MY birth and breeding was at Birdſall, an obſcure Towne in Yorkſhire; and the more obſcure, as having never had a preaching Miniſter time out of minde, long before I was borne, nor (for ought I know) to this very day. Notwithſtanding my Parents were piouſly affected, they would correct us, their children (whereof they had many) and that ſeverely, if we ſwore an oath, or neglected the Church, or made a lie. Me, of all the reſt, they kept at School▪ my mother encouraging me with often ſhewing me a new Teſtament in Engliſh, which ſhe kept lockt up (it having beene my Grandfathers in Queene Maries dayes) promiſing it me, when I could read it; ſo as afterwards I was put to read every night two or three Chapters in it to the Family. In time they ſent me to the Univerſity of Cambridge, and placed me in the Colledge called St. Johns, where I proceeded Maſter of Arts: In which time it was my happineſſe to be a conſtant hearer of Mr. Chatterton, and Mr. Perkins on the Lords day. For from my firſt entrance in the Colledge, it pleaſed God to open mine eyes by their miniſtry, ſo as to put a difference betweene their ſound teaching, and the Univerſity Sermons, which ſavoured more of humane wit, then of Gods word. Thus I had, and for ever have cauſe to admire and adore the goodneſſe of God, who thus brought me out of darkneſſe, into his marvellous light. Some time after I was in the houſe of a Noble Knight, for the education of his two ſonnes, in which time, with them ſojourning a while with a religious Mrs B • w at Aske, neer Richmond in the North. Matron of worthy memory, and having often conference with her, ſhe took ſuch notice of my ſpirit then, and chiefly of my zeale againſt the Prelates pride and practices that ſhe ſaid then to ſome (yet ſurviving) of me, This young man (ſaid ſhe) will one day be the overthrow of the Biſhops.

After this I was, by the foreſaid Knight, recommended to the excellent Prince Henry of glorious memory, whom I ſerved as ſole Officer in his cloſets during his life; only the Biſhop, who was Clerk of King James his cloſet, envying me the title of Clerk, was a meanes to depreſſe me, though my office otherwiſe was abſolute. But this was by the ſpeciall providence of my God ſtill, who would not ſuffer me to riſe high in Court, leſt I ſhould have beene corrupted with the preferments of it. Nor had I learned the art of ambition to climbe up that ladder, in ſo much as I would often ſay to a familiar friend in Court, that I wondred wherefore I lived in Court, conſidering my naturall indiſpoſition to a Court-life, as alſo how the greateſt benefit I found by my office was, that it afforded me time for my private ſtuddies, which I hoped God would in time bring me forth to make more publicke uſe of; and then I ſhould know why I had ſo lived thus long in Court. And in that time under Prince Henry, I writ a Treatiſe in Latine of Antichriſt, which in a Manuſcript I preſented to him, with an Epiſtle Dedicatory, and which he graciouſly accepted, cauſing it to be kept in his Library at S. James.

After his much lamented deceaſe, I was continued in the ſame place and office to Prince Charles, when God ſtirred up my heart to enter into the Miniſtry, being then above thirty yeares of age, but yet too ſoone, as having not yet ſufficiently learned to weigh that Text of the Apoſtle, And who is ſufficient for theſe things? or yet the right way of a Miniſters externall call, which the ignorance and 2 Cor. 2. 16 ſloth of thoſe times had not learned to walk in. In that time I writ a Treatiſe againſt Simony, entituled, A Cenſure of Simony: Alſo another Book, entituled, Truths triumph over Tront; wherein I unfolded that myſtery of iniquity packed up in the ſixth ſeſſion of that Councell, encountring therein thoſe two Champions of the Councell, Andreas Vega, and Dominicus Soto: Theſe two Books were publiſhed Cum Previlegio, though with much adoe obtained of the Archbiſhops Chaplains, in thoſe, not then full growne ripe, evill times. Yet they ripened ſo faſt, Abbot of Canterbury yet living, that I could not obtaine of his Chaplaine the licenſing of an anſwer of mine to a Jeſuits Book, entituled, The converted Jew, which he boldly had dedicated to both our Univerſities: And I underſtood he durſt not doe it, for two cauſes: firſt, becauſe in that Anſwer I had upon occaſion conſuted the Arminian Hereſies: ſecondly, becauſe therein I proved the Pope to be the Antichriſt. Which two things began in thoſe dayes to be Noli me tangere, and fewell for the H • gh Commiſſion ſurnace, proving afterwards pillary-offences inexpiable, never to be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. Which after times, being haſtened on by the immature death of King Iames, have beene the only cauſes that have made his life deſireable; as Titus Livius ſaid of Hieronymus of Syracuſa, Qui ſolus Patrem deſiderabilem fecit.

Well, King Iames being dead (whether ſo, or ſo, or otherwiſe, time hath not yet examined) and King Charles ſucceeding; I ſhall now acquaint you with a notable paſſage of divine Providence, in parting the Court and me aſunder. For I underſtanding that the Biſhop, the old Clerk, ſhould ſtill continue in that Office, and that the King had deſigned me for ſome other inferiour Office; and obſerving alſo that with Neale, Lawd alſo ſhould be continually about the King: I ſaw there would be no abiding for me in Court any longer. Yet before I went, I thought I was bound in conſcience, by vertue of my place, to informe the King of theſe men, how popiſhly affected they were, ſimply imagining, that the King either did not ſo well know their qualities, or that perhaps he might be put upon ſecond thoughts, by conſidering the dangerous conſequences of entertaining ſuch perſons ſo neere about him, as I preſented to his Majeſty in a large letter to that purpoſe. Which letter he read a good part of, I ſtanding before him; but perceiving the ſcope of it, he gave it me againe, and bade me forbeare any more attendance in my Office untill he ſhould ſend for me. Whereupon, though for the preſent my ſpirits were ſomewhat appalled, and dejected, yet going home to my houſe in London, and there entring into a ſerious meditation of Gods Providence herein, how fairely he had now brought me off from the Court, when I ſaw ſuch Lords were like to domineere, and how I might doe God and his Church better ſervice in a more retired life, as wherein I was in no danger of Court-Preferments, thereby to bee cowardized from encountering ſuch Giants as began already to threaten the Hoſte of Iſrael, and againſt whoſe power I thought Sauls armour would give me ſmall defence, but much hinder me rather: I hereupon began to recollect my ſcattered ſpirits, reſolving now after almoſt twice ſeven yeares ſervice, quite to forſake the Court; which I did ſignifie by another letter to a friend of mine of great place neere unto the King; ſo as the King hath ſaid, that I put away him, and not hee me. However it pleaſed him to ſay ſo, yet I had abundant cauſe to bleſſe God, and daily to rejoyce with exceeding joy, that I was now freed from the Court, which joy hath now continually increaſed ever ſince to this very day without intermiſſion.

Thus having bid the Court farewell, I kept me cloſe to the Miniſtery of the Word, and beſides my weekly preaching every Lords day M. Montague after B of Chicheſter, then of Norwich. twice, I anſwered ſundry erroneous and heterodox Bookes ſet forth by the Prelats, and thoſe of the Prelaticall party. As 1. Montagues Book, ſtyled, An Appeale to Caeſar: the firſt part whereof defended all the Arminian Hereſies, and the ſecond was to maintain many groſſe points of Popery. And Dr. Francis White prefixed his Approbation to both. My anſwer to the firſt part was publiſhed in print: but that to the ſecond was by the Aegyptian Task-maſters ſtrangled in the birth, being upon the breaking up of the Parliament, taken tardie in the Preſſe as it was a printing.

A ſecond Book, to which I made and publiſhed an Anſwer in time of Parliament, was Coſens Private Devotions, or Houres of Prayer, to which his Popiſh Canonicall Houres I framed a fit Diall.

A third was a Book of Dr. Hall B. of Exceter, wherein he affirmed the Church of Rome to be a true Church. Which in a Treatiſe of mine upon the 7. Vials I occaſionally confuting, and Mr. Cholmley his Chaplen, and Mr. Butterfield another Miniſter, making each of them a ſeverall reply, I thereupon made one full anſwer to them both, ſo as both ſate down, and replyed no more; and Dr. Hall himſelfe would ſalve or rather dawbe up the matter, by begging the ſuffrages of two Biſhops, and two Doctors, who ſo ſhuffled together each his own Cards, that they eaſily made one pack. And wel might they both ſhuffle, pack, cut, and deale, when no anſwer was permitted to be publiſhed. But for all that, my Babel no Bethel, remains intire, and unſhaken by any of their breaths, ſaving that ſome of their black mouths laboured to beſmeare me with their proud ſcorne. And for ſo writing againſt the Church of Rome, as no true Church of Chriſt, and becauſe ſuch kind of Bookes were printed without licence when none could be obtained, I was brought the firſt and ſecond time into the High Commiſſion, whence I had not eſcaped without cindging at leaſt, to make me ſmell of it ever after, if not ſtigmatiſing either in my name or purſe, had I not come in time to procure a Prohibition in the Court of Juſtice, before the doore was ſhut, which was not long after, the Biſhop having a little before my Prohibition threatned in open Court, that whoſoever London, Lawd. after that of Mr. Pryns then tendered, ſhould be the next (which fell to my lot) to dare to bring a Prohibition there, he would ſet him faſt by the heeles. But inſtead of ſetting me by the heeles, he hung me up by the head; for the next morning after that my Prohibition was tendered in Court, whereat the whole Board was huſht, he ſent his Purſuivant for me, and anew quarrelled with me for my late preaching againſt bowing at the Name Jeſus; and though I told him that it was firſt injoyned by the Pope, and ſhewed by Scripture it had no ground there: yet he proceeded to ſuſpend me from preaching. But I appealing from him to the Arches of Canterbury (which afterwards I came to ſee, was no better then to goe from the black Witches inchantment to be healed with the Spell of the White Witch) and held him ſo to it, that he was glad to looſe me againe from my ſuſpenſion.

Another Book of my writing, ſtyled, Iſraels Faſt, being publiſhed at a generall Faſt, brought me again into their High Commiſſion extraordinarily called for that purpoſe onely, where they examined me what, or whom I meant by Achan: I anſwered, the Jeſuiticall Faction; and no more could they ſqueaſe from me, ſo as not knowing what to do with me, they let me goe.

Another Book I wrote, and publiſhed, and that by licenſe too caſually, intituled, The baiting of the Popes Bull; for Pope Ʋrban the 8. had ſent forth his roaring Bull among his Roman Catholikes in England, to incite them to be in a readineſſe, whenſoever occaſion was miniſtred for the promoting of the Catholike Cauſe, as they uſually call it: This was an Alarme, or preparative to arme them for that plot, which was then a contriving, and which we ſee now marching forth into the field, expecting ſome deſperate iſſue. This Bull paſſed up and down City and Countrey without controule, untill, ſo ſoon as it came to my hands, I faſtned upon it. Well, hereupon the Bull roared ſo lowd, that the bellowing was heard to the Counſell board. This baiting was made a heinous offence againſt the State, as being done without acquainting the board, which gives leave both to Bear-baiting, and Bull-baiting. Thither I was ſummoned, where I found fix of the Councell ſitting of purpoſe to examine me about it, whereof two were, Neale of Durham, and Lawd of London. By theſe I was ſoundly baited for 2. or 3. houres together. They would have made my Book againſt that Bull, a Libell. God put into my mouth an anſwer to all their queſtions, though ſome were very captious and inſnaring. For it was ever my care to obſerve my Maſter Chriſt his Counſell, being called before Counſels (Mark. 11. 13, 15.) not to premeditate what or how to anſwer; and accordingly I found his promiſe moſt true; for it was given me that houre what to anſwer, even when I was ſo put to it ſometimes, that I knew not what to anſwer, till darting up a prayer, I had ſuch an anſwer put in my mouth, as put to ſilence the oppoſer. And in fine I was ſent home without any Cenſure.

Only let me here take occaſion to relate a pretty paſſage that fell out upon this Booke. In the Frontiſpiece was a picture of K. Charles on the one ſide with a ſword putting off the Popes Triple Crown over againſt it. Which when I ſhewed to a little Daughter I then had of 3. yeares old in her mothers hands, telling her the meaning of thoſe two pictures, ſhe preſently replyed, O Father, our King ſhall cut off the Popes head; it muſt be ſo, it muſt be ſo: Which words ſhe uttered with that vigour of ſpirit, and vehemency of ſpeech, that we exceedingly wondered at it, ſaying, It was not impoſſible. And I do now the more look after the full accompliſhment of her words, as of a prophecy put into a Babes mouth, When of late we have ſeen one of thoſe, It must be ſo, fulfilled in Scotland; ſo as we may hope to ſee the other It muſt be ſo, fulfilled in England, when God ſhall put the like neceſſity of It muſt be ſo, and that redoubled, in cutting off the Popes head in the Engliſh Hierarchy by the Regall Sword. But this by the way.

Another time after that (when the Duke of Buckingham was at the Ile of Re • , the while the poore Rochellers and the bravest Chevalry of England were betrayed unto the French,) was I ſummoned to the Counſell Board; but for what cauſe, I could not come to know: for between the Summons, and day of appearance, came the Duke home. So as I having waited all the afternoon at the Counſell Chamber, doore, I was not ſo much as called in, nor ſent for any more, but once for a ſhow without examination. Now I had a little before in a Sermon on the 5. of November ſpoken of ſundry fore-running ſignes of the ruine of a State, which upon that return of the Duke, would not (it ſeemes) indure the Examination. Nor was my time yet come; I was to wait for another 5. of November; all theſe troubles hitherto being but as it were ſo many velitations, or light skirmiſhes in compariſon, before the main Battell; my Captain training me up by degrees ſo many yeeres, to fit me the better for the great incounter, which he had fore appointed me unto. Which great incounter, becauſe (all circumſtances weighed) it wants example; it will not (I hope) be more tedious to poſterity to read or heare, then it was for me to undergoe it. And I have the rather publiſhed theſe things at this time, becauſe it may commend the credit thereof to after-ages by thoſe who have been eye-witneſſes of all.

