was to fee no more, repaired to his own houfe, once the feat of domeftic blifs and endearment.

Mrs. Heffe at a late hour had retired to refl, he locked himself in his dreffing room, and in an agony of defpair fo naturally produced by hopeless pecuniary diftrefs, and blafted irretrievable profpefts, rafhly ventured on that world unknown," fnatching from "God's right hand, the inftru"ments of death."

The fituation of a wife at once, and by a fhocking catastrophe, deprived of hufband, friend, and fortune, may be eafily imagined, the struggle was too great, for a frame tender and delicate, but an interval of recovery from anguifh, was happily afforded by temporary diftraction. From the houfe of affliction fhe was conveyed by Adair to his own hofpitable roof where the experienced every confolation that tranquility, and the lenient hand of friendship could beftow, he was indeed the good Samaritan, the father and the friend:

For this one deed be all his

faults forgiven."

From the life of the fubject of this article, fays his biographer, the man who early in life, has made one falfe ftep, may learn not to give himfelf up to fupinencfs, indifference, and defpair, as by fubfequent prudence and induftry, difliculties may be furmounted, character reftored, and fuccefs ultimately attained. The man of moderate capacity, without brilJiant powers or attainments may allo be taught, that pre-eminence and fortune for which we all are ftruggling through life, may be

attained by humbler gifts, by diligence, attention, gentleness, civility, and a conftant watchfulness to turn the little accidents of life to good account.

From a confideration of this ar ticle, an oít repeated leffon, may alfo be brought home to the bofom of us all; though few, comparatively fpeaking, have oppor tunities of acting confpicuous parts on the great theatre of life, although we cannot all be heroes, ftatelinen, warriors, philofophers, and poets, yet we all have it in our power to fulfil the duties of private life, to abstain as far as human infirmity will permit from violence, folly and crime, and to diffufe in fome degree the bleflings of eate and comfort, to the unhappy, the fick, and the unfortunate.

ANABAPTISTS, a fect of

Chriftians, fo called from the peculiarity of their notions concerning baptifm, apparently founded on the primitive practice of the church.

They contend, that baptifm fhould be adminiftered only to perfons grown up to years of difcretion, that the common mode of fprinkling, is infufficient and incomplete; they therefore re-baptize (by dipping, or a total immerfion) thofe who are admitted into their fociety.

But to thefe, and other harmlefs inftitutions, neither injurious to the peace or welfare of mankind, they added doctrines of a moft enthufiaftic and dangerous tendency, which fpringing into action about the middle of the fixteenth century, not long after the fuccessful efforts of Luther, were mentioned to his reproach

by

by the enemies of the reformation, though he attacked their irrational chimæras, as fubverfive of fociety and fatal to religion, with great ftrength of argument, and his ufual acrimony of ftile.

量

Having been driven by the vigilance of the magiftrate from other parts of Germany, they had propagated their opinions with zeal and boldnefs at Munfter, an imperial city of Weftphalia, where they were attended with memorable circumstances, and productive of a temporary revolution, of which, an interefting narrative has been compiled, by the candid and perfpicuous Dr. Robertfon

Thefe wild enthufiafts maintained, that among chriftians, who had the precepts of the gofpel to direct, and the fpirit of God to guide them, the office of magiftrates was not only unneceffary, but an unlawful encroachment on their spiritual liberty.

They refolved, that all diftinctions occafioned by birth, rank, or wealth, ought to be entirely abolished, as they were contrary to the fpirit of divine revelation, which confiders all men as equal, and all earthly poffeffions as common; they openly avowed themfelves friends to polygamy, both in doctrine and practice, declaring, that neither the laws of nature, nor the precepts of the new teftament, laid any restraint on a plurality of wives, and that it was a liberty which God himself had granted to the patriarchs.

Two of their principal prophets, Matthias a baker, and Boccold a taylor, uniting confident plaufible manners, and apparent fanctity, with a fpirit of enterprize, and a

thirst for novelty, and making profelytes; had fixed their refidence in Munfter, where among many other converts, they had gained Rothman,, who firft preached the proteftant doctrine in that city; and Cnipperdoling, a wealthy and refpectable citizen. Stimulated by, or not contented with thefe encouragements, they were defirous of eftablishing their tenets by public authority, and caballing with the city guards, they forced the arsenal and fenate-house at midnight, whilft their affociates rushing through the streets with drawn fwords, proclaimed to the terrified inhabitants," Depart ye ungodly, "or repent and be baptized."

