Child came twice to my Chamber alone in Eleven weeks time that is since I warn'd the Mother to keep her at home The first time was the day I went to give Bayle before a Judge but then she did not enter my Room as seven Men and Women were ready to Witness whom I left in my Chamber going out when I met the Child by the way but had not leisure to ask what she came for The second time was the Munday before mentioned when I gave her the penny for which her Mother bought Sheeps Trotters and afterwards a Goat as I said before out of pitty and this in another Room in presence of a Prisoner at which time this Child went away as waggish as ever Her coming with her Sister the Thursday following to Dine with me being the last time I spoke to her and their unruliness before many Prisoners justifieth she was not offer'd any violence the Munday before yet the Saturday following her Mother vented her malicious designs of prejudicing me unless she got the moneys demanded Behold the ungratefulness of this generation of Vipers I relieved with part of my Dinner about ten weeks this Childs Mother whom I saw was starving in Prison and sucking of Bones I set aside for a Dog during which time I allowed to buy food for her Sucking Child a penny two pence or three pence dayly after her being at Liberty I assisted her whole Family every other day for near a years time I bestowed on her Husband an old Suit of Cloaths Hat Shoes Stockings and Gloves and on both her Daughters moneys for the Cloaths they wore and for their Schooling half a year they having not a Shift to their backs nor Shoes to their feet but what I bought for them And because moneys grew scarce with me that I could not continue my Charity I must be rewarded with Iniquity I must be accused to offer violence to her Child the only two times she came alone to me and against my will in eleven weeks space having never offer'd any such the whole year before as the Child own'd it in open Court altho she came to me every other day Besides what likelihood there is that I had the least thought thereof when I could have had her every day in my Chamber at a words speaking and that on the contrary I forbid her coming at all but the matter was the Mother was set on by my companions friends and was promised moneys which she was willing to accept at any score believing if I were once at liberty she should never see me any more as she often said This wicked Woman being ask'd by several why she pretended her Child was abus'd when she ran and play'd all day long and look'd as well as ever she did to which she answered divers times as was justified in Court by her nearest Neighbours that her Child ayl'd nothing but that she would have moneys from the Papist Rogue Yet although she had scarce one witness for her but was known in the Parish to be either a Whore a Thief or Perjur'd Creature as I was creedibly inform'd and that none of them ever saw my face but in Court excepting the two Midwives that were brought by Catholicks to be for me notwithstanding upon the false Oath of one of them a Woman of a very bad Repute I was cast as I said before All being considered 't is not to be doubted but this evil befel me by the instigation and malice of the five Reputed Priests and Jesuits my forementioned companions for first my Adversary being pitiful poor and wanting Bread could not Fee a Counsel and Prosecute me without having assistance from others Who then would encourage her but those who saught all occasions to prejudice me whose Pentioners in Prison gave my Adversary every day a full account of what preparations I made for my own defence Of Mr. O BRYAN They imploy'd one Mr. O Bryan a Prisoner whilst I relieved him with Mony and half my Dinner as often as he told me he wanted Bread to corrupt my Witnesses and keep correspondence with my Adversary who thereupon got into favour among Catholicks being before in bad repute with them this man being well vers'd in such Subtilties as appeared in his conspiracy against the Duke of B. for which he stands charg'd in ten Thousand Pounds dammage and to stand in the Pillory as also while he wrote under Doctor Tongue as a pretended Protestant making now profession to be a Roman Catholick getting the opportunity in my Chamber to Steal from me some old Letters by which he Learn'd so well to counterfeit my hand that he writ a Letter in my Name to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury rayling at the Catholick Religion by shewing which to Catholicks he got to himself great esteem for discovering a thing I never did either by Letter or Petition or any other means Afterwards understanding I confirm'd the same by a Solemne Oath to Friends then he adds I writ for certain such a Letter but I did not send it To which I answer that I take God to Witness I never writ any such Letter to the said Arch Bishop of Canterbury nor ever intended as yet to write But this is but part of his Mallice and Subtilties Now understanding I am Writing a Book in my