and there prophesied that he should die and rise again and that then the eys of the blind should be open But the King comming shewed him that the spirits of the Prophets must be subject unto the Prophets for he pulled him down and committed him to the Jail for three days This jolly Taylor having thus stitched up a kingdom in haste turned his serious care to go thorow stitch with it For that there was need of supply to to remove the Bishop that hindered his work And because all should be done in a Prophetical way Tuiscocurer his chief agent came to him as it seems by his appointment one day as he was sitting in his Throne with more than ordinary Majesty and told him King John the Gospel must be renewed by thee Thus saith the Lord God Go and say to the King of Sion that he prepare my holy Supper in the Church-yard of the great Church and that he chuse Teachers of my word to send into the four Cuarters of the World to teach all men the ways of righteousness and bring them by the spirit of their mouth into my Sheepfold so a publick Communion was celebrated but they made it a full meal A great feast r it was both for the persons and the meat for they were above four thousand men and had three courses But between these courses there was a soul entercourse for the King accused a man of Treason and cut off his head with his own hand and returned merry to supper Then with his bloody hand he took upon him to administer the body and blood of Christ Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assisted with the Queen sometime John Matthias his wife who then did the office of the Minister or Deacon and administred the Communion t Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis the like did the principal officers of the State saying Take this and announce the Lords death After supper the King asked the whole Congregation whether they were all heartily disposed to do Gods Will and to suffer and die for the faith to which the people answered with one voice that they were all in that mind then Tuiscocurer arose and said Thus saith the Lord chuse men among my people to send into the 4 quarters of the world u Where will they stop to do great wonders among the nations publish my wonderous things among the strange people then he read a note of the names of those whom God had chosen for that legation w Our Quakers have men every where of whom himself was one they were 26. Sleydan saith two more 7 were sent to Osnburge 6 to Cecsweld 5 to Warendorp 8 to Suzat To them the King gave certain pieces of Gold with this inscription on the one side Vnless one be born by water and by the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven On the other side The Word was made flesh one God one Faith one Baptism They were to present that coin to every Town where their doctrine was not received and leave x The Apostles dust more dreadful then their 〈◊〉 it there for a Testimony against them These new Apostles went into the Cities where they were sent crying in the streets that the people should repent and join with them else they should shortly perish With that noise having raised a tumult they were apprehended brought to the Magistrates before whom they spread a cloak upon the ground and threw their coin upon it saying that they were sent by the Father to offer them peace which if they refused they would leave that coin amongst them as a pledge of Gods wrath against their ungratefulness and hardness of heart That the time was come foretold by the prophets that the whole world should follow righteousness which God would work by their King and when he had made righteousness to raign over all the world that then he should give up the Kingdom unto his Father Being questioned by the Magistrates first with fair words and after by tortures about their faith their conversation and the state of the City of Munster they answered that none in the world but they y The trick of all Seducâ—rs had the true Doctrine which they were ready to seal with their blood z Causa non poena facit Martyrem that since the Apostles time the word of God had not been purely preached and no justice was in the earth That there was four great Prophets two good David of Delft and John of Leyden and two bad the Pope and Luther but Luther the worst of the two a True Religion more hated then fals by Seducers Being asked by what Scripture they could justifie their unjust dispossessing of so many good men from their houses and goods and making bold with their wives They answered that the time was come foretold by Christ that the meek b Meek with a witness shall inherit in the earth That in the same manner God had given the goods of the Egyptians to the Israelites and among the goods c Mad men reckon madly they reckoned the wives That they might lawfully take many wives upon condition they should lye with them all till they were with childe and when one was with child they might take a new one in her stead That they held women at 12 yearr of age to be fit for husbands That they put away barren women or past child-bearing and committed them to curators as being good for nothing d Poor encouragement for women â—o follow their precious ways As for the provision