A True Discourse of the Two infamous upstart Prophets, Richard Farnham Weaver of Whitechapel, and John Bull Weaver of Saint butolph's Algate, now Prisoners, the one in Newgate, and the other in Bridewell: with their Examinations and Opinions taken from their own mouths April 16. Anno 1636. As also of Margaret Tennis now Prisoner in Old Bridewell, with the Heretical Opinions held by her, at the same time Examined. Written by T. H.  
Printed at London for Thomas Lambert, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Horse-shoe, near the Hospitall-gate in Smithfield. 1636   

To the Reader.  
COurteous Reader, we have here exposed to thy view New Prophets, and expounders of the Scriptures, but I must tell thee, far differing from those of Old: They were called by God, but these have called (or rather miscalled) themselves: These scorn the names of Doctors, or Scholars, yet being plain Weavers, (as you may see them discovered in the Frontispiece) understanding nothing themselves, will undertake to teach others: Such is the stupidity of blind Simplicity and Ignorance, of which these shuttle-witted fellows are too much guilty: Nor are they to be much wondered at; for as Solomon saith, There is no new thing under the Sun: So the World produceth now no Prodigies, the like of which it bathe not before teemed. As for example, that Pseudocbriftus Hacket, who for his fearful blaspbemies was executed in Cheapside, and whose Associates died miserably: and Legate, who of more late days for maintaining the Arrian Heresy was burnt in Smithfield: Let the nominating of these serve for many. Gentle Reader, this only I entreat thee in the perusal hereof, that though thou wonder'st at their impudence; thou withal pity their ignorance. Farewell.   

A TRUE RELATION of the Examination of John Bull, and Richard Farnbam his Companion, of the Opinions which they now hold, with their ignorance and superstition confuted.  
LEt no man wonder that such vain triflers are now, who study to bring in new Doctrines and Opinions into the Church, since it is apparent that even from the time of the Apostles, no Age hath been without them: Needless therefore it were to enter upon a long discourse of the errors, Schisms, and Heresies that have heretofore been, or to reckon up a tedious Catalogue, (being so numerous) of their first founders and abettors: Neither in how many general Counsels they have been convinced, and utterly exploded, which would take up more time than needeth: since we know by our Saviour's own words, that there should be false Prophets and Teachers even to the end of the World: only I will give you a brief Character what (for the most part) one of these Innovators in Religion is:  
An Hypocrite, and of all Actors the worst; as personating him whom he is not, but would seem to be: double faced, double hearted: In outward appearance boasting fadnesse and gravity, Whilit within he is all pleasure and alacrity; and for no other cause, but that he can so craftily delude, and cunningly deceive. In his demisse looks you may read the Characters of Religion, which the more he seemeth to Profosse, he is the further from the practice: A smooth face, a rugged mind, a sheep's habit, a wolves heart: a simple and strait garment, a double and large conscience: His heart convinced by his mouth, his mouth by his actions: He riseth early to go into the Temple, and that God whom in heart he despiseth, he there seemingly adoreth: where he more regards who observe what he doth, than considers with himself what he ought to do: his heart not being aware whither his eyes wander. He exclaims of the want of charity in others, but expresseth no part thereof in himself: His seat in the Church is, where he may be the most seen: In the time of the Sermon he draws out his tables to take the Notes, but still noting who observes him to take them. At every place of Scripture cited, he turns over the leaves of his Book, more pleased with the motion of the leaves, than the matter of the Text: For he folds down the leaves, though he finds not the place: his eye being still fixed on his paper, or the Pulpit: He lifts up the whites of his eyes towards Heaven, when he meditates on the sordid pleasures of the earth; his body being in God's Church, when his mind is in the devil's Chapel. If he hear a strange Preacher, he at his coming down, as raptured with his Doctrine, salutes him with a cringe, and demands his name with a congee; and offers that person his Hat, whose profession he casts at his heels: but if he can wind him up to his own Tone, he will Echo to him in the same Tune.  
