vilanouslie afterward proclaimed traitours to bee such as they doe charge him to bee This woorthie worke of Syllogismes therefore beyng first finished his other treatise to prooue those preachers to bee hypocrites and Idolaters was straightway set vpon the stocks and began to be built on the Munday before their rising after they all had for obtaining good successe in this and the rest of their businesse humbled themselues on the Lordes day afore in fasting and prayer for so bee their woordes This latter treatise Arthington finished vp the Thursday morning next after and termed it A Prophecie of Iudgements 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 Psalme viz. The pen of a readie writer Where as wiser men thinke they might haue looked a litle lower and he haue better compared it as the wise man doeth the like where he saieth A word in a fooles mouth is like an arrow in a dogs leg because hee will neuer leaue wrinching and fisking till he haue got it out In this prophesie hee first setteth downe the third commandement Arthingtons prophesie inferring what plagues shall light on himselfe if hee offend therein Then commeth he to his nine seuerall assertions adding to euery one of them The Lord to confound him viz. that if he thinke not himselfe to bee the vilest sinnefull wretch liuing If hee take not himselfe to bee the most ignorant in Gods booke of any man that hath professed the Gospell so long If hee acknowledge not himselfe most vnfit and vnwoorthie of all men to serue the Lord Iesus If neuerthelesse he be not extraordinarily called to do the message of God more faithfully then any preacher in England hitherto hath done If the Scripture doe not iustifie extraordinarie callings before the endes of the world If hee know not two persons within the citie of London that haue greater extraordinarie callings then himselfe videlicet Edmund Coppinger and William Hacket If the former bee not a prophet raised vp of the Lord to bring a message of great Mercie to the land if all the people truely repent of their sinnes If the later bee not the holiest man and of the greatest power to bring fearefull iudgements vpon the whole earth that euer was borne Christ Iesus excepted If the sayd Hacket as the Messenger of Gods vengeance where mercie is refused doe not bring such great plagues vpon this realme of England the like whereof was neuer seene In these and in euery of these seuerall cases hee prayeth the Lord to confound him Whereupon he inferreth that hauing thus denounced so many fearefull woes against his owne soule as would sinke it into the bottomelesse pit of hell if hee were guiltie in any one of them Then thereupon with cheerefulnesse hee commeth to declare his message to England accusing it to bee the most rebellious though it haue bene most blessed of all other nations Then he affirmeth the citie of London and the courtes of Iustice at Westminster and the counterfeit worship of God with crosse and surplesse to bee worse then Sodome and Gomorre or the purple whoore of Rome or else desireth to be confounded Nay he preferreth Rome before London because at Rome they sinne onely of ignoraunce Of her Maiestie he saith she is least guiltie of the common sinnes but most abused of any Prince that euer was by those whom she hath most aduanced Then he speakes to three great Counsellors C. C. T. daring them to protest for their innocencies against themselues as deepely as he hath done and then if they be not swallowed vp quicke he is contented to be hanged vp in chaines at Paules crosse Note Then he threatneth them that they three shal be otherwise detected ere long all those that are their partakers when her Maiestie shall reigne and liue to see better daies if God giue her true repentance Then he sayth he will leaue all other of the Cleargie as sufficiently detected already saue such as pretend to seeke Reformation who he sayth are as guiltie in two pointes as any of the other The first point for not crying out continually against Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and others as wicked vsurpers in the house of God The second for not crying out against the wicked Magistrates of this land because they keepe out the Elderships out of the Church and mainteine in their roome officers and offices of Antichrist Hereupon gathering thus howe can God spare this lande any longer wherein both the Magistrates and messengers of God haue dealt so vnfaithfully in the Lordes seruice Adding that the fearefull iudgements of God shall be sure to fall on the reprobate being already prepared and put into the handes of the Mightie Messenger of the Almightie God William Hacket to be powred out vpon this great Citie of London and vpon all places where repentance followeth not this publication Then he goeth about to prooue all such Preachers to be Idolaters or consenting to Idolatrie which practise or consent and suffer others to vse surplesse and crosse because he sayeth they are the markes of Antichrist Preferring herein the Papistes afore them as