The three countrey-mens English answers to the clergy-mens Latine charges. Or, the lay-mens plain English, in answer to the unknown language of the pretended spiritual court at Winton Unto which is added a short relation of the dealings of Iohn Hayes priest with two of them after they were excommunicated. Also twenty four queries propounded to be answered by those that call themselves spiritual men.

Here followeth a short Relation of the actions and dealings of the Priest of the Parish (unto which we belong) with us, after we were excommuni∣cated by them.

AFter that we had delivered into the Court these our Answers, having been abused in words, and our hats taken from our heads, and thrown from us; and also one of the Parators cursing of us (which is of the spirit of the wicked one whom they obey) and having thrust us forth of their Court, could not be satisfied, but proceeded to excommunication (or cursing) of us from out of fel∣lowship with them (whom we dare not to have union with) we say the Priest of the defective Church he proceeded to sentence of excom∣munication, and cursed us from amongst them, with the which we rested well satisfied, and had peace with the Lord whom we obey (though detected and rejected by those whose actions shew by what spirit they are guided, as may be seen in open view▪) Now after they had thus dealt with us in summoning us from time to time to our great hinderance (who are husbandmen, and got our bread by our labour) telling us divers times that we should have our articles) or in writing that which they alledged against us, wherein also they pro∣ved liars, and so to be of their father the Devil; for when we came ac∣cording to appointment they shuffled us off, and would bid us come another time, and so we did several times before we had it. But to come to the thing, this Priest after he had proc••eded to excommu∣nication in publick before his hearers, then he came to us, and de∣manded tithe, and coming to Iosiah Wickhams house, he asked him how many sheep he had shorn (he being but Vicar, having the tithe of wooll, lambs, calves, apples, plumbs, &c.) unto which he gave him answer, that it mattered not how many sheep he had shorn, for they were none but his own, at the which he raged; also his wife said unto him, that she thought he would not have offered to come to them for wages, seeing he had before cursed them forth of his Church, unto which the Priest like a (dumb dog) was silent, and afterward like a fox he went far about to bite, and sub poena'd us to appear at the Ex∣chequer on such a day (it being nominated) and then we went to the Priest to speak with him about it, but he put us by and told us, that he would speak with us another time, and likewise he having before dep••ived us of the benefit of Law, he then sued us at the Law (which is double wickednesse in the sight of God, and will appear odious in

the sight of any reasonable man, and seems ridiculous; according to that Proverb, First cut off their legs, & then bid them go. And then for Non-appearance we were served with a processe by a Bayliffe, and at that time also we went to speak with the Priest to know what he in∣tended to do with us, and he said, we must go to prison, if we would not pay him, whom before he had renounced as Hereticks. Mark peo∣ple, this man who professes himself a Minister of Christ, would be maintained by us whom he hath cursed; some of his Church hath also told us, that they must not buy or sell with us, & yet this Priest would have maintenance from us. Surely he and his brethren are not to be parallel'd, nay the false Prophets of old, of whom we read, were not found in such actions. Would not Hophni and Phineas, wicked men, (who took the offerings by force) have been ashamed to have a∣cted as this man hath done, who though they did take the of∣ferings by force, it was of them who were of Israel (and not of the heathen) But these Priests manifest themselves, yea they are already manifest to us, that can see, hear, or understand, to be absolute wolves, whose sheeps cloathing (though now its but nar∣row) by these and such like actions will be wholly stripped off, and appear they shall even as they are, before the eyes of all. But to pro∣ceed, this Priest perceiving that we were resolved to go to Prison, ra∣ther then to uphold or maintain his belly (which is his God) he then began to fawn and to wipe his eyes (Crockadile like) pretending he was sorry, and bid us we should not go, with other words which he used; yet our minds he could not alter, who had faith in our God, and did trust in his name, who hath been a tower of refuge unto us; and so we were brought to this prison, where we have been kept about twenty five weeks from our honest labours, yea, this serpent was so subtil, that he chose (as he thought) the best time throughout the year for his purpose, and so by that thought to get over us, it being then the beginning of harvest, and we had not any man-servant to take care for our corn, and so to outward appearance it was in danger (or some of it) of being spoiled. But the God whom we serve, and for whose cause and testimony we this day suffer provided for us beyond our expectation, and even raised some that were our enemies, that they profred to assist our wives and chilbren. So our harvest was brought in (though it was something more charge to us) in season∣able time, praises to him that ruleth over all, & since we were brought ••ither, some of his flock hath spoken with him about us, and as we

