A narrative wherein is faithfully set forth the sufferings of John Canne, Wentworth Day, John Clarke, John Belcher, John Richard, Robert Boggis, Petter Kidd, Richard Bryenton, and George Strange, called, as their news book saith, Fift Monarchy Men that is, how eight of them were taken in Coleman Street, moneth second, called Aprill, day first, 1658, as they were in the solemn worship of God, and by the Lord Mayor sent prisoners to the counter in the Poultrey : also of the arraignment of Wentworth Day and John Clarke at the sessions in the Old Baily, and how the rest after three weeks imprisonment and more were discharged in their court / published by a friend to the prisoners and the good old cause they suffered for.

An Impartiall Narrative , &c.

WHereas it is probable the late Imprisonment and publick Triall , will be by some misreported of our Brethren and Friends unto the Nation : And very many no doubt do desire to have the passages of the busines truly related . I have thought it necessary ( howsoever briefly ) to set forth an impartial & faithful Narrative of it ; without any stretching of things , either for our selves , or against our Persecutors . Neither shall I say more ( our Enemies themselves being Judges ) than the plain Truth soberly and modestly , leaving every man to make his own Application .

Upon the first day of the second moneth commonly called April , 1658. Many of the Lords People being Assembled together in Swan Alley in Coleman street ( a publick place where Saints have met many years ) As they were there waiting upon the Lord in Prayer and other holy duties , on a sudden the Marshall of the City , with severall other Officers , rushed in with great violence upon them . The which sight for the suddennesse and strangnesse of it , occasioned some amazement among the people ; who were there peaceably worshipping God in spirit and Truth : having no other weapons but Faith and Prayer .

Old Brother Cann was then in the Pulpit , and had read a place of Scripture but spoken nothing to it , the Scripture was Numb. 16. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26. Now he perceiving that they came in at both doores with their Halberts , Pikes , Staves , &c. and fearing least there might be some hurt done to the Lords poor and naked people : He desired the Brethren and Sisters to be all quiet , and to make no stir : for his part he feared them not , but was assured the Lord would eminently stand by them .

Whilest he was thus speaking to the people , exhorting them to patience , one of the Officers ( breaking through the croud ) came furiously upon him , and with great violence pluckt him out of the Pulpit , and when he had so done , hurled him over the Benches or Forms , in a very barbarous manner . Some Brethren being nigh endeavoured to have saved Brother Cann from falling , but the rage of the Officers was such , as they fell in upon him , although through mercy he had not much hurt by it .

Having thus a while pull'd and halled him , at last they brought him to the Mayor of the City , who was without the doore ( with one of the Sheriffs on horse-back ) waiting for the Brethren to be taken and brought to him . The Brother asked the Mayor , What he had against him , telling him , withall , for his part , he desired no more favour at his hands , than was allowed to Thieves and Murtherers , that is , to know what they had to charge him with , and who were his accusers . To which the Mayor Answered , Mr. Cann ( saith he ) I have nothing against you , neither do I know any evill you have done ; but think you are an honest man , onely you must appear before his Highnesse , and I will send you thither presently . No saith the Sheriff , keep him till tomorrow morning , and then send him . And so the Mayor bid one of his Officers to carry our brother to the Counter . Afterward they brought seven more to the Mayor , of which number , five had never spoken in that Meeting place , but came onely to hear : Now that which occasioned their apprehending and sending to prison , it was because they spake against the cruelty and inhumane dealing exercised upon Brother Cann , saying , aloud , He is an old man and do not use him so barbarously .

Having brought eight of them to the Counter with Halberts , Staves : here presently begun a new trouble , for the Keeper having neither a Warrant for their Commitment , nor knowing who they were ; comes to enquire for their Names , all refused to tell him their names except Brother Cann ( whose name they knew before ) whereupon they were all seven thrust into the cold stinking hole , and would not allow them any Beds to lie on ▪ nor any other place in the prison , though they offered them any reasonable content . In this noisome place , they were kept all night , neither suffered the next day to come forth ( though the rest of the Prisoners did ) till they were all sent for by the Mayor to come before him , which was about 3 , or 4. of the clock in the afternoon .

