The Cause Of the long Afflicted, And Sore OPPRESSED, Sent forth (in brief) from WINCHESTER PRISON, Being a Copy of the Mittymus, whereby Humphrey Smith was again Committed (into the place of his former long suffering, in the same straight unsavoury Prison,) with his Answer (which was then sent back) thereunto.  
As likewise a short Relation from the rest of them called QUAKERS there.  
Printed for the said sufferers.   

The Mittymus.  
Southton. To the Keeper of his Majesties Goal at Winton, or to his sufficient Deputy, Greeting.  
YOu shall herewithal receive the body of Humphrey Smith, who was taken at unlawful Meetings at Alton, being a Ringleader, and one of the chief of the Quakers, who traveleth the Country to seduce the people, and disturb his Majesty's peace, contrary to the Law in that behalf made and provided. These are therefore, in his Majesty's Name, to will and require you forthwith, that you receive the body of him the said Humphrey Smith, into your Custody, and him to detain in your said Goal, until he shall be delivered from thence by due order of Law. Whereof fail you not at your peril,  
Given under our hands and Seals at Alton the 14th. day of October, in the thirteenth year of his Majesties Reign. Anno 1661. 

John Norton.  
Humphrey Bennit.     

The Answer.  
THe Jews (who denied him that said I am the Light) laid hands on Paul, Cryiug out help men of Israel, this is the man that teacheth every where against the Law, Acts 21.28. And the Jewish Christians (who denied the Light) laid hands on Humphrey Smith, and in the Mittymus say he was at an unlawful Meeting; And so these called Christians say our Meetings are unlawful, or against the Law. And just so it was said of Paul that his teaching was against the Law. Again jobn Norton and Humphrey Bennit say that Humphrey Smith was a Ringleader; Likewise Turtullous said that Paul was a Ringleader, Acts 24. Again Humphrey Smith is accused for one of the chief of the Quakers, and for travelling the Country to seduce the people. And in the same manner Paul was accused for a mover of sedition among all the jews throughout the World, Acts 24.5. (and if so, then Paul was a greater Traveller than Humphrey Smith) & as Humphrey Smith is here accused for seducing the people. So Paul was accused for setting forth of strange Gods, and for preaching new Doctrine Acts 17.18. And again Haman accused the Lord's people, that they kept not the King's Laws. And these men accuse us that we disturb the peace, contrary to the King's Laws. And the Rulers accused Paul for teaching things that were not Lawful. And these accuse Humphrey Smith that he did that which was contrary to the Law, which they say is made and provided, which is as much as if they had said, We have a Law, just like their Fathers who (Crucified Christ and) said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die; And so these who have envy (which is murder) in their hearts say, we have a Law made and provided, and by the source thereof Humphrey Smith (who is a member of Christ) must be Imprisoned (his body, [mark] not his Soul, than his Soul may be at liberty,) And them Magistrates cast Paul into Prison. And so these did by Humphrey Smith. And they charged the Gaoler to keep Paul safely, Acts 16.21. And these Charge or require the Gaoler in no less than his Majesty's name and at his own peril to receive and detain the body of Humphrey Smith in his said Goal, until he shall be delivered by due Order of Law.  

But now they have above a year together, contrary to Law, deprived me, of the benefit of all their Law and Liberty.  And in this their acting and writing, they themselves have compared Humphrey Smith with Paul (and others of God's people) And themselves with Paul's Persecutors, and with other such Rulers, who accused and imprison God's people formerly, who pretended a Law then, as these do now: And so here is still much Law spoken of; But little Mercy, and less Justice or equity either amongst them or these: And thus we are daily brought before Magistrates, and cast into Prison, where the Members of Christ have been sick, and some have died, to whom these called Christian Magistrates never visited: And thus in pretence of a Law doth Christ's members suffer by these now, as he himself did by those then, who said We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to die.  
And hereby all people may plainly perceive (who are not wilfully blind that here is not one thing Charged against Humphrey Smith, but what hath been Charged against God's servants in the d●…ys of old, and all persons may easily see that Humphrey Smith is not any otherwise accused then the members of Christ hath already been; and all the Rulers themselves may hereby know, that in all this, there is not one word, or particular thing by which Humphrey Smith doth now suffer, but what the Lords dear people have already suffered, by and under, and that by the Magistrates, or the Rulers of the people, by whom likewise now Humphrey Smith do suffer, and so he is hereby, and therein the more declared to be one of God's servants, and they by whom he thus suffers, are manifested the more, to be of the same Generation, who still accuse and imprison, and by cruel hands cause God's servants to suffer; but Christ ha●h promised (whose word shall stand for ever) that these things should turn to us for a testimony Luke 21.17. And this may and doth this day testify to the World (and for us against the world) that we are of God, and that Humphrey Smith is his servant, and that he doth this day suffer by the Rulers, under the same accusation, and no other, and for the same truth, and so in the same cause, as God's people of old did and not for any thing else nor any other thing pretended against him, nor in the least laid to his charge.  
And if this will in no wise convince these Rulers of their evil herein nor other people, of the innocency of my present sufferings. Then let them all take heed lest the God of this World hath wholly blin●ed them, and hardened their hearts therein, and chained them up in obscurity and bound them under the powers of darkness, and so far Seduced them already, that they are become past Sense, Sight, or Feeling, and then no more but a most fearful looking for the Righteous Judgements, and indignation of the Almighty, which will one day devour, and none shall deliver.  
And then shall they all know both Rulers and people that I am God's servant, this day in Bonds for the Testimony of Jesus (against the cruelty of men (in close Prison at Winchester being known to the wicked world by the name.  
Humphrey Smith.  
This was in short time sent back to them that committed me.   

