FALSE PROPHETS 33t$cobi?etr» Being a true story of the Lives and Deaths of two Weavers (late of Colchester.) WITH AN APPENDIX. 9 FALSE PROPHETS aiscDiicica. Being a true story of the Lives and Deaths of two Weavers (late of Colchester) viz. Richard Farnham and John Bull; who affirmed them- selves the two great Prophets which should come in the end of the world, Mentioned Revel. 11. Also that the Plague should not come nigh their dwelling. Neverthelesse being Prisoners, the one in Old-Bridewell, the other in New-Bridewell, by a strange Providence of Almighty God, both the one and the other dyed of the Plague in a House where they usually met, in Rosemary-Lane, in January last, 164 1. Here also is laid down their strange Prophecies, and the Scriptures which they most blasphemously wrested, to the seducing of divers Proselytes, who yet remaine obsti- nate, and confidently affirme that they are risen from the dead, and gone in vessels of Bullrushes to convert the tenne Tribes; the which they will also seeme to prove, as may be seene by this ensuing discourse. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth , take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. 10. 12. LONDON, Printed for I. Wright. 164 2. WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE INWORTH PROPHETESS, 1797- A VERY LIMITED NUMBER PRINTED. GREAT TOTH AM ESSEX: JIB PRINTED AT CHARLBS CLARK'S PRIVATE PRESS . 1844. 3 . • . - • . ' ... .. . .. : ■ ; 4 .£$ 8 ! dTalgr ftropftetg 23tgcobmT u R ichard Farneham and John Bull, late of Colchester, weavers, do hold themselves to be Prophets not ordinary, but the two great Prophets that should come in the end of the world which were spoke of in Zach. 4. 4. Which saith, these are the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole earth : they were also spoke of, said they, in Revel. 11. 3. where they be called the two witnesses, Verse 2. 4. Olive trees and two Candlesticks, Verse 5. Out of their mouthes proceeds fire. Verse 6. They have power to shut Heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophesies ; and power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as oft as they will, and they shall prophesie 1260 dayes, Verse 3. And having finished their testimony the beast that ascended out of the bottome- lesse pit should kill them in Hierusalem where Christ was slaine, and the Nations should not suffer the dead bodies to be buried for three dayes and a halfe, because they were the men that tormented them that dwell on the earth. Verse 9. 10. But after three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of life should enter into them and to the amazement of all their enemies they should stand upon their feet, and Richard Farnham should be King upon Davids throne, and Iohn Bull should be Priest in Aarons seat, and they should raigne for ever. They instructed such as came to them in divers points, but because those things that God hath revealed to them are of a high nature, therefore they question men and women in the first place of certaine points, that if they can- not answer to them, then they concluded that they were not capable of the high mysteries that God hath shewed them, and therefore they questioned, 1 Whether they were actually justified before they did repent, or repent before they were actually justified. 2 If actually justified, then they asked how long since, for they supposed every one knew the direct time of their assurance. w ' ^ ■- - . . 40 *-. : . . : i. ■ • UlU - ... 2,vlv : v ; ~ ^ •- > v ‘ 2 3 They aske some other questions touching the manner of that worke of their assurance of salvation, election, &c. which if the Ca- techumists can answer, then would they declare other doctrines of higher matters touching the new Ierusalem and resurrection of the dead a 1000 yeares before the end of the world, and in this they agreed not with the ancient Chileasts or Millinaries but with the Co- rinthians that held marrying and getting of Children in that thousand yeares, they hold that Christs death is not for mankind, hut for some certaine persons, and that his death only purgeth away sin before justification, but not after, saying that such sins as are committed after justification are not expiated by the sacrifice of Christ, but by his alone intercession ; they also hold that all such as commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost shall certainly be saved ; because, say they, none can commit that but only such as have repented and received the Holy Ghost, Heb. 6. and been sanctified by the blood of the Co- venant, Heb. 10. They are certaine such cannot be damned, howso- ever such shall lose their assurance, their joy, and comfort in God, and in conscience be as Spira was even in Hell here, such, they say, are delivered up unto Satan, and are not to be prayed for. Moreover that Christs prayer, Iohn 17. when he prayed not for the world, but for such as were already converted or should be converted. Out of the world, they said that prayer was not for any, before justification, nor after apostacy, and yet those that once have faith, cannot for all the apostacies in the world be damned; therefore they held that Hemene- us and Philetus, and Simon Magus, were all certainly saved: they also hold, God Almighty is the author