is by the State suppressed and kept under That it is the will of God to have such a Reformation That impeachment of it is offered by the Queen Counsel and Nobles That this is a great sin meet to be repented of by them That they must be brought to this repentance That the penalty against any of them that refuse to be brought is to be detected as Traytors an offence deserving death That this must be done out of hand That the will of God in great favour for the good of his Church was revealed to him in this behalf being a man of much fasting prayer rare gifts a Coppinger calls it the Cause and Truth of God which must go or and to oppose it is a Sin deserving death That this was revealed to him as a Prophet and not to be discredited Prophet an extraordinary man with an extraordinary Calling such as was not to be judged of or discerned by meer ordinary men and whereinto he entred not rashly or on a sudden but after many conflicts with himself before his yielding to God's extraordinary motion and calling But submitting himself nevertheless to have his Gifts and Calling tried and allowed of by the best reformed Preachers and therefore not worthy to be suspected or discredited That the way to bring them to this repentance was a secret Mystery such as those Preachers and others whom he conferred with albeit The Preachers thought the ways of effecting of it dangerous and refused to be made acquainted with them but consent he should run the hazard they held it a work to be wished at God's hands yet by his talk gathered the manner of bringing it in to be so dangerous as that they feared the success and refused to be made acquainted with the particular ways and means which he 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 soever such a way might be than that they by bewraying of him to Authority should be any means to break off and prevent his Resolution or quench his Zeal And thus with opinion of safety to themselves they merchandized the hazard of their Friend's life or else the rearing of Sedition in the Realm with the hope that secretly they nourished to have the Discipline which they dream of erected Thus Coppinger remaining still more confirmed Coppinger brought acquainted with Hacket and Arthington and setled in this vein by his Pew-fellow Wigginton about Easter-Term last being as is aforesaid brought acquainted with Hacket as with a most holy man soon after would needs bring Arthington also acquainted with him as one whom upon so small knowledge he had observed to be a very rare man For this purpose he sent for Arthington to Dinner or Supper unto Lawson's House near to Paul's Gate where Arthington met first with Hacket together with another whom he calleth a godly man Of whose ordinary talk 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 City Arthington retires into Yorkshire and remained in Yorkshire until Trinity Term leaving Hacket and Coppinger behind him plotting of their purposes together What Purposes they had what Counsel they entred into and what Conferences they entertained betwixt themselves and with others by the Events ensuing will best be discovered After this Hacket stayed Hacket goes also into the Country not long in London but desired Coppinger at his departure to write unto him what succels J. T. had and withal assuring him that whensoever he should write for him he the said Hacket would streightway come up again Hereupon Coppinger writ unto him first Coppinger sends for him to London and provides him Chamber and Board at the end of Easter Term and after again very earnestly to be at London three days before the beginning of Trinity Term last but he could not be here so soon by three or four days When he was come he lodged the first night at Istington but sent his Horse down again into the Country as purposing to stay long in London Then after a night or two one of which nights he lodged at the said Lawson's House by Wiggington's direction he was provided of a Chamber and of his Board at one Ralph Kaye's House in Knight-rider-street by Coppinger's means and at his Charges for he cost Coppinger there Eleven Shillings by the Week But Kayes waxing weary of him in part for that he seared Hacket was a Conjurer or Witch in that the Camomil he saith in his Garden where Hacket either trod or sate did wither up the next night and waxed black therefore Coppinger provided at his own charges likewise another Room for him at one Walker's House by Broken Wharf where he remained until his apprehension Whilst Hacket was at Kaye's House he Hacket leaves the Queen out of his Prayers used before and after Meals to pray as seemed most devoutly and zealously but never for the Queen's Majesty Hacket also told Kayes That if all the Divines in England should pray for Rain if he said the word yet it should not rain The first of the aforesaid Letters which Coppinger writ unto Hacket to move him to come up doth contain matter of note besides not unfit to be known Brother Hacket Coppinger ' s Letter to Hacket saith he the burthen which God hath laid upon me you being the Instrument to make me bold and couragious where I was fearful and faint is greater than I can bear without your help here though I have it where you are The workings of his holy spirit in me since your departure be mighty and great My zeal of spirit burneth like fire so that I cannot contain my self and conceal his mercies towards me And a little after in the same Letter Master Thr. is put off till the next Term the zealous Preachers as it is thought are to be in the Star-Chamber to morrow the Lord by his holy Spirit be with them My self if I can get in am moved to be there And I fear if Sentence with severity be given I shall Note be forced in the name of the great and fearful God of Heaven to protest against it My desire is that you hast up so soon as you can your Charges shall be born by me And somewhat after thus If his most holy Spirit direct you to come come If not stay But write with speed and convey your Letter and inclose it in a Letter to him who brought you and me acquainted viz. Wigginton put not your name to it for discovery Direct your Letter thus To my loving Brother in the Lord give these my Letters I put to no name but the matter you know which sufficeth Pray that the Lord may reign and that his Subjects may obey That all Instruments whatsoever that shall be
being a Papist and with sundry others who found such means as that they procured Devils to be raised Sorcerers Witches and Enchanters all which said he I know and can name and mind one day to help to burn them to work upon my Body with intent to make me call back my said words of protestation concerning the truth of this Religion which if I would not do said they but could endure the Torments that they would inflict then they all would be of my Religion and would make me Emperor over all Europe This Tale to them that had minds afore His Tale credited prepared and took Hacket by reason of his most earnest Protestations Prayers shew of zeal pretended favour with God and such like to be a man that would not tel an untruth for all the world seemed no way unprobable or to be discredited So that these three principal Actors having as well among themselves as with others often conferred hereabouts both by word and writing were by the midst of Trinity Term become most resolute for the advancing of their designments For in a Letter written by Coppinger about that time to the aforesaid J. Thr. it is thus contained Mine own dear Brother Coppinger ' s Letter to J. Thr. my self and my two Brethren who lately were together with you in Knight-rider's Street do much desire conference with you which will ask some time The business is the Lord 's own and he doth deal in it himself in a strange and extraordinary manner in poor and simple Creatures Much is done since you did see us which you will rejoice to hear of when we shall meet and therefore I beseech you so soon as you receive this Letter hasten an Answer in writing to my Sister's House therein advertise I beseech you when I may come to speak with you for delays are dangerous and some of the great Enemies begin to be so pursued by God as they are at their wits end The Lord make us thankful for it who keep us ever to himself to do his will and not ours By occasion also of hearing Master Chark on a Friday about that time at the Coppinger ' s Leter to Chark about his extraordinary Course for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom Black-Fryers Coppinger saith he was thereupon moved by God's Spirit to write unto him a Letter which beareth date the 9th day of July last In which Letter amongst other things thus he writeth unto him I do not deny good Sir but that I have now a good long time taken a strange and extraordinary course such as hath offered occasion of suspicion of my not only doing hurt to my self but also to the best sort of men now in question and to the Cause it self But by what warrant I have done this that is all For if the Holy Ghost have been my Warrant and carrieth me into such Actions as are differing from others of great note in the Church of God what flesh and blood dare speak against me This is it that 1 desire at your hands and at all the rest of God's Servants that you forbear to censure me and such others as shall deal extraordinarily with me in the Lord's business committed to our charge and judge of us by the effects that follow which if you hereafter see to be wonderful great then are all ordinary men placed in Callings within this Land to fear and to call themselves to examination before the Justice Seat of God and see whether they have walked faithfully before God and man in seeking the salvation of the Souls of the People and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom and the overthrow of Antichrist's And if all and every one Note in their places shall be forced to confess to have failed in not discharge of their duties let them acknowledge their sin and repent before Plagues and Punishments fall upon them The waste of the Church cannot be denied to be great so that there is place for extraordinary men though temporizing Christians will not admit this therefore God's mercies shall appear to be wonderful great if amongst us he have raised up such as I know he hath and hereafter I doubt not by God's grace but I with the help of the rest shall be able to avow against all gainsayers whatsoever My desire heretofore hath been to have counsel and direction from others But now by comfortable experience I find that the Action which the Lord hath drawn me into is his own and he will direct it himself by the Holy Ghost and have the full honour of it and therefore I wait upon him and yet most heartily crave the Prayers of the Saints that they will beseech God to bless all his Servants that he hath set awork in his own business And I further beseech you to shew this Letter to Master Traverse and Master Orders it to be shewn to Traverse Egerton and the other Preachers Egerton and all the rest of the godly Preachers in the City and judge charitably of me and others and let every one look to his own Calling that therein he may deal faithfully and let us judge our selves and not judge one another further than we have warrant After this Letter it hapned that M. Chark preached in the same place again the next Sunday after at which time Coppinger took himself to be particularly meant by one part of the Sermon Whereupon he wrote a Letter to another Preacher as I do gather the Thursday after viz. the 15th of July whereby he thus signifieth M. Chark told the People that there were some Persons so desperate that they would willingly thrust themselves upon the Rocks of the Land and Waves of the Sea This I took to be spoken principally to my self and therefore I thought good to advertise you that he spake the truth in those words but he touched not me but himself and the rest of the Ministers of the Land who have not only run desperately themselves upon the Rocks and Waves but carried the whole Ship whereby they all be in danger of Shipwreck and should have perished if the Lord had not immediately called three of his Servants to help to recover it who are not only sent from God to his Church here but also elsewhere through the World My Calling is specially to deal with Magistrates Another hath to do with Ministers who hath written a Letter to you of the City but it cannot be delivered hardly this day The other third is the chiefest He pretends to be chiefly called to deal with Magistrates who can neither write nor read for he is the Lord's Executioner of his most holy will This Letter is thus subscribed The Lord's Messenger of Mercy Ed. Coppinger These three therefore strongly fancying to themselves such extraordinary Callings and standing resolute by all means to advance that which they falsly call Reformation and being thus seduced and bemoped by Hacket it is no marvel though they entred further as by degrees
into many lewd dangerous and traiterous Attempts For first having conceived mortal hatred against two great and worthy Counsellors of this Estate who they thought would not a little stop the course they had taken and hinder the purpose which they pursued Coppinger therefore by Hacket's advice directed Coppinger having hatred to two Counsellors of State pretends to impeach them of Treason several Letters unto some Honourable Personages whereby he signified that certain Treasons were intended even against her Majesty's own Sacred Person meaning after to appeach those two thereof and hoping by this means either to take them away or at least their Credits with her Majesty until he and his Complices might bring their Purposes to some better pass or else by this colourable Pretence having access and opportunity to have executed some wicked Practice against her Royal Person The discovery avouching and proof of these supposed Treasons Hacket and he did take especially upon themselves The first two Letters that I find Coppinger He writes a Letter to them with one inclosed to the Queen writ to the said honourable Personages about this pretended matter of Treason to be discovered was the third day of June last both to this purpose To have them acquaint her Majesty that intelligence was given unto him of some Treason intended against her own Sacred Person but naming no particular In the one of them he inclosed a Letter of his to her Majesty and certain Petitions which he would have had to be offered up to her Highness being to this effect That he might have leave to entertain the Action of such discovery that as matters should come to light he might resort to a certain worthy Counsellor by him there named to acquaint him therewith and to have his Counsel and direction That he the said Coppinger might confer and examine Jesuits and all Prisoners suspected or condemned of Treason about these matters in the presence of certain others That for better furtherance of his Service he might have this favour to stay judgment or at least execution against condemned Persons for Crimes capital or smaller until her Majesty might have account given of the cause of his so doing That he might be pardoned for so bold an Attempt if in over-much fear of danger to her Sacred Person he had or afterward