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alarmed us a good deal; but we had nothing to do but wait patiently, in hopes Providence would point out fome way for our escape. Q. Did you difcover any of the defendants active? A. We were afraid to go near the windows. Between 8 and 9 o'clock, a mellage was fent us by fome perfons in the town, importing that if we would promife never to come there any more, they would undertake that we should go unhurt." I answered, "We believed, it to be our duty to preach in that place, and as the Laws of our Land protected us, we could make no such promise: and added, that it thofe perfons had any influence on the mob, they ought to difperfe them without engaging us to make fuch a promife:" the man went out with this anfwer; and foon after the ftones flew with greater violence than before, thro' all the windows,

Between

9 and 10 o'clock at night, Mr. Blake, the man of the houfe, came up flairs, where we were ftanding for fhelter behind a ftack of chimnies, and informed us, There was one of the Church-wardens below, who wished to speak with us. We went down and found William Smith, the Defendant.

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Q. Which Smith? A. The Farrier. There are two William Smiths, one of them is a Farrier, and the other a Carpenter: It was William Smith, the Farrier. I informed him of the dif agreeable fituation we were in, and the very uncivil treatment we had met with; and obferved, that we came only to worship GoD, in which the Laws of our Country protected us; we injured no one, and it was very ftrange they wished to interrupt us. He anfwered, "He had nothing to do with that, he only came to make one propofal."

Q. What was that? A. "If we would promise never to come there any more, he would interfere with the mob, and we fhould go free." I replied, "It was his duty to interfere with the: mob without fuch a promise, and that we were in danger of losing our lives." He acknowledged we were in danger; and only faid "What can be done with a mob?" I obferved alfo," that they had greatly damaged the house, and probably the expence would fall upon the Parish, for which he ought to have some concern, if he had none for our lives!" "As to that, he faid, he had. nothing to do with it; and if we would not make that promise, we must take the confequences." Q. Did he go away then? A. While we were converfing with him, there were two or three ftones came into the room; upon which he faid, "Why, what do they mean by this! they will knock one's brains out! cannot they be quiet while I am here?" Upon which he immediately went to the door and ordered; them to defift.

Q. And did they? A. Yes, immediately, and threw no more while he was in the house. He returned into, the room, and a defultory converfation took place nearly the fame as before. Then he went out, and as he was going through the shop, he faid,

"No..

No Juftice will undertake your caufe," John Blake replied, We must then go to a Lawyer.' Judge. Who is John Blake? A, The mafter of the house, my lord. We then went up ftairs to the place of retreat, where we had been before, and Samuel Barker going to the window to fee what they were doing in the street, he heard them fay (juft as William Smith went out) "now we have full liberty to pull down the houfe." As the night came on, it is impoffible to describe the horror of our situation; the noife of the flones upon all the floors, the crafhing of the windows, and the curfes, oaths, and clamour of the mob, was fo great, that we who were in the house could scarce hear each other fpeak. By this uncommon difturbance, Mr. Blake's children were very much frightened.

Q. How many children has he? A. Five fmall children: The terror they were in was fo great, that we feared they were going into fits, they cried fo exceflively, particularly one little girl about feven years old. We endeavoured to quiet them, but as every fucceffive ftone renewed their fright, and these came fo frequent, it was all in vain. The poor woman feeing her children in this situation, was extremely diftreffed, and fhed floods of tears over them for a long time.

