unto me for the wisest and greatest in this world have their frailties and infirmities David a man after Gods owne heart yet erred in numbring the people and confessed he had done very foolishly And Salomon his son the wisest and the greatest statesman that ever was upon the earth yet erred greatly and although he provided men-singers and women-singers and the delights of the sons of men yet he doth acknowledge all was but vanitie and vexation of spiritâ— And so I trust your noble and religious heart will tell you though you did provide you such excellent singers such rare conceits and curious Actors and numbred the people to behold it yet all is but vanitie and vexation of Spirit and the more vanitie and vexation of spirit because it was on the Lords day which should have been taken up with better meditations and the contemplation of Heaven and heavenly things and therefore that God might not be heareafter so dishonored nor your everlasting happinesse thereby endangered I beseech you in the tender mercie of our Saviour Christ give ear to the Counsell of your servant and be you pleased to submit your self to the censure of your own Court that so it may appeare to the world that you will not stand out in any thing that is ill but will give glorie to God and yeeld obedience to all good Lawes and so ye may stoppe the mouths and stay the fury of many prophane people which proclaime such libertie from this example to follow their vaine delights upon the Sabbath day But I hope when they shall heare that such is the justice of the Court and faithfulnesse of your Officers they will execute justice without respect of persons and therefore in this case will spare neither Lord Bishop nor Knights nor Ladies I trust I say when they shall heare of this it will be a great dancing and discouragement to them and also through the Lords mercie a means to repair again the breach whereat otherwise whole troops of prophane wretches will enter to lay violent hands upon the Lords Day and so beseeching the Lord God of Sabbath that my counsell might be as wholsome and as acceptable unto you as the Counsell of Abigal was to David that you might with that holy man say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath sent thee to meet me and blessed bee thou that hast kept mee from giving any countenance or encouragement to any man that dares presume to prophane the Sabbath of the great God of heaven Amen Lord Jesus Amen Haughton More November 4. 1631. From him that hath so great cause and is so much bound to your Lordship Iohn Spencer YOu may bee pleased that my Lord Bishop had lately made me Comissarie Generall upon this occasion the Earle of Cleaveland had built a sumptuous Chappell and intreated the Bishop to consecrate the same and it pleased their Lordships to give me notice of the day so I did attend the Bishop and the next day he did it with great state and solemnitie accompanied with the Earle and Knights and Ladies and a multitude of his Clergie there was a learned Sermon and the holy Sacrament administred and other rites and Ceremonies performed so that it was three a clock before they came out of the Chappell and then my Lord Bishop was pleased to question me before the Earle of Cleveland in this manner Master Spencer what will they say to you now that have been at the consecration of a Chappell received the Sacrament at the hands of a Bishop in his Babylonish garment I answered If they have nothing else to say to me this may very well be answered But he said unto me Master Spencer what shall I do for you now I know if I should make you my Vicar-Generall you will dislike of that because it is a Popish title but I le tell you what I will do for you I will make you my Commissarie-Generall and that he thought would please me better for I had prosecuted his Comissarie Smith and charged him with suspition of Treason against the Kings royall person well I thanked his Lord shortly after made more use of my Office then he would have had me for one Mr. wilson a cunning Musition having contrived a curious Comodie and plotted it so that he must needs have it acted upon the Sunday night for he was to go the next day toward the Court the Bishop put it off till nine of the clock at night a while after the Commissarie Doctor Morrison kept a Court at Huntington and I came thither and went into the seat with the Commissarie and put on my hat the Doctors and Divines stood with hats off and gave their attendance then some offered their presentment but I told Master Commissarie that I had a presentment and that must be the first and so he took it and read it the tennour was thus We do here present Iohn Lord Bishop of Lincolne for having a Comedie acted in his house upon the Sunday it began about nine of the clock at night and continued till two or three of the clock the next morning We do present also Sir Sidney Mountacute and his Lady for leaving their Parish Church to come to hear this Comedie We here present Sir Thomas Headly and his Lady for the like We do present Master Wilson and other Acters of the same So when Master Commissarie had read it he was somewhat amazed at it and asked of me who was the Commissarie Generall I bad him ask my Lord of Lincolne who was Commissary Generall And this presentment we do make Ex officio Commissarie Generall Iohn Spencer So when this was registered I took my leave of Master Commissarie and came away for feare I should hear something else And afterwards because the Bishop did not appear I censured him for his fault to build a Schole-house at Eaton and to endue it with twenty pounds a yeer for the maintenance of the Schole-Master Sir Sidney Mountacute to give five pounds and five coats to five poor women and his Lady five gowns and five pounds for five poor widdows and this censure stands still unrepealed A Letter to Sir William Litton Knight concerning Master Spencer that famous learned man committed to prison for the refusing to stand to the hard-award of Mr. Noades but was upon this letter speedily released and Sir William Litton tooke him againe into his favour and was a noble friend unto him during his life GOod Sir William Litton I have visited Mr. Spencer your famous prisoner whom it pleaseth you to call my Rabbi I finde him so willing to referre himselfe unto you and Sir Oliver Luke to mitigate his hard-award that Mr. Noades hath made that I need not any further perswasions to effect the same onely give me leave to make this request unto you that as humility is an excellent vertue in any man much more in a man of eminent parts that you would vouchsafe to be such a Patron
you flie from Chifwick to London from London to Hitchin from Hitchin to Bletfoe as though some fearfull Dragon did haunt your owne habitation or the aire was infected where your faire Ladie breathed Lastly our Saviour Christ being demanded by the proud Pharises whether it was lawfull for a man to put away his wife upon every occasion makes this most holy answer Matt. 19.4 And he answered and said unto them have you not read that he that made them at the beginning made them male and female and said for this cause shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and they twaine shall be one flesh wherefore they are no more twaine but one flesh Let therefore no man part asunder whom God hath coupled together Now that you have been thus ioined you dare not deny or if you should the solemn vow you made in the presence of Almightie God and before those honourable Personages in Cashawberry parlour shall witnesse against you therfore how dare you make this fearfull separation except you will proclaime your selfe a truce-breaker to man and a traitor to God the first too scandalous and the other too dangerous for a man of wisdome to undergo I beseech you in the tender mercies of Iesus Christ enter into a serious consideration with your selfe in what a desperate estate you are in and heartily repent of the evill you have committed and earnestly crave pardon of God and then with all speed make a holy reconciliation betwixt you and your fair Lady that so the scandall of your holy profession may be removed and the mouths of insulting Papists may be stopped and your distressed Lady comforted and your consciences quieted but if you wil be stil wilful and obstinate then assure yourself these lines shall rise up in condemnation against you at the dreadfull day of Judgement before that glorious God of heaven and earth who shall iudge all men according to their works they have done in the flesh whether they have been good or evill and that without respect of persons where your greatnesse shall no wise privilege you nor my meanenesse not preiudice the cause of that mighty God who hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the mightie things unto that all-powrefull God do I humbly pray that for his deare Son Jesus Christ his sake he will vouchsafe his great power may be seen in my weaknesse and his infinit wisdome in my foolishnesse so that this weak means may be made powerfull to make you wise to salvation and produce that holy reformation as may bee to the glorie of God and the everlasting happinesse of your owne soule Amen Lord Jesus Amen From him that will honour you according to your noble qualitie if you do not dishonour that God that advanced you to this high dignitie JOHN SPENCER A Postscript You are now conversant with a noble and religious Friend whose zealouse heart I doe assure my selfe will easily be perswaded to take any paines in this charitable busines consult with him and then appoint the time and place where you and your Lady may happily meet together to epaire the ruines that sad absence hath made and beautifie your faces with those amiable looks and your lips with those sweet discourses wherewith you in happier times did solace your selves with unspeakable contentment That so you may make the Proverb true Amantium ira amoris redintigratio est After this some great Lords undertooke to bring them together but it was too late but better late than never for the Lady was very weake in her bed so they lamented their fatall errour and tooke their last farwell for she dyed within few dayes and he lived not long time after A Coppy of a Letter sent to the Earle of Cleveland and Tho. Lo. Oliver St. Iohn for ending of a long suit betwixt Iustice Fish and Mr. Mordant concerning a seat in the Church at Northill Right Honourable WHen Ioab the Generall of King Davids Army besieged Rabba and fought against it and took the cities of waters and thereby weakned them so that they could hold out no longer then he sent unto his Lord the King to come up with his Army to take the Citie lest if he took it he should have the honour and the