Booke till I came back againe into England And for my having a Chamber in Mr. John Foot 's house at Delfe where he thinkes the Bookes were kept J was soe farre from having a Chamber there as I never lay in his house but twice or thrice at the most and upon the last Friday of the last Tearme I was brought to the Star-Chamber Barre where before mee was read the said Edmond Chillingtons Affidavit vpon Oath against Mr. John Wharton and my selfe The Summe of which Oath was That hee and I had Printed at Rotterdam in Holland Dr. Bastwicks Answer and his Letany with divers other scandalous Bookes Now here againe I speake it in the presence of God all you that heare mee that Mr. Wharton and I never joyned together in printing either these or any other Bookes whatsoever Neither did I receive any mony from him toward the printing any Withall in his first Oath hee peremtorilie swore that wee had printed them at Rotterdam Vnto which I likewise say That hee hath in this particular forsworne himselfe for my owne part I never in all my daies either printed or caused to be printed either for my selfe or Mr. Wharton any Bookes at Rotterdam Neither did I come into any Printing house there all the time I was in the Citty And then vpon the Twesday after he swore against both of us againe The summe of which Oaths was that I had confessed to him which is most false that I had Printed Dr. Bastwicks Answer to Sr. John Banks his Information and his Letany another Booke called Certaine answers to certaine Objections And another Booke called The vanity impiety of the old Letany that J had divers other Bookes of the said Dr. Bastwicks in Printing that Mr. Wharton had beene at the charges of Printing a Booke called A Breviat of the Bishops late proceeding and another Booke called 16. new Queries and in this his Oath hath sworne they were Printed at Rotterdam or some where else in Holland that on James Oldam a Turner keping Shop at Westminster-hall-gate disperced divers of these bookes Now in this Oath he hath againe forsworne himselfe in a high degree for wheras he took his Oath that I had printed the Booke called The Vanitie and impiety of the old Letany I here speake it before you all that I never in all my daies did see one of them in print but I must confess I haue seen read it in written hand before the Dr. was censured as for other books of which he saith I haue diverse in printing To that I answer that for mine owne perticuler I never read nor saw any of the Drs. Bookes but the forenamed foure in English and one little thing more of about two sheetes of paper which is annexed to the Vanity of the Old Letany And as for his Lattine Bookes J never saw any but two Namely his Flagellum for which he was first censured in the High Commission Court and his Apologeticus which were both in print long before J knew the Dr. But it is true there is a second edition of his Flagellum but that was at the presse aboue two yeares agoe namly Anno 1634. And some of this impression was in England before J came out of Holland And these are the maine things for which I was Censured and Condemned Being two Oaths in which the said Chillington hath palpably forsworne himselfe And if hee had not forsworne himselfe Yet by the law as I am given to vnderstand I might have excepted against him being a guilty person himselfe and a Prisoner and did that which hee did against mee for pvrchasing his owne liberty which hee hath by such Iudasly meanes gott and obtained Who is also knowne to bee a lying fellow as J told the Lords I was able to proue and make good But besides all this there was an inquisition-Oath-tendered vnto mee which J refused to take on foure severall daies the summe of which Oath is thus much You shall sweare that you shall make true answer to all things that shall be asked of you So helpe you God Now this Oath I refused as a sinfull and vnlawfull Oath it being the High-Commission Oath with which the Prelates euer haue and still do so butcherly torment afflict and vndoe the deare Saints and Servants of God It is also an Oath against the Law of the Land As Mr. Nicholas Fuller in his Argument doth proue And olso it is expressly against the Petition of Right an Act of Parlament Enacted in the second yeare of our King Againe it is absolutely against the Law of God for that law requires noe man to accuse himselfe but if any thing be laid to his charge there must come two or three witnesses at the least to proue it It is also against the practise of Christ himselfe who in all his examinations before the High Priest would not accuse himselfe but vpon their demands returned this answer Why aske yea mee go to them that heard mee With all this Oath is against the uery law of nature for nature is alwaies a preserver of it selfe and not a