sinning herein onely of ignorance seeking also to engreeue their faultes in this behalfe for that they are all hypocriticall Idolaters in that neuerthelesse they professe Reformation whereunto he addeth he sayeth a secrete That this their halting and hypocrisie hath so hardned Gods heart against their requestes for bringing in the Discipline that for this vnfaithfull and vnsingle walking in their function Note he hath hitherto denied it Neither shall any one of them or all of them together haue that honour giuen to bring in Reformation For sayeth he I tell you truely the Almightie God hath put his cuppe of vengeance into his trustie and faithfull seruants hand William Hacket to powre it downe shortly vpon euery wilfull and obstinate sinner that doeth not repent vpon the notice hereof or else the Lorde confound me Lastly he giueth a charge to haue this Prophesie together with the incredible but most certain historie of the holiest seruant of God William Hacket that euer hath bene is or shall be borne Christ Iesus onely excepted with all speede possible printed and published together as in substance true saith he or else the Lorde confound me This wise prophesie is thus subscribed By the most vnwoorthie seruant but yet a faithfull Prophet of the Almightie Iesus or else his wrath confound me Henrie Arthington Whiles Arthington was about this his taske Coppinger as it seemeth was neither idle nor well occupied for he was setting down from Hackets owne mouth a long Ragmans role of Hackets torments reuelations and I knowe not what called Hackets historie For by Thursday morning Hacket hauing enlarged the first draught thereof which was at first but scribled out by Coppinger Arthington was to write out againe faire the enlarged copie that being perfited it might be annexed vnto
their names with this addition Late L Ch. or late L. Tr. as if they were already disautorised and in their steads they had nominated and set downe certaine others in trueth very honorable and worshipfull persons that should be counsellors of whome euery honest man neuerthelesse is perswaded that they detest both these and all other such vile seditious and fanaticall persons and courses Coppinger not long afore their rising as it seemeth penneda letter to haue bene sent to the one of the aforesayde honorable personages In this letter he chargeth a great worthy Counsellor vsing onely his Christian name and sirname that he together with his hellish and infernall companions for so he raueth had comitted treason in the hiest degree against her Maiestie He desireth that honorable personage to effect that the said Counsellor himselfe and two others of the Lords messengers may be brought before the Queenes Maiestie and if he be not prooued a traitor to God and her then let me saith he for my pride and presumption be hanged at the Courtgates Then he exclaimeth against another great Counsellour terming him but by his bare name likewise to whō he had sent letters copies to haue bin shewed to her Maiestie and there sheweth himselfe greatly offended with him because hee was not as he hoped brought to her Royal presence adding thus therto but he the rest saith he of her wicked Counsellers Note vngodly magistrats shal be forced to acknowledge what they are worthy to haue the Lord pardō their soules for in their outward man they must be punished though they repent a litle after thus I doe aduise also that euery one of her Counsell be cōmanded to keepe their house or chamber for feare of stirre or danger Then he doth appoint to her Maiestie a new Counsel aduising that Wigginton a man in more fauour he saith with God then any man of his calling whatsoeuer be cōmanded to be neere her highnesse to pray to God or to preach priuatly By the like resolute vaine Arthington also chargeth the sayde Counsellor as deepely and vpon the like greater penaltie to himselfe in a supplication penned by him to haue bene sent to her Maiestie But I will giue you a taste how friuolously vpon what fond proofes he groundeth his accusation to the end it may appeare that this was but a colourable pretense wherein they reposed to great suretie of successe but hoped at length thereby to haue brought themselues and Hacket to her Maiesties presence The issue he tendereth is this That if in her Maiesties presence he prooue not the saide Counsellor to be the most dangerous enemie that was discouered since her highnesse reigne then let his body and soule be for euer damned Prouided alwaies that if her Maiestie cannot by his euidence iudge him the said Counsellor to be so bad as he makes report of him yet that she would giue him the saide Arthington leaue in her sacred Presence to fight the combat of praier with him Newe Triall by combat in prayer wherin if it please him saith Arth. I wil first begin to pray against my selfe that if he be not as deepely guiltie as I haue charged him then that Gods vengeance may presently consume me both body soule into hell for euer which if it come to passe the victorie shal be his he returne