The Journal of George Fox

Vol. I, Chapter XI (1657)

CHAPTER XI.

1657.—Exhortation to Friends to take heed to the Light of Christ—an expostulation with persecutors—to Friends to be valiant for the truth—in parts of Cumberland the priests are so forsaken that some steeple-houses stand empty—John Wilkinson, the priest, is so deserted, that he sets up a meeting in his own house—then a silent meeting, and at last joins Friends, and becomes an able minister—George Fox travels into Scotland with Col. Osborn and Robert Widders—the latter was a thundering man against the rottenness of the priests’ hypocrisy and deceit—Lady Hamilton is convinced—the Scotch priests raise the war-cry, and draw up their curses, which George Fox answers—they are in a rage and panic when he comes there, thinking “that all was gone”—some Baptists, with their logic and syllogisms, are confuted by George Fox’s logic—he is banished Scotland by the council, but disregards their order—George Fox and William Osburn are waylaid by thieves, who are admonished by the former, and overawed by the Lord’s power—the Highlanders run at them with pitchforks—at Johnstons they are banished the town—on hearing that the council of Edinburgh had issued warrants against him, George Fox goes thither, and is not molested.

Having got a little respite from travel, I was moved to write an epistle to Friends, as follows:—

“All Friends of the Lord everywhere, whose minds are turned in towards the Lord, take heed to the light within you, which is the light of Christ; which, as ye love it, will call your minds inward, that are abroad in the creatures: so your minds may be renewed by it, and turned to God in this which is pure, to worship the living God, the Lord of Hosts over all the creatures. That which calls your minds out of the lusts of the world, will call them out of the affections and desires, and turn you to set your affections above. That which calls the mind out of the world, will give judgment upon the world’s affections and lusts, and is the same that calls out your minds from the world’s teachers, and the creatures, to have your minds renewed. There is your obedience known and found; there the image of God is renewed in you; and ye come to grow up in it. That which calls your minds out of the earth, turns them towards God, where the pure Babe is born of the virgin; and the Babe’s food is known, the children’s bread, which comes from the living God, and nourishes up to eternal life. These babes and children receive their wisdom from above, from the pure living God, and not from the earthly one: for that is trodden under foot with such. All who hate this light, whose minds are abroad in the creatures, in the earth, and in the image of the devil, get the words of the saints, that received their wisdom from above, into the old nature, and their corrupted minds. Such are murderers of the just, enemies to the cross of Christ, in whom the prince of the air lodgeth: sons of perdition, betrayers of the just.

“Therefore take heed to that light, which is oppressed with that nature; which light, as it arises, shall condemn all that cursed nature, shall turn it out, and shut it out of the house; and so ye will come to see the candle lighted, and the house sweeping and swept. Then the pure pearl ariseth; then the eternal God is exalted. The same light that calls in your minds out of the world, turns them to God, the Father of lights. Here in the pure mind is the pure God waited upon for wisdom from above; the pure God is seen night and day; and the eternal peace, of which there is no end, enjoyed. People may have openings, and yet their minds go into the lusts of the flesh; but there the affections are not mortified. Therefore hearken to that, and take heed to that, which calls your minds out of the affections and lusts of the world, to have them renewed. The same will turn your minds to God; the same light will set your affections above, and bring you to wait for the pure wisdom of God from on high, that it may be justified in you.

“Wait all in that, which calls in your minds, and turns them to God; here is the true cross. That mind shall feed upon nothing that is earthly; but be kept in the pure light of God up to God, to feed upon the living food, which comes from the living God. The Lord God Almighty be with you all, dear babes, and keep you all in his strength and power to his glory, over all the world—you whose minds are called out of it, and turned to God, to worship the Creator, and serve him, and not the creature. The light of God, which calls the mind out of the creatures, and turns it to God, brings into a being of endless joy and peace. Here is always a seeing God present, which is not known to the world, whose hearts are in the creatures, whose knowledge is in the flesh, whose minds are not renewed.

“Therefore all Friends, the Seed of God mind and dwell in, to reign over the unjust: and the power of the Lord dwell in, to keep you clear in your understandings, that the Seed of God may reign in you all;—the Seed of God, which is but one in all, which is Christ in the male and in the female, which the promise is to. Wait upon the Lord for the just to reign over the unjust, and for the Seed of God to reign over the seed of the serpent, and be the head; and that all that is mortal may die; for out of that will rise presumption. So fare ye well, and God Almighty bless, and guide, and keep you in his wisdom.”

G. F.

About this time Friends, that were moved of the Lord to go to the steeple-houses and markets, to reprove sin, and warn people of the day of the Lord, suffered much hardship from rude people, and also from the magistrates; being commonly pulled down, buffeted, beaten, and frequently sent to prison. Wherefore I was moved to give forth the following expostulation, to be spread amongst people, to show them, how contrary they acted therein to the apostles’ doctrine and practice, and to bring them to more moderation. Thus it was:—

“Is it not better for you, that have cast into prison the servants and children of the Lord God, for speaking as they are moved, in steeple-houses or markets? Is it not better, I say, for you to try all things, and hold fast that which is good? Is it not of more honour and credit, to prove all things, and try all things, than to pluck down in the steeple-houses, and pull off the hair of their heads, and cast them into prison? Is this an honour to your truth and gospel you profess? Doth it not show that ye are out of the truth, and are not ready to instruct the gainsayers? Hath not the Lord said, ‘He will pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and his sons and his daughters shall prophesy; old men shall dream dreams, and young men see visions; and on his handmaids he will pour forth of his Spirit?’ Was not this prophecy in past ages stood against by the wise learned men in their own wisdom, and by the synagogue teachers? Were not those haled out of the synagogues and temple, who witnessed the Spirit poured forth upon them? Doth not this show, that ye have not the pourings forth of this Spirit upon you, who fill the jails with so many sons and daughters, and hold up such teachers as are bred up in learning at Oxford and Cambridge, and are made by the will of man? Doth not this show, that ye, who are bred up there, who are made teachers by the will of man, and who persecute for prophesying, are strangers to the Spirit that is ‘poured forth upon sons and daughters,’ by which Spirit they come to ‘minister to the spirits that are in prison?’ The Lord hath a controversy with you, who are found prisoning and persecuting such as the Lord hath poured forth of his Spirit upon. Do not your fruits show, in all the nation where ye come; in towns, cities, villages, and countries, that ye are the seedsmen made by the will of man, who sow to the flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped? Ye are looked upon, and your fruits, and that which may be gathered, is seen by all that are in the light, as they pass through your countries, towns, cities, and villages, that ye are all the seedsmen that have sown to the flesh. Mark, and of this take notice, ye who are of that birth that is born of the flesh, sow to your own, persecuting him that is born of the Spirit. Such as sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life eternal, ye cast into prison. Do ye not hale out of the synagogues, persecute and beat in them, and knock down? Are not these the works of the flesh? Have not many been almost murdered and smothered in your synagogues? Have not some been haled out of them, for but looking at the priest, and after cast into prison? Doth not all this make manifest what spirit ye are of, and your fruits to be of the flesh? What pleasures and sports in every town are to be seen among your flocks, that sow to the flesh and are born of it!

“Whereas the ministers of the Spirit cried against such, as ‘sported in the day-time;’ such as ‘ate and drank, and rose up to play;’ such as lived wantonly upon earth in pleasures; such as lived in fulness of bread and idleness; such as defile the flesh: such did God overthrow and destroy, and set them forth as examples to all them that after should live ungodly. But are not the fruits of this reaped in every town? Cannot we hence see, that here is sowing to the flesh? Again, what scorning and scoffing, what mocking, derision, and strife! What oaths and drunkenness, uncleanness and cursed speaking! What lust and pride are seen in the streets! These fruits we see are reaped to the flesh. So here we see the seedsman, him that sows to this flesh, of which nothing but corruption is reaped; as the countries, towns, cities, and villages make manifest. But the ministers of the Spirit, who sow to the Spirit, come to reap eternal life. These discern the other seedsman, who sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps corruption. For the day hath manifested each seedsman, and what is reaped from each is seen; glory be to the Lord God for ever! The ministers of the Spirit, who are born of the Spirit, sons and daughters, who have the Spirit poured forth upon them, and witness the promise of God fulfilled in them, by the Spirit of God preach and minister to the Spirit in prison in every one, in the sight of God, the Father of Spirits. God’s hand is turned against you all, that have destroyed God’s creatures upon your lust. God’s hand is turned against you that have wronged by unjust dealing, defrauded, and oppressed the poor, and respected the persons of the proud (such as are in gay apparel); and lend not your ear to the cry of the poor. The Lord’s hand is turned against you, and his righteous judgment and justice upon you will be accomplished and repaid: who shall have a reward, every one according to his works.

“O! the abomination, the hypocritical profession that is upon the earth, where God and Christ, faith, hope, the Holy Spirit, and truth are professed; but the fear of God, and the faith that purifies and gives victory over the world, are not lived in! Doth it not appear, that the wisdom that rules in all those, whom the seedsman that sows to the flesh, sows for, and who are born of the flesh, is from below, earthly, sensual, and devilish; that their understanding is brutish, and their knowledge natural, as the brute beasts? For men and women in that state, have not patience to speak one to the other of the Scriptures, without much corruption and flesh appearing, yet they have a feigned humility, a will-worship, and righteousness of self; but they own not the light, which ‘lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God; which being owned, self, and the righteousness of self, come to be denied. Here is the humility that is contrary to the light, that is from below and feigned: here is the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish; for people can scarce speak one to another, without destroying one another, prisoning and persecuting one another, when they speak of the Scriptures. Now, this is the devilish wisdom, murdering and destroying: this is not the wisdom that is from above, which is pure and peaceable; gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits. Here all may read each seedsman, which hath each wisdom. He that sows to the flesh, and is born of that, hath the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish; he that sows to the Spirit, a minister of the Spirit, hath the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated;—the wisdom by which all things were made and created. Now is each wisdom discovered, and each seedsman; the day, which is the light, hath discovered them.”

G. F.

I was also moved to give forth the following epistle to Friends, to stir them up to be bold and valiant for the truth, and to encourage them in their sufferings for it:—

“All Friends and brethren everywhere, now is the day of your trial, now is the time for you to be valiant, and to see that the testimony of the Lord doth not fall. Now is the day for the exercise of your gifts, of your patience, and of your faith. Now is the time to be armed with patience, with the light, with righteousness, and with the helmet of salvation. Now is the trial of the slothful servant, who hides his talent, and will judge Christ hard. Now, happy are they that can say, ‘the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof, and he gives the increase;’ and therefore, who takes it from you? Is it not the Lord still that suffers it? For the Lord can try you as he did Job, whom he made rich, whom he made poor, and whom he made rich again; who still kept his integrity in all conditions. Learn Paul’s lesson, ‘in all states to be content;’ and have his faith, that ‘nothing is able to separate us from the love of God, which we have in Christ Jesus.’ Therefore be rich in life, and in grace, which will endure, ye who are heirs of life, and born of the womb of eternity, that noble birth, that cannot stoop to that which is born in sin, and conceived in iniquity; who are better bred and born; whose religion is from God, above all the religions that are from below; and who walk by faith, by that which God hath given you, and not by that which men make, who walk by sight, from the Mass-Book to the Directory. Such are subject to stumble and fall, who walk by sight and not by faith.

“Therefore mind him that destroys the original of sin, the devil and his works, and cuts off the entail of Satan, viz., sin; who would have by entail an inheritance of sin in men and women from generation to generation, and pleads for it by all his lawyers and counsellors. For though the law, which made nothing perfect, did not cut it off; yet Christ being come destroys the devil and his works, and cuts off the entail of sin. This angers all the devil’s lawyers and counsellors, that Satan shall not hold sin by entail in thy garden, in thy field, in thy temple, thy tabernacle. So keep your tabernacles, that there ye may see the glory of the Lord appear at the doors thereof. And be faithful; for ye see, what the worthies and valiants of the Lord attained unto by faith. Enoch by faith was translated. Noah by faith was preserved over the waters in his ark. Abraham by faith forsook his father’s house and religion, and all the religions of the world. Isaac and Jacob by faith followed his steps. See also how Samuel, with other of the Lord’s prophets, and David, by faith were preserved to God, over God’s enemies! Daniel and the three children by faith escaped the lions and the fire, and preserved their worship clean, and by it were kept over the worships of the world. The apostles by faith travelled up and down the world, were preserved from all the religions of the world, and held forth the pure religion to the dark world, which they had received from God; and likewise their fellowship was received from above, which is in the gospel that is everlasting. In this, neither powers, principalities, nor thrones, dominions nor angels, things present, nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor death, mockings, nor spoiling of goods, nor prisons, nor fetters, were able to separate them from the love of God, which they had in Christ Jesus.

