there be but few at my death yet you knowe not what great troupes may com to my burial (g) Who shall accompany thy body to the grave I know not But this J know Angels shall accompany thy soule to Heaven But as for that blood sâ—cker Laud J verily beleeve except he repent the Devill will accompany him to hell torment remember but the late great multitude (h) Such a company would follow Laud and his crew If they knew when the king state would hang them at Tiburne that came to the Fleet attended M Burton M. Prinne out of the Cittie and if any thing but good follow vpon this you hee are the sole cause of it therfore as you wil answer it before King and State look to it for I am my Soveaignes faithfull and leige subject (i) Let it be observe that it was never yee seene nor I hope shall be that ther was any man of his profession iustly tainted for a Traitor to the King cuntry whereas the Prelates in all ages since the Devill erected them haue beeÌ„ proved the most notorious traitors that ever were in the world might iusttice take place it would bee proved that they who are now aliue are notorious ones yea one as faithfull to his Crowne as any whatsoever that breathes in all his Dominions for if it can be proued that ever I broke any of his lawes I will submit vnto and suffer whatsoever authoritie wil laie vpon mee therefore be not you hee the Bishops Agents to take awaie my life in my close imprisonment for you vse me worse more tiranically then ever any traitour in England was vsed yea worse then the Gun-powder traitours were vsed I haue read a great part of the Booke of Martyrs with some Histories of the like kinde and J will meantaine it that such an vnparaleld Act of crueltie and barborous tiranie as haue been exercised vpon mee is not to be found in them all Yea wicked bloodie Bonner (k) Seing thier wick ednes is come to such a height fulnesse and they doe go beyond in cruelty the crelst Tirants that ever were My hope is that their destruction ruin is at haÌ„d and that hee will cause the laÌ„d to spue them out and so sâ—nd them packing to their owne place Amen Amen himselfe never did the like to any of the Saints as haue been done vnto mee for while they lived he would either suffer their friends to come at them to releeue them or else he would allow them meantenance to preserue life in them but neither of these can I enjoy also hee would dispute with them himselfe and send for others likewise to do it and vse all meanes to winne them to himselfe but none of these haue I yet found though J haue often desired it and promised to recant if it could be shewed that I held any errors Againe hee would take away their lines (l) Without doubt the Prelates would do so too but are restrained Now it is humlby desired that they who thinke it not fit that the Bishops should haue their will in taking our lines away that they suffer them not in the meane time to use us worse if they broke any of the lawes or would not submit vnto them but though I haue not broken any of the Kings lawes and haue offered so faire as I haue done and haue desired longed to meet with death yet can I not be rid of my misery but you keep me in a tormenting (m) When these Tormentours feele hell torments then they will know what it is to torment others condition full of extreamitie and bodiliepaine that I can neither get ease sitting nor lying being vnable to go without great miserie being alwaies as it were in the panges of death yet cannot meet with it But said I to M. Iohn Murry M. Morgan a Papist tell the Warden from mee that vnlesse the Bishopps by the law of the land and the word (a) They can shew as much word of God for what they doe as they doe shew mercy and goodnesse in their actions and that is in both none at all of God will shew me my offence I will never submit nor recant in the least while breath is in my body and therefore it is but in vaine to hâ—pe for it for if he and I should liue together as longe as Methusalah did which was almost a thousand yeares yet he should never get mee to goe against the sweet peace of a good conscience or recant that which J am perswaded is a truth yea if hee should exercise all the cruelty in the world upon mee though he should locke mee in an Iron chest that I could neither stirre hand nor foote and feede me with channell water and with bread made of saw dust hee might well take away my life and beeing from the earth but he should never make me goe against my conscience for I am kept by the power of God through faith vnto salvation and Crowne of glory that is so rich in my eyes that I dare not deny Christ nor his truth though all the crueltie in the world should be inflicted upon mee least he deny mee before his father which is in heaven Yet most miserable it is that I should