A Copy of a Paper sent to the late intended (but Adjourned) Sessions.  
WE are men that do fear the Lord, and do also truly desire peace with & amongst all men, amongst whom we have like wise be haved ourselves in peace and quietness, labouring with our hands in the things that are honest, whereby to provide for ourselves and families, continuing also in carefulness therein, that though we suffer in body and estate, that neither we nor them, might be chargeable to any, neither have we wilfully provoked the Officers, and Rulers against us, but in humility in that we dare not but obey the Lord that made us, in waiting upon him, for the which only and for no other cause, on our parts, we have already suffered be o'er this imprisonment so much cruelty and inhuman usage, that several sheets of Paper might be filled therewith, though it would not be easy to be believed, that Englishmen should so unmercifully be abused, by Soldiers, and other men, of their own Nation, as hath been daily inflicted upon us in the Town of Portsmouth, the place of o●t abode and habitations, where for the space of one year and half, few first days therein but we were by the rudest Soldiers (that they could choose for the purpose, and such like Officers, either haled out of our Meetings, before the Law was made as against it) or beat forth with much violence, or thrust or beat with Muskets along the streets, or punched, or knocked with the great ends of Muskets, and so with violence drove forth at the Gates, from our own Habitations, and then were hindered from coming in again to our employments, or most if not all these things, were daily inflicted upon us with many more crueler beat, and bruisings of our bodies then is herein written, and our goods have been spoilt, and some carried away, and our windows battered down, even after we were beat and turned out as aforesaid, and such first days as we escaped these things we were shut up together in our own house, and Armed men set on every side to keep us in both men and women, in a most evil and unseemly manner, and food denied to be brought into us, and sometimes our food that was sent us taken away by the Soldiers, and other times we were some of us kept in several nasty holes, which are so bad, that most people do seem it a hard thing for the worst Felon or Offender, to be kept a few days, where we were constrained to by several weeks, having also both friends, and our own wives, and Relations, yea and food itself and other needful things than kept also from us, and in Felon's holes the waves of the Sea have so beat in on one of us in Winter season, that he have stood in water up to the Ankles, for the which things the Lord God hath and will visit them that were the Actors thereof.  
And when we had for the space of one year and half, in much patience suffered many such things as aforesaid; 
s Capt. egg Capt. ●ol●●n, and Capt. Cor●elious may ●e Exam●es.  then did the Rulers of the Nation add affliction to our long grieved souls, by making a Law that not above five might departed from their habitations, and assemble together under pretence of Worship; the which though our Meetings were not in pretence, but really intended, and absolutely for the Worship of God, yea notwithstanding, though we were not this time (for the which we yet suffer) the number of five that departed from our habitations, and so not transgressors of that Law, as we made it appear unto the Mayor and Rulers that committed us. Neither could they themselves affirm and prove that we had therein transgressed that law; yet notwithstanding they imposed the uttermost penalty upon us, which in the said law is mentioned against them that transgress it, and so kept us full three months in Prison in that town, and three weeks moreover then the three months. And then in our Mittimus they did not so much as deal justly with us, but writ therein, that we were lately taken at a meeting as though it had been very lately indeed, and thereby have sought to conceal the long Imprisonment we had then suffered for the same meeting therein signified, and concerning which we have also suffered nine weeks more in this Prison of Winchester this 13th. of the 11th. month 62.  
And these our hard and unreasonable sufferings. and grievous abuses, doth even cause a cry for mercy, and may claim compassion in equity, as well as Justice from you, who in Justice ought to show mercy, in relieving the oppressed: who having suffered all these things only upon the account of some difference in Opinion, in matters of Religion, or matter in us of Conscience to God, wherein also the King's late Declaration offereth us relief, the benefit thereof we shall gladly receive; but if otherwise, than we say the will of the Lord be done, whom we dare not but follow though it should be to the loss of all.  


john Austin,  
jonas Goff,  
Wil Bucklan.  
Tho. Cousins.  
Nic. Cumplin,  
Wil jenning's.    

