impossible that I should be fit to meddle therin So that here a christian louing answer to his great cōfort is giuē further conferēce by speech is offred the course not so much misliked as the succes only is doubted by reason of his vnfitnes that was to be an actor in it But what resolution herein was also returned from the preachers of foraine parts to this case of consciēce propounded by Coppinger may hereby not vnprobably be gathered Arthington at one of his examinations confessed that Penrie sent a letter vnto him forth of Scotland wherin he signified that Reformatiō for so they speake must shortly be erected in England herein he said that he tooke Penrie to be a prophet Now it is sure that Penrie conueied himself priuilie into England and was lurking about London at the self same time when these other prophets arose in Chepeside attending as seemeth the fulfilling of this his Prophesie al 's by their meanes How duetifully and aduisedly those that be subiects haue dealt which hauing intelligence hereof did conceale it till it burst forth of it selfe with apparant danger to her Maiestie and the whole state may thus be gathered For by this conceit of Coppingers you heare it is pretended and surmifed that a commendable cause a cause to be defended yea the very trueth of God which must preuaile is by the state suppressed and kept vnder that it is the will of God to haue such a reformation that impoachment of it is offered by the Queene Counsell and Nobles that this is a great sinne meete to be repented of by them that they must be brought to this repentance that the penaltie against any of them that refuse to be brought is to be detected as Traytors an offence deseruing death that this must bee done out of hand that the will of God in great fauour for the good of his Church was reuealed to him in this behalfe being a man of much fasting prayer rare gifts a prophet an extraordinarie man with an extraordinarie calling such as was not to be bee iudged of or discerned by meere ordinarie men and whereinto he entred not rashly or on a sudden but after many conflicts with himselfe before his yeelding to Gods extraordinarie motion and calling but submitting himselfe neuerthelesse to haue his gifts and calling tryed and allowed of by the best reformed Preachers and therefore not worthy to bee suspected or discredited that the way to bring them to this repentance was a secret mysterie such as those preachers and others whom he conferred with albeit they helde it a worke to bee wished at Gods hands yet by his talke gathered the maner of bringing it in to be so dangerous as that they feared the successe and refused to bee made accquainted with the particular wayes and meanes which hee had plotted to effect it Thereby making choise rather that Coppinger should venture to put it in practise if he remained resolute herein which they found by him of what dangerous consequence soeuer such a way might be then that they by bewraying of him to authoritie should bee any meanes to breake of and preuent his resolucion or quench his zeale And thus with opinion of safetie to themselues they merchandized the hasard of their friends life or els the rearing of sedition in the Realme with the hope that secretly they nourished to haue the Discipline which they dreame of erected Thus Coppinger remayning still more confirmed and selted in this veyne by his Pue-fellowe Wigginton about Easter terme last being as is aforesayd brought acquainted with Hacket as with a most holy man soone after would needes bring Arthington also acquainted with him as one whom vpon so small knowledge he had obserued to bee a very rare man For this purpose hee sent for Arthington to dinner or supper vnto Lawsons house necre to Paules gate where Arthington met first with Hacket together with another whom he calleth a godly man of whose ordinary talke then had Arthington liked very well but had as he saith at that time no further conference with him After which time Arthington discontinued from the Citie remained in Yorkeshire vntil Trinitie terme leauing Hacket and Coppinger behinde him piotting of their purposes together what purposes they had what counsell they entred into and what conferences they entertained betwixt themselues and with others by the euents ensuing will best bee discouered After this Hacket stayed not long in London but desired Coppingor at his departure to write vnto him what successe I. T. had withall assuring him that whensoeuer he should write for him he the said Hacket would streight way come vp againe Hereupon Coppinger writte vnto him first at the end of Easter terme and after againe very earnestly to be at London three dayes before the beginning of Trinitie terme last but he coulde not bee heere so soone by three or foure dayes When he was come he lodged the first night at Islington but sent his horse downe againe into the countrey as purposing to stay long in London Then after a night or two one of which nights hee lodged at the sayd Lawsons house by Wiggintons direction hee was prouided of a chamber and of his boord at one Ralfe kates house in Knight-rider streete by Coppingers meanes and at his charges for he cost Coppinger there eleuen shillings by the weeke But Kayes waxing weary of him in part for that he feared Hacket was a coniurer or witch in that the Camomill he saith in his Garden where Hacket either trode or sate did wither vp the next night and waxed blacke therfore Coppinger prouided at his own charges like wise an other roome for him at one Walkers house by Broken wharfe where he remained vntill his apprehension Whiles Hacket was at Kayes house he vsed before after meales to pray as seemed most deuoutly and zealously but neuer for the Queenes Maiestie Hacket also tolde Kayes that if all the Diuines in England should pray for raine if hee sayde the word yet it should not rayne The first of the aforesayde letters which Coppinger writte vnto Hacket to mooue him to come vp doeth containe matter of note besides not vnfit to be knowen Brother Hacket saith he the burden which God hath layde vpon mee you being the instrument to make me bolde and couragious where I was fearefull and faint is greater then I can beare without your helpe here though I haue it where you are The workings of his holy spirite in me since your departure bee mightie and great my zeale of spirit burneth like fire so that I cannot conteine my selfe and conceale his mercies towardes mee And a little after in the same letter Master Thr is put off till the next tearme the zealous preachers as it is thought are to be in the Starre Chamber tomorowe the Lord by his holy Spirit bee with them my selfe if I can get in am mooued to be there Note and I feare if sentence with seueritie be
