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<DATE>2010-08-18</DATE>
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<NAME>Megan Marion</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE BLOODY HUSBAND, AND CRVELL NEIGHBOVR.</P>
<P>Or, A True Hi&s;torie Of <HI>TWO MVRTHERS,</HI> Lately committed in <HI>Laurence</HI> Pari&s;h, in the I&s;le of <HI>Thanet</HI> in <HI>Kent,</HI> neer <HI>Sandwich:</HI></P>
<P>One Murther By the hands of <HI>Adam Sprackling</HI> E&s;quire, who upon the 12th day of <HI>December</HI> la&s;t, being Sabbath day; in the morning, cut, mangled, and murthered his own wife; for which fact he was hanged at <HI>Sandwich</HI> upon Wedne&s;day the 27th day of <HI>April</HI> la&s;t, 1653.</P>
<P>The other The Murther of <HI>Richard Langly,</HI> of the &s;ame Pari&s;h, who&s;e blood al&s;o (as is here &s;hewed) cryed again&s;t the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Sprackling,</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>Numbers 35.33.</BIBL>
<P>Blood defileth the Land, and the Land cannot be clen&s;ed of the blood that is &s;hed therein, but by the blood of him that &s;hed it.</P></Q>
<P>Written by one that lives neer the Place where the &s;aid Murthers were committed, and was pre&s;ent at Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI>'s tryall; And publi&s;hed for the warning, and good of all.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="imprimatur">
<P><HI>May</HI> 13. 1653. <HI>Imprimatur,</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Edm. Calamy</SIGNED></CLOSER>
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</TEXT></Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed by <HI>Tho. Warren.</HI> 1653.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>THE BLOODY HUSBAND, AND Cruell Neighbour, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_GOD that made man after his own I|mage, made a Law, <HI>Gen.</HI> 9.6. <HI>Who &s;o &s;heddeth mans blood, by man &s;hall his blood be &s;hed; for, in the Image of God made he man.</HI> Again&s;t this &s;in of Mur|ther, the wrath of God hath been revea|led from heaven, by his ju&s;t and daily revengings of innocent blood upon Murtherers. Trea|&s;urers of Examples of Judgements in this kind, both old and new, ly before us; From the time of bloudy <HI>Cain,</HI> to the blood thir&s;ty Popi&s;h Rebels in <HI>Ireland,</HI> to which &s;laughter men of the Scarlet whore of <HI>Rome,</HI> God hath given plenty of blood to drink. We &s;ee bloody men dai|ly cut off by the Sword of Ju&s;tice in all places. The late Execution of the Wife-murtherer at <HI>I&s;lington,</HI> neer <HI>Lon|don,</HI> And the late Murthers in the I&s;le of <HI>Thanet</HI> in the County of <HI>Kent,</HI> and the judgement of God on the Mur|therers, call for a book, wherein they may be written for examples to the Generations pre&s;ent and to come.</P>
<P><HI>Adam Sprackling</HI> E&s;quire, of St. <HI>Laurence</HI> Pari&s;h in that I&s;le, about 20. year &s;ince, married <HI>Katherine,</HI> the
<PB N="2" REF="3">
Daughter of Sir <HI>Robert Leukner,</HI> of <HI>Kent;</HI> This Gentle|man having a fair e&s;tate in Lands, and being above thou|&s;ands of his Nelghbours in E&s;tate, wanting the grace of Humility, exalted him&s;elf above mea&s;ure, affected pre|heminence in all Companies, u&s;ed, in his braveries, long hair, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> to ride about the I&s;land, and frequent Tap|hou&s;es, and there to Rant and roar, game and &s;wear ex|ceedingly, upon the lea&s;t provocation, and u&s;ed to quar|rell and draw his weapon, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> He regarded not the Sab|bath, but prophan'd it at home; The publick wor&s;hip of God, and Preaching of the Word, he &s;eldome or never