The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

Part IV. (Book 4)

* 1.1 Containing an Account of such as suffered Persecution and Martyrdom under Episco∣pacy, &c.

I Am now come to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth in whose first year the Parliament restored the first fruits and tenths to the Crown, and the Protestant Religion was again established, the Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy were removed, and others put in their rooms; in this Queens time, about the Eleaventh year of her reign arose a People making a Profession of the Pure Religion, and would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures, openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of Eng∣land, together with the Liturgy, and the very calling of the Bishops, as savouring too much of the Romish Religion, declaring it to be an impious thing to hold any thing common with the Church of Rome, and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in eve∣ry point according to the rule of the Church of Geneva; amongst these Dissenters were Coleman, Burton, Hallingham and Benson, whom the Queen commanded to be committed to Prison, yet it is a thing almost incredible how on a suddain their Followers encreased, known by the envious name of Puritans, who preached nothing more then Evangelical Purity, crying down the Ecclesiastical Form of Govern∣ment, as a thing poluted with Roman Dregs, setting out Books in Print to the same effect, refusing to go to the publick Worship, as it was then used; whereupon many endeavours were used to suppress them, and the Law was commanded to be put in Execution which required Uniformity, and the Books wrote by the Puritans to be delivered into the Bishops hands on pain of Imprisonment; by these courses of persecution and force they were kept down for a time, the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury using his utmost endeavours to settle an unifor∣mity in Ecclesiastical Discipline according to the Laws, which he saw lay gasping, if the Puritans encreased, and thereupon provided Articles for all Ministers to subscribe, but he found great opposition or di∣sturbance in this his Design, both at home and abroad, for one Robert Brown a young man of Cambridge, from whom a People called Brow∣nists took their name, and one Rich. Harrison a School master, these set forth Books in Zealand, & dispersed them over England, condemning the Church of England for no Church; these Books were by Autho∣rity prohibited, and several of the chief of these Brownists were exe∣cuted at Bury in Suffolk, as the Reader shall understand more particu∣larly

in this following Discourse,* 1.2 as far as I can give a discovery by the Authors I could procure.

As I have said, though by the forciable course the Bishops took, these People were kept under at times, yet in the one and thirtieth year of the Queen, the Pur̄itān̄s Flames brake forth again, and Books were written by the names of Martin-Marprelate, and another Book by Penry and Udal against the Government of Bishops, and Barrow and Greenwood wrote a short Treatise, called, a Plat-Form, in which was contained sharp reproofs to the Clergy, saying, That all false and Antichristian Ministers, ought by the Princes Authority to be rooted out, and that their Antichristian and Idolatrous Livings ought to be converted to chartiable Civil-uses, and are not to be appropriated or given to Gods true Ministry, for the maintenance thereof, neither ought it to receive the same; for it stands not with the honour of God, that Bethel, Gods House, should be garnished and supported with the things belonging to, or taken from Bethaven, the House of Idols, as if the Almighty wanted other means for support of his own House, and must needs be beholden to the House of Idols to help him and his.

For these, and such matters by them openly divulged, they were imprisoned, and all that would not bow, the Bishops resolved to break them to pieces; on the other hand, the more hotly they were persecuted by the Bishops, the more the Zeal stirred in them to op∣pose, strengthening themselves daily through their diligence in Rea∣ding the Scriptures, that they might be enabled to oppose the Clergy, whose Reformation they said was no more then casting out the name and Persons of the Pope and Papists, and yet reserved all their Livings and Priviledges, even all the fat and gainful Ware of Amaleck unto themselves.