City should be called after his name So I having fought with these two Gentlemen with many arguments perswasions and earnest intreaties and so thorow the blessing of the God of peace have qualified the bitter waters of strife and weakned the strong hold of their violent passion and contentious humour that now they can hold out no longer with any Christian resolution doe now send and sue unto your Honours to come up with your commanding power to take the honour of the day and the renown to be the noble Peace-makers I have viewed the seat in the Church which is large and spacious for both Parties to sit in like good Christians and loving Friends and therefore if it will please your Lordships now to lay your Command upon them to confirme that which I have so earnestly intreated that thus and thus it shall be for their sitting in the seat and thus and thus it shall be for the ending of all suits and controversies betwixt them then they have both of them faithfully promised before sufficient witnesse that they will submit themselves thereunto and so humbly beseeching that blessed Lord the great Peace-maker who hath pronounced Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God To blesse your Honours with the continuance of many happy days to make you zealous for his glorie and to see like good Maiestrates under so gracious a King the peace and welfare of your Countrey I humbly take my leave If it please your Lordships to appoint these Gentlemen a day and place where they may attend to receive your Commands under your hands August 12 1631. Desirous that there was in me any abilitie to do you service Iohn Spencer Right Honourable IT is the Rule of the Apostle and of our Saviour Christ Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father Oh therefore that it would please that blessed Lord even the God of wisdome that I might performe this dutie to your Lordship with such regard of your noble qualities and tender care of your precious soule as I ought but however I may faile in point of discretion yet I hope your Lordship will beare with me since it doth proceed from a heart that doth unfainedly desire your everlasting happinesse I know it is a hard taske and many times a thanklesse office to admonish men of mean qualitie of their faults and to bring them to acknowledge their errours much more then those that are so farre our Superiours yet where grace and true nobilitie is it will teach men with meeknesse to suffer the words of exhortation and with the kingly Prophet to say Let the righteous smite me for that shall be as precious Balme
betwixt Master Commissary and I but I would not come at them but hastened to my Lord President and related unto him the businesse betwixt Master Commissary and I So his Lordship said that was somewhat irregular yet he should not disturbe me in my devotion Master Commissary came up and some friends laboured to take up the matter betwixt us Sir Beaucham St. Iohn and other gentlemen we met in Westminster hall and after some conference about the businesse M. Commissary did solemnly protest that he did not prosecute us because we kept a fast and prayed for the King but heard that it was so well performed that if it had been with authority he would have been at it himselfe and then I did acknowledge that I was sorry that I did not apprehend it so To this effect then we did consult what might be done for the repayring of Master Commissaries reputation so we resolved that Master Commissary should put in a bill against me and I should not plead against it and so a writ of enquiry should go out to enquire what damage this was to Master Commissary and he promised me if they gave him two hundred pound he would not take a penny of it so he put in two bils of complaint what great damage he was put unto and whereas before he was well esteemed of noblemen and gentlemen now they eschew his company whereunto I made this short answer When M. Cōmissary shal clear himself of the suspition of treason against the Kings Royall person and cleare his bill of untruths I hoped I should be at more leasure to make a longer answer in the meane time desired to be dismissed of the honourable court so they gave him a hundred pound damage which I tendred unto him and he told it and put it up againe every penny I gave him a piece of plate with two hearts joyned together and this inscription Amantium ira amoris redintigratio est and so we continued very loving friends to his death and he told a gentlewoman of great worth his loving neighbour that never any affliction did him so much good to commiserate this trouble and vexation that he had done to others and so grew one of the best Commissaries and died lamented A Copy of a Letter to Sir Oliver Luke Knight when he was high Sheriffe SIr the blessed Apostle having used that vehement intreaty unto the Romanes to dedicate themselves to the service of God chapter the 12. In the next verse he doth second that intreaty with this excellent exhortation And fashion not your selves like unto this world but be ye changed by the renewing of your minds that you may prove what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is Whereupon I beseech you give me leave to make this profitable application to you in particular whom it hath pleased God to call now unto an office of great dignity in the common wealth And humbly I beseech him likewise to give you a wise heart to mannage it to his glory and the good of his Church and the comfort of your owne soule and that you may so doe take heed you doe not fashion your self like unto this world not like to a worldly Sheriffe especially in these two thinges neither in your Officers nor in your Attendancy for it is oft the custome of carnall minded Sheriffes to receave there under officers by tradition whatsoever their condition be but I pray be not you in that fashion but follow that grave and holy directon that Iethro gave to Moses Exod. the 18. the 21. Moreover provide thou amongst all thy people men of courage fearing God men dealing truely hating covetousnesse and therefore I pray make a diligent inquisition amongst your officers and if you finde one lewd Bayliffe in all your pack let him be discarded and an honest man put in his place againe it is the fashion of many vain glorious Sheriffs to exceed so in the number of their attendants and in their excessive entertainments that they are forc't either to end their house keeping with their office or else to lay such heavy burthens and wracking rents upon their tennant as gives them just cause to lament the prodigallity of their landlords Sherivalty seaven yeares after but I beseech you take heed you be not in any sort drawne to like of this fashion neither by the instigation of others nor by the volentary offers of your honourable friends which at this time it may be will be too forward to adde fewell to the flame of your one ambition but I pray consider your own revenue is very cōpetent both for your own ranck and for the support of that office which is imposed upon you and thanks be unto God for it Master Oliver Luke is well known and well esteemed of in the country without the liveries of great mens favoures and therefore I pray stand firme upon your owne bottome and let your own vertues make you still to be honoured and not your excesse lamented and in my poor conceit it is more for your reputation to shew your selfe in the habite of true judgement and moderation and attended with your own servants then to encrease your number with borrowed companies and decke your troopes with the gay feathers of other birds Again consider you are to entertaine Judges of the land men of wisdome and gravity and such as should punish excesse and prodigallity as well as theft and usury besides these times are so peaceable that they need not such troopes of horse or Squandrons of foote to guard their persons nor such pompe nor bravery to divert their minde from the better consideration of these great and serious imployments that they are to goe about Lastly in the feare of God lay this consideration well to your heart how unseasonable unseemly a thing it is to make that a time of feasting and outward jollity which should be a time rather of fasting and mourning wherein both Magistrate and people should bewaile their own sins and the sins of the land which at such times are so apparant and for the which many of their Christian brethren do suffer such heavy Iudgements and therefore if we were in the right fashion we should weep with those that weep and remember those that are in bonds as though we were bound with them and those that are in affliction as if you were also afflicted with them Heb. 13.3 Thus did that noble Magistrate Ezra fast and mourne for the sins of the people and thus did David Samuel the 1. the 3. the 35. and therefore what great cause is there for our Magistrates to fast and mourn when they hear of so many thefts and murthers and abhominable sins committed in our streets and for the which the Lord might iustly bring his fearfull Iudgements upon the whole land And thus good Sir Oliver through the Lords mercy you may see that they are very proposterous in their house shew great want of true iudgement and
