Concerning a Book by Christopher Lawne, Text 7
M. STVDLEYS ANSVVER TO THE ACCVSATIONS AND objections printed againſt him by Lawne and his fellowes in the book aforeſaid.
A Wicked man diggeth up evil, and in his lips is like burning fire. Prov. 16.27. Myne enemie hath ſharpned his eyes against me. Iob. 16.9. They hauehave opened their mouths upon me, and ſmitten me on the cheeke in reproach: they gather thēſ…lues together againſt me. Iob. 16.10. All vvhichwhich malicious cariage and unſufferable dealing, (of ſome heretofore, and theſe four perſons (Lawne, Fowler, Saunders and Bulward) novv lately againſt me alſo, I could hauehave borne in ſilence, and committed my cauſe and their dealing to God, the judge of all mens actions, and the revvarder of everie one, according to their deeds. Yet in ſome other reſpect, as heretofore I hauehave given my anſvver to others, ſo doe I novv here agayne, to ſome ſpeciall things, vvritten by theſe men in reproach of me: And namely, to thoſe eight articles, vvhichwhich vvere given for the depoſing of me from office: other particulars ſcattered in their book beſides theſe, I vvill not trouble my ſelf nor the Reader about them vvith any particular anſvvers to them: neyther vvould I with theſe, had they not ben brought into our congregation and there handled. And for ought I yet minde, I purpoſe hereafter, not to make any reply to ſuch vvicked cariage and raylings of men, but ſtand to the rules eccleſiaſticall, appointed by Chriſt in his Church, & the ordinance of God, vvhichwhich he hath ſet up in the povver and authoritie of Magiſtracie in the common vvealth, and there make my anſvver to vvhatſoever men hauehave againſt me: For vvho that beareth the heart and minde of a man, vvould not rather dye by the ſword of the Magiſtrate, then to be ſmitten vvith the Machivilian tongues of baſe companiōs, whoſe vile dealings by this odious cariage of theirs, makes as if there were no lavvfull authoritie to examine & judge the actions of men, by good and vvholſome lavves, but as though things vvere left in confuſion, to be ſvvayed after the luſts of envious perſons for the devouring one of another. And vvhat unſufferable abuſe theſe men offer unto ſacred thrones by ſuch diſordered courſes of theirs, I leaue to be judged of thoſe that are prudent. And for whatſoever theſe men hauehave ſpoken and vvritten of me, vvere it no prejudice to the truth I profeſſe, nor to my ſelf for holding the ſame, I would willingly adventure into my owne Countrie, (whether ſome of theſe my adverſaries are gone and vvhere they printed this their book) to call and entreat for lavve and juſtice about theſe matters: but things ſtanding as they doe (vvhichwhich God vvhen he ſeeth good can reforme) let men in the meane time ride upon my head, by making book after book to my reproach & infamie, I will beare them on my ſhoulders, and repenting of my ſinnes, vvith amendement of life, I vvill in fayth and pacience, looke up to Chriſt my redeemer, the author and finiſher of my fayth, vvho for my ſake and the reſt of his elect, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet at the right hand of the throne of God: from vvhence I expect him, to receiue me vvith all his into eternall glorie, and to recompence theſe men (except they repent) vvith ſhame and confuſion, according to their deeds. Novv follovve their articles, and my anſvver to them.
For his filthines uſed to his wiues daughter, Article 1.with that moſt ungodly allegation for the defence thereof. &c.
The firſt part of this Article, I did long agoe confeſſe, & alſo by this occaſion, I doe here agayne acknovvledge, Anſwer. that my behaviour tovvards her, vvas ſinfull and unſeemly, yet for ought that ever I did to her, (hovvſoever ſome uncharitably, and others maliciouſly hauehave vvritten and ſpoken) vvas farre from carnall copulation. The ſecond part of this article, touching the allegation, is falſe. The author of it, being novv none of us, vvas yet ſent unto (vvhen I vvas dealt vvithall in publike about theſe things) to come and proue this his accuſation: vvhichwhich if he refuſed ſo to doe, it ſhould be upon himſelf as a falſe charge; and he refuſed & vvould not come; vvhichwhich if he had, I could, and (through Gods aſſiſtance) I can proue it to be a ſlander.