But in the end of these things, as it seldom hath been known, so far as I have observed, that whensoever the Truth appeared, though in the least Measure, but it cost some Blood, which should make men love it the better: So in these times, this Barrow, Greenwood and Penry, and several others, sealed their Testimony, first by hard Im∣prisonment, and at last by death it self, as in the sequel will appear; and if what I find upon record be true (as I have no cause to believe otherwise) the chief Instruments of their deaths were the Clergy, and not the Queen: For when the Queen asked Doctor Raynolds what he thought of those two men (meaning Barrow and Greenwood) he answered, It would not avail any thing to shew his Judgment con∣cerning them, seeing they were put to death, and being loath to speak his mind further, the Queen pressed him, and charged him to speak, whereupon he answered, that he was perswaded if they had lived, they would have been two as worthy Instruments for the Church of God, as hath been raised up in this Age: The Queen sigh∣ed, and said no more: But after that riding to a Park, by a place where they were executed, called to mind their suffering of death, (and being willing to have further information concerning them) deman∣ded

of the Earl of Cumberland (that was present when they suffered) what end they made; he answered, a very godly end, and prayed for your Majesty and the State; moreover one Philips, a famous Preacher, having both heard and seen Barrows Speeches and Prepara∣tion for death, said, Barrow, Barrow, my Soul be with thine: And now before I give Account of the places where these persons were execu∣ted, it will be necessary to insert their Complaint to the Parlia∣ment, relating their hard usage in Prisons, a Copy of which is as followeth.

The Humble, most earnest, and lamentable Complaint and Suppli∣cation of the Persecuted and Prescribed Church, and Servants of Christ, falsly called Brownists, unto the High-Court of Parliament.

The most high God, Possessor of Heaven and Earth, bringeth at this present before your Lordships and Wisdoms (right honourable) his own Cause, his own People (his own Sworn, and most treacher∣ous Enemies) together with the most shameful Usage of his Truth and Servants, that ever hath been heard of in the dayes of Sions professed Peace and Tranquility.

His Cause and People he offereth unto your Consideration and De∣fence in our Profession and Persons: His Enemies and their Out-rage against his Truth and Servants in the Persons and Bloody Proceedings of the Prelates of this Land, and their Complices.

We profess the same Faith, and Truth of the Gospel with her Ma∣jesty, which your honours, this whole Land, and all the reformed Churches under Heaven this day do hold and Maintain. We go beyond them (being our only fault, even in the Judgment of our tyrannical and most savage Enemies) in the detestation of all Popery, that most fearful Anti-christian Religion, and draw nearer in some Points by our practice unto Christs holy Order and Institution; this is our Faith, this is our cause (Right Honourable) yea, the Lords Cause in our sinful hands.

For the Profession and Maintenance of which Faith, the fore-na∣med Enemies of God detain in their hands within the Prisons about London (not to speak of other Goals throughout the Land) about three∣score and twelve persons, Men, Women, Young and Old, lying in Cold, in Hunger, in Dungeons, and in Irons; of which Number they have taken the Lords day last, being the third day of the fourth Moneth, 1592. about some sixteen persons, hearing the Word of God truly taught, praying and praising God for his favours shewed unto us, unto her Majesty, your Honours, and this whole Land, and de∣siring our God to be Merciful to us, unto our Gracious Prince and Country; being employed in these holy Actions, and no other (as the Parties who disturbed them can testifie) they were taken in the very place where the Persecuted Church and Martyrs were enforced to use the like Exercise in Queen Maryes dayes.

