A Full and exact Relation of two old Apostles, aged above 1000 Years, coming invisibly into the great City of THOLOUZE, &c.
I Promis'd you when I left LONDON to give you a particular account of what remarkable Passages which might happen in these parts; at present I can meet with nothing worth your acceptance, but this ensuing Story concerning these two old Men, which causes here great admiration; The [...]tory as it is represented to us here, I pray take as follows, (viz.)
A Few days since arrived in this City Two very Antient M [...]n who call themselves Apostles, and they say they have the Spirit of Truth; No Person at any time ever saw them enter into this City: they go in such an extraordinary strange Habit as never was seen before in any Country in the World They walk about the Streets Preaching, and exhorting the People to Repent, and do Penance, and to quit their evil Lives, Because they say that God is angry against the Romans; They say that this City is as another Sodom, and that the Iniquity [Page 3] of this People is mounted up to Heaven, and that within Three Months, (if they Repent not, and amend their Lives) this City shall be destroy'd by Fire as Sodom was. They have continued still in this City Preaching from day to day; they go with their Feet bare, and their Hands and Eyes always lifted up to Heaven; They have not been known to sleep ever since they came hither; they have been often forbidden by the Magistrates to Preach; But they answer'd, they were sent on the behalf of God, to move the People to Repent and do Penance; whereupon they were caused to be put into Prison, where several Jesuits, and Learned Men went to visit them, and Disputed with them in the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, & Chaldean Languages. They certainly know those that live a wicked life; and when any such come before them, they particularly exhor them to Repent, and amend their Lives. Their Food is nothing but Bread and Water; they lift up their Hands and Eys continually towards Heaven, and are continually exhorting the People to Repentance; They precisely nominate the day that our Saviour shall come to Judgement in: And when they were asked how long time shall yet pass before the general day of Judgment; They answerey, that the World shall have an end in the year One Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety; But about two or three years before that time, all the Christian World should be troubled with Wars. They say they are much above a Thousand Years [Page 4] of age; And being askt from whence they came, they answer'd, they came from Damascus a City in Galilea, and were sent by God to Preach Repentance to the World. The Jesuits have obtain'd of our Magistrates, that these Men should be sent to ROME to the POPE; But these (Apostles as they call themselves,) answer'd, that they knew very well all that must happen unto them; And that it was altogether unnecessary to force them, for they had a great desire to go voluntarily to ROME: their Chains were made of strong and heavy Iron; and when they were in the Streets, and their Chains very strongly fastned on their Legs, they brake them in Pieces before all the People, who were wonderfully astonisht thereat, which caused them all to believe them to be very great Saints; they are now on their Journey for ROME. I shall shortly give you an account of their behaviour in their Journey. and of their behaviour and reception at Rome.
Tholouze, Aug: the 18th. 1680.