Carrying about them the Lively Image of Satan in Serpentine Colours.

 

THE ROUTING OF THE RANTERS

Being a full relation of their uncivil carriages and blasphemous words and actions at their mad meetings, their several kind of music, dances and riotings, and their belief and opinions concerning heaven and hell.

With their examinations taken before a Justice of Peace, and a letter or summons sent to their sisters or fellow creatures in the name of the Devil, requiring them to meet Belzebub, Lucifer, Pluto and twenty more of the infernal spirits at the time and place appointed.

Also, a true description how they may be known in all companies, and the names of the chief ringleaders of this new generation that excel all others in wickedness.

Published by authority and printed by K.A.

The Ranters' Ranting
or
A True Relation of a sort of people called Ranters, with some of their abominable and wicked carriages and behaviour at their private meetings.

I shall in the first place give you
my friends
a brief character of a sort of people
(whereof you desire satisfaction)
newly sprung up among us
called Ranters
alias Coppanites or Claxtonians
the most vile and abominable apostates
that we ever read or heard of
carrying about them the lively image
of Satan in serpentine colours
of seducing and drawing men and women
to commit all manner of mad and desperate wickedness
(as the Apostle saith)
with greediness

I cannot term there persons to be of any sect
for that I do not learn
either in profession or practice
they do anything that has the least stamp or tincture
of that which may be rightly called religion
for to rip open
and make known to the world
the abominable words and practices
of these people
would fill up more paper than I have allotted hereunto
and to repeat many things which I am confident might be said
without wronging the truth
would make your ears tingle to hear
and myself blush to think or write

yet it is conceived useful and profitable to many
that some of their deeds of darkness
should be brought forth into the light
to the end that such as are weak 
and apt to be drawn aside by every wind of vanity
may be deterred from coming into such company
and with such a one not to eat
for if the Apostle forbids the Gentiles
(Christians)
not to eat with the Heathens of that time
surely the same precept extends to the restraining men
that have any spark of goodness
from accompanying themselves 
with such as are far worse
than any Heathen or Infidels we read of then
or have heard of since

being such as
(quite contrary to the rule of St Paul)
delight not only in gluttony and drunkeness
chambering and wantonness
and the like
but deride the holy scriptures
deny Christ
blaspheming
and as it were spit in the face of God himself

for one of them being discoursing at the Spittle
said that he knew no difference
betwixt God and the Devil
and being then asked what he thought of the Devil
he answered that it was an old woman stuffed with parsley
to be short
I am credibly informed
that some of these deny the immortality of the soul
and so holding forth an opinion
that there is neither heaven nor hell
it is no wonder they should fall into all kind of vices
that they commit iniquity by a law

the chief ringleaders of this viperous generation
are one Coppe and Claxton
of whom I shall say more hereafter
Coppe is in Newgate
the other is also a prisoner
this Coppe being lately brought before a committee
to be examined
feigned himself mad
used strange kind of uncouth behaviour
throwing nutshells and other things
about the room
and talked to himself
when questions were put to him
which some thought to be God's just judgement upon him
and others were of opinion that
(as David in another case)
he merely acted the part
which at length will no way stand him in stead. 

having given you a general description of them
I shall next place speak of some of their particular meetings

the first that I have heard of
to be frequented by this brutish sort of people
was about Shoemakers Alley
where after a while notice was taken
and some discovery made
by such as had been amongst them rather to observe their vanities
than to be imitators of their vices
which caused them shortly after to remove to another place

this time of meeting began about four of the clock in the afternoon
and was continued by some until nine or ten of the clock the next day
which time was spent in drunkenness
uncleanness
blasphemous words
filthy songs
and mixed dances of men and women stark naked

not long after
they had another place of meeting about Whitechapel
where after a time they were discovered by the officers of the place
who with a guard repaired to the house where they were
and to the end that none might make an escape
the business was carried with such secrecy
that it was not known to others till they came to the door
where these monsters of mankind were associated
which the officers had no sooner entered
but they found some of these lascivious beasts 
openly satisfying their lusts

amongst this company was that Claxton
(before mentioned)
who with undaunted boldness and audacious carriage
spake to the officers that came with authority to apprehend them
to this effect

gentlemen
I perceive not you are come to seize on us
your fellow creatures
for what cause I know not
I pray use not any violence
or terrify and affright those of our fellow creatures here
that are of a weak and tender constitution
if we have offended the law
we shall readily and willingly submit
to be tried by it

and taking up his cloak
he said

gentlemen
I will not leave you
I am ready to go along with you

and forth he went with the first
and as the others were coming forth
pretending that he had left something of great use behind him
and so escaped away at a back door
but is retaken
and at this day in prison

