sumptuousnesse Some money he caused to be coin'd whereon was this Latin Inscription VERBUM CARO FACTUM QUOD HABITAT IN NOBIS that is The word made flesh which dwelleth in us The City being all this while besieg'd the Prophets and the Doctors published the book callid THE RESTITUTIONS wherein they endeavoured to defend that monstrous I would say Munstrous and seditious tumult and all those almost infinite inconveniences that were consequent to it but to prevent that poysonous Hydra a Gospell antidote was prescrib'd In the moneth of August about S. Bartholomew's day John Tuysentschreuer went sounding a Trumpet through all the streets thereby inviting all to the Lords Palace where there being a sumptuous feast prepared he magnificently entertained all that came The King himself the Queen and all the Courtiers waited on them At the last course he gave to every one a loaf of unleavened bread saying Take â—at and celebrate the Lords death which done the Queen in like manner carried about the Cup by which ceremony the Supper of the Lord or rather that Scean of pleasure wantonness and temerity was certainly very frolickly celebrated Hunger being banished saâ—e enough by this feast the Prophet Tuysentschreuer goes up to preach requiring of them obedience and complyance with the word of God whereunto with one head and as with one eye they unanimously consented This obtained he acquaints them that it was revealed from the heavenly Father that eight and twenty Ecclesiasticks should depart out of this City that should preach our doctrine throughout the world whose names he recommended and designed the way they were to take their journey that is to say six for Osenburg as many for Warendorp eight for Soyst for which quarter he himself was one and the rest for Coesveld These exercises performed the King went to Supper and at the second watch of the night caused the fore-mentioned Apostles to take their journey giving unto each of them a peece of gold with this charge that neglecting their own safety they should deposit it for a note and testimony of consequent condemnation wherever they bestowed it They went their wayes and never returned again all having except one who escaped the Gallows met with punishments corespondent to their sedition For being entred the fore-recommended Cities they in a direfull manner howl'd out their Kepent repent the axe is laid to the roat of the Tree if you repent not and be rebaptised woe be to you ye are undone But the severall Senates of the said Cities caused them to be apprehended and brought before them to give an account of themselves who answered That they were divine Preachers of the Gospel called and sent by God and that all those who would receive their doctrine must be baptized and that all things were to be made common but to those that should neglect these things they were to leave the golden coin of eternal damnation Nay further That the Gospel had not been preached as it should have been since the times of Christ and the Apostles but that there were two Prophets the Progeny of truth it self slipp'd down as it were from heaven viz John of Leyden and David George born at Delph in the Low-countries that there were many false Prophets that is to say the Pope of Rome and Martin Luther of â—ittemburg who was worse then the Pope Being taken and cast into Irons they were asked by what right or priviledge they had thrust out of the City so many godly people together with their wives and children not granting them any toleration for their Religion and had disinherited them of all they had To which they replied That the time was now drawing nigh wherein the meek and the humble should inherit the earth and that they followed the example of the Israelites who with Gods approbation â—ook away from the Egyptians their fewels and ear-rings Moreover they hoasted that Munster was well furnished with provisions ammunition and all things requisite to war and that the King did daily expect great recruits out of Holland Zealand and other places by the means and assistance whereof hee should bring the whole world under subjection and all wicked and refractory Princes being subdued should establish the peaceful reign of Justice About the same time another Prophet fel down from heaven one Henry Hilverse a notable knave This man acquainted the King that it was revealed to him from heaven that God was pleased to bestow on him three most rich Cities Amsteâ—dam Daventry resâ—l near Lippa Upon this Divine message hee advises with his Counsellours whom he were best to send â—â—ither to baptise them with his baptisme In the first place he sends John Campensis to Amsterdam to bee the chiefest man in that City to whom he assigned for companion and co-Apostle John Matthias of Mtellburg These being sent into Holland issuing out of their holes kept themselves among those of their own tribe and infected most Cities with the mortall infection of their doctrines For at Leyden about January in the year following viz. one thousand five hundred thirty and five very many by the perswasion of Anabaptisme and by