putting forth of poor Orphans or severall stocks for the imployment of the poor or in danger of a forraign invasion So will that which hath been ill imployed be well imployed so will frivolous sutes be prevented betwixt Minister and people and so will the Ministery have nothing to care for but to feed the flock of Christ of whom they are made overseers So will the Gospell flourish so will the hearts of Gods people be chereed so will God be glorified so will the Lord delight in us he will love us freely he will heal our backslidings he will dwell in the middest of us and do us good I could desire that all true Christians would give the Lord no rest till the platform and discipline of the Church be established according to the rule of CHRIST then would it go well with the Church and when it goes well the Church it will go well with the Commonwealth but not before so will the Lord make his promise good unto us and our posterity after us and our seed shall injoy the blessing I have heard some say it is not possible that ever we should see good days till the King return to the Parliament But know this that there is nothing impossible with God The Parliament being the representative Body of the whole Kingdome it will be proved the King is present with them and what both the houses do conclude on it may be truly said to be the Kings own act The comparison will not hold which I heard made by a Minister in Derbâ—y in his Pulpit where he compared the King to the Sun and the Parliament to a company of dark confused stars that have no light but what they borrow from the Sun He was active also in reading the prayer against our loving brethren in Scotland but from such preaching and such praying the Lord deliver me and God in mercy make the King as a Sun to cheer up and revive the hearts of his poor people in these dark and sad times and as a shield to defend the true Protestant Religion I will tell you still what I could desire if I desire amisse I pray you pardon me for it is from a heart sensible of the Kingdoms misery and in love to the Cause that the Parliament vindicates which is for the Truth It is that in all Counties when we are Masters of the field there may be chosen a faithfull Generall or Commander in chief and in every Hundreth an able Colonel and Captains proportionable such as the Country is willing to approve of and to venture their lives with and that all that professe themselves to stand for the Cause may be listed under those Commanders the nearest residing to them being all ingaged in the cause it being the publike cause and that they may not lye by great companies in Garison Townes especially in Summer aime to consume the Kingdomes money but that there may be preparation for severall Counties to joyn together in Association with wisdome and discretion in prayer and humiliation and that we may come forth with zeale and courage to help the Lord against the mighty And also that the covenant may be set forward with speed the neglecters punished and refusers made known that so our loving brethren that are come so willingly to help forward the work of Reformation which may be said to be next to the worke of Creation may see more cleerly how to proceed that so the Kingdom being scowred of Idolatry Superstition and Will-worship and Christ set up in the purity of his Ordinances then will the promise be made good which is of a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse and then will the honest Protestants that have been willing to lay down all for this cause take up the Song of Moses and sing aloud the falvation of their God I would desire one thing more it is that the Book set forth by Ordinance of Parliament be read once a Week in our Army for regulating our forces and the punishing of offences both in Commanders and souldiers may be made more use of For in some places it hath not been set forward neither Protestation nor Covenant and that a Committee of Parliament and commanders there resident I could desire that commanders would endeavour to reform themselves and then our Armies would be better reformed and some more time spared out of the Ale-house for exercise in the house of God and in the field So should our campes be purged then we should carry none of our Achans into the campe our loving brethren whereby the worke may be hindered I will tell you that they I have so much spoken of that the work could not be done without them so long desired and prayed for I mean the noble Philadelphians are now come into England The Lord of Hosts in mercy be pleasire by night and direct them that they may carry themselves so in this weighty businesse that all the black mouths which have been opened so wide against them may be stopped If I should tell you that God will make our loving Brethren in Scotland unto England as a skilful Physitian unto a grosse body to purge out the corrupt humours or as Refiners of the drosse from the gold you wil hardly beleeve it Or if I should tel you of a warre of Inquiries that God in mercy to his own people and in justice to the wicked hath sent