put into the Tower he towred up his just principle also and arraigned them and their well-wishers at the tyrannicall and usurping bar of his Justiceship He hath expressed himself bitterly against them p. 67. Often saying that he would give 200l to have me taken out of the way p. 67. He hath alwaies envied the happiness and prosperity of the Gentlewoman p. 67. He caused the sault of M. Whites to be taken away p. 67. He perswades her viz. Mistress White to sell a parcell of Plate She left the sale to him could never have any accompt only received eight pounds p. 67. Many writings of consequence was put into his custody but not since to be found p. 67. His envy is against the estate and the Gentlewomans prosperity and therefore he will do what he can to destroy it p. 68. Of all things written and related by this notorious Libellous Parson he saith though it be large yet its all true In the Catalogue aforegoing you have the most part of those scandalous and slanderous untruths as they lay in Order in Tho. Webbs disorderly Masse of malice In which he hath as he thinks justified himself and sufficiently bespattered with his black mock-Parson mouth both Judge and Justices especially M. Stokes on him he hath vomited all his own shame contracted with the long enjoyment of a fat Parsonage and a fine Concubine That it may the more clearly appear that the said Catalogue is a bundell of notorious untruths some few of them and they the most grosse against M. Stokes are answered by which the Reader may see of what mettle the rest are made In the 53. pag. of his Masse of malice he confesseth that he is ejected the place viz. the Parsonage of Langley B. and in the 20. pag. he attributes the ejectment to M. Stokes as you may see in the 51 untruth in the Catalogue before Wherefore it is very necessary that M. Stokes should be required and rewarded for so good a work and the Parson scorns to be ungratefull and therefore not as a bribe before hand but as a gratuity afterward he brings out of his learned Treasury viz. his most unchristian and Parson-like heart a whole Masse of malice and laies through his Pastorall charity the greatest mess of the said Masse on M. Stokes his Trencher And therefore in the 54 page he begins afresh as a Parson recovering breath to compleat his Masse of malice with a Truly truly saith he my eyes have seen him do such horrid acts of blasphemy of the highest nature as ever I heard related to be done by any nay I never heard of the like acted by any whether Atheists Pagans or Infidels Answer How or when could the Parson see with his eyes such horrid acts of blasphemy and not with his tongue reprove nor admonish the offender surely no conclusion can be gathered from hence but this either he believes his own eyes or else was a party in those acts for silence gives consent Honest Parsons or true Christians having the least part of grace remaining in the heart would have used other means or waies to bring a blasphemer to the sight of his evil then publish the same in a Libellous Pamphlet two years after the fact yet before any other admonition you may easily conclude 't is publisht in a Masse of malice That M. Stokes is such a man or guilty of such high crimes must be proved by more persons and those of better repute then the quondam Parson of Langley and registred in a better record and more true then Webbs Masse of malice otherwise none but vain and light creatures will credit the report M. Stokes affirms that he hath had no familiarity with Webb for four years last past ended in July 1652. And therefore if his eyes have seen M. Stokes do such horrid acts of blasphemy either a Parsonage or a blasphemous principle hung in the Parsons light that he could never see to speak of it but conceal it till he brought forth his Masse of malice The very reason the Parson urgeth why he concealed it till now will clear up the innocency of M. Stokes the tender respects saith he I did owe to him because he carried a fair correspondency with honest people hath made me hitherto to conceal the same Mark would not any man of reason think that there was reason enough for the Parson to indeavour to convince M. Stokes of his error as the Scriptures direct and if M. Stokes had refused his admonition he might have publisht the evil to the honest party towards whom he carried a fair correspondency and those honest men might have assisted the Parson in so good a work but surely the Parson was ignorant of his duty otherwise he never saw those horrid acts of blasphemy nor ever thought of them till he had sat upon and almost hatcht his Masse of malice But to come to some particulars he saith in the aforesaid 54 page of M. Stokes In the first place he is a publique mocker jearer and derider of all publique worship Answer M. Stokes his daily practice both in publique and private acquits him of this slander The consciences of his greatest opposites even Webb and divers more of the Ranting crew will free him now in private and shall at the last and great account