TRithenaeus Abbas, Aspergensis setts forth, in his Cronicle of the year, 1503. The disposition of the commons in high, and low Germany. That there arose agreat sedition of Peasants about Bruxels, which he calls Liga Solutaria, which were sworne to these Articles (viz) to shake off the yoak of all higher powers, and get liberty by force of Armes, to pull down all Magistrates, and kill all that should stand against them, (I pray God blesse England, Scotland, and Ireland, from such plotts) and they engaged to seize on the Citty of Bruxells, and invade the Marquesse of Baden, and to seise on all the revenues of Monasteries, Churches and Clergy men, to stay no where above twenty four hours, but to go for­ward still, till they had brought many Countreyes in to their society, to pay no more tithes, nor Lords rents, nor tribute, and who oever was received in­to that league, was to say five times a day on his knees one Pater noster, and one Ave Mary for the good success of their Enterprize, and their word of Cogni­zance was the Virgin Mary, and St. John the Evangelist. But they were timely prevented, and the authors put to death, by Maximillian their Prince.

But by this, we may see from whence Anabaptists, and Quakers and Ranters, and Levelers; all had their originall, namely from the Papists, by their word of Cognizance and their Ave Maries and their Pater nosters.

If you compare these with the Anabaptists and other their doings some few yeares fter, and now in this Age, in these Countryes, only the Anabaptists added something more to their licentious rebellion, as their rebaptizing and poligamy, &c. but both were varmished with a Colour of religion: For about the year 1521. there arose a new sect in Saxonr much like our Anabaptists and Quakers now, who boasted, that they talked with God, and God with them, and had revelations, and that God Commanded them to kill all the wicked, and to make a new world, wherein the godly shall raigne alone Me­lancthon saith, that Nicholas Stoke was the first that broached this opinion, for [...] spake to him by an Angell, and revealed his will to him in dreams, [Page 2]promising him the place of the Angel Gabriel, and the Empire of the world, he taught that the Saints must raigne in the world, and that he should be their leader to kill all the Kings and Princes, and to purge the Church, he took up­on him, to have the gift of descerning spirits, to know the elect, from repro­bates; he made holinesse to consist in speaking little, and living homely and sordidly, as our Quakers do.

In Nicholas Stokes schoole was Thomas Muntzer bred, who amplified his Ma­sters doctrine, he began to teach at Alstetum a place belonging to the Elector of Saxony. He tanght that his Consorts must have a new baptisme, And that Christians must be of Austere Countenance, and speak, little and weare long beards, and this he called the mortification of the flesh, and that they ought to retyre into desarts and private places he: ascribed much to dreames.

In that City he began to make a confederacy, administring an Oath, and taking the names of all them that promised to assist him in his designe of kil­ling all the ungodly and all Princes, and Magistrates, and erecting new ones in their places, professing openly that he had commission from God, to punish wicked Governours, and to change there civil policie, as Anabaptists have done with us, and for this cause being expelled out of Saxony, he wandered up and down Germany, and Helvetia, sowing the seeds of sedition: at length he came to Mulhus, where many of his disciples resorted to him: where he prevailed in a short time, to put down the Magistrates, and assumed to himself to judge all causes, both civil, and Ecclesias [...]ciall, affirming that un­der the new Testament, all causes must be judged by the word of God, and whatsoever he determined was received as an Oracle, especially when he preached that all goods must be common, and all men free and of equall digni­ty, an acceptable doctrine, where the Nobillity and Gentry oppressed the poor people, he gave also the Monasteries for publike plunder; and those that had Estates, if he could not perswade them to give it by arguments, he took it from them by violence. No wonder then; if this new doctrine wonnemany of the meaner sort to be of his opinion, who presently left working, and what they wanted, they tooke from them that had it.

About that time in Daringen, Fueva and Franconia, forty thousand Boars & Trades men-rose up in Armes, killed & ransacked a great part of the Nobility, pilledged and burned many forts and Castles, and overthrew all like a sudden inundation: for the banks of authority being, beaten down no­thing could stop their suries, till they lost themselves in their own Confusion by running venturers in that holy war.

