Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	father_n	life_n	way_n	6,604	5	5.4332	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90669	Mock-majesty: or, the siege of Munster. Being a true story of those fine things, wherewith King Iohn Becock, at first a botcher of Leiden by profession, and his companions the Anabaptists, pleased themselves after they were become masters of that city. You shall here likewise have the issue of the whole mock-show. Imprimatur, James Cranford.	Phillippson, J.	1645 (1645)	Wing P2120; Thomason E270_20; ESTC R212338	27,128	34

gotten to be King of the Anabaptists stir'd up a rebellion of the common sort of people o He meanes Thomas Muncer and his complices whom Luther termes Importunos concionatores and Sanguinarios doctores Sleid. lib. 5. as formerly others had done who for ten yeeres space destroyed and laid waste Germany and occasioned the death of many thousands But here I cannot sufficiently admire the sottishnesse of those men who placed over themselves such a King as preached nothing else to the people but the destruction of Kingdomes the abrogation of Magistrates and that all men were created by that great and powerfull God to a like condition Who either from those wild conceits he had gathered out of the Talmud or other Judaicall forgeries or else from absurdities taken out of the Alcoran did teach them that the enemies of their religion or rather indeed of their rebellion and treason were to be dealt withall by banishment and imprisonment by bonds and stripes and by death it selfe (p) Fidem huic sermoni res ipsa facit Vtinam mendacio ista confingeremus rerum ab iis gestarum veritas nostram orattonem refataret The truth of the matter procures it selfe beliefe And I could wish that all were but lies and meerely feigned and that the truth of the carriage of the whole businesse otherwise might confute what I say At first when this doctrine newly rais'd from hell was scattered and spread among the people nothing could seeme more meeke and simple then these kind of men They desired nothing forsooth but Reformation of the old discipline and liberty of conscience But I pray you what liberty of conscience call you that which breaking downe all pales and boundaries endeavours what it can to ruine Kingdome and Common-wealths and to suppresse all manners and Laws This conscience is a wolfe in a sheepes cloathing And as the Sea-horse according to * ●ib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch kils the sire that he may more easily couple with the dam so these mad men that they may with more freedome abuse the Commonwealth which is the mother of us all to their owne lusts they strive to disenthrone and put downe all Kings and Magistrates who are the common fathers of the people And as the Viper is not borne but by eating out a way to life so neither is this new profession but by the destruction of the Commonwealth our mother For as Macrobius saies of the Epicures sect this whole faction carried away from the truth with a full swinge cannot by any meanes subsist but by the corruption of manners and Lawes and the utter ruine of States For where good Laws are in force how possibly can any scoundrell fellow q Abjectissimus quisque de faece vulgi ce●do impudentissimus quisque sycophanta perditiss apostata c. any dunghill cobler any talkative ignorant impudent coxcombe aspire and aime at Principality and a Kingdome and Tyranny it selfe They that were first indeed misled by this way might be somewhat excused as being through their folly and simplicity enveagled under a faire pretence and shew of Evangelicall truth But now if any one at this day and in so great a light of the Gospell suffer himselfe at noon-tide to be blinded and seduced he shall not be conceived to offend out of folly and simplicity but out of stubbornnesse and incurable madnesse and therefore must by no meanes thinke to deprecate that judgement which he hath voluntarily and with his owne hands pluckt upon his owne head Thus far out of that learned man the contrary minded Mr. Blackwood if I may borrow the expression in his booke dedicated to the Excellent Prince HENRY and inscribed * Of the bond of Religion and government De Vinculo Religionis Imperii A writer to say no more for it is testimony sufficient very highly esteemed of for his r In his Speech of the Post-nati singular learning by that great and eminent Lawyer Chancellour Egerton L. Ellesmere Farewell JUDG 9.15 And the bramble said unto the Trees If in truth ye anoint me King over you then come and put your trust in my shadow and if not let fire come out of the Bramble and devour the Cedars of Lebanon Mock-Majestie OR The Siege of MVNSTER Anno M. D.XXX.III NOT farre from Munster one of the chiefe Cities of Westphaly is a Church dedicated to Saint Maurice wherein one Bernard Rotman in the yeare M.D.XXXII Preached the Gospell to a very numerous auditory And when as the Citizens thought of some course to bring him in among them they were hindered by the Papists who gave him some small piece of money to goe some where else and exercise his Talent He hereupon goes his waies and having toucht at