W. TAYLOR-JAMES. 391 " a frequent preacher, a laborious divine, a learned man in his profession, and a zealous and loyal pre;byterian.". Sonic JAMES.-This unfortunate man was minister to a baptist congregation which assembled in Bulstake-alley, Whitechapel, 6London, observing the seventh day as the sabbath. October 19, 1661, being assenibled for public worship, with the doors of their meeting-house open, they were interrupted by JusticeChardand Wood theheadborough, as Mr. James was preaching, whom they commanded in the king's name to be silent and come down, charging him with treason against his majesty. As Mr. James proceeded in his discourse without noticing their summons, the headborough approached him, and commanded him again to come down, or he would pull him down. The disturbance then became so great that he could not proceed, but told the headborough he would not come down except he was pulled down ; upon which he pulled himdown and dragged him away. Mr. James was charged by one Tipler, a man of base character, with uttering certain treasonable words in his sermon. The men and the women who were at the meeting were carried at the same time, by sevens, before four justices, then sitting at the Half-moon tavern; to whom they tendered the oath of allegi- ance, and committed those who refused, some to Newgate, and some to other prisons.+ Afterwards the justices assembled in the meeting-house, and sent for Mr. James. In the mean time the lieutenant of the Tower, pulling a paper out of his pocket, said, he would inform them what doctrine had that day been preached in that place. Upon the reading of this paper, certain women belonging to the meeting, and still detained, were asked how they could hear such things delivered ; to which they, in the fear of God, unanimously replied, " That they never heard such words, as they should answer it before the Lord, and they durst not lie." Nevertheless, upon the evidenceof this paper, taken from the mouth of Tipler, the prosecution of Mr. fames was founded. Whenhe was brought before the justices he underwent an examination ; and among other questions put to him were the following : When the lieute- nant asked him whether he had not been beforehim before, he answered, that he had. " And," said the lieutenant, Wood's Athena, vol. ii. p. 169. + Narrative of the Condemnationand Execution of.'Mr. James, p. 7, 8. Edit. 1662.
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