cloathed with a long loose Coat who representâ—… St. Peter or Iohn the Baptist who whilst the rest danceth walketh amongst them with a book in his hands as if hee were saying his prayers all the rest of the Dancers are apparelled like Captaines and souldier s with Swords Daggers or Holbards in their hands They dance at the sound of a small drum and pipes sometimes â—…ound sometimes in length forward and have and use many speeches to the Emperour or King and among themselves concerning the apprehending and executing the Saint The King and Queen sit sometimes down to hear their pleading against the Saint and his pleading for himselfe and sometimes they dance with the rest and the end of their dance is to crucifie St. Peter downwards with his head upon a Crosse or behead Iohn the Baptist having in readinesse a painted head in a dish which they present unto the King and Queen for joy whereof they all again dance merrily and so conclude taking down him that acted Peter from the Crosse. The Indians that dance this dance most of them are superstitious for what they do judging as if it 〈◊〉 indeed really acted and performed what onely is by way of dance represented When I lived amongst them it was an ordinary thing for him who in the dance was to act St. Peter or Iohn the Baptist to come first to Confession saying they must bee holy and pure like that Saint whom they represent and must prepare themselves to die So likewise hee that acted Herod or Herodias and some of the Souldiers that in the dance were to speak and to accuse the Saints would afterwards come to confesse of that sinne and desire absolution as from bloodguiltinesse More particular passages of the Indians according to my experience of them I shall in the Chapter following truly relate unto my Reader CHAP. XX. Shewing how and why I departed out of Guatemala to learne the Poconchi language and to live among the Indians and of some particular passages and accidents whilst I lived there HAving read in the University of Guatemala for three years space a whole course of Arts and having begun to read part of Divinity the more I studied and grew in knowledge and the more I controverted by way of Arguments some Truths and points of Religion the more I found the spirit of Truth inlightening me and discovering unto me the lies errors falsities and superstitions of the Church of Rome My conscience was much perplexed and wavering and I desirous of some good and full â—…atisfaction Which I knew might not bee had there and that to professe and continue in any opinion contrary to the Doctrine of Rome would bring mee to the Inquisition that Rack of tender Consciences and from thence to no lesse then burning alive in case I would not recant of what the true Spirit had inspired into mee The point of Transubstantiation of Purgatory of the Popes power and authority of the merit of mans workes of his free will to choose all soul-saving wayes the sacrifice of the Masse the hallowing the Sacrament of the Lords Supper unto the Lay people the Preists power to absolve from sinne the worshipping of Saints though with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Virgin Mary with a higher degree of worship then that of the Saints which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strange lies and blasphemies which they call miracles recorded in the Legend and lives of their Saints the infallibility of the Pope and councell in defining for truth and point of Faith what in it selfe is false and erroneous these points especially with many more of Romes policies and the lewd lives of the Preists Fryers Nuns and those in authority did much trouble and perplex my conscience which I knew would bee better satisfied if I could returne againe to my owne Countrey of England where I knew many things were held contrary to the Church of Rome but what particulars they were I could not tell not having been brought up in the Protestant Church and having been sent young over to St. Omers Wherefore I earnestly addressed my selfe to the Provincial and to the President of Guatemala for a licence to come home but neither of them would yeeld unto it because there was a strict order of the King and Councell that no Preist sent by his Majesty to any of the parts of the India's to Preach the Gospell should return againe to Spain till ten yeers were expired Hereupon I seeing my self a prisoner and without hopes for the present of seeing England in many yeers resolved to stay no more in Guatemala but to goe out to learne some Indian tongue and to preach in some of their Townes where I knew more money might bee got to help mee home when the time should come then if I did continue to live in the Cloister of Guatemala Yet in the mean time I thought it not unfit to write to Spain to a friend of mine an English Fryer in San Lucar called Fryer Pablo de Londres to desire him to obtian for mee a License from the Court and from the Generall of the Order at Rome that I might return unto my Country In this season there was in Guatemala Fryer Francisco de Moran the Prior of Coban in the Province of Vera Paz who was informing the President and whole Chancery how necessary it was that some Spaniards should bee ayding and assisting him for the discovery of a way from that Country unto Iucatan and for the suppressing of such barbarous people and Heathens as stopped his passage and did often invade some Indian Towns of Christians This Moran being my speciall friend