Articles exhibited against Benjamin Spencer, minister of S. Thomas Parish in Southwarke, in the right honourable and high Court of Parliament for which his living was sequestred together with a charge grounded thereupon, and his answer thereunto, with his reasons of printing the same.

The sequestration and charge, Martij 16. 1642.

WHereas Benjamin Spencer, Stipendary Curate of the Church of Saint Thomas Hospitall in Southwarke in the County of Surrey hath endeavoured in his preaching to corrupt his people and Auditors, partly with the leaven of Popish doctrin

pressing upon them, [Articl. 3] 1. That the Church of Rome is a true Church, saving only in Circumstances and not in fundamentalls. [Articl. 4] 2. And bowing to the Altar, saying, that if he were vile in that, he would be more vile yet, and whether the railes were taken a∣way or not, hee would bow to the Table, and dance about it. [Articl. 9] 3. And partly by prophane doctrine that the Virgin Mary recei∣ved the Holy Ghost before she conceived Christ, but now wo∣men tooke in men first and were coupled together like Samsons Foxes. [Articl. 5] 4. And hath expressed great Malignancie against the power and proceedings of Parliament, saying in Parliament times, that now men knew not whither to goe for justice. [Articl. 6] 5. And that Reverend Orthodox Ministers, whom he tearmed Iack-Dawes, that formerly durst not shew their faces, did now appeare and shroud themselves under the Eves of the Parliament. 6. [Articl. 8] And reading in his Church the order of Parliament against bowing at the name of Iesus, in contempt thereof said openly, that for ought he knew, it might come from some Ballad-monger and that hee knew not what they meant whether Iesus the Son of Sirach or Jesus Christ, and that they that made it, were best able to expresse their owne meaning. [Articl. 10] 10. And that in his publish∣ing of the Ordinance of Parliament, for the reliefe of maimed Souldiers, informed his Auditory that it may bee these Souldiers went out with a zealous intent, but ••t was a blind zeale, or they went out of malice or envie to be revenged, or it may bee to rob and steale. Which the Lords and Commons in Parliament As∣sembled taking into consideration for the better supply of an able and godly Minister in the said Church, and for the provision of fit maintenance for those that shall officiate therein, doe Constitute and ordaine that Iohn Hardwicke, Ioseph Collier, Iohn Humphry, Daniell Sowton, Thomas Bennet, Iohn Simes, Iohn Winengton, William Jackson, or any three of them shall have power and au∣thority, and are hereby required to sequester all and singular sti∣pends and Allowances, Tythes, Rents, Fees or profits whatsoe∣ver belonging to the Cure of the said Church, or heretofore payed to the said SPENCER, and to appoint Collectors for the gathering and receiving of them as they in their discretion shall thinke fit, and shall have power to pay the same unto Iohn Biscoe a godly learned and Orthodoxe Divine who is hereby appointed and required to preach every Lords Day and to officiate as Curate and to take care for the discharge of the cure of the said place in all the duties thereof untill further order shall be taken by both Houses of Parliament. And if any shall refuse to pay unto the said sequestrators, or any three of them, or to the collectors ap∣pointed

by them any of the Rents, duties, or lawfull sees acou∣stomed to be payed upon information thereof by the sequestrators or any three of them unto either House of Parliament. The said Lords and Commons do hereby declare they will proceed against such refusers according to their severall offences and contempts.

I answered to the charge that first it differed much from the Ar∣ticls that were laid against me; first in the number, for in the charg there were 3. wanting of the ten alleaged, namely the first which charged me for doing what the statute of uniformity injoyned me. The second which the witnesses being then examined seve∣rally did not agree upon. And the seventh which seemed ridi∣culously to accuse me for not praying for my L. Major. Secondly I said the charge differed in many words from the Articles, as in that it chargeth me to endeavour to corrupt people with popish Doctrine, and yet there is in all but one Article of popish doctrine in the whole charge, which might be as well mistaken, as not, by my hearers. Secondly, It chargeth me that I bowed to the Altar whereas there was never any in the Church, nor did the Table stand Altar-wise. Indeed it was railed in by Mr. Lynne one of my accusers, without command from any authority, save himselfe that I know of. Thirdly, It makes these words (that now in time of Parliament men knew not whither to goe for Iustice) a part of the Article which in the Article it selfe is made only an in∣sinuation of the accuser and therefore the witnesses could not as I suppose under favour maintaine rightly both the Articles and the charge. However they swearing, the Court enclined the rather to their testimony, for an oath must bee the end of controversie: Let the accusers look to it, the Court is free. I was committed to the fleete for a while, for contempt, where I petitioning for main∣taining of my charge, a Wife and many Children, was by the Lords granted thirtie pounds per annum to bee resumed in the hands of the Governours of Saint Thomas Hospitall from the se∣questrators, & to be payd to me or my assignes, as formerly it had, I was afterward upon petition released also from imprisonment.

But all this suffering could not quiet the spleene of mine ad∣versaries. For they would faine restraine the Governours so, that they might not pay me my allowance of thirtie pounds aforesaid, by reason whereof I and my family should be forced to live upon almes while one eates our bread, who can neither well desire it, and worse deserve it. God forgive mine enemies, open their blind eyes and soften their hard hearts, that repenting, they may escape the wrath to come, through Iesus Christ. Amen.