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<DATE>8-27-14</DATE>
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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Added TEMPHEAD, checked ID, and added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate. Proofed title page. Checked ^s. Reviewed structure; changed petition OPENER SALUTE to P; moved letter SALUTE; removed petition SALUTE; restructured throughout, changing some LETTERs to Q TEXT BODY DIV1s, HEADs to OPENER DATEs, and removing some DIV2s; removed some ABBRs. Checked placement and completeness of PBs; moved a PB. Checked for damage GAPs, #s, @s, --s, and UNCLEARs. Corrected [dollars]s. Checked spacing of foreign GAPs. Checked for EPIGRAPHs and ARGUMENTs. Checked for startqs, endqs, abq's, oes, qs, Ae's, and Qs. Checked proofsheets and made corrections. Checked I / J and U / V. Checked for CLOSERs, OPENERs, SIGNEDs, SALUTEs, TRAILERs, and BYLINEs. Checked decorated initials. Checked FIGUREs. Sample: 2 minutes. Proofing: 10 minutes. Tag review and corrections: 10 minutes. DONE.</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE CASE AND VINDICATION OF WILLIAM KNIGHT, Late Mini&s;ter of <HI>Whitbey</HI> in the County of <HI>York.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Wherein are di&s;covered the De&s;ign, Means, and In&s;truments of his Seque&s;tration, which happened on the</HI> 28 <HI>of</HI> De|cember 1652. <HI>at the Committee for Plundred</HI> Mini&s;ters, <HI>Mr.</HI> Gilbert Millington <HI>being in the</HI> Chair.</P>
<P>LONDON, Printed in the Year. 1653.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="letter">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Supreme Authority the PARLIAMENT of the COMMON-VVEALTH of ENGLAND.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Right Honourable,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>IT may be wondred at, that a Per&s;on of my lowne&s;s and ob&s;curity &s;hould adventure on &s;o extraordinary a way of vindicating my &s;elf, and addre&s;s my &s;elf to the judgement of an Authority &s;o far above me. But if it be withall con&s;idered that I approach this Tribunal with the incouragement of my innocency, and that <HI>right</HI> to <HI>ju&s;tice,</HI> which I have equal with any other, the wonder may cea&s;e; and it may be thought that they are not or|dinary &s;ufferings that have inforced me to this extraordi|nary appeal, and that the redre&s;s I expect cannot be el&s;e|where obtained. As for the expre&s;&s;ions of this remon|&s;trance I hope no man will think they proceed from ran|cour, or an itch to be &s;atyrical with any mans per&s;on; but what is here &s;aid of any man is &s;eriou&s;ly and &s;oberly &s;poken, and it may be, in &s;uch words as reach not their actions. The lea&s;t oppre&s;&s;ion of any man though never &s;o poor is of publick concernment, &s;ince what one &s;uffers without redre&s;s, may be exerci&s;ed in time on many: <HI>Go|vernment</HI> and <HI>acting</HI> by <HI>will</HI> and <HI>prerogative</HI> is that which we have &s;pent our bloud to de&s;troy, and which we all condemn when we &s;uffer thereby. Men <HI>corrupt</HI> and acting <HI>crookedly</HI> in their places are the <HI>di&s;ea&s;es</HI> and <HI>deformity</HI> of the Common-wealth, and therefore <HI>Ju&s;tice</HI> is compar'd
<PB REF="3" MS="y">to a <HI>torrent,</HI> or <HI>mighty &s;tream,</HI> both in regard its con&s;tant &s;wift <HI>motion</HI> prevents all <HI>corruption,</HI> and its <HI>force</HI> and <HI>fiercene&s;s</HI> carries away the de&s;igns and <HI>Machinations</HI> of the <HI>mighty</HI> to their own confu&s;ion.</P>
<P>If in this relation I have di&s;covered the <HI>bya&s;&s;ed</HI> actions of any man, who by his <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> and <HI>power</HI> thinks to <HI>elude</HI> the <HI>inqui&s;ition</HI> of his <HI>inju&s;tice</HI> and <HI>oppres&s;ion,</HI> I conceive my life to have done as much as if I had de&s;troy'd a fa|tal <HI>mon&s;ter,</HI> or defeated in the field, an open enemy to the <HI>publick.</HI> What ever I have done I humbly &s;ubmit my &s;elf to the judgement of this Honourable A&s;&s;embly: If I have de&s;erved the &s;entence of the Committee for plundered <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> I &s;hall as willingly imbrace the con|firmation of it, as I hope a &s;peedy redre&s;s if I have not. What ever become of me, &s;ince I can &s;uffer no greater things then I have already long &s;ince endured for your cau&s;e, I &s;hall as zealou&s;ly and as heartily for the future &s;pend my &s;elf in the advancement of this Common|wealth as I have already, either by Sea or Land, as pro|vidence &s;hall be plea&s;ed to di&s;po&s;e of</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>Right Honourable,</SALUTE><LB>
<SIGNED><HI>Your mo&s;t Faithfull, mo&s;t<LB> Humble and mo&s;t devote<LB> Servant.</HI><LB> WILL. KNIGHT.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="petition">
<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>To the Supream Authority the PARLIAMNT Of the Common-Wealth of ENGLAND.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>The humble Petition of</HI> William Knight, <HI>late Mini&s;ter of</HI> Whitbey <HI>in the County of</HI> York.</HEAD>
<P><HI>Humbly &s;heweth,</HI></P>
<P>THat your Petitioner having officiated in the Town of <HI>Whit|bey</HI> as Lecturer for the &s;pace of two years, in the year <HI>1649.</HI> the Inhabitants drew up a Petition to the Committee for plundered <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> for his &s;ettlement among them as their <HI>Mini&s;ter.</HI></P>
<P>That your Petitioner having delayed the obtaining of the &s;ub&s;cri|ptions of the neighbouring <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> (which he was told was nece&s;&s;a|ry) till the day that the &s;hip he did imbarque in for <HI>London</HI> was to &s;et &s;ail, he was per&s;waded by one Mr. <HI>Loving&s;tone</HI> and Mr. <HI>Young,</HI> (who&s;e free &s;ub&s;criptions he had already gained) to make u&s;e (in that extremity) of the hands of one Mr. <HI>Hicks,</HI> and one Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hel,</HI> to a Certificate of his Abilities and good conver&s;ation, they being &s;uch as would not have denied him the right hand of fellow&s;hip; which pre&s;um|ption he acquainted them with, by a Letter wherein was inclo&s;ed a Co|py of the Certificate, and was owned by the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Hicks.</HI></P>
<P>That being come to <HI>London,</HI> in regard of his unacquaintance with the proceedings of the Committee for plundred <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> he imployed one <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> for the procuring of an order of &s;ettlement, which within &s;ome weeks he brought him.</P>
<P>That being returned with this order he officiated quietly till <HI>Sept.</HI> following, at which time by an order from the Committee for plundred <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> directed, to the Committee at <HI>York</HI> he was &s;ent for thither and charged with the forgery of the &s;aid order and &s;ent to pri&s;on, whence after a fortnights &s;tay he was tran&s;lated to the Committee for plun|dred <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> to an&s;wer what &s;hould be laid to his charge as to that order; where he pleading that he had imployed one <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> in the pro|curing of it, but not producing the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> and for that he was al&s;o charged with the pre&s;umption of the fore&s;aid Certificate by one <HI>Conyers</HI> and Mr. <HI>Adoniram Byfield</HI> he was taken into cu&s;tody, where he continued a moneth till the Committee, &s;en&s;ible of his weak|ne&s;s and &s;urpri&s;al in the one, and &s;atisfied of his innocenty in the other, ordered him to be &s;et at Liberty.</P>
<P>That being at Liberty he went <HI>Mini&s;ter</HI> in the Ship, whereof Capt. <HI>Bodelay</HI> was Captain and continued in that &s;ervice <HI>12</HI> moneths.</P>
<PB REF="4">
<P> That at his return hearing that the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> was for &s;ome noto|rious crimes in <HI>New-gate,</HI> and that <HI>Whitbey</HI> had all the time of his ab&s;ence been utterly un&s;upplied, he was de&s;ired to apply him&s;elf afre&s;h to the Committee, which he did bringing the acknowledgement of the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> and producing other Certificates, as al&s;o a new Petition from the Inhabitants of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> whereupon he was by an Order of <HI>Decemb. 11. 1650.</HI> fully &s;etled in the place.</P>
<P>Yet &s;o it is, Right Honourable, that notwith&s;tanding all the&s;e pro|ceedings in <HI>July</HI> la&s;t, there were Articles exhibited again&s;t him at the Committee for plundred <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> four whereof relate to the fore&s;aid Certificate and forged Order, and an <HI>8.</HI> charges him with drunkenne&s;s, libelling, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> by means whereof he was &s;eque&s;tred on the <HI>28</HI> day of <HI>December</HI> la&s;t.</P>
<P>Now in regard the Committee had formerly clear'd your Petitio|ner, both as to the Certificate and Order afore&s;aid, by their Or|der of <HI>December 11. 1650.</HI> And that the witne&s;&s;es again&s;t him to the <HI>8.</HI> Art. are all prophane per&s;ons and of evil conver&s;ation, and known Malignants, and by a Malignant de&s;ign &s;uborned again&s;t him, and their informations utterly fal&s;e, as he can make appear.</P>
<P>He humbly prayes &s;ince he is not of the meane&s;t of tho&s;e that have appeared to re&s;cue this Nation from <HI>unju&s;t</HI> and <HI>u&s;urp|ing</HI> powers, that your Honours would not &s;uffer him to be un|ju&s;tly cru&s;h'd by the malicious de&s;igns of potent enemies, but grant him that countenance and redre&s;s, which you in your High wi&s;doms &s;hall think the ju&s;tice of his cau&s;e may de|&s;erve.</P>
<CLOSER><HI>And he &s;hall (as in duty bound ever pray)</HI> &amp;c.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="account">