and having been brought up in Spaine in the Cloister of San Pablo de Valladolid where my selfe was first entred Frier was very desirous of my company along with him for the better bringing into Christianity those Heathens and Idolaters telling me that doubtlesse in a new Countrey new treasure and great riches was like to be found whereof no small share and portion should befall him and me for our pains and adventure I was not hard to be perswaded being above all desirous to convert to Christianity a people that had never heard of Christ and so purposed to forsake that honour which I had in the Universitie for to make Christ knowne unto that Heathenish people The Provinciall was glad to see this my courage and so with some gifts and mony in my purse sent me with Moran to the Vera Paz in the company of 50. Spaniards who were appointed by the President to aid and assist us When we came to Coban we were well refreshed and provided for a hard and dangerous enterprize From Coban we marched to two great Townes of Christians called St. Peter and St. Iohn where were added unto us a hundred Indians for our further assistance From these Towns two daies journey we could travail on Mules safely among Christians
yeers of age the Head and Ruler of the principallest Tribe among the Indians whose advise and counsell was taken and preferred before all the rest who seemed to be a very godly Indian and very seldome missed morning and evening prayers in the Church and had bestowed great riches there This Indian very suddainly was taken sick I being then in my other Town of Mixco the Mayordomos or stewards of the Sodality of the Virgin fearing that he might die without Confession and they be child for their negligence at midnight called me up at Mixco desiring me to goe presently and helpe Iohn Gomtz to die whom also they said desired much to see me and to receive some comfort from me I judging it a work of charity although the time of the night were unseasonable and the great rain at the present might have stopped my charity yet I would not be hindred by either of them and so set forth to ride nine miles both in the dark and wet When I came to Pinola being thorow wet to the skin I went immediately to the house of old sick Gomez who lay with his face all muffled up thanked me for my pains and care I had for his soul he desired to confesse and by his confession and weeping evidenced nothing but a godly life and a willing desire to die and to be with Christ. I comforted him and prepared him for death and before I departed asked him how he felt himselfe he answered that his sicknesse was nothing but old age and weaknesse With this I went to my house changed my self and lay downe a while to rest when suddainly I was called up again to give Gomez the extream unction which the Indians as they have been ignorantly taught will not omit to receive before they die As I anointed him in his nose his lips his eyes his hands and his feet I perceived that he was swelled and black and blew but made nothing of it judging it to proceed from the sicknesse of his body I went again home being now breake of the day when after I had taken a small nap some Indians come to my doore for to buy candles to offer up for Iohn Gomez his soule whom they told me was departed and was that day to be buried very solemnly at Masse I arose with drousie eyes after so unquiet a nights rest and walked to the Church where I saw the grave was preparing I met with two or three Spaniards who lived neer the Towne and were come to Masse that morning who went in with me to my chamber and with them I fell into discourse about Iohn Gomez telling them what comfort I had received at his death whom I judged to have lived very holily and doubted not of his salvation and that the Towne would much want him for that hee was their chief guide and leader ruling them with good advise and counsell At this the Spaniards smiled one at another and told me I was much deceived by all the Indians but especially by the deceased Gomez if I judged him to have been a Saint and holy man I told them that they as enemies to the poore Indians judged still uncharitably of them but that I who knew very well their consciences could judge better of them then they One then replyed that it seemed I little knew the truth of Iohn Gomez his death by the Confession which he had made unto me and that I seemed to be ignorant of the stir which was in the Towne concerning his death This seemed so strange unto me that I desired them to informe me of the truth Then they told me that the report went that Iohn Gomez was the chief wizard of all the wizards and witches in the Town and that commonly he was wont to be changed into the shape of a Lion and so to walke about the mountaines That he was ever a deadly enemie to one Sebastian Lopez an ancient Indian and head of another Tribe and that both of them two daies before had met in the mountaine Gomez in the shape of a Lion and Lopez in the shape of a Tigre and that they fought most cruelly till Gomez who was the older and weaker was tired much bit and bruised and died of it And further that I might be assured of this truth they told me that Lopez was in prison for it and the two Tribes striving about it and that the Tribe and kindred of Gomez demanded from Lopez and his Tribe and kindred satisfaction and a great sum of mony or els did threaten to make the case known unto the Spanish power and authority which yet they were