CHAP. I. The disposition of the people that embraced Anaba­ptism. The Reformed Religion cleared from any societie with it.

AS in a hot Summers day, many times there riseth a great mist with the Sun-rising; the like comes to pass at the rising of the Sun of righteousness. Since the days of the Apostles, that Sun never shone with more brightness and vigour then in Luther's beginnings; but it seemeth that this very strength of the Sun-shine of the Truth [Page 2] which dispelled the dark night of Popery, raised the foul mist of Anabaptism; which sinister effect must not be ascribed to the nature of the Truth, but to the indisposition of the several subjects not capable to receive it; for where the Gospel meet­eth with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit (which yet is the work of Grace, not Nature) it first enlightneth the understanding, and thenSua­viter & fertiter. Aug. sweetly perswadeth the Will, and warmeth the Affections; but meeting with weak and turbulent natures, made so by corruption, whose judgment is all passion, it fills them with a wild-fire zeal, and that precious liquor turns into vinegar being pou­red into such unclean vessels.

This was seen in the common people of Germa­nie, Low-Countries, and Switzerland, whose souls were as course as their condition; for no sooner had Luther and Zuinglius began to preach the true Gospel, but the people made to themselves a new Gospel of licentiousness and rebellion, which produ­ced such furious effects, that it was like to have strangled the true Gospel in its cradle: And it seemed that God, angry at the wilful blindness of the world that loved darkness rather than light, had prepared a worm to strike that Gourd the next day after its sudden happy rising.

But God would not suffer the good to be over­come with evil, but overcame the evil with good; for An [...]b [...]ptism lasted not in its strength above ten years, and ever since (till of late in England) hath been only buzzing in obscure corners, like a Wasp that hath lost its sting. Whereas the true Religion, [Page 3] notwithstanding the many persecutions of the world and all the craft of Satan, gets lifeSan­guis mar­tyrum se­men Ec­clesiae. by her wounds, and hath given to the Romish beast th [...]t deadly blow, of which she shall bleed till she die, haeret lateri lethalis arundo.

But bec [...]use the Papists shall not ascribe (as they use) those factions and rebellions to the Reforma­tion, it will be requisite to observe what were the dispositions of the Commons of High and Low Germany, a little before Luther began to oppose the Pope.

Tri [...]hemius Abbas Ʋspergensis, in his Chronicle of the year 1503. relateth, that in that year arose a great sedition of Peasants about Bruxels, which he calleth Liga Sotularia; They were sworn to these Articles, To shake off the yoke of all higher Pow­ers,A thing at­tempted and tan­tum non effected in Eng­land this last year▪ and get liberty by force of Arms like the Switzers; To pull down all Magistrates, and kill all that should stand against them; To seize on the City of Bruxels, and invade the Marquisate of Ba­den; To seize on all the revenues of Monasteries,As some would the Tithes of England to pay the S [...]ul­diery. Churches and Clergy-men; To stay no where above 24. hours,And how great and many mutations in England in one year. but go forward still, till they had brought many Countries to their society; To pay no more Tithes, nor Lords rents, nor Tributes: Whosoever was received into that League, was to say five times a day on his kneesWhose finger here? a Pater and an Ave, for the good success of their enterprise; and their word of cognisance was the Virgin Ma­ry and Saint John the Evangelist. But that League [Page 4] went but a little way, being timely stopt, and the Authors put to death by Maximilian their Prince. Compare these Articles with those of the Anaba­ptists 30 years after in the same Country, you shall find them the same, and both varnished over withIn no­mine do­mini o­mne ma­lum. Religion: All the difference was that the Sotula­rians kept in their old heresie, and the Anabaptists broached a new one: I hope the Papists will not impute that sedition to the Reformation, no more than the inraged rebellions of the Gantois against their Soveraigns; for both were rank Papists: The true cause then must be ascribed to the mutinous humor of that Nation, which afterwards was made worse by the cruel domination of the Spa­niard; so that when Reformation came, and shook off the yoke of Popery, the discontented Com­mons took occasion (by wresting and corrupting the holy Doctrine) to shake off the yoke of their hard masters, and turned the spiritual liberty of the Gospel, into carnal licentiousness.

The like reason must be given for the Anaba­ptistical commotions in High Germany; for in Lu­thers time, and before, the lower sort of people were extreamlyA warning to Go­vernours to rule well, lest the horse throw his rider opprest by the Princes, No­blemen, and Gentlemen of the Empire, which made Luther to write about it to all the Princes, Anno 1525. to dehort them from their infinite ex­actions, and exhort th m for Gods sake and for their own peace and safety, to use their Subjects and Tenants like men, not like beasts made for the yoke and the slaughter; If Anabaptism, being a doctrine of licentiousness and libertinage, was rea­dily [Page 5] imbraced by a multitude that groaned under a miserable bondage, none needs to wonder.

As for the Switzers, their popular State, toge­ther with the contagion of the neighbouring Ger­many, made way for that popular doctrine, 200 years before they had killed or ejected all their Nobility, by whom they were heavily opprest: And now the lower sort of people being bred in anBe­ware of that ill humour that it settle not with us. ancient hatred ag inst Superiors, imbraced that doctrine greedily, which armed the Commons against their Magistrates.

But it must be acknowledged to the praise of that State, that the Ecclesiastical and Political body opposed Anabaptism with great vertue and vigor, and so justified to the world that they were as great enemies to confusion as their forefathers had been to oppression.

To clear the Reformed Religion from that wicked imputation, that it g [...]ve countenance to these rebellions and new doctrines, the Anabaptists will serve; for they hated Luther worse than theSo the Qua­kers here ne quid durius di­cam. Pope, and troubled the Evangeliques more than the Papists; And when they would insinuate themselves into the Reformed States, with a seem­ing familiarity, they had but rough entertainment among them, Familiares accipere hand familiari­ter. What conferences past between them, and what pains the Reformed took to confute them, the lasting Monuments will shew, which are extant in the writings of Luther, Calvin, Melancthon, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Lavaterus, Bullinger, Ʋrsinus and Gastio.

CHAP. II. The first occasions and seeds of Anabaptism, The insurrection of Muncer, and Phifer.

IN the year 1521 Luther being proscribed by Charls the 5. Emperor, was secretly conveyed away out of Wittemberg, by Frederick Duke of Saxonie. In his absence Andreas Carolostadius one of the Ministers of Wittemberg, began to preach some new doctrines of his own, and being a passi­onate man, stirred the people to pull downSome with us would pull down Chur­ch [...]s and all. I­mages out of Churches in a tumultuous manner. Luther for that chief reason being called to Wit­temberg again by his friends, condemned the pro­ceedings of Carolostadius, saying, That although himself hated Images, and wisht them abolished, yet it ought to have been done orderly, removing them first out of the minds of the people, and teaching them that by Faith only we please God, and that Images are of no use in Religion: That the Consciences being thus informed and setled, Images would fall down of themselves: Also that when Images should be removed, he would have it done by the Magistrate, not by a popular sedi­tion, holding it a matter of dangerous conse­quence to set the people on work about any pub­lique action, which should be done by the hand of Authority.

About the same time a new Sect was springing in Saxony, of some fanatical people, boasting that [Page 7] they talked with God, andEn­thusiasts. God with them, who commanded them to kill all the wicked and make a new World, wherein the innocent and godly should live and reign alone; of which opinion Carolostadius was either the author or the abettor: And when he could not get that doctrine received at Wittem­berg, where Luther was too strong for him, he lest Wittemberg, and resorted to these new brethren.

It is hard to say whether Carolostadius or one Nicholas Stock, was the first founder of Anaba­ptism. Melancthon saith that Nicholas Stock was he that began. He would say that God spake to him by anSo Maho­met. Angel, and revealed him his will in dreams, promising him the place of the Angel Ga­briel, and the Empire of the World. He taught that the Saints must reign in the World, and that he must be their leader, to kill all the Kings and Princes of the World, and repurge the Church: He took upon him to have the gift of discerning the Spirits, and know the Elect; he made holiness to consist in speaking little, and living homely andOur Quakers sordid enough, but great talkers. sordidly.

In that mans school was Thomas Muncer bred, who amplified much his Masters doctrine. He be­gan to preach at Alset a City in the borders of Thuringia, belonging to the Elector of Saxony; teaching that the burden of the Pope was too hea­vy, and that of Luther too light; that his consorts must have a new Baptism; Th [...]t Christians must be of an austere countenance, speak little and wear long beards; This he calls the cross and the mor­tification of the flesh: Also that they ought to [Page 8] retire into desarts or private places, there to think of God, and ask him signs, whether he think of them, and whether they be in the right Religion: He ascribed much unto dreams, saying that God declareth his will that way, and praised openly in his Sermons such as had dreamed a dream that bore some explication.

Anno 1525.In that City of Alstet he began first to make a confederacie, administring an Oath and taking the names of all them that promised to assist him in his design of killing all the ungodly Princes and Magistrates, and erecting new ones in their pla­ces. So long as he was content to preach of dreams and the like matters of less consequence, Frederick Elector of Saxony bore with him; but when he began to preach sedition, he banished him out of his dominions: And he having lyen hid some months, came to Nurenberg, and being driven thence also, came to Mulhus, a town of Thuringia, where many of his old Disciples when he was at Alstet, resorted to him again.

Luther hearing of this, writes to the Magistrates and Senate of the Town, that they should not har­bour Muncer, as they loved their own safety, de­scribing withall the mans doctrine and conditions, and exhorting them to ask Muncer who had given him authority to preach, and if he could shew noTo preach without an ordi­nary cal­ling, is with such the ordinary way. ordinary calling, that then they should eject him. The Senate of Mulhus needed not ma­ny perswasions, for they liked not that new ghest: But Muncer was too quick for them, for he so wrought upon the people in a short time, that [Page 9] they put down the Magistrates and set others in their place of their own faction. Not long after they drave the Fryars away, and seized on their houses, of which the best was given to Muncer, who bore himself no more as a meer Preacher, but as a Senator; for he judged of all things out of the Bible andVer­bum scri­ptum, & non scri­ptum, Thus far Papists. Divine revelations; and whatsoe­ver he determined was received as an Oracle; especially when he preached that all goods must be common;Le­vellers. and all men free and of equal digni­ty: An acceptable doctrine in those parts where the Nobility and Gentry used their Tenants and Vassals like slaves, and opprest them with multi­tude of impositions and services. No wonder if that new Gospel won the meanest sort, who pre­sently left working, and what they wanted they took by open force from them that had it.

Pre­vention of bloud­shed, a wonder in Eng­land.At the same time in Suevia, and Franconia, 40000 Boors and Tradesmen rose up in arms, kil­led and rans [...]cked great part of the Nobles, took, pillaged and burnt many Forts and Castles, over­throwing all in their way like a sudden inundation; for when the banks of Authority are once beaten down, nothing can stop the popular fury, till they lose themselves in their own confusionPro­batum, & sed non approba­tum..

Muncer then thought it was time for him to do the like; he layeth up abundance of Ammunition, maketh his Magazine in the Covent of Franciscans, casteth artillery, raiseth a numerous multitude of men, the mean People leaving their loom and their plough, to turn venturers in this holy war.

His chief associate was Phifer, one that gave [Page 10] much credence to dreams and night visions, and among other Visions, would say, that he had seen in his dream a great company of Rats in a Stable, and had driven them all away; Which he inter­preted as a command from God to take arms and dispossess all the Nobility and Gentry: This Phi­fer was the stouter of the two; for although Mun­cer was vehement in his Sermons to the people, yet he would not try the hazard of a battel, till all the neighbouring Countries were joyned with him. To which end he sent divers Letters to the diggers of Mines, of which the County of Mans­field is full, exhorting them seriously to fall upon their Princes and cut them off, that so his Partie in Franconia, which looked but for his call, might have a free passage into Thuringia; But Phifer impatient of delayes, rusheth into the Country of Isfield, pillageth Castles and Churches, destroyeth many of the Nobles, brings some of them bound, and returneth with a great booty; which success raised the minds of the Boors, and caused another defection in the County of Mansfield. So Mun­cer hoping that the Rebellion was universal, taketh his journey from Mulhus, and is presently supplied with a company of Frankhusians.

But before this Snow-ball could grow by rolling, the Count Mansfield stopt its course; for having raised in haste some Companies of Horse, he falls upon Muncer, and killeth two hundred of his men, at which the rude unexperienced Boors were so terrified, that they all fled away to Frankhus, there to expect a greater supply, though they were men [Page 11] enough, but (as it seems) Souldiers few or none. This only skirmish broke the edge of their fury, and gave time to John Elector of Saxonie (newly come to that dignity, by the death of his brother Frederick) and his Uncle George of Saxonie, Philip L [...]ntgrave of Hesse, and Henry Duke of Brunswick, to raise fifteen hundred Horse and a few Companies of Infantry.

The Boors were pitched upon a hill by Frankhus, pretty well intrenched within their own Carts, but very ill [...]rmed, and worse disciplined. The Princes, though slenderly attended, contemned, and pitied together that rude troop, and sent to offer them impunitie and a general pardon, if they would but yeild the authors of the sedition and return home: But Muncer understood not that Gospel, that one man should die for the Nation. He falls to preach­ing, and expounds that sollicitation of the Princes, as an argument of their weakness and fearfulness; Tels the Boors that he was sent from God to com­mand and lead them in this action: That their part was to obey like Abraham, who being com­manded to kill his son, went about it, though he was uncertain of the event; That they should certainly overthrow both these and all other enemies of God, it being Gods promise that the righteous shall wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked, and that the meek shall inherit the earth;Go­vernours oppres­sions first or last the cause of many mischiefs That these Princes were but Tyrants and Theeves, suck­ing the bloud of the people, to live at ease and maintain their pride and wantonness; That they maintained the Mass, and therefore deserved to [Page 12] be extermined: Then he exhorted them to be valiant in the Lord, and kill every mothers son of their enemies, for an acceptable sacrifice unto God; assuring them that God himself that cannot lye, had promised him victory, and commanded him to destroy Princes and Magistrates, endowing him with such strength that he was able to turn all their bullets back with his coat; Hereupon perceiving a Rain-bow in theThe Devil is Prince of the air, Eph. 2.2. [...]. Skie, and turning his eyes to­wards his Colours, where a Rain-bow was painted; Look up (said he) to Heaven; here is for you a joy­ful sign of Gods favour, that Rain-bow the very emblem of our Colours; and be sure that God promiseth us that he will be our Standard-bearer and fight for us himself; Come then let's fight va­liantly under Gods Standard.

That new piece of imposture made a strong im­pression in some. Yet the Princes drawing near with a warlick march, made a stronger impression of fear in these rude Souldiers, than Muncers re­velations and signs; for the Princes were incensed by a late cruel treachery of Muncer, who had put to death against the Law of Arms and Nations, a hopefull young Gentleman sent to him to treat of agreement. The Princes began to play with their Ordnance. I cannot say toMen of disor­der can­not keep order. break, the ranks of the Boors, for they keep neither Rank nor File, and scarce keep their understanding, for they nei­ther advanced, nor fled, nor put themselves in de­fence, but fell a singing, Come Holy Ghost, expecting that God should fight for them from Heaven, ac­cording to Muncer's promise: But when their in­trenchments [Page 13] of Carts was broken, and the Princes army came to handy blows, away fled all the boors, some one way, some another, but the most part to Frankhus; 5000 of them were slain, Frankhus taken the same day, and 300 men taken and exe­cuted.

Muncer was found hid at Frankhus, and lying on a bed faigning himself to be one of the Town that had been long sick of an ague, which his qua­king for fear did imitate to the life; but letters being found about him from Albert of Mansfeld, to dis­swade him from his seditious couses, he was known to be Muncer, which yet this lying Prophet denied long.

Being brought before Duke George of Saxony, and the Lantgrave of Hesse, and demanded why he misled the simple people to sedition; He answer­ed that he had done no more than his duty; and that Magistrates that receive not the doctrine of the Gospel, must be dealt with by such wayes: These reasons of his were confuted by the Rack, where when he cryed out, Duke George told him, Thou sufferest now Muncer; but think how many poor people have suffered by thee this day; At which Muncer laughed aloud and said, Why, they would have it so, meaning that the people loved to be cozened and misled, and that nothing could win their hearts but sedition.

Shortly after Phifer and other heads of the re­bellion were executed at Mulhus, and Muncer a while after, who shewed a great deal of dejection and perturbation in his end, and could not so much [Page 14] as make confession of his Faith, with much ado could he speak after the Duke of Brunswick who taught him what he should say; Yet when he was ready to be executed, heThe magi­strates sword by Gods blessing may do good; Babylons prison made Manasseh fitter for a Throne. acknowledged his errour openly, and made an exhortation to the Princes and Nobles, to use their subjects and vassals with more moderation; which if they did, the peo­ple would break no more into such rebellions and outrages; he desired them diligently to read the book of Kings, there to learn their duty, and Gods judgements against unjustice and oppression. He was beheaded, and his head set on a high pole in the fields.

In the mean while Luther, because he was de­famed by the Papists, as the author or occasion of those troubles, was sending godly exhortations over all Germany, to exhort the commons to peace and obedience to their Superiours, and rather to suffer for righteousness, then defend the Truth with unrighteousness; and that this was the Devils cunning to raise sedition by false brethren, to bring the Truth of God into hatred and obloquie.

And to the commons of Suevia, that had been up in armes before Muncer, and continued still in rebellion, he writ a grave admonition, represent­ing that although they were opprest by their Princes, who therefore deserved to be punisht, yet it belonged not to them to do the execution;The Judge must hang a Thief; and he law­fully commis­sioned. nota benè. That they must not believe the Sermons of every preacher; for Satan (saith he) under colour of the Gospel hath in these times raised many sedi­tious and bloudy teachers; You are opprest by [Page 15] your Superiours that take your estates from you, that do unjustly; but you do more unjustly to take that Jurisdiction from them which is none of yours; And whereas they take but few things from you by exactions and too great burdens, you take all from them when you take away their authority: Is this obeying Christ who com [...]ands us not to resist evill, but to him that striketh us on the one cheek to turn the other, and let him that will take our Coate, to take our Cloak also? Nay, it is the duty of Christi­ans to suffer and undergo the Cross, not to resist and seek revenge and smite with the sword; When Peter would fight to save his Master, a lawfull de­fence if ever was any, He bids him not to strike with the sword, because that striking was opposing the Magistrate for a private revenge; and to such op­posers of the Magistrate that Sentence belongeth, They that strike with the sword, shall perish with the sword: But I perceive the Devils plot, that since he could not destroy me by the Pope, he seeks to undo me by these violent bloud-thirsty preachers:Any way so it be done, pleases him. And do you take heed of them, for they cast you headlong into a precipice, that they may rise by your fall, and get honors and dignities with your perill.

That Suevian Rebellion was soon after supprest, partly by the vigorous opposition of the Princes, partly by their own weariness and disorder, the limbs of that faction dropping off here and there, like a rotten carkase that can no longer hang to­gether.Malum malum de­struit. Snared in the work of his own hand, Psal. 9.16.

Muncer and his associates being punisht, Carolo­stadius was not far from the like danger; for having left Wittemberg where he feared Luther, he kept conventicles in Saxony, associating himself with frantick men that boasted of Visions, and Collo­quies with God, and a particular spirit; There also he writ a bitter book against Luther, and against his own Prince, for which misdemeanours he was sought to be executed with Muncer's complices; In that extreamity he called upon Luther's help, whom he had so much provoked, and was saved by his intercession.He­roick.

CHAP. III. The growth of Anabaptisme, The Tragical disorders committed at Munster.