When they came to the Mayors house , he sent for them one by one into a private room ; some of the Brethren desired that they might be heard openly , and that their freinds might be witnesses to what was spoke : But this would not be granted . The first that they called , was Brother Cann ; The Mayor asked him , What he thought of the present Government ? his Answer was : For the present Goverment , I am not ( saith he ) satisfied with it . But this concerns not you : Neither shall I speak now any thing to you about it : but if you send me to the Protector , I shall tell him what I think concerning this Government . For I have a great deal to say to his face , if in such a way as this , I may be brought before him . But for you Sir , this is not our businesse now . Many words passed too and fro , not worth the mentioning here : onely I shall note a little , concerning the Marshall . He had been a little before in Coleman street ▪ and having heard brother Cann exercise there ▪ gave him thanks before the people , for his good Sermon : He being now with the Mayor , Brother Cann told him what he had said , his Answer was , I confesse ( saith he ) it was a good Sermon , but I knew who you meant , even the Lord Protector : thus he acknowledged the matter to be good , onely the meaning of the brother , that he presumed to know , and could tell how to apply it .

Having nothing to lay to the charge of ▪ the first Prisoner , nor could ensuare him in his words , they desired him to withdraw , and so he was brought into another room . Then Brother Day was called in , and the same question put to him , viz. What he thought of the present Government ? Many words passed between the Mayor and him , but nothing could they draw from him to serve their turn , till he told them , that he would give it under his hand , To prove Oliver Cromwell a Jugler by his own Confession : and so much he did leave with the Mayor in a piece of Paper ; which was the great Charge that he was afterward Arraigned for .

Having done with two , and putting them both aside , Brother Clark is called ; who is asked ( as the former were ) What he thought of the present Government ? He told them plainly , He thought it was not of God , and gave some scriptures why he thought o , as Hos. 8. 3 , 4 , I Sam. 8. 6 , 7. Am. 6. 13. He did acknowledge this Government was of God permissive , but not by approbation . These words were written down , and made the ground of his Indictment afterward : for till now though they had imprisoned him , yet they had not so much as any shew of matter against him . This being done , they were all three brought before the Mayor , who demanded Baile for their appearance at the next Sessions ; they told him they were not free to give him any Baile : Then he told them , they must go back from whence they came , and so sent them again to the Counter , not charging them with any guilt or crime . For the other five , they were likewise called one after another , and the same question put to them , viz. What they thought of the present Government ? But our Freinds said little to it : But askt the Mayor what he had against them , and wherefore he had Committed them to prison ? To which he gave no Answer , but that they had been at the meeting in Coleman street . In short , he askt whether they would give Baile , &c. They refusing it , were likewise sent back to the Counter , after the other three . Onely brother Ricard was baild by his Master , not that he desired it , but his Master did it of his own accord .

Among other Brethren which accompanied the prisoners to the Mayors house , brother Belcher was one , now as he was returning back , the City Marshall met him , and askt him if he were not one of their company ; yes , saith he ( blessed be God for it ) I am one of them : Then said he , you must go with me , and so brought him to the Mayor , who presently askt him , What he thought of the present Government ? I am not ( said he , bound to accuse my self , yet I do confesse to be one that holds forth a publick Testimony against the present Apostacy ▪ and came hither to stand with the Prisoners at their first Answer : Do you so saith the Mayor , then you shall keep them company in Prison , and so committed him to the Counter with the rest ; no Cause or Crime objected to him , nor had he any thing to accuse him off .

Having kept them about three weeks in prison , upon the 22. of the second moneth towards evening , Brother Day was sent for , and brought to their Sessions , coming before them , with his Hat on , they caused it to be pulled off , and commanded him to be put into the Goale among the Thieves and Murtherers : But the Keeper was more civill to him , and allowed him a better place : A little while after ▪ he was brought again to the Bar , and keeping his Hat on ( as before ) they took it off : whereupon he told them , he was no Quaker , but could very well give them civill respect : And therefore what he did now , in refusing to put off his Hat , it was to shew he could not own their Authority , and that they had basely and unworthily betrayed a most glorious and noble Cause ; yea and the Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation .

