THE ROUTING OF THE RANTERS Being a full Relation of their uncivil carriages, and blasphemous words and actions at their mad meetings, their several kind of music, dances, and riot, and their belief and opinions concerning heaven and hell. With their examinations taken before a Justice of Peace, and a Letter or Summons sent to their sisters or fellow creatures in the name of the Devil, requiring them to meet Belzebub, Lucifer, Pluto, and twenty more of the infernal spirits at the time and place appointed. Also, a true description how they may be known in all companies and the names of the chief Ringleaders of this new generation that excel all others in wickedness.   five men, one of them naked and holding a whip, meet around a desk with pen, ink, book and paper 
Published by Authority and Printed by K. A.   

The Ranters Ranting: OR A A true Relation of a sort of People called Ranters, with some of their abominable and wicked carriages, and behaviour at their private meetings.  
I Shall in the first place give you, my friends, a brief Character of a sort of people (whereof you desire satisfaction) newly sprung up among us, called Ranters, alius Coppanits, or Claxtonians,  most vile and abominable Apostates, that we ever read or heard of, carrying about them the lively image of Satan in his Serpentine colours of seducing and drawing men and women to commitall manner of mad and desperate wickedness (as the Apostle saith) with greediness. I cannot term these persons to be of any Sect, for that I do not learn, either in profession or practice, they do any thing that hath the least stamp or tincture of that which may be rightly called religion. For to rip open, and make known to the world the abominable words and practices of these people, would fill up more paper than I have allotted hereunto; and to repeat many things which I am confident might be said without wronging the truth, would make your ears tingle to hear, and myself blush to think or write; yet it is conceived useful and profitable to many, that some of their deeds of darkness should be brought forth into the light, to the end, that such as are weak and apt to be drawn aside by every wind of vanity, may be deterred from coming into such company, and with such a one not to eat; for if the Apostle forbids the Centiles (Christians) not to eat with the heathens of that time, surely the same precept extends to the restraining men, that have any spark of goodness, from accompanying themselves with such as are far worse than any heathen or infidels we read of then, or have heard of since; being such as (quite contrary to the rule of St. Paul,) delight not only in gluttony and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, and the like, but deride the holy Scriptures, deny Christ, blaspheming, and as it were spit in the face of God himself: for one of them being discoursing at the Spittle said, that he knew not any difference betwixt God and the Devil; and being then asked what he thought of the Devil, he answered that it was an old woman stuffed with parsley: to be short, I am credibly informed, that some of these deny the immortality of the soul, and so holding forth an opinion that there is neither heaven nor hell, it is no wonder that they should fall into all kind of vices, that they commit iniquity by a law. The chief Ringleaders of this viperous generation, are one Copp and Claxton, of whom I shall say more hereafter, Copp is in Newgate, the other is also a prisoner, this Copp being lately brought before a Committee to be examined, feigned himself mad, used strange kind of uncouth behaviour, throwing nutshells and other things about the room, and talked to himself when questions were put to him, which some thought to be Gods just judgement upon him, and others were of opinion that (as David in another case) he merely acted the part which at length will no way stand him in stead.  
Having given you a general description of them, I shall in the next place come to speak of some of their particular meetings: the first that I have heard of, to be frequented by this brutish sort of people, was about Shoemakers Alley, where after a while, notice was taken, and some discovery made, by such as had been amongst them, rather to observe their vanities, than to be imitaters of their vices, which caused them shortly after to remove to another place. This time of meeting began about four of the clock in the afternoon, and was continued by some until niae or ten of the clock the next day; which time was spent in drunkenness, uncleanness, blasphemous words, filthy songs, and mixed dances of men and women stark naked.  
Not long after, they had another place of meeting about White-Chappel: where after a time they were discovered by the Officers of the place, who with a guard repaired to the house where they were: and to the end that none might make an escape, the business was carried with such secrecy, that it was not known to others till they came to the door, where these monsters of mankind were associated; which the Officers had no sooner entered, but they found some of these lascivious beasts openly satisfying their lusts. Amongst this company was that Claxton, (before mentioned) who with undaunted boldness and audacious carriage spoke to the Officers, that came with authority to apprehend them, to this effect.  