and called in England a great grand-Jury to inquire out new Sences troublers of the Church and Common-wealth disturbers of Gods people and and that faithfull Ministers and honest people must give informations you wil hardly beleeve it Salomon saith Timo trieth all things beleeve it as you finde it Surely it wil not be denied but all those that are Enemies to this glorious work of Reformation ought to be inquired after as Papists and the Prelatical faction and the Incendiaries of the Kingdome and after such as have spoken more or lesse against this honourable Parliament and after such as are despisers or evil-speakers against our loving brethren of Scotland and why not after all such as have received Commissions and have been active in nothing but for their own ends in seazing upon Papists and malignants goods and it may be honest mens too without order from the Committee or the chief commanders from whom they received their commission and have not brought in such goods to the publike stock but have converted them to their own private use because that that which ought to be imployed in the publike cause ought not to be converted to a private use And after all such whose actions makes it manifest that their desires are to spin out the Kingdoms misery as all these have done unto others so let it be done unto them Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from bloud Ier. 47. vers 10. I say unto you get into the Covenant whilst you
may if you professe your selves for the truth lest it fall out with you as it did with them in the old World For you shal see ere long that the Cavaliers wil leave the word Roundheads and call us Covenanters for in calling of us Roundheads they do but proclaim themselves fooles as those do that gave their Votes for the election of this honourable Parliament that stands for the truth and since have opened their mouthes wide against them And for those that are run away from the truth I pray you tell me if you think that those be not fools I need not tel you that there are great Armies prepared and preparing but I am perswaded that they are not only to knock the Pope out of England but Ireland and France and Rome and send him halting to Avanion whither some of the Papists may follow him like bloud-hounds by the footing to mourn over his buriall Of all things that I have desired I pray you let this be granted that the duty of humiliation and prayer be not neglected pray for King Charles that God would make him a faithful instrument for his glory and the good of this Kingdome and that he would be pleased to take him out of the hands of his and the Kingdomes Enemies and send him safe to his honourable Parliament and pray for our loving brethren in Scotland whom it pleased God to make such faithful instruments for the cal of this Parliament that God would be pleased ever to protect them and direct them and pray for the faithful Citizens whom God hath been pleased to make so faithful to the Parliament to the King and Kingdome Blessed are they that pray for the peace of Ierusalem and I am sure that they must be blessed that pray and bend the utmost of their endeavours for an holy peace in England Peace with Holinesse the Lord send us Souldiers be content with your wages and away with this base plundering what you get from the Enemy with your sword is your own but if you seize upon Papists or Malignants goods bring it into the publike stock for that which should be spent in a publike cause ought not to be converted to a private use But you will say you have no wages I will tell you what St. Paul saith Having food and raiment therewith be content never desert a good cause for want of pay Are we not all and all that we have ingaged in the cause Estates and and Liberties and Lives and Religion doth not al lye at the stake Stand for CHRIST and for his cause and he wil stand for you for be you sure he wil be a better paymaster unto you then al the world can afford for his promise is be faithful unto death and he wil give you a crown of Life For my part my poore endeavours have not been wanting ever since the Militia was set forward neither shall it ever be wanting God willing so long as life and estate shall last I never desired pay but the Parliaments faith and now I have more then I did desire for there is a promise made by both Kingdomes that all that endeavour to bee active and faithfull to this cause shall be no loosers so that this promise and the promise by Christ is sufficient to incourage all men that either have or will take up armes in this cause The poore endeavours and desires of one that earnestly desires the advancement of the cause of Christ the yeer 1644. wherin the troubles and the troublers of the Church and Common-Wealth will be in turning ore I could desire to be satisfied in this whether we under Prelaticall governement were not the luke-warme Laodiceans and also in this that we now being joyned to the Philadelpians in Discipline Worship Governement and Covenant and made one with them and they with us whether if we were Laodiceans we be not now made Philadelphians But I will hearken to the faithfull Ministerie and if it prove truth then see England is Metamorphized and I will say to those that are in Covenant stand to it you couragious Philadelphians for God will give you to possesse the very Gates of your onemies and we shall see that the Parliament hath made use of those words namely to buy the truth at any rate and that the field is purchased for us where the precious pearle lyeth I meane the pure Ordinances of of Jesus Christ but I will waite Vale.