of sinne, and that all the mischiefs that are done in the world were by God decreed: they also held that no manner of death could ceaze of themselves till they came to be slaine in Jerusalem, they said this Kingdome of England is full of abomination, idolatries, and whoredomes, in token of which God hath moved Richard Farneham the Weaver as he did Hosea the Prophet, to take to himselfe another mans wife, viz. a wife of whoredomes, Hos. 3. Which Richard Farneham accordingly did, a Seafaring mans wife, a woman of fine parts for knowledge in the Scripture, which he de- luded, and perswading her that he was a Prophet, she in obedience to him as a Prophet (so she said) was married to him notwithstanding her husband alive at sea, who shortly after comming home, laid his : jti Hj — *- - - ^ ~- : .*-• • - - - — • - • R-— it-- wife in Newgate, where she was arraigned and condemned for having two husbands, but Farneham and she both were confident that she should not dye for that ; as the Harlot did abide for Hosea many dayes, so they were confident this Seafaring mans wife should for Farneham, which accordingly came to passe, for she being a deluded woman, through mercy, did obtaine a reprieve, and it was ordered that the Seafaring man should have his wife againe, who accordingly tooke her, and lay with her in the prison ; which as they said did occasion the fulfilling of the third Chapter, which saith, Love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adultresse, which this woman was now to her husband Farnham, because she had played the whore with the Sea- faring man to whom she was given by the Iustices ; yet not married to him as they said, which by law she ought to have beene, so that now they said this is by them made a nationall sinne, Ier. 3. 1. And as they were confident she should not die, but abide for Farneham, so in this they be true Prophets, for the Seafaring man is gone to the East Indies, and she returned to Farneham in Newbridewell, where he was a prisoner till he sickned, and lohn Bull in Oldbridewell, Only through favour had liberty to go abroad, and often met at one Curtains house in Rosemary lane, where they both dyed, but Farneham dyed the first, and there was betweene Farnhams death and Bulls tenne dayes ; that is, those tenne dayes in which they suffered great tribu- lation, which they say were foretold, Rev. 2. 10. Where it is written, the Devill shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall suffer tribu- lation ten dayes. Be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee a crowne of life : in which time they did daily exhort one another to constancy, and not to be stagger’d by the things that then hapned. One of the women seeming to utter but some doubtfull words, lohn Bull said away devill, and both John and the women said that Farn- ham overcoming that great temptation, and holding fast his confidence to the end, meaning his opinion, he then should receave a Crowne, only he should lye three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth, as Ionah was in the whales belly; but then he should rise, which accordingly he did, viz. upon Ianuary the eighth, 1641. And that then that Scripture was fulfilled, and not before: most impudent- ly affirming, that only in Farnham that Scripture is fulfilled. Also most blasphemously they affirme, that Farnham is that Prophet which 4 Moses spake of, Deut. 18. 18. which was there promised to be raised up like to Moses. This said they was not Christ, for which they al- ledge Iohn 1. 21. where say they, that Prophet, Christ, and Elias, are esteemed three distinct persons. In like manner most blasphemously they applyed many Scriptures proper to our Lord, to Richard Farn- ham, as Psal. 21. The King shall rejoyce in thy strength, thou hast given him his hearts desire, and hast set a crownc of pure gold upon his head. Also Daniel 9. 26. Where it is written that Messia shall be cut off, but not for himselfe, this they say was Farnham Gods anointed. Also Isay 53. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgement, namely Farnham, and who shall declare his generation, the heavens must con- taine Christs body till the restitution, say they Acts 3. 21. And there- fore al these Scriptures and many more are to be fulfilled in Farnham, say their deluded proselites; and that Christ doth make him his sub- stitute to do his work on earth, Psal. 89. 19. 1 have laid help upon him that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people, that (say they) is Farnham, so that he is termed Gods battle-axe, Ier. 20. 