Eustace HARDWICKE of Shrivenham circa 1683 (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Saturday, November 28, 2009, 09:12 (5549 days ago) @ Ralph Cook

from http://www.archive.org/stream/friendslibraryco00evan/friendslibraryco00evan_djvu.txt

JOURNALS, DOCTRINAL TREATISES, & OTHER WRITINGS

MEMBERS OF THE RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

EDITED BY WILLIAM EVANS AND THOMAS EVANS.

VOL. XIV.

LIFE OF OLIVER SANSOM.

There was one Eustace Hardwick, of Shriv-
enham in Berkshire, who by marriage had a
pretty considerable estate of some hundreds by
the year ; but was an ill-disposed, lewd, wicked
man. He, as was reported, had misbehaved
himself, and abused the said Sir Robert Pye
and one Thomas Fettiplace, both justices of the
peace ; for which it was said some endeavours
were used to apprehend him, that he might be
brought to condign punishment. This so pro-
voked Hardwick, that he in revenge sought
occasion against these two justices to get them
out of the commission; especially Ju.stice Pye,
whom he thought he might the more easily
prevail against, because of his moderation to
dissenters. Wherefore the better to compass
his end, he, being an enemy to all good, put
himself into the vile employment of an inform-
er, and on the fourth day of the first month,
1683, he with his man-servant, one Roger
Waight, came to our meeting at Farringdon,
and happened to come in when I was upon my
knees making supplication to the Lord. When
I had done, he commanded his mnn to slay
there to watch me until he came again, fearing
belike that I would slip away and hide myself,
uhich if he had known our principles and me,
he needed not iiave done. Then went he to
the said justice to inform against our meeting,
and in the meanwhile we had a very good
time, for the Lord's opening, tendering power
was over all; and the serving-man who was
left to watch me was so far reached, that he
afterwards acknowledged what he did against
us was against his own mind, and that he would
never be so concerned any more.

After some time the said informer Hardwick
returned to our meeting, and brought with him
the constable, tithingman and other officers;
whom he charged to take our names and do
their office. But they being moderate and as
yet not accustomed to such work, did not make
haste to obey him ; but discoursed with him,
and went forth and tarried about the door until
we ourselves broke up our meeting, the usual
time being come.

While this delay was, the said Hardwick
and his man slunk away from the officers, and
taking horse got them out of town. But the
officers fearing some suffering, or at least some
blame would be laid upon them if they should
let us all go, took me and one Friend more, and
had us before the said justice Pye, He asked
me if I was at the meeting? 1 answered, that
I had done no evil, and had nought to accuse
myself of; and desired if any had aught against
me they might appear to my face. But he
spake very roughly to me, and seemed to be
very full of fury and bitterness against me,
though he spake kindly to the other Friend, and
in conclusion he fined me twenty pounds for
speaking in the meeting. I told him I did look
upon it to be a very hard measure to be fined
when no evidence appeared against me. He
thereupon asked the officers where the inform-
ers were? And thoy told him they were gone
out of town ; at which he was angry and said,
why did you let them go?

However, he caused his clerk to write a war-
rant, and he sealed it, to levy twenty pounds
upon my goods ; and then sent one of his men
away presently to Shrivenham, which was four
miles off, to fetch the informers again to give
their evidence against me, after he had set a
fine upon me and granted a warrant to levy
upon the goods.

Then did he fall very foully on me before
the officers and many others, bitterly reviling
me, and charging me that I deluded people, to
give away their estates at their deaths to en-
rich our church like the papists; and upbraid-
ingly said, you must take upon you to counsel
men to make their wills to ruin their own chil-
dren!

I knew not in the least what he meant, and
so I told him, and desired him to let me know
wherein I had done amiss ; but he would take
no notice of what I -said, but in a furious wrath-
fill frame ran on railing against me till he had
wearied himself, and then he withdrew into an-
other room, whereupon the company dispersed
and [ went home.

In the evening the informers came, and the
officers had me up again to the justice's house.
But the informers were very backward, and
seemed unwillingly to take their oaths against
me, till the justice threatened them that he
would send them to gaol if they refiised ; and
then they did take their oaths, that they heard
me speak in the meeting.

When they had given their evidence the jus-
tice presently commanded the officers to dis-
arm Hardwick. Whereupon they forthwith
took from him his sword and two pocket-pistols,
which upon search they found about him, and
then took him into custody for some misde-
meanours by him, before committed. The same
evening came over the other justice, Thomas
Fettiplace; and Robert Pye and he together
made a mittimus for Hardwick, and early next
morning sent him away prisoner to the com-
mon gaol at Reading. But he was soon at lib-
erty again, for the assizes began on the same
day, and Hardwick served on the grand jury.
For at that time there were some at court that
greatly favoured him ; with whom he so
wrought that within some short time both those
justices, Pye and Fettiplace, who had commit-
ted him, were put out of the commission for the
peace.

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster & Hereford Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>