They diverted themselves with very abusive and unbecoming talk; Swearing and Cursing, and Reviling bitterly; being told, the occasion of the Meeting was to seek to turn away the anger of God from us in the present Drought: 'twas answered, Such Meetings as these were the cause of God's anger. While they were thus entertaining themselves, their Clerks took the Names of those that were present, in all, about One hundred and fifty, and so dismissed them for the present. Mr. Henry hath noted, in the Account he kept of this event, that the Justices came to this good Work, from the Ale-house upon Prees-Heath, about two Miles off; to which, and the Bowling-Green adjoining, they with other Justices, Gentlemen and Clergy-men of the Neighbourhood, had long before obliged themselves to come every Tuesday, during the Summer time, under the Penalty of Twelve Pence a time if they were absent; and there to spend the day in Drinking and Bowling; which is thought to be as direct a violation of the Law of the Land, viz. the Statute of 33. Henry VIII. cap. 9. for debarring, unlawful Games, which was never yet Repealed, as the Meeting was, of the Stat. of 22 Car. II. and as much more to the Dishonour of God, and the Scandal of the Christian Profession; as Cursing and Swearing, and Drunkenness, is worse than Praying and singing Psalms, and hearing the Word of God. It is supposed that the Justices knew of the Meeting before, and might have prevented it by the least intimation; but they were willing to take the opportunity of making sport to themselves, and trouble to their Neighbours. After the Feat done, they returned back to the Ale-house, and made themselves and their Companions merry, ⟨p. 149⟩with calling over the Names they had taken, making their Reflections as they saw cause; and recounting the particulars of the Exploit. There was one of the Company, whose Wife happened to be present at the Meeting, and her Name taken among the rest; with which upbraiding him, he answered, that she had been better employed than he was, and if Mr. Henry might be admitted to Preach in a Church, he would go a great many Miles to hear him. For which words he was forthwith Expelled their Company, and never more to show his Face again at that Bowling-Green; to which he replied, if they had so ordered long ago, it had been a great deal the better for him and his Family.
They diverted themselves with very abusive and unbecoming talk; Swearing and Cursing, and Reviling bitterly; being told, the occasion of the Meeting was to seek to turn away the anger of God from us in the present Drought: 'twas answered, Such Meetings as these were the cause of God's anger. While they were thus entertaining themselves, their Clerks took the Names of those that were present, in all, about One hundred and fifty, and so dismiss'd them for the present. Mr. Henry hath noted, in the Account he kept of this event, that the Justices came to this good Work, from the Ale-house upon Prees-Heath, about two Miles off; to which, and the Bowling-Green adjoining, they with other Justices, Gentlemen and Clergy-men of the Neighbourhood, had long befor obliged themselves to come every Tuesday, during the Summer time, under the Penalty of Twelve Pence a time if they were absent; and there to spend the day in Drinking and Bowling; which is thought to be as direct a violation of the Law of the Land, viz. the Statute of 33. Henry VIII. cap. 9. for debarring, unlawful Games, which was never yet Repealed, as the Meeting was, of the Stat. of 22 Car. II. and as much more to the Dishonour of God, and the Scandal of the Christian Profession; as Cursing and Swearing, and Drunkenness, is worse than Praying and singing Psalms, and hearing the Word of God. It is supposed that the Justices knew of the Meeting before, and might have prevented it by the least intimation; but they were willing to take the opportunity of making sport to themselves, and trouble to their Neighbours. After the Feat done, they returned back to the Ale-house, and made themselves and their Companions merry, ⟨p. 149⟩with calling over the Names they had taken, making their Reflections as they saw cause; and recounting the particulars of the Exploit. There was one of the Company, whose Wife happened to be present at the Meeting, and her Name taken among the rest; with which upbraiding him, he answered, that she had been better employed than he was, and if Mr. Henry might be admitted to Preach in a Church, he would go a great many Miles to hear him. For which words he was forthwith Expelled their Company, and never more to shew his Face again at that Bowling-Green; to which he replied, if they had so order'd long ago, it had been a great deal the better for him and his Family.
