John Pendarves

son of Jo. Pend. of Crowan in the County of Cornwal, was born there, or at least in that County, admitted a poor Scholar or Servitour of Exeter Coll. on the eleventh of Decemb. in the year 1637 and in that of his age 15, where by the benefit of a good Tutor, he became a tolerable Disputant. In the latter end of 1641 he took the degree of Bach. of Arts, and compleated it by Determination. At which time all things in the Nation tending to a confusion, he left the Coll. in July 1642, sided with the rout, and by a voluble tongue having obtained the way of canting, went up and down (unsent for) preaching in houses, barns, under trees, hedges, &c. At length after several changes, he setled his mind on Anabaptism, and having got a numerous multitude of Disciples, made himself head of them. defied all Authority, contradicted and opposed all orthodox Ministers in their respective Offices and Employments, challenged them to prove their calling, and spared not many times to interrupt them in their Pulpits, and to urge them to disputes. At length after several Challenges, Jasp. Mayne D. D. of Ch. Church (who had been much troubled with him at Pyrton near Watlington in Oxfordshire) undertook to be his Respondent. So that the eleventh of Sept. 1652, being appointed for the Encounter in the Church at Watlington, were present innumerable people on each side; but Pendarves being back’d with a great party of Anabaptists and the scum of the People, who behaved themselves very rude and insolent, the Disputation was so interrupted, that it came to nothing. This Fellow (who was Lecturer at Wantage, and Pastor to the Anabaptists at Abendon in Berkshire) tho he accounted himself a true born English man, yet he was so ill deserving to be reckoned so, as that like to another Herostratus, he (with his brethren) did endeavour by raising a desperate combustion to utterly undo the distressed and tottering Church of England, which in few years before was accounted glorious and renowned. And as we may really suppose that he did these things to no other end but to gain wealth and make himself famous to posterity; so would it, (I know) be accounted worthy by some, if my omission of his name could bury him in oblivion. But so it is, that his Works are fled abroad, and have been, and are yet, entertained by, and taken into the hands of, many; and therefore if I should do it ’twould be to little purpose. The titles of such that I have seen are these.

Arrowes against Babylon: or, Queries serving to a clear discovery of the Mystery of iniquity, Lond. 1656. qu. Answer [•] d by Will. Ley Minister of Wanting alias Wantage, Christop. Fowler of Reading and Joh. Tickell of Abendon, in Berks.

Endeavours for reformation in Saints apparel.

Queries for the People called Quakers.—These last two are printed with the Arrows against Babylon.

Prefatory Epistle to a book intit. The Prophets Malachy and Isaiah prophecying to the Saints and Professors of this generation, &c. Lond. 1656. qu.

Several Sermons, as (1) Of the fear of the Lord, on Rev. 15. former part of the fourth verse. Lond. 1657. qu. &c. with others, and other theolog. Tracts, which I have not yet seen, particularly the Disputation between him and Doctor Mayne, which Pendarves and his party printed, as I have heard, to their own advantage. At length after a short life spent in continual agitation, he surrendred up his last breath at London about the beginning of September in sixteen hundred fifty and six.1656. Whose body thereupon being embowelled and wrap’d up in Sear-cloth by the care of the Brethren, and afterwards Preparations made for his Funeral, the body was some weeks after conveyed by water to Abendon in Berks. before mentioned: where being lodged in a Grocers house on a Saturday, was Praying and Preaching by the Anabaptists in the said house on Sunday, Munday, and Tuesday, not without Reflections on the then Government by Oliver, and endeavours made to raise Mutinies. About three of the clock in the Afternoon of the said Tuesday, being the 30 of Sept. and the next day after that of S. Michael, his body was conducted from the said house by the Brethren, to a little garden ground then lately purchased for a Burial-place for the Anabaptists, situate and being in Oxstreet at the west end of the said Town, where it was with great lamentation by them deposited. At the same time was such a great party of that Faction present, that Oliver being suspicious of some mischief that might arise, sent Maj. General Joh. Bridges with eight Troops of Horse to those parts, who taking up his quarters at Wallingford, many of his men attended in, and near, Abendon during the time of Praying, Preaching, and Burying. After the burial, were tumults raised by Preaching, which would have ended in blows, had not the Soldiers intercepted, and sent them home.