MEMOIRS

OF

RELIGIOUS IMPOSTERS,

FROM THE

SEVENTH TO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,
AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY,
On the Difference between the true spirit of Prophecy, and the
wild Effusions propagated too often to impose and embar
rass the susceptive Passions of the Human Mind.

Br M. AIKfN, LL.T>,

" By their fruits ye shall know them."— .Mart;

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR JONES AND CO. WARWICK SQO.IRE J
AHD SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1821.

T. HambUn, Printat, Sugar. Loaf Ctut t, Garlick Hill.

Index to the Imposters.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT  *  1814
WM. HUNTINGDON  1813
JAMESNAYLER  1655
FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS 1707
ELIZABETH BARTON  1533
WILLIAM HACKETT  1590
EDMUND COPPINGER  1530
HENRY ARTHINGTON  1590
HUGH PETERS  1660
LIGHTS OF WALTON  1649
LODOW1 CK MUGGLETON  , 1676
RICHARD BROTHERS  1795
JOAN OF ARC  1429
MAHOMET '  622

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.
1792—1814.

A.MONG the various classes of impostors, who have
8gured away in the earlier ages, and down to the pre
sent period, few have obtained more notoriety, or
have aimed at higher distinctions in the universe, than
the present object of consideration. — The terrific Buo
naparte, who for so long a period kept the prostrate
world in slavery, appears but a very humble figure
when compared with the colossal Joanna, who aspired at
nothing less than to raise a war in heaven, by professing
herself to be appointed the mother of a second Messiah,
and thus to mount the human race to its walls by-
means of her spiritual, step-ladders. It is not, how
ever, as yet ascertained whether unbelievers or the
unsealed are to enjoy the beatific presence in, common
with those who have paid the full purchase money'. —
Doubtless if the proceedings had continued, some medium
would have been suggested to admit the truly needy, on
reasonable terms, to a participation of the benefits result
ing from her prophetic progress and her parturition !
We would premise, however, that the dissipation of
error should accompany the light of improvement, and

2 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS 1MP0STUKES.
that such benefit from the labors of so many eminent phi
losophers, divines, and illuminated men, as have done
honour to their existence atid to mankind, should have
-found its way into the recesses of the uncultivated heart,
and ere this have taught men that the age of miracles
is past ; that the Almighty has bestowed on us suf.
ficient instances of his mercy, by the knowledge he
has conferred to make us satisfied ; and that, next to his
Divine Power, the law of Nature is the only supreme
law. There are, however, to the disgrace of all coun
tries, and the scandal of true and genuine Christianity,
a succession of Quacks in sacred mysteries, ever ob
truding themselves on the notice of mankind. The attacks
of these intrusive men-devourers are first directed to the
piously ignorant, whom they attract hy promises of fa
miliar conversation with the Creator of Heaven and
Earth, and a special election for those who have the
gift to comprehend dogmas and eccentricities, which the
.children of this world, with what are denominated, "un
sanctified optics," cannot discover. — These compounds
of lunacy and erratic delusion are soon noticed by
some of the deeper dealers in spiritual things, and a
partnership is virtually formed to promulgate a new
system of faith,, just as empirics set up a new medi
cine, on speculation. We all too well know, that the
uninformed classes of the public are ever ready to
swallow any nostrum, which makes up in promises what
k is sax? eventually to lack iff performance: hence the
contagion upon what is to be, and what mag be expected
rapidly extends, till it becomes a religious fashion to join
in the folly, as well as to support it, from that love of

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

singularity which affects to find divine agency in a
dreaming old woman; and to follow any track which
diverges more than usual from the common path. It
may be asserted, with truth, that a more futile attack
on the foundation stone of Christianity was never made,
than1 that projected by Joanna. She has referred-
to the incarnation of the Virgin Mary by the Holy
Ghost, and treated it as a mystical procreation. She
then boldly asks " why the same effect may not a second
time be produced by the same cause?" Were such
questions as these to be discussed by every profane
'pretender to divine and hidden mysteries, the natural
consequence must be what delicacy and modesty would
abhor; but, though calculated to undermine the super
natural conception of the holy Virgin, or turn that in-
¦ comprehensible mystery into contempt and absurdity, it.
would only more firmly establish the rock on which the.
Christian faith is built.
It is a disgustful kind of blasphemy on the part of
Joanna, and a wilful insult to the Divinity on the part
of those who espouse, her supposed mission,, when, she
declares, in one of her communications from the Spirit,.
" That if the visitation of the Lo*d does-not produce a
son this year, then was not Jesus Christ the Son of God,
born in the manner spoken of by the Virgin Mary; but,
if she have a son, then in like manner was our Saviour
born." — Placing herself thus on a parallel line with the
mother of the Messiah, and encouraged in her lunacy
by, the knavery of her partisans, she held in mental
bonds an amazing proportion of the stupid part of the
English nation j and by the boldness with which she

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES-.

came forward, she confounded, with her consummate im-
pudence and absurdity, those who have nothing more.
than common sense and common experience with which
to combat her rhapsodies.
For a long period of time — too long, alas ! of valuable
time to be thrown away on (to give it: its smoothest
name), nonsensical vulgarity, did this antiquated Sibyl
appeared a conspicuous figure With the unthinking masr
of the public, and every year has seen her placed more
and more in the fore ground; there, however, is a point'
beyond which she cannot go, and that now seems1 to be
rapidly advancing. — Her gifts and her proplteeids havB'
caught the unwary, both young and old: the weak
are out of the question; but the vvicked have' life'rally
brought good out of evil, and turned to a very profitable-
account the frauds of their patroness. It should seem,,
however, that this discussion of the cause of heaven
has not fallen to the lot of learning and learned' men; for
Joanna's divine conveyances of what she calls "the true
Messiah" have no connection, in her spiritual effusions,
either with grammar, legible Writing, or tolerable
rhyme; her communications, though said to be" from an
angel," bearing no similitude to the production of clas
sical refinement or human intellect.
We are of opinion, notwithstanding many may think
the missionaries of the Jaw dUght to have been sent to effect
a suppression ,of the mission of Joanna, that the~Bishops
of the realm have acted with true Christian prudence
and charity. They have wisely suffered her and her
prophecies to exude themselves; and' have not, by oppo
sition, increased the number of proselytes; — indeed the

JOANNA. S0UTHC0TT.

greater part' of the public, who think at all, have shown
such evident contempt for the doctrines and the dis
ciples of Joanna, that her sanctuaries have been shut
up to avoid mischievous consequences. The magistrates
may have privately interfered, as the unsealed, satisfied
with the Messiah already revealed, began to manifest a
communication of avery different, description to that
of Joanna.
Various have been the ebullitions called prophecies,
made in differentyearsby this antiquated virgin, — almost
all of which have totally failed. — In one of her pamphlets
she foretells, that in the next year she shall be tried and
sentenced by the twelve judges; in 1792, she asserts, that
only 17 years would be added to Jier life; in 1807, *' the-
Deity commissioned her," she says, " to lead the people
from their homes, in London, to a place of safety,, where
the Providence of God would protect them,, and keep
their houses and property safe till their return ;" and in
1811, " Britain was to become the redeemed kingdom-
ofthe Lord;" but in the- previous year; 1810, awful signs-
were to threaten the nation; .*' Buonaparte was to effect
a landing, and to- be put to death -by her sealed people;"
in 1812, she psophecied. the death of the worthy Mr.
Flint, of Camberwell, in a letter to him, on. a certain
month, but that gentleman has not been affected by the
prophecy; this, however, is affirmed to be aforgery, as
it did not actually happen.. These and numerous other
. prophecies have failed, but her deluded followers, not
withstanding they have been so often made the laughing
stock of their neighbours, haye rebutted all taunts by in
definite explanations, and did look with sure and certain
b2

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

hope to the grand event which was to produce " the Al
mighty Shiloh, the third representative of Divinity, the
infant monitor of the Prince Regent, in whose pa/aces
the bantling was to pass its first six years, and from whom
the Prince was first to receive the lessons of reform and
temperance." The fatal consequencfs of this woman's doctrines were
evidently shown in the fate of Mary Bateman, who gave
potions for exorcism, and mixed up arsenic to produce ma
gical cures. That offender, was tried and executed on
Saturday, May 18, 1809, for the murder of Mrs. Perigo,
of Braraley. _
In what point of view the public will consider the me- .
dical gentlemen, who, either from ignorance, design, or
discipleship, have joined in the reUgious hoax, it is not
for us to say : but, we observe, with Dr. Sims, that " we
do not wish to be accounted of such, the partisans of an
unfortunate creature, who is no impostor, but evidently
labouring under mental derangement." — It would be un
necessary and out of order here to state the physical rea
sons given by medical gentlemen, for the impossibility of
the pregnancy of Joanna, in her 65th year. — Dr. R. Reece
of Pall Mall, (arid several others,) did publicly affirm,
that Joanna was probably with child, and, no doubt,
have held a distinguished preference with maiden ladies,
who came two or three dozen years after the usual time*
We shall now proceed to detail her history.
JoaHna Southcott first drew breath in the humble
village of Gettisham, in Devonshire, in the month of
April, 1750, and it appears, by the parish register, signed
Richard Steward, Parish Clerk of Ottery St, Mary's,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

Devon, was baptized June 6, 1750, as the daughter of
William and Hannah Southcott : — Her father was a pea
sant, and,' with her mother, followed the regular esta
blishment, the prayers of which were read 4n all the
Prophetess's meetings. — No extraordinary wonders ac
companied the birth of our heroine, the stars rising and
setting as usual, and the moon giving its accustomed
light, notwithstanding in latter years she has evidently
been under its influence. — She informs us, "that the
angels rejoiced at her birth."
It has been observed, that superstition is the spleen of
the soul, and it is never more powerfully exhibited than
in the actions of those who have put on a false cou
rage and alacrity in the midst of their darkness and ap
prehensions; like children, who, when they go in the
darkj will sing for fear. This was plainly evident in the
younger part of the life of Joanna Southcott-; .she af
fected a passion for a young man named Noah Bishop, w|io
had, in vain, attempted to attract her regard,.S(|She
confessed she loved him, but the vagrancy of %er
thoughts impelled her to reject what she had not Jh e
understanding to value ; and, in the vague hope of con
soling herself with infinity, she treated, with decided
contempt, the virtuous advances of a youth, who might
perhaps have rendered heT nseful to society, as the
mother and guardian of a numerous offspring.
But celibacV was her choice; and, according to her
own account, it was inconsistent with her constitution :
for she acknowledges that "she loved him;". her mind
must, therefore, have indnced great depravity, when
she could give a decided ipreference to celibacy, con-

8 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
trary to her nature, and reject matrimony which carried
with itevery consolation, and, when, duly encouraged
and prized, is the source of every blessing that mor«
tals can experience. But Joanna was narrow-souledr
and might be compared with a narrow-necked bottle; the
less liquor it contains the more noise is made in pouring
out; thus, though she wished to make a boast of her
contumacy against her nature, it has* failed, and the
sensible ranks of mankind have only been confirmed,
that this, as well as all the rest of her conduct, has
proved her to be a ridiculous derider of piety, and
that kind of hypocrite who makes a sober jest of God and
religion. Her passions have been like convulsion fits,
which, though they made her stronger for the time, have
left her Weaker ever after.
Her turn of mind in her youth has been termed
" religious," for what reason we are at a loss to deter
mine. Has she evinced either by her publications or
her practice any bias of religion? — Fanaticism has been
her object; with all its accompaniments of delusion.
and profaineness.
It appears, that in the year 1790, she was employed-
as a workwoman in the shop of an upholsterer, at Ex
eter. We do not take upon us to listen to the many fa
brications respecting her conduct whilst employed by
the upholsterer; had her conduct in. his employ been
reprehensible, there is no doubt but that he would
have acted as became him ; and therefore we consign '
such fabrications to the score of ill-nature and scandal.
Her master' being of what is called the methodisti-
cal persuasion, had many visitors of that persuasion to

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 9
frequent his shop. With these persons Joanna was
held in great estimation; and, indeed, some of their
ministers, considered heir to possess what they called " a
serious turn of mind."
Under such impressions and with such encourage
ments, Joanna began to assume an authoritative manner
of deportment, very/ unsuitable to her situation as a
shop woman, but very consistent with the views which
she afterwards formed to herself, of profiting by pre
tensions she should lay claim to,, as the future bugbear
to those who might-be weak enough' to be deceived by
her fanciful impositions.
Having received! such encomiums on her apparent se
riousness, which she imagined' stffifeient testimonials. of a-
call, she took upon herself to be a religious dictator, to
srgue religious topics, and- to be a 'decider of religious
controversies. These new lights, in her now supposed.
superiorly-animated frame, to those who were easy of
belief and unwilling to be informed, were regarded as
prodigies ; arid she began to feel her superiority over
the vulgar and uninformed, who passed encomiums on
what they themselves knew not the meaning.
Her importance also began to be disclosed- by her
dreams, in which she declared the divinity had evinced
his intentions towards her ; these, with the aid of extra
ordinary visions, as she confidently asserted,, gave her
sufficient manifestation, that she was inspired beyond the
common credibility of human nature.
Joanna's conduct now proved, that vain-glory is a distor
tion oftthe mind wfrich tufivs the eye of the sottl always up
on itselfj bu^di&ardsall thoughts of modesty, decency, and

10 HISTORY OF BELIGI0US IMPOSTURES.

good fame, as at too great a distance to be distinguished ;
for, to Joanna's haughty mind, as at this time vitiated,
all her fellow-creatures seemed her inferiors.
In such a disposition, she happened, in sweeping out her
master's shop, to find a seal on which were engraven the
letters I. S. She declared, that she had dreamed of this cir
cumstance, that the coincidence could be no less than mira
culous, nor could the letters be otherwise designated than
for "Joanna Southcott." The realization of such a circum
stance bore down all opposition; it Were the grossest test
of incredulity to deny it. The shop was deserted by so-
favoured a beihg. She considered herself now called by.
divine inspiration, and determined to minister her in
fusions where their most profitable effect might be pro
ductive. She, in 1792, began her declarations, that "her
Lord had visited her, who promised to enter into an
everlasting covenant with her, and told her that a vision
would be shown to her inthe night."
Let us pause. Before Jesus Christ was declared upon
earth, the world was pervaded by the absurd notions of'
idolatry; and the Jews were called God's people, be
cause they were an exception to the general practice.—
Whence could such low, such unworthy notions of the
omnipotent Deity have arisen, but from the vitiated and
derogatory ideas which human nature, ever imperfect,
had suggested to itself of the beneficence and power, of
an all-wise and infinite Disposer? Such must also have
been the view in which Joanna had been accustomed to fa
miliarize herself with her God! making him, the subject
of dreams and visions, to impose on her fellow-creatures !

JOANNA SO-UTHCOTT.i 1 1

Weiwill deal, however, towards this woman, with a
more Christian spirit than she has condescended to exer
cise towards those who have not been purchasers of her
fraudulent baubles, which she has denominated seals.
We will hope, that her excuse is a mental affliction, that,
at no distant period, she may be restored to her senses;
and, such a kind Providence havingbeen extended towards
4»er, that she may make another kind of revelation by un
deceiving the world, particularly those who have been
weak enough to be deluded ; and, by declaring, that her
ebullitions of profaneness arose from a disordered frame
of mind, and were the fruits of an afflicted state of
¦body. ' To such a state of depravity had she now arrived, that
she presumed to assert that the Lord had appeared
to her, not in the " Beauty of his Holiness," not in the
•'Majesty of his Power,"-— not in the Greatness of his
Mercy," but sometimes in the shape of a Cat,— then
like a Cup! Which Joanna says she kicked to pieces;
but this made h?r very uneasy, till she was told that they
were nothing more than the tricks of Satan, with a view
to torment her. Her religious friends endeavoured to
imprint such notions upon her wandering ideas, and strove
to convince her, that she was the dupe of a diabolical
spirit, and that Satan himself was the origin of her de
lusion. This so far set her perturbed spirit at rest for
the moment, that she requested a meeting of her friends
to be summoned, at which the question of her supposed
mission might be discussed, and set at rest.
At this meeting Joanna conducted herself with such
dower and haughtiness, that the argumentum ad hominem

12 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.-

bore all before it ; every divinity, except that which Jo
anna was supposed to possess, was out of the question.
The whole assembly, to the amount of fifty-eight persons,
were immediately enlisted under the new regime, and
were induced, or rather commanded, to witness the fol
lowing most valuable document ;—
"I, Joanna Southcott, am clearly convinced that my
calling is of God, and my writings are indited by his
spirit : it is impossible for any spirit but an all-wise God
that is wondrous in working, wondrous in wisdom, won
drous in power, wondrous in truth, could have brought
round such mysteries so full of truth, as is in my wri
tings : so I am clear in whom I have believed, that all my
writings come from the spirit of the Most High God.
"Joanna Southcott
" Signed in the presence offifty eight persons (inclu
ding the Methodist preachers) who assented to the truth
of the statement."
Joanna now assumed an unprecedented degree of
supremacy ; she took upon herself the titles of "the
Bride,"— "the Lamb's Wife,"— "The Woman cloathed
with the San," &c. This was during the year 1792,
whilst she was a resident in 'Exeter.
It was at this time also that Joanna, according to her
own account, began to be " strangely visited day and
night, concerning what was 'coming upon the whole
earth." " I was," says she, "here ordered to set it
down in writing. I obeyed, though not without strong
external opposition; and so it has continued to the pre
sent time." (1811.)

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 13
The following we think some of the most sensible
remarks ever suggested to her : —
"In 1792, my sister told me I was going out of my
senses. She said, 'You say there will be a war. Who
shall we go to war with? The French are destroying
• themselves. As to the dearth of provisions you speak of,
you are wrong; for corn will come down very low; I
could not make 4s. 6d. a bushel of the best wheat this
year. As to the distresses of the nation, you are wrong
there; for England was never in a more flourishing state
than it is at present,' I answered, 'Well, if il be of
God, it will come to pass, however likely or unlikely it
may appear at present. If not, I shall hurt no one but
myself in writing it. I am the fool, and must be the
sufferer, if it be not of God. If it be of God, I would
no{ refuse for the world, and am determined to err on
the safest side.' My sister thought she should err on the
safest side, by preventing me from doing it; and said,
1 should not do it in her house. However, I took advan
tage of her absence; and, in 1792,1 wrote of what has
since followed in this nation and all others; but the end
is not yet. — I left my writings at Plymtree, and came
back to Exeter.
"In 1793, the war broke out; and in this year, three
remarkable things happened, which I had written of in
1792. These events strengthened my judgment that it
was of God ; for it was said, " Whatever I put into thy
mouth, I will do upon the earth."
From this period Joanna began to attach to herself in
numerable converts, who all subscribing to the Ways and '
Means, Joanna's finances were amply increased; for it
No. 1. c

14 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS" IMPOSTURES.

seems that Fol.'y now began to pay more than ordinary
court to this pretended administratrix of salvation ; her
seals sold in a very surprising manner. Beatitudes were
ptKchaseable at.from twelve shillings to one guinea j>er
head! Credulity is the common failing of inexperienced vir
tue; he, therefore, who is spontaneously suspicious, may
be justly charged with radical corruption ; for if he has
not known the prevalehcy of dishonesty by information,
nor had time to observe it with his own eyes, whence
can he take his measure of judgment but from himself?
— Certainly. — But when evidence, palpable evidence
decidedly informs him in what quarter not only suspicion,
but stubborn fact stalks in all the majesty of impudence,
would 'it not appear the greatest mark of vacuity of
intellect, .not to be apprehensive of, and to guard against
such corruption of principles and contagious injury by
the most penetrating depravity ?— -considering'that there
is no ambition, however .petty, no wish, however absurd,
that by indulgence will not be enabled, to- overcome the
influence of unsuspecting virtue. How necessary, then, is
it to point Out to such, in time, the pitfalls of treachery!
The pride pf ignorance is of the worst kind; and sorry
are we to say that the pride of Joanna and her followers
is of this stamp. We will try if their maxims can be
analyzed. Let us try by the Scripture. Nothing appears to imply
$.ny authority to such beings as Joanna. On the contrary,
the Almighty, in his expostulation with the Jews on
their causeless revolt, uses the following expressions, very
applicable to our present purpose ;— ,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT." J5
i
"I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right
seed; — how then art thou turned into the degenerate
plant of a strange vine unto me ? . For though thou wash
thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine ini
quity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.
"How canst thou say I am not polluted, I have
not gone after Baalam ? See thy way in the valley, from
what thou hast done; thou art a swift dromedary traver
sing her ways; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that
snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion
who can turn her away ? all they that seek hef will not
weary themselves; in her mouth they shall find her.
—saying to a stock, "Thou art my father;" and to a
stone, "Thou hast brought me forth."
"They have turned their backs upon me, and not
their face : but in the time of their trouble they will say,
" Arise, and save us."
"But where are the gods that thou hast made thee?
Let' them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy
trouble. Wherefore will ye plead for me ? — Ye have all
transgressed against me," saith the Lord. — Jer. ii. v. 21.
"They have chosen their own ways, and their soul
delighteth in abomination. I also will choose their de
lusions, and will bring their fears upon thee, because,
when I called none did answer; when I spake they did
not hear; but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose
that in which J delighted not."— Isaiah, lxvi. v. 3.
The Scripture, it is plain from the above' quotations,
will not suit to analyze Joanna on her principles. Let
ustry her by the maxims of morality. The following
tale is very much to our purpose : —

16 HISTORY,. OF RELIGIOUS IMTOSTUHES.

" "When the plains of India were burnt up by a long
continuance of.drought, Hamet and Rasehid, two neigh
bouring shepherds, Taint with thirst, stood at the com
mon boundary of their grounds, with their flocks and
herds panting round them,. and, in the height of distress,
prayed for water.
"' On a sudden the air was becalmed, the birds ceas,-
ed to chirp, and the flocks to bleat. The shepherds
turned, their eyes every way, and beheld a Being, of
mighty stature advancing through the valley, whom; they
knew, upon his approach, tobe the Genius of Distribution.
Intone hand he held the sheaves of plenty, and in the
other the sabre of destruction. The shepherds stood
trembling, and would have, retired before him ; but he
called -to them, with a voice gentle as the s,breeze that
plays in the evening among the spices of Sabeea, 'Fly
not from your benefactor, children of the dust ! I am
come to offer you gifts, which only your own folly can
make vain. You here pray for water, and water I will
bestow^ let me know with how much you will be satis
fied. Speak not rashly : consider, that, of whatever can
be enjoyed by the body, excess is no less dangerous than
scarcity. When you, remember the pain of thirst, do
not forget the danger of suffocation. Now, Hamet, tell
me your request.'
"•O Being, kind and beneficent,' said Hamet, 'let
thine eye pardon my confusion-. I intreat a little brook,
which in summer shall never be dry, and in winter shall
never overflow.' 'It is granted,' replied the Genius-
¦and immediately he opened the ground with his sabre,
and a fountain bubbled up under their feet, which scat-

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 17
tered its rills over the meadows; the flowers renewed
their' fragrance, the trees spread a greener foliage, and
the flocks and herds quenched their thirst. ,
"Then turning to Rasehid, the Genius invited him
likewise to offer his petition. 'I request,1 says Rasehid,
* that thou wilt turn the Ganges through my grounds, with
all his water, and- all their inhabitants.' Hamet was
struck with the greatness of his neighbour's sentiments,
and secretly repined in his heart that he had not made:
the same petition before him; when he was struck with
wonder by the answer of the Genius to Raschid's exor
bitant request. 'Rash man,' said the Genius, 'be not
insatiable! Remember that to, thee there is an excess-
which thou canst not use ; and how are thy wants greater
than the wants of Hamet ?' Rasfchid repeated his greedy-
desire; at the- same time, pleasing himself with the
mean appearance that Hamet would make in the presence
of the proprietor of the Ganges!
"The Genius then retired towards the river, and the
two shepherds stood in expectation of the event. The
humble request of Hamet supplied him with plenty and
happiness; but, as Rasehid was looking on his neigh
bour with the utmost contempt, on a sudden was heard*!
the roar of torrents, and it was soon discovered, i>y the*
mighty stream, that the mounds of the Ganges were
broken. The floods Foiled into the lands of Rasehid,
his plantations were torn up, his flocks overwhelmed',
himself was swept away before it, and a crocodile' devour
ed him."
Here are two tests by which to* prove Joanna's prinr-
ciples; and both, for her, have failed.— Scripture idenotan.-
c 2

18 , HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
ces judgment on her idolatry ; and morality points out the
due punishment on dissatisfied mortals. Had Joanna
been contented with the humble situation in life which
Providence, in ity all-wise distribution had appointed
for her; that Providence would have supported her
though life, with competency and happiness;, but the
moment she aimed at increase of such possessions as
must ultimately deluge/the spul, and sink the insatiate
invader of divine mysteries into the gulphs of desire,
immediately she host the protection of the Divine Pro
vidence she had offended. "The mystery of her iniquity
began to work; and for this cause God sent a strong
delusion, that she should believe a lie; that they all
might be damned who believe not the truth,- but had
pleasure in unrighteousness." II. Thess. ii. .
Let her adherents, who are willfully blinded in this
iniquity, beware lest, "that the wicked shall be re
vealed, whom the Lord 'shall consume with the spirit
of his mouth, arid shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming."
Tt appears that this poor besotted being to fraud and
iniquity, endeavoured, for a long while, to ingratiate
herself with several dignitaries ofthe established church
of England, who uniformly despised her and her opi
nions. We will relate her own account of the matter.
"In 1792, I told the Rev. M. L. how I had been
warned of what was comings After hearing me in si
lence, he said, "It comes from the devil; for not one
thing which you have mentioned will come to pass-.
You have the war in your favour, which is all that will
coagie true of. your prophecies ; and the war will be

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 19;
over in a quarter of a year. It is from the devil, to
disturb your peace : *Satan hath a design to sift you as
wheat; Yet I believe you to be a good woman; your
friends speak of you in the highest terms; but what
you have said will never come true. Besides, if it were,
the Lord would never have revealed it to you. There
are a thousand iu Exeter", whom I could point out, to
whom the Lord would have revealed it before he would
to. you." Of these observations I had been warned,
before I saw him; yet it made a deep impression on
my heart ; tears and prayers were my private compa
nions. But the nest day I was answered, " Who made
him a judge. He neither knows thee nor thy forefa-.
thers, who walked before me with a perfect and up-
right|heart ?" Thus the feeling of my heart was deeply '
answered, with further sayings used by him, which at
present I shall not mention.
We will dilate on the very valuable productions of this
recondite Joanna, by which the reader will very soon be
convinced of the temper and the abilites of this obscure
denunciating paragon against all but her equally-dar
kened subscribers : —
" Strange Effects of Faith, with remarkable Prophecies
made in 1792, Sfc.
" Soon after this, I went to St. Peter's Cathedral,
(Exeter) and heard the Rev. Mr.  ;* whose text

* "The names above and hereafter represented by roles, are
omitted by the printer, who scrupled to insert them, not
having the licence of the persons alluded to."

fo

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

was, Walk ye in the light, while ye have light, lest dark
ness come upon you. He remarked on the neighbouring
nations abroad, and on the seven churches of Asia; made
application to the affairs of our own land ; and concluded .
with the words of Samuel, Yet for all this God will save-
you, becauseye are his people, if ye obey him; if not  "A
 As sootr as his sermon was over, I was answered,
" Thqji must say unio him, as our Saviour said unto Pe
ter, " Blessed art thou, Barjonak — for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it to him, but the Spirit of God. What
he hath this day preached is the will of God. If L. give '
it up, go to him, [the Preacher] for he will not; for the
laws of the Lord are written in his heart." I had been
answered, that the truth of my writings must be brought
i to light by one man ; either by the Rev. Mr. L. or the
Rev. Mr.——, the Preacher above-mentioned. —
This was at the end of 1793, not long after I had been'.
with Mr. L. and it was said to me, " I shall set signs be
fore thee. He that bringeth tp light shall come unto
thee; for tftat shall be the sign unto thee, rny servant..
He shaU come; for I will so incline his heart, that my
will may be done." But 1 was not to write to Mr.  ¦¦
the Prealcher, till Mr. L. gave, it up. I told my friends
ofthe signs; but bound them to secrecy, that no one
might be any way influenced by my writing.
"The next surhmer, 1794, corn grew dear, and dis
tress began in our land. Thus commenced the shadow of 'i
my writings, and I was told the substance was behind. 
I then sent another letter to Mr. L.; but he was not so
confident as in 1793. He wrote to me as follows: " The-
Lord may have revealed to you what he has not to me-

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 51
- ¦ ¦ i ' i ¦ .!_.."- i --T^v«^aia^-~.-nii" ' .
but I am of opinion with many, we are going to see good
days." The substance of his letter confounded me, and
made me earnest in prayer. 1 was answered, "He er-
reth in judgment, as well as stumbleth in visions, to judge
that the storm is blown over." I took his letter, and the.
answer to it, and sealed them together, thinking time
would shew whose words were most true, those of the
Spirit that visited me, or those of Mr. L. and such as
joined him in opinion.
" Iri 1795, I sent him another letter, telling him that
danger stood stilibefore us, and that the truth of what
I had written in 1792 was to be proved by twelve men.
Mr. L. wrote me an answer, that he had taken my im
portant question into consideration; that all were ready
to serve me; and that the wisest way he could think of
would be to bring the 12 men together the Monday fol
lowing. Before this answer reached me I was tdld that
he had not given it up; but that it would not happen
according to his words. The thoughts of their hearts
were laid open to me, and .1 was told they proposed this,
in order to convince me of my folly. So I was ordered to
write him a short reply, and to go and converse with him.
I was told, that it should be set before me as a sign that
Mr. E. would come to my house, and invite me to his;
where I should meet Mr. L. AH this happened accord-
'ngly. The week after, it was said unto me, " If L.
come' unto thee, thou hast. nothing to fear from him; but
If thou go unto him, he will surely stumble; for he that
doth obey will come; and when he heareth he will not
condemn; " But,' oh, thrice happy is the man,
That doth begin and will go on,

22 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

Till •ev'r-y curtain be drawn back,
To know,, and prove, if I- do speak.
For happy then shall be the man,.
That doth obey hts call;
His talents five shall soon be ten,
My spirit so shall fall.
Him I'll impower from on high.
My Spirit he shall feel ; x
The sinners' hearts he shall awake,
The broken heart shall heal",
" This was spoken before I had seen Mr. L. On the-
Monday following, Mr. E. came to my house, and asked "
me to come to his. Thither I went, met Mr. L. and told
him what reasons I had for believing my writings came
from the Lord. Mr. L. and ali who were present heard '
me in silence. When I had delivered my reasons, I ask
ed his judgment. He said, " What you know not now
you will hereafter. If it he of God, we shall see more
of it; if of yourself, your head is wiser than mine." I
asked him, if he would give up inquiry into its truth. —
He said, " No'i it requires time to consider of it." The
Monday fbllowing I asked Mr. and Mrs. L. to breakfast
at my house, but they did not come. That day I was
answered thus :
" Now, tell him plain, he's not the man ;
For 'tis by it must be done; '
Back to the Church, the standard, all must come:
For in the dltar I was seen at first,
Arid in the altar did the glory burst,
Where Simeon did the holy child behold;
And in the altar are the plates of gold."
"The weekjbllowing Mr. L, sent me an answer, that,
he had given it up, and had resigned to the Minister,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 23

who (as I said) was chosen in his room. This was. at the
close oF summer, 1795. At the end of the year I was to
have together six men of the dissenting class, to try their
judgment. Four refused to attend, as they thought it
from the Devil, or judged me to be both a knave and a
fool. So 1 had other four in their room; but was told, be
fore I met them, that their judgment would not be
right, their wisdom was too weak; therefore I must be
Ihe judge myself; >
If they believe that hell below ¦
Such language e'er can speak ;
' But back their footsteps all will trace,
And marvel what they've done;
And wonder that they could not go
In things that were so plain
"I was ordered to meet the six men, and read to them,.
how some particular chapters of the Bible were explained,
with a few prophecies, and some remarkable instances of
my life. Every man was to keep silence for the space of
an hour. This they did; and great is the mystery ex
plained to me, as the watch was laid on the seals, by
which were inclosed the names of the twelve men. When
the hour was past, I demanded their judgment; and
quitted the room while they consulted. In some time
they came to me, saying, they had agreed, and must see
the prophecies. J said they should, if they judged them
to be of God. They came again, saying, they must know
who the ministers were. A third time they came, and
said, they must break the seals on the ministers' names.
I told tbem that should only be done in presence of th>
twelve themselves. But curiosity made them break the

24 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

seals; and (thus breaking of their wisdom) they said it
was from the Devil, or myself, or they could not perceive
it to be of God; and therefore they persuaded me to give
it up, forgetting what I had read jo them, and that they -
had fulfilled my writings. The meaning and mystery ef
this meeting I shall explain another time.
" Next day I was persuaded to yield to their wisdom;
but I was answered, that it should be fatal for me;' for
the Lord would not resign to their wisdom ;' therefore I
should not give it up to them. Thus I ended with the
dissenting line.
" At the end of 1795, and beginning of 1796, 1 was or
dered to write to the Church Ministers. At the time of
the general fast, I sent a letter to the Rev, Mr.  (the
preacher before alluded to) on the Gospel, Suppose jfe
that' those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans be
cause they suffered these things? The Rev. Gentleman
sent me word by the bearer, that he should, send an an
swer by his servant. I waited nearly a week, and did
not hear from him. One day I was above stairs writing,
and the last words I wrote were, " Go down and see him."
I went down and found him enquiring about me. I asked
him to walk in, and said, " I suppose, Sir, my letter hath
surprised you." He asked, " Was it you that sent it ?"
I told him, Yes, with my reasons; and that Mr. L. had
judged it from -the Devil. The Rev. Gentleman said,
that nothing of what I had said to him appeared likely to
have come from the Devil. As to the dangers which I
had said stood before us, he did not seem to doubt them,
bntsaid, if I was called of God, I ought to warn the pub
lic before the rod fell, as it would be of no use afterwards,

,.<

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

Thus finding the Rev. Gentleman's conversation' corre
spond with what I had been foretold years before, I sent
him a letter.
" My faith grew strong ; and I sent a letter (as I
was ordered) to the Rev. Dignitary of the Cathedral of
Exeter. I was .assured, before I sent it, he would' not'
answer it.
" I dreamt soon after, that I was in a room with a
well-looking gentleman and lady. On a sudden, the
door was burst open, and the devil entered in disguise,
and attempted to seize the gentleman, who fled to the
farthest part of the room. The devil pursued him, en
deavouring to put his arm round his neck ; but the gen
tleman pushed him off. The lady and myself were af
frighted, and I awoke. The next day, it was answered
me, " It is the Christian minister ; he will come to thee
in disguise." J said to a person, "How differently is
my dream explained to what I expected !" I thought.
the above-mentioned reverend Gentleman Satan would
try to deceive ; and I was answered —
"Thy thought of »*»*** is not wrong;
For Satan will try there ;
But for the purpose he will come,
And baffle all his snares :
• As thou didst dream he pushed him off,
He Satan will defy.
He will appear, the truth to clear,
And stedfast he will stand.
Be not surpriz'd at the disguise,
That he may take in hand.
So now I bid thee go to home,
And shew thy writing there;
And, sudden as thy garden dream,
I'll make him to appear."
No. 2. D

26 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

The last thing I had written was, that I should see
him the next day. Being then at work, Mrs. T. sent
me word a gentleman desired to speak with me. He
was displeased, and said, a man had been at his house,
and told him I had prophesied lies: that if it were so,
it could not come from God ; and I was committing the
sin against the Holy Ghost, and he doubted not I should
lose my senses. Mrs. T. said, she knew not of any lies
I had prophesied ; but she knew that I had told of
them. He said, that was very surprising. Such had
been their conversation before I came. When I came,
I found it to be the Rev. Mr. , whom I ex«
pected, and he repeated his words to me. I told him he
had been misinformed as to the sense of my words, and
explained particulars to him. He said, "Then your
prophecies were not false;" yet he reasoned with me
on the danger of my proceedings if I were not called
of God. Finding he could not convince me it was not
of the Lord, he said, "Then why don't you have your
writings proved? You will wait till you bring, the
sword, the plague, and the famine, upon ns. If you
cannot, get twelve, get six, I will meet with any."
I said, "Sir, it must be twelve." He said, "Then let
it be twelve; but do not wait till you bring the sword
upon us." I said I would not, if the ministers would
prove-them.— I was convitlCed that he had disguised his
real sentiments, and had thus promised to examine my
writings, thinking to convince me of my folly.
"So, thou-see'st plain, that he did mean
To stay thy written hand:
To please a fool, he'd anger rule,
Till he could all demand.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 27
That is to See the mystery, '
And then convince the whole,
It was to lay thy follies by,
Made him the cause uphold."
"As these words were revealed to me, I admired
his wisdom, patience, and prudence; and thought
Heaven could not direct me to a wiser-or better minister;
for he that can conquer his own passions is a greater .
hero than him who taketh a city. He must be a good
man that can so condescend to convince .a fool of her
folly. But he knew not my strong reasons for judging
my writings to be of God.
"The May following, two things happened, as had
been predicted. I went to the above minister's house,
and put a letter into his hand, saying, "Sir, as you
doubt what Spirit I am led by, be pleased to keep this
letter till the end ofthe year; you will then judge of its
truth." This he consented to do. At the end of the
year 1796, what. I had Written of came to pass. He
then said to me, " Formerly, if it were asked of a
prophet, how the wars would fend, he could tell yon.
Now if you can inform me of what will happen in Italy
or England, I shall believe you." — The next day I was
earnest in prayer, that the Lord would answer his in*
quiries; and they were so. I sent him the answer,
which was completely fulfilled, as to Italy and England,
in 1797; but the three sneets-of writing,, which I gave
him, foretold affairs for years to come, and spoke much
of the present period.
. "The following spring, 1797, Isent a letter to a second
Dignitary of the Exeter Cathedral. His servent re-

28 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES'.
¦ "'  ,-^"" * ' ' "*' ' — —»——¦*
turned it to me, saying his master would riot be in
Exeter to receive it till the next week. I then sent
it again, and met the like disappointment; but the letter
a s left. I was now answered, that I should have the
same dissatisfaction when he came to Exeter, and that
both Dignitaries Would treat my letters with contempt. '
" Thus both will thee deceive,
But shall they laugh thee unto shame,
For what. thou doest believe?
If they agree to laugh at thee,
Their laughter I shall turn;
And in the end, thou'lt find these men,
Like' thee, will sorely mourn.
Tliou build'st so high, that none can fly,
To rob the of thy brood.
¦ The fowler's net cannot come nigh ;,
Nor can the shooter's load.
Tho' heavy charges men prepare,
And point theiri from their breast :
They are afraid to let them off,
Lest they their aim should miss.
Besides they fear, I may be there ;
And terror stops the blow :
Thus I thee guard from every snare,
And that they al! shall know."
"In this manner from simple types and shadows, I
was foretold how every man would act; and that I
had nothing to fear, as no man would hurt me, if the
truth of my writings should provoke them to anger.
"These promises, and the proofs of the truth of my
writings, strengthened my confidence jn the Lord •
but I have often marvelled, why I was ordered to send
to Ministers who would not give themselves the trouble

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 29
of searching out the truth; and, for this reason, have
often doubted whether the calling were of God t>r not.
But the pondering of my heart was thus answered :
" How can the fruit be ever tried ?
How can the truth be e'er applied?
The godly men will so decay,
If I shall prove as weak as tbee.
I say, the fruit shah surely fall:
^et ******** stand, and hear his call;
And now a Moses let him be,
Or else my judgments all shall see;
Then all together you may feast
And all together fast ; ,
I'll bring a mystery in the end,
That shall for ever last."
" These words were delivered to me in 1796, in an
swer to a sermon, preached on the 29th of May, by
the first mentioned Dignitary, to whom I. had sent a
letter. I fancied that he reproached me in his ser
mon ; and his words pierced my heart. I marvelled,
that a Gentleman, to whom 1 had appealed, 'should
decline seeing me to convince me of my error, if I were
wrong; and in solitary tears, I repeated the words of
David, " Since godly men decay,. O Lord,
j Do thou my cause defend;
For scarce these wretched times afford
One just and faithful friend."
" I was answered :
" Since godly men do so deeay,.
And thou dost sore complain,
Then the good shepherd shall appear,
The sheep, for to redeem ;
d 2

30 HISTORY CF -RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
' Eor faithful labourers now shall come
And in my vineyard go;
My harvest it is hastening' on, '
Which every soul shall know."
" After this, it was said to me, " As men increase
thy sorrows, I will increase theirs: and the general
burden shall increase, till men take the load from thee."
— Yet I marvelled, how the 12th chapter of Revelation
could be fulfilled, of the woman travelling in birth,
and longing to be delivered; but the wonders John saw
in heaven must take place on earth,
"What wonders there would then appear
To an enlighten'd race,
When every mystery is made clear,
And seen without a glass?
No veil between then being seen,
No wonders you'll behold ;
For all alike is clearly bright,
As pearly streets with gold.
Should wonders there to you appear,
- You'd wonder then of all.
To see them clothed with the sun,
Could wonder none at all."
" Such is the mystery to man — (that a woman should be
clothed with the Sun of Righteousness, who is now com
ing with healing in his wings)— because" they know not
the Scriptures, which indicate, that to fulfill all righte
ousness, the woman must be a helpmate to man, to com
plete his happiness. This men marvel at, because they
never conceived what the Lord hath in store for them
i e fulfilling his promise given to the woman.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. • 31 ',
" So men, I see, do stand in wonder,
While angels also gaze ; ,
Satan broke man's bliss asunder;
Man wandereth in a maze,
J5o, with amazq, you all may gaze ;
The angels wonder here.
You cannot see the mystery,
Nor find the Bible clear.
There Eden's tree you shall see
Preserved for your sake ;
v The flaming sword is God's own word,
'Twill break the serpent's neck."
" Thus, by types, shadows, dreams, and visions, I have
been led on, from 1792, to the present day; whereby:
the mysteries of the Bible, with the future destinies of
nations, have been revealed to me, which will all termi
nate in the Second Coming of Christ; and the day of
Judgment, when the seven thousand years are ended.
" Now should men say, all this by thee is done,
Thy head is wiser than each mortal's son.
And if they say it cometh from the Devil,
Then plainly tell them, that their faults are evil;
For Satan's wisdom never lay'so deep;
Yet to thyself thou must the, secret keep. ;
But if men say, it cometh from on high,
My judges shall appear the truth to try.
Then iri thy faith be stedfast still;
With salt be season'd well.
Remember thy baptismal vow,
And triumph over hell.
Your Captain too shall quickly come
And bring all to an end,
And fix his glorious Empire o'er,
The wise, whose hearts will bend.
As in a bumble manger here,
Kings did their Sovereign see.
So my low handmaid doth appear
To all a mystery

32 HISTORY OF REfcTOHKIS IMPOSTURES.
Now, can you longer make dispute,
From whence you hear the sound ?
Thus Satan must henceforth be mute,
Nor talk the faithful down.
The reasons allate none at all '
Of those that wo'n't believe :
Thus whan the Bible forth I call,
What answers will you give?"
If our readers can bear much more of Joanna's lucu
brations upon her Exeter mission, we will recommend to
their attention the following:—
" I omitted to mention, in the proper place, that, at
the end of 1794, lhad a strange vision. — As soon as I had
laid down in my bed, a light came over the room. I
looked at the window ; but saw no light proceed from
thence. I looked at the door, to see if any one was en
tering with a candle; but no person was there. The
room now appeared to me to be full of lighted candles,
hanging, in candlesticks, on lines crossing the room. I
covered my head with the bed-clothes, and then saw a
spacious room, with a chandelier of many branches, and
lighted lamps sparkling with great lustre. * In the midst
of the room stood a. large table, with large lighted can
dles thereon, so that the light equalled the noon-day. I
exclaimed, " What can this mean?" I was anwered,
" Arise and shine, for the light is come, and the glory"
of the Lord is risen."
'• The next day (being perfectly awake) I was order
ed to write down my vision, which was thus explained to
me: — 'That my writings must be proved by twelve
men; and, when met for that purpose, that the candle
would burn brightly among then^and the spirit of wis-

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 33
dom and understanding be given them; for as the day
of Pentecost was to the disciples, so should that day be
to them; and every one present should see it was the -
Lord's doing.?' The names of the appointed twelve I
put it into the hands of one of the six persons mentioned-,
and charged them not to break the seals upon them
till the twelve were assembled. However, (as I said beT'
fore,) the watch that was laid on the seals was removed,
and the seals broken through unbelief, so that darkriess
came upon the minds of them. Thus is the mystery ex
plained, that this circumstance is set as a watch before
mankind. " The harvest of \i&6 was remarkably good, arid
great plenty followed. ' And it was said unto me,' 'As-
they (the men mentioned) kept silence for the space
of one hour, the Lord has withheld the rain in time of
harvest.' " Now, if this publication awakens the Ministers to
search out the truth, or the Rev. Mr. — . (the
preacher) return to the examination of my writings, the
next -three following harvests are promised to be plentiful,
" Prove me now, (saith the Lord,) and try me if I will
not shower down blessings upon you." But, if the many
truths laid before you, with the threatenings put into the-
hands of Ministers, do not awaken them to search out the
truth, the Lord will fulfil his word.
" If by the wise men I am mock'd now,
Like Herod's fury, I'll fulfil my vow.
Who my anger shall appease,
If 'all deny my will?
My thunderbolts shallloudly roll,
And men's proud hearts shall cjjill."

31 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTORS.
" Now let the reader look deep into the mystery, and
behold what Divine Wisdom hath directed me to show
to mankind. I was foretold how Ministers would act,
and that the truth would be brought to light by one
man. I was now ordered to have my writings copied,
and put into the Printer's hand. This I did; and the
very day I had given them to the Printer, the chosen
Minister returned to Exeter. I thought I would not send
to him till the book was printed; but was answered,
' How weak is thy judgment!' and was ordered to send
to him next day. I found he was offended by my put
ting his name in the newspaper. He said, if I published
bis name, he had done with me ; otherwise he would
comply with my request. Two friends of mine wrote
to him of the truth of my writings; and, at his request,
I waited on him with one pf my friends. He said, he
found argument fruitless, in persuading me to stop my
hand, and should argue with me no more. He bade me
get the writings of 1792 copied out, as he could not set
the originals before Ministers, who would not attend to
manuscripts which they could not read; and they would
not trust to what I should read to them. Therefore, he
bade me open the seals on the writings of 1792, and send
them with the" fair copy : and if the Ministers he con-
salted should judge them to be of God, I might have
twelve or fourteen afterwards.
" When I returned home, I was ordered to follow his
advice, remembering what had been told me in 1793,
"T will direct thee to a man, whose talents are greater
than thine; he shall have five talents; he shall direct
thee." So I had my writings broken- open before wit
nesses, marked, copied, and some part sent to him.

JOANNA SOUTWCOTT. 35

"The week after I waited on him again. He said,
what I had sent was not enough to convince Ministers,
and I must open the seals set in 1794 and 1795. The
next day (Sunday) I was ordered to have them opened
in the presence of twelve witnesses, who were to set
their names on them. Three weeks were then allowed
.him, to examine, to consult 'Ministers, and to judge whe
ther the writings were of God or not,
" Soon after, I was ordered to write to three Ministers,
(the letters will be' hereafter given,) and I was told it
' would be fatal for me, for time and eternity, if I did not
publish my writings, should these Ministers remain si
lent seven days after. It was said to me, ' I do not need
the Ministers to prove whether they be of God or not;
for that shall be proved by the truth. But this I com
mand thee to do, to keep thee from the snares of men,
who may charge and condemn thee for imposture ; say
ing, thou hast signed thy name to what thou hast not writ
ten. I have so ordered every tru,th to'be made plain,
that no man can prove one false report in thy writings, or
dispute what spirit inspires thee. Thy writings must be
submitted to the judgement of learned Ministers of my
word. Let them be disputed before they be proved;
let Ministers be the judges, and common men the wit
nesses and jury, to try the truth of this ordination. All
thou hast done, and all the letters thou hast sent, have
proceeded— Readers, pray attend to the profaneness
which follows in the words of this miserable visionary !
—from the command of the Kiag of Kings, the Lord
of Lords, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace,
the Mighty Councellor, and the Desire of every nation.'

3'6 "history; of religious impostures.
"When I sent the letters to Ministers, it was said to
me, that if these things were not of God, their hearts
should be worked on to stop my hand in seven days r and
if they did not, I should wait no longer than New Year's
Day (Old Style) 1801, and then have it printed, to be
judged of by the world at large, to try the wisdom, of
men, and to let them see what wisdom there is in the
,Lord, of whom it is written in the Psalms,'
"God in the great assembly stands,
Where his impartial eye
In state surveys* the earthly gods,
And doth their judgements try."
New- Year's Day arriving, and the Ministers to whom I
wrote remaining silent, I consider their silence as evi
dence, that they cannot prove what I said not tp be from
the Lord, and have therefore published as I was directed."
"The following is a copy of the letter I sent to the
Rev. Mr. , at Heavitree : —
' Sir, — I have sent you many letters, wherein you have
kept silence, as being at a loss from what hand they were
Indited. You judged it strange, Sir, the Lord should re
veal his secrets to a woman; but when you come to the
knowledge of.your Bible, you will-not judge it strange at'
all. '" You-first judged it came from the wisdom of man ;
and therein you ei red as much as the former; for was
every man on earth a Solomon for wisdom, they could
not bring round such a mystery as is in my writings, and
make every truth agree. If there ever was so much wis
dom in man, he must be a fool to give the praise to ano
ther, and not take to himself the merit due to himself. 
Now I shall come to the purpose. The century is ended ;

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 37
the seals are cut -open in the presence of six witnesses,
(what was written in 1792) and marked out, and copied.
What was written in 17 9+, till 1795 and 1797, and nailed
up in a box, is. broken open in the presence of twelve
witnesses; and they have signed their names to all the
writings; so that, if the originals be demanded, no man
can be deceived. Some of them were copied out, and
sent to the Rev. Mr. ¦ So here the century ends
with men. If those Ministers that I have written to do
not go to Mr. — : — before the year ends to the Old style,
and prove these writingsare not from the Lord, their si
lence gives consent that it is of God, and they will be
made public. The Lord was but seven days making the
world, and rested on one of them; and he will allow no
longer for man than seven days to judge of his works;
so I am compelled to warn you all, what you do y ou must
do quickly, or for ever after hold your tongues. When
you hear me make public to the world that it is the* . .

* "I am sorry my intentions cannot be fulfilled, by giving to
the public in print the whole contents of ihe above, and of
other letters hereafter. The Printer declines copying them
fully. He tells me, that, however perfect my conviction-may
be,, that whatl have written is of God, and howeverstrongmy
resolution may be to hazard all consequences in its publication,
yet he has received no supernatural instructions, and therefore
feels not, in this case, any degree of the spirit of martyrdom
within him ; for which reason he chooses to decline giving any
person the power of making this publication a handle for vent
ing the ill-humour of political disappointment upon him.—
This part of my writings, however, he has perused; and pro
mises, if he finds them fulfilled, to bear impartial testimony to
their veracity.''
N°. 2.

38 history of religious impostures.

that are bringing do«n the judgments of God . . .
and they will bring the  ,
upon themselves.— —Now, if any Ministers that I have
written to can deny the truth of these things, let thera
bring forth their arguments, and shew their strong rea
sons; or let them be silent before the Lord, and say we
cannot answer thee one word of a thousand in all the let
ters thou hast sent -us. For, be it known unto you, and
to all men, it- is the Lord's doing, however'marvellous it
may appear in your eyes. My writings are in the hands
of Mr. i ' , that you are to judge, if you think pros
per, in the time I have mentioned. I will give it up to
no man's judgment after the seven days are expired,
but shall publish them as I have said. I have under
standing as well as you all, neither am I a whit behind
you; but ye have all been judges of what ye know no
thing about. I am clear from the blood of all men ; and
am, with the greatest respect, your humble servant
Joanna Southcott.'
«' The following is a copy of a letter sent to one of the
Dignitaries ofthe Cathedral of Exeter : —
'Jan. 4, 1S01.
"Rev. Sir,
'I beg liberty to say unto you, (as the Voice
said unto Paul,) W hy persecutes! thou me? It is hard for
thee, 0 Paul, to kick against the pricks. And it is hard
for you, Sir, to fight against God, through unbelief.—
You have done it, till almost a . . . is come on the poor , •
and if you continue, you will bring the . . . on the rich;

JOA«NA SOUTHCOTT... 3D
for you will surely find, Sir, you have a God to deal with,
and not (as you suppose) a simple woman, whose senses
are gone you know not where. I grant, they are gone
out of the reach of man,, whie you judge through aglass
darkly; but you must judge face to face. Sir, if you will
be a judge for yourself, unto whom you have done des
pite; either to the spirit of the Lord or me. If it was
to me, I would never trouble your Horn ur with this let
ter; for my spirit is too great to-be treated with contempt.'
But, as you have done it to the Lord, I am ordered to
warn you in his name. The time o,f ignorance God wink-
eth al ; but now you have no eloke for yourself, if you>
- abut your eyes against the day-light. The letter I sent
you in 1799, ofthe harvest, I- had copied out and sent
to the Rev. Mr.  » Both harvests came as 1- foretold.
Mr.  disputed with me, if my foreknowledge did'
not come of myself, and desired me to come to the pur
pose of what I wrote in 17 J2 ; so I opened my seals-in.
the presence of witnesses, and had all my writings mark
ed in the presence of twelve witnesses, (what I wrote in
BM, and 179S, and 1796, and 1792,) and had part of
them copied out and sent to Mr. , for him to con»
suit with Ministers from, what spirit they judged it came ;
from the spirit of the Lord, or the powers of darkness. —
I shall not blush to say, that man is void of understand
ing, that says it is from myself. But now, Sir, I must
come to the purpose. The writings I have sent to the
Rev. Mr.  , if they are not proved by Ministers be
fore the year is out by the old style, that they are not of
God, they will be published; that they are of God, the
Ministers' silence gives consent. . The . . ... • .