attended; delighted much in the company of drunken Mini&s;ters. This man, having much wa&s;ted his e&s;tate by his riotous cour&s;es, was of late pur&s;ued with arre&s;ts and &s;utes at Law for debts, which he had contracted; and divers that entred into bond for him left to ruine, and impri&s;on|ment; Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> had Executions out again&s;t him, and Bailiffs ready to apprehend him, whereby he was con&s;treined to make his own hou&s;e his pri&s;on, to keep home, and could not dominier abroad, and ride a|bout as heretofore. Upon this occa&s;ion he grew &s;ad, cho|lerick, and petulent, and full of rage in his hou&s;e; His Wife being divers times con&s;treined to lock up her &s;elf from him. She was a woman of precious report for ma|ny vertues, and (with <HI>Mary</HI>) did choo&s;e the better part: But upon Saturday at night <HI>December</HI> 11. la&s;t, Ma|&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> being re&s;olved to mi&s;chief her, as the &s;e|quel manife&s;ted, He then being in the Kitchin of his hou&s;e, had one <HI>Lamming</HI> a neighbour of his with him, and he then &s;ent for one <HI>Knowler</HI> a Sea-man to come to him; but it being ten of the clock at night, he de&s;ired to be excu&s;ed, &s;aying he was in bed; whereupon Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> &s;ent for one <HI>Martin,</HI> a poor old man, a Tenant, and neighbour of his, who (though in bed) did ari&s;e and
<PB N="3" REF="3">
come to Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling,</HI> and then <HI>Lamming</HI> de&s;ired that he might go home, which reque&s;t Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> granted. So there remained Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> and his Wife, and <HI>Martin,</HI> and one <HI>Ewell,</HI> &s;ervant to Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling,</HI> the&s;e four only in the Kitchin; His Daughter and Maid-&s;ervant got away (&s;eeing his rage) and locked them&s;elves all night in an out-room far from the Kitchin. Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> would not go to bed, though it grew late, but commanded <HI>Martin</HI> to bind <HI>Ewells</HI> legs, which he did accordingly with a dogs couplings, and &s;o <HI>Ewell</HI> &s;at bound all night after on the ground. <HI>Martin</HI> and <HI>Ewell</HI> conceived it only a frolick or ranting fit or humour come on him, &s;uch as they had been formerly acquainted with.</P>
<P>Then he began to rage again&s;t his Wife, who &s;ate quietly there: her words to him were full of loving and &s;weet expre&s;&s;ions; but he on a &s;udden drew his Dagger, and &s;truck her with it on the face, which blow hurt her jaw; but &s;he was very patient, and &s;ayd little to him; but he &s;till raged again&s;t her; And towards morning the good Gentlewoman being weary, and in great fear, ro&s;e up to go out of the room, and lifting up her hand to open the dore, her Husband following her with a chopping-knife in his hand, cut her wri&s;t therewith, &s;o, that the bone was cut in &s;under; her hand hung down only by the &s;i|newes and skin; No help was neer, <HI>Ewell</HI> bound, and <HI>Martin</HI> old and weak, and fearing his own life, dur&s;t not interpo&s;e, but only prayed his Mi&s;tris to &s;tay and be quiet, he &s;ayd he hoped all would be well; And <HI>Martin</HI> got a napkin and bound up her hand with it. After this, towards morning, Mr. <HI>Sprackling,</HI> raging and rayling at her, da&s;h|ed her on the forehead with the Iron Cleaver or Chop|ping-knife. Then &s;he fell down bleeding, but recovered her &s;elf on her knees, and kneeling cryed, and prayed to
<PB N="4" REF="4">
