The Isle of Man, To the reader
THE AVTHORS earneſt requeſts.
FIRST, to the Worthy Reader, whoſoeuer, to whom let me but ſay thus much of this Diſcourſe and allegoricall narration; that in it ſunt bona, ſunt quaedam mediocria, ſunt mala nulla: Yet if any thing may ſeeme diſtaſtfull, let thy minde be to take it well, as Caeſars was, to interpret well the ſeeming offenſiue carriage of one Accius the Poet towards him, and thou wilt not be diſpleaſed. Thy good minde will preuent the taking of an offence, where none is intended to be giuen. In diſcouery, attaching, arraigning and condemning of finne, I tax the Vice, and not any mans perſon: ſo as I may ſay with one,
Hunc ſeruare modum noſtri nouere libelli,
Parcere perſonis, diſcere de vitijs.
Thou haſt heere towards the end of this diſcourſe, the tryall and iudgement vponupon foure notorious Malefactors. Two of them the very prime Authors of all the open rebellion, or ſecret Oldman, Madame Heart.Conſpiracies, which at any time euer were in that Iland: The other two were the principall Abettours and the chiefeſt Supporters of them. Their names, their natures, and their miſchieuous practices, thou mayeſt find at large in the narration.
There ſhould hauehave beene, at that Aſſiſes with theſe, the arraignment of certaine ſuſpected Witches: but this was preuented, becauſe the Grand-Iurie Gentlemen could not agree to bring in their Billa vera: for that they made queſtion of diuers points, whereof they could not be reſolued at that preſent.
1. Whether the afflicted did What to be conſidered of before men come in with a verdict againſt ſuppoſed witches.ſuffer by onelyonly ſome violent diſeaſes in nature, producing ſtrange effects, like practices of Witch-craft? Which for want of a iudicious Phyſitian they could not diſcerne.See Doctor Cotta his tryall of Witches.
2. Whether the afflicted were a counterfeit, as was one Marwood, the Boy of Bilſon, and one Mary Broſier? Or that he or ſhe hauing ſome natural diſeaſe, did make vſe thereof, and counterfeited the reſt, as one Mainy did, who was troubled with the hyſterica paſſio?
3. Whether being a diſeaſe ſupernaturall, yet might come vponupon the afflicted by the operation of the deuill, without the aſſociation of a Witch, as it happened to Iob, and others in the Euangeliſts? Or that the afflicted hath a deuill, and is a Witch, and hath by his or her owne wayes, brought this euill vponupon him or her, without the practice of any other Witch?
4. Whether they might proceed vponupon meere preſumptions againſt the ſuſpected, or rather ſtay till they had more certaine and grounded pro…fet?
5. Whether they could (none of them being read in any learned Tractates touching the practices of Witches) rightly examine the ſuſpected to finde out a Witch, and ſo to bring him or her deſeruedly vnderunder the power of Authority?
There is now come forth, by the leaue of Authority, a Guide Requeſt to Grand-Iury men touching my booke of Witches.to Grand-Iury men in caſes of Witch-craft; my ſuit is, that they would be pleaſed to accept of my well-meaning therein. In which all theſe points before are fully handled; as alſo, That The ſumme of that booke.there are witches; who are moſt ſubiect to be made Witches. How they prepare themſelues for the Deuill: How Satan draweth thē to a league, & becommeth familiar with them. That there are good Witches, and the ſignes to know them. That there are bad Witches, and how then practiſe, and what it is that they can doe, and how many things muſt concurre in bewitching. What are the ſignes to know one to be bewitched. That Witches may be detected. What are ſtrong preſūptions of a Witch. What are the certaine euidences againſt ſuch an one. How throughly to examine a Witch: With many other particulars ſet forth in 28 diſtinct Chapters, fully, and yet with great breuity. The death of fiue brethren and ſiſters, lately condemned and executed for Witches, one more yet remaining, formerly brought before a Iudge, and now in danger to bee queſtioned againe, hath mooued mee to take this paine, not to preuent Iuſtice, nor to hinder legall proceedings; but that I may not be miſtaken nor wronged, as I was once, and more ſhould hauehave beene, had not the wiſdome and goodneſſe of ſo reuerend a Iudge accepted graciouſly of my vpright Apologie Iudge Denham.againſt vaine Accuſers.