Muntzer's cheife associate was on Henery Phiser, one that gave much heed to dreames, and night visions, and amongst other visions, he said he had seen a great company of rats in a stable, and that he had driven them all away, which he interpretea as a command from God to take Arme and dispossess all the the Nobility and Gentry. Whereupon he rushed into the Country, and pilledged Castles and Churches, destroyed many of the Nobles and brings [Page 3]some of them bound, and returnes with a great booty, which successe raised the minds of the Boares, and caused another defection in the county of Mans­field: so Muntzer hoping that the rebellion was universall, taketh his journey from Mulhus, and is presently supplyed with a Company of Franchusians, but before he could do much more, Count Mansfield stopped his course, for having raised in hast some companyes of horse, he falls upon him, and killed two hundred of his men; at which the rude Boares were so terrified, that they all fled to Franckhus, this skirmedge broke the edge of their fury, and gave time to John Electour of Saxony, & his vncle George of Saxony, and Phillip Land-Grave of Hesse, and Henery Duke of Brunswik and Count Mansfield, to raise, Fifteen hundred horse, and some Companies of foote. The Boares were pit­ched upon a hill by Frankhus, but very ill armed, and worse disciplined, the Princes sent to offer them pardon, if they would yeild up the authours of the sedition, but Muntzer understood not that Gospell; and told the Boares that proffer came from the Princes fearfullnesse, and that he was sent of God to command, and lead them in that action, and their duty was to obey as A­braham did, when he was commanded to offer his son, and that they should ceartinly overcome these and all other enemyes. It being promised, that the righteous should wash his foote, in the bloud of the wicked From hence we may see how Satan transforming himself into an Angell of light, enters into and deludes poor people, untill he brings them to ruin; Muntzer further ex­horted them to be valiant in the Lord, and to kill every mothers son, for an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. By this you may guesse, if Anabaptists, Quakers, and Ranters should get the upper hand, what they would do: Muntzer further assured them, that God himself had promised him victory, and indowed him with such strength, that he was able to turnt the bullet back with his coate, and perceiving a rainbow in the sky, he turned toward his Colours, where a rainbow was painted, look up said he to heaven, here is a Joyfull sign of Gods favour, the rainbow, the very Emblem of our Colours, and besure that God promiseth us to be our standard bearer to fight for us himself.

This new doctrine made a strong impression in some, but the Princes draw­ing neare with a warlike march, made a stronger impression of fear in that rude multitude than Muntzers revelations and signes, the Princes began to play with their Ordinance, one cannot well say to break their rankes, for they kept neither rank nor sile, nor scarse their understanding: for, for a time they neither advanced not fled, not put themselves in a postuer of defence, only they had made some entrenchments, and they began to sing, Come holy Ghost, expecting that God would fight for them, as their Generall Munt­zer had promised them, and that he would turne back the bullets with his coate, but then all proved to be Satans delusions, for the Princes advanced and came to handy blowes, away fled all the Boares, some one way, some an­other five thousand were flayne, Frankhus taken the same day, and three hun­dred [Page 4]taken and executed, Muntzer was found on a bed in Frankhus, sayning him to be long sick of an Ague, but the truth is, he was brain-sick of gid­die-mindedness, but letters being found about him, he was known to be Muntzer, which yet this lying Prohpet denyed long: he was executed by the common hangman, and his head set one a high pole, in the feild near Frank­hus, in the yeare 1525. shortly after Phiser and other rebells were taken and executed at Mulhus.

The rout then of these cracked brained seditious scismaticks seemed to be rooted out, but the seeds remained; for in the year. 1527. arose another of great learning, his name was Micher Hopman with severall others, they deny­ed the incarnation of Christ in the virgins womb, Condemned the baptisme of children, and rebaptized themselves, and all that embraced that sect, They would not allow Christians to recover their own by law, nor to take an oath, nor to bear the office of a Magistrate, for they pulled down Magistrates where they had strength, and gave the power of the sword to their Ministers, and Prophets, who was to decide all differences, they undertook to kill all Princes, & cut off the ungodly with another sword, than that of the spirit, they taught that in their Churches all were holy, and that none could be saved that would not make his goods common, and that it was lawfull to have many wives, and that all learning is prophane, and that mean men are the fittest to ex­pound Scripture, and that there must be no ordinary Calling in the Church, but every man must speak as he is inspired, and this is it which the Anabaptists and Quakers and Popish Agents, that are amongst them, who are their ring­leaders, have been endeavouring in these three nations, these eight or nine years by past: They taught that Christ must raign over all the world, & there­fore all other Kings and Princes must de slayne, and what they taught they went really about to practise untill Hopman for his sedition was imprisoned at Strasburg and his confederates repressed by the maigistrates, that crew disper­sed themselves in Westphallia, Frise, Holland & most parts of the low countreys, where they got many to joyne with them, and when they were admonished, and by arguments Confuted, thei [...] answer was that the Spirit taught them other wayes, and would say, the spirit bloweth where it listeth as our Quakers and Annabaptists say now, judging none to have the Spirit but themselves, but their rage could not be kept in long, for sometimes they would rush out of Cities and places where they were in great companies, and ransack Convents, and great mens houses; pretending for their warrant, the Example of the Israelites, that took the spoile of the Egyptians, yet in these incursions, they made conscience of entring into the temples of such as were not rebaptized, as Lutherans or Calvinists, but made no Conscience to lye with their wives, as being left a prey for the godly.

It is a Greife to tell how that in the City of Munster, truth made way for errours, for one Bernard Rottman came to St. Maryes Church hard by Munster, and for a time preached good Doctrine, as I fear many others do amongst us [Page 5]for a time to get into favour. The people would have brought him into the Citty, but the Papists gave him a summe of money to depart, and he loving the wages of unrigteousnesse did depart for some time, and re­turned again, at which time some of the best sort, brought him into the Citty, but the Papists kept the Church-dores shut, they made him a pulpit in the Church yard. Rotman, seeing the progresse of reformation, sends to Mar­purge, and desires some Ministers might be sent to carry on the work of refor­mation, which was done so, that they challenged the Popish Clergy, to dis­pute, and presented thirty Articles against them, and did so prevaile, that the Senat allowed the reformed party, six Churches in the City.