Q. She wept abundantly for her five children, you say?

A. Yes, Sir. The children were removed into a kind of paffage behind a ftack of chimnies, for fhelter from the ftones, but as they continued crying fo exceffively, Mr. Blake removed them to the barn, where he laid them in a crate of straw, and covered them up, leaving his wife to watch over them. It being now dark (at least within doors,) we thought it necessary to barracade the doors as well as we could, for the ftones came fo rapidly through the windows, and the noife at the doors was fo great, that we expected they would break in every moment. Thus it continued till near ten o'clock, when John Blake came up ftairs, and faid, they were threatening to burn the houfe!" Upon which I went to the window, creeping close to the wall, to avoid the ffones, and looking out, I faw fome fire among them, refembling a brand, from whence fparks iffued. This, after what Mr. Blake had related, alarmed us exceedingly being fo late at night, and the men not returned, we concluded they were preparing to execute their horrid threatenings, and we knew not what to do. But the men foon after returning with a warrant from Dr. Wakeham, which they delivered to the conftable, and then climbing over the yard gates, informed us what they had done. About a quarter of an hour after, a meffage was fent to inform us that the mob was difperfed, and we were at liberty to go. But we were fo terrified, that we were afraid to go out alone; and therefore fent word back, that we could not think of going, unless a conftable came to guard us; accordingly one of them came, and we fet off about half past ten o'clock for Weathersfield. He went about half way with us; and as we saw no perfon, we then dif

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miffed him, and arrived at our lodgings between eleven and twelve at night.

Mr. JENKINS cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant BOND. Serjeant Bond. Well, Mr. Jenkins, you are a Minifter of the Gofpel? A. Yes, Sir.

Q. Are you licenfed to preach ? :
Q. Where are you licensed to preach ?

A. Yes.

A. I am licensed by the Law as a preacher, and I am allowed to preach among all the Methodist focieties.

Q. Who licensed you? A. I took the oaths at Bedford. A. The oaths of allegiance, &c.

Q. What oaths?

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Q. What brought you to this place, Bardfield? A. John Blake fent word he fhould be glad if I would come and preach

there.

A. The room

A. There

Q. Now he is a baker; what is this houfe ?: we ufually preached in was the room where he baked his bread. Q. What is the front room; a fhop or a parlour? are two rooms in front, one is a fhop the other a parlour. Q. Here it was you came on Sunday the 14th. of July? Who came with you ?” 'A. William Heath, and Samuel Barker. Q. Is Heath another Minifter? A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember meeting the daughter of Mr. Cole on the road that morning? A. No.

Q. Don't you remember meeting with a little girl about twelve or thirteen ?. A. No, Sir.

Q. Nothing of that fort? Will you fwear that you met no young woman that morning, a girl, a child? A. To the best my recollection we met with no one, but I will not be positive at this diftance of time.

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Q. But I mean, did you converfe. with no girl upon the road? A. No Sir; I am fure I converfed with no perfon, man, woman, or child, all the way, except at a friend's houfe where we called. O. Who is that friend P A. Mr. Stock.

And are you fure you talked to no one? A. Yes, I am fure we talked to neither man, woman, nor child, all the way. Q. Did you come there every Sunday about that time?

A. We changed as the fervice at the church changed; but

fince then we have gone every forenoon.

Q. How many were there in your congregation at that time? A. About twenty.

A. No.

Q. Was the wife of Mr. Perry there?
Q. Was not the locked up there, and her husband wanted her?
A. No, Sir; there was no perfon locked up that I know of.
Q. You don't know any of thefe perfóns? A. I asked the

names of fome.

Q. Then all you know of this Mr. Smith, you afked his name? A. Yes, Sir.

Q. Who

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Q. Who did you afk?

boule.

A. John Blake, the mafter of the

Q. Why, you know that Cole is indicted for an affault?
A. Yes, Sir.

Q. The very fame affault as mentioned now.

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A. Part of it.

Q. In how many places have you preached in this neighbourhood? A. At Weathersfield, Topsfield, and Shalford. Q. Nothing faid about your political principles ? A. No, nothing at all. They only faid, Blake had faid fomething dif refpectful of his majefty. I replied, "The Methodifts are a loyal people; and if he has done fo before we came, he has not fince; and if he is mended we ought to rejoice."

Q. You know he was charged with this, which feems to be one of the caufes of offence, was it not? A. I only knew by

report.

Q. Did not they bring it as a charge against him? was just mentioned..

Q. How juft mentioned ?

upon it.

A. It

A. They feemed to lay no stress

Q. But did not you grant it had been fo?

A. I only granted

it for argument's fake. I have often talked with him, and he has always expreffed an attachment to the King and Conftitution.

