Gloomy and darkish the people surprised with fear stood gazing and looking up into the Heavens hastily they called to me saying Sir come hither and behold what we do of wonder in the heavens being placed at more advantage to well observe but still in that City Bridges I then looked up and plainly saw at good distance coming from the North or North-west very many small bodies of horse having on them the best appointed Riders Those horse and Riders Came towards the South and South-East as they came nearer to me they seemed to increase so that very much of the Hemisphere was suddenly over-spread with them that part of the Heavens they moved in was all over of a perfect Fire colour since I came into the world I never beheld such horse and Riders for Strength Courage and Resolution they came fiercely Trotting on stamping also with their feet their Hoofes and Shooes which I perfectly saw lookt like Flint or something Harder then the nether Mill-stone they were shod for the Lord knows what service and Execution I do not Horse and Riders had unparalleld strength in every part Their heads all Lift up not a Man or Horse of them that had any defect or apprehension of danger what speak I of danger there was nothing could stand before them so sure as the Lord lives they were an Host that shall not fail to effect whatsoever the Lord of Hosts shall Commission them for That is to Execute his vengeance on evil-doers Whilst with astonishment I looked upon all this I prayed and praying besought the Lord that he would be pleased to let me know what all that force signified forthwith I heard a very strong voice coming directly down from Heaven before the Horse came up to me which strong voice spake these words only It is the coming of God It is the coming of God I neither saw more nor heard more but I shall tell you what I Read more and it is the word of God which suites in all things very well with this vision of Gods in the second Chapter of the Prophet Ioel you have these words A day of Gloominess Clouds and thick darkness A Great and strong people There hath not been ever the like the land is as the Garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness nothing shall escape them The appearance of them is as the appearance of Horses and as horsemen so shall they run to be avenged on his Enemies this is in Ioel the second in the 11. verse of that Chapter you have these very words and the Lord shall utter his voyce before his host so in the head of the Host was it said unto me it is the coming of God the verse concludes with these words The day of the Lord is Great and very terrible who can abide it For that word which came to Ieremiah the Prophet with command then to him as now here to me That it be proclaimed to the people of his time then ripe as now you for vengeance and destruction decline to Read it him that dares I dare not but observe it to you Make ready the Horses let the Horsemen get up Come up you horses and rage you Chariots for this is the day of the Lord God of Hosts and a day of vengeance in which he will be eased of his adversaries To others there follow these words of Comfort But fear not then my servant Iacob neither be thou afraid O Israel none shall make you afraid as you have it at large in the 46. Chapter of the Prophet Ieremiah but what is all this to Evil doers Good things profit us not in their being but in our enjoying them That happy Condition is not yours of London for the very next thing shewed me and I am to proclaim it also assures you of this so sinful City London That Gods judgements begin at London therefore look you to it God is in earnest with you and I must not flatter you Repent or Burn you and your City London I have a few words to the Church of Rome which I dare not but observe to them before I quit this Section Church of Rome deceive not your selves but warrantably believe and patiently provide for your sad share of sufferance in this coming of God to take vengeance on Evil-doers therefore Church of Rome Read and well consider my Reasons it highly concerns you for with your Church all is at stake First these Horses and Host of the Lords which came from the North and North-west moved so hastily as if they would be with your Church presently having their faces directly set against the South and South-East and so from thence not onely Rome but the proudest part of that Church lies South and South East is not onely the Eagles nest but that Brood also of Vultures now to be deplumed dashed in pieces and made invisible Secondly not long before this was shewed me I was also shewed the Altars of Rome and the Priests of Rome both of them in their Richest adorne and most suitable dress at which time their Priests boasted of themselves and Altars Proudly saying to me see is not this to the Glory of God In answer to which words I presently heard a voyce which desended from above and said The Altars of Rome are not fitted for the worship of God These words heard by her Priests also the Priests Cryed out this is Gostelo that hath Prophecied and Printed Our Church shall fall Away with him Away with him The multitude derided me and strove who should be formost to have me out