Solomon Nun also a Prisoner eleven weeks for not paying four shillings for being absent 4 first days from their Church at Fareham which in conscience he could not pay, and so he is kept from his Master's business, being a young Apprentice lad.  
john Bishop also a Prisoner nine weeks, being taken out of his own house, from the which he was not departed, neither were there then found with him any more men but two.  
Humphrey Smith a Prisoner one year and three months, and never called at Size or Sessions, nor suffered to come to any of the Rulers in the County to lay before them the true state of his Case.   
And now seeing the hardness of the hearts of the Rulers is such, that though a copy of this foregoing paper was sent unto them, at the time of their late appointed Sessions, and they not release the the said sufferers (though they released several Baptists and others that have not suffered nigh so much) nor commiserate their long and sore suffering cause, being some of them but poor men, and seeing the said Paper, was turned again, and so the cause of the long oppressed turned aside.  
Therefore is this published (with the other) that both Rulers and people may hear and see the long and many afflictions of the harmless.  
And now as touching four coats that in cold Winter weather were stripped off us, four since we came to this Prison, and openly carried forth (by one whose name we forbear to write) and the money for them drunk presently in strong beer; concerning the which, although we mentioned not a word amongst the rest of our sufferings, in the foregoing Paper. And yet seeing it is so, that just thereupon we were kerbed and checked, and friends kept out from us, and bitter words used at them that were let in, (though the Gaoler had profit by them) and that even by the Jaylers' wife, (she having slighted God's love, and so now hath little pity for us) and this being also done at the same time, when the King's Declaration was come forth, which is so largely tending to our Liberty. And that the said Gaolers' wife, and himself (if they own that action) may know that it was out of forbearanee of love, and not of slavish fear of any, that we mentioned not these our Coats in the said Paper.  
Therefore are these few lines pertaining to the matter, now added to the rest of the sufferings of us I.A.T.C.I.G.N.C. this 14. day of the 11. month 62.  
And the cause, or the reasons wherefore the Copy of the Mittimus with the answer of me, H.S. is herein made public, are these.  


First because john Norton and Humphrey Bennit, have not only thus committed me upon no other account, but for being such a man as God's servants were in the days of old, and for doing no other thing, but what was (though sometimes unjustly) charged against them, and also before this late Law was made (intentionally) against meeting.  
Secondly, because they have kept me close Prisoner one year three Months and upward, and that only upon this account.  
Thirdly, because I have been all this time deprived even of that benefit of the Law in this Land which Thiefs and murderers have, being not all this time called at Size or Sessions.  
Fourthly, because the said john Norton refused to let me have my liberty for a little season when a friend came to seek it of him, after I had lain here almost a year.  
Fiftly, Because nothing of evil is proved or brought in against me, nor any Law known by which they thus keep me in long Bondage, though wrongfully in the Mitty must they have pretended a Law.  
Sixtly, Because I am more hardly dealt with (in my imprisonment) than the Highway men that break out of Prison or any other offender here, by their order, for the keeping of friends from coming in to visit him that is one of the members of Christ in Prison.  
Seventhly, Because that by no means all this time I can be permitted once to pass forth to any house in the Town, and several reasons more wherein I am unreasonable dealt with, all which having so long, and with much silence and patience undergone.  
Eightly, Because all this and much more of their hard dealing, and my sufferings is so little regarded by the said john Norton, and Humphrey Bennit and other Rulers, who some of them said I might rot here.    
Therefore I say thus much is at present published, and that other tender hearted people, and the meekest among the Rulers, may both read and consider the cause of the oppressed, and also the long sufferings of H. S.  
The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service, John 16.2.  
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you, John 15.18.  
But in the great day when it shall be said, Come ye blessed, and go ye cursed, the things then laid to their charge will be these, I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in Prison, and ye visited me not answer, when saw we thee so, reply, In as much as ye did it not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to me, according to Matt. 25.41.42, 43, 44, 45, 46.  
THE END.