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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20917	A true discourse of the practises of Elizabeth Caldwell, Ma: Ieffrey Bownd, Isabell Hall widdow, and George Fernely, on the parson of Ma: Thomas Caldwell, in the county of Chester, to haue murdered and poysoned him, with diuers others Together with her manner of godly life during her imprisonment, her arrainement and execution, with Isabell Hall widdow; as also a briefe relation of Ma: Ieffrey Bownd, who was the assise before prest to death. Lastly, a most excellent exhortorie letter, written by her own selfe out of the prison to her husband, to cause him to fall into consideration of his sinnes, &c. Seruing like wise for the vse of euery good Christian. Beeing executed the 18. of Iune. 1603. VVritten by one then present as witnes, their owne country-man, Gilbert Dugdale.	Dugdale, Gilbert.; Armin, Robert, fl. 1610.	1604 (1604)	STC 7293; ESTC S110927	16,795	32

shut your eares against the worde of Exhortation you cannot haue any hope of saluation for the booke of God is full of iudgements against wilfull sinners and mercie is to them that repent turne Therefore I beseech you vse no delay deferre no time but presently bee acquainted with the Scriptures for they will leade you to eternall life make hast euen before your hands part with this paper to search therein that so you may truly vnderstand the wretched estate condition of those who following the lusts of there eyes wallow in all sensualitie and so heape vp vengance against the day of wrath euen heauie Iudgments no lesse then condemnation both of soule and body As Salomon saith Reioyce O young man in thy youth let thy hart cheare thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the waies of thy hart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all things God will bring thee to Iudgement Remember he spared not the Angells when they sinned but cast them downe into hell nor of the old world but eight onely escaped the rest were drowned in their sinnes because they would not be warned Baltasar sayth Daniell expounding the fearefull vision of the hands writing when hee was banqueting with his Concubines thou art wayed in the Ballance and are found light These and many more are written for our admonition vppon whom the ends of the world are come search for them and I pray God you may be warned by them and that you may seeke the Lord now while hee may bee found and call vppon him while he is neere Behold now the day of saluation euen now when he in mercy offereth himselfe vnto vs by preaching of his word receiue not these graces in vaine but redeeme your time and runne vnto the house of God and there in the great congregation power foorth your plaint with obedience heare the word of God and indeuour to practise what you heare in your conuersation for the doores onely shall bee iustified at the last day the word must iudge vs in this life it worketh effect for which it was sent it either conuerts or hardens it is the sauour of life vnto life or of death vnto death it is offered to all to those that imbrace it it brings life to those that will not be reformed by it it brings death to those that loue and desire it it is the quicking spirit to those that refuse it it is the killing Letter it is no speciall argument of God his fauour vnto any vnlesse they feele the power thereof working reformation in them then it is the power of his spirit the pledge of his blessing Ignoraunce must not excuse you for the Prophet saith my people languish for want of knowledge and knowledge without practise leaues al men without excuse for hee that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many strips therefore make more conscience of the word of God then you haue done and loue his Messengers the Preachers that brings that glad tidings for to loue them is to loue Christ and to hate them is to hate Christ as our Sauiour saith he that dispiseth you dispiseth me and it is hard to kick against the prick And loue the children of God that professe Christ Iesus for hereby shall men knowne that you are my Disciples if you loue one another saith our Sauiour And for the Saboth day bee yee assured that the Lord of heauen hath not in vaine chosen it to himselfe commaunding vs to Sanctifie it vnto his holy name no no if euer we desire to be pe●takers of the spirituall Saboth in heauen whereof ours on earth is but a tipe and a figure then must we striue to keepe the same Saboth on earth as much as in vs lyes which the Saints keepe in heauen they are at rest from those labours that mortality is subiect vnto and vncessantly sing prayses vnto the Lamb so should we rest that day from the labours of our calling and spend the whole day in hearing of the word preached praysing the Lord publickly in the great congregation priuatly at home with our families preferring such other holy exercises as may tend to the glory of God the comfort of our soules the good of others which we are bound to performe so straightly as that we may not that day be alowed to speake such words as concerne of vocations And how soeuer it please the world to thinke of the great God of heauen and of the sanctifying of the Saboths yet be you assured he is a iealious God