the Priests in their Rich habits followed and helped to drive me out when forced out of their Churches for out went multitude my self Priests and all I then lookt behind me and saw the Priests still in their Rich habits but very strangely Metamorphosed for all their heads were then as the heads of Wolves Foxes Dogs and Swine which whilst I stood wondering at immediately in the twinkling of an Eye all of them were struck down flat to the Ground on which they helpless lay Grovelling and bleeding wounded only on the heads at which wounds and at the snout of their unclean heads for they still retained them they there and then on the Ground Expired and Bled to death I saw not the hand that struck them down nor a man of them that ever rose from the Earth again My third Reason is in the Prophecy I printed which Prophecy I give you for the word of God agreeable thereunto certainly it is there it is said in that Prophecy the Church of Rome shall fall and put me to death if ever one word of that Prophecy go unfulfilled Flatter not your selves you of the Church of Rome to some of your more sober ones men in Orders also to such I have already imparted much that hath been shewed me of that Churches sad fate those sober ones have replyed to me that truly they had reason to expect and fear God was
purpose he did it that I might know the approch of my signes fulfill the first of Ianuary it is shewed me the 20. they sit also why the Lord would so dissipate and over-turne them because there sacrifices were Dirt I must give you a short review of the whole and then I get out of this dirty subject in which dirt I am to stick untill I make you as clearly sensible as my self that God hath fulfilled to a tittle the signe given me for Assurances when deliverance to his Church King and people the Israel of God was to be afforded also when commanded to lift up their heads redemption and deliverance being come unto them On March the 8. 1655. this very signe and signal watch-word is given me That I then declared it to the Protector you have read and he that doubts of it may read what I left almost two years ago in the University Library of Oxford Ianuary the first 1657. on Earth and in Heaven is it first shewed then said unto me their sacrifices are dirt that very new Moon year and day points out their New Moons and dirty sacrifices both which God abhors Ianuary the 20. this Dirty house meets and falls to wrangling immediately so in the Vision so in the fulfill With in 15. dayes after God sweeps away this Dirty house by his sent messenger Oliver Cromwell coming to them in haste so in the vision so in the fulfill If all these visions prove not themselves to be real Visions of God and that we have warrant and good occasion also now to lift up our heads as the next section will fully shew you then cut off my head and reckon me a lyar for ever I Beg not your favour but your Repentance These things I have wrote to the Protector presently after they were shewed me you have them more exactly in print make therefore the best use of it C. R. HEAD and CROWN be lifted up for deliverance is come to Carolus Rex also to his good subjects the Servants of the Ever-living God Section the first assures it Sect. I. IMmediately after all those miscreants were swept away my self with someothers plainly heard sung by most Angelical voices these words lift up your Heads for your redemption draweth nigh Our Lord Iesus Christ is at hand he comes with Flagons Those Celestial voyces continue singing and reiterate the words lift up your heads still your with an Emphasis for your Redemption draweth nigh Ravished with the Excellency of the voyces and the matter I turned my head towards those Heavenly Aires being faced about I then saw many glorious Angels moving towards us in good order two by two they were all clothed in white having on them Girdles of Gold and in some of their hands were Flagons of silver The place they so appeared in Then seems a Church up the middle of that Church they come when advanced to the Table which was covered with fine and clean Linen as themselves they there set down those silver Flagons that done they stand round about the Table in a most reverent posture and comly beauty fit for devotion on which Table neer those Flagons on a silver plate was placed one Mauchet cut and prepared as at our best ordered Communions this done they altogether began and sung these words Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up a mighty salvation for them This heard and seen the vision and signe assuring deliverance upon their dissipation and rejection as in the introduction upon the 8. of March 1655. ended the rest of New-years day follows After the man with the Mete-rod or rule in his hand had said unto me their Sacrifices are dirt and God hath scattered with a Vengeance that dirty stinking hellish cloud gotten into the face of that great light as in the Introduction and Vision of last New-years day forthwith the Lord drew my eye to look again up into the Heavens but it was more upon my right hand I then perfectly saw a wondrous high hill upon which high hill was situate a very thick and high Wall the wall was made all