“And Friends, ‘quench not the Spirit, nor despise prophesying,’ where it moves; neither hinder the babes and sucklings from crying Hosanna; for out of their mouths will God ordain strength. There were some in Christ’s day that were against such, whom he reproved; and there were some in Moses’s day, who would have stopped the prophets in the camp, whom Moses reproved, and said, by way of encouragement to them, ‘Would God, that all the Lord’s people were prophets!’ So I say now to you. Therefore ye, that stop it in yourselves, do not quench it in others, neither in babe nor suckling; for the Lord hears the cries of the needy, and the sighs and groans of the poor. Judge not that, nor the sighs and groans of the Spirit, which cannot be uttered, lest ye judge prayer; for prayer as well lies in sighs and groans to the Lord as otherwise. Let not the sons and daughters, nor the hand-maidens be stopped in their prophesyings, nor the young men in their visions, nor the old men in their dreams; but let the Lord be glorified in and through all, who is over all, God blessed for ever! So every one may improve his talents, every one exercise his gifts, and every one speak as the Spirit gives him utterance. Thus every one may minister as he hath received the grace, as a good steward to him that hath given it him; so that all plants may bud and bring forth fruit to the glory of God; ‘for the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal.’

“See, that every one hath profited in heavenly things: male and female, look into your own vineyards, and see what fruit ye bear to God; look into your own houses, see how they are decked and trimmed, and see what odours, myrrh, and frankincense ye have therein, and what a smell and savour ye have to ascend to God, that he may be glorified. Bring all your deeds to the light, which ye are taught to believe in by Christ, your Head, the heavenly Man; and see how they are wrought in God. Every male and female, let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, and let your mouths be opened to the glory of God the Father, that he may rule and reign in you. We must not have Christ Jesus, the Lord of life, put any more in a stable, amongst the horses and asses; but he must now have the best chamber, the heart, and the rude, debauched spirit must be turned out. Therefore let Him reign, whose right it is, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, by which ye call him Lord, in which ye pray, and have comfort and fellowship with the Father and with the Son. Therefore know the triumph in it, and in God and his power (which the devil is out of), and in the seed, which is first and last, the beginning and ending, the top and cornerstone; in which is my love to you, and in which I rest—

Your friend, G. F.”

“Postscript—And, Friends, be careful how ye set your feet among the tender plants, that are springing up out of God’s earth; lest ye tread upon them, hurt, bruise, or crush them in God’s vineyard.”

After I had tarried two First-days at Swarthmore, and had visited Friends in their meetings thereabouts, I passed into WESTMORLAND, in the same work, till I came to John Audland’s, where there was a general meeting. The night before I had a vision of a desperate creature, that was coming to destroy me, but I got victory over it. And next day in meeting-time came one Otway, with some rude fellows. He rode round about the meeting with his sword or rapier, and would fain have got in through the Friends to me; but the meeting being great, the Friends stood close, so that he could not easily come at me. When he had rode about several times raging, and found he could not get in, being limited by the Lord’s power, he went away. It was a glorious meeting, ended peaceably, and the Lord’s everlasting power came over all. This wild man went home, became distracted, and not long after died. I sent a paper to John Blaykling to read to him, while he lay ill, showing him his wickedness; and he acknowledged something of it.

From hence, I went through KENDAL, where a warrant had long lain to apprehend me; and the constables seeing me, ran to fetch their warrant, as I was riding through the town; but before they could come with it, I was gone past, and so escaped their hands.

I travelled northwards, visiting Friends’ meetings, till I came to STRICKLAND-HEAD, where I had a great meeting. Most of the gentry of that country being gathered to a horse-race, not far from the meeting, I was moved to go and declare the truth unto them; and a chief-constable, that was there, also admonished them. Our meeting was quiet, and the Lord was with us; and by his word and power, Friends were settled in the eternal truth.

From hence we passed into CUMBERLAND, where we had many precious living meetings. After we had travelled to GILSLAND, and had a meeting there, we came to CARLISLE, where they used to put Friends out of the town; but there came a great flood while we were there, that they could not put us out; so we had a meeting there on First-day. After which we passed to ABBEY-HOLM, and had a little meeting there. This is a place, where I told Friends long before, a great people would come forth to the Lord; which hath since come to pass, and a large meeting is gathered to the Lord in those parts.

I passed hence to a general meeting at LANGLANDS in Cumberland, which was very large; for most of the people had so forsaken the priests, that the steeple-houses in some places stood empty. And John Wilkinson,[54] a preacher, I have often named before, who had three steeple-houses, had so few hearers left, that, giving over preaching in them, he first set up a meeting in his house, and preached there to them that were left. Afterwards he set up a silent meeting (like Friends,) to which came a few; for most of his hearers were come to Friends. Thus he held on till he had not past half a dozen left; the rest still forsaking him, and coming to Friends. At last, when he had so very few left, he would come to Pardshaw Crag (where Friends had a meeting of several hundreds of people, who were all come to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching,) and he would walk about the meeting on First-days, like a man that went about the commons to look for sheep. During this time I came to PARDSHAW CRAG meeting, and he with three or four of his followers, that were yet left to him, came to the meeting that day, and were all thoroughly convinced. After the meeting, Wilkinson asked me two or three questions, which I answered him to his satisfaction; and from that time he came amongst Friends, became an able minister, preached the gospel freely, and turned many to Christ’s free teaching. And after he had continued many years in the free ministry of Jesus, he died in 1675.

Footnote 54:

This was not the same John Wilkinson who joined with Storey in creating a schism in the Society.

I had for some time felt drawings on my spirit to go into SCOTLAND; and had sent to Colonel William Osburn of Scotland, desiring him to come and meet me; and he, with some others, came out of Scotland to this meeting. After the meeting was over (which, he said, was the most glorious one he ever saw in his life,) I passed with him and his company into Scotland; having Robert Widders with me, a thundering man against hypocrisy, deceit, and the rottenness of the priests.

The first night we came into Scotland we lodged at an inn. The innkeeper told us, an Earl lived about a quarter of a mile off, who had a desire to see me; and had left word at his house, that if ever I came into Scotland, he should send him word. He told us there were three drawbridges to his house, and that it would be nine o’clock before the third bridge was drawn. Finding we had time in the evening, we walked to his house. He received us very lovingly; and said, he would have gone with us on our journey, but he was previously engaged to go to a funeral. After we had spent some time with him, we parted very friendly, and returned to our inn. Next morning we travelled on, and passing through DUMFRIES came to DOUGLAS, where we met with some Friends; and thence passed to the HEADS, where we had a blessed meeting in the name of Jesus, and felt him in the midst.

Leaving Heads, we went to BADCOW, and had a meeting there; to which abundance of people came, and many were convinced; amongst whom was one, called a lady. From thence we passed towards the HIGHLANDS to William Osburn’s house, where we gathered up the sufferings of Friends, and the principles of the Scotch priests, which may be seen in a book called The Scotch Priests’ Principles.

Afterwards we returned to Heads, Badcow, and GARSHORE, where the said Lady Margaret Hambleton was convinced; who afterwards went to warn Oliver Cromwell and Charles Fleetwood of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them.

On First-day we had a great meeting, and several professors came to it. Now, the priests had frightened the people with the doctrine of election and reprobation, telling them “that God had ordained the greatest part of men and women for hell; and that, let them pray, or preach, or sing, or do what they could, it was all to no purpose, if they were ordained for hell;—that God had a certain number elected for heaven, let them do what they would, as David an adulterer, and Paul a persecutor, yet elected vessels for heaven. So the fault was not at all in the creature, less or more, but God had ordained it so.” I was led to open to the people the falseness and folly of their priests’ doctrines, and showed how they had abused those Scriptures they brought and quoted to them, as in Jude, and other places. For whereas they said, there was no fault at all in the creature, I showed them that they whom Jude speaks of, to wit, Cain, Korah, and Balaam, who, he says, were ordained of old to condemnation, the fault was in them. For did not God warn Cain and Balaam, and put the question to Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” And did not the Lord bring Korah out of Egypt and his company? yet did not he gainsay both God and his law, and his prophet Moses? Here people might see that there was a fault in Cain, Korah, and Balaam, and so there is in all that go in their ways. For if they who are called Christians, resist the gospel, as Korah did the law; if they err from the Spirit of God, as Balaam did, and do evil, as Cain did, is not here a fault? Which fault is in themselves, and is the cause of their reprobation, and not God. Doth not Christ say, “Go, preach the gospel to all nations?” Which is the gospel of salvation. He would not have sent them into all nations, to preach the doctrine of salvation, if the greatest part of men had been ordained for hell. Was not Christ a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, for those that become reprobates, as well as for the saints? He died for all men, the ungodly, as well as the godly, as the apostle bears witness, 2 Cor. v. 15; Rom. v. 6. And he “enlightens every man that cometh into the world,” that through him they might all believe. And Christ bids them believe in the light; but all they that hate the light, which Christ bids all believe in, are reprobated.

Again, “the manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to every man, to profit withal;” but they that vex, quench and grieve it, are in the reprobation; and the fault is in them, as it is also in them that hate his light. The apostle says, “The grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world,” Tit. ii. 11, 12. Now when men and women live ungodly, and in the lusts of the world, turn this grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against it, and so deny God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, that bought them; the fault is in all such as thus turn the grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully against that which would bring their salvation, and save them out of the reprobation. But the priests, it seems, can see no fault in such as deny God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, that hath bought them—such as deny his light, which they should believe in, and his grace, which should teach them to live godly, and which should bring them their salvation. Now all that believe in the light of Christ, as he commands, are in the election, and sit under the teaching of the grace of God which brings their salvation. But such as turn this grace into wantonness, are in the reprobation; and such as hate the light are in the condemnation. Therefore I exhorted all the people to believe in the light, as Christ commands, and own the grace of God, their free teacher; and it would assuredly bring them their salvation; for it is sufficient. Many other Scriptures were opened, concerning reprobation, and the eyes of the people were opened; and a spring of life rose up among them.

These things soon came to the priests’ ears; for the people that sat under their dark teachings, began to see light and to come into the covenant of light. The noise was spread over Scotland, amongst the priests, that I was come thither; and a great cry was among them that all would be spoiled; for they said I had spoiled all the honest men and women in England already, so according to their account the worst was left to them. Upon this they gathered great assemblies of priests together, and drew up a number of curses to be read in their several steeple-houses, that all the people might say “Amen” to them. Some few of these I will here set down, the rest may be read in the book before mentioned, of The Scotch Priests’ Principles.

The first was, “Cursed is he that saith, every man hath a light within him sufficient to lead him to salvation; and let all the people say, Amen.”

The second, “Cursed is he that saith, faith is without sin; and let all the people say, Amen.”

The third, “Cursed is he that denieth the Sabbath day; and let all the people say, Amen.”[55]

Footnote 55:

It is justly observed by a writer, not of the Society of Friends, that these “place the Presbyterian Christianity of that day in a most unfavourable light, and show how deeply it was imbued with a sour persecuting spirit of Popery.”

In this last they make the people curse themselves; for on the Sabbath day (which is the seventh-day of the week, which the Jews kept by the command of God to them), they kept markets and fairs, and so brought the curse upon their own heads.

As to the first, concerning the light, Christ saith, “Believe in the light, that ye may become children of the light;” and “he that believeth shall be saved; he that believeth shall have everlasting life; he that believeth passes from death to life, and is grafted into Christ.” And “ye do well,” said the apostle, “that ye take heed unto the light that shines in the dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.” So the light is sufficient to lead unto the day-star.

And as concerning faith, it is the gift of God; and every gift of God is pure. The faith, which Christ is the author of, is precious, divine, and without sin. This is the faith which gives victory over sin, and access to God; in which faith, they please God. But they are reprobates themselves concerning this faith, and are in their dead faith, who charge sin upon this faith, under pain of a curse; which faith gives victory over their curse, and returns it into their own bowels.

A company of Scots near BADCOW, challenged a dispute with some of our Scotch Friends, for with me they would not dispute; so some of the Scotch Friends met them at the market-place. The dispute was to be concerning the Sabbath-day, and some other of their principles before-mentioned; and I having got their principles and assertions, showed the Friends where they might easily be overthrown, and a Scotch Friend, a smith, overthrew them clearly.

There were two Independent churches in Scotland, in one of which many were convinced; but the pastor of the other was in a great rage against truth and Friends. They had their elders, who sometimes would exercise their gifts amongst the church-members, and were sometimes pretty tender; but their pastor speaking so much against the light and us, the friends of Christ, he darkened his hearers, so that they grew blind, and dry, and lost their tenderness. He continued preaching against Friends, and against the light of Christ Jesus, calling it natural; at last one day in his preaching, he cursed the light, and fell down, as if dead, in his pulpit. The people carried him out, and laid him upon a grave-stone, and poured strong waters into him, which brought him to life again; and they carried him home, but he was mopish. After a while he stripped off his clothes, put on a Scotch plaid, and went into the country amongst the dairy-women. When he had stayed there about two weeks, he came home, and went into the pulpit again. Whereupon the people expected some great manifestation or revelation from him; but, instead thereof, he began to tell them what entertainment he had met with; how one woman gave him skimmed-milk, another gave him buttermilk, and another gave him good milk; so the people were fain to take him out of the pulpit again, and carry him home. He that gave me this account was Andrew Robinson, one of his chief hearers, who came afterwards to be convinced, and received the truth. He said he never heard that he recovered his senses again. By this people may see what came upon him that cursed the light; which Light is the Life in Christ, the Word; and it may be a warning to all others, that speak evil against the Light of Christ.