God for pardon of her own &s;ins, and of her Husbands &s;in, be&s;eeching God to forgive him, for &s;he forgave him. But, in the time of her praying thus, her Husband chopt her head in the mid&s;t into the brains, &s;o that &s;he fell down &s;tark dead in&s;tantly, lying in her own blood; Then he killed &s;ix dogs, four of which he threw be&s;ides his wife, and after &s;he was dead, he cut her in the leg in two places, and compelled <HI>Martin</HI> to wa&s;h <HI>Ewells</HI> face with her blood, he al&s;o dipped linnen in her blood, and be&s;meared <HI>Martin's</HI> face with her blood, and bebloudied his own face with it.</P>
<P>For this Fact Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> was apprehended that night, having his Dagger in one hand, and Pi&s;toll in the other hand; but he was &s;urprized, and taken by one <HI>Martin Brook.</HI> The next day he was carried to <HI>Sandwich</HI> Jayl: And after the Maior of <HI>Sandwich</HI> (being Coroner) and his Inque&s;t had &s;ate upon the death of this Gentle|woman, <HI>Martin</HI> al&s;o was &s;ent to Pri&s;on. The Se&s;&s;ions at <HI>Sandwich</HI> followed on Friday the 22. of <HI>April</HI> la&s;t. The Steward of the Court Mr. <HI>Peter Peak</HI> a Coun&s;ellour of <HI>Grayes</HI>-Inne, gave a godly and learned charge to the Grand Inque&s;t, and, after mention of many &s;ins, he &s;pake of the crying &s;in of Murther, what a land-defiling and God-provoking &s;in it was, as he evidenced by many ex|amples; As, of the Sword not departing from the hou&s;e of <HI>David,</HI> for his murther of <HI>Uriah,</HI> by the Sword of the Ammonites; For the blood of <HI>Naboth,</HI> the dogs lickd the bloud of <HI>Ahab,</HI> and three&s;core and ten &s;ons of his had their bloud &s;hed afterward, and dogs did eat bloudy <HI>Jezabel;</HI> The &s;ons of bloudy <HI>Saul</HI> hang'd up, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> And, for the direction of the Court, he came to &s;ome ca&s;es of Mur|ther, &s;hewing in &s;uch ca&s;es there was malice expre&s;t, ma|lice implyed, malice &s;upplyed. Malice expre&s;t, and Mur|ther thereupon, is ordinary: but if a man intend malici|ou&s;ly
<PB N="5" REF="4">
to kill one, and it fall out, that he kill not the party, which he de&s;ired to mi&s;chief, but another, it is murther. He &s;hewed out of his Law-books, that a Father-in-law procured phy&s;ick for his &s;ick Son-in-law; The Phy&s;ician pre&s;cribed a comfortable Medicine, which the Apothe|cary made accordingly of &s;everall Ingredients; The Son-in law took &s;ome of it, but it had almo&s;t killed him, though cordiall Phy&s;ick; The Father-in-law went to the Doctor of Phy&s;ick, and told him how the Cordiall wrought; Hereupon the Apothecary was &s;ent for, and examined touching the Ingredients; He replied, he had put nothing in, but as the Phy&s;ician directed, and that he knew the phy&s;ick &s;o Cordiall, that he would take it him&s;elf, and, to ju&s;tifie him&s;elf, did take part of that Medicine; but, he &s;oon dyed: Afterwards it was found out, that the wife of the &s;ick man had put poy&s;on in the Medicine, thinking thereby to poy&s;on her Husband; but, he being of a &s;tronger nature than the Apothecary, did e&s;cape, though hardly: but the woman was executed for the Apothecaries death, though &s;he intended not his death, becau&s;e there was malice expre&s;t, murther intended.</P>
<P>Malice implyed was where no expre&s;&s;ion of malice in words, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> appeared in the &s;layer; as if a Son put his aged Father out of dores in a fro&s;ty night, and he dy, its murther; <HI>Non refert an occidat, an cau&s;am mortis praebeat.</HI> If two be together, and, no provocation given or known, one kill the other, there is malice implied; it's Murther.</P>
