IOHN LILBURNE AETAT SVAE 23. Ano 1641. G Glo fecit Gaze not vpon this shaddow that is vaine But rather raise thy thoughts a higher straine To GOD I meane who set this young-man free And in like straits can eke deliuer thee THE CHRISTIAN MANS TRIALL OR A TRVE RELATION of the first apprehension and severall examinations of IOHN LILBVRNE With his Censure in Star-Chamber and the manner of his cruell whipping through the Streets whereunto is annexed his Speech in the Pillory and their gagging of him Also the severe Order of the Lords made the same day for fettering his hands and feet in yrons and for keeping his friends and monies from him which was accordingly executed upon him for a long time together by the Wardens of the Fleet with a great deale of barbarous cruelty and inhumanity c. Revel. 2. 10. Behold the Divell shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed and you shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crowne of life Matth. 10. 19. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what you shall speake for it shall be given you in that houre what you shall say The second Edition with an addition LONDON Printed for WILLIAM LARNAR and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Golden Anchor neere Pauls-Chaine 1641. To the READER CHristian Reader here is presented to thy view a part of these cruell and grievous sufferings imposed upon this Author by the malignant malice of the Prelacy and that faction wherein thou mayest likewise see the twonder full gracious dealings of a good God carrying this Author through them all with boldnesse and courage being not daunted neither at their frownes nor whippings nor pilâ—oriesâ— nor closoe prisons no nor yrons so that we may see the faithfull â—romises of our God before our eyes made good in this young man who path promised to be with his people in six troubles and seven and to hew himselfe strong in the behalfe of all those whose hearts are perfect before him that so hee might out of the mouthes of Babes and Suckings perfect his owne praise to the astonishment of all those who shall lift up heart or hand against him or the least of his holy ones and to the comfort and encouragement of all the Saints who from the consideration of the sweet supporting power of God appearing to others in their bonds are the more encouraged publiquely to hold forth their profession of the truths of the Lord Iesus with much more boldnesse and confidence as knowing that that God which hath appeared to others of the Saints in times of sufferings even before their eyes will also appeare to them in the like condition and therefore wee may a little see and take notice of the follyes of wicked mens wisdomes who thinke by their hellish wits to raze downe Syon and the truth of God to the ground and therefore they labour by the imprisonments and tortures of some to dash the rest out of heart that they should feare to shew any countenance to such a persecuted way whereas indeed the Saints have by this meanes a fairer object to pitch their faith and confidence upon namely the power and wisedome and grace and mercy of their God appearing in a more fuller vision before their eyes for the afflictions and persecution that are imposed by wicked men upon the Saints causeth them to see a spirit of glory resting upon them even in this condition here 1 Pet. 4. 13. 14 and a 〈◊〉 weight of glory provided for them hereafter 1 Cor. 4. 18. So that we may daily see the God of heaven fulfilling of his owne Word even in this thing which is that hee will confound the wisedome of the wise and bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and catch the wicked in their owne snares making the rage of man turne to his owne praise his peoples comforts and their ruins wherefore let the servants of God comfort one another with these words That we may not feare the feares of men which that we may be the more strengthened against them let us consider the cloud of witnesses which hath gone before 〈◊〉 a way of suffering even in these our times amongst whom the Author of this booke hath had his share with the deepest of them 〈◊〉 therefore to this end hath he published to the world this Tract that he might keepe alive to all posterities the goodnesse and mercy and love of God manifested to him under those cruell barbarous and tyrannical dealings of the prelaticall hierarchie that so all the Saints of God maâ— hate that wicked calling and power of theirs and never give ovâ—â— crying to God and men till it be razed downe to the ground that so the Lord Iesus may be set up as Lord and King which ought to he the desire and endeavour of all the chosen ones of God and is the desire of him who desires the good of the servants of God in all things in 〈◊〉 for Christ WILLIAM KIFFEN This is the first Part. A CHRISTIAN MANS TRIALL VPon Tuesday last the 11. or 12. of December 1637. I was treacherously and Judasly betraied by one that I supposed to be my friend into the hands of the Pursevant with foure of his assistants as I was walking in a narrow lane called Soper-lane being walking with one Iohn Chilliburhe servant to old Mr. Iohn Wharton in Bow-lane a Hotpresser * Which Iohn had laid the plot before for my apprehension as I am able for to prove and make good that he shall not be able with truth to deny it And at my taking the Pursevants were very violem me and having by force got me into a shop they throw me over a Sugar-chest to take my Sword from me and cried out for helpe and said he had taken one of the notoriousest dispersers of scandalous bookes that was in the Kingdome for saith he he hath dispersed them from one end of the Land to the other And from thence I was had to the Pole-head Taverne neere to the Dr. Commons where the Pursevants called freely for wine to make themselves merry thinking they had got a great prise Being not long there with my Pursevant Flamsted who apprehended me in came Bonnâ—ragge the great Prelates Pursevant and he looking upon me said Mr. Lilburne I am glad with all my heart that wee are met for you are the man that I have much desired for a long time to see To which I replied are you so And for my owne part I am not much unglad But you thinke you have got a great purchase in taking me but it may be you may be deceived Come saith he give us some wine and with that he swore an Oath he would give me a quart of Sacke for joyfulnesse of our meeting and so he called for it and dranke to me And I told him I would drinke no wine To
