The VVord of God, to the citie of London, from the Lady Eleanor: of the Earle of Castle-Haven: condemn'd, and beheaded: Aprill 25. 1631. &c.

THE VVORD OF GOD TO The Citie of LONDON: Luke Evangeliſt the 19. From The Lady Eleanor: 1644.

TO confirme it out of the mouth of two witneſſes: The time of your Visſitation, as formerly out of the Old Teſtament. (2 of Kings 20. &c.) A ſigne given of the Reſurrection at what time it is reveald by the times paraleld. So here is one out of the New from a Parable: (Luke the 19.) witneſſes the ſame, concerning when our Saviours returne not fare off. As when thought then the Kingdome of God was neere: or immediately ſhould appeare.

VVherefore of the very yeare of God 1631. April 25. thus what then came to paſſe no inferior token or ſigne of it, as witneſſe ſuch a one, &c. And he ſaid therefore a certain Nobleman went into a far Country to receive a Kingdome, and to returne. And cald his ten ſervants and gave them ten pounds, &c. As moreover in what reign followed that, needs no more date but this. But his Citizens hated him, and ſent a Meſſage after him ſaying. We will not have this man to reigne over us.

And thus proceeding on, as it were with the ten Commandements, then came the firſt ſaying, Lord thy pound hath gaind ten: and ſaid have authority over ten Cities: And the ſecond came ſaying, Lord thy pound hath gaind five: and he ſaid alſo be thou Ruler over five Cities. And another came ſaying, Lord behold here is thy one pound, that wrapt up in the heavie Handcherchifeor Napkin, which amounts to Anno Dom. 1631. Aprill 25. And ſo THREE of them come to their Laſt account too, the EARL of Caſtle-Haven firſt: One as evill requited by his family, As reputed free to his followers, and accounted juſt to all and charitable, &c.

So farther for explanation of this peice of Subſtraction and Addition, ſaying Lord he hath ten, whoſe reply was: That unto every one that hath ſhall be given and from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away that he hath. VVhen he ſaid or gave command, take from HIM the pound and give it to him that hath ten, where beſides the aforeſaid yeare of God the miſtery thereof as manifeſted, alſo refers to a certaine principle ſo diſtaſtfull to his Majeſtie, the Parliament ſaying he can receive no loſſe: That hath nothing of his owne, or to that purpoſe.

And ſo much added concerning theſe words, how he ſhall be recompencd ſo evill a ſteward of his Lords money: That from him that hath not: (Notwithſtanding) ſhall be taken away that which he hath. Accompanied with that voice of the preſent reigne: Bring them forth and ſlay them before me mine enemies.

And farther more to bring this home to the time: though in no ſmall haſt paſſing on with great Brittains progreſſe or ſtory in this of the 19. of Luke &c. When he wept over that hard harted Citie viſſited in that manner, comming neigh Bethphage and Bethania, &c. which alſo drawes neere great Brittaine, as ſhewes the things belonging to their peace hidden from their eyes, ſaying withall. Jf theſe ſhould hold their peace when peace in Heaven proclaim'd and his comming, very ſtones would not be ſilent, but liken'd to a womans travell, would immediatly cry out.

And thus having denounced their heavie ſentence visſits the temple, to purifie it, caſting out thoſe making their markets there, as no newes is refullfild with us.

And as this cleare and out of queſtion this parable or portion of Scripture, directed to our dayes where the faithfull rewarded with ſo many Cities; and the like, ſo evident likewiſe where that Publican pardond, (Luke 19,) Saying ſalvation was • ome to his houſe, bidden to make haſt, &c. The very true Portrature of him, his • aſtie departure or death. The ſonne of • ld ancient Abraham alſo: The houſe of Audeley no obſcure one, though one much envied, and ſuch a one then come of no Sodome ſeed, but like Iſaack rather ſacrified, who as he ſufferd for the miſdemenors of an unrulie houſhold ſufferd by him, laying on him their faults, ſo had the honour to have this added.

