Question. WHat is your name?

Answer. Anabaptist.

Q. Who gave you that name?

A. The priestly Fathers, and learned Schollers of the world, who study the profane tongues of Greeke and Lataine, and still retaine the super­stitious Ceremony of the Hebrew, and use all the languages of the beast.

Q. Why are you called Anabaptists?

A. Because we went naked into the pure wa­ter, and were dipped in the holy streames, where we clensed our bodies (from the corrup­tion that was before upon us) in the presence of the Brethren, and the Sisters of the Congre­gation.

Q. Why was the Congregation present at that time?

[Page 2] A. To be witnesses of the promises which the Dippers then caused me to make.

Q. What were the promises that were made between you and the Congregation?

A. First, that I should forsake all the learned, and renounce the wise, and men of understan­ding, to follow the Communion of Fooles, and simple people, and that all things may be com­mon among us.

Secondly, that I should beleeve a sister, and take her word, and she mine, without the abo­minable ceremony of Marriage.

Thirdly, that I should keep the secrets of all the Brethren, and Sisters, and walke in the same all the daies of my life.

Q. Doest thou not think that thou art bound to all that thou hast promised?

A. Yes truly, and (had I nothing else to bind me) it is tye enough to keep the favours of our loving company.

Q. Which is the way to keep still in favour with them?

A. To be constant (against all reason) in the maintenance and defence of their opinions.

Q. What be the opinions of the Anabaptists?

A. The Anabaptists are of opinion that they may do what they will if conscience moves them to it, and they are of opinion that infants are not [Page 3] fit to be baptised, nor received into the Commu­nion and brotherly fellowship, till they be of big­nesse fit to accompany with; And that men and women have no souls more than their life blood. Also that what the conscience approves of, can­not be ill, and that all men and women who are not of this minde, are the prophane of the world, who have not any power at all to com­mand us to any thing against our consciences.

Q. Are all Independants of your opinion?

A. No, none but only Anabaptists.

Q. Why, are not you Independants?

A. Yes, but Independants differ in judge­ment.

Q. What is the main thing that you and Inde­pendants d [...]ffer in?

A. We differ very much from them, for though you call them Independants (a name too honourable for them, yet) they are none, for they do allow of lawes, and orders, and blacke-coats, and prophane learning, and superstitious preach­ing in Pulpits, and many such things the Inde­pendants approve of, but we dare not allow of any such things.

Q. If you cast off all order, by what Discipline do you walke?

A. Discipline I do you talke to us of Disci­pline? what doe you thinke we cannot walke [Page 4] without Discipline: alas! alas! we have a liberty (which the rest of the world are ignorant of) there is never a one of us but may follow what Discipline he thinks in his own conscience is best and thats a pleasant Discipline.

Q. How can you agree together, and continue your meeting, without some manner of Order, or Discipline, to do it by?

A. Why, let me tell you, there is so much correspondency in affection amongst us, that all the Brethren, and the Sisters, will agree, they are resolved upon that, so soon as they are made Anabaptists. After which they will not in any case offend the consciences of the weak, in any thing tending to the further kindling of the love of one to another.

Q. What Customes have you in your mee­tings? have you no lawes?

A. Customes, oh fie upon them, they are Po­pish, we hate the very name of superstitious Customes and lawes are a burden that we can­not beare.

Q. What then is the rule by which you walke?

A. We are a free-borne people, and have pri­viledges above all rule.

Q. How many priviledges have you?

A. Ten.

Q. Which be they?

[Page 5] A.

• 1. That all the goods, husband, wife, and all things whatsoever, any of the Congrega­tion have is in common to all.
• 2. That we are free from bowing down under the yoke of mans Law, and Rule, and all obedi­ence, and subjection whatsoever.
• 3. That wee are free from all oaths and cove­nants, either with the King, Parliament, or Peo­ple, so we keep promise amongst our selves.
• 4. We are priviledged from the burden of the Sabbath, and are not strict in observing of it, e­verie man is left to himselfe, to keep it, or not to keep it, as he will himselfe.
• 5. Wee give no honour, nor respect to one more than to another; but are (without all dif­ference of persons) hale fellow, well met, when we are together.
• 6. Wee are free from bloud-shed, and will not kill, no not a Lowse; nor do wee hold it fit that any should bee punished for his infir­mities.
• 7. No man is to lye with his brothers wife, whilst her husband is in presence, except hee be fast asleep, or dead drunk.
• 8. Whosoever desires to live without taking paines, to get his living by his trade and calling, hee may go from house to house, to be releeved with all that he can get.
• [Page 6]9. None of the fellowship dare presume to disclose the secrets of our Conventicles to the profane, lest the world render us more odious than they do already.
• 10. None of the Fellowship is to keep his house, his table, his wife, his servant, his estate, or any thing he hath, for himselfe; but is to let any member of the Congregation partake with him of all things in common.

Q. What use do you make of these priviledges?

A. Wee have two speciall benefits by them; first, in having a share in the Brethrens goods; and secondly, in having a right in the Sisters af­fections.

Q. How do you do to get to share with the bre­thren in their goods?

A. Wee go to the Pastour, and he procures any thing for us that we want.

Q. In what way do you addresse your selves to the Sisters?

A. Wee put off our hats, and make them a leg, look devoutly upon them smiling, with our sparkling eyes, enough to enamour a Lady.

Q. Who are your Preachers, and what are they?

A. There are divers: viz. Mr. Patience, an honest Glover; Mr. Griffin, a reverend Taylor; Mr. Knowles, a learned Scholler; Mr. Spilsbey, [Page 7] a renowned Cobler; Mr. Barber, a Button-ma­ker, and divers others, most gallant Teachers, well grounded in their opinions.

