In 1654, Anna Trapnel -- a Baptist, Fifth Monarchist, millenarian, and visionary from London -- fell into a trance during which she prophesied passionately and at length against Oliver Cromwell and his government. The prophecies attracted widespread public attention, and resulted in an invitation to travel to Cornwall. Her Report and Plea, republished here for the first time, is a lively and engaging firsthand account of the visit, which concluded in her arrest, a court hearing, and imprisonment. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part impassioned defense of her beliefs and actions, the...
In 1654, Anna Trapnel -- a Baptist, Fifth Monarchist, millenarian, and visionary from London -- fell into a trance during which she prophesied pass...