A magazine of scandall. Or, a heape of wickednesse of two infamous ministers, consorts, one named Thomas Fowkes of Earle Soham in Suffolk, convicted by law for killing a man, and the other named Iohn Lowes of Brandeston, who hath beene arraigned for witchcraft, and convicted by law for a common barrettor.: Together with the manner how my Lord of Canterbury would put and keep them in the ministery, notwithstanding the many petitions and certificates from their parishioners, and others, presented to him, they being the head and most notorious of the scandalous ministers within the county of Suffolke, and well may be said of all England. And against whom as chiefe of the scandalous ministers the county of Suffolke have petitioned to the Parliament: and desired to bee seene by Parliament, because herein is something mentioned, which is conceived, that one of these scandalous ministers have abused the authority of the Lords in Parliament.

The manner how my Lord of Canterbury would keepe them in the Ministry notwithstanding the many Petitions and Certificates from their neighbors and others presented unto him, they being the head of the scandalous Mi∣nisters, against whom the County of Suffolke have petitioned.

AFter the former tast given of the outward comportment of these two rare birds, I would that it might be a little understood of the inward matter they are indued withall▪ I mean as touching their ability of learning and divinity, for I make accompt by the former discourse that they cannot have much inward grace, for they never sought for that at Lambeth faire, neither do I think that any was thereto be sold, therefore I will apply my selfe to the other, I meane their learning be∣cause you may understand what good cause my Lord of Canterbury had so strongly to keep them in the Ministry: it may be thought that it was their great learning; Indeed as for that, they had learning enough to preach against them that would not pay treble their tithes and to en∣veigh against such as they bore malice, and that in many unfit∣ting termes out of points of learning or divinity, but I would know first whether they can read well or no, for I am sure that neither of them can write true English, yet they endeavour to read their sermons, which I would not condemne if they were penned conducing to the interpretation of the Scriptures, and not from any malicious spirit: Scholers they are I confesse, and had need to go to schoole still, for one of them being demanded what Microcosmus was, which by interpre∣tation signifieth a little world, answered that it was Latin for a mist or fog; the demandant replyed againe it was true, for it was more then a mist, for sure he was in a great cloud of darknesse: and one of them at another time being demanded what Plerophoria signified, which signifies, fulnesse of faith, he answered that he did not like that word, because (as he thought) the Papists did attribute it to the names of pictures and reliques; and the demandant replied againe that hee thought he did not like that word indeed, and believed, that he would never be brought to like it, but quid moramur in istis? let us follow our

text, and tell you how my Lord of Canterbury would not by no meanes be informed nor perswaded to heare any thing against these two for divers of the neighbours having desired their Solicitor to pre∣sent divers petitions and certificates to his Lordship against the said Fowkes, and of his conviction for killing the man, and also to informe him of the said Lowes, how he was convicted for a common Barretor, amongst many other of the foule actions of them both: And it must be understood that this Fowkes was ipso facto out of his function upon his conviction, untill the Lords great grace of Canterbury tooke great care to put in great good Ministers, and so put him in againe, and gave him a dispensation; but before his dispensation, the said Solicitor pre∣sented under the hands of his, the Fowkes, his neighbours and divers o∣thers, a Certificate of his scandalous life, and of his little desert both in life and doctrine, which was at that time received by Master Dell his Secretary, and my Lords Grace took speciall notice therof, and kept it, and still hath it, which to any mans judgement had been enough to in∣duce any Bishop in the Christian world not to have dispenced with a man whose hands were in blood, and convicted for killing of a man, which had beene much if he had received a Certificate of the said Fowkes honest life, and conversation; but howsoever there was some∣thing weighed well with my Lord or Master Dell, or both, to induce my Lord to give him a dispensation: But to the Ministry my Lord did restore him, by what Law or Canon none can warrant, for none whose hands have beene in blood ought there to remaine, which being heard and knowne, to the astonishment of many well governed and able Ministers, as other laymen and religious people, conceived at first that my Lord of Canterbury was abused, presuming hee would not have done it, and thereupon at the like request of the parishioners and others, the said Solicitor addressed himselfe with new petitions from time to time, but now none would be accepted, read, or heard, many of which are still to be seene: And the said Master Dell his counte∣nance was changed, the Solicitor received nothing but rough speeches, yea threats sometimes, and told him we might have remedy in the high Commission, and no answer could be had, but, goe to the high Commission: And my Lord of Canterbury being once pressed by the same Solicitor, said, Away, would you have me undoe a man for an unlucky blow? whereas nothing was required but that he might be put ab officio, but not à beneficio, only ayming to have him suspended from so holy a function, that with quiet minds his parishioners might come to Church to serve God without brawlings and railings on the Sabbath dayes, yea in the time of receiving the Communion, with

