their princes; telling them, that he was commanded of God to deftroy all wicked princes, and fubftitute new ones in their places; and that they were called indeed princes, but were tyrants. Moreover, that they would not reftore unto the people their liberty, nor permit them to have the true religion and fervice of God; exhorting them rather to dye, then to allow, their wickedness, and suffer the doctrine of the gofpel to be taken from them; and therefore to play the men, and gratify God, in deftroying fuch unprofitable people.

"Likewise, that this their great zeal towards God, and outward humility, got them in the beginning many followers; for their demands were first, that they might choose them fuch ministers, as should preach God's word fincerely, without any mixture of men's traditions. Secondly, That thenceforth they would pay no tythes, but of corn only; and the fame to be diftributed by the difcretion of good men, partly to the ministers of the church, partly upon the poor, and partly upon common affairs. Thirdly, That they had till that time been unworthily kept in bonds, confidering how they were all made free in the bloud of Chrift. Fourthly, That they refufed not to have a magiftrate, know

ing that he is ordained of God, and would obey him in all honeft things; but could not abide to be any longer bound, unless it were fhewed reasonable by the teftimony of scripture.* Fifthly, That in all their letters, which they wrote to provoke and allure others to their fellowship, they made their boast, that they took up arms by God's commandment, and for a certain love and zeal to the common-wealth, to the intent the doctrine of the gospel might be fet forth, augmented, and maintained. And fixthly, That truth, equity, and honeft living might reign and flourish; as alfo, that they might fo provide for them and theirs, that thenceforth they fhould not be oppreffed with any violence.

"And that when they had thus at few words declared the cause of their enterprize, they would then command their neighbours to arm, and come unto them immediately, and help them; if not, then would they threaten to come upon them with all their force. But having gotten the power and Luther's judg. arms into their hands, they committed di

ment of the anabaptifts of

vers horrid outrages; infomuch as Luther his days. exhorted all men, that they would come to deftroy them as wicked theeves and parricides,

* Lb. f. 63.

+ Lb. f. 64. b. & 65.

in

Muncer defeated in open rebellion, taken, and beheaded.

in like cafe as they would come to quench a common fire, having most shamefully broken their faith to their princes, taken other men's goods by force, and cloak all this abomination and wickednefs with the cover of Christianity, which, faith he, is the vileft and unworthiest thing, that can be imagined.

"In Suevia and Franconia, about forty thousand pefants took arms, robbed a great part of the nobility, plundered many towns and caftles, Muncer being their chief captain; fo that the princes of the empire, Albert count of Mansfield, John duke of Saxony, and his coufen George Philip the landgrave of Heffe, and Henry duke of Brunfwick, were neceffitated to raise what power they could; and having offered them pardon upon fubmiffion, and delivering up their principal leaders, which was refused, marcht against them. *But Muncer preparing for battel, encouraged his followers, crying out to them. to take their weapons, and fight ftoutly against their enemies, finging a fong, whereby they called for help of the Holy Ghoft.t The fuccefs of which battel was, that the

Sleidan's Com. f. 57

+ Thus did the rebels here in England at the last battle of Newbery, 27 Oct. 1644"

rebels

rebels at the first onset were foon put in diforder, and above five thousand flain on the place; and that Muncer fled and hid himself; but being found and brought to the princes, was (with his fellow Phifer) beheaded at Mulbufe

den revives

"And about the year 1535, * John of Leyden John of Ley(a taylor by trade and of this tribe) preach- the fect. ing the doctrine of Rebaptization fo much infected the inferior fort of people by the means of private conventicles, that his followers grew numerous, and exercifed violence against thofe, that were not of their fect. At laft robbing their adverfaries, and gathering together in great troops, they poffefs themselves of the strongest part of the city of Munfter, declaring, that all fuch, as were not rebaptized ought to be accounted pagans and infidels and to be killed. His companions were Rofman and Chipper doling, who gathered together to that city great numbers of the bafe fort of people, and feeing their ftrength, chofe new fenators of their own fect, making Cripperdoling the chief,

who taught, that the people might put down their magiftrate. And albeit that

Roundheads.

the apostles had no commandment to ufurp any jurifdiction, yet fuch as were their minifters of the church ought to take upon them the right of the fword, and by force to establish a new common-wealth. Hereupon they spoiled the fuburbs, and burnt the churches; fo that the bishop of Munfter (who was lord of the city, and forced out) befeiged them, the neighbour princes giving affistance; which feige continuing long, the famine grew to be fuch, as that the befeiged miferably perifhed in great numbers; and at length the befeigers forcing their entrance by affault, flew many, took the ring-leaders, and having put them to death, hanged their bodies in feveral cages of iron, on the highest towers of that city. Thus far Sleidan.

"It is not unworthy observation, that divers of thefe German phanatiques, to the end they might at that time be the better known to those of their own fect, did cut their hair round, as Petrus Crinitus (an author of good credit) in his book De Bello Rufticano, tom. 3. p. 209. avereth; * from which example there is no doubt, but that these of ours took their

pattern, whence they were generally called roundheads.

Agmen tonfile a rotunde detonfis capitibus.

5

There