FOr our more Orderly Proceeding in this business, we will take these Steps.

• 1. You shall know how Anthony Sad­ler, came to be Vicar of Mitcham, and when.
• 2. You shall know Mr. Cranmers Carriage and Conversation towards him.
• 3. You shall understand Anthony Sadlers Demea­nor towards Mr. Cranmer, and divers others of the best of his Parishoners.
• 4. And lastly, You shall understand the Neces­sity and Justice of Mr. Cranmers Proceedings against Anthony Sadler for his removal, for the Future Set­tlement of the Peace and Quiet of that Town and Parish of Mitcham.

For the First, You must know, that about the Year of our Lord, 1660. This Anthony Sadler being very Poor, but well stockt with Wife and Chil­dren, went up and down a Birding for a Spiritual Benefice, or Living; Some that knew Anthony Sad­ler, requested Mr. Cranmer, the rightfull Patron of that Vicarage, to let him Preach at Mitcham, in or­der to his settlement in that Place in case his Preach­ing was approved of. Anthony Sadler did according­ly Preach there an Approbation Sermon, which well pleased Mr. Cranmer, and the Rest of the Parish; but it being told him that it was but a small subsist­ance, worth not above 40 ^l. per annum, the Vicarage house much out of Repairs, and that it had not been Inhabited by divers of his Predecessors before him for many years. Anthony Sadler replyed, He would willingly accept it withall Faults, and blesse God and his Patron for it: Whereupon the Patron Mr. Cranmer, did freely Present him to the then Lord Bishop of Winton, Bishop of the Diocess; And Anthony Sadler was Instituted and Inducted accordingly. And thus began the name and Relation between them of Patron and Vicar.

2. For the Patrons carriage towards him and his after this, the Patron thought he had not done e­nough by this publick provision of maintenance for him, and his; but Invited him daily to his own house and Table, where Anthony Sadler was as it were Commoner, and had the freedome to come when [Page 5] he pleased: Provided him Wood, Coale, and other necessaries for him at his own Charge; Sends him Cordials and other Physick in times of sickness, Commends him, and his, to the Love and Respects of his Neighbours; At their weekly Neighbourly meetings; the Vicar was a constant invited Guest among them, where he had many times Meat, Drink, and Money; and as a farther Testimony of the Patrons and Parishoners care of him, they had consulted to Rebuild the Vicarage house at their own cost and charges; for that purpose the one sub­scribes a Contribution of Bricks, another of Tim­ber, a third of Money, and were putting the same in Execution; but then comes next to be considered the said Anthony Sadler, his Carriage towards the Patron, and Parishoners, which diverted these good intentions, and so leads you to the third Step.