own Vindication which reflects on him and on the rest of my Adversaries he is taken up in new inventions against me for which he is rewarded by my Adversaries and the upholders of their Calumny especially by Mrs. Catharine Sheldon and other mannagers of the Charities among other Lies he Publishes that there are several Points in this Book which he never saw as yet against the Catholick Religion That I lost my Imployment with an Ambassador for being found by him and his men making use of a Woman at Night in the open Streets I leave the examination of the Truth thereof to the Earl of Fingale and an hundred others that can testifie the contrary as also the unprobability of the thing 'T is not to be questioned but that this man was the first Inventer of the Childs Mother Stratagem thereby to ingratiate himself with my Companions and consequently with other Catholicks otherwise who can believe that one I never once offended in the least and whom I endeavoured to oblige to the utmost of my power by offering him half my Dinner while we continued Prisoners by recommending him to every one I knew having procur'd him above Twenty shillings at once besides what moneys I bestowed on him of my own should take an opportunity while I sent for some things for his Eating to Steal old papers from me to learn to counterfeit my hand and this before the Childs Mother accused me unless he designed this evil to me This appears clearly by the following circumstances for the third day after this Stratagem was divulg'd a certain Catholick Woman being some days before Released out of Prison knowing every thing that
Mr. Dowdall's Just and Sober VINDICATION In opposition to several INJUSTICES Practised against him by some of his Fellow Prisoners IN THE Gate-House Prison OF WESTMINSTER Although Reputed Priests Jesuits and Sufferers for Christs sake London Printed for Gerard Dowdall in Westminster Gate-House 1681. THE Epistle Dedicatory To the most Vertuous most Pious and most charitable Ladies the Relievers of poor Prisoners during the late Troublesome times for Religion NOthing appears more Splendent in this World then the Heroick Actions of Men by which they Conquor Nations Destroy their Enemies and consequently free themselves from Slavery and Thraldome becoming thereby not onely an everlasting Glory to Posterity but also to the Countries and Nations from whence they descend All those most Vertuous most Pious and most Charitable Ladies you have far surpass'd by your unparallel'd Goodness Piety and Liberality Alexander the Great Conqueror of the World has own'd the same saying That who overcomes himself is more Praise Worthy then he who takes by force of Armes the strongest Townes or Cities It is known to those that have Travelled most parts of Europe that none has practised all the degrees of Vertue more than you these three Years last past and this is to overcome ones self You boar your Crosses chearfully you thanked God as well in your Adversities as in your Prosperities you succoured your distressed Neighbours you Comforted the Comfortless you Visited the Sick and you did not abhor the noisome Smells of Goals but afforded your Almes as showers of Gold to poor Prisoners and the Dead you Buried with Joy These are the Works of Mercy recommended by our Saviour Jesus Christ the which acquir'd unto you more Honour and Glory then ever Conquerors deserv'd for what doth it avail one to gain the whole World with the loss of his Soul By these good Acts your Memories ever remain both in this and in the World to come By these you are a Mirrour to future Ages and which is more you have by these prepared to your selves an everlasting habitation with God and his Angels in Heaven For as Water quenches Fire so your Almes and good Deeds have extirpated the Root of your Sins Now you will find verified the words of Christ That what you have done for one of these little ones in Prison you have done it for Him All this while 't is to be believ'd that all these forementioned great and ample works of Piety has been grounded on true Charity which is understood to be done for Gods sake alone For what is practised on other respects as for kindred friendship or for any other worldly Interest sake or out of a natural pity carries its whole reward of good Name or Fame along with it For my part I am fully perswaded your Intentions in bestowing your Charities are sincere and real for the Love of God only as a certain Widdow I knew who had but an hundred pounds per annum Joynture gave forty thereof to Relieve poor Prisoners Pray give me leave to tell you that your will and pleasure in the distribution of your Charities is much abused You have one end therein and some of your Servants or Trustees another You intend doubtless that your Charities be divided to the Honour and Glory of God according to the Prisoners necessities and Qualities But on the contrary your Trustees resolves to give the same to those they love and fancy most but whether that be well or ill