Notwithſtanding all theſe troubles and vexations hitherto, which the Prelates, and their confederates, whoſe Captaine was Dr. Lawd then Biſhop of London. London, continually purſued and exerciſed me withall, yet my ſpirit was carried on with a mighty and undaunted courage, which my God put into me, and ſo much the more, as theſe men grew the more audacious and outragious both in oppoſing and oppreſſing the Goſpel it ſelfe in the Miniſtery and Miniſters thereof, and in erecting and impoſing Romes rotten Reliques in all the High places of the Land. I could not be ſilent nor patient, to ſee ſuch things. Nor could all their terrours, though armed with the greateſt power on earth, deterre me. Yea, I was never fuller of ſpirit, nor freer of ſpeech, then when I encountred London face to face Inſomuch, as on a time being ſummoned by a Purſuivant to London-houſe, and waiting there all alone without till the Biſhop, accompanied with his Chancellour and Regiſter ſhould ſend for me in, the while my thoughts were buſied in ſearching what the cauſe might be (which was my weakneſſe then) I was at length no ſooner called in, but ſeeing the Biſhop in his Chaire, with his ſaid Officers about him, ready to examine me, there came upon me as it were the ſpirit of a Lyon all the while I was before them, ſo as they were amazed with my Anſwers. And another time, in the ſame place, when the Biſhop in his Chaire was proudly inſulting over me ſtanding at the other end of the Table, and a friend of mine ſtanding by, I (thinking thus with my ſelfe, What doe I ſtanding here to heare ſuch language) did thereupon without replying, turn my back, and goe towards the doore to be gone, and looking back for my friend to follow, the Biſhop at that very inſtant changed his note, and began to ſpeak me as faire, as poſſibly could be, whereupon I came towards him againe, ſaying with • n my ſelfe, that if he ſpake reaſon, I would heare him. Nor was I at any time before him, but methought I ſtood over him, as a School-maſter over his School-boy. So great was the goodneſſe of God upon me. Another time, I being convented at a High-Commiſſion Board at London-houſe, about my fore-ſaid Book, Babel no Bethel, Harſenet then Archbiſhop of Yorke having run himſelfe out of breath with railing againſt me and my Book (a ſpeciall faculty, wherein his Grace exceeded) at length ſaying, that I had dedicated my Book to the Parliament to incenſe them againſt the Higher Powers (he meant the King) then I anſwered, No, my Lord, I am none of them that divide the King and Parliament, but I pray God to unite them together. At this he had never a word more to ſay; For this was preſently after that Parliament was broken up, wherein the Petition of Right was ſigned: ſo that he knew better who they were, which at that time divided the King from the Parliament. Well, at the ſame time I muſt to priſon, and tendring bale, London anſwered, No, for (ſaid he) the King had given expreſſe charge, that no baile ſhould be taken for me. Then, my Lord (ſaid I) I deſire to know by what Law or Statute of the Land you doe impriſon me; if it be according to Law, I humbly ſubmit my ſelfe; otherwiſe I doe here claime the right and priviledge of a ſubject, according to the Petition of Right: but nor Petition, nor Right, nor Law, could keep me from priſon. To the Fleet I went, where ſtepping in, and ſaying to the Porter, By your leave; and he anſwering, You are welcome Sir; I thanked him, ſaying, that is ſome comfort yet. But I found the comforts of my God there exceedingly, it being the firſt time of my being a Priſoner, ſaving that I was ſtill, and had beene a long time, in the High Commiſſion Bonds, which reſtrained my liberty to the ſcantling of that tether.

But I haſten to the maine Battalion, or pitcht battell with the Prelates, and their prelaticall party. For I more and more diſliked their uſurpations, and tyrannicall Government, with their attempts to ſet up Popery: Therefore I purpoſely preached upon the ſecond Chapter to the Coloſſians, crying downe all will-worſhip, and humane inventions in Gods ſervice. Hereupon I began in my practice, as in my judgement, to fall off from the ceremonies. Only I watched for an occaſion to try it out with them, either by dint of Arguments, or force of Law, or by the King and his Counſell, reſolving of this, that by this means I ſhould either foile my adverſaries (though I had no great hope this way) or at leaſt (which I was ſure not to faile of) diſcover the myſtery of iniquity, and the deceit of hypocriſie, which like a white vaile they had caſt over all their foule practices, and falſe pretences, being woven with the fine thread of ſolemne Proteſtations, Declarations, Proclamations, and the like. And this diſcovery I tooke to be of no ſmall importance and conſequence, becauſe I ſaw how every day they got ground in the hearts of ſimple and credulous people, apt to beleeve their plauſible pretences, and pompous ſhewes of piety, as if all they did, were to maintain the Proteſtant Religion, when under that ſpecious colour the withered whore of Babylon came in maskd at the firſt, till at length ſhe began to ſhew her painted face in her Superſtitions Altar-ſervice, and other garbs. And as they laboured to undermine, and overthrow the true Proteſtant Religion, and in ſtead thereof to ſet up Popery; ſo they did no leſſe ſeeke to overthrow the Civill ſtate, with the good lawes thereof, and juſt liberties of the ſubject, and to introduce an arbitrary Government, otherwiſe called Tyrany, which taketh away every mans property in his owne goods and eſtate, as plainly appeared by all their practices, as in exacting of ſhipmoney, which was to be perpetuall, and ſometimes twice impoſed in one yeare, (upon ſome pretence of forraine enemies, when we had cauſe to feare none, but our home-bred traitours) and other impoſitions, with a thouſand monopolies. Of all which I being not a little ſenſible, both as I was a poore ſervant of Chriſt, and therefore bound to vindicate his cauſe againſt Antichriſtian men: and alſo as a free borne ſubject of the kingdome, as one who ever prized the juſt libertie of my birthright above this life it ſelfe: I therefore thought how I might beſt acquit my duty both to God, and to his Church, and to my Country, in defending the cauſe of both.

To this purpoſe, on the fifth of Noxember, 1636 (being a day, by Act of Parliament to be ſolemnized in an anniverſary ſolemne thankſgiving for that great deliverance of King and Parliament from the Gunpowder-treaſon, which Popiſh traytors conſpired to have executed on that day, 1625) I preached (according to my cuſtome) two Sermons, taking for my Text Prov. 24. 21, 22. My ſonne, feare thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity ſhall ariſe ſuddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both? But before I proceed to a further relation hereof, let me tell you of a paſſage or two falling out but a little before my troubles. The firſt was this, A reverend godly Miniſter (Mr Williamſon of Kent) having newly preached in my Church, upon Acts 21. 13. and we having ſome private conference of his Text and Sermon, I ſaid to him in the cloſe, Well brother, I muſt be an example hereof one day. The other was of a ſtrange dreame I had one night, not many dayes before this day came: I dreamed (lodging then at a deare friends houſe in Stratford Bow neere London) that I ſaw a moſt magnificent Pallace, the like whereof I never ſaw upon the earth; and therein a moſt glorious throne erected, and in the throne Jeſus Chriſt ſitting in Majeſty, but all alone, without any attendance of Angels or Saints about him, only there lay all along before the throne a man dead, with his feet towards Chriſt, and his face upward the other way. But after awhile the dead man was raiſed up, and ſtood upon his feet, looking towards the throne: Whereupon immediately there appeared about the throne an innumerable company of glorious Angels and Saints, exceedingly rejoycing and praiſing God for reſtoring life to that man. This dreame I told in the morning to my wife, and after that to my deare Chriſtian friends in the houſe (all yet ſurviving) to whom I alſo made this interpretation; that this dead man was the preſent Church of Chriſt, which now lay for dead, and none took the care of it but Chriſt alone; but after awhile Chriſt would reſtore his Church to life, and ſet her in a glorious eſtate, as one raiſed from the dead to the ſtate of glory; and then all the holy Angels and Saints ſhould rejoyce, and ſing Halelujahs to him that ſits upon the Throne. And this I told them ſhould moſt certainly come to paſſe, and that ſhortly, ſo as they ſhould live to ſee it. And ſo being to goe to London that morning, I took my leave thereupon, ſaying, Well, what ever come on it, I muſt to my work. And this work proved to be that aforeſaid (Nov. 5.) When having preached thoſe Sermons, I was not long after ſummoned by a Purſuivant into the Engliſh Inquiſition Court, the High Commiſſion; from which I preſently appealed to the King: And becauſe I foreſaw that this would prove a publick cauſe, and putting no confidence either in my Appeale, or in the equity and innocency of my cauſe, or in the juſt lawes of the Kingdome, being fallen into ſuch times, wherein nor law, nor conſcience, nor innocency, nor juſtice, nor clemency, nor humanity, could take place; but that ſome unjuſt, odious cenſure muſt ſtigmatize both the cauſe and the perſon: therefore I ſhut my ſelfe up in my houſe, as in my priſon, and there did compile my two ſaid Sermons, with my Appeale, in one Book, to the end it might be publiſhed in print, as it was, ſheet by ſheet as I writ it; the while the Prelates Purſuivants, thoſe barking Beagles, ceaſed not night nor day to watch, and rap, and ring at my doores, to have ſurpriſed me in that my Caſtle, nor yet to ſearch and hunt all the Printing houſes about London, to have prevented the comming forth of my Book, which they heard to be at the Preſſe. But God, by his good providence, ſo prevented them, as neither they could touch my perſon, before I had finiſhed my Book, nor yet prevent the publiſhing thereof, for all their unwearied ſearch. And here I may not omit to magnifie the great Name of God, eſpecially for two things. Firſt, for his admirable ſtrengthning and ſupporting preſence in ſo carrying up my ſpirit all the while of my writing that Book, (entituled, For God and the King, together with the Appeale, &c.) that not all the inceſſant roarings, and ballings of thoſe beagles could either interrupt my work, or diſtract my thoughts, or diſcourage my reſolution, by any the leaſt apprehenſion or feare of danger; but that with all cheerfulneſſe and invincibleneſſe of ſpirit the work was finiſhed. Secondly, the Lords wonderfull Providence is here to be admired, in that the Purſuivants had no power, either to apprehend my perſon, or to prevent the publiſhing of my Book: but juſt that night, when I had received ſome dozens of Copies bound up, and the Books for the King and Councell were a binding up, and nor ſooner, nor later, having alſo newly concluded the Family-duties for that night, came the Serjeant at Armes, with his Mace, in the Biſhop of Londons name, accompanied with divers Purſuivants, and other Officers; yea with the Sheriffe of London, with ſwords and halberds, and with pick-axes, fell a breaking up my doores, which being ſtrong, and I making no reſiſtance, held them work till eleven of the Clock; They break in, ſurpriſe my perſon, ranſack my ſtudy, carry away what Books they pleaſed, and carry me away priſoner to a Conſtables houſe for that night; and the next day at night, being Febr. 2. they had got a new warrant from the Councell Board, to carry me to priſon in the Fleet, where I was kept cloſe priſoner from wife, or friend, and ſo remained for halfe a yeare, till I was removed to another priſon, as you ſhall heare anon. During my abode in the Fleet, I was ſerved with a Writ into the Starre Chamber, to anſwer an information there againſt me, drawn up by the Kings Atturney in the Name of the King, notwithſtanding my ſaid Appeale not yet repealed. But all is one for that. With much difficulty, being all along cloſe priſoner, I get my Anſwer drawne up by Counſell, and the ſame by ſpeciall Order of Starre-Chamber, admitted in Court upon my Oath to be a true Anſwer: Above a week after I heare, that the two Chiefe Juſtices, by appointment of the Court, have quite expunged my Anſwer and defence, contained in 80 ſheets; leaving only the negative part, and that alſo of their owne patching together, contained in ſome halfe a dozen lines. Thus my Anſwer in Court is left no Anſwer of mine. After this comes the Examiner for my Anſwer to his interrogatories, which was to be reckoned part of my Anſwer in Court: But I anſwered him, that my Anſwer in Court being wholly expunged, and ſo made no Anſwer of mine; I was not bound to anſwer the interrogatories. Hereupon I was brought into the Starre-Chamber, to be cenſured by all thoſe terrible ones, pro confeſſo, as having refuſed to put in my Anſwer, when Ier. 11. 21. indeed themſelves had put it our. What I then ſpake for my ſelfe by leave of the Court, which had already the day before ſet downe my Cenſure in black and white; and what the Cenſure was, and by whom, I referre to the Relation of all the paſſages of our three ſufferings, ſet forth at large in Print, 1641. Only thus much, when I ſaw 〈…〉 that they would proceed to cenſure (notwithſtanding they did not, nor could object the leaſt crime in all my Book, For God and the King, but that they ſaid, I was too ſharp againſt the Prelates) having obtained leave to ſpeak, I ſaid, My Lords, I perceive I am brought into a great ſtrait, that of neceſſity I muſt either deſert my cauſe and my conſcience, or undergoe the Cenſure of this Honourable Court: and therefore I doe without any further deliberation, chooſe rather to abide the Cenſure of this Honourable Court, then to deſert my Cauſe & my conſcience. Here at the Audience gave a great humme. But when they came to the cenſure, it was ſo terrible, eſpecially the perpetuall cloſe impriſonment in a deſolate goale; that (leſt my ſpirits ſhould faint within me) I did there earneſtly in my heart entreat the Lord, that he would ſtrengthen me, and hold up my ſpirits, that I might not any way diſhonour the cauſe, or give thoſe terrible ones cauſe to triumph.

And at that very inſtant the Lord heard me, he put ſuch ſtrength in me, as neither my ſelfe, nor my two Brethren did once change countenance before thoſe terrible ones, ſo as ſome of them afterwards ſaid, that they never ſaw three ſuch men, who inſtead of being daunted, ſo ſtood before the Court, as if they had ſit in the Judges place. And foraſmuch as the night before a friend came to me in the Fleet, and told me he ſaw my Cenſure ſet down in their Book, as ſtanding on the Pillory, &c. I did therefore that night 〈◊◊…〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Exod. 19 4 redouble my prayer to God, that he would ſtrengthen me at my Cenſure, ſo as I might not diſhonour him and his Cauſe the next day before that great Court. And immediately upon my prayer I was filled with a mighty ſpirit of courage and reſolution, wherewith I was carried up farre above my ſelfe, even as it were upon Eagles wings. And hereupon again I prayed, intreating the Lord that he would be pleaſed to keep up my ſpirits at that height, to the which he had now raiſed them; the anſwer of which Prayer I found, not only all the next day of my Cenſure, but throughout all my ſufferings, which that Cenſure produced.

After the Cenſure, (which was Deprivation, Degradation, ſtanding on the Pillary two houres, loſſe of both eares by the hangman, five thouſand pound fine to the King, perpetuall cloſe impriſonment in the Caſtle of Lancaſter, reſtraint of all uſe of pen, inke, and paper) I was brought back to my cloſe priſon in the Fleet (June 14. 1647.) where I waited till the day of Execution, which was the laſt day of June. In the interim, my wife, with Mr. Bastwicke, plyed the King with their pittifull complaining Petitions and deprecations, for the taking off, or at leaſt the mitigating of the execution: but a little before the day came, a voyce was heard in the Starre-Chamber, uttered by the Atturney-Generall, That it was the Kings pleaſure, the Cenſure of thoſe 3. men ſhould be executed to the uttermoſt: So as the execution proved to be as void of Mercy, as the Cenſure was of Juſtice. The night before the Execution, I did, as before the Cenſure, addreſſe my ſelfe by earneſt prayer for divine ſupport in the acting of that Tragedy upon the ſcaffold of publick reproach. Filled I was with exceeding alacrity of truly Heroicall, and Chriſtianly magnanimous reſolution. My two ſupporters (next under God) were, the nobleneſſe and pure innocency of the Cauſe, and the uprightneſſe and integrity of my conſcience With theſe I went on foot the next morning from the Fleet to the place of Execution at Weſtminſter, farre better guarded, then with thoſe many halberds and weapons that attended me. My wife had the favour to goe all along with me, going together with this equipage, as to the celebration of our marriage. When I came in ſight of the Pillary, my ſpirit was mightily cheered, and my heart raiſed up to a Mr. Price in Coleman Pre • t L • ndon. higher pitch of joy. I ſaid to one, a little before my going up to the Pillary, I ſhall this day preach downe Antichriſt in the Pillary: And ſay nothing, replyed he: yea, ſaid I, and ſay nothing. This was omitted in the Relation forementioned. All the while I ſtood in the Pillary, I thought my ſelfe to be in Heaven, and in a ſtate of glory and triumph, if any ſuch ſtate can poſſibly be on earth. I found thoſe words of Peter uerified on me in the Pillary, If ye be reproached for the Name of Chriſt, happy are ye; for the ſpirit of glory and of God reſteth upon you, 1 Pet. 4. 14. which on their part is blaſphemed, but on yours, glorified. For my rejoycing and glorying was ſo great all the while, without intermiſſion, in the Pillary, that I can no more expreſſe it, then Paul could his raviſhments in the third heaven: ſo as I could beſt, and moſt truly ſay 2 Cor. 12. Amen to thoſe words of a godly woman, going along in the troope neere Charing Croſſe, at my returne from baniſhment to London, (which God was alſo pleaſed to cloth with ſo great glory) ſhe ſaid to me, O Sir, this is a glorious wedding day; to whom I replied, It is indeed, bleſſed be God; I, ſaid ſhe, but your wedding day on the Pillary was much more glorious: I admiring the womans ſpeech, anſwerd, It is indeed moſt true, good woman, bleſſed be our God.

