The Last VVILL AND TESTAMENT OF SIR JAMES INDEPENDENT.

Who lyeth now dangerously sick of a Disease, called by some, The Resolution of the Parliament and Citie, to oppose their mutinous Army; by others, The impossibilitie of Independencie.

With his Confession, Admonition, and Legacies left to his deare Children, in and about the Citie of LONDON.

With his Death, Buriall, and Epitaph.

Printed in the yeare 1647.

The Last Will and Testament of Sir Iames Independent.

Noverint Universi,

I JAMES Independent; my Native Citie, Ba­bel, of the Tribe of Corah, of the Linage of Cain; being at this time of perfect Memo­rie, and health of Minde, though dangerously sick of Body, doe make this my Last Will and Testa­ment, in manner and forme following:

Imprimis, I give and bequeath my Soule to him that hath the fairest clayme, either God or the Devill; for truth to say, in my health and well-being of body, I served them both equally, though I thinke the Devill the greatest sharer.

My Body I give to the Earth, which I ordaine to be wrapped or shrowded in twelve Sheets of Paper sowed together, taken out of the Bookes heretofore written by my deare Sonnes, to wit, The Arraignment of Persecution. Bloudie Tenent, and, Comfort for Belee­vers; my Coffin to be framed by my deare Sonne, and long-breath'd Preacher, Ives the Box-seller, whose Christen Name I shall not nominate, for that I con­ceive he never had any: then my Obsequies to solem­nize with all Lustre, thus; My Bodie to be bonne, from Guild-Hall to Paules, by six of my deare Sonnes, the expounders of Gods Word, to wit, Wiet the Cobler, [Page 2] Sammon the Shoomaker, Tue the Girdler, Lambe the Sope-boyler, Howes the Broaker, and Hobson the Tay­lor; Mr. Burton, Mr. Knowles, and Mr. Simpson, I ordaine as my chiefe Mourners to follow my Herse, Mr. Goodwin, and Mr. Saltmarsh before the corps, and then the whole rabble of my deare children to follow after, howling like Wolves, chattering like Pies, and houting like Owles: My deare Daughters, the Inde­pendent Sisters, who know well, both how to move, and to allay the Spirit, I order to follow next, all clad in sable weeds their faces vailed, their haire disheveled, and to cry so bitterly, that their teares may wash the stones as they passe, & to sigh so dolefully, that men may thinke they with mee are going to the land of Dark­nesse: for the ayde and assistance, Daunus Daughters being entred the Temple, Lordaine that Mr. Goodwin preach my Funerall Sermon, (for him I esteeme of above any of my deare sonnes, especially since the time I read his blasphemous HAGIO MASTIX) his Text I would have to bee Jude, vers. 11. Vaeipsis, nam vram Cain ingressi sunt, & deceptione mercedis, qua deceptus fuit Balaam effusi sunt, & contradictione Core, perierunt.

Next, I desire, that a Petition be framed by some of the wiser beads, the same to bee presented to both Houses by Mr. Burton and M. Knoles, the heads where­of I would have to be, that a tolleration Cum privilegio might be granted, that all sat Benefices, faire Struct­ures, and wealthy Granges may be bestowed on religi­ous zealots, whom the Presbyters know (and I my selfe, though I would not have the world to take no­tice) to be irreligious factious, treacherous and im­pious Independents, that they may be incouraged to goe on in forcing the Parliament, contemning of his Majesty, and in setting up all licenciousnesse and prophanenesse.

[Page 3] In the next place, I will and bequeath (as to the first worthy to receive) unto my deare Sonne M. Goodwin, the whole house in Bell, Alley, Colemanstreet, where he privately instructeth, which I would have him to in­large, for that his Audience for want of roome thrust so fore, that many Sisters while he bawleth, are got with childe, to their apparent danger afterwards.

Secondly, I bequeath to my venerable son M. Knoles a larger stipend, to be extracted out of the purses of his Auditors, for that he the said Knoles hath formerly often much rejoyced my heart, while I have heard him in one Sermon, and that but of two houres long, utter pure non-sence, divellish Divinity, and lame Latin.

Thirdly, I be queath to my deare sonne Mr. Burton, a paire of those large eares, for the supplement of his owne, which Apollo bestow'd on Midas, for that hee hath hitherto very well merited them, and may by the helpe of those for the future, hear better then it seems he hath formerly done.