I cannot learn
that in any of their meetings
they have used exhortations
except such as tend only to the making of a derision
and scoff at all that is commanded
in the holy and sacred scriptures
to be good and holy
despising the word and ordinances
when they hear them spoken of
and their ringleader Coppe
(when he was fitter to have gone to bed and slept
than to have spoken in a public place)
bestowed an hour's time
in belching forth imprecations
curses
and other such like stuff
as is not fit to be once named amongst Christians

and he perceived
that he should be called to answer for the wicked blasphemies
that he had uttered at sundry times
he took two of his she-disciples
and went to the city of Coventry
where it was soon dispersed abroad
that he commonly lay in bed with two women at a time
whereof
he being soberly admonished by an officer of the army
he replied
that it was his liberty
and he might use it
saying further
that unreasonable creatures are not restrained of it
with many other speeches to justify himself
in his ungodly practices
for which he was apprehended
and brought up to London
and by the magistrate committed to Newgate

I shall in the next place mention
something concerning one or two more of their meetings
and so leave them

not long since
a select number of men and women 
met together in a tavern
where they were accommodated with the choicest wine
and many delicates
of which being plentifully filled
the women withdrew themselves into another room
and disrobed themselves of the apparel in which they were
and clad themselves all in white
(which they call
the emblem of innocence)
which no sooner had they done
but there comes in one of the men
and
(abusing a text of scripture)
said

fellow creatures
what shall we do?

and soon after
the master and drawers of the house
perceived and heard such disorderly
and uncivil carriage amongst them
that they were desirous to rid the house of them
which some of the younger sort having notice of
put them all into another kind of passion
and made bold to discover
the dissembling faces of some of the female creatures
who let drop some of their hats and black bags
to pay the reckoning
and for haste dropped a paper
which seems to be the summons
or invitation of the guests to that meeting
viz

dear sister and fellow creature
whose sweetness we reverence
and whose person we adore
whose witty conceits we admire
and whose subtlety we wonder at
we do by this our handwriting
will and require you
our dearest fellow creature
that you personally appear at the place
where we last had some infernal conference
half an hour past four in the afternoon
of this present day
for we have taken notice of the singular
great and special services 
you have done for enlargement of liberty
since our last actings together
which we doubt not will enlarge our power
and preeminence
in drawing disciples to us
hereof you are commanded not to fail
for that
Belzebub
Lucifer
Pluto
and above twenty more of the prime officers
will attend to give you them and there
new documents
and we shall promise
in the word of the King Infernal
that you shall reign as a princess
with us

signed
Diabulo

dated at our new infernal palace without Bishopsgate
10 of Octob 1650

there be copies abroad of several other papers
which some of them have sent abroad in this nature
but this may be sufficient to declare
what a height of wickedness they are grown to
who despise the ways of God
and mock and scoff at his great and glorious name
and as if that were not enough
they now come openly to side
and as it were personate the Devil himself
which makes me
the less marvel at some unheard of words and behaviour
that were at another particular meeting
the sixth day of this present November
at the house of one Middleton
at the sign of David and the Harp
in Moor Lane
(whose wife is suspected to be one of them)

to this place
a company of them came on the day aforesaid
about five of the clock in the afternoon
but some of the female sex came not
(for at this time
the before recited summons was not sent forth)
those that were there first called for bread
beer and ale
&c
which was in the house
and as others came in
whether they were men or women
they kissed each other
with this expression

welcome
fellow creature

and when a competent number of them were gotten together
they began to sing filthy bawdy songs
to the tune of David's Psalms
after which they drank a health to him
in whom they live move and have a being
this being over
one of them lets fall his breeches
and turning his shirt aside
another of the company runs and kisses
saying they must all do the like
for it was their fellow creature

