raise up some in the room of Hall and Ware, to perfect the work of God: A member present, interrupts her, and desires she may have liberty to call over Anne Wells in the name of Jesus, which being done, she re­covers. Margaret, and others, came to this Anne Wells, saying, they were more confirmed now then ever, acknow­ledging her dream to be a They say, Anne Wells made them believe she had a discovery from God, that they were coming back, and that the book was began to print: which was so. disco­very.

About a fortnight after the re­turn of the aforesaid Ma. Hall, and Nic. Ware, this Informant saith, that she did counterfeit a dead fit; and Ma. Hall speaking to her, as former­ly, in the name of Jesus, and she re­ceiving no benefit, he then confessed to her in private, that it was revealed to him at London, that she should not be perfectly recovered of those fits, untill she was These informe, that the mar­riage was carried on by a pretended Revelation from Anne Wells, as a thing tending to the work of God: this discovery was made to her about the 4 ^th day of the week that she must be married to Hall, and it must be dispatched upon the next first day without delay: the suddennesse of which (they of Whatfield say) was opposed by them: then arguments were brought by them for it, that they had been in a work of God toge­ther, and so were still; and that they were to travel together: and put it to their judgments, whether it were not better to be married, then to tra­vel single: they did also urge the marriage of Isaac and Rebec­ca: and that of Sampson, Judg. 14. married unto him. Accordingly they were mar­ried the next Lords day, in John Pods house of VVhatfield, by Nich. Ware, in the presence of their members; who then told them, that he found nothing in Scripture concerning marriage, but onely giving and ta­king: then asking the people whe­ther they were willing the match should go forward, he joyned them together. The same day after marriage, (as she informs) Ma. Hall her husband was taken very sick, and throwing himself upon a bed in the room, pretended himself to be in a strange condition, his legs seeming very stiffe: untill Nic. VVare had called over him in the name of Jesus, upon which he rises up. This was done, (as she saith) that the mar­riage might be confirmed to be of God: though afterward he (the [Page 3] said Hall) confessed unto his wife, (as she informs) that this was only to delude the people.

She further informeth, that the ordinary subject of their preaching, was chiefly about love, the personal reign of Christ, &c. affirming, they needed not to preach The seduced people of Whatfield do acknowledg, that their Pastors taught indeed, it was need­lesse to preach faith and repentance to their members; but yet they preach'd it to the world, as they occasionally did come in among them. faith and repentance, the foundation being already laid: and she further saith, that in all their discourses, they never fail to rail against the godly Ministers, as Antichristian, and preachers of false doctrine; and that none are admitted to be a mem­ber of their Church, before publique profession made to hear none of them, except purposely to cavil against them, and disturb them: backing it with this Scrip­ture, Withdraw from every brother that walks disor­derly; applying this to the Ministry of the Church of England: further saying, they do maintain false worship.

About a moneth after the marriage, Nic. VVare had a They acknow­ledge such a Reve­lation, but it pro­ceeded (say they) from Anne Wells, who tempted Ware to lye with her, saying it was re­vealed to her, that she should have a childe, which should be borne at three moneths end, and at a year old should speak with tongues, and then they should all speake with tongues: and that if he had no part in the childe, he should have no part in the pro­mise. Revelation, that this Anne Wells (now Halls Wife) was a Type of the Church of the Jews, her husband of the Gentiles, and he the said Ware a type of Israel, and that Judah and Israel should be all one flesh, as well as spirit: and looking into the Bible, and finding in Esdras, that women had untimely births, that spake with tongues, he told her, that she should have a childe within three moneths, which should at a year old speak with tongues; but not un­less he might have the carnal knowledg of her: where­upon, she asked her husband how she should yeeld to him, her husband bad her be willing; for if it were for the glory of God, why should she withstand it. The night following, Ware (lying in another bed where she and her husband lay) came to bed to them, but had not his desire of her, although her husband thrust her several times towards him, and bad her be willing. The next morning she said that she was much troubled, because Ware had lyen in the bed with her, telling her husband, that he should never do the [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 4] like again: whereupon her husband said, he should not; for it was revealed to him, That, as when Abraham was willing to offer up his son Isaac, God accepted the will for the deed; so he being willing that one night to offer his wife to the said VVare, God had accepted the will for the deed, and it should be so no more: whereupon, acquainting Ware with the said Re­velation, Ware smote upon his breast and wept, saying. What, shall I lose another wife thus?

