set down page the eighth of his answer mentioned aforesaid And in like manner of all the rest upon whom any materiall point of contradiction resteth So that what is in difference betweene us will bee apparent by records acknowledgment manifest contradiction in the Looking-glasse it selfe or witnesses such as wee both agree upon All which will bee evident to him that shall diligently compare them and which I leave to the judgement of the considerate Reader the maine scope of mine intention herein being peace with truth which is ever Prayed for by The true lover Thereof Richard More LINTEY 29. Iune 1635. A True relation of the Murders committed by Enoch ap Evan upon the bodies of his Mother and Brother SECTION I. TRuth is Gods and He hath bound man to Manifest the same if concealed and to vindicate her if wronged and whosoever shall either Conceale or wrong her or hinder the manifestation or vindication thereof shall offend The serious consideration wherof hath moved me to undertake this briefe ensuing treatise for the more full discovery of the truth in part as yet not generally knowne and to rectifie the conceits of many who have beene abused as the best may be by false reports The matter it selfe though both the party by whom and the place where it was done were obscure is very notorious and remarkeable and such as many not onely of the Vulgar sort but eminent persons have taken notice of and so much more by reason of a Booke published intituled the Looking Glasse of Schisme wherein as the Author pretendeth by a briefe narration of the execrable Murders done by Enoch ap Evan a downe-right Separatist on the bodies of his Mother and Brother with the cause moving him thereunto the disobedience of that Sect against Royall Majestie and the Laws of our Church is plainely set forth be Peter Studley Master of Artes and Minister of Gods Word in Shrewsbury That this Murder was committed is true and no waieâ— doubted of The question is what should be the cause moving him thereto And what kinde of people inhabited the Neighbourhood where those Murders were committed It is confidently affirmed that hee was a Puritan that Puritanisme was the cause moving him to this Murder for which he had judgement to dye and his Body was hanged upon a Gibbet in Chaines and moreover that they were Puritans who tooke him downe from the Gibbet and that he had beene by politicke seducements drawne into those opinions Looking-Glasse page one hundred thirty seven so desperate and raging in their furious cruelty Whereupon I laboured to enforme my selfe and was required by Authority amongst others to search out the truth and to discover the Parties who had taken downe the body of Enoch from the Gibbet Which being discovered I committed the severall passages to writing wherewith I acquainted a Minister in the Neighbourhood He reduced my Papers into a methodicall confutation of those errours and untruths which are most palpable and indeed intollerable It being finished was intended for the Presse yet not permitted When I perceaved untruth so much still to prevaile many abused my neighbourhood about Bishops Castle injured and such ill use made of such a fearefull example I conceaved my selfe deepely obliged to enforme others in the truth vindicate my neighbours and to perswade others to make better use of this lamentable accident And to that purpose having revised mine owne papers have digested them into this Historicall narration wherein I doe acknowledge more want of ability to set truth forth to the View of the Learned then of an honest and upright heart to discover her though naked and without ornaments And herein I shall differ from the common receaved opinion of those that are more remote from this part of the County concerning the Puritanisme wherewith this wretch was charged and perhaps for the same I shall be suspected to be Puritanicall or at least to Patronize Puritanisme both which being taken in the sence of Schisme or non-conformity I solemnely disavowe and seriously protest that I have alwayes disliked Non-conformity and both in judgement and practice have conformed my selfe unto the Orders and Discipline of this Church of England and especially in that particular of kneeling so farre as that if our Church had left the gesture to be used in the blessed Sacrament indetermined I would have made choice of that gesture of Kneeling before all others as the most reverend and fittest to be used in that holy Action wherein wee come so neere unto our God Sect. 2. Herein my speciall aime according to the truth of my knowledge being to free the neighbourhood of Bishops Castle wherein I live and have bestowed my time from the false and infamous aspersâ—â—ns of Puritanisme and Non-conformity I set my selfe on worke to make this true relation ensuing touching the estate of the said Enoch ap Evan the Sonne of Edward ap Evan of Shadwall in the Parish of Clunne in the County of Salop where he lived all the time from his Birth and to shew how he was thought of by the neighbours about Bishops Castle no Puritans though so tearmed by the Author of the Looking-Glasse page 102. Sect. 3. It is certaine hee was a young man of no great abilities for learning he could onely read English he was thrifty and given to no vice whereof any publicke notice was taken hee did diligently frequent his Parish Church of Clunne upon Sundaies and Holy daies to heare Divine Service and was seldome absent from the beginning of Prayers he very seldome went to any other Parish Church upon any weeke dayes hee was not knowne to reason of any matters of controversie in religion as being above his capacity which was very meane as the Author of the Looking-Glasse often confesseth calling him ignorant Dolte of meane Understanding able onely to read English c. He was so farre from travelling abroad to heare Sermons or to acquaint himselfe with any Preacher that I cannot find out that he was knowne of any Minister that dwelt but three Miles from him He rather gave himselfe to solitarines especially in his later time and as is confessed in the foresaid book p. 21. being of a swarthy complexion under the Predominance of the humour of Melancholy so hee carried himselfe sullenly and Cynically in so much that his friends feared that he began to be distracted a yere and more before he committed that horrible murder of his Mother and Brother and thereupon was let blood by the Barbour Chirurgion of Bishops Castle by name William Griffiths which blood letting for that yeare it seemes stayed the breaking forth of that humour into any notorious observation but not halfe a yeare before the Murder committed in a very cold season of Frost and Show he was seene to stand barefooted and bare legged in the middest of a running brooke which with the force of the streame his face being up the same did wet him to the middle his hat he held before his