Having thus spoken , they Read his Charge , which was to this effect ; Having no fear of God before his eyes , nor in his heart , he had maliciously and devillishly with an open mouth , said that the Protector was a Jugler , and that he would prove it : And that the Protector was a Traitor , and no lawfull Magistrate either by God or man , unlesse by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen , &c. And then they asked him , Guilty , or not guilty ?

His Answer was that he did not well understand the quirts and punctilio's of their Law ; and in that respect being ignorant of their tricks , he knew not how to Answer them ; but by that light and grace which the Lord had given him in his holy Word , he would Answer them ; which Word ▪ said he must judge both you and me : You pretend your selves to be Christians , and will yee deny me that which Heathens did grant unto Paul ; then he produced Acts 23. 35. Whereupon they had some debate about the Scriptures , which Judge Newdegate called Bibble , babble ; bibble ▪ babble ; and commanded him to be silent : But he would not ▪ then he bid them to Gag him two or three times , the Brother for ▪ all that spoke boldly to them , and told them he was not guilty ▪ of any Treason 〈◊〉 towards 〈…〉 men , neither to his Countrey ; nor had he betrayed his trust as they had done , and so were not competent Judges to try him : For , saith he , you are not such as Fear God , men of truth , hating Coveteousnesse , according to Exod. 18. 21. For if you were , you would not have betrayed so noble a Cause : for which thousands of Gods children have laid down their lives , besides many thousands of our dear country-men have spilt their blood . And in this regard , he told them , that it was more fit that they should come down from the Bench and stand at the Bar where he was ; and he and such as had been faithfull to the Interest of Christ and his People , sit there and Judge them .

Moreover , he told them , that he was not their match , being a very ignorant creature as to the knowledge of their Laws ; but Mr. Prin who is known to be an able Lawyer ( as most men in the Nation ) hath lately written a Book , and set his name to it , Printed in this year 1658. In which Book he saith , that you and the Court are all Vsurpers , have set up a new Vsurped Power , are Thieves and Robbers , have committed the highest Treason , and do act against all laws both of God and the Land . And whereas you pretend to charge me by Act of Parliament , he tels you in the same Book , it was but a pretended Parliament and a mock Parliament , and by the Acts of Lawfull Parliaments they were all Traitors ; withall he desired them ▪ that he might read some part of the Book to them ( for he had the Book in his hand at the Bar ) but they would not suffer him : Moreover he told them , he was perswaded ▪ that they themselves did know in their Consciencies that Cromwell was a Jugler , but self Interest had blinded them . In conclusion , he told them , if he knew his own heart , he could freely be hanged upon a Gallows as high as Hamon was ( the Lord assisting him ) for this glorious Cause which they had betrayed . But here they put a stop , and did run with violence upon him , and one endeavoured to stop his mouth ▪ Whereupon he was fain to give him a blow upon the breast , his name was Brisco ( as they say ) one of the Jaylors : Then the Bench caused some to search his Pockets , and took away M. Prins book ; they asked him sundry questions , but he told them he came not there to answer Questions : Neverthelesse ( saith he ) seeing you are so full of questions : I pray answer me this Question : Whether you that stand for a single Person , and own him in his Government : or I that am against a single person , are by Acts of Parliament the greatest Traitors ? But instead of Answering this Question , they cryed , take him away from the Bar , away with him .

The next day in the morning called Friday , our Brother Day was brought again to the Bar , the Charge being read , they askt him Guilty or not ? He told them ( as before ) he understood not their Punctilios in the law ; and therefore knew not whether it might be safe for him to Answer them in their way , because it was so contrary to the Scriptures ? Some of them replied , It was the manner and custome of the Court to proceed in such away . To which he made answer , that Customs and wayes , contrary to the holy Scriptures , among Christians ought not to stand : And I would rather ( said he ) loose my life , than own any of your proceedings or laws , that are against the word of God ; If the Lord stand by me . Now when he perceived the Court to act so contrary and opposite to the Laws of God ; and seeing Alderman Titchbourn upon the Bench , he called him by name and spake to him ; you are ( saith he ) a Church member and one of the Bench , how durst you deny me the way of Scriptures ? To which he replyed , You ought to own the Powers , for all powers are of God : the other made answer out of Hosea 8. 4. You set up Kings but not by me , and make Princes but I knew it not ▪ Further he told him of his new upstart Lordship , and what a fearfull Apostacy he and others were fallen into : Titchbourn told him there were fifteen sworn men to do him right . Then , said he , I require that my Accusers may come face to face , and I will Answer to my Charge , that is , prove Oliver Cromwell a Jugler by his own confession . But they prest him still to say guilty or not ? and then he should plead .