Hitherto all went well, if it could have stayed there, in the interim comes a pestilent Anabaptist, a Taylor of Leyden, John Becold by name; but better known by the name of John of Leyden, this man begins to confer with Ministers and people, mantaining the baptisme of Children to be unlawfull, seducing many and sowering the whole lump with the leaven of his perverse doctrin, this was the year 1533. He being assisted by one John Matthias, a Baker of Harlem, and one Harman Strapeda, who had been brought up with Henery Rell, a little before executed at Vtrech for his villany. With severall others, these had their meetings in the night, and got a great party to joyne with them, who they incensed with most desperate resolutions, many of them being the very filth of men, invited thither by the Anabaptists, from neighbouring Pro­vinces, till then Rotman did well, but seeing such multitudes of Anabaptists, increasing daily, he hunting after popular applause, joynes himself to them by an open revolt, the Magistrates and people not yet infected with that new seditious Doctrine, finding so much distraction amongst them, commanded all forrainers, and sectaries, to depart out of the City, but they went out at one gate and came in at another, saying, they must not desert Gods cause: The Senate to prevent sedition, appointed a publique conference, where Rotman and his faction appeared, but was opposed by a worthy divine, one Herman Basilius, that the Senate was satisfied, and concluded for the truth, and the Anabaptists teachers were sentenced to be banished, but they being resolved not to go, lay lurking among the sectaries, whom they had poysoned with their doctrine, and still increased as they did of late here in Ire­land.

One of the Anabptists, faining himself to be seised with a propheticall spirit, ran through the Citie crying, repent and be baptized again, or else the wrath of God will fall upon you, this stirred up the people, for many ran with him crying the same words, that many of the simpler sort were baptized, some for fear of the wrath of God, and many for fear of the wrath of men, for this crying and running through the streets, ended in ransaking the best houses, and laying violent hands on the owners, for many that lay hid be­fore came forth and rushed into the market place, crying out that all that were [...] must be killed presently as ungodly, and heathens: and they [Page 6]seized on the Town-house, & the weapons there, and began to dominere as in a conquered place. The other partie gathered themselves in a place called Overwater, and both sides were fortifying the places for three dayes, till host­ages were given on both sides, and agreed that every one should enjoy the freedome of his religion, and all should go home in peace; this tumult was toward the end of December. 1533.

But this would not satisfy the Anabaptists, for we now see by wofull expe­rience, that Anabaptists will either have all, or else they will not be satisfied: for this composition gave but time to the Anabaptists, to strengthen them­selves; for in 1534. Rotman, and Bernard Knipperdoling, &c. Sent letters to Ousburg, Wesel, Croswel, and Waringdorp; that God had sent a holy Prophet to Munster who spake wonders and shewed the right way to salvation, and that if they would leave their houses and come to Munster in all hast, they should get ten times more than they left, and with worldly riches, get also spirituall wealth.

These faire promises, drew all the scum of the neigbouring townes, to Munster, the poor and Idle people liking well of that religion, that made all men alike, and all goods common, and put down the Magistrates: that should restraine their licentiousness. But can any man imagine, that all these were believers before they were rebaptised, that was wonne with this kind of doctrine, so pleasing to the flesh, as to share other mens goods, and to have as many wives as they pleased, yet in a short time the City was full of strangers, and vagrants that looked upon the place as a land of promise, and that they must expulse Cananites, the richest of the town being frighted at their comming, thought it their safest course quietly to give them place, and without [...]oyse to with raw themselves out of the Citty.

The Anabaptists seeing themselves strong, ran to St. Lawrence Church and burnt it, with all the houses about it, and pillaged other Churches, de­populated Convents and Colledges, and burnt a great Library, and drove all the protestants out of City but some few that they mistook for Anabapists, drying get you hence all yee wicked, else ye shall be slain, and with such violence they thrust them out, that some women with Child, miscarried in the tumult, and now they being masters of the City, began to order their new state, they made two Consulls, Knipperdoling, and Kapinbrook: and two and twenty Senatore, or Aldermen that had the civil power, and the Prophets wereto rule matterrs of religion, under which name they governed Church and Common-wealth, for all matters were within the compasse of religion, and what ever a Prophet said to be revealed to him passed for law, the must famous of these Prophets was John Matthias, a Baker of Harlem, who was in effect, a perpetuall Dictator in Munster that made lawes and thanged them at his pleasure, by him was the aforesaid Order made, his chief adjunct was John of Leyden, and the next was Bernard Kniperdoling, and by a revelation of John Matthias, an order was made upon pain of death that [Page 7]all the gold and silver, and moveable goods in the town, should be brought to the common stock. For which they appointed a publick house, the order was obeyed more for fear than conscience. For two maides prophetesses, took upon them to find out the fraud: to that 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, where all fed in common, none being allowed to diet at home unlesse he were sick, plenty of provision they had, and they husbanded it very ill, feasting every day, untill the Bishop beseidged them, and began to cut off their victualls, and then they stinted themselves, but with too large allowance, for the Towne was so strong by nature, besides the fortification, that the Bishop despaired to take it but by famine.

