he made a scoff at what I said and turnd away in great fury then I said wel the LORD wil look down and see all these things at which he turn'd and said pish the LORD what do you tel us the LORD who is the L you are not the LORD aâ—e you and so went on raging and blaspheming and the rest scoffing for company as ful of fury as they could hold who indeed have not the patience to hear the Lords name so much as mention unless at Alehouses and in sin so sadly prophane are they and indeed how can they be otherwise when men with wicked and idle courses have spent al their meanes and cannot or wil not work they get into these Garrisons to drink and guzzle their Pay out before their pay-day comes and for other misdemeanours deserving to be chashiered can find no way to secure their places but by their brutish premeditated and barbarous cruelty to us wherein they merit most that are monstrous and these things I declare as in the sight of the God of truth to be true having read over again and again what I have written and do not know one line I have written too large the Lord knows whatever some may think but in many that I have written too little rather intending hereby to give but hints to the Saints of the continued and multiplied Series of our sufferings especially to such at London as through their ignoance and our forced silence say it is but a flea biting that we suffer and not worth speaking of but it is a sign they have not a fellow feeling for as the Lord said to Ezek 2.46 They are impudent and stiff necked but be not afraid of them though BRIARS AND THORNS be with thee and thou art among SCORPIONS and therefore it is we are so torn and stung every day and indeed in a sense it is a suffering worse then Death as slight as men make it It is true in reproach to us the Soldiers after they have beaten and abused us bid us to complain if we wil and if we do not like it help it knowing that the cure is worse then the Disease to us and that we have none to complain unto but the Lord who surely wil hear us and save us at last before they have wearied us out and broken our very heart-strings and which doubtless they designe in one kind or other before they have done with us But matters of greater moment I must refer to a fitter season and blesse Jehovah with us O ye upright ones that sympathy with us for he hath yet lined us with a good conscience within and a good cause without and we trust We shal not fear what flesh can do unto us and pray for us yet more abundantly I had thought long ere this to have been at an END and that this Persecution would have added or imposed a Quietus est to my body by death out of the continuance of their cruelty but it pleases the Father that I should yet live as one alwaies dying under their immanity and now since that of the poor Maids sufferings by their so immodest dragging her al at length in the yard before mentioned I am intreated by friends to inlarge this sad History which I write with no great delight though I hope I suffer it with joy a little further but I had rather a thousand times to set it before the Lord my God then once to make mention of it to any below yet by reason of Friends importunity to whom I must not be ungrateful I shal give you a short view of this new link added to my chain since that of Joseph in his round Caines-brook-Castle or Tower too Gen 3.20 running much in my mind for the Lord was with him and although I never read of such rigor in his bonds as are in mine renewed often yet of him the Holy G saith Psal 105.18 19. Whose FEET they hurt with fetters he was laid in Iron VNTIL the time that his Word came the word of the Lord TRYED him yea not only my feet have they hurt but my back bones and whole body hath been hurt beaten bruised and are aking every day with these heavy fetters and furies Since the Maids such monstrous usage without any cause and being last out at the gate with her clothes rent and torn where besides that she lay on the ground lame like Lazarus at the gate six or seven hours the next day for admittance and at last was let in again with no little stir and threatning I had liberty to go in to my dear Co-Exiles chamber not knowing of any design they had upon me which it seems they watched for and had Orders from BULL as they say to observe when I did so being now resolved to take their rage from the lame Creature having little credit of their cruelty to her and to wreak it upon me and my poor weak Wife which they did at present thus but O Lord let the remainder of their Wrath PRAISE thee Upon a sudden after my fellow prisoner had invited me into his Chamber four or six Musketeirs with Swords Guns and light Matches were set upon me there and soon after more followed them they set also Soldiers upon my weak Wife and Family yea into the very room raging which frighted her for the suddenness of it she being as ignorant as I of the meaning of this new piece of tyranny and so keeping us asunder that we could not come at one another see or hear so as to know of each others condition or what the matter was which made it look like a bad business as bad as if forthwith they had intended to murther me at least my Wives sickness subjecting her withal to very frightful fancies feares and apprehensions wondring vvhat would become of me stil asking after me and what was become of me or what they had done with me and besides to make it a through piece of a monstrous matter to her they set within her chamber the most uncivil drunken raging wretches stamping threatning grinding their teeth calling Jade Quean Carrion with a many such obscene names bending their fists striking tearing thumping raiâ—ing with their staggering if any offered to go in the room not suffering them to stir for necessaries within the rooms offering and drawing the naked sword upon them with asseverations several times vvithout any provocation given them in Word or deed and soon after followed ten or twelve more as they inform me and filled the room vvith such rude creatures and doings vvithout any regard at all to Sex sickness or condition As they vvere at this inhumane sport persecuting my Wife and Family those armed Soldiers with me were not wanting with great violence and fury to execute their Orders as they called it for I offering to go to the door with desire to see my Wife being fearful of some mischeif to her though I knew not of this cruel usage of
one bed and if nothing else would move them my Wives present illness and sickness should importune a littâ—e a little compassion of them if they were men but they would not hear in they went tore al the things off the bed and carried away to the very bolster and pillow where they now lye in the aforesaid Lieutenants chamber And I was answered that in no prisons were Fellons or Murtherers allowed a bed to lye on ranking us with them yea they had taken away the very sheets My poor Wife was this while ready to faint very il and falling into her fits again through frights which for present vvere prevented by meanes my fellow prisoner also using a I endeavours to comfort her but afterwards she fel il again as she used to be before this last cruelty renewing her sickness so as al her flesh would fal a trembling her whole body be as in an agony but especially her head which doth swel and the humors settle in her face c. so that for want of the meanes here and because they seem resolved to give no rest as we think until they have murthered her or been her death she must now be forced to leave me in their clutches and if the Lord make her able to get to London for the preservation of her life which the Lord in mercy grant me Amen! But I shal abruptly break off here by reason my poor weak Wife is now leaving me and creeping out of this Castle-Goal yet Rehoboth where is room for me and my soul is left at a fresh spring O blessed be my God! but I must confess it is grievous to the flesh to be left in the hands of such as have threatned and seem to thirst for my blood as greedily as the Dogg for the sheeps but yet by Gods grace they shal leap above ground for it and not get it by gaping that I think Psal 37.32 33 34. The wicked WATCHETH the Righteeous and seeketh to slay him But the Lord wil not leave him in his hand WAITON THE LORD and keep his WAY and he shal exalt thee to inherit the Land this is a sure Word and in season here where I hope to wait and wait in hope that wil never make me ashamed notwithstanding the violence done to my flesh the afflictions of my body and relations and the danger of death in this Dungeon-like-hole which I hope in Christ we dare sometimes look ful-face upon and meet though many times I must needs say with Bishop Ridley Martyr I think I could creep into a mouse-hole and that is when through these late out-ragious exercises I have fits