THE root and branch of fanatical factions seemed then to be cut off, but the seeds re­mained, and brought forth many new twigs of the same kinde: Presently after Muncer, one of great­er learning and parts, began to preach the same do­ctrine at Strasburg, and was imprisoned for it by the Rulers of the City; his name was Melchior Hop­man: Anno 1527. And scarce two years after Muncer, Germany was fullIll weeds grow apace. of Anabaptists; A new name then, but in effect the old sect of Muncer, with some ad­ditions.There is a resurrection of error as well as of truth. They denyed the incarnation of Christ in the holy Virgins womb, condemned the [Page 17] Baptisme of Children, and re-baptized themselves, and all that embraced their sect: They would not allow Christians to recover their own by Law, nor to take an Oath, nor bear the Office of Magistrate, and they pulled down Magistrates by way of fact where they had strength, and gave the power of the sword to their Ministers and Prophets, who decided all difference, and judged of all cases by Scripture, and undertook to kill all the Princes of the World, and cut off all the ungodly with another sword than that of the Spirit: They taught that in their Church all were holy, that none can be s [...]ved that will not make his private goods common, that it is lawfull to have many wives, that all learning is prophane, and that mean ignorant men are the fit­test to expound Scripture, that there must be no or­dinary calling in the Church, but every one may speak as he is inspired by the Holy Ghost; that Christ must reign over all the World, and therefore all other Kings and Princes, and their adherents must be slain, till there be none left to reign but Christ; and what they taught they went really about to practise.

Melchior Hopman being kept prisoner at Stras­burg, and his Sect severly represt by the wise Magi­strate; that crew dispersed it self in Westphalia, Frise, Holland, and most part of the Low Countreys, where they got a very great party, yet among the common sort of people onely. Lambertus Herten­sius one of my Authors affirmeth confidently, that among that numerous rabble of seditious people, not one was found that ever was a Schollar, and [Page 18] very few that could read or write. When they were confuted by reasons or testimonies of Scri­pture, their answer was, that the Spirit taught them otherwise, and that the Spirit bloweth where he listeth, and doth not inspire every one.

These fancies were increased by one George of Leyden, with many gross and monstrous Additions: The sect by his seduction in short time grew so strong, as to despise all Rule, all Judges, and all Courts, and chuse private Rulers among them­selves, who determined of all causes, and sate upon life and death.

But their rage could not keep long at home; They would sometimes rush out of Cities in great troops, and ransack Convents and Rich mens houses, ta­king for their warrant the example of the Israelites, that took the spoyl of the Egyptians: Yet in these incursions they made Conscience at the first to en­ter into any Temple of those that were not re-baptized, but made no conscience to lye with their wives as left for a prey to the godly.

This was their preparation for the day of Judge­ment, about which they had many revelations: One of their Prophets proclaimed that within three days the last judgment should comedoomsday Sedgw.; This made many of them to leave their houses, and get up into high trees there to expect the Com­ming of Christ; but having expected three days fasting, they returned faint and weak, and met with another Judgment at home; for the Magi­strate inquired after the Authors and promoters of that delusion, and punished them.

Of all Cities of the Low-Countries, Amsterdam was most pestered with that sect, the great concourse and traffick giving them fair opportunity to resort to that famous place: Where being many times represt with fines and imprisonments and whole­some severity, they would disperse themselves over the Country, filling all with clamour, scatter­ing papers in the high ways, threatning ruine and destruction to all that would not adhere to them, and leave lands and houses to come out of Babylon; for Babylon they would overthrow; and within the circuit of Babylon, they included all Magistracy and Civil Government, and all wealth and great­ness; A great quarrel they had with the Babylo­nian Gold.

But the whole World was little enough for their ambition. It was their serious intent to make them­selves masters of the World, which they both pro­fessed and attempted, beginning their Empire at Munster in Westphalia.

It grieveth me to say that in Munster, truth made way for error: For in the year 1532, one Bernard Rotman came to S. Maurice Church hard by Munster, where he preached good doctrine and converted many, so that the people would have him admitted into the City; Which the Pa­pists fearing, gave him a summe of Money, upon condition he should go to some other place, which he did, and absented himself for some months, in which time he improved his gifts and learning, and returned again better furnisht to encounter the adversary.

Being received at Saint Maurice with greater applause than before, some Citizens of the best sort brought him into the City, and because the Church doors were shut against him they made him a Pul­pit in the Church-yard, and shortly after told the Papists, that if they would not open the door of some Church, they would open it themselves. Rotman seeing the progress of the Reformation, sends to Hasse for some help, and they sent to him two Divines of Marpurg; With these by the counsel and authority of the best in the Town, he challenged Papists in dispute, and presented thirty Articles of Papistical errours to the Senate, offering to prove that they were contrary to holy Scripture: The Senate sends for the Clergy of the City, and requireth them that since they had always profest that their doctrine was grounded upon holy Writ, they would now make it good: The Clergy find­ing themselves unexpectedly put to it, answered plainly that it was more than they could, and that they were sure they had a good intention, though there might be ignorance and errour in their pro­fessionIgno­rantia mater de­votionis.: Whereupon the Senate interdicted them to teach the People any more, and gave their places to the new teachers that had detected the impostures of the old.

The expulsed Clergy retire to their Bishop and Prince, (for the Bishop of Munster is Prince of the City.) The then Bishop was Count Francis Wal­deck, to whom Frederick Archbishop of Collen had lately yeilded the place. The Bishop present­ly stops all the passages of Victuals to the City, and [Page 21] raiseth some forces to compel the Citizens to re­store all things in the former State. But the Citi­zens by a nigt enterprize, took his best men, and the richest of the Popish party lying in a little Town, whence the Bishop was gone the day be­fore: This gave occasion to parley and a Compo­sition, by the mediation of the Lantgrave of Hesse, wherein it was agreed upon,This a­gree­ment was made Feb. 14. 1538. th [...]t six Churches should be given to the Reformed party, and that the Cathedral should remain as it was before.

Hitherto all was well, if it could have staid there; But before the swinge of the former commotion was well staid, there comes to the Town in an ill hour, a pestilent Anabaptist, a Taylor of Leyden, Joh [...] Becold, better known by the name of John of Leyden: This man begins to confer with Ministers and People, about the Baptism of Children, main­taining it to be unlawful, seducing many, and sowr­ing the new Lump of that Church with the Leaven of his perverss doctrine: with him or presently after him came a very great multitude of his fra­ternity, most of them Hollanders. These keeping conventicles in the night, got a great party in the City, and incensed one another with desperate resolutions. They had with them one Herman Strapeda, brought up under Henry Rell, who had been lately executed at Ʋtrecht, for preaching Anabaptism and sedition; At the feet of that Ga­maliel, one may think what doctrine he had learn­ed: This man they got to be chosen colleague to Rotman, before his heresie was known; but he made it known presently preaching openly against [Page 22] the Baptism of children, and none more eager to oppose him than Rotman: The Magistrates and people not yet infected with that new doctrine, feeling so much distraction arising among them­selves, commanded the Forreiners and Sectaries to go out of the City; but they went out at one gate, and came in again at the other, saying, that they must not desert Gods cause, but do the work which God had given them to do: The Senate to prevent a sedition, appointed the Evangelicks and the Anabaptists to meet in a publick Conference; and there Rotman betrayed the good cause, and disputed contrary to his preaching, condemning the baptism of children as impious and execrable; But he was so well opposed by a worthy Divine Hermannus Basilius, that the Senate was satisfied, and concluded for the Truth, and the Teachers Anabaptists were sentenced to be banished: Who when they alleadged that they could not s [...]fely tra­vel through the Bishops dominions, the Senate obtained a safe conduct for them, & g [...]ve them mo­ny for their journey. But they being resolved before not to go away, lay lurking among their Sectaries, which increased so fast, (the mean people of the Town being seduced every day, and strangers flocking to the Town continually in great troops) that the Magistrates fearing lest the Anabaptists should drive the Evangelicks out of their Chur­ches, kept all the Churches shut up but one.

In this distressed case of their Church and State, the Lantgrave of Hesse sent them at the request of the Senate, two Divines, Theodoricus Fabritius, [Page 23] and Johannes Melsingerus; But the last seeing the deplorable face of businesses in that place, and fearing his own danger, returned home: Fabritius remained, and among so much contradiction dis­charged the part of a worthy champion of Jesus Christ, till the Anabaptists having got the upper hand, thrust him and all the Evangelicks out of the City. And to set a bound to the unlimited extravagancie of the Anabaptistical spirit, he com­posed a book of Common-prayers, with the Form of administring the Sacraments and performing other Ecclesiastical duties, and it was published by the authority of the Senate.

There was also another worthy Divine, Peter Wirtem, who having been silenced by the Anaba­ptists, was now by the Senate and people allowed to preach again: But he was no Preacher for the new brethren; they turned him out of office pre­sently, at the instigation of Rotman, who soon after provoked Fabritius and his colleagues to dis­pute: Fabritius accepted the challenge, and the Senate appointed a Conference, naming some lear­ned and good men to be the Umpires; But Rot­man and his brethren fearing the Touch, began to find exceptions and devise shifts to avoid the di­spute, whereby they lost much credit among the people.

To wipe off that stain, they took a more com­pendious course: One of them faining himself seized with a Prophetical spirit ran through theNo new thing. City, crying, Repent, and be baptized again, else the wrath of God will fall upon you: This [Page 24] stirred the people, and many ran also with him, crying the s [...]me words: Many of the simpler sort were reb [...]ptized for fear of the wrath of God, and many more for fear of the wrath of menIn­terest their God.: For this crying and running through the streets, ended in rans [...]cking the best houses, and laying vio­lent hands on the owners. Then many that lay hid before, came forth, and rushed into the Mar­ket place, crying out, that all that were not re­baptized must be killed presently, as Ungodly and Heathen; And seizing upon the Town-House and the weapons therein, they began to domineer as in a conquered place.

The Evangeliques on the other side gathered themselves in a place called Overwater, and took many of their enemies, and both the sides were fortifying the places where they stood: Three d [...]ys they stood thus without doing any great harm one to the other, till giving hostages on both sides, they fell to a composition; That every one should enjoy the freedom of his Religion, and all should go home and live in pe [...]ce. This tumult was to­wards the end of Decemb. 1533.

Anno 1534.But this composition gave but time to the Ana­baptists to strengthen their party; for Rotman and Bernard Knipperdoling, the most stirring of that faction, sent letters to the Towns of Osnburg, Wesel, Corsweld and Warendorp, of which the tenour was, that God had sent an holy ProphetThey that have least, oft pretend most. to Mun­ster, who spake wonders, and shewed the right way to Salvation: That if they would leave their houses and come to Munster in all haste, they [Page 25] should get ten times more then they left at home, and with the spiritual wealth get all worldly richesIf sinners intice, consent you not, Prov. 1.10, &c. [...].

These fair promises drew all the scum of the neigh­bouring Towns to Munster, the poorest and idlest sort liking that Religion well, that maketh all men alike and all goods common, and puts down those Laws and Magistrates that refrained their licenti­ousness. In a short time the City was full of stran­gers and vagrants th [...]t looked upon the City as a Land of Promise, where they must take a new plan­tation, and expulse the Canaanites. At their com­ming the richest of the Town, being frighted, thought it their safest course, fairly and quietly to give them place, and without noise withdrew them­selves out of the City.

The Anabaptists seeing themselves strong, ran to Saint Maurice Church and burnt it with all the houses about it, pillaged all the Churches, defaced the Cathedral, depopulated the Convents and Colledges, and burnt a fair great Library belonging to the Fryers; And for the final exploit, drove all the Evangeliques out of the City, but some few (whom they mistook for Anabaptists) crying, Get hence all ye wicked, else you shall all be slain. And with such a violence they put them out, that some women great with child miscarried in the tu­mult.

In this banishment the grieved Citizens suffered double persecution; for being turned out bare by the Anabaptists, they were taken by the BishopIn ex­tremis nulla sa­lus., who the day before had encamped before the City, [Page 26] and by him used as enemies: some were in danger to have lost their heads, as the worthy Divine Peter Wirtem, who was saved by the mediation of the Lantgrave of Hessen. This forced the rest of the Evangelicks to stay in the City, though there was little choice between staying in the frying-pan, or leaping into the fire.

And now the Anabaptists being Masters of the City, began to order their new State; for though they were enemies to all Superiority and Order, yet necessity and Nature it self forced them to elect some Superiours of their own. They made two Consuls, Knipperdolling and Kippenbrok, and twen­ty two Senators or Aldermen, that had the Civil power. The Prophets were to rule matters of Re­ligion, under which name they governed Church and Common-wealth;In or­dine ad spiritua­lia. Bell. for all civil matters were brought within the compass of Religion and Conscience, and whatsoever a Prophet said to be revealed unto him, past for Law.

The most famous of these Prophets was John Matthias, a Baker of Harlem, who was in effect a perpetual Dictator in Munster, that made Laws and changed them after his pleasure: By him was the foresaid Order made; His chief adjunct was John of Leyden, and the next Bern. Knipperdolling. By a revelation of John Matthias, an order was made upon pain of death, that all the gold and silver and moveable goods of the Town should be brought to the common Stock, for which they ap­pointed a publick house: The order was obeyed, more for fear then conscience; for two maidsThe Devil knows how to make good use of bad women. Pro­phetesses, [Page 27] took upon them to find out the fraud, and the several houses were searched by a Deacon; To th [...]t common Stock were brought all the goods of those that were driven out of the City.

With that common Stock they kept four great Ordinaries in the four quarters of the Town, where all fed in common, none being allowed to diet at home, unless he were sick: Plenty of provision they had, and they husbanded it very ill, feasting every day till the Bishop that besieged them, began to cut off their victuals, and then they stinted them­selves, but with too large a stint, which was to have change of meat every third day, one day fresh meat, the other day hung meat and bacon, and the third day milk, butter and cheese.

I read of no great feats of arms in this siege. Once only the Bishop received a notable repulse by John Matthias, who w [...]s a General [...]s well as a Prophet; With easie labour he had so fortified the Town, which is most strong by Nature, that he had made it impregnable, so that the Bishop desp [...]iring to take it by force, went about to take it by famine. Indeed the negligence of the Besiegers and the se­curity of the Besieged, are the only things remark­able in this siege.

The Prophets then neglecting the Bishop, con­verted their care to the spiritual government; and commanded that none should keep any book but Scripture: So all the books that could be found, but Bibles,The Bible much made o [...] most a­bused. were brought to a publique place and a bonfire made of them.

From executing of books they fell to executing [Page 28] of persons;Sedu­cers grow worse & worse. Hubert Truteling a Black-smith, see­ing Joh. Matthias pass by, said, Here goeth a shittenWe have seen shitten Quakers, one com­ing into the pub­like As­sembly on the L. day na­ked, and shitten up to the elbows. Prophet; For this offence he was brought to the Congregation and condemned to death: John Mat­thias would himself be the executioner, and woun­ded him with an Halbert; the wound being not mortal, he brings him to another place and shoots him thorow with a pistoll, then taking compassion on him, he pardons him, saying, that God was ap­peased towards him, and that he had a revelation that the man should not die of this, yet the poor man died a few days after.

To make amends for his false prophesie, He runs in a mad mood over all the City, bearing a Pike, crying, that God the Father had commanded him to drive the enemy back from the City, and so rush­ed alone into the enemies camp, without fear and wit,Eve­ry way mad. and was there killed.

John Matthias being dead, John of Leyden com­forteth the people, saying, that he knew long before by revelation that John Matthias was to die that death, & that himself should marry his wifePre­tend the Spirit, in­tend the Flesh., as he did shortly after, though he had one before; but this was one of singular beauty, able to make a lusty young Prophet to set up the doctrine of Polygamy.

But he fell to other work before he stirred that point; Knipperdolling came out w^th a revelation, that they that were in high places should be brought down to the lowest; & they that were in the lowest, raised to the highestThey will turn all upside down.. But John of Leyden met him in his own kind with another revelation, that since it was Gods pleasure that those that were in the high­est [Page 29] places should be brought down to the lowest, he was sent from God to put him down from the place of Consul, & make him the Hang-man, and to that purpose he gave him from God the sword of justice.

But there was need of more revelations for that great work of alteration of the government; John of Leyden was led by his prophetical spirit upon the City walls, where he put off his clothes, and ranThe old trade naked through the City, crying, The King of Sion is come, The King of Sion is come. Then returning home, he falls into a deep prophetical sleep, andFilthy dreamers Jude 8. [...]. dreams three days and three nights together: Being awaked, he comes forth and speaketh never a word, but calleteth by signs for a Table-book, like Zecha­riah. There he sets down twelve men, all Coblers, Tinkers, Smiths, and mean Tradesmen, but one that was a Gentleman of Munster; to these he assigneth the government of the Common-wealth, putting down the order set up by John Matthias, and affir­ming that this was the FathersYou are of your fa­ther the Devil. good will. In that paper also he writeth some conclusions, which he chargeth the preachers to teach the people; Or else he would have them ratified by the Congregation without the Preachers: The sum of all was, that a man is not tied to one wife, but that he mayThis is spiritu­ally the clean contrary way. mar­ry as many as he pleaseth. And when most of his Doctors would not approve of that monstrous pa­radox, he citeth them before his twelve Magistrates, and there he recovered his tongue, keeping a great clamor, throwing down his cloths upon the ground, and the new Testament upon them, and swearing by that holy book, that the doctrine which he had [Page 30] announced, was revealed unto him from Heaven, and threatning them all, that if they consented not to this doctrine, God would withdraw his mercy from them. To testifie his evidence of spirit [...]nd pow­er, he commanded the first opposer of that new Gospel to be beheaded, which was done presently.

For three days together there was preaching concerning matrimony, for the confirmation of that opinion; But the best confirmation was his practice; for presently he married three wives, one of which was the relict of that grand Prophet Joh. Matthias, by whom she was with child; and married again and again, till he had fifteen wives. Many followed his example, and it began to be a matter of great praise to multiply wives.

This seemeth to have been his first motive to broach that doctrine; A Souldier of the Bishops that had changed party, and was harboured where John of Leyden lay, observed in the night, that this holy Prophet left his bed, and went to the maids bedDefi­ling the flesh. Jude 8. [...].: John of Leyden seeing himself discovered, in the morning called the Souldier aside, and gave him gold, desiring him to keep his counsel: But af­ter mistrusting the Souldiers tongue, he thought it safer to countenance the fact by aFa­shioning their doctrine to practise a new light. publick doctrine.

This doctrine then was readily embraced by those whose age and temper was aptest to consult with flesh and blood; None refraining himself from multiplication of wives for want or covetous­ness, for their wives were kept upon the common-Stock. Neither did they keep any face of Order or any shew of modesty in those marriages; for pre­sently [Page 31] after the receiving of that Law, the brethren ran to the hansomest women of the City, striving who should be served first, and lay with them with­out any form of contract, so that within few days there was not one woman of 14. years of age but was violated [...], 2 Pet 2.14..

But those of the City that yet had some remnant of sound mind, being extreamly grieved with dis­order, and groaning under that foul tyranny, made a party, and laid hold of John of Leyden & Knipper­dolling and all the Prophets; which coming to the ears of the frantick rabble of people, which made the greatest number, they took arms and rescued the Prophets, and killed fifty of their adversaries, most of them in cold blood, and with several kinds of de­vised crueltiesSe­ducers cruel., John of Leyden encouraging the murtherers, and crying, that he that would do God service should give the first blow.

CHAP. IV. Continuation of the siege of Munster, The reign of John of Leyden, The taking of Munster, The de­served punishment of the Rebels.