Now were the priests in such a rage, that they posted to Edinburgh to Oliver Cromwell’s council there, with petitions against me. The noise was, “that all was gone;” for several Friends were come out of England and spread over Scotland, sounding the day of the Lord, preaching the everlasting gospel of salvation, and turning people to Christ Jesus, who died for them, that they might receive his free teaching. After I had gathered the principles of the Scotch priests, and the sufferings of Friends, and had seen the Friends in that part of Scotland settled, by the Lord’s power, upon Christ their foundation, I went to Edinburgh, and in the way came to LINLITHGOW; where, lodging at an inn, the innkeeper’s wife, who was blind, received the word of life, and came under the teaching of Christ Jesus, her Saviour. At night there came in abundance of soldiers and some officers, with whom we had much discourse; some were rude. One of the officers said, “he would obey the Turk’s or Pilate’s command if they should command him to guard Christ to crucify him.” So far was he from all tenderness, or sense of the Spirit of Christ, that he would rather crucify the just, than suffer for or with the just; whereas many officers and magistrates have lost their places, before they would turn against the Lord and his Just One.

When I had stayed a while at EDINBURGH, I went to LEITH, where many officers of the army came in with their wives, and many were convinced. Among these Edward Billing’s wife was one; she brought a great deal of coral in her hand, and threw it on the table before me, to see whether I would speak against it or not. I took no notice of it, but declared the truth to her, and she was reached. There came in many Baptists, who were very rude, but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they went away confounded. Then there came in another sort, and one of them said, “he would dispute with me; and for argument’s sake, would deny there was a God.” I told him, “he might be one of those fools that said in his heart, There is no God, but he should know him in the day of his judgment.” So he went his way; and a precious time we had afterwards with several people of account; and the Lord’s power came over all. William Osburn was with me. Colonel Lidcott’s wife and William Welch’s wife, and several of the officers themselves, were convinced. Edward Billing and his wife at that time lived apart; and she being reached by truth, and become loving to Friends, we sent for her husband, who came; and the Lord’s power reached unto them both, they joined in it, and agreed to live together in love and unity, as man and wife.

After this we returned to EDINBURGH, where many thousands were gathered together, with abundance of priests among them, about burning a witch, and I was moved to declare the day of the Lord amongst them. When I had done, I went to our meeting, whither many rude people and Baptists came. The Baptists began to vaunt with their logic and syllogisms; but I was moved in the Lord’s power to thrash their chaffy, light minds; and showed the people that, after that fallacious way of discoursing, they might make white seem black, and black white; as, that because a cock had two legs, and each of them had two legs, therefore they were all cocks. Thus they might turn anything into lightness and vanity; but it was not the way of Christ or his apostles, to teach, speak, or reason, after that manner. Hereupon those Baptists went their way, and after they were gone, we had a blessed meeting in the Lord’s power, which was over all.

I mentioned before, that many of the Scotch priests, being greatly disturbed at the spreading of truth, and the loss of their hearers thereby, were gone to Edinburgh, to petition the council against me. Now, when I came from the meeting to the inn where I lodged, an officer belonging to the council brought me the following order:—

“Thursday, the 8th of October, 1657, at his Highness’s Council in Scotland.

ORDERED,

That George Fox do appear before the Council on Tuesday, the 13th of October next, in the forenoon.

E. DOWNING, Clerk of the Council.”

When he had delivered me the order, he asked me, “whether I would appear or not?” I did not tell him whether I would or not; but asked him “if he had not forged the order:” he said, “no, it was a real order from the council, and he was sent, as their messenger, with it.” When the time came I appeared, and was conducted into a large room, where many great persons came and looked at me. After a while the door-keeper had me into the council-chamber; and as I was going in, he took off my hat. I asked him “why he did so, and who was there, that I might not go in with my hat on?” for I told him “I had been before the Protector with it on.” But he hung it up, and had me in before them. When I had stood a while, and they had said nothing to me, I was moved of the Lord to say, “Peace be amongst you; wait in the fear of God, that ye may receive his wisdom from above, by which all things were made and created; that by it ye may all be ordered, and may order all things unto your hands to God’s glory.” They asked me, “what was the occasion of my coming into that nation?” I told them, “I came to visit the seed of God, which had long lain in bondage under corruption; and the intent of my coming was, that all in the nation, that professed the Scriptures, the words of Christ, and of the prophets, and apostles, might come to the light, Spirit, and power, which they were in, who gave them forth; that so in and by the Spirit they might understand the Scriptures, know Christ and God aright, and have fellowship with them, and one with another.” They asked me “whether I had any outward business there?” I said, “nay.” Then they asked me how long I intended to stay in the country? I told them “I should say little to that; my time was not to be long, yet in my freedom in the Lord, I stood in the will of him that sent me.” Then they bid me withdraw, and the door-keeper took me by the hand, and led me forth. In a little time they sent for me again, and told me, “I must depart the nation of Scotland by that day seventh night.” I asked them, “why, what had I done? What was my transgression, that they passed such a sentence upon me to depart out of the nation?” They told me, “they would not dispute with me.” Then I desired them “to hear what I had to say to them;” but they said, “they would not hear me.” I told them, Pharaoh heard Moses and Aaron, and yet he was a heathen and no Christian, and Herod heard John the Baptist; and they should not be worse than these. But they cried, “withdraw, withdraw.” Whereupon the door-keeper took me again by the hand, and led me out. Then I returned to my inn, and continued still in Edinburgh, visiting Friends there and thereabouts, and strengthening them in the Lord. After a little time, I wrote a letter to the council, to lay before them their unchristian dealing in banishing me, an innocent man, that sought their salvation and eternal good; a copy of which letter here follows:—

“To the Council of Edinburgh.

“Ye that sit in council, and bring before your judgment-seat the innocent, the just, without showing the least cause what evil I have done, or convicting me of any breach of law; and afterward banish me out of your nation and country, without telling me why, or what evil I had done; though I told you, when ye asked me how long I would stay in the nation, that my time was not long (I spoke it innocently), and yet ye banish me. Will not all, think ye, that fear God, judge this to be wickedness? Consider, did not they sit in council about Stephen, when they stoned him to death? Did not they sit in council about Peter and John, when they haled them out of the temple, and put them out of their council for a little season, and took counsel together, and then brought them in again and threatened them, and charged them to speak no more in that name? Was not this to stop the truth from spreading in that time? And had not the priests a hand in these things with the magistrates? and in examining Stephen, when he was stoned to death? Was not the council gathered together against Jesus Christ to put him to death? and had not the chief priests a hand in it? When they go to persecute the just, and crucify the just, do they not then neglect judgment, and mercy, and justice, and the weighty matters of the law, which is just? Was not the apostle Paul tossed up and down by the priests and the rulers? Was not John the Baptist cast into prison? Are not ye doing the same work, showing what spirit ye are of? Now do not ye show the end of your profession, the end of your prayers, the end of your religion, and the end of your teaching, who are now come to banish the truth, and him that is come to declare it unto you? Doth not this show that ye are but in the words, out of the life, of the prophets, Christ, and his apostles? for they did not use such practice as to banish any. How do ye receive strangers, which is a command of God among the prophets, Christ, and the apostles? Some by that means have entertained angels at unawares; but ye banish one that comes to visit the Seed of God, and is not chargeable to any of you. Will not all that fear God, look upon this to be spite and wickedness against the truth? How are ye like to love enemies, that banish your friend? How are ye like to do good to them that hate you, when ye do evil to them that love you? How are ye like to heap coals of fire on their heads that hate you, and to overcome evil with good, when ye banish thus? Do ye not manifest to all that are in the truth, that ye have not the Christian spirit? How did ye do justice to me, when ye could not convict me of any evil, yet banish me? This shows that truth is banished out of your hearts, and ye have taken part against the truth with evil-doers; with the wicked, envious priests, and stoners, strikers, and mockers in the streets; with these, ye that banish, have taken part. Whereas ye should have been a terror to these, and a praise to them that do well, and succourers of them that are in the truth; then might ye have been a blessing to the nation; ye would not have banished him that was moved of the Lord to visit the Seed of God, and thereby have brought your names upon record, and made them to stink in ages to come, among them that fear God. Were not the magistrates stirred up in former ages to persecute or banish, by the corrupt priests? and did not the corrupt priests stir up the rude multitude against the just in other ages? Therefore are your streets like Sodom and Gomorrah. Did not the Jews and the priests make the Gentiles’ minds envious against the apostles? Who were they that would not have the prophet Amos to prophesy at the king’s chapel; but bid him fly his way? And when Jeremiah was put in the prison, in the dungeon, and in the stocks, had not the priests a hand with the princes in doing it? Now see all that were in this work of banishing, prisoning, persecuting, whether they were not all out of the life of Christ, the prophets, and apostles? To the witness of God in you all I speak. Consider whether they were not always the blind magistrates, who turned their sword backward, that knew not their friends from their foes, and so hit their friends? Such magistrates were deceived by flattery.”

G. F.

When this was delivered, and read amongst them, some of them, I heard, were troubled at what they had done, being made sensible that they would not be so served themselves. But it was not long before they that banished me, were banished themselves, or glad to get away; who would not do good in the day when they had power, nor suffer others that would.

After I had spent some time among Friends at Edinburgh, and thereabouts, I passed to HEADS again, where Friends had been in great sufferings; for the Presbyterian priests had excommunicated them, and given charge that none should buy or sell, or eat or drink with them. So they could neither sell their commodities, nor buy what they wanted; which made it go very hard with some of them; for if they had bought bread or other victuals of any of their neighbours, the priests threatened them so with curses, that they would run and fetch it from them again. But Colonel Ashfield being a justice of peace in that country, put a stop to the priests’ proceedings. This Colonel Ashfield was afterwards convinced himself, had a meeting settled at his house, declared the truth, and lived and died in it.

After I had visited Friends at Heads and thereaways, and had encouraged them in the Lord, I went to GLASGOW, where a meeting was appointed; but not one of the town came to it. As I went into the city, the guard at the gates took me before the governor, who was a moderate man. Much discourse I had with him; but he was too light to receive the truth, yet he set me at liberty; so I passed to the meeting. But seeing none of the town’s-people came, we declared truth through the town, and so passed away; and having visited Friends in their meetings thereabouts, returned towards BADCOW. Several Friends declared truth in their steeple-houses, and the Lord’s power was with them.

Once as I was going with William Osburn to his house, there lay a company of rude fellows by the way-side, hid under the hedges and in bushes. Seeing them, I asked him, “what they were?” “O,” said he, “they are thieves.” Robert Widders, being moved to go and speak to a priest, was left behind, intending to come after. So I said to William Osburn, “I will stay here in this valley, and do thou go look after Robert Widders;” but he was unwilling to go, being afraid to leave me there alone, because of those fellows, till I told him, “I feared them not.” Then I called to them, asking them, “what they lay lurking there for,” and I bid them come to me; but they were loath to come. I charged them to come up to me, or else it might be worse with them; then they came trembling, for the dread of the Lord had struck them. I admonished them to be honest, and directed them to the light of Christ in their hearts, that by it they might see what an evil it was to follow after theft and robbery; and the power of the Lord came over them. I stayed there till William Osburn and Robert Widders came up, and then we passed on together. But it is likely that, if we two had gone away before, they would have robbed Robert Widders when he had come after alone, there being three or four of them.

We went to William Osburn’s house, where we had a good opportunity to declare the truth to several people that came in. Then we went among the Highlanders, who were so devilish they had like to have spoiled us and our horses; for they ran at us with pitch-forks; but through the Lord’s goodness we escaped them, being preserved by his power.

Thence we passed to STIRLING, where the soldiers took us up, and had us to the main-guard. After a few words with the officers, the Lord’s power coming over them, we were set at liberty: but no meeting could we get amongst them in the town, they were so closed up in darkness. Next morning there came a man with a horse that was to run a race, and most of the town’s-people and officers went to see it. As they came back from the race, I had a brave opportunity to declare the day of the Lord, and his word of life amongst them. Some confessed to it, and some opposed; but the Lord’s truth and power came over them all.

Leaving Stirling, we came to BURNTISLAND, where I had two meetings at one Captain Pool’s house; one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Whilst they went to dine, I walked to the seaside, not having freedom to eat with them. Both he and his wife were convinced, and became good Friends afterwards, and several officers of the army came in and received the truth.