To ſuffer between thoſe two the one cleering him at that houre, affirming for that fact whereof the Earle of Caſtle-Haven was accuſd by his wife (ſuch a wicked woman) He was as innocent as the child new borne. Though by the other an Impudent Idolater not cleered, calling out upon Saint Bennet, but curſing the ſaid Earle, wiſhing him and all his Generation except his ſonne hangd and damnd.

And now Sirs you of this Honourable Citie as you have heard theſe: Shal • adde a word of His Majeſties Atturney generall that day after they had heard the •• examination (falne to a low ebb of what was expected (ſaying my Lord. You ſee this odious crime, and therefore you muſt be curious you admit of no Mittigation, who came ſhort of this firſt promiſe. That His Majeſties intent was like God to ſhew mercy, who from fifty did come down to ten when he interceeded for Sodom.

And ſo what the priſoner anſwered to them: when his Majeſties Chaplins came and told him the King had a gracious purpoſe to alter the manner of his death. And that he ſhould be beheaded like a Noble man: Replyed he ſhould eſteeme that Haulter which ſhould draw HJ M to Heaven before a collor of pearle or the like. And for the Gallowes likewiſe that ſhould bring him to his Saviour and Redeemer that diſpiſed not the croſſe for him; and ſo much for him a man of a meane ſtature too, who clmbed that tree at Tower-Hill, when as a like no little throng or preſſe: A Peere of two Kingdomes a Noble man here, a Prince or Earle in Jreland, whoſe eſtate ſometime inferior to none. And thus ſtands forth like that Noble Zacheus cal'd by his name to come downe.

The EARLE of Caſtle-Havens Confeſſion. In the name of God Amen.

I Mervin, Earl of Caſtle▪ haven being in my full ſtrength and memory thankes be given unto my maker, having been branded and openly accuſed for chang, alteration, and doubtfullnes of my Faith and Religion. I thought fitt like a Chriſtian man to give ſatisfaction upon what grounds I stand for my beleife, and to expreſſe it under my band for the ſatisfaction of all charitable people and Chriſtians.

Firſt, I doe believe in the bleſſed and glorious Trinity, three perſons, one eternall and everliving God, God the Father, God my Redeemer, and God my Sanctifier.

I doe relie upon the merit, death, and pasſion of our bleſſed Saviour Chriſt Jeſus, and upon his Mediation for the remiſsion of my ſins.

I doe believe and uſe with moſt humble reverence our Lords prayer, the Creed of the Apoſtles and the tenn Commandements, as they are ſet downe and allowed in the Church of England.

I doe believe the Canonicall Scriptures and that they are written by the inſpiration of the holy ſpirit.

I doe beleive the Booke of Common Prayer, as it is allowed in the Church of England, to be a good for me in thoſe dayes for the ſervice of God and to uſe the ſame, and for the reſt of my beleife I doe referre it to the true Orthodox faith of our Church of England. And from the Articles received at this preſent in the Church of England, and confirmed by authority of Parliament, I doe not differ in any point, renouncing all the ſuperſtitions and errors taught or beleived in the Church of Rome or any other Church, in which faith I will, God willing continue to my lives end

in Teſtimony whereof I have hereunto ſubſcribed my hand this firſt of May 1631. Caſtle-haven.

LJkewiſe of whoſe Letter, makeing bold to ſhew the beginning thereof: When without MERCY Caſtaway: how well reſolv'd He was, who had ſuch ill luck at one and Thirty.

(Anagram. Eleanor Audeley.)Reveale O Daniel, J ſend thee 1631. farewells with thankes for thy letter and advice. But J am bound for Nineveh: And having bidden Tarſhiſh farewell. Not fearing death, J doe not deſire life.

CASTLE-HAVEN

ANd for more manifeſtation of what nature this unnaturall ſtrange treſpaſſe. Whereof this man Mer: Lord Audeley was accuſd, his undeſerv'd death is referd to Geneſes 38. Judahs ſonnes Er: his eldeſt, and O N an his treſpaſſe: And how the Lord ſlew them both: with her diſguiſing: putting off her widowes garment, with child by whoredome, Tamer travaling with twinns thoſe ſonns: with that ominous Scarlet, or Red thread bound, &c.