Q. Where are your places of meeting?

A. We have many places, and are glad when we can meet quietly in any of them.

Q. But have you not some joviall meetings, where you use to be merrie sometimes?

A. Yes, that we have.

Q. Where is that?

A. At Westminster.

Q. Where there?

A. We have met at severall places; wee met often at a great house in the new Palace by Westminster-Hall; but when wee asked the name of the place, they said it was Hell; O then we hated that profane place, and would ne­ver come in it after: and they say there is a place called Heaven in the Old Palace; but wee could never find that place out, and so wee dined since at Adam and Eve.

Q. What had you to dinner?

A. Thus is the List of our Messe:

• 1 Imprimis. The mumping Crust of an hot loafe boyled with a Calves head and Bacon.
• 2 Item. The neck of a young Coney boyled to a jelly.
• 3 Item. The shoulder of a grave, long-bear­ded [Page 8] Goat, stewed between two dishes, stuffed with Cocks combs, & larded with Goose grease.
• 4 Item. The brest of a fat Capon well soaked in white broth, stuffed with Dasies and Cow­stips.
• 5 Item. A loyne of young Mutton well car­bonado'd, with a plump kidney, as round as an apple.
• 6 Item. The rump of a Woodcock baked with a paire of Goose gibblets.
• 7 Item. A Leg of Lamb larded with Trot­ters, and rosted till it be as browne as a Berry.
• 8 Item. A well made and neatly dressed Neats-foot Pye, full of plums and spices.
• 9 Item. A dish a Pigs petty-toes stewed in plumb-broth.
• 10 Item. A dish of fresh Lobsters soaked all night in vinegar.
• 11 Item. A sheeps head boyled with wooll and hornes, for a standing dish for the brethren.
• 12 Item. An Humble Pye for the sisters, after the brethren are risen.

Q. What Officers have you in your Church discipline?

A. Wee have first the Pastour, secondly the Deacon, and thirdly the Congregation, and none else at all.

Q. What is the office of the Pastour?

[Page 9] A, Hee teacheth and instructeth the Congre­gation; and when any are received into the fel­lowship of the Church to walk with him; hee examines them, and if they be found right, then he dips them.

Q. In what manner doth he teach you?

A. Wee meet in some convenient house, and hee making choyce of the privatest place that hee can in the house, hee (after the Deacon hath prayed with the Congregation, and exhorted them) prayes, and then preacheth an houre or two, or sometimes three, more or lesse, as hee finds his ghests straitened or enlarged.

Q. Do none come to heare him preach, but only those who are in Church-fellowship?

A. Yes, if they be brought in by some friend, that wee may be sure they come not to spie us, they may come to heate, or joyne with us in the Church contribution, but can partake with us no further.

Q. Must the people do whatsoever he binds them to observe?

A. There is an oath, which is administred to all before they be received into Church-fel­lowship with us.

Q. Do you swear all before you receive them into communion with you?

A. Yes, else they are not admitted.

[Page 10] Q. Do other Independants do so?

A. No they have not that policie.

Q. What is it that you make them sweare be­fore you admit them to be dipped?

A.

• 1 We promise and sweare to walk with our Brethren and Sisters (in the Congregation we are received into) with all watchfullnesse, and tendernesse, avoyding all jealousies, censu­rings, and provokings.
• 2 To do nothing against the Members.
• 3 Not publikely to discover the failings of our Brethren or Sisters, but attend an orderly call thereunto.

Q. Hath the Pastor power to receive whom he will into the Congregation?

A. Yes except the Congregation alledge som­thing against the person presented.

Q. In what manner are they dipped when they are received into Church-fellowship?

A. After the persons to be dipped are exa­amined and have declared a sufficient testimony before the Congregation, and taken the Oath, the Pastor, that is the Dipper, taketh the person that is to be dipped, and goeth with him or her whether it be man or woman into the water, and there setting one hand upon the backe, and the other upon the head, dips the said person quite over head and eares, and then leadeth him or her [Page 11] so dipped by the arme out of the water, and pre­senteth them to the Congregation, who receive them as Members of their Congregation.

Q. What is the Deacons office amongst the A­nabaptists?

A. To gather the Contributions of the Church, and take care to see the Congregation provided for, and if any person of the Congre­gation be in trouble, to labour and use all the meanes he can to get him free.

Q. What is it that is in the power of the Con­gregation?

A. Whatsoever is done, is confirmed by the approbation of them, for against their consent the Pastor and Deacon hath not power to do a­ny thing.

Q. In whose power then is the Ordinance of marriage?

A. There are many things required in the or­der of marriage before it be done.

Q. What are those things that are required?

A.

• 1 That both parties be Anabaptists.
• 2 That both parties be agreed.
• 3 That they have the consent of the Church.
• And fourthly, that they be married according to the way of the Church with which they walke.

Q. Why must both parties be Anabaptists?

[Page 12] A. Because the one being so, it would be of evill consequence to be yoked with the wicked that have not been rebaptised.

Q. How farre must the parties (to be mar­ried) be agreed?

A. To their well liking one of the other with­out forcing either of them by violence to marry one that he or she cannot love.

Q. Which is the way of marriage in the A­nabaptists Church?

A. Both parties coming before the Congre­gation they joyne hands and taking each other for man and wife, promising to live and dye to­gether, and so kisse and are made man and wife.

Q. And what is your order of buriall for the dead?

A. When any person is dead, we invite our neighbours, and friends, and having served them with wine and bisket, or diet-bread or sugar-plums as all others do, we go together and when we come to the grave the bearers put the corpes into the grave and so we part without a­ny more Ceremony or trouble.