Gentlemen, I perceive you are come to seize on us, your fellow creatures, for what cause I know not; I pray use not any violence, or terrify and affright those of our fellow creatures here, that are of a weak and tender constitution: if we have offended the Law, we shall readily and willingly submit to be tried by it. And taking up his cloak, he said, gentlemans, I will not leave you, I am ready to go along with you. And forth he went with the first; and as the others were coming forth, (about thirty in number) he framed an excuse to return back again into the house, pretending that he had left something of great use behind him, and so escaped away at a back door; but is retaken, and at this day in prison.  
I cannot learn, that in any of their meetings, they have used exhortations, except such as tend only to the making of a derision and scoff, at all that is commended in the holy and sacred Scriptures to be good and holy; despising the word and ordinances, when they hear them spoken of: and their Ringleader, Copp (when he was fit to have gone to bed and slept, than to have spoken in a public place) bestowed an hours time in belching forth imprecations, curses, and other such like stuff, as is not fit to be once named amongst Christirns: and when he perceived that he should be called to answer for the wicked blasphemies that he had uttered, at sundry times, he took two of his she-Disciples, and went to the City of Coventrie, where it was soon dispersed abroad, that he commonly lay in bed with two women at a time; whereof he being soberly admonished by an Officer of the army, he replied, that it was his liberty, and he might use it; saying further, that unreasonable creatures are not restrained of it. With many other speeches to justify himself in his ungodly practices, for which he was apprehended and brought up to London, and by the Magistrate committed to Newgate.  
I shall, in the next place, mention something concerning one or two more of their meetings, and so leave them. Not long since, a select number of men and women met together at a Tavern, where they were accommodated with the choicest wine, and many delicates; of which being plentifully filled, the women withdrew themselves into another room, and disrobed themselves of the apparel in which they were, and clad themselves all in white, (which they call, the Emblem of Innocence;) which no sooner had they done, but there comes in one of the men, and (abusing a text of Scripture) said, Fellow creatures, what shall we do? and soon after, the Master and Drawers of the house perceived and heard such disorderly, and uncivil carriage amongst them, that they were desirous to rid the house of them; which some of the younger sort having notice of, put them all into another kind of passion, and made bold to discover the dissembling faces of some of the female creatures, who let drop some of their hats and black bags to pay the reckoning, and for haste, dropped a paper, which seemeth to be the summons, or invitation of the guests to that meeting, viz.  
Dear sister and fellow creature, whose sweetness we reverence, and whose person we adore, whose witty conceits we admire, and whose subtlety we wonder at, we do by this our hand-writing, will and require you, our dearest fellow creature, that you personally appear at the place, where we last had some infernal conference, half an hour past four in the afternoon of this present day; for we have taken notice of the singular, great, and special services you have done for enlargement of liberty, since our last actings toget her, which we doubt not, will much enlarge our power, and pre-eminence in drawing disciples to us. Hereof you are commanded not to fail, for that Belzebub, Lucifer, Pluto and above twenty more of the prime officers will attend to give you then and there new documents: and we shall promise, in the word of a King infernal, that you shall reign as a Princess with us.  
Signed Diabulo. Dated at our new infernal Palace without Bishopsgate, 10 of Octob. 1650.  
There be copies abroad, of several other papers, which some of them have sent abroad in this nature; but this may be sufficient to declare, what a height of wickedness they are grown to, who despise the ways of God, and mock and scoff at his great and glorious name; and as if that were not enough, they now come openly to side, and as it were personate the Devil himself; which makes me the less marvel at some unheard of words and behaviour that were at another particular meeting, the sixth day of this present November, at the house of one Middleton, at the sign of David and the Harp, in Moore-lane (whose wife is suspected to be one of them.) To this place a company of them came on the day aforesaid, about five of the clock in the afternoon; but some of the female sex came not, (for at this time the before recited summons was not sent forth:) those that were there first, called for Bread, Beer, and Ale, etc. which was in the house; and as others came in, whether they were men or women, they kissed each other, with this expression, welcome fellow creature. And when a competent number of them were gotten together, they began to sing filthy bawdy songs to the tune of David's Psalms; after which, they drank a health to him, in whom they live, move, and have a being: this being over, one of them lets fall his breeches, and turning his shirt aside, another of the company runs and kisses, saying, they must all do the like, for it was their fellow creature.  