40 history of religious impostures.
Bringing down the judgments of God upon ... .
 ; and the Lord
is just to send the .... on them. I was ordered
to send this to you, Sir, that you may judge for yourself,
in. seven days. What I say unto'you I say unto the Rev.
— — — . You are both at liberty to judge for your
selves, and if you prove the writings are not of God in
the space of seven days, I will give it up to you ; but if
you now keep silence, I am the judge myself, and I shall
have them published, as I am directed. They are in the
hands of Mr.  . If you think proper to judge
them before the time, you are at liberty, or for ever af
ter keep silence. Iam, with the greatest respect, your
most humble servant, Joanna Southcott.'
'•' Here I add a third letter.
' To the Rev. Mr.  , Exeter.
' Rev. Sir, — You may be surprised to receive a letter
from a woman, of prophecies, to appeal to your judg
ment. Sir, now it is come to the eleventh hour. Strange
as it may appear to you, I am ordered to proceed. You
preached a sermon in praise of the King ; and I have his
interest as much at heart as you have. My earnest pray
er is for him, that the Lord will protect him through life,
as being surrounded with so many enemies. I do" not
lay any thing to the King; but those 
This was my prophecies for years agone — there first
would come an Egypt's  and after that an
Egypt's .'.... But now I must come to the pur
pose, I was called by the voice from heaven in 17£2,

JOANNA SOWTHCOTT. 41
what was coming upon the earth. I obeyed the sum
mons, and have been writing ever since what the Lord
would do upon the earth. And this hath been sealed up
every year; and now the century is ended with men ;
and by the old style it will end with the Lord. My seals
have beenr opened in the presence of twelve witnesses
and marked, and copied out, and sent to the Rev. Mr.
, for him to consult with Ministers from what
spirit they judged it came. Now, Sir, I was ordered to
write to you, the  bringing
down the judgments of God on the land, as you find in
my prophecies. And this I am going to publish to the
world, unless the Ministers that I have written to meet
together, and prove the writings are not of God, inthe
space of seven days, which ends with the New Year's
Day to old style. If they can prove that I am wrong by
that time, 1 will give up to their wisdom ; but not after
to any one's judgment, till I see the end of another year :
for the Lord will begin with a new century; and I will
see what he will do, before I will hearken to any man's
judgment. Now, Sir, if you are as great a friend to your
King and Country as you preached, you will diligently.
search out the truth of these things ; but you have no
longer than New Year's Day to the old style. I am, with'
the greatest respect, your humble servant,
* Jan. 5, 1801.. Joanna Southcott.'
To enumerate .the various motives to deceit and injury
Would be to count all the desires that prevail among the
sons of men ; since there is no ambition, however petty,
no wish, however absurd, that by indulgence will not
js 2

*2 history of religious impostures.
be enabled to overpower the influence of virtue —
This seemed to be the case of Joanna. She obtruded
herself upon the world, with all the confidence of a
spirit which scorned acquaintance even with superi
ority ; consequently, possessing a mind irritated by op
position, abounding in fraud, and fulminating curses
against all who contemned her iniquity, and had too
great consideration of real religion and moral virtue,
to lend themselves to the contagion of crime among their
unsuspecting fellow-creatures.
From what has preceded, it may be perceived, that
we would, in charity, impute the whole of Joanna's
wanderings to the imaginations of an afflicted spirit;
and, in the hope that her disarrangement having sub
sided, she might be restored to society, and, by de.
daring and retracting her gross errors, cause some
amends to be made to those, who had been weak
enough to be misguided by her profane rhapsodies. We
might have been induced, under such circumstances, to
recede from personalities to her ; but such must not be
the case towards her crafty adherents. Their circum
stances have no excuse ; their falsehoods and wrongs
to society must be exposed, to be reprobated ; and as
they have presumed to make Joanna's opinions the ve
hicle to increase their trade of deceit, it must be those
opinions, and the impressions intended by their circu
lation, to disseminate despair and to establish ruinous
conclusions, that shall engage our more particular at
tention ; these are fair objects of discusssion, and shall
not escape stricture.
We will mention only one circumstance, in support

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 43

of our premises. In the Times of the 10th of Septem-
ter, 1814, is the following paragraph : " Joanna South
cott. It is stated of one of the believers in this poor
woman's pretensions, named Edward Penny, who was
a respectable yeoman at Inglebourn, near Totness,
that he had a small freehold of his own, inde
pendent of a large farm he rented, and was doing
well, when, becoming a follower of this woman, he
put such implicit faith in her predictions, (that in the
ensuing year there would be neither earing hor harvest,
as the world was to be destroyed,) that the poor fel
low thought he would save his seed-wheat, and ab
solutely let all his land lay 'idle. When rent-day came
he was obliged to part with a proportion of his own
property, to pay the rent of the farm he occupied:
he never recovered the blow, but sunk gradually in
the world, until obliged to solicit relief from the rigid
hand of parochial charity."
Appealing, then, to the philanthropy of our readers,
whether, in conducting this work, we may not be, in
a great measure, instrumental, with our fellow labourers
in the same benevolent cause, in ascertaining the motives
of Joanna's Disciples, by the complete exposure of her
dogmatical absurdities; which, however we maybe in
duced to pity in her; we shall think it our bounden
duty to condemn in them ; for they have no affliction
to plead in excuse ; we shall consider their conduct
to abound in the btoadest tints of corruption, and as
such, to merit due execration, as almost the murderers of
the minds of their fellow-creatures.
After thus far premising the object of our labour,

44 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES*
we shall proceed in our recital, by stating, that Joanna's
spirit still aspired beyond common comprehension, and
the underwritten are some of its ebullitions..
"" These are the first of the writings made in 1790.
" The Reader will observe, that the following is printed'
word for word according to the original. Worldly-
minded Critics may cavil at the language ; but I have
been ordered thus to give it the world, ' to try the
heads of the learned ' Tlie Lord hath spoken to men,
as men : and I am only permitted to allow the printer
to omit such parts, as ('thro' fear of man's anger J he
may be unwilling to insert. *
' Quench not the spirit ; despise not prophecy ; for-
the time is come, that your women shall prophecy,
young men shall dream dreams, your old men shall see
visions; for the day of the Lord is at hand. The day
is nigh at hand, that shall burn like an oven ; and all
the wicked shall be burnt up as stubble; whose fan is in
his hand: I will thoroughly purge the floor; I will
gather my wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff
with .unquenchable fire. Awake them that sleep ; arise
from the dead, and Christ will give them life.'
' This I have penned, as the Lord hath directed me;
for there is none holy as the Lord/neither is there
any ruck like our God.'
We discover that this poor-creature mingled various
portions from the sacred Scriptures, which she had for
merly imbibed in her former religious acquaintance,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

with her own detached emanations. The following
will serve as a fair specimen, though clogged by her
silly incoherent poetry :
"Talk no more so proudly; let not arrogancy come
out of your mouth; for the Lord is a God of know
ledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of
the mighty are broken, and they that stumble are girt
with strength. The wisdom of the Lord is hid in the
great deep, and his paths are past finding out; for
the wisdom of God is foolishness with men, and the
wisdom of men is foolishness with God. ; Are your ways
equal or mine unequal, O house of Israel ? Judge ye :
are not my ways equal ? Are not your ways unequal,
O house of Israel ? Fear ye the rod, and who hath ap
pointed it.
« The time is come, that judgments must at God's own house
begin, .
And, if he first attacks the just, what case are sinners jn ?
If God the righteous, whom he lov'd, with justice doth correct,
What must the sons of violence, whom he abhors, expect?'

« The spirit of the Lord is with them that fear him.
On that man will I look. that is of a meek and con
trite spirit ; he trembleth at my word ; he comnntieth
all his ways to the Lord ; he will direct his goings,
for God is the same God yesterday,.to day, and for ever.'
—Joanna proceed*— 'Think not, for yourselves, our
dear Redeemer came into the world to make you
more ignorant than the Jews were. He came to en
lighten our understandings, and not to darken them.
But ye will not come unto him, that he may have life..

46 HISTORY OF RELIftlOUS IMPOSTURES,
^ — — ¦ un r " " — —A
for at the second coming,, he shall scarce find faith on
the earth ; for unless ye see signs and wonders, ye will not
believe. Faithless and perverse generation ! looking for
signs, and there shall be no signs given you, but the pro
phecy ofthe Prophet Jonah: Nineveh shall rise up in Judg
ment against this generation.'
" 1 shall now proceed to my own experience, which
bath truly convinced me,, the Lord is' awakened as one
cut ef sleep; and the voice of the Lord will shake
terribly the earth.
"The beginning of the powerful visitation of the Lord,
to me was on,. . . . , 1792.  — 1 no more intended
thou shouldest go to reprove the people, than I intended
Abraham should, offer up his son Isaac. I did it to
try thy obedience. Now will I swear unto thee, as I
did unto Abraham. I will make thee an everlasting
covenant; and save thee with an everlasting salvation.'
" When these words came to me, my soul was trou-
bled, in the dust before God, and I began- to. cry out
' What am I, or what is my father's house, that thou
hast thus honoured me, unworthy wretch as I am ? My.
past life makes me ashamed of myself.'— -" These word*
came to me : ' I will reward thy obedience; and in
blessing I will bless thee: And, as L kept nothing from
Abraham, I wUl keep nothing from thee. Thou shalt pro
phesy in my name ; and I will bear thee witness. What I
put in thy mouth, that will I do on the earth.'
"Then these words came to me: 'The Lord is awake
as one out of sleep. The voice of the Lord shall shake
terribly the earth. Pestilence andfamine shall go through,
ihe lands, Men's hearts shall fail them for very trouble ;

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 47
because they have not known the visitation of the
Lord.' As soon as these words came to me I trembled,
and was afraid of his majesty and greatness. Tears of
humiliation ran down my eyes, and a holy fear seized
my soul. I wept bitterly, and wondered it his divine
goodness to such an unworthy .creature as I was. But
these words, were answered me; 'I have seen all thy
enquiries to know my will and obey it ; and now I will
reward thee. Dost thou believe it?' — '« I cried out
* Yea, Lord ; if it be thy voice, I do believe it ; for I
know thou art not a man to lie, nor the son of man to
be wavering. I have always found thee a God, like
thyself, faithful to thy word, and faithful to thy pro
mise?.'—"* I was answered, f Dost thou think I will
now?' I said, 'Yea, Lord; if it be thy word, I know
thou wilt. Thou hast heen faithful to thy word
throughout the Bible, in every age of the world ; a God,
the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.' " I was an
swered, * This thou believest, and this thou shalt find
me; faithful to my word, and faithful to my promises ;
and next Sunday will I fulfil my promise at my table'—
" which, I bless God, / felt remarkably, and waited
with a holy longing for the blessed promise made by
Jesus Christ. I then made a solemn vow to God, to be
obedient to all his commands, as far as I saw his
righteous will concerning me, earnestly praying that
I might not be deceived by my own weak understand
ing, nor deceived by the arts of Satan, praying that
the Lord would keep me from every evil, and from the
evil of sin ; that I may be kept, as Mary, humble at the
feet of the Lord. — I was answered, * If pride rise in thy

48 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

heart, Satan shall humble thee; but thou sayest, thou
hast found me a God like myself: and so thou shalt.' —
" I said, ' Lord, I believe it ; and pray thee, keep me
the remainder of my life,' that I may drink deep in the
Spirit of my dear Redeemer, and, as far as the earthly
can bear the image of the heavenly, so far may I bear thy
image. — This was the prayer and desire of my soul, that
,1 may know his voice and obey it.'
" One morning when I awoke, these words were
sounded in my ears: ' Wake, ye ministers; mourn, ye
priests ; for the day of the Lord is at hand.' — I thought
I heard the sound of preaching in my ears : ' The Lord
is awake, as one out of sleep; the voice of the Lord will
shake terribly the earth. The sins of the world have
provoked the Lord to anger. He will go forth as a
flaming fire ; he will be wrath, as in the valley of
Gibeon, until he hath brought forth judgement unto
victory.' " These words were so dreadful in my ears, that they
made me tremble, and I was earnest in prayer to God,
to know if these judgments were coming upon the earth.
I was answered, ' / will shew thee in visions, this night,
what I will do.' " I went to bed ; I dreamt nothing, and
thought I had listened to the voice of a stranger, and
not of God." — "„I was answered, ' The night is far
spent ; the day is at hand ; lay thee down and sleep
again.' — " So I did, and dreamed I was on a high
mountain, and saw the sky as bright as noon-day sun,
and two men came out of the clouds, with long robes
of purple and scarlet, with crowns of gold on their
heads and swords in their hands, standing in the sky.

joanna Southcott. 49
Two men came out with heavy horses, and spoke to
those that stood on the clouds, and soon after rode
away, like lightning, in the air. Soon after I saw the
men on horseback coming out 'of Ihe clouds, as fast as
they could, till the whole skies were covered with men
in armour, arid spears glittering in the air. I thought I
looked down, and saw the world in confusion, men in
armour riding fast. This dream alarmed me; and I
was meditating with what divine majesty and splendor
our dear Redeemer was coming into the world. Once he
'¦¦ came meek and lowly, persecuted by men ; but now he
will come as a prince and a king, conquering and to
.conquer. Once he came meek and lowly, riding on an
ass; but now he will come riding in the chariot of his
everlasting Gospel. But who can abide the day of his
coming, or who can abide the day of his wrath ? The
saints shall see it, and rejoice; for he will gather the
wheat in the garner, and burn up 'the chaff with un- .
quenchable fire.— Then I was answered this psalm :—
' Ask and receive thy full demands;
. Now shall the heathen be,
The utmost limit of the lands
- Shall be possessed by thee.
I'll crush them every where,
As massy bars of iron break
' The potter's brittle ware.'
" This made me earnest in prayer to God, to know if
. this was Christ's second coming into the world, to call
in his antient people, the Jews. « Is thy last coming when
thou earnest to judge the world in righteousness ? " I w33
answered, ' Thou hast judged right.' "In prayer and
No. 2. f

50 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
praises I spent the day. In the night in my bed, it was
said to me, 'I will shew thee a vision this night, that
shall make the ears of those 'that hear it to tingle.' . " I
. . . *'
went to bed ; dreamed nothing. It was answered, 'The
night is far spent ; the day is at hand. Lay thee down
to sleep again.' " I was restless and uneasy, and did not
believe the Lord had said it, and thought it was the
Devil, to deceive me, and continued restless from three
till past five. I then fell asleep, and dreamed I had
something in my hand. I let it fall, arid it turned into
a cup, and whirled up and down the room. At last it
turned into a cat, which I kicked to pieces, and grew
angry in my dream, and' said, 'Satan, this is thy mira-
/ dels; this is the way thou deceivest the world, by
whirling them in empty air, that neither touch top nor bot
tom.' When f awoke, I was grieved, and afraid I had
sinned" in going to sleep; but I was answered, it, was
the Lard's permission, to shew I might see 'Satan's mi
racles, how he deceived the world. This made the
ways of the Lord appear more to be admired; and I
meditated on my past vision,' with what glory I saw the
Lord in the air, and with what swiftness the angels seemed
to obey him. This set all my soul on fire, and I wished I
could fly in the air to the Lord, and fall at the feet of
my dear Redeemer.— A "powerful voice called me, 'Jo
anna, Joanna, the angels rejoiced at thy birth, thy Saviour
embraced thee. Dost thou think thou canst love him as
he -loved thee V These words went through my soul, and
I cried out, ' No, it is that drawed my heart after him in >
strong faith.'
"I went to bed, und* "was larisw'ered, 'I will shew

JOANNA SOUTHCOT/T. 51
thee, in vision this njght.' - "'I dreamed I was in an or
chard where were trees standing ,tqget|}er, the. branches
wserejoined one in the othe,r, andthe fruit, was fallen. I
thought I was going, to take, them uptl I, thought the
Lord, said to(me, « Open the. shells ; but tbou shalt not
taste of th.e first fifu'its; it is not.gpod,' I thought I opened
the nuts,; for they^wgre like French xnuts, but they were
withered and .dry, and a black, vpil round .theni., Thp
Lord said to me, 'The first fruits are fallen,; they are
not good. Look up, and thou.will; see berries; and
when thgy are ripe they. w,il,l be good.' I looked, up,
a q,d ; saw., b$f rjeg.. like t$e, btxyies{o£ potatoes ; and went
to a b#use, whmJ *mjfc Lord, He, rosp,.up, as, oflp,ou$t
of sleeps and told.me to go, and, mind a|l I had. seen.' I
a.waiked." 'The same night, I dreamed I was o,n the. sea; and,
I saw a, large open full of meat ; anjdthe stopper byoke,and
the meat swam on tlie. sea in. abundance. When I awoke,
I was answered, ' Thy d.reaffls, jj«2z&; tftee; but wars and
tumults shall arise from, a>broa,d and at home. The, sea
shall be taden; with ships, many shall break in, pieces*
and thousands shall launch in the deep. As to the
dream of the fruit, couldst, thou look into tha hearts of
men, thou wouldst sqe them, as the fruit, withered.'
" Another night, I- dreamed I saw my father sweeping
out, the barn, floor clean, and would, not suffer the, wheat
to be brought in the barn. He appeared to me to be
in anger. When I awaked, I was answered, ' It is thy
Heavenly Father is angry with the land ; and if they do
not repent, as Nineveh did., they shall sow, but they
shall not reap; neither, shall they gather into their

62 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
"¦ '  ^ ¦
barns. There shall come three years, wherein there shall
be neither earing nor harvest.*'
" Another night it was said unto me, " I will shew thee
in dreams of my anger against the nations." I dreamed
I had a dish in my hand, with dirt in it ; and some one
throwed honey over it ; and the children eat it, for the
sake of the honey, .which made me sick. I awoke with
my dream. I was answered, ' So sick is the Lord of the
world. They eat the honey and the poison together.' -
"Another night I dreamed I heard heavenly music
sounding in my ears, and a flock of sheep was, gathering'
round it. When the music ceased, the sheep leaped for 'joy -
and ran together, shaking their heads; and one shook hia'
head almost off, and seemed to have nothing but ears. I
went towards them, and awoke.  1 was answered,
'The sheep were the servants of the Lord; for they
would be convinced, and trust no more their own un
derstanding, but beall ears, to hear what the Lord saith,
" * Another night I dreamed I had a large bird, full of
large feathers of brass gilded ; and the bird flew down
on the room where I was. I thought to pluck some of ¦
the feathers, but found it impossible to pluck one, or
break one. I could not think there was any interpreta>-.
tion of thi& dream ; but I was answered, ' It is the deter
mined will ofthe Lord, that cannot be altered, nor will
he be pacified without repentance." I thought with my-

* This book has been commanded to be printed like tha
original, without alterations, except in the second page,
which was. a blank leaf, wherein communication has been ad
ded, which is to be read after the above.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT* 53
SSsSmmmt

self, why then did I dream I tried tp pluck the feathers or
break them ? I was answered, * Thou hast strove pk alter
the decrees of Heaven concerning thyself, but to no purpose.
The will of the Lord must be done in thee, and by thee'
This my squl would gladly obey.
" The same night I dreamed I saw a little bird pecking
the feathers of the great birds; but this was not explain
ed. As I was in earnest prayer to know what all this
meant, and where il would end, a heavenly joy filled my
soul, as though a company of angels had been singing ir*
my ears these words :
' What good news the angels bring I
What glad tidings of our King !
Christ descending from his throne,
To bring his Fathe>*siglory down.
Saints shall see it and rejoice;
Hell shall tremble at his voice.
Saints rejoice, and sinners fear, .
When he brings salvation near,
' Jews and Gentiles shall agree,
Join in Christian unity.
Heathens, coming from afar,
Worship at the glorious star.
All the earth shall know the Lord,
And sing his praise with one accord/
" What follows, concerning the blasphemies of Satan,
was written before the prophecies came to me, with many
more extraordinary things, that 1 went through, from
Good^Friday to Midsummer."
Will our readers, after, going through the foregoing
passages, be a moment at a loss to discover the spirit which
unhappily pervaded Joanna's unconnected intellect?—
v 2

St HISTORY- OF RELIGIOUS ISirOSTURES.
Should there be any so dubious as to want farther expla
nations, we would refer them to the prophecies in sacred
writ, ahd they will soon be convinced of the absurdities
of Joanna's "ovens full of meat floating on the sea !"— ber
"dirt pies!"-— her "sheep's head shook off by meansof
music, and nothing left but bis ears!" — and a number of
other wanderings equally ridiculous and incredible..
Aware of the apostle Paul's advice, we would be the
last to " despise prophecyings;" but it is certainly right
to attend to the connecting part of that advice to "prove
all things," and "hold to that which is good." But
have we the smallest encouragement afforded us by Jo
anna's effervescencies,- to believe that the Almighty has
dispensed the gift of prophecy to this woman, equally to
what he did to Ezekiel, Daniel, and other eminent per
sons, who shone with a divine light above the other sons
of men ? Never ! The Lord God Almighty will not
thus be mocked":
He nods a calm — the tempest blows his wrath!
His thunder is his voice, and the red flash
His speedy sword of justice ! At his touch
The mountains flame: he shakes the solid earth,.
And rocks the nations-! — Not in these alone,
In ev'ry common instance GOD is seen I"
In figures, consistent with his Divine Majesty, he con
descended to reveal himself to his prophets; and we do
not find in any part of the holy Bible that he ever descend
ed, from himself in any of his revelations. How ^roga
tory then must it be from his greatness, his omnipotence,
to exhibit him to his humble creatures beneath^ his exalt-

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

55

ed dignity ! We do not read that either the prophets,
apostles, or the evangelists, did so, and their missions
prospered. The unlimited frenzy of Joanna has unhap
pily not done so; the adherents to her for the worst pur
poses have encouraged the iniquity, and therefore no
prosperity can result from her assumed mission;— his pu
nishment, more probably, may be inflicted for such a
high degree of contempt towards his vast benevolence.
The rolling worlds above, the living atoms below, and
all the beings that intervene betwixt those wide extremes,
are vouchers for an ever-present Deity, that would
take other means to reform mankind than by the ridicu
lous effluxionsof a dreaming insane old woman!
Joanna's description of the Devil's interruption, during
her abstracted meditations, is truly curious:
" As I was meditating on the unbounded love of
Christ to man, Satan's blasphemy broke in upon me,
« Christ's love was out of pride.' Here my passions grew
high. Thou devil incarnate, (said I,) thou hast lost thy
honour, and thou enviest that Christ hath retained his.
That was what cast thee out of heaven, because thou
wouldst not worship him; and now thou enviest his glory,
as thy proud rebellious spirit would not stoop to worship
him.— But we have reason to love him; we have reason .to
adore him. See what he hath done for us. When thou
seekedsfour destruction, how did he leave the heavens
above, and comedoWn in this lower world, to suffer, a sor
rowful life and a shameful death for our sakes ! How did
he humble himself on the cross to make us happy, when
thou, by thy proud rebellious spirit, sought thy own mi
sery and ours! Thy pride is envy and malice; but the

56 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

pride thou speakest of God and Christ is meekness and
humility ; and it is the condescension of God to contain
bis honour. When a man hath lost his honour, who will
trust him ? Thou hast lost thy honour, and none but
fools will trust thee ; but Christ contained his; and every
wise man will go to him, because he knoweth he will not
deceive him. It is the wisdom of God to contain his ho
nour, that men may trust in him, and rely on him, It is
for our good he contains his glory; but thou hast lost thy
honour with thy shame. Christ is worthy to be loved,
worthy to be adored, worthy to be had in everlasting re
membrance, and worthy to be honoured ; but thou hast
no honour belonging to thee.' Here Satan came in, with
dreadful blasphemy against God and Christ. This en
raged my passions, as I could not bear to hear any thing
spoke against God or Christ. I cried out, ' Thou Devil !
wherefrom didst thou come? Canst thou dare thus to*
trifle with God? Hast thou not sunk thyself low enough
already ? Dost thou want to bring the wrath of God
more heavy upon thee than thou hast already ? Dost
thou not know all power in heaven, earth, and bell, is-
in his hand ? He filleth the heavens with his^majesty,
and therefore we worship him. He fills earth with his
goodness ; and therefore we ought to honour and obey
him, love and worship him. He fills hell with his ter
rors, and therefore thou oughteet to fear him.'
" In this manner," says Joanna, " I continued with
Satan for ten days. His answer and blasphemy was too
shocking to pen ; til! I was worn out with rage and ma
lice against him, I could not bear , myself. When he
would come in upon metritis blasphemies, my spirits rose

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. ' ' '' ' 57
as one in a fever. My brother hath sometimes took me
by the hand, and pitied my weakness, as he thought I had
a fever; for I told it to no one, for fear they would blame
me. I went out qf the house, sometimes in the garden ;
but the garden was not large enough to contain me. , So I
went out in the open fields; and went from fielol to field
to dispute with the Devil, till I had got rid of him, arid
wearied myself out with passion. Then my spirit would
sink low, and think I had all Job's troubles, and my
friends like his; for I had no one to complain to. But I
said, ' Why do I complain ? Who was grieved for the af
flictions of Joseph? Who was grieved for the afflictions
of Job?' f, '
" Shall Simon bear the cross alone, '"*• ' •'.-
And other saints be free? :i . ,h.,.
Each saint of them have got their own,
And there js one for me.
But now it is come unto my lot,
Let it not keep me from, —
Lord, never let me be forgot,
Till thou hast lov'd me home.
But could I die with those that die,
And place me in their stead,
How would my spirit learn to fly,
And converse with the dead!"
" After I had thus sunk my spirits, a heavenly joy
would rise in my soul, with these words:
" Gird thy loins up, Christian Soldier ;
'Tis thy Captain calls thee out:
Let the dangers make thee bolder,
War in darkness fear nor doubt. ,
Buckle on thy heav'nly armour, ;,v,
Patch up no inglorious peace;
Let the dangers wax the warmer,
As thy fear sand foes increase.

58 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
Lo ! when dangers closely threaten,
And thy soul draws near to death ;
When assaulted sore by Satan,
Thy object then's the shield of faith."
" After I had written 'the blasphemy of Satan, these
words came to me : ' As thy spirit was enraged and pro
voked with the blasphemy of Satan, so is my spirit pro
voked with the blasphemy of the nations. And as thy
brother tried to hold thy. hand from going out of the
house, and pitied thy weakness, so hath my Son tried to
withhoia my hand, and pitied the weakness of his people.
But, as thy spirit grew so high, that. thou couldst not hear
it, but was forced to withdraw from him, so shall I.—
And as the garden was not large enough to contain thee,
but thou wast forced to go- out -from- field; tohfield, so the*
heavens are hot large enough to contain me. I shall
come out of the heavens, and dispute with man, if their
sins and blasphemy do. not cease. As thou heardest all
this, and kept silence, so have I. And as the, fire kin-
dleth in thy breast, and thou spealcest with1 tby tongue; so
will the fire kindle in my breast, and I shall speak. I
will not always keep silence; neither will I be always
chiding. I shall awake as one out of sleep,
And shouldmy wrath for ever smoke,
Their souls must shrink beneath my yoke."
" I shall add a few more words spoken in answer to
man's blaming my following the commands of the Lord;
as he judged it to be foolishness, and could not be the
Lord's direction. I seemed to be 'answered, powerfully,
as if the Lord had spoke to me in lbve and anger that man
should not direct the hand of the Almighty.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 59

' In thunder now the God the silence broke,
And from a cloud his lofty language spoke:
Who, and where, art thou, O fond presumptuous man, '
That by thy own weak' measures mine would span f
Undaunted, as if. an equal match for me,
Stand forth, and answer my demands of thee :
But first, let thy original be trac'd,
And tell me then what mighty thing .thott wast.
When to the potent world my word; gave birth,
And fix'd my centre ou the floatingiearth,
Didst thou assist me with one single thought,
Or my ideas rectify in aught ?'
Declare my loving kindness to the children of men;
and my faithfulness and loving kindness thou shalt not
keep back; for my Joving kindness I will never take from
thee; and it is impossible for man to do it. I am too
full of majesty for man to attempt it."
"These extraordinary things • have been now ex
plained to me.
'* Asshe so boldly for her Master stands,
Then now in thunder I will answer men :j
And first let thy original be trac'd,
And tell me Dow, what mighty thing thou Wast,
When first, J took thee from thy native dust,
And in the garden thou alone was plac'd?
Couldst thou bring forth the world as she hath done?
Or, like the woman, bear my only Son, .
Without her aid, as she did without thine?
I tell you, men, the royst'ries are behind.
As from the woman you did all proceed,
Took from your side, man ispronounc'd the head;
But.youjnustjknow, you are not the perfect man,
Until your bone is join'd to you again.
So both together must in judgment sit:
? And tell me>- men, if her disputes were right,

60 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOST-URES.
To say my honour I had still maintain'd,
And plead with Satan, as she hath began :
Then both together you shall surely know,
I have gain'd my honour by his overthrow:
For if the woman stands so much my friend,
You all. shall find, I'll stand her's in the end.
If from herself this love ,2nd courage came,
I tell you plain, she is the head of man.
But if from mefhe spirit first did fall,
I tell you plain, I am the head of all :
Aud, when her writings you've all went thro',
Much greater niysteries must come to yoflr view.
So by the woman now I will surely stand,
As for my honour she did so long contend.
Ten days he held her with his blasphemy,
Ten days a hero she held out for me;
Then of these days I turn them now to years :
I'll prove her words, and man shall see if clear,
That ev'ry word was true what she had spoke:
I'll gain my honour, her words I'll never mock.
So if men mock them now, I'll tell them plain,
I'll gain my honour, to destroy such men."
All this rhapsody is taken from that fine passage in
the latter end of the Book of Job, in which God con
vinces him of his ignorance and imbecility, to which we
refer the reader, who will feel sufficient vexation to see
it so vulgarly managed. But to proceed :
"Now, I must be candid with my Readers, and tell you
plainly, I have not been one of them that build their faith
on a sandy foundation. I have been powerfully led by
a Spirit invisible for eight years past: and though I
strongly was influenced to write by it, as a Spirit invisi
ble, and convinced in my own mind it was from God;
yet, knowing Satan might come as an angel of light

J6AMNA SOUTHCOTT. 61
made me earnest in prayer, that the Lord would be my
director, my guide, and my keeper ; that I might not
be permitted say, ' The Lord saith,' if he had not
spoken. In answer to my prayers, I had signs set be
fore me of what was to happen, to assure me it was
of God ; that, was I to open them all, it would fill a
volume, and how true they all came."
We give her all the credit she deserves, when she
says, that her actions have not been guided by im
posture; but we will take her own excuse and as
sertions respecting the several completions of her pro
phecies :
" I have not imposed on the world with prophecies*
till I was clearly convinced they were of God, and not
from the Devil. The truths of the harvests I put in
the hands of ministers, for them to be judges, if it
came true. The war continued, as I was told it would,
in 1794, continue till we were in war with the Turks,
and then our arms would be victorious, as you will
see in what was answered me in prayer; that as a God,
the Lord would begin like man, and make the same
promise to me that Herod did to the Damsel.* My pe
tition and request was, if I had found favour in the sight

* We extract this promise from St. Matthew, xiv. 6. 7. 8.
"But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of He
rodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
" Whereupon he promised, with an oath, io give her whatever
she would ask.
"And she being before instructed of her mother, said,
' Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.' "
N°. 3. e

62 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

ofthe Lord, that he would defend us from the foreign
enemy, that the heathen nations might not say, ' Where
is now the God in whom they trusted? that Satan might
be cut off from the earth, as John the Baptist was. I shall
not mention all I asked in prayer; but you will see
the answer of the Spirit to it. ' But there are storms
arising; and those that clearly discern the days that are
come will shelter themselves against the storm, and
screen themselves when it comes ; but thousands will
perish through unbelief, and many will perish through
want of knowledge ; but every wise man will be like
Solomon — search out the mystery, to judge for them
selves ; but fools will judge of things they know nothing
about, and stop their ears, like the dead adder, that will
not listen to the voice of the charmer, charm he never
so wisely. By such I am sure to be cursed ; but this
it must* be to fulfil the Revelation — The dragon was
wroth with the woman, and casts out floods against her;
and this he will do in the hearts of men : so I may
say, with David, ' If Shimea curse, let him curse; for
the Lord hath bidden him ;' — and as our Saviour said
to Judas, ' What thou dost, do quickly.' As to my
friends, 1 love and esteem them ; and my daily prayers
shall be for them. As to my enemies, I forgive and
pity, knowing this must be, to fulfil the Scripture : but
they cannot hurt me ; for I am dead to the world, and
the world to me. By my own master I must stand or
fall. Deep is the mystery of my writing eight years,
and keeping it sealed up, and putting it in print the
new century. This is a deep type to the land, that I
shall explain in my other writing?. Deep is the mys
tery of the tree of knowledge being good and evil

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 64

Iam Alpha and Omega, the beginning and tht
ending  the first shall be last, and the last shall
be first : so the knowledgfe of the evil fruit came the
first, the knowledge of the good fruit must come last.
" I shall add some that are mysterious at present ; but
to me is easily known ; arid the reader will see it
clearly hereafter. Could ybu see all my writings through
io one volume, you would be truly convinced it was of
God; but that I cannot take out in a twelve month
how the Bible is explained, and what shall happen to
every nation upon earth.
" I shall now add the copy of a letter that I sent to a
minister in 1796, after he had disputed with me, that
'the marriage of the Lamb was to take place in hea
ven.' I said, 'No; the marriage of the Lamb meaneth
when he cometh to unite all nations, to be as one sheep
under one shepherd, and Christ to be the shepherd of
the whole. The Lamb's wife meant a woman, that al!
these things should be revealed to; and readiness was
perfect obedience to all the commands of the Lord.'
He seemed at a loss to believe it. I was ordered to send
him the following letter:
' Now, this to him I bid thee write :
If thou art not the bride,
Tell him to bring one that is right.
My GospePs so applied,
For to the fulness it cannot come,
Until the bride be found :
Out qf her closet she must go,
With jewels deck'd around.
For here's the pearl of 'great prt'te,
And unto thee 'tis given;.

04> HISTORY OF REHGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
And are these jewels of no use ;
Then she shall enter heaven,
In white appear before me there,
While you in grief will mourn ;
And all shall know her words are true,
For vengeance fast shall come .
In heaven the wonder first was seen,
And you may wonder here.
The woman clothed with the sun
Shall make all nations fear;
Then let the stars begin to shine,
And publish my decree.
If these refuse, I'll others choose,
Though fatal destiny
To those that disobey their call;
'Tis me she hath obey'd.
The woman stands condemn'd by all,— ¦
Was man by her misled ?
Then now by her he must come back
That paradise will regain.
In her I'll break the serpent's neck,
And will set free her chain,
She poured the ointment on my head,
And a good work she wrought ;
And with her tears she wash'd my feet,
Let man deny her not;
For at the cross the woman stood,
The sword went thro' her soul,
While my Disciples saw and fled,
And so they left me all.
No woman in the company,
When hands on me was laid ;
And Pilate's wife did pity me,
When Judas had betray'd.
When from the grave I did arise,
I ask, who there was first.
Then let the sons of men be wise,
If women love me best.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 66
Have I her life and senses spar'd,
For to assume the bride f
Then let the sons of men beware,
That she be not denied.
More fatal now than Adam's fall
Twill happen to the man.
For in the dark the light doth shine,
Your eyes are dazzled here ;
And will you shudder at the thought
To see the mystery clear ?
Gr will you, like the Jews of old,
Keep seals upon the tomb ?
Or will you bribe the keepers here,
The truth may not be known?
Then soon to others I'll appear,
In the highway I'll go ;
And this command, without delay,.
I bid thee hasty do.'
Here follows a collected mass of incoherent rhapsodies,
with which we will not presume to tire our readers. We
cannot, however, resist adding her explanation of the 19th
chapter of the Revelations :.
" Now I shall begin with the 19th chapter ofthe Reve
lations. After I had seen the truth of my writings come
on, and my faith began to grow strong, in January, 1794,
I was powerfully visited with these words : " I will say
to the south,. Give up ; and to the north, Keep not back.
I will call my sons from afar, and my daughters fromthe
ends of the earth." I was earnest in prayer, to know the
meaning, and was answered, " Knowest thou not the
words of thy Saviour* The kingdom of heaven is like unto
a woman having a little leaven, which she hideth in thret
measures qf meal, until the whole be leavened. And now
I will open to thy view the Revelations; and when thou
« 2

•6 HISTORY OF RELIpIOUS IMPOSTURES.
hast leavened it, thou shall leaven the whole lump ; for,
as I kept nothing from Abraham, so I keep nothing from
thee; for the Lamb is come, and the Bride hath made her
self ready. By thy obedience thou hast done it ; and the
end of all things is at hand." These words threw me in a
flood of tears. I put down my pen and was silent. I
thought it too high for me, and would not write it ; but I
was answered, ' The marriage of the Lamb meaneth the
uniting of all nations together, to be as sheep under one
shepherd ; and Christ to be the shepherd of the whole. —
By the Lamb's wife was meant a woman, that all this
should be revealed to ; and she should be in perfect obe
dience to all the commands of the Lord. Readiness is
obedience ; and for thee to conceal these things would be
as wrong as it would be in Mary to conceal the nativity
of Christ, for fear men should think it was pride and vain
glory in her. Fear not the judgments of Men. The
Lord is thy judge, and knows thy heart. To conceal the
secrets of a king is honourable; but toconceal the secrets
of the Lord is sinful ; for the Lord will never reveal to
man what he thinks proper to conceal to himself.'
These arguments made me peri them, unworthy as I am
to receive them. But, knowing it is not our merits, but
Christ's mercies, that we are what we are, 1 was answer
ed, " None is before nor after another; none is greater
nor less than another ; but he that is greatest amongst
you let him be your minister ; he that is chiefest amongst
you shall be a servant to you all.' Deep and weighty
reasons were assigned to me, why I had gone through
so strange and singular a life, as my readers Will see here
after. Then was explained to me the 7th chap. Matt, of

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 67
our Saviour in the Mount. The winds blew, and the
storms descended, and it fell not, for it was founded on a
rock; but he that built on the sand, the storms came, and
the wind blew, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.
The meaning of these words is, ' The powers of darkness
that hath strongly assaulted thee, and all the powerful
persuasionof thy friends that hath tried to prevent thee;
but thy faith fell not, for it was founded on the rock of
ages; and the words of thy Saviour shall be made mani
fest in thee, and by thee : but those that build on the
sand are these that build on their own wisdom ; and when
the winds blew, and the storms descend, (that is, when
the truth of all come upon them;) their wisdom will fall,
and great will be the fall thereof, for man's wisdom will
all fall together.' "
Being convinced ofthe state of mind under, which this
disordered devotee to superstition at this time laboured,
we should be induced to leave her hereto pity and obli
vion, did not our task impose upon us the promise we have
made, and urge a hope that, in the completion of that pro
mise, we shall benefit mankind ; we, therefore, shall in
sert a few more ofthe licentious effluxions of her confused
imagination ; and then conclude with such appropriate
remarks as befit so singular, and, as circumstances have
made it, so interesting a subject.
" When I had written these things," Joanna proceeds,
•' I was reading, one Sunday, in the Bible, 21st chapter
of Revelation, Come hither, and I will shew t/iee the
Bride, the Lamb's iVife. And he carried me away in the
spirit unto a great high mountain, where I saw the New
Jerusalem descending out of heaven. Hearing these words,

88 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTUKES..

I blushed, though alone by myself, and began to doubt
by what Spirit I bad written, or what I had believed,
I Went up and was earliest in prayer, and was answered,
" Thoii Wast in the spirit,, when thou sawest the new
Jerusalem descending, with all the host of heaven; and
thou wast on a high mountairi, wherfe John saw the
Spirit. The Spirit is the Spirit of God, that hath visit
ed thee. What do they make of the Spirit and the
Bride ? What do they make of their Bibles?"
Having,, we trust, given ample, sufficient, and satis
factory testimonies of Joanna's principles of prophecy,
and her manner of disseminating them, we will not
detain- the reader's attention any longer on such,, in
themselves, trifles ; but state to our fellow creatures.
the extravagant notions this poor' distracted being
has formed to herself in the following anecdotes of her
life, to the present period, by way of convincing all
who are not desirous of being wilfully hood-winked by
subtilty. From the year 1793 to 1801, Joanna endeavoured to
get herself noticed by some of the dignitaries of the
established church, but in every effort she failed. In
the year 1799 she addressed a letter to Dr. Buller, then
Bishop of Exeter, in which are the following- curious
expressions : —
" Here your Lordship may be lost in Wonder, how
Satan shall fall by a woman's hand. Mysterious as it
may appear, yet very clear it is explained to me, by
my perfect obedience to the commands of the Lord,
who made the same promise to me, as Herod did to the
damsel; and I was ordered to ask in writing  and my

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 09
petition and request was, If I had found favour in
the sight of the Lord, that Satan might be cut off
from the face of the earth, as John the Baptist was. I
was answered, the Lord would grant my petition, and
give me my request ; and I should seal it up with three
seals, and carry it with me to the altar, when I received
the sacrament. — I did; and was then answered,
' what I have spoken by my Spirit, sealed with my
seal, I will now seal with my blood.' — But it is said
to me, ' It is a man must raise thy hand
And tell thee to grow wise,
Like Herod's damsel to go on,
Then all shall gain the prize.
When men begin as she did then
Aud like Herodias burn,
To wound the foe, as she did so,
I will like Herod come.'
" The man strengthened the woman's hand by the
fall, and he must strengthen her hand to bring it back.
What God designed at first, he will accomplish at last.
It is not all the power of hell can prostrate the designs
or purposes of the Most High. The Lord made the
woman to complete the happiness of man, and by her it
must be done."
What she wished to impress upon the bishop and the
other church dignitaries was, the great end jof her suc
cessive prophecies which she declared to be " to warn
the whole world at large, that the second coming of
Christ is nigh at hand; and to shew, from the Fall, that
the promise that was made to the woman at first must
be accomplished at last," and in her $ex too, " before

70 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

Man's complete " Redemption can take place.5' Christ
is himself brought to declare all this,: by the Spirit who
communicates with Joanna; as, for instance, where it
is thus said —
' Por man's .transgressions I did die,
And for them did atone ;
But still the Woman's guilt doth lie,
TiU Satan feels his doom I
Tken, can you not the mystery see ?
The Woman's Promise it must come,
Who cast her guilt alone un he.
When I did make the Woman first,
I said from her the good shall burst!
For man could not be good alone,
The woman must his helpmate come.
And now his helpmate doth appear
With prophecies no man can clear'
' Word to the Wise/
The incessant impulsions of her wandering spirit, at
last induced the ministers and the friends who wished
her weU, to conclude that she was really bereft of her
proper understanding.
But no advice, no restraint, could impede her vanity,
Determined to increase her proselytes, she, in 1801
printed the five first parts of what she very properly
denominated *' Strange Effects of Faith."
This induced seven gentlemen to pay her a visit at
Exeter, in order, as it has been said, to ascertain the
nature of her mission. " Now I shall inform my readers,"
says Joanna, in her continuation ofthe prophecies, 1813,
p. 54, " why the Lord permitted seven men to come
down, and no more, to fulfil the law. By the seven,
stars are meant the seven spirits of God ;, for the spirits.

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 71
T" — i ill 
of the Lord are but one spirit. The'five wise virgins in
the New Testament, (which alludes* to'the'jfoe Evange
lists; being joined to the aforesaid seven, men, make the
twelve spoken of in the Revelation, to bring in the
twelve tribes of Israel.
" Some men have written to me, that they are called
of God to be chosen with me ; I think proper to tell them
here, that I know them not. None are chosen with me
but such as are revealed to me."
We heartily join with Joanna in what follows, and
we express as much sorrow, though in a very different
mind, as she can possibly do. " And I am sorry to say
many false prophets and false Christs are risen up in
the world;" we go no further; but suffer Joanna to
proceed in her own way: "for," continues she, "I
have heard them, and have their letters to testify against
them, wherein they assert that they are the saviours of
the world ; so that the Gospel of Christ is fulfilling every
way, and the end is at hand. But let no man judge
himself the saviour of the world. The plan of salva
tion was laid at the creation; and''^— mind her own
words — " no prophet can arise but what is spoken of in
holy writ." Attend to what follows. " A prophet like
Jonah was to appear ; and he has appeared in Mr. Bro
thers; and therefore our Saviour said, " I was sick and
in prison, and ye visited me not."
" And Joel's words must first come true,
Before I make an end ;
The Revelations to your view
Must make the learned bend.
The woman clothed with the sun
You'll find must first appear;
The marriage ofthe lamb must come;
My seal it must appear.

72 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

All this is done by my command,
Then judge your summer nigh ;
For my elect shall ever stand,
And Abba, Father, cry.
Tis spoke of thee, let all rnen see,
That such one must arise;
So if your Bibles plain you see,
There's none can blind your eyes :
For what impostor can take place,
If wisely you discern i
Tis but a dark benighted race,
That fools can ever harm."
Such a specimen of disarranged intellect as is above
exhibited, happily for mankind, rarely occurs. Let
our readers only glance at the coincidence attempted
here, and the most fastidious must be soon convinced.
The Virgin Mary and Joanna Southcott ! — the prophet
Jonah and Richard Brothers! — Surely, surely these
are sufficient evidences of a " mind diseased."
However, Joanna, having, as she imagined, enlisted
dupes sufficient in Devonshire, bent her steps towards
the metropolis in 1803. Here she issued her proclama
tions in the public newspapers, summoning all to attend
what she called her second trial at High House, Pad-
dington, against the 23d of January.
On the day appointed, those who had attended her
at Exeter, with many more, met to take the verity of
Joanna's mission a second time into consideration.—
None, however, attended but Joanna's proselytes, and
their determination was the same as at Exeter, no op-
poser making his appearance. We will insert one of
the " Thoughts" of these seven wise men on so im
portant a subject : —

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 73
" Third Thought.
" Honour, glory, and blessing, be unto our God and
our dear Redeemer, Jesus Christ.- How shall we praise
the Lord for his goodness to the children of men, for his
having revealed such knowledge to babes and sucklings,
when to the wise and learned of this world he has de
nied it ! How wonderful has this Sixth Book laid open
the mysteries of the Bible, and has furnished the servants
qf the Most High God with such weapons, as neither the,
powers of darkness, nor all the wickednesses of men,
will be able to stand a moment before them! May, we,
put on the whole armour of God ! may we be strong,
firm, faithful, and obedient to our blessed Saviour,
Jesus Christ! then will he send us strength, wisdom, -
faith, and courage, from his holy sanctuary; that we
may be enabled to withstand all the wiles and fiery darts
of Satan ; that we may be enabled to overcome all the
enemies and foes of the Captain of our Salvation, and,
through his blessing, be the happy instruments of esta
blishing his blessed Kingdom upon earth ;, then may we
rejoice with the oil of gladness ; because the bride halh
made herself ready, and by her perfect obedience, our
deadly foe, Satan, together with his host, will be cast
from the earth ; and that promise will be soon fulfilled,
' Of the seed of the woman bruising the Serpent's head.' "
Would any imagine that seven men, three of them.
pretended ministers of the ^Gospel, and many others
assisting, could have been found in such a nation as
Britain, where knowledge is not restrained, and the
liberal sciences flourish, to sanction such extacies of
superstition, — we had almost said Atheism !
N°. 3. h 4

74" HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

But it seems that Joanna has since discovered that her
second mission was designed to shadow forth to her,
even eleven years since,. the forthcoming of the King of
the Jews, though, by the bye, she failed to compre
hend the meaning of the spirit. " When I ordered thee
to- call together thy judges," observes the Spirit to her
in her Third Book of Wonders, " to prove thy writings,
and, make them public to the world, and when the peo
ple were assembled together, I ordered The Box,
where the Whitings were placed, to be put upon a
table, but not to be opened, nor the cord broken, till
thou (Joanna) hadst brought in a little Child in thy
anms, which was Foley's son. And I ordered thee to
place Him on the box, to stand in tlie midst of the con
gregation with a bride-cake in his hand; and then I or
dered that all the congregation should kiss the child.
Then know with what eagerness they all took ihe child
from one to the other, and kissed him : and though the
company was large, know the child smiled upon all,
which was remarked by them. Know, I placed him as
one of the judges; but no one knew for what ends I
ordered this lo be done, as the type and shadow were
hidden from all ! Then I ordered the. cord to be cut,
and to be cut to pieces! then, know my answer. — As
they cut the cord, so would the nations be cut, before
that child was old enough to know good from evil ; but
the depth of knowing good from evil cannot be known
by the child yet; but mark what hath happened upon
the nations abroad, since January, 1803, that this was
done. Here is the first type of the Child standing
alone, to make up the twelve. Now come to the second,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. IS
'  —  <— «— — ™==^
when I ordered them to call all the witnesses together, to
have the truth proved, of what they iknew concerning
my visitation to thee from the beginning; and then I or
dered that strangers and unbelievers should be invited the
second time to come forward, and if they proved the visi
tation not from the Lord, then to their judgment I said
thou shouldst give up ; but know, they refused to come
forward, and pass their judgment. Then I ordered the
writings to be proved'by the witnesses, and their farther
judgment was given from the truth they heard from the
witnesses ; then I placed the child the second time to stand
es a judge with man ; and with men he held up his hands,
-in the petition to have the power of evil destroyed, that my
'kingdom might be established in righteousness and peace.
-Here is the second type of the child, hidden from all,
why I ordered this to be done. But now come lo the third,
which I have compared to thy awful trial'; which, as I
have told thee, a trial may be awful and serious, though
the end may be glorious to them that believe, but awful
and fatal to them that now mock."
At this meeting, such a decision having passed in Jo*
anna's favour, the metropolis soon teemed faith various
bulletins of her wonderful pretensions. But all did not
seem to consummate her wishes, till a third meeting or
trial should take place. Her wishes were complied with ;
and the meeting was held during the month of Decem
ber, 1804, at the Neckinger House, near Bermondsey,
which lasted for seven days, but none except her devo
tees attended. At this trial Joanna's feelings are best de
scribed by herself:
" When the gentlemen," says she, " entered the roqrai

76 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
the clergy entering first, she felt her tongue tied, and
was not able to speak : and, as her friends came in, her
confusion increased, and, in her own mind, she thought
she should have fainted away ; but, to her great astonish
ment, when all had entered, though she felt, as it were,
dying before, she was as a giant refreshed with new wine,
without pain, sickness, or weakness: she stood up, and
felt the Spirit of the Lord enter within her ; to call them
all to the remembrance of the fall: and, when she told
them of .the promise made to the woman, to bruise the
serpent's head, every man in the room held up his hand,
to join with her in claiming the promise !"
It was natural to suppose, that those who had exhibited
such convictions in Joanna's favour at Exeter would not
recede from a similar approbation in London, where the
corps was strengthened by the junction of Mr, Carpenter,
at that time an agent in conducting the paper manufac
tory under the firm of Koops and Co. This assembly was
numerous, as appears by the signatures, among which are
those of some clergymen. These men took upon them,
after the whole of what is called " The Trial" was gone
through, to publish the following:—
" Neckinger House, Bermondsey, near London,
December 11, 1804.
" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being
invited, by divine command, for seven days, ta the exa
mination of Joanna Southcott's prophecies, do individu.
ally, and voluntarily avow, by our separate signatures',
our firm belief, that her prophecies and other spiritual
communications emanate wholly and entirely from the

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 77
 ¦" ' - -  r-«==t

spirit of the living Lord." — Book of the Trial, p. 133.—
This is confirmed hy the fifth resolution,- page 79, thus—
',* Fromthe examinations of Joanna's writings it doth ap
pear to us that she *is visited by the Spirit of the living
God." We ought surely to consider this as a leading imposture,
fraught with profanation against the Deity, and to serve
different ends and purposes against mankind ; and topass
every morbid heat of passion and blind zeal as a sacred
fire, an holy impression, an influence of the Holy Ghost,
when no other operation existed but crazy fancy, issurely
an extraordinary illapse of blasphemy, an ignis fatuus of
religious sedition, promulgated by these enthusiasts.
But let us hear what some of these illurainati have to
assert in their vindication. Mr. William Sharp, one of
the principal, thus addresses himself to his readers in a
pamphlet, entitled. An Answer to tlie World. ^-Speaking
of Joanna, he says, '
" From the year 1792 to the end ofthe year 17 94, her
Writings were sealed up; and, after being witnessed,
wtve put out of her possession, and the same caution was
observed at the end of each succeeding year. Every
time they were placed in the hands of persons of credit,
until the arrival of myself and friends at Exeter, when,
at our departure, which was at the beginning of January,
1302, the whole of her sealed writings were put in om?
possession, properly sealed and witnessed. The- box,
containing, the greater part,, was given to my care ; and
I think it necessary to add, that whilst I was at Bath,
en my return from Exeter to- London, I had a large case
Btadej which enclosed the whole boxj for the cord*
h 2

7B HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
round the box were sealed with seven seals, and I had a
quantity of tow also put between the box and the rope. —
Neither was it possible for us to be deceived respecting
the identity ofthe writings, which remained secured with
us until they were conveyed by me to High-House, Pad-
dington, where the box and parcels were first opened,
and the seals broken, in the presence of above forty per.
sons, assembled together by public notice, in the begin
ning of January, 1803. And after the writings were
thus taken out, each paper was signed by three persons
before they were-delivered to Joanna, for them afterwards
to be copied off,-
" After my belief was fixed* that ber visitation, wa3
from the God of Heaven and Earth, it was my duty to be
lieve that she would be faithful to his word and his pro
mises. The wisdom ofthe Most High had provided a re
medy that his image might not be- lost in man, by the
promise first ma.Ie after his creation, to make him an help
mate in the woman; and it was to. her, and not to the
man, that Ihe promise was made, after the fall, that her
seed should bruise the serpent's head.* Woman is to' be
prepared, as. the bride is adorned for her husband ; there
fore, whatever woman is to receive Christ in the spirit-,
must be prepared in such manner that her desires must
be to, him, and to him alone ! I am convinced that
'-Joanna has, in various ways, been in preparation froma,

* " God lajd his plan in the creation," says Joanna, " te
make room for man's redemption by the woman, whom he
created for man's good ; and this by casting her blame on Sa-
.tan's headt which every soul will find in the end."

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 19
-' ' ' ' ' * '
Spirit invisible, hefore the year 1792, when the 'Spirit
vf Prophecy was first given to her. Had she not been
thus gradually prepared before that period., the sudden
ness of the extraordinary visitatiou would have been too
powerful for nature to bear ; neither could she have had
that confidence in the truth ofthe Spirit, if she had not be
fore had proofs respecting herself, and in herown life, in
many instances.
" She wrote," continues Mr. Sharp, " of what would
happen," (concerning the years from 1792 to 1805 inclu
sively,) "and whiqh has since come to, pass."
We feel ourselves here al a loss to express in what
temper we should receive the above testimony,' bat we
do not find it difficult, from sacred writ, to form a judg
ment of its complectjon. Thatjudgmentisunanswerablej,
and as such we insert it :
" Thus saith .the Lord, thy Redeemer, and he that
formed thee from the womb, Iam the Lord that maketh
all things ; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone ; that
spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; that frustrated
the tokens of the liars, and maketh Diviners mad ; that
turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge
foolish."— Isaiah xliv..24, 25„
" Son of man, prophecy against the prophets of Israel
that prophecy, and say then unto, them that prophecy
out of their own hearts, ' Heat ye the word ofthe Lord;'
" Thus saith the Lord God, ' Woe unto the foolish pro
phets that follow their own spirir,.and have seen nothing!'
" O. Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the de
serts. «' Y"e have not gone up with the gaps, neither madetfp

50 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in
the day ofthe Lord.
"And they have seen vanity and lying divination,
-saying, ' The Lord saith,' and the Lord hath not sent
them ; and. tbey have made others to hope that they
would confirm the word.
" Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spo
ken a lying divination, whereas ye say, ' The Lord saith
it ;' albeit I have not spoken ?
" Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, ' Because ye
have spoken vanity and seen lies, therefore behold I am
against you,' saith the Lord God.
" And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see
vanity and that divine lies : they shall not be in the as
sembly of my people, neither shall they be written in
the writing ofthe bouse of Israel, neither shall' they enter
into the land of Israel ; and ye shall know that I am the
Lord God.
" Because, even because they have seduced my people,
saying, Peace, and there was no peace ; and one built
up a wall, and, Io ! others described it with untempered
mortar. •Say unto them which daub it with untempered
mortar, that it shall fall : there shall be an overflowing
•hower; and ye. Oh, great hailstones, shall fall; and a
stormy wind, shall rend it." Ezekiel, xiii. 2, 3, 4, 5, &6;
It was after the delivery of her papers to Mr. Sharp'
that Joanna was ordered to come to London, and she
was informed by some spirit or other, " that she should
i>ot return from the metropolis till her writings bad
heen proved." .

