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1670

Edward Whitton

p87

Upon y^e 24^th day off y^e 4^th mo^th att night Came John Hinson preist off y^e parish of Gulvell about midnight or after unto y^e backe doore off Edward Wÿttons house In y^e parish afores^d: & hee Crÿed out sayinge Wÿtton open y^e doore quickly or elsce upon my soule I will breake y^e doore & fire y^e house: w^ch words hee uttered severall times w^ch did awake Ed: Wÿtton out of his sleepe: & not knoweinge what voice Itt was did Judge y^t house was besett with thieves: whereupon hee fledd unto y^e Lorde for helpe whoe Immediately strengthned his spiritt though hee was alone haveinge then neither man woman nor childe In y^e house with him: soe beinge strengthned in his spiritt & all feare taken ƒfrom him hee hastned to putt on his Cloaths ; & as hee was Comeinge downe staÿres hee asked whoe was there : & hee saÿde hee was John Hinson : & withall Crÿed out saÿinge Mathew make good y^e gate or fore doore ƒfor in his Comeinge alonge to Ed: Wÿtton his house hee Caled with Mathew Rowe whoe was his Clarke & raised him out of his bed with this Incouragement y^t Iff hee woulde goe alonge with him Itt should bee worth him forty pounds: & then Ed: Wÿtton desired y^e preist to goe to y^e foredoore but hee replÿed hee woulde not: but threatned Iff hee did not open y^e back doore presently⁸⁷¹ hee would breake it open & fire y^e house : whereupon Ed: Wÿtton chose rather to open y^e doore then to try what hee woulde doe: as knoweinge him to be a dangerous & mischeivous man

The doore beinge opend & y^e preist Come in hee saÿde unto Ed: Wÿtton you are all rogues : & Ed: Wÿttons Doublett beinge unbuttoned y^e preist fastned his hande in y^e foreparte of his dublett & saÿde hee had a payre off pistolls In his pockett: whereupon Ed: Wÿtton looked boldely on him & saÿed hee feared nott him nor his pistolls w^ch words soe daunted y^e preist as hee begann In deceite to speake more freindely unto Ed: Wÿtton & desired ƒfor a Cuppe off his beere w^ch Ed: Wÿtton brought unto him: & after a while hee & his Clarke went away like a wolfe without his prey:

ED: WŸTTON

Now Itt was to be suspected y^t this wicked preist had Intended to have murderd Edwarde Wÿtton & then to have robbed his house hee beinge a moneyed man & then to have fired his house thereby to have hid y^e murder: but y^e Lorde tooke his Courage ƒfrom him & soe Imboldened Ed: Wÿtton y^t y^e preists & people & some magistrates haveing a law to act by made such spoile & did such mischeife as is before in parte related :

1675

John Wallis

p99

John Wallis of y^e parish Caled S^t Just was prosecuted ƒfor non paÿment of Tyth att y^e suite off John Buller Caled Esq : & was cast Into prison y^e 17^th day of y^e 9^th mo 1673

Hee ƒfinished his testimony by death in y^e 11^th mo^th 1677 :

1677

Nicholas Jose

p104

Nicholas Jose off y^e parish of Sunnen neere y^e lands ende off this County ƒfor y^e tyth of about an acre & halfe off barley & a few sheepe & lambes was prosecuted by Hugh Jones In y^e hundred Courte : hee beinge ƒfarmer or Impropriator⁴³ off y^e Tyth & havinge gott execution agst Nich : Jose out off y^e sayde hundred Courte hee sent one George Treweege y^e hundred bayliffe whoe not gettinge his purpose upon Nicholas Hugh Jones sent his owne servants whoe tooke goods from Nicholas worth 1^li. 4^s 6^d att one time & att another time tooke goods to y^e value off 14^li. 8^s & afterwards Hugh Jones sent his Clarke & his hinde servant & a baÿliffe whoe forct Into y^e shoppe of Nicholas & tooke & Carrÿed away goods worth 10^li. & upwards : All w^ch goods ƒfor y^e tyth of y^e one acre & halfe : of Corne & y^e few sheepe & lambe as afors^d : hee got execution but In 3^li. 10^s treble value & yett tooke & Carrÿed away att severall times. In this yeere & y^e yeere followeinge goods to y^e value of 13^li.

