Satan at Noon, Errata
The Reader is requeſted to obſerve that, that Note p. 18. beginning Laſtly whereas the Dr. complains, &c. is miſplaced, and page 84. at the beginning of the page, let him take in this, The Drs. Anſwer.
In the Preface page 5. line 3. read plurality for penalty. p. 8. marg. r. read for was. p. 17. l. 18. r. ſo for too. p. 18. l. 14. r. ſoaringneſſe for oaringneſſe. page 20. l. 1. for there read theirs. p. 24. mar. The Quae. dele The. ibid. at the end of the margin, for dejected by theſe renowned r. detected by the ſummoned. p 26. l. 16. r. Acerrimi for Acerrini. p. 27. l. 1. for ſo r. for. p. 40. l. 16. read worke for world. p. 78. l. 12. read bear for blaze. p. 79. l 5. r. Iſleworth for Haworth. p. 84. l. laſt, r. our for one. p 98. l. 7. r. ſalt for ſoft. p. 99. l. 24. r. procedure for procedence. p. 101. l. laſt, read crown for crow. p. 111. margin. r. ω for ο penult. p. 119. mar. r. quam for quod. p. 127. l. 25. r. vocans for vacans p. 159. l. 34. r. at for all. p. 168. l. 2. r. enemies for exerciſes, ibid. l. 33. r. Antichriſtian for Antichriſtianiſme. p. 169. l. 6. r. ever for either. ibid. l. 9. Harneſſe for hardneſſe.
There are other Literal faults, and faults in pointing which thou art deſired to mend, or paſſe by.
A Just narration of the proceedings of the Commiſsioners of Berks, upon Articles of Blaſphemy, pretended viſions, uncleanneſſe &c. exhibited and proved against John Pordage, late miniſter of Bradfield in the ſaid county.
MOnday the eighteenth of September 1654, being the firſt day of the Commiſſioners meeting, a charge of articles was then exhibited to them, againſt Doctor John Pordage Rector of Bradfield in this county, who was thereupon, by warrant dated the ſame day under the hands and ſeals of five of the ſaid Commiſſioners, required to appear, and give anſwer to the ſaid articles on thurſday the fifth of October following, at the Bear in Speenhamland by Newbery, On which day the ſaid Doctor accordingly appeared, but produced no anſwer, onelyonly pleaded he had been formerly diſcharged from the matters charged againſt him in the ſaid articles by the Parliament, and the former Committee of this county: which no way appearing to the Committee, it was then reſolved by them, that by vertue of the Ordinance they had power to queſtion the ſaid Doctor, upon the ſaid articles, and did then order him a copy of the ſaid articles, and further time to give in his anſwer thereunto, till thurſday the nineteenth of the ſaid October.
At which time the ſaid Doctor again appearing, after many demurres by him made to the authority of the Commiſſioners, in a comtemptuous way and manner, he did exhibite his anſwer in writing to the ſaid articles. But additionall articles being then exhibited againſt him, the Commiſſioners ordered him a copy thereof, and gave him a fortnights time to bring in his anſwer to the ſaid additionall articles, and then to produce his witneſſes for proof of his defence, and juſtification to both the ſaid charges, and had ſummons granted for his ſaid witneſſes accordingly.
On thurſday the ſecond of November, the ſaid Doctor made a further appearance, and gave in his anſwer to the ſaid additionall articles: and further additionall articles being then exhibited againſt the ſaid Doctor, the Commiſſioners ordered him a copy thereof, and gave him furrher time to give in his anſwer thereunto, till the two and twentieth of the ſaid November, at the Bear in Reading, at which time they appointed to proceed upon the whole, and ordered witneſſes to be then and there produced on both ſides, as well for proof of the ſaid ſeverall charges, as of the Doctors anſwer and defence thereunto, and ſummons were iſſued out for that purpoſe.
On the ſaid two and twentieth of November, the Commiſſioners meeting at the ſaid place, and receiving the Doctors anſwer to the third paper of articles, proceeded to examination for proof of the whole; and having ſpent the ſaid day in examination of ſeverall witneſſes for proof of the articles, they appointed to ſit the morrow after upon the ſame buſineſſe and then adjourned.
The next day being the twentie third of the ſaid November, they made further proceedings in the examination for proof of the articles, and after all the witneſſes for that purpoſe that were then preſent, were examined in open Court, and in the Doctors own preſence, and by himſelf croſſe examined; the Commiſſioners required the Doctor to produce his witneſſes for his defence and juſtification, (if he had any) which he refuſed, demanding to have firſt copies of the depoſitions againſt him, before he would produce his witneſſes, which the Commiſſioners judging to be very unreaſonable and irregular, thought not fit to grant unto him, and though they might then juſtly have proceeded to give their judgement, without giving him further time, he making default, yet notwithſtanding, ſuch was their tenderneſſe in the carriage of this buſineſſe, that they gave him further time to produce his ſaid witneſſes, (viz.) till the thirtieth of the ſaid November, at the Bear in Speenhamland; where the Doctor appeared not in perſon, but by his wife and others of his family excuſed his failer, in regard of ſickneſſe, and infirmity of body, under which (as they pretended) he then laboured, and could not appear without further danger of his health, which excuſe (although no poſitive proof thereof was then made) was admitted by the Commiſſioners, and further time yet given him, till the ſeventh of December then following at the Bear in Reading. At which time the ſaid Commiſſioners proceeded to examine ſeverall other witneſſes then preſent, in behalf of the Proſecutours, which having done, they examined ſeverall witneſſes on the Doctors part and behalf, and the Doctor pretending to be ill, they adjourned for that time till the morrow morning following. But for that the Doctor had the ſame day produced ſeverall witneſſes in his behalf, who being ſworn, neither the queſtions propounded unto them by the Doctor, nor the evidence by them given did lead to juſtifie the Doctor from the matters charged, and proved againſt him, but merely dilatory, as was judged by the Commiſſioners. They did therefore require, that according to former order, he ſhould the next day give in the names of his witneſſes, together with his interrogatories in writing, to which he would have them examined, which the Commiſſioners might firſt conſider of but he peremptorily refuſed ſo to do, onelyonly inſtead thereof, he offered ſeverall queſtions, which being taken by the Clark, were afterwards debated by the Commiſſioners, and by them adjudged to be to as little purpoſe (though they ſhould be admitted to be true) as the former evidence already taken in his behalf, but only to delay, yet notwithſtanding they proceeded to examine two of the Doctors witneſſes to ſome of thoſe queſtions, which they judged moſt tending to his juſtification, which having done, and heard patiently what either the Doctor or his counſell could ſay at large, they cauſed the whole proceedings to be read over publickly, and then commanded the company to withdraw, that they might reſolve on their judgement, which was unanimouſly agreed on, for the ejectment of the Dr, out of the parſonage of Bradfield, for ſcandall, ignorance, and inſufficiency proved againſt him,
The most materiall things charged againſt him, with the depoſitions thereupon taken, on both ſides, upon which the aforeſaid ſentence of ejestion was grounded, are as followeth,