The Bird in the Cage, Preface
A brief Narrative of the former Propagation, and late Reſtriction of the Goſpel (and the godly Preachers and Profeſſors thereof,) in Wales.
FOraſmuch as ſome have heretofore enviouſly and falſly reported, and others credited (nay to this day believe and affirme) that my ſelf and ſome others inſtead of propagating the Goſpel, have extirpated it, and the Preachers thereof in Wales, and converted all the profits of the Tiths to our own uſes. Theſe are briefly to certify the very truth thereof; as alſo ſome of the late and preſent ſufferings, and ſtate of the congregated Churches, their Teachers, and others there. In the year 1641. or there-abouts, it was humbly and truly preſented in a Petition, (by many credible perſons) to the then King and Parliament; that there were not upon ſtrict Inquiry, ſo many conſcientious and conſtant Preachers, as there were of Counties in Wales, and thoſe too either ſilenced or much perſecuted. The Profeſſors of Religion alſo, exceeding Rare and Few, unleſſe in ſome corners of 2 or 3 Counties: about which time, was the firſt, if not the only gathered Church in all the Country: But the late War coming ſuddenly on, there could be then no Redreſſe obtained; but on the contrary moſt (if not all) of thoſe Preachers with the Profeſſors, were forced through the violence of their Perſecutors, to leave their Habitations and Country; and divers of them having their Goods and Cattle ſeized upon by their adverſaries, their Wives and Children were neceſſitated to live in diſtreſſe, and danger, till the War was ended, and the Country ſetled again in peace; by which, Incouragement was given, to the baniſhed to come back, and thoſe few Labourers that were turn'd out of the Vinyard to return again; which being done, & God bleſſing their labors with ſucceſſe in the converſion of many Souls; it gave hopes, that there was a further bleſſing in the Cluſter, and more ſtraying ſheep on thoſe mountains to be brought home to Chriſts fold; yet the idle and ſelf-feeding ſhepherds, Eze. 34.10.did as much as in them lay to hinder it, till many of them (by vertue of an Act of Parliament, paſſed in Feb. 1639. as their Brethren before in England) had been juſtly ejected for Ignorance, Scandal, &c. and upon evident proofs againſt them; yet not all (as falſly was reported) for in the County where I lived,Mountgom. there were 11 or 12 never ejected; ſo in all other Countries, ſome more, ſome leſſe: nor any that I know that were rightly inducted before, & that had the qualifications of true Miniſters in them, ſuch was the tenderneſs & care of moſt or all the Commiſſioners (who were divers of them Engliſh-men, and the reſt of beſt reputation for Piety and integrity in the ſeveral Counties) that they did this work gratis, receiving no allowance at all, no not towards their own charges; & indeed there was none granted them by the Act. But the great Cry was,As Malefactors make againſt their Judges and Jury, that they are wronged. that the Country was left without Preaching, that the Churchdoors were ſhut, the Sabbaths prophaned, & generally the People were turning Papiſts, and Heathens, for want of the word of God; and that all the profits of the Tythes were put up in the Commiſſioners and other private mens pockets. For me to wipe off all theſe Aſperſions, much leſſe to remove the credit of them, ſunck ſo deep into the hearts of Prejudicated perſons, were but like Micha…ah, to give my ſingle Teſtimony againſt many hundreds of the Clergy that have ſpoke the contrary. But Reader if thou art not reſolved againſt truth, I ſhal offer thee in a few words,In a Book called Examen & Purgamen Vavaſoris, printed about 8 years agoe. enough to ſatisfy thee of the falſhood of this whole Charge; the which hath been already ſufficiently done divers years agoe, as wel by the Teſtimony of many Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, as other credible perſons of different opinions: however take this for a truth, til the contrary be pro ved (which wil never be) beſides what I ſaid before; many of the Clergy were never outed, & ſome that were ejected, did alſo ſome times (to pleaſe their old Pariſhoners, ſome of which would hear none elſe) preach; there was not any lawful means unatempted to gain godly Preachers for ſupply there, as going ſeveral times, & ſending divers letters to the Univerſities & London, which were the likelieſt places to afford helps, & divers were obtaind by that means though not ſo many as we wiſhed: partly becauſe that at the ſame time, there was the like Act for ſeveral Northern Engliſh Counties; but eſpecially becauſe they wanted the Welſh-tongue; yet the Lord that gave the word, did alſo raiſe up more men to preach it, than he was pleaſed to ſendout at firſt, to all Judea, nay, to all the world; vi. 12 Apoſtles, & 70 Diſciples; in one Ch. viz. in the County where I lived, were at leaſt 16 preachers