an innocent But if he see me leape vp for ioy as one that hath discouered him to be a traitor then if he dare fal down in like sort make the same praier that the like vengeance may fal vpō himself if he be so deepely gilty as I haue charged him if Gods vengeance fall not vpon him before he depart out of her presence let me be hangd drawn quartred for laboring to empeach a Counsellors credit but if he dare not thus enter the listes with me before her Maiestie let him be holden guiltie Their last most damnable designment of al was the depriuatiō of her sacred Maiesty frō her Crown dignity the destructiō of her Royal person whom the eternal God in mercy long preserue to the confusion of all seditious wretches her enemies of all sorts The very particular principall meanes how these diuelish purposes were meant to be effected by them Arthington now saith that they were not opened vnto him pretending that though the other two seemed willing to haue imparted some of their secretes vnto him yet himselfe was alwayes vn willing to heare any of them But for the speciall meanes that Coppinger had plotted to bring the Q. Maiestie Counsel to repentance he saith that this was a secret mystery as Hacket Coppinger affirmed to him which they would keepe to themselues were so enioyned of the Lord. But whether soeuer the way to effect these was ment by some open violence or secret practise sure it is that popular tumult was not the least meanes they trusted of to bring them to passe which they hoped to stirre vp by their pretence of so great holinesse with calling the Realme to repentance in the open streetes of London by offering ioyes and mercie to the penitent and by their Proclamation also then made in Chepeside as hereafter commeth to be declared Now that these their two last purposes were in deede the principal maine ends which they propounded to themselues besides that which by the way is noted already that which comes hereafter to be mentioned let these fewe proofes ensuing suffice First for the alteration of the whole gouernment Ecclesiasticall and erecting of the new Discipline It is confessed that Coppinger Arthington the two counterfeit prophets on the 16. of Iuly last being Friday and the selfe same day that they arose in Cheapeside tolde Wigginton in the morning these words amongst many others vz. That reformation the Lords Discipline should now forthwith be established therefore charged Wigginton in the Lords name to put all Christians in comfort that they shoulde see a ioyfull alteration in the state of Church-gouernment shortly To which wordes Wigginton made no reply nor further demaund as of any matter strange vnto him how it was so shortly to be compassed Wherein may also be obserued that these kinde of persons doe recken and terme onely those Christians that will take comfort andioy 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 Idolalaters Thus much with their seditious purposes also is plainely implied in a dangerous letter written by the said Coppinger since Easter last vnto one Iohn Vdale a condemned man for Felonie in the White Lyon in Surrey for writing of the booke termed the Demonstration of Discipline that letter beginneth thus Right reuerend Sir my forbearing to visite you and the rest of the Saints who suffer for righteousnesse sake doe giue you all cause to thinke that I haue forsaken
from heauen of exceeding great mercie that Christ Iesus was come c. as aboue is sayde with whome Arthington also cryed the same wordes aloude following him along the streetes from thence by Watling streete and Olde Change towards Cheapeside they both adding beyond their Commission these wordes Repent England Repent But surely either their Commission was deliuered them at one time or other more largely then the one of them now reporteth or else they went beyond and exceeded it in many other materiall poynts besides this For after they both had thus come with mightie concourse of the common multitude as to such a noueltie of hearing two new prophets in these dayes arisen was likely with an vniforme crye into Chepeside neere vnto the crosse and there finding the throng and preasse of people to encrease about them in such sort as that they could not well passe further nor bee coueniently heard of them all as they desired therefore they got them vp into an emptie cart which stoode there and out of that choise pulpit for such a purpose made their lewde and trayterous preachment vnto the people wherein they stoode not onely vpon the wordes of their former crye but so neere as I could learne from so common an Auditorie and in so confused an action they reading something out of a paper went more particularly ouer the office and calling of Hacket how he represented Christ by partaking a part of his glorified body by his principall spirit and by the office of seuering the good from the bad with his fanne in his hande and of establishing the Gospell in Europe which as it seemeth they tooke to be all the world or else supposed that all Europe did