unwilling to doe if they could agree and smother it up among themselves that they might not bring an aspersion upon their whole Towne This seemed very strange unto me and I could not resolve what to beleeve and thought I would never more beleeve an Indian if I found Iohn Gomez to have so much dissembled and deceived me I tooke my leave of the Spaniards and went my selfe to the prison where I found Lopez with fetters I called one of the officers of the Towne who was Alguazil Maior and my great friend unto my house and privately examined him why Lopez was kept so closâ—…prisoner he was loth to tell me fearing the rest of the Indians and hoping the businesse would be taken and agreed by the two Tribes and not noised about the Country which at that very instant the two Alcaldes and Regidores Maiors and Jurates with the chiefe of both Tribes were sitting about in the Towne-house all that morning But I seeing the officer so timorous was more desirous to know something and pressed more upon him for the truth giving him an inkling of what I had heard from the Spaniards before To which he answered that if they could agree amongst themselves they feared no ill report from the Spaniards against their Towne I told him I must know what they were agreeing upon amongst themselves so closely in the Towne-house He told me if I would promise him to say nothing of him for he feared the whole Towne if they should know he had revealed any thing unto mee he would tel me the truth With this I comforted him and gave him a cup of wine and encouraged him warranting him that no harm should come unto him for what he told me Then he related the businesse unto me as the Spaniards had done and told me that he thought the Tribes amongst themselves would not agree for that some of Gomez his friends hated Lopez and all such aâ—… were so familiar with the Devill and cared not if Gomez his dissembling life were lâ—…id open to the world but others he said who were as bad as Lopez and Gomez would have it kept close lest they and all the witches and Wizards of the Town should bee discovered This struck mee to the very heart to think that I should live among such people whom I saw were spending all they could get by their
brick-bats wherewith he supposed he did hit one of them for the next day walking about the Towne he met with one of the Fuentes having a cap on his head and he inquired of sone Indians what he ailed and he understood by them that his head was broke but how they knew not They perceiving that I was thus guarded by Miguel Dalva desisted from that time from coming any more in the night unto my house but yet desisted not from their spight and malice and from acting mischiefe against me For a month after when I thought that all had been forgotten and they seemed outwardly to be kind and curteous there came a messenger to me from the oldest of them named Pablo de Fuentes to tel me that he was very sick and like to die and desired me to goe to comfort and instruct him in the truth for that he truely desired to be converted I conceived very great joy at this newes and doubted not of the truth and certainty of it and prayed to God to direct me in the conversion of that soul and so with haste and good zeal I went unto his house where soon my joy and comfort was turned into bitternesse for when I came to the dore of his house and was with one step entred I found all the brothers of Pablo Fuentes and some others who were suspected to be Idolaters fitting round the room and missing Pablo I withdrew my foot a little and asked them where he was mistrusting somewhat to see them there all gathered together but when I perceived that they stood not up nor answered me a word nor so much as tooke off their hats to me then I began to fear indeed and to suspect some treachery and so I turned back resolving to goe home again But no sooner was I turned but behold Pablo Fuentes who by his message had feigned both sicknesse and conversion came from behind his house with a cudgell in his hand listing it up to strike at me Had I not catched hold of his stick with both my hands and prevented the intended blow certainly he had struck me down But whilst he and I were striving for the stick who should be Master of it the rest of the Indians who were sitting in the house came out into the yard which being a publick place was more comfort to me then if they had compassed me about within the house and beset me round some pulling mee one way some another tearing my clothes in two or three places another to make me let goe my hand from the stick with a knife run me into the hand which to this day a small scar doth witnesse and certainly had we not been in a publike yard that party would also have run his knife into my sides another seeing I would not let goe the stick tooke hold of it with Pablo and both together thrust it against my mouth and with such strength that they broke some of my teeth and filled my mouth with goar blood with which blow I fell but soone recovered my selfe and arose they laughing at me but not daring to doe me any more harme for feare they should be seen as God would have seen what already they had done for a Mulatta slave to a Spaniard in the valley at that very time when I was down and rising passed by and hearing me cry out for help to the neighbours who lived somewhat far off that might helpe and succour me for all the houses thereabouts were of the brothers the Fuentes came into the yard and