Words in Season, Postscript
POST-SCRIPT.
IF any inquire, what might occaſion ſo much ſeverity, as to detain the Author ſo many years, and until death, a Priſoner? It may ſuffice to inſert here for the Readers ſatisfaction, That in the ſtate of his caſe, left under his hand, ſetting forth the illegality and unrighteouſneſs of proceedings againſt him, He concludes it thus;
If it ſhould be ſuggeſted, Perhaps he is a Ring-leader; This true Character of the Perſon, may alleviate jealouſies of that kind.
He was born at Plymouth, of mean yet honeſt Parentage, is not by Kindred or any Alliance related to any Perſon or Family of any Note at all, was not bred up to Learning at any Univerſity, or ſent any where to Travel for Education, or Experience; but contrariwiſe, brought up and kept diligently by his Parents to Work, in the poor yet honest Trade of a FƲLLER; never lived out of that Town a Month together all his life, except in a Journey ſome Weeks on occaſion, about ſixteen years ſince, to London; beſides what he under-went by conſtraint in Priſon. Never in the former Wars was enliſted in any Troop or Company under Pay, and in the Trained-Bands of the Town where he ſerved, never was accounted worthy of Promotion to ſo much as a Corporal, nor in the Corporation, whereof he was a Member, ever advanced ſo high as a Conſtable, never bettered his Eſtate one farthing, by all the propitious advantages, that might have given him opportunity for ſo doing; nor is conſcious to himſelf of the leaſt deſire of adding to what he hath, by any preſent or future advantages that any favourable overtures of the times may tempt him with; never was advanced to, or improved in any Place or Office of Truſt or Profit, Civil, Military, or Eccleſiaſtical; ſave only for ſome few weeks, unknown to him, and againſt his will, he was Muſtered a Chaplain to the Fort, but quickly got himſelf diſcharged of that again. Never was concerned in, nor truly charged with any Plot, Mutiny, or Tumult, giving the leaſt diſturbance or occaſion of Fear, or Jealouſie.
This one thing then only can remain to give colour to ſuch proceedings, That about eighteen years ſince, he being convinced of his Duty to the Lord, by evidence of Scriptural Light, joyned himſelf in an holy Covenant, to walk in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameleſs, to the beſt of his Light and Power, in fellowſhip with a poor and deſpiſed People.
FINIS.
End of the text · Abraham Cheare, Words in Season (1668)