When he takes occasion to speak of the passage of his former life, he will seem to weep, not for his former wantonness, but his present weakness: not that he hath a will to act, but that he hath no ability to perform: not for the many sins of his youth, but that he cannot so freely commit them in his age. Other men's errors he will sharply reproove, but his own vices secretly retain: If he give to the poor, it is not that they should pray for him, but that thereby he may make a prey of others: He both prays and gives, but neither of them without company; because he thinks, if God should not take notice of his works, he can be sure to bring witness of them. If he prove so rich as to raise an Hospital out of his private usury, it is not for any virtue, but rather vain glory; as being only built for such as he hath before beggared. He will transform a Gnat into a Camel, and a Fly into an Elephant: He prefers his own superstitions before the Churches reverend Ceremonies, and will sooner deserve a white sheet, than endure a surplice. He prescribes his own Laws, and directs his faith by his own Liturgy: standing whilst others bow, and sitting whilst others kneel. To his Acquaintance present he is a Gnato, to those that are absent an Aristarchus: he weepeth at the side of his friend, when his heart wisheth him in his grave. He salutes cheerfully, when he intends churlishly: and to conclude with these full attributes belonging unto him: though he be held a Saint by his own Sect, he proveth his neighbour's calamity, the poison of honesty, the Commonweals canker, the Churches corrosive, an eye sore by day, a stumbling block by night, a Taper smoky in the burning, noisome in the extinguishing, faulty in his promise, false in his oath; who whenhe seems much to favour, aught than most especially to be feared.  
I forbear to speak of any foreign Vipers, only to show you the Spiders bred under our own roofs, & the Snakes bedded in our native Earth, many new and upstart Schismatical opinions have lately troubled the peace of the Church; all different among themselves, only agreeing in this, that they unanimously conspire to disturb the common quiet. The Father of one sect, a learned Button-maker well known, the founder of another, a commenting Cobbler, etc. And now we have 2 Prophesying Weavers (upon whose stupidity or madness this present discourse isframed) in durance, whose ridiculous absurdities I shall presently acquaint you with: Only this I fain would know, were there no Ecclesiastical government, what rubric should stand? or how, or after what manner would they have God served? One sect believes we have a Saviour, but counts it superstition to have his name reverenced, and bowed unto: Some approve of no Sacraments at all, others allow of Sacraments, but hold, that to kneel before the Table or Altar when the Blessed Supper of the Lord is to be received, is merely Idolatrous: Notwithstanding the Church with godly and mature consideration hath enjoined it. Some cavil at the manner of the standing of the Table. Others would sit at the Lords board with their backs toward the Wall, as they eat in their houses, or drink in the Taverns. (yea, and no doubt, with their heads covered too) One fect challengeth the liberty of all sensuality and pleasure: Others will allow no commendable exercises or lawful recreations. But if you observe them generally, and withal consider them judicially, it will easily appear, that as they altogether impugn the Church's authority, so cunningly and cautelously, they would trench upon the high Supremacy.  
Moreover, some are not more piously devoted to repair Churches and Temples, than others are divelishly minded to see them ruined and demolished. Some will hear a Sermon, but they cannot endure to be present at Common Prayer: Others could be content to hear divine Service, but abhor it if it be said in a Popish Surplice: Nay, there are divers who make a conscience to hear sermons, yet they will hear but such and such a man as pleaseth their own fancies and affections. But if any of these Predicants shall affect novelty, or singularity, to introduce any innovating points of Doctrine, deviating from the true and Orthodox way of the mother Church, he shall be sure to be most highly applauded, and the place wherein he lectureth or preacheth to be much thronged. And if he shall stand out against Conformity in Religion, and for that cause be questioned, and therefore silenced; then there are private collections, gifts, presents, and contributions, and all these to maintain him in his perverse obstinacies. Again, one loves the Bible, but it must be bound without the Apocrypha; for that they hold as an abomination: Insomuch, that many from Schism grow unto Atheism, and in devising new and unheard of ways how to worship God, grow into that stupidity, to acknowledge no God at all, and from hearts of flesh, they are grown to have hearts of Iron and Adamant.  
As for those that hate Churches, and love to have their conventieles in private houses, or in Woods and Groves; to whom may I better compare them than to the Idolatrous jews? who leaving the glorious Temple of King Solomon, sacrificed to Baal-peor, to Moloch, and divers others of the Idols of the Gentiles, in Groves and the high places. But amongst all these diversities of opinions, if every man (having no supereminent power over him, to curb his presumed and refractory liberty) should follow his own private humour, what manner of Church or Commonwealth should we have amongst us? Would not all grow into confusion and disorder, and return into that stupidity of ignorance which swayed in the World before the true Religion was first propagated, and after received at the last it must necessarily come to mutiny, if not massacre: for as there is no greater malice, or more invented hatred prosecuted, then when familiar friends fall at odds, or natural brothers grow into dissension: so there can no greater hatred, or inveterate malice arise, then when Christian brethren of a reformed Church, having distanced themselves from all Papal superstitions, shall inconsiderately and indiscreetly, I may rather say, foolishly and madly fall into these sottish and ridiculous Chimaeras, to betray weakness in themselves, and beget distraction in others: being indeed nothing else than mere illusions of the Devil; the former Ages having been troubled with the like, as no question, the future shall be. But I come now to the persons themselves, the one Richard Farnham a Weaver in Whitechapel, the other john Bull, a Weaver, late dwelling in the Parish of St. butolph's Algate.  

