Richard Baxter's penitent confession and his necessary vindication in answer to a book called…

XIX. No Town in Worcester-shire was so famous for Pageants, and pompous Shows and Revels, and Debauchery at such times as Kidderminster: And at the times of those Revels, the Drunkards raged in malignant fury against the Religious party: But by Gods great Mercy the Religious party there were of so loving, meek and harmless a Temper, inclined humbly to stoop to the meanest, and to do good to all, that there was no one single person that the Rabble had any thing against, but only in general, that they used to repeat Sermons, sing Psalms, and pray, and not be Drunk nor Swear. But the Parliament (before the King parted from them) sent an Order to be published by the Ministers for the defacing of all Images of any of the Trinity in Church Windows, or in Church-yards: And for publishing this Order the Drunken Rabble (animated by the probability of the approaching War) rose up against me, and sought in a Tumult with Clubs to kill the Church-Warden and me, (before the Order was Executed) whereupon (and upon an Accusation to the Sessions, the Articles of which I could never see or hear, or know,) I was forced for a Month to fly to Gloucester; where I preached so much for Reformation, (in my sense of the common malignant rage of the Rabble) as I have oft since feared was too keen, and I since wished that I had rather at such a time of dangerous Division, preached more for peace, and to abate exasperations, than to provoke them, though by truth.

XIX. No Town in Worcester-shire was so famous for Pageants, and pompous Shews and Revels, and Debauchery at such times as Kidderminster: And at the times of those Revels, the Drunkards raged in malignant fury against the Religious party: But by Gods great Mercy the Religious party there were of so loving, meek and harmless a Temper, inclined humbly to stoop to the meanest, and to do good to all, that there was no one single person that the Rabble had any thing against, but only in general, that they used to repeat Sermons, sing Psalms, and pray, and not be Drunk nor Swear. But the Parliament (before the King parted from them) sent an Order to be published by the Ministers for the defacing of all Images of any of the Trinity in Church Windows, or in Chruch-yards: And for publishing this Order the Drunken Rabble (animated by the probability of the approaching War) rose up against me, and sought in a Tumult with Clubs to kill the Church-Warden and me, (before the Order was Executed) whereupon (and upon an Accusation to the Sessions, the Articles of which I could never see or hear, or know,) I was forced for a Month to fly to Glocester; where I preached so much for Reformation, (in my sence of the common malignant rage of the Rabble) as I have oft since feared was too keen, and I since wish'd that I had rather at such a time of dangerous Division, preached more for peace, and to abate exasperations, than to provoke them, though by truth.