We passed thence through several other places, till we came to JOHNSTONS, where were several Baptists that were very bitter, and came in a rage to dispute with us: vain janglers and disputers indeed they were. When they could not prevail by disputing, they went and informed the governor against us; and next morning raised a whole company of foot, and banished me, and Alexander Parker, also James Lancaster, and Robert Widders out of the town. As they guarded us through the town, James Lancaster was moved to sing with a melodious sound in the power of God; and I was moved to proclaim the day of the Lord, and preach the everlasting gospel to the people. For they generally came forth, so that the streets were filled with them: and the soldiers were so ashamed that they said, “they would rather have gone to Jamaica, than have guarded us so.” But we were put into a boat with our horses, carried over the water, and there left. The Baptists, who were the cause of our being put out of this town, were themselves, not long after, turned out of the army; and he that was then governor was discarded also when the king came in.

Being thus thrust out of Johnstons, we went to another market-town, where Edward Billing[56] and many soldiers quartered. We went to an inn, and desired to have a meeting in the town, that we might preach the everlasting gospel amongst them. The officers and soldiers said, we should have it in the town-hall; but the Scotch magistrates in spite appointed a meeting there that day for the business of the town. When the officers of the soldiery understood this, and perceived that it was done in malice, they would have had us to go into the town-hall nevertheless. But we told them, “by no means, for then the magistrates might inform the governor against them, and say, they took the town-hall from them by force, when they were to do their town business therein.” We told them, “we would go to the market-place;” they said, “it was market-day;” we replied, “it was so much the better; for we would have all people to hear truth, and know our principles.” Alexander Parker went and stood upon the market-cross with a Bible in his hand, and declared the truth amongst the soldiers and market-people; but the Scots, being a dark, carnal people, gave little heed, and hardly took notice of what was said. After a while I was moved of the Lord to stand up at the cross, and declare with a loud voice the everlasting truth, and the day of the Lord that was coming upon all sin and wickedness. Whereupon the people came running out of the town-hall, and they gathered so together, that at last we had a large meeting; for they sat in the court only for a pretence, to hinder us from having the hall to meet in. When the people were come away, the magistrates followed them. Some walked by, but some stayed and heard; and the Lord’s power came over all, and kept all quiet. “The people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and had enlightened them, that with his light they might see their evil deeds, be saved from their sins by him, and come to know him to be their teacher. But if they would not receive Christ and own him, it was told them, that this light, which came from him, would be their condemnation.”

Footnote 56:

Edward Billing was a faithful sufferer for the truth. Henry Fell, in a letter to Margaret Fell, in 1660, mentions Friends being beat very sore, and exceedingly abused in the streets. “They pulled me out of meeting,” he says, “beat me much, knocked me down in the street, and tore all my coat. Edward Billing and his wife were much abused, he especially.”

Edward Billing was one of the three Friends, who, in 1659, appeared before the bar of the House of Commons, to present an address describing the sufferings of Friends, and signed by 164 of the Society, wherein they make an offer of their own bodies, person for person, to lie in prison instead of such of their brethren as were then under confinement, and might be in danger of their lives through extreme durance. (See Letters of Early Friends, pp. 62–68.) Although little or no apparent effect appeared to be produced at the time in the House from the above-mentioned appeal, it appears, from the journals of the Commons in the month following, a committee was appointed, “to consider of the imprisonment of such persons who continue committed for conscience sake, and how, and in what manner they are, and continue committed, together with the whole cause thereof, and how they may be discharged; and to report the same to the Parliament.”

Several of them were made loving to us, especially the English people, and some came afterwards to be convinced. But there was a soldier that was very envious against us; he hated both us and the truth, spoke evil of it, and very despitefully against the light of Christ Jesus, to which we bore testimony. Mighty zealous he was for the priests and their hearers. As this man was hearing the priest, holding his hat before his face, while the priest prayed, one of the priest’s hearers stabbed him to death; so he who had rejected the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, and cried down the servants of the Lord, was murdered amongst them whom he had so cried up, and by one of them.

We travelled from this town to LEITH, warning and exhorting people, as we went, to turn to the Lord. At Leith the innkeeper told me, that the council had granted warrants to apprehend me, “because I was not gone out of the nation, after the seven days were expired, that they had ordered me to depart in.” Several friendly people also came and told me the same; to whom I said, “What do ye tell me of their warrants against me? if there were a cart-load of them I do not heed them, for the Lord’s power is over them all.”

I went from Leith to EDINBURGH again, where they said the warrants of the council were out against me. I went to the inn where I had lodged before, and no man offered to meddle with me. After I had visited Friends in the city, I desired those that travelled with me, to get ready their horses in the morning, and we rode out of town together; there were with me at that time, Thomas Rawlinson, Alexander Parker, and Robert Widders. When we were out of town they asked me, “whither I would go?” I told them it was upon me from the Lord to go back again to Johnstons (the town out of which we had been lately thrust,) to set the power of God and his truth over them also. Alexander Parker said, “he would go along with me;” and I wished the other two to stay at a town, about three miles from Edinburgh, till we returned. Then Alexander and I got over the water, about three miles across, and rode through the country; but in the afternoon, his horse being weak, and not able to hold up with mine, I put on and got into Johnstons just as they were drawing up the bridges; the officers and soldiers never questioning me. I rode up the street to Captain Davenport’s house, from which we had been banished. There were many officers with him; and when I came amongst them, they lifted up their hands, wondering that I should come again; but I told them, “the Lord God had sent me amongst them again;” so they went their way. The Baptists sent me a letter, by way of challenge, “to discourse with me next day.” I sent them word, “I would meet them at such a house, about half a mile out of the town, at such an hour.” For I considered, if I should stay in town to discourse with them, they might under pretence of discoursing with me, have raised men to put me out of the town again as they had done before. At the time appointed I went to the place, Captain Davenport and his son accompanying me, where I stayed some hours, but not one of them came. While I stayed there waiting for them, I saw Alexander Parker coming; who not being able to reach the town, had lain out the night before; and I was exceedingly glad that we were met again.

This Captain Davenport was then loving to Friends; but afterwards coming more into obedience to truth, he was turned out of his place for not putting off his hat, and for saying Thou and Thee to them.

When we had waited beyond reasonable ground to expect any of them coming, we departed; and Alexander Parker being moved to go again to the town, where we had the meeting at the market-cross, I passed alone to Lieutenant Foster’s quarters, where I found several officers that were convinced. From thence I went up to the town, where I had left the other two Friends, and we went back to EDINBURGH together.

When we were come to the city, I bid Robert Widders follow me; and in the dread and power of the Lord we came up to the first two sentries; and the Lord’s power came so over them, that we passed by them without any examination. Then we rode up the street to the marketplace, by the main-guard out at the gate by the third sentry, and so clear out at the suburbs, and there came to an inn and set up our horses, it being the seventh-day of the week. Now I saw and felt that we had rode, as it were, against the cannon’s mouth, or the sword’s point; but the Lord’s power and immediate hand carried us over the heads of them all. Next day I went to the meeting in the city, Friends having notice that I would attend it. There came many officers and soldiers to it, and a glorious meeting it was; the everlasting power of God was set over the nation, and his Son reigned in his glorious power. All was quiet, and no man offered to meddle with me. When the meeting was ended, and I had visited Friends, I came out of the city to my inn again; and next day, being the second day of the week, we set forward towards the borders of England.

As we travelled along the country I spied a steeple-house, and it struck at my life. I asked “what steeple-house it was,” and was answered that it was DUNBAR. When I came thither, and had put up at an inn, I walked to the steeple-house, having a friend or two with me. When we came into the yard, one of the chief men of the town was walking there. I spoke to one of the friends that were with me, to go to him and tell him, “that about nine next morning there would be a meeting there of the people of God called Quakers; of which we desired he would give notice to the people of the town.” He sent me word, that they were to have a lecture there at nine; but that we might have our meeting there at eight, if we would. We concluded so, and desired him to give notice of it. Accordingly in the morning both poor and rich came; and there being a captain of horse quartered in the town, he and his troopers came also, so that we had a large meeting; and a glorious one it was, the Lord’s power being over all.

After some time the priest came, and went into the steeple-house; but we being in the yard, most of the people stayed with us. Friends were so full, and their voices so high in the power of God, that the priest could do little in the steeple-house, but came quickly out again, stood a while, and then went his way. I opened to the people, “where they might find Christ Jesus, turned them to the light, which he had enlightened them withal, that in the light they might see Christ, that died for them, turn to him, and know him to be their Saviour and free teacher. I let them see, that all the teachers they had hitherto followed, were hirelings, who made the gospel chargeable; showed them the wrong ways they had walked in, in the night of apostacy, directed them to Christ, the new and living way to God; manifested unto them, how they had lost the religion and worship which Christ set up in spirit and truth, and had hitherto been in the religions and worships of men’s making and setting up. After I had turned the people to the Spirit of God, which led the holy men of God to give forth the Scriptures; and showed them, that they must also come to receive, and be led by, the same Spirit in themselves (a measure of which was given unto every one of them), if ever they came to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures aright; perceiving the other Friends that were with me to be full of the power and word of the Lord, I stepped down, giving way for them to declare what they had from the Lord unto the people.”

Towards the latter end of the meeting some professors began to jangle; whereupon I stood up again, and answered their questions, so that they seemed to be satisfied, and our meeting ended in the Lord’s power, quiet and peaceable. This was the last meeting I had in Scotland; the truth and the power of God was set over that nation, and many, by the power and Spirit of God, were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour and teacher, whose blood was shed for them; and there is since a great increase, and great there will be in Scotland. For when first I set my horse’s feet upon Scottish ground, I felt the seed of God to sparkle about me, like innumerable sparks of fire. Not but that there is abundance of thick, cloddy earth of hypocrisy and falseness above, and a briery, brambly nature, which is to be burnt up with God’s Word, and ploughed up with his spiritual plough, before God’s Seed brings forth heavenly and spiritual fruit to his glory. But the husbandman is to wait in patience.

Vol. I, Chapter XII (1657-1659)

CHAPTER XII.

1657-1659.—George Fox journeys from Scotland to England—dissuades a person from setting up a college at Durham to make ministers—has a meeting with Rice Jones and his people—attends a general Yearly Meeting for the whole nation, held at John Crook’s, which continued three days—address to Friends in the ministry—disputes with a Jesuit—writes to Lady Claypole—writes to Cromwell respecting the fast on account of persecution abroad, whilst there was much of it at home—writes a reproof to Parliament for their hypocrisy—speaks to the Protector in Hampton-Court Park about Friends’ sufferings—the Protector invites Fox to his house—he goes next day, but the Protector being sick he does not see him—the Protector died soon after—writes to encourage Friends to faithfulness—has a foresight of the King’s restoration long before the event occurred, as well as several others—Friends are disseized of their copyhold lands for refusing to swear—cautions Friends to avoid plots, &c.—against bearing arms—great places in the army are offered to Friends, but invariably refused—priest Townsend fails to substantiate his charge of error and blasphemy against George Fox, and is signally defeated—George Fox’s vision of the city of London is realized—he gives a final warning to those in authority before their overthrow.

From Dunbar we came to BERWICK, where we were questioned a little by the officers: but the governor was loving towards us; and in the evening we had a little meeting, in which the power of the Lord was manifested over all.

Leaving Berwick, we came to MORPETH, and so through the country, visiting Friends, to NEWCASTLE, where I had been once before. The Newcastle priests had written many books against us; and one Ledger, an alderman of the town, was very envious against truth and Friends. He and the priests had said, “the Quakers would not come into any great towns, but lived in the Fells, like butterflies.” So I took Anthony Pearson with me, and went to this Ledger, and several others of the aldermen, “desiring to have a meeting amongst them, seeing they had written so many books against us, for we were now come, I told them, into their great town.” But they would not allow we should have a meeting, neither would they be spoken to withal, save only this Ledger and one other. I queried, “had they not called Friends butterflies, and said, we would not come into any great towns? and now we were come into their town, they would not hear us, though they had printed books against us; ‘Who are the butterflies now?’” said I. Then Ledger began to plead for the Sabbath-day; but I told him they kept markets and fairs on that which was the Sabbath-day, for that was the seventh day of the week; whereas that day, which the professed Christians now met on, and call their Sabbath, is the first day of the week. As we could not have a public meeting among them, we got a little one among Friends and friendly people, at Gateshead; where a meeting is continued to this day, in the name of Jesus. As I was passing by the market-place, the power of the Lord rose in me, “to warn them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon them.” And not long after, all those priests of Newcastle and their profession, were turned out, when the king came in.

From Newcastle we travelled through the countries, having meetings and visiting Friends as we went, in Northumberland and Durham. A very good one we had at Lieutenant Dove’s, where many were turned to the Lord and his teaching. After the meeting I went to visit a justice of peace, a very sober, loving man, who confessed to the truth.