the means of its contagious Conventicles were baptized into the baptisme of death About the end of the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five this Kingly Botcher sent into Friezland a most subtle fellow and one very well experienced in warlike affairs whom he furnished with very great summs of money which had been raised out of the sacrileges wherewith he should raise souldiers in Zealand and should raise the close siege which was then before the City He being departed managed his affairs very secretly with the assistance of those of his way and at length upon the last of March one thousand five hundred thirty and five having gotten together some hundreds of souldiers he setupon the Monastery which also was called old Munster drove away the Monks and having plundered all he there pitched his tents out of hope thereby to strengthen his party by the accession of any that should come in But George Sckenck the then Gouernor of Friesland having with as much expedition as could be got together certain expeditionary forces besieges these tumultuary Rioters and gave an assault to the place which though they avoided as much as might be by a gallant defence yet had they their bellyâ—ull of murther blood and dry blowes so that they were all destroied save threescore and two who being brought to Leoward were paid for their audacious folly with the wages of death The Ring-leader of this businesse who was also the Camp-mâ—ster John Geel escaping at this fight flies to Amsterdam to prove the occasion of a greater slaughter For many Anabaptists being found in that place whom John Campensis had strangely fascinated to engage them the more they made promises to them of golden mountains and talk'd highly of the Magnificence and Liberty of
and madnesse having their intervalls of calmnesse and â—erenity he admonished them that all arms and weapons were to be laid aside and that they should put off their guarded edged and scolloped garments and their wrought smocks and petticoats nay that women ought to abstain wearing their neck-laces and all things that were burdensome intimating the manner wherein God that needs no arms would fight their battels for them and should discomfit all their enemies The cowardly and inconstant vulgar being moved at the madnesse of this Doctrine disburthened their bodies of all manner of cloathing A certain harmlesse man having cast away his knife takes it up again which his daughter looking asquint upon rebuked her father to which he answered Be patient be patient daughter we shall have emploiment hereafter for this to cut bread withall O how was this girle once a childe but how was the old man twice When the student of Bedlam the Son with his yelling was exhorting the bewitched people to singing and praier and to resist the Divel the Father presently with his own son in whom he was well pleased taught them that the time of praier being done and that the time of war coming on they must take up the instruments of war whereupon he gets up into a Pulpit and declared himself to the people who stood all about him with a loud voice that he was the Sonne of God and cried out that he was born a true Mediatour unto them c. His mother being there present they asked her whether she was the mother of the Son of God To which between force â—nd fear she at length answered though innocently that shee was This gave occasion to many to bee diffident and to waver in the faith received insomuch that a certain man discovering his dissatisfaction and speaking ill of the sonne the said sonne taking hold of him flings him into a common shore saying unto him now art thou deservedly cast into Hell from whence the said man coming out all dirt diverse others unanimously acknowledged that they were defiled and bespattered with the same filthiness and abomination And hence rise up that impious report of the Sonne of God that hee was thrust out of doors which that Ambassadour Antony being returned from Munster having heard took it in mighty indignation and by force breaking into the house would have vindicated those holy expressions The Father and Son were much against it that any should come in yet hee though the people flocking about him made some opposition bitterly rebuking that blasphemous wretch broke forth into these words Thou villanous and contagious burthen of the earth What madness what extravagance hath besâ—tted thee without fear of divine judgement to assume to thy self the title of the Son of God which spoken swelling up with the leaven of wrath he caâ—â—s himself upon the ground whereupon the people ran violently upon him knocking beating and kicking him like a foot-ball at last being well loaden with blows hee rises and breaking through the presse of the people he got away and escaped In his way hee comes to a hole in the ice broken for the cattle to drinke twenty foot over which hee made a shift to get over as is said with the help of the Devill for many that would have found him out lost their labour All being now convinced that they were abused for fear of the most noble Charles Lord