God at all or else with Cain to thinke our punishment greater then we can beare but even from your weaknesse and from Sathans malice doth the Lord draw out that which may tend to his glory and to your great comfort and hereby I trust he hath broken up the fallow grounds of your heart and brought you to godly sorrow for your sins so that I do assure my selfe within this short time of your afflictions more repentant teares have been put up into the Lords bottle then in many yeers before account not this as a small blessing nor passe it over with a slight thankfulnesse but take speciall notice of it assure your selfe this faire will not last all the yeer and the time will come when you will desire to see these teares of contrition and shall not see them no though you seek them with fasting and prayer and that you may the better conceave how blessed their estate is that have a contrite heart and sorrowfull spirit I pray consider of that wonderfull comfortable promise of the Lord Isaiah 57.15 For thus saith he that is high and excellent that inhabiteth eternity whose name is the holy one I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to give life unto them that are of a contrite heart who would think themselves most happy that had a heart fit to entertaine that glorious guest thus likewise doth the holy prophet testifie Psal. 34.13 The Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as are afflicted in spirit and our blessed Saviour in whose mouth was no guile he saith blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted and in the 16 of S. Iohn verse the 20 Verily verily I say unto you ye shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce and ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy a woman when she travelleth hath sorrow because her hower is come but assoone as she is delivered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy a man is borne into the world and you now therefore are in sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you Thus you may see this godly sorrow is but as the throes of our spirituall birth in Christ which although it may be somewhat grievous for a time yet when we see our selves thereby borne againe of water and the spirit and so made able to enter into the Kingdome of heaven oh how ioyfull and comfortable should this make us to be many would with Zebedees sons sit one at the right hand the other at the left hand of our Saviour Christ in his kingdome but they are loth to tast of this cup but let us know assuredly that as he is entred into his Kingdome of glory through many tribulations so must we follow him thorow many tribulations if ever we will come there you are now in the way be not weary of well doing nor turn not backe till you come to that holy resting place and that you may finish your course with ioy and comfort be diligent in prayer and observe a constant course therein evening and morning and at noone dayes and as often as you finde your affliction to presse and oppresse your soule then make your mone unto your mercifull God and powre out your soules before him and especially bewaile wicked thoughts and vaine lusts where withall you heretofore so much delighted your selfe and labour to mourn in secret for them and likewise all other secret sins and that your prayers may be more fervent adde thereunto the holy use of moderate fasting and this I trust through the Lords mercy you shall finde an excellent meanes to recover your selfe unto your spirituall chearfulnesse again and be not discouraged from these holy exercises though Sathan strive never so much to vex and terrifie you nay though you feare the Lord is angry with you nay though you knew that assuredly yet pray with the Psasiuist Psal. 80.5 O Lord God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people Secondly having in this holy manner recomended your soule and body unto God in prayer waite upon him with a quiet minde assuring your selfe that now the Lord is to take care of you and therefore cast your care upon him and so with a setled resolution dispose of your selfe unto some profitable imployments fitting for your calling and this course the Prophet David tooke Psal. the 5.3 Heare my voyce in the morning O Lord for in the morning wil I direct me unto thee and I will wait and what good successe those have that do thus attend we may read in the Psalm 147.11 But the Lord delighteth in them that fear him and attend upon his mercy Thirdly labour for meeknesse of heart and an humble spirit for where this grace is in some reasonable manner attayned there the heart of affliction doth breake away apace and the danger thereof is little to be feared for our blessed Saviour hath pronounced a double blessednesse unto such Matthew the 5. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth And the want thereof hath driven many in their desperate fury to loose their inheritance both in heaven and earth Fourthly take heed of moderate greife and violent passions which at this time is very unseasonable though easily fallen into and therefore watch over your own heart diligently and doe not entertaine so much as a sorrowfull sigh into your heart except it be for your sin nor an impatient word into your lippes except it be when you see God dishonoured and then speake zealously and spare not and furthermore you must be contented to be admonished of these infirmities by your Christian friends with whom you do converse for it may be they may discerne these things amisse in you when you doe not discerne it in your selfe being overwhelmed with the pleasing humour of Sottish melancholy Lastly that you may well remember it you must by all meanes possible strive to serve the Lord with a cheerfull heart and a willing minde for the Lord loveth a chearfull giver and especially in matters of his holy worship therefore when you come to hear his holy word to fast to pray to religious conference or any other holy duty strive to doe it chearefully and to reioyce even in your very teares for I can tell you that is a good cause to make both you and others reioyce it may be you thinke it strange but read what Saint Paul saith to his intirely beloved Timotheus and then I hope you will say I am in the right desiring to see thee mindfull of thy teares that I might be filled with ioy 2. of Timothy the 1.6 And for neglect of this duty the Lord
A DISCOVRSE Of divers PETITIONS OF HIGH Concernment and great consequence delivevered by the Authour into the hands of King JAMES of famous memory and into the hands of our gracious King CHARLES And divers other Letters delivered unto some great Peers of the Land and divers Knights and Ladies and others of great worth and quality A Treatise of Melancholie and the strange effects thereof with some directions for the comforting of poor afflicted soules and wounded consciences and some directions for the curing and reclaiming furious mad men and some rare inventions in case of great extremity to feed them and preserve them from famishing and to procure them to speak which it pleased the God of wisdom to enable me to finde out in the long time of fifty years experience and observation By JOHN SPENCER Gentleman ECCLESIAST 7.27 I have compassed about both I and my heart to know and quire and search to know wisdom and to know the wickednesse of folly and foolishnesse of madnesse LONDON Printed by H. Dudley 1461. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH CHARLES by Divine providence King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland c. YOur Highnesse may iustly condemne this as a high presumption to present the most eminent King in the Christian World with a discourse of Petitions and Coppies of Letters but I have found favour in your sight when I presented them unto your highnesse upon more dangerous tearmes and therefore I trust that blessed Lord will move your heart still to accept of the hearty desires of your poore subject though they be not clothed with the glorious ornaments of Wisdome and Eloquence as was fit to dedicate to the view of so learned and judicious a Prince but my comfort is I speake to a mercifull King that knowes how to passe by infirmities and to pardon great offences and so beseeching the Lord God of heaven and earth to blesse your Highnesse with many happy dayes long to raigne over us to heare the Petitions of your faithfull Subjects and to redresse their wronges craving pardon for my boldnesse I humbly take my leave Devoted to your Highnesse Service IOHN SPENCER A DISCORSE OF DIVERS PETITIONS OF HIGH CONCERNment and great consequence This Petition was written upon the Booke for the recreation upon the Lords day and I delivered it to King Iames at Greenwitch hee tooke it with him in his Coach and committed mee to Mr. Hutchinson of the guard for a certaine time and was graciously pleased to have great care of mee for my dyet and lodging and after divers disputations with Bishop Neal and Bishop Buckridge set mee at libertie REad O King read O King and then consider well If ever any such decree was made in Israel Help O King help O King and let not the Sabbath Of our glorious God be thus prophained With grievous sins in open streets proclaimed Nor in Dooms dreadfull day this heavy hand-writing Bee iustly brought against great Britains Royall King The humble Petition of your sinfull Subiect JOHN SPENCER A Petition delivered to King Iames at Bletfoe Good King Iames reforme thy Court of cursed swearing Which otherwise will undoubtedly Gods heavy iudgement bring And to his faithfull Ministers gracious bee Whose ruine else we soone shall see This happy â—oon an earnest suit to thee I make Oh Consider well and grant it for Christs sake The humble Petition of your sinfull Subiect Iohn Spencer A Petition delivered to our gracious King Charles at Finchingbrook at his going to his Army Royall Anno 1639 March 28. THe glorious Lord of Heaven and Earth the God of battel and Lord of Hosts for our Lord Jesus Christ his sake blesse our gracious King Charles and his brave Army and cover his Royall head in the day of battell and returne him with honour and victorie to his Royall Queen but I beseech your Highnesse give your poor Subiect leave to intreat you that you would not adventure your selfe in the day of battell but remember what the Souldiers said unto the valiant King David 2 Samuel 21.17 Thou shalt go no more out with us to the battell lest thou quench the light of Israel and consider what counsell that kingly Prophet giveth Psalme 34.17 Eschew evill and do good seek peace and ensue it And therefore that faire Englands happy peace may not be now endangered let the new Scottish Service Book and the book for the recreation upon the Lords Day be both throwne over the Scottish Bank and so I humbly take my leave and although by reason of my old age and some wounds that I received at the famous siege of Ostend I am disabled to doe your Highnesse service in the war yet as my bound duty is I will dayly pray unto the God of Peace to set your feet in the way of peace The humble petition of your loyall Subiect Iohn Spencer A Petition delivered unto our gracious King Charles upon this occasion The King was to go towards New-market upon Munday but the waggon and the hounds went thorow Cheapside upon the Lords day which was not lawfull O King I never heard that they removed since upon the Lords day so gracious was the Kings care herein Good King Charles Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day And let not Charles wain be seen to move on London way But in the high Sphear of heavenly Contemplation Let that day be spent in holy meditation Both King servants subiects all zealous for Gods glory To hate profanenesse and to abolish all idolatry That so when thy blest soul shall leave thy Royall breast Thou mayest in heaven for ever have a glorious rest The humble petition of your sinfull subiect Iohn Spencer A Petition unto our gracious King Charles upon the late setting forth of the Book for Recreations upon the Lords day Good King Charles to hear be graciously pleased That this Book in the dayes of your Father King of great renown Grew very ill and grievously diseased And to prevent the mischief that thereby might redowne Was with wisdoms holy care haply supprest And so good King Charles for evermore let it rest The humble petition of your poor sinfull servant Iohn Spencer I sent my son with this Petition who made great haste and delivered it to the King it pleased his highnesse to commit him prisoner to the guard of his Royall person and set him at liberty the next day and commanded the Lords of Scotland to attend his highnesse in Parliament upon Munday and there concluded a happy peace A strange and strong transportation upon the Lords day April 27. 1639. THis day going to the Church of great Staughton and hearing the bels chime I fell into a strong apprehension that I saw King Charles in the field with his brave Army under hiâ— Standard Royall upon a hill with his owne Squadrons and the Scottish Army in the field also and the King gave directions unto his Colonels and Captaines to charge the Scottish Battalions here and there till the