The Examination of Richard Farnham Weaver, taken April the 16. 1636.  
THe said examinate saith, and constantly affirmeth, that he hath the very spirit of God, which revealeth unto him all secrets whatsoever: and that he is moreover Anointed, and can predict and foretell whatsoever is to come. He saith also, that there shall be a great pestilence and a Famine, and that he shall see them, and be delivered from them, as having no power to hurt him. He likewise affirmeth, that he must first be slain, and after that rise again, and after that be made King of that very jerusalem in which King David and King Solomon once reigned. He saith also that he himself is one of those two witnesses spoken of in the Revelation, the 11 Chapter, beginning at the third Verse, and that his brother Bull is another also; and shall be a Priest at the same time when he is made a King. Now the words of the Text on which they ground these idle fancies are these: But I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy one thousand, two hundred, and threescore days clothed in sackcloth.  
These are the two Olive-trees, and two Candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth.  
And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouths, and devoureth their enemies: for if any man would hurt them, thus must he be killed.  
These have power to shut Heaven, that it rain not in the days of their Prophesying, and have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to Smile the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will.  
And when they have finished their Testimony, the beast that cometh out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.  
And their corpses shall lie in the streets of the great City, etc.   

The Examination of John Bull Weaver, taken at the same time.  
HE besotted with the like Lunacy, constantly affirmeth also that he is a Prophet: and one of these two witnesses before spoken of, in all things agreeing with his brother Farnham, and that he shall also be slain at Jerusalem where Christ suffered, and shall rise again; and after that his resurrection, he shall reign there as a Priest. And these two persist in their obstinacies, and are at this time prisoners, the one in Newgate, the other in Bridewell: now the blind and besotted ignorance of these poor and senseless Mechanics I leave to the consideration of any indifferent Reader. But you have not yet heard all: for such is the presumption of Farnham, and the inflexible confidence in his own innocency, that to any reverend Divine, or other well-minded Scholar, who come modestly to dissuade him from these refractory absurdities, he will say, that his desire is, nay, rather his earnest request is; that as the Prophet Daniel was cast into a Den of Lions, so he may be also; to prove himself to be a true Prophet, and a chosen vessel of the Lord: for as their mouths were shut up against Daniel, so likewise it shall happen to him: for they shall neither have strength nor power to hurt or damage him.  
They further hold themselves to have such power over the Elements, that at their prayer they can command the clouds to shower down rain upon the earth, and at their prayer too they can restrain those timely and seasonable drops which refresh it.  
Here too it is further to be observed, that they are simple Tradesmen, who never looked upon any University, or scarcely have been acquainted with a Grammar School: who only can read English, though yet know not how to speak it truly. Yet these poor fellows confidently believe, that the Spirit of God shall so abundantly fall upon them, that like the Apostles they shall be able to speak all Tongues and Languages: But especially, when they shall come to Jerusalem, they shall be inspired with the Holy Tongue, the very same in which the Patriarches and Prophets spoke, and prophesied.  
Moreover, in all their conference with such as sometimes for novelties sake come to visit them, they constantly affirm, and confidently believe, that no mortal man of what estate or condition foever, can have the least power to harm them: Or if it please the Almighty to suffer them to discipline or chastise their bodies, yet over their lives they shall have no power at all, either to hazard them, or take them away. But whosoever shall intend, or attempt any such violence against them, their hate towards them shall be turned upon themselves, so that they shall prove their own executioners, such as was judas, who betrayed the life of his Lord and Master. But let the Reader here take notice (in this) how ignorantly and sottishly they contradict themselves, affirming in this place, that no man shall have the least power to insidiate their lives, or bring them to any untimely and remarkable death: When before in Farnhams' examination by divers learned Commissioners, apppointed to that purpose, He (with the other contested, that he must be first slain, and after rise again, and be crowned King of Jerusalem: And Bull in his examination attested, That he should be also first slain at Jerusalem where Christ suffered, and after live again, and like Aaron and his son Eleazar, reign an High Priest there; which something seems to smell of the Sect of the Thraskites and Sabbat arians.  