of Gelderland the Viceroy of Groningen called also King of Gelderland who was sent to appease that tumult got secretly away But before they were all departed one of them called Drewjis whom they called Doctor Nucius out of pure spight laying hold of the Father being sick in his bed thundred to him in these words Thou villain thou fruit and groanings of the Gallows where where is now your governing and authority now the time of prayers is past c. Having dragg'd him out of bed by head and shoulders they with some assistance bound him with cords and delivered him to the custody of the Mistresse of the house to bee safely kept till night In the mean time the valiant Charles surrounds the house with his men and besieged it which the woman seeing cut the coâ—ds Being loose hee takes a trident fork wherewith assaulting them as with a sword he put to flight forty men through other houses whom he hastily pursuing was unawares surprised by others and brought to Groningen But behold the miracle to that very place where this naked of all truth Messias with his forkâ— Scepter and this Shoomaker of Cobler beyond his Last had with his Trident put so many to flight did the water-dreading Anabaptists resort and â—ender unto God infinite thanks for the 〈◊〉 us privilages thereof Of this lewd Messias who was â—ow well acquainted with the fetters of Groningen it was asked in his torments whether those routs of whom he was ring-leader were out of pretence of sanctity raised to rob the publick treasuries as many thought which yet as some say was denied For he hardening himself against even the most cruel torments could be inflicted on him still cried out Destroy destroy destroy Monks Foâ—â—s kill all the Magistrates and particularly our own In the midst of these bawlings being miserably worried ouâ— he gave up the ghost THEODORUS SARTOR Quis quâ—â—â—o hic Sartor nudus qui deperit ille Quî rogo â—â—ruentis nomine dignus â—â—at THE CONTENTS THEODOR the Botcher turns Adamite hee affirms strange things his blasphemy iâ— forgiving of sins he burns his cloaths c. and causeth his companions to do the like He and his rabble go naked through Amsterdam in the dead of night denouncing their woes c. and terrifie the people They are taken and imprisoned by the Burghers but continue shamelesse May 5. 1535. they are put to death some of their last words IN the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred thirty and five upon the third of Februay at Amsterdam in a street called Salar street at the house of John Siâ—â—id a cloth worker who at that time was gone into Austria about some businesse there met seven men Anabaptists and five women of the same perswasion of which flock the Bell-weather was Theodorus Sartor who rapt into a strange enthusiasme and extasie stretching himself upon the ground stark-naked upon his back before his brethren and sisters seemed to pray unto God with a certain religious dread and horrour Having ended his prayers he affirmed that he had beheld God with his eyes in the excessive and ineffable riches of his glory and that he had had communication with him both in heaven and in hell and that the day of his judgment was at hand After which he said to one of his companions Thou art decreed to eternal damnation and shalt be cast into the bottomless pit at which the other crying out The Lord God of Mercy have compassion on
ears shrivel'd lips black and blew throats slender as those of Spiders to bee short Hippocratical faces living carcases and excellent shadows of men They had sown certain kinds of seeds and pulses in the City which for a time served for high delicacies to the grumbling stomach but these being soon devoured by the hungry belly Cats Dormice and Rats which themselves were almost starv'd to anatomie became doubtful entertainments Some were reduced to that inhumane necessity that they fed on the flesh of the buried carcasses some drest the feet of sweaty woollen socks some cut to pieces the parings of tanned leather and mincing them with some other things bak'd them and made them serve for bread To this wee may add that the most wickedly obstinate citizens were not yet convinced that by crafty infinuations and specious suggestions they were brought into the noose whom therefore he stil entertained with considerations of Magnanimity and the deliverance they were yet constantly to expect from God but as for those who admitted any thoughts of running away and endeavoured to avoyd their miseries he peremptorily sends for and like a publick Robber taking away all that their industry had furnished them with depart says he and be gone to the Hereticks and bid sarewel to this place The King though he had gotten at his house sufficient provision for two months yet was he willing to imbrace all occasions wherby he might keep up the heart of the City which now continually barked for sustenance To which end behold a certain man named John Longstrat being a Nobleman and privie Counsellor to the King and one of whom he was very confident boasted that he would within fourteen days reliev this hunger-starv'd