seeing me all in blood thought I had been mortally wounded and calling them murtherers ran along the street crying murther murther in Pablo Fuentes his yard till she came to the Market place and Town-house where she found the Maiors and Jurats sitting a couple of Spaniards who when they heard of my danger with drawn swords came presently running with all the officers of Justce to the yard of Pablo Fuentes to aid and assist me but in the mean while the Idolaters perceiving the outcry of the Mulatta began to fall away and to hide themselves Pablo Fuentes going to shut up his house also to absent himselfe I held him hard to it striving with him that he might not escape away till some help came unto me The Spaniards when they came and saw me all in a blood made furiously to Pablo Fuentes with their naked swords whom I stopped desiring them not to hurt him lest what harme they did unto him should be imputed unto me I wished the Justice not to feare him though he were a rich Indian and as they would answer before the President of Guatemala to lay hold of him and to carry him to prison which they presently performed I made the Spaniards and the Mulatta to witnesse under writing by way of information what they had seen what blood about my clothes what wound in my hand what blow in my mouth they had found and sent with speed to the President of Guatemala this their information The businesse was soon noised about the valley whereupon most of the Spaniards came to offer their help and aid unto me Miguel Dalva also chancing to be neer at a Spaniards house in the same valley came with the rest who would have done that night some mischief among the Indians if I had not prevented them I desired them to depart and goe home to their houses telling them I feared nothing and that Miguel Dalva his company would be guard enough unto me But they would by no meanes yeeld unto this saying that night might prove more dangerous unto me then I imagined and that I needed a stronger guard then of one man alone for they conceived that the Idolaters knowing what already they had done and fearing what grievous punishment might be inflicted upon them from the President of Guatemala seeing themselves lost and undone men might desperately that night rescue their brother out of prison and attempt some mischiefe against me and so flie away Which I could not be brought to fear or to beleeve any such thing of their cowardly spirits nor that they would flie away for that they had houses and land there in and about the Towne yet I was willing for one night to yeeld to have a stronger guard of Spaniards then at other times I had had with the Blackmore Miguel Dalva alone After supper they kept watch about my house till such time as they perceived all was still and the Indians a bed and then they set a watch about the prison that Pablo Fuentes might not be taken out and after this pretending that they were in danger as wel as I being but about a dozen if the Towne should all rise and mutiny by the suggestion of the Idolaters who most of them were rich and powerfull with the rest which yet I feared not they would needs goe and raise up the two Alcaldes or Maiors alone with two more peâ—…ty officers to make search about the
whilest I was in my Memento prayers and meditations a mouse had carried away the Sacrament and that I knew not what to doe unlesse they would helpe me to find it out again The people called a Priest that was at hand who presently brought in more of his Coat and as if their God by this had been eaten up they presently prepared themselves to find out the thief as if they would eat up the mouse that had so assaulted and abused their God they lighted candles and torches to find out the Malefactour in his secret and hidden places of the wall and after much searching and enquiry for the sacrilegious beast they found at last in a hole of the wall the Sacrament halfe eaten up which with great joy they took out and as if the Arke had been brought again from the Philistines to the Israelites so they rejoyced for their new found God whom with many people now resorted to the Church with many lights of candles and Torches with joyfull and solemne musicke they carried about the Church in procession My selfe was present upon my knees shaking and quivering for what might be done unto mee and expecting my doome and judgement and as the Sacrament passed by me I observed in it the markes and signes of the teeth of the mouse as they are to bee seen in a piece of cheese gnawne and eaten by it This struck mee with such horrour that I cared not at that present whether I had been torne in a thousand peices for denying publickely that Mouse-eaten God I called to my best memory all Philosophy concerning substance and accidents and resolved within my selfe that what I saw gnawne was not an accident but some reall substance eaten and devoured by that vermin which certainly was fed and nourished by what it had eaten and Philosophy well teacheth substantia Cibi non accidentis convertitur in substantiam aliti the substance not the accident of the food or meat is converted and turned into the substance of the thing fed by it and alimented Now here I knew that this Mouse had fed upon some substance or else how could the markes of the teeth so plainely appeare But no Papist will bee willing to answer that it fed upon the substance of Christs Body ergo by good consequence it followes that it fed upon the substance of bread