VVHile they were thus wiving and striving in Munster, the Bishop had fair play, if he could have husbanded the occasion. Some weak attempts he made, with ill success, and having till then born the charges of the warr alone, he was af­terwards assisted with men and mony by Herman Archbishop of Colen, and John Prince of Cleves, and asked succour of all the Cities of the Rhyne, about [Page 32] which demand there was a meeting appointed to be held at Coblents, Decemb. 13. 1534.

This long delay gave time to John of Leyden to project new designs; He declared that the Spirit of Prophesie was retired from him, and reposed upon John Tuscocurer a Goldsmith of Warendorp; And this new Prophet having called the Congregation together, declared that it was the will of the hea­venly Father that John of Leyden should beHe wil cease to be a Prophet that he may be King. King of the Universe; And that with mighty Armies he should kill all Kings and Princes, and destroy all the ungodly, and save the people that love righteous­ness, and that he must possess the Kingdom of his Father David, till the time come that he must deli­ver the Kingdom to his FatherThe h [...]ight of blasphe­my.; And that all the ungodly being killed, the godly should reign in the World. Whereupon John of Leyden fell on his knees, and lifting up his hands to heaven, said, Men and brethren, so much I knew long ago, but I would not reveal it; Now God hath made choice of ano­ther to bear witness to that truth. Then said Tusco­curer again, Thus saith the Lord, As I set Saul to be King in Israel, and after him David taken from the Sheep-fold, so I have set John Becold my Prophet to be King in Sion: And when the Senate refused that prophesie, the Prophet refused the Senate, and ap­pealed to the Congregation, s [...]ying, Give ear Israel, Thou shalt abrogate thy Magistrates, and put down thy Preachers, and instead of them establish 12 sim­ple menSim­ple men seduced, great a­gents for Satan. without any learning; them thou shalt command that they read my word unto my people, and without any help but my spirit, expound it; [Page 33] into them will I pour the spirit of wisdom and un­derstanding. Then giving a sword to of John of Ley­den, And to thee (saith he) Father Becold, the Fa­ther giveth this sword, and calleth thee not only to be King in Sion, but over all the World, and to ex­tend thine Empire unto the ends of the earth.

This oracle was followed with great shoutings and acclamations of the people, crying, God save the King, and presently he was brought to S. Lam­berts Church-yard, and there again proclaimed K.

There the new King created four Counsellors of State, the chief whereof was one Gerard a Book­binder, one Talbeck he made Lord Steward of his houshold, Gerard Kippenbrok Treasurer of his Plate and Jewels, Knipperdolling Governor of the City, and appointed twelve Archers of his Guard.

This Taylor King presently made use of his skill to make himself fine in clothes. He translated the copes and carpets of the Churches & convents, into dublets and breeches, and cloaks, which set off his Majesty all in gold and silver. His horses wore a suitable livery, richly harnessed with golden and silver Saddles and footcloths; he had great change of rich apparel, in which he appeared abroad, ha­ving his chief Officers aid Counsellors riding be­fore him in great State. Next to him rid two young men richly attired, the one carrying a naked sword with a golden hilt, set with precious stones, the other carried a Bible and a triple Crown of gold, of exquisite work, glittering with diamonds. Him­self wore a great chain of gold about his neck, like a Coller of some noble Order, with a golden Globe [Page 34] having a golden Sword thorough it, hanging at the chain, with this Motto about the Globe, Rex justi­tiae hujus mundi, the King of Righteousness of this world. After him followed fifty Pensioners clad with parti-coloured garments of ash-colour and grass-green, white caps, and golden rings on e­very finger, making the ash-colour an emblem of mortification, the grass-green of regeneration, the white caps of innocencie, the golden rings of charity: but among these prophetical riddles, he ordered his Court with so much State, and so dispo­sed his Officers, that if he had been a King born, he could have done it no better. So much all his adversaries acknowledge.

In that Royal array he shewed himself three times a week in publick, and went up to a high Throne set up with great magnificence: Under him sate Knipperdolling Governour of the City; and lower, his four great Counsellors of State. In that Court he he judged of all controversies, most of which were about divorces, for by his new or­ders any man that was weary of his wife might take another, & as many more as he listed; which could not but multiply suits, and give work to the new King, and his Counsellors, and Prophets.

In that Court Knipperdolling would ever come out with some Bedlam rapture: Once he fell flat to the ground, and creeping upon his hands and feet, he went to several persons of the Assembly, and blowing them in the mouth said, The Father hath sanctified thee, receive the holy Ghost; Another time he fell a dancing, saying, So I danc't once with [Page 35] my little harlot, and now the heavenly Father hath commanded me that I should dance so in the Kings presence: Another time before the King came, he sate in his chair of Majesty, and there prophe­sied that he should die and rise again, and that then the eys of the blind should be open; But the King comming, shewed him that the spirits of the Pro­phets must be subject unto the Prophets, for he pul­led him down and committed him to the Jail for three days.

This jolly Taylor having thus stitched up a king­dom in haste, turned his serious care to go thorow stitch with it: For that there was need of supply to to remove the Bishop that hindered his work; And because all should be done in a Prophetical way, Tuiscocurer, his chief agent, came to him (as it seems by his appointment) one day as he was sitting in his Throne with more than ordinary Majesty, and told him, King John, the Gospel must be renewed by thee; Thus saith the Lord God, Go and say to the King of Sion, that he prepare my holy Supper in the Church-yard of the great Church, and that he chuse Teachers of my word, to send into the four Cuar­ters of the World, to teach all men the ways of righteousness, and bring them by the spirit of their mouth into my Sheepfold: so a publick Commu­nion was celebrated, but they made it a full meal; A great feast (r) it was, both for the persons and the meat, for they were above four thousand men, and had three courses: But between these courses, there was a soul entercourse, for the King accused a man of Treason, and cut off his head with his own [Page 36] hand, and returned merry to supper; Then with his bloody hand he took upon him to administer the body and blood of Christ [...]., assisted with the Queen (sometime John Matthias his wife) who then did the office of the Minister or Deacon, and administred the CommunionQuis ta­lia fando temperet a lachry­mis!; the like did the principal officers of the State, saying, Take this and announce the Lords death.

After supper, the King asked the whole Congre­gation, whether they were all heartily disposed to do Gods Will, and to suffer and die for the faith; to which the people answered with one voice that they were all in that mind, then Tuiscocurer arose and said, Thus saith the Lord, chuse men among my people, to send into the 4 quarters of the world,Where will they stop. to do great wonders among the nations, & publish my wonderous things among the strange people; then he read a note of the names of those whom God had chosen for that legationOur Quakers have men every where. of whom himself was one; they were 26. (Sleydan saith two more) 7 were sent to Osnburge, 6 to Cecsweld, 5 to Warendorp, 8 to Suzat; To them the King gave certain pieces of Gold, with this inscription on the one side, Ʋnless one be born by water and by the Spi­rit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other side, The Word was made flesh, one God, one Faith, one Baptism. They were to present that coin to every Town where their doctrine was not received, and leaveThe Apostles dust more dread­ful then their [...]. it there for a Testimony against them.

These new Apostles went into the Cities where they were sent, crying in the streets that the people [Page 37] should repent, and join with them, else they should shortly perish. With that noise having raised a tu­mult, they were apprehended & brought to the Ma­gistrates, before whom they spread a cloak upon the ground, and threw their coin upon it; saying, that they were sent by the Father to offer them peace, which if they refused, they would leave that coin amongst them as a pledge of Gods wrath against their ungratefulness and hardness of heart. That the time was come, foretold by the prophets, that the whole world should follow righteousness which God would work by their King, and when he had made righteousness to raign over all the world, that then he should give up the Kingdom unto his Fa­ther.

Being questioned by the Magistrates, first with fair words, and after by tortures, about their faith, their conversation, and the state of the City of Munster, they answered that none in the world but they The trick of all Sedu­c [...]rs., had the true Doctrine, which they were ready to seal with their blood Causa, non poena, facit Marty­rem.: that since the Apostles time the word of God had not been pure­ly preached, and no justice was in the earth: That there was four great Prophets; two good, David of Delft, and John of Leyden; and two bad, the Pope, and Luther; but Luther the worst of the two True Religion more hated then fals by Sedu­cers.. Being asked by what Scripture they could justifie their unjust dispossessing of so many good men from their houses and goods, and making bold with their wives; They answered that the time was come foretold by Christ, that the meek Meek with a witness. shall inherit in the earth, That in the same manner God had given [Page 38] the goods of the Egyptians to the Israelites, and a­mong the goodsMad men reckon madly. they reckoned the wives; That they might lawfully take many wives upon conditi­on they should lye with them all till they were with childe; and when one was with child, they might take a new one in her stead. That they held women at 12 yearr of age, to be fit for husbands. That they put away barren women, or past child-bearing, and committed them to curators, as being good for no­thing Poor encou­rage­ment for women [...]o follow their precious ways..

As for the provision of the Town, they said that S. James Church was all full of Malt. That they had barly for two years, and many thousand quarters of meal, and great store of Bacon: A false relation, for soon after they fell to eating of dog [...] and leather in Munster. They constantly affirmed that their King expected a great army out of Holland and Frize, which as soon as it was come, he would begin his expedition to subdue the world, and kill all Kings for their perverse administration of justice, and that they knew by revelation that their King of Sion would shortly be King of the whole earth. They persisted in denying all Magistrates but their own KingThey can down with their own., for which they were put to death, as ene­mies of all laws and order, and brands of sedition; and there was an end of that Apostleship, that should have preached a Gospel of rebellion over all the world.

This legation was in October 1534. at which time Munster began to be short of victuals: this occasi­oned a plot of some of the Town to take the King, and send him bound to the Bishop. The plot was [Page 39] discovered to the King, who thought it not safe to make the Authors known; only he committed the Town and himself to twelve trusty Captains, to whom he divided a government in the air of seve­ral Provinces, sparing no Prince but the Lantgrave of Hesse, whom he hoped to draw to his party; And with his smooth tongue he pacified the people, as­suring them that by Easter they should certainly be delivered from all th [...]ir enemies.

The princes of the Empire, seeing their danger, if this pretended King of the world came out and met with his confederates, met at Goblents as they had appointed, and took a course for the Bishops help, and the straight besieging of the Town; and sent letters to the people of Munster to represent them their fault and their danger; and that if they did not submit to their natural Prince, they should draw all the forces of the Empire upon them. This was about the end of December, 1534.

They answered many words in commendation of their holy purpose, yet nothing to the purpose, and sent private letters besides to me Lantgrave of Hesse, to perswade him to join with them, for the killing of all the wicked, and establishing the King­dom of the righteous in the world; and they sent him a book of that argument, whose title was, De restitutione They should have thought of it now and writ l [...]ss.: the Lantgrave caused it to be an­swered by his Divines.

To draw towards the last Acts of that wild King, among the Prophets that were taken, one called Henry Hilversum was saved by the Bishop, who af­ter some private conference with him, let him go; [Page 40] And he returning to Munster, said, that God had delivered him out of prison by an Angel like Peter, and had sent him to announce to the King that he had given him three rich Cities, Amsterdam, De­venter, and Wesel, which should shortly embrace his party: The King gladly received Hilversum, and made him one of his Court, and presently dis­patched one James of Kemp to Amsterdam to bring that City to his obedience; which he was like to have done, having by his seditious doctrine stirred the most part of the people against the Magistrate, but that the Count of Hochstral, Governour of Holland, opposed them with great wisdom and with a high hand.

Soon after John of Leyden, hearing a report that many of his sect in Holland and Frize, were wan­dring in great Troops like sheep having no shep­herd, sent them one John Giles that had some skill in war, with a great sum of money, charging him that like another Moses, he would be their leader in the wildernessVery [...]rue there they were.; and bring them to Canaan, that is, to Munster. But when much time past, and he heard nothing of those wandring Israelites, nor of their Moses, he sent the Prophet Henry Hilver­sum, and one John Nortell into Holland and Frize, to hasten them, or raise new troops.

For that expedition he had loaden Henry Hilver­sum with so much Gold that he could scarce go, wherefore he went no further than the Bishops camp, where he stayed. John Nortell went as far as Deventer, and soon after returned without effect. Hilversum writ a sensible letter to the people of [Page 41] Munster, wherein he acknowledged that his for­mer Prophesies were impostures, and exhorted them to open their eys to see how they were delu­ded by a company of Rascals; what beastly life they led, having violated all Laws of pudicity and hone­sty, and what danger they were in, of a miserable destruction.

These letters moved the hearts of many that al­ready were weary of that life; for their publike or­dinary grew short, and was reduced to one meal a day, and a short one, where their community of goods was violated; for every one had his bread by weight: But while they fasted in the Town, they feasted in the Court; for the King fared sumptuously to the very last. Which one of his wives disliking, said once, that she thought not that such a course was pleasant to God, that in the publike misery, while some pined for hunger, others should surfet with plenty. The King being told of it, brought her to the market place with his other wives, made her kneel down, and cut off her head, then made his o­ther wives to sing and give praises for it to their heavenly father. Then he led a danceA mad dance from first to last., and com­manded all the people to dance, and rejoice with him, though the poor people had no great heart to dance, being fed with bread and salt only.

At the same time two young men of the Town, weary of that fare, were taken running away, and brought back unto the King, who killed them both with his own hand. And to appease the people, of whom many began to repentAll are not lest that are gone [...]ut of the way. of their error, and murmured against him, he made them a fine speech, saying that he would never have thought that they [Page 42] being born again by a new Baptism, would shew themselves so impatient in their sufferings for Gods cause, whereas they should have followed Pauls example, bearing hunger, nakedness and cold, to at­tain to the haven of salvationIt is ea­sie to preach the cross by them that wear the Crown.. That God was powerful enough to send them Manna and Quails from heaven. That he had great troops in Holland and Frize that would certainly come with great provision of victual, and beat the enemie back. That God had revealed unto him, that at Easter they should be delivered for certain.

To confirm the people, he would from that time appear every day abroad in his greatest glory, and made his Queen shew her self often with a crown of gold on her head, and royally attired and attend­ed, and she became that pomp very well for she was of an exquisite beauty; Himself altered one point of his ordinary pomp; for whereas the Bible was carried before him at his right hand, and a na­ked sword on the left, be transferred the SwordThe sword is the strongest Argu­ment. to the right hand, of which he gave this reason, that the Gospel had been presented to the impenitent world, but now the Sword came in the place, to de­stroy those that had rejected the Gospel. With such toys and riddles he fed the eyes and the ears of the hungry people, much like the Lydians that invent­ed games to pass away their hunger in a year of famine.

Well, Easter came, and no help came; this put our Prophet King to his plunge; he shut himself up, fain­ing to be sick, for six days; then he came forth and said to the people, that in his sickness God had [Page 43] set him upon a blind AssTrue [...] had ju­dicialy made him a blind Asse., and laid upon him the sins of the whole multitude, whereby they were all made clean and free from their sins, and that was the deliverance which God had promised them at Easter. Sure if ever there was a false ChristAno­ther e­gregious in the West Coun­try. cf. Ellis his Pseudo­christus 1650. this was one. Much did he rely upon the negotiation of Jo. Geles whom he dayly expected, beleiving as it was true, that he had a great party in Holland and Frize: And indeed Geles did all that the wit of man could do to raise troops for his King in those Coun­tries, which he put all in combustion, as we shall hear in the following Chapter. But he was killed in a tumult which he had raised in Amsterdam, and same troops of his confederates that were coming to relieve Munster, were defeated in Frize at Balswerd.

This poor Lord of misrule, hearing those ill news cast off all hope, and could no more put a good face to his desperate case; For famine was fierce in the town, bread was spent long ago; horses, dogs, and cats were consumed, the grass and the very roots were pickt out of the ground: and the people soli­cited from the camp, but more by their own extre­mity, were taking counsel to take the King, and de­liver him to the enemie, to buy their peace. In that extremity the King commands the gates to be set open, and that as many as would should go forth: So in one day a thousand of all ages and sexes went out of the Town, and yeilded to the mercy of the Prince, who mildly received themMercie to many, justice on few, is both good po­licie and christ a­nity., fed them, and let them go.

A few days after, famine increasing in the Town, [Page 44] the King proclaimed that as many as wanted faith in Gods help, should void the Town, saying withall, that those that should forsake the faith, should be forsa­ken of GodTrue, but not of his Faith.. Many were so blindly zealous, that this speech staid them, & they chose rather to perish in the Town, than seem to forsake the faith; yet ma­ny weary to feed upon starved mice, and broiled shoes, and lean Prophesies, harkened to good coun­sel, and took the safety that was offered them. An­tonius Corvinus a Lutheran Divine writes, that he hath seen books whose covering was eaten in the famine, and that when the town was taken, children half eaten were found in corners. Yet in that gene­ral famine, the King had six months provision left, and kept a good table to the very last.

They had not held out so long, but that the Prin­ces met at Coblents, could not agree about the con­tribution, and so the siege went but slowly on; but the Emperour made them meet again at Wormes in Aprill, where fifty thousand crowns a month were granted to the Bishop for five months, and it was or­dered that after the taking of the Town, the innocent people should be spared, and that all the good Citi­zens that were come out, or kept in by force, should have restittuion of all their goods. By order of the Princes, the Army was delivered to Obersteyne, who because the pay was slow, which made the Souldi­ersMerce­nary un­less in the Devils Service. discontent and mutinous, could do no great exploit.

Yet finally the town was taken in June 1535. ha­ving endured a siege of eigtheen months. It was nei­ther yeilded nor forced, but surprizedThey perish by them­selves. Ʋt solim si [...] [...]unc., by the [Page 45] means of two that fled out of the town, and guided Obersteyns souldiers in the night, through the Town ditch, where the water was fordable: they scaled the walls, killed the watches, and put the next Court of guard to the sword. The noise of it awaked the Townsmen, who by reason of their light supper, had but a light sleep. They had time to make a strong barrecado in the market place, and fought valiantly a long time, putting the Bishops Souldiers to the worse till they broke open one of the Town gates and let in more men. The Townsmen seeing themselves opprest with number, craved quarter, and had it; But the King resisted to the last, in S. Lamberts Lam­bert fu­tat. Church-yard, and was with much ado taken, with Knipperdolling; Rotman would not yeild, but was slain in the conflict.

The Bishop entred into the City the next day with 1500 horse, and brought out the spoil of the town from the souldiers; the citizens that had yeild­ed were spared; but the fierce Anabaptists that could never be tamed, and lay hid in several holes, were sought out and killed; some Souldiers having made bold with the handsomest women, were poisoned with them, and found dead in their beds. This cau­sed the death of many women, revenge being as hot as lust was before: the fairy Queen either esca­ped or was killed; for it was not known what be­came of her.

The King and no King, was sent prisoner to a Ca­stle four miles from Munster. He went thither some­what faster then he would, being tyed to the tail of a galloping horseHe had galloped enough, and was now at his jour­neys end., whereby his Majesty was no [Page 46] little discomposed, Knipperdulling, and Krechting another Prophet, were sent prisoners to Horstmar, soon after, all three were brought to Telget; where the Bishop asked John of Leyden, by what authority he had made himself King over his City and his people: John of Leyden asked him again, who had given him any right or authority over that people; the Bishop answered that he came to it by election of the Chapter and the people, and I (said John of Leyden) came in by the will and calling of God.

