ALthough the juſtice of our proceedings againſt William Robinſon, Marmaduke Stevenſon, and Mary Dyer, Supported by the Authority of this Court, the Lawes of the Country; and the Law of God, may rather perſwade us to expect incouragement and commendation from all prudent and pious men, then convince us of any neceſſity to Apologize for the ſame, yet for as much as men of weaker parts, out of pitty and commiſeration (a commendable and Chriſtian virtue yet eaſily abuſed, and ſuſceptible of ſiniſter and dangerous impreſſions) for want of full information, may be leſs ſatisfied, and men of perverſer principles, may take occaſion hereby to calumniate us, and render us as bloody perſecutors, to ſatisfie the one, and ſtop the mouths of the other, we thought it requiſite to declare. That about three Years ſince, divers perſons, profeſſing themſelves Quakers, (of whoſe pernicious Opinions and Practiſes we had received intelligence from good hands, from Barbadoes to England, arrived at Boſton) whoſe perſons were onely ſecured, to be ſent away by the firſt opportunity, without cenſure or puniſhment, although their profeſſed tenents, turbulent and contemptuous behaviour to Authority would have juſtified a ſeverer animadverſion, yet the prudence of this Court, was exerciſed, onely in making proviſion to ſecure the Peace and Order here eſtabliſhed, againſt their attempts, whoſe deſign (we were well aſſured of by our own experience, as well as by the example of their predeceſſours in Munſter) was to undermine and ruine the ſame, And accordingly a Law was made and publiſhed, prohibiting all Maſters of Ships, to bring any Quakers into this Juriſdiction, and themſelves from comming in, on penalty of the Houſe of Correction, till they could be ſent away: Notwithſtanding which, by a back Door, they found entrance, and the penalty inflicted on themſelves, proving inſufficient to reſtrain their impudent and inſolent obtruſions, was increaſed by the loſs of the ears of thoſe that offended the ſecond time, which alſo being too weak a defence againſt their impetuous frantick fury, neceſſitated us to endeavour our ſecurity, and upon ſerious conſideration, after the former experiments, by their inceſſant aſſaults, a Law was made, that ſuch perſons ſhould be baniſhed, on pain of Death, according to the example of England in their proviſion againſt Jeſuites, which ſentence being regularly pronounced at the laſt Court of Aſſiſtants againſt the parties above named, and they either returning, or continuing preſumptuouſly in this Juriſdiction, after the time limited, were apprehended, & owning themſelves to be the perſons baniſhed, were ſentenced (by the Court) to death, according the Law aforeſaid, which hath been executed upon two of them: Mary Dyer upon the petition of her Son, and the mercy and clemency of this Court, had liberty to depart within two dayes, which ſhe hath accepted of. The conſideration of our gradual proceeding, will vindicate us from the clamorous accuſations of ſeverity; our own juſt and neceſſary defence, calling upon us (other means fayling) to offer the poynt, which theſe perſons have violently, and wilfully ruſhed upon, and thereby become felons deſe, which might it have been prevented, and the Soveraign Law Salus populi been preſerved, our former proceedings, as well as the ſparing of Mary Dyer, upon an inconſiderable interceſſion, will manifeſtly evince, we deſire their lives abſent, rather then their death preſent.