THE EXAMINATIONS OF Faithful Commin DOMINICAN FRYAR AS Sir James Ware had them from the late Lord PRIMATE VSHER Being One of the MEMORIALS of the LORD CECIL Published by ROB. WARE Esq Printed in the Year M.DC.LXXIX To the Reader THe Impostors that dayly appear in the Mode of precise or Nonconformist Preachers The Demonstrance of a Nonconformist will not seem strange to those that shall consider the Story here presented collected by my Dear Father out of Primate Ushers Manuscripts and how the grand Enemies of the Reformed Religion comprised under the Name of Protestancy do not care in what way they attack it so that they can but destroy or disgrace it Therefore all good Protestants have need to take warning that they admit of no Novel Teachers A Caution to the Church of England The Advantages that Rome gets by Protestants not being united and conformable or such as pretend to New Lights amongst them It is a double Advantage that the Pope and the Devil gets by such Instruments that under the Name of any Sect of Religion that are contrary to the Church of Rome can not only debauch the People they communicate with into the most horrid acts of Impiety but cover their own Guilt and cast the shame of them upon others as was too palpable in that unparallelled Villany in Destroying His late Majesty by Popish Emissaries in Presbyterian and Independent Guises and then leaving the Obloquy upon both The Antiquity of this Example Romes Malice to the Church of England even from its first Rise set forth in this Faithfull Commin may inform all good people that the Malice and Designs of Rome against Truth that began to shine in the days of that Defender of the Faith Queen Elizabeth are near as old as the Reformation it self And yet the Growth and Progress it hath made since shews it will never dye whilst that Apostate Church hath Wealth or Power to support it Which God of his mercy put a speedy end to that we may once again enjoy our Liberties without fear to the Rejoycing of all well meaning people Your Humble Servant R. WARE The EXAMINATION OF FAITHFVLL COMMIN the Dominican Fryer who pretended to be a Godly Preacher Anno. 1567. FAithfull Commin of the Order of Saint Dominick Anno 1567. to all Peoples Imaginations supposed to be a Strict Protestant against the Church of Rome was brought before Her GRACE our Dread Sovereign Queen Elizabeth of England France and Ireland Queen and Her Majesties most Honourable Council on Munday the fifth of April being accused for sowing of Sedition amongst Her Majesties Faithful Subjects by the Testimony of John Clerkson Chapline to his Grace Mathew Parker Arch-bishop of Ganterbury as also by the Testimonies of Nicholas Draper and Mary Dean all being Sworn upon the Holy Evangelists That the said Faithfull was an Impostor Notwithstanding he Preached against Pope Pius Quintus the Pope of Rome The Arch-bishops Questions Faithfull Commin what Profession art thou off Answer Of Christs Order Q. What Order is that A. A Preacher of the Holy Gospel Q. What Gospel is that you call the Holy Gospel A. The Gospel of Jesus Christ Q. Under whose power do you Own to hold that Holy Gospel A. Under Christ and his Saints Q. Do you acknowledg any other power save Christ to be on Earth A. Yes I do Q What power is that A. The Holy Catholique Church Q. Do you not acknowledg a Defender of the Holy Catholique Faith A. God is the only Defender thereof The Aâ—ch-bishop to Her Majestie Your Gracious Majestie may perceive that this Man either hath been Instructed what to say or otherwise he must be by his answers a man of Craft The Queen I suppose so my Lord. Then Faithfull Commin being commanded to withdraw Her Grace and the whole Councell Consulted what to do and how to proceed further in this matter caused the said John Clerkson to come in before the Board The Queen What is your name Jo. Clerkson May it please Your Grace my name is John Clerkson The Queen Were you acquainted with Faithfull Commin Jo. Clerkson I was The Queen How long Jo. Clerkson Within this year and more The Queen What have you say against Faithful Commin that he is suspected to be an Impostor Jo. Clerkson Three things The Queen What be they Jo Clerk Thrâ—â— things First let him prove his Ordination since he fell from the Dominican Order Secondly why he never cometh to the Prayers of the now Estâ—blished Church of England but â—â—arteth up and Preacheth to the people not coming into the Church till the Prayers be finished Thirdly let him prove that he ever Received the Sacrament according to the Church of England from any of our Orthodox Clergy-men Her Grace and the Councell considering of these three things sent out for the said Faithful Commin to come in The Arch-Bishop Quest Were you ever Ordained An. Yes I was Ordained Quest By whom An. By the Cardinal meaning Poole Qu. Had you not other Certificate since under any of the Bishops hands since the Reformation An. Not any Qu. Wherefore would you dare to Preach having not got a Licence or Permission under some of Our Bishops hands How shall We be Certified that you are not of the Romish Church An. There are several have heard my Prayers and my Sermons and can testifie that I have spoken against Rome and her Pope as much as any of the Clergy have done since they have fallen from her I wonder therefore why I should be suspected An. B. By your answer I perceive Mr. Commin you would have any one Preach so that he sprake but against the Pope in his Sermons An. Not every one save he whose Function it is and he who hath the spirit Quest What spirit is this you mean An. The spirit of Grace and Truth Quest But is this spirit that is in you either the