Two Lutheran Divines, Corvinus and Keymens, were sent toA good course when orderly taken. confer with John of Leyden and Knip­perdulling: they made the first to abjure many of his errors, and found him tractable enough, and one that heard reason: But Knipperdulling like a mad beast, would neither hear nor answer reason, but stood only upon revelations, and a particular spi­ritThe founda­tion of the Qua­kers.: Of him John of Leyden complained much, saying, that he played the Pope and would affirm, that he had the same power in things spiritual, as the King had in things temporal, and that it was fit there should be one King for the temporal, and ano­ther for the spiritual. They were condemned and executed as Traitors and Rebels, being tied to a stake and pulled in divers parts of their bodies with hot pincers for an hour and more, and then stricken in the heart with a dagger; Krechting suffered the like death. John of Leyden shewed a great constan­cy, if persisting in evil may be called so; for being at the stake, and hearing his sentence read, he main­tained that he had indeed offended the Magistrate, but that he had not offended GodPure! more af­fraid of Body then Soul.. After their [Page 47] death they were put in iron cages and hanged to a high steeple of S. Lambart; John of Leyden hanging higher than the two others.

So died that imaginary King of Justice by the hand of Justice, in the first year of his raign, being but six and twenty years of age, and there was an end of his Kingdom and his Prophesies: He was of a fair proportionThe Divil knows who to make use of., of an awful and yet lovely pre­sence, of a present wit and strong judgment, elo­quent, artificial, close, politique; All the Prophets and Anabaptists of Munster were fools but heAll fools but some wi­ser then some., and he made use of their folly to serve his own ambi­tion, which aspired to no less than the dominion of the world. He was indeed a dangerous instrument of Satan, likely to have made a fearful revolution, and planted a new Monarchy in the West of the world; for all the commons in a manner of Germa­ny, Low-countries, Moravia, Suitzerland, and other Regions in all likelyhood would have joined with him, if he could once have come out of Munster, as it may appear by the Chapters following.

CHAP. V. The tumults of the Anabaptists in Low-Germany.

THe Anabapists that made themselves masters of Munster, were deboyshed tradesmen of Holland and Frize, and there during the troubles of Munster, the same spirit was working with efficacy in the children of RebellionThe Divil a Ubiqua­tery.: They had like projects, but worse success.

In Febr. 1534. some of them raising a sedition at [Page 48] the Hague wee apprehended and put to death. I [...] March, letters came from the Emperor Charls the fifth, who was Lord of the Low-Countries, offering a free pardon to all of that sect, that would within a fortnight repent and confess their error, command­ing withall that all persons persisting in that sect should be severely punisht according to the Laws. Yet the same month, a great multitude of Anaba­ptists with their wives and children, leaving all their estates, but what they could carry in mony, offered to go over to Overyssel with twelve ships, and being asked whither they went, they said they went to seek such land as God would give them; But they were stayed, the Secretary of the Hague being sent in time to Amsterdam by the Emperor to dispatch a convenient number of ships to fight with them, un­less they disbanded & returned home; it is like they were going to Munster, the Sion of the Anabaptists.

This restraint made them more fierce, like a stream that swels when it is stopt: for the next day at noon five Anabaptists came naked through the streets with their swords in their hands, crying, In the name of the Lord, The blessing of God lyeth upon one part of the City, and his curse on the other. They were soon followed with others in arms, and the Magistrate raised in all haste some companies of Archers to op­pose them: The authors of the sedition were taken, and all was quiet for that time.

The same day, such another sedition was raised at Harlem, in which six Anabaptists were slain, and two at the Hague were executed for the like cause. Shortly after, six of the most seditions were burnt [Page 49] at Harlem, and two women drowned.

In May following, letters from Frize were read in the Counsel of Amsterdam, giving warning of a plot of the Anabaptists both of Frize and other parts, to meet in Amsterdam upon a certain day, and make themselves masters of the Town. Presently the Magistrates raised the Trained bands of the Ci­ty, and made them stand in arms about the Town­house while they sate in Counsel; then a Proclama­tion was sent forth, that none in the City upon pain of death should harbor any stranger Anabaptist, & that all the Anabaptists that were in the City should void it before 5 of the clock in the afternoon; That whosoever should stay after that time, should be put to death, without any remission. Towards night the Magistrates sent to search all the houses and took twenty of them; Four days after the Count of Hoch­strate, Governor of Holland, came into the City with great part of the Counsel of Holland; & then eleven of the Anabaptists were beheaded, and four burnt alive; Thirty six of that sect having abjured it, were condemned to walk in procession barehead & bare­foot with white sheets about them, and burning torches in their hands; Before the month was end­ed, more were found, and more executed, nine be­headed, and four burnt, nothing but fire and sword could repress the seditiou fury of that fanatical sect.

About this time two Prophets of Munster, James of Kemp, and John Nathias of Midleborough, were sent by John of Leyden into Holland, to raise there a party for him; James of Kemp, he had made Governor of Amsterdam, where he had as much [Page 50] right to command, as in Munster. Their com­ming to Amsterdam raised new tumults, which caused the Earl of Hochstrat, to return in Sep­tember, to confirm the people in the Emperors obedience: In his way he visited Leyden, Har­lem, and Delfe, and having called the Burgesses of the Cities, he concluded the destruction of all the Anabaptists. Being come to Amsterdam, he sent for the Magistrates▪ chid them grievously for being so remisse in Executions, and presently committed two noted Anabaptists; Upon which a rumour being spread in the City, that the night after, two hundred should be taken and sent bound to the Hague, there to be executed, a great multitude arose towards night, and stood in armes about the town-house, the Magistrates raised the trained bands, and came resolved to fall upon them, but bloudshed was prevented by the wise and moderate counsell of two of the best, who undertook to send them home with good words, and so they did; for having asked them why they assembled themselves in the night in such a tumultuous manner, the Anaba­ptists answered that they would not be taken sleeping in their Beds; the Magistrates promi­sed upon their faith and credit, that they should receive no harm, and so they were quieted and disbanded: But this uprore did so fright the Count of Hochstrat, that he withdrew himself presently.

All these were but preludes to a greater mis­chief, wrought chiefly by that pernicious instru­ment [Page 51] James of Kemp, who lay hid in Amsterdam six months, appearing only in the night to keep Conventicles seducing the people: Herein he was strongly seconded by John Geles, sent by John of Leyden, to be a leader of the wandring bre­thren to Munster, as we said before, and that expectation made Munster hold out so long.

But John Geles being come to Frize and Hol­land found no wandring Israel in the desart, as it was reported in Munster, wherefore he went to the Cities, where he made a great party, and caused several insurrections, and yet was not seen in any for a long time.

In January 1535.An. 1535. it was discovered that the Anabaptists had a plot to set Leyden on fire by night, and although timely notice was given, fire was set in several places of the Town the houses were searched, and the heads of the con­spiracy were taken togrther in one house▪ fi [...]teen men and five women, the men were beheaded, and the women drowned.

The next month the Anabaptists plaid a mad prank in Amsterdam, in a womans house, whose husband was gone to the West-Indies; seven men and five women of that sect had a meeting. One of them Theodoret a Taylor, who bore him­self for a Prophet, fell flat to the ground, and prayed with such vehemency, that he scared all the assistants out of their witsOur Quakers these mens Apes. Then rising, as it were out of an extasie, I have seen (said he) God in his Majesty, and have spoken with him. I was wrapt up to Heaven, then I descended into [Page 52] Hell, and there searched every corner; the great day of the last Judgement is coming: and thou (speaking to one of the company) art curs­ed for everCursing common with our Quakers., thou art not good enough for Hell, thou shalt be cast into the bottomlesse pit Learn­edly spo­ken.. Then the poor condemned man fell on his knees, craving pardon, and the Prophet pardoned himPope like., and announced him a full remission of all his sins. Again in the night they met in the same place, the Women having left their Husbands a bed. After four hours spent in prayer and teaching, the ProphetThe spi­ritual pre­tender is mad, and the people given up to strong delusions. be armed, Cap a pe (for in these Canonical robes he preached) first, put off his head-piece, then his corslet, then his sword, then his garments and his very shirt, and throw­eth all into the fire: then he commanded the company in authority of a Prophet to do the like, and so they did, Women and all, leaving not so much as a hair-lace to tye up their scat­tered hair, no covering to the body, no shelter to shame; for so was the Prophets pleasure, that they should cast away all that came out of the earth He for­got whence himself was., and burnt it as a Sacrifice of sweet sa­vour unto God: yet you may think that the bur­ning of so many cloaths, yeilded no very sweet savour; and it was such, that it awaked the Mi­stresse of the house, that knew nothing of this meeting, and made her rise to seek where the burning was, for that smell made her afraid that the fire was in her shop, which was of woollen Drapery: being come to the place, she saw ele­ven naked Adomites not novel. bodies, and the Prophet comman­ded [Page 53] her to put off her cloaths, and set them in the fire, which she did: then the Prophet com­manded them all to follow him, and do as he would do, and so rushed into the street, stark nakedThese things would be incredi­ble, but our times have put them out of doubt., and all his Disciples after him, running and crying horribly through the Town; woe, woe, woe, the Divine Vengeance, the Divine Vengeance: whereby they put the whole town in an uproar, the people thinking that the town was surprized by some enemy, they were all taken but one Woman that slipt out of the way, and were brought to the Magistrate, and as they stood naked The De­vil makes hard hart­ed, and bold of face, past grace, past shame. in a full Court, they could never be perswaded, neither by commands, nor threat­nings, to put on garments, which, were offered them, saying, that they must have no covering, for they were the naked truth. They were kept a while in prison, till the great conspiracy, two months after, and then were executed: the Mi­stresse of the house where the Conventicle was kept, was hanged before her own doors.

In March, a thousand men of that Sect, came out of Hainault to Holland, and were repulsed in time before they gathered more strength.

The same month, three hundred Anabaptists fell upon the Monastery of Bolswerd in Frize, ri­fled it, pulled down the Church, and trampled the Eucharist under their feet. George Shenk a great man of Frize, hearing of it, gathered pre­sently a considerable number of his Tenants and Neighbours, and met the Rebels, offering im­punity to all but ten. They answered, that they [Page 54] would all live and dye together, and so they did; for they endured a Siege in the ruines of the Monastery, where they were all killed or ta­ken, and executed after, saving only threescore and two men that fled.

The frequent seditions in all parts of Holland were hardly represt with frequent executions, for John Geles was raising seditions from City to City, to frame a party for his King. A cunning plotting projector he was, and by his leading the Monastery of Bolswerd was t [...]ken; his intent was to go with his troop to Munster, and gather more strength as he went: But being defeated by George Shenk, he fled to Amsterdam, changed his name, and went for a Merchant; for by the several confessions of many that were executed for Sedition, the name of Geles was known, and grown famous for the prime author of all the fa­ctions of Holland and Frize.

In that City he found many fit subjects for his delusions to whom he told wonders of the new Kingdome of righteousnesse at Munster, their liberty of life, their pillaging of Churches Dulcis edor lucri ex re qua­lib [...]t. Ga ne gains fol­lower [...]. D [...]s [...]i [...]les enough, if any thing to be got., and enriching themselves with the substance of the ungodly, and of the great designes of their King, and the prophesies of the propagation of his Kingdome in the world.

By such discourses he filled the mindes of the people with a frantique zeal, and made them long to be fingering of the Chalices and Plates of Churches and rob the Silver and Gold of the Aegyptians. There was then on Henry Goeth­belit [Page 55] in the Town, a proper strong man that had much followed the Wars, and had got a great reputation of Valour: this man was won by the Anabaptists, and made by Geles his associate and partner of all his Councels.

And because Geles was in great fear to be known by his right name (for the only changing of his name by the Lawes of the Countrey was punishable by death) he was perswaded by his friends to go to the Court of Brabant, and there confesse his fault, and buy his pardon (which he might well, for he had brought a great sum of money out of Munster) and then return and converse freely and openly, with his own name, and have more liberty and opportunity to bring his designes to action.

He went then to the Court, where Queen Mary of Portugal, sister to Charles the fifth, was Governesse of the seventeen Provinces, and sped so well, that not only he obtained his par­don, but got a great trust in the Court, promi­sing to deliver the City of Munster to the Empe­rour. To that effect he got a Commission under the Great Seal, with a good sum of money, to leavy Soldiers for that service.

Having thus cozened the Court, he returned to Amsterdam, to cozen the Magistrates, who seeing his Commission, and the greatnesse of the designe, would emulate the trust reposed upon him by their Superiors, and shewed him much favour; he took his lodging in the Spanish Or­dinary, consorted with men of that Nation and [Page 56] Religion, gave fair words VVith fair spee­ches. Paul Bom. 16.18. [...]. to all, which made the Magistrates secure, and himself unsufferable.

He made such use of that liberty, that in a short time, he had contrived a most politick enter­prise, to make himself Master of the City. In a night meeting, he announced to his brother­hood the Oracle of Henry Hilversum, that God had given to the King of Sion Amsterdam, Wesell, and Daventer, for the first-fruits of his raign over the world, perswading them that to in­vade Amsterdam was an easie matter, having but to do with a few idle Bellies, and that they had a fair opportunity at hand, to kill them altoge­ther in the Town-house the twelfth of the in­stant May, a day kept festival by antient custom, by the society of the Crosse, who used to make a great Feast at night in the Town-house, and invite all the Magistrates, and men of means of the City, and there to spend most part of the night in drinking, and looking upon fire-works: That day then was designed for the enterprize, and their enemies noted and designed for the slaughter, and the richest houses already shared amongst them: they appointed for the signal of their rising, the ringing of the Bell in the Town­house: Before they parted, John Geles gave to e­very one a Ducat for a bond of society and secre­cy. He and Henry Goethelit were to be the leaders.

The appointed night being come, some A­nabaptists were up before the signal, which the rest looking for, stayed so long, that the enter­prize [Page 57] was disappointed; for the same day the Belrope was taken out of the way by a drunken fellow, yet by an admirable providence of GodGod a­bove all, rules over all, so may England, watching for the safety of the City, and so there was no ringing, and no great meeting: The Magistrates and the society of the Crosse, hearing that the Anabaptists were up in armes, left their sport and went home. Yet the Ma­gistrates were so long consulting, that they were almost surprized by their enemies, who rushed with Colours flying, and Drums beating, into the Town-house, and killed some of the Serje­ants and Waiters, and made the Masters that went before, to go out of their Aldermans pace to save their lives. Then coming to the great place where the Bonfires were burning, they o­verthrew them, that they might give more ter­rour, and shoot undiscerned upon the multitude; they killed many in the dark with Bullets, which they had poisoned for fear of failing, and the Burgmaster Peter Colin being come to encounter them with a Troop of Citizens, was by them slain, and his men put to flight, then one Gos­win, a man of great authority in the City, and one that had valour and skill in War, comman­ded that the streets should be stopt with great sacks of Hops heaped up to be instead of Gabi­ons, against the shot of the Anabaptists: And because he trusted not in the fearful and unex­perienced Citizens, he called Volunteers, to whom he promised a months pay for that dayes service; by that means he got many that had [Page 58] seen War before, and made a gallant Com­pany.

The night being dark, he could attempt no­thing till day, onely he took an order that all the wayes to the market place (where the Anaba­ptists stood in armes) should be stopt, and that the rest of the people should keep at home with­out noise: this order frighted the Anabaptists, seeing no hope to be assisted by their brethren, who for want of the signal of the Bell were not come, and now it was too late for them to come, the waies being stopt, and having lost the first opportunity of the fright of the people, who now were come to themselves, and stood upon their defence. Then Goetbelit said to Geles, this was my fear, that beginning this enterprize with so few, we should come short of it (for they were not above forty) now all that we have to do is to dye like men They could not as Christi­ans. Nay (said Geles) if you will believe a Prophet, we shall be Masters of the City before to morrow ten of the clock: then they sungNow a­gainst singing. Psalms all night, at the break of day, the people perceiving them, be­gan to shoot at them, which made them retire into the Town-house, and there keep strong; the people brought Ordinance before it, and were ready to have battered it down, but Goswin would try first to assault the door, which was done with effect, although the Anabaptists fought it out stoutly, and but twelve of them were taken, the rest were killed, & Goethelit one of them. John Geles that would by any means [Page 59] cozen the hangman of his fees, got upon a little Steeple where the Town Bell hung, and gave a fair matk to the Soldiers below, who shot him thorow, whereof he fell down dead into the place. The prisoners were executed and some more of the town, and some living with­out the gates, who hearing shooting of guns, were come to pillage the City, supposing that it was taken. Two women were hanged, and two drowned for poisoning the Bullets; many more since were executed, and amongst o­thers some of those that daunced that Antique Masque of naked Men and Women, and a Wo­man and her Son, for receiving James of Kemp, contrary to the order of the Magistrate. For it had been proclaimed in the Town, that whoso­ever should harbour him, and not discover him before night, should be hanged at his door, but he that should discover him, should have a great reward. He was found hid in a heap of turves, and executed with ignominy, having a two hor­ned Miter on his head, because he played the Bishop. His tongue was cut off, wherewith he had preached Sedition, and his hand where­with he b [...]ptized without authority.

A little before the great plot, fourteen had conspired when a solemn procession should go over the bridge, to throw the Eucharist and them that carryed it, down the bridge into the wa­ter, the plot was detected, and the Authors ex­ecuted.

John Geles had warned three hundred men of [Page 60] Iselswin, to meet him at Amsterdam, three or four dayes after the intended enterprize, inten­ding with that Garrison to keep the Town; They came neer it, but hearing how matters went with their brethren, they dispersed them­selves presently, and returned home by several wayes: He had appointed moreIn wick­ednesse. brethren from several places, to come at a certain day; but they hearing the ill successe of their tribe, took their way into England, in two Ships, and here it seemeth they have stayed ever since.

And now the heart of that Faction was bro­ken in all the Low-Countreys, for they left not searching and executing in every City, till all that Generation was exstinct or brought so low, that they left plotting. Ten years after, some reliques of that Faction would offer to stir at Leyden, the Authors being taken and examined, confest that the Anabaptists had chosen a King, who was not crowned yet, and was to succeed Iohn of Leyden, and another to be his high Trea­surer and that both were at Utrecht. Both were apprehended, and kept some months in prison. Among other exploits of that elected King, he had brought his Wife into a Wood, and there killed her, that without interruption he might lye with her daughter, and had lately cut a young wenches throat least she should detect him; good store of Plate was found in his house, most of it Church Plate: It seems that party began to make a stock for a new Kingdome, the King and his Treasurer were burnt. That was the last spark of that faction till our times.

CHAP. 6. Of the Anabaptists of Switzerland, and other places.

THE South of Germany, was not free from that Sect, at Zurick they began to pick a quarrel withTheir great quarrel it against them. Ministers, who did their best to reduce them with reason and mildnesse: for eight or nine weeks together, they conferred with them every Tuesday, and being overcome in dispute, they fled to Revelations, their ordi­nary sanctuary, falling into a Trance bafore the company, and when they waked out of it, saying that they had a Revelation that the doctrine of Zuinglius was damnable, and Anabaptisme holy, and that the day of Judgement should be within two years. Daily they prophecyed in the Mar­ket-place, girded about with a rope The due desert of such. or a with, calling the chief Minister of the place (Iohn Ga­stio) the antient Dragon, and his Collegues the heads of the Dragon; boasting of their holinesse (which consisted much in the reaching the rich men community of goods) and crying in the streets, woe, woe, woe, to the City of Zurick; some went so far, as to give forty dayes time to [Page 62] Zurick as Ionas did to Nineve, after which it must bdestroyed. After a long patience of the Magi­strate they were put in Prison, where they were again convented in conference by the Ministers, and many times conducted by their Keepers to a publick meeting, where all the people might hear the conference. Finding themselves short of reason, and confuted by Scripture, they would answer, that what they could not prove by Rea­son and Scripture, they would prove by their bloud. Thus ten conferences were held, and two of them in the Church, every conference lasting three dayes, where they got so much dis­credit to their cause, that the number of their Sectaries decreased much, and the Senate pro­claimed, that if any should re-baptize such as were baptized already, he should be drowned. And so many were baptized the third time, and Zurick was in peace.

