348 
JAMES NAYLER. 
for they forriied a procession in imitation of our Saviour’s entrance 
into Jerusalem, in vi^hich a man walked bare-headed before Nayler, 
and a woman led his horse, while other women spread their scarfs 
and handkerchiefs in the road, and the company sung, “ Holy, holy, 
holy, is the Lord God of hosts; Hosanna in the highest ! holy, holy, 
is the Lord God of Israel ! In this manner these mad people made 
their entrance into Bristol, marching though the mire and dirt, to the 
amazement of some, and the diversion of others ; but the magistrates 
thought proper to interfere, and, after an examination into what had 
passed, committed them to prison. Soon afterwards they were sent 
to London, and a committee was appointed by parliament to examine 
witnesses against Nayler, upon a charge of blasphemy, for admitting 
religious worship to be paid to him, and for assuming the names and 
incommunicable titles and attributes of our blessed Saviour. Before 
the committee, he did not deny what was alleged concerning the 
extraordinary proceedings in Exeter jail, and at his entrance into 
Bristo. ; while he defended himself, by maintaining that the honours 
which he received w'ere not shewn to him, but to Christ who dwelt 
within him; and that if they were offered to any other than to Christ, 
he disowmed them. 
However, the committee having made a report to the house on the 
fifth of December, declaring the charge well founded, on the following 
day he was sent for, and heard at the bar ; and on the eighth they 
resolved that James Nayler is guilty of horrid blasphemy,jand that he 
is a grand impostor, and a great seducer of the people. The next 
business to be determined on was, the natfire of the punishment to be 
inflicted on him ; which occupied the debate of the house, both on 
forenoons and afternoons, till the sixteenth of December, many mem- 
bers being for putting him to death, (and losing their vote, as secretary 
Thurloe, informs us, only by fourteen voices,) while many other mem- 
bers totally disapproved of the severity which was used against him. 
At length, on the following day, after a considerable debate, the ma- 
jority came to the resolution, “That James Najler be set on the 
pillory ! in the Palace-yard, Westminster, during the space of two 
hours, on Thursday next ; and be whipt by the hangman through the 
streets from Westminster to the Old Exchange, and there likewise to 
be set with his head in the pillory, for the space of two hours, between 
the hours of eleven and one on Saturday next ; in each place Wearing 
a paper, containing an inscription of his crimes : And that, at the 
Old Exchange, his tongue be bored through with a hot iron ; and that 
he be there also stigmatized in the forehead with the letter B : That 
he be afterwards sent to Bristol, and be conveyed into and through 
the said city on horseback, with his face backward, and there also 
publicly whipt the next market-day after he comes thither : And that 
from thence he be committed to prison in Bridewell, London, and 
there restrained from the society of ail people, and there to labour 
hard till he be released by parliament ; and, during that time, be 
debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper, and shall have no relief but 
what he earns by his daily labour. 
This sentence was repugnant to humanity, equity, and wisdom; 
for, though the religious extravagancies of Nayler might reasonably 