and will visite sinners and one seede of his word shall not be lost but he will be glorified by it either in the saluation of those who in a good conscience willingly indeuour to sanctifie them or in the condemnation of those who wilfully oppose themselues against his blessed ordinaunce to prophane them which is one of the crying sinnes of this land wherewith the whole Kingdome is infected and if there were not some fewe to stand in the gap for whose sake the Lord doth speare the rest it had not beene possible we should so long haue escaped his heauy iudgements O deere husband the Lord hath long since taken his sword in his hand to execute his vengance against all disobedient wretched who turne the Saboth of the Lord into a day of wantonnes liberty and licentiousnes and although in his great mercy he doth yet forbeare to proceede to iudgement as it were in great mercy waiting our repentance yet there wil suddainely come a day of reckoning all together and the wicked make the patience of our God an occasion to commit sinne and prophanes yet let them knowe the Lord will take vengance of his aduersaries and reserue wrath for his enemies and though hee be slowe to anger yet is he great in power and will not surely cleare the wicked though he deferre the Sessions yet they will come and though he haue Leaden feete yet hath he Iron hands though the fier light not vppon Sodome all the euening yet it came Doe not therefore prouoke the Lord any longer by your prophanes for he is strong readie to punnish and hath promised that the person that dispiseth his word shall be cut of Did hee not commaunde a man to be stoned to death for gathering a fewe sticks on the Saboth day and is hee not still the same God yes certaine his arme is not shortned if we wilfully persist in our disobedience Sixe market dayes hee hath giuen vs to prouide vs necessaries for our bodies and but one hath hee chosen for himselfe to be a day of holines which is the market day for the soule wherein wee should prouide vs of comforts for the whole weeke The excellencie and woorth of this day is vnspeakable to those that sanctifie it It is the badge and liuerie whereby they are knowne to bee the seruaunts of God to those that prophane it in spending the day in

to the good of our poore soules So by this meanes as I showed you before this Elizabeth Caldwell was still detained in prison till the next Assise following at what time Isabell Hall was indited as an actor in this murder and found guilty by the Iurie condemned and executed And Elizabeth Caldwell also receiued the death of execution at the same instant though my Lady Cholmsley very worshipfull and louingly made earnest sute vnto the Iudge for her depriue till the Assise following y ● which by no meanes would be granted And she seeing her sute would not take effert being very sorrowfull like a kind Ladie went vnto Elizabeth Caldwell her selfe and showed her she could not therein preuaile for her Indeede my Lady and others had an intent if they could haue got her repriue to haue vsed meanes to the King for a petition but seeing it would not be Elizabeth dutifully yéelded thanks vnto her Ladiship and said shée was very well content to receiue the death ordained for her My Lady departed and she practising her former exercises I meane prayer vntill such time as the Keeper came and told her the Shrieffe was come to the Glouersstone to receiue her and the rest of the prisoners appointed for death and she very chéerefully aunswered I trust in my God I am ready and farewell to the Lawe too long haue I béene in thy subiection so departing the castell taking leaue with euery one and from hence to the place of execution she some times sung Psalmes and vsed other godly meditations as was thought fitting for her by those Diuines and godly Preachers which accompanied her euen to her death A Letter written by Elizabeth Caldwell to her Husband during the time of her imprisonment ALthough the greatnes of my offence deserues neither pittie nor regarde yet giue leaue vnto your poore sorrowfull wife to speake vnto you what out of her owne wofull experience with aboundance of griefe and teares she hath learned in the Schoole of affliction it is the last fauour that I shall euer beg at your hands and the last office that euer I shall performe vnto you And therfore deere Husband if you haue any hope or desire to bee partaker of the ioyes of heauen let my speeches finde acceptance and doe not slightly esteeme what I write vnto you but reade these lines againe and againe and lay them vp in your hart where I beseech Almightie God they may take deepe roote and impression For my witnesse is in heauen that my harts desire and earnest prayer to GOD is that your soule may be saued And if the losse of my blood or life or to endure any torments that the world can inflict vpon me might procure your true conuersion I should esteeme it purchased at an easie rate but sith none can haue saluation without true Reformation both inward and outward amendement in changing the affection words and works from euill to good which till you feele in your soule conscience to be effectually wrought you haue not repented defer not time but call to God for grace of true Repentance which may be sound euen in this accepted