of the Town they said that S. James Church was all full of Malt. That they had barly for two years and many thousand quarters of meal and great store of Bacon A false relation for soon after they fell to eating of dogâ— and leather in Munster They constantly affirmed that their King expected a great army out of Holland and Frize which as soon as it was come he would begin his expedition to subdue the world and kill all Kings for their perverse administration of justice and that they knew by revelation that their King of Sion would shortly be King of the whole earth They persisted in denying all Magistrates but their own King e They can down with their own for which they were put to death as enemies of all laws and order and brands of sedition and there was an end of that Apostleship that should have preached a Gospel of rebellion over all the world This legation was in October 1534. at which time Munster began to be short of victuals this occasioned a plot of some of the Town to take the King and send him bound to the Bishop The plot was discovered to the King who thought it not safe to make the Authors known only he committed the Town and himself to twelve trusty Captains to whom he divided a government in the air of several Provinces sparing no Prince but the
by a (z) Fashioning their doctrine to practise a new light publick doctrine This doctrine then was readily embraced by those whose age and temper was aptest to consult with flesh and blood None refraining himself from multiplication of wives for want or covetousness for their wives were kept upon the common-Stock Neither did they keep any face of Order or any shew of modesty in those marriages for presently after the receiving of that Law the brethren ran to the hansomest women of the City striving who should be served first and lay with them without any form of contract so that within few days there was not one woman of 14. years of age but was violated (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet 2.14 But those of the City that yet had some remnant of sound mind being extreamly grieved with disorder and groaning under that foul tyranny made a party and laid hold of John of Leyden Knipperdolling and all the Prophets which coming to the ears of the frantick rabble of people which made the greatest number they took arms and rescued the Prophets and killed fifty of their adversaries most of them in cold blood and with several kinds of devised cruelties (b) Seducers cruel John of Leyden encouraging the murtherers and crying that he that would do God service should give the first blow CHAP. IV. Continuation of the siege of Munster The reign of John of Leyden The taking of Munster The deserved punishment of the Rebels VVHile they were thus wiving and striving in Munster the Bishop had fair play if he could have husbanded the occasion Some weak attempts he made with ill success and having till then born the charges of the warr alone he was afterwards assisted with men and mony by Herman Archbishop of Colen and John Prince of Cleves and asked succour of all the Cities of the Rhyne about which demand there was a meeting appointed to be held at Coblents Decemb. 13. 1534. This long delay gave time to John of Leyden to project new designs He declared that the Spirit of Prophesie was retired from him and reposed upon John Tuscocurer a Goldsmith of Warendorp And this new Prophet having called the Congregation together declared that it was the will of the heavenly Father that John of Leyden should be (a) He wil cease to be a Prophet that he may be King King of the Universe And that with mighty Armies he should kill all Kings and Princes and destroy all the ungodly and save the people that love righteousness and that he must possess the Kingdom of his Father David till the time come that he must deliver the Kingdom to his Father (b) The hâ—ight of blasphemy And that all the ungodly being killed the godly should reign in the World Whereupon John of Leyden fell on his knees and lifting up his hands to heaven said Men and brethren so much I knew long ago but I would not reveal it Now God hath made choice of another to bear witness to that truth Then said Tuscocurer again Thus saith the Lord As I set Saul to be King in Israel and after him David taken from the Sheep-fold so I have set John Becold my Prophet to be King in Sion And when the Senate refused that prophesie the Prophet refused the Senate and appealed to the Congregation sâ—ying Give ear Israel Thou shalt abrogate thy Magistrates and put down thy Preachers and instead of them establish 12 simple men (c) Simple men seduced great agents for Satan without any learning them thou shalt command that they read my word unto my people and without any help but my spirit expound it into them will I pour the spirit of wisdom and understanding Then giving a sword to of John of Leyden And to thee saith he Father Becold the Father giveth this sword and calleth thee not only to be King in Sion but over all the World and to extend thine Empire unto the ends of the earth This oracle was followed with great shoutings and acclamations of the people crying God save the King and presently he was brought