After the execution, I was carried againe the ſame day to my Fleet-priſon, where mine eares, after the Chirurgions bloodletting, were a healing till towards the end of July; when, before they were quite healed, I was haſtened away to Lancaſter, July 28. having ſaid the night before to a religious Matron of London viſiting of me, I muſt now (ſaid I) prepare for my exile, not thinking then of any further exile, then Lancaster Caſtle, being an exile in mine owne Countrey. On the day appointed I paſſed on horſeback from the Fleet through Smithfield, where for throng of people all along I could not paſſe, but very ſlowly, though the Keeper haſtened all he could, who fretted to ſee ſo many thouſands all the way we went, he reckoning the number to be forty thouſand. By the way ſo many taking me by the hand, preſſed the very blood out at my fingers ends, but with another minde then the great ones drew the blood out at mine eares. I rid to S. Albons that night, being accompanied all the way with above five hundred horſe of loving friends, which the Keeper alſo much envyed. Many ſtaid there all night, but were not ſuffered to ſup with me, no nor to ſee my face. Nay the Keeper was ſo ſtrict, that he would ſcarce ſuffer my wife, who went along, to dreſſe mine eares. Comming to Daventry, it exceedingly refreſhed me, that I had the ſight, and a little ſociety of that holy and reverend Father, Mr John Dod, who came two or three miles off to ſee me; as alſo his effectuall ſervant prayer for me and my wife, calling me his ſonne, and her his daughter. At Coventry two worthy and reverend brethren, Mr Nalton, and Mr Hughes, with their wives, came alſo to ſalute me and bid me farewell; In our ſhort diſcourſe, they rejoycing and congratulating Gods gracious and mighty aſſiſting of me in my ſuffering, and my happineſſe therein: I anſwered, I have cauſe to bleſſe God more for this ſuffering, then for all outward bleſſings in the world, and I account this to be one great part of my happineſſe, that I have now caſt off that yoke of the Prelates, under which I had ſo long groaned; but I promiſe you, ſaid I, it did cling and cleave ſo cloſe to my neck, that I could not ſhift it off, but that it ſhaved off mine eares. And when at our parting they were very ſad; I laboured to comfort them, ſaying, Come be not ſad; for three yeares and a halfe hence we ſhall meet againe and be merry: which I ſpake alluding to the three dayes and a halfe, the time of the two witneſſes lying unburied; of which ſpeech we ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more anon.

There alſo one of thoſe godly women, ſaying unto me, O ſir you are in a happy eſtate, you are paſt all danger, and ſure of Heaven; but for us, what ſhall we doe? I replyed, that the aſſurance of Heaven cannot ſecure us from manifold temptations and afflictions, and ſnares of Satan, ſo long as we live in theſe houſes of clay. And therefore we have need continually to ſtand upon our watch and ward, and to pray one for another, having ſo malicious and unwearied an Adverſary, whom neither cloſe impriſonment, nor Iron Gates and Barres can hinder from aſſaulting us.

On the 3. of August, being ſacurday, we came to Lancaſter, and on the 5. being Monday, the Keeper brought me into the Caſtle, where the Keeper thereof, under the Sheriffe, received me. There he ſitting in John of Gaunts old Chaire, fell to ſpeak his pleaſure of me, and to cenſure me for what I had done: To whom I ſaid, Sir it is your office to be my Goaler, not my Judge. Well, in ſhort, lodging he had none for me, no bedding, no furniture, ſo as if he had not been injoyned to keep me up cloſe, that none ſhould come at me, he would ſurely have put me among the common Theeves and Rogues in the common Jayle. For he would find no other roome for me, but a vaſt deſolate roome within the Iron Gate of the Common Goale, where none had layne for almoſt twenty yeeres, where was nothing but bare cold walls, and thoſe with wide and ruinous clefts to let in the cold winds; and windowes, having iron barres outward, and wodden barres in the midſt, both to let in the wind, and to let me from putting forth my head ſo much as to ſee, or take breath in a calme: So as had not my wife been there to provide a bed, and other neceſſaries for my better accomodation, the beaſtly man had ſuffered me to lye and dye by the cold walls. The doore alſo of the roome was open below, ſo as when the cold North, or North-eaſt wind did blow, it fild it both with cold and ſmoake, that no fire could be made in the coldeſt time. It was ſuch a miſerable lodging, that when after my removall from thence, ſome Londoners, my friends, being at Lancaſter, deſired of the Keeper, to ſee the roome where I lay; he would not ſuffer it, for very ſhame. Yea though the roome had a Leads over, and ſtayres leading to them out of the room, yet during all the time that I continued there, I could not obtaine one breathing while, or one turne on thoſe Leads. And the room had one quality more, that I could not walk in it, for it was flooted with thick planks that were round upward, and ſo diſtant one from another, that I could not ſet one ſtep, but I muſt look to every footing. Two poore men, whereof one was a Papiſt, lodged in the roome continually: I bought them two Primmers to teach them to read, but I could never get them to ſpend with me one quarter of an houre. One morning Lawrence the Papiſt comming up, and ſitting downe, I asked him if we ſhould begin now to learne to read? he ſaid, no Sir, not to day. Why Lawrence, ſaid I? For it is (quoth he) S. Lawrence day: I could not perſwade him. My wife provided my diet, but they would not ſuffer her maid to bring it to the top of the ſtaires, to my doore, th • t ſhe might ſee it ſafely delivered, and ſee me alſo to carry her miſtreſſe word that I was alive and well. Very jealous they were of conveying letters, ſo as when my maid brought a ſhirt ayred for me, they would ſhake it open, and ſo ayre it indeed after their faſhion. One morning as ſoone as I was up, by reaſon of the coldneſſe of the roome, I was taken with a terrible fit of the Collick, ſo as Lawrence comming up, told me I lookt like death. I went to bed againe, but nor he, nor any elſe muſt ſtay by me, to help me, or look to me: for in truth their intent was to take the advantage of any ſickneſſe, thereby to make an end of me. I was then extreme ill for two houres, even unto death. But my good Keeper was with me, and I pleaded with him, that ſeeing he had put me there, and that for his cauſe, and had deprived me of all outward helps and comforts, he ſtood charged with me; ſo as if I miſcarried, it muſt be under his hand, and the like. Thus I lay pleading, till at length it pleaſed him by a ſtrange way to remove the malady. This was the only fit of ſickneſſe that I had in that priſon. It was ſufficient to diſcover their murtherous intents, and what I muſt truſt to, if I were ſick, none muſt come at me. And, to adde to their cruelties, there was a dark roome under mine, where they put five witches, with one of their children, which made ſuch a helliſh noiſe night and day, that I ſeemed then to be in hell, or at leaſt in ſome Popiſh Purgatory, the Region next above hell, as the Papiſts tell us: ſo as now I was deprived of the ſweetneſſe of my privacy, and of the only ſolace of my ſolitary priſon, when I could not either pray, or meditate, or yet ſleep quietly. In the Goale I did often ſolace my ſelfe with ſinging of Pſalmes, which (as I afterwards underſtood) did mightily, as on the one ſide comfort the better minded people, ſo on the other, vex the malignant or Popiſh party. And their malice herein appeared the more, that they had roome enough elſwhere in the Caſtle to beſtow theſe witches in, who had continued a long time there. But my wife, with great and long importunity, prevailed to have them at length removed. Well, in fine, my two Keepers brought it out very ſhily, that I was to be removed further off into baniſhment, into an Iland; but they could not, or would not tell me whither; For they were leſſoned to conceale all things from me. Well, the time of my removeall approacheth: it muſt be ſome night; I muſt not know it till over night late. My wife having ſome inkling of it, prepared neceſſaries for my journey, and ſent them before to Leverpoole as I directed her. On the firſt of November very early, being yet dark, I was brought out of the Caſtle, where the Sheriffe was attending with horſes. So ſoone as I was out at the gates of the Caſtle, I did before them all put off my hat, and ſolemnly bleſſed God, ſaying, Although I know not whither I am going, but whither God will; yet I thank God, that I am out at theſe gates. The Keeper Couel, being vexed at this, ſaid, But you are here yet: But I bleſſe God (ſaid I) that I am out at theſe gates. My Children were there, for whom I had over night, with much importunity, obtained, that they might ſee their father, and he them, before he went; but I muſt only ſalute them, ſcarce ſpeak one word to them to comfort them. It was the laſt farewell of my deare daughter, whom I never ſaw after. So I parted from Lancaſter, after I had beene there almoſt thirteene weeks. A priſon it was, where for the extreme coldneſſe of it, I could not in all likelihood have out-lived one winter. In which reſpect I took it as a great mercy of God, that I was ſoremoved thence, in hope I might come to a better place, I was ſure not a worſe. At Preſton we lodged that night, where no importunity could prevaile with the Sheriffe for my wife to have one ſight of me, much leſſe to ſpeak a word to me. The next day we lodged at Leverpoole, where on the next day after I was attended with the Sheriffe, with the Maior, and their Officers, who brought me to the water ſide, and there ſaw me ſafely imbarked: Only by the way one favour I had, that I could ſee my dear wife ſtanding aloof all alone on the ſand till I came and bid her farewell, and ſo paſſed away; only I ſaid unto her at parting, Wife, be of good comfort, God is working. At Leverpoole, and not before, they ſhewed me the Order for what place I was bound, which was the Ile and Caſtle of Guernſey. This put me in minde, and taught me the meaning of a dreame that I had in the Fleet, after the Execution. I dreamed, that I was aſſailed with a huge, fierce, and furious Bull, who came running full-but at me twice, but being tied at a great Cable rope, he could not paſſe the length of the Cable, but there ſtop raging that he could not reach me. Now I found, that this dreame did portend my voyage by ſea, to ſuch a place, beyond which the Ship-cable reached not, for the Bull to have his will on me, which was to deſtroy me.

Another dreame, after this, I had in the Fleet, a night or two after, which was, that ſundry friends being at dinner with me. I ſaw a Fox couching downe behinde them, and watching to ſnatch away their Victuals: wherupon I eſpying a book lying neere at hand, took it up and flapt it upon the Fox, taking him by the neck with my right hand, and holding him up aloft, and ſaying to the company, Loe, here is the Fox that would couſen us all of our Victuals. The Book was juſt of the ſame volume, binding, cover, colour and bigneſſe, that the Arch-biſhop of Canterburies Book was, entituled, A Relation of a Conference &c. which I did firſt ſee at Gernſey. And when afterwards I ſaw the Reply to the ſame Relation publiſhed in Print; what was this, but the diſcovery of the ſubtle Fox to all the company? But this by the way as by anticipation.

Now to returne to our Bark. When I was, by the Sheriffe, and Maior, coopt up cloſe in my cabin, where they left me: about an houre after I was ſuffered to come forth upon the deck to take a little breath, the Bark then being a ground; and there I could not containe my ſelfe, but brake out into a triumphant exultation before all the people, rejoycing that now I was, as it were, ſeparated from the world, having forſaken my native Countrey; and bleſſing God, that I had now overcome the world, bequeathing my wife and children to God, and my ſelfe to Heaven. Whereat all the beholders were aſtoniſhed, and ſundry of them much ſtrengthned by my example.

On the Lords day at night, being the fifth of November, lying ſtill at anchor in the road at Leverpoole, the wind not yet ſerving, there was a moſt terrible tempeſt lay upon us, which made the Bark to crack againe, being anchor-driven upon a flat rock; where it had like to have beaten it ſelfe to peeces, both in the flowing and ebbing of the water; there being at that time, in the ſame broad river, another Bark wracked in our view: But it pleaſed God to preſerve us. Yet our Bark had, with that ſtorme, ſprung a leake; which though the Carpenter did his beſt to mend it, yet it troubled us all our voyage, and put us to pumping every halfe houre.

The ſame night the ſtorme drave away out of Dublin River twenty Veſſels into the Channell, moſt of which were not heard of a month after, ſaving onely foure, and the reſt not heard of at all, during our riding there.

The man, appointed by the High-Sheriffe of Lancaſhire Mr. Kirby, to take the charge of me to Guernſey, was one Burton, the moſt notorious K. in all the Shire. He would have had my wife to ſend me 30 or 40. pound, but got of her 6. pound (ſo much as ſhe could, yet with difficulty, ſpare) which he undertook to deliver to me; but defrauded both her and me of it. When we came within the barre of Dublin River, there we lay at Anchor a whole month, all which time this Burton ſwaggered in Dublin with that ſix pound, and not once either came or ſent to me ſo much as one Bottle of wine, or one joynt of freſh meat, to refreſh me, while tumbled and toſſed on thoſe waters. But (which is yet worſe) this Burton, with his mates, though the Barke was hired for the King, onely to tranſport me, yet fraighted the Barke with raw Hides, which ſo peſtered & infeſted us, that for my part, it had almoſt poyſoned me with the continuall ſtinch, a thing moſt odious to my nature. But all that I could doe (which was juſt nothing) would not not help it, I threatned Burton, that I would (ſmiling to my ſelfe) complain of him to the King for ſo abuſing his priſoner, but hee cared no more for it, then if I had threatned to tell the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury.

Having thus ſpent juſt 28. dayes in Dublin River, the wind comming about a little, we ſet ſayle and were in great jeopardy by the coaſt of Ireland, between the ſhoare and the ſhelves, or beds of ſands that lye all along, the wind blowing hard from off the ſhoare, and the Barke often cracking under us, I lying all the while in the bottome of the Barke, as Jonas in the Whales belly, when almoſt all hope of ſafety was taken away, the Maſter crying to the Steerſ-man, and he anſwering, that he could doe no more. Still the Pumpe was going, but by Gods mercy we eſcaped. I was extremely Sea-ſick both from England to Ireland, and from thence till we came almoſt to Guernſey, even nigh unto death. By the way we touched at Milford Haven, and laſt of all I tooke my farewell of England at the Bay of Dartmouth, being not permitted to take the leaſt refreſhing on Land after my embarking either at Leverpool; where we floated 7. dayes, or in Ireland, or in England. In ſeven dayes more we paſſed from Ireland to Guernſey, and ſo, after our voyage by Sea from England thither, which was for 42. dayes, or ſix weekes, by Gods mercy we arrived at Guernſey, lodging the firſt night in the Towne in the Iland. The next day, being Saturday, I was conveyed over that part of the Sea, which divideth the Iland from the Caſtle, where I was received by the Lieutenant Mr. Nathaniel Darrell, a Noble Gentleman born in Kent, which gave me hope to find courteous uſage, remembring the praiſe that Caeſar of old gave to the people of Kent, that they were the moſt civill and courteous Iul. Caeſa. Comment. people of all Britaine. And truly ſo I found him: For although my firſt lodging in the Caſtle was in a low Chamber, the window whereof was on the out-ſide compaſſed in round with boards, a yard diſtant from the window, only to let in Light, ſo as I might not looke out to ſee either Earth or Sea, but onely up to heaven-ward (like to a pinned Pigeon, to make ſport for the Faulkoner) and many times I was ſo ſcanted for ayre, as I was glad to ſtand upon a forme to ſuck in a little breath thorow a broken pane in the top of the window: Yet I aſſure my ſelfe it ſhould not have been ſo, if either the Lieutenant, or the Governours of the Caſtle could have helped it. I merrily told the Gentleman porter of the Caſtle, my Country-man, one morning walking a turn or two with me in the room, pointing to the Boards before the window, ſaying, You deal with me here, as they do in our Country with a mad Bull, when they put a board before his face.

