Certain Certificates serving to vindicate M. Sam. Eaton's righteousness and innocency, in receiving two sums of money, about which he hath been lately very maliciously traduced by some unworthy persons.  
WHereas a Report hath passed from hand to hand in several places, importing M. eaton's detaining in his hand the sum of twenty six pound, or twenty eight pound, which was intended for the poor by Col. Venables, when yet he had other moneys given to him by the said Colonel, by which he might know, that no part of the above mentioned money was intended for him: We the Elders of the Church unto which M. Eton relates, think ourselves obliged to testify, That we have diligently searched into this matter, and have found it to be a gross lie, forged & fomented against him by persons of a distempered spirit, who have born a grudge against him for attempting to heal their souls. For first, the sum was but twenty four pound, sent over from Ireland, in 1651. by order of the foresaid Colonel, to the Deacons dispose. Secondly, M. Eton received but 20 pound of this 24 pound. Thirdly, He took it not, but it was allotted to him, and ordered for him to receive by the Deacons: And they had also special direction given unto them in a Letter written in the Colonel his name, by M. Taylor, that they should very fully distribute to M. Eton: and the sending of other moneys over to him, by the said Colonel, to cut him off from having any part in this, was a mere forged business, there was no such thing, as the Colonel himself confesseth. The Letter that clears M. Eton and the Deacons, is extant, through the goodness of God, though it might have been lost in such length of time, and the Colonel doth own it, as written by his direction. The persons that devised, and first reported these monstrous untruths, by a strange hand of God, have been divided among themselves, one casting it upon another, and endeavouring to clear themselves with high appeals to heaven; and since two of them have been for that, and other miscarriages, cast out of the Church, and a third person is under a solemn admonition. This we thought good to declare both for the clearing of M. Eton, and that all Calumniators might fear and tremble, when they behold the righteous proceed of God. This is testified by  
October 11. 1657. 

William Barrit.  
Thomas Partington.  
William Linnie.  
William Thomson.     

WE whose names are hereunder written, being the Deacons of the Church that meets in Stopport School-house, having understood how maliciously M. Eton hath been slandered, for taking 20l which appertained not to him, but was intended (as was said) by Colonel Venables (who sent it from Ireland) to the poor: do think ourselves obliged to clear him from such an odious aspersion, and to testify, that M. Eton did not take this 20l into his hands (as he hath been falsely charged to have done) but as it was ordered and appointed him by all, or the most of us, who have the power of dispose of all such moneys as are given to the Church's use, by any member of it. And we do also certify, that the whole sum that was sent, was 24l, and that we had special direction given to us how to dispose of it, in a Letter written by M. Taylor, in Col. Venables his name, which bears date Jan. 26. 1651. which Letter is yet extant, in words to this effect, That the Deacons should very fully distribute to M. Eton, if the necessities of private Brethren were not exceeding pressing. Whereupon we ordered, that M. Eton should have 20l, and that 4l should be given to the poor. And we also signify, that there was not in this any special favour showed to M. Eton, but that this distribution was made according to such rules of proportion as we had formerly gone by, our Teaching Officer at that time having not any other maintenance (to our knowledge) but what came through our hands: and for further confirmation of the truth of this our testimony, we do hereunto subscribe our names.  
Octob. 11. 1657. 

Edw. Tipping.  
Tho. Newton.  
Joh. Wharmbie.  
Jam. Johnson.     

I Do hereby cerifie, that I did desire M. Timothy Taylor, to return 24l for me to the Church of Duckenfield, now meeting in Stopport, and that (I being very busy, and wanting time) he would write for me about the same; he advised, that if the want of private members were not very pressing, M. Eton might be very fully considered: to which I consented, and willed him to write what he thought fit, and I should approve of it, which he accordingly did; for the substance of the Letter, the date, and other circumstances, I must refer to the Letter, which I now remember not. I do further certify, that I received a Letter from M. Eton, concerning his Receipt of the above 24, or part of it, which gave me satisfaction, and I returned an answer to it, but remember not the contents.  
Dated Sept. 26. 1657. R. Venables.   

