“One of us did not speak one word to him, therefore I deny to make him csatisfation, or to be sorry for it; and what was spoken was no such thing; therefore we will not lie for our liberty, nor confess that we are sorry for that which we never spoke."

Then the court fined them five pounds a piece and they were to go to the house of correction till payment, and to find sureties for their good behaviour and for refusing to take the oath, the court threatened to send into the north to seize on their estates. So they were returned to prison; and what follows, was entered as the record of their proceedings.

"July 10, 1655. Thomas Salthouse, and Miles Halhead, for provoking words against G. Brooks, clerk, who refused to be tried by the country, fined £.5 a piece, committed to Bridewell till payment, and finding sureties for their good behaviour."

What is said here of refusing to be tried by the country, was a notorious untruth; and as to finding sureties, that seemed of little moment; for though the giving security had been offered before, when they were taken prisoners, yet hat was not accepted; and the mayor John 'age had the boldness to assert, that they refused o give security, as will appear by the warrant by which he sent them to the common gaol

in Exeter, whereof the following is a true copy.

"Devon,

John Page, merchant, mayor of the borough of Plymouth, in the county aforesaid, and one of his highness's justices of the peace within the said borough to the keeper of his highness's gaol at Exon castle, or to his lawful deputy in that behalf, greeting. I send you herewithal by a bearer hereof, the bodies of Thomas Salthouse, late of Dragglibeck, in the county of Lancashire, husbandman: and Miles Halhead, late of Kendal, in the county of Westmoreland, lately apprehended here, as disturbers of the public peace, and for divers other high misdemeanors against a late proclamation, prohibiting the disturbing of ministers and other Christians in their assemblies and meetings, and against an ordinance of his said highness, the lord protector, and his counsel, lately made against duels, challenges, and all provocations thereto, who have refused to give sufficient security for their personal appearance at the next general sessions of the peace, to be held for the county of Devon; and in the mean time to be of good behaviour towards his highness the lord protector, and all his liege people. These are therefore in his said highness's name, to will and command you, that when the bodies of the said Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead, shall be

unto you brought, you them safely detain, and keep them, until by due course of law they shall be thence delivered: hereof fail not at your peril. Given under my hand, and seal of Plymouth aforesaid, the 28th day of May, in the year of our Lord God, 1655."

John Page, mayor.

By this may be seen under what frivolous pretences those called Quakers were imprisoned, viz. because of an ordinance made against duels, &c. and as for their having refused to give security, how untrue this was, as well as other accusations, may appear from the following certificate.

"We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do testify, that the several particulars in an answer made by our friends, are true, to wit. That they did not at all disturb the public peace, nor were they at any other meeting (but that which was appointed by us) to disturb any ministers, or other Christians in their assemblies and meetings: nor were they guilty of any challenges, duels and provocations thereunto, in the least measure, whilst they were amongst us. And as for their refusal to give security, two of us, whose names are Robert Cary and Arthur Cotton, had given security to the mayor, by entering into recognizance for their appearance

at the next sessions, the day before their sending to prison, but that the town-clerk made it void the next day, pretending it could not be according to law. Ralph Fogg, Arthur Cotton, Robert Cary, Richard Smith,

Anthony Todde,
John Harris, jun.

Thomas Faulkener,
Nicholas Cole,

John Martindale,
Richard Lepincote,
John Harris, sen.

Not to what a heighth of confidence the aforesaid mayor, Page, was come in saying, that Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead had refused to give bail, and, that this was the cause of their confinement, may also appear from the following letter he writ to General Desborough, to excuse his proceedings against him.

Plymouth, June 1, 1655.

Right Honourable,

Captain Hatsell hath communicated to me what you wrote him in reference to those two men, Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead, of whom, and of their imprisonment, your honour had heard something from some persons of this place, and received a copy of a letter which they sent me. By the enclosed copies of their examinations, your honour will see some part of the cause of their confinement, which was on their refusal to give bail for their appearance at the

next general sessions, to be held for the county of Devon; they being, as I conceive, offenders within the late ordinance of his highness the lord protector and council, made against duels, challenges, and all provocations thereunto, and also his highness's late proclamation against Quakers; and they still refusing to give bail for their appearance as aforesaid, went from hence to the jail at Exon on Tuesday last. Indeed, sir, there carriage here was not becoming men, much less Christians; and besides their contempt of authority, all the while they were in prison, they never sought God by prayer at any time, nor desired a blessing on any creature they received, or gave thanks for them. And these very men were about two months past taken up by Colonel Cuppleston, high sheriff of our county, and after fourteen days restraint, were sent away by him for Taunton, from tithing to tithing, as by their own examination; and they shew no occasion they have to come to these parts. They are by profession Quakers, but husbandmen by their calling: one of them is a Lancashire man, the other of Westmoreland; and they left their families, relations, and callings about three months since, as they say, and do not work, nor employ themselves in their calling, to procure themselves a livelihood, but wander up and down in all parts, to vent their wicked opinions, and discover their irreg