battell grew very bloody and mortall on both sides and almost all the Peers of England and all the Nobilitie of Scotland lay slaine in the field and then the valiant King Charles seeing it grew to such extremity descended the hill and with great fury and resolution charged the scattered body of the Scottish Army and made a great slaughter of them and so obtained the victory and forc'd them to leave the field and then returned to mourn over his noble Peers that there lay slain upon the ground which put me into such a passion of weeping that meeting with Mr. Saul our Preacher and Mr. Bauldin and they seeing of me in such a passion of mourning and desirous to know the cause thereof I could not declare to them the cause of my great sorrow but went into the Church and prayed with a troubled spirit The Lord grant if it be thy blessed will that it may prove but a melancholy Conceit but oh that your Highnesse would be be graciously pleased to call a Parliament 〈◊〉 the faces of these brave Armies towards the Palatinate to settle your Royall Sister in her inheritance and set at liberty your capitive Nephew Prince Robert and soe you shall make all the Princes of Christendome stand amaz'd at your high prudence and great magnanimitie Consider what I say and doe it and the Lord will bring it to passe and then make you the most renouned King of the Christian world amen amen good King Charles send for Colonell Fleetwood hee is a valiant man and of great abilities and will doe you faithfull service in your war I heare he is lately married to a great mans daughter in those parts but if it please your Highnesse to command him he will leave his young Lady to doe you service And now seeing things through Gods gracious providence doe thus happily concur I beseech your highnesse give me leave to renue my former suit unto you and your honourable Court of Parliament for the happy and honourable uniting of these brave Armies make your Nephew the Prince Elector who was now so happily in your Court make him Generall to lead these brave Armies into the Palatinate to settle your Royall Sister in her inheritance and to set at liberty his brother Prince Robert for that is a shame to all the Princes of Christendome to see a distressed lady so long insulted over by such a bloody Tyrant and for the support and transporting of these Armies I would willingly give ten Subsedies besides those are already given and I hope every able and faithfull Subiect in the Land will doe the same that so this Royall Prince may beat out the proud Enemie out of the Palatinate and then settle the Emperiall Crowne of Germany upon his Royall head and lead his victoriors Army unto Romes gates sack the Citie and burn the Whore of Babylon with fire and so fulfill the Prophecie Revel. 17.16.17 verses And the ten hornes which thou sawest upon the Beast are they that shall hate the Whore and shall make her desolate and naked and burne her with fire for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will Amen Lord Jesus amen The humble Petition of your loyall sinfull Subiect Iohn Spencer A Coppie of a Letter to a great Peer of this Land upon a strange discontentment betwixt him and his beautifull Lady about the passing of two Manners unto his onely Sonne as brave and as noble a gentleman as this Kingdome afforded the Letter I delivered unto his owne hand he read it and retired himselfe into an inward Chamber wept much and came out againe unto me gave me thanks and said never man desired more to gaine a woman than he did to gaine her to this effect never did I in al my time know such great dislike about such a slight occasion betwixt two so vertuous so noble so beautifull and amiable and so long reioycing in happy enioying one another as will appeare in this dolorous discovrse IT may seem strange unto your Lordship that a stranger should write unto you in this strange fashion but then I beseech you in the feare of God consider the strange course that you have taken that forceth me thereunto for is it not strange yet most strange that so noble grave and religious a man should forsake his wife being a vertuous beautifull and religious Lady make it not your owne case and would you thinke it possible a wise man should be so transported but beleeve it my Lord such a thing may be such a thing is and as the Prophet Nathan said unto King David Thou art the man that have behaved your selfe so undiscreely and forwardly for have not you forsaken the wife of your youth that vertuous and beautifull Lady with whom you have lived with great happinesse these twenty yeares who hath approved her faithfull love and constancie unto you in so many strange and forraigne Countries and adventured her selfe in so many dangerous passages both by sea and land to yeeld you comfort and contentment now to forsake her when you are gray headed and stand more in need of your mutuall societie and comfort but now to forsake her to grieve your friends and make your enemies reioice to forsake her to vex your selves and to ruinate your estate and to endanger the losse of your soules and everlasting happinesse what greater want of wisdome can be shewed you carry your selfe exceeding forwardly herein that neither the perswasions of friends nor the intreating of those that love you nor so many pitifull teares from the faire eies of your Lady can move a reconciliation but you fly from a distressed Ladie as if you were pursued by an armed enemie was your noble blood ever stained with such cowardlinesse how may those renouned Princes of the united Provinces who held and approved you so noble and valarous in Heroick Atchivements both in Germany and when you were Lord Deputie of Ireland be grieved to heare of this strange alteration in you but this is not the worst disgrace for herein you have dealt very unwisely for you have reiected the counsel of the Prophets of the Apostles and of our Saviour Christ himself and have followed the course of your violent passions or else the shallow device of some giddie heads as Rehoboam did to his owne confusion for Solomon the Mirrour of wisdome advises you thus Reioyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the loving Hinde and the pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and delight in her love continually Prov. 5.18 19. but you are so far from reioicing with her and yeelding those comforts unto her that you seek to reioice your selfe in hanking and hunting and in the meane time to vex her with your tedious absence and froward messages call you this wisdome nay my Lord account it no better than Machavilian policie Againe St. Peter adviseth you thus Husbands dwell with your Wives as men of knowledge Pet. 37. but
thereof in this case that you will not suffer it to bee abused and disgraced by the reproachfull taunts of any insulting Skinner man that knowes better how to scrape ten groats out of a translated sheep-skin than how to repair the losse of unvaluable Learning so long captivated in a loathsome prison I dare not say as St Paul said to Philemon in the behalfe of his prisoner Onesimus if he hath hurt thee or oweth thee ought put it on my account but I will rather put you in remembrance what our Saviour Christ saith unto Simon Peter There was a certaine Lender which had two Creditors the one ought him an hundred pence the other fiftie when they had nothing to pay he forgave them both which of them therefore tell me will love him most Simon answered and said I suppose him that he forgave most and he said unto him thou hast truly iudged And so I say unto Sir William Litton the more you shall forgive your impoverished prisoner the more you shall increase his love unto you and thereby you likewise shall make the splendor of your charitie and true nobilitie more clearly appear unto others consider what I say and the Lord give you an understanding heart to doe that which may be most for his glorie and your everlasting comfort and so I take my leave and pray for your happinesse on earth and everlasting happinesse in Heaven JOHN SPENCER A Coppy of a Letter to Mr. John Harvy My Lord St Iohns Steward GOod Mr. Harvy considering how dangerous the opposition of great men may bee both to Church and Common-wealth and scandalous amongst those that professe the Gospel of peace I have therefore made bold to use some endevours to qualifie and allay the heat of some unkindnesse which lately grew betwixt my Lord St. Iohn and my Lord Wentworth and to that end used many perswasions hard intreaties to them both and found my Lord St. Iohn so nobly disposed in it that he told me for the thing it selfe hee thought it not worth a matter of unkindnesse but that which troubled him was that he should bee so much mistaken in his judgement esteeming my Lord Wentworth so loving and faithfull a friend unto him To this effect I did much endevour to remove that conceit of mistaking and reduce his Lordship to his former good opinion of my Lord Wentworth and disired that hee should passe by that as an error of a young man and so ground his opinion upon the former and future carriage of my Lord Wentworth towards him then upon the fayling in one particular which hope gave some satisfaction unto his Lordship therefore I pray doe you second that with your best perswasions as occasion shall give you opportunitie and let us not be discouraged to deale therein because they are great men for God hath ordained weake things of the world oft times to confound the mighty And we may observe in the overthrow of Benhadads mighty army at the siege of Samaria whereof he made such proud boasts the overthrow was given by a small number of 232 of the servants of the Princes of the Provinces 1 King 20.10.17 So likewise when Naaman that great Commander was so discontented with the message that the