Besÿdes y^e saÿde Hugh Jones sent his Clarke Jo: Thomas most yeeres In y^e time off harvest & forceably tooke away ƒfrom Nicholas what Corne In y^e sheafe as pleased y^m

1678

Nicholas Jose

p107

Nicholas Jose off Sunninge nigh y^e lands ende off this County was sent ƒfor by a warrant ƒfrom Wil̄l̄ Kagwÿn Caled a Justice : & ƒfor refuseinge to take y^e oath off Allegians was sent to Launceston goale: & was afterwards præmunired¹⁰⁷² & remaines a prisoner to y^e yeere 1685 :

1682

Nicholas Jose

p111

Upon y^e 30^th of y^e 2^nd mo^th 1682 Came Hugh Jones Caled a Justice & John weekes y^e preist of Sunnen & a great rabble off y^e steeplehouse worshipers unto y^e house where ƒfreinds were peaceably waitinge upon y^e Lorde : whoe broake uppe ƒfreinds meetinge & required y^m to appeare att his house y^e next morneinge : who therupon Committed Nicholas Jose & sent him to goale : & ƒfined all y^e rest 5^s a peice : a copy of whose mittimus is as followeth :

“Cornewall : to y^e keeper of his majestÿes goale att y^e Castle of Launceston or to his deputy or deputÿes these :

“Whereas nich : Jose of y^e parish of Sennen was this day brought before mee for beinge founde amongst divers others in an unlawfull assembly in a private house in y^e sayde parish & there seene to my viewe : & beinge thereupon required to find suretÿes for y^e good behaviour hee beinge to my knowledge formerly & I think still remaines a teacher & leader off diverse dissenters ƒfrom y^e Church : & one whoe denÿes y^e takeinge of an oath in any Case whatsoever to be lawfull & refuseinge to give suretÿes for his good behaviour: These are therfore in his majestÿes name to Charge & Commande you & every of you to receive y^e sayde Nicholas heerewith sent Into y^r Custodÿ & him safely to keepe & dataine In y^r sayde goale untill hee shall be thence delivered by due Course & order of his majestyes laws & thereof faile you not att y^r utmost perills

“given under my hande & seale att penrose this 1^st day of May Anno Regⁿ Dom̃ nostri Carolÿ Secund: fiđ defens : Regis Angliæ &c

“HUGH JONES

“Tricessimo quarto annoq Dom̃ : 1682”¹¹¹¹

1683

Isaac Chapple and others

p127

Alsoe sent ƒfrom y^e lands ende of Cornewall by Hugh Jones Caled a Justice y^e ƒfreinds whose names are in y^e Margint [margin] Isaac Chappell Jo : Tonckyn : Rich : Richards Jo : Mathew Jone Olivÿ Wilmott Richards ƒfor beinge att a meetinge to waite upon God y^e 13^th of y^e 11^th mo^th 1683 off w^ch meetinge y^e preist of y^e parish was y^e Informer : A Copy of w^ch mittimus Is as followeth :

“To y^e keeper of his majestÿes goale att y^e Castle of Launceston &c these

“Whereas these persons whose names are underwritten absenters ƒfrom y^e Church these severall yeeres last past & beinge severall times ƒfounde & proved to be in unlawfull assemblÿes within y^e parish of Sunnen : ƒfor w^ch offences I have severall times ƒfined y^m accordinge to y^e act of parlament in y^t Case provided : but litle or none off y^e ƒfines Could off late be levÿed upon y^m as returne hath beene made mee by oath off y^e officers : wherefore y^e persons undernamed being founde and taken in an unlawfull assembly in y^e parish of Sunnen on y^e 13^th Instant : in a wilfull Contempt off his majestÿes laws : & noe ƒfines are possibely to be levÿed one y^m as afores^d : they alsoe refuseinge to give suretyes ƒfor there good behaviour or personall appearans att y^e next assises or sessions for this County : or Conforme to any thinge y^e law requires of y^m ƒfor Conformity : or leaveinge there unlawfull assemblÿes or meetinges :

