gang, the chief theologists and worthiest sisters of all that zealous tribe were to meet at a tavern." The next scene discovers the whole Crew of the Ranters at a tavern, where an order is given for "twenty gallons of rich sack, lights to adorn the room in every angle, a pound of right varina, and a gross of shining pipes, fit for a female's tooth." The third act opens with preparing to induct the two new members, and they accordingly appear in the following scene, when "all the old ranters, hand in hand, surround the two new ones (who are upon their knees) singing about them the following "Song. "Round, round, all in a ring, Here are two, that come to be By Pluto's crown, Proserpine's hair, And Messalina, Claudius' wife; By all things of strength and force; By Jove's escapes, Omphale's wheel, Of our liberties to share: Arise, arise, blest souls, and know you may rant, cum Privilegio. They dissolve their hands." The The conclusion of this scene prepares for poetical justice; the whole company are rendered insensible by a sleepy potion, and removed by the constable and watch to Finsbury. The two scenes of the fourth act consist of the Ranters recovering from their stupor; Clink, the keeper, declaring their situation; the introduction of the two husbands of the new sectarists in disguise of Ranters, who are examined on certain items in their articles, and at the conclusion of the scene, "they fall together by the ears; the Ranters are soundly beaten, and their women carried off." In the last act the husbands discover themselves to their wives, and then "tear off their cloaths," that they may be "fitter to dance Lavaltoes." The other Ranters enter in their shirts and shifts, and the beadle, with his whip, has full charge of the company. "Exeunt omnes. Written by S. S. Gent. Licensed and published according to order. Finis." Ross, in his "View of all the Religions of Europe," describes the Ranters as "a sort of beasts, that neither divide the hoof, nor chew the cud; that is to say, very unclean ones, by open profession of lewdness and irreligion." A character answering to the one given in this dramatic piece, the leaders of which appear to be noticed in the second act; when a fiddler sings a catch (the best and newest in town), "Excellent, says a Ranter, did this Minerva take flight from John Taylor's or Martin Parker's brain." In a few lines further is "a health to all our friends in Kent:" these allusions appear local; and probably the sect was as little worthy notice as the sealed votaries of Joanna Southcote are now. To this may be added a short account of two scarce publications on the same subject. The first is The Ranter's declaration, with their new oath and protestation; their strange votes, and a new way to get money; their proclamation and summons; their new way of Ranting, never before heard of; their dancing of the hay naked, at the White Lyon in Petticoat-Lane; their mad dream, and Dr. Fockridge his speech; with their trial, examination, and answers; the coming in of 300, their prayer and recantation to be in all cities and market-towns read and published; the mad-Ranter's further resolution; their christmas carol and blaspheming song; their two pretended abominable keyes to enter heaven, and the worshipping of his little majesty, the late Bishop of Canterbury: a new and further discovery of their black art, with the names of those that are possest by the devil, having strange and hideous cries heard within them, to the great admiration of all those that shall peruse this ensuing subject. Licensed according to order, and published by M. Stubs, a late fellow-Ranter. [Wood-cut in four small squares-1. A saluting scene, "This is the way." 2. A tub preacher, "I wil deliver you." 3. A banquet, "We are all shakers." 4. Dancing the hay naked "Play musick."] Imprinted at London by I. C.-M.D.C.L. 4to. four leaves. In this tract there is the incredible number of 5000 civil Ranters mentioned, as also that 3000 had been re-converted since November; and "the truth and certainty of these particulars are attested by (eight names) late fellow-Ranters," The The Declaration of John Robins, the false prophet; otherwise called the Shakers-god; and Joshua Beck and John King, the two false disciples; with the rest of their fellow creatures, now prisoners in the New Prison at Clarkenwell: delivered to divers of the gentry and citizens, who on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday last, resorted thither to dispute with them. With the citizen's proposals to the said John Robins, concerning his opinion and judgment, and his answer thereunto; together with his prophesie of what is to come to pass this year 1651, and the strange things revealed to him: his religion, principles, and creed, as also his blasphemous tenets, in attributing an inspiration from the Holy Ghost; with the manner of their diet, and his woe pronounced concerning all those that drink ale. By G. H. an ear-witness. [Wood-cut, ut supra.] London: Printed by R. Wood, 1651. 4to. 4 leaves. The titles of these tracts more than describe their contents. In the last is mention of "Mr. Underwood, a reformado in the Lord General's regiment, having been a notable companion with those people which are vulgarly called Ranters."* That in "the age of Saints," the saints were the greatest sinners, appears on all occasions; and the description of "The Joviall Crew," improperly foisted into the dramatic lists, is further proof that their immaculate acts would Butler, in the Second Volume of his Remains, published by Thyer, has left the character of a RANTER; whom he represents as "a monster produced by the madness of his age, as a fanatic Hector who found out (by a very strange way of new light) how to transform all the devils into angels of light; for he believes all religion consists in looseness, and that sin and vice is the whole duty of man." Editor. not not bear the test of reason: though the Shakers appear from this inconsiderable; the names of ten being only given as committed to prison, Saturday, 24 May, 1651. Conduit street. J. H. ART. XIV. Opobalsamum Anglicanum: an Englishe Balme, lately pressed out of a Shrub, and spread upon these Papers, for the cure of some Scabs, Gangreeves, and Cancers, indangering the Bodie of this Common-Wealth; and, to whom it is now tendred, by the well affected English, in a double-speech, disjunctively delivered, by one of their fellowship, both to the faithfull and malignant members of the representative-body of this kingdome. Penned by the author of Britain's Remembrancer, Geo. Wither, Esquire. Psalm cxli. 5, 6. Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindnesse; and let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oyle, which shall not breake my head, &c.-When their judges are overthrowne in stonie places, then shall they heare my words, &c. Printed in the Yeare 1646. 4to. pp. 24. doub. col. In this piece the prolific muse of Wither has threaded 2030 lines in verse, including "the preface,” which opens with the successes of Fairfax, obtained early in 1646. "Great hopes I had, of perfecting ere this, So stoutly and successefully went on, That neither summer's heat nor winter's cold, * His Vox-pacifica was printed in 1645. Editor. Nor |