Lords busines which was to be done by himself vpon Coppingers backe telling him the Lord had appointed him to it would stand with him in it Thus farre in this point goeth that discourse But long before this time of their two first acquaintances Coppinger vpon his returne foorth of Kent in Michaelmas terme last had signified vnto Arthington and to one T. Lancaster a Schoolemaster in Shoe-lane both being of his familiar acquaintance and whome he had requested to fast and pray with him for successe in obteining a widow that God had shewed him the said Copp great fauour by reuealing such a secret mystery vnto him as was wonderful being in substance thus much viz. that he knew away how to bring the Queene to repentance to cause al her Councel Nobles to doe the like out of hand or els detect them to be traitors that refused Al they by such repentance meaning vnderstanding as it seemeth the erecting of their fanciful Discipline For this phrase being vsual with them in conferences of this matter he thereby sufficiently declared his mind to thē they wel vnderstood what was meant without further a do Nowe it had bene inconuenient that Coppinger should all this while conceale this mysterie which he imparted vnto them after to Hacket from Wigginton who brought them acquainted together vnto whom he so oft resorted and so highly aboue all other Preachers esteemed for his resolute dealings in Gods matters as he termes them whome he also after aduouched vnto Arthington as an irrefragable witnesse to be perswaded by that would iustifie the trueth of Hackets torments whom he also knew more often busied for attaining of that discipline which himselfe also laboured for then perhaps for heauen it selfe And you see that he had accordingly done it Wigginton not discouraging him therein This proposition so made by Coppinger Arthington saith that he Lancaster misliked as a matter impossible by Copp to be done but by the Lord Iesus onely such whereof the issue could not fall out well any way so put him off for the first time not vnderstanding in what maner by what special meanes Coppinger conceaued that such repentance should be wrought in the Queenes Maiestie in others The maner and other circumstances of the first reuealing of this pretended mysterie Coppinger himselfe at large declareth in a letter written the 4. of Februarie last vnto T. C. in prison the occasion of writing it he there saith was the said T. C. offer to take knowledge by writing from him of such matter as might induce him to suppose himselfe to haue receaued some hope of speciall fauour from God to some special vse but yet without warrant from the worde direction of the holie spirite approbation of the Church he was he said most vnwilling to enter into so great an action The letter is long but to this effect that vpon some extraordinarie humiliation of him he with some other and a guide of their exercise ioyned in a fast their guide in the euening spake of the vse of fastes c. and then willed the others to adde to that which he had deliuered either for the generall or particular causes which mooued them to humble themselues that a great part of the said night Coppinger founde himselfe very extraordinarily exercised c. by such a motiue as he could not well describe partly comforted with a wonderfull zeale which he founde himselfe to haue to set foorth Gods glorie any wayes which lawefully hee might enter into partly cast downe by such a burning fire of concupiscence as in his greatest strength of bodie he had not founde the like that the next day he riding into the Countrey as he ridde fansied to himselfe that there was leaue giuen him to speake to God in a more familiar manner then at any time before and also perswaded himselfe that Gods spirite did giue him many strange directions wherein the Lorde would vse him to doe seruice to his most glorious Maiestie and to his Church Vpon which he had thought to haue returned presently backe and to haue left his intended iourney but going on and after being returned backe he imparted to his former fast-fellowes the worke of God in him and desired they might againe ioyne in the like which he with some other went forward with to their comfort but without their chiefe guide for he refused to ioyne Note Hereupon he saith that he was againe stirred vp to such busines of such importance as in the eyes of flesh and blood were likely to bring much danger to himselfe and vnlikely to bring any good successe to the Church of God hereof he writte to some Preachers out of the Realme and to some in the Realme at length he writte hereof to one in the Citie that was silenced who resolued him that God did yet worke extraordinarily in some persons to some speciall vses Hereupon he obteined this Preachers consent to ioyne with him and about foure others on the Lordes day in a fast which day was chosen that they might not hinder their worldly affaires in the weeke and that they vsed meanes to haue notice giuen to some of the Preachers in prison of the day of their humiliation desiring them to commend to God in their prayers the holie purposes Note which any fearing God should in time attempt to take in hand by seeking to bring glorie to God and good to the Church that in their prayers at the saide fast he and others did beseech God that if he had appointed to vse any of them to doe any speciall seruice to him and his that to that ende he would extraordinarily call them that he would seale vp his or their such calling by some speciall maner by his holy spirite and giue such extraordinarie graces and giftes as are fit for so weightie an action The night following he saith he thought in his sleepe that he was caried into heauen and there being wonderfully astonished with the Maiestie of God and brightnes of his glory he made a loude and most strange noise whereby he awaked his brother that lay with him and some in the next chamber Since which time saith he I finde euery day more and more comfort and suppose that there is somewhat in me which my selfe am not so fit to iudge of and therefore I desire the Church I meane your selfe and such as you shall name vnto me because I cannot come to you without danger to your selfe and me to looke narrowly into me if I be thought to be any way mislead I craue sharpe censuring if I be guided by Gods spirite to any good end as hereafter shall be adiudged I shal be ready to acquaint you and them with generalities and particularities so farre foorth as you they be desirous to looke into At this time the ende of my writing is onely to acquaint you with the occasions of mine entring into this great action and
a note of his owne hande set vpon the backe of these two copies thus viz. By these letters it may appeare what care I had to carry my selfe in this action But in his letters about this matter written vnto Preachers others of his owne humor he goeth more plainely to worke and declareth another purpose and that it is aspeciall seruice by him to be done to God and his Church and so no ciuill matter as he elsewhere pretendeth For I finde by a letter of another Gentleman of the Laitie P. W. dated the 25. of Ianuarie last and written vnto Coppinger in answere that Coppinger had sent for him vp to receaue aduise of him in some matters of importance tending to the true seruice of God wherein he was labouring in the ende whereof are these wordes viz. you are in a plentifull soile where you may vse the aduise of many godly wise vse the benefite thereof and then as Ioshua saide be bolde and of a good courage feare not to be discouraged for God euen the mightie God will protect and defend you In his solliciting the Preachers to take trial of his gifts extraordinarie calling it appeareth he vsed some more plainnesse without much disguising of the qualitie of the action which he entended and likewise how faintly he was discouraged from it by them For in a letter of his vnto T. L. written the 29. of Ianuary last he reporteth that M. E. a Preacher most Christianly wisely and louingly perswaded him to be careful circumspect ouer himselfe to take heede lest he were deceaued by the subtiltie of Satan and so mislead wherby he might endanger himselfe both for his libertie estate credite and also be an hinderance to the great cause Note which he would seeme to be most desirous to further