<PB N="1" REF="4">
<HEAD>The CASE and VINDICATION Of WILLIAM KNIGHT, Late Mini&s;ter of <HI>Whitbey</HI> in the County of <HI>York.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>Wherein are di&s;covered the De&s;ign, Means, and In&s;truments of his Seque&s;tration, which happened on the</HI> 28 <HI>of</HI> De|cember 1652. <HI>at the Committee for Plundred</HI> Mini&s;ters, <HI>Mr.</HI> Gilbert Millington <HI>being in the</HI> Chair.</P>
<P>_WHen I con&s;ider the carriage of my life, even from the fir&s;t dawnings of rea&s;on and con&s;ideration, that eve|ry man ought to have of the end he is to aim at in this World. I cannot but ob&s;erve how that <HI>Provi|dence,</HI> which di&s;po&s;eth every man to be an in&s;tru|ment of <HI>good</HI> or <HI>evil,</HI> according to its <HI>decrees,</HI> hath carried me on in all my actions, to indeavour the promotion of the <HI>publick good,</HI> before any <HI>private intere&s;t</HI> of mine own.</P>
<P>And this I mu&s;t acknowledge was that, that made meat once for&s;ake my friends and Countrey, and in&s;en&s;ibly drew me on to be one of the earlie&s;t ingagers in that cau&s;e, which for its enemy had an u&s;urping power in Church and State. Wherein I can give no greater evidence of my forwardne&s;s than my Per&s;onal ingaging in fifteen Battels and Skirmi&s;hes in <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> not to mention my &s;ufferings otherwi&s;e, and particularly, my inpri&s;on|ment at <HI>Durham</HI> and <HI>York,</HI> by the late Kings forces, where after the Torment of 24 hours <HI>Neck</HI> and <HI>Heel's,</HI> I remained without any
<PB N="2" REF="5">allowance near four moneths, and of 200 <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> and <HI>Scots</HI> pri|&s;oners, was one of the la&s;t exchang'd.</P>
<P>However, I continued in my fidelity and &s;ervice to the Parlia|ment, till the beginning of the year 1645. when it plea&s;ed <HI>that &s;pi|rit which bloweth where it li&s;teth</HI> to call me to the exerci&s;e of tho&s;e gifts, which my engagement in the Wars had &s;omewhat &s;mothered; and that this al&s;o was the work of the fame <HI>providence</HI> I cannot doubt, when I con&s;ider it happened in &s;uch parts of <HI>York-&s;hire,</HI> as had not yet &s;haken off the darkne&s;s and implicity of <HI>Epi&s;copal</HI> times, and ob&s;erve the &s;ucce&s;s it plea&s;ed God to grant my teach|ings and in&s;tructions, to the advancement of piety, and his Go|&s;pel.</P>
<P>In this imployment I &s;pent my &s;elf till the year 1647. at which time God put it into the hearts of the Inhabitants of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> to de&s;ire my removeal from the part where I then exerci&s;ed to come among them, whither, to &s;atisfie the importunity of the well-affected of that place, I con&s;ented to come, and there I officiated as Lecturer (onely on Wedne&s;days) till 1649. requiring nothing towards my &s;ub&s;i&s;tance but the free Contributions of the well-affe|cted, while one Mr. <HI>Wood</HI> (formerly &s;eque&s;tred for his mi&s;de|meanours and malignancy) intruded into the office of preaching on the Lords days.</P>
<P>The&s;e things being ob&s;erved by one Mr. <HI>Richard Conyers,</HI> he by the &s;trength of his friends and intere&s;t in the Pari&s;h obtains ad|mittance to officiate there, till &s;ome one were lawfully &s;ettled in the place, not doubting to receive the profits thereof for the time he &s;hould continue &s;o doing.</P>
<P>But the &s;aid <HI>Conyers</HI> having at no great di&s;tance a benefice of 100 Marks <HI>per ann.</HI> and not able to di&s;charge him&s;elf of both, he de&s;ired my a&s;&s;i&s;tance at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> &s;o far onely as to preach the morning Sermon, he him&s;elf being oblig'd to preach in the after|noon, promi&s;ing me, before divers of the Pari&s;h for my &s;aid a&s;&s;i|&s;tance, the &s;um of 24 <HI>lib.</HI> by the year, whereto I con&s;ented, as being not yet publickly called to the Mini&s;try, and living on the private allowances of the well-affected, who&s;e intreaties had brought me thither.</P>
<P>But &s;o far was the &s;aid <HI>Conyers</HI> from performing either part of
<PB N="3" REF="5">the Covenant betwixt us, that as to the former, I mu&s;t confe&s;s, he ob&s;erved it for about three moneths, but for the remainder of the year, he hardly appeared on the place; And for the latter I had fair words, but not one peny &s;atisfaction to this day.</P>
<P>The&s;e crooked dealings of the &s;aid <HI>Conyers</HI> moved the inhabi|tants of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> to draw up a Petition to the Committee for <HI>plun|dred Mini&s;ters</HI> for my &s;etlement among them. Having the Peti|tion of the Town and Pari&s;h put into my hands, I was told that there was requi&s;ite withall a Certificate from &s;ome neighbouring Mini&s;ters to te&s;tifie my abilities and good conver&s;ation. Now it happened through my little acquaintance in affairs of this nature, that I had delayed my applications to the neighbouring Mini&s;ters of my acquaintance till the day of my departure; which being to be by Sea, and that the &s;hip wherein I was to embark was to &s;et &s;ayl the &s;ame day, I was per&s;waded by Mr. <HI>Leving&s;tone</HI> &amp; Mr. <HI>Young,</HI> (who&s;e &s;ub&s;criptions I had then obtained) to make u&s;e, in this ex|tremity, of the hands of one Mr. <HI>Hicks</HI> and one Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hel,</HI> which upon confidence of their conde&s;cention I con&s;ented &s;hould be done, and accordingly Mr. <HI>Young</HI> put down their hands to the Certificate, while I writt a Letter to each of them, wherein was inclo&s;ed a Copy of the Certificate to acquaint them what I had done. VVhich pre&s;umption of mine Mr. <HI>Hicks</HI> owned &s;ince by a Letter to me, and acknowledged this my confidence of his frind|&s;hip as a favour, before Mr. <HI>Luke Robin&s;on,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Thornton</HI> at <HI>Pickering,</HI> and for Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hell,</HI> though I mu&s;t confe&s;s I received nothing from him in return to my Letter, yet I believe he had not di&s;avow'd it, had he not been &s;urpri&s;ed in the bu&s;ine&s;s by the &s;aid <HI>Conyers.</HI></P>
<P>Being come to <HI>London,</HI> I was no &s;ooner lodged, but one Mr. <HI>Wil|&s;on</HI> having heard &s;omething of the occa&s;ion of my coming up, &s;ent for me, pretending great readine&s;s to further my bu&s;ine&s;s. And to per&s;wade me how effectual his a&s;&s;i&s;tance might be to me, he pre|tended to be a con&s;tant Sollicitour at the Committee for <HI>plundred Mini&s;ters,</HI> and no le&s;s than Co&s;in to Mr. <HI>Gilbert Millington</HI> the <HI>then</HI> perpetual <HI>Chair-man</HI> there. By which pretences, my weakne&s;s and ignorance of the affairs of the &s;aid Committee being wrought upon and overcome, I delivered him what papers and in&s;tructions
<PB N="4" REF="6">I conceived requi&s;ite for obtaining an Order of &s;etlement at <HI>Whit|bey,</HI> having upon his undertaking of my bu&s;ine&s;s given him to|wards Clarks Fees, and other expences as he pretended was nece&s;|&s;ary 2 <HI>lib.</HI> 10 <HI>s.</HI> and left order for the payment of 7 <HI>lib.</HI> more when the order was taken out, for his Sollicitation therein.</P>
<P>Having thus referred my bu&s;ine&s;s to the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> I appeared not my &s;elf in it, and &s;o within a &s;hort time he brought me the or|der and received the &s;aid &s;um of 7 <HI>lib:</HI> By virtue of the &s;aid Order, I officiated at <HI>Whitbey</HI> till <HI>September</HI> following, about which time, by an order of the Committee for <HI>plundred Mini&s;ters,</HI> directed to the Committee at <HI>York,</HI> I was &s;ent for thither, where appearing, I was charged with the forgery of the fore&s;aid Order, but having no other plea then that I knew nothing but that it was a true or|der, and that in the procuring of it I had imployed the Sollicita|tion of one <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> (though <HI>Colonel Fairfax,</HI> one of the Commit|tee upon &s;ight of it affirmed that he had &s;een many Orders in that hand before.) I was committed to <HI>York</HI> pri&s;on, where having re|mained &s;ome time, I de&s;ired to be tran&s;lated to <HI>London,</HI> to an&s;wer what might be laid to my charge in that particular, which, having put in good &s;ecurity for my appearance before the Committee for <HI>plundred Mini&s;ters,</HI> with much ado, I obtained.</P>
<P>Appearing before the &s;aid Committee, I was afre&s;h charged with the forgery of the &s;aid Order, to which my an&s;wer being the &s;ame as before, and that I could not produce the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> I was ordered into cu&s;tody. Now it happened &s;o that the afore&s;aid <HI>Co|nyers</HI> (a man of a very inqui&s;itive, and active malice again&s;t me, for what rea&s;ons I know not) having by &s;ome means or other fi&s;hed out, that Mr. <HI>Hicks,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hell's</HI> hands were onely by pre&s;umption at my Certificate (as I have before acknowledged) takes a journey to <HI>London,</HI> and brings it at the &s;ame time upon the &s;tage before the Committee, which aggravating what was laid to my charge before, (for which I am obliged <HI>be&s;ides</HI> Mr. <HI>Co|nyers to</HI> Mr. <HI>Adoniram Byfield</HI>) rendered me the more criminal in the &s;ence of the Committee, &s;o that upon the charge both of the Order and Certificate I continued in cu&s;tody the &s;pace of a moneth or better, till at la&s;t the Committee con&s;idering my weak|ne&s;s and &s;urpri&s;al in the one, and having &s;ome per&s;wa&s;ion of
<PB N="5" REF="6">my innocency in the other, ordered me to be &s;et at Liberty.</P>