City both with provisions and supplies of men to the number of three hundred By this pretence hee flyes to the enemy and betrays the City to the Bishop for a certain summe of money with his life included The Eve of Saint John was appointed for the execution of this design about ten of the clock at which time hee had obliged himself by oath to cause the gate called the Crosse-gate to be opened This Commissary for provisions returning at length to the City assured the King upon his saith and reputation that the said recruits of provision and forces should be ready within the time appointed The day assigned being come hee acquaints the Guards that the promised forces were to come in in the night which would bee starr-light enough that so they might receive them as friends The gates are hereupon set open and the enemies being admitted into the City as into another Troy upon the Watch-word given soon dispatch'd the Guards and others that were neer Now could bee nothing heard for the cry of Armes Armes The King and his Courtiers being gotten into a body drove back the enemie to the Gates which the citizens had by that time shut again whereupon the rest of them that were without were forced to set Engines to force open the Gates which being once broken open they flourished and set up their Colours The citizens stiffely resisted the first assault and made a strong body in the Market place where the fight became very hot and bloody The King himself Knipperdoling and Krachting fell into the enemies hands but Rotman seeing there was no possibility of safety rushing where the enemy was thickest was trod to pieces hee it seems placing all hopes of life in death The Anabaptists upon the taking of their King being quite cast down and discouraged went and hid themselves in Larders Kitchins and other lurking holes The City was most unmercifully plundered and to make a full search of it there were ten days allotted There was found by those of the Kings Guard at the Royall Palace as much provision as would maintain two hundred for two mouths O Goodman King where is now the Community of goods and provisions which your Religion holds forth This sad fate did that City suffer in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five The third day after this sacking of the City the King was carried to the Castle of Dulmen three miles off The Bishop having caused the King to bee brought with all speed before him said to him O thou cast away of Mankind by what deplorable means hast thou corrupted and destroyed my people To which the King with an undisturbed and proud deportment made answer thus O thou Pope have wee done thee any injury by delivering into thy hands a most well-fortified and invincible City But if thou thinkest thy self any way injur'd or endammag'd by us if thou wilt but hearken to our advice thou shalt be easily enriched The Bishop hardly abstaining from laughing desired him to discover that secret to which hee replyed Cause an Iron Cage or Basket to bee made and cover it with leather and carry me into all the parts of thy Country to be seen for a shew and if thou take but a penny of every one for the sight assure thy self it will amount to more then all the charges of the war The more eminent Anabaptists wore about their necks a certain medall wherein was the effiges of their King to which were added these ietters D. W. F. whereby was signified that the word was made flesh But the King being carried up and down as a captive with his two associates was shewn to divers Captains and Ecclesiasticks of the Landgrave which gave occasion of dispatation between them about some things as of the Kingdom of Christ and of Magistracy of Justification and of Baptisme of the Lords Supper and of the Incarnation of Christ as also of Matrimony in which disputation they prevailed so far by the divine testimonies of holy writ that they brought the King of the Anabaptists though not acknowledging the least satisfaction to a Non-plus who to obtain another disputation out of hopes of life as was said promised that hee would reduce the Anabapâ—ists which swarmed in Holland Braband England and Friezland and that he would do all honour to the Magistrate Upon the twentieth of January one thousand five hundâ—ed thirty and six he is brought with his companions to Munster where they were secured in severall prisons two days were spent in weeding and rooting up their errors The King indeed confessed his offences and cast himself wholly upon Christ but his companions discover'd a vain obstinacy in the defence of their cause The next day the King is brought to the place of execution fasten'd to a stake and is pulled piece-meal by two executioners with pincers red hot out of the fire The first pains he felt hee suppressed at the second hee implor'd Gods mercy For a whole hour was hee pull'd and delacerated with those instruments and at length to hasten somewhat his death run â—hrough with a sword His companions were dipped with the baptisme of the same punishment which they suffered couragiously all whose carcasses
