The last vvill and testament, of Sir Iohn Presbyter

The Last Will, &c. Know all men by these presents, that I,

IOhn Presbyter Knight, by Country a Scotch-man, of the Tribe of Rabshekah, of the Linage of Judas; (being of perfect memory, only a little troubled with mel∣lancholly, and a disease called, The parti∣cular Charge of the Army) doe ordaine this my last Will and Testament to stand in full force and vertue.

Imprimis, I give and bequeath my soule into the hands of him that gave it, and whereas I have alwaies (in my life time) been used, and taught all others to plunder and rob both God and Caesar of their dues; yet at my death I detest all such horrid Actions, Equivocations, and mentall Re∣servations, and will not rob the Devill of his: Therefore in plaine English, Devill take thy due.

For my body, I bequeath to the earth; provided first, That it be first decently wrapped in six sheets of the Di∣rectory, and then reverently coffined up in the sacred Or∣dinance for Tithes, and so with all solemnity carried from the Temple to Westminster by the C. L. asses, Doctour Burges, Doctour Gouge, Master Edwards, and Byfeild being close Mourners, and going before the corps, and the wicked Elders following after, weeping, howling, and gnashing of their teeth, as if they were already in the fire, which such stinking Trees were made for, upon one of which

Judas my my great Gransire hanged himselfe: you may read more of them in the History of Susanna, with a slow motio, and in the midst of the streets, that my body may be seene by all, and let your sorrow so much abound, that you may take up that Lamentation of old, Wisdome crying out in the streets, but none regardeth her—my will is, That my learned Countrey-man, Doct••ur Cybballs teach at my Fu∣nerall in a deplorable tone of language (according to his speciall gift) my will being that he preach upon that text in the 89. Psalm. vers. 44 The dayes of my youth hast thou sh••rtened, and covered me with dishonour.

Next I desire that Mr. Calamy and Mr. Case may be sent up to desi••e a conferrence with both Houses, to procure an Ordinance, that the••e may be a day of Humiliation appoin∣ted, and set appart to deplore my sad losse, and that a Mes∣sage be prepared, and sent with all speed into Scotland, to give them timely not••ce thereof, that they may humble themselves with you, and that whereas wee have continu∣ed a Monthly Fast for the distressed Protestants in Ireland, and wee our selves having revoked the Protestant Religion, and instituted the Presbyterian, (and now finding our owne distresses to be above or equall with theirs) we con∣clude that our prayers have not beene ava leable for them, and may now change the day, and fast and pray as long or longer for our selves. And likewise, that they may be plea∣sed to put it to the Vote, whether my corps may not be in∣terred neere his Excellency their late Lord Generall, and Mr. John pym, and so hereafter all Parliament men discea∣sing, that wee our selves may as well now, as hereafter take up all the resting places of the Saints, and so leave no roome for either the King or his evill Counsell or Popish Bishops, they having formerly engrossed that place only for themselves, that an Ordinance may be speedily drawne up to this effect.

Thirdly, I will and bequeath unto Doctour Burges to have the disposing of all fat Benefices whatsoever; provi∣ded

that the said Dr. Burges hold and freely enjoy as many of the said Benefices as he himselfe pleaseth, and the rest to be by him disposed of to such persons as he shall thinke quallified and indued with gifts befitting so great a Cause as the present Reformation shall require; to which end, for the better encouragement of him the said Dr. therein, I do freely give and bequeath unto the said Dr. Burges all the scaffolds, and loose stones in or about, or belonging to the Church of Pauls, to pull downe, take, carry away, and dis••ose of as he sh••ll thinke fi••ting.

Fourthly, I give and bequeath unto my Reverend Son D••. Gouge ••he full sum of 500 l for these Religious uses fol∣lowing, viz. 20 pounds to find his Parish Bell-ropes, and in case his said Parish shall not have any use thereof, that he or any of the rest of the venerable Assembly shall have full power and authority to use them at their owne discre∣tions: That one hundred and 50 pounds shall be by the said* 1.1 Dr. Gouge disbursed in sea-coale whilst they are cheap, and by him sellered up (as lately he did, most of his Parish can justifie the same) and by him againe sold out to the poor of his Parish, or any other poor Christians at 10.d. the Bushell cleer gaines. And I ordaine that he imploy the remaining sum in like manner, or if he thinks it fitting to put it to use at 10 in the hundred, and not under, and the gains thereof arising to be distributed equally to Mr. John Prin, and Dr. Bastwick, that they may be the better encou∣raged to Query against the Army, to raile against Indepen∣dents, to roote out Monarchy, and to prove Presbytery jure Divino, provided that the principall remaine intire to Dr. Gouge himselfe, without any other fraud or deceit.

