Hell Opened, Narrative 5
Coming down in the Court of the Jail, the Priſoners flock about me, to whom I addreſſed my ſelf in ſhort.
SOme Thirteen years ago in my firſt Impriſonment, I was confined unto this place, but bleſſed be God for no evil that I had done, unleſs to work in my place and calling be an evil. However, I learnt, from that day to this, to compaſſionate all Priſoners. And the mercies (being a ſtranger and Priſoner, I found by the good Providence of my God, in this Houſe,) have made me pay yearly ſome Vows and Thank-offerings to him within theſe Walls. That I would leave ſomething with them, which ſhould be better than Money, if they would aceept it.
Some of you are now Reprieved, others Burnt in the Hand and to be diſcharged: Take heed, Sin no more, leſt a worſe thing befall you. If you do not go out of a Priſon new Men, and new Creatures, your old ſins will return again upon you, and the Devil that brought you hither, will enter once more into you with Seven worſe Devils, and your latter end will be worſe than your beginning. If you do not mend your Lives, avoid and abhor your former ſins, obey, ſerve, and fear God, labor diligently in your callings, keep your Church, and wait upon Gods Holy Ordinances: If you do not leave all your wicked Company, and wicked Courſes, 'ile aſſure you, God will never bleſs you, you do but get looſe from a Priſon in Earth, to be clapt up at laſt everlaſting Priſoners with the Devil in his Gaol of Hell.
Whilſt my affairs called me Home-wards, it pleaſed God to ſtir up the Hearts of many Miniſters in the City of Exon to viſit theſe Priſoners, and to Proſecute that good work which was begun in them.
I am ſorry that no Memorials of their Pious Labors, and Divine Diſcourſes are fallen into my Hands, that might have enricht the Soul of my Reader, and been an embelliſhment to this courſe Paper.
Something occurred in Two Letters, which (craving pardon of my worthy Friends for inſerting it without their Privity,) I here offer to the World.
I Have yours of the Nine and twentieth inſtant, and immediately made it my work to inquire after the Miniſters which viſited the Poor Priſoners Condemned for Poyſoning Miſtris Weeks, &c. And after my beſt Inquiry, can only learn in the General, that ſeveral have been with them, and that the Girl ſeems more Penitent than the Nurſe▪ who ſtifly denies the Fact. I do not hear that either the one or the other have been abſolved or received the Sacrament. Maſter Treaſurer-Hall was Ordinary, but I have not ſpoken with him. My affairs and buſineſs (which called me out of Town) would not permit me to ſee them till this day. I tarried an hour and half at leaſt with them, and upon my entring into the Room, where the poor wretches were kept, I found the young Girl with a Bible, and another Priſoner with a Book, (I preſume reading to them, for he told me he did uſe to do ſo.) Directing my ſelf to them both, I did the beſt I could to repreſent their ſad condition, and the demerits of their ſins, eſpecially of that horrid one, for which they were Condemned.
The Girl ſeemed ſomewhat ſenſible; but I ſaw no relenting in the Nurſe, which made me afterward direct my diſcourſe chiefly unto her. But after all I could ſay, I perceived it had little effect upon her; which made me tell her at my departure, that I was ſorry, I had not the leaſt word of Comfort for her. But however, I told her, I did hope my diſcourſe would prevail with her for a Confeſſion, if ſo, I ſhould be very glad of it, and upon any other notice from her, would readily come to her, though it were at midnight.
She ſeemed moſt ſenſible of theſe laſt words, and as I think, told me (for ſhe ſpake low) that ſhe would Conſider of it.
Exon March 27. 1676. I am Sir, Your Brother and Servant.
From another I had this.
Dear Sir,
ALL the times I was with them, I could diſcern no great alteration in any one of them, the Nurſe ſtill refuſing to confeſs any thing, and the Girl indeed uttering ſome good expreſſions, but I could not diſcern that they proceeded from any great ſence within, or were accompanied with any affection. I hope God may have ſucceeded your endeavors there with them, better than he hath ours here. Mr. D. was with them thrice ſince I was, but could do no great good upon them, nor diſcern any thing in them: Yet I have heard the Nurſe ſhould deſire to ſpeak with him again, but to what purpoſe I know not. Tis reported ſhe ſhould ſay, She knew ſhe ſhould be Damned, but not for this Crime.
Exon March 30, 1676. Sir, Yours to love and ſerve you in our Lord Jeſus,
What ever the effect and Fruit of their labors was, ſhe gave them this enſuing Confeſſion, which one of thoſe Reverend Miniſters, that panted after her Souls Salvation, took from her mouth, and hath Cloathed it in theſe words.