but withall the said M. E. concluded that he would be loath to quench the spirite of God in him or to hinder his zeale About this time matter Coppinger writ also another letter to T. C. which thing besides the letter it selfe appeareth also by a letter of his written the 24. of February last to one M. H. The whole tenor of the letter vnto T. C. is in mine opinion meete to be here inserted Note in many respects viz. Right Reuerend Sir I haue with much griefe bene put backe from doing some special seruice to God and to his Church which I hope time wil manifest that I am appointed for which if it had bene done by enemies it should not much haue troubled me but being done by persons as much regarded by me as flesh blood can regard men it goeth neere vnto me From you I receaued this message that I should attempt nothing but by aduise of those whom you would procure to counsel me this was done from you in the name of the Lord of heauen earth therefore I obey it with great care and conscience expecting at your hands that Munday being the day appointed for conference that it may hold that I may be iustifiedin my course or condemned The danger that some stand in for their liues is not vnknowen and if I had not bene letted Note I durst haue ventured my life to haue procured their release ere now God helpe vs I see wisdome zeale courage loue are seene but in few those who would gladly vse those graces giftes which God hath giuen them cannot but God seeth what is best to be done and he will by contrary effects bring to passe whatsoeuer pleaseth him If you wil answer my last questions there may much vse be made of them I desire them as much in regard of others as my selfe who am resolued of diuers things whereof I craue to bee resolued which I doe to good purpose And as you commanded me in the name of God to be wise and circumspect and to deale by counsell so as I may I command you in the name of God that you aduise the preachers to deale speedily and circumspectly Note least some bloud of the saints be shed which must needs bring down vengeance from heauen vpon the land Returne this letter I beseech you to me that I may shew it amongst other things when the meeting shall be and commend me my purposes to God in your holy praiers that they may so far be blessed as himselfe is the directer of them God keepe vs euer his this 14. of Febr. There is also this postscript I am so full of worldly businesse as I haue no time to attend this weightie action but do onely waite vpon God for the direction of his spirit sauing my heart and soule are still mindfull hereof and to morow by Gods grace I will humble my selfe before his maiestie in fasting and prayer hope that God will stirre vp some other to ioyne with me in spirit though few or none in person doe onely one I am assured of Note the prisoners know it I leaue it to them to ioyne or not as God mooues them but if euer men will fast and pray I thinke it is now more then time to doe it The superscription was this To my very louing and reuerend friend master C. He delt also about this matter with another gentleman of the laitie I. T. in one of whose letters written in answer vnto Coppingers the 18. of the fifth moneth meaning thereby Maie I find these words of some marke I confesse saieth he I heard some buzze abroad of a sole and singular course that either you or some other had plotted in his head And a little after thus I would wish you and all that beare good will to the holy cause in this perillous age of ours to take both your eyes in your hands as they say and to bee sure of your ground and warrant before you striue to put in execution Striue to put in execution Besides these and some others he instanted both by worde and letters in Easter terme last about this businesse a certaine gentleman In his first letter to the sayd gentleman dated 19. of May last Coppinger promiseth to him in the name of the L. a recompense in the life to come for that in the Starre chamber he feared God more then man in such a glorious action so pleasing to God so behoouefull to his Church which shall also remaine of record here to all posteritie And a litle after thus If after your owne holy priuate prayer you find any desire of speach with me let me intreat you either to send this letter to M. Cartwright or rather if you can carie it vnto him c. The second letter which he writ to the said Lawyer the 21. of May they hauing in the meane time conferred togither was thus word by word Let thy spirit O gracious father direct vs now and for euer in all our wayes especially in those whereby greatest honor may redound to thy glorious maiestie most benefit to thy church and most
danger to thine enemies Good Sir and my louing brother in the Lord though such as are admitted to consult with God haue by prayer meditation much familiaritie and acquaintance with his holy maiestie need not doubt of good successe in all things which he setteth them a worke in though Satan his vassals crosse their course hinder their labour by all the means they can yet is it also necessary that while we remain in the felowship communion of the saints that we communicate one with another that as louing children we may all ioyne togither to helpe each other to be doers of our heauenly fathers will here on earth as the angels do it in the heauens The conscience which I had hereof enforced me to write vnto you lately and the like mooued you to speake with mee vpon that letter And truely I did obserue many things in that litle time we spent together were sayd done which might mooue either of vs to prayse our good God to cheere vs vp Note to further so holy an action as now is in hand which must needs speed well in the end because it is the Lords owne worke And if we aduenture our selues to do him seruice here he will reward elsewhere You may be bold for you haue the warrant of the worde the allowance of the state and you walke in your owne calling But I am to be fearfull and circumspect because the dangers I enter into be infinite my course misliked though vnknowen because it is extraordinarie which callings be ceased in all mens opinion of iudgement and haue not of long time bene heard of or to bee hoped for but where the word is not preached at all or the Church in a great waste which no body dare affirme our Church of England to be Wherfore it seemeth that euery step that I shal make herein shall be vpon thornes therefore I am to feare pricking yet for all this I am not without hope neither is the same groūded but by good warrant The end why I write vnto you is this to intreat you to giue thanks to those holy mē all on my behalf who are now in questiō I haue reaped much benefit from them by their cariage towards me though they know it not for I durst not in regard of danger which might growe to them visite any of them since I found my selfe caried with a zeale to doe somewhat in the same cause for which they suffer If by some effects hereafter I may shew it that is it which I desire to doe and in the meane time doe what I can to perswade the saints that in this action I seeke Gods glory and not mine owne I haue bene heretofore put backe and disswaded from attempting any thing least I marred all by the wisest the learnedst the zealousest and holiest preachers of this Citie great causes and weightie reasons moouing thereunto But yet this will not make me leaue it but still I am enforced by little and little to labour to make my selfe fit to take vpon me the managing of it Wherefore if it please you to shew the other