Prophet Elisha sent him to wash him seven times in the rivers of Iordan the good councell of his servants prevailed with him and stood him more instead then if he had had the whole army of the King of Aram 2 King 5.11 and therefore let us use our weake meanes and leave the successe unto the powerfull God of heaven and earth who is able to make the lyon and the lambe and the faulcon and the dove to live peace able together unto whose gracious protection I doe commend you and so rest Your loving Friend Iohn Spencer IN the raigne of King Iames of famous memory passing through the Pallace yard I saw two men very much urging one another to goe over into Saint Georges field to fight one was M. Phillips the Queenes footman the other was M Newman my Lord Chamberlaines footman the English man a Protestant the Irish a Papist I used many perswasions to pacifie the busines betwixt them but M. Phillips said it was impossible to satisfie him till they had fought but I would by no means suffer them to fight but I would be M Phillips his second and my Lord of Hollands footman should have been M. Newmans second they should have fought with single swords and I had a single sword also When they saw that I would not leave them the Irish man asked what religion I was of I said I did beleeve to have salvation onely by the infinite merits of the death and passion of my Saviour Iesus Christ and so I hoped he did likewise then I demanded what religion he was of that could warrant him to fight in such a quarrell he answered happy man be his dole In the end they were contented that I should have the hearing of the businesse betwixt them so we went to a Taverne in Kings street where they fell out at Tables and drew their swords but the servants parted them and upon the examination of the servants that did appeare that the Irish man did the wrong to the English man and called him boy and that was the word of disgrace that M. Phillips would never be satisfied till he fought with him therefore I did order that M. Newman should acknowledge that he had done M. Phillips wrong and that he was sorry for it and then M. Newman cryed mercy and then they embraced one another and with such expressions of love that they would live die together in defending one anothers quarrels to this effect and as it pleased God I parted this dangerous quarrell without drawing my sword the Irish man was a proper tall man but M. Phillips was young but a brave spirit ANd now that I am upon the point of peace-making give me leave to give some few directions for the better effecting of this charitable worke 1. Humbly pray unto the God of peace and lover of concord to give you wisedome and direction and frame the hearts of the contending parties to unity and concord then get them into bond to stand to the arbiterment 2. Conferre with the parties alone by themselves and then use all the strongest arguments you can to weaken the party you speake unto by telling him what advantage his adversary hath of him his great friends his able parts and resolute minde and use the like arguments to the other 3. Try if a wife a childe or friend may not be a fit agent to perswade in these differences 4. Consider what a happy and pleasing thing it is in the sight of God and good men to see neighbours to live together in love and unity But in my long trading in these charitable businesses I will declare unto you two very rare and unusuall means which I have made use of A gentleman of great worth
quaeries in a forraign land when it is more need to make enquiry into my owne sinfull and deceitfull heart to see what is done there in matter of reformation repentance and amendment of life And therefore now though we are far remoted in the body yet let us be present in spirit and prayer and although you are retyred to a place of more privacy and where your eyes I hope doe not see such abominations to vexe your heart with as ours doe yet pitty us and pray for us and on the other side be not oh be not so secure nor put your confidence in your select company nor in those remoted woods and solitary mountaines but remember what befell unto Lot that was righteous Lot whilest he lived in Sodome but when he would fly out of Zoar to a solitary cave in the mountaines with his two daughters he committed those abominable sinnes there that his soule would have abhorred once to have thought on in Sodome and therefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall our help is in the name of the Lord that hath made heaven and earth who is able to help us in all places and at all times and so beseeching the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the shepheard of his sheep through the bloud of the everlasting covenant make us perfect in all good works and to doe his will working in us that which is pleasant in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be prane for ever and ever Amen Even so I take my leave and rest Your loving and sinfull Cousin Iohn Spencer England Iuly 9. 1635. I pray remember my respective love to my gracious Cousin your loving wife who hath given such a testimony of her love unto you and the reverend opinion she hath of your honourable Calling and commend mee to the rest of my Cousins and to so many of our Christian friends as you think fit A charitable Consideration of new-Englands plantation We read in holy Writ and Law Leviticall That if a man dyeth having no child at all His neerest kinsman by the right of Aliance Shall take both the Widdow and the Inheritance To raise up seed to the dead and by doing well Continue still his Brothers name in Israel Fair England of the Northern World the great renowne Having late made Vnion with the Scottish Crowne Thereby involving her title with great Brittaine And so lyeth obscured in that golden chaine We to continue the name of our Brother In great America hath rais'd up another The Almighty God grant that ever may remain An ornament to England a terror to Spain FINIS JOHN SPENCER Mtr. Brightman a little he died translated the Canticles into verse whereupon I wrote these verses TH' heavenly song of that bright man Whereto he tun'd his latest breath Much like a silver shining-Swan Presag'd thereby his present death A goodlier song was never seene And few such singers left there been But you faire Signets which still remaines By pure streames of sacred Truth Washing your wings from sinfull staines With mournfull tears and dolefull ruth Lest you should him too much deplore For you this song he left in store Never therefore let the prophane With sinfull lips and hearts impure This sacred Song once dare to name Lest they damnation doe procure Let them with Toads their croaking make Till they doe their sins forsake But you deare Children of the light Whose lips are tun'd to sing this praise Oh labour still to shine more bright And therein spend your happiest dayes That when your dear Lord shall appeare He may you finde a Spouse most cleer FINIS Iohn Spencer A charitable Supposition Of Mtr. Brightmans sudden Dissolution No marvell though so bright a man His glorious life in Heaven so soone began For long his soule had languish'd in great griefe To see Gods chosen Flocke to want their best reliefe And cruell Wolves dumbe dogs and lordly Masters Set in the roome of Christ faithfull Pastors Therefore his deare Lord seeing his servant thus distrest Took him away unto his everlasting rest FINIS Iohn Spencer Here lyeth inter'd Sarah Spencer the vertuous Wife of Iohn Spencer and Sarah his Virgin Daughter Both so goodly faire and curteous As few such Sarahs will be found hereafter Blessed be the Lord God of Heaven and Earth That made them so renouned both in life and death A Coppie of a Letter sent to a great Lady MAdam my great care of your everlasting happinesse and my respective love to my reverend Cousin Mr. Lee who now is dead in the Lord and therefore must cease from his labour and from those holy endevours whereby he did labour to plant grace in your heart in your tender yeares and whereof you then gave such excellent hopes that in the Autumne of your age he should have seen a plentifull increase of that blessed fruit and many goodly sheaves of pietie and happinesse to his great comfort in the Harvest but it pleased God the great Lord of the Harvest to take him away as from other evils to come so likewise from those griefs that would have wounded his heart to see those flourishing hopes so nipt and withered in your spring-time it pleased God to make me partaker of his last prayer and to close his eyes Oh that it might be his blessed pleasure to make his Spirit to be redoubled on me that I might be the better able to admonish and exhort you to reform that which is amisse in you and disgracefull to your holy profession I meane in respect of your outward carriage and appearance with so many fond fashions and garish attires as to deale plainly with you were more meet for one of painted Iezabels profession than for a Lady of your worth and more fit to furnish a pedlers pack than to make open shew of them in the Church of God and in the Assembly of the Saints whereas things should be done with comelinesse and decencie and therefore he commandeth that no woman should be covered because of the Angels 1 Corinth 11.10 and that women should pray with their heads covered But if this be a comely covering to have a womans head covered with dogs haire or goats haire and cats dung and painted fethers judge you for my owne part the Word of God wherewith you shall be judged condemnes it as odious and abominable but it may be you will say it is the Gallants fashion and what if the Venetian Curtizans have brought up that fashion must the religious Ladies of England follow that fashion God forbid the Children of God must not fashion themselues after the world Rom. 11.2 But they must fashion themselvs according to the rule of Gods Word and then Madame marke what fashion you must be in 1 Timoth. 2.9 10. Likewise also the women that they array themselves with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broidered haire or gold or pearls or costly apparell but as becommeth the