For writing a moſt ungodly letter, conteyning in it many vile and ungodly ſpeaches, Artic. 2.ſome of it being in moſt abhominable verſes. &c.
I vvrote to N. three letters: to tvvo of them he replyed, the third vvhichwhich is this here ſpoken of, Anſwer. he anſvvered not: but taking his advantage, at ſome unſavorie vvords, & unvvarrantable ſpeaches therein, vvhichwhich unadviſedly ſlipt frō me, being moved (I confeſſe) vvith the indirect anſvvers he gaue to my firſt tvvo letters: he taking this advantage, made a journey from Leyden to Amſterdam, to deale with me for it: and ſo did, himſelf firſt, and then vvith two witneſſes; who becauſe I vvould not (nor for ought I yet ſee I ever can) acknovvledge the vvhole letter to be ſclanderous, they brought me to the publike Congregatiō, where I did acknovvledge my ſinne for all ſuch vvords and ſpeaches vvhichwhich was objected to me for evil in that letter, & alſo for the maner of writing as I did. And after this I wrote a fourth letter to him, verie ſhort and brief, out of which he could take no advantage, for then I ſhould ſoone hauehave heard from him; neyther is he able, as I am perſwaded, without diſadvantage to himſelf, to giuegive a playne & direct anſwer to it, therefore he is content to burie it in ſilence. And touching thoſe verſes vvhichwhich ſo maliciouſly they ſpeak of; and vvhichwhich vvere but a fewe; I hauehave (for the evil in them layd unto my charge) made my acknovvledgment for the ſame, and that in publike. But as theſe men hauehave ſet them dovvne, with as much odiouſnes as their corrupt affections could afforde, and as others may gather thereby, I can not ſo acknovvledge, vvithout great vvronging of my ſelf: for ſome hauehave ben vvith me, vvho alſo in the like generall termes (as is uſed by theſe adverſaries) hauehave ſpokē verie hardly of thoſe verſes. VVhereupon I asked them, if they had ſeen or heard them: they ſayd no, but by the report of others. I prayed them tell me vvhat particular evil they thought to be in them: they ſhooke the head, & with ſighing ſayd, they thought they vvere filthy vile verſes. I asked agayne, if they thought them vile and filthie, in curſing, blaſpheming, and ſuch like: they ſayd no, but in ribaldrie and unchaſt ſpeaches; hereupon I did repeat them, and then asked vvhat novv they thought of them: they demaunded of me, if they vvere no other then as I had related; I told them that ſo they vvere & no other. At which, they pauſing a vvhile, vvith admiration ſayd; undoubtedly then are you exceedingly abuſed. VVherefore it lyes me upō, to be vvarie vvhat anſvver I giuegive upon generall termes, knowing it is no new thing, by wringing the noſe to force out blood, nor to uſe and louelove ſo to uſe all words that may deſtroy; vvherein theſe my four adverſaries, vvith their contrivers and compoſers of that their malicious rayling book, hauehave ſhevved themſelues Sathan like skilfull. VVilling I am alwayes to acknowledge my ſinne, as it is indeed: and othervviſe to doe, is neyther pleaſing to God, nor cō fort to my ovvne ſoul: And this I knovve, that the ſubject and ground, vvhereupon my letters vvith theſe verſes vvere vvritten, and vvhereof ſome of themſelues at Leyden, hauehave thus vvritten alſo, as is to be ſeen under their their ovvne hands; viz. that the matters between N and Ms. N are verie waightie, and apparant it is, that eyther he or ſhe are in grieveous iniquitie: therefore I knovve as before I hauehave ſaid, vvhen theſe matters betweene N. and Ms. N. are tryed out, which are the groūd of all my letters to him, my vvritings vvill be eyther vvorſe cenſured (if ſo it vvere poſſible) then novv they be, or more favorably conſtrued by unpartiall judges, then yet they are. My deſire then is, there vvere an end hereof; vvhichwhich till there be, litle flies & knats, may hang faſt in the ſpiders vvebbe, vvhilſt great flies and vvaſpes breake through and get avvay; but when there is an iſſue of theſe things, the apparant grievous iniquitie aboue mentioned, vvhichwhich yet lyes ſmothered and hid, vvill follovve after to be found on ſome, as my ſinnes about the handling of theſe matters hauehave gone before and ben urged on me. VVherefore if no other vvill take in hand to finde out in vvhō that grievous iniquitie is, which lyes but betvveen two perſons, vvhat if my ſelf doe aſſaye once agayne to doe it? alvvayes provided (through the grace of God) to take more heed to my vvords and ſpeaches then heretofore I hauehave done. VVhat (I ſay) if thus I doe? vvill any be offended vvith me, ſeeing the truth or falſhood of the reproach (that about theſe matters lyes upon me) can not be rightly knowen, till theſe things be ended. And beſides, the vvoman her ſelf, when ſhe departed from Amſterdam, to returne to England, did require of me (as before the Lord) not to let theſe matters reſt, till the truth were found out: alſo ſeeing I can ſhevve under writing, both of his and hers, touching theſe affaires, more I am perſwaded then any others alſo; I ſee not vvhy any ſhould miſlike of my purpoſe to hauehave yet further dealing in theſe things. If any can ſhewe me ſufficient reaſons vvhy I ſhould not, I am vvilling to forbeare; otherwiſe I purpoſe (God aſſiſting me) to goe on as I hauehave ſayd, having thoſe reaſons for my ground vvhichwhich above I hauehave all edged.