<P>Malice &s;upplied, this he &s;hewed in two Children in King <HI>Henry</HI> the &s;eventh's time, one nine year old, the other ele|ven; one kill'd the other, and, becau&s;e the &s;layer denyed the fact, and cunningly by excu&s;es &s;ought to hide it, and to acquit him&s;elf of it, it was found Murther; Malice was &s;upplyed in Law, to be in the Child though not of compe|tent age, and the Child was thereupon executed.</P>
<P><PB N="6" REF="5">After the Grand Inque&s;t had received the Bill of In|dictment, which was pre&s;ented in Court by Mr. <HI>Steward Leukner,</HI> brother of Mr. <HI>Spracklings</HI> wife, the Inque&s;t go|ing together, returned to the Bar, finding both Mr. <HI>Sprack|ling,</HI> and <HI>Martin</HI> guilty of the Murther of Mi&s;tris <HI>Sprackling.</HI> After dinner the Jury of life and death was called, Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> and <HI>Martin</HI> pleaded not guilty; and referred them&s;elves to a fair tryall: Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> held up his trembling hand at the Bar; but when the Jury came one by one to be &s;worn, he excepred again&s;t, and put by 20. of them, &s;hewing no rea&s;on for it; but, he not being permitted by Law to except again&s;t any more, with|out &s;hewing rea&s;on for it, a Jury was at la&s;t filled up and &s;worn. And the murther as before rehear&s;ed, was pro|ved by <HI>Ewell;</HI> (for <HI>Martin</HI> being a Pri&s;oner and party, could give no evidence.)</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> pleaded for him&s;elf, that he was mad when he kill'd his Wife; and that he knew not what he did: but <HI>Lamming,</HI> being depo&s;ed, te&s;tified, that when he left Mr. <HI>Sprackling,</HI> that Saturday night, he perceived no di&s;temper in him, but that he was as he u&s;ed to be at other times: And <HI>Jo&s;eph Cowell</HI> his Tenant, who &s;aw him that Sabbath after the Murther done, te&s;tified that he was as he u&s;ed to be, only he &s;pake thick, and often of bloud, blood, blood. And it was te&s;tified by <HI>Roger Streven,</HI> who &s;aw him next morning after the fact, when he went to Pri&s;on; He depo&s;ed that he &s;aw no &s;ign of di&s;traction in him, but was rationall in his di&s;cour&s;e, and provided a Wagon with a bed in it for his conveyance to <HI>Sandwich</HI> Pri&s;on; And <HI>Roger Streven</HI> depo&s;ed, that he heard it af|firmed that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> &s;aid after his wife was dead, now let us kill the Dogs, and then they'l &s;ay we are mad indeed.</P>
<P>And &s;ince the Tryall, it is known that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="5">
writ a Letter that Saturday morning to <HI>Roger Hooper,</HI> a Sea-man, to buy him Goods at <HI>London,</HI> and &s;uch, and &s;uch Books; and, to pay money at <HI>London</HI> for him; which Letter was rationall, in his u&s;uall form of writing. And &s;ince the tryall al&s;o, Mr. <HI>Hope&s;till Tilden</HI> of <HI>Sand|wich</HI> affirmed in the hearing of many, that he being di|vers times with Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> in Pri&s;on, heard him &s;ay, he kill'd his Wife, becau&s;e &s;he was a traitour to him, and &s;ayd, that if it were your ca&s;e <HI>Hope&s;till,</HI> you would do the like to &s;uch a Wife that went about to betray you, and undo you, and deliver you to the Bailiffs. And, I &s;ince hear, he affirmed the &s;ame to another, that morn|ing he went to Pri&s;on, &s;aying, &s;he left the dores open on purpo&s;e, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> And for further Evidence at the tryall, many witne&s;&s;es were called and &s;worn, that te&s;tified, that this bloudy Oxe did u&s;e to pu&s;h in former time; and, that it was not a fit of frenzy at that time of the Murther rehear&s;ed; but, that he was of an habitual bloody di&s;po|&s;ition and practi&s;e. One <HI>John