at once,Mount gomry ſhire. whereof 10 Univerſity-men, ſome of the meaneſt of which (ſince turned Apoſtates) are approved by the Biſhops, and ſetled in Pariſhes; & for the profits of the Tyths, which before went wholly to the Clergy, they were afterwards divided (according to the Act) ſix waies; One part to the ejected Miniſters; Another part to other Miniſters ſetled, and Itinerant; A third to maintain Free-ſchools (whereof ſome of the ejected Miniſters, and their Sons, were School-maſters) ſet up in all (or few excepted) Market Towns, and in other convenient places, and in ſome of them two School-maſters: A fourth part to the ejected Miniſters widdowes, and children: A fift, to ſuch officers as did attend that work (as Treaſurers, Soliciters, Sequeſtrators, &c.) Lastly, ſome allowance was granted to the widdowes of Miniſters deceaſed. Theſe things Conſidered, and the low rates at which the Tiths were Let and Set at, in divers Counties, (becauſe ſome would not pay, others would not take them to Farme, and the Country poor, and worſe ſtock'd, ſo ſoon after the wars,) will evince, there could not be much ſpare, eſpcially conſidering, that the Act laſted but for three years; viz. till fifty three, and what was done ſince, let them account who medled therein, and acted under O. C. which I and many more of my brethren did not, nor took any Salary at all, nor any other Maintenance whatſoever ſince; withall, what was ſetled upon me, (together with ſome other Preachers) was by the Committee for Plundered Miniſters long before that. And let me deal freely, and truely with all the world in this particular, I never received by Salary; and all other waies, for my Preaching in Wales, from Chriſtians, and from the States putting all together, ſince the beginning (which is above twenty years) but between ſix & ſeven hundred pounds at moſt; and I can with much clearneſſe, confidence, and comfort, call God the ſearcher of all hearts to witneſs, and I do call him to record on my Soul, that to my knowledge and remembrance, I had not any thing, directly nor indirectly, but what was ordered me; nor have I, nor any other for me, (I expreſſe it without any Colluſion or Reſervation) ſo much as a Pound or Shilling of any money from any tyths or otherwiſe in my hands, belonging to the Publick; & I humbly challenge & bid defiance to envy it ſelf, to prove the contrary, and I deſire to be called to an account, if I be ſuſpected, for I will maintain my innocency herein till I die. And yet my Accuſers, have ſome by writing, (who were aſhamed to put their names thereto) and others by word, publiſhed, That I had many thouſand pounds of the Tyth-mony; nay had purchaſed of Kings-Rents and Lands, ſome thouſands yearly, or at leaſt many. Hundred pounds per annum; where as now it is returned to the King again, it appears, it is under ſeventy pounds yearly; and I never received any year of that, above ſixty ſix pounds ten ſhillings: this the Auditor and Country knowe ſufficiently; and let them, or any other diſprove me herein, if they can.
And whereas it is charged, that many good & godly men were turned out of their livings.
But I did not know any ſuch, and I ſuppoſe it will be yet eaſy to prove the contrary, by their former and preſent practices; however for my own part, I often publickly tendred this to the ejected Miniſters, that if they could bring any in, that could manifeſt they received any ſpiritual good from them, they ſhould (as far as it lay in my power) be reſtored, but none produced ſuch. Further as a Conſequence therof, it was complained, that the Sabbaths were profaned, whereas men might ride throughout ſome Counties, & neither ſee men working, travelling, nor playing upon the Sabbath; the like I am ſure; neither was before, nor now is, our enemies themſelves being Judges.
But they further object, that the people were turned Infidels & Papiſts. So many do where the powerfulleſt means are, if they come not under them: But why then do theſe men complain, ſo many are turned to be quite contrary; and were theſe accuſers faln out with ſuch men then; how come they now to own them ſo much? But to diſprove that, take this ſingle inſtance. In a few years time a great part of former Edition of the Welſh-Bible, was bought up, and afterwards two Editions more, one of the New Testament, and another of the whole Bible, & of theſe two I believe are ſold off, at leaſt between 5 and 6000. by this you may perceive, that Religion did grow. Alſo in the beginning of the Wars, there was but one or two gathered Congregations in all Wales, and in ſome Counties ſcarce one that made Profeſſion; yet it hath pleaſed the Lord ſo to bleſſe the weak meanes there, that there were lately (and hope are ſtill) above 20 gathered Churches, in ſome 2, in ſome 3, ſome 4 or 500 members, with their officers, differing little in opinion and Faith, and walking in love, and the fear of the Lord.
