Impostor Magnus, OR The Legerdemain of Richard Delamain, NOW Preacher in the City of Hereford. BEING A Narrative of his life and Doctrine since his first coming into that County. Faithfully collected and published by one that will assert the Truth of each particular.  
YAY.  Judas, verse 11. and 2 Pet. 2.15. 
woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam (the Son of Bosor, who loved the the wages of unrighteousness) for reward: and perished in the gainsaying of Core.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1654.   

To the Reader.  
IF thou takest no more pleasure in the reading of this Tract, than I did in the writing of it, I'll assure thee thou shalt never be inebriated with any delight that it can afford thee: and perhaps you may wonder at this so large a collection of passages, perpetrated in the space of four or five years; but your admiration will cease, when you find that you never met (before this) with such a designed piece of imposture as this is: the whole transaction of his (scarce) quinquennial labour, being nothing but a continued series, and close reiterated concatenation of deceits; so that what thou hast here, is not a tithe of his actings which might have been gleaned up, nor the moiety of what I have heard and know: but what thou hast is upon sound grounds, and not surmises. This Treatise is an Historical application, and partly explication of the Epistle written by Saint Judas, those characters of Apostates, being his choice rules by which he ordered himself, both in life and Doctrine. Here is not a confutation, but only a relation of his errors, and succinct annotations upon them; which the ingenuous candid Reader may enlarge with his own observations; for if confutation had been intended, the necessary conclusions, probations, and responses which would have followed, and must have been taken in, would have swelled this Book, far by much beyond the intentional bulk of it. And truly it had been no prudence to have alleged Scripture to him, that did deny the authority of it; our arguments must have risen from the same Basis as the Fathers and Ancients used to Heathens; to persuade them first of a God, etc. what therefore is here exhibited by way of animadversion (Courteous Reader) is for thy use: if it should make any impression upon the heart of him that is the subject of our present and subsequent discourse, I shall be joyful to hear of it, and joy Angelically at his conversion from a blasphemous Saul to a preaching Paul; God being able to command that these stones be made bread: but if he after all these should continue resolute and refractory in his ways of evil, he will not miss of a second reproof; in the mean time (Reader) hold fast the Faith once delivered, and be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines; 
Heb. 13.9.  for it is a good thing that the heart be established.  
Farewell.   

Impostor Magnus.  
I Have by search endeavoured to find somewhat for matter of sublimity to run parallel to this History that I am now about to write, but find, that what Ebion, Photinus, Samosatenus, Sabellicus, Servetus, and others the ancient Captains and Ringleaders of this sort of lose Heretics did embrace; nay, what Socinus the Monopolist of all the former, with the additional fermentations of his own brain, comes far short of those dangerous positions which our Impostor hath divulged and practised: for, as if to collect the signs and notes which the Spirit of God in the Scriptures hath given us to know, and by them to distinguish deluders from others, were the rules and Gnomon to direct him to shape his opinions and practice by, and the end and scope he endeavoured at, and pressed unto, it could scarce be otherwise, that he should so point blank in himself accomplish those characters of Apostasy and Errors which are so flatly repugnant to the rule of life and Doctrine: And in the prosecution of this discovery, I shall be so sparing of wresting things beyond their intended weight and allowance, that I ingenuously confess and assure you, it is the highest Acme my desires have aspired unto, that there might have been a possibility of sparing the whole, by some one the smallest sign and token of repentance and alteration; which being undiscerned, and finding of how great use and concernment to a public and private good the unvailing of knavery is, especially in such, who by their callings should be ensamples of good to others: I could not still or quiet those motions and susurras I had within me, till I had yielded to those importunities, and sent this abroad for the benefit of the poor distressed and overriden County of Hereford, and all others that may find themselves concerned in this discovery; whether it be for matter of establishment or prevention: it being the second volumn or Treatise of Machiavillian piety, and contains in it a Scheam or representation of the manners, preachment and speeches of that Grand Impostor, Richard Delamain, who with enticing words, gild over his bitter pills of blasphemy and error, hath done much mischief in the neighbouring Counties; and if in this Tract the Reader should be molested with the want of method, I beg his excuse; for that I hope he will be pleased to conceive it no easy matter or task, to methodise Accidents, so much disjoined in reference to place, persons, times, and matter, as these ensuing are.  
He was the wicked Son of a good Father, from a Publican, turned a Pharisec, from one that sat at the receipt of Customs, to one that by a more indirect course accustomed himself to the receipt of gain; he used his apparel supermodish, powdering his long hair, but that the sweet Gentleman was much beholding to him that brought him down, for his friendly advice of cutting it shorter, though in this short cut it reached his shoulders. He was persuaded into the County of Hereford, and brought thither by Mr. M. H. of Webley, one that hath been a dogmatical Camaelion ever since the many coloured and monstrous headed Hydra of errors have been in fashion; upon his first coming, which was in the year 1648. he was for a new light (though sheltered in a dark lantern) brought to Mrs. V a Gentlewoman of good family and respect, then living at Bredwardine in that Tract; where of the minister of the Parish leave being obtained for this our Hyperbolical Angel of Light to hold forth his gifts, he preached a Legal Sermon; full sraughted with the greatest Terrors of punishments and damnation, which was highly disliked by the chiefest, who leaned very much to an Antinomian plausibility (for in those times this Country had not many baits to busy themselves about, and were ignorant of those profound Soloecisms, called new Notions: Independency, Presbytery and Antinomianism in the lesser volumn (not to the shaking off of duties) were the greatest divertisements then in practice) and truly the ill management of that mistaken Sermon, had almost in the Threshold caused him to have dashed his foot to the stumbling and undoing of his hopes; for by this you may plainly perceive him a designed Temporizer, who for his gain could have become a downright Legalist, as well as a high flown Notionist; and in few words, to give you the print of his foot, by which you may imagine his stature; Gain was his Godliness, his Religion it was his God, his whole aim, and he resolved (which by his leaving his small place in the Custom-house you may perceive) to obtain it per fas aut nefas, holding that Heterodoxal Maxim for his first point of Doctrine: dulcis odor lucri ex re qualibet; this enforced him to leave Bredwardine awhile, and go with M. H. to Webley, where by his means having insinuated into the acquaintance of Mrs. K. one nearly related to that Family at Bredwardine, then living at a place about two miles from Webley, who out of her tender affection to good, imagining by his carriage and demeanour some superlative knowledge of God's ways; at least some eminent sanctity in himself, gave him countenance (and you may see here he first makes practice with women and widows) where fishing with the bait of Socinianism, and perceiving it taking, prosecuted his fortune eagerly, making use of all advantages for leading of some Captive with his Tenants and absurdities, and imagining his interest did much consist in the getting into favour with the old Gentlewoman at Bredwardine, because there was the best quarters, it being the nature of such deceivers much to mind their bellies; For what they naturally know as bruit beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves, 