<P>But I cannot omit the advantage the &s;aid <HI>Conyers</HI> made of all this. During my re&s;traint he Petitions the Committee for the pro|fits of the year 1649. (but 60 <HI>lib.</HI>) wherein I had born all the burden, but what is before mentioned, and for which by his own agreement I was to receive 24 <HI>lib.</HI> VVhat he de&s;ired was accord|ingly granted; but as for the Petition he brought up to the Com|mittee upon that occa&s;ion, as from the Town of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> I mu&s;t confe&s;s I am much di&s;&s;atisfied, it being &s;ub&s;cribed by onely &s;ome nine or ten Malignants; and a greater miracle to me yet, was, to conceive how the <HI>Town-&s;eal</HI> came to be at it, having, upon a &s;trict inquiry, never yet met with any one of the Town that was privy thereto, it being a thing not granted, but on occa&s;ions that con|cern the whole Town, and that at a full convention of the 24 Bur|ge&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>But he was not content with the obtaining of the profits as afore&s;aid, though unde&s;ervedly, but to take a full and final re|venge of me, I do much &s;u&s;pect he <HI>indented</HI> with Mr. <HI>Phelpes,</HI> that the order for my Liberty &s;hould be &s;o drawn up, as that I was to be bound in 300 <HI>lib.</HI> never to preach at <HI>Whitbey</HI> more; the&s;e being courte&s;ies which Mr. <HI>Phelpes</HI> can do with a <HI>wet finger,</HI> though con|trary to the &s;ence of the Committee, when he hath a minde to plea|&s;ure a friend, and to draw a FULL order.</P>
<P>But having obtained my Liberty without &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to this order, I had not been many days abroad, but Captain <HI>Bodelay</HI> being de&s;igned for <HI>Lisbone</HI> to reduce the &s;hips there under P. <HI>Ru|pert,</HI> &s;ent for me, and propo&s;ed to me the Chaplain-&s;hip of the &s;hip he then went in (the <HI>Happy Enterance,</HI>) which out of the zeal I ever had to &s;erve the publick, and to give way to the &s;torm of my misfortunes, I accepted of. And in that &s;ervice (wherein we met with three very hot ingagements) I &s;pent a whole year till the &s;aid &s;hip returned.</P>
<P>Being come a&s;hore at <HI>Detford,</HI> I came up to <HI>London,</HI> where I under&s;tood that <HI>Whitbey</HI> had all that time been un&s;upplied of a Mi|ni&s;ter. But here I mu&s;t take notice of a remarkable tract of provi|dence. The fore&s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> who had betrayed me into all my ca|lamities, was by an Order of the <HI>Councel</HI> of <HI>State,</HI> for &s;ome noto|rious
<PB N="6" REF="7">crimes, committed to <HI>New-Gate.</HI> Under&s;tanding of his being there I applied my &s;elf afre&s;h to the Committee, producing an acknowledgement from the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> of my innocency as to the forgery of the Order. Nay, he &s;o far cleared me of the lea&s;t concurrence thereto, that with many imprecations he avowched the &s;ame to be a real Order, &s;aying, that if he were brought before the Committee, he was confident Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> would not deny the Order, which a&s;&s;ertion I gave the greater credit to, for that &s;ome of <HI>Whitbey</HI> had told me, that they, out of a particular de&s;ire to be &s;atisfied in that point, had, upon &s;earch, found that very Or|der entered into &s;ome of the Clarks books about <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> which if &s;o, I may &s;ay that it is not impo&s;&s;ible that Clarks may as well &s;tifle Orders at their plea&s;ure, as deprave the &s;ence of the Committee, according as the parties &s;hall &s;acrifice.</P>
<P>This acknowledgement being acccepted by the Committee, I produced this following Certificate.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="certificate">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>March 27. 1650.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P><HI>We who&s;e names are hereunto &s;ub&s;cribed, being neighbouring Mi|ni&s;ters to the Town of</HI> Whitbey, <HI>in the County of</HI> York, <HI>do certifie to all whom it may, concern, that</HI> Mr. William Knight, <HI>late Mini&s;ter of that Town was a man of hone&s;t life and godly conver&s;ation, and as befitted a Mini&s;ter of the Gospel, behaved him&s;elf in a way of la|bouriou&s;ne&s;s, and &s;ound preaching while he aboad there, that we were very ready to give him the right hand of fellow&s;hip, and imbrace him as a fellow-labourer in the</HI> Lords <HI>Vine-yard, and in our appre|hen&s;ions he did much good by his Mini&s;tery, while he was there, and is much wanted now he is ab&s;ent, and would be gladly received, and might do much good for the future if he may be permitted to return to the &s;aid Town. Given under our hands the day and year above written.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>William Simp&s;on Clark. George Emot Mini&s;ter of <HI>Glai&s;dale.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>This Certificate from the fore&s;aid Mini&s;ters was back'd with this te&s;timonial from Mr. <HI>Slater,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Kenti&s;h.</HI></P>
<Q><PB N="7" REF="7">
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="testimonial letter">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>December 11. 1650.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P><HI>The&s;e are to certifie whom it may concern that the bearer hereof</HI> Mr. William Knight <HI>is a man of who&s;e abilities in preaching we have had good experience, and do conceive him to be &s;ound in Doctrine and &s;incere in life and conver&s;ation, and likely to prove an u&s;efull in&s;tru|ment to promote the glorie of God, and the good of Souls. In witne&s;s whereof we have hereunto &s;et our hands.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Sam. Slater. Rich. Kenti&s;h. <HI>Mini&s;ters of</HI> Ca|therin's <HI>London.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>But further to inform the Committee how I had &s;pent my &s;elf &s;ince I had la&s;t appeared before them as a Criminel, I produced this Certificate from Captain <HI>Bodelay.</HI></P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="certificate">
<P><HI>The&s;e are to certifie whom&s;oever it may concern, that the bearer hereof</HI> Mr. William Knight <HI>went forth with me on my la&s;t expedi|tion in the</HI> States <HI>&s;hip, called the</HI> Happy Enterance, <HI>and continued with me about twelve moneths the term of the voyage, in which time his deportment and behaviour was civil, and according to his profe&s;|&s;ion, and al&s;o that he was industrious to preach the Word among us when&s;oever opportunity pre&s;ented.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Ric. Bodelay.</SIGNED>
<DATELINE>Dated near <HI>London,</HI> <DATE>the 11.<LB> of <HI>December</HI> 1650.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>But the&s;e Certificates were not yet &s;ufficient, wherefore I was, for further Trial, referr'd to the examination of a Committee of the <HI>A&s;&s;embly</HI> of <HI>Divines,</HI> who &s;ent me back with this Certificate.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="certificate">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>December 12. 1650.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P><HI>According to an Order dated the</HI> 11 <HI>of</HI> December 1650. <HI>from the Committee of the</HI> Parliament <HI>of</HI> England <HI>for plundred</HI> Mini&s;ters, <HI>to the Committee of the</HI> A&s;&s;embly <HI>of</HI> Divines, <HI>for examination of</HI> VVill. Knight, <HI>to officiate the cure of the Church of</HI> VVhitbey <HI>in the County of</HI> York. <HI>The&s;e are to certifie the &s;aid Committee for plundred</HI> Mi|ni&s;ters, <HI>that upon examination of the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Knight, <HI>and &s;ome Trial of his gifts and abilities in the Mini&s;try, we conceive him to be
<PB N="8" REF="8">fit to officiate the cure afore&s;aid. In witne&s;s whereof, we hereunto &s;ub&s;cribed our names.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>VVill. Carter. VVill. Reyner. John Dela March. Tho. Carter. Richard Byfield.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>The&s;e <HI>Certificates</HI> and <HI>Te&s;timonials</HI> being con&s;idered, and the acknowledgement of the &s;aid <HI>Wil&s;on</HI> accepted, as al&s;o a Petition from the inhabitants of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> read, produced the following Or|der for my &s;ettlement, whereby I conceive my &s;elf cleared of all things formerly laid to my charge, and lea&s;t the malice of my ene|mies might bring any thing in judgement again&s;t me afterward, it was moved by that publick &s;pirited Patriot Mr. <HI>Luke Robin&s;on,</HI> that they might be quoted in the Order.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="order">
<OPENER><DATELINE><HI>At the Committee for plundred Mini&s;ters,</HI> <DATE>December 11. 1650.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P><HI>Whereas this Committee have the</HI> 18 <HI>of</HI> October 1649. <HI>committed</HI> VVilliam Knight, <HI>Mini&s;ter of the Word, to the custody of the Ser|jeant at Arms attending the</HI> Parliament, <HI>for forging an Order of this Committee for &s;etling him in the Church of</HI> VVhitbey, <HI>in the County of</HI> York, <HI>which the &s;aid</HI> Knight <HI>alleadgeth was given him by one</HI> John VVil&s;on, <HI>but did not then produce the &s;aid</HI> VVil&s;on, <HI>and it is now informed that the &s;aid</HI> VVil&s;on <HI>is committed to</HI> New-gate <HI>for &s;everal notorious crimes, and that the &s;aid</HI> VVil&s;on <HI>doth not deny, but that he gave the &s;aid Order to the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Knight; <HI>It is therefore ordered upon the Humble Petition of the Inhabitants of</HI> VVhitbey <HI>afore&s;aid, that the &s;aid</HI> VVilliam Knight, <HI>of who&s;e piety and pa&s;toral abilities this Committee hath received good testimony, do forthwith officiate the cure of the &s;aid Church of</HI> VVhitbey <HI>as Vicar, and preach dili|gently to the Pari&s;hioners there, and that he &s;hall have for his pains therein the Vicarage hou&s;e and Glebelands, and all the Tithes Rents, Duties, and Profits what&s;oever of the &s;aid Vicarage, till further Or|der &s;hall be taken in the premi&s;&s;es, and all per&s;on and per&s;ons are re|quired quietly to permit the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Knight <HI>to officiate the &s;aid cure, and to enter, po&s;&s;e&s;s, and injoy the &s;aid Hou&s;e and Glebelands, and to have, receive, and take to his own u&s;e all the Tithes, Rents, Duties, and
