THIS Roalond Bateman was borne at Pearet neare [...]ocester, in the County Northam­pton, Anno. Dom. 1601. by profesion a­day Labourer; having (at this present) a Wife and a Child in the Pari [...]h of Saint Maryes Newington in Southwarke, his Complection rudy, Beard red, his statude indiffrent betweene short and tall, his Apparill (at this present,) shewing him to be a man of no exraordinary quality; his behaviour is ex­treame rude, Silv estrick and barborus Steeld, as it weare, with a stupid impudency (and self conseit,) as appeares plainly to all that discorces with him for it is cleere (to the industrious hearer) that if he can reade (at all,) it is but evry little yet two men of great Literatu [...]e and Quality both of the Clergy and the Latine, (that ex­amine him about his Blasphemyus opinions,) he will fastudiously, with unparaled Petulency say, that it is lost Labour for him to tell them of the Scripture, for none but himselfe in the World knowes the sence and meaning of it but the relation of this belongs to the next divinition (concerning his oppinions) to which I will briefly hasting concluding this, first (according to my promise) with the cause of his commitment to prison which is onorable to speak, for he sayes (with great a severity a beholding) that he would kill good LORD I beceech thee protect them ftom danger.

Some certaine Lords of the PARLIAMENT, when he came into Prison (which was on Monday May the 13. he seemed to be drunke, (by all there present,) and theref [...]re to prevent, mis­demeanors, he was set (with both his feete) in the stocks, thinking that by that puninshment he would returne to his witts retract [Page] his wicked words (though) the hopfull expection of Clemency and pardon, but he on the next day, (and even sence) in stead of sorrow for his words did (and still doth) audatiously and obtinat­ly defended his damnable intention, persevering still in speaking detestable and vilinous speeches, not fit by any Christian to be rel [...] ­ted no more of this but (to proceed in his discription,) it is to hu­mon reason a most miraclous and all together impossible things that a man should as he hath (by most certaine Testimon [...]es, and if neede requier doposicions) of seven or eight men who are (and have beene) not onely daily nightly, and hourly, but also monethly, with him. He hath lived from the 13 of May afforesaid to this present Iune. 7. (the date of this present wrighting) and GOD knowes how long he may live so (for he saith he doth not without the eateing of any manner of food, and yet is at this instant every way it lusty strong & chearefull as before saying he fe [...]t no hunger) as he did the same or (rather the next) day after he came into the Prison, thus much concerning the first d [...]vinition of the Man.

Second divinition his Blasphemyus opinions which are so many and severall, (he quotidialy or raither almost howery add [...]ng and changing that to set downe all exactly were to make a Divrnall of one and twenty dayes Phantasies, therefore to shew some thing of a story scarce possible to be puntually [...]elared. I will coursly epitonure what I can remember, and most in the house will just [...]f [...]e for me of his stolid impudince and most abomin [...]b [...]e blasphemyus opinions such as I have at sundry times anciqurarily colected from his examination be-fore persons of good Le [...]rning & Q [...]al [...]y,

1 Imprimiis in one examination ( [...] to still) which was that he said he is Abell the rightonal and the [...] was slaine from the begin [...]ng of the World, and shall he slaine againe (for he sayes that he knoweth he shall be hanged very shortly) and then there shalbe peace in England (if he speake true I would he were hanged quickly as a good Woman answered him) but he saies that on the third day, he shall rise againe and walke about at Liberty never to dye againe a Gent [...]-man a [...]ked him how he knew that was of his opinion; he answered? none in the world but himselfe and King Charles who are both spiret onely this difference that (saith he) I am as was Abraham, and the Kin [...] Charles is my sonne Isack he was further asked another time, how long he did thinke he should continue this fast, he answered? fourty dayes and fourty nights, and [Page] it may be more, but at the end of his fasting he should be hanged (as afore said) trancelated and then there would be peace in the Land, another demanded of him whence he drew his opinions, (out of the Scripture quoth he?) what part (said the oponent) in the twenty first Chapter of the Booke of Genises quoth he? and from thence he wen [...] on with a d [...]bolicall naration of Iohn the Baptist and of Christ which (oh horable blasphemius) he said is not come in substance but is shadow of all which unchristian a se [...]ti [...]s being re­quired par [...]ation he told the Gentleman that if he should show him Scripture for [...]t, they cold not understand it nor any man but himselfe who alone had the Holy Ghost with him, one thinge, let me not om [...]tt to tell you (whilst it is in my memory and which I will l [...]nd you my [...]udgmen [...]s hearaf [...]er in the due Place,) when p [...]p [...]e [...]me to see (and heare) him, he will presently before hee spe [...]kes any thing (as they would have him) have recorse to the Words of his o [...]d Partion Judas what will you give me, for he is not ash [...]med most inselent [...]y being related in the conf [...]dence of vox populy to say I [...]e not s [...]y any thing for nothing pay and Ile say▪ (O w [...]se Prophet or raither Prophet gatherer but I must judge of him hearafter; it were both tedious and impossible to tell you all be to! to so ma y severall sorts of People that hourly flocke unto him, for as I said before, he doth so change and so adde (from his first pr [...]ncipales that he hath almost a new saying for every new C [...]mp [...]ny an [...] so abom [...]nable [...]y impudent he is growne,) in his stu [...]id [...]y that whatsoever he s [...]ith you must not co [...]troduct, if you do he being unable to de [...]nd his Argument retreates to his com­mon posture you cannot understand mee if I should tell you, and thi [...] is al [...] that you shall get out of him; (whatsoever is obiected a­gainst him,) Counsell h [...] (as many good people have done,) to serve God and leave this life, and shew for pardon upon rec [...]ntation of his errors, then you do (as it were) use oyle to quench fire for he s [...]ornes your advice and sayes, [...]u are no [...] capable of that which he meanes and knowes [...]he best learned men in the Land no [...] expected he is so foole h [...]dy confident in these deirsion that he seemes to defi [...]e nothing soner then hanging the sooner the better say I quoth a Woman to him, if then we might have Peace now I remember this was mentioned before, but it is no greate matte [...] for he talkes of it so oft that he seemes at have more minde to it then heaven bless him from beter fortunes, on Sat [...]day last in the afternone some [Page] of his fellow prisoners in the hearing were talking with him about this Arguments, viz.