The Prophets then turned their care to the spirituall government, Com­manding that none should keep any bookes but Scripture, and all the books that could be found but Bibles were brought to a publique place and burned: from executing of books, they fell to execution of persons. For Hubart Trutling, a bl [...]ck-smith seeing John Matthias pass by, said there goes a shitten Prophet, for this offence he was brought before the congregation, and condemned to death: John Matthias, would himself be the executioner, and first he wound­ed him with an halbart, and after shot him through with a pistoll, and then pardons him saying, that God was appeased, and that he had a revelation, the man should not die, which proved false, for the poor man died in a few daies after: we may from hence see the truth of that in the 12 of Proverbs, the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel, though they call themselves Saints & Prophets.

But John Matthias, to make amends for his false revelation, when the man vvas dead, runs in a mad mood through the Citty, bearing a pike, Crying that God the father had commanded him, to drive the enemies from the Citty, and so rushed alone into the enemies Camp to drive them away, and was their slaine.

John Matthias being dead, John of Leyden comforted the people saying, that he knew long before by revelation, that John Matthias should die that death, and that himself should marry his wife, which he did shortly after, though he had one before, but she was one of singular beauty, able to make a lusty young Prophet of about six and twenty yeares old, as he was, to preach up the Doctrin of poligamy, which he did shortly after, and had Fifteen wives, but he fell to other work before to make way for that, in the interim Knipperdoling, came forth with a revelation, that they that were in high places should be brought down to the lowest, and the lowest raised up to the highest We have seen this by wofull experience acted amongst our selves. But John of Leyden met him with another revelation, that seeing it was the heavenly fathers pleasure that those that were, highest should be brought lowest, he was sent of God to put down Knipperdoling from his place of Con­ful, and to make him the hangman, and for that purpose he gave him [Page 8]from God a sword to execute Justice.

But there was need of more revelations for the alteration of government: John of Leyden was led by a propheticall spirit upon the City walls, where he put off his cloths, and ran naked through the Citty, crying, the kingdome of Sion is come; the kingdome of Sion is come. By which we may take notice by the way, that our Quakers, and Ranters, are acted by the same deluding spirit that John of Leyden was acted by: then John of Leyden returned home, and falls into a deep propheticall sleep and dreames three dayes, and three nights together, and being awaked, he comes forth and speakes not a word, but by signs calls for a table book, as Zachariah did, and there he writes down the names of twelve men coblers, and tinkers, all trades men, but on Gentle­man of the Citty, to these he assigned the government of the commonwealth, putting down the order set up by John Matthias, affirming that was the Fa­thers good will, which he had received by revelation: In that table-book also he writ, and charged the preachers to teach the people, or else he would have it ratified by the congregations; which was, that a man is not tyed to one wife, but that he may marry as many as he pleaseth, & when his Doctors would not approve of that monstrous paradox, he cited them before his twelve Magi­strates, & there he recoverd his tongue keeping a great clamour, and throwing down his clothes upon the ground and the new testament upon them, swearing by that holy book, that the doctrine which he had announced, was revealed unto him from heaven, and threatned, that if they consented not, God would withdraw his mercy from them, and to testifie his evidence of spirit and Power, he commanded the first opposer of that new Gospell, to be beheaded, which was presently done, and for three dayes together they preached for confirmation of that opinion, but the best confirmation was his own practice; for presently he married three wives, one of which was the relict of the grand prophet John Matthias, and married again and again untill he had Fifteen wives; many followed his example, and it became a mat­ter of great praise to have many wives.

This seemes to have been the first motive, to move him to broach that doctrine. A souldeir of the Bishops having changed partyes, was harboured in the house where John of Leyden lay, and he observed in the night, that this holy Prophet left his own bed, and went to the servant womans bed. John of Leyden perceiving he was discovered, calls the souldier aside, and gives him gold to keep his Counsell, but after mistrusting the souldiers toung, he thought it safer to countenance the fact by a publique doctrine, of the lawfullness to have many wives: this doctrine then was readily imbraced, by those whose Age and temper was ablest to consult with flesh and bloud, none refrayning himself from having many wives for want or Coveteousness, for their wives were kept upon the common stock, and after receiving that law, the bre­thren ran to the handsomest women in the City: striving who should be the first served, and lay with them without any contract, so that within a few [Page 9]dayes, there was scarce a woman of fourteen yeares of age but she was violated.

But those of the City, that had some remnant of sound minde, and groned under that tyrany: made a party and layd hold of John of Leyden, Kniperdo­ling and the rest of the prophets, but the frantick rabble, which was the great­est number took Armes, and rescued their Prophets, and killed fifty of their adversaries, most of them in cold bloud: and with severall kinds of devised crueltyes: John of Leyden encouraged the murtherers, crying, he that would do God service should give the first blow.

