Court by the Priest and his Constables, before the Judge there sitting: We coming single before him, cying the Lord alone, and not man, with our hats on, they took them off our heads, standing before him a little space; the Warrants against us was read before the Judge: The Judge asked Priest Shaw what witness he had; Shaw answered James Chambers. We answered to our names as we were called, and to committed into the Jailor's hand too among thiefs behind the bar, and said little, but that Thomas Hatton told the Judge, he was moved of the Lord to speak against the deceit in him; whereupon the Judge told Priest Shaw he might go and get his Inditements drawn against us: whereupon the Priest went forth of the Court to get them done against the afternoon, and in the afternoon we were brought before the Judge again, and the Inditements which the Priest had drawn against us was read; then the Judge asked the Priest if he had no more witnesses, the Priest said, none but myself and James Chambers, whereupon they were both sworn, that we came maliciously to disturb him.  
And the Judge asked the Priest, what Waters Mires spoke to him when he was preaching, the Priest answered the Judge, that he said come down thou liar: The Judge asked the Priest's man what he heard him speak, he answered and said, that Water's Mires said come down thou foul beast, and they swore both, the Priest and his man, that Water's Mires spoke these words the last New-year's day: whereupon the Judge asked Water's Mires what he said, to this that the Priest and the man laid to his charge, Waters Mires answered, that he was not at Tho. Shaw the last New-year's day: the judge said, was you not there, did you not disturb him? Water's Mires said, I was there, but it was a year and a half since: The judge said unto the Priest, he confesseth he was there, but it is a year and a half since; whereupon Priest Shaw answered, he had other things in his mind, he could not certainly tell the words: the judge asked Waters Mires, if he called him liar and foul beast, Waters Mires answered, that he called him beast, but not foul beast, so that that was a lie: The judge asked him, how he could make it appear that he taught lies? Water's Mires answered, in acting those things that Christ forbids, in taking the chiefest place in the Assemblies, being called of men Master, and is a hireling, which Christ cried woe against, and in taking Tithe: The Judge asked if he had any more to say, or any for him?  
Thomas Hutton answered, he was a covetous hireling, and took Tithe of those that had their children going a begging, which Christ gave no such commission to those he sent forth, but sent them forth without bag, or scrip, or two coats, or a stick to defend them, but freely they had received freely give, this is the commission, first and last, that Jesus Christ gives to those he sends forth, if any know of another let them speak, but all was silent; but the Judge said, them which serve at the Altar should live by the Altar; Thomas Hutton answered no other rule but what the Apostle saith, If any man plant a Vineyard he may eat of the fruit thereof, and all was silent.  
Thomas Hutton was called, to answer to the bill of Indictment laid against him by Thomas Shaw: the Judge asked Shaw what witnesses he had, he said, James Chambers and myself; and they swore, that Thomas Hutton came while he was preaching, and said, he was a dtunkard, and a liar: whereupon the Judge asked if he made a disturbance in the Congregation; the Priest's man said yes, many of the people went out with him, and had more mind to hear him then to stay in the Church: Whereupon the Judge asked Thomas Hutton how he could answer these things; the Priest said, my Lord, my neighbours knows I am no drunkard nor liar: Thomas Hutton answered, I was moved of the Lord to cry against him for deceiving the people, and in teaching lies, which was as a fire in my bosom until I had delivered it, he made them believe this lie, that the Steeplehouse was holier than another place, by his old form of prayer, in saying, how dreadful is this place, as if the Temple were up again, which was a figure of Christ in his Saints; and further, that we may spend this sacred day in this sacred place, and so deceives the simple, in making them believe, that a house of wood and stone is the Temple or the House of God, which is a horrible lie and deceit: the Judge said, did not Christ preach in the Temple, and whip out them that bought and sold; Thomas Hutton said, the Temple was a figure of Christ in his Saints, which they witness him to whip out all sin; so Steven went into the Temple, and witnessed forth the Substance, and told them, that God that made the world and all things therein, dwelled not in Temples made with hands: And the Apostle saith, ye are the Temples of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in you, and walk in you: And Christ told the woman, that neither in this place, nor at jerusalem, but they that worship the Father must worship in spirit and in truth; And Thomas Shaw was telling the people, that none could be perfect here, and yet his Text was, strive to make your calling and election sure, whereupon Thomas Hutton told him before the people, that election was perfect, and whosoever witnesseth election witnesseth perfection, yea, sin and transgression finished: The Judge said, I wish we were perfect: Thomas Hutton answered, he that is born of God sinneth not, but doth witness the birth to be perfect, the Temple holy and the Kingdom pure; and further, Thomas Hutton told Thomas Shaw that he and the people sung lies to God in singing David's conditions, which they could not witness, nor his Spirit: the Judge answered, hath not Psalms been sung in the Churches of England continually? Thomas Hutton said, none ought to sing further than they can witness his condition: And they asked him, how he could prove Priest Shaw a drunkard: Thomas Hutton answered, he was drunk in sin, in covetousness and pride, taking Tithe of those that have their children go a begging; so the judge said, we must go on according to Law.  