When he saw they would not bring forth any ▪ Witnesses against him , he told them he had much to say against the Mayor , for false imprisoning him ; and how he fetcht him away from a Meeting ▪ with Bils and Staves , being peaceably together in worshipping the Lord ; and so broke the Peace of the Nation , and not he , nor the Brethren with him ; for which he expected satisfaction . Besides , for that Warrant whereby they kept him three weeks in prison , it had no more Law in it than a Horse ; and having the Warrant by him , he desired to read it in their open Court ; but they would not suffer him to read one word of it . Whereupon he told them that they proceeded not onely against him contrary to the Scriptures , but also against the poore Prisoners , and that they sate there not like Judges , but rather as Murtherers ; and to prove this , he desired that he might read some Scriptures to them ; For by the strength of God ( said he ) I will make this , which I affirm most clear , by the word of God : But they would not suffer him to read that Scripture in Exod. 22. 1 , 2 , 3. When he saw they would not indure to have any thing mentioned to them from the Scriptures ; he told them , he desired to have nothing to do with them , seeing they would not take the word of God for their rule and guide : And did wonder for what end they sate there ? It was Answered by some ▪ they sate there to maintain the Laws of the Nation , and to do Justice . If it be so , said he , will ye give me under your hands , if I prove Oliver Cromwell a Jugler by substantiall Witnesses , will ye bring him here to the Bar , and do Justice upon him . He told them withall , he did wonder they were not ashamed to read such a pack of lies against him : Then they bid take him away .

His third and last triall was on the seventh day : At this time Brother Rogers went with him and stood by him at the Bar : And because some friends had been with him that morning , desiring him to plead , and that they would come in as witnesses to prove Oliver Cromwell a Jugler by his own Confession : His purpose was to joyn Issue with them as to the Inditement : Being at the Bar , he desired that he might have liberty to read a Scripture to them ▪ but it was denied ▪ and Judge Glyn told him , he might do that privately at home : Hereupon he askt what was the name of that Gentleman which spoke to him . It was answered , the Lord chief Justice Glyn. Then he desired to know how he came to sit there ; For I can ( saith he ) Prove him a Traitor by a * Declaration , exhibited against him , by Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army ; And desired that he might read it ; ( for he had it in his hand ) and he told him to his face , that he ought to stand where he was , meaning at the Bar , for betraying his Trust and Countrey , as it is in the Impeachment . But this would not be born ; and therefore they cryed ▪ take him away . Afterward he was brought again to the Bar , and was about to read the Impeachment of high Treason against Glyn ; but they would not suffer him : Then he told them he had * Twelve Witnesses to prove Oliver Cromwell a Jugler ; and desired some of them might be called into the Court , they being there to give in their Evidence for him upon Oath . But the Recorder presently pronounceth Sentence against him , which was , Five hundred pound Fine , and Twelve moneths imprisonment , without Bail or Mainprise , and then not to come out without giving security for his good Behaviour . He told them it was very strange , that they would give judgment against him , before they had heard him ; neither suffer him to plead for himself , nor admit that he should have the Copy of his Indictment . But they commanded the Officers to take him away , and would not suffer him to speak any more to them . It is observable in all their proceedings , they never produced any one Witnesse against him , though he called often upon them for it ; neither was there a Jury that past upon his Cafe , but onely gave Sentence upon him by their own will and power .