Whilest they were thus wiving, and thriving in Munster, the Bishop that besieged them had fair play, if he had husbanded his time well, but hi­therto he bore the charge of the seige himself, but was after assisted with men and mony, by Harman Arch-Bishop of Collen, and John Prince of Clevis, and others about which there was a meeting at Coblents, December the 13. 1534. But this delay gave time to John of Leyden, to project new designes. He decla­red that the spirit of prophecy was departed from him, and rested upon John Tuscocorer a Goldsmith of Warendorp whom he before hand had suborned to counterfeit an Enthusiasme and revelation from heaven, this new Prophet called the congregation together, and declared, that it was the will of the heavenly father, that John of Leyden should be King of the universe, and that with mighty Armes he should kill all other Kings, and Princes: and destroy all the ungodly, and save the people that love righteousness. Whereupon John of Leyden fell on his knees and lifting up his hands said, men and brethren, so much. I knew long ago, but would not reveale it until now, God hath made choise of another to bear witnesse of that truth, Then said Tuscocorer, thus saith the Lord, as I made Saul King in Israel, and after him David taken from the sheepfold. I have set John Becold to be King in Sion, give eare, O Israel, thou shalt abrogate thy magistrates and put down thy preachers, and in stead of them, establish twelve simple men, without learning Arts and tongues, and they shall read my word, unto my people, and without any help, but my spirit expound it, and hath not this been the practice of Taylors and Coblers &c. amongst us: and into them will I pour the spirit of wise­dome and understanding, then giving a sword to John of Leyden, otherwise called John Becold. To thee, Father Beccold saith he, the Father giveth this sword, and calleth thee not onely 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 shouting, and acclamations of the people, crying, God save the King, and as it was then with these, so it is now amongst us, if they could pre­vaile to bring their Enterprizes to pass, our Anabaptists, and Quakers, would neither have King Magistrats, nor ministers but of themselves, one Grande said, he hoped that before Mayday, there should not be a man in the land should he imployed in any places of trust but such as walked in their way, meaning as Anabaptists, they would have kings but of their own fraternity, instead of [Page 10]having one King, but of their owne fraternity, for instead of having one King, they would have five hundred Kings: for every man that had any command would raigne as a King in his precincts, some by woefull experience have found it so: they would have Parliaments too, but of themselves, and their own choosing, they would take away the priviledges of the people from choosing, and destroy all the fundamentall lawes of the Land, they would have ministers too, but they should be such as were without learning, such as John Tuscocorer prophesied, John of Leyden should have in stead of Ortho­dox Ministers: their threatning, slighting, and despising Ministers, and endeavouring to make fewer Parishes and fewer Ministers makes the truth of this appeare to all mens sight, that is not willfully blinde.

This new King John of Leyden created four Councelours of State, the cheif whereof, was one Gerard a booke-binder, and one Talbek he made Lord steward of his houshold, and one Kipinbrok Treasurer of his plate and Jewells, and Kinperdoling Governour of the Citty, and appointed twelve Archers for his guard.

This Taylor King presently made use of his skill to make himselfe fine in clothes, he translated the copes, and carpets of Churches and Convents they had robbed, into doublets and breeches and cloaks, which set out his Majesty all in gold and silver; his horse wore a sutable livery, with gold and silver saddles, & foot cloths: thus he appeared abroad, having his cheife Officers riding before him in state, next to him rid two young men richly attired, one carrying a naked sword, with a golden hilt set with precious stones, the other carryed a Bible, and tripple Crown of gold glittering with diamonds, himself wore a great chain of Gold about his neck, like a coller of some noble Order, with a golden globe, having a golden sword, through it, hanging at the chaine with this Motto. John King of new Jerusalem, the king of Righteousnesse of, this whole world, after him followed Fifty Pencioners with party coloured garments of ash colour and Gr [...]sse green, and white caps, and golden rings on every fingar, making the Ash coulour an emblem of mortifica­tion the grasse green of regeneration, the white caps of innocence, the golden rings of charity, but amongst these propheticall riddles, he ordered his court, with so much state as, if he had been a King borne, truly but that so many godly orthodox divines, have written of these things that lived in that Age, and in those countries, we could scarce have believed that men should be given up to such delusions and that we see others amongst us partly treading the same steps.