jude 10.  and are the black spots in the feasts of charity; and because of the eminency of the place and Family, which by the means of these his forementioned acquaintance, he with some labour, at last, to his content, achieved; causing in some an admiration of his Doctrine which he now holds forth, I dare not say an approbation of it. I know it is Satan's Masterpiece to lay stumbling blocks before the feet of the Saints, and if it be possible, to cause such as have been renowned for their profession in the strictest ways of Godliness, to be the Antesignani, and chiefest abettors of Heresy and error, to make such whose light should be set, as it were, on an hill: who should by their lives and conversations be the flaming Beacons of Good works before men, that they seeing them, may glorify our Father that is in Heaven; to cause them in a more especial manner to be the greedy examples of falling, and sucking in those damnable positions of Christian Lethargy. Here now this ungodly man having crept in unawares, spends his time betwixt the two Families; instructing them with his depraved principles; and all such as came unto them, either out of humanity, as to visits, or out of the instigation of an itching ear to hear novelties, of which last sort more especially than others, some were caught, and did embrace Doctrines of the Devil: Tenants that now stink in the Nostrils of some of his admirers, worse than his breath doth to such as approach him, he laboured to seduce; some of which I shall now give you a sight of; though I know that errors (like oaths in telling stories) better concealed then repeated; yet because he goes on still, making practice with deceits, deceiving and being deceived, aspiring to eminent places, there to make shipwreck of Faith and a good conscience; not only in himself, but to others, insulting over the Ministers, who are laborious and painful; intermeddling in civil affairs, in which he is nothing concerned; despising powers and authorities, and all this and much more under the cloak of Religion and conscience; this is therefore to undeceive such who by his fair persuasions may be drawn into the deceit of believing his lies: for having, as in a draught or picture, seen his carriages and life; they may with little straining their Logic, believe, that out of such an impure polluted puddle, cannot proceed the limpid-living streams of the water of Life; that whilst himself is the very Epitome of Hypocrisy, and Heresy, and the abstract of baseness and lewdness, he can in the mean time preach to others by his example the Doctrine of Truth, holiness and sincerity: That which he now buckled himself unto when he was received into favour at Bredwardine, was that common maxim which all Impostors use; to despise Dominions, and speak evil of dignities, to decry all those that may by any means be a remora in his proceed; either by authority, Doctrine or disputes; and to that end he declaims against the Ministry in general, as if the sins and failings of particulars, were annexed as inseparable companions to the calling; even so, because some have received poison in their meat, it were necessary or reasonable we should wholly desist from the use of it; Here gins a loud invective against them, for many crimes which they are guilty of, and among the rest, scorning them for their receiving Tithes, (though since he hath received them, and threatened trouble to those that did not conform) and persuades his Disciples (to avoid the disgrace and foils, which else he and they were subject to in disputes) that what he said could not be understood be any, but such who were under the the same dispensation as he was; (truly I think so too) and in imition of their Master, you should have ignorant silly women, tell men both learned and knowing: That they could not understand those high mysteries, because of their carnality; and further tells them, that what was nonsense to all people out of his way, was the very sense of the Spirit to him: by which he seemed to anticipate and confute all controversies that might arise, and which was a very succinct method of satisfying all questions and doubts: and further, that what he delivered, though it were seemingly contradictory to the received truth, and though he could not prove it out of the written Word of God, yet it was to be received as the immediate dictate of the Spirit. He slighted and scorned at duties, as performed by such who were in a lower form, and should in time have greater light. And upon that place, Rev. 3.20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door, etc. he held forth that the Ordinances of God were the door; that they do keep Christ at a distance from the Soul, and keep him in darkness, or dark to us; was not this a notable ingredient for his mass of errors? not valuing the Spirits injunctions of praying continually, and rejoicing always, exhorting, rebuking, etc. in season and out of season? Tells us that the Scriptures were but the mind of the Spirit in several administrations, and that there were several dispensations of God.  
Of Adam.  
Of Noah or Abraham.  
Of Moses. 
Here is strange stuff.   
Of John the Baptist.  
Of Christ.  
Of fire burning up corruptions.  
Of Heaven or the Spirit, under which dispensation he then was. That the Scriptures were darkness; that the same Spirit dwelleth in us, that did in them that penned the Scriptures, which he prosecuted with strange deductions and conclusions, never considering that testimonies are for clearing, not obscuring; that the Scriptures testify of Christ, and do reveal him, that darkness doth not reveal things; it is light that makes manifest; that what is darkness, is in our understandings, by reason whereof we apprehend not the Scriptures, etc. He further declared that we were taught of God immediately, and not of men, whereupon Mr. S. the School master of Hereford asked him, why he then took upon him to teach men; he answered, we do not teach, but only show men (a learned distinction) but that you may further see what he meant by Scriptures, or how in himself he did approve of them, being urged to back some Tenent or other of his with Scripture, he answered, That he did not much trouble himself with the Scripture. I need not apply it, for by this you may easily know his mind: but he proceeds and tells you, that that which is in us, is Christ, and he cannot sin; that it was needless for a Saint to ask or make request for any thing, because all was theirs, and they could want nothing; his phrases were mostly obscured in Allegories (dreaming the whole Scripture was nothing else) and here he rumbles up strange applications of old Adam and new Adam, light and darkness, lise and death, Christ and Antichrist, flesh and Spirit, heaven and hell, Zion and Sinai, bright clouds and dark clouds; vails, dispensations, administrations, illuminations, living up, the Allegorical applications of Grace, and glory: of Christ's cross, grave, burial, resurrection and ascension, with all his miracles and actions which were so misused, misapplyed, misapprehended; so bombasted, squeized, wrested, wrung and wreathed into a seeming sense, that it would have puzzled a man of judgement, in the least, to have apprehended them; These are the clouds without water, 
Judas 12.  carried about of winds; trees, whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 
2 Pet. 2.  These are empty wells without water, clouds that are hurried with a Tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever, for when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure them to error, while they promise liberty; but being now wrapped up in the admiration of his own nonsense, it was asked him, how it was that he preached such a Sermon of terrors, when he first came to Bredwardine? he answered (as his use was most commonly, with some misapplyed place of Scripture) that he was persuaded to it by Mr. Hill: but it was his liberty, and he could become all things to all men, to gain some: (he should have said for some gain) nevertheless some of his admirers were not so far deserted, and led aside, as totally to leave off duties, which by his example and preaching he always held forth; for as he said of his preaching that admission or probation Sermon at Bredwardine, it was much against his inclination and Spirit, so was the use of any duties at evening or morning, either before or after meat, 
