Chap. VIII. The HISTORY oft& PURITANS. 359 nifters in Cambridge, Northampton/hire and Warwickjhire ; that at thefe ueen meetings there were ufually between twelve and twenty miniflers prefent; Elizábath, that they had a moderator ; that they begun and ended with prayer ; and that their ufual debates were, how far they might comply with the efla- blifhment rather than forego their miniftry ; here they revifed their book efdifcipline, and confulted.ofpeaceable methods ïn fubordination to the laws, for promoting a reformation in the church, and how far they might exer- cife their own platform in the mean time : But the worft part of theircon - feflion was, their difcovering the names of the brethren who were prefent, which brought them into trouble. The reafons they gave for taking the oath were, (a.) Becaufe it was adminiflered by a lawful magiftrate. (2.) Be- caufe the magiftrate had aright to fearchout the truth in matters relating to the publick fafety. (s.) Becaufe it was impofíible to keep things any longer fecret, many letters of the brethren having been intercepted. (4.) Becaufe there was nothing criminal in their afìetnblies, and theilnagiflrate might fufped worfe things of them than were true; and though their con- feflions might bring Come into trouble, they might deliver others who were fufpeded. How far thefe reafons will ju(lify the confefrs, I leave with the reader; but it is certain they purchafed. their own liberties at the ex- penceof their brethrens; for they had the favour to be difmiffed, and lived without diflurbance afterwards. To render the puritans odious to the publick, all enthufa/ts withoutExecution of diflinëtion were ranked among them ; even Racket and his two prophets, Hache . 4rtbington and Coppinger : Hacket was a blafphemous, ignorant wretch, natry who could not fo muchas read ; he pretended to be king yefus, and to fet Vol. ult.. -up his empire in the room of the queen's, who . (he laid) was no longer to P. 71. be queen of England: He defaced her majefly's arms, and (tabbed her pi$lure through with his dagger, in the houfe where he lodged. Beingap- prehended and put upon the rack, he confeffed every thing they would have him, and uponhis trial pleaded guilty, declaring he was moved there- unto by the fpirit he was hanged July t 8th. and died raving like amad- man. Coppinger f£arved himfelf in prifon, but Arthington lived to recover The puritans his fenfes and was pardoned. Dr. Nichols Pays, that by the folicitations of not concerned thefe men, the puritans flirred up thepeople to rebellion, their defign being Pierceh;. communicated to Cartwright, Egerton, and Wigginton; whereas there was Kind. p, roo, not a fingle puritan concerned with them. Fuller the hiftorian fpeaks can- B. Ix. didly of the matter ; " This bufinefs of Hacket, lays he, happened unfea-P 3S6. fonably for the prefbyterians; true it is, they as cordially detefted his " blafphemies as any of the epifeopal party ; and filch of them as loved " Racket the . non- conformift, abhorred Hacket the heretick, after he had mounted to :fo high a pitch of impiety." However Mr. Cart- wright wrote an apology for himfelf and his brethren, againfl the afper- " fions
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