Thence we came to DURHAM, where was a man come from London, to set up a college there, to make ministers of Christ, as they said. I went, with some others, to reason with him, and to let him see, “that to teach men Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and the seven arts, which were all but the teachings of the natural man, was not the way to make them ministers of Christ. For the languages began at Babel; and to the Greeks, that spoke Greek, as their mother-tongue, the preaching of the cross of Christ was foolishness; and to the Jews, that spoke Hebrew as their mother-tongue, Christ was a stumbling-block. The Romans, who had the Latin, persecuted the Christians; and Pilate, one of the Roman governors, set Hebrew, Greek, and Latin over Christ, when he crucified him. So he might see the many languages began at Babel, and they set them above Christ, the Word, when they crucified him. John the divine, who preached the Word, that was in the beginning, said, ‘that the beast and the whore have power over tongues and languages, and they are as waters.’ Thus I told him he might see, the whore and beast have power over the tongues and the many languages which are in mystery Babylon; for they began at Babel; and the persecutors of Christ Jesus set them over him, when he was crucified by them; but he is risen above them all, who was before them all. ‘Now,’ said I, to this man, ‘dost thou think to make ministers of Christ by these natural, confused languages, which sprung from Babel, are admired in Babylon, and set above Christ, the Life, by a persecutor?’ O no!” The man confessed to many of these things. Then we showed him further, “that Christ made his ministers himself, gave gifts unto them, and bid them ‘pray to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers.’ And Peter and John, though unlearned and ignorant (as to school-learning) preached Christ Jesus, the Word, which was in the beginning, before Babel was. Paul also was made an apostle, not of man, nor by man, neither received he the gospel from man, but from Jesus Christ, who is the same now, and so is his gospel, as it was at that day.” When we had thus discoursed with the man, he became very loving and tender; and, after he had considered further of it, declined to set up his college.

From Durham we went to Anthony Pearson’s: thence into CLEVELAND, passed through Yorkshire to the further end of HOLDERNESS, and had mighty meetings, the Lord’s power accompanying us.

After we left Anthony Pearson’s, we went by HULL and PONTEFRACT, to George Watkinson’s house, and visited most of the meetings in those parts, till we came to SCALE-HOUSE, and so to SWARTHMORE; the everlasting power and arm of God carrying us through and preserving us. After I had visited Friends thereaways, I passed into Yorkshire again, and Cheshire, and so through other counties into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire: glorious meetings we had, the Lord’s presence being with us.

At NOTTINGHAM I sent to Rice Jones, desiring him to make his people acquainted, that I had something to say to them from the Lord. He came and told me, “many of them lived in the country, and he could not tell how to send to them.” I told him, “he might acquaint those about the town of it, and send to as many in the country as he could.” Next day we met at the castle, there being about fourscore people, to whom I declared the truth for about two hours; and the Lord’s power was over them all, so that they were not able to open their mouths in opposition. When I had done, one of them asked me a question, which I was loath to answer, for I saw it might lead to dispute, and I was unwilling to go into jangling, for some of the people were tender; yet I could not well tell how to escape it. Wherefore I answered the question, and was moved forthwith to speak to Rice Jones, and lay before him, “that he had been the man that had scattered such as had been tender, and some that had been convinced, and had been led out of many vanities of the world, which he had formerly judged; but now he judged the power of God in them, and they, being simple, turned to him; and so he and they were turned to be vainer than the world: for many of his followers were become the greatest foot-ball players and wrestlers in the country. I told him, it was the serpent in him, that had scattered, and done hurt to such as were tender towards the Lord. Nevertheless, if he waited in the fear of God, for the Seed of the woman, Christ Jesus, to bruise the serpent’s head in him, that had scattered and done the hurt, he might come to gather them again by this heavenly Seed; though it would be a hard work for him to gather them again out of those vanities he had led them into.” At this Rice Jones said, “Thou liest, it is not the Seed of the woman that bruises the serpent’s head.” “No!” said I, “what is it then?” “I say it is the law,” said he. “But,” said I, “the Scripture, speaking of the Seed of the woman, saith, ‘It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.’ Now, hath the law an heel,” said I, “to be bruised?” Then Rice Jones and all his company were at a stand, and I was moved in the power of the Lord to speak to him, and say, “This Seed, Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman, which should bruise the serpent’s head, shall bruise thy head, and break you all to pieces.” Thus did I leave on the heads of them the Seed, Christ; and not long after he and his company scattered to pieces, several of whom came to be Friends, and stand to this day. Many of them had been convinced about eight years before, but had been led aside by this Rice Jones; for they denied the inward cross, the power of God, and so went into vanity.

It was about eight years since I had been formerly amongst them; in which time I was to pass over them, and by them, seeing they had slighted the Lord’s truth and power, and the visitation of his love unto them. But now I was moved to go to them again, and it was of great service, for many of them were brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, and were settled upon him, sitting down under his teaching and feeding, where they were kept fresh and green; and the others that would not be gathered to him, soon after withered. This was that Rice Jones who some years before had said, “I was then at the highest, and should fall.” But, poor man! he little thought how near his own fall was.

We left Nottingham, and went into WARWICKSHIRE, and thence passing through some parts of NORTHAMPTONSHIRE and LEICESTERSHIRE, visiting Friends, and having meetings with them as we travelled, came into BEDFORDSHIRE, where we had large gatherings in the name of Jesus. After some time we came to John Crook’s house, where a general YEARLY MEETING for the whole nation was appointed to be held.[57] This meeting lasted three days, and many Friends from most parts of the nation came to it; so that the inns and towns around were filled, for many thousands of people were at it. And although there was some disturbance by rude people that had run out from truth; yet the Lord’s power came over all, and a glorious meeting it was. The everlasting gospel was preached, and many received it, which brought life and immortality to light in them, and shined over all.

Footnote 57:

The first Yearly Meeting of the Society appears to have been held in 1658, at Scalehouse, about three miles from Skipton. At that meeting the subject of the visit of Friends “beyond the sea,” claimed much attention, and it was agreed to recommend a general collection in aid of these gospel missions. An epistle was issued to that effect, and the appeal was liberally responded to, and considering the value of money at that period, a large amount was raised. The epistle, with particulars of the collection and its disbursement, may be seen in Bowden’s History of Friends in America, vol. i., p. 58-60.

Yearly Meetings were held in different parts of England to the number of twenty-six, at which were reported the number of prisoners; the various sufferings on account of the Truth; those who died for it; and the number of ministers deceased. The affairs of truth were also considered, and the members of the church had blessed opportunities of heavenly correspondence and fellowship, one with another. For full particulars of the setting up of General and Yearly Meetings, and of the institution and objects of the Discipline in the Society, see Letters, &c., of Early Friends, part ii., pp. 275-353.

I was moved by the power and Spirit of the Lord, to open unto them “the promise of God, that it was made to the Seed, not to seeds, as many, but to One, which Seed was Christ; and that all people, both male and female, should feel this Seed in them, which was heir of the promise; that so they might all witness Christ in them, the hope of glory, the mystery, which had been hid from ages and generations, which was revealed to the apostles, and is revealed again now, after this long night of apostacy. So that all might come up into this Seed, Christ Jesus, and walk in it, and sit down together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, who was the foundation of the prophets and apostles, and the rock of ages; and is our foundation now. All sitting down in him, sit down in the substance, the first and the last, that changes not, the Seed that bruises the serpent’s head, and was before he was; who ends all types, figures, and shadows, and is the substance of them all; in whom there is no shadow.” Now these things were upon me to open unto all, that they might mind and see what it is they sit down in.

“For, First, They that sit down in Adam in the fall, sit down in misery, in death, in darkness, and corruption.

“Secondly, They that sit down in types, figures, and shadows, and under the first priesthood, law, and covenant, sit down in that which must have an end, and which made nothing perfect.

“Thirdly, They that sit down in the apostacy, that hath got up since the apostles’ days, sit down in spiritual Sodom and Egypt, and are drinking of the whore’s cup, under the beast’s and dragon’s power.

“Fourthly, They that sit down in the state in which Adam was before he fell, sit down in that which may be fallen from; for he fell from that state, though it was perfect.

“Fifthly, They that sit down in the prophets, sit down in that which must be fulfilled; and they that sit down in the fellowship of water, bread, and wine, these being temporal things, sit down in that which is short of Christ, and of his baptism.

“Sixthly, To sit down in a profession of all the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelations, and not to be in the power and Spirit which they were in, that gave them forth; that was to be turned away from, by them that came into the power and Spirit which they were in that gave forth the Scriptures.

“Seventhly, They that sit down in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, sit down in him that never fell nor ever changed. Here is the safe sitting for all his elect, his church, his spiritual members, of which he is the living head, his living stones, the household of faith; of which house he is the corner-stone, that stands and abides all weathers. ‘For,’ as the apostle said, ‘he hath quickened us, who were dead in sins and trespasses, &c., and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ.’ Now, the ages are come, that his kindness and exceeding riches towards us through Jesus Christ, are truly manifested in us, as in the apostles’ days, even in us, who have been dead in sins and trespasses as they were, but now are quickened, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, the First and the Last, by whom all things were created; who is ascended above all, and is over all, and whose glorious presence is now known. All that sit down here in Christ Jesus, see where all other people sit, and in what.

“The promise of God being to the Seed, which is one, Christ Jesus, every man and woman must come to witness this Seed, Christ in them, that they may be heirs of the promise; and inheriting that, they will inherit substance. These things were largely declared of; the state of the church, the state of the false church since the apostles’ days, opened; and how the true church fled into the wilderness; and the state of the false prophets, which Christ said should come, and John saw were come, and how all the world wondered after them; how they had filled the world with false doctrines, ways, worships, and religions; and how the everlasting gospel was now preached again to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people; for all they had drunk the whore’s cup, and she was over them, and sat upon them. In this night of apostacy, the pure religion and worship in Spirit, which was in the apostles’ days, the way of life and living faith, and the power and Holy Ghost were lost; but now they came to be set up again by Christ Jesus, his messengers and ministers of the gospel, as in the apostles’ days. For as Christ sent his disciples to go and preach the gospel in all the world, and after that the false prophets and antichrists went over the world, and preached their false doctrines and traditions, and heathenish and Jewish rudiments: so now again, the everlasting gospel must be preached to all nations, and to every creature, that they may come into the pure religion, to worship God in Spirit and in truth, that they may know Christ Jesus, their way to God, and him to be the author of their faith, and receive the gospel from heaven, and not from men; in which gospel, received from heaven, is the heavenly fellowship, which is a mystery to all the fellowships in the world.” Now after these things had been largely opened, with many other things concerning Christ Jesus and his kingdom, and the people were turned to the divine light of Christ, and his Spirit, by which they might come both to know God and Christ, and the Scriptures, and to have fellowship with them, and one with another in the same Spirit, I was moved to declare and open many other things to those Friends who had received a part of the ministry, concerning the exercise of their spiritual gifts in the church; which, being taken in writing by one that was present, was after this manner:—

“FRIENDS,

“Take heed of destroying that which ye have begotten; for that which destroys, goes out, and is the cast-away. And though that be true, yea, and may be the pure truth which such a one speaks, yet if he doth not remain in that, and live in that in his own particular, but goes out, the same which he is gone out from, cometh over him. So that which calms and cools the spirits, goes over the world, and brings to the Father, to inherit the life eternal: and reaches to the spirits in prison in all. Therefore in the living, immoveable word of the Lord God dwell, and in the renown thereof; and remain on the foundation that is pure, and that is sure: for whosoever goes out from the pure, and ministers not in and from that, comes to an end, and doth not remain; though he may have had a time, and may have been serviceable for a time, while he lived in the thing.

“Take heed of many words; what reacheth to the life, settles in the life. That which cometh from the life, and is received from God, reaches to the life, and settles others in the life: for the work is not now as it was at first; the work now is, to settle and stay in the life. For as Friends have been led to minister in the power, and the power hath gone through, so that there hath grown an understanding among both people of the world and Friends; so Friends must be kept in the life which is pure, that with that they may answer the pure life of God in others. If Friends do not live in the pure life which they speak of, to answer the life in those they speak to, the other part steps in; and so there comes up an outward acquaintance, and such let that come over them. But as every one is kept living in the life of God, over all that which is contrary, they are in their places; then they do not lay hands on any suddenly, which is the danger now; for if any one do, he may lose his discerning, and may lay hands on the wrong part, and so let the deceit come too near him; and the deceit will steal over, so that it will be a hard thing for him to overcome it. There is no one who strikes his fellow-servants, but first he is gone from the pure in his own particular; for when he goeth from the light he is enlightened withal, then he strikes; and then he hath his reward; the light which he is gone from, Christ, comes and gives him his reward. This is the state of the evil servants; the boisterous, the hasty, and rash, beget nothing to God; but the life, which doth reach the life, is that which begets to God. When all are settled in the life, they are in that which remains for ever: and what is received there, is received from the Lord; and what one receiveth from the Lord, he keepeth; and so he sitteth still, and cool, and quiet in his own spirit, and gives it forth as he is moved; but to the harlots, judgment.

