These things (O King) from time to time have we patiently suffered, and not for the trangression of any Just or Righteous Law, either pertaining to the Worship of God, or the Civil Government of England, but simply and barely for our Consciences to God, of which we can more at large give Thee (or whom thou mayest order) a full Account (if Thou wilt let us have admission to Thee, who are Banished upon pain of Death, and have had our Ears cut, who are, some of us, in England attending upon Thee) both of the Causes of our Sufferings, and the Manner of their disorderly and illegal Proceeding against us; who begun with Immodesty, went on in Inhumanity and Cruelty, and were not satisfied until they had the Blood of three of the Martyrs of JESUS: Revenge for all which we do not seek, but lay them before Thee, considering Thou hast been well acquainted with Sufferings, and so mayest the better consider them that suffer, and mayest for the future restrain the Violence of these Rulers of New-England, having Power in Thy hands; they being but the Children of the Family, of which Thou art Chief Ruler; Who have in divers of their Proceedings forfeited their Patent; as upon a strict Inquiry in many particulars will appear.
And this, O King, we are assured of, that in time to come it will not repent Thee, if by a Close Rebuke Thou stoppest the Bloody Proceedings of these Bloody Persecutors; for in so doing, Thou wilt engage the hearts of many honest People unto Thee, both there and here; and for such Works of Mercy, the Blessing is obtained, and shewing it, is the way to prosper....
b. A Quaker Trial at Boston, 1661[86]
Joseph Besse's Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers (1753), II, 222-223. Italics as in the original.
Anno 1661. At the said next General-Court, Wenlock Christison was again brought to the Bar.
The Governour asked him, What he had to say for himself, why he should not die?
Wenlock. I have done nothing worthy of Death; if I had, I refuse not to die.
Governour. Thou art come in among us in Rebellion, which is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and ought to be punished.
Wenlock. I came not in among you in Rebellion, but in Obedience to the God of Heaven; not in Contempt to any of you, but in Love to your Souls and Bodies; and that you shall know one Day, when you and all Men must give an Account of your Deeds done in the Body. Take heed, for you cannot escape the righteous Judgments of God.
Major-General Adderton. You pronounce Woes and Judgments, and those that are gone before you pronounced Woes and Judgments; but the Judgments of the Lord God are not come upon us yet.