which hee replied and said in these words Come said he be not sad you are but fallen into the Knaves hands To which I said I am not sad in the least and for my falling into Knaves hands I verily beleeve without any questioning that which you have said And then he swore another Oath and said it was true enough So good Christian Reader take notice of thus much by the way that the Prelates and their Creatures are a company of Knaves by Boniragge his owne confession That night I was kept at Elamstedds house where I blesse God I was merry and cherefull and nothing at all danted at that which had befalne me And about twelve of the clocke the next day I was committed to the Gatehouse by Sir Iohn the Prelate of Canterburies Chancellour with others without any examination at all for sending of factious and fcandalous Bookes out of Holland into England And having not beene at the foresaid prison above three dayes I was removed by a Warrant from the Lords of the Counsell to the Fleet where I now remaine And after my being there some time I drew a Petition to the Lords of the Counsell for my liberty and their answer to it was that I should be examined before Sir Iohn Bankes the Kings Atturney The Coppy of which examination thus followes Vpon Tuesday the 14. of Ianuary 1637. I was had to Sir Iohâ— Bankâ— the Atturney Generall's Chamber now Lord chiefe Justice of the 〈◊〉 of Pleas and was referred to be examined by Mr. 〈◊〉 his chiâ—â—â— Clerke And at our first comming together he did kindly intreat me and made me sit downe by him and put on my hat and began with me after this manner Mr. Lilburne what is your Christian name I said Iohn Did you live in London before you went into Holland Yes that I did Where Neare Londonstone With whom there With Mr. Thomas Hewson What Trade is he A dealer in Cloath I told him How long did you serve him About five yeares How came you to part After this manner I * perceiving my Master had an intention to desist his Trade I often moved him that I might have my liberty to provide for my selfe and at the last hee condescended unto it and so I went into the Country to have the consent of my friends and after that departed into Holland Where were you there At Rotterdam And from thence you went to Amsterdam Yes I was at Amsterdam What Bookes did you see in Holland Great store of Bookes for in every Bookesellers shop as I came in there were greate store of Bookes I know that but I aske you if you did see Dr. Bastwicks Answer to my Masters Information and a Book called his Letany yes I saw them there and if you please to goe thither you may buy an hundred of them at the Bookesellers if you have a minde to them Have you seene the Vnbishopping of Timothy and Titus the Lookingglasse and * a Breviate of the Bishops late proceedings Yes I have and those also you may have there if you please to send for them Who Printed all those Bookes I doe not know Who was at the charges of Printing of them Of that I am ignorant But did you not send over some of these Bookes I sent not any of them over Doe you know one Hargust there Yes I did see such a man Where did you see him I met with him one day accidentally at Amsterdam How oft did you see him there Twise upon one day But did not he send over Bookes If he did it is nothing to me for his doings is unknowne to me But he wrote a Letter over by your directions did he not What he writ I know no more than you But did you see him no where else there Yes I saw him at Rotterdam What conference had you with him Very little But why doe you aske me all these questions These are besides the matter of my imprisonment I pray come to the thing for which I am accused and imprisoned No these are not besides the businesse but doe belong to the thing for which you are imprisoned But doe you know of any that sent over any Bookes What other men did doth not belong to me to know or search into sufficient it is for me to looke well to my owne occasions Well here is the examination of one Edmond Chilington doe you know such a one Yeâ— How long have you beene acquainted with him A little before I went away but how long I doe not certainely know Doe you know one Iohn Wharton No Doe you not he is a Hot-presser I know him but I doe not well remember his other name How long have you beene acquainted with him And how came you acquainted I cannot well tell you How long doe you thinke I doe not know What speeches had you with Chillington since you came to Towne I am not bound to tell you But Sir as I said before why doe you aske me all these questions these are nothing pertinent to my imprisonment for I am not imprisoned for knowing and talking with such and such men But for sending over Bookes And therefore I am not willing to answer you to any more of these questions because I see you goe about by this examination to insnare mee for seeing the things for which I am imprisoned cannot be proved against me you would get other matter out of my examination and therefore iâ— you will not aske me about the thing laid to my charge I shall answer no more but if you will aske me of that I shall then answer you and doe answer that for the thing for which I am imprisoned which is for sending over Bookes I am cleare for I sent none And of any other matter that you have to accuse me of I know it is warrantable by the Law of God and I thinke by the Law of the Land that I may stand upon my just defence and not answer to your intergatorie and that my accusers ought to be brought face to face to justifie what they accuse me of And this is all the answer that for the present I am willing to make And if you aske me of any more things I shall answer you with silence At this he was exceeding angry and said There would be course taken with me to make me answer I told him I did not way what course they would take with me onely this I desire you to take notice of that I doe not refuse to answer out of any contempt but onely because I am ignorant what belongs to an examination for this is the first time that ever I was examined and therefore I am unwilling to answer to any importinent questions for feare that with my answer I may doe my selfe hurt This is not the way to get liberty I had thought you would have answered punctually that so you might have beene dispatched as shortly as might be So I have answered punctually to the
