Duty with him at Sea and especially when his Majesty and Highness were pleased to point at him in the Royal Chappel in time of Divine Service in view of many my Lord of Winton from that time never ceas'd to imploy his utmost Power and Interest to ruine Jones in Court and Country Jones therefore doth humbly desire the right Reverend Bishops of Bangor and St. Asaph to cause this Matter to be search'd least there be any design laid against this Church or Judgments he multiplied upon this Nation by unsincere Oaths or the Presbyter party bearian away the Glory of Defending the Protestant Interest and the late glorious Kings Cause and Martyrdome recieve wrong and old Fears and jealousies be justified And Particularly least by any misinformation Jones be oppressed by the Church for his fidelity to the Church as well against the Schismatical party when it formerly prevail'd as against the Popish when it began Clandestinely to prevaile May 26. 1669. Tho. Jones Neither was there any thing made of or upon this Information in writeing saving the sending a Copy attested by a Public notary to the great Bishops for the compass of a whole Year my Lord Ch. H. being now out of the way c. But in the Year 1670 when I was pursuing my appeal to the Arches against my Diocesan touching the said reading Pew my Diocesan and my Lord of W. Consulted upon an Action of Scandalum Magnatum which my Lord of W. Commenc'd against me in Easter Term of the said Year 1670 for words pretended to have been spoken by me at Lanynnis Octob. 3. 1668. and whatever their Importance were so long conceal'd The words of my Lord of W. Declaration put in Trinity Term following where these My Lord of W. hath engaged you Bishop of Bangor to do me all the mischief you can for his part he hath discountenanc'd my Catechizing at St. James's and my Preaching in the Fleet he is a Promotor of Popery and a Subvertor of the Church of England Which words I mean the last Clause as soon as I met them in the Declaration I was amaz'd thereat and declared to my Lord of W. Agents and Friends for I could not be admitted either before or after to speake with his Lordship that I never spoke those words neither did I own them I and an other then and there present would take our Oaths upon it what I did speake of my Lord of W. I gave the same under my hand in writing which I did own and stand to my Lord of W. notwithstanding would proceed upon these words But in Michaelmas Term he was not ready and I had an opportunity to be dismiss'd upon motion being the third Term as I was informed and my Lord of W. could never have renewed this suite any more because of the Statute of limitation Here my Lord of W. is beholding for his verdict and conquest to my respects to the late Bishop of London where of both were told betimes who pretending kindness to me and good Will did advize and prevaile upon me to desist Hillary Term 1670 the Bishop of Bangor and his Chaplain and Mr. S. Ll. Swore the words aforesaid at Kings Bench before Lord Chief Justice Keeling Middlesex and Mr. Ll. ex abundante Swore that I there said I delighted to contend with great Bishops which was a great Collusion for I had us'd those words there by way of disowning and charge against the said Mr Ll. for raising in the Country such a false report concerning me who delighted not to contend with any sort of men either superiors or Inferiours or equalls for reasons which I then and there gave to them both My Lord of W. having recover'd a verdict of 317 l. against me for the words so proved seiz'd upon my Living of Llandurnog which was all my preferment for three Years together for the same being worth 200 l. per annum at least in those years wherein there hapned a dearth in those parts not allowing me 6 d. thereout towards my maintenance being silenc'd also from my calling the said years in the Ecclesiastical Courts upon the score of reading Pew aforesaid My Lord of W. and his Friends about the said three years end by trick about 20 l. being my own moneys in over-plus for which they gain'd a receipt from under my hand by craft have raised a report thereupon that he secretly maintained me in those years wronging my next Relations who solely did to whom I am to Lease Llandurnog from time to time for their reimbursements yet my Lord of W. Lawyers affirm'd at the King's Bench that he had bestowed the verdict moneys saving 50 l. upon Bangor Cathedral the said Court wondring at so cruel a Charity neither of which vain glorious reports were true most of the moneys being still in the hands of his Sequestrators towards uses limited by a Deed kept secret as I have been credibly inform'd Though his Lordship had received or might have received all his moneys well nigh twice over yet he still withheld my Living from me till I mov'd the Court of Kings Bench Trin. 1674 where the late Bishop of Bangor his principal Witness being detected in Illegal malitious proceedings escap'd being fined by the Court for the same by a Plea of