758 'The HISTORY of the PuRITANS. VoL. H. King one hundred of which fince the year 168o. - In London, the gaol Ja~e~6.1 L of Newgate .has been crouded within thefe two years, fometimes with ~ near twenty 111 a room, whereby feveral have been fuffocated, and others, who have been taken out fick, have died of malignant fevers within a few days-- great violences, outragious dill:reifes, and woful havoc and fpoil have been made, on peoples goods and dl:ates, by a company of idle, ex– travagant, and mercilefs iliformers, by profecutions on the conventi clc aCl:, and others, as may be feen in the margin*· Alfo on qui tam writs, and on other procefies, for twenty pounds a month ; and two thirds of their eftates feized for the king - fome had not a bed left to reft upon ; o– thers had no cattle to till the ground, nor corn for feed or bread, nor tools to work with: The {aid informers and bailiffs in fame places breaking into houfes, and making great wall:e and fpoil, under pretence of ferving the king and the church. -- Our religious aifemblies have been charged at common law with being riotous routs, and di/furbances if the peace, whereby great numbers have been coofined in prifons, without regard to age or fex; and many in holes and dungeons - the feizures for twenty pounds a month have amounted to feveral thoufand pounds; fometimes they have feized for eleven months at once, and made fale of all goods and chattels both within doors and without for payment-- feveral who have employed fome hundreds of poor families in manufaCl:ure, · are by thofe writs and feizures difabled, as well as by long imprifonment; one in particular, who employed two hundred people in the woollen manu– faCl:ure -- Many i'?formers, and efpecially impudent women, whofe huf– bands are in prifon, fwear for their fbare of the profit of the feizures– the fines upon one juftice's warrant have amounted to many hundred pounds; frequently ten pounds a warrant, and five warrants together for fifty pounds to one man; and for non~payment, all his goods carried away in about ten .cart loads. They fpare neither widows nor fatherlefs, nor poor families ; '* The acts or penal laws on which they fuffered were thefe: Some few fuffered on the 27 Henry VIII. cap. 20. Others on I Eliz. cap. 2. "for twelve pence a Sunday. 5 Eliz. cap. 23. de excommu. capiendo. 23 Eliz. cap. 1. for zol. a month. 29 Eli". cap. 6. for more JPeedy and due execution of lajljlatutt, 35 Eliz. cap. I. for abjuring the realm, on pain. ofdeath. . 3 King ']anzes 1. cap. 4· for better ~ifcovermg and rcpref!ing popijb recujants, 13th and 14th of king Charles !I. agamll quakers, &c. tranfportatwn. 17 Charles II. cap. 2. agail!fl non ·conformi.Jls. 22 King Charles li. cap. I. again.Jlfeditious conventicles. nor N .B. The qunkers were not much afFeCl:ed with the cotporation and tejl atls, becaufe they would not take an oath. Nor with the 01ftrdjive mile afl, which cut the others to pieces.
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