TO THE FAITHFULL AND TRUE-HEARTED Covenanters VVHICH ARE THE NOBLE Philadelphians A Diurnall Of the Desires and Indeavours of one that earnestly desires the advancement of the Cause of CHRIST B. W. Of DARBIE Reade all or none London Printed 1644. To the faithfull and true hearted COVENANTERS I Desire to present unto you this little Diurnall of my poore indeavours and desires for the advancement of the cause of Christ since the first call of this hononurable Parliament which must sit till the desolation of Poperie Idolatrie and Willworship FIrst of all at the Election of the Knights for Darbyshire after the long debating of the matter the Town being not so convenient they went into a peece of ground called the Hulmes and after some time spent there it growing towards dinner time and great Dinners provided they began to draw away I went to Sir Iohn Curson he being on the top of a little hill with Mr. Manners and divers other Gentlemen where I requested these three things of them First that they would not leave us till such time as we had made them sure Secondly that Proclamation might be made that all those that were for Sir Iohn Curson and Master Manners would repaire unto them into the Hulmes Thirdly that Robert Bennet who kept the Records of convicted Papists might bring them thither and as the Papists came to give their votes we would reward them according to their deserts and send them away for I tould them that Papists had no vote in the election of Knights All this was granted and witnesse Sir Iohn Curson and divers there whether God in mercy did not make these requests effectuall for accomplishing of what we were there met together for and I am sure I was soundly threatned by some in Darbie they telling mee that I had made the worst daies worke for my selfe that ever I did in all my life but if the Lord please he can make it the best It s true that after the last request was made knowne Papists that came to vote for one man whose name I omit to mention fled out of the towne as fast as they could I would they would packe as fast out of the Kingdome for they have and ever will be enemies to the Church of God And at the Election of the Burgesses for the Town of Derbie I thinke my endeavours were not wanting therein as either one or both can witnesse but for the Recorder he turned Delinquent for his Records I doubt they are gone and for the Evidences of his lands they will do him little Good except he come in to make his peace according to the last Declaration set set forth by both Kingdmes After this I doe confesse I had a long time of rest wherein I might have followed my calling to have advanced something for my good wife and four sweet children but truly I had no power to do almost any thing but hearken for newes concerning the good successe of this honourable Parliament The continuation of Newes was such that many said they were perswaded there would be a speedy and peaceable Reformation I ever replying that if there were a sound and thorow Reformation without shedding of blood it would be such a thing as selldome had been heard of alleaging this that the Divell seeing his Kingdome to begin to fall so fast would not be wanting to stir up divellish and Malignant spirits to do what mischief they could and it is apparent they have not been wanting But it may be truely said that the pits they have digged for others they have fallen into themselues and surely the Bishops cannot chuse before this time but to have wished that they had taken the wholsome advice of Mr. Brightman to have repented and made themselves in equall rancke to their fellow brethren and not to Lord it over Gods heritage they have had this forty yeers to repent in and yet have not repented For it is too well known they were like Princes and you know that if pride get into the heart it is an hard thing to get it out and I know that except they repent and make themselves in equall rancke with their fellow brethren they must fall and never rise againe As for Papists one would think that they before now should wish they had sate still with the third part of their estates have left off plotting contriving mischiefe against King Parliament and Kingdome becuase of the ill successe they have had in all places and at all times in their wicked and Devillish designes but the foudation of their Religion being laid upon the great sins of the world that is Killing Christian Kings blowing up of Parliaments and destroying of Gods people which they call Hereticks it is a thing not to be wondred at For as the old saying