The record of sufferings for tythes in England the sufferers are, The seed of God, or, The assembly of his first-born, or, The first fruits unto God in England, in this age, who are called to be faithful, and have been found faithful, therefore have we suffered willingly the spoiling of our goods, for to us the truth is more precious then our estates, lives, or outward liberties, and thererfore hath the Lord accounted us first worthy to suffer for his name sake, and to be as lights in this deceitful generation : those which our suffering is a testimony against, is that priesthood which is light and treacherous, which in all ages the Lord raised up faithful witnesses against : ... : and in these dayes we may say, that they are worse then any troop of robbers, or any that preached for hire that ever went before them, as will appear in this book following, by their devouring vvidovvs houses spoiling mens goods, and destroying mens persons / given forth from those whom the Lord regards, who do tremble at his word, for which cause we are in scorn called Quakers ...

Abstract

"To the reader" signed: Richard Hubberthorne. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.