In that royall array he shewed himself three times a week, and went up to a high throne set up with great magnificence, where he judged all controversies, most of which were about divorce, for by his new gospell any man that were weary of his wife, might put her away and take another, this was the king of Sions Government. Then this jolly Taylor King having stitched up a kingdom [Page 11]in hast, turnes his care to go through stitch with it, to have supply to remove the seige, and because it should be done in a propheticall way, Tus [...]corer his cheife Agent, came to him it seemes by his appointment, as he sate on his throne and told him, King John, The Gospell must be renewed by thee, thus saith the Lord God, go say to the King of Sion, that he prepare my holy supper in the great Church yard, and choose teachers to send into the four quarters of the world, to teach the wayes of righteousness, & according to this Anabaptists and Quakers have gone all Ireland over, a publique Communi­on was celebrated of above four thousand men, but at that time the King accused a man of treason, and cut off his head with his own hand and with that bloudy hand, he tooke upon him to administer the Sacrament, being assisted by the Queen, sometime wife to the lying Prophet, John Matthias, who then did the office of a minister: after supper the King asked them if they were all willingly disposed to do the will of God, and to suffer & dy for the faith, they answered they were all of that minde then Tuscocorer their Prophet read a note the names of those he said God had chosen for that legation, of whom himself was cheife, they were twenty six, seaven were sent to Osneburg, six to Cockswold, five to Warendorp and eight to Suzat; these new Apostles went crying in the streets of these Cities that the people should repent and joyne with them, or else they should shortly perish, with that noyse they raised tumules, and were apprehended and brought before the Magistrates, to whom they sayed they were sent of the Father to offer them peace, when it was but John of Leyden that sent them, which peace they said, if they refused, Gods wrath would follow for their hardnesse of heart and ungratefullness, this was just like our Quakers doctrin now, and they affirmed that the time was come, fore prophesied of that the whole world should follow righteousness, which God would work by their King, and then he should deliver up the kingdom to his Father, and being questioned before the Magistrates, about their faith, they said that none in the world had the true doctrine but they, which they would seale with their bloud, and that since the Apostles time till then the word of God had not been purely preached, that there was four great Prophets in the world, two good which was David of Delft, and John of Leyden, and two bad, the Pope and Luther, Being asked by what Scripture they could justifie their deposing so many good men from their houses, and goods, and make so bold with their wives; they answered that the meek should inherit the earth, and that in the same manner, God gave the Egyptians goods to the Jsraelites, & a mongst goods they reckoned wives, and that they might lawfully have as many as they pleased, so that when one was with child they might take another in her stead, and they put away barren women and past childe bearing, as useless, and that they knew by revelation, that their King wuld shortly be King of the whole earth & denyed all other Magistrates but their own King, for which they were put to death, and here was the end of their Apostleship, that should have preached a gospell of rebellion, and [Page 12]licentiousnesse over all the world, this was in December. 1534.

To draw towards the last Act, of that wild King among the Prophets that were taken, on Henery Hilversum was saved by the Bishop in sallying out of the Citty, who let him go, and he returned into Munster. 1535. and said God had delivered him out of prison by an Angel, and told the King that God had given him three rich Cities, that should imbrace his party, namely, Amsterdam, Deventer, and Wessel; for which newes the King made him one of his Court, and dispatched away one James of Kemp to Amsterdam, to bring it to his obedience, soon after the King hearing that many of his sect were in Holland, and Frize in great troops, as sheep without a shepherd, he sent one John Giles, with a great summe of money, that he like another Moses should be their leader through the wildernesse to bring them to Canaan, that was to Munster, but when much time was past, and he heard nothing of these Jsrae­lites nor their Moses, he sent the Prophet Hilversum and one John Nortell, to Holland and Frize to hasten them, or to raise new troops, and for that ex­pedition he loaded Hilversum with as much gold as he could well beare. It seemes he prophesied for gold, and he had now gotten it, therefore he went no further than the Bishops camp, & there stayed, & writ a letter to the people in Munster, that his former prophesies were impostures, exhorting them to open their eyes and see how they were deluded by acompany of rascalls, and what beastly lives they led, and how near they were to destruction. John Nortell went as farre as Deventer and soone after returned without effect, this letter moved some of the people, for their community of goods was violated, they had their bread by weight, but their King still feasted. Which one of his wives disliking said, she thought it not pleasing to God, in such a publique misery, while some pined with hunger, others should surfet with plenty, the King being told it, brought her to the market place with his other wives, made her kneel down and cut off her head, and made his other wives to sing and give praise to their heavenly Father: at the same time two young men were taken running away and brought to the King, who killed them both with his owne hands, and to appease the people, he told them that he would not have thought that they being borne again by a new baptisme, would shew themselves so impatient in their suffering for Gods cause, where­as they should with Paul suffer hunger, cold and nakednesse to attaine salvation.

But Easter came, at which time their King had promised them deliverance, but his disciples he had sent to Hollond and Frise, not the rabbel route he ex­pected came not, which put the Prophet King to a plunge, he shut up him­self six dayes, and fained himself sick, and then came forth to the people, and said, God had in his sicknesse set him upon a blind asse, and layed upon him the sinnes of the whole multitude, whereby they were freed from their sinne, and this was the deliverance God had promised them at Easter, this poor [Page 13]Lord of Misrule, King John all his hopes being frustrate, could no longer pacifie the people, for famin was so feirce, that horses, dogs & cats were con­sumed, the grasse and the very root; were picked out of the ground, in that extremity the King commanded the gates to be set open, and that so many as would should go forth, so that in one day a thousand of all ages and sexes went out, and yielded themselves to the Prince, who received them, sed them, and let them go.

A few dayes after, the King proclaimed that as many as wanted faith in Gods help should avoyd the towne, but withall he said those that would for­sake the faith should be forsaken of God, many were so blindly zealous, his speeches stayed them, yet many were so fed with starved mice, broiled shoes & lean prophesies, they took the safety prosered them. Antomius Corvinus a Luther­an divine writes, that he had seen books, when the town was taken, whose covers were eaten in the famine. Children half eaten were found, yet the King had six moneths provision left for his own family, the town was taken in Iune 1535. having indured a left of eighteen moneths. Upon the surprize, the Towns-men cryed for quarter and had it, but the King resisted to the last in St. Lamberts Church-yard, and was with much ado taken with Kniperdo­ling, and Krechling another Prophet, and Rotman would not yeild, but was slain in the Conflict.

