John Pendarves

John Pendarves, A. B.—This person was born in Cornwall, in the year 1622, and educated at Exeter college, Oxford. In the year 1642, when the nation was involved in war, he left the university, took part with the parliament, and, says the Oxford historian, "having a voluble tongue for canting, went up and down preaching in houses, barns, under trees, hedges, and elsewhere." Though this is evidently designed to blacken his memory, his conduct herein was surely as commendable as that of many of the episcopal clergy, who stretched all their power to obtain numerous rich livings, but did not preach at all. "But," says he, "at length he turned anabaptist; and having obtained a great multitude of disciples, made himself head of them, defied all authority, contradicted and opposed all orthodox ministers, challenged them to prove their calling, and spared not many times to interrupt them in their pulpits, and to urge them to disputes. After several challenges, Dr. Maync, of Christ's Church, undertook to be his respondent; and, according to appointment, they met September 11, 1652, in Watlington church, Oxfordshire, when an innumerable company of people assembled: but Pendarves being backed by a great party of anabaptists, and the scum of the people, who behaved themselves very rudely, the disputation was interrupted, and so came to nothing."^ Ho was lecturer at Wantage in Berkshire, and pastor to the baptist church at Abingdon in the same county. Our author adds, that "he accounted himself a true-born Englishman ; but, because he endeavoured utterly to undo the distressed and tottering church of England, he was undeserving of the name. And as he did these things for

no other purpose than to obtain wealth, and make himself famous to posterity; so it would be accounted worthy, if by my omission 01 him his name could have been buried in oblivion." This bitter writer, nevertheless, allows him to have been a tolerable disputant.* Mr. Pendarves died in London, in the beginning of September, 1656, aged thirtyfour years. His remains are said to have been carried to Abingdon, in a sugar-cask filled up with sand; where they were interred, with great funeral solemnity, in the baptists' burying-ground. He was a fifth monarchy man;t and, being famous among the p^rty, his interment drew together so great a concourse of people, that the government tooknotice of it, and sent Major-general Bridges, with a party of soldiers, to attend at Abingdon on the occasion. The numerous assemblage of people spent several days in the religious exercises of praying and preaching, which was attended with some rude behaviour and confusion.}:

His Works —1. Arrows against Babylon; or, Queries serving to a dear Discovery of the Mystery of Iniquity, 1656.—2. Endeavours for Reformation of Saints' Apparel. 16*56.—3. Queries for the People called Quakers, 1656.—1. Prefatory Epistle to a Book entitled, 'The Prophets Malachy and Isaiah prophesying to the Saints arid Professors of this Generation,' 1G56.—5. Several Sermons, 1657.— And various other small articles.