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
opinion whereby through selfe-loue and illusion of the deuill he thought that hee was reserued of God for somegreat and excellent worke being blowen forward by the shew of zeale and of an earnestnesse for such a reformation could not thus easily be quenched and rooted out of him the rather for that by vse and imitation of such as he most followed conuersed with though otherwise he were wholy vnlettred he had growē to such a dexteritie in conceiuing of extemporall prayers with bumbasted and thundering wordes as that he was thereby meruailed at and greatly magnified by some brethren and sisters as a man greatly vouchsafed with God and adourned with rare and singular endowments from heauen so that through adimiration of such supposed excellencies in him he still continued to fansie vnto himselfe that hee had rare gifts and an extraordinarie calling For hee gaue out to diuers that hee was a Prophet of Gods vengeaunce where his mercy is refused saying that If Reformation be not established in England this present yeere three great plagues shall fall vpon it the sword pestilence and famine Hee pretended also that God had reuealed vnto him most wonderfull things Which he would he sayd vtter to none but such as himselfe knew to be very resolute in Gods cause But he told vnto Arthington and Coppinger that there should be no moe Popes hereafter Vpon confidence of which spirit and gifts in himselfe in places of his resort with an intemperate and fanaticall boldnesse euen as if he had sufficient warrant for it he dared oftentimes to vtter most vile lewd and seditious speaches both of the Queenes Maiestie and of certaine the greatest subiects whom hee thought to be hinderers of his practises Which his outrages being once or twise brought vnto the eares of certaine in authoritie in Northamptonshire and elswhere not sufficiently acquainted with the strange humours of such Anabaptisticall wisards and fanaticall sectaries and perhappes vn willing to let his wordes bee drawen so farre agaynst him as they iustly might they were therefore content to attribute them to some spice of phrenesie in him and in that qualitie to bee corrected rather then to construe them to haue proceeded from any setled and aduised malice as the euent hath since made most manifest they did For in the whole course besides of other the speaches and actions of his life both before and after none alienation of minde or madnesse could bee noted in him At one of the times that hee was brought in question for his seditious and in deed treasonable speaches it happened that hee was conuented before that honourable counseller Sir Walter Mildmay who commaunded him for more safegard to be watched the night before he was to be conueied to Northhampton gaole at what time the counterfait dissembling wretch willed his wife to let him lie alone in the chamber that was to be watched for that he had to conferre with one that would come vnto him that night insinuating vnto her as if he were to haue at that time some special conferences with God or some Angell Wherevpon it was straightway blowen abroad thereabouts amongest the credulous multitude of those that either fauoured him for supposed zeale or feared him for sorceries that albeit there were no candles vsed yet there was a great light that night seene shining in his chamber so that by this tale the erroneous opinions afore conceaued of him were greatly encreased After he had lien in Northhampton gaole a good space and was to come vnto his triall in the absence of Sir Walter from thence the matter is thought to haue bene so handled by some who in fauour of his forwardnes would needes interprete his felonies to be but follies as that none euidence being giuen against him he was dismissed for that pull vpon band entred for his apparance when he should be called for againe Nowe Hacket a man thus qualified as ye heare was of all other men thought by Wigginton most fitte and woorthie to be recommended and straightly linked vnto Coppingers familiar acquaintance as most aptly consorting with his humorous conceite long ere this apprehended by him whereof it seemeth Wigginton was not ignorant nor misliked Their acquaintance was wrought in this manner as Hacket testifieth in that discourse which they since call Hackets historie enlarged endited by himselfe written by Coppinger and afterwarde copied out faire by Arthington as it should haue gone to the presse being annexed to Arthingtons prophesie For there it is said that the Lord brought Hacket to London about the beginning of Easter terme last to see what would be done against Iob Throgmorton and partly to recken with M. Wigginton about the making of malte betweene them together At what time Wigginton said that there was a Gentleman in the Citie a very good man but Hacket as the Lorde knoweth did not thinke that there had bene one godly man in the land and supposed the twelfth Psalme belonged to this time When Wigginton was describing the man and the matter that he was entring into viz. that the man whome he spoke of had a message to say to his Soueraigne