blood E N R I E T E Â M Maintaine this Branch aspiring with thy love And blesse her Dayes make her a Turtle Dove Regard the Zeale of this young Branthers Steke Increase their Faith they are thy sheepe thy Flocke All joyfull Trees and Plants about them grow Palme Trees and Cedars unto them shall Bowe Rare vines shall twist about this Branch a Tree In Time but then a Cedar she shall bee Sweet vertuous lovely comely to behold Each sprig and leafe shall be of beaten Gold A R I A P R I S E To all true Christians REAERS and others SIth Schollers Toads and Spiders doe commend I hope a Trades-mans Mite cannot offend Such venomous creatures Christians loath or hate But this my Mite may prove more fortunate Yet Toads and Spiders serve God in their kind And doth his will whereto they are assign'd Each creeping thing 's ordain'd by Gods decree All things were made for man in some degree The Poyson which makes vermine breake or swell Most precious is Physitians best can tell Yet though they loathsome are to mortall eyes Within this world their shame and sorrow dyes But man who sins on earth continually Death shall not end his shame nor misery Then doth his woe begin for whom I pray Although they scorne and hate what now I say Then shall he know that God caus'd me to write The Sabbaths praise his gift or Trades-mans Mite Then shall proud gallants wish would they had bin As weake as I or vermine void of sin Sin 's therefore worse then death then Hell the Devil And of all sin Pride is the greatest evil Pride makes men hate and loath and scorne the poor Yet shall a Trades-mans Mite strike every door Open therefore and let instruction in Observe Gods day with zeale abandon sin Then in this world thou shalt begin true joy For Death and Hell Christ Jesus did destroy Though Reprobates this Mite doth discommend The gift of God my faith shall have no end Before I declare the manner of that fearefull Accidenâ— which I conceive happened to me for prophaning the Sabbath of the Lord my God I will recite unto you the first Verses thaâ— ever I made which is the gift of God bestowed on me since hâ— Chastisement contayning a Dialogue betweene my Soule anâ— Body And in the end of this Pamphlet you shall see the Prayeâ— which I made when I was deprived of my speech and Sences An Acrostick Elegie on my brothers name made at thâ— Newes of his death my descent my owne and wives Anagrams her descent an Acrostick on her name made on thâ— words she spake on her Death-bed I lamentted her death anâ— concluded with a thanksgiving and Prayer in Verse To which Booke I have added an Antidot fâ—r troubled Souleâ— or the fruit of repentance which a friend delivered unto me sinâ— I was recovered of my numnesse The Authors first beginning to make Verses which straine came naturally to him since his affliction A Dialogue betweene his Soule and Bodie The Argument I Lay amaz'd when as I seem'd as dead I thought my Soule was from my Body fled The wings did take and through the Clouds did sore Which made me faint then God I did implore To view my dolefull wretched ghastly plight Most weake as dead I seem'd in mortalls sight Then 't was Gods will we should discourse in Verse â—n these plaine tearmes which now I will rehearse THE DIALOGUE SOVLE I Like a Pilgrime wandred to and fro Twixt heav'n earth still crost by mans dread fo To heaven I fled where blessed Soules remaine The spirit from thence did send me backe againe To earth to thee from whom amaz'd I fled When gapsing on the ground thou layst as dead Then he who doth by feare his servants prove Sent me againe to testifie his love BODY VVElcome sweet soule thrice welcome unto me We liv'd as one I thought we did agree I wept I mournd since you did me disdaine As dead I liv'd which caus'd me to complaine A sudden death I ever thought a curse But your departure made mine seeme far worse Yet senselesse did I live I felt no paine Nor know I when or how I did complaine SOVLE VVHen from earth's Center I did mount on high The damned Fiend pursu'd me instantly And there proclam'd what sins I did commit Which made me quake and feare and tremble Yet My faith my hope and feare together strave Faith hope embrac'd but feare no rest could have Then did my chiefe commander this decree That I should redescend to earth in thee BODY GOds justice is severe yet mercy found Me out when I lay tumbling on the ground And then I thought th' immortall spirit said Christ dy'd for him sad soule be not afraid Returne returne let nothing thee dismay Christ is thy life thy health thy helpe thy stay The Trine that 's blest likewise those words he spake When death perforce would thy possession take SOVLE THy faith thy hope hath sent me backe with joy Abandon feare Christ will our Foes destroy Thy faith God saw thy hope thy heart thy zeale When at his feet I humbly did appeale His sacred spirit shew'd thee then his will Cause on his mercy thou dependedst still Now see behold his love hath sent me backe To thee his grace therefore we shall not lacke BODY AS heav'n bright Sun doth