feare of God with good works I beseech you in the feare of God deck your selfe with these rich jewels of faith and repentance humilitie patience fasting and prayer and good works that so you may be like the Kings Daughter glorious within and this will make you amiable in the sight of God and glorious in the eies of his Saints and remember you are the Daughter of a religious Ladie and the Wife of an ancient Knight and the Mother of two Sons and therefore you must give them good example of wisdome and sobrietie for godlinesse is great gaine if we can be contented with that we have and God hath blessed you with a rich portion of outward beauty and comelinesse and therefore do not deface that incomparable worke of God with such base trash and trumperie for you shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven into the companie of glorious Saints with that trumperie on your back and gaudes on your head Consider what I say and the Lord give you grace to repent of your sins before you go hence and be no more seen Amen Amen From him that doth desire your endlesse happinesse Iohn Spencer Good Brother I Am desirous to heare if my Father Winne have paid the fifty pounds unto Sir Milss Fleetwood and also to admonish you as I take it of your unseasonable payment of one hundred pounds upon the Sabbath day morning before Harborough Faire alas was that a fit time to tell money and to make your Accompts with men when you should accompt with God was that a fit time to rumble in your Chest for your money-bags when you should have ransackt your heart for your sins must not the Lord of Sabboths needs be highly offended to see the service of men preferred before his divine Service and more care had for the buying of Oxen than for the keeping of his holy Sabbath must not the Lord needs visit for such sins nay hath he not already visited although in great mercy for was not your dear and onely son within a few dayes after closed up in a Chest and there found by his mother speechlesse and near his last breathing had not the Lord in judgement remembred mercy and restored life when we deserved death and if you did not already make use of it I beseech you in the feare of God assure your selfe that in that judgement the Lord would have you take notice of that particular sinne for if you remember when I was with you at Arlsen I told you before I heard of this that you must thinke that there was something amisse that the Lord would have reformed when he threatened such fearefull judgement to this effect And therefore I beseech you bewaile that grievous sinne and as Iob made a Covenant with his eyes so doe you make a Covenant with your hands never to abuse them so againe with telling money upon the Sabbath day And remember it was Balaams ever to be lamented error still to pursue the wages of iniquity although the Angell threatened him with a drawing sword but let his fearefull end teach us with wisedome to returne in time and repent of our sinnes and make our peace with our God before we goe hence and be no more seene and to say truth these dayes and dangerous times requires a continuall preparation for our last departure when so many wise and strong are taken away and their honour laid in the dust and we must looke also for our changing we know not how soone and therefore good brother let us walke circumspectly as the children of the light and such as are risen with Christ setting our affections on things that are above and not on things that are on the earth for our life is hid with Christ in God When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory In the meane time let us be diligent to exhort and admonish one another and to edefie one another in our holy faith that so we may grow from grace to grace and strength to strength till we become perfect men in Christ Amen Lord Jesus Amen Your loving Brother and the Lords unworthy Creature John Spencer Staughton More Novemb. 7. 1616. A Copy of a Letter to the prisoners at Bedford with a Booke of common Prayer and M. Dods exposition upon the Commandements bound up together with bosses and claspes BRethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for you poore prisoners is that your soules might be saved For I beare you record that in these places you endure many times hunger cold and much misery together with the fearefull expectation of the Judges comming and the sentence of death yet if God doth not worke in your hearts true repentance and sanctifie these afflictions unto you it will be but as a forerunner of the appearing before that dreadfull Iudge that will pronounce that fearefull sentence of damnation against the wicked of Goe ye cursed into hell fire and these yron chaines a shadow of those everlasting chaines of darknesse wherein the wicked shall be for ever tormented and therefore that I might be a meanes through Gods mercy to further you in that holy worke of true repentance I have procured these two bookes to be bound up together for your better use in this place of restraint the one commended and commanded by the publique authority for the publique service of God the other the worke of a reverend Preacher an excellent exposition of the Commandements both being undertaken in the feare of God and diligently used may be a blessed meanes to further you in the way of repentance and to set your feet into the way of peace First therefore pray earnestly to God to give you understanding hearts and then read and then pray and read againe and the Lord of heaven so blesse you in reading and praying that you may truly repent you of all your sinnes before you goe hence and be no more seene Amen Stoughton Moore 1624. From him that wisheth your everlasting happinesse LEt me intreat you in the feare of God that one of you that is best affected and best inabled to read Prayers and the Psalmes for Morning and Evening Prayer according to the order that is appointed in the booke of common Prayer and then instead of the Chapters which you should read in the Bible if you had it read every morning and evening a portion of the Commandements as is appointed for the day of the month that so the booke of the Psalmes and the exposition of the Commandements may be read over once every moneth and upon every Sabbath day I would have you besides the ordinary portion appointed for that day of the month read the exposition of the fourth Commandement halfe at morning prayer and halfe at evening prayer Let one read distinctly and reverently and let the rest heare diligently and devoutly I doe humbly desire the honourable Court of Parliament to take that to their consideration that every prison
tractable But I beseech the Lord of mercy strengthen your faith that you may not onely come secâ—etly unto Christ as Nicodemus did but boldly speake to his glory as Nicodemus did afterwards And then I trust you shall finde great comfort unto your owne soule and cause the Angels in heaven to rejoice for as our Saviour Christ saith Luke 15. I say unto you likewise ioy shall be in heaven for one sinner that converteth more then for ninety and nine iust men which need no amendment of life and so humbly praying to that blessed Lord that you and yours and I and mine may be found in the number of those true repentant sinnners I rest Your loving friend Iohn Spencer Braughton Moore October 2. 1618. I pray remember my respective love and thankfulnesse unto your wife and desire her that whatsoever I have written unto you she will account that as writ to her selfe for you two must be but as one Commend me to M Iohn Davies and to M. Knevett and to M. Preston and M. Parsons the great Porter M. Commissary I heare that you are greatly offended because many well disposed people came to Cople-Church upon Friday the nine and twentieth of August to pray and to heare the word of God preached for which hainous fact as you would make it you and your Officials have so terrified both Preachers and people as though it were in your power to bring them under the Spanish Inquisition For my own part therefore to save you some labour in your inquirie after me I doe acknowledge my selfe to be one of them that was there and one also that did much desire to further that meeting and that it was my meaning and I hope the meaning of many others to humble our soules that day in fasting and prayer and to pray to the God of heaven for our gracious King for we heard the weeke before that he was sicke and likewise that the Lord would blesse his great designes then in hand and protect his army and navy that was then to set forth to sea And now Master Commissary if your heart be so malitious that you cannot endure to have us performe this service to God and duty to our King but you and your Officials will persecute and restraine us Assure your selfe if there be any Law in the land will hang you up for it at Bedford gallowes I will as eagerly pursue you to that place of execution as if you had cut the throat of my father and hewed my eldest son in pieces And if you and your Officials will maintaine your Decrees to be the Lawes of the Medes and Persians that may not be broken though the King and his subjects suffer never so much prejudice by the same and therefore if upon these extraordinary occasions we make our prayers and supplications unto our God in this manner We shall be cast into the Commissaries denne I trust that mighty God that did deliver his servant Daniell from the rage of such cruell beasts will likewise deliver us from the fury of your roring Cannon and being thus overcharged make it recoyle-upon your selves and teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you read Psal. 50. ver. 20. Are you so squint-eyed that you can see to trouble an honest man in Bedford for going to heare a Sermon upon the Sabbath-day in the afternoone in the same Towne and when there was none at his own Church and for more expedition and for double Fees to cite him and suspend him altogether but you cannot or will not see to punish some notorious drunkards and swearers and Tobackonists and Tossepots and whoremongers and blasphemers c. Pocklington or Pockie-tongue who in a publicke Sermon used this blasphemous speech enveighing against those that stood for preaching that he sung a Hopkins jig and so whipt up into the Pulpit But I trust when our gracious King is humbly petitioned unto and his Highnes and his Parliament truly informed how his poore subiects are dealt with I hope his Highnesse will see it redressed and will not suffer us to be thus vexed and terrified for performing the duty of faithfull subiects in this holy course of fasting and prayer which his Highnesse hath to his everlasting fame so often publiquely commanded and in his Royall person so reverently performed and therefore having such a royall president we will follow it and doe you and your Officials the worst you can and know this is the resolution of Iohn Spencer THis letter I sent to Master Commissary by an understanding man and wished him if the Commissary gave him a shilling for his paines he should not refuse it and appointed him to run to Bedford that I might know the Commissaries answer The Commissary was a very stout and cholericke man and when he had read the letter he stampt and fumed as if he had been wilde and returned me this answer That he would