time when the doores of Gods mercy are open that so he may haue mercie on you least he giue you ouer to hardnesse of hart that you cannot repent and so you knocke with the foolish virgins when the date of Gods mercies are out and then nothing but woe woe and vengeance therefore the longer you deferre the harder it will be for you to repent and delayes are most dangerous for what know you how suddenlie death may strike you and then as the tree falls so it lies that is as you die so shall you haue if in true repentance ioy if in your sinnes sorrow Therefore saith Salomon All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it withall thy power for there is neither worke nor knowledge inuention nor wisedome in the graue whether thou goest O husband be not deceiued with the world thinke that it is in your power to repent when you will or that to say a fewe prayers from the mouth outward a little before death or to cry God mercie for fashion sake is true repentance No no not euerie one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heauen saith our Sauiour Late repentance is sildome true true repentance is not so easie a matter to come by as the word doth iudge Doe not presume on it and so runne on in your sinfull course of life thinke to repent when you list you can not doe it for repentance is the rare gift of GOD which is giuen but to a verie fewe euen to those that seeke it with many teares and verie earnestlie with feruent prayers None can better speake of it for none better knowes it then my selfe my sorrowfull hart hath smarted for it and my soule hath beene sick to the gates of hell and of death to finde it and to haue it is more precious then all the world therefore cease not to pray day and night with the prophet Turne thou vs vnto thee ô Lord and we shall be turned and with Ephraim conuert thou mee ô Lord and I shall bee conuerted for except you be conuerted you shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen And because none can be conuerted nor come vnto Christ except the Father drawe him neuer leaue to solicite the Father of mercy to create a new hart and renewe a right spirit within you and call to remembrance the desolutenesse of your life I speake it not to lay any thing to your charge for I doe loue you more deerely then I doe my selfe but remember in what a case you haue liued howe poore you haue many times left me how long you haue beene absent from mee all which aduantage the deuill tooke to subuert mee And to further his purpose he set his hellish instruments a work euen the practise of wicked people who continuallie wrought vpon my weaknes my pouertie and your absence vntill they made me yeeld to conspire with them the destruction of your bodie by a violent suddaine death which God in his great mercy preuented and on the knees of my hart in the abundance of his compassion I beseech him to forgiue vs all wash our soules in the blood of his Christ and to open the eyes of your vnderstanding that you may see by my example which the prouidence of God for some secrete cause best knowne to him selfe hath appointed to come to passe How weake and wretched wee are and how vnable to stand of our selues when it shall please him to take his grace from vs and to leaue vs to our selues Therefore good husband as you tender the welfare of your soule goe no further on in your sinfull race but turne vnto the Lord so shall you saue your soule aliue If you continue in your abhominations and

worldly pleasures drunkennes filthinesse it is the certaine badge and liuerie whereby they are knowne to be the seruants of the deuill according to the sayings of the Apostle knowe you not vnto whomsoeuer ye giue your selues as seruants to obey his seruants yee are to whom yea obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes If my people will sanctifie my Saboth saith the Lord it shall be a signe betweene me and them that they may knowe that I ame the Lord there God and blessed are they who haue the Lord for their God So that to those that prophane the Saboth the Lord is not their God but the deuill and cursed are the people that are in such a case therefore deere husband deferre no time put not of from day to day to turne vnto the Lord nether be you deceiued for God is not mocked the longer you runne on the more you set on the score and such as you sowe such shall you reape for the Lord hath sayd He that heareth my words and doth blesse himselfe in hart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbernes of my hart thus adding drunkennes to thirst the Lord will not bee mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord his iealosie shall smooke against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vppon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen but vnto them that repent the Lord hath sayd when the wicked turneth away from his wickednes that he hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right hee shall saue his soule aliue You see the iudgements of God are begunne alreadie in your house happie shall you be if you make a holy vse of them otherwise heauior may be expected especially if you persist In his mercy he hath spared you and doth yet waite for your repentance doe not you abuse his patience any longer lest thereby