A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answer [sic] to the…A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answeer [sic] to the…

In this and the preceding Page you refer six or seven Times to Mr. Clap's reading sundry large Papers, and several remarkable Incidents thereupon: Whereas four of us then present well remember, that Mr. Clap did not read one of those Papers, but they were all read by the Scribe of the Council, as they were severally given in by the Witnesses; and therefore it is impossible any Message should be done to him while he was reading those Papers. And we suppose that the Message that was done to him, was before the Scribe began to read them: But let the Time of the Message be when it will, the Suggestion that you add upon it, viz. That the Messenger came to know when would be the best Time to apprehend Mr. Breck, is wholly false and groundless; for the Messenger said nothing of such a Design, but his Message was of another Nature.

In this and the preceeding Page you refer six or seven Times to Mr. Clap's reading sundry large Papers, and several remarkable Incidents thereupon: Whereas four of us then present well remember, that Mr. Clap did not read one of those Papers, but they were all read by the Scribe of the Council, as they were severally given in by the Witnesses; and therefore it is impossible any Message should be done to him while he was reading those Papers. And we suppose that the Message that was done to him, was before the Scribe began to read them: But let the Time of the Message be when it will, the Suggestion that you add upon it, viz. That the Messenger came to know when would be the best Time to apprehend Mr. Breck, is wholly false and groundless; for the Messenger said nothing of such a Design, but his Message was of another Nature.

You misrepresent and very much diminish the Matter of your insisting on hearing and trying this Cause of such public Concern in private: You say, the Weather was too cold to allow the Door to stand open, but it was not kept shut to keep out any that we desired might be present: But this you know to be true, that You allowed none but Witnesses to be present: 'Tis true you allowed some Thing that was desired, viz. That the Ministers of the County that were Witnesses might be present, which was desired, after it was seen that nothing else could be obtained; but was far from being all that was desired. The Door was kept fast shut and locked (instead of just shut and latched, as it is through the Error of the Press in the Narrative:) The Hearing was as private as possible, for none were allowed to be present but the Witnesses that were to be heard: So private were you, that when one of the Ministers of the County, viz. the Rev. Mr. Allis, came and stood in the Chamber, it was carefully enquired by the Scribe of the Council, whether he was a Witness, and when it was answered that he was not, he was desired to withdraw. This is not only contrary to Reason, and the Custom of all Nations, for Judicatures to try Causes, and especially Causes of so public a Concern, in such a strict Privacy, but 'tis also contrary to congregational