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At the SESSIONS held at the OLD BAILEY, in LONDON, the ift, 3d, 4th and 5th of SEPTEMBER 1670.

AGAINST THE

MOST ARBITRARY PROCEDURE

OF THAT

COURT.

I

To the English READER.

F ever it were time to fpeak, or write, it is now; fo many strange occurrences requiring both.

How much thou art concerned in this enfuing trial, (where not only the prifoners, but the fundamental LAWS of England, have been most arbitrarily arraigned) read, and thou mayeft plainly judge.

Liberty of confcience is counted a pretence for rebellion; and religious affemblies, routs and riots; and the defenders of both are by them reputed factious and difaffected.

Magna charta is magna far-- with the recorder of London; and to demand right, an affront to the

court.

Will and power are their great charter; but to call for England's, is a crime, incurring the penalty of their bale-dock and nafty hole; nay, the menace of a gag, and iron fhackles too.

The jury (though proper judges of law and fact) they would have over-ruled in both: as if their verdict fignified no more, than to echo back the illegal charge of the bench. And because their courage and honesty did more than hold pace with the threat and abuse of those who fat as judges (after two days and two nights restraint for a verdict) in the end they were fined and imprisoned for giving it.

Oh! what monftrous and illegal proceedings are these! Who reasonably can call his coat his own, when property is made fubfervient to the will and interest of his judges? Or, who can truly esteem himself a free man, when all pleas for liberty are esteemed fedition, and the laws that give and maintain them, fo many infignificant pieces of formality.

And what do they less than plainly tell us fo, who at will and pleasure break open our locks, rob our houses,

houses, raze our foundations, imprifon our perfons, and finally deny us juftice to our relief? As if they then acted moft like Chriftian men, when they were most barbarous, in ruining fuch as are really fo; and that no facrifice could be fo acceptable to GOD, as the deftruction of thofe that moft fear him.

In fhort, that the confcientious fhould only be obnoxious, and the juft demand of our religious liberty the reason why we should be denied our civil freedom (as if to be a Chriftian and an Englishman were inconfiftent); and that fo much folicitude and deep contrivance fhould be employed only to enfnare and ruin fo many ten thoufand confcientious families (fo eminently induftrious, ferviceable, and exemplary; whilft murders can fo eafily obtain pardon, rapes be remitted, publick uncleannefs pafs unpunished, and all manner of levity, prodigality, excess, profanenefs, and atheism, univerfally connived at, if not in fome refpect manifeftly encouraged) cannot but be deteftibly abhorrent to every serious and honeft mind.

Yet that this lamentable ftate is true, and the prefent project in hand, let London's recorder, and Canterbury's chaplain, be heard.

The firft, in his publick panegyrick upon the Spanifh Inquifition, highly admiring the prudence of the Romish church in the erection of it, as an ex<cellent way to prevent fchifm.' Which unhappy expreffion at once paffeth fentence, both against our fundamental laws, and Proteftant reformation.

The fecond, in his printed mercenary discourse against toleration, afferting for a main principle, That it would be lefs injurious to the government <to dispense with profane and loofe perfons, than to allow a toleration to religious diffenters.'-It were to overdo the business to say any more, where there is fo much faid already.

And therefore to conclude, we cannot chufe but admonish all, as well perfecutors to relinquish their heady, partial, and inhuman perfecutions (as what

will certainly iffue in difgrace here, and inevitable condign punishment hereafter); as those who yet dare exprefs their moderation (however out of fashion, or made the brand of fanaticifm) not to be huffed, or menaced out of that excellent temper, to make their parts and perfons fubject to the bafe humours and finifter defigns of the biggest mortal upon earth; but reverence and obey the eternal juft GoD, before whose great tribunal all must render their accounts, and where he will recompenfe to every perfon according to his works.

VOL. I.

THE

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