as if were we Fellons or fearfull Villains and Miscreants we were carried into this Banishment but that saying of our Saviour hath sweetly refreshed mee Luke 22.52 Bee yee come out as against a Thief with swords and staves When I was dally with you teaching yee streched forth no hands against mee but this is your Houre and the Power of darknesse The other Order followes At the Council at White hall Tuesday the 9. of October 1655. Whereas his Highnesse and the Council are inform'd that Sandham Castle in the Isie oâ— Wight where Mr. Feake and Mr. Rogers are at present Secured doth not afford them Convenient Accommodations Ordered by his Highnesse and the Council that the said Mr. F. and Mr. R. be removed from the said Castle to such part of the West of the Isle of Wight as Maj. Boreman shall judge meet for accommodation of their health and with respect to their security and privacy The pretence of this Order they also printed and spread about that the Cornet Str. who brought us thither upon his return made report of the badnesse of the place and of the want of fitting Conveniencies as if they knew it not before and thereupon they printed it Octob. 12. 1655. that Order was immediatly sent for our removal into some private house where we might be lodged and have aire and things fitting for our health Now this Counter-report pretending love and pitty almost quash'd the former of their Cruelty to us but for all this High noise there was no such matter really effected for such a removal but the people were deluded and gulled and lulled with a good opinion of these Persecutors for this pretence of their Charity to us and then the enemy could take a better blow in Cruelty at us and with lesse noise than before as he did indeed at mee as fully as fowlly in my removal to this Monstrous Theater of Tyranny where I now am under the roge of wilde Beasts rather then rational Creatures looking when to be torne a pieces trampled under foot yea murthred by them should the Lord whom I serve suffer them to be let loose For if ever there were such a people as Philastrius tells us of in Lib. de Haeres called Cajiani from Cain whom they honoured for his Fradricide saying he had the greatest power but his Brother Abell the least and they would serve the greatest Power Sure these I am now amongst of all men that I ever saw are such and their Castle may be called not Carisbrook so much as Cains-brook Castle for they serve his Power and Principle nor could they pretend Accommodation in the least to remove me hither but all on the contrary being worse here then ever in any Goal for that matter but for all their pretences there we continued in that worse then Bonners cole house untill the 31. day of the eighth Moneth and notwithstanding the Lord visited me like a Father with a sore and fearce feavour in this hole I was with that on my back carried a way through sad stormes ways and weather by Order from the Court with Soldiers and the Ensign from this Fort further into banishment to Arten-house of Freshwater Island an Isle within an Isle an exile within exile c. ubi latares duplicantur about this time did some of the Sisters of the Church-Society go to White-hall with a demand of mee refusing to petition or send in a parer but after long tarrying and with much difficulty word was brought them from O. C. with a great asseveration that Orders were sent down to open the Prison doors for mee let mee out but if I would not then to accommodate mee with all conveniencies in the Prison but Pectus Satanâ— mendaciis foe cundissimum est there was never any such matter that ever I heard off but this policy was invented to pack them away by those that have made lies their refuge They asked why the Brethren came not and why my wife came not but I had indeed sent letters to her to keep off least parlying with the Serpent she should be insnared With mee I carried about my papers in my Cloaths and other wayes as the Martyr Tyndall did his which doubled both his and my labours hiding them at Arten house inholes and walls and potts and panns to preserve them from the enemy and so Mr. Fox carried his about and it may be these my poor prison-labours may minister to the publick one day as theirs have done But in this prison also being neere the Sea I had Nazianzen's sight of sad shipw racks as they have done with their Faith and Consciences that banish us and of the Sea working like the wicked enemies who foam nothing but siâ—h mire and dirt and and as in a storm it cast up light and empty things but not things solid heavie so as he appli's it to afflictions tryals in persecution light empty spirits are soon turn'd over and tossed up and down by the present foaming enemies and keep not their constancy but solid spirits like the Rock stand firm endure their rage out and will not stir an inch for them in Bâ—nnishment or Bonds but as Mr. Burroughs saies in his Moses Choice chap. 6. Men know not their own hearts they finde them otherwise then they thought for when the tryalls come they never thought they had so much pride impatience unbelief coveteousnesse and selfe as they may see they have then But in this House was I guarded with a fierce company of Herodians Soldiers for as they who handled my Lord Christ so cruelly would fancy Herod to be the Messias Epiph. Haer. 20. from Jacobs prophecy that the Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shiloh came wherefore Herod a stranger possessing the Scepter they took him for Shiloh so these who handle us so hardly some of the best fancy their Lord Protectour C. to be the man on whose shoulders the Government of Christ lies accerding to Isa 9.6 and Blasphemous speech to his Parliament Jan. 22.1654 pag. 31 32. But these sat up day and night to watch me and yet indeed it was a much better Prison than the other for air and other accommodations for diet lodging c. Thither came my poore wife with 2. Children unto mee Upon the Lords-daies because I preached were 4. Soldiers or sore biting Leopards set a fresh upon my bones but upon other daies but two who were renewed upon mee day by day and followed me so close with their Herodian rudenesse that some of them would force within my Room at unseemly seasons that with very irrational bruitishness indeed yea dogg me much immodestly when I eased nature added withall very often words and threats if I stayed any thing long and that without any provocation Two or three Genâ—lemen and my dear friends from London who came to see mee were there assaulted after they were suffer'd to see me one of them two coming purposely from London to
made me rise and my wife to make her self ready and I scarce able to go my head being light with the fierceness of the Fever was forced that time of night to one Lead-beater's house a Messenger into a little lowe dark room where was very little air which I much needed and for which I rather wished to be in the other Prison The next day at night new Orders came to carry me to Lambeth again where I continued till Sergeant Dendy procured my Removal Of which place I shall chuse principally for the present to give a short hint or abstruse Account leaving the whole History for a fitter season that the obstreperous false reports may be obviated our Sufferings a little known and sympathized his poor sevants prayed for their faith and patience owned their God be glorified and his enemies found Lyers Worse then Heathen Tyranny to us and ashamed for their worse then Heathen tyranny to us which appears in these Particulars 1. By the Law of the Heathens the Romanes none were to suffer before the Law had judged and condemned them 1 Uncondemned and without Law nor before their Accusers were brought face to face or the Accused heard to speak for themselves in the matters laid to their charge Acts 22.25 Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Romane and Vncondemned Then they said v. 26. TAKE HEED Acts 25.16 Festus confessed It is not the manner of the Romanes to deliver up any man either to imprisonment death mulct or punishment before that he which is Accused hath his Accusers brought face to face and he have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him This is a Rule of Reason This is contrary to all or most of their Declarations where they call this Tyranny in the King and Bishops and incongruous with the Laws of God of Nature and of Nations contrary whereunto our Persecutors now practise having put us into Prison thus year after year yea with worse usage and more close then the worst Malefactors Cavaliers Plotters Ranters Blasphemers or Offenders they put amongst us For all the while I was by order from Sergeant Dendy kept out from the air of the Common Hall the wicked crew of Cavaliers Plotters Ranters Roarers drinking cursing swearing singing fidling gaming and blaspheming day and night had the benefit of it yea for above thirty weeks they would not suffer me to stir out of the gate for air but the worst of all other Prisoners had their liberty with their Keepers every day and when order was to let but three at a time come to see me yea not to suffer man woman or childe to come at me nor one of my family to stir out for necessaries for me the worst of men besides had All that would come to see them yea the most loose sort of people that could be to sit up healthing hooping ranting and revelling with them at the highest rate in a most hideous manner about mine ears These had abundance of liberty to sin for whom the Law was made as the Apostle says 1 Tim. 1.9 10. when we could not have liberty to pray together or to have any holy Assembly but at the Prison-grates when I put my head out at the Iron bars to my dear brethren and sisters in Christ who flood in the street And all this without any Law condemning any Crime charged formally upon us any Accuser brought before us any Witness against us any Trial of us or License given us to answer in any open Court onely the sixth of the last month the last year I was carried to White-hall into a Chamber where what was objected was denyed to be any Charge against me and so remanded to prison again but by no other Law then Lust and Will the Beast's Law Sic volo sic jubeo sic pro ratione voluntas TAKE HIM JAYLOR being all the Trial Law and Sentence All at once All in Will with a worse then Papal or Prelatick Arbitrariness without signifying for what Offence or by what Law which the Popish and Prelatical Persecutors always did herein falling short of the Romane righteousness mercy and ingenuity and betraying or robbing us of our Rights and Liberties we fought for But the Lord knows let them report what they will to put a good colour upon this Practice of theirs and to render us odious who are almost buried alive in Prison-graves and not suffer'd to speak for our selves we know no other cause but our very Consciences in the matters and Principles of faith in the Testimony of Truth for Christ against his Enemies and yet they dare be so wicked as to say about We suffer not for Conscience and there be none that suffer for Conscience for Christ or for preaching the Gospel in England at this day But O! that the Truth might have a fair hearing 2. Our Goalers wors to us then the Heathens A History of some few passages for an instunce 2. Under the Dragon-Power of Rome the very Goalers who are usually the worst of men were more civil courteous and urbane then ours are to us for Paul's Goaler let who would come to visit him Acts 24.23 Acts 28.16 yea their Acts 16.33 and made much of them but our Goalers do adde stripes aggravate our crimes pretended augment our afflictions accumulate into mountains lyes slanders vilifying speeches and reproaches upon us invent and inform what they can with any colour against us dayly going to Whitehal for that purpose and every way more cruel to us then to the worst Prisoners they had At Lambeth we found it so from the upper to the under from the Master to the Man-goaler whiles others found very fair quarter and civil Courtship who fed them with round Sums which we could not buy at so dear a rate and therefore besides other reasons were forced to courser fare For after a few weeks word was brought to my wife that I must pay in fees somewhat more then 6 l. a week which I was not able to do having no estate in the world and what I had being all taken away from me and this for the rooms to Serg. Dendy About a weeks space after this one of Serg. Dendy's men old Meazy came up at candle-light into my Prison-chamber in the name of Serg. Dendy saying he came from him to demand the money which was due to him for his fees and the chambers for so many weeks saying I was to pay but 10 s. a day fees for my self for although though it was 20 s. a day yet the Parliament put down 10 s. a day of it and for that Serg. Dendy would use me courteously he would have but 14 s. a week rent for the room where we kept a fire for my family while they were with me and for the little inward lodging-room where was no chimney where I lay I should know that when I went out I told him I was not able to pay so
bring me physick for my feavour but the Lord was my Physitian before he came as Rollock said es tu Deus mede eris mihi and more Soldiers of the fiercest sort were fetched from Yarmouth a mile or 2. off to feaze upon them and their horses carrying them prisoners before the Deputy Governour for no other reason but for visiting mee having taken no offence at them neither by word nor action so that friends were scared from coming â—o sivit I shall passe over the daily wrongs the people had in whose house I was kept prisoner the Soldiers put on to it by Officers Some poore people of the Island that creep'd in to hear me preach on the Lords-daies were wonderfully mennaced by the Soldiers yea their names taken and carried to the D. Governour to be ordered or committed yea some of these brutish Bears were sent abroad before the poore Creatures that came to hear the Word were at the house to force them away and not suffer them to come near least they should hear me preach A Lievetenant came to tell me if I would not preach nor meddle with his L. P. in my sermons I should have liberty to take the aire a mile or two on the Downs a Soldier or two atending mee to whom I said that liberty was my right but to take it upon such tearms I would loose my rights first and as for preaching the Word I had a better commission and Authority for it then any of them had to hinder it or to wear their swords by their sides for your Authority was from the world but mine from him that made the world to be subject unto his son whom I preach and declare and so far as his L. P. or any alive should stand in a way or interest against Christ I would contend for my most dear Master Jesus Christ against him with the help of God yea if he cut my tongue out of my head or mee limb from limb and leave me but a stump that stump should stand against him and them to their teeth that oppose Christ and his kingdom much more to that effect I spake unto him who doubtlesse told his tail A poor Soldier who pittied my condition under such hardship for my conscience would comfort mee and confer with mee out of Scriptures which being perceived he was soon cashiered and cast quite out this only for his civility and honesty poore creature but he had comfort in it and the worst Churles they could pick were appointed to watch and ward mee day and night but this prison being too commodious where I might see friends in the yard if they came to see mee and too good as they accounted it for mee it being a good aire and in its selfe well accommodated I was removed from thence with a company of Soldiers upon the 5. day of the 10. moneth to Carisbrook-Castle or rather Cains brook-Castle where I now am and indeed they did show a most un Christian inhumanity in the manner of removall of mee the the daies being so short the waies so bad and the weather so bitter and to boot by reason of so long and lamentable an imprisonment my body so unused to it and yet with poore little horses at 2. a clock in the afternoon so late they called mee out and a way which when I bogled at it being so unseasonable an houre for such a journey in a dark cold night over bleak Downes dangerous wâ—ies scarce going by one house till Carisbrook for my weak wife and two Children the Leopards consulted together and one of the Offices concluded to pull me out by the ears and so by force and sury to fetch mâ—e away but when I saw I must go knowing their bloody disposiâ—ions and that by no means I could be permitted to tarry untill the morne I required of the chief Officer the Serj. a coppy of his warrant who shewed mee his although the other Officers as they used to do sâ—id to some other his sword was his warrant pointing to it by his side which when I heard I said in good time is it come to that And thus every thief in the highway saies but in this Isle it is the constant and common answer of the Soldiers when we ask hy what Law or Order to say by this drawing their sword or laying hand on the hilt the Order was to convey me hither within one houre or little more the night was come upon us the waies were exceeding glib and rough with ice and frosts the windes high and sharp which blew the snow out of the clouds full upon our faces the night was very black dismal and dark without Moon-shine or Star-light untill we came at Carisbrook town the road being unbeaten and over high mountany Downs up and down so that we did alight often in the dark and footed it as far and fast as we could for as Origen said when the Emperour sent for him in his Chariot that he would go on foot for his Master Christ My wife being weak rode but once was very ill with the unusual black night aire I also was at last overcome and I fell down twise in the way but with hot waters I was refreshed a little and forced to trudge in the darke again untill with a very dangerous difficulty contemplating the hard travails of the Primitive Saints and Martyrs after several houres in the night we were brought into a poore house in Carisbrook and there lying upon a bed I was pritty well refreshed after an hour or two and then a Serjant came to me in the deep of the night with a coppy of the Order from the keeper of the Castle to receive mee his prisoner under Scobells hand Cleark of the Councell in White-hall not signifying for what Cause or Crime nor hath any Order so done to this day that ever I could see but only their will and pleasure The Orders are as followeth In pursuance of an Order of the Councell of the 28. of November last you are hereby authorized and râ—quired safely to convey Mr. Rogers from the house of Mr. Vrry at Afton and so to deliver him to the Commander in chief at Carisbrook-Castle to be there secured till further Order from his Highnesse or the Councell Given under my hand at Brook this 4. of December 1655. To Serjeant Nolâ—ard theâ—e Thomas Boreman Wednesday the 28. of November 1655 At the Councell at White hall ORDERED That Mr. Rogers now restran'd to a private house in ehe Isle of Wight be ramoved to Carisbrook-Castle and there secured till further Order and that the Deputy Governour of the Isle of Wight do take care that he be removed accordingly Henry Scobell Clerk of the Councell Here is no Crime nor Cause I thank the Lord which mindes me of that in Jer. 50.20 ' Their iniquity shall be sought for and there shall ' be none Now could their juggle of accommodation be now pretended it being because of the accomodation
