An Account of Quaker Sufferings in New England by Edward Burrough

A Declaration of Quaker Sufferings in New England by Edward Burrough (1661)

A DECLARATION Of some part of the SUFFERINGS of the People of God (in scorn called QUAKERS) from the Professors in NEW-ENGLAND, Only for the Exercise of their Consciences to the Lord, and Obeying and Confessing to the TRUTH,  as in his Light he had discovered it to them.

1. Two Honest and Innocent Women stripped stark naked, and searched after such an inhumane manner, as modesty will not permit particularly to mention.
2. Twelve Strangers in that Country, but free-born of this Nation, received twenty three Whippings, the most of them being with a Whip of three Cords, with Knots at the ends, and laid on with as much strength as they could be by the Arm of their Executioner, the stripes amounting to Three hundred and seventy.
3. Eighteen Inhabitants of the Country, being free-born English, received twenty three Whippings, the stripes amounting to two hundred and fifty.
4. Sixty four Imprisonments of the Lords People, for their obedience to his Will, amounting to Five hundred and nineteen weeks, much of it being very cold weather, and the Inhabitants kept in Prison in harvest time, which was very much to their losse; besides many more Imprisoned, of which time we cannot give a just account.
5. Two beaten with Pitched Ropes, the blows amounting to an hundred thirty nine, by which one of them was brought near unto death, much of his body being beat like unto a jelly, and one of their own Doctors, a Member of their Church, who saw him, said, It would be a Miracle if ever he recovered, he expecting the flesh should rot off the bones; who afterwards was banished upon pain of death.

There are many Witnesses of this there.

6. Also, an Innocent man, an Inhabitant of Boston, they banished from his Wife and Children, and put to seek a habitation in the Winter ; and in case he returned again, he was to be kept Prisoner during his life : and for returning again, he was put in Prison, and hath been now a Prisoner above a year.
7. Twenty five Banishments, upon the penalties of being whipt, or having their Ears cut; or branded in the Hand, if they returned.
8. Fines laid upon the Inhabitants for meeting together, and edifying one another, as the Saints ever did; and for refusing to swear, it being contrary to Christ’s Command, amounting to about a Thousand pound, besides what they have done since, that we have not heard of ; many Families, in which there are many Children, are almost ruined, by these unmerciful proceedings.
9. Five kept Fifteen dayes (in all) without food, and Fifty eight dayes shut up close by the Jaylor, and had none that he knew of; and from some of them he stopt up the windows, hindring them from convenient air.
10. One laid Neck and Heels in Irons for sixteen hours.
11. One very deeply burnt in the right hand with the letter H. after he had been whipt with above Thirty stripes.
12. One chained the most part of Twenty dayes to a Logg of wood in an open Prison in the Winter-time.
13. Five Appeals to England, denied at Boston.
14. Three had their right Ears cut by the Hangman in the Prison, the Door being barred, and not a Friend suffered to be present while it was doing, though some much desired it.
15. One of the Inhabitants of Salem, who since is banished upon pain of Death, had one half of his House and Land seized on while he was in Prison, a month before he knew of it.
16. At a General Court in Boston, they made an Order, That those who had not wherewithal to answer the fines that were laid upon them (for their Consciences) should be sold for Bond-men, and Bond-women to Barbados, Virginia, or any of the English Plantations.
17. Eighteen of the People of God were at several times banished upon pain of Death, six of them were their own Inhabitants, two of which being very aged people, and well known among their Neighbours to be of honest Conversations, being Banished from their Houses and Families, and put upon Travelling and other hardships, soon ended their dayes ; whose Death we can do no lesse than charge upon the Rulers of Boston, they being the occasion of it.
18. Also three of the Servants of the Lord they put to Death; all of them for obedience to the Truth, in the Testimony of it against the wicked Rulers and Laws at Boston.
19. And since they have banished four more, upon pain of Death; and twenty four of the Inhabitants of Salem were presented, and more Fines called for, and their Goods seized on, to the value of Forty pounds, for meeting together in the fear of God, and some for refusing to swear.