concerning some practise entended against her from dealing wherein the Preachers in London had wonderfully discouraged him then Hacket answered thus did you so also No saith Wigginton then said Hacket encourage him in any wise for what know you what matter it is he hath to say Hereupon Wigginton sent for the said Edmund Coppinger to come to the Counter to speake with him who by Gods prouidence came foorthwith Wigginton willed thē to take acquaintance one of the other assuring Coppinger that he knew Hacket to be a man truely fearing God and such a person as by whose conference God might minister some comfort to Coppinger whereupon they two viz. Coppinger Hacket went from thence presently vnto Hackets chāber at the signe of the Castle without Smith field barres so soone as they were entred the chamber Coppinger desired that before any speeche should passe betweene them they might first pray to God together which they did Hacket speaking to the Lord first After which praier Coppinger deliuered vnto Hacket how he had bene very strangely extraordinarily moued by God to go to her Maiestie to tel her plainly that the Lords pleasure was that she must with all speede reforme her selfe her family the Cōmon-wealth the Church that the Lord had further told him by what meanes al the same should be done but that secret he would not then deliuer vnto Hacket Then Copp also praied vnto God desiring him if he would be with him blesse that busines which he had cōmitted to his charge that then he would both furnish him with gifts fit for soweightie an action knit the heart of Hacket his so together as Dauids Ionathans Moses Aarons for answer hereof Hacket tooke further time til the morning at which time in the morning apraier being first made Hacket laid al the
to haue your further answere to some questions Note wherein I desire to be resolued with your direction also what hereafter I am to signifie to your selfe concerning the matter it selfe Oh the questions wherein he thus desired resolution I doe finde two copies of Coppingers owne hand the one more large and confused the other briefer and in better order but both to one purpose which to haue set downe may giue good light in mine opinion to this narration The questions to be resolued viz. Whether there be in these daies any extraordinarie workers helpers to his church either apostles euangelists or prophets where need requires mo or lesse or Nazarites healers admonishers in any special sort If there be is not their calling immediat from God his spirit a seale vnto their spirits through which they haue such excellent gifts and graces of wisedome knowledge courage magnanimitie zeale patience humilitie c. as doe manifest such their calling to the Church If such graces and giftes shall appeare whether may the Church enter into consideration of the successe which God may please to giue yea or no If they may in what maner are they to proceede with such a person extraordinarily called If it shal be confessed that there may be vntil the end of the world immediate callings from God whether may the same be found in a Countrey where the Gospell is truely preached and the Sacraments in some sorte truely administred though not vniuersally but here and there not perfectly but in part and where the true discipline is not established but oppugned by the publike Magistrates c. If it shall be answered that none extraordinarie callings are to be looked for but where there is a waste of the Church whether can it be truly said that there is awaste of the Church where the Prince and chiefe Magistrates are ignorant of the necessitie of the discipline opposing them selues against it persecuting such as seeke it by meanes whereof all wicked persons whatsoeuer be admitted to publike exercises of the word and to the Lordes Table whether I say may it be hoped for that God for his glories sake the good of the church may extraordinarily cal some by giuing him a spirite aboue others Note to deale with the Magistrate in the name of God to prouide that the people may euery where be taught and true discipline executed where the people already haue knowledge Whether where there be wanting Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons and widowes c. in the Church established and onely a Minister thrust vpon the people to be their Pastor without their choise or liking whether it can be truely said a man so placed though furnished with all inward giftes and graces of Gods spirite fit for that calling hath the lawfull and perfite calling of a Minister or no To these I finde Wiggintons resolution made vnder his owne hand to this effect briefly viz. That God hath doeth and will from time to time raise vp extraordinarie workers and helpers to his Church as Apostles Euangelists and Prophets where neede requireth and as Nazarites Healers Admonishers in speciall sort such like that these cannot be knowen to themselues but by Gods spirite nor to others but by godly effects That he who is so called neede not to aske many questions of mortall men for his calling yet must be approoued godly before he enterprise his worke especially if he haue bene a