which they were dayly vexed and troubled by him the said Fowkes, but my Lord did excuse the matter and alledged, that he had Certificate from divers of the Iudges, that his cause was to be pittied, and that he should kill a man in kindnesse, or something to that effect as hee said, which no man will ever believe that any Iudge will excuse any man after a conviction by law; but it is most certaine that Master Iustice Crooke before whom he was tried, never would give the least counte∣nance either in word or writing to extenuate so foule a fact, and none else could (but before whom the triall was) declare how the case deserved: And so after many repulses, and rejections, the parishioners and others were forced (volens nolens) to cease their just complaint, and so rest untill it was conceived that my Lord of Canterbury might better consider of his former passages, hoping he might be humbled by his restraint in the Tower, and to salve such things as before hee had done; they were advised to repaire to him there, and at their said request the Solicitor did repaire to him in the Tower, who then seemed to incline and to give eare to their request, and seemed as if hee would countermand his former dispensation, so as they could procure some∣thing under Iudge Crooke his hand of the true and just desert of the fact, whereupon the said Iudge being spoken withall to that purpose, answered, that what would my Lord of Canterbury have a better sa∣tisfaction then a conviction by law, and if that were not sufficient it must be questioned whether the said Fowkes had a lawfull triall or not; whereupon a little before Michaelmas last, the said Solicitor a∣gaine repaired to him in the Tower, and because all matters of ob∣jection might be taken away? viz. the alledged certificate from the Iudges, and his pretence that he did nothing but upon good grounds, the said Solicitor presented him with this petition and information, with an affidavit annexed herein, after mentioned, and there withall shewed him the exemplification under seale of the Conviction of the said Lowes of common Barrery, requiring him (sede vacante) that he would not suffer such in the Ministry, yet it seemes he could not dis∣pence with the waight that did hang so heavy on the other party, but raited a new excuse, and answered the said Solicitor, that by reason there was an act of Parliament that the high Commission was taken away (which seemed to stick hard in his stomacke) the had no power to put out any out of the Ministry, were they never so bad, with other allegations; but the said Solicitor answered, that hee hoped although that the high Commission was taken away, yet as long as hee was Bishop of Canterbury his power was not taken away to doe the Church right in suspending scandalous Ministers, or at least to counter∣mand

that his dispensation which was conceived not to be justly done, and likewise to put out a common Barrettor, so convicted by law, as by the Record which was then shewed unto him under seale did ap∣peare, which was an evidence of it selfe without further proofe or witnesses: but nothing would prevaile, neither could his Lordship give any reasons to avoid this said ensuing Petition or Information, which will more plainly set forth the substance of his wilfull perse∣verance in retayning such wicked and prophane persons in the Church, the tenour whereof followes, with an Affidavit annexed in these words, verbatim & literatim, hee himselfe receiving the Origi∣nall, with the Affidavit, under Master Page his hand, one of the Ma∣sters of the Chancery, and doth keepe them untill this present. Divers other materiall matters depending upon this cause could be manifest∣ed, if they might be examined. But I hope this will suffise to expell these two scandalous consorts, that infect both Church and Common wealth, and all such that are of like condition.