the Church cannot be denied to be great, fo that there is place for extraordinary men (though temporizing Chriftians will not admit this) therefore God's mercies fhall appear to be wonderful great, if amongst us be have raised up fuch, as I know be bath, and hereafter I doubt not (by God's grace) but I, with the help of the reft, fhall be able to avow against all gainsayers whatsoever. My defire heretofore hath been to have counsel and direction from others: But now (by comfortable experience) I find that the Action (which the Lord hath drawn me into) is his own, and he will direct it himself by the Holy Ghost, and have the full honour of it, and therefore I wait upon him, and yet most heartily crave the Prayers of the Saints, that they will befeech God to blefs all bis Servants, that he hath fet awork in his own business. And I further befeech you, to shew this Letter to Master Traverfe, and Mafter Orders it to be Egerton, and all the rest of the godly Preachers Shewn to Train the City, and judge charitably of me and verfe, Egerothers, and let every one look to his own Calling, other Preackthat therein he may deal faithfully, and let us ers. judge our felves, and not judge one another, further than we have warrant. After this Letter, it hapned that M. Chark preached in the fame place again the next Sunday after, at which time Coppinger took himself to be particularly meant by one part of the Sermon. Whereupon he wrote a Letter to another Preacher (as I do gather) the Thur/day after, viz. the 15th of July; whereby he thus fignifieth. M. Chark told the People, that there were fome Perfons fo defperate, that

they

ton, and the

they would willingly thrust themselves upon the Rocks of the Land, and Waves of the Sea. This I took to be Spoken principally to my felf, and therefore I thought good to advertise you, that be Spake the truth in those words; but be touched not me, but himself, and the rest of the Minifters of the Land, who have not only run desperately themselves upon the Rocks and Waves, but carried the whole Ship, whereby they all be in danger of Shipwreck, and should have perished, if the Lord had not immediately called three of his Servants to help to recover it, who are not only fent from God to his Church bere, but also elsewhere, through the World. My Calling is fpecially to deal with Magiftrates. Another bath to do with Minifters, who hath written a Letter to you of the City, but it cannot be delivered He pretends to hardly this day. The other third is the chiefeft be chiefly cale (who can neither write nor read) for he is the Lord's Executioner of his most boly will. This Letter is thus fubfcribed, The Lord's Mellenger of Mercy, Ed. Coppinger.

led to deal with MagiAtrates.

Thefe three therefore ftrongly fancying to themselves fuch extraordinary Callings, and ftanding refolute by all means to advance that (which they falfly call Reformation) and being thus feduced and bemoped by Hacket, it is no marvel though they entred further (as by degrees) into many lewd, dangerous, and traiterous Attempts.

For firft having conceived mortal hatred against two great and worthy Counsellors of this Eftate (who they thought would not a little ftop the course they had taken, and

lors of State,

hinder the purpose which they pursued :) Coppinger therefore (by Hacket's advice) di- Coppinger rected feveral Letters unto fome Honoura- having hatred ble Perfonages, whereby he fignified, that to two Counsel certain Treafons were intended even against pretends to imher Majesty's own Sacred Perfon; meaning peach them of after to appeach thofe two thereof; and Treason. hoping by this means, either to take them away, or at least their Credits with her Majefty, until he and his Complices might bring their Purposes to fome better pafs; or elfe (by this colourable Pretence having accefs and opportunity) to have executed fome wicked Practice againft her Royal Perfon. The discovery, avouching and proof of these fuppofed Treafons, Hacket and he did take (especially upon themselves.)

The firft two Letters that (I find) Cop- He writes a pinger writ to the said honourable Perfonages Letter to them, about this pretended matter of Treafon to with one inclo be discovered, was the third day of June Queen. fed to the laft; both to this purpose, To have them acquaint her Majesty, that intelligence was given unto him of fome Treason intended against her own Sacred Perfon, but naming no particular. In the one of them, he inclofed a Letter of his to her Majesty,and certain Petitions, which he would have had to be offered up to her Highness, being to this effect: "That he might have leave to en"tertain the Action of fuch discovery; that "as matters fhould come to light, he might "refort to a certain worthy Counsellor (by "him there named) to acquaint him thereO with,

His fecond Let

ter to them,

with one of

Hacket's inclofed; animating him to do the Lord's business.

"with, and to have his Counsel and di"rection: That he the faid Coppinger might "confer and examine Jefuits, and all Pri"foners (fufpected or condemned of Treafon) about thefe matters, in the prefence "of certain others: That for better furtherance of his Service, he might have this "favour to ftay judgment, or at leaft exe. "cution against condemned Perfons for "Crimes capital or fmaller, until her Ma

CC

jefty might have account given of the "caufe of his fo doing: That he might be "pardoned for fo bold an Attempt, if in over-much fear of danger to her Sacred ર Perfon, he had, or afterward fhould go too far, and not effect that in the end, "which he hoped to do: And lastly, That "this matter might be concealed from all "men. But the faid honourable Perfonage finding this to be an unlikely and strange Courfe to be yielded unto (as may be gathered by the Anfwer, and by the other Letters) directed him to a more found way, viz. To learn firit the grounds perfectly, to acquaint none other with the matter, and to do it fpeedily.Hereupon the 8th of the faid Jung, he addreffed another Letter to the fame Perfonage, enclofing therein a Letter written to him from Hacket, and dated the last day of May, and another Letter of his own to her Majefty, to have been delivered unto her Highness. His Letter to the said honourable Perfonage, is to commend the Writer of that Letter inclofed, not naming him, (for

Coppinger

Coppinger had raced out both Hacker's Name, and the Name of Oundell from whence it came) as a Man able and willing to do her Majefty fome principal fervice, to offer their attendances to come before her Majefty, and to urge the delivery of the Letters, for that the matter (he faid) admitted no delays. The Letter from Hacket is nothing but an inciting and animating of Coppinger to perform the Lord's business (he had in hand) by many holy and devout words and hypocritical Allufions to certain Stories of the Scripture. Coppinger's Letter to her Majefty Coppinger commendeth the Inditer of that inclofed, fends another for a Man beloved of God, and fearing him Letter to the Queen, and unfeignedly, and one enabled (by God) to prefeth to get do her Highness fome fpecial fervice: He to her Prefence, alfo humbly defireth thereby, that they two pretending might appear before her own Princely Per- Some Special fon, in the prefence only of two certain Lords, and one Lady. But the faid honou rable Perfonage fent Hacket's Letter again unto Coppinger, as of no moment for that purpose, and stayed the delivery of his Letter to her Majesty, till fome particular intelligence might be had, to be first delivered to her Highness. The fame day Coppinger alfo writ two feveral Letters to the fame two Lords, in whofe prefence he and Hacket defired to come before her Majesty, and to deliver their Intelligence; this he did to advertise them hereof aforehand. That which is written to the one of them, mentioneth a Supplication which Coppinger fent (the day 0 2

afore)

Service.