and so Transubstantiation here in my judgement was confuted by a Mouse which meane and base creature God chose to convince mee of my former errours and made mee now resolve upon what many yeeres before I had doubted that certainly the point of Transubstantiation taught by the Church of Rome is most damnable and erroneous for besides what before I have observed it contradicteth that Philosophicall Axiome teaching that duo contradictoria non possunt simul semel de codem verificari two contradictories cannot at once and at the self same time be said and verified of the same thing but here it was so for here in Romes Judgement and opinion Christs body was gnawne and eaten and at the same time the same body in another place and upon another Altar in the hands of another Preist was not eaten and gnawne Therefore here are two contradictories verified of the same body of Christ to wit it was eaten and gnawne and it was not eaten and gnawne These impressions at that time were so great in me that I resolved within my selfe that bread really and truely was eaten upon that Altar and by no meanes Christs glorious body which is in heaven and cannot be upon earth subject to the hunger or violence of a creature Here againe I desired with godly David that I might have the wings of a Dove to flie into my Country of England and there be satisfied upon this point and be at rest of Conscience Here I resolved that if I had been questioned for my carelessenesse or for my contempt of that Romish Sacrament which I thought would be the judgement of the Spaniards who knew me to be an English man borne that I would sacrifice willingly my life for the Protestant truth which as yet I had been no otherwise taught but by that Spirit which as Solomon well observeth in a man is the candle of the Lord. I conceived here that this was some comfort to my soule which my good God will afford mee in the way of my travelling to Canaan that I might more willingly beare whatsoever crosses yet might befall mee in my way and Journey to England The event of this accident was not any trouble that fell upon mee for it for indeed the Spaniards attributed it unto the carelesnesse of him who had care of the Altars in the Church and not to any contempt in mee to the Sacrament The part of the wafer that was left after the Mouse had filled her belly was laid up after the Solemne Procession about the Church in a Tabernacle for that purpose that afterwards it might be eaten up by some hungry Preist And because such a high contempt had beene offered by a contemptible Vermin to their Bread God it was commanded through Portabel that day that all the people should humble themselves and mourn and fast with bread and water onely Although I saw I was not questioned for the case yet I feared where there were so many Souldiers and forain people that by some or other I might bee mischiefed out of their blind zeale wherefore I thought it not amisse for a day or two to keepe within my lodging Don Carlos de Ybarra who was the Admirall of that Fleet made great haste to bee gone which made the Merchants buy and sell apace and lade the ships with silver wedges whereof I was glad for the more they laded the lesse I unladed my purse with buying deare provision and sooner I hoped to be out of that unhealthy place which of it selfe is very hot and subject to breed Feavers nay death if the feet bee not preserved from wetting when it raineth but especially when the Fleet is there it is an open grave ready to swallow in part of that numerous people which at that time resort unto it as was seene the yeare that I was there when about five hundred of the Souldiers Merchants and Mariners what with Feavers what with the Flux caused by too much eating of fruit and drinking of water what with other disorders lost their lives finding it to bee to them not Porto bello but Porto malo And this is usuall every yeare and therefore for the reliefe and comfort of those that come sick from Sea or sicken there a great and rich Hospitall is in the Towne with many Fryers called De la Capacha or by others De Iuan de Dios whose calling and profession is onely to cure and attend upon the sick and to beare the dead unto their graves The Admirall fearing the great sicknesse that yeare made haste to be gone not fearing the report that was of some three or four Holland
receive you curteously and entertaine you with all love and charity In witnesse whereof with our owne hand wee have subscribed these being sealed with the seale of our Office Dated at Soriano the ninth day of April 1640. Fryer Nicholas Master of the Order Fryer Ignatius Ciantes Master Provinciall of England and Companion Yet after I had got this Order I bethought my selfe further that I would try one way which was to see if I could find out a Miracle which might give mee better satisfaction of the Romish Religion then had the former experience of my life and the lives of the Priests Cardinals and all such with whom I had lived in Spain and America I had heard much of a Picture of our Lady of Loretto and read in a Booke of Miracles or lies concerning the same that whosoever prayed before that picture in the state of mortall sinne the picture would discover the sinne in the soule by blushing and by sweating Now I framed this argument to my selfe that it was a great sin the sin of unbeliefe or to waver and stagger in points of Faith but in mee according to the Tenents of Rome was this sin for I could not