The former Number are now unbailable, committed by the Prelatel or Bishop of London, unto whose close (for the most part) several Prisons, as Bridewel, the Limboe or Dungeon in Newgate, the Fleet, the Marshalsea, the Counters, the Clynk, the Gatehouse, the Whitelyon, &c. wherein we willingly acknowledge the Lot and Inheritance, in this Life of our Fore-Fathers and Brethren the holy Martyrs of the former Age, and the entailed Aceldama, or Bloody Succession of the See of London, and that whole Linage; Well, here our Brethren lie (How long Lord holy and true thou knowest) in Dungeons, in Hun∣ger, in Cold, in Nakedness, and all outward distress, for these Bloo∣dy men will allow them neither Meat, Drink, Fire, Lodging, nor suffer any whose Hearts the Lord would stir up for their relief to have any access unto them, purposing belike to imprison them unto death, as they have done Seventeen or Eighteen others in the same noisome Goals within these Six Years. The Husband and Wife be∣ing now taken by them, they permit not to be in the same, but have sent them to be close kept in other Prisons. VVhat the poor Family doth at home in the mean time, your Lordships may consider, and justly pity. Som of this Company had not one Penny about them when they were sent into close Prison, nor any thing, being abroad (which is the case of most of them, if not all) to procure themselves and their poor Families any Maintenance, save only their handy Labours and Trades, whereby it is come to pass that these Enemies of God, do not only starve and undo a number of men in the Prisons, but even a lamentable Company of poor Orphans and Servants abroad; their unbrid led slanders, their Lawless privy searches, their Violent breaking open and rifling of our Houses, their lamentable and bar∣barous Usage of VVomen and Young Children in these hostile as∣saults, their Uncontrouled Thievery, Robbing and taking away of whatsoever they think meet from us in this case, their unappeased and merciless pursuit of us from our Houses, Trades, Wives, Children, especially from the holy Society of the Saints and Church of God, We are inforced to omit, lest we should be over tedious to your Lordships; but their dealing this way towards us is so woful (right honourable) as we may truly demand with grief of heart, whether the forreign Enemy, or our native Country men do possess and bear rule over us in our dear and native Country.

Their whole dealing herein is most Barbarous, most Inhumane, but especially most Unchristian and such as exceeds the cruelty of the Hea∣then and Popish Professed Tyrants and Persecutors; the Records of the Heathen Persecution under Nero, Trajan, Decius, Galienus, Maximinian, &c. can scant afford us any Examples of the like cruelty and havock; for the Heathen Romans would Murder Openly and Professedly: These godless men have put the Blood of War about them, in the day of the Peace and Truth, which this whole Land professeth to hold with Jesus Christ, and his Servants. Bishop Bonner, Story, Wes••••n. dealt not after this sort; for those whom they committed close, they would also either feed, or permit to be fed by others, and they brought them in short space openly into Smithfield to end their misery,

and to begin their never ending joy. Whereas Bishop Elinar,* 1.3 Dr. Stanhope, and Mr. Justice Young, with the rest of that Persecuting and Blood thirsty faculty will do neither of these: No Fellows, no Murderers, no Traytors in this Land are so dealt with.

There are many of us, by the Mercies of God still out of their hands: The former holy Exercise and Profession, we purpose not to leave by the Assistance of God: We have as good Warrant to re∣ject the Ordinances of Anti-christ, and labour for the recovery of Christs holy Institutions, as our Fathers and Brethren in Queen Maryes dayes had to do the like: and we doubt not, if our cause were truly known unto her Majesty and your Wisdoms, but we should find greater favour then they did, whereas our Estate now is far more lamentable.

And therefore we humbly and earnestly crave of her Majesty and your Lordships, both for our selves abroad, and for our Brethren now in miserable Captivity; but just and equal Tryal, according unto her Majesty's Laws, if we prove not our Adversaries to be in a most Pestilent and godless course, both in regard of their Offices, and their Proceedings in them, and our selves to be in the right Way, we desire not to have the benefit of her Majestyes true and faithful Subjects, which of all earthly favours we account to be one of the greatest. Are we Malefactors? Are we any wise undutiful unto our Prince? Maintain we any Er∣rours? Let us then be judicially convicted thereof, and delivered to the Civil Authority; but let not these bloody men both Accuse, Condemn, and closly Murther after this sort, contrary to all Law, Equity and Conscience, where they alone are the Plantiffs, the Ac∣cusers, the Judges, and the Executioners of their most fearful and barbarous Tyranny.

They should not by the Laws of this Land go any further in Cases of Religion, then their own Ecclesiastical Censure, and then refer us to the Civil power; their Fore-fathers Gardner, Bonner and Story dealt thus equally, and we crave but this Equity: Oh let her Excellent Ma∣jesty our Soveraign, and your Wisdoms consider and accord unto this our just Petition; for Streams of Innocent Blood are like to be spilt in secret by these Blood-thirsty-men, except her Majesty and your Lordships, do take order with their most cruel and inhuman proceedings.