to S. Lamberts Church-yard and there again proclaimed K. There the new King created four Counsellors of State the chief whereof was one Gerard a Book-binder one Talbeck he made Lord Steward of his houshold Gerard Kippenbrok Treasurer of his Plate and Jewels Knipperdolling Governor of the City and appointed twelve Archers of his Guard This Taylor King presently made use of his skill to make himself fine in clothes He translated the copes and carpets of the Churches convents into dublets and breeches and cloaks which set off his Majesty all in gold and silver His horses wore a suitable livery richly harnessed with golden and silver Saddles and footcloths he had great change of rich apparel in which he appeared abroad having his chief Officers aid Counsellors riding before him in great State Next to him rid two young men richly attired the one carrying a naked sword with a golden hilt set with precious stones the other carried a Bible and a triple Crown of gold of exquisite work glittering with diamonds Himself wore a great chain of gold about his neck like a Coller of some noble Order with a golden Globe having a golden Sword thorough it hanging at the chain with this Motto about the Globe Rex justitiae hujus mundi the King of Righteousness of this world After him followed fifty Pensioners clad with parti-coloured garments of ash-colour and grass-green white caps and golden rings on every finger making the ash-colour an emblem of mortification the grass-green of regeneration the white caps of innocencie the golden rings of charity but among these prophetical riddles he ordered his Court with so much State and so disposed his Officers that if he had been a King born he could have done it no better So much all his adversaries acknowledge In that Royal array he shewed himself three times a week in publick and went up to a high Throne set up with great magnificence Under him sate Knipperdolling Governour of the City and lower his four great Counsellors of State In that Court he he judged of all controversies most of which were about divorces for by his new orders any man that was weary of his wife might take another as many more as he listed which could not but multiply suits and give work to the new King and his Counsellors and Prophets In that Court Knipperdolling would ever come out with some Bedlam rapture Once he fell flat to the ground and creeping upon his hands and feet he went to several persons of the Assembly and blowing them in the mouth said The Father hath sanctified thee receive the holy Ghost Another time he fell a dancing saying So I danc't once with my little harlot and now the heavenly Father hath commanded me that I should dance so in the Kings presence Another time before the King came he sate in his chair of Majesty
immediate power of Christ and heard he thought a voice that that writing with his hand upon the ground did signifie the writing of the law in his heart Having lain all night upon the ground as aforesaid the power moved his hands to his head and laid them on the top thereof fast closed together whereupon he heard a voice r Vox praeterea nihil Christ in â—od and God in Chriâ—t and â—hrist in thee which he was compelled to sing before the company in a strange manner with such a voice as was not naturally hâ—â— own he sang also diverse phraâ—â—s of Scripture given into him after which he was raised fom the ground and set on hâ—s feet by the power within him which bad him be s A great shew of humility may consist with a great deal of pride humble and brought him down again upon his knees and with a whispering voice said stoop low low and having stooped neer the ground with his face it said Take up the Crosse and follow me arising he was led out of the house to the river and thence into the town drawn down the street and caused suddenly to turn to a door himself not knowing who lived in the housâ— two of the company following him all the time and seeing him go to the door said whither wilt thou go this is the Fidlers t A merry Divell house he answered whose house soever it is Christ v How far wide when the Divell taken for Christ leads me hither and therefore I must go w Needs must when the devil drives Whereupon his hand was carried to knock and he commanded to say behold Christ stands at the door and knocks The Fidler opened and Gilpin was led into the house not speaking to him where his hand was carried to a Base-viall hanging up he took it down and began to play upon it and was immediately compelled to fall a dancing hereupon he questioned the power to which the voice replyed this is not because I love Musick for I hate * Enough to shew it was the Divel for if he did not he lied if he did not God it but to signifie what joy there is in heaven at thy conversion as also whaâ— spirituall motion thou shalt have hereafter Then he was led out of the house into the street and through the town being moved to proclaim as he went I am the Way the Truth and the Life after which he was brought to his home Will. Dodding going along with him acknowledged that he had no power to leave him at the time being at home he was cast on the ground and caused to make circles round the house the