of divers Coloured stones richly shining as painted Glass the Morter or Cement which held those several coloured stones together appeared rich also as the dust of Gold At the end or entrance into that wall for it was like the wall of a great City yet I saw no house within it without the wall I did see many houses but the stood at good distance from that wall and all those houses were New the Foundation and building was raised some few yards above the ground being all of perfect white stone but not finished indeed the man with the mete-wand or rule to measure with that answered to me they offer dirt for sacrifice that man and innocent boy appeared unto me among those New foundations which were on both sides of a largestreet At the end of that Rich wall there stood a Tree or Trees which were full as high or higher then the Rich wall Within the wall and just over the place the wall surrounded I did see a wonderful Great light very Glorious it was and of a Chrystaline Colour for bigness it appeared ten times as big as the Moon This light shewed me a Lamb and divers other clean Creatures as sheep and kids What I saw afterwards when I had wept and prayed to God that he would be pleased I might understand the whole Vision I will not now tell you what that was the obtaining of it cost me dear I am sure I lay so long weeping and praying with a resolution I would have no denial until the Lord was pleased to let me fully understand the Vision that it is his unparalleld goodness to me I am alive at this time But this I will tell you serve you God desire and endeavour from the bottom of your hearts to live wholly to his Glory and you may see it also I pray you may nothing is more Worthy to be desired What think you now is not this one good ground more to believe that our Redemption doth draw nigh and that we are now commanded to lift up our heads you will say and believe as much presently read what follows for I have done with what was shewed me on New-years day as in the Introduction The rest I told you concerned not those were scattered but the Redeemed of God As I am a live and a Christian I continue to set forth truth unto you I was at Oxford when the news came to me of the Protectors dissolving that house of miscreants he Oliver Cromwell was that very man the Lord sent in in haste upon them as in the sign and introduction now mark and well consider what immediately succeeds upon their dissolution Tuesday night which was February the 9. just 5. dayes after this house was swept I came home to my own house from Oxford Being come home God then shewed me a
Commissioning it to go forth Begin at London and go throw all his dominions Fear all that read it and you that hear it I say fear and Tremble for they are the words of the Lord Almighty and his also is this sent-out fire So soon as the words were spoken Begin at London go thorow all his dominions the fire immediately removed from between the Kings feet to a distance some three yards from him and there stood but still kept in a right line before him there and then that fire suddenly became dilated and forthwith was big as the Sun in appearance when so dilated it had then ashes all under it which ashes were of the thickness of a pocket-Bible fire ashes and Bible are made up of the word and power of God who so contems his word his fire makes ashes of them contemn God and the King and you perish together Certainly on purpose is it thus shewed me with ashes under it that I may let you all see and know its readiness to Execute Gods Command first upon you of London Begin at London then his three Kingdoms and Christian world Men and Brethren either suffer your Corruptions and Rebellions of all sorts of which you are Horridly Guilty against God and his King Charles Stuart your Sacrifices are Dirt your hypocrisies are the Greatest your Rebellions have no compare suffer all these things and whatever more to be burnt up and consumed in you by his sent-out fire of mercy which if you shall madly neglect to do deceive not your selves it shall suddenly do its other work commissioned for to make ashes of you and all those mountains of opposition that men or Devils have can or dare raise up to obstruct the way and rule of Gods Vice-gerent Charles Stuart your only lawful King and Soveraign God is irritated and you have done it look to your selves when the Almighty kindles and sends forth a fire as here he doth read I beseech you to what purpose he doth it The Prophet Amos assures evil doers no less then six several times in his first Chapters which are but very short yet most admirable full to this very purpose there he saith That the Lord will send a fire that the Lord will Commission a fire That the Lord will kindle a fire And to what purpose I beseech you is all this even as here it shall devour it shall burn up it shall consume if not sin then sinful persons Do you ask me what it shall do I answer you and all for I fear no man do what shall it not do when commissiond and sent out by God as this is what shall it do why it shall burn up his enemies on every side if they repent not Ps. the 97. 