cleare the misti'st morn So doth my soule refresh my heart forlorne As heav'nly dewes the parched earth doe cherish So doth my soule my heart who thought to perish As Cynthias beames makes cleare the sable night So bright my soule doth shine to me most light As heav'n and earth obeys our God the chiefe So would my heart his will be done in briefe SOVLE THy haplesse fall a happy chance did prove Thy faith thy hope hath gaind thy Saviours love That suddaine fearefull spectacle most strange Declares thy faith which scornes for feare to change God turneth griefe and feare to happy ends Most happy they who on his aid depends Such is thy faith thy griefe thy feare also Which shewes Gods love and mercy after wo. BODY LO where Gods dreadfull streame did runne there grows Faith hope zeale his mercy it o' reflows My shield is Christ the Trinity I praise Whose love and mercy hath prolong'd my dayes With ardent zeale I will on God depend Sweet soule revive my sorrows here shall end Let mutuall love in us againe be seene More strong more firme then heretofore hath beene SOVLE ALthough thy foule fraile spotted sins did draw Gods direfull wrath on thee observe his Law Th' Apostle Paul Christs Gospel did deny The Prophet Ionas thought from God to flye Yet God in mercy did their sins forgive And they eternally with him shall live Therefore O Lord keepe us from Satans clawes And hunger starve his guts and greedy jawes SOVLE and BODY HEre on the earth againe in one we live Heav'ns grant we may no more offend nor grieve Blest
downe and brambles live Then when I left my Church-worke every night I still would take a Pen and thus did write Wee Painters erre to picture death still blind For I observe he sees the best to find But meagre death thy Dart hath done them good Thrice happie they wherein thy sting hath stood Thou art deceiv'd their soules to heaven flye Though in the earth their bodies rotting lye Thy ghastly pale grim face makes friends to weepe When thy sharpe dart makes friends in earth to sleepe Yet nought thou canst with all thy hate or love Save what 's decreed by that three-one above Then let me spare to rave and be content He is commanded by th'Omnipotent He doth command the world and him also Therefore let us prepare with death to go Let those alas who too too oft have stood More for the Church goods then the Churches good Repent and grieve for it with awfull feare Praysing his name who doth his rod forbeare And let those great ones next who seeme most strong Can hardly offer right or suffer wrong Let them with humble hearts and soules confesse That heretofore they weakely did transgresse Let every one make privie search within And with repentance root out damned sin Let 's firmely love yea with a tender heart All envie malice discord set apart Such sins as those and others not much lesse Is th' onely cause of griefe and heavinesse T was not their sins alone which bred our woe But ours with theirs and many sinners mo We are the cause alas as well as they For which our friends so soone doe rot in clay We oft speake faire and love is dayly faind Gold some doe make their God ungodly gaind When men grow rich they then grow insolent Scorning the poore and harmelesse innocent Gods wrath we doe provoke he oft doth threat With bitter teares let 's humbly him intreat To save the rest and turne his wrath away Oh! turne us Lord I 'm bold my selfe to pray For for our sins and for our wicked crimes Thou tak'st away the godly oftentimes God takes from us in my conceipt the best My faithfull friends with death he did arrest Thus I my heart did ease at idle times With making such unpleasant dolefull lines Six sheets of Paper closely did I write The more I griev'd bewail'd the more I might Of them I onely here have given a touch To Criticks eares I know it s too too much Therefore I le cease and hold on my discourse In praise of God which may perhaps seeme worse To them when I had gon through Brecknockshire And Painted most of all the Churches there My Prentise did desire his friends to see And with his father rid to Mountgom'ry That day from Herefordshire a message came To me and said that there God spread my fame I thither must make hast without delay And there resolve a moneth or two to stay To teach young Gentlemen to write with speed Whom Doctor Rogers in his house did breed To them I went where I did find such love As if the powers divine had from above Decreed that to my native place I must returne And for the good of others am I borne My Prentise then return'd to me no more Wherefore my Church Commission I gave ore Now was my first borne son on All Saints day â—ust five yeers old and as my friends did say About that time the day the houre of 's birth His blessed soule forsooke this mortall earth Then on the morrow when I heard that newes 〈◊〉 came unto my house where I did use 〈◊〉 Iob like patient mind and prays'd the Lord Not doubting but his mercy would afford Me grace to be content then did I write And make this Epitaph his fathers mite On All Saints day thou