Gods Three Arrows, Section 15 – Title page 4
§. 15. Of a downe-fall of Papiſts.
An Dom 1623I Do the more confidently publiſh this history, becauſe I was an eye-witneſſe of many of the things therein related, and heard, from the mouth of ſuch as were preſent at the ſermon, the other things. For, upon the first hearing of the destruction of ſo many perſons as by that Downe-fall lost their lives, our Conſtables forthwith cauſed the gates of our Precinct (it being encloſed about with walls and gates) to be ſhut, and raiſed a ſtrong guard from among the Inhabitants, to keepe the houſe where this accident fell out, and to prevent tumult about it. Thus thorow the favour of the Conſtables and Watch, who were all my neighbours, I had the more free and quiet acceſſe, to view the dead bodies, and to enſorme myſelfe in all the materiall circumſtances of that accident: and that I did ſomuch the rather, becauſe the Biſhop of London (that then was) ſēt to me to inform my ſelf thorowly of the whole buſineſſe, and ſend him a narration thereof under my hand: whereupon I did not onelyonly view matters my ſelfe, but cauſed Carpenters to ſearch the timber, to take the ſcantlings thereof, and to meaſure the roomes. I was alſo preſent with the Coroner, and his Inqueſt, at their examining of all circumſtances about the buſineſſe. And where my Lords Grace of Canterbury ſent to me, to come to him, and to bring with me the best evidence I could, I got the Foreman and others of the Iury, and four perſons that were preſent at the ſermon, and fell downe with the multitude, but by Gods providence eſcaped death, and one that ſtood without the doore in hearing, but fell not: all theſe I got to go with me to Lambith, where I heard the witneſſe which they gave to my Lords Grace about the matter. One that fell with the reſt and eſcaped death, was Mr. Gee, a Preacher, of Lankaſhire: two other were a ſonne and ſervant of a Citizen in Pater-noſter Row. The other alſo were men of good understanding, able to conceive what they ſaw and heard, and to relate what they conceived.
ON the Lords Day, being the 26. of Oct. (as we in England, according to the ancient account of moneths and dayes in Christendome, doe reckon the time) but the 5. of Nov. (as the late Gregorian account reckons it.) The occaſion of the great concourſe.On that day a common report went up and downe, farre and neare, that one Drurie, a Romiſh Prieſt would preach in the afternoone, in a faire houſe in Black-Friers London, whither they that would, might freely come to heare him.
VponUpon this Rumour (fame alſo ſetting an high commendation on the excellency of the mans parts, and eminency of his gifts) very many, Proteſtants as well as Papiſts, Schollers as well as others, aſſembled thither about three of the clocke in the after-noone.
A Deſcription of the place.The roome where they were aſſembled was a long garret, the uppermoſt ſtory of an high edifice, built with ſtone and bricke.
The maine manſion houſe was inhabited by the French Ambaſſadour.
To the foreſaid garret there were two paſſages. One out of the Ambaſſadours with-drawing chamber, which was private. The other more common, without the great gate of the ſaid manſion houſe.
VnderUnder the garret was a great ſquare chamber, which one Redyate another Popiſh Prieſt had hired for himſelfe. Whereunto Papiſts much reſorted, to make confeſſion, and heare maſſe.
VnderUnder that, the fore-ſaid with-drawing chamber of the French Ambaſſadour. And this with-drawing chamber was ſupported with arches of ſtone: being immediately over the entrance into the great houſe.
At the South end of the garret, and on the Weſt ſide thereof, there were bedchambers and cloſets which other Prieſts had hired.
The bed-chamber at the South end was ſevered from the other part of the garret only by a partition of Wanſcote, which was taken down for the Sermon-time. The length of the garret from North to South was almoſt 40 foot. The bredth but 16 foot. For, it was within the roofe: and ſo gathered in narrower then the roome below it: which was about 20 foot ſquare.
The two fore-mentioned paſſages met on one paire of ſtairs leading to the ſaid garret, which had one onelyonly doore entring into it.
The great concourſe of people.More came to this place, then poſſibly it could hold, ſo as many could not get in, but returned backe againe. Others went into the foreſaid Redyats chamber, and taried with him. The whole garret, roomes adjoyning, doore, and top of ſtaires were as full as could be.