I made a Petition then to my Lord the Iudge, to the worthy then M. Sheriffe, and to all the Sir Rob. Philips.Worſhipfull of the Bench then preſent, which I am bold to renew againe more publikely, and that now this third time, becauſe it pleaſed that reuerend Iudge ſo well to like thereof, & to ſecond it, and is wiſhed of many to finde ſome good effect at the length.
The ſtate of poore priſoners Requeſt to the Iudges, the Sheriffe, and Iuſtices, for ſpirituall food to poore priſoners.is well knowne, and how their ſoules ſafety is neglected: and yet our Sauiour gaue ſuch a teſtimony to a penitent theefe, as hee neuer gaue to any mortall man elſe; for he told him, that he ſhould be that day with him in Paradiſe.
How bleſſed a worke would it be, to hauehave maintenance raiſed for a learned, godly, and graue Diuine, that might attend to inſtruct thē daily? Twelue pence a quarter, of one pariſh with another in our Countie, would encourage ſome compaſſionate holy man thereunto: And what is this? Not a mite out of eueryevery mans purſe to ſaue ſoules.
If with this instruction there The benefit of ſetting priſoners on worke.ſhould bee meanes to ſet them alſo on worke, they might get ſomewhat for food, for raiment. They might ſo preuent the miſerable fruits of ſloth; their mindes would bee imployed, their bodies bee preſerued in health, and not pine away, and be conſumed with vermine. Yea, enforced labour there, would terrifie looſe vagrants, lazie wanderers, and the idle rout, from turning the eues, more then either impriſonment or death hitherto hath done. And beſides, ſuch as ſhould eſcape, would by this heauenly meanes of inſtruction, and bodily labour, become, through Gods mercy, more profitable members in the Commō-Weale afterwards: whereas now they become twice more the children of Belial, than they were before.
Oh, let me be hold earneſtly to beſeech you, and in all humility to craue your mercifull and tender bowels of compaſſion towards them.
And first of you (right Honourable Sir Ioh. Walter L. chiefe Baron.my Lords the Iudges) who ſit as Gods among men, to giuegive iudgement vponupon this ſo Sir Io. Denham.wretched, and ſo miſerable a generation of mankinde: that, if they die, they may be more ready with all patience and ſubmiſſion of ſpirit, to receiue their iuſt reward, and your doome of death vponupon them: or, if they be acquitted, and ſo liue, they may learne afterwards to liue the life of good Chriſtians, and ſo make a good vſe of their deliuerance. And would not this reioyce your hearts, to forward ſuch a worke, when your Lordſhips doe know, that the bleſſed Angels doe reioyce at the conuerſion of Sinners?
Next of you (Worthy Maſter Sheriffe) vnderunder whoſe wiſedome, Maſt. Symmes.religious affection, tender mercies, and powerfull habilities the Priſon, and the Priſoners be for the time preſent. Shall not this worke ſet forward by you, be vntounto you an euerlaſting remembrance?
Then of all you (Right Worſhipfull the worthy Iuſtices of our Country) by whoſe authority theſe offenders are ſent vntounto priſon. Oh that it might not diſpleaſe you, to heare me calling vponupon you by name, who, I hope, are well-minded to ſuch a bleſſed and charitable a worke.
Yee deſeruedly honoured Knights, Sir George Speke, Sir Iohn Stowel, Sir Francis Popham, Sir Henry Barkley, Sir Iohn Windham, Sir Iohn Horner, Sir Edward Rodney, and Sir Robert George; And may I not here alſo name the worthily eſteemed of their Country, though not at this preſent in Commiſſion with you, Sir Ralph Hopton, Sir Robert Philips, Sir Charles Barkley, and Sir Edward Barkley? All to be graciouſly pleaſed to commiſerate their lamentable caſe, and to helpe forward this worke of pietie and pitie towards priſoners?