I continued in this roome 16. weekes, not once going forth into the open ayre. And yet (ſee the goodneſſe of my heavenly Keeper) I was not once ſick in that roome, to keep my bed one day; no nor was I ever more cheerfull in all my life, then in that very priſon, as where I could every day dance my ſinke apace, either when I was cold, or wanted breathing, or for exerciſe. So as the cloſe priſon was to me as a moſt princely Palace, or Paradiſe of pleaſure; and ſuch as the old Serpent could not ſo eaſily cheat me of the happineſſe of, as he did our firſt Parents of that earthly Paradiſe. For in all my ſtraits, ſtill as I reflected upon the cauſe for which I ſuffered all theſe things, my heart leaped for joy, and I could not contain my ſelfe, but that my body alſo ſprang and jumped in my chamber, even with the like ſpirit of alacrity, (I dare ſay) as David danced before the Arke. And all this while from my firſt entrance into my ſuffering, and all along to the very laſt, in all my impriſonment, in all my baniſhment, in my ſeparation from my loving and beloved wife, and children, and friends, this ſeparation having no other bounds (in the boundleſſe tyrannicall Cenſure) then perpetuity it ſelfe: yet I was ſo far from accounting all this ſuffering as any the leaſt affliction to me at all, as that I held and valued, and injoyed it as my chiefe joy, my glory, and my Crown, and the greateſt happineſſe that ever God vouchſafed unto me in all my life; and thus it continued without any intermiſſion, or interruption untill God was pleaſed to releaſe me from my bonds. And one thing I may not omit, how gentilely carefull and reſpective Mr. Lieutenant was of me all the time of my being priſoner in the Caſtle, to provide good and wholeſome dyet for me, the beſt that the Iland and Sea afforded, which hee ſent me warme from his own Table.

Well, after 16. weeks I was preferred to a better lodging, where I might locke out at my window over the Sea Eaſtward. I accounted this a very high degree of preferment. Whence alſo, after one halfe yeere more, by the comming, and favour of the honourable Governour of the Caſtle and Ilands of Guernſey, I was advanced to the next Chamber above it, which was the higheſt Chamber in the Caſtle, and had one window Southward, and another Eaſtward, yeelding me a faire proſpect to the Sea from South to North, which was a great recreation to me. Yea, God made every thing a Recreation; the making of mine owne Bed, and the ſweeping of my Chamber, was as an exerciſe of my body, ſo a recreation of my minde. For though it might ſeeme a ſtrange alteration, from having been a publike Act. 19. 35 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ſweeper of Soules, to become now a poore ſweeper of my priſon; yet the conſideration for what, and whom I had undergone ſuch a ſuffering condition, I rejoyced in this ſervice, and was ready to become yet more vile for his ſake, who humbled himſelfe to become a ſervant for me, and who had honoured me with ſo high an office of a ſufferer for his Sake.

Being thus ſweetly accommodated for lodging, quiet from all noyſes, and having gotten about me my Bibles in Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, French, &c. As alſo the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory in Greeke, I made theſe my daily exerciſe; It was my daily recreation to take my Engliſh Teſtament, and without the Greeke, to read the Engliſh into Greeke, which I did with the like facility, as to read Engliſh; and then I did compare my Greeke with the Greeke Teſtament, to ſee wherein I differed in any word, putting one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for another, and the like. In which, and other conveniences, which that lodging afforded for ſtudy and privacy, I began now to ſee more clearely then before the ſpeciall providence of God, in bringing me out of Lancaster Goale to that Caſtle: For had I continued in Lancaſter Caſtle (beſides the hardſhip of lodging, cold, and other uſage) I could never have enjoyed that opportunity of ſtudy, which I had at Geruſey; there being at Lancaster one Dr. Wildbore who had alwayes a malignant aſpect, and watchfull eye over me; I could not have a booke, but by his permiſſion, he being one of the Prelates Prieſts and Creatures, a double Beneficed man, and an heire apparent to a Biſhopricke, which he hoped to merit by his good ſervice, in keeping a ſtrict watch over me. But (bleſſed, be God) at Guernſey Caſtle, though none could be more carefull then Mr. Lievtenant in obſerving the Court-Orders to keep me from the uſe of pen, ink, and paper, even for my private ſtudies, though I earneſtly deſired him, promiſing him, if I might enjoy that favour, I would write nothing that might procure him any diſpleaſure or trouble: And ſurely had he upon my promiſe granted my ſuite, I had been true to him: But my heavenly Keeper provided otherwiſe for me what I deſired. For through his good providence I had an art to make inke, and for pennes I had gooſe wings, which were to ſweep the duſt off my windowes, and for paper, a private friend in Guernſey towne ſupplyed me, for all the ſtrict watch and ward that was kept about me by my keeper: in the uſe of all theſe I was ſo wary, that while any was comming up the ſtaires, I had time to convey all away, that never any of my keepers could ſee either pen, ink, or paper, in my chamber. By this meanes, through Gods mercifull aſſiſtance, I writ the Reply to the Relation, which being finiſhed, I ſent away for England by the foreſaid private friend. After this, upon a ſecond reviſall, I writ a Supply to the Reply; but this was never printed: I writ alſo an anſwer to Dr. Halls Epiſcopacy by divine right: But neither was this printed. For the reply did very hardly eſcape the Biſhops beagles, hunting it up and downe, while it was a printing; but the ſame providence which preſerved and produced that For God and the King, preſerved this alſo, and brought it forth to light. I writ alſo ſundry other things, ſome of which came to light, and ſome miſcarried. The writings flowed from me with ſuch an affluence and facility, that they were no labour to me, but a recreation: and neither did my writing abate my reading, nor my reading hinder my writing: For both I read ſo much every day (being up early and late) as if I had writ nothing: and I writ ſo much, as if I had done nothing elſe. Now concerning the Reply; therein was verefied the dream I ſpake of, which I had in the Fleet, concerning the Fox: The fox proved to be the Archbiſhop of Canterbury: The Booke that was flapt upon the lurking fox, which was iuſt of the ſame volume, bynding, cover, colour, bigneſſe with the Relation, was Canterburies Relation it ſelfe retorted upon him; the right hand that held up the fox by the neck, to ſhew his fox-like fraud to all the company, was the right hand which writ the Reply to that foxes Relation, whereby through his cunning ſophiſtry, and notorious hypocriſie he thought to have gulled all England of the Goſpell; and ſet up the Romiſh Maſſe in ſtead thereof, as the Reply hath plainly diſcovered. Thus both my foreſaid dreams in my Fleet-priſon were made up in Guernſey Caſtle priſon, where the ſtrong cables end of Gods providence ſtayed the fury of that Beaſt or Bull from puſhing at me, ſo as he could not, for all his Bull-like power, and fox-like craft and policy, hinder that worke, whereby the fox was uncaſed: which title I had given to the Reply, calling it, The uncaſing of the fox; but that I thought a more moderate title would better ſuit with the fury of thoſe times, in caſe any ſparke of common reaſon had been left for right reaſon to worke upon.

Againe, although, when firſt I heard of an Order from the Lords to take my wife priſoner, in caſe ſhe ſhould come to Guernſey Iland to enquire after her husband, whether he were alive or dead, I thought it hard: Yet after it pleaſed God to enable and imploy me in thoſe ſervices aforeſaid, I ſaw another cleare evidence of divine providence in keeping my wife from me for a time, that ſo her ſociety might not be any impeachment or impediment (at that time) to my imployments there. Thus the Lord turned all theſe things to co-operate for good.

In this interim, I heard of the good pleaſure of God, in taking away my deare and only daughter. It was a little before ſupper that Mr Lievtenant began darkly to intimate the ſame unto me, untill I prayed him to deale plainly with me, which he then did: whereupon craving pardon, I immediately retired to my lodging, and there on my knees gave the Lord ſolemne thanks, that it had pleaſed him to tranſlate my daughter, now his alone, into his Kingdome of glory, after he had fitted her to be a Virgin Spouſe for her husband Jeſus Chriſt. For a holy and ſweet conditioned Maid ſhe was ever from her childhood, being now growne marriageable, and now for ever married unto Jeſus Chriſt. This was ſhe that ſaid (as afore) It muſt be ſo, it must be ſo. Now the reaſon, why I thus gave thanks to God upon this newes of the death of my daughter, was my aſſurance that ſhe was now in heaven: ſo as I did not ſhed a teare for her death, no more then I did at my parting with her and her brother at Lancaſter Caſtle, or with my wife at Leverpoole ſands; as not daring in publike to blemiſh the Siccis oculis ad Chriſti vexillum vol • . Hier. cauſe of my ſuffering with one teare for any worldly loſſe: Although otherwiſe I wanted not expreſſions, in my privacy, of both loyall affections to my wife, and naturall bowels to my children.

On April 25. 1640. I ſet the day apart to ſeek God, eſpecially for his Church, which then lay under great preſſures; wherein having ſpent the day till foure of the clock in the afternoone, I walked two or three turnes in my Chamber, and being very ſad, and diſconſolate becauſe I had not, as at other times upon the like occaſion, received an anſwer of comfort from God, and being ſomewhat faint with abſtinence and cloſeneſſe of the roome, I opened that window which looks into the ſea eaſtward, to take a little ayre, the ſea comming as neere the ſhore on that ſide, as that I might from my window throw an apple into it: thus looking forth, by and by there was preſented before the window a Rainbow, lying flat all along upon the ſea, with the A ſtrange and miraculous Rainbow. two ends cloſe to the ſhore, and the bow from me ward: it was a perfect and entire Rainbow; but becauſe it did not, as ordinary Rainbowes, ſtand upright, but lay flat upon the ſea, it filled me with wonderment; and ſo much the more, becauſe looking both upwards and downwards, I ſaw no cloud for the Rainbow to ſubſiſt in, neither was the ayre moiſt, it being a dry windy day. I obſerved indeed (putting my head forth at the window, and looking upwards) many broken little clouds driven away with the wind, but never a one large enough for ſuch a Rainbow; and the clouds moved apace, and paſſed away, but the Rainbow abode ſtill for the ſpace of half a quarter of an houre, keeping its poſture, lying flat and ſteddy upon the ſea; whereby it plainly appeared to be no naturall and ordinary Rainbow, but ſuper-naturall and miraculous. Mine eyes were taken up with beholding, and my minde with admiring it, till at length whole, as it was at firſt, it began to withdraw it ſelfe whole as it was towards the North-eaſt, towards England: I ſaw it move thus for the ſpace of two leagues, lying flat upon the ſea, till it vaniſhed out of my ſight. Hereupon I began to be amuſed in my ſelfe, what this ſhould meane: I was perſwaded, that God had ſent this Rainbow to me for ſome ſpeciall uſe, that I ſhould make of it: But I knew not, nor could imagine what. I prayed againe, that the Lord would be pleaſed to ſhew me what uſe to make of it. I hereupon caſt my thoughts upon the firſt Rainbow in Geneſis; but that was ſet in the cloud, and for a ſigne of Gods Covenant, Gen. 9. 12, 13. that he would no more deſtroy the world by a flood of waters. But what is this Rainbow to that? This is without a cloud, and lies flat upon the ſea. Well, this interpretation I made of it: That foraſmuch as I had earneſtly ſought God for his Church that day, and had not received an anſwer of comfort, and being ſad, God thereupon (without any my ſeeking of a ſigne) preſented before me a miraculous Rainbow; I took it to be ſent of God, as an anſwer to my prayers that day, and to be a ſigne to aſſure me, that he would certainly and miraculouſly deliver his Church, which now lay floating upon the ſeas of affliction, ready to be ſwallowed up. Upon this interpretation I was ſo ſatisfied, and filled with preſent comfort, being fully perſwaded of the truth thereof, that I was never ſad after upon any ſuch occaſion: and when at any time ſince I have beene diſconſolate for the Church, I have preſently reflected mine eyes upon my Rainbow, and have therewith beene comforted afreſh, and my heart remaines fully eſtabliſhed againſt all doubts and feares. I ſay, my Rainbow, as having the ſole propriety in it, ſeeing it was ſeene of none but my ſelfe alone. And how miraculouſly hath God wrought for us, by many deliverances ſince that time hitherto? Soone after a Parliament was miraculouſly procured: and ſoone after againe it was by Gods wonderfull Providence miraculouſly broken up, in the very nick of an imminent danger, as all doe know; ſo as the diſſolution of the Parliament, in the prevention thereof, proved to be as the aſhes of the Phenix, whereof is begotten another Phenix; the diſſolution of that proving the generation of this (hitherto in many things) happy Parliament, which we have now ſo long enjoyed, and which God hath ſo miraculouſly preſerved from ſo many deſperate Cut-throats, when they came armed, both with power, and bloody reſolution, to make a maſſacre of that ſacred Senate; and when the Northerne Army was deſigned for the like execution. And ſhould we runne over, and well weigh, and number the ſeverall deliverances that God hath given, both in this Kingdome, and in that of Scotland, from ſo many treacheries, treaſons, and rebellions, from the firſt till this preſent, both by Sea and Land (taking in the late Spaniſh Fleet, and Armado for not the leaſt, ſo miraculouſly defeated) we ſhall finde and acknowledge them ſo many miracles, or miraculous deliverances; and ſo much the more, when we conſider on the one ſide the overtopping power, and undermining plots of the moſt cruell and trecherous ſworne enemies, and home-bred vipers, and degenerate monſters, that ever hell hatcht, or Rome brought forth, machinating the utter ruine of both Parliament and People, Religion and Rights, Lawes and Liberties, City and Countrey: and on the other ſide, the weakneſſe both of Parliament and People, to defend themſelves, and the State from imminent ruine, when in our greateſt dangers there were ſuch diviſions in both Houſes; ſo as for a long time, eſpecially before the Prelates, (thoſe incendiaries, and make-bates,) were caſt out of the Houſe of Lords, matters of maine conſequence, tending to reformation, and preſervation of the Kingdome, could not paſſe currant, no place could be found for the puniſhing of Delinquents, and the like; their impunity proving a kinde of immunity to advance their Creſt to ſuch a heigth of inſolency, as it is now growne intolerable, if not incurable. Yet notwithſtanding all this, ſee how miraculouſly the Lord worketh for us: For hath hee not cauſed all the machinations of that miſcreant and malignant party, to make againſt themſelves, and for us? What got the Prelates by their bold Remonſtrance againſt all the Proceedings of this Parliament, as meere nullities? Were they not thereupon caſt out, as nullities in Parliament, and by this occaſion each Houſe better united in it ſelfe, and both Houſes better accorded, and more firmely combined together? What have they gained by attempting of Hull, by ſolliciting, (by flattery or force,) ſimple and credulous poore ſoules, by gathering Forces againſt the Parliament, and the loyall Subjects of the Kingdome, but thereby to diſcover to the world, what truth there is in all their Proteſtations, and faire falſe pretences to the contrary: ſo that the trecherons intentions, and bloody projects, and beaſtly practiſes of that ſelfe-damning Crew, might be found the more worthy every day to be hated and abhorred both of God and men? So as it is apparent, that our God hath given up our enemies to be ſelf-blinded, their hearts being hardned to their confuſion: That in all their diſaſters, and our deliverances all along, we might ſing with Moſes; Who among the Gods is like unto thee, O Lord! Who is like thee! Exod. 15. 1 • . glorious in holineſſe, fearfull in praiſes, doing wonders.