We crave for all of us but the Liberty, either to die openly, or to live openly in the Land of our Nativity. If we deserve death, it beseemeth the Majesty of Justice not to see us closely murthered, yea, starved to death with hunger and cold, and stifled in loathsome Dungeons: If we be guiltless, we crave but the benefit of onr Innocency, viz. That we may have peace to serve our God and our Prince in the place of the Sepulcher of our Fathers.

Thus protesting our Innocency, complaining of Violence and Wrong, and crying for Justice on the behalf, and on the name of that righteous Judge the God of Equity and Justice, we continue our Prayers unto him for her Majesty and your Honours, whose hearts

we beseech him to incline towards this our most equal and just Suit,* 1.4 through CHRIST JESUS our Lord.

And now I find that besides many that ended their dayes in loath∣some Prisons, there were six executed, who sealed up their Testimo∣nies with their blood, the six that were executed are these, viz. Henry Barrow and John Greenwood at Tyburn, John Penry at Thomas a Waterings neer London, William Dennis at Thetford in Norfolk, and C••ppin and Elias at Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk.

I have here inserted (as followeth) two Letters of John Penry, which was all I could meet with, by which Letters the Reader may see what a Zeal and religious Courage was stirring in these people at this day.

To the distressed faithful Congregation of Christ in London, and all the Members thereof whether in bonds or at liberty these be delivered; my beloved Brethren, M. F. Johnson, M. D. M. S. M. S. M. G. I. M. I. M. H. M. B. M. S. R. B. M. R. M. K. N. B. M. B. I. M. N. P. W. C. P. A. my Brethren M. I. C. W. B. A. P. M. M. M. E. C. C. D. G. M. A. B. with the rest of you both men and women (as if particularly I named you all) which stand members of this poor afflicted Congregation, whether at liberty or in bonds, Jes•••• Christ that great King and Prince of the Kings of the Earth bless you, co••f••••t you with his invinceable Spirit, that you may be able to bear and over come these great Tryals which you are yet, and I with you, if I ••••••e to undergo for his Names sake in this Testimony.

Beloved, let us think our Lot and Portion more then blessed, that now are vouchsafed the favour not only to know, and to profess, but also to suffer for the sincerity of the Gospel; and let us remember, that great is our reward in Heaven, if we endure unto the end, I testifie unto you for mine own part, as I shall answer before Jesus Christ and his Elect Angels, that I never saw any Truth more clear and undoubted, then this witness wherein we stand; First, Against false Offices. Secondly, The callings. Thirdly, The works. Fourth∣ly, The maintenance left and retained in this Land by and from Pope∣ry. Fifthly, Against the obedience which spiritually either in Soul or in Body is yielded, and the communion that is had with these in∣ventions of darkness. Sixthly, The mingling of all sorts in these As∣semblies. Seventhly, The worship done but scant in one of the three parts of the Commission given by our Saviour, scant done, I say, in one of the three parts of the Commission by the best Teachers of this Land; and I thank my God, I am not only ready to be bound and banished, but even to die in his Cause by his strength; yea, my Bre∣thren, I greatly long in regard of my self to be dissolved, and ••o live i•• the blessed Kingdom of Heaven with Jesus Christ and his Angels, with Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Job, David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles, and with the rest of the holy Saints, both men and women, with the glorious Kings, Pro∣phets