This being done, one of the men took a candle, and went up and down the room, as if he had been seeking of a needle; and after a while, one asked him what he sought after? to whom he answered, That he looks for his sins, but they were not there, he could find none; then they returned again to their tuning of lascivious songs or hymns, in the midst of which, the Constable and other Officers came in, and seized on them all, (except Mrs. Middleton, and one or two more, who made an escape at the back door,) and carried them before a Justice of Peace, who sent six or seven of them to Bridewell; but Mrs. Middleton, and another or two that escaped, are so afraid of receiving punishment answerable to thesr demerits, that they dare not (as yet) remain at their habitations.  
When those that were taken came before the Justice to be examined, they would confess nothing of their ways, saying, that they would not accuse themselves. Whereupon, one that was by, asked, what they meant by the fearful execrations of Ram me, Damn me, etc. one answered, that by the word, Raml they meant God.  
Many other questions were also asked them, to which they gave none, or a very frivolous, which amounted to little, but to bring them to the place of their first punishment. I shall therefore hasten to decipher their words and behaviour in public, to the end, that if any man chance to fall into their company, they may be known and avoided.  
And for that this sort of people are dispersed abroad, in the City Country and army, it is necessary that there should be somewhat said to describe them to the end they may be avoided, which by your observation of their words, and actions you may easily do, for although they carry the image and shape of men and women, yet they have the manners only of a beast.  

A Description of the Ranters.  
IF it be a woman, she speaks highly in commendation of those husbands that give liberty to their wives, and will freely; give consent that she should associate herself with any other of her fellow creatures, which she shall make choice of; she commends the Organ, Viol., Symbal and tongues in Charter-house-Lane to be heavenly music she tosseth of her glasses freely, and concludeth there is no heaven but the pleasures she enjoyeth on earth. she is very familiar at the first sight, and danceth the Canaries at the sound of a hornpipe.  
The men for the most part will thwart you in your discourse, especially if you talk of religion, they can discourse of the Scriptures, and turn them to a wrong sense, if you be talking of death, they say, as a man dieth, so dieth a beast; they believe all things proceed from nature, and that there is no hell but aches and pains incident to man, and want of money, which hindereth them of taking their fill of pleasure: and though they hold it convenient to have one woman to dwell constantly with one man, to do his necessary business, yet are they of opinion that they may have carnal knowledge of any, and as many other women as their beastly desire can make use of. And in this kind of coupling together (or making a conjunction copulative) the woman doth commonly make choice of the man she will dwell with; and as they slight and contemn all ordinances, so do they that of marriage, yet have they a kind of ceremony to be used for it, concerning which, I shall give you one familiar and merry instance, and so leave them.  
A sober man of good fashion, chanced to go to a place, where a Company of them were gathered together at a Conference, only with a purpose to observe what was said and done; and at the time of their breaking up, or disolving that meeting, there comes to this man a young woman, and tells him, that she was single, or free to dispose of herself as she pleased, and that she had a liking unto him her fellow Creature, whom she could willingly love and serve, in the nearest relation that a womhn could be to a man: which at the first much startled the party, and after the return of a Compliment, he thought it worth his time, to see a little further concerning the temper, and disposition of this bold Creature, so desired her to take part of a pint of Sack, over which they might with the more conveniency enlarge their discourse; which she readily accepted, and to the Tavern they went, and no sooner was the wine brought up, but she calls for a Roll of bread, and holding it forth to the party that was with her said: fellow Creature, break this with me, which he did; when you have eaten that part in your hand, and I likewise this, we are in condition or acceptation of man and wife: then after some further discourse (be knowing well that he had a wife at home of a gallant spirit, and a lover of virtue) directed her home to his house, where he told her she should find a maid would give her entertainment, while he spoke a few words with a Gent. with whom he had earnest business; whereupon she went to the house, and asked for the master of the house, and being told he was nor within, she said that she would stay his coming, and having some discourse with the maid servant, and perceiving the house well furnished, she could no longer hold, but tells the maid she was her mistress, and all there was hers; which story the maid hasted to tell her mistress, with whom she had lived many years; who immediately came with a good Broom-staff, and did so belabour the Gent. that she went away in a worse case than if she had beaten hemp a month in Bridewell, a just reward for her bold impudency, and I pray God that such as hear this relation, and the wickedness of their ways, may be preserved from following them in the same excess of riot, that every one may keep a watch over his own ways, for some of these of which I have spoken, have been thought conscientious persons, and had attained to a great measure of knowledge in the ways of God, and if these fall away, let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.  
FINIS.