Anthony Palmer

son of Anth. Palm. was born at Great Comberton in Worcestershire, became a Student in Balliol Coll. an. 1634, aged 16 years, admitted Fellow thereof, after he had taken one degree, 29 Nov. 1640; and in the year after being then Master of Arts, he entred into holy Orders. But all things at that time being in a very sad confusion in the Nation, he sided with the Presbyterians then dominant, took the Covenant, had some employment among them, and was all things to all men, such was the mutability and vanity of the person. At length the rich Rectory of Bourton on the Water in Glocestershire being made void, he got into it, resign’d his Fellowship in Octob. 1649, took the Engagement, and was afterwards an Assistant to the Commissioners of the said County, for the ejecting of such whom the Brethren called scandalous, ignorant, and insufficient Ministers and Schoolmasters, that is, loyal and orthodox Clergymen, being about that time (1654) Anabaptistically inclin’d, and a great favourer of those of that perswasion and their Tenets. About the time of his Majesties Restauration he was by the force of some of the Royallists of his Town driven from his charge, as having been a most pernitious person as to his doctrine, and a great enemy to the Loyal party: whereupon he withdrew and put in a Curate, but he being disturb’d, they got one to read the Common-Prayer. In the year following there was published in that Villanous imposture called, Annus Mirabilis: or the year of prodigies and wonders, &c. Printed 1661. a story ((*))((*)) Pag. 79. nu. 22. concerning this matter, and an account of a strange judgment that befel two of his Disturbers, viz. one, who was soon. after suddenly striken with death, and another, who was smitten in a very strange manner, &c. After our author Palmer had been forced to leave that comfortable harbour, he retired to London, where we find him to have had a hand in, or at least consenting to, that stupendious Tragedy, which was intended to be acted by the Satanical Saints, in Nov . 1662, for which George Phillipps, Tho Tonge, Franc. Stubbs, &c. suffered 22. Dec. the same year. Afterwards he carried on the trade of conventicling to his last, and thereby obtained a comfortable subsistance from the brethren. His works are these,

A Scripture raile to the Lords table, against Mr. Jo. Humphrey’s treatise of Free admission to the Sacrament. Lond. 1654. oct. or tw.

Memorials of Godliness and Christianity; with the way of making religion ones business, &c. Lond . in tw.

The Christians Freedome by Christ, or Gods deed of Gift to the Saints. Lond. in tw.

The Gospel new Creature; wherein the work of the Spirit is opened, in awakening the soul; to the gaining pardon of sin, and an interest in Jesus Christ is plainly opened, &c. Lond 1658 1674. oct.

The Tempestious soul Calmed by Jesus Christ—These two last are grounded upon certain texts of Scripture. He hath written other things which I have not seen, and therefore I shall only tell you, that he taking his last farewel of this world on the 26. of January in sixteen hundred seventy and eight,1678/9. was buried in the phanatical burial place joyning to Old Bedlam near to Morefields by London; where some years since I saw an altar monument of stone over his grave. Several of the Sirname of Palmer have been writers, and one Thom. Palmer who was Minister of S. Laurence Pountney in London did zealously assert the former rebellion as well with his Sword as Pen. Upon his Maj restauration being ejected, he retired into Derbyshire, where we find him at Aston carrying on the cause by preaching, but being thence ejected, he became an Itinerant preacher, and a gatherer of Churches here and there, and in the month of July or thereabouts, an. 1663, he was secured in Nottingham for preaching in Conventicles. But soon after getting loose, we find him engaged in that fanatical hellish plot in the north parts of England, which was discovered in the beginning of Oct. 1663, and for which several suffered death at York . and elsewhere: But what became of Tho. Palmer I know not as yet. Sure I am that his name was in his Majesties Proclamation for his apprehension, and was therein described to be a tall man, flaxen haired and to be between 40 and 50 years of age.