and Martyrs, and Witnesses of Jesus Christ, that have been from the beginning of the World; particularly with my two dear Brethren Master Henry Barrow, and Master John Greenwood, which have last of all yielded their Blood for this pretious Testimony; con∣fessing unto you, my Bretheren and Sisters, that if I might live up∣on the Earth the dayes of Methusala twice told, and that in no less Comfort then Peter, James and John were in the Mount, and after this life might be fure of the Kingdom of Heaven, that yet to gain all this I durst not go from the former Testimony; wherefore, my Brethren, I beseech you, be of like mind herein with me; I doubt not but you have the same pretious faith with me, and are Partakers also of far more glorious Comfort then my barren and sin∣ful Soul can be; strive for me, and with me, that the Lord our God may make me, and all us, able to end our Cause with joy and pa∣tience; strive also, that he may stay his blessed hand (if it be his good pleasure) and not make any further breach in his Church, by the taking away of any more of us as yet, to the discouraging of the weak, and the lifting up of the horn of our Adversaries. I would indeed, if it be his good pleasure, live yet with you, to help you to bear that grievous and hard Yoke, which yet ye are like to sustain either here, or in a strange Land: and my good Brethren, seeing Banish∣ment, with loss of goods is likely to betide you all, prepare your selves for this hard entreaty, and rejoyce that you are made worthy for CHRIST's Cause to suffer and bear all these things: And I be∣seech you in the Bowels of Jesus Christ, that none of you in this case look upon this particular Estate, but regard the general state of the Church of God, that the same may go and be kept together whi∣thersoever it shall please God to send you. Oh, the Blessing will be great that shall ensue this care; whereas, if you go every man to provide for his own House, and to look for his own Family, first neglecting poor Sion, the Lord will set his Face against you, and scatter you from the one end of Heaven to the other, neither shall you find a resting place for the Soles of your Feet, or a blessing upon any thing you take in hand.

The Lord, my Brethren and Sisters, hath not forgotten to be gra∣cious unto Sion, you shall yet find dayes of peace and rest if you con∣tinue faithful: This standing and treading of us under his feet, this subverting of our cause, and right in Judgment is done by him to the end that we should search and try our wayes, and repent us of our Carelesness, Prophaneness and Rebellion in his sight; but he will yet maintain the Cause of our Souls, and redeem our lives, if we return to him; yea, he will be with us in Fire and Water, and will not for∣sake us, if our Hearts be only and especially of the Building of Zion, whithersoever we go. Let not those of you then that either have Stocks in your hands, or some likely Trades to live by, dispose of your selves where it may be most commodious for your outward E∣state, and in the mean time suffer the poor ones that have no such means, either to bear the whole Work upon their weak Shoulders, or to end their dayes in sorrow and mourning for want of outward and inward comforts in the Land of Strangers; for the Lord will

be an Avenger of all such dealings; but consult with the whole Church, yea, with the Brethren in other places, how the Church may be kept together, and built whithersoever they go; let not the Poor and the Friendless be forced to stay behind here, and to break a good Conscience for want of your support and kindness unto them, that they may go with you: And here I humbly beseech you, not in any outward regard, as I shall answer before my God, that you would take my poor and desolate Widdow and my mess of Fatherless and Friendless Orphans with you into exile whithersoever you go, and you shall find, I doubt not, that the blessed Promises of my God made unto me and mine will accompany them, and even the whole Church for their sakes; for this also is the Lords Promise unto the ho∣ly Seed, as you shall not need much to demand what they shall eat, or wherewith they shall be clothed, and in short time I doubt not, but they will be found helpful, and not burthensome to the Church; only I beseech you, let them not continue after you in this Land, where they must be inforced to go again unto Aegypt, and my God will bless you even with a joyful return unto your own Country for it. There are you who I doubt not will be careful of the perform∣ance of the will of your dead Brother in this point; who may yet live to shew this kindness unto yours; I will say no more. Be kind, loving and tender-hearted the one of you towards the other, labour every way to encrease love, and to shew the duties of love one of you towards another, by visiting, comforting and relieving one the other even for the reproach of the Heathen that are round about us (as the Lord saith) Be watching in prayer; especially remember those of our Brethren, that are especially endangered, particularly those our two Brethren M. Studley and Robert Boule, whom our God hath strengthned now to stand in the fore-front of the Battel; I fear me that our careles∣ness was over great to sue unto our God for the lives of these two so notable Lights of his Church, who now rest with him, and that he took them away for many respects, seeming good to his Wisdom, so also that we might learn to become careful in prayer in all such causes; pray for them then, my Brethren, and for our Brother M. Fran. Johnson, and for me, who am likely to end my dayes either with them or before them, that our God may spare us unto his Church, if it be his good pleasure, or give us exceeding faithfulness, and be every way comfortable unto the Sister and Wife of the dead.

