❧Two rare examples, to mooue all Christians to repentaunce, the one of an odious swearer, the other of a widdow, named Ioane Bowser, &c.
IT is a pittifull case to consider, the inordinate sinnes, wherein the world at this time, is as it were drowned. For where hath not iniquity gottē the vpper hand? Is not pride, whoredome, swearing, and lying (by the mallice of the Deuill) euen in the time of the Gospel, more frequented, and helde in estimation, then at any other time heeretofore? Howe many counterfeit visors, hath follie practised, to couer all her traines of subtiltie, perswading her immitators, with such madnesse, that modestie is driuen into exyle. Are not the hearts of men so fast lulled, in the cradle of Securitie, that Pittie is forgotten, Chatitie fledde, Mercie exiled, Auarice exalted▪ good Conscience banished, and the poore vncherished, and the Gospell of Trueth as a shaddowe, with the lyppes professed, but in effect, little followed? Nay, rather [Page] the more is the pittie, Exhortations, Examples, Earthquakes, Comettes, fierie Skies, Inundations, Shipwrackes, vnnaturall birthes, as well in men as beastes, nothing regarded: vvhich thing dooth but foreshowe, that our dayes are the verie same, which the Apostle Paule to Tymothie. 7. Chapter. Dooth so warelie warne vs to take heede off, saying: In the later daies, men shall become loouers of themselues, disobedient, euill speakers, &c. And who can be so blinde that dooth not see these thinges growne, to such corruption, that the Scithe of Gods wrath, is no doubt ready to mowe vs, as vnprofitable brambles from the face of the earth, except we repent?
And heere deare brethren, I haue to present vnto your eyes, a rare example of the Iustice of God, vpon a great blasphemer of the precious blood of Christe, which came to passe in Lincolnshire, in the moneth of Iune, last past, in a Towne called Boothebie, three myles from Granthame, in the house of a good Gētleman, bothe of woorshippe and credite, named Maister Pennell, who hauing entertained this Seruingman (for so he was,) who had styll in his mouth, the vse to sweate, Gods precious blood, and that for verie trifles: Thus notwithstanding, beeing often warned by his freendes, to leaue the taking of the Lords blood in vaine, did notwithstanding, styll persist in his wickednesse: vntyll at the last, it pleased God, to acite him, first with sicknesse, and last, with Death. During which time, of the Lordes [Page] visitation, no perswasions could mooue him to repent, his forevsed blasphemies, but hearing the Bell to towle, dyd most hardlie, in the verie anguishe of death, starte vp in his bedde, and sware by Gods blood, this Bell dooth towle for me, wherevppon immediatlie, the blood aboundauntly, from all the ioyntes of his body, as it were in streames, did issue out, most fearefullie, as well, from mouth, nose, wrestes, knees, heeles, and toes, with all other ioynts, not one left free: whereupon he most my serablie yeelded vp the ghost, whose iudgement I leaue vnto the Lord.
And nowe I will proceede, to shewe one other, as straunge a Iudgement, happening in Leicestershire, in a Towne called Donnington, where dwelled a poore man, named Iohn Twell, who deceased, owing vnto one Oswald Bowcer, the summe of fiue shilling, which the sayde Oswalde did forgiue the sayde man, before named, as he lay vpon his death bedde: but the sayde Oswaldes wife, called Ioane, would in no wise forgiue the sayde Twell, as long (she sayde) as she had day to liue. Wherevpon, not long after, the Deuill appeared vnto her, in the forme of the sayd Twell deceased, expressing all the lyneamentes, of the body of the dead man, which might well be, for we reade in the Bible, in the like order, did Sathan counterfeit the body of Samuell. But to proceede to the matter, this euill spirit, vttered vnto her these speeches, & sayd, he had brought her mony from Iohn Twell deceased, and [Page] willed her incontinent, to disburse the sayd money, vnto her husband, for his paines: Which she, with as couetous a desire, receyued, saying, God thanke you. She had no sooner named God, but the money consumed away, from betweene her handes, as it were a vapour, or smoake, tyll it was all consumed: wherwith, the Deuill giuing her a most fearefull, and sore stroke, vanished out of her sight.