should go too far and not effect that in the end which he hoped to do And lastly That this matter might be concealed from all men But the said honourable Personage finding this to be an unlikely and strange Course to be yielded unto as may be gathered by the Answer and by the other Letters directed him to a more sound way viz. To learn first the grounds perfectly to acquaint none other with the matter and to do it speedily Hereupon the 8th of the said His second Letter to them with one of Hacket's inclosed animating him to do the Lord's business June he addressed another Letter to the same Personage enclosing therein a Letter written to him from Hacket and dated the last day of May and another Letter of his own to her Majesty to have been delivered unto her Highness His Letter to the said honourable Personage is to commend the Writer of that Letter inclosed not naming him for Coppinger had raced out both Hacket's Name and the Name of Oundell from whence it came as a Man able and willing to do her Majesty some principal service to offer their attendances to come before her Majesty and to urge the delivery of the Letters for that the matter he said admitted no delays The Letter from Hacket is nothing but an inciting and animating of Coppinger to perform the Lord's business he had in hand by many holy and devout words and hypocritical Allusions to certain Stories of the Scripture Coppinger's Letter to her Majesty Coppinger sends another Letter to the Queen and presseth to get to her Presence pretending some special service commendeth the Inditer of that inclosed for a Man beloved of God and fearing him unfeignedly and one enabled by God to do her Highness some special service He also humbly desireth thereby that they two might appear before her own Princely Person in the presence only of two certain Lords and one Lady But the said honourable Personage sent Hacket's Letter again unto Coppinger as of no moment for that purpose and stayed the delivery of his Letter to her Majesty till some particular intelligence might be had to be first delivered to her Highness The same day Coppinger also writ two several Letters to the same two Lords in whose presence he and Hacket desired to come before her Majesty and to deliver their Intelligence this he did to advertise them hereof aforehand That which is written to the one of them mentioneth a Supplication which Coppinger sent the day afore unto his Lordship to make passage to some better service to her Majesty which he hoped should be done shortly to her Highness's good liking and to his Lordship's great honour for that he should be the chief Actor therein Upon some answer returned Coppinger j alous that what he had to reveal would be slighted writes to Hacket for more important Intelligence from the Lady afore-mentioned craving some Particulars of that which they meant to discover Coppinger writ to Hacket being in London to urge him unto some more special point of Intelligence Whereunto Hacket the said 8th of June answering by Letter to small purpose and subscribing his Letter thus As you find me so call me Coppinger therefore returned in answer another Letter presently unto him whereby he signified that Hacket must manifest somewhat more plainly of some practice worth the revealing otherwise they both should worthily fall into her Majesty's indignation for that which he had then writ would not satisfy her Majesty and the State concerning the danger which Hacket supposed to be coming upon the Land and wherewith he seemed to be acquainted Upon such overture as afore is touched made to one of the said Lords he had the Both of them are examin'd by one of the Lords who finds little in their Information so shakes them off said two Appeachers before him on the 10th of June but finding Hacket's demeanour of himself very strange and their Imputations as frivolous he dismissed them as is said without further ado to their great discontentment Hereupon Coppinger in stomach so far as he durst writ another Letter to the said Nobleman the 11th of June Hereby he signified That were it not that he had been before acquainted with the Graces and Gifts of the Holy Ghost which he did assure himself to be in Hacket in an extraordinary manner he should have esteemed of him by his behaviour as his Lordship did Therefore what trouble or danger soever might come to himself by it he was resolute to abide it and further chargeth the said Nobleman in God's name to deliver the Letters and Copies there inclosed to her
alledged Whereby upon that which he heard and knew is confessed that he is verily persuaded Hacket menat her Majesty should have been deprived both of Kingdom and Life which he also gathered by Coppinger's Letters albeit he denieth that he was ever made acquainted by what special means it should be done Thus having in some part described the Qualities Persuasions in Opinion Familiarity Inducements unto mutual crediting one of another Exercises and Designments of these Persons It resteth to go on with the Narration of the rest of the Action for better perfiting up of this History Hacket on a time recounting up unto the other two his Torments which he pretended to have endured told how amongst others one Pigg a Preacher did so beat him with Rods at a place in Hartfordshire whilst he lay bound there in a Sink-hole that this cost him the said Hacket more dear than all the rest of his Torments because thereby he was enforced to suffer for all Hypocrites also adding thereunto that all their best Preachers so they term such as thirst after and persuade Innovations were no better in very truth than Hypocrites nevertheless he They account their Puritanical Preachers Hypocrites and Idolaters for their conformity to the Laws of the Church would he said daily hear them preach Hereupon Arthington took occasion to tell him that he could prove all such Preachers to be Hypocrites and Idolaters both albeit of ignorance because they do yield in some sort to the Commandments of the Governors and unto the Laws of this Church that they may be tolerated to preach This pleased Hacket so exceedingly well as that he began highly to esteem of Arthington and hereby the rather he thought good that Arthington should be made acquainted with their Letters For about ten days before their rising Arthington saith that Coppinger did greatly importune him to read the Letters which he and Hacket had written if it were but to see the stile assuring him they tended to nothing else but to make a way to acquaint her Majesty with their Secrets So that when Arthington saw so great Counsellors so resolutely thereby charged with matter of so high quality by Coppinger especially her Majesty's sworn Servant he was induced to believe it and to think they had some very good ground thereof Arthington also with great contentment unto Hacket framed certain Syllogisms I believe in a lewd Mode and in an unperfect and fond Figure to prove forsooth one of the said honourable Counsellors whom he and Coppinger villanously afterward proclaimed Traitors to be such as they do charge him to be This worthy work of Syllogisms therefore being first finished his other Treatise to prove those Preachers to be Hypocrites and Idolaters was straightway set upon the stocks and began to be built on the Monday before their rising after they all had for obtaining good success in this and the rest of their business humbled themselves on the Lord's day Fasting and Prayer on the Lord's-day before the Insurrection afore in fasting and prayer for so be their words This latter Treatise Arthington finished up the Thursday morning next after and termed it A Prophecy of Judgments against England whose skill in this precipitate kind of Pistling the other two so magnified as that they termed him by a Title mentioned in a Psalm viz. The pen of a ready writer Whereas wiser men think they might have looked a little lower and he have better compared it as the Wiseman doth the like where he saith A word in a fool's mouth is like an arrow in a dog's leg because he will never leave wrinching and fisking till he have got it out In this Prophecy he first setteth down Arthington's Prophecy the Third Commandment inferring what Plagues shall light on himself if he offend therein Then cometh he to his nine several Assertions adding to every one of them The Lord to confound him viz. that if he think not himself to be the vilest sinful Wretch living If he take not himself to be the most ignorant in God's Book of any man that hath professed the Gospel so long If he acknowledge not himself most unfit and unworthy of all men to serve the Lord Jesus If nevertheless he be not extraordinarily called to do the Message of God more faithfully than any Preacher in England hitherto hath done If the Scripture do not justify extraordinary Callings before the ends of the World If he know not two Persons within the City of London that have greater extraordinary Callings than himself videlicet Edmund Coppinger and William Hacket If the former be not a Prophet raised up of the Lord to bring a Message of great Mercy to the Land if all the People truly repent of their Sins If the latter be not the holiest Man and of the greatest power to bring fearful Judgments upon the whole Earth that ever was born Christ Jesus excepted If the said Hacket as the Messenger of God's Vengeance where mercy is refused do not bring such great Plagues upon this Realm of England the like whereof was never seen In these and in every of these several Cases he prayeth the Lord to confound His dreadful Imprecations him Whereupon he inferreth that having thus denounced so many fearful Woes against his own Soul as would sink it into the bottomless Pit of Hell if he were guilty in any one of them Then thereupon with chearfulness he cometh to declare his Message to England accusing it to be the most rebellious though it have been most blessed of all other Nations Then he affirmeth the City of London and the Courts of Justice at Westminster and the counterfeit Worship of God with Cross and Surpless to be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah or the Purple Whore of Rome or else desireth to be confounded Nay he preferreth Rome before London because at Rome they sin only of ignorance Of her Majesty he saith she is least guilty of the common Sins but most abused of any Prince that ever was by those whom she hath most advanced Then he speaks to three great Counsellors C. C. T. daring them to protest for their innocencies against themselves as deeply as he hath done and then if they be not swallowed up quick he is contented to be hanged up in Chains at Paul's-Cross Then he threatneth them that they three shall be otherwise Note detected ere long and all those that are their Partakers when her Majesty shall reign and live to see better days if God give her true repentance Then he saith he will leave all other of the Clergy as sufficiently detected already save such as pretend to seek Reformation who he saith are as guilty in two points as any of the other The first point for not crying out continually against Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and others as wicked Usurpers in the House of God The second for not crying out against the wicked Magistrates of this Land because they keep out the Elderships
those whom he served to entrap him with Women His attempting them in dishonest manner but with purpose only as he there pretendeth to learn of them the Practices against him The like Snares laid for him by some of better place and credit than the former Of his affliction in mind that he endured because he so behaved himself toward Women and yet could not learn out by them the plot laid against him Of his going into Hampshire to have been placed there How he was in a place there for the most part of 20 days beat with a Bostonado and into what pitiful state of Body he was thereby brought That this was done partly for his avouching that Christ was Head of the Church against the Pope and for saying That as certain Earthen Pots were there by him broken so should all Papists be broken in Hell and confounded so many as rose up against him in Earth How he was forced to use the Deputy-Lieutenant of Hampshire his Aid to be safely conveyed out of that Country lest he should be murthered by his Enemies That he came thence to one M. Paul Wentworth's House where he remained a Month and was used most Christianly and where he was most deeply exercised in the Spirit How as he passed by the way out of Hampshire he told a Gentleman in company that was privy to his Enemies Complots of a great Practice intended against him and to be done in a Chamber by certain Persons whom he then named aforehand Insomuch as the said Gentleman being made privy to such purpose and knowing that he said true affirmed surely he could conjure or else it had not been possible to tell such things as he did where indeed he saith the Lord in the midst of his former Afflictions revealed it unto him and further shewed him a Place which he had appointed for him and how he would bring all his Enemies Practices to confusion How in performance of that which was so revealed he was afterward in a certain Place in Hartfordshire bound first in a Chamber and then chained in a Sink-hole of a Seller and most grievously many ways afflicted there for 20 days together That in the greatest extremity thereof which was greater than he could express a Cross came upon his Breast as he lay and always when his Torments were at the greatest the Lord unloosed his Feet and Hands from his Fetters and Bands nevertheless he lay still till his Tormentors came and bound him again How the Lord then appeared to him and assured him that he would establish the Gospel by him and shewed him all the Whoredom of Rome in the person of a great Personage since deceased as it were in Candle-light with a great Bell full of iniquity That during that time the Lord shewed him a terrible Famine which he would bring upon a Land but whether this Land or not was not declared That Christ then shewed him his Wisdom and Providence in governing the Seas and all other Waters in their Courses And further shewed him the Man that should sit on Christ's Right hand to judge both the quick and the dead whose Name he well knoweth That then he made his Petition unto the Lord who answered him by a Voice thus What he would how he would and when he would How by the extremity of his Torments his Eyes were fallen down and his Tongue thrust out of his Head so as he could not pull it in again one Barley-corn's breadth but the Lord in that extremity shewed him that he would keep his Body from hursting and that one hair of his Head should not perish That being loosed by his Wife's importunity soon after in a very Rainy-day he his Wife one Richard Dickens and one Palmer rid altogether thence toward Oundell thirty Miles that day and albeit it rained all the day very fore so that great floods came upon it yet never a one of them had any drop thereof fall upon their Clothes That being at Oundell and foreseeing he should be exercised again he prayed his Wife that no man might come at him for he would keep his Chamber And then the Lord appeared unto him and shewed him in what danger the Land was