spirit of Grace or Truth that doth not comply with the Orders of the Church lately purged and Cleansed from Sâ—ism and Idolatry Ans Therefore I enâ—eavour to make it purer as far as God permits me Quest How do you endeavour to make the Church purer when you neither Commune with Her Sacrament or in Prayer Ans Yes I endeavour it when I pray to God That He would open the Eyes of Men to see their Errors feveral have joyned with me when I have prayed amongst them and I have both given and taken the Body of Christ to those of tender consciences who have assemblae with me together in the fear of the Lord. Q. By your words you have then a Congregation that follows you A. I have Q. Of what Parish and in what Dioscess A. Neither of any certain Paâ—ish or in any certain Dioscess Q. Where then I pray A. Even in the wide World amongst the Flock of Christ scatter'd over the whole Earth Q. Your Dioscess is very large Mr. Commin Faithfull Commin being commanded to withdraw the
other two Witnesses were called into the Council-Chamber The Queen Mr. Draper what have you to say to this Faithfull Commin T. Draper He came to my house at the Maidenhead in Maidstown with several of his Followers where they bespoke a Joint of Mutton and two Hens for a Dinner hearing that my Profession was a Cook I shewing him a Room for him and the Company that came with him perceived several to come and enquire for this Mr. Commin but by chance going up the stairs I heard one groan and weep which caused me to lift up the Latch at the first I was startled and stood in a maze but enquiring of one of his Followers what ayled the Man he replied Do you not see that wee be all at Prayers The Maid wondering where I was came to seek me and found me amongst them and can testifie the very same The Queen Are you Mr. Drapers Maid A. Yes may it please your Grace Q. What is your Name A. My Name is Mary Deane Q. Did you see this Faithfull Commin that was here before Us now praying to the people A. I saw him and I thought he was distracted when I heard him pray but the people said he was a heavenly man and that it was Gods Spirit made him weep for the Sins of the World Q. How long continued they at Prayers do you know Mr. Draper A. May it please your Grace about two hours or near that time Q. What did they after that they had prayed A. Some went from the House and about ten or thereabouts stayed to eat what they had bespoken and paid me to the utmost penny The Queen Call in this Faithfull Commin Mr Commin if you will receive Orders and become of the Church of England you may otherwise you must not be permitted to pray or preach amongst my Subjects and though you have as appears by several other Witnesses preached against the Pope yet have you usurped over the Power both of State and Church in doing contrary to the Orders that We Our Council and Parliament have unanimously agreed on by and with the whole Consent of the Clergy of my Realm F. C. A. Give me time to consider and to prepare my self and I shall give your Grace a further Answer in a short space Q I there any will be bound for your Appearance otherwise you must be kept close prisoner for we have other Examinations to take and questions to demand F. C. I have three who will answer for my Appearance Then came Richard Bland Brother to the said Faithfull by the Mothers side and two others which gave Bond for his Appearance April 12. Mr. Commin appearing before Her Majesty and the Council it was put off till the next day by reason of the Spanish Embassadors Appearance before Her Grace who had that day Audience But it sell out that the said Faithfull having appeared according to the Bonds of those who were bound for the said Faithfulls Appearance that this said Faithfull gave them all the slip and never appeared afterwards so that the Farties being summoned to appear for to answer the Penalties of the Bond made this Answer to the whole Council that the said Faithfull appeared but they were not bound for his second Appearance by reason they never demanded them to be bound or gave them any further Charge of him so these Bonds-men came off and paid nothing This Faithfull Commin coming before his Followers the same day told them that Her Majesty and the Council had quitted him And that he was warned by God to go beyond Seas there to instruct the Protestants and that he would return to his Flock e're long with better success Saying to the people that Spiritual Prayers was the chief Testimony of a true Protestant and that the set Form of Prayer in England was but Mass translated So after he had prayed an extemporary prayer he feigned a Crocadile-like weeping before all of his Flock and took leave of them saying that he had not a farthing to support him in his Journey yet it being Gods Cause he intended to undertake it out of Charity he was certain that the Almighty would raise him up Friends where ever he travelled Upon this Speech of his the poor simple people fell most of them a weeping especially the Women who moving their Husbands to contribute to this Impostor who was amongst them esteemed as a Demy God so that it appeared upon further enquiry after he had escaped out of England that at that present the poor people collected for him 130 l. over and above what the silly women gave him unknown to their Husbands April 13. The next day the Council waiting on Her Grace at the Board and several numbers attending to hear this Impostor examined staid a long time Her Grace and the Council wondering at this delay sent unto his Brother Richard Bland and the other two who were Bail for this Impostors Appearance They coming before Her Grace and the rest of the Council made