The King and no King, was sent Prisoner to a castle four miles from Mu [...]ster, he went thither a little faster then he would, being tyed to the tayle of a galloping horse, Kniperdol [...]ng and Krechling were sent prisoners to another place, soone after all three were brought to Telgate where the Bishop asked John of Leyden by what authority, he made himself King over his City, John of Leyden asked him again, who had given him authority over that City and people, he answered he came to it by election, and I sayd Iohn of Leyden came in by the will and calling of God, two Lutheran Divines were sent to conferre with John of Leyden, and Kniperdoling; the first did abujre many of his errors, and would hear reasons. But Kniperdoling, was like a mad beast would neither hear nor answer reason, but stood only upon revelation & a particular spirit as our Quakers do, they were condemened and executed as Traytors & Rebels, & Krechling suffred the like death. J. of Le [...]d [...]n hearing the sentence read, he confessed that indeed he had offended the Magista [...]s but not offended God, thus died this imaginary K of justice by the hand of justice, and there was the end of his kingdome and prophesies, he was about twenty six years of age, a lusty young Prophet, of a fair proportion, of an awfull yet lovely presence, of a present wit, eloquent, close, politique, ambitious, which aspired to no lesse then the dominion of the world; he was a dangerous instru­ment of Satan, the good Lord destroy the plots of such where ever they are.

What other tumults were raised in Frezeland, Holland, and other places by the Anabaptisticall crew, especially in Amsterdam and Leyden, may be seen at [...] in the province & besotted the [Page 14]minds especially of the vulgar sort under the colour of simplicity, sincerity, humility, charity &c. So that many, otherwise good and zealous persons, sided with them, and were deluded by them, as too many do at this day.

But these sectaries brake into Fractions, and like new Incendiares prosecuted each other with inveterate minds, and writings, thundering against one an­other, and delivering each other to Satan: to set forth their severall opinions were almost impossible, but it is well known that then, and now at this day, they are divided into severall Classes, and names derived either from their Ring-leaders, or from the course of life they follomed, or the place of their entertainment.

In the front are placed the Muntzerians, so called from Muntzer, that grand incendiary their generall; others were called Hulites, from John Hull, who his after example called themselves the Corporal Israel of God: he taught that all the Cananites were to be cut down with the sword, and that the day of judgement was at hand, that the angel was sounding the last trumpet: others were called the Hopmannians from Melcher Hopman, one furnished with popu­lar eloquence, he first grew famous at Argentum, and drew a great sort of Disciples after him, that they cryed him up for Elias: others were called Ser­vetians from Michael Servetus a Spaniard, who for his execrable and not once to be named blasphemies, against the sac [...]ed Trinity spread abroad & maintain­ed with great obstinacy, and other wickedness, he was burnt at Geneva, breath­ing out his soul in blasphemies. The Davideans had their denomination from David, George a Batavian, an infamous Imposter, both for blasphemies and shamefull lusts, who came to that height of impiety, as to arrogate to himself to be Christ the Lord, to be the eternall son of the eternal Father, to apply to himself the prophesies concerning Christ our Saviour, which blasphemies and other dotages he compiled into a book intituled wonders, but was bitterly inveighed against, even by other Anabaptists, whereupon he renounced his own name, and sled, calling himself by the name of John a Bruck, he went to Basill a famous Citty, where with the direfull sting of an accusing conscience, ra­ther then any bodily infirmity he dyed: all these miscreants with an outward forme of godlinesse, drew multitudes of followers after them.

In Ianuary 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 severall places of the town, houses were searched, and the cheif of the conspi­ratours taken together in one house, fifteen men and five women, the men were beheaded, and the women drowned, and so baptized the third time.

The neath moneth in Amsterdam one Theodoret a taylor, who beare himself for a Prophet, fell upon his face, and prayed with great vehemency, and ri­sing as it were out of an extasie I have seen God [...] [Page 15]Heaven, then he said he descended into Hell, and searched every corner. Its possible Mr. Gray might descend from that Tribe, he knowe's Hell so well, because he declares He [...], to be paved with Kings crovvne, and Bishops Sculls, &c. but thou, saith this Prophet to one of the company, art not good enough for Hell, then the poor condemned man fell on his knees craving pardon and the Prophet anounced him a full remission of all his sinnes, another night the Prophet and six men more and five women, vvho had left their husbands in bed met in a house, after some time spent in prayer and teaching, the Prophet stripped off all his cloaths, and his shirt, and threvv all into the fire, and com­manded them all to do the like, & they did so, the women having not so much as a hairface, nor any thing to hide their shame: for the Prophets pleasure was to burne all as a sweet sacrifice to God, then he commanded them to follow him, & so running & his disciples after him through the streets, they cryed horribly Woe, Woe, Woe, the divine vengearce, the divine vengeance, which put the whole town in an uprore, thinking they had been surprized by some ene­my: they were all taken but one woman that slopped aside, and brought be­fore, the Magistrates, and they stood naked before Court, they refused garments offered to cover them, saying they must have no covering, for they were the [...]aked truth, they were kept in prison till the great conspiracy, about two months after, and then executed.

