shall be prepared for the estate of everlasting glory wherein shall be no tempter no temptation no sinne no sorrow but righteousnesse peace and fulnesse of joy in the presence of God and preasures for evermore Vnto which estate the Lord in mercy bring us and â—n the meane time keepe us from such horrible sinne The true Copy of the subscripâ—â—on formerly mentioned we whose names are under-written doe acknowledge that those things in this treatise which have relation to us and our knowledge are truely set down and receaved from us which we testifie by the subscription of our names HUMPHRY WALCOT THOMAS CLUNNP E. POVVEL vicar of Clunne GERVAS NEEDHAM WILLIAM BEDFORD ROBERT BARRET THOMAS HOVVELLS WILLIAM TANNER IOHN HOVVELLS WILLIAM GRIFFITHS IOHN LEVVIS FINIS An Appendix in further defence of the precedent Relation wherein is examined Master Studleys pretended refutation of such objections as were made against his Looking-glasse of Schisme Gentle Reader WHen I did first set my selfe to compose the precedent Relation I did not purpose to have it printed as in the beginning of my relation I have intimated in regard whereof I had no respect in the framing of my discourse to the swelling style which Master Studley pleaseth himselfe with in his Narration proposing to my selfe onely a briefe discovery of the naked truth of the businesse in hand therefore marvell not that I have forborne to follow him in â—ll his deviations and impertinent digressions yet now my relation cometh to the presse unexpectedly I am urged to adde something in regard of â—aster Studleys additions to â—he second edition of his looking glasse wherein he reciteth ten Criminations which I conceive to be all of his owne contriving yet for the present admitting them by way of reply to Master Studleys answeres I shall cleare such passages as from them seeme to reflect on what I have delivered for truth The first Crimination is to this effect That Master Studley hath published the most lying boooke that ever came forth in print The Hyperbolicall part of this Crimination I maintaine not Reply yet that his booke doth containe many falsehoods I suppose it sufficiently evidenced in those instances given in the fiftenth and twenty sections and the twenty five Section declareth eight falsehoods in Master Studleys unnecessary digression to that of Teuxbury The second Crimination Master Powell the reverend Minister of Clunne under whom Enoch lived from his birth knowes many of your relations to be false c. MAster Powel had the view and perusall of my precedent Relation Reply and finding it agreeable to the truth of his knowledge he testifies the integrity of this my Relation by the Subscription of his name to that originall Copie which now I have in my custody yea he was so earnest in attestation of the falsehoods in this looking-glasse that after he had subscribed this relation in manner and forme as in the end thereof is set downe he desired to be the meanes of conveying it to the Bishop of Hereford and did deliver it to his Chancelor Master Docter Skinner by whom it was delivered to the Bishop Now let the unpartiall reader judge whether Master Powell would deale so unworthily with himselfe as to subscribe his owne approbation of my Relation and convey it to his Diocesan if h ehad in deed so approved Master Studleys report as is pretended It is true that Master Powell is now dead and lest in that regard doubtfull thoughts may be entertained with some men I have heare inserted a Certificate from divers persons of such worth and credit as Master Studley himselfe will not except against them the Certificate I set downe in the same words as it was sent unto mee onely I adde the specification of their quality and Condition for the readers better satisfaction Wee whose names are subscribed have heard Master Erasmus Powell late vicar of Clun in his life time complaine of divers grosse untruths and falsities in Master Studleys Relation of Enoch ap Evan in his book intituled the looking gl of Schisme Humphrey Walcot esqu Samuel Hildersam Recâ—or of the Church of west felton county Salop. Tho Clun of Clun Gent. Hugh Edwards Gent. Esay Thomas Alderman of Bishops Castle William Tanner a free â—urges of Bishops Castle George Lawson Rector of the Church at the Moore Gervase Needham vicar of the Church at Bishops Castle If opportunity had served or the cause required futher proof might be produced in like kind For the present I further call to mind Sir Robert Harley Knight of the Bath Walter Barker of Hamond Esquire and Master Standley Gower Rector of the Church of Brompton Brian who have informed me that they heard Master Powell declare his dislike of Master Studleys booke in regard of the falsehoods therein conteyned And which is yet more the aforenamed Master Barker and Master Hildersam were present when Master Powell did to Master Studleys face tax him for his untruthes in his booke The Third Crimination concerneth the taking downe of the body from the Gibbet heere Master Studley sweates to perswade the reader that he had stronger arguments to Master his understanding then to believe that such simple women as Enochs sisters could be the chiefe abettors of such a fact five silly reasons he reciteth moving him to publish his conjecture that crafty heads contrived that devise of conveying his corps from the Gibbet and breathed the same by instruction and counsell into his sisters