Upon this he set up his horses and stayed, and when we, not knowing
anything of his design against us, went innocently forward to
perform our Christian duty for the interment of our friend, he
rushed out of his inn upon us with the constables and a rabble of
rude fellows whom he had gathered together, and having his drawn
sword in his hand, struck one of the foremost of the bearers with
it, commanding them to set down the coffin. But the Friend who was
so stricken, whose name was Thomas Dell, being more concerned for
the safety of the dead body than his own, lest it should fall from
his shoulder, and any indecency thereupon follow, held the coffin
fast; which the Justice observing, and being enraged that his word
(how unjust soever) was not forthwith obeyed, set his hand to the
coffin, and with a forcible thrust threw it off from the bearers'
shoulders, so that it fell to the ground in the midst of the street,
and there we were forced to leave it.
For immediately thereupon, the Justice giving command for the
apprehending us, the constables with the rabble fell on us, and drew
some and drove others into the inn, giving thereby an opportunity to
the rest to walk away.
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