professe Christianitie and of bringing in that Discipline which they so often bable of and which they meane by the terme 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 Iudgement sent and extraordinarily called by God to assist him in this great worke and were witnesses of these things confirming the same vpon their owne saluation and wishing themselues confounded and damned for euer if these things they spoke were not true And thereupon the one of them pronounced Mercy great comfort and vnspeakeable ioyes to all that should repent presently be obedient and embrace this acceptable message and opportunitie offered and the other denounced terrible Iudgements if they repented not which should euen presently also fall vpon them and especially vpon that Citie of London affirming that all that beleeued them not were condemned body and soule This iudgement against London as Arthington the pretended Prophet of Iudgement sayth hee gathered out of Hackets historie was that men should there kill and massacre one another as Butchers doe kill swyne all the day long and no man shoulde take compassion of them There was then and there further deliuered 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 holde of him and that the Queenes Maiestie had forfaited her Crowne and was worthie to be depriued Which most trayterous poynt amongs others Hacket enioyned them to publish as in the one of his Inditements is contayned Lastly in very vnmannerly and sawcy tearmes they prayed to God to confound two great Lordes of her Maiesties Counsell for these two together with a certayne Knight they then and there openly and most lewdely accused in generall tearmes of treason This outrage was done the sixeteenth day of Iuly aforesayde about ten of the clocke or something after in the afore-noone By which their proclamation beeing layde together with their former conferences Letters and purposes against the Queene and Counsell and for aduauncing of Hacket and for altering the State with the very time when so many souldiers were about the Citie it is euident to any who hath but halfe an eye to see with that they intended and hoped to moue tumult and sedition that by many handes of the common multitude which they bragge of saying they are already inflamed with zeale they might haue brought all their purposes at length to a sure and speedie conclusion which designement for their pretended Reformation this sorte of people doe greatly lament so long to haue bene frustrated after so many other seuerall kinde of meanes in vayne attempted by them But God who stayeth the raging of the waters and the madnesse of his people did frustrate them herein of their purpose and expectation his Name be alwayes praysed therefore And whereas they had purposed to haue gone with the like crye and proclamation through other the chiefe partes of the Citie the preasse not of Officers to take them but of common people to gaze and woonder at them was so great as that they were forced to goe into a Tauerne in Cheapside at the signe of the Mermayde the rather because a Gentleman in a white doublet beeing of his acquaintance plucked at Coppinger whiles hee was in the Carte and rebuked him for his strange and lewde demeanour and speeches Whereupon though Arthington were offended with the sayde Gentleman for touching a Prophet of God in so rough a sorte as hee sayde yet they were both contented to steppe aside into the sayde Tauerne with him where when they had remayned a space Coppinger was perswaded by one of the aforesayde Lawsons men that stayed there at that time for auoyding the wondering and preasse of the people to steppe ouer into Woodstreete and from thence by backe Lanes to his sisters house neere vnto Powles wharfe where hee lodged But whiles they two were going together Coppinger was very carefull to know whether Arthington followed them or not insomuch as hee woulde not bee satisfied till the sayde apprentice went backe againe for him At whose comming backe hee found Arthington still publishing his foresayde messages to the people and telling them of Hacket and of his Office with whome Arthington was content also at last to goe by the same streetes that Coppinger had gone but yet crying as hee did afore Repent Englande Repent c. When in this sorte they two were come together to Coppingers lodging they founde the gates shutte against them whereupon the sayde apprentice would haue had Arthington to haue gone to his owne lodging but he would needes goe to Walkers house at Broken wharfe where not long before he left Hacket All the way that Arthington went hee was followed by a great multitude of lads and young persons of the meaner sort But at his comming to Walkers house Hacket was not yet returned out of the citie from Wigginton After that Arthington was entred the house he was there stayed by one Edward Iones an honest citizen and when Hacket not long after came in Arthington said There cōmeth the king of the