Enabling thereby ignorant women of rustick quality and small understanding to take upon them the mannaging of a devise so subtile and bold who then were the authors of this designe Master Studley telleth us in his looking-glasse Pag. 164. edit 1 some brethren of his own disposition and faction restles in willfulnesse that he might not say wickednesse contrived a devise by rearing up a ladder in the night to saw off that part of the gibbet where his body hanged c. As I will not affirme but that some others might first suggest to Enochs sister the taking downe of his body which they upon examâ—nation have denyed so I hope no indifferent man wil suppose it to be without the compasse of womens understanding to be guilty of hireing others to remove such an object so neere the place of their habitation and birth I am to thank Master Studley that he doth declare his beliefe that the rest of the Commissioners with my selfe traveiled prudently and faithfully yet he saith he neither doth nor can nor will believe that the totall truth was by us delivered for so hee saith in his refutation of Crimination pag. 15. for satisfaction of the Reader herein I desire him seriously to consider the proceedings against the offendors as they are faithfully exhibited in the twenty two and twenty three and twenty foure Sections of my relation to which I here adde verbatim that letter mentioned Sect. 23. From the Iudges Sir William Iones and Sir Thomas Trevor To the Right worshipfull
that he was no Puritan and it is this pag. 16. For in the site and gesture of kneeling the leggs are cast behind the rest of the body and receive not that influence of nourishment spirituall at least in proportion and measure of attraction as the rest of the body doth and therefore the gestures that this vaine light and seduced man concepted to himselfe as most convenient in that Sacred act of Gods worship were either standing and bowing or sitting and bowing of the body As this gesture of bowing is singular in Enâ—ch so is the reason different from any Puritan or Non-conformist that ever I heard or read of They like not the gesture of kneeling counting it superstitius in regard it is a gesture of adoration and therein nourisheth those that are popishly affected in their opinion of transubstantiation Now Master Studley by a distinction of his maketh bowing onely to be a gesture of adoration for these are his words pag. 18. For the postures of standing of sitting of kneeling being all naturall and bodily actions without the addition of bowing which is a mentall and spirituall action and hath relation to some other nature either in the Creator or in the Creatures to whom it is directed are in themselves as they are actions bodily and naturall neither good nor evill at all and doe onely partake of goodnesse or illnesse as the motion of bowing with intention of adoration is added unto them So that by this distinction Enoch framed a gesture of adoration by his bowing which Puritans and Nonconformists distaste and so he differed from them But he that well examineth Enochs reason and Master Studleys distinction wil find apparantly they come out of one forge and indeed they are alike senselesse And I should have thought Master Studley had derided Enochs reason and had spoken ironically where he calleth it a conceipt so sublimate fine and subtill had he not compared that vaine and franticke reason to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devices and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the depths of Sathan therein grosly abusing those places of Scripture 2 Cor. 2.11 and Rev. 2.24 for those devises and depths of Sathan there spoken of are not such as may bee discerned avoyded and derided by the shallowest judgement but such as from which good Lord deliver us Sect. 13. Other points of Puritanisme are laid to the charge of Enoch by Master Studle pag. 25. as that he disliked the Superiority of Bishops the signe of the Crosse iâ— Baptisme and such like but none of these are insisted upon onely the dislike of the gesture of kneeling in the Sacred Communion is it that makes him a Puritan yea a Separatist page 72. and for this cause he slew his Brother And though Enoch vary in his confession of the cause though he deny that to be any cause though some times he say it is not the onely cause and though he assigne another cause aâ— hath beene shewed yet Master Studly by two arguments will prove that onely for kneeling at the Sacred Communion Enoch killed his Mother and Brother The first argument is taken out of 1 Iohn 3.12 Looking-glasse pag. 124 where the text is not as Caine whâ— was of that wicked one and slew his Brother and wherefore slew he him because his own workes were evill and his Brothers righteous Here saith Master Studley the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is causall as the Learned know and referre us to the sole and total cause and not in part assignes the cause why Caine slew his Brother Therefore c. I confesse I want Logicke and therefore desired this work might have beene performed by one more able yet I want not so much reason as to see the weaknesse of this argument the cause of Caines murder is plaine so is not Enochs for that we have the word of God expresly assigning the cause which was this because his owne workes were evill and his Brothers righteous for this we have onely the confession of a sinfull