every perfon of difcernment muft obferve, that this declaration manifefted a high degree of ignorance, or wickedness, exifting fomewhere. 3. To encourage the Servants of the Moft High, to truft in him, and to fill their hearts with gratitude for the protection afforded us by the Laws, under our gracious King, in the exercife of that Liberty of Confcience, which is the unalienable Right of every rational Being. But if the Reader withes to have a proper view of the fpirit, and. temper of the Perfecutors at Great Bardfield, it is neceffary to be acquainted with a few circumftances which are not included in the trials. The perfecutors in the town, aided by one or two farmers in the neighbourhood, formed themselves into a Committee*, in order that they might proceed regularly and more effectually in their bad work. They concerted different modes of attack; that by the Mob was only one part of their plain; and the only one which they could bring to bear against the Preachers. In the town refided a worthy man, who from the pureft motives lent his houfe for the exercife of religious duties. He had a wife and five fmall children to maintain by his lawful calling, which was that of a baker, and by great industry and, frugality he had provided tolerably well for them. The Committee, in order to effect the ruin of the baker, advertifed in the public newspaper for one of the fame bufinefs to come and fet up in oppofi-, tion; and having obtained one, they supported him at a confiderable expence. But the former baker making, confeffedly, good bread, &c. they did not fucceed according to their fanguine expectations. The Committee then attempted to engage the whole town and parish in a combination not to trade with the baker. This fcheme they devoutly hoped would compleatly flarve the, poor man and his family, or compel him to renounce his Judgment and Confcience in Matters of Religion. Accordingly, a Writing was actually drawn up by fome perfon, and presented by the pr -n for approbation, propofing at the fame time that it fhould be copied upon flamped paper the next day, and figned by themselves, and as many as they could prevail upon to join with, them. In this nefarious Deed, they covenanted for themselves and their families, not to buy any thing of the poor man, under the penalty of ten fhillings for every offence committed by a mafter-tradefman or farmer, and five fhillings for every journeyman or labourer. Some of them, indeed, who have been spoken to upon the fubject, deny that the above infamous agreement was compleated; but they acknowledge that it was carried as far as has been rela ted. And supposing they laid aside the Deed through fear of * At the Head of this famous Committee was a p---r---n; the Body confifted of two fhop-keepers; an inn-keeper; a farrier, who was alfo church-warden; a farmer from Little-Bardfield, &c. expofing (5) expofing themselves to the cognizance of the Law, this has made no difference to the poor Man, because they have executed the principle and defign, of it, as far as they poffibly could. They not only refufed to buy any thing of him themfelves, but threatened to difcharge their workmen, if they dared to deal with him, or even attend the Methodist Preaching. When any of the Poor were detected in the commiffion of thefe henious crimes, they were inftantly threatened with the punishment of being excluded from all benefit arifing from the Poor Rates, or any charities that they had the management.of. Thefe threatenings fo terrified the Poor, who were already difpirited and rendered paffive by the ordinary treatment they generally met with from oppreffive men, that they were even afraid of the leaft intercourfe with the poor baker or his family, left they thould offend their mafters. The cafe of a poor woman who kept a fchool for children, is rather fingular, and evidently difcovers the malevolent difpofuion of this honourable. Committee: Exclufive of the fcholars who were paid for by their parents, the fchool-miftrefs had, the benefit. of a fmall legacy, which was left to the parish by a well-difpofed perfon, for the purpose of teaching a few poor children. To this tutorefs the baker fent, his little daughter, where the was always kindly and thankfully received. But when the orders of the Com mittee were iffued forth, the fchool-miftrefs abfolutely refufed to receive the child any more, alledging, as the only reason, that if fhe did, the p-r-n would take the charity fchool away from her. By thefe and fimilar acts of inhumanity, this chriftian Com mittee have endeavoured to starve an honeft, induftrious man and his family, or compel him to fin against his confcience. The perfecution by the Mob, terminated in about a month; but the; perfecution against the poor man and his family, has continued above a twelvemonth. What will the Popish Court of Inquifition think, when they fee themfelves fo far excelled in rage, injuftice, and cruelty, by men who are called PROTESTANTS! Ал An Account of the Trials at Chelmsford, &c. The KING verfus COLE, and feventeen others, for a Riot, &c. : Counsel for the Crown, Mr. Garrow and Mr. Grim wood: Attorney, Mr. Francis, of Colchester. Counsel for the Defendants, Serjeant Bond and Mr. Trower: Attorneys, Meffrs. Club and Wade. FTER Mr. Grimwood had ftated to his Lordship and the began with reprobating the fpirit of intolerance in general; obferving how dreadful it was for any fet of men to harrass their fellow-creatures on account of religion; to throw out their thunderbolts of vengeance, and "Deal damnation round the land "On all they deem'd their foe." "Gentleman," it is truly horrid (continued Mr. Garrrow) men encouraged in hunting down their fellow-creatures, only because they happen to differ in fome fhades of doctrine, or minutiæ of faith, not confidering that we are all the children of one common Father, and all the purchase of the fame Redeemer. Gentlemen, the profecutors have fuffered a great degree of perfecution, a perfecution which I have never had the misfortune to witness before; (and I have had now fome years experience, at least in the criminal courts,) which, if it have not ended in the deftruction of fome. of those who this day refort to you for protection, and which muft have dragged fome of the defendants into that court [pointing to the Crown Court,] is due to the providence of God, and not to, the humanity of the defendants. Gentlemen, let it be remembered, that the perfons who were perfecuted were attending to their devotions, and propagating that Gospel of