he opened the booke we desire you to sweare by no forraigne thing but to sweare by the holy Evangelist Sir I doe not doubt or question thatonely I question how lawfull it is for me to sweare to I doe not know what So some of the Clarks began to reason with me and told me every one tooke that Oath and would I be wiser than all other men I told them it made no matter to me what other men doe but before I sweare I will know better grounds and reasons than other mens practises to convince mee of the lawfulnesse of such an Oath to sweare I doe not know to what So Mr. Goad bid them hold their peace he was not to convince any mans conscience of the lawfulnesse of it but onely to offer and tender it Will you take it or no saith he Sir I will be better advised first with this there was such looking upon mee and censuring me for a singular man for the refusing of that which was never refused before whereupon there was a Messenger sent to Sir Iohn Bankes to certifie him that I would not take the Star-Chamber Oath And also to know of him what should be done with me So I looked I should be committed close prisoner or worse And about an houre after came Mr. Cockschey Sir Iohns chiefe Clarke what said he Mr. Lilburne it seemes you will not take your Oath to make true answer I told him I would be better advised before I took such an Oath Well then saith he you must * goe from whence you came and then I spoke merrily to my Keepers and bid them let us be gone we have beene long enough here Thus have I made a true Relation of that dayes worke But before I proceede I desire to declare unto you the Lords goodnesse manifested unto me in being my counsellour and director in my great straights The Prelates intendment towards me was carried so close that I could not learne what they would doe with me onely I supposed they would have mee into the Star-chamber in regard I was removed by the Lords of the Counsell and also tidings was brought unto me by some friends what cruelty their Creatures did breath out against me but I incouraged my selfe in my God and did not feare what man could doe unto me Esayâ—1 12. 13. for I had the peace of a good conscience within me and the assurance of Gods love reconciled unto me in the precious blood of his Sonne JESVS CHRIST which was as good as Shield and Buckler unto me to keepe off all the assaults of my enemies and I was as it were in a strong walled Towne nothing dreading but lightly esteeming the cruelty of my Adversaries for I knew God was my God and would be with me and inable me to undergoe whatsoever by his permission they could inflict upon me and to his praise I desire to speak it I found his gracious goodnesse and loving kindnes so exceedingly made known unto me that he enabled me to undergoe my captivity with contentednesse joyfulnesse and cherefulnesse And also was pleased according to his promise to be a mouth unto me whensoever I was brought before them and gave me courage and boldnesse to speake unto them his holy and blessed name be praised and magnified for it Vpon the Fryday next after this in the morning one of the Officers of the Fleete came to my Chamber and bid mee get up and make mee ready to goe to the Star-Chamber-barre forth with I having no time to fit my selfe made me ready in all haste to goe yet when I came there the Lord according to his promise was pleased to be present with me by his speciall assistance that I was inabled without any dantednesse of spirit to speake unto that great and noble Assembly as though they had beene but my equalls And being at the barre Sir Iohn Bankes laid a verball accusation * against me which was that I refused to answer and also to enter my appearance and that I refused to take the Star-Chamber Oath and then was read the Affidavit of one Edmond Chillington Buttonseller made against Mr. Iohn Warton and my selfe * The summe of which was that he and I had Printed at Rotterdam in Holland Dr. Bastwickes answer and his Letany and divers other scandalous Bookes And then after I had obtained leave to speake I said My noble Lords as for that Affidavit it is a most false lie and untruth Well said the Lord-keeper why will you not answer My Honorable Lord said I I have answered fully before Sir Iohn Bankes to all things that belongs to me to answer unto and for other things which concerne other men I have nothing to doe with them But why doe you refuse to take the Star-Chamber Oath Most Noble Lord I refused upon this ground because that when I was examined though I had fully answered all things that belonged to me to answer unto and had cleared my selfe of the thing for which I am imprisoned which was for sending bookes out of Holland yet that would not satisfie and give content but other things was put unto me concerning other men to insnare me and get further matter against me which I perceiving refused being not bound to answer to such things as doe not belong unto me and withall I perceived the Oath to be an Oath of inquiry and for the lawfulnesse of which Oath I have no warrant and upon these grounds I did and doe still refuse the Oath with this some of the Kings Counsell and some of the Lords spoke would I condemne and contradict the Lawes of the Land * and be wiser than all other men to refuse that which is the Oath of the Court administred unto all that come there Well said my Lord Keeper tender him the booke I standing against the Prelate of Canterburies backe he looked over his shoulder at me bid me pull off my glove and lay my hand upon the book Unto whom I replied Sir I will not sweare and then directing my speech unto the Lords I said Most Honorable and Noble Lords with all reverence and submission unto your Honours submitting my body unto your Lordships pleasure and whatsoever you please to inflict upon it yet must I refuse the Oath My Lords said the Arch Prelate in a deriding manner doe you heare him hee saith with all reverence and submission he refuseth the * Oath Well come come said my Lord Keeper submit your selfe unto the Court Most Noble Lords with all willingnesse I submit my body unto your Honours pleasure but for any other submission most Honourable Lords I am conscious unto my selfe that I have done nothing that doth deserve a convention before this illustrious Assembly and therefore for me to submit is to submit I doe not know wherefore With that up stood the Earle of Dorset and said My Lords this is one of their private spirits Doe you heare him how he stands in his owne
morning I was committed by Sir Iohn Lamb to the Gate-house now my Lords I doe protest before your Honours in the word of a Christian that I did not send over thefe bookes neither did J know the Ship that brought them nor any that belongs to the ship nor to my knowledge did never see with my eyes either the ship or any that belongs unto it But before I proceede with my Speech I desire to digresse a little in regard that Iohn Chilliburne doth yet stifly maintaine that he did not betray me nor laid the plot and therefore I doe him wrong for accusing him he saith To which I answer and say in this he is worfe than Iudas himselfe for after he had betrayed Christ he came and confessed his sinne and said I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood and this man hath betraied Christ in betraying me his member for what is done to his servant he takes it as done to himselfe but he is not so good as Iudas who confessed his fault but he hides and justifies his sinne and therefore I will declare my Grounds and Demonstrations whereupon I am sure he was the Judas The first is thus He and I appointed to meete one day upon the Exchange at two a clocke unto which place I came and staid long for his comming but hee came not and I verily thinke he sent two or three in his place two of them being Arminians living in Cornehill which J my selfe knew who passed againe and again by me vewing very narrowly my apparell visage and countenance