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
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
a false Church as shee her selfe affirmeth nor did her husband relate such words to Master Studley or offer to affirme them upon his oath in any Court of this Kingdom as is falsely related page 50. for he saieth he will affirme upon his oath that he did not say so in the presence of Master Studley or any where else Sect. 10. In the way to Shrewsbury Gaole they take up their lodging at Powderbacke and there wee read of strange things that happened as appeareth in the Looking-glasse pag. 51 52 53 54 55 and 56 as that Enoch stared with indignation upon the Constable of the Hundred that he started up in a desperate rage and catcht at a Spit to have goared the Constable and that a most fearefull noyse is heard in the Street neere the dore of the house where Enoch lay as if it had beene the ratling of the wheeles of two or three Cartes furiously driven this noyse wakened Enoch affrighted him c. So many particulars related so many falsehoods for there was no Constable there to be goared there was indeed the Sergeants of Clunne as I said before he hath assured me that neither there nor in all the way did Enoch offer any violence to him or any in the company neither did he catch at any Spit onely he looked earnestly and gastly upon every object like a distracted man as he and the rest conceived him to be as I said before And as touching the noyse in the street one of the watchmen tould me that they saw apparently the cause of the noyse which was the running of Calves along the street by the doore of the house where Enoch was lodged neither did he come downe naked or use that exclamation all which if true had been no arguments of Puritanisme Sect. 11. And now Enoch is brought to the Gaole at Shrewsbury and he with his Mittimus delivered to the Goaler Many desire to see and to question this notorious malefactor he never that I can heare off denyed the fact to any but the cause inducing him thereunto is earnestly enquired after also Faelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas sayeth the Poet. What the opinion of the Neighbourhood was is formerly declared they that knew the course of his life and observed the dutifull respect of Enoch to his Father and Mother and the love and affection between his brother and him could imagine no reason or cause of those hainous facts but Sathans working upon his distraction and Lunacy For it was generally observed that they lovingly agreed together as is set forth in the Looking-glasse page 32 from their infant yeares and weaning from the breast of their mother to the one and thirtieth yeare of the age of the younger of them which was the yeare wherein Iohn was slaine during which time Enoch assured Master Studly engaging his truth and salvation upon it there had never fallen outanyverball quarrel no not so much as the Tearme thou had ever passed in anger from the one to the other Yet how soon after Enochs comming to Shrewsbury Goale are other causes vented if not there invented And those gathered also from Enochs confession as the other profession of love was And the causes are severall and disagreeing betweene themselves Now if the confession of Enoch had beene certaine and constant to all the cause had beene more evident but it was not at the least the relation of it sheweth it not to be so for one while Enoch assigneth one cause another time the contrary a third time he differs in assigning one and the same cause First hee gives this to bee the cause to draw the children of light out of darknesse and to declare his owne zeale to the word of God pag. 35. when he gave this reason hewaseither non compos mentis or he conceived his mother and his brother to be children of light he intended to doe them a benefit to deliver them out of darknesse by taking away their lives and this could not proceed from hatred but love what then is become of the rage and malice so often repeated and agravated by the Author of the Looking-glasse Now this was done as is beforesaid to declare his zeale to the word of God yet at another time he confesseth that he fell into those facts by sinne as page 81. Sinne and zeale to Gods word are not the same Againe he makes difference in opinion touching kneeling to be the one cause pag. 31.72.127 for we must understand that after Enoch came to Shrewsbury Goale he is there discovered to be a Puritan nay a downe-right Separatist yet as before is said he never separated himselfe from his owne parish Church within which Parish or within which hundred there was never Puritan known to be so farre as I can understand And it is confessed that Enoch read Prayers out of the Service Booke of our English Church in his fathers house in a constant course pag. 22. this is no argument of a Separatist or a Puritan He constantly receaved the Holy Communion in his owne parish Church and that reverently using the posture of kneeling as is testified by the foresaid Vicar of Clunne and the parishioners except it were at Easter next before the committing of these murders and yet then being required he bowed his knee as is before said so that in his practise he was conformable pag. 72. But saith Master Studley upon Enochs confession he differed in opinion from his mother and brother touching the gesture at the Communion they would kneele and he would sit and bow his body and for this cause onely his wrath kindled against his brother and in that wrath he slew him and yet page 123. he yeelded not that he slew his brother onely because of his kneeling Therfore Enochs confession is uncertaine contrary and contradictory I confesse to satisfie my selfe fully in this point I have spoken with and seene testified under the hands of divers both of the Clergy and Laity men in all points conformable that both going to the Goale and whiles he remained there he utterly denyed that the difference in opinion betweene his brother and him was any cause at all why he slew him and that the strong temptation of sinne was the only cause The persons who testifie this are Master Powell aforenamed Master Smith Master Needham Master Bourne Master Thonas Matthews Master Bedford al of the Cleargie besides many more of the Cleargie and Laity yea some that have beene present with Master Studley in the Gaole have assured me that to Master Studly himselfe he utterly denyed that the difference about kneeling was any cause at all but that Sinwas the cause moving him to commit those murders and so it is set downe by Master Studley in the Looking-glasse pag. 81. Sect. 12. Enochs reason for bowing and not kneeling related by Master Studly in his owne phrase for whosoever knew Enoch wil be confident it was never his will better satisfie the reader