is the Devils Children the Devils nature But they being fallen into the pit they digged for others some of them with some other Incendiaries of the Kingdome like the Frogs of Egypt except into the Kings chamber would never suffer him to have rest til they had gotten him to the City of Yorke to take up his stands I hearing of it went to Newarke where I saw his Majestie and returned home again I relating what I had seen and what I thought namely that I saw the King who looked very pale as though he were much troubled in minde and thought that the Queene the Papists and Prelaticall faction had prevailedd with the King to do that which was a great trouble unto him and I suppose here was a great beginning of the great troubles of this Kingdome yet here stands the comfort of Gods people that all things doe and shall worke for their good My next indeavour according to my poor ability was to buy some Armes which I did accordingly for I thought there would be great use for them seeing a little cloude rising in the North like unto a mans hand which would have spread it selfe over all the Kingdome had not God in his mercy prevented it And herein I can never sufficiently set forth the honour due to Sir Iohn Gell for his love courage and zeale for maintenance of the truth to the Town and Countie of Darbie for had but some Gentlemen made good their promise unto him he had endeavoureded the cloude that no part of it had come into Darbieshiere But so it was that his Majestie came to Nottingham to set up his Standard and the day being made known many Darby men came thither and shewed themselves before the King in a bodie for fear lest they should suffer in a good cause I met even then with an honest Citizen who was my neighbour formerly in Nottingham that was sent as Messenger from the Parliament the private conference hee and I had I passe by onely I shewed him some reasons that it was no hard thing with 200. men to surprize the Castle and the Magazine that it might destroy none of Gods people But the
to Darbie to Colonell Gell who was not wanting to helpe forward so good a worke for he sent his Lieutenant Colonell two peeces of good Ordnance and very nigh three hundred men The designe being set upon and Colonell Chadwick being on the top of Staley Hall and seeing the Ordnance to give over playing I praid him to send a messenger he did so and he brought newes that wee had some men slaine and that my Lord had made his peace and brought forth some fourscore pounds swearing it was all the money he had in the house with promise of some two thousand more I protest said I this will prove a second peece of Businesse for this will undoe all for I will not give two pence for that promise if my Lord goe to Newark I pray you said I let the Designe be renewed againe say but the word and I will go and quarter all your men there all night and we will seaze upon my Lords body which will be much for the honour of the cause and if we do not finde money and gold good store to helpe to maintaine the cause never trust me gaine but it was not granted then my Lord goes to Newarke and three dayes after sends three Troopes of horse and fetcht away eight or nine horse-loads of money gold and plate that was hid hard by the Communion Table it seemes some great men make an Altar of it for it was partly laid Altar-wise Also Boulsover Scouts fetcht away great store of Bacon Butter cheese and corne which I would have had carried to our Garrison at Chesterfield but it was not the designe fel between two where the fault was I can tel let others judge but had the L. Davencourt and the Earl of Kingston been made sure it had been better both for them and us as the event since hath made it good but the packing to Newark of Puesey Davincourt and Kingston were as a Loadstone that drew so many great ones and so much mony gould and plate with them that hath been the very subsistence of the towne so that here you may see that in the negligent doing of the work of God in the sparing of Malignants we have been the best friends to that Town and the worst to our own Counties After this Colonell Chadwick went to Nottingham to keep the Sessions and for Magazine but sad newes came that the Earle of Newcastles Forces coming and ours going unadvisedly against them and wanting Orders and ski fall Commanders were utterly surprised Indeed I alwaies thought we should be crost in our proceedings for I often desired that the Word and the Sword might go together but could not obtaine it but great accommodation in the setting forward of great Designes requires great humiliation and humiliation being joyned with the Sword is the onely way to helpe forward a good cause for those that have entertained faithfull Ministers in the keeping of this duty afoote God hath blessed them the best in their undertakings this is for the comfort of England that God hath an humble and a praying people in it After this a letter came from the Parliament and the Earle of Essex not onely a request but a command for sixe Counties to joyne together which was one great and chiefe