knowen wicked person before That where the chiefe rulers of any house or Countrey or the most part of any house or Countrey be ignorant vntaught there it may be truely saide that house or Countrey is out of frame desolate or waste much more then when one part of 30. or 40. is not wel framed rightly taught or guided c. in that house or Coūtrey And in another paper of his owne hand he auoucheth such extraordinarie callings by example of one that cried vp and downe the streetes in Ierusalem before it was besieged and by another which he saith the last Parliament came foorth of Yorkeshire to London saying he was charged from God by an Angell in a vision to signifie great vengeance from God vpon the whole Realme for certaine great enormities by himselfe in another mans person vntruely and seditiously furmised So that hereby it appeareth that Wigginton is the silenced Preacher meant by Coppinger in the former letter who resolued him of extraordinarie callings in those daies who consented to fast pray with him others for a seale c. of such calling and who as he afterward affirmed to Hacket would not discourage Coppinger in his purposes This conceite hereupon waxing stronger stronger in Coppinger he often came to Lancasters house where also Arthington then lay to confer with them specially to know the certaintie whether there were any extraordinarie calling in this last age how the same might be tried They both told him as is now said that they were meere ordinarie men not able to resolue him much lesse to take trial of his gifts therfore willed him to keepe his secrets to himself or else to go to others that could better iudge of them Wherupon Copp sought for direction to diuers Preachers others in London else where of what setled disposition may easily be coniectured for resolution also herein by the help of his diligent fellow-labourer in this busines Iohn ap Henry alias a Penry he sollicited the reformed Preachers so these fellowes terme thē of some forrein parts It may also be gathered by some letters written by him to a Gentleman neere about a great Counsellour that he bare the saide Gentleman in hand as if he had intelligence touching some matter of great seruice to her Maiestie and the Common-wealth to be imparted to the said Counsellor For in the copie of a letter of his of the 28. of Ianuarie last he thus writeth Your signification of some seruice which you heard I was desirous to doe in discharge of my duetie to her Maiestie may giue his L. cause to suspect that I honour him not so much as I doe Your reuealing therof to his L. I do assure you doth much trouble me because I am not furnished with such matter as I wish My meaning was therefore to haue forborne his L. trouble vntill I had learned out that which my heart desireth to doe c. And in another letter of his written to the same Gent. the 1. of Febru after in this sort If you think he looketh to haue me come to his L. about any thing which you haue put into his head let me vnderstand from you whē I may attend his L. pleasure which being knowen I will according to my duetie doe it though I wish my selfe to be freed vntil I may knowe that which may giue his L. cause to thinke of me as I doe desire to deserue c. Now that this matter was the same wherof he desired such resolution may be gathered by
the death of certaine the Lords of the Councell when they should bee at the Starre-chamber in case they should giue any iudgement against certaine that were sometime Preachers and are now prisoners for misdemeanors perillousto the peaceable state of the Realme as is intended That this deuilish purpose was rise amongs them may appeare by a letter sent by Coppinger in Trinitie terme last vnto the aforenamed Lancaster In which was contayned to this effect that if the Lordes should giue a hard censure against those parties the next day if God shewed not such a fearefull iudgement against some of those Lordes as that some of them should not go aliue out of that place then neuer trust him And albeit some that sawe this letter could not picke any further matter out of it then Coppingers conceipt that God without some speedie and miraculous iudgement from himselfe alone would not suffer such men to bee punished yet Lancaster to whome it was directed iustly suspected some further meaning and that the concealing of it might be both accounted vnduetifull and further also dangerous vnto him and therefore asked counsell of some more skilfull then himselfe whether hee might safely suppresse it and teare the letter in pieces Another deuise they also had for preparing as is supposed of the mindes of the people and to stirre them vp to be in readines which was by certaine seditious letters that were purposely scattered fiue or sixe nights afore in many of the streetes of London by some of these actors or by their complices and fauourers Likewise there was found in Wiggintons chamber in the prison where hee remayneth about a thousande printed Pamphlets of two sortes the one of Praedestination the other carrying an odde and needelesse title to euery man that knoweth but the Author For it is entitled on the first side