The Last WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SIR JAMES INDEPENDENT.  
Who lieth now dangerously sick of a Disease, called by some, The Resolution of the Parliament and City, to oppose their mutinous Army; by others, The impossibility of Independency.  
With his Confession, Admonition, and Legacies left to his dear Children, in and about the City of LONDON.  
With his Death, Burial, and Epitaph.  
Printed in the year 1647.   

The Last Will and Testament of Sir james Independent.  
Noverint Universi,  
I JAMES Independent; my Native City, Babel, of the Tribe of Corah, of the Lineage of Cain; being at this time of perfect Memory, and health of Mind, though dangerously sick of Body, do make this my Last Will and Testament, in manner and form following:  
Imprimis, I give and bequeath my Soul to him that hath the fairest claim, either God or the Devil; for truth to say, in my health and well-being of body, I served them both equally, though I think the Devil the greatest sharer.  
My Body I give to the Earth, which I ordain to be wrapped or shrouded in twelve Sheets of Paper sowed together, taken out of the Books heretofore written by my dear Sons, to wit, The Arraignment of Persecution. Bloody Tenent, and, Comfort for Believers; my Coffin to be framed by my dear Son, and long-breathed Preacher, Ives the Box-seller, whose Christian Name I shall not nominate, for that I conceive he never had any: then my Obsequies to solemnize with all Lustre, thus; My Body to be bonne, from Guild-Hall to Paul's, by six of my dear Sons, the expounders of God's Word, to wit, Wiet the Cobbler, Salmon the Shoemaker, Tue the Girdler, Lamb the Soap-boiler, Howes the Broker, and Hobson the Tailor; Mr. Burton, Mr. Knowles, and Mr. Simpson, I ordain as my chief Mourners to follow my Hearse, Mr. Goodwin, and Mr. Saltmarsh before the corpse, and then the whole rabble of my dear children to follow after, howling like Wolves, chattering like Pies, and houting like Owls: My dear Daughters, the Independent Sisters, who know well, both how to move, and to allay the Spirit, I order to follow next, all clad in sable weeds their faces vailed, their hair dishevelled, and to cry so bitterly, that their tears may wash the stones as they pass, & to sigh so dolefully, that men may think they with me are going to the land of Darkness: for the aid and assistance, Daunus Daughters being entered the Temple, Lordaine that Mr. Goodwin preach my Funeral Sermon, (for him I esteem of above any of my dear sons, especially since the time I read his blasphemous HAGIO MASTIX) his Text I would have to be Judas, vers. 11. Vaeipsis, nam uram Cain ingressi sunt, & deceptione mercedis, qua deceptus fuit Balaam effusi sunt, & contradictione Core, perierunt.  
Next, I desire, that a Petition be framed by some of the wiser beads, the same to be presented to both Houses by Mr. Burton and M. Knoles, the heads whereof I would have to be, that a toleration Cum privilegio might be granted, that all sat Benefices, fair Structures, and wealthy Granges may be bestowed on religious zealots, whom the Presbyters know (and I myself, though I would not have the world to take notice) to be irreligious factious, treacherous and impious Independents, that they may be encouraged to go on in forcing the Parliament, contemning of his Majesty, and in setting up all licentiousness and profaneness.  
In the next place, I will and bequeath (as to the first worthy to receive) unto my dear Son M. Goodwin, the whole house in Bell, Alley, Colemanstreet, where he privately instructeth, which I would have him to enlarge, for that his Audience for want of room thrust so fore, that many Sisters while he bawleth, are got with child, to their apparent danger afterwards.  
Secondly, I bequeath to my venerable son M. Knoles a larger stipend, to be extracted out of the purses of his Auditors, for that he the said Knoles hath formerly often much rejoiced my heart, while I have heard him in one Sermon, and that but of two hours long, utter pure nonsense, devilish Divinity, and lame Latin.  
Thirdly, I be queath to my dear son Mr. Burton, a pair of those large ears, for the supplement of his own, which Apollo bestowed on Midas, for that he hath hitherto very well merited them, and may by the help of those for the future, hear better than it seems he hath formerly done.  
Fourthly, I give and bequeath the little wisdom I have, to be distributed so fare as it will reach, to my dear son's and daughters of the Independency, do the end they may be animated still to proceed in their irregular courses; and that so, that which myself could not bring to pass, may by them be effected, which when I shall hear and some light spirit shall certify the newe● to the Prince of darkness, I am sure both he and all hell will rejoice with me.  
Fifthly, I give my treasure and householdstuff to my venerable son M. Simpson, for that notwithstanding he hath a constant annuity, and such vast sums abroad, he lately complained of his poverty, but I bestow it with this proviso, that he the said M. Simpson shall be persuaded for the future, to that which hitherto he hath 〈◊〉 a very grievous crime, to wit, sometimes 〈…〉 entreated to bestow a single halfepenty on the poor.  
Sixtly, I give and bequeath all my foolishness and zeal, contrary to knowledge, all my headiness and giddiness, to the ruder sort of Soldiers in the Army, to the end they may be encouraged still to go on in their perverseness, to the disturbance of the whole Kingdom.  
Seventhly, I being now at the point of Death, and my thread of life almost cut in two, cannot departed till I have made my Confession; and therefore now hear O Heavens, and witness thou Earth, to what my last breath shall utter.  