The Genius of that Sect was every where a­like, for they went from City to City where they heard that reformation was received, (not to any Popish town) and wheresoever they came, they presently troubled the State, and fil­led all with clamour and sedition. By them was the town of Walzut miserably ransacked, and all the Inhabitants driven away out of their possessi­ons: The like they were like to have done at Worms, at Au [...]burg, at Bazel, at Shafuse, at Berne, at Lucerna, at Passaw; I will not weary the rea­der with all these passages, their actions at Mun­ster and Amsterdam, are sufficient to give a Cha­racter [Page 63] of that Sect, and I aim at no more, Crimi­ne ab uno, disce omnes; I will adde but a few more of their maximes, and some passages of their be­haviour; observing no order of time, for my authors observe none.

It were an endlesse task to rehearse their se­veral errors, which because all among them were Preachers, could not but multiply in infini­tum: They held among other things, that rebap­tized men cannot sin, because they are Gods children; that all Ministers that hold Church­livings, are from the Devil: that the Apostles had nothing proper, but went from house to house; some would say that they had no need of the Lords Prayer, because they prayed by the Spirit; many denyed the God-head of Ch [...]istArrian-Anabap­tists. and for that two were executed at Neufcastle. In Moravia especially that opinion was received, which Countrey because of the loosenesse of the Government swarmed with Anabaptists, and was cryed up by the Sectaries of Switzerland and upper Germany, for a land of Promise, and thi­ther many of them removed their houshold, when they found themselves represt.

One of them committed a notable impo­sture, In the night time he put a great num­ber of Fishes in a foul puddle, where the people used to wash Horses, and in the mor­ning he Prophesied, thus saith the Lord, cast Nets in this Puddle, and you shall get good Fish, a thing incredible, for never any Fish was seen there. But at his word, his Disciples [Page 94] cast the Net, and enclosed multitude of Fishes, so that the Net brake. Thus the profane Raskall would imitate the miracle of Christ, and God in his anger gave efficacy of error to that false miracle which deceived many.

By Basel there was an uproar of some Vil­lages who would have three things, abolish all Tithes, pull down all Magistrates, and kill all the ungodly, but they were stopt in time, and disbanded and fined. The ground of these attempts of the Anabaptists in so ma­ny places, was a That Dream is not yet fallen a­sleep. dream they had of a tempo­ral Kingdome of Christ, with whom all the godly should raign in Earth without any in­firmity of Body or Soul, all Gods enemies being destroyed first, for all Ambaptists were and are still Chiliasts, expounding litterally that Kingdome of a thousand years, of Rev. 20.6. to be a temporal Kingdome. That fancy put many of them out of their wits, all the Histories that speake of them, relate many examples of their looking seriously for the coming of the Lord upon such a night, being warned by Revelation, which made them fast and pray that night, and put all their businesses out of order.

Much conference they had with the Angell Gabriel, and one of their women, a very poor one, saw him to her thinking, in a vision, bidding her to lay the cloth, and invite her neighbour, and that God would send her Manna and Quails [Page 65] from heaven, but none came, and the Neigh­bours put up their knives, and went home hav­ing had long graces, but no meat. Another woman had a revelation that God would keep her alive without meat, and she fasted to death.

Under pretence of childish innocency, they played many mad pranks, one having kept his excrements in store many days, powred it into the street, and turned himself naked into it, saying for his reason, that unlesse we be made like li [...]tle children, we cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven. Others for the same rea­son, would ride naked upon sticks and hobby horses like children, in great companies, and women would run naked with them, and then in pure innocency they lay together, and so in the end it proved childrens play indeed.As the Quakers in Col­chester.

Mad feats might have been suffered or represt with mild courses, but their general design to pull down all Magistrates, and kill all the un­godly, that is, all that were none of their sect, provoked the just severity of the princes and Commonwealths against them; and for 20. years, many thousands of them were killed, burned and drowned, till their reliques were so contemtible, that they were let alone for compassion.

Chap. I. Of our English-Quakers, name and practise.

YOu have heard a sad story from abroad, L. 1. of t [...]e Ana­b ptists. acted in the theatre of Germany, which surely hath not been taken notice of, without detestation and amazement.

Now [...] 2 of the Qua­kers. The end of the [...]. we draw neerer home, and come to give in a brief account of somewhat done in our land, and in our times.

All to one and the same end.

viz.

• 1. To caution thee, that thou beest not de­ceived.
• 2. To excite thee to be thankfull, if thou still standest in the truth, stedfast, and im­movable, rooted
  [...]. Th ir name [...] They own [...], but are so cal­ [...]. [...] Gi [...] ­ [...] [...]. & T [...]ld [...]rry, c. 3.
  therein.
• 3. To provoke thee to pray, for the purity, e­stablishment and peace of Gods Church, the eye-sores of the Divell, and vexation of his instruments, but the desire, endeavour, and joy of the naturall sons of Zion.

Of late years, under the Sun-shine of too ge­nerall a toleration, there hath sprung up a sort of people, generally called Quakers from the [Page 67] quaking and trembling of their bodies,How they justifie Quaking. Answ. to Westmer­land posi­tion. p. 35. [...] Answ. in a very strange and vncouth manner, when (either really or pretendedly) acted by another spirit (d) then their own.

For the justification of it, they abusively alledge (e) those Scriptures that mention any thing of quaking, or trem [...]ling in the Saints, at any time, or upon any occasion:

Not con [...]dering,

• 1. Tha [...] some speeches are [...] hyperbo­lically spoken.
• 2. And others intimate to us the extraordi­nary operations of the Holy Ghost.

But they think it sufficient with empty sounds, to deceive the simple [...]. they themselves in the interim, enervating ad placitum, when they please, the sacred authority of divine writ, as shall afterward be made manifest,Ex ore adversarii 1. Their assemblies

1. Their Assemblies] they hold without any difference of time or place, but as opportunity offers in them; formerly a great part both of their Men and Women did extraordinarily quake, even to the dread and affrightment of theSee c. 1. example 1. & else­where Westmorl. petition, c. 11. 2. Lan­guage. [...]. beholders, but now more rare and sel­dome.

2. Their language] to themselves peculiar, so that by it they may be known, in a small matter they pretend much conscience, and put much in these little words thou and thee,There is a Book in defence of it called The pure language of the Spirit of truth. [...]. but if a little provoked then they shew their tongues to be set on fire of Hell, railing, cursing, and blasphe­ming, yea damning them with whom wrathfully [Page 68] displeased,As will appeare c. 5. ex­ample 2. [...] which evidence they strain at a Gnat, and swallow a Camel, their mouths so narrow that you cannot passe, and yet when mov'd, their mouths are full [...]of cursing and evil speaking this is legible in printed characters, their phamphelts will sufficiently shew it.

3. Beha­viour.3. Their behaviour is, hail fellow well met: and though they have a shew of humility, yet are they big with swollen pride; for as if neither God nor Nature nor State had made any diffe­rence of persons, they will uncover to none, nor give any titles of Honour, witnesse their proud, sullen, and clownish behaviour, not only toward persons of a lower ranck but before Ma­gistracy it self.

Their reason. Answe­red. .Upon the pretence of calling no man Father, & that they may not be guil y of worshiping the creature, many of them being willingly igno­rant [...]of the difference between cultum divi­num & civilem, divine and civil honour.

2. Others (the more ignorant of them) being misled by misunderstanding the language and scope of Scripture.

N. B.Yet this is remarkable, when they should not, they will strangely allegorize; I wish Origens mischance do not befall them.

4. Their food and rayment.4. Their food and rayment] too abstemious in the first, and almost sordid in the last, sometimes fa­sting many dayes; [...]. Nay­lor. Par­nel. at other times living a long while on a little bread and water, going in any mean habit, without (as we use to say) welt or guard, no Lase, Cuffes, Hatbands, &c. [Page 69] taking an occasion hereby the more to inveigh against gluttony, drunkennesse, pride,The rea­son. cove­tousnesse, &c. That by this means they might gain a great opinion among simple well minded people, who consider not that the Divell doth transforme himself into an Angell of Light [...]. and suits his temptation as may best suit with them he hath to do with, that apt we are to seek a righteousnesse of our own.

5. Prancks See Gilpin c. 2. & Tol­derrys story, c. 3. Church disturbe [...] [...]5. Their prancks) may well be termed mad prancks, many times so far from (quod decet Christianis) Christianity and reason that they have not in them aliquid humanitatis what be­comes reasonable creatures.

And theref re, because they cannot bare them out by such principles, they betake themselves to, 1. occult revelations. 2. the operations of the spirit, 3. the voice of God within them; so fa­thering on the most High what they dare not on nature be low, and what natura naturata, nature abhors, they make to be pleasing naturae naturanti to the God of nature, so that they may fitly be termed [...], unreasonable ones.

1 Great disturbers of Church assemblies] both their men and women, interrupting Ministers in the midst of their preaching, contradicting and blaspheming (o) [...].

The women, who sh [...]uld be cloathed with mo­desty, and are prohibited by Apostolicall in iun­ction1 Cor. 14.35. [...]. 2 [...]i [...]. 2.12. [...]. to speak in the Church, denuding themselves of all shamefacedness, with brazen [Page 70] faces vent their brain sick phancies under pretext, of impulsion of the Holy Spirit.

1. This they doe in the greatest assemblies.

2. In ways disorderly] as if God himself were the author of [...]. confusion.

Yet many times so far can they imprison their pretended impulses, as to abstain, when they may otherwise incur the penalty of the Law, N. B. by speaking to the disturbance of holy perfor­mances, consulting their own safety rather then venting what the pretend to be impulsed unto, impellunt impulsum they force the impulse.

2. Go naked.2. Go naked] frequently in the streets instances divers af­terwards. Chap. 5. Proof Answer. expo­sing their nakedness to publique view, and boulster out their immodesty by the Prophets going naked; as if they had

1. The self same warrant.

2. And the Prophet going as naked as them­selves with the discover [...] of his shame, yea, men and women have appeared so in the publique Assemblies on the Lords-day, neither being re­strained, 1. by the holyness of the time, nor 2. having respect at all to divine Ordinances, nor 3. society of the Saints, altogether unmind­full of that of the Apostle that would have the women to have a covering on their heads, because of the 2 Cor. 11.10. [...]. 1 Cor. 11.16. [...]. Angels, but as if the holy God would have his holy Day, Ordinances and Assemblies affronted with that which puts nature it self to the blush, they weigh not, we have no such cu­stome, when they tend not what nature it self touches.

CHAP. II. Of John Gilpin of Kendal in West­merland.

BUt that you may not be served up and put off with a general information only we shall be willing to take the pains to give you some account of particulars,L. 2. C. 2. Of Gil, in. and begin with three that have made themselves known to the world,C. 2. 3. 4. viz. Gilpin, Tolderry, and Naylor.

1. John Gilpin Gilpin Quakers shaken, p. 2. of Kendal in Westmerland in May 1653. went to a meeting of the Quakers at Richard Newberys, where Christopher Atkinsons A noto­riou [...] Q [...]aker. drift in his speaking was to deny all ministe­riall teaching and ordinances, Well struck at once. and that we ought to become as if we never had learned, and to be taught of God within our selves by waiting upon an inward light] after which he was affraid to read any good books or hear any Minister or to remember any thing which he had learned out of Gods word.

Going a second time to one of their meetings, he had some conference by the way, in which Robert Collison A Qua­ker affirmed that Christ had his failings Yet they must be [...]er­fect. p. 3. f. 8. for he distrusted God on the Crosse: he that then was Speaker perswaded the people to hearken to a voice within them, after which he resolved to wait for the manifestation of these things in himself.

A third time he spake to them at your meet­ing that he would not joyn with them, if they were of Collissons mind, to which some of them (alter much whispering)There is cunning in daub­ing. answered nega­tively.

At a fourth meeting Atkinson was speaker, when he spake much of the experience he had from God from the light within him, which light Gilpin not finding was much troubled, yet expected the appearance of that light, and ear­nestly desired that he might fall into quaking and trembling.

After his departure from them, walking in his chamber he began to quake and tremble so extreamly that he could not standNo standing be­fore the Devil but in Gods strength but was forced to fall upon his bed, where he howled Much of the same in others, hereafter. cryed in a hideous manner to the great astonishment of his Family: when he had thus continued about half an hour, he ceased from howling gradually, after which he rose re­jo cing, thinking now that he could bear wit­nesse against the Ministers as false Prophets be­cause he never found such effect under their Mi­nistry.

Going to bed, he was much troubled all that night with dreams concerning his condition,p. 4. and [...]a [...] a discovery of his sins The Di­vel will come and discover as serves his turn. in particular, espe­cially of his covetousnesse: afterwards awake and thinking upon those dreams he sensibly per­ceived something (as he imagined) lighting upon his neck, and giving him a great stroke, which caused much pain, & after that another, [Page 73] third, and fourth, which stroke lesse then the former and lower down till it came to the mid­dle of his back, and then he thought something entred his body which he perswaded himself to be the spirit and heard (in his conceit) a voice within him, it is day, looking up he answered, yes, the voice twice replyed as certainly as it is light, so certainly shall Christ give thee light.

After this he continued two or three dayes waiting for further discoveries, sometime wrapt up into excessive joy, and again exceedingly de­jected with fears of his condition, whether really good or under delusions: yet still waited and wa [...]king into the Garden, lying down on the ground with his face to the earth, his right hand began to shake, so as he could not hold it still, Acted. whilst he was wondring what the meaning should be, apprehending himself to be shaken by the hand, he was brought into a rapture of joy, All joy is not hea­venly. imagining it to be a figure of his marriage with Christ, then he was raised and set on his feet, again turned and laid on his back at which his sins were particularly brought to mind,Remember our sin, God, Divel, Consci­ence. and at remembrance of every sin, his hand was carried round about with giving a pat on the ground and then he imagined he heard a voice saying, now such a sin is mortified; A poor mortifica­tion. of which being perswaded, without ground the power he was acted by permitted him to rise saying, Ask what thou wilt of the Father, and he will give it? he replyed, he knew not what to ask, but desired that power to teach him, he bid him ask wisdome whereupon [Page 74] he desired also that God would give him such things as were most for his glory and the good of others, the power answered that his request was granted, and that he should be endowed with the spirit of prophecy and singing praises to God.

p. 5.Herewith being satisfied Small satisfacti­on. he went to the fifth meeting, where Atkinson being Speaker, he was much more affected The stirring of affections no true signe of edifica­tion. then formerly; after he had done, Gilpin being ready to go a­way, the wife of the house took him by the hand, and wringing it very hard, bad him sit down again, which he did, and presently John Audland Quakers of whom c. 11. stood up, saying, Cannot ye watch one hour? &c. In the time of his speaking Gilpin was drawn from where he sate, and thrown upon the ground, in the midst of the Company, where he lay all night; all which time his body and all the members of it were in motion, being turned from his back to his belly and so back again, sever [...]ll times, makingChristum non crucum abhorret diabolus. p. 6. crosses, con­tinually with his legs one over the other, his hands were carried too and fro on the ground as if writing; in which motions (he saith) he acted not in the least, but was altogether passive.

He was perswaded perswa­sions without ground lead men into a fools pa­radise. it was the immediate power of Christ, and heard (he thought) a voice, that that writing with his hand upon the ground did signifie the writing of the law in his heart. Having lain all night upon the ground, as afore­said, the power moved his hands to his head [Page 75] and laid them on the top thereof, fast closed to­gether; whereupon he heard a voice, Vox & praeterea nihil. Christ in [...]od and God in Chri [...]t and [...]hrist in thee; which he was compelled to sing before the com­pany, in a strange manner, with such a voice as was not naturally h [...] own; he sang also diverse phra [...]s of Scripture, given into him, after which he was raised fom the ground and set on h [...]s feet by the power within him, which bad him beA great shew of humility may con­sist with a great deal of pride. humble, and brought him down a­gain upon his knees, and with a whispering voice said; stoop low, low; and having stooped neer the ground with his face, it said, Take up the Crosse and follow me: arising, he was led out of the house to the river, and thence into the town, drawn down the street, and caused sud­denly to turn to a door (himself not knowing who lived in the hous [...]) two of the company fol­lowing him all the time, and seeing him go to the door, said, whither wilt thou go? this is the Fidlers A merry Divell. house: he answered, whose house so­ever it is, Christ How far wide when the Divell ta­ken for Christ. leads me hither; and therefore I must go: Needs must when the devil drives. Whereupon his hand was carried to knock, and he commanded to say, behold, Christ stands at the door and knocks. The Fidler opened and Gilpin was led into the house not speaking to him, where his hand was carried to a Base-viall hanging up, he took it down and began to play upon it, and was im­mediately compelled to fall a dancing, here­upon he questioned the power, to which the voice, replyed, this is not because I love Musick, for I [Page 76] hate Enough to shew it was the Divel, for if he did not he lied if he did, not God, it; but to signifie what joy there is in heaven at thy conversion, as also wha [...] spirituall motion thou shalt have hereafter Then he was led out of the house into the street, and through the town, being moved to proclaim as he went, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; after which he was brought to his home, Will. Dod­ding, going along with him, acknowledged that he had no power to leave him at the time, being at home he was cast on the ground, and caused to make circles round the house the power telling him,p. 7. that he was putting off the old man; his hand was carried to take up a stone on the floor which to him seemed to be in the fashion of a heart, the voice telling him, that Christ had taken that stone out of his heart, What is poor man when de­luded. & given him a heart of flesh; and his hand was moved to hold it out to the Spectatours, and his fancy to say, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe; and throwing the stone a­mongst them, he said, low here is my heart of stone, afterwards being cast upon the ground on his back, the voice spake, thou shalt have two Angels to keep thee: whereupon two Swal­lows came down the Chimny and set upon a shelf over against the place where he lay and he cryed to by standers my Angels my Angels, Poor man if no better kept. he held out his hand towards them, expecting them to come to him, but they went up the Chimny, though both the Doors and Windows were open.

