Offenders of Gods holy Laws I know none more fit to be compared to them then my forementioned five Companions their Education doubtless was Vertuous their Breeding could not be otherwise they being instructed as Schollars and received as is supposed to Dignity which did so puff them up with Pride and Presumption that they forgot not onely the former Slavery of their Birth-right but also to render God thanks for their present condition God then having abandoned them there is no Evil but they are ready to embrace Behold then how they aime at my Life for saying I would Prosecute some of them to the utmost of the Law unless they gave me satisfaction for what Injuries they did me Nor was Satan wanting to their endeavours for a certain Woman I kept in Prison from Starving together with her Sucking-Child she being at Liberty beg'd me for God's sake to continue my Charity until she and her Sick Husband recruited themselves of their losses and damages I told her when she or her children wanted Bread at home they should as formerly have a share of my Dinner her eldest Daughter about Eight years old I sent with my Arrants until at last I took notice of her growing too confident among the Prisoners throwing ones Hat and anothers Periwig off and that I could not get her away when I desir'd it always pretending she durst not go home without bringing something to her Mother upon which I warn'd her said Mother in presence of Neighbours to keep her Daughter at home which being some hindrance to her doubtless provoak'd her to do me what prejudice she could unless I presented her with some Moneys There pass'd seven or eight weeks without any disturbance until at last she heard I was to be Bayl'd out so that very day I was to give Bayle at a Judges house she sent her said Daughter a purpose to Trapan me whom I met as I was going forth I said only to her I am going abroad I cannot speak to you now From this day forth until about three weeks after she never came to my Chamber alone That day being Munday she told me they wanted Bread at home and that her Mother wish'd her to come to me that she might not also go fasting to School in the Afternoon I gave her the remainder of my Dinner and a penny wishing her to call me a Neighbour she knew without expecting to see her any more but within an hour after I met her in the passage to my Chamber letting me know that the Woman I sent for went away by Night leaving the Key under the door enquiring besides laughing what I thought became of the penny I gave her then she told how her Mother eating nothing all the day before took it from her and bought therewith Sheeps Trotters for her dinner I pittied her so much that I borrowed a Groat of a Woman that cleans'd my Room and sent the Child immediately therewith to her Mother without entring my Chamber all the while The Thursday following being the last day she ever came to me both she and her Sister came to Dine with me alleading they had nothing to eat at home After Dinner they were so unruly in the Prison that some wondred I would countenance such Brats but having relieved them so long I would not desist now I was to depart but the wicked Mother intended to stop my design for the Saturday following she came to my Chamber declaring I intended to Ravish her Child being not a little astonished at her Impudence and dissembling countenance I wish'd her be gone like a wicked creature as she was I presently concluded that this Woman having once said such a thing might perhaps have the Impudence to design the proof thereof and might on purpose do her Child an Injury to put it on me To prevent which I entreated the Master of the Prison to get a Justices Warrant for the Mother and the Child that the latter might be search'd by a Midwife all which was perform'd in an hours time The Midwife after a full view of the Child declared to the Justice that there was nothing on her but what was usual to hundreds even from their Birth That it was no more then any Child might have by running up a pair of Stairs or at Play of which the Justice made so little account that he openly said it would come to nothing To be sure I made preparations for the worst the which Mr. Church our Keeper understanding often said to me that for a Groat he would stand Tryal for me wishing me not to trouble my self about any thoughts of that nature Yet I imagin'd that in a matter of such importance I could not be too sure I therefore imploy'd one Mrs. Carpenter a Catholick by chance then in Prison to procure another discreet Midwife of long Practise and good knowledge to view the Child for more Evidence who instead thereof got a Young Woman called Mrs Ascu and only a Deputy Midwife to behold the Child without letting me speak to her before hand contrary to my directions both these began to perswade me to give my Adversary a piece of Moneys to quiet her in hopes to get a share to themselves being both extream needy I told them it was not the opinion of such a young Midwife I look'd for and as for my Adversary I would expect satisfaction from her for the Injury she had done and knowing my self Innocent would rather Die than give her one penny to be Silent I desir'd also another Catholick Woman by name Mrs. Tent to find me out another experienced Midwife to inspect the Child and to