iustifie that he did and if I had any thing to say to him I must meet him tomorrow at his Court at Ampthill and so I did and when he was going to his Court in his pompe I met him in the street and asked him if he was the Commissary and he said yes then I told him I doe charge you with suspition of treason against the Kings Royall person and so then commanded the Constables to doe their office and then there was a great hurrye to fro as if we had been driving an Oxe to the butchers stall He made great offers to put in bayle and that he might goe to the Church to take order for the dismissing the Court but I would give no consent but told him I knew not whether hee might sit there being thus attached upon treason yet he prevailed with the Constables and they went with him to the Church and I rode to the Church gate and sent in the Constable to bring him away he intreated to have a little longer time to dissolve the Court and there was such a â—ubile and going away without paying Fees as I thinke was never seen in all his time before I hastened him away to goe to Sir Edmund Conquests to take order for the sending of him up to the Councell and told him that I had charged him with suspition of treason against the Kings Royall person and desired his care to send him up safely by the Sheriffe or else to send him to Bedford Goale that he might be forth-comming So Sir Edmund said he must do one of them and would have knowne of me what were the words which hee should say but I answered him that was not so fit for me to tell that I must make that knowne to the Councell and so made hast towards London and then I saw Master Commissary and the Constable and three or foure more with him afoot as though they had been going to hunt the Foxe they called unto me and would have me stayed to see if they could have taken up the businesse
Christian like affection that thinke these fit times for feastings pompe and outward bravery And therefore I beseech you take heed unto your own heart and let neither the vaine examples nor the violent perswasions of vain glorious men drawe you into their vaine errours but evermore remember that most holy saying and righteous censure of our Saviour Christ Saint Luke 16.15 That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God and therefore hold fast that word of truth and follow the holy directions thereof which is able to make you wise unto salvation and both in these and all other your affaires first prove what that good acceptable and perfect will of God is and doe that with all diligence and then assure your selfe if you should fail of this fading honour that they so eagerly hunt after yet you shall have everlasting honour in the sight of God and of his glorious angells in the Kingdome of heaven Amen Lord Iesus Amen Staughton More Anno. 1617. From him that would be glad if either his penne or his person might doe you that good service he desires Iohn Spencer A Copy of a letter to his brother Nicholas Spencer to disswade him from his inordinate delight he took in Cock-fighting which soon after he happily and absolutely gave over IT is said of the churlish Inne-keeper of Bethlehem Luke 2.7 who entertained so many guests in the Inne that the virgin Mary and our blessed Saviour were thrust out into the stable because there was no roome for them in the Inne but let us in in the fear of God take heed of such Jewish tricks lest in the end we force our Saviour Christ to leave us in the sight of our sins and ingratitute and then it will cost us many a grievous sigh many mournfull teares before we finde him againe read Cant. 5.6 Nay so wofull shall our estate be that it shall be never out of our minde and now out of my brotherly love unto you I must admonish you of that bewitching and vain pleasure of Cock fighting wherein you are so strangely transported that both my selfe and many of your faithfull friends with grief of heart discern a great alteration in your affections to those courses of religion wherein heretofore you have shewed your selfe more forward and zealous I beseech ye in the fear of God consider to be a stunling in religion is a fearfull thing but to go ten degrees backward with Ezekiahs diall is most intollerable alas shall we begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh shall we be such greedy Elues in our pleasure sell those heavenly ioyes and blessed hope of our heavenly inheritance for a messe of vaine delights Oh consider how farre we are from the holy zeale of those blessed Saints in Queen Maries dayes that forsook both their goods wives and children for the glory of God and the safety of their soules What vaine wretches shall we approve our selves to be if we will not forsake our vaine pleasures It is not your faire house nor your children nor loving wife I perswade you to forsake it is the vaine and unprofitable sport of Cock-fighting which brings ruine to your state and the endangering of your everlasting happinesse and therefore if either a desire to preserve your estate or to preserve your everlasting inheritance might prevaile my suit were soone granted But it may be you will say if I can prove this you will give over Cock-fighting Well upon that condition I will take some paines to make it manifest First to the matter of the ruine of your state I referre you to the examination of your particular exspences of those occasions and I pray let Sir William Dyers ruinate estate be a meanes to make you take heed by other mens harms for the matter of discontentment I appeal to no other judge then your loving wife which can tell you what discomforts she oftentimes findes in your long absence the dangers that doth fright her when she considers that you are in the company of such swaggering companions for the latter which is the maine point I purpose to insist upon being a matter of such hign concernment first because you make that a cause of your jollity and merriment which should be a cause of your griefe and godly sorrow for you take delight in the enmitie and cruelty of the creatures which was laid upon them for the sinne of man for the earth was accursed with thorns and briers for our sins and therefore the blood-shedding of the creatures should rather teach us to shed teares for our sins thus did Saint Peter when he heard the Cock crow he went out and wept bitterly I would to God you Cock-masters would make that use of these Cocks Secondly it is dangerous unto your soul in regard of the time that you mispend for if ye must give an account of every idle word that we speak Matth. 12.36 How much more of idle houres and dayes and if you did keep as strickt an account as you do of your houshold expences you should at the weekes end see what a heavy reckoning you should make when you shall see before your eyes thus many houres of such a day and so many daies of such a week I have spent in my vain delights and thus few houres in the service of my God well howsoever we are loath to come to this account now yet we shall be one day brought to it whether we will or no Thirdly it is dangerous to your soul in regard of the company with whom you do converse who for the most part are either swearers drunkards or licencious people now if it be most true that the prophet saith Psal. 18.25 With the holy thou shalt be holy and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect Then on the contrary it must needs be that with the wicked we shall learn wickednesse and with the prophane we shall learn prophanes for it is a hard matter to handle pitch and not to be defield with it or to lie among thornes and not be pricked with them as the Prophet saith 2. Sam. 23.6 7. But the wicked shall be every one as thornes thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands but the man that shall touch them must be defenced with iron or with the shaft of a speare and they shall be burnt with fire in the same place Therefor dear brother if you did rightly consider of the hatefull and infectious qualitie of the wicked it will make you stand upon thorns while you are in their company and to bewaile the hardnesse of your heart which hath not felt them such pricking thornes all this while Lastly it is dangerous to your soule in making your soul guilty of many other mens sinnes by drawing away many a poore man from his honest labour whereby he should maintaine his wife and children to spend his time and money in such an idle manner but also you are guilty of many
great mens sins whilest you see and hear the glorious Name of God dishonoured and dare not or will not reprove for the same consider what the Psalmist saith 50.16 But unto the wicked said God what hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behinde thee For when thou seest a thiefe thou runnest with him and thou art partakers with the adulterers vers 22. O consider ye that forget God least I teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Now therefore I beseech you observe that those that run with the wicked and are partakers with the ungodly in their wicked delights are those whom the Lord shall tear in pieces thus you see that not onely the wicked themselves but also their associates and partakers shall be torne in pieces in the day of Gods fearfull wrath O consider this sweet meat must have sower sawce and then I trust through the Lords great mercy you will utterly refuse it upon those tearmes for what were it to gaine the whole world and to loose our soules But to conclude if neither perswasions nor exhortations may prevaile with you to break the neck of your Cock-fighting pleasures consider wel with your self that the Lord hath put you as it were into the Cock-pit of the round world to fight his battel against the flesh the world and the divel the strongest striking the sorest hitting and the cunningest fighting Cock in the world who is onely to be wounded with the spurres of faith and piety and that all those that wil overcome in this battell must be thorowly fed with the word of God and dayly breath with prayer and meditation whereby they strengthen their faith and sharpen the spurres of their holy zeale and those that neglect this meanes let them brag never so much upon their own dunghill yet when it comes to a sound tryall they will prove themselves to be brand fallen Cravens and likewise consider that every houre idely spent and every vaine word that proceeds out of your mouth is as it were vain to your soule and all unlawfull pleasures like hovells upon the spurres of your devotion and then with wisdom consider what an unlikely or rather impossible a thing it is for a poor famisht Cock pitifully vained and thus hung and hovelled to overcome a Cock of that wonderfull strength and devilish spirit that you are