Fiftly, I give and bequeath to my deare Child Mr. Ed∣wards, 5••0 acres of Bishops Lands, with all the timber growing thereon, to be by him converted to Gibbets to hang up the Independents; and in case the said Independents shall resist the holy Synod, as is probable they will; That then it shall be lawfull for any of the Assembly being al∣ready

furnished with hemp (if not enough in my former Legacy, the Common people of England questionlesse will supply their needs) to hang themselves, and to fulfill the old Proverb, give them halter enough and theile hang themselves.

Sixtly, I give and bequeath all my plundered Books, and Libraries lately tane from the Bishops to Mr. Calamy, Mr. Sedgwick, and Mr. Case, it being likely the Case may sud∣denly be altered, and my Son Calamy feele Calamity, for I feare destruction is nie, and my son Sedgwick will shortly bleat (like one of Jeroboams Calves) to his Country-men in Essex, in one onely single poore Benefice.

Seventhly, I give and bequeath all my Charity to the Al∣dermen of the City, and by them to be dispsed of to the Par∣liament, as they shall have need thereof.

Eightly, All my wisdome and learning to the Com∣mon Counsell, that they may preserve the City as I and my Children have preserved the Church, and brought it to the great light and glory that now you see it is.

Ninthly I give and bequeath to all broken Aldermen, de∣funct Committees, and accused Members of the House of Commons, my new Creed; and by them to be disposed of to their Creditors, and all others as they shall see cause, that they may renew their faith, and againe become credible men, by which meanes the publique faith may againe re∣vive, and the City look up: and whereas my Predecessor known by the name of Doctors Commons of famous me∣mory did decease about six yeeres since having first made a will which was made publique in print, and for as much as the said Doctors Commons is againe revived to my great and unspeakeable terrour, I doe heereby bequeath unto my said Predecessor all jurisdiction, priviledges, profits, and e∣moluments whatsoever so unjustly usurped and detained by me, and the rest of my precious Brats.

Tenthly, All my zeale for the Cause I give and bequeath to the dissenting Souldiers that have deserted the Army, that

they may stand up mightily in the gap, and stop that plaguy devouring Army of Sir Thomas Fairefax.

Eleventhly, I give and bequeath all my new invented Oathes, and Covenants, all my Schismaticall Sermons, all my perjuries, forgeries, plots, treacheries, rebellions, Equivocations, and mentall reservations, to my deare children the Scots, provived that they shall make use of them in their owne Country, and not else where.

Twelfely, I give and bequeath unto Dr,* 1.2 Cyballs, 10.l. of lawfull money of England, in consideration of my Funerall Sermon, besides two Canonicall Coates, which he may turne, as he sees fitting, and I de∣sire him to make his prayer shorter then the ordinary use hath been, for I my selfe must confesse the blasphemies, treasons, heresies, incongrui∣ties, tautologies, absurdities of my children in their measure of prayer, from time to time (observed by the people) hath been a great cause of my untimely decease: And also I desire that his Sermon may be printed, and published, and that Wall-eyd Bartlet at Austins-gate, and Bellamy at the Old Exchange have the printing thereof, and that an Ordinance may be desired, that none dare to reprint the same.

Lastly, I doe intrust all that out of a Conscientious duty to me (shall suddenly after my discease) Leave & abandon the House of Commons (Provided they exceed not the number of threescore) to be my Execu∣tors, that they see this my last will & testament performed, without any fraud according to the true sense & meaning therof, and the several lega∣cies to be paid to the persons aforesaid within five moneths after my death. And this my will to remaine in full force, revoking all former Wills, Bonds, Bills, Gifts, whatsoever.

VVitnesse my hand and Seale,

• Iohn Presbyter.
• Simon Synod.
• Cornelius Burges.

Adoniram Byfield, Scribe.

Sealed and delivered,Iuly, 1647.

Notes

• * 1.1

  like to l ke quoth the Devill to the Co∣lier,
• * 1.2

  A noto∣rious turn-coat.