Death in his behalf Neither was I wanting to tender my Lord of W. through Persons of Quality and honour such a Submission betimes as was due foro soli upon such words prov'd against me which I can well swear I never spoke and upon his refusal of the same yielded to pay him his Monyes quietly rather then make any accknowledgment against my Conscience which he expected The Duke of York the same time vz 1671 was graciously pleas'd to intercede through the late Bishop of Worcester for remission of his verdict and an end of troubling me And my Lord of W. promised by his secretary Mr. Garrard to the Bishop of Worcester that he did remit the same upon the Duke's Account as the Bishop told me but then went soon off from that promise sequestring me a new as it were in my belief and hopes Now it is to be observ'd my Lord of W. never made any manner of vindication against the said paper which I did always own and have been since more Confirm'd in by the Rumour'd Instability of her late Highness in 1671 whereof I had Apprehenfions to my self in 1666 and as I adhaer'd to my opinion deliver'd in the said paper from the date thereof to this present amidst variety of Deaths so God helping I shall continue in the same Martyrially to my lifes end unless I be convinc'd there from by better Methods then have hitherto been used Vid. Mercyless pressures without any end upon wilful misconstruction of my words offers of great preferments Dukes favour and sums of monies in my streights if I make some confession against the Truth and my self to clear my Lord of W. which hath been term'd Submission and due Obedience
which is the present trust or shall ever be as is ought the daily Prayer and Study and Patience of Your Royal Highness most Humble most Dutyful and Faithful Servant Thomas Jones For the Right Reverend Dr. Barrow Lord Bishop of St. Asaph At Ely House My LORD I am inform'd that your Lordship concerns your self with other Reverend Persons in other parts to bring new trouble and disgrace upon me since my Restoration to Landurnog which is within your Diocess and Neighborhood but out of your Jurisdiction and to begin to give directions to your Clergie to avoid and shun my company and converse as a perfidious Person I trust I am no way guilty of that hard Character or any other Crime haveing lived all my days just to all men and firm to my King and Church though wholly a stranger to your Lordship I was born and brought up at Oswestry in Shropshire and lived in the late times at Castle in Montgomerishire both within your Diocess where it is well known and well attested by the Principal Gentry and Clergy of those parts how far serviceable I was to King and Church against their Enemies Bradshaw and the Propagators with considerable success though with Persecution Whither I repair'd at the request and advice of the Loyal Gentry and Clergy thereabouts and particularly Dr. Griffiths afterwards one of your Lordships predecessors and left a fellowship in University Colledg and took Holy-Orders in 1654. and studied the welsh Tongue to serve those parts when the Orthodoxe Clergy was miserably consum'd by an act of Propagation so called The Title stood thus as represented to me upon best enquiry Puleston the last Lawful incumbent dyed Anno. 1645. Wyn the next was put in by Parliament Committees put out again by the same powers for scandal about 1651 And the Church shut up till 1654. when I and others were desired to come from Oxford to the assistance of the Country to prevent Taylors and Weavers c. setling upon the Parishes Upon his Majesties Restoration Wyn discovers a dormant Title simoniacally procur'd about 1646 the Commissioners for consirming and restoring with the advice of Bishop Griffiths upon their hearing of the cause between Wyn and me setled me because Wyn had not read the 39 Articles Wyn afterwards at a tryal at Law at Bridgenorth had one to prove his reading the Articles and I was Ejected Then Bishop Griffiths deprives Wyn in his consistory for scandal and confers Castle on Langford a monyed man c. Wyn appeals and overthrows the Bishop who lived not long after This Rectory being worth 140 pound per Annum I abode the loss thereof with much arrears rather than I would recover the same by bringing the frailties of such Patrons upon the Stage whereof I had good proofs offerd me and have them by me From thence I removed to the service of the Lord President and Councel of Wales at Ludlow Castle Recommended by the R Bishops of Gloucester and St. Asaph about 1661. and thence to His R. Highness the Duke of York in 1663. upon no interest or acquaintance but after some Sermons Preached by me in Westminister-Abby and about the same time waved an Invitation from Dr. Margetson the most R. Primate of England to be His Graces Chaplain thinking it not fit to desert the Duke on a suddain for advantage in all which places which are the stages of my life I lived in good Name and Fame and Love untill I fell into the displeasure of the