The fenators, canons, and nobility, with the more fober citizens, fled from the city, which was thus abandoned to the dominion of a frantic multitude.

Cnipperdoling and another profelyte, were immediately elected confuls, though all proceedings were directed by Matthias, who in the ftyle, and with the authority of a prophet, uttered, as by infpiration, commands, which it was death to difobey: he encouraged the multitude to pillage the churches and deface their ornaments, to deftroy all books as ufe. lefs and impious, except the bible, and directed the eftates of fuch as fled to be confifcated; while every individual, either voluntarily, or by command, brought forth his gold, filver, and other precious effects, and depofited them in a treafury, or common stock, which was difpenfed for the common use of all: to compleat the plan of equality, the whole fociety eat promifcuoufly, without regard to

age,

age, fex, or rank, at tables publicly prepared for them..

The defence of their newly acquired city, was, in the mean time, not neglected; large magazines of every kind were formed, the fortifications repaired, fuch as were capable of bearing arms were difciplined, and Matthias, by a rare union of prudence and fanaticifm, by precept, as well as example, animated his followers either to act or to fuffer; while the impetuofity of enthusiasm was occafionally roufed by exhortation, revelation, or prophecy.

The German princes, highly offended at the prefumption of thefe ufurpers, voted a fupply of men and money to the Bishop of Munfter, who advanced with a confiderable body to befiege the town, which the Anabaptifts had dignified with the fcriptural name of Mount Sion; on his approach, Matthias fallied forth, forced the lines of the enemy, and returning loaded with spoil and glory, was fo much intoxicated with this tial fuccefs, that he appeared the next day brandishing a fpear, and declared he would go with a handful of men and fmite the ungodly; thirty of his deluded difciples followed him without hesitation, and rufhing on the enemy, were all of them immediately cut to pieces.

par

The death of their prophet, occafioned at first great confternation, but Boccold revived their fpirits by ftrong affurances of more fortunate events, not forgetting to caft some mild reproach on the rafh conduct of Matthias, which prevented all poffibility of fuccefs by his frantic folly: the multitude liftened to his exhorta

He fatisfied himself with carrying on a defenfive war, waited with patience for fuccours from the Low Countries, which had been long promised, and often confidently foretold by their prophets; but he was a wilder enthu fiaft than his predeceffor, and of more unbounded ambition, for he marched naked through the streets, proclaiming, "that the

66

kingdom of heaven was at "hand, that the highest fhould "be brought low, and the lowest "be exalted."

He caufed every church in the city to be levelled to the ground, degraded the fenators, and depriving Cnipperdoling of his confulfhip, the highest office in the commonwealth, he appointed him to the lowest, that of common hangman, an office he executed without murmuring.

Boccold alfo wore a crown of gold, and indulged a fplendour in his drefs; a body of guards accompanied him when he appeared in public, a fword drawn, and a bible, were carried before him; he coined money, affumed the state and pomp of royalty, and foon after married three wives, one of whom was the widow of Matthias, a woman of fingular beauty, who was dignified with the title of queen. But, enthusiasm, as the excellent hiftorian obferves, being generally accompanied with a proneness to fenfuality, this new monarch

monarch of the Anabaptifts, allured by beauty or the love of variety, increased the number of his wives to eight, to twelve, and at laft to fourteen; an example which the multitude was not back. ward in following, and under the fpecious deception of polygamy and divorce, they gave themfelves up to an uncontrouled gratification of licentious paffion: thus by a`monftrous and almost incredible union, voluptuoufnefs was grafted on religion, and diffolute pleasures accompanied the aufterities of fanatical devotion.

In this form, and by fuch fupports, their government had fubfifted for more than fifteen months, but their promised affiftance from the Low Countries had been intercepted, the Bishop's army gradually enclosed the town, cut off all communication with the adjacent country, and the befieged, notwithstanding the prudent management of their provifions, had the evils of famine, added to the fatigues of military duty, and working on the fortifications. But under the impulse of fanaticifm, which imparts amiraculous ftrength to the human mind, they were not to be fubdued, and fubmitted to the moft fhocking hardships and the vileft food, rather than liften to terms of capitulation which were repeatedly offered; the least fymptom of want of faith in the divinity of Boccold or the prophets, was punished with inftant death, and one of the king's favourite wives, from the diftreffes of the poor inhabitants, having prefumed to doubt the heavenly nature of his miffion, was inftantly beheaded by her husband.