by reason of foreign Enemies at the Sea and commanded him to go round about the Town and that should be a defence to the Land round about That after this he kept himself in his Barn about eight days reasoning with the Lord touching Predestination and Reprobation continually begging of him that he would save all those that fought ignorantly against the Truth or otherwise sinned through want of knowledge How after this betaking himself to his Chamber again the Lord he saith forced him to cry out against two great Subjects and Counsellors in this Land That he was again bound and tormented there other twenty days in eight whereof he neither did eat nor drink and was continually watched for that they knew the Lord would come and loose him if they left him That during this time Witches used their Sorcery strongly upon him That the Lord then told him that he would harden his own heart against Hacket's Tormentors How then also four or five Angels night by night stood by him and watched over him like unto Doves and one night Spirits innumerable And that a white Hand came from the Almighty and took him by the hand whereby all Venome Poison Uncleanness and Corruption departed from him for a time whereupon the Lord shewed him three Heavens together and all the dwelling places contrived in one of them but the highest Heaven was shewed to be without end which glory he was not able to behold but was made able to look upon the Blood of the Saints which was made round like a Wax Cake in very great breadth but the glory which therewith appeared he could not look upon so that he was forced to turn his face upon the Pillow How the Lord also shewed him the murthering of the Wicked even like the slaying of Swine the Father murthering the Son and the Mother the Daughter and every one another all the day long and no man took pity upon them That there was then revealed unto him a very strange fire from Heaven the length whereof he did see consuming all things from the Heaven to Hell mouth but he did not see the breadth thereof Also that he then did see the breadth of the tormenting place of the Damned and what was therein but neither the bottom nor length of the place That he also supposed he saw his Liberty begged by two honourable Personages Notwithstanding which deliverance that he dreamed of he telleth that he was carried afterward to Northampton Gaol where he remained 17 Weeks as afore is remembred Furthermore there is declared That in his Torments the Lord shewed him how he would confound all his Adversaries that were guilty in any practice against him and that one thing which they went about they should never bring to pass for he let
dismayed and yet not sought to be revealed by Wigginton unto any Magistrate till upon his examination it was found out Lastly I observe the Coggery of the 6 Reporter or else the lewd lying and contradiction to himself of that wretched Seducer Hacket For in his Answer to the fifth and sixth Articles he knows no degrees of glory in Heaven and yet in his Answer to the eighth he assigneth more honour and higher places in Heaven unto some few that are the most forward than he doth unto others But let us go on with the Narration of the principal Action interrupted by occasion of the Conferences had with Wigginton and of his report of them From Wigginton's Lodging the said Coppinger Hacket ' s History continued and Arthington came directly to Hacket's Chamber in Walker's House at Broken Wharf and there found the Beast in Bed after Eight of the Clock Where being enflamed they say with zeal out of all measure Coppinger began to pray at the Bed's feet and Arthington joined with him wherein they stood much upon their own unworthiness c. but yet offered their obedience to do as the Lord should direct them by his Spirit having already done so much as was enjoined them Whereupon Hacket came out of his Bed and prayed with them in his Shirt twice that the Spirit might direct them and they likewise obey the same in all things to the glory of God only After Hacket's latter Prayer Coppinger offered to go on in his Prayer but the Devilish Spirit moved Arthington to interrupt him and to charge him in the Name of the Lord Jesus to arise and anoint the King with the Holy Ghost Whereupon Coppinger straightway rose up and three times kissed the Boards under his feet rising up after every time and making great reverence with bowed knee and after the third time he came towards Hacket as he lay in his Bed who put out his hand and took Coppinger by the hand and said You shall not need to anoint me Blasphemy for I have been already anointed in Heaven by the Holy Ghost himself Then Coppinger asked him what his pleasure was to be done Go your way both said he as Arthington reports and tell them in the City that Christ Jesus is come with his Fan in his hand to judge the Earth And if any man ask you where he is tell them he lies at Walker ' s House by Broken Wharf and if they will not believe it let them come and kill me if they can for as truly as Christ Jesus is in Heaven so truly is he come to judge the world Then Coppinger said it should be done forthwith and thereupon went forward and Arthington followed so readily the said Prophet of Mercy that he had no leisure to take his Gloves with him and ere Arthington could get down the Stairs Coppinger had begun in the House below to proclaim News from Heaven of exceeding great Mercy That Christ Jesus was come c. as above is said with whom Arthington also cried the same words aloud following him along the Streets from thence by Watling-street and Old Change towards Cheapside they both adding beyond their Commission these words Repent England Repent But surely either their Commission was delivered them at one time or other more largely than the one of them now reporteth or else they went beyond and exceeded it in many other material Points besides this For after they both had thus come with mighty concourse of the common multitude as to such a novelty of hearing two new Prophets in these days arisen was likely with an uniform cry into Cheapside near unto the Cross and there finding the throng and press of People to encrease about them in such sort as that they could not well pass further nor be conveniently heard of them all as they desired therefore they got them up into an empty Cart which stood there and out of that choise Pulpit fur such a purpose made their lewd and traiterous preachment unto the People wherein they stood not only upon the words of their former cry but so near as I could learn from so common an Auditory and in so confused an Action they reading something out of a Paper went more particularly over the Office and Calling of Hacket how he represented Christ by partaking a part of his glorified Body by his principal Spirit and by the Office of severing the Good from the Bad with his Fan in his hand and of establishing the Gospel in Europe which as it seemeth they took to be all the World or else supposed that all Europe did profess Christianity and of bringing in that Discipline which they so often babble of and which they mean by the term of Reformation and the holy Cause That he was now come and all these things were presently to be performed by him telling also the People where they saw him where he lay and remained That they were two Prophets the one of Mercy the other of Judgment sent and extraordinarily called by God to assist him in this great Work and were Witnesses of these things confirming the same upon their own Salvation and wishing themselves confounded and damned for ever if these things they spoke were not true And thereupon the one of them pronounced Mercy great Comfort and unspeakable Joys to all that should repent presently be obedient and embrace this acceptable Message and opportunity offered And the other denounced terrible Judgments if they repented not which should even presently also fall upon them and especially upon that City of London affirming that all that believed them not were condemned Body and Soul This Judgment against London as Arthington the pretended Prophet of Judgment saith he gathered out of Hacket's History was that men should there kill and massacre one another as Butchers do kill Swine all the day long and no man should take compassion of them There was then and there further delivered by them or by the one of them that Hacket was King of Europe and so ought to be obeyed and taken and that all Kings must hold of him and that the Queen's Majesty had forfeited her Crown and was worthy to be deprived Which most traiterous Point amongst others Hacket enjoined them to publish as in the one of his Indictments is contained Lastly In very unmannerly and sawey terms they prayed to God to confound two great Lords of her Majesty's Counsel for these two together with a certain Knight they then and there openly and most lewdly accused in general terms of Treason This outrage was done the sixteenth day of July aforesaid about Ten of the Clock or something after in the Forenoon By which their Proclamation being laid together with their former Conferences Letters and Purposes against the Queen and Counsel and for advancing of Hacket and for altering the State with the very time when so many Soldiers were about the City it is evident to any who hath but half an eye to
near resemblance that it hath unto this late action After the suppression of this former Rebellion Sleydan lib. 6. and about the year of the Lord 1527. Anabaptistrie began mightly to spread it self in sundry parts of Germany even as Cockle and Darnel doth by the sowing of The First Preacher against them was Bernard Rotman 1532. Id. lib. 10. the envious man the Devil among good wheat It happened that in the year 1532. one Bernard Rosman first and afterwards five others sent to assist him from the Lantzgrave of Hess began to preach the Gospel truly in and about the said City of Munster In the year 1533. one John surnamed of John of Leyden a Cobler ariseth 1533. Leyden a Town in Holland having none other known surname by reason of his Ignobility being but a Cobler or a Currier by his occupation came unto the City of Munster This Cobler was an egregious Anabaptist under pretence of professing the Gospel and of an hatred he had of Popery he insinuated himself into the acquaintance of the Preachers of the City of Munster But when it happened once that in answer to a question of his in that behalf made they told him that young Infants ought to be baptized he laughted at them as it were in scorn and of pity of their ignorance Not long after this one Herman Staprede a Herman Staprede preacher came also thither but he preached openly against the baptism of young children By these means but especially by their secret Assemblies and Conventicles by night this heresie of Anabaptism spread it self largely throughout that City so that great speech was made in every place thereof albeit no certain knowledge was had because they admitted none other to their close assemblies but such as stood alike perswaded This their course being come to the Magistrates ears all that favoured that opinion and had assembled themselves in any such dangerous Conventicles were by a general Edict By the Magistrates they are Banished the City but return again banished the City but as they went out at one gate so being confident upon their multitudes they returned in at another pretending that they were commanded by God to stay there and to deal more earnestly and resolutely in their business It happened that Rotman who before had Rotman becomes a favcurer of them preach'd against them began at that time to shew himself to be a favourer of their opinions which thing gave also great incouragement unto them insomuch as they then challenged the sound Preachers which stood against them unto disputation But when this challenge was accepted so that learned and grave Judges and assistants might be chosen and that whatsoever should be determined might firmly be stood unto and observed of all without further contradiction then they shrunk back and refused disputation upon any such conditions Hereupon they began to be less esteem'd with the people than they were afore therefore to recover their former reputation with them they devised another more short and plausable course which was this About the end of December one of them pretending One of them pretends to Inspiration 1533. to be divinely inspired and to be ravished in spirit did go through the streets of the City crying Repent Repent and be again baptized or else the judgments and wrath of God will quickly and suddenly overwhelm you By this occasion many of them which afore did lurk secretly in corners and kept themselves close came suddenly abroad and in great routs and plumps ran together with the former cry into the chief street of the They declare all that are not Rebaptized to be slain as Heathens City being the Market Place making great outcry 's that all which were not rebaptized in token of repentance should be slain as heathens and as ungodly men After this with sundry great outrages done by them against many of the Citizens they invested Seize the Town-House and Arms of the City themselves of the Guild-Hall or Town-house and of all the Artillery and Munition of the City so that many persons what upon credulous simplicity and what for saving their goods and lives were content to be rebaptized with them Nevertheless others for safeguard of their goods and themselves in this perilous uprore betook themselves to a place in the Town very strong by natural Are opposed and some apprehended situation and apprehended many of the seditious Anabaptists for prisoners These skirmishes lasted betwixt both the parties until they grew to a parly and composition giving Hostages each to other for observance of it And albeit the said Rotman and one Bernarde Knipperdoling being chief Rotman and Knipperdoling agree to a Composition but privily promote the Faction in the Faction had also allowed of such composition yet by their sundry Letters privily and under-hand sent unto others of their Faction and Sect in Places and Cities abroad they treacherously from time to time invited very many though it were with loss of their Goods abroad to retire themselves to dwell at Munster assuring them of ten times as Munster is filled with Strangers the Citizens through fear forsake it much as they did forego Hereby the City began to be replenished with strangers of that Faction insomuch as most of the wealthy and grave Citizens fearing whereunto it might tend abandoned the City and left it to the Anabaptists and to the rest of the common sort Thus becoming Masters of the place they by and by put out all the old Senators or Counsellors of that Estate and The Magistrates put out Knipperdoling made consul the two Consuls being the chief Magistrates and put others in their places and namely they called Knipperdoling to be one of their Consuls Then they fell to burn rifle and deface the Churches and in plumps went through the streets crying Repent repent and immediately after Avoid all ye wicked upon peril of your lives Whereupon all the Anabaptists put themselves in Arms and according to their Proclamation drove out of the City all whom they supposed not to be of their Sect without regard either of age or sex Insomuch as divers women with child through the great throng and their over-hasty departing pitifully miscarried This banishing and proscription happened the very day before the Bishop of the City The Bishop Besieges the City being also Temporal Lord thereof planted his Siege against the Town for revolting from his Obedience In the midst of all these Outrages sundry calling themselves Prophets did arise up amongst them who pretended to have extraordinary callings gifts functions and revelations from God the chief whereof was one John Matthew next John Matthew John of Leyden Knipperdoling c. arose as Prophets to him was the said John of Leyden and then Knipperdoling Crecthing and some others This Matthew their principal Prophet charged every man upon pain of death to bring all his gold silver and Matthew Commands the People to bring