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.' 81

In Lpndon she found a competitor in the ominous
faculty of Joseph Preseott, a youth about eighteen
years of age, who had also been end»ed with the gift
of beholding extraordinary pioJigies, even since the
year 1-793 ; but his innate faculties had not been re
vealed to her; and she says, that "hitherto he had
been quite unknown to her, and she lo him';" conse
quently must have been carrying on his phantasma un
der a different firm. However, after her writings had
been proved, she fell in with this lad on the 28th of Fe
bruary, 1803, at which time Mr. Carpenter, thinking it
might turn out a good speculation, engaged our pro
phetess to join in the concern, andon the 4th of March,
Joanna began her explanations of young Joseph's panto
mimic appearances. Mr. Carpenter profited by the
trade it brought in, he contrived a chapel out of the
profits, which he called, most impiously under such cir
cumstances, " The House of God !" and plaistered the
walls ofthe Chapel with Joseph's revelations, explained
by Joanna, which are still exposed to the contempt of
rational men, and the pity of the charitable.
A busy medler has taken upon him to assert, that all
these visions were originally drawings taken in a French
ship. We do not say that this is true cr false ; how
ever, as Joseph is still living, and in a different line of
life from that kind of deception, it rests with him; and
we hope that, he is inclined' to be very communica
tive, and to say how far he was instructed to dream f and
how far the real truth justified him in his inventions upon
Mr. Carpenter's walls?
We know not whether we ought to apologize ta oar;

$2 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
female readers,, particularly for what follows ; but re-
, lying on their indulgence, considering what we have
to wade through, we will-proceed without farther apo
logy =—
About the end of July, 1802, Satan took alarm at
Joanna's Sealing of the People, who desired to destroy
him, and the Lord gave him liberty to contend with
her; but he was not allowed to appear to her visibly.
" If," says she, " I stood out with strong faith in Christ,
and did not suffer him to speak without any answer, I
was assured I should overcome the Devil at last, as he
did the woman at first. So I ran the hazard of my life,
to contend with the powers of darkness; but the Lord
.protected me, according to his promise, and, gave me an
answer to Satan's words." Satan, however, had threat
ened to tear her to pieces, unless she consented to de
stroy her Seals, and suppress her witnesse.". * Thou
infamous b***h!* said Satan, enraged at the opposition
he met with, 'thou hast been flattering God, that he
may stand thy friend ! Such low cunning art, I despise:!
Thou wheening wretch ! stop thy d*mn'd eternal
tongue! God had done something, to choose a b***h of
a woman, that will down argue the Devil, and scarce
give him room to speak !' Satan was, at length, fairly
tired out, and, perceiving that his assaults were quite
unavailing, he left the prophetess to claim the' victory.
She has risen far above his reach, proving, as she some
where tells us, that — '* if ithe woman is not ashamed of
herself, the Devil cannot shame her."*
 '  s
* It is remarkable, (says Mr. Lane) that Joanna dreams
so much about tlie Devil, whom she once saw like a pig, with

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 83

It is Sealing which, occasioned such alarm in Satan's
breast, and which constifutes, according to Joanna, the
ushering in of the Millenium, by sealing the faithful
for the enjoyment of it, to the number of one hundred
and forty-four thousand. Half a sheet of paper is pro
vided, on which are written the following words : 
' The Sealed of the Lord — the Elect and Precious-^Man's
Redemption — To inherit the Tree of Life— To be made Heirs
qf God, and Joint-Heirs with Jesus Christ — Joanna South
cott.' The writing (within a mystical circle, about six
inches diameter) is in a good plain hand; to which
is added her own signature, a wretched scrawl.. The
seals, with red wax, are outside, and, in general,
poorly impressed on the wax. Whenever a person is to
be sealed, he writes his name on a list provided for that
purpose : this is called signing for Satan's destruction, as
he thereby signifies his wish, that Satan may soon be
destroyed ; that is, banished from the earth. When
the list is signed, the person in office seals up the letter,
writes the person's name on it that it is for, with the
words, " Not -to be broken open," and then delivers it
into his hands; and the person is sealed.*

his mouth tied. Another time she skinned his face with her
nails after a fierce battle. She afterwards thought that
she had bitten off his fingers, when his blood tasted sweet;
and, finally, she dreamt that she had positively dispatched
him! * Theimpression is performed with the seal that Joanna found
in sweeping her house, and which she threw by inte the tiU

84 History of religious impostures.
___  - ,
The prophetess's power now became apparently su
preme, and at its height; for, would it be believed, that,
in the nineteenth century, there were persons so super
stitious, when in the last gasp of their mortal frames, as
to crave that one of Joanna's seals might be placed in
of her box; but the Spirit one day ordered her to look for it,
when she found the letters J. C. were engraven on it, with
Two Stars ; the initial J. being by the spirit to her interpreted
to stand both for Jesus and Joanna, and that of C. for Christ.
The" stars were hereafter to signify those of morning and
evening; Jesus being the Morning Star and Joanna the
Evening Star ! !
"Annexed to her Sealing, (says Mr. Lane,) is this hierogly.
pbic (J. C.) the two initials upon which, says an anonymous
contemporary writer, I can only understand to mean infernal
commission, believing that Joanna acts under the immediate
direction of Satan !"'
But the prophetess still defends the validity of the Seals,
as the impartial reader will perceive by the ensuing extract
from her Word to the Wise. " And now you see," declares
the Spirit to Joanna, " Men have begun to write their
Names — for the desire of my kingdom; as I said it was
hastening on. And now they are fulfilling my words; and
they shall be welcomed in with the Bridegroom — when I come
to bring on the midnight hour for man— then they shall be
known to me from their Thames, who wish for my kingdom;
so all is shewn in the visions as I told thee." — Again, " It is
not thy prophecies," continues the Spirit, speaking to Joanna,
" that- complete their happiness, but the sealing of their names,
that they have signed for Satan's destruction, and their desire
for my kingdom, that must complete their happiness in the
end. So man is an helpmate with thee, and thou with man ;
for this shall' complete the happiness for man. And it is
for the sake of these, that elect me for their chosen priest and
king, that Satan's reign shalt be shortened. So these are the
elect, for whose sake he shall be cast down,"

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. S5

their coffins, that their souls might be more quickly
wafted to the realms of immortality ! — It is to be hoped,
that Joanna's advocates will not insist, that such circum
stances did not happen within the last four years ! —
We now adventure upon a part of our subject, which
renders it highly necessary that we should make use of
all our circumspection. Our publisher has been served
with the Copy of a Writ in the Cturt of Common Pleas,
at the suit of Jane Townley, for (as the Writ declares)
" with force and arms the close of the'said Jajie, (our
publisher and one John Doe,) broke, and other wrongs
did, to the great damage of the said Jane," &c. We do
not plead guilty to this accusation ; for the name of Jane
Townley has not, as yet, been mentioned by us, in the
whole load of recrement through which we have been
compelled hitherto to wade; and we shall take as much
care as possibly we can, consistently with good manners
and with truth, toavoid mentioning names, except as mere
extracts from Joanna's own publications, as they seve
ral 1}' occur.
And having hitherto shunned any personality, except
mentioned by Joanna herself, we cannot form any con
ception on what grounds this action in the Court of Com
mon Pleas has commenced. The only thought which
has intruded itself on the subject is, that Joanna, finding
that the Prince Regent, the Nobility, the most and right
reverend the Bishops, &c. &c. &c. having refused
any participation in her vile blasphemies, she may
have been, in the visions ofthe night, ordered, by some
mischievous spirit or other, to bring the action against
the publisher, that her mission may be argued in a
N\ 3. i

86 HISTORY of religious impostures.

court of law ; and as a matter, hitherto unworthy of faith,
to be proclaimed to mankind, and her mission establish-
-ed or refuted by the verdict of twelve other men, than/
those to which she has hitherto been accustomed to
state her claims.. Should the sentence of that court
declare that we have really done any injury to Joanna
Southcott, to any Jane Townley, or to any other Town-
ley with whom she- may be in intimacy, we trust that
we shall never be ashamed to own that we have been
in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that
we are wiser to-day than we were yesterday. Yet ex-
¦oept a court of justice — the Court of Common Pleas, for
instance — should so far make an abscission of its known
dignity, as not to condemn, in its utter abhorrence, what
is aimed at the pockets, the minds, and even the future
welfare of his Majesty's liege subjects, we shall still'
wade on, for a short time .longer — not too long, for the
sake of our, readers, — in completing our strictures on one
of the most base and unprincipled impostures, that has
ever disgraced the annals of Great Britain, and teeming
with all the wicked allusions that diabolieism could fa
bricate to render trifling and ridiculous the doctrines
of our divine Redeemer, and to furnish Atheism with
grounds for doubting the very existence ofthe Christian
religion ! — Should the nature of the subject, therefore,
cause the name of Townley to be introduced, accident-
ally, by way of extract from Joanna's, or any other
publication relating to her, let it be generally under
stood that we despise personalities ; but feel ourselves
compelled, to analyze and condemn what we consider
wore terrible than a. lie. Possessing such sentiments,

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. S7

and under such circumstances, we proceed fearlessly,,
because not doubting of the consequences.
¦ The conflicts of Joanna have been described as terri
ble, attacked, as she says she has been, by the powers
of darkness, and their prince; but Joanna has also oc
casionally been favoured with celestial visitants; though,.
like all 'angel-visits,' such scenes are comparatively but
•few, and far between.' When she has conflicted with
Satan for seven days, an hour's consolation in the presence
of her Saviour has amply compensated her. " Sunday, June
24, 180*," Miss Townley says, in her published Letter,
that, after "admiring the beauty of the wisdom of the
Lord,'' concerning " the wondrous manner he was work
ing," and declaring '* she would not go one step from his
directions for the whole world," that, now, " rivers of
joy ran through her mind," that " she felt her heart too
full to keep silence, got out of bed, walked up and down
the room as quick as possible, and said she felt herself
so full she should burst if Mrs. T. did not put down
the communication she was copying." June the 25th,,
the same year, "a little after ten o'clock at night, Joanna
was ordered to take up her bed and walk!" Getting
out of bed, she at first walked hastily up and down the
room, till, at last, the Spirit of the Lord entered iwtfc
her with power. And, ' as Satan had walked up and
down the earth hitherto,' she said, ' the Lord would
walk up and down the earth now:' but should he appear
in his own person, should he appear in his own power,
should he appear in his own majesty, they would trem
ble to stand before him. Therefore ' He was come, in
the Spirit, in the Woman, to declare his Father's will

88 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES. *¦¦ •' •
unto MenV and they (Townley and Underwood) were
the two Witnesses. " I," adds Miss T. " laid upon the
bed, perfectly quiet and composed, listening to all she
said ; and Underwood stood at the foot ofthe bed, look
ing at her and listening with the same attention, but
neither of us felt any fear. Joanna saith ' she felt nothing
but joy and power.'"
In addition to this, Joanna declares, that " AH of a
sudden, the Spirit entered me with such power and fury,
that my senses seemed lost ; I felt as though I had power
to shake the house down, and yet I felt as though I
could walk in air, but did not remember any words I
said." Townley addn, " that the room shook vio
lently." How far religious sentiments were at one time service
able to Joanna, by counteracting an earthly flame, we
will not take upon us to discuss, as it is now immaterial
to learn : it is, however, matter of regret, considering
the turn of her character, that her love, instead of being
subdued by religion, should have become mingled with
her operative sensations of faith. '« The profaneness of
gallantry,'' observes Gilbert Stuart, in his View of the
Progress of Society in Europe, " disturbed and deform
ed the meditations of the most pious. Religion was em
ployed to give a poignancy to the disorders of prostitu
tion and lust ;" and " the devotee was to look up to the
Virgin with the eyes of a lover, and to contemplate the
beauties of her person and the graces of her carriage."
But this profaneness of gallantry, though practised in
the times of popery, is happily impracticable to man
kind under the reformed faith, nor can it be indulged

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 89
by the weaker sex except their other faculties are
disordered. But there is reason to fear that the delirium of sensuality
is sometimes found combined with the frenzy of fanati
cism, and that carnality may be gratified under the
imagination of spirituality. Who can peruse the follow
ing vision, for example, related by Miss Townley in the
pamphlet entitled " Letters and Communications of Jo
anna Southcott," and not be offended and staggered at
ike disclosure of such scenes? — Monday evening, July
the 2d, 1804, it seems that Joanna tried to compose
herself, after a hard contest with the Devil, when
" at last, she fell asleep ; and whether awake or asleep,"
continues Miss Townley, •* she does not know, but she
remembers she was jquite awake when she felt the hand of
the Lord upon her, but in that heavenly and beautiful
manner that she felt joy unspeakable and fpll of glory.
Site felt herself laying as it were in Heaven, in the hands
qf the Lord, and was afraid tp move, fearing ske should
remove his heavenly hand which she felt as perfect as ever
woman felt the hand of her 'husband."
[We should be glad to know, Joanna professing her.
self a virgin, how she became acquainted with such sen*
sations, as to know the-difference ?]
Here the Lamb's Wife herself takes up the tale.
" In this happy manner," affirms Joanna, " I fell
asleep ; and in my sleep I was surprised with seeing a.
most beautiful and heavenly figure, that arose from the
bed, between Townley and me. He arose, and turned
himself backwards towards the feet of the bed ; and his
fe,ead almost reached the tester of the bed ; but his fee*
12

DO HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
was towards me, which appeared with beauty and majesty,
but pale as death. His hair was a flaxen colour, all in
disorder around his face. His face was covered with
strong perspiration, and his locks were wet like the
dew of night, as though they had been taken out of a
river. The collar of his shirt appeared unbuttoned, and
the skin of his bosom appeared white as the driven snow.
Such was the beauty of the heavenly figure that ap
peared before me in a disordered state; but the robe
he. had on was like a surplice, down to his knees. He
put out one of his legs to me, that was perfectly like
mine, no larger; but with purple spots at the top, as
mine are with beating myself, which Townley, Under
wood, and Taylor are witnesses of. Methought, in my
dream, he got himself into that perspiration by being
pressed to sleep between Townley and me. I said to
him, ' Are you my dear dying Saviour, that is come to
destroy all the works of the Devil ?' he answered me,
* Yes !' I thought I called Underwood and waked Town-
ley, to look at him, which they did with wonder and
amaze. I then thought 1 would go out of my bed, and
fall down on my knees, to return him thanks for his
mercy and goodness : but, as soon as these thoughts en
tered my head, he disappeared, and a woman appeared
in his stead, which gave me pain to see he was gone,
J>ut the woman told me many wonderful things that
were coming upon the earth, and what was coming upon
the devil ; yet I grieved at the loss of my dear Redeem
er, for I saw no beauty in the woman; and, though
the woman would reason strong with me, her reasons I
did not like. In this confusion I awoke, and heard the

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 91
bell tolling for the dead at the same time: which I re
marked to Townley."
" It implies no love to God, that men aspire to be
bishops, or archdeacons, or shepherds of the flocks; for
these all preach for hire. Striving lo convince the
world ofthe Second Coming of Christ, however, is an
evidence of divine love, since such characters have no
present prospect of reward." Now, "as she stood out
and with courage,"' during the grand contest with
Satan, which lasted seven days, besides otbersore con
flicts with the powers of darkness, the Spirit has assured
her that it shall ever rest as- a blessing on all women
that believe in Joanna : for as Eve's disobedience rest
ed on the one hand, so shall Joanna's obedience rest
on the other hand, from generation to generation, till
time is no more. So say not (affirms the Spirit) that
she only is blessed ; for they that believe in her, must
believe in Me: it is my spirit, not her spirit, whom ye
believe in ; and whom men persecute also — for they have
opened, by persecuting her, all My wounds afresh, and put
Me again to open shame I"
Though, in her former writings, Joanna entertained no
idea ofthe miraculous child-bearing since announct-d by
her, yet it is observable that, so far back as October, 1802,
the Spirit had given her some intimation on the subject.
by informing her that " the Spiritual Man, which she
was then bringing forth to the world was" — neither more
nor less than — " the Second Christ." Joanna is frank
enough to own, however, that she understood so little
of what was working in the womb of time, as to omit two
lines, in her First Book of Sealed Prophecies, revealed.

92 HISTORY of religious IMPOSTURES,
-¦I ....
to her in 1794> because they specified the piomise of her
pregnancy, —
' Ihave said, already, thou shalt have a Son ;
' Ere he can speak, all this, shall sure be done :
' Great peace in England aher that sha'l be,
' Because the remnant will believe in me !'
" I left out the two lines of having the Son, as I did
not understand it." Inspiration had assured her of the
fact, notwithstanding, and it washer duty to have pub
lished it fearlessly. How can she justify this tampering
with the truth? Other lines have been withheld in the
same manner." — Third Book of Wonders.
But, says the Spirit :
' You ne'er discern'd the Second Child;
' For here the learned all were foil-'d.'
" Marriage," declares the Spirit, speaking to Jo
anna, " was revealed to thee from the Revelation, but
concealed from thy knowledge of any visitation further
than prophecies; and, therefore, they must now look
back to see in what manner I have spoken through thy
writings, that a marriage union must take place, then to
confine thee from every man, and then in power to visit
thee myself. This is the Child, and this is the Heir,
they will find spoken of through thy Writings, and
through, the Scriptures; and yet it was concealed froni
the knowledge and understanding of all, before it was
revealed by Me : and they will find that this is the Glory
ofthe Lord, spoken of by the prophets, that all flesh
should see it together, for all shall see the glory of his
reign." October the Uth, 1813, Joanna separated herself

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 93

from society, forbidding even her female acquaintance ;
and awaited the extraordinary accomplishment of this
prediction. " This," says Joanna, " I can take my solemn oath
to ; I never had knowledge of man in my life. So that if
the words of the Spirit are fulfilled in me this year to
have a son, it is by the power of the Lord, and not of man ;
and this sign is set lo prove the truth of the Gospel, or to
prove that the Gospel is not true. For this I am answer
ed, if the visitation of the Lord does not produce a son
this year, then Jesus Christ was not the Son of God,
born in the manner spoken by the Virgin Mary ; but if
1 have a son this year, then in like manner our Saviour
was born." " Therefore I said," resumes the Spirit,
in the First Book of Wonders, —
" The woman clothed with the sun,
Should make all nations shake ;
For now the mystery I'll explain,
The Revelation break !
" It is not the Woman makes the nations shake, that
is with child, travailing in birth, and pained to be deli-
vered. but it is the Child, when he is born, when the
nations will begin to shake ; and then they will know if
thou art the woman, mentioned in the Revelation, to
hring forth the man-child." "This year, 1814, in the
sixty-fifth year of thy age, thou shalt have a Son, by the
power of the Most High !" " Being clothed with the
sun, is the sun of righteousness, to arise with healing in
his wings, to heal the Woman ofthe Fall ; but how could
it be said the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, without a spiri
tual visitation, to prove that, as the Bridegroom, I meant •
to come in spirit ?

94 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
" It is the Son, that shall be born,
Fatal for those that do him scorn ;
Because that I'll uphold his hand,
And bring destruction in the land
That doth despise the infant's birth !"
"I have felt increasing life," Joanna declares, in -her
Fifth Book of Wonders, "from the IfJthofMay, 1814,
to this day ; but never having had a child in my life, I
leave it to the judgment of mothers of children, who at
tend me,' who give their decided opinion, that is is per
fectly like a woman that is pregnant. Then now, I say,
It remains to be proved whether my feelings, and their
judgment be right or wrong, whether it is a child or
not; which a few months must decidp, or the grave must
decide for me; fori could not live to the end of this
year, with the increasing growth I have felt within so
short a space, without a deliverance. I have assigned
my reasons why I believed, and had faith to publish to
the world, that such an event would take place ; and I
am truly convinced that wondrous events must takeplace
to fulfil the Scriptures before men can be brought to the
knowledge of the Lord, as spoken by the prophets, or. the
fulfilment of the Gospel be accomplished. But, however
men have mocked my folly and faith in believing what I
have published, yet I plainly see that I should be mocked
much more, had I concealed it from the world till this
present time ; for then there would be room for the world
to mock as to my being a prophetess, and such an event
not to be foretold, to make it known, that men might be
lieve." Extract from Joanna's Declaration respecting the Medical
opinions on her supposed Pregnancy.
" The first man that came into the room where I

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 95
I
was, liom the il'h of October, 1813, to the 1st day of
August, 1814, was Dr. Adams, who was called in, with
Messrs. Wetberell and Phillips, on account of my ill
ness at that time, and lor their opinion of my case.
When I had laid before them the manner of ray illness,
and the statement of all my complaints from the 17th
of March to that day, with my increasing size, and
feeling life within, Dr. Adams asked what was the ob
ject of their meeting? I said, not to, pass their judg
ment according to my age, from the statement I had
given, or from being kept from any man's coming into
my presence, from last October to that present time,
1st of August, or from the prophecies; all these things
they were wholly to divest themselves of ; all the judg
ment that was required of them wa°, to give their opi
nion what they should judge of a young married woman
in my situation, from every thing I had laid before them.
Dr. Adams answered immediately, I should not hesitate
a moment, or have any doubt of your being io a preg
nant state, was it in a young woman; but as this was
a case of a particular nature, he thought an exami
nation was necessary, and as I had been acquainted
with, Mr. Wetherell, and himself and Mr. Phillips w>ere
strangers, he desired Mr. Wetherell, would examine
me, and they wo-uld quit the room. Mr. Wetherell
did examine me, and laid it before Doetjor Adams and
Mr. Phillips and Dr- Adams prescribed for me accord
ing. Mr. Walker now applied to Dr. Walchman, and
Mr. Owen applied to Mr, Horff. I then sent to Dr.
Adams, to beg the favour of his meeting them ; he called1
upon me, and. said. he would, attend. I asked him if he

§6 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTWRfiS.

had ever such a case brought before him, of a woman
of my age ? He said no, never ; neither had he ever
heard of such a case: therefore they could only pass their
judgment from the symptoms and appearance, was it in
a young woman, but this was a case could not be
reasoned upon. Wednesday following, he met the gen
tlemen as appointed. When Dr. Walchman came, he
proposed an internal examination ; and said the medical
men should not all come up together, but one at a time,
and give their opinions separately. Dr. Adams then
came up, and after external examination, said, I had
every symtom of a woman in a pregnant state, and wrote
down his judgment thereon. He then told me of Dr.
Walchman's proposal of examination, that it would be
closer than he had done. I asked Dr. Adams, what
Dr. Walchman meant by a closer examination ? He then
explained what the other meant ; this filled me with such
horror, that 1 immediately said I would not submit to
that; for if they could not judge from my situation, and
the examination he had made, then I would wait till
the child made its appearance, strong enough to be
seen and felt without any examination at all. Dr. Adams
said, he himself should not have made such a request,
but Dr. Walchman refused seeing me, unless I would
submit to such an examination : this I said I never
would submit to. Dr. Adams informed Dr. Walchman
of my determination, and they left the house, as 1
neither saw Dr. Walchman or Dr. Horff. This being
talked of, a Mr. Meallin, surgeon, applied to have per
mission; being a stranger, he was requested to leave
his address, and Mr. Phillips waited upon him. He gave

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. $ft
a reference to Drs. Heavysides and Pearson ; after that,
he came with Mr. Phillips, and after hearing my state
ment, and examining me externally, he said he had
no doubt of my being in a pregnant state, though it was
a wonderful case. I told him the proposal Dr. Walch
man had made of examination ; at which he seemed
surprised, and said he conceived he could be no judge
from such a» examination of a woman at my age. Mon
day following, Mr. Foster came; and after laying the
whole of my case before him, and he had examined me,
he gave it as his opinion, if it was a young woman,
there was no doubt of my being in a pregnant state.
When I mentioned to him the proposals Dr. W. had
made of an internal examination, he said (like Mr. Meal-
lin) he could be no judge from that, at my time of life,
and the advanced time ofthe pregnancy; as those ex
aminations took place at an early period, at ladies' own
desire, when they were not clear of being in the family
way, and wished to know, or,- when they went be
yond the time, to bring on the pain. The next day
Mrs. Foster came, and Mrs. Lock, a female midwife, and
two ethers that have had families; after laying my case
before them, and being strictly examined by the wo
men, they all passed their judgment there was no doubt
of my being in a pregnant state. After the exami
nation, as we sat conversing together, I felt the life
working very strong within me ; Mrs. Foster was sitting
close by my side, and perceived it; she immediately
laid her hand over me, and said she felt the life ofthe
child as strong as she ever felt one of her own in her
life; Mrs. Lock felt it likewise; the other two saw itg
N°. 4. K

PS HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
movements. — Dr. Sims came with Mr. Wetherell ; he
heard all the symptoms, and examined me, but gave it
as his opinion, I was not with child, though he would
hot say it was impossible, for all things were possible
Wth' God ; yet he himself should not pass his opinion I
"was in the family way, but said he would not take it upon
him to say I was not. When I asked him what he would
prescribe for me to prevent my sickness and'pain, or to
bring me to an appetite, he mentioned the same as Dr.
Adams had prescribed forme, but would not prescribe any
thing further; he said he should suppose such an event as
this, if it took place, would tfot be hid in a corner. I told
him, no ; there must be physicians and medical men pre
sent ; he said he should be glad to be one, that he should
be happy to witness for me against his own judgment.
Some ladies came to see me, and upon mentioning' Dr.
Si'ms's reason for his opinion, one said, I have had eleven
children, and the objection he mentioned happened to
me with every one of them.
" After Dr. Sims had passed his judgment, I sent
fbr a medical man, whom 1 knew was strong in unbelief,
that it could not be possible ; and therefore I said I
sent for him, to know if he could prescribe any thing
that would do me good, if I was not in the family way ?
He heard my statement from the beginning; he ex
amined me ; and said if I was a young married woman,
he should say I was not in the family way. I asked him
what disorder he would judge I had to cause all the
pains, sickness, and the increase of my body ? He said
he looked upon it I had been long in a debilitated
state j and' the severe pain I had felt in my back was

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. S3
from a hurt in the kidneys, which was the cause of all
my other complaints; that my sickness proceeded from a
lodgment of bile in my stomach, which prevented me
from having an appetite, but remove the cause and the
effects would cease. I told him I would not take any
thing that I thought would be hurtful to a woman
in a family way; he sent me two draughts, but Mr.
Philips advised me not to take them. Soon after he
Was gone, Mr. Hopgay came ; he heard the statement,
and examined my breasts, arid outside my clothes, said
there was no occasion for any further examination. I
asked him what would be his judgment if I was a young
married woman ? he said that was an unfair question,
aad he would not answer it : he was then desired to an
swer in his own way ; he said he did not think I was
with child, but his judgment might not be worth two
pence. I then enquired what he thought my disorder
was; he said I had no disease, no disorder, but was in
perfect health. After he was gone I thought his judg
ment could not be worth a penny, to say I had no
disease, no disorder, and was in perfect health, when
I had suffered from- pain, sickness, loss of appetite, and
had gone through more than I ever experienced in my
life from the 17th of March to that time; and at that"
time could keep nothing on my stomach but fruit, vege
tables, and liquids, nothing solid could I take. Here I
have given a clear statement of the different judgment*
of the medical gentlemen that I was examined by.
Nine I have seen; six out ofthe nine passed their opi.
nion, I was in a state of pregnancy ; the other three
said I am not j therefore I was ordered that no examination

100 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

should take place ; what had been already, was sufficient
to shew different judgments of men. 1 have found a con*
siderable alteration in myself, by feeling the life much
stronger, and moving in different ways to what it had
before; and more particularly when 1 removed from my
own house, I felt it much lower, and much greater
weight: but should it prove not to be a child in the end,
it must bring me to. the grave. If there is a possibility
ef my being deceived, that the life within should bring
death upon me, without making its appearance in the
world, I now promise to give liberty to open my body ;
so that, either in death or life, they will be enabled to
judge of a cause that never was brought before medical
men, of a woman at my age."
According to the conclusion of the above statement,
Joanna seems to express herself as though her infallibility
was doubtful. We sincerely wish that such a symptom
may be productive of a restoration of her reason ; that
she may, by a repentant deportment, make some amends
for what we hope arose more from distemper than from a
depravation of principle; and when perfectly recovered,
let her feel herself happy that, by her amendment, she
has escaped the following denunciation, pronounced by
the Almighty, by his prophet Ezekiel, xiii.. 1.8, &c. : —
" Thou son of man, set thy faee against the daughters
of thy people, which prophecy out of their own
heart, and prophesy thou against them ;
" And say, Thus saith the Lord God, woe to the womaa
that hunt souls ! Will ye hunt the souls of my people,
and will ye sate the souls alive that come untojou ?

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 101
" And Mill ye pollute me among my people for hand-
fuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to stay the souls that
should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not
live, BY YOUR LYING TO MY PEOPLE THAT HEAR YOUR LIES ?
" Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold I am,
against you^ and will let the- souls gor even the souls tjiat
Ve hunt to make them fly.
" — — and deliver my people out of your hand, and
they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye
shall know that I am the Lord,
" Because with lies ye have made the heart of the rigktequf
sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the:
hands ofthe wicked,, that he should not return from hi*'
wicked way, by promising him life,
*' Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine
divinations ; for I will deliver my people out of youn
hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.?'
By way of conclusion^ we will offer a few remarks, as
incontrovertible proofs of the fallacy by which the
grossest and most absurd imposition is attempted on the;
Blinds ofthe unsuspecting and' the unwary..
The sacred Scriptures are of that wonderful descrip
tion,, that it requires all the solid powers of intellect to di
vine the true meaning of many parts of that vast code of
sanctity comprised in the Oid and' New. Testaments.—.
With respect to the first,seventy-two learned Rabbins em
ployed their deep erudition, and yet the Bible i&still said
not to be satisfactorily translated; nor are we even tO'
this day determined respecting some ofthe prophecies of
Daniel. The doctrines in the New Testament hare been*
k 2

102 HISTORY OF RELICIOUS IMPOSl'URes.
-¦ ¦' ' '" ' ' ..  .^--J— »-
involved in equal doubt by those whose tempers have in
duced them to give different interpretations to similaE
sentences ; and great learning has been displayed in re
conciling the various apparent differences of the sacred
Scriptures, to adapt them, agreeably to their original
intention, for our learning and instruction.
If, then, so much labour has been exerted, so much
erudition expended, so many ages have elapsed, and
mankind still dissatisfied,, let us ask this plain, honest
question: Can it be reasonable to suppose that a poor, un-
instructed, and illiterate old woman is endued with so ca
pacious an understanding as to develope the hiddenthings
which the Almighty, in his unsearchable wisdom, has
not permitted nor will permit,, his finite creatures ta
know, till his own providence shall grant such authority,,
as to his own unerring wisdom shall seem meet ? How
dreadfully wicked then must it. be iri any one to assume
pretensions of superior sanctity,, of familiar conversation.
with the Deity, or of presuming to claim any of his attri
butes! And yet this has been dono, and a falsehood fa
bricated to give colour to the project.
When the apostles received their mission,, they were,
though originally many of them ignorant men, endued'.
by their Lord and Master with the gift of tongue.', and
Other, qualifications proper for thern to spread the truths
•fthe Gospel dispensation to every cornerof the earth,
where it shall flourish till time shall be no more.. We
will instance only one of these extraordinary, men, St.
Peter. He was only a fisherman ; yet who will-read his
epistles, and not declare that they are the compositions of
an inspired writer i History informs us also?, by the tra«

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.. 103.
vels of the apostles and evangelists to very far distant
climes, that they must have been blessed with wonderful,
talents to preach the doctrines for which most of them,
were martyred, in such very remote regions.. Conse
quently the hand ofthe Almighty was very evidently.
shewn in the means he took to spread his Gospel.
But is any qualification of this^nature attachable toJo-
auna, or any of her. followers? Have they, not taken
such. freedoms with, the sanctity, of their Redeemer as to
form addresses to him nearly bordering on the grossest
libertinism ? Who can read (if they have patience to ga
through with it) that vile piece of profanation, called
Joanna's intercourse with the Spirit, •' whilst in bed with
Townley," and npt shudder I
We will,, however, close this part. of our disagreeable
subject by stating to our readers what, upon reference,
will be self-evident, which is,, that Joanna and her ad
herents have attempted to impose upon their fellow-crea
tures an impudent falsehood, by mutilating the text of
Scripture on which they pretend to build, their whole
superstructure. Joanna has declared: herself to be "the
Bride," u the Woman clothed with the Sun," &c; but
neither she nor her adherents have told us where these mi
raculous circumstances are to take place. It remains.
with us to satisfy, ourselves and our readers in this respect;
and though it may overturn, the mental fraud: of Joanna,,
and all. her concerns,, we have only to desire all persons.,
as it materially concerns them, to turn to the Revelations
Df St. John the Divine, ch. xii. v. 1 and 2,,and they will
find what follow*;:—

104 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS tRtPOSTURFS.
¦ ~ i. r i i —
"and there appeared' a great wonder — in hea
ven;— a woman clothed- with the sun, and the
moon under her feet, amd upon her head a crown
of Twelve Stars; and she being with Child cried,
travailing in Birth, and- pained to be delivered."
We think, that by restoring the true reading, ,l m
Heaven," to the above verses, we shall also prove by
what deception the public have been attempted to be
duped ; and till we can discover that Heaven is geogra
phically situated in or near Exeter, London, Manches
ter, Leeds, &c.&c. we shall think it right to assert, that
it will be best,— instead of attending to lying prophe
cies, — to be satisfied with our condition, and ta attend to>
what St. John was commanded to write to the church in,
Thyatira :—
"That which ye have already, hold fast rill J{ib»M»>-
siah) come,.": — Rev. v. 25,

MISCELLANIES RELATING to
JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.

PROPHECIES
SENT T» THE PRINCE RESENT, THE BISHOPS,. &fr.
J.N the 5lh Book of Wonders, Joanna states, " I was ordered
by the Spirit to send the book, with my portrait, to the Prince
Regent, to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Bishop
of Worcester, Duke of Gloucester, Lord Grosvenor, Lord El-
lenborough, and the Recorder of London. I have likewise
sent it to the Duke of Kent, the Bishop of London, and the
Bishop of Salisbury. And this has been ordered to be done to
prevent any imposition being practised,, either in my name by
others, or, if I am led by a wrong spirit myself, it will be proved
this year, and that no imposition may be practised upon the
Jews, when I know, without a doubt, that I am with child.—
I am ordered to put in public print all the names above men
tioned, that I have sent the book and likeness to, that the He
brews abroad, as well as those in England, may know that no
deceit was practised upon them ; but that the heads and rulers
of the nation were made acquainted with it before it took
place*"

LETTER TQ THE NATION,
INSERTED TN THE TIMES NEWS-PAPBR, OCT. 28', 1813.
" I, Joanna Southcott, have been more than twelve years
publicly warning the nation of what the Lord hath revealed
unto me he will do upon the earth; and the events have been
daily fulfilling abroad and at home, which causes some to be
lieve the visitation to be from the Lord; while others, with
the most infamous abuse and falsehood, have publicly declared
me to be an Impostor; and others, with tlie same ignorance and
folly, say that my writings are from the Devil, full of blasphe*.

106 miscellanies.

my, and wondered that the Bishops should haye suffered me
to go on in this manner; I have borne the mockery and abuse
of men, but now let all their wonder cease; for I shall return
to mock them, as they have mocked me, and prove it is the
devil, in the form of man, from whence all this malice and
persecution proceeds.
And now I shall say with David, " If I have been vile, I
will still be viler;" and if I have been bold, 1 will be bolder —
To my other Prophecies-I.ha.v» added two. books, lately pub
lished, intituled, " Book of Wonders;" and five more will ap
pear hereafter, whicli I defy all the Bishops in England, the
Members of Parliament, and all the- Judges in the land, with
all the judgment they can form together, to be able to prove
these two Books of Wonders, with the other Prophecies, were
ever brought round by the wiscjom and knowledge ofthe devil,
or by the wisdom and knowledge of an Impostor.
Let the Bishops come forward, with the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy
and I will soon convince them that I could as soon make the
¦world, as I could make my writings, and bring them round in
the manner they have been brought round to be fulfilled. I
am not so wise as the world makes me; therefore I shall give
unto the Lord the honour and glory that is due unto his name :
and those that say they are from the devil, I shall turn their
blasphemy upon their own heads; because it is blasphemy to
Bay, that such wisdom, knowledge, and power, can be in the-ife.
vii. And I was answered this morning, that if men went oft
in this way, and the Bishops did not awaken, to prove the cal
ling is from on high, to stop this blasphemy in men, that awful
judgments should now come on, upon them and upon the na
tion : for these are the words said unto me : —
" I will laugh at their calamity; I -will mock when their fear
cometh : when your fear cometh as desolation, and your de
struction cometh as a whirlwind: when distress and anguish
come upon you ; then shall tbey call upon me, but 1 will not
answer ; they shall seek me early, but tbey shall not find me :
fori have looked aad there is none to help; and I wondered
that there was none to uphold ; therefore mine own arm
brought salvation unto me; and nay fury upheld me ; and I
¦will tread down the people in mine anger, and make tbera
drunk in my fury ; I wiU bring down their strength to the
earth." This is the voice of the Lord unto me, from the Scripture
Prophecies. " The watchmen are blind ; they are all iguorant ;
they are all dumb dogs that cannot bark, sleeping, laying down
to slumber." But this is the answer of the Lord to me, " They
(hah be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder and with

Miscellanies. 107

earthquake, and great noise, with storms and tempests, and the
flame of devouring fire. Stay yourselves and wonder, cry ye
out, and cry, they are drunken, but not with wine; they arc
staggered, but not with strong drink. The Lord shall go forth
as a mighty man; he shall stir up jealousy as a man of war;
he shall cry, yea, roar ; he shall prevail against his enemies.—
I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and re
strained myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman; I
will destroy and devour at once."
Here are the threatenings that I am now ordered to bring out
to the Nation, ofthe Scriptures that the Lord will fulfil, if men
now carelfessly sleep after this warnikg; but if they awake
as men out of sleep, and obey the call, they then may look to
the promises iri the following chapters: Isaiah 1,8, 9, ch. xlvi.
ch. lxv. and ch. lxvi.
ThisT am ordered to put in the public papers ; and if I have
no one to come forward to plead my cause for me, the Lord fs
¦working a way for me to plead it 'myself, and shame all that
shamed me, and confound all that' confounded me.
No"w as Rowland Hill called my friends three and twenty
mad fools, for believing that my visitation was from the Lord,
lfet him bring forward three and twenty mad fools to prove these
Two Books, which I have lately published, with my other
Prophecies, were ever brought round by the wisdom of a wo
man, or the wisdom of the devil ; then they must be mad
fools, indeed, if they attempt it; for it has been none but mad
fools that have written a book against me yet, bySatan's form
ing himself in them ; and that their publications have proved.
Joanna Southcott,

Oct. 28, 1813.

WARNING TO THE BISHOPS,
" BY THE COMMAND OF THE LORD;" INSERTED IN TH*
MORNING HERALD, NOVEMBEK, 9TH, 1813.
" As the Public say that the Bishops wiU not give them
selves the trouble of searphing whether my Visitaiion is of
God, or not, the ft-flowfng answer was given to me by the
Spirit:— , . ,
" If they go on according to the judgment of men, and
thou art confined one year in this house,as a prisoner, through
their neglect, then in one year I will cut them all off, like the
three signs I have mentioned. Know I told thee I shouldbe«
gin at the" sanctuary."

Jt)S MISCELLANIES.

The first Sign was ofthe Bishop's death, in 1796, which
was put in the hand of the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy. The second
sign was in 1801; as the Bishop of Exeter refused to hear of
the Visitation, I was ordered to come to London, and St. Pe
ter's bell should toll for the Bishop when 1 returned to Exeter
again, and this was fulfiled in 1803. The other was the
threatening to the Bishop of London, in 1804, as he refused to
hear of the Visitation, when applied to. And, as the Lord
fulfilled his word with them, I am answered, that he will ful
fil his word with all, if they do not exert the power they are
invested with. And this I am strictly commanded to put in
the newspaper.
And now I am called back to my former writings, where it
is said, "One month you'll see your destiny, what will befall
jour land;" so this month fixes the destiny for the ensuing
.year, either for blessings or judgments. If the Bishops keep
silence till this month of November is over, then they may
keep silence until next November, 1814. For I am answered,
that now the time is come of the fulfilment of a letter I sent
to the Rev. Mr. Pomeroy, in l"/96: — " Awake, my Shepherds,
saith the Lord, lest I kindle a fire in mine anger, and a wrath
in my fury, that shall burn to the nethermost hell. But if ye
awake, O Zion, and put on your beautiful garments, O Jeru
salem, then shall your light break forth as the morning, and
your righteousness appear as the noon-day sun ; and God,
even our God, will give us his blessing."
These are the promises, these are the threatenings, which I
was ordered to send to him, in 1796 ; and now I am answered,
that the Lord will fulfil them one way or other, according as
the command is obeyed or disobeyed. The Bishops are now
called upon to judge between the Shepherd and the Sheep,
from a book lately published, entitled, " The Second Book ef
Wonders.'' Joanna Southcott.

TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.
A LITTER CT PROPHECY, BY JOANNA SOUTHCOTT, INSIRTE»
IN THE MORNING HERALD.
My former Letters of Warning have roused various passions
in men, and some public comments. Among the latter I shall
notice a letter in the Stourbridge paper of the 12th instant,
signed Ephraim, wherein he advises me to " make a friend of

MISCELLANIES. 109

his Satanic Majesty ; as he may lay his faithful paw upon me ;"
therefore he advises me to " court his favour— speak kindly of
him; for it is good to have a friend wherever we go."
I shall answer him from the words of Solomon, — " A fool's
bolt is soon shot ; the soul of the wicked desireth evil ; and wis-
dom is too high for a fool.'' But he who thinks to find a friend
in the devil will find himself deceived. I put no trust in man ;
then I certainly shall not put trust in the devil, who hath use-
his utmost endeavours to work in the hearts of men againd
me : and formed himself in men, to cast out floods of lies
against me. I have not built upon such sandy foundations
Though the world laugh at my weakness, to believe that the
Bishops will give themselves the trouble of coming forward
and pass their judgment as required; I put no more trust in
the Bishops, as men, than I do in their chariots or horses; but
my trust is in the Lord of Hosts, who saith to the proud waves
of the sea — Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further : who can
say to the south, give up; and to the north, keep not back;
who can make his people willing in the day of his power.
This islhe faith that I rely upon — the' rock of ages, and the
God of salvation — that the gates of hell cannot prevail against ;
and this is the faith that our Saviour said, in his Gospel, was
like the wise man, building his house upon the rock, and the
winds blew, and beat upon that house : and it fell not ; for it
was founded upon the rock : and this is the rock, which I have
built upon ; and, therefore my house mil not fall; but those
who have built, like this foolish man, will find their houses to
be built on the sand ; and great will be the fall thereof.
And now I am ordered to put in the newspaper a part of a
Prophecy given to me yesterday, for the public at large : —
" I tell thee, that the ensuing year will be such a year as
never was seen in England, since it was a nation; for, if my
commands are obeyed, that I send blessings to the nation, such
as werenever experienced before: yet Satan's weapons will be
strong, with rage and fury, to fight in men, till, like Sodom
and Gomorrah, they will be destroyed, and swept away with
the besom of destruction. But, from the days ot Noah, there
is a long warning, to awaken those who are not so strongly
filled with the devil against my coming to bring in my king
dom of righteousness and peace. Thy faith is given to thee
as a gift of God, which the world can neither give thee, nor
take it from thee : aDd they will find that the sound of thy
Mast er' s feet is behind thee." Joanna Southcott,
Friday, No v. 19, 1813.
No. 4. t

110 MISCELLANIES.

LETTERS OF PROPHECY BY JOANNA SOUTHCOTT.
" Though the B shops are silent to the request made of
them, and the warning given them, that they will not come
forward to support the work, if it be of GOD, or to confute it,
if not; yet I am informed that one ofthe Bishops hatb said,
that I have done more mischief than ever an individual had
done before,
" I can scarcely credit the report to be true, that a Bishop
should see it in this light, and not use his authority to stop
the " mi-chief," when the power is put into his hands.
" I shall answer such Bishops, as the King's Jester once
answered him. When a nobleman seat a petition to his ma
jesty, to crave his pardon for a third murder he had commit
ted, the king said to his jester, " 1 know not what to do con
cerning this man : he hath killed two men before, which I
pardoned him for, and now he hath killed the third." The
jester answered. l< No, he has not killed three men; he has
killed but one." His majesty asked h'W he could make out
that? The jester said, " if thou haast had him hanged for
the first man, lie wouid never have killed another; so thou
hast killed the other two," " Ah!" said the king, " dost thou
say so? then he shall never kill another." — To this I was an
swered —
' Now let the Bishop be as wise as the king, or out of his
own mouth will I condemn him; if he sees this mischief go
ing on, and doth not stir to prevent it, when I have put it
in his power, and he judge it is from the devil, he will find my
anger kindled against him, if he still lets it go on. Will they
suffer sin of the blackest dye to go on, and never stir one step
to stop the torrent of this evil ! Then let them know that my
judgments are just, to cut them off, as cumberers ofthe ground.
If all should speak as thou hast heard of one, ihen out of their
own mouths will I condemn them all : for they shall find that
thou art in perfect obedience to my commands. And will
they call this mischief? Then let them know mycommands,
which stand on record — be clear in judging that you may be
just in condemning. And now to their consciences thou must
appeal, whether they think it be right to see mischief spread
ing throughout the land, and they standing silent to have it
so, when it is put in their power to prevent it? For, on one
side or other the sin must be great ; because they must know
if thy visitation be from the Lord, and theyxall it mischief in
thee to obey my commands; then tlieir sins must be great,
for condemning my love in warning them of my coming to
establish peace and righteousness on the earth. If this be de

MISCELLANIES. 1 1 1

spised, let them own the justice of my anger and indignation
at the blasphemy that is daily spoken against my visitation. '
' And thi< is my command to the Bishops, if they wish to
find favour in my siaht, as I have invested them with power,
I have put in their hands. This is my command to thee, that
they may see the justice of my threatenings, if all be treated
with silent contempt." — This is the answer of the Lord to me.'
Joanna Southcott.
On Sunday, July 31, 1814, Mr. Tozer, (a lath render, who
has for some time obtruded himself on the public notice, as
an asserter of the mission of Joanna) delivered in the pulpit
of Joanna's chapel, Duke-street, Webber-row, St. George's
fields, the following sentences: —
" Brethren, I am ready to take my sacramental oath, that
no man has seen or spoken to Joanna Southcott, since
August, 1813." — Again, " The world will be soon convinced
of the truth of our doctrine, for our spiritual mother will
bring forth the true Messiah, before the 12th of next Ja
nuary." We have sufficiently dilated on Mr. Reeee's opinion res
pecting Joanna's pregnancy : We shall now insert the opinion
also of one ef the most eminent in his profession, the ve
nerable Dr. Sims :
TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE.
Sir,
Several persons having expressed a wish that I would vi
sit Joanna Southcott, that they might be better satisfied what
foundation there was for a report that she was pregnant, I
consented to accompany one of h;r friends, a surgeon and
accoucheur of experience, for that purpose, on the 18th of
August. He informed me, on my way thither, that the
most satisfactory examination would not be permitted, but
that this was not at all necessary, as no professional mari
could have a doubt of her situation, upon seeing the state of
her breasts, and feeling the outside of her abdomen. ¦
Her appearance gave no reason to doubt the truth of her.
statement, that she was in her sixty-fifth year,and that she
had cea'ed to menstruate since she was forty-eight ; circum
stances under which her pregnancy was naturally 1D]cre'»-
ble, and were i' real, might well enough have induced a be
lief that it was supernatural.
I endeavoured, however, not to prejudge the case, but to
form my opinion of her situation from the symptoms alone,
as I should hare done had she been only forty-five years

IIS miscellanies.

of age, and therefore within the period of probable preg
nancy. It is quite unnecessary here to relate her conversation,
in which she asserted, that 6he had been commanded to
keep her apartment, and to admit no male to visit her for a
period of some months; suffice it to say, that during this
term, she stated herself to have conceived of a son, who would
be born before the harvest was over. She shewed me her
breasts, which she said had been before flabby and shrivelled,
with the nipple drawn in: they were now plump, the veins
large and visible, the nipple red and protruded : they had not,
however, the elasticity natural to the breasts of a pregnant wo
man, and the ereola was pale, partly covered with a little
whitish scurf, and the outer circle not all defined, but grow
ing very gradually fainter. They gave me, upon the whole,
more the idea ofthe breasts of an old- woman grown cor
pulent, than those of a pregnant woman. She stated, how
ever, that she was in general grown thinner, especially about
the back. ...
The feel of the abdomen, through her linen, was not unlike
that of a woman hi the eighth month of her pregnancy, but, as
it seemed to me,: less hard, except at the lower part, where
there appeared to be a solid tumour, reaching not far above the
pubes, I proposed to put my finger upon the navel, without
any covering, which was permitted. This part I found sunk
in, not at all protruded agin pregnancy. In making this exami
nation I was not sensible of any motion, which she insisted
upon being so strong, that she could not only feel it herself,
but that it had: been seen by others who were sitting, near her.
In. enumerating the symptoms, she mentioned sickness at
stomach, violent pain about the period of quickening, and
great increase of the sickness, with bilious vomitings at that
time ; nor did she omit a sort of longing or extraordinary
cravings for asparagus, when she had otherwise a total loss
of appetite; but the order of symptoms was not according to
their usual occurrence, the sickness, instead of ceasing at the
quickening, becoming at that time much more excessive.
Considering all the above appearances, I did not hesitate
to declareit to be my opinion, that Joanna Southcott was not
pregnant; but was told I was the first medical man that had
seen her that was not perfectly satisfied ofthe contrary.
I believe that her uterine organs are diseased, and that the
breasts, as it is usual, sympathizing with those parts, have
en increased quantity of blood determined lo them. Had I
thought the external appearances such asought to lead to a
belief in her pregnancy, I should have urged the propriety of
her submitting to a more satisfactory examination ; but feeling,

Miscellanies 113

as I did, a perfect conviction that she was not with child, it
seemed to me unnecessary to insist upon any further enquiry.
Having observed in the newspapers, that assertions are re
peatedly made, that eminent accoucheurs have declared this
woman to be pregnant, I am desirous not to be reckoned of
that number. Yet before I conclude I feel it right to say, that
I am convinced that this poor, woman is no impostor, but
that she labours under a strong mental delusion. JOHN SIMS.
September 3d, 1814.

In the Third Book qf Wonders is announced " the coming
of Shiloh, with a call to the Hebrews." The Spirit says, p. 4,
" This year, in the 65th year of thy age, thou shalt have a,
Son by the power of the Most High, which if they receive as
their Prophet, Priest, and King, then I will restore them
to their own land, and cast out the heathen for their
sakes,. as I cast out them when they cast out me, by rejecting
me as their Saviour, Prince, and King, for which I said I
was born, but not at that time to establish my kingdom," In
consequence of this announcement, the followers of Joanna
Southcott, in town and country, are making all sorts of ne
cessary preparations. It is certainly true, that she has
literally been overwhelmed with presents.-^-Laced caps, em
broidered bibs, and worked robes, — a mohair mantle, which
cost 150i— Splendid pap-spoons and caudle-cups (one shaped
like a dove) have been poured in upon her, till she has at
length determined to receive no more of such things. To
complete the desired apparatus, a magnificent Crib has just
been finished by one of our first upholsterers, and sent to
her residence, of which the following is a description :
This Manger and Crib was made by Mr. Seddons,of Alders-
gate-street, according to the order of, we believe, a carcase
butcher, jointly with some gentlemen, who believe she is now
pregnant; —
The Crib, forming an oblong square, is of the usual size
of modern Cribs; the frame made with satin-wood, richly
ornamented with gold ; the sides and ends filled with
lattice-work gilt. The body of the Crib, called the Manger,
is richly lined with blue satin, drawn together so as to, give it
the appearance of fluted- work. The pillars which support it
are taper, with ribbons of gold entwining round them. The
head cloth is of blue satin, with a celestial crown of gold em
broidered wpon it, and underneath appears the, word SHILOH,
in Hebrew characters, exhibited in ;goid spangles. Over the

114 miscellanies.

head part of the Crib is an elegant canopy of blue satin, lined
with the finest white muslin, to draw together to a point,
and fastened underneath, by a rose of blue satin. The outer
point of the canopy is finished with a figure of a Dove of gold
resting on a small white ball, with an oiive sprig in its mouth.
Around the outer rim ofthe canopy is inscribed in letters of
gold,' — ' A free-will offering by Faith to the promised Seed.'
The curtains are trimmed with narrow gold lace : the drape
ries blue satin edged with gold fringe, looped with gold line
and tassels. The inner curtains uf fine white muslin.
The Crib, or Cot, fits within the former, and hangs upon
swivels, that a proper motion may be given lo it whenever
the young Prince may require rocking.
This Crib is made of satin wood, fitted in with most beau
tiful cane *ork, whence passes a cord of gold to a pedal, de
signed to rock the cradle whenever proper for the infant, and
to prevent the necessity of leaning over the manger, to in
commode the supernatural babe.
The bed is of the finest eider-down, in white covering; the
coverlet of the richest white satin, wilh a medallion in the
centre, bearing 'he firure of the Lamb lying down with the
Lion. The Lamb worked in silver — :he Lion in gold. These
are surmountid by what is called the Tree of Life worked in
gold. The sheets for the bed are of the best cambric, edged
with expensive lace.
This bauble, with its ornaments, decorations, bedding, &c.
cost upwards of Two Hundred Pounds !! ! Not one shilling of
which would have been bestowed in real charity to preserve &
wretched family from starving !

THE FOLLOWING APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY
MONITOR. Sept. 15, 1814.
Sir, — Having seen, this day, on a hand-bill what will be
the contents of your pap*r next Sunday, 1 thought the follow.
ing authentic account would be acceptable, viz. That there
has been this week purchased, printed in Imperial quarto, a
Bible, which is put into the hands of a distinguished binder,
(in a Street in ihe City Road) to be bound in a singularly
superb manner; which book, after the accouchement of Mrs.
Souihcott, is intended to be presented to her son — the sup
posed '" Promised Seed," and the Elijah that was to come, as
expressed by Malachi the Prophet.

MISCELLANIES. 115

The Bible is to be bound in red morocco, with a bor
der consisting ofthe most significant a,nd deepest theosophical
figures— (Within)— at each coiner, is to be a Dove, with an
olive branch. At the ton, the Eye of Providence looking down;
encircled with glory, and a vast number of cheruhs descending
from it, following " Jesus Christ,'* (which is to be written)and
over the name is to be a Celes;ial Crown, with five stars upon
it, in a alory ; the whole encompassed with Clouds to represent
Jesus Christ with his Angels descending to the earth in the
Clouds of Heaven. On each side is to be a Star, and on the
earth below is to be 'he Tree of Life, with twelve mariner of
Fruits, and a Lion and Lamb opposite each other, with a.Three-
fo/d Rote and Lilly (against the animals) growing from one
stem. Beneath them is to be an Imperial (Regal) Crown, with
"Shiloh" written under it, surrounded with an amazingglory,
and on the sides of the Tree, &c. to be written, " the Bride
groom and Bride united."
On the (gilt) leaves is to be impressed Cherubs in the midst
of glory.
The. back is to be lettered,—" This Holy Bible is the Gift
of a Family by Faith to the promised Seed." Above which is to
be the Celestial Crown, with I H. S under it, be-nea'h is to be
the Regal Crown, with " Shiloh" in Hebrew under that.
The Inside of the Bible is to be lined with pale blue wa
tered silk, and a red morocco border on the cover,, and first leaf
having iD it the initials of a Family's nam ', and some Theoso
phical Figures, and within that border is to be another impress
ed on the silk with gold, comprised of Cherubs and a Theoso
phical Figure at each corner; in the centre is to be impressed
the Celestial Crown, with five Stars upon it, and " Shiloh'' in
Hebrew 'obe written under it, encompassed with glory;
It will be completed about the first of October.
%,* In consequence ofthe precedingLetter, we immediately
appiif d to the Binder, whose name was communicated to us, to
ascertain that the statements were correct. We saw the Bible,
and found the preparations for binding it to be exactly as above
described.

We join in opinion with Bell's Weekly Messenger in what
follows :
" However distinguished we may be, in comparison with our ances
tors, for general information and science, we scruple not to say, 'that
the darkest period of our history can scarcely furnish a parallel in
stance to the credulity and blindness that prevail amongst the follow-

116 MISCELLANIES.

ers of this woman. That she must be either an unfortunate lunatic,
or a deliberate money-getting impostor, is evident ; and in eilhercase
it is evident that some stop should be put to that torrent of fanaticism
and blasphemy, which flows from her preaching and publications. If
she be insane, why has she not the beoefit of proper medical advice ?
But if this apology cannot be offered for her ravings, it is right she
should be told, that though the laws of her country are wisely tolerant
in all matters of religious opinion, they have provided that the sacred
name of the Deity shall not be profaned with impunity. " All
BLASPHEMIES AGAINST GoD, ALL IMPOSTURES IN RELIGION, AS
FALSELY PRETENDINGTO EXTRAORDINARY COMMISSIONS PROM
GOD, AND TERRIFYING OR ABDSINGTHE PEOPLE WITH FALSE
denunciations OP J udgment, inasmuch as they tend to subvert
all religion and morality, are punishable by the tempoial judges with
fine and imprisonment, and also such corporal infamous punishment
as to the Court in discretion shall seem meet, according to the htintus-
nets ofthe crime." — 1 Hawk. Pleas ofthe Crown, c. 7.

PRINTED BY nAM.BI.IN AND SKYFANG, GAR LICK-HILL,
THAMES-STREET.

JOANNA 'SOUTHCOTT* 117

Last Moments of Joanna Southcott.
On Monday, the 26th of December, 1814, her disso
lution appeared certain. Dr. Reece, Parson Tozer, Ann
Underwood, and others, were, in waiting, hourly' expect
ing the event/ — and about 4 o'clock in the morning of
Tuesday,' the' 27th of December, 1814, she breathed
her last, attended in her dying moments by her Chief
Priest Tozer, her Secretary, and particular friend, Ann,
"Underwood, and two or three persons of high rank,
whose names, from mdtives of delicacy) we suppress.
Her intimate associate and confident, Carpenter, who
had setup as a preacher at the chapel, called the."House
of God," Newington-Butts, was not present. Upbhher
refusing to have a Matrimonial unity with this divinity-
monger, he threw off the mask, and blew up the whole
concern. For some hours previous to her dissolution, she
was insensible; but, before the near approach of that
awful event, she Seemed to have been somewhat sensible
of 'her danger, although her bigotted proselytes still con
tinued firm in" their belief, that her indispositon '¦ was
merely preliminary to that birth, to' which they all leaned
with such blind devotion. An eminent surgeon^ Mr.
Want, of Tottenhan-court-road, had first the' credit of
awakening Joanna to a doubt of 'her iriimortality." Mr.
"Want, whose name' stands- high in the medical world,
was,' "it appears; under the Sanction of the Prophetess,
called in by Mr. Reece, about'iseven weeks back, -'He
then stated it to he his opinion', that the symptoms shotfM
No.; 4.' m ¦ '

llS HISTORY OV REHGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
be examined quite independent of the question of preg
nancy, even admitting the possibility of that fact. , Upon
making his observations, however, he unhesitatingly
declared, that there was no foundation for the belief of
her pregnancy, and but little for the expectation of the"
woman's recovery. He remarked further, that, although
the disease must terminate in death, it was still in the
power of medicine to alleviate the patient's sufferings, and
relieve the flatulency by which she was oppressed. Upon
his return home, to prevent the possibility of mistake, he
wrote a letter to Ann Underwood, then attendant on
Joanna, explaining his opinion more fully, and exhort
ing her to use her influence with her deluded friend, to
take such medicine as was applicable to her case. To
this letter he received an answer from Mrs. Underwood,
giving a full description of the symptoms of Joanna's dis
ease, from March last dqwn to the latest period, and-con-
cluding with an expression. of the determination of Mrs.
Southcott not to take medicine, unjess especially directed
so to do by the Lord.
Mr- Want, after this, was anxious that the poor woman
should submit to an examination, so that the precise state
of her disease might be ascertained. To this, however,
neither herself nor her friends would accede. The former
declared, that " if she was not pregnant with a human
being, she was satisfied there was some living-creature
within her;" while the latter, still professing their belief
in the coming of Shiloh, were shocked at such a propo
sition ! Reference was then bad to a prophecy of Jo
anna's, published in 1792, in which she had declared
that the mother of Shiloh, previous to his birth, would
be as- dead for four days, and at the end of that period

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 119
¦ ' i niV ~ — — ' ¦-¦'¦-. .. — | | ii
would revive and be delivered. This they now supposed
would be the case, arid, while they contemplated her
temporary dissolution, they looked with confidence to
her resuscitation at the time predicted.
In the hope that she might become re-inimate, which
she was satisfied would be the case if she had been visited
by the Lord, she desired that she might be preserved
with " every tender care, for four days after her dissdh -
tion, the fourth being that on which she expected to be.
restored and be delivered.— If, however, that period
expired without any symptoms of re-animation, she then
directed that her body might be submitted to the hands
of skilful operators, who would have an opportunity of
ascertaining, whether she had or had not been deluded
by the visions of fatlcy, or led away by evil spirits,
Soon after she had made her pleasure known, the symp
toms of her disease become more virulent, and she
breathed her last! — This event, which had been expected,
excited no painful sensations in the bosoms of her friend-.
They regarded her as merely "gone for a while," and
with tender solicitude proceeded to wrap her body in
warm blankets, to place bottles of hot water to her feet,
and, by keeping the room in a state of warmth, endea
voured to preserve the vital spark !
The prescribed period of four days and four nights
elapsed, and so far was the body from exhibiting appear
ances of a temporary suspension of animation, that it
began to' display a discoloration which at once brought
home-to conviction the fact, that the wretched woman
was but mortal, and, like other mortals, subject to decay.
The hopes of her friends being thus frustrated, prepara
tion were made to dissect her remains. A summons was

120 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
issued to the surgeons, who had expressed a. desire to be
present, and at two o'clock, fifteen gentlemen had assem-
hled, including Messrs. Reece, Want, Clerk, Sims,
Adams, Taunton, and nine others. Beside these profes
sional gentlemen, we recognized Parson ,Tozer, Colonel
Harwood, and one or two other of Joanna's followers.
Tlie ,body having been placed upon a table, Mr. Reece,
and Mr. Want, proceeded to the performance of their
disgusting but required task. The result of this exami
nation, the minute particulars of which we are bound to,
suppress, were a direct contradiction of her ever having
been pregnant, and that her dissolution was occasioned
by.. natural causes.
The.cuiiosity ofthe profession having been gratified
by this inspection, which displayed nothing more tlian
the intestines' inflated with wind and the womb, (so far
from a state of pregnancy, remarkably small, without
auy sign of aShiloh) they took theirdepai-ture, and the re
sult, having soon become public, the street was for a time
in an uproar. Those of the Followers, who anxiously
waited the event, skulked ofl'in great tribulation,-and were
happy to escape the view of the populace, who were
outrageous to any person whom they suspected of ad
hering to the doctrine ofthe Prophetess. By the desire
of Joanna some short time since, previous to her death,
all the presents" which were sent for the use of Shiloh and
his mother, crib, &c. were to be restored to the owners..
At so late a period as the year 182J., a considerable
number of her stupid proselytes in the West of England,
are looking for her return, and the fulfilment of the
poor woman's expectations.