of sudden fear and am so subject to frightings But O pray pray pray for us incessantly with Faith Al ye that shal hear these tidings that he may alwaies stand by us who stood by Paul against the beasts of Ephesus and before Nero not knowing which way our most dear Deliverer wil come whether by life or death to free us from fierce and unreasonable creatures though for my own part I rather expect the latter in this place ere long desiring to be found faithful unto Death in this most glorious Cause of Christ Jesus my Lord King and Master nor do I think if I dye that you wil hear the perioding passages of their Tyranny or this Tragedy upon my body or that I shal write more to get it out my papers lying hid under-ground where I fear they wil rot but the Lord wil raise up the truth from the dead I do know assuredly By these things you may learn thus much more 1 That the persecution is at principles of truth let them say what they wil for they sal upon us for Christ the Words and Spirits and Saints sake we see nor can they so much as pretend a danger to their Castle as they had formerly done by a few feeble Women to stand in the High-way and not so much as in the out-works of the Castle but meer malice to the word of truth 2. That they would not end with out persons or lives if they had them but what they do unto us they would fain be doing to al the Saints and Churches who wait or call for the Kingdome of Christ and so they have said that they could have our Arms up to the elboes in their bloudâ— as appears by their fowl falling upon the Messengers of the Churches with blows without any occasion glving them but standing stil and hearing me so that therein they also fel upon them that sent them so also upon their dragging the poor lame MAID about the yard 3. That this hindring the Word with sword-violence is a high robbery to poor Souls in a scripture-sence yea and to God whom they openly scoff and mock at to hear him named Mal 3.8 Joh. 10.8 and God wil deal with them accordingly yea were Dr. Taylor now alive and going to be burnt for this cause he would burst out with his words in Fox vol p 179. against these Brtites and much more in these dayes of Apostacy ah horsen Theeves whoresen Theeves rob God of his honour rob God of his honour for as Mat 23.13 Wo to them for they neither go in themselves nor suffer them that are entring but blessed be the Lord for that promise in Isai 18.7 The PRESENT shal be brought to the Lord of a people scattered and PEELED with ch 42.22 This is the people robbed and spoiled they are all of them suared in holes and hid in prison-houses 4. This swordsilencing of the Ministers of Christ is a far more cruel and cutting way of silencing then the Bishops High-Commission-Courts or the Star-chamber Amos 5.13 Theresore is it the prudent shal keep silence in that time for it is an evil time not that the Lord approves the practise but reproves their prudence 5. The Sword-preaching or such preaching as the Sword only allows is the worlds the Devils and Antichrists 1 Joh 4.5 and such a way of converting as the Turks use and the Saracens and so the Spaniards have it in the Indies under pain of confiscation of Lands liberties life c. to acknowledg God and the Spanish King of whom the Indians had never heard So is the Sword-preaching in these dayes in this Isle as Bul confessed to keep them in subjection that is in slavery to his Lord Protector whom they never saw but to preach up the Lord Protector of Heaven and Earth or the Lord Jesus Christ our King this is crushed by the Sword for sedition and dangerous Doctrine so that ELIAH is persecuted Micaiah mured up in close prison and kept with bread and water of affliction whiles al the States Priests or Kings Clergy who say Go up and prosper yea 400 false Prophets feed every day at Jezabels Table but yet we are upon Charmel-Mount and our enemies shal know that we are not here a fishing for Gudgeons Much more I have to say of their tyranny and cruelty and in many
have proved admit of any other King Lord Protector or Lawgiver to ravish us with their lusts God forbid Wherefore for Christs sake stand fast unmoveable and abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 and I do professe for my own part seeing the Lord hath honoured me hitherto with this Chain for this his Cause though I be a poore weake worm yet with his grace sufficient for me I will abide by it for as one of the Martyrs often used Vespasians saying Imperatorem decet stantem mori It becomes as that are Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5.10 to dye standing not stooping to the lust of any man especially now the day of Christ is come Therefore let us all fall in and on and stand to it with the Lamb and the twenty four Elders or the twenty four orders of the Levites about the throne in this Cause by which tribe of Levi are indeed to be understood the Generation Saints the first-born Heb. 12.23 first fruits Rev. 14.4 and therefore have they the precedency of other Saints as Generation Elders who like the Levites before under a curse Gen. 49.7 obtained the blessing for executing the judgment Exod. 32.27 28 29. with the sword on their brethren and spared not Now of these in Davids dayes were the twenty foure both Rulers Singers and Ministers 1 Chron. 29.25 So that such such Generation Saints the twenty foure shall joyn in one work and song with the Lamb and with all the living creatures about the Throne and with the holy Angels Rev. 4.9 10 11. and 5.11 and altogether in one Hallelujah Amen as Isa 52.7 8. which he waites for who is buried with the body of Jesus in this new Sepulchre where the souldiers seek to keep down his Resurrection and the hope of your Brother John Rogers Morning-beams OR The Vision of the Prison-Pathmos LIB I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CHAP. I. Hagah The Introduction with the Cause Accidental of the following Discourse upon the present Truth and Testimony IT is none of the least part of our Prison-Threnodies in the present Tragedie which the bloody BEAST by a new Guize hath acted again upon the Stage of Great Britanny The general Introduction by Lamentation the trampling under foot the present Truth and Testimony of Jesus in this last Scene of the holy Citie 's suffering as I may say for the fourty two months so as that scarce one Interpreter of a thousand durst entertain or own it simply which at best hath but a Pasport from Many and so is whip'd away from one to another from post to pillar till it come to the place where it was born but there it hath a being blessed be Jehovah else it is hardly handled according to the Court-Law for a Vagrant with Warrants like to Pope Engenius's hoc esse verum si ipse velit sed non aliter This or that is true if he his Holiness or Highness will have it so but not otherwise Who then can finde the faith or conrage to expose his life or at least his liberty and estate to so prodigal 2 Hazard as he must do who will fetch it from under the Beast's foot and feel the acrimony or cruelty of his sharp clunch claw or horn piercing him to the very heart O this is as hard a task in a sense as to rescue the Lamb from the claw of the Lion or paw of the Bear Therefore Isa 59.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none that passeth his word for righteousness nor is there any judgement for the Truth O sad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what not one Well may our Prisons sound and resound with exaggerated Nightgroans for the Court and Country increase in lying and transgressing and falling backwards perpetrating iniquity at so high a rate as will suddenly fill up their measure this I see evidently from my Iron bars as v. 13 14 15 16. and yet None intercede for the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one will run after it follow it meet it or to the face of All own it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O what a Lamentation is this If one doth like Wisdom's child a little justifie it yet where is he that doth according to the Hebrew intercedere intercedens for he that doth so as it is in the text exposes himself to be spoiled plundered imprisoned made a prey to the ravenous Beast that eats bones and all Zeph. 3.2 Yea although he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that departs from the evil of the Times is sure to suffer so yet for all that it is a Wonder to me how we can hold in to see what officious servants Charles Stuart this Court or any carnal Interest have to run and ride on their Errands to venture and engage life liberty limbs estates and all for them and their Interest but the Lord Jesus ah alas as if he were the worst Master of all can finde few faithful that will venture half so far for him and his suffering Cause at this day especially