and is a Witch and hath by his or her owne wayes brought this euill vpon him or her without the practice of any other Witch 4. Whether they might proceed vpon meere presumptions against the suspected or rather stay till they had more certaine and grounded proâ—fet 5. Whether they could none of them being read in any learned Tractates touching the practices of Witches rightly examine the suspected to finde out a Witch and so to bring him or her deseruedly vnder the power of Authority There is now come forth by the leaue of Authority a Guide to Grand-Iury men in cases of Witch-craft my suit is that they would be pleased to accept of my well-meaning therein In which all these points before are fully handled as also That there are witches who are most subiect to be made Witches How they prepare themselues for the Deuill How Satan draweth theÌ„ to a league becommeth familiar with them That there are good Witches and the signes to know them That there are bad Witches and how then practise and what it is that they can doe and how many things must concurre in bewitching What are the signes to know one to be bewitched That Witches may be detected What are strong presuÌ„ptions of a Witch What are the certaine euidences against such an one How throughly to examine a Witch With many other particulars set forth in 28 distinct Chapters fully and yet with great breuity The death of fiue brethren and sisters lately condemned and executed for Witches one more yet remaining formerly brought before a Iudge and now in danger to bee questioned againe hath mooued mee to take this paine not to preuent Iustice nor to hinder legall proceedings but that I may not be mistaken nor wronged as I was once and more should haue beene had not the wisdome and goodnesse of so reuerend a Iudge accepted graciously of my vpright Apologie against vaine Accusers I made a Petition then to my Lord the Iudge to the worthy then M. Sheriffe and to all the Worshipfull of the Bench then present which I am bold to renew againe more publikely and that now this third time because it pleased that reuerend Iudge so well to like thereof to second it and is wished of many to finde some good effect at the length The state of poore prisoners is well knowne and how their soules safety is neglected and yet our Sauiour gaue such a testimony to a penitent theefe as hee neuer gaue to any mortall man else for he told him that he should be that day with him in Paradise How blessed a worke would it be to haue maintenance raised for a learned godly and graue Diuine that might attend to instruct theÌ„ daily Twelue pence a quarter of one parish with another in our Countie would encourage some compassionate holy man thereunto And what is this Not a mite out of euery mans purse to saue soules If with this instruction there should bee meanes to set them also on worke they might get somewhat for food for raiment They might so preuent the miserable fruits of sloth their mindes would bee imployed their bodies bee preserued in health and not pine away and be consumed with vermine Yea enforced labour there would terrifie loose vagrants lazie wanderers and the idle rout from turning the eues more then either imprisonment or death hitherto hath done And besides such as should escape would by this heauenly meanes of instruction and bodily labour become through Gods mercy more profitable members in the CommoÌ„-Weale afterwards whereas now they become twice more the children of Belial than they were before Oh let me be hold earnestly to beseech you and in all humility to craue your mercifull and tender bowels of compassion towards them And first of you right Honourable my Lords the Iudges who sit as Gods among men to giue iudgement vpon this so wretched and so miserable a generation of mankinde that if they die they may be more ready with all patience and submission of spirit to receiue their iust reward and your doome of death vpon them or if they be acquitted and so liue they may learne afterwards to liue the life of good Christians and so make a good vse of their deliuerance And would not this reioyce your hearts to forward such a worke when your Lordships doe know that the blessed Angels doe reioyce at the conuersion of Sinners Next of you Worthy Master Sheriffe vnder whose wisedome religious affection tender mercies and powerfull habilities the Prison and the Prisoners be for the time present Shall not this worke set forward by you be vnto you an euerlasting remembrance Then of all you Right Worshipfull the worthy Iustices of our Country by whose authority these offenders are sent vnto prison Oh that it might not displease you to heare me calling vpon you by name who I hope are well-minded to such a blessed and charitable a worke Yee deseruedly honoured Knights Sir George Speke Sir Iohn Stowel Sir Francis Popham Sir Henry Barkley Sir Iohn Windham Sir Iohn Horner Sir Edward Rodney and Sir Robert George And may I not here also name the worthily esteemed of their Country though not at this present in Commission with you Sir Ralph Hopton Sir Robert Philips Sir Charles Barkley and Sir Edward Barkley All to be graciously pleased to commiserate their lamentable case and to helpe forward this worke of pietie and pitie towards prisoners O yee other worthies of your Country no lesse generously affected Iohn Powlet Robert Hopton Edward Rogers George Lutterell Iohn May Fra. Baber Ro. Cuffe Tho. Breerton Io. Coles William Francis Rice Dauys Thomas Windham Iohn Harrington Io. Harbin William Capel and Anth. Stocker Esquires let the bowels of compassion compasse you about that you may affect this so good a deed and be honoured for euer in bringing to passe so rare a charitie The worke surely would blesse you all Alas the Prison now is a very picture of Hell and more is the pitie as the case now stands is no lesse than a preparatiue