Lincoln the space of seven years so long as he remained in Cambridge 34. By his Government in Trinity Norwich Redman Worcester Babbington St. David ' s Rud. Glocester Golsborough Hereford Benet College he made many excellent Scholars that came afterwards to great Preferment in the Church and Common-wealth five whereof were in his time Bishops that then were Fellows of the College when he was Master and some of them his Pupils besides many Deans and others of Dignity and Estimation in the Church at this day 35. He had divers Earls and Noblemens Several Noblemen c. his Pupils Sons to his Pupils as namely the Earls of Worcester and Cumberland the Lord Zouch the Lord Dunboy of Ireland Sir Nicholas and Sir Francis Bacon now his Majesty's Solicitor General in whom he took great comfort as well for their singular Towardliness as for their observance of him and performance of many good Offices towards him All which Their respects towards him together with the rest of the Scholars of that House he held to their publick He holds the Scholars strictly to their Exercises and Devotion Disputations and Exercises and Prayers which he never missed chiefly for Devotion and withal to observe others absence always severely punishing such Omissions and Negligences 36. He usually dined and supped in the Common Hall as well to have a watchful Eye over the Scholars and to keep them in a mannerly and awful obedience as by his Example to teach them to be contented with a Scholar-like College Diet. 37. The sway and Rule he then did bear through the whole University the Records themselves will sufficiently testify for by his meer travail and labour and the Credit which he had with her Majesty and the Lord Burghly then Lord Treasurer of England and Chancellor of Cambridge he procured an alteration and amendment of the Statutes Procures amendment of the University Statutes of the University In which kind of Affairs and Business all the Heads of the Houses were directed and advised by him as from an Oracle For commonly whatsoever he spake or did they still concurred with him and would do nothing without him 38. He never took the foil at any man's hands during his ten years continuance in Trinity College being therein not unlike unto Pittacus in his Diog. Laert. de vita Philosoph ten years Government of Mitilene Cui nunquam per id tempus contigit in aliquâ causâ quam in se susciperet cadere For as the Causes he dealt in were always just so his Success was ever prosperous wherein his singular Wisdom was to be noted and his Courage and His Wisdom and Courage Stoutness in his Attempts were observed of the greatest and the general Fame thereof remaineth yet fresh in the University and will continue as his Badge and Cognizance so long as his Memory lasteth And yet that Stoutness of his was so well tempered and mingled with his other Virtue of Mildness and Patience His Moderation Mr. Hooker's Character of him in his Eccles Policy that Master Hooker made this true observation of him He always governed with that moderation which useth by patience to suppress boldness and to make them conquer that suffer which I think well suted with his Posey or Motto Vincit Qut Patitur 39. The first Wound which those fervent Reprehenders received at Doctor Whitgift's hands and his prudent order of Government together with his singular gift in Preaching made his Fame spread and gained him so great estimation that her Majesty was pleased to make choice Whitgift's esteem with the Queen Consecrated Bishop of Worcester April 21. 1577. of him before many others of eminent Place in the Church to be Bishop of Worcester Upon which his Advancement he first took his leave of the whole University by a publick Sermon which he preached in St. Mary's Church wherein he exhorted them to peace And afterwards by a private Sermon in Trinity College he gave unto that Society such a godly and learned Exhortation Takes leave of the University with an Exhortation to Peace and Unity for their continuance and constancy in peace and unity as it so moved their Affections that they burst out into Tears insomuch that there were scarce any dry Eyes to be found amongst the whole number He chose for his Text the same Farewel which St. Paul gave to the Corinthians Finally brethren fare His Farewel-Text 2 Cor. 13. 11. you well Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 40. IN June following he was attended Sets out for Worcester June 1697. attended with the Heads of Houses c. and accompanied on his way from Cambridge towards Worcester with a great Troop of the Heads and others of choice account in the University and with exceeding lamentation and sorrow of all sorts for the loss they conceived they had of so worthy a Governor 41. But their grief for the loss of The Queen forgives his First-fruits and gives him the disposal of all the Prebends of that Church him was not so great as was the joy of them who had found him amongst whom it pleased her Majesty to grace his very first entrance both in forgiving him his First-fruits a Princely and extraordinary Bounty as also in bestowing on him for the better encouragement and provision of his Chaplains and other learned men about him the disposing of all the Prebends of that Church of Worcester during his continuance there 42. He found the Bishoprick at his He finds the Bishoprick impaired by Grants of long Leases first coming much impaired by his Predecessors granting away in long Leases divers Manors Parks and Mansion-houses But that which much troubled him and wherein he most of all stirred Particularly the Rent-Corn of Two of the best Mannors Hollow and Grimly was the letting to Master Abington Cofferer to the late Queen the Rent-corn of his two best Manors Hollow and Grimley which is the chief upholding of the Bishop's Hospitality and without which especially in dear Years he is not able to keep House This Lease being let to Master Abington a great Man then to contend withal his Wife also being sometimes the Queen's Bedfellow the Bishop notwithstanding did He questions the said Lease call it in question having now besides his Honourable Friends the Lord Keeper and the Lord Treasurer gained by his attendance at Court many more about her Majesty who much favoured him and professed great love unto him especially the Earl of Leicester Sir Christopher Hatton Vice-Chamberlain Has great Friends at Court and Sir Francis Walsingham Principal Secretary all in special grace with her Highness Master Abington by his Wife's greatness procured her Majesty's gracious Letters written very earnestly in his behalf The Bishop returning Satisfies the Queen answer unto her Majesty and enforming her by means of his honourable Friends how
foris collocatur sic contra pacem Christi ordinationem atque unitatem Dei rebellatur The First fruits of Hereticks and the first Births and Endeavours of Schismaticks are these to admire themselves and in their swelling Pride to contemn any that are set over them Thus do men fall from the Church of God thus is a foreign unhallowed Altar erected and thus is Christ's Peace and God's Ordination and Unity rebelled against For mine own part I neither have done nor do any thing in these Matters which I do not think my self in conscience and duty bound to do and which her Majesty hath not with earnest Charge committed unto me and which I am not well able to justify to be most requisite for this Church and State whereof next to her Majesty though most unworthy or at the least most unhappy the chief care is committed unto me which I will not by the grace of God neglect whatsoever come upon me therefore Neither may I endure their notorious Contempts unless I will become Aesop ' s Block and undo all that which hither to hath been done And how then shall I be able to perform my Duty according to her Majesty's Expectation It is certain that if way be given unto them upon their unjust Surmises and Clamours it will be the cause of that Confusion which hereafter the State will be sorry for I neither care for the Honour of this Place I hold which is Onus unto me nor the largeness of the Revenue neither any worldly thing I thank God in respect of doing my Duty neither do I fear the displeasure of Man nor the evil Tongue of the uncharitable who call me Tyrant Pope Knave and lay to my charge things that I never did nor thought Scio enim hoc esse opus Diaboli ut Servos Dei mendaciis laceret opinionibus falsis gloriosum nomen infamet ut qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumoribus sordidentur For I know that this is the work of that Accuser the Devil that he may tear in pieces the Servants of God with Lies that he may dishonour their glorious Name with false Surmises that they who through the clearness of their own Conscience are shining bright might have the filth of other mens Slanders cast upon them So was Cyprian himself used and other Godly Bishops to whom I am not comparable But that which most of all grieveth me and is to be wondred at and lamented is that some of those which give countenance to these Men and cry out for a learned Ministry should watch their opportunity and be Instruments and means to place most unlearned Men in the chiefest Places and Livings of the Ministry thereby to make the state of the Bishops and Clergy contemptible and I fear saleable This Hypocrisy and dissembling with God and Man in pretending one thing and doing another goeth to my heart and maketh me to think that God's Judgments are not far off The day will come when all mens hearts shall be opened In the mean time I will depend upon him who never faileth those that put their trust in him Thus far his Letters 57. After this he linked himself in a After which he is in strict league with Sir Christopher Hatton by means of Dr. Bancroft firm league of friendship with Sir Christopher Hatton then Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen's Majesty and by the means of Dr. Bancroft his then Houshold Chaplain and afterwards Lord Archbishop of Canterbury had him most firm and ready upon all occasions to impart unto the Queen as well the Crosses offered him at the Council-Table as also sundry impediments whereby he was hindred from the performance of many good Services towards her Majesty and the State He had always the Lord Burley then Lord Treasurer Burley his firm Friend Lord Treasurer of England his firm and constant Friend and one that would omit no opportunity for his advancement who prevailed so far that when the Earl of Leicester one of those honourable Personages afore-mention'd was in the Low-Countries the Archbishop The Archbishop sworn of the Privy Council and the Lord Cobham were first sworn Counsellors of State and Thomas Lord Buckhurst was sworn the day after whereat the Earl was not a little displeased The Lord Buckhurst was joined Lord Buckhurst his faithful Friend in like affection to the Archbishop as the other two were and continued after he came to be Lord Treasurer his faithful and loving Friend to the time of his death 58. When the Archbishop was thus established in friendship with these Noble Personages as aforesaid their Favours and his Place wrought him free He has free access to the Queen access to the Queen and gracious acceptance of his Motions in the Church's behalf His Courses then at the Council-board His Oppositions abated were not so much crossed nor impeached as heretofore but by reason of his daily attendance and access he then oftentimes gave impediment to the Sir Thomas Bromeley Lord Chancellor died April 12. 1587. Earl's Designments in Clergy Causes 59. About this time Sir Thomas Bromely the then Lord Chancellor died whereupon it pleased her Majesty The Queen disposed to make the Archbishop Lord Chancellor to discover her gracious Inclination to have made the Archbishop Lord Chancellor of England But he excusing himself in many respects that he was He excuses himself and recommends Sir Christopher Hatton grown into years and had the burthen of all Ecclesiastical Businesses laid upon his back which was as much as one man could well undergo considering the troubles with so many Sectaries that were then sprung up desired to be spared and besought her Highness to make choice of Sir Christopher Hatton who Sir Christopher Hatton made Lord Chancellor Ap. 29. 1587. shortly after was made Lord Chancellor in the Archbishop's House at Croydon thereby the rather to grace the Archbishop His advancement did much strengthen the Archbishop and his Friends and withal the Earl of Leicester and his Designments came soon after to an end For the Year following taking his Journey to Kenelworth he died in the way at Cornbury Park whereby the Archbishop took himself The Earl of Leicester died Sept. 4. 1588. freed from much opposition 60. Upon the death of the said Earl the Chancellorship of Oxford being Oxford desire the Archbishop for their Chancellor in the Earl's room void divers of the Heads and others of the University made known unto the Archbishop their desire to chuse him their Chancellor although he was a Cambridge man To whom he returned this Answer That he was already their Friend whereof they might rest assured and therefore advised them to make choice of some other in near place about the Queen that might assist him on their behalf And both at the Council-board and other Places of Justice right them many ways both for the benefit of the University and their particular Colleges And