VVherewith her whole body, became as blacke as pitche, replenished all ouer with a moste filthy scurffe, and other thinges which was so odious, as heere my pen for modesties sake, leaueth to wright, referring you to the verses heereafter ensuing. But to proceede, her body was most straungely benummed, and her eyes closed vp from the benefite of the light. Thus remayning a certaine space, she confessed the hardnesse of her heart, and with great patience, thanked God for his iudgementes, bestowed on her. Wherevpon to be breefe, it pleased God, seeing her repentaunce, to reuoke his Iustice, and to restore her vnto her former health, where she remayneth, praysing the name of God, for his great mercies bestowed vpon her. And I beseech the Lord Iesus, that these examples, may not onely be read, but warily marked, to the amendment of our most sinfull and wicked liues, and that blasphemers may beware and take heede, how they more reuerentlie, in their communication vse the name of God: and that these harde hearted people, who will not forgiue [Page] their brethren, be the debt neuer so small: But as it is well mentioned in the Gospell, will for a hundreth pence, catch their poore brethren by the throate, forgetting howe many debtes, our heauenlie Father hath forgiuen vs, and washed vs in his blood. To whome be all honour and glorie: Amen.
¶ A fearefull and terrible example of God iuste iudgement, executed vpon a lewde fellow, who vsually accustomed to sweare by Gods blood, which may be a Caueat to all the whole world, that they blaspheme not the name of their God by swearing.
O Mortall men, which in this world, for time haue your repast:
Approch, the fearefulst thing to heare, that euer happened erst.
Yea such a thing as dooth importe, the Lord our God on hye:
Through swearing by his blessed name, offended for to be.
Which straūg euent, whilst that I doo, perpend and to minde call,
My Penne (in trothe) is readie prest, out of my hand to fall.
My hart also dooth quaile in brest, my eyes distill a pace:
The Saulte and brinish teares also, do trickle downe my face.
But yet good Pen hould on thy course, to write, doo thou not linne:
For I the truthe to prosecute, hereof will now beginne.
There is a towne in Lincolneshire, which Bothbie hath to name:
Iust thrée miles distant from Grantam, a towne of aūcient fame.
Wherein there dwels a Gentleman, the truthe for to decyde:
Who Frauncis Penell called is, this may not be denyed.
It pleased God this Gentleman, into his house did hyre:
A Seruingman t'atende him on, borne in Worstershire.
Which sayd youngman inclyned was, vnto a thing not good:
As for to sweare by Christ his flesh, and by his precious blood.
So musled vp hearein he was, that leaue it he ne could:
But at each woord, which he should speake, by Gods blood, sweare he would.
This [...]was was his vsuall kinde of oath (O Sathanist most vile:)
[...]erewith he did his loouing God, pollute, and eke defile.
[...] dooth you sée, transnature vs, and bringeth vs to wracke:
Yea, makes a Metamorphosis, of vs, behinde our backe.
Wherefore let vs estraunge our selues, from rustomes that be naught▪
Hauing regard vnto our soules, which Iesus Christe hath bought.
Now Christe our Lord and Father déere, in iudgement dooth procéede:
Hurling at this miscreant vile, his thunderbolts of dread.
Meaning, in Iustice for to make, this viper, Uarlet he:
A terrour vnto all the world, of swearing for to be.
Wherefore, our Lord commaunded death; at him to shoote his darte:
Who straight without protract of time, gored him vnto the harte.
Now, when that he the panges of Death, did féele, and eke sustaine:
Than he began as you haue heard, Gods name for to blaspheme.
And neuer ceased for to sweare, by Iesus Christe his blood:
Untyll his soule, at the last gaspe, foorth of his body yood[?].
And in this cruell extasie, he passionate did lie:
The space of thrée or fowre whole weekes, styll swearing bytterlie
Now when that he had languished, the spare that I haue sayde:
The people they perceyuing it, of force he would be dead.
Caused the Bell for to be tolde, that all for him might pray:
Beséeching God, his soule to kéepe, against the dreadfull day.
But when that he had heard this Bell, knolling most drerilie:
He rushing vp, sayd, by Gods blood, this Bell it tolles for me.
He had no sooner spoke these wordes, which I haue shewed to you:
But that a pace, his heart blood did, foorth of his body flowe.
For why, out of his singers endes, his blood did streame full faste:
So did it foorth, at his toes endes, which made them all agaste.
And yet the Lord procéeded foorth, this trayterous wight to scorge:
The blood gusht out, yea, at his wrests, much like the foming surge.
So did it also at his nose, runne foorth aboundantlie:
With other filthie excrements, which man dooth lothe to sée.
Thus died he, commmitting his soule, to the furies fell:
Which doo possesse th'infernall gulfe, and Laberinth of hell.
Than was his body straight interde, although (in trueth) forlorne:
For whome it had béene better farre, if he had not béene borne.
Whose heart is now so obdurate, that hearing of this thing.
Will not permit out of the same, great floods of teares to spring?
Or whose minde is so fastinate, or eke so lulde on sleepe:
That for to heare héerof will not, constrained be to wéepe.
And that for feare he should his God, through swearing thus offend:
And thereby purchase to him selfe, like dyre and rufull end.
O you that sweare at euerie word, repleate with deuilrie:
For to abstaine from swearing vile, let this a caueat be.