perish by cruelty in my close condition being a faithfull subject to the King neuer broke any of his lawes And let my tormentors looke to it as they will answer it for I haue heard that the Honorable Lords (b) Howsoever the Bishops do cause the Godly to be cruelly vsed in Preson Yet I am perswaded that neither the King nor the Temporall Lords of his majesties council do know of it For it is not possible if they did that they would suffer it considering how much it is against nature to exercise cruelty vpoÌ„ any creature much lesse on man who carries Gods owne image which haue beene made acquainted with my cruell vsage protested they would not beleeue that the Warden dealt so with mee this with much more that then I said with some prisoners taking notice of my condition but especially Sr. Richard Gravenner a worshipfull Knight (c) J do not marvaile that the knight would not receive it for atruth For the truth is such is their cruelty shewed to such as are against their places that vnles it were seen with the eyes one would scarce beleeve it For this I do affirme will make it good that no Rogue in any Iayle of the Land is so basely barberously handled Not that the Keepers desire to vse theÌ„ so but are charged secretly by the Bb. so to do threatened to loose their places if they shew favour to them who sent to the Warden about it which I think put him in some feare that he durst not well denie my reasonable request in delivering my petition so hee sent a scribe to me to draw it oner a
gaine and to leave out the most of it especiallie about my lying in Irons in my sicknesse which I would not leave out (d) This shewes that their cruelty is exercised only by the Bishops meanes only I omitted this clause who suffers for his conscience sake which was most accepted against and the old women that tends mee delivered the petition againe to him vpon tuesday last tobedeliuered it to the Lords the next day but he put me of with delaies that neither vpon wednesdaie at night nor yet vpon thursdaie could I not in the least know what was done in it vntill this present Frydaie morning that my keeper after many sendings for him befor he would come at me told me the Warden had deliuered it to the Clarke of the counsell but it was not yet answered yea but said I was it deliuered to the Lords and read before them or no for it may be deliuered to the Clarke of the counsell and yet never come to their eares or hands that I know not saith hee I pray you then tell the Warden that I desire to know of him whither it were delivered to the Lords yea or no or whither hee will deliuer it which if he refuse to doe I having none to do any thing about it for mee as hee and you verie well know for all my kindred hath left mee in regard the Bishop of Canterburie (a) Was there ever such a Tiranâ— heard oâ— that seekes to undo whole families for the mallace which he beares to some perticular persons If there were nothing else to stirre up the hearts of people against him this were enough in reveng hath fallen upon my Father about his outward estate hauing now for a longe time together beene in suit for all his land which suit hath cost him many a thousand pound and hath beene heard before the King and Nobles and all the Iudges of the land and the Bishop (b) I know not how that Judge did answer the Caterpillar J should say Kan kerbury But if I had heard him speak it J should haue set my eyes upon him and said unto him as Paul did to his Brother Eâ—imas the sorcerer O full of all suttilty and all mischiefe thou child of the Divell thou enimy of all righteousnes wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord. in priuate hath spoken to the Iudges of the Circuit against my Father for my sake which one of theÌ„ told my eldest Brother of and this hath bred mee a sore affliction from all my kindred but especiallie froÌ„ my Father (c) This is on of their common practises to set the father against the sonne the King against the Subject But Christ will set himselfe against them one day which hath made him write to my youngest Brother here in London to beware of mee and my stepps for I haue beene the greatest griefe vnto him that ever came to him soe that I haue noe friend left that I know of to follow it for mee Therefore in regard the Warden deales so with me J shall be forced to proclaime abroad make the Kingdome ring (d) The Kingdome rings enough already with the Prelates cruelty for they are minded by all sorts of people good had a most bloody generation insomuch as the nation is weary of them desire to he rid of them as of their sorest greatest plague with his and the Prelaes cruelty towards mee seing they still do as formerly they haue done by all meanes possible that my Iust and murnefull complaint might not come