with the Widow whom he married whose hap was very hard to match with him albeit he made more of her than she desired for he made the uttermost peny For then he begun He pretended to a Prophetick Spirit and to miraculous Works in order to erecting the Discipline with counterfeit Holiness to set out himself amongst such of the simpler sort as had zeal without knowledge to be a man indued with an extraordinary and singular Spirit such as in old time the Prophets and Holy Men of God were making shew withall as if he had some peculiar Gifts and Qualities to be able even to tell Secrets and work Miracles which many believed whereof some did attribute them to Sorcery and Enchantments but the simpler sort unto his rare Spirit and Holiness For he trusted by this persuasion to get such credit with the unstable Multitude as that by their hands he might one day be able whosoever should withstand it to bring his Purposes about for erecting of such pretended Discipline to his own great estimation and advancement In this vain and seducing Humour he is reported I know not how truly to have travelled in the North parts unto York For among the simpler People where he was not known he hoped by the Vizard of Holiness and Religion not a little to prevail in setting forward his Designments For which purpose he took upon him there the Office and Spirit of St. John Affirmed at York to have the Office and Spirit of John Baptist Baptist affirming that he was sent thither by God to prepare the way of the Lord before his second coming to judgment But the counterfeit holiness and lewd seducing purpose of the Varlet being discovered unto some in Authority he was welcomed not with loss of his Head as that holy man unjustly was whom he wickedly counterfeited Being detected he was whipped out of the City but was well whipped and after banished that City This Medicine wrought not so effectually with him as that it could terrify him wholly from the like Attempts For it is reported that after this he assayed again to put on the like Person or Mask at Lincoln where Had the same usage afterwards at Lincoln he also found the same Cheer and Entertainment for his pains as he received afore at York But this erroneous Opinion whereby through self-love and illusion of the Devil he thought that he was reserved of God for Fancied himself reserv'd of God for some great Work some great and excellent Work being blown forward by the shew of zeal and of an earnestness for such a Reformation could not thus easily be quenched and rooted out of him the rather for that by use and imitation of such as he most followed and conversed with though wholly otherwise he were unlettered he had grown to such a dexterity in conceiving of Extemporal Prayers with bumbasted and thundering words as that Was an illiterate Fellow but had acquired a great dexterity in Extempore Prayers he was thereby marvailed at and greatly magnified by some Brethren and Sisters as a man greatly vouchsafed with God and adorned with rare and singular Endowments from Heaven so that through admiration of such supposed Excellencies in him he still continued to fancy unto himself that he had rare Gifts and an extraordinary Calling For he gave out to divers that he was a Prophet Was much admired and affirm'd himself a Prophet of God's Vengeance of God's Vengeance where his Mercy is refused Saying That if Reformation be not established in England this present Year three great Plagues shall fall upon it the Sword Pestilence and Famine He pretended also that God had revealed unto him most wonderful things Which he would he said utter to none but such as himself knew to be very resolute in God's Cause But he told unto Arthington and Coppinger that there should be no more Popes hereafter Upon confidence of which Spirit and Gifts in himself in Places of his resort with an intemperate and fanatical boldness With Fanatical boldness utter'd seditious Speeches against the Queen c. even as if he had sufficient warrant for it he dared oftentimes to utter most vile lewd and seditious Speeches both of the Queen's Majesty and of certain the greatest Subjects whom he thought to be hinderers of his Practices Which his Outrages being once or twice brought unto the Ears of certain in Authority in Northamptonshire and elsewhere not sufficiently acquainted with the strange Humours of such Anabaptistical Wizards and Fanatical Sectaries and perhaps unwilling to let his words be drawn so far against him as they justly might they were therefore content to attribute them to some spice of phrensy in him and in that Was corrected in Northamptonshire as Phrantick quality to be corrected rather than to construe them to have proceeded from any setled and advised malice as the event hath since made most manifest they did For in the whole course besides of other the Speeches and Actions of his Life both before and after no alienation of mind or madness could be noted in him At one of the times that he was brought in question for his Seditious and indeed Treasonable Speeches it happened that he was convented before that honourable Counseller Sir Walter Mildmay who commanded him for more safegard to be watched the night before he was to be conveyed to Northampton Gaol at what time the counterfeit dissembling Wretch willed Put into Northampton Gaol his Wife to let him lie alone in the Chamber that was to be watched for that he had to confer with one that would come unto him that night Insinuating unto her as if he were to have at that time some special Conferences with God or some Angel Whereupon Pretended to have conference with God or some Angel it was straightway blown abroad thereabouts amongst the credulous multitude of those that either favoured him for supposed Zeal or feared him for Sorceries that albeit there were no Candles used yet there was a great light that night seen shining in his Chamber so that by this Tale the erroneous Opinions afore conceived of him were greatly encreased After he had lien in Northampton Gaol a good space and was come unto his Trial in the absence of Sir Walter from thence the matter is thought to have been so handled by some who in favour of his forwardness would needs interpret his Felonies to be but Follies as that no Evidence being given against him he was dismissed for that pull upon Bond entred for his appearance when he should be called for again Now Hacket a man thus qualified as ye Wigginton brings him acquainted with Coppinger hear was of all other men thought by Wigginton most fit and worthy to be recommended and straightly linked unto Coppinger's Familiar acquaintance as most aptly consorting with his humorous Conceit long ere this apprehended by him whereof it seemeth Wigginton was not ignorant nor misliked Their acquaintance
Note Coppinger ' s Letter to Cartwright about some special service to God and his Church he fancied himself call'd for of the Letter unto T. C. is in mine Opinion meet to be here inserted in many respects viz. Right Reverend Sir I have with much grief been put back from doing some special service to God and to his Church which I hope time will manifest that I am appointed for Which if it had been done by Enemies it should not much have troubled me But being done by Persons as much regarded by me as flesh and blood can regard men it goeth near unto me From you I received this Message That I should attempt nothing but by advice of those whom you would procure to counsel me This was done from you in the name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth and therefore I obey it with great care and conscience expecting at your hands that Monday being the day appointed for conference that it may hold that I may be justified in my course or condemned The danger that Note some stand in for their lives is not unknown And if I had not been letted I durst have ventured my life to have procured their release ere now God help us I see Wisdom Zeal Courage and Love are seen but in few and those who would gladly use those Graces and Gifts which God hath given them cannot But God seeth what is best to be done and he will by contrary effects bring to pass whatsoever pleaseth him If you will answer my last Questions there may much use be made of them I desire them as much in regard of others as my self who are resolved of divers things whereof I crave to be resolved which I do to good purpose And as you commanded me in the name of God to be wise and circumspect and to deal by counsel so as I may I command you in the name of God that you advise the Preachers to deal speedily and circumspectly lest some blood of the Saints be Note shed which must needs bring down vengeance from Heaven upon the Land Return this Letter I beseech you to me that I may shew it amongst other things when the meeting shall be and commend me and my Purposes to God in your holy Prayers that they may so far be blessed as himself is the director of them God keep us ever his this 14th of February There is also this Postscript I am so full of worldly business as I have no time to attend this weighty Action but do only weight upon God for the direction of his Spirit saving my heart and soul are still mindful hereof and to morrow by God's grace I will humble my self before his Majesty in fasting and prayer and hope that God will stir up some other to join with me in spirit though few or none in person do only one I am assured of the Prisoners know it I leave it to them to join or Note not as God moves them but if ever men will fast and pray I think it is now more than time to do it The Superscription was this To my very loving and reverend Friend Master C. He dealt also about this matter with another Gentleman of the Laity in one of J. T. a Lay Gentleman his Letter to Coppinger intimating caution about some singular Course or special Practice whose Letters written in answer to Coppinger's the 18th of the fifth Month meaning thereby May I find these words of some mark I confess saith he I heard some buz abroad of a sole and singular course that either you or some other had plotted in his head And a little after thus I would wish you and all that bear good will to the holy Cause in this perilous Age of ours to take both your eyes in your hands as they say and to be sure of your ground and Strive to put in execution warrant before you strive to put in execution Besides these and some others he instanted both by word and Letters in Easter Term last about this business a certain Gentleman In his first Letter to the said Gentleman dated the 19th of May last Coppinger promiseth to him in the name of the Coppinger comforteth a Gentleman censured in Star-chamber for the Cause Lord a recompence in the life to come for that in the Star-chamber he feared God more than Man in such a glorious Action so pleasing to God so behoveful to his Church which shall also remain of record here to all posterity And a little after thus If after your own holy private Prayer you find any desire of speech with me let me intreat you either to send this Letter to M. Cartwright or rather if you can carry it unto him c. The second Letter which he writ to the said Lawyer the 21st of May they having in the mean time conferred together was thus word by word Let thy Spirit O gracious Father direct us now and for ever in all our ways especially in those whereby greatest honour may redound to thy glorious Majesty most benefit to thy Church and most danger to thine Enemies Good Sir and my loving Brother in the Lord though such as are admitted to consult with God and have by prayer and meditation much familiarity and acquaintance with his holy Majesty need not doubt of good success in all things which he setteth them a work in though Satan and his Vassals cross their course and hinder their labour by all the means they can yet is it also necessary that while we remain in the fellowship and communion of the Saints that we communicate one with another that as loving Children we may all join together to help each other to be doers of our heavenly Father's will here on Earth as the Angels do it in the Heavens The conscience which I had hereof enforced me to write unto you lately and the like moved you to speak with me upon that Letter And truly I did observe many things in that little time we spent together were said and done which might move either of us to praise our good God and to cheer us up to further so holy an Action as now is in Note hand which must needs speed well in the end because it is the Lord 's own work And if we adventure our selves to do him service here he will reward elsewhere You may be bold for you have the warrant of the Word the allowance of the State and you walk in your own Calling But I am to be fearful and circumspect because the Dangers I enter into be infinite my Course misliked though unknown because it is extraordinary which Callings be ceased in all mens opinion of judgment and have not of long time been heard of or to be hoped for but where the Word is not preached at all or the Church in a great waste which no body dare affirm our Church of England to be Wherefore it seemeth that every step that I shall
Majesty signifying that what punishment should in that respect be allotted to him or unto Hacket they would undergo it and not depart the City till they might further understand what God would do therein Sure it is that being thus shaken They thus slighted grow malicious against him Coppinger writes another Letter in Hacket's name to the Queen threatning dreadful Judgments from God and offers a Sign off by him they grew extremely malicious also against the said worthy Nobleman I find also a Copy of a Letter written in Coppinger's hand but meant to be sent as from Hacket unto her Excellent Majesty wherein amongst other things he desireth he may enjoy that which God hath appointed him and then lewdly and falsly accuseth and revileth two great and worthy Counsellors In the end he saith That if he should tell her the judgments of God that lie at her Gate which the Lord hath shewed him they would be over-fearful for her to endure or to hear of And if she doubted of his sending from the Lord he willeth her to ask a Sign and if he give it not let him die A second course taken by them besides the former Appeachments was a Conspiracy They conspire the death of some Lords of the Council in case Judgment be given against some of their Preachers then Prisoners for Misdemeanors of the death of certain of the Lords of the Council when they should be at the Star-chamber in case they should give any Judgment against certain that were sometime Preachers and are now Prisoners for Misdemeanors perillous to the peaceable state of the Realm as is intended That this devilish Purpose was rise amongst them may appear by a Letter sent by Coppinger in Trinity Term last unto the aforenamed Lancaster In which was contained to this effect That if the Lords should give a hard censure against those Parties the next day if God shewed not such a fearful Judgment against some of those Lords as that some of them should not go alive out of that place then never trust him And albeit some that saw this Letter could not pick any further matter out of it than Coppinger's Conceit that God without some speedy and miraculous Judgment from himself alone would not suffer such men to be punished yet Lancaster to whom it was directed justly suspected some further meaning and that the concealing of it might be both accounted undutiful and further also dangerous unto him and therefore asked counsel of some more skilful than himself whether he might safely suppress it and tear the Letter in pieces Another Device they also had for preparing as is supposed of the minds of the People and to stir them up to be in readiness which was by certain Seditious Letters They scatter Seditious Letters among the People that were purposely scattered five or six Nights afore in many of the Streets of London by some of these Actors or by their Complices and Favourers Likewise there was found in Wigginton's Chamber in the Great numbers of Printed Libels found in Wigginton's Chamber Prison where he remaineth about a thousand printed Pamphlets of two sorts the one of Predestination