In the garret were ſet ſome ſtooles, and chaires for the better ſort. Moſt of the women ſate on the floore, but moſt The preparation made.of the men ſtood thronged together. About two hundred are ſuppoſed to be there aſſembled. About the middeſt of the roome was a chaire and a little table before it for the Preacher.
All things thus prepared, and the multitude aſſembled, The Preachers manner of entrance.about three a clock the expected Preacher, having a ſurplice on him girt about his middle with a linnen girdle, and a tippet of ſcatlet on both his ſhoulders, came in, being attended upon by a man carying in one hand a booke, and in the other an houre-glaſſe.
So ſoone as he came to the table prepared for him, he kneeled downe, with ſhew of private devotion a little while. Then riſing up, and turning himſelfe to the people, he croſſed himſelfe, and tooke the foreſaid booke (which was ſaid to be the Rhemiſh Testament) out of the hand of the man that followed him: and the houre-glaſſe being ſet upon the table, he opened the booke, and read the Goſpell appointed (according to the direction of the Romiſh Calender) The Text.for the 21 Sunday after Pentecoſt, as that was. That Goſpell is recorded by St. Matthew, chap. 18. 23, &c. The text being read, he ſate downe in his chaire, and put on his head a red cap, over a white linnen one turned up about the brimmes.
He made no audible prayer at all: but having read his text, he firſt ſpake ſomthing of the occaſion of it (it being the Parable of forgiving debts:) and then propounded three eſpeciall points to be handled out of it.The principall points handled.
1. The debt we owe to God.
2. The mercy of God in forgiving it.
3. Mans unmercifulneſſe to his brother.
Having inſiſted ſome while on the miſery of man by reaſon of the debt wherein he ſtands bound to God; he paſſed on to declare the rich mercy of God, and the meanes which God had afforded to his Church for partaking thereof. Among theſe he reckoned up the Sacraments, and eſpecially preſſed the Sacrament of Penance, as they call it.
He was diſcourſing on theſe points about halfe an houre, when on a ſudden the floore whereon the preacher and the The diſmall fall.greater part of his Auditory ſtood, fell downe with ſuch violence, as therewith the floore of the chamber under it (where Redyate before mentioned and ſome company with him, were) was borne downe: ſo as both the floores, the beames, girders, joyces, boards and ſeelings, with all the people on them, fell downe together upon a third floore, which was the floore of the French Ambaſſadours withdrawing chamber, ſupported with ſtone arches, as aforeſaid.
Here by the way, the Providence of God in the preſervation of the Ambaſſadour, is remarkable. This with-drawing The Ambaſſadour abſent.chamber was next to his bed-chamber. He had oft recourſe thither. It was ſaid by his Attendants that that very afternoone. he was in that withdrawing chamber: and that not long before the ſermon he came out of it to go to the Court.
There being a partition on the South ſide of the middle chamber which reached up to the floore of the garret, and How many of the Auditory fell not.ſupported it, that part of the garret which was beyond that partition South-ward, fell not: ſo as all the people thereon were ſafe. OnelyOnly they had no way to get out. For, there was but one entrance into the garret, which was at the North-West corner. Hereupon ſome thorow amazement would have leaped out of a window, almoſt forty foot from the ground. But the people without told them of the danger if they leapt downe, and ſo kept them from that deſperate attempt. At length by breaking the wall on the Weſt ſide, they diſcerned chambers adjoyning thereto: and thorow the hole which they made, they crept into thoſe chambers, and were ſaved.
All that ſtood on the ſtaire-head at the doore leading into the garret, were alſo ſaved. For, the ſtaires were without the roome, and nothing fell but the floores: nor walls, nor roofe.
Among thoſe that fell, many eſcaped: for, ſome of the Who fell, but eſcaped death.peeces of timber reſting with one end on the wall, and with another on the third floore that yeelded not, both ſuch as abode upon thoſe peeces, and ſuch as were under them, were thereby preſerved. A Miniſter that was there and fell with He himſelfe told me this ſtory.the multitude, thorow the providence of God fell ſo betwixt two pecces of timber, as that timber kept his upper parts from cruſhing, and helpt him, by his claſping about the timber, to pull out his feet from among the dead corps.