hear, he gave one of them this answer, That if he should let us alone, others would serve him so likewise, and none would pay him, and so he might starve. Mark how far this man is from that Spirit which ru∣led in the Apostle Paul, who said, They laboured day and night, be∣cause they would not be chargeable, 1 Thes. 11. 9. But this Priest Iohn Hayes he is so far from purposing to work with his own hands, that he intends to make others maintain him, whether they are wil∣ling or not, and so little love hath his hearers towards him, that if there were not a law he might starve, as appears by his own words. Oh what a flock hath this man gathered, and what a vineyard hath this man planted, and what fruitlesse trees (that cumbers the ground) hath this man set, who would yield him no fruit to satisfie his belly, & what unruly flocks (but more like herds) hath these Priests of England ga∣thered who would give no milk. Surely they are carelesse shepherds, they gather not, they heal not, they bind not up the wounds of the sheep, they seek not the lost, nor regard those that die in pollution. They eat of the fat, and cloath themselves with the wooll, sitting at ease in their houses, and fill themselves with wine at their pleasures: they waste the creation on their lusts, and rule over people with ri∣gour: their wives sit as Ladies at their feasts, and they have the upper∣most room in the Synagogues; the people labour in the earth, and God gives the increase, and these Caterpillers eat the fruits of their labours. But the whirlwind of Gods fury ariseth which shall scatter them as the chaffe, and drive them into the lake of woe and misery, unlesse they repent with speed.

Wherefore all ye people that reads the foregoing with a single eye, and considers the thing with an upright heart; hearken, was there ever such oppression as this? read the Scriptures, and trace the false Pro∣phets of old, and parallel them wi••h this man, and you may easily perceive and understand that there was not the like found among them, for though they were wicked, and their sins great, and though their abominations reached unto heaven, wherefore their solemn As∣semblies God could not away with, but their sacrifices were abomi∣nation unto him, and their incense which should have been a good savour in his nostrils became as a stink before him, yet we do not read that any of those Priests dealt so cruelly with the people, as to thrust them from among them, and afterwards to cast them into prison, if they would not maintain them, though by the Law of God there was

authority given for them to have tithe; but these Priests are so far from acting by the Law of God, that many times they do contrary to the Law of man, in taking away their goods, and keep them in pri∣son also. Surely greedy dogs they are, and have manifested them∣selves to be. Isaiah in his dayes complained of such, ch. 56. 10, 11. The watchmen are all blind, they have no knowledge, they are all dumb dogs, greedy dogs, that never have enough, looking every one for his gain from his quarter. So read people, mark your shepherds, behold and see, can they understand, are they not dumb unlesse they have their gain, yea do they not all seek it every one from his quar∣ter, for they never have enough, but sue at Law, and cast honest men into prison, hunt for greater benefices, as witnesse Iohn Hayes of Wal∣lop who is not satisfied with the tithe of one parish, nor is not con∣tent with sixty pounds a year, but hungers for more of these earthly things (which is the Serpents meat) yea in stead of being servant, as Paul was, 1 Cor. 9. 19. He rules as Lord over them, suing and con∣tending at Law with his Parishioners; but the day makes him mani∣fest, though the beasts go to their dens, yet the light is broken forth that discovers them all, and they can no longer hide themselves from it; wherefore they foam, roar, and rage (and why) but because their time is short, for the night is over with thousands, and they are and shall be more manifest; a day of trembling is coming upon them, wherein rocks nor mountains shall not hide them from the powerful stroke of the Lamb who is coming to reign; wherefore fear all people, and dread the Lord God ye inhabitants of the earth, for a day of howling is coming upon all the workers of iniquity, all ye Priests, Proctors, Deans and Parators, with the rest of the uncircumcised, dismal is the day which hastens, and black unto you (who have resi∣sted the light) a day of trouble and anguish, a day of torment, and perplexity, and of great sorrow shall compasse you, from the which there is no way to escape but by speedy repentance and amendment of life; wherefore consider it before it be too late.

• J. W.
• N. W.