These things (O King) from time to time we have patiently suffered, and not for the transgression of any Just or Righteous Law, either pertaining to the Worship of God, or the Civil Government of England, but simply and barely for our Consciences to God, of which we can more at large give Thee (or whom thou mayest order) a full Account (if Thou wilt let us have admission to Thee, who are Banished upon pain of Death, and have had our Ears cut, who are, some of us, in England attending upon Thee) both of the Causes of our Sufferings, and the Manner of their disorderly and illegal Proceeding against us ; Who begun with Immodesty, went on in Inhumanity and Cruelty, and were not satisfied until they had the Blood of three of the Martyrs of JESUS: Revenge for all which we do not seek, but lay them before Thee, considering Thou hast been well acquainted with Sufferings, and so mayest the better consider them that suffer, and mayest for the future restrain the Violence of these Rulers of New-England, having Power in Thy hands ; they being but the Children of the Family, of which Thou art Chief Ruler ; Who have in divers of their Proceedings forfeited their Patent ; as upon a strict Inquiry in many particulars will appear.

And this, O King, we are assured of, that in time to come it will not repent Thee, if by a Close Rebuke Thou stoppest the Bloody Proceedings of these Bloody Persecutors ; for in so doing, Thou wilt engage the hearts of many honest People unto Thee, both there and here ; and for such Works of Mercy, the Blessing is obtained, and shewing it, is the way to prosper.

Besides long Imprisonments, and many cruel Whippings, Had our Ears cut, Besides many long Imprisonments, divers cruel Whippings, with the seizing on our Goods, are Banished upon pain of Death, and some of us do wait here in England, and desire that we may have an Order to Return in Peace to our Families.

Here follovveth a brief Relation of the Bloody Sentence of Death, passed on Three of the Servants of the Lord, by John Endicothj; viz. William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, and Mary Dyar ; And also the Manner of their Execution at Boston in New-England.

WIlliam Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson, two Servants of the Lord, called Quakers, were imprisoned in Boston in New-England ; and at the beginning of the 7th Month, 59. They were called before the Court of Assistance, by whom they both were Sentenced to be Banished upon pain of Death ; yet notwithstanding the Sentence aforesaid, they made a Decree to have William Robinson whipt, and Commanded the Constable to get an able man to do it ; which thing being accomplished, they caused William Robinson to be brought into the open Street, and there stript him ; and having put his Hands through the holes of a Carriage of a great Gun, where the Goaler (a Member of their Church) held him till the Executioner gave him twenty stripes with a Threefold Cord-whip, with Knots at the ends ; which stripes were laid on in a violent manner, according to the Desire of some of the Blood-thirsty Rulers, who commanded him to be Whipt severely ; whereupon he, together with his fellow-Sufferer, M. S. were shortly after Released : Yet it being laid upon them from the Lord not to depart that Jurisdiction, they in obedience thereunto passed abroad, and had great Service for the Lord within the Jurisdiction aforesaid, many being by them convinced of the Evil of their wayes ; for the Power and Presence of the Lord of Life was with them to the confounding of their Enemies.

And upon the 13th of the 8th Month, it being upon them so to do, they Returned again to Boston, where they, with seven other Friends, were Apprehended, and cast all of them into Prison: But William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson were delivered to the Custody of the Goaler to be kept in Chains in a Room by themselves, which accordingly was done, and they had Chains laid upon their Right Leggs.

But the next Week, on the 20th of the 8th Month, 1659; William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, and Mary Dyar of Rhode Island, were had into the Court, where John Endicot, with others of the Council, were Assembled ; And being called to the Bar, John Endicot Commanded the Keeper to pull off their Hats, which accordingly was done : Then John Endicot began to speak unto them very faintly, as a man possessed with much fear, in these words, That they had made several Lawes, and tryed and endeavoured by several wayes to keep them (i.e. the Quakers) from amongst them ; and neither Whipping, nor Imprisoning, nor Cutting off Ears, nor Banishing upon pain of Death, would not keep them from amongst them: And further said, He or They desired not the Death of any of them: Yet notwithstanding, his following words were, Give eare and hearken to your Sentence of Death; which words (as was said before) passed from him very faintly. Then William Robinson desired that he might give them an Accompt of the Cause and Reason, why after Banishment upon pain of Death, they stayed in their Jurisdiction: But John Endicot being filled with fury, would not permit it to be done ; but soon after in Envy called W. R. by his Name, and said unto him, Hearken to your Sentence of Death : William Robinson, this is your Sentence, You shall be had back to the place from whence you came, & from thence to the place of Execution, to be hanged on the Gallows till you are dead ; And then soon after the Goaler was called to have him away; which accordingly was done.

Soon after William Robinson was taken out of the Court; his dear Brother and fellow-Sufferer, Marmaduke Stevenson being present; The Governour being partial, spoke unto him, saying, If you have anything to say, you may speak ; but he was silent and gave no Answer: whereupon Sentence was pronounced against him also in these words, You shall be had to the place from whence ye came, and from thence to the Gallows, and there to be Hanged till you are Dead.