For teaching many wicked and ungodly ſonges and rimes unto children, Artic. 3.when he kept ſchoole, in stead of catechiſing thē. &c.
VVhen I kept a ſchoole of ſome few ſmall children, Anſvv. (I ſpeak the truth) I cōmonly taught them day by daye their ordinarie leſſons eight tymes over; beſides inſtructing and catechiſing them in principles of religion, & alſo making them learne ſome ſentences from the Scripture vvithout book, and not many (no, nor yet any) wicked ungodly ſongs & rimes, as here is falſely alledged. And one of theſe men themſelues repeating one (and I ſuppoſe the vvorſt he could) which he ſayd ſome of the childrē affirmed I taught them, I told him as the truth is, I never heard it till it came out of his mouth: the partie vvas Robert Bulvvard.
For diſcloſing the counſel of the Elderſhip to Marie Maye in ſome prrticulars, Artic. 4.as we can playnly proue in time and place, &c.
This being falſe, Anſvv. as it is, they vvill never finde time and place to proue it.
For his many laſcivious attempts, to a young mayd now of late, Artic. 5.with his beaſtly behaviour, to intice her to ſatiſfie his owne luſt, unmeet to be named, &c.
For my evill cariage to that mayde (about tvvo yeeres ſince) I confeſſe to my owne ſhame, Anſvv. that I hauehave done fooliſhly once, yea tvviſe: but I truſt, through Gods grace, I ſhall never doe ſo againe; yet as theſe enimies, both here and elſewhere in their book hauehave ſet it dovvne, it is a falſe calumniation; for (ſpeaking of it with ſorrovve and grief of heart, and unfaynedly repenting for it) I doe acknowledge, that though my behaviour to her vvas bad & unſeē ly, yet not vvith any intention of the act, as theſe men intimate, neyther ſpake I ſo much as one unchaſt vvord to her at any time. That vvhichwhich I did, and onelyonly intended to doe, vvas clapping her onelyonly. Therefore as I hauehave often ſpoken, and here novv ſet it under my hand, as the truth is? by any thing that ever I did unto her, I knovve not vvhether ſhe be male or female: And concerning the act it ſelf, this I ſay further, vvhichwhich all the world could not compell me to ſpeak, neyther vvould I hauehave it a preſident, that any ſhould be preſſed to doe the like, (no not any of theſe my four adverſaries, leaſt ſome of them who knovve vvhat I ſay, ſhould fall into a greater ſinne then the act it ſelf): for that vvhichwhich here I utter, it is of my ovvne accord, vvhichwhich I need not to doe, yet I doe it, and this it is; That in all my life to this preſent daye, I hauehave not knovven any vvoman, young nor old, maryed vvife, vvidowe, nor mayde, ſaue onelyonly my lavvfull vviues (having had two) and not them neyther, till I vvas lavvfully maryed to them: nor to any other had I ever thought or word, in that reſpect: and for the truth hereof, I take the Lord to vvitnes, vvho onelyonly knovveth the heart, and will bring the waie of the wicked upon his head, and juſtifie the righteous, to giuegive him according to his righteouſnes. Let theſe men novv, and all others, vvho hauehave eyther vvritten or ſpoken herein, moſt unjuſtly, knovve they ſhall giuegive account for the ſame unleſſe God giuegive them repentance, vvhichwhich I deſire may be giuen, to my greateſt adverſaries. Moreover, whereas here they inſinuate, and in other places of their book hauehave ſpoken more playnly, of the diſcovering of my nakednes, and the maydes ſeeing it; I teſtifie, it is more then I can ſay for certayne, vvhether ſhe did ſee me or no; but conſidering how our houſes ſtood, vvith the vvindowes & doores one over againſt the other, & knowing in what caſe, my ſelf ſometime by occaſion was in my ovvne houſe, it mought be ſhe did ſo ſee me, & it mought be othervviſe: yet for any word or deed, that paſſed from me to her, I could (were it not for the circumſtances aforeſayd) directly affirme, ſhe never ſo ſaw me. But notwithſtanding all this I hauehave ſaid, I doe yet freely confeſſe, that what was wanting in me, to hauehave had more heed & care unto my ſelf, for the avoyding of her or any other ſo to hauehave ſeene me, was my great tranſgreſſion, praying God to forgiue me it, as all other my ſinnes vvhatſoever.