wretched man which confession is uncertaine variable and contradictory so that to make this argument hold Master Studley must imply that Enochs confession apparantly variable is as true as Scripture I say no more I leave it to the Learned to Iudge Sect. 14. The second argument is pag. 127. Enoch ap Evaâ— slaies his Brother either for this cause onely that Iohn would kneele at the Communion or for some other cause But for other cause or causes he never pleaded any for himselfe but totally excluded all other causes Therefore c. I answer Enoch pleaded other causes many times to many persons yea even to Master Studley himselfe as is before expressed and did utterly deny this to bee any cause at al and therefore this Syllogisme so much bragged of by the Author that the thing affirmed remaines pregnant dilucidate and invincible is not binding but directly false Sect. 15. I should not have insisted so much upon the clearing of this wretched Enoch from being a Puritan or non-conformist for I know he was worse he was a cruell murderer of his mother and Brother nor upon the cause moving him to commit that hainous crime for I thinke and beleeve that a non-conformist may be a Subject upon which the Devill might worke since even the woâ—thy servants of God have grievously fallen as Noah David Lot Peter and others recorded in holy Scripture had not the Author of the Looking-glasse uncharitably charged his seducement and inveighing into the opinions of non-conformitie upon some Ministers or lay persons and this he is so confident of that he knoweth it to be so as surely as he knoweth it to be true that his owne soule is living within him as is expressed pag. 137 138 139 moreat large For ful satisfaction in this point I desire the reader to observe first that the said Author layeth his former grounds upon Enochs confession in his conference with him in the Goale this upon his owne conjecture discrediting Enochs flat denyall of it for so Master Studley himselfe informeth us pag. 138. 〈◊〉 he ans wered him as he had done often before and continued in that obstinacy to his death that not from man but from God he had receaved those conceipts and being particularly demanded how he came first to dislike the gestures of his betters for wisedome c. pag 75 76. as is largely set down whether by conference with any Ministers disaffected to peace and unity or by private perswasion of some of his acquaintance Or by example of any Or by reading of Schismaticall bookes Enoch answered by none of all these meanes but by reading of Gods word Doth this defamation of his brethren in the Ministers and others agree with the rules of charity or doth it proceed from a gracious inclination to solid Piety and a publicke declaration of an honest heart disposed to peace and unity pag. 96 this Master Studley bragges of but practiseth not Secondly though he
boasteth himselfe to be the known Antipuritan of the county as is said and so most likely to know the puritans in the couÌ„ty yet he namethnone that seduced Enoch he teleth us of puritans about Bishops Castle pag. 99. that framedarguments to make Enoch appeare to be lunatick and thereby perhaps intimateth that by some thereabouts Enoch was seduced for it is before confessed that Enoch all his life time had his abode within two or three Miles of Bishops Castle I my selfe have dwelt within two miles of the said Towne this forty yeares for the most part I know most of the Cleargy within the Deanery of Clunne in the Diocesse of Hereford and I am confident there is not amongst them all one non-conformist neither is there any of any note that I can learne of the laity but doe conforme and particularly in that point of kneeling in the receaving of the blessed Sacrament Master Studley should doe well to make the Puritans known that they may be reformed and not conceale them and yet cast an aspersion upon the Ecclesiasticall and civill government and that meerly upon his owne imagination what may the reverend Father our present Diocesan thinke of us in this part of his Diocesses what will the world to whom we are unknowne otherwise then by report which falleth out with such prejudice in this particular by the Looking-glasse of Schisme conceave of us better then such a nest of Puritans and Non-conformists as England affordeth not the like Sect. 16. Our lately deceased Diocesan the reverend father in God Bishop Lindsel much desired to understand that part of his Diocesse tooke speciall notice of every particular minister that were Preachers at the monethly Lecture in Bishops Castle before established by the Bishop of the same Diocesse and by his owne appointment supplied the places of some that were lately dead and they are twelve in number all of them in the same Deanery of knowne conformity more particularly hee requested to be informed about this Enoch ap Evan and to speake with his father and for him I prepared my first papers by whose meanes we had very good hopes to have our neighbourhood cleared from the aspersions laid upon it by the Looking-glasse of Schisme which booke he had read and therupon untill he was enformed to the contrary conceaved that these parts had need of reformation for until he spake with some that could enforme him in the particulars concerning Enoch he did not imagine the relation to have beene so false in the chiefe points but it pleased GOD to take him out of this life before what wee wished