An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…

And as for the riches of it, and the reward of my military service, the last is a putid falsehood: and the case of the former is this: I was offered in my native Country a Parsonage accounted worth 500l. per Ann. and my choice of others not much worse. I never had any thought of taking them, but of returning to my former work. The Agreement was made by the Vicar himself; and the Articles against him first that moved him to it, could not be for his fidelity about the War; for they were long before the King and Parliament disagreed, and a year and half before the Wars. When I returned, instead of the 100l. which they agreed to pay me and an house, I had usually but 90l. and sometimes 80l. and a few rooms in the top of another mans house. And I never asked them for more. The Vicarage they told me they used to let at Sevenscore or Eight score pound almost, (now worth more); of this my Assistant was to have threescore or more, but seldom had near so much; 6l. per. Ann. went to the King and chief Lord, (as they then spake.) The Fifths the Vicar had; and they told me they gave him more, about 40l per Ann. 10l. a year an old conformable Curate at a Chapel had; and Taxes, and the poor, &c. had something. This 80 or 90l which I had, was far from defraying my necessary charges. I kept no family but one servant. I spent as little on my self as most men of my calling. When I had kept usually one boy or more at the University, and paid for Bibles, and other Books, and teaching some poor peoples children to read, with other necessary helps to the poor, and particularly my poor Relations, my Stipend was spent before my charges were defrayed. And for the Vicarage-house (which was large and private) I know not what is within the doors. From the first day of its Sequestration till my coming away, which was about fourteen years, I never set my foot within the doors, much less disturbed the Vicar in his possession, even when Cromwell published a Declaration for the removal of all sequestered Ministers from the Parsonage or Vicarage-houses, and two miles from the place; but I contented my self with the rooms aforesaid. And so much for Mr. Durels better information against the time of his next invective against a stranger, and of a case unknown.

And as for the riches of it, and the reward of my military service, the last is a putid falshood: and the case of the former is this: I was offered in my native Country a Parsonage accounted worth 500l. per Ann. and my choice of others not much worse. I never had any thought of taking them, but of returning to my former work. The Agreement was made by the Vicar himself; and the Articles against him first that moved him to it, could not be for his fidelity about the War; for they were long before the King and Parliament disagreed, and a year and half before the Wars. When I returned, instead of the 100l. which they agreed to pay me and an house, I had usually but 90l. and sometimes 80l. and a few rooms in the top of another mans house. And I never asked them for more. The Vicaridg they told me they used to let at Sevenscore or Eightscore pound almost, (now worth more); of this my Assistant was to have threescore or more, but seldom had near so much; 6l. per. Ann. went to the King and chief Lord, (as they then spake.) The Fifths the Vicar had; and they told me they gave him more, about 40l per Ann. 10l. a year an old conformable Curate at a Chappel had; and Taxes, and the poor, &c. had something. This 80 or 90l which I had, was far from defraying my necessary charges. I kept no family but one servant. I spent as little on my self as most men of my calling. When I had kept usually one boy or more at the University, and paid for Bibles, and other Books, and teaching some poor peoples children to read, with other necessary helps to the poor, and particularly my poor Relations, my Stipend was spent before my charges were defrayed. And for the Vicaridg-house (which was large and private) I know not what is within the doors. From the first day of its Sequestration till my coming away, which was about fourteen years, I never set my foot within the doors, much less disturbed the Vicar in his possession, even when Cromwell published a Declaration for the removal of all sequestred Ministers from the Parsonage or Vicaridg-houses, and two miles from the place; but I contented my self with the rooms aforesaid. And so much for Mr. Durels better information against the time of his next invective against a stranger, and of a case unknown.