you prouoke him to proceede to execution against you but imbrace his mercy which is yet a offered vnto you for which that you may so do I shall not cease to pray whilst I liue to him who onely is able to effect it euen the Lord of heauen who send vs ioyfull meetting at the day of our Resurrection Your poore wife Elizabeth Caldwell The words of Elizabeth Caldwell at the time of her death FIrst she desired that the Lord would giue a blessing vnto the speeches that she deliuered y t they might tend to the conuerting of many of the hearers and also she sayd that the word of God did not giue her any priuiledge and authority to sinne but that it was her owne filthy flesh the illutions of the deuill and those hellish instruments which he set on worke yet notwithstanding she euer had a detestation to those sinnes that she liued in but she affirmed that she wanted grace to auoyd them therefore as she had giuen a great scandall to the word of God by professing and not practising the same euen so she desired the great mercy of God to forgiue her that sinne acknowledging that she stoode to presumptiously vpon her owne conceite and grew too proud vowing and swearing that she would neuer doe such and such things but suddainly fell into the like againe Therfore she gaue Saint Paules admonition vnto euery one Let him that thinketh he stands take heede of a present fall likewise she exhorted all to the dilligent obseruation of the Saboth day saying that one of her chiefe and capitall sinnes was the neglect thereof and although the world did recon and esteeme it a small matter yet she knewe it to be one of her greatest sinnes wishing all people in the feare of God to make a reuerent account of the Lords glorious Saboth she complained much of adultery and said it was that filthy sinne which was the cause of her death and was perswaded in her conscience that her afflictions was rather for that then any murder shee euer committed notwithstanding shee yeelded her selfe culpable in concealing of it manifesting that in regard of her sinnes and iniquities she deserued a thousand deaths praying most earnestly vnto God that her selfe might be a warning and example vnto all there present wishing them most earnestly to serue the Lord of what degree soeuer they were if they were neuer so poore but were forst to craue there liuing from doore to doore which done then were they happy creatures Then againe she admonished all to keepe the Saboth to goe to the church and heare the word of God preached for that was the only truth and able to saue their soules But as touching Papistrie she euer hated it knowing it contrary and flatly opposite against the truth of the great God of heauen and his holy word praying for the confution and desolution of the great whore of Babilon but most deuoutly and sencerely praying for the currant passage of the Gospell of Christ Iesus throughout the whole world to the conuerting of thousands desiring that the very stones of the streete might set foorth the glory of God and withall most religiously she prayed for the Kings most excellent Maiestie and sayd she might call him her King while shee liued that his sacred royall Person might be a bright shining lampe of Gods glory in the aduancement of the Gospell of Christ and the ouerthrowe of poperie superstition in these his Kingdomes and dominions Then made knowne that she could teach as the Preachers for they taught as they found it in the word and she was able to speake from a feeling hart very confidently affirming that her sinnes were the greatest reason of the dulnes and hardnes of her hart and the seperation of Gods mercies from her and therefore she carefully aduised all to beware of sinne because it was hateful and odious in the sight of God and all reasonable creatures Concerning repentance shee spake thus that it was not in the power of man to repent when hee list but the only gift of God protesting before the Lord of heauen and earth that during the time of her imprisonment being a full yeare and a quarter she had sought the Lord with many bitter teares with broken and contrite hart to see if his Maiestie would be intreated and yet she found not such assurance as she desired but auouched what she did was done in simplicity of hart whatsoeuer the world did other was censure Moreouer saying that in the mercies and merites of Christ Iesus shee hoped her sinnes were pardoned and sayd I belieue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Also she sayd that in the time of her imprisonment the Lord had beene very gracious and mercifull vnto her for many the faithfull ministers and deere seruants of Iesus Christ had recourse vnto her by whose meanes she had recouered great comfoorth praysing the Lord for the same yet notwithstanding the world most iniuriously did deride scofe and mock them which was most wicked and