Ru&s;&s;ell</HI> depo&s;ed, that about twenty year before, he &s;aw Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> endeavour to run one <HI>John Simons</HI> through with his naked Rapier, in St. <HI>Peters</HI> Pari&s;h, at a Tap-hou&s;e there, and had nayled him to the wall, had not he took hold on the hilt of the Rapier; and, that in another Tap-hou&s;e there, he &s;aw Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> quarrell with one <HI>Giles,</HI> and drew his Sword at him; but, the Deponent did not follow Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI> into the next Room where <HI>Giles</HI> was; but, he &s;aw <HI>Giles</HI> come bleeding out.</P>
<P>One <HI>Robert Li&s;ter</HI> depo&s;ed, that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> being wor&s;ted in a quarrell in a Tap-hou&s;e in that Pari&s;h, lay there at one <HI>Homans</HI> all night, and &s;ent for his man <HI>Cor&s;|let,</HI> his Champion, and next day morning, in cold blood, commanded his man <HI>Cor&s;let</HI> to fall on the &s;aid <HI>Robert Li|&s;ter,</HI> which he did pre&s;ently, and &s;trook the &s;aid <HI>Li&s;ter</HI> on
<PB N="8" REF="6">
the jaw with a cudgell, whereby a tumult aro&s;e; but, company parted them: And one <HI>Goble,</HI> a Shoemaker, was run into the bowells, in that Pari&s;h, another time, when Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> was in the affray.</P>
<P><HI>Edward Taddy</HI> depo&s;ed, that he being Con&s;table, did a&s;&s;i&s;t <HI>Humphery Pudner,</HI> the Maior of <HI>Dovers</HI> Deputy, at St. <HI>Johns</HI> pari&s;h, and <HI>Richard Langley,</HI> Deputy to the Maior of <HI>Sandwich,</HI> at St. <HI>Laurence</HI> Pari&s;h, when they three had an Order to di&s;arm Mr. <HI>Sprackling,</HI> and, having taken and &s;ecured the Arms in his hou&s;e, Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> a&s;&s;aulted the &s;aid <HI>Edward Taddy,</HI> when he met him &s;ome moneths after; And <HI>Humphrey Pudner</HI> depo&s;ed, that he drew upon him al&s;o in the &s;treet; and, that he being Offi|cer, di&s;arm'd Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> in an affray, which he made in a Taphou&s;e in St. <HI>Johns</HI> Pari&s;h; And <HI>William Grant</HI> depo&s;ed, that in that Pari&s;h he drew at him, and had cleav'd his head with his Cutla&s;h, if he had not put by the blow. Others were ready to depo&s;e many &s;uch bloody a&s;&s;aults done by Mr. <HI>Sprackling:</HI> But (above all) the death of <HI>Richard Langley</HI> of St. <HI>Laurence</HI> Pari&s;h, was mentioned in Court. This <HI>Richard Langley</HI> was a very godly man, zealous for God and the State, had &s;eized on Mr. <HI>Spracklings</HI> Arms, and Articled again&s;t him, &s;o that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> was &s;ecured at <HI>Canterbury,</HI> at the fir&s;t of the Parliament: But Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> (being at liberty in the year 1648.) the day before the Kenti&s;h In&s;urrection bur&s;t out, armed hor&s;e and men, and went down from his own hou&s;e to the Sea-town there, called <HI>Ram&s;gate;</HI> that is Romans-gate, where the Romans fir&s;t Landed when they &s;ubdued this Nation: And <HI>Richard Langley</HI> living there, was &s;ought for; but, he hid him&s;elf in his hou&s;e for a time; but, hearing that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> was there at the Tavern with Hor&s;e and Arms, and a rude crew with him, <HI>Langley</HI> crept out of his own hou&s;e, and
<PB N="9" REF="6">
