John Field, A godly exhortation

sigs C–C.ii verso (The wofull crie at Parrisgarden)

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You shall vnderstande therefore (deare Christians) that vpon the laste Lordes day being ye thirteen day of the first moneth, that cruell and loathsome | exercise of bayting Beares being kept at Parrisgarden, in ye after none, in the time of common prayers, and when many other exercises of Religion, both of Preaching and Catechizinge were had in sundrie places of the Cittie, diuers Preachers hauing not longe before also cried out againste such prophanations: yet (the more pittie) there resorted thether a greate company of people of all sortes and conditiones, that the like nomber, in euery respecte (as they say) had not beene seene there a long time before.

Being thus vngodlilie assembled, to so vnholy a spectacle and specially considering the time: the yearde, standinges, and Galleries beinge full fraught, beinge nowe amiddest their iolitie, when the Dogs and Beare, were in their cheefest battell. Loe the mightie hand of God vpon them. This Gallerie that was double, and compassed the yarde round about, was so shaken at the foundation, that it fell flat to the ground, without poste or peece, that was left standing, so high as the stake | whereunto the Beare was tyed.

Although some will say (& it may be truly) that it was very olde and rotten and that therefore a greater waight of people, beinge planted vpon it then was wont: that it was no maruell that it failed: and woulde make it but a light matter. Yet surelie if this be considered, that no one péece of poste, borde or stocke was left standinge: though wee vrge it net as a miracle, yet it must néeds be considered as an extraordinary iudgement of God, both for ye punishment of these present prophaners of the Lords day, and also to in forme and warne others.

In the fall of it, there weare slaine fiue men and two women, that are come to knowledge who they were and where they dwelled, to wit. A. dame Spencer a Felmonger, in Southvvarke, William Cockram a Baker, dwellinge in Shordich, Iohn Burton Clarck, of S. Marie Wolmers in Lombard streate. Mathevv Mason, seruant with Maister Garlande, dwellinge in Southvvarke: Thomas Peace, seruant with | Robert Tasher, dwelling in Clerkenvvell. The Maidens names Elice White seruaunt to a Pursmaker withoute Cripplegatetand Marie Harison, daughter to Iohn Harison waterbearer, dwelling in Lombard street. Ther is to bée considered in the qualitie and condicion of these persons: whom God hath thus laid alonge amiddest their vanitie, to be an example vnto vs, how commonly these of such sorte are affected & disposed. For if these in the state of pore men had feared God, and in the hearing of gods words had vppon such shorte summons bene called to appere before God: yet had they lefte an vndoubted testimonie, of their religion and pietie vnto others. And therefore I doo exhorte all men to take heede of such follies. Let them learne alwaies to be prepared for death, seing yat death is so certaine, though no man knowe of the hower. If God haue sette them in a meane state, let them not followe rudenesse, nor hunte after such vaine pleasures, but seeke the best thinges, and those that are most precious...

sigs C.iii verso–C.v verso

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Nowe beside these that were thus killed outright, with the flat fal of the Galleries, strangely wrunge in peces at it were by God himselfe, it cold not be but in such confusion, ther must needs come greatehurt to many. Howe many carried away death, as it were in theyr bosomes, that dyed the same night, or some little tyme after, the Lord knoweth.

But this is euydent, that some are | since dead, and namely a Pewterers wyfe, that dwelt in Limestreete, who being therefore wounded, is nowe dead, and diuers others. Of al the multitude there, which muste needes be farre aboue a thousande, it is thought by the iudgement of most people, that not the third personne escaped vnhurt: and by some that haue made searche, they esteme that there were sore hurt and maymed, one hundred and fyftye persons, some theyr legs and armes broken, some theyr backes, theyr bodies being sore brused, so that euery waye into the cittie from that time till towardes nine of the clocke and past: and specially ouer London bridge, many were carried in Chayres, and ledde betwixte theyr friendes, and so brought home wyth sorrowfull and heauy hartes.

They say also that at the first, when the Scaffolde cracked (as it did once or twise) there was a crye of fire, fire, which set them in such a maze as was wonderfull, so that as destitute of theyr wits, they stode styll, and could | make no shifte for them selues, til the Scaffold was ouerturned.

But as in the execution of Gods iudgements, we shall often marke the miraculous prouidence & mercy of God towardes many, euen so fell it out with diuers of these, that when as they had iustly deserued not onely to be hurt and wounded, but euen to be killed, yet God as a moste mercifull Corrector rather seemed to haue shaken a rodde towardes them, then to haue touched them. For amongst the rest it is credibly reported that thore was one Woman, that being in the Gallery, threwe downe her childe before her, & leaped after her selfe: & yet thankes be to God neyther of both had any maner of hurt, so was it with diuers others. But it should appeare that they were most hurte and in danger, which stoode vnder the Galleries on the grounde, vpon whom both the weyghte of Tymbre and people fell. And sure it was a miraculous worke of Gode, that any one of those should haue escaped. |

But here also God shewed his power for one man falling downe into a hole, it pleased God that it was the meane of his deliuerance, so as al things that fel vpon him did not touch him, and by yat he was preserued, whereas two of thother, were slaine of ech side of him.

Nowe what we haue to learne of these iudgements sufficiently hath bene touched before, and therefore for a conclusion: I beseeche all Maiestrates by the mercies of God in Iesus Christ, that by this occasion, they take good heede to looke to the people committed to their charge, that they take order especially on the Sabaoth dayes that no Citizin or Citizins seruantes, haue liberty to repayre vnto any of those abused places, that albeit the place be without the Citie, & by that meanes, they haue not to deale with them, yet that they keepe their Beares out, and their straggling Wantons in, that they may be better occupyed. And as they haue with good commendation so far preuailed, that vppon Sabaoth dayes these Heathenish Enterludes and Plaies | are banished, so it will please them to followe the matter still, that they may be vtterlye rid and taken away. For surely it is to be feared, besides the distruction both of bodye and soule, that many are brought vnto, by frequenting the Theater, the Curtin and such like, yat one day those places wyl likewise bee cast downe by God himselfe, & with them a huge heape of such contempners, & prophane persons vtterly killed & spoyled in their bodies. God hath giuen them as I haue heard manye faire warnings already.

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