WHereas M. Eton hath been scandalously aspersed for getting 10l into his hands, by his (or his Agents for him) pleading want, which was intended for the poor, I think it necessary to certify, that M. Eton received nothing but what I (being one of the Deacons of the Church to which he relates) did put into his hands: nor yet any thing but what was intended for him by Col. Venables, as his words to me did import. For thus it was, in Sept. 1656. Col. Venables brought 10l to Stopport, and put it into my hands; whereupon I told him, it came seasonably, as to M. Eton, because he had lately borrowed money; and his answer was, he was glad that it came so opportunely for him: by which words, and he declaring no other use for which he intended it, I conceived that his mind was, that M. Eton should have it: and it was no mistake in me, for he hath since testified so much under his hand. And whereas it is charged maliciously by some, that he (or his Agents for him) pleaded want, and did thereby get such moneys to himself, I do hereby assert, that I spoke not one word of want, but only said that he had lately borrowed money, which was a truth. Nor did M. Eton wish me to speak such words: nor did he know that I spoke any such words till I told him: neither did he know that Col. Venables had any intent of leaving any money in mine, or any other man's hand, nor did Col. Venables make any mention at all of the poor: by all which it doth appear how falsely M. Eton hath been charged, and bow basely abused. This is testified by me under my hand.  
Tho. Newton.   

BEing informed that some scandalous aspersion hath been cast upon M. Eton, as a robber of the poor, for making use of 10l, left by me in the hands of Thomas Newton, one of the Deacons: At the time I delivered it him, I said that I gave it to the Churches dispose: and he telling me that it came opportunely, for he knew M. Eton had borrowed money: I replied, I was glad it came so seasonably for him, intending M. Eton in my thoughts; and however others may report the matter, I did intent the money for him. Only hearing that he had taken it up upon the account of a journey to London, I was unsatisfied therein, in regard I purposed an other requital for his love. This is testified by  
Chest. Sept. 26. 1657. R. Venables.   

An Answer to the aforesaid Certificates, pretending to clear M. Eton from two sums of money, sent, and given by Col. Venables, to the Church called Duckenfield-Church.  
OUr desires are not to cast aspersions upon the persons of others, but to clear the truth and ourselves, from those aspersions of lying, forging, fomenting calumniators, etc. endeavoured to be cast upon us by the aforesaid Certificates; for our resolves were, to sit down in silence, as to Printing, had we not by the said Certificates been constrained thereunto; yet we are assured, that some of the persons whose names are thereunto subscribed, and in particular, Colonel Venables, were ignorant of Printing thereof, until they came to public view: We shall therefore in the first place show the ground and rise of the whole matter, which was as followeth.  
At the Assizes held at Chester, Octob. 6. 1656. we lying at Ralph Hall's house, who (and his wife) are members of M. eaton's Church, his wife gave us a relation of something that troubled her, about 40 shillings given them by Col. Venables, which M. Eton said was but lent them to be repaid by the Church, and that the greatest burden of it must lie upon him; which relation, at the request and importunity of William Barret (one of the Elders, whose hand is at the aforesaid Certificate, to whom she also told it) we gave in in writing under our hands to the Church, being produced by the aforesaid William Barret, as witnesses of what we heard, according as we have herein hereafter declared.  
Unto which relation so given unto us, I John Bruckshaw replied, As you are a Sister, and Ralph a Brother, and I know nothing against you, I dare not but believe you, yet this I must say, the thing is so odious, and looketh with such a black face, that I must think, that unless a man were out of his senses, he should not so say, witness my hand,  
John Bruckshawe, and Robert Ridgway.   