letter and this and beseech them from me to lay them before the Lord when they shall meete and ioyne togither in prayer and if the Lords spirite shall assure their spirites that he hath bene is and will be with me in this action how hard soeuer it seemeth to be let me by their meanes be vouchsafed this fauour that I may be allowed conferēce with the preachers of the Citie which sute I make not for that I would seeke to haue approbation from them or any other liuing creature but from God himselfe or that I purpose to doe that which heretofore I haue bene aduised vnto Note namely acquaint thē with the courses which I purpose by Gods assistance to take in hand whereby great danger might grow to them and little good to me but that my cariage towards them may witnes vnto them the humilitie of my mind and lowlinesse of my spirit care and conscience not to enter into the matter without offer to haue my gifts examined if they shal be supposed to be such as the church may haue vse of then let all holy means be vsed which shal be aduised to be fit to be done in such a dangerous time and weightie action So beseching God to gouern vs in all our wayes and preserue vs in all our dangers and supply vs with whatsoeuer we stand in need of I humbly and heartily commend you to God this 21 day of May 1591. The effect of the speeches which Coppinger had with him at their conference as the said gentleman himselfe reported was to commend the cause of the preachers committed to incourage him to the defence of it adding that it was the trueth of God that in the end it would preuaile Then the said Coppinger began to declare vnto him his reuelations his great fasting and prayer and how God had indued him with an extraordinarie grace of prayer perswasion or prophesie that God had appointed him as he was perswaded to reueale the will of God touching the reformation of his Church that he had an extraordinarie calling to doe good to the Church and what seuerall conflicts he had in himselfe before he yelded to this extraordinarie motion or calling from God Therefore his request was that by the sayd gentlemans meanes his gifts and calling might bee tried and allowed by those godly preachers c. What the preachers and others that were conferred with answered to Coppinger herein and whether more dutifully to the estate then warily so as they might neither as they thought endanger themselues nor kill or discourage the zeale of that their brother in so pretended holy a cause may partly by that which is afore spoken appeare and wee may then beleeue them when they shall tell vs the whole trueth thereof But how slender and cold discouragement he found with some preachers of London with whom hee delt touching his fantasticall extraordinarie calling and dangerous plots may also appeare by these words found in a letter of his viz. Good master L. as master E. former cariage in this action which standeth me much vpon to deale aduisedly in did somwhat trouble me so his Christian and louing answer deliuered now by you from him vnto me doth much comfort me A comfortable change though by reason of some particular businesse which I must necessarily follow I cannot attend till Friday in the after noone or Saturday any part of the day And after in the same letter thus Satan by his angelicall wisdom which he still retaineth doth many times preuaile with the holiest to make them feare good successe in the best causes in regard of the lets and hinderances which himself laieth in the way It cannot be denied but that the cause is good which I desire to be an actor in but it is sayd by some that it is
giuen I shall be forced in the name of the great and fearefull God of heauen to protest against it my desire is that you haste vp so soone as you can your charges shall be borne by mee And some what after thus If his most holy Spirit direct you to come come If not stay but write with speede and conuey your letter and inclose it in a letter to him who brought you and mee acquainted vz. Wigginton put not your name to it for discouery direct your letter thus To my louing brother in the Lord giue these my letters I put to no name but the matter you know which sufficeth Pray that the Lord may reigne and that his subiects may obey that all instruments whatsoeuer that shall be vsed may bee furnished with such giftes and graces as euery one haue or shall haue neede of that it may appeare that the action now in hand is his owne and therefore he will prouide safety for his holy ones and destruction for those who are vessels of wrath who haue accomplished the number of their sinnes which call for vengeance from heauen These letters Hacket caried to Pamplin scholemaster of Oundell to be read vnto him for that himself could neither write nor reade but I haue not yet heard that he complained thereof to any in authoritie When Arthington also about the midst of Trinitie terme last was returned to London Coppinger hearing therof came to his lodging and then with many words extolled and magnified Hacket vnto him for the holiestman that euer was Christ only excepted one that trauailed together with him for the good of the Queene the land but after an extraordinary maner and not both by one meanes And albeit Arthington as now he saith desired them to keepe their secrets to themselues and not to trouble him with them who had other businesse to attend yet Coppinger importuned him so as hee coulde not auoyde but yeelde to heare Hacket pray before them as a man of a singular spirit albeit vtterly vnlearned of the booke The first prayer of his that Arthington heard was about foure or fiue weekes before their apprehension All which prayers conceiued by Hacket euen since his apprehension the sayde Arthington praysed to be so diuine sweete and heauenly that thereby he was drawen into a great admiration of him In all the praiers that Hacket made in his presence Arthington obserued this difference from other mens that he vsually therein desired the Lord to confounde him if he did not seeke onely his honour and glorie in all things which Arthington marking from time to time in him and seeing him still to be so perfitly sound and very wel was thereby drawen together with Coppingers wordes and experience of him to recken and esteeme of him as of a most holy man This lesson of wishing themselues confounded his sayde two schollers by imitation did so perfitly learne of him that to the great astonishment and horror of such that afterward examined them they vsed this execration wishing themselues confounded and damned if they said not the trueth in euery matter whereof they made any asseueration and wherein they desired to be credited thinking as Arthington confesseth that whatsoeuer the spirit as he fansied tolde him was a trueth he was bound to binde it vpon his saluation or damnation These being ioyned with the relation of certaine extreme torments which Hacket had signified vnto them that he suffred not onely outwardly by the instigation of certaine noble and worshipfull persons as he vntruely made them beleeue but more grieuously a great deale hee sayde by suffering whatsoeuer either Deuils in hell Sorcerers or Witches in earth could practise against him all which he pretended to haue endured for triall and proofe that the Gospell was the true Religion against Poperie and all other sects did so deepely astonish or rather infatuate them that after great fasting and prayer vsed which fasting they vsually performed on the Sabboth dayes they all did resolutely conclude that if Hacket indured in