thereto for want of daily instruction It would be by a faithfull ministery and bodily imploiment of them a house of correction with instruction and so happily the way of life Then might charity quicken vp iustice to send offenders obstinately persisting in euill and abusing their liberty vnto prison in good hope of their reformation The losse of their corporall liberty might through Gods mercy then gaine them spirituall freedome Health by labour would be preserued and their soules by wholsome instruction saued The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ perswade your well-disposed hearts to such an vnbegun worke among so many good deeds very famous in this renowned Nation The spirit of the Lord God of Heauen and Earth rest vpon you to cause you to affect this and in time to effect the same by stirring vp the Country and by your owne mercies in your life times you giuing
Impartialitie for Conscience well-informed will iudge in Righteousnesse and Truth without all partiality without respect of any person He regardeth not the rich and mighty no Bribe can blinde him neither doth hee pitty the person of the poore to giue for pity an vniust Sentence but as the truth is so speaketh he The Commission is the Actiue power of Conscience giuen of God by his Word to condemne the nocent or to quit the innocent except this Commission be lost Sometimes it is lost as when conscience is dead as in all ignorant persons or seared with an hot iron as some mens haue beene and are such as fall from the faith and are past feeling by reason of the blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart or else benummed as in those that fall into some grieuous sin as did DAVID who lay therein vntill Nathan found the Commission and acquainted him with it when he said Thou art the man If the Commission bee lost the Power of Conscience lyeth dead seared and benummed then the Iudge can doe nothing till it bee found and being found it is read openly The reading of this Commission before the whole Countie is Euery mans experimentall Knowledge of the power of Conscience by which is acknowledged his Authoritie to sit as Iudge ouer euery thought word and deed of man The Circuit of this Iudge is his Owne Soule he is not to sit and iudge of other mens thoughts words or deeds but of the thoughts words and deeds of that man wherein hee is A mans owne Conscience is Iudge of himselfe to iudge another is out of his Circuit neither hath he any Authoritie from the King of Heauen to inable him so to doe Knowledge may goe out to see and discerne of other mens wayes but Conscience keepeth euer at home and sits within to iudge of that mans courses whose Conscience hee is Conscience onely troubles a man for his own sinnes it cannot for another mans but as farre forth as hee hath made them his owne and being accessarie to them by commanding alluring counselling commending excusing defending or winking thereat when hee ought by his place to haue punished the same This Iudge in this Circuit is Iudge of Oyer and Terminere Hee will heare before hee doth iudge and hee will truly then iudge as hee heareth for as hee is impartiall in iudging so is he prudent and carefull to know what and whereof to giue sentence before he doth iudge This is the Iudge The Iustices of Peace in the Countie are there and doe sit with the Iudge and are in Commission with him Of these some are of the Quorum and of better ranke some are meaner Iustices and take their place lower The Iustices of Peace in the Soule of better ranke are Science Prudence Prouidence Sapience the Inferiours are weake Wit common Apprehension and some such like These Iustices haue their Clerkes there ready with their Examinations and Recognizances Iustice Science his Clerke is Discourse Iustice Prudence his Clerke is Circumspection Iustice Prouidence his Clerke is Diligence Iustice Sapience his Clerke is Exporience Iustice Weak-wit his Clerk is Conceit and Iustice Common-Apprehension his Clerk is onely Sense a couple of poore Iustices With the Iudge and Chiefe Iustices are in Commission the Kings Sergeant and the Kings Atturney The Kings Sergeant is Diuine Reason a man of deepe iudgement in the Lawes of his Soueraigne swaying much with the Iudge The Kings Atturney is Quick-sightednesse both are excellent helpes and Assistants to search out and to handle a Cause before Iudge Conscience For Quicke-sightednesse will soone espy an error in pleading and Diuine Reason will inforce a iust conclusion and so moue the Iudge to giue sentence according to equitie and right If these should bee wanting many matters would goe amisse There is also the Clerke of the Assises the keeper of the Writs that hath all the Inditements This Clerke is Memory which retaineth all those names of euery sinne with the nature of the Offence and what God hath in his word written against them and what complaints Repentance hath made against them Besides this Clerke there is the Clerke of the Arraignment who readeth the Inditements This Clerk is the Tongue making Confession of our sinnes Lastly there is the Cryer This is the Manifestation of the Spirit Before the Clerke of the Arraignment readeth any Inditement it is first framed by the Complainant This Complainant is true Repentance or godly Sorrow The framing of the Inditement is the laying open of sinne as it may be knowne and found out to be sinne according to the true nature thereof Moreouer an Inquest or Grand-Iury there must bee by whose Verdict the Offender is indited made a lawfull Prisoner yet is this Indirement no conuiction What these agree vpon is deliuered vp in writing to the Iustices On the backe of this Inditement framed by the complainant they write either Ignoramus or Billa vera If the former then the complaint is iudged false it is left in record but the Prisoner is not indited If the