Thomas Curram was called to answer to the bill of Indictment laid against him by Thomas Shaw; the judge asked Priest Shaw what witnesses he had? the Priest said, none but himself and James Chambers, who said he could not remember what Thomas Curram said, and yet afterwards he was called again, and swore, that Thomas Curram said, come down thou liar: The judge asked Thomas Curram what he said to it? Thomas answered, he spoke no such words: the judge said, was you not there? Tho. Curram said, I was there: the judge asked him what he did say? Thomas answered and said, he was a blind guide; the Priest said, Thomas, wherein am I a blind guide? Thomas answered, God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, but all thy preaching and praying, and singing is in forms.   

At the last Assizes holden at Apulby August the tenth. I Henry Howsman was to appear about two fellows there.  
CAll Henry Howsman, saith the Clerk, Henry Howsman of Lupton come near, so I coming nearer, the Officers cried, put of thy hat, but I not regarding much, one took it off, and gave it me again; so going into the nearer room before the bench, I put it on again, which caused many to cry out, put it off, and the judge began to be angry with me, and some of them struck it off: and the judge said, he would teach me what I did in that place; I said, I was in the presence of God every day about my labours as well as then, and my conscience told me, that I did work and had my hat on before the Lord; well, saith the judge, I know that, and that I am no better than thou, neither think better of myself, but I must teach thee to give honour here, hold him the book, said they, lay on your hand and be sworn, saith the judge, concerning these two men: I am sworn to speak the truth always and now also, and that book saith, swear not all: well, saith the judge, that is in your Communications, but when you are before Authority you must swear the truth to end controversy: I said, I did witness the life in measure that gave forth that book, which would witness against me afterwards if I did not speak the truth, as the Scripture saith, I will be a swift witness against the false swearer and the false accuser: saith the judge, Fox tells you so, he hath learned you that doctrine; and I stood quiet and silent: come, saith the jude, lay on your hand, and others cried the same thing, else the jury cannot believe you; I said, I could not help it if they were unbelievers: the judge said, well friend, if you will not you will forfeit your Q●u nisants, for you are tied to prosecute the Law against these men, I said I was, & as I heard done so I should do then, I was willing to hold up my hand as a sign, which I hope is not contrary to the Law: well said he, you had best take heed, for there are many false Foxes; but I was silent; and he said moreover, that he would lay a fine upon my head for not prosecuting.  
Christ jesus saith, swear not at all, who spoke with authority, and thou, who art a judge, saith, when one is before authority he must swear the truth, and here thy authority is contrary to Christ's, and who is in the truth is in the doctrine of Christ, who saith, swear not at all, and he that swears is out of the truth, for Christ jesus is the truth, the way and the life, and he saith, swear not at all, and thou saith, this is but in their Communications, and yet in this thy Communication thou would have him to swear, and all who are out of the truth acts thus in confusion.  
Thomas Ralingson being moved to go to Lancaster, and walking in the streets, he that was the Sheriff's Trumpeter that sounded before the judge, fell upon the said Thomas Ralingson, that had been speaking to a Priest, and threw him down, and struck him rudely, wickedly and desperately, and afterward run after him, and got a stick and struck him before many people, and abused him that did not give him any word: And another day he met the said Thomas Ralingson, and struck him, and abused him, and drew blood on him.  