arrived to that esteem and reputation in matters of Religion he pleased himself This perswasion thus craftily gotten was heightened by his great wealth and his riches in jewels whereof he brought some with him some were daily brought from other places in the Low-countries was yet further encreased by his sumptuous and rich plate and houshold-stuffe which though they were gorgeous and majestical yet were they not made to look beyond sobriety cleanlinesse and mediocrity These people sojourning thus in common houses desiring as yet to suppresse the pernicious infection of their sect very religiously enacted three things First that no man should profane or speak idly of the name of David George Secondly that no man should rashly or unadvisedly divulge any thing concerning his country or manner of life whence it was that some thought him to be a person of some quality some that he was some very rich Factor or Merchant whence it came that he was so excessively rich others had other imaginary opinions and conceits of him for as much as they themselves being strangers lived in a Country where they could not be ascertained of any thing Thirdly he was very cautious that none of the Basileans should be carelesly admitted into his acquaintance society or correspondence imitating therein the policie of the Ferrets and Weesels which as is reported never assault any bird of supremacy in the places where they frequent And thus did he by letters writings and emissaries plant and water the venemous seed of his sect through the lower Provinces yet kept the waies by which he wrought unsuspected and undiscovered For although he had lived two years among them there was not so much as one man infected or had privately caught the itch of his Religion What transcendent Mysteries are these This man though he feared neither deceit nor treachery from strangers yet the fire kindled out of the deceitful embers of his own houshold For behold one of his own Retinue doubting of the certainty of the New Religion he caused him to be brought before him and asked him whether he did not acknowledge him to be the true David sent from heaven upon earth and to bee the Horn Redeemer and Builder up of the Tabernacle of Israel to which the other answered roundly and peremptorily that the restauration of the kingdome of Israel and other things foretold by the Prophets were fulfilled in Christ the true Messias and that consequently there was no other to be exspected Which he hearing not without great astonishment did with much commotion of mind and bitter menaces thrust him though his son in Law out of doors and which is heavie to think on excommunicated him These things being thus managed David's wife fell sick of a disease which afterwards visited him and many more that dispatch'd her into the other world What a miracle is this He that declared himself to be greater than Christ and voted himself immortal upon the second of August one thousand five hundred fifty and six did die the death and was honourably buried according to the ceremonies of the Parish Church and his funerals were celebrated in the sight of his sonnes and daughters sonnes in law and daughters in law servant-men and maides and a great conflux of Citizens This sad calamity of his death extreamely troubled and tormented the minds of his diciples as a thing that very much thwarted their hopes of his promised immortality although he had foretold that he would rise again in three yeares and would bring all those things to passe which he had promised while he was alive Upon the death of this man a great many with resolute mindes made it their businesse not onely to bring his doctrine into suspicion but into utter disesteem unanimously resolving to embrace whatever was good sound and consonant to Christian doctrine and reject the rest as hereticall In the mean time the report beat up and downe both among the people and the more learned that this man of ingenuity and authour of private doctrines this very David George was a contagion and a destructive pestilence a devoted incendiary of a most dangerous Sect that though most falsely hee was born a King and that hee accounted himself the true Messias The Magistrate being extreamely moved at these things not deferring his zeale any longer when the glory of God and his Sonne Jesus Christ was so much concerned caused all those who were conceived to be infected with the pestilence of that Religion to be brought to the Palace to whom hee rubbed over what things had been transacted some yeares before that is to say acquainted them how that they had been banished their Countrey upon the account of the Gospell and upon their humble addresses received into the protection and made capable of the privileges of the City c. But that it had appeared since that they had fled for refuge to Basill not for the propagation of the Gospel but for that of the leaven of the sacrilegious David though by all outward appearance they had hitherto been accounted favourers and professors of the true Religion In the first place therefore the Senate being desirous to know the truth required