Judas.  feeding himself without fear; and where he had liberty with some of his most absolute proselytes, he laughed at them, saying, we perform duties, because we look on God as a judge, and that it is the Spirit of bondage; yet at Bredwardine (which is observable) he was in a sort constrained for keeping in with the old Gentlewoman, before and after meat to pretend a duty, which was nothing else but an impudent compliment with God, not prosecuting the designed ends of those duties, which were to pray for a blessing on the creatures, or give thanks for the reception of them; but his words were an odd pack of stuff, 
Delamains Grace at meals.  of nonsense and blasphemy; as these, O Lord, Thou art us, and we are Thee, Thou art in us and we in thee, Thou fillest us with thy presence, and we are full of thy fullness, Thou lovest none but us, and we love none but thee; The creatures are thou; Thou art our light, our all, our all in all; To thee we give our all, we receive thee, we see thee, we delight in thee, and thou in us, to thee be glory, etc. all this was not much to the purpose; but observe I pray, what a sad object of Audacity is set before you; what strange blasphemy, to hold forth not only that every Christian is God, but that every creature is God; may even the Devil himself, because a creature: doth not he spin a fine thread, and wind up a skein or clew of strange Corollaries? How can he be said with this compliment, 
Heb. 12.28, 29.  to come before God that is a consuming fire, with reverence and Godly fear? or how doth he follow the example of Christ, who for our pattern prayed for a blessing on the creatures before he used them; The Spirit enjoining us in all things to make known our requests by supplications and prayers, and that continually: yet to what a degenerate impiety was this fellow grown, to confess him in words, but in deeds to deny him? but if you will needs have duties, you must take them as he can afford them, for he tells you, that he hath waited many years and could never find comfort while he used them, 
Nemo repent fuit turpissimus, Juven.  but leaving them, he found much; that before, he in duties sound nothing but dryness and deadness, mislaying that upon duties which was really the epileptical disease of his own Soul; and though at first in public he concealed his venom and poison, yet in families he very freely traded with it; nay, he would preach one thing in public and another in private; and in private again deny what he had preached in public, thus did he at Worcester, and truly he was engaged to it upon a force or constraint, else he could not maintain his position into practice; of becoming all things to all men to gain some, nor have been suffered to preach openly again; but that in the mean time you may see how he laid himself open to his proselytes in these opinions: observe what one of them answered to an honest man of Ludlow, who at Leominster demanded of him why Delamain, at the time of the public exercise did preach in private, from whom he received this account, because that he preached there what was not fit to be preached or heard in public, or if you will hear Delamains phrase, it was because as yet people could not bear his words and Doctrine. Thus did he frame himself to his work, in the prosecution of his design, of causing his Disciples to sit lose from duties; because we are frequently warned not to rest on duties, he would have us leave them off. (That is a sure way not to rest on them indeed) which would open a Gate to all licentiousness and profaneness; for if we were not bound to keep close to a known rule, but left at liberty to follow the dictates of our own carnal appetites, to live and practise accordingly; if religion be some thing at large, not bounded or bonded, if it were only in this or that man's particular liberty, (and in pretence) to become all things to all men, and this liberty to be explained by the respective owners and pretenders, then sarewell to the very genuine sense of the word Religion, and to all civil society: to oppose them in their wicked wills, is an infringement of their liberty, and what can be else expected but a mere confusion in Government and propriety, which is his longed for expectation, knowing the best fishing is in the mddiest waters. But that I may not long detain you from a Sermon which I know you expect from our profound Doctor, though as yet no Minister, for Crablike he crawled backwards into these degrees, first a Preacher, and afterwards (as he saith) ordained: I shall here present you with the Sceleron of one of his Sermons, which your imagination may help out, because having such rich conceits and far fetched novelties for the bareheads, you may easily believe the covering was not much different; he believes not the literal meaning of the Scripture, and therefore allegorizeth the three first verses of the third Chapter of Matthew, whence he would have us note that the voice of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, was the incomes of God into the wilderness of men.  
That those Incomes of God,  
1. Do make the ascension of Christ within us; for Christ is dead and buried in the Soul till these Incomes come.  
2. Are an exceeding weight of glory.  
3. Are a Soulsaving glory.  
4. Do set a Christian on the shoulders of Christ, and then he may see completely.  
5. Do bless the Soul.  
6. Do deliver the Soul.  
7. Do deaden all things to the Soul beside God, so that nothing but the Lord shall live there.  
(Then makes some shift, I know not how, to fall aboard with heaven, and tells you; (if you can understand him) for I confess I cannot.)  
That Heaven is an estate of God; nothing to be seen but God, and when thus I see God, than Heaven is manifested.  
It contents a carnal Christian to have Heaven without, and Christ without, etc. but a spiritual Christian looks for God within, and heaven within.  
That there is no heaven but in the hearts of the Godly, 
Hogs-wash.  nor hell but in the Hearts of the wicked, so that a man converted is hell changed into heaven.  
That Hell fire is nothing but the Spirits consuming and burning up of Lusts, etc.  
Now I hope for my repetition, I shall be excused from my Exposition; and how would you have me expound that which I do not understand? I confess my ignorance, and will leave it to that generation, whom he imagines have a more glorious dispensation, above Scriptures and Ordinances, or else to some that understand him, for he knew no other death, burial, or ascension of Christ, nor heaven nor hell, but in the Soul, and how can you expect other from him?  
At other times, that he might shake and overturn the basis and foundations of the Faith once delivered to his Disciples, it was his use in his familiar and private converse to low the seed of the Doctrine of the Seekers, from that place of Scripture, If ye are risen with Christ, 
Col. 3.1.  seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his Father: making the whole intention and scope of the holy Spirit a notional Allegory; and holding out from thence, that in matters of Doctrine and Tenants there was nothing certain, especially what was at any distance from his way; and that indeed was his practice with his Neophytes or Novices, to preach to them of shake of Mount Slon and Sinai, (and what is written by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews) yet once more, and I shake not only the earth but the Heavens; you may easily interpret it his way; considering his design of beating Christians off from duties, and his imagination of the locality of heaven and earth, to be the souls and hearts of people; by this he endeavoured to shake men from off their confidence in Scripture-rule or way, then putting them upon a seeking way; and to whom should such as were thus in their foundations shaken, have recourse, but to such as were able to shake them? and so as it was said of the Pharisees of old, may be said of our new one, 
Math. 23.  that they compass Sea and Land, to make one Proselyte, and when he is made, they make him twofold more the child of hell than themselves.  