latter the prisoner is indited the Inditement read and the prisoner brought to the triall at the Barre This Grand-Inquest or Iurie are the Holy men of God whose writings are the Holy Scriptures in the Old and new Testament By the Verdict of these euery thought word and deed of man is either freed or made a lawfull prisoner But yet this Verdict is no lawfull conuiction of particular men till they be rightly applyed If they write vpon the Inditement or Bill framed Ignoramus that is if the holy Scriptures of God declare it not to bee a Sinne it is no finne for Where there is no Law there is no transgression Not the complaints of all vnder Heauen not all the Lawes of men Decrees of Councells the Commandements of Popes can make that a sinne which they write Ignoramus vpon Therefore the Bills of Inditement framed by those false Informers before mentioned Formality Worldly wisdome Lukewarmnesse Meere ciuill honesty Machiauilian Statisme Libertinisme Scrupulosity Papistry against Christian Conference godly Sinceritie true Zeale strict Conuersation Reformation of disorders and the rest are false accusers and haue vpon their complaints written by the Graund-Inquest an Ignoramus and therefore by these worthy Iustices Iustice Science Iustice Prudence Iustice Prouidence and Iustice Sapience are not to bee admitted nor Iudge Censcience to bee troubled therewith though all the Popes the whole Popish Church all Popish Counsels and all the Popishly-affected Statists in the world pleade for them for that thought word or deed is no sinne no Breach of Gods Law on which these write Ignoramus Conscience as is said is not to bee troubled with such Bils of complaint But if these write Billa vera that is if the holy Pen-men haue set downe any
Worshipfull Gentlemen These are men of worth my Lord of farre more esteeme euery where than these meane men heere picked out of purpose by Master Sheriffe These my Lord of the Iurie are men of small reckoning in the Country These liue scattered here and there almost without habitation except in poore Cottages so as we maruel my Lord how they can bee brought in for Free-holders hardly any one of them is of any account with men of great estates and of worth in the Land Good my Lord consider of vs. Then the Iudge asketh them what those men be of whom they speake and what are their names Then they answer My Lord they are these Master Naturalist Master Doubting Master Opinion Master Carelesse Master Chiuerell Master Libertine Master Laodicean Master Temporizer Master Politician Master Out-side Master Ambo dexter and Master Newtralitie all my Lord very indifferent men betwixt vs and them Gentlemen Free-holders of great meanes we beseech you my Lord to shew vs some pitty that they may be of the Iurie The Iudge informed by those worthy Iustices of the Quorum concerning these men so named by the prisoners and knowing the honesty and good credit of the chosen Iurie their exceptions against them are not admitted of and so these indifferent Gentlemen are passed by The Clerke therefore is commanded to goe forward and then he readeth the Inditement of euery one in order one after another as they be called forth by name and set to the Barre The first which is called out is the Old-man Then saith the Clerke Gaoler set out Old-man to the Barre Then hee is brought to the Barre and commanded to hold vp his hand and his Inditement is read Old-man thou art indited here by the name of Old-man of the Towne of Euahs Temptation in the Countie of Adams consent that vpon the day of Mans fall in Paradise when he was driuen out thou did dest corrupt the whole nature of man body and soule leading all and euery of his Posterity comming by generation with the body of Sinne making him indisposed to any thing that is good framing lets to any holy duty and polluting his best actions but making him prone to all euill bringing him captiue to imperious lusts and so causing him to liue in continuall rebellion against GOD contrary to the Peace of our Soueraigne Lord the King IESVS CHRIST his Crowne and Dignity What sayest thou to it He pleades Not guilty and so puts himselfe to the Triall Then the Cryer calleth for euidence against the Prisoner Then commeth forth Dauid whose Euidence is this I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sinne hath my Mother conceiued me Iobs is this He cannot be cleane that is borne of a Woman Isaiah his Euidence is That all are transgressours from the wombe Saint Pauls Euidence is most cleere for being asked what hee could say Hee answered My Lord this Old-man hath bin the death of very many I haue wofull experience of him a wretched man hath he made me Hee tooke occasion by the Commandement to worke all concupiscence in me Hee deceiued me and slew me wrought Death in mee so that in my flesh dwelleth no good but when I would doe good euill is present with mee so that through him the good I would doe I cannot and the euill I hate that I doe Hee maketh warre against the law of my minde and bringeth me into captiuitie to the Law of Sinne. Thus my Lord is in me the Body of Death from which I desire to be deliuered and this is that I can say The Euidence being thus cleere the Iury presently being all agreed giue in their Verdict and being asked what they say of the prisoner at the Barre guilty or not they answer Guilty Then he asketh what hee can say for himselfe why sentence should not bee pronounced against him Good my Lord saith he I am wrongfully accused and am made the man I am not there is no such thing as Originall Corruption Pelagius a Learned man and all those now that are called Anabaptists who well enough know all these Euidences brought against me haue hitherto and yet doe maintaine it that Sinne commeth by imitation and not by Propagation and in-bred prauity Good my Lord I beseech you be good vnto me and cast not