trueth all these torments and practises against him for so holy an ende no doubt hee was a man which shoulde not onely establish the Gospell in all kingdomes but all Kings and Princes should also yeelde their scepters vnto him and hee shoulde bee established chiefe king ouer all Europe Reasoning thus with themselues that surely the Lord had some great good to be done by him that had indured so much for his sake Nowe this was the opinion which to haue firmely planted in them two as in deede it was first in Coppinger and afterward in Arthington was the mayne scope and drift as may seeme of all Hackets cunning counterfaiting of so much holinesse pietie zeale and religion To worke this he handled his actions so warily with them that Coppinger seriously once auouched vnto Arthington how himselfe had by good experience found that God would denie vnto Hacket nothing which he prayed for or desired and namely protested that Hacket begged of God in a drought that was not long afore their apprehension a showre of rayne and that it was presently sent in good aboundance Coppinger also so firmely beleeued Hacket that he tolde his owne man Emerson how Hacket being imprisoned the boltes would often fall off his heeles miraculously But for proofe that such incredible torments were in deede susfered by Hacket he appealed herein to some of the Nobilitie and to diuers others both of worshippe and good credite This did Coppinger further confirme vnto Arthington saying that Master Wigginton also did iustifie the trueth of the torments that Hacket suffered and could doe it with a hundred honest witnesses moe if neede required And Arthington himselfe also once heard Wigginton pitifully tell how great and extreme torments Hacket had indured But being asked by them why hee was so tormented and how these could tend to proue the Gospel to be the onely true religion Hacket answered them thus that his tormentors the better to colour their lewde purposes and malice gaue out and surmised him to be out of his wits but the trueth was sayde he that being once at table with one G. H. an obstinate Papist and reasoning which was the true religion I defending this which we now professe to be the trueth against Poperie and all other sectes amongst other speaches I protested vpon my damnation that this was the trueth and withall prayed that I might sinke presently downe into hell if it was not so and that if he the said G. H. would say so much for his religion if hee did not sinke presently into hell then would I take Poperie to be the true religion But he refusing so doe and being greatly mooued thereby against me complotted with a Knight a neere kinseman of his and with another gentleman being a Papist and with sundry others who found such meanes as that they procured Deuils to be raysed Sorcerers witches and Enchaunters all which sayde hee I knowe and can name and minde one
my first loue and haue embraced the God of this world But my conscience beareth mee witnesse of the contrary the reason of mine absence being so great and so weightie that hereafter when they shal be examined by your selues who are indued with the spirit of wisdome and discerning of spirits I doubt not but you will allowe of my not cōming Note which might bring you into more trouble and danger then it would do me good or breede me comfort And afterward thus You haue care conscience to further the building of the Lords house which lieth waste and to seeke the finall ouerthrow of Antichrists king dome which being the Lords owne worke hee will blesse it and all the actors in it And this I dare be bold of mine own knowledge to report that in this great worke he hath diuers that lie hid and are yet at libertie who are hammering their heads busying their braynes and spending their spirits in prayers to God as much as you or any of you that are in prison Note and hope in short time to he brought forth into the sight of their and your enemies to defend the cause you stand for And againe afterward in this wise I beseech you cheere vp your selues in the Lord for the day of our redemption is at hand and pray that the hand of the Lord may be strengthened in them Note whom he hath appointed to take part with you in this cause and beseech him that blessing may be vpon Sion and confusion vpon Babel Pardon my long letter I beseech you and impart mine humble sute to all the rest to whom I neither dare write nor offer to see I neither put to my name nor make subscription the bringer can report who sendeth the letter and let that suffice Furthermore that they hated deadly and maligned her Maiestie as a principall obstacle to their innouation and kingdom and therefore sought to depriue her highnes of her Soueraigntie and life may be gathered by their owne words and actions for Hacket confessed before the other two that at a sermon of one Egertons preaching in the Blacke Friers whither they vsually resort he the sayd Hacket remayned vncouered all the sermon tyme vntill the preacher came to pray for her Maiestie but then hee sayd that hee put on his hat And when Arthington demaunded why he did so Copping streight way answered thus There is a matter in that Likewise when as in their priuate praiers among themselues Arthington vsed to pray for the Queene Coppinger would sundry times tell him that his so doing did much grieue Hacket adding that in the beginning himselfe did also pray for her but Hacket had now drawen him from it saying there was a cause why which Arthington knew not but should know hereafter For saieth he you doe not know this man meaning Hacket who is a greater person then shee and in deed aboue all the princes in the world And when as on the very Sundry before their rising for so themselues haue since termed that action it hapned that Arthington prayed againe for the preseruation of the Queenes Maiestie Hacket not digesting this suddenly with indignation turned his face away from him but when hee prayed for other matters then Hacket cast his countenance towardes him agayne which he perceiuing that Arthington also marked by him and purposing as it seemeth to salue vp this matter agayne least Arthington happely might yet haue fallen from them therefore when they had ended their prayers Hacket tooke him with his armes about the middle in very kind sort affirming that hee loued the Queene as well as either of them and desired him not to bee offended for the Lord had commaunded it adding further that there was a matter in it that Arthington as yet knew not Hereupon Coppinger being in hearing thereof sayd that she might bee prayed for in generall termes but not so specially as Arthington did whereby Hacket was grieued nor yet to bee prayed for as a Soueraigne for sayd hee shee may not raigne as Soueraigne Note but this man Hacket and yet saieth hee shee shall liue better then euer shee did albeit shee must bee gouerned by another thereby also meaning Hacket And to the intent they might the more assuredly retaine Arthington without suspicion of their poisonfull malice wherein they boyled against the Queenes highnesse Hacket himselfe once after this time verie subtilly prayed for her Maiestie For proofe that they also meant to depriue her of life the seuerall confessions of Arthington at sundrie examinations may bee alleaged Whereby vpon that which hee heard and knew is confessed that hee is verilie perswaded Hacket meant her Maiestie should haue bene depriued both of kingdome and life which hee also gathered by Coppingers letters albeit hee denieth that hee was euer made