didst draw vitall breath On All Saints day God sent for thee by death On All Saints morne t was five yeeres since that time Thou first unto thy mothers papes did climbe God cald thee hence twice all the Saints did show Thou wast a jewell which God himselfe did owe God did decree that all the Saints should bring Thee to the earth and fetch thee to their King Who so is borne to day and dyes to morrow Looseth few dayes of mirth but moneths of sorrow Then when some mournfull dayes for him were past To Herefordshire againe I did make hast Unto my Schollers there but by the way I at a zealous house was forc't to stay Whose sons that Doctor did instruct and I Their want in th' Arte of writing did supply And as I backe returned home againe At that religious house I did remaine All night and on the Sabbath day I went From thence unknowne because I would prevent The time for riding to and fro so far My expectation it did seeme to bar But when I came to them againe I heard A mild discourse which made my soule affeard Cause I againe had trespast on Gods day For which offence I wept and thus did pray Be pleas'd O Lord to make me recompence My weake desire and wilfull ignorance With zeale devout Lord shield me every where From bold presumption griefe despaire and feare Then as through Hereford I often past The Free Schoole-Master and his friends at last With many a Townes-man there did speake to me That in their City I sometimes would be To teach to write For in your native Towne Said they where you once liv'd your fame is blowne Their kind perswasion soon impression tooke In me for Wales I instantly forsooke And all preferments there to Hereford I came whose Church and Colledge will afford A pensive man true comfort in distresse True food for soules and men in heavinesse Now in this City can I scarcely gaine Sufficient meanes yet doe I still maintaine My selfe my family taxations pay And all God sends to whom I fast and pray Grant me thy grace O God contentment still Lord my ambition is to doe thy will Thou know'st that 's all the wealth I wish on earth Which is thy gracious gift my second birth My heart my soule shall on my God relie His name I blesse I praise I magnifie Which is the cause that I this Mite have writ To shew my zeale but not to blaze my wit Which is but weake a Trades-man weake I am Whom Christ I hope hath cald t' adore his name THE PRAYER O Lord God everlasting Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth glorious holy and mercifull art thou in all thy works of thy goodnesse and mercy thou maa'st me of the dust of the earth breathing in me the breath of life to the intent I should continually serve thee but I a miserable and wretched sinner following the steps of my first parents transgressed thy commandements and have beene often inveigled by the world the flesh and the divell to breake thy Sabbath for which my conseience perswades me by many infallible reasons that thou in mercy hast afflicted me for the same yet upon my weake humiliation thou wast pleased after thy chastisement to comfort my heart with the remembrance of thy fatherly love declared in thy sacred word for thou causedst thine onely Son Christ Iesus to descend from thy throne of Majesty into this vale of woe and misery who became as it were a sinfull man and suffered the most shamefull death of the Crosse for my sins and for the sinnes of all Mankind he being spotlesse and righteous neverthelesse I still erred and procured thy wrath and indignation against me yet in mercy thou only afflicted sime for my sins offences piercing my conscience for prophaning thy Sabbath for which thou mightest justly have consumed me and rooted me out from the face of the earth but thy mercy overswayed thy justice for thou sparedst my life when all that saw me or heard of me said I was either dead or past hopes of recovery verifying in me the Apostles words This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes and what thy Servant David said is true in me Lord thou hast chastised and corrected me but hast not given me over to death therefore my heart and soule and all my vitall spirits shall magnifie thy great name beseeching thee for Iesus Christs sake if it be thy blessed will and pleasure to restore me to my former stoength speech health memory and faculties that I may hereafter walke faithfully before thee all the dayes of this my earthly pilgrimage doing and performing diligently with faith hope and zeale those things which thou commandest me banishing from my heart presumption and despaire Lord forgive me my former sins and iniquities which I ungraciously and partly thorow ignorance have committed against thee Thou knowest O God my simplenesse and what I need better then I can aske or crave therefore in all humility I refer my will to thy blessed pleasure beseeching thee O most gracious Father to continue multiply and increase thy love and favour bestowed on me that I never offend thee in thought word deed or consent and when it shall please thee to call for this my wretched