severall places casting about for his best profit and advantage after some moneths absence returns back to Munster They that were not well pleased there with did what they could to keepe him out of the Pulpit but to no purpose the people were already so much taken with him Therefore presenly some of the abler and wealthier sort got him in among them into the Citie and finding the Church doors shut up against him they set him up a Pulpit without doors in the porch And being now become confident of their strength and presuming on their numbers they make bold to demannd the keyes of the Church from the Priests threatning otherwise themselves to breake open the doors Not long after Rotman by the counsell and consent of some who were chiefe of his party sends setters into the Land-grave of Hessens Countrey being not far distant thence requesting that some able and learned men might be sent to assist him in the plantation of the Gospell They of Marpurg sent him two who with himselfe and three others straightway enter into consultation how with best speed they might rid all the Papists out of the City that by this meanes the Gospell might be preached with more freedom and liberty The best way they could think upon was to summe up all the Popish errors and so digesting them into thirty heads they delivered them to the Magistrates assuring them all to be repugnant to the Word of God offering to make it good out of holy Scriptures even with the hazard of their own lives Hereupon the Magistrates cite the Fryers and Priests to appeare before them in publique exhibiting the same Articles of their errors alledged against them Now whereas they had ever borne the people in hand that their Doctrine was according to purity and grounded on the Word of God which notwithstanding those Preachers denyed undertaking to maintain it with their utmost perill the Magistrates demanded of them whether they could confute by Scripture what was objected against them This being in such manner proposed unto them as that they might well perceive thereby how the Magistrates stood affected they answered in briefe that they had nothing to urge for their owne defence but that

commanded that no bodie should have or keepe by him any other booke save the Bible that all other bookes should be brought and burnt in publique This commandement hee said he had received from God Bookes therefore were brought together in great number and consumed in the flames A certaine Smith by chance at the same time called Hubert Truteling had cast forth some jesting speeches against them they called their Prophets This comming to be known they called together the multitude and appoint others to be ready in armes here they accuse and condemn the fellow this mov'd the people exceedingly The first that laid hands on him was the Prophet I told you of throwing him down and then running a pike into him yet the wound proved not mortal although he ran at him with his ful strength Then he commanded him to be removed to another place where he shot him with a musket which hee snatcht out of a young mans hand that stood by But when as this neither could speed him he said God had revealed it to him that the time was not yet come that he must dye and that moreover God had revealed his grace unto him However hee dyed within a few dayes after Hereupon the Prophet taking a long speare and running violently through the Citie cryed out that God the Father had commanded him to beate the enemie off from the Citie but comming necre the enem es quarters he was met by a common souldier who presently ran him through And although his predictions fell short and failed him now in a second businesse yet his fellow Prophets had so infatuated and be witched the people and set out the matter in such a dresse that they much lamented the losse of him fearing withall that some heavy judgment hung over their heads having so worthy and eminent a man taken from among them But Iohn of Leyden being also a Prophet and of next esteem to him bids them all be of good cheere for that it had been long before revealed to him that hee should come to such an end that hee would take his Widow home to himselfe and make her his wife Two daies before Easter they ran into the Churches and there fell a ringing all the bells at once Not long after Knipperdoling prophesies that they who were now in high place and dignity should be brought low enough and that others again should be preferr'd and rais'd from an humble and meane condition and that he commands all the Churches should be destroyed maintaining with a great deale of gravity that this Commandement proceeded from God himselfe Wherefore upon this asseveration he was obeyed with a great deale the more cheerefulnesse and diligence About the same time Iohn of Leyden delivers a sword to Knipperdoling orders him to be the common Headsman for that it pleased God to have it so that he who had lately borne the highest office having been Burgomaster should beare now the meanest and be no better then a hangman he being so far from refusing it that he seemed to entertaine his new place with a great deale of joy and thankfulnesse The Bishop