Fourthly, I give and bequeath the little wisdome I have, to be distributed so farre as it will reach, to my deare sonne's and daughters of the Independencie, do the end they may be animated still to proceed in their irregular courses; and that so, that which my selfe could not bring to passe, may by them be effected, which when I shall heare and some light spirit shall certifie the newe [...] to the Prince of darknesse, I am sure both he and all hell will rejoyce with me.

Fifthly, I give my treasure and houshold-stuffe to my venerable son M. Simpson, for that notwithstanding he hath a constant annuity, and such vast sums abroad, he lately complained of his poverty, but I bestow it with this proviso, that he the said M. Simpson shall bee perswaded for the future, to that which hitherto hee hath [...] a very grievous crime, to wit, somtimes [...] intreated to bestow a single halfe­penty on the poore.

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Sixtly, I give and bequeath all my foolishnesse and zeale, contrary to knowledge, all my headinesse and gid­dinesse, to the ruder sort of Souldiers in the Armie, to the end they may be encouraged still to goe on in their perversenesse, to the disturbance of the whole King­dome.

Seventhly, I being now at the point of Death, and my thred of life almost cut in two, cannot depart till I have made my Confession; and therefore now heare O Hea­vens, and witnesse thou Earth, to what my last breath shall utter.

Sir JAMES Independent his Confession.

I Confesse to my owne shame, that I have hitherto been a close hypocrite, and have strugled for libertie of Conscience, not out of zeale to the Truth, but to ad­vance my owne factious end: I confesse moreover, that I have rayled against the Presbyterie, against my owne cleare and destinate light of knowledge; I confesse that I have used all meanes and wayes to advance Liberti­nisme, and to that end have unskrewed the Jawes of my deare Sonnes, M. Goodwin, M. Knoles, cum multis aliis, to rayle against all Order and Government, to surrender all into the hand of Christ, who himselfe in expresse words hath left the ordering of his Church to the Heads and Leaders thereof: I confesse also, that I have stirred up and animated divers turbulent Spirits in the Armie, contrarie to the mind of the worthy Generall, and the major part of that valiant Army, to seeke all wayes, and attempt by all meanes to forment Discords and Di­visions, to cause Debates & Jealousies to arise between the Army and the two Houses of Parliament: for all which I confesse my selfe altogether unworthy of a be­ing in this life, and intimately meriting a share of those torments which my great Patron Belzebub himselfe [Page 5] partaketh of into whose hands I commit my selfe; de­siring my deare Sonnes and Daughters, whom to my unspeakable griefe I shall leave behind me on Earth, not to be amaned or smitten with feare, either for my sudden departure, or for the unhospitablenesse of the place whither I depart, but that they would still con­stantly persever in those courses to which I have hither­to inured them; and when they shall leave their earthly being, I shall bespeake them as ample and faire accom­modation as spacious Hell affords: and so with my Blessing to my deare Sonnes and Daughters, I bid them farewell.

Postscript.

LEt the mountaines dance, and the hills skip like Rammes; Rejoyce, O England, thy desolation is protracted, for James Independent is dead: Thou shalt now have a setled Government, maugre its strongest opposers, and shalt not be subjugated to the lawlesse wills of a few Schismaticks: Thou shalt now be as glo­rious as ever; the enemies of thy welfare shall not beare rule over thee, who whet their tongues as a sword to speake lyes, and their feet are swift to shed bloud: And now farewell Libertinisme, and Socianisme; fare­well Petitioning for tender Consciences, —

(Qui curii simulant, & Bachanalia vivunt)

Farewell assembling in private Chambers; and for ever farewell good Sir James Independent.

‘Fatis Agimur, credite Fatis non sollicitae possunt curae, &c.’

His EPITAPH.

HEre lyes James Independent, you may know it and wink,
For his Corps, alike to his Name doth stink:
A Dresser with him was a Communion Table,
And Gods House accounted no better then a Stable;
He bated all Order, as he did decent Carriage,
And that Man and Wife should be joyned by Marriage;
He said, that the Scriptures this sense would afford,
Their Wedlock was lawfull, tooke they each others word.
He seem'd pure to the sight, but within was a Devill,
He dayly caus'd Discords, yet would be thought civill;
He also pretended great love to the King,
Yet never intended any such thing:
But while he would seeme to settle his Crowne,
By under-hand workings pul'd Monarchie downe.
He had thoughts he should live his hopes for to see
Effected, but dy'd for griefe when 'twould not bee.
With speed to Gehenna his flight late he tooke,
Where Belzebub lik't him, and made him his Cooke,
And added a Promise, that for his sweet sake,
His Sonnes that should follow, should in Office partake;
Which the Independents tooke so much in gree,
They strive which the formost in Office shall bee.
FINIS.

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