Peace, of which they are the Minifters, and with this defign they went to Great Bardfield. They are a harmless, inoffenfive, quiet people. This place, from the profligacy of its inhabitants has long acquired the name of wicked Bardfield. They had no defign of interfering with the pious labours of those who have the cure of fouls in that part of the world, but believed that by going to preach the Gospel of Jefus there, they might forward the great caufe of their common Mafter. Is it to be fuppofed that any man has a right to lay down the doctrines or tenets, which a Minifter fhall preach when he comes into a Town? It is true, the Legiflature of this country thought thought proper to prevent the Church of Rome from infufing her doctrines in this country, because it was fuppofed there were too much connection between their religion and politics. But of late, much, if not all of that restraint, the legislature in its wifdom, has thought proper to remove. But with refpect to thofe who are proteftants, all that is required of them, is, that they fhall go through the ceremony of licencing themfelves, and their refpective places of worship, and conduct themfelves there as good citizens. Gentlemen, Would to God I could be fpared the pain of rea lating; the court be fpared the pain of hearing; and the county be fpared the difgrace of what follows! But as an advocate in this caufe, I feel I owe it as a debt to my clients; yea, I owe it as a debt to this county, and to my country at large; therefore, fhall proceed, Firft, to defcribe to you the perfons concerned in this affair. The profecutor is a perfon of the late Mr. JOHN WESLEY's perfuafion; a gentleman well known in this country; although perhaps none of you, any more than myself, are particularly acquainted with all Mr. Wefley's tenets; yet I doubt not but you are fo far acquainted with his Character, as to know this, that if fince the primitive days, there has been one of whom it might be faid, that "He went about doing good, the venerable Man, whose name I have prefumed to mention, (and who is now dead, therefore it cannot be deemed flattery) of all moderns, beft deserves that title. I am as little inclined perhaps as any of you, to change my Religion. My Father is a clergyman of the Church of England, and took great pains in my education, and I have never found that I could change it for a better. But it must be granted, Mr. Welley was not a perfon that went through the land to fpread confufion; he was not difpofed to go into the neighbourhood of others to fow diffentions and difcord. No: I have heard even fome of the Clergy of the Church of England fay, and declare it with fatisfaction too, that inftead of making any inroads in their parishes to do evil, where Mr. Wefley came he has been the means of reclaiming many from the error of their ways, who were above their hand. And this he did by the purity of his manners, the perfpicuity and energy with which he inculcated his doctrines, and by the fimplicity of thofe doctrines themfelves. men, These persons are the followers of that great man: they are men who have feparated themselves from fecular affairs, that they might spend their whole time in proclaiming the Gospel of the great Redeemer. Shall I fum up all in a word, they are what many of our forefathers gloried to be; they are what the predeceffors of the proudest prelate of the Church of England once were; they are a poor, a praying, and a preaching people. Gentlemen, The profecutor, who had fpent part of his life in the company of Mr. Wefley, did not go to Bardfield to make a dif turbance there: no; but with the pious defign that if peradven◄ Gentle ture " ture he might reclaim one poor wandering fheep to the fold of Chrift! The Gentleman who has the care of fouls there, I have not the pleasure of knowing, but have no doubt he does his duty. To this place the profecutor, together with several others, went on Sunday the 14th. of July in the laft year; (1793); they arrived there about half past ten o'clock in the forenoon, and as the toleration Aft protects them, they were, or ought to be, as much protected from inroads and infults, as the Bishop of London would be in Chelmsford. The fervice of the Chapel was to -begin at half paft ten. When thefe gentlemen came to the place, they found the people affembling about the door in a very tumultuous manner; Mr. Jenkins, the profecutor, opened the door, and addreffed the perfons who were there affembled, defiring to know what they had done that merited fuch treatment? He was answered, "We have a good church! You have no business here. The gentlemen don't like it." If they had been at the church, probably they would not (at leaft for the time, we would charita-bly hope) have been engaged in doing the devil's work. But inftead of going to this church about which they talked so much, they came to interrupt a set of peaceable men, who were about to praise God in their own way. But this gives great offence to this fort of gentry. Mob governments are bad governments at all times. We have feen the effects of them in a neighbouring country; and you may recollect this was a day that was celebrated as the third revolution of the French. Mobs are but bad fervants, but worse masters. Again, "The gentlemen don't like it! The gentlemen don't like it!" Who are the gentlemen that don't like it? What are their number? What are their refpectability? Is it the grand jury of the county? "The gentlemen don't like it!!" What will they like then? Are we to form our creed, not as it may please our own confciences, but as it may please fome great men in the parifh! No: God forbid, that this fhould be the Law of England! Let us fee whether it be within the reach of the powers of eloquence and ingenuity which my great and learned friend may ufe, to frame a more chriftian anfwer than was given to these ridiculous objections. The answer of Mr. Jenkins was this: "We don't come here to oppofe the church." We only come to worship God according to our confciences." "We come peaceably and ought not to be interrupted." thought that this addrefs, in the language of chriftian meekness and charity, would have difmiffed them, and the fervice of God might have been permitted to proceed; but they infifted that there they should not be ! One would have Again, let us contrast the character of the rioters with the character of those who were about to worship God according to their Every encomium, especially if we do not deferve it, fhould remind us of what we ought to deserve. Own |