William Streat

was born of gentile Parents in Devons. became either a Batler or Sojourner of Exeter Coll. in the beginning of the year 1617, aged 17 years or thereabouts, took the degrees in Arts, holy Orders, and was benefic’d in his own Country. Upon the change of the times in 1641, he sided with the Presbyterians, and preached very schismatically, being about that time Rector of South-Pool near to Kingsbridge in Devonshire. When the Cause of K. Ch. 1. declined, he preached bitterly against him and his Followers, blasting them with the name of bloody Papists; and when his Son K. Ch. 2. was in Exile he became a desperate enemy to, and continually preached against, him: And every trivial thing that he could hear, or read in those satyrical Prints called Merc. Politici and other Pamphlets against him, be sure he published in the Pulpit to his Parishioners, as I have been credibly informed by some Ministers of his Neighbourhood. After the restauration of K. Ch. 2, an. 1660 he wheeled about as many covetous and poor spirited Saints did, sneak’d to the great men then in authority, conformed, and kept his rectory to his dying day, to the great reluctancy of the generous Royalists of those parts. He hath written a book entit.

The dividing of the Hoof: or, seeming contradictions throughout sacred Scriptures, resolved and applied, &c. Lond. 1654 in a pretty thick qu. dedicated to God and Gods People. Other matters, they say, he hath published, but such I have not yet seen, nor do I know any thing else of this Author, (who should rather have been buried in oblivion, than mention’d) only that dying at South-Pool was buried in the Church there in sixteen hundred sixty and six,1666. leaving then this character behind him among the said Ministers of his neighbourhood, that he was as infinite a rogue, and as great a sinner that could be, and that ’twas pity that he did escape punishment in this life.