WHereas I have made my Appeal to your Court , for Justice against Matthew Caffyn , who is one of your Members , immediately after the Fact I complain of , was committed , for these Reasons following , viz. 1. I did so Appeal to you rather than to others , because yours is the Highest Court , and from which there is no Appeal , as you suppose . 2. Because the Crime was of an High Nature , and doth not only call in question , but strikes at the Authority , Prerogative , and Laws of the King , &c. 3. Because it was a Leading Case never practised by any Church in the World , and in it self more cruel and unjust than what is approved of by the Church of Rome ; wherefore I expected Justice speedily to be obtained , and also you had Power so to do .

Thus I came to your Court , to let you know , that my Witnesses were present to prove the Premisses ; but I soon perceived several of the Apostles hereafter mentioned , to look asquint when I press'd for Justice , and that instead of accepting of my Appeal , they cunningly would , if possible , have perswaded me , both then , and every Court since , to refer it , notwithstanding you well knew , I came not to refer , but to make my Appeal for Justice .

Wherefore , when I resolutely avoided that Bait , you then told me , that according to the Laws or Canons of your Court , I must first make my Appeal to a Quarterly Meeting in the same Country where the Fact was committed . To which I answered , That by consent of each Party you had power to accept of an Appeal , as well as a Reference ; I also pleaded , that it was unreasonable for you to compel me to make my Appeal to such a Court as had given their Consent to the Criminals Proceedings before they were acted , they being inferiour Persons , and over whom the said Criminal himself was Supreme Bishop and Universal Apostle .

Howbeit , forc'd I was to this unjust and crooked Method ; but the more willing I was to submit , because you promised me , that if Justice were not done in the Countrey , then you would accept of my Appeal and do me Justice ; but alas ! That Design of the Confederates I perceive , was to wear out Time , corrupt Witnesses , tire me out with expensive Attendance , to wrest Justice , justifie the Villain , and scandalize the Oppressed , as plainly thus appears , viz. For that when I had followed your own Method , as aforesaid , and nothing being done in the Country to determine the matter according to Justice , I then did again appeal to your Court with hopes to obtain Justice : but contrarywise , I found a great part of your Apostles to be traitors to Justice , and damnable Enemies to my Appeal , which they opposed with Might and Main , notwithstanding their Promise to accept thereof ; howbeit to the Vote it was put , and the honest Party out-voted the — Opposers , and much against their Stomachs , to a Hearing it came ; but then to prevent Justice , a Plot must be laid against my Witnesses , and tho' their Reputation be unspotted ; yet they must be censured , and look'd upon as perjur'd Persons , or such Rogues and Villains as would falsly accuse the Innocent ; and under that pretence were not then suffered to make use of their Papers , in which , for their Memory , they had written the Truth of what they heard , to prevent mistakes ; but they must speak what they knew , and as they could remember without them tho' several years had past between ; and when they had spoken , it was not to be regarded ; but one of Caffyn's Faction being Chair-man , the Court was dissolved in Confusion , and then said , That God had withdrawn himself from them : So that I well perceive it s in vain to attend this Court with my Witnesses any longer , until it purge it self of its corrupt , partial and unjust Members .

Howbeit , about a year or two before this last Court , the matter in Controversie was debated by the consent of the major part of your Court , and by such the major part of your Court , That very thing with all its Circumstances for which I was condemned , was judged and declared to be both lawful , just and honest , notwithstanding my Witnesses were not heard , but only as they took it from the Criminals own Mouth : Moreover you know , that several Persons , Members of your Court , have expresly , ( either honestly or deceitfully ) Admonish'd the said unjust judge , &c. to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance , &c. as a Copy thereof subscribed will demonstrate ; notwithstanding all which you also know , That he as an Heretick , remains obstinate , persevering in his Acts of Wickedness , and repenteth not . Wherefore know ye , That by these presents , and in the name of him , and for the honour of the Gospel , under whom , and for which you pretend to hold this Court , I do now demand Judgment against the said Matthew Caffyn , and also that you forthwith reverse his unrighteous Judgment , as being sinful , papistical , cruel and unjust , and that you admonish his Congregation , who through Flattery , Threats , or any other way were deluded to joyn with him in his sinful Practice , to put away the Evil of their Doings by Repentance , and giving Satisfaction answerable to the Injuries , which by means thereof have been occasioned : For it may be judged , that they , to wit , his simple Congregation , are ignorant of the sence of your Court , and of the Admonitions you sent them .