away so poore an Old man good my Lord for I am at this day 5556. yeeres old Then saith the Iudge Old-man the Euidence is cleere those thou hast named are condemned Heretickes and as for thy yeeres in respect of which thou crauest pitty it is pitty thou hast beene suffered so long to doe so great and so generall a mischiefe as these good men doe witnesse against hee O my Lord I beseech you then a Psalme of Mercie Old-man the Law of the King allowes thee not the benefit of the Clergie for The reward of Sin is death This is his Maiesties Decree vnchangeable as the Law of the Medes and Persians Good my Lord that is meant only of Actuall Sin and not of me That is not so for Originall Sinne is Sinne and all men know that Children die that neuer sinned by Imitation nor Actually after the similitude of Adams transgression And Death goeth ouer all in as much as all haue sinned If sinne were not in Infants they could not die Heare therefore thy Sentence Thou Old-man hast by that name beene indited of these Fellonies Outrages and Murthers and for the same arraigned thou hast pleaded Not-guiltie and put thy selfe vpon the Tryall and art found guiltie and hauing nothing iustly to say for thy selfe this is the Law thou shalt bee carried backe to the place of Execution and there be cast off with all thy deeds and all thy members daily mortified and crucified with all thy lusts of euerie one that hath truly put on Christ This Sentence pronounced the Sheriffe is commanded to doe Execution which Religion by his Vnder Sheriffe Resolution seeth throughly performed The Executioner is hee that hath put on Christ Gal. 5. 24. This Prisoner thus proceeded against the Gaoler is commanded to set out Mistrisse Heart to the Barre who is commanded to hold vp her hand and then is her Inditement read Mistrisse Heart thou art heere indited by the name of Mistrisse Heart of Soule in the County of the Isle of Man that also vpon the day of Mans fall in Paradise thou becamest corrupted accompanying the Old-man and also Will thy man and hast beene so hardened that thou couldest not repent and so blinde that thou becamest past feeling and hast made men to giue themselues ouer to all lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse to bee also very slow to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken and to be so enraged with choller somtimes as to runne mercilesly on Innocents to murther them and to cause men most cursedly to
THE ISLE OF MAN OR The Legall Proceeding in Man-shire against SINNE Wherein by way of a continued Allegorie the chiefe Malefactors disturbing both Church and Common-Wealth are detected and attached with their Arraignment and Iudiciall triall according to the Lawes of England The spirituall vse thereof with an Apologie for the manner of handling most necessary to be first read for direction in the right vse of the Allegory thorowout is added in the end By R. B. Rector of Batcomb Somers The fourth Edition much enlarged LONDON Printed for Edw. Blackmore at the great South doore of Pauls 1627. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull Sr. THOMAS THYNNE Knight and to his religiously-affected Ladie the Lady KATHERINE THYNNE All sauing graces in the blessed way vnto eternall Comforts are vnfainedly wished Right Worshipfull SInce your departure and now returne to Longleate where the poore feele your mercies in set times of releefe and daily almes and your tenants and common neighbouring Inhabitants good entertainment at the generall time of great house keeping it was my hap to trauell into and thorowout the whole Isle of man now its vsuall with Trauellers to discourse of their iourneying and to relate their Obseruations And therefore let none obiect say vnto mee that of Persius Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter For I found good in my paines taking and bonum is communicativum sui diffusivum and so quo communius eo melius In my very entrance and afterwards euery where I found written that old ancient precept Nosce teipsum This lesson I began to take out with diligent obseruation And it brought to my mind the Apostles charge Quisque explorat seipsum which I laboured to put in practice and so sought my selfe in my selfe for I remembred that saying long since learned Orbis quisque sibi nec te quaesiueris extra Thus my trauell became very profitable to mee and the variety of sights withall procured delight and turned my paines into pleasure In my trauelling I came to the County Towne or chiefest Seat there called Soule Where I rested for some time because it fell out to be the Assise weeke for all that Iland Where I specially marked how in all things they proceeded against Malefactors according to the Lawes of England in this onely lyeth the difference there is neuer but one Iudge whereas wee haue euer two appointed in euery Circuit as wee haue now in this Westerne very honorable and religious Iudges quos honoris causa non possum non nominare Sir Iohn Walter Lord Chiefe Baron and Sir Iohn Denham another worthy Baron of the Exchequer louers of vertue and Iustice And indeed such ought Iudges to be as was and is this Iudge in Man He is a Iudge of Iethroes choice verax Dei timens osor turpis lucri Hee is diuinely giuen prudent impartiall and very quicke vpon good information in dispatch of Causes Hee was worthily attended as he ought euer to bee with a worthy Sheriffe with Iustices of Peace Knights and Esquires Gentlemen of singular note and fame in that Countrie This I heard of them and it appeared by their practice that they all stand for the maintenance of the lawes they see their Soueraigne well serued Iustice duly obserued and iudgement executed accordingly They neuer side with any for they hate faction Pride and Enuy two restlesse Make-bates who for notorious misdemeanour I saw bound to the good behauiour So as