worke of the Kingdome Colonell Chadwick conceiving it to bee a worke of such great consequence as I my selfe said it was a chiefe designe of the Kingdome and as I heard Colonell Gell say that except that course was taken the Kingdome was in great danger to be brought to povertie colonell Chadwicke having a great desire to helpe forward this worke spared neither paines nor cost but went from Nottingham to Darbie from darbie we went to Manchester from thence to Nantwitch and from thence to Stafford and to Mancester againe and so to Nantwitch But one countey promising large and not performing hindered the worke for going forward Lankashire I pray God it be not laid to their charge But when they have all done to quit and demolish pettie Garrisons and to get into great bodies will be found the way to do the worke and to save the Kingdome for being undone After that colonell Chadwick went to Leeke where the they tooke a love to him and defired him that he would be resident with them who granted unto them but what was done from that time til General Fairesax came to Leeke I forbear to relate except I be requested we went along with the Generall to Manchester who went to raise forces for the reliefe of Nantwitch the countey did accommodate him with a considerable force two dayes were set apart together for humiliation and prayer the third wee marched forward every Randezvouze nothing but praying and singing not one oath that I heard in all the way truly it thought I was the most comfortable time that ever I had since I went forth although I lay upon the ground and was glad to drink fair water For Gods cause was prosecuted in his own way and he blessed it accordingly to the good of severall counties and the rejoycing of the Kingdome my hearts desire and prayers to God is for the Generall for he is a true souldier of Iesus CHRIST and certainly he is guarded with a guard of Angels God in mercy long preserve him The next day after the relieving of Nantwich I was sent a Messenger to some of the chief of them that belong to the Generall After I had delivered the Message I requested I might move one thing unto them which was this Gentlemen said I God hath made the Generall and you all faithfull instruments for the good of the Country for the relieving of the Town and for the setling again of Sir William Brereton but I fear except one thing be done that is the demolishing of petty Garisons for after the Generall is gone out of these parts they will endeavour the taking of them again and then they will endeavour to glean up all the provision they can between them and Nantwitch that at the last they will endanger to make them come forth for bread But however you will acknowledge it a great mercy to have strong holds delivered into your hands then cast your eyes upon this We had Litchfield close Tutbury Castle Chillington House Biddulph Hall Winckfield Mannor and Sheffild Mannor Now judge you whether we have made use of Gods mercies or not for had these been demolished at the first when we had them much bloud had been saved which is and may be shed many mens goods would have been saved which are and may be taken besides free Trading had been laid open betwixt the South and the North And I am heartily sorry that the faithfull Citizens should be so much prejudiced through our negligence for Trafficke is to the Kingdome partly as Water is to a Mill take away the Water and the Mill will do but little good You see we have been the worst Enemies in this to our selves Better it is
that strong Holds were demolished then the Kingdome endangered For King Iames himself was once in that minde I would King CHARLES were also but I hope the Parliament will For Castles or strong Holds will do no good in this Kingdome excepting Port Towns but spin out the Kingdomes misery especially in these distracted times Wherein you may see we have not made such use of mercies as we might have done God is said to curse the stones and timber of the house where Idolatry is committed but you may see what we have gotten by sparing of them He that seeks for a petty Garison is either a Coward or seeks himself and so farre as any man seeks himself he is no friend to the Cause King Parliament or Kingdome Two dayes after a Messenger came to Sir William Brereton and told him that the Scots of a certain were come in and said that Generall Lestey sent unto Collonel Rigbey that if there were any speciall designe to set on he would send ten thousand with speed something was said Gentlemen said I there is a great providence to be observed in this for ten thousand being with discretion conducted into Wales will prove very serviceable first for the bringing in of those malignant Counties for the temper of the Welchmen is such that if a considerable force come amongst them they will side with them Witnesse Sir William Brereton that holy man upon a small entrance he made how they came in to him and condiscended to a Weekly pay Secondly they vvill be serviceable to stop up the passages against the Irish Rebels for it is reported the Queen is going