the other carrying an odd and needless Title to every man that knoweth but the Author For it is entitled on the first side in great Letters thus viz. The Fools bolt And immediately under that Title this Sentence is set down worthy to be duly considered with all his Circumstances now apparent viz. Such as do surmise the complaint of Innocency to be revenge and the report of Truth to be slander shall never want the due reward of their gross Error whilst Innocency and Truth shall endure On the other side of the Sheet the Title is A Fatherly Exhortation to a certain young Courtier The matter thereof is conceived into an halting Rime roving lewdly not only at the Governors Ecclesiastical and at other Ministers but also at sundry having Civil Authority and high Places Amongst the rest the first two Staves and last Stave 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 chief of them The first are these viz. My Son if thou a Courtier sue to be In flower of youth this Lesson learn of me A Christian true although he be a Clown May teach a King to wear Scepter and Crown And in the last Stave are these viz. For God will sure confound such as devise His Ordinance or Church to tyrannize c. These Papers Wigginton by the means and help of one Brown procured privily to be printed at Whitsontide last and being examined Wigginton confesseth that they were all to be sent to Women and by them to be dispersed touching them by her Majesty's Council and others he confessed That they were all to be sent to Women the weaker Vessels viz. to Mistress L. Mistress B. and to I know not how many Mistresses by them to be dispersed abroad to the intent that every one to whom they might come should conceive of them as the Spirit should move them And Hacket also confessed that a part of certain Writings which Wigginton and Coppinger framed was that a Clown might teach a King to wear a Crown Now that Wigginton held intelligence in Wigginton in the Conspiracy for advancing the Discipline these matters with the Conspirators and that there was mutual and ordinary correspondence betwixt him and them in all Plots for advancing of their Discipline per fas nefas besides that which in this behalf hath been touched afore is made also manifest by the confession of Arthington who saith That about the 15th of July or not long before he heard Hacket singing of certain Songs who then wished that Arthington had also some of them For it was a very special thing and said he M. Wiggington hath a great many of them Also Coppinger had once conference with Wigginton in the presence of Arthington touching his extraordinary Calling At what time it is pretended that Wigginton refused to be made acquainted with the manner of Coppinger's Secrets and that he used these Speeches to Coppinger viz. You are known to be an honest Gentleman and sworn to the Queen and therefore I will not be acquainted with those things which God hath revealed unto you for the good of your Sovereign And his Opinion of such extraordinary Callings set down under his own hand doth elsewhere appear whereby is argued that he was made a common Oracle for such Fantasticks That he knew the matter in generality which by Coppinger was to be wrought upon the Queen to bring her forsooth to repentance howsoever he refused to know the particular manner of such Secrets That he acknowledged it to be good for the Queen and yielded it without scruple to be revealed unto Coppinger from God so that it could not be but that Coppinger hereby was much animated to go forward in his
of to bring them to pass which they hoped to stir up by their pretence of so great holiness with calling the Realm to repentance in the open Streets of London by offering joys and mercy to the Penitent and by their Proclamation also then made in Cheapside as hereafter cometh to be declared Now that these their two last Purposes were indeed the principal and main ends which they propounded to themselves besides that which by the way is noted already and that which comes hereafter to be mentioned let these few Proofs ensuing suffice First for the alteration of the whole Government Ecclesiastical and erecting of the new Discipline It is confessed that Coppinger Coppinger and Arthington two false Prophets their words to Wigginton the day before the Insurrection and Arthington the two Counterseit Prophets on the 16th of July last being Friday and the self-same day that they arose in Cheapside told Wigginton in the morning these words amongst many others viz. That Reformation and the Lord's Discipline should now forthwith be established and therefore charged Wigginton in the Lord's name to put all Christians in comfort that they should see a joyful alteration in the state of Church-Government shortly To which words Wigginton made no reply nor further demand as of any matter strange unto him how it was so shortly to be compassed Wherein may also be observed that these kind of Persons do reckon and term only those Christians that will take comfort and joy at such an Alteration So that by their Opinions it skilleth not what be attempted or done against all others being but as Heathens and Paynims or at least Idolaters Thus much with their seditious Purposes Their Seditious Purposes appear in Coppinger's Letter to Udal then condemned for writing the Demonstration of Discipline also is plainly implied in a dangerous Letter written by the said Coppinger since Easter last unto one John Udal a condemned man for Felony in the White Lyon in Surrey for writing of the Book termed the Demonstration of Discipline That Letter beginneth thus Right Reverend Sir my forbearing to visit you and the rest of the Saints who suffer for Righteousness sake do give you all cause to think that I have forsaken my first Love and have embraced the God of this World But my Conscience beareth me witness of the contrary The Reasons of my absence being so great and so weighty that hereafter when they shall be examined by your selves who are endued with the spirit of wisdom and discerning of Spirits I doubt not but Note you will allow of my not coming which might bring you into more trouble and danger than it would do me good or breed me comfort And afterward thus You have care and conscience to further the building of the Lord's House which lieth waste and to seek the final overthrow of Antichrist's Kingdom which being the Lord 's own work he will bless it and all the Actors in it And this I dare be bold of mine own knowledge to report that in this great Work he hath divers that lie hid and are yet at liberty who are hammering their heads busying their brains and spending their spirits in prayers to God as much as you or any of you that are in Prison Note and hope in short time to be brought forth into the sight of their and your Enemies to defend the Cause you stand for And again afterward in this wise I beseech you cheer up your selves in the Lord for the day of our Redemption is at hand and pray that the Hand of the Lord may be strengthened Note in them whom he hath appointed to take part with you in this Cause and beseech him that blessing may be upon Sion and confusion upon Babel Pardon my long Letter I beseech you and impart mine humble suit to all the rest to whom I neither dare write nor offer to see I neither put to my Name nor make Subscription The Bringer can report who sendeth the Letter and let that suffice Furthermore that they hated deadly and maligned her Majesty as a principal Obstacle to their Innovation and Kingdom and therefore sought to deprive her Highness of her Sovereignty and Life may be gathered by their own Words and Actions For Hacket confessed before the other two that They usually attend Egerton a Preacher in Black-Frairs at a Sermon of one Egerton's preach'd in the Black-Fryars whither they usually resort he the said Hacket remained uncovered all the Sermon time until the Preacher came to pray for her Majesty but then he said that he put on his Hat And when Arthington demanded why he did so Coppinger streightway answered thus There is a matter in that Likewise when as in their private Prayers amongst themselves Arthington used to pray for the Queen Coppinger Coppinger and Hacket forbear to pray for the Queen would sundry times tell him that his so doing did much grieve Hacket adding that in the beginning himself did also pray for her but Hacket had now drawn him from it saying there was a cause why which Arthington knew not but should know hereafter For saith he you do not know this man meaning Hacket who is a greater Person than she and indeed above all the Princes in the World And whenas on the very Sunday before their rising for so themselves have since termed that Action it happened that Arthington prayed again for the preservation of the Queen's Majesty Hacket not digesting this suddenly with indignation turned his face away from him but when he prayed for other matters then Hacket cast his countenance towards him again which he perceiving that Arthington also marked by him and purposing as it seemeth to salve up this matter again left Arthington happily might yet have fallen from them therefore when they had ended their Prayers Hacket took him with his Arms about the middle in very kind sort affirming that he loved the Queen as well as either of them and desired him not to be offended for the Lord had commanded it Adding further that there was a matter in it that Arthington as yet knew not Hereupon Coppinger being in hearing thereof said that she might be prayed for in general terms but not so specially as Arthington did whereby Hacket was grieved nor yet to be prayed for as a Sovereign For said he she may not reign as Note Sovereign but this man Hacket and yet saith he she shall live better than ever she did albeit she must be governed by another thereby also meaning Hacket And to the intent they might the more assuredly retain Arthington without suspicion of their poisonful malice wherein they boiled against the Queen's Highness Hacket himself once after this time very subtilly prayed for her Majesty For proof that they also meant to deprive her of life the several Confessions of Arthington Arthington confesseth that Hacket and Coppinger design'd the Queen's deprivation of Government and Life at sundry Examinations may be
out of the Church and maintain in their room Officers and Offices of Antichrist Hereupon gathering thus How can God spare this Land any longer wherein both the Magistrates and Messengers of God have dealt so unfaithfully in the Lord's service Adding That the fearful Judgments of God shall be sure to fall on the Reprobate being already prepared and put into the hands of the Mighty Messenger of the Almighty God William Hacket to be poured out upon this great City of London and upon all Places where repentance followeth not this publication Then he goeth about to prove all such Preachers to be Idolaters or consenting to Idolatry which Practise or Consent and suffer others to use Surpless and Cross because he saith they are the marks of Antichrist Preferring herein the Papists afore them as sinning herein only of ignorance seeking also to engreeve their Faults in this behalf for that they are all Hypocritical Idolaters in that nevertheless they profess Reformation Whereunto he addeth he saith a Secret That this their halting and hypocrisy hath so hardned God's heart against their Requests for bringing in the Discipline that for this unfaithful and Note unsingle walking in their Function he hath hitherto denied it Neither shall any one of them or all of them together have that honour given to bring in Reformation For saith he I tell you truly the Almighty God hath put his Cup of Vengeance into his trusty and faithful Servants hand William Hacket to pour it down shortly upon every wilful and obstinate Sinner that doth not repent upon the notice hereof or else the Lord confound me Lastly he giveth a charge to have this Prophecy together with the incredible but most certain History of the holiest Servant of God William Hacket that ever hath been is or shall be born Christ Jesus only excepted with all speed possible printed and published together as in substance true saith he or else the Lord confound me This wise Prophecy is thus subscribed By the most unworthy Servant but yet a faithful Prophet of the Almighty Jesus or else his Wrath confound me Henry Arthington While Arthington was about this his Task Coppinger writes Hacket's History at large to be published with his Prophecy Coppinger as it seemeth was neither idle nor well occupied for he was setting down from Hacket's own mouth a long Ragman's Role of Hacket's Torments Revelations and I know not what called Hacket's History For by Thursday morning Hacket having enlarged the first draught thereof which was at first but scribled out by Coppinger Arthington was to write out again fair the enlarged Copy that being persited it might be annexed unto the aforesaid Prophecy All that Thursday was spent by them in consultation and writing Hacket being also present and assisting them But with what joyfulness amongst them all it is incredible if we may believe their own Reports Yet Arthington was forced for the haste that was made to have all in readiness against the Friday following and for the desire he had to yield unto Hacket all satisfaction and contentment that might be to sit up most of Thursday night writing out again of the said History so enlarged But on Thursday it self being the 15th of July amongst other their Actions Coppinger and Arthington writ a Letter to the aforesaid T. L. which is of this tenor first at the top of it thus viz. If this Letter be not endited by the Holy Ghost Coppinger's and Arthington's Letter ter unto T. Lancaster who hath appeared in a far greater measure to sinful Wretches in the end of the World even to us whose Names are here under-written and to a third Person in Calling above all former Callings whatsoever Christ Jesus excepted the Lord confound us two with vengeance from Heaven and carry us with all violence into the bottomless Pit If we have not taken the name of God in vain it standeth you upon to read this Letter with fear and trembling with joy and gladness with fear that the Lord should wooe you to do him service with joy that he offereth you honour if you accept it We two are Messengers from Heaven who have a good Captain to guide us who have received immediate Callings from God to call the whole World to repentance and amendment of Life otherwise they are to fear that Christ Jesus's second coming in glory will be to them as a Thief in the night If I Edmund Coppinger do not prefer you before any one man in the Land whatsoever for your wise holy loving and religious Course both in the general Calling of a Christian and in your particular Calling the Lord confound me Body and Soul The reason why I chuse you first is because in your House in your presence and under God partly by your means I had my first extraordinary Calling though thereof as of all other things the whole honour and glory be the Lord's And of the same mind is my Brother Arthington In token of our extraordinary love to you we deal as we neither have or will do with any other for we command in the name of the Lord all Creatures upon the Earth and they must obey But with you we will dispense thus far that it shall be your choise to come and take a new Calling for a time wherein we would use you or refuse it So wishing you to commend us and your self to God before you answer us which we expect in word and not in writing c. The Messenger of Mercy to the whole World if they accept me E. Coppinger I avouch whatsoever my Brother hath written to be most true And further I protest that you are a more holy man than any Preacher in London or throughout the whole Land or else the Lord confound me If it please you to come and see me joyful you may hope this is true The Prophet of God's Judgements to the whole World where mercy is rejected Hen. Arthington That the perfit and enlarged History of Hacket be briefly gathered into a Summary and here set down it will not I think be amiss for such as shall be desirous to know what mysteries may be therein contained which drew these two amongst other matters into such a extraordinary admiration and opinion of him First therefore There is declared whom A sum of Hacket's History Hacket served then how he got the execution of the Bailywick of Oundel being void How upon complaint of the Wives there that their Husbands spent their thrift in Alehouses on the Sabbath days he by a Justice of Peace not far off did cause all the Playing Tables that could be come by to be burnt Also the light and enticing behaviour of some Women towards him and his familiarity with them whereby his Wife became jealous of him so that he was forced for her satisfaction to clear himself by his Oath The sundry Baits laid by means of some of his Fellows that envied him for the credit he had with