as J thinke for that end that they might know mee againe and when J sat downe they would passe by and goe a little from me and sit downe and fix their eyes upon me insomuch that J was afraid that J should there have beene taken which forced me to depart And at our next meeting J told him of it and how that unlesse J had knowne him well J should have beleeved he had betrayed me Unto which hee gave me no satisfactory answer but put it off and said his libertie was as precious as mine and if he should betray me he must betray himselfe and therefore J needed not to doubt any such thing the Lord having blinded my eyes J could not see into his treacherous heart but tooke this for a currant answer J knowing that he had had a deepe hand in the dispersing of bookes and therefore J gave credite to that which he had said as being a reall Truth the Lord having a secret hand of providence in it J hope at the last for his glorie and my good did so Order it that I should not take notice or perceive his perfidiousnesse though I had an incling given me of it before by some friends yet J could not beleeve it till the event manifested it for that day J was taken he hearing by what meanes I doe not know that I was to meete one at the Temple and understanding that I had a desire to see his Master at his owne house being newly let out of prison we came towards the Temple and met me in Fleet-streete and so we went backe towards the Temple and had some discourse there in which he put me forward to goe see and speake with his Master unto whom I declared how fearefull I was to goe thither in regard I heard they laid waite for me least I should be taken but he made all things cleare and contrived a way by meanes of which he said I might without any feare goe speake with him So we parted and appointed to meete at the staires that goes from Bridewell to Black-Fryers I came to the Staires and stood a great while but he came not till I was a comming away and I expecting him to come out of Bridewell I having sent him in thither to speake with one unto whom I thinke he did not goe but yet he told me he was with him but rather he went to Flamsted the Pursevant to get him in a readinesse for he came to me from Flamsteds-houseward downe from Black-Fryers being a cleane contrary way to that I sent him So we went towards his Masters house and parted againe and appointed to meet at Tantlins-Church and when I came there I saw one walking with him which I verily beleeve was one of the five that tooke me and when I came to him I declared unto him that comming downe Soper-lane I saw a fellow stand in a corner very suspiciously who looked very wishfully at me and I at him and therefore I desired him to goe and see who it was and whether I might goe safely to his Masters or no So he went and came backe and told me his Master was come to the doore and I might goe without any danger and as we went I declared unto him my fearefulnesse to goe to his Masters and I told him I would halfe draw my sword that I might be in a readinesse and he went before towards his Masters and I doe verily thinke acquainted them how it was with me and I going after him in the narrow Lane I passed by two great fellowes suspecting nothing and by and by they seazed upon my backe and shoulders and cried out in the Kings Name for helpe they had taken the Rogues Whartons men and Iohn was the third man that seized upon me laying fast hold of my left shoulder and they three pulled my cloake crosse over my armes that so though I had my sword halfe drawne yet by no meanes could I get it out which if I had and got my backe against the wall I doe not doubt but I should have made them be willing to let me alone for though they had fast hold of me they quaked and trembled for feare and though they were five or sixe yet they cryed out for more helpe to assist them I being but one and when they all seased on me then they called me by my name and though we were in the darke yet they knew my habit that I was in as well as my selfe and shewed me their warrant with my name in it I have beene forced of necessity to recite these things in regard of his dayly speeches against me and his writing to me in justification of his innocency though as yet for all I have sent for him hee would never come face to face Tart Letters likewise I have received from Smith and Chillington for speaking that which I have said in publique of them and as for Smith take notice what I said of him and I here give my reasons for that I said it is knowne that at the last time the bookes were taken at Mr. Whartons part of them was not taken which Iohn can not deny but he carried them unto Smith and what passed betwixt them they themselves best know but this is sure Iohn was never troubled for the bookes though hee was taken dispersing of them and I am sure his libertie was obtained by Smiths and Sam Bakers the Prelate
of Londons Chaplaines meanes Also Smith is not ignorant but doth very well know that promise that Iohn made to Mr. Baker about twelve moneths agoe to doe him speciall service about such things which promise I doe verily beleeve he hath faithfully kept for he hath confessed to his Master since the beginning of my trouble that he hath used to carry to Baker all new bookes he could get as soone as they came out and how for the which he gave him money but how much he best knowes Also what free and samiliar accesse Iohn hath had to him and he and Iohn to Baker and for those secrets which Iohn from time to time hath revealed to him and Baker what they are I name not but appeale to their owne consciences for it is too manifest that hee is a darling both to Smith and Baker in regard they stand so stoutly for him as they doe for Mr. Wharton being not long since with Baker he told him hee heard he was about to put away his Man Iohn Yea said he what should I do with him else Well said he if you doe it and put him away the Chamberlaine will make you take him againe Will he so said he he can not doe it for he is a Iudas and a Theefe for he hath stolne money from me and I can prove it said the Old Man and therefore he can not make me take him againe Baker could not well tell what to say to it but yet did perswade him to keepe him This the Old man told me himselfe it seemes they have kept him at his Masters as a private and secret servant for their owne turnes above this fourteene Moneths and they would still if they could keepe him there But what secret mischiefe hee hath done by his so frequent resorting to Baker and Smith is not yet fully knowne but I hope it will come out by degrees Therefore let all that heares of it take notice of it and let some of those that were in the information with the three Worthies cast back their eyes and see if they can finde and spie out who was their Originall Accuser and Betrayer These things may be worth the making knowne though I may incurre hatred and spite from them