<PB N="9" REF="8">profits what&s;oever of the &s;aid Vicarage, as they will an&s;wer the con|trary at their peril.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Gilbert Millington.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>VVith the foregoing Order I returned to <HI>Whitbey,</HI> where I had not long re&s;ted ere the &s;pirit of envy entered the &s;aid <HI>Conyers,</HI> to make complaint to the Committee for plundered <HI>Mini&s;ters</HI> of my in&s;ufficiency, which procured an Order for another examination of me to be made by &s;ome neighbouring <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> but becau&s;e it was by a &s;ub&s;equent Order di&s;charged, without any thing done, I have the le&s;s to &s;ay to it.</P>
<P>Yet with this could I not be quiet, but &s;uch was the de&s;ire of my ruine in the &s;aid <HI>Conyers,</HI> and &s;ome others, that notwith&s;tanding what had pa&s;t, in <HI>July</HI> la&s;t, there were Articles exhibited again&s;t me at the Committee for plundred <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> &s;ub&s;cribed by <HI>Rich. Conyers;</HI> to which, it was referr'd to three Ju&s;tices in the Coun|trey, to examine, and cro&s;s-examine VVitne&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>The Articles are too long, and too many to be in&s;erted in this place, but what partiality was u&s;ed again&s;t me at the examination taken at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> as al&s;o what hath been the i&s;&s;ue of their return hither (though it be that which put me upon this extraordinary way of vindicating my &s;elf) I &s;hall as briefly as I can lay down, and &s;hew, through the whole carriage of this bu&s;ine&s;s, how op|pre&s;&s;ive the intere&s;t of (not long &s;ince profe&s;&s;ed) Malignants may be to any hone&s;t man, though never &s;o innocent, but more e&s;pe|cially when they are &s;o fortunate in their in&s;inuations as to corrupt tho&s;e, who mo&s;t immediately derive their Authority from the Parliament, and execute their malice on the well-affected by <HI>their</HI> hands that &s;hould protect them.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t thing I &s;hall note is the &s;ubtilty of my pro&s;ecutours in the choice of the Ju&s;tices examinants, wherein I am particularly obliged to the indu&s;try of Sir <HI>Hugh Cholmeley,</HI> whom I have ju&s;t rea&s;on to think the fir&s;t wheel of this malicious pro&s;ecution again&s;t me, and to have &s;et all the re&s;t in motion, upon what grounds I &s;hall in fit place mention.</P>
<P>One was Sir <HI>William Strickland, but</HI> a Brother in Law to the fore&s;aid Sir <HI>Hugh.</HI> A &s;econd was <HI>Chri&s;topher Percehay</HI> E&s;quire, bro|ther
<PB N="10" REF="9">in Law to Sir <HI>William,</HI> the third <HI>Henry Hall</HI> E&s;q; whom I mu&s;t confe&s;s to have brought much indifferency to the di&s;cu&s;&s;ion of the bu&s;ine&s;s.</P>
<P>Secondly, I expected the Ju&s;tices &s;hould not have been courted at &s;o great a di&s;tance; as Sir. <HI>William Strickland,</HI> who lives 24 <HI>York|&s;hire</HI> miles from <HI>Whitbey;</HI> Mr. <HI>Percehay</HI> 19. and Mr. <HI>Hall</HI> 26. there being three, or more Ju&s;tices within 14 miles of the place.</P>
<P>Thirdly, as to the VVitne&s;&s;es again&s;t me, I expected they &s;hould have been &s;uch as lived within a proportionate di&s;tance, as being the more competent informers as to matter of fact, and &s;uch as had known my conver&s;ation; and made a con&s;cience of their actions; But I found &s;ome faces I knew not, Malignants, Servants, or in &s;ome way Relatives to the Family of the <HI>Cholmleys.</HI> But I &s;hall not Charactarize them till I come to the 8 Article, to which they mo&s;t &s;poke.</P>
<P>Fourthly, I looked for an equal freedom to produce VVitne&s;&s;es for me, as well as my pro&s;ecutours had to produce again&s;t me. All that they brought, though many of them <HI>precarious,</HI> and &s;uch as I &s;hall hereafter de&s;cribe them, were freely received, upon bare a&s;&s;ertions; whereas of 40 that were come to the place on my be|half, though hone&s;t men, and &s;uch as proffered their informations upon Oath, there were admitted but 7 to te&s;tifie.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, I could expect no le&s;s than a true return of the exami|nation, but there I am al&s;o deceived; For I finde many things pa&s;&s;ed at <HI>Whitbey</HI> omitted, and &s;ome things &s;ent up under my name as confe&s;&s;ed by me, which I never affirmed.</P>
<P>The examination thus returned being to be debated on Thur&s;|day <HI>Decemb.</HI> 23. it &s;o hapned that upon reading what was &s;aid to the 8 Art. I found (the more to &s;urpri&s;e me in my defence as I conceive) that the Copy of the examination taken from Mr. <HI>Phelpes,</HI> wanted the informations to the 8 Art. all &s;ave one. Upon which it was moved, that I might have a true Copy of the examination, and that the debate might be referr'd to another day, which was to be the Thur&s;day following.</P>
<P>I mu&s;t confe&s;s, when I fir&s;t under&s;tood that Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> was in the Chair, I promi&s;ed my &s;elf the greater Ju&s;tice, becau&s;e he was the be&s;t acquainted with the bu&s;ine&s;s, I was now the <HI>third time</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="9">to be charged with, &amp; might have remembred my &s;ufferings at <HI>York</HI> and <HI>London,</HI> and the Committees acquital of me by the foremen|tioned Order of <HI>Decemb.</HI> 11. 1650. &s;ub&s;cribed <HI>Gilbert Millington.</HI> But &s;hould I have wanted that expectation, yet I flattered my &s;elf with the hopes of a patient and unprejudiced debate. But here al&s;o I reckoned before my Ho&s;t. For upon the fir&s;t calling of the cau&s;e Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> bur&s;ts forth into his ordinary laughter, and &s;ays, <HI>O this is my Co&s;in,</HI> a po&s;ture certainly not &s;o becoming a Judge, when the thing in debate concerns the lively-hood of a man and his relations. But by tho&s;e words I conceive he was well acquaint|ed with the bu&s;ine&s;s to be debated, and had not forgotten Mr. <HI>Wil|&s;on.</HI> Nor can I omit a &s;trange expre&s;&s;ion of his the Thur&s;day be|fore, when it was &s;aid that Mr. <HI>Luke Robin&s;on,</HI> and the well-affect|ed of the County appeared for me, and that I had a Petition &s;ub|&s;cribed by 140 of the be&s;t affected of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> an&s;wered; <HI>He may be the greater Knave for that.</HI> And when the &s;aid Petition was again offered to the Committee by certain Ma&s;ters of &s;hips of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> asked them, <HI>what will you make him wor&s;e than he is;</HI> Which expre&s;&s;ions &s;peak no &s;mall pre|judice in him again&s;t me, and argue a &s;trange forgetfulne&s;s of what had pa&s;t under his own hand concerning me before. I may add to this the &s;hortne&s;s of the debate, which not la&s;ting a quarter of an hour was for the mo&s;t part laugh'd out, &amp; abruptly cut off with Mr. <HI>Millingtons</HI> WITHDRAVV, the Committee having heard all that could be &s;aid again&s;t me, but very little of what was to be &s;aid for me. I do not &s;ay but Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> in others mens ca&s;es may be &s;traight and unbya&s;&s;ed, but for my part I have ju&s;t rea&s;on to fear my ca&s;e was (in effect) judged before it was debated, and that I came up 200 miles, not to be heard, but to receive my doom.</P>
<P>And now I come to the Articles, which are in number 10. I &s;hall pitch onely on tho&s;e to which informations are given, and they are in a manner but two of the number, the 2 and the 8. The 2 concerns the forging of Mr. <HI>Hicks,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hels</HI> hands to a Certificate, to which I can make no other an&s;wer then what I have &s;aid pag. 3. which I think is &s;ufficient. Upon the charge of the Order pretended to be forged by <HI>Wil&s;on,</HI> and that Certifi|cate I &s;uffered impri&s;onment at <HI>York</HI> and <HI>London,</HI> and conceive
<PB N="12" REF="10" MS="y">my &s;elf acquitted by the afore&s;aid Order of <HI>Decemb.</HI> 11. 1650. Unle&s;s a man may be charged a new for an offence he hath once &s;uffered for. And here I am to take notice of an <HI>Affidavit</HI> of the &s;aid <HI>Conyers,</HI> made before a Ma&s;ter of the <HI>Chancery</HI> to that pur|po&s;e, <HI>viz.</HI> That Mr. <HI>Hicks,</HI> Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hel,</HI> Mr. <HI>Bradley had di&s;avow'd to the &s;aid</HI> Conyers, <HI>the giving of their hands to one</HI> William Knight <HI>of</HI> Whitbey, <HI>and that therefore his making u&s;e of the &s;aid hands to a Certificate was forgery in the &s;aid</HI> Knight. To which I an&s;wer, that as for Mr. <HI>Hicks,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Bu&s;hel,</HI> I have already cleared up how it was, but as for M. <HI>Bradleys</HI> hand it was not at all at it, and he him&s;elf being at the examination at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> te&s;tified that he had never &s;poken with the &s;aid <HI>Conyers</HI> about any &s;uch Certificate. Therefore to requit him for his <HI>Affidavit,</HI> I &s;ay, that <HI>whereas</HI> Rich. Conyers <HI>maketh Oath that Mr.</HI> Bradley <HI>di&s;avow'd a thing to him, whereof he had never any di&s;cour&s;e with him, but &s;weareth it to be &s;o upon other mens relations, the &s;ame is perjury in the &s;aid</HI> Conyers. And this perjury of his I mu&s;t confe&s;s indeed, was &s;o much ob|&s;erved at the examination that the Ju&s;tices &s;hook their heads at it, and utterly di&s;mi&s;&s;ed the <HI>Affidavit,</HI> yet by &s;ome means or other finde it &s;huffled into the examination returned.</P>