When he had tempered them to this pass, they were sit subjects to receive any impression; and then he makes known to them, that there are nor either three or two persons in the Godhead, and was much offended at the word Trinity, not understanding that it signified a Three; but it is the practice of Impostors to speak evil of those things which they know not; 
Judas.  not minding what the Scripture saith, that there are three which bore record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy-Ghost, 
1 Joh. 5.7.  and these three are one; here is Trinity in Unity; but it is no marvel that he that spoke so slightly of the God Head, should deny the holy Trinity; he that dare, contrary to the plain words of the Scripture, which saith, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all, belch out this blasphemy, That God is darkness, and prosecute his horrid positions with pretended reason, and with telling his reprovers they wanted understanding; can you imagine he would stick at any eeror? yet favour him a little further, and he will tell you Christ is Faith, and Christ is Repentance: That the world sees Christ till the Spirit comes, and then the light of the Spirit puts out the eye of the world: That external administrations shall be shortly abolished; That the body shall not rise again, and that the humane nature of Christ did not rise again; he may as well say so, as deny the history, contrary to those places of Scripture, which affirm Christ's resurrection, and plainly say that Christ is now risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of those that slept; and those many undeniable arguments wherewith the Apostle Paul doth syllogise the Corinthians into an understanding and belief of the resurrection, 
1 Cor. 15.  in the fifteenth Chapter of his first Epistle.  
He commends to their readings the inexplicable Treatises of Chimital Divinity, written by the Germane Doctor Behmen, therein admiring what neither Writer, Reader, or Hearer could understand or make sense of; much applauding his Tincture, his Ignis fatuus, and Turba magna; (Reader, these were all, as simple as they stand here, terms of Divinity) there was another such-piece of ecstasied nonsense, written by a melancholy Friar or Brother of the Teutonick order, and smelled extremely of the ingredients of Sulphur and Rhenish wine, (whose name I have forgot) who was in great veneration among them: so were also Mr. Colliers works, and truly with Randalphs' discreet translations, such opinionists might have been furnished with a small library of such Books, whose very names would have troubled you, more than the wooden horse did the Trojans: but that you may not be troubled with the reading of them, you shall have them epitomised in two words, They were profound nonsense: yet our Impostor would have had ready an answer for you, and so had his Disciples also; They were non sense to you, because you cannot understand them, and what they could not express themselves in the interpretation, that they did admire, hoping sometime or other they should with waiting have it revealed unto them; and they could conceive something more a great deal than they could utter, but the women they understood it as fast as could be: and their admirations were at their own understanding: even so do the Turks admire Idiots, thinking they have something extraordinary of God in them, because they understand them not. This jig that our Impostor used, was not the armour of good lives, but only the canva-painted-stalking horse of delusion.  
One Sabbath day he urged from these words in Ecclesiastes, For to him that is joined to all the living, there is hope: 
Eccles. 9.4.  for a living dog, is better than a dead Lyon. Where only naming the latter part of the verse, without looking or considering the first, either through wilfulness or negligence, he declared and insisted upon it, that the living dog was Christ Jesus, and the dead Lion were Believers, and how sweetly this indign exposition may serve for his notional frenzy, let any one judge; but this I have been assured, that when he had finished his half hours folly, being reproved for such an interpretation or application, this reproof being before the most and chiefest of his Auditors, with a request to him to read the foregoing verses, and the precedent part of that verse, by which he might plainly have seen his mistake (the wise King speaking there of life and death) he made this public replication, first by an interrogation, whether his reprover did hear him give that interpretation of it? to which having received a positive affirmation, because he had wrote it after him; he than made this reply, that his reprover did not hear with spiritual ears: that though that interpretation were false to his reprover, yet it was true to him; and so being nettled and in passion, fling out of the room: which answer and carriage was somewhat disrelished by some of his Auditors, and excused by man's frailty.  
But what he meant by the two contrarieties of Truth and falsehood, you may plainly-see by another passage that was uttered by him, much about that time; for having paced the groundwork of the ruined Castle of Snowdle, in the gilded valley, and making a draught of the ground-lines upon a piece of paper, feigning a small scale to it for the dimension, which how unlike a Mathematicians work it was, I will not now declare, though if he had had any ingenuity he might have had a little more insight in the Mathematics from his Father, who had some skill in them; he superscribed the Scale with these words, Scala passium; and being before some of his admirers, reproved for false Latin; he replied, that though it was false Latin to his reprover, yet it was true to himself; by which you may perceive the Blade's opinion of true and false: but to his Doctrine; the Scripture saith otherwise of ambiguities, That there is but one Faith, 
2 Pet. 1. Eph. 4.  one Baptism, one Truth, one Way, and one Lord Jesus, and that no Scripture is of a private interpretation; whereas he saith it may be false to one, and true to another: this is rare, but real.  
Upon an extraordinary convention of friends at Bredwardine, in the presence of Colonel Taylor, Mr. Tombs, Captain Taylor, Mr. Bedwell, Mr. Swain and others, he made shift in his arguing (which was carried on by him with such an elated arrogance and impudent scornfulness of the Ministers that were there) to pronounce in plain words, without welt or guard; That himself, was God. (Replic.) God is essentially God, are you essentially God? Delamain answered: I am God, as God is God. (Replic.) If you are God, than we must worship you; Which he presently went about to confirm with Scripture; unreasonably wresting and applying to himself that text, and saying, it is written, 
Esa. 49.23.  Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers, and Queens your nursing Mothers, they shall bow down unto thee, with their face towards the earth. Yet at the same time declared himself to be a beast, and that God did oftentimes speak through such beasts; which they granted: for to strengthen his position, it was there acknowledged that God had spoke through Balaams' Ass. What is there wanting now to the Completion of the Characters of Deceivers; Doth he not deny the only Lord, and our Lord Jesus Christ? Doth he not bring in damnable Heresies? Even denying the Lord that bought us, bringing upon himself swift desstruction? Is he not Antichristian, in exalting himself above all that is called God, 
2 Thes. 2.4.  or that is worshipped as God, sitting in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God? Is not this man fit now to be entrusted with double Benefices, and the care of Souls? being such a blasphemous novice, wresting the Scriptures unto the destruction of himself, and of those that hear him and follow him; despising learning, and learned men, because such are able to fathom and unveil his setches; and yet forsooth himself would be thought a Scholar, owning himself of the University of Oxford; and being demanded by Mr. S. a Gentleman of Worcestershire, of what College he was, he answered him, of Emanuel College: oportet mendacem esse memorem, here his friend the Devil, did not readily assist him, but left him to shift for himself, which how poorly he did, I need not tell you: for though Emanuel be applicatory to his notions, yet I understand not how Oxford is.  
At Wyebridge house in Hereford, being discipling his auditors to a very great height of whimsy; he pointing to a silver Beer-Bowl standing on the Table, said, that that was God to him: (I believe he spoke truth before he was ware of it) yet his baseness was great, in comparing the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, to vile, contemptible and corruptible things, as silver and Gold: These blasphemies are not the tenth nor the hundredth part of what he hath practised his profane mouth withal; yet enough to startle any one from having either belief or confidence in him, or in his Doctrine; still he proceeds gaping after filthy lucre, and plots now to get into some public place, because he knew all people would in a short time grow weary of him: for that by his familistical carriages he seemed to discover his rotten heart, plainly discovering he turned the Grace of God into wantonness, 
Judas.  manifesting that he is one of those filthy dreamers that defile the flesh, and who walk after their own ungodly lusts; he began to distil by circumlocutions, such things that but to name were a shame; community of goods and women, was a thing very consistent to his zealous Breeches, saying that he had a propriety in another man's wife, as also in his goods; this feared not he openly to avow before divers Gentlemen, Ministers, and others at Bredwardine, which how like his future carriages it was, and how necessary for his practice, you shall hear anon.  
