The CRY of Innocent Blood, Sounding to the Ear of each Member in PARLIAMENT▪ Being a Short RELATION OF THE Barbarous Cruelties Inflicted lately upon the Peaceable People of God called Quakers, at their Meeting in Horsly-down, in the County of Surrey. Also some Plain-Dealing with the Persecuting, RULERS, by C. H. Isa. 3. 15. What mean ye that ye beat my People to pieces, and grind the Faces of the Poor, saith the Lord of Hosts. Son of man, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, and show the Rulers their Sin. etc. Psa. 52. 1. When the Wicked spring as the Grass, and when all the Workers of Iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. Printed in the Year, 1670. A short Relation of the Barbarous Cruelties inflicted on the People of God, called Quakers, at their Meeting in Horsly-down. ON the 25th of the 7th Month 1670. several of the aforesaid People, being peaceably assembled at their usual Meeting place aforesaid, (not in Stubbornness, nor in contempt to Magistracy, but in tenderness of Conscience to God) There came in some Musketeers, and haled them forth into the Street▪ where the Troopers came, and rod in amongst them in a violent manner, beating and abusing both Men and Women, and punching them in the Faces and Bodies with their Carbines; and soon after the Foot-soldiers came, and fell upon them also, and beat both Men and Women in a Cruel and Outrageous manner, also punching them on the Feet with the But-ends of their Pikes and Muskets, till they broke several of them, also running the Muzzle of their Muskets with violence against the Bodies of many▪ and then a Party of Horse came desperately, and sought to ride over them; but the Horses being more merciful than their Riders, and not going forward, they turned their Horses, and by curbing and reining them backward, strove to do what mischief they could. The number of those that were Wounded, and sorely Bruised, and had their Blood spilt this day were above twenty Persons. On the 2d day of the 8th Month, They being kept out of their Meeting-place aforesaid, there came a Party of Foot and a Party of Horse, who laid on upon Friends in a violent and cruel manner, knocking them with their Muskets and Pikes, and the Horsemen with their Carbines, until the Blood lay in the Streets; and so they continued for a long time until they broke several Pikes, and Muskets, and one Carbine; and then took the Barrel by one end, and gnashed their teeth, striking till several were so beaten and bruised, that their lives were in danger. There were wounded, and sorely bruised, this day above thirty Person. Again, The 9th of the 8th Month, The Soldiers, both Horse and Foot, came to the Meeting at the aforesaid Place, and one of them having a Shovel threw the Dirt and Mire on both Men and Women, in a shameful manner, and after him came both Horse and Foot, and fell upon them, Striking and Knocking down, without respect to Age or Sect, in a very cruel manner, until they spilt the Blood of many; and when some of the Inhabitants in pity took them into their Houses, to save their Lives, the Soldiers forced open the Doors, and haled them into the Street again, and plucked off their Hats, that they might strike on their bare Heads▪ insomuch that many had their Heads broken in a grievous manner, and thus they continued a long time; also tearing Men and women's Clothes off their Backs, and haling Women through the Mire by their Horse sides; some of the Foot-soldiers putting their hands under the women's Coats, using unclean Expressions and immodest Behaviour▪ And a Red-coat Soldier struck one Woman Friend twice with his Musket on the Belly, and once on the Breast, another flung Dirt in her Face; and since that, she hath never been well, but hath Miscarried, these abuses being the cause of it, it hath been the Death of her Child, her Life being in great Danger: And a man Friend they abused with Blows, and afterwards took him, and carried him into a backward place, being there, one demanded his Money, and endeavoured to rifling his Pockets, swearing, GOD DAMN HIM, he would STAB him, if he would not give it him; swearing again, He would PISTOL him. The number of those that were wounded, and had their Blood spilt, and were sorely bruised this day were above fifty Persons. And on the 16th day of the 8th Month 1670. Being again kept out of their Meeting-place, there ●●me a great Party of Horse and Foot, and would presently have fell on, upon them, had there not been. Constable's there, who for some time kept them off, but at last they broke out into a great rage, and some of the Foot with the But-ends of their Musket's▪ and the Horsemen with great thick Trunchins and Staves, said on upon them in such a violent manner, as if they would have killed all in the place; and in a short time the Blood ran down about the Ears of many▪ And above twenty Persons received sore Wounds and cruel Bruises; and one of the Constables endeavouring to stop them from shedding Blood▪ and to keep the Peace, they fell upon him also, and broke his Head; and when they were rebuked of their cruelty, some answered, If you knew what orders we have you would say we dealt Mercifully with you. The Substance of the Relation, before mentioned, was laid before the King and his Council, and for some time there was some cessation of their Cruelty, but since they have begun again in the like manner, though not in same degree, with great threatenings to be worse and worse in their savage behaviour towards them, which cannot well be, except they directly murder in the place. Also it is to be observed, that when the Troopers and Soldiers have come, and thus abused and wounded the Innocent; some have asked them saying, How can you deal thus with a people that have love and good will to all men, and make no resistance nor opposition; and then they have replied, We had rather, and it would be better for us, if you did resist and oppose: And so it is manifest, they do those things to provoke opposition, that they might imbrue their hands in our blood, and have our Lives and Estates for a spoil and a prey. Now that such barbarous inhuman Cruelties should be committed (in a Nation reputed famous for Christianity, and the excellency of its Laws) by mercenary men, in time of peace, is that which cannot be paralleled among the Heathen; and it's a great shame and reproach to the Magistracy and Ministry of this Nation, that men should be found therein so void of manhood; so far degenerated from the true nature of mankind; so stony and hardhearted; so seared in Conscience, that they can act and exercise