for them and the Divell and all to come to cut honest harmlesse Protestants throates in England if they come I vvill vvarrant you the Divell vvill be conducter Thirdly they vvill be serviceable in preventing Prince Rupert or any of the Popish Army for securing themselves or recruting themselves in those Counties vvhich they ever have and vvill make the chiefest use of if they be not prevented Fourthly they vvill be serviceable if the Earle of Nevvcastles forces make a retreat out of the North as it is thought that it being too hot for them as I believe it begins to be they vvill be ready to joyne vvith our forces for the preventing of the spoiling of some Counties If the North grovv too hot for him vvhat do you think the South vvill do But I vvill tell you except he do repent of the mischief he hath done to the poore flock of Christ he must have a hotter place then either of them After this I vvent to Stafford vvith an Order from the Generall I moved a vvord or two concerning the demolishing of petty Garisons But noble Collonel Ridgley being truly sensible of the Kingdomes misery made a short Speech vvhich he deserves to be highly honoured for After I vvent a long journey to know the truth concerning the people that I have long since spoken much of the people of my desire the people of my delight I mean the honest Scots vvhich are the noble Philadelphians for the Relation I forbear till hereafter Being imployed as a Messenger and having been resident in severall Counties some things I have observed I vvill relate but little I have heard many aspersions cast on Colonell Gell but he hath acted like a Souldier and in the last conclusion he will get more honour than many that I know whose names I forbeare to relate because of their honest desires For they that will think to save a Countrey in a time of War without raising men and money doth as a man that takes in hand to build an house without either wood or stone For Nottingham they have not been wanting according to their strength being almost surrounded with the Enemie they have received some losse but I hope God in mercy will make it up again for the love that I beare to that towne I could wish that the great Army that lay so long there the last Summer and did so little good had spared the Towne and quartered their Army about Newarke God in mercy send good Commanders in chiefe that may faithfully set forward the worke with speed For the right Honourable the Lord Fairfax and that faithfull souldier of Iesus Christ his sonne who is able to expresse their zeale their courage and their Faithfulnesse to the Cause and to severall counties God in mercy preserve them and I trust ere long he will give them their hearts desire And For Manchester God was pleased to make an handfull of people to stand against a potent Enemie and to make them the chief Instruments for the incouragement in the setting forward of the Militia let them be highly honoured for their workes sake For Sir William Brereton he hath been a faithfull Instrument of much good God in mercy bring him safe againe into the County for I doubt there vvill bee need of him For Stafford I leave it to the judgement of Colonell Greaves and others For the honest and willing Morelanders They have fermerly suffered sore losse not for the want of honest but carefull and skilfull Commanders but this is for their comfort they have gotten more then they have lost and in time no doubt but God will teach their hands to War and their fingers to fight I will tell you now what I could desire it is that the King would be pleased to seale an Act for the banishment of Papists and for the bringing of the great Incendiaries of the kingdome to condigne punishment and then who will not beleeve what the King hath protested I could desire also that they that have taken up armes aginst this Parliament and yet professe themselves to stand for the Protestant Religion that they would restore honest people and faithfull Ministers to their own cures and habitations and then we will have a charitable conceit of them that they stand for the protestant religion but not before I could also desire that Generall Hastings would give the first president because his Fathers house hath bin so hnourable for Religion witnesse Mr. Eldersham Mr. Ash and divers others and that he would no longer dishonour that which God hath honoâ—ued and that Ashbee which is now a cage of uncleane spirits may become a place for Gods people to assemble in as it hath been heretofore I have knowne him a good Instrument for the good of the Common-wealth and I hope God will open his eyes and make him one for the Church I have heard many a prayer put up for him and I have heard many pray that if they were ordained to be taken prisoners they might fall into his hands for the mercy that he hath shewed to honest prisoners I hope God will shew mercy to him for the promise is that the mercifull shall obtain mercy I have heard many say he is the greatest plunderer in the Kingdome but give me leave to speak one word for him he hath done it by vertue of a