for it yet I weigh not that for I have not declared these things out of any revenge for I commit that unto God And for that wrong they have done unto mee I freely forgive them and if any of them belong to God I pray him to call them home unto him But these things I have set downe being forced thereunto for vindicating my good name from their bitter reproaches and calumniations and all you that read this judge and censure what I have said But now after my Digression I will returne againe to our former matter And being at the Gatehouse I was removed by sixe of your Honours to the Fleete at which time the said Chillington was removed from Bridewell to Newgate and being kept * close there then he by their threats and perswasions and the procuring of his owne liberty goes and accuses me for printing ten or twelve thousand Bookes in Holland And at my Examination before Sir Iohn Bankes I cleared my selfe of that and upon Fryday last he made an Affidavit against me in which hee hath most falsly forsworne himselfe and to day he hath made another which is also a most false untruth And withall my Lords he is knowne to be a notorious lying fellow and hath accused mee for the purchasing of his owne liberty which he hath got And therefore I beseech your Honours to take into your serious consideration and see whether I am to be censured upon such a fellowes Affidavits or no Then said the Lord Keeper thou art a mad fellow seeing things are thus that thou wilt not take thine Oath and answer truely My Honourable Lord I have declared unto you the reall Truth but for the Oath it is an Oath of Inquiry and of the same nature of the High-Commission-Oath Which Oath I know to be unlawfull and withall I finde no warrant in the Word of God for an Oath of Inquiry and it ought to be the director of mee in all things that I doe and therefore my Lords at no hand I dare not take the Oath when I named the Word of God the Court began to laugh as though they had had nothing to doe with it my Lords said Mr. Goad he told me yesterday he durst not take the Oath though he suffered death for the refusall of it And with that my Lord Privy Seal spoke Will you said he take your Oath that that which you have said is true My Lord said I I am but a young Man and doe not well know what belongs to the nature of an Oath but that which I have said is a reall truth but thus much by Gods appointment I know an Oath ought to be the end of all controversie and strife Heb. 6. 16. And if it might be so in this my present cause I would safely take my Oath that what I have said is true So they spoke to the Old man my fellow partner and asked him whether he would take the Oath So he desired them to give him leave to speake and he begun to thunder it out against the Bishops and told them they required three Oathes of the Kings Subjects namely the Oath of Churchwardenship and the Oath of Canonicall Obedience and the Oath Ex Officio Which said he are all against the Law of the Land and by which they deceive and perjure thousands of the Kings Subjects in a yeare And withall my Lords said he there is a Maxime in Divinity that we should prefer the glory of God the good of our King and Country before our owne lives but the Lords wondering to heare the Old Man begin to talke after this manner commanded him to hold his peace and to answer them whether he would take the Oath or no To which he replied and desired them to let him talke a little and he would tell them by and by At which all the Court burst out of a laughing but they would not let him goe on but commanded silence which if they would have let him proceed he would so have peppered the Bishops as they were never in their lives in an open Court of Iudicature So they asked us againe whether we would take the Oath which we both againe refused and withall I told them that for the reasons before I durst not take it Then they said they would proceed to Censure I bid them doe as they pleased for I knew my selfe innocent of the thing for which I was imprisoned and accused but yet notwithstanding did submit my body to their Honours pleasure So they censured us 500. pound a peece and then stood up Judge Ioans and said It was fit that I being a young man for example sake should have some-corporall * punishment inflicted upon me So my Censure was to
were that most resorted to me I desired I might be excused in that also Ey but you must give me an answer said he for I must certifie the Lords thereof Then said I I pray you tell their Honours I am unwilling to tell you What were those bookes said he that you threw abroad were they all of one sort Those that have them said I can certifie you of that I my selfe have one of them said he and have read it and can find no wit in it there is nothing but railing in it Sir said I I conceive you are mistaken for the booke is all full of wit it is true this booke which which you lighted on is not so full of solidity as other of his bookes are but you must understand that at that time when the Doctor made that booke he was full of heavinesse and in danger of a great punishment for the Prelates had breathed out more cruelty against him for writing his Apologie and at that time also hee was compassed about on every side with the Pestilence therefore hee made that booke to make himselfe merry But said he hee doth not write any thing in it to the purpose against the Bishops callings Sir said I I must confesse you lighted on the worst of the three And it is true there is not much soliditie and force of argument in it but onely mirth but the other two are as full of soliditie as this is of mirth What were they of three sorts said he Yes Sir that they were said I What were the other two called said he The one said I was his Answer to Sir Iohn Banks his information The other is an Answer to some Objections that are made against that books which you have but if ever you reade his Latine bookes you shall there find solidity enough and the wickednesse and unlawfulnesse of the Bishops callings and practises set forth to the full What Latine bookes be they said he His Flagellum for which hee was first censured said I What hath hee beene twice censured said hee Yes said I hee was censured in the High Commission Court for writing his Flagellum and after that he wrote his Apologie and that little booke which you have which were the cause of his censure in the Star-Chamber But hast thou any more of those bookes said hee Sir said I if I had had twenty of them more they should all have gone yesterday But hast thou any more of them now said hee Sir said I I verily thinke that if I should tell you I had not you would not believe mee and therefore if you please you may search my Chamber So I must said he for the Lords have commanded me so to doe therefore open your Trunke Sir said I it is open already Search it Iohn Hawes said he So he search'd it and found nothing there Open the Cubbard said he