Letter to Edward Elwall from an unknown author
Mr. ELWALL,
The Occasion of my writing to you at this Time is this; I have lately seen a pretended Answer to your Book, writ Originally by a Miller of Himly. I know the Man; he was a Preacher to the Baptists in the West Part of England; but being cast out by them for Fornication, &c. he crept up into our Country, got into the Favour of that People here, and prated for Fire among them as long as he could conceal his Wickedness; for he Married one Woman here, had Bastards by others, as I have been inform’d, and I am sure he forsook his Wife to cohabit constantly with One of his Whores, that Father’d One Bastard on him in his Wife’s Life Time; for which Crimes, viz. Adultery and Hypocrisie, he was cast out here also; and then his Preaching Trade failing, he was forc’d to betake himself to this Trade he now follows, which is driving of a Miller’s Horse to get himself Bread. I say the Book was writ by him, but published by a Baker in Wolverhampton, a Person of better Account and Character than the former, but in this Matter they are Brethren in Iniquity. I shall not need to describe the Work to you, nor indeed to any one else, that has either Sense or Learning: But in General, it is very like the Author, being little or nothing more than foolish, wicked Stuff, not worth regarding, except on Passage, and this is his abusive Language in calling you a Murderer, &c. as he does in a vile, malicious Manner.
But I do not so much wonder at the Miller, who is known to be abandoned from all Fear of God, and long since given himself up to all Kind of Wickedness that he can persue without danger here. But I am astonished that Skot the Baker should publish a Story which he knew to be False. O! The Horror that must needs seize that Man’s Conscience, when he considers what an unrighteous Slander he has published of his Innocent Neighbour. But I am really afraid the Man is got into the old Popish Tenet, viz. That he must do his utmost to destroy Hereticks, or at least to do them what Mischief he can. For who can think less, that considers he has done this, and yet knows you never did any such thing! Well had I been thus Diabolically led to slander my innocent Friend; (for so I hope you have always been to him) I would immediately publish in the Gazette, or some other publick Paper, That I had most egregiously wrong’d you, and beg your Pardon.
I doubt not but you may make an Example of them both for their thus wronging you; but I think if they had violently deprived you of one of your Hands, you would have signed them a Pardon with the other. Indeed the Forgiving, Humble and Harmless Temper with which you are possess’d, is a commendable Virtue, and an obedient following of our Lord and Saviour: Strange it is that a Man that has the universal Character of an honest, godly minded Man all his Days, and whose Life was never sullied with any foul Blot, should have this Treatment from them meerly on Account of his Opinion, for I could never hear any, even of your bitterest Enemies, lay any Immorality to your Charge: And for your Book, let it be what it will, I’m sure, ‘tis more than Skot, or his merry Andrew Miller can answer, to any honest, unprejudiced Man’s Satisfaction; the pretended Answer seems to me, to be only Calculated to procure Laughter and Malice.
I hear you are about to Print a Reply, for which I am very sorry, since the Adversaries Pamphlet carries Confutation enough in its own Belly: What need is there of an Answer to such a heap of Nonsense? It will be a Disgrace for you to Write against such a scurrilous, abominable Fellow, that all Societies of Christians, that I know of abhor, for his Odious Life and Conversation.
And that he has not repented of his Immorality, appears in that he is not afraid to make himself the Chief of Slanderers. Therefore, ‘tis no Uncharitable Censure to say, He is still in the Gall of Bitterness, and in the Bond of Iniquity: The Lord open their Eyes, and keep you both in Body and Mind, which is the Prayer of -
- Your Loving Friend