3. As soon as Anthony Sadler had heard that there was Forty Pounds, or some such like Sum of Mo­neys subscribed, towards the Repairing and Re­building of the Vicarage house; He goes to some Evil Counsel, (as Anthony Sadler himself hath since Confest,) who advise him, To furnish his House with the Money, and to Commence a Suite in the Prerogative Court against his Patron, Mr. Cranmer, for Dilapida­tions: This advice pleasing his Hot and Heady Temper and Disposition, he presently puts in Exe­cution. Cites his Patron into the Court of Arches, and there Libels against him for Dilapidations, con­trary [Page 6] to all presidents of former times, that a Vicar should Sue his Patron for Dilapidations, who had so freely presented him to the Vicarage, and did con­fidently perswade himself of Victory in this cause; When this was noys'd abroad, the Chief of the Pa­rish advised the said Anthony Sadler to desist from this unjust Prosecution of his Patron, who had de­served much better at his hands; but as a man Ob­durated and Hardned, he stops his ear to their Ad­vice; Breaks all Correspondency with his Patron; Reviles him, and Vigourously Prosecutes his Suite in the Arches against him; Which the chief of the Parish observing, they e-strange themselves from the said Anthony Sadler, and do adhear to Mr. Cran­mer, who by the general Voage was the Suffering Party, and had received the Wrong; Anthony Sad­ler hereupon is no more an Invited Guest to their Tables; And they have no more to do with him, then to hear him in the Pulpit; Where Anthony Sad­ler Acts his Part most Rarely, as you will perceive by the ensuing Discourse; Preaching up himself in these Words, I was, and am for the Liturgie of the Church of England: You were, and are for the Cove­nant; I was, and am for the Government of the Church of England; Your were, and are for Presbytery; and so runs on in a very unprofitable discourse, Extolling himself, and Reproaching his Parishoners. But you shall see by his Practise, what a Dutiful Son of the Church he is; It was observed by some Persons who had been at Mitcham but three Sundays, that two of those days, Anthony Sadler Read Prayers [Page 7] without a Surplice, and frequently Baptizeth Chil­dren without it and Preacht in his Cloak, both fore­noon and after-noon; oftentimes neglects the Du­ty of his Place, four or five Sundays together: Some Sundays when the Bells have Assembled the People, his Maid is sent to the Clark to Dismiss them; ei­ther because it is Cold Weather, and the Vicar loves his Bed well, or else he is stragling Abroad, where he is not to be found. Upon the last Anni­versary day the Thirtieth of January, Appointed by Act of Parliament for our Solemn Humiliation, for the Murther of our late KING of Blessed Memo­ry, there is by the Church set Prayers appointed for that Occasion, yet there was neither Praying nor Preaching that day at Mitcham, by this Dutiful Son of the Church Anthony Sadler: When Anthony Sadler is in the Church, he more observes the Be­haviour and cariage of his Parishoners, then his Text, and squares his Matter more to his own Jan­gling humour, then to the Edification and Profit of his People. And yet they must come to Hear him too, else to the Bishops Court he goes, Pre­sents them, and troubles them with Citations, Witness Mr. Cranmer his Patron, whom he Prose­cuted to an Excommunication for not coming to Mitcham Church, when the Gentleman is usually at his house in LONDON, upon those days; if a­ny chance but once to sit with his Hatt on, though he be at that time indisposed in Health, yet he shall taste of the same sauce, Witness Sr. William Green of Mitcham Baronet, who for such an Offence, Anthony [Page 8] Sadler caused to be cited into the Bishops Court, by the Name and Stile of William Green Brewer of West­minster; Edward Brigstock one of the Church-War­dens of the Parish of Mitcham, this Anthony Sadler Presented, because he would not Present what and whom he pleased; and caused the said Edward Brig­stock to be Excommunicated thereupon; upon the Week days You shall finde this Anthony Sadler in the Ale-house Drinking, and Wantonly Discour­sing of Women beyond all Bounds of Civility, or Railing against his Patron, or Enticing poor Peo­ple to Subscribe their Hands, or set their Marks to some stuff that Anthony Sadler hath prepared and drawn up before hand against his Patron; or telling strange stories of himself of his Sufferings, and of his Learned Works, in which Discourse must be brought in by Head and Shoulders, the Inquisitio Anglicana, which Anthony Sadler calls his, though many have affirmed that it was not his, but made at a Club of Divines, and that Anthony Sadler being the Boldest and most Confidentest of them, did first Adventure to Print it.

Thus you see how Arrogantly Anthony Sadler Imps his Wings with other Mens Feathers, and has not the Ingenuity of the Prophet to say, Alas it was bor­rowed; We need not mention his frequent Swearing by the Name and Attributes of God, his Drunken­ness, and other of his Personal Vices, which de­clare him not to be a Moral Man; and which are at­tested under the Hands of divers of the Inhabitants. His familiar Conversing with the Basest and Mea­nest [Page 9] of the people; If you will view him in his Acts of Justice, we will cite you but one, that is, Hemings his Case, to whom Anthony Sadler was in­debted for a horse, and gave the said Hemings Bond for the Mony. Hemings being in much want, came to Mitcham to Anthony Sadler to desire his Mony, Anthony Sadler denyed that he owed him any thing (though the Mony had been many years due) but sends for a Martials Man, and in a great pretended Action Arrests Hemings, who for want of Bayle was carried to the Marshalsey, and there deteined for the space of Eighteen Months, till the poor man was almost destroyed with Vermin; and unless Hemings would release the Debt, Sadler would not discharge his pretended Action. And thus you have a taste of Anthony Sadlers Demeanor at home and abroad, in the Pulpit and out of it, to his Patron and Parishio­ners, and to a Stranger: Ex Ungue Leonem.

