Selected quad for the lemma: life_n
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A52692
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The Grand impostor examined, or, The life, tryal and examination of James Nayler the seduced and seducing Quaker : with the manner of his riding into Bristol.
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1656
(1656)
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Wing N283; ESTC R26866
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13,477
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52
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The Grand Impostor EXAMINED OR The Life Tryal and Examination OF JAMES NAYLER The Seduced and Seducing QUAKER WITH The Manner of his Riding into BRISTOL JOH. 19. 7. We have a law and by our law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God JOH. 20. 31. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Hand in S. Paul's Church-yard 1656. To the READER Courteous Reader I Do here give thee an account of what passed betweene James Nayler and his Judges as thinking it a part of my duty towards God and man that thereby thou mayst see and know there is but one onely God and one onely Jesus which is the Christ who was crucified by the Jews at Jerusalem Which whosoever denies let him be accursed It hath been the Custome in former Times to Immure Stone or other wayes punish with Death such as did falsly stile themselves the onely Sons of the most High God As thou may'st see in that faithful Chronologer John Speed who affirmeth That in the Reign of King Henry the third there appeared a Grand Impostor somewhat in wickedness resembling this of whom we are to treat This man or rather Devil thinking himself to be some-body boasted himself to be no-body in the eyes of the World but as being sent from Heaven And having a grave and impudent aspect pretended himself to be no less then the Saviour of Mankinde And to strike a belief into the easily-seduced People he had wounded his hands and feet and side Affirming these to be the wounds which the Jews had given him at Jerusalem For which blasphemous and horrid Doctrine he was sentenced to be starved to death between the walls of a strong Prison Where he and his Doctrine died Even So let all thine enemies perish O Lord Thou wilt in his Examination discover some Difference to be between him and GEORGE FOX but I suppose they are again reconciled I shall not trouble thee with all the many Letters which were conveyed from him to others or from them to him lest I make my Relation swell too big I shall onely give thee two or three of the chiefest Out of which if thou canst pick but a little sence and less Truth thou canst do more then Thy loving Friend December 16. 1656. James Naylors Examination READER THinking it a very good foundation to my building to give you the manner of his progresse before you come to his confession or before his blasphemie aspires to the stoole of Repentance I shall thus begin James Naylor of Wakefield in the County of Yorke a deluded and deluding Quaker and Imposter rode October last through a Village called Bedminster about a mile from Bristol accompanied with six more one whereof a yong man whose head was bare leading his horse by the bridle and another uncovered before him thorough the durty way in which the Carts and Horses and none else usually goe And with them two men on horseback with each of them a woman behind him and one woman walking on the better way or path In this posture did they mà rch and in such a case that one Georse Witherley noting their condition asked them to come in the better rode adding that God expected no such extremity but they continued on their way not answering in any other notes but what were musicall singing Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath c. Thus continued they till by their wandring they came to the Almsehouse within the Suburbs of Bristol where one of the women alighted and she with the other of her own sex lovingly marcht on each side of Naylor's Horse This Witherley saith he supposes they could not be lesse deep in the muddy way then to the knees and he saith they sang but sometimes with such a buzzing mel-ODIOVS noyse that he could not understand what it was This the said Witherley gave in upon his oath Thus did they reach Ratcliff-gate with Timothy Wedlock of Devon bare-headed and Martha Symonds with the bridle on one side and Hannah Stranger on the other side of the Horse this Martha Simonds is the wise of Thomas Simonds of London Book-binder and Hannah Stranger is the Wife of John Stranger of London Combmaker who sung Holy holy holy Lord God of Israel Thus did he ride to the high Crosse in Bristol and after that to the White-hart in Broadstreet vvhere there lies two eminent Quakers by name Dennis Hollister and Henry Row of vvhich the Magistrates hearig they vvere apprehended and committed to prison Long it had not been after their confinement in the Goale at Exeter from whence passing through Wells and Glassenbury this party bestrewed the vvay vvith their garments But to be short they were searcht and Letters were found about them infinitely filled vvith profane non-sensicall language vvhich Letters I shall not trouble you with onely some of the chiefe lest your patience should be too much cloyd We shall hast now to their examinations and because Naylor vvas the chiefe actor 't is fit he have the preheminence of leading the vvay in their Examinations we shall therefore give you a full account of vvhat passed betvven the Magistrate and him vvhich take as follovveth The Examination of James Naylor and others BEing asked his name or whether he was not called James Naylor he replied The men of this world call me James Naylor Q. Art not thou the man that rid on horseback into Bristol a womou leading thy horse and others singing before thee Holy holy holy Hosannah c. A. I did ride into a Town but what its name was I know not and by the Spirit a woman was commanded to hold my horses bridle and some there were that cast down cloathes and sang praises to the Lord such songs as the Lord put into their hearts and its like it might be the Song of Holy holy holy c. Q. Whether or no didst thou reprove those women A. Nay but I bad them take heed that they sang nothing but what they were moved to of the Lord Q. Dost thou own this Letter whereupon a Letter vvas shewed him which Hannah Strange sent unto thee A. Yea I do own that Letter Q. Art thou according to that Letter the fairest of ten thousand A. As to the visible I deny any such attribute to be due unto me but if as to that which the Father has begotten in me I shall own it But now Reader before I passe further I hold it not impertient to deliver you the vvords of the same Letter vvith another vvhich vvere these A Letter to James Naylor at Exeter by Hannah Strange J. N. IN the pure feare and power of God my soule salutes thee Thou everlasting son of righteousnesse and Prince of peace oh how my soule travelleth to see this day which Abraham did and was glad and so shall all that are