perpending the point of Time the progress of the Testimony the approach of the Period of the Beast's dominion in this street of the fourty two months and of the rise of the Witnesses with the little Stone or the remnant of the Womans seed who must strike the Image-Government of England all to pieces the terrible Earthquake which shall rend them up by the very roots Also when I advert the advantages of the Saints in this street above any other of all the great City or Beasts dominion the forwardness of the Work here the height of the Controversie already between the Lamb and the Beast precious blood of Saints having seal'd thereto and the Vials so lately pour'd out upon the King Lords Prelates and corrupt Powers of this Seat also our late zeal against Common-prayer Crosses Painted Windows Rails Surplices corrupt Ministers Magistrates and the like O! my soul even bleeds within me to behold the present apostacie of Spirit Principles and Persons not onely among Mercenary Professors but the Little Remnant whose Coldness Cowardliness and Carelesness is almost incredible at this time of Day too and were it not to fulfil the Word of God Rev. 11. that this present Death and Darkness is upon us for these three yeers and an half I should be so astonished at it as not to know what to make of it But when I am venting my burthen with these like words or passions Lord where is the Spirit of old yea the Spirit and faith and courage that we our selves had some ten twelve or fourteen years ago among the good old Puritans yea the spirit of English-men and rational men among us O! what a Change is this What sheepishness what sleepiness what deadness what darkness what timorousness and what tameness is now seized upon us The Light arising in Darkness doth put an end to such Reasonings and Syllogizings giving rest to my Spirit till the time of the end which is at
Conscience for it and others have already left them for their cruelty to these Whiles the Cavileers can have liberty to drink swear whore or any thing it seems and live as they list and thus say the Souldiers may our Friends too so they he for their Lord Protector and his G Whom the Lord protect us from and from their wickedness in high places And whiles they proceed from evil to evil teach thou us O Lord to grow up in thy strength from faith to faith in the Grace Power Knowledge Purity and Holiness of our Head the Lord Jesuâ— and â—f his Kingdome and coming which we all wait for even so Amen The chiefest Erratas to be mended IN the Introduction page 2. line 25. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4. l. 21. r. were able p. 6. l. 36. r. abstract Account p. 10. l. 12. r. 4 l. 4 s. p. 12. l. 15. r. commanded p. 16. 24. r. Lies p. 19. l. 35. r. door with l. 30. r. language p. 21. l. 36. r. ne peccem p. 24. l. 7. r. and yielding from our p. 27. l. 26. blot out of p. 30. l. 19. r. for the Lamb l. 30. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 41. l. 4. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Epistle to the Reader p. 1. l. 9. r. Come up hither l. 10. r. bear it l. 17 r. ut libere peccent l. 35. r. Anathematized p. 2. l. 1. r. hearing l. 11. r. deposited l. 23. r. quam scitè Errata's of the Heart-Appeal which the Author had not to correct when he writ the Necessary Word to the Reader p. 1. l. 3. r. Whiles the p. 2. l. 11. r. Posterity l. 21. r. whom and l. 22. r. subtilly l. 24. r. Dendy so l. 31. p. 3. l 15. r. were raised p. 4. l. 15. r. there Orders l. 16. r. appears we are p 5. 29. r. withdrew and l. 34. r. but were often p. 7. l. 6. r. exercise it and where too p. 8. l. 5. r. holding up a Brick p. 10. r. Ben Shephattaiim of Shaphat l. 26. r. poly pragmoseene p. 11. l. 22. r. contemptible p. 13. l. 37. r. Brest p. 14. l. 1. r. and thus am I l. 16 r. were put p. 15. l. 12. r. this Recusation p. 16. l. 12. r. to rake l. 30. so to do by l. 33. r. impeach us with p. 19. l. 36. r. Whitest Leprosie p. 17. l. 19. r. surreptitiously p. 18. l. 14. r. laid for p. 21. l. 25. blot out p. 22. l. 3. r. yet we were l. 36. blot out yet p. 24. l. 7. fratricide l. 21. r. lateres p. 25. l. 36. r medereris p. 27. l. 6. r. Officers l. 26. being weak rode but once was p. 28. l. 18. r. Atopoi p. 40. l. 8. r. a Desighn l. 9. r. When we desired p. 42. l. 27. r. the Protector 's BVLL p. 43 l. 30. r. ever we knew l. 39. r. he would or no p. 45. l. 10. r. Milites l. 26. precious p. 50. l. 5. r. corporal p. 52. l. 9. r. minor p. 61. l. 23. r. to have there company pp. 63. l. 6. r. that happy l. 39. r. Atopoi l. 33. or breathing should ruine there p. 56. l. 17. r. fautors p. 70. l. 8. r. finishing Testimony p. 73. l. 25. r. this street too l. 33. r. the Motions of Christ p. 74. l. 15. come and see to l. 21. r. and 4th Monarchy p. 113. l. 14. r. mundani p. 117. l. 3. r. at their desire p. 119. blot out all the second line and half the first and half the third r. the Souldier said he should but he seeing no remedy c. l. 6. blot out and so out-run him p. 121. l. 20. r. Corporal p. 125. l. 10. r. cast out p. 127. l. 5. r. deriding p. 128. l. 21. r. till they had p. 133. l. 38. r. have their Arms up in our Blood p. 138. l. 36. thy Sons O Sion p. 141. l. 27. r. Apostatick p. 142. l. 10. r. burn within us p. 143. l. 17. r. their Chambers p. 146. l. 14. r. can say it to the teeth p. 148. l. 8. r. Tns. l. 10. r. 666. l. 13. blot out the first Phe Chereb and read thus Christ's men of War not the Phe Chareb or Sword p. 149. l. 33. r. estote p. 150. l. 30. blot out are p. 151. l. 35. blot out vis l. 36. r. ut respondeatis coram Altissimo p. 152. l. 2. r. the Amen l. 6. r. Tns l. penult r. makes In the Necessary Word to the Reader p. 5. l. 12. r. Coptick Tongus l. 19. r. Shephatajim l. 24. r. debar tob The points Parentheses c. are left to the Readers care and observation FINIS A HIGH-WITNESSE or a HEART-APPEALE c. I Think Tertullian had a good occasion to write de Coronâ Militis at the Christians Souldiers wearing his Crown upon his hand whiles the Emperour Severus's pagan Souldiers put theirs upon their heads in a triumph saying a Christian non adhuc Coronari is not yet to triumph or take his pompe but also for that his joy which shall be like theirs that devide the spoile Isa 9.4 woon before worn must be in a militant before a triumphant estate and because as Arnobius said persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other a crosse and crown at once I am content to shew you the Crown of my hand and leave the Lords day to declare the Crown of my head which is hard at hand i. e. the great triumph and Sabbatisme of the sufferers for the testimony of Jesus the Rear of which we are in this Age and Nation to bring up by Gods grace Mat. 24.14 blessed be Jehovah who is the head of us and his glory our Rear-ward our Mahershalal-hashbez Upon this occasion of the crown in my hand whilest the Crosse is upon my shoulder having him for my example who endured the crosse despised the shame and is now at the right-hand of the Father making intercession for me by whose strength of grace I am sure to overcome and triumph Hallelujatica victoriâ and then to have the crown upon my head I shall take up a fâ—w of my subcisive hours for the publike good in giving a short and succinct account of some few more of those barbarous brutish acts of this Beast now up in Great Britanny upon my body since my removal from Lambeth prison to Winsor and into this Isle of Wight where I am now a poore Pilgrime Prisoner and forsaken banished man but for thy sake O sweet Jesus blessed be the Lord As a Preface to prison-born or my former Treatise out of Prison I gave a Narrative of some part of my Lambeth-sufferings and as an introduction to this banish-born I intended it I shall proceed so far as I do think it my duty and a debt which I ow the choicest Saints of Christ in this generation according to the Primitive practise of Martyrs and Sufferers seeing it is for my Christs