FOr answer to the Certificates, we say, first, none of the persons you intent in your Certificates, did ever mention twenty eight pounds, then who are the liars? Is it not as great a mistake in you to put twenty eight pounds for twenty six, as Joyce Hall to put twenty six for twenty four. Secondly we ask, whether it be a gross lie, forged by persons of distempered spirits, to testify what we were informed by Joyce Hall, and that when we were requested thereunto by William Barret, which we did give in under our hands, being called thereunto as witnesses, and not as a positive charge against M. Eton; and yourselves have said, Two Affirmatives, will carry it against five hundred Negatives; then why not our two Affirmatives against her Negative? And William Barret aforesaid, told George Downs, one of your Members, that Joyce Hall cleared us; and Katherine Ashton, another of your members likewise saith, Joyce Hall confessed so much as to clear us: And is it not more like to forgery, to put another man's name to a Letter or Writing, without his consent or knowledge, as some of you did by John Dan, as himself openly declared.  
But M. Eton confessed, that the twenty four pounds were sent unto the Church, and not to him, and that he writ to Col. Venables, that his contributions were small; which procured the Letter from Colonel Venables you mention; We query then, if Colonel Venables changed his mind, First, Who was the Author? Secondly, What ground had he for such a change? Thirdly, What he had to do with that he had before given? Read Act. 5.4. And if not so sent at first, why did M. Eton say so? Where lies the untruth?  
But M. Eton said further, if he might not take it upon that account, he might upon this, viz. Because Mistress Venables, the Colonels first wife, whilst she lived, gave half a Crown a day, which upon computation, would amount to twenty pounds since she died. But how justly he might so take it, let others judge; who if they will take the pains M. Eton did, may know how long Colonel Venables paid for a dead wife.  
And if Colonel Venables did not send other moneys to cut him off from having any share or part of the twenty pounds, he presented him in a more gentile way with Furs of a good value in England, which were seen by some persons (that will attest it) at Harden.  
And whereas the Elders say they are bound to clear M. Eton, we ask William Barret, whether M. Eton hath cleared himself, by bringing the money back to the Church, and confessing how evilly he hath carried it; yea so, as it might be known so far as the money was known of.  
For William Barret told us, and some others, being asked what would be done about the money? That he (viz. M. Eton) would never be cleared, until he had done so; for he had been with Colonel Venables, who told him, That he sent the money to the Church; and William Barret further said, That all the world should not make him a pennyworth of Eton, and if he were out of the Society, he would not come in again, if he might have his hat full of gold and silver to come in again: and this he spoke at two several times, and yet his name is at the Certificate. Now if M. Eton have not cleared himself as aforesaid, who comes nearest to lying, forging, and malicious slandering?  
You say the money was sent to the Deacons dispose; but Colonel Venables saith in his Certificate, he sent it to the Church: but if it was sent to the Deacons, why were they not acquainted with it.  
You say, he took it not, but it was ordered for him by the Deacons. Your so oft mentioning Deacons, comes nearer to lying and forgery, which you would charge upon us; for none of the Deacons (we believe) knew of it, but Thomas Newton, who acted more for M. Eton, than he did for the Church; as appears by the Elders Certificate, who say, M. Eton had but twenty pounds of the twenty four pounds: For, when the money came in debate about November 1656. all the Deacons (except Thomas Newton) said, they never heard, or knew of the money: Let the Deacons speak themselves one by one, and not in so dark expressions, as by us, or some of us; when was this money ordered to M. Eton? Was it in 1651. and was any of you privy to it but Thomas Newton? You formerly denied it, and said, sure Laurence Owen gave it unto him: but why was this word (But) put in? To make the Reader think twenty pounds was too little for M. Eton, and four pounds too much for the poor; or, to manifest your simplicity, slavery, or want of charity; and if four pounds was reserved for the poor, three pounds of that was put into M. eaton's hands, as both he, and Thomas Newton confessed, but is not yet known what poor had it, nor what became of the other twenty shillings.  