now there a Caesar-like spirit patitur superiorem a Pompey suum parem They runne all one course and as true Israelites quasi vir vnus for publike good Therefore doe the people liue in peace the land prospereth Iustice flourisheth vertue is exalted vice suppressed and the enemies at home and abroad made to feare The whole discourse of this excellent order and carefull proceedings there by me obserued from my first entrance vnto the end I am bold here to present vnto your Worships whom I haue now found diligent Readers of holy Scripture addicted to priuate prayer besides set forme for the whole family to be entertainers of the Preachers of Gods Word giuing freely to such Benefices as they hap to be void not being seduced by mens offering large summes to procure Aduousons afore hand as too many Patrons bee in these daies Now the Lord God Almighty hearten you in and to these things more more and to euery other good grace that may liuely demonstrate to the world the power of sauing knowledge in the vse of Gods abundant earthly blessings so largely bestowed vpon you with which earnest prayer vnto God for you and for a blessing vpon these my endeuours to further the same I humbly take leaue Your Worships in all Christian seruices at command RICHARD BERNARD Batcombe May 21. THE AVTHORS earnest requests FIRST to the Worthy Reader whosoeuer to whom let me but say thus much of this Discourse and allegoricall narration that in it sunt bona sunt quaedam mediocria sunt mala nulla Yet if any thing may seeme distastfull let thy minde be to take it well as Caesars was to interpret well the seeming offensiue carriage of one Accius the Poet towards him and thou wilt not be displeased Thy good minde will preuent the taking of an offence where none is intended to be giuen In discouery attaching arraigning and condemning of finne I tax the Vice and not any mans person so as I may say with one Hunc seruare modum nostri nouere libelli Parcere personis discere de vitijs Thou hast heere towards the end of this discourse the tryall and iudgement vpon foure notorious Malefactors Two of them the very prime Authors of all the open rebellion or secret Conspiracies which at any time euer were in that Iland The other two were the principall Abettours and the chiefest Supporters of them Their names their natures and their mischieuous practices thou mayest find at large in the narration There should haue beene at that Assises with these the arraignment of certaine suspected Witches but this was preuented because the Grand-Iurie Gentlemen could not agree to bring in their Billa vera for that they made question of diuers points whereof they could not be resolued at that present 1. Whether the afflicted did suffer by onely some violent diseases in nature producing strange effects like practices of Witch-craft Which for want of a iudicious Physitian they could not discerne 2. Whether the afflicted were a counterfeit as was one Marwood the Boy of Bilson and one Mary Brosier Or that he or she hauing some natural disease did make vse thereof and counterfeited the rest as one Mainy did who was troubled with the hysterica passio 3. Whether being a disease supernaturall yet might come vpon the afflicted by the operation of the deuill without the association of a Witch as it happened to Iob and others in the Euangelists Or that the afflicted hath a deuill
murther 6 The sixt is a Popish fellow called Fore-fathers hee aduanceth his Ancestors and their worth and thinketh so well of them that to imitate them is no sinne Thus the Samaritanes iustified their false worship 7 The seuenth is one Sir Power he maketh euer that warrantable which Law establisheth ordaineth and decreeth Great and capitall sinnes in the Romish Synagogue are thus countenanced 8 The eight is Sir Sampler who produceth for patternes great mens and learned mens examples as if they could not doe amisse but whatsoeuer they doe or say it must be good and lawfull and therefore imitable without sinne 9 The ninth is Sir Most-doe who maintaineth sinne from a generall practice because multitudes do it here and there and euery where therefore no sinne to doe such a thing which almost all or the greatest part doe 10 The tenth is one Sir Silly one made all of good meaning who will qualifie the fact by thinking no harme or intending well Thus would Saul haue iustified his rebellion and Abimelech excused his taking of Abrahams wife And thus vaine persons excuse their wanton communication lasciuious songs foolish iestings and such like saying they meane no harme they only make themselues merry Thus Sir Silly is hee that maketh simple soules plead good meaning for all their foolish superstitions blind deuotions and licentious merriments The eleuenth is Vaine-Hope this teacheth to put off the fault to some other as Adam to Euah and Euah to the Serpent and to deny the fact as Cain did euen to God himselfe hereby hoping to shift off sinne and to escape punishment who maketh God all of mercy The twelfth is the Lord Presumption hee feareth not iudgement he blesseth himselfe in his euill waies he maketh a couenant with Death and a league with Hell and suffers sinne to be his daily guest and will let the Hue and Crie passe along without any feare of perill as nothing at all concerning him The thirteenth is Sir Wilfull hating to be reformed this is an obstinate friend for sinne who will wilfully defend it and bee carelesse of all reproofes This fellow in contempt will tread downe the Hue and Crie vnder his feet and maintaine sinne The foureteenth is Sir St. like which vnder the shew and shadow of Piety and pretended honesty wil couer much iniquity and hide it for a time that it be not taken by the pursuer with the Hue and Cry such were the Hypocriticall Scribes and Pharises These great ones and many other moe are the friends of this Theefe