Sir JAMES Independent his Confession.  
I Confess to my own shame, that I have hitherto been a close hypocrite, and have struggled for liberty of Conscience, not out of zeal to the Truth, but to advance my own factious end: I confess moreover, that I have railed against the Presbytery, against my own clear and destinate light of knowledge; I confess that I have used all means and ways to advance Libertinism, and to that end have unskrewed the Jaws of my dear Sons, M. Goodwin, M. Knoles, cum multis aliis, to rail against all Order and Government, to surrender all into the hand of Christ, who himself in express words hath left the ordering of his Church to the Heads and Leaders thereof: I confess also, that I have stirred up and animated divers turbulent Spirits in the Army, contrary to the mind of the worthy General, and the major part of that valiant Army, to seek all ways, and attempt by all means to forment Discords and Divisions, to cause Debates & Jealousies to arise between the Army and the two Houses of Parliament: for all which I confess myself altogether unworthy of a being in this life, and intimately meriting a share of those torments which my great Patron Belzebub himself partaketh of into whose hands I commit myself; desiring my dear Sons and Daughters, whom to my unspeakable grief I shall leave behind me on Earth, not to be amaned or smitten with fear, either for my sudden departure, or for the unhospitablenesse of the place whither I depart, but that they would still constantly persever in those courses to which I have hitherto enured them; and when they shall leave their earthly being, I shall bespeak them as ample and fair accommodation as spacious Hell affords: and so with my Blessing to my dear Sons and Daughters, I bid them farewell.   

Postscript.  
LEt the mountains dance, and the hills skip like Rams; Rejoice, O England, thy desolation is protracted, for James Independent is dead: Thou shalt now have a settled Government, maugre its strongest opposers, and shalt not be subjugated to the lawless wills of a few Schismatics: Thou shalt now be as glorious as ever; the enemies of thy welfare shall not bear rule over thee, who whet their tongues as a sword to speak lies, and their feet are swift to shed blood: And now farewell Libertinism, and Socianisme; farewell Petitioning for tender Consciences,—  (Qui curii simulant, & Bachanalia vivunt) 
Farewell assembling in private Chambers; and for ever farewell good Sir James Independent.  Fatis Agimur, credit Fatis non sollicitae possunt curae, etc.   

His EPITAPH.  
HEre lies James Independent, you may know it and wink,  
For his Corpse, alike to his Name doth stink:  
A Dresser with him was a Communion Table,  
And God's House accounted no better than a Stable;  
He bated all Order, as he did decent Carriage,  
And that Man and Wife should be joined by Marriage;  
He said, that the Scriptures this sense would afford,  
Their Wedlock was lawful, took they each others word.  
He seemed pure to the sight, but within was a Devil,  
He daily caused Discords, yet would be thought civil;  
He also pretended great love to the King,  
Yet never intended any such thing:  
But while he would seem to settle his Crown,  
By underhand workings pulled Monarchy down.  
He had thoughts he should live his hopes for to see  
Effected, but died for grief when 'twould not be.  
With speed to Gehenna his flight late he took,  
Where Belzebub liked him, and made him his Cook,  
And added a Promise, that for his sweet sake,  
His Sons that should follow, should in Office partake;  
Which the Independents took so much in gree,  
They strive which the foremost in Office shall be.   
FINIS.