ther readings, and heard y^e one as well as y^e other; by which
means he was so well grounded in y^e controversie, and saw y^e force of
all their arguments, and knew y^e shifts of y^e adversarie, and being
him selfe very able, none was fitter to buckle with them then him selfe,
as appered by sundrie disputs; so as he begane to be terrible to y^e
Arminians; which made Episcopius (y^e Arminian professor) to put forth
his best stringth, and set forth sundrie Theses, which by publick
dispute he would defend against all men. Now Poliander y^e other
proffessor, and y^e cheefe preachers of y^e citie, desired M^r. Robinson
to dispute against him; but he was loath, being a stranger; yet the
other did importune him, and tould him y^t such was y^e abilitie and
nimblnes of y^e adversarie, that y^e truth would suffer if he did not
help them. So as he condescended, & prepared him selfe against the time;
and when y^e day came, the Lord did so help him to defend y^e truth &
foyle this adversarie, as he put him to an apparent nonplus, in this
great & publike audience. And y^e like he did a 2. or 3. time, upon such
like occasions. The which as it caused many to praise God y^t the trueth
had so famous victory, so it procured him much honour & respecte from
those lerned men & others which loved y^e trueth. Yea, so farr were they
from being weary of him & his people, or desiring their absence, as it
was said by some, of no mean note, that were it not for giveing offence
to y^e state of England, they would have preferd him otherwise if he
would, and alowd them some publike favour. Yea when ther was speech of
their remoovall into these parts, sundrie of note & eminencie of y^t
nation would have had them come under them, and for y^t end made them
large offers. Now though I might aledg many other perticulers & examples
of the like kinde, to shew y^e untruth & unlicklyhode of this slander,
yet these shall suffice, seeing it was beleeved of few, being only
raised by y^e malice of some, who laboured their disgrace.

The 4. Chap.

_Showing y^e reasons & causes of their remoovall._

After they had lived in this citie about some 11. or 12. years, (which
is y^e more observable being y^e whole time of y^t famose truce between
that state & y^e Spaniards,) and sundrie of them were taken away by
death, & many others begane to be well striken in years, the grave
mistris Experience haveing taught them many things, [16] those prudent
governours wi