they were evill let their Officers look to that for it would be their Officers sin and not theirs and what they commanded them to do they must and would do what ever it were we told them that this was a dangerous and indeed a Soule-damning principle for so the Soldiers that nailed Christ to the Crosse obeyed Orders too and so do the Turkish Janizaries at this day and so did all those Soldiers and Executioners that murthered masâ—â—â—râ—d and martyâ—ed the Saints in all Ages besides we prayed them to consider the case of Iudas when his conâ—cience smitt him he thought to have said the sinn too as they say upon the Captains and Priests that set him a worke and gave him his pay for it Mat. 27.4 But they said what is that to us see you to that and so he fell desperate and hanged himselfe Lord then saies a Serjeant would you not have us obey Orders we answered not all orders of men and prayed them first to advise with the Word of God for such as were against Gods Word they ought not to obey for that Christs death hath freed them from such a servitude of men 1. Cor. 7.23 Gal. 5.1 1.10 And Ephrahim was broken for this Hos 5.11 And now as they were Christians they had but one Lord the Lord Jesus who was to be their Lord Acts. 10.36 Rom. 14.9 Law giver for else what were the difference between them and Turks Infidels or Heathens But in things honest good and lawfull they must obey their superiours as an Ordinance of God But then said the Soldiers if their Orders be against Gods word let the higher Officers look to that for that they would obey them and so fell upon the poor people very roughly being farr more bruitish irrational and disingenuous if not irreligious then many of the Papists Pharises Priests Heathens and Turks and in the very Massacre of France we have it upon Record Fox voll 3. of Queen Elizabeth page 64. Anno 1572. That the common Executioner of Troys whose name was Charles being commanded by Bellin and the Magistrates of the Town and that in the Kings name too and by his Commission answered that it was contrary to his office to execute any man before sentence of death had been first pronounced by the Magistrate if they had such sentence of death to shew against the Hugonites prisoners he was ready otherwise he would not presume with out a warrant of Law and Justice to bereave any man of his life So that this bloody Popish wretch who was used to shed blood would not obey all Orders no not of the King or Magistrates without due processe of Law or sentence of death upon the prisoners yea Perennot also their Goaler as bloody or worse than he answered the same men in the same case that he could not undertake to obey their Orders fearing least in time to come justice might be doâ—e against him by the Parents or allies of the poor prisoners after they was dead or made a way with and yet he was commanded by the Kings Commissioners Magistrates and in the Kings name Now would one believe men professing godlinesse too in England should be of worse or more wicked principles to obey all Orders the Lord then have mercy upon us for the plague encreases then But we bad the Serjeant consider these things seriously how that the Jews blinde obedience to their Leaders brought the curse upon them but Lord saies he I never heard of such men what should we not obey Orders we told them as before not in things unlawfull but this it seems that we said was a great offence to them and made Bull report and probably send to his Masters for he is a fitt servant to such men blessed be God therefore that we have such a Goaler of so sharp but short horns affirming that we would draw the Soldiers from their obedience only for our instructing them in that obedience which they ow to God and which to man But some poor soules having got into hear this discourse did occasion a desire from them to hear me preach either in the yard out of the window or any where but for this once but the rude Leopards began to rave and roar at that motion saying they would not suffer it and when any reason was asked they said they was not bound to give us any reason but this that they would not suffer it nor could we have any other reason but this that they had Orders and must obey them But we told them we hoped man would not forbid what Christ our King and Lord had commanded then we opened some Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament unâ—o them wherein we were commanded by God to assemble together to pray profit and edifie one another in the most holy faith and asked of them if at any time they had heard any thing delivered which was not profitable and teaching to the Soules of men or dissonant in their own judgment with the Word of truth for they all knew and confessed I had not the honest people so desiring it medled with their Government or the like that this liberty in the Ordinances might have been continued us and no offence or occasion be offered them they all said they could not say I had delivered any thing but what was good and sweet profitable and to edification and wished they might hear such men and said the Serjeant I had rather here him then any man alive and did hear him as long as I durst but now we have Orders against it and we must obey them But then we prayed them to remember the blood of Jesus Christ which hath bought us these blessed priviledges and no man ought to take them from us Gal. 5.1 And therefore hoped they would not offer to fight against that which they confessed was the pure true word wà y of God but they said they must obey Orders be they what they would that their superiours put them upon or else they must be hang'd this Doctrine tended to have them hang'd so that they were sorely incensed uttring as we say Decem pedalia sesqui pedolia verba or Vperolcha But I Maj. Gen. Mr. C. withdrew with words of Consolation to the poore weeping people about us into my lodge and after a little space I began in prayer and fell a little to preaching out at the window to the poore people who desired it and some came under the window the whiles they had sent word to their Governour Bull who was feasting not far off with his wife and others sufficiently trampling over us and insulting over us the prisoners among their cups and repasts as we heard by them present and because some few of the Soldiers were touched in Conscience and could not exercise their commanded Cruelty they took as Acts 17.5 Certain Iude fellows of the baser sort and so sett upon us and the poor people hearing under the windows who
open and known sins as of Drunkennesse c. which the godly people in this Island have informed me He now as fowly fals upon the pittifull poore miserably inslaved people of this Island as well as upon us but for hearing of me and yet could not finde a colour for it but onely his own pure or rather impure invention and fancy of a danger which might accrew thereupon in time and surmising or pretending so at least a signe which the Devil told him off that we had in preaching Christ to the poore soules and when he desired to see his Orders he denyed to shew us any but his absolute Will and sword soveraignty over these poore slaves and us exiles and prisoners falling into most fool irritating unsavoury provoking language with his wonted impudence and open faculty of lying slandering bearding and abusing for which he is so notoriously famous in this Isle that we went for shame from him surdis auribus sed oculis intentis in Christum and so left him to that spirit that possessed him but after that the soldiers were examined such as were well-given whether they would hear me if so then to lay down arms forthwith and be gone there must be no disputing it onely one or two I think had liberty given to consider upon it one day Soon after this Bull made or procured a muster and provided a Barrell of Beer for such of his souldiers which they say he never did before as would readily obey his Orders but others he required to lay down their Arms forthwith and so read an Engagement to them for their present government Thus like the Priests as Jo. 12 9 10. they endeavoured to put Lazarus also to death because that Jesus had raised him up to life least the report hereof should offuscate and obscure them Upon the Lords day after some men of the â—sland came into the Castle to hear on that day but the centinels at the doore drove them off again and turned them into their own Chappel the poore people of this Island being such absolute pure slaves under the long sword that they durst not hear the Word but where they will Yet I preaching near the window and my voice heard thorow some poor people would steal under the wall and in holes to hear but were soon discovered and driven away yea Bull himself when he came out of the Chappel did bestir him and lay about him and because some of his souldiers would stand behind the guard doore or make as if they walked about businesse in the yard to hear as they did at Winsor often make as if they lay on the grasse and slept he drives his souldiers into the guard and there keeps them in himself till I had done as the Bishop of L. used tell K. James a tale in the Sermon time when any good man preach'd against the Hierarchy or Ceremonies of their Church least the King should over-hear them and so receive the truth preached talking to them of Cocks and Buls as we say least any should over hear a word of the Sermon In the middle of the week he came to me and threatened to deal with me and remove me out of these rooms c. if I let my voice be so loud as to be heard out at the window more to their disturbance as he said but I told him as Chrysostome the Empresse Eudoxia when she threatened him Nil nisi