<P>To make this <HI>Affidavit</HI> authentick, there &s;tands up a <HI>Letter|carrier,</HI> alias an <HI>Atturney,</HI> who affirmed the &s;ub&s;cription of the <HI>Affidavit</HI> to be <HI>Conyer's</HI> own hand, and the Ma&s;ter of <HI>Chancery's</HI> to be his hand, and of another thing &s;ub&s;cribed by <HI>John Phelpes,</HI> af|firms that to be the <HI>proper</HI> hand of the &s;aid <HI>John Phelpes;</HI> in all which there is no great miracle, for the man hath of a long time been &s;o well acquainted with other mens hands, and their &s;eals too, that &s;ome body did penance for it with a piece of white paper on <HI>Whitbey</HI>-cro&s;s.</P>
<P>The heavie&s;t charge again&s;t me, is what is &s;aid to the 8 Article, which at fir&s;t &s;ight &s;eems to be very horrid. The words are. <HI>That he is a notorious drunkard, a Libeller, a per&s;ecuter of the growing light, and very deficient both in Morals and Intellectuals.</HI></P>
<P>And to this Article there &s;peaks fir&s;t one <HI>Thomas Redhead</HI> of <HI>Stantondale,</HI> who &s;ays he &s;aw me drunk about &s;ix or &s;even years &s;ince (where he hath forgotten) to omit that he &s;peaks at &s;ix and &s;even; thus much I mu&s;t &s;ay of him, that he was ever a very zealous
<PB N="13" REF="10" MS="y">Malignant, a creature of Sir <HI>Hugh's,</HI> and brought him con&s;tant in|telligence when he kept <HI>Harborough</HI> for the late King; as for the Te&s;timony, it is ab&s;olutely fal&s;e.</P>
<P>A &s;econd is one <HI>Robert Dove</HI> of <HI>Newton,</HI> who &s;ayes he &s;aw me drunk about five years &s;ince. This is a Souldier under Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> for the King, a prophane idle per&s;on, and a fal&s;e witne&s;s, and this is he, &s;peaks to libelling, <HI>viz.</HI> that I &s;hould write the&s;e words in a Bible.</P>
<L>John Ne&s;s <HI>is an honest man,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And &s;o is</HI> John Swayles,</L>
<L><HI>And all the re&s;t of the Town</HI></L>
<L><HI>Are pudding-belly'd Carles.</HI></L>
<P>VVhich is equally true with the former.</P>
<P>A third, is one <HI>John King</HI> of <HI>Newton,</HI> another of Sir <HI>Hugh's</HI> Ma|lignant Souldiers, a drunken licentious per&s;on, and therefore fit to make a fal&s;e witne&s;s.</P>
<P>The fourth is <HI>John Brignel</HI> of <HI>Lamy&s;ton,</HI> in the County of <HI>Dur|ham,</HI> one I had never &s;een his face before the examination at <HI>Whit|bey,</HI> and this man makes me drunk at <HI>Scarborough,</HI> and to make his information &s;eem more authentick, he &s;ayes it was the 10 of <HI>Novemb.</HI> 1651. and that I made great remembrances of one wid|dow <HI>Steven&s;on,</HI> to omit that he was a Captain, (for&s;ooth) in the <HI>Kings Army,</HI> and very famous for his plundering of the well-affected of <HI>Bi&s;hoprick,</HI> I an&s;wer to the Te&s;timony that I was not that whole VVinter at <HI>Scarborough,</HI> and for widdow <HI>Steven&s;on,</HI> I am yet to learn whether there be any &s;uch woman in the world. This man for old acquaintance &s;ake was often intertained at Sir <HI>Hugh's,</HI> about the time of examination, which certainly he the more de&s;erved that he would take the pains to come near 50 miles to bear fal&s;e witne&s;s to do him a courte&s;ie.</P>
<P>The next is <HI>Rob. Hick&s;on</HI> of <HI>Sunderland,</HI> in <HI>Bi&s;hoprick,</HI> an Of|ficer al&s;o as the former and his co-plunderer, and one famous for his fornications, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> in <HI>Holland,</HI> and is come as far as the former, and to break the ninth Commandment.</P>
<P>The next is <HI>Marmaduke Newton</HI> of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> who taxes me about four years &s;ince for reeling as I went into a boat at <HI>London.</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="11">This is a Tenant of Sir <HI>Hugh's,</HI> and therefore more ea&s;ily drawn on to bely his con&s;cience and bear fal&s;e witne&s;s again&s;t his neigh|bour. But was not this man, who by &s;aying a few words, did pre|&s;erve the favour of Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> and got a Cow's &s;ummer gra&s;s into the bargain, wi&s;er in his generation, than another Tenant of Sir <HI>Hugh's,</HI> who for refu&s;ing to &s;ub&s;cribe a Petition again&s;t Mr. <HI>Knight</HI> was within an hour after warned out of his hou&s;e and farm?</P>
<P>The la&s;t is <HI>Thom. Hodg&s;on</HI> of <HI>Sneton,</HI> who &s;ayes the &s;ame thing as the former, about five years &s;ince; Though they &s;peak both of the &s;ame time, yet their Te&s;timonies agree within a year. But for the latter; to omit a double de&s;ertion of the Parliaments forces, he is one &s;o leavened again&s;t the pre&s;ent Government that his ordi|nary profe&s;&s;ion is, <HI>That he had rather &s;erve the</HI> Turk <HI>than the</HI> Par|liament.</P>
<P>There was another witne&s;s again&s;t me, touching the point of drunkenne&s;s, though not returned in the examination. And that is one <HI>William Wiggoner.</HI> Though I cannot &s;ay this man did any thing out of any affection to Sir <HI>Hugh Cholmeley,</HI> who being for the Parl. had &s;ent him pri&s;oner to <HI>Hull,</HI> for having with his &s;on <HI>Bagwith</HI> brought over Arms out of <HI>Holland,</HI> for the u&s;e of the late King. Yet his relation of Father-law to <HI>Conyers</HI> may excu&s;e him for being a little <HI>cheuril</HI> con&s;cienc'd. But the rea&s;on why his Te&s;ti|mony is concealed I conceive is, that, as he is him&s;elf a very <HI>habitual</HI> drunkard, &s;o that very time he taxed me to have been <HI>drunk,</HI> he him&s;elf was &s;o <HI>frolick,</HI> that as he &s;ate at the Table he fell back|wards and broke his head. For his Te&s;timony to the 4 Art. It is true, onely he hath mi&s;taken a year or two.</P>
<P>Here are <HI>eight,</HI> and 'tis great pity they could not make up <HI>twelve,</HI> and &s;o have made a <HI>Jury,</HI> they are &s;uch <HI>good men</HI> and <HI>true,</HI> and I think as well <HI>cull'd.</HI> Of this number there are but two of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> and what they are I have al&s;o expre&s;&s;ed; But certainly had I been guilty of any inclination that way, the experience of almo&s;t 6 years could not but have furni&s;hed enemies to ob&s;erve it. But it &s;eems tho&s;e who knew my conver&s;ation could charge me with no &s;uch thing, and therefore per&s;ons of <HI>lew'd lives, di&s;affected,</HI> and <HI>nece&s;&s;i|tous</HI> Souldiers of the <HI>Kings Army,</HI> and &s;uch as I had never &s;een their <HI>faces,</HI> mu&s;t be <HI>pick'd</HI> even out of other Counties to inform
<PB N="15" REF="11">again&s;t me. But alas! they were &s;uch hone&s;t men at the examina|tion at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> that when I de&s;ired &s;ome of them might inform upon Oath, it was refu&s;ed as a thing contrary to the rules of the Committee, and when I de&s;ired to &s;peak what I could alleadge again&s;t them at the debate here, all &s;uch motions were confuted with a <HI>withdraw,</HI> the informations and Articles <HI>laugh'd at,</HI> and ta|ken as granted. But though I whom it mo&s;t concerned, could not be permitted to &s;peak much in my own ca&s;e, yet I could perceive Mr. <HI>Phelpes</HI> had a <HI>liberty</HI> to <HI>aggravate,</HI> and <HI>&s;ugge&s;t,</HI> for which I mu&s;t &s;ay black to his <HI>tongue,</HI> &s;ince Mr. <HI>Millington</HI> &s;ayes he is &s;uch an hone&s;t man, as <HI>no man can &s;ay black to his eye.</HI> But for this I mu&s;t excu&s;e him &s;ince it was but gratitude to carry on their de|&s;igns who&s;e free-will-offerings to him had been greater then mine. And that this is no &s;light &s;u&s;pition, let a di&s;covery of Mr. <HI>Conyers</HI> &s;peak, who acquaints his Father-in-law <HI>Wiggoner</HI> in a letter dated from <HI>London</HI> in 1649. that his pro&s;ecution of me had <HI>then</HI> co&s;t him above 100 <HI>lib.</HI> (be&s;ides the 60 <HI>lib.</HI> he did <HI>emungere</HI> the Committee of for his non-re&s;idence in 1649. which if &s;o, I onely make this que&s;tion whether this man would not rather &s;pend a <HI>noble</HI> to de|&s;troy the Go&s;pel then <HI>nine pence</HI> to promote it. But what &s;hall I &s;ay then, who, by rea&s;on of the troubles he hath created me, have &s;pent the like &s;um in the <HI>nece&s;&s;ary</HI> expences of <HI>journeys</HI> of 200 miles, <HI>inpri&s;onments</HI> and <HI>attendance,</HI> when I have received for all my of|ficiating at <HI>Whitbey</HI> from 1647. but one 50 <HI>lib.</HI></P>
<P>And now I think I have made good what I promi&s;ed, as to the witne&s;&s;es again&s;t me, and yet done them no injury in the lea&s;t. Yet by the&s;e and &s;uch like Te&s;timonies, though taken, as I &s;aid before, without any atte&s;tation of Almighty God (which many times &s;trikes terrour into the mo&s;t impenitent heart) was I on the 28 of <HI>Decemb.</HI> la&s;t <HI>&s;eque&s;tred</HI> of all I could pretend to at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> where|in how fully the malice of my enemies hath been &s;atisfied, and with what precipitation the bu&s;ine&s;s was carried again&s;t me may be &s;oon judged by the peru&s;al of this relation, in which I have neither ad|ded nor dimi&s;hed, either to advantage my &s;elf, or wrong my pro|&s;ecutours.</P>
<P>As for the VVitne&s;&s;es produced for me, it will not be ami&s;s to let the world know what they are, lea&s;t my enemies might &s;ay I
<PB N="16" REF="12" MS="y">had as bad on my &s;ide. The fir&s;t is <HI>John Newton</HI> of <HI>Whitbey</HI> Gent. a per&s;on who&s;e activity and fidelity to the State had recommended him to the tru&s;t of a <HI>Seque&s;tratour,</HI> an hone&s;t con&s;cientious man, and &s;tedfa&s;t to the intere&s;t of the Common-wealth in the mo&s;t re|lap&s;ing times.</P>
<P><HI>William Jack&s;on</HI> of <HI>Whitbey</HI> an hone&s;t godly man, and Lieute|nant at Sea, under Captain <HI>Law&s;on.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Hen. Noble</HI> of <HI>Whitbey</HI> once Head-Con&s;table, and one hath been much per&s;ecuted by Sir <HI>Hugh Cholmeley</HI> for his not contri|buting to the Kings forces.</P>
<P><HI>Rob. Bu&s;hel</HI> of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> a knowing and religious man, and a &s;uf|fering <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 word"> to the State.</P>
<P><HI>Hen. Awlder</HI> of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> a man of great reputation for his god|line&s;s, and his early appearances for the Parliament in tho&s;e parts.</P>