He was carried out of the doors, by the po­wer [Page 77] upon his Hands and Knees into the street, which his wife and others laboured to hinder, but he told them he would leave all to follow Christ, in that manner he went up the streets thinking he bore a Crosse on his neck, and continued in this motion, till some pulled him out of the mire & dirt and by force carried him into the house, whereupon he was moved to point to one of them that brought him in, and to say, Christ points at thee, thou art a wicked woman and hast hindred the work of the Lord. Then the voice asked him where his Crosse was telling him he had scattered it, whereupon he was moved to make a Crosse with his finger on the floor and forced to set his head upon it, playing topsy turvy,Poor man the Divels May game thinking then he had ta­ken up his Crosse. In those actions he was kept along while having many Scripture expressions given in, to the admiration of all that heard him, sometime he was forced to leap and dance, this expression being given into him, now have I finish [...]d the work which thou gavest me to doe, You see whom & what the Divil de­lights to abuse. thinking his redemption then fully accomplish'd: but his joy continued not; for he was cast down again, and the voice told him, he had of­fended God in attributing that to himself was pro­per to Christ Good but not to a good end. whereupon he was cast upon the ground and lying on his belly he was forced to lick the dust, & his hand carried extraordinari­ly upon his head, having a voice given him, that no sin must go unpunished, so creeping up and down the house he heard a voice, where is thy [Page 78] Crosse? upon which looking aside, he thought he saw a rosse hanging in a thread, which with his hand, he put behind his neck, he was kept in this posture all the day, when many Quakers came into him, who spake, be lowly, mind thy condition and hearken to the voice within. His strength being almost spent and his body much consumed by continual restlesnesse, two Quakers offered to watch with him that night but he re­fused, after this he began to questi [...]nAs well he might. whether the power he was acted by was Divine or Dia­bolical? whereupon he was struck with fear, and his hand was carried to take up a Knife, which done, his hand was carried towards his throat, and the voice said open a hole there John 8.44. [...]. and I will give thee the words of eternall life; whereupon he answered, what with a Knife? and so threw it away, his wife in the next room hearing him,p. 9 came out and desired him to go to bed, which he did, & in the morning, he thought a divel went out of him, at which instant he roa­red most hideously, crying, now is the Divel gone out of me: at which instant he and his family heard it thunder, (though none in the Town beside) which made him think it was the Divel, soon after the same power came and told him, that it was Satan that had possest and led him heretofore, but now Christ was come, and he had cast out Satan, and convinced him, that what ever he had don was in obedience to Satan, and that as he had serv'd the Divel before in his cloathes, so now he must undoe all, only in his spirit in obedi­ence [Page 79] to Christ, which rising he imediately endea­voured, going into the street in his shirt, but be­ing stopt, the power told him that he must be carried into the house with four women, or else he should perpetually stand there like a pillar of Salt, so he was born in by four women who car­ried him into his bed, then he hold them he had been doing the Divels work before but to day he must the work of Christ: and pointing at a wo­man whom he had pointed at before said, the Divel told me yesterday you were a wicked woman, but now Christs tells me you are Gods servant, the woman being departed, he fell to acting in his shirt upon the bed, as formely on the floor, playing topsie turvy from one bed to another, and the power bid him not fear, for he would give him strength; and after this, that the Divel had the other day commanded h m to bear the cross, but now Christ to lay it down for Christ takes no pleasure in crosses, nor would have him worship them as yesterday; the Divel made thee yesterday to lie on the ground, but now I have provided a bed; giving in this to him, my yoke is easie, p. 10. pro­mising also to give him, bread of life to eat, and water of life to drink, and that out of his belly shall flow waters of The Di­vil is wont to promise more then he can do. life; whereupon his teeth were caused to move, and he thought he felt in his belly a flowing of waters; he was also perswaded that yesterday the divels angels had waited on him but now Christs; whereupon he saw two butterfliesGoodly Angels Swallows and But­terflies. in the window, to which his hand was carried, & having taken one, he was [Page 80] moved to put it into his mou [...]h, and did swallow it; then he took the other and was moved to put it into his throat, the power telling, it should utter this, saying, nothing is impossible to them that believe. After this, he was caused to make circles on the bed; whereupon he began to think, it was not of God, and so began to re­sist, and thereupon fell into great fear, crying,High time to cry out. Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? the power told him, that it was too late to cry unto God for sentence was already pronounced against him; whereupon he was convict the Divell had de­luded him.

After a short space, the power again told him, that it was a white Divell had deceived him the latter time, but now Christ was come indeed and would cast him out, As much as before. whereupon he took that Devil to be cast out, after which as he lay in his bed, all his members fell a working as if the pangs of death had been on him, the power tel­ling him, it was the pangs of the new birth, and that Christ was new born in him▪ lying in that condition a whole day, the power perswaded him, that he should work wonders, and cast out Divels in his name; soon after two Quakers came to him, to whom he told he had two Divels cast out of him, but now Christ was in him of a truth How uncertain when misled with voice light within. then the power, I was crowned with a crown of Thorns, but I will crown thee with a crown of Glory, and bad him as a figure there [...]f to set his fi [...]t upon his head, A glori­ous Crown. and it should ap­pear to the standers by as a glorious Crown, then [Page 83] said he to them, what do you see? p. 14. being Quakers they turned their eyes another way, the power teliing himThe di­vel never wants an excuse. that they saw the crown on his head, but were so taken with admiration that they could not expresse what they saw, and bid him tell one of the Quakers present, that he had a Divel in him, and that Gilpin, should have power to cast him out; whereupon he said, O! thou hast a Divel in thee the power told him, that Quakers should Quake and tremble,Gilpin. which immediately he did; the power bid him speak to him, to fall flat on the ground which he did, and after a space rose, and he asked him whether the divell was gone out of him? to which he gave no answer but the power told him, the devil was ejected, the same also told him, who (of those that came to see him) had Devils, who not, and that his wife and mother had divels in them, but he had po­wer given him to cast them out.

After that he began to question whether this were Christ or no, whereupon the Divel disco­vered himself telling him, that all this while he had been serving him and blaspheming God, and now it was to late to repent; whereupon he was brought into despair for a time,The divel will not alway be an Angel of light. at last he began to desist from hearkning to the voice within him, and apply himself to God in Christ, whereupon he was presently in a great agony, and sweat, and so continued all night, somewhat more chearful in the morning, yet not finally resol­ved to desert that way, he was again assaulted by the power telling him, that now the Divel was [Page 82] finally cast out of him, and that the room within him must not be left empty, but that Christ must come and have the whole and sole possession or else Satan would return & reenter with seaven other Divels worse then himself, telling him that he was Christ, solliciting him to entertain him, he resisted for a time, but to perswade him he re­presented to his memory most of the remarkable passages of his life, told him how long he should live, and when die, and that he would strength­enOf the Devils re­newing strength see Tol­derry case c. 5. his body, and caused him to rub his body with his hands at which instant he conceived he received strength, and his members to be more in substance then before, with divers o­ther passages, promising him prosperity in the world, and speaking behold a man that hath told thee all things that ever thou didst, is not this the Christ? whereupon he was perswaded to em­brace this power thinking it was Christ, where­upon he was sensible of a working throughout his whole body, which soon ceased, and then his thought his condition good and Christ to be really in him. Afterward this power told him, that he had highly offended God in all his for­mer passages in giving way to Satan and that he was guilty of all sins, except that against the Holy Ghost, but that he did it ignorantly, and therefore he had pity on him, he was further perswaded by the power that he should lie see­mingly dead, which he did, not daring to stir, till the power moved him; lying thus a while, the power began to move one of his legs, and [Page 83] then the other, after that his hands, and then his head; at last his whole body, causing him to sit on his bed, telling him, thus should his body be quickned and raised at last day; then the power told him, that he must put off his shirt and cap and napkin about his neck, saying, that whatever was about him was polluted, and that he hated the garments spotted with the flesh; whereupon he pulled them off, and threw them on the ground, saying,p. 13. that he hated the gar­ments, spotted with the flesh; the power also told him, that all his bonds were broken, and his cords loosned, and that Christ had set him free. Whereupon calling for a clean shirt and other linnen, he rose concluding himself in a good condition, but being up, finding himself no better, his body rather weakned, he began to see he had been deluded; whereupon he was struck with fear, and walking into the Garden he thought one while the Divell would pull him into the Earth, another while into the Air, so that he was afraid to continue abroad, and came into the house and suspected every thing he heard to be the Divel waiting to fetch him away; In this perplexity he began to consider how he had offended in rejecting reading, hearing prayer; and therefore it was just with God to leave him to delusions.This the fruit of heark­ning to a voice within.

This Relation is not testified only under his own hand, but by severall of known fidelity, living in and neer Kendall. p. 14. p. 15.

Christopher Atkinson of Kendall in a Pamphlet [Page 82] wherein he pretends to answer Gilpin, denies not the matter of fact, but charges him with drun­kenness, and returning to his former filthinesse, which is a notorious falshood; 'tis true, there was information given in against him for drun­kenness by a Quaker to a Justice, one of their own Faction, who sent his warrant for him; but Gilpin ignorant of it, was absent, being called to serve in the Garrison of Carlisle, but did not flie as that Pamphlet reports. Some of his friends examined the matter further, and told his accu­sers it was a forgery; to which some of them answered it was not; for he was drunk with Bare proofs sin, and this was all, that any of his Adversaries would undertake to justifie.

To clear Gilpin, there were two testimonies signed by men of unquestioned integrity, ac­quainted with him

p. 16, 17.1. Whereas severall Quakers have aspersed John Gilpin, as guilty of drunkenness and other licentious practises, These are to certifie that we have taken speciall notice of his Conversation, during the time of his abode with us, and have found it to be not only Civill, but sutable to the Gospell.

2. Whereas John Gilpin is traduced to be scandalous and tainted with drunkenness and other lusts, These are to certifie the contrary, and that he is to our knowledge, one that walks so­berly, humbly, piously, and without reproofe, not in the least guilty of those wickednesses charged on him; nor did we ever hear otherwise by [Page 87] him, but that he was vertuously inclined, and of a very tender Conscience.

CHAP. III. Of John Tolderry.

He hearing at a private house two Quakers, Foot out of snare, p. 3. and observing their discourse, tending to the destruction ofIn words sin, was somewhat affected with them, and was perswaded to make further enquiry after the Sect; whereupon, after some observation, he concludedUpon poor grounds. these people were of God, sent forth, as witnesses from him against all others; but in regard of much strangenesse in their way and bold confidenc [...] they had in judging he was not satisfied to comply with them.

A short time following,p. 4. being at a private meeting, there came in a stranger, who with an exceeding bold courage, cried aloud, Praises, praises be to the Lord for ever, who hath hid things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes; and beginning at Genesis, he passed through the whole Scriptures, and turned all things into Allegories, and so declaring what meant by the first, second Adam, by the Fall, Redemption, &c. expressing with confidence, that searching of the Scripture was not the way to [Page 86] find out the knowledge of John 5.39. [...]. Rom. 10.2 [...] Christ, but the turn­ing the mind to WITHIN So after about an hours discourse with confidence, mighty powerfully declared with all seriousness imagi­nable, he departed, Tolderry with others being strongly affected; whereupon he was acted, zea­lously (b) to follow them, but he remained a time before he complyed or made himself known to any of them.

In the mean while, meeting with one of them that gave him to understand, that they were sent by Christ to preach the Gospell, by the same Christ the Apostles were, p. 8. and that the person the Son of God which died at Jerusalem was not the Redee­mer, Iohn 8.54. but the redeemer was in every particular man, that light by which he was given to see sin, and enabled by it, if obeyed, to be redeemed from sin, and declaring of them much to admiration; he gave him notice the next day of their meet­ing, and the place with earnest invitation.

When he came home, he went to prayers, & be­ing mightily carried forth in that duty, very of­ten before the times of their meeting, he looked on it as a signIt is no sufficient s [...]g [...], nei­ther our prayers nor Gods provi­dence further then grounded on the word. of Gods pleasure he should close with them; so at the meeting, three of the chiefest were Speakers, whose matter and manner was more taking to him then the former; but especi­ally the powerful o [...]eration of theThe heart may be much affected when lit­tl [...] be [...]te­red, nay not at all. prayer: wherupon he was moved to make a confession of himself with the owning of them in the presence of all the people, upon which he became sub­ject to the teachings of a spirit Evill enough. in himself; the [Page 87] which being believedBut on what grounds? to be the Redeemer, he was fully perswaded, that denying any thing in the least, it required he should not be redeem­ed.A dreadfull bon­dage.

Hereupon he became subject to divers cere­monies, as not to Master any,p. 15. nor to put off the Hat to any,Igno­rance the mother of such con­science not to speak the word you but thou, not to use any Greetings, that bowing to a man was worshipping of him,Very true but is there no wor­ship but divine. [...] N. B. not to drink to any, to pull off his Points at knees, Bandstrings, Hatband, unnecessary Buttons, some of which he brake to pieces and threw away, burned divers Divinity books, judgeing they were the teachings of the Devil, Gen. 23.7. some made away, others threw away broken in pieces, having in charge the redeeming part of an estate for his Mother, which in a short time was in a fair possibility to be effected, was perswaded under pretence of selfe denial, to desist, by which his mother and many little ones suffered much; but so predo­minant was the power that he refused the least acknowledgement much more the performance of duty to any. The Di­vel will let nei­ther God nor man have his due. Sauls errand] p. 17. p. 14.

Coming to perswade his Master to his opini­on, he reached a stool, took him by the Arme or Cloak, and bid him set down William Webb, not bowing, not pulling off the Hat, nor calling him Master and afterward denied all relations, then he said to him, how does thy body do? who re­plyed John what's the matter? where is the ser­vants obedience? where the Masters honour? his answer was, my Master is the faithful spirit in me.

A while after when his master and company with him were at dinner, he was moved by the power to dine with them, so he went into the room, took a stool and sat down at the head of theVery lowly done. table, then some questions being asked him of the duty of the servant, replyed, that himself was the servant of God, he not; therefore had more right to the creatures then he.Pride with a witness.

In the shop he durst not ask Customers what they wanted nor make the price but in own word, if tempted by them to more, he was provoked to look sternly with wrath and envy, that they spake more then was needful, and divers com­modities he dealt in having honourable names he was commanded by the power to give them new names; he was further perswaded not to eat any thing he loved, and at last was wrought on to eat nothing but Crums, picking of bones when done with by others, with such food as was destructive to health, he was also kept from eat­ing to the satisfying of nature, so that he became extream poor and so changed as if not the same man: some weeks eating little more then na­tureIn all this little of Religion; a great cry, and little wool. would have required to eat in one day; going a long Cheap side he saw Cabbage-stocks with broken leaves of Colworts thrown away by the market Women, at which sight he was en­joyned by the power to gather them and carry them home to dresse, and the next food to eat them.

Going to read the ScripturesA man is not stark naught at first. he found such a strange alteration in many things con­trary [Page 91] to what he formerly believed that he was much affected with it, and he was perswaded to read the whole, and in a short time he did be­lieve that there was not any thing expressed there but he had the perfect knowledge of Puffed up with self-con­ceit. and that Christ that died at Jerusalem was a figure of him, and that himself was the true Christ, Man whither? if God leave. and it was revealed to him that the dissolution of all things would be at the end of 63 years, in which time by his and the rest of their teachers Ministry, the Jewes were to be called with the Gentiles who had lost the Gospel immediately after the Apostles times, from which time till now both have lain in blindnesse serving the Devil. Matth. 28.20. [...]. p. 22.

He also believed he should live to the End and then Christ was to meet him in the mount of God in a multitude of bright Clouds, where he was immediately to be transformed into a cele­stial body where Christ and heEgo et rex meus. should sit judges of all; he was also perswaded, there was a greater revelation to be made manifest in him then in Christ, or the Apostles Object of piety! volume of pride., whereupon he was enjoyned to spend all the time he could in waiting for Revelations, which he did. Where­upon the first time he supposed he heard excel­lent voices, which made sweet melody; which he believed were spirits sent from God to make known the joy in Heaven because of him,much like delu­sion in Gilpins case, case, c. 2. at which being ravishedRaptures not al­waies good. p. 23. he was resolved to be plyable to that power which moved him to wait.

A short time after there appeared two spirits [Page 90] in the likeness of a mans shade, which he thought to be his ministring Angels,The like course ta­ken with Gilpin. c. 2. from whom did procced then excellent things concerning God, Christ, Angels, and Heaven. Following this there came many such like; at which fight there was a voice spake in him greetingNoscitur ex sociis qui non cognoscitur ex se. Hereby is the voice discerned. these appa­ritions; by them it was answered; that within 25 daies perfection should be in him; then he should suffer the likeness of that death and re­surrection which was real by him that died at Jerusalem; after which he should be sent to preach the Gospel, and Michael should live in him, by whom he should be carried to and fro the world, and unabled to preach, for this 25 daies the power willed him to goe private, and all the 25 nights he durst not deny the movings as he respected Salvation; yea, he did not rest one night with another above one houre in a night: most of this time he had the company of these apparitions, according as he was mo­ved to desire them, for at desire they would come and goe; and when they came they brought with them excellent Musick, which was alway over his head and followed as he moved; the apparitions making merry amongst themRobin Good fellows p. 24. selves, dancing, leaping, and flying about the Room.

The 2d or 3d. night he was by the power com­manded to stay up all night, about midnight five of those apparitions came,Though aloud ly. one of which as they were flying about the room came & overshadow­ed his face & told him in his eare that three of [Page 91] the seaven plagues had been powred forth on him, and because of his obedience to the spirit, two were not, and the other two were to come and that af­ter his resurrection from the dead he should make choice of 12 of the chief speakers among the Qua­kers to be his Apostles, so parting from him they went to dancing, about an hour after standing by the fire, he heard a noise, upon which a voice spake in him Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen: p. 25. which he took the meaning of, that all in him which formerly reigned, was thrown down by the coming of Christ; being weary he went to sit down, but was commanded to stand for God was then present: about an hower after he was again overshadowedIn darkness all the while and by a voice requi­red to pull of his shoes for the place was holy, & that God appeared to him as to Moses, and the ap­pearance to Moses a figure of this; whereon, hs pulled of his shoos & was taken with great fear much trembling, pulled off his hat, and being very cold there came a great warmth over the room and then seised on his feet and with a tingling raised it self over his legs, at last over all his body, at which time he trembled exceed­ingly but durst not stir, the tunes of the spirits were changed into a noise of Bees & the appari­tions danced, a voice said heTolderry. was John the be­loved of himself as John of Christ, and John a figure of him, he after some time spake, you are the Angels of God owning what revealed, but in speaking he stammerd out of fear, then flew one of the apparitions by him saying he had blasphe­med, [Page 90] Very true. upon which all vanished, as likewise the warmth as it came then was he struck with fear and lay on the floure with his face downward, wallowing and tumbling a short time, he was moved to lye still, and immediatly came the warmth as before, then was he mov'd to rise; upon which came all those apparitions, again and one of them told him now all was wel, by the power in him he was raised on his feet, his hands, feet and body mov'd without any consent of his, then was he commanded by a voice in him to dance with the apparitions which he did the remainder of the night, and by the po­wer was tossed to and fro and moved up and down as a spirit.

p. 27Having resraind food about day and half, he was moved to go and eat, finding a cost of bief he was at a losse, one spirit saying eat, the other no, I am the Lord said the former nay but eat, the case examined, Judgement was determined on the other spirit, so he did eat.

p. 28.Two or three hours after in the Hall, he fanciedVery true. he saw Heaven open, whence a great blast of lightning, at which he was struck down, and immediately an extrem turning in him like as in a hot furnace for little more then half a quarter of an hour, about three hours after, he was moved to go to a meeting of Quakers, much against his will, but being in fear durst not deny, and there he was moved to shake, which being observed, the command was Go away; upon which the power grew so to [Page 95] shake, teare and rent him, that he could not have contained, but enabled, it did work like a strong purge working an extreme foam. When ever did the H. G. this work; but how like to the Divell that did tear the child and cause him to foam, in the Gospell?

The next, he was commanded to stay up and wait for revelations, whereupon being very drowzie for want of rest; he intreated the appa­ritions he might rest that night; so he had li­berty: but going up stairs, a voice in him, willed him to go down, so was enjoyned to stay up; and having waited a short time, he could not refrain from rest; then was he perswaded to go against the Spirit, but in going, it commanded him to go into the shop; having staid there a­bout halfe an hour, he moved to go up; but going, a voice spake behind, to return; then was he commanded by that in him, to lie down and humble himself, for he had blasphemed: then he heard another voice, Nicodemus the be­trayer of Christ in the night is in thee; at which he was extremely troubled; so lying about an hour upon the ground, he was mo­ved to rise; but rising, commanded to lie down again; anon rising, commanded again to lie still, and so diverse times, in the end he was raised on his feet.