he made a scoff at what I said and turnd away in great fury then I said wel the LORD wil look down and see all these things at which he turn'd and said pish the LORD what do you tel us the LORD who is the L you are not the LORD aâ—e you and so went on raging and blaspheming and the rest scoffing for company as ful of fury as they could hold who indeed have not the patience to hear the Lords name so much as mention unless at Alehouses and in sin so sadly prophane are they and indeed how can they be otherwise when men with wicked and idle courses have spent al their meanes and cannot or wil not work they get into these Garrisons to drink and guzzle their Pay out before their pay-day comes and for other misdemeanours deserving to be chashiered can find no way to secure their places but by their brutish premeditated and barbarous cruelty to us wherein they merit most that are monstrous and these things I declare as in the sight of the God of truth to be true having read over again and again what I have written and do not know one line I have written too large the Lord knows whatever some may think but in many that I have written too little rather intending hereby to give but hints to the Saints of the continued and multiplied Series of our sufferings especially to such at London as through their ignoance and our forced silence say it is but a flea biting that we suffer and not worth speaking of but it is a sign they have not a fellow feeling for as the Lord said to Ezek 2.46 They are impudent and stiff necked but be not afraid of them though BRIARS AND THORNS be with thee and thou art among SCORPIONS and therefore it is we are so torn and stung every day and indeed in a sense it is a suffering worse then Death as slight as men make it It is true in reproach to us the Soldiers after they have beaten and abused us bid us to complain if we wil and if we do not like it help it knowing that the cure is worse then the Disease to us and that we have none to complain unto but the Lord who surely wil hear us and save us at last before they have wearied us out and broken our very heart-strings and which doubtless they designe in one kind or other before they have done with us But matters of greater moment I must refer to a fitter season and blesse Jehovah with us O ye upright ones that sympathy with us for he hath yet lined us with a good conscience within and a good cause without and we trust We shal not fear what flesh can do unto us and pray for us yet more abundantly I had thought long ere this to have been at an END and that this Persecution would have added or imposed a Quietus est to my body by death out of the continuance of their cruelty but it pleases the Father that I should yet live as one alwaies dying under their immanity and now since that of the poor Maids sufferings by their so immodest dragging her al at length in the yard before mentioned I am intreated by friends to inlarge this sad History which I write with no great delight though I hope I suffer it with joy a little further but I had rather a thousand times to set it before the Lord my God then once to make mention of it to any below yet by reason of Friends importunity to whom I must not be ungrateful I shal give you a short view of this new link added to my chain since that of Joseph in his round Caines-brook-Castle or Tower too Gen 3.20 running much in my mind for the Lord was with him and although I never read of such rigor in his bonds as are in mine renewed often yet of him the Holy G saith Psal 105.18 19. Whose FEET they hurt with fetters he was laid in Iron VNTIL the time that his Word came the word of the Lord TRYED him yea not only my feet have they hurt but my back bones and whole body hath been hurt beaten bruised and are aking every day with these heavy fetters and furies Since the Maids such monstrous usage without any cause and being last out at the gate with her clothes rent and torn where besides that she lay on the ground lame like Lazarus at the gate six or seven hours the next day for admittance and at last was let in again with no little stir and threatning I had liberty to go in to my dear Co-Exiles chamber not knowing of any design they had upon me which it seems they watched for and had Orders from BULL as they say to observe when I did so being now resolved to take their rage from the lame Creature having little credit of their cruelty to her and to wreak it upon me and my poor weak Wife which they did at present thus but O Lord let the remainder of their Wrath PRAISE thee Upon a sudden after my fellow prisoner had invited me into his Chamber four or six Musketeirs with Swords Guns and light Matches were set upon me there and soon after more followed them they set also Soldiers upon my weak Wife and Family yea into the very room raging which frighted her for the suddenness of it she being as ignorant as I of the meaning of this new piece of tyranny and so keeping us asunder that we could not come at one another see or hear so as to know of each others condition or what the matter was which made it look like a bad business as bad as if forthwith they had intended to murther me at least my Wives sickness subjecting her withal to very frightful fancies feares and apprehensions wondring vvhat would become of me stil asking after me and what was become of me or what they had done with me and besides to make it a through piece of a monstrous matter to her they set within her chamber the most uncivil drunken raging wretches stamping threatning grinding their teeth calling Jade Quean Carrion with a many such obscene names bending their fists striking tearing thumping raiâ—ing with their staggering if any offered to go in the room not suffering them to stir for necessaries within the rooms offering and drawing the naked sword upon them with asseverations several times vvithout any provocation given them in Word or deed and soon after followed ten or twelve more as they inform me and filled the room vvith such rude creatures and doings vvithout any regard at all to Sex sickness or condition As they vvere at this inhumane sport persecuting my Wife and Family those armed Soldiers with me were not wanting with great violence and fury to execute their Orders as they called it for I offering to go to the door with desire to see my Wife being fearful of some mischeif to her though I knew not of this cruel usage of
have proved admit of any other King Lord Protector or Lawgiver to ravish us with their lusts God forbid Wherefore for Christs sake stand fast unmoveable and abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 and I do professe for my own part seeing the Lord hath honoured me hitherto with this Chain for this his Cause though I be a poore weake worm yet with his grace sufficient for me I will abide by it for as one of the Martyrs often used Vespasians saying Imperatorem decet stantem mori It becomes as that are Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5.10 to dye standing not stooping to the lust of any man especially now the day of Christ is come Therefore let us all fall in and on and stand to it with the Lamb and the twenty four Elders or the twenty four orders of the Levites about the throne in this Cause by which tribe of Levi are indeed to be understood the Generation Saints the first-born Heb. 12.23 first fruits Rev. 14.4 and therefore have they the precedency of other Saints as Generation Elders who like the Levites before under a curse Gen. 49.7 obtained the blessing for executing the judgment Exod. 32.27 28 29. with the sword on their brethren and spared not Now of these in Davids dayes were the twenty foure both Rulers Singers and Ministers 1 Chron. 29.25 So that such such Generation Saints the twenty foure shall joyn in one work and song with the Lamb and with all the living creatures about the Throne and with the holy Angels Rev. 4.9 10 11. and 5.11 and altogether in one Hallelujah Amen as Isa 52.7 8. which he waites for who is buried with the body of Jesus in this new Sepulchre where the souldiers seek to keep down his Resurrection and the hope of your Brother John Rogers Morning-beams OR The Vision of the Prison-Pathmos LIB I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. I. Hagah The Introduction with the Cause Accidental of the following Discourse upon the present Truth and Testimony IT is none of the least part of our Prison-Threnodies in the present Tragedie which the bloody BEAST by a new Guize hath acted again upon the Stage of Great Britanny The general Introduction by Lamentation the trampling under foot the present Truth and Testimony of Jesus in this last Scene of the holy Citie 's suffering as I may say for the fourty two months so as that scarce one Interpreter of a thousand durst entertain or own it simply which at best hath but a Pasport from Many and so is whip'd away from one to another from post to pillar till it come to the place where it was born but there it hath a being blessed be Jehovah else it is hardly handled according to the Court-Law for a Vagrant with Warrants like to Pope Engenius's hoc esse verum si ipse velit sed non aliter This or that is true if he his Holiness or Highness will have it so but not otherwise Who then can finde the faith or conrage to expose his life or at least his liberty and estate to so prodigal 2 Hazard as he must do who will fetch it from under the Beast's foot and feel the acrimony or cruelty of his sharp clunch claw or horn piercing him to the very heart O this is as hard a task in a sense as to rescue the Lamb from the claw of the Lion or paw of the Bear Therefore Isa 59.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none that passeth his word for righteousness nor is there any judgement for the Truth O sad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what not one Well may our Prisons sound and resound with exaggerated Nightgroans for the Court and Country increase in lying and transgressing and falling backwards perpetrating iniquity at so high a rate as will suddenly fill up their measure this I see evidently from my Iron bars as v. 13 14 15 16. and yet None intercede for the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one will run after it follow it meet it or to the face of All own it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O what a Lamentation is this If one doth like Wisdom's child a little justifie it yet where is he that doth according to the Hebrew intercedere intercedens for he that doth so as it is in the text exposes himself to be spoiled plundered imprisoned made a prey to the ravenous Beast that eats bones and all Zeph. 3.2 Yea although he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that departs from the evil of the Times is sure to suffer so yet for all that it is a Wonder to me how we can hold in to see what officious servants Charles Stuart this Court or any carnal Interest have to run and ride on their Errands to venture and engage life liberty limbs estates and all for them and their Interest but the Lord Jesus ah alas as if he were the worst Master of all can finde few faithful that will venture half so far for him and his suffering Cause at this day especially perpending the point of Time the progress of the Testimony the approach of the Period of the Beast's dominion in this street of the fourty two months and of the rise of the Witnesses with the little Stone or the remnant of the Womans seed who must strike the Image-Government of England all to pieces the terrible Earthquake which shall rend them up by the very roots Also when I advert the advantages of the Saints in this street above any other of all the great City or Beasts dominion the forwardness of the Work here the height of the Controversie already between the Lamb and the Beast precious blood of Saints having seal'd thereto and the Vials so lately pour'd out upon the King Lords Prelates and corrupt Powers of this Seat also our late zeal against Common-prayer Crosses Painted Windows Rails Surplices corrupt Ministers Magistrates and the like O! my soul even bleeds within me to behold the present apostacie of Spirit Principles and Persons not onely among Mercenary Professors but the Little Remnant whose Coldness Cowardliness and Carelesness is almost incredible at this time of Day too and were it not to fulfil the Word of God Rev. 11. that this present Death and Darkness is upon us for these three yeers and an half I should be so astonished at it as not to know what to make of it But when I am venting my burthen with these like words or passions Lord where is the Spirit of old yea the Spirit and faith and courage that we our selves had some ten twelve or fourteen years ago among the good old Puritans yea the spirit of English-men and rational men among us O! what a Change is this What sheepishness what sleepiness what deadness what darkness what timorousness and what tameness is now seized upon us The Light arising in Darkness doth put an end to such Reasonings and Syllogizings giving rest to my Spirit till the time of the end which is at
much nor did I judge it reasonable being in prison upon will and nothing brought to my charge and therefore those that imprisoned me must pay him yet this I would do willingly if Serg. Dendy will chuse one honest man I will chuse another and what they think meet for me to pay as God shall enable me I will saying withal I would know the lowest which I must pay He said 4 l. 4 s. a week was the lowest at which I told him I was not able to do it nor did my brother Feak at Windsor pay so much but as I heard but so much in a quarter as is demanded of me in a week and that it was worse then tyranny to take away all I had to live on turn my wife and children poor sucking babes out of doors when the Lord allows a Snail a shell yet my poor wife and babes had not a shell to live in but my prison yea and to hinder those that would to minister to our wants and to demand 4 l. 4 s. a week too was wonderfull unjust But the old man being teachy hereat flew from me with these menaces You must and shall pay it before you go out from hence But because the carriage of this business was so cruel merciless and unchristian Serg. Dendy was ashamed to own it to good men stoutly and often affirming that neither he nor any for him did ever demand it of me or threaten me about it But with how little modesty or grace and that you may see what wide mouthes ravenous fishes have it follows under the hands of some present in the Prison-chamber when the old man came for the money two of them being Church-members We whose names are hereunder written do certifie to whomsoever it may concern that old Michael Meazie came as he said from Serg. Dendy whose servant he is into the chamber where Mr. Rogers is prisoner now at Lambeth and in our hearings demanded of Mr. Rogers the sum of 10s a day for fees for himself a prisoner to Serg. Dendy and of 14s a week for his Chambers in all of 14l 4 s a week And for that Mr. Rogers made scrupble to pay so much at present the said Mesey told him he MUST and SHOULD pay it before he went out from thence This we witness by our hands who heard him demand that Sum of him and can Depose it Dorothy Hill Alice Lewis Anne Evington Notwithstanding with so strange a face they denied this and said I was no Minister of Jesus Christ if I affirmed it and they would publish in News-books against me and the like I can shew it under Sergeant Dendy's own hand by several Orders and Letters that the not paying those fees and sums of money was one thing that made him so harsh to me above others For soon after the old man went to White-hall and told his tale against me in his own mood and figure and then followed the ensuing Letter from Serg. Dendy to me SIR I took not my house at Lambeth to accommodate Families but onely such Prisoners as by Order of the Council stand committed to me and therefore whereas I hear you say that Mr. Feak at Windsor hath his wife and children with him and yet pays nothing which is not altogether improbable because Windsor-Castle is the States proper house but so is not Mine nor the goods Wherefore inasmuch as I am informed that it is commonly reported you are at 6l a week charge though I know not of a peny that hath as yet been received from you and this declared on purpose to abuse the well-minded by provoking their charity towards you of which I wish you were as capable as some others Further your wife at your first coming to my house vapouring that she would give 5l aforehand so you might be accommodated at my house which was more publike then others of my Deputies and so to serve your Designe was rather made choice of Upon these Considerations having no Allowance at all from the State to defray so great a charge as my house at Lambeth amounts to I desire you will remove your children and servants to some other place more proper for them to which end I have ordered that you have a weeks time from this day to dispose of them and for your own particular your Wife if she be with you to be treated with all civility and have as good accommodation as my house can afford So wishing that you may be a partaker of Christ's sufferings rather than those of Evil doers I rest Septemb. 14. 1654. Your loving Friend E. Dendy I confess I was much grieved at this Letter for that I knew not whither to send my poor Children from me two of them being about a year old and very weak and my poor Family being thrust out of All only that Scripture refresh'd me The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head Besides the lines were fraught with false reports I perceived of my Wife and me and pitiful uncharitable censures and suppositions as that I sought to come thither and to abuse the well-minded whereas I knew not of my returning to Lambeth till Harding came with a new Order nor did I any otherwise desire it but for air in the time of my burning-feaver I confess I did desire more air and so my Wife said she had better give 5 li. than be so choaked up in a little hole for want of air as Lead-beaters was but for any other purpose the Judge of hearts best knows and will one day declare for me But then came in consolation from Matt. 5. Blessed are ye when they speak all manner of evil of you Besides the several uâ—truths in the Letter as that I said Bro. Feak paid nothing and that of 6 l. a week charge and of having no allowance from the State all which I knew to the contrary so that I thought it best to spread it before the Lord and wait with patience and with the whole armour of God the brest-place of righteousness and the shield of Faith Eph. 6. to stand and withstand in this evil day v. 13 14 15 16. And so I did without any noise as the Sheep that is bit by the fierce teeth of the Dog weeps inwardly most and whines not like a Hog But ere long he sends a most severe Order to the Under-Goaler to take away the Beds from under us yea to execute his Orders that night that one of my Children lay giving up the Ghost but because the Child was gasping he could not finde the heart to execute it and the Child dying that night he then said he would not have done it for 100 l. though his Master command him so strctkly to observe his Orders But for all this and the death of one Child and the weakness or drawing-on of another their immanity without pity was prosecuted upon me so that had