Again you say, it was by special direction in a Letter from M. Taylor in Colonel Venables name: But none of the Deacons knew of the Letter, except Thomas Newton, before M. Eton had the twenty pounds; for they knew not of the money, how could they then know of the Letter? M. eaton's keeping the Letter in his own custody both from them and the Church, imports, that M. Eton knew, M. Taylor's directions were not, that he should have twenty pounds, and the poor but four; or, that the Church would not be so uncharitable, as to make so unequal a division; which, though we do not call it Church-robbing, yet, was it not a covetous interposing betwixt the poor and the money? M. Taylor's directions had been answered, if M. Eton had had the better half, considering how many persons were to be relieved out of it; for how many of your members then were, and are poor, and in debt, we leave them to judge that know them; whose conditions should have been first considered, by M. Taylor's direction: by which Colonel Venables charity appeared, who intended not the money should have been so divided. If the power of disposing be in the Deacons, sure it was according to Scripture, and then the poor should have had it: for where find you, that the Deacons should take care of the Church Officers?  
But you are not ashamed to say, that no special favour was showed to M. Eton in the division, because it was according to the same rules of proportion you had formerly gone by; and that he had no other maintenance, to your knowledge, but what came through your hands. To which we answer, The more common an evil is, the worse it is; and yet you say, that was your common rule, to make so unequal divisions betwixt M. Eton and the poor. But did none of you know, or did not Thomas Newton know, that M. Eton had, and hath an estate with his wife, worth forty pounds per annum, or thereabouts, and that after the end of the first Wars, he had forty pounds per annum from Sequestrations, and that he hath bought Lands in Ireland to a good value, and either Lands or Rents in Cheshire, worth thirty four pounds per annum, or thereabouts; and that he had forty pounds, or fifty pounds, as Chaplain to Chester Garrison, about 1651. Or did these, or any of these, come through your hands; if so, your sin was the greater, to give him twenty pounds, and the poor but four, if they had it: And if he kept these, or any of these secret from you, and pleaded necessity, was it not to keep you to your unequal division, to give him five times so much as to all the poor of the Church? And why do you so, since he hath no children to maintain, nor kept any house since he was your Pastor, which is about twelve years? But the nature of covetousness is, that much would have more: which more appears, for that he hath now also an allowance from the State of an hundred pounds per annum; and we query, whether when he went to wait upon the Lord Protector, than Lord General in Scotland, he had not an allowance from the said Lord General, or else a levy upon the Church to defray his charge; yea, we query, whether he had not both: for we believe the Lord General was so Noble, he would not let him serve him for nothing.  
If the Letter from M. Taylor be extant, why did you not print it? for, if M. Eton and Thomas Newton ever be cleared, it's that must do it, and not your piece-meal collections, under which, wit and words may make a truth seem a lie, and a lie seem a truth; and who knows your Author, knows he is both full of wit and words, to extenuate or aggravate to his own advantage, his greatest temptation in public, being credit; and in private, profit: which meeting together, are like the sons of Zerviah, too hard for a David, without the help of an heavenly power, which M. Taylor conceived to be amongst you, as by his charitable caution appears, of fully distributing to M. Eton, if the necessities of private brethren were not exceeding pressing. And if it be the