For sure you are as guiltie of, the death of Christe Iesu:
As euer were the curssed Iewes, which on the Crosse him slew.
But (oh alas) so farre are we, from leauing of this vice:
That we will not expung the same, but therein doo reioyce.
We count that man heroicall, and of a courage good:
Who can lashe out the greatest oathes, by Iesus Christe his blood.
And he that will not weare at all for feare of punishment:
He counted is a softishe foole, and eke a mere Peasant.
But now me thinkes, I heare these Dogs, t'expostulate with me:
And say they haue their God in minde, when that they sweare him bie.
But to you men most Serpentine, the Lord dooth say againe:
Thou shalt not take the name of me, the Lord thy God in vaine.
Also the Lord dooth thée commaund, in Mathew this is plaine:
[...]hat thou at all from swearing should, for euer to abstaine.
Prouing that, what procéedeth more, than this, yea, yea, no, no:
Dooth come from the infernall Prince, our mortall deadly foe.
Th'apostle Iames dooth vs instruct, by wordes effectuall:
Saying to vs, O brethren déere, doo you not sweare at all.
By other places infinite, of holie Scripture pure:
We are restrained we should not sweare, at all, by no Creature.
For that is vile Idolatrie, farre from a learned lore:
Which thing we ought at all assayes, to lothe and to abhorre.
Wherefore I héereof doe[?] conclude, without remorse or grudge:
That all vaine oathes vnlawfull are, not made before a Iudge.
For sure I am, we neuer ought, at any time to sweare:
Except the Christian Magistrate, by lawe doo it require.
And if before him we doo sweare, in trueth and holinesse:
The Lord him selfe acknowledgeth, he thereby honoured is.
And thus I end, beséeching God, of his especiall grace:
That we all sinfull swearing may, abandone in each place.
Elizabeth our noble Quéene, good Lord preserue and shéeld:
That shée thy chaste and faithfull Spowse, may still maintaine & build.
Make her, O Lord, a Mother olde, in Israell thy owne hill:
Graunt that shée may in all respectes, obey thy godlie will.
Good Lord protect her royall Grace, and blesse her with long life:
That this thy Realme, may long remaine, in peace, voide of all strife.
Let her, O Lord, be placed farre, distant from cruell death:
And all that will not say, Amen ▪ would God they had no breath.
FINIS.
A fearefull and rare example, of Gods iust iudgement, which he executed vpon an obstinate woman, who would not forgiue her brother his debt, the Deuill appearing to her in most dreadfull manner, and afflicting her body in pittifull wise, and which may be a lesson admonitory to all the world, to mooue them to repentaunce, and one to forgiue an other.
THe workes of God are wonderfull, as you by this shall heare:
Wherefore attentiue eare I craue, to hearken to my leyre.
Good Penne prepare thy selfe to write, those things I shall require:
Which happened in Donington, a Towne of Lestershire,
A Towne truly of auncientie, and of renownted fame:
For otherwise to speake thereof, in troth I were to blame.
But as the Towne it famous is, and worthy so to be:
So are the people ineffrenate, peruerse in each degrée.
In Donington the foresayd Towne, there dwelt an honest man:
Whose name in truthe was Iohn of Twell, so néere as I can scan.
Which sayd Iohn Twell arested was, by Death that cruell wight:
T'appeare before our Souerigne Lord, the Peareles King of might.
So called hence (iwis) he was, he owing shillings fiue:
Unto one Oswalde Bowser sure, an honest man, and blyue.
Which Bowser he forgaue it him, vppon his death bead thoe:
But Ioan Bowser, wife to him, in no wise would doo so.
But spoke and sayd, yea blas [...]e abrode, for this is veritie:)
I neuer will forgiue it him, vntill the time I die.
Now whilst that she persisted thus, in her pestiferous state:
It pleased God, the Diuell should, her corps infatuate.
For as she was disposde to sléepe, towards the euening tyde:
When Phaebus with his glistering beames towards ye west cā glide.
The Diuell he appearde to her, in such an vgly shape:
As forste she was in euery parte, to tremble and to quake.
And then she lysting vp her eyes, which now doo giue her light:
Saw one before her for to stand, as black as is the night.
Which thing she sayde (what so it was) that vnto her was sent:
Did portraie forthe the sayd Iohn Twell, in corporall lyneament.
Farther she sayd he had bleard eyes, as had the foresayde Twell,
Resembling him in eache respect[?], [...] as the fell[?].
This [...] Serpentine, spake thus the woman till
Receaue this mony, which I bring to satisfy thy wyll▪
And sée that thou disburse the same, vnto thy husband well:
And say that I doo send it him, as due for his trauell[?]