and words saying they hoped to see me dance in a Rope and swing in a Halter calling us Hypocrites Lyers Deceivers yea Rogues and Queans and Devils and what not as Luther said ad Spal Prorsus Satan est Lutherus dum modo Christus vivit regnat Amen So say I Amen! So be it So Christ doth but reign Affronting me to my face if I went but down Stairs which made me seldom stir down for air not above once or twice in a Quarter of a Year Their words were wounds Prov. 18.8 and 26.22 I shall forbear to particularize their Names till I have a Call to it but will use the Psalmists words as suitable to me with much assurance in the same God Psal 56.3 5 6. What time I am affraid I will trust in God I will praise his word I will not fear what flesh can do unto me Every day they wrest my words All their thoughts are against me for evil They gather themselves together they hide themselves they mark my steps when they wait for my soul Shall they escape by iniquity O God No! Isa 29.20 21. When Paul was in danger of his life his Goaler the Captain came and rescued him from the Jews and after loosed him from his bonds Acts 21.31 32 33. and 22.30 but these are so far from pity ingenuity or Christianity that their frequent dialect is bitter bloody malicious and menacing as if they long'd to have our blood swearing to run me through if I offered to stir putting Cavaliers Ranters and Blasphemers upon it to plot against me for my life to gather up Articles against me from what they over-heard or invented from my praying and preaching or singing of Hymnes writing all down they could make for their purpose and then sending them to Serg. Dendy or to White-hall to Mr. Thurloe against me The first Informer they got up against me was one Abdy a high Ranter and Blasphemer and Atheist who was stab'd to death that day that he was promised and expected his reward at White-hall for his good service against me and his were some of the Articles they read against me at White-hall This Man did frequently Consult with the Devil calling him his God and as I heard in the Chamber below me Conjur'd him up in personal shape When he heard me at prayer in my family he would come to the door shreeking yelling and screaming with a most hideous noise thump at the door open it and come in among us singing roaring smoaking Tobacco cursing swearing blaspheming blowing horns and the like on purpose to disturb us When we sung Hymnes he would sing filthy blasphemous ribaldry in bawdy languages and at every end of his sentence some desperate Oath Three days before he was stab'd and after he had sent in his forged Articles which he gather'd against me to take away my life he made a most blasphemous Song this Song he and some more of the same sort came to my door singing it together in the tune of a Psalm or Hymn scoffing laughing swearing and blaspheming most hideously between whiles Besides him some other of the prisoners were put upon this practice and a little before I was called to VVhite-hall last old Measy came he said from Sergeant Dendy to bid them get all their Papers they had ready who said they would and immediately went together one day after another until they had gather'd up Articles into two or three sheets as I hear against me bragging what they would do and so sent them to Serg. Dendy and he appointed his man to carry them to Mr. Thurloe They were grown so high then as to come into my chamber upon me and invade me my wife and family there with violent and most virulent invectives stabbing words and threats 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insomuch as they being desperate our lives we thought were in danger by them They frequently sent the Keepers with scurrilous messages and cast or sent in notorious Libels and still invented somewhat or other being stirr'd up or countenanced in all these and a thousand other affronts and abuses by the Goalers So that I say we receiv'd not Romane civility or so much as sober Heathen â—sage from them and were by many degrees more brutishly barbarously treated then the veriest miscreant Cavaliers Ranters or Blasphemers they had For they had the liberty of any room in the house of any of their friends though ever so rude to see them yea the Cavaliers at this day courted by Serg. Dendy and his wife offering to send Down-bedding if they lie too hard giving them liberty to go abroad when they will by day or by night yea to go to Taverns when they lift yea to take the Key and let who they will in and who they will out and to keep my friends out as if they were the Goalers scoffing and mocking them by the name of holy sisters and holy brethren and what not Whiles we were the Lord knows contented to have lyen in straw would they have let us have been quiet but they would not which made us more sufferers then men think for but the Day will discover And thus far for the second Particular which I might have amplified in many other Orders Letters Messages which I have by me and who will may see them in the Original and then judge of our Goalers what they think of them 3. The Prison-company with us worse then in the Heathens â—ays 3. They surpass the Romane tyranny yea of Nero too in this That Paul was Prisoner in his own hired house two whole yeers Acts 28.30 and he was suffered to dwell by himself vers 16. onely a Souldier kept him So in Queen Maries days Rogers Martyr prisoner in his own house a long time But we are torn out of our houses like beasts out of holes and brought as I was into such a company and crew at Lambeth with them that were brought in there that for drinking swearing reveling fidling singing roaring and blaspheming day and night I never heard the like among the worst Cavaliers or wickedest of men making the Prison to me a very Pourtraicture of Hell and Horrour and Hideous Blaspheming among the Damned ones as I may have a season to acquaint the world with ere long for now I do but hint and instance in things for proof The 26 of 10 m. a Bawd came for G. as the Keepers wife confess'd one of the greatest Informers against me and brought him a Drink fetch'd him out to a VVhore who came not in again till one or two in the night and then was a great falling out about it raging and raving the occasion of it the Keepers wife said was He had been with his whore They were so wicked that besides all their most hideous mocking and contemning the Ordinances of Christ and foresaid living in sin day and night they would assault my family get the Key and sollicite them to the Taverns if they could take the children
it is by his grace I will look thee in the face Thou proudest Tyrant thou canst but batter the vessel thou canst but hurt the bark but my life is hid with Christ O sweet word they cannot finde it it is out of their reach for it is hid with Christ in God Amen! Lord and keep it there that I faint not Thus far for the second Reason arising from my sufferings 3. Another Reason why I appeared not publikely from prison before was impreparation having been in the valley for the vision many days and months before I could come to this in many travels trials and pangs of Spirit upon me before it could be brought so neer the birth as now it is waiting for a safe and seasonable deliverance This made me sit up mourning in the night-season and laid me low in the flesh for many a week together with little joy of this life as we say though with no little joy of cheary faith and sweetness in divine life and being waiting for the Anointing to bring forth this little being loth it should prove abortive though but an Embryo of what I hope will be born in due season But some labour with more difficulty pains and dangers to bring forth a little birth by reason of impediments then others do in the greatest and indeed because of the Times a fixed and clear judgement is so incumbent that I could not content my self with the speculation of the present Truths Prophecies and Visions which begin to break out of Daniel and the Revelation with such dazling and amazing light but I must be sure of a sound Practical judgement too and principle in the heart which puts into one balance with Christ and his Controversie God and his Commands and into the other with the Beast and his present Controversie the Sins and Apostacies of the Times and of this Street and upon poysing on all Sides and setting all it can cost me before me chuses my duty to God and Christ against the sins and abominations of the Times or the Powers which occasions the hard Travel And I must confess I did deliberate with too much flesh and blood at first contenting my self more with the heavenly Prison and presence of Waiting then of Writing of Praying then of Publishing any thing to the world that so I might run the less hazard to life liberty fame or estate c. But I was soon rouzed up out of this Contentation and kinde of Contemplation whether I will or no by a loud Call to me for what is already born of God in me about the Work of this Age yea of the 45. ensuing yeers after this wherein the Lamb's followers and sufferers under the Banner of Christ are to know their Places maintain their Watches keep their Motions continue their Marches renew their Charges till they rout Babylon and destroy the Beasts Dominion root and branch yea until they do Wonders in this old world For the years of Wonders Dan. 12.6 are now entering upon the descension of the Spirit of life from God And in order I am to sound the ensuing Trumpet to the Two Witnesses and remnant of the womans seed for it is no time to dally the danger is great the day is come and we are engaged there is no going off live or die stand or fall fight or flight is at hand and Num. 10.5 6 8. When ye blow an alarm then the camp shall go forward VVhen the Congregation is to be gather'd together ye shall blow but not an alarm and this shall be an indelible ordinance to you in your generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that after a long and humble attendance at the Throne for my present work The Order of the Author's Call to this Treatise I am put upon this whatever I must do or endure for it so Jesus be but magnified my spirit is pitched having so manifest and manifold a Call to it in order thus 1. A special Message from the LORD brought by a choice servant of Christ and his Church 1. A Message brought me the 10 of this month by our S. H.T. who had a weeks close communion and conference with the Lord in heavenly Visits and Visions singing praying contemplating communicating and receiving amongst other things a Message to deliver me in the Prison which I had to this effect That the Lamb's book should be unsealed and the Visions opened to me bidding me be of good chear for I should shortly know my own work and what Israel ought to do This I confess was a word in season to me and as sutable at that juncture as if an Angel had come with it out of heaven on purpose which much raised and revived my spirit as Solomon says Prov. 13.17 A faithful or as in Heb. a true Messenger is health in the Abstract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I found it when the visions of mine head troubled me and made me sick it is medicina as some read it Prov. 25.13 Besides upon the first of the third m. last after a very solemn Fast all day with my con-Captive to know our work and what we should do the succeeding night in my sleep I thought I lay under the shadow of a great Mulberry-tree which hung full of great ripe mulberries I lying with my face upward and mouth open saw many of the boughs crowded together which I thought by impression upon my heart in my bodily sleep to be the Lord on the top treading them down together whereby as the boughs so the brave large berries struck one against another and brake one into another and ran all that were so broken by one stream into my mouth and belly whereby I thought I was abundantly refreshed and when I awaked I was so indeed full of joy and could not hold but told my wife of it presently and afterwards my friends But before noone the same day I received a Letter from the foresaid person with these lines Truly brother I have seen you frequently in the divine bosome and have sung abundantly Hallelujah for the Cordials which I saw poured down your throat which made you I apprehended like a Champion and like a triumphing Conquerour Go on thou Champion for he hath said he will stand by thee who stood by Paul at his first answer when none stood by him c. Some may muse at my admittance of these things but I do assure them it is neither to boast of them for what hast thou O man to boast of but what thou hast received nor to build upon them which is very dangerous but it is to observe the concurrence and good effects of such passages for though I am as far from taking notice of or having dependance upon Dreams or Visions as any man alive yet I must not omit the night-teachings of the Spirit nor such Dreams or Visions which bring forth blessed effects upon the spirits of men or are ratifications of the truth and minde of God for
with such uncharitable censures untruths and evil reports of their poor imprisoned brethren insulting over them in their calamities with calumnies now they know they cannot speak for themselves vapouting abroad they will undertake to prove They meaning us in Prison for this Cause suffer not for the Gospel nor for any Truth of the Gospel and doing what they can to make false report of our Principles and Practices which obliges me the more to the publication of this Treatise And by false brethren Besides them and the fore-mentioned at Court there be others too set awork by Satan viz. false Brethren of the Churches we walk with especially two withdrawn from for scandal and sin whose uneven walking and imperious spirit formerly did beat in the body like an uneven Pulse which was growing up to a very high distemper and danger but that the Physician of the Church gave it a Purge and prevented yet these two whose names I am loth to make too publike for who knows but they may repent and be other men which would be great rejoycing to me have most unchristianly reported if not invented such things as my very soul abhors which is publikely spread as far as Lewes in Sussex yea the Pastor of the Church told me for all that he knew as far as Edinburgh in Scotland And this makes me mention it â—he more particularly because no Author can be found for â—t and the Cause of Christ is so much concerned in it which makes the Devil so busie at this day by divers instruments after the foresaid two to report me to have plaid at Cards in Lambeth-prison a very vile Slander the last Christimass as they call it the Cavalier-Prisoners and the rest of the Ranting crew in that Prison did play drink and game day and night all the time but for my part I neither saw nor touch'd a pair of Cards all the time nor to my knowledge any one of my family and to take off all scruple I have had a kinde of antipathy to Cards ever since my suffering with the Puritans so called by the Prelates when I was yet but a childe being then led to it by their example when I knew no other reason and cannot endure to see a Pair of Cards and if I see but any anywhere that I can lay hands of I burn them yet as Metullus was answered in the Senate when he railed against Tacitus It is easie to abuse him who is not suffer'd to answer But I will not fill my pages with such unprofitable lines onely this to take off all stumbling-blocks from good people who else might be prejudic'd against me before they read the following book and as I meet with any other materiall passages or reports as I come at them in order I shall endeavour for thy sake Reader to clear the way for thee knowing there be many who Shemaiah-like would put us in fear as Neh. 6.13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea into a fright lest we should go forward that is the very reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But though we be but poor vile worms and meet with as many discouragements on the right hand and on the left as I think such poor men can meet with considering the corruptions of our own hearts and thereupon the Tryals which attend us many times as well as the Troubles which are added to us and our bonds by the unhandsome mouth-purgings and reports of friends and foes good and bad enemies and false brethren yea such as pretend high with us too in this most excellent Cause for and in which we suffer with abundance of divine support blessed be the Lord therefore we hope through his grace we may say We will sooner have our tongues cleave to the roof of our mouthes our eyes shrink and sink into our heads with waiting yea and our bodies rot in the Dungeons then relinquish this glorious Controversie now up for the Lamb against the Beast for which we are in prison or yeeld an inch of ground to our Enemies in these matters Others there be who report highly of our Persecutors on purpose as some did of Tobiah's good deserts Nehem. 6.19 on purpose I say to discourage the brethren and that they might have Matter for an evil report says the text of us which I hopâ— they shall never have as they would as long as blood is in our veins and as long as Jehovah supports Christ intercedes and Saints pray for us Therefore let all these Fame-bearers good and bad remember how Nehemiah prayed against such brethren as well as such enemies Nehem. 6.14 and see Num. 14.37 Even those brethren that did bring up an evil report upon the land died every one by the plague before the Lord and so will these without timely repentance nor can they enter into the thousand yeers Canaan But thus far for the third step to this Treatise by Call 4. The Challenge of some of the Court-champions 4. Another degree of the Call is the proud flaunting and Goliath-like Challenge made us by some of the Court-cathers and boasters one of the late Clerical Commissioners hath twice press'd it upon me in the prison to print somewhat saying he would warrant I should have free liberty to do it without offence and without danger print what I would withal that I should have an Answer which with a kinde of boasting and insulting being urg'd so hard upon me for the Truths sake was of notable inducement to point my Pen for I hope to finde a little Stone fit for the purpose which monstrous high Challenge is methinks much like that of Gaal in his Champion-fits of Fury and Folly Judg. 9. who dared Abimelech when he was absent saying Sultan-like Who is he Increase thine army and come out But by and by seeing his Army in earnest coming without increase his Plumes fell and he was terrified and amated at the very shadows of them and then Zebul mocked him saying as 't were How now man where is thy courage vers 38. Wherewith thou saidst Who is Abimelech where is thy mouth Is not this the people thou so despisest Go out I pray and meet them and fight with them which when he did as he could do no otherwise for shame he was destroyed and smote before them And so some say to us Come if you dare print publish what ye can c. but Altitudo non est valida Soft words and hard Arguments go farthest 5. The many Cases of Conscience sent me alluding to this Subject 5. I found besides all said before Cases of Conscience come thick upon me and sent apace unto me for Resolves in the work of the Day about the Witnesses the time the street the rise the order and effects of their rising also about the Vials and about the Beasts dominion the first and second Beast with their characters and about the number of the Beast's name and who is the man that makes up the last