Now we are come in the Fourth and last place, To set forth Mr. Cranmers Proceedings against An­thony Sadler, the matter of Fact was thus:

Mr. Cranmer, Sir William Green, the Church-war­dens, and divers others of the Parishioners of Mitch­am, being upon the Information of Anthony Sadler, cited to appear before Sir Mundyford Bramstone in No­vember last, in the Court held in St. Mary Overyers Church, they did appear accordingly. At which Court was also Anthony Sadler, with his Procter Richardson, who took upon him most Impudently and Falsly before the Judge, to affirm that Mr. Cran­mer [Page 10] was an Excommunicated Person; which Sen­tence is of so high a Nature, that it Excludes a man from the benefit of Gods Ordnances, and from the benefit of the Laws of the Land, from the Burial of a Christian, if he dyes without Repealing it; which did very highly provoke Mr. Cranmer, to hear such a matter in the face of the Court of Justice, and in Gods house, and before his Neighbours and Coun­try-men, so falsly and scandalously objected against him. Whereupon Mr. Cranmer who had hitherto onely acted the defensive part, upon good advice, did now become Plantiff, and entered an Action against this Richardson in the Borough Court in Southwark for the Scandal, and another against Anthony Sadler for his unjust and malicious Prosecution, upon which Actions they were both Arrested; Richardson puts in Bayl, and so had his Liberty; Anthony Sadler could finde no Bayl, and so was kept in Custody; Mr. Cranmer with Mr. Hooker the day following, went to the Prison where Anthony Sadler was in Custody, and sends for Anthony Sadler, where after some chol­ler spent on both sides, the Patron and the Vicar came to some quiet terms, and could drink to, and pledge each other; and Anthony Sadlers fury was much abaited, and began not onely to confess his former wrongs done to his Patron, but to have some kinde of sorrow and remorse for the same, and Mr. Hooker observing some easiness of Temper in the Pa­tron to remit and forgive; though it is somwhat pre­ternatural in him to forget: thought it a fit time to strike a peace betwixt them, for this purpose, propo­seth [Page 11] Anthony Sadler his Relinquishing of the Vica­rage, as the means of their Reconciliation; Anthony Sadler consented to it, and the Patron accepts it; but said Mr. Sadler, Sir, I cannot do it presently: I owe Mony and have contracted some debts upon me, by the long and chargable Suite I had with you in the Arches, and there­fore pray let me have the benefit of the Easter book before I go; Moreover (said Anthony Sadler) my wife is with Childe, and I cannot with any conveniency remove my Fa­mily till she be delivered, which will be about Easter, said the Vicar; Pray set your day, (said the Patron) when you will leave the Vicarage, & give me security for your Performance, and all is ended. Said Anthony Sadler, Sir, I will give you my Bond of 500l. to leave the Vicarage of Mitcham, and the Town too, by the 10. of April next, which will be in the Year of our Lord, 1665. but said Mr. Hooker, will you give a Warrant of At­torney to confess a Judgment upon the Bond, as of the next Term of St. Hillary. The Vicar replied, I will willingly and freely do it; upon this the Bond and Warrant of Attorney were drawn, and afterwards shewed to the Vicar, who in the presence of Mr. Hooker and divers other persons, did soberly and de­liberately Sign, Seal, and deliver the same as his se­veral Acts & Deeds unto the Patron, and for his use. After this the Patron withdraws his Action against him and sets him at Liberty; The Vicar very much pleased with this Agreement, goes the day follow­ing to his Cure, and on Munday following returns to London, brings his Presentation with him, and in the presence and hearing of divers persons delivers [Page 12] up his Presentation to his Patron, Congratulates Mr. Hooker as the blessed Instrument of peace betwixt them, lays the load of all his former miscariages upon his Evil Counsel; professeth a great deal of hearty love and affection to his Patron, prays for him in publick, and for his Wife, and Family in very Pa­thetical expressions; gives God thanks in a neigh­bour Church upon the Lords day, for this work of peace wrought between his Patron and himself.