Thus hitherto we have ſeene the many miraculous things, which are ſo many miraculous deliverances of the Church, and ſo many ſteps and degrees unto a greater and a more miraculous deliverance, yet to come; all which have in part anſwered to the interpretation of the miraculous Rainbow above mentioned. I ſay, in part, becauſe the great miraculous deliverance is yet to come. And there is no ſurer ſigne of this great miraculous deliverance of Gods Church, then the fury and rage of Satan, and Antichriſt, with all their confederate faction, making open warre againſt the Kingdome and Goſpel of Chriſt.

And now is this warre begun profeſſedly in Ireland by the Rebels there. (who have their Authors, Factors, and Abetters both in Rome and England) for the rooting out of all Proteſtants, and the Proteſtant Religion; which warre they intended to perfect in England and Scotland. So as this outragious warre in the • ebellion of Ireland, and in the raiſing of Popiſh forces in England againſt the true Proteſtants, under the infamous name of Round heads, which warre is fomented by all Papiſts and popiſhly affected within the Land, and without; among whom our Prelates with their Prieſts are not the leaſt incendiaries, and bellowes-blowers, ſeducing alſo their blind-folded Ignorants, to make a party with them, to deſtroy themſelves and families, together with their native countrey, and all the honour of it: This warre (I ſay) ſo furiouſly and univerſally by them proſecuted, is a moſt certain immediate fore-running ſign of the imminent ruine of the whole Kingdome of the Beaſt, which is ſpiritually called Egypt; even as the power of the Kingdome of Egypt, Pharoah and his Hoſt, purſuing Iſrael to the red Sea, with reſolution utterly to deſtroy the Lords people, was that which led them to their owne diſmall deſtruction in that Sea: For the enemy had ſaid, I will purſue, I will overtake them, I Exod. 15. 9. will divide the ſpoile, my lust ſhall be ſatisfied upon them, I will draw my Sword, my hand ſhall destroy them. The very language of our Antichriſtian enemies at this time; the Cavaleers at Yorke divided among themſelves, the ſtreets, houſes, and ſpoyles of London, they threaten the utter extirpation of all Round-heads (as they call them) to wit, all Proteſtants, even all ſuch, as cannot away with Popery; Therfore certainly the ruine of this curſed faction is neere at hand, which ſhall be with a fearefull deſtruction, foraſmuch as they make open warre againſt the Lord and his anointed people: So as that which is prophecied of thoſe Kings & Rulers, in the ſecond Pſalm, who with their heatheniſh rage, and tumultuous troops warre againſt the Goſpel, the bands and cords whereof they indeavour to burſt in ſunder, & to caſt away from them, haſtneth now to be verified of them; the Lord that ſitteth in Heaven, laughes at their proud and vaine attempts, and with his iron Rod ſhall he breake them in pieces like a Potters Veſſell. And even as Pharaoh with his Egyptians would not be warned, nor humbled with thoſe 10. terrible plagues, which the Lord ſent upon Egypt one after another, but their hatred againſt Iſrael ſtill continued, till at laſt the Lord utterly rooted them out; ſo ſeeing none of all theſe defeats, which the Lord hath ſent upon the deſperate deſignes of our new Egyptians one after another, diſappointing them, and delivering us, will reclaime them, or appeaſe their fury, but after all, they doe ſtill ſeek to extirpate the people of God, and all true Religion: The like deſtruction muſt needs overtake them, that overtooke the old Egyptians. As the Prophet ſaith, O Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall Iſa. 26. 11. ſee and be confounded for their envy towards thy people; yea, the fire of thine enemies ſhall devoure them. And this is the time, foretold of old, Revel. 11. bee my book, entit • led, The ſounding of the ſixt Trumpet. Rev. 16. 16. the time of the ſixth Trumpet, ſounding forth woe againſt the Beaſt, for ſlaying the two Witneſſes, after whoſe reviving againe, there follows a great earthquake, after which followeth the deſtruction of the Beaſts Kingdome under the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet, when the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Chriſt, and he ſhall reigne for ever and ever. And this is the time wherein the battell of God Almighty is fought in Harmageddon, under the pouring out of the Plagues of the ſixth Viall upon the Beaſt. Now is Michael and his Angels fighting againſt the Dragon and his Angels. Revel. 2 7, 8. Rev. 17. 14. Rev. 20. 9. Now is the Lambe and his party (the called, and choſen, and faithfull) fighting with the Beaſt and his party. Now is the Holy City begirt with the Forces of Gog and Magog, open, and ſecret enemie, whom fire from heaven conſumeth, even the zeale of God, and of his people. And the Deliverance of the Church ſhall be the more miraculous, becauſe it is wrought by the mighty hand of God, through many troubles and d • fficulties, which Gods people muſt paſſe through, as through a ſea, before they arrive on their wiſhed ſhore. And this I apprehend to be ſignified by the manner of the going away of the forementioned miraculous Rainbow, which manner was no leſſe miraculous, then the Rainbow it ſelfe. For it went away, and ſo vaniſhed at length, not as other Rainbowes, by peece-meale, as the cloud wherein it ſubſiſteth, doth waſte away; but it paſſed away whole and entire, all along upon the ſea as farre as I could ſee, and towards England it went: as if Gods Church in England eſpecially ſhould have a miraculous deliverance through a ſea of troubles. And the expectation hereof yeelds me no ſmall ſupportation in the midſt of theſe tumultuous times, and dubious events, aſſuring my ſelfe, that he which gave the Rainbow ſuch a ſubſiſtence without any cloud, will alſo performe and accompliſh the thing, whereof it was ſent to be a ſigne, even the glorious deliverance of his Church, how unlikely or defective ſoever the meanes be.

Yea ſhall I adde one circumſtance more? When the ſame day at night I went to write this downe in mine Almanack for remembrance, I found that this day was the very day of the month wherein I was married, which I had not obſerved before to be that day. Hereupon I began to apprehend, that ſurely this was a ſigne, as of the Churches deliverance, ſo of mine alſo therein. For mine own particular deliverance As 2 Sam. 11. 11. I made no account of, unleſſe I might enjoy it as a part of the Generall Deliverance of Gods people, as I profeſſed to many at my returne home, when I began to enjoy my deliverance as a part of the publike, which I made as ſure a rekoning of, as if then already fully accompliſhed.

But at length, to winde up ſo much of the thread of my life, which was ſpun out in that my cloſſe impriſonment and baniſhment, let me acquaint the Reader with thoſe ſpeciall cordialls, which were to me more ſweet then my daily food. I had ever been from my youth up much acquainted with Davids Pſalmes, in my private devotions, as wherein I ever found greateſt ſweetneſſe and ſolace to my poore ſoule; which as they afforded more matter of comfort to me, as my life had been all along much exerciſed with affliction: ſo moſt of all in my priſon and exile. And although the Pſalmes have all of them their ſeverall excellencies, yet among the reſt I had, from my very youth made choice of one Pſalme eſpecially, as which I was extraordinarily affected with, in that I could both moſt clearely read the generall eſtate of my life paſt, and preſent; as alſo both feelingly pray for, and confidently wait for thoſe promiſes and comforts which were therein preſented to the eye of my faith, and which afterwards I began in my latter ſufferings, in a great meaſure, to enjoy, which after my returne from exile ſeemed to have a more full accompliſhment. As for the purpoſe (to omitt many other paſſages of the Pſalmes, which I leave to the readers judgement, and conſideration, how farre forth they are remarkably applyable to the ſeverall conditions of my life, if well weighed) not only in my laſt and greateſt ſufferings, I found anſwers of God to all thoſe prayers in that Pſalme, which I had often prayed, in ſupporting me, and being my ſtrong refuge (v. 7.) even then, when I was (as on the pillary) a wonder unto many; when alſo (v. 8.) my mouth Eſa. 8. 18. was filled with his praiſe, and honour all the day; when in the time of old age (v. 9.) I was caſt off, and even out of the world in a manner, ſo as the enemies ſaid, God hath forſaken him; perſecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him (v. 11.) yet the Lord did not caſt me off; he forſooke me not. And (v. 30.) how was that fulfilled at my returne, Thou which haſt ſhewed me great and ſore troubles, thouſhalt quicken me again, and ſhalt bring me up againe from the depths of the earth? And (v. 21.) • ow began God now to increaſe my greatneſſe, and comfort me on every ſide? And after this (of which more anon) I found that alſo verified (v. 18.) Now alſo when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forſake me not, untill I have ſhewed thy ſtrength unto this generation, and thypower to every one that is to come; which here is done in part, in this ſupport of Gods ſtrength and power, in carrying me, a weake man, through ſo many and great troubles to his eternall praiſe and glory.

And beſides all this, what mighty confuſions have I ſince ſeen upon thoſe enemies, againſt whom the Pſalmiſt prayeth, v. 13.? Not to mention more (all being ſo notoriouſly knowne) let me tell you one paſſage. I being with ſome friends walking in the Tower, where we were invited to ſee the Artillery, one came and told me, that the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury (my grand adverſary) as he was going along to the Chappell to doe his devotions, was met by one, who told him that I was hard by in the Tower: whereupon the Prelate preſently returned, haſting to his lodging, leaſt (it ſeemes) I ſhould meet with him; who now not brooking to ſee my face, and eares defaced: how ſhall he look Ieſus Chriſt in the face, whom he hath pierced; when he ſhall come to Iudgement, in flaming fire, rendring veugeance to all miſcreants?

This in briefe of this Pſalme, wherein it hath pleaſed God to give me ſuch an intereſt through Chriſt, in whom all thoſe ſweet promiſes have ſo full an accompliſhment.

In a word, infinite were the ſupports and comforts which I received by the Pſalmes. As Pſal. 40. wherein it is ſpoken of Chriſt, and of David (v. 10) I have not hid thy righteouſneſſe within my heart, I have declared thy faithfullneſſe, and thy ſalvation; I have not concealed thy loving kindneſſe, and thy truth from the great congregation: this, I could in the integrity of my conſcience (being not privy of baulking any truth in my miniſtry, which was forbidden by the Prelates) ſo farre apply to my ſelfe, as that I could with the greater confidence take up the words immediately following (v. 11.) Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy loving kindneſſe, and thy truth continually preſerve me. &c. As I remember, how a little before my laſt troubles, Mr. Walker, my reverend and learned brother, being convented, and admoniſhed by Dr. Lambe to preach no more of the Sabbath, and he being thereupon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , halfe perſwaded to it: I told him, Brother Walker, if you yeild herein, be aſſured they will ſome time or other get you in their ſnare; and when they have you in priſon, what comfort will you find, when your conſcience ſhall check you, that for feare of man, you forbeare freely and fully to declare the truth of God; and moſt of all then, when it was moſt oppoſed and oppreſſed? And not long after my going into baniſhment, they catched him indeed, and put him in priſon; where I doubt not but he found comfort from God, according to my words, which he had upon that occaſion followed.

Againe, I was mightily ſupported by thoſe words, Pſal. 66. 10. 111. 12. For thou O God, hast proved us, thou haſt tryed us, as ſilver is tried: Thou broughteſt us into the net, Thou laidſt affliction upon our Greck. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Thou haſt ſet riders upon our heads. loines: Thou hast cauſed men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughteſt us out, into a wealthy place. Which wotds afforded me two great props to ſupport me: The one, that God was the ſole author of all thoſe my troubles, as wherein no miſcariage of mine had given any the leaſt juſt offence to thoſe men, who forcibly drove me (yet witting, and willing) into their net, where they rode upon my head. The other was, that as I ſaw the Lords hand leading me through the fire, as on the pillary, where the ſun did extreamly beat upon my head, and through the water, paſſing through the ſeas (as aforeſaid) ſo I did verily aſſure my ſelfe, that the ſame hand would deliver, and bring me into a wealthy place. According alſo to that promiſe, Iſa. 43. • . Yea when in my cloſe priſon and exile, I was as an owle in the deſart, or as aſparrow that ſits alone upon the houſe top, yea as one free among the dead. (Pſal. 88. 5.) like the ſlaine that lye in the grave: yet this was my comfort, that I could ſay, Thou O Lord hast layd me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſſe in the deeps; (v. 6.) lover and friend haſt thou put from me, and mine acquaintance into darkneſſe. All contented me well, becauſe the Lord had done all theſe things to me; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Phil. 1. 29. and that, not in his wrath, and diſpleaſure againſt me, as D • vid there complaineth; but in his loving kindneſſe and favour, in his free grace calling, and enabling me to ſuffer ſoe great things, for his name ſake.

In a word, I did now and then in my priſon, exerciſe my ſelfe with preaching to my ſelfe upon ſome text of Scripture, both for my preſent ſtrengthening, and comfort; and alſo to keep me from ruſt, in caſe it might pleaſe God to call me forth to preach againe in the great congregation.

Hereunto (if it be not tedious to the Reader) I might adde a briefe narration of many other helps and ſupports, which I found throughout all my ſufferings, as alſo throughout the whole courſe of my life: As firſt Prayer; This never failed me at any time, and in greateſt diſtreſſe it had moſt ſpeedy and ſpeeding anſwers. What bleſſings hath it obtained for me? What victories over ſtrong and maſterfull corruptions, luſts, temptations, ſnares? How often thereby Satan foiled, and ſinne prevented? How my ſpirits ſupported in all my ſufferings? I could here tell of many wonderfull returnes of prayer in the many paſſages of my life; and particularly concerning Gods Providence in diſpoſing of me in marriage, wherein his goodneſſe marvelouſly appeared, partly by preventing ſome, and chiefely by providing ſucceſſively two fit matches for me, who proved notable helps to me, both in my miniſtry, and in my ſufferings, being both of them lovers, and valiant for the truth. And the ſecond, yet ſurviving, can relate how miraculouſly Prayer brought us firſt together. O the excellent uſe of Prayer to all the purpoſes of this life, whether ſpirituall or temporall! It is the moſt effectuall ſollicitor of all our cauſes, having ſuch an Advocate at Gods right hand.

My ſecond help in my ſufferings was the teſtimony of my conſcience; which ſtood in theſe particulars. Firſt, A ſure beliefe that all my ſins were forgiven, and waſhed away in the blood of Ieſus Chriſt. Secondly, An infallible knowledge, that thē cauſe for which I thus ſuffered, was a moſt noble, holy, righteous, and innocent cauſe, as being the cauſe of Chriſt, of his Goſpel, of his Church, yea and of the whole Land, my native Countrey; which cauſe I was (not only as a Chriſtian, but much more, as a profeſſed witneſſe of Chriſt) bound to maintaine, even to the loſſe of all things in the world. Thirdly, the teſtimony of my conſcience ſealed by my record from on high, that my continuall oppoſition in the courſe of my miniſtry, both by preaching and writing againſt the adverſaries of the truth, was out of no other reſpect (as either of an humour of contradiction, or ambition, or vaine glory, or affectation of ſingularity, or of malice to any mans perſon, or out of any diſcontentedneſſe with my preſent condition, as ſome have faflly and cauſleſly ſlaundered me, the Lord having beene ſo farre good unto me, as to ſet me farre above all ſuch baſe luſts (though I wanted not my corruptions) not to prevaile over me) but meerely out of the conſcience of my duty, in zeale to Gods glory, and love to his truth, and ſervice to Chriſt, and to his Church. There are ſundry Miniſters, yet living in London, who can witneſſe, that I was not ambitious to ſhew my ſelf alone in the cauſe, when my frequent ſollicitations of them could not prevaile to have more fellowes to ſhare with me. And fourthly, (not to recount more particulars) in that God hath given me theſe three comforts more. Firſt, that before my laſt Cenſure (as aforeſaid) I owed not a penny to any man, it having ever beene hatefull unto me to owe any thing to any man but love; which love I am daily paying, while daily praying for all. Secondly, that in this reſpect I can ſay with the Apoſtle, I am free from the blood of all men, having kept nothing back that I knew neceſſary and profitable, Acts 20. 20 26, 27. but delivered (though in great weakneſſe) the whole Counſell of God, even againſt all oppoſition of men in their expreſſe edicts, armed with terrours and threatnings to the contrary. Thirdly, although from my youth up I have not beene free from many humanefrailties and follies, luſts and vanities, baites and temptations without, and corruptions within, ready to betray me; yet herein my conſcience doth greatly comfort me, in this mercy of God I exceedingly glory, that his Grace ſtill prevented me, and preſerved me in my integrity; that he might Pſal. 41. 12. ſet me before his face for ever, even in the rank of thoſe, of whom it is ſaid, Theſe are they that were not defiled with women. Thus have I Rev. 14. 4. ſhewed ſome ſpeciall grounds of ſuch comforts, as I enjoyed in my priſon and exile: Theſe were my ſweet Aſſociates, and Vade-mecums in that my ſolitary ſecluſe: theſe the cordials and preſervatives (from and under my God) of my life and health.