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. 121

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON.
This adventurer in the religious field occupies a differ
rent standing to those of his rivals in pious frauds. A spe
cies of derangement is clearly discernible in all those
who have fabricated and promulgated religious impostures,
but this sinner saved, as he called himself, had more of
the art of a knave than a lunatic, since he has assumed no
doctrine subductive of the tenets or mysteries of Chris
tianity, but made his religion a stepping stone to mount
to fame and riches, and subsequently from being a coal-
heaver came to ride in his coach, and marry the titled
widow of a Lord Mayor.
Huntington was born in 1774, at a place in the Weald
of Kent, near Cranbrook. His nominal father was a day-
labourer, who, as the S. S. (sinner saved) says, was shut out
of his own bed for years by a wretch that defiled both his
wife' and his be^d, and hence he was the offspring of a
double adultery. Barnabas Russel, his real father, put
him to a day-school, where he barely learned to read and
write. His nominal father, by the kind assistance of
Russel, had eleven children, five of whom died young.
Being afterwards taken to thrash in the barn, but soon
getting weary of hard living and fourpence a day, he
obtained a placerin a yeoman's family, who enga'ged him
for three years at 20s. a year, and his perquisites were to
find him in linen and other things. Unluckily for him his
master one day having some guests who gave him thirteen
shillings, this occasioned a dispute about the division

122 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
of it, the maid; aided by the mistress, demanding two
thirds, the S. S. insisted on keeping it, and thus lost his
place. •' -¦;', f •/>,-¦'
At his next place a reprobate fellow-servant under-
- mined the good principles he had received in his child
hood, and the exciseman dreadfully terrified him, who.
with fiis. ink-bottle and pen at his button-hole, he took
for a demon sent to record children's sins. From this
service, he went to live at Battle-Abbey, and afterwards
with a clergyman, at Frittenden, in the Weald of Kent.
Here he became acquainted with a little black-eyed girl,
whose father suspecting some danger in their intercourse,
Save him to understand bis .visits, were no longer agree
able. The mother however was less repugnant, and,
though at first he thought nothing of the girl, he at last
became entangled, and says, "she shot me through the
heart, and I could have served as many years for Susan
Fever, as Jacob did for Rachel."
He seems to have loved Susan sincerely, and she
returned his affection; but, after a year and a half, of
'.' lingering happiness," finding, as a day-labourer, he
should' be unable to support her, he set about learning the
art of gun-making, under the instruction of a brother-in-
law; he accordingly quitted his servitude, and now and
then walked thirty miles with a light heart, to visit his
mistress, hoping he should soon be in a situation to enable
to. marry. Unfortunately however his brother-in-law
turned out a drunkard, and at length runaway, leaving
him in a worse situation than he was before. The tailor
and his wife now began to wish that their daughter would
disengage her affections, and a, suitor offering' who was

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. 123
in good circunstances, the S. S. partly out of malice of
his more successful rival, seduced the girl, and then
engaged himself in a different part of the country, where
in due time he received a visit. from the parish-officer of
Frittenden, to whom he. engaged to pay the stipulated
.charge for the maintenance of the child, which he did
till illness-and poverty drove him to a second removal,
and compelled him to change his name to avoid detection.
The S. S. declares that he loved this girl, and kept his
vows of constancy unbroken till she married another;
but his faith was easily reconciled to any breach of pro
mise by a.firm belief that she was appointed for anuther, ,
and thathe had scripture-examples in plenty for changing
his name, which after all he calls no change but a mere
addition, his nominal father's name being Hunt, and he
having added ington to it, and. with his new name, he
affirms, he was baptized with the Holy Ghost, " and
thus," he continues, "old things are passed away, behold;
all things are become new." •'¦
After some years he married, and took ready-furnished
lodgings at Mortlake. . A hard winter brought the young
couple, to feel much want, and he lost his first child at
four mouths old in a convulsion fit, (and five more in the
same way afterwards,) which appears to have keenly
wounded his heart. — Lameness and indigence made him
feel he was under the chastising hand of God for his sins,
and spiritual convictions began to plough so deep into his
heart, as to make way for the word of eternal life. He
now withdrew from all profane company, and at times
he. declares, in despair of finding mercy, he was on the
point of throwing himself into the Thames. He after-

124 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
wards went to live at Sunbury, to take a gardner's place,
while his wife paid a visit to her relations; here he was
lodged in a room where his predecessor had cut his throat,
having been detected in embezzling his master's money,
and what was worse he bad 'to sleep in the suicide's bed.
His temptations to suicide increased with reflexions; how
ever, after many conflicts and dialogues with the Devif,
he was favoured with the light of a beautiful and perfect
rainbow, and because God's word says "I do set my bow
in* the clouds," he was immediately satisfied the Bible
was true ; and this was further confirmed by going one
morning at day-break to his work, when it came into his
mind that Christ Was born in the East, and that if he
directed his eyes to that quarter, he would straight look to
the spot of his blessed nativity : just at that moment the
sun rose above the hills, and rapture so filled his heart,
that he could not forbear weeping aloud. Being a little
encouraged by the light of the rainbow, he prayed and
fasted npost rigourously, and went to the communion table
in a state of great horror, but now the "Devil persuaded
him that he had communicated unworthily, and to drown
all reflexions on God and futurity, he took to ale-house
excesses, in which he continued, till an acquaintance, a
moral man, gave him a sermon that alarmed him so
much, that he fancied he was in hell. He stripped him
self stark-naked to pray, and laid the Bible under his
pillow, that the Devil might not fly away with him.
Attached to the established church, he determined to
wander from preacher to preacher, till some one could
give him relief. Some one soon after lent him a sectarian
little book, which recommend the sinner to enter into

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. 125
covenant with God; this he did, stripping himsejf naked
and vowing to perform all its conditions, but before a week
was out he broke through all the conditions, his strength
declined, and he thought of leaving his wife and child,
quitting his employ, and wandering about to starve and
die. — Driven to despair by the doctrine of election and
reprobation, of which he was a firm believer, he was one
day before Christmas suddenly relieved from his blasphe
mous temptations and doubts, while pruning a large pear
tree against a wall, when a sudden great light shone
around him, and a straight line appeared to him down
through the whole world, one theiine of confession, the
other the line of inheritance, or the elect, and the human
race was placed in one or the other. He came down,
saw nothing but the vision, and heard a voice plainly
say, *' Lay by your forms of prayer, and go pray to Jesus
Christ." He then went into the tool-house ; took off his
blue apron,, and hid his face in. it, and boldly prayed, "Q
Lord 1 am a sinner, and you know it. I have tried to
make myself better, and cant. If there is any way left
to save me, do save me ;. -if not I must be damned, fori
cannot try any move,, and will not." This appeal did
the business: he prayed, for a quarter pf an hour, when
Christ appeared in a full blaze of glory, and though he
fell, on his face, the vision was still present. The result
was he rose up disencumbered of all his doubts and fears,;;
and found that he had done with work. He therefore
went on Sunbury Common, and prayed, and in the even
ing repaired to the green-house to pray, then came home
laughing, read in the Bible, and al) that appeared dark
before was now made plain. Next Sunday he attended

126 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

at church, but it was only to ridicule the service as a
tissue of contradictions and a mockery of the Almighty.
At home he directy burnt the Whole Duty of Man, and
other natural books of piety, and resolved to set up for
himself as a preacher, the first step to which was his
being ordained by Toriel Joss, whom he had previously
declared was the only man whom he had ever heard
preach the Bible. — Some time before this he had engaged
himself to a manufacturer of gunpowder at Ewel, in
Surry, at 1 Is. a week in summer, and singularly managed
to keep house for half-a-crown a week ; he now began
to draw largely upon his Bank of Faith, which seems to
have so abundantly provided him with fish, game, ample
gleaning, &c. that he some how was dismissed from his
master's service, and his wife's nimble hand at gleaning
drove her from the field.
Compelled to remove to Thames Ditton, he here car
ried coals at 10s. per week for 14 months, preaching on
Sundays, and at an evening lecture every week, where
he obtained the title of the coal-heaver. A professor
taught him to make children's shoes, but finding it im
possible to cobble, to preach five or six times a week, and
coal-heave, he gave up his awls and shovel, and set him
self to the work of the ministry, under the ordination as
before mentioned of Toriel Joss. He not long after pub
lished his famous work, called "God the Guardian of
the Poor, and the Bank of Faith ; or a display of the
Providences of God which have at sundry times attended
the Atithor." This book affords numerous ludicrous
details of the familiar terms he was on with the Almighty
and the blessed Saviour; a kind of a hail fellow, well

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. lS7

met way of telling his wants, and getting them supplied.
Hence he wants nothing that he does not find—a fine
rabbit lies in the path, a friend gives him halfat-guinea
when he is pennyless ; he borrows a guinea, and when
he expects the lender to call for it, he tells him to keep
it: he gets a new suit when threadbare, and a horse was
purchased for him by subscription, for whose keep the
Bank of Faith supplied whatever was necessary.
The S. S. in his book gives an account that the effect
of horse-riding was to wear out his breeches, and he was
likely to go bare-breeched unless his "invaluable Master,
with whom he often made very free in his prayers,"
would send him a pair. Going to town, and calling on
a shoemaker in Shepherd's Market there was a pair in a
parcel left for him, and the fitting was (as might be
expected} neat and tight, because his "Master had
bespoke them for him !" He next laboured to persuade
his wife to live by' faith, and succeeded so well, that,
with their joint efforts in prayers, petticoats, gowns,
hams, bacon, poultry, fish, money, and all the contents
of an American store, came .rolling in at the critical
juncture of their being wanted.
At Snnbury however, while preaching.he was recog
nised by a "professing" carpenter, who recollected his
absconding from his parish, while n^med Wm. Hunt,
and leaving his illegitimate child. The carpenter went
to Cranbrook, and there informed a spiritual sister ofthe
S. S. that he was alive and prosperous, and advised her,
as she was poor, to ask his assistance ; on the next lecture
night a ietter was delivered to him in his right name, at
the meeting door, an event very highly gratifying to,- a

l'.2$ HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
number of persons standing round, the door who were
under prosecution by the S. S. for riotous conduct in his
meeting. The preacher however, by the aid of scripture
references, got through the charge very well, paid j(?30
to the parish he had absconded from, and in his book con-
fessed his intention, when he could spare a little money,
to see his son before he died. He was then living at a
farmer's in Tenterden, near Cranbrook, Kent, "but
what name he goes by," says he S. S. "I know not, nor
have J had time to enquire, I have had so much to do
about my own!".
Weary of Thames Ditton, and the persecution there,
he made known to his friends that the Lord had called
him to London, and whither he and his family went^
The grand object was to procure a Chapel, but he pro*
tests he did not know how to ask God to lend him a lift;
yet all things conspired favorably; ofie friend found out
a snug bft of ground, and another planned a Chapel
while hearing the S. S. arid offered to conduct it gratis.
The S. S; Was £20 in debt when he took the ground, arid
^fll was all the first offerings, which were soon expended
on the foundation of Providence Chapel. He ordered a
load of timber — it was sent as a contribution. Paint for
the pulpit, desk, &c.~- ¦ a bed-room handsomely furnished
thathis coal-heaving feet might be kept dry incold winter-
nights— a chapel looking glass, chairs, china, a tea-chest
full of strong gunpowder, — all came tumbling in; 'yet
notwithstanding, what was so' liberally sent, he owns he
was .sglOOO in "arrears;. " so, (as he says,) I had plenty
of work for ,:faith, if I could but get plenty.of faith to
work."

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. 129
Unlike the benevolent Wesley in practice as in doc
trine, he sought only to tile himself in with a snug
congregation — Arminianisn he detested as a diabolical
phrenzy, and preferred rather to be a Deist. He was a
rank Antinomian, and was at war with the church man
and the dissenter, the last of whom he handled most
virulently. — In his clerical capacity he was formidably
attached by the Rev. Rowland Hill, whose influence had
excluded the S. S. from the Tabernacle at Greenwich.
Mr. Hill's sermon was taken down by the Bank of Faith
disciples, and shewn to their captain, who lost no time
in replying to his esteemed antagonist, in that peculiai
sarcastic manner which attracted so many to hear him.
Timothy Priestly, brother of the celebrated Dr. Priestly,
the Unitarian and Chemist, opposed the S. S. and his
antimomianism ; but the latter treated him more roughly
than he did Rowland. He answered him in a work called
" The Barber, or Timothy Priestly shaved, as reflected
from his own Looking-Glass." - Twenty volumes were
filled out with this preacher's account of his own life and
writings, and his imitations of Bunyan and his poetry. One
Poem directs in a prefatory address
To Mistress Langster, now at number eight,
Tis by the new St. Luke's, that's built of late.
At Old-street end you'll find the dame's abode,
In Winkworth's buildings on the City-Road.
Bramab, the Patent Lock-mak'er, was among his contro
versialists — but the S. S. tells him, thought he may make
a good patent-lock, he cuts a sad figure with the keys of
the kingdom of heaven.— Bensley the Printer was a firm
believer in him, whom he calls "dear brother io the
No. 4, n

130 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
Lord, and dear Tom in the flesh." Of Mr. and Mrs. Baker,
of Oxford-street, he says, "while the chapel was build
ing, if there was one shilling in the house, I was sure to
have it." The good people, jointly with their shepherd,
bought a piece of ground near Petersham, and erected a
substantial tomb there, that their dust might mingle
together. Eventually Mr. H's friends settled him in a coun
try-house, stocked his garden and. farm, and presented
him with acoach and pair,,paying the taxes for each, that
he might travel comfortably to and from his chapel. His
wifc^who was such an extensive gleaner, being dead, he
preached himself into the good graces of Lady Sanderson,
whose husband was Lord Mayor of London, and married
her. His Chapel in Titchfield-street being burnt down,
another was built for him in Gray's Inn Lane, and he
properly said, "Providence must be its name, for Provi
dence must provide for it." He would not bind himself
to pay any part of the expences, and had the chapel i
assigned over to him, which he bequeathed to his widow,
who resigned it afterwards to the congregation.
The Quarterly Review has justly remarked, that, '?men
of Huntingdon's stamp not unfrequently end in becoming
their own dupes." Thus it was in the case of Joanna
Southcott, It could have been only the delirium of vanity
' and the intoxication of success which made him boldly
lay claim fo the spirit of prophecy. When Buonaparte
went to Egypt, he predicted his downfal from Isaiah,
and that neither he nor a man of -his army would ever
return to France. About 18 10 he imagined the Catholics
would oome into power, and advance till they had effect-

WILLIAM HUNTINGTON. 131
—1« '   ,",  ,|, n  '
ed the great and last slaughter of the saints, which would
be about the year 1870. "This, (says his Reviewer,)
was laying the pmphecy at a safe distance. There were
persons who persisted in crediting the dreams of" Joanna
Southcott, after she was dead and buried ; and, though
the poor creature, before she died, was convinced that a
delusion had possessed her, they believed her, in spite
of herself, and insisted that she was gone to bring forth
the promised birth in heaven." The followers of the S. S.
were as implicit believers. In his church govermeht, he
ruled with the most arbitrary domination. He was always
attended by an overflowing auditory of the working classes,*-
was gentle and persuasive in his preaching, and possess
ed a wonderful fund of scripture quotation [suited to the
subject he was on. As he advanced towards the grave he
became alarmed lest his old age should become barren in
the ministry. He did not long survive his old and kind
friend, Baker, but died at Tunbridge Wells in 1813;
dictating his own Epitaph, "Here lies the coal-heaver,
Beloved of his God, but abhorred by men. The omni
scient Judge at the Grand Assize shall satisfy 'and con
firm this to the confusion of many thousands.- For
England and its Metropolis shall know that there has
been a Prophet among them." He was buried at Lewes,
and at his desire no funeral sermon was preached, nor
any thing said over his grave.
That covetousness and worldy mindedness were con
spicuous in Huntington's character, may.be gathered from
the whole tenour of his conduct : his bitter and uncharit
able spirit appears in~his writings; and many instances
occur of his audacious, not to say, blasphemous, preten-

132 HISTORY OP RELIGIQUS IMPOSTURES.
sions.' Yet, that he was useful lo others cannot be denied,
notwithstanding his spiritual pride and uncharitable feel
ings. He at last by dealing so much in religion became
religious himself, and he certainly attracted by his pecu
liar unimpassioned manner and long sermons, hundreds
of working men, who attended him. regularly, and whom
he collected as stray sheep into his fold, that he might
gather a little of their wool. He made use of no action,
never ranted, and his tone of voice was mild and agree
able. While the singing was going on before the sermon,
he sat perfectly still, with his; eyes directed downward,
as if absorbed in profound contemplation. His method of
marking any word he wanted to be emphatic was by a
complaisant nod of his head, nor was a syllable lost by his
, open-mouthed and open-eared auditory.— Several preach-
ers adopted his manner and his principles after his
decease, but neither he nor they have effected the
organizing of any sect.

THE
LIFE OF
JAMES NAYLER,
a jFanatic <&M$mim,
WHO PROFANELY AND BLASPHEMOUSLY PERSONATED
JESUS CHRIST,
AT LONDON, BRISTOL, &c. &c. 4
The Examinations of him and his Adherents; his Punish
ment by Order of Parliament, after his riotous
procedure had engaged their attention for
Ten Days, during the Year 1656 ;
AND
AN ACCOUNT OF THE
RETRACTION OF HIS SEVERAL ERRORS,
- 8;c. Sfc.
BY D. HUGHSON, LL.D.
8DITOR OF THE HISTORT OF LONPON, AND OTHER WORKS.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOB AND PUBLISHED BY S. A. ODDY,
2, IVY-LANE, NEWGATE-STREET.
* —
1814.

PRINTED BY HAMBUN AND SEYFANG,
CARLICK-HILL, TH AM ES- STREET.

JAMES NAYLER.
1618-1660.

JJEFORE we enter upon the account of this extra
ordinary character; one who made his conduct the
subject of parliamentary interference, and who certain
ly merited some part of, though not all, the punishment
he met with, and which probably, in the end, restored
him to himself as well as to a due acknowledgement of
his crime ; it may be necessary for us to observe, that ia
the course of our History of Impostures we do not at
tempt to enter upon discussions of merely religious prin
ciples, or of the different doctrines by which Christians of
all denominations point out the way to salvation ; conse
quently, in our anecdotes of James Nayler, we enter into
no arguments concerning the tenets of that worthy class
•f men, truly denominated " Friends," but vulgarly
called Quakers. That they suffered persecution, both at
the time of the Usurpation, and during the reigns of
Charles II. and James II. the English history sufficient
ly exemplifies; but that any odium should have at.
tached to such a respectable and well-meaning body,
on account of the extravagancies of this miserable vi*
sionary and his associates, is what we absolutely disbe
lieve, and, therefore, think ourselves fully justified in
.discrediting any relations, however eminent the writers;
NQ. 4. a

t HISTORY OF RELISIOUS IMPOSTURES.
to the contrary. We perfectly coincide in the ju
diciously arranged, and we'll drawn up account of the
Quakers in the Reverend Mr. Evan's Sketch of Reli
gious Denominations, and subscribe to his candid and
unprejudiced opinions respecting such a simple and un
aspiring body of Christians.
In such a disposition, therefore, we are willing to con
cede, and do grant to him, what has been observed by
thebenevolent Joseph Gurney Bevan, in his "Refutation
cf some of the more modern Misrepresentations of the
Society of Friends, &c." yet he must allow us to use our
judgment discretionally, when we take upon us to de
clare our opinion, that though he is a condemner of what
he denominates "James Nayler's fall," still he is de
sirous of being an apologist for his general conduct, bis
doctrines, and his writings. Let the facts speak for
themselves; for even if we were to state those facts,
as Mr. BeVan has done, still we think that the unpre
judiced would agree with us, that JamesNayler's conduct
was as mischievous as his principles were blasphemous.
The place of Nayler's birth was at Ardsley, a villag«
near Wakefield, in Yorkshire; and was of a family of
sufficient estate, with industry, to enjoy a comfortable
subsistence. He was born in 1618, and on his marriage,
about 1640, removed to Wakefield ; on the breaking
out of the civil war, in 1641, he entered as a soldier in
the parliament army, under Fairfax, and served after
wards as a quarter-master, under Lambert. After having
been eight years in the army, sickness disabled him
from his military employ, and he was compelled to re
turn to Wakefield. His religious profession at this pe
riod, was that of the Independents.

JAMES NAYLER.

In the year 1651, the famous George Fox had com
menced preaching, and entered Wakefield, where, hav
ing had Nayler as one of his auditors, he so far approved
of Fox's doctrines, that he readily consented to what
they promulgated ; " not," as Fox informs us in his Jour
nal, " that Nayler was convinced at a meeting; but that
he came to him and was convinced.'' And it is also
probable, that he had sought the company of Fox, in
order to discover if the doctrine of the latter could sa
tisfy the want, which every thoughtful and sincere man
must find, from indecision in a matter, as Mr. Bevan
observes, so important as that which concerns the fu
ture well-being of the soul. " That so many serious
persons at this period," he continues, ¦" should be un
settled and undecided is no matter of surprise. England
was then torn with intestine commotion, on account of
religion ; and the professed followers of the Prince of
Peace were either pretending to defend his cause by the
. sword, or making that cause a colour for their own
ambition. It was, and it long continued to be, a time of
violence and extremes; and if any of the primitive
Quakers partook, in any degree, of the temper of the
times, and were, in a greater or less proportion, shaken
from the centre of immutable truth ; those surely who
do not, with them, allow the notion of a spiritual in
ward direction ofthe conduct, should be the foremost to
palliate that, to which man by nature is so evidently
prone." It seems that, from his youth, Nayler had been a per
son attentive to religion. The Committee of Parliament,
before whom he was afterwards summoned* however.

4 HISTORY OT RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
11 "1 r i" ' ¦ i _

accuse him of blasphemy, and what it terms ' uncivil and
wanton carriage with a -married woman ;' which is swelled
into adultery by a person named Deacon, who wrote two
pamphlets against Nayler, about the time that sentence
by that parliament was passed on him. It should be ob
served, that this Deacon was then an opponent to Nay
ler in his writings.
In ©onsequence of the change in his religious princi
ples, he believed himself bound "in religious duty" to
leave his family, and travel, as chance might direct
him, ot " as the way might, from time to time, be opened
in his mind. He declared himself to have received thit
commission, while he was meditating on the things of
God, in the field at plough ; that he' then heard a voice,
bidding him go out from his kindred and from his father'*
house, wilh a promise, that the Lord would be with
him. He says, that he exceedingly rejoiced to hear the
voice of the Lord, whom he had professed from a child,
and had endeavoured to serve; and made some prepa
ration for his journey ; that he afterwards, however, was
disobedient to this voice, ort which account he declares
the wrath of God was upon him, so that he appeared
in danger of losing his life ; till at length, going a lit
tle Way from home with a friend, not then thinking of
a journey, and unprovided for one, he was commanded
to go into the west. What was the purpose of his
mission he knew not; but on his arrival, it was given
him what to declare; and thus he continued, not know-
ing one day what he was to do on the morrow." It
does riot appear clearly whether this journey was to the
west of England, or only westward of his habitation.

JAMES NAYLER.

Wakefield. The latter is most probable, for in the year
1652, we find hiiri suffering muei; personal abuse at Wal-
ney Island, in Lancashire, disputing with the elergy in
Westmoreland ; and finally, in the month of November in
that year, indicted at the quarter-sessions at Appleby, for
what was termed blasphemy : that is, according to the
indictment, for having said that Christ was in him, and
there was but one word of God. On this occasion it
appears, that divers of the commonwealth preachers
either had been the promoters of the arrest, or ac
cusers on the trial. It turned much on the circum
stance of Nayler's asserting Christ to be in him; but
concluded without convicting him of the blasphemy for
which he had been indicted. Nevertheless, the justices
ordered him to be kept in prison, until certain petitions
should be answered, which had been preferred against
him, George Fox, Francis Howgil, and others. By this
must have been meant answers by the prisoners to the
allegations of the petitioners. James Nayler remained
about twenty weeks in prison, during which time he
published, jointly with George Fox, a pamphlet, intitled,
' Several Petitioners answered, that were put up by the
Priests of Westmoreland,' &c. It is singular, if this
piece procured his liberty, seeing it abounds with cen
sure, not very gently expressed, against the petition
ing ministers. There is in it, among other things, a paper,
signed Jervis Benson, who had been one of the magis
trates on the bench at Appleby, whereby it appears,
that, although it was alleged (another account say?, by
Benson himself,) that the words spoken by Nayler, were
not within the act against blasphemy, nor against any
a 2

4t HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
law ; two other magistrates had declared themselves
willing to risque the being fined at the assizes, rather
than that he should have his liberty ; also that Justice
Pearson told his colleague Benson, the subscriber of
the paper, that he must give an account of their pro
ceedings to the ministers and others. So priest-rid
den, if this paper be genuine, was a quarter-sessions in
1652; " It will not be foreign to the business of illustrating
the long defamed character of Nayler, to observe, that
Pearson, although not appearing friendly to him, re
ceived on this occasion such impressions in favour of the
principles held by Friends, that he afterwards joined
them, and became himself an open and able advocate
for them in writing: and this in a Work hot written
from the impulse (as it is called) of the moment, and
without study, or consultation of writers, but evincing
a mind which had well Weighed the subject, and was
1vell versed in it.*
" The same year that Nayler was released from Ap
pleby gaol, if not during his confinement in it, we find
him also writing a paper, entitled, ' Truth cleared from
Scandal, beihg James Nayler's Answer and Declaration,
touching some things charged upon him in the Lanca
shire Petition.'f It seems by this, that the ministers in

* " The great State ofTythes, truly stated, clearly opened,
and fully resolved, by Anthony Pearson, formerly a Justice of
tlie Peace in Westmoreland."
t This was a petition to the council of state against Fox and

JAMES NAYLER.

Lancashire had also been alarmed at his doctrine ; and
when we consider he was one of the early declaimers
against forced maintenance, it is not wonderful that
they sho dd be. A doctrine, at all times disagreeable
to the lucrative teacher, had then also the appearance of
innovation ; and when the support of precoticeived and
gainful opinions, and not truth, is the object of solici
tude, Innovation is an alarming word."
How far Mr. Bevan'sprecedingobservation may bejust,
respecting " preconceived and gainful opinions," we will
not take upon us to decide. Yet we cannot help ex-
-pressing an opinion, that the language of an apologist
should always be moderate at least, especially when
there are two points to one argument, in which, till ihe
present moment, there are as many advocates, and those
very able ones too, on both sides of the question, and
each producing powerful documents in support of those
opinions, which are, and ever will be, undivided.
However, we shall take a liberty with Mr. Sevan's
biography of Nayler a little longer : —
" It might not, however, have been necessary to
mention this paper, on account of the persons to whom
it was an answer; but as it contains James Nayler's be
lief concerning Christ, it is material to be noticed; be-'
cause the outcry, that was a few years after raised
against him, was on the pretence of great error on this
point of faith.

Nayler. It was likewise answered by them jointly, in a book
called Saul's Errand in Damascus, with his Packet of Letters from
the High Priests _against the Disciple of the Lord.

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

" ' Concern:ng Jesus Christ, (says Nayler,) who-is
the eternal word of God, by whom all things are made
and are upholden, who was before all time, but mani
fested in time lor the recovery of lost man, which word
became flesh, and dwelt among the saint8, who is the
same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever ; who did and
doth dwell in the saints; who suffered and rose again,
and ascended into heaven, and is set on the right hand
of God ; to whom all power is given, in heaven and in
earth; who filleth all places; he is the light ofthe
world, but known to none but those who receive and
'follow him; and those he leads up to God, out of all
the ways, works, and worships of the world, by his
pure light in them, whereby he reveals the man of sin,
and by his power casts him out, and so prepares the
bodies of the saints a fit temple fo'r the pure God to
dwell in, with whom dwells no unclean thing. And
thus he reconciles God and man, and the image of God
which in purity and holiness is renewed ; and the image
of Satan, which is all sin and uncleanness, is defaced.
And none can witness redemption further than Christ is
thus revealed in them, to set them free from sin : which
Christ 1 witness to oe revealed in me in measure.' Gal.
i. 16. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Col. i. 27.'
" The other heads of the paper are, concerning the
Scriptures, baptism, the resurrection, magistracy, and
the ministry.
" After the termination of his confinement, Nayler
continued travelling in the service of the Gospel in the
north of England, and at length, in the year 1645, came
to London, He declares himself to have entered into

JAMES NAYLER. 9

that city with the greatest ki$ that had ever been his.
experience on entering into any place: in spirit fore
seeing that something would befal him in it; but not
knowing what it should be.* It is with difficulty we
trace his proceedings in London, and afterwards in the
country, with accuracy. It is probable the Quakers
were so much grieved with the occasion for reproach
which he gave, that none of them thought fit to note
occurrences which they probably wished to be forgotten.
But they have been, and will be, remembered. Let us
therefore endeavour to view them through as few false
mediums as we can ; and it will be found that the story
is not less fraftght with instruction, than the thing itself
was with reproach : for, where is the man, be his natu
ral qualifications, his acquirements, or his gifts, what
they may, who can say he has no need of caution |
*' Let him that thinketh that he staudeth, take heed lest
he fall."
*' It appears that Edward Burrough, and Francis
Howgil (Nayler's fellow-prisoners at Appleby,), had
been the means of gathering a congregation of Friends
in London, previously to the arrival of James Nayler.
Much admiration, however, was excited in many of tha
bearers by the preaching of the latter; so much indeed
as to induce some inconsiderate women to undervalue
Burrough and Howgil, -and to disturb them in their mi
nistry. This disorderly behaviour was reproved by th»

* This is in a small piece entitled, ' To the Life of God
in All :' one of the papers in which he describes the means of
his fall.

10 HISTORY OF RELieiOUS IMPOSTURES.

two ministers; but the women not being silenced, as it
was hardly to be expected they would be, by the re
prehension of persons whom they had taken upon them
to judge* preferred, against Burrou-gb and Howgil, their
complaints to Nayler; and endeavoured to incense him
against them James did not appear forward to condemn
his friends; but this effect of well-founded fears in
creased the earnestness of his wild admirers; one of
whom falling into a kind of passionate grief, exclaimed,
in a shrill but mournful voice, 'I looked for judgment f
but, behold a cry.' The piercing lamentations of this
woman are considered as having had a great share in>
overturning the. judgment of Nayler ; and he became
not only the dupe of her violent grief, and of that of
her associates, but was also further led aside by their
flattery : while, from his former intimates, the leading
members of the society of Friends, he was more and more
estranged. For about this time were those letters writ
ten to him, in which he is said to have been addressed
by the title of Everlasting Son of Righteousness, or that
of Prince of Peace, only begotten Son of God, Fairest
of ten thousand, &c. That several persons should be found
to concur in such impious adulation, is at first sight a
matter of surprize; nevertheless, the page of ecclesias
tical history has but too many instances of the extrava.
gant effect of unbridled fancy, interfering in the pro
vince of religion : but, though these furnish matter of
ridicule to the scoffer, and of exultation to the infidel,
they in no wise shake the confidence of the humble be
liever; but enforce, with emphasis, the injunction,
» Watch !"

JAMES NAYLER. ll

" Nayler allows this time to have been a time of
darkness ; a darkness of which probably they can best,
if not only, judge, who have witnessed a state of light.
The worldly mind, which slights the idea of divine
illumination, and which is contented with the twilight
of mere human judgment, arising, as it often does, frorh.
misconception, as it cannot comprehend the clearness of
the light which the single eye receives, so neither can
it .fathom the darkness consequent on the close of that
eye of faith, which hath been once opened in the soul.
' If the light that is in you become darkness, how great
is that darkness !" It therefore frequently condemns
where it ought to pity, or at least it omits to add pity
to its condemnation. Thus acted, I believe, those who
contrived the punishment of James Nayler. It is re
markable that Nayler declared it to be his fear of op
posing what might be right, in his partisans, that pre
vented his opposing and reproving their extravagancies..
Having lost his spirit of discernment, he was in a situa
tion to accept almost any thing as truth, more especially
that which was gratifying ; and, however his will had
been concerned in the early part of his deviation, I am
inclined to think that, in its progress, he did not intend
evil; but thought himself forbearing, in humility, to
jadge the actions of others : and receiving their honour
not as done to his person, but to that extraordinary
manifestation of Christ, which hfe continued to think he
possessed. This opinion the sequel may establishor over
throw. Let us proceed with the narrative.
'*' We are not clearly informed at what time of Nay
ler's residence in London the disturbances which hs

12 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTWRE3.

occasioned begun. I apprehend not until 1656; for it
is not likely a course so extravagant should have been
long without a check. In 1655 and 1656, he appears
to have published about sixteen pamphlets, several of
them controversial, and some of them which were not
so ; being republished in the collection of his works,
17 16, it seems lo show that he had not, at the time of
their being written, separated "from the fellowship of
the Friends. Nor indeed does it appear that he was
forward to do so ; for the next memorial we have of
him, as it confirms my opinion of the date of his
errors, proves his desire to retain his acquaintance
with his friends. In the summer of 1656, George
Fox was in prison at Launceston, and James Nay
ler, on his way to pay him a visit, was himself
imprisoned at Exeter. With the exact cause of his
being confined, and with the mode of his release, we
are unacquainted ;* but as it appears that his frantic
companions were with him, it may be supposed it was
owing to some disturbance which was raised. As other
Friends, however, on their way to see George Fox,

" * An anonymous account, published 1719, entitled, ' Me
moirs of the Life, Ministry, Trials, and Sufferings, of James
Nayler, the Quakers' great Apostle,' cites the Committee of
Parliament, as mentioning in their Report, that he was com
mitted as a vagrant, and released by order of council. The
author denies the former, and says in a note, that Saunders
gave him liberty to go on his journey; but that he was
brought back about twenty miles, and committed by a judge,
and fined twenty marks for not putting off his hat  N B. The
author of the Memoirs appears to be a violent admirer of
Nayler, though probably not a Quaker."

JAMES NAYLER. 13

were imprisoned at Exeter, this supposition is not conclu
sive ; although George Fox hints at a disturbance which,
Nayler had previously occasioned at Bristol. George
Fox was released from Launceston on the 13th of tha
seventh month (September,) and after a short stay in
Cornwall, was himself the visitor at Exeter prison of
those whose intention it had been to visit him, in his se
vere durance at Launceston. William Penn says of
George Fox, that ' he was a discerner of other mens'
spirits, and much a master of his own.' Fox, in his jour
nal, declares his sense, that Nayler and his company
were wrong, and dates his deviation, which Fox calls
his running out into imaginations, to a little time before
his own release from prison. George Fox had a meet
ing with the prisoners, but Nayler did not remain with
them while the meeting was held ; and the following
day, George speaking to him (pryhably by way of ad
vice,) James, though he slighted his advice, pffered to
George a salutation, which the latter, in his turn, re
jected : saying, that 'since Nayler had turned against
the power of God, he could not receive his show of kind
ness.* George adds, in the same paragraph of his jour
nal, * After some time he returned to truth again.' The
sight of his return was, probably, then at a distance,
for in this prison he suffered three of his female adhe
rents to kneel before him and kiss his feet.
" Being released from Exeter, he made his way to
wards Bristol, his, flattering companions attending him. It
is said, by an adversary, that garments were strewed in
his way at Glastonbury and Wells; but it is allowed on-,
all hands, that his entry into Bristol was in imitation
K\ 5. 8

14 HISTORY C«F RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
of the manner of the entry of Christ into Jerusalem.
A man went bare-headed before him, a woman led his
horse, three others strewed their scarfs and handker
chiefs in the way, and the company sung, Holy, holy,
holy, is the Lord God of hosts! Hosannah in the highest !
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Israel !' So extra
ordinary a procession and acclamation, could not fail
of attracting the notice of -the police of any well-regu
lated city; but it afforded to the persecutors ofthe Qua
kers, an opportunity of colouring their general severity,
which it is not likely they would miss. Howev-er, to the
apprehending of James Nayler, and to the examining
of him and his companions, no valid objection can be
made. It was required for the peace of society."
Having granted so much to Mr. Bevan's opinions; and
really we consider ourselves as having conceded to the
uttermost bounds of prudence, we must suffer facts to
speak for themselves, and we really think, that those
facts ought to do away very much indeed of the apo
logy for Nayler's (we cannot help adding) atrocious be
haviour. And we take our data from the following ex
aminations of this unbounded fanatic, and his scandalous
companions ; and none but the most obstinate and fasti
dious will differ from the opinion we have advanced.
The Examination qf James Nayler, and otliers, was as
follows:—
Being asked his name, or whether he was not called
James Nayler?
He replied, " The men of this world call me James
Nayler.

JAMES NAYLER. 15

• Q. "Art not thou the man that rid on horseback into
Bristol; a woman leading thy horse, and others singing
before thee, Holy,, holy, holy, Hosannah, &c?
A. " I did ride into a town, but what its name was, I
know not; and, by the Spirit,' a woman was commanded
to hold my horse's bridle; and some there were that cast
down clothes, and sang praises to the Lord, such songs
as the Lord put into their hearts;, and it is like it might
be the song of Holy,, holy,, holy, &c.
Q. " Whether or not didst thou^ejffovterfchose women ?
A. " Nay, but I bade them tafceheed that they sang no*
thing but what they were moved to do by the Lord.
Q. " Dost thou own this letter, (whereupon a letter was
shewed him,) which Hannah Stranger sent unto thee ?
A. " Yea, I. do own that letter.*

* The words of that and another letter, were these: ,
A Letter, to James Nayler, at Exeter, by Hannah Stranger.
"J.N.
'* In the pure fear and power of God, my soul salutes'.
thee, thou everlasting son of righteousness, arid prince of
peace. Oh! how my soul travailed to, see this day, which
Abraham did, and was glad, and so shajl all that are of faijthft
ful Abraham. Oh ! suffer me to speak, what' the* Lord.hath
moved ! There is one,temptation near, the like unto, the first,
and is like the wisdom of God, but it is not, arid, therefore,
it must be destroyed. Oh! it defileth and'hateth ihe.iniia-
oent; I beseech thee wait, my soul tiavaileth to see a pure
image brought forth, and the enemy strives to destroy it, that
he may keep mc always surrounding, and ever seeking) and!
never satisfied, nor never lejoicicg. But he, in whom J h»v«?

16 HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
Q. Art thou (according to that letter) the fairest of
ten thousand ?
A. "As to the visible, I deny any snch attribute to
be due unto me; but if, as to that which the Father
has begotten in me, I shall own it.

believed, will shortly tread Satan under our feet, and there
shalt thou and thine return to Zion with everlasting rejoices
and praises. But, till then, better is the house of mourning
than rejoicing, .for .he that was made a perfect example, when
he had fasted the appointed time of his Father, was tempted
to eat, and to show a miracle, to prove himself to be the Son
of God. But man lives not by bread, said he, and now no
mo(e by. that wisdom shall he live, on which he hath long
fed, as on bread; and, as his food hath been, so must his
fast be, and ihen, at the end, temptation, to as low a thing as
a stone, that, if it were possible, the humility and the mira
cles would deceive the elect, innocent, and righteous branch of
holiness. But, be his wjlls never so many, the time comes he
shall leave theejbrhejs faithful, who hath promised he will not
leave the throne of David without a man to sit thereon, which
shall judge the poor with righteousness, and the world with
equity. This shall shortly come to pass, and then shall the vision
speak and not tye- Qh ! let innocency be thy beloved, and righ
teousness thy spouse, that thy father's lambs may rejoice in thy
pure and clear unspotted image of holiness and purity, which
my soul believeth J shall see, and so in the faith rest ! I am in
patience, wait, and power will preserve from subtlety ; though
under never so zealous a pretence of innocent wisdom it be,
yet shall the Lord not suffer his Holy Xlne to see corruption,
nor bis soul to lie in hell, but will cause the mountains to
melt at his presence, and the little hills to bring him peace.
©h ! I am ready to fear as a servant, and to obey as a child.
If I have spoken words too high, love hath constrained me,
which is as strong as death ; and with the same spirit covet
them as they are spoken with, and then shall the spirit of

JAMES NAYLER. 17

Q. " Art thou the only Son of God > . .
A. " I am the Son of God, but I have many brethren ?
Q. " Have any called thee by the name of Jesus ?
A. "Not as unto the visible, but as Jesus, the Christ,
that is in me,
Q. " Dost thou own the name ofthe King of Israel ?
A. '* Not as a creature, but, if they give it, Christ with
in, I own it, and have a kingdom, but not of this world;
my kingdom is of another world, of which thou wotst not.
Q. " Whether or no art thou the prophet of the
Most High ?

David be witnessed, who refused not words though from ' his
servant's mouth ; if they were in the fear, I am his.servant,
and he, my master, whom I love and fear, and trust I shall do
unto the end. Hahn ab Stranger.
From London, 16th day
ofthe 7th Month.

" Oh ! thou fairest of ten thousand, thou only begotten
Son of God, how my heart panteth after tbee ! Oh, stay me with
flaggous, and comfort me with wine. My beloved, thou art
like a roe, or a young hart, upon the mountains of spices,
where thy beloved spouse hath long been calling thee to come
away, but hath lately heard of thee. Now • it lies some
thing upon me, that thou mindest to see her, for the spirit
and power of God is with her ; and there is given to her much
of excellent and innocent wisdom arisen, and arising in her,
which will make all the honest-hearted to praise the Lord
alone, and no more set up self. . And, therefore, let not, my
Lord and Master have any jealousy again of her, for she is
highly beloved of the Lord, and that shall all see who, come
to know the Lord. And now he doth bless them that bless
his, and curse them that curse his ; for this hath the Lord
132

13 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
A. '* Thou hast said I am a prophet.
Q. " Dost thou own that attribute, the Judge of Israel ?
A. *' The judge is but one, and is witnessed in me,
and is the Christ; there must not beany joined with
him. If they speak of the spirit in me, I own it only as
God is manifest in the flesh, according as God dwell
eth in ime, and jadget.h there himself.
Q. '' By whom were yon sent ?
A. "By Him who hath sent the Spirit of his Son in
me to try, not as to carnal matters, but belonging to the
kingdom of God, by the indwelling of the Father and
the Son, to judge of all spirits, to be guided by none.
Q. " Js not the written word of God the guide ?

showed me, that her portion is exceeding large in 'the Lord ;
and, as her sorrow hath been much, so shall her joy be much
more ; which rejoicelh my heart, to see her walk so va
liantly and so faithfully in the work of the Lord, in this time
of so .great tr;iaJs#s hatfh been laid upon her especially.
¦ -. And I am
Haknah Stranger."
THE P.OSTCRtPT.
" Remember my dear love to thy master. Thy name is
no mere to be called James but Jesus. John Stbanger."
This John Stranger was husband to Hannah Stranger, and
this above was added as a Postcript to his wife's letter, as is
acknowledged. "Remember my love to those friends with thee. The seven
teenth day pf the eighth month," Superscribed "This to the
hands of James Nayler,'^

JAMES NAYLER. 10

A. " The written word declares pf it ; and what is not
according lo that is not true.
Q. " Whether art thoa more sent than Others, or \l^t\4fl
-ther others be not sent in that measure ?
A. " As to that I have nothing at present given me
of my Father to answer.
Q. " Was your birth mortal or immortal ?
A- " Not according to the natural birth, but accord
ing to the spiritual birth, born of the immortal seed,
Q. " Wert thou ever called the Lambpf Gpd ?
A. "I look not back tp things behind, but there
might he spme such thing in the letter; I am a lamb,
and have sought it long before I could witness it;
Q. " Who is thy mother, or whether or no is she a
virgin ?
A. " Nay, according to the natural birth,.
Q. "Who is thy mother according to thy spiritual
birth ?
A. " No carnal creature.
Q. "Who then?
A. [To this he refused to answer.]
Q. " Is the hope of Israel in thee ?
A. " The hope is in Christ, and, as Christ is in me, so
far >the hope of Israel stands; Christ is in me the hope
of glory.
Q. " What more hope is there in thee than in others ?
A. "None can know but them of Israel, and Israel
must give an account.
Q. " Art thou the everlasting Son of God ?
A, " Where God is manifest in ihe flesh, there is the

20 SlSTOHY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
everlasting son, and I do witness God in the flesh;. I
am the Son of God, and the Son of God is but one. -
Q. " Art thou the Pri nee of Peace ? •
A. " The Prince of everlasting Peace is begotten in'
me. Q. " Why dost thou not reprove those that give thee
these attributes ?¦
A. "T have- said nothing unto them, but such things
are written.
Q. *' Is thy name Jesus ?
A. '' [Here he was silent.]1
Q. *' For what space of time hast thou been so called ?•
A. " [And here.]
Q. " Is there no other Jesus besides thee ?
A. " [These questions he forbore either to confirm or
to contradict.]
Q. "Art thou the everlasting Son of God, the King of
righteousness ?
A. "I, am; and the everlasting righteousness is
wrought in me; if ye were acquainted with' the Father,
ye would also be acquainted with'me«
Q. '* Did any kiss thy feet ?
A. " It might be they did, hut'I minded them not.
Q. " When thou wast called the King of Israel, did1
thou not answer, thou sayest it ?
A, "Yea,; (-eV
Q. "How dost thou provide for a livelihood ? '
A. '"As do the lilies, without care, being maintained
by my Father ?
Q. " Whom dost thou call thy father ?
A. " He whom thou callest God.

JAMES NAYLER, 21

Q. '* What business hadst thou at Bristol, or that way?
A. " I was guided and directed by my Father.
Q. " Why wast thou called a Judge to try the cause of
Israel ?
A. "[Here he answered nothing.]
Q. "Are any of these sayings blasphemy or not?
A. "What is received ofthe Lord is truth.
Q. " Whose letter was that which was writ to thee,
siyned T. S. ?
A. " It was sent me to Exeter goal by one the world
calls Thomas Symonds.
Q. " Didst thou not say, if ye had known me, ye had
known the Father?
A. " Yea, for the Father is my life.
Q. " Where wert thou born ?
A, " At Anderstow, (vulgarly called Ardley,) in
Yorkshire. Q. " Where lives thy wife?
A. " She, whom thou callest my wife, lives in Wake
field. Q. " Why dost thou not live with her?
A. " I did, till I was called to the army.
Q. " Under whose commands didst thou serve in the
array ?
A. " First, under him they call Lord Fairfax.
Q. " Who then ?
A, " Afterwards, under that man called Colonel Lam
bert. And then I went to Scotland, where I was a quar
ter-master, and returned sick to my earthly habitation,
and was called into the North.
Q, " What wentest thou for to Exeter.
A. " I went to Lawson (Launceston) to see the brethren*

22 HISTORY of religious impostures.

Q. " What estate has thou ?
A. " I take no. care for that.
Q. " Doth God in an extraordinary manner sustain
thee, without any corporeal food ?
A. " Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Father.
The same life is mine that is in. the Father ; but not
in the same measure.
Q. " How art thou clothed ?
A. " I know nof.
Q " Dost thou live without bread ?
A. " As long as my hea-venly Father will I I have
tasted of that bread uf which he that eateth shall neven
die. Q. " How long hast thou livedV. without any corporeal
sustenance, having, perfect health ?
A. " Some fifteen or sixteen days, sustained without-.
any other food except the word of God.
Q. *' Was Dorcas Erbury dead two days in Exeter,
and didst thou raise her?-
A. " 1 an do nothing of myself... The Scripture
beareth witness.to the power in. me, which is everlasting ;
it.is the same power we read in the Scripture. The Lord
hath made me a sign of hjs corning, and that honour
that belongeth to Jesus CJirist, in whom I am revealed,
may be given to him, as when on earth at Jerusalem,
according to the measure.
Q. " Art thou the unspotted Lamb of God,, that ta,
keth away the sins of the world ?
A. " Were I nota lamb, wolves. would not seek, to
devour me.

JAMES NAYLER. 23

Q. " Art thou not guilty of horrid blasphemy, by
thy own words ?
A. " Who made thee a judge over them ?
Q. " Wherefore camest thou in such an unusual pos
ture, as two women leading thy horse ; others singing,
Holy, holy, &c, with another before thee bare-headed,
knee deep in the highway mud, when thou mightest
have gone in the causeway ; and at such a time, thar, it
raining, thy companions received the rain at their necks,
and vented it at their hose and breeches ?
A. " It tended to my Father's praise and glory, and
I ought not to slight any thing which the Spirit ef the
Lord moves.
Q. " Dost thou think the Spirit of the Lord moved,
or commanded them ?
A. " Yea.
Q. " Whom meant they by ' Holy, holy, holy, &c. ?
A. " Let them answer for themselves, they are at age.
Q. " Did not some spread their clothes on the ground
before thee, when thou ridest through Glastonbury and
Welk? A. " I think they did.
Q. «• Wherefore didst thou call Martha Symonds mo
ther, as George Fox affirms ?
A. " George Fox is a liar and a firebrand of hell;
for neither I, nor any with me, called her so^ £
Q. " Thou hast a wife at this time ?
A. " A woman I have, who by the word is called my
wife.; and some children I have, which according to the
flesh are mine.
Q, " Those books which thou hast written, wilt thou
maintain them, and affirm what is therein ?

2+ history of religious impostures.

A. " Yea, with my dearest blood.

Martha Syniond's Examination*
¦ She confessed, that " she knew James Nayler former
ly ;" for he is now no more James Nayler, but refined toa
more excellent substance; and so she saith she came
with him from Bristol to Exeter.
Q. " What made thee lead his horse into Bristol, and
sing Holy, holy, holy, &c. and to spread thy garments
before him ?
A. *' I was forced thereto by the power of the Lord.
Q. " He is styled, in Hannah Stranger's letter, the
fairest of ten thousand, the hope of Israel, and the only
begotten Son of God. Dost thou so esteem him ?
A-i " That James Nayler, of whom thou speakest, is
burred in me, and he hath promised to come again.
Q. " Dost thou like of that attribute, as given to him ?
A." I cannot tell, I jodge them not.
Q. " Whether didst thou kneel before him ?
A. " What I did was in obedience to a power above.
Q. " Dost thou own him to be the Prince of Peace?
A. " He is a perfect man; and he, that is a perfect
man, is the Prince of Peace,
Q. " Hast thou a husband ?
A. " I have a man, which thou callest my husband.
Q. " What made thee to leave him,: and to fallow
James Nayler1 in such a manner ? <
A. " It is our life to praise the Lord, and the Lord
my strength (who filleth heaven and earth) is manifest
in James Nayler.

JAMES NATLER. 25

Q. " Oughtest thou to worship James Nayler upon thy
knees? A. " Yea, I ought so to do.
Q. " Why oughtest thou so to do ?
A. " He is the Son of Righteousness; and the new
man within him is the everlasting Son of Righteousness;
and James Nayler will be Jesus, when the new life is born
in him.
Q. " By what name callest thou him?
A. " Lord.
Q. " Why dost thou call him Lord ?
A. " Because he is the Prince of Peace, and Lord of
Righteousness. Q. " What reason canst thoa show for thy calling
him King of Israel ?
A. " He is so anointed.
Q. " What hath anointed him ?
A. " A prophet.
Q. " What prophet was that 1
A. " I will not tell thee.
Q. " Thou confessest that thou didst spread thy
clothes ?
A. " Yea, I did.
Q. " Tell me ; doth that spirit of Jesus, which thou
sayest is in Nayler, make him a sufficient Jesus to others J
A. " I tell thee ; there is seed born in him," which,
above all men I shall (and every one ought to) honour.
Q. " Is he King of Israel, as thy husband saith ?
A. " If be saith so, thy testimony is double.

N'.5.

2(3 HISTORY OF TTELIGI0US IMPOSTURES.
Hannah Stranger's Examination.
She saith, *' she came from Bristol to Exeter with
James Nayler ; and that she flung her handkerchief be
fore him, because commanded so of the Lord ; and that
she sung Holy, &c. and that the Lord is risen in him."
Q. " Wherefore didst thou sing before James Nayler ?
A. " I must not be mute when I am commanded of
the Lord.
Q. «' Wherefore didst thou sing to him ?
A. " My conscience tells me I have not offended any
law." Q. " Was that letter thine, and didst thou spread thy
garments before him ?
A. " Yea, arid my blood will maintain it.
Q. " Dost thou own him for the Prince of Peace ?
A. " Yea, he is so.
Q. " What dost thou call his name ?
A. " It hath been said already; I have told of his
name. Q. " Dost thou not know it to be blasphemy, to give
him such and such attributes ?
A. " If I have offended any law, &c.
Q. " Didst ihou send him that letter wherein he was
called the Son of God ?
A. " Yea, I do own the whole letter,
, Q. " Didst thou call him Jesus ?
A. " [She would not answer.]
Q. " Didst thou kiss his feet?
A. " Yea.

JAMES NAYLER.

27

Thomas Stranger's Examination. ..41
He owneth "the postscript ofthe letter, in which he
calleth James Nayler Jesus: but could not be t got to
answer to any more questions, any further, than, " if I
have offended any law." He confesseth " he called
James Nayler Jesus, and. saith he was thereto moved of
the Lord."

Timothy Wedlock's Examination.
Q; " Dost thou own James Nayler to be the only Son
ef God.
A. " I do own him to be the Son of God.
Q.- " Wherefore didst thou and the rest sing before
him, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Israel ! '
A. " I do own the songs of Sion. -!
Q.< " Thou wilt go through. a great rain bare-beaded';
why then wilt thou not be uncovered to a magistrate •?
A. " What I did was as the Lord commanded.
Q. " What is your opinion concerning religion ?
A. " I own no opinions, nor any judgments.
Q. " Wherefore didst thou, honour him in town.', and
not elsewhere ?
A. "We did, as well as in c'ommons; but in both as
the spirit ofthe Lord directed us.
Q. " Wherefore didst thou kneel before him ?
A. " The truth.