“These are therefore in his majestÿes name to will & require you & every & either off you to take & receive y^e saÿde persons heerewith sent on sight heerof Into y^r Custody & them there to safely to keepe untill they be thence delivered by due course of law & heerof faile not att y^r perills

“given under my hande & seale att penrose y^e 21^st day of January anno Dom : 1683

“HUGH JONES”

These names are as in y^e margent

And att y^e Assises helde att Launceston y^e 13^th off y^e 1^st mo^th 168¾ before Judge Jeffrÿes the suffering case off the ƒfreinds of this County beinge presented unto him : hee saÿde such as were already præmunired hee Coulde not releive but y^e rest he woulde redresse what hee Coulde by law & accordingely y^e aboves^d ƒfreindes beinge Caled in Courte & noe body beinge there to prosecute agst y^m hee Caused y^m to be discharged by proclamation: and soe In y^e Calendar they were returned as discharged to y^e great greife & vexation off Justice Jones : but upon y^e particular Instigation off some Jo : ƒflemminge was Indicted & Dorothy Rogers & Mary Clemens were putt Into y^e same Indictment : & præmunired as may be farther scene :

168¾

John Flemming and others

p129

Att y^e assises helde att launceston y^e 13^th off y^e 1^st mo^th 168¾ was y^e afores^d Jo : ƒflemminge brought foorth before y^e Cheife Justice George Jeffrÿes : & beinge there tendred y^e oaths off Allegians & Supremacy & ƒfor refuseinge to take y^m was Indicted togeather with two ƒfeme Coverts¹²⁷¹ Dorothy Rogers & Mary Clemens whoe were Committed y^e Assises before by Job Charleton till they did take y^e afores^d oathes : & now were Indicted with Jo : ƒflemminge : & for refuseinge to take y^e oaths afores^d were all three præmunired & soe returned to y^e goale there to remaine duringe life: although by y^e Statute noe ƒfeme Coverts coulde be præmunired :

A paper off ƒfreinds sufferinges was presented In y^e beginninge off y^e Assises unto y^e Cheife Justice & Judge Withers a copy whereof is as followeth :

“Whereas Itt hath beene evidently knowne & manifest y^t notwithstandinge y^e many great & greivous sufferinges y^t wee have undergonne for more then 20 yeeres past &c : as in y^e former paper¹²⁹¹ with this addition & our perseverans in our Xtian practices & performans off our duty unto God were most of us whose names are hereunto subscribed sent into this County goale & y^e last assises præmunired : though we publickly declared & testifÿed our allegians to y^e king & subjection to his government : & y^t ƒfor consciens sake onely wee Coulde not sweare yett was our Innocent plea Caled Cantinge : & our desireinge a copy off y^e Indictment & our craveinge y^e priviledge to enter our traverse & time & liberty to pleade unto it as y^e law did allowe was termed saucÿnesse ; & one of us ƒfor moveinge of it Counted & Caled a Jesuite : though well knowne In Courte to y^e Contrary : yett were wee overuled & proceeded agst to a præmunire though y^e oath was never reade unto us onely wee were bid to hearken to it when it was reade unto others y^t tooke it : yett were wee sentenced & have beene Continnued prisoners three of us neere two yeeres ; whereof one hath finished his testimony by death¹²⁹² & y^e rest have beene since y^e last assises to y^e great hazarde off y^e lives off some poore & aged persons through y^e severity of y^e winter & Coldnesse off y^e prison ; & to y^e Impoverishinge of others in hindringe y^m ƒfrom followeinge there lawfull vocations & emploÿents whereby they maintained y^mselves & ƒfamilÿes & to y^e Impayreinge off y^e health of us all : whoe have nothinge in our heartes but good will to y^e Kinge & all his magistrates & subjects as Is well knowne unto y^e Lorde & y^e Kinge & unto all y^e Nation alsoe y^t wee have always beene a peaceable people :

“All w^ch sufferinges & greivances wee desire you to take Into y^r serious & Xtian Consideration & to extend y^r mercy help & releife as farr as by Commission or permission you can unto us y^t are already præmunired & not to extende y^e rigor of y^e law upon others of our ƒfreinds lately sent to this goale whoe are equally Concerned with us to keepe y^e commands of Xt Jesus :

