1670 The Life and Death of William Wallis The Cobler of Glocester Together with some inquiring into the Mystery of Conventicleism

Description

First Edition, Rebound, Very Scarce

Wallis' biographer states to this work that 'His complexion was of a sunburnt gipsy colour, and his skin was rough and tawny, like singed bacon; his hair was brown and bristly upon his head, but his locks were weather-turned, like a barber's show periwig'. Despite his Nonconformist views, Wallis was raised by Roman Catholic parents. His parents were 'church papists' meaning they conformed to the demands of the Church of England enough to escape persecution. It is believed that Wallis began writing his pamphlets against the government in the 1650's but these early works have not survived. Wallis was apprehended by the government following his dispersion of pamphlets and he was held in custody. He admitted authorship of the works but declared to be in religion 'a Christian' and so was released. His pamphlets were frequently of a scatological tone and featured entertaining anecdotes regarding clergymen whose names and addresses he knew. (DNB) This work is the ESTC no. R20134. Collated, complete. Rebound in full cloth. This biography provides further insight into the political and religious turbulence of the seventeenth century.