and their sake Ephes 3.1 2. and 4.1 Col. 1.24 Phil. 1.7 That I am bound with this double chaine or double Honour of imprisonment and banishment from year to year it being in their cause and not in my own and for the kingdome of the Lord Jesus purely that we are thus persecuted and not for any carnal interest of men yea because we dare not in conscience had we a milian of lives to loose for one strike in with a carnall kingdome or cursed thing of man it being for the faith and truth of the gospel of the kingdome preached for a Witnesse Mat. 24.14 and of the little book yea for the hope of all the Israel of God whether Christians or Iews who wait for the Messiah and his kingdome that I am bound thus beaten banished and so barbarously handled being one of the weakest and unworthiest Vessels of those gracious ones of the Lord my dear con-captives and co-exiles that are thus used for the kingdome of Christs sake I cannot I dare not I ought not to bury all with me in this iron-grave or exile but for the publick use for the truths sake yea for the prosperity to come I would publish a a little more for a Prologue to this piece of that persecution which is upon us and so contract all into a few conclusions or experimented observations and then fall upon the maine matter of the banished-mans Vision in this Isle out of the little Book Rev. 10.10 and from the Voice of the seven thunders the Lord assisting me But as Ignatius said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more pain the more gain They brought me into the wide jaw of Winsor Castle the 31. day of the first Moneth 1655. delivering my body up to that Den of Leopards according to this order from their angry Masters procured by Serj. Denby whom the Draggon hath given a power unto for a time and times and a divident but he acts like a Serpent full subtilly Rev. 12.14 These are to will and require you to receive into your custody from the hands of Edward Denby Esq Serj. at arms attending the Councel or his Deputy the body of Mr. Joh. Rogers and him safely to keep prisoner in Winsor Castle untill you shall receive further order from the Councel hereof you are not to faile and for so doing this shall be your sufficient warrant Given at Whitehall this 30th day of March 1655. To the Governour of Winsor Castle or his Deputy Signed in the name and by the order of the Councel Hen. Lawrence President Thus Serj. Denby by his great sedulity and industry to execute his and the other Goalers anticedanean threats and malice upon monstrous reports of my preaching out at the prison grates got this Order by sollicitation and to screw up his power to the highest peg of severity he sent strick orders to his under goaler that neither man woman nor childe should come at me nor any one of my Family stir out so much as for food mony or any other necessaries whatsoever insomuch much as my friends who came to visit me were forced to stand in the street with souldiers at their heels to hear what we said whiles I spake out at the Yron bars unto them and in the night when no one of my friends or acquaintance might hear a word thereof he sent a Messenger very late to bid me be ready by six in the morning for I must be carried on the other side the Water this being the first notice I had of their secret designe nor would he tell me whether to whom or for what nor as then show me any order for it nor would he suffer any one of my friends to know of it which was the greater tryall at the instant I being unprovided with necessaries if they should carry me away or put me to any journy but to my great astonishment I heard some calling under my prison-winddows almost all night and by day-break very much whom we thought our enemies till the morning discovered them to be our friends who by a speciall hand of providence was raised out of their beds and had heard a rumour that I was to be carried away that morning by day-break so they came to see for it seems as close as they carried it unto us a man and an enemy who heard of it that night at White-hall by one who told the other of it with very great privacy could not keep it in but when he came to the three Crane-wharf in London he told a good woman or her daughter of it for news what he had over-heard at White-hall not knowing that friend had any relation to me if she knew me who indeed as my heavenly Father ordered it was a Sister of our Church Society so that she could not reft but went to some others of the Church and thus in the night one called up another at a venture and by the blessed hand of the Lord severall of my Freinds came to hear of it and waited at the prison gates where I was to come out with many tears and prayers and supplyes of my wants but the Ruffians struck shoved and pushed them away what they could and hurried me from them and so carried me to Winsor Castle That day word was given before to the Governour of the Castle and by Orders the Souldiers were set on both sides with their Arms and Matches light to receive the prisoner comming but when they saw me come in some of the Officers told me they were ready to sink down in the place where they stood they expecting some Cavaleer or lewd person rather and not me as they said to be so dealt with some of them knowing me both in this Nation and in Ireland and looking upon one another with amazement saw it an apparent persecution as they said upon good men for their consciences and the Cause of Christ After a longer attendance I was put into a little room which had one little window and which did so excessively smoake that the winde and the stink of a house of filth made it worse than a prison if in that cold season we would keep a fire the very coales thereof being blown into the room about but I ran to the door to ease my eys a little and to take some ayre thinking to have walked a little in the yard but it was denyed me the Centinels standing at my doore to keep me in yet afterwards for very shame and perhaps pitty I had more liberty and the centinels were taken off which continued till the 6th of the third moneth ensuing But a word or two to the Order you may observe as in this so in the former and all the rest of their Orders concerning me that ever I could see the Coppies of which are by me there is not a tittle of any CAUSE mentioned why they have so persecuted imprisoned and since banished me nor have they any colour but what they would I think blush for
shame to put into any of your Orders or Warrants viz. for Preaching and praying whereby it appeares ye are imprisoned persecuted plundered banished and thus barbarously used upon meer will lust and arbitrary power and tyranny sic volo sic jubeo without the least colour of a Law a crime or Justice herein exceeding the arbitrary processe of their Predecessors in this practise the very Prelates Papists and Heathens so that to this Day we see they do not tell us the cause or crime nor can we have the liberties of Conscience Law Justice or Processe but yet the Lord of Righteousnesse stands by us and is with us for all that laeti simus sed non securi gaudentes in Domino sed caventes a Recidivo The Order is signed by H. Lawrence President once a Pastor of a Church I hear but one whom long since the work of God had laid aside and spewed out yea he had laid it aside as an Enemy or at least no Friend to it with some Others that were before Vomited out or could not be Digested for their Crudities but this G. for want of others hath licked them up again nor is this Council altogether unlike the Duke of Alva's bloody Council or the Counsel of Trouble in flemish Bloat-read so called in the Netherlands as to the manner of their proceedings putting down thereby the greater and the more lawful authority of the States to persecute imprison oppresse tax levie confiscate banish apprehend or put to death at the Duke of Alvas pleasure and lust being meerly arbitrary and without Law all being directed by the Duke himself whose meaning was that his Council should be but consultive and not absolute for that he left to himself alone whereof J. Vergas was the President as H. Lawrence of this of whom it was said that the Netherlands needed so sharpe a knife as Vergas was to cut away their dead flesh and so it seems by O. P's speech to his Parliament Septemb 4. p. 14 15 16. Where he stirs them up to punish that is presecute us three severall times as worthy of the Magistrates consideration most sadly abusing that Text in Jude for it so that these men look upon us as without life that they lash us wound us cut us and so cruelly and continually cut us with this their sharp knife for no other reason but for our Faith consciences and affections to the Lord Jesus and his kingdome declining and disowning their's that lies upon the skuls blood bones lives limbs liberties and tears of the most precious Saints persecution of Christ blaspheming of the name and spirit of God and infamy and reproach of pure Religion an undefiled but thus for their arbitrary order whereby I was delivered into their Den at Winsor though a delightfull garden to this mercilesse hole as from men where I now am yet blessed be the Lord With a tolerable modesty and humanity they admitted me the liberty of the Prison and accesse to my brother Feake's chamber for one moneth without interruption where we worshipped the Lord together but upon the 29. day of the second moneth being the Lords day in the absence of the Governour two of the Officers viz. Capt. Weston and one Pepper an Ensigne the latter being lately fetched out from a common Souldier and lifted up with so sudden an excessive pride conceit and ambition zealous of higher promotion and therefore striving to exceed and so to supplant his superiour in his cruelty to us falling out with the other for admitting us to meet in the worship of out God together upon the Lords dayes although privately in our prison chamber and to amend so great a mistake and fowle a crime as they took it they forthwith forced a Centinel upon the doore watching their time to hinder me going up to my fellow-prisoners chamber whiles they with drew that least their so unchristian commands in the matters of God should be reversed which when I saw I was desired by the Lords people present to begin there and so I drew out my Bible at the doore severall of our friends with my Brother Feak being by we begun in an Hymn and Prayer proceeded on with the Text but was often interrupted by the Souldiers and the hearers driven away with violence at last the aforesaid Officers admitted we should go into the chamber as before and took off the sentinels and so we continued together with much comfort a few of us in praying singing and exhorting one another untill late at night according to the Primitive practise of the persecuted Saints but the Devill did not like this and therefore against the next Lords day following he had made ready his rage the day before which the Governour himself being come home and instructed with the matter by his Ensign Pepper sent for us two Prisoners who were together to keep up a duty of Prayer in my lodge with a peremptory sword-power of coram nobis who after we had looked up to the hils from whence our help comes went readily and chearfully the governour assaulted us feircely with some other of his Officers like fell beasts indeed and as brutish as the souldiers were to Brentius Anno 1547. charging my fellow prisoner with a foule fault in his childe of three or foure years old that he should call O. C. fool at which my brother F. said that he would affirm niore viz. that he is a Tyrant which made them high in their rage against him with whom I thought I was bound to bear my witnesse modestly but the governour brake out into such bitter rage that he was meet anger without ears or reason threatning to lay me forth with into the Hole if I preached against his Master as he said at which I rejoyced Quia plura pro Christo sunt toleranda as Fulgentius said in his sufferings and said yea do Sir with all my heart I am as ready to suffer it for my Master as you are to do it for yours And I tell you Sir I fear not the worst you men can do and with the grace of my God I will preach for my Christ against Cromwell or any other that oppose Christ though I dye for it if I have but a peeping hole or a hole to breath out at I shall preach if you do not suffer us to do it in our prison lodges privately for my commission is not from man but God and my authority is greater from above than thy power in the interim be it known to thee I fear neither thee nor thy sword in these matters of our God The next day being the Lords they began to put their hell-begotten plot into practise for our friends that came to visit us from London they kept upon their guard and would not admit them to us which when my con-captive heard unknown to me he went into the Chappel and with the peoples leave he began Prayer in the Pulpit which they were attentive unto I hearing thereof
could not in conscience so do for his standing there was only to hear prayer yet intreated B. F. to come away and when he found his argumâ—nts of no more force with him in that duty the Serjeant was returning but in the way this wicked Ensigne whose feet were swift to shed blood saluted him as an enemy for not tearing him a way by head and shoulders at first with sword and scabbard struck blows in such strength that the yron thereof cut through his skull and brake his brain-pan so sadly gashed mangled and wounded the blood spinning out a great distance from him he with much ado reel'd to a seat where he assayed to break his sword and throw away his scabberd with a witnesse against them to wear it no more in such service but in the mean-time this enraged Morster with his naked Sword laid about the rest who now ran away with B. F. as with a light burthen and so like the Dâ—â—gge in the Smiths Forge they that would not stirre at the many stroaks upon Gods anvill whiles we were at our work could run now at the sight of a wand yea with winde in their wings lift up their Ephah Zach. 5.9 Work poore whetches Such miserable slaves are they all According to the Arabick Adage which for want of characters the presse omits Men ' la a-rifo-lchaira mina-Isecri alhiqho bi-lbeha ima they that cannot discriminate are company for beasts The Serjeant was conveyed into a house and as it was by the Chirurgeon himselfe supposed mortally wounded and a dead man for after hâ— had taken out two or three pieces of his skull he concluded him doubtfull of recovery if not beyond it it being so contiguous and ambiguous for at last he found it but a hairs-breadth between him and death being hewed to the Caruncles and concavity of the head and should have utterly despaired but that the Cerebrain-skin was marvelously kept from the cuts Thus blood was shed in their rage against Religion and the Worship of God who formerly and when it was their interest have with blood contended for it yea the Blood of Warre in the time of Peace 1 King 2.5 And as tame Foxes once loose do the most miscriefe so do these Et ad extremum lupus manebit etiamsi inter homines educatus fuerit as the Persians say Wolves will be Wolves though brought up amongst men or put into sheeps cloathing Mat. 10 But the Avenger of blood will pursue these sonnes of Belial and wo unto them that build their Citty in blood Isa 1.5 for when their plague comes the name of their place shall be Kibroth-hataavah the Graves of Iust for whiles the flesh is between their teeth the Lord shall smite them in the interim consider First That we lie as yet among the pots in the hot kiln the yron furnace of Aegypt Lam 4.2 How are ye precious ones of Sion compable to solid gold accounted as earthen potsheards yet with the reversion promised us we will not part Psal 68.13 Though ye have lien among the pots as the wings of a Dove oppressed of Janah made a prey overlaid with silver and her feathers with beaten gold of Charatz cut a sunder for though we be Chenshe phatta of shaphattariim order'd and disposed between the very hearths where the fire is kindled in the hottest Urn among the Tile pots I mean in those Ovens of mens wrath viz. Garisons of Souldiers to be scorched far exceeding in that sense the common Goals and Prisons yet praised be our God for his presence is with us which was with the three Children in the fiery furnace and as Psal 66.11 12. Thou laidst affliction such as comes from oppression of Gnuk upon our loines thou hast caused men to rid over our heads or beginnings of rosh we went through fire and through water but thou hast brought us out into a wealthy place or larevajah to an overflowing and afulnesse of moisture and anointing as Psal 23.5 where the word is and herein shall we yet more abundantly rejoyce for such earthen pots as we are in the Lords house shall be like the Bowles or Bâ—sons before the Altar Zach. 14.20 that is ever full of the hott blood oâ— the Sacrifice which is our sure mercy and Nâ—w-Covenant-Comfort in this State of patience Secondly we may see the è polupragmoseume the pragmaticall proclyvitie activity of the Cavalerish spirit to prosecute and execute the rage of the Beast upon us under this Sword soveraignty with the same Antipathy and principle they had in the Kings dâ—yâ—s though under a shew of more religion refinednessâ— and zeal like Balâ—k Numb 22. and 23. that to curse the Lords people and get power over them with great readinesse and real ran to the worship of the true God as if he had renounced his false God Chemosh when in truth he retained still his old principles and yet with them he seemed a new Proselyte he offered seven Oxen and 7. Rams so far exceeding the true Saints in his seeming zeale to the true God and stands by his sacrifices fasting and praying and his Princes too with so great devotion and why so why all to get Power over the Lords Chosen ones So these have seemed to have laid aside their old principles of enmity hatred animosity revenge persecution and opposition so of prophanesse Atheisme and open wickednesse of that kinde thereby to get a power of revenge over us to curse and diminish us for our faithfulnesse and constant adhaesiâ—n to the good Cause both now and in the late wars this also lying in the road of their preferment so to treat us for the Cavaleers highest Counsels ar this day are to fall in with this Power in order to the bringing of Ch. Stuart ruining us and precipitating of them and all this by their old principle 3. It appears a conviction of Conscience is a capital crime with them and merits cutâ—â—ng slashing and shedding of blood without mercy for as the Jews Jo 9.22 Had agreed that if any man did confesse that he was Christ he should be put out oâ— the Synagogue So have these agreed to cast them out from amongst them that acknowledge the Lord Jesus in Power and truth according to the dictates of an enlightened Conscience for a blind men restored to sight they will not endure amongst thâ—m who in such a mixture and complication of sinister interests prefer butchery before the liberal arts as they say of the Jews yea revenge above Religion and Coin above Conscience calling the touch of conscience contempt melancholly and madnesse and punishing of them they themselves being â—eared and having made shipwrack thereof whiles we as Paul saies 2 Cor. 4 2. Have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftinesse nor handling the Word of God deceitâ—ully but by manifestation of the truth commend our selve to every mans conscience in the sight of God Fourthly It is evident we are under as barbarous a Spirit