3 verse There shall go a fire before him and Burn up his Enemies round about The Army of Horses went before this fire comes next after that nothing may escape I dare not yet leave this Commissioned fire of the Lords sent out upon this particular day the Eighth of Aprill what I have now to say in this so wonderful proceed of God Almighty is to you Oliver Cromwell Protector of these three Kingdoms pro Tempore Sir well look about you and best bethink your self and know Sir That for more then three months it was my continual meditation and amaze to think why it was dictated Waite until the Eighth of Aprill why to that day I could never give his Majesty and Heroick Brother any clear or certain reason for it but having upon that day seen the vision and then heard the words of Commission to the Almighties fire in our Kings behalf I can now give His Majesty his Brother you and all such a certain and true reason for it as will astonish the world there is in it Wonder upon Wonder it looks like the Children of Israel being brought out of Egypt upon the very day both the Lords own doings O that I were with you your Lordship should find I would speak to you as sent of God not flatteringly Examin your self Sir did not the Lord some two years since Easter next it will be so I again say did he not then in mercy send to you Oliver Cromwell the wife of Thomas Chalener a free-holder dwelling on the Edge of Sussex whose Commission was to this very purpose First to ask you whether or no the Vineyard you yet gathered the fruit of was yours or Gods if it was yours then to say so if Gods then your duty forthwith to give the fruit of it to his Steward Charles Stuart for God had given it unto him by inheritance if you refused forthwith to submit or doubted his right of inheritance she tells you that God had vouchsafed for the decision of his right three wayes Chuse you either of them God would appear for him whose unquestionable right it was for in the Court and justice of Heaven the Father having paid the debt the Son was to have the inheritance Her first offer to you is to cast Lots and by lot you should see on whom the Lord would resolve it to that you wisely considered and said what if the lot should go against me she truly told you it would your answer was that way of lot you would decline Her second offer was would you fight personally with Charls Stuart and so decide it to that as I have heard you gave no answer indeed God forbid that any such damnable thought or word should ever be found in your heart or mouth An impiety of that ugly nature I print to the whole world will never be found in you as ill as men generally speak of you who was most Culpable before God knows I do not The persons of Kings are sacred Appointed of God and anointed by his Prophets wise and honest men know it well their persons are rarely to be exposed Crowns not to be worne by any but whom the Lord sets apart with us it must be so the law of God and our Land best directs in that particular and I firmely believe That as you said nothing to that second offer of the Lords for they are all his offers not hers so upon that very consideration let the world say what they will you have hitherto declined and ever will do to put on his Crown they were fools that said you were afraid of the Army when t was offered you no no you were afraid of God and your King do well and be so Ever I commend your wisdom in that you put that Dirty assembly upon tryal what they would do with the Crown whereby you might clearly see and discover the Enemies of God and the King also the haters of Monarchy how could you a served your King better you have out-witted all those Arrant Good subjects The Lord shewed me before their sitting and told me when they were to sit their sacrifices were Dirt you had it before those were the very Men that was the Dirty Parliament his Crown I say
London the people of this City then appeared before me very fine very numerous Bargaining also and full of jollity every man putting the evill day far from him deriding to the purpose my self or any that durst tell them they should see Change or alteration when all this jollity security and trade was at the highest on a sudden the day over-cast and became dark that occasioned us to look up into the Heavens looking up I saw over the East part of this City London in the Aire many strange figures of furious Satyrs as Executioners of Gods Wrath and Vengeance they had all shapes like Devils not like men At this Horrible sight the people suddenly looked Pale and Trembled The day that grew darker and withall in an instant Soultry hot Looking up again the whole City then appeared to be surrounded with those furious Satyrs and Devils so was it then surrounded by those Executioners of Gods Wrath and Vengeance that there was no place left for escape or to get out at This sad and ugly appearance so possessed the People with fear and amazement that they stood Trembling and bereft of all understanding even as those that expected sudden destruction when this was so and the darkness become greater I looked again upon the City and then I saw Lights shining in most parts of it which Lights clearly discovered to me the Ruinous condition of the Cathedral Church dedicated to Saint