&s;tole away, and got to one Mi&s;tris <HI>John&s;ons</HI> hou&s;e, and making his &s;ad ca&s;e known, how Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> &s;ought his blood, The good Gentlewoman lent him her Mare, and <HI>Langley</HI> pre&s;ently fled out: but, Mr. <HI>Sprackling,</HI> hea|ring that <HI>Langley</HI> was got away, his two men, <HI>Allen</HI> and <HI>Emer&s;om,</HI> went after him; One Ma&s;ter <HI>John John|&s;on</HI> depo&s;ed, that he &s;aw them ride af<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">er <HI>Langley,</HI> &s;o &s;oon as <HI>Langley</HI> was got on hor&s;e-back, and that Mr. <HI>Sprack|ling</HI>'s hor&s;e pur&s;ued, and they had their Pi&s;tolls pre&s;en|ted, as they rid by Mi&s;tris <HI>John&s;ons</HI> Gate after <HI>Langley,</HI> whom they overtook about two miles off, and there he was &s;hot through his body with a brace of bullets, which entred his back, and came forth at his brea&s;t, and &s;o he was left wallowing in his blood, and died pre&s;ently, lea|ving behind him a Widow and thirteen Orphans in a &s;ad condition. Whereupon <HI>Paul Allen</HI> fled, and is not yet taken: But <HI>Emer&s;om,</HI> though he were af|terwards a Souldier in that In&s;urrection, Yet he was ap|prehended and Executed at <HI>Canterbury.</HI> It was not pro|ved that Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> commanded them to kill <HI>Lang|ley;</HI> But it's certain, that Mr. <HI>Sprakling</HI> was Commander in chief there that day, and acted as Commi&s;&s;ioner, and &s;ent for divers hone&s;t men, and impri&s;oned &s;ome in his hou&s;e, and afterwards went to Sea, and continued with the R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">volted Ships. And it was depo&s;ed at Ma&s;ter <HI>Sprackling</HI>'s tryall, that he had often threatned <HI>Richard Langley,</HI> and that before <HI>Richard Langley</HI> was m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">rthered, M. <HI>Sprackling</HI> &s;eeing him in the &s;treet, drew his Sword at him, and flouri&s;hed it over his own head, and was ready to a&s;&s;ault <HI>Richard Langley,</HI> but was prevented by others. And it was depo&s;ed al&s;o that before the Mur|ther of <HI>Richard Langley,</HI> Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> went out of the Tavern and pur&s;ued <HI>Langley</HI> to his own hou&s;e with naked weapon in his hand, and there call'd for him, and &s;ought
<PB N="10" REF="7">
him, but not finding him departed, and going out, let fall his Pi&s;toll in the entry of <HI>Langley</HI>'s hou&s;e, which Pi&s;toll the Witne&s;&s;e &s;aw there, and took it up.</P>
<P>After the Court had heard the Evidence again&s;t Ma|&s;ter <HI>Sprackling,</HI> leave was given him to &s;peak for him|&s;elf, and to bring what witne&s;s he plea&s;ed in his defence, he and they &s;hould be fairly heard. He named two Law|yers for his a&s;&s;i&s;tance in form of Law, but none appeared. Two Phy&s;icians appeared in Court for him, and &s;ome women, to prove he was mad: but they &s;pake only gene|rall things; only one Phy&s;ician depo&s;ed, that he had let him blood four times together in a fever, about a year be|fore, and that then he was in a di&s;tracted fitt; but none could &s;wear he was di&s;tracted, neer, at, or after the Murther committed; only that he u&s;ed to be outragious in pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>The Jury, giving up their Verdict, &s;aid, they found Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> guilty of wilfull Murther.</P>