This Informant further confesseth, that it be­ing told them, that they should come into trou­ble for their delusive book, called, The Gospel Way confirmed by Miracles, Nic Ware brought this Scripture, when you are persecuted in one city, flee into another: accordingly this Infor­mant and her husband, and the said Ware, went to Woodbridge: where it was Those of Whatfield inform, that it was Anne Wells, that pretended she had it revealed to her, that there was plotting in the Army against the honest party, to destroy them, and then England should be destroyed; and therefore it was discove­red to her, that they must go into Holland three years and an half: she said further, that she was a Type, and to that end, had fine habit bought her, that so she might be admitted into the Jewes Congregation: being come thither, she and her husband wrote a letter to the Church of Whatfield, that she could understand the Jews language, and that the Jews spake the [Page 5] true language, but mixt: The Copy of which letter followes, as it was taken out of the Original. Dear sister, my kinde love to you remembred, hoping of your discerning spirit in the things of God: I shall send you a few words concerning my hearing of the Jews: I could understand them, and see abundance of God: they speake the true language, only mix­ed. And concerning bro­ther VVare you know in many things already, I might have found them to be true by experience, which have caused a sad burthen to me and my husband, it being the cause of one tempest: so now desiring your prayers to God for him and me, lest it hinder the work of God: and now desiring you to consider my condition in spi­rit and body, for my burthen is very great, and I have no work I can do. So in haste, desiring to hear from you with all speed; by the Post at London, (you may send to Rotterdam every week) with my prayers to God for you, I rest, Your sister in Christ, Anne Hall. Dated at Rotterdam, Octob. 29. 1648.Postscript. You may send by any, and let no body see this letter. They inform further, that in the time of the absence of Ware, Hall, and Anne VVells, they sent an Epistle to the Church of VVhatfield: the origi­nal copy of which, is here set down in their own spelling English, letter for letter, as followeth: An Epesele to the Church of Whatfelede. UNto the Church at Whatfelede, beloved of god, caled to be Saintes, grace, marcy and pease be multiplyed unto you; our love in the Lord comended unto you: we are bounde to give thinkes to God al­wayes for you, and destringe you may gr [...]w to perfecktion, for [...] we ware presante with you, we dead indener to exorte you, and now beinge absente, we deffer you that you would exorte one another dayly, and endeuer to quicken the grace of God in you, and intreatinge you that you would walke worthy of the gosple wher vnto you are caled, l [...]e­ringe is kept the vnity of the sprite in the bande of pease, and the God of pease shall dwill in you, and amonge you; and ferder we intrete you to stande faste in the leberty of the gosple wherin Christe haue [...] you fre, not suferinge youer selves to be mesled by int [...]nge wordes, for you cannot be ignorante of the confermationes you have had in the [...] of God, by that mighty powr of God manifested among you by sines and [...]ricles, you ha [...]i [...]ege more case to rejoyse then any in the worlde: though for the preseante you may sufer by Sathan or his instrumentes, who will labere to darken that lights, that ha [...]e sh [...] fo [...]th amonge you, whome reses [...]e stedfastely in the faith; for which case if you be ca­led to sufer, for you know that Christe haue sufered before you, and the [Page 6] servant is not grater then the Master, and allsoe you have a grate cloude of wetneces whoe have gone before you as valiente Conquerers threw Christe that strenthened them; what if Sathane shoulde caste some of you in preson, or take awaye youre life, you have a life in Christe fer beter, and we knowe that god will strenthin you woe will be with you in all your suferinges, for it is not you that sufer, but Christe in you, for it is for his sake: therfore let not the rage of men, nor the temtation of Sathen frighte you nor desharten you, or Case you to draw backe, for if you doe, the Lorde will take no plesur in you; for you may know that this is noe place of a bideinge, for we are as pelgrumes and strangers, and owre in heritance is not here, but in the worlde to come: and we seke a Contrey, let us not fainte nor be wary, but be ye faithfule unto the death, and Christe shall giue you a Crowne of life: and you muste knowe, that the dayes of trouble is at hande, for the Lorde hath a Con­travercy with ingelande, and thay contemning his love, thay muste drinke depe of the Cupe of Gods anger, and ther abominations ripen apase, and god will cut them downe, and that shortely; but seke ye iudgment and rightous, it may be you may be hed to the day of the Lords anger; and you that are the Elders home God have Caled to that place, we intreate you that you loocke over the family of god, which he have perchased with his blode, strenthininge the weak, and comfortinge the feble, and reprouinge those that walke desorderly, and we, as owre duty is, shall pray, that god would suply all youer wantes, and strenthinge that worke that is begune in you, untill the Cominge of our Lord Ie­sus Christe. Brethren and Sisters, we salute you all in the Lord, with an Epesle of love, destringe your perfection, as you are owre Epesele wreten in owre hartes, and we shall reioye to heare of your walking together in all thinges well plesinge to god, and destringe that he woulde fell you with all ioy in sprete, & coe remaye your pasters to Comand, Nicholas Ware. & Mathew Hall. and Anne his wife, salute you all in the Lord. Revealed to the said VVare, that this Informant (being a Type of the Jews) should go into the wilder­ness; and that she should have Ear-rings, and jewels, and costly apparel, such as the Jews had: which were accordingly bought for her at Wood­bridge, by VVare and her husband. Their mo­ney being spent, Mat. Hall went thence to John Pods at Whatfield; and (as he told her) he reported there to the Church, that it was discovered to him, that the members should maintain their Pastors in their travels, whereup­on he obtained three pounds, with which return­ing to Woodbridge, he told his wife, that he had gained that three pounds by telling an untruth; with this, and other moneys her husband had procured of his friends, they went all three of them into Holland, (which they tearmed the wilderness) where (as the said VVare alledged) they should continue the whole three years and an half. At their coming to Rotterdam, an [Page 5] Englishman presented them with a quart of sack and Suger-cakes, and other dainties, which (they said) was a confirmation to them, that this Informant was a Type of the Jews, in re­gard that as the Jews had gifts presented to them, so had she.