in great letters thus viz. The Fooles bolte and immediatly vnder that title this sentence is set downe worthie to be duely considered with all his circumstances now apparant viz. Such as doe surmize the complaynt of Innocencie to bee reuenge and the report of Trueth to be slaunder shall neuer want the due reward of their grosse errour whilest Innocencie and Trueth shall endure On the other side of the sheete the title is A fatherly exhortation to a certaine yong courtier The matter thereof is conceiued into an halting ryme rouing lewdly not only at the gouernours Ecclesiastical and at other Ministers but also at sundry hauing ciuil authoritie and high places Amongs the rest the first two staues and last staue are most perillous if ye respect the present action these persons had in hand their opinions of this state and the base condition and state of the chiefe of them The first are these viz. My sonne if thou a Courtier sue to bee In flowre of youth this lesson learne of mee A Christian true although he be a clowne May teach a king to weare scepter and crowne And in the last staue are these viz. For God will sure confound such as deuise His ordinance or Church to tyrannize c. These papers Wigginton by the meanes and helpe of one Browne procured priuily to be printed at Whitsontide last and being examined touching them by her Maiesties Counsell and others he confessed that they were all to be sent to women the weaker vessels viz. to Mistress L. Mistresse B. and to I knowe not how many Mistresses by them to be dispersed abroade to the intent that euery one to whom they might come should conceiue of them as the spirit should moue them And Hacket also confessed that a part of certaine writings which Wigginton and Coppinger framed was that a Clowne might teach a King to weare a Crowne Now that Wigginton held intelligence in these matters with the conspirators and that there was mutuall and ordinarie correspondence betwixt him and them in all plots for aduancing of their Discipline per fas nefas besides that which in this behalfe hath bene touched afore is made also manifest by the confession of Arthington who saith that about the fifteenth of Iuly or not long before hee heard Hacket singing of certaine songs who then wished that Arthington had also some of them for it was a very speciall thing and said he M. Wigginton hath a great many of them Also Coppinger had once conference with Wigginton in the presence of Arthington touching his extraordinarie calling At what time it is pretended that Wigginton refused to bee made acquainted with the manner of Coppingers secrets and that he vsed these speeches to Coppinger vz. You are knowen to be an honest Gentleman and sworne to the Queene and therefore I will not be acquainted with those things which God hath reuealed vnto you for the good of your Soueraigne And his opinion of such extraordinary callings set downe vnder his owne hand doth else-where appeare whereby is argued that he was made a common oracle for such fantastiques that he knewe the matter in generalitie which by Coppinger was to be wrought vpon the Queene to bring her forsooth to repentance howsoeuer he refused to knowe the particular manner of such secrets that hee acknowledged it to bee good for the Queene and yeelded it without scruple to bee reuealed vnto Coppinger from God so that it could not be but that Coppinger hereby was much animated to goe forward in his conceiued wickednesse Besides Wigginton taketh knowledge as appeareth by a paper of his owne hand writing found in his Chamber that Hacket had defaced the Queenes armes and had vttered dangerous wordes importing himselfe to be a King and his mislike of all Kings now raigning since his last cōming to London Hacket further declared vnto M. Young on the 24. of Iuly that he was once in companie of two Gentlemen and of Mistris Walker and Mistris Lawson with Wigginton in his Chamber where and when he heard Wigginton say that if the Magistrates doe not gouerne well the people might drawe themselues together and to see a Reformation This dangerous opinion of his may bee also gathered out of a letter of his owne hande writing found with him being dated the sixth of Nouember last wherein he thus writeth M. Cartwright saith he is in the Fleete for refusall of the oath as I heare and M. K. is sent for and sundry worthie ministers are disquieted who haue bene spared long So that wee looke for some bickering ere long and then a battaile which cannot long endure A fourth purpose of theirs was not onely to make an alteration in the state of Church-gouernement and to plant in euery congregation their Elderships or Consistorie of Doctor Pastor and certaine laye Elders with the appurtenances but also to change the Ciuill policie of this Realme For which consideration they meant to displace all the Lords and others of the priuie Counsell therefore in their speeches and writings touching these Counsellors they vsed of late no title of honour but their bare names and surnames or els