“Friends, this is the word of the Lord to you all, be watchful and careful in all meetings ye come into; for where Friends are sitting together in silence, they are many times gathered into their own measures. When a man is come newly out of the world, from ministering to the world’s people, he cometh out of the mire; and then he had need take heed that he be not rash. For now, when he comes into a silent meeting, that is another state; then he must come, and feel his own spirit, how it is, when he comes to them that sit silent. If he be rash, they will judge him, that having been in the world, and amongst the world, the heat is not yet off him. For he may come in the heat of his spirit out of the world; whereas the others are still and cool; and his condition in that not being agreeable to theirs, he may rather do them hurt, by begetting them out of the cool state into the heating state, if he be not in that which commands his own spirit, and gives him to know it.

“There is a great danger too in travelling abroad in the world. The same power that moves any to go forth, is that which must keep them. For it is the greatest danger to go abroad, except a man be moved of the Lord, and go in the power of the Lord; for then, he keeping in the power, is kept by it in his journey, and in his work; and it will enable him to answer the transgressed, and keep above the transgressor. Every one feeling the danger to his own particular in travelling abroad, there the pure fear of the Lord will be placed, and kept in. Though they that travel may have openings when they are abroad, to minister to others, yet, for their own particular growth, they must dwell in the life which doth open; and that will keep down that which would boast. For the minister comes into the death to that which is in the death and in prison, and so returns up again into the life, and into the power, and into the wisdom, to preserve him clean.

“This is the word of the Lord God to you all; feel that ye stand in the presence of the Lord: for every man’s word shall be his burden; but the Word of the Lord is pure, and answers the pure in everyone. The Word of the Lord is that which was in the beginning, and brings to the beginning. It is a hammer, to beat down the transgressor (not the transgressed), and as a fire to burn up that which is contrary to it. Friends, come into that which is over all the spirits of the world, fathoms all the spirits of the world, and stands in the patience; with that, ye may see where others stand, and reach that which is of God in everyone. Here is no strife, no contention, out of transgression; for he that goeth into strife, and into contention, is from the pure Spirit. For where any goeth into contention, if anything hath been begotten by him before, then that contentious nature doth get a-head, spoileth that which was begotten, and quencheth his own prophesying. So if that which would arise into strife, be not subjected by the power in the particular, that is dangerous.

“If any have a moving to any place, and have spoken what they were moved of the Lord, let them return unto their habitation again, and live in the pure life of God, and in the fear of the Lord; so will ye be kept in the life—in the solid and seasoned spirit, and preach as well in life, as with words (for none must be light or wild). For the Seed of God is weighty, brings to be solid, and leads into the wisdom of God, by which the wisdom of the creation is known. But if that part be up, which runs into imaginations, and that part be standing, in which the imaginations come up, and the pure spirit be not thoroughly come up to rule and reign, then that will run out, that will glory, boast, and vapour; and so will such a one spoil that which opened to him: this is for condemnation. Let every one mind that, which feels through and commands his spirit, whereby every one may know what spirit he is of; for he should first try his own spirit, and then he may try others; he should first know his own spirit, and then he may know others. Therefore that which doth command all these spirits, where the heats and burnings come in and get up, in that wait, which chains them down and cools: that is the elect, the heir of the promise of God. For no hasty, rash, brittle spirits (though they have prophecies) have held out, and gone through, they not being subjected in the prophecy. The earthly will not abide, for it is brittle; and in that state the ministry was another’s, not the Son’s; for the Son hath life in himself, and the Son hath the power, which man being obedient to, he may be serviceable; but if he go from the pure power, he falls, and abuses it. Therefore let your faith stand in the pure power of the Lord God, and do not abuse it; but let that search through, and work through; and let every one stand in the power of the Lord, which reacheth the seed of God; which is the heir of the promise of life without end. Let none be hasty to speak; for ye have time enough, and with an eye ye may reach the witness: neither let any be backward when ye are moved; for that brings destruction.

“Now, truth hath an honour in the hearts of those who are not Friends; so that all Friends being kept in the truth, they are kept in the honour, they are honourable, for that will honour them; but if any lose the power, they lose the life, they lose their crown, they lose their honour, they lose the cross, which should crucify them, and they crucify the just; and by losing the power, the Lamb comes to be slain. And as it is here, so will it be in other nations; for all Friends, here and there, are as one family; the seed, the plants, they are as a family. Now all being kept in that which subjects all, and keeps all under, to wit, the Seed itself, the life itself, that is the heir of the promise; that is the bond of peace; for there is the unity in the Spirit with God, and with one another. For he that is kept in the life, hears God, and sees man’s condition; and with that he answers the life in others, that hear God also; thus one Friend that is come into that, comprehends the world. But that which Friends speak, they must live in; so may they expect, that others may come into that which they speak, to live in the same. For the power of the Lord God hath been abused by some, and the worth of truth hath not been minded; there hath been a trampling on, and marring with the feet, and that abuseth the power. But now every Friend is to keep in the power, and to take heed to it; for that must be kept down, which would trample and mar with the feet, and the pure life and power of God is to be lived in over that, that none with the feet may foul or mar, but every one may be kept in the pure power and life of the Lord. Then the water of life cometh in; then he that ministereth, drinketh himself, and giveth others to drink.

“When any shall be moved to go and speak in a steeple-house or market, turn in to that which moves, and be obedient to it, that that which would not go, may be kept down; for that which would not go, will be apt to get up. And take heed on the other hand, that the lavishing part do not get up, for it is a bad savour; therefore that must be kept down, and be kept subject. Wait in the light of the Lord, that ye may be all kept in the wisdom of God. For when the Seed is up in every particular, there is no danger; but when there is an opening and prophecy, and the power stirs before the seed comes up, then there is something that will be apt to run out rashly; there is the danger, and there must be the patience in the fear. For it is a weighty thing to be in the work of the ministry of the Lord God, and to go forth in that. It is not as a customary preaching; but it is to bring people to the end of all outward preaching. For when ye have declared the truth to the people, and they have received it, and are come into that which ye speak of, the uttering of many words, and long declarations out of the life, may beget them into a form. And if any should run on rashly into words again, without the savour of life, then they that are come into the thing that he spoke of, will judge him; whereby he may hurt again that which he had raised up before. So Friends, ye must all come into the thing that is spoken in the openings of the heavenly life among you, and walk in the love of God, that ye may answer the thing spoken to.

“And take heed all of running into inordinate affections; for when people come to own you, there is danger of the wrong part getting up. There was a strife among the disciples of Christ, who should be the greatest; Christ told them, ‘The heathen exercise lordship, and have dominion over one another; but it shall not be so among you.’ For Christ the Seed was to come up in every one of them; so then, where is the greatest? for that part in the disciples which looked to be the greatest, was the same that was in the Gentiles. But as any one comes here, to live in the word that sanctified him, having the heart sanctified, the tongue and lips sanctified, living in the word of wisdom that makes clean the heart, and reconciles to God, all things being upheld by the Word and power;—as there is an abiding in the Word of God, that upholds times and seasons, and gives all things increase, and a dwelling in the Word of wisdom; if there be but two or three agreed in this on earth, it shall be done for them in heaven. So in this must all things be ordered by the Word of wisdom and power, that upholds all things, the times and the seasons, that are in the Father’s hand, to the glory of God, whereby his blessing may be felt among you; and this brings to the beginning. So this is the word of the Lord God to you all, Keep down, keep low, that nothing may rule or reign in you, but life itself.

“Now, the power being lived in, the cross is lived in; and wherever Friends come in this, they draw the power and the life over; they leave a witness behind them, answering the witness of God in others. And where this is lived in, there is no want of wisdom, of power, of knowledge; but he that ministereth in this, seeth with the eye which the Lord openeth in him, what is for the fire, and what for the sword, what must be fed with judgment, and what be nourished. This brings all down, and to be low, every one keeping to the power; for let a man get up ever so high, yet he must come down again to the power, where he left; what he went from, he must come down again to that. Before all these wicked spirits be got down, which are rambling abroad, Friends must have patience, must wait in patience, in the cool life; and he who is in this, doing the work of the Lord, hath the tasting and the feeling of the Lamb’s power and authority. Therefore all Friends, keep cool and quiet in the power of the Lord God; and all that is contrary will be subjected; the Lamb hath the victory, in the Seed, through the patience.

“If any have been moved to speak, and have quenched that which moved them, let none such go forth afterwards into words, until they feel the power arise and move them thereto again; for after the first motion is quenched, the other part will be apt to get up; and if any go forth in that, he goeth forth in his own, and the betrayer will come into that. And all Friends, be careful not to meddle with the powers of the earth; but keep out of all such things; and as ye keep in the Lamb’s authority, ye will answer that of God in them, and bring them to do justice, which is the end of the law. Keep out of all jangling; for all that are in the transgression, are out from the law of love, but all that are in the law of love, come to the Lamb’s power, in the Lamb’s authority, who is the end of the law outward. For the law being added because of transgression, Christ, who was glorified with the Father, before the world began, is the end of the law, bringing them that live in the law of life, to live over all transgression; which every one must feel in himself.”

More was then spoken to many of these particulars, which was not taken at large as delivered.

After this meeting was over, and most of the Friends were gone away, as I was walking in John Crook’s garden, there came a party of horse, with a constable to seize me. I heard them ask “who was in the house,” and somebody answered, “I was there.” They said, “I was the man they looked for;” and went forthwith into the house, where they had many words with John Crook, and some few Friends that were with him. But the Lord’s power so confounded them, that they never came into the garden to look for me, but went their way in a rage. When I came into the house, Friends were very glad to see them so confounded, and that I had escaped them. Next day I passed thence, and after I had visited Friends in several places as I went, came to LONDON, the Lord’s power accompanying me, and bearing me up in his service.

I had not been long in London, before I heard that a Jesuit, who came over with an ambassador from Spain, had challenged all the Quakers to dispute with them at the Earl of Newport’s house:[58] whereupon Friends let him know that some would meet him. Then he sent us word “he would meet with twelve of the wisest and most learned men we had:” a while after he sent us word “he would meet with but six;” and after that, he sent us word again, “he would have but three to come.” We hastened what we could, lest, after all his great boast, he should put it quite off at last. When we were come to the house, I bid Nicholas Bond and Edward Burrough go up, and enter into discourse with him; and I would walk a while in the yard, and then come up after them. I advised them to state this question to him, Whether or not the church of Rome, as it now stood, was not degenerated from the true church, which was in the primitive times, from the life and doctrine, and from the power and Spirit that they were in? They stated the question accordingly; and the Jesuit affirmed, “that the church of Rome now was in the virginity and purity of the primitive church.” By this time I was come to them. Then we asked him, “whether they had the Holy Ghost poured out upon them, as the apostles had?” He said, “No.” “Then,” said I, “if ye have not the same Holy Ghost poured forth upon you, and the same power and Spirit that the apostles had, then ye are degenerated from the power and Spirit which the primitive church was in.” There needed little more to be said to that.

Footnote 58:

The Earl of Newport, it would appear, was very favourably inclined towards Friends. In a letter from E. Burrough to F. Howgill, 4th of 7th Month [9th Month] 1658, he observes, “This night, at Woodcock’s, at the meeting, was the Earl of Newport; he is truly loving to us.” In the same letter, E. Burrough says, “Truth spreads and grows. The Earl of Pembroke has been with us; there is a principle of God stirring in him.”

Then I asked him, “what Scripture they had for setting up cloisters for nuns, abbeys and monasteries for men, for all their several orders; and for their praying by beads, and to images; for making crosses, for forbidding meats and marriages, and for putting people to death for religion? If,” said I, “ye are in the practice of the primitive church, in its purity and virginity, then let us see by Scriptures, wherever they practised any such things.” (For it was agreed on both hands, that we should make good by Scriptures what we said.) Then he told us of a written word, and an unwritten word. I asked him “what he called his unwritten word:” he said, “The written word is the Scriptures, and the unwritten word is that which the apostles spoke by word of mouth; which,” said he, “are all those traditions that we practise.” I bid him prove that by Scripture. Then he brought the Scripture, where the apostle says (2 Thess. ii. 5), “When I was with you, I told you these things.” “That is,” said he, “I told you of nunneries, and monasteries, and of putting to death for religion, and of praying by beads, and to images, and all the rest of the practices of the church of Rome, which,” he said, “was the unwritten word of the apostles, which they told then, and have since been continued down by tradition unto these times.” Then “I desired him to read that Scripture again, that he might see how he had perverted the apostle’s words; for that which he there tells the Thessalonians ‘he had told them before,’ is not an unwritten word, but is there written down, namely, that the man of sin, the son of perdition, shall be revealed, before that great and terrible day of Christ, which he was writing of, should come: so this was not telling them any of those things that the church of Rome practises. In like manner the apostle, in the third chapter of that epistle, tells the church of some disorderly persons, he heard were amongst them, busy-bodies, who did not work at all; concerning whom he had commanded them by his unwritten word, when he was among them, that if any would not work, neither should he eat; which now he commands them again in his written word in this epistle, 2 Thess. iii. So this Scripture afforded no proof for their invented traditions; and he had no other Scripture-proof to offer.” Therefore I told him, “this was another degeneration of their church into such inventions and traditions as the apostles and primitive saints never practised.”