Nay, ſhall I adde yet one more. For this our comfort comes in the reare, though late firſt; yet at laſt, That all this my ſuffering was mainly from the malice and inſtigation of the Prelates (to ſay nothing of Papall leagues) who oppugned me with two powerfull Armies, the High-Commiſſion, and the Starre-Chamber, and all for this cauſe (cauſe enough) that I teſtified the truth againſt their Prelaticall oppoſitions, and tyrannicall uſurpations: ſo as their ſhutting me out from among them, their depriving and degrading me of my Miniſtry, I now accounted my greateſt honour and priviledge, as being now freed from ſuch an Antichriſtian yoak. As I told the Warden of the Fleet, as he carried me from my Degradation in Pauls, that now I thanked God I had caſt off the Biſhops Livery, and found my ſhoulders much the lighter by it.

Now to ſumme up all my ſufferings, that only God may have the glory; herein let me deprecate the Cenſure of arrogance, if I make the great Apoſtle, next after my Lord J • ſus Chriſt, my patterne to follow, though at a vaſt diſtance The Apoſtle having recited his many & great fufferings, as ſo many priviledges, wherein he had out-ſtripped the falſe Apoſtles, 2 Cor. 11. ſaying (v. 23.) Are they the Ministers of Chriſt? I ſpeak as a foole, I am more: in labours more abundant, in ſtripes above meaſure, in priſons more frequent, in death oft, &c. he concludes, ver. 30. If I muſt needs glory▪ I will glory of the things which concerne mine infirmities. And chap. 12. 9. Moſt gladly will I rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may rest upon me; Therefore I take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes for Chriſts ſake; for when I am weak, then am I ſtrong: ſo the Apoſtle. And who ſhall deny me (though but a dwarfe to ſuch an Apoſtle) the like liberty to glory the rather in my infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me, and be the more glorified in me? ſeeing Chriſts power is moſt ſeene in greateſt weakneſſe, yea his ſtrength thereby made perfect. And Mat. 21. 16. Out of the mouthes 2 Cor. 12. 9 Mat. 21. 16 of Babes and Sucklings thou haſt perfected praiſe.

But what are my ſufferings to thoſe of the Apoſtle? ſurely whatever proportion they may hold, or if any at all, let not envy grudge us the ballance of the Sanctuary to weigh them in; if by this •… eans Chriſts power ſhall appeare the greater, in equally ſupporting one ſo unequall to his Apoſtle in gifts, and graces; and yet in ſufferings not altogether ſo unequall. Shall we be bold to take a paralel view of them? Pardon me good Reader.

Firſt, the ſole cauſe of all Pauls ſufferings, was his witneſſ-bearing A paralell betweene Pauls ſufferings, and the Authors. to the truth of the Goſpel, and for none other cauſe were all my ſufferings. Secondly, Paul was in priſons more frequent: ſo have I been; yea confined to perpetuall cloſe impriſonment. Thirdly Paul ſuffered ſtripes above meaſure: and I have ſuffered loſſe of very much blood on the pillary, equivalent to many ſtripes. Fourthly, Paul fuffered thrice ſhipwrack: and I ſuffered the loſſe of all at once, with imminent danger of ſhipwrack two ſeverall times. Fifthly, Paul was in perills by ſea: ſo was I in my tedious voyage by ſea on a ſtormy winter ſeaſon, and through perillous ſeas between Lancaſhire and Guernſey, for ſix weeks ſpace, ſundry times very neere periſhing in the Iriſh ſeas. Sixthly, Paul was in perills among falſe brethren: ſo was I, never free from perills of falſe brethren, or falſe Chriſtians, who uſed to watch me in my Church to catch ſomething from my mouth, to carry to the Prelates, and ſo bring me into the lions pawes. Seventhly, Paul was in perills of his own countrymen, the Jewes, who ſundry times way-layd him, to kill him: ſo have I been ſundry times in perills of the Jeſuites, my countrymen, who in the City apparantly two ſeverall times, layd their ambuſh to take away my life; alſo of falſe miniſters, pretended friends, who privately brought me into the Prelates mercy, for preaching againſt bowing at the name Jeſus, for which I was ſuſpended, as afore. Eighthly, Paul ſuffered hunger and thirſt, cold and nakedneſſe: ſo had I nothing left me of mine own, to preſerve me from hunger and thirſt, from cold and nakednes;ſe; lying under the formidable fine of 5000 l' payable to the King, had it either been extended, or I able to have paid the tenth part of it. And with meer cold had I periſhed in Lancaſhire Goale, had not God in his providence tranſlated me thence: and with hunger had I periſhed in Guernſey Caſtle, had I not been fed by the Governors allowance, from Mr. Lievtenants table; for the which no recompence could be obtained from thoſe, by whoſe authority I was there committed cloſe priſoner, where I could not help my ſelfe. Ninthly, Againe, Paul was reſcued from the hands of the cruell Jewes, High Prieſts, and Phariſes, by his appealing to Caeſar, a heathen Emperour, who protected him from their violence: but I, by appealing from the cruell Prelates, was not reſcued from their bloody hands. Tenthly, Paul, when the Jewes laid wait for him, without the gates of Damaſcus, to kill him, was in a basket let downe over the wall, and ſo eſaped: but I being in mine own houſe beſet with bills, and ſwords, and threatened with a Prelates mace, had my houſe violently broken up, and my perſon carryed away to priſon, although I might have the ſame time eſcaped their hands. Eleventhly, Paul was perſecuted by the Jewes, who were profeſſed enemies of Chriſt: but I by thoſe, who profeſſe to be Chriſtians, yea Proteſtants, and to be for Chriſt, yea to be for the very Church of Chriſt. Now a profeſſed enemy is leſſe dangerous, then a Pſal. 55. 12. 13. 14. profeſſed, but falſe, friend. Twelfthly, Paul (if the ſtory be true) ſuffered death, by being beheaded, with the ſword, under Nero at Rome: And I ſuffered that on the pilary in England, my native Country, which was more painefull, and no leſſe, if not more diſgracefull, then ſuch a death. For my head hung two full hours on the pilary, as if it had been ſeparate from my body; and there were my two eares diſgracefully and butcherly cut off with the hangmans knife, whereby my blood was abundantly ſhed, even to the expiring of the ſoule; all which was, both for the preſent, and afterwards in the time of healing, much 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 more painfull, then the chopping off of the head with one ſtroke. Thirtenthly As God indued Paul with an excellent ſpirit to undergoe and overcome all his affliction with a ſingular alacrity and conſtancy, ſo as he ſung Pſalmes in the priſon, and accounted his life, and all outward things, but as dung, in compariſon of Chriſt: ſo the ſame God poured into my ſoule abundantly the like ſpirit, of fortitude and magnanimity, not only cheerfully and conſtantly, but even triumphantly, to be more then conqueror in all my ſufferings; as alſo the Apoſtle ſaid of himſelfe, 2. Cor. 2. 14. and Rom. 4. 37.

Beſides all this, Firſt, Paul was never haunted, hunted, and vexed by Purſuivants, as I have been. Secondly, Paul was never bound in bonds of two or three hundred pounds to anſwer the High Prieſts in their ſynedrion, as I have been in the high Commiſſion Court. Thirdly, Paul, when he was a priſoner, and that under Nero; yet had liberty Acts 24. 23 & 28. 30. 31 to viſit his friends and acquaintance; and they to come and viſit him: but I was ſhut up in a cloſe priſon, where neither my ſelfe could viſit others, nor they me. Fourthly, Paul had his fellow priſoners with him to be mutuall comforters: but I was ſhut up all alone, without a fellow, or compainon. Fifthly, Paul was never fined in more then he was worth: but I was. Sixthly, Paul was never deemed to more puniſhments then one, at once: but I to many, and thoſe moſt griveous puniſhments; and that contrary to the law of the Medes and Perſians. Ezra. 7. 26. Seventhly, Paul was not condemned before the hearing of his cauſe, nor himſelfe condemned, for refuſing to aſſent to the condemning of his own cauſe before hearing: but both I and my cauſe were thus condemned, contrary to the law of the land, and of all nations. Eightly, It was lawfullfor Paul to have carried about with him a ſiſter a wife, if he had had one: but I having an honeſt, godly, moſt loving, and tender hearted woman to my wife, was not ſuffered to have her with me according to Gods Ordinance, for our mutuall comfort and ſupport, in our great affliction; but wee were violently ſeparated one from the other, without any the leaſt colour of cauſe. Ninthly, Paul was ſuffered to write to his friends, and to thoſe his children, whom he had begotten by the Goſpel, and to thoſe Churches, which he had planted: but I was not permitted the uſe of pen, inke, and paper, ſo much as to write to my friends, or to my diſconſolate wife, or my poore orphan-children, whom God had given to me in lawfull wedlock. Tenthly, Paul never was baniſhed from his native country: but I was, and that extrajudicially, ſent into perpetuall baniſhment. Eleventhly, Paul, though a priſoner, yet was not forbid to preach; but exerciſed his miniſtry in the priſon, to all that came unto him but my mouth was by Decree for ever ſtopped; which one affliction was to me, as in it ſelfe, ſo heavy, as is ſufficient to counter-ballance all Pauls afflictions Twelfthly, Nor did Paul live to know experimentally thoſe ſufferings, which Antichriſt (foretold of by him) ſhould both craftily invent, and cruelly inflict upon Gods 2 Theſſ 2 • ſervants, in theſe laſt times; which my ſelfe have now lived both to ſee, and ſuffer. Antichriſt was then but a cockatrice in the egge: but now he is broke out, and growne to be a great red dragon. Thirteenthly, Paul once by pleading the priviledge of a Roman; eſcaped the whip: but I, though once by pleading the benefit of a ſubject, I obtained (which yet coſt me ten pounds) a Prohibition, whereby. I was delivered from a double laſh of the High Commiſſion: yet the next day after as aforeſaid) I fell under the Prelates laſh; who ſuſpended me from my miniſtry, for preaching the truth; ſor the which truths ſake I have alſo ſuffered all theſe things. Finally, Fourteenthly, Pauls Judges would not condemne him, for the bare accuſation of his adverſaries, ſaying, It was not the manner of the Romans to condemne any man, before that he which is accuſed, have the accuſers face to face, and have licence to anſwer for himſelfe concerning the crime layed againſt him: but Act. 25: 16. I; though I had permiſſion by the Court to make my defence in writing, and at the cenſure to ſpeake for my ſelfe, yet all was as nothing, but without either accuſers, or witneſſes (ſaving only a counterfet information in Court, charging many things, but proving nothing, but ſerving only for a ſnare, which innocency it ſelfe could not eſcape) I underwent the moſt terrible Cenſure that ever was inflicted in the world. But though I underwent it, yet through the power of Chriſt I overcame it. To him alone be all the glory and praiſe of a ſuffering, which only his power and grace made ſo great, ſo glorious.

After a • l this, let me a little recreate my Reader, with a ſmale ſtory of a paſſage falling out, while I was in Guernſey Caſtle. On a time, a pigeon ſitting neere my chamber window (where my daily feeding of them made them ſo familiar, as they would follow me up and downe the Caſtle) a wild hauke ſuddenly plunged upon her, and beats her downe to the ground, above four ſtories, and falls a preying on her. I beheld it a while from my window, and preſently thereupon ran downe to reſcue the dove, though I was to run above a flight ſhot off▪ I ran, and ſound the hauke ſtill upon the pigeon, and when I was ready to ceaſe on the hauke, ſhe flew off, and then the poore Pigeon took her faint flight alſo, the bold hauke purſuing her about the Caſtle; but the dove eſcaped, for any thing I could heare. This uſe I made of it; I compared the Dove to the Church, and the Hauke to the enemies of it, hoping that, though for a time the Hauke get the Dove under to p • ey upon her; yet deliverance ſhall come in the nick: in the Mount will the Lord be ſeene, and the Church ſhall eſcape, but hardly; but whether by flight (as Revel. 12.) or otherwiſe, that reſts only in our Great Deliverers hand. This by the way.

But now it is high time to cloſe it up. For November 15. 1640. being the Lords day, a Bark comes to Guernſey from England with friends, and an Order from the Honourable Houſe of Commons for my enlargement, and returne for England. Bleſſed tidings indeed, and the more, becauſe it came from a Parliament; and yet more, in that it was the Parliaments handſaile, preſenting much good, but promiſing much more. The Newes filled the Caſtle with joy, and ſo the Iland. The firſt obſervation I made of it, was of the day, on which this tydings came. Firſt, I noted it was the Lords day, which day I had mightily propugned and defended, both by preaching and writing againſt the malignant and profane adverſaries of the ſanctification thereof, and of its morality. And when the book for diſpenſation, and allowance of ſports on that day, came with an injunction to be publikely read in my Church upon a Lords day; that very day, in ſtead of reading of it (which I utterly abhorred to doe, as an abominable thing) I turned my afternoon preaching into an opening of the fourth Commandement, therein proving the Lords day, to wit the firſt day of the week, to ſucceed the ſeventh, or laſt day of the week, both for Sabbath, and Sanctification under the Goſpel. Now the newes and Order for my enlargement comming to me on the Lords day, I took it as a gracious reward of mercy from God, whoſe day I had formerly ſtood for againſt all the adverſaries thereof. Againe, ſecondly this day was the fifteenth day of the month, to wit November, which was the firſt day of the laſt month that made up the three yeares and a halfe from the day of my Cenſure; and ſo was fulfilled that which I ſpake before at Coventry, to the ſaid Reverend Miniſters, Mr Nalton, and Mr Hughs, that three yeares and a halfe hence we ſhould meet againe and be merry. For June 14. 1637. was my Cenſure, and November 15. 1640. was the firſt day of the laſt month that made up three yeares and a halfe: ſo as the Parliaments Order calling me forth of priſon to be preſented before them, ſeemed to me to be that great voice from heaven, ſaying to the two Witneſſes, after their lying dead three dayes and a halfe (three yeares and a halfe) unburied, Come up hither. Moreover I obſerved, that I had come to Guernſey on the fifteenth day of the month and three yeares after, on the fifteenth day of the month, taking that month current from the fifteenth day, came my releaſe. And the like did my brother Prin of his comming to Jarſey, which was on the ſeventeenth day of the month, and his releaſe came to him on the ſeventeenth day of the month: ſo punctuall is God in doing all things, in number, weight, and meaſure, could we but take a right meaſure of his doings in all the paſſages of his Providence.