to have his true proper name for some have thought as some authours deliver that his name was John Burges Secondly whether hee had privately or publickly dispersed his Religion and what Tenets hee held To which some made answer unanimously that they had left their countrey for the true Religions sake nor did they acknowledge themselves any other than the professors and practisers of the lawfull Religion That for his name hee had not called himself by any other than his own proper name and for his doctrine they had acknowledged none either privately or publickly save what hee had privately sometimes suggested which was not disconsonant to the publick The Magistrate perceiving this obstinacy of mind caused eleven of them the better to discover the reall truth to bee secured and more narrowly looked to In the mean time the Senate leaving no stone unmoved in this businesse appointed some to bring forth into publick view some books and writings of David which should give no small light in the businesse and these the Magistrate recommended to men of the greatest learning to bee read over and examined with the greatest care possible that so whatsoever they should meet with repugnant to the Truth they should extract and give him an account thereof Those who had this charge put upon them presented the Senate with this extract of Articles out of his Writings 1. THat all the Doctrine delivered by Moses the Prophets or by Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles was not sufficient to salvation but dress'd up and set forth for young men and children to keep them within decency and duty but that the doctrine of David George was perfect entire and most sufficient for the oâ—taining of salvation 2.
of God and faithfull â—…ard of the Lords house that Prince and Captain Generall of the people of Israel one so much in favour with God that he was admitted to speak to him face to face was to be accounted no other than an Imposter He accounted the Patriarch Abraham and his seed too much given to Revenge and that he was most unjust and most malicious to his enemy The most glorious Church of Israel 't is the swine that loves the mire he esteemed no better than a Hogge-Sty and declared himself a sworn Prince of the Anabaptistical generation But keep oâ—â— and approach not O all ye other Heresies and Hydra's of opinions of this one man furies not capable of expiation Being arrived at Geneva and being forbidden to spue out and spatter his pestiferous blasphemies he continued in hostility against all sharp but wholesome admonitions which Calvin that famous Minister of the Church perceiving being desirous to discharge the duty of a soul saving Pastor went friendly to Servetus in hopes to deliver him out of his most impious errors and horrible Heresie and so to redeem him out of the jawes of Hell and faithfully reproved him But he being dazzled with the brightnesse of Truth and overcome returned nothing to Calvin so well deserving of him but an intolerable obstinacie and inconvincible recapitulation of his blasphemies whence it came to passe that by the just and prudent Decree of the Senates of Bernen Zuring Basil and Scasfuse and by the righteous condemnation of the eternal God in the moneth of December in the year one thousand five hundred fifty and three or as Sleidan hath it in October he was how great is the obstinacy of blasphemy being at that time ecstarically hardened and intoxicated consecrated to the avenging flames ARRIUS Divisit Trini qui formâ—â—â—uminis ecce Dividitur membris Visceribusque suis THE CONTENTS Arrianisme its increase Anâ—â— 323. THe General Council at Nice Anno 325. called as a remedy against it but without successe The Arrians mis-interpret that place John 10. 30. concerning the Father and the Son They acknowledged one onely God in a Judâ—icall sense They deny the Trinity Arrius his wretched death Anno 336. ABout the year of the Incarnation of the Son of God three hundred twenty and three Hell was deliver'd of a certain Priest at Alexandria named Arrius a man subtle beyond expression the trumpet of eloquence one that seemed to have been cut out for all honesty and elegance who yet with the poison of his Herefie and the 〈◊〉 cups of his distructive doctrine did in the time of Silvester Bishop of Rome and the Emperour Constantine draw in a manner all Christendome to his opinion and so corrupted some even great nations in the East that except a few Bishops who stood to the true doctrine none appeared against him To remedy this disease at Nice in Bithynia in the year three hundred twenty and five a generall Councill was called but to no purpose for the contagious stocks of Arrianisme were deeply rooted so that they were become such ravening wolves among the flock of Christ that all that would not embrace their beliefe were to expect banishment or death These imagined that the Sonne was not of an equall nature and coeternall with the Father but that he was onely agreeing and concurring with his Father to confirm which they alledged that place of John 10. 