After this he came to his sacrament of the altar, beginning at the paschal-lamb, and the shew-bread; and so came to the words of Christ, “This is my body,” and to what the apostle wrote of it to the Corinthians; concluding, “that after the priest had consecrated the bread and wine, it was immortal and divine, and he that received it, received the whole Christ.” I followed him through the Scriptures he brought, till I came to Christ’s words and the apostle’s; and I showed him “that the same apostle told the Corinthians, after they had taken bread and wine in remembrance of Christ’s death, that they were reprobates, if Christ was not in them: but if the bread they ate was Christ, he must of necessity be in them, after they had eaten it. Besides, if this bread and this wine, which the Corinthians ate and drank, was Christ’s body, then how hath Christ a body in heaven?” I observed to him also, “that both the disciples at the supper, and the Corinthians afterwards, were to eat the bread, and drink the wine in ‘remembrance of Christ,’ and to show forth his death, till he come; which plainly proves, the bread and wine which they took was not his body. For if it had been his real body that they ate, then he had been come, and was then there present; and it had been improper to have done such a thing in remembrance of him, if he had been then present with them; as he must have been, if that bread and wine, which they ate and drank, had been his real body.” Then as to those words of Christ, “This is my body,” I told him Christ calls himself a vine, and a door, and is called in Scripture a rock; “Is Christ therefore an outward rock, door, or vine?” “O” said the Jesuit, “those words are to be interpreted:” “So,” said I, “are those words of Christ, ‘this is my body.’”

Now having stopped his mouth as to argument, I made the Jesuit a proposal thus: “That seeing,” he said “the bread and wine was immortal and divine, and the very Christ, and that whosoever received it, received the whole Christ; let a meeting be appointed between some of them (whom the Pope and his cardinals should appoint) and some of us; and let a bottle of wine and a loaf of bread be brought, and divided each into two parts, and let them consecrate which of those parts they would. And then set the consecrated and the unconsecrated bread and wine in a safe place, with a sure watch upon it, and let trial thus be made, Whether the consecrated bread and wine would not lose its goodness, and the bread grow dry and mouldy, and the wine turn dead and sour, as well and as soon as that which was unconsecrated. By this means, said I, the truth of this matter may be made manifest. And if the consecrated bread and wine change not, but retain their savour and goodness, this may be a means to draw many to your church: if they change, decay, and lose their goodness, then ought you to confess, and forsake your error, and shed no more blood about it: for much blood hath been shed about these things, as in Queen Mary’s days.” To this the Jesuit made this reply: “Take,” said he, “a piece of new cloth, and cut it into two pieces, and make two garments of it; and put one of them upon king David’s back, and the other upon a beggar’s, and the one garment shall wear away as well as the other.” “Is this thy answer?” said I; “Yes,” said he. “Then,” said I, “by this the company may all be satisfied that your consecrated bread and wine is not Christ. Have ye told people so long that the consecrated bread and wine was immortal and divine, and that it was the very and real body and blood of Christ, and dost thou now say it will wear away, or decay, as well as the other? I must tell thee, Christ remains the same to-day as yesterday, and never decays! but is the saints’ heavenly food in all generations, through which they have life.” He replied no more to this, being willing to let it fall; for the people that were present saw his error, and that he could not defend it.

Then I asked him “why their church persecuted and put people to death for religion.” He replied, “it was not the church that did it, but the magistrates.” I asked him “whether those magistrates were not counted and called believers and Christians.” He said, “Yes:” “Why then,” said I, “are they not members of your church?” “Yes,” said he. Then I left it to the people to judge from his own concessions, whether the church of Rome doth not persecute, and put people to death for religion. Thus we parted; and his subtilty was comprehended by simplicity.

During the time I was at London, many services lay upon me; for it was a time of much suffering. I was moved to write to Oliver Cromwell, and lay before him the sufferings of Friends, both in this nation and in Ireland. There was also a rumour about this time of making Cromwell king: whereupon I was moved to go to him, and warned him against it, and of divers dangers; which, if he did not avoid, “he would bring a shame and ruin upon himself and his posterity.” He seemed to take well what I said to him, and thanked me: yet afterwards I was moved to write to him more fully concerning that matter.

About this time the Lady Claypole[59] (so called) was sick and much troubled in mind, and could receive no comfort from any that came to her; which when I heard of, I was moved to write to her the following letter:—

“FRIEND,

“Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit from thy own thoughts, and then thou wilt feel the principle of God to turn thy mind to the Lord, from whom cometh life; whereby thou mayest receive his strength and power to allay all storms, and tempests. That is it which works up into patience, innocency, soberness, into stillness, staidness, quietness up to God, with his power. Therefore mind; that is the word of the Lord God unto thee, that thou mayest feel the authority of God, and thy faith in that, to work down that which troubles thee; for that is it which keeps peace, and brings up the witness in thee, which hath been transgressed, to feel after God with his power and life, who is a God of order and peace. When thou art in the transgression of the life of God in thy own particular, the mind flies up in the air, the creature is led into the night, nature goes out of its course, an old garment goes on, and an uppermost clothing; and thy nature being led out of its course, it comes to be all on fire, in the transgression; and that defaceth the glory of the first body. Therefore be still a while from thy own thoughts, searching, seeking, desires, and imaginations, and be staid in the principle of God in thee, that it may raise thy mind up to God, and stay it upon God, and thou wilt find strength from him, and find him to be a God at hand, a present help in the time of trouble, and of need. And thou being come to the principle of God, which hath been transgressed, it will keep thee humble; and the humble, God will teach his way, which is peace, and such he doth exalt. Now as the principle of God in thee hath been transgressed, come to it, that it may keep thy mind down low to the Lord God; and deny thyself; for from thy own will, that is, the earthly, thou must be kept. Then thou wilt feel the power of God, which will bring nature into its course, and give thee to see the glory of the first body. There the wisdom of God will be received, which is Christ, by which all things were made and created, and thou wilt thereby be preserved and ordered to God’s glory. There thou wilt come to receive and feel the physician of value, who clothes people in their right mind, whereby they may serve God, and do his will. For all distractions, unruliness, and confusion are in the transgression; which transgression must be brought down, before the principle of God, which hath been transgressed against, be lifted up: whereby the mind may be seasoned, and stilled, and a right understanding of the Lord may be received; whereby his blessings enter, and are felt, over all that is contrary, in the power of the Lord God, which raises up the principle of God within, gives a feeling after God, and in time gives dominion. Therefore, keep in the fear of the Lord God; that is the word of the Lord unto thee. For all these things happen to thee for thy good, and for the good of those concerned for thee, to make you know yourselves, and your own weakness, and that ye may know the Lord’s strength and power, and may trust in him.

“Let the time that is past be sufficient to every one, who in anything hath been lifted up in transgression out of the power of the Lord; for he can bring down and abase the mighty, and lay them in the dust of the earth. Therefore, all keep low in his fear, that thereby ye may receive the secrets of God and his wisdom, may know the shadow of the Almighty, and sit under it, in all tempests, and storms, and heats. For God is at hand, and the Most High rules in the children of men. This then is the word of the Lord God unto you all; whatever temptations, distractions, confusions, the light doth make manifest and discover, do not look at these temptations, confusions, corruptions; but look at the light, which discovers them, and makes them manifest; and with the same light you may feel over them, to receive power to stand against them. The same light which lets you see sin and transgression, will let you see the covenant of God, which blots out your sin and transgression, which gives victory and dominion over it, and brings into covenant with God. For looking down at sin, and corruption, and distraction, ye are swallowed up in it: but looking at the light, which discovers them, ye will see over them. That will give victory; and ye will find grace and strength: there is the first step to peace. That will bring salvation; by it ye may see to the beginning, and the ‘glory that was with the Father before the world began;’ and so come to know the Seed of God, which is the heir of the promise of God, and of the world which hath no end; which bruises the head of the serpent, who stops people from coming to God. That ye may feel the power of an endless life, the power of God, which is immortal; which brings the immortal soul up to the immortal God, in whom it doth rejoice. So in the name and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty strengthen thee.”

G.F.

Footnote 59:

Lady Claypole was the favourite daughter of Oliver Cromwell, who deeply felt her loss, for she died shortly after the period of receiving the letter George Fox addressed to her. Nor was it long before Oliver himself followed her; both he and his daughter dying in the same year.

When the foregoing paper was read to Lady Claypole, she said, it staid her mind for the present. Afterwards many Friends got copies of it, both in England and Ireland, and read it to people that were troubled in mind; and it was made useful for the settling of the minds of several.

About this time came forth a declaration from Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, for a collection towards the relief of divers Protestant Churches, driven out of Poland; and of twenty Protestant families, driven out of the confines of Bohemia. And there having been a like declaration published some time before, to invite the nation to a day of solemn fasting and humiliation, in order to a contribution being made for the suffering Protestants of the valleys of Lucerne, Angrona, &c., who were persecuted by the Duke of Savoy, I was moved to write to the Protector and chief magistrates on this occasion, both to show them the nature of a true fast (such as God requires and accepts,) and to make them sensible of their injustice and self-condemnation, in blaming the Papists for persecuting the Protestants abroad, while they themselves, calling themselves Protestants, were at the same time persecuting their Protestant neighbours and friends at home. That which I wrote to them was after this manner:—

“To the Heads and Governors of this Nation, who have put forth a declaration for keeping a day of solemn Fasting and Humiliation, for the persecution (as you say) of divers people beyond the seas, professing the Reformed religion, which, ye say, hath been transmitted unto them from their ancestors.

“A profession of the Reformed religion may be transmitted to generations, and so holden by tradition; and in that, wherein the profession and tradition are holden, is the day of humiliation kept; which stands in the will of man. This is not the fast that the Lord requires, ‘to bow down the head like a bulrush for a day,’ and the day following be in the same condition that they were the day before. To the light of Christ Jesus in your consciences do I speak, which testifieth for God every day, and witnesseth against all sin and persecution; which measure of God, if ye be guided by it, doth not limit God to a day, but leads to the fast which the Lord requires, which is, ‘To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to break every yoke, and to let the oppressed go free.’ Isa. lviii. 6, 7. This is the fast that the Lord requires; and this stands not in the transmission of times, nor in the traditions of men; but in that which was before times were, which leads out of time, and shall be when time shall be no more. These that teach for doctrine the commandments of men, are they that ever persecuted the life and power when it came.

“And whereas ye mention a decree or edict that was made against the said persecuted Protestants, all such decrees proceed from the ground of the Pope’s religion and supremacy, and therein stands his tyranny and cruelty, acted in that will, which is in that nature which exerciseth lordship over one another (as ye may read, Mark x. 42; Luke xxii. 25), as all the heathen do, and ever did; and in the heathenish nature is all the tyranny and persecution exercised, by them that are out of the obedience to the light of Christ Jesus, which is the guide and leader of all who are tender of that of God in the conscience. But they who are not led by this, know not what it is to suffer for conscience’ sake. Now, whereas ye take into your consideration the sad persecution, tyranny, and cruelty, exercised upon them, whom ye call your Protestant brethren, and contribute to administer to their wants outwardly; this is good in its place, and we approve it; and see it good to administer to the necessities of others, and to do good to all: and we who are sufferers by a law derived from the Pope, are willing to join and to contribute with you to their outward necessities. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof;’ who is good and gracious to all, willing that all should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.

“But in the meantime, while ye are doing this, and taking notice of others’ cruelty, tyranny, and persecution, turn your eye upon yourselves, and see what ye are doing at home. To the light of Christ Jesus in all your consciences I speak, which cannot lie, nor err, nor bear false witness; but which bears witness for God, and cries for equity, justice, and righteousness to be executed. See what ye are doing, who profess the Scriptures, which were given forth by the saints in light, who dwelt in the light, and in the life of them. For them who now witness the same light, life, and power, that gave forth the Scriptures, which ye in words profess, ye persecute;—them ye hale out of your synagogues and markets;—beat, stock, and imprison. Now let that of God in your consciences, which is just, righteous, and equal, examine and try, whether ye have any example or precedent to exercise this persecution, which now many in this nation suffer under, who are a people harmless and innocent, walking in obedience towards God and man.

“And though ye account the way of truth they walk in, heresy, yet therein do they exercise themselves, to have always ‘a conscience void of offence towards God and man,’ as ye may read the saints of old did (Acts xxiv. 14, 15, 16); wronging no man, neither giving any just cause of offence; only being obedient to the commands of the Lord, to declare, as they are moved by the Holy Ghost; and standing for the testimony of a good conscience, speaking the truth in Christ, their consciences bearing them witness that they lie not; for this do they suffer under you, who in words profess the same thing for which they suffer. Now see if any age or generation did ever persecute as ye do; for ye profess Christ Jesus, who reveals the Father, and persecute them that witness the revelation of the Father by Christ Jesus unto them. Ye profess Christ Jesus, who is ‘the light of the world, that enlightens every man that cometh into the world;’ yet persecute them that bear witness and give testimony to this light. Ye profess that the Word is become flesh, yet persecute them that witness it so. Ye profess that whosoever confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is an anti-christ; yet persecute them that do confess him come in the flesh, and call them antichrists and deceivers. Ye profess that the kingdom of Christ is come; yet persecute them that witness it come. Ye profess Christ Jesus, the resurrection and the life; yet persecute them that witness him to be so.

