Gangrena Part 3, Theological tract · Part 9
A Relation of ſome ſtories, and other remarkable paſſages concerning the Sectaries.
THe 16. of June 1646. It was related to me by a Juſtice of Peace who was an eare and eye witneſſe, and by a godly Miniſter in Northamptonſhire, that there is one Kendall (who in the Biſhops times was a great creature of Sir John Lams, a bower at the Altar and for all the Innovations) but ſince theſe times of Sectariſme, is turned a great Sectary, having renounced his Miniſtery. This man is now a Captaine in Whitleſey the Iſle of Ely, that Iland of Errors and Sectaries, and a great Preacher, who comes ſometimes to viſit Northamptonſhire, where formerly he was a Curate. Now the laſt Trinity Munday (as the day is commonly called) on a Faire day in that Country where a great reſort of people was, Maſter Baſely a godly Miniſter in thoſe parts being ſpoken unto to preach, and being provided for it, this Kendall ſtept up into the Pulpit before him, and preached on that text, Rom. 8. For … yee live after the fleſh yee ſhall dye, on which words he preached againſt humane learning (as being fleſh) and that the Univerſities were of the Devill. Secondly, that Adams righteouſneſſe in Innocencie was but fleſh, and oppoſed to the ſpirit. Maſter Baſely in the afternoone preaching, confuted his Doctrines, this Kendall would have ſtood up in the Church, and have oppoſed him, but was hindred by a Juſtice of Peace who was preſent.
The 10th of June 1646. A godly Miniſter living in Lincolnſhire told me and another City Miniſter, that he hath in his Pariſh many Manifeſtarians, Diſciples and followers of one Thomas Moore ſpoken of in my Firſt and Second Part of Gangraena, who upon his knowledge will keep no dayes of Faſt, nor none of the dayes of Thankſgiving, becauſe they will not give thanks to God for one man killing of another. He told me that ſome of the Manifeſtarians hold, and he hath heard ſome of them ſay, they had ſeen Chriſt, and ſeen the Devill to. This Miniſter related to us that there was a young maiden in his Pariſh about 16 yeares of age, one — who preaches to many young men and maidens, he named her name, and I well remember it, but forbeare naming her, becauſe being ſo young, happily ſhe may be reclaimed. This Thomas Moore comes often into this part of Lincolnſhire, and divers times to this Towne where he preaches in houſes; but the laſt time he was there he preached not, and the reaſon (ſome of the Sectaries give out) was becauſe this godly Miniſter is a perſecutor, others ſay becauſe he could not have the uſe of a great houſe in that Pariſh for his company to meet in. Many of theſe Manifeſtarians being at a time together, there was ſome occaſion fell out to ſend for the Conſtable of the Town, who being come, charged ſome of the company in the Kings name to aid him, to which ſome of the Sectaries replied, that the King was out of office; and therefore to require any thing in the Kings name was nothing.
A Fellow of a Colledge in Cambridge (whom I well know) meeting me in London, told me he had been lately at the Leaguer before Oxford, and in the company of ſome of the Sectaries belonging to the Army, where he met with one M. Wainwright (ſo he related his name, formerly a Miniſter, who ſaid he came out of ſuch a Country (Suffolk as I remember) and had a Living there of two hundred pounds per annum, this man boaſted he had pull'd down the Biſhops, and hoped to do as much for ſome others, meaning the Presbyters; he vapoured he had left his Living as being Antichriſtian, and ſaith he, I have every day ſince asked God forgiveneſſe for holding it; he told me alſo that in the Army he was told from good hands, of an Officer, a civill gallant man, becauſe he would anſwer the Sectaries when they ſpake for their opinions, and againſt the Presbyterians, was upon other pretended ſuggeſtions either formally caſheered, or glad to be gone.
There are foure famous Preachers in Hartfordſhire (as I have it from ſure hands) one Heath the Collar-maker of Watton, one Rice the Tinker of Aſton, one Feild the Bodieſ-maker of Hartford, one Crew the Taylor of Stevenage; and beſides theſe, there are ſome other Preachers who ſometimes were Miniſters in the Church of England, but now great Sectaries, as Maſter Feake at All-Saints Church in Hartford, one Maſter Harriſon about Saint Albons ſide, and ſome others of whoſe ſtrange preachings, practiſes, of the complaint to the Judges at the Aſſiſe of Maſter Feake, &c. I ſhall hereafter in a fourth part of Gangraena, or ſome other Tractate about the Sects, give the Reader an account.