peccatum timeo I should obey God and not man in that matter nor was he but Christ to mee the Lord of the Sabbath Luke 6.5 Christ only is my master in preaching bidding him do his worst then he bid the bed I had to lyon be taken away which was done at which I demanded of him straw to lyon but the good people especially Mr. B. a well affected honest man at whose house the godly people meet at New port kept mee from lying on the boards or any such hardship as they would have brought me or mine unto in this Goal but it seems to their sufferings for this Bull does bellow out with most bitter mallice rage against them also especially against Mr. B. whom he highly persecutes to this day I hear sometimes sending up armed souldiers with swords and muâ—kets to bring him away priâ—oner out of his own house to him in the Town Corporation threatning and troubling him breaking open his letters that came from London to his great hinderance Bull himself being a trader and going up and down in person to hear what one or another can say against Mr. B. and what not that is arbitrary and tyrannical So that by this we may see 1. Their horrible dissembling lying and undoubted Hypocâ—isie whiles they manifest such monstrous hatred to us they pretend to imprison us out of love to us and yet I think it is more out then in 2. How we suffer at this day for the word of God Gospell of Christ and power of Godlinesse purely whiles they most falsly possesse the poore ignorant people in the Nation that now there is no persecution for conscience for preaching the Word or for Religion but only for other matters and that a man may be as holy as he will which are lies in Hypocrisiâ— 3. That they are such a greedy sort of persecutors as our persons lives bodies liberties blood will not serve their turns but they persecute our very souls also for hearing praying and worshipping of the Lord yea on the Lords dayes nor suffering us to have so much aâ— upon the Lords daies any communion with the Saints or people or worship of God as much as in them lies 4. And they are the most impudent â—ould faced Persecutors I think that ever the earth bore for they justifie and dourish the foulest evils with the fairest Colours that can be yea pretend so highly for the Lord in all they do saying let God be glorified Isa 66.5 yea as Zach. 11.4 5. ' Whose Possessors Keepers of Goâ—lers slâ—y â—â—eâ— and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them for nice pay places or preferment ' say blessed be the Lord for we are rich by it Such a pack of Apostates sure were never heard of for craft and cruelty policy and lying pretences and indeed it is no â—ore in my judgment then the face of the Serpent from wâ—â—â— we must and do fly for â—â—ree dayes and an half Rev. 12.14 Bâ—â— the Bal's bitter â—age is out begun here he must now make a â—â—â—â—â—tive of his faithfull service and most noble or rather ignoble feats â—ad atenâ—â—vements to his Masters at Court by frigating them with a â—raught report and â—n invented story of us as dangerous persons 〈◊〉 of deâ—gâ—es and according to â—is armed fancies and obsequiousnesâ— to them his Masters to â—all on us wâ—en their commands shall come requicing with all an Orâ—eâ— or at least a â—icence to prosecute his â—ell-begotten graceless victory further to the full by powring more contempt on our dear
videmus sapientiae vestrae hane stultitiam malumus hanc amplectimur c. go on scorn deride and flout us as long as you list for this our foolishnesse profits us and we envy not your wisedome or principles of policy but had rather have this foolishnesse still and so for all your other reproaches which are chiefest riches Heb. 11.26 wherein we rejoyce and make a jest of them and of all they can do unto us and if so be I should give no offence to a more serious spirit in so good and serious a Cause as ours is me thinks I might put this Bull who is so busie in lying railing and slandering of us in mind of the Majors answer to the people who complained of the ugly looks of the Rood Fox vol. 3. p. 107. Go you home saies he look on it and if it will not serve for a God make no more ado but clap a pair of Horns on his Head and so he will make an excellent Divill for I am perswaded if the Divil be truly called Accuser Slanderer Calumniator a little matter more will make him one I would not have used this liberty now had not Grynaeus an Orthodox as we say said true and seriously that Pontifici Romano Erasmum plus nocuisse jocando quam Lutherum stomachando Erasmus did the enemy more mischief by jesting than Luther did by his angry stomachfull and yet more solid resisting of him 6. It appeareth a plain designe to starve us or reduce us to such extremity as might make us to stoop and so to betray our consciences and our Christ in this Cause as appeared by their imposing of conditions upon us and the servants for the meat we must eat if they went out to fetch us in any besides as to my own particular I confesse their conditions were most hard to me and my Family in the passive part though my gracious Father made them easie and sweet to be born but they knowing I lived by providence having no means Land house or estate to live upon kept back not onely all people but all letters from coming or ministring unto me notwithstanding our Lord Jesus was ministred unto Luke 8.3 Joanna the wife of Chuza Herods Steward and Susanua and many others ministred unto him of their substance and so we finde the Heathens suffered this in Acts 24.23 He commanded a Centurian to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him But yet this was and is a sweet time unto me for me thinks I am fasting and sometimes filling and eating many a time with my Lord Jesus of his broiled fish and barley bread blessed be his Name who for our sakes became poor 2 Cor. 8 9. that through his poverty we might be made rich I also was made the more sensible of the primitive sufferings as I said before and was as one with them in my spirit insomuch as I chose rather to be in such a condition even unto death and to want bread all my dayes I have sometimes thought than to have been out of it so sweet the Lord hath made unto me by his teaching presence as I cannot expresse and besides what eminent Servants of the Lord have been forgotten by their Brethren as our blessed Jesus his own Disciples all left him at the Crosse yea aad were brought to poverty as buried alive almost so Musculus his poverty was such as drove him to day labour and to lye in straw but I had neither and Pareus begged in his way as he went to the Palatinate but what was this to thousands of the Saints of old besides of late Hooper Cranmer c. all this upon me being onely because I would not perdere substantiam propter accidentia loose my Christ for a Crown nor Conscience for Coin which doubtlesse I might have had enough in my own Countrey if I had sought or accepted of a desire to O. C. for his grace to remove me near to my Acquaintance and Friends at Londan which my poverty in the world might call for more than any others who would not have suffered me to want which notwithstanding the Lord of his mercy prevented by the help of my honoured Con-captivated Co-exiles and other waies and of his great grace gave unto me in this dispensation least I should seek a carnall Kingdome or have such things in mine eyes whiles the Kingdome of Christ yea none but Christ is our continuall cry I remember Lots wife lyes at the entry of such temptations 5. In that he that bids us câ—st our care upon him 1 Pet. 5.7 and take no thought for our life what we should eat or what we should drink or what we should put on Mat. 6.25 hath done it for no by such speciall providences in our greatest emergencies and extremities yea and over and above ministred so much inward comfort unto us from himself the whole Creation that for want of other outward company he makes the very flyes that swarm in the ayre and are an offence to others and as in Aegypt so now in Jamica such a plague unto them poor hearts a refreshing unto us which I am glad to see I confesse and to have the company in this close prison-exile but besides these there be some other particular experiences as teaching to me 1. In that I am all along so clearly and constantly under the Beasts rage as if I were I think more than others particularly aimed at for their goaring gushing horning worrying and grievous persecuting from one Prison to an other both in my Native Countrey and in Exile especially since I have been hurried about in this Island and put to Bulls and Boremans who obey the Orders of the Beast but especially in the first 's very bruitish and indeed barbarous unreasonablâ— pushing sharp horns so that it is evident I am thus used by the Beasts Dominion spirit I have indeed declared to the Court-creatures more mercy to be in any Dungeon in England I remember that Purchase in his Pilg. ch 10. tells us of one that did write of the first Creation of the Chaos and first confusion before the world was created in which lived monstrous creatures having two or more formes like Centaures some Bulls too that were headed like men and doggs with divers bodies but I leave such fancies to the Adamites onely I dare affirm in this Chaos and confusion which precedes the new-creation of new heaven and earth men are very monstrous in their principles and actions and wild Bulls do bear the faces of men to flatter with in this serpent-estate of the old world whose hired men are like Bullocks Jer. 46.21 but as Jer. 50.27 Slay all her Bulls let them go down to the slaughter wo unto them for their day is come the time of their visitation O Lord rebuke the company of spear-men the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the people till