the word is are very welcom yea the captivity of the captiety is already deforced and turned back by the force of these refreshing streames Psal 46.4 which the Lord is unto us and broad rivers Isay 33.21 So that v. 16. our waters will be sure Teballel jah Hallelujah But to proceed Upon the 16. day of the 3. Moneth 1655. were Commissioners sent from White-hall in a colour of justice to be done for our diversified injuries which by this had made aloud noise in the eares of men so as the Courtiers was put to this policy for a shift and in pretence of wrongs done unto us and to enquire after the matter of fact we found the integrall of their negotiation to be against us that all the informations they could squeeze out of any sortes of people Souldiers or enemies might be modeled and formed up together against us and so presented to their Lord Protector The Commissioners that fat upon us were Mr. H. Mr. Wood Mr Cresset Mr. Carier Mr. Woodard Mr. B. Mr. Oxenbridge and Angelo The first day they sat I was interrupted in the duty of expounding and praying in the morning and from my sweat out of that exercise taken away by the Marshall in the company of my Broth. F. to be cooled in the other When we came before them in the Governours lodgings they told us their errand by the mouth of Mr. Holland we desired to see their Commission and to hear it read which their Cleaâ—k did and as on the one side it signifiâ—d some wrongs we had received of the Souldiers so on the other side and which was the main body of the businesse Upon complaint against Mr. Christopher Feake and Mr. John Rogers that they stirred up the Souldiers to Sâ—dition and Mutiny against their Officers and the Government Those whose names were under written by the foresaid Commission were authorized to examine and make report to him given under his Seal Manual and in the head of it O. P. When we heard it read the designe was obvious unto us under the colour of hearing a little of what we should say to hear all they could possibly scrape up or that any could forge or find out against us for indeed to this day what ever they say they want sufficient matter to bear out this abominable and bruitish handling of us these years together Brother F. first spake and I Seconded him we both told them we were in the capacity of prisoners and that close but if they had power to right us we required our doe liberty at least to be in Statu quo and to have the liberty of the Castle as the Cavaleers and all Prisoners but our selves had to breath in but that denyed we demanded a copy of their Commission that we might be the better directed when we rightly understood their Rules and Instructions we were bid to withdraw and after a long debate called in again with his recusation that we did not own the Government and therefore they could not allow us a copy of their Commission without we would own the power that sent them We told them that was not the point nor was it now the matter in hand yet we could assure them we should not own them as they are Commissionners for so our lives would be in jeopardy and our liberties betrayed and as much as in us lies the liberties of our Country and brethren for that what they were to do was as Justices of the Quorum to hear examine and prepare matters for the Oyer and Terminer in order to a definitive sentence and future issue and therefore they were to make it more concise to give their prepared papers and examinations to their Lord Protector whereby he may pretend we have had a trial depositions taken and nothing rests to do but to hang or head us therefore we did not intend to be involved into such a snare nor to be thus treated with or tryed in a hole Answer was made us they had no such designe but we told them they had not the intentions of their Lord Protector in their hands however and thorough our simplicity it may be theirs too he might make his game but although as Commissioners we would not meddle with them yet as Brethren or Friends in an amicable way we were ready to give them or any other an account of our faith hopes and sufferings Answer was made us they were our Friends and Brethren too in which capacity we told them we could discourse freely with them but they said they were sent for our good and satt to hear what injuries we received we told them whether for our good or hurt we excepted against the matter the forme the rule and the end of their Commission and could take no cognizance of in the capacity of Commissioners for matter I said in that some men as Mr. Oxenbridge c. were parties concerned and therefore not fit to sit as Judges or Justices in this case as to forme they were an illegall court nor ought they to take the prisons for informations against poor prisoners to palliate their past proceedings with new pretences and colours put upon them But first they were to try us for the offence if they had any perpetrated upon which we had lay so long in prisons and either to acquitt or adjudge us for that and then they might proceed and enquire for new but to immure us so long and barbarously and now to stirr every stinking puddle to find matter for it is not fair but like the Tyrant that did first hang the man and then hear his Cause or the Constable as the P. calls himselfe that fiâ—st knocks the man down and then bids him stand besides as they were incompetent Justices and no authentick Court so the end for which they satt let them shape it as well as they can was wicked and unchristian to rake up informations and depositions against us in the matters of our faith and consciences They told us they were to take report of matters of fact which we desired them to extricate according to their Commission but they refusing so to by the ill successe of our request reaching but to the Superficies of an obtuse Nerve we saw it encumbent to deal plainly with them and to tell them the utmost our enemies had to impeach us was but for wordes in preaching praying or Christian conference with us which we knew to be wordes of Sobriety and truth though our enemies call them dangerous and seditious Mr. Oxenb answer'd that words were matters of fact with that we knew their meaning and Mr. H. said he must needs confesse the Charge against us was very high yea said we in your Calendar or Law you make it Treason to do such things as in your Commission seems charged upon us but we vallued not that yet insisting upon a copy of their Commission Mr. Oxenbridge answered they could not for that we had denied the efficient cause thereof we
round about at their integrity and liberty nor will they cease their witnesse one moment till there be a return remedy yea as Purchas Pilg. ch 18 lib. 4. saies this every private man may do and not suffer for it But these in England persecute plunder banish and imprison them that witnesse against publique wickedness that by better principles too notwithstanding Gods word saies Levit. 19.7 Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Wherefore in this it will be more easy for the Governments of Persia Turky and China at the last day than for this and the whilest Leprosy is the worst Numb 13.2 4.10 Vnclean Vnclean as they are Thirdly That the justice of God doth ever avenge with the Sword upon an Apostate Interest Levit 26.25 And I will bring the Sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant So Exod. 32.27 Now this Apostacy is that which immediately preceeds the rise of the holy Camp or Sword in this one street first Rev. 11.3 Dan. 7.22 25 27. at the end of the 42. monthes which I take to be the outer Court Rev. 11.2 For the Lords Camp of old in the Wildernesse had three parts or rather it was a threfold Camp as the Hebrewes write viz 1. The Camp of Israell or the 12. Tribes mustred Numb 2. and set in their quarters under their own standards all that could bear armes and this was the outward Camp pitched found about the Tabernacle which was four square and said to be 12. miles long and 12. broad that is without fraction united and not easi y broken this is the outer Camp which we expect to arise every day The 2. Camp was the Sanctuary-Camp or of the inner-Court Levites and Priests musterd and set in their quarters and wards under the charge and care of Eliazar and Ithamar Numb 3.4 But the inner Camp hath continued with the two Witnesses and with them that have gone out of the Tabernacle of the Testimony against the Beast all along this 42. monthes Rev. 15.5 6. The 3. Camp was called the Camp of Gods presence to save and protect his people within the veil and in the holiest of all from whence came all their orders to fall on and which first began to move viz. in the sigues of his presence the Cloud and pillar c. This is the Male-child that Sions travell will bring forth now immediatly and begin to move us yea the sound of the 7. Trumpet gives the Alarm and the 3. Woe is now at hand only this caution love as your lives as not to stay behind at the call so not to stirr untimely least you fall before your enemies like them Numb 14.40 42 44. and they be heightened against you but be first united the inner Court and the outer Yea these calld Fifth monarchy men and Common wealth men must unite too upon the principles of Righteousnesse to all men which may easily be obtained and then March for the signes are upon us and the Trumpets sound horse horse and away Fourthly Whiles our incense burnes within the wail and the Piguls of our enemies their feasts and tears are an abomination to the Lord Mal. 1. Isa 1 And from them we are cleansed through the water of separation made of the ashes of the red Heiser i. e. Christ our Sacrifise Numb 19. Whiles our waved-sheafe even of green corne and unripe is accepted And note from hence That it 's a very subtil specious insinuating Spirit which is now as worke to persecute the Saints 2. That seeming Brethren and Professors are the Persecutors who pretend love to us in the bloodiest and most cunning designes against us 3. That whiles they report all over the Nation by Printing Preaching and every way there is no persecution they persecute us in holes and corners where none can see it but the God of heaven not only for Consciences but purely for praying preaching and the worship of God though we meddle not with the Government or the Times 4. Whiles their Clergy cry out upon us as medling with matters beside the Cushion and â—â—â—h Civill affairs they themselves are the Busy-bodies made Judges and Commissioners in Civill-matters and indeed the greatest medlers in other mens matters 5. For want of matter to colour over their ungodly imprisoning Plundering Robbing Spoiling and Barbarous abusing of us they rake up the Prisons for our infirmities and to finde matter if they can to make us odious and to take away our lives so they did at Lambeth vid. my Sutrod of Prison b. Morn so here at Winsor not regarding how surreptiously or shamefully they get forge and invent it so they could but find matter against us One matter against me I remember was that the Brethren of the Church I walk with sent the poor desperately wounded man twenty shillings to relieve him as a deed of charity he being a stranger his Family in Ireland his pay short and his want great which charity they interpreted a design in me to draw him off from their service though no such thing was ever thought of or propounded but this they devised and make it a great crime with several other of the like coin forcing men to affirm any thing as we heard before but yet the Lord hath delivered us for his great name-sake from these unrighteous Judges and suborned Witnesses both at Lambeth and here 6. We may also see what eminent testimony hath been borne from heaven against these practices of theirs for at Lambeth the great Accuser Abdy was starb'd that day he should have been rewarded by them for his good service and an other one Porter spitting upon my head when I was Preaching with my head out at the grates kill'd one of their own Officers for which he lies in the Gate-house if he be not executed and here at Winsor Mr. Wood one of our bitterest enemies amongst the Commissioners pleading much for the Governors and Soldiers in the wrongs they did us hath not enjoyed himself since as it is reported but was presently after snach'd away by a suddain hand of God So the that in the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of out Soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee and as Judges 5.31 So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Amen and Amen My imprisonment in Winsor continued untill the Second day of the eighth Moneth 1655. by which time I had been delivered of a hopeful vision or prison-born endeavours and discoveries in the worke of the day about Generation-Truth the two Witnesses the supputation of the times Rise and Ruine of the two Beasts order and nature of the Vials c. And present state of great Brittany in this Grand Apostacy and Turn which is put out to nurse but being a Male-Childe is most miserably threatned and laid to
be destroyed if not bereft of life but it being the fruit of faith prayers inward pangs contemplations travells of Spirit night and day and indeed the very marrow of my prison-contemplations perhaps it may be hid of God from their bloody hands that seek to cut the throat of it and I do hope so for that the seed of a Banish born is brought into the womb also Upon the first day of the eighth Moneth in the evening a Cornet of horse came to Winsor with Orders from White-hall or hell rather as from men but indeed as to us from heaven to carry us away with him to Sandham-fort and so he gave us time to prepare till the next morning we must not dispute it my difficulty lay in the managing of this so suddain newes to my poore wife who was very weak and in Child-bed ready to fink upon any suddain motion in so dangerus a condition as she was being but 4. days not 5. full out in Child bed after so hard sore a labor as gave her up in the judgment of them about her for a dead woman or at least the child but that the God of prayers yea our prison God the great Jehovah that appea'rd in the mount Gen. 17.22 last minute of need almost beyond expectation saved both but yet so as the least trouble grief or suddain fright would probably have indangered her as much or more then before this made me look up to him in whom I center who giveeth wisedome and upbradeth not Jam. 1.5 weighing her weaknesse for a space of time I was treating with her upon the promises especially to the persecuted suffering ones for Christ with the special presence which they have had to support in such cases instancing in th' examples of our blessed Captain the lord Jesus and his most noble file-leaders or van-Soldiers the Apostles Prophets and primitive Martyrs who are all for our examples Jam. 5.10 And so was I first insinuating preparing warming and affecting her heart with the precious truthes and promises before I could break the matter unto her who notwithstanding received it with tears and troubles of heart not knowing whether they would bannish me into Barbadus or such like place or else Barbarously murther me before we see the faces of one another more not having time to provide for wife or children or the poore prison-bornebabe I was the next morning notwithstanding I wanted necessaries and had not riding-Coat Boots or things fiâ— for such a journey yet with Musketeres and Officers they fetched me out of my Chamber by violence and rent me from my weak wife in childbed and weeping babes and children about me but I bless the Lord that I had first some sealing refreshments to my inwardman for in my sleep before I waked in the mornings the Lord met me at which I said as Gerdius did in his torments Jehovah is on my side I will not fear what flesh can do unto me with which I awaked fell to prayer and arose preparing my Family with prayers and exhortations to all that were about me and conveying a few of my papers into the bottome of my Stockins at the soals of my feet to preserve them from their hands and searches I was brought away to my Bro. F. so by force we were brought to horseback and with the Troopers led like the flock of thy slaughter O Lord Zach. 11.4.5 Whose possessors and persecutors hold themselves not guilty yea and they that sell us our Lives Liberties and Bodies to Barbarians that are skil full to destroy us for a little money places and preferments say blessed be the Lord Isa 66.5 The poore people on both sides of the streets standing weeping listing up their eyes blessing pittying and praying for us as we passed thorough to see us so carried and hurried into banishment for the name of Christ I blesse my God I much rejoyced though I was so harshly rent from my dearest relations and worldly commodities not having one foot of land house or estate in the world to live upon but only the providence of my God which feeds the Birds clothes she Lillies and numbers the Sparrows to depend upon and yet I sang I say in this blessed suffering for joy like the bird of the day or the Nightingale at the thorne Yea Dum ova in gremio sunt The first night we reach'd to Farnham the next morning was very cold blustering stormy and bitter yet before I was fully ready they had taken horse and I was call'd away and stay'd for so I hasted and we road thorough great rain storms winds and very sore weather to Alton I think they call it where we about noon being soaked quiet thorough our cloathes I and some others bitterly ill feavourish and weary had leave to refresh a little with fire and provisions for our selves and horeses so we all tarried there a small time hoping it would hold up the weather yet continuing as bad as before and the way which we had to go being worse which made the Cornet and his company of Troopers well content we should tarry untill the next morn and my self being very violently afflicted with the head ach and in a high burning feavourish distemper did much desire it as also did our friend C. D. now Epaphras our fellow-prisoner he being likewise somewhat troubled with the pain in head so I layed me down upon the bed Bro. F. and his wife being both well through the goodnesse of God yet some of them would be going although we were so ill and the weather and wayes so exceeding bad but then I did beg in that bitter distemper to stay but one hour upon the bed only untill I had took a little slâ—mber hoping to be a little better by it but I could not obtâ—in it notwithstanding some did entreat it for me yet to no purpose for away they went took horse and left me behinde with some Troopers to follow in that violent bad weather which I was but ill provided against which when I saw I was forced to arise muffle my face about with a scarfe and ride after a great pace not only to overtake them which I soon did but to get to some Inn as soon as I could possibly that I might ly down and ease my afflicted head the Cornet streight wayes appointing the place we should go unto that night which was a little Village 3. or 4. miles short of Porch-mouth whither I blesse the Lord that enabled me though with pain I reached some of the Troopâ—rs and the Cornet himself being with me late at night yet a little before B. F. and some others came being exceeding ill in my head I call'd for a Chamber which the Host brought me into a little poore pittifull room and made a fire I laid my head a little on a bed for ease yet I entreated the man to make a good fire and provide a room for my B. F. and his wife who
were near the which he did and Six yea Six were forced to ly in my room for want of room all that night and some 4. or 5. the next day and night when we came to Porch-mouth so ill were we accommodated in lodging the Troopers not providing any room for me The next day being the fifth day of the Eighth Moneth 1655. we were in the morning call'd away with the tide to transport out of our native Country into Exile which was some trial to the flesh not knowing their further designe therein but whiles I was committing it unto my heavenly Father I was call'd away and the friends that were with us so we went to the water side and upon the Sea-shore I put my B. F. in minde of our Lord and Master's practise upon the Sea-shoâ—e Mar. 4.1 Mat. 13.1 to the people and of Paul's practice at such times to preach whereupon he agreed and began speaking untill the tide came up very near us than I assayed to exhort the people which were gathered about and did affectonaâ—ly hear out of Acts 28.20 showing what the hope of Israel was for which we were thus bound and banished but the Cornet forbad me and interrupted me often with the tides rising upon us and the peoples increasing so I was broken off abruptly in the midst of the Application at which the people shewed abundance of affection by tears abundance prayers and earnest cries to the Lord for us some laying hold on my hands some on my garments and so we parted with this lesson left unto them that for Christ and his Kingdome only for this their and our hope was were thus banish'd and barbarously handled how much soever our enemies did falsly report of us in all places the people looking after us upon the shore a long time and so we were carried away to Ride tossing but a little on the Seas and there horsed away and conveyed to Sandham-fort a mile before we came at it the Ensign who was the keeper being at Brading and knowing who we were rode galloping and over took us but gave no respect at all he kept on before us prisoners very full and fell it seems against us at a venture speaking such bitter enraged words as made us wonder the Goal being as black as the Goaler and as threatening an Earth-hole without shelter tree or house about it upon the Sea and boggs it look'd already as if it were the end of the world unto us in so much as the very Troopers were troubled and wept some of them to see it a little description of the place I gave in my Post-scirpt of the Prison born Treat so I shall forbear here but when we came to it we were carried into the Fort or rather Dungeon lately made out of the Earth so bad as the worst prisoner or Cavaleer that ever they had they never cast into it though M. Bull speaks of one C. Kern put there nor was ever any prisoner as the Ensign himselfe said it often put there before and for many nights 6. nights together after our weary journey they made us ly in our cloaths notwithstanding they had bedding locked up in a room allowing us neither beds nor straw thus turning us into the Hole like Beasts but little regarding to provide for us this continued untill the noise thereof about the Island stired up some honest people in Newprrt to send us beds which was a great refreshment unto us blessed be the Lord yet we was sweetly affected all that time with the sense of Primitive Saints sufferings and such as lay in Dungeons and Yrons for righteousnesse-sake in Caves and Dens Heb. 11.38 yea of Nebemiah his Brethren and his Servants ch 4.22.23 that lay in their cloaths so long and I considered withall how we were by faith prayer and patience laying fiege to Babylon which would require hard duty So that our Deâ—â— God made these trialls a delight unto us and indeed as Vincentius the Martyr said of his sufferings I have alwayes desired these Dainties For other things also we were sorely put to it the Bâ—ead we could get for money which was not easie was very bad of bad savour of worse tast but good enough for poore prisoners nay not bad enough in a sense if we went ad Carceres as ad Epulas et Nuptias as the Martyr used to do with great joy And the Water we drank was of a very filthy ditch with out we catch'd some rain now and then brackish black and very unwhosome if not venemous much more I might say but I shall forbear seeing this is nothing to what the Holy Seed whom we succeed of the Woman have suffered and been glad to drink their own water in former ages though this is almost incredible at this time of day in this nation and from such men too as the present Ophitae for so I may call the Persecutors in this matter that serve the Serpent Rev. 12.14 seem and pretend to be during this Siege sore triall of faith upon us we fed much upon the Martyrs meat drink when they were without meat drink or sustinance for nature since the yet higher sufferings in this Castle where I now am I have heartily fallen upon John's fare methinks of ' Locusts wilde hony as men esteem it for ut tanquam medicamenta sic alimenta sumpturus sum that of R. Samuel Minister martyr in Q. Maries daies coming much to minde kept in Clole-prison chained standing on tipto so with out meat and drink for many daies that he would have often drunk his own Water but his body was dried up and he could not make one drop and I would thus as much as may be extenuate in my own mind our sufferings as nothing for my Lord and Masters sake and as much as our enemies do or can yet I must say this hath been the more triall to the flesh yet the more subtilly men have carried it and the lesse noise it hath made Now to obviate this report of our hard usage which brake a broad about the Ears of the Court they cunningly caused an Order to be printed which was cryed about London streets and the report thereof spread about the Nation to stop the other report of their inhumane Tyranny and bad usage of us that we were remov'd to a private house for better accommodation the contents are as followeth of the two Orders Fryday the 28. of September 1655. At the Council at White-hall ORDERED By his Highnesse the Lord Protector and the Council that Mr. Feake Mr. Rogers now prisoners in Windsor-Castle be forâ—h with remov'd to Sandham Castle under the command of Cap. Boreman in the Isle of Wight there to be secur'd in safe Custody till further Orders to which purpose warrants are to be iessued and it is referred to Com. Gen. Whaley to take order for appointing a Guard to convey them accordingly Upon this Order and other Warrants