There is a Shoemaker in Coventry or thereabouts, a famous Preacher, who goes from Coventry and thoſe parts up and down Gloſterſhire, Warwickeſhire, Woſterſhire, preaching and venting erroneous points of Antinomianiſme, Anabaptiſme, preaching againſt Tyths, Baptiſme of children: A Miniſter of the City of London being in Gloſterſhire heard him preach, and heard of his large Dioceſſe, and perambulations from place to place.
Auguſt 16. 1646. Preached at Hackney one Maſter Downing, a Preacher of the Army, and a young Peters (as he was called) ſome who were eare-witneſſes told me of his Sermon, and it was to this effect; That the Country people ſay (that is, he meant the Sectaries in the Army ſay) that the Parliament would do them good, but he Lord Major, the Common-Councell and the Citizens of London would not permit them; he feared God would bring the Plague upon them, and Riſings among them; and the cauſe of all was, the uncharitableneſſe of London againſt the Saints; and that the oppoſition now was not between worldly men, but between Saints and Saints.
This Downing, alias Peter junior, ſpake in Hackney pulpit of the Common Councell of London at that time in way of …perſion of them as if they were for the Cavaliers, that when they entred Oxford, the Cavaliers told them, Tis your turn now, it may be ours hereafter, for we have the City of London and the Common-Councell for us.
THere is one Maſter Clark in London whoſe wife being dead, and wanting a ſtaid Maid-ſervent to look to his houſe and Children; having ſome acquaintance with one Maſter Joſſe ſometimes a miniſter of the Separation, but now an Anabaptiſt, a Seeker, and no man knowes what: he commended to him for that uſe one Mary Abram, aged between 40. and 50. a Separatiſt; an acquaintance of his highly enrolling her; whereupon Maſter Clark entertained her, and he having a Sonne between fifteen and ſixteen years old falling very lick; his calling and occaſions neceſſitating him to be much from home; this Mary Abram being to looke to him, takes her opportunitie in this weakneſſe and want of underſtanding (his diſeaſe being an Apoplexie) to labour to make this Boy marry her, and for the effecting of that, works in a fl…ring fa…ing way with one who often came to Maſter Clarks houſe, to pro…re a Licenſe for two friends of hers to marry (concealing the perſons) who brought her word, they at the Office could grant no Licenſe to any which had not their friends conſent, and one to be bound in a Bond to ſave them harmleſſe: Now when ſhe ſaw this way would not do, then ſhe further moved the ſame man that if he knew if any man would marry them of any faſhion ſhe cared not. Whereupon this man …old her he knew one Maſter Stampe a School-maſter in Shoelane whom he heard one ſay had done ſuch a buſineſſe: Upon that the man could not be quiet till he brought her to this Stampe, and after a time ſhe told him ſhe was the woman party, but concealed the man: At the laſt when her maſter Clark was gone from home, ſhe enticed the Boy to go with her, and they went to Stamps Chamber who lay bed-rid, and he ſpake ſome words to them, which ſhe pleads was a marrying of them; and ſhe gave this Stampe eleven ſhillings ſix pence for his paines. For the proofe of theſe things, beſides maſter Clarks particular relation to me of theſe things more then once in private, as alſo his relating it to me in other companies, I have ſeen a Certificate under the hand of Doct. Meverell, ſubſcribed Sep. 29. 1643. Ottuell Meverell teſtifying of maſter Clarks Sons diſeaſe in his brain for the ſpace of ſixe moneths, wherein he was divers times deprived of ſenſe and motion, and ſometimes vexed with Convulſions, ignorant of things done and ſaid to him; as alſo I have peruſed Certificates under other hands, as Mr. Stamps, one Samuell Perkins and others, too large to ſet down, beſides the Petition of Maſter Clark drawn to be delivered to the Houſe of Commons for relief of his Sonne in this caſe, and for juſtice againſt this Separatiſt who claims this youth for her husband: a Copy whereof is as followeth.