_Monday, February 6_, between seven and eight at night, came part of the same company. Hearing them afar off, _John_ and his wife fastened the door, and left the house. Some of the neighbours going in soon after, found them destroying all they could. Two chairs and several bundles of linen were laid upon the fire. After they had destroyed what they could, they loaded themselves with cloaths and meat, and went their way.
The same day public notice was given at _Walsal_, by a paper fixt up there, “That all who designed to assist in breaking the windows, and plundering the houses of the _Methodists_ at _Wensbury_, should be ready at ten o’clock, the next morning, on the _Church-hill_.”
11. The next morning, _February 7_, (being _Shrove-Tuesday_,) about half an hour after ten, great numbers of men were gathered together on the _Church-hill_. Thence they marched down, some armed with swords, some with clubs, and some with axes. They first fell upon _Benjamin Watson_’s house, and broke many of the tiles, and all the windows. Next they came to Mr. _Addinbrook_’s, broke a fine clock, with many of his goods, and stole all the things they could carry away. The next house was _Jane Smith_’s, whose windows they broke, with what little goods she had. The next was Mr. _Bird_’s, where they destroyed every thing they found, except what they carried away; cutting the beds in pieces, as they did all the beds which they could any were find. Thence they went to Mr. _Edge_’s house; he was ill of a fever; so, for a sum of money, they past it over. The next house was Mr. _Hand_’s. They broke all his counters, boxes and drawers, and all (except some bedsteads) that axe or hammer could break. They spilt all his drugs and chymical medicines, and stole every thing they could carry, even all his and his wife’s wearing apparel, beside what they had on.
12. Mr. _Eaton_’s house was next. They broke all his windows, and all his inside doors in pieces, cut the lead off his house, destroyed or stole whatever they could lay their hands on. Some gentlemen offered to stop them, if he would sign a paper implying, “That he would never hear those parsons more.” But he told them, “He had felt already what a wounded conscience was; and by the grace of God he would wound his conscience no more.”
After they had done at Mr. _Eaton_’s, they plundered several other houses in _Wensbury_ and _West Bramwick_. It is scarce possible to describe the outrages they committed. Only they left them they plundered alive.
While they were plundering _John Turner_’s house, he waded thro’ the brook, to try if he could save some of his goods, which one _David Garington_ was carrying away. Upon which _Garington_ told him, “It would be the same here as it was in _Ireland_, for there would be a _massacre_ very quickly. And he wished it was _now_.”
13. About eleven o’clock, _Sarah_, the wife of _John Sheldon_, being told the mob was coming to her house, went and met them at the gate. She asked _John Baker_, their captain, “What they were come for?” He answered, “If she would have nothing to do with _these people_, not a penny worth of her goods should be hurt.” She made no reply. Then they broke the door open, and began breaking and plundering the goods. ♦One coming out with a fire shovel, she begged him, “not to take it away.” He swore if she spoke another word, he would “beat her brains out.”
♦ “On” replaced with “One” per Errata
_John Sheldon_ was this while helping _Thomas Parkes_ to hide his goods, though he knew by the noise they were breaking his own to pieces. Between two and three he came to his house with _William Sitch_. _William_ asked _Sarah_, how she did? Saying, “For his part, he took joyfully the spoiling of his goods.” She answered, that, “seeing so much wickedness, she could not rejoice; but she blessed God she could bear it patiently, and found not the least anger in her.” _John Sheldon_ seeing the spoil they had made, smiled and said, “Here is strange work.” His wife told him, “if she had complied with their terms, not one penny-worth would have been hurt.” He replied, “That if she had complied to deny the truth, and he had found his goods whole on that account, he should never have been easy as long as he lived; but he blessed God that she had rather chosen to suffer wrong.”
I believe every reasonable man will allow, that nothing can possibly excuse these proceedings: seeing they are open, bare-faced violations both of justice and mercy, and of all laws divine and human.
III. I suppose no _Protestant_ will undertake to defend such proceedings, even toward the vilest miscreants. But abundance of _excuses_ have been made, if not for _opposing_ it thus, yet for _denying_ this work to be of God, and for not acknowledging the time of our visitation.
Some alledge, that the _doctrines_ of these men are _false_, _erroneous_ and _enthusiastick_: that they are _new_, and unheard of till of late: that they are Quakerism, Fanaticism, Popery.