<P><HI>Hen. Linlay</HI> Gent. Collectour of the Cu&s;tomes at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> a con&s;tant well-willer to the State, and a great enemy to all vice and licentiou&s;ne&s;s.</P>
<P>The&s;e with divers more, to the number of near 40 men of hone&s;t lives and conver&s;ation, would have vindicated me as to the 8. and other Articles, had they been admitted to te&s;tifie; whereas had my pro&s;ecutours produced twice the number, they &s;hould not have been refu&s;ed.</P>
<P>Thus having &s;hewn what the VVitne&s;&s;es on both &s;ides were, I am now to expre&s;s what di&s;coveries I have of Sir <HI>Hugh Cholmeley's</HI> being in the <HI>head</HI> of this <HI>pro&s;ecution.</HI></P>
<P>Having as I &s;aid before <HI>prick'd</HI> down the Ju&s;tices, the fir&s;t thing I ob&s;erved, was, his &s;ending for divers of the inhabitants, de&s;iring them to be pre&s;ent at the examination to te&s;tifie what they could again&s;t me; but it happening they were &s;uch as would not, to gra|tifie any man, bely their con&s;ciences, he di&s;mi&s;&s;ed them with threat|ning intreaties that they &s;hould &s;ay nothing for me.</P>
<P>A &s;econd thing was that which is related in an&s;wer to the Te&s;timony of <HI>Marmaduke Nuton,</HI> pag. 13.</P>
<P>A third was the intertainment of two of the Ju&s;tices, <HI>viz.</HI> Sir <HI>William,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Percehay,</HI> and mo&s;t of the VVitne&s;&s;es again&s;t me, before and after the examination, but e&s;pecially that night, when he cau&s;ed all to be <HI>drawn up,</HI> and to his own hou&s;e what <HI>intertain|ments,
<PB N="17" REF="12">congratulations, acclamations,</HI> and <HI>Triumphs</HI> in&s;ued, the in|habitants of <HI>Whitbey</HI> are not ignorant.</P>
<P>But you will &s;ay what <HI>ends</HI> had Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> in all this? VVhy &s;hould he be at the expence of bringing VVitne&s;&s;es 40 and 50 miles? The&s;e que&s;tions I confe&s;s may very well be made, for certainly it cannot be &s;uppo&s;ed he &s;hould put him&s;elf to all this trouble (be&s;ides a chargeable &s;ollicitation at <HI>London</HI>) to ca&s;t out a poor man, which being a &s;tranger to him could never have &s;o far di&s;obliged him, out of a living of 60 <HI>lib.</HI> a year. Therefore to an&s;wer the que&s;tion more fully I mu&s;t put the Ax to the root of the Tree, and di&s;co|ver &s;omewhat, which, though it be well known to many, is not to all, and among them, it may be, not to tho&s;e whom it mo&s;t concerns.</P>
<P>You are then to note that there lived once at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> one Mr. <HI>Jacob Hodg&s;on,</HI> who being of the mo&s;t forwardly affected for the Parliament commanded in the Town of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> this man Sir <HI>Hugh Cholmeley,</HI> after his ba&s;e de&s;ertion from the Parliaments cau&s;e ever looked on as a thorn in his &s;ides, for maintaining the Town of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> for the u&s;e of the Parliament. Such a burden I &s;ay was he to Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> that he became immediatly a per&s;ecu|tour of him, and all that related to him, nay, the Town and Countrey thereabout &s;uffered for his &s;ake. This Tyranny he ex|erci&s;ed not onely while he commanded the Countrey about, but e&s;pecially upon the taking of <HI>Whitbey</HI> by his forces, turning the afore&s;aid <HI>Hodg&s;on's</HI> VVife out of doors, de&s;troying all he had, and threatning that if &s;he went not to <HI>Hull</HI> after her Husband, &s;he &s;hould be tied to Hor&s;e tails with other Ma&s;ters wives. But now I &s;peak of the taking of that Town, I cannot but quote a <HI>famous ex|ploit</HI> of the afore&s;aid <HI>Conyers.</HI> This <HI>Conyers</HI> being at that time in the Town &s;eemed to be very much for the Parliament, willing to oppo&s;e Sir <HI>Hughs</HI> forces, but pretending withall to be a per&s;on of &s;ome conduct, this Mr. <HI>Hodg&s;on</HI> intru&s;ted him with the <HI>Abbey,</HI> which he promi&s;ed to make good with the number of men allowed him. In the mean time Letters were &s;ent to Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> to advance with his forces at &s;uch a time, and that this <HI>Conyers</HI> was privy to the de&s;ign may be judg'd by this adventure. The night that Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> was to come on, in &s;tead of acquainting his men with the
<PB N="18" REF="13">danger of the enemies advance, to make them more &s;ecure, he &s;ends up to the <HI>Abbey</HI> a Barrel or two of &s;trong Beer; wherewith having laid &s;ome a&s;leep and made the re&s;t &s;ecure, he valiantly comes down the Hill alone into the Town, leaving both <HI>men</HI> and <HI>place</HI> to the mercy of the <HI>Enemy;</HI> And this courte&s;ie I conceive is that which had &s;o much ingratiated him with Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> that there was no per&s;on thought fitter to <HI>manage</HI> my <HI>ruine,</HI> as being one more apt to <HI>de&s;troy</HI> a <HI>Citizen</HI> then an enemy. But I return again to Sir <HI>Hugh.</HI> Now it plea&s;ed God to take away this Mr. <HI>Hodg &s;on,</HI> in a Tempe&s;t upon the Coa&s;t of <HI>Holland,</HI> which accident laid his wife, and others related to him, more open to Sir <HI>Hugh's</HI> per&s;ecu|tions, and that this train of malice is laid again&s;t me upon the&s;e old &s;cores, I need not much labour to make appear, for <HI>Hodg&s;on</HI> being dead, my &s;ad fortune was to have married his VViddow, who being before the mark of Sir <HI>Hugh's</HI> malice, brought me into his disfavour &s;o much the more, as appears by an expre&s;&s;ion of Mr. <HI>Conyers</HI> after my &s;eque&s;tration, who &s;aid that my <HI>Wife had brought me to all this calamity.</HI> To this I may add that the yearly <HI>Stipend</HI> of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> as al&s;o the <HI>Augmentation</HI> being to be paid by Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> as being the <HI>impropriatour,</HI> it concerned him &s;omewhat, there &s;hould be &s;uch a Mini&s;ter as would &s;uffer his allowance to be carved out to him as he plea&s;ed, which had I been content with, Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> might have been my very good friend to this day.</P>
<P>But (to give the Devil his due as the Proverb &s;peaks) I mu&s;t here confe&s;s, that Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> is guilty of &s;ome Ju&s;tice, though he will have it acknowledged as a <HI>favour,</HI> and mea&s;ure it by his <HI>will.</HI> For about <HI>June</HI> la&s;t, he imployed his &s;on Mr. <HI>Hugh Cholmeley</HI> to compound with me for my Arrears, for which he profered me 112 <HI>lib.</HI> which being not half of what, by &s;everal Orders, both of the Committee for <HI>plundered Ministers,</HI> and of the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for <HI>maintenance</HI> of <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> was due to me I was advi&s;ed to refu&s;e. And this refu&s;al (though ju&s;t) hath co&s;t me all the trouble, ex|pence, and inconveniences I have been at &s;ince, and con&s;equently of the pre&s;ent &s;eque&s;tration I ly under. But that wherein I am to ju&s;tifie Sir <HI>Hugh's</HI> proceedings in, is this, that he in <HI>June</HI> la&s;t, would willingly have taken up all differences and accounts with the <HI>fore&s;aid</HI> &s;um, whereas after my &s;eque&s;tration, when I applied
<PB N="19" REF="13">my &s;elf to the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for my Arrears, they found them to amount but to 60 <HI>lib.</HI> (which yet I cannot receive) as appears by their Or|der of <HI>Jan.</HI> 12. la&s;t, as if my &s;eque&s;tration had made me incapable of what was due to me for my former officiating.</P>
<P>But alas! he that knew Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> before, will not wonder at the&s;e tran&s;actions. He that before walk'd by no other principles than tho&s;e of his <HI>will,</HI> &s;hould he &s;tartle at an action which he could ju&s;tifie by his <HI>power?</HI> The &s;tory of one <HI>Thomp&s;on,</HI> nick|named <HI>Beef,</HI> is not yet forgotten at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> one hang'd up in <HI>cold bloud</HI> by Sir <HI>Hugh's</HI> Command, without any advice of Offi|cers. 'Tis true, the man had &s;erved under Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> when he was for the Parliament; but when he became an <HI>Apo&s;tate</HI> he left him and li&s;ted him&s;elf under Col. <HI>Bointon,</HI> for which <HI>Crime</HI> Sir <HI>Hugh</HI> ha|ving now taken him a Pri&s;oner, di&s;parches him. If there be <HI>holes</HI> in the <HI>Act</HI> of <HI>Oblivion</HI> to let <HI>le&s;&s;er fi&s;h</HI> e&s;cape, I hope there is none big enough for this <HI>Leviathan</HI> of <HI>Whitbey;</HI> For I &s;ee no rea&s;on but in|qui&s;ition may be made for this bloud.</P>
<P>And now I have done with Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> having made good what I had promi&s;ed in the former part of this relation, and &s;hewn by what <HI>means</HI> and <HI>in&s;truments,</HI> and upon what <HI>crimes</HI> and <HI>mi&s;demea|nours</HI> my <HI>&s;eque&s;tration</HI> hath been brought about.</P>
<P>That which I beg of this Honourable A&s;&s;embly, is to con&s;ider with what a &s;trong hand this <HI>de&s;ign</HI> hath been carried on, both here and at <HI>Whitbey;</HI> and thence ob&s;erve how dangerous it is to &s;uffer private Gentlemen to be <HI>Ba&s;haws</HI> in their Countrey, and do things upon the bare &s;core of their power and intere&s;t, and upon confidence that tho&s;e whom they oppre&s;s, are unable to call them to account, or if they are, that things will be &s;o di&s;gui&s;ed by fal&s;e re|pre&s;entations that the weaker will be &s;till over-ruled.</P>
