Pansebeia, or, A view of all religions in the world with the severall church-governments from the creation, to these times : also, a discovery of all known heresies in all ages and places, and choice observations and reflections throughout the whole / by Alexander Ross.

THE CONTENTS.

IOHN BUCKHOLD his character, his dispu∣ting and contention with the Ecclesiasticks concerning Paedobaptisme; he succeeds John Mathias, he comforts the people with a pretended revelation; he makes Ber∣nard Knipperdoling of a Consul, to become common

executioner. Buckhold feigneth himself ••umb he ass••••••es the Magistracy, he allowes Polygamy, he takes to himself three wiues; he is made King, and appoints Of∣ficers under him; his sumptuous apparel; his Titles were King of Iustice, King of the new Jerusalem; his throne, his Coi•• and motto therein; The King, Queen, and Courtiers wa••e on the people at a Feast, with other ligressions. The King endea••ours to raise ••••••••••tions a∣broad, is happily prevented. He suspects his own safety▪ his large promises to his Captaines, himself 〈…〉〈…〉 one of his wives, he feignes himself sick, and de∣ludes the people with an expectation of deliverance, in the time of famine, forgets community; he is betrayed by his confident, it brought prisoner before the Bishop, who checks him; his jesting answer and proposall; ••e is put to a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 place, is convinced of his offences; his deserved and severe execution.

IOHN BUCKHOLD was a ••••••cher of Leyden▪ a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fellow eloquent, very perfect in the 〈…〉〈…〉 confident, more ••••••geable then proteus, a serious student of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, briefly, a most ferrent Anabaptist. This man being sent by Iohn Mathia•• to Munster was a perpetual thorn in the sides of the Ecclesiasticks, craftily ••i••ting them about the b••sinesse of P••••••••baptisme, in which employment he spent nine whole moneths, and most 〈◊〉〈◊〉 making his party good with them, both as disputationand li∣tigious contention, while in the mean time he secretly spawn'd and scatter'd the doctrine of Anabaptisme, as much as lay in his power. About that time a certain un∣known Preacher of the word of God, 〈…〉〈…〉 Sta∣preda of Meurs came to Munster, who supplying the place of Ro••man••••s in preaching, seduced him, and tea••ened him with Anabaptisme, and he also publickly anat••••∣matized P••dobaptisme. This gave occasion of raising 〈◊〉〈◊〉 among the people▪ they who before were only secretly instructed by Iohn Buckhold, discover them∣selves openly to the world, and lay aside all disguises of their intentions; City, they have their in most parts of the frequentmeetings, indivers 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but all in the night time, whereat the Magistrates being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and

offended, prohibited their Conventicles, and some they banished; But they weigh not this any thing, and be∣ing sent out at one gate, they came in at another, and lay concealed among those that were the favourers of their Sect. Hereupon the Senate caused all the Ecclesia∣sticks to assemble at the Palace, to dispute the businesse of Paedobaptisme. In this Assembly, Rotmannus stood tooth and naile for the Anabaptists; but those of the Reformation fully refuted their errors, as the publick acts concerning that businesse do abundantly testifie. At this very time the Ministers of the Church of Argen∣toratum signed and set out an account of their Faith in a printed Book. Hereupon the Senate of Munster by a publick edict banished the Anabaptists out of the City; which edict, they, persisting in contention, opposed, be∣ing now arrived to that rashnesse and impudence, that they thrust a reformed Preacher, one Peter Werthemius out of the Church. Yea, some of them rioting about the City, (whereof the Ringleader was Henry Rollius) cry∣ed out as they went, Repent and be rebaptized, other∣wise will the heavy wrath of God fall upon you! These things hapned about the end of the year M.D.XXXIII. and the beginning of M.D.XXXIV. Some honest-hearted and harmlesse men, partly out of an apprehen∣sion of divine wrath (as they made them beleive) part∣ly for fear of men, suffered themselves to be washed in the l••ver of Anabaptisme. For, the Anabaptists leaving their dennes, broke into the City without any controll, and with an unanimous violence assaulting the Market place, they soon possessed themselves of the Palace and the Magazine, sentencing with loud conclamations and such as required a greater voyce then that of Stentor, that all were to be destroyed as so many Heathens and Reprobates, that did not embrace Anabaptisme. In this tumult, a certain young man of Burchstenford was kil∣led. This gave occasion both to the Papists, and to those of the Reformation to provide for their safety. The chiefest Patrons of the Anabaptistical Heresy were, Ber∣nard Rotman, Iohn Buckhold, Bernard Knipperdoling, Gerard Knippenburch; Bernard Krachting, &c. These two parties having skirmished with as great eagernesse and animostly as greater armies exasperated one against

another, for some dayes, there followed a Truce, where∣by it was agreed that every one should quietly enjoy, and persever in his own Religion. However the surges of Anabaptisme were not yet laid, till they had entered into a conspiracy to drive those of the Reformation out of the City. The most eminent of the Conclave writ to the Anabaptists of the Cities adjoyning, viz. to these of D••••men, Coesvelt, Soyst, Warendorp, and Osen∣burg, that leaving all things behind them, they should repair with all speed to Munster, promising they should have ten-fold what ever they left. Being enticed by these prop••••••••ns▪ husbands and wives leaving all be∣hinde them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in swarmes to Munster. A great num∣ber of the more religious ••nhabitants looking on that strange rabble as an insufferable grievance to their Ci∣ty, left it to the disposal of the Anabaptists, who being by this meanes increased in number, became also more extravagant, degraded the Senate, and chose ano∣ther out of themselves, wherein were Consuls, Gerard Knippenburg, and Bernard Kniperdeling, whose Effigies is the ensuing.

Notes

• John Buck∣hold his chara∣cter,
• His disputing and contention with the Ec∣clesiasticks con∣cerning P••do∣baptisme▪
• Conventicles usually the nur∣series of Tu∣mults.
• ANNO 1533. &c.
• Anabaptists their bold attempt.