28 HISTORY or RELISIOUS IMTOSTURES.
Dorcas Erbvry, the Widow of Wm. Erbury, once a
Minister, her Examination.
Q. '« Where dost thou live?
A. " Wnh Margaret Thomas.
Q. " Wherefore didst thou sing Holy, &c. ?
A. " I did not at that time; but those that sang, did it
in discharging of their duty.
Q. " Dost thou own him that rode on horseback to be
the Holy One of Israel ?
A. " Yea, I do ; and with my blood will seal it.
Q. " And dost thou own him for the son of God ?
A. ** He is the only begotten son of God.
Q. " Wherefore didst thou pull off his stockings, and
lay thy clothes beneath his feet ?
A. "He is worthy of it ; for he is the Holy Lord of
Israel. Q. " Knowest thou no other Jesus, the only begotten
son of God 1
A. " I know no other Saviour.
Q. " Dost thou believe in James Nayler ?
A. " Yea, in him whom thou callest so, I do.
Q. »' By what name dost thou use to call himj
A. " The son of God; but I am to serve him, and to
call him Lord and master.
Q. "Jesus was crucified; but this man you call the
¦on of God is alive?
A. " He hath shook off his carnal body.
Q. " Why, what body hath he then ?
A. " Say not the Scriptures, " Thy natural body I
will change, and it shall be spiritual ?'*

JAMES NAYLER. 29

Q; " Hath a spirit flesh and bones ? ; /a m
A. " His flesh and bones are new.
Q. " Christ raised those that had been dead ; so did
not he?
A. " He raised me.
Q. " In what manner?
A. " He laid his hand on my head, after I had been'
dead two days, and said, * Dorcas, arise ;' and I arose, .
and live as thou seest.
Q. " Where did he this ?
A. " At the gaol in Exeter. :. .¦• 'ie<|. yf t »¦..
Q. "What witness hast thou for this? '4!h ¦ ,+
A. " My mother, who was present.
Qi •'* His power being so much, wherefore opened he
not the prison-doors, and escaped ? m
A. " The doors shall open, when the Lord's work is
done. Q. " What" apostles hath he ?
A. " They are scattered, but some are here.
Q. " Jesus Christ doth sit at the right hand of the
Father,, where the world shall be judged by him.
A. " He whom thou callest James Nayler, shall sit at
the right hand of the Father, and shall judge the world
with equity.

The preceding examinations, as well as what follows,
are extracted from a curious pamphlet, published at the
time, called The Grand Impostor Examined ; or, the Life,
Trial, and Examination, of James Nayler, fyc. By Joh n
Deacon. We will, however, not be diffuse in our re-
c 2

30 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
marks upon these examinations of Nayler and his com
panions ; but will hear what Mr. Bevan observes upon
the distribution of justice at this period, in such cases: —
" One is led to think that the laws of England had at
that time no provision for the punishing of such dis
turbances ; since the legislature took upon itself first to
be the court of trial, and next the awarder of the nature
and the quantity ofthe penalty. If we allow that laws
did exist, by which the offenders could have been pu
nished, we must look for some-other motive which could
induce the parliament to take the business into its own
hands; to deliberate on it from day today, to the in
terruption of public concerns; to conclude it at length
with so much severity, and even to have meditated
more. If we suppose it was the honour of the Christian
religion which it had at heart, and 'the abhorrence of
blasphemy which it felt, why then did it not pursue the
companions of Nayler with equal severity; from whose
mouth proceeded the expressions which were termed
blasphemous; and whose hearts, hands, and knees, had
been the means of erecting him into an object of
worship ?"
We do not agree in the whole of Mr. Bevan's obser
vation, that Nayler's punishment formed any part of the
persecution ofthe Quakers, aod therefore omit it.
" The house interfered the 30th of November, and
received the report of a committee the 5th of Decem
ber; and, after twelve times taking up the business, (at
some of which, however, it was on!}- to adjourn it,)
on the 16th they constructed their sentence, which was
resolved in form the day following. Before however

JAMES NAYLER. 3l

we recite it, a summary view of the proceedings will
be proper.
" The evidence appears to have been taken before the
committee of parliament, and agreed to by the house.
The facts, as to the kneelings, singing, strewing gar
ments, and walking in procession, were proved, as weil
by other witnesses, as by the ready confession of the
actors themselves; who rather gloried in their deeds
than attempted to deny them. Nayler also confessed
the facts alleged, and expressed his belief that his com
panions were moved of the Lord to perform the part
they had taken. One of the charges was, his having
' assumed the name and the incommunicable attributes
of our blessed Saviour,' as "The Fairest of Ten Thou.
sand ; the Only Begotten Son of God." The evidence
for these were letters written to him by others. At one
of his examinations, being asked whether he had re
proved them ; and to the question, whether he owned
or disclaimed them, he replied, ' If they had it from the
Lord, what am I that I should judge it ?' He also said,
« If attributed to the creature, then it is reprovable. If
they did if to the Lord (whom he believed to be in him)
then I dare not reprove it :' also that he looked upon it
to be really to the true honour of Christ, or else he
would utterly have denied it. During this time it is
said to have been the practice of Nayler's companions,
at his lodging, when under custody of the sergeant of
the house, to sit on the floor, or on their heels, or to
kneel, singing their usual ejaculations of praise, while
he was seated in a chair; but my anonymous annotator
says, they did the same in his absence. It appears

32 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

however, that he was still clouded in mind, and far from
that state of true and lively contrition to which he after-,
wards attained. The following answer,, which seemed
to close his examinations before the committee, will how-.
ever show that he was not without .some perception ofthe
true and only, object of religious honour. 'I do abhor
that any of that honour which, is due to God, should be
given to me, as I am a creature ; but it pleased the Lord
to set me up as a sign qf the coming of the righteous one ;.
•and what hath been done in my .passing through the
towns, I was commanded by the Lord to suffer such things
to be done to the outward as a sign. I abhor any ha-.
nour as a creature.'
" The report of the committee having been received
by the whole house on the 5th of December, the next
day Nayler was had before the house, and ordered to
kneel, which he refused; and several questions were
asked of him, of which no record-seems to have been
kept. By the 8th, the Parliament got so far as to re
solve, ' That James Nayler* upon the whole matter of
fact, is guilty of horrid blasphemy;' also, ' That James
Nayler isa grand impostor and seducer of thepeople.' —
The house having passed these two resolves, the question
came daily before it, (the 14th excepted, which was the
first day ofthe week,) until the 16th ; and two divisions
took place, when amotion was made that- the punishment
should be death. This was lost by the. majority of ninet}-
six to eighty-two; and, after much deliberation the same
day, the next day the punishment was resolved as fol
lows: ' Resolved, That James Nayler be set on the pil
lory, with his. head in the pillory, in the Palace-yard,

JAMES NAYLER. 33

Westminster, during the space of two hours, on Thursday
next, (i. e. the following day,) and shall be whipped
through the streets from Westminsterto the OldExchange,
(i.e. the top of Cheapside,) London, and there likewise
be set on the pillory, with his head in the pillory, for the
space of two hours, on Saturday next ; in each place
wearing a paper, containing an inscription of his crimes;
and that at the Old Exchange, his tongue be bored
through with a hot iron, and that he be there also stig
matized in the forehead with the letter B, and that be be
afterwards sent to Bristol, and be conveyed into and
through the said city on horseback, bare ridged, with
his face backward, and there also publicly whipped, the
next market day after he comes thither, and that from
thence he be committed to prison in Bridewell, London,
and there restrained from the society of all people, and
there to labour hard till he shall be released by Parlia
ment ; and during that time shall be debarred the use of
pen, ink, and paper, and shall have no relief but what he
earns by his daily labours.'
'« Before the admission of Nayler to hear his sentence,
it was moved that he should be asked, whether he had
any thing to say, why judgment should not be pronounced
upon him ? which was determined in the negative by
one hundred and seven to eighty-seven. On the speaker
preparing to pronounce sentence, Nayler said he did not
know his offence ; to which the Speaker (Widdrington)
replied, ' that he should know his offence by his punish
ment.' Although he was thus not permitted to speak, he
is said, as he left the house, to have uttered these words,
4 He that hath prepared the body will enable me to suffer ;
and I pray that he may not lay it to your charge.'

34 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
" lt is natural to inquire what, during all these pro
ceedings, was Ihe part of Oliver Cromwell, who- was
then at the head of, the executive government, under the
title of Protector. He appears thus far not to have. ior
terfered at all ; and even the warrants to the several she
riffs, for the execution of the sentence, were issued by
the speaker,.
'« On the day appointed, Nayler suffered the first pant
of his sentence. He stood the allotted time in the pillory,
and received, at a cart, in. a course of nearly, two miles,
three hundred and ten, stripes; after which he was left
with his. wounds undressed for ahove an hour; when a
woman, a person in esteem with the society of friends*
not one of his ranting companions,, came and washed his
stripes.' It is. therefore, probable, that four hours must
haye elapsed frpm the timft hishead.. was fastened down
until the arrival of this- relief. • A treatment so severe
would of course reduce his strength; and his sufferings
aperated so forcibly on the minds of several persons, not
members of the society of friend^, that, they, petitioned
Parliament, for a. longer, respite than. until the. next day
but one; when, according to tie sentence, he was to be
pilloried again, and burned in the forehead and tongue.
The Parliament accordingly granted a week's respite,
namely, until the 27th. Encouraged probably b)- this,
several other persons petitioned for the remissipn pf the
remainder ofthe sentence; which petition, as it isa spe
cimen of the manner of the times, and, contains also much
good sense, and tokens of aversion from the practice of
torturing the body, under pretence of mending the mind,
I here insert :— -

"JAM'ES NAYLER. 35

** 'To the Parliament ofthe Commonwealth of England,
Scotland, and Ireland, >&c.
" 'The humble petition of divers peaceable and well-
affected persons in the cities of London and Westminster,
in behalf of themselves arid many others, sheweth,
" 'That your moderation and clementy in 'respiting
the punishment of James Nayler, in consideration of his
illness of body, hath refreshed the hearts of many thou
sands in these cities, altogether unconcerned in his prac
tice; and hath opened tlieir eyes to see something more
than the terrors of Mount Sindi.'to dwell upon your honoura
ble house; and hath likewise given them some hopes to see
you come forth in the Spirit of our Lord Jesns, yet more
and more to the convincement of those that err, and are
out ofthe way. Wherefore Vve most humbly beg your
pardon, that are constrained to appear before you in such
a suit, (not daring to do otherwise,) that you would remit
the remaining part of yonr sentence against James Nay
ler ; leaving him to the Lord, and to such Gospel reme
dies as He hath -sanctified. And we are persuaded you
will find such a course of love and forbearance more ef
fectual to reclaim, and will leave a seal of your love and
tenderness upon our spirits.' ' And We shall pray, &c.' ''
. '''It is remarkable of this petition, which, as has been
said, isa specimen ofthe manners of the times, that it,
too, contains words which might, if a. malevolent person
were to interpret, be construed into blasphemy. It will
easily be seen that I refer to the figure which would seem
to erect the Parliament into a second Sinai. Such how-

36 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
ever was much the language of that day, a language which
the loose manners of the Restoration laughed out of fa
shion ; and which the more temperate manners of our
•wn times, times when we are too careless about religion
to be extravagant in it, forbid to become again the mode.
All I here mean to infer is, that the Quakers should have
their due share of allowance for the habits of the age in
which they arose ; and not that all we find in them,
which varies from oar present customs, should be charged
to their peculiar principles.
" With regard to the petition just mentioned, it was
read and debated on ; but the petioners do not seem to
have confided in it; for they endeavoured to support it
by another, which they preferred to Cromwell. The
protector thereon wrote to the house, and, by some words
of his letter, seemed alarmed for his prerogative. He
says, after having disclaimed the countenancing of such
crimes as • are' says he, • commonly imputed' to Nayler,
• not knowing how far such a proceeding (wholly with
out us) may extend in the consequence of it, we desire
the house will let us know the grounds and reasons
whereupon they have proceeded.' The letter seems to
have only occasioned a fruitless debate, and the time of
Nayler's second suffering drawing near, the petitioners,
on the 26th, applied again to Cromwell. All, however,
seemed in vain, for, on the 27th, Nayler was conveyed
from Newgate to the Old Exchange; stood twohoursmore
with his head in the pillory, and was bored through the
tongue and stigmatized. A few particulars, respecting
the execution of this part of the sentence, are material
to relate. The boring iron and the mark were red hot.

JAMES NAYLER. 37

The former was held a small time in the tongue, that the
bystanders might be witnesses of the execution, and the
letter held to. the forehead until smoke arose ; during
which time Nayler did not flinch ; but, when he was un
bound, he embraced the executioner. The fortitude and
patience of the sufferer may probably be shown by this
recital; and, I think, a confirmation of the opinion that
the parliament, wanted to cast an odium on the Quakers,
in the person of Nayler, is to be found in the circumstance
about to be related. On the 1 Sth of December, the house
had referred to a committee, the facts and crimes of the
rest of the persons apprehended with him ; and yet, on
the 27th, three at least ofthe women were so much at li
berty, as to come up on the pillory, and seat themselves,
two before, and' one behind him. After execution, he
was conveyed to Newgate.
" There is one occurrence which should not be omit
ted in taking a view of the case of Nayler; although I am
not able to penetrate into the motives which occasioned
it ; the delegation of five ministers by the parliament, to
confer with him : namely, Caryl, Manton, Nye, Griffiths,
and Reynolds. They visited him on the 24th, which,
being previous to the date of Cromwell's letter, forbids
oursupposingthat the house had been moved by the Pro
tector's intercession, and was seeking for grounds where
on to found its lenity. In this case too, its messengers,
independent ministers, men whom Nayler and the Qua
kers in general were continually opposing, were not like
ly persons to effect his repentance. Could it be that the
house was seeking further means of justifying a severity
in which it determined to persist ? The conduct, at least,
of. the visitors, is dubious; for they refused that any
No. 5. D

'38 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
witness should be present at their conference. Nayler,
alarmed at this, refused to say any thing, unless they con;
sented that what occurred should be written; and a copy
signed by themselves left with him, or with the keeper
of Newgate, where he then was. This was at first agreed
•to; but on Nayler's uttering these words, ' How soon
have you forgot the work of the bishops, who are now
found in the same thinking to ensnare the innocent,' they
rose up, burned the papers, and departed. It appears,
however, from what James related of the conference,
that he had persisted in renouncing the adoration of the
¦creature, and in justifying his having omitted to reprove
-those who had bowed to what he esteemed the power of
Christ in himself. In support of this, he had inquired
•of his examiners, whether Elisha had been guilty of blas
phemy, in not reproving the Shunamite, when she fell at
his feet.
*' About three weeks after his suffering the second
:p%rt of the sentence at London, the third part, (namely,
the ignominious exposure, and the second whipping,) was
inflicted at Bristol. It seems doubtful, from the account
which I have followed in this part of Nayler's life, that
the whipping was much more than formal, as a person is
said to have been suffered to bold back the executioner's
arm; but here a remarkable thing is related of one of
Nayler's friends, whose name is so connected with the
sufferings of the former, as not to be omitted inthe rela
tion of them. This was Robert Rich, a merchant of Lon
don. He had written to the speaker, previous to the sen
tence of the house ; offering to prove, from Scripture,
that nothing which Nayler had said or done was blas
phemy. On the day of Nayler's whipping, in London,

JAM-ES NAYLER. 39

he had stood at the bar off the house, accosting the mem-
bers, as they entered, with texts of Scripture; he had
cried to the court pf Chancery, then sitting, ' The land
mourns because of oppression ;' and he had walked, sing
ing, from the door of the house, through Westminster-
hall, to the pillory in Palace-yard, which confined his
friend. When Nayler was again pilloried, and burnt in
the forehead, he had kissed him, and licked his wound ;
and now, at Bristol, while Nayler was dragging after a
cart-horse, and followed by the scourge, Rich rode before
him bare-headed, and sung, 'Holy, Holy.' ' Rich, how
ever, does not seem to have been eminent enough among
the Quakers for parliamentary animadversion. Rich re
mained without punishment. Nayler was sent from
Bristol to his close confinement in Bridewell, London;
where he remained a prisoner until the 8th of September,
1659, at which time he was liberated by parliament; On
his liberation he went to Bristol, the chief scene of bis of
fence ; at which city, in a public meeting, he made a,
confession of his fault in so affecting a manner, as to draw
tears from most of those who were present ; and to occa
sion his reconciliation with many who had been estranged
from him. There is no doubt that he had made a good
use of the solitude which his confinement afforded, and
the alteration effected in his conduct towards his friends
quickly produced a return of their friendship and fellow
ship ; so that he appears to have been as closely united
to the body as before; and not to have occasioned in it
any rent or schism, as has been insinuated."*
We would wish our readers particularly to have refer-
* " Robert Barclay, hi his piece called ' William Mitchell un
masked, has the following expressions concerning James Nay-

40 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
ence to thenote below ; which fully exoneratesthe society
of Friends from any of Nayler's very condemnable conduct.
Indeed, from Mr. Bevan's own account, it does not seem
that the government of Oliver's protectorate was inclina
ble to persecute the Friends ; the audience of Fox with
Cromwell, mentioned in p. 26. justifies exactly the con
tra ry.
" A part ofthe sentence of Nayler had been the de
privation of materials for writing. Nevertheless he cer
tainly procured them, for he wrote, and even published
several pamphlets and papers during his imprisonment,
some of them relating to his fall, and his restoration.
The following extracts will show the temper of his mind,
and his own opinion of the case.
" ' Dear brethen, my heart is broken this day for the
offence that I have occasioned to God's truth and people,
and especially to you, who, in dear love, followed me,
seeking me in faithfulness to God ; which I rejected,
ler. (See p. 81. of the folio edition of his work.) ' The story
of James Nayler, which he subjoins, any may observe to be
merely brought iu to render us odious, and fill up the paper,
though, indeed, it tends no ways to our disadvantage, he
being in that thi?ig, and at that time altogether denied by us ;
and has since in print freely acknowledged his fall in that hour
of temptation ; of whose sincere repentance and true return to
the fellowship ofthe truth, we have had many evident tokens.'
And in p. 876, ' Apology vindicated,' in answer to an Exami
nation by John Brown,' &c. more at large. ' But the poor man
thinks (it is like) he has hit the nail on the head to the pur
pose, when he says, p. 542, upon this subject, One thing 1
would ask, what he thinketh of that honour and worship that was
given to James Nayler, as he rode into Bristol, Oct. 24, 1656 i
I answer, I think it was both wicked and abominable, and so
do the People called Quakers ; who thereupon disavowed him,
and all those that had a hand in it.'

JAMES NAYLER. *d

being bound wherein I could not come forth, till God's
hand brought me, to whose love I now confess. Un
less the Lord himself keep you from me, I beseech
you let nothing else hinder your coming to me, that I
might have your help in the Lord. In the mercies of
Christ Jesus, this I beg of you, as if it was your own
case. Let me not be forgotten by you.'
" The following was delivered to the parliament. — '
' Christ Jesus, the Immanuel, of whose sufferings the
Scriptures declare, him alone I confess before men ; for
whose sake I have denied whatever was dear to me in
this world, that I might win him, and be found in him,
and not in myself, whose life and virtue I find daily ma
nifest in my mortal body (which is my eternal joy and
hope of glory,) whom alone I seek to serve in spirit, soul,
and body, night and day, according to the measure of
grace working in me, that in me he may be glorified;
whether, by life or death ; and for his sake I suffer all
things, that he alone may have the glory of my change,
whose work alone is in me : even to that eternal Spirit
be glory, and to the Lamb, for ever. But to ascribe this
name, power, and virtue to James Nayler, or to that
which had a beginning, and must return to dust ; or for
that to be exalted or worshipped ; to me is a great ido
latry, and with the spirit of Jesus in me it is condemned :
which spirit leads to lowliness, meekness, and long-suf
fering. So, having an opportunity given, with readi
ness I am willing, in the fear of God the Father, in
honour to Christ Jesus, and to take off all offences from
every simple heart, this to declare to all the world, as the
truth of Christ is in me, without guile or. deeeit : daily
d 2 i.

42 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
finding it to be my work to seek peace in truth with all
men in that Spirit.'
"But the paper from which the following is extracted,
seems to contain more respecting his judgment of those
particular circumstances which have brought him into
public notice, than any other : It was written soon after
his release, and cannot, therefore, be suspected of being
fabricated in order to obtain it.
" ' Glory to God Almighty who ruleth in heaven,
and in whose hands are all the kingdoms of the earth;
who raiseth up and casteth down at his will ; who hath
ways to confound the exaltation of man, and to chastise
his children, and to make man know himself to be as
grass before him; whose judgments are above the highest
of men, and his pity reacheth the deepest misery ; and
the arm of his mercy is underneath, to lift up the pri
soner out ofthe pit, and to save such as trust in him from
the great destruction, which vain man, through his folly,
brings upon himself ; who hath delivered my soul from
darkness, and made way for my freedom out of my pri
son-house. Let his name be exalted for ever, and let all
flesh fear before him, whose breath is life to his own,
but a consuming fire to the adversary. And to the Lord
Jesus Christ be everlasting dominion upon earth ; and his
kingdom above all the powers of darkness} even that
Christ of whom the Scriptures declare, which was, and
is, and is to come, the light of the world to all genera
tions; who hath been the rock of my salvation ; and his
Spirit hath given patience and quietness to my soul in
deep affliction ; even, for his name's sake, praises for ever !
« But condemned for ever be all those false wor
ships, with which any have idolized my person in the

JAMES HAYLEft. 43

night of my temptation, when the power of darkness
was above. All their casting of their clothes in the
way, their bowings and singings, and all the rest of
those wild actions, which did any ways tend to disho
nour the Lord, or to draw the minds of any from the
measure of Christ Jesus in themselves, to look at flesh,
which is as grass, or to ascribe that to the visible which
belongs to Christ Jesus; all that I condemn, by which
the pore name of the Lord hath been any ways blas
phemed through me in time of temptation ; or the
spirits of any people grieved, that truly loved the Lord
Jesus, throughout the whole world, of what sort soever.
This offence I confess, which hath been sorrow of heart,
that the enemy of man's peace in Christ should get
this advantage in the night of my trial, to stir up wrath
and offences in the creation of God ; a thing the sim
plicity of my heart did not intend, the Lord knows,
who, in his endless love, hath given me power over it,
to condemn it. And also that letter which was sent to
me to Exeter, when I was in prison, with these words,
Thy name shall be no more James Nayler, but Jesus ; this I
judge to be written from the imaginations, and a fear
struck me when I first saw it, and so I put it in my
pocket close, not intending any should see it; which
they finding on me, spread it abroad ; which the sim
plicity of my heart never owned. So this I deny also,
that the name of Christ Jesus was received instead of
James Nayler ; for that name is to the seed to all ge
nerations, and he that hath the Son hath the name,
which is life and power, and the unction, into which
name all the children of light are baptized. And ali
those ranting wild spirits, which gathered about me in

44 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

that time of darkness ; and all their wild actions and
wicked words, against the honour of God and his pure
Spirit and people, I deny that bad spirit, the power
and the works thereof; and as far as I gave advan
tage, through want of judgment, for that evil spirit in
any to arise, I take shame to myself justly ; hav
ing formerly had power over that spirit in judgment
and discerning, wherever it was ; which darkness came
over me through want of watchfulness and obedience to
the pure eye of God, and diligently minding the re
proof of life, which condemns the adulterous spirit. And
it is in my heart to confess to God, and before men, my
folly and offence in that day. Yet there were many
things formed against me in that day to take away my
life, and bring scandal upon the truth, of which I am not
guilty at all: as that accusation, as if I had committed
adultery with some of those women who came with us
from Exeter prison, and also those who were with me at
Bristol, the night before I suffered there; of both which
accusations I am clear before God, who kept me in that
day, both in thought and deed, as to all women, as a child,
God is my record.' After an exhortation to the reader,
how to behave under temptation, and a warning against
relying on gifts, wisdom, and knowledge, the piece con
cludes thus: 'This I have learned in the deep, and in
secret, when I was alone ; and now openly declare, in
the day of thy mercy, O Lord ! Glory to the Highest for
evermore, who hath thus far set me free, to praise his
righteousness, and his mercy, and to the Eternal, Invisible,
Pure God, over all, be fear, obedience, and glory, ever
more. Amen.'

JAMES NAYLER. 45

" James Nayler did not long survive his imprisonment:
He died in October, 1660, and but little account is trans
mitted to us, respecting him, after his being set at liber
ty. George Whitehead, who lodged with him at a
house in London, in 1659 and 1660, bears this testimony
of him, ' that he was revived by the Lord's power, and
in measure restored to his ancient testimony, and to bear
the same publicly in divers parts of the nation, as the
Lord enabled him, both in his ministry and writings;
and (adds Whitehead) he walked in much brotherly love
and simplicity among us, until his end came.'*
" We have also a short account of Nayler from Tho
mas Ell wood, who, before he became a member of the
society of Friends, had met with him, while visiting af;
Isaac Penington's, at Chalfont, in Buckinghamshire.
Edward Burrough, being also present, was discoursing
with the father of Thomas Ellwood respecting Predesti
nation; which doctrine Ellwood, the father, espoused j
when Nayler, interposing, ' handled the subject with so
much perspicuity and clear demonstration, that his rea
soning seemed to be irresistible;' and this surprised

* " George Whitehead also mentions another circumstance
respecting James Nayler, which I find difficult to understand,
unless it be supposed that Nayler had occasional respite from
his confinement. George Whitehead relates the manner of his
fall, as he himself had related it when they were walking to
gether in Westmoreland, in 1657; in which year, it appears,
in Whitehead's life, that he was in that county; whilst, on
the other hand, one of Nayler's papers is said to be written in
Bridewell, in 1658; and it doth not seem that the date is an
error ofthe press, and Whitehead was, as hath been mentioned,
in London in 1659 and 1660.

4S HISTORY OF REUGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
young Ellwood the more, as the appearance of Nayler
was that of a plain, simple husbandman or shepherd.
" Since the first arrival of James Nayler in London, in
the year 1654, it doth not appear that he had ever revi-
sited his habitation; if indeed at all since the time of his
quitting it in 1.652. At length he set out homewards,
and was noticed by a friend, as he passed through Hun
tingdon, to be in a frame of mind so awful, as that he
appeared to be redeemed from the world. It is not
known whether, soon after this, he was suddenly taken
ill, or had been robbed and abused. A countryman
found him, in the latter part of the day, in a field near
King's Rippon; and he was conveyed to the house of a
friend at Holm. A physician attended him, and he was
inquired of, whether he desired to see any of his London
friends, which he declined. On having his clothes
shifted, he said, ' You have refreshed my body, the
Lord refresh your souls ;' not long after which he de
parted in peace, aged about 44 years. His remains were
interred at Rippon. About two hours before his decease,
he is said to have uttered the following words: ' There is
a spirit that I feel, that delights to do no evil, nor to re
venge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in
hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive
all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation
and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself.
It sees to the end of all temptations: as it bears no evil in
itself, so it conceives none in thoughts to any other. If
it be betrayed, it bears it; for its ground and spring is
the mercies and forgiveness of God. Its crown is meek
ness; its life is everlasting love, unfeigned ; and takes-

JAMES NAYLER. 47

its kingdom with intreaty, and not with contention, and
keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone it can re
joice, though none else regard it, or can own its life.
It is conceived in sorrow, and brought forth without any
to pity it; nor doth it murmur at grief and oppression?
It never rejoiceth but through' sufferings; for with the
world's jOy it is murdered. I found it alone, being for
saken. I have fellowship therein with them who.lived
in dens, and desolate places ofthe earth; who, through
death, obtained this resurrection, and eternal holy life.'
" During the time of James Nayler's travels and im
prisonment, he had frequent recourse to the press. Some
of his writings were doctrinal, and many of them con
troversial. Some ofthe latter contain an asperity of lan
guage, which appears ill adapted to convince either the
opponent or his adherents. The writings of Nayler,
however, are not eminent for these; and, in estimating
how far an author has exceeded the point of right, we
should allow for the provocation ; and great provocation
was certainly given to our elder friends, by the misap
prehension of their principles. This occasioned their
adversaries to charge them with opinions (often mon
strous enough) which they did not hold. Such however
is the impatience of our minds, that we find it easier to
cry down an opinion which clashes with .our own, than
to examine it with coolness; and to inveigh against its
author, than to desire his instruction. While this is the
case, debate is not likely to sift out truth ; but when the
time shall come, that such as profess the name of Christ
shall infuse into their controversies all the gentleness,
forbearance, and love, which his religion enjoins, it is

48 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
probable that Christianity will be advanced, by the su
perior conviction which will attend the discussion of its
votaries. May the mind that is convinced of these
truths suffer them to operate as a rule of its conduct!
and thus be one to carry on the work which it desires to
see accomplished. A collection was made in 1716, of
such of Nayler's writings as were thought suitable for re-
impression ; but this has also been long since out of
print. " On a review of the life and writings of James Nay
ler, he appears to have been a man of no mean abilities,
and of great sincerity, but tinctured with what will ge
nerally be esteemed an excess of credulity; not only as
to his own gifts, but also in estimating the pretensions of
others. But he seems remarkable for no quality more
than for patience under suffering, and quiet resignation
to what he believed to be divinely enjoined or permitted.
To this quality, as the means, we may attribute his restora
tion to soundness qf judgment, and the calmness of his
closing moments.
" After all, probably his life will be viewed through
the medium which each one has been accustomed to use.
The scoffer at religion will think him a fool; the pro
fessor of religion, who measures all things by his finite
unenlightened reason, and rejects the notion of divine
influence, will exult at his fall; but the believer in this
influence, who counts the cost of his faith, and has
descried the dangers on the right hand as well as ofthe
left, will at least view his story with instruction; if not
be induced by it to adhere more closely to that guide,
which alone can preserve man from falling; but which
repeated deviations may conceal from the view."

JAMES NAYLER. 49

Having thus far admitted every available apology for
James Nayler, from one who is too desirous to class the
punishment duly inflicted on him with the persecutions
inflicted on the Quakers, we do not find that there was
any evil intentions practised towards their religious opi
nions or their assemblies during the time of the Protect-
rate ; but that all mischiefs with which they were afflict
ed arose during the reigns of Charles II. and James II.
as we have before hinted, and that certainly*they expe
rienced nothing worse than the general body*of dissenters
were compelled to sustain. William Penn did not suffer
more from the terrific hands of that monster Jefferies than
was felt by the famous Richard Baxter: consequently We
cannot think otherwise than that, though the severityof
Nayler's punishment was excessive, still', if it produced
the effect of restoring him to his raison, and to repentance
of the vile opinions he had circulated, a great benefit was
procured to himself, and a very serious monition to such as",
obstinately suffer their humours to supersede the reason
with which the Almighty has endued them.
We shall close this part of our subject with an account
of some of Nayler's votaries, extracted from various parts
cf Deacon's publication, at that time :
" One of James Nayler's disciples, having attained to
some knowledge in the French tongue, went over into
France to a city called Bourdeaux, where, after entering
into a congregation of the Protestants, he began, after
his wonted manner here in England, to cry out, in the
©pen congregation, against the minister/ calling him
" censufer, liar, impostor, deceiver." And the elders
and people being astonished at the novelty, and reputing
N°. 6. e

50 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
him a madman, came and told him , " that they had laws
in France to protect the congregations, either of papists
or protestants, from any disturbance ;" and thrust him
forth out of their Church. Upon which he went into
the church-yard, and, upon a stone, continued his dis
course, which drew the whole congregation out of the
Church after him, and caused the minister to give over;
and the elders, coming again to him, told him, that " he
being a stranger, they were willing to favour him ; but,
seeing he did continue his disturbance, they would com
mit him to justice." He told them, "justice was never
in that place until his appearance." Upon that, they took
him away to the governor ; where, being brought, with
his hat on, he asked the governor " what he was ?" who
told him " he was the governor of that place under the
King of France." He said/ that " he would not answer
him as governor, his government being carnal." And a
certain bishop being with the governor, who was a pa
pist, desiring that he might question him, and demanding
'' what he was?" he told him, " he was an Englishman,
and sent ofthe Lord to prepare his way.'' He demanded
ofthe bishop " what he was?" who told him, "he was
a bishop;" whereupon he replied, that " against him be
was sent, who was one of the locusts that was sent forth
of the bottomless pit, and that the weapons he had with
him were .fitted to destroy him and the whole kingdom of
Antichrist, who was held in darkness and blindness ; and
that he was to pour out vials of the Father's wrath upon
him." The Governor of Bourdeaux, perceiving several
ofthe people to be infected with his doctrine,, demanded,
" if there was any ship ready to sail for England 2" which

JAMES NAILER. 51

being informed of, he therein shipped him, being not
willing to use extremity to a stranger, but caused some
six or seven, who had been infected with his doctrine, to
be whipped through the streets.

" A Relation concerning some others qf the same Tribe.
" Seven or eight others went over in a vessel to New
England, where, being arrived, they began to spread
themselves; but the governor having notice, caused them
to be clapped up close in a castle, and would not suffer
any one to come to see them, under penalty of five
pounds. In the mean time, he sent for the master of the
ship that brought them, and commanded him imme
diately to carry them back into old England; which ha
refusing, was also clapped up close prisoner, until he
consented, and took them a-board again,"

" Now, reader," proceeds Deacon, " I shall close up
all with a word or two of his life and actions.
" James Nayler is a man of so erroneous and unsancti
fied a disposition, that it is hard to say, whether heresy
or impndency beareth the greater rule in him; as will
appear, " First, In what he testifieth before sufficient wit
nesses; (see the Brief Relation of the Northern Quakers,
page 22,) that he was as holy^just, and good, as God
himself; and,
" Secondly, That he, in a letter to one in Lancaster,
expressly saith, that he that expected to be saved by

52 HISTORY OF RELICIOUa IMPOSTURES.
Jesus Christ, that died at .Jerusalem, .shall bedeceived.
See Mr. BiUingsly's Defence of the -Scriptures, page 16,
The Perfect P/tmiseei page 8. And so said another of
that sect, " he was not such a fool as to hope to be saved
by Jesus Christ, that died at Jerusalem sixteen hundred
years ago." See Mr. Farmer's Mystery of Godliness and
Ungodliness. Thus they glory in their ignorance, and
count that foolishness which is. the true wisdom.
"Thirdly, in a letter I had in my possession, but now
lent toa friend, subscribed by the pastor and other mem
bers of ^hat congregation in the north, whereoftNayler
once was a member, , till, for, his 'apostacy, he was ex^
communicated, it is offered tp be proved, and by them
testified to be true, that. one Mrs. Roper,, her husband
being, gone on some occasion from her, along voyage,
this: Nayler frequented her company, and was seen to
dandle her upon his knee, and kiss her lasciviously; and,
in that time of his society with her, she was brought to
bed of a child, when her husband had been absent seven
and forty weeks,- to. a day, from. her; and, on a time,
he was seen to dance her in a private room; and, having
kissed her very^ often, .she took occasion to say, ' Now,
James, what would the world say if, tbey should. see us in,
this ppsture?' To. which he said :somewhat,,.but he was
so low, that it could not be heard. This was objected
against him, but he denied to answer it befcre the said
church; objecting, that" hev would not speak to them.
that spoke not immediately by the spirit/."
*' Fourthly, in that, when^I had discourse with him,
concerning perfect perfection, at the Bull and Mouth, he
said,! • I was a liar, to say he owned it:' then I proved

JAMES NAILER. 53

it from his own writings, as that he said, ' They that say
they have faith, and their life is not the life of Christ j
and them that say they have faith, and yet they cannot
be saved from their sins but. in part in this world, them
and their faith I deny, &c.' To which he hypocritically
said, ' that I was a liar, to say that he owned it in himself
though he disowned it in others.' And, when I had ob
jected any thing against what he said, he would deny it
as soon as he had spoke it ; which, to convince the peo
ple of his lying deceits, ,1 desired them that stood by me
to remember that he said, ' All that are jn the world,
are of the world,' in direct opposition tp that saying of
Christ, John xvii. ' I pray not, holy Father, that thou
shouldest take them out of the world, but preserve them
from the evil of the world ;' which I presently accused
him with ; for which he called me ' a liar; for,' he said,
' he said not so.' I then desired them that had heard him
' to testify to the truth against the liar and his deceit,'
which they did ; but his seared impudence was such,
that he said, ' Should a thousand say so, they were all
liars[;' with much more to the like effect."
" The above relation, and the afore-mentioned let
ter from the church whereof Nayler was once a
member, were offered to be proved and made good,
in the public meeting, at the Bull and Mouth, to
Nayler's face, more than once or twice, who was
unable to say aught unto it, but left his standing
and sat down silent. They, that offered it so to public
trial, were one Mr. Percival and Mr. John Deacon,
author of Public Discoveries of tkeir secret Deceit."

54 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES,
" For his character.— He is a man of a ruddy com
plexion, brown hair, and slank, hanging a little below
his jaw-bones ; of an indifferent height ; not very long
visaged, nor very round ; close shaven ; a sad down look,
and melancholy countenance ; a little band, close to his
.collar, with no band strings; his bat hanging over his
brows, his nose neither high nor low, but rising a little
in the middle.

»J!&

COPIOUS ACCOUNT

OF THE

FRENCH and ENGLISH
PROPHETS,
WHO INFESTED LONDON DURING 1707, AND THE
FOLLOWING YEARS ;
THE
EXHIBITION OF SOME OF THEM ON
THE PILLORY;
AND A
COMPLETE EXPOSURE OF THEIR INFAMOUS
PRACTICES.
BY D. HUGHSON, LL.D.
EDITOR OF THE HISTORY OF LONDON, AND OTHER WORKS.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR AND PUBLISHED BY S. A. ODDY,
2, IVY-LANE, NEWGATE-STREET.
1814.

PRINTED BY HAMBLIN AND srVFHf,,
GARLICK-HILL, THAMES-STREET.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH
PROPHETS. 1707.

XN the reign of Queen Anne, towards the close of the
year 1706, three French Cevennois, commonly called
Camisars, arrived in England, and, by their enthusiastic
effusions, pretences to prophecy, and extatic convulsions,
raised the curiosity not only of their countrymen in
London, but gained many followers. This gave great
offence to the generality of the French refugees; and the
ministers and elders of the royal chapel in the Savoy,
(the principal of the French congregations in Westmin
ster,) thought it their duty to inquire into the mission
of these new prophets; and, being authorized by the
bishop of London, (then the Hon. Dr. Compton,) their
ecclesiastical superior, they summoned the three supposed
prophets, Elias Marion, John Cavalier, and Durand
Fage, to come before them. Two of them obstinately
refused to appear; but the third boldly justified their
pretensions to inspiration. Whereupon, the French
Church in the Savoy made an act on the 2d of January,
1707, wherein these prophets were declared impostures
and counterfeits; and this act was confirmed by the
bishop of London.
Notwithstanding this anathema, these pretended pre-

HISTORY OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

phets, having gained to their opinions M. Maximilian
Misson, a French refugee, M. Nicholas Facio, Professor
of Mathematics at Geneva, and others, continued their
assemblies in Soho, and various parts of the city, and
uttered their prophecies with loud vociferations. Being
supported by Sir Richard Bulkeley, Bart, and John.
Lacy, Esq. two Englishmen of very good estates, they
took upon themselves to brand the ministers of the Esta
blished Church with the most odious names and cha
racters ; and denounced the heaviest judgments against
the city of London and the whole British nation.
They likewise published their predictions under the
following title : — A Collection qf Prophetical Warnings
of tlie Eternal Spirit, pronounced by the following
Persons; via.

Mary Aspinal,
Mary Beer, aged 13.
Thomas Dutton,
Thomas Emes,
John Glover,
Ann Good, aged 11.
Elizabeth Grey,
Mary Keemer,

Anna Maria King, aged 13.
John Lacy,
John Moor, • ,
John Moult, aged 15'.
John Potter,
Mary Turner, and
Ann Watts.

They pretended in their mission to be actuated by
motives of the following description:
"Who can look hpon mankind, and. say. that it is
eome, or even yet did come, to that state for which it
is designed ? Corruption, ignorance, error, oppression,
tyranny, wickedness, and violence, overspread the face
of the earth. God himself is forgotten, despised, and
rejected. Where is, say they, the promise of his coming?''
Mankind, in the face of heaven and earth,, is dexterously
kept divided into numberless factions and sects, which,

THE FRENCH AND ENCL1SH PROPHET'S.

at their pleasure, vary and establish their particular,
and, for the most part, insignificant distinctions; agree
ing in nothing else but a general deriding and perse
cuting that hope, built upon the Scriptures, That the
true Shepherd of the flock will, at last, appear, to put
an end to these disorders, and restore all things, as at
the beginning."
" The great persecution in France," say they, "has
seemed to many, from Scripture, to be a near forerunner
of those times in which it is to be proclaimed, that the
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms ofl'our
Lord and of his Christ; and that he shall reign for eVer
and ever : and, Accordingly, in the midst of the perse
cuted people in the Cevennes, inspiration, or the spi
rit of prophecy, exhortation, supplication, and comfort,
has been powerfully revived ; and attested to be the Spi
rit of God, by many wonderful works, and. by several
instances of his protecting and guiding that people. Some
thousands of men, women, and children, were inspired
there ; even a considerable part of the people of the coun
try. These all spoke in the name and person of God;
not of themselves, but being over-ruled by a superior
agent.* They proclaimed the destruction of Babylon, and
the approach of God's judgments and kingdom. Now, if
one only of all that people were sincere, and not disturbed
in mind, it is highly probable, that he, and in conse
quence the rest also, that did agree with him, really
spoke from God. And the greater number we suppose
amongst them, ofthe like sincere persons, the:greater is
the force of this conclusion; even so as not to leave any
rational ground for doubts. But their sincerity they have

<$• HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
witnessed to, times without number, even by their suffer
ing unto death ; so that their very enemies have been
forced to acknowledge it jn print, and otherwise}, that
they were really sincere.
*' The further proofs, that force us to believe that the
message of this revived spirit of prophecy comes from
God, are exceeding many ; and much more than it is
possible to collect or mention. Some few shall be just
hinted here, to excite the further inquiries of such as
think that the glory of God and his kingdom, and their
own salvation, do deserve some serious thoughts.
" That message is altogether agreeable to Scripture;,
and brings nothing with it but what is consonant to them,
and what must necessarily be expected, and what it is
high time to look for, if we depend upon them.
" It calls men, to repentance : it warns them of the ap
proaching judgments : it presents to them the tender mer
cies of God, and the graces of. his Spirit.
" It is offered as a voice from God ; as the midnight cry
promised by our Saviour, to warn us, ' Behold the Bride
groom cometh; go ye out to meet him.'
It has been witnessed to by about forty inspired in
London, who all have delivered it in the tremendous
name and person of God, agreeing all among themselves
in the main.
" It has been further witnessed to by about one or two
hundred persons in this place/or kingdom, whom the
Spirit ofthe Lord has begun to agitate at times, as it did
Sampson : for so may the Hebrew text be translated ;
and so it is actually rendered in the interlineary version of
the Polyglotte. /

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 5
*' These agitations were s en upon the ancient pro
phets, as it has been demonstrated, both from Scrip
tures and from a passage in the -Hebrew book Shaare
Orah; and may further be seen in R. Albo, and other
unbiassed Jewish writers. Against which testimonies,
the contrary opinion of a few late fathers, educated, not
among the Jews, hut in other parts of the Roman empire,
where the Christian church was already fallen away from
the Spirit, as to his extraordinary gifts, is of no weight.
Impostors, now-a-days, would surely have avoided, and
not affected, those agitations; since they appear ridicu
lous to the world, and could not but prove an occasion of
scandal. The heathen prophets and' sybils, who are
supposed to have been introduced in imitation ofthe Jew
ish prophets, had the like agitations also.
" They are sometimes such, as cannot at all be imitated ;
no, not by the persons themselves, out of inspiration.
It agrees with the wisdom of God, that there should be
some such token ofthe presence ofthe Spirit. They are
an appropriated sign, becoming a message of terror: and
several learned commentators and divines have acknow
ledged, in their works, those agitations in the ancient
prophets. " When there was no such word as Tlteopneustos, In
spired of God, (in the Greek version,) this word was even
coined, carrying -with it a lively representation of the
state in which the present inspired appear.
" If these messengers speak in the persoa of God, so
did often prophets, or angels, of old.
" If they speak to themselves in the person of God, the
like is often observed in Scripture, And in Zechariah,

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMTOSTBRES.

where the English translation has it, The Angel that
talked with me, the Hebrew has it always, The Angel thq.t
spoke in me; though often the discourse there be directed
to Zechariah himself.
" Many of their enemies do own them to be actuated by
a superior spirit, which they would have to be the spirit
cf the devil. But this spirit proclaims the, destruction of
the devil's kingdom; and it owns Christ as Lord, as
Priest, as Saviour, as King. And so, by the rules given
in Scriptures, it must needs be the Spirit of God.
" It is a spirit of prayer^ and supplication to God : a
spirit of sanctification and love to God; leading to cha
rity, repentance, meekness, humility, and all sorts of
virtues; and to an entire forsaking of this world. It is a
spirit of patience and sufferings, and resignation to God's
will. From the like effects exerted upon sinners, the
apostles and primitive Christians argued, that that was,
indeed, the power of the Spirit of God.
"It is one spirit; I say one: a most wise and holy
and active spiiit, uniformly and with application prose
cuting one single design and plan of his own, vastly too
great for any man, or council of men, to imagiue or ma
nage. In which plan, every one will be lost and con
founded, who looks but superficially into what it is the
highest duty and concern of every man to examine with
care. For such is the intent of that spirit, even to har
den, to ensnare, and lead into destruction, those that set
up idols of their own, and presumptuously despise the
message of God. And these are of old the ways of the
Spirit of God, as may be seen in Ezek. xiv. 6 — 11. in
Isa. xxviii. °— 13. in Isa. vi. 9—12, and the parallel

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS.

place* in the New Testament; and also in many other
places of Scripture. Thus God, as Judge, does rain
snares upon the wicked scoffers of his gracious message.
And in that way, and others, will he plead, and does
now begin to plead himself, by his Spirit, with all flesh.
" It is a spirit which is communicated to others by
prayer and blessing, and laying on of hands; even as the
Holy Ghost was, in the time ofthe apostles.
" It is a spirit which God gives t6 those that earnestly
pray to him for his Holy Spirit; which our Saviour says
is readily granted, to such as ask it of God; even of our
Father, who cannot give us a stone, when we desire
bread from him.
" It is a spirit which, by his extensive spreading, and
nature accommodated to the souls and occasions of men,
is capable, as the Spirit of God, of beingjDoured forth
even upon whole nations, and by consequence mankind.
And it has often visited babes and harmless children, out;
of whose mouths it has perfected praise.
»' It is a spirit of joy, brightening, and not clouding,1
the mind ; but exalting and purifying all the faculties of
man; refreshing, and never injuring the body.
" It is a spirit which divines and others have attacked,'
not with fair objections, but with forgeries, lies, calum
nies, wrested arguments, and open violence; even as
they did of old, always oppose the Spirit of God. Acts
vii. 51/ &c.
" It is a spirit which prophecies of judgments and ca
lamities; even as did of old the prophets of God; and
not of smooth, things, to please the world, as did the false
prophets.

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS'IMPOSTURES.

" It is a spirit whici^ is, as the Spirit of God, jealous
ofthe heart of man; excluding.all sharers, and any pre
valent affection, for whatever objects are presented to us
from the tempter of the world.
" It is a spirit laying open the secrets of man's heart;
and also reproving the thoughts arid actions, though
known only to God.
" It is a spirit addicted to no one sect or party among
men, but calling and shewing itself a common father
'to all.
" It is a spirit interceding both for a man's self, with
anutterable groans, and also for others, even as did that
spirit which was in the prophets of God.
" It is a spirit of praise and thanksgiving; a spirit of
consolation, tenderly comforting us in our troubles; a
father of spiritual joys; inditing, upon occasions, hymns
and spiritual songs to God ; bringing to the soul peace,
and all the other fruits ofthe Spirit.
" By it several persons have,spoken languages, which
they were otherwise unable to speak. By it dialogues
have been carried on between persons that did not under
stand one another's language.
" By it several cures, and other miraculous things,
have been wrought; and some punishments inflicted.
" By it many things have been foretold, which are
come to pass, and none but God could bring about: in
particular, the very spreading of this spirit upon the
English nation, and its visit, as promised to many pri
vate persons by name.
" It is powerful in exhorting and refreshing the soul;
able to reveal mysteries, and the deep counsels of God;

THE FRENCH AND ENGtlSH PROPHET'S^
explaining Scriptures with the key of David ; that is, of
God's kingdom and anointed king, even the Son of Da
vid, and successor to his throne.
" It exercises- a power over unel'ean spirits, and dis
cerns and lays it open, when the spirit of man or of the
stranger does intermix; which is what the Spirit of God
did among the primitive Christians also.
" It does, wonderfully, both govern and proteet those
that hear its voice; giving continual and particular direc
tions, and preserving from' dangers.
\ '* Many attest to it by the visions and voices from God,
and divine dreams, which they assure have been sent
them. " It threatens or foretels not only particular, butalsO'
universal judgments; both which it does conformably
to several examples in Scriptures; acquainting, us also how
they may be avoided.
" If this spirit is sometimes severe, and expresses?
threatenings and wrath against those that oppose it, SO'
did also Christ, and the Spirit of God, in the ancient
prophets and apostles; taking, often even private opposer*
to task-
"Tt gives promises to, and enters, or offers to- enter,
into covenant with private persons, and with whole na
tions, or mankind; and it manifests to them God's will
and commands.
" It takes upon itself to indite revelations of God,, and!
gives that account of the universal destination of heaven;
and earth,-, and of mankind,, which is most agreeable to-
Scriptures and, God's infinite wisdom and goodness;, bat
9-St-

10 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
very different from the common thoughts and schemes of
divines. " It lays the foundations for the regeneration and
perfecting the salvation of mankind, and delivering them-
fromsin; and both them and all the creation from the
curse. , \
" It does prepare instruments for the recalling of the-
Jews, and converting of infidels; proposing to itself to
bring it about, that there shall be, over all the earth,
but one God, and one faith, and one law.
" In some thousands of discourses, of people of diffe
rent sects, and opinions, and capacities, this spirit has-
betrayed no false doctrine; though speaking often of mat
ters very mysterious and abstruse; and that, by the
mouth of children, and other ignorant persons. It has.
invited to no sins, nor enticed men to any forsaking of
God. " On the contrary, it brings men nearer and nearer to
God, and insensibly leads them into all truth, or all the
truth; wonderfully opening the deep and hidden things.
of Scripture, and exposing naked some errors and false
doctrines that have prevailed among Christians.
" That spirit shews how it is possible, indeed, that
*very man should be taught of God, and not go to his
brother for the knowledge of the Lord. And it has al
ready delivered some rare and wonderfully excellent in
terpretations of Scripture.
" Its very presence, and, as it were, return amongst
men, does fulfil a great many prophecies; and begets a
lively hope, that the Spirit of God shall be poured on all
flesh, as the waters cover the sea.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. ff

** By its ministration angels have again appeared visi«
bjy, and even spoken to men.
"It is a spirit of instruction, of knowledge, of science,.
of understanding, of wisdom ; speaking in the proper and
unimitable language and style of the Spirit of God; that
is, by phrases- altogether new, so playing,, by the mouths
of ignorant people, with the secret and hidden keys o£
divine wisdom, as to manifest to those few men who may
discern it, that it is acquainted indeed with the myste--
ries of God. And this is, as it were, the very seal by
which the Spirit of God has thought fit, in an authentic
manner, to attest to all, or almost all, the books of Scrip-.
ture. " This spirit prepares and adorns the bride against.
the coming of the bridegroom. Without such a pre-.
sence, and the extraordinary gifts and powers of the Spi
rit of God, neither the spreading and full establishing of
the gospel, nor the promised union of all nations into.
one faith,, and one law, nor the fulness of God's king-.
dom, can ever be expected to be brought about. Its
presence, and immediate operations and gifts, were ne
cessary for the beginning ofthe conversion of man to God.
and his Christ. And now, when the harvest remains yet
to be made, (for what has been done, hitherto is but art-
earnest,) and- when Christendom itself is deplorably
hardened, misled, and divided, its immediate concur
rence and manifestations are not less necessary, but ra
ther more.
*' If anti-christ is to be destroyed by the Word of God,
and the Spirit of his mouth, this spirit also takes upon it
to bring about that work.

../

1? HISTORY OF RELIGrOUS IMPOSTURES.
" By this spirit we have access to God, and may in
quire of him, and have his true answers returned, even
as of old.
-" We know it cleanses our thoughts and hearts, and-
makes us the temples of the Holy Ghost : and it lakes irt-
hand that proper work of the Spirit of God, even the'
cleansing his sanctuary also.
" That spirit pronounces forgiveness of sins; working
so upon the mind, at the same time, as to fill it with
peace and consolation, with a deep repentance, and with
love hotly flaming towards GorU It makes our hearts,,
our breasts, and neighbouring parts, to be filled with a
burning and holy fire; exciting to prayer and thanks
giving, and unknown to any but such whom the Spirit
of God does inflame.
" It has turned many to God that were deeply engaged
in sin, or in the world; and has made us to know God,
as a tender, gracious, and most accessible Father; never
refusing to embrace a returning sinner. It dispels those
terrors with which sin and a wrong education are so apt
to work, a dread of despair, or aseparation from God in-
our minds.
" God, in his word, has laid, tlie foundation for those
things which he will bring to pass. And if, in his mer
cy, he is now pleased, as in former times, to use meo as
instruments. for his work,, a great effusion and communi
cation of his Spirit is necessarily required., to qualify
them for that service.
" By this spirit truth is- watchfully kept, when once de
livered; and pride is shut out from amongst men.
'f It does,, even as of old, employ angels- in- several ad*

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 13
ministrations, relating either in general to men, or else
to those that follow its voice.
" It has enabled many men and women, and young
persons, to suffer, even unto death. England itself, be
sides what they know has been done in the neighbouring
kingdom, has seen that spirit tried by severe tribula
tions: and thus were alwaj's intreated the true prophets
of God.
" It does wonderfully lay the ground for bringing
about God's determinate- counsel; and acquaints all dili
gent followers of its voice, with the .reasons of almost
every considerable step of God's Providence, as his work
goes on ; so making good what .the Scripture says, ' Sure
ly the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secret
unto his servants the prophets;' when, at the same time,
worldly men have their eyes shut, and wander without
light. And thus did that angel of God, that led the Is
raelites, give light to them in the night by a pillar of
fire, which-to the Egyptians was a cloud of darkness.
"- It cannot be denied, but this spirit prepares the way
for God's kingdom on earth, were it only by putting men
upon the study of the Scriptures throughout, with a
constant eye to that kingdom.
" How wonderfully does it guide, as it were, by the
band ; and how does it deliver from the midst of danger !
What a thirst does it give after its refreshing presence !
And how have we been perishing, as long as he kept ab
sent from us! Prov. xxix. 18.
" Oh ! what occasion for that first Guide and Author
of his church ; that ancient preserver of discipline, and
order, and truth,, and humility, and union in it I that

14 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
only hope of ours, to have thesweet and infallible teach
ings of. God substituted to the dangerous, biassed from
the word, and distracted teachings of men, agreeing nei
ther with the truth nor among themselves.
" Let this voice be tried by such rules, which, being
transferred to the particular times and messages of the
prophets, would have condemned none of them. Other
rtiles, now made to serve the designs of some people, are
highly dangerous; and so much the more to be pro
nounced false; as, by them, a greater number of those
true messengers of God must have been rejected. Now,
by such a trial, this voice is found to be God's.
" If we look abroad, many things, as it might be well
expected, where Christ's approaching kingdom was to
be proclaimed, do seem to have prepared mankind, in
these last ages, for this universal message of God, and
the appearance and easier reception of the King and Heir
of all things. Such are the discovery of America ; and
.the way opened by navigation into the East-Indies also;
the vast improvements of trade and communication be
tween different countries, and the establishment of posts ;
the art of printing; the perfection o'f other arts; the re
viving of learning; the violence and arbitrariness of
those maxims by which mankind is governed in many
parts of the world ; reformation ; and even fhat multi
plicity of sects and parties, which makes it palpable, that
Christians, notwithstanding all their pretences,, are in
volved in Egyptian darkness; the study of prophetical
Scriptures; the clearing the rights of conscience and of
men ; the variety of journals, or abstracts of books,
printed weekly or monthly, &c, ; and both the late and

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 15
the present workings of the Spirit of God abroad, in
France, in Silesia, in some other parts of Germany, and
elsewhere: for the Spirit of God evidently seems to be
gin to work in many countries at once ; and we hope will
work, until the whole lump or mass of mankind be
leavened. " Now, God, in the Scripture, having confined him
self to recall the Jews, and all nations, by an effusion of
his Spirit, how can Christians but perceive that this as
the beginning of that effusion! or at least suspect and
fear, that it may, in the end, possibly prove to be so!
How does that belief become a crime, in anyone, where
liberty of conscience is established, even by the laws of
the land ! And how dangerous must it be, presump
tuously to ascribe these things to the Devil, while the
Scripture gives that description, which we read in it, of
the only one impardonable sin !
" To these reasons many other proofs may be added,
that this is the Spirit of God; some of which may be
further gathered out of the printed Prefaces and Warn
ings; Tlie Cry from the Desert; and the French book
called, Theatre Sacre des Cevennes; from The Way of Try
ing Prophets ; The Impartial Account ; Sir Richard Bulk-
ley's Answer to several Tracts; The Dealings of God io his
Servant, John Lacey ; and the Letter to Doctor Woodward.
What more proofs were to be mentione3 here, must be
suppressed, for want of room. But the Warnings
themselves, some of them pronounced by very young
persons of the weaker sex, will give no small light
to, the solemnity, origin, and truth, of this divine aad
tremendous message.