earth But Hacket willed him to keepe silence telling him he was too outragious whereupon hee straightway in very duetifull manner obeyed for he called Hacket his Captayne and sayde That hee would doe whatsoeuer he commaunded him to doe When the saide Iones in searching about Arthington found a writing in his sleeue Arthington sayde That fell out as hee would haue it for now it would be seene for he had made he said an Epistle to the Queene and shee woulde not receiue it and therefore shee was hee sayde no longer Queene but was depryued of her Crowne Hacket saying nothing thereunto There was found also in Hackets Chamber hidden at the beds feete many writings and Walker the owner of the house brought also vnto the said Iones other writings of theirs out of a stable And when Master Heiney parson of the Church of Saint Mary-Somersets an honest and learned Preacher looked on one of the sayd papers Hacket reprouing him said that it appertayned not vnto him but vnto the Magistrates to looke on them Arthington in speeches with the sayd Heyney sayd amongs other things that the Iudgements of God ouer that Citie were very great and that the time was now come that God would reforme his Church vniuersally and roote out all Idolatrous priestes and that the Ministers of that Citie were no better affirming him selfe to be a Prophet sent purposely from God to denounce his Iudgements and that Coppinger was a greater Prophet then hee that Cartwright was a great learned man and a Saint of God but Wigginton was lesse learned then he yet farre before him in dignitie for his zeale alwayes concluding his speeches with these wordes of imprecation against himselfe viz. else God confound me When the sayd Preacher demaunded of Hacket why he had seduced Arthington to bring him into such blasphemies his answere was that abundance of zeale did cause him to exceede in that sort Then he asked Hacket how he liked that Arthington ascribed vnto him an Office peculiar to Christ To which hee would not directly answere but sayd that God had a great worke to bring to passe by himselfe in this lande affirming that himselfe also was a Prophet and had endited that prophesie which Arthington writ to be sent to the Queene or Counsell and that hee prayed to God to direct Arthingtons penne therein This strange accident being quickely blowen through the citie all was in a buzze and in a kinde of astonishment what to thinke of the matter and beeing speedily brought to her Maiesties eares then lying but at Greenewich two of her honourable Counsell were presently dispatched vnto London to take further notice of the whole matter About one of the clocke in the afternoone Coppinger was sent for whiles Hacket and Arthington were brought before those honourable Counsellors and others at the L. Maiors to be examined but as is informed they would not shew any token of duetie or reuerence vnto those honourable persons not so much as by putting off their hattes vnto them Then their hattes were plucked off by others and they were tolde their dueties and were asked whether they did not know before whome they stoode To which they answered that they knew them right well neuerthelesse they would yeelde them no duetie nor reuerence insomuch as themselues they sayde were greater persons then those before whom they were conuented yet they seemed well content to stande bare-headed so their hattes were taken off by force and not put off by their owne willes This course of insolent behauiour towardes all that examined them both Hacket and Arthington helde on at sundry other their examinations Neuerthelesse Arthington that was so scrupulous to yeelde any reuerence to the Queenes Counsell and Officers at one time when hee sawe Hacket presently fell downe groueling vpon his face on the ground and honoured him according to the Conuention among them mentioned before And albeit both these continued still resolute in their former fansies conceiued of their extraordinarie callings and Offices and sought most absurdly to defende it by Scripture but chiefely by most terrible imprecations vnto them selues praying to bee confounded and damned if they sayde not true yet to all questions that were asked of them they answered though most cōfidently yet pertinently and directly to purpose saying that Hacket vsed the matter somewhat more craftily when any question of especiall danger was propounded vnto him For then would he by cunning euasions by cauils and by frustratorie kindes of answeres goe about to put off such interrogatories seeming when hee was pressed somewhat hard to bee wearie of his part and person put on if hee could haue then tolde how to haue shaken it off and bene ridde of it againe with any honestie Coppinger soone after his first examination finding the euent of things not to answere their expectations seeing also the matter somewhat warmely taken as there was good cause and thereby gathering the danger which hee and his complices stoode in and perceiuing also by the questions asked the intercepting of their writings and Letters whereby their dealings were at full discouered and brought to light beganne either by his owne voluntarie choise as some perhappes not vnprobably haue imagined or through anxietie in deede of minde growing