witness what she ayled this told me she knew one Mrs. James also a Catholick a very ingenious Woman who took the Oaths only to dissemble with the Times and therefore might be very serviceable to me My answer was that if ever she or any belonging to her expected any kindness from me it would be on condition that that cunning creature should not have any thing to do in my affairs which she promised very often she would not yet as if Mrs. Carpenter and she were agreed upon it to do me a prejudice so that Mrs. Tent also contrary to her promise and my will brought the said Mrs. James to my Adversary being also but a Deputy Midwife and afterward had the confidence to bring her to my Chamber and to wish me give her half a Crown for her pains although she was not suffered to behold the Child I ask'd them by whose direction they were imploy'd and so dismiss'd them Now I began to believe for certain these Women were hired a purpose to ruin me they intruded themselves in my concerns what ever I did to hinder them Yea the said Mrs. Carpenter after all the warnings I gave her not to meddle any more in any thing belonging to me brought me notwithstanding about the same time one Mrs. Ogle a Catholick who by all means would have me compound
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
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-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
or eight Prisoners could witness to be a Lie unless it was concluded upon before hand that none of them would appear against her and that the Prisoners could not One Mrs. Grey a Catholick being familiarly acquainted with my Adversary and one of those that first took the Childs Examination would not justifie the same at Court because I told it contradicted what the said Child said to others least she should do me any service therein but contrariwise both she and her Companion Mrs. Cottee a Catholick did aggravate the matter to excess in all Companies and this only out of mallice because this Greys Brother was Married to one of my Adversaries Sisters Item one Mrs. Martha a Catholick and an old Servant to the Lady St. understanding from one of my Protestant Witnesses what she could justifie in my behalf said without considering what I had to say for my self I deserv'd to be Punish'd which discourag'd so this Witness that she did not declare a word of what she promiss'd and this only because one of my Adversaries Father was her fellow Servant You may see what Roman Catholicks we have in these days and how can we expect them to be otherwise when those who ought by their profession to instruct them in Virtue and Truth are themselves the chief Instruments of Evil and the promoters of Calumny and Lies as I have justified in the above five reputed priests and Jesuits besides others already mentioned It pleased God after all their malice that the Court onely Fin'd me to the Head Bayliff of Westminster who understanding my Poverty was willing to forgive me his Fine but my Adversaries to detain me a Prisoner least I brought them to an account as was Reported of their misdemeanours imploy'd one Nicholas Crouch a Catholick to divulge of me that I was a Wealthy man although they knew in their Conscience if they had any that I could not pay one penny in an hundred of the sum set on me This Schollar of theirs a Solliciter by calling writ me a dozen Letters that he would do me a prejudice unless I satisfied him in a most unjust demand although he borrow'd of me about three pounds and never paid me as yet such are the grievances Prisoners are lyable to The true description of Wicked Women Two against one is hard measure but half a dozen to one is insupportable yet I believe it is easier to resist the fury of twenty Rational men then of one Incens'd woman Mallice and Envy is the last gasp of her departing Life and if she Sounds or falls into a trance her first thoughts are after her recovery Obstinacy is the ground of her Fury and Reason the least of her thoughts Self will is the best of her understanding and Justice is an horrour to her Interest The desire of her friend is her Law and whom he hates is her mortal Enemy although her constancy is guided by the Weather-cock Vanity is the fruits of her labours and to be flatter'd is her great delight Reconciliation is so beneath her that the very motion thereof incenses her the more so that woe to him that is entangled in her Hooks 'T is certain all the Devils in Hell can never prejudice man more than a wicked Woman Saint Peter after denying Christ by the mallice of such a Creature is said to have given this description of her A Woman is more Pitiful than Man more Envious than a Tyrant more Malicious than a Serpent and more deceitful than the Devil But this doth not in the least reflect on Virtuous and good Women It was my misfortune to be ensnar'd by one I never offended in the least and yet to comply with her Friend she has done me all the prejudice imaginable I must confess Mrs Catharine Sheldon in the begining of her rage against me has compel'd certain thoughts in my Head the like I never harbour'd before nor since for all my Adversaries together could never do me the hundreth part of the prejudice I received had she not back'd them She never saw but in Prison which cannot but reflect much on her