Having given this brief account of the former endeavours of ſome, (who yet acknowledg their weakneſs, and want of wiſdom therein) to propagate the Goſpel. Be pleaſed now to caſt your eye upon the late Reſtriction, (which I might well call perſecution) of the Goſpel in Wales. To omit mentioning the great wrong unto many ſcores, about May and June 1660, in committing and continuing them in Priſon, without any cauſe, but to fulfil that ſaying, Quicquid volumus facimus; ſince there hath been very violent proceedings, (eſpecially in ſome Counties) where ſome poor and peaceable people have been drag'd out of their beds, and without regard of Sex, or Age, have been driven, ſome twenty miles to Priſon on their feet, and forced, (though in heat of Summer, till their feet were much bliſtred, and they ready to fall with faintneſs) to run by the Troopers horſes, receiving many blows and beatings.In Merionydd. ſh. Others, (as if they had been Brute-beaſts) driven into Pinfolds, or Pounds, where they were kept ſeveral hours, their enemies in the interim drinking in an Ale-houſe, and forcing the poor people to pay for it, though they taſted not of the drink: then bringing them to the Sea-ſide, and leaving them in the night, in danger of being ſwallowed up by the Sea. Others were committed to Priſon at pleaſure, & kept there many moneths, and yet their cattle and ſheep, to the number of above ſix hundred, taken from them and ſold. Others forced (when they were called to the Quarter-ſeſſions) to walk in chains, which ſhould not by law upon any ſuch ground be put upon them, unleſs they had atempted to make an eſcape or break Priſon. Others, who were quietly met together (after their uſual manner for many years, to worſhip God, and edify one another) were caſt into Priſons without any Examination or Commitment upon them, (that they could underſtand) contrary to the Jewiſh, Roman and our Engliſh Laws.
Nay, ſuch was the enmity of the ſeed of the Serpent, againſt the ſeed of the Woman, that though the King was pleaſed to grant by his Proclamation) Chriſtian liberty for ſome time, yet upon the next Lords-day following, after the receit of the ſaid Proclamation, ſome of the Officers of one Corporation drag'd and hal'd ſome poor women, that were hearing of the Word of God, into an Ale-houſe, and kept them there till after night, and until they made them pay for the Ale, which theſe diſturbers did drink.
Beſides all this, ejecting the Godly Preachers that would not conform, and indicting many hundreds for Recuſants, which are not indeed ſo, and under the notion of ſuppreſſing Conventicles and unlawful Aſſemblies, hindring the meetings of Chriſtians to ſerve God, which according to the letter of the Law, and the opinion of many learned Lawyers, are not ſo. A Conventicle being a meeting together, for a bad end or work, and not for a good, as the meetings of Chriſtians, to worſhip God, are. Having thus hinted ſome few of the many ſufferings of others; I come in the laſt place, to give a ſhort Intimation of my own: which I mention, not either to accuſe my Country-men, or to expect any benefit thereby to my ſelf (hoping to learn contentment in Chriſt, with godlineſſe, in the meaneſt and miſerableſt condition) but to remove falſ reports, & to manifeſt (as I am confident to expeſs it) that I ſuffer from men, only upon the account of Godlineſs, and Religion, though upon other information but falſe) againſt me, as that I ſhould ſwear, the members of my Congregation, againſt all Magiſtrates, and Miniſters, (a thing I hate, and directly contrary to my Judgement) and that I ſhould goe up and down two Counties, preaching Sedition, and Rebellion; though I have not preached in all, but either 2 or 3 daies publickly, ſince April was 12 Month, being in ſeveral Priſons ever ſince (only about 24 daies intermiſſion) ſince my firſt impriſonment: And I am not conſcious to my ſelf of Preaching or doing any thing againſt the preſent Powers, or their Lawes, neither can my Accuſers prove any more againſt me,Act. 24.13.27. than the Jews could againſt Paul, when they accuſed him of ſedition; but on the contrary, theſe men break the Lawes, and are fineable to the King for falſe information, however they think, as a wiſe man ſaid, by other mens harmes, 27 He. 3.9. 5. Eliz. 3.6. & 25.3, 4. & 37.3.18. Lord Bacon.to make redemption for their own ſufferings. But I will bear the indignation of the Lord, (becauſe I have ſinned againſt him, till he plead my cauſe, and pray as Jeſus Chriſt hath taught me: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.