and Rebell but yet for all these Fauourites Godly-Iealousie espies him out and his harbour and presently goeth to a Iustice of Peace to procure a warrant for the Constable to attach him and all his Companions with him The Iustice is not one of a meane ranke or any petty Iustice but the very Lord chiefe Iustice of Heauen and earth the Lord Iesus for it is hee that can giue the warrant to attach sinne no other warrant will sinne obey The Warrant is the Power of Gods Word The Forme of which warrant is as you see in my Text to search out and attach sinne with all his Associates and to bring him and them before Authoritie to answer to such things as shall bee obiected against them in his Maiestie the King of Heauens behalfe The procuring of this warrant is by going vnto and conferring with some of the Lord Chiefe Iustices Secretaries the Writers of holy Scripture setting downe this charge as Ieremie doth here to search and try our waies This Warrant procured Godly-Iealousie taketh and carrieth to an Officer which hath Authority to make search and attach sinne This Officer without which sin neither can nor indeed will be attached is Vnderstanding who knoweth what sinne is Now as there bee foure sorts of Officers which may attach Felons by warrant The Deputy-Constable the Tithingman The Petty Constable and the Head Constable so is the spirituall Officer fourefold 1 The Deputy-Constable is commonly some Neighbour intreated to performe the office in the others absence this is the very shadow of a Constable and will not willingly intermeddle in any thing so as the people where hee dwels may do for all him what they list This Deputie Constable in this spirituall Towneship is the Vnderstanding darkened the sonne of Ignorance and grand-childe of Blindnesse of heart this is a blinde Constable and hath neuer an eye to see with This suffers all disorder in the whole man or Soule-Towne-ship Heere be such as bee alienated from the life of God past feeling giuen ouer to worke all vncleannes with greedinesse All the affections are quite out of order and no care taken for their reformation for this foolish fellow imploieth himselfe about his grounds cattell sheepe and oxen about buying and selling as for the estate of his soule he is to it a very stranger He knowes the price of corne oxen and sheepe but what is the excellencie of Vertue what the euill of Vice what the price of his soule hee neither knowes nor cares to know 2 The Tithingman which commonly is a meane fellow and so contemptible as few or none care for him And therefore hereupon is very little or no reformation where hee hath his dwelling If any amendment be sought it is onely for some notorious shameful misdemeanours and he must be much called vpon for this too else no reformation thereof and as for many other offences there is no care had at all This Tithing-man is Grosse-vnderstanding like one purblinde who cannot see a farre off but only grosse transgressions forbidden in the Law according to the sound of the bare letter only as Theft Murther Adultery and so forth The spirituall meaning and large extent of the Commandement hee is wholly ignorant of This purblinde Tythingman suffers a number of disorders in his Towneship and must be much vrged to see very grosse and foule misdemeanours else will hee not seeke to reforme them 3. The Petty Constable which is some ciuill honest man of the Parish and perhaps hath some Country learning but yet is an one-eyed fellow halfe-sighted and so passeth by many faults This Pettie Constable is the Vnderstanding somewhat cleered hee hath an insight into the Morall Law who by ciuill education some Art and learning an outward forme of Religion and reading in the Bible now and then can speake of the Gospell Historically and prettily discourse of Religion But this his knowledge is onely superficiall for neither in the Common-Law which is the Law Morall neither in the Statute Law the Law of the Gospell or Law of Libertie is he any professed Student Hee is no Innes of Court man neuer brought vp in the Inner Temple He maketh neither the Common nor Statute Law his profession As he is no Student in these so
Anger doe lye Impatiencie Rayling Back-biting Quarrellings Murther and such like 10 In the Bed of Ioy lye Wanton delights Foolish iesting Leuity and a world of Vanity 11 In the Bed of Sorrow lye worldly griese vnquietnes murmuring discontentednesse and such like Thus are these lodged in Mistresse Hearts Chamber and there shee lyeth also with the Old-man and Will her man The Bed which they lye vpon is Impenitencie and the Couerings are Hardnesse of Heart and Carnall Securitie in which they lye snorting carelesly till the Chiefe Constable come vpon them and attach them all one after another the greater villaines and the lesser Theeues not sparing any He feareth not to attach the Capitall neither passeth hee by any of their meanest associates The attaching of sinne is nothing eise but the Apprehension of Gods wrath striking vs with feare through the terrour of the Law and our guiltinesse of the breach thereof For in this spirituall attaching it is as in the attaching of Felons who knowing themselues guilty of the breach of the Lawes are strucken with feare in their apprehension of death which they know they cannot escape These Theeues thus apprehended the Constable carrieth them to the next Iustice by authority of his Warrant The Iustice is Wel-informed Iudgement able to examine euery Malefactor that is euery Sin brought before him A Iustice of Peace must bee a man of wisdome and experience so this spirituall Iustice must bee a Iudgement well-informed in wisdome and discretion wisely to proceed against Sinne. It is meet that a Iustice be learned in the lawes to know how to proceed legally so must this spirituall Iustice bee learned both in the Law and Gospell to know