On Tueſday the ſeventeenth, the meſſengers came to my brother Prin, ſo as by Thurſday after he came to me to Guernſey, where we being feaſted by all the Miniſters there, and more eſpecially by Mr Delamarch at his houſe, and my ſelfe by ſome worthy Merchants in the Towne: we were no ſooner ready to ſet ſaile, but the wind came about for us to goe for England. And here I cannot omit to obſerve the ſweet Providence of God, in bringing our friends from London ſo proſperouſly. They came on Thurſday from London to Southampton, the next day they provided a Bark, the while the wind was oppoſite, but Saturday morning, the fourteenth, they being ready, the wind came about and brought them the next day to Guernſey. They ſtaid not one day for the wind in comming, nor we for going for England. On Saturday the 21. about two of the clock in the afternoone, taking our leave of the worthy Lievtenant, and the reſt, we ſet ſaile for England; where the wind, by a gentle gale, brought us the next day at night, being the Lords day, to arrive. And here againe I obſerve two ſpeciall paſſages of the divine Providence. Firſt, that the wind blowing flack, and the night comming on, and we being now diſtant from from the maine land three or foure leagues, ſo as the maſter was ſomewhat perplexed for want of wind; we encouraged him, and thereupon all our company went into the hold, and fell to ſing Pſalmes: Wee had no ſooner begun to ſing, but preſently the wind began to whiſtle up, ſo that we might heare the Bark to rowſe through the waves: we continued our ſinging, and the wind continued his blowing, untill juſt as we had done ſinging, the maſter had caſt anchor, we not knowing it, till we came upon the deck, for which we bleſſed our God. The ſecond Circumſtance was, that in the very ſame place, where I had parted laſt from England, did our Bark now caſt anchor for England, God ſo diſpoſing it by his wind. And this was in the mouth of Dartmouth, where leaving our Bark to goe for Southhampton with our Stuffe, we lodged in Dartmouth that night, concluding and refreſhing our long Pilgrimage with the cloſe of the Sabbaticall reſt of that day.

The next day, being courteouſly entertained of ſome of the beſt of the Towne, who alſo provided us horſes, being nine or ten in company, we haſtened for London; and came that night to Exceter, within night, where we ſaw the faces of many religious people, who moſt lovingly entreated us, many of them accompanying us the next day out of the City. We rode the next day to Lime, where comming, though ſomewhat late in the evening, we were kindly entertained by the reverend and godly Miniſter there, Mr Geere, and by a worthy Juſtice of the Peace. Thence we ſet for ward the next morning before day, haſtening to come to the Lecture at Dorcheſter, which we did; being there refreſhed both in ſoule and body, where we were ſaluted, and entertained by many worthy Chriſtians. After dinner the ſame day we rode on our journey, lodging at a private Towne betweene Dorcheſter and Salisbury. The next day we dined at Salisbury, where we viſited Mr Thatcher, a reverend and laborious Miniſter there, but very ſickly at that time, and ſince deceaſed: whence in the afternoone, being accompanied by ſundry good Chriſtians in the City, we rode to Andover that night, being in the way met by ſundry good Chriſtians of that Towne, who entertained us very courteouſly, and accompanied us on in our journey the next day; on which, being Friday, we reached to Egham that night, being met by the way, before we came at Bagshot, by many of our loving friends and neighbours of London, and eſpecially my Friday-ſtreet neighbours, my old Pariſhioners; and when we were not farre paſt Bagshot, we were met by my moſt loving and dear wife, who came accompanied with many loving friends, and worthy Citizens of London; among whom was that moſt affectionate friend, Mr Willingham, and his loving wife, who came with my wife in the Coatch, which he had provided for that purpoſe. What expreſſions of joy and love there were at our meeting, cannot be expreſſed. Well, to Egham we came in the cloſe of the day, where every houſe brought forth a light to light us to our lodging, where we were moſt nobly entertained by multitudes of friends, that from London met us there. They called it our wedding night, which was principally celebrated by that worthy and reverend Miniſter of Egham, Mr Rayner, who prayed with us, with ſolemne giving of thanks, expreſſed alſo in ſinging of Pſalmes, which he had moſt fitly and ſweetly compoſed of many parts and parcels of Pſalmes, very admirably accommodated to the preſent occaſion; and all which, continuing almoſt a whole houre, Mr Rayner repeated without book.

The next morning very early all our company was ready, and after prayer took horſe, being on our journey for London before the Sunne aroſe. Of the whole traine, conſiſting of two or three hundred, many went out of Egham, not without their branches of Roſemary and Bayes, as Enſignes of the wedding: inſomuch as all the way as wee rode, the poore people brought forth whole baskets of Roſemary and Bayes, to furniſh every one in the traine, which continually was encreaſed by the way. At every Towne the Bells were rung as we paſſed through, the ſtreets being ſtrowed with people to ſee our faces. But by the way I obſerved the Sunne riſing with an extraordinary brightneſſe by reaſon of the clearneſſe of the ayre, the whole skie notwithſtanding being covered over from ſide to ſide round about with one entire cloud, as it were a ſeamleſſe mantle or vaile upon the whole hemiſpheare, only the Sunne unclouded; But ſtill as the Sunne mounted higher and higher, this mantle or clould did by degrees draw back, and give way to the Sunne, and ſo paſſed before it, untill the cloud did, by degrees, wholly vaniſh, as driven away by the Sunnes brightneſſe, without the leaſt breath of wind to cauſe it ſo to paſſe away. This was obſerved alſo by many in the company; ſo as, though it were the end of November, yet after the Sunne had chaſed away the cloud which fled before it, never was there a day in Somer more cleare, more bright, more ſweet and comfortable then that was. And it was the more to be obſerved, becauſe all the dayes in our journey, from our firſt landing, were much clouded, and thickned with miſts or fogs, only beginning to cleare up as we approached to Egham, where our friends met us. So as the extraordinarineſſe of this dayes brightneſſe and beauty, ſo cleared up as before, made ſome impreſſion in my minde of a ſweet and glorious day, or time, which the Sun of righteouſneſſe, ariſing over England, with healing under his wings, was now about to procure for us, after once that black cloud which hanged over the Land, was by degrees chaſed away. But this by the way.

Nor did the cloud faſter wane before the Sun, then the faces of our friends from London began more and more to ſhine, being now multiplied, as it were into ſo many conſtellations of bright ſtarres; by the reflection whereof, our way towards London ſeemed to be another via lactea, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Philoſopher calls it, that milkie-white brightneſſe, which we ſee in the heavens in a cleare ſtarty night.

But now in the midſt of all this glory and favour caſt upon us, and ſhining forth from the faces and affections of Gods people, I began to fee, and to be ſenſible of a farre greater danger, then I had beene in during all the time of my impriſonment and exile. For then and there I diſplayed all my ſailes, to be filled with the gentle gales of comforts breathing from heaven upon me: but now I ſaw a neceſſity of taking in my ſailes, leſt the wind of Gods favour, and of his peoples affections blowing ſo ſtrongly, yet ſweetly, upon me, might overturne, and ſink my brittle Bark now in the very boſome of the haven. For I began now to feele ſome ſtirrings within me, Satan now labouring to overthrow me (as he did Adam) in this my ſeeming Paradiſe; which he could not doe while I lay on Jobs dunghill. Therefore as the Mariner, ſeeing an Herican approaching, preſently takes in his ſailes: ſo did I now, I deſcried in this calme a ſtorme abrewing; hereupon I did retire my thoughts inward, and did earneſtly pray to the Lord, that he would no leſſe ſtrongly ſupport me with his hand now in this proſperous condition, then he had done formerly in all my ſufferings. And the Lord heard me; for both for the preſent he anſwered me, My grace is ſufficient for thee, my heart all the way as I rode, putting it ſelfe in a poſture of defence againſt Satans fiery darts, and couching ſo low, that his bullets flew all over my head: and afterwards, leſt I ſhould be exalted with abundance of ſalutations in London ſtreets, and abroad, a meſſenger of Satan was ſent to buffet me, as we ſhall heare anon.

Thus we are in our way to London; we dine at Brainford, where not only all the Innes, but ſtreets were filled; the company flowing in as a maine ſpringtide, not only filling the high way, but overflowing the banks all along. They were multiplied at Brainford to many thouſands, horſes and coatches filling the Road from thence to London; which no leſſe filled the Adverſaries hearts with envy and madneſſe, who for ſo long time before had rejoyced and made merry, during our durance. A little before I came to Charing Croſſe (as before is touched) a woman being on foot in the midſt of the horſe, called to me, and ſaid, O Sir, this is a glorious wedding day: To whom I replied, It is indeed, good woman, bleſſed be God. Yea, ſaid ſhe againe, but your wedding day upon the pillary was more glorious. I admiring this ſpeech of the woman, anſwered, indeed it is true. And truly ſo it was; for my ſuffering on the pilary was made glorious by an inward ſpirituall power, and hand of heaven upon my ſoule, makeing it to ride as it were in triumph, in that charret: but this my returne from captivity was attended with an externall glory ſhining forth from humane favour; although all was the effect and fruit of Gods mercy and providence, cauſing the ſame; who in all, is to be bleſſed for ever.

And when I was newly paſt Charing Croſſe, over againſt the Mewes, Sr Peter Oſburne, Governor of Guernſey, where I was priſoner, was ſtaying in his Coatch, with the boot downe (no doubt as he was appointed) to receive me into his coatch, and ſo to carry me to his houſe, at Chelſey; which he tendering unto me, I deſired his honour to excuſe me, ſeeing I was all in a ſweat, and fit to goe no where, but to my owne houſe, leſt my health might be endangered. He preſſed me againe and againe: I anſwered ſtill as before. Then ſaid he, take notice that I have required you to goe with me: I replyed, And I pray you Sir take notice of the anſwer, and reaſon I give you, why I dare not goe with you. So he diſmiſſed me; and we rid on; the ſtreets all along, on each ſide thronged with people, and all the houſes, and windowes from the Mewes, to my houſe in Alderman-bury, full of beholders of all ſexes, and ages of all ſorts; we were three long houres in paſſing from the Mewes, to Alderman-bury. Againſt my comming home that night, ſome friends waiting in my houſe for my comming, one of them eſpied there a ſtrange man in a ſcarlet cloake, muſled about his face; and being demanded what he was, and not giving a cleare anſwer, they wiſhed him to be gone; whereupon he went his way. So I comming ſafely home, enjoyed naturall reſt in mine own houſe; and the next day, being the Lords Sabbath, ſpirituall, and corporall reſt from all my labours paſt.

On the monday following, my brother Prin and I went to attend the Houſe of Commons; my brother Bastwick being not yet returned from Sillie. We preſented our perſons with our petitions to the Houſe, for the hearing of our cauſe. It was granted; a ſpeciall Committe was appointed for the examination of our cauſe; and in the ſame Order of the Houſe to the ſame Committe (a thing wherein the hand of divine Providence is not a little ſeene) it was ordered, that after the examination of our cauſes, the Courts and proceedings both of the High Commiſſion, and ſtarre chamber ſhould be examined; and the iſſue was; our cauſe was declared and voted firſt by the Committee, and after by the whole Houſe, to be innocent, and all the proceedings of thoſe Courts againſt us illegall, againſt the lawes of the land, and the liberties of the ſubject: and on the other ſide, both thoſe Courts were alike voted to bee illegall; and thereupon an Act was drawne up, and paſſed, and ſtands now in force, for the utter aboliſhing of both thoſe Courts. So they are brought downe, and fallen, and we are riſen, and ſtand upright. And bleſſed be the Lord, that Pſal. 2 • , • . both thoſe Courts fell under ſuch a Cauſe, as gives them no juſt cauſe to complaine. But for our cauſe, although the honourable Houſe of Commons have voted it ſo farre for the clearing of us, as it can yet goe: yet the Tranſmiſſion thereof to the Houſe of Lords is not hitherto paſſed, for a recompence of our wrongs ſuſtained. But herein we are patients with the whole land, which lyes a bleeding, while the cauſe of innocent blood cannot find redreſſe. Yet bleſſed be God, that by vertue of that vote I have liberty to preach; although I have ſuffered not a little for that firſt Sermon I preached, after my liberty obtained, as my firſt-fruits paid to the Parliament at Weſtminſter. Clamors were raiſed by ſome malignant ſpirits, and received too credulouſly by ſome of the better minded, who had not heard the Sermon; which the more grieved me. But how juſtly fame did cenſure me, the Sermon it ſelfe (if once it may obtaine licence to be printed, which it hath a long time waited for) will clearly ſhow. Many other wrongs have I ſuffered, both by falſe reports, and by bookes publiſhed under the name of Mr. Burton in generall, which the ſimple hearted people took to be mine; being only counterfeited to get away their farthings. But the righteous judge will one day cleare all. When the next day after that Sermon I was taken with a fit of the ſtone, the firſt ſenſible fruit of my long cloſe impriſonment; fame gave it out, that it was for griefe and ſhame of my ſaid Sermon. Though after this, I have had ſundry fits of the ſtone. I might mention many other reproaches caſt upon me, ſince my enlargement, which I have learned the more eaſily to digeſt, and contemne, (ſaving only that I take them as meſſengers of 1 Cor. 12. 9 Satan, ſent to buffet me) by my experience in my greater ſufferings. He that hath ſtood an innocent upon the pillary, and the • e had his eares cut off; which he endured with not only patience, but alacrity and triumph: cannot he (trow you) brook to be unjuſtly branded for an Infamous perſon, and that by ſuch as were the prime authors of ſuch bloody, and barbarous cruelty, but he muſt needs be ſick for ſorrow of that, which he accounts his glory and crowne? Or ſhall ſuch a one be aſhamed to beare in his body ſuch glorio is marks of the Lord Jeſus? Or, he that choſe rather to be deprived of all, liberty, livelyhood, eares, credit with the malignant world, degrees in ſchooles, yea his ſweet native country, wife, children, friends, all outward comforts, rather then betray the cauſe of Chriſt, and baſely yeild to unreaſonable and abſurd men: after the ſuffering of all theſe, is it ſo eaſie a matter (thinke you) to overthrow ſuch a one with the impotent breath of a man that ſhall dye; or of the ſon of man, that ſhall be made as graſſe? ſhould I now at laſt ſo forget the Lord my maker, as to feare Eſa. 51. 12, 13. continnually every day, becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſor, as if he were ready to destroy; of whom the Prophet ſaith, And where is the fury of the Oppreſſor? Behold my witneſſe is in Heaven, and my Record is on Iob. 16 19. high. And certainly, if witneſſing the Truth againſt Falſhood, and openly detecting the machinations of Apoſtats (if ever they were other then diſſembling Hypocrites, before their vizards were pulld off) deſerve the brand of An infamous diſturber of the peace of this Church, and State; I will weare it as a badge of the greateſt honour of my ſervice to Chriſt in this World. And I bleſſe my Lord who accounted me faithfull, and put me in this ſervice, and enabled me ſo therein, as to deſerve to be reproached no otherwiſe then the Prophet Eliah was by the grand diſturber and troubler of Iſrael, to whom the Prophet replyed 1 Kings 18 17, 18. I have not troubled Iſrael, but thou and thy fathers houſe, in that ye have forſaken the Commandements of the Lord, and have followed Baalim. And if by [This Church] be underſtood the Prelaticall or Hierarchicall and by [State] a Tyrannicall, and lawleſſe Government, I heartily thank God, that I have bin a disturber of theſe ſo, as never ſince that time they could peacably go on (as before they did) in their rebuilding of Babel, the end wherof wil be confuſion, or in reedifying of Jerico, the curſe wherof Ioſh. 6. 26. was the rooting out of the whole race, and poſterity of the Rebuilder.