15 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
a  - i' -ta
" The number and character of these witnesses for God,
all of them English, their agreement in doctrine, and in
the chief import of thNeir message,_the difference of the
style, evidencing that they are not taught one of another,
and the contents ofthe discourses, surpassing the natural
capacities ofthe persons, must needs fill the minds of all
sincere readers with many serious thoughts and reflec
tions; who will be able to gather, even without seeing
these messengers, that they are under direction of one
super-influencing spirit; and that they have not, as is
imputed to them, their dependance upon any man. And
with these do agree a considerable number of inspired of
other nations; besides some more English, of whom no
thing could be inserted in this short collection, either for
want of room, or because of some other limitations, inthe
Order commanding it to be printed."
The collection of incoherent and unintelligible jargon
shewed the authors to be men thoroughly infatuated. It
being, however, suspected that there was a mixture of
artifice and design in the whole concern, it was thought
necessary to apprehend Marion, John Daud6, and Facio,
who were indicted and prosecuted at the expenceofall
the French churches in London, as disturbers of the
public peace, and false prophets. They received sen
tence in the Court of Queen's Bench, to stand twice on a
scaffold, with a paper denoting their offence; to pay a
fine of twenty marks each ; and to give security for their
good behaviour for one year.
According to this sentence they were exposed on a
scaffold at Charing Cross, and at the Royal Exchange.
But the principal exposure of these prophets took place

THE FRENCH AND ENCLISH PROPHETS. 17
some time after, by the publication of a book intitled,
" A Brand Snatched from the Burning; exemplified in the
unparalleled case of Samuel Keimer."
This man had been a letter-press printer of some emi
nence in his profession; but having been induced to
become one of this scandalous fraternity of impostors,
he explored the arcana of their iniquity; which he
published as a personal narrative. The book being ex
ceedingly scarce and curious, we have made considerable
extracts from it, to shew, to all who are willing to be
convinced, that knavery has been too often the machine
by which all these supposed effusions of prophecy have
been agitated. Mr. Keimer afterwards turned Quaker.
His narrative begins thus: —
" A Brand snatched from the Burn
ing, Sfc
" It is not unknown among thousands in and about
this city, that near eleven years since, there arrived here
several persons from France, who called themselves (or
were generally called by others) by the name and title
of French Prophets.
" The business they came upon, was (as they declar
ed) to promulge the speedy approaching judgments of
the Lord, upon the wicked ofthe earth, to call all
mankind toa speedy repentance ; for that God was com
ing to make a decision between the precious and the vile,
the latter of which, with Babylon, was to be totally and
finally destroyed, as forerunners of the kingdom state of
Christ on earth, which was immediately to ensue there-
N9. 6. c

18 HISTORY. OP RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
upon. — That the cup of the iniquity of the people of this
land, &c. was quite full, and therefore the judgments
would be immediately poured upon the rebellious, and all
those that did not own and readily submit to that appear
ance, or dispensation, as they then called it.
" This was the chief purport of the pretensions, asde-
livered by these Prophets, under ver}' violent and strange
agitations or shaking ofthe body, loud aud4terrifying hic
cups and throbs, with many odd and very surprising
postures, &c. ; all which they gave out was performed by
nothing less than the operation of the Holy Ghost.
" The uncommon nature of this affair drew many sober
and religious people to enquire into it; not knowing but
that God, whose ways are in the deep, might be the author
of it, and might in this latter day reveal himself in an
extraordinary manner, for some extraordinary end.
" On the other hand, several who were curious for
seeing novelties, went likewise to several of their meet
ings, which were frequently kept near the Seven Dials,
Baldwin's-gardens, &c.
*' Those who were truly religious, and led by the Spirit
of Christ, thereby being able to make a true judgment,
by the trial of spirits, quickly discerned the fallacy of
their gilded pretensions, and accordingly disbelieved,
disowned, and opposed that diabolical spirit which opera
ted upon them.
" However, it was not long 'ere this Spirit of Prophecy
had communicated itself to many of the English nation,
by the laying on of hands of these prophets, who became
thereby agitated and shaken much in the same manner
as the French prophets were.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 19
" Thus the infection began to spread and operate most
unaccountably upon the bodies and minds of men, Women,
and children, who were generally persons that had made
a serious profession of religion, under the various denomi
nations in this our land, viz. those of the National, Pres
byterian, Independent, and Baptist persuasion; but being
ignorant of the true life and power of religion, (though
somewhat sensible of the dead lifeless forms, with which
the greatest part of professors contented themselves) were
unhappily drawn into this most wretched and pernicious
delusion of Satan ; a delusion such as scarce ever has
been the like since the world began; such a one as
may be justly ranked with those whom the Apostle dis
tinguished by the name pf strong Delusions.
" Among the many who went with a design to be in
formed in this matter, which now began to make a great
noise, and was become, in a sense, the general subject of
the press and pulpit,, was.the unhappy author of the en
suing relation.
" Being informed that a meeting was intended to be kept
in South wark, by-frhq invitation of several sober well-mean
ing people on that side the water, who had not yet made
trial of the spirit operating upon them; I got leave of my
master, Mr. Robert Tooley,. Printer, Christopher-court,
Threadneedle-street, a sober religious- man, and endued
with many virtues, for half a day to go- abroad, not ac
quainting him with my intended, business, which if he
had known, he would have been. far from suffering me to
go one step on such an occasion*
" When I came into Southwark, I was with some
others conducted to the meeting of the said prophets,

20

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

ii which was kept at the meeting-house formerly used by
' the Baptists, near Mary Overy's-Dock. As soon as I en
tered the room, which was large, and pretty full of peo
ple, the first objects which drew my observation, was a
woman well dressed, on her knees, and, a man standing
before her, with his hands upon her head, uttering se
veral sentences, mixed with strange hiccups, and sha
kings of his head forwards and backwards, his body, • as
it seemed to me, jumping while he was speaking. Be
tween every two or three words speaking, he cried, Hoh j
Hoh ! Hoh ! Hob! O  h ! O  h ! O  h ! as if he
were taking his last gasp. T"'s man's name was John
Lacy, Esq. a person known by many to be a man of sobrie
ty and substance, and who belonged to a congregation of
Presbyterian'-, to whom Edmund Calamy, a noted man,
was preacher. This laying on of hands, and speaking
to the person on her knees, was called (as I afterwards
came to understand) the gift of blessing.
" The next scene that offered, was a Frenchman vio
lently agitated and shaken, but in another sort of a
manner than the former. This person, whose name was
John Cavalier,(one of those who arrived from France,) on
a sudden, being under agitation, was flung along upon
the ground, with a sort of violent force, shewing several
strange postures, such as boys in their play commonly
call bending the sea-crab, walking on his hands, with his
legs erect, &c. There were several men, English and
French, who sat at a table, taking down in writing what
was spoke, and afterward read it to the assembly present.
There was, I think, a third that spoke, whose name was
Elias Marion, another of those that came from France.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 21
" When ali was over, the spectators severally made
their remarks on what had happened ; some were of
opinion it might possibly be of God; some ascribed it to
madness; some to a diabolical operation; some to one
thing, and some to another.
" For my own part, I could see little of God or reli
gion in this strange appearance, and did not know what
to make of it.
" However, I plainly saw the infection had diffused it
self like the plague, insensibly at first, upon several who
came to enquire into it, or to be spectators.
" Among this number were two neighbours, one of
whose names was William Draycott, a brazier, inTooley-
street, a man accounted of a sober life and conversation,
and one that had been join'd for several years in church-
membership with the particular Eaptists; the other was
Anna Finkley, a widow, in Joyner's-street, who was like
wise of good repute, who invited the prophets home to
her house to refresh themselves, &c. After their so do
ing, one of the prophets being seized with the spirit,
called for the mistress or head of the house, who being
come to him, he blessed her and her house, with many
others, who kneeled, and. had the prophet's hands laid-.
upon their heads.
" Here it was that my sister,. before-mentioned, began-
to be greatly affected,. having, as I think, been blessed
(as they called it,) but of that I will not be certain, and
was taken with a violent fit of weeping, as was another
young woman, and a, very little girl.. This was the first
day of their and my seeing the prophets, and I saw
nothing more remarkable that time, which was,.!, think,.
c2

22 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
about the beginning of the sixth month, called August,
in the year 1707.
" The next time I went to my father's, which was
about a week after, to my great surprise, my sister had
commenced prophetess, having, at times, the agitations
upon her very violent and surprising. While I was
there, the spirit came upon her, and she spoke somewhat ;
but what I cannot remember.
*' By this time, my mother (who though she was a
woman that made a strict profession, knew little of the
essence or spiritual part of religion) began to have a fa
vourable opinion of this matter; and being persuaded
by some to be blessed, after some reluctance, at last she
submitted, had several fine things (pleasing to corrupt
nature) said to her ; and in some little time after became
a captive of Sataii,^ by firmly believing, and giving her
self up to him, in this his work.
" Here was now mother and daughter caught; there
remained only father and son. For my part, it was a
long while before I could in the least be reconciled to it.
" About this time, my mother and sister were caught
in the snare; and my mother being a zealous woman for
what she professed, though without true knowledge, was
earnest for me to go and be blessed ; which I for several
times refused, fearing it was the Devil that possessed
these prophets, and being unwilling to be caught in his
snare. It was some months I continued thus aloof
fro.n being blessed, though at times I went to several of-
their meetings, having a desire to be informed thoroughly
in this matter.
" At one of their meetings, which was kept at the

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 23
Rummer, near Honey-lane Market, where I was pre
sent, there was one Thomas Dutton, a lawyer, seized,
being a man well dressed, in a long tie-wig, and, I think,
having a sword by his side. This man, under agitations
much like therest whom I had seen, uttered a very ra
tional discourse, or warning, which I well remember was
somewhat to this effect, ' You call this a delusion ; but
can it be a delusion to bid you repent ? Will the Devil
preach repentance?' with many other things to the same
purpose. After he bad done, there was a young woman
spoke, whose name I cannot tell.
" This spirit of prophecy had by this time arose to a
great height, and many were the followers of it. Like
wise there were several sober persons who became pro
phets end prophetesses, particularly one John Potter, a
Baptist, and a member of a large congregation, to which
¦ Foxwell was pastor, at Horselydown, Southwark,-
John Glover, a Baptist preacher, Mary Aspinal, Mary
Turner, and Sarah Draycott, with many more whom I
shall not here mention.
" Observing there were many sober people, some of
whom I knew, who professsed faith in this appearance,
and who loudly cried it up as the work of God ; that it
was the beginning of the fulfilling of the many glorious
promises mentionedin Scripture, viz. the calling qf the
Jews, the Lion's lying down with the Lamb, &c. I began
to have a favourable opinion of it ; and being persuaded
by my mother to receive a blessing, accordingly with
some reluctance I consented, and at the next meeting I
was at, in a neighbour's house, after almost all present
lead been blessed, I went towards the prophet, whose

24 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.-
name was Elias Marion, and falling on my knees before
him, he laid his hands on my head, and spoke several
sentences in French, after which he took his hands off,
and I arose from my knees..
" The meeting soon after broke up> and as it was
usual, those who took down in writing what was spoke,
if it was in French, translated it, and read it in English tO'
those present, and if desired, would write out copies of
what was spoken,, and particularly blessings, and gave
them to the persons so desiring. My blessing came at
test to be read over,, at which I was somewhat affected,.
or rather elevated, which being given me in writing a-
day or two after, was exactly as follows :
" My Child, till now thou hast been rebellious to my.
will. I come, I tell thee, to appropriate thy heart to me..
I come to make thee a new creature. I come to give thee
the engagement promised to my children. Thou hast ha-
bitation in my house ; thou may'st ask me without fear ;
but let thy heart humble itself before me. Let it seek my
word, whilst I do present ii to thee. The blessing of:
God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, rest upon
thee, and shall never depart from thee. Go in peace. —
Pray to me without ceasing, and draw back entirely fronti
the world and its commerce. Resign thyself to follow me.
I call thee."
"This blessing, when I came to read it over, had a
strange and uncommon effect on my mind. I read it over
and over, beingmuch affected therewith. I was willing,
with a sort of hope on one hand, to believe that it was
God spoke to me ; on the other hand, I was very much.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 25
afraid it. was the alluring voice ofthe Devil, to draw me
into the desruction of my immortal soul. Sometipies my
mind was raised to a high pitch of elevation, and some
times I was cast down in great perplexity. What to de
I could not tell. I, thought it could not be of God, it
flattered me so much. And then I considered with my
self, God was a gracious being, infinite in mercy, and
boundless in his love towards the children of men. At
last, after a great deal of exercise of mind, at different
times, concerning this affair, I came to be fully persuaded,
and did sincerely believe it was of God, and that He was
come in a wonderful manner to do a mighty work on the
earth. " Nor had I, in the least, any other view or prospect
in my receiving or believing this voice to be of God than
the good of my precious soul, about which I had been ear
nestly concerned at times, almost ever since I could
speak. The all-knowing God, before whom I must short
ly appear at the great tribunal, knows 1 utter truth.
" It was not very long after, to the best of my remem
brance, that a messenger came out of Southwark to my
master's to speak with me one Seventh-Day-.Night. The
message he came upon was to acquaint me, that my mo
ther desired my master to give me leave to go over ; for
that the Spirit had told my sister, through her own mouth,
that that very night at twelve o'clock she was to die.*-.
The news very much startled me, and made me sorrow
ful, to think of parting with my sister, whom I loved
very well ; and getting leave of my master, 1 went over,
in full purpose, to condole, and take a farewel of my dy
ing sister. When I came to my father's, I found her in

26 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
bed, my mother and. several neighbours, who were be
lievers, being in the same room. It was about ten of
the clock when I got there, and my mother having sent
for a quart of wine before, we each of us drank to, and
afterwards saluted, my sister, fully expecting at the hour
appointed she would certainly die.
" Twelve of the clock being nigh come, I observed
one or two in the room composed themselves to private
prayer on this occasion. For my own part I waited with
grief of heart to see my sister depart, between hope and
fear, when, on a sudden, she was violently seized and
agitated to such a degree, as was amazing, which conti
nuing for some time, (1 think about a quarter of an hour,)
the Spirit went off her, and we were informed she was
not to die this time, to my very great joy, as well as to
theirs who were present, who wept upon this occasion.
" There were many conjectures upon this failure of pre
diction. One would have it to mean that she was to die
to sin, another that it was for the trial of our faith, and a
third gave another reason, different from both.
'* It was not long after ere the Prophets and Prophe
tesses began to predict many particular, strange, and
wonderful, things, naming persons, times, and places.—
And there being one Thomas Emes, commonly called Dr.
Emes, a reputed Socinian, who had received this spirit,
and had become a Prophet, and to whom the spirit,
through several of the rest ofthe prophets, had promised
should do many marvellous things. This Emes (notwith
standing all that was assured him, of his being a great in
strument to work miracles of all sorts,) was taken ill about
the fourth day of the tenth month, commonly called De-.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 27
cember, with a violent head-ache, or megrim, and died
on the 22d, and was buried the 25th ofthe same month on
the day called Christmas day, 1707, in the burying place
in Bunhill-fields, commonly called Tyndall's burying
ground. " While fie lay ill, he was told by John Lacy, John
Potter, &c. under agitation, many flattering stories, that
ifhedied, he should quickly be raised again, which the
poor man, as I have reason to think, firmly believed.— .
After the doctor was dead, instead of being laid out, as is
usual for a dead corpse, he was kept hot in his bed, till
he stunk so as there was scarce any enduring it, several
imagining he would come to life again.
" The day he was buried, I being at a Meeting in
Southwark, at the dwelling house of Guy Nutt, at which
was present John Potter, whom I had heard much of, but
never before had seen to my knowledge, upon whom the
Spirit came, and, after violent agitations, with a very aw
ful voice, spoke as follows:
'Remember this day, my children. I say, remember
this day. . It is known vulgarly to all. For, I say, from
this day will I be glorified in all that believe. This day
shall be a day of joy to you, my children ; of exceeding
joy unto all that trust in me. Remember it, therefore ;
for, know from this day I will make an extraordinary
beginning. The wonderful works of your God shall be
seen visibly, if you will but behold. And Isay, Whoso
seeth not is worse than blind naturally. This day shall
be unto you as the beginning of days. And as days were
before months, so the first day ofthe next month shall be
to you the beginning of months. For I will work, and

28 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
nothing shall let. My word shall run and be glorified.
My power shall be made known. The strength of my
arm shall be felt. The power of the Almighty shall cause
such echoej in this city, as that the city shall tremble.
Blessed are they that hear. It is on them I will set my
mark; that, when the destroying angel cometh, they
may be preserved. Eut whoso will not hear, in their
bowels shall the sword of mine indignation be sheathed.
It shall gore in their hearts; it shall be made drunk with
their blood. This, this, this is the great and notable day
ofthe Lord : terrible to the wicked, but cause of exceed
ing joy to those that obey. Therefore, my obedient
ones, ye who have heard my voice, and say, we know it
is the voice of God, I am now about to answer your pray
ers. I'll give now undeniable proof that this is my word ;
that these distracted motions are caused by the operation
of my spirit in my children'. The restoring of the blind,
the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead, shall de
cide it, after some months being interred. Will not this
do? Take heed, you that say I shall believe, when I
see this. Take heed, I say, you simple ones; for if
faith, as thou confessest, be the gift of God, thou know-
est not whether I will give faith then. No, no, I will not
gratify the humours of my worms, in whose destruction I
can be glorified ; and I will, if you will not accept of this
act of grace, which is now proclaimed by the mouths of
my servants. Therefore it is now that I call unto you 
Come, come, come ; come all you that would escape
approaching judgments, and enter into this ark, which I
have prepared for your safety. Yes, I will raise'the dead.
By the same power that'I have raised Jesus, will I raise

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 2J
that body now asleep ; more fat and more fair than ever
he has been. It shall not be known by his friends that he
hath fasted so many mouths. So fat, so lovely shall he
appear, that the beholders shall fall in love with him. —
Yes, the same body, the same face, though more lovely.
For the beams of my glory shall overshadow that earthly
tabernacle ; so as that it shall be made glorious thereby.
Come, my children ; I know you wait.'
" Here he fell backward in his chair, and cried out in
a different tone from what he had before spoken with, ' O
Lord!' " Then the spirit answered, by way of dialogue, ' What
would you that I say unto you?' He then cried out in the
different tone, 'By another Lord !' And then fell down
with some force to the ground, where he lay silent.
'* In a little time afterwards, Anna Maria King, a girl
«f twelve years old, was seized, and, under agitations,
spoke as follows : — ;
'Rejoice greatly, O my children, and be exceeding
glad; for great is your reward in Heaven. And be you
assured, that all that I have spoken by my servant, at this
time, and all other times, shall come to pass. And if
you knew me, you would believe me. By the hand of
my servant Lacy will I raise the body of my servant, that
is now dead. But you must wait my time ; fori am not
atyourwills, neither will I be. He, I say, heshallarise
and fulfil his testimony. Did I ever speak in vain ? No,
I assure you ; I never did, nor I never will. You have
sufficient proof already that this is the power of God.—
But there is none can deny this that I am going to bring
N°. 7. »

39 HIST0RV OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
to pass. If he be dead and rotten, yet I willrai.se him,
as I have spoken, to fulfil his testimony. There is not
one tittle of what I have spoken shall pass away. I will
do greater things than these. Yes, I will do such things
as never yet have been.'
"After which, John Potter being again seized, spoke
as -follows :— ^
cO thou timorous child ! Why prayest thou thus unto
me ? Thinkest thou that I will be entreated by thee to
speak that, byothers, which I purpose to speak by thee ?
I tell thee, I will not. Therefore let me no more be soli
cited upon such occasions. I will excuse thee for this
time. But know, from thy mouth, shall be declared the
positive day in which my servant shall be raised from the
deadi I only give thee time to consider of the weakness
*>fthy prayer. I have heard it; but, I assure thee, lap-
prove not of it.'
''Here he fell into most violent and surprising agita-*
tations, crying out, in a different lone of voice, ' O Lord !
"who can bear it ?' The Spirit, through his own mouth,
then said, 'Thou shalt, and a thousand times mere.'
' If thou wilt enable me, Lord.
'Thy brethren may judge of the weakness of thy prayer
by that childish expression. Did I ever require any
thing, at any time, to be done, by any of my servants,
but they were assisted by me in the performance of it ?
* True, Lord, I know thou never didst.
' Well, learn then to know my will, and do it. For
know, thou shall not only declare the days in which I will
work miracles ; but thrfu shalt likewise, with a loud
voice, in this city, declare the positive day in which my
judgments shall descend from Heaven. Thou shalt tell

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 31
the day in which fire and brimstone shall descend, to the
consuming to ashes famous buildings in this city. Be
thou still, therefore; and know, that I am God; and
that it is I, that speak in thee, and not thyself/,
*' The next day John Potter was seized again by the
Spirit, at another meeting, and spoke as follows, by way
of dialogue :— ' ,
' Wilt thou declare willingly, with an open mouth.
those words which I speak unto thee ?
' Do thou rule, 0 Lord, over all my faculties. My wilt
is, that thine may be done. Take possession of it, .Lord, and
it shall be so.
' But I will that thou resist not.
• Lord, remember my weakness ; thou knowest that I am
but dust.
'What! wilt thou still interrogate? Have I not told
thee, I will be strength in thy weakness, wisdom in thy
folly ; and that I will always assist thee as the matter re
quires ? Take heed, lest I strike thee dumb; which I
will, if thou ceasest not.
' Thy will be done, Lord, Lord ; Lord, thy will be done.
I must speak yet unto thee, Lord. Spare me, Lord, said me
not ; for I cannot bear.'
" Here he was thrown down backwards, and lay so
on the floor for some time. After which he rose again,
and, in a most lamentable and affecting tone, he cried,
' Oh ! the burden ofthe Lord! the burden of the Lord!'
'Do thou remember, my child, how much the excuse
of my servant Moses tended to his loss. Was it not weak
ness in him to say unto me, thou knowest I am a man of a
stammering tongue; and, at the same time, I would have

32 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMrOSTURES.
' "' — ' ¦"¦»¦-
given him the tongue of the learned ? He lost the ho
nour of being a famous orator by his excusing himself.—
Therefore, say not I am weak, but the contrary ; in the
Lord am I strong. His power inhabits my heart. And
that shall appear in all that trust in me. Therefore, when
I command thee, be thou willing; saying, on thine arm
will I trust. What sayest thou now, my child ? Art thou
willing ? Say no more, Thy will be done, Lord, and
then frame excuses for thyself.
" / will not excuse myself, Lord. Only this, only this—
Spare me yet a little while.
' If I should, it will be always, Yet a little while.
' No, Lord, no ; but I entreat thee now.
'Thou sayest well in every thing; but when it come*
to the trial, thou startest back. I will be entreated by
thee. Thou art spared. But let the time be spent in
considering the nature ofthe message : for thou canst not
say, thou art ignorant of it.
' I am not, Lord.
•And in thy continual prayers, see thou ask for strength,
and I will give it thee.'
"The next day, being the 27th, John Potter was again
seized, and spoke, by way of dialogue, as follows : —
« Behold, I come, I come, I come ! My children, see
to yourselves therefore. For, I say, the righteous shall
scarcely be saved. Be ye not careful, therefore, what
the state of the wicked shall be ; no, no ; look to your
selves. Rejoice in your God, therefore, you whom I have
called. And know of a truth, that so long as you obey
my voice, which speaketh through you, you are safe. —
But I tell you, there are some amongst you who obey

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 33
not that voice. Thou, thou'wretch, by whom I speak, ,
disobeyest. " Here he was thrown all along upon the floor, cry
ing out, ' Slay me, Lord, and thou shalt be just.'
*I will not, yet will I be just. Thou complainest of
the burden ofthe Lord.
' I will speak, Lord? I cannot bear it, though the unwor
thiest of ull. Yet be merciful, O Lord God.
' Rise' thou. — [Here John- Cavalier was seized with
most violent agitations.] — I tell thee, the burden thou
complainest of shall be five times heavier.
' Thy will be done, Lord} thou art strong; on thy arm
will I lean-
'Thou audacious presumer! Wilt thou rebel against
roe, and say, Lord, on thy arm will I trust?
' Thou knowest my heart, O Lord.
*Ido; and I will burst in pieces that heart. I will-
consume thy bones. The -flames of my wrath shall con
sume thee, if thou wilt not give vent to that, within thee.
* Thy will be done, Lord ; / .cannot.
' I told thee how it would be. Didst thou not say, it
should not be so ?
* Lord, I did not think thou wouldst have called so soon.
'Thou foolish child! Must the wicked say so when
1 appear ?
' Be entreated, 0 Lord, to speak by another mouth ; but if
not, thou must spare me yet,
' I will speak by thee ; and I will spare thee that thy
burden may be encreased five times. Thou shalt be an
example to the rest, for thou art not alone. Thou fool I
» 2

34 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
can death ease thee? No, no. Art thou fit to die ?— -
Consider, thou dost not know what it is to die.
' Lord, I am ignorant of every thing. Thou hast called
tlie; but I am as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke,
'But I will accustom thee to it. I know what thou art..
' Unworthy,
' Yes, thou art unworthy. And the language of thy
actions is this, I will be more unworthy.'
'* [Here John Cavalier was again seized; and with a
naked knife in his hand, and his arm lifted up, he said,
' Je viendrai rassassier ma colere sur ceux qui renonaent ma
parole. Je ne veux point des serviteurs rebelles d mes com-
mandements dans ma maison.] But I say, that stiff neck
of thine shall be broken; so that thou shalt couch to the
burden of the Lord, and not cry out of its being heavy.'
" Then John Potter cried out, ' Thou-only canst do it,
0 Lord. Do it soon.'
"The same day John Potter received a blessing.
" The next day, being the 28th, John Potter was for a
long time under violent agitations, and laboured greatly
with strugglings in his throat and organs of speech, almost
as if he were choking; and uttered some inarticulate
sounds. After which he spoke the following warning:
' Did ye understand, my children ? You shall know
more perfectly in a short time. The words were pro
nounced, even the day in which my servant Emes shall
rise. Take this as a mark. — [Here the Spirit instantly
threw him upon the floor, where he lay stretched out as
dead, without motion or breathing. After some time,
there came a trembling motion into every part of him at
once ; his feet, legs, hands, arms, and shoulders. After
which there appeared some breathing, which grew still

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 35
^ ^ ^ — ..^n— » — — « I.I III.!.— . ¦!,, ,|| | ~j
louder and stronger in him. After he had been iri that
manner for sometime he said,]— 'The operation of my spi
rit upon his body shall cause the earth over him to be
loosened. You shall not break the ground; no, he shall
rise without; in this form. [Here-he raised up his head,
and his body forward, into a sitting posture.] By thy
mouth will I command. [This he directed to John Lacy,
who sat by him.J And thou shalt raise him. [He then
stretched out his hand, and took hold of John Lacy's hand,
and thereupon stood up upon his feet.]"
" About this time, as John Potter and John Cavalier
were passing by the place where Dr. Emes was buried,
John Potter was seized with the spirit, and then said :
' Thou, my servant, who lies interred in this place-,
shalt, in a few natural months, arise. My child, thy
tongue shall declare the positive day. Be thou obedient,
and I will exceedingly reward thee. But if thou resist-
eth, I will break thy neck with a rod of iron. Consider,
therefore, and be wise.*
" My Christian- reader may observe here with what so
lemnity these warnings were uttered, being spoke in the-
first person, as if the Great and Omnipotent God, the
Creator of all things, had been the author of them ; and
likewise what was herein promised to the believers.
" I shall now proceed in my narrative, by acquainting
him, that wewere told, that, on the first day of the 10th
month, commonly called New Year's Day, wonderful
things were to be declared by the spirit, and the positive
day in which the Doctor was to be raised out of his grave.
And this being to be the beginning of months, as before
declared, we all were raised with vast expectations.

36 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
 -_  i  ,  __ 
*— — — — ^— — ^M .^^ — ^ — — — ^11 | ,
" It happened that 1 had the liberty of going abroad on
this day; and as I was walking pretty betimes into South-
wark, I met my mother, and several others, who were
going to a meeting appointed at the Three Foxes in Hol-
loway. We took coach, and as we were proceeding in
our journey, before we got out of town, the spirit seized
my sister in the coach, and we were told, that that very
day, it should be declared when Dr. Emes should rise.
'* When we came to the place aforesaid, there was a
handsome large room appointed for the meeting of the
English, and another, over that, for the French, ln a lit
tle time thf room began to fill, and the spirit had before
commanded us, as I was there informed, to salute one ano
ther with a kiss, which we accordingly did. ,
" After which, being seated, and the writers placed
round the table as usual, the spirit in a little time began
to operate upon several men, women, and children, very
violently, making a strange and awful noise, winch con
tinued for some considerable time, and then by degrees
decreasing, John Lacy began to speak a warning, which
to the best*of my remembrance, was to the purport fol
lowing : — That the children of God had hitherto been in
a wilderness-state, like the Israelites of old. That as they
went over the River Jordan, so must we expect to pass over
the Jordan of Affliction ; and as when they drew near
the Land of Canaan, God took Moses up to Mount Pisgah
to give himasight of the land,; so we should in a little
time, (either in a few minutes or hours) have a sight or
taste of the spiritual Canaan, &c.
" As soon or before he had done speaking, John Pot
ter was carried violently by the spirit from the place

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 37
where he sat, into another room, several persons that
were believers, following him to see what he was going
about. For my own part, I was not so curious.
" However, it was not long before he came into the
room again, but in such a manner, as was the most
awful and affecting as ever I saw ; for he being a tall,
man, undermost violent agitations, came in, his arms ex
tended to the utmost, in each of his hands holding and
shaking a piece of paper, and crying out with a thunder
ing voice, Grace! grace ! grace! which words having re
peated several times, he threw one of the pieces of paper
which was blank, backwards over his head, and the
other piece, on which was something he had wrote when
out of the room, he laid on the table, which being read
by Sir Richard Bulkely, was (to the best of my remem
brance, for I would not add one tittle more than truth) as
follows : —
" Here is your pardon purchased by the blood of the
Lamb, for all your sins past to this day. Signed and
sealed by the Great Jehovah. I AM.
" This paper was no sooner read but the whole room
full, as it seemed to me, was in the heighth of elevation
and extacy, some crying, some jumping and dancing,
with all the signs of joy possible. For my own part, I
was in such raptures, as thinking this was the Pisgah
sight spoken of by John Lacy, or rather, being wrapt
up into the third heavens, that I could scarce contain my
self. And indeed, what could possibly be more affecting
than to believe, that God himself was speaking to ns,

38 HISTORY OF RELI«IOUS IMPOSTURES.
telling us, that all ous sins were pardoned, as it were, face
te face ?
** Some time after this, John Cavalier came from the
upper room with a woman, who had lately buried her son,
/ whom the spirit promised likewise should be raised much
about the same time with Dr.. Emes And "a little while
after, John Cavalier jumped up on the table in the mid-*
die of the room, and, with his foot stamped distinctly
many times thereon, and spoke something in French,.
which was interpreted by one present (I think Sir
Richard Bulkely) to signify either the number of weeks,
or number of days. Dr. Emes should lay in his grave.
: " The resurrection of the Doctor was also predicted
i by several, if not all the inspired, soon after. And now,.
reader, it was, that I was fully given up to Satan, to be
lieve lies; now it was, the reason which God gave me,
came to be captivated and destroyed; my will and affec
tions raised to an elevated pitch, by the power of vain.
imaginations which (like poison, in the body, that dif*.
fuses itself through every part of the man) infected me
throughout body, soul, and spirit, and consequently led
me into a labyrinth of confusion, misery, and distress,
hereafter to be mentioned.
"Now it was, I entered myself a volunteer under the
banner of Beelzebub, believing him to be Jesus, the
captain of my salvation. And instead of being enlighten
ed and reproved Dy the spirit of Christ, 1 was caressed,
flattered, and soothed up in my sins, by the flattering
voice of the Devil.
" Nor was it my case alone ; for there were many
others, who in the sincerity of their hearts, were seeking

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 39
¦>, ' i i.i„, ¦ .- -.—Si.  " - ' =a
the way to Sion, but through ignorance, were enticed
and prevailed upon by the voice of the Deluder, to whom
I trust, God will in his own time make known his salva
tion, by their deliverance. But to return to my relation;
" There being a considerable number of inspired, and
a far larger number of believers, several of the latter
being riien of distinguished sense and judgment in natu
ral things, as well as substance, the spirit now began to
predict and thunder forth most lamentable judgments oh
the inhabitants of this land, &c. such as pestilence, fa
mine, fire, and blood, and several frightful representations
were made thereof as signs, under agitation, much like
players upon a stage, lt was not long after this, the
spirit commanded the believers to wear a green ribbon,
of about a yard long, as a mark for the destroying angel
to know us by, when he should come to execute the
judgments of the Lord. Accordingly, I with the rest
bought a green ribbon, and wore it according to com
mand, on the left side under my upper garment. After
some time we were all commanded to wear it on our
heads, and round our right arms, all which I, in sincerity
and simplicity, with many others exactly obeyed, and
particularly one Havey, a Frenchman, was commanded
to wear his ribbon openly, which he did, by fixing it
upon an upper breast-button of his coat. This wearing
of ribbon was also adjudged and looked upon as a bride-
favour for the inarriageof the lamb, which we were often
told by the inspired, under operation, would very quickly
be solemnized.
" We were also -commanded by the spirit, each of us
for ourselves, to buy the largest and fairest apple that

49 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURE!.
could be bought for money, and write our names there
on ; accordingly I being sent of an errand, bought the
best I could light on, at Stocks-market, for which I gave
a penny, brought it home, and very devoutly wrote my
name thereon. This I kept several months, as choice as
possible under lock and key, until it was rotten : and
then, to the best of my remembrance, I think I ate it.
One Anne Steed, (hereafter to be mentioned,) being un
willing to have her apple spoiled.made a dumplin with it,
as I was informed ; but what the rest of the believers
did"with theirs I cannot tell. *
*' It was much about this time, (as I take it,) that being
in Southwark, I heard that John Potter was at a meeting
hard by, and had the gift of blessing. Upon the news of
which, I immediately posted away, to partake of what
I then thought a great favour. By that time I got there,
almost all in the room were blest, as I afterwards found,
and making up to the prophet, the next vacancy, I pre
sented myself on my knees, and had the prophet's hands
laid on me, who spoke the following words; —
* The spirit is willing ; and J so strengthen thee :
thou art not forgotten by me. I remember thee in thy
bonds ; but know, I will make hard things easy in a liltle
time. Rejoice in this, that thou canst call upon thy God.
The hearts of all are in my hands, and as the rivers of
waters, I will turn them ; but thou shalt be exercised. I
will appear for thee. Be thou faithful in thy station ;
therein thou obeycst me. Thou shalt receive my spirit.
It shall operate in thee. Thou shalt bless my people, and
those thou livest with shall kneel before tha. See thy

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHET;!. 41 \
heart is upright in humility. Receive this, praise my
name. Take all opportunities to obey my commands. In
so doing, thou wilt incur my favours, and oblige me to
manifest myself unto thee, more and more.'
" While the spirit was speaking to me thus, I remem*
ber I was affected, as believing God immediately spoke
to me very suitable to my case. But to proceed.
" The spirit had now commanded several of the in
spired and others to leave off their trades, which they ac
cordingly did, viz. John Potter, who was a packer in
Aldermanbury, in good business, and in a thriving way ;
Thomas Dutton, a lawyer, who, as I am informed, flung
himself out of a very considerable yearly income upon
this affair; Nathaniel Sheppard, a young apothecary,
just coming into the world, (a man, whose fellow for his
sober conversation, exquisite sense and parts, and other
accomplishments, to do him justice, I must needs say, I
never in all my life met with, considering his age,) with
several others I shall not, lest I be too tedious, here men
tion. *{ We were now pretty well modelled as a body of peo
ple; and the spirit commanded each family or believer
for themselves to lay up six months provisions of those
eatables that would keep, for that there should be a very
sore famine in a few days; and several of the inspired
had visions thereof, as they said, which represented num
bers of persons; dropping down dead in the streets for
hunger, and several howling, as ready to perish. Ac
cordingly each family bought in, or had sent in, large
quantities of provisions, and several fine things were said
N°. 7. s

42 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
to us of God's blessings, &c. relating thereto. I remem
ber my mother bought in a quantity of mealjL peas, beef,
pork, oil, raisins, red-herrings\ and the like. This was
much about the time the noise was of the person called the
pretender's being about to make his first descent upon
Seotland. t
" I well remember, having a great love for my master,
Tookey, I was concerned in my mind whether to ac
quaint him with the approaching famine (for him to pre
pare) or not, he never believing the least tittle of what
the prophets pretended to. At last, after great conside
ration, I concluded, that when the famine came, I would
give him some of the provision which my mother laid up
for me, sparing it out of my own belly to keep him from
starving. " We were likewise commanded to go and be marked
in the forehead by an old French woman named Rous,
dwelling somewhere about the Seven-Dials; for that an
angel had appeared to her, and so ordered. Upon which
I went one first day, with several other sober people,
who were also marked, which was done by dipping her
finger into a bason of water, and rubbing it on the fore
head, (and I think crossing, but of that I wonVbe posi
tive.) We were here told that we might read over one
of David's psalms every day or night, which I took care
to do for several days successively ; and sometimes after
I had done work, and was weary, I would hurry the
reading over, scarce knowing, even as to the letter, what
I read. Such was my stupid ignorance and spiritual
blindness. " We were likewise commanded to meet by sevens,

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 43
having seven candles lighted, which was accordingly put
in practice. But I being an apprentice, could not be
present at any of those meetings, so can give no accouut
of what was said or done there.
"There were also very often love-feasts commanded,
which were performed by select companies meeting at
proper places, and after having eat and drank what they
had a mind to of what was provided, which was gene
rally very good, the spirit would come upon one or more
ofthe inspired, who would administer the sacrament (as
it is called) of bread and wine to all persons present. —
There were also love-meetings commanded by the spirit,
which were abominable ; butof those hereafter.
" The sacrament of bread and wine was several times
administered without the love-feasts ; and I intending to
receive that most holy ordinance, (as I thought it,) took
care to prepare myself according to my vain imaginations,
viz. by reading a book or books wrote upon that subject,
saying my prayers upon my knees, &c.
" The time being come for the performance whereof, I
went one first day to the dwelling house of James Jack
son, in George-court, in Jones's, (St. John's lane,) when,
being conducted into an upper room, where was a table
spread with a linen-cloth, and, after having sat down
waiting some time, the spirit came upon John Potter, and
several others, "whom, after speaking a great deal, some
what suitable to the occasion, I received the bread with
several others from the hands of John Potter, and the
cup from Elias Marion, a Frenchman, who spoke all in
French, and of which I did not understand one word,
except mon Enfant, my Child, or so. What was spoken

4-t HISTORY OF EELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
by John Potter was much to the same purpose as is gene
rally spoken by the Dissenting teachers, but with this
difference, as the latter, when they are celebrating that
ordinance, speak to their people as men, saying, Behold
your dying Lord, as represented, &c. the prophets spoke
as Jehovah to this effect, Behold the flesh of my Son, be
hold the blood of my Christ! with many other such like
affecting words. At the same time of receiving with me,
there was one Nathan Finkly, (to the best of my remem
brance,) a furrier, now dwelling at the sign ofthe Lamb,
betwixt Watling-street and the end of Queen-street ; one
Ebenezer Dray cot, a printer, apprentice to the widow
Everingrfam; and a little girl of about seven or eight years
of age, with several others. After we had received, and
had had a great deal of flattering stuffsaid to each of us,
we rose up off Our seats, to make room for others. What
was spoken in French was afterwards read in English.
"These arid several other commands were implicitly
obeyed by the body of believers, which now Were not
for numbers inconsiderable ; and had the spirit' com
manded a thing never so vile, we were by this time so
modelled, as punctually to obe'y'it, as I shall shew here
after several in a more private capacity did.
"-Norwasthe spirit, presiding inthe prophets, less
wonderful in its predictions than it was in its commands ;
and not only out of the mouths of one or two of them, but
of all of them; some few instances I shall here insert,
among some of the several hundreds that were uttered at
distinct times under the Operation of their'spirit.
" And, first, it was prophecied by several of the in
spired, that John Potter should never speak by a wrong

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 45
spirit under agitation, but should always infallibly utter
the pure truth of the mind and will of the holy and eter
nal God. For my part, I had such a thorough belief of
the divinity ofthe spirit presiding, that had John Potter,
under operation, commanded me to kill my father, mother,
or even the late Queen on the throne, I sincerely believe
I should immediately have attempted it. To such a
heighth of diabolical madness was I, with others, arrived
to! " It was prophecied by John Potter, and several
others, that the late Queen Anne should become a pro- -
phetess, and be agitated in like. manner as they were, the
spirit calling her by the name of My Servant Anne ; that
she should go to Barbican, which place was prophecied
.should become more noted over the whole world than.
ever Jerusalem had been, and there preach the everlast?
ing Gospel; and that the Queen should give to Mary i
Beer, my wife's own sister, (whom he took upon his '
knee,) the right hand of fellowship, as her eldest sister,
as being the eldest prophetess.
" It was prophecied also by John Potter, and several
others, that, on the 25th day of March following, (for so
the prophet's spirit called it, like the H^eathens>) fire and
brimstone should be poured from Hga.veu to the consu>
mingthe city of London, and all the wicked^tlperein. —
But all those who believed in this appearan^e^sjipuld be
wonderfully preserved. The day prefixed being come,
a prophet came to a neighbour of my fathers, where were
several of the believers, and was seized by the spirit, and
pronounced a warning to the purpose as follows: My
Children, now, even now, are my judgements descending
E 2

46 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
upon the city ; now is fire and brimstone pouring from
Heaven, Sfc. Upon which I was informed some went as
far as London Bridge to see whether it was so, but found
there was nothing in it. '
" It was also predicted by several, if not all, ofthe pro
phets and prophetesses, tbey should have the power of
striking dead on the spot all their opposers ; that when
they should be mobbed in Barbican, &c. such miracu
lous powers should be given them, as, with a word of their
mouth, such a slaughter should be made, as that they
should walk over their shoes in the blood of their enemies.
Nay, further ; it was said by Cavalier, that a boat should
sail in the streets in the blood of the slain.
" It was likewise predicted by several, that when the
miraculous powers were given to them to inflict, that they
should then be persecuted as conjurors, witches, and as
having to do with familiar spirits. And poor Lord-Chief-
Justice Holt (since dead) was thundringly threatened by
the spirit in John Potter, that while he was sitting to
give judgment, the blood should burst out of his vein's
from head to foot, and that he should, in an agony, cry
out to this effect,— Behold the judgments of the great God
upon me, by the harids of his servants!
" It was also predicted that such a desolation should be
in this land as that the living should not be enough to
bury the dead ; and John Lacy had a doleful sign of the
same by a melancholy toll, toll, toll, in imitation of a
passing bell. We were also commanded to pray for the
hastening of the judgments on the heads of our enemies.
" At another time, John Lacy and my sister, both un
der the"operation of the spirit, performed a sign, as they

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 47
called it, which was as follows : John Lacy represented a
jailor, Mary Keimer, one of the inspired, being about to
be cast into prison for her prophecies. After many
sti ange passages 'between them, John Lacy cries out, in
way of ridicule and laughter, Moll ! Moll ! Moll ! where
are your prophecies, now, Moll ?' much like a clown on
the stage. And I suppose Moll was not behind hand in
her performances to make the sign complete.
" It was likewise prophecied, that Mary Keimer should
go to France, ahd there speak to the late French King,
who should upon his disobedience be immediately struck
dead by her mouth.
" This prophecy was confirmed by vision, as were
many others of the like stamp.
" It was also predicted, and times set for the perform
ance of all sorts of miracles, and John Lacy imagined he
had "received earnests of the said gifts, and a miracle
was said to be wrought by him upon James Jackson, in
restoring him to sight, after he had been blind many
years. I thought this a little strange, when some time
after I saw the same Jackson led along as a blind man, not
able to see his way. However, this poor old man fan
cied he could see, and published a half sheet of paper to
cry up the miracle.
" The time being come that Dr. Emes was to rise, ac
cording to John Potter, the infallible prophet, and the
rest of the insplred's'prediction, we did not go to the
place appointed, according to order, though there was
one or more commanded that very day to attend there.—
Thus, though in every thing we found ourselves disap
pointed, yet so deeply rooted were we in this delusion,

48' HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
that all the reason, solid arguments, and plain scriptures
that were brought by our friends, to convince us of our
grand mistake, proved ineffectual.
"The 30th of the same month, being the first day of
the week after the day the doctor was to be raised, John
Potter, at a meeting, had a very comical warning, wherein
he mimicked the several preachers on that day, who were
telling their hearers they might now see how the false
prophets had discovered themselves, &c. ; bantering and
ridiculing the said preachers in his warning at a great
rate; telling us the wisdom of man should be baffled,
confounded, and brought to nought, with several smooth
exhortatory precepts, to continue stedfast in our faith,
&c. At the close of the meeting, John Glover had the
gift of blessing to all present ; and mine was as follows :
' O, my Child, I have said that thou shall be a minister
extraordinary in this dispensation ; and in order there
unto, I will visit tliee with my holy spirit. Thou shalt
receive it in great abundance : it shall descend upon thee
visibly in cloven tongues of fire. Thou shalt receive the
gift of languages, the gift of healing all manner of dis
eases. Thou shalt receive the gift of revelation, by which
it will be manifest that thou art inspired by the All-wise
God, who only knows the thoughts ofthe children of men.
Thou shalt not always be bound to an earthly master : no ;
thou shalt be at liberty from those bonds before the lime
be expired, which was agreed upon betwixt thee and him.
Draw near to me by thy prayers. Lift up thy heart
unto me in secret, and I will reward thee openly. Go in
peace, my child, my blessing is upon thee.'

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS, 49
"My reader may here perceive the fine delusive pro
mises of the Devil, very agreeable to the corrupt part of
man, and just after such a shock as the failure of raising
Dr. Emes had given us 1 Nor were such promises made
to me alone, but to many others at the sarrie or at other
times. " I well remember in the blessing of Nathaniel Shep-
pai-d, an apothecary, there was this advice : * That he
should take great care qf himself, for, that when the gifts
of healing all manner of diseases was given him, which
would be in a little time, his fellow-trader s (meaning the
apothecaries) would say, Come, let us give this fellow a
dose of poison, for he will quickly take away all our bu
siness,' As if it was likely a man endued with all sorts
of miraculous gifts need fear being hurt by the private
malice of his neighbour. Stupendous folly !
" The many failures which had come from the mouths
ofthe inspired, and many of a public nature, began to
give some people a little uneasiness, fearing they were
not of God. Upon which, Nicholas Pacio, a great ma
thematician, a member of the Royal Society, and one,
as itissaid, who understands well to speak and write fifty-
two languages, writes a very cunning and subtile exposi
tion on the 22d verse of the 1 8th chapter of Deuterono
my, viz. When a prophet speaketh in the name of the
Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is
the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the pro
phet hath spoken it presumptuously : thou shalt not be
afraid of him. This exposition was so cunningly made,
that I now verily believe had twenty Jesuits joined toge
ther to consult, they could not have given a more clever

50 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
turn to overthrow the meaning of so clear a text as this
Pacio did. -This exposition was handed about amongst
believers, and, I think, not without its intended success.
Much about this time a schism rose amongst us, occa
sioned by one Whitrow, an English prophet, one who
had received many great promises to do mighty things.
This Whitrow had got Sir Richard Bulkely over to his
side, (who tyas a man of substance, having, as I have
been informed, some thousands per annum, and 30,000/.
in cash,) with some others. No sooner was this separa
tion made, but Whitrow, in his warnings, preaches up
the doctrine of levelling, or that the rich must part with
all their estates, and become poor, if ever they designed
to enter the kingdom of Heaven. This doctrine was op*
posed by the spirit, through John Lacy, who himself
was worth about 2000?. per annum ; and, in a very ra
tional and spiritual discourse, the doctrine of levelling
was exposed and confuted. The warning was ordered to
be sent to Sir Richard for information that he was under
a delusion, calling Whitrow a deceiver.
" Several of the inspired had visions much about the
same time of the dreadful judgments that were to fall upon.
Whitrow; and particularly one had a vision of him, see
ing him with his head split in twain, one half of which
hanging over one shoulder, and the other part over the
other shoulder; with many other sad things full as ridi
culous. " A little before this separation of Sir Richard, Whit
row, though a prophet, had beat his wife in a lamentable
manner with a horsewhip, for committing adultery with
another man. The poor woman at first denied it, and

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 51
the spirit, through John Glover, asserted her innocence
against Whitrow. However, being reproved hy the
light of Christ, she,- in a little time after, confessed her
guilt, and declared she had several times committed that
sin for which her husband had beat her, though the spi
rit through many of the inspired, had blessed and flat
tered her to a great degree.
" Sir Richard Bulkely, however, being deluded by
Whitrow, would by no means hearken to the spirit,
through the other prophets, nay, not to John Lacy him
self, who had done an extraordinary miracle upon him,
as he had before given out in one of his printed books ;
and though he had been promised to be made strait, (ha
ving been many years very crooked,) nothing could pre
vail with him to return to the body of the prophets.
" Whitrow, by this time, having made sure of Sir
Richard, quickly got rid ofthe rest siding with him, and
then had commands for them both to go up and down the
countries in England and Ireland, and give away Sir
Richard's money to the poor. Accordingly Sir Richard,
in the simplicity of his heart, readily obeyed, laying out
his money, by the hands of Whitrow, in bread, meat,
clothes, &c. which were given away in great quantities
to the poor in the several countries they came to. After
the money they had by them was exhausted, and they
seemingly wanted, (till fresh supplies could be remitted
from London, &c.) on a sudden, to their great surprise,
they found pieces of gold in the midst of a half-penny or
penny-loaf, (supposed to be put there by the contrivance
of Whitrow,) which Sir Richard would cry up as a mi
racle. At other times, Whitrow would have warnings,

52 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
bidding him to go to such and such a place, where he
should find such and such monies. Accordingly they
would go and find it exactly as foretold. Upon which
Sir Richard, with hands and eyes lift up to Heaven,
would give God thanks for this pretended miracle, though,
as it is said, nothing less than the black villany of Whit
row, who had before put it there.
" Thus was this poor man led up and down for a year,
two, or three, till at last, having made away with most if
not all he could, (as I am credibly informed,) seeing his
fatal mistake, broke his heart, ahd quickly died.
" Whitrow, after this, was very rich, lived at a great
rate, and kept his chariot ; but whether he got the money
by miracle or out of Sir Richard, 1 will leave to my rea
der's judgement to determine.
" At a meeting in Lombard-street one first day, Tho,.
mas Dutton had the gift of blessing, and spoke to me as
follows :
' Thou shalt confound those that do speak against this
my appearance unto thee. Thou shalt see how I will work.
They that think themselves so wise shall be found covered
with shame and folly. Give thou not heed unto the ad
vice of men, who counsel according to the wisdom qf this
world, which is foolishness before God. Do they teach a
turning of the back upon the world, a taking up the cross,
and following the Lord ? No ; they teach a turning the
back upon the Lord, and engaging with the world. It
is not with them, First seek the kingdom of God and his
righteousness; but it is. First seek the riches and plea
sures of this world, and then the kingdom of God : they

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 53
act as if it were to be added unto them. But before your
Lord was to enter into his glory, he was to endure suf
ferings, trials, tribulations, a cross. That is the way ;
and every true Christian, true disciple qf the Lord, does
find that that is the way by which he must arrive at the
joy of the Lord. Seek thou unto God only, seek unto him
by earnest prayer. Regulate thy life and conversation
according to the directions that he has laid down in his
word. Endeavour with all thy might to keep thyself un
spotted from the world. Be thou ready. Prepare thy
vessel, that when I call thou may'st answer, Lord, I am
here ready to do thy will. Take care of snares and temp
tations. Be thou always upon thy watch : Let not any
thing seduce thee unto evil ; nor do thou conform thy
conversation to that of those who speak lightly and con
temptuously of this my appearance. The eye of God is
every where : wherever thou art, thou art in his presence.
Consider that ; do his will, and it will be a joy unto
thee. My peace, my love, and my blessings are upon thee.
Go in peace.'
" My Christian reader may hero behold a lively in
stance of Satan's transforming himself into an angel of
light, and how far the Devil may go in deceiving poor
souls by this blessing. What can be more cunning and
subtle than, after my reason being captivated, and the
light of Christ extinguished in my soul, to begin with a
promise, the most suitable as can be, to what was my dar
ling lust, Pride, viz. Thou shalt confound those that do
speak against this my appearance, fyc. then to make as
complaint ofthe degenerating and wickedness of man:;
N°. 7. *

5.4. HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
kind, afterwards, to declare several excellent truths in
opposition to them, and, last of all, to dismiss me with a
soothing, flattering, lying good-bye. My peace my love,
andmy blessings, are upon thee. Go in peace! Nor am
I wrong in the least to declare, that this blessing, with
the rest whjch I received, and all those given toothers,
are nothing less than damnable delusions, as destructive!
to the soulsof those that believe them, as the most strong
dose of poison is to the bodies of those who drink it ; as I
shall, in the close of my book, prove toa demonstration.
But to proceed :
"At the same meeting where I received the above
blessing by Thomas Dutton, there were two sober inge
nious young men: the one was Eaton, son to an
eminent dissenting minister in the country, who himself
was designed for a preacher ; and the other was Isaac
Owen, son to another dissenting minister, sometime since
well known to those of the presbyterian persuasion, ha
ving wrote several books in their behalf, viz. Modera
tion a Virtue, and Moderation still a Virtue, in answer to
Charles Lesly ; and whose life was printed, and sold by
John Lawrence, in the Poultry ; and designed for a doc
tor of physic, intending to go to Holland in order to
take his degrees. This being the first time they ever
saw the prophets, as one of them told me, by the plausible
pretences ofthe spirit at that meeting they were prevail
ed on to.kneel and receive blessings, and thereby were
caught, to both their eternal ruin, if God, in his infinite
mercy, do not prevent.
" In a short time after, — — Eaton went into the coun
try, and his father dying, he succeeded him in estate.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 55
and as preacher to the same people : and in the accounts
we had of him, we were informed he had several times
the agitations in the pulpit while he was preaching ; and
that after some time, thinking within himself, that, ha
ving the true spirit of God, he would no longer preach
the study of his own brain, and therefore laid it down,
claps on a large wig and sword, travels abroad to Rome,
&c. kisses the Pope's slipper, and some months since re
turns to England, as complete and airy a gentleman as
most are.
" As for poor Isaac Owen, he staid in town, and lodged ,
for the most part at Dr. Angier's, in Walbrook, wholly /
declined following his intended study of physic, sold his
estate, expecting the great revolutions the spirit had told
himof, lived on the principal, and, after having travelled
up and down the countries in missions, with the prophets
and prophetesses, spending his time and money for the
propagating that spirit of confusion, went and dwelt
meanly with a relation of his in Tower-street, w^° l0'^
me, having spent all to about five or ten pounds, took it
to heart, sickened, and died.
" The prophets and prophetesses had gone missions, as
they termed them, into several parts of the kingdom, and
were now commanded on several more. Some went to
Bristol, Coventry, Worcester, Oxford, Cambridge, &c. ;
others went to Holland, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.—
Nor were they without success in their several progresses,
' deluding many sincere people into a belief of the strange
revolutions approaching, much lo the same purpose as I
have before mentioned were expected in .this city.
"' The many failures of predictions, the strange and

56 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

unheard-of confusion and distractions at their meetings in
and about London, did not obstruct their issuing in par
ties up and down the counlry. Nor was their preach
ing or prophecying there attended with different fruits
from what they produced here. An instance or two only
of which I shall here give, (for it would swell my account
to a very large volume to insert all the particulars.)
" At Sleaford, in Lincolnshire, the spirit made wretched
work, through the mouth of one Mary Parks, (who af
terwards was a servant Of mine,) commanding the belie
vers to do several things contrary to sense, reason, and
religion. One time she commanded one of the believers
(I think it was Samuel Shaw) to go immediately and
give away all his substance, which the poor deluded man
forthwith readily began to obey, by sending for those
that owed him money, to give them receipts, and giving
a sack or two of meal to one, somewhat to a second, to a
third, and so on ; and, if I mistake not, he gave away se
veral sums of money. However, it happened, that ei
ther the people were honest, and would not take his ef
fects, seeing he was under a violent delusion, or by some
other means, he was prevented from totally ruining him
self, wife, and family.
" Some time after this, we were told we must be sin
gled out by tribes, as the children of Israel were, and
have new names given us. Accordingly we met at seve
ral different times, and at several different places; and
the spirit, through Elias Marion, named abundance that
were picked out from amongst the believers, amongst
which I was one. What was spoken to me on this occa
sion was as follows :

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 57
' Jesus Christ invitesthee to set at his table. Prepare
thy heart, for thou hast yet some way to go. But ha
comes to strip thee of thy old garments, and clothe thee
with his spirit. That bread* is a sign unto thee, that
thou shalt receive the bread of angels in thy heart, which
is the spirit of Jesus Christ, proceeding from him and the
Father. I will enlighten thy soul in a few days; I will
open the door of thy heart to cause my spirit to flow into
it ; I will establish thee in my house to be a prophet unto
my people ; I will give thee a great and glorious ministry.
The day draws near wherein thou shalt possess thy soul
with the patience of Jesus Christ; fori will send thee my
spirit to nourish thy soul in the hope of eternal life.-J-
Wherefore I bless thee in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thy name shall be Jonathan,
the son of Saul. Thou shalt be an instrument of peace
and blessing in my house ; for, from this very day, they
do rest upon thee.'
" After this blessing and pageantry was over,. Nicholas
Pacio, who sat at a table as a writer, gave to each of us a
little piece of parchment, about two inches diameter, on
which was writing. What was on mine was as follows :
' Jonathan, of. thelribe of Azer, keep this as a precious
pearl.' "This, indeed,! did keep as a precious pearl for a
considerable time, it being sown up in the green ribbon

* Here he gave me a piece of bread, like what they call
Shrevsbury-cake, which he took out of his coat-pocket,
f 2

58 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
before-mentioned. And had any person proffered me
ten thousand pounds for my piece of parchment, so bi
goted was I, that I would not have taken the money for it.
" It pleased the Divine Disposer of all things, that Na
thaniel Sheppard (notwithstanding the many promises
made to him by the spirit) was taken ill of a lingering
sickness, and, growing worse and worse, though he had the
ablest human help that could be got, his life was despaired
of? upon which the spirit declared Mary Keimer should
go and pronounce him whole. But she being very un
willing to deliver such a message, having been so often
disappointed, the spirit through her own mouth severely
Teproved and threatened her; notwithstanding which,
she still was obstinate and resisted. Afterwards, being
where Nathaniel Sheppard was, the spirit came upon
John Potter very violently, (who was likewise there,)
•and terribly reproved and threatened her for her disobe
dience, commanding her still to obey, which she with
the greatest reluctance possible at last did, by going to
the sick man, under violent agitations, and pronouncing
him whole. However, notwithstanding all which, in a
jittle while after he departed this life, to the grief of all
that knew him, and was buried near Dr. Emes, in Bun-
h'ill-fields, attended by a company of friends, and amongst
the rest, the author of this relation, who was indeed a true
mourner for him.
"After Nathaniel Sheppard's death, John. Potter and
3 had a most strict and intimate friendship, and we used '
often to lodge together for conveniency of being at meet
ings, &c. Sometimes he would be with me at the Wi-

THE FRENCH AND ENCLISH PROPHETS. 59
dow Morton's house in Long-walk, near the Blue-Coat
Hospital, where we had meetings ; and sometimes I
would lodge with him at the house of William- Draycot,
in Tooley-street, Southwark. Our friendship continued
thus a great while, and was as strict as that of David and
Jonathan mentioned in sacred writ. On my side it was
so great, that it became a proverb among several in
Southwark, when they saw John Potter, that they would
say, ' Here comes Sam Keimer's idol.'
" I should have before acquainted my reader, that
about five months before the time of my apprenticeship
was expired, an offer was made to me, as whether it
would be any advantage for me to print some warnings
commanded by the spirit to be printed. Accordingly f
readily consented, not so much with a view of profit, as
thinking myself blest in being any ways instrumental to
publish (what I thought) the oracles of God to a sinful
world ; and thereupon agreed with my master for just
five months of my time, for which I gave him ten pounds,
which I had of my mother. After which, I printed the
book at my master's, allowing him somewhat- besides for
the use of his letter. How I behaved myself as a servant
my master will satisfy any curious enquirer. I shall only
say this of myself, which my own conscience bears wit
ness to, I was no eye-servant, and displeased my master
in nothing more than in following the prophets,
'¦' After I went from him, he having then no constant
business for a journeyman, I went to work at Thomas
Grantham's, in Bartholomew Close ; from thence to the
Widow Everingham's, in Ave-Maria-lane; then to Wil
liam Pearson's, who dwelt in J e win-street; and last of

60 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
all at Thomas Ilyff's, in Aldersgate-street : at all which
places I printed some of the prophets' books, some of
which were at my own charge, being very zealous ; and,
to my knowledge, do not remember that I behaved my
self at those places dissonant in the least from a sober ho
nest man.
" All this while, which was about three years after I
was out of my time, I, with the rest ofthe believers, con
tinued in great expectations of approaching changes, ac
cording to what the spirit had so often said (and conti
nued still to declare at times) should happen.
" Our meetings were generally kept at the dwelling
houses of Francis Moult, then dwelling in Watling-street,
Joseph Tovey, in Lombard-street, Samuel Noble, in
Long-walk, William Draycot, in Southwark, and at one
Cocks, in Wine-Office-court, Fleet-street; at which
places the spirit continued at times to do many strange
and surprising performances.
" At the house of Francis Moult I have seen a prophet
tear a prophe/ess by the hair of the head, leading her up
and down in a very frightful manner, both being under
violent agitations: after, which the prophet turned her
out ofthe room.
" In Long-walk there has been such road work as has
broke chairs, bed,&c. where I have seen and, heard Re
becca Cuff, a prophetess, roar out in so hideousa manner,
'The Devil! the Devil! the Devil!' that it has terri
fied the believers themselves ; and had not the windows
ofthe rooms we were in been close stopt up with shut
ters, ruggs, and blankets, to drown the, noise, the out
cries must needshave put the parish inan uproar.