There were brought ſixteene articles againſt him, to proue the tenour & courſe of his life to be partiall, Artic. 6.wherof two were proved, & acknowledged by him, and the reſidue of ſixteene were confeſſed in generall, &c.
There were fifteene perſons, that factiouſly had their meetings ſundrie times, Anſwer. to couſult and plot againſt me, determining vvith and among themſelues, to hauehave diſmiſt me frō my office. Here was a beginning to tread the pathvvaie unto popular governmēt, the verie baine to all good order in church and comon vveale: and for the ground of their proceeding againſt me, they framed fourteen (not ſixteene as theſe men untruly ſay) matters againſt me, ſome of ſeven yeeres old, others of leſſe time, ſome of them eyther ended in the church, or paſt by of the church, and others of them private matters, never dealt in by any …le: which cari…d and dealing of heirs, being obſerved, and for the further finding out of their evil herein, it vvas demaunded of them, vvho vvere the authors of theſe their meetings, and hovv often, and vvhere they met, vvhichwhich they refuſings to ſhevve, vvere therefore, and for theſe their meetings & evil cariage in theſe matters, rebuked by the church, & they vvilled that had any thing againſt me; to deale vvith me by order & rule; vvhichwhich yet they never did: One of thē there vvas (vvho ſince is departed this life) that came unto me & acknovvledged his fault, affirming that himſelf had nothing againſt me, but was chawen by the reſt, onelyonly to giuegive his conſent to their proceedings, vvhichwhich he the more willingly yeelded unto, having (as he manifeſted) a ſpleene againſt me: vvhichwhich he ſaid, ſome of theſe men knovving, did by urging the ſame, worke upō him to doe that he did: and he ſaid moreover, that if a ſcholar had reproved him as I did (vvhichwhich vvas of unſound doctrine of ſomevvhat he ſpake in publike) he could vvell hauehave borne it, but I that vvas none, to reproue him that vvas one, this made him to ſtomake me, vvhichwhich he confeſſed vvas evill in him, and ſo ſayd he (as now he playnely ſavv) vvas the dealing of thoſe men tovvards me, vvhichwhich he perceived to be rather of malice, then any juſt cauſe they had againſt me. Further, whō theſe men vvere rebuked, & willed to deale vvith me as is aforeſaid, I prayed thē to give me a copie of the things they had framed againſt me, promiſing, that vvhen I had conſidered of them, if I ſavve any thing in vvhichwhich I had offended, I vvould freely of my ſelf acknovvledge the ſame: but this vvhichwhich vvas ſo reaſonable a requeſt, I could never get of them: vvhichwhich playnly ſhevves both the evill dealing of the refuſers thus to doe, & the falſehood of theſe men, who hauehave printed that two of the matters brought against me, were proved & acknowledged by me, Pag. 15 & 16.& the reſt in generall maner I cōfeſſed: That vvhichwhich I confeſſed, vvas onelyonly this here follovving; There vvas one particular about Iudith …der, vvhichwhich they preſſed as hard againſt me, as their hatred was tovvards me, vvhichwhich vvas to the uttermoſt of their power, & I as vvell as I could, ſtood for my ovvne defence, & thus, much time, and many vvords being ſpent, one of the brethren ſpake to this effect,A.P. viz. that a mā mought be ſayd to be partiall, eyther by being nor able to judge or diſcerne aright the cauſe he handleth, & ſo erre in the ſentence he giveth: Or being well able to judge of a matter, yet through negligence, & not uſing that care & diligence to ſearch into it as he ought, the matter is ſhut up with that unequall judgment, vvhichwhich othervviſe vvould not ſo hauehave ben: To