Reverend Bishop of Winton and my Lords Grace of Canterbury upon his score to whom I was as much a stranger as to your Lordship saving that I was recommended by an Eminent hand unto the one for Loyal actings and sufferings in the late times who became inexorable towards me from 1666 and before to this present time for no real cause as I could ever find or conjecture but recommending one De Macedo being In great distress and want upon his leaving the Church of Rome to Her late R. Highness's Charity then very zealous for Protestantisme who proving a great Eye-sore to the Romish Chappel at St James's upon Her Highness's countenancing of him was strangely removed out of the way after I went to Sea to attend the Duke in 1664 and 1665. But if he through provocation or discouragement or scandal given him carried himself unworthy of his maintenance and respect which he received from the Dutches and also from my Lord of W. he might surely have been laid aside with English Christian fairness being a stranger without arts and Snare and the fowl imputations of being burnt for Sodomy in Paris about ten years before he died and without annexing my distruction to his escape at Portsmouth whore he had like to have been conveyed to be more really burnt in his own Country By whose means this was contriv'd deserves enquiry but my fall was manifestly then wrought by the means of the said Bishop of W. through her said Highness whose reputed Confessor he then was against the Dukes mind and inclination when I was newly returned from Sea with the special and publick approbation of his Highness Vide S. Cressy Epistle Apologetical Pag. 115. Apology for the Papists answered pag. 36. A presage and proem to this trouble was the late Lord high Chancellor H. desiring me not to take my degree of Dr. when I moved him for his letter As Chancellor of the University granted of Course to any being recommended to his favour by the Duke a little before Shortly after the great Bishops accuse an innocent Servant to his Prince and Master who had but newly before recommended me to them The exceptions were 1. That the Bishop of W. having adviz'd the Duke to have no Preaching at Sea I should speak irreverently hereof to a friend as contrary to a Fleet Statute and Sea mens needs as well as out of present pique against me 2. That I scorn'd to Administer the Sacrament to the Family in the absence of the Dutches. 3. That I was an enemy to the Governours and Government of the Church But they were soon waved and quitted as soon a I pleaded innocence and desired to be tryed upon any of them or any other and the Duke acquainted that now my Cross was without a Title But though I was cleard I was nevertheless remov'd whether I would or no to Landurnog usually held in commendam and resided upon by the Bishops of Bangor under coulour of preferment and reward for service Her Highness being inform'd as she was pleas'd to declare to me before the Duke that I could not hold the Dukes service and my living together with a good Conscience whereupon His Highness commanded me to go to a great Bishop to desire him as from his Highness to see me setled by Law in both and the great Bishops answer to His Highness message was that he had not learning enough to satisfy His Highness how by Law one body could be in two places but
the Duke overrul'd for me and secur'd me his kindness whereupon my Lord of W. sent for me to tell me that the Dutches did desire him to rest because the Duke was so firm unto me and he promised to rest and to trouble me no more in the House and desired me to confide therein for he would take his remedy at Law for the words pretended to be spoken by me touching his prohibiting preaching at Sea and my credulity was my ruine for in few dayes the Duke was altered by them and I dismissed his Service and delivered over to the mercy of my Enemies one of His Highness bedchamber undesir'd then Interposed will your Highness desert your Chaplain who stuck to you in your dangers and you have publickly commended it will not be for your Highness's Honour and the Dukes answer was The Bishops are against him So I was dismissed not for any crime but some secret expedient About a Month before I was dismissed the Bishop of W. had excited Dr. Morgan Bishop of Bangor against me at his Consecration at Lambeth July 1. 