In the morning he was commanded to light a fire with dead coles, and being confident of doing it, yea had he been master of the whole world, he should have ventured all with a value [Page 94] of no worth on the performance ofHeight of confi­dence on no ground it: ha­ving laid all in their order, he was moved to blow with his mouth; but not effecting the thing, much troubled: then went he into the Cellar, and there the apparitions came, to whom he complained of failing in his enter­prise, it was answered, he was not yet perfect, but yet should be serviceable in healing lame, sick, blind souls, as Christ the body, and that all the miracles wrought by him did signifie what was to be offered in the souls of them that should be his doctrine.

p. 31.For about a week after, he staid up most part of the nights, and strange things were effected by him on the apparitions every night. Once striving against sleep he was by the power in him cast up against the wall and there was infused into him such a refreshment, that all drowzi­nesse was destroyed. In the morning he was moved to go to the Quakers meeting, and stay­ing for them in the Garden, a Flie flew in his Face, he was perswaded it was a Messenger from God; from that time he was guided by Flies [...] p. 32. in many things.

When the company came he was commanded to put off his band, and to make known to them the order God required in his creation, which was to gather up the small sticks, and dry leaves and the small stones and pieces of brick scatte­red in the garden, and lay them by themselves, by diverse friends he was perswaded to give o­ver, but then by the first fly he saw, he was commanded to it again.

Going thence he gathered stones in the way and saw two white round stones,p. 33. which he thought came from Heaven, that in him infor­med him, one signifyed Esau, the other Jacob, therefore he threw the greatest away and kept the lesse, as alsoAny thing what pleased the painter. p. 34. signifying that in the Re­velation, and was sent him as a token from Christ.

A short time after about midnight between sleep and wake he saw a Vision of Spirits at which he was strongely mov'd to rise, but be­ing very drowsie fell a sleep, and dream't awak­ing taken with a fancy, the bed was sinking un­der him; upon which he was commanded to rise and hast into the Kitchin, there he was guided to turn round, and turning saw a light on the wall, at which he stood and looked, and so it ceased, being affraid he went to sit, but was mov'd to stand: looking upon the linnen soak­ing in water for washing, he was commanded to lay them in better order, for God was the God of order, remembring Christ denied not the least service, he was the speedier subjected, upon which readinesse he was set free.

Then mov'd to sit and look on the blaze of the candle to be directed to service by the blaze,p. 35 or the sparkles proceeding thence but not able to apprehend the meaning thereof, he was tor­mented and stampt and flew up and down like madLittle better. he then came to the fire and was mo­ved to look thereon in expectation to be dire­cted by the flame or sparks, but tired in looking [Page 98] he cast his eyes upward, and seeing something swim upon a Kettle on the fire, and looking thereon he had a command from the spirit in him, on account of salvation, to put his hand in the water, telling him the heat should not seize on him, but through fear standing a little he saw something falling to the ground, which was a thing like a great Fly, he was then comman­ded to look as fierce as he could on it, and en­joyned to hold his leg to the fire, and to observe the direction of the fly to the burning of it, so the fly moved to the earth, then he went close to the fire, and there held his leg with both hands to the fire as the fly stood, so the fly moved sometime neerer, then farther, sometime turn­ing the one side, sometime the other, sometime round then to the same place again, so he his leg accordingly; about the third part of an hour the heat burning in his leg, then the power per­swaded him he would heale his leg, so he durst not make it known though burnt from the knee to the foot: being about his imployment, he was moved to give over, but not presently obeying there came diverse flies and rested on what he was about, so leaving he was moved to wrastle and war with himself three times, which he did like mad,Easily believed. then he was given to understand this was a preparation against his sufferings and had respect to Christs▪ Agony, p. 37. then he was di­rected to look about and spyed a needle in his sleeve which he was moved to take in his hands and thrust both ends through his thumbs, and [Page 97] afterward to the bone, then he was commanded to stand on a box by the wall,Practical blasphe­my. and to turn his back to the wall and spread his hands one on the other with the needle in his thumbs, and so lift his Arms over his head and then strain his Arms and Body as high he could with the backs of his hands to the wall, so to liken a death on the Crosse, and he gave way to a drowsi­nesse as though a dying and fell on the ground as dead, he was moved to spread shavings over him, as sheets; then to tye a handkerchief on his head, then he lay on his back three quarters of an hour in imitation of three dayes, then he was raised on his feet, and commanded to make this known to the Quakers, & to make choice of some of them to be his Apostles, so he ran forth in expectation to fly by the power of Michael, which he believed now in him, but not fleeing he was much troubled; upon which he was comman­ded to put off his shoos, which he did, and so made way with all speed to the house and gave them to understand that Christ meaning him­self was risen, shewing the holes in his thumbs upon which he was looked upon with a strange look and charged to be silent, there being many there and judging him with one consent, he was silenced.High time

That these relations may not seem fabulous he concludes page 45. [in the presence of the Eternal God, that he hath endeavoured to make known the truth and that to his knowledge he lies not in any thing, and much of this may be [Page 99] justified by many] and after the Epistle to the Reader there is this certificate [We whose names are subscribed being certified of the contents and circumstances of the discourse ensuing, and some of us having perused a part, and others the whole of it are fully satisfied of the truth of things re­ported in it.

CHAP. IV. Of James Naylor.

Sau's errand p. 29.30.WHo gives this account of himself, that he was born at Ardislaw two miles from Wakefield in Yorkshire, where he lived untill he was married, then went into Wakefield parish, a Husband-man, a Souldier betwixt eight and nine years, and of turning Quaker gives this account, that he was at the Plow meditating on the things of God, and suddenly he heard a voice saying get thee out from thy Kindred and Fathers House and had a promise given in with it that God would be with him; whereat he did exceedingly rejoyce, and when he came home he gave up his estate, cast out his mony, but not [Page 101] being obedient in going forth, the wrath of God was on him so that he was made a wonder to all, and none thought he would have liv'd, but after he was made willing he began to make some preparations, as apparel, and other nece­ssaries, not knowing whether he should go but shortly after going a gateward with a friend from his own house, having on an old Suit with­out any money, having neither taken leave of Wife and Children, nor thinking then of any journey, he was commanded to go into the West not knowing whether he should goe, nor what he was to do there, but when he had been there a little while▪ it was given him what he was to declare and ever since he hath remained, not knowing to day what he was to do to morrow.

We shall not question the matter of fact, but the question is from whom this; from God or the Divel, neither shall I spend words to resolve the doubt, the following story perused and con­sidered, is sufficient to determine.

On the 24th. of October 1656. he entred into Bristoll on Horse-back,The Qua­kers Je­sus. with Timothy Wedlock of Devon, two Women leading his horse, with the Reyns in their hands,p. 3. Ill lead that gives the reines to women (a) Martha Symonds and Hanna Stanger Wives to two in London, these came before him singing, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Israel; thus he rode to the high Crosse and to the White-horse in Broad street.

The Magistrates informed hereof, sent that night for him and his Disciples seaven in num­ber, but such was their singing Hosanna, and [Page 100] Holy, holy, &c. with the concourse of people that their examination that night was not much, so they were committed to Newgate till next day. Saturday the 25. he was sent for again and examined, was very ready in his answers to Circumstances; but wherein he thought the Question might discover him, he would either be silent or answer subtily; also denying some things put to him out of his own Book;

Being asked, What was his businesse to Bristoll, answered,p. 4. He came as he was guided by his The Devil. Father: Whether he was a Prophet, Answered, that he is the Prophet of the most High God. Que. Are you the onely begotten Son of God? Answ. He was the son of God, and the son of God is but one. Qu. Whether he be the everlasting son of Righteousnesse? Answ. That he is the son of God, and everlasting righteousnesse is wrought in him; and said, If they had known the Father, they would him also. Qu. Whether he were the King of Israell? Answ. Thou hast said it, and he hath no Kingdom in the world, but reigneth in the Father. Q. Are you the Lamb of God in whom the hope of Israel stands? Answ. That if he were not his lamb, he should not be thus sought for to be devoured, and that the hope of Israel stands in the righteousness of the Father in whomsoever it is. Q. Why came he in such manner into the City? Ans. It was for the praises of his Farther, and he might not refuse any thing moved of the Lord, and that their Father commanded them to doe They will not worship men with putting of the hat but take worship from men as is due only to God. it. Q. Whether as he rode from Glossen­bury [Page 101] and Wells some did not spread their cloathes on the ground before him, and sing Holy, holy? Ans. He believed they did. Qu. Whether he had a wife? Ans. There is a woman the world called his Very probable he did not own her his wife. p. 10. wife.

October 27. Dorcas Erbury one of his Disciples was examined before the Magistrates of Bristoll. Quest. Why did you sing holy, holy, &c. before James Naylor when he rode in? Answ. She did not, but they that did were called to it by the The God of this world that rules in the children of disobe­dience. Lord. Q. Is James Naylor the holy one of Israel? Answ. He is so, and she would seal it with her Goodly confessor. bloud. Qu. And is he the onely begotten Son of God? Answ. He is the onely begotten Son of She speakes plain. God. Qu. Why did you so honour him as to pull off his stockins and put your cloaths under his feet? Ans. Because he is the Lord of Israel and worthy of it. Q. Do you know no other Jesus the only begotten son of God but him? Answ. I know no other Sauiour but Poor Woman! him. Q. Do you believe in James Naylor? Ans. I do believe in Whe­ther may not a poor soul be missed? him. Q. What Name do you give him? A. The son of God. Q. VVhat do you call him usu­ally? A. I am commanded to call him Lord and Master and to serve Where is that command written the very light within conscience will shew a sinful man not God. p. 11. him. Q. Hath Naylor raised from the dead? A. I was dead two dayes, he laid his hands on my head in Exeter Gaol, and said; Dorcas, arise. Q. Jesus sits at Gods right hand, and shall judge the world, Doth Naylor thus? A. Naylor shall sit at the right hand of the father and judge the world.

The Magistrates sent to a Parliament man a [Page 103] copy of these Examinations, and upon Report to the House, a Committee was chosen to take notice of it, and a Messenger sent for Naylor.

p. 6.The Magistrates sent Naylor for London 10. November with four Disciples of his, Stanger and his Wife, Martha Symonds, and Dorcas Er­bury. Upon the 15th. the Committee met in the painted Chamber and had Naylor in Exami­nation. Q. Did you reprove the Woman for hold­ing the horse bridle? A. No but I spake to them about it, and they said they were moved of the Lord to it, Q. It is laid to your charge, you did a­ssume to your self the fai [...]est of ten thousand. A. If any spake it to that of the Father in me, I dare not deny for its beautifull in whomsoever begot­ten. Q. Do you own that of being that only begot­ten son of God? A. I am the son of God. Q. Do you own being the King of Israel? A. I have no Kingdome in this World, but a Kingdome I have. Q. Do you own the title King of Israel Prince of peace. A. It is but one and that of God born in me is the King of Israel, Jesus Christ is the King of Israel is manifested in me, and I own. Q. Have any called you the Prophet of the most high God? A. I am a Prophet of the most high God. Q. Is then that worship due to you which was to Christ? A. If they did it to the visible they were to blame, but if to the invisible, that worship is due to me according to my measure as was due to Christ. Q. then you say that worship was due, and to that which you call the invisible in you, to you as was [Page 104] given to Christ at Jerusalem. A. Yea. Q.They will not give civil worship but take divine, is not this divelish pride? How many weeks have you fasted without bread. A. Two or three. Q. Did you live without any food all that time? B. Yea.

Upon the fourth of December report was made to the house, & on the fixth he was brought to the Commons-bar where having his Exami­nation taken before the Committee read unto him, and asked whether things were thus, he an­swered yea, and denied not any part thereof. Whereupon the house agreed on the matter of fact, and adjudged it horrid blashemy and he a grand impostor, and deceiver of the people, and ordered him close prisoner. p. 13.

After 8 or 9 dayes debate on the 16 of De­cember, it being carried that the question for his death should not be put, the house Voted his punishment, that upon the 18th. of December he stand in the pillory two hours in the new palace yard with a paper of his crime on his breast, Naylors punish­ment. and then presently to be whipt by the Hangman to the old Exchange, on the 20 to be put in the pillory for two hours before the exchange, and then bored through the tongue with a hot Iron and stigmati­zed with the letter B in his forehead, afterwards by the Sheriff of Loud to be conveyed to Bristol & there ride through the City on a horse with his face to the tail, and then publickly whipt through the Town, and by the Sher [...]ffs of Bristoll to be conveyed to Bridewell in London, there to be kept close pri­soner from company, pen, inck, and paper, kept to hard labour and not to be released till further order.

December 17th. he was brought to the bar to receive the sentence on the 18th. the sentence in palace yard executed upon the indisposition of body, and a petition of some for respite upon that account, the rest of his sentence was defer­red for a weeke.

p. 16.On the 23 of December there came neer a­bout an hundred men with a petition for the remitting the rest of his punishment, delivered in by Mr. Joshua sprigge A Wor­thy man. and subscribed in the first place by Col. Scrope, the petition being not like to take, they made their addresse to Oliver Cromwell, as follows.

p. 17. Sheweth] that your petitioners (having out of tendernesse to the good cause of our spiritual and civil Liberties) concerned in some late proceedings of the house of Parliament, and to the good of these Nations and Government thereof appeared in a petition to the Parliament, for the remitting of the remaining punishment of J. Naylor, which petition is received into the house and rests there; we humbly conceive it our duty also, in considera­tion of the joynt interest which your Highness with the Parliament hath by the instrument of Govern­ment in the Legislative power to make our humble addresses to your Highnesse What a do for a wretched blasphe­mer? that you will be pleased, according to all former declarations, and the experience we have had of your Highnesses care of this tender interest of Liberty of Consci­ence, to weigh the consequence of these late pro­ceedings and according to the 17th. article of the instrument and one of the grounds you declare [Page 105] open in the war with Spain your Highnesse will stand up for the poor people of God, Upon what ac­count is Naylor one of them. in this day, wherein your Highness will not do more right to your petitioners, then to your self and these Nations. It had been bet­ter at this day had he more ap­peared against such, then for them. O.C's. Letter.

December 26th. his Highnesse sent a letter to the house as followeth.

Having taken notice of a Judgment against James Nalyor, although we detest and abhor the giving or occasioning the least countenance to persons of such opinions or practises, yet being interressed in the Government and not knowing how far such a proceeding wholy without us, might extend in the consequences of it, do desire the house will let us know the grounds whereon they have proceeded.

This Letter caused a great debate, and an­swer was not then agreed upon, but another day appointed, in the mean while the Parlia­ment ordered Naylor the remainder of his pu­nishment, which upon 27th. of December was executed on him, and so sent again to prison.

At this time of his being in the pillory, one Robert Rich standing by him, placed a paper over Naylors head, wherein was written, This is the King of the Jewes.

January 16th. he was sent by the Sheriffes of London to Bristoll, and the Sheriffs of bristoll be­fore that, had a warrant under the Speakers hand to see the sentence executed as far as they were concerned therein.

January 17th. Naylor took horse at Lawford [Page 107] gate and rod on the horse bare ridged with his face to the tail through the City without Red­cliffe gate and there alighted & was brought to the middle of Thomas street and there stript, and then tyed to the horse to be whipt from thence back again to the middle of Broad-street.

p. 20.This order to the favouring of him, was sent to the Keeper of Newgate by one not named by the Author.

Cause NaylorNaylor favoured. to ride in at Lawfords-gate, from thence along Wine-street to the Tolsey, thence down High-street over the Bridge, and so out at Redcliff-gate, there let him alight and bring him into Thomas-street, and cause him to be stript, and there made fast to the Cart-horse, and in the Market first whipped, from thence to the foot of the Bridge there whipt, thence to the end of the bridge there whipt, thence to the middle of High-street there whipt, thence to the Tolsey there whipt, thence to the middle of Broad-street there whipt, and then tane into the Taylors-Hall, there release him from the Cart-horse, and let him put on his cloathes, and carry him thence to New-gate by Tower-lane the back-way.

And whereas of custome the Bellman goes before and makes Proclamation of the offence of the Offendour, yet here the Keeper com­mands the Bellman to the contrary, and suffers one Jones to hold back the Beadles arm when striking, and in all the way the Bell rang but six times.

And one Robert Rich rid bare before him, [Page 108] singing, Holy, holy, who December 15. sent in to the Speaker this Letter.

If I may have liberty, I do here at the door attend, and am ready out of the Scriptures of truth to shew, that not any thing James Naylor hath said or done, is blasphemy or worthy of death or bonds.

Many other Quakers accompanyed Naylor, and when he was going to horse, at the Gate used these Expressions:

Behold the Lamb of God, saith one; This is the Corner-stone which the builders refused, ano­ther; They shall look upon him whom they have pierced (and wept,) another; Let all the An­gells in heaven worship him, another; Give ho­nour to whom honour belongeth, another.p. 22.

Yet this very Naylor, January, 16. the night he came thither, at the Lamb without Lawfords-gate was suspected to have a woman in bed with him; for in the Oath taken before the Mayor, sworn by Thomas Jefferies and Ruth Harris, the Maid and Tapster saw a woman at 10 a Clock at night on the further side of the bed, and covered, lying with her arms over the Rug; and the Maid did swear that about 5 of the Clock the next morning the woman was lying in the same place and manner.

After this, the Sheriffs of Bristoll sent him to the Governours of Bridewell, London, who be­fore had received order from the Speaker, as to [Page 108] that of the Sentence wherein they were concer­ned, were he was kept prisoner till of late he was discharged by them that then bore sway.

CHAP. V. Of sundry Practises of divers Quakers of late years.Clark's mirrour. c. 63. p. 262.

1. ABout October, 1653. certain Quakers came into North Wales about Wrexham to gainFor which they compasse Sea and Land ha­ving been in France, Holland, Rome, New Eng­land, Bar­bados, &c. So eager of New England that very death it self would not de­ter them. Proselytes, at their meetings; after long silence, sometimes one, sometimes more fell into great and dreadfull shakings with such swellings in their bodies, sending out such shreekings and howlings as not only frighted the beholders, but caused Dogs to bark, swine to cry, and the cattel to run about. One William Spencer lying with one of them three nights, the last night was much troubled and could not sleep; on a sudden, he heard something buzzing about the Quakers head, which affrigh­ting him, he sought to rise, but the Quaker per­swaded him to lie still, and immediately there [Page 109] rose such a storm as shook the house; then he again attempted to rise, but the Quaker pressed him to lie still, and expect the power to come, he then again heard the former humming, so that he strove vehemently to rise, but the quaker laid his head on Spencers shoulders, and did blow like the hissing of a GooseVery like. several times toward his mouth, which made him leap out of the bed, crying for a light and guide to conduct him forth, and so left them altogether.

2. October, 19. 1654.p. 263. A Minister went with some friends to a meeting of Quakers at the house of one J. Hunter in Benefield side in Dur­ham where he found about twenty sitting silent, after a while the minister of his own accord, rose up to prayer, but his legs so trembled that he had much a do to stand, but after he had prayed a short space, the trembling ceased, whilst he prayed to God as a Creator, there was but little disturbance, when in the name of Christ thenEnemies to Christ for all their talk. the Quakers roared, in a strange and hideous manner, howling, squeeking, yelling, roaring, and some had a strange kind of hum­ming noise after he had done, he was amazed to see about the one half of them so terribly shaken that it was a wonder they liv'd. In the midst of this confusion one of them asked him, if he was come to torment them? As he was departing out of the house, one said, all the Plagues of God be upon thee. Very Christian like. Quakers Jesus. p. 50s

3. July 10. 1656. one reasoned with a Qua­ker [Page 111] who told him that he did thank God he had burnt R. B. Queries 10. do not some of you say the bible ought to be burnt? the bible and diswaded him from reading it any more, or praying any more but to hearken to the light within him.