believe the point of Transubstantiation and many other therefore if the Miracles which were printed of the foresaid Lady of Loretto were true and not lies certainly shee would blush and sweat when such an unbeliever as I prayed before her To make this triall I went purposely to Loretto and kneeling downe before God not with any faith I had in the picture I prayed earnestly to the true Searcher of all hearts that in his Son Jesus Christ he would mercifully looke upon me a wretched sinner and inspire and enlighten mee with his Spirit of truth for the good and salvation of my soule In my prayer I had a fixed and setled eye upon the Ladies picture but could not perceive that shee did either sweat or blush wherewith I arose up from my knees much comforted and incouraged in my resolution to renounce and abandon Popery and saying within my selfe as I went out of the Church surely if my Lady neither sweat nor blush all is well with mee and I am in a good way for salvation and the miracles written of her are but lies With this I resolved to follow the truth in some Protestant Church in France and to relinquish errour and superstition Upon which good purpose of mine I presently perceived the God of truth did smile with what I heard hee was ordering in England by an Army of Scotland raised for Reformation and by a new Parliament called to Westminster at which I saw the Papists and Jesuites there began to tremble and to say that it would blast all their designes and all their hopes of setling Popery William Laud his policy was now condemned and cursed Con was dead at Rome the Cardinalâ—… Cap for one of the three forenamed was no more spoken of Fitton was daunted Fit zherbert and Courtney quite disheartned Sir Kenelham Digby his Agency and comming to Rome put off and suspended and with all this good newes I was much heartned and incouraged to leave off my journey to France and to return to England where I feared not my Brother nor any kindred nor the power of the Papists but began to trust in the protection of the Parliament which I was informed would reform Religion and make such laws as should tend to the undermining of all the Jesuits plots and to the confusion and subversion of the Romish errours and Religion I was too weak of body to make my journey by land by reason of my long Ague which had but newly left mee and so resolved to goe to Ligorne to find out shipping there where I found foure or five ships of English and Hollanders ready to set out but were bound to touch at Lisboe in their way I bargained with one Captaine Scot for my passage first to Lisboe intending there to make a second bargain We had no sooner sailed on as farre as to the Coast of France joyning to the Dutchy of Savoy but presently from Canes came out part of a Fleet lying there under the command of the Bishop of Burdeaux to discover us and take us for a lawfull prize I might say much here of the valour of the good old Captaine Scot who seeing all the other ships had yeelded to the French men of Warre would upon no termes yeeld to be their prize which they challenged because wee were bound for Lisboe then their enemies Country but would fight with them all and at last rather blow up his ship then to deliver the goods which had been intrusted to him by the Merchants of Ligorne We were in a posture to fight our guns ready and Mariners willing to dye that day which was heavy news to me After much treaty between the French and our valorous Captain who still held out and would not yeeld there came up to us two ships to give us the last warning that if wee yeelded not they would immediately set our ship on fire With this all the passengers and many more in the ship desired the Captaine to yeeld upon some faire Articles for the securing of what goods he had for England and should appeare were not any way for the strengthening of any enemies to the State and Kingdome of France With much adoe our Captaine was perswaded and we were carried with the rest into Canes for a lawfull prize I seeing that the ships were like to bee stayed there long obtained the Bishop of Burdeaux his passe to goe to Marcells and from thence by land through France Which being granted I went by water to Tolon and from thence to Marcells and so in company of Carriers to Lions and from thence to Paris Roane and Deepe where in the first packet boat to Rye I passed over to Enggland where I landed upon Michaelmas day the same yeere that this present Parliament began to â—…it the November following My Brothers Spirit I found was not much daunted with the new Parliament nor some of the proudest Papists who hoped for a suddain dissolving of it But when I saw their hopes frustrated by His Majesties consent to the continuing of it I thought the acceptable time was come for mee wherein I ought not to dissemble any further with God the world and my friends and so resolved to bid adieu to flesh and blood and to prize Christ above all my kindred to own and professe him publiquely maugre all opposition of hell and kindred to the contrary I made my self first knowne to Doctor Brunnick Bishop of Exeter and to Mr. Shuâ—…e of Lumbard street from whom I had very comfortable and strong incouragements The Bishop of Exeter carried me to the Bishop of London then at Fullom from whom I received order to Preach my Recantation Sermon at Pauls which done I thought I must yet doe more to satisfie the world of my sincerity knowing that Converts are hardly believed