acquainted by what speciall meanes it should be done Thus hauing in some part described the qualities perswasions in opinion familiaritie inducements vnto mutuall crediting one of another exercises and designments of these persons it resteth to goe on with the narration of the rest of the action for better persiting vp of this historie Hacket on a time recounting vp vnto the other two his torments which hee pretended to haue endured told how amongst others one Pigge a preacher did so beate him with rods at a place in Hartfordshire whiles hee lay bound there in a sinke hole that this cost him the sayd Hacket more deare then all the rest of his torments because thereby hee was enforced to suffer for all hypocrites also adding thereunto that all their best preachers so they terme such as thirst after and perswade innouations were no better in very trueth then Hypocrites neuerthelesse hee would hee sayd daily heare them preach Hereupon Arthington tooke occasion to tell him that hee could prooue all such preachers to bee Hypocrites and Idolaters both albeit of ignorance because they doe yeeld in some sort to the commaundements of the gouernours and vnto the lawes of this Church that they may be tollerated to preach This pleased Hacket so exceedingly well as that he beganne highly to esteeme of Arthington and hereby the rather he thought good that Arthington should be made acquainted with their letters For about tenne dayes before their rising Arthington saieth that Coppinger did greatly importune him to read the letters which he and Hacket had written if it were but to see the stile assuring him they tended to nothing else but to make a way to acquaint her Maiestie with their secrets So that when Arthington sawe so great Counsellors so resolutely thereby charged with matter of so high qualitie by Coppinger especially her Maiesties sworne seruant hee was induced to beleeue it and to thinke they had some very good ground thereof Arthington also with great contentment vnto Hacket framed certaine Syllogismes I beleeue in a lewd Moode and in an vnperfect and fond Figure to prooue forsooth one of the sayd honourable Counsellors whom hee and Coppinger
vnawares prophesied truely for he was the greatest Prophet of Gods iudgements against the whole world that euer was but that they both were greater then he for Coppinger himselfe was he said the greatest that euer was and last Prophet of mercie and that he must describe the newe and holie Ierusalem with the seuerall places of ioy that the elect should enioy after this life and that they the said Coppinger and Arthington were ordained to separate the Lambes from the Goates before the Lord Iesus at the last day Whereat it is saide they were both astonished considering their owne vnwoorthines and vnfitnes crying out against themselues and their sinnes yet submitting themselues to the direction of Gods spirite which they were assured should sufficiently furnish them to doe him that seruice which himselfe did command Then Coppinger proceeded to tell further that Hacket was greater then either of them and that they two must obey him in whatsoeuer he commanded but told not then what nor howe great he was other then king of Europe which title was afore this time concluded of amongs them Hereupon according to Coppingers commandement Arthington offered to honour Hacket with his title of the king of Europe and to demeane himselfe toward him accordingly But Hacket himself herein dispensed with him vntill the time should come that he was to honour him before others bidding him withall to be of good cheere for saith he I serue a good Captaine who makes so deare accompt of me that all the diuels in hel nor men in earth cannot take my life from me Then Coppinger for confirmation of the like vnto them two also saide that Arthington and himselfe were possessed not onely with propheticall but also with Angelicall spirits which Arthington taking to be true by a great burning that he felt in himselfe after that time did therupon fansie to himselfe that no power in earth nor hell could hurt either of them because they had the spirite of Angels and they were subiect to no power but to God alone And that God being the master of the whole worke all things should prosper with them they onely seeking his glory which he saith he vowed with himselfe to deale throughly in his office to rebuke the world of sinne to denounce iudgements against whomsoeuer the spirit should moue him without feare or fauour of men or of diuels in hel which spirit he saith then moued him according to his hatred afore conceiued against thē and his opinion that they were traitors against the Queenes Maiestie to vtter and to declare his detestation he had against the aforesayd three woorthie Counsellors being by their places the greatest subiects in the land But herein may be said with the Poet Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Verrem de furto who can with any patience indure such seditious companions as these to appeach others of treason but especially so loiall honourable and woorthie Counsellors as they three are knowen to the world to be By the way we may note the subtill managing and cariage of this action by Hacket and Coppinger in this one principall point which Arthington himselfe also now obserueth videlicet in that they opened not at any time Hackets chiefe pretended office vnto Arthington videlicet to represent and to participate with Iesus Christes office of seuering with his fanne the good from the bad vntill the very time they were to goe into the streetes to doe the message that Hacket enioyned them For hereby they preuented a doubt of driuing Arthington backe who seemed a man so seruiceable for their purpose as that hee was woorthie to bee still retained by them and the rather for that hee had not yet finished the writing vp of Hackets historie that was to bee annexed to the Prophesie vntill late that Thursday night which was afore their rising for they might haue feared if leisure had serued him to haue considered of it and examined it at full how this could be least it might haue made him at least to stagger and be doubtfull of it Besides Hacket kept as Arthington now gathereth that honour wholy to himselfe to proclaime it to them both together as it were by a voyce frō heauen at that very instant whē they should receiue their charge of him and thereby haue no time to reason against it being straight way to go forward as obedient persons to him in all things Thus that Thursday passed on On Friday morning Coppinger sent his man Emerson by fiue of the clocke in the morning vnto Arthingtons lodging but his wife would not then awake him so he sent for him againe at sixe and they two then went together vnto Coppinger Then Coppinger and Arthington determined that Friday morning beyng the 16. day of Iulie last betwixt sixe and seuen of the clocke in the forenoone to go vnto a certaine Gentlemans man 's house about the Citie of good behauiour and they forsooth to honour him to be chiefe Gouernour vnder her Maiestie which they also did that Morning and promised vnto him accordingly that he should so be Leauing also with him both the sayd Prophesie and Hackets historie to peruse but the good gentleman was vnwilling to deale either with them or their papers any way They staied not there aboue halfe an houre From thence they came betwixt 8. and 9. of the clocke in the morning vnto Wiggintons chamber being prisoner in the Counter in Woodstreete with whom hauing much speech and conference part