vvhichwhich I anſvvered to this effect, That if the vvord partiall (for to get this vvord from me was now all their ſtrife) would in any of thoſe reſpects, ſatiſfy thē, I would not ſtād to juſtifie my ſelf, but that in ſuch regard I mought be partiall. Hereupon, my accuſers vvere quiet, and reſted in this my acknovvledgment; and no other, nor othervviſe, were any of their fourteen articles eyther proved by thē or confeſſed by me. There vvas alſo an exliortation, giuen to my ſelf by the Paſtor, that I ſhould take heed to the office, which I had received in the Lord, to fulfill it, &c. And this is the verie ſūme & effect of the handling of theſe matters, and the end and iſſue whereunto they were brought: & by which maner of ending them, my adverſaries had more favour then they were worthy, & my ſelf ſuſteyn greater reproach then in theſe things I hauehave deſerved: but it is part of my manifold croſſes wherwith the Lord hath exerciſed me in this vvorld, and I will beare it. And thus having made my anſwer to this ſixt article in their book objected, I leaue to indifferent judges, to weigh how falſely & enviouſly theſe four men hauehave dealt with me alſo herein.
Alſo, Article 7.at the ſame time, it was proved, that he tooke part with Iudith Holder in knowen evill, &c.
… this article, Anſwer. being like the former, that is, falſe and malicious, proveth theſe men to partake vvith Sathan, & by him to be ſet on worke to lye ſclander & calūniate, according to his and their owne evill diſpoſitions.
For counſeling Marie May to lye with her husband before they were maryed, Artic. 8.&c.
Theſe turbulent & outragious perſons, hauehave takē counſel of Machivel, Anſvv. to diſgrace men, by clamours reproaching, knovving that ſuch things, being once caſt upon men, though never ſo falſe, and by never ſo vile creatures, yet vvill ever after, leaue ſome blot & ſtayne behinde them; therfore hauehave they alſo in this their eight & laſt article, beſprinckled me with the poyſon of aſps under their tongues, by falſely ſlaundering me herein, as the Lord knoweth, And theſe unconſcionable men cannot be ignorant, hovv the vvoman her ſelf hath in our publike congregation, affirmed, I never gaue her that counſel: beſides Clement Saunders, (if not all the reſt of them) doth knowe for certaine, that another of the Elders with my ſelf brought her to the Church, for her tranſgreſſing in that action.
And now that theſe my deadly adverſaries hauehave ſhewed their malice againſt me to the full, as their deteſtable and abhominable book (ſo eſteemed & ſpoken of by many) doth proclame unto the world: let them not thinke, but that themſelues are ſuch, vvhoſe ſinnes are with & before the Lord, the alſeeing God, and moſt juſt judge: to whom for all their wicked ſpeakings I leaue them eyther for merciemercy or for judgement, according to his good wil & pleaſure. And touching all & everie one of the particulars both litle and great, vvith their long & lothſome cōpariſon between me & another, vvherewith they hauehave reproached me in their book, they are eyther mere lyes, or falſely related, or vvickedly perverted, & not one of them otherwiſe: ſaue onelyonly thoſe my ſinnes, which I hauehave in this my anſwer cō feſſed. VVhichWhich ſinnes of mine, as I knovve & am aſſured, the Lord hath forgiven, ſo doe I humbly beſeech all thoſe to whoſe eares the offence of my ſinnes paſt are come, that they alſo vvould forgiue me, as themſelues doe expect in fayth, to be pardoned of God, for all their ſinnes and treſpaſſes.
Bleſsed is the man that judgeth wiſely of the poor: the Lord ſhall deliver them in the time of trouble; &c.
Pſal. 41.1. &c.
Daniel Studley.