For the other 7. Prisoners , which remained in the Counter , they were all sent for to appear at the Sessions , upon the 23 day called Friday : These were carried from the Counter to the three Cranes ▪ a Tavern neer the Sessions house : They had not been there above one hour or two , but Brother Clark was sent for , who coming into Court with his hat on ▪ they caused it to be taken off ; after a little space , he was called to the Bar , and having his hat on again , it was taken from him as before : Then they read his Charge , which was to this purpose ; Having not the fear of God before his eyes , nor in his heart , he had devillishly and maliciously said that the present Government is not of God , and that he was called of God to witnesse against it ; and that he endeavoured to draw away the good affections of the people from the present Government , &c. Then They asked him , guilty or not ?

His Answer was , he knew not what they meant : They asked him again , Guilty or not guilty ? Then he replyed , if I should say I am guilty , I should tell you a lye : Again , if I should say I am not guilty ( that is , have not spoken some words which are in the Charge ) I should also tell a lye : And therefore told them plainly , if they would take out something , which was in the Indictment ; for the rest he would own , namely , That this present Power was not of God , and that he is called of God to witnesse against it . Having so said , it was read , for that time , apart from the rest ; whereupon he tels them presently : Now saith he I will prove by Scripture what I have affirmed : Here the Recorder stops him , and tels him he will save him that labor , unto which the prisoner replies , what I say , you in your consciences know to be so ? Then they bid him to stand by . After a while , he was called again , and his Charge read again ; and they asked him ( as before ) guilty or not guilty ? He told them according to severall Acts of Parliament , they were guilty of High Treason : He had the Acts in his hand , and would have read them in the open Court : At this they seemd to be extreamly troubled ▪ and turned about , and whispered one to another . But putting the best face they could upon it , they come into their old way again , asking him Guilty or not guilty ? He kept still to his former Plea , namely , as for the bulk of the Indictment he was not guilty ; for through Grace he had the fear of God both before his eys and in his heart : But for the rest , what he had spoken , he would stand to : Then they told him he should come to a Tryall ; and so for the present dismissed him , and he was brought to the Presse-yard . He was no sooner come to that prison , but immediately they sent for him again by the common Hang-man ▪ and was brought to the Bar : Then they called forth their Witnesses to swear against him , which was the Marshall of the City , whose name they say is Marshall , and the other the Mayors Clerk as was reported : The cause being now left with the Jury ; The prisoner takes occasion to inform them how the matter stood between his persecutors and him ; and speaks to them to this purpose : I was ( saith he ) fetcht away from Coleman street with Haldberts and Staves , where we were peaceably met together , & solemnly calling upon the name of the Lord ; As for these words , which they now charge me with , they were spoken at the Mayors house a day and a night after my imprisonment . I do confesse when I was brought before the Mayor , he asking me what I thought of the present Government ? I told him I might chuse whether I would answer him in this particular or no : yet this I would say to him , what their own Declarations do speak out to the world , and their two Engagements do say , and what their Acts of Parliaments do say , which I have here in my hands , that do I say and Witnesse for . And further I told the Mayor , that this Power was not of Gods approbation , and gave these scriptures for it , Hos. 8. 2 , 4. 1 Sam. 8. 6 , 7. Am. 6. 13. After this he began to touch upon the rise of their Government , how their Instrument was drawn up by 5. or 6. persons , and was he proclamed Protector unknown to the Nation ; neither had the Army or people of God knowledge of it , or consented to it . And for those which went to Westminster hall at the same time , most of them knew nothing of the matter till they came thither : Besides what was there done , was contrary to their own Oaths , Declarations and Acts of Parliaments . At this the Recorder startled , and was much troubled , that he touched upon the rise of their Government ; but he went on mentioning the words of Moses , who wished that all the Lords people were Prophets : Now howsoever , said he , you are pleased to say , that I have not the fear of God , yet through mercy I know otherwise ; to wit , that I have in some measure the Spirit of God in me ▪ by which Spirit I am both allowed , and enabled to bear my Witnesse against the great Wickedness and Abominations of this Apostatising Generation .

Thus far he spake without much interruption : Then begun the Recorder to speak to the Jury , and told them howsoever the Prisoner had spoken so and so for himself ; yet they were to consider , that under a pretence of Conscience , a great deal of wickednesse is committed : To which the Prisoner replied , Let Baal speak for himself : What do you say , said the Recorder ? I say ( said he ) let Baal pleade for himself .