Whereupon these words were uttered forth by M. Stevenson, Give ear ye Magistrates, and all who are Guilty; for this the Lord hath said concerning you, who will perform his Promise upon you, That same Day you put his Servants to Death, shall the Day of your Visitation pass over your Heads, and you shall be Cursed for evermore ; The mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it: Therefore in love to you all, take Warning before it be too late, that so the Curse may be removed; for assuredly, if you put us to Death, you will bring Innocent Blood upon your own heads, and swift destruction will come upon you: After which words were spoken, he was had to Prison again to his Brother W. Robinson.

The like Sentence was also passed against Mary Dyar, (after they were taken away) by John Endicot, in these words, Mary Dyar, You shall go to the place from whence you came, namely the Prison, and from thence to the place of Execution, and there to be Hanged until you are Dead: Whereupon she made Answer, The Will of the Lord be done. Then Command was given to the Marshal to take her away ; she returned Answer, Yea, and joyfully I go: And in her Passage to the Prison she often used Speeches of Praise to the Lord for the same; and spoke to the Marshal to let her go alone, for she would go to the Prison without him : The Marshal Answered, I believe you Mris Dyar, but I must do what I am Commanded.

This is a short and true Relation of the Sentence passed upon them, not for evildoing, but only for bearing their Testimony against all manner of Wickedness, and testifying to the Truth as it is in Jesus, keeping their Consciences clear both towards God and Man.

Now Concerning the Martyrdom of these Three Servants of the Lord ; I shall give a short and true Relation.

The 27th day of the same Month, was the day appointed that they were to be Executed, having notice thereof given them the Night before, which accordingly was done; For on the 27th day, being the 5th day of the Week, in the latter part thereof, after their Lecture (so called) was done; William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson were had forth of the Prison into the open Street, where James Oliver was Captain over a Band of Armed Men, by information 200,. which were prepared to Guard them to, and at the place of Execution, with Drums, and Colours, and Halberds, Guns, Swords, Pikes, &c. besides many Horsemen to keep off the Multitude of People: The two dear Lambs being placed near the hinder part, the chief Marshal and Drummer next before them; Then Command being given to march to the Place of Execution, W. Robinson spake these words saying, This is your Hour and the power of Darkness; Then the Drummer made a Noise with his Drum, and shortly ceased again; Then Marmaduke Stevenson said, This is the Day of your Visitation, wherein the Lord hath visited you: Other words being spoke not understood by reason of the sound of the Drum: So they walked along in pure retired Chearfulness to the Place of Execution, triumphing in the strength of the Lamb, over all the wrath of man, and fury of the Beast, in the pure retired Heavenly Dominion of the Invisible God.

And when they came to the Ladders-foot, they took their leave each of other; and William Robinson stept up the Ladder, and spake to the People, saying, This is the Day of your Visitation wherein the Lord hath visited you; This is the Day the Lord is Risen in his Mighty Power to be Avenged on all his Adversaries: And the Rope being about his Neck, as he spake, the Executioner bound his Hands and Leggs; and his Neck-cloth being tyed about his Face, he said, Now ye are made Manifest : So the Executioner being about to turn him off the Ladder, he said, I Suffer for Christ, in whom I live, and for whom I die.

So he being turned off, Marmaduke Stevenson went up the Ladder, and spake to the People, saying; Be it known unto all this Day, that we Suffer not as Evil-Doers, but for Conscience sake; And as the Executioner was about to turn him off, these words he expressed, This Day shall we be at Rest with the Lord. Thus the faithful Witnesses sealed their Testimony for the Lord against the Dragons Power, and blessedly departed with Praises in their mouths, entering joyfully with their Beloved into Everlasting Rest.

This Accompt was sent from Plimouth in New-England by Peter Peirson.

Mary Dyar having received the same Sentence, only for coming a second time to Boston to visit her imprisoned Brethren there, was with them carried to the place of Execution; and after they two were executed, she stept up the Ladder, and had her Coats tyed about her feet, and the Rope put about her neck; and as the Hangman was ready to turn her off, they cryed out, Stop, for she was Reprieved, and having loosed her feet, bad her come down; but she was not forward to come down, but stood still, saying, She was there willing to suffer, as her Brethren did, unless they would null their wicked Law; but they pulled her down, and a day or two after carried her by force out of Town.