YOur participating the sodain evils, & daily alterations incident to terrene frailty, and Natures imbecility, hath occasioned me, as well as others, to passe my judgment on your former course of life; and though I doe with most consent, you have done evill, yet doe I not with many con­sent, you have done it knowingly, but rather igno­rantly, &c. by imprisoning Gods people, unjust pro­ceedings, &c. The complainents in this case, are the Delinquents themselves, many of which will not be perswaded to have such a charitable thought, as I have of you: and I verily beleeve, that men do omit the Christian duty to pray for you; wherfore, my hum­ble request unto your Lordship is, that you would be pleased to condiscend so far below your self, as to vouchsafe by way of answer hereunto, to vindicate your owne innocencie, and my charity. So also, shall they I hope, who are otherwiseminded, be convinced of their harsh and uncharitable Censure, and so be brought to be otherwise minded: that so J with them, and they with me, may with one accord say, concerning you, and other offenders, after the exam­ples of our Savior, Father forgive them, for they know not what they doe: and with his Martyr Stephem Lord lay not this sinne to their charge,

THe letter being delivered to my Lords owne hand [...] read it over the messinger being by, to whom [...] told that the Author had abused him: and done him wrong; which when the author understood, he went himselfe to him the next Lords day to the Tower, where he had admit­tance to his presence.

Of whom first he craved pardon for boldnesse; but the Bishop, laying aside that complementing with him, rebuked him for his letter, especially for charging him with impri­soning Gods people.

He answered, my Lord, quoth he, J have béen both an Eye and an Eare-witnesse at the High commission court, when men truly fearing God, have bin called to the Bar, and your Lordship hath commanded to give them the oath which when they hove refused, you have committed them to prison? No, quoth my Lord, it is well knowne I have shewed great favour and clemency to those obstinatemen, in that I have sometime forborne them a twelve moneth together; and have in the meane time referred them to Godly and learned Doctors and Ministers, for satisfacti­on in that point: and when they out of willfulnesse & ob­stinacy, would not be satisfied, I could doe no lesse by the order of the Court then commit them to prison,

Then he told my Lord, that he was confident it was not out of willfulnesse, nor obstinacy, that they refused the Oath, but rather out of tendernesse of conscience, they be­ing not satisfyed of the lawfullnesse of it.

That is more then ytu know, quoth my Lord?

It may be, quoth he, I know some of the men, and their conversation, that they are very godly men, and you know my Lord, our Savior warrants to judge the Trée by the fruites?

[Page]Stay, quoth my Lord, you and I differ in that point.

Then my Lord, said the man, it seemes you did it igno­rantly according to my thoughts of you not knowing them to be the servants of God?

I had nothing to doe to judge their p [...]s [...]ns said the Bishop, nor question whether they were the servants of God or no, I judge all to be the servants of God untill they apparently shew the contrary, but their action I judge to be evill, and what a matter was it to imprison 3. or 4. of them in a twelve months space, and in the meane time let thousands in the City goe free, and if we had not ta­ken such a course with some of them, the number would have so increased, and men would have taken liberty to have done what they list. as now we see they doe since we see authority, suppressed?

Then he told the Bishop that he makes no doubt, my Lord, if it please the Lord that the Parliament goe on they will take order that men shall not doe what they list, and though it seeme good unto them to suppresse that govern­ment, which hath bin heretofore, yet I hope they will esta­blish another.

J pray God they may, for it is a lamentable thing to consider what disorder there is amongst people, at this time when men are suffered to frequent Conventicles, without Restraint.

Nay, therein my Lord you much mistake, for though I my selfe am a meane Schollar: and therefore know not so well as your Grace, what a Conventicle is: yet have I heard that a conventicle is properly, when a company of men méet together, to a wicked intent, to plot & devise mischiefe to the Church or State: which I am certaine, these men you meane are far from; for though I my selfe have not much frequented such Assemblies: for which I think, I have rather cause to condemne, then justifie my selfe. Yet am I sure, that in their Assemblies, they pray earnestly for the King, and all in Authority▪

[Page]Tell me, quoth the Bishop, what warrant have they to méete, it may be forty or thréescore together, on such an occasion.