Among others the preſent preſervation and future deſtruction of Parker is very remarkable. This Parker was a One that eſcaped death in the fall, ſhortly after drowned.kind of factor for Engliſh Seminaries and Nunnes beyond ſea, eſpecially at Cambre. He ſo dealt with two brothers of his in England, as he obtained of one a ſonne of his, and of another a daughter, to ſend them to religious houſes (as thoſe ſuperſtitions places are called) beyond Sea. This Parker tooke his Nephew, a youth of 16 yeares age, to the fore-mentioned fatall conventicle, where Drury preached. Both theſe, Parker and his Nephew fell with the reſt. The youth there loſt his life, but Parker himſelfe eſcaped with a bruiſed body, being a corpulent man. So farre was he from praiſing God, as with much diſcontent he wiſhed that he had died for his Nephew, and ſaid, that God ſaw not him ſit to die among ſuch Martyrs. Strange Martyrs! Yet not ſo ſtrange, as thoſe martyrs which died under gallowſes and gibbets for treaſon. Such are Romes martyrs. But about ten days after this Parker ſhooting London bridge with his foreſaid Neece, whom he was conveighing over Sea, both were caſt away in the Thames. Iudge hereby (O Parents) whether God be well pleaſed with committing your children to Papiſts for education.
But to returne to our ſtory.
Others there were, that were pulled out alive, but ſo bruiſed, or ſo ſpent for want of breath, as they died within few houres after, others within few daies after.
The floore of the chamber immediately over this, where Cauſes of their death.the dead corpſes lay, being fallen, there was no entrance hereunto, but thorow the Ambaſſadours bed-chamber: the doore whereof was cloſed up by the timber of the floores that fell downe. The wals of this roome were ſtone: onelyonly one window therein, with extraordinary croſſe iron barres. Thus, though Smiths and other workemen were ſent for, yet it was more then an houre before ſuccour could be afforded unto them.
When paſſage was made for others, I had acceſſe into the roome, and viewing the bodies, obſerved ſome (yet but few) to be mortally wounded or bruiſed with the timber; others to be apparently ſtifled, partly with their thick lying one on another, and partly with the duſt that came from the ſeeling that fell.
On the Lords Day night when they fell, there were numbred The number flaine.91 dead bodies: whereof many of them were ſecretly conveighed away that very night. For, there were a paire of water ſtairs leading out of the garden, appertaining to that houſe, into the Thames.
On the morrow following the Coroner and his Inquest comming to view the bodies, found remaining but 63.
Of thoſe that were caried away, ſome were buried in a Their buriall.burying place within the Spaniſh Ambaſſadours houſe in Holborn, among whom the Lady Webb was one, the Lady Blackstones daughter another, and one Miſtris Vdall a third. Maſter Stoker and Maſter Bartholomew Bavine were buried in S. Brides pariſh. Robert Sutton, Iohn Loccham, and Abigail Holford in S. Andrewes Holborne; Captaine Summers wife in the vault under Black-Friers Church, and her woman in the Church-yard.
For the Corpſes remaining two great pits were digged, one in the fore-court of the ſaid French Ambaſſadours houſe, 18 foot long, and 12 foot broad, the other in the garden behind his houſe, 12 foot long, 8. foot broad: In the former pit were laid 44 corpſes, whereof the bodies of the forenamed Redyat and Drury were two. Theſe two wound up in ſheets were firſt laid into the pit: and a partition of looſe earth to ſever them from the reſt. Then were others brought: ſome in ſomwhat a decent manner, wound up in ſheets: but others in a more lamentable plight, the ſhirts onelyonly of the men tied under their twiſt: and ſome linnentied about the middle of the women: the other parts of their body naked: one poore man or woman taking a corpſe by the head, another by the feet: and ſo piled them up almoſt to the top of the pit.
The remainder were put into the other pit in the garden.
Their manner of buriall ſeemed almoſt (if not altogether) as diſmall, as the heape of them when they lay on the floore whereupon they laſt fell.
No obſequies or funerall rites were uſed at their buriall. OnelyOnly on the day after, a blacke croſſe of wood was ſet upon each grave. But ſoone was it by authority commanded to be taken downe.
Thus they being interred, thorow ſearch was made about the cauſe of the failing of the timber. The timber of The ſcantling of the timber that brake.each floore was laid together: and the meaſure of the Summiers that brake, taken.