impossible that I should be fit to meddle therin So that here a christian louing answer to his great cōfort is giuē further conferēce by speech is offred the course not so much misliked as the succes only is doubted by reason of his vnfitnes that was to be an actor in it But what resolution herein was also returned from the preachers of foraine parts to this case of consciēce propounded by Coppinger may hereby not vnprobably be gathered Arthington at one of his examinations confessed that Penrie sent a letter vnto him forth of Scotland wherin he signified that Reformatiō for so they speake must shortly be erected in England herein he said that he tooke Penrie to be a prophet Now it is sure that Penrie conueied himself priuilie into England and was lurking about London at the self same time when these other prophets arose in Chepeside attending as seemeth the fulfilling of this his Prophesie al 's by their meanes How duetifully and aduisedly those that be subiects haue dealt which hauing intelligence hereof did conceale it till it burst forth of it selfe with apparant danger to her Maiestie and the whole state may thus be gathered For by this conceit of Coppingers you heare it is pretended and surmifed that a commendable cause a cause to be defended yea the very trueth of God which must preuaile is by the state suppressed and kept vnder that it is the will of God to haue such a reformation that impoachment of it is offered by the Queene Counsell and Nobles that this is a great sinne meete to be repented of by them that they must be brought to this repentance that the penaltie against any of them that refuse to be brought is to be detected as Traytors an offence deseruing death that this must bee done out of hand that the will of God in great fauour for the good of his Church was reuealed to him in this behalfe being a man of much fasting prayer rare gifts a prophet an extraordinarie man with an extraordinarie calling such as was not to be bee iudged of or discerned by meere ordinarie men and whereinto he entred not rashly or on a sudden but after many conflicts with himselfe before his yeelding to Gods extraordinarie motion and calling but submitting himselfe neuerthelesse to haue his gifts and calling tryed and allowed of by the best reformed Preachers and therefore not worthy to bee suspected or discredited that the way to bring them to this repentance was a secret mysterie such as those preachers and others whom he conferred with albeit they helde it a worke to bee wished at Gods hands yet by his talke gathered the maner of bringing it in to be so dangerous as that they feared the successe and refused to bee made accquainted with the particular wayes and meanes which hee had plotted to effect it Thereby making choise rather that Coppinger should venture to put it in practise if he remained resolute herein which they found by him of what dangerous consequence soeuer such a way might be then that they by bewraying of him to authoritie should bee any meanes to breake of and preuent his resolucion or quench his zeale And thus with opinion of safetie to themselues they merchandized the hasard of their friends life or els the rearing of sedition in the Realme with the hope that secretly they nourished to haue the Discipline which they dreame of erected Thus Coppinger remayning still more confirmed and selted in this veyne by his Pue-fellowe Wigginton about Easter terme last being as is aforesayd brought acquainted with Hacket as with a most holy man soone after would needes bring Arthington also acquainted with him as one whom vpon so small knowledge he had obserued to bee a very rare man For this purpose hee sent for Arthington to dinner or supper vnto Lawsons house necre to Paules gate where Arthington met first with Hacket together with another whom he calleth a godly man of whose ordinary talke then had Arthington liked very well but had as he saith at that time no further conference with him After which time Arthington discontinued from the Citie remained in Yorkeshire vntil Trinitie terme leauing Hacket and Coppinger behinde him piotting of their purposes together what purposes they had what counsell they entred into and what conferences they entertained betwixt themselues and with others by the euents ensuing will best bee discouered After this Hacket stayed not long in London but desired Coppingor at his departure to write vnto him what successe I. T. had withall assuring him that whensoeuer he should write for him he the said Hacket would streight way come vp againe Hereupon Coppinger writte vnto him first at the end of Easter terme and after againe very earnestly to be at London three dayes before the beginning of Trinitie terme last but he coulde not bee heere so soone by three or foure dayes When he was come he lodged the first night at Islington but sent his horse downe againe into the countrey as purposing to stay long in London Then after a night or two one of which nights hee lodged at the sayd Lawsons house by Wiggintons direction hee was prouided of a chamber and of his boord at one Ralfe kates house