He now practices his deceits at Worcester, where for his Doctrine and life after some small time, he was justly spewed out; the abominations of which I shall reserve for a particular Treatise, because I would not have this of Hereford-shire swell too big; that of Worcester having another variety of blasphemy and lust in it.  
And being cast out there, he would try his fortune with Lieutenant Colonel Wrath Rogers, Governor of the Castle of Hereford, because he was resolved he would try all means of getting himself into some place for gain; and procuring himself into an intimacy with the said Governor, (as it is no hard matter for any flatterer or fawner) the Governor was resolved to get him into places and preferment; first than he gets into the great Guns of the Castle; and for my part I should have thought he would have fitted the Mortar piece for a shell, because of his emptiness; and for a Granado also, for I believe there is not a greater incendiary happened into civil society; but now he practices the Mathematics, and measures out his ware by the length of his gilded hilted Rapier, strutting in a Soldierlike posture, for a scurvy Matross of the Castle, like a Crow in a Gutter; owning himself a Mathematician, and declaring his greatest learning consisted in the knowledge of the Mathematics; (but that was by his favour in taking the dimensions and length of men and women's feet, so as he might from a miserable Preacher, turn a Mathematical parasite) but for his skill, I have reason to believe, he was not guilty of much, nor so much as to make him a Gunner, yet here he stays, disparting the small fire-Drakes of his erroneous dregs, and gins with much devotion to leave his old courses of blasphemy, because they had left him; and people began to grow weary of that course of course ware.  
But being solicitous for his gain: he lacks nothing but a substantial man that may have the honour to convert him, and so himself become his Proselyte; and that nothing may be wanting to the completing of this ridiculous Scene, Enter Major General Harrison, he who did but look upon him, and by his physiognomy assured us of his conversion, and further (nay we must believe it) that he had made his recantation; and it may be better believe it, then go to disprove it: for if his recantation were called to public Test, and seriously searched after, it would be much like the story of Enoch his Pillars, on which were wrote many strange things, but all washed away with the Deluge, and so it must be returned with a non est inventum; and prove at least to be but a Greek Ogygies, an invisible record; but however this superficial conversion served his turn, he hastens to get a Church, and being a Gunner, almost at the first firing caught one alive; and how he hath bred it up to his hands, and out of it framed a thing to his own ends, you may perceive by the sequel: He now lives at Nathan Cogans, where he shows himself more effectionate to Mr. Cogans' wife, then to his own child when it died (being void of natural affection to it); 
Rom. 1.31.  for Mrs. Cogan being very much troubled with Convulsion fits, he in those fits embraced her, kissed her, and shown very much love to her; yet having entered into a Church way, knowing his proneness to fly out, he told his Church he would do nothing without their approbation now, and therefore desires they would give their consent to take a wife, naming her whom he since hath married, being a servant maid to Lieutenant Colonel Rogers his wife, and further makes it his request, that in regard it would be very convenient for his wife to have a maid-servant, that they would grant him leave to take a hired servant from her Mistress, which they poor wretches did easily grant to him; and so he seduced Jane South of Greendon her maid from her, whom she had long kept and bred: he had been tampering with her, when as a guest he was entertained in Jane South her house, where betwixt himself, this servant and Jinny Clare, there was such pretty night pastimes, of warming of pillows, and other midnight works, that he began shrewdly to be suspected there, if not detected, at leastwise much disrelished; making good what the Apostle warns us of: 
2 Pet. 2.13, 14.  spots and blemishes they are, sporting themselves with their own deceive, while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls.  
But that you may also see of what generation of people his Church consists, following the example of their Pastor, (though I am confident many of them are truly Godly, and such seeing his misdemeanours and wickednesses, do daily desert him, and being discovered, will all leave him) but such who please themselves in their trade of sinning, will glory in their Cloak, delighting to make Religion a covert for their baseness, of which sort are two of his Church, john Davis a Tailor, and Anne Madox a School-mistress, both near neighbours at Aresland in this County of Hereford: this john Davis was husband to a woman simply honest, who persuaded his wife to permit Anne Madox to lie with them (her house being close by) there they lie all night, and in the morning very early, Davis persuades his wife to rise and go to the Bakehouse, for to dispatch her affairs there; which she (poor woman) very readily consented unto; and left her husband and Anne Madox fast asleep together; (nay further, you must believe that there they lay without waking four hours together, or you shall be none of Delamains Church) the wife knowing no hurt in the thing, divulgeth it at the Bakehouse to her neighbours, by which means it came so public, and was so plain, that divers and the wife having her eyes opened, complained of it, the witnesses proved it, notwithstanding the Governor of Hereford his threatening of them, to fine them one hundred pounds; yet I say it was proved; now were the Governor and Delamain put to their shifts, to cover this spiritual wantonness; and truly it was a poor shift; for Isaac We●●●●●, one of the prosecutors and witnesses, being seduced by the●● promises or threats, pretends, that as he was going in the prosecution of this business, he had seen in a vision at Canon-peon, an Angel or Spirit, who told him, that although john Davis and Anne Madox lay commonly together, yet they did not so much as kiss one another, etc. I hope you cannot choose but believe it, with miracle and all: these are, or lately were of Delamains Church, to the pablick shame and reproach of all congregated and gathered Churches in the Nation: but here it is, like Priest, like people. He hath also persuaded this his Church, under the Title of we the Godly, to set their hands to papers, being certificates against some honest man or other that took notice of his villainies; which certificates they had not the liberty either to see, read, or know the substance of; but assured them that they were for the glory of God, and good of the Godly.  
During this time, our lusty Priest had but a foot Soldiers pay and a Canoniers, and he found it was not sufficient; he was provided therefore by the Governor, of many other pretty missets and portions, for if those two former would not do, he shall be a Muster-master and paymaster, a Clerk or Trooper in the County Troop; so that you may now behold him a double beneficed Myrmidon, having a great command both in horse and foot; and truly there was great occasion for it, because he was a Godly man, and it was good to engage such an one to our party, for that the Scots were coming towards Worcester, for which pay he kept intelligence with our dear Brother Colonel james, (one of Major General Harrisons valiant Croneys) and let a furious party on Malvern hills know that the Governor of Worcester, Colonel James, was fixedly resolved in his Canon proof armour, with his sword out drawn, being so fearful, and with that fear beside himself, that he could not stir; for attempting to have run away on the other side Severn, he found the Draw-bridge so strongly fastened, that hindered his design, and put him into a great amazement, and can you blame him? for I'll assure you, the Scots were within 15 or 16 miles, and how ugly the High-Landers looked in their plades, would have amazed any one that could not have preached them away: but at that very place our Hero offered the Hereford assistance, which Colonel james refused, and I think wisely too; for he had men enough to run away withal.  