distroyer But if a man takes this wicked Oath he distroyes and vndoes himselfe as daily experience doth witnesse Nay it is worse then the Law of the Heathen Romans as we may reade Act. 25.16 For when Paull stood before the Pagan Governours and the laws required Judgement against him the Governour replyed it is not the manner of the Romans to condemne any man before his accusers hee were brought face to face to justify their accusation But for my owne part if I had beene proceeded against by a Bill J would haue answered justified all that they coulde have proved against me by the strength of my God would have sealed whatsoever I have don with my bloud for I am privy to mine own actions my conscience beares me witnes that I have laboured ever since the Lord in mercy made the riches of his grace known to my Soule to keep a good conscience and to walke inoffensably both towards God man But as for that Oath that was put unto me I did refuse to take it as a sinfull and unlawfull Oath by the strength of my God enabling me I wil never take it though I be puâ—d in peices with wilde horses as the ancient Chritians were by the bloudy Tirants in the Primitive Church neither shall I thinke that man a faithfull Subject of Christs Kingdome that shall at any time hereafter take it seeing the wickednes of it hath been so apparently laid open by so many for the refusall wherof many doe suffer cruell persecution to this day Thus have J as briefly as I could declared unto you the whole cause of my standing here this day I being upon these grounds censured by the Lords at the Starr-chamber on the last Court day of the last tearme to pay 500. poÌ„ to the King and to receive the punishment which
to his cause and loue your owne Soules and feare not the face of any mortall man for God hath promised to bee with you and uphold you that they shall 〈◊〉 preuaile against you Isay 41.10.11 But alas how fewe are there that dare shew any courage for God and his cause though his glorie lies at the Stake but thinke themselves happy and well and count them selves wise men if they can sleepe in a whole skinn when Christ hath said Hee that will saue his life shall loose it and hee that will loose his life for his sake shall finde it What shall it profit a man if he gaine the whole world loose his owne Soule Therefore is it better for a man to bee willing and contented to let all goe for the enjoying of Christ and doing him service then to sit downe and sleepe in a whole skinne though in soe doeing hee gaine all the world and see him dishonoured his glorie and truth troden under foot and the bloud of his Servants shed and Spilt Yes without doubt it is But many are in these times so far from suffering valientlie for Christ that they rather disswade man from it and count it a point of singularitie and pride and selfe ends for a man to put himselfe forward to doe God service asking what calling and warrant any private man hath thereunto seeing it belongâ— to the Ministers to speake of these things Yes soe it doth But alas they are so cowardly and fearfull that they dare not speake And therfore it belongs also to thee or mee or any other man if thou beest a Souldier of Iesus Christ whatsoever by place or Calling thy rancke or degree bee bee it higher or lower yet if hee call for thy service thou art bound though others stand still to mainetaine his power and glory to the utmost of thy power and strength yea to the shedding the last drop of thy blood for he hath not loued his life vnto the death for thy sake but shed his precious blood for the redemption of thy soule hath hee done this for thee and darest thou see him dishonoured and his glory lie at the stake and not speake on his behalfe or doe him the best service thou canst If out of a base and cowardlie Spirit thus thou dost Let me tell thee here and that truly to thy face thou hast a Dalila in thy heart which thou louest more then God and that thou shalt on day certainly finde by wofull experience Alas if men should hold their peace in such times as these the Lord would cause the verie Stones to speake to convince man of his cowardlie basenesse Having proceeded in a manner thus farre by the strength of my God with boldnes and courage in my speech The Warden of the Fleete came with the fatt Lawier and commanded mee to hold my peace To whom I replied I would speake and declare my cause and minde though J were to bee Hanged at the gate for my speaking And he caused proclamation to be maid upon the Pillary for bringing to him the Bookes So then he commanded me to be gagged and if I spake any more that then J should bee whipt againe upon the Pillary So I remained about an hour a halfe gagged being intercepted of much matter which by Gods assistance I intended to haue spoken But yet