I mean unto my beloved M. Barrow and M. Greenwood, whom I most heartily salute, and desire much to be comforted in their God, who by his Blessings from above will countervail unto them the want of so notable a Brother and Husband. I would with you earnestly to write, yea, to send if you may to comfort the Brethren in the West and North Countries, that they faint not in these Troubles, and that also you may have of their advice, and they of yours what to do in these desolate times; and if you think it any thing for their further comfort and direction, send them conveniently a Copy of this my Letter, and of the declaration of my Faith, and Allegiance, wishing

them before whomsoever they be called, that their own Mouthes be not had a Witness against them in any thing; yea, I would wish you and them to be together, if you may, whithersoever you shall be bani∣shed, and to this purpose to bethink you before hand where to be, yea, to send some who may be meet to prepare you some resting place, and be all of you assured, that he who is your God in England will be your God in any Land under the whole Heaven, for the Earth and the fulness thereof are his, and blessed are they that for his Cause are be∣reaved of any part of the same. Finally, my Brethren, the eternal God bless you, and yours, that I may meet with you all unto my comfort in the blessed Kingdom of Heaven.

Thus having from my Heart, and with tears performed (it may be) my last duty towards you in this Life, I salute you all in the Lord, both men and women, even those who I have not named as heartily as those whose names I have mentioned, (for all your names I know not) And remember to stand stedfast and faithful in Jesus Christ, as you have received him unto your Immortallity: And he Confirm and Establish you to the end for the praise of his Glory, Amen.

The 24th of the 4th Moneth, (April) 1593.

Your Loving Brother in the Patience and Sufferings of the Gospel John Penry, a Witness of Christ in this Life, and a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed.

I found also a Letter of the said Penry to his Wife, which being large, I have only inserted some particular sentences thereof, as fol∣loweth.

To my beloved Wife Ellinor Penry, Partaker with me in this life of the suf∣ferings of the Gospel in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, and resting with me in undoubted hope of the glory that shall be revealed, all strength and comfort with all other spiritual graces be multiplyed through Christ Jesus our Lord.

I see my blood layd for (my Beloved) and so my dayes and Testimo∣ny drawing to an end, for ought I know; and therefore I think it my duty to leave behind me this Testimony of my love, towards so dear a Sister and loving a Wife in the Lord, as you have been unto me. First then, I beseech you, stand fast in that Truth which you and I profess at this present in much outward discomfort and danger, let nothing draw you to be subject to Antichrist, let your Soul and your Body be far from those Assemblies which yield either known or secret submission unto the Ordinances of the Beast. Oh! our Souls are to rejoyce in these wayes more then in all Substance and Trea∣sure, and the loving-kindness of the Eternal is forever and ever towards them and thier Seed that remember his ordinances to do them. My dear Wife and Sister, look not at any earthly thing, con∣secrate your self wholely both Soul, Body, Husband, Children,