<P>And this brings me to con&s;ider that there is a <HI>dormant</HI> humour of <HI>Malignancy,</HI> which upon opportunity <HI>awakens</HI> to the per&s;ecu|tion of <HI>hone&s;t</HI> men, which what it cannot do (as formerly) by a <HI>profe&s;&s;ed</HI> ho&s;tility, it does by <HI>ru&s;es</HI> and <HI>&s;upplantations;</HI> wherein good men are the further from redre&s;s, by how much they are <HI>cru&s;hed</HI> by their hands and Authority, who are intru&s;ted to <HI>protect</HI> them.</P>
<P>They are the <HI>minings</HI> and in&s;inuations of the&s;e men that de|praving
<PB N="20" REF="14">Courts and Committees &s;ecretly per&s;ecute the hone&s;t, and well-affected of the Land, who now are they that mo&s;t cry out of oppre&s;&s;ion. The&s;e are they that make <HI>&s;ecret</HI> wounds in the Com|mon-wealth, and in&s;en&s;ibly bring an <HI>Odium</HI> on your Govern|ment, while they make the World believe that you are fallen from tho&s;e Principles of Reformation &amp; protection of hone&s;t men, which you profe&s;&s;ed before, even to the cutting off of that head which was the great <HI>anvile</HI> of all <HI>malicious</HI> and <HI>oppre&s;&s;ive</HI> de&s;igns.</P>
<P>By the&s;e minings am I wrought out of my <HI>profe&s;&s;ion,</HI> rendered in|capable of doing that <HI>good</HI> which I have devoted my &s;elf unto, and made a &s;pectacle of Mi&s;ery and Calamity to hone&s;t men, and of &s;corn to the plotters of my ruine. And in this condition mu&s;t I &s;till remain, unle&s;s your Honours taking the bu&s;ine&s;s into your cognizance, and con&s;idering, and weighing both my offence and puni&s;hment, order me that redre&s;s which you in your high Wi&s;|doms &s;hall think meet, which, if I may obtain, I doubt not of the concurrence of all hone&s;t men to ble&s;s God with me for your Ju|&s;tice, in <HI>breaking</HI> the <HI>de&s;igns</HI> of <HI>unrighteous</HI> and <HI>powerfull,</HI> and <HI>coun|tenancing</HI> tho&s;e, who though <HI>poor</HI> and <HI>ob&s;cure,</HI> de&s;ire to do <HI>good</HI> and <HI>to live quietly in the Land.</HI></P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Ecle&s;ia&s;tes 41.</HI></BIBL> So I returned and con&s;idered all the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ions</HI> that are wrought under the Sun, and behold the tears of the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed,</HI> and they had no <HI>Comforter,</HI> and on the &s;ide of the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ours</HI> there was power, but <HI>they</HI> had no <HI>Comforter.</HI></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>I&s;ai 5.7.</HI></BIBL> And he looked for <HI>Judgement,</HI> but behold <HI>oppre&s;&s;ion,</HI> and for <HI>righte|ou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> but behold a cry.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL>P&s;alm 12.5.</BIBL> <HI>For the</HI> oppre&s;&s;ion <HI>of the</HI> poor, <HI>for the &s;ighing of the needy, now will I ari&s;e &s;aith the Lord, I will &s;et him in &s;afety from him that puffeth at him.</HI></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="postscript">
<PB N="21" REF="14">
<HEAD>Po&s;t-&s;cript.</HEAD>
<P>HAving given your Honours a faithfull account of the <HI>de&s;ign</HI> of my <HI>Seque&s;tration</HI> at the Committee for <HI>plundered Mini|&s;ters,</HI> I am now to pre&s;ume to add &s;omewhat touching my &s;uc|ce&s;s at the <HI>Trustees</HI> for <HI>maintenance</HI> of <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> to whom, in pur&s;uance of the Orders of the former, I was to addre&s;s my &s;elf for the <HI>Arrears</HI> of my officiating at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> having received but one 50 <HI>lib.</HI> from the beginning of 1647. to the 28 of <HI>Dec.</HI> 1652. and herein I propo&s;ed to my &s;elf the le&s;s difficulty, becau&s;e it is a thing granted out of cour&s;e to any <HI>Seque&s;tred</HI> man, but how far I come &s;hort I &s;hall briefly &s;hew.</P>
<P>The Committee for <HI>plundered Mini&s;ters</HI> having as is before mentioned fully &s;ettled me at <HI>Whitbey</HI> by their Order of <HI>Dec.</HI> 11. 1650. thought fit, though I had officiated there onely as <HI>Lecturer,</HI> before that I &s;hould be con&s;idered, and hereupon granted me the following Order.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="order">
<OPENER><DATELINE><HI>At the Committee for</HI> plundred Mini&s;ters <DATE><HI>April</HI> 30. 1651.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P>VVhereas Mr. <HI>William Knight</HI> is &s;etled by Order of this Com|mittee of the 11. of <HI>December</HI> in the Church of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> in the County of <HI>York,</HI> It is ordered that the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Knight</HI> &s;hall have all Arrears of the Tithes and profits of the &s;aid Church, which fell and became due and payable for &s;uch time as he officiated the cure of the &s;aid Church, either <HI>before,</HI> or <HI>&s;ince</HI> his <HI>&s;etlement</HI> there by Or|der of this Committee.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>William Haye.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>VVith this, and other Orders, one I had imployed here to that purpo&s;e, applied him&s;elf to the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for maintenance
<PB N="22" REF="15">of Mini&s;ters, but for the &s;pace of a whole year, all applications and attendance were fruitle&s;s, &s;o that I was forced to importune the Committee to confirm and a&s;&s;ert their former Orders, who there|upon i&s;&s;ued this Order.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="order">
<BYLINE><HI>By the Committee for</HI> plundered Mini&s;ters, <DATE><HI>April</HI> 30. 1652.</DATE></BYLINE>
<P>VVhereas this Committee the 16 of <HI>October</HI> 1647. granted fifty pounds a year re&s;erved to the <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> of <HI>York,</HI> out of the Impro|priate Rectory of <HI>Whitbey,</HI> in the County of <HI>York,</HI> to and for in|crea&s;e of the maintenance of the Mini&s;ter of the Pari&s;h-Church of <HI>Whitbey</HI> afore&s;aid, to comence from the 20 of <HI>May</HI> 1646. It is therefore Ordered that the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for &s;ale of <HI>Bi&s;hops Lands</HI> do and they are required to i&s;&s;ue their Warrant to the Trea&s;urers for &s;ale of <HI>Bi&s;hops Lands</HI> to pay unto Mr. <HI>William Knight;</HI> Mini&s;ter of <HI>Whitbey</HI> afore&s;aid, or unto Mr. <HI>Humphry Hatward</HI> to his u&s;e the &s;um of one hundred pounds for two years rent, of the premi&s;&s;es ending the five and twentieth day of <HI>March</HI> 1648.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>James As'he. N. Lechmore. Tho. Li&s;ter. Peter Temple.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>I &s;hall need quote but the&s;e two, to &s;hew what is my due, though I have had Order upon Order, to the number of 16. or 17. from the Committee for <HI>plundred Ministers,</HI> the Committee for <HI>Regulating</HI> the <HI>&V;niver&s;ities</HI> and the <HI>Tru&s;tees,</HI> which with the at|tendance and trouble to procure them, I dare affirm have co&s;t me almo&s;t as much as I have gotten in pur&s;uance of them.</P>
<P>But as for my <HI>ob&s;truction</HI> at the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> I mu&s;t attribute it to the &s;ame <HI>de&s;ign</HI> &amp; <HI>intere&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Cholmeleyes,</HI> who here al&s;o <HI>with rea&s;on</HI> were to expect the <HI>a&s;&s;ured</HI> favours of that <HI>plural Clark</HI> M. <HI>Phelpes.</HI> VVhen I demanded my right at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> I was an&s;wered, that the money was payed into the Trea&s;ury; when I inquired there, the an&s;wer was, it was not returned. And with the&s;e put offs both here and in the Countrey was I forced with my relations to be burthen&s;ome to friends, in hopes that one day (though with much trouble and &s;uffering in the mean time) I &s;hould receive the <HI>ut|mo&s;t farthing.</HI> And now that I thought the malice of my enemies
<PB N="23" REF="15" MS="y">&s;atisfied with my <HI>Seque&s;tration,</HI> and that I was to apply my &s;elf to the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> I hoped <HI>the day</HI> was come. The accounts &s;tand thus; For two years augmentation, which is 100 <HI>lib.</HI> and for three years &s;tipend, which amounts to 30 <HI>lib.</HI> I am by the Committees Orders directed to <HI>Gurney</HI> hou&s;e.</P>
<P>For the year 1649. Mr. <HI>Conyers</HI> &s;urpri&s;ed the Committee, and during my re&s;traint at <HI>London,</HI> got the profits thereof, though I had &s;olely officiated the third part of it. <HI>vid.</HI> pag. 5.</P>
<P>So that I am to receive of the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for <HI>maintenance</HI> of <HI>Mi|ni&s;ters,</HI> for the years 1650. 1651. 1652. which amounts to 180 <HI>lib.</HI> whereof there being 50 received, there remains 130. And &s;o much I without any di&s;pute expected, but I found their recko|ning far otherwi&s;e. For being after a long attendance at the door called in, I was told, by Sir <HI>John Thorowgood,</HI> that upon adju&s;ting of all accounts and a calculation of the time I had been &s;etled, <HI>viz.</HI> from <HI>December</HI> 11. 1650. they found there was no more due to me then 60 <HI>lib.</HI> for which if I plea&s;ed I might have an Order, to an&s;wer, which, I produced the Orders of the Committee for 1650. before I was &s;etled. To take away with an&s;wer and at once con|fute all Orders, and further replies; <HI>Zealous</HI> Sir <HI>John</HI> returned &s;omewhat to this effect, Mr. Knight <HI>we are more carefull of you then you your &s;elf, but there are many other poor</HI> Mini&s;ters <HI>to be &s;upplied: I do not think the Committee for</HI> plundred Mini&s;ters <HI>intend any Ar|rears before &s;etlement to a Mini&s;ter, whom they have found cau&s;e to Sequester.</HI> By this it appears Sir <HI>John</HI> is not meanly furni&s;hed with <HI>Eva&s;ions</HI> (though but &s;light ones, when he hath a minde to do a bu&s;ine&s;s. But as for the <HI>poor Mini&s;ters</HI> he objects to me, I think <HI>hee is a poor Mini&s;ter</HI> that is forced to live 5 or 6 years upon one 50 <HI>lib.</HI> But another thing that fell from him was as remark|able when it was con&s;idered whence I &s;hould receive this 60 <HI>lib.</HI> which was my due, he &s;aid of Mr. <HI>Harward</HI> Receiver in <HI>York-&s;hire,</HI> wherein whether Sir <HI>John</HI> dealt ingeniou&s;ly let this Order (po&s;ted up at <HI>Whitbey,</HI> by the <HI>Cholmleyes</HI>) &s;peak.</P>