nos filii sumus Regni c. Pish Let al the Harries Bishops Turks and Devils do their worst as long as Christ is ours and so we are the children of the Kingdom we care not we spare not we fear not though they kil us spit upon us beat bruise imprison or crucifie us to death for our Christ for that al shal be wel with us yea better then wel when we be the Stones of his CROWN lifted up Zach 8.16 Therefore O you the Lords Prisoners and royal Persecuted ones in Pathmos-Isle-Exiles and in Palmon-prisons my most dâ—ar and honoured Brethren indeed and now more then ever M G Harrison and Mr Courtney M Carew Col Rich M G Overton C Day B Feak c. and al the rest whom I salute in the Lords name and look towards from this top of Amana for it is a Nurse as the word signifies in the Truth this top of Shenir where is the prosperous teacher as the word signifies and this Hil of Hermon Cant 4.8 ful of Dews dedicated to God! yea from these Lions Dens and mountains of the Leopards where I am now cast for a prey by men to be devoured in Carisbrook-Castle a close prison and kennel of nuclean creatures from hence I say do I cry aloud and cal upon you who have accounted the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures and pleasures of the present court having no other way to speak unto you but this I am BIDDEN of the Lord to mind you al with my own Soul of the day-break we have so long waited and prayed for that DAY BREAK of the Vision which we may easily discern through little streams the morning is breathing but of such a day as wil be neither dark nor clear yea the years of Wonders are entring upon us and as I take it it is now the EVE-YEAR of terrible Times and things of the strange MOVNT PERAZIM-dspensations Isai 28.21 which I have I hope evidently demonstrated and proved even in the eyes of the adversaries by scripture arguments both in my Prison-born Treatise ready which are both of a MALE-SPIRIT were there any MIDWIFE so hardly to do their Office without fearing Pharaohs cruel commâ—nd of killing them who is contented to let the female carnal and low spirited things to pass the Press every day surely the Lord would deal wel with such Midwives but instead of such we find them Murtherers Traytors and very Monsters to the choisest Truths of the Day insomuch as I may say they have â—ript up the WOMEN WITH CHILD of GILEAD or of the Witnesses and choisest Saints Cant 4.1 that they might enlarge their own BORDERS Amos 1.13 but the BLOOD and judgement be upon them that have stifled and destroyed the Male-truths and discoveries which we have been so big or with child with in the Holy Ghost neither suffering us one way nor other to be delivered of them neither by printing preaching nor otherwise publishing O! O! worse then pagan popish or Prelactical tyranny over us over our very souls and consciences much more then over our bodies estates but for al this that men may know we have the blessing the Lord hath given us the blessing of the VVomb and ful breasts whiles our enemies have the miscarrying Womb and dry breasts Hos 9.14 whose fruit is stil-born and so shal every one of them be like the untimely birth of a Woman that seeth not the SVN Psal 58.8 9. when the Whirl-wind comes and now my brethren in bonds banishment where you be in the world as men almost forgotten by some and as dead men out of mind Psal 31.12 how rest you in your Arimathean Sepulchres are you not sweetly embalmed in your sufferings and do not the affectionate Maries find you out with their spices or is it a Resurrection-time with you first before they can do that wil the Whales-belly vomit you out and up again amongst your brethren at liberty after you have layen like dead Carkasses your part of the three dayes for surely the Lord wil revive his Work in the midst of the years and in the midst of the years make it known saies the Song of Seginoth Hab 3.2 Hos 6. â— 2. And in wrath remember mercy what say you O you honourable ones of the Earth that is to come to al these things do you not lye easie and sweet in your prisons and Exiles are not your beds blessed and green for your beloved and you to lye down in together O that I were with you O that I could visit you that I could hear what you would tel me how chear you how live you how feed you how lodge you what find you what feel you what see you what satisfies you what enioy you of the DAY-SPRING from on high at hand Ah my dearest hearts do you not startle sometimes to feel the babe spring up in the Womb is he not quick how say you doth not the comforter abide with you in your bonds dip your feet in oyl for you O how often doth the Angel of the Covenant visit you and come leaping over the Castles and Wals unto you and doth not the most high Jehovah Shammah stand by you as he ever he did by his poor Worms his prisoners of Faith and hope of old saying be of good chear Harrison Rich Carew Courtney Overton c and to turn you unto your strong hold for even to DAY do Ideclare that I wil render double unto thee when I have bent JVDAH for me filled the bow with Ephraim and raised up thy Sons O Greece and made thee as the SWORD of a mighty man I am with you I have oyled your bonds and made them easie and sweet unto you yea I have muzled of this mishapen Court-Monster this ugly creature this bastard of Ashdod this seed of the Dragon begotten in darkness brought forth in weakness and nourished with unreasonabless growing up in wickedness to continue with shortness and to be confounded with the fierceness of the wrath of GOD which is at hand Rev 14.10 20. Wherefore up up O concaptives and Co-Exiles if ever now with courage Sirs be ready and look about you for I tel you truly after our 42 monthed voyage we may see the Land which so many precious preceding Saints the Martyrs our predecessors have so longed to see Let us sing and shout for joy Laeto clamore canentes caventes for that our suils are filled our tackling is good our motion is swift our compass is true and we are near the Haven come then tack about Sirs and to our business to our Work with might and main make hast keep ground prepare the Gable and cast out Anchor yea awake awake al you that be aboard for the time is come to visit the Coasts and set ashoar yea my beloved the sun of persecution grows now low and wil set soon O therefore let us stand to it like Heart of Oak without warping in the least O
consider a little is it comely for us to hang down our heads and so near the Haven or to droop at the end of the 42 moneths what now now to yeld or parley about it being this Fort of truth our strong hold hath held out so long and valiantly too against the beast and his image by all the Saints and Martyrs and for so many hundred years yea and al the Saints that have left us their skuls bloud ashes and bones behind them for our incouragement yea the whole creation yea God Christ Angels and men do expect our coustancy and faithfulness to the end and shal we now faint or fear the enemy seeing we are so wel accomodated with al necessaries yea much beyond our blessed predecessors for outward things and upon so poor a slight seige too of the enemy as this is who is almost worsted without hand and now too that such a great relief is raising for us by the spirit of life the 5th Kingdom Spirit which we wait for every day such as hath not been heard of for above this thousand years and shal not we stand to it shal not we hold it out and dye like Christs men or shal we admit of any composition capitulation or terms with them or be routed in the rear in this the rear-testimony of Jesus for want of Faith and courage to carry it up O no no! God forbid but let us rally by Faith and by the grace of God keep our ground like men and make hast with the main body as they begun blessedly in that wing of Honorable WALES to move for the relief of the ingaged Forlorn for the Lords