Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	zeal_n	zealous_a	201	3	8.9266	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19395	Conspiracie, for pretended reformation viz. presbyteriall discipline. A treatise discouering the late designments and courses held for aduancement thereof, by William Hacket yeoman, Edmund Coppinger, and Henry Arthington Gent. out of others depositions and their owne letters, writings & confessions vpon examination: together with some part of the life and conditions, and two inditements, arraignment, and execution of the sayd Hacket: also an answere to the calumniations of such as affirme they were mad men: and a resemblance of this action vnto the like, happened heretofore in Germanie. Vltimo Septembris. 1591. Published now by authoritie.	Cosin, Richard, 1549?-1597.	1592 (1592)	STC 5823; ESTC S108823	96,463	116

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

that whiles the wound was fresh and greene it might bee stitched on and grow againe as they conceiued it would to auoyd so fowle and great deformitie but the Canibal varlet not onely vtterly refused so to part with it but held it vp triumphantly and shewed it with great vaunterie and glorie to all that would behold it and after as some haue reported did in a most spitefull diuelish outrage eate it vp In processe of time it happened that his master fell out with him and put him from his seruice I thinke for no good conditions yet it is sayd that hee was retayned afterward in seruice by what meanes I knowe not with a very worshipfull gentleman Sir Charles Morrison knight nephew to his first master and one of those against whom hee lately caused his two small prophets so vily to exclaime and so vnwoorthily to charge euen openly in Cheapeside Besides his former vertues and good qualities this Hacket was also a verie great swearer and blasphemer of the name of God in his yonger yeares which course when afterward to retayne the reputation of a professor of the Gospell whereof hee made great pretence hee was forced to leaue hee turned his single oathes in trueth into worse and more horrible ioyned with most fearefull imprecations against himselfe when soeuer hee would make any asseuerations wherein he desired to be credited as namely these so God iudge mee I renounce God and God confound and damne mee or doe so or so vnto me if this bee not true which was so vsuall and by long custome so inueterate in him euen till the time of his apprehension that in the midst of his counterfeit holinesse whereby hee seduced Coppinger and Arthington hee often burst foorth into this kind of execration agaynst himselfe as an especiall motiue amongst others to haue his wordes to be better beleeued by thē Arthington noted this course of Hackets as a notable vertue in him and a matter of care zeale His maner saieth he of praying is as it were speaking to God face to face denouncing his iudgements agaynst himselfe if hee dissemble lie or seeke himselfe in any thing but the honour of God onely He prayed so confidently for maistresse H. that he charged God to haue giuen her vnto him to restore her to her former health and libertie euerie way saying Lorde according to thy promise thou hast power and I haue fayth therefore it shall come to passe This maistresse H. is a Gentlewoman of London who pretendeth or feareth to bee possessed with a diuell now foureteene yeeres together Besides these he was giuen to quaffing and drunkennesse being not onely a Maltster but a Malt-worme and was addicted also to lasciuious life with women which commonly accompanieth the other vicious excesse for credite whereof his owne storie or legend which himselfe endited as a notable monument of his excellent vertues and speciall holinesse may giue too sufficient testimonie for therein hee telleth of many temptations in this kind with women which as himselfe confesseth hee reiected not altogither but went further then either godlinesse or yet ciuill honestie would permit But he pretendeth that these baites were offered and laied by his enimies who sought matter against him as snares and trappes whereby to take his holinesse tardie that belike was so hard to be entangled Insomuch as Arthington in the forefront of that historie which hee did whiles hee was yet seduced by Hacket doeth stampe this brand and censure vpon it that they were prophane speeches and matters of women which hee would not haue set downe but that hee could not otherwise reueale the villanous practise which Hackets enemies intended for the ouerthrow of the Gospell of Christ as he most childishly and ridiculously excused then the matter For further proofe and manifestation of his lasciuious disposition it is also enformed from the place of his aboade that on a time vnder colour of giuing godly counsell hee attempted to haue wickedly rauished a poore mans daughter whereupon hee was forced to step aside out of the way for a season Neither did the wickednesse of this wretch here rest it selfe for hee was vehemently holden in suspicion for committing also of sundry robberies But that which maketh vp the heape of all wickednesse is this that the sinke of these sinnes in him hee alwayes smoothlie couered and parieted ouer especially for sundrie late yeeres with a very rare outward earnestnesse in profession of true religion and with a most entire yea burning desire of reforming forsooth the Church and common wealth by establishing the Presbyteriall Discipline which hee did imagine would prooue like the boxe of Pandora for it promiseth cure for all maladies and disorders But this his zeale and desire of reformation begun then most of all to enkindle it selfe in him and to breake foorth after that by riotous mispending and licentious life hee had wasted the wealth that he had with the widow whom hee maried whose hap was very hard to match with him albeit hee made more of her then shee desired for he made the vttermost penie For then hee begunne with counterfeit holinesse to set out himselfe amongst such of the simpler sort as had zeale without knowledge to bee a man indued with an extraordinarie and singular spirite such as in olde time the prophets and holy men of God were making shew withall as if he had some peculiar gifts and qualities to bee able euen to tell secrets and worke myracles which many beleeued whereof some did attribute them to sorcerie and enchauntments but the simpler sort vnto his rare spirite and holinesse For hee trusted by this perswasion to get such credite with the vnstable multitude as that by their hands he might one day bee able whosoeuer should withstand it to bring his purposes about for erecting of such pretended Discipline to his owne great estimation and aduauncement In this vayne and seduecing humour hee is reported I know not how truely to haue trauelled in the North partes vnto Yorke for among the simpler people where he was not knowen hee hoped by the visard of holinesse and religion not a litle to preuaile in setting forwards his designments For which purpose he tooke vpon him there the office and spirite of S. Iohn Baptist affirming that hee was sent thither by God to prepare the way of the Lord before his second comming to iudgement But the conterfeit holines lewd seducing purpose of the varlet being discouered vnto some in authoritie he was welcommed not with losse of his head as that holy mā vniustly was whom he wickedly counterfeited but was wel whipped after banished that city This medicine wrought not so effectually with him as that it could terrifie him wholy from the like attempts For it is reported that after this he assaied againe to put on the like person or maske at Lincolne where he also found the same cheere entertainment for his paines as he receiued afore at Yorke But this erroneous

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

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