V. 1534 new formi govern ment. ciples, they openly taught their opinions; and, not satis- BOOK fied with that liberty, they made several attempts, though without success, to become masters of the town, in order Become to get their tenets established by public authority. At masters of that city. last, having secretly called in their associates from the neighbouring country, they suddenly took possession of the arsenal and senate-house in the night time, and running through the streets with drawn swords and horrible howlings, cried out alternately, repent and be baptised,' February. and, depart, ye ungodly.' The senators, the canons, the nobility, together with the more sober citizens, whether papists or protestants, terrified at their threats and outcries, fled in confusion, and left the city under the dominion of a frantic multitude, consisting chiefly of strangers. Nothing now remaining to overawe or controul them, they set about modelling the government according to their own wild ideas; and though at first they Establish a shewed so much reverence for the ancient constitution, of as to elect senators of their own sect, and to appoint Cnipperdoling and another proselyte consuls, this was nothing more than form; for all their proceedings were directed by Matthias, who in the style and with the authority of a prophet uttered his commands, which it was instant death to disobey. Having begun with encouraging the multitude to pillage the churches, and deface their ornaments, he enjoined them to destroy all books except the Bible, as useless or impious; he ordered the estates of such as fled to be confiscated, and sold to the inhabitants of the adjacent country; he commanded every man to bring forth his gold, silver, and other precious effects, and to lay them at his feet; the wealth amassed by these means he deposited in a public treasury, and named deacons to dispense it for the common use of all. The members of this commonwealth being thus brought to a perfect equality, he commanded all of them to eat at tables prepared in public, and even prescribed the dishes which were to be served up each day. Having finished his plan of reformation, his next care was to pro BOOK vide for the defence of the city; and he took measures V. for that purpose with a prudence which savoured nothing 1534. The bishop tak them. sarmis of fanaticism. He collected large magazines of every kind; he repaired and extended the fortifications, obliging every person without distinction to work in his turn; he formed such as were capable of bearing arms into regular bodies, and endeavoured to add the stability of discipline to the impetuosity of enthusiasm. He sent emissaries to the anabaptists in the Low countries, inviting them to assemble at Munster, which he dignified with the name of Mount Sion, that from thence they might set out to reduce all the nations of the earth under their dominion. He himself was unwearied in attending to every thing necessary for the security or increase of the sect, animating his disciples by his own example to decline no labour, as well as to submit to every hardship; and their enthusiastic passions being kept from subsiding by a perpetual succession of exhortations, revelations, and prophecies, they seemed ready to undertake or to suffer any thing in maintenance of their opinions. While they were thus employed, the bishop of Munster of Mnster having assembled a considerable army, advanced to beagainst siege the town. On his approach, Matthias sallied out at the head of some chosen troops, attacked one quarter of his camp, forced it, and after great slaughter, returned to the city loaded with glory and spoil. Intoxicated with this success, he appeared next day brandishing a spear, and declared that, in imitation of Gideon, he would go forth with a handful of men, and smite the host of the ungodly. Thirty persons, whom he named, followed him without hesitation in this wild enterprise, and rushing on the enemy with a frantic courage, were cut off to a man. The death of their prophet occasioned at first great consternation among his disciples; but Boccold, by the same gifts and pretensions which had gained Matthias credit, soon revived their spirits and hopes to such a degree, that he succeeded the deceased prophet in the same absolute direction of all their attairs. As he did not possess that May. 6 BOOK quires V. hority among the tists. enterprising courage which distinguished his predecessor, he satisfied himself with carrying on a defensive war; ་534. and, without attempting to annoy the enemy by sallies, John of he waited for the succours he expected from the Low Ley en accountries, the arrival of which was often foretold and pro-great aumised by their prophets. But though less daring in action than Matthias, he was a wilder enthusiast, and of nabapmore unbounded ambition. Soon after the death of his predecessor, having, by obscure visions and prophecies, prepared the multitude for some extraordinary event, he stripped himself naked, and, marching through the streets, proclaimed with a loud voice, that the kingdom of Sion was at hand; that whatever was highest on earth should be brought low, and whatever was lowest should be exalted.' In order to fulfil this, he commanded the churches, as the most lofty buildings in the city, to be levelled with