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are the ministers of Christ. Secondly, They teach for hire, and live by forced maintenance, and would force a faith upon men, contrary to Christ and his apostle's rule, who would have every one persuaded in their own minds, and said, whatsoever is not of faith is sin, and yet they say, faith is the gift of God, and we have no such faith given; but yet they would force theirs upon us, and because we cannot receive it, they cry, you are not subject to authority and the laws, and nothing but confiscations, imprisonment and banishment is threatened, and this is their greatest plea; I could mention more particulars: then the judge interrupted.

Judge. Well, I see you will not swear, nor conform, nor be subject, and you think we deal severely with you, but if you would be subject, we should not need.

F. H. I do so judge indeed, that you deal severely with us for obedience to the commands of Christ; I pray thee canst thou shew me how that any of those people, for whom the act was made, have been proceeded against by this statute, though I envy no man's liberty.

Judge. Oh yes, I can instance you many up and down the country that are premunired, I have done it myself, and pronounced sentence against divers.

F. H. What against Papists?
Judge. No.

F. H. What, against the Quakers? So I have heard indeed; though then that statute was made against Papists, thou lettest them alone, and executest it against the Quakers.

Judge. Well, you will meet in great numbers, and do increase, but there is a new statute will make you fewer.

F. H. Well, if we must suffer, it is for Christ's sake, and for well doing.

Francis then being silent, the judge pronounced the sentence, but spake so low, that the prisoner, though near to him, could scarce hear it.

The sentence was, you are put out of the king's protection and the benefit of the law, your lands are confiscate to the king during your life; and your goods and chattels for ever, and you to be prisoner during your life.

F. H. A hard sentence for my obedience to the commands of Christ; the Lord forgive you all.

So he turned from the bar; but the judge speaking, he turned again, and many more words passed to the same purpose, as before; at last the judge rose up and said.

Judge. Well, if you will yet be subject to the laws, the king will shew you mercy.

F. H. The Lord hath shewed mercy unto me, and I have done nothing against the king, nor government, nor any man, blessed be the Lord, and therein stands my peace; for it is for Christ's sake I suffer, and not for evil doing. And so the court broke up. The people were generally moderate, and many were sorry to see what was done against him; but Francis signified how contented and glad he was, that he had any thing to lose for the Lord's precious truth, of which he had publicly borne testimony, and that he was now counted worthy to suffer for it.

This he did cheerfully, and died in bonds after above four years imprisonment, as may be related in its due time. He was a man of learning, and a great writer among his fellow believers; insomuch that during his confinement he wrote not only several edifying epistles to exhort them to constancy and steadfastness in the doctrine of truth, but also some books to refute the opposers of it.

We have here seen how the judge said, there is a new statute which will make you fewer. This statute bore the title of an act to prevent and suppress seditious conventicles. And though the act made two years before did extend to banishment, yet that punishment was renewed, and expressed more at large in this which was as followeth:

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Whereas an act made in the five and thirtieth year of the reign of our late sovereign lady queen Elizabeth, entitled, an act to retain the queen's majesty's subjects in their due obedience, hath not been put in due execution by reason of some doubt of late made, whether the said act be still in force; although it be very clear and evident, and it is hereby declared, that the said aet is still in force, and ought to be put in due execution:

II. For providing therefore of further and more speedy remedies against the growing and dangerous practices of seditious sectaries, and other disloyal persons, who under pretence of tender consciences, do at their meetings contrive insurrections, as late experience hath shewed;

III. Be it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by, and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that if any person of the age of sixteen years or upwards, being a subject of this realm, at any time after the first day of July, which shall be in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred sixty and four, shall be present at any assembly, conventicle or meeting, under colour or pretence of any exercise of religion, in other manner than is allowed by the liturgy or practice of the

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church of England in any place within the kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed; at which conventicle, meeting, or assembly, there shall be five persons or more assembled together, over and above those of the same household; then it shall and may be lawful to and for any two justices of the peace of the county, limit, division or liberty wherein the offence aforesaid shall be committed, or for the chief magistrates of the place where such offence aforesaid shall be committed, (if it be within a corporation) where there are not two justices of the peace) (2) and they are hereby required and enjoined upon proof to them or him respectively made of such offence, either by confession of the party, or oath of witness, or notorious evidence of the fact (which oath the said justices of the peace, and chief magistrate respectively, are hereby empowered and required to administer) to make a record of every such offence and offences under their hands and seals respectively; (3) which record so made, as aforesaid, shall to all intents and purposes be in law taken and adjudged to be a full and perfect conviction of every such offence, and thereupon the said justices and chief magistrate respectively, shall commit every such offender so convicted, as aforesaid, to the gaol or house of correction, there to remain without bail or mainprize, for any time not

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