goodness of God that the Letter is extant, why was it not discovered before the money came in question, which though it was sent in 1651. was never known to the Church, as we could ever hear of, until 1656. and that it should now be discovered, is so remarkable, that it bespeaks itself to be the just hand of God, that others may fear and tremble, and beware of covetous under-dealing; for, truth seeks no corners: But no cause of fear and trembling unto us, as you falsely apply it, unless for your, and his unrighteous deal. And the aforesaid William Barret saith yet, that he did not know of the money, and at that time there was no Elder but he and M. Eton.  
Whereas you say we have since been divided amongst ourselves, with high appeals to heaven; it's an untruth, for we were never divided: As for Joyce Hall that told us, we leave to answer for herself, who spoke truth in the main; and if it had been a mistake in her, it's no ground for you to boast in another's infirmity, except free yourselves; it's true, we did appeal to heaven, and so we can yet do, that what we testified, was truth; for we testified nothing but what Joyce Hall told us, and did not assert that the report was truth, being forewarned by William Barret aforesaid, that M. Eton did not so much matter the business of the money, so he could entrap us; and if it was so heinous in Joyce Hall to contradict herself, what was it for M. Eton to contradict himself twice in one thing, with high appeals to heaven; and afterwards, when witnesses were ready to have proved the thing, then, and not before to confess the truth: Is not this matter of trembling?  
You say, two of us have since, for that, and other miscarriages, been cast out of the Church. Why do you add this, but to cast a vail before the eyes of the Reader, to make him think, that your abuse of so great an Ordinance, will clear your innocency. What you charged us with, given since under your hands, makes us not the subjects of Excommunication, as we shall show in their time and place; but it seems that this discovery of the money was the main thing; for which, and also for other miscarriages of yours, we had rather be out then in: Your casting us out, was but to cast an odium upon us for justly leaving you, and to cover some nakedness of your own you apprehended would appear to your shame, so that when M. Eton is cleared, we shall so certify with you, but not till then; and not till then, nor then, we proved Calumniators. But is not William Barret (aforesaid) rather a Calumniator, who certifies thus now, and yet since Octob. 6. 1656. came to us, and desired us to appear in discovery of this money, and promised to second us therein, and wished us to stay a while before we broke off, that he might go out with us, time would not be so long.  
Your spirit of discerning, that told you we had a grudge against M. Eton, was a spirit of falsehood, for we had none against him; and how can you say it was for endeavouring to heal our souls, when one of us had answered your one and twenty sifting Articles to your satisfaction, and you never laid any thing to either of our charge, nor admonished us, until one of us had admonished you, and admonished not the other till the money was questioned, and then, for no error in doctrine, nor scandal in conversation; but because he would not tell you, whether he told them who you call unjustly your professed enemies, of the money, and would not (as you said) be satisfied about the money.  
The righteous proceed of God will be more clearly beheld, if he enable you to give glory to him, by certifying the truth of what you know of your own knowledge, and not what you were taught by another; for by the rigour and equivocation of the Style, the Author may easily be discerned.  
For Colonel Venables Certificate about the twenty four pounds, we shall say nothing against it, but that it may be true, and yet M. Eton never the more cleared thereby: for the necessities of private Brethren should have been first considered, before M. Eton had any part of it, which both the Letter and Certificate do testify.  
We shall leave it to the judgement of the impartial reader, to whom the charges of lying, forging, fomenting, calumniating, and malicious slandering, endeavoured by the Certificates to be cast upon us, doth of right belong.  