[Page 6]But after they had been in Hol­land three weeks, and all their money was spent, they bethought themselves of their returning into England, and at the end of seven weeks they were returned: and this Informant demanding how three years and an half could be made up of seven weeks, her hus­band reckoned every fortnight for a year, and the odde week for half a year, and so made up the three years and an half.

After their return from Hol­land, this Informant further saith, that meeting with one Sudbury Deekes a Member of VVhatfield Church, (whose wife liveth [Page 7] at Hadley, and he with one Goodwife VVebb of Briset) he told her, that more miracles had been wrought in her absence, by himself, and one Henry Hagur, another member of the said Church, (who hath one wife at Norwich, and They say that Hagur was first contracted by pro­mise, to one living at Norwich, and afterward married to another, that lives now in Hol­land. another wife in Hol­land) and instanced in one Miracle wrought upon Goodwife Pod, who was miraculously cured of a great pain in her Chest: And the said Goodwife Pod did likewise tell this Informant, that when the said Deekes spake unto her, she had much ease; but when the said Hagur said unto her in her pain, In the name of Jesus, Sister arise and walk; then she was fully cured of that pain. The other Miracle was wrought upon Goodwife VVebb, who was miracu­lously cured of a disease in her Eares, called the Weennes, (as she told this Informant) upon their call­ing over her in the name of Jesus: but they have both (since the discovery of the falseness of their book, call­ed The Gospel way, &c.) denyed any miracles to be wrought upon them; though formerly they had ac­knowledged it to this Informant.

This Informant doth further declare, that she having a brother, a poor boy, about 15. years of age, her husband procured for him a red gawdy They inform, that this sute of apparel was sold to them by Hall, before he went into Holland, and after his return, Hall requested it again of them, because (as he said) it was discovered to his wife, that her bro­ther must have that sute, being ap­pointed to powre out a vial, spoken of in the Revelation. sute of apparel, having it revealed to him (as he said) that this boy should do some strange things.