The maine Summier which croſſed the garret was ten inches ſquare. Two girders were by tenents and mortaiſes let into the midſt of it, one juſt againſt another. The Summier was knotty where the mortaiſes were made: whereupon being over-burdened, it knapt ſuddenly aſunder in the midſt
The maine Summier of the other floore that fell was much ſtronger, being 13 inches ſquare, ſmooth and ſound every where, no knot in it: neither did the girders meet ſo juſt one againſt another. Yet that alſo failed: not in the middeſt, as the uppermoſt, but within five foot of one end, and that more ſhiveringly, and with a longer rent in the timber, then the other. For, this chamber was almoſt full with ſuch perſons as comming too late to get into the ſermon, went into Redyats chamber. Beſides, it did not only beare the weight which lay on the upper floore, together with the weight of that floore that fell, but alſo received all that weight with a ſudden knock; and ſo the maſſy timber ſhivered in two, as ſuddenly as the other knapped aſunder, and the people were irrecoverably downe (before they could feare any ſuch thing) on the third floore, which was above 20 foot from the firſt.
If this be not an evidence of the eye and hand of the divine Providence, both ſeeing and ordering things below, what evidence can be given thereof?
True is that of the Wiſeman, All things come alike to all. Eccl 9. 2.There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, &c. There is nothing that befalleth any one, but may befall every one. And even ſuch an accident may befall an aſſembly of true worſhippers of God, as either the floore to fall under them, or the roofe and walls to fall upon them. For,
1. The judgements of God are unſearchable, and his wayes paſt finding out, Rom. 11. 33.
2. He hath other meanes to put difference betwixt his Saints and others, then externall events.
3. He will have his to feare alwaies, (Prov. 28. 14.) and alwaies to depend on him.
Yet notwithſtanding where we ſee judgements executed on ſinners when they are in their ſinne, when they are impudent and preſumptuous therein, not to acknowledge ſuch to be judged of the Lord, is to winke againſt a cleare light. aPſal 9. 16.God is knowne by the judgement which he executeth. To ſuppoſe then that the judgement which he executeth is no judgement, is to put out that light which he affordeth of making knowne himſelf. bDan 4. 3 c, &cShall Nebuchadnezzar while he is vaunting of his great Babylon, be bereft of his wits? cAct. 12. 22, &c.Shall Herod while he is priding himſelfe in the peoples flattering applauſe, be eaten of wormes? dHeſt. 3. 8.—5. 14.—6. 4.—7. 10.Shall Haman while he is practicing to deſtroy all the people of God, and intending to hang Mordecai on a gallowes of 50 foot high, be hanged thereon himſelfe? e2 King. 19. 37Shall Sennacherib while he is worſhipping in the houſe of Niſroch his god, be ſlaine by his owne ſonnes? fIudg. 16. 30.Shall the houſe where the Philiſtines met to make ſport with Sampſon, fall upon their heads? Shall theſe and ſuch like judgements overtake men in the very act of their ſinning, and yet be accounted no judgements, no evidences of the divine providence, no ſignes of his indignation? Then let all things be ordered by chance: or rather let there be no order at all.
For the Conventicle where the fore-mentioned Downefall was, It was for the greater part of Papiſts, who are palpable idolaters, whoſe doctrine is a maſſe of ancient hereſies, who are by Law interdicted the execution of miniſteriall functions, who at this time gave outbefore hand that ſuch a prieſt ſhould preach, who made choice of a ſpacious place, who let the doore be open for all commers, who taking advantage at ſome preſent connivence, moſt audaciouſly and impudently, without feare of God or man did what they did. Now for ſuch, in ſuch an act, after ſuch a manner done, ſo many of them, by ſuch a meanes to be taken away, what can be ſaid or thought, but that This is the finger of God. For to end as I began, Are not two ſparrowes ſold for a farthing? And one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very haires of your head are numbred.
THE DIGNITIE OF CHIVALRY, Set forth in A SERMON, PREACHED before the Artillery Company of LONDON, Iune xiij. 1626. The ſecond Edition. By WILLIAM GOVGE.
EXOD. 15. 3.
The LORD is a Man of Warre.
CHRYS. ad Pop. Hom. 14. foreign. Antiquitùs Deus Dux erat bellorum.
LONDON, Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewſter, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Signe of the Bible, at the great North doore of Pauls. 1631.