in Knight-rider streete by Coppingers meanes and at his charges for he cost Coppinger there eleuen shillings by the weeke But Kayes waxing weary of him in part for that he feared Hacket was a coniurer or witch in that the Camomill he saith in his Garden where Hacket either trode or sate did wither vp the next night and waxed blacke therfore Coppinger prouided at his own charges like wise an other roome for him at one Walkers house by Broken wharfe where he remained vntill his apprehension Whiles Hacket was at Kayes house he vsed before after meales to pray as seemed most deuoutly and zealously but neuer for the Queenes Maiestie Hacket also tolde Kayes that if all the Diuines in England should pray for raine if hee sayde the word yet it should not rayne The first of the aforesayde letters which Coppinger writte vnto Hacket to mooue him to come vp doeth containe matter of note besides not vnfit to be knowen Brother Hacket saith he the burden which God hath layde vpon mee you being the instrument to make me bolde and couragious where I was fearefull and faint is greater then I can beare without your helpe here though I haue it where you are The workings of his holy spirite in me since your departure bee mightie and great my zeale of spirit burneth like fire so that I cannot conteine my selfe and conceale his mercies towardes mee And a little after in the same letter Master Thr is put off till the next tearme the zealous preachers as it is thought are to be in the Starre Chamber tomorowe the Lord by his holy Spirit bee with them my selfe if I can get in am mooued to be there Note and I feare if sentence with seueritie be
the aforesaid Prophesie All that Thursday was spent by them in consultation and writing Hacket being also present and assisting them But with what ioyfulnes amongs them all it is incredible if wee may beleeue their owne reportes Yet Arthington was forced for the haste that was made to haue all in readines against the Friday following and for the desire he had to yeelde vnto Hacket all satisfaction and contentment that might be to sit vp most of Thursday night writing out againe of the said historie so enlarged But on Thursday it selfe being the 15. of Iuly amongs other their actions Coppinger and Arthington writte a letter to the aforesaide T. L. which is of this tenor first at the top of it thus viz. If this letter be not endited by the holie Ghost Coppingers and Arthingtons letter vnto T. Lancaster who hath appeared in a farre greater measure to sinnefull wretches in the ende of the world euen to vs whose names are here vnder written and to a third person in calling aboue all former callings whatsoeuer Christ Iesus excepted the Lorde confound vs two with vengeance from heauen and carry vs with all violence into the bottomlesse pit If we haue not taken the name of God in vaine it standeth you vpon to reade this letter with feare and trembling with ioy and gladnes with feare that the Lorde should wooe you to doe him seruice with ioy that he offereth you honour if you accept it We two are messengers from heauen who haue a good Captaine to guide vs who haue receaued immediate callings from God to call the whole world to repentance and amendment of life otherwise they are to feare that Christ Iesus his second comming in glorie will be to them as a thiefe in the night If I Edmund Coppinger doe not preferre you before any one man in the land whatsoeuer for your wise holie louing and religious course both in the generall calling of a Christian and in your particular calling the Lord confound me bodie and soule The reason why I choose you first is because in your house in your presence and vnder God partly by your meanes I had my first extraordinarie calling though thereof as of all other things the whole honour and glorie be the Lordes And of the same minde is my brother Arthington In token of our extraordinarie loue to you we deale as we neither haue or will doe with any other for we command in the name of the Lord all creatures vpon the earth and they must obey But with you we will dispense thus farre that it shall be your choise to come and take a newe calling for a time wherein we would vse you or refuse it So wishing you to commend vs and your selfe to God before you answere vs which we expect in word and not in writing c. The messenger of mercie to the whole world if they accept me Edm. Coppinger I auouch whatsoeuer my brother hath written to be most true further I protest that you are a more holie man then any Preacher in London or throughout the whole land or else the Lorde confounde mee If it please you to come and see me ioyfull you may hope this is true The Prophet of Gods iudgements to the whole world where mercie is reiected Hen. Arthington That the perfite and enlarged historie of Hacket be briefly gathered into a summarie here set downe it will not I thinke be amisse for such as shal be desirous to know what mysteries may be therein contained which drewe these two amongs other matters into such an extraordinarie admiration