Preaches a Sermon upon this Text, How happy and how pleasant a thing it is, for Brethren to agree together in Unity; and makes the Union between Him, his Pa­tron, and Parishioners to be the Subject of his Dis­course; and incites the whole Congregation to Prayers and Thanksgivings for the same. And in like manner, the Patron, he takes all occasions to expresse his love to the Vicar, and restores him by his mediation and example to the former respects of his Neighbours and Parishioners, to whose Tables he was again invited after a long estrangment; and they began to be again as well open handed as open hearted unto him: But what use doth Anthony Sad­ler make of all this? he is lifted up with these kind­nesses and respects shewed him; and his Jealousies and Apprehensions not being quite extinguisht, they take Life and Head again; he repairs to his own e­vil Counselors (one Thomas Witherden Cammel-keep­er of Mitcham being the chief of them and they hunt together like Bell and the Dragon after al occasions to traduce Mr. Cranmer; and gather up all loose re­ports, let them come from any foul mouth whatso­ever, [Page 13] and how mean and inconsiderable soever the per­sons be, that are the Authors, it matters not, and with these they Stigmatize him as Treacherous, Barbarous, and Oppressive, both to the Right Reverend Bishop of that Diocess, and to the World in Print, in that lying Legend of his, stiled Strange News from Mitcham in Sur­ty; wherein he makes the Churches Jurisdiction, and Discipline, and the Churches Free-hold, and his Preach­ing up the Regal Authority, and Mr. Cranmers Injury and Disobedience to all, to be the ground of his Law-Suite and Presentments; but this man must needs be reckoned a stout Champion and firm Asserter of the Churches Rights; when, under his own hand directed to his Procter Richardson, he gives him order to with­draw the Cause, and to stop all further proceedings upon the Presentments; And gives Mr. Cranmer his Bond for the payment of Thirty Pounds for costs of Suite for his unjust Prosecution; This is that well known Minister Anthony Sadler, who in his Petition to the Reverend Bishop attests Mr. Cranmer to be a pub­lique Oppressor and notorious in Oppression, and why? Because when he had been in law two years and a half with his Patron about Dilapidations, and had there un­justly opprest him, (as appears by his withdrawing the Cause and giving Bond for Costs, and because he was in person to prosecute his unjust Presentments in the Bishops Court against his Patron, which afterwards he withdrew) his Patron arrested him there; as if for M. Cranmers legally and by due course of Law to seek his remedy against Anthony Sadler for the damage he hath sustained by him, were to oppress Anthony Sadler; and if Anthony Sadler had not taken that opportunity in [Page 14] Prison, to make his Attonement with his Patron, by se­curing him that he would leave the Vicarage, at the time prefixed. It is to be believ'd that Anthony Sadler had long ere this, at the Tryal of that Action been convin­ced, that he himself was the Greatest and most Noto­rious in Oppression. That Anthony Sadler was cast into Prison and lay there a day and a night, was not his Pa­trons fault, but his own, for if he had put in Bayl, his person would have been presently discharged, and he needed not to have entered the prison door, nor have been kept one houre from his Family and Study; but that which is the most Stupendious untruth in the whole pack, is that Mr. Cranmer his Common Lawyer should cause Anthony Sadler to Subscribe and Seal a Blank pa­per, or papers, which paper or papers Mr. Cranmer and his Common-Lawyer, report to be a Judgment and a Warrant for the payment of 500l. to Mr. Cran­mer; And thus he would perswade the world that he was consulted against, imprisoned, and complotted to be ruined; the truth of the matter of Fact, you have heard before; the penalty in the Bond was indeed 500l. but conditioned, that if Anthony Sadler should deliver up his Presentation by such a day, and resign the Vicarage into the hands of the