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.

Here followeth the Petition and Information with the Affidavit, presented verbatim to the Archbishop.

To the Right Reverend Father in God William Archbishop of Canterbury.

The humble Petition and Information of some of the Inhabitants of Earle Soham in Suffolke, and divers other neighbours adjoyning.

Sheweth,

THat whereas your Grace hath given dispensation to Thomas Fowkes of Earle Soham aforesaid, Clerke, after he was convicted by Law for felony and man-slaughter, your Grace alledging you did it upon good ground, having a Certificate from Iudges and Iustices: We therefore, being advised by Councell, doe offer your Grace these reasons to the contrary, to be no ground, nor safe for your Lordship.

1. First, for that by lawfull tryall at an Assizes he stands convict of the fact, which is enough, if no more were said.

2. Secondly, that no Certificate from either Iudge or Iustice ought to be by your Lordship admitted, whereby you should doe any thing against any Iudgement or Confiction by Law.

3. That if it were allowable that any Certificate either from Lords or any great personages whatsoever, should set a man right after con∣viction by Law, no man would ever want a Certificate by one friends meanes or other, which would bee even the overthrow of the Com∣mon Lawes of the Kingdome, and they that allow so doe no lesse.

4. Fourthly, if the King himselfe should bee perswaded, or rather

seduced to cause your Lordship, or any other, bearing authority under him, to doe any thing against any Iudgement or Conviction of Law, it should be your Lordships part and duty to perswade the King to the contrary, and not to doe it, being the Law hath passed.

5. Fiftly, it doth not appeare to what end the Certificate from the Iudges and Iustices was obtained, for if it had beene to doe any thing against a conviction they would never have granted or done it, but it seemed the said Fowkes made the best use of it.

6. Sixtly, Iudge Crooke hath beene spoke withall to certifie of the offence, whose answer was, If a conviction at law were not a Certi∣ficate enough of the fact: Then it must be questioned whether the said Fowkes had a lawfull triall or no.

It will be alledged against your Grace that you urged this cause a∣gainst your predecessor Archbishop Abbot, whose cause was far more to be tollerated then this.

It will be urged and proved what free accesse the said Fowkes had to your Grace and to your Secretary, with divers conferences, and what rejections have been to your Petitioners and their Certificates and Petitions from time to time profered, but never accepted, and your Lordship being once prest upon, your Lordship very angerly answe∣red, that you would not undoe a man for an unlucky blow.

Neither was it or is it desired to have him undone, but onely that he may be taken ab officio, but not à beneficio, having onely our ends to be quiet in the Church, having often threatned us with punishments your Lordship should inflict, even in the time of receiving the Communion, and many other matters which by Certificate may appeare most irre∣ligious, but never were admitted to be seene before the said Fowkes made meanes to your Lordship. Master Dell gently did receive one Certificate, which still he hath, but never after would suffer any to bee seene.

Please your Lordship to call to mind whom you have put out of the Ministry, and whom you keep in.

Please your Lordship to see the affidavit annexed.

Please your Lordship to see a Record exemplified under seale, that one Iohn Lowes of Brandeston in Suffolke, Clerke, is convicted for a common Barrettor, and to doe with him (sede vacante) according to Law, it is evidence of it selfe, and there is no averment against a Re∣cord, so likewise in the former cause.

We desire not to trouble your Lordship nor our selves no further, if it shall so please your Grace.

Here followeth the Affidavit annexed.

A.S. of Woodbridge in the County of Suffolke Gent. maketh oath that he knowes and hath seene Iohn Lowes of Brandeston in Suffolke, Clerke, twice indirected, and once arraigned for witchcraft, and knowes him to be convicted by law for a common Barettor upon a full triall at the Assises in Suffolke, as by record under seale appeares: he maketh oath also that Thomas Fowkes of Earle Soham in Suffolke, Clerke, is of a very scandalous life, and hath heard many of his neighbours and o∣thers complaine of him, and have set their hands against him for di∣vers scandalous matters concerning his life and conversation, and more especially for railing and threatning often them with my Lord of Canterbury, even in the time of receiving the Communion upon Easter day, and another day: and moreover this deponent knowes that he hath been very conversant with Popish Recusants, and knows and have beene the greatest instruments for him to effect and bring to passe some of his desired ends and practices. And he stands convict upon a full triall at the Assizes in Suffolke for the killing of a man, and was then conceived very foule against him, and was so proved by witnesses in this deponents hearing.

Iur. 4. die Augusti 1641.

Iohn Page.

FINIS.