And therefore ſhall but name them, the contrivers of it. Ann his wife, and his brother Ferdinando: the one for envie, ſhe being an Heire, and ſuch a notorious one, (O Ann) The other a perverted Papiſt wanting no malice: wherefore to cut him off, ſome time gone that way aſtray too: but recald himſelf, no aſpertion was held too ſoule for him. And for saving her honour an adultreſſe by promiſd preferment, a Page and a fo • t man was brought forth: Thoſe VVitneſſes rewarded in their kind, condemned out of their owne mouths, like ſillie Sheep for their labour: Who came againſt a Peere of two Kingdomes, as Broadway by name, charged with that breach made on her:

The other one Fitz Patricke, or O Donel a very Vagarant: Accuſing himſelfe of O Nans uncleanneſſe or treſpaſſe with his LORD. Vpon his Oath beleev'd, which had never received the Sacrament, or at leaſt but one kind before him; that thrice tooke it upon his death And one never heard to have an Oath come out of his mouth, That in that kind he was not guilty, never intending to reſerve oathes to that purpoſe to make himſelfe forſworne before his death.

And ſo much for thoſe twinns or fellow-ſervants. Themſelves falling into the pit dig'd for another, though guilty of that: as much as thoſe Babes Then born; Yet worthy of no other, witnes out of their owne mouths. Therefore the Executioner, or Man-midwif, as the one helps them into the world, be others out of it: This work though ſooner diſpatched, where Jrelands heavie blow at hand incluſive in theſe. And after came his Brother with the Red thred, &c.

Alſo farther for the time of the yeare, about ſheep-ſhering time or S. Georges feaſt: as Times circumſtance requiſit, when it came to paſſe of the LORD Keepers giving ſentence; Keeper of the great Seale, made Lord high Steward. That Judge, Judah like in this, though not acknowledged, condemned one, more righteous then himſelfe. Yet diſcerne J pray you whoſe are theſe, the Signit or Seale, the Staffe, or white Rod, and Bracelets or Color, of what office theſe are the Enfignes.

And more over how it came to paſſe with him, behold his own brother Sir Ferdinando Touchet what end he came to, That day twelve moneth in the morning at the ſame houre his brother was condemn'd, how he dyed ſuddainly, which had polluted his owne Neſt or Houſe, the juſt hand of God diſpleaſed: This unnaturall brother, in a Houſe of Office or the like, ſtroke • dead coming but from the Tennis on Holborn Hill, without any ſervent with him. This O Nan ready to be torn in peices before the breath out of his body: ſome their hands in his pockets; Others for his Clothes, was found thus by His Servants which came to aske for HIM. Thus rewarded as They no other deſerved: JƲDAS-like, rather then of Judahs Race or Kind, (Luke 21.) in betraying HIM betrayed by Friends and Bretheren ſo openly: Mervin LORD AVDELEY, of the Manor of Straw-Bridge, which never ſuſpected or did know that the VVord to be of his houſe, or appertaining to Parſonages and Tithes, that Mat. 25. Thou kneweſt J reap where J ſowed not, and gather where J have not ſtrawed. VVhere although the Arch B. of Canterburies burying his Lords money (as it may well be no little or hidden of that kind in the earth) with the looſing of his head alſo tyed up with that Napkin or Kircheife: the one gone to his owne place, Little-Eaſe or Eſaus Reſt. The other a cheife Peere, though his hard hap to looſe his Head firſt, yet nevertheleſſe in Abrahams boſome or Paradice, as his Saviour ſaying I come to ſave that which is loſt, Luk. 19. As when the ancient of dayes his returne ſhewed there, ſo referd to Malachi, ſhall come as a ſwift witneſſe in judgement, againſt adulterers, & adultreſſes and falſe ſwearers, and for Tithes that robery and the like. For yee have Rob'd me, &c.

So come LORD, and cut off ſuch an evill time, deferre us not.

FINIS.