Norwich bulletin., 1921-12-17
Famous Trials
RICHARD BAXTER

In following up the accounts of the
 religious men of the Middle Ages ones mind turns to the thought Would the men of today face such opposition with so much fortitude as men like John Bunyan and others who died for their faith" One of the most striking examples of this class was Richard Baxter.
 Tn 1641, at the age of 26, Baxter was elected to become the minister l of Kiddermunster which duty he ful- 1 filled for 19 years during the stormy years of the rebellion and the civil war in England After the battle of 1 Naseby he took the situation of chap l lain to Col. Whaley's regiment. Now, as in all times, his conduct did more 1 credit to his Conscientiousness than | to his wisdom. When he retired to Acton in AIiddleseX for quiet study, i he was arrested for holding a meeting
 of people that belonged to neither one
 church nor the other. He was dragged off to prison, but secured a babeas corpus writ in the Court of Common Pleas.
 l The King then gave an issue that ] all the licenses that had been granted in 1872 should be recalled and later for preaching in London streets BaX- ter was again arrested. In prison he fell so sick that it was thought he
 would die, but notwithstanding he
 was carried three times to the sessions
 house. being unable to stand and with
 out. apparent cause was made to inter a, bond of 5000 in security for his good behavior.
 The sUlfferings of Baxter during the last few years of his life were almost
 unnaraHeled. There was nothing in his
 conduct to justify the issueing of war
 rant for his arrest, i'll which his crime
 was described as 'sedicious and sean
 daIous." Baxter, fearing the confine-
 ment of prison, went into the country
 He counsel moved, on the 18th of May,
 1885. for delay on account of his health
 Fortunately for English justice there
 are few records of trials like Baxter g. This trial of Baxter began on May 30. Sir Henry Ashurst, a faithful }. friend through life, stood by the pri- soner. He had engaged the celebrated PoIIexfen to defend him. and the wrath : of the chief justice burst forth wher the counsel desirous of defending some of BaXter's interpretations made a re- ference to MT. Hammond.
 'Pollexfen," said Chief Justice lief. } fries, T know you well. I wkiu set g } mark upon you; you are the patron o1 7 the faction. his is the old rogue who is poisoning the world with his Kid
 dermunster doctrine; an old schismat-
 ical knave, a hypocritical villain" [ T beseech your lordship,' said Pol [ Iexfen, suffer me e word for my eli. 3 ent. It is well known to all intelligen } men of this nation that these thing! I do not apply to the character Of MT } l Baxter, who wishes as well to tht ] King and the royal family as any ont . in the kingdom, and my Lord. MT | Baxter's loyal and peaceable spirit t King Charles would have rewarded : with bishopric when he came in i e he would have conformed."
 y Aye, ave-, said the Judge, 'w : know that; but what oiled the oilt S blockhead, the unthankful villain, tha g he would not conform? Was he wise . and better than other men??? In vail 2 i it was urged by another counsel tha l Baxter used no language but that o T respect in speaking of English bishops e Baxter attempted to speak in hi : own behalf, but a violent outbreak 0 t abuse siIenced him. Many of the by
 standers were in tears, and this miser n able scene of browbeating and injus 8 tice at last came to an end. Does you $ lordship, said Baxter, think that an q Jury WOuIu pretend u pass a NefdlC l. upon me after such a trial.' I'll war ,r you, MT. Baxter said >Jeffries, don # you trouble yourself about that g The jurers chosen by the partisa Il sheriffs from strong opponents of tn l. prisoner, went through the farce ( ,r deIiberatIon for a minute of two, an e returned Baxter guilty. There wer 0 clergymen ready to testify as to hi n merits as a divine. and the lover y peace, but they were not allowed { is be heard. When the verdict was rer ,u dered the Chief Justice was unmove Il and it is believed that he had actua- D. ly proposed to his brethren that th le man be whipped through the streets is & carts tail. The scandal however, 70 such a sentence was prevented by tI |: three judges who sat with Jeffries c Ie the bench.