whereof is touched before among other things they signified vnto him as Arthington confesseth that they were prouoked to pronounce him the holiest minister of all others for dealing so plainly and resolutely in Gods causes aboue all ministers which God would manifest one day to his comfort Wigginton at his examination confesseth such conference by him at that time to haue bene had with them and as hee was enioyned by those who examined him hath reported it by writing somewhat largely He therein also setteth down a conference had by him about the same matters with Hacket himselfe comming to him thither alone as he saith the selfe same Friday morning some while after the other two were departed from him It may be gathered by his owne narration that betwixt the time of Coppinger and Arthingtons talke with him Wigginton had set downe article-wise and distincted with number the seuerall heads of their speeches had with him And after he also enquired and set downe in writing Hackets opinion likewise vnto euery of the sayd articles seuerally And albeit it need not bee questioned but that both for circumstance and matter he would set it downe the least that might bee either to his owne or any his complices disaduantage yet may it serue for the fuller vnderstāding of the whole action and for necessarie obseruation besides to touch some chiefe points of those conferences though it be but as himself telleth thē The principall points of VViggintons owne report touching conference and
speeches had by him to and fro with Coppinger and Arthington and afterward with Hacket the 16. day of Iuly in the morning 1591. He saieh that Coppinger and Arthington came vnto him about 8. or 9. of the clock of the 16. day of Iuly in the morning full of courage and comfort saying vnto him thus We are come to you now to bring you certaine newes of great comfort which is this viz. That wee haue seene Iesus Christ this day in liuely and extraordinarie shape or fashion presented vnto vs not in his body for so he sitteth at the right hand of God in heauen vntill the last iudgement but in his effectuall or principall spirite whereby he dwelleth in William Hacket more then in any creature vpon the earth When Hacket came not long after their departure that morning vnto him Wigginton saieth that hee examined him about the whole speeches of Coppinger Arthington vttered before vnto him wherunto Hacket answered first generally thus That hee approoued them no further then he saw they had warrant for their doings but particularly to this first Article thus viz. Hackets answer thereof vnto Wigginton To the first that hee knew not of that their vision but he accounted himselfe to be a chiefe messenger of God in such sort as followeth Copping and Arth. speeches to Wigginton That the sayd William Hacket is the very same angell forespoken of by the Scriptures who should come before the last iudgement of Christ with a fanne or sheepehooke in his hand to seperate the goates from the sheepe Hackets answer To the second that he was the onely principall man sent of God to decide the controuersies of the Gospell of Christ in the world or in England or in Europe into which controuersies some bad persons being enemies to him and to the Gospell in England and some of them being great personages had drawen him to enter by their cruell vniust and extraordinarie practises and trecheries or sorceries vsed against him and that by him as by a principall angell of God with his fanne in his hand God would now separate the sheepe from the goates and that God would establish the Gospell by him generally either by his death or by his life but quoth he as it were correcting himselfe by my life it must be Coppinger and Arth speeches That Hacket is a man dearer or nearer vnto God in some respects then Moses or Iohn the diuine who wrote the Reuelation because he must as it were bring an accōplishment vnto their prophesies and hath a more excellent spirit or worke to do then they in some respects Hackets answer To the third that God would do a greater worke by him the said William Hacket then euer he did by any of all the Prophets for the establishment of his gospell to the confusion of Satan and Antichrist Copping and Arth. speeches That the sayd Hacket had laied two seuerall charges in the name of Christ vpon them two which they must needes performe or execute the one vpon Arthington of prophesie concerning the end of the world the other vpon Coppinger of painting out the good and bad in the world or in these partes of the world and one of them had in purpose or charge to read ouer the whole Bible for proofe of their office and businesse Hackets answer To the fourth that God had sent Arthington to bee the sayd Hacket his writer or pen and the sayd Coppinger to be the expounder of his mind or deliuerer of his message to the old magistrates which were almost gone and to the new and to the world Coppinger and Arth. speeches That they had some sight of the glory of the world to come where they found that the Queene was highly in Gods fauour because she had cut of much of Antichrists force or traine but c. That M. Cartwright had done more against Antichrist then any in the world before him since the Apostles time and that Wigginton was comparable vnto him Mutuùm muliscabunt and M. Lancaster meaning a schoolemaster in Shoe-lane was aboue them both in the state of heauenly glory because he had kept himselfe vndefiled from the common corruptions of these times and had a most single heart to God Hackets answer To the fift and sixt that men should shortly turne their speares into mattocks for the making of a true or better Reformation or else a great plague as it were fire from heauen should fall vpon them for their rebellion against God and that the Queene was vndone and all wee Preachers should bee damned if wee fall not to Reformation speedilie And that hee knewe not of any such comparisons or degrees to bee in the seate of glorie but sure he was although euery man should bee rewarded according to his works yet he that would be highest should be lowest there where all be as one in Christ The seuenth Article by them then vttered is nothing but a lewde and slanderous railing against two of the sayd Counsellers whereunto Wigginton shapeth none answere in Hackets behalfe belike allowing it and therefore did not aske Hacket of it because himselfe made no doubt of the trueth thereof as it seemeth Coppingers and Arthingtons speeches That many of the Preachers and people in England professing Religion were blinde and carelesse in many things yet the seruants of God to bee saued vpon repentance and that some fewe which were more forward then others should haue more honour or higher places in heauen then they Hackets answere To the eight that it was true so neere as Wigginton coulde call to remembrance Coppingers and Arthingtons speeches That these things they would confirme vnto him by Gods Spirit out of his word In the meane while they both vsed vehement protestations that it was most true which they spake and that their doctrine was or should be fetched out of the third heauen and they woulde prooue themselues and William Hacket to bee extraordinarily called and sent of God as aforesayde and they exhorted him to bee constant in the trueth Arthington also pronounced Wigginton to bee highly in Gods fauour and assured him that Gods Spirit should be doubled vpon him Hackets answere To the ninth be auoucheth the full effect thereof and he also pronounced Wigginton to bee highly in Gods fauour and further tolde after a bolde and a resolute maner that he had appoynted him and some fewe others to be assistants to Coppinger and Arthington in their foresayde offices c. Besides the premisses Wigginton hath set downe as pleased him best a dialogue had with Coppinger Arthington at that time not worth the insertinghere yet this may bee obserued in it that they then sayd they would prooue the things aforesayd by Gods Spirit which was aboue his word and by his word also Secondly by Wigginton his owne report it appeareth that they answered vnto his speeches very temperately directly and pertinently Thirdly it appeareth also therein that he did not contradict any of their sayings