30. which sayes I and the Father are one and though they called the Sonne a great God yet they denied that he was a living and true God and co-essential with the Father They boasted that they were ready to answer all objections and acknowledged one onely God in a Judaical sense To that I and the Father are one they were used to retort thus Doth the unity in this place denote co-essencie It most therefore follow that it is as much where the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 3. 8. He that planteth and he that watereth are one They accounted the word Trinity a laughing-stock and a Fiction that the Sonne of God was a Creature and that the Holy Ghost was both born of Christ and conceived and begotten of the Virgin Mary All that were baptized in the name of the blessed Trinity they baptized again They denied that Christ was the Sonne of God according to the Spirit and the Godhead they denied God his own Son While Arrius was disburthening himself of the necessities of Nature his bowels came forth and with them his life And so he who was the successor of those Arch-Hereticks Artemon who lived about the year of our Lord two hundred and Paulus Samosatenus who lived about two hundred forty one came to a miserable death in the year three hundred thirty six See Athanasius Epiphanius Hilarius Hierom Augustine Ambrose Basill Theoderet Eusebius Socrates Nicephorus Sozomen and other Ecclesiasticall writers who have treated of these things more at large MAMOMET Adsum Ingens Mahometes â—go lachrymabile mundi Prodigium omnigeni dux et origo mali THE CONTENTS MAMOMET characterized He made a laughing-stock of the Trinity He agreed with Carpocrates and other Hereticks He renewed Circumcision and to indulge his disciples he allowed them Polygamy c. His Iron Tombe at Mecca IN the year six hundred twenty two Honorius the fift being Bishop of Rome and Heraclius Caesar Emperour of the East a transcendent Arch-heretick called Mahomet exchanged Hell for earth a Prephet by Nation an Arabian but most deprav'd and corrupt He had sometimes been a Merchant extremely rich and withall very subtle to be short he was a serious professor of diabolical Arts a most ungodly instrument of Satan the Viceroy of Antichrist or his sworne fore-runner This man endeavoured to exoll his brother Arrius with such praises as are correspondent to his Heaven He also with Sabellio renewed the laughing-stock of the Trinity He with Arrius and Eunomius most fervently and contumeliously held that Christ was onely a Man and that he was onely called God secundum dici that is to say according to a certain manner of speaking He agrees with Carpocrates who denied that Christ was a God and a Prophet This is also he that shakes hands with Cerdonus who utterly abjur'd the Godhead of the Sonne or that he was co-substantial with Father He imagined with the Manichees that it was not Christ but some other that was sastened to the Crosse With the Donatists he contemned the purest Sacraments of the Church With the most impure Origen he affirmes that the devils shall be eternally saved according to an humane yet an invisible manner He with Cerinthus placed eternal Felicity in the lust of the flesh Circumcision that was long since abolished and antiquated he renewed Upon his dicisiples he bestowed the priviledges of Polygamy Concuâ—ines and Divorce as Moses had done and with such dreames and an imaginary Phrenly was the miserable wretch ever troubled This man
unto their shifts and enforced to acknowledge conviction Hetzer was a considerable part and the firebrand of the Anabaptistical sect but he stiffely denied Christ to be co-essential with the Father which the verses made by him upon the carrying of the Cross do more than hint Ipse ego qui propriâ cuncta baec viâ—tute creabam Quaeris quot simus Frustra ego solus eram Hîc nâ—n tres numero verùm sum solus at iâ—â—i Haâ—d numero tâ—es sunt nam qui ego solus eram Nâ—scio Per onam solus sum â—ivus ego sons Qui me nescit eum nescio solus ero I who at first did make all things alone Am vainly ask'd my number as being one These three did not the work but onely I That in these three made this great Syzygie I know no Person I 'm the onely Main And though they know me not will one remain He was excellent at three tongues he undertook to translate the book of Ecclesiasticus out of the Hebrew into High-Duâ—ch Plauterus hath testified for him in writing that he very honestly and unblameably bid farewell to his Disciples and with most devout praiers commended himself to God even to the astonishment of the beholders He having been kept long in close prison was on the fourth day of February in the year one thousand five hundred twenty nine sentenced to die and thinking himself unworthy of the City was led wâ—thout the walls where he was put to death not for sedition or baptisme as Plauterus saies but for Adultery which act he endeavored to defend by some arguments fetcht from the holy Scriptures MELCHIOR HOFMAN Pellibus a teneris suetus doctissime nôsti Hoâ—manni teneras excoriare Greges THE CONTENTS HOFMAN a Skinner and Anabaptist Anno 1528 seduced 300 men and women at Embda in West-Friesland His â—ollowers accouâ—ted â—im a Prophet At Strasburg he challenged the Ministeâ—s tâ— disâ—ute which was agreed upon Jan. 11. 