“Soe hopinge y^t mercy as well as Judgement may runn downe y^r Streete or Courte of Judicature y^t thereby wee may be Incouraged to persevere in our Xtian duty of prayinge ƒfor y^e Kinge & all in authority y^t wee may live a godly & peaceable life under y^m w^ch is y^e desire of us whoe are prisoners ƒfor y^e testimony of a good Conscience & for Keepinge y^e Commands of Xt Jesus :”

Signed as y^e former paper with our names :

Launceston goale this 13^th of y^e 1^st 168¾

W^ch paper after itt was reade unto y^e Cheife Justice hee saÿde hee was sorry for us butt such as were already præmunired hee Coulde not releive & y^t hee woulde present our paper to y^e Kinge & doe what hee Coulde ƒfor our discharge ; & did sett att liberty such as were sent to goale by Hugh Jones : & as Itt was reported did speake to y^e Kinge & did Indeavor a generall release ƒfor all our ƒfreinds before y^e olde Kinges death whose death putt a stoppe there unto :

Memorandum y^t most off y^e afores^d præmunired ƒfreinds were presented & Indicted att y^e Assises held att Launceston y^e 10^th off y^e 1^st mo^th 1683 as popish recusants¹⁰⁶¹ & y^e bill founde by y^e grande Jurÿ though they had beene under Confinement ƒfor more than halfe a yeere before y^e assises upon a præmunire as afores^d

1684

Richard Richards and others

p132

Richard Richardes Jo : Mathew Jenkyn Vingow [Jo :] Tonckyn Sampson Olivey &c beinge sent unto Launceston goale by Hugh Jones upon two mittimusses a Copy of one of w^ch is as followeth :

“ƒforasmuch as on Sunday y^e 7^th day of this Instant 7^ber there was an unlawfull assembly to my veiwe & knowledge in a Certaine house neere y^e parish Church of Sunnen : att w^ch Conventicle y^e persons herewith sent were present : to witt Jo : Mathew Jun^r Jenckÿn Vingow Rich : Richards &c : & severall times heeretofore have beene assembled in other manner than accordinge to y^e liturgÿ & practice of y^e Church of Englande alleaginge y^t y^e Cause of such there meetinges is to waite upon & seeke y^e Lorde : now whereas by y^e laws & statutes off this realme, such Conventicles are prohibited : & beinge by mee required to ƒfinde suretÿes ƒfor there good behaviour & personall appearans att y^e next Assises to be holden ƒfor this County have refused soe to doe & to yeilde obediens & Conformity to his majestÿes laws

“These are therfore in y^e Kinges majestÿes name strictly to charge & Commande you & either of you to take y^e sayde persons Into y^r Custodye & them there safely to keepe & detaine untill ƒfrom thence they shall bee delivered by due Course of his majestÿes laws & heereof faile you not as you will answer ƒfor y^r Contempt att y^r perills

“given under my hande & seale att penrose y^e 8^th day of 7^ber in y^e 36 yeere of y^e raigne of Kinge Charles y^e 2^d annoq dom̃ : 1684^132x

“HUGH JONES”

By y^e like mittimus were Jo : Tonckyn & Sampson Olivy sent : & att y^e Assises helde att Launceston y^e midle of y^e 1^st mo^th all y^e afores^d ƒfreinds were sett att liberty by Judge Mountague :

1685

Christopher Soper

p133

Cristopher Soaper beinge one off y^e persons afores^d y^t was sent to goale by Justice Sawle & others as afores^d & for refuseinge to sweare præmunired : finished his testimony in peace by death : & Is delivered from y^e wrath & rage off his persecutors :

43 An impropriator was a lay owner of tithes.

871 That is, at once

1061 Popish Recusants for non-attendance at church.

1072 “Out of the King’s protection, lands and goods forfeited to the King and a prisoner at the King’s pleasure.”—F.P.T. pp 354, 355. i.e. “The First Publishers of Truth” being early records (not previously printed) of the Introduction of Quakerism into the Counties of England and Wales. London, 1907.

1111 Printed in Besse’s Suff., i. 124.

1271 feme covert=married woman.

1291 See page 125 [not transcribed].

1292 See page 133.

132x [Note that the years of the reign of Charles II were back dated to the death of his father.]

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