But these military places were not the things aimed at, because they were subject to mutation; therefore it would do well to have something that might bring in an annual gain; and truly the Militia of the County of Hereford, having resolved themselves into a Committee, upon serious deliberation, for his military achievements, gave him the three parishes of Aymonastree, little Hereford, and Longtown; but because he could not receive Tithes in point of tenderness of conscience, He procures Mrs. W. of Aymonastree to receive them, and give him the money, she being his dry nurse, and fed him with silver spoons, for his spiritual food to her, and for making her Son (a pretty boy) a Justice of the peace for the County, which was a place, with Hereford Husbandry, that will (for all your laughing) bring in meat, drink, and clothes.  
For Longtown, he had some dealing with an honest Tailor, with his party coloured beard, who not pleasuring him with an expected sum, seized on his horse, or threatened to seize on him; but whether he did, or only threatened, he by it forced the poor man to condescend to his demands, notwithstanding he shown him how he had been at about thirty shillings charges; which he would by no means allow the man; according to what S. Peter foretells of such: That through covetuousness, they with feigned words shall make merchandise of you, 
2 Pet. 2.3.  whose judgement lingreth not, and their damnation slumbreth not: but this that he received was not Tithes, it was but Tithe-money: and what made also much for him, was the conveniency of the Parishes together, that so having undertaken the cure, with such facility he might provide for them; I believe there was not one of them within 8 miles of the other, and some further distant: but not content with these; he exerciseth his heart with covetous practices, 
Judas.  running greedily after the way of Balaam for reward: and labours to get added to these, the Parish of Pembridge, by the wages of iniquity, promising one Rich. Bird one hundred pounds, if he would bring sufficient matter to out the incumbent, and prosecutes the design vigorously, having already by his trust to his potent friends, swallowed it, yet miss of it: this practice up and down he continued till the year 1652. when by the assistance of his party and friends, he procures himself, into the room of Mr. Smith, into the Minster Church of Hereford, (one that was a Godly sincere plain dealing man, but disturbed in his Pulpit by the Soldiers of the Garrison, and frighted away) to which place the Parliament had settled and continued to three Ministers, 150. pounds a year on each; now you would think that he should have had enough, having wriggled himself into this place; but such was his greediness of filthy lucre, that with this he keeps the other Parishes, till he was shamed out of them: yet notwithstanding the Governor (his great friend) being called up to the new Parliament (keeping himself all that time in the Government of the Castle of Hereford) improves his interest with his friends, helping him not only to his Father's arrears, but also to the Ministers Salary, for that very time as he had kept the forenamed Parishes in his own hands (and this also by the Governor's knowledge, by which you perceive they prefer their own private interest before the public) and not being able to endure to have but one employment or benefice, by the same means he was got into the mastership of the Hospital, and Thompson's gift; in which two charitable places, he behaved himself so unworthily, that he is become the common talk and curse of the poor; he rails up an ancient, undeniable, and unquestionable way, for watering in the Castle ditch to the City: instead of giving to ten or twelve poor people cloth for , according to their use, at half a crown a yard, he searched over all the City, and found a parcel of cloth at sixteen pence a yard, which he bought, and wherewith he clothed them; so you may perceive he will rob the Spittle, rather than miss of his purpose for gain; the Governor after procures an Order for Mr. Voyle, one of the Ministers of Hereford, and Delamain, to attend the service of preaching in the City; which when once Delamain had got, he usurped the principal place, (the Minster) to himself, though second in the order; then what work did he make with the rest of the ministers, forbidding them to preach; charging the Sextons of the Churches, not to open the doors or ring a Bell without his permission; scarce giving way to Mr. Primrose to give his Parish of S. Nicholas notice of the Order, or take his leave of those people to whom he had preached many years: laboured to hinder Mr. Low from preaching at one of the Churches that day on which he had accustomed to stay in the City for breaking of bread. And whereas for the supervising the raparations of the Minster, it was referred by the Committee for plundered Ministers, to Captain Taylor, and Mr. Thomas Seaborn: because he found not Captain Taylor at all inclinable to comply with his designed plots, he and the Governor causes Seaborn to certify an untruth to the Committee, that Captain Taylor had Country employments, and so could not intent this work, upon which were ordered an addition of the Governor and Captain Mason; whereas the quarrel was, that Captain Taylor would have done that work gratis, and the Governor was privy to it also, which might have been prejudicial to Delamains designs, for he was resolved nothing should scape him, but he would have a finger in it, and he intended to flay flints, rather than miss of the sweetness of getting; and if Captain Taylor had stayed in equal trust, how could Seaborn, that sold so many Bells for this work, have gone on so merrily with his get, or get so much as to become a Purchaser; or how could they have given Delamain the power of supervising besides their order, they themselves being but Deputies? which employments (as we have lately named them unto you) caused him to surcease the Tuesdays Lecture at the Minster; which for many years had been continued, for being spoken unto to continue them, he answered, that the business of Saint Ethelberts Hospital did take up so much of his time, that he could not attend it, by which means it hath been long discontinued.  
That was not the only trouble neither, his surveying the works of the Minster, of which he reckons himself parochial Pastor, (but that must then be by some invisible order) and where he order all things to his own whimsical will and pleasure, the referrees being but servants to his orders; and there makes so many baubles and fooleries, with so great an expense of the Parish money, that it is admirable: shows his spite and malice against all to whom he was disaffected, turns them out of their seats, falls upon Colonel Birches seat, pulls it down, taketh away and converts the materials to other purposes, breaks open the lock of Captain Tailor's seat door, and altars it, without restoring him the key, proclaims in his Pulpit, that those that expect seats must come to him, turns out the Sextons, causeth almost a total alteration in the seats and alleys of the Church, painting figures and letters upon the doors of the seats, and to show his skill in the Mathematics, bestows the sign Taurus, with the horns towards the Pulpit, upon the Governor's seat; Gemini upon the Mayor and Alderman's; Aries upon the Officers of the Castle, and the Governor's attendants; which learning he got out of an Ephemeris and discourse of the elevation of the Pole, long since imagined by Sir Thomas de Cantelupo, who lay entombed in Herefond, and whose fountian or jitteau hath been long immerged, under the watery region of the Castle sink; and thus doth he abuse his chiefest friends, rather than not innure himself to his resolved practice and trade of abuses; his squeazy stomach hath throughly digested Tithes, and the calling of the Ministry now: and one would think him a much altered man, but that being taxed for his former opinions and course of life, he declares, he is the same man still; and this he hath done lately, which also compared with some late Socinian flashes, will make the matter clear and indubitable, and are frequent to the diligent observers.  