of God A. Where God is manifest in the flesh there is the everlasting Son and I do witness God in the flesh I am the Son of God and the Son of God is but one Q. Art thou the Prince of peace A. The Prince of everlasting peace is begotten in me Q. Why dost thou not reprove those that give thee these attributes A. I have said nothing unto them but such things are written Q. Is thy name Jesus A. Here he was silent Q. For what space of time hast thou been so called A. And here Q. Is there no other Jesus besides thee A. These questions he forbore either to confirm or to contradict them Q. Art thou the everlasting Son of God the King of righteousness A. I am and the everlasting righteousness is wrought in me if ye were acquainted with the Father ye would also be acquainted with me Q. Did any kisse thy feet A. It might be they did but I minded them not Q. When thou wast called the King of Israel didst thou not answer thou sayest it A. Yea. Q. How dost thou provide for a lively hood A. As do the Lillies without care being maintained by my father Q. Who dost thou call thy Father A. He whom thou callest God Q. What businesse hadst thou at Bristoll or that way A. I was guided and directed by my father Q. Why wast thou called a Judge to try cause of Israel A. Here he answered nothing Q. Are any of these sayings blasphemy or not A. What is received of the Lord is truth Q. VVhose Letter was that which was writ to thee signed T. S. A. It was sent me to Exeter Gaol by one the world calls Tho. Symonds Q. Didst thou not say if ye had known me ye had known the father A. Yea for the father is my life Q. VVhere wert thou born A. At Anderslow in Yorkshire Q. VVhere lives thy wife A. She whom thou callest my wife lives in Wakefield Q. VVhy dost thou not live with her A. I did till I was called to the Army Q. Vnder whose command didst thou serve in the Army A. First under him they call Lord Fairfax Q. Who then A. Afterwards under that man called Col. Lambert and then I went into Scotland where I was a Quartermaster and returned sick to my earthly habitation and was called into the North Q. What wentst thou for to Exceter A. I was to Lawson to see the brethren Q. What estate hast thou A. I take no care for that Q. Doth God in an extraordinary manner sustain thee without any corporal food A. Man doth not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Father the same life is mine that is in the Father but not in the same measure Q. How art thou cloathed A. I know not Q. Dost thou live without bread A. As long as my heavenly Father will I have tasted of that bread of which he that eateth shall never die Qu. How long hast thou lived without any corporal sustenance having perfect health A. Some fifteen or sixteen days sustained without any other food except the Word of God Q. Was Dorcas Erbury dead two days in Exceter and didst thou raise her A. I can do nothing of my self the Scripture beareth witness to the power in me which is everlasting it is the same power we read of in the Scripture The Lord hath made me a signe of his coming and that honour that belongeth to Christ Jesus in whom I am revealed may be given to him as when on earth at Jerusalem according to the measure Q. Art thou the unspotted Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world A. Were I not a lamb wolves would not seek to devour me Q. Art thou not guilty of horrid blasphemy by thy own words A. Who made thee a Judge over them Q. Wherefore camest thou in such an unusual posture as two women leading thy horse others singing Holy holy c. with another before thee bare-headed knee-deep in the high-way-mud when thou mightst have gone in the Causey and at such a time that it raining thy companions received the rain at their necks and vented it at their hose and breeches A. It tended to my Fathers praise and glory and I ought not to slight any thing which the Spirit of the Lord moves Q. Dost thou think the Spirit of the Lord moved or commanded them A. Yea. Q. Whom meant they by Holy holy holy c A. Let them answer for themselves they are at age Q. Did not some spread their cloathes on the ground before thee when thou ridst thorow Glastenbury and Wells A. I think they did Q. Wherefore didst thou call Martha Simonds another as George Fox affirms A. George Fox is a lyer and a fire-brand of hell for neither I nor any with me called her so Q. Thou hast a wife at this time A. A woman I have whom by the world is called my wife and some children I have which according to the flesh are mine Q. Those books which thou hast writ wilt thou maintain them and affirm what is therein A. Yea with my dearest blood MARTHA SIMONDS Her EXAMINATION She confesseth She knew James Nayler formerly for he is now no more James Nayler but refined to a more excellent substance and so she saith she came with him from Bristol to Exceter Q. WHat made thee lead his Horse into Bristol and sing Holy holy holy c. and to spread thy garments before him A. I was forced thereto by the power of the Lord Q. He is stiled in Hannah Strangers Letter the fairest of ten thousand the hope of Israel and the onely begotten Son of God dost thou so esteem him A. That James Nayler of whom thou speakest is buried in me and he hath promised to come again Q. Dost thou like of that Attribute as given to him A. I cannot tell I judge them not Q. Whether didst thou kneel before him A. What I did was in obedience to a power above Q. Dost thou own him to be the Prince of Peace A. He is a perfect man and he that is a perfect man is the Prince of Peace Q. Hast thou a Husband A. I have a Man which thou callest my Husband Q. What made thee to leave him and to follow James Nayler in such a manner A. It is our life to praise the Lord and the Lord my strength who filleth heaven and earth is manifest in James Nayler Q. Oughtest thou to worship James Nayler as thou didst upon thy knees A. Yea I ought so to do Q. Why oughtest thou so to do A. He is the Son of Righteousness and the new Man within him is the Everlasting Son of Righteousness and James Nayler will be Jesus when the new life is born in him Q. By what name callest thou him A. Lord Q. Why dost thou call him Lord A. Because he is Prince of Peace and Lord of Righteousness Q. What reason canst thou shew for thy calling