So I gave the Porter the key of my Cubbard to search it and he found nothing there but my victualls Search his pocket said the Warden Indeed Sir said I there is none in them yet he searched them and found as I said Then he searched all my Chamber over but found nothing at all Well Sir said I now you can certifie the Lords how you find things with mee but I pray Sir must I still be kept close prisoner I hope now the Lords have inflicted their censure on me they will not still keep mee close No said he within a little time you will be eased of it so wee tooke our leaves each of other and he went away And the next day being Friday and a Star-Chamber-day I hoped I should have had the liberty of the Prison but in stead thereof newes was brought me at evening that I must be removed to the Comon-Gâ—al or a worse place and that I must be put in yrons Well for all this my God enabled me to keepe my hold still and not to let my confidence goe for blessed be his name for it this newes did not in the least manner trouble me And upon Saturday morning Iohn Hawes the Porter came with the woman that looked to me to my Chamber to stand by her that none might speake with me till shee had made my bed and done other things for me and he told me hee was sorry to heare such newes as he did concerning me What is it said I I heare said he that the Lords have ordered that you must be put into the Wards and kept close prisoner there and lie in yrons and none must be suffered to come at you to bring you any thing but you must live upon the Poore Mans Box Sir that 's very hard said I but the will of my God be done For mine owne part it nothing at all troubles me for I know in whom I have believed and I know not one hayre of my head shall fall to the ground without his providence and I have cast up my account already what it wil cost me therefore I weigh not any thing that can be inflicted on mee for I know that God made Paul and Silas to sing in the Stockes at midnight will also make mee rejoyce in my chaynes but it is very much that they will let none come to me to bring me any thing it seemes they will be more cruell to me than the very Heathens and Pagan Romans were to Paul who when he was in Prison did never refuse to let any come to him to administer to his necessities but I weigh it not for I know my God is and will be with me to make me goe through all my afflictions with cheerfulnesse for I feele his power within me so mightily supporting and upholding me that no condition in this world can make mee miserable and for mine own part I do no more set by my life blood in this cause then I doe a piece of bread when I have newly dyned Afterwards the woman telling me she hoped I should not have so sore a punishment laid on me but that I might have things brought me from my friends I told her I did not much care how it went with me for Ieremyes Dungeon or Daniels Den or the three Childrens Fornace is as pleasant and welcome to me as a Palace for wheresoever I am I shall find God there and if I have him that is enough to me and for victualls I told her I did not doubt but that God that fed the Prophet Esiah by a Raven would preserve me and fill me to the full by the way of his providence and if no meat should be brought me I knew if they take away my meat God will take away my stomack therefore I weighed not their cruelty and thereupon uttered to her these foure verses I doe not feare nor dread the face of any mortall man Let him against me bend his power and do the worst be can For my whole trust strength confidence My hope and all my aide Is in the Lord
justification Well my Lords said the great Prelate this fellow meaning me hath been one of the notoriousest disperser of Libellous bookes that is in the Kingdome and that is the Father of them all pointing to old Mr. Wharton Then I replied and said Sir I know you are not able to prove and to make that good which you have said I have testimony of it said he Then said I produce them in the face of the open Court that wee may see what they have to accuse me of And I am ready here to answer for my selfe and to make my just defence With this he was silent * and said not one word more to me and then they asked my fellow Souldiour old Mr. Wharton whether he would take the Oath which hee refused and began to tell them of the Bishops cruelty towards him and that they had had him in * five severall prisons within this two yeares for refusing the Oath And then there was silence after which was read a long peece of businesse how the Court had proceeded against some that had harboured Jesuits and Seminary-Priests those Traitors who refused to be examined upon Oath and in regard that we refused likewise to be examined upon Oath it was fit they said that we should be proceeded against as they were so they were the president by which we were censured though their cause and ours be much unlike in regard theirs were little better than Treason but our crime was so farre from Treason that it was neither against the glory of God the honour of the King the Lawes of the Land nor the good of the Common-wealth but rather for the maintaining of the honour of them all as all those that read the bookes without partiall affections and prejudicate hearts can witnesse and declare and if the bookes had had any Treason or any thing against the Law of the Land in them yet we were but subposedly guilty for the things were never fully proved against us indeed there was two Oathes read in court which they said was sworne against us by one man but he was never brought face to face and in both his Oathes he hath forsworne himselfe as in many particulars thereof wee both are able to make good In the conclusion my Lord Keeper stood up and said My Lords I hold it fit that they should be both for their contempt committed close prisoners till Tuesday next and if they doe not conforme themselves betwixt this and then to take the Oath and yeeld to be examined before Mr. Goad then that they shall be brought hither againe and censured and made an Example * Unto which they all agreed and so we were committed close prisoners and no friends admitted to come unto us And upon Munday after we were had to Grayes Inne and I being the first there Mr. Goad said to me according to the Lords Order upon Friday last I have sent for you to tender the Oath unto you Sir I beseech you let me heare the Lords Order So he caused it to be read unto mee and then tendered mee the Booke Well Sir said I I am of the same minde I was and withall I understand that this Oath is one and the same with the High Commission Oath which Oath I know to be both against the Law of God and the Law of the Land and therefore in briefe I dare not take the Oath though I suffer death for the refusall of it Well said he I did not send for you to dispute with you about the lawfulnesse of it but onely according to my place to tender it unto you Sir I dare not take