sake make hast and march up yea sally out most fiercely O ye men of courage upon this Apostate and prefidious enemy with such an undaunted invincible and impregnable resolution as may make them know they are not ORDINARY PRISONERS whom they would bury alive in these iron graves for the most blessed cause that ever was on foot in earth or that ever was betraye by men come come Sirs prepare your companies for King Jesus his Mount Zion Musterday is at hand his Magazine and Artillery yea his most excellent mortar-peices and batteries be ready we wait only for the Wora from on high to falon and faith and Prayer to do the Execution according to Rev 18.6 reward her as she hath rewarded you and then by the grace of God the proudest of them al shal know we are ingaged on life and death to sink or swin stand or fal with the Lord Jesus our Captain General upon his red Horse against the beasts Government so as neither to give nor take Quarter but according to his Orders Therefore take the alarum my brethren be up and ready for we are not our own but Christs nor are we redeemed to men but to God! therefore like Champions refreshed with VVine let the shout of a King be heard amongst us are we not yet awakened and warmed is it not high time for the two VVitnesses to be uniting stirring and rising yea standing upon their feet and I hope we you of the majestracy and we of the Ministry are of the same spirit with them and are blown by one and the same breath though as pipes we may have different sounds Besides let us consider how eagerly Shear-jashub or the little Remnant is making ready for your rise yea Maher-shalal-hashbaz is ready to pitch his great Tent and to blow his great Trump yea the man among Myrtle trees Zach 1.8 on his red Horse is already mounted if I mistake not and ready to march with his sword to execute and fire to plead with al Nations for his bow he used upon his VVhite-horse Rev 6.2 hitherto but the next is his sword on his red Horse and the slain of the Lord and shal be many Isai 66.16 yea and after the Harvest wherein I hope to be a reaper a cutter down or a gatherer in the blood of the Vintage wil be up unto the horses bridles Rev 14.20 viz those Horses that are to carry the 4th Chariot from between the two Mountains of brass wherin the Lord Jesus fits to give Laws unto the whole earth Zach 6.1 7 8. and this I can easily fore see for I have almost obvious undeniable prospective of it from this cliff of the rock where my present lot lies But ah Lord may I say what meaneth this that men be so hush and stil then at this day yea goodmen so asleep so secure Zach 1.11 Behold all the earth sitteth stil and is at rest why it is that they may be surprized as in the days of Noah and LOT and vvith the coming as a Thief in the night therefore O my Brethren Let us enter the Ark for no safety wil be found but in the work beleeve it listen for the noise of his chariot wheels with the spirit of the living creatures is in some measure come upon us look about believe with boldness and with gladness yea up and make ready to run to run with these horsemen who are at hand prepare prepare put on the whole armor of God to stand outsland and withstand in this evil day Eph. 6. Awake awake yea rouze up O Saints with most royal resolutions and shake your selves from your prison-dust O Captive-Daughter of Sion for it is high time yea the set time is now to start up like Lions too stout for sufferings as before putting off your Sackcloth or captivity garments and putting on your beautiful Zion Robes to follow the Lamb with Isai 52.1 2. and when you put on these Robes you must put off al those Relations though ever so dear that may make you stagger yea even stamp upon them as Jerome said If my Father were weeping on his knees before me and my Mother hanging on my neck behind me and all my brethren SISTERS and Kindred round about me I 'de run over them all and in this case we are bid even to hate them Luke 14.26 if we follow Christ Wherefore O my most honourable brethren Concaptives and Coexiles yea most noble fellow-commoners at the Kings charges let us up together all at once and fal in all at once Numb 13 30. with one mind and as one man Zeph 3.9 Appoint the day appropriate the duty and to it yea do it with such a shout too Jer 50.14 Amos 2.2 as may make the ears of the enemies to ring yea begin the Earthquake Rev 11.13 and rend up by the very roots the foundations of these persecuting Nimrods with their prisons Acts 16.26 So as one stone be not left for a corner of them yea til there be such a trembling shaking and consternation yea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translation overturning and total amotion of them that the Beasts Government may never have a being more in England neither in Civils Ecclesiasticks nor Militaries For Jehovah-Sabboth wil confound them and break them to pieces before us yea this house of Saul
much nor did I judge it reasonable being in prison upon will and nothing brought to my charge and therefore those that imprisoned me must pay him yet this I would do willingly if Serg. Dendy will chuse one honest man I will chuse another and what they think meet for me to pay as God shall enable me I will saying withal I would know the lowest which I must pay He said 4 l. 4 s. a week was the lowest at which I told him I was not able to do it nor did my brother Feak at Windsor pay so much but as I heard but so much in a quarter as is demanded of me in a week and that it was worse then tyranny to take away all I had to live on turn my wife and children poor sucking babes out of doors when the Lord allows a Snail a shell yet my poor wife and babes had not a shell to live in but my prison yea and to hinder those that would to minister to our wants and to demand 4 l. 4 s. a week too was wonderfull unjust But the old man being teachy hereat flew from me with these menaces You must and shall pay it before you go out from hence But because the carriage of this business was so cruel merciless and unchristian Serg. Dendy was ashamed to own it to good men stoutly and often affirming that neither he nor any for him did ever demand it of me or threaten me about it But with how little modesty or grace and that you may see what wide mouthes ravenous fishes have it follows under the hands of some present in the Prison-chamber when the old man came for the money two of them being Church-members We whose names are hereunder written do certifie to whomsoever it may concern that old Michael Meazie came as he said from Serg. Dendy whose servant he is into the chamber where Mr. Rogers is prisoner now at Lambeth and in our hearings demanded of Mr. Rogers the sum of 10s a day for fees for himself a prisoner to Serg. Dendy and of 14s a week for his Chambers in all of 14l 4 s a week And for that Mr. Rogers made scrupble to pay so much at present the said Mesey told him he MUST and SHOULD pay it before he went out from thence This we witness by our hands who heard him demand that Sum of him and can Depose it Dorothy Hill Alice Lewis Anne Evington Notwithstanding with so strange a face they denied this and said I was no Minister of Jesus Christ if I affirmed it and they would publish in News-books against me and the like I can shew it under Sergeant Dendy's own hand by several Orders and Letters that the not paying those fees and sums of money was one thing that made him so harsh to me above others For soon after the old man went to White-hall and told his tale against me in his own mood and figure and then followed the ensuing Letter from Serg. Dendy to me SIR I took not my house at Lambeth to accommodate Families but onely such Prisoners as by Order of the Council stand committed to me and therefore whereas I hear you say that Mr. Feak at Windsor hath his wife and children with him and yet pays nothing which is not altogether improbable because Windsor-Castle is the States proper house but so is not Mine nor the goods Wherefore inasmuch as I am informed that it is commonly reported you are at 6l a week charge though I know not of a peny that hath as yet been received from you and this declared on purpose to abuse the well-minded by provoking their charity towards you of which I wish you were as capable as some others Further your wife at your first coming to my house vapouring that she would give 5l aforehand so you might be accommodated at my house which was more publike then others of my Deputies and so to serve your Designe was rather made choice of Upon these Considerations having no Allowance at all from the State to defray so great a charge as my house at Lambeth amounts to I desire you will remove your children and servants to some other place more proper for them to which end I have ordered that you have a weeks time from this day to dispose of them and for your own particular your Wife if she be with you to be treated with all civility and have as good accommodation as my house can afford So wishing that you may be a partaker of Christ's sufferings rather than those of Evil doers I rest Septemb. 