body out of this miserable world that my Saviour may present it spotlesse unto thee amongst thine elect notwithstanding the wickednes of my corrupt nature which blessing I humbly beg at thy mercifull hands for the merits of thy only Son Christ Iesus my Saviour redeemer and advocate O immortall eternall and everliving God from the bottome of my heart and soule I blesse magnifie and adore thy sacred name beseeching thee again and againe for Iesus sake to accept of these my humble petitione although my hand is not able to write nor heart conceive the praises due unto thee neither can any tongue declare thy love goodnes and mercy Wherfore I conclude this my humble desire praise and thanksgiving with that absolute prayer which thy Son my advocate Iesus Christ hath taught us saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. FINIS
on Whitsunday For then I know from God I went astray Within six weekes the Surgeon came againe To me but then they said I told him plaine I knew him not wherefore he did reply Your braines I felt when you were like to dye Witnesse this bone which then I tooke from you My friends did say alas it 's too too true He under God did save your life on earth And gave a being to your second birth Then as a child I did begin to goe And senselesse liv'd of griefe of paine of woe My mother and my friends newly did grieve And prayd that I so simple might not live They of a wedding speake where I had beene Wishing that I those parties nere had seene Whereat I mus'd for I had cleane forgot The same alas said I I know it not Hath not the Lord new moulded me agen And makes me now a spectacle for men To gaze upon but t is my makers pleasure Which I imbrace as worldlings doe their treasure His Sabbath I prophan'd not once nor twice But too too oft for which I Sacrifice These sighs of mine my wound it fairely heal'd Which pleas'd my Surgeon well yet he appeal'd To God he could not make me speake againe Yet I but halfe a yeare did so remaine Nay in a moneth or two my health I had Though weake and feeble melancholly sad But then my Mother she my double nurse Departed home whereat I griev'd far worse To thinke my faculties from me were gon Which made me sigh and pray to God alone For grace and that he would be pleas'd to see My dolefull case my feare infirmitie In mercy then my memory he sent Againe and gave me grace for to repent Then on the Sabbath day my thoughts did run I griev'd I mourn'd to thinke what I had done On Whitsunday before declar'd alas For which I feare the heav'ns brought this to passe On me and makes me to the world relate The cause that mortall man that sin may hate My heart condemnes me still for that offence Cause seven weeks after I had lost each sense My memory fayld in all things that I knew Before that time which I before did shew Then in my griefe I slept and in my sleepe The Angell spoke that did my body keepe Yet foure and thou shalt be as thou hast beene Which made me hope at foure weeks end t' have seene It come to passe but that night in a Dreame The Angell spake againe foure yeares I meane With that I wak't and prais'd the God of might Who in my sleepe resolv'd my doubt that night Which made my heart rejoyce then as I prayd The spirit spake againe and thus it said Gods sacred Booke take thou and understand His will read it and marke what he commands Doe not despaire he knowes thy judgement 's weake Thy heart he knows what thy tongue would speake Observe and note his mercies manifold To haynous sinners our fore-forefathers old Which Booke in time I read in hope in feare Yet speechlesse I remain'd for halfe a yeare After that dreadfull accident most strange But then my desperate thoughts to faith did change Now when the Idoll of vaine pleasure she Whom on the Lords day I did ride to see Was of her sicknesse late recovered quite Her lewd temptation made my soule affright But then I found God was displeas'd likewise With her the Load-stone to my miseries For on his blessed day his day of rest His word I loath'd when she my heart possest To her I rid who likewise did prophane Gods day for which offence she came to shame That yeare she from those parts disgracefull fled And in another shire was brought to bed The child being borne of it she was bereft By death ere since her native place she left Thefore I pray as God converted me Doe so O Lord to her where ere she be Then from my mother speedily I heard My father in law lay sicke his death she fear'd Which made me strive to write my mind againe To her and then I wisht her to refraine To grieve excessively if he should dye God would provide enough fot her and I After which time eight dayes he liv'd the most Then as they say he yeelded up the ghost Which when I heard I griev'd yet then I thought that God did looke on me agen And for my mothers good this chance befell That after ages may this Story tell When she was married to that second man I then being Prentice from my Master ran Because I griev'd at her unluckie fate I fear'd her choice would prove unfortunate