In another Town at noon [...]y, five Anabaptists ran naked through the streetes with swords in their hands, crying, in the name of the Lord, that the blessing of God lay upon one part of the Towne, and his curse on the other part, and soone after were followed, with others of the same faction in Armes, but the Magistrates raised in hast some companies of Archers to oppose them, the Authors of the sedition were taken & the rest quieted for a time. The same day such another sedition was raised at Harlem, in which six Anabaptists were slaine, and two at the Hague were executed shortly after, six of the most seditious were burnt at Harlem, and two women d [...]owned

John Gastio in his Book saith, it was their constant doctrine that women must be common, and three reasons they gave for it worthy to be registred, to perswade honest women to prostitute their bodies, if they would be saved: the first was that Christians must renounce those things they love best, and there­fore women must renounce their beloved honesty. The second was, that for Christs sake, we must undergo any kind of infamy, the third was that Publicans and harlots go to heaven before Pharisees, lying with other women than their wives they called spirituall marriages, with that doc­trin they had seduced two sisters at St, Gall near Zurick as John Gastio writes in his third Book p. 21. soon after they were rebaptised, being in bed two spirituall husbands came and lay with them, but with such fervent spirit that they brake the bottom of the bed, the noise whereof wakened the people in the house, who coming up in hast to know the matter, found two spirituall [...]

They had another main reason for community of women, that as Christi [...] are all one spirit, so they must be all one body: its very like the Ranters teach these: doctrins now the author saith that these two poor maids of St. Gall. before they were Anabaptists had been much solicited, and could never be won untill they were Anabaptists, and then were perswaded to be whores for conscience sake: others under pretence of childish innocency, 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, so in the end it proved to be childrens play indeed.

In the same town one being in his propheticall mood, called his father, mo­ther, brothers & sisters together, & commanded his brother to kneel down, & with one blow he cut off his head, and said the will of God was done, and com­ming before the Burgomaster, he said I announce unto thee, the day of judg­ment, it being the year 1541. a day which two yeares before they had fore­told should be the day of Judgement: but the Burgomaster announced him his day of judgement, and he was executed as he deserved.

It were almost an endless peice of work, to reckon up all their Doctrines and practises, but this I have gathered to give an hint of their wofull proceedings, where they got to any head, & we may see the sad symptomes hereof amongst our selves, some have not spared to say, they hoped within a short time, there should not be a minister left in Ireland, and have they not rooted out the Parliaments and all the fundamentall lawes of these lands, and as John of Ley­den did, assumed a usurped power to themselves to make lawes, and abolished lawes at their pleasure, and exercised tyranny and oppression over the poor people, and have they not assumed a regall power, if their wings be not clipt, to call a Parliament of their own, with no lesse then one and twenty Kings, I mean officers of the Army, to have a negative vote in the Parliament, so that if God do not restraine them, and stir up his people to withstand them, It is to be feared the consequence that will follow may prove as bad, if not worse, then their proceedings in Germany, yet they call themselves Saints and holy people, and righteous persons, and all others that differ from them in not being rebap­tised they counted wicked and ungodly and heathens, not yet come out of Baby­lon, whereas upon tryall there will little difference be found between them &, those you read of in Numbers 16.3. Corah, Dathan and Abyram, for just so they dealt with Magistrates and Ministers. Moses and Aaron as these do with ours now, seeing ye take too much upon you, ye somes of Levi, seeing all the Congregation is holy every one of them, to these three Ch [...]rah, Da [...]han and Abyram We may compare the three ringlerders of Anabaptists, Quakers and Ranters for as then Corah, &c. gathered two hundred and fifty Princes famous in the Congregation, men of renown to take part with them in their rebellion. So these in England, Scotland, and Ireland, have gathered, I may justly say two hundred and fifty Officers in the Army, famous in the Congregation, men of [...] [Page 17]them to take too much upon them, seeing all their Congregations arch o [...]y in their own esteme every one of them. And thefore like Thomas Munster and John of Leyden, they would either remove or kill all Princes and Magistrates; and all the ungodly, and root out ministery, but what the end was of these wicked men for their rebellion, The Chapter shewes at large, and the two hundred and fifty that took their parts, and with their brasse censers offered strange fire as Nadab and Abihu did. Levit. 10.1, 2. Fire came out from God and Consumed them. I desire these fearfull examples of Gods displeasure may be a warning to others, for in due time God will shew who are holy, and who not holy, and as in Revela. 2.2. He will try them that say they are Apostles, & are not but, are liars, & those that call themselves Jews, as some of the Quakers do, and are not but of the Synagogue of Satan ver. the 9. and those that call themselves Prophets & Prophetesses and are not, but teach re­bellion, and seduce the people, ver. 20. He will also try those that say they are Saints, and are not but live more like Heath [...]ns, and those that say they are Christ and are not, as James Naylor, and James Millner of Beakley in Lancasheer, who also said that George Fox was John the Baptist, such false Pro­phets and prophesies as these we have heard too much of in these three Nations of late, so that it behoves all godly persons both civil and military and Ministers and people to endeavour by all lawfull meanes to defend the truth against such seducers.