The proceedings of the Grand-jury of the city of Bristol, upon an indictment against Edward Flower, gentleman, for speaking words in derogation of His Majesty, and the high court of Parliament

THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND-JURY of the City of Bristol, UPON An Indictment against Edward Flower, Gentleman, for speaking Words in derogation of his MAJESTY, and the High Court of PARLIAMENT.

AT the General Sessions of the Peace, held for the City and County of the City of Bristol, July 13. 1680. in the 32d year of his now Majesty's Reign, before the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Aldermen of the same City, in the Guild-Hall there: the Grand-Jury following being sworn: VIZ.

• John Hine.
• Richard Coddrington.
• Arthur Grant.
• Richard Taylor.
• Robert Bound.
• Francis Fisher.
• James Fisher.
• William Scot.
• Richard Washfield.
• John Hiley.
• Edward Bright.
• John Hawkins.
• John Cheshire.
• John Woolvin.
• John Harris.
• William Bath.
• Abraham Weare.
• Henry Combes.
• William Baron.
• George Mason.
• William Lewis.

Upon full Evidence they found a Bill of Indictment against Edward Flower, Gentleman; a true Copy whereof is as followeth:

JUratores, &c. The Jury for our Sovereign Lord the King, do upon their Oaths present: That whereas by the Ancient Customs of this Kingdom of England, whereof the Memory of Man is not to the contrary, and also according to the Laws and Statutes of the same Kingdom of England, PARLIAMENTS, consisting of the Barons, Knights, and Burgesses of the said Kingdom, within this Kingdom for the necessary, common, and publick Good, as well of the Kings, as of the whole People of England, by the Ancestors and Predecessors of our most Illustrious Lord King Charles the Second, that now is, being Kings of this Kingdom, and by our said Sovereign Lord King Charles

the Second that now is, have been respectively and successively sum∣moned, assembled, had, and held▪ Yet nevertheless one Edward Flower, of the City of Bristol, in the County of the same City, Gent. not being ignorant of the Premises, but craftily designing and intend∣ing, not only the Customs, Laws, and Statutes of this Kingdom to make void, and the said Parliaments to villify, and for ever hereafter to subvert; but also the sublime Wisdom of our said Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second that now is, to scandalize; and all the People of England, in their State and Condition, greatly to hurt and prejudice; and likewise Seditions, and unlawful Insurrections, to move and stir up; and as well our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is, as the Right Reverend Father in Christ, the Bishop of Bath and Wells that now is, to bring into the Hatred and Ill-will of the Subjects of our said Sovereign Lord the King: the 24th day of January, in the One and Thirtieth Year of his now Majesty's Reign, in the Ward of St. Michael, in the County of the City aforesaid, (he the said Edward Flower then and there having a Discourse of and concerning our said Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second, and of a certain Parliament of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is,) maliciously, seditiously, and unlawfully, in the hearing of very many of the Subjects of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is, did then and there openly and publickly speak, and with a loud Voice publish, these malicious, se∣ditious, and pernicious English Words following, (that is to say:) The King is unwise to govern by a Parliament, and that He doth not raise an Army, and govern by the Sword: There are several Gentlemen in Somersetshire ready to assist Him, to my knowledg; and the Bishop of Bath and Wells is gone up to acquaint Him with it.—To the great Scandal of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is; to the defaming and villifying of all such PARLIAMENTS, and also of the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom of England; to the exciting Breaches of the Peace of our ••••••d Sovereign Lord the King, and of Seditions and Insurrections within this Kingdom of England, to the pernicious Example of all others in the like Case offending, and against the Peace of our said Sovereign Lord the King that now is, his Crown and Dignity.

Reader, You may speedily expect a further Account of the Court's Proceedings with this Gentleman, as to his Trial for the aforesaid In∣dictment.