VOL. I.

At length a deferter, in whom exceffive hunger had cooled enthufiafm, made his escape to the enemy. With an emaciated body, a cadaverous countenance, and faint voice, he begged for food, which as foon as he had swallowed, and obtained a promife of pardon, he pointed out to the befiegers, a weak and neglected fpot in the walls by which they entered; one of the city gates was taken poffeffion of, and the whole army admitted.

The Anabaptifts, though furprized, formed in the marketplace, and defended themfelves with valour, till furrounded on every fide, overpowered with numbers, and without a poffibility of efcape, they were cut to pieces except Boccold, Cnipperdoling, and a few others, who were loaded with chains, and expofed to the infults and curiofity of feveral cities in the empire.

This unfortunate monarch, and extraordinary man, who had acquired fuch dominion over the minds of his followers, and excited fuch dangerous commotions, was only twenty-fix years of age, but did not appear either broken or humbled by this reverse of fortune; he adhered with unfhaken firmnefs, to his tenets, though he fuffered a lingering death at Munfter, under the fevereft. tortures that could be inflicted.

The kingdom of the Anabaptifts was extinguished, but their principles had taken deep root in the Low Countries, where the sect ftill fubfifts under the name of Mennonites, which, notwithstanding its feditious and bloody origin, is altogether innocent and pacific. They hold it unlawful to wage war, C

or

1

or to accept of civil offices, and devoting themselves to induftry and charity, endeavour to compenfate to mankind for the fanguinary violence of their founders.

course, been feized, and facrificed to public juftice, few Americans, and I believe but one Englishman, would have deplored his fate; could the rigid maxims of military

the British army, of amiable manners, and enterprizing fpirit; who, animated warmly for the public fervice, rafhly fubmitted to the expedient of an illicit intrigue with Arnold, a, general officer in the American army, during the campaign of feventeen hundred and eighty, and being detected, fuffered death in the prime of life, after the most powerful interceffions, and repeated threats of retaliation, which were found ineffectual to bend the ftubborn fenfe of duty, paramount to all other confiderations, in the breast of General Washington.

But however we may lament the untimely, death of a good young man, a dutiful fon, and an affectionate brother, whofe active zeal was his only crime, we are bound by the fevere decrees of impartial justice, to confider the punishment he fuffered, as ftrictly conformable to the laws of war. With clandeftine views, and in a fecret manner, he had introduced himself within the lines of the enemy; disguised in his dress, and affuming a feigned name, he was taken in the very act of conveying intelligence; he declared, himfelf, that it was impoffible to fuppofe that he came on fhore under the fanction of a flag; he was, of course, in every fenfe of the word, a fpy, and, with all his valuable qualities, certainly merited death.

Had another agent in this dif graceful and unfortunate inter

relaxed, or the harsh node of putting the unhappy young man to death, have been altered or foftened in fome of its odious formalities, which in his last hours, mortified him more feverely than the lofs of life, the cause of liberty could not poffibly have been injured, and fuch conduct would have done credit to the finer feelings of the tranfatlantic generals, in which, by the voice of party malevolence, or of truth, they are accused of having been grofsly deficient,

Res duræ et regni novitas me talia cogunt, was aptly quoted by the American chief, whofe merits will bear a comparison without injury, among the most renowned heroes of antiquity.

I have feen a letter written by Major André, when a young man, and in a counting-house, his original deftination being commercial; from this he was probably tempted by a fascinating fplendor attached to the military profeffion; a prevailing tendency, which often is foftered by the erroneous conduct of mankind, "who be"ftow a more liberal applause on "their destroyers, than on their "benefactors." "Inftead of a "merchant," fays the Major, in his letter, "in fnuff coloured "cloaths, and a bob wig, count"ing money, I fometimes, in a "reverie, fancy myself a Marlborough, mounted on my char"ger, and fiercely brandifhing 66 a truncheon.