and opinion of him First therefore A summe of Hackets historie there is declared whom Hacket serued then how he got the execution of the Bailywike of Oundel being void how vpon complaint of the wiues there that their husbands spent their thrift in Alehouses on the Sabaoth daies he by a Iustice of Peace not farre off did cause al the playing tables that could be come by to be burnt Also the light and entising behauiour of some women towards him his familiarity with them wherby his wife became iealous of him so that he was forced for her satisfaction to cleare himselfe by his oath The sundry baites laide by meanes of some of his fellowes that enuied him for the credit he had with those whō he serued to entrap him with women His attempting them in dishonest manner but with purpose onely as he there pretendeth to learne of them the practises against him The like snares laide for him by some of better place credit then the former Of his affliction in minde that he endured because he so behaued himselfe towards women yet could not learne out by them the plot laid against him Of his going into Hampshire to haue bene placed there Howe he was in a place there for the most part of 20. daies beat with a bastonado and into what pitifull state of body he was therby brought That this was done partly for his auoutching that Christ was head of the Church against the Pope and for saying that as certaine earthen pots were there by him broken so should all Papistes be broken in hell and confounded so many as rose vp against him in earth how he was forced to vse the Deputie-Lieutenant of Hampshire his aide to be safely conueied out of that Coūtrey least he shoulde bee murdered by his enemies that hee came thence to one M. Paul Wentworthes house where he remained a moneth and was vsed most Christianly and where he was most deepely exercised in the spirite Howe as he passed by the way out of Hampshire he told a Gentleman in company that was priuie to his enemies complots of a great practise intended against him and to be done in a chamber by certaine persons whome he then named aforehand insomuch as the saide Gentleman being made priuie to such purpose and knowing that he saide true affirmed surely he could coniure or else it had not bene possible to tell such things as he did where in deed he saith the Lord in the middest of his former afflictions reuealed it vnto him and further shewed him a place which he had appointed for him and howe he would bring all his enemies practises to confusion How in performance of that which was so reuealed he was afterward in a certaine place in Hartfordshire bound first in a chamber and then chained in a sincke hole of a seller and most grieuously many waies afflicted there for 20. daies together That in the greatest extremitie therof which was greater then he could expresse a Crosse came vpon his breast as he lay alwaies when his torments were at the greatest the Lord vnloosed his feete and handes from his fetters and bands neuerthelesse he lay stil til his tormentors came and bound him againe how the Lord then appeared to him and assured him that he would establish the Gospel by him and shewed him all the whoredome of Rome in the
vnawares prophesied truely for he was the greatest Prophet of Gods iudgements against the whole world that euer was but that they both were greater then he for Coppinger himselfe was he said the greatest that euer was and last Prophet of mercie and that he must describe the newe and holie Ierusalem with the seuerall places of ioy that the elect should enioy after this life and that they the said Coppinger and Arthington were ordained to separate the Lambes from the Goates before the Lord Iesus at the last day Whereat it is saide they were both astonished considering their owne vnwoorthines and vnfitnes crying out against themselues and their sinnes yet submitting themselues to the direction of Gods spirite which they were assured should sufficiently furnish them to doe him that seruice which himselfe did command Then Coppinger proceeded to tell further that Hacket was greater then either of them and that they two must obey him in whatsoeuer he commanded but told not then what nor howe great he was other then king of Europe which title was afore this time concluded of amongs them Hereupon according to Coppingers commandement Arthington offered to honour Hacket with his title of the king of Europe and to demeane himselfe toward him accordingly But Hacket himself herein dispensed with him vntill the time should come that he was to honour him before others bidding him withall to be of good cheere for saith he I serue a good Captaine who makes so deare accompt of me that all the diuels in hel nor men in earth cannot take my life from me Then Coppinger for confirmation of the like vnto them two also saide that Arthington and himselfe were possessed not onely with propheticall but also with Angelicall spirits which Arthington taking to be true by a great burning that he felt in himselfe after that