power telling him p. 7. that he was putting off the old man his hand was carried to take up a stone on the floor which to him seemed to be in the fashion of a heart the voice telling him that Christ had taken that stone out of his heart y What is poor man when deluded given him a heart of flesh and his hand was moved to hold it out to the Spectatours and his fancy to say Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe and throwing the stone amongst them he said low here is my heart of stone afterwards being cast upon the ground on his back the voice spake thou shalt have two Angels to keep thee whereupon two Swallows came down the Chimny and set upon a shelf over against the place where he lay and he cryed to by standers my Angels my Angels * Poor man if no better kept he held out his hand towards them expecting them to come to him but they went up the Chimny though both the Doors and Windows were open He was carried out of the doors by the power upon his Hands and Knees into the street which his wife and others laboured to hinder but he told them he would leave all to follow Christ in that manner he went up the streets thinking he bore a Crosse on his neck and continued in this motion till some pulled him out of the mire dirt and by force carried him into the house whereupon he was moved to point to one of them that brought him in and to say Christ points at thee thou art a wicked woman and hast hindred the work of the Lord. Then the voice asked him where his Crosse was telling him he had scattered it whereupon he was moved to make a Crosse with his finger on the floor and forced to set his head upon it playing topsy turvy * Poor man the Divels May game thinking then he had taken up his Crosse In those actions he was kept along while having many Scripture expressions given in to the admiration of all that heard him sometime he was forced to leap and dance this expression being given into him now have I finishâ—d the work which thou gavest me to doe z You see whom what the Divil delights to abuse thinking his redemption then fully accomplish'd but his joy continued not for he was cast down again and the voice told him he had offended God in attributing that to himself was proper to Christ a Good but not to a good end whereupon he was cast upon the ground and lying on his belly he was forced to lick the dust his hand carried extraordinarily upon his head having a voice given him that no sin must go unpunished so creeping up and down the house he heard a voice where is thy Crosse upon which looking aside he thought he saw a rosse hanging in a thread which with his hand he put behind his neck he was kept in this posture all the day when many Quakers came into him who spake be lowly mind thy condition and hearken to the voice within His strength being almost spent and his body much consumed by continual restlesnesse two Quakers offered to watch with him that night but he refused after this he began to questiâ—n b As well he might whether the power he was acted by was Divine or Diabolical whereupon he was struck with fear and his hand was carried to take up a Knife which done his hand was carried towards his throat and the voice said open a hole there c John 8.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will give thee the words of eternall life whereupon he answered what with a Knife and so threw it away his wife in the next room hearing him p. 9 came out and desired him to go to bed which he did in the morning he thought a divel went out of him at which instant he roared most hideously crying now is the Divel gone out of me at which instant he and his family heard it thunder though none in the Town beside which made him think it was the Divel soon after the same power came and told him that it was Satan that had possest and led him heretofore but now Christ was come and he
neighbour Pro. 12.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a worthiness of Sex there is a difference between hic and haec superiority in relations the man is the head of the woman 1 Cor. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hoary head m Goliah pag. 63. would foolishly avoid it by saying wisdom is the gray hair M. Danson that young men must honour parts and places that carry reverence in the face of them this man by the light within him cannot or will not read the fifth Commandment written in his heart but one day conscience will accuse him I had not said so much but that he layes such stresse upon it in words before This Priest is a bolsterer of men up in their sins and sowes pillows under their armes for he calleth them WORTHY that are his hearers a worthy proof and most unworthy charge And whether tends this but to make all men of no esteem that are not adorned with the jewel of grace nor those neither unless Quakers 3. Again in his Allarm p. 116 ult Let all Rulers and Magistrates cease their medling with setling the things of Gods Kingdom for I have seen they have all been broken to pieces as soon as they go about that work for the Lord will do his worke himselfe but he will break the great Potsheards of the earth to pieces if they meddle with those things that concern the setling of his