foorth of the badnesse of the cause to behaue himselfe as a man distracted of his wits Insomuch as comming at one time to be examined finding Hacket there at his sight he presently roared out in a very strange and horrible kinde of voyce which Hacket willing to turne to the best straightway said It was no marueile though Coppinger did now so behaue himselfe for that he had giuen him ouer already vnto Sathan By perusall of their writings and Letters and by their examinations all the plots of treason and lewdnesse afore mentioned fell out very euidently and more at full against them Touching the Queenes armes defaced at Kayes house Hacket did confesse at the times of his examination that hee did it none other beeing present and that hee was mooued thereunto inwardly by the spirit to take away her whole power of her authoritie and that hee would haue done worse had it not bene for disquieting his hostesse where he lay because when shee found it she was very angrie therewith for he was not sorie neither is sorie as hee then saide for doing the acte because hee was commaunded by God to doe it and durst doe none otherwise Hee confessed also that he was likewise moued to put out the Lyons and the Dragons eyes in the armes but being asked why he did so he bitterly and maliciously answered that hee did knowe that Lyons and Dragons did afflict Gods people Hee did also rase out the crosse that was pictured on the toppe of the Crowne Hee further confessed that he meant also her Maiesties Counsell should bee remooued because they were hee sayde wicked and that hee himselfe beeing mooued by the spirit would haue placed certaine other new Counsellors whome hee then
named to wayte vpon the Queene and to reforme Religion It is also confessed by him that he tolde Arthington and others that hee was the annoynted King of Europe By the depositions of the sayde Kaye and his wife it appeareth that they finding about a fortenight before Hackets departure from them the Queenes Maiesties picture pricked with some bodkin or yron instrument in the very place representing her royall heart did in great anger charge Hacket with it Whereunto hee answered that hee had done it and must and would answere it adding hee had greater matters to answere then that and therefore sayde hee you neede not make such adoe for it But Hacket at all his examinations eyther denyed this poynt flatly or sayde hee did not remember it This Noble heart which thereby hee so trayterously despited God of his infinite mercy long blesse and continue still most happie and heartie in his loue and feare within her Maiesties sacred breast maugre all such execrable fierie spirits and hell houndes in earth and all the damned deuils in hell Amen Likewise hee confessed that hee mooued and sent foorth Coppinger and Arthington to goe whither God should sende them and to declare and publish that there lay a man namely hee the sayde Hacket at Walkers house which made clayme to the Crowne of Englande and that her Maiestie had forfaited her Crowne in that her Ministers haue vsed extraordinarie meanes to set vp religion This hee confessed on the one and twentieth and three and twentieth of Iuly But at his former examination on the nineteenth of Iuly beeing demaunded whether hee woulde acknowledge that the Queenes Maiestie is lawfull Queene of Englande or not hee subtilly then sayde hee woulde not answere to that question but sayde shee was Queene of Englande yet if shee had not forfaited the same And hee further confessed on the three and twentieth day of Iuly that hee first published in Hamp-shire about three or foure yeeres past and afterwardes in Hartfordshire and in Northhamptonshire that her Maiestie was not Queene and that shee had forfaited her title to the Crowne and that hee tolde Arthington so much in Trinitie terme All these aforesayde were confessed by him without any torture but beeing tortured hee then sang another song and confessed her Maiestie to bee his lawfull Queene and affirmed that hee honoured her and was sorie for his offence adding that if Coppinger Wigginton and one other whome he named were well sifted and straightly examined they would vtter and declare sundry matters of treason It fell out besides vpon deposition of Kayes that Coppinger beeing told how Hacket had vsed the Queenes picture and the Armes at the first seemed to mislike with it saying that if he were such a fellowe he had done with him but sayth hee you must beare with him for some great men haue also borne with him and he is with you but as it were a prisoner Coppinger himselfe also at that his examination which was taken the 19. of Iuly confessed that the Letter then shewed to him and inserted afore was the copie of a Letter which he sent to the said Iohn Vdall about ten weekes then past and that the cause why hee wrote to Vdall that hee vsed not to repayre vnto him and the rest who were in prison so often as he was wont to doe for doubt of more trouble and danger that might growne to them thereby was in respect of this action which he had to doe hee also then affirmed that the Queenes Maiestie Queene Elizabeth is not Queene of