the ground; he degraded the senators chosen by Matthias; and depriving Cnipperdoling of the consulship, the highest office in the commonwealth, appointed him to execute the lowest and most infamous, that of common hangman; to which strange transition the other agreed, not only without murmuring, but with the utmost joy: and such was the despotic rigour of Boccold's administration, that he was called almost every day to perform some duty or other of his wretched function. In place of the deposed senators, he named twelve judges, according to the number of tribes in Israel, to preside in all affairs; retaining to himself the same authority which Moses anciently possessed as legislator of that people. Not satisfied, however, with power or titles which were Elected king. not supreme, a prophet, whom he had gained and tutored, having called the multitude together, declared it to be the will of God, that John Boccold should be king of Sion, and sit on the throne of David. John kneeling June 24down, accepted of the heavenly call, which he solemnly protested had been revealed likewise to himself, and was immediately acknowledged as monarch by the deluded multitude. From that moment he assumed all the state BOOK V. 1554 His licentious tenets duct. and pomp Having now attained the height of power, Boccold and con- began to discover passions which he had hitherto restrained, or indulged only in secret. As the excesses of enthusiasm have been observed in every age to lead to sensual gratifications, the same constitution that is susceptible of the former, being remarkably prone to the latter, he instructed the prophets and teachers to harangue the people for several days concerning the lawfulness, and even necessity, of taking more wives than one, which they asserted to be one of the privileges granted by God to the saints. When their ears were once accustomed to this licentious doctrine, and their passions inflamed with the prospect of such unbounded indulgence, he himself set them an example of using what he called their Christian liberty, by marrying at once three wives, among which the widow of Matthias, a woman of singular beauty, was one. As he was allured by beauty, or the love of variety, he gradually added to the number of his wives, until they amounted to fourteen, though the widow of Matthias was the only one dignified with the title of queen, or who shared with him the splendour and ornaments of royalty. After the example of their prophet, the multitude gave themselves up to the most licentious. and uncontrouled gratification of their desires. No man remained satisfied with a single wife. Not to use their Christian liberty was deemed a crime. Persons were appointed to search the houses for young women grown up to maturity, whom they instantly compelled to marry. Together with polygamy, freedom of divorce, its inse V. parable attendant, was introduced, and became a new BOOK source of corruption. Every excess was committed of, which the passions of men are capable, when restrained neither by the authority of laws, nor the sense of decency; and, by a monstrous and almost incredible conjunction, voluptuousness was ingrafted on religion, and dissolute riot accompanied the austerities of fanatical devotion. deracy tists. Meanwhile, the German princes were highly offended A confe at the insult offered to their dignity by Boccold's pre-against the sumptuous usurpation of royal honours; and the profli- anabapgate manners of his followers, which were a reproach to the Christian name, filled men of all professions with horror. Luther, who had testified against this fanatical spirit on its first appearance, now deeply lamented its progress, and having exposed the delusion with great strength of argument, as well as acrimony of style, called loudly on all the states of Germany to put a stop to a frenzy, no less pernicious to society than fatal to religion. The emperor, occupied with other cares and projects, had not leisure to attend to such a distant object; but the princes of the empire, assembled by the king of the Romans, voted a supply of men and money to the bishop of Munster, who, being unable to keep a sufficient army on foot, had converted the siege of the town into a blockade. The forces raised in consequence of this resolution were put under the command of an officer of experience, who, approaching the town towards the end of spring, in the year one thousand five hundred and thirty-five, pressed it more closely than formerly, but found the fortifications so Prophetæ et concionatorum autoritate juxta et exemplo, tota urbe ad rapiendas pulcherrimas quasque fæminas discursum est. Nec intra paucos dies, in tanta hominum turba fere ulla reperta est supra annum decimum quartum quæ stuprum passa non fuerit. Lamb. Hortens. p. 303. Vulgo viris quinas esse uxores, pluribus senas, nonnullis septenas et octonas. Puellas supra duodecimum ætatis annum statim amare. Id. 305. Nemo una contentus fuit, neque cuiquam extra eflætas et viris immaturas continenti esse licuit. Id. 307. Tacebo hic, ut sit suus honor auribus, quantâ barbariâ et malitiâ usi sunt in puellis vitiandis nondum aptis matrimonio, id quod mihi neque ex vano, neque ex vulgi sermonibus haustum est, sed ex ea vetulâ, cui cura sic vitiatarum demandata fuit, zuditum. Joh. Corvinus, 316. 1535Besiege the town. |