Thus for a time they went on smoothly in their wickedness, blessing themselves, and making others believe (by their horrid delusions) that they were even miraculously blessed by God, in these most accursed practices; untill Gods wonderful pati­ence (which though it be often long bearing, yet will not be ever bearing) could no longer bear with these notorious im­postors: his righteous soul, in seeing and hearing, being vexed from day to day with their unlawful deeds: which he would now suffer to proceed no further, manifesting their folly unto all. For God (who in his infinite Wisdome, never wants means to bring about his ends) so ordered it,

[Page 8] The seduced people of Whatfield, fully agree in this information about this breaking out among them, that it was thus oc­casioned by her dream, as she relates: and further in form, that upon examina­tion before them, Jan. 23. 1648. there was so much beastliness, uncleannesse, & unheard of wickedness discovered and brought to light, (viz. that before marriage she counterfeited a pain in the lower part of her belly, which by Reve­lation VVare, and Hall must cure, by touching it, in the name of Jesus. As also after her marriage to Hall, that Ware did sun­dry times lye with her, which (as they inform) he hath testified to them with his own hand; with much more notorious villany) which they say they trem­ble to relate: as being al­together unfit for a sober pen to write, or a modest eye to read; for it is a shame to speak of those things done by them in se­cret. Hereupon (they said) they dealt with them according to the command of Christ.That upon January 16. 1648. this In­formant Anne Wells (as she further confesseth) had a most terrible dream in the night, that the day of Judgement was come, and that the balls of fire fell thick about her eares, to her great terror and affrightment. VVhen she awoke, she told this dream with abundance of horror to her husband; further telling him, that if she did not discover those notorious falsities and dissimulations contained in their late book, called (The Gospel way, &c.) she should go to the Devil: all that day following she lay in a sad despairing condition, still confessing their delusions. Then Nic. VVare was sent for, to whom she affirmed, that she must now declare, that all that was done, was but delusion. In this perplexed condition she continued for the space of 4 dayes, before Ma. Hall, or Ni. Ware, (to whom she had discovered her self) would declare it unto any, hoping to smother it; but when they could conceal it no longer, (her hor­ror of conscience still continuing) it was made known to other of their members: hereupon the Church (she saith) was called together: the whole business was examined, she acknowledg­ed, that sundry unclean practices (called by them the Bawdy Miracles) were acted upon her by Hall and ware; (which though confessed upon her information, yet are judged unfit to be turned into publique expressions to any mo­dest reader.) Her husband much displeased at the carriage of this business, frames complaints before the Church against her: among other things, informs the Church of Nic. Wares ly­ing with her, alledging, that she had commit­ed whoredome with the said Ware; and here­upon, did, in the presence of the Church, dis­own her for his wife.

[Page 9]This Anne Wells being thus cast off, both by her husband, and the Church, she was necessitated to return to her poor mo­ther at Stoke; where being taken notice of by the Inhabitants, as one likely to become presently chargeable to the Town, (be­ing, as she confessed, with childe) she was brought before the next Justice of the Peace, before whom she (upon her free con­fession) gave in these above-mentioned Informations, relating to the proceedings of the seduced people of Whatfield, together with the most remarkable occurrences, during the time of her entertainment among them: hereupon, her husband appearing with many members of the said Church of Whatfield, (who la­boured, as much as shame would let them, to clear both him and Ware their Pastors,) it was ordered by the Justice, that this Ma. Hall should take care to provide for his wife: which he shewed much unwillingnesse unto. But when he saw there was no other way, but he must either suffer, or secure the Town of Stoke aforesaid; upon some private consultation with some of the said members then present, he was counselled by them, to own her before the Magistrate, though he ran away from her presently; which advice he accordingly followed: for engage­ing before the Justice to take her home, and maintain her as a wife, the very same evening returning homeward together, he ran away, and left her in the open fields.

Thus have I as succinctly and impartially (as a relation of this nature would admit) drawn up the most material passages, (and as neer as might be in their own words) concerning these Diabolical practices, collected out of their own Informations taken before the Justice; (without any prejudice to the persons of any) ayming onely at Gods glory, and the prevention of others from being led a way with such Satanical Revelations and delusions, forsaking the written Word of God, which should be a light to our feet, and lanterne to our pathes: desiring all to whose hands these papers shall come, seriously to read over, and deliberately to ponder these following Scriptures, [...] [Page 10] Esay 8.20. To the Law, and to the Testimony; if they speak not ac­cording to this word, it is because there is no LIGHT in them: again, 2 Pet. 1.19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a LIGHT that shineth in a dark place, untill the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: and to name no more, 2 Pet. 3.17, 18. Ye therefore beloved, see­ing ye know those things, beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastnesse. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; to him be glory both now and for ever, Amen.