what sins are committed against either of them and thereafter to proceed A Iustice is commonly to bee one in that Country where he is an Inhabitant so this Iustice must be euerie mans Well-informed Iudgement within himselfe not another mans for it is not another mans Iudgement that can sit downe in his soule to try and examine his heart and waies but his owne Iudgement For who knoweth what is in a man sauing the spirit of a man which is in him The Iustices Office is to preserue Peace and to see the lawes obserued and to see to the suppressing of all disorders routs ryots robberies conspiracies also to take order for all Vagabonds stout and sturdie Beggers yea to see the reformation of all vnlawfull gaming and euery misdemeanour whatsoeuer by Law prohibited contrarie to the Peace of our Soueraigne Lord the King and the quiet of the Weale-publike so this spirituall Iustice his Office is to see Peace kept betweene God and himselfe to see the Lawes of God obserued and to see all disorders in his soule as vagrant thoughts sturdy resolutions riotous behauiour euery misdemeanour in thought word and deed forbidden by Gods Law contrary to the Peace of a good Conscience and the quiet of the soule contrarie to the dignities of a Christian and the honour of our Soueraigne Lord the King CHRIST IESVS When a Malefactor is brought before a Iustice the Iustice is first to examine him then to set it downe then to bind some ouer to prosecute against the Felon at the Assises and lastly in the meane space to send him to the Goale if hee be not baileable 1 Hee is as is said to examine the party apprehended and brought before him and to demand his name then to enquire after the fact and the nature of it with the occasions causes and degrees with the associates euident signes the fruits and effects thereof so this spirituall Iustice is to examine sinne 1 To know the name and nature thereof and to what Commandement it belongeth so that he may consider what Statute of God is broken 2 What were the Occasions offered as Dauid by looking out saw Bathsheba washing her selfe 3 What were the Causes mouing thereto as Enuie in the Iewes to put Christ to death and in Cain to kill Abel 4 What are the seuerall Sorts vnder one and the same Capitall Sinne as vnder Theft Couetousnesse and Coozenage vnder Adultery Fornication Selfe-pollution c. 5. What be the Degrees in the same Sinne as in stealing not from the rich but from the poore not from a stranger but from a Christian brother from Father and Mother So committing vncleannesse not onely with one of no kinne but with one nigh in bloud in killing not an vnknowne person but against nature his Father Mother his Wife his Childe himselfe 6. What sinnes accompanied the same as the making of Vriah drunke and the murthering of him accompanied Dauids adulterie 7. What are the Signes thereof as the rouling eye filthy speech and wanton dalliance are signes of adulterie all such ornaments and vanities of which Esay speaketh are ensignes of Pride 8. What Fruits and effects did follow thereupon as from Will-worship and Idolatrie commeth ignorance of God from this libertie to sinne from this obstinacie from this contempt of Gods true worship and sincere professours thereof and from this at last comes bloudie persecution 2. In Examining the Iustice is to set downe the Examination and Confession of the partie so this spirituall Iustice after hee hath thus examined his waies he is to set it downe This is a Serious consideration of all his sinnes and offences and such a remembrance of them as may make a man to forsake them and to turne his feet vnto Gods Statutes as Dauid did The Examination without this will bee in effect as nothing this must not therefore bee at any hand omitted 3 The Iustice is to binde some ouer to prosecute against the Felon at the next Assises and Gaole deliuery so doth this spirituall Iustice binde ouer True Repentance to follow the Law and to giue euidence against this Felon Sinne which he is very ready to doe for it cannot be if a mans iudgement bee Well-informed vpon serious examination with a carefull and considerate remembrance of all his sinnes but that hee must needs perforce bee made to sorrow for them and vpon true repentance pursue them to the death with a deadly hatred 4 The Iustice finding the offender not bay leable by Law hee maketh his Mittimus to send him to the Gaole there to bee in durance to the next Assises so this spirituall Iustice doth for hee knowes by the Law of God that the reward of sinne of what kinde or degree soeuer greater or lesse though but in thought is not baileable by any man No man is able to answer God for the least deuiation from Gods Law for if hee continue not in all things which God commandeth he is accursed Therefore none being sufficient to lay in baile to answer God for the sinne nor sinne in itselfe baileable hee maketh his Mittimus and deliuereth it into the Constables
to run and ride after it and to offer largely for it and maketh some Patrons theeues and to admit many an Ignoramus into the charge and cure of Soules and many a Minister to be a periured Simonist before God Hee maketh not a few to heape vp meanes not onely for maintenance but also to make themselues great and many which come in freely to neglect the care of their flockes and to seek after their fleeces to care to bee rich and to follow so after the world as that either they giue ouer to preach or doe make them preach at home very idly seldome and vnprofitably though abroad either for their hire or applaudity more diligently and commendable When People come to Church my Lord hee marreth their deuotion and haleth their soules out of the Church to make them to bee walking their grounds talking with their friends plotting businesses and to bee going some iourney to bee at some Market or Faire to bee counting