14. 1654. Your loving Friend E. Dendy I confess I was much grieved at this Letter for that I knew not whither to send my poor Children from me two of them being about a year old and very weak and my poor Family being thrust out of All only that Scripture refresh'd me The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head Besides the lines were fraught with false reports I perceived of my Wife and me and pitiful uncharitable censures and suppositions as that I sought to come thither and to abuse the well-minded whereas I knew not of my returning to Lambeth till Harding came with a new Order nor did I any otherwise desire it but for air in the time of my burning-feaver I confess I did desire more air and so my Wife said she had better give 5 li. than be so choaked up in a little hole for want of air as Lead-beaters was but for any other purpose the Judge of hearts best knows and will one day declare for me But then came in consolation from Matt. 5. Blessed are ye when they speak all manner of evil of you Besides the several uâ—truths in the Letter as that I said Bro. Feak paid nothing and that of 6 l. a week charge and of having no allowance from the State all which I knew to the contrary so that I thought it best to spread it before the Lord and wait with patience and with the whole armour of God the brest-place of righteousness and the shield of Faith Eph. 6. to stand and withstand in this evil day v. 13 14 15 16. And so I did without any noise as the Sheep that is bit by the fierce teeth of the Dog weeps inwardly most and whines not like a Hog But ere long he sends a most severe Order to the Under-Goaler to take away the Beds from under us yea to execute his Orders that night that one of my Children lay giving up the Ghost but because the Child was gasping he could not finde the heart to execute it and the Child dying that night he then said he would not have done it for 100 l. though his Master command him so strctkly to observe his Orders But for all this and the death of one Child and the weakness or drawing-on of another their immanity without pity was prosecuted upon me so that had
not the Lord supported me I might have sunk under it and to shew it sufficiently the Under-Goaler brings me these two ensuing Warrants together William Harding I am informed one of Mr. Rogers his Children was carried away last night very sick and which for ought I know may be the Small Pox which you cannot but hear the City and Suburbs are much infested with and none more liable to take the Disease than Children wherefore in regard of the Danger through multitudes of persons coming to Mr. Rogers I would have you once more let him Know that I expect that he remove his Children and Servants to some other Place For I am resolved not to indanger the health of my Prisoners any longer therefore if Mr. Rogers will not remove his Children after so fair and civil a warning let the Bedding be carried into another Room Herein fail not Yours E. DENDY The truth is The Goalers Children were ill of the Swine-Pox whereby we and other Prisoners were in danger but blessed be the Lord not one of ours and the Child we sent away one night for fear he should catch it in the house the next day we had him home again to the Prison for we had not nor have we any other earthly home but a Prison now so that my family was forced to be with me which was according to the Law of God and Nature the Child being in good health nor was there the least ground to suspect such a Disease in my Family but had it been so the sending of him away did not tend to indanger the Prisoners but to keep them from it nor needed he to say any longer for that at no time were any in danger by any of my Family for the Disease was in the Goalers Family who it may be might report it in mine on purpose to bring all the vexation they could upon me by incensing their Master against me And indeed the warning which he called civil to send my Children from me and the Lord knows I knew not whither I could not see civil or Christian and therefore rested rather contented to have the Bedding pull'd from under me and to lie in pads of Straw with my poor Children than to be so merciless and unfatherly to them as he Commanded Besides there were very few Prisoners then in the house and abundance of rooms stood empty for want of Guests they not having the third part of the Prisoners I hear are there now nor had we any more Chamber-room than one Prisoner who was in before us a Plotter With this he delivered me another at the same time which follows William Harding It 's not unknown to you the great Charge I am at for my house c. and particularly for my Goods for which I pay 7 l. a Month which by the year is 91 l. All which I perceive Mr. Rogers and his Wife are not sensible of otherwise they would not take upon them to appoint what Lodgings my Prisoners should have as that they should not lye two in a Bed but single so as that the Prisoners wives might come and live with them which freedom I shall not deny to any Prisoner although I might do it So I hereby again Order you to remove Mr. Rogers his Children and Servants forthwith And if the * * Mr. Chapman's Printers Wife do come let them lie in the Chamber * * The Lodging-Room where I lodg'd within Mr. Rogers or in the outward Room which he will for I see no reason that I should find Bedding for Mr. Rogers his Children and Servants when he refuseth to pay me for it I do expect that my Orders should be better observed by you than hitherto they have been otherwise I shall see that Directions be followed more to my quiet If you finde that Mr. Rogers or his Wife will not remove their Children and Servants let me Know it and I shall dispose of Mr. Rogers to some other place being resolved to free my house of such domineering spirits Yours E. DENDY Octob. 20. 1654. Those two together sounded very harsh to my very heart at that season too whiles another sweet Childe was so neer the grave too very weak and died within three or four days after I confess the trials were very great had not the new-Covenant-Comforts come with them and made them full of the Fathers-love to me and of the new-Testament-blood in me I might have fainted but for that I perceived this was a matter of Money and nothing else would stay the Surges and Sources of this raging SEA I sent my Wife after Candle-light to White-hall with five pounds which I was glad I could get together for him not being able to send him more then who carried it but at that time they thought it not fit to receive it but to accoast her with course Courtship and Dialect and so to send her home to Prison again telling her that we domineer'd in his house and took upon us to appoint Lodgings for his Prisoners c. How such stories as these could be coined or invented I wondred when for three four or six weeks together I stir'd not out of my Room or spake with one Prisoner or Goaler perceiving how they were set together against me the Prisoners for reproving their sins at so high a rate day and night when I had liberty to Preach and Pray seeing I was in Prison with so wicked a blaspheming cursing ranting Crew hominibus perfrictae Frontis with men of so much impudence and immodesty with raving Beasts with very Bruits I judg'd it best not only to keep out of their company but out of their very sight as much as might be insomuch that they could not tell I am perswaded but on the Lord's dayes or when I Preached or Prayed in Family or the like whether I was in the Prison or no but by hear-say yet it seems the night before this last Warrant he sent me Mr. Chapman and Mr. Spittlehouse were brought in Prisoners who supp'd with me in my Prison-chamber that night at the Table in discourse they said they lay both in one Bed I said I thought if they would they might have each of them a Chamber one within the other for that all the other Prisoners had so that I saw and for that there were but few Prisoners in the house not half full so that there were Rooms and Beds a many to spare So I pass'd it over not imagining any trouble could arise upon this ordinary discourse at Supper my Wife adding thus to Mr. Chapman You had best to have a Bed by your self for your Wife may come to see you But the Goalers-Boy listening as some one or other frequently did for stories at my Chamber-door carried down as unhappy boys use to do what he could make of it to his Father who carried it or sent it next morning betimes to White-hall which occasioned the aforesaid words as I conceive and because he was so