and whatsoever you have unto the Lord your God; let them not be dearer unto you then his Worship and Service; fear not the want of outward things, for the Lord careth for you and yours; the Lord is my God and yours, and the God of our Seed; I know if you and our poor Children continue, that they shall see a blessed Reward even in this life; be much and often in prayer day and night, and much in reading and meditating; above all things, pray that the Lord would restore beauty unto his Church, and so would overthrow the cursed Religion of the Roman Anti christ in eve∣ry part thereof; remember me also and my Brethren now in Bonds, that the Lord would assist us with the strength and comfort of his Spirit, to keep a good Conscience, and to bear a glorious Testimony to the end; be not out of hope but I may be restored again unto you, therefore be earnest in prayer for my deliverance; yet if the Lord shall end my dayes in this Testimony, blessed be his Name; howsoever it goeth, I am ready and content with his good pleasure, and whatso∣ever shift you make, keep our poor Children with you, that you may bring them up your self in the Instruction and Information of the Lord; I leave you and them indeed nothing in this Life, but the blessing of my God; and this my Sister, I doubt not, shall be found an ample Portion both for you and them, though you know that in hunger often, and cold often, in poverty and nakedness we must make an account to profess the Gospel in this Life; and teach them, I be∣seech you, even now in their youth that Lesson, If they will reign with Christ, they must suffer with him; teach them the meanness of the Gos∣pel, and that they are not to look for greatness in this Life, but eve∣ry day to make account that they are to yield their lives, and what∣soever they have for the Truth; break their affections betimes, while they are yet green, by Instructions and Corrections meet for them; when they are capable of handy labour I know you will not let them be Idle: Thus having disburdened my self of my duty towards you, and of my care to you and your poor Children in some part, I am, I thank God, in great comfort, though under great Tryals of my weakness and consideration of my own wants, not in regard of men, I fear not any power or strength of man whatsoever, and I am this hour willing to lay down my Life for my Testimony, and I trust shall be unto the end; you know I was taken at a Meeting at Ratliff the two and twentieth day of the third Moneth 1592. and committed close by M. Younge to the Powltry Counter; some dayes after, some were sent privately to confer with me, I answered, for private Conference, inasmuch as my Cause was made publick, I saw no Cause why I should yield unto any, I desired publick upon equal conditions, they said no, and after much needless speech departed.

Upon the fifth day of the fifth Moneth, I was sent for to the Sessions House, where after some discourse I was sent back again; I cannot see but they thirst after my Blood, therefore pray for me, and desire all they Church to do the same.

To draw to an End, salute the whole Church from me, especially those in Bonds, and be you all much and heartily saluted in the Lord,

let none of you be dismayed, the Lord will send a glorious issue to Si∣ons troubles; yet you must all be prepared for sufferings, I see no other likelihood.

Let not those which are abroad miss to frequent the holy Mee∣tings; salute my Mother and yours in Wales, my Brethren, Sisters and Kindred there, and my God knoweth, yea, your self knoweth, how earnestly and often I have desired that he would vouchsafe my service in his Gospel among them, to the winning of their souls for∣ever more unto him; salute your Parents and mine in Northampton, with my poor kinsman Jenkin Jones, and M. David also, though I had not thought that any outward respects would have made him withdraw his Shoulders from the Lords wayes, but the Lord will draw him forward in his good time; salute all ours in Scotland upon the Borders and every way Northward, especially M. Juell, alwayes dear unto me; I got means this day to write thus much, whereof no Creature living knoweth.

The sixth of the fourth Moneth 1593.

in great haste, with many Tears, and yet in the great Spiritual comfort of my Soul, your Husband. John Penry, a Witness of Christ against the Abominations of the Roman Antichrist and his Souldiers; sure of the Victory by Blood of the Lamb.

These Puritans suffered greatly also in King James his Reign, al∣though the original Cause thereof, so far as I can perceive, did not appear to proceed from the King, for in his Speech to the Parliament in the eighteenth year of his Reign, in the year 1620. He said,

As touching Religion, Laws enough are made already: It stands in two points, Perswasion, and Compulsion: Men may perswade, but God must give the blessing: Jesuits, Priests, Puritants and Sectaries, erring both on the right hand, and left hand, are forward to perswade unto their own ends, and so ought you the Bishops in your Example and Preaching; but Compulsi∣on to obey is to bind the Conscience.

How much soever the King inclined to favour, the Reader may understand by this following Relation, being the Copy of an Address these people made to the King and Parliament, relating the great Op∣pressions they were under.