Which soone did come to passe his gains did slip Still through his hands by too oft suretiship Which made my mother vex she wept she griev'd Yea small content she had while here he liv'd Wherefore this dire mischance the Lord did send To me that she in Wales might me attend But when to Hereford she was return'd Within eight dayes she for her husband mourn'd Whose unexpected death perplext her heart But then Mans chiefe protector tooke her part On her my thoughts did run I could not rest Untill she yeelded to my small request Which onely was that she would live with me The which the pow'rs divine did first decree With me my fathers name she had againe ' Cause I her son as husband did remaine Two yeares being past and gon in hope I liv'd At Bath to gaine my speech for which I griev'd Which made me often to be vext and crost For all my faculties and speech I lost At Bath I stayd nine dayes in expectation Not as brave gallants doe for recreation But I with Faith and hope my time did spend Then as from Bath I rid at the Townes end My horse did stumble at a heape of stones Whereon I fell there might I breake my bones My foot within the Srirrop hung to shew My life my soule my all to God I owe He made my horse afraid to stirre or move From thence untill my foot I did remove Out of the Stirrop then my friend came in And held my horse who saw that I had bin Deliv'red safe from harme but fearefull sad Which made me thinke upon a dreame I had Two yeares before my heart did then perceive God might my braines dash out and me bereave Of life because I did mistrust that he At foure yeares end would make me be As I had beene Lord pardon me for it And I shall wait untill thou thinkst it fit To make me sound yet I in Bristoll stayd At that new well till I was there afraid Of Gods all-seeing power then did I grieve Because my faith would not a dreame beleeve And I returned home againe with speed Where for my secret sins my heart did bleed Then did I call to mind what God had pend There I observ'd Gods mercies hath no end Made knowne by 's Prophets and Apostles grave Which did increase my faith and comfort gave To me yea there I
markt what fearefull sin Our fore-fathers did too too much runne in Gods mighty wrath they often did provoke Yet soone it vanisht as the Airy smoake But most severe he hath beene unto those Who did his Sabbath breake when they might choose Witnesse the man who for a small offence On Gods blest day death was his recompence He onely gathered sticks to serve his need But from neglect or sloth it did proceed God seaven dayes did make and did exempt But one for his owne use now in contempt If man abuse his Sabbath which he blest And from his worldly labours will not rest Or if we lewdly spend the Sabbath day Or carelessely his sacred will obey Or if that day our duties we neglect For that offence wee may the like expect But he that gathered sticks and I have bin Thus plagu'd that others may abhorre that sin Praysed be God for it though I have beene Ere since perplext in mind yet hath he seene Me dayly on my knees for mercy praving And with repentant teares alwayes am saying O Lord my God my faith my hope encrease My weake petitions grant when thou shalt please Yet all those faculties which I enjoy'd For seven yeares the Lord my God annoy'd But I with faith and hope did alwayes pray Unto him still whose mercy doth o'resway His justice great for in all ages past Gods dreadfull wrath did but a moment last And his chastisement which in mercy fall The greater blessings doe attend them all Witnesse the Thiefe that dyed with our Saviour His faith upon the Crosse his last behaviour Made him with Jesus Christ to live for ever And with the Saints he Lauds th' Almighty giver Of Heaven and Earth of joy of Peace of Rest The onely man that at his Death was blest Now seeing in mercy God chastised me With faith I hope my life was his decree He turn'd my teares to smiles and in my sleepe The Spirit that spake true promise then did keepe For long before the time was at an end A married wife from London God did send Unto her husband who in Brecknocke liv'd Where he with sicknesse was long vext and griev'd Now in this second Mâ—trymoniall knot Gods love and mercy shall not be forgot For when the Sick-mans meanes was almost gon It was encreast past hopes by God alone Who made his wife returne to ease his heart And from her gold most freely she did part She travail'd far and neere by day and night To gaine Physitions aid if that she might No cost she spar'd no physicke did he lacke But all in vaine for death at crusht his backe Yet God did make their love againe more strong Then ere it was which death did crosse ere long For Atropo's stole with his dierfull knife And suddainly did cut his thred of life Before his death she dream'd by her relation Unto their friends beyond mans expectation She being with child was often sicke with feare Then in a dreame her Unckle did appeare To her and to her comfort thus he said Thinke on Christ Jesus be not thou dismaid On wednesday