Then she tooke vp the monie sure, with ioy and comfort fraught:
For that she had so luckily[?], this Masse if monie caught.
Thus she with ioy inebriate, in all and euery part,
Brust foorthe and saide, now God you thanke, oh sir with all my hart.
Now [...] God Iehouah hie,
Th [...] monie [...] did vade away.
And he withalt vanishd away, and that in fearefull sight:
She still persisting sore perplext, and in a wofull plight.
But yet before he did depart, he smit her with his hand:
Yea such a deadly blow he gaue, as vnneth could she stand.
And straight way then, her corpes he came inn part as blacke as Pitche[?],
Replenished with filthy scurffe, as (almost) none is such.
And other dregges most fettulent, issued from her then,
Which modestie, and reason eke, commaunds me not to penne
And from that time vntill of late, her body it was lame:
Not able sure, to put in vse the practise of the same
For in goodsoothe, her body was, benumde, and eke betakte[?]:
The space of thrée or foure whole wéekes, all comfort her forsakte.
Her eyes also were closed vp, of sight she was made blinde[?]:
Thanking her God, who too her had his prouidence assignde.
Now when the Diuell had disgorgde[?] his stinking poysoned brest:
Of all the mallice that she could, her body to infest.
It pleased God, that she should be, to health againe restoedt[?]
By whom all sinne and wickednes, God graunt may be abhord.
And now she liueth honestly, and [...] showe,
Unto the world, the workes of God, perfected heere belowe.
Who graunt to vs his grace deuine and pardon thée so frée:
That vnto vs in heauen blisse, a guerdon it may be▪
This woman she was plagued full sore and heereby you may view:
The same t'ourselues let vs applie, that we may finde astkew[?].
For if that we stifnecked be, and loathe for to remitts:
Th'offences which to vs are due, a thing bothe good and fit.
Then is the Lord as able as was euer heretofore:
To plague vs all with tortures, foreuer to indure.
And in his holy woord most pure; he dooth vs all commaunde
That we th'offences to be done, too forgiue should not stand.
Proouing that God our Father [...] forgiue us all▪
Our manifolde inormities, when that on him we call.
Unleast that we be ready prest[?], each other to forgiue:
The synnes, and eke th'offences all, of these that doo vs grieve.
Wherefore let vs (déere Christians,) mauger the Deuils head)
Forgiue them all that doo offend vs, before we be dead.
Or els we neuer can be saued, by Iesus Christ his death:
A sacrifice saluificall, to them that liue by faithe.
For after death it is too late, his mercy to desire,
Because we would not them forgiue, which did offend vs heare.
No doubt these[?] wonders from abooue, to vs belowe are sente:
To subiugate our hautie lookes, and mooue vs to repent.
Therefore thou Towne of Donington, I read thée to repent:
For by procrastination, in trothe thou mayst be shent.
Thinke thou this a presagie, of Gods fearce wrath to thée:
If that thou cleaue not to his woord, and eke repentant be.
God hath thée warned now by this, and that in fréendly sorte:
To leaue thy whoredome and thy pride, and all thy filthy sporte.
Abandon then out of thy streates, all mirthe and minstrelsie,
No Pipers, nor no Dauncers vile, in thée let extant be.
Remember thou thy lately plague, of blayne, of Botche and Bile,
Whereby thy God, did scourge thée sore, least synne should thée defile.
O Donington fall not againe, vnto thy vomite old,
In filthy scurrile bawdie talke, doo not thy selfe vphold.
Ne yet with vaine and bloody othes, doo not thy selfe imbrew:
For than the Lord will throwe thée downe, amid the Deuils crew.
Flie from all worldly vanities, the woord of God imbrase:
Set not abroche opinions vile, the same for to deface.
And in this lyuing thou shalt be, safe from all worldly foes:
And in the world that is to come, shalt haue aye lasting ioyes.
To write hereof at this time more, my Penne I doo suspend:
Beséeching God that we may haue, heauen at our last end.
And now O gentle Donington, be mindefull yet of me:
Who haue with paines contriued this same, for looue I beare to thée.
Requite me not with wrath againe, that were disloyaltie:
But sée that thou accept hereof, as best beséemeth thée.
And as a pledge of my goodwill, let this be vnto thée:
Desiring God that I thy state, in health and wealth may sée.
Our noble Quéene Elizabeth, in health and honour eke:
Good Lord preserue to Nestors dayes, that she thy truthe may keepe.
From bloody hands of forraine foes, good Lord her saue and shend:
Graunt that at all assayes she may, by thee still be defend.
And when thou shalt her royall grace, in mercie to thee call:
Graunt (Lord) that she with thee may haue, thy ioyes celestiall.
Amen.
FINIS.