abhominable saying that if there were fortie and two children deuoured for mocking the Prophet Eliza what then shall befall of them that doe blaspheme the name of the great God of heauen prophane his holy Saboth speake euill of his word and abuse his faithfull Ministers Therefore she desired all to turne from their sinnes and to turne to the Lord by true and vnfained repentance praysing very earnestly for her husbands conuersion and that her two children might haue the feare of God before their eyes and that the glory of God might appeare in the conuersion of prisoners though it were with the losse of her owne life so infinite was her zeale Then shee prayed the Lord that hee would pardon all her grieuous and heynous sinnes in the bloodshed of Christ Iesus beséeching him to clense her from her secret sinnes praying that she might be a Doore-keeper in the house of God and receiue the meanest place of glory Then said shee that if the great and tall Ceaders of the Church of God haue fallen as Dauid Salomon and Manasses how then coulde shee stand béeing but a bramble and weake wretched woman Therefore shee exhorted euery one to depend onely vpon the Lord and not to stand vpon theyr owne strength as shee had doone And greatly then desiring all the people to pray vnto GOD for her shee called for her Prayer booke reading and praying zealouslie and deuotly to Almighty GOD with her eyes lift vp towards heauen which doone shee requested that they would sing a Psalme reading it her selfe singing with a good spirit that afterwards she vttered that shee felt the mercies of GOD and her soule was much comforted and hoped that in the blood of Christ Iesus her sinnes were pardoned and saide shee coulde not amend that which was past but was most hartily sorrowfull for her former sinnes saying that if shee shoulde liue yet many yeeres her desire would be in seruing the Lord therefore she desired him vpon the knees of her hart that hee would respect the will for the déede and accept her poore desires saying O suffer me yet once to recouer my strength before I goe hence and be séene no more Praying likewise for all those that ministred comforts vnto her in her misery and distresses that the Lord would blesse them and continue them faithfull vnto the end Then forgiuing and asking forgiuenes of all making her selfe ready saying her bodily death did not dismay her concluding with these her last words Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and so she left this miserable world and dyed the true seruaunt of Iesus Christ the xviij day of Iune 1603. ¶ Nowe yet againe remember our old beldame aforenamed that vncharitable creature Isabell Hall widdow béeing the onely instrument of this timelesse action who standing on the Ladder and ready to suffer for her fact did notwithstanding very stoutly denie euery thing that had beene doone in theyr late procéedings nay and abiurd it had not Elizabeth Caldwell with affirmation of all inserted her confession in that behalfe Who with an easie repentance to the worlds eye ended her life Whereby may be séene how strong the deuill in some actions is that shée by whose instigation all was doone both in the adulterie and murder would so impudently deny euery particuler notwithstanding the triall of the cause both manifested by Iudge and Iurie But thus we sée the boldnes of sinne and the coldnesse of the truth till God in mercie makes plaine the truth of the one and the wonder of the other All which tending to the example of others may moue vs to liuely repentance which not doone saluation cannot come but truly effected bréedes both the comfort of the soule and body To which comfort God in mercy bring vs for his sonne Iesus Christ his sake FINIS To the right honourable and his singuler good Lady the Lady Mary Chandois R. A. wisheth health and euerlasting happinesse MY honourable and very good Lady considering my dutie to your kind Ladiship remembring the vertues of your prepared minde I could doe no lesse but dedicate this strange worke to your view being both matter of moment and truth And to the whole world it may seeme strange that a Gentlewoman so vvell brought vp in Gods feare so well married so vertuous euer so suddainly wrought to this act of murder that when your Ladiship doth read aswell the Letter as the Booke of her owne indighting you will the more wonder that her vertues coulde so aptly tast the follies of vice and villanie But so it was and for the better proofe that it was so I haue placed my kinsmans name to it who was present at all her troubles at her comming to prison her beeing in prison and her going out of prison to execution That those Gentlemen to whom he dedicates his worke witnessed may also be pertakers in that kind for the proofe thereof that your Ladiship the world so satisfied may admire the deede and hold it as strange as it is true We haue many giddie pated Poets that coulde haue published this Report with more eloquence but truth in plaine attire is the easier knowne let fixion maske in Kendall greene It is my qualitie to adde to the truth truth and not leasings to lyes Your good Honor knowes Pincks poore hart who in all my seruices to your Late deceased kind Lord neuer sauoured of flatterie or fixion and therefore am now the bolder to present to your vertues the view of this late truth desiring you to so thinke of it that you may be an honourable mourner at these obsequies and you shall no more doe then manie more haue doone So with my tendered dutie my true ensuing storie and my euer wishing well I do humbly commit your Ladiship to the prison of heauen wherein is perfect freedome Your Ladiships euer in duty and seruice Robert Armin.