To our Soveraign Lord the Kings most Exellent Majesty, together with the honor able Nobility, Knights and Burgesses now Assembled at the High-Court of Parliament.

May it please your Majesty, Honors, Worships gratiously to re∣spect the humble Suit of Gods poor afflicted Servants, and well-affect∣ed loyal Subjects to your Highness and Honours. We are many of us constrained to live in Exile out of our native Country, others detain∣ed in Prisons, all of us in some Affliction, which the Prelates and Clergy of this Land have inflicted upon us for our Faith in God, and Obedience to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: We have never to this day been convinced of Heresie, Errour or Crime, for which

we should sustain the great Calamities we have endured. The grounds of Christian Religion professed and maintained, in this Land, and other Churches round about; we also with one heart and Spirit assent unto and profess: Enemies we are to all Popery, Anabaptistry or other Heresie, Schism, Rebellion, Treason, or Faction, and whatso∣ever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel, or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm; our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear, abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion, Idolatry, Imposition, and vain will-worship, of what sort soever: We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation, as utterly disagreeing from the Te∣stament of Christ, and Ministry there appointed, in their Offices, Callings, Administrations, and Lord like Livings and Mainte∣nance; against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers, baptized into, and retained in the Body of the Church of England, without voluntary profession of, and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel; against their man∣ner of Worship and Service, by reading Prayers out of a Book, in∣stead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord; and briesly, against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever: And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates, reproveth their evil Actions, and disproveth their Pomp, Stateliness, Rich Revenues, Stipends, &c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us, Persecuting us unto Bands, Exile, and Death it self, reproaching us as Schismaticks, Donatists, Prownists, Seditions persons, &c. though they could never convince us of these, or any the like crimes; and though we have not ceased, neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord; now there∣fore our humble Request is unto your Majesty, Honours, and Wor∣ships, that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country, there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ, which we profess, and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession, wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error; and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm, though dif∣fering from the Ecclesiastical state of the same, we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects, may find like favour at your hands; for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining, yet hold we in no wise law∣ful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abo∣lishing of these, or any the like abuses; for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone, who in his time will perswade (we trust) your Royal heart to fulfil his will, and execute his Judg∣ments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon, which will turn to as great Honour to God, Honour to your Majesty, and good of this Realm, as the abolishing of Abbats, Munks, Fryart, Mass, Im∣ages, &c. hath turned heretofore. So the Lord of Lords and Ruler

of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes; and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded, we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty, your Honours, Worships, and all our Country, whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth, and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens, Amen.

I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign, four Persons were banished the Land of England, after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment, for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England, refusing to Communicate joyn or per∣take with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship, reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them, which were de∣rived from Popery.

And thus, I have given an Account of such as suffered, for Reli∣gion in those times; and now to conclude, I have this further to write, by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages, viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Con∣sciences, endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom: whilst they travelled un∣der this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds, and the Lord had regard unto them, for their hearts were tender, and the Lord appeared for them; and now, when the Lord had tryed this People, and at last put Power into their hands, and raised them as it were from a low estate, they soon forgot his kind dealings with them; as for Example, the Independants and Presbyterians, some of whom I have seen, neer forty years since, dregged out of their Mee∣tings in private Houses, and their Cloathes tore, and their Faces co∣vered (as it were) with dirt, and their blood spilt; and in this suffer∣ing condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord; but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority, and killing, and taking Possession, got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth, and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings; and be∣ing exalted into Goverment, they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors, and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors, if not worse, then those they had turned out, as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New, whose Cruelty (under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak) is too large here to insert, but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Q. Eliz. An. 1558.
• * 1.2

  Q. Eliz. An. 1558.
• * 1.3

  Q. Eliz. An. 1592.
• * 1.4

  This com∣plaint was Penned by H. Barrow, and is by me truly Copied Verbatim out of my Au∣thor.