That about nine yeares hence he said all men and women must first fast as he do [...]h now and after that they shall die and scone after r [...]se againe and live some an hundred and twenty yeares without eating of and sustiance and that some others should neve [...] die but [...]ive everlastingly on the earth as he shall three dayes After he is hanged then it was demanded of him what he thouh [...]t of of the general judgement day he answered? it would come in the in­trum of those nine years for do you not se quoth he that it is com­ming neere to this present, when the Father fights against the Son and Son against the Father, &c. thus persumeth this ignorant fellow to talke of these misteries which the eternall wisdome of the father (as he was man) nor the Angels in Heaven neither can not could set downe the time when I thinke it is high time to leave him and his blasphemyus follyes to the mercy any judgmen [...]s of GOD and our superiowes and accord [...]ng to my promise and capasity I will spend my iudgment upon him in the ensuing third and last divition and make and end of the story.

The third upon him &c. with this in brief aluding to what you have heard of his sayings & doings, that he is an absolute imposture and as far to be credited as a true prophet or servant of COD, as were immediate foure Fathers Hacket, Atherington and Copinger Buell, with his Brother Farnum who were both Weavers, about some five or six yeares sence be that in not with me is against me saith Christ but this man is not perfectly with Christ but rather a fore ru [...]er of Antichrist who shall deny Christ to be come in the flesh and he said as I told you before that Christ is not come in sub­stance but in shadow therefore he can neither be true prophet not true Christian moreover by the fru t you may judge the tree, and the Man by his words and workes he is easly deserned to be a false Prophet, if he will be cal [...]ed a Prophet being by nature extreame proude and averissious as well appeares by the promise and concer­ning [...]ust of womem which was a point which I forget to tell you before he saith that no woman that commits adultery commits sin against GOD out an offence against man and divers erelidgious and unchristian words he utters to his audi nce: that I will not maru­lat pure paper with all by which it is evedent that he is not a man [Page] inspired with the Holy Ghost, as he most aregantly saith, but raither a Monster possest with an uncleane lying spiret, for briefly to avoid all further contruercies in this point, we are promised ar the end of the World, no true prophet for we ought to cheare and stick close to [...]he Doctrine of faith already received, but on the contrary wee [...]re warned to beware of false Prophets, therefore if any man or An­gel from Heaven (and the Divill can by Gods permition trance­forme himselfe into an Angel of light, should teach us any other Doctrine then what we have been taught from the b [...]gining of our faith let him be an Athemy, therefore this permitious imposture holding and devolging such opinions afore mention [...]d qiute repug­nant to Christ and his true Gospel judge not Christan Reader amisse of me if I judge and condemne him and all such brave like humores for psudo▪ prophets who forsaking the true Spiret which from the begining hath been the Instructer of the true Church to teach and to leade her unto all truth by Gods highly provocted judgment are g [...]ven over unto a Reprobate sence, to believe all manner of Lies, Dreames, Delusions and Fantasies, which the Divell that arch Lier shall direct unto them. now concerning his maruilose substaining ftom foode without impayring strength changing of eyes or coun­tinance, and not as yet feeling hunger as he saith. I confesse it is be­yond my Capasety, or the most learned Philosepher or Phisition in the Kingdome, to render and naturall [...]eason of it. But a French Gentleman said that in his Country he hath known the like and he said it is a particuler humor in a man whi [...]h in our languish we call P [...]p [...]nderiaco which is a self-conceite, some upon one humor some upon another, some obstaning from foode some from sleepe, a third from coming not neare the fire in the coldest weather, all this to wine admitation and poppuler wonder, the enemy of mankinde, lending them force to doe it, as he is said to be God Ape, so his desiple in such things will seeme to immitate the dearest and nearest Servants of God see the south sayes of Egypt counterfeted the sup­ernaturall marcies of Moses, so long as Divine power would suffer it. So Simon Magous contended with Simon Peeter till his charme with his ncke were broken. so this Theasonic [...]ll imposture makes no question but as the holy Prophet Elias our blessed Saviour fasted forty dayes and forty nights he would presume by his wick­ed Spiters assistance to doe the like unlesse the Hangman which the seemes so earnestly to wish for to breake his neck in the intrume [Page] this gentle Christian Reader I have according to promise sent thee from this house of care a short and brevi are epitamy of a Subiect re­quiring a longer exponsion but now I thinke on a little of a bad matter is enough if not to much I confesse the multitude of people coming howerly to him was the sp [...]re of [...]yt [...] much leasure to be imployed in this taskê raile.