O yee other worthies of your Country no leſſe generouſly affected, Iohn Powlet, Robert Hopton, Edward Rogers, George Lutterell, Iohn May, Fra. Baber, Ro. Cuffe, Tho. Breerton, Io. Coles, William Francis, Rice Dauys, Thomas Windham, Iohn Harrington, If I miſtake your places, I pray you pardon mee.Io. Harbin, William Capel, and Anth. Stocker Eſquires, let the bowels of compaſſion compaſſe you about, that you may affect this ſo good a deed, and be honoured for euer in bringing to paſſe ſo rare a charitie.
The worke ſurely would bleſſe you all. Alas, the Priſon now is a very picture of Hell, and (more is the pitie) as the caſe now ſtands, is no leſſe than a preparatiue thereto, for want of daily inſtruction. It would be, by a faithfull miniſtery and bodily imploiment of them, a houſe of correction with inſtruction, and ſo happily the way of life. Then might charity quicken vp iuſtice to ſend offenders obſtinately perſiſting in euill, and abuſing their liberty, vntounto priſon, in good hope of their reformation. The loſſe of their corporall liberty, might through Gods mercy, then gaine them ſpirituall freedome: Health by labour would be preſerued, and their ſoules by wholſome inſtruction ſaued.
The Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, perſwade your welldiſpoſed hearts, to ſuch an vnbegun worke, among ſo many good deeds very famous in this renowned Nation. The ſpirit of the Lord God of Heauen and Earth reſt vponupon you, to cauſe you to affect this, and in time to effect the ſame, by ſtirring vp the Country, and by your owne mercies in your life times, you giuing, and at your deaths bequeathing ſomething thereunto. Euen ſo be it, and the Lord God Almighty be with you all herein, Amen.
My ſuit is to euerie Keeper Requeſt to the Keepers of priſons.of a priſon, if they bee no kinne to Maſter Newman, the Gaoler in this diſcourſe, that yet they would take acquaintance of him, and become better knowne to him. That their priſoners may by their vertues and religious care, bee betier diſpoſed.
My requeſt to poore priſoners Requeſt to the poore priſoners.is, to redeeme their time ill ſpent; to call to God for merciemercy and pardon: and to moue them hereunto, let them in ſerious meditation put themſelues in minde of theſe things. 1. That their libertie abuſed, Meditations for them while they lye in Gaole.God hath by the hand of authoritie taken from them, as vnworthy to liue freely in a Common-Wealth. 2. That as they neglected and deſpiſed ſpirituall meanes of ſaluation, they are now depriued thereof. 3. That as before they delighted onelyonly with wicked companie, now are they ſhut vp one with another together. 4. That their ragges are enſignes to them of their ragged conditions. 5. That their filth and ver mine telleth them of their filthie conuerſation, and their many ſinnes and corruptions. 6. That their want of food is a puniſhment for ſuch of them, as hauehave abuſed Gods bleſſings to gluttony, drunkenneſſe, and the fruits thereof, wantonneſſe, and filthy vncleanneſſe. 7. That their priſon is as it were, a picture of hell, to minde them of their end, whither they are going, if they doe not amend. 8. That their expecting of the Aſſiſes, is an inſtruction to look for Ieſus, the Iudge of all the world. 9. That their chaines, fetters and bolts teach them to conſider the nature of their ſinnes, which hold them bound to anſwer at the Barre of Gods Iuſtice. 10. That their deſire of life by a Pſalme of merciemercy, ſhould moue them to deſire eternall life, through the mercies of God in Ieſus Chriſt, who will be gracious to eueryevery true beleeuing penitent: which graces (poore priſoners) God ſend you: and feare onelyonly to die eternally.
Before I end, I hauehave a Requeſt to profeſſors of the Law.ſuit to all that profeſſe the Law, that if in this Allegorie, fetched from ſuch termes, as be better knowne to them, than to my ſelfe, I doe miſtake, they would be pleaſed to paſſe ouer that, and make vſe with me of the ſpirituall ſenſe, which is the drift of my labour herein. And ſo at the length, I take leaue, with my prayer to God for the peace of Ieruſalem, and for a proſperous ſucceſſe to all that louelove the Iſrael of God, with our Countreyes glorie and ſafetie.
Amen.