this Answer We have performed as much as we undertook to perform but had we received any further Directions from Your Grace and this Honourable Board for to have brought him this day we should have obeyed Your Commands but You spoke unto the party accused to come this day and not to us so that we suppose our selves to be released of what we had undertaken having presented him before your Grace and this Honourable Board It being a publick Hearing and the Auditors that were present in expectation to have heard Commin speak and not those who were bound for him caused the Councils he to rage more than ordinary hereupon the Council caused searches immediately to be made over all London and Kent especially where ever they suspected him to be but could not find him for he was fled that very evening yet by this Inquiry they found out several of Creatures whom he had deluded and the true Relation of what Sums of Money the poor people had gathered and bestowed on him Most of thest who were supposed to be of this Impostors Freek were examined before Her Graces Privy Council who said that to their opinions and thoughts they had never beheld so Zealous and so Heavenly a man as he seemed to be Septem 14th By a Vessel arriving at Portsmouth called the Swan of London John Baker being the Master of the same among other Discourses declared how he had seen Faithfull Commin in the Low Countries and some of the Council hearing of this Mans arrivall acquainted the Queen with what they had heard concerning this Villain Upon which information Her Majestie and the Rest of the Privie Council sent a Pursevant for the said John Baker who comeing to the man on the 20th of this said instant and found him abed the man was startled and demanded of the Pursevant what was his Crime the Pursevant made answer he knew not what it was he was sent for only it was Her Graces Will and the Councils
to speak with him Yet the poor man whether through sear or to Comage his spirits call'd for a Cup of Sack and Drank Her Graces Health to the Pursevant saying her 's a health to my Royall Queen if She intends to Try my Fidelity and Employ me in her Navy I will venture all the Blood in my Body to Defend Her Graces Right But when he appeared before the Board they Demanded of him if he had seen Faithfull Commin he made answer he had seen him in the Low Countries and enquiring further he related this Relation as followes Coming with other Vessels to Land some Goods at Amsterdam Martin Van Davall a Merchant of that City hearing me Talk of this man told me that this Commin had been lately at Rome and that Pope Pius the 5th caused him to be Clapt up in Prison and that Commin had wrote to his Holiness the next day saying that he had something to say unto his Holiness upon which the Pope sent for him and as soon as he had seen Mr. Commin he spoke to him saying Sir I have heard how you have set me and my Predecessors forth amongst your Hereticks of England by Railing against my Person and my Church And that Commin made answer I confess my Lips have open'd that which my Heart thought otherwaies But your Holiness little thinks that I have done you a kindness notwithstanding I have spoken so much against your Holiness And that the Pope should Returne Commin this answer How in the Name of Jesus Mary of all His Saints hast thou done so and that Commin should make this answer saying I Preached against set Forms of Prayer and I called the English Prayers English Mass and have perswaded severall to pray Spritually and Extempore which hath taken so much with the People that the Church of England is become as Odious to that Sort whom I instructed as Mass is to them which will never be but a Stumbling Block to that Church while it is a Church and that upon this Relation the Pope Cherished him and gave him 2000 Duckets for his Labour Her Grace and the Whole Council thanking Mr. John Baker for his Relation bad him withdraw and upon this Information wrote over to Her Correspondents beyond Seas if possible he might be sent ever hither in to England but it being talked all over England how that the Pope had Rewarded this Impostor some knowing where he was gave him notice and thereby he Escaped out of those Territories and fled into the Romish holdings The Council Consulting with Her Grace to prevent not only Popery but all other Sectaries caused an Act to be Framed and to be Enacted that the severall Ministers of severall Parishes should take the Names of all the Families liâ—â—â—ing within the several Parishes both Male â—nd Female from Ten years of Age and that every Parish should have a certaine Clerk for that purpose and that every house within the said Parish should have a particular seat for them and their Families Each Man or Woman missing prayers every Sunday to forfeit a shilling Excepting those who had Certificates under a Protestant Physitians hand to be sick The Clerk to have one third part the poor the second third part and the third towards the Church for Broomes Sweet strowing Herbs Flowers and Bushes c. This Act at First was Irksom to many but at long running rather then a Master would pay for his Family or for his Servants they began to come to Prayers and Sermons Then the Clerks spying but little to be got when the People began to come to Church neglected their Office and severall agreeing with the Ministers of Each Parish to give them a yearly Stipend the Act ceased and Popery and Sectaries increased This being a Copy of the Lord Cecills Memorandums of Faithfull Commin with many other Memorandums in the same Book worth the Printing which Book was amongst Arch-Bishop Vshers Manuscripts before his Death FINIS