their debts following their debtors reckoning vp their loane vpon Vsury their profits and gaine here and there not without feare of losses And all these things my Lord with many other worldly thoughts whilst their bodies are in Church When people come from the Church hee choaketh the seed of Gods Word that it thriueth in very few and of these few it is more in talke than in practice Hee keepeth my Lord many from the Church causing them to set the Lords Day apart not for his seruice but for their worldly affaires because they will not take another time for hindering their profit in the weeke daies Much more my Lord I haue to say but I am loth to be too tedious You Master Church haue spoken sufficiently and enough to condemne him Call Master Common-Weale Master Common-Weale what can you say on the Kings behalfe against the Prisoner at Barre My Lord this man hath entred so farre into all businesses as hee hath almost vtterly vndone mee Hee propoundeth Offices to sale and so maketh the buyers to sell their duties for profit to make vp their monies He hath monopolized commodities into his hands inhanced the prices of things to the great grieuance of the Kings Subiects Hee as your Lordship well knoweth hath miserably corrupted the course of Iustice by briberie by making many Lawyers plead more for Fees than honestly for the equitie of the cause by delaying the cause by remouing it from one Court to another till men be vndone He hath to get his desire suborned false witnesses counterfeited Euidences and forged Wils Good my Lord let some order be taken with him else he will vtterly bring mee to ruine and all mine for euer Call Master Houshold Master Houshold what can you say concerning the Prisoner My Lord this wicked Couetousnesse keepes holy exercises out of priuate houses he will not let parents haue any time to instruct their children hee maketh Masters vse their seruants more like beasts than men they are so wholly imployed in worldly businesses as for their soules there is no care taken but they are left to liue as soule-lesse men Hee causeth niggardly house-keeping and ouer-labouring of seruants He breedeth much contention chiding and too much vse of ill language by Mistresses and Dames yea betweene men and their wiues in their Family to the great griefe and ill example of their children and seruants Yea my Lord hee hath made children to bee cruel to their Parents brethren and sisters to hate one another neere of kindred and bloud to goe to Law one with another for and about diuiding goods lands and inheritances yea I can witnes this that hee hath made them murther one another Children their Parents Husbands their Wiues and one Brother another It would be too long to particularize how great euils and how many waies hee hath iniured mee and all mine But because other witnesses stand heere by mee I will trouble your Lordship with no more complaints at this time Call Master Neighbourhood Friend What is it that you can say touching this prisoner My Lord this vnhappy man hath altogether disunited mens affections so as in our Towne there is very little loue hardly will one doe another a good turne freely but either it must bee one for another like for like or in certaine future hope for gaine This wretch hath almost banisht all friendly society euery man is so now for himselfe as hee neglecteth his neighbor almost wholly He maketh them trespasse one another to rob cunningly one another in buying and selling and to fall out with bitter rayling vnneighbourly languages for a penny losse and causeth many suits and brabbles Wee are my Lord indeed miserably disquieted and almost vtterly vndone by him For my Lord we were a company of very good neighbours till he became Landlord here dwelt Amitie Kindnesse Gentlenesse Loue Peace Charitie Patience Goodnesse Readie-good-will Forgetfulnesse of wrongs Sociablenesse Good-turnes and Ioy but most vniustly by his cruelty wrong dealing hee hath displaced them and brought my Lord a company of infernall spirits for so I think I may without offence call them which are these Hatred Malice Enuie Wrath Anger Churlishnesse Discord Niggardlinesse Sturdinesse Strife Debate Variance Emulation Sedition Wrangling Fraud Deceit Malignitie Despight Vnnaturalnesse Implacablenesse Vnthankfulnesse Fiercenesse Highmindednesse Selfeloue Makebate and Vnmercifulnesse The best that hee brings in my Lord are Costlesse complement Faire-Speech How doe you Good-morrow Good euen Glad to see you well Word-welcome Will you drinke Fare-well Yours to command and such like also one Little-good with another called Soone-lost and amongst these No-harme is greatly commended but neuer a Good man amongst them much lesse any Too-good to bee found in the Parish except more in name than in deed And this is that which I haue to say my Lord at this time Call out Master Good-worke Master Good-worke what can you say touching the Prisoner My Lord there hath beene so much spoken that I need say nothing yet none haue more iust cause to complaine than I haue for he hath endeuoured to his vtmost to root me out and all my posterity Bounty Liberality and Hospitalitie My Lord we by reason of him daily stand in feare of our liues all the countrey crieth out of him in their loue to vs who well know how often hee hath attempted to murther vs. He hath put out of ioynt both the armes of my Son Bounty and almost broken the backe of my Son Liberality that he hardly at any time goeth vpright and all know this that he hath violently set vpon my Sonne Hospitality and forced him out of doores and in his stead hath let in Pride of apparel Sumptuous building Affectation of vaine Titles whom hee hath made to shut vp doores perswading them that to maintain their state they must increase their reuenues by new purchases by racking of rents by inhauncing their fines and incomes all