<P>But they acquitted <HI>Martin,</HI> having no proof that he had Combined to kill the Gentlewoman, or a&s;&s;i&s;ted in killing her; but that, meerly out of fear of death to him&s;elf, he was willing to humour his Ma&s;ter in binding <HI>Ewell,</HI> and in praying Mrs. <HI>Sprackling</HI> to &s;tay: and <HI>Ewell</HI> upon oath &s;ayd, that he could not &s;wear that he &s;aw <HI>Martin</HI> lay hands on her, to keep her from going out, and <HI>Martin</HI> having al&s;o a good te&s;timoniall of all his neighbours, of his peaceable and harmle&s;s life. The &s;entence of death being pronounced by the Maior of <HI>Sandwich</HI> again&s;t Ma|&s;ter <HI>Sprackling;</HI> Ma&s;ter <HI>Peak,</HI> the Steward, made a pa|theticall exhortation to Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> to repent; he &s;hew|ed him the heinou&s;ne&s;s of the fact, and aggravated it in regard of the murthered Gentlewomans worth, in the ad|mirable graces and vertues that &s;hined forth in her, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> But Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> an&s;wered; <HI>No man can judge between
<PB N="11" REF="7">
man and wife, but God alone,</HI> and &s;hewing &s;mall token of Repentance, or of care for his &s;oul, He only reque&s;ted then, that his body might be delivered to four women, which he named in open Court. Being returned to Pri|&s;on, he refu&s;ed Conference with any, from his Judge|ment to his death. Divers godly Gentlemen and Mini|&s;ters de&s;ired to &s;peak to him, but he would admit none. There was a Lecture at <HI>Sandwich</HI> upon the day of his Execution. The Jayl joyned to the yard of the Church, where the Lecture was preached; yet he would not &s;o much as &s;end to be prayed for: But the Lecturer (Ma|&s;ter <HI>John Durant</HI>) prayed earne&s;tly for him. In Pri&s;on he &s;pake of Receiving the Sacrament by the mini&s;tring of Mr. <HI>Edward Fellows,</HI> but did not receive it.</P>
<P>Upon the 27. day of <HI>April</HI> la&s;t, Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> being ready to go to Execution, de&s;ired the Sheriff of <HI>Sand|wich</HI> to make a guard, that no man, Mini&s;ter, or other, might come neer to &s;peak with him. He had notes in writing at his Execution to look on; He confe&s;&s;ed in ge|nerall that he was a &s;inner, and de&s;erved death, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Two Mini&s;ters pre&s;t neer him, and call'd upon him to con&s;ider his condition, and to glorifie God by a free Confe&s;&s;ion, and exhortation to the people, there being (as was con|ceived) at lea&s;t 2000. at his Execution; but he de&s;ired the Mini&s;ters not to trouble him: But one of the Mini&s;ters pre&s;&s;ed <HI>Langley</HI>'s death upon him, and de&s;ired him to di&s;|charge his con&s;cience in that, whether he were guilty or not; now was the time; as the tree falls, &s;o it lyes; But Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI>'s an&s;wer was; <HI>Sir, I have made my confe&s;|&s;ion to God, I pray trouble me not; man hath nothing to do with it, I pray &s;peak no more of it.</HI></P>
<P>This is a &s;ad pre&s;umption of his guiltine&s;s of <HI>Langley</HI>'s death; and that the report is true, which &s;aith that Ma|&s;ter <HI>Sprackling,</HI> when he &s;ent <HI>Allen</HI> and <HI>Emer&s;on</HI> after
<PB N="12" REF="8">
<HI>Richard Langley,</HI> and bid them bring him dead or alive: If he had not appointed them to kill <HI>Langley,</HI> he would now have di&s;claimed the fact; And who would not have believ'd a dying man? It was the &s;aying of many godly wi&s;e people, when they heard of Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI>'s murther of his Wife, that they were per&s;waded that the cry of <HI>Richard Langley</HI>'s blood did move the blood|avenging God to leave Mr. <HI>Sprackling</HI> to fall to that Wife-murther, that &s;uch a blood-thir&s;ty man might not go to the Grave in peace.</P>
<P>He was hanged in his Cloak, And afterwards put into a Coffin cloaths and all at the Gallows, and after &s;trip|ped, and layd forth, and coffined at the &s;ign of the three Kings in <HI>Sandwich;</HI> and the next day towards night car|ried from thence &s;ix miles on mens &s;houlders over the Ferry to St. <HI>Lawrence</HI> Chur<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">h, where in the night he was buried neer his Wife.</P>
