MAster Trueman, welcome, I made bold to send for you about some speciall affairs, which I hope will both content you, and benefit my almost condemned soul.

Beleeve me M. Coniwoll, this news is very plea­sing to me, and what I can perform, to gain content unto your dying same, shall be imployed at large.

Tis in your power, because to you of late I made recitall of those heinous crimes which then I thought were meritorious, therfore I thought it fit­test that you should be a witnesse of my penitence.

I joy in the performance pray proceed

I shall sir, and as condemned men being brought to execution I confesse, I have deserved to have [Page 2]been hanged some eighteen times if I had had my due, for I have been the veriest Jew that ever lived on earth. Some thirtie times I robd the poore mans box, and all the money I have spent in Sack, since I was five and twentie yeers of age, have I ob­tained by cosening and cheating.

Indeed tis true you have been a cheating Raschal, but do you now repent?

With all my heart, and I do meane hencefor­ward, if ever I come to be Churchwarden, to make the poore amends.

With such another.

O by no meanes, hence forth they shall have Coals at fourteen pence, Ile bate them the odd two pence. If any honest Gentleman or Knight be plea­sed to make me his Executor, Ile pay them all their Legacies in groats, and get but one poore 12. pence in a pound.

But will you be so honest?

Truly I, if any man would have my Coniwooll, Ile bate them six pence now in every pound, for I resolve to be an honest man, and play the knave no more.

Tis true indeed, you have used that trade too long.

Besides I do forgive that honest man, sirnamed Tom Teltroth, who a book did write, and made my faults aparant to the world, and wrought me to conversion.

Indeed he was a very honest man, and you had need reward him.

The money likewise I hereafter gather upon Communion dayes, shall be bestowed upon poore people, it shall never be shar'd amongst the poore Churchwardens: Nor will I have any mentall re­servation when I cry, Pray remember the poore, meaning my self and my brethren of the Vestry, and not the poore of the Parish.

Tis well resolved, beleeve me neighbour Coni­wooll, this your repentance makes me wondrous glad, and to the world I will so plaine expresse it, that those poore people, that before did flout you, shall now adore you, you shall no more be like a wandring starre, but now be sixt, and make your se­ven stars eight, which then shall shine, although now clouded, brightly and divine.

One thing more because I desire to give to the world a large testimonie of my repentance, I have framed by the help of Mr. Thomas Teltroth (whose friendship I esteeme above my life) a friendly ad­monition to all my brethren, alias Vestry men, from the greatest to the least, whersoever disperst thorow [Page 4]out the 3. kingdoms of England, Scotland, & Ireland.

Pray let me hear it.

You shall sir. First I do admonish every covetous carelesse Doctor, which esteemes his profit, above his pulpit, those that wil preach but once a moneth, and that too by reason that he will have his share of the poores money which is gathered on Commu­nion daies, let me be your pattern, resolve to be ho­nest hereafter, preach once in a fortnight, although you make a repetition Sermon, rack not the bodies of your Parishioners, but feed their souls.

A Christian like admonition, Heaven grant they may have the grace to follow it.

Next I admonish everie Curate, to be officious in the performing the dutie belonging to his place and calling, and to be an upright man, not to take money of rich Heirs to make large praises of those that are dead, which living were not praise-worthy, a crime neighbour to frequent amongst some of our Curates and Lecturers.

Thirdly, I admonish every Sexton or Clark, ne­ver to connive or joyn with their covetous Doctor in the giving way to have private burials out of rich mens houses, of the sicknesse and other infectious diseases, onely to hide it from the world, for which they receive a great summe of money, share it amongst themselves, which being done, the cl [...]rk he cries, Amen.

True indeed Master Conniwooll, too many of them cry Amen, when they have more need to cry A­mend; but should they doe so, they would not be so rich, nor would they strive so much for the place, and I beleeve it is more for love to the pro­fit that insues by it, than any love they have to the religious office, meerely of the service of God: But pray you proceed.

Fourthly, I admonish you and all my brethren Church-wardens and Overseers of the poore, I be­seech you be overseers for the poore, deale upright­ly, make no more five pound Suppers with the poores money, drinke no more pottles of Sacke at the Parish charge, buy your wives no more Taffata petty-coates, nor ten pound Gorgets with your weekly shares out of the poores box. Likewise, I beseech you to be carefull Stewards at offerings, let a plaine paire of gloves given you by the bride-groome content you; take up no more Crownes to buy you fringe Gloves richly perfumed. Surely Brethren, I have found it to be true, that the richest perfume most strangely doth consume, and vanish away in a short winters day, and instantly doth pe­rish.

Truely Brother, a man may beleeve this to be true, because you have had the tryall of all these things.

To my great griefe I have: but to the next. Like­wise all Constables, Headboroughs, and Beadles, let me admonish you to watch warily, least you ve­rifie the old Proverb, Harme watch, harme catch; [Page 6]trust not to the eyes of your associates, sleepe not for feare you be taken napping, if a Gentleman and his Taffata-Lasse in her Copper lace russell by you, have a care she put not our one of your eyes with a spangle, let them not goe scot-free, for if it be knowne, you will have no colour for it. Likewise, you Beadles that tyrannise over a begger, and shake hands with a pick pocket, take heed, for though you have carried many a begger to Bridewell, such Rogues will carry you to Tiburne, and then you will finde it better to have said Stand theefe, than goe Beggar. So having finisht my Admonitions, I rest, hoping that my example will induce all my bre­thren Officers that know themselves guiltie, to re­pent like me, for feare that Thomas Telleroth finde Imployment to anatomize their names, as he hath done mine. Thus leaving the honest Officers to their continuance in vertue, and the knavish Officers to amend, I rest with this Proverb, Let none but the gald Horse kicke, let none take my Admonition a­misse, but him that would proclaime himselfe guil­tie of my offences.