vnto the Honorable Lords (a) This hath beene their constant practise to keepe from the King and State their secret bloody acts for they wel know that if it should be known how many they make away in Prison by hard vsage they wold smart for it eares and therefore I must be constrained to condeavour to get one delivered whether he will or no and make him it may be smart for his vnwarrantable cruelty that hee inhumanly hath exercised vpon mee not only since I came into your custody but also before who kept me close prisoner well nigh foure monthes together before my cruell publique suffering and would not suffer me to take the ayre the space of one houre though J haue often sent to him and desired it For which close imprisonment hee himselfe told me hee had no order from the Lords (b) Hee meanes the Temporall Lords for doubtles he knew that it was the Prelates desire that he should vse him as Cruellie as could be besides I do beleeve that were it not to giue them content no keeper in the Land would shew soe much inhumanity barberousnes as some doe neither would he shew me any but said all my punishment was little enough for me because I was so refractory and stubborne when before his face J desired to know wherin this J will depose vpon my oath before King State For hee I verily beleeue kept me vp at the Bishops private instagation (c) Thou mayst be sure of that for is there any basensse vsed towards Gods people but they are cheife causers of it but coloured it over with another pretence because J was not able to procure two Aldermens fellows according to his demande of two thousand pouud bond for my safe imprisonment when he had me vnder many locks I being as peaceable a prisoner as any in the Fleete This and much more of his cruelty exerised vpon me from time to time as J am able larglie to particular which I thinke he will not be able to answer therfore he dares nor let my miserable estate be made known vnto the Lords for feare he himselfe smart soundly for it being a maine cause of it But tell him from mee that I am almost murdered with cruelty my strength being gone and my life euen at deaths doore therefore J do protest in the presence of God if I haue not speedy redresse oue way or another I will proclaime aloude his the Prelates wickednes barberous tyrany (d) And know this for thy comfort that many thousands of vs do cry aloud in thy behalfe for many other sufferers with thee vnto the Lord that he would avenge himselfe on his enimies And J beleeve Gods wrath is not farre from them I dovbt not but to make him and them smart for it seeing he will not according to his place the Lords having sent to him my Doctour to know how it is with mee make them truely acquainted how submissiue I am to any reasonable demande as I declared to his face when I was last before him but seekes by cruelty to take away my life hoping in regard of my great weaknes and paine that J will suddenly die and there wil be an end of me And then may saie [a] This hath beene anciently their practice when they murdered the Saints in prison by barbarous usage
THE POORE MANS CRY Wherein Is shevved the present miserable estate of mee IOHN LILBVRNE Close prisoner in the Fleete ALSO An humble Petition to his Maiesties Honorable privy Councill for meantenance that I famish not Pro. 21.13 Who so stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore he also himselfe shall cry and not be heard Published by a backe friend of the English Popish Prelates 1639. Courteous Reader IT is not without the special wisdome of God to set forth the kingdome of Antichrist vnder the name title of a Beast For looke as Beasts do exercise all kinde of cruelty and no favour is to be expected from them so it is with the inhuman Prelates their delight is only in the blood of the Saints and as for Pittie Compassion Charritie c. there is no more in them then in Dogs I could giue many instances * Witnes lately their offering of two hundred pounds to one in London to betray his friend into their bloody hands It seemes there is now some scarsity among these Wolues that they will giue soe much monie for one poore sheep of their beast-like doings this way but it needs not considering how the same is already knowne vnto all men in all places Besides in this short Relation thou shalt haue as much proued as I do here affirme of them namely that they are without naturall affections inhumane barberous Such as Please not God and are contrarie to all men 1 Thess 2.15 fulfilling herein as did Iudas the Prophesies recorded of thē in the Revelation viz. to be Serpents Scorpions and the Spirits of Divels making warre against the Saints and to overcome them The consideration of whose cruelty is to advertise euery faithfull man to looke to it that he well