<P>This is the true Hi&s;tory of the&s;e bloody practi&s;es: God brings light out of darkne&s;s, and the glory of his Ju&s;tice out of the &s;in, &s;hame, and de&s;truction of the wic|ked; They are not all &s;weet flowers from which the Bees gather hony: All truth is written for our In&s;truction.</P>
<P>Learn</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Let him that &s;tands take heed le&s;t he fall; All men are &s;ubject to the &s;ame infirmities, and temptations; Walk circum&s;pectly, pray continually, le&s;t ye enter into Temp|tation.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>For&s;ake not God, by for&s;aking his Sabbaths, Mini|&s;try of the Word,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>le&s;t Gods Spirit for&s;ake thee, and thou be given up to Satan to be led captive by him at his will.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Let all ranting and prodigall ones, my young Ma|&s;ters and others, learn here the bitter &s;equels of riot and wa&s;te: Be&s;ides a world of evils, it brings want, want di|&s;traction,
<PB N="13" REF="8">
di&s;content between the neere&s;t Re|lations.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>Take heed you marry in the Lord. 'Tis not a brave Spark that can mannage his Rapier well,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>that you can expect to live well with, if there be not grace in the heart.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>Take heed of malice and wrath, and bloody minded|ne&s;s, and of bloody attempts and practi&s;es: Deliver me from blood guiltine&s;s, O God.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>Take heed of the company of the wicked, e&s;pecially of bloody men: It had like to have co&s;t poor</HI> Martin <HI>his life.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>Pray that our Higher powers moy take to heart the want of Government in the Port part of the I&s;le of</HI> Tha|net <HI>in</HI> Kent, <HI>which part is &s;o far from Ju&s;tice, that it is full of prophane&s;s; When the &s;hire-part of the I&s;le, where Ju&s;tice is neer and active, is better Reformed. I do humbly wi&s;h that all the I&s;le be made Shire, or a Corporation &s;et up in the Port-part: Drunkenne&s;s, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>none to put &s;uch to &s;hame; a Maiors Deputy hath no power, the remedy is wor&s;e than the di&s;ea&s;e, to go &s;o many miles to Complain to the Maiors; But Gods Ju|&s;tice acts where mans doth not. Not a year pa&s;&s;eth there, but a Drunkard breaks his neck off his hor&s;e, or over the Cliff: Two have hanged them&s;elves within a year la&s;t pa&s;t, one on Ea&s;ter Monday la&s;t, being actually drunk, hangd him&s;elf.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. <HI>Pray that a &s;etled godly able Mini&s;try may be e&s;ta|bli&s;hed in the Pari&s;h where this Ma&s;ter</HI> Sprackling <HI>lived; where the&s;e bloody and ungodly Practi&s;es prevail: The dark corners of the Earth are full of the habitations of Cruel|ty. There are many thou&s;and &s;ouls, yet not ten pounds a year &s;etled for the maintenance of a Mini&s;ter:</HI> Richard Langley <HI>procured the ca&s;ting out of the un&s;avory &s;alt
<PB N="14" REF="9">
there; And be dyed in the time of his zealous actings to procure maintenance for an able Mini&s;ter.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. <HI>Look upon this godly Gentlewoman, and</HI> Richard Langley, <HI>lying in their blood, mangled and &s;lain, and &s;ee what may befall the deare&s;t &s;ervants of God in this world: and prepare for the like tryalls. They that will live godly in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, &s;hall &s;uffer per&s;ecution.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
