Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

Mr. Baxter is charged by some as being against King Charles the First in the first War, and too much a Fomenter of it. To this you have his Replies in the History it self; and thither I refer the Reader.

Mr. Baxter is charged by some as being against King Charles the First in the first War, and too much a Fomenter of it. To this you have his Replys in the History it self; and thither I refer the Reader.

He has been also traduced by some, as having killed a Man in cold Blood with his own hands. From which Scandalous Report he has also vindicated himself in the following History. But for the Reader's further Satisfaction, I will here subjoin a Letter from Dr. Allestree, which is not there inserted (that I remember). When a credible Person (Mr. I. H.) told Mr. Baxter that the Doctor had formerly said the like to him; saying, That he could not think well of one that had killed a Man in cold Blood with his own hands; Mr. Baxter suspecting that the Doctor's Chair and Reputation might give credit to this slanderous Report, he wrote to the Doctor, desiring to know of him whether he reported this or no; assuring him in the same Letter, that he never struck any Man in anger, in all his Life, to his remembrance —This Letter to the Doctor was dated London, Decemb. 8. 1679. Hereupon the Doctor returned him the following Answer: SIR, I Must profess sincerely that I cannot recollect that ever I said such words of you to Mr. H. as it seems be doth affirm I did. But yet I cannot but acknowledge it is very possible that I related (and it may be to him) that I had heard you killed a Man in cold blood; since I very well remember that above Thirty years since, at the end of the War, I heard that publicly spoke before Company, and with this further Circumstance, that it was a Soldier who had been a Prisoner some hours before. Now this Report relating to the Wars, in which I fear such things were no great Rarities; and from my very tender youth, I having not had the least Concern with you, nor likelihood of any for the future, did not therefore apprehend at present any concern or occasion of enquiring whether it were true; of which, upon that confident Asseveration I did make no doubt. And I took so little thought of laying up the Relation, that I protest to you, as in the presence of Almighty God, it is impossible for me, to recover who made up that Company in which I heard it, or from whom I heard it. And I wonder how it came into my mind to say that I had heard it so long after. But however, though it be some ease to me to believe that the late Discourses of it, do not come from my relating it so long since that I have heard it, neither are likely to receive any confirmation from it, unless it be made more public than I have made it;