grounded God and their own Conscience must be Judge There are some detained Prisoners for want of Monys to procure their Habeas Corpus and to pay their Chamber Rent but you had rather contribute so much a week for the Release of such Prisoners then allow them a maintenance in Prison but your Trustees wholly reject such proposalls by which they hinder the Prisoners Liberty and put you to unnecessary charges for their Maintenance One or two of them gave your Moneys freely to discharge the expences requisite for the Release of a Stranger they had a kindness for and another at the same time and place and on the same account although well known to most Catholicks in Town could not prevail to have a penny from them Happy is he in these dayes that is young and handsome which some of your Trustees regard more than the fulfilling of your pleasures yet to justifie themselves in their Extravagancies must needs alleadge some unjust reasons for what they do to the great disparagement and dammage of the Prisoners whose grievances and what else they can say for themselves cannot be heard so that they are often censur'd even by their best Friends though without any just Cause or the least shaddow of Truth contrary to the precepts of true Charity Now least by somes neglect in a work you undertook so grateful to God you should loose any part of your expected Reward from him I thought it worth my labour and your knowledge to give you a particular account of some passages concerning certain Prisoners and the mannagers of your Charities Men and Women while they live in this world have their failings and where you find either of them to transgress be pleased in your accustomed Bounty to be impartial in your Judgments and let right take place If you Judge charitably as I hope you will and commiserate their weakness God will deal with you accordingly and your works will shine on Earth as it doth in Heaven In both which places wishes you and yours from his heart the greatest Joy and Comfort that can be Most Vertuous and Pious Ladies Your ever obliged and most thankful Servant Gerard Dowdall Mr. Dowdall's JUST and SOBER VINDICATION c. For the Satisfaction of all Impartial CATHOLICKS CHAP. I. Beloved Friends 'T Is no Scandal to the Catholick Religion to have the Vices of some pretended Members thereof discovered The only way to Refine the Church of God is to separate the good from the Evil 't is by that the destructive Members are distinguish'd from the sound ones otherwise the one would corrupt the other as one scabby Sheep doth the whole Flock The best Experienced Artists are often deceived in the tryal of Gold by Fire and the Touchstone the same also if it be very good must be malliable and endure Aqua fortis So it is not a sufficient motive to believe men true Priests or Jesuits because they wear Priests or Jesuits habits and say Mass shewing outwardly signes of Devotion as Hypocrites do 'T is therefore necessary that their Lives and Conversations witness what they pretend themselves to be otherwise they are to be supected as Seducers and disturbers of the Peace of honest Men such were some Companions of mine in the Gate-house Prison of Westminster although reputed Sufferers for Jesus Christs sake when on the contrary they have practised the greatest Injustice that could be more becoming Heathens than Christians more sutable to Infidels than Catholicks and much less to reputed Priests and Jesuits as the
with my Adversary I pray'd her to take no care thereof for that I was advis'd to the contrary by an able Counsel but seeing she would not desist encouraging my Adversary with promises of procuring her a Reward to be silent I writ to Mr. Aston her Brother in Law entreating him to pray her forbare medling in my concerns but all in vain for some days after this Mrs. Ogle and Mrs. Carpenter came to my Chamber acquainting me that they sent the two forementioned Deputy Midwives Mrs. James and Mrs. Ascu to my Adversary to bring her to composition I much admired their confidence enquiring by whose Authority they did incroach so much on me letting them know that what they did was enough to find me Guilty though the most Innocent in the World whereupon I desir'd a certain Woman I met in Prison to recall the said Midwives and to declare to my Adversary that I renounced any composition offer'd her in my Name the two Deputy Midwives then came to my Chamber to meet the other two that imploy'd them where I rayl'd at their impudence in medling with my affairs without my own consent Mrs. Ogle after all wish'd them return back again and compound the matter without me since I was not to contribute a penny to what was to be given adding besides I was fit for Bedlam for refusing such offers little as I suppose immagining that my Adversary was engag'd to Prosecute me and would have brought their moneys as a Testimony to condemn me and thereby to have my Life I thought it to no purpose to oppose any longer these obstinate Womens Resolutions I then