A MOST LAMENTABLE INFORMATION OF PART OF THE GRIEVANCES OF MUGLESWICK Lordship in the Bishopric of Durham, sent up by Master George Lilburne, Major of Sunderland to be communicated to the House of Commons.  
TO all Christian people to whom these presents shall come, know that we are a people in that our Parish of Mugleswicke who have been destitute of a preaching Minister; yea, ever since any of us that now are breathing were borne, to our souls great grief and dreadful hazard of destruction; neither is it our case alone but also ten, yea or twelve Parishes all adjoining are in like manner void of the means of salvation, whose case and condition is deeply to be deplored: And as for us in Mugleswicke we have had none, neither good nor bad since Martinmas, Anno Dom. 1640. but such as the Scottish Presbytery furnished us withal (bemoaning our miserable estate) for he who then supplied the place, departed this life about the day of the date above mentioned; and we immediately after his death road to one Master Jam●s, Minister of Riton, being one of the prebend's of Durham, entreating him with all earnestness with an humble Petition, because he then was in authority, and no more of that sect left in the County, but all fled because of the Scots; that this our poor Parish of Mugleswick might once at length have the fruition of a faithful Minister, but he answered that they (viz.) the prebend's had already appointed us a man, namely one john Duery whom we knew; Then with all our souls we besought him that we might be exempted of that Duery, because we knew him to be no Preacher, and his life and conversation scandalous, and had two places at that present already as we told him; and also that he publicly confessed in a Pulpit before an open assembly that he could not preach, and yet that aspiring Prebend (whose lifeless conscience we leave to your censure) replied that they had once authorized him, and we neither could nor should depose him, and he also told us in plain terms, that if he could read the prayer book, and an homily, it was nothing to us what kind of man he was; so when things would be no better, it behoved us to come home with these cold comforts, having heavy hearts that our souls should a longer season be enthralled to such a simple, yea (we dare say) sinful Minister, who is ignorant of the very principles of Religion: (yet our All-sufficient God (seeing that we were but breeding and beginning in Christianity) would let no more be laid upon us than we were able to bear) and so seeing us unwilling to accept of him he gave over. Then the place being void for the space of a whole year, we ourselves betwixt grief and necessity went abroad to seek, and it pleased our God to send such an one as our souls longed after, and no sooner found we one whom our minds affected, but immediately those prebend's (who whether they were friends or foes to Christ, judge ye) that will not stick to hazard their heads, so they may hinder the truth, do impose one Braidly upon us, a bird brought out of the nest of their bosoms, who (we may say without sin) is one of the most deboist amongst the sons of men, for he will neither preach himself nor yet permit others, but upon the Sabbath day he took the Lock from the Church door, and fastened on one of his own, so as that the Parishioners were forced for to stand in the Church yard to discharge divine duties with their Minister in cold frost and snow, to the infinite dishonour of the Almighty the great grief of their minds, and the dreadful endangering of themselves in that stormy time of the year; other times before he came into the Church whilst our own Minister was in his exhortation, and stood up beside him reading with a loud voice in a book to overtop the sound of his words, Afterward pulled him by the coat when he was in the Pulpit, but when neither of these would cause him to desist from duty, he goes and rings the Bells all aloud; neither is this all, but out of malice calls a Communion and enters upon the sacred action without any preparation Sermon before the day. Now the people having protested before as they were directed to do before by the Parliament against all Popish innovations, they doubted and therefore durst not communicate with him in these his corrupt courses. And likewise the said Braidly had affirmed before the open assembly, that the Protestation was false. Then he after that venteth his inveterate envy with his secret and sinful intention, for after that he had come and collected a Catalogue of the names of those that had restraining consciences; at the next Sessions after he indicted them all above 14. years old and above, yea many of them being such as a prudent Pastor would in no wise have admitted to partake of those precious ordinances, by reason of their minority and nonage, and so at this instant scarce liable to the censure of the Law, to the number of 67. souls or more, yea many of them being indicted again and again, are so prosecuted and perplexed as that they are even forced to forsake their vocations and callings, and cast themselves upon the Lords special providence, and others of them that stay, are driven to excessive expenses, many of them to more than they have of their own; and others again, namely old women, and infirm women, being so great with child or so newly delivered of child that they can neither ride nor go, therefore do desire to keep out of their claws, yet their own houses cannot keep them safe from certain pestiferous Bailiffs, who through the procurement of the said Braidly are preferred to the office, that like for lewd lives they could not where else have found among Christians, for they are full as inhuman as those Rebels in Ireland, that neither doubt nor dread superior powers; yea they will not stick to burst and break open doors, pick bars, and being come within the house they draw their Swords, and hold out Pistols against poor women's breasts, commanding them to light candles, otherwise they shall let them see a lamentable light with their Pistols; and do so astonish poor simple women with children that they drive them to a desperate condition, well nigh beside themselves. Some of the said parties got a Warrant from a Justice to bind them to the peace, and delivered it to the Bailiff to serve, and so they went before some of his Majesty's Justices of peace (whereof Sir John Conyers was one) who refused to bind those deboist fellows; now the Bailiffs names are as followeth, Master Clement Richardson (who said that they who had taken the Protestation had need to go to the Parliament to beg a pardon or else they would be beggared) Hugh Joplin, Thomas Foser son in law to the said Joplin, Cuthbert Hopper and Robert Simpson, these through the assistance of one Thomas Miss, who is intimate with authority, and makes his brags openly that he is the author of all these troubles, and only useth the rest as agents for the effecting of these his mischievous pranks. Now know to whomsoever these presents shall come, that we are a poor people, not fully as yet brought forth by the spiritual birth, and therefore help, help, help, as you tender the honour of your heavenly King; and finally know this, that all herein is truth, and nothing but the truth, as all those whose names are here subscribed will testify.  

Mr. William Moor.  
john Iley.  
Isahell Iley.  
Elizabeth Iley.  
George Oliver.  
Richard March.  
jane His wife.  
john March.  
Thomas March.  
jane March.  
Elizabeth March.  
Edward Ward.  
Margaret Ward.  
Robert Raw.  
john Readshaw.  
Elizabeth Readshaw.  
William Loborne.  
jane Loborne.  
john Arde.  
Francis Lampton.  
Robert Readshaw.  
George Rippon.  
Elizabeth Rippon.  
Anne Carrudders.  
Rowland Harrison.  
jane Harrison.  
Thomas Lonsedale.  
Francis Ward.  
Cuthbert Ward.  
Cuthbert Ward, Elder.  
Marry Ward.  
Elizabeth Ward.  
Cuthbert Harrison.  
jane, His wife.  
john Hopper.  
Anne Hopper.  
Margaret joplin Widow.  
john joplin,  
William joplin.  
Elizabeth Ward.  
Margaret joplin.  
Richard Chester.  
john Blenkinsop.  
Cuthbert Pallesor.  
Robert Kirkeley.  
Alice, His wife.  
Thomas Maddeson.  
Anne, His wife.  
Thomas Maddeson, Jun.  
Anne Maddeson, Jun.  
Alexander Maddeson.  
Andrew Raw.  
Nicholas Kirkeley.  
George Raw.  
Arthur Kirkeley.  
jane Kirkeley.  
Elizabeth Kirkeley.  
Steven Raw.  
john Darnell.  
Margaret joplin.  
Elizabeth Wheeteley  
Margaret Wheeteley.  
james Carie  
Mary Richardson.  
Nicholas Maughen.  
john Dridon.  
Matthew Stokoe.   
These are all indicted.