Bishop, that so his Patron might freely present another Person, and should also by the 10th. of April next, remove his Wife and Family out of the Parish, then the Bond to be void; A. Sadler is both able to write and read, and knew what he did, before he delivered it; the other paper was a Warrant of Attor­ney to confesse a Judgment upon the same bond, which A. Sadler did Sign, Seal, and Deliver in the presence of very many persons. Yet this well known Minister [Page 15] hath the Impudence to affirm to the world, that to his best remembrance they were Blank papers; the world may well think that Anthony Sadler hath lain in bed so long this cold Winter, that he hath forgotten what he did Engage to perform by the 10th. of April next; and now being awakened and finding the day approach­ing, he would willingly cast off all his Engagments, by calling them Blank Papers; or else does implore E­piscopal assistance to enforce that, which is against the Laws of the Land; (for so is his express word in his pretended letter to the Bishop, ( that his Lordship would send for Mr. Cranmer and enforce, (indeed the next word is (Equity,) but the meaning is, his Security from Mr. Cranmer; And if that will not do, then comes the Petition directed to the same Right Reverend Bishop, to implore his Favour to have Mr. Cranmers Security, (which he calls Papers) to be produced before the King and His Council; It is a sign that this Anthony Sadler is di­stracted or quite mad, to think that the King and His Council have no more to do, then to minde his pitiful stories and wranglings with his Patron & Parishioners. But all this while we do but contend with a shadow; For he declares that his Letter and Petition were directed To the Lord Bishop of Winchester, but does not affirm that he sent either; and it is believed that he durst not for fear that he should be disowned for a Son of the True Church, being so unlike his Mother, both in speech and carriage, or at least censured for a disobedient Son, in not obeying his Mothers commands, and unlike his Brothers in those qualifications set down by the Apostle St. Paul to Timothy; That they should be blameless, sober, of good behaviour, not given to wine, patient, no brawler nor no vice, nor lifted up with pride; That Mr. Cranmer should [Page 16] be injurious to the Churches Freehold, is inconsistent with his own interest, having purchased the presenta­tion in Fee, and is the real Patron of that Vicarage, and called Patron, because it is his duty to defend the Churches Right, and as well his Interest as his Duty; Now to injury the Churches Freehold, is to make Mr. Cranmer a Felo de se, which no man in his wits can well imagine, that Mr. Cranmer should be disobedient to the Churches Discipline, is as little imaginable, when in the worst of times he presented very able and orthodox Di­vines, and such as were most conformable to the Dis­cipline of the Church, to the Vicarage of Mitcham, witness Dr. San [...]iland, and Mr. Welden; and not only fa­voured such most in his Judgment, but was most cha­ritably disposed to the destressed and sequestred Clergy, yearly distributing large portions amongst them; as is very well known to some Persons now of great Emi­nency in the Church; which is not mentioned by way of vain glory, but to take off those aspersions cast upon him by Anthony Sadler.

To conclude, by which hath been already alledged, it would be thought Strange News indeed, or News with a Witness, and a wonder to the World, that there should be at Mitcham, one Anthony Sadler, that stiles himself the Vicar of Mitcham, and a Dutiful Son of the Church of England, that doth neglect his Ministerial Office, and disobeys the Churches commands, disturbing the peace and quiet of his Parishioners, and by his evil and bad conversation is most likely to corrupt the people to the dishonour of Religion, to the reproach of the Ministry, to the contempt of the Discipline of the Church of England, and yet to be so bold, as to appeal to the Lear­ned and Right Reverend Bishop of that Diocess for his [...] and Protection.