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 61
" In Southwark there have been a great number, of
str'.nge signs acted, such as I believe never before were
heard of. A few only of which are as follows :—
" At one of their meetings, one of the prophets perso
nated God, a second the angel Gabriel, a third the Devil,
and the fourth (vvho was Mary Beer, a prophetess) acted
the Church. These several persons acted their parts, tin
der agitation, in such a frightful manner, as the very re
membrance of it to this day fills me with horror: John
Glover, who acted the Devil, making such, a grim and dis
torted face, as if indeed he had been a fiend of hell in hu
man shape, pretending a right to the Church ; and John
Potter, who (I think) personated God, threatened the
Devil at a great rate, the Devil commanding him that
personated God to bless the Church. After a great deal
spoke by way of dialogue between them, each striving
which should have the Church, who was tossed and tum
bled to and fro, much like a foot-ball, the believers were
plucked down (by the inspired under agitation) into the
middle of the room, and tumbled one on. the top of the
other, heels over heads, wallowing on the ground in a
great heap, in a filthy manner : sometimes the spirit tum
bled an inspired down stairs headlong, enough to have
killed him at another time; then making him jump up
again in such a manner as nothing less (in my opinion)
than a real possession of the Devil could perform the
same. These pranks continued some hours ; and, as one
ofthe believers told me, she, with several others, being
terribly frightened, got of the room, went down stairs,
and locked themselves in another room ; upon which a
prophet came thunderingly down stairs, and, under agi-

62 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
tatipns, threatened to break down the door if they did not
open it; which they doing, were drove all up again,
and several more tricks were played, all which were
looked upon to be signs wrought by the Spirit of God.''
In some of these assemblies, the deportment of some of
the agitated was so indecorous, nay, indecent, as related
by Mr. Keimer, that,- as it would be very improper that
their transactions should appear in print, we have ne
cessarily erased them, and continue the thread of Mr.
Keimer's curious relation..
" Another time I have seen my sister, who is a lusty
young woman, fling another prophetess upon the floor,
and, under agitations, tread upon her breast, belly, legs,
&c. walking several times backwards and forwards over
her, and stamping upon her with violence. This was ad
judged to be a sign ofthe fall of the whore of Babylon.
" At a meeting in Wine Office-court, there was one
Sarah Wiltshire, a woman of great accomplishments, who
had received fine promises from the spirit, who preached,
That Christ Jesus had interceded with his Father, that
the judgments which the rest ofthe prophets had pre
dicted should not be inflicted. This doctrine was oppo
sed and exploded by the spirit through Mary Keimer;
and the spirit precipitately hurried a young fellow to Sa
rah Wiltshire, and, under agitations, he beat her in a
violent manner.
" In the year when SirR. Beachcroft was Lord Mayor
of the City of London, James Cuningham, Laird of
Barns, (grandson to the Archbishop of Andrews, in
Scotland, who was murdered by twenty ruffians, as noted
in history,) a Scots prophet came up to London, and

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 63
was commanded to go to St. Paul's Cathedral, being told
by the spirit he should there prophecy. Accordingly he
went the sixth of the fifth month, with several believers,
and among the rest I went. The priest preached upon
these words, to the best of my remembrance, * Beloved,
I write unto you that ye sin not,' &c. No sooner had
he ended his sermon, and gave the blessing (as it it called)
to the people, but up starts J. Cuningham, who was in a
pew by himself, under agitations, and, with a very loud
voice, distinctly utters the following warning, which
was taken down in writing by some believersj who placed
themselves conveniently for that purpose :
' Thus saith the Lord, to the inhabitants of this city,
Repent, repent, and turn from the evil qf your doings. —
I have begun to shake the foundation of your peace and!
security. The spirit of animosity and discord is poured
forth amongst you. And I am going to proceed in a
greater measure. And where it will end, ye know not.—
Humble yourselves in the dust before the Lord, and you
shall find mercy.'
" All the while he was speaking, there was a general
silence throughout the choir, the people being in amaze;
but as soon as ever he had done, one of the vergers
fetches him out, and he was led before the priest, who
was at the door of the vestry, and after some words had
passed between them, was dismissed to the rage and fury
of the mob, who seemed resolved to execute their wrath
in the highest manner possible. , For my own part, I en
deavoured as much as possible to keep close to the pro-

6* HIST0EY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
phet, thereby to prevent the blows falling on him, being
willing to venture my- life in his defence. As we were
going down the stone steps, fronting Ludgate, the mob
pushed him all along with such violence, that one, if not
more, of his teeth were beat out of his head ; the mob
crying out, 'Pump him, duck him, to the Thames with
him,' dragging him along with great fury. However,
the believers got about him as well as they could, and I
got hold of his left arm, and some other friend hold of
his right arm ; some of the believers before him, and
some behind him. In this hubbub we were hurried up
and down in the midst of some thousands of people, his
friends crying out, ' Let's have him before my Lord
Mayor 1 let's have him before my Lord Mayor ! Thus
were we carried up and down by the violent pressure of
the mob about two hours, till, with great difficulty, we
got to Skinners'-Hall, where the Lord Mayor kept his
mayoralty. When we came there, it was some time he-.
fore we got in, and 1 resolved, if possible, not to part
with my hold, crowded in with the prisoner, to our n»
small joy, being very much tired and fatigued with the
baitings of so great a multitude.
" As soon as we came before the Mayor, the Accusers
were asked for, and what they had to say against the
prisoner. Upon which one or two present told the
Mayor, that he had made a disturbance by speaking in
the church. Then the Mayor asked them what he said,
and they answering him somewhat like the purport of
the warning before-mentioned, the Mayor then asked
th em, whether he disturbed thecongregation in Divine
Service, &c.' and it being answered in the negative, the

FRBNCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 65
Mayor directed himself to the prisoner, asking him,
* whether he did so ?' Upon which James Cuninghame
answered him, ' That he was commanded by God to go
and speak as he did,' and somewhat more to the Uke ef
fect, but spoke with such a coldness, (as it seemed tome)
as I was then somewhat daunted, supposing the am*
bassadors of Christ should speak up with a holy bold
ness and courage, when brought before the civil magis
trate. After the Mayor had examined both sides, he
told the prisoner, he must, according to law, bind him
over to the Quarter-Sessions, which he accordingly did, at
the same time using him with civility and complacency ;
and one Philips, Arts-rnaster, with myself wer« bound
likewise for his appearance. After which, the Mayor
ordered us into a little room, where we sat and rested
ourselves, till the mob was dispersed, but had not been
long, before the Mayor came in to us, and in a friendly
manner discoursed the matter with James Cuninghame,
who, to my thinking, was very short in what he said to
the Mayor. We were after this conducted aback way
through the coach-house, and got safe into Lombard-street,
where the prophet was received with exceeding great joy.
This Cuninghame, as I have been told, was in his mo
ther's womb in the coach, out of which his grandfather
was plucked, at the same time he was murdered ; and was
a man well read, a good scholar, had been a traveller, of
a sober life, and, though a great prophet among us, yet
took Up arms for the person called the Pretender, against .
King George, was at the battle of Preston, and carried
to Chester, and there died in prison.
After this, it was whispered about amongst believers,
N'. S. g

63 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
 - ¦ i ' ' ¦' —  TTT
that John Lacy was commanded by the Spirit to do some
great thing,- which was to make a noise in the world.
•What itvwas, we were not yet. acquainted with. Only
a few»wen» entrusted with the secret. We were only
told it was of such a nature, that he (as he said) had ra
ther be burned at a -stake, than submit to it, being
such a trial 'to him and the believers, as never was the
like. This set us all agog (who were yet unacquainted) to
know what it was, and we quickly framed strange ideas
of the approaching trial. I remember, one imagined it
was to set the city ou fire ; a second, that it was to make
some desperate attempt on the Queen ; and a third, some
what as dreadful. After being kept in suspence some
weeks, if not months, we were at last acquainted, that
John Lacy was ordered to leave his lawful wife, and
take Elizabeth Gray, a prophetess, on whom he was to
beget children. This news put several of the believers
into a ferment, especially the women, who thought it not
enly a breach of the seventh commandment, but a, very
ill precedent for a man to be commanded by the spirit
to leave his wife ; thinking (I suppose) it might come
to be their own case. Amongst those who dissented
from this affair, and could by no means be reconciled to
it, were Thomas Dutton, a prophet, an ingenious man,
who wrote somewhat to prove it could not be a good spirit
so commanding, which was answered by John Lacy,
whose answer was printed three several times, for the
use of believers, and by Mary Keimer, who exclaimed
loudly against it, till the spirit came upon her, and
severely reproved her for so doing, vindicating and ap.

FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. ©7
- ¦¦ .-  »  7-—
plauding, the fact she was so much against. Sometime
this, (as I take it^) John Lacy, one morning,. gets up
betimes, leaves his wife in bed, (having before made
over all his estate, but two-hundred pounds per an
num, for the use of his wife and children, as likewise
commanded by the spirit,) takes Elizabeth Gray, and
were both joined together, by the spirit through Mary
Keimer, at a meeting commanded by the inspired. From
this time, or before, John Lacy and Elizabeth Gray lived
together as man and wife, and it was prophecied, that, as a
confirmation the command afore-mentioned was from
God, the first child begotten by them should be a son,
and should work miracles as soon as born. However, af
ter some time, Elizabeth Gray proved with child, and was
delivered of a daughter. It was again prophecied the next
child was to be the son; but that prophecy likewise
proved false as the. other had done. Notwithstanding all
which, they still live in adultery, believing the Holy
God had so commanded. For my own part, I now sin
cerely believe that John Lacy did not leave his wife from
any lustful desire, but solely in obedience to the spirit's^
commands. " Had the same spirit commanded him to kill his wife,
I likewise sincerely believe he would have readily done
it in obedience to the said command. Nor could it be
otherwise with all those that were sincere, by reason the
spirit had taught us to this effect, That true-saying faith
consisted in an implicit belief in, and strict obedience to,
whatsoever that spirit commanded, without consulting
our reason, or having regard to the commands of God as
.revealed in Scripture. The inference I draw in my mind

68 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
from this doctrine was, that sin was no other than a
breach of the commands of God, the great Law-giver,
and therefore all acts ceased to be sins, though contrary
to former revelation, and become duties whenever God
commanded them. For instance, suppose the spirit pre
siding had commanded the prophet to kill King George,
he must immediately obey it, upon pain of eternal dam
nation for so refusing ; and though such a damnable ac
tion as this would be diametrically opposite to the Com
mandment, Thou shalt do no Murder; yet it would be
come a duty if ever so commanded, according to the doc
trine of the spirit presiding. What the consequence of
such doctrine as this may hereafter produce, I cannot as
yet tell, time alone must discover that; but this I can
truly say, when I reflect on what I have seen and known
already done, I dread the mischievous consequences that
will come to this nation whenever the prophets appear
again in public, as some time hence I expect they certain
ly will do.
" After John Lacy had left his wife, and gone to Eli
zabeth Gray, the spirit commanded one of the French, if
not more, (who had along while distinct meetings from
the English,) to put away their wives. But how they
followed or obeyed the commands of the spirit I cannot
exactly relate, so shall say no more on that head.
" We had already so many confused doings, distrac
tions, and schisms, (as indeed the whole from the begin
ning to this day has been little else but such,) that we now
could believe any thing, though never so gross and abo
minable, if commanded by the spirit. A few instances
saore I shall but here mention ; for indeed, Christian

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 69
reader, I am even quite tired in raking in this dunghill of
a religion. " The French had made a schism from the English, or
the English from the French, but which I cannot posi
tively determine. However, the French had love-meet-"
ings commanded, where, they would meet, kiss, and tic
kle one another, chucking one another under the chin,
laughing and crying out, ' He, he, he, he, he, he !' and
using many postures,, which I .shall not here mention.
" Among the English there werealso several strange
practices, viz. one Samuel Tomlinson, a butcher, (well
known in Newgate-market,) who had, the. agitations,
and who generally went under the denomination ofa Qua-
ker, (but disowned by that people, who have nounityor
fellowship with any. that walk. irregular in their lives,
though they. may. wear the plain, habit, and frequent
their meetings;) this man having a command toco-
habit with one Ann Steed, (who was one. that pre
tended to great visions,) proposedit to her six times,. and
the seventh time she consented, being unwilling (as she
.said) to resist any longer,, fprfear of the judgment ofthe
Lord. Thj,s is the woman that Henry Pickworth boasts
so much of in his. false ^charge of error, heresy, Ike,
against the most noted leaders of the people called
Quakers ; in which book he inserts some of her pretended
visions, one or two of which, being somewhat particular,'
J shall here insert, and are as follow ; —
' I beheld the Lord Jesus Christ at my left, hand, in a
personal appearance, in a large room, where were a great
aiany of the people called Quakers, some of which had
2

70 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
crowns upon their heads; amongst whom were Theodore
Egglestone, George Whitehead, William Bingley, John
Feild, William Warren, George Owner, William Pen,
John Butcher, and Samuel Waldenfeild, all sitting.
' Francis Moult* coming in, went directly to Theodore
Egglestone, laid both his hands upon his crown, and
went away with it ; notwithstanding I saw a chair set for
him in Christ's glorious kingdom upon earth, now near
approaching, which he might obtain if he pressed hard
for it, but if there, he might content himself with a
crown. 'Then John Potter, being under a most powerful ope
ration ofthe Lord's Holy Spirit, after the same manner I
saw him go before the believers (in this glorious dispen
sation of God's holy spirit lately broke forth) in Enfield
Chace, came, and, with great authority, laid both his
hands in like manner upon the crown George Whitehead
had upon his head, (which was more magnificent than
the rest,) and said, ' Did I not charge thee to. hold fast
what thou didst receive ? Hadst thou obeyed, none would
haye been able to have taken thy crown from thee :' and
then, with an angry snatch, took it off, and went away
with it, under the powerful operation above-mentioned.
 ,  V.
-n-  ¦ ¦
i * This Francis Moult is a. believer among the prophets, a man
of great riches, sense, and knowledge, in natural things, (but
one, I fear, who by wisdom knows not God,) and who has,
been several missions with the prophets and prophetesses, as a,
writer, particularly five or six months at a time with Mary.
Keimer and Mary Beer up and down England aud Wales, and
who has disbursed (as I have good reason to think) many hun
dreds, if not thousands, of pounds, for the carrying on ajad
spreading that delusion, ^

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 11
«»* ' — — ¦— ^— ¦— -~— —»— ' ' ¦' — — ¦— --^
•Then William Bingley's crown next fell from his
head with such a mighty force, as if it would have been
broken all to pieces; upon which he, in a dreadful con
cern and great amazement, cried out, ' Our crowns are
fallen from off our heads. Woe unto us that we have
sinned !'
' The next, John Feild's, fell also from off his head with
a mighty force, though not so great as William Bingley's..
After which,. William Warren's tottered exceedingly, as
if it also was going to fall, but I, did not see it fall.
' Then I beheld one different from the rest upon the
head of George Owner, at which I greatly marvelled ;
whereupon the glorious person that all the while stood by
my left-hand said, ' Why admirest thou at the difference
betwixt that and the rest ? He is not in the kingly power.
amongst this people, but in the dukedom ;* wherefore
that thou seest upon, his head is a coronet :' which also
tottered as William Warren's.
' Then I beheld William Penn, J'ohn Butcher, aftd Sa
muel Waldenfeild, with their crowns on their heads ; upon
the beholding of whom I, under a great concern of soul
for them, broke forth in great bowedness in supplication
to the Lord, and said, ' O Lord God, I beseech thee hear
a poor creature ; suffer not those crowns to be taken from
them, neither do thou, but humble them, that they may
take them off themselves, and lay them down at thy feet,

* In which state, viz. the Dukedom, she pretended she also
saw Thomas Lower among several others who were some in
the degree of Lords and Earls, &c, many of whose names she
said she was unacquainted witlu

72 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
¦' ¦¦ ¦ —
who is only worthy of all honour, praise, might, majes-
ty, and dominion :' which I have reason to believe he in
his own due time will incline them to,, from another vi
sion he in his divine goodness was pleased to give me con
cerning them and others, which was as follows :
'I being often livingly concerned before the Lord for
this people, who notwithstanding* contemptuously re
jected me and my Christian travels for their welfare, a
few months before the above-mentioned vision, being. sat
at work by my bedside with my child one morning,. at
the dwelling house of our ancient and truly worthy friend,
James Jackson, fell into deep vision, wherein I saw the
dead corpse of the people called Quakers heaps upon
heaps; amongst whom was presented William Pen, John-
Butcher, and Samuel Waldenfeild; upon the sight of
whom I was bowed in deep supplication before the Lord,
and said, ' O Lord God, for thy dear Son's sake, who now
lies prostrate at thy feet, begging for these my dear
friends, and not for any worthiness of mine ; save them,
save thy people :' upon which my life went from me, so
as-that I fainted ; then I saw. the father take up his beloved
son with both bis hands, and thereupon looked smiling
upon me, which was a ground of hope to my mournful
soul, that my sincere petitions were answered for them.'

* This Ann Steed was one that formerly made profession of
truth, as held forth and maintained by some of the people call
ed Quakers ; but falling therefrom, was disowned, and, joining
in with the French Prophets, set up for a great person, imagi
ning herself to be inspired, and Who did go, or was to go, to
Tohn Potter to demand the keys from him.

THE FttENGH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 73
" So much for Ann Steed's visions, or rather whimsies
and imaginations. I shall now acquaint my reader, that
she with several others used to meet together, and (as I
have been informed) had all things in common in the
most strict sense. It was no longer ago than the 30th of
the first month in this present year, 1717, that the City
of London was prophecied to be burnt down with fire and
brimstone from Heaven; and she with her colleagues
packed up" their all, and departed far from the city there
upon. But, to leave this woman, and return to what
more immediately concerns me.
" About the time (as Itake it) that John Lacy took Eli
zabeth Gray, the spirit, thro' John Potter and others, had
forbid any further meetings ofthe believers, but that only
those that were inspired should meet, and not when they
would, but only when they Were commanded by the
spirit, which was but seldom. Now it was that John Pot
ter and I, with some others, would walk into the fields,
St. James's-Park, &c. on a first-day, scarce knowing how
to spend our time. I, for my part, could not relish any
preaching but what came immediately from the spirit,
(which was the case of many others,) and therefore could
not go with a hearty desire to be informed, to hear the
preachers of the several different congregations in this
city. The spirit' had declared those that preached for
hire, soul-brokers, &c. and the Quakers (as they are
called) to be apostates, self-righteous, &c. ; for which
reason I could not down with their preaching, (because
all this while raised and elevated by my vain imagina
tions.) Besides, considering the tautology and meanness
of expression as were used among the Quakers, I could

74 HISTORY OF RELICIOUS IMPOSTURES.
— — — - — — — — — — ¦— — — — — — — — ^— —
by no means (according to my human wisdom,, which in
deed was but folly,) reap any benefit thereby.
" In this state I continued some time, and John Potter
would sometimes (though but seldom) have warnings at
private houses for our encouragement, still soothing us
up with smooth things..
" In the year 1713, I altered my condition, by marry
ing one that was of the same opinion in religious matters
with myself, and one that belonged to a reputable sub»
stantial family on worldly accounts, and who were be
lievers in the same dispensation. Before I was married,
my character was enquired into where I served my time,
and being found not displeasing to the enquirers,., it
was proposed by my wife's friends that we should wait to
know the mind and will of the spirit relating to our mar
riage, to which I readily consented.. At an appointed
time several met, viz, John Potler, James Cuninghame,
and (I think) Thomas Dutton,. Mary Keimer, and Mary
Beer. After we had waited some time, the spirit came
violently on John Potter,^ who, getting up, from his seat,
went to the several corners of the room, under operation,
and then spoke a great deal to the matter we were wait
ing about, exhorting us, and as approving of our inten
tions of marriage. After he had done, James Cuning»
hame spoke under agitation likewise, which was also as an
approbation of the same. After which we were married
by a priest, a quondam. school-fellow of mine, had like
wise three booksellers at my wedding, (two of which were
<uiy school-fellows at that noble school of Merchant-Tai
lors, when that excellent teacher of human learning, Dr.
^Matthew Shortyng, was master, under whose tuition I

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS. 7.5
was, being designed for a priest, and Charles Shelly and
¦  Pickering were ushers,) and who were all -printing
booksellers, and could promote me very much in my bu
siness, whose names were John Lawrence, Royston Me
redith, and Daniel Jackson.
" As soon as I was set up, I quickly had very great bu
siness, (I believe never any young man had more for the
time,) and had I acted with any wisdom in my outward
affairs, I might very probably have become a rich man.
But, alas! how was it possible a man that sincerely be
lieved those many preposterous things before mentioned,
whose reason was captivated, whose judgment, will, and
intellects, were poisoned to so great a degree, could act
otherwise than I did.
" The booksellers I worked for were John Lawrence,
in the Poultry, Henry Clements, William Innys, in St.
Paul's Cathedral yard, for Bernard Lintot, S. Pember
ton, in Fleet-street, Jones Brown, without Temple-bar,
and N. Cliff, in the Poultry ; all which I found very fair
dealers, and I believe were, and those lhat are still living
are, very honest men in worldly dealings. I likewise
printed for many others, whom I shall not here mention,
besides a great number of private treasonable libels against
the late Queen and her last ministry, (which I am now
truly sensible was a sin, of a scarlet die, as I now judge
libelling the present government the same,) by which I
got a great deal of money. After I had dwelt in Black-
friars about ,a year and half, I was warned out of my
house by means ofa wicked woman who had influenceover
the landlord, because I forbid my journeymen to fetch
drink at her house. The whole time of dwelling there.

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

my conduct in my outward affairs was such, as none but a
man void of reason, or one in my case, (I think) could be
guilty of the 'like.
" I should have told rny reader, that when I first set up,
and long before, I prided myself to a very high degree
with a conceit what a fine character I should bear in the
world for an honest man, having always the strictest no
tions of justice and honesty, as to meum and tuum, to the
persons of ali mankind, having never done the least thing
to my knowledge unworthy that character.
"All the while I dwelt in Blackfriars, John Potter
(who had long before left offhis business, and now dwelt
with Francis Moult, in Hatton-garden,) continued his
friendship with me, my sister under agitations having
commanded that he should marry one of Francis Moult's
kinswomen, which was accordingly obeyed, and John
Potter had a considerable fortune* with her."
Mr. Keimer writes much more concerning the raptures
of these profane enthusiasts ; but we think that our read
ers will be perfectly satisfied by the specimens we have

* This Francis Moult is a man of such great substance, that
he said in my sister's hearing, (as she told me,) ' That When the
prophets first came forth, he had acquired even almost as much
as Sir Charles Duncomb, (Lord Mayor in 1707,) and had a de
sign to make himself worth full as much, but left the eager
pursuit thereof when he became a believer in that dispensa
tion;' and is a man so bigoted to that affair, that if John Pot
ter should out-live him, he will be (as I have good reason to
think) many thousand pounds richer than he now is for that
command.

THE FRENCH AND *NGLISH PROPHETS. 77

already given. We shall conclude1 this account by Mr;
Keimer's list of this fraternity, among whom it is pitiable
to observe many persons who ought to have been the last
to assiste in such a shocking delusion.

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
Who distinguished themselves among the
French and English Prophets in Londom
BY SAMUEL KEIMER.

John Glover, a Prophet.
John Potter., a great Prophet, (who, with the former, are
represented as two bridemen,) dwelling near Salisbury-court.
Anne Watts, a Prophetess, married, and dwelling in Join-
er's-street, Southwark.
MaryBeeb, a Prophetess, dwelling in Lombard-street.
Guy Nutt, a Prophet, who goes in plain habit, but not
owned by the people called Quakers.
The Widow Sterril, an old French Woman, who. had tbc
agitations. Hannah Eversden, a Prophetess, a baker's daughter in
Southwark, who was commanded by the spirit to go to a con
gregation of Baptists, meeting at Tallow Chandler's Hall, to
which she did befdre belong, and to which John Noble was
pastor. Accordingly she obeyed, and spoke a warning, putting
the congregation into an uproar.
Francis Moult.
Mary Moult,' his kinswoman.
N°. 8, H

'78 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

John Moult, a Prophet, kinsman to Francis Moult.
Elizabeth Huches, a Prophetess, living in St. Martin's-le-
Grand. John Giles, a merchant, who dwelt at Canonbury- House.
Mary Keimer, a Prophetess, a jolly young woman, who
dwelt in Southwark. — (Keimer's sister.)
 Douglas, a rich East-India merchant.
Margaret Moult, kinswoman to Francis, who was mar
ried to John Potter, as commanded by the spirit through Mary
Keimer, as was her sister Mary to Charles Portales, who there
by became a topping merchant. /
Patrick Urqo art, a believer, living near Montague-House,
who has the agitations.
 Everard, who was Envoy from the British Court to
France, and afterwards confined prisoner in the Tower several
years, but removed from thence by the Habeas Corpus Act,
which was made for his relief at the coming in of the Prince
of Orange. He likewise had the agitations.
Isaab Owen, a believer, and one ofthe writers.
Lady Jane Forbes, of Scotland, a Prophetess, and had the
agitations. Thomas Lardner, apothecary, writer and missionary to the
Prophets. Sarah Critcblow.
Rebecca Cuff, a Prophetess.
Her Husband.
William King, tallow-chandler, and great Philadelphian
Preacher and Prophet.
Widow Hughes, one who pretends herself to be the Woman
clothed with the Sun, mentioned in the Revelations, and who
said she bore the sins of the whole nation on her body. She
can neither write nor read, has been a missionary to Holland,
is mother to the Prophetess of that name, and dwells at the
sign of the King's Arms, in St. Martin's-lcSrand.

the French and English prophets. 79
A. Finkley and Anne Steed, formerly among the people
called Quakers, but disowned by them.
 Preston, an old man, said to be miraculously cured by
John Lacy of a swelling in his neck.
William Draycot, at whose house meetings were often
kept. Widow Moriton, who likewise often had meetings at her
house in Long-walk, and bought the printing-house of Samuel
Keimer, author of the foregoing tract, and in two years ruined
herself thereby, as the author before had done.
Elias Moreton, her son, whom John PotteT under agila-
tions took up in his arms, holding him above his head, decla
ring he should be exalted above Princes. This youth had the
new name of Abel afterwards given him by the spirit.
Sarah Draycot, a Prophetess, whom the spirit had often
declared she should be cured of the evil, of which 9he has been
many years sorely afflicted.
Anna Maui King, a young and eminent Prophetess, who
was turned out of meetings by John Potter, for what I cannot
tell. Anne Topham, another Prophetess, who was likewise turned
out. She was called the Bishop, by reason the orders for meet
ings and missions came so often through her mouth.
Thomas Dutton, an eminent Prophet, a sober ingenious
man, by profession a lawyer, who wrote a letter against John
Lacy's taking Elizabeth Gray, which occasioned the printed
vindication of it.
Widow Critchlow, who kept a house in Baldwin's gardens,
where the Philadelphians used frequently to meet, she herself
being a preacher amongst them.
Nicholas Facio, a great Mathematician, who was tutor to
and travelled with the late Duke of Bedford, and was one of
the three that stood on the pillory at Charing Cross and Royal
Exchange.

80 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES,
Benjamin Jackson, a writer and missionary, and inventor
ef a swimming engine, also of a new sort of coach or chaise
that cannot be overturned.
 Bennet, shoemaker, one of the arts-masters of
Bridewell. Dr. Critchlow and Dr. Byfield, both followers of the Pro
phets, and well known for their Sal Volatile" Oleosum ; the for;
mer dwelling in Salisbury-court, the latter near Fetter-"! ane.—
Dr. Critchlow's wife and daughter had also the agitations.
Samuel Noble, a bookseller, writer, and missionary," of the
Prophets, dwelling now in Long-Wtilk, next the Blue°€oat'Hoa-
pital ; formerly dwelt atPlaistfrerVHall,
Peter Cuff, watchmaker in Salisbury-court.
Joseph Steel, stay -maker. This man married Mary A spi
nal, a Prophetess.
John More, a Prophet, and clog-maker.
 Rigby, a believer, who deals iii canes, of whom it is
said, that he laid a great wager on the resurrection of Dr. Emes,
but lost.
 Forster, Prebendary of Sarum, who publicly declared
for the Prophets in the pulpit, for which he was suspended
preaching six months, by Gilbert, late Bishop of Sarum. He
received the agitations, and (as it is said) administered the
bread and wine under agitations to his parishoners.
Peter Rochfort, believer, inventor of the mock-trumpet.
 Gladman.
Hall Reason, writer, a cunning sophistical spark, that
could seemingly reconcile the greatest absurdities for clearing
up the dispensation.
 Steffin, an eminent musician, and believer.
Dr. Emes.
A Prophet at Birmingham, who prophecied he should die on
a day prefixed, but was disappointed.
Sir Richard Bulkely, a very ciooked person, of whom it

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH PROPHETS, v Si
was prophecied he should be made strait by the spirit through
John Lacy, but happened to die before the miracle could be
performed. James Cuninghame, a Prophet, v/hp used often to speak
his warnings under agitations in metre. This same man went
to St. Pauls, before-mentioned, and with his voice put a stop
to theorgan.
Henrietta Erwyn, a Scotch Prophetess.
John'Giles.
MaryRioby, an acute young girl, who had the agnations
to a great degree, ana is lines drawn away te fee a Hasan Ca
tholic. John Lac v, who left his lawful wife to" cohabit with
Elizabeth Gray.

It may be necessary to add here, that the famous Wil
liam Whiston, in his sermons delivered at Bow-Church,
at Boyle's Lectures, inveighed most forcibly against
this sect of impostors. They were also attacked by
the Rev. N. Spinckes, in " The New Pretenders to Pro
phecy Examined." — Svo. 1709. And in Sion College Li
brary are deposited no less than five volumes, containing
" Papers relating to the late False Prophets, commonly call
ed French Prophets." So that it is evident they made
some noise in London whilst they existed.
But it is plain by what has preceeded that these Pro
phets and their followers were deluded and cheated. —
For, though the spirit presiding in and over them con
stantly deceived them, time after time, with abundance
of notorious lies, yet were they so bewitched, as impi-

82 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
ously to fix the falsehoods of Satan upon the true God. —
This we may certainly perceive in their supposed predic
tions relating to Dr. Emes. How many notorious false
hoods were told by the spirit in John Potter, and the rest
of the inspired, relating to that circumstance ? And yet
what could be more plain than the positive prediction of
this John Fotter? — " the 5th -of May next!'' — The City of
London was to have been burnt with fire and brimstone
" on the 15th of March ;" — Queen Anne was to go as a
Prophetess to Barbican ! — a dreadful famine was to deso
late the land ! — the Devil was to take the French Cler
gyman out of his pulpit before the whole congregation,
as Cavalier asserted, as a crow would carry a piece of flesh
in its mouth : — Sir Richard Bulkely, who Was deformed,
was to be made strait ; — the populace who opposed the
practices of these gentry were all to be struck dead ;—
Marion, the Prophet, was not to die, but to change! —
It unfortunately happened for their predictions that none
of these things happened, but quite the contrary. How
miserably, then, were these enthusiastic fanatics imposed
upon, when, out of upwards of sixty of the positive pre
dictions of their presumptuous leaders, not one but proved
a diabolical lie ! How, then, ought people to be upon
their guard against similar delusions which are daily liable
to be practised upon them, as it may suit the humour or
interest of the designing ambassadors of Satan!

ELIZABETH BARTON,
A NUN, CALLED
THE HOLY MAID OF KENT ;
Who, with her Abettors, were executed for their
traitorous proceedings.
1533—1534.

X HE dissolution of monasteries, and the reformation of
religion in the reign of Henry VIII. was an unexpected
revolution in the ecclesiastical religion of this country.
What motives might have induced Henry to hazard such a
very strong measure, we will not at this distance of time
enquire ; suffice it to say, that if Queen Catharine, of
Spain, experienced hardships and ill-usage, under the
guise of a tender conscience ; poor Queen Anne Bo-
leyn experienced much worse and most infamously
cruel and unjust treatment, without any apology for
tender conscience ; and, therefore, suffered a martyrdom
for her religious principles, through the party which had
set up and prevailed against her ; and who, though they
prospered on her ruin for a short time, ultimately suffered
the punishment due to real crimes, of which they had en
deavoured, falsely endeavoured, to hint against the mar
tyred Anne, and cause her unjust death, to satisfy Hen
ry's horrid jealousy.
But, besides this, the professors of the Roman Catho
lic opinions, had fastened such chains oft the minds of the
N°. 8. a

2 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
people, at the same time that the professors had belied
their own practice, and had caused the sacrifice of
some religious martyrs who had devoted their lives to
contrary opinions, by which the minds of the public
had been estrayed ; indeed, the vicious lives of the Ro
mish clergy had become so notorious, as to attract even
the ridicule of the humblest classes of the English popu
lation. In fact, the spirit of superstition and hypocrisy
had made such bold intrusions upon religious worship,
that the clergy, unmindful of the sacred trust that had
been committed to their care, sought only their own gain,
and grew pampered, haughty, and covetous.
Another cause of the dissolution of monasteries was the
abominable abuses practised by the monks, by imposing
false miracles upon the people, which had formerly been
resorted to for other interested purposes ; but now were
projected, as a coup de main, to depreciate the king's su
premacy, to vitiate his divorce Of Queen Catharine, and
to raise the popular odium against the government.
The principal transaction of this kind, was the impos
ture of Elizabeth Barton, a nun, of whom the following
account, extracted from Ancient English Chronicles, is
given : —
" About this time, the craftie practices of one Elizabeth
Barton, named the holy Mayde of Kent, came to light,
and were discovered, so that shee and her adherents, in
November following, were brought to the Star chamber,
and there, before the king's counsell confessed their
fained hypocrisie and dissimuled holiness, trayterous pur
poses and intents. The names of those, her adherents,
which were presented with her before the Lords, in the

THE HOLY MAID OF KENT,

Star Chamber, were as followeth : Richard Master, par
son, of Aldington, in Kent; Edward Bocking, doctor
of divinity, a monke of Canterburie, Richard Dering,
monke also of Canterburie; Ed warde Twaites, gentle
man; Thomas Laurence, Register to the Archdeacon of
Canterburie ; Henrie Golde, Parson of Alder Marie, in
London ; Hugh Rich, fryer observant, Richard Risby,
and Thomas Golde, gentleman. These were adjudged
upon their confession, to stand at Paule's Crosse, in ser
mon time, where theyi with their own hands, should se
verally deliver each of them to the preacher, a bill, de
claring their subtill and superstitious doings, which thing
they did the Sunday next following, standing upon a
stage or scaffold before the Crosse, the Bishop of Bangor,
late Abbat of Hide there preaching, showed, tlieir of
fences, from whence they were committed to the Tower
of London.
"After Christmas, 153*, the Parliament beganne,
wherein the forenamed Elizabeth Barton, and other of
her complices were attainted pf treason, forsundrie prac
tises by them put in ure, sounding to the utter reproch,
perill, and destruction of the king's person, his honour,
fame, and dignitie, for they had put into the heads of
many of the king's subjectes, that the say'd Elizabeth
Barton was given knowledge by revelation from God and
his saints, that if the king proceeded to the divorce,
and mary'ed another, he should not be king of thisrealme
one moiieth after, and in the reputation of God, not one
day nor houre.
"This Elizabeth, first through s^cknesse, being often
times brought, as it were, into a traunce, whereby her

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

visage and countenance became marveilously altered at
those times when she was so vexed : at length, by the
incouraging, procurement, and information of the fore-
named Richard Master, parson of Aldington, she learned
to counterfeit such manner of traunces, as in her sick-
nes, by~force of her disease, shee had bin acquaynted
With, so that shee shewed unto the people divers mar
vels, and sundry alterations of the semblable parts of her
bodie, craftilie\ittering in her said fained traunces, divers
counferfeite'vertues and holy wordes, tending to the re
buke of sinne, and reprooving of such newe opinions as
then beganne to bee spred. And to bring the people
the more in beleefe with her hypocriticall doings, shee
was counselled to say, that shee should never be perfect
ly whole, till she had visited an image of our ladie at a
place called Court at Streete, within the parish of Alding
ton aforesaid. Thither was she brought, and by the
means of the sayde Richard Masters and Edward Bock-
ing there was assembled a two thousande persons at the
daie appoynted of her thither comming, to see the myra-
cle. At which time shee being thither brought before
all that assemblie and multitude of people, shee falsly
fained and shewed in the chappell of our Ladie of Court
at Streete, many alterations of her face, and other out
ward sensible parts of her body : and in those traunces
she uttered wonderous wordes, as shee was before sub-
tillie induced by the Edward Bocking and Richard Mas
ter. And amongst other things she uttered, that it was
the pleasure of God, that the sayd Bocking should bee
ber ghostly father, and that shee should bee a religious
woman. And withinra while after such fayned traunces,

THE HOLY MAID OF KENT.

shee appeared to the people to bee sodainely released"
from her sicknesse by the intercession of the image of
our Ladie being in the saydechappel, by reason of which
hypocriticall dissimulation, thesayd Elizabeth was brought
into marveilous fancy, credite, and good opinion of a
great multitude of people of this realme ; and to increase
the same, by the counsell of the said Edward Bocking,
shee became a nunne in the priorie of Saynt Sepulchres,
at Canterburie, to whom the sayde Edward Bocking had
commonly his resorte: and by conspiraciebetweene her
and him," shee still continued her dissembled , traiyices,
alleaging that in the same shee had revelations from A 1-
mightie God and his saints: and among other, that
which as before we have mentioned, touching the king's
marryage, as yee have heard. This matter proceeded so
far, that there was a book written by her complices,
namely, by Thomas Laurence, Register to the Arch
deacon of Canterburie, of her fayned myracles, revela
tions, . and hypocriticall ho'inesse. All things were
handled so craftilie, that not only the simple people, but,
also the wise and learned were deceived bv the same i
insomuch, that William Warham, late Archbishoppe of
Canterburie, and John Fisher, bishoppe of Rochester, and
divers other being informed thereof, gave credite there
unto, i All which matters and manie other had beene
trayterously practised amongst the parties manie years,
chiefly fo interrupt the divorce, and to destroy the
king, and to deprive him of the crowne and dignitie" roy-
all of the realme,. as in the act of their attainder made
more at large doth appear.
The 20th of April, Elizabeth Barton, a nunne <pro-
N°. 9. »

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

fessed, Edward Bocking andTohn Dering, two monks of
Christs church, in Canterburie, and Richard Risby and
another of his fellowes of the same house, R,ichard Mas
ter, parson of Aldington, and Henry Gold, priest, were
drawn from theTtrwer of London toTyborne, and there
banged and^headed, the nun's head was set on London
bridge, and the other heads on gates of the city: these,
as ye before have heard, were- attainted by. parliament.
At which time also were attainted- of misprision for the
same matter, J. Fisher, bishop of Rochester, and 'John
Adeson, his chaplain, Thomas Able, priest, T. Golde,
gentleman, and Thomas Laurence, register of the Arch
deacon of Canterburie^"
This imposition so operated on the public opinion, that
the government, willing to assist in the exposure of many
of the delusions, by which the ignorant had been duped,
caused many of the supposed miracles to be exposed at
St. Paul's Cross, in London, where was daily exhibited,
for some time, the machinery by which their tricks were
set in motion, which, as being considered by the most
ignorant as dexterous artifices to impose on the under
standing, proved a very material cause of furthering the
Reformation in England which ensued, and which has
been firmly established till the present period.
It is evident that the deceived Elizabeth Barton fell
into a species of hysterical fits, and spake such things as
made those about 'her think she was inspired -of God.—
Master, the parsoo of the parish, hoping to draw advan-
' tages from fcnis, gave information-on the subject to Arch
bishop Warham, who ordered him to watch her care
fully, and bring him an account of what he should ob-

THE HOLY MAID OF KENT.

serve. But it seems she forgot all that she said in her
fits when they were over; The artful priest, however,
would not suffer his hopes thus to pass away, but per
suaded her that she was inspired, and taught her so to
counterfeit those trances, that she became very expert
at it, and could assume them at her pleasure. The pro
ject was soon noised about, the priest intending by it .to
raise the credit of an image of the Blessed Virgin, which
stood in his church, that so pilgrimages and offerings
might be made to it by her means. He associated to him
self one Bocking, a monk of Canterbury, and they taught
Elizabeth to say in her fits, " that the blessed Virgin ap
peared to her, and told her she could not be well till she
visited that image." She spake many good words against
ill life, and also against heresy, and the king's, suit of
divorce then depending; and by many strange motions
of her body she seemed to be inwardly possessed.
Soon after this, a day was appointed for her cure ; and,
before an assemblage of two thousand people, she was
carried to that image; and, after she had acted over her
fits, shcseemed suddenly to recover, which was ascribed
to the intercession of the virgin, and.the virtue of her
image. She then took" the veil, and Bocking was her
con lessor.
Between her and this wolf in sheep's clothing, however,
many persons suspected a criminal intercourse to sub
sist ; but the esteem the nun was in bore them down. —
Warham, and others, thought her a prophetess. A book
was also written of her revelations, and a letter was shew
ed, in letters of gold, pretended to be written to her from
Heaven by Mary Magdalen. She said, " That when the

S HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
King was last at Calais, she was carried invisibly beyond
sea, and brought back again ; and that an angel gave her
the sacrament ; and that God revealed to her, that if the
king went on. in his divorce, and married another wife,
he should fall from his crown, and not live a month longer,
but should die a villain's death."
Several monks ofthe Charter-house, and the Observant
Friarsj with many nuns, and bishop Fisher, were induced
to give credit to, and set a great value on the nun, and
grew very insolent upon it ; for friar Peyto, preaching in
the King's chapel, at Greenwich, denounced the judg
ments of God upon him ; and said, "though others, as
lying prophets, deceived him, yet he, in the name of
God, told him, that dogs should lick his blood as they
had done that bf Ahab." The king bore this patiently,
contenting himself with ordering Dr. Corren to preach
the next Sunday, and to answer all that he had said; who
Tailed against Peyto as a dog and a traitor. Peyto had
gone to Canterbury ; but Elston, a Franciscan of the same
house, interrupted him, and called him " one ofthe lying
prophets, that went about to establish the succession of
the crown by adultery ;" and spoke with such vehemence
that the king himself was forced to command silence. —
So unwilling was the king to go to extremities, that all
that was done upon so high a provocation was, that they
were summoned before the Council, and rebuked for
their insolence. But the nun*s confederates, proceeding
to publish her revelations in all parts of the kiHgdom, she
and nine of her accomplices were apprehended, when
they all, without either rack or torture, discovered the
whole conspiracy.- They were upon this confession ap-

THE HOLY MAID OF KENT.

pointed to go to St. Pauls, where, after a sermon preached
upon the-occasion by the bishop of Bangor, they repeated
their confession in the hearing of the people, and were
sent prisoners to the Tower. It was given out, however,
that all was extorted from them by violence, and mes
sages were sent to the nun, desiring her to deny all that
she had confessed. The king, on this,,judged it neces
sary to proceed to further extremities : she and six of
her chief accomplices were attainted of treason, and the
bishop of Rochester and five more were attainted of mis
prision of treason. But at the intercession of Qneen Anne,
(asis expressed in the act,) all others that had been con
cerned with her were pardoned .
After this, the nun, with her coadjutors, were executed
at Tyburn. There she voluntarily confessed. herself to be
an impostor, and acknowledged the justice of her sen
tence, laying the blame on those who suffered with her,
by whom she had been seduced into the crime; adding,
that they had exalted her for no other cause than for her
having been of great profit to them, and that they had
presumed to say, that all she had done was through the in
spiration of the Holy Ghost, when they were sensible the
whole was a trick. She then begged pardon of God and
the king, and resigned herself to her fate. Thus ended
One of the vilest impostures ever known in this, country;
Had this fallen out in a darker age,.in which the world
wentmad after visions, the king mighthave losthis crown
by it. The discovery of it disposed ail to look on older
stories ofthe trances of monastical people as contrivances
to serve base ends, and made way for the ruin of that or
der of men ia England ; but all that followed at present
b 2

.10 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
upon it was, that the Observants were put out of their
houses, and mixed with the other Franciscans, and the
Augustin friars were put in their room.
Upon the first discovery ofthe above imposture, Crom
well sent Fisher's brother to him to reprove him for his
carriage in that business, and to advise him to ask the
king's pardon for the encouragement he had given to the
nun, which he was confident the king would grant him.
But Fisher excused himself, and said " he, had only tried
whether her revelations were true or not. He confessed,,
that, upon the reports which he had heard, he was in
duced to have a high opinion of her, and that he had ne
ver discovered any falsehood in her. It was true, she
had said some things to him concerning the king's death,
which he had not revealed, but he thought it was not
necessary to do it, because he knew she had told
them to the king herself; she had named no person
that should kill the king,,, but had only denounced it
as a judgment of God upon him; and he- had reason
to think that the king would have been offended
with him if he had spoken of it to him;- he,. therefore,.
desired to be no more troubled with that matter."' Crom
well, upon this, wrote a sharp letter to Fisher; shewing
him, "that he had proceeded rashly; being so partial
in the matter of the king's divorce, that he easily be
lieved every thing that Seemed to make against it ; he
shewed him how necessary it was to use great caution be
fore extraordinary things should be received, or spread
about as Tevelations,^ since otherwise the peace of- the
•world would be in the hands of every bold and crafty
impostor ; yet in "conclusion,, he advised him again to ash.

TNE HOLY MAID OF KENT. ] 1
the king's pardon for his rashness, and he assures him,
that the king was ready to forgive him." But Fisher
would make no submission, and was in consequence in
cluded within the act ; yet it was not executed till a new
provocation drew him into further trouble, and precipi.
tated his death in the Tower.

WILLIAM HACKETT*
EDMUND COPPINGER,
AND
HENRY ARTHINGTQN 1590.

ALTHOUGH the reformation of religion had been
fully established in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and al
though that wise Princess had pursued the most pruden
tial means to prevent discordance in religious opinions ;
yet the dangers she suffered by the many treasons which
were practised against her by the Roman Catholics,
as well as other sectarists, made it necessary that the Go
vernment should come to the resolution of amply pu
nishing such as, by profane and seditious proceedings,
strove to endanger the safety of the State, beset as-it
was, both politically and on a religious, account,, inter
nally as well as externally, by the most bitter enemies.—
The subjects of this article were the most* prominent in.
this mode of iniquity ; and two of them deservedly suf
fered the sentence of the law for their rash and danger
ous conduct.
On the 16th day of July, 1.590; in the morning, Ed.
mund Coppinger and Henry Arthington, gentleman, re
paired to one Walker's house, near- Broken-wharf, Lon*

WILLIAM HACKETT, &C. 13
don, where, conferring with one of their sect, named
William Hackett, of Owndale, in the county of Northamp
ton, yeoman, they ofteredto anoint him king ; but Hack
ett, taking Coppinger by the hand, said, " You shall not
need to anoint me, for I have been already anointed in
Heaven by the Holy Ghost himself.'' Then Coppinger
askedhim,. " What hispleasure was to be done ?" " Go
your way, both," said he, " and tell them in the City that
Jesus Christ is come, with his fan in his hand, to judge
the earth ;, and if any man ask you where he is, tell him
he lies at Walker's house, by Broken-wharf, and if they
will not believe, let them come and kill me, if they can ;
for, as truly as Jesus Christ is in Heaven, so truly is he
come to judge the wwld." THen Coppinger said, " It
should be done forthwith." He thereupon went forward,
and Arthington followed ; but ere he' could get down the
stajrs, Coppinger had began below in the house to pro
claim " News from Heaven of exceeding great mercy !
that Christ Jesus was come, &.c." with whom also Ar
thington cried the same words aloud, following him along
the streets, from thence to Watling-street and the Old
Change towards Cheapside: the}' both adding, beyond their
commission, these words : " Repent, England, repent 1"
Afterthey had both thus proceeded, with a mighty con
course ofthe common multitude, vociferating an uniform
cry into Cheape, near the Cross, and there finding the
throng and pressure of the people to crowd about them,
so that they could not well pass further, nor be conveni
ently heard by them all, as they desired; they got up
into an empty cart, which stood there, .wherein they re
peated, as they stood, not only the words of their former

14 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
cry, but reading something out of a paper, went more
particularly over the office of Hackett, " how he repre
sented Christ, by partaking a part of his glorified body,
by his principal spirit, and by the office of severing the
good from the bad, with his fan in his hand, and of esta
blishing the Gospel in Europe, &c. ;" telling also the
people, " where they saw him, where he lay and re
mained ; that they were two Prophets, the one of Mercy,
the other of Judgment, sent and extraordinarily called by
God to assist him in this great work, and were witnesses
of these things, &c." And thereupon the one of them
pronounced " Mercy, great comfort, and unspeakable
joys to all that should repent presently ; be obedient, and
embrace this acceptable message and opportunity offer
ed :" and the other denounced " terrible judgments if
they repented not, which should, even presently also,
fall upon them, and especially upon the City of London ;?'
affirming, that " all who believed7 them not were eon-
demned, body and soul :" mingled with traitorous invec
tives against the Queen, and some of her Privy Council.
They had purposed to proceed with the like cry and
proclamation through the other chief parts of the City,
but the throng was so great, that they were forced to go
into a tavern in Cheape, bearing the sign of the Mermaid,
because a gentleman of Coppinger's acquaintance plucked
at him, whilst he was in the cart, and blamed him for his
demeanor and speeches. Thence they went by back lanes,
crying, as before, "Repent, England, repent!" &c. ;
"back to Walker's house, at Broken-wharf. The account
of this strange uproar having been quickly circulated
through the City, all appeared in a kind of astonishment

WILLIAM H'ACKETT, &C.

what to think of the matter. The circumstance speedily
reached Queen, Elizabeth, who dispatched two of her
-Council to London to take furthercognizance of the whole
matter. About one o'clock in the afternoon, Coppinger
was sent for, whilst Plackett and Arthington were brought
before the members of the Council, and others, who came
to assist in the investigation at the Lord Mayor's house,
to be examined. It was concluded, that Hackett should
he committed fortrial; so that, on the 26th of July, he
was brought from Bridewell to the Sessions-House, near.
Newgate, before the Lord Mayor, and other Justices;
where, being arraigned, he was by two several indict
ments found guilty of having " uttered and spoken divers
false and traitorous words against her Majesty ; to hare
raised and defaced her Majesty's arms, as also a certain
picture of the Queen's Majesty ; and did maliciously and
traitorously thrust an iron instrument into that part ofthe
said picture that did represent the breast and heart of the
Queen's Majesty," &c. He had judgment, and on the
28th of July was brought from Newgate towards the place
of execution about ten o'clock in the morning, there be
ing an incredible multitude in the streets, but especially
in Cheape.
<• All the way that he was dragged upon the hurdle," he
continued his crying out "Jehovah ! Messiah ! Jehbvah !
Messiah !"' Another while crying out thus, "Look ! look
how the Heavens open wide, and the Son of God cometh
down to deliver me !" When he came under the gibbet,
which was reared hard near the Cross in Cheape, he was
exhorted to " ask God and the Queen forgiveness, and to
fall to his prayers;" but he, instead thereof, fell to rail-

16 HISTORY OF 'RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
ing and cursing the Queen in the most villainous manner;
and then hegan -a most blasphemous and execrable prayer
" against the Divine Majesty of God." They- had much
difficulty -to get him up the ladder, Where he was hanged,
and afterwards bowelled and quartered.
On the next day, being the 29th of July, Edmund
Coppinger, having wilfully abstained from meat, as was
said, died in Bridewell. Arthington, long after in the
counter in Wood-street, was reserved in hope of perfect
repentance. An exact account of this was then printed
in a book, called " Conspiracy of pretended Reforma
tion," &c.
These three were fanatics, combined with many other
shocking enthusiasts, who pretended to keep fasts, and to
have revelations; taking the delusions of the Devil, or
their own vile imaginations, forinspirations from Heaven
or, at least, intending to persuade others to take them for
such. Their blasphemies were so horrid, that they are
not fit to be repeated ; anil under th.ose diabolical expres— ¦
sions was couched the malice of embroiling the whole
kingdom in blood, and destroying all that were not as
much enthusiasts as themselves.
The pamphlet whence the above is extracted, is very
scarce to be found ; but there is much of the substance
of this relation to be seen in " Bancroft's Dangerous
Positions," and in Camden's Life of Queen Elizabeth.

17

HUGH PETERS.

1647—1660.