came to passe The same reverend father delivering his opinion concerning the said booke which would not have pleased Master Studley asked a Minister of this Countrey whether he had not observed a passage in it concerning Master Studlies great and ungodly wit adding that he that said so of him did him wrong he would excuse him of the first of those if any could free him from the latter of which he can by no meanes be excused since he hath put his pen on worke to publish such scandalous slanders against the Cleargie and lay persons as affected to non-conformity seducing Enoch into his opinions and to conceale both their names and the true cause of the fact Sect. 17. We see what worke Master Studley hath made us in the Gaole at Shrewsbury now the Gaole delivery draweth neare and the Iudges are in their Circuit at the next County of Stafford adjoyning to Shropshire there they are informed of this murtherer by the reveâ—end father the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry who was so carefull not to misreport as that he required Master Studley who was his informer to lay downe in writing under his owne hand and subscription of his name the truth of the particulars receaved from the prisoner as Master Studley confesseth pag. 121. The reverend judges who ever laboured to suppresse Schisme and non-conformity being at Shrewsbury reprehended the Iustices of Peace that had not enformed them of so notorious a malefactor before they came to heare of it in a Sermon when as in â—uth the Iustices themselves that dwelt nearest to the place where the offence was committed were Ignorant that the offence was committed upon any such ground or reason as non-conformity But at the assises Enoch is severally indited for the murders by him committed upon his mother and brother upon the severall indictments he is severally araigned upon his araignments he pleadeth guilty upon which plea as you shall heare anon hee had judgement to be executed given upon him according to justice and regular proceeding though Master Studley assuring us in the word of a minister that we have a relation of such substantiall truth as he will maintaine against any person living upon the face of the earth be not ashamed on hearesay to deliver as he hath set it down pag. 135 136. that the evidence of his murders so ofteÌ„ published to the world by his free and voluntary confession might have prevented the formal proces of law by jury conviction and casting and have put him into the power of the judge for sentence of death from his owne acknowledgement and expression of his guilt but for more strength of justice and regularity of proceeding the jury found him guilty and made him lyable to sentence of death As if after Enoch had pleaded guilty it had been more for the strength of Iustice and regularity of proceeding to have tryed him by a jury of life and death The Iudges for both of them sate at his araignment were carefull to find out the cause moving Enoch to this barbarous murder and therefore after he had pleaded guilty one of the judges asked him what the cause might be moving him to kill his mother and his brother whether there were any difference or falling out betweene them Enoch answered there was some difference in reasoning betweene his brother and him about the gesture of kneeling at the Communion It was then urged by the judg that then that was the cause why he slew his brother Enoch answered no it was not being againe demanded what then might be the cause He answered the strong temptation of sinne He was further asked whether he did not desire to receive the holy Communion before his execution He answered yes he did It being then declared unto him by Baron Trevor that he might use no other gesture in that action but that which was prescribed by law and practised by the Church which was kneeling and that no Minister should deliver it him otherwise and it being so he was demanded what in that case he would doe Enoch answered hee had rather bow his body yet rather then he should not receive the Communion he would kneele This passed openly at his araignment upon fryday the Sixteenth of August The judgement to be given upon Enoch was deferred untill the next day being Saterday upon which day and before judgement
Enoch is brought to the Iudges Chamber and there privately they both examine him touching the cause moving him to commit the murder but as I heard from one of the Iudges he w … 〈◊〉 no other cause o … 〈…〉 â—hen what he had done publickely Afterwards being brought to the barre without a jury to finde him guilty he received his judgement from Sir William Iones the Iudge that for that time sate upon Life and Death Sect. 18. The Sheriffe being commanded to see execution done was directed that he should be hanged in chains in some convenient and eminent place not very far from the place where the murder was committed and therupon he is brought to Bishops Castle where Master Gervase Needham is Vicar the learned Gentleman and minister of that parish mentioned by Master Studley pag. 161. He repaireth to Enoch as he was informed by the appointment of the Iudges and conferreth with him to the end the better to prepare him for death then shortly to ensue for it was the day of his execution and this was in the presence of divers of the Cleargy and laity which conference and the passages therin before and at his death the said Master Needham presently