Abiezer Coppe

, the Son of Walt. Coppe, was born in the antient Borough of Warwick in Warwickshire, 20. May 1619, educated in Grammar learning there, and at about 17 years of age was sent to Alls. Coll. in the beginning of 1636, where continuing but for a short time (in the condition of a Servitor I think) he became one of the number of Portionists, commonly called Postmasters, of Mert. College; at which time, tho he was put under the tuition of a good Tutor, (Ralph Button I think) yet being naturally vitious, all lectures or examples could not reform, or make, him live like a Christian: And it was then notoriously known that he would several times entertain for one night or more a wanton huswife in his Chamber (under that called Oxoniam quare, as I have heard) in the little or old quadrangle, to whom carrying several times meat, at the hour of refection, he would make answer, when being asked by the way, what he would do with it, that it was a bit for his cat. At length the Civil War breaking forth, he left the University without a degree, adhered to the blessed Cause, and at first was a Presbyterian: But the gap being widened for all heresies to come in, he became an Anabaptist, and after a Ranter, Muggletonian, and what not to satisfie his wandring head and filthy lusts. The stage of most of his villanies was Warwickshire, where and in the neighbourhood, and in other of his rambles, he had, while he was an Anabaptist, baptized seven thousand People, as he brag’d to some Oxford Scholars while he was a Prisoner in Coventry. After he had left that opinion and had turned Ranter, ’twas usual with him to preach stark naked many blasphemies and unheard of villanies in the day-time, and in the night be drunk and lye with a Wench that had been also his hearer stark naked. He was wont to say, when he was reprehended for swearing, that tho it was usual with him in common discourse and in his preachings, yet ’twas not formally but materially, as thus, By Gods wounds I shall be saved, and the like: But he said these things when he was imprison’d for his rogueries, and not before. When also he was check’d by the Brethren of the Anabaptistical party for leaving them, he would swear that he would rather hear an Arch Angel blaspheme and curse God, than hear a Presbyterian or Anabaptist preach. About the time of his publishing the Fiery flying Roll, he was for that and other rascallities imprison’d at Coventry, where ’twas usual with him, after he had swore and cursed most of the day, to be drunk at night: And when he was to be removed thence to London, a Brother of his Religion brought a collection of fifty pounds to pay his debts there. This brother, while he remained in that City, preached twice in one day, and towards night he preached in the Prison to Coppe and others of his gang: Which being done, they enjoyed the creature so much, that they were all down-right drunk. To omit many other of his pranks that he acted then and before, I shall tell you what he hath written, viz.

A fiery flying roll, &c. Lond. 1649. This book I have not yet seen, and therefore I cannot give a full account of it. In the month of January the same year, he, as a most notorious sectarist, and author of that book, was removed from Coventry to the Prison called Newgate in London, where, as before, he did little else but swear and curse, and obstinately held forth to all People that came to see him that God could not damn him: and having smooth arguments for what he had said, induced many to be of his Religion. On the 2. of Feb. following, it was voted by the members of Parliament (who by their most imparallel’d actions, had been, and were then, the occasion of all Englands woes and miseries, and so let it stand upon eternal record to their eternal shame) that the said book entit. A fiery flying roll, doth contain many horrid blasphemies and damnable and detestable opinions, and that the said book and all the copies of it that could be found should be burnt by the hands of the common hangman, &c. which accordingly was done. The errors that Coppe held, which he afterwards recanted were these (1) That there is no sin. (2) That there is no God. (3) That man or the meer creature is very God. (4) That God is in man, or in the creature only, and no where else. (5) That cursing and swearing is no sin. (6) That adultery, fornication and uncleaness is no sin. (7) That community of Wives is lawful, &c. Afterwards for fear of corporal punishment, or perpetual exile in an obscure place, Coppe recanted, and published another book, after he had been an year and an half in prison, entit.

Copp’s return to the way of truth, in a zealous and sincere protestation against several errors; and in a sincere and zealous testimony to several truths; or, truth asserted against, and triumphing over, error; and the wings of the fiery flying roll clip’t, &c. Lond. 1651. qu, Before which is a large preface shewing what the author Coppe had been, and was then, to the Parliament.

Letter in answer to another of Mr. John Dury.—Printed with Copp’s return; as also another to March. Nedham. Afterwards Coppe was set at liberty, was kindly entertained among those of his opinion, and being at Burford in Oxfordshire preached there A recantation Sermon, 23. Dec. 1651, but whether printed I cannot tell. Sure it is that John Tickell a Minister of Abendon in Berks. (somtimes of Ch. Ch.) did write Animadversions on it, which are printed at the end of his Bottomless pit smoaking in familisme. Oxon. 1652. oct. He the said Coppe published also a book written by J. F. entit. John the Divines Divinity: or, the confession of the general assembly, or Church of the first born in heaven. Lond. 1649. Before which book Coppe hath put an Epistle dated at London 13 Jan. 1648, two or three days (as he saith) before the eternal God thundred at Great S. Ellens (in Lond.) This book is a silly thing, full of blasphemies, and more fit for a posterior use, than to be read by any man of Reason or Sobriety. Afterwards the Name of Coppe being odious, he did upon the Kings restauration, change it to Higham, and practising Physick at Barnelms in Survey, and sometimes preaching in Conventicles to maintain him and his, went for divers years by the Name of Dr. Higham. At length being brought low by certain Infirmities which he had contracted in his Rambles by Drinking and Whoring, died there in the month of Aug. in sixteen hundred seventy and two:1672. whereupon he was buried by the Name of Dr. Higham on the south side of the body of the Church there, under the seats, on the 23 day of the same month. One Joh. Higham hath published a book called A Looking-glass for Loyalty, printed 1675. oct. but he is not to be taken for the same with the former, nor for another Joh. Higham a R. C. Bookseller of S. Omers, living in the Reign of K. Jam. 1, who translated from Spanish into English Meditations upon the Mysteries of our holy faith. S. Omers 1619. in two, or more, tomes in qu.