1666. in these or the like words to my face Mr. S. Ll. my Diocesans Chaplain being then present either he or I am the erranst Rogue in England use him accordingly when he comes to his Living to which I then made no reply Another time shortly after I was dismiss'd the late Bishop of Lincoln whom a Person of Honour desired to intercede for me told me that for the words touching no Preaching at Sea my Lord of Winton would persecute me to the utmost of his Power wheresoever I went whom I then answered that I would put on a Patience as large as his Power Accordingly the said Bishop of Bangor when I refused to exchange Landurnog worth 160. l. with him for Lanvair worth but 50. l per ann began to trouble me in my living He his Chaplains Mr. S. Ll. and Mr. G. having by threats and promises to save harmless and entertainments procured illiterate Church-Wardens new-comers to Landurnog to make a presentment against me about August 1668. an unusual time for not reading Prayers in the usual and most convenient place contrary to the truth and the Judgment of all the Parish and their own Inclination to ground his proceedings upon see depositions in the Arches they commenced a controversie in his consistory against me for not reading Prayers in the antient usual and most convenient place for want of other exceptions the frivolousness whereof in the sense of all the Country if your Lordship hath not heard your Intelligence in that Neighbourhood is very short And denying upon his Oath in the Arches his Order that he had given upon M. H. moneys towards a new reading Pew which lay cross to his proceedings caused me to be censured ab Officio beneficio upon a pretended disobedience to an Order that was contrary And no submission for any possible misapprehension would be accepted by the Ecclesiastical Courts or his great Agents therein to Salve my Canonical Obedience or my Function or my Christian Communion but I must confess absolute disobedience being certain or the contrary And their unjust Excommunication of me upon this sole pretence pronounced against me nomine Christi implorato lasted against me for a long space of time as if they meant to make me an Insidel or a Schismatique yet one of the Judges delegates the late Bishop of Worcester did not like the proceedings and appeared afterwards for me But this Curse and Censure was worn and blown off at last by providence and my Patient enduring the Law And how farr the guilt thereof reverts and stayes upon the Authors and strong Abbettors in the sight of God and reason according to primitive Rules your Lordships Learning can better tell Photij Nomocanon tit 9. 12. Waiting on my Diocesan Octob. 3. 1668. at Lanynnis to render an account of my Obedience to his Order and to prevent what lay in me such a scandalous frivolous controversie in the esteem of all people he then and there minds and ubraids me to my face as he did often behind my back as I heard to weaken me with my Lord of W. Character at Lambeth now seconded with my rejection from the Duke of the one or the other being a great Rogue and that he was not to believe the Bishop of W. to be such To which Ianswered that my Lord of W. had no reason for his displeasure or such his Character of me but my introducing the Portugues aforesaid and the Dukes favour and desired my Diocesan's assistance to have this matter searched by competent Authority and I examined of what I had seen and observed when I lived at Saint James least there were any design laid against this Church and I should then befound an honest man being very careful for several reasons from affirming any thing positively of so great a Person as my Lord of W. But to leave that part to those to whom it belonged to Judge and desired my Diocesan then and there to take particular notice of the tenour of my discourse against private affirming and judging of superiours Do you intend then said my Diocesan to me to make me an Informer to which I answered that as he had more maintenance and honour from the Church so he ought the more to appear in its Defence and my Testimony would better come in when introduced by his Lordship But there was nothing done in several Months upon this panage between us onely all manner of unfavourable proceedings used against me in the matter of the Reading Pew when my Diocesan came again to Llanynnis in May 1669. I then delivered him in Writing under my hand the sum of the aforesaid Discourse used Octob. 3. 1668. at the same place touching my Lord of W. for his better certainty Bishop G. of Saint Asaph being then present The passage in the said paper being thus That the same time viz. Oct. 3. 1668. Jones did and doth submit his whole Life for 30 Years backward to the strictest examination of my Lord of Winton and Bangor who have sufficient Power and Jurisdiction over him And if in all that time no flaw or blame can be found in his Loyalty Conversation or Principles he then did and still doth declare that the true cause of my Lord of Winton's Wrath and War against him was First his Introduction of a Portugues Noble-man Convert to her R. Highness Favour and Charity who complains and Jones conceaves not without grounds of wrongs and Snares against his life from my Lord of Winton who for his quality and unblameableness confessed by his adversaries was useful while encouraged to prevent the growth of Popery which Jones had speciall orders to endeavour in and about his R. Highness Family whereof he had charge of Souls and by that and other Instances did effect with Gods assistance in good part Secondly when his R. Highness began kindly and frequently to mention Jones his performance of his