prepare himselfe to fight with these Beasts that so whensoever the Lord shall call him to warree this way he may by the power of the Lambe overcome and possesse the Crowne of life Thy exiled friend and namelesse Country-man To all the people of God that loue the Lord Iesus Christ in truth and sincerity and desire the vvelfare and prosperity of his poore afflicted Saints Seruants DEarely beloued Brethren and fellow heires of the same Kingdome and Crowne of Glory with mee I am at this present constrained to declare vnto (a) If we will be like vnto God we must haue our eares open to heare the cry of the oppressed and our hāds ready to releeve them in what we are able you and truely to say with the Prophet Jeremiah in the third of his Lamentations that I am the man that haue seene felt afflictions by the rod of Gods wrath Also I am aboue measure forced to send forth vnto you and cry out aloud to make my grievous deplorable lamentable complant knowne vnto you of the barberous cruelty tiranies that Prelates and Iaylors haue for a long time together and still do exercise vpon mee labouring by vnheard of cruelty to take away my life privatly (b) This hath been constantly their practice barberously to murder the Saints in secret knowing their cause to be so wicked that if it should come to be openly discouered all good men would detest it them in a hole and corner that so it might be noysed abroad not daring in regard of my vnspotted innocency to bring me againe into the publique view of the Kingdome and therefore doe they tortour my poore weake body with vnparaleld Paganish and Heathenish cruelty (c) Howsoever wee cannot but greeve to heare of such cruell sufferings yet wee maie herein rejoyce that we se these marked slaves of Antich so farre to fulfill the scriptures as that we may infallibly conclude that they are the Locusts which came out of the bottomlesse pit A breife Relation of part of which you may read after these lines in my Humble Petition to the Noble Lords for meantenance which J sent the last week to the Wardens of the Fleete having leave of them for a Scribe to write it and they kept it all night and Warden Jugram sent me this word back againe that he would deliuer no Petitiō vnles I would recant and submitt (d) That is turne Papist and see he might be sure to haue liberty enough and preferment also J answered him back again that if any of my adversaries would shew mee wherein I had broken any of my Soveraignes Lawes J would submit without any conditions to all that they wovld desire of mee Or if they see that I am erronious in my Iudgment J would dispute it with them and if they could groundedly by the authority of the word of God shew and proue that I hold one errour I will be bound publiquely to recant in every Citty of the Kingdome And I said to my Keeper at severall times and so I do still I desire no favour at his hands nor any Bishop in the Kingdome for if I be an offender I desire the extreamity of the law may be inflicted vpon me to the vtmost for J had rather I professe vnto you chuse to morrow to dy at Tyburne or (e) It is no marvaile that the Scotsmen will haue no Bishops among them Considering that it is better that aman were put to the cruelst death that could be devised then to be vnder their hands Smithfield then to bee still induring of my Constant Extraordinarie bodily paines and torments which haue been so great that I do assure you many times they haue almost distracted me of my sences And if they will not do this then seeing my owne estate is spent and all my kindred hath from the beginning left mee (f) Gods people when they suffered vnder the pagans had this favour shewed them that ther friēds might come freely to them supply their wāts But the Prelates for cruelty are far worse then the Heathens for when they once get a man into their prison they will not suffer any body to visit him but rather do seeke by some secret way to murder him my weake condition is so exceeding chargable vnto me standing mee in more in one week now then would keep me fiue weekes if I were wel And also seing that any that will take compassiō of my low estate are not suffered to come at me to releeue mee I desired the Warden having none at all to do it for me besides him that hee according to his place office would truly make my miserable condition known to to the LORDS that J may haue a competant allowance from them to sustaine nature that so I may not perish in this deplorable weake condition and this said I hee being my chiefe Keeper hee is bound to do it at his your perrell be it for I know if my innocent blood should this night by cruelty be takē awaie the Lord would raise vp some that will require of you him a strict account how it was shed though you keep me so close that