reputation in forsaking one she knew for twelve years before and in countenancing the greatest Injustice that can be for strangers sakes altho she was not concern'd therein in the least and that I never gave her or any belonging to her except these my just complaints as yet any occasion of displeasure She can only say I would not yield to some extravagant propositions of my Adversaries her Friends and that I said I would bring some of them to account for their Injustice to me and yet there is no evil but She has practis'd against my Reputation my Body and my Livelyhood 'T is evident there is nothing She wish'd more then my Death and since God I hope has given her no power thereon she is resolv'd to hinder my Liberty by diswading Catholicks from bestowing me any Relief towards my Release out of Prison assuring them I intend as soon as I am at Liberty to impeach as well other Catholicks as my Adversaries so that she has done what lay in her Power to detain me always in Prison or to Starve me therein My only request to the managers of the Charities given weekly for the maintenance of Catholick Prisoners was that since I could be at Liberty any time this half year by paying an inconsiderable Sum of Moneys I owe They would be pleased to allow my share of the said Charities to my Creditors in the same manner it is paid me until my Debts was satisfied Who doubts but the Doners or Bestowers of such Charities would rather Grant their Moneys to release Prisoners then to maintain them in Goal as one of our best Benefactors has intimated to me already yet Mrs. Catharine Sheldons bad Character of me has sent such a terror in the Harts of the Distributors of the said Charities that they have rejected all such Overtures After this a certain Lady of Quality was pleased to Collect among her acquaintance near the Sum demanded for my Release the which Mrs. Catharine Sheldon also hindred to be given me by Publickly divulging that this Book is full of Invectives against the Catholick Religion and that I am a deserter thereof Whosoever Peruseth the same will find no such thing and therefore may justly conclude how false the rest of her Accusations be Behold what a Scourge She is to me among my other afflictions If she was ask'd from whence she had this Information she cannot deny but she got it from the foresaid Bryan a most Treacherous Man or from Mr. Power a most notorious Hipocrite or from some others of my Adversaries which shews a great deal of Mallice in her to me and very little Discretion or Wisdome for giving credit to the Calumnies of my Adversaries since the World knows there is no belief in the words of an Enemy I wonder she is so Subject to credit Flying reports unless She knows her own Reverend Brother to be guilty of what was said of him to which I never gave as yet any Faith It would be expedient for her Reputation to be able to justifie one truth among hundred of Lyes She divulg'd of me these thirteen months past I being now a Prisoner two years and a half all which time I never saw her face I am confident she will never find out one Lawfull and just Proof in confirmation of any one of her Scandalous reports of me altho' I can find five hundred to confute her and her consorts notwithstanding I suffer as if what she Publish'd of me was as true as the Gospell I do not know to whom better to compare this Gentlewomans cruelty to me that never gave her any just distaste in my Life then to those Women who Munder their own Flesh and Blood the Fruits of their Womb their dear and harmless Children whom neither the fear of God nor of the Laws of the Land could disswade from so inhuman an Act no more then my most civil Letters my present condition and quality could prevail with the said Mrs. Catharine Sheldon not to prosecute me one of her best Wishers in the Land Hence is clearly to be understood that the Mrs. Catharine Sheldon was the Principal Instrument for procuring those Catholick Women that brought the two Midwives to be my Witnesses and afterwards perswaded them to Swear against me at my Tryal But since God and my own Conscience are Witness of the wrongs done me I thought it most necessary for the satisfaction of the World to commit the whole Circumstance of every particular to the Press not doubting but the Impartial Reader will comprehend as well the Injustice done me as if he had been an Eye Witness to all my Actions nothing being contain'd in this Book but what I might leave on my Death to be true I was forc'd for want of Moneys to bestow the whole sale of the Coppies to the Printer And whosoever blames me for Printing the same would undoubtedly do worse themselves in the like occasion If any one of them was Robb'd of his whole Store or Patrimony or was falsly accused of any Fellonious Action by a pretended Priest or Jesuit and was denied Restitution of Goods and Reputation would he not Prosecute him without any regard to the Scandal of his Religion I have been Robb'd of my Reputation of my Livelyhood and of all future expectations of considerable Imployments by the Calumny of my Adversaries and their supporters and who can justly find fault with me for putting the Saddle on the right Horse Fiat Justitia vel ruat Caelum FINIS London Printed and are to be Sold by W. Downing in Bartholomew-Close Printer 1681