Hee was translated from a tombe maker to be the [{168}] tapster at hell, (which is in Westminster, under the Ex-Chequer office,) for benefit of the meanes hee translated himselfe into New England, where, by the help of Beaver and the commaund of a servant or two, hee was advaunced to the title of a gentleman; where I left him to the exercise of his guifts.
Chap. XXV.
Of the manner how the Seperatists doe pay debts to them that are without.[531]
There was an honest man, one Mr. Innocence Fairecloath,[532] by Mr. Mathias Charterparty sent over into New Canaan, to raise a very good marchantable commodity for his benefit; for, whiles the man was bound by covenant to stay for a time, and to imploy such servants as did there belong to Mr. Charterparty,[533] hee disdained the tenents of the Seperatists: and they also, (finding him to be none,) disdained to be imployed by a carnall man, (as they termed him,) and fought occasion against him, to doe him a mischeife. Intelligence was conveyed to Mr. Charterparty that this man was a member of the Church of England, and therefore, (in their account,) an enemy to their Church and state. And, (to the end they might have some coloure against him,) some of them practised to get into his debte, which hee, not mistrusting, suffered, and gave credit for such Commodity as hee had sold at a price. When the day of payment came, insteede of monyes, hee, being at that time sick and weake and stood in neede of the Beaver hee had Goode Payement. contracted for, hee had an Epistle full of zealous exhortations to provide for the soule; and [{169}] not to minde these transitory things that perished with the body, and to bethinke himselfe whether his conscience would be so prompt to demaund so greate a somme of Beaver as had bin contracted for. Hee was further exhorted therein to consider hee was but a steward for a time, and by all likely hood was going to give up an accompt of his stewardship: and therfore perswaded the creditor not to load his conscience with such a burthen, which hee was bound by the Gospell to ease him of (if it were possible;) and for that cause hee had framed this Epistle in such a freindly maner to put him in minde of it. The perusall of this, (lap’d in the paper,) was as bad as a potion to the creditor, to see his debtor Master Subtilety (a zealous professor as hee thought) to deride him in this extremity, that hee could not chuse, (in admiration of the deceipt,) but cast out these words:
Are these youre members? if they be all like these, I beleeve the Divell was the setter of their Church.
This was called in question when Mr. Fairecloath least thought of it. Capt. Littleworth must be the man must presse it against him, for blasphemy against the Church of Salem: and to greate Iosua Temperwell hee goes with a Blasphemy an example for carnall men. bitter accusation, to have Master Innocence made an example for all carnall men to presume to speake the least word that might tend to the dishonor of the Church of Salem; yea, the mother Church of all that holy Land.
And hee convented was before their Synagoge, where no defence would serve his turne; yet was there none to be seene to accuse him, save the Court alone.
[{170}] The time of his sicknes, nor the urgent cause, were not allowed to be urg’d for him; but whatsoever could be thought upon against him was urged, seeing hee was a carnall man, of them that are without. So that it seemes, by those proceedings there, the matter was adjudged before he came: Hee onely brought to heare his sentence in publicke: which was, to have his tongue bored through; his nose slit; his face branded; his eares cut; his body to be whip’d in every severall plantation of their Iurisdiction; and a fine of forty pounds impos’d, with perpetuall banishment: and, (to execute this vengeance,) Shackles,[534] (the Deacon of Charles Towne,) was as ready as Mephostophiles, when Doctor Faustus was bent upon mischeife.
Hee is the purser generall of New Canaan, who, (with his whipp, with knotts most terrible,) takes this man unto the Counting howse: there capitulates with him why hee should be so hasty for payment, when Gods deare children must pay as they are able: and hee weepes, and sobbes, and his handkercher walkes as a signe of his sorrow for Master Fairecloaths sinne, that hee should beare no better affection to the Church and the Saints of New Canaan: and strips Innocence the while, and comforts him.
Though hee be made to stay for payment, hee should not thinke it longe; the payment would be sure when it did come, and hee should have his due to a doite; hee should Notable Pay. not wish for a token more; And then tould it him downe in such manner that hee made Fairecloaths Innocent back like the picture of Rawhead and blowdy bones, and his shirte like a [{171}] pudding wifes aperon. In this imployment Shackles takes a greate felicity, and glories in the practise of it. This cruell sentence was stoped in part by Sir Christopher Gardiner, (then present at the execution,) by expostulating with Master Temperwell: who was content, (with that whipping and the cutting of parte of his eares,) to send Innocence going, with the losse of all his goods, to pay the fine imposed, and perpetuall banishment out of their Lands of New Canaan, in terrorem populi.