<Q><TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="order">
<BYLINE>By the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for Maintenance of Mini&s;ters <DATE><HI>Octob.</HI> 6. 1652.</DATE></BYLINE>
<P>VVilliam Cholmeley E&s;q; <HI>Tenant of the appropriate Rectory of</HI> Whitbey, <HI>in the County of</HI> York, <HI>hath exhibited his accounts of the Rent of the &s;aid Rectory, due from the fir&s;t of</HI> Decemb. 1641. <HI>to the
<PB N="24" REF="16">ninth of</HI> Octob. 1646. <HI>and from the ninth of</HI> Jan. 1649. <HI>to the fir&s;t of</HI> Octob. <HI>instant, upon examining and &s;tating whereof it appears to the</HI> Tru&s;tees, <HI>that &s;ixty &s;even pounds thirteen &s;hillings four pence was in Arrear the</HI> 29 <HI>of</HI> Sept. <HI>last, of the Rent due to the &s;aid</HI> Tru&s;tees <HI>for the &s;aid years, which &s;aid &s;ixty &s;even pounds thirteen &s;hillings four pence he hath &s;ince payed into the Trea&s;ury, as by the Trea&s;urers ac|quittances appears, it is therefore Ordered that Mr.</HI> Humphrey Harward <HI>receiver do forthwith di&s;charge the &s;aid Rectory, and Tythes and profits thereof, of and from any Seizure by him the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Har|ward <HI>made for default of paiment of his Rent as afore&s;aid, and to deli|ver unto him what&s;oever goods, or Cattels of the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Cholme|leyes, <HI>he hath distrained for the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Cholmeleys <HI>detainer of the &s;aid Rent; and to the end, the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Cholmeley <HI>may not in time to come receive any ju&s;t di&s;couragement in paiment of his Rent, the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Harward <HI>hereby is further appointed in all fair and due ways to a&s;&s;i&s;t the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Cholmeley, <HI>in his quiet injoyment of the &s;aid Re|ctory and profits thereof, according to his Lea&s;e in that behalf, and the &s;aid Pari&s;hioners of the &s;aid Pari&s;h of</HI> Whitbey <HI>afore&s;aid, are from time to time to pay unto the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Cholmeley <HI>all Tythes due from them unto him in right of the &s;aid Rectory, as al&s;o all Arrers of Tythes by them any way kept or detained by virtue of any inhibition, or &s;top made of them by any Order, or direction from the &s;aid</HI> Tru&s;tees, <HI>or of the &s;aid Mr.</HI> Harward <HI>receiver by his or their appointment.</HI></P>
<CLOSER>Vera Copia.</CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></Q>
<P>But that not taking, the Order was to be directed to Mr. <HI>Steel,</HI> to which a &s;tander by, &s;aying, that Mr. <HI>Steel</HI> had no &s;uch moneys in his hands, &amp; that therefore all addre&s;&s;es there were vain, Mr. <HI>Phelpes con&s;cious it &s;eems of &s;omewhat replied, it may be 'tis thought the</HI> Tru|&s;tees, <HI>or the</HI> Clark <HI>have the money;</HI> wherein he was in the right, yet the Order was directed to Mr. <HI>Steel,</HI> of my applications to whom I am now to give an account.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t time I went to him, all the an&s;wer I could get was that he would &s;peak with the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> about it, whereby I conceive he was &s;omewhat &s;urpriz'd with the Order, which required him to pay the moneys he had never received.</P>
<P>The next time he told me that he was to be accountable to me for that money, but withall di&s;avowed the receiving of any, though he
<PB N="22" REF="16" MS="y">had given Mr. <HI>Cholmeley</HI> an acquittance for it, and all the comfort I had from him was, that as &s;oon as any money came in I &s;hould be con&s;idered, but when that &s;hould be, he knew not.</P>
<P>Here is a &s;trange <HI>&s;huffling</HI> of men's affairs. Sir <HI>John Thorowgood</HI> would turn me over to <HI>Harward,</HI> though by the foregoing Order utterly di&s;charged of the bu&s;ine&s;s. But that I conceive was onely to remove me 200 miles hence. That not taking I am directed to Mr. <HI>Steel,</HI> who di&s;avows the receit of the money, though he had given <HI>Cholmeley</HI> an acquittance for it. <HI>Cholmeley</HI> in the mean time po&s;ts up the Order of the <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> that he &s;atisfied the <HI>Trea&s;ury,</HI> though while he was tran&s;acting this bu&s;ine&s;s here, there was no ad|mittance for any that I imployed, either to &s;ee Orders or know what was done. Mr. <HI>Steels</HI> man &s;ayes this was the fir&s;t acquittance ever granted without money received. Mr. <HI>Phelpes</HI> doubts the <HI>Tru|&s;tees,</HI> or the <HI>Clark</HI> have the money. The <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> wave that and &s;end me where I am not like to have any.</P>
<P>What a <HI>conspiracy</HI> of <HI>Intrigues</HI> is here to turn me from <HI>post</HI> to <HI>pillar</HI> to no purpo&s;e? Thus am I put to a fruitle&s;s, though no &s;mall expence for Orders; to a chargeable, yet endle&s;s attendance, whereof the i&s;&s;ue mu&s;t be to be laught out of my &s;ub&s;i&s;tance, and <HI>cut out</HI> for mi&s;ery with tho&s;e that depend on me. Well MALIGNANCY! <HI>Thou</HI> &s;halt be the <HI>Childe of this generation; Thou</HI> art &s;o <HI>wi&s;e,</HI> &s;o <HI>pro|vident,</HI> &s;o <HI>cautious,</HI> that thy <HI>de&s;igns</HI> are &s;o far from preventing, that they are hard to be di&s;covered when they have wrought their effect. <HI>Thou</HI> neede&s;t not grieve thy <HI>exclu&s;ion</HI> from <HI>places</HI> of <HI>tru&s;t,</HI> &s;ince, as the <HI>Roman</HI> &s;aid of Gold, that it was better be ma&s;ters of tho&s;e that have it, then po&s;&s;e&s;s the Gold it &s;elf; &s;o mai&s;t <HI>thou</HI> &s;ay. That to be able to <HI>in&s;inuate</HI> into, and <HI>corrupt</HI> tho&s;e in places of tru&s;t is <HI>equiva|lent</HI> to having their places. If thou <HI>direct</HI> the &s;word of Ju&s;tice to <HI>&s;trike,</HI> it matters not who <HI>holds</HI> it.</P>
<P>Right Honourable, and righteous <HI>Judges of the Land,</HI> I be&s;eech you judge between me, and my adver&s;aries in this ca&s;e. Have you erected <HI>Committees,</HI> have you appointed <HI>Tru&s;tees</HI> for the <HI>Protecti|on,</HI> or for the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ion</HI> of <HI>hone&s;t men?</HI> Do the&s;e men an&s;wer your expectations of them, who in&s;tead of <HI>relieving</HI> the <HI>Godly</HI> and <HI>well-affected, cru&s;h</HI> and <HI>di&s;hearten</HI> them to gratifie the <HI>&s;upplanting</HI> enemy? I am <HI>di&s;charged</HI> my <HI>profe&s;&s;ion</HI> rendred <HI>un&s;erviceable</HI> to that <HI>de&s;ign</HI> of <HI>providence,</HI> which I had with a &s;incere and upright heart &s;ubmit|ted
<PB N="26" REF="17">unto, and at once made an u&s;ele&s;s Member of the <HI>Common|wealth,</HI> and with my Wife and 4 Children expo&s;ed to mi&s;ery and want, and that which adds to the burden of my affliction is to con|&s;ider, by what means and in&s;truments my ruine is brought about. For where&s;oever I turn my &s;elf whether to <HI>Committees, Tru&s;tees, Trea&s;urers,</HI> nay, when I have to do but with <HI>Clarks</HI> (tho&s;e Perni|cious <HI>earwigs</HI>) I finde them prepo&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed by the &s;elf-&s;ame intere&s;t, and all my hopes <HI>defeated</HI> with <HI>delays</HI> and <HI>elu&s;ions,</HI> which puts me in minde of the words of <HI>David</HI> to the Woman of <HI>Tekoah, Hath not the hand of</HI> Joab <HI>been with thee in all this?</HI> I make not my <HI>&s;ervices</HI> and <HI>&s;ufferings</HI> for the <HI>intere&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Common-wealth,</HI> a ground to de&s;ire any thing of your Honours; all that I beg is out of my right to Ju&s;tice, what I de&s;ire more let it be refu&s;ed, and the pre&s;umption puni&s;h'd. I mu&s;t confe&s;s I am a man of a low and quiet &s;pirit, and thence it may be thought that the compa&s;&s;ing of my ruine is not &s;o great a miracle. But I fear me, if inqui&s;ition were made, there would be found many in&s;tances of per&s;ons more active and better acquainted with the affairs of the Committees, and the world, that have complaints in their bo&s;oms again&s;t the <HI>exorbitancy</HI> and <HI>Tyran|ny</HI> of <HI>mercenary Clarks,</HI> and others, who being too <HI>familiar</HI> with per&s;ons in Authority, <HI>divert</HI> them from the <HI>relief</HI> of <HI>hone&s;t men,</HI> and <HI>work</HI> them <HI>in&s;en&s;ibly</HI> to <HI>gratifie</HI> tho&s;e who&s;e very <HI>acquaintance</HI> not long &s;ince was a <HI>contagion.</HI> I &s;hall make an <HI>end</HI> though my heart be <HI>full,</HI> be&s;eeching your Honours to con&s;ider the &s;ad condition I am brought into, by the crooked dealings of &s;ome men; wherein all that I beg is JUSTICE.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE>Febr. 12. 1652/3.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Micah. 7.8, 9, 10.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Rejoyce not again&s;t me, O <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">ine enemy, when I <HI>fall</HI> I &s;hall ari&s;e, when I &s;it in <HI>darkne&s;s,</HI> the Lord &s;hall be a <HI>light</HI> unto me.</P>
<P>I will bear the <HI>indignation</HI> of the Lord, becau&s;e I have <HI>&s;inned</HI> again&s;t him, untill he plead my <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> and execute <HI>Judgement</HI> for me, he will bring me forth to the light, and I &s;hall behold his <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P>Then they which be mine enemies &s;hall &s;ee it, and &s;hame &s;hall cover them which &s;aid unto me, where is the Lord thy God: mine eys &s;hall behold them, and now &s;hall they be troden down as the mire of the &s;treets.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="17">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