this being done
one of the men took a candle
and went up and down the room
as if he had been seeking of a needle
and after a while
one asked him
what he sought after?
to whom he answered
that he looks for his sins
but they were not there
he could find none
then they returned 
to their tuning of lascivious songs or hymns
in the midst of which 
the constable and other officers came in
and seized on them all
(except Mrs Middleton
and one or two more
who made an escape at the back door)
and carried them before a Justice of Peace
who sent six or seven of them to Bridewell
but Mrs Middleton
and another or two that escaped
are so afraid of receiving punishment
answerable to their demerits
that they dare not
(as yet)
remain in their habitations

when those that were taken
came before the Justice to be examined
they would confess nothing of their ways
saying that they would not accuse themselves
whereupon one was by asked
what they meant by the fearful execrations
ram me
damn me
&c
one answered
that by the word ram
they meant God

many other questions were also asked of them
to which they gave none
or a very frivolous
which amounted to little
but to bring them to the place of their first punishment

I shall therefore hasten
to decipher their words and behaviour in public
to the end that is any man chance to fall into their company
they may be known and avoided

and for that
this sort of people are dispersed abroad
in the city
country and army
it is necessary that there should be somewhat said
to describe them to the end they may be avoided
which by your observation of their words and actions
you may easily do
for although they carry the image and shape of men and women
yet they have the manners only of a beast

A description of the Ranters

If it be a woman
she speaks highly in commendation of those husbands
that give liberty to their wives
and will freely give consent that she should associate herself
with any other of her fellow creatures
which she shall make choice of
she commends the organ
viol
cymbal and tongs
in Charterhouse Lane
to be heavenly music
she tosses of her glasses freely
and concludes there is no heaven
but the pleasures she enjoys on earth
she is very familiar at the first sight
and dances the Canaries
at the sound of a hornpipe

the men
for the most part
will thwart you in your discourse
especially if you talk of religion
they can discourse of the scriptures
and turn them to a wrong sense
if you be talking of death
they say

as a man dies
so dies a beast

they believe all things proceed from nature
and that there is no hell
but aches and pains incident to man
and want of money
which hinders them of taking their fill of pleasure
and though they hold it convenient
to have one woman to dwell constantly with one man
to do his necessary business
yet are they of opinion 
that they may have carnal knowledge of any
and as many other women
as their beastly desire can make use of
and in this kind of coupling together
(or making a
conjunction
copulative)
the woman doth commonly make choice of the man
she will dwell with
and as they slight and condemn all ordinances
so do they that of marriage
yet have they a kind of ceremony to be used for it
concerning which
I shall give you one familiar and merry instance
and so leave them

a sober man of good fashion
chanced to go to a place
where a company of them were gathered at a conference
only with a purpose to observe what was said and done
and at the time of their breaking up or dissolving their meeting
there comes to this man a young woman
and tells him
that she was single
or free to dispose herself as she pleased
and that she had a liking unto him
her fellow creature
whom she could willingly love and serve
in the nearest relation that a woman could be to a man
which at the first much startled the party
and after the return of a compliment
he thought it worth his time
to see a little further
concerning the temper and disposition 
of this bold creature
so desired her to take part of a pint of sack
over which they might with the more conveniency
enlarge their discourse
which she readily accepted
and to the tavern they went
and no sooner was the wine brought up
but she calls for a roll of bread
and holding it forth to the party that was with her
said

fellow creature
break this with me

which he did

when you have eaten that part in your hand
and I likewise this
we are in condition or acceptation
of man and wife

then after some further discourse
(be knowing well
that he had a wife at home of a gallant spirit
and a love of virtue)
directed her home to his house
where he told her she should find a maid
would give her entertainment
while he spake a few words with a gent
with whom he had earnest business
whereupon she went to the house
and asked for the master of the house
and being told he was nor within
she said that she would stay his coming
and having some discourse with the maid servant
and perceiving the house well furnished
she could no longer hold
but tells the maid she was her mistress
and all there was hers
which story the maid hasted to tell her mistress
with whom she had lived many years
who immediately came with a good broomstaff
and did so belabour the gentlewoman
that she went away in a worse case
than if she had beaten hemp a month in Bridewell
a just reward for her bold impudency

and I pray God
that such as hear this revelation
and the wickedness of their ways
may be preserved from following them
in the same excess of riot
that everyone may keep a watch over his own ways
for some of these of which I have spoken
have been thought conscientious persons
and had attained to a great measure of knowledge
in the ways of God
and if these fall away
let him that stands take heed
lest he fall

FINIS