thou shalt ease and comfort have But when she wak'd the man was in his grave In dust and ashes he was long before For he had then beene dead six yeares and more Her husband being in tomb'd within the earth Two children strove in her to have their birth Then two moneths after upon Friday night Strong throws and labour did her soule affright Yea day by day she was in mortall paine Untill that hopefull wednesday came againe The Mid-wife and her friends this counsell gave To cut her wombe that she her life might save But she replied nay God forbid that I Should rip my wombe no rather let me dye But on the wednesday morne that followed next Her griefe encreast and she was more perplext Then from her wombe a sweet girle there did spring Which did encrease her faith not feare deaths sting Yet then her throws encreas'd she had more paine Till from her wombe a dead child sprung againe Which was a boy the girle on earth did live Eleaven dayes Then Christ her soule did give To God and all her friends with one accord Did humbly praise th' eternall mighty Lord Who such a wonder on a stranger wrought The like was never seene in Wales t is thought God sav'd her life past hopes and made her know The day that his great mercy he would show To her her friends thus said she was belov'd Of God for God her faith and patience prov'd She was chastis'd to shew that she was blest God spar'd her life her faith the heavens increast Her love her care of him who caus'd her wo Doth shew her faith yet she they said must do The like no doubt Gods glory she must raise For which she lives to gaine eternall praise Cease doting Muse in vaine thou setst her forth God knowes her heart let heav'ns make knowne her worth She being restored to her health againe Among her husbands friends she did maintaine Her selfe according to her rancke and blood In modest sort during her widdow-hood She taught to sow to wash to starch to read Her love her fame in divers shires did spread From whence the Gentry did their children send To her her breeding they did still commend Her paines her care her love gave all content The heaven of heavens did know her true intent Then did she dreame againe as t was reported A Painter to her company resorted He gain'd her love to him she married was But thought that it would never come to passe When she awak't but in the morning she Did aske what Painters here in Wales might be Her friends reply'd truly we know not well But in this Towne there 's one we all can tell This night said she a Painter won my love A blacke haird man of him I did approve But now the Painter I have lost my love Is God who did my faith and patience prove Then when she was growne strong she did returne Unto that house where she began to mourne For her late husband dead but when againe She came my mother neere her did remaine Where they close neighbors for a twelve month liv'd And oft discours'd sometimes wherefore they griev'd My mother finding her most loving courteous kind Of good conditions and a zealous mind They both were intimate and liv'd together More deare then neighbours for I knew not whether Greater affection bore unto each other Then for her kind respects unto my Mother In commendations of her blessed name I these unpolisht lines did frame Mary a Virgin God and Man did beare Who conquer'd Death for those in thraldome were And you in name and nature blest also For health unto the Virgins Son did go Your love your faith your hope in God your joy Brought you to him who did death hell destroy Then when the Spirits promise did grow neere Fresh hopes reviv'd my heart as shall appeare My senses all
benumb'd my drooping mind My tongue my limbs did alteration find For when my speech and faculties I lost Upon deepe despaires tombe my heart was tost And now the heavens who life doth still presage bound up my wounds and bids me cherish age What cares what feares then harbour'd in my brest Is knowne to him who matrimony blest He made me goe unto my Mothers friend That faithfull widdow whom she did commend Our hearts we linkt in one we did agree When that our Nuptiall day should be Which now I note t was just foure dayes before The foure yeeres were expired and no more Upon which day she said for you I tarried My life God spar'd for you yet was I married A twelve moneth since unto an Artist kind Unto a blacke hair'd Painter but I find Dreames are but fantasies they 'r seldome true Then I replyd that dreame perhaps comes now For I a Painter am or would be so Though I of late no faculty could show And Doctor Laud the Lord Archbishops grace Of Canterbury being Bishop of this place Saint Davies calld his Lordship promise made That by Commission I should use that trade Throughout his Dioces to beautifie The House of God by his authoritie And though of late he be translated hence Your dreame my hopes revive without offence Then when the next Lord Bishop there did come For to succeed the Lord Arch-bishops roome That 's now in my behalfe my Master spake To him who nobly for my Masters sake The like