England neither is he as hee sayde now her seruant for Hacket is the onely king of the worlde and that Hacket was commaunded by God to deface her Maiesties Armes which were in the house where hee then lay and that Hacket also prickt the picture of the Queenes Maiestie at the heart That himselfe Wigginton and one other the very weeke afore Wigginton was committed had a Fast together where they prayed that if any of them should haue any extraordinarie calling they might haue some extraordinarie seale of it about the which time he the sayd Coppinger was called in a Dreame And that hee together with Arthington and one other had a former Fast at the aforesaid Lancasters house about one weeke afore that time and that her Maiesties Counsell that now are must be tryed by this King whether they are to bee remooued from her Maiestie or not and that shee is to haue to be about her to attend her person for the time such as himselfe should assigne which shal be those whome he hath named in a Letter of his that is found with him and some others also hee sayde were meant to haue bene assigned also for that purpose There fell out also vpon some of Arthingtons examinations whiles he remained obstinate certaine other poyntes not vnworthy to be remembred One was that wheras he in writing of a treatise against the state of this Church as it now standeth obserued as hee sayeth therein his olde woont to abstayne from bitter speeches and raylings as a thing which hee naturally abhorred yet within these fewe Moneths and after hee had entred into these actions hee had altered his opinion and was mooued in spirite to followe another sharpe and biting course of writing as beeing more conuenient in his iudgement Also when some that examined him stoode greatly vpon this point to perswade him that he was seduced in those things wherein he seemed so resolute and reasoned against such their pretended extraordinarie callings giftes and offices then hee for better confirmation thereof said that it should very shortly appeare to the world that they were no such seduced persons as was imagined For whereas a godly Gentlewoman in London so he termed her had bene by the space of foureteene yeeres possessed with a diuell as is afore touched that for a sure signe of their vocation the saide deuill should be throwen out of her by all or some of their three meanes very shortly He also persisted willfull in his former fansies vntil the very time that he knewe Hacket was hanged for vntill that day he very confidently affirmed that he was most assured by the spirite of God and by the ioyes and comfort he inwardly felt that Hacket did participate with Christ in a part of his office and was in deede king of all Europe on whome her Maiestie and all other must hold their crownes and scepters and must gouerne if they would continue their gouernment by such lawes as he should prescribe and set forth that all they three should shortly be dismissed and shoulde goe ouer sea with Hacket to take possession of all those his other kingdomes abroad and to performe their offices But when the vanitie and danger of this strange fansie was opened vnto him his answere was to this effect You thinke saith he somewhat pleasantly as it were pitying their errour and misconceit that we haue incurred the danger of lawes herein and that we shall
as Iohn a Leiden was in Munster Woulde they not quickely haue brought them downe as Cnipperdoling was from being Consull to the basest roome of accompt that might bee woulde these if they had preuailed haue spared thinke yee either place age or sexe or shoulde banishment onely haue serued No Viscera impiorum crudelia And did not Hacket take vpon him to bee as great a Prophet as Iohn Matthewe or Iohn a Leiden his successor and Coppinger the Prophet of Gods mercie as high as Cnipperdoling and Arthington the Prophet of Iudgement and penne of a ready writer as refined and excellent as Crechting the goldsmith had not these also appoynted out Wigginton and Lancaster to bee their assistants for a time as it were their petie Prophets Did they not pretende the will of the Heauenly Father for euery most vngodly and absurd motion speech or action as namely for the defacing of her Maiesties Armes and that shee shoulde not bee prayed for Did not these pretend and feigne to bee in high fauour with God and that they could tell secretes and things to come meerely contingent and to bee able to cast out Deuils and to obtaine rayne at pleasure matters of as great difficultie and vnlikelyhoode as soothsaying and bewraying of things concealed Did they not inueigh against the humane wisedome of diuers of their owne iudgement whome they supposed not to bee forwarde ynough and doe not many of the Disciplinarian veine despise and condemne all helpes of good Artes and learning as little lesse then impious but specially in Sermons Was not Matthewe the chiefe Prophet of Munster his fansie stronger and his resolution greater then these Conspirators shewed in any part of their action when hee thought himselfe alone able to repell an whole hoste and yet hee was not therefore accompted furious madde or