4. The same year diuerse quakers being met together in a Town in Essex there appeared one amongst them in such ashape as caused them to break up their meeting with no small terrour to many of them.

Clarks mirrour. p. 271.5. A Quaker the same year being put into Prison at Cholchester abstained from all food for diverse days together, when he was prevail­ed with to eat, nature was spent, and when he would have eaten he could not, and so died, his name was Parnel, fasted eight or nine dayes: after he was laid in his grave, a Quaker waited by his grave to the end of three days expecting his resurrection, but not rising he ran mad and so continued many weeks.

Hellbreke loose. p. 54.6. William Paul a professed quaker servant to George Knight Clothier of the City of Worcester on Feb. 1657. at even went out of his Masters house, and some dayes after found dead and naked with his Face downward in a puddle of water,Hellbroke loose. p. 36. his cloaths lying by, the inquest found him guilty of self murther, his friends on 22 of Febr. had interred in Claynes Church-yard two miles from the City, and after he had been bu­ried six or seven hours one Susannah Prinson a [Page 112] quaker in that City undertook to raise him from the dead, wherupon she took three or four of her way, went to the place, caused his body to be taken up, laid on the ground, opened his shroud, touched him and called him by his name, saying arise and walk, with other expres­sions, many being present, but she returned with shame.

7. A Female quaker about four or five years since came into Whitehall Chappel stark-naked on the Lords day,p. 32. the Minister being in the pulpit, a great Congregation being present.

8. A Maid-servant at Putney at her Masters house,p. 33. when he and many friends were at Din­ner with him, came into his Parlour amongst them stark-naked, and another day stark-naked from her Masters house through Wandsor and to Lambeth, or neer it, where some Water-men, by force, stop'd her, and carried her back. It was said, she intended to have entred London, over the Bridge, and so to have gone through London streets unto Westminster.

9. In Summer, 1659. in Colchester a Man-quaker went stark naked through all the Mar­ket, p. 33. and on a Lords day in the same posture en­tred into the greatest Assembly in that Town, walking unto the further end of the lower cross through many people and then returned, [Page 112] and from thence to a great company of quakers in that Town, where he did for a long time act the part of a Speaker, and when he went na­ked he had a brother waiting on him, carrying his cloaths after him.

10. The same Summer a Man-quaker went naked down Cheapside.

11. This last Summer, at Colchester, many of them on the Lords day have opened their shops and followed their handy-crafts calling for many weeks together; the like hath been done severall Lords dayes by them in London and Southwark:

12. At the same place this Summer a woman brought her needle-work into a Church, and fell to work and singing, while the Minister was officiating, not much unlike, in London by a woman in Lawrence-Church.

13. At Aldermanbury, London, a quaker after once being frustrated in his attempt, did while the Psalm was singing, before the Minister went up, got into the Pulpt, there sate on the cushion with his foot on the stool or seat, and with a needle and thread sowed a pocket, untill pulled down; since which, he hath printed the reason of his so doing, that he could have no rest in his spirit till he had done it.This is following the light within.

The person was Samuel Eurles, [...] les i. e. stark naught. and as he him­self relates it p. 2. he sate down upon the Cushion with his feet upon the Seat (where the priest when he hath told his Lies doth sit down) sow­ing a pocket, so that the people lost their Song.

14. Since that, in the same place, and time a man Quaker came into the Assemblie stark naked, his hands and Arms all besmeared with Excrements, and there are that have had the face to justifie him,You see how they value it. that he might as well come with such filth in his hands, as the Minister with a Bible.

15. Nicholas Kate of Harwel in Berks about the yeer 1656,Ford and Fowlers answ. to Speed p. 75. came into Newbery between 8. and 9. in the morning, on the Lords day, and so walked starck naked through a long street, who for many Months before, had not lived as a Husband with his Wife, left his own Family, Land, and Stock of a very considerable value, entred upon by persons whom the Country esteem Ranters, his Wife a weak diseased Woman, who brought him a valuable portion, left to the mercies of those persons.This light is not natural.

16. A Physician in Lincoln with his consent was made a Quaker for 24. hours by a Quaker,Hell broke loose. p. 36 Other like instances follow, that strangely argue with whom they deal. who he privately convicted to be a man in popish orders beyond Sea: the agreement was, that at the end of 24. hours, he should cease to be a Quaker, which so fell out, but he affirmed that for that time, he could not choose but preach and pray, at the Quakers rate, but at the end of the time he found himself exceeding weary, and as indis­posed [Page 114] to such work as ever.

Is this following light with­in them? or rather putting it out.17. Some Quakers killed their Mother, fol­lowing the light within them which taught them they ought to destroy the original of sin, and by the said light, they apprehend their Mother to be the Original, and so embrued their hands in her blood, this relation is in Mr. William Keyes Minister of Stokesby, in his answer to 18 Quae­ries, who was with them in prison.

Hell broke loose. p. 4618. A Maid in London, met by a Quaker who addressed himself to her with suits of Love, was perswaded to drink with him, he took something out of a paper, and put in the drink, and in dis­course told her, She should come after him, and not he after her, the Maid after this, found pres­sing inclinations to go to the Quakers meetings, and was brought into strange raptures, and her mind much turned against the Bible. Note. Some of her godly friends kept a day of fasting and pray­er for her, with whom she was, though with much reluctancy; while they were seeking God, she was greatly tormented, her body so much swelled, that they were fain to unloose her cloaths to give her ease,God can cast out the strong one. but before the dayes work was finished, she was delivered from this sore evil, the Substance of this relation was had from the Maids own mouth.

pag. 47.A woman so low in parts, that she was look­ed on not much better then a Natural, being at a Quakers Meeting in Buckinghamshire not far from Ailesbury, was suddenly so transported, that with much liberty and confidence she spake in [Page 115] their tone in matters above her, and continued in those raptures for about two dayes, but after fell into a grievous rage, cursing, swearing, and blaspheming, crying, Fox a Divel, a Divel, a cheif Quaker present at the meeting, and so continued a day or two, till she dyed.

20. A Gentleman inclined to the Quakers, (though his Wife not) brought Fox the Qua­ker into her Chamber, who laid his hand on her forehead, after which she became a Quaker for a certain time, this was related from the Gentlewomans own Mouth.Whe­ther this cometh not under witchcraft pag. 48.

21. One in Kent going to a Quakers mee­ting, was there so wrought upon, that he fell to dancing, and afterward went home un­der great alteration of mind, the violent im­pression of which soon ended his life, having before he dyed, in his violent fits complained grievously of Fox his holding him in Chains.Whether such things fall not under the Laws cogni­zance. Quakers Jes. 5. p. 55.

22. February 5. 1659. one Lewis Harris a Quaker, having been in the Country, came home to his house at Bristol, and meets with William Hill a Quaker, and he asks Harris, why he fell from his principles, and further discoursing of their way, they came to blows, and Harris murders Hill, for which Aug. 31. he was at Bristol executed, this Harris had a Letter from some Quakers, which when on the Gallowes he conveyed to a minister nere him, which the minister presently tore, upon which, some Quakers present, what will you persecute to the death.

[Page 116] Perfect Pharisee. p. 49. More of him. f. 34.23. Christopher Atkinson a grand Leader of the Quakers, and a prophetical impostor for a good while together, had very immodest familiari­ty (to say no more) with a woman of this way, in the sight of Mr. Walker, then Minister at Kendal.

24. November 21. 1653. the Wife of Ed­mond Adlington of Kendal, went naked through the streets of the said Town.

25. George Fox, meeting with one Mr. Ni­cols in Carslile, told him that he was an Hypo­crite, he asked him if he knew his heart, he said he did; he asked him again, Fox affirmed [...]gain he did, lie and all he asked if he knew his name, Fox answered, I know by thy Questions thou art an Hypocrite, Without Question. shuffling so to evade his question, to whom Mr. Nichols answered, dost thou know my heart and not know my name?He saw the needle but not the barne. R. B. Quaer. 3 [...].

26. A Weaver followed a Company of Qua­kers from Coaton to Cambridge, intreating them all the way, what their Religion was, and how he might come to be of their Religion, they gave him no other answer but this, that he should follow the light within him, he asked them what it was, and they would not tell him.Left him in the dark

27. A Quaker brought one Lords-day, an old Doublet into a Church in London, R. B. Quaer. 30. and sate on the Communion Table mending it, while the Minister was preaching, the Parishioners for­bidding him. The Church was Doctor Gells. And it being demanded whether this in him was a sin? a Quaker replies in print to him that made [Page 117] the Quaery, he sinned not, wilt thou still con­tinue a Papist? R. B. at the end of the gagg. p. 7, 9, 36.

28. Certain Quakers ran after Henry Daril a Tanner of Richmond, almost a mile,R. B. Quaer. 51. whilst he was walking to see his ground, and told him with open mouth, that the Spirit of God sent them to tell him he was a Seducer of the people, one of the corrupt Clergie, while it is commonly known, he neither is, nor was, a Clergy-man nor Preach­er. Concerning this story, a Quaker answers, thou and thy brethren lyes, Reply. Witnesse H. Daryl, William Williamson and diverse others in Richmond.

29. In September 1659. there was a discove­ry of diverse Witches, in and neer Sherburne in Dorsetshire; there being nere two hundred of them at one meeting, most of them Quakers Agagg for Quakers after the Epistle. and Anabaptists, three Men, and two Women, formerly QuakersWhether at last. committed to Dorsetshire Goale, who have confessed on examination, and since their commitment, to sundry of qua­lity:

1. That when the Divel first appeared to them and tempted them to become Witches, he per­swaded them to renounce their Baptism, which they actually did, before they made a contract with him.

[Page 118]2. That he did oft visibly appear to them, in sundry forms, and perswaded them to fall down and worship him, which they did.

3. That he instigated them to torment, be­witch, and destroy Mr. Lyford, Minister of Sherburne, who being tormented with a pain­ful and sharp disease, dyed; and Mr. Bamfield his Successor, whom they have forced by their Witchcrafts to desert the Town.You see whom the Devil is so set against

4. The two Women confess to all, that the Divel hath oft had actual copulation with them in sundry shapes.

5. Since their Imprisonment, he hath fre­quently appeared to them all, and actually pos­sessed them, bruising, tearing, tossing them frequently up and down the Prison, in a strange manner, tormenting them with strange fits of Convulsions, quakings, shakings in all their joynts,The Po­sture of Quakers. and swellings in their whole bodyes, that their Skins are ready to break, which makes them cry and roar with great horrour, as Eye­witnesses of quality attest.

Q. to Whitehead. p. 3. f. 6. at end of A­gagg.30. In Saules Errand p. 4. 5. it is confest, that at some of their meetings, many men, wo­men, and little children, have been strangely wrought upon in their bodies, and brought to fall,The thing there is not deny­ed but pal­liated. foam at mouth, roar and swell in their Bellies, and whereas it is answered, that is a Lye, it is replied, Let the Reader consult the Book, and beleive his own eyes.

31. Thom. Holim of Kendal, went naked as he was born,R. B. p. 21. Q. 72. through the Market place at Kirby-Stephon, [Page 119] one Market day Octob. 28. saying, 'Tis not I, but God, that goes naked. Horrid. See the Witnes­ses in the 5. New-castle Ministers answer to I.N. p. 84.

32. The Lord Cheif Baron Wild, Pag. 22. Q. 78. the first day of the Term, and Novemb. 11. 1659. was bareheaded, and twenty Quakers about him, with their hats on, half an hour together.

33. James Mitener, Pag. 23. Q. 87. Sauls Er­rand p. 2. 9. a follower of George Fox, professed himself to be God and Christ, and gave out Prophecies, viz. that the day of Judgement, should be on the 15. of November, In this not infal­lible. R. B. Q. 89. 90. 91. See more of him be­fore. f. 23. and that there should never sit Judge at Lanca­ster again.

34. Was it not a sin in Christopher Atkinson, fellow Preacher, and bosome companion to George Whitehead, to comit frequent fornication with Ʋrsula Servant to Thomas Symonds, as both he and she confessed before the Mayor of Nor­wich, and July 4. 1655. run away from Nor­wich-Goale, and carrying thence goods not his own, and after he professed Repentance for his lewdnesse with Ʋrsula, did he not practise greater Villanie at the George Inne in Thurton, six miles from Norwich. See the relation of these matters, printed for Franklin, and attested by the Maior of Norwich.

35. A Female Quaker, was taxed,Quakers Folio, 2. p. 59. for break­ing of the Rule, Let the Woman keep Silence in the Church, for it is not permitted for them to speak replied, it was spoken of Women that have Husbands at home to learn of, but I have none and am a Maid.

[Page 120]36. Another, who was a Wife, being chal­lenged for preaching publickly, and that Scrip­ture urged against her, I suffer not a woman to teach and usurp authority over the man, readily re­plied, that was spoken of the Woman who was in the transgression, but I am not one of them.

P. 1. of the in the end narrative of Q. F. Vol. 2. Papistâ pe­jor.37. One of them lately at Dover, when he came to die, upon the Question put to him, how he expected Salvation, answered, that he ex­pected Salvation by his own works and not by Christ. Witnesse Mr. Davis Minister at Dover, our hearty prayer to God is, that we may neither thus live nor dye.

Q. Folio v. 2. nar­rative p. 2. 1659. Reckoned without his host. pag. 3.38. At a late meeting of the Quakers, in Hurst-peirpoint in Sussex, the Speaker called out to the Minister passing by, We will have you all down, for now our day is come.

39. Another in Nuthurst parish, in the same County, did say to a godly person of good qua­lity, in that parish, that he no more cared They are much be­holding to him for his care. to kill one of the Priests, then he would to kill a Dog.

40. Another Quaker way-laid the Minister of Cowwould and justled him on the high way, and drew out his Sword about half way, but from further was prevented by others coming in.

41. Mr. Wingfield Minister at Word, did testi­fie under his hand, Aug. 3. 1659. that Luke Howard of Dover Quaker, did say in his hearing, July 25. 1659. upon the Road neer Dover-castle, that it was revealed to him by the eternal God, [Page 121] that the priests shall be destroyed, and by the people who are called Quakers.

42. E. B. Quaker. p. 2. in his Word of Ad­vice to the Soldiers, saith, Oh! give the Priests bloud to drink for they are worthy.

43. On the Lords day 18. Sept. 1659. W. Nay­lor Brother to James, came into Savoy Church Mr. Hooke preaching, and made such a bellow­ing, that it seemed to be rather the Divel in him, then his own voice, Mr. Hooke was ne­cessitated to hold his peace, many sadly affright­ed, that some ran one way, some another.Testified by Mr. Hook, his Wife and others.

44, Octob. 6. 1659,p. 4. at a publick thanksgiving at Christ Church, London, the Parliament, Lord, Maior, Aldermen, Common Council, Offi­cers of the Army, being hearing Mr. Caryl, two Quakers made a very great disturbance.

45. March 5. 1659. Mary Todd of Southwark, Quaker, at the Bull and Mouth, while some were speaking, pulled up her Coats above her middle and walked so up and down a while, using se­veral base expressions, Mr. Thomas Cresset, Chi­rurgion, an Eye and Ear witnesse.

CHAP. 6. Of their Opinions.

[...].BY which you may easily discern, how far they are from being sound in the faith, and take along withal, this aggravation [let their te­nents be never so diametrically opposite to the written verity yet they will father it upon the Spirit of truth, and he must be made the immediate inspirer of these falsities, not being ashamed to make him grosely contradict himself, but also to beare witness to a lie.] for when they want a Shadow of Scrip­ture, then they will stamp their errour with the Image and Superscription of the Holy Ghost im­mediately revealing, and Christ the light within them, must be made to hold out palpable dark­nesse.

Therefore they lay down as a foundation-truth a blasphemous falsehood, to build their Structure of untruths upon, viz, [That their dictates are equal to those of Christ and his Apostles.] R. B. Question to Whitehead at end of the gagg. p. 3. f. 7. do not you esteem your speak­ings to be of as great authori­ty as any Chapters in the bible. Answ. yea of greater. Herein not unlike the Pa­pists, who for the better e­stablishing of their Churches authority make.

[Page]1. The Pope an infallibl judge.

2. Unwritten Traditions equal to the written Word, therefore Bellarmine hath, ‘Verbum dei scriptum, & non scriptum.’

To make this evident concerning the Quakers.

1. Mr. Camelford Minister of Stafly Chappel in Lancashire, having told Thom. Atkinson (in an­swer to his Quaeries) that his Quaeries were con­demned to the fire, George Fox replies, you might as wel have condemned the Scriptures to the fire. Truths de­fence, p. 2. by Fox & Hubber­thorn. And without breach of charity we may affirm the burning of the Scriptures would not have been so offensive to himThere are Quakers that have done it as before, and though it be answered, it is a wicked lie, yet see your Book entituled, Truths de­fence, writ by Fox, Hubber­thorn, p. 2. l. 13. and divers other Books, wherein they prefer the Scripture to the fire, and their own Books to mens reading, as more useful for these times. R. B. Q. ibid. for indeed to equal any writings to Scrip­ture is interpretative in interpre­tation to set them above them; as he that loves any thing equal to God, loves it indeed more then God, the setting up of a­ny writings in equipage with Gods, is a debasing of his word,

Again some of them assert that they have as full There fulnesse is of the evil one. p. 3. Q. 10. at the end of a Gagg. a measure of the Spirit, as the penners of the Scriptures had Truths Defence. p. 43.] the fulnesse of the Spirit is well known by the emptinesse of their fruits, had they said that they have as full [Page] measure of the evil spirit, as Marcian primoge­nitus diaboli, the first born of the Divel, as Polycarpe calls him, they had come neer the Truth.

This corner-stone, being laid by these Master-builders of Sathans Babel, they go on to deny.

CHAP. 7. Of Sundry Blasphemies against God, and Railings agaist his Ministers.

FOr their tongues are set on fire of Hell, as James phrases it, and they have not withheld set­ting their Tongues against heaven, and to bring railing accusations against the Messengers of the most high, a little of this is too much, the Christian Reader will be quickly weary of it, and therefore we shall not be long.

CHAP. 8. A short account of a dispute at Cam­bridge, Aug. 1659. between three eminent Quakers, and one Scholar.

AUG. 25. T. S. of Chr. Col. returning home from Saint Johns Library, saw George Whitehead preaching in the QuakersThe Qua­ker di [...] armed, Pref. common meeting House Over against Sidney Col., when Whitehead had done, he confuted his Doctrine, but considering how apt filly women were to be misled▪ he sent the follow­ing to the Maior, hoping to reclaime in the end hisThe Ma­jors. Wife, who it seems was then a Quaker.

Whereas George Whitehead delivered, first that they are not Hereticks, second, teach no other but what Abraham and Christ, and thirdly said, that the Scriptures are not the Word of God. I am ready at any hour or place: 1. to prove these false: 2. to make good my Arguments l [...]sts used against him. 3. That it is a sin for him to preach (or any such) or for any to hear him.

CHAP. IX. A brief relation of three Disputations at Sandwich April 1659. between Fisher, Whitehead, and Hubberthorn Quakers, and Mr. Danson Minister there.

CHAP. X. Shewing 1. Quakers instrumental to the intro­ducing of Popery. 2. In some of their Te­nents dangerous to States. The first may appear both by Principles and Practices.

CHAP. XI. A Narrative of some publique proceedings in reference to Quakers,