kingdome with more to the same But Answ 1. But why all this That they might destroy and none might let They that have so much boldness now what would they then make all bow or break before them It is not forgotten into what a condition we had almost been cast into by you 2. The Lord hath alway done his work himselfe and yet hath vouchsafed to make use of means Moses David Solomon even to build Josias Hezekias Zerubbabel to repair And when he speaks of Gospel times he doth engage to do great things by great men whose wealth and power and dignity should much conduce to Heirusalems glory 3. And it is evident enough were the Quakers but Lords in the earth they would meddle with the things of God and Christ not to build but pull down with a witness in principle practice perswasions and great threatning words Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do now what lies in them and more too but that they are holpen by the Prince of the ayre which workes in the children of disobedience and leads them captive at his will 4. In the Questions at the end of A Gag for Quakers p. 4. Q. 14. there is this query put Do not you say that the Magistrate who makes Acts of Parliament and doth not receive them from God as Moses did doth act contrary to the Law of God as I made in the Book called Fiery darts of the Devill quenched printed by Calvert 1654. and subscribed by six Quakers the answer to this is YEA Are you not ashamed Have you no more wit then thus to speak out and confirm it with a Yea What doth this but at once cut off the head of all humane Lawes and make Magistracy even an ineffectual cipher not in any capacity to make Laws pro hic nunc they have forgotten ex malis moribus nascuntur bonae leges that the wickednesse of the times timely occasions good Laws but the tendency of this is most pernicious to perswade men to rule and he ruled by the pretence of immediate Revelations and then the Devill will play Rex indeed witnesse but that sad story of Munster l. 1. c. 3.4 mentioned in the first Book where all was done by pretence of Inspiration till all was undone the like in all circumstances never being acted under the Sun God give our K. and Senators wisdom to enact wholsome Laws in such a time as this for the establishing of truth righteousnesse and peace and then shall we and our posterity in the obeying of them be happy and have great cause to blesse the great Law-giver though he give not Laws to them as sometime to Moses 5. In the same Author q. 16. is it not confessed by your selves in Sauls errand p. 4. and attested by several Justices of the Peace Ministers of the Gospel and people in the County of Lancaster that you teach Doctrines that break the relation of Subjects to their Magistrates Baxters Quakers Catechism p. 16. I know the highest of your Sect do forbid your owning of such relations See Tolderry before Cap. 3. a sufficient answer with Gotherson afterward to Naylors denying of it Wives to their Husbands Children to their Parents Servants to their Masters Congregations to their Ministers and of a People to their God Answ Our Doctrine tends to the breaking no true relations Reply It seems you think those no true Relations But here once for all Let me take an occasion to raise up against them an enemie from among themselves who though in other things theirs yet in this of naturall relations and some other things is clear and full against them Epist 4. Allarm p. 50. AMong those tender Lambs of Christ those Babes that are born again those plants of the Lords right hand trees of his own planting that are full of sap the Cedars of Lebanon I mean those that are by the wicked of the earth the men of this world in scorn called Quakers By this you see what an high account he hath of them and how low of all beside them Among those is crept in wicked deceivers ungodly men and ungodly women even as Judas crept in amongst the Apostles such who thinke that gain is godliness such who follow Christ for the loaves such as thinke they can serve two Masters God and Mammon Christ and riches Christ and lust Christ and the world Christ and Antichrist We see then 1. Though they boast of perfection yet they are a mingled mixed multitude there are evill and dangerous persons got amongst them 2. That simple people had need to be wary for by this very confession a man is in danger instead of meeting with an honest Quaker to be catched by a Judas a servant of Lust Mammon and Antichrist Such who teach the doctrine of Devills that Paul speaks of Neer kin to Papists denying to marry and to abstain from meats such as turn the grace of God in them into wantonnesse truce breakers breakers of Covenants pretending they were marryed in their carnall estate and they were never moved of the Lord and therefore they may leave their Husbands their Wives This is dangerous enough and the foundation laid broad enough Married in their carnall estate when the man is truly grown more carnall then when married and lusts after strange flesh then shall this serve for a bill of Divorce and when they shall be moved by the Devill then they were never moved by the Lord Are not these such as while they promise to others liberty are themselves