21. Thou art my battle-axe and weapon of warre, for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdomes. It would be too tedious to cite the multitude of Scriptures pecu- liar to the Messia that Farnham and his Proselites most blasphemously applyed to that seducer: for Iohn Bull that he is to be a Priest in the new Ierusalem, and after his death to be raised againe. For that pur- pose they bring, 1 Sam. 2. and 2 last vers. I will raise me up a faith- full High Priest, saith God, that shall do according to that which is in my heart, and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. That King Farnham that is there stiled Gods anointed, before whom Iohn Bull must be a Priest for ever. But if any move a question where these two Prophets spend their time now, seeing they did with such confi- dence (before they died) affirme, that within three dayes they should rise againe, and also that divers women which were of their company affirme, that they be for certain risen from the dead. The women answer, viz. Farnhams wife, which was the Seafaring mans wife, and one Cortins wife, in whose house they dyed, Cortin himselfe had beene of their opinion, who also died of the plague. Also one Ticknals wife a Carpenter at Wapping these three seduced women, 5 say that Farnham and Bull are gone to convert the ten Tribes, which said they had travelled a long journey of a yeare and a halfes voyage to find a countrey to serve their God in, a countrey in which no man had ever dwelt, 2 Esdras 13. 41. To that place they women are most confident they be gone, and that as Moses was hid in an Ark of Bull- rushes so Farneham and Bull are gone in vessels of Bullrushes, Isay 18. 1 2. Woe be to that land which they say is England, that sendeth Em- bassadours by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, go ye swift messengers to a nation scattered and rooted, but terrible from the beginning, these be the ten Tribes say they to whom these swift messengers be now sent: that this is truth, they alledge another place, Isay 41. 25. where they say that Farnhams resurrection and journey is recited in that he was then raised from the North, and he shall come from the rising of the Sunne, and shall come upon Princes as upon Morter, and as the Potter treadeth the clay. This is that say they the Apostle speaks of, Acts 13. 40, 41. Beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets, which, say they, is that Farnham the Lords anointed shall come upon the Princes as upon morter; and as the Potter treadeth the Clay: yea, they are so confident of this that they boldly say, if the Scriptures be the Word of God, then are these things certainly true: and so bold and confident that they will in drinking one to another drink to these dead friends, Farnham and Bull, saying that they be certaine they are alive, and shall returne to rule this kingdome with a rod of Iron. Thus we see how fearfully these poore soules are deluded ; but more especially may the fruits of their delusion be discerned, for that we may perceave by discoursing with them how they rejoyce in it; yea, it is even meat and drink to them; and moreover they rejoyce to be evill spoke of, and to suffer shame and reproach, which doubtlesse they do very much : yea and say, that these Prophets left them in charge to suffer as much shame as was laid upon them, either by following their corps to the grave, or otherwise, for the more their shame was, the greater should their glory be. Yea, Farnhams wife, whose husband comming home from sea, and finding his wife deluded, and so married to Farnham, to fulfill (as they did conceave) that in Hosea, where the Prophet was commanded to take unto himselfe a wife of whoredomes Mrs. Haddin- ton (for so I take it her name was) she was content to lose the glory of 6 being esteemed an honest woman, and to be accounted a wife of whore- domes, that she might occasion as she did conceave the fulfilling of that prophesic. But O the Devill that subtill Serpent, who hath in- tangled the minds of these poor women, for that there was one that would have beene at cost of opening the graves, though six or seven weeks after they were dead, that so the sight of the dead corps in graves might have convinced their follies. But O the deepnesse of Satan, he had perswaded them how this was the very time that Scrip- ture was fulfilled, Mat. 22. 39, 40. An adulterous generation seekes a signe, but no signe shall be given but that of the Prophet Ionah where as they said, our Lord shewed many miracles, but said they the men of this generation, have oft times sought a sign from Farnham, but no signe must he given, and therefore if their graves be opened and the simillits of their bodies should appeare, to our sences, it is hut what they doe expectt, for that to this generation no signe shall be given, notwithstanding they are certaine as they say, that their true bodies are not there ; the consideration of which delusion may make any ho- nest Christian even with a sad heart to poure out prayers for them, and to move those that be able with patience and meeknesse to prove, if by any meanes they can recover them out of the snare of the devill, for that these three with some others, setting their delusion aside, are esteemed by understanding men, to be women of good parts, honest of conversations, and very ready in Scriptures, and therefore it is hoped that it would not be labour lost, for some able divines to labour their redusingi let him know that he that conveiteth a sinner from the errour of his way, shall save a soule from death, and shall hide a multitude of sinnes, lames 5. 