of Munster had for some Moneths maintained the war alone upon his own charges but now Herman the Archbishop of Collen and John Duke of Cleus sent him Money Ammunition some Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot The Archbishop also came to the siege to sit in councell with them and not long after they made some assaults upon the Citie in severall places but seeing no hopes of storming it they raised seven Forts about it thereby to keepe all manner of provision from coming to them intendng that some Companies of Horse and Foot should lie there all the winter The Bishop of Munster in the mean time demanding aids for the contimance of the siege of all the Princes and Cities lying upon or neer the Rhine as being his neighbours and whom the hazzard and danger might in some sort concern as well as himself Hereupon a meeting was appointed at Coblentz Decemb. XIII M. D. XXXIV After an assault made upon the City to no putpose John of Leyden composes himself to a sound sleep and there for sooth he dreams for three daies being wakened he vouchsafes no man a word but makes signes for paper and therein he writes down the names of twelve men and among them some of the best Gentry that were left these were now to govern the Commorwealth in chief and to have the ruling of all in his Israel Now when as by means of this reverend Jury he had made way to become King himself he proposes to the Teachers some certain tenents of his own devising which he requires to have confuted by them by testimonies out of Scripture which if they could not do he would then commend them to the multitude to be approved of and established the chief of them was this That a man is not hound to one wife and that a man may have in marriage as many wives as he pleased But when as the Teachers seemed to impugne this his opinion he cals them all into the Court and that in presence of his 12. men here in a generall Assembly he plucks off his cloak and flinging it upon the ground together with his New Testament he swears and beares witnesse by these tokens that this Doctrine that he had caused to be published was revealed unto him from Heaven and in terrible words threatens them with the heavie displeasure of God in case they consented not At length they agreed and the worthie Teachers for three daies together preached of nothing but Matrimony So he on the sudden got him him three wives whereof one was the great Prophets Iohn Matthews whom we spoke of before There were others likewise that followed his example so that at length it came to be a matter of the greatest credit to have many wives but some of the Citizens were mightily displeased hereat and giving notice one to another through the City they called together all such as loved the Gospell into the Market-place where they apprehended the Prophet and Knipperdoling and all the rest of the Teachers Which was no sooner known but the common people broke in strait with Armes to their rescue killing out of hand some fifty of the Citizens with severall torments some they bound to trees and others to stakes and so shot them whilest the chief Prophet cryed aloud that they that made the first shot at them did God very pleasing service the rest they put to other manner of deaths but all savouring of exact cruelty Towards the end of Iune there arose another new Prophet a Gold-Smith he calling the whole multitude into the Market place acquaints them all that it was the will and command of their heavenly father that Iohn of Leyden should be made King of the whole world and that setting forth with mighty forces he should promiscuously slay all the Kings and Princes of the earth only he should spare the

common people that is such as had loved justice and truth and should at length sit on the throne of his father David till such time as the father should againe require the Kingdom at his hands that in the mean while the ungodly being every where suppressed and utterly destroyed the righteous generation only should reigne in this life This was no sooner proclaimed in publique but Iohn of Leyden strait way fell down upon his knees and lifting up his hands to heaven men and brethren quoth he I have had these many daies since all this revealed unto me and was my self very unwilling to have it made known but now to confirm it the heavenly Father hath made use of another Minister Thus he became King the first thing he did was to abrogate the authority of his twelve men he had chosen and as the fashion of Kings is he makes choice of his Peerage and Nobility to attend him he commands likewise two Crownes to be made him besides a Scabbard Chaine and Scepter and and other ornaments of Royall Majestie and all of the purest and choicest Gold Then he appoints set daies on which he would heare all kinde of suits and complaints that should be brought before him As often as he came abroad he was attended by his Officers and chosen Nobility next unto him followed a couple of youths both on horseback he on the right hand carried the Crowne and Bible the other bare a naked Sword his chief wife went in the same pompe and state For I told you he had many at the same time In the