66 



Murder in the Seventeenth Century. 



had been seen within the memory of man — their orderly character, 

 dividing" into two armies specially admirable, placed in two battle 

 lines, which indeed could be done by none but the Almighty. Here 

 we heartily agree; but disagree in the following conclusion, i( Thus 

 may we see God's justice in opposition to man's justice; the 

 substance whereof should teach all men to live righteously, soberly, 

 and justly. 



We have no account of the lord of the town's reception. Is the 

 silence due to his having eaten them ? 



This is the first wonder recounted in the pamphlet. The second 

 is June 11th. Earthquake in France and Forest of Bleau (Fontain- 

 bleau) fired, and some places had their l|lb. store of frogs 1ft. deep 

 in file and strange vermine that eat up the corn. 



Then follows a third narrative. The dreadful death of the clerk's 

 daughter at Brockington, in Gloucestershire, on June 3rd, just a 

 week before Whitsunday, 1660. 



At a meeting where many met, B. Collet and B. Collins, gifted 

 brethren from Bourton-on-the-Water, and others and from other 

 places, Stow, &c. It was said the county troop would come and 

 seize and imprison some, and rout all. 



Whilst B. Collet was preaching on the text from Jude (Ep.) 14 

 and 15, on God's executing judgment, the clerk's daughter, who 

 was there with her mother, both revilers, gave a shriek and fell dead. 



As some were carrying her corpse out, the county troop, with 

 Mr. Helde, met them, and would have made them prisoners and 

 charged them with her death. 



The B. Collins told him it was not they but the Lord who had 

 killed her — in whose hand was both his breath and their own. Since 

 then the clerk said " these are the people of the Lord." Also since 

 this remarkable hand of the Lord there hath been much peace and 

 freedom from molestation in their meetings, to hear John Belcher 

 in Stow, in the market place, and other places. 



Much more was expressed, both in the letter and by sundry 

 personal evidences, concerning the'cruelties and indignities of many 

 such spirits as is hereby specified, but at this time both author and 

 printer delivers only the truth in general, desiring a kind acceptance 