John Bruckshaw.  
Robert Ridgway.     

Now I Thomas Werral answer.  
FOR Thomas Newtons' certificate about the ten pounds, I conceive it belongs unto me, because the words therein recited, I understand were mine, because given forth by themselves, in answer to my paper they took from me by violence, viz. That he pleaded want, or his Agents for him, thereby getting that money which was at first intended for the poor, and their loins might have blessed God for General Venables.  

For Answer.  
1. It's clear from your own certificate, that you was the instrument to get M. Eton the money, though he might not bid you, nor know of it, until you gave it him, so that his not employing you, makes you a voluntary Agent, which is so much worse on your part.  
2. Secondly, Though you used not the word want, yet that it came seasonably, because he had borrowed money, is of a stronger import than the word want: for many will rather want, then borrow to buy Land or Rents, which he did about that time: and yet this was your argument to get him that money, which was given to the Church's dispose, as Colonel Venables certifies himself, and M. Eton himself in a letter to Mistress Venables confessed it was want that caused him to take it.  
3. Thirdly, You might as well have told him the reasons of his borrowing money, if you had been faithful in your office, viz. to buy Land or Rents, and then the Colonel would not have so said, as himself confesseth.  
4. Fourthly, Whether you speak truth or no, in saying he declared no other use for which he intended it, I shall leave it to Colonel Venables himself, who saith he told you, he desired Ralph Hall might have forty shillings out of it, and that you should acquaint the Church with it; which had you done, and given Ralph Hall the forty shillings, had more beseemed a Deacon, whose work is, to care for the poor, as Acts 6. shows, though it would not have quit you from being an instrument on M. eaton's behalf, to interpose betwixt the poor and the money, though he hath reported he is eight hundred pounds better, then in the beginning of these troublesome times.  
5. Fifthly, Why did you not give Ralph Hall the forty shillings, and why doth not M. Eton give it him, seeing he knows now it was the Colonel's mind, and not he to have it all? as M. Eton hath confessed himself, and gave Ralph Hall ten shillings, and writ to Colonel Venables, that he would give him the other thirty shillings; and yet afterwards writ by William Barret to the Colonel, that if he would have Ralph Hall to have the thirty shillings, he must pay it himself, for he would not, and to this day it is not paid.  
For Colonel Venables Certificate, he hath already declared himself to the truth of his Wife's Letter: That he first intended the ten pounds for the Church, and not for M. Eton, when he brought it to Thomas Newton, and that it was Thomas Newton's telling him that it came opportunely, because M. Eton had borrowed money, which moved him to change his mind, and say, he was glad it came so opportunely; but saith, he did not know that he had borrowed money to buy Land, or Rents; and further saith, that at the same time he did not intent the whole ten pounds for M. Eton, but bade Thomas Newton acquaint the Church with it, and desired that Ralph Hall might have forty shillings out of it; and M. Eton himself in a Letter to Colonel Venables, confesseth he understood him so, and that he had given Ralph Hall ten shillings, and would send the Colonel thirty more, to make it up forty, to give Ralph Hall; and the reason that he gave the Certificate, was, because M. Eton had so promised, as aforesaid; which if M. Eton had accordingly performed, he had done Ralph Hall no wrong; and if Colonel Venables gave this Certificate, not mentioning the whole of the business (as since he hath done) nor did declare the whole business at some other times when he was asked it, it doth not therefore clear M. Eton, that M. Venables (viz. the Colonel) committed an error of love, to cover M. Eaton's shame; but shows his ingratitude in making such returns to Col. Venables as since he hath done.  
Thomas Werrall.    

Postscript.  
THese things considered, we hope will wipe off the aspersions, endeavoured by the Certificates to be cast upon us. And whereas you say, We were for this, and other miscarriages, cast out: we say, for this, and other miscarriages of yours, we had (as yourselves know, and have confessed) broken off from you, and that not rashly, but upon due consideration, after we had waited long in the use of that means the Scripture prescribes unto us, to have reclaimed you both by ourselves, and Officers of two other Churches; but when you persisted in your unrighteous actings, and would be your own Judges, that were the guilty persons, we were constrained to break off from you, lest we should partake of your sins: where then was your power to cast us out, who were none of you? Yea, where was your power to cast out any, until you had cleared yourselves? So that you did but add to your former evils, by abusing an Ordinance of Jesus Christ. You yourselves withdrew from the Presbyterians for disorderly walking, whom you own to be true Churches, and yet never admonished them before; therefore our withdrawing from you, was more regular; and they have a better ground to excommunicate you, than you had to excommunicate us.  
Therefore we leave it to your, and others consideration, whether you ought not rather to have passed your sentence upon him that hath so carried himself as aforesaid, according to express Scripture, for 1 Tim. 6.10. The love of money is the root of all evil: and vers. 5. Supposing Gain is Godliness; from such withdraw thyself. Col: 3.5. Covetousness is Idolatry: and covetousness and greediness of filthy Lucre, makes persons unfit for Office in the Church, Tit. 1.7. 1 Tim. 3.3.8. and whether is not the getter and receiver both alike? and Paul 1 Cor. 5.11. commands, not to keep company, no, not to eat with one accounted a brother, and covetous.  
The reasons why you so dealt with us, and your proceed therein, together with our answers thereunto, we shall in due time make known, if constrained thereunto, as we have been unto this. May 14. 1658.  
The reasons why we delayed our answers so long, was, because they did not name us in the certificate, so that we could but go upon conjectures, that we were the persons intended; but seeing both M. Eton, and others have openly declared, that we were the very persons therein intended, we hold ourselves bound, for clearing up of the truth, and our own vindication, to return the aforesaid answers under our hands.  
FINIS.