After this the Jury went aside , and in a very little time returned again , and brought in their Verdict ▪ which was , That they found not the Prisoner guilty of the Indictment , but for two or three words ▪ which he had spoken and brought scripture for it , that they did not quit him off , for he had confest them , and stood to the justification of them . The Bench at this were much dissatisfied , and a great stir there was , but the Jury stood to it ; and some of them openly said , If ye like not this Verdict , then looke some where else , for we have no more to say to you , nor any thing more against the Prisoner ; & so broke up : the Bench-men and the Jury seeming very much displeased each with other .

The next day being the 24 of the same moneth , he was brought again to the Bar : And howsoever the night before he was quitted by the Jury , as to the Indictment ; yet the Recorder pronounced this Sentence against him , viz. A Fine of two hundred Marks , and to lie six moneths in prison without Bail or Mainprise , and afterward not to come forth without giving security for his good Behaviour . Something he would have spoken , but could not be suffered ▪ as to know how Mr. Glyn came to sit there , but they carried him away immediately to prison .

The other six remained all Satturday in Newgate till about eight or nine of the Clock at Night , and then they were all sent for to the Sessions , Brother Feake , brother Goodgroom and severall more of their Christian Friends , went with the prisoners to the Court : Being there , they made Proclamation , that if any man in City or Country had any thing against John Cann , and others then named as either Treason , Murther , Fellony ( and severall other things ) should appear , &c. No sooner had they read it , but presently , they cryed out , ye are discharged of the Court . Mr. Cann desired that he might have liberty to speak a few words . The Mayor told him , he was quitted , and desired him to forbear . I pray you Sir , said he , give me the liberty which the Heathen gave Paul , when he was before them . But by no means would they suffer him to speak , though he earnestly entreated them three or foure severall tunes : But still told him the Court had discharged them ; and so there was nothing more to be said .

One of the Prisoners seeing they would not suffer Mr. Cann to speak , asked of the Mayor wherefore they had imprisoned them above three weeks , and now told them they had nothing against them : If ye were men ( said he ) fearing God , and hating Coveteousnesse , you would not have dealt so with us ; but I see you are corrupt and your courses too : For speaking thus , the Mayor commanded that he should be stayed , and to carry him to the Baledock , where he was kept a while , and having some of the Armies Declarations about him , ( published at Muscleborrow in Scotland ) he dispersed them as he stood there : With this Alderman Titchbourn was presently made acquainted , and calls for the Prisoner , asking him how he durst disperse such Seditious Books ? The other replyed , how Seditious ! I am sure your self did once own them : but that is nothing now ; they are Seditious , and to prison he must go ; and indeed was carried to Newgate , where he is kept a prisoner to this day .

I had ended here the Narrative , but that the Weekly Pamphleteer occasions me to speak a little more . In his Sessions News , he tells us of eight men which were brought from the Counter , called Fift Monarchy men : the chief of which Faction were Wentworth Day and John Clarke , both which were Indicted for speaking reproachfull malicious and scandalous words against his Highness the Lord Protector upon which they were found guilty , &c. Had there been any Conscience or honesty in the man , he would not have abused the Nation as he hath done ; but given a true Intelligence : As 1. have told us where they were taken and how ? but this he durst not do . 2. How they were cast into prison without any offence or crime committed . 3. Why had he not set down what their Reproachfull and Malitious words were , and where they were spoken ? 4. How durst he say , they were found guilty , seeing the one was quitted by the Jury , and the other had no Jury passed upon him , nor any witnesses produced ? 5. Why had he not put it into his News , how the Lord Mayor came with Halberts and Staves and pluckt a Minister out of the Pulpit , as he was in the worship of God , and having kept him more than three weeks in prison , dismisseth him by Proclamation in open Court , telling him that he had nothing against him .

But for this Needham Mr. John Goodwin hath given a sufficient Character of him . He is ( saith he ) Faex hominum & faex Causarum , an infamous and unclean person , next to the Hangman ; a man that curseth whatsoever God blesseth , & blesseth whatsoever God curseth ; this Witnesse is true : But a person the more fit for the imployment he hath , and the Master he serves .