A CONSIDERABLE volume might be composed of
the blasphemies of this most infamous canting saint. His
life has been already written in a small book, too short
for his deserts, and yet we must be much shorter here, as
not having room to dilate upon his depravity. We shall,
.therefore, only give some short hints of his hellish villa-
nies. He was a fellow of a buffoonish wit, with^une
reading, and doubtless an errant Atheist, though a great
pretender to sanctity, that is, to gain, which was truly
his idol. Having been fanatically educated, he went.
over betimes into New England. After living there se
veral years, he returned into England, at the time when
the rebellion had broken. out, as thinking that a proper
opportunity, by the help of his wicked principles, for
him to rise upon the ruins of honest men ; in order to
which, he went over into Ireland, where he was em
ployed by the brethren, and sent again into England ;
there he exerted his talent, frequently preaching blas
phemy and treason, exciting the, people to .give their
N°. 9. c

18 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
blood and treasure for the destruction of his sovereign,
and very often in the pulpit playing the most impudent
buffoonery to please his infamous audience. Walker,, in
his History of Independency, Part II. p. 49. tells us, that
on the 22nd of December, 1648, four lords and twenty
commoners kept a mock fast at St. Margaret's, Westmin
ster, where Hugh Peters, the pulpit buffoon, acted a
sermon before them, the subject whereof was Moses lead
ing the Israelites out of Egypt, which he applied to the
leaders of the rebel army, whose design, he said, was to
lead the people out of Egyptian bondage. " But how
must this be done ? That is not yet revealed unto me,"
said Peters, and then covering his eyes with his hands,
and laying down his head on the cushion, until the peo
ple, falling into laughter, awakened him, he started up,
and cried out, " Now I have it by revelation, now I shall
tell you';. this army must root up monarchy, not only
here, but in France and other kingdoms round about ; this
is to bring you out of Egypt. This army is that corner
stone cut off the mountain, which must dash the powers
of the earth to pieces. But it is observed, the. way we
walk in is without precedent ; what think you of the Vir
gin Mary ? Was there any precedent before, that a wo
man should conceive achild without the company of a
man ? This is an age'to make examples and precedents
in." It would be endless to enumerate all his usual blasphe
mies, treasonable expressions, and other villanies; we
will, therefore, pass by the most of his wicked life, and
come to the period of it. After the restoration of King
Charles II. Peters was most justly excepted in the gene-

HUGH PETERS. ' - 19

ral act of indemnity, as highly concerned in the mur
der of King Charles I. and being taken, was brought to
his trial on the 13th of October, 1660.
Dr. Tongue deposed there against, him, " That Peters
lying in his house ten weeks, they grew^ familiar, and
that then the said Peters told him, that he had been sent
out of New England, to stir up and drive on the re
bellion ; that the Parliament had sent him into Ireland to
do the same there; that he frequently reviled and railed
at the king, the royal family, and monarchy in general ;
that he told him, he had concerted with Oliver Crom
well how to bring the king to justice, try him for his
life, and cut off his head."
One Starky deposed, ''That not long before the mur
der of the king, he had heard Hugh Peters earnestly af-,
firm, that ' the king was a tyrant, that he was a fool,
that he was not fit to be king, or bear that office, and
that, by 'his frequent private consultations with Crom
well and Ireton, he was fully convinced that he had
been one of the principal contrivers of the. murder of bis
majesty." Mr. Walkely and Mr. Proctor both deposed,
" That they saw Peters riding in a triumphant manner
before the king's coach, when he was brought prisoner
to Si. James's."
Others swore, that they saw him at the consultations"
for trying of the king, and in Westminster-Hall when
his majesty was tried, and one of them added, that
he heard him say: "This is a most glorious beginning
of the work?'
" Sir Henry Whitecott sWore, that Peters, speaking of
the pretended- court, said, " I cannot but look upon this

20 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
hi ¦ I*.-.. jiu i ii ii i hj.JlM *«¦ II  rir- SB>=5= III  T
coiirt with a great reverence, for it doth resemble, in
some measure, the trial that shall >be at the end of the
world by the saints."
Nunnely deposed, " That he saw Peters on the scaffold
before the king came to be beheaded, that he went off,
and after the bloody act he saw him come out ofthe room
into which the masked persons, one of whom struck
the horrid stroke, had been put to unmask ; that he
came out with the hangman, and went with him to take
water." Stephen Clough deposed, " That at a consultation in
the Painted Chamber, about the murder of the king, Pe
ters was desired to call for a blessing upon their business,
and in bis prayers uttered these words.: ' O Lord, what a
mercy it is to see, this great city fall down before us; and
what a stir is there to bring this great man to a trial,
without whose blood he will turn us all to blood, if he
reign again !' "
Mr. Beaver deposed, "That on a day appointed by
those king-killers to be kept as a fast for the murder they
had then in hand, he heard Peters preach before the Par
liament, and that there he uttered these words : ' It is a
very sad thing that this should be a question, as among
the old Jews, whether our Saviour Jesus Christ must be
crucified, or that Barabbas should be released, the op
pressor of the people. O Jesus, where are we, that thjs
must be a question among us ? And because that you
should think, my Lords and Gentlemen, that it is a ques
tion, I will tell you it is a question. I have been in
the city, which may very well be compared to Jeru
salem inthis conjuncture of time, and I profess, those

HUGH PETERS. 21

foolish citizens, for a little trading and profit, they will
have Christ (pointing to the red-coats) crucified, . and
that great Barabbas, at Windsor, released ; but I do not
much heed what the rabble says. I hope that my bre
thren of the clergy will be wiser ; the lips of the priests
do use knowledge. I have been with them too in the as
sembly, and having heard and seen what they said; I per
ceive they are for crucifying Christ, and releasing Ba.
rabbas. O Jesus, what shall we do now i My Lords,
and you Gentlemen ^of the House of Commons, you are
the Sanhedrim and the great council of the nation,
therefore you must be sure to do justice, and it is from
you we expect it; you must not only be inheritors of
your ancestors, but you must do as they did ; they have
opposed tyrannical kings, they have destroyed them, it
is to you chiefly that we look for justice. Do not pre
fer the great Barabbas, murderer, tyrant, and traitor, be
fore these poor hearts (pointing to the red-coats) and the
army, who are our Saviour, &c." Such blasphemies did
this monster utter in the pulpit to persuade them, already
forward enough, to murder their sovereign.
Mr. Chase then deposed, " That he heard him preach
before Cromwell and Bradshaw, upon these words :
' Bind your kings in chains, and your nobles in fetters
of iron,' 'and this he applied to encourage them to mur
der the king." The above Tongue swore to the same
effect concerning his preaching; so did one Bowdler,,
one Rider, and one Walker. To conclude, so manifest
were his horrid villanies, that there was no room to
hesitate, and accordingly he was brought in guilty, and
sentence passed upon him. Pursuant to the sentence,
c 2

22 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES. . i I ll ~—=.
on Thursday, the 16th of October, John Cook, his fel
low-traitor, and he, were drawn ta Charing-Cross, and
there hanged and quartered. Peters's head was set on
London-bridge, and his quarters on the gates. Hugh
Peters, after his sentence, appeared full of death and
terror; the brethren, fearing he might happen to repent,
kept him drunk, and in that condition he was carried to
the place of execution and died.

S3
LIGHTS OF WALTON
1649.

J HIS seems an odd title, but as we have not the parti
cular names of the men, we are obliged to make use of
that of their madness. The story is thus :— -About the
beginning of Lent, in the year 1649, Mr. Faucet, Mi
nister or Walton-upon-Thames, in Surrey, preached in
his parish church in the afternoon ; when he came down
fromthe pulpit it was twilight, when six soldiers came
into thechurch, one of them with a lantern in his hand,
and a candle in it, the others had four candles not light
ed. He with the lantern called to the parishioners "to
stay a little, for he had a message to them from God,"
and offered to go up into the pulpit, but the parishioners
would not let him ; then he would have delivered his er
rand in the church, but there they would not hear him ;
so he went forth into the church-yard, the people follow
ing him, where he related to th m, "that he had a vi
sion, and received a command from God to deliver his
will unto them, which he was to deliver, and they to re
ceive, upon pain of damnation." It consisted of five
lights :
" 1st. That the Sabbath was abolished, as unnecessary,
Jewish, and merely ceremonial. ' And here (added hej
I should put out my first light, -but the wind is so high I
cannot ght it,'

24 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
"2d. Tithes are abolished, -as Jewish and ceremonial,
a great burden to the Saints of God, and a discouragement
of industry and tillage. 'And here (he added) I should
put out my second light,' &c. as aforesaid.
" 3d. Ministers are abolished, as Anti-Christians, and
of no longer use, now Christ himself descends into the
hearts of his saints, and his spirit enlighteneth them with
revelations and inspirations, ' And here (said he) I
should put out my third light,' &c.
" 4th. Magistrates are abolished, as useless, now that
Christ himselfis in purity of spirit come amongst us, and
hath erected the kingdom of the saints upon earth ; be
sides, they are tyranis and oppressors ofthe liberty of the
saints, and tie them to laws and ordinances, mere human
inventions. 'And here I should have put out,' &c.
" 5th. [Then putting his hand into his pocket, and
pulling out a little bible, hrshewed it open to the people,
saying,] ' Here is a book you have in great veneration,
consisting of two parts, the Old. and New Testament ; 1
must tell you it is abolished : it containeth beggarly ru
diments, milk for babes. But now Christ is in glory
amongst us, and imparts a fuller measure of his spirit to
his saints than this can afford, and therefore I am com
manded to burn it before your faces.' So, taking the
candle out of the lantern, he set fire to the leaves; and
then putting out the candle, he proceeded, • And here
my fifth light is extinguished.' "
¦ Such were those Saints who had actually brought their.
King to the block, and now were for overturning all reli
gion to set up their, blasphemous enthusiasms !

25

THE LIFE OF
LODOWICK MUGGLETON.
1655—1676.

tV E have now to notice a profane fanatic of a peculiar
cost; one governed by instinct rather than intellect, but
in all his movements turning from bad to worse ; and fi
nally, like an ignis fatuus of divinity, carried about with
every wind. In fact, a being whose extraction, being
from corruption, has exhibited a religious monster, not
intended, but produced ; whose principles were like the
chaos, a confused lump of negatives, whose practices were
unsuitable to his professions : — one who pretended ado
ration and worship, when his practice was rebellion ; who,
under the mask of sanctity, imposed upon the minds of
those who refused to uphold him in his iniquity the most
unqualified execrations, and deaU- his abominable curses
against all who were too prudent to be .dupes to his horrid
blasphemies* Such was Lodowick Muggleton, of which
the following is taken from " A modest account of the
wicked life of that grand Impostor, Lodowick Muggle
ton : wherein are related all the remarkable actions he

26

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

did, and all the strange accidents that have befallen him,
ever since his first coming to London to this twenty-fifth
of January, 1676. — Also, a particular of those reasons,
which first drew him to these damnable principles ; with
several pleasant Stories concerning Mm, proving his com
mission tobe but counterfeit, and himself a cheat, from di
vers expressions which have fallen from his own mouth."—
" Lodowick Muggleton was born of poor though honest
parents, living at Chippenham, within fifteen miles of
Bristol. His relations having but little means, and a great
charge of children to maintain, they were forced-to send
their daughters to wait on their neighbouring gentry, and
to place their sons to such trades as cost little binding
them apprentices. But, amongst all the rest of those of
this worshipful brood, they were blessed withal, they
might have observed, even in his youthful day?, in this
Lodowick Muggleton, an obstinate, dissentious^and oppo
sing spirit; which made them desirous to settle him at
some distance from them, and also to bind him to such a
trade and master as might curb him from that freedom,
which the moroseness of his coarse nature extorted from
his-too indulgent parents. By which means, as soon as
he had made some small inspection into his accidence,
'without any other accomplishment besides a little writing
and casting of accounts, he was hurried up to London,
and there bound apprentice to one of the cross-legged or
der, but of an indifferent reputation in the place where
he lived, though by trade a tailor. We will pass over the
parenthesis of his youth in silence, therein being nothing
but usual waggeries, which generally recommend taour

lodowick mucgleton, 27

expectation something remarkable, when the usual ex
travagancies shall be seasoned with age,
'« When thetimeof his apprenticeship grew near its ex
piration, so that he was admitted more liberty than for
merly was granted him, he was observed to be a great
haunter of conventicles ; insomuch that there could not a
dissenting non-conformist diffuse his sedition in any ob
scure corner of the city but this Lodowick Muggleton
would have a part of it; by which means, continuing in
the same idle curiosity, and taking great observation on
that unknown gain many of that canting tribe got by their
deluded auditors, he proposed to himself a' certain and
considerable income to be got by the same means by
which he had observed many of those great pretenders
gull both himself and others : for a rooked conventicler,
like a bankrupt gamester, having for some time been cul-
x lied out of his money, learns the tFick, sets up hector, and
trades for himself.
"Thus did Lodowick Muggleton, by sliding out of one
religion into another, so dissatisfy his judgment, and run
himself from the solid basis of first principles; first de
generating from the Orthodox tenets of the Church of
England to Presbytery ; from thence to Independency ;
thence to Anabaptism ; thence to Quakerism ; and lastly,
to jio religion at all."
When men have thus once fooled themselves out of re
ligion and a good [conscience, it is no wonder that their
secular interests draw them into all sorts of impiety and
profaneness, as it did this Lodowick Muggleton;
who, though, in himself, a poor, silly, despicable, crea
ture, yet had the confidence to think he had parts enough

28 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTUBES.
to wheedle a company df .silly, credulous proselytes out
of their souls and estates ; and, indeed, he had such ad
mirable success in that wicked enterprise, that, though
we cannot' absolutely conclude that'he had. cheated1 them
of the first, yet it has proved, that he defrauded them
ofthe latter, as was often told him from the: day of his
standing in the pillory.
"ilt has been told already how this impious impostor lay
claim to a counterfeit commission, whereby he has infect
ed the truths of many honest ignorant people with an ex*
traordinary power that was delivered to him by as infa
mous a blasphemer as himself, John Reeve ; who, as he
formerly rivalled Muggleton in impiety, had he been yet
living, should certainly have clubbed with him in his de
served punishment.
" It is about twenty -one years since this impudent crea
ture began his impostures ; who, knowing himself as de
fective of reason as of religion, made it one ofthe grand
maxims of his policy that his proselytes should be fully
persuaded, contrary to all sense or probability. Reason
was that great beast, spoken of in the Revelation, and
consequently not to be consulted withal as to the exami
ning of any fundamental point in religion; whereby he
secured both himself and his shallow disciples from all
those frequent disputations and arguments which other
wise must necessarily have diverted them from adhering
to his damnable, impious, irrational, tenets, which I pur
posely omit, as being too unsufferably profane for the
modest ear of any sober well-meaning Christian.
" But we may judge a little of the theoric by the prae-
tic; I mean, of his principles by his practices, and of

lodowick muggleton. ' 29
the soundness of his doctrine by those duties he held him-:
self and his followers obliged to in the performance of it, .
which, indeed, were none at all ; it being his usual cus
tom, when they met on the Sabbath-day, to entertain
them with a pig of their own sow," I mean, with wine,
strong.drink, or victuals; which^ither they sent in be
fore-hand, or brought along with them; allowing them
to .be as licentious as they pleased in all things that might
gratify or indulge their senses.
A friend of mine was one Sunday walking in the fields',
and, meeting there an old acquaintance of his, who was
lately turned Muggletonian, with a -young baggage in
his hand, which he did more than suspect was light,. 'he
eould not forbear expressing his admiration to this Mug
gletonian himself in these or such like terms: " I cannot
but wonder to see you, my old neighbour, who have, for
these many years, busied yourself in the study of religion,
and was not long since like to. have gone mad, , because
you knew not which opiuionto stick to,. — I say, I cannot
Jbut wonder to see you abroad on the Sabbath-day, in this
brisk posture : you are altered in countenance, appa-
rel, and manners, so that I almost doubt whom I speak to..''
" Ah," answered the Muggletonian, "you know, friend;
how 1 have heretofore troubled myself about religion in
deed ; insomuch that it had almost cost me my life j. but
all in vain, till about six. w.eeks since -y at which time I
met with Lodowick Muggleton, whahasput me into the
easiest-way to Heaven that ever was- invented 5 for he
gives us liberty, provided we d& but believe in his
-mission, freely to launch into all those pleasures which
ethers, less knowing, call vices f and, after all, will as*
M°. 10. B

30 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
sure us of eternal salvation." Behold, reader, what a
sweet religion here is like to be !
But, as Muggleton was. liberal in the freedom he gave
his adherents, so he was always careful to avoid the pro
hibitions ofthe law; he generally appointed his bubbles
to meet in the fields, where he- also permitted them to
humour their sensualities with any recreation, not ex
cepting uncleanness itself; for which profaning the Sab
bath he was, in Oliver Cromwell's time, committed to
Newgate, where he had like to have been so dealt withal
then, thafTyburn had saved the pillory this trouble now :
hut that perfidious usurper, conscious to himself that Mug
gleton could not be a greater impostor in the church than
he was in the state, upon the consideration of fratres in
malis restored him to his liberty.
Howbeit, a little.before Oliver's, death, Muggleton, by
continual flatteries, had got into his books, and, amongst
other prophecies concerning him, had declared, that 01i»
ver should perform more wonderful actions than any he
yet achieved before he died. But, he happening to de
part this life before he had done any thing else that was
remarkable, Muggleton was demanded why his prophecy
proved not true. He answered very wisely, and like
himself, viz. that he was sure Oliver would have perform
ed them, had he lived long enough.
But since his gracious Majesty's return, he has driven
on a much more profitable theological cheat;, having as
sumed the liberty not only of infusing what doctrine he
pleased into the minds of his ignorant deluded followers,
foul wrote several profane books, which, to his great ad
vantage, he dispersed among them; poisoning their

lodowick muggleton. 31
minds thereby with a hodge-podge of rotten tenets,
whereby they are beeome incapable of relishing the
more sound, wholesome, and undoubted principles of the
Church of England.
I shall conclude with one story more concerning Mug
gleton, and so leave' him to the censure of the ingenuous.
reader. A timish gentleman, accoutred with sword and
peruke, hearing the noise this man caused in the town,
had a great desire to discourse with him, whom he found
alone in his study; and, taking advantage of that occa
sion, he urged Muggleton so far, that, knowing not what
to say, he falls to a solemn cursing of the gentleman, who
was so enraged thereat, that he drew his sword, and
swore he would run him through immediately unless he
recanted the sentence of damnation, which he had pre
sumptuously cast upon him. Muggleton, perceiving,
by the gentleman's looks, that he really intended what
he threatened, did not only recant his curse, but pitifully
intreated him whom he had cursed before; by which we
may understand the invalidity both of him and his com-
mission. Thus, whoever considers the contents of Muggleton's
whole life, will find it, in toto, nothing but a continued
cheat of above twenty-one years long; which, in the ca
tastrophe, he may behold worthily rewarded with the
modest punishment of a wooden ruifj or pillory ; his grey
hairs gilded with dirt -and rotten eggs; and, in fine,
himself brought, by reason of his own horrid and irreli
gious actions, into the greatest scorn and contempt ima
ginable, by all the loms of piety, discretion, or good
manners.

32 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES. -
The opinions of Muggleton and Reeves consisted in the
following tenets: —
That they were the two-last witnesses and prophets
of Christ, sent by his spirit to seal the foreheads- of the
. electand reprobate : that Christians using the sword of
steel, are ignorant of Jesus, and enemies to- his Gospel:
that the two consecrated substances of earth and water
were eternally resident in the presence of God the Crea
tor r,- that death was from all eternity: that the poison of
the reprobate angel, or serpent, entered into the womh
of Eve, and there died, but quickened in her all manner
of uncleanness : that there is no desire but what dwells in
the body ; so that the desire spoken of so often in the
Scripture, is man's spirit of unclean reason : that God the
Father was a spiritual man from eternity,, and that in time
his spiritual body brought forth a natural body: that if
the very-Godhead had hot died, (that is, the soul of
Christ, which is the eternal Father, had not died,) all
men had perished eternally : that Moses and Elijah ar.e^
angels, and represent the person ofthe Father in heaven,
as they did the person of the Son on earth: that Elijah ,
was made protector of God, when God became a child;
and that he filled the Lord Jesus with those great. revela
tions of his former glory which he possessed' in heaven,
When he was the immortal Father, and that it was Eli
jah who spake these words from heaven, paying, " This
is my beloved Son,, in whom 1 am well pleased:" that
all the ministry in this world, whether prophetical or mi
nisterial, with all the worship taught by them, is a lie,
and abomination ta the Lord : with other damnable doc
trines too gross for insertion.. .

RICHARD BROTHERS.
1792—1795.

?V HENEVER a state is convulsed by the effects in
duced by contending parties, internally or externally,
whether it be by foreign warfare or civil irruptions,
the mischief has ever been assisted by the ebullitions of
those perturbed spirits, who, imagining themselves en
dued with communications from heaven superior to
the fellow-creatures, have vented their nostrums of sup™
posed spirituality with all the impudence of the most
consummate quacks, and unfortunately dragged into-
their knavish snares numbers of devotees, who did not
feel themselves convinced of error, till reason, in re-
assuming its place, had to combat with the. pitying ridi
cule of those, who, having used every argument to warn
the deluded,, and finding only obstinate resistance io their
well-intended endeavours, too often suffered volatility to
assume pre-eminence, in laughing, at what they con
ceived to be folly, when they should .rather have re
joiced that the, bubble had exploded without having ac
N", 10. a

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

complished any serious mischief to its admirers. Though
the above remark is very justifiable, in reference to seve
ral of those on whose characters and principles we have
dilated, we are induced to except him of whom we are
now about to give some account, and place him upon a
line with Elizabeth Barton and James Nayler, who
were the victims of temporary frenzy, rather than of ra
dically evil tenets, and who, indeed, would not have
been particularly noticed, but for the temporary mis
chiefs they severally occasioned in their day.
Respecting the birth and family connections of Richard
Brothers, it is unnecessary to enter into particulars; suffice
it to say, that his family had interest sufficient to procure
him a station as an officer in the royal navy, in which,
whether he had before exhibited any symptoms of disar
rangement, he, fancied to himself that he ought not to
take the usual oaths necessarily imposed on seamen, pre
viously to receiving their pay. It is evident what the
Board of Admiralty thought of him and his applica
tion, hy what he relates himself of their and his con
duct on the occasion : —
" I was an officer in the" English navy," says he,
" and necessarily so, although I did not know it, that
the judgment of God on David, king -of Israel, might be
fulfilled, which was, that the sword should never depart
from his house.
" I am the prophet that will be revealed to the Jews,
to order their departure from all nations to go to the land
of Israel, their own country, in a similar manner to Mo
ses i.i Egypt, but with additional power.
" Therefore, my present poverty is no obstacle to my

RICHARD BROTHERS.

future elevation, neither is it of much concern to myself;
for the time of my being revealed with power from hea
ven is nigh, when God, to manifest his regard, will give
me favour with many, and influence all the people of
London to help me." Revealed Knowledge, Part I.
p. 54.
We think it right again to let our readers form their
opinions of this afflicted lunatic from his own words : —
" In the year 1790, the spirit of God begun first, al
though I always had a presentiment of being some time or
other very great, to enlighten my understanding, and
teach me to distinguish Right from Wrong. At that
time I was an officer in the Navy, and considering that
VOLUNTARY SWEARING, which I was obliged to
comply with every six months as a qualification to re
ceive my pay, was unnecessary, unjust, and wicked, I
requested. to. be indulged with permission to receive it
without,, stating, at the same time the concealed and un
heeded cruelty^of the oath, with my own reasons for ob
jecting to the form : when I was told, in answer to my
request, that there was an ORDER of COUNCIL to
take the oath, and that it was not in the power of the
Admiralty to dispense with it.
'' Soon after this I made another request, supporting
my objections to VOLUNTARY SWEARING, with
observing, That, if the Order of Council enforced an
oath in any manner, or under anyform whatever, and
that the man it was directed to operate on swore that he
was not forced, but that the Oath he took was a volun
tary act — the result of his own free will, — would it not,
in the sight of GOD in Heaven, and every man of dis-

4 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
cernment under him on earth, amount to a FALSE
OATH ?
" These reasons with these objections, and the Letter
I received from the Admiralty, stating their insufficient
power to dispense with the usual form of swearing, I
published at that time in the Newspaper called the Pub
lic Advertiser.
" During the time of my writing officially to the Ad
miralty, I had occasion to write also to the President,
whom I knew to be a member ofthe Council. With the
business of swearing, which led me to make an applica
tion, I remarked to him, that as men, whether few in
number, or the increased multitude of a senate, were
not infallible, they must consequently be subject to error.
To corroborate more forcibly this assertion, and likewise
to impress a conviction of its justice, I mentioned, among
other things, a decision of the Privy Council, relative to
a native of Glasgow, who had his ship seized in the West
Indies for an undesigned infringement of the Navigatioft
Act. " After a legal investigation in that country, it was
clearly proved, and openly acknowledged, that, although
the apparent defect in the REGISTER might authorize
the seizure, it could not justify a condemnation; because
the commander, like an honest man, shewed it at the
Custom-House, and received the approbation ofthe prin-
pal officer.
'• An appeal was lodged against this acquittal by the
seizing officer in the West Indies, and brought before
the Privy Council in England. — The ship was con
demned.

BICHARB BROTHERS.

" To constitute a HIGH COURT of EQUITY, its
members, to pronounce their judgment agreeable to that
Very name their exisfence as a court is derived from,
must be governed more by the intention than the pre
sumptive proof. But to constitute a COURT of LAW,
its judges must be directed by the express letter of the
act of parliament under which they officiate.
" For example, two men go into a forest; while the
one is fetching a blow to cut down a tree, the axe flies
from the handle and kills the other: here is a presump
tive proof of murder, and the law very justly brings the
survivor to trial. But equity, viewing this circum
stance in a proper light, declares the innocence, and ac
quits accordingly.
" Another, and more revelant to the seizure. A man
buys a stamp to legalize a bond for the better security of
trading with his money; or, in plainer language, lend
ing it on interest: to be certain that this stamp is war-
rantably just, according to the prescribed forms of law, he
shews it at the Stamp-Office, where it is acknowledged to
be good and" safe : after this, in consequence of some de
fect, it is declared to be illegal, and the holder subjected
to a penalty.
" I believe every man on earth, that has the common
faculty of distinguishing white from black, will agree
with me in saying, that it would be repugnant to equity
to fine the holder for a defect that he had no knowledge
of as such, and for what was authorised by the very office
of government that always issued the stamps.
" The law supposes criminality from the appearance;
but equity measures it from the design. The one is e«-

HISTORY. OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

ternal and visible, provided many years before it may be
wanted: the other is internal and spiritual, always alive
in the heart of every judge that possesses prudence, learn
ing, and penetration.
" When I was writing of these things to the Earl of
Chatham, on my knees I made a solemn vow to the Al
mighty God, declaring, that if he would be pleased to
enable me, I would most surely procure an indemnifica
tion for the poor man that lost his ship. Since that time
the Lord God has told me by revelation at night, ' That
he would most truly enable me: for if I. liked, I should
he made President ofthe Council, and Chancellor of the
Exchequer: I should have any thing that I required.*
Immediately after this I heard another voice from Hea
ven say, The Lord have mercy on them if they had not
yon for their friend and counsellor; for England is the;
spiritual Egypt mentioned in the 11th chapter of the
Revelation to St. John.
" After, making the numerous representations I have
mentioned, the Earl of Chatham,, with great propriety,,
acknowledged their justice so far as to erase the word
voluntary from the prescribed form of swearing: but I.
was then reminded of the words of Christ, in the fifth,
chapter, 34th verse, of St. Matthew, and strictly com
manded to obey them. Soon after this I requested from.
the Admiralty, and often repeated-it^ a dispensing order
that I might receive my pay without an oath; but they
would not grant it,
" If the Earl of Chatham had shewn me the small fa
vour I asked for, and certainly it would have been but a
very small one to him, he should be held up to the world.

RICHARD BROTHERS.

as my friend, to be admired and regarded ; he should
wear such a durable coronet as would make him the envy
of princes; it should be a coronet that no human power
would ever be able to remove.
" As the Admiralty would not give me that reasonable
indulgence I requested, as they would not shew me that
kindness which as men living by the navy they might
have done with ease, and without prejudice to'their dig
nity, I wanted for a bit of bread to eate I was besides,
treated so ill, as to be dragged to a workhouse, without
any legal authority, against eveTy remonstrance I could
make, and against every threat I could make use of to
call them to a strict account for the injustice. The Ad
miralty knew all this: they might have prevented it, by
ordering what was due to me to be paid ; but they would
neither prevent the-evih nor enable me to be liberated :
they would not order the payment of what was due, until
open falsehood was made use of to say I was out of my
senses. It seemed as .if they were under some private
"apprehension, though pleased with my distress, of being
charged one day or other in the eyes of their country
with unfeeling cruelty, and wanted some colourable evi
dence to justify the proceeding.
" Hear, therefore, all nations, and be warned by it,
what the Lord God has told me by revelation, and now
commands me to write, that the injuries I received, be
cause done for obeying his Word in the blessed Gospel,
the remembrance of them should never be blotted out
from the throne of Heaven. Moreover, he said likewise;
' That he would shake the English Admiralty as a man
would violently bread in a baskat, until he loosed

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMfOSTURES.

the foundations of the earth, and shook the place in
pieces.* " If I am out of my, senses in the opinion of the Admi
ralty for refusing, first, to t.ake an idle oath } secondly, a
false one ; and, thirdly, to take any : CHRIST, the Sa«
viourof the world, and him that Isaiah the prophet calls
WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR, who prohibits by his
Gospel, in the strongest terms, all kinds of swearing; must,
by the same rule of knowledge, for giving such a com
mand, be out of his.
" As the Quakers' never swear, and their objections to
It are sanctioned by a just indulgence of law; they, the
King and Parliament, for giving the indulgence, must,Jbr
the same reason as I am, be out of theirs. '
" CHRIST having been abused at JerusaIem,.reproach-
ed with having a devil, being mad, and out of his senses,
makes it the less astonishing for me, who am his servant,
to be reviled in the same manner. For which the LORD
God commands me to remind all men from the testi*
mony. of his blessed Gospel, that the sin is blasphemy
against his Holy Spirit, and that the punishment is ever*
lasting fire.
" It is from visions and revelations, and through theHoly
Ghost, that I write this book for the benefit of all men :
therefore, to say it is false, that I am mad, am an impos
tor, have a devil, or am out of my senses, constitutes the
dangerous sin of blasphemy."
J'rom this period it is evident that the perverted ima
gination of Mr. Brothers assumed its full caprice ; but his
eccentricities did not appear in the public prints till
1794, when a pamphlet was announced with the follow-

RICHARD BROTHERS.

ing title and preface: "A Revealed Knowledge of the
Prophecies and Times. Book the First. Wrote under the
direction of the LORD GOD, and published by his sacred
command; it being the first sign of warning for the
benefit of all Nations. Containing, with other great and
remarkable Things, not revealed to any other Person on
Earth, the Restoration of the Hebrews to Jerusalem, by
the Year 1798, under the revealed Prince and Prophet.
London : Printed in the Year ef Christ, 1794."
The poor man, whose mind, under its pitiable malady,
really presumed upon its imaginary authority, now took
vpon himself not only to lead the Israelites to the pro
mised land, but to denounce the government of England
and the city of London with the most dreadful anathemas;
and to threaten the utter destruction ofthe whole, with the
exception of some few that Mr. Brothers had intercede
for with his UNCLE, for no particular merit of their own,
as he confesses; but because it was necessary that they
should be saved frofn the general wreck.
" The Lord God was so exceeding angry at the time of
the loud thunder I have mentioned in the preceding
part,"(the beginning of January 7, 1791, ) that he deter
mined to leave his other judgments unfulfilled relative to
London, and burn her immediately with fire from Hea
ven : soon afterwards I was informed by revelation of
what the thunder meant, and was commanded to go from
London beyond the distance of eighteen miles. I had,
similar to the prophet Daniel at Babylon, an attending
angel to explain all the visions, and support me under
the grief I was loaded with for its approaching fall.
"The Lord God, knowing that I loved hlim with alf
N°, 10 b

10 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
,-' - ' MMr - ~ ' ., ... . L 11 
my heart, and had often resisted the calls of hunger and
distress, rather, than comply with customs that would
offend him, pitied me; fori had beseeched him to let me
inform the people of London of their danger, and try by
all possible means to save them ; hut was refused per
mission, because they would imprison and use me very
ill for it. N
"In addition to all that 'God had promised and re
peated by his angel to make me happy, he was now-
pleased to give me another proof of his unalterable re
gard, and convince me by ir, that, although he couldnot
in justice to his recorded judgment spare London, yet,
for my" sake he would shew mercy to some ; and take
care, by'sickness and other causes, to remove the persons
I desired should be saved, to a sufficient distance beyond
the limits to be destroyed and sunk.
" After thanking the Lord God, I mentioned several,
both men and women, and called the remembrance of his
mercy to others whose names I did not know, but pointed
them out in my mind.
" Among those I mentioned, was William Pulteney,
William Pitt, Gilbert Elliot, Charles Grey, the Earl of
Buckinghamshire, the Marquis of Lansdown, the Earl of
Chatham, Maitland, now called Earl of Lauderdale;
Henry Phipps, for I remembered his brother to have
done me an act of friendship; John Dalrymple, John
Griffin Griffin, Alderman Pickett, because that during
his mayoralty he opposed by a public advertisement the
frequency of taking oaths; in doing so he honoured that
all-remembering God, who will in due time as publicly
honour him for it. Wilberforce, Bastard, Sheridan,

RICHARD BROTHERS. 11
Philip Stevens,. Charles Fox ; John Luke, a poor Quaker;
Samuel Hood ; the King and his family, for they were to
be. gathered into London ; Ponsonby, for whom 1 con
ceived an. esteem, from observing in his* countenance
openness and honesty, and possessing,, as I thought, a
a heart; similar to my own, It was led to intreat for him :
until-last year I could assign no other reason for mention
ing that name than what Lhave given ; but the true one
is, that as God had determined not only to keep in Lon
don the people then in. it, but likewise to allow grea^
multitudes to be drawn t,oit from all parts of the country
he would be found among the number to be destroyed ;
for which, to prevent his death in such a place, the Lord
God influenced me to regard him, that I might after
wards remember such a person and bevmindful of his
safety. " I am notin the least acquainted with the man I have
mentioned, whom God was pleased to distinguish by so
great a -testimony of his regard, but although 1 am not,
and our names are different, he is, as well as myself '.de
scended from DAVID, KING OF ISRAEL. The
jCountess of Buckinghamshire, whom I am no more
acquainted with than the stranger I mentioned before,
is likewise descended from David, King of Israel; the
family she is married into are also of the Hebrews, and
are descended from JOSEPH, the once PRESIDENT OF
EGVPT.
" There are many families of the same origin as those
,, three I have named, made known to me by revelation,
but I am forbid to mention any of them at present for
public knowledge.

12 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
" After entreating for the persons I have set down,
and pointing from my mind to numbers besides whose
names I did not know, I was, to prepare me forthe de
signation of God, carried up to Heaven in a vision, and
saw on my right side at a small distance, a beautiful
silver white bird in the shape of a Dove, but a little
larger; it was the HOLY GHOST, and was the very
same that descended on the head of my BLESSED SA
VIOUR, when he came up from being baptized in the
river Jordan ; he kept between me and Satan, who was
then revealed that I might witness it, and great power
given him to visit the earth. The LORD GOD then
spoke to me from the middle of a white shining cloud.
" After this I was in a vision, having the Angel of God
near me, and saw Satan walking leisurely into London;
his face had a smile, but under it his looks were sly,
crafty, and deceitful. On the right side of his forehead
were seven dark spots ; he was dressed in white and scar
let robes.
" Again I was in a vision and saw London a scene of
confusion; it was effected on a sudden; all the people
were armed and appeared quite furious : I was carried
through the city in the Spirit of God to see all things
that were designed should come to pass, and be informed
how quick they could be accomplished.
" After this I was in a vision, and saw a large river run
through London coloured with human blood.
" Exceedingly unhappy for all that I saw, and which I
knew would soon be fulfilled ; I prayed and entreated ihe
Lord Gud to give me one more instance of his mighty
regard, by sparing London and the great multitudt in it.

RICHARD BROTHERS. 13
I said, I acknowledge, O Lord my God, that the .people
do very wrong, but it is through compulsion and for want
of knowing better.
"The Lord God'was so highly displeased, that I should,
after all his former kindness, strain his affection and enr
treat him to annul his recorded judgment, as to stop me,
aud in a voice of great sharpness and anger say, — They
have my blessed Gospel, and will not obey.it. The angel
that was appointed to give me instruction, forsook me in
an- instant on hearing this answer. I trembled for my
life, and seemed to be another man ;" for I was afraid of
being destroyed with the city. It was three days after
this before the Lord would be reconcile^' to hear my
prayers, and speak to me with his former kindness. i
" In ten days after the three I was in a vision, and
being carried up to Heaven, the Lord God'spoke to me
from the middle of a large white cloud, and said in a
strong clear voice — ALL, ALL.1" I pardon London and
all the people in it, for your sake : there is no other ma^n
on earth' that could stand before me to ask for so great
a thing. ,
" For ever, O Lord my God^ I will praise and thank
you for this great instance of your blessed regard; all
nations will hear it, and may all nations honour you hy
their obedience ; your great mercy is over tliem all, and
ly its goodness the world is now safe.
" Had London been destroyed jn the year of 1791, the
place where it stands would have formed a great bay or
inlet of the Channel : all the land between Windsor 4n,d
the Downs would have been sunk, including a distance of
eighteen mijes each side, but cpnsidetably more towards
s 3

14 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURE'S.
the sea coast ; it would be sunk to the depth of seventy
fathoms, or four hundred and twenty feet, that no traces
of the City might be ever found, or even so much as
looked for."
As the spirit of this poor man became more inflated,
the effects of that inflation were sufficiently evinced by
the threatened vengeance which he ultimately began to
fulminate against all the powers of the world ; but to
shew, at the same time, his wish in favour of the safety of
the King and Government of his own country, and his
Influence with his Almighty Uncle to accomplish it, he
declared his power and inclination in various instances.
" I wish well to the KING and QUEEN, and like
wise their FAMILY : to know all that I have related
and more than I am permitted to tell, to know the
unavoidable death of him, and afterwards the certain
destruction of an amiable woman and her children,
would, I thought, be a crime to reproach for ever
th,e feelings of my heart, if I did not implorp, wh'en-
I knew the great kindness that God had for me, and
endeavour, by all the means in my power, to pre
vent it.
"But in Joing this I have subjected myself to the
power of human laws, when indeed I had the choice
to make them subject to me: for if I had not become
an intercessor by prayer and supplication for the people
I live among, I should have been sent away from,,
London.. Its fall would soon after take place, and then
my revelation, as the next great" thing to warn the
World, would immediately succeed : but preferring its
jttfety to my own immediate advantage, although in-

RICHAltD BROTHERS.

formed at the time that the people would not believe,
that I should be despised and made suffer, I obtained its
pardon at the risk of my own life, and determined to
remain in it until my time to be revealed was entirely
completed.. " I find, yes, I feel by dreadful experience, that all
men are insensible to the consequences of those judg
ments 'recorded in th-e Scripture, and are also exGeedc
ingly hardened against believing their true interpre
tation and time to be fulfilled. That I have suffered
by imprisonment and distress, more than is proper now
to publish, for entreating, when 'I was told that my en
treaties were contrary to the Prophecies; to save ¦ the
King" and his Family, London and its inhabitants, from
recorded destruction ; GocT; who is more generous to
give mercy than man is grateful to believe and ac
cept it, is by all this revealed knowledge of his pro
phecies my witness now, and will in due titne, in a
short time, be additionally so by terrible signs and
mighty wonders."
It is surprising that the effervescence of this insane vi
sionary's wanderings should have attracted the counte
nance and patronage, not only of persons ih high repute
for their mental accomplishments, but that some of the
Senators in the House of Commons should' attempt to
divert the attention ofthe House from, the contemplation
ofthe most serious matters for the genuine safety of the
realm, to attend to the vagrant fancies of Mr. Brothers !
Yet, strange to tell, Nathaniel Brassey ftalhed, Esq. made
a motion, in the House in favbur of Mr.. Brothers' sup
posed mission ; and it was a pitiable circumstance, that

]6 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

some of the most worthy and intelligent Members ex
pressed themselves, as though they were convinced that
the vagaries of Mr. Brothers' disordered brain, were the
evanescent blessings of the Divinity ; but the motion met
its merited fate, a mark of compassionate negligence.
Mr. Halhed, however, distinguished himself in another
manner in favour of the Prophecies of Mr. Brothers. He
published Testimony of the Authenticity of the Prophecies
of Richard Brothers, and of his Mission to recall the
Jews. By ¦' Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, M.P. 1795.
He also permitted the following to precede his pamphlet :
'" To Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, Esq. Member of Par-
, li anient, Pall Mali.
" In obedience to the sacred-command ofthe Lord God,
whose servant and prophet I am, I inform you, that you
are descended from his ancient people the Hebrews, of
the tribe of Judah,.and ofthe family of David, King of
Israel. His sacred commands delivered to me by revela
tion for you,, are, That you publish and declare to the
world in writing, without the lear.t fear of arty human.
power whatever, that the revealed knowledge of his judg
ments given to me, and published by his sacred command
in two books (called A Revealed Knowledge of the Pro
phecies and Times,) h r the information, warning, and
benefit of all nations, is from him the Lord God, and is
true. "lam likewise commanded to say to you, Write and-
publish, according to the. light, wisdom,. and understand-
ing, which, the Lord my God gives you by his blessed

RICHARD BROTHERS. 17
Spirit ; by the mighty power of which you was converted
to the full knowledge of his word, and convinced that I
am his prophet.
" I am likewise commanded to say to you, when your
testimony of the judgments of God, and of me the Prince
ef his People, is wrote and published, you are directed
by his sacred command to send printed copies to the
King of England, his Queen, and Family ; all the Mem
bers of both houses of parliament; the judges, and all fo
reign ambassadors ; the mayor and all the aldermen of
London. '» I am likewise directed by the Lord my God to in
form you, that his command to you is, that you publish
this letter, containing his directions, with your own Tes
timony.
RICHARD BROTHERS,"
The man that will be revealed to the Hebrews
as their prince, to all nations as their go
vernor, according to the covenant to king
David, immediately under God.
London, No. 57, P addington-
street ,28th ofthe month called
January, 1795.
It is with regret that in the eighteenth century such a
document should appear; more especially from a gentle
man, a scholar, and one of high mental abilities 1
Such testimonies, such notions, pampered the ideas of
poor Brothers. He imagined himself so much a favourite
with heav§n, that his very thoughts were to be consi,

18 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
dered as mandates upon earth. He began, therefore, to
interfere with the political concerns ofthe country, which
had suffered his illusions to be abrogated without that
magisterial interposition, which the legal constitution of.
that country had for ages suggested to check. The pro-.
phet thundered now against the British jurisdiction in
the most unreserved manner :
" The Lord God commands me to say, for- the informa
tion of the English government, the judges,, and all
men, that the prisoners now in confinement, and on trial
for their lives, charged with the crime of high treason
against the life ofthe king of England, are innocent: as
such, he requires me to make known to the king his sa
cred commands.in Writing, and. to. publish, this for the
knowledge of all. J
" The Lore] God commands me to inform,, through this
book, all that honour him — his servants— -the peaceable
and righteous in all nations, which have had their pro^
perty, whether in land or money, eonfiscated, for no.
other reason than because the nation they belonged to de
clared war against the nation they lived in— -all such pro
perty, or its full value, with reasonable interest for the
time, shall most surely be restored..
" And you Peter Woulfe, one of the Avignon So
ciety, whom the Lord my-God commands me to mention
here by name, as a testimony of his great regard, your
property,, confiscated in France, will all be restored with
interest, and much kindness shewn to you by the mem-
be'rsof its government: they will restore the property of
every other peaceable individual likewise.— By the same

RICHARD BROTHERS. JO

divine rule of justice, Spain, England, Prussia,Germa-
ny, Holland, and all the other nations of Europe, must
restore theirs : for the time of the world is just now come,
and God is firmly determined to manifest his mighty
power for the preservation of his people and saints, by
fulfilling by me his words in the eleventh chapter of
Isaiah, a part of which are, But wiih righteousness hi
will judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek
of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the root of
his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay
the wicked.
RICHARD BROTHERS."
London, No. 57, Paddington-ttrtet,
26th of the month calledOct. 1794.
The publication of this document, induced^the govern
ment to come to some strict measures; and the members
of it at last contemplated, that though they had been
guided by prudence te suffer the erratic conceptions of
Mr. Brothers's lunacy to pass unnoticed, as personally
harmless, yet, when they discovered the bent to which
those conceptions were aiming, it was thought highly
necessary that their career should be stopped. Conse
quently, an order of council was issued to apprehend Mr.
Brothers, when, after an examination had taken place,
it was thought proper to provide for bim a lunatic asy
lum at Islington, where, we have heard, that discipline,
and medical attention, have produced a restoration-of the ,
faculties fo this man, who, with the return of his reason,
has evinced bis good sense, by retracting all his former

SO HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
opinions, and by his sorrow for their effect ; a true
standard of virtuous principle, however it may have been
accidentally misled.
We cannot, however, suppress our indignation, not
pityi that there should exist, at the present day, such
extravagant notions, certainly promulgated with no good
impulse, professedly attached to the opinions of Mr.
Brothers's disordered mind, and for which it appears he
expresses his unfeigned sorrow. There is this vast dif
ference : Mr. Brothers accumulated no emolument. His
pretended imitators have profited by his simplicity ; for,
on the contrary, their net is spread to receive all the pro
fitable things that come !

JOAN OF ARC. 2l

JOAN OF ARC.
At Dom-Remy, in the year 1429, near the banks of
the Maese, lived a country girl of seventeen, called
Joan d'Arc. She was born of poor but honest parents,
who had given her an education comfortable to her si
tuation in life. Joan, from her infancy, had been taught
to hold in detestation the English name; and the ravages
of war, which she saw extended even to her father's cot
tage, increased the abhorrence which had been early
instilled into her infant mind. At thirteen she fancied
she saw visions, and conversed with Saint Michael, Saints
Margaret, and Saint Catherine, who assurgd her that she
had been appointed by God to expel the English from
France, and to place the crovuo on the bead of the dau
phin. The rurallife, to which she had been ever accus
tomed, had given additional vigour to a habit of body
by nature robust, and strength to a mind that was na
turally pure and intrepid. She had the external figure
of a woman, but was exempt from all those infirmities
which characterize the weakness of her sex.
Pressed more and more by that secret impulse which
urged her to arm in defence of her king and country,
she presented herself three times to,the governor Vau-
couleurs, who, tirefl with her incessant solicitation, and
believing her bewitched, wished to have her exorcised
by the curate of the parish. She maintained) however,
the truth of her mission ; and, in order to convince Bau-
dricourt, assured him that the royalists had just sustained
a defeat near Orleans.— he account of the battle of the
Herrings, which arrived soon after, staggered the g-o»
No. 11. j?

22 H1STOHY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
vernor; Joan's revelations henceforth met with general
credit, and shewas regarded by the whole country as a
preternatural instrument of Providence. Having sur
mounted this difficulty, she was furnished with a suit
c-f complete armour; and two gentlemen, with tbeir ser
vants, were appointed to accompany her to court, where,
though Charles had divested himself of every sign of
royalty, she pointed him out from all his courtiers. Her
patriotic address to the King, upon the object of her mis
sion, made converts of all present. The King gave pub
licity to the divine nature of her call, and it was consi
dered celestial in an assembly of doctors and theologians.
The parliament at Poictiers were more scrupulous, and
wanted he display of some miracle, but she bid them at
tend her to OrleEUis where they should be fully satisfied ;
and then, with an air of confidence, declared that the
English should raise the siege of Orleans ; that the King
should be crowned at Rheims ; that Paris should be re
stored to Charles, and the English be expelled the king
dom. — Her mission was to end at Rheims and Orleans;
The nation being now prepared for her public capacity,
she was armed cap-a-pie, mounted ou a stately courser,
and exposed to the sight of the people, wielding a
sword that was found behind the great altar of Saint
Catherine de Ferbois, miraculously placed there.
Such was the superstitious timidity of those days, that
the English, hitherto fearless, felt a panic at the idea of
fighting against heaven. Orleans had been invested se
ven months'by the English, when Joan, having formed
the priests of the town into a battalion,' marched at their
head, accompanied by the troops, to relieve it. On

JOAN OF ARC. 23

horseback .she directed "the movements of the soldiers,
and, with' her consecrated banner, beat the English,
and succoured the town. After various conflicts, the
Earl of Suffolk, having lost 60OO of his best troops,
raised the, siege. Though wounded, she went to inform
the King of her success, when it was determined to drive
the English out of Champagne. At the siege of Jargeau,'
a stone struck her on the head, as she was mounting the
breach with her banner. Recovering herself, however,
she encouraged her comrades, and the place was taken.
Meun and Beaugency next fell, and a grand battle was
fought at the village of Patay, near Yenville, The
English were sigpally defeated, and the maid now pro
posed the bold measure of marching to Rheims, though
near 80 leagues distant, and in possession of the enemv.
Having with much difficulty collected an army, and ar
rived at Troves, Joan undertook the whole arrangement
ofthe desperate assault.- The garrison were panic-struck,
and Charles entered the town in triumph. Challons next
fell, aud then Rheims, where Charles was crowned, the
maid standing at his side in complete armour. When
the ceremony was .finished, she begged leave to return
home, but he requested her to stay with the army.
Various places now submitted to Charles, while the
Duke of Bedford did all he could to counteract him.—
Two days at Monpiiloi did the armies remain in sigh); of
each other ; at length the English retired to Paris, and
the King to Compeignei Soon after Charles sat down be
fore Paris, but the attack was not successful, and Joan
was dangerously wounded in the thigh. This brought
on a truce for the provinces of Picardy, Artois, Cham-

HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.

pagne, arid Burgundy. After taking St. Pierre-le-Mou-
tier, Charles granted a patent of nobility to Joan and her
three, brothers. Various towns were taken and besieged
by either party, until the maid, in an attack on the post-
of Marigny, was compelled to retreat lo the town, when
just as the last ranks had passed the barriers, an English
archer attacked the maid, pulled her from her horse, and
she surrendered herself prisoner. . In the year 1431 the
unhappy and heroic maid of Orleans was doomed to fall
the victim of a barbarous age. She was brought to Rouen,
loaded with chains, February 21, and, after numberless
meetings of the Doctors, Judges, and Theologians,' to
all whose perplexing questions she answered with great
firmness and ability, she was condemned, on the 24th of
May, to pass her days in prison with no other food than
T>read and water, and foruidden to wear man's clothes any '
more; but her own clothes being taken in the night,
and man's apparel laid in their place, she was, from a
.. call of nature, obliged to put them on. This re-assuming
of .male attire was fatalj she was delivered over to the
secular arm, and burnt in the Old Market Place, as a
blasphemer, an apostate, and a heretic! Thus misera
bly perished the unfortunate Maid of Orleans. If she
possessed fanaticism, it was of the noblest kind : her
courage and humanity were equally conspicuous : her
trial was a mockery of justice, and her fate a disgrace to
the English name.— Posterity have done her justice, and
in 1456 her sentence was pronounced cruel and unjust.
A cross was erected to her memory on the spot where she
suffered, and the spirit of the maid hovered over the arms
of the French till they drove the English totally out of

France.

MAHOMET. 25

MAHOMET.
Mahqmet (or according to the true-pronunciation of
the word Mohammed,) was born at Mecca, a city of Ara
bia, of the tribe ofthe Korashites, which was reckoned
the noulest in all that country. After his father's death,
he continued under thetuition of his mother till the eighth
year of his age ; when she also dying, he was taken home
to his grandfather, Abdal Motallah, who, at his death,
which happened the next year after, committed him to
the care of his Uncle, Abu Taleb, a rich and powerful
man in Mecca, to be educated by him out of charity,
Taleb, carried on a trade of merchandize, took him into
his employment, and bred him up in the business of it;
and, as soon as he was of fit age, he was sent with the
camels into Syria.
Till the twenty-fifth year of his age, he continued in
this employment under his Uncle; but then one of the
chief men of the city dying, and his widow, whose name
was Cadigha (to whom he left all his stock, which was
of considerable value) wanting a factor to manage it for
her, she invited Mahomet into her service; and he so
far insinuated himself into her favour and good opinion,
that about the 28th year of his age, she gave herself
to him in marriage, being then 40 years old.
In the 3Sth year of his age he withdrew himself from
his former connexions, and affecting an hermetical life,
used every morning. to withdraw himself into a solitary
cave near Mecca, called the cave of Hira, and there con
tinue all day, exercising himself, as he pretended, in
fastings, prayers, and holy meditations. Having, after

26 HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
some difficulty convinced his wife-of his prophetic mission.
in the 40th year of his age he began to take upon him
the stile of the apostle of God ; but for four years he did
it only in private among such as he had most confidence
in, confidentially insinuating his delusions unto them. His
first Proselyte, as has been said, was Cadigha, his wife;
his second was Zayd Ebn Hareth h,is servant; and the
third his cousin AU, the son of Abu Taleb his Uncle;-.
and the fourth Abu Beker, "a very rich and wise man.
To these he added five others, who afterwards became
his chief generals, and the instruments of his imposture.
In the 44th year of his age he openly declared himself
a prophet, said he was come to abolish aU idol worship,
and substitute that of Adam, Abraham, and Ishmael.
He allowed the Old and New Testaments, but said the
Jews and Christians' had corrupted the holy writings.
He denied the Trinity, said he received all his commu
nications from the Angel Gabriel, and these always
when he was in a trance. Part of- his Alcoran
was published at Mecca before his flight, and the other
part at Medina, being deposited in, a chest, the care of
which was given to Haphsa, one of his wives, and the
whole was a/terwards published by Abu Beker, to coun
teract the Alcoran of another impostor, who, in the last
year of Mahomet, stood out for a true prophet also. His
paradise was entirely sensual and voluptuous. The pains
of hell he denounced on unbelievers, notwithstanding
which, his stories were called fables, and the doubling
people demanded a confirmation by miracles, as in the
case of Moses tand Christ. r These he always maintained
were useless, as these two great prophetsbefore him had

MAHOMET. , 27 '

experienced. Several absurd miracles are attributed to
Othman, a man of letters, and secretary to the Impostor,
Mahomet being illiterate, and much indebted to a Jew
and a Monk for his knowledge of the Bible revelation,
who with him contrived the Alcoran in his house. In the
8th year of the prophet's mission, the city of Mecca, after
the death of his Uncle Abu Taleb, opposed him and his
disciples; but, awaiting the proper opportunity to
strengthen bis designs by marriage, upon the decease of
Cadigha, who had lived with him 22 years, he united
himself to Ayesha, the daughter of Abu Beker; to
Sewda, daughter of Zama, and some time after to Haphsa,
daughter of Omar; and thus became son-in-law to the
greatest men of his party. In the twelfth year of his
mission, he took his Mesra, or famous journey to heaven on
the beast Alborak, and saw the throne of God. After pub
lishing this fiction, -the chief men of Mecca determined to
cut him off, but he and his followers escaped with Abu
Beker and Ali, to Yathreb, a city 270 miles from Mecca,
where a strong party of his friends had invited him.
Here he built a house, and changed the name of the city
to that of Medina, which signifies the " City of the Pro
phet." The flight is called Hegira, and the Mahometan
years are dated from the time of his arrival, which was
on the 24th of September, A. D. 622.
Having married his daughter Fatima to his cousin Ali,
and thinking his party sufficiently powerful, he declared
his intention of enforcing the truth of his mission by the
sword. He accordingly raised his standard, and after an
obstinate battle, plundered g rich caravan going from
Mecca to Syria. His next -injunction was to all his fol-

28 HlST0R\ OF RELIGIOUS IMPOSTURES.
lowers when they prayed, to turn their faces towards
Mecca, as there was the Caaba,' or Temple; he also ap
pointed the month of Ramadan as a fast. The next year
he made war upon several tribesof" Arabs ofthe Jewish
religion, and lost the battle of Ohud, where he ¦ was
nearly ruined- Recovering himself however, and getting
strength by several minor battles, he marched towards
Meccg, near which a battle was fought without any de
cisive effect, and a truce was concluded for ten years.
One important condition however was, that his followers-
should enter Mecca without the least obstruction, and
hence he enjoined them once in their lives to make a pil
grimage to his native city. In the 7'h year of the He-
gira, he announced himself a king and a prophet, was
publicly prayed for, and officiated himself as chief priest,
or Mufti, in his mosque at Medina, and in the 8th year he
attacked Mecca with 10,000 men, declaring it had broken
the truce, and it surrendered at discretion. In the two
following years, his empire and religion became esta
blished throughout all Arabia ; hut in the next, he died
from the slow operation of some poison he had taken
three years before at Caibar— No particular declaration
or occurrence attended his death. He was 63 years old
when he died His person was handsome;- his predo-
minate passions were lust and ambition — his means of
success, fraud and the sword. He may justly be placed
at the head of all Impostors, and probably the world
will not for thousands of years contemplate a fraud so
glaring and successful.
FWIS.

r*-

Hamblin, Printer, Garlick HiU.

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