their places for so he saide God had giuen in commandement vnto him According to which plots by a tumult of the people at Mulhusin he procured the olde Officer to be deposed and a new Magistrate to be set vp in his place and himselfe to bee chosen a Senator of that Citie albeit he was stil a Preacher and seemed to mislike this course in other men Nowe when as by these and other like meanes great multitudes of men to the number of fourtie thousand had taken vp armes throughout Franconia and Sucuia then he thought opportunitie serued him to set forward his purposes by adioyning himselfe vnto them and in this action one Phyfer a neere companion of his and like affected to him did also ioyne But when the rebellious Rout wanted victuals and many other necessaries whereby their courages began to faile then hee comforted them in his Sermons and assured them as from God that their cause and quarrell was so good that the frame of the whole worlde should sooner be changed then they should be forsaken or left destitute of him And when the Princes armie gathered to subdue them being greater and better furnished then theirs were was ready to ioyne in battell hee still most resolutely assured them of some euident miraculous helpe to bee manifested from Heauen for the ouerthrowe of their enemies saying that God woulde so enfeeble all their enemies shot that Muncer himselfe would receiue them al without harme into the lap of his coate before they should light for a token hereof it happened that they had taken the signe of a Raine-bowe for their ensigne he shewed them as it fell out the selfe same time a true Rainebowe in Heauen as an vndoubted signe that they should obtaine the victorie Whereupon they courageously at first set forward singing a song for ayde by the holy Ghost but being neuerthelesse all put in Rout and discomfited Muncer fledde away and disguised himselfe Yet by meanes of certaine letters that were found with him he was afterward in a house discouered and taken Being brought before the Magistrates he stoutly defended his fact affirming that Princes who refused to establish the puritie of the Gospel were in that sort to be bridled When he was brought to the place of execution saw no hope of escape which before he hoped for he grewe to be very much deiected perplexed in minde in so much as without helpe of a godly Prince which then stoode by he could not repeate so much as the articles of his Christian faith I shall not neede to dwell long in the application and resemblance of these poynts vnto this late tragedie the very reading of them ouer giuing sufficient light vnto the same For the sharpe and angrie zeale of some vnaduised Preachers which pretend neither to like of the Pope nor of the present state of the Church for want of some puritie as they fansie hath it not incensed and made to boyle ouer not onely the foule mouthes of Martinists but also the traiterous actions of these Conspirators And albeit the common multitude whom the Disciplinarians bragge to bee already inflamed with zeale ready to lend a hundred thousande handes for the aduancement of their cause and by whom they hope and say such Reformation must at last bee brought in did better keepe themselues out of this action then was expected Yet the danger thereof was as great and if it had once taken head would happely as hardly as the other haue bene subdued Were not the treaties of these men also in priuate houses at night-fasts and the Consultations concerning it at Classicall Conuenticles and like assemblies Did not these likewise shoote at the ouerthrowe of the whole state Ecclesiasticall and at the displacing of her Maiesties most honorable Counsel and that vnder pretence of Reformation to aduance the preaching of the Gospel in euery congregation throughout this land Made not these the like complaints of wicked Counsellors Noble men and Magistrates for keeping out the Discipline for persecuting sincere Preachers afflicting Gods people like lyons and Dragons And doe they not pretend this to bee a speciall grieuance of theirs that the common people of euery Congregation may not elect their owne Ministers that the people are brought vnder the yoke of the lawe Ceremoniall by paying tythes c. and is not the hand and head of Satan as plainely in this action to seeke the ouerthrowe of sound professors by others of the same profession vnder pretence of greater sinceritie Doe not these likewise almost appropriate to themselues and their fauorites the tennes of Gods Church of Christian brethren and of true reformed Preachers Is any speech more rife in their mouthes then that they will only be tried and iudged by Gods booke and by his spirit Do they not taxe all other men not so farre gone as themselues of loose liues of Antichristianisme of Hypocrisie Idolatrie in the meane time neuer looking at their owne treasons disloyalties and other vices Make they not great ostentation of loue and fidelitie to her Maiesties Person and of care of her safetie euen when they secretly nourished a fansie of forfeiture of her Crowne sought to ouerrule her by Hacket their imagined Soueraigne King of Europe Had they not their Cabinet Preachers their table-end teachers their guides of Fasts c. that teach pray for attend extraordinarie callings by visions dreames reuelations enlightnings Was not Giles Wigginton some others vnto them as Thomas Muncer Phifer were to the Germanes men of supposed great austeritie of life holinesse fauour with God resolutenesse in his cause singlenesse and vprightnesse of heart Did not Wigginton resolue them by examples he gathered touching extraordinarie callings in these dayes by reason of the great waste of this Church of England Had not hee and they likewise learned of the same Deuill in the prayers at fasts to aske signes and seales of God for their extraordinarie callings Doth not Arthington say that he importuned God in his prayers and Coppinger that hee had leaue giuen to talke more familiarly with God then afore Did not Hacket in praying for the pretended possessed Gentlewoman sawcily expostulate with God charge him with his promise as if he dealt not well with him Did he not at his Arraignement and Execution shewe such anger in his prayers against God thinking belike as those did to be excused by his feruencie of zeale Did not both hee and Coppinger pretend conference with God by sundrie reuelations and dreames Fenneri theol Doe not they and the rest of the Disciplinarian humor exact and seeke to square out euen in Hypothesi all ciuill policies and iudgements in causes Criminall especially vnto the Iudicials of Moyses giuen for the people of the Iewes Is there any thing they stand more vpon or condemne the contrary deeper then to haue an equalitie amongs all persons Ecclesiasticall Doe they not inueigh sharpely against Prince and Nobles for