such brutish Cruelties upon a peaceable people, who have love and good will to all men, and whose Principles leads them to follow peace, and ensue it. Well, If such hardhearted unreasonable men shall be suffered, and tolerated to rifle us, and knock us on the head, and spill our Blood in the Street, bruise and mangle our Bodies before we are brought to a Trial, or Condemned by Law; then farewell good Government, and the Fundamental Laws of England, which are very tender of the Liberties, Estates, and lives of men▪ and the Magistrates, who are sworn to do justice and right to all men, and to execute the Law without respect of persons may endeavour to get a dispensation for their Oaths, but we would hope better things. Here are a few of the names of those who had their Blood spilt, and were sore wounded, as Witnesses to the truth of these things, and in the behalf of themselves, and the rest. Robert Allen, John Potter, William Peachy, Stephen Cook, Henry Ham, John Dowden, Henry Day, William Stewardson, Edward Crisp. Adam Waker. ANd now Oh ye Rulers of this Nation, I know the way to please many of you, would be to smooth you up with fine words▪ but the way to please the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who is greater than you all, is to deal plainly with you; and that I may be clear of you in the Day of God, it is with me thus to write. Certainly God is Angry with you▪ and that not without a Cause given him by you; he hath tried you long, to see what you would do for him▪ he hath sent his Servants, and otfen warned you to abstain from Violence and Iniquity, but you have had little regard to it: Look back, and consider what you have done at all your Sittings, since you were chosen and brought into place, and see if you can find one Act made or revived by you for the subduing of Profaneness and Debauchery: Do not all sorts of ungodly Meetings abound in your Cities and Countries; as Stage-Plays, Bear and Bull-beating▪ Cock-Fights, Football and Cudgel-Plays, Race-Running both Horse and Foot, Hunt, Revelling? Where is the Fair or Market but it rings with beastly Ballet-Singers? And where are any of these stopped by you; or do you not rather, many of your selus, keep open house for such to come sometimes, with Moris-dancers and Mummers? And how doth Drunken-Meetings abound with Dice and Cards, filled with Cursing and Hellish▪ Oaths, and the Noise of Fiddlers and Vagabonds roaring like Beasts and Swine? So that one may say with the Prophet, Hell hath enlarged herself: And is not there daily new Inventions of Wickedness? And was there ever more Pride, and Whoredom, and Oppression, in Sodom and Egypt then is now found amongst a People Professing Christianity? What is become of the good wholesome Laws of England, which were made for the suppressing of Profaneness? You have neither revived them by Proclamation nor Conversation; but still at your Sitting, one of your chiefest businesses hath been to impose heavy Burdens upon People Consciences, that are tender towards God: But such whose Conscience will serve to run to such ungodly Meetings before mentioned, they have Liberty enough, and are upheld and encouraged, and may have DRUMS and TRUMPETS to gather such Meetings in the open Streets; and if one cometh in the Name of the Lord to reprove such doings he is in danger of his Life, and may be to be, sent to Prison, and called a Rebel, a Heretic, and such like; and Wickedness is now grown to such a height, that nasty Songs and Ballads may be heard in your Streets, and hung upon the Gates of your Cities, to be sold, to corrupt Youth; but Meeting-Houses for the Worship of God are pulled down, and defaced, and drunken Soldiers carry away of the Timber to sell, that they may feed their lusts; but many Playhouses are built and repaired, and sets the King's Arms upon such, and to these one may repair, and not fear being Fined, and there both Knaves and Fools may stand up, and Lie, and Swear, and use all the Tricks Hell can afford, and teach People Vanity; but I hear of no Fines that are levied upon these kind of Teachers or Houses, though these are the Seditious Meetings, that draw People from the Grace of God, the Anointing within, which would teach People to live Soberly; and such Meetings as these are a terror and trouble to the King's good Subjects, and a disturbance to the Peace of them that love Righteousness, and are Subjects to Christ's Kingdom. And therefore, before you go about to meddle with tender Conscience, humble yourselves under the Hand of God, that you may know your own purged; and also, stop that Fountain of Wickedness, which since you came in place is set open, more than formerly; and call in all those Laws which you have made, and caused the Innocent to suffer by; and acknowledge▪ your Sin to God, and the Nation; and open the Prison Doors, that those that make Conscience of Oaths, and Feeding Deceivers, and have long suffered under you, may once again enjoy their Families and Native Rights; for I am to tell you, Poor Naboth in the Eye of the Lord, hath as good Right to his little Vineyard, as Ahab to his Crown; and it is not the Swearing of the Sons of Beliel that can make a just Birthright, or yet prevent the heavy Vengeance of the Lord from overtaking the Oppressors of those whom God loves. And now consider what Honour you have got by your last Act against religious Meetings; it is true, you have almost undone many hundred Families, not leaving a Cow to give their Children Milk, or Bed to lie upon. Old Pharaoh had a bad name, but you have done worse than he▪ for though, like you, he refused to let God's People Worship him aright; yet I do not read that he put them in Prison, or took away their Goods and Cattle as you have done. I have also made inquiry who for the most have assisted you in this Work through the Conntries, and I find chiefly Drunkards, such as could Swear any thing▪ & Hang▪ men, and such as were burnt in the Hand formerly for theft, and Pick-Pockets, and supposed Highway men, and base Fellows that have spent their Estates in Profaneness; these, and such like, have been your Informers in many places; as also rude debauched idle Soldiers; and many Officers have been made for fear of such, and also lest they should pay a fine, to act against their own souls▪ and violate the Law of God in their own Consciences: And these your Doings an Allseeing Eye hath beheld, and though you are as lords in the Earth, the Almighty God, who is Lord of Heaven and Earth, will call you to Judgement, and then you shall know with him there is no respect of Persons. THE END.