publikely confesse that this charge proceeded from the brains and bowels of a discontented Parson who having lost a good name and a fat Parsonage behaves himself as a Bear that is robbed of her whelps Yet M. Stokes confesseth that he hath been addicted to laughing and jearing at false and formall worshippers both Papists and common Protestants who make ignorance the mother of devotion and worship an unknown God or the true God after a manner not prescribed in Gods word Moreover he confesseth that he hath privatly and publiquely jeared those that Preach and Pray and Professe to for to gain good names fat Parsonages and handsome women for wives and whores that makes merchandise of the word of God that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and this Tho. Webb knows whose works praise him in the gate M. Stokes who before the Lord acknowledgeth that he is lesse then the least of all Gods mercies affirms that he hath a most honourable accompt and high esteem of all Gods Ordinances of all true worship and worshippers and withall believes that Marriage it self is an Ordinance in force honourable amongst all and the bed undefiled which the accuser believes not nor yet the Commandment which saith Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife The Parson gives one instance to prove M. Stokes such a publique mocker but it 's as solid as the Parson is learned viz. that M. Stokes Captain Matraners and himself were all three in London about two years ago and lying liars had need of good memories in the blew Bores-head in King-street the morning we were to come out of town M. Stokes fell down
THE Wiltshire Rant OR A NARRATIVE Wherein the most unparallel'd Prophane Actings Counterfeit Repentings and evil Speakings of THOMAS WEBBE Late pretended Minister of Langley Buriall are discovered the particulars whereof are set down in the following Page Also the Proceedings of those in Authority against him With a Catalogue of his untruths in his Masse of malice and Replies to sundry of them By Edw. Stokes Esq ISAIAH 59. 4 5 6. They trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity They hatch Cockatrice eggs and weave the Spiders Webb He that eateth of their eggs dieth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper Their Webbs shall not become Garments neither shall they cover themselves with their works their works are works of iniquity LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange 1652. THE CONTENTS Thomas Webb late pretended Minister of Langley Buriall Appears in Wilts like an Angel of Light Page 3. Obtains a Parsinage ib. Refuseth Tithes ib. Burieth his second wife ib. Makes himself sure to another mans wife p. 4. Commits Adultery with her by his own confession ib. Marrieth a third wife ib. Becomes a kinde of Pander to his own wife p. 6. Hath a man-wife who is discovered p. 7. Fals at variance with Mistress M. W. another mans wife p. 10. Is accused of sundry horrid crimes and misdameanors by Mistress M. W. and divers others p. 11. The Catalogue of the women he said he had lien withall p. 12. He getting the French-pox gave it his wife ib. Salmons blasphemous Letter p. 13. The particulars of his fained repentance p. 14. Maketh frequent Confessions of his unclean life to M. Stokes and others p. 15. His first Letter to M. Stokes confessing his uncleannesse p. 16. His second Letter of Confession and repentance to Edw. Stokes and William Shute Esquires p. 17. His third Letter to William Shute Esq. p. 19. Preacheth against whorish women and the sinne of uncleannesse ib. Becomes friends with Mistress M. W. p. 21. Scorns and contemns such as dislike his waies and those to whom he confessed his unclean life ib. His companions p. 21. His study 22. Songs p. 22. Is become a lover of Musick and mixt dancing ib. Seeks the ruine of his own fellow-creatures for relating his wicked word and works p. 23. Is charged to have been taken in the act of Adultery with M. W. p. 29. Is examined upon the information which is upon Oath and committed to Goal p. 33. Rails against his accuser and the Justices p. 34 35. Pretends a second repentance in Goal p. 39. His deliverance and return from Goal p. 43. The Articles of prophanenesse and scandall against him p. 47. Depositions to the Articles against him p. 49. to 56. His ejectment from the Parsonage of Langley B. p. 57. His Masse of malice discovered p. 58. A Catalogue of his lies p. 60 61 c. Replies to some of his lies and self-invented blasphemies p. 66 67 68 69. His blasphemy upon Record p. 82. His late progresse into and return from Wilts. ib. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER READER THou art here presented with a Narrative of one of the most saddest Stories that hath been related in this latter age in which you have these three particulars First A true Character of T. W. late Minister of Langley Buriall his life and actions according to his own Confessions Letters and Accusations of his own dear fellow-creatures whilst he continued Ranting upon the publique Stage of Wilts with the proceedings of the Justices against him the said Webb Secondly Thou hast laid before thee a Catalogue of Parson Webbs most notorious untruths dispersed in his Mass of malice against his Judge the Justices of Peace and his accusers and prosecutors c. Thirdly Thou hast divers of those untruths guarded with replies of truth tending to clear up the innocency of the most falsly accused E. S. from those fierce foul and hell-invented aspersions laid to his charge by the malevolent mock-Parson T. W. And the Narrative aforesaid is now made publique First To inform the world upon what grounds Tho. Webb was prosecuted and tried for his life in the County of Wilts and wherefore he was ejected the Parsonage of L. B. Secondly To give a true Character of the most delusive Parson T. W. that others be not deceived by him as many hundreds in Wilts have been many of whom are bound to curse the day that ever they saw his fawning face or heard his deceitfull tongue Thirdly To clear up the innocency of those in Authority and to make it manifest that their proceedings against the said T. W. were neither unjust illegall nor malicious as the Author of the Mass of malice and his Ranting gang give out Fourthly To lay open the weaknesse wickednesse and vanity of the Ranting principle and practice that Wisdom may be justified of her children c. and the mouth of ungodlinesse stopped To conclude with the Psalmist Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies Psal. 40. 4. Reader Thou art desired to take notice of two particulars for the better understanding of the Author in the ensuing Narrative First That it is not his intention in any wise to cast reproach or contempt upon any of the Godly able Ministers of the Gospel for such he accounts worthy of double honour according to that 1 Tim. 5. 17. whom to despise is to despise Jesus Christ whose messengers they are sent out to proclaim the grace and love of God to sinners that they may be turned from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God whose number the Lord increase for the glory of his great Name But prophane ignorant and scandalous Ministers and such as take upon them the work of publique Ministers and Preachers when never sent of the Lord nor allowed or approved of men nor any way gifted and qualified for so glorious a work whose light is but darknesse whose confidence is in the flesh whose God is their belly who glory in their shame who minde earthly things Amongst which number you shall finde the painted sepulchre and wandering starre T. W. with his most besotted faction and adherents These are the mock-Parsons and Priests mentioned and intended in the Narrative and none other and who in their best estate make but a fair shew in the flesh to accomplish their wicked and most pernicious ends which when obtained their abominations appear to the great scandal of Religion and the righteous waies and people of God The second particular is to let the Reader know that the said Narrative is the more dark and hard to be understood because the names of many persons principall actors in the Wiltshire Rant and others deluded and abused by them are at this time past over in silence and not made publique and that for these Reasons First Many of them seem
Webb told this Deponent that if he did come to be examined against him that he would bring his Action for the same against him Deborah Clerke late servant to the said Robert Jeffryes aged Seven and twenty years or thereabouts Sworn and Examined deposeth as followeth TO the second Article this Deponent saith That in some short time after Mistress White was delivered of her childe the said M. Webb came to her said late Masters house and asked her Dame how Mistress White and her childe did and withall did thereupon say in a boasting way That the childe which Mistress White had then brought into the world was his the said Webbs childe or no Edith Lewis wife of William Lewis of Langley aforesaid Yeoman aged Forty years or thereabouts Sworn and Examined deposeth as followeth TO the second Article this Deponent saith That about Whitsuntide last was twelve-moneth the said M. Webb this Deponents husband and she this Deponent being conferring together concerning matters of Religion she this Deponent did then and oftentimes since bear the said M. Webb say That he did live above Ordinances and that it was lawfull for him to lye with any woman And at one time above the rest the said M. Webb Mistress White this Deponent and divers others sitting in the Gate-house of the dwelling-house of the said Mistress White there being tame Pidgeons in the Court the said M. Webb observing a great Cock Pidgeon to tread divers of the Hen Pidgeons there said unto those that were there present that it was lawfull for every man and woman and that they ought to take that liberty and freedom one with the other as those Pidgeons did although they were not married the one to the other To the fourth and fifth Articles this Deponent saith That upon