distracted of his wits Was not Coppinger likewise as deepely bewitched as the people of Munster when hee coulde not perceiue that Hacket did but dally with him about particular intelligence of some treasons supposed to bee plotted by some great persons had not these three and this sort of Humorists as great enuie at olde and Cathedrall Churches and others when as they seeke to procure their ouerthrowe Did not Coppinger fansie to haue had his extraordinarie callings and enlightnings by dreames in his sleepe Had they not likewise appoynted their gouernours for matters of Counsell and for other ciuill administration Doe not this kinde of persons also make shewe of desire to haue all questions decided alonely by Scriptures Doth not the Discipline giue the chiefe and soueraigne allowance or disallowance of all Ecclesiasticall determinations vnto the whole congregation Did not these Conspirators vse as meanes to bee trusted that God had reuealed such things vnto them othes and execrations of damnation and confusion to themselues as deepely as Iohn a Leiden did when he did sweare by his coate and by the newe Testament touching the like reuelation Did not Hacket their great Prophet thirst after and threaten reuenge against some great persons who hee though did stand in his way Did not Coppinger and Arthington proclaime in the Market place of Chepe and afterwarde defende that Hacket was King and Emperor of all Europe and that God had so appoynted it Did they not holde that he together with themselues shoulde goe forth and take possession of all his kingdomes here and abroade and subdue all kings that woulde not holde their scepters of him and be gouerned by such lawes and orders as he should appoynt and that he should seuer with his Fanne the good from the bad so that they shoulde not trouble and afflict the godly any more Had not Hacket also his said Prophets to proclaime him publikely King of Europe as Iohn of Leiden had the goldsmith Did not Coppinger vpon Arthingtons aduertisement with three most lowly obeysances and with great grauitie take vpon him and was ready to annoynt and sanctifie Hacket with the holy Ghost but that by a shift he was put off and as they of Munster had their prophane and impious celebration of the Communion before they sent forth their 28. Preachers In like maner had not these their hypocriticall fasts and prayers promulgated and made knowen vnto sundry of their owne disposition that they might ioyne either in bodie or spirit with them afore they enterprised any matter or entred consultation of weight or would assume their supposed extraordinarie callings Doe not these and all like affected to them by their teachers in euery corner seeke to winne or perswade as many to the liking of their opinions as possibly they can any way compasse and hemme in Haue they not also their sette emptie thundring wordes and solemne obtestations to allure men to beleeue that which they teach Did not the said two English Prophets offer by their Proclamation great mercie and ioyes to them that should beleeue or follow them and infinite woes and damnation to those that should reiect them did they not signifie that the time was come for the establishing the Gospell and Reformation by their K. Hacket and therefore willed all true Christians to be of good comfort because the wicked should bee ouerthrowen did they not engage their liues yea and soules vpon the veritie of the messages that they published and were they not a good while after their apprehension very obstinate and resolute in their fansies conceiued was not Coppingers promises of speedie deliuerance vnto Vdall as confident and resolute as Iohn a Leidens was vnto the people of that Citie though the euent shewed that at last all did but come to the riding of a blind asse did not Hacket likewise blasphemously affirme that by the whipping which Pigge bestowed on him he did suffer for the sinnes of all hypocrite preachers such as fauoured the discipline but were not so forward as hee thought they ought to be Was not the resolution of one of these as lewd as Rotmans who after all hope was past ranne amongst the armed companies if hee also did as was sayd with like wilfulnesse refuse to take any sustenance was not the desperatenesse of Hacket also most horrible and fearefull when as seeing no remedie but death he opened his mouth blasphemously against heauen and against the Maiestie of the Eternall God And concerning certaine opinions of the Anabaptists doe not many of the Disciplinarian humour come farre neerer vnto them then were to be wished for though they denie not the ciuill magistrates superioritie altogether yet in causes Ecclesiastical though they admit it in words they allow vnto him nothing else but execution of their orders without attributing any superior preheminence of commaundement in church causes for retaining of good order of soundnesse of doctrine in the Church Likewise though they take not the soueraigntie from the chiefe magistrate in causes of the common wealth doe they not so abridge and pound his authoritie in causes Ecclesiasticall that the very Papists doe attribute as much in