On July 25. 1653. at Alhallows in the City of Hereford, speaking of changes wrought in a man at his conversion, said, that then his Soul is made a Spirit; (this is pretty) further alleging the Col. 1.20. to prove the gathering together into one person Christ; he expounded all things in heaven to be God, and all things upon earth, Man, (Galilaeus and Copernicus their conceits were toys to these knick knacks) and adds, that wicked men can cast out Devils, but not Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, out of the 7. of Matth. it is against his liberty to preach the Tuesdays Lectures, but not to preach funeral Sermons to commend the dead, and pray over them, to sing over them in the Church, and the same Psalm as heretofore in Cathedrals was authematically used, and after all threaten the Sextons for the mourning-borrowed-Pulpit-cloath, as his fee: this was his liberty: so also was a Christmas Sermon out of Bishop Andrews, upon the text, Great is the mystery of Godliness, Christ manifest in the flesh; but not being able to read or pronounce true Latin, he tells you, hoc est magnum mysterium quae, etc. and though he hath taken up this Trade, his studies are not very elaborate, which in all reason would have concerned him; but who more bold than blind Bayard? not trusting to his own invention, he commonly makes use of some good Author or other for his Sermons, as the forenamed Bishop Andrews, Downam, Dyke; nay, Causinus and Drexelius the Jesuits must not scape him, and yet though he hath a great memory (which is his all) he hath not as yet attained to the faculty to remember Latin or Greek well, but out of some Author or other, rhymes up a Catholic or Latin chime, and tells us that three things are inseparable companions, ingentia beneficia, ingentia peccata, & ingentiae poena; he preacheth downright, that no one ought to preach, but such as have a call both from God and men, and the call from men to be by the Officers of the Church, visibly, and not long after confutes himself again; but 'tis his liberty: he declares he is ordained: a huge altered man; and it may be so; (for in imitation of it, he hath the happiness himself to do many things hand over head.) but I call him altered and reform, because he hath heretofore publicly declared in these words, I am no Minister, nor never will be, I know no cause why any man should: but to our story, he doth not only say himself ordained, but sent to London john Garnons to be ordained for his leave at little Hereford, because he himself the father had got great Hereford; this is he whom he calls his Son Timothy; or rather Onesimus in the first velum, (volumn I should have said;) because of his running away from his master, and leaving his trade of a Glover, to draw on the Kidskin of dissimulation, by a seeming care and zeal of conversion of pelts: this young boy he sent to be ordained, that so he might have an easier trade to live on, then by stitching: and can you blame him, for following this counsel; being not for his liberty to stay with his master, working on the week days, writing Sermons on the Lords days, and then to repeat them at night: Oh! this was irksome and tiresome to his tender gristles; but because that the Law may not proceed against him, the Governor of the Castle must lift him a Soldier there, and keep him to his sewing till he become fit for the Ministry: Here is brave juggleing, brave Garrison, brave Governor, brave Priests, brave people, brave maintainers of Law, Liberty and Propriety.  
But this Gentleman, John Garnons, Glover, may have another character, for I have seen his depositions at Haberdasher's Hall against Captain Taylor, in which he followed his Father Delamain, in the lie and slander of alaruming the Castle of Hereford with a musick-meeting; only our business is principally with Delamain at present.  
You might now think that our deceiver and familism had shaken hands and parted, but that you have heard that he doth declare to divers, that he is the same man still: else would he have laboured to have set those in the right path, whom he hath seduced, and have at least made public his leaving his own erroneous ways: and how sadly this shows, let any Christian judge, that those whom he hath infected with his leprosy and scurf of heresy; those who by his means have left the good old ways and paths, wherein they walked, in spite of all the scorns and derisions of the world; those that for the testimony of a good conscience have suffered from friends and enemies, from relations and acquaintance; that they should lie sleeping with the soporiferous opium of his enchanting dregs of error; 
2 Pet. 2.18.  having alured with great swelling words of vanity through the lusts of the flesh, etc. those that were clean escaped from them; who live in error, while they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, and how sad it is for such who have escaped the pollution of the world, through the knowledge of Christ, to be again entangled and overcome: to such the latter end is worse than the beginning, and it had been better for them never to have known the ways of righteousness, then after they have known them, to turn from the holy commandment, like the dog to his vomit, and the Sow to her wallowing in the mire: if he had any sense or feeling of the miserable condition he hath drawn them into, if there were any knowledge of his own ways, if himself were converted, sure he could not suffer such as these aforementioned to continue in those dangerous courses; but should labour to beat down the strong holds of sin and Satan, to unfold the mysteries of error, to strengthen those that are in the right-way, to bring back those that are in the wrong, to undeceive those that he hath seduced, which being often pressed unto; and to such from whom he hath formerly received the food for his belly, the raiment for his back, he hath refused to go to them; (because he is the same man still) wanting Christian compassion to save others with fear, pulling them out of the fire that he hath led them into, setting himself most ungratefully against those families who have offered most civilities to him, and from whom he hath received the greatest engagements; but he is so wedded to this present world, that he neglects friends, engagements, civilities, and all things that may term him man, to enjoy it: money that he borrowed to buy a suit of  in his necessity, he refuses to pay in his plenty and abundance; returns of humanity he ungratefully detains from the family at Bredwardine, and particularly from one of that family who hath stood up for him; which passage shall be the last in this Treatise, as being the most transcendent for villainy and detraction of all; but yet it is no marvel, for since he denies God, what fear is there left in him, when he solemnly invokes God by an oath? to bear false witness can be no trouble to his conscience, when he believes neither a heaven nor an hell.  
The time (that you may perceive whether he be an altered and reformed man or no) was no longer ago then Septemb. 6. 1653. at Gloucester, Captain Mason having scandalously abused Captain Taylor by Articles exhibited against him in Haberdashers-Hall, for refusing to comply with him in the deceiving of his trust, contrary to his oath, and not being able to prove any one, though in the attempt the witnesses much forswore themselves, yet that there might be somewhat found in the depositions, more than in the Articles; they the accusers and privy prosecutors, having in writing drawn up the depositions, and worded them for the witnesses; which Delamain not approving, because they lacked somewhat of venom that he would have had inserted against Captain Taylor, with his own hand mended and inserted many words, which the witnesses were to swear; causing many of them to own such terms and words in their oaths, as they (poor people) could not understand; but that you may see he would not be behind himself in such an action as he puts others upon, have patience to read his oath, as it was by himself framed in writing, and returned to Haberdashers-Hall, where it now lies attested and subscribed with his own hand.  