1532. where â—eâ—ng mildely dealt with he is neverthelesse obstinatâ— Other Prophets and Prophetesses dâ—luded him He deluded himself and voluâ—tarily pined himself to death IN the year one thousand five hundred twenty eight Melchior Hoâ—man a Skinner of Strasburg a most eloquent and most craâ—ty man at Embda in West Friezland ensnared 300. men and women into his doctrine where he conjured up Anabaptisme out of hell upon pain of damnation whereupon being â—eturned to the lower Provinces who ever addressed themselves to him he entertained them with water baptizing all promiscuously This man upon the prophecy of a certain decrepid old man went to Strasburg it having been foretold him that he should be cast into prison and remain there six moneths at which time being set at liberty he should with his fellow-labourers disperse the harvest of the Gospel through all the world He was by his followers acknowledg'd and honour'd as a great Prophet This was the great prop and pillar of the reâ—gn of Muâ—ster Having therefore made what hast he could posâ—ible to Stâ—asburg in order to the fulfiâ—ling of the phophecy he there challenges the Ministers of the Word to dispute which offerture the Senate engaged with upon the eleventh of January one thousand five hundred thirty and two at which time the mists and clouds of errours and blindnesse were quite dispersed by the Sunne of the Gospel However Hoâ—man stiffely adhered to the foresaid prophecy as also to his own dreams and visions nor would he acknowledge himself overcome but their mildnesse having somewhat appeased him he was thence dismissed as one judged wâ—rthy of such a place where Lepers are shut up lest others be infected But 't is incredible how joyfull he was at that newes out of an excessive thanksgiving to God putting oâ—â— his shoes and casting his hat into the ayre and calling the living God to witnesse that he would live upon bread and water before he would discover and brand the authour of that opinion In the mean time some Prophets began to rise and keep a stirre hinting that he should be secured for that half year and that afterwards he should go abroad with one hundred forty and four thousand Prophets who should without any resistance * reduce and bring the whole world under the subjection of their doctrine There was also a certain Prophetesse who should prophecy that this Hosman was Elias that Cornelius Polterman was Enoâ—â— and that Strasburg was the new Jerusalem and she had also dreamed that she had been in a great spacious Hall wherein were many brethren and sisters sitting together whereinto a certain young man in â—…ing apparel should enter having in his hand a golden Boul of rich Nectar which he going about should taste to every one to whom having drunk it to the dregs there was none Pretended to compare with him but onely Polterman Alas poor Melchior He having nothing yet made Master of a strong Tower did after the example of Esdras signifie by Letters that his Baptisme should be put off for two years longer until Africk should bring forth another monster that should carry hay in its horns There were many other dreams and some nocturnal pollutions which they attributed to heaven and thought such as should have been written in Cedar But it was Melchior's pleasure to think it a miserably happy kind of death o die voluntarily by pining and consuming away with hunger thirst and cold MELCHIOR RINCK Discipulos sic Rincke doceâ— Baptisma negare Sanguine carnifices et scelerure manus THE CONTENTS MElchior Rinck an Anabaptist He is accounted 〈◊〉 notable interpreter of dreains and visions His â—isciple Thomas Scucker in a waking dream cut off his brother Leonard's head pretending for his miâ—rther obedience to the decree of God MELCHIOR RINCK a most wonderfull Enthufiast was also a most extraordinary promoter of Anabaptisme and among his followers celebrated the festivals of it He made it his businesse to extoll Anabaptisme above all others with those commendations which certainly it wanted not Besides he was accounted no ordinary promoter and interpreter of dreames and visions which it was thought he could not perform without the speciall indulgence of God the Father nay he arrived to that esteem among the chiefest of his opinion and became so absolutely possessed of their minds that his followers interpreted whatever was scattered abroad concerning dreames and visions to have proceeded from heavenly inspirations from God the Father Accordingly in Switzerland to omit other particulars at Sangall even at a full Council his disciple Thomas Scucker being rapt into an Enthusiasme his Father and Mother then present and his Brother Leonard having by his command cast himself at his knees before him cals for a sword whereupon the parents and divers others running to know what was the cause and meaning of such an extravagant action he bid them not to be troubled at all for that there should