after committed to writing and hereafter it followeth as it was by him delivered to me without change or alteration It being asked whether he was truly and unfainedly sorry for the fact whereof he stood condemned He answered that hee was so that he thought in his heart no man living had such a weight of sinne upon him or had ever done the like hainous murder that he was Iustly condemned and willing to dye for it that he was truly sensible of the sinne committed and heartily sorry that he could not be more sorry for it yet that he did confidently believe God would have mercy upon his soule desiring all to pray for him Whether he did not receive some disparagement or disgrace or injury from his brother and mother and whether he did not conceive them to be prophane and wicked people unworthy to live And whether he did not conceive his father or himselfe to be of a more undefiled unspotted conversation He answered that hee thought them all to be religious and godly and with a great sigh that his brother was ever loving and deare to him no man had a better brother then he had of him and that there was no malice nor difference betwixt them at the time he slew them onely some two dayes before they had discoursed of standing and kneeling at the Sacrament himselfe approving of standing or bowing rather but there was no high words or anger or discontentment betweene them upon that conference What might bee the grounds of his opinion for standing and bowing at the Sacrament Hee answered that hee conceived it to be our Saviours gesture at the first institution and further that it is written Behold I stand at the dore and knocke Whether hee did not thinke it Idolatry to kneele at the Sacrament And whether he did not ground his action upon that in Deu. 1â— 6 7 8 9 and 10. where it iâ— written if thy brother the sonne of thy mother entice thee saying Let us go serve other Gods c. thou shalt not consent unto him c. but thou shalt surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him c. He heard such things and many untruths had beene reported of him but for his part he thought it no Idolatry to kneele at the Sacrament neither did he ground that action upon any such text of holy Scripture and therein hee had manifest wrong Whether he did not frequent any private meetings and conventicles in the Neighbourhood or elsewhere Or whether he did not ground that fact upon some doctrine or words he had heard at Sermons oâ— Lectures at Bishops Castle or elsewhere Or some private discourse with any of the ministry or other of his acquaintance He answered that he was never at any such meeting or conventicle neither did he in any private discourse or from any preacher heare or receive any doctrine oâ— counsell that might encourage or move him to such a fact What then might be the cause if none of these Or what end he proposed to himselfe in the action He answered that it was the temptation of sinne But being desired to explaine himselfe in those tearmes he said it was the corruption of the flesh and Sathans suggestion It being urged that our subtile adversary the easie to worke upon us is wont to propose in every temptation some matter either of profit or pleasure and sometimes even the glory of God as the end thereby the rather to deceive us and leade us into sinne He answered that hee could give no reason or ground at all why he did the act neither did he think what might be the end or issue of it being done and that he never thought of such a fact towards man woman or child till within one houre or lesse before the murder was done and that his thoughts did so rise upon him that he could not have any rest or quiet till he had done the deed Whether he intended to have murthered them both when he first laid hands on his brother He answered no surely but his mother came in to rescue his brother not yet fully dead and so wounded her also mortally and a length cut off both their heads not deliberating with himselfe upon it Whether the Devill did not then appeare to him and as some reported give the Axe into his hand violently enforcing him unto the fact He answered no there was no such matter the Devill did not then or at any other time appeare unto him Whether hee did not sometimes see a vision of the holy Ghost appearing to him in the likenesse of a Dove as was reported He answered that indeed he did conceive a thing in the likenesse of a Dove full of brightnesse to come into the Chamber in his fathers house where he then lay upon his bed in the night broad awake and that he thought it to be the holy Ghost It being urged that the spirit of God would not surely have appeared but to some speciall end in such an extraordinary manner and question being made whether hee felt himselfe thereby illuminated further in the mysteries of salvation Or in the sence of his owne sinnes more humbled Or whether it imposed any particular charge or command upon him Or revealed any secret of note unto him at the present He answered that he was not sensible of any such operations as these or the like in so much that after further discourse in this particular he said that he knew not what to thinke of it it might be the distempered worke of his braine for ought he knew to the contrary Whether he did not desire a kinsman to convey him secretly to Bishops Castle to the minister or Vicar there for he had an intent to sacrifice one head which he had privately hidden