matched withall Again suppose that those that sit in the lower ring of the Cock-pit are the Divells and wicked Spirits and those that sit in the upper ring of the Cock-pit are the glorious Angels and blessed Saints both behoulding this doubtfull battell though with contrary affections the angels reioycing when they see you fight this spirituall battell like a good souldier of Jesus Christ that wicked Spirits wohping and hallowing when they see you strike faint fight like a Craven and fall beastly and hear dear brother that we make our selves a laughing stock to this wicked spirits let us pray unto our Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen our faith and to assist us with his grace that we may resiist the devill and make him flie from us and in the end tread Sathan underfoot and give us a crown of immortall glorie Amen Lord Jesus From your truly loving brother though he deals thus plainly with you Iohn Spencer GOod Sir Robert Carr I have receaved your â—etter and do acknowledge my thankfullâ—e unto you that you are pleased to have so good opinion of me and my endeavoures to commit your brother unto my care and ordering and that all things accomodate unto my desire at Steeford but I must entreat you that I may be spared for my coming to undertake care of him so farre remoted from my family I have my hands full of such dangerous employments again I hear there are suits in law betwixt you his mother my Ladie Carr who should I think have the custodie of him and therefore matters standing upon those litigious termes I should be loath to meddle with him but if you would bring him into this country I should be glad to do you the best service I can and the rather because his mother is very willing to commit him to my care but if my directions may do you or him any pleasure I have sent them unto you and desire you to employ Master Dixie that hath lived with me and is acquainted with his courses and so I beseech the Lord to blesse these or any other good meanes to yeild him comfort I take my leave and rest Desirous to do you service JOHN SPENCER The direction for Master Rochester Carr. OVr help is in the Name of the Lord that made heaven and earth First therefore let that blessed Lord be humbly fought unto by fasting and prayer Secondly let the distressed gentleman be removed from his own house unto some other convenient place well situate for aire and spacious fields to walk in and to do other exercises Thirdly settle with him a religious discreet Divine that may constantly pray with him and read unto him evening and morning and upon all good occasions to keep him company Fourthly place about him six honest servants men of good discretion and resolution that may be ready upon all occasions to aid and assist in the well ordering of him according to the dirrections of him that shall undertake the government of him to watch with him to ride with him and to exercise with him in shooting or bowling or any other exercise that shall be thought fit for him Fiftly let them be very carefull and take heed that there be no knives nor swords nor any wounding instruments left in the roomes wherein he comes nor worn by others that he may suddenly snatch at them for their temptations are many times very violent and their resolution sudden and disperate Sixtly let his apparell be decent and comely of cloth or plaine stuffe without lace or any such curious trimming and let his attendants give him no titles of honour but in civillity call him Master Rotchester or Master Carr and when he doth any thing wel then to shew the more respect unto him but otherwise to slight him as those that are set over him to command him and not to be commanded by him Sevently let his diet be sparing and moderate rather to support nature then to pomper the flesh veale lambe pheasant larkes smelts troutes pike pearch also let him fast often and pray much let him refraine from all kinde of wines and strong drink if you can by any meanes let him sleep six or seven houres in the foure and twenty and not above Eightly let him be held constantly to prayer and reading an houre in the morning and an hour in the evening and if the weather be fitting and his strength answerable let him walke a mile out right in the morning and evening and if you finde him inclining to
doth threaten many heavy Judgements against the children of Israel Deut. 28.47 Because thou servest not thy Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and a good heart for the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send uppon thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakednes and in need of all things And thus according to my simple understanding I have satisfied your request in setting down some directions humbly beseeching that mighty and glorious God who giveth wisdome to the simple and worketh great effects by weak meanes to give such a blessing unto my poor endeavours that his great power may be seen in my weaknesse that you may finde such comfort to your soule and such peace to your conscience that hereafter you may tell unto others the great mercies that the Lord hath shewed unto you in the dayes of your afliction and therefore say with the Prophet loe this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be joyfull in his salvation Amen Lord Jesus Amen From him that would willingly exchange some of his comforts for some of your sorrows and some of his best delights for some your repentant teares Iohn Spencer MAster Frankling a man of great worth almost a thousand pound a year fell into a wonderfull melancholie and distraction for seven yeares his eyes closed up his mouth closed up his hands closed up so that he was like a dead corps and almost famished he was with Master Nappier that famous Physician about a yeere and a halfe but could not prevaile with him some two yeares after he returned unto his own house he fell into a strange humour of eating and drinking wine and strong ale and it is almost uncredible to report how much he did devour in a day and night but this putting strength into him he grew very outragious and fell a burning and fighting and greatly endangered the killing of his servants and the burning of his house and then my brother Master Gery that maried Master Franklâ—ngs sister entreated me to go unto him I told him my opinion was as it was before that he must be removed from that house and have some others placed about him that would follow other directions my brother was desirous still to have me go to see him so with his importunity I went and took with me Master Iones a grave Preacher and one that had taken great pains with him we found him in a great chamber the glasse windows broken down and one chaire another afterwards was brought we sate down my intention being at this time onely to observe his carriage he was in a slight suit hardly worth five shillings like Irish trouses without a band the haire of his head on both sides being rubbed off and standing with his back to a great fire and looking so terribly that he would have terrified a man that was not acquainted with furious obiects so having spent some halfe an hour in observing of him Master Iones very respectively rose up and put off his hat and made his Apologie to Master Franklin because he did not come to see him for he went to Thurly but he slighted him and would make him no answer Then I spake to him and said Master Francklin you are much beholding to Master Iones for his great care of you but he sweld up and said unto me Sirrah how dare you speak thus unto me And I saw it was now time for me to get out of my chaire and because he should see that I was not daunted at his speeches I drew neerer and said Who are you that I must not speak unto you And thereupon he suddenly darted off the hearth and with his filthie nailes raked over my face and tore my ruffe so I was so ingaged that I must win the horse or lose the saddle but it pleased God to give me such strength that closing with him I threw him down and gat his hand and swaked it to the boards and called for a knife to pare his nailes but he would then have set upon my face with his teeth I was fain then to loose one of my hands and take him by the throat and with all my strength thrattle him but he made a hideous noise and cryed to his brothers to help him so one of them came and took me off and then I washed my face for I had not lost so much blood in any fray since I was at the siege of Ostend Afterwards he would be friends with me for he knew that I did it as a Souldier of Ostend A while after there was a meeting of divers Iustices of Peace and other gentlemen and there he was delivered unto me as by vertue of a commission out of the Court of wards and so we removed him to another place and set other attendants about him and gave other directions and so after a short time her rode abroad a hunting and coursing and grew into great jollity and married my Ladie Charnockes daughter a brave and vertuous young gentlewoman by whom he had one daughter and is lately dead And another beautifull young woman one Wapooles daughter of Southoe neer Huntington and one Master Beadles Son falling in love with her and intending to marry her but after his father perceived it he would not give his consent because her father was not able to give a portion according to his estate whereupon she fell into great discontentment and fell distracted and wandering from her fathers house in the depth of winter and in great floudes toward evening she came to my house and being in the porch made a strange kinde of noise I went to see her and she was wet and moiled as though she had been dragged thorow a river I fear'd at first she had coundterfeited and thought of sending her to the constable but afterward I had more pitty on her and caused her to be brought to the fire and got some warme drinkes and a warme lodging and so with in some few dayes it pleased God she was so well amended that she was able to declare unto me where her father dwelt and related unto me this pittyfull story of her love after she was able to doe some businesse I sent to her father to fetch her home he was glad when he heard she was living for they did thinke she had been drowned in the great floods when her father came we had been at prayers and I was reading a chapter when her father came in the young woman looked upon him very earnestly but would neither speak nor do any reverence unto him I used many perswasions to her but could not prevaile I sent out her father into another roome but it would not be then I called for pinfers and opened her mouth and dealt very roughly with her as though I would have plucked out her teeth but it would not be then I took a Bible