Richard Delamain, sworn and examined to the second Article against Captain Taylor, deposeth and saith, that the Soldiers in the Garrison of Hereford, upon Monday and Tuesday the 3. and 4. of January, 1652. were necessitated to keep all to their arms, by reason of a convention of Papists and Delinquents then in the City of Hereford, occasioned by a Musick-meeting, appointed by Captain Taylor: and whereas it was expected, that he would have extenuated and mitigated the too too positive sense, by those cross examinations upon interrogatories exhibited by Captain Taylor; being demanded whether he knew them Papists and Delinquents, and desired to name them; it was beyond his ability, he could not name any of them, nor did he prove any of them to be Papists or Delinquents; but gives his passion vent, and dischargeth such a Torrent of choler, swearing the second time, That the Soldiery of the Garrison of Hereford were necessitated to stand to their arms, upon occasion of a Musick-meeting of Papists and Delinquents, by Captain Tailor's appointment: and further adds, (as under his own hand is in the office to be seen) that he doth not know of any of the honest party he doth either converse or keep company with; (this is very large): but here he swears himself, the Governor, Captain Mason, and the rest of his own party knaves; for I am credibly informed, Captain Taylor kept not company more with any, then with them; and with them by much too much, as by their unhandsome undermining and juggling with him did appear. But I pray you observe the first part of his first oath: that the Soldiers of the Garrison of Hereford were (on such a time) necessitated to keep all to their arms, by reason of a convention of Papists and Delinquents, occasioned by a musick-meeting, appointed by Captain Taylor: what credit he doth the Soldiers, to be afraid of a Musick-meeting; surely the Soldiers of that Garrison are fraughted with very unharmonious Souls, to be frighted with fiddles; (Delamain being Engenier, it may as well be, that the new rails set up in Castle street, were to hinder a surprise by a Camisado of Hobby-horses.) and pray who were the company that put them into this terrible Alarm, and so much insisted upon affrightment? Do you think any of their own party could be there? truly you shall find Mat. Price of the States Arms, Inholder, Gent. and G. Lynne, their own Croneys, participants in this dangerous enterprise, and to whom they were beholden for the story, or else they had miss of an Article, and Delamain of matter to forswear himself withal, besides whom were but ten men and about six women, most of them inhabitants of the City of Hereford; were not these dangerous people, and those dangerous instruments, to surprise a Castle man'd with about 70. or 80. Soldiers, and of whom Delamain swears they were all necessitated to keep to their arms? 
They were in a good posture.  yet one of them being brought to swear to this plot, (I think his name is James Vaughan, but it is Vaughan) tells you, he believes there was a design, because he had much a do to escape casheiring, for being absent then; (it seemeth than it was not for kissing the Governor's maid) so that all were not there (honest Delmain) but when it came to be strictly searched into, neither the Soldiers, (for the greatest part) nor Officers of the Castle ever knew of any such meeting at Captain Tailors; till such time as half a year after, and above, the plot was found in the Articles against Captain Taylor, and perhaps some were so long after affrighted, and brought near to that pass, as the poor man that died the next day after he had passed a narrow plank that lay cross a decayed Arch on Rochester-Bridge, upon the imagination of the danger he had escaped: Lieutenant Jenkins being at that time Deputy Governor, in the absence of Lieutenant Colonel Rogers, did declare, when he was summoned to depose this against Captain Tailor; (for such a plot could not be known more plain to any, then to the then Governor) he called the Officers of the Garrison together, and diligently enquired of them, whether they ever heard of any such meeting at Captain Tailors? To which with one accord they answered, they never knew or heard of any such meeting; and that they did not keep to their arms by reason of any convention at his house; which Lieutenant Jenkins did also declare for himself, by which he escaped the journey to Gloucester, it being the place appointed, where, if he could or would, he should have sworn the plot, and this their ignorance, and not knowing then of the meeting, and their not standing to their arms, by reason of the convention at Captain Tailor's music, they will attest. Further, I have heard declared and ascertained, that one of those very nights, Delamain courted Captain Taylor, in case there should be any rise in the Country, or stirs in the City, directing him a back way from his dwelling in the Palace of Hereford, into the Castle; were I acquainted with Captain Taylor, I could have given you many more circumstances, which I have heard of; but because I would do nothing without a certain and sure ground; nor anticipate his formerly-intended resolutions, of exposing the whole carriage of this business to a public view; which would have been a great help to me in the management of this small tract, and it may be a remora to the whole, (if he had done it effectually.) I have contented myself with these few passages, in respect of the multitude of his Prevarications, because that I have throughly informed myself of the real truth of them, from honest Godly persons of that County, who had seposited certain collections of his enormities; and by my own search into Haberdashers-Hall, at my own charge, of taking out orders and depositions.  
And now that you may see the horridness of Delamains forswearing himself; the little account he makes of other men's reputations; (having lost his own) the improbability of his conversion, the small hopes of his amendment, his perverse, malicious and obdurate heart; as also Captain Tailor's innocency adjusted; and the good opinion and sense after this charge against him, the Commissioners of Haberdashers-Hall had still of him; be pleased to accept of the Order, as it lies there Registered; viz.  
By the Commissioners for Compounding, etc.  
IN the Cause depending before us, upon a charge of misdemeanour exhibited by Captain Mason, against Captain Silas Taylor, one of the Commissioners for Sequestrations in the County of Hereford; upon reading the several proofs and depositions taken for and against the said Captain Taylor; and upon deliberate hearing and debate thereof, and of what was offered and alleged by the Counsel on both sides.— Resolved that we do not find the said Captain Tailor to be guilty of the crimes contained in the aforesaid charge: and do therefore acquit him of the same, And do Order that he be forthwith restored to his employment as a Commissioner for sequestrations in the said County of Hereford; and he is hereby enabled and impowered to act with the other Commissioners serving for the said County, as formerly, in as full and ample manner, as if no order had been for suspending him from the same.  
R. M. J. V E. C. R. W.  
I hope by this you perceive him an egregious knave upon Record, and with what a piece of pestilence you have to deal: and by this let all his friends and fautors be warned of his friendship, 
Rom. 3.  for, latet Anguis in herba; his throat is an open Sepulchre, with his tongue he hath used deceit, and the poison of Asps is under his lips; he makes no conscience of his actions or ways neither to God or men; I need not further  him, these his actions, his words, his demeanours, and his practices are enough to render him in his own capacity, without any strain or force, sufficiently odious to the world.  
And now I challenge any one, that finds himself either in part, or in whole concerned in this History, to disprove the Truth of it: having received it from men truly religious, and of unblamable life and conversation, and out of such undeniable and unquessionable Records, as that the truth cannot suffer; yet before I conclude, let me humbly petition those that are in Authority, to interest themselves in the rooting out of such profaneness, blasphemy, heresy and hypocrisy, left hearing of these things, and not redressing of them, they draw on their own Souls the guilt of tolerating and connivance, if not of abetting such Impostures as these are, to the undoing of many souls; it being the policy of that Grand Impostor, Satan, to work into a disrelish and dislike of the truth, all such as any ways (though it be in bare profession, without the root of sincerity) do set themselves to worship God in a stricter and purer way than the common course of the world do: and to lay the heaviest load of temptations upon such that buckle themselves to walk in the paths of God's precepts: 
Heb. 12.  running the race with patience that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith; clothing ourselves with circumspection and vigilancy, continually to stand upon our guard, 
Rev. 18.  lest instead of Angels we entertain Devils, and instead of the mystery of Godliness, we participate of Mysterious Babylon, and so become partakers not only of her sins, but of her plagues; her plagues that shall come upon her in one day, death, mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.  
FINIS.