BRISTOL, 29 April, 1682. SIR, I Presume you began to wonder I did not sooner endeavour to satisfy you and other good Men by a personal and particular answer to those many Libels wherewith we have lately been entertained. For my own part, I despise these Libels as the Moon doth the barking of Doggs. But you see by the enclosed, That the City are Concerned thereat, and have condemned them to the Flames. Perhaps you may hear of the Authors how they will be dealt with e're it be long. Justice will as certainly find them out, as I am Your very Loving Friend. Bristol sc' Easter Sessions, 1682. To the Right Worshipful Sir Thomas earl Knight, Mayor of the City of Bristol, and the Right Worshipful and Worshipful the Aldermen, His Majestie's Justices of the Peace for this City and County in their general Quarter-Sessions of the Peace now Assembled. we the Grand Jurors for our sovereign Lord the King and the Body of the County of this City, having too great occasion given us by several Infamous, Scandalous and Seditious Libels of late dispersed and published here, Namely two purporting themselves Printed by one R. Janeway, under the title of the Impartial Protestant Mercury, Numb. 89,& 96. And four others, The one entitled; The Sad and Lamentable Cry of Oppression and Cruelty in the City of Bristol, &c. Another entitled, More Sad and Lamentable News from Bristol, &c. Another, The Devouring Informers of Bristol, &c. And the other, The Protestant Corant purporting itself, published by Rich. Baldwin, do upon diligent reading and perusal of them, and examination of the Matters concerning this City therein set forth, Present the same to be for the most utterly false, and these few truths that are therein to be most maliciously misrepresented: Whereas what is therein complained of,( if impartially related) would have appeared to all honest and unbiased men, to be not onely agreeable to Law and Reason, but commendable also. We deem all these Libels to be the Contrivance of Factious and Disaffected persons to His Majesty and our present Establishments in Church and State, who endeavour by all means to Calumniate divers of the Magistrates of this City, The Right Reverend Father in God our Lord Bishop, The Right Worshipful Sir John Knight, one of our Sheriffs, John Romsey Esq; our Town-Clerk, John Hellier Gent. Chief Constable of the Word of St. James, and several other Constables and others who out of their Zeal to the Church, and their Loyalty and Obedience to the King and his Laws, have been active and industrious in putting them in execution. And we humbly recommend it to this Court as the sense of this City, That the Authors and Dispersers of these and all such like Libels may be severely proceeded against and punished, and that the Libels themselves may pass under some public and exemplary mark of the displeasure and detestation of this Court. We are very glad to see and observe, that your Worships proceedings in executing the Laws against Dissenters, have been productive of such good Fruits in order to the reconciling of divers of His Majestiy's Subjects here to the Government both in Church and State; and particularly we congratulate Erasmus Dole( a Quaker) for his taking the Oath of Allegiance now tendered him, which he refused last Sessions, and are so far from any insolent triumph on that occasion, that we think ourselves and all Loyal Men obliged in Christian Charity to encourage and cherish him and all others in returning to their Loyalty to His Majesty, and reconciling themselves to the Church. And whereas Baldwins Libel beforementioned hath the impudence to charge the Execution of the Laws here with partiality towards Papists: For the just Vindication of this City in this particular, We present and affirm, That there are not, nor for Seven Years last past have been to the best of our knowledge above two Families of Papists within this City and County, One of which removed to avoid prosecution, And the other hath hitherto escaped it( as many scores of other Recusants have done) by sheltering themselves in the Castle, being extra Parochial and their Common Sanctuary. But even there we hope the Justice of this Court will in short time find them all out, and bring them to Conformity or Condign punishment. We have lately brought to our hands another Libel styled, The Addresses, importing an Abhorrence of an Association, &c. purporting to be printed for R. Baldwin; which having red, It gives us just occasion to testify our concurrence with those of this City and elsewhere, who have formerly declared their Thanks to His Majesty for his most gracious Declaration of his Reasons for Dissolving the Two last Parliaments, and their Detestation and Abhorrence of that Treasonable Instrument of Association seized in the Earl of Shaftsbury's Closet. And although we are not so tame as to wear Chains or worship the Host, Yet we declare ourselves willing to bear the easy Yoke of Obedience and Subjection due to His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, and to the Laws as now Established, and shall account it our Interest as well as Duty, according to our sworn Allegiance, with our Lives and Fortunes to maintain and defend him and them against that and all other such like Damnable Associations and Confederacies whatsoever. And in regard the Printers of these Libels are out of the Liberties of this City, we humbly request your Worships to Address His Sacred Majesty in council, and implore the Aid and Assistance of that Board in order to their being dealt with according to their demerits. Robert Brookehouse, John Yeomans, Richard Gibbons, Edward Millerd, John Reed, John Winpenny, William Lewis, George Bryan, John Coperthwayte, John horn, Alexander Caduggan, Thomas Turner, Thomas Compton, Thomas Lane, William Hasell, John smith, Joseph Hobbs, Walter Hawkins, Timothy Michael, Thomas Green, Barnabas Skinner, 28 April, 1682. THis Court being very sensible of the Easter Sessions Bristol. great Dishonour and Scandal the several Libels mentioned in the Presentment of the Grand Jury, have brought upon the Government of this City, and their Proceedings, and many of the Persons name in them, do, for the Vindication of the Proceedings and Persons aforesaid, and in Detestation of such Malicious and Evil practices, Order that the said several Libels be at the rising of the Court publicly Burnt by the Beadle or Common Executioner. And that the bellman attend then to Publish this Order. Per Cur' At the Rising of the Court, the said Libels were accordingly burnt: The Bell-man after ringing of the Bell three times declaring the occasion of the Fire, and of the burning of the Papers there. The Mayor and Aldermen attending with the Sword at the Tolzey to see the Execution of this Order. Ordered, That Mr. Town-Clerk prepare an Address to His Majesty and council, That the libelers of this City and the Proceedings there may be brought to condign Punishment. Printed for W. C. and Sold by W. Davis.