with their cruelty I was nothing at all daunted for I was full of comfort and courage beeing mightily strengthned with the power of the Almightie which made me with cheerefullnesse triumph over all my sufferings not shewing one sad countenance or a disconted heart And when I was to come downe having taken out my head out of the Pillarie I looked about mee upon the people and said I am more then a conquerer though him that loved me Vivat Rex Let the King live for ever and soe I came downe and was had backe againe to the Tavern where I to gether with Mr. Wharton staid a while till one went to the Warden to know what should be done with me who gaue order wee should be carried back againe to the Fleete and as I went by land through the streetes greate store of people stood all along to behold me and many of them blessed God for enabling me to undergoe my sufferings with such cheerefullnes and courage as I did for I was mightily filled with the sweete presence of Gods Spirit which caused me notwitstanding the paines of my sufferings to go along the streets with a joyfull countenance not shewing the least discontentednes as if I had beene going to take possession of some great treasures After J came back to the prison none were suffered to come at me out the SurgioÌ„ to dresse me I feeling my self somwhat Fevorish I went to bed my Surgion doubting the same also gaue me a Glister and appointed to come the next morning let me blood but when he came he could not be permitted to come at me not any else for the Porter kept the key and lockt me vp very close saying the Warden gaue him straight command so to doe Wherevp on I desired the Surgion to go to Westminster to the Warden certifie him how it was with me being very ill that he might haue liberty to come at me to let me blood and dresse mee which could not be obtained till the Warden himself came home About one of the clock John Hawes the Porter came to me to knowe what I had to say to the warden to whom I said Mr. Hawes this is very cruell harsh dealing that after so sore whipping my SurgioÌ„ shal not be admitted to come dresse me nor any other be suffered to administer to my necessities having not eaten all this day nor the last eveÌ„ing but a little Caâ—dle I hope the Lords will be more mercifull then after the undergoeing the extremity of my Censure to take my life from me by letting mee perish for want of looking to therefore J pray speake to Mr. Warden that he would be pleased to give leave to my Chirurgion to come dresse me and let mee bloud otherwise I was in danger of a Feaver which might take away my life So he wished me to have written to the Warden J told him if he would helpe me to Penne Inke and Paper so I would No said hee I dare not doe that Then I desired him to deliver my mind to the Warden by word of mouth who then went away and after I was in my bedd he came to me againe and said thus unto me Mr. Lilburne I have one suite to you What is that said J It is this said he that you would helpe me to one of those Books that you threw abroad at the Pillary that I might reade it for J never read any of them I speake not for it to doe you any hurt only I have a great desire to reade one of them Sir I thinke you doe not said J but I cannot satisfie your
desire for if I had had more of them they should yesterday have all gone J verily beleeve you said he and so we parted And in a very little while after came the Warden himselfe with the Porter and J being in my bedd hee asked me how J did Said J I am well I blesse my God for it and am very merry and cheerfull Well said hee you have undone your selfe with speaking what you did yesterday Sir said I I am not sorry for what I said but am hartely gladd that the Lord gave mee strength and courage to speake what I did and were I to speake againe I would speak twice as much as I did if J could have liberty though I were immediatly to loose my life after it wouldst thou so said he Ey indeed Sir would I with the Lords assistaÌ„ce said I for I fear not the face of Man And concerning what I yesterday spake J did not in the least manner speake against any of the Lords but did openly declare that I did willingly with all contentednes submitt my selfe to their Censure and as for the Bishops I said nothing against any of their persons but only against their callings Ey said the Warden and thou saidst their calling was from the Devill Yes Sir so I did said I and J will prove it and make it good or else I wil be willing to loose my dearest blood For if you please to reade the 9. 