it though I loose my life for the refusall of it So he said he had no more to say to me and I tooke my leave of him and came away And after that came the old Man and it was tendered unto him which he refused to take and as he hath told me he declared unto him how the Bishops had him eight times in prison for the refusall of it and he had suffered the Bishops mercilesse cruelty for many yeares together and he would nownever take it as long as he lived and withall told him that if there were a Cart ready at the doore to carry him to Tiburne he would be hanged before ever hee would take it And this was that dayes businesse Upon the next morning about seven a clocke we were had to the Star-Chamber-bar againe to receive our Censure and stood at the Bar about two boures before Sir Iohn Bancks came but at the last hee began his accusation against us that we did still continue in our former stubbornenesse and also there was another Affidavit of the foresaid Edmond Chillingtons read against us the summe of which was that I had confessed to him that I had printed Dr. Bastwickes Answer to Sir Iohn Bancks his Information and his Letany and an other booke called An Answer unto certaine Objections and another booke of his called the Vanitie and Impiety of the old Letany and that I had divers other bookes of Dr. Bastwickes a Printing and that Mr. Iohn Wharton had beene at the charges of Printing a booke called A breviate of the Bishops late proceedings and an other booke called Sixteene new Quertes and divers other factious bookes and that one James Ouldam a Turner in Westminster-Hall had dispersed divers of these bookes So it came to me to speake and I said after this manner Most Noble Lords I beseech your Honours that you would be pleased to give me leave to speake for my selfe and to make my just defence and I shall labour so to Order my speeches as that I shall not give your Honours any just distaste and withall shall doe it with as much brevitie as I can So having obtained my desire I began and said My Lords it seemes there was divers bookes sent out of Holland which came to the hands of one Edmond Chillinton which made this affidavit against us and as I understand he delivered divers of these bookes unto one Iohn Chilliburne servant to this old Man Mr. Wharton I said he my Lords and I had given him a strict charge that he should not meddle with any and his Master being in Prison he dispersed divers of them for the foresaid Chillingtons use whereupon the bookes were taken in his Custody and he being found dispersing of them gos to one Smith a Taylor in Bridewell as I am informed desires him to get his peace made with the Bishops whereupon he covenants with some of the Bishops Creatures to betray me into their hands being newly come out of Holland which as he said did send over these bookes So my Lords he having purchased his owne libertie layes the plot for betraying me and I was taken by a Purfevant and foure others of his assistance walking in the streets with the foresaid Iohn Chilliburne who had laid and contrived the plot before as I am able to make good and the next
Brethren to all you that love the Lord Jesus Christ and desire that he should raigne and rule in your hearts and lives to you especially and to as many as heare me this day I direct my speech I stand here in the place of ignominy and shame yet to me it is not so but I owne and embrace it as the Welcome Crosse of Christ and as a badge of my Christian Profession I have beene already whipt from the Fleete to this place by vertue of a censure from the Honourable Lords of the Star-Chamber hereunto the Cause of my censure I shall declare unto you as briefly as I can The Lord by his speciall hand of providence so ordered it that not long agoe I was in Holland where I was like to have settled my selfe in a course of trading that might have brought me in a pretty large portion of earthly things after which my heart did too much runne but the Lord having a better portion in store for me and more durable riches to bestow upon my soule by the same hand of providence brought me backe againe and cast mee into easie affliction that thereby I might be weaned from the world and see the vanity and emptinesse of all things therein And hee hath now pitched my soule upon such an object of beautie amiablenesse and excellencie as is as permanent and endurable as Eternity it selfe namely the personall excellencie of the Lord Jesus Christ the sweetnesse of whose presence no affliction can ever be able to wrest out of my soule Now while I was in Holland it seemes there were divers Bookes of that noble and renowned Doctor Iohn Bastwicke sent into England which came to the hands of one Edmond Chillington for the sending over of which I was taken and apprehended the plot being before laid by one Iohn Chilliburne whom I supposed and tooke to be my friend servant to my old fellow soldier Master Iohn Wharton living in Bow-lane after this manner I walking in the street with the said Iohn Chilliburne was taken by the Pursevant and his men the said Iohn as I verily believe having given direction to them where to stand and hee himselfe was the third man that laid hands on mee to hold mee Now at my censure before the Lords I there declared upon the word of a Christian that I sent not over those Bookes neither did I know the Ship that brought them nor my of the men that belonged to the Ship nor to my knowledge did I ever see either Ship or any appertaining to it in all my dayes Besides this I was accused at my examination before the Kings Atturney at his Chamber by the said 〈◊〉 Chillington Button-seller living in Canon-street neere Alchurch Lane and late prisoner in Bridewell and Newgate for printing ten or welve thousand Bookes in Holland and that I woud have printed the Vnmasking the mysterie of Iniquitie if I could have gotten a true copy of it and that I had a Chamber in Mastor Iohn Foot 's house at Delfe where he thinks the Books were kept Now here I declare before you all upon the word of a suffering Christian that hee might as well have accused me of printing a hundred thousand hookes and the one been as true as the other and for the printing the Vnmasking the Mysterie of Iniquitie upon the word of an honest man I never saw nor to my knowledge heard of the Booke till I came backe againe into England and for my having a Chamber in Master Iohn Foot 's house at Delfe where he thinks the Bookes were kept I was so farre from having a Chamber there as I never lay in his house but twice or thrice at the most and upon the last Friday of the last Terme I was brought to the Star-Chamber Barre where before me was read the said * Edmond Chillingtons Affidavit upon Oath against Mr. Iohn Wharton and my selfe the summe of which oath was That hee and I had printed at Rotterdam in Holland Doctor Bastwicks Answer and his Letany withdivers other scandalous Bookes Now here againe