But if now at last , after all your Pretence● and Promises that Justice should be done ; your Declarations , That that very thing with all its Circumstances for which I was condemned , is just , honest and lawful , your admonishing him to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance , &c. I say , if after this long waiting , all this be but Seven years Hypocrisie and Deceit , and that you at this time also refuse to give Judgment against the said unjust and papistical Apostle , Then know ye by these presents , that I demand satisfaction of this Court ; and as it is my Duty , so I will according to the Advice of the true Apostle of Christ , submit my self to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake , whether it be to the King as Supreme , or unto Governours , as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of Evil Doers , and for the praise of them that do well ; wherefore this being the Will of God , that by well doing I may put to silence the Ignorance and Villany of foolish and dishonest men ; therefore to that end I do resolve to Indict your Apostle , and all the Members of this Court ( that do not enter their Protestations against him and his Defenders , &c. ) in the Crown Office ( if His Majesties Ministers think themselves concern'd to take Cognizance thereof ) of and upon the ensuing Articles ( which in matter of Fact you know , is no more than what I have charged , and several times offer'd to prove against him in your Court , as my Printed Paper to you presented will demonstrate ) as follows . First , That the said Matthew Caffyn of Broadbridge near Horsman in Sussex , hath in a Papistical manner contemned the Laws , and Royal Prerogative of the Supreme Magistrate of this Realm , and threatens to excommunicate such as shall stand to plead for , and maintain the said Laws and Royal Prerogative , after , or at the same time , that he himself doth declare the said Laws , &c. to be unjust and odious . 2. That the said Caffyn by Popish usurpt Authority , hath passed Sentence of Excommunication against a Protestant and Liege Subject of this Realm , before it was proved that any known Law was transgressed ; and because he endeavoured to justifie the Laws and Prerogative of the King , and Privilege of his Liege Subjects , against the Authority of this little Pope . 3. That the Principles , Tenets , and Government of this little Pope , are as dangerous as the Principles and Tenets of those who are now in Newgate , or of late have been hang'd at Tyburn , for Conspiring the Death of the King , and Subverting the Government of the Realm . 4. That the Government of this English Pope is more Hypocritical and unjust in its Cruelties , than the Butcheries which are approved of by the Pope and Church of Rome . 5. That his little Holiness hath debauch'd a good Conscience , if ever he had any , and hath gone a whoring these seven years , notwithstanding he hath been several times admonished to put away the Evil of his Doings by Repentance , &c.

Furthermore , by these presents , I do impeach and accuse several Apostles , formerly Members of this High Court , viz. George Hammon , Captain Morcock , and Vridge of Kent , the Apostle Marner of St. Martins Le grand ; as also Tho. Croucher , Miller , Francis Stanley , Amory , and others , as being Enemies to Justice , and Comforters , Supporters and Defenders of the said Matthew Caffyn ; and therefore I do desire this Court , that they may be removed from being concerned as Judges therein , until they be brought to Tryal , they being the Persons by whom the Peace of your Government was destroyed to that Degree , that it was declared and agreed , That God hath withdrawn himself from your Assembly .

I need not tell you that it 's pleaded by divers Members of your Court , that your Court hath not Power to redress Grievances , reverse unjust Judgments , or do Justice ; which if true , who shall believe you the Members of this Court any more ? For have you not pretended to such Power , and wheadled me with fair Promises to attend you with my Witnesses , to my great Charge , and now indeed have you no Power ? Why did you mock God and me , and all the Baptist-Congregation almost throughout England ? But in Truth , I perceive this is only your last Shift : Fain you would defend your DARLING from the ROD of JVSTICE ; and therefore out of pure Pity to him , you are content , for the present , to deny that Power you have always heretofore pretended to ; and now possibly with a pitiful Jugling Hypocrisie , you may exclaim against the thing , viz. Superintendency and Dependency , which you owned when I entred my Appeal ; but now you really pretend the Churches of God are Independent : Well then , what are you a General Assembly for ? Are you nothing but Ropes of Sand ? And are you not gross Hypocrites and Juglers not to tell me so before ? But to take you now at your words , the Design of your General Assembly it seems , is not to do Justice , and you have no Power ( I am pretty well assured you want the Will ) to correct ; and hence it will follow , that though you well know Caffyns Principles to be most Diabolical and dangerous to Church and State ; yet you will , and must still own and communicate with him , as your dearly beloved Brother in the Lord Jesus .

Sirs , I love the word Reformation well , but the thing better , and should be glad to see a Reformation : But tell me I pray , must the Exclusion of Justice and Honesty be the first step to your Independent Reformation ? If you will be Independent , and yet will allow the Apostles to be Judges of Secular Jurisdictions , you then do but dissolve your General Council , to set us up , as it were , a King-Pope in every Parish ; but if you now pretend you will have nothing to do as Judges in Secular Causes , because you are commanded to submit to every Ordinance of the Supreme Magistrate , &c. and are really so honest as to mean what you say : Then pray Sirs , give the World a Demonstration of it , you having opportunity enough so to do . The Villain , your Brother , now stands before you , who hath usurp'd such Authority , as to judge of Law and Royal Prerogative , as I have said before ; either make him an Example , or at least , since you promised to do Justice , provided I would sue for it according to your own Methods , to which I have submitted ; yet Justice cannot be obtained , tho' so promised . Now pray Sirs , will you be reformed , and not be honest ? If you promised to my prejudice that which you cannot perform , I demand Satisfaction for all that Charge , &c. which I have sustained , in hopes to obtain the thing you promised ; or otherwise , you must confess that your pretence of Reformation is grounded upon a dishonest Bottom , and hath no better resemblance than to be such .

I would not be mis-understood ; it 's possible the Reader may conclude from what hath been said , that all the Anabaptists in England are alike . To this I only say , that most of the Anabaptists in England are Independent , they meddle not with State Affairs , they assume not to excommunicate Persons , but upon the same terms as they baptize them , viz. plain Text of Scripture for their warrant therein ; and therefore this High Court , especially Caffyn and his Abettors , would not permit of them into their Assembly ; wherefore such as Mr. Plant , Mr. Hicks , Mr. Kiffyn , and many more in City and Countrey , are wholly innocent in this matter .