Commission caused to be made For me I his assistance had and aid Then with my men Gods house I did adorne Although before I seem'd as one forlorne But riding on the Sabbath day againe My soule and conscience griev'd and did complaine Against my heart God now the umpire is Who will not suffer man to doe amisse Then as I rid I thus resolv'd the doubt It is Gods house which makes me ride about Therefore I know I doe not God offend With that my heart did faint because the end Was for my gaine and not to rectifie The house of God which I did beautifie Then my Commission close two yeeres I staid Because my greedy heart made me dismayd My wife being then with Child that night when she Did hope by her account her Child to see At midnight she fell in a shivering fit Whom I awakt and askt the cause of it This night saith she when I expected ease My spirit or guardian angell which you please To me did speake whereat I was affrighted Thinke not its said that you shall yet be lighted On All Saints day God hath decreed that you Shall then be brought to bed alas it s now Full six weekes hence saith she alas that I Must so long yet endure this misery Yet t is Gods will she said his name I le praise His will be done he hath prolong'd my dayes Then in the morne she heart of grace did take All griefe all feare distrust she did forsake On All Saints eve her labour then begun Sad gripes and throwes in every part did run But by the breake of day on that blest morne That followed next a man child she had borne Into the world wherefore she prais'd the Lord Blessing his name who hath perform'd his word With her and said I most unworthy am To know thy will or call upon thy name Then I another course of life did undertake And for a time all Painting did forsake Because a friend of mine was Sheriffe there And his Recorder made me for that yeare I by that place experience still did gaine There I with credit did my charge maintaine My son by promise by my wifes relation God blest with vertue beyond expectation He being a twelve moneth old or somewhat more His mother dream'd againe as heretofore When Mistresse Prise of Brecknocke Priory lay Most dangerous sicke expecting every day The time she would this wretched life depart Cause all Physitians fayld with skill and Art To cure her long disease yet if she playd With her young child a voice unto her said She should be eas'd of each sicke tedious fit But wisht my houshold not to speake of it Least she should there be made a laughing stocke For dreames are fancies which doe most men mocke Still Mistresse Prise lay sicke as heretofore After that time a moneth I know and more About which time my wife did ride to see Her mother friends and kindred Gods decree That morne she went from home one privatly Reveal'd her dreame but told it secretly To Mistresse Prise who for my child did send To see if after that her griefe would end The child being brought to her with him she playd And him Physition cald but thus she pray'd Lord if it be thy will that I shall live And hast ordain'd this meanes I praises give Unto thy sacred name for this thy love Blesse this sweet child with grace that he may prove Thy Servant here on earth and in the end Make his sweet soule unto thy Throne ascend After the child's being there she mended still And did recover her health Gods sacred will His mother scarce a weeke from home did stay After the child with Mistresse Prise did play But God was pleas'd before my wife came home To make my Mistresse walke about her roome Then God restor'd her to her health againe And ever since in health she doth remaine She can declare the truth which I have Writ To shew the gift of God I thought most fit I having now discharg'd in Brecknockshire The Shire-Clerks place which held but for a yeere It pleas'd the Judges there my will to grace And did confer on me another place They made me an Attorney at th'Assise Which office there my fortunes did not rise Because my Clyants they were Welsh-men bred And when they spake I knew not what they sed Then I a Prentise tooke and thought it fit To teach him all things that was requisite But when I found he Welsh and English spake I thought with him I should more profit make If he and I with my Commission went T' adorne the House of God then my intent And purpose I began yet still I prayd My God my Lord who made my soule affraid T' assist my good desire Lord send me skill Againe t' adorne thy house he knew my will He was my ayd though he chastised me He makes me cautious of his blest decree Though I did once prophane his day of rest Henceforth I hope t' observe his Sabbath blest For on that day within his sacred Booke My heart and soule for profit there shall looke His grace and favour I have found againe He with his blessings doth my life sustaine Still he is pleas'd t' assist me with his grace Which doth my mind content in every place Yet every day my sorrows did encrease Because my speciall friends did still decrease Death strikes them here too fast ah me I grieve To see strong Oakes cast