20. The wise shall shine as the hrightnesse of the firmament, and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever. FINIS. $roi»fiet*g0 of S5tttntmttU=|i?tlL* (INWORTH, ESSEX.) THE stories of the Demon of Tedworth, and the Cock-Lane Ghost, have been long exploded; and indeed witchcraft in general seems to have fallen into disrepute in these enlightened times. But if witch- craft has lost most of its influence, there hath arisen, in our days, an infatuation equally ridiculous, and perhaps equally dangerous in its operations upon society; I mean the spirit of false prophecy. — In the parish of Inworth, near Kelvedon, in this county, at a place called Windmill-Hill, a little girl of the name of Everet, now resides, who is said to be inspired by a supernatural power. Now, as I am well con- vinced how much any thing of this kind is apt to be exaggerated as the news of it is more widely diffused, I wish to send you a true and faithful account of it, that your readers may not be imposed upon by the false reports of the feeders of public credulity. The father of this girl is a labourer, who bears a very decent character, and does not be- lieve that his daughter has any preternatural visitations; but the mo- ther is a woman of some art, and though it never was said that she was a witch, yet a person, whose veracity is not to be disputed, declares, that he saw her in a thick wood belonging to the parson, with a black bill in her hand. On Sunday, the 5th of February, it was reported in the neighbourhood, that this girl Everet, a child of 12 years old, had seen the element opened, (whether of fire, water, earth, or air, was not determined) and a large body of soldiers in the clouds — I hope they were none of our militia, for they ought to be better employed than in laying siege to castles in the air — Besides this, she was, of a sudden, able to read well in the bible, with scarcely any previous education. In consequence of these reports, a large croud assembled at the cot- tage, who were wonderfully edified by hearing astonishing prophesies read by her out of a book, supposed to have been a bible ; but this could not be ascertained, as whoever looked into it besides herself, was to be cursed: one poor woman, ’tis said, lost her sight in the attempt; but perhaps, her eyes being rather dim before, she now only saw through a glass darkly. She prophesied that London, whose name she changed to Loaden, because it was loaden (a little grammatical mistake for laden) with sins, was to be destroyed before the expiration of three years, in ten days, by the French; and the lions in the Tower were to lend a hand in pulling down her corner stone — I am not sure that the * From the •‘Chelmsford Chronicle” of February 17, 1797. ' . ■ * . . . .. . • . . French will like these companions. The grass is to grow three inches high, and the blood to flow two inches deep in the streets; and the Fox is to go over the desolated city. (If any should share the fate of Ne- buchadnezzar, when this tremeudous prophecy is fulfilled, how lucky it is for them that the grass will grow even one inch higher than the blood!) All the royal family (whom God preserve,) are to be swept away, except the prince of Wales, who will reign till the end of the world, which is confined to a period of 350 years. These are the chief of the prophecies delivered on Sunday, to a simple and illiterate audi- ence. On Monday following a much larger croud assembled, among whom were some persons of information; but alas, the spirit had then deserted her. Now as no just reason can be given why the spirit, if it had been a good one, should not hold an intercourse with the wise as well as the simple, I am much inclined from this circumstance to be- lieve that it must have been an evil one : indeed I am pretty well con- vinced of its being an evil spirit, (if there was any;) for I observed a bitch that was in the room, look very queerly; and truly, Mr. Printer, there was a sulphurous and most diabolical smell. The common people were most struck by hearing the girl repeat, for some continuance, and as if she read it in the bible, such outlandish and heterogeneous gib- berish, as they thought it impossible for a child of her age either to invent, or even to learn by heart. How far she was instructed by artful villany cannot be known; but it is nothing extraordinary for a girl of 12, with a lively imagination, who had been in the habit of reading the Lamentations, Revelations, and Moore's Almanack , (as her parents confessed she had been) to conbine such an assemblage of incongruous ideas, as would surprize any person, who was fool enough to be affected with such childish prattle, without either divine or demonical commu- nications. It i9 generally supposed, and indeed it appears pretty evi- dent, that the girl was put upon this scheme to bring some pecuniary advantages to her mother. She professes, however, to refuse all dona- tions; though it can be proved that she has received some money, con- trary to law. And therefore it happens rather unluckily for this demon that the house which it frequents is very near the parson’s of the pa- rish, who is likewise a justice of the peace, and from this double capa- city he is said to be more than a match for any devil, in a questionable shape. This gentleman has dropped some distant hints about bridewell, and a whipping post, which has had an instantaneous effect upon the parties; and which it is hoped, will effectually exorcise their minds, and clear them from all such vague notions, and psuedo-magical delusions. ANTIS ADDU CISM ATICUS. Great Totkam: Printed at Charles Clark’s Private Press*