My Lord, quoth he, you know the prophet Malachi saith, then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to a­nother, and doth not the Apostle command us, not to for­sake the fellowship of the Saints, but to edifie one ano­ther. Then the Bishop told him, that he said not that, with out the consent of Authority; can they not doe this neigh­bor, with neighbor in publike Congregations.

My Lord, quoth he, it may be these men are perswa­ded in their consciences, that the Lord calls them to hum­bling themselves, in fasting and prayer: and it may be authority doth not sée it méet to appoint a day: is it evill in them then, some two or thrée families, it may be ten or twelve persons to méet together to spend a day on that oc­casion. And they cannot doe this alone by themselves; for men are apt to be dull and drousie when they are alone: and therefore they thinke it méet to be together, to stir up one another, as you know, my Lord, the more fewell is laid on the fire, the hotter it burnes, & the more it flames.

When he heard this, he smiled, and almost laughed out: flames; indéed, I thinke so, but said he in your Letter, you quote Scripture, that some in killing Gods Saidts, shall thinke they doe him service, and you say, you take me to be one of them. But I thinke, if you rightly understand your selfe, you would take your selfe to be one of them: for what warrant have you to call me a sensuall man? Ye say you judge the trée by the fruits, I pray you, what fruits have you séene to judge so of me.

My Lord, quoth he, I have séene and heard such things at the high Commission Court, as have caused me to con­clude undoubtedly: if you had bin inlightned with the true knowledge of Iesus Christ, you would not have sitten there, though the place were never so honourable.

Why quoth the Bishop what things have you seene and heard.

[Page]First my Lord saw he, I will tell by e [...]perience as touching m [...] selfe: I have beene seased on by your Purse­vant, and had to the registers Office, and beene bound o­ver to the Court, and there taken oath, and have come a­gaine to the Registers Office and there waited many a dayes, and at last have beene examined and afterwards waited againe at the Court, and yet never heard more of it: but indéed it was but the pursevants maner to bring me in. But is not this a miserable thing, my Lord, that I and others should be thus served, and must never know their accuser, nor recover any dammage.

Then he told him, that it was not in the power of that Court to give dammage, or else I could willingly have given it many times, and as for calling you in with out any accuser, it was in our power to do it according to the Law of the Court, and the Kings advocate was to accuse you: but did ever any of you come to me in the week day, and pray me to let you know your accuser, or dismisse you and J denyed it.

No my Lord, quoth he, I cannot say you did.

Then my Lord asked him what his name was, and what was the matter he was brought in for: for that you say, quoth he, you were so served.

I pray my Lord; quoth he, spare me in that, for I am not willing to tell you my name, and indéed the knowledg of it would be no gaine to you. but might be hurtfull to me: for it is not vnpossible, but you may come into autho­rity againe, and then you may call me before you, & chide me for this my bold attempt.

Even as pleaseth God, quoth the Bishop: but I will here passe my word before your friend, meaning the Mes­senger that carryed the Letter, that you shall never heare more of it: no if you have such thoughts of me, you are deceived in me, and many of you have bin much mistaken in me.

But yet he told my Lord, he desired to be spared in [Page] that. Well if you think it méet to tell me your name quoth the Bishop, doe as you please. Then the Author took occasion to envie against the Officers of the Court, and especially the Purseuants, séeing they were the natorion, sest Drunkaods and Swearers as could be found among-men. And he said, I am perswaded that if your Lordship had bin inlightned, you would not haue suffered such about you. Alas, said he, it cannot be helped, for none but such will be in those places, I pray consider that me Lord May­ors Sergeants are not the honestest men.

Then was there spéeched had about those men they call Puritans and precisians. And the Bishop affirmed it twise over, that he thought in his conscience, there were as honest men given them that name, as any were in Lon­don, we cannot, said he, be too pure, if we consider the strict­nesse of Gods Law: but yet, said he, I am perswaded, that many of those simple-hearted men are seduced, sometimes by others that are more cunning then they, but I ever had a tender care over the conscience of men, I stand not on the word puritan, but if a man be an honest man, what ever he is I doe approve of him. Indéed, my Lord, quoth he, it may be, there may be some Hypocrites that may have that name put upon them, as you know among our Saviours Disciples there was one Iudas, but yet, my Lord, it is pit­ty the true-hearted should fare the worse for their sake.