rather in Arten-house because of the incredible cruelty tiranny of this castle that I was brought hither So that the Lord my God saw it meet to bring my body under harder discipline for as Tertullian saies Nimis delicatus es Christiane c. Christian thou art too delicate for mee who must have thine ease thy peace thy pleasure and delight in this world and so in an other place de fugea in persec speaking against them that will shrink comply or fly for fear of harder persecution saies he ' non potest qui pati timet ejus esse qui passus est He that is afraid or runs away from sufferings can be none of his who hath suffered so much and indeed is hath been very teaching to me to set Christ upon his crosse before me Heb. 12.2.2.10 The Captain of our Salvation being made perfect through sufferings And can we think to be perfect without sufferiâ—gs for Christ No surely But to proceed In this pittifully distempered estate of Body I was sent for from thaâ— poore house 〈◊〉 the Commissary and some others being ready to convey mee with the foresaid Serjeant Corporal and Soldiers into the Castle and for my encouragement they told us the Moon was up but perceiving their resolution and importunity I desired liberty to prayer after which we were carried up into the Castle as I came in at the first Gate I made a stand resigning my selfe Soul and body into the hands of my most dear God and Father through Jesus Christ not knowing that ever I should come out alive I said aloud to them all in the name of the Lord do I enter here and for the sake of Jesus which they all witnessed unto as well enemies as others I was guarded thorough the Musketteres standing on both sides with Muskets peeces and matches light I was with my wife and two children put up into a very little poor smoaking cold Garret upon the top of all which was a common Soldiers room and although it was a little triall to my wife not having a Chair to sit on and so little that we could not readily turn or stir about businesse in it the bed-stead which was borrowed taking up the most part and the smoak of the chimney turning all into the Room at some times so as we could scarce see one another yet did much rejoice to be so pent up for the Son of man had not where to lay his head and in an upper Room too from the consideraton of our dear Lord Jesus his chusing an upper room to eat the passeover wich his Disciples in when his time was at hand that night I was so Exceedingly distemper'd and ill that I was forced to betake me to some rest in such lodging as we could get the next morning came my dear con-captives for this most noble and excellent Cause of the King of Saints to see mee Maj. Gen. Harrison and Mr. Courtney who were a long time kept up in this close Goal where now I was brought to be their companion some part of our time which was spent together was in praying instructing praising our God not omitting this his mercifull over-ruling sweet providence which had brought us together into one Goal as well as one Exile for one and the same Master the Lord Jesus and in one and the same Cause Testimony and Truth and this too by those very men that not long before would not let mee come near this Castle least I should once have seen these servants of the Lord but upon the walls Upon the Lords-days I preach'd in my room as I used to do and who of the Soldiers would had liberty to hear mee for two or three daies yea Bull himselfe the grand keeper hereof which did indeed refresh the hearts of some pâ—o â— soules who got in also to hear me but this liberty at first was to finde out matter against mee for a collour of their preintended future Trâ—gedy tyranny and intrenchment I was also soon after removed into better rooms which Mr. Bull now braggs of where I now am but the be doing we had in the Garret was taken from us and we forced to some want therein untill some at Newport sent some in unto us for which with what we hire we blesse the Lord notwithstanding I told Bull that I was well contented to ly on straw or else if they would not allow me straw on the bare boards only I pittied my wife being not well but for all their cruelty to us our kinde Father provided for us Some honest people of the Country did desire me to minister to them some light of the kingdome of Christ of his Second coming so that we kept every fifth day in the after-noons for that purpose and poore people came in a pacâ— many miles about to hear mee who with tears prayers and blessings of God expressed great affection refreshing and rejoycing thereat saying O Sir O not you not you but we are the Prisoners c. yea some Prestbiterians who came out of novelty or with no good will when they once came brought others with them the next day so that the noise was great round the Island and the Priests raged it is reported least their Offices should be left unto them desolate Mat. 23.16 John 7.33 34. Many of the people believed in Christ and his Doctrine and his good report began to ring in their ears the chiefe Priests sent Officers to take him so these it seems could not rest to see the people to flock after and believe this doctrine of the Reign of Christ and therefore some Officers came to hear with a purpose to catch matter of accusation against mee but went away with approbation as ver 46. blessed be the Lord therefore for thus was the Sonne glorified in their eyes by his Spirit which spake and shewed them of the things to come John 16.13 14. Yet the enemy could not rest thus but finding nothing which they could six upon against mee and the people encreasing upon the twenty seventh day of the tenth moneth Bull went forth of feasting and left men of most bruitsh spirits to mannage his new plot and orders in his absence setting Centinels upon my doore driving away the people who came to hear the Gospell though the enemy had nothing to say why so no not one word so much as against their Government but even what they say they allow as the pure Gospell of Christ in us and of the power of godlinesse though they could not â—ow bear it I preaching such points as the godly people and their Teacher Mr. S. proposed for satisfaction in and light upon some poore people got in and stood under my prison-window the Herodian-Soldiers not suffering them to come into the room saying they had orders to keep all from comming to mee and they must obey orders but we asked them if they meant all Orders of men good or bad they said yeaâ— for if
they were evill let their Officers look to that for it would be their Officers sin and not theirs and what they commanded them to do they must and would do what ever it were we told them that this was a dangerous and indeed a Soule-damning principle for so the Soldiers that nailed Christ to the Crosse obeyed Orders too and so do the Turkish Janizaries at this day and so did all those Soldiers and Executioners that murthered masâ—â—â—râ—d and martyâ—ed the Saints in all Ages besides we prayed them to consider the case of Iudas when his conâ—cience smitt him he thought to have said the sinn too as they say upon the Captains and Priests that set him a worke and gave him his pay for it Mat. 27.4 But they said what is that to us see you to that and so he fell desperate and hanged himselfe Lord then saies a Serjeant would you not have us obey Orders we answered not all orders of men and prayed them first to advise with the Word of God for such as were against Gods Word they ought not to obey for that Christs death hath freed them from such a servitude of men 1. Cor. 7.23 Gal. 5.1 1.10 And Ephrahim was broken for this Hos 5.11 And now as they were Christians they had but one Lord the Lord Jesus who was to be their Lord Acts. 10.36 Rom. 14.9 Law giver for else what were the difference between them and Turks Infidels or Heathens But in things honest good and lawfull they must obey their superiours as an Ordinance of God But then said the Soldiers if their Orders be against Gods word let the higher Officers look to that for that they would obey them and so fell upon the poor people very roughly being farr more bruitish irrational and disingenuous if not irreligious then many of the Papists Pharises Priests Heathens and Turks and in the very Massacre of France we have it upon Record Fox voll 3. of Queen Elizabeth page 64. Anno 1572. That the common Executioner of Troys whose name was Charles being commanded by Bellin and the Magistrates of the Town and that in the Kings name too and by his Commission answered that it was contrary to his office to execute any man before sentence of death had been first pronounced by the Magistrate if they had such sentence of death to shew against the Hugonites prisoners he was ready otherwise he would not presume with out a warrant of Law and Justice to bereave any man of his life So that this bloody Popish wretch who was used to shed blood would not obey all Orders no not of the King or Magistrates without due processe of Law or sentence of death upon the prisoners yea Perennot also their Goaler as bloody or worse than he answered the same men in the same case that he could not undertake to obey their Orders fearing least in time to come justice might be doâ—e against him by the Parents or allies of the poor prisoners after they was dead or made a way with and yet he was commanded by the Kings Commissioners Magistrates and in the Kings name Now would one believe men professing godlinesse too in England should be of worse or more wicked principles to obey all Orders the Lord then have mercy upon us for the plague encreases then But we bad the Serjeant consider these things seriously how that the Jews blinde obedience to their Leaders brought the curse upon them but Lord saies he I never heard of such men what should we not obey Orders we told them as before not in things unlawfull but this it seems that we said was a great offence to them and made Bull report and probably send to his Masters for he is a fitt servant to such men blessed be God therefore that we have such a Goaler of so sharp but short horns affirming that we would draw the Soldiers from their obedience only for our instructing them in that obedience which they ow to God and which to man But some poor soules having got into hear this discourse did occasion a desire from them to hear me preach either in the yard out of the window or any where but for this once but the rude Leopards began to rave and roar at that motion saying they would not suffer it and when any reason was asked they said they was not bound to give us any reason but this that they would not suffer it nor could we have any other reason but this that they had Orders and must obey them But we told them we hoped man would not forbid what Christ our King and Lord had commanded then we opened some Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament unâ—o them wherein we were commanded by God to assemble together to pray profit and edifie one another in the most holy faith and asked of them if at any time they had heard any thing delivered which was not profitable and teaching to the Soules of men or dissonant in their own judgment with the Word of truth for they all knew and confessed I had not the honest people so desiring it medled with their Government or the like that this liberty in the Ordinances might have been continued us and no offence or occasion be offered them they all said they could not say I had delivered any thing but what was good and sweet profitable and to edification and wished they might hear such men and said the Serjeant I had rather here him then any man alive and did hear him as long as I durst but now we have Orders against it and we must obey them But then we prayed them to remember the blood of Jesus Christ which hath bought us these blessed priviledges and no man ought to take them from us Gal. 5.1 And therefore hoped they would not offer to fight against that which they confessed was the pure true word wà y of God but they said they must obey Orders be they what they would that their superiours put them upon or else they must be hang'd this Doctrine tended to have them hang'd so that they were sorely incensed uttring as we say Decem pedalia sesqui pedolia verba or Vperolcha But I Maj. Gen. Mr. C. withdrew with words of Consolation to the poore weeping people about us into my lodge and after a little space I began in prayer and fell a little to preaching out at the window to the poore people who desired it and some came under the window the whiles they had sent word to their Governour Bull who was feasting not far off with his wife and others sufficiently trampling over us and insulting over us the prisoners among their cups and repasts as we heard by them present and because some few of the Soldiers were touched in Conscience and could not exercise their commanded Cruelty they took as Acts 17.5 Certain Iude fellows of the baser sort and so sett upon us and the poor people hearing under the windows who
open and known sins as of Drunkennesse c. which the godly people in this Island have informed me He now as fowly fals upon the pittifull poore miserably inslaved people of this Island as well as upon us but for hearing of me and yet could not finde a colour for it but onely his own pure or rather impure invention and fancy of a danger which might accrew thereupon in time and surmising or pretending so at least a signe which the Devil told him off that we had in preaching Christ to the poore soules and when he desired to see his Orders he denyed to shew us any but his absolute Will and sword soveraignty over these poore slaves and us exiles and prisoners falling into most fool irritating unsavoury provoking language with his wonted impudence and open faculty of lying slandering bearding and abusing for which he is so notoriously famous in this Isle that we went for shame from him surdis auribus sed oculis intentis in Christum and so left him to that spirit that possessed him but after that the soldiers were examined such as were well-given whether they would hear me if so then to lay down arms forthwith and be gone there must be no disputing it onely one or two I think had liberty given to consider upon it one day Soon after this Bull made or procured a muster and provided a Barrell of Beer for such of his souldiers which they say he never did before as would readily obey his Orders but others he required to lay down their Arms forthwith and so read an Engagement to them for their present government Thus like the Priests as Jo. 12 9 10. they endeavoured to put Lazarus also to death because that Jesus had raised him up to life least the report hereof should offuscate and obscure them Upon the Lords day after some men of the â—sland came into the Castle to hear on that day but the centinels at the doore drove them off again and turned them into their own Chappel the poore people of this Island being such absolute pure slaves under the long sword that they durst not hear the Word but where they will Yet I preaching near the window and my voice heard thorow some poor people would steal under the wall and in holes to hear but were soon discovered and driven away yea Bull himself when he came out of the Chappel did bestir him and lay about him and because some of his souldiers would stand behind the guard doore or make as if they walked about businesse in the yard to hear as they did at Winsor often make as if they lay on the grasse and slept he drives his souldiers into the guard and there keeps them in himself till I had done as the Bishop of L. used tell K. James a tale in the Sermon time when any good man preach'd against the Hierarchy or Ceremonies of their Church least the King should over-hear them and so receive the truth preached talking to them of Cocks and Buls as we say least any should over hear a word of the Sermon In the middle of the week he came to me and threatened to deal with me and remove me out of these rooms c. if I let my voice be so loud as to be heard out at the window more to their disturbance as he said but I told him as Chrysostome the Empresse Eudoxia when she threatened him Nil nisi peccatum timeo I should obey God and not man in that matter nor was he but Christ to mee the Lord of the Sabbath Luke 6.5 Christ only is my master in preaching bidding him do his worst then he bid the bed I had to lyon be taken away which was done at which I demanded of him straw to lyon but the good people especially Mr. B. a well affected honest man at whose house the godly people meet at New port kept mee from lying on the boards or any such hardship as they would have brought me or mine unto in this Goal but it seems to their sufferings for this Bull does bellow out with most bitter mallice rage against them also especially against Mr. B. whom he highly persecutes to this day I hear sometimes sending up armed souldiers with swords and muâ—kets to bring him away priâ—oner out of his own house to him in the Town Corporation threatning and troubling him breaking open his letters that came from London to his great hinderance Bull himself being a trader and going up and down in person to hear what one or another can say against Mr. B. and what not that is arbitrary and tyrannical So that by this we may see 1. Their horrible dissembling lying and undoubted Hypocâ—isie whiles they manifest such monstrous hatred to us they pretend to imprison us out of love to us and yet I think it is more out then in 2. How we suffer at this day for the word of God Gospell of Christ and power of Godlinesse purely whiles they most falsly possesse the poore ignorant people in the Nation that now there is no persecution for conscience for preaching the Word or for Religion but only for other matters and that a man may be as holy as he will which are lies in Hypocrisiâ— 3. That they are such a greedy sort of persecutors as our persons lives bodies liberties blood will not serve their turns but they persecute our very souls also for hearing praying and worshipping of the Lord yea on the Lords dayes nor suffering us to have so much aâ— upon the Lords daies any communion with the Saints or people or worship of God as much as in them lies 4. And they are the most impudent â—ould faced Persecutors I think that ever the earth bore for they justifie and dourish the foulest evils with the fairest Colours that can be yea pretend so highly for the Lord in all they do saying let God be glorified Isa 66.5 yea as Zach. 11.4 5. ' Whose Possessors Keepers of Goâ—lers slâ—y â—â—eâ— and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them for nice pay places or preferment ' say blessed be the Lord for we are rich by it Such a pack of Apostates sure were never heard of for craft and cruelty policy and lying pretences and indeed it is no â—ore in my judgment then the face of the Serpent from wâ—â—â— we must and do fly for â—â—ree dayes and an half Rev. 12.14 Bâ—â— the Bal's bitter â—age is out begun here he must now make a â—â—â—â—â—tive of his faithfull service and most noble or rather ignoble feats â—ad atenâ—â—vements to his Masters at Court by frigating them with a â—raught report and â—n invented story of us as dangerous persons 〈◊〉 of deâ—gâ—es and according to â—is armed fancies and obsequiousnesâ— to them his Masters to â—all on us wâ—en their commands shall come requicing with all an Orâ—eâ— or at least a â—icence to prosecute his â—ell-begotten graceless victory further to the full by powring more contempt on our dear