other had a former Fast at the aforesaid Lancaster's House about one Week afore that time and that her Majesties Counsel that now are must be Tryed by this King whether they are to be remov'd from her Majesty or not and that she is to have to be about her to attend her Person for the time such as himself should assign which shall be those whom he hath named in a Letter of his that is found with him and some others also he said were meant to have been assigned also for that purpose There fell out also upon some of Arthington's Examinations while he remained obstinate certain other points not unworthy to be remembred One was that whereas he in writing of a treatise against the state of this Church as it now standeth observed as he saith therein his old want to abstain from bitter speeches and raylings as a thing which he naturally abhorred yet within these few Months and after he had entred into these actions he had altred his opinion and was moved in spirit to follow another sharp and biting course of Writing as being more convenient in his judgment Also when some that examined him stood greatly upon this point to persuade him that he was seduced in those things wherein he seemed so resolute and reasoned against such their pretended extraordinary callings gifts and offices then he for better confirmation thereof said that it should very shortly appear 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 been by the space of 14 years possessed with a Devil as is afore touched that for a sure sign of their vocation the said Devil should be thrown out of her by all or some of their three means very shortly He also persisted wilful in his former fancies until the very time that he knew Hacket was hanged for until that day he very confidently affirmed that he was most assured by the Spirit of God and by the joys and comfort he inwardly felt that Hacket did participate with Christ in a part of his office and was indeed King of all Europe on whom her Majesty and all other must hold their crowns and scepters and must govern if they would continue their government by such Laws as he should prescribe and set forth That all they three should shortly be dismissed and should go over-Sea with Hacket to take possession of all those his other Kingdoms abroad and to perform their Offices But when the vanity and danger of this strange fancy was opened unto him his answer was to this effect You think saith he somewhat pleasantly as it were pitying their error and misconceit that we have incurred the danger of laws herein and that we shall therefore be put to death but as sure as God is in Heaven the sword shall not come near to hurt us neither shall any man be able to touch the least hair of any of our heads Thus the mean time for the most part Hacket comes to his Tryal thereof from Friday the 16th of July until Monday sevennight after being spent in examinations it was thought good that Hacket should then come to his Tryal on which day being the 26th of July he was brought from Bridewell to the Sessions-house near Newgate before the Lord Mayor the Lord Wentworth Sir Gilbert Gerrard Knight Master of the Rolls Sir Walstane Dixie and Sir Richard Martin Knights Mr. Sergeant Fleetwood Recorder of London Mr. Daniel and others in that Commission where after the Grand Jury was Empannelled the Witnesses that should give evidence Sworn and two several Indictments against him found Hacket was willed to hold up his hand which he did then the first Indictment was read being of this tenour being turned into English viz. The Jury do present for the Queen That The Indictment London ss William Hacket late of Oundel in the County of Northampton Yeoman as a false Traytor against the most excellent and Christian Princess our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen defender of the Faith c. his natural and Sovereign liege Lady having not the fear of God in his heart nor weighing his due allegiance but seduced by the instigation of the Devil maliciously and traiterously compassing imagining devising and intending the deprivation and deposing of our said Sovereign Lady Elizabeth from her honour and royal name of the Imperial Crown of this Realm of England on the 21st day of July in the 33d year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth now Queen of England at London that is to say in the Parish of St. Brides in the Ward of Farringdon extra London and divers other days and times betwixt the 12th of February last past and the 25th day of July in the said 33d year of her Majesties Reign as well in the Parish and Ward aforesaid as elsewhere in London aforesaid of his own perverse and traiterous mind and imagination maliciously expresly advisedly directly and traiterously in the presence and hearing of sundry faithful Subjects of our said Sovereign Lady these false malicious and traiterous English words following concerning our said Sovereign Lady the Queen's Majesty falsly maliciously advisedly expresly directly and traiterously said rehearsed published and spoke viz. That the Queen's Majesty meaning thereby our said Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth was not Queen of England and that the Queen's Majesty meaning thereby our said Sovereign Queen Elizabeth did represent all hypocrisy and had forfeited her Crown and was worthy to be deprived and that he had been of that opinion this four years and that he defaced her Arms in Kayes house thereby meaning the house of one Ralph Kayes situate and being in Knightrider-street in the Parish of St. Gregory near Pauls in the Ward of Baynard ' s Castle London to take away her whole power of her Authority and was moved thereunto by the spirit and that he neither was nor is sorry therefore to the great scandal and derogation of the person and Royalty of our said Sovereign Lady the Queen and to the subversion of the State of this Realm of England and contrary to the form of a statute in this case made and provided and also against the peace of our said Sovereign Lady her Crown and dignities c. Being asked whether he were guilty to this Indictment or not he confessed and He pleaks guilty pleaded guilty adding this All must be as you will Whereupon Mr. Attorney-General desired for the Queen his confession of the Indictment might be entred Then Hacket being again bidden to hold up his hand he did so accordingly whereupon the second Indictment was read being in English as followeth viz. The Jury presents for the Queen That William Second Indictment London ss Hacket late of Oundel in the County of Northampton Yeoman as a false traitor against the most excellent and Christian Princess our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth by the grace
he opened his mouth blasphemously against Heaven and against the Majesty of the Eternal God And concerning certain opinions of the Anabaptists do not many of the Disciplinarian humour come far nearer unto them than were to be wished for though they deny not the Civil Magistrates superiority altogether yet in Causes Ecclesiastical though they admit it in words they allow unto him nothing else but execution of their Orders without attributing any superior preheminence of commandment in Church-causes for retaining of good order and of soundness of Doctrine in the Church Likewise though they take not the sovereignty from the chief Magistrate in causes of the Common-wealth do they not so abridge and bound his Authority in causes Ecclesiastical that the very Papists do attribute as much in this behalf unto him as they do And albeit they will not absolutely in judgment deny the lawfulness of an Oath before a Magistrate yet if their sundry and variable Positions in this point be marked they do in effect wholly repeal the use of it For do not some of them plainly refuse to take an Oath whereby they may be urged to discover any thing which may either be penal to themselves or to their Christian Brother and so in effect deny it altogether Do not others of them refuse to tell any thing that is criminal concerning any other person though perhaps they will do it against themselves especially when they think it is afore discovered and known Do not some of them refuse an Oath simply yea and to answer without Oath either affirmatively or negatively but do will their accusers to stand forth Do not others deny to take an Oath except every particular question be afore made known unto them a matter impossible because sundry Questions that shall be asked do arise forth of the matter of the Answer And do not sundry of them albeit they yield to detect by Oath both their own and others offences yet deny to reveal any thing whereof they are asked if themselves be persuaded the matter demanded of be none offence And so they do hang obedience to Laws Allegiance and Duty of Subjects upon every particular mans conceit even as he by circumstances or his own fond persuasion shall list to measure matters Do they not resolutely hold that summa potestas the Chief and Sovereign Power in all Church-causes belongs to a Presbytery who though they may consult yet may not determine matter of any moment without the allowance of the People Had not these Conspirators a like opinion to those of Munster that the principal spirit of Christ being in Hacket he was come with his Fan to sever and dispatch out of the way all the wicked and ungodly from the good and godly Hath it not been set down by an English subject and twice printed with singular allowance of the English Arch-Prophet of discipline for Sound and Holy Divinity that it is God's ordinance to have in every Kingdom certain chief Officers like Ephori in Lacedoemon who should have authority to depose Kings though they come unto it by lawful Succession if they shall judge them to be Tyrants Did not Wigginton deliver for sound Doctrine That if the Magistrates did not govern well the people might draw themselves together and to see a Reformation Do not these kind of persons likewise slander the Prince and State with persecution of the Saints and of innocent men because they are a little restrained from running on in their Seditious courses Did not these Conspirators also hold That now in these latter times Christ by his principal spirit imparted unto Hacket should reign and erect an external kingdom on earth and in the world And did they not fancy that even at that time the Gospel with their discipline should be universally established and all the ungodly abolished Do not all of the Disciplinarian Sect hold that to the very being of Baptism and without which it is of no more force in any case than the Nurses washing it is required that it be administred by a lawful Minister thereby derogating not only from the true Baptism of Thousands but also of all whomsoever that were Baptized by Popish Sacrificing Priests themselves and from all that have received Baptism of such as were Baptized by them whereupon must needs follow necessity of Rebaptization or else that it were lawful to neglect and contemn that Sacrament and high Mystery of our Salvation Lastly Do they not make great shews and many pretences for all their unsound and absurd Opinions that they are taken from the holy and sacred written word of God which by this means they make to be of private interpretation and do not reduce their senses unto it when they read but do wickedly captivate the Scripture unto their own senses and meanings even as in this behalf Coppinger or Arthington did first take upon them an extraordinary calling Scripturas ad suum non suum sensum ad Scripturas adducunt and were afterwards charged by Hacket to read over the whole Bible there to find an approbation of it God of his infinite mercy forgive and turn the hearts of all that trouble his Church fromrunning well or that impugne his Ordinance and such as are set over them and restrain or root out all Phantastical Errors and Fanatical spirits which the envious man from time to time doth sow among the good Wheat that holding the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace we may all meet together in the unity of faith and knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ and so speedily and joyfully meet him our Bridegroom in the Clouds with our heads lifted up and full of Comfort and so reign with him for ever through the same Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost one Eternal Immortal Invisible and only wise God be all Honour Praise Glory and Dominion now and for ever Amen FINIS Books Sold by R. Chiswell DAngerous Positions and Proceedings published and Practised within this Island of Britain under pretence of Reformation and for the Presbyterial Discipline Written in 1593. by Dr. Riohard Bancrofe afterwards Lord Archbishop of Canterbury 4o. His Survey of the pretended Holy Discipline Containing an Historical Narration of the Beginnings Success Parts Proceedings Authority and Doctrine of it with some of the Manifold and Material Repugnancies Varieties and Uncertainties in that behalf Faithfully gathered out of the Writings of the Principal Favourers of that Platform Written 1593. 4o. An Apology for Sundry Proceedings by Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical in 3 Parts Written 1593. By Richard Cosin L. L. D. Dean of the Arches and Official-Principal to Archbishop Whitgift 4o. The Sum of a Conference held by King James the First at Hampton-Court 1603. with the Bishops and Clergy and some Chief of the Puritan Ministers about sundry Church-Matters 4o. Mr. Richard Hookers Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity in 8 Books Fol.