began to reason the case with them and how it behoved me rather to bring my Adversary to just Punishment for scandalizing me since God my own Conscience and many Men and Women were Witnesses of my Innocency And for their further satisfaction I desired God to shew no Mercy to my Soul if ever I enter'd that Childs Body a hairs breadth as was reported or ever intended any such thing The two Midwives being pitiful poor as also Mrs. Carpenter who liveth on Charity knowing that if they came to composition themselves would go snacks with my Adversary They were going by Mrs. Ogles directions to know the least she would accept of I followed them untiI they came to the Common side where I desired all the Prisoners to take notice that those two Women were going to compound with my Adversary without my consent upon this they returned in a fury to my Chamber among the rest where I did not go until they departed Mrs. Ogle after all being perswaded with these three Indigents lost no time to encourage my Adversary with hopes of some moneys the only thing she aimed at who thereupon made it her business daily to get part thereof in hand How they agreed I do not know only I was told that my Adversary in presence of Mrs. Ogle desired the Justice that issued out his Warrant against me to withdraw her Action and that some body in Malice perswaded the Child to accuse me but it seems the Justice engag'd her to a Tryal Now the two Midwives mad I did not yield to a Composition assur'd my Adversary if she Prosecuted me they would be both Witnesses for her at my Tryal where none besides them two and the Child with her Mother appeared against me that ever saw my face before yet I was cast upon the sole Oath of the said Mrs. James a Catholick Deputy Midwife brought to be my Witness by some pretended friends of my own Religion all the rest onely said They saw the Child in such a manner which less reflected on me then on any else she being abroad among all sorts of people Mrs. James took her Oath I own'd the Fact to her in presence of four more and that I offer'd Ten pounds to smother it although the said four to wit Mrs. Pennay Mrs. Ogle Mrs. Carpenter three Catholicks and Mrs. Ascu a Protestant could witness her to be Perjur'd as also five or six Prisoners having never spoken to her but twice once when Mrs. Tent brought her to my Chamber wishing me to give her half a Crown and the second time in the presence of the said Gentlewomen and Prisoners yet none appear'd at Court to justifie the Truth The Prisoners could not without so many Habeas Corpus's which the Justices of the Peace had no Authority to grant nor was it in my power to be at the expences thereof The Gentlewomen pretended they durst not be seen least they should be put to trouble for their Religion although I took my Oath I would not call for their Names before I had obtain'd a Promise from the Court not to molest them so that I was brought in guilty of a Trespass And thus I had lost my life by mrs. James if the Grand Jury had found the Bill to be Fellony of all which I conceive the said Catholick Gentlewomen to be as guilty as the said Mrs. James since they engaged her in my concerns against my will and that they refused to justifie the truth of what I said On my side there were above twenty Protestant Witnesses besides Catholicks One Mistris Watson the most reputed Midwife in Westminster and who viewed the Child the very first day by order of a Justice of Peace with two Women more of very good credit and repute and very Skilful in Midwifry took their Oaths before the Bench that the Child as far as could appear to the best experienced Midwives was never touch'd by man that what was seen on her was incident to hundreds of Children by Playing or running up stairs I had in Court four Certificates under the hands of four different Parties who examined the Child in the beginning a part quite different one from the other At my Tryal she learn'd another Lesson contrary to all the rest She added that Striving with me she tor'd my Ruffles altho' there was in Court the Seamster from whom I bought them and my Wash-woman the one was ready to Sware that she made me but the Ten payers then produc'd in Court and the other that the said Ten payers which she washed often were all the Ruffles I had which never wanted the mending of one stitch with a Needle The said Child was taught to say that a certain Woman heard her cry when I offer'd violence to her which the same Woman not onely deny'd being not in my Chamber in six or seven months before this Report but also told in Court that my Adversary with her Husband offer'd her moneys to say so The Child being demanded by the Court how often did I attempt to abuse her she said only twice to wit the Munday before her Mother accused me and about three weeks before that Now every one may see the wickedness of this Childs Mother who contrary to my orders sent her Daughter to me as I have reason to believe purposely to Trapan me 'T is true the