What ſhould I ſpeake of the many reproaches and infamies, which I have undergone ſince the cleering of my Cauſe in the honorable Houſe of Commons, ever to be honoured of all poſterity? But this was my comfort all along, even the clearneſſe of my Conſcience, being not guilty to my ſelfe of any juſt cauſe by me given, why any, (unleſſe Prelaticall and Ieſuiticall ſpirits, or ſuch as are through ignorance ſeduced by them) ſhould fall ſo fowle upon me, ſaving that the more any man endeavors to come neereſt to Chriſt, and ſo to ſhake off the ſhackles of ſinne and yoake of Antichriſtian uſurpation over the ſoules of men the Rev. 18. 13. more neceſſarily and unavoidably he muſt paſſe the pikes of all thoſe whoſe converſation in the world cannot find elbow-room enough to L •• . 13. 24. walke in Chriſts narrow way, which leadeth unto life. Nor need this be made a wonder in our dayes, which hath bin the perpetuall practiſe of the world in all ages ſince Chriſt had a Church upon earth ſince the Lord himſelfe put that enmity between the Serpent and the Woman, Gen. 3. 15. and between her ſeed and his; yea in this Age of ours (wherein Satans wrath is ſo great, becauſe he knoweth, that he hath but a ſhort time, and wherein the ten horned Beaſt, and his limmes are fighting their laſt battell in Harmageddon, whither the Almighty himſelf brings them, that he might ſhew himſelfe to be the Almighty in giving the Revel. 16. 14, 16. laſt and moſt terrible defeat to all their power and plots) not to ſee ſuch an enmity were a wonder, when we have already ſeene what a wonder-working age it hath been (as before hath been touched) and certainly ſhall yet ſee greater things then theſe. And therefore for poor me to be ſet in the Front (as it were) of this battell between Chriſt and Antichriſt, nnd to be ſhot at, as a prime kindler of the coals; what wounds I receive from the adverſaries, I ſhall weare them as crownes upon me, whoſe weight the greater it is, the more ſenſible thereof is my weakneſſe and unworthineſſe to bear it.

Again, how I have been reproached and reviled by thoſe two Champions of Canterbury, to wit, Dr. Heylin, and Dr. Dow, whom the Prelate imployed in the writing and publiſhing of their two Bookes in anſwer to that of mine, For God and the King, I referre to every judicious, ingenuous, and Orthodox Reader of my Book and theirs. And they writ againſt me, when I was faſt cloſe Priſoner in the Fleet, beating and wounding me at their pleaſure, when I was bound hand and foot; and when (though I had had opportunity, which I had not, to anſwer them, yet) I could not have got my Book licenſed for the Preſſe, or yet any man that durſt print, when they ſaw the Author to be ſo uſed. As for their Anſwers to the Doctrinall points in my ſaid Book, not onely the Reverend Miniſters of London in their late Remonſtrance, exhibited unto the Honourable Houſe of Commons, and openly debated and proved from point to point, have among other things taxed as erroneous, but my Doctrines themſelves doeſt and ſtill unſhaken, intire, and orthodox, notwithſtanding all their proud and bold attempts to batter them downe. But where they cannot (as all along) faſten their envenomed darts againſt the Doctrines, they have ſharpned their virulent ſtile againſt my perſon, ſprinkling it all over with as black diſgraces, as the Gall and Vinegar of their Inke, but much more of their imbittered and galled Spirit could poure forth. D. Dow ſpends his whole ſecond Chapter profeſſedly in going about to grace my whole courſe and manner of life; doing therein, as a Declamatory Orator, who having a bad Cauſe to plead, falls fowle in the firſt place upon the Perſon of his Adverſary. As the Orator Tertullus, whom the High Prieſts had feed to plead againſt Paul; who, after his colloguing Preface to Foelix, for a favourable audience, he begins thus againſt Paul, ſaying, We have found this man a Peſtilent fellow, and a mover of Sedition among all the Jewes, &c. And ſo this Doctour A •… . 2 • . hath farſed his Chapter with many ſore charges upon my Perſon. One is, I can deviſe (ſaith he) no better Apologie, nor other way to free him from the juſt imputation of imbittered malice, and traiterous intention, then to ſay, that diſcontent at once hath crackt his brain and his conſcience. To which I anſwer, The Lord rebuke thee But he begins at my breeding in Cambridge, for ſome ſhort time (as he ſaith) ſurely that ſome ſhort time was ſix yeares together intire, taking my Degree of Mr. of Arts the next yeere. Well, what then? Where he was never obſerved for any excellency, but that he could play well on an Inſtrument. Surely I plead not excellencie in any thing. What God hath freely given me, I bleſſe him for. Yet this there be ſome yet living can teſtifie, that I was ſo obſerved for a Ciceronean, that I was in requeſt for making Orations for Gentlemen in the Colledge; which I ſpeake not to glory of, but to tell Dr. Dow, that H. B. will at this day diſpute with Chriſtopher Dow▪ either in Latin or Greek. That I could play well on an Inſtrument, I thank God alſo; and the rather, becauſe that quality was borne with me, and it never was any hindrance but a furtherance to my ſtudies. But after he was a Schoole-maſter in a Noble-mans houſe, (ſaith he) hee found the favour to be admitted to a meane place in the Cloſet of his Majeſty that now is, then Prince of Wales: which ſometime he was wont to execute in his hoſe and dublet, with a perfuming pot in one hand, and a fire-ſhovell in the other; and as I have heard, received for his paines 5. pound per annum, and a Livery. Now all theſe particulars he relates, as ſo many diſgraces upon my perſon. Why? was't a diſgrace for a yong man as I was, for a while to teach the two Noble ſonnes of a Noble-man in a Noble houſe? And for the favour I found in Court to be admitted to a mean place, in the Cloſet of his Majeſty that now is, then Prince of Wales: our Doctor here is quite out. For firſt, the place in the Cloſet, how meaneſoever he accounts it, which I was admitted into, was the whole office of the Princes Cloſet, both the Great and the Privie Cloſet, intirely. I had the Charge of all, to provide furniture and Books, and all requiſites for thoſe Cloſets, which came to no ſmall value. 'Tis true indeed, that by the Prelaticall party working in the Kings Court, and which ever had a malignant eye upon me, I was kept from the Title of Clerke, but I had the Office of Clerk: So as when the Princes ſervants were to be allowed two parts of three, proportionably to the Kings ſervants, I had for 20. nobles (the Clerkes wages of the Kings Cloſet) 5. pound allowed to me. For the Livery, it was juſt the ſame that the Kings Clerke had; but for my part, I never received it, becauſe I never demanded it, being a red Jacket, and I wot not what elſe, an old obſolete Livery for the Clerke: But the Doctor hath (I know not through what errour) quite omitted the beſt part of the time that I ſpent in Court. For my firſt Court ſervice was to that moſt noble, and of ever moſt glorious memory, Prince Henry, whom I ſerved upon ſeven yeares ſpace; and which I would have been willing to have ſerved many ſeven yeers in my dublet and hoſe, even in a far meaner office, conditionally it had pleaſed God to have continued his life ſo long. A gratious Prince and Maſter he was to me; hee was pleaſed often to admit me to ſpeake with him alone, and for any motion I made to him, I ever received a moſt gracious anſwer. I could tell the Doctor, how when ſome Officers had in my abſence given way to the Players to bring their bag and baggage into the Cloſet, there to dreſſe themſelves, upon my complaint to his Highneſſe, he did forbid it. Another time, from an old cuſtome (and I being then out of the way) ſome of the Gentlemen dancing in the Great Cloſet, his Highneſſe upon my complaint to him, quite for bade that alſo, ſaying (being with me alone in his Privie Cloſet, where he uſed me with the moſt ſweet carriage and communication, that even one familiar would uſe unto another) that he would not have any to dance in his Cloſets, and bid me ſo to tell them from him. I could ſpeak much more in this kind, but I forbeare. Now if ever I waited in my hoſe and doublet, it was to that Noble Prince Henry. But be it knowne to Dr. Dow, that for all ſuch offices, as of perfuming, and the like, I kept a ſervant to doe them, as the Kings Clerke did. I ever carried my ſelfe ſutably to my degree, as a Scholler though living in Court, where I ſtudied no leſſe then if I had been in the Univerſity; Yet I remember, that one time my man being out of the way, and the Prince comming ſuddenly to Chappell, before we were aware, I not having my Cloake or Gowne on, ſnatcht up the perfuming Pan, to ſweeten the roome where the Prince was to paſſe, as the manner was. And this is all that ſometime, that I did ſo, it being alſo a ſolemne time, when a great Prince (as I remember, the Palatine) came along with him.

But (ſaith he) upon the Prince Charles his going into Spaine, H. B. whether his indiſcretion did miniſter cauſe of ſuſpition, or what ever the cauſe were, certain it is, he was put out of the liſt for that voyage, and that when his goods were a Ship-board. Here the Dr. againe is wide for my goods were not a Ship-board; hereof he cannot ſay, Certain it is; but certaine it is, I confeſſe, that I was put out of the Liſt, and that alſo when my goods were truncked: But inter pontem & fontem miſericordia Domini: Between the City and the Ship was Gods mercy ſeene, which yet he imputes to ſome ſuſpition of my indiſcretion. Indeed, if my plaine dealing againſt Popery, be indiſcretion, I can hardly to this day, as old as I am, and as bitten as I have been, ſo avoid the ſuſpition, as not to make manifeſtation thereof, yea although it had been in Spaine it ſelfe; as Paul did in Athens, when he diſputed with the Philoſophers in Areopagus. And therefore I have cauſe to bleſſe God to Acts 17. this day, that I was unliſted for that Spaniſh Voyage, where perhaps ſome ſuch indiſcretion might have left me in the lurch of the Inquiſition, where our Country-man Mr. Bedle had been for ſo many yeeres immured, whence no more redemption then from the Infernall Priſon. And why ſhould I have eſcaped in Spaine that Babyloniſh priſon, when I could not eſcape the like in England? But what ever other cauſe it was on mans part, Certaine it is, that Gods good providence prevented that, that ſo this ſhould not be prevented.

But this he calls a little after, His hoped Voyage into Spaine. Indeed if Dr. Dow had been the man, well might he have called it, His hoped Voyage into Spaine, and ſo of his deſired preferment thereby a Biſhoprick at leaſt; and I bleſſe God, that both I eſcaped the Voyage, and the Preferment too.

But His Majeſty upon his miſbehaviour diſmiſſed him the Court, whence being caſhiered, and all his hopes of preferment daſht &c. Theſe malicious miſconceits of the Doctor are detected of wicked falſhood before. And ſo I will follow him in his Wild-gooſe Chaſe no further.

And now that he hath ſpit all his ſpite, what is all this heap of diſgraces, being ſummed up together? All doth not amount to this; that Mr. H. B. is either a drunkard or a whore-maſter, or any ſuch vitious perſon, or an idle droane in his Miniſtry, or one that was ever, or would be a double beneficed man, or one that favours Arminianiſme, or Popery, or one that ſuffers his wife (had he ſuch a one) to be his maſter, or his Curate hers. And now ſhould I as diligently trace the ſteps of this Doctor, as he hath hunted mine; O Doctor, I will ſay no more, but draw a vaile over the reſt: Nolo in hoc ulcere eſſe unguis. And ſo I leave both the Doctors to the righteous Judge of quick and dead.

And what ſhall I ſay to the grand maſter of theſe two Doctors, who for their ſo good ſervice hath ſo richly rewarded them? But God reward both him and them according to their deeds.

And now it is time for me to ſhut up my diſcourſe of the courſe of my life, it now drawing on apace to its finall period. As for the reproaches I have undergone by falſe brethren about my ſuffering, as that it was juſt, I will bundle them all up, either to burne them, as Conſtantine did, or to leave them in the hands of the righteous Judge of all the world, who will doe right. And here let me cloſe with a ſtory concerning my ſuffering; wherein it will appeare, that the righteous Judge from heaven hath ſet to his hand to the Houſe of Commons, in the vindication of my Cauſe.

Since my returne from exile, a certaine Atturney at Law being then in the houſe of one Mrs Monday, then dwelling a little within Alderſgate in Little Brittaine, Febr. 17. 1640. and mention being made of my name and ſufferings, and Mrs Monday ſaying, that England had never thriven ſince he ſuffered; and that though ſhe had never ſeene him yet ſhe had ſhed many a teare for him: the ſaid Atturney replied, Could ſo many wiſe men and Judges be deceived? for he ſuffered no more then he deſerved, nor ſo much neither; and therefore what a pox (ſuch was his language) ſhould you be ſorry for ſuch a man as he? No ſooner had theſe words paſſed from him, but his right eare ſuddenly and ſtrangely fell a bleeding at the lower tip of it; and ſo long it bled, as it wet a whole handkercher, ſo as it might have beene wrung out; whereat his heart ſo fainted, that he ſent for halfe a pint of Sack, and drunk it up himſelfe alone. Whereat his brother then preſent, with ſundry more, ſaid unto him; You may ſee brother what it is to ſpeak againſt Mr Burton: Yet ſuch was this mans ſpirit, that in ſtead of taking notice of the hand of God herein, he continued curſing, ſaying, what a pox, had I not ſpoken a word againſt Burton, my eare would have bled; though he could not at that time ſhew any reaſon, or naturall cauſe, why his eare ſhould then bleed, it being whole and ſound; ſo as upon the ceaſing of the blood, Mrs Mondays maid wiping the blood off his eare, and looking wiſtfully upon it, could not diſcerne whence the blood ſhould iſſue, but only a ſmall pore, or hole no more then a pins point could goe into, there being neither ſcratch, nor ſcab, nor ſcarre upon his eare. The perſons then preſent that ſaw this, were theſe; the Atturneys brother and his wife, Mrs Adcock, Mrs Anne Roe, Mrs Ioan Monday, and Ellin Hutton her ſervant. All this Mrs Monday and her maid teſtified before ſundry Chriſtians of good credit, my ſelfe and wife being preſent.

Yet after this, within ſome few dayes, the ſaid Atturney had found out a flamme, to make Mrs Monday, and others, beleeve, that the cauſe of that bleeding of his eare was by a razor, which he had borrowed two or three dayes before; wherewith he having cut his eare, and at that time rubbing it, it fell a bleeding. But neither was this put▪ off ready at hand when his eare ſo fell a bleeding, nor did the maid diſcerne any ſuch thing, ſave only one little hole no larger then a pins point, which could not poſſibly be made with a round razor.

But after this, for all this ſhavers device, he forbore any more to come to Mrs Mondays houſe; who asking him at her doore, why he was grown ſuch a ſtranger, and praying him to come in, he refuſed, ſaying, No, I will come no more to your houſe to work miracles. But I pray God he may ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing happen unto him.

And now to ſtoppe the mouthes of this, and all other reproachers of my ſufferings as juſt, I will only referre the Reader to thoſe votes of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, whereby he ſhall finde in the Book, entituled, A New Diſcovery of the Prelates Tyranny, pag. 139. &c. my innocency is cleared to all the world, by that repreſentative Body of this Kingdome.