was wrought in this An Account thereof out of Hacket's History Arthington's Prophesies Both Manuscripts manner as Hacket testifieth in that Discourse which they since call Hacket's History enlarged endited by himself written by Coppinger and afterward copied out fair by Arthington as it should have gone to the Press being annexed to Arthington's Prophesy For there it is said That the Lord brought Hacket to London about the beginning of Easter Term last to see what would be done against Job Throgmorton and partly to reckon with M. Wigginton about the making of malt between them together At what time Wigginton said That there was a Gentleman in the City a very good man but Hacket as the Lord knoweth did not think that there had been one godly man in the Land and supposed the Twelfth Psalm belonged to this time When Wigginton was describing the Man and the matter that he was entring into viz. that the Man whom he spoke of had a message to say to his Sovereign concerning some practice intended 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 speak with him who by God's Providence came forthwith and Wigginton willed them to take acquaintance one of the other assuring Coppinger that he knew Hacket to be a man truly fearing God and such a Person as by whose Conference God might minister some comfort to Coppinger Whereupon they two viz. Coppinger and Hacket went from thence presently unto Hacket ' s Chamber at the Sign of the Castle without Smithfield-Bars So soon as they were entred the Chamber Coppinger desired that before any speech should pass between them they might first pray to God together which they did Hacket speaking to the Lord first After which Prayer Coppinger delivered unto Hacket how he had been very strangely and extraordinarily moved by God to go to her Majesty and to tell her plainly that the Lord's pleasure was that she must with all speed reform her self her Family the Common-wealth and the Church And that the Lord had further told him by what means all the same should be done but that Secret he would not then deliver unto Hacket Then Coppinger also prayed into God desiring him if he would be with him and bless that Business which he had committed to his charge that then he would both furnish him with Gifts fit for so weighty an Action and knit the heart of Hacket and his so together as David ' s and Jonathan ' s Moses ' s and Aaron ' s For answer hereof Hacket took further time till the morning at which time in the morning a Prayer being first made Hacket laid all the Lord's business which was to be done by himself upon Coppinger ' s back telling him the Lord had appointed him to it and would stand with him in it Thus far in this Point goeth that Discourse But long before this time of their two first Acquaintances Coppinger upon his return forth of Kent in Michaelmas Term last had signified unto Arthington and to one T. Lancaster a Schoolmaster in Shoe-lane both being of his familiar Acquaintance and whom he had requested to fast and pray Coppinger pretends to a secret Mystery revealed to him relating to the Discipline and the Queen's repentance about it with him for success in obtaining a Widow that God had shewed him the said Coppinger great favour by revealing such a secret Mystery unto him as was wonderful being in substance thus much viz. That he knew a way how to bring the Queen to repentance and to cause all her Council and Nobles to do the like out of hand or else detect them to be Traitors that refused All they by such Repentance meaning and understanding as it seemeth the erecting of their fanciful Discipline For this Phrase being usual with them in Conferences of this matter he thereby sufficiently declared his mind to them and they well understood what was meant without further a-do Now it had been inconvenient that Coppinger He imparts it to Wigginton should all this while conceal this Mystery which he imparted unto them and after to Hacket from Wigginton who brought them acquainted together unto whom he so oft resorted and so highly above all other Preachers esteemed for his resolute dealings in God's matters as he terms them whom he also after advouched unto Arthington as an irrefragable Witness to be persuaded by that would justify the truth of Hacket's Torments and whom he also knew more often busied for attaining of that Discipline which himself also laboured for than perhaps for Heaven it self And you see that he had accordingly done it Wigginton not discouraging him therein This Proposition so made by Coppinger Arthington and Lancaster mislike the matter as impracticable Arthington saith that he and Lancaster misliked as a matter impossible by Coppinger to be done but by the Lord Jesus only and such whereof the issue could not fall out well any way and so put him off for the first time not understanding in what manner and by what special means Coppinger conceived that such repentance should be wrought in the Queen's Majesty and in others The manner and other circumstances of the first revealing of this pretended Mystery Coppinger himself at large declareth in a Letter written the 4th of February last unto T. C. in Prison The occasion of writing it The manner and circumstances of revealing the Mystery Coppinger declares in a Letter to Cartwright then in Prison desiring an Answer to some Questions he there saith was the said T. C's offer to take knowledge by writing from him of such matter as might induce him to suppose himself to have received some hope of special favour from God to some special use But yet without warrant from the Word direction of the Holy Spirit and approbation of the Church he was he said most unwilling to enter into so great an Action The Letter is long but to this effect That upon some extraordinary humiliation of him he with some other and a Guide of their Exercise joined in a Fast Their Guide in the Evening spake of the use of Fasts c. and then willed the others to add to that which he had delivered either for the general or particular Causes which moved them to humble themselves That a great part of the said Night Coppinger found himself very extraordinarily exercised c. by such a motive as he could not well describe partly comforted with a wonderful Zeal which he found himself to have to set forth God's glory any ways which lawfully he might enter into partly cast down by such a burning fire of Concupiscence as in his greatest strength of body he had not found the like That the next day
he riding into the Country as he rid fansied to himself that there was leave given him to speak to God in a more familiar manner than at any time before And also persuaded himself that God's Spirit did give him many strange Directions wherein the Lord would use him to do service to his most glorious Majesty and to his Church Upon which he had thought to have returned presently back and to have left his intended Journey But going on and after being returned back he imparted to his former Fast-fellows the work of God in him and desired they might again join in the like which he with some other went forward with to their comfort but without their chief Guide for he refused to join Hereupon he saith that he was Note again stirred up to such business of such importance as in the eyes of flesh and blood were likely to bring much danger to himself and unlikely to bring any good success to the Church of God Hereof he writ to some Preachers out of the Realm and to some in the Realm At length he writ hereof to one in the City that was silenced Who resolved him that God did yet work extraordinarily in some Persons to some special uses Hereupon he obtained this Preacher's consent to join with him and about four others on the Dord's-Day in a Fast Which Day was chosen that they might not binder their worldly Affairs in the Week and that they used means to have notice given to some of the Preachers in Prison of the Day of their humiliation desiring them to commend to God in their Prayers the holy Purposes which any fearing God should in time Note attempt to take in hand by seeking to bring glory to God and good to the Church That in their Prayers at the said Fast he and others did beseech God That if he had appointed to use any of them to do any special service to him and his that to that end he would extraordinarily call them that he would seal up his or their such Calling by some special manner by his Holy Spirit and give such extraordinary Graces and Gifts as are fit for so weighty an Action The Night following he saith he thought in his sleep that he was carried into Heaven and there being wonderfully astonished with the Majesty of God and brightness of his glory he made a loud 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 find every day more and more comfort And suppose that there is somewhat in me which my self am not so fit to judge of And therefore I desire the Church I mean your self and such as you shall name unto me because I cannot come to you without danger to your self and me to look narrowly into me And if I be thought to be any way misled I crave sharp censuring If I be guided by God's Spirit to any good end as hereafter shall be adjudged I shall be ready to acquaint you and them with generalities and particularities so far forth as you and they be desirous to look into At this time the end of my writing is only to acquaint you with the occasions of mine entring into this great Action and to have your further answer to some Questions wherein I desire to be Note resolved with your direction also what hereafter I am to signify to your self concerning the matter it self Of the Questions wherein he thus desired resolution I do find two Copies of Coppinger's own hand The one more large and confused the other briefer and in better order but both to one purpose which to have set down may give good light in mine opinion to this Narration The Questions to be resolved viz. 1. Whether there be in these days any extraordinary The Questions to be resolved are 1. Whether there be not extraordinary Persons in the Church in these days as Apostles Evangelists c. 2. Whether their Call be not immediate from God and manifested to the Church by extraordinary Gifts and Graces 3. Whether the Church may examine the same and in what manner 4. Whether may the same be found in a Country where the Gospel is truly preached but the true Discipline not established but oppugned 5. If no extraordinary Calls to be expected but where there is waste in the Church and if there be waste in the Church where Prince and Magistrate oppose the Discipline Whether may not an extraordinary Call be expected of some to deal with the Magistrate in the Name of God to Execute the True Discipline 6. Where the true Discipline is wanting whether a Pastor thrust on the People without their choice have a lawful Call Workers and Helpers to his Church either Apostles Evangelists or Prophets where need requires more or less or Nazarites Healers Admonishers in any special sort 2. If there be is not their Calling immediate from God and his Spirit a Seal unto their Spirits through which they have such excellent gifts and graces of Wisdom Knowledge Courage Magnanimity Zeal Patience Humility c. as do manifest such their Calling to the Church 3. If such Graces and Gifts shall appear whether may the Church enter into consideration of the success which God may please to give yea or no If they may in what manner are they to proceed with such a Person extraordinarily called 4. If it shall be confessed that there may be until the end of the world immediate Callings from God Whether may the same be found in a Country where the Gospel is truly preached and the Sacraments in some sort truly administred though not universally but here and there not perfectly but in part And where the true Discipline is not established but oppugned by the publick Magistrates c. 5. If it shall be answered that no extraordinary Callings are to be looked for but where there is a waste of the Church whether can it be truly said that there is a waste of the Church where the Prince and chief Magistrates are ignorant of the necessity of the Discipline opposing themselves against it persecuting such as seek it By means whereof all wicked Persons whatsoever be admitted to publick exercise of the Word and to the Lord's Table Whether I say may it be hoped for that God for his glory's sake and the good of the Church may extraordinarily call some by giving him a Spirit above others to deal with the Magistrate in the name of God To provide that the People may every where be taught and true Discipline executed where the People already have knowledge 6. Whether where there be wanting Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons and Widows c. in the Church established and only a Minister thrust upon the People to be their Pastor without their choice or liking Whether it can be truly said a man so placed though furnished with all inward Gifts and Graces of God's Spirit fit for that Calling hath