John Pordage

John Pordage (1607–1681) was an Anglican priest, astrologer, alchemist and Christian mystic. He founded the 17th century English Behmenist group which would later become known as the Philadelphian Society when it was led by his disciple and successor, Jane Leade.

John Pordage was the eldest son of Samuel Pordage (d. 1626), grocer, by his wife Elizabeth (Taylor), and was born in the parish of St. Dionis Backchurch, London, and baptised on 21 April 1607. He was curate in charge of St. Lawrence's, Reading, Berkshire, in 1644, the vicar being Thomas Gilbert (1613–1694). By 1647 (after 9 Nov 1646) he was rector of Bradfield, Berkshire, a living in the gift of Elias Ashmole, who thought highly of his astrological knowledge. Richard Baxter, who describes Pordage as chief of the 'Behmenists', or English followers of Jakob Böhme, knew of him through a young man, probably Abiezer Coppe, who in 1649 was living under Pordage's roof in a 'family communion', the members 'aspiring after the highest spiritual state' through 'visible communion with angels'. Baxter thought they tried to carry too far 'the perfection of a monastical life'. Among themselves this family went by scripture names; Pordage was 'Father Abraham', his wife was 'Deborah'.

He was eventually charged before the Committee for Plundered Ministers with heresies comprised in nine articles, accusing him of a sort of mystical pantheism. But on 27 March 1651, the committee acquitted him on all counts. On 18 September 1654, he was summoned to appear on 5 October before the county commissioners (known as 'expurgators') at the Bear Inn, Speenhamland, Berkshire. The nine articles were revived against him at the instance of John Tickel, a Presbyterian divine at Abingdon, Berkshire. The inquiry was successively adjourned several times, fresh articles being from time to time brought forward against him, to the number of fifty-six, in addition to the original nine. Most of them dealt with unsubstantial matters of personal gossip; the accusation of intercourse with spirits was pressed (from 19 October) by Christopher Fowler. It was made a charge against him that he had sheltered Robert Everard and Thomas Totney. One of his maid-servants, while attesting some of the stories about spirits, bore witness to the purity and piety of the family life. By 30 November, Pordage was too ill to appear; the inquiry was adjourned to 7 December at the Bear Inn, Reading, Berkshire. On 8 December the commissioners ejected him as 'ignorant and very insufficient for the work of the ministry'. He was to leave the rectory by 2 February and clear out his barns by 25 March 1655. Subsequent to the trial he published a pamphlet, Innocencie Appearing, in which he gave his account of the proceedings, and included a document, not presented at court, in which he confessed to frequent conversations with angels. These were probably summoned by magical means.

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