Q. Do you mean to fay that the whole objection to you was totally on account of your, religion? A. Yes, Sir, I fully believe it was.

Mr. Garrow. Mr. Jenkins, do you pray for his Majefty?
A. Yes, always.

JOHN BLAKE, the second witnefs, examined by Mr. GARROW. Q. Mr. Blake, you are the baker that lives at this place; where did you meet with thefe gentlemen that morning?

A. They came to my houfe on the 14th. of July about ten o'clock; and when they came, Thomas Cole came up to the window, curfing and fwearing, and faid, you have been difturbing my children, and frightening my little girl into fits.

Mr. Garrow. It is needlefs to go over the whole account again. You were in Court when Mr. Jenkins was examined; you have heard the account which he has given: Is that account true upon the oath you have taken A. I believe it is true.

Q. You know all these parties: Now, will you name to us fuch perfons as you faw were active in the mob? A. I will; William Dixon, William Hurd, Thomas Cole, Robert Holmes, William Stock, (interrupted by)

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smos blood Mr. Garrow. You have the names as they were flated in the indictment wub which you were before the grand jury where all the perfons, th there A. Yes. a vedibia Q: Will you hate their names? A. James Rumfey, ThoQ. mass mas Wilks Henty Britain, Sarah bis wife, Thomas Hith, Wright Dowcett, John Overall, William Ketleyi tovon 1.1.

BOY Q

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Q. Stop,

Q Stop, I will read them over to you as they ftand in the in dictment. [Reads them one by one,] Now, were all these persons there? A. Yes, Sir.

66

Q. Did any other perfon fay any thing to you? A. The woman faid to me, who was in the adjoining yard, "You are an obftinate man, and the fooner you turn the Minifters out, it will be better "for you; for as foon as it is dark they will be about your "houfe, and you cannot make your remarks who did it."

Mr. BLAKE cross-examined by Mr. TROWER. Mr. Trower. It was a piece of advice fhe gave. Mr. Blake, What are you? A. A Baker, Sir. Q. Where do you come from? A. From Bocking. Q. How long have you been at Bardfield ? Q. Were you always of the fame persuasion? Q. How long have you been converted, Sir?" don't know; that is a matter that comes on gradually; I must leave that to God.

A. Nine years.

A. No.
A. Why, I

Q. You don't know:-Give me leave to afk you, how long have you left the Gofpel in the church, to hear in your own houfe? I believe this gentleman came to your houfe upon your invitation? A. Why, I will tell you how it happened. I went to Weathersfield to feek for business, as I heard there was a baker gone from that place to America, and I could dispense with a little more cuftom. I applied to Samuel Barker, and he asked me where I came from; I told him from Bardfield. He afked me whether I should like the Methodist preachers to come there. 1 faid it was a very dark place.

Q. What do you mean by a dark place? A. Why, I mean, that they fcarcely knew good from evil, [a loud laugh.] Mr. Barker made anfwer, "there is the more need of preaching: I faid, that Bardfield was a defperate place, and I would not advife my friend to preach in the ftreet. But fays He, we must not mind perfecution, perhaps you can find a barn, or fome other room to preach in. I faid I would think on it. Mr, Robert Green alfo talked to me, and I knew the word of God fo well, that I knew what he said to be true; fo he came and paid a vifit at my houfe, and he intreated me to let him come to preach.

Mr. Garrow. So they came ? A. Mr. Jenkins came the Sunday morning following, the 12th of January, or thereabouts.

Mr. Trower. Had you ever any converfation with the inhabitants of Bardfield ? A. Yes, they did not like the preachers fhould come; they faid, "these are the people that want to overturn the churches;" and they called us "Levellers."

Q. Did you hear them? A. I heard them in the mob. Q. Did they fay any thing to you about it? Did not they speak about political difcourfes with you? A. No, not at that time. Q. Why did not they fay you had fpoken disrespectfully of the king? A. I never did.

Q. You

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