a Lords day in the afternoon about Whitsuntide last was twelve-moneth the said M. Webb being asleep in a room of the dwelling-house of her this Deponents husband and sitting in a chair this Deponents husband came to him and awaked him and then said unto the said M. Webb that it was time to go to Church for the Bell had done ringing and there was a great audience of people come to hear him whereunto the said Mr Webb answered her husband in her this Deponents hearing Alas poor fools why do they come so far to hear me and stand gaping upon me whilst I tell them lies Whereupon this Deponents husband asked the said Mr Webbe What do you tell them lies in the Pulpit whereunto he replied That lying and Preaching was all one to him To the eight Article this Deponent saith that when the said M. Webb entred into the Rectory or Parsonage of Langley Burhill aforesaid the Glebe-lands thereunto belonging were very well stored and replenished with Timber-trees of all sort and other Under-wood and that since that time the said M. Webb hath hewed cut down burnt and sold all or the most part of the said Timber and Under-wood which were any thing worth and hath mored and grubbed up about the one half part of the Copice-ground belonging to the said Rectory And that in summer last was twelve-moneth the said M. Webb did hire Workmen who did by his appointment pull down an handsome Barn belonging to the said Rectory and sold away the materials thereof Robert Powell of Langley Burhill aforesaid Husbandman aged Fifty years or thereabouts Sworn and Examined deposeth as followeth TO the last Article this Deponent saith That the next Sunday after the Lent Assises being the first Sunday after M. Webbe came from Salisbury Gaol he heard the said Webbe in his then morning Sermon Preach and declare to his Auditors then assembled in the Parish-Church of Langley aforesaid these words following that is to say That the works of Jesus Christ and his Apostles were dead works and carnall and ended when they died and served but for their time only and that people might live unto God without Jesus Christ yet said I must confesse that Jesus Christ was the greatest Ordinance that ever God set up and yet the Saints may live unto God without that Ordinance Nicholas Gale of Langley aforesaid Miller aged Five and twenty years or thereabouts Sworn and Examined deposeth as followeth TO the last Article this Deponent saith that about Whitsuntide last upon a Sabbath day he did hear the said M. Webb in his morning-Sermon Preach and declare in the said Parish-Church of Langley to his Auditors these words following that is to say that the doctrine and practice of Jesus Christ and his Apostles were dead works and ended when they died and that Preaching and Praying cease for the Lord hath no ears to hear And this Deponent further saith that at another time afterwards upon a Sabbath day he heard the said M. Webb deliver in a Sermon in the said Parish-Church of Langley that Ministers ought not to be believed though they did Preach the truth except they could work miracles as Christ and his Apostles did Hugh Wastfeild of Langley Burhill aforesaid Yeoman aged Forty years or thereabouts Sworn and Examined deposeth as followeth TO the eight Article this Deponent saith That when the said M. Webb came and entered into the Parsonage of Langley aforesaid the Glebe-land thereunto belonging was very well stored and replenished with Timber-trees and other Under-wood and that since that time the said M. Webb hath hewed cut down burnt and sold a great part of the same Trees and Wood and hath grubbed and mored up a great part of the Copice-ground thereunto belonging and that since the said M. Webbs coming to dwell in the Parsonage-house of Langley aforesaid there hath been a great Barn or Hay-house appertaining to it pulled down and the Material's thereof were either burnt or conveyed a way To the last Article this Deponent saith That he hath heard the said M. Webb deliver in severall Sermons these things following that is to say that the Baptisme of water was only John's Ministry and was a legall washing and to be reckoned amongst legall things that Gods reaching his people is not by any outward Ordinance or Ministry or means but by the inward unction and anointing and that all preaching all conference or speaking one to another is but meer declaring to each other what we are taught and not any Ministry as for the teaching one of another and that he knew not whether Pauls Epistles do concern us or no And further this Deponent saith that he did hear the said M. Webb deliver in a Sermon That he did hope to live so long and that it was now in working that there should be no such thing as a Parsonage or Minister in England The Certificate of George Ivy and William Shute Esquires to the Honourable Committee for Plundered Ministers after they had taken the aforesaid Depositions WE do humbly Certifie your Honours That we being the two next Justices of the Peace for this County of Wilts unto Langley Burhill