do against us we were of the Lord and his holy Spirit perswaded every one of 〈◊〉 to mantain our ground in Christ with his principles of grace without yielding in the least to such dish nourable tearms of capitulation by a lively faith expecting to be relieved from above or him that sitteth on the Throne Isa 6.1 2. and so their conditions imposed were refused though we starved rather than eat their swines flesh possessed of the Devill as we should have done by so unworthy a treaty or composition nor are we besides the testimony of our own consciences without witnesses and examples before us in this case as in Q. Maries dayes we do finde the Persecutors imposing such termes upon conscience for the lives and liberties of the Martyrs but never so high as to their meat and drink they eat before they have it as these new sort of persecutors do at this day and yet they would be reputed no persecutors forsooth but friends O semper fallaces Millites millies Mendaces Mr. Bradford Martyr writes to L. Saunders Fox voll 3. foll 321. Ah! good Brother pray for mee I think we shall be shortly call'd forth for now legem habent secundum legem c. otherwise will they not reason with us and I think their shoot-anchor will be to have us subscribe the which if we do though with this condition so farr aâ— the thing subscribed to repugneth not Gods word yet this will be offensive therefore let us vadere plane and so sane I mean let us confesse that we are no changelings but reipsa and therefore cannot subscribe except we will dissemble both with God our selves and the world Thus hee and yet this Wretch would have us Changelings in these matters of our faith and conscience to sudscribe before we shall haue a servant go out for bread for us or before any friend shall see us c. and that without any such condition or clause as good Bradford speaks of viz. so far as repugneth not the word of God and yet they have the face to print publish pulpit it that this is no persecution but by this as prescious Bradford also said Fox voll 30. p. 320. so may we see evidently if we will not adorare Bestiam we shall nevre be delivered it is to be feared but against their will nay we shall not so much as eat or write to any of our sad condition in the flesh but fides famem non formidat faith fetches bread from heaven Joh. 6.51 58. which the Sonne of man gives ver 27. for him hath God the Father sealed Even so Amen O my hearts this makes John leap in my wombe and grace in my heart under so great tryals but sweet teaching Fatherly providences and dispensations as Basil said of Barlaam he delighted in his close prison as in a pleasaut green meddow and he took pleasure in the several inventions of cruelty as in several fragrant and redolant flowers But the tryals which my poore wife was pinched with made it much the greater to mee in this lone condition and yet am not left comfortlesse for the Lord is with mee sends his ministring Spirit unto to mee and keeps mee hitherto above all in him who is listed up to draw all men after him Job 12.32 and therefore as my dear Lord Jesus said I hope I may say in my little measure and capacity Joh. 8.29 ' He that sent mee hither is with mee the Father hath not left mee alone ' for I do I trust through his grace those things that please him So Job 16.32 ' And yet I am not alone because the Father is with mee and the cup which my Father hath given mee should I not drink yes surely with a hearty draught Upon the 25. day of this 11. moneth our wants encreasing with their cruelty I had much comfort in my Spirit with patience and joy bearing this Crosse of Christ and indeed in wardly glorying therein for as Cyprian saies Ep. 5. Gloriosa voce Deum confessi qui in Carcere c. The most glorious voice is in prison but this it seems was to fit mee for an encounter with these cruel Leopards â—aging Herodians and Beasts of Ephesus thorough whose hands or whose handlings and leavings we must eat and be dieted or not at all by their wills but this was good physick to our soules blessed be our God This day did a godly Minister Mr. S. of New-port get in to a lodg of C. F. with exceeding desire to see us â— friend of the said town had sent us a cold Pye but the honest man which brought it was carried before Bull with his Pye with whom he had for a long time pleaded near an houre for liberty to come in to my lodge and bring the pye but at last and with much difficulty he obtained leave for a quarter of an houre with a Corporall at his elbow to peep into our prison upon us who poore man with tears and troubles did deliver it and left this with us before the Corporals face that these cruell persecutors so far exceeding them in this matter that we read of in the Book of Martyrs had by all he could perceive some bloody design against us and that this present tyranny upon us was but in order to it but he prayed us to be â—hâ—arfull in the Lord for they could but kill the body I hearing of the minister of Christ steped to the lodge where he was the Soldier at my heeds but they put him out again at the gate presently and would not suffer us so much as at the gaâ—e to see one another though at a distance and with Souldiers between us so I was returning in again to my own prison full of comfort in my Spirit at all this and presently I heard several at once the Serjeant Corporal Soldiers falling upon the honest man who had brought the Pye with very vile and blasphemous language for that it seems he as he was going out at the gate with tears did exhort them to take heed of what they did and to beware of persecuting and offending of Christ little ones c. but they brake out many at once what what preaching we will have no preaching no sermonizing none of the Spirit begon abouty our business what you turn preacher too all preachers now with much more of such ungracious and unsavoury stuffe at which I confesse my heart aked and by a mear providence hearing God and his ordinances so blasphemed and mocked at I could not but turne mee contrary to my intention or purpose to them and particularly spake to one King saying O Sirs O I am sory to hear such word from you indeed I did hope better things then so to scoff and mocke at preaching at the Word and Spirit indeed I have scarce heard the like or worse from the worst Cavaleres and will you immitate them in this also O alas Sire consider what you do
every one submit himself 2. In that my most gracious over-ruling Father hath made the enemy to imprison and persecute me not onely is the same way and spirit but in the very same places where the Martyrs of old were imprisoned and persecuted which did refresh me indeed as at Lambeth that old Butchers shop and shambles of the Saints where so many even Wickliff himself and all along since have suffered their rings whereto they were chained remaining in the walls to this day which did affect me much to see And after that at Winsor where the eminent Martyrs Cranmer Ridley and Latimer were put in their way to Oxford in bloudy Queen Maries dayes 3. In that I am also instructed how to want as well as to abound and so in all conditions as the Apostle saith to be therewith content Phil. 4.11 1 Tim. 6.8 having passed through prisons reproaches tumults beatings bufferings often throwings headlong banishment spitting upon yea spoyling of my goods which hath been much one Letter hath signified to me the losse of an hundred pounds at one time and in plundrings often and in perills of life sicknesse Feavours storms cold snow tempests without bed without bread in sore travells and severall other tryalls yet all this which is the life of all for my most dear Christ against Cromwell and the whole Earth blessed be Jehovah therefore I wait but for Whitehall or the Pretorium-hall 4. In that the enemy though he hath sought it greedily yet to this day hath not found any just cause or colour for my imprisonment and exile nor so much as signified why in their Orders of commitment which is my great comfort and advantage for as Paul said in his fourth defence Acts 25.7 8. and they utter many and grievous complaints which they cannot prove for neither against the Law of Christians nor against the Temple nor against the faith have I offended at all So Acts 24.12 13. neither found they me in the Temple disputing with any man neither raising up the people neither in the Synagogue nor in the City 5. In that the Persecution upon me hath been above many others so sweet though sharpe a primitive-like diogmos or chasing Persecution from one place to another not letting me rest in our own Countrey nor in Exile but hunting me about like a Partridge from place to place with Nimrâ—dian Tyranny like them of whom the Worlâ— was not worthy although I am not worthy of the happy number or race Heb. 11.38 who confessed v. 13 14. they were strangers and pilgrims on earth declaring plainly that they sought a far beâ—â—â—r Countrey 6. For that this their spreading and hurrying Persecution did so primitive-like sow and advantage the Gospell of the Kingdome in all places where I was carried round about this Island the report of this Doctrine running and inclining the poor people to enquiry reading and search and so was the Gospell at first spread and sowâ—n in all Asiae Cyprus Cappadocia Macedonia and indeed over all Nations by such a chasing Persecution which I praise the Lord for that it fell out to be my lot in this Island to sow this seed Paul plants Apollo waters but the Lord must give the encrease And indeed I dare not deny but our God hath given a very great encrease hereby insomuch as the very women who have enquired into the very truth as at Newport do professe openly this is the way of God that we are imprisoned for and that they will part with all they have in this heavenly Cause and Quarrell between the Prisoners and the Powers which is very much considering in what exceeding slavery people in this Island are kept by the sword So that as the Gentleman in Scotland told the Bishop Bettoun upon the burning of that Martyr Mr. Patrick Hamilton My Lord if you burn any more of them you will ruine your selves if you burn them let them be burnt in hollow Cellars for the smoak of Mr. Patrick Hamilton hath infected as many as it blew upon it may be is the policy that our Persecutors have taken to imprison plunder and banish and make no noise no mention in news-Books of it least it should be known yea to coop us up so closse Prisoners in Banishment and Cellar us up from all noise of their cruelty to us least it may be our breathing or as Bull saies seducing which is the old note of Persecutors and Goalers over the imprisoned Martyrs But as we know Beggars by their chanting so do we Bull and his Masters by their language with the same spirit lying traducing and opprobriously abusing as those base Monsters both Heathenish and Popish Goalers and Tyrants did that were their Predecessors but for all these Atopos absurd men 2 Thess 3.1 2. Shall the Word of the Lord have free course and be glorified Amen Hallelujah 7. In that the Lord hath in this School instructed me to Preach in tumults and uproars as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6. in all things to approve my self the Minister of my God In much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in imprisonments in tumults in labours in watchings in fastings by purenesse by knowledge by long-suffering by the holy Ghost by love unfained by the Word of truth by the power of God by the Armour of Righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as a deceiver and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and yet behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull yet alwayes rejoycdng as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things O blessâ—d be that bondlesse love and grace of God unto me herein yea I tell you he hath been teaching me a strange way of Preaching as if I were a pouring ouâ— of my bloud with my words at once to seal the truth and in expectation of leaving my life with my Light of the dashing my brains about my Exhortations O this this is me thinks to bear about in my body the dying of our Lord Jesus indeed who did preach thus and so did the Apostles and thus am I become dead to the Laws yea to my own life by the life of Jesus and body of Christ I think I can say sometimes most sweetly Tossanus in Anâ—olia had such a time of it too among the Barbarous Souldiers for he preached every Sermon not looking to come out alive and in a Barn too where the Church met Ah Lord let me thy poor worm be such a Preacher all my dayes to speak in every Sermon as my last words to poor Souls yea as if I were sealing them on a Scaffold with my bloud Amen so be it Amen He had that honest saying of Seneca it seems often over Vir bonus quod honesâ—è se facturum putaverit faciet etiamsi periculosum sit ab honesto nullâ re deterribitur ad
by this time gathered to hear me and almost all poor Women they did no more then but threaten them and send soldiers to oversee and look what Women there were that they might be troubled for it and whither any were Soldiers Wives that either their Husbands might correct them for that is an allowed practise with Soldiers here to beat their Wives or else their Husbands be turn'd out upon it such a severe sentence had this occasional speaking to the Churches Messengers besides Soldiers passed under the wal up and down all the while looking up and yawling contradicting and blaspheming to disturb us but blessed be the LORD who teacheth me to preach in Tumults his presence was with us overpower'd the enemies and we went to prayer together with the power of the Lord after which the people desired to hear me again and praying me to it we appointed that day senight being the 1 of the 3 month and so my dear Co-exile and I took leave of our two brethren blessing the Lord that we had seen their faces and they ours and spake to one another though the enemy had set Pastor and people at such a distance since which to the writing hereof hath not one come to visit me but only from Heâ—ven whence our visits are very sweet and raising yea ravishing so that I think I may say through the grace of my dear Father in Jesus Christ that Mihi maxime prosunt qui mei pessime meminerunt Luth ad Spal They profit me most who mind me least in a sense for they send me the more to him who minds I may say the veriest Dogg of his Family and so I shal not want for The Lord is my Shepheard I wil not fear Psal 23.1 2 But before the day appointed BULL and his men had laid their plot deep as wel how to hinder the Word preached though they had not a Word that we can hear of to object against it nor indeed did they so much as listen for matter to pretend for their violence or displeasure but fel pelmel upon it at a venture with the vilest rage as bruit beasts sensual Jude 10. not having their senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb â— 14 as how to fall upon our persons if we attempted it and withal to keep the poor people from coming into the high-way and to make the more terror in the matter the poor man yâ— stood centinel at the outward gate they said listened to hear me or at least was proclive unto it him they for the present sent packing with big words of hanging and punishing him with whipping at the least which made a great noise at Newport his poor Wife being frighted at it with high and mighty threats of Bull and his Soldiers several dayes together so that I hear to this houre the poor wretch is put into fears and looks every moment to be thrown over-board such is their tyranny to us and the Word of God in this CAINES-BROOK-CASTLE 1 Joh 3.12 As CAIN that wicked one who slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own Works were EVIL and his brothers RIGHTEOUS All this while we being close prisoners the plot was kept from us only we saw they meant us no good for the hole we went out at they stopped up but pretended other reasons for it nor did Bul or any forbid us or send word to us that they were offended or would not have us come upon the wall which we had the liberty of for a little ayre none forbidding it but they left us as they thought very secure and so as we should easily fal into their hands to wreak their Cain-like and designed wrath upon our bodies and bones if not our blood but by a providence we were warned unknown to them for one of their Wives having more pitty then the bloody crew could not in conscience rest til she had hinted it to one in my Family and besides one of the Serjeants was heard to say with great joy what brave sport they should have on Thursday meaning on our bodies that day if I offerd preach we being by Bul delivered up to their merciless jaws ponyards and Swords I think almost as Cassianus was to the bodkins and penknives of his inraged Schollars and for ought I say I know the like effect or were it we might have found had not the Lord delivered us The day being come to act their cruelty upon us and the Word of God BUL road abroad leaving his pleni-potentiary orders with his bloody crew behind him that he might have I believe an excuse for himself had any sore mischief been done the Soldiers were ready armed and very jocund only three or four or some few of them hrunk away and would not be at it for which they must look to suffer in the morning about 9 or 10. my dear brother in these bonds Mr. Courtney to be a little retired at prayer and reading went into a little boarded place as he used to do upon the back wall none hindring or questioning him but after a short space he was interrupted by a soldier sent to keep the little narrow passage upon the wall over which he came into his little house that he might not come back again that way so greedy were they to be at their Work My brother C. came forth seeing who it was to be gone back again to his lodge the way that he came but the soldier kept the pass said he must not bid him go another way which they had designed but he refused so to do whereupon the soldier said he should 〈…〉 but he seeing no remedy gave the Soldier a sudden wrest and by the Lords providence got by the Wall but the Soldier laid hold upon him furiously puld his coat which he rent but Mr. C. unbutten'd it and slipping out of it left it with the fellow aâ—d 〈…〉 and escaped to his own lodg all this while was I within in my chamber and knew not of it 3 or 4 soldiers more were coming to the assistance of the first but my brother escaped them also the Serjeant and Corporal stood below in the yard looking on but this sudden alarum to us which was too soon for them breaking out before they intended it made all that they hatched to our bodies prove abortive for that day which I do hear hath vexed them sorely for this news soon flew out of the Castle up and down to New-port and the poor frighted people hearing before of their preparations and now of their assaults upon this Gentleman did faint and came not into the High-way to hear whither through fear or force or both I know not but this I know they are in miserable servitude the wals and stairs were now guarded with soldiers armed with swords guns and light match to keep me from going up if they had came and to execute their wils upon me for reproving their blasphemy drunkenness and daily yet allowed