Paul these lights were placed to so wonderful advantage That they laid open to me Close Corners Ware-houses Shops dark places places of Sacriledge Theft Murder damnable uncleannesses Hypocrisies as deep as Hell indeed I cannot express all I saw but so much was shewed me that my heart smote me and put me thus to reason O Lord thought I What art thou now searching this City London as once thou didst Ierusalem with Candels must this so sad day be a day of Wrath destruction and desolation shall this place now be devoured and Consumed by the fire of thy jealousie While I thus sadly contemplated there suddenly appeared standing by me on my right hand a very great number of Black and White Ensignes which Ensignes had in every of them Ten times as much Black as White Here and there a Pearl or Diamond of White as in the Flag but a very few that shall finde deliverance his Iewels shall in that day of Vengeance The place these Flags so appeared in was the very place your Ensignes of Rebellion were held up in against your King Law and good Conscience when you usurped the Militia from his Majesties hand The North-side of this City London near the Winde-Mills which fitly resembles your empty turning pates there were so many of these mourning Ensignes that every Street Alley and close Corner of iniquity was provided for whilst with admiration I looked upon them first as being so vast a number next as being all Black and White and my Eye fastened on them suddenly all of them were raised up from the Ground to such a height were they raised that they might go over the highest Wall or Bulwark observe with me if the Devil be gotten as high as Heaven seeming an Angel of Light also yet there Gods hand reacheth him and whirles him thence I saw not any hand of Man raising those Ensignes no mans hand touched any one of them being raised they moved all of them towards this City London and just as they moved I also was taken up from the ground but my face was then turned towards the North from the City still I saw and beheld the Flags moving towards the City and those Ensignes passing on by me they went the nearest way at which time as they moved I heard these words and no more Now the King marcheth When the words were spoken Now the King marcheth Immediately I also by that power which took me up from the ground was in that very instant of time carried away with my face from the City I neither heard more nor saw more what so sadly and in an instant followed me is most Tragical and full of Lamentation as to this so sinful City London There presently overtook me such a Stink yea such a damnable stink of Fire and Brimstone that truly I thought it would have choked me certainly the stink of Hell can not exceed it for my own part I was not suffered then to pity you nor once to look behind me What think you now have not your sins exceeded those of Sodom I would to God your non-repentance together with your certain punishment might not answer theirs also But I have done with you This seen and heard I could not be quiet until I privately imparted all to his Majesty and both his Heroick Brothers Indeed whilst I weeping imparted it to my pious King I was forced to beseech him not to mournimmoderately for them to forgive them I told him it was his duty and to pray for their souls but certainly God would be glorified on them whatsoever became of their Bodies or Estates and that sinke of wickedness Brothell City of all sin and Rebellion now ripe for Iudgement That done I took leave of them and hasted hither whither I am come on purpose to let you of this so sinful City London know these sad things that if possible you might Repent Live and finde Mercy It is very true I saw no hand of man in the whole vision nor do I think other of those onely words heard Now the King marcheth but that the workings against this City London as well as the words will be the workings of the Almighty King of Kings he it is The Lord of Hosts that will so powerfully fulfil in the behalf of our King Charles Stuart Alas our good King is not rightly known to you nor owned of you but God owns him and that you shall suddenly know and finde he is misrepresented to you and you are pleased with it you are wilfully blind and how should you know him you continue to injure him daily beyond all compare you traduce him still as you did of old his glorified Father too many of you would willingly rid the world of him as you did of Charles the first and to what purpose is all this mischief and villany onely That you might the better enjoy his inheritance with those also which you have stollen from the Church and others In this City London all this villany with the Lord knows what more hath been committed by a Law and Laws of your own making Yet good King for all this he mourns for you he daily prayes for you and on my Conscience he doth it from the very bottome of his heart Praying for you in the Lords own words That God would forgive him his Trespasses as he forgives those that have trespassed against his Father and him he sees clearly judgement is hasting to you and sorrows for it you continue blinde and will not so much as once see it moving towards you by your