I speake it in the presence of God and all you that heare mee that Master Wharton and I never joyned together in printing either these or any other Bookes whatsoever neither did I receive any money from him toward the printing any Withall in his first Oath hee peremptorily swore that wee had printed them at Rotterdam unto which I likewise say That he hath in this particular forsworne himselfe for mine owne part I never in all my dayes either printed or caused to be printed either for my selfe or for Master Wharton any Bookes at Rotterdam neither did I come into any Printing-house there all the time I was in the Citie And then upon the Tuesday after he swore against both of us againe The summe of which Oathes was that I had confessed to him which is most false that I had printed Doctor Bastwicke◠Answer to Sir Iohn Bancks his Information and his Letany and another Booke called Certaine Answers to Certaine Objections and another Booke called The Vanity and Impiety of the old Letany and that I had divers other Bookes of the said Doctor Bastwicks in printing and that Master Wharton had been at the charges of printing a Book called A Breviate of the Bishops late proceedings and another Booke called sixteene new Queries and in this his Oath hath sworne they were printed at Rotterdam or somewhere else in Holland and that one Iames Oldam a Turner keeping Shop at Westminster-hall-gate dispersed divers of these Bookes Now in this Oath he hath againe forsworne himselfe in a high degree for whereas he tooke his Oath that I had printed the Booke called The Vanity and Impiety of the old Letany I here speake it before you all that I never in all my dayes did see one of them in print but I must confesse I have seene and read it in written hand before the Doctor was censured and as for other Bookes of which he saith I have divers in printing To that I answer that for mine owne particular I never read nor saw any of the Doctors Bookes but the forenamed foure in English and one little thing more of about two sheets of paper which is annexed to the Vanity of the old Letany and as for his Latine Bookes I never saw any but two Namely his Flagellum for which he was first censured in the High Commission Court and his Apologeticus which were both in print long before I knew the Doctor But it is true there is a second edition of his Flagellum but that was at the presse above two yeeres agoe namely Anno 1634. and some of this impression was in England before I came out of Holland And these are the maine things for which I was censured and condemned being two oathes in which the said Chillington hath palpably forsworne himselfe and if hee had not forsworne himselfe yet by the Law as I am given to understand I might have excepted against him
IEHOVAS fence which Heaven and earth hath made The rest that I intended by the strength of my God to have spoken if I had not beene prevented by the Gag I now forbeare to set downe in regard I heare I am to come into the field again to fight a second battel unto which time I reserve it if the Lord so order it that I may have liberty to speake I doubt not but by the might and power of my God in whom I rest and trust valiantly to display the weapons of a good souldier of Iesus Christ Come life come death and in the meane time to what I have here said and written I set to my name by mee IOHN LILBVRN being wiritten with part of mine owne blood The rest of which by the Lords assistance I will willingly shed if he call for it in the maintaining of his Truth and Glory and that which I have here said and written by me JOHN LILBVRNE At the Inner Star-Chamber the 18th of April Anno Dom. 1638. Present Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Keeper Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seale Earle Marshall Earle of Salisbury Lord Cottington Lord Newburch M. Secretary Cooke M. Secretary Windebanck WHereas Iohn Lilburne Prisoner in the Fleet by sentence in Starchamber did this day suffer condigne punishment for his severall offences by whipping at a Cart and standing in the Pillory and as their Lordships were this day informed during the time that his body was under the said execution audaciously and wickedly did not only utter sundry scandalous speeches but likewise scattered divers copies of seditious bookes among the people that beheld the said execution for which very thing among other offences of like nature he hath beene censured in the said Court by the aforesaid sentence It is therefore by their Lordships ordered that the said Iohn Lilburne should be laid alone with yrons on his hands and legges in the Wards of the Fleet where the basest and meanest sort of prisoners are used to be put and that the Warden of the Fleet take especiall care to hinder the resort of any persons whatsoever unto him And particularly that he be not supplyed with money from any friend and thâ—â— hee take especiall notice of all letters writings and bookes brought unto him and seise and deliver the same unto their Lordships and take notice from time to time who they be that resort unto the said prison to visit the said Lilburne or to speake with him and informe the Board thereof And it was lastly ordered that all persons that shall be hereafter produced to receive corporall punishment according to sentence of that Court or by order of the Board shall have their garments searched before they be brought forth and neither writing nor other thing suffered to be about them and their hands likewise to be bound during the time they are under punishment Whereof together with the other premisses the said Warden of the Fleet is hereby required to take notice and to have especiall care that this their Lordships order be accordingly observed Examined per DVDLY CARLETON FINIS * And was since advanced by the Bishop of London to be his 〈◊〉 Licencer for his paines * But the greatest ground was Canterburies malice who sent his Pursevants to my Masters to apprehend me for my visiting of and welwishing to Noble Dr. Bastwicke which forced me to fly to save my selfe from thse cruell blood-suckers * Which Book proves them guilty of high trea * No legall proceeding in Star-Chamber * Iust in quisition like * This is the Divinities of the Prelates and their Creatures * But there was never any Bill as there ought to have been * Who they forced by cruelty so to doe having almost starved him in prison and also removed him into severall prisons to torment him to make him bend to their â—ow * There is no Law in this Land for warranting of thu Oath * This Prelate cannot lie * But sat downe in a fury having oâ— more to say * O cruell persecutors * O brave Iustice * And almost starved * So my youth was the cause of my whipping by Iudge â—ones his Law * Very satable to their constant practise * It hath beene an ordinary thing in the Star-chamber and high Commission either to forge Affidavits or to make addition unto them