13. chap. of Rev. you shall there finde that the Beast which ascended out of the bottomlâ—sse Pitt which is the Pope and Roman State hath his power and authority given him by the Dragon the Devill So that all the power which the Pope hath and doth exercise originally comes from the Devill If you reade also some Bookes lately set forth by the Prelates themselves and their Creatures you shall there finde that they claime their jurisdiction standing and power from the Pope Now if their power and calling be from the Pope as they themselves say it is then it must needs be from the Devill also For the Popes power and calling is from the Devill And he cannot give a better power and calling to them then he himselfe hath and I pray Sir if the Bishop of Canterbury be offended at that which J spake yesterday tell him I will seale it with my bloud And if he please to send for me I will justifie it to his face and if I be not able to make it good before any noble man in the Kingdome let mee loose my life Ey but it had been a great deale better said he for thine owne particular good to have beene more sparing of thy speech at that time No Sir said I nothing at all for my life and bloud is not deare and precious to me so I may glorifie God and doe him any service therewith I assure thee said he I was exceedingly chidd about thee and also there were old businesses rubd up against mee concerning Dr. Laiton and Mr. Burton for that Liberty that they had Wherefore were you chidd for me said I About the Bookes said he that you threw abroade in regard you were close Prisoner and yet had those Bookes about you I would aske you one question Did you bring those Bookes to the Fleete with you or were they since brought to you by any other I beseech you Sir pardon me for revealing that said I. Then he would have knowne who they were that most resorted to me I desired I might be excused in that also Ey but you must give me an answer said hee for I must certifie the Lords thereof Then said I I pray you tell their Honours I am unwilling to tell you What were those Bookes said he that you threw abroade were they all of one sort Those that have them said I can certifie you of that I my selfe have one of them said he and have read it and I can finde no wit in it there is nothing but railing in it Sir said I J conceive you are mistaken for the Booke is all full of wit it is true this Booke which you lighted on is not so full of soliditie as other of his Bookes are but you must understand that at that time when the Dr. made that Booke hee was full of heavines and in danger of a great punishment for the Prelates had breathed out more crueltie against him for writing his Apology And at that time also he was compassed about on every side with the Pestilence Therefore he made that Booke to make himselfe merrie But said he hee doth not write any thing in it to the purpose against the Bishops callings Sir said I I must confesse you lighted on the worst of the 3. And it is true there is not much soliditie and force of argument in it but only mirth But the other two are as full of soliditie as this is of mirth What were they of 3. sorts said be Yes Sir that they were said I. What were the other two called said he The one said I was his Answer to Sr. John Banks his Information The other is an Answer to some Objections that are made against that Booke which you have But if ever you reade his Latine Bookes you shall there finde soliditie enough and the wickednes and unlawfulnes of the Bishops Callings and practises set forth to the full What Latine Bookes be they said he His Flagelluw for which hee was first Censured said I. What hath hee been twice Censured said he Yes said I he was Censured in the High-Commission Court for writing his Flagellum And after that he wrote his Apology and that little Booke which you have which were the cause of his Censure in the Starr-Chamber But hast thou any more of those Bookes said he Sir said I if I had had 20. of them more they should all have gone yesterday But hast thou any more of them now said he Sir said I I verily thinke that if I should tell you I had not you would not beleeve me and therefore if you please you may search my Chamber So I must said he for the Lords have commaunded me so to doe therefore open your Trunke Sir said I it is open alreadie Search it John Hawes said he So he searcht it and found nothing there Open the Cubbard said he So I gave the Porter the key of my Cubbard to search it and he found nothing there but my victuals Search his pocket said the Warden Indeed Sir said I there is none in them Yet he searched them and found as I said Then he searched all my Chamber over but found nothing at all Well Sir said I now you can certifie the Lords how you finde things with me But I pray Sir must I still be kept close Prisoner I hope now the Lords have inflicted their Censure on me they will not still keepe me close No said hee within a little time you wil be eased of it So we tooke our leaves each of other and