A30212:41
A true and impartial narrative of some illegal and arbitrary proceedings
A true and impartial narrative of some illegal and arbitrary proceedings by certain justices of the peace and others, against several innocent and peaceable nonconformists in and near the town of Bedford, upon pretence of putting in execution the late Act against conventicles together with a brief account of the late sudden and strange death of the Grand Informer, and one of the most violent malicious prosecutors against these poor people.
London : s.n., 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A POSTSCRIPT.
This Instance of the Execution of the late Act against Meetings for Religious Worship, is not thus made public, as though there were no other of the same kind in other places; For it is well known that in many of the principal Cities and Towns in the Nation, there have been proceedings on the same account, with no less Outrage, Illegality and Violence; which may in due time be published also: only this is one of the first, whose Tragical Acts have been collected, every particular whereof will readily be attested on Oath, by those that suffered, and others who were spectators of the whole proceeding. Nor is the design of publishing hereof, to cast any reflection on the Act it self, let it stand or fall in the Providence of God, as it shall be found compliant with, or opposite to, the Honour and Interest of his Majesty, with the Peace, Welfare and Prosperity of the Kingdoms. Councils for public good, are the Province of our Superiors; ready Obedience, or peaceable Sufferings, ⟨p. 14⟩are the lot of private men: But least of all is there any design in this Narrative, to insinuate further discomposures into the minds of men than what are already evident, or to attempt a disposal of them, into irregular, and disorderly actings, to the disturbance of the Public Peace: This indeed (as it appears in the Narrative) some of their Adversaries do openly declare, that they would willingly, by their unjust and oppressive usage of them, hurry them into. But all endeavours of that kind will be in vain, and the hopes of some about it, wholly frustrate. For as this People, by their peaceable deportment for many years together, have given all the satisfaction, that any men in the like circumstances are able to give, of their harmless and quiet inclinations; So they intend not (by the Grace of God) to gratify their Adversaries, by transgressing the obligation of their own Consciences unto peace, and all due subjection unto Magistrates. It is nothing else but the Authority of God in their Consciences, which imposes a necessity upon them to practise those things in their Christian Profession for which they are made obnoxious to so great sufferings, and gives them a supportment under them.