time did therupon fansie to himselfe that no power in earth nor hell could hurt either of them because they had the spirite of Angels and they were subiect to no power but to God alone And that God being the master of the whole worke all things should prosper with them they onely seeking his glory which he saith he vowed with himselfe to deale throughly in his office to rebuke the world of sinne to denounce iudgements against whomsoeuer the spirit should moue him without feare or fauour of men or of diuels in hel which spirit he saith then moued him according to his hatred afore conceiued against thē and his opinion that they were traitors against the Queenes Maiestie to vtter and to declare his detestation he had against the aforesayd three woorthie Counsellors being by their places the greatest subiects in the land But herein may be said with the Poet Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Verrem de furto who can with any patience indure such seditious companions as these to appeach others of treason but especially so loiall honourable and woorthie Counsellors as they three are knowen to the world to be By the way we may note the subtill managing and cariage of this action by Hacket and Coppinger in this one principall point which Arthington himselfe also now obserueth videlicet in that they opened not at any time Hackets chiefe pretended office vnto Arthington videlicet to represent and to participate with Iesus Christes office of seuering with his fanne the good from the bad vntill the very time they were to goe into the streetes to doe the message that Hacket enioyned them For hereby they preuented a doubt of driuing Arthington backe who seemed a man so seruiceable for their purpose as that hee was woorthie to bee still retained by them and the rather for that hee had not yet finished the writing vp of Hackets historie that was to bee annexed to the Prophesie vntill late that Thursday night which was afore their rising for they might haue feared if leisure had serued him to haue considered of it and examined it at full how this could be least it might haue made him at least to stagger and be doubtfull of it Besides Hacket kept as Arthington now gathereth that honour wholy to himselfe to proclaime it to them both together as it were by a voyce frō heauen at that very instant whē they should receiue their charge of him and thereby haue no time to reason against it being straight way to go forward as obedient persons to him in all things Thus that Thursday passed on On Friday morning Coppinger sent his man Emerson by fiue of the clocke in the morning vnto Arthingtons lodging but his wife would not then awake him so he sent for him againe at sixe and they two then went together vnto Coppinger Then Coppinger and Arthington determined that Friday morning beyng the 16. day of Iulie last betwixt sixe and seuen of the clocke in the forenoone to go vnto a certaine Gentlemans man 's house about the Citie of good behauiour and they forsooth to honour him to be chiefe Gouernour vnder her Maiestie which they also did that Morning and promised vnto him accordingly that he should so be Leauing also with him both the sayd Prophesie and Hackets historie to peruse but the good gentleman was vnwilling to deale either with them or their papers any way They staied not there aboue halfe an houre From thence they came betwixt 8. and 9. of the clocke in the morning vnto Wiggintons chamber being prisoner in the Counter in Woodstreete with whom hauing much speech and conference part whereof is touched before among other things they signified vnto him as Arthington confesseth that they were prouoked to pronounce him the holiest minister of all others for dealing so plainly and resolutely in Gods causes aboue all ministers which God would manifest one day to his comfort Wigginton at his examination confesseth such conference by him at that time to haue bene had with them and as hee was enioyned by those who examined him hath reported it by writing somewhat largely He therein also setteth down a conference had by him about the same matters with Hacket himselfe comming to him thither alone as he saith the selfe same Friday morning some while after the other two were departed from him It may be gathered by his owne narration that betwixt the time of Coppinger and Arthingtons talke with him Wigginton had set downe article-wise and distincted with number the seuerall heads of their speeches had with him And after he also enquired and set downe in writing Hackets opinion likewise vnto euery of the sayd articles seuerally And albeit it need not bee questioned but that both for circumstance and matter he would set it downe the least that might bee either to his owne or any his complices disaduantage yet may it serue for the fuller vnderstāding of the whole action and for necessarie obseruation besides to touch some chiefe points of those conferences though it be but as himself telleth thē The principall points of VViggintons owne report touching conference and