Now you that be Rulers, judge and Sheriff, who hath no more rule over your own men, but bring such peace-breakers and strikers in the highway, without any molestation, here all may see, you that suffer such things, how you strengthen the hands of evil doers, of strikers and bloud-shedders against the innocent, and you suffer this to go unpunished: say you, they should keep peace, and you keep a man to break peace, and the said Trumpeter went up to the Goal, and threw a stone into the Goal among some prisoners, which have lain in a year because they could not pay the Priest Tithes, and he broke therewith the face of Richard Mire, one of the prisoners, and made him bleed sore, shedding much of his blood, and of Thomas Raling sons before, this was the Sheriff's Trumpeter, that sounded before the judge, who after that went up into the prison among the prisoners, and beat Richard Asburner in the prison, and then opened a Coffer which was in the Goal, where the prisoners had things, and took out of it many books and packs, and carried them away.  
The word of the Lord to thee Nudigate, who goes by the name of a Judge, and should take upon thee the seat of justice, and in the execution of thy place thou goes about to accuse the just, and to flander the innocent, and to speak evil of things thou knowest not, and goes about to strengthen the hands of the wicked against the people of God, and suffered them to be beat, and abused, and persecuted by those that was under thy own authority. and that thou saw with thy own eyes, but for which know assuredly, that the just and righteous God will be avenged of all such unrighteous ones as thou, before him who is the righteous God of heaven and earth shalt thou, and all such as thou, be arraigned to give an account for the thing done in the body, for all thy actions is upon record before the Lord God of heaven and earth, that thou hast done and suffered to be done to the servants of the most high God, and the judgements of God thou shalt not escape: Thou that should be a Minister of the Law, and a Minister of justice and equity over the people, but in thy place thou hast ministered untruths, scandals and reproaches and false accusations upon the innocent, and hath blasphemed the Name of God in saying, that the light leads into sin: And whereas Christ jesus saith, I am the light of the world, and doth enlighten every one that comes into the world; And this light every particular hath a measure of, which, thou saith, leads into sin, and this is the condemnation of the world, the light, and such as thou loves darkness rather than light, because thy deeds are evil, the light is thy condemnation; and thou that saith, the light leads into sin, hath made it manifest, that thou art not a child of light, but a child of darkness, for God is light, and in him is no darkness at all; and in thy dark natural mind, which knows not the things of God, which art in the envy and strife, which is out of the light, which is with the light to be condemned; in this mind thou utters forth scandals and reproaches upon the children of the light, which live in the light, and walk in the light, which thou knows nothing of, but art an enemy too, but to the light in thy conscience I speak, which shines in darkness, and darkness comprehends it not, which light, if thou harken to it which checks thee, it will let thee see that thou ought not to lie, nor to slander, nor to blaspheme the Name of God, nor to speak evil of things thou knows not; and if thou would hearken to it, it would lead thee to justice, Equity and Righteousness, for the light of God in every one's conscience is just and righteous, and leads to justice, and Equity, and out of sin, and if thou would hearken to it, it would let thee see thy gross darkness and blasphemy, that thou should say, that leads into sin, which is pure and cannot sin, the light which is and ever was the Saint's Teacher, and it shall be thine eternal condemnation, for all thy hard speeches that ever thou hast spoken; Oh be ashamed and tremble before the Lord God, that thou should utter forth such untruths, and make thy folly so manifest in a place where thou ought to do justice.  
And a Warning to thee, and all that ever takes upon them that place, to beware of speaking evil of things you know not, you may read your portion in Judas; and the children of the light, who walk and dwell in the light, and bring their deeds to the light, that they may be proved and tried, them you cannot touch, and the scandals laid upon them by the children of darkness, are by the children of light made manifest, and set in their own places where they ought to be, and herein is the truth cleared, and false accusers of truth are made manifest; and the light, which thou saith leads into sin, shall stand, and make manifest all works of iniquity, and by it thou art eternally condemned.  
FINIS.