glorious tale of his sufferings.

'The first Messenger of the Lord that appeared in this town to sound
the everlasting Gospel was that eminent Minister and Labourer, James
Parnell, whose first coming to ye town was in ye fourth month (June)
in the year 1655.... Great were the sufferings which this faithful
minister of the Lord underwent, being beat and abused by many.

'As touching the cause of his sufferings in this his last imprisonment
unto death, which was the fruits of a fast kept at Great Coggeshall
against error (as they said), the 12th day of the fifth month 1655,
where he spoke some words when the priests had done speaking; and when
he was gone out of the high place one followed him, called Justice
Wakering, and clapt him on the back and said he arrested him. And so,
by the means of divers Independent priests and others, he was
committed to this prison at Colchester. And in that prison he was kept
close up, and his friends and acquaintance denied to come at him. Then
at the Assizes he was carried to Chelmsford, about eighteen miles
through the country, as a sport or gazing-stock, locked on a chain
with five accused for felony and murder, and he with three others
remained on the chain day and night. But when he appeared at the Bar,
he was taken off the chain, only had irons on his hands, where he
appeared before Judge Hill ... the first time. But seeing some cried
out against this cruelty, and what shame it would be to let the irons
be seen on him, the next day they took them off, and he appeared
without, where the priests and justices were the accusers. And the
judge gathered what he could out of what they said, to make what he
could against the prisoner to the jury, and urged them to find him
guilty, lest it fall upon their own heads.... And when he would have
spoken truth for himself to inform the jury, the judge would not
permit him thereto. So the judge fined him about twice twenty marks,
or forty pounds, and said the Lord Protector had charged him to see to
punish such persons as should contemn either Magistracy or Ministry.
So he committed him close prisoner till payment, and gave the jailor
charge to let no giddy-headed people come at him; for his friends and
those that would have done him good were called "giddy-headed people,"
and so kept out; and such as would abuse him by scorning or beating,
those they let in and set them on. And the jailor's wife would set her
man to beat him, who threatened to k