I might leave these, and come to a third, namely a woman, now prisoner in Bridewell, the weakness of whose Sex can be no excuse or privilege for her horrible blasphemies, which indeed, almost want precedent, and yet we may see how far the Devil can work with his own servants. I might set down with her name Margaret Tennis, her examination; the which, for modesty's sake I will forbear to speak of; it being such incredible, and scarce heardof Blasphemy, able not only to make the ears to tingle, but the heart to tremble: which as it horrors me to write, so, I make no question, but whosoever shall peruse it, it will trouble him to read, and therefore I forbear to publish it, in regard that 'tis almost unbeleeveable, that any such Monster should have being upon the face of the earth; at least, he may well, and that justly too, suspect that the words which she spoke, came from the mouth of a jew, but no Christian. But at this present she is either mad, or counterfeits madness, wishing with my heart, that she may both return to her wits, and to true repentance: And as of her, so also I speak of the other, whom I could wish to have an inspection into their own follies, and having gone so far astray, to retire themselves into the true sheepfold. Solomon the wisest of Kings saith: He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, he keepeth his soul from affliction, and else where. It is a man's honour to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling. There be some that speak words like the pricking of a sword, but the tongue of a wiseman is health: The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters, therefore ere the contention be meddled with, leave off. He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. The froward heart findeth no good, and he that hath a naughty tongue falleth into evil.  
There is no question to be made, but that he who is the Father of Lies, is also the founder of controversies, who is the Devil: neither is his inveterate malice against mankind discovered in public hostility only, (as when Arms are taken up for the differences of Religion, as it hath often happened) but in vain and unnecessary questions: whence truth in the disputing of them may be darkened: In him is the spirit of contradiction; or rather he may be c●●d the spirit itself; nor breatheth he only almost upon all Academies, Schools, Rectories and Families, but even upon our mother Church itself, by broaching Errors, and Heresies, and daily devising new fangle and trifling Innovations, as having ever been the incendiary to self-opinion, and all refractory disobedience; and these arise for the most part from ignorant, peevish, and self opinioned Separatists; whose false Tenants the more they are urged upon them, the more many times to the small understanding of the simple, the truth is entangled. The apparent Syllogism (saith one) ought to be contained in few words; but if it be too far prosecuted, and unnecessarily continued, the Syllogism groweth into a Paralogism, which is no better than a perverse wrangling. And therefore when one proposed to a grave Philosopher a needless and impertinent Aenigma, of which he desired a short and speedy answer: He thus replied; (speaking to those that were there present) This fellow desireth to milk a Goat, and would have me to hold a Collender full of holes to receive it. Now Vtrum stultior (saith Erasmus) qui ●ulget Hireum quam quì ●ribram Supponit. To conclude, I would wish all these stupid novelists, for their better understanding, since they are so obstinate to forsake Christ's flock, yet at last to look into that which Pythagoras taught, over whose door it was thus written: He that knoweth not what he ought to know, is a beast amongst men: He that knoweth no more than he must needs know, is a man amongst Beasts: But he that knoweth all things which are fit to be known, is a God amongst men.   

After divers visitations, by sundry Divines and men of quality; this Richard Farnham understood by some of them, that it was reported of him that he was Christ: for the better clearing of that Aspersion laid on him, and some others in that kind: he hath given out these lines, which you may read, that he writ very late himself in Prison.  
THere be many false reports that go of me in the City of London, and I believe they are spread abroad in the Country. First, some report of me, that I say I am Christ. Secondly, some say that I am Elias. Thirdly, some report of me, that I should say, that it should not rain of 3 years, and some say a longer time, & some say a shorter. Fourthly, some report of me, that I should say when it raines again, it should rain blood, and some say fire and brimstone, which are false, the Lord of Heaven and Earth knoweth that I have not uttered any of those words: But these things you may report to be truths from my own hand-writing: I say, I am one of those two witnesses that are spoken of in the 11 of the Revelation, and that the Lord hath given me power for the opening and the shutting of the Heavens: The Lord hath moved me by prayer since I came into this Prison, to be earnest with him for the shutting of the Heavens; and I am certain, that the Heavens are shut, and that the earth shall not receive any benefit to speak of, by the Rain that shall fall until the Lord doth move me to pray for Rain, and I do steadfastly believe that in the day the Lord doth move me to pray for Rain, it shall Rain: but I say this, if the Lord doth continue me praying but 6 weeks longer, as now he doth, I believe there is a great deal of seed sown in this land of England which will never be reaped nor mowed: I do not mean the whole kingdom, but of this part of the land where my dwelling is: And this I know, that there are judgements a coming, Pestilence, Famine, and sword, and I know I shall live and see them fulfilled, and be preserved. Therefore it behoveth every one that hath not made his peace with God, both high and low to repent, and make his peace with God in a true and unfeigned repentance, that it may go well with the soul, howsoever it goeth with the body: As Solomon saith, Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death.   
FINIS.