sins and that day I was told they had intended to taste of my blood but we sought the Lord about it and for al the danger did conclude we had a call and it was my duty to preach though I dyed for it if any of those that desired it or any others had but come to hear but because not one came it was also concluded our duty not to hazard our lives limbs blood or bodies for nothing to such as waited and are greedy to this day of them it may be some may think I stretch my line to speak thus of them but indeed in my own conscience I am perswaded I do not but write less then I might in many things for as Luther ad Nich Hansm said Propositum est mihi neque vitam neque mores tueri sed SOLAM CAVSAM CHRISTI lacerent mores meos quicunque velint c. My purpose is not to defend my own life and manner but only my Christ and his cause which they persecute and who wil let them rend and teare me and my name to peices for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor 15.30 31. Why stand we in JEOPARDY every hour I protest by your rejoycing which I have in CHRIST JESUS our LORD I DYE DAYLY and it is for Christs sake We are accounted the OFF-SCOWRING 1 Cor 4. Thus with this day wherein I welcom'd my honoured brother into this blessed School of Christs buffets and marks after the order of our dearest Saviour Apostles Martyrs and most ex cellent Saints though we be both of us as yet but young striplings and the lowermost of this Forme wherein we are learning and pressing forward I might break off this History of our sufferings at the present for we hope the Winter is past and the rain is over and gone I mean for storms though it may be we have some April showers yet to bring forth May-flowers or better fruits from us Cant 2.11 yea the singing of birds is begun it is heard in our Land Yet I might say much more of their present Tyranny upon us to tear us and wear us out since the M Gen. was taken from us My Wife being very il to this day cannot have liberty to go out for the meanes if it were to save her life not so much as to Newport to a Doctor of Physick and so to return in again and as for our diet you heard before how hardly we are used nay they wil not suffer a poor Woman so much as to come up to sel us a little butter or the like and yet they constantly upbraid us with the abuse of our liberty if we have it by preaching c. but the Cavaleeres and themselves may sit swear and swil from morning to night and yet no abridgement or abuse of Liberty with them yea I am certainly informed by a godly Gentleman that of late they sat drinking in Wine hot waters and other Liquors to the rate of eighteen quarts to a Man at one bout yea on the Lords day all day long drinking smoaking tipling and swelling it which I never heard they were forbidden only to hear me is forbidden with great vehemency yea many of them at once have I seen staggering and reeling at the Alehouse while their poor Wives come scolding for bread and yet this is so far from being adjudged an abuse of Liberty that what these kind of Vermine would have done to us is done whiles they are complemented courted and made much of and indeed next to Lambeth I never saw the like and so openly I say upon the Lords daies too without any thing of Gods Worship som times which is accounted no crime but to hear me Preach or pray or in any of the Worship of God they wil have that an unpardonable sin and indispensable though as the Apostle saies 1 Cor 4.13 Being defamed we intreat and as Alexander Hales could say a Soul patient when wronged is like a man with a SWORD in one hand and SALVE in the other he could wound but he would heal Besides all this I shal add but a little more and so I shal finish for this present in this prison where it is much if every day do not produce some new Tyranny and Tragedy upon our bodies The 16 day of the 3d. moneth two friends one from London another from Berkshire came to see us and by a good providence got into the Castle yard but refused to subscribe and so were to be turned away again and not to come up to our prison chambers I seeing them and at first doubtful who they were at my window yet soon guess'd at one of them so that I vvent into the yard spake vvith them and with joy took them by the hand desired they might come into my chamber though with Soldiers but that would not be suffered because I had a few dayes before told their Lieutenant for al their tyranny to tire us out I fear'd them not nor al their masters because I was above them al in this matter and they were al under our feet were they 10000 more for one so that this was pretended against it the Lieut saying but I should not have the Castle yet for al that and til I could behave my self better none should come to me and the like but my Wife also came down into the yard and my dear Co-exile Q G. C. so that we had some little time to speak together though vvith great interruptions and abusive speeches the very common soldiers before their Offices faces tossing stones or brick-bats at us and calling aloud to my Wife Mrs. Mrs. vvhere is your Gentleman Vsher to hold up your tail meaning I suppose me because I use to lead her being weak lame but we let them alone to abuse us before the Soldiers faces who have sufficiently scoff'd and upraided me saying we lye in prison to get mony as Bull and al the rest do say daily they gave me Tokens of their Love and so left us nor were they suffered to come any more into the yard which they tryed and intreated Within these few dayes it vvas reported as if there would be some stirs in England at which they rage against the Indenpendent and Anabaptist Rogues as they cal them and then particularly threaten what they vvil do with us upon it Captain HAD saying to his other Soldiers that if he knew but one of themselves that were any waies familiar meaning civil in respect with Courtney or Rogers he vvould run his Sword into his guts presently vvith his own hands Their daily breathing seems to be after our bloud and their words wil break out at their lips do what they can sorto name no more the last 2d day Serj. King vvith some others took my little Child in coats examined him about us and vvith flatteries tempted the Child to tel vvhat we said and did and eat or any thing that he could get out and then they gathered together a crew of
things I have been sparing but time wil declare all I trust Now to offer my thoughts a little further from what I fore-see and may easily gather I dare affirm 1 That either extraordinary sufferings or extraordinary actings in either of which for the word of God and testimony of Jesus Rev 12.11 we must carry our lives in our hands to offer up are at the door in England but the last I rather look for when as Anselm lib de simil c 52. saies In futuro seculo sic justus fortus erit ut etiam si velit terram commovere possit e converso injustus imbecillis ut nec etiam vermes amovere queat c. a Saint shal be able to shake the vvhole World at his Wil but a Tyrant a persecutor an enemy shal be so weak he shal not be able to put away or â—urt a poor WORM of us Zach 12.7 8. He shal save the TENTS in Wâ—rs of JVDAH amongst us Japhet Gentile Christians FIRST he that is FEEBLE amongst them shal be as David and DAVID as the Angel of the Lord before them yea as pretious Mr Burrows saies out of Luther that the BODIES of the Saints shall have that POWER as to tâ—ss the greatest MOVNTAINS of the world like a BALL but this I am perswaded by Faith they shal begin to do shortly when the Worm is called to thresh the Mountains Isai 41.15 and beat them smal as Jer 51.20 21 22. Dan 2.35 and this I confess is that I rather look for 2. But if it break forth and continue in worse sufferings by persecution c. I expect it in Julian the Apostates way of Policy which Sozomen mentions by returning the worst of the old Clergy and â—jected secular P. or such like People and Spirits into place again Vt belio intestino expugnarent ecclesiam notwithstanding our persecutors seem at present so unmerciful to some of the honestest and best of them that they would not have them by School or otherwise to earn bread for their families honestly which is monstrâ—â—s tyranny even to the worst of men and makes my heart sometimes bleed within me but somewhat like to this seems their reviving of the old Orders degrees popish customs forked caps hoods and tippets and such Antichristian trash which so many Martyrs have witnessed against besides the famous burial of the Arch-Bishop of Ire at O.P. charges in Eng whiles we may rot in his prisons 3. If in actings amongst the Saints as I am most inclind to think then look for such a Spirit in proportion to be doing with as the Saints had in primitive times to be suffering with the most exquisite torments men could be put to Like the Woman of Valeneience who said she would rather burn her body then burn her bible and so was burnt or rather that Woman which the Martyr Guy de Brez mentions in a Letter to his Mother I remmeber saies he I have read how the poor Christians in primitive times were assembled together a great number to hear the VVord and a great COMMANDER was sent by the Emperor to put them al to the the sword which a christian Woman hearing hasted with al the speed she could to be at this meeting carrying her little one in her arms as she drew night to the troop of Horse-men she rushed in to get through the Gov seeing her make such hast called to her and examined her whither she posted so fast she gave him this short answer I am going faith she to the assembly of the Christians what to do saies he hast thou not heard that I am commanded to put them al to death Yes yes saies she I know it wel and therefore make I hast that I may not COME TOO LATE least I be not worthy to loose my life with them but what wilt thou do with the little child saies he I will carry it with me saies she that it may also have the crown of Martyrdom At which the Tyrants heart was so vvounded that he retired back to the Emperor and told him as the Lieutenant told Julian that the christians did but deride their tormenters and laugh at their tortures which were more terrible to the Spectators and Executioners then to the christians that were to tur'd I could tel you in primitive times of whole Flocks that vvould run in voluntarily to be tormented when they heard christians were to suffer now I say I do expect as high forward and excellent a spirit to come down for action that vvil make nothing but sport for Christs sake to run in among multitudes of enemies in the name of the Lord and though men account them mad desperate or such as throw away their lives they wil on upon swords and Pikes and play as prettily merrily and chearfully with cannon-bullets as at stool-ball and if the Roman or Trojan or Persian spirit was so invincible and resolute in the day of it do we think the 5th Kingdom spirit shal not be so much rather and what a shameful thing is it as Jerome saies Vt non prestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas that Faith in Christ should not make us as couragious for him as ever Infidels or carnal men were or are for their masters 4. For that Resolution goes before action I find in my prospective that the Lord had ripened his Saints at a high rate already especially such hidden ones of his as hang most in the SLIN of Generation-light me thinks they begin to be shod with Gospel-preparations Eph 6. and hoofes of brass to beat a pieces many people Micha 4.13 but to them by and by who are at present in the inner court the Tabernacle of the Testimony Rev 15.5 and about the Throne with the four and twenty and standing on the christal seat Rev 4.4.10 and 5.8 these LEVITES of the order of 24 in 1 Chron 24 and 25 26 27 who are to execute the Judgment throughly upon al that have run a Whoring from the Lord Exod 32.27 28 29. with the sword in the mean time O Lord look down upon thy prisoners and behold how greedy these BEASTS are as Mica 3.2.3 To pluck off their skin and flesh from off their BONES yea to eat the flesh of thy people to break their BONES and chop them in pieces as for the pot and as flesh within their CAULDRON yet v 4. They wil cry unto the Lord Now for a conclusion Let my most dear and homoured brethren in bonds and out also be of good chear ful of Faith and expectation unmoveable in the Lord knowing their labour their love and their bonds be accepted 1 Cor 15.48 yea your infirmities my Friends are over-looked Jer 50.20 in the covenant of Grace Heb. 8.12 and your cause of Christ assisted and laboured after by the whole Creation Therefore as LUTHER said upon Henr 8 's bitter Letters against him Agant quicquid possunt Henirici Episcopi atque adeo Turca ipse Sathan
not the Lord supported me I might have sunk under it and to shew it sufficiently the Under-Goaler brings me these two ensuing Warrants together William Harding I am informed one of Mr. Rogers his Children was carried away last night very sick and which for ought I know may be the Small Pox which you cannot but hear the City and Suburbs are much infested with and none more liable to take the Disease than Children wherefore in regard of the Danger through multitudes of persons coming to Mr. Rogers I would have you once more let him Know that I expect that he remove his Children and Servants to some other Place For I am resolved not to indanger the health of my Prisoners any longer therefore if Mr. Rogers will not remove his Children after so fair and civil a warning let the Bedding be carried into another Room Herein fail not Yours E. DENDY The truth is The Goalers Children were ill of the Swine-Pox whereby we and other Prisoners were in danger but blessed be the Lord not one of ours and the Child we sent away one night for fear he should catch it in the house the next day we had him home again to the Prison for we had not nor have we any other earthly home but a Prison now so that my family was forced to be with me which was according to the Law of God and Nature the Child being in good health nor was there the least ground to suspect such a Disease in my Family but had it been so the sending of him away did not tend to indanger the Prisoners but to keep them from it nor needed he to say any longer for that at no time were any in danger by any of my Family for the Disease was in the Goalers Family who it may be might report it in mine on purpose to bring all the vexation they could upon me by incensing their Master against me And indeed the warning which he called civil to send my Children from me and the Lord knows I knew not whither I could not see civil or Christian and therefore rested rather contented to have the Bedding pull'd from under me and to lie in pads of Straw with my poor Children than to be so merciless and unfatherly to them as he Commanded Besides there were very few Prisoners then in the house and abundance of rooms stood empty for want of Guests they not having the third part of the Prisoners I hear are there now nor had we any more Chamber-room than one Prisoner who was in before us a Plotter With this he delivered me another at the same time which follows William Harding It 's not unknown to you the great Charge I am at for my house c. and particularly for my Goods for which I pay 7 l. a Month which by the year is 91 l. All which I perceive Mr. Rogers and his Wife are not sensible of otherwise they would not take upon them to appoint what Lodgings my Prisoners should have as that they should not lye two in a Bed but single so as that the Prisoners wives might come and live with them which freedom I shall not deny to any Prisoner although I might do it So I hereby again Order you to remove Mr. Rogers his Children and Servants forthwith And if the * * Mr. Chapman's Printers Wife do come let them lie in the Chamber * * The Lodging-Room where I lodg'd within Mr. Rogers or in the outward Room which he will for I see no reason that I should find Bedding for Mr. Rogers his Children and Servants when he refuseth to pay me for it I do expect that my Orders should be better observed by you than hitherto they have been otherwise I shall see that Directions be followed more to my quiet If you finde that Mr. Rogers or his Wife will not remove their Children and Servants let me Know it and I shall dispose of Mr. Rogers to some other place being resolved to free my house of such domineering spirits Yours E. DENDY Octob. 20. 1654. Those two together sounded very harsh to my very heart at that season too whiles another sweet Childe was so neer the grave too very weak and died within three or four days after I confess the trials were very great had not the new-Covenant-Comforts come with them and made them full of the Fathers-love to me and of the new-Testament-blood in me I might have fainted but for that I perceived this was a matter of Money and nothing else would stay the Surges and Sources of this raging SEA I sent my Wife after Candle-light to White-hall with five pounds which I was glad I could get together for him not being able to send him more then who carried it but at that time they thought it not fit to receive it but to accoast her with course Courtship and Dialect and so to send her home to Prison again telling her that we domineer'd in his house and took upon us to appoint Lodgings for his Prisoners c. How such stories as these could be coined or invented I wondred when for three four or six weeks together I stir'd not out of my Room or spake with one Prisoner or Goaler perceiving how they were set together against me the Prisoners for reproving their sins at so high a rate day and night when I had liberty to Preach and Pray seeing I was in Prison with so wicked a blaspheming cursing ranting Crew hominibus perfrictae Frontis with men of so much impudence and immodesty with raving Beasts with very Bruits I judg'd it best not only to keep out of their company but out of their very sight as much as might be insomuch that they could not tell I am perswaded but on the Lord's dayes or when I Preached or Prayed in Family or the like whether I was in the Prison or no but by hear-say yet it seems the night before this last Warrant he sent me Mr. Chapman and Mr. Spittlehouse were brought in Prisoners who supp'd with me in my Prison-chamber that night at the Table in discourse they said they lay both in one Bed I said I thought if they would they might have each of them a Chamber one within the other for that all the other Prisoners had so that I saw and for that there were but few Prisoners in the house not half full so that there were Rooms and Beds a many to spare So I pass'd it over not imagining any trouble could arise upon this ordinary discourse at Supper my Wife adding thus to Mr. Chapman You had best to have a Bed by your self for your Wife may come to see you But the Goalers-Boy listening as some one or other frequently did for stories at my Chamber-door carried down as unhappy boys use to do what he could make of it to his Father who carried it or sent it next morning betimes to White-hall which occasioned the aforesaid words as I conceive and because he was so