Market place he had a throne raised for him all covered with cloath of Gold All actions and complaints which were brought before him were for the most part concerning wives and divorces and these were wondrous often in so much as many that had lived to a good age one with another came now to be parted for being man and wife It happened as the people stood in the market-place thick and close together in the croud to heare that Knipperdoling getting up upon their backs and heads and creeping along on his hands knees among them and breathing in their faces would say to every one as he passed The Father hath sanctified thee Receive the Holy Ghost On another day dancing in the Kings presence for so wee must now call Iohn of Leyden Thus was I wont saies he in former time to dance with my whore but now the Father hath commanded me to performe the same in sight of the King Being troublesome not knowing when to make an end the King went his waies displeased Then gets he into the Chaire of State and plaies the King too till the other returning in the interim quite turned him out of his seate and so into prison for three dayes During the Siege they wrote a booke and published it calling it the RESTITVTION Among other matters in this booke they maintaine That the Kingdome of Christ shall be such here on earth before the finall day of judgment that the godly and elect shall reigne the wicked every where being quite destroyed and consumed They say also that it is lawfull sor the people to depose their Magistrates Also although they had no expresse command from the Apostles for the usurping of such jurisdiction yet they who were now Ministers of the Church ought to assume to themselves the power of the sword and by force to constitute a new forme of a Common-wealth Moreover that none excapt he be a true Christian indeed ought to be endured in the Church And more yet that none can possibly be saved that brings not in all he hath into the publique reserving nothing for his private possession Luther and the Pope of Rome they terme to be false Prophets but Luther to be far worse then the other Marriage also they esteemed to be polluted and impure where the parties were not inlightened with true faith accounting it no better then fornication or flat adultery These fond opinions of theirs have specially been confuted by Melancthon Justus Menius Vrban King and that learnedly and at large in their severall writings of this subject After some weekes the new Prophet as I told you of blowes a Trumpet through every street of the Citie and commands all the people to appeare armed before the Cathedrall Church doores for that they intended now to drive away the enemie from before the Citie and being come thither they found good cheer ready prepared and drest Whereupon they sate down as they were bid some foure thousand of them and after them some thousand more feasted who had been in the meane while upon the watch The King and Queene with their followers were the chiefe waiters at this feast Having eaten their meate and almost made an end of their good cheere the King comes and gives every one of them bread with these words Take ye ●at● ye decl●●● ye the death of the Lord. Then the Queene taking the cup gave it about saying Drinke ye and declare ye the death of the Lord. After this the Prophet before mentioned gets up into a pulpit and thence he askes the people whether they would obey the Word of God or not then they all affirmed they would It is the command said he then of our Father that some Teachers of the Word some 28. should be sent abroad who going forth to the foure corners of the world should preach the same doctrine which is taught in this Citie Vpon this he names such as should goe and appoints them which way they should steare their course To Osenburg were sent VI. as many to Warendorf To Lusat IIX and so many more to Cosfield After this the King and Queen supped with the rest of their Officers and them that were designed to be sent abroad In the midst of supper the King rises pretending he had forgotten some weighty businesse given him in charge by the Father By chance they had a souldier in their hands lately taken to him the King goes and accuses him of Treason as it were another Iudas and himselfe cuts off his head Then he comes againe to supper and here he relates his bloody deed passing it over with a jest After supper they that were appointed were sent away about shutting in of night besides provision for their journeys every one had a piece of gold given him which they were commanded to leave in those places that would not admit of their doctrine as a testimonie of their ensuing destruction and everlasting perdition for their refusall of peace and so wholsome doctrine When they were come to the severall places whither they were directed they first raised a great cry every where about the Towne warning all men in generall to repent threatning destruction to them otherwise in a short time This plain trick effecting nothing they took their cloakes and spread on the ground before the Magistrates casting thereon the money which had been delivered to them then assuring them that