“If ye say, ‘How shall we know that these people, who say they witness these things, do so, or not?’ I answer, Turn your minds to the light, which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, which is one in all; and if ye walk in the light, ye shall have the light of life; then ye will know and see what ye have done, who have persecuted the Lord of glory (in his people) in whom is life, and the life is the light of men. To no other touchstone shall we turn you, than into your own consciences; there shall ye find the truth of what we have declared unto you, and of what we bear testimony to, according to the holy Scriptures. When the books of consciences are opened, and all judged out of them, then shall ye witness us to be of God, and our testimony to be true. Though now ye may stop your ears, and harden your hearts, while it is called to-day; but then ye shall know what ye have done, and against whom ye have transgressed;—then ye will see that no persecutors, in any age or generation before you, ever transgressed against that light, and measure of God made manifest, in such manner as ye have done. For though Christ and the apostles were persecuted in their times, the Jews, for the most part, did not know that he was the Christ, when he came, notwithstanding they had the Scriptures, which prophesied of him; neither did they believe that he was risen again, when the apostles preached his resurrection. But ye say, ‘ye believe he is come; ye believe his resurrection;’ yet ye persecute those that witness him come in the flesh, those that are buried with him in baptism, that are conformable to his death, and know the power of his resurrection; these ye persecute, hale before magistrates, and suffer to be beaten in your synagogues; these ye cause to be whipped, and stocked, shamefully entreated, and cast into prison; as many jails in this nation at this day testify to your faces. Therefore honestly consider what ye are doing, while ye are taking notice of others’ cruelties, lest ye overlook your own. There is some difference in many things, between the Popish religion and that which ye call the Protestant, but in this persecution of yours there is no difference; for ye will confess that the foundation of your religion is grounded upon the Scriptures; yet ye are persecuting them that are in the same life which they were in, who gave forth the Scriptures, yourselves being the meanwhile under a profession of the words they spoke; and this ye shall one day witness. So ye have a profession and form, and persecute them that are in the possession, life, and power.

“Therefore know assuredly that ye must come to judgment; for he is made manifest, to whom all judgment is committed. Therefore to the light of Christ Jesus in your own consciences, which searcheth and trieth you, turn your minds; stand still, and wait there to receive the righteous law, which is according to that of God in the conscience, which is now rising, and is bearing witness against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; and they whom ye persecute are manifest to God, and that of God in all consciences shall bear witness for us, that we are of God; this ye shall one day witness, whether ye will hear or forbear. Our rejoicing is in the testimony of our consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world; not handling the word of God deceitfully, but in the manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God; and if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. For witnessing the holding of the mystery of faith in a pure conscience, do we suffer, and are subject for conscience’ sake.

“This is thankworthy, if a man, for conscience’ sake, endure griefs and sufferings wrongfully. In this is our joy and rejoicing, having a good conscience, that whereas we are evil spoken of, as evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ; which is not only the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This we witness made manifest (eternal praises to the living God!) and bear testimony to that which spoke it in the apostle in life and power. Therefore do we bear witness and testify against those, who, being in a form and profession of it, persecute the life and power. To the eternal light of Christ Jesus, the searcher and trier of all hearts, turn your minds, and see what ye are doing; lest ye overturn your foundation, whereon ye pretend to stand, while ye are professing the Scriptures, and persecuting the life, light, and power, which they were in who gave them forth. For the stone, cut out of the mountains without hands, is now striking at the feet of the image, the profession, which is set up, and stands in the will of man. Now is that made manifest unto which all must answer; all must appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and shall be made manifest in all your consciences, which ye shall witness.”

G. F.

Divers times, both in the time of the Long Parliament, and of the Protector (so called) and of the Committee of Safety, when they proclaimed fasts, I was moved to write to them, and tell them, their fasts were like unto Jezebel’s; for commonly, when they proclaimed fasts, there was some mischief contrived against us. I knew their fasts were for strife and debate, to smite with the fist of wickedness; as the New England professors soon after did, who, before they put our Friends to death, proclaimed a fast also.

Now it was a time of great sufferings; and many Friends being in prisons, many other Friends were moved to go to the parliament, to offer up themselves to lie in the same dungeon, where their friends lay, that they that were in prison might go out, and not perish in the stinking jails. This we did in love to God and our brethren, that they might not die in prison; and in love to those that cast them in, that they might not bring innocent blood upon their own heads; which we knew would cry to the Lord, and bring his wrath, vengeance, and plagues upon them. But little favour could we find from those professing parliaments; instead thereof they would rage, and sometimes threaten those Friends that thus attended them, that they would whip them, and send them home. Then commonly soon after the Lord would turn them out, and send them home; who had not a heart to do good in the day of their power. But they went not off without being forewarned, for I was moved to write to them, in their several turns, as I did to the Long Parliament, unto whom I declared, before they were broken up, that “thick darkness was coming over them all, even a day of darkness that should be felt.”

And because the parliament that now sat was made up mostly of high professors, who, pretending to be more religious than others, were indeed greater persecutors of them that were truly religious, I was moved to send them the following lines, as a reproof of their hypocrisy:—

“O Friends, do not cloak and cover yourselves; there is a God that knoweth your hearts, and that will uncover you. He seeth your way. ‘Woe be to him that covereth, but not with my Spirit, saith the Lord.’ Do ye act contrary to the law, and then put it from you? Mercy and true judgment ye neglect. Look, what was spoken against such: my Saviour spoke against such: ‘I was sick, and ye visited me not; I was hungry, and ye fed me not; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; I was in prison, and ye visited me not.’ But they said, ‘When saw we thee in prison, and did not come to thee?’ ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these little ones, ye did it not unto me.’ Friends, ye imprison them that are in the life and power of truth, and yet profess to be the ministers of Christ. But if Christ had sent you, ye would bring out of prison, and bondage, and receive strangers. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter; ye have condemned, and killed the just, and he doth not resist you.”

G. F.

After this, as I was going out of town, having two Friends with me, when we were little more than a mile out of the city, there met us two troopers belonging to Colonel Hacker’s regiment, who took me, and the Friends that were with me, and brought us back to the Mews, and there kept us prisoners. But the Lord’s power was so over them, that they did not take us before any officer; but shortly after set us at liberty again.

The same day, taking boat, I went to KINGSTON, and thence to HAMPTON COURT, to speak with the Protector about the sufferings of Friends. I met him riding into Hampton-Court Park, and before I came to him, as he rode at the head of his life-guard, I saw and felt a waft (or apparition) of death go forth against him; and when I came to him, he looked like a dead man. After I had laid the sufferings of Friends before him, and had warned him, according as I was moved to speak to him, he bid me come to his house. So I returned to Kingston, and next day went to Hampton Court, to speak further with him. But when I came, he was sick, and —— Harvey, who was one that waited on him, told me the doctors were not willing I should speak with him. So I passed away, and never saw him more.

From Kingston I went to Isaac Penington’s, in BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, where I had appointed a meeting, and the Lord’s truth and power were preciously manifested amongst us. After I had visited Friends in those parts, I returned to LONDON, and soon after went into ESSEX, where I had not been long before I heard that the Protector was dead, and his son Richard made Protector in his room. Whereupon I came up to LONDON again.

Before this time the church-faith (so called) was given forth, which was said to have been made at the Savoy in eleven days’ time. I got a copy before it was published, and wrote an answer to it; and when their book of church-faith was sold in the streets, my answer to it was sold also. This angered some of the parliament-men, so that one of them told me, “they must have me to Smithfield.” I told him, “I was above their fires, and feared them not.” And reasoning with him, I wished him to consider, “Had all people been without a faith these sixteen hundred years, that now the priests must make them one? Did not the apostle say, that Jesus was the author and finisher of their faith? And since Christ Jesus was the author of the apostles’ faith, of the church’s faith in primitive times, and of the martyrs’ faith, should not all people look unto him to be the author and finisher of their faith, and not to the priests?” Much work we had about the priest-made faith; for they called us house-creepers, leading silly women captive, because we met in houses, and would not hold up their priests and temples, which they had made and set up. I told them, that it was they who led silly women captive, and crept into houses, who kept people always learning under them, who were covetous, and had a form of godliness, but denied the power and Spirit which the apostles were in. Such began to creep in the apostles’ days; but now they had got the magistrates on their side, who upheld those houses for them, which they had crept into, their temples, with their tithes: whereas the apostles brought people off even from that temple, and those tithes and offerings, which God had for a time commanded. And the apostles met in several private houses, being to preach the gospel to all nations; which they did freely, as Christ had commanded them. Thus do we, who bring people off from these priests, temples, and tithes which God never commanded, to meet in houses, or on mountains, as the saints of old did, who were gathered in the name of Jesus, Christ being their Prophet, Priest, and Shepherd.

Major Wiggan, a very envious man, was present, yet he bridled himself before the parliament-men, and some others that were there in company. He took upon him to make a speech, and said, “Christ had taken away the guilt of sin, but had left the power of sin remaining in us.” I told him, that was strange doctrine, for Christ came to destroy the devil and his works, and the power of sin, and so to cleanse men from sin.

So Major Wiggan’s mouth was stopped at that time. But next day, desiring to speak with me again, I took a friend or two with me, and went to him. Then he vented much passion and rage, beyond the bounds of a Christian or moral man; whereupon I reproved him; and having brought the Lord’s power over him, and let him see what condition he was in, I left him.

After some time I passed out of London, and had a meeting at Sergeant Birkhead’s at TWICKENHAM, to which many people came, and some of considerable quality in the world. A glorious meeting it was, wherein the Scriptures were largely and clearly opened, and Christ exalted above all, to the great satisfaction of the hearers.

But there was great persecution in many places, both by imprisoning and breaking up of meetings. At a meeting about seven miles from London, the rude people usually came out of several parishes round about, to abuse Friends, and often beat and bruised them exceedingly. One day they abused about eighty Friends, who went to that meeting out of London, tearing their coats and cloaks off their backs, and throwing them into ditches and ponds; and when they had besmeared them with dirt, they said they looked like witches. The next First-day, I was moved of the Lord to go to that meeting, though I was then very weak. When I came there, I bid Friends bring a table, and set it in the field, where they used to meet, to stand upon. According to their wonted course, the rude people came. Having a Bible in my hand, I showed them their and their priests’ and teachers’ fruits: and the people became ashamed, and were quiet. I opened the Scriptures to them, and our principles agreeing therewith; I turned the people from darkness to the light of Christ and his Spirit, by which they might understand the Scriptures, see themselves and their sins, and know Christ Jesus to be their Saviour. So the meeting ended quietly, and the Lord’s power came over all to his glory. But it was a time of great sufferings; for besides the imprisonments (through which many died) our meetings were greatly disturbed. They have thrown rotten eggs and wild-fire into our meetings, and have brought in drums beating, and kettles, to make noises with, that the truth might not be heard; and among these, the priests were as rude as any: as may be seen in the book of the fighting priests, wherein a list is given of some of them that had actually beaten and abused Friends.

Many also of our Friends were brought up to LONDON, prisoners, to be tried before the committee; where Henry Vane,[60] being Chairman, would not suffer Friends to come in, except they would put off their hats: but at last the Lord’s power came over him, so that, through the mediation of others, they were admitted. Many of us having been imprisoned upon contempts (as they called them) for not putting off our hats, it was not a likely thing that Friends, who had suffered so long for it from others, should put off their hats to him. But the Lord’s power came over them all, and wrought so, that several Friends were set at liberty by them. Now inasmuch as sufferings grew very sharp, I was moved of the Lord to write a few lines and send amongst Friends, to encourage them to go on faithfully and boldly, through the exercises of the day; of which a copy here follows:—

“MY dear Friends, wherever scattered abroad, in prison or out of prison; fear not, because of the reports of sufferings; let not the evil spies of the good land make you afraid, if they tell you the walls are high, and there are Anakims in the land; for at the blowing of the rams’ horns did the walls of Jericho fall; and they that brought the evil report, perished in the wilderness. But dwell ye in the faith, patience, and hope, having the Word of Life to keep you, which is beyond the law; and having the oath of God, his covenant, Christ Jesus, which divides the waters asunder, and makes them to run all on heaps; in that stand: and ye will see all things work together for good to them that love God. In that triumph, when sufferings come, whatever they may be. Your faith, your shield, your helmet, your armour you have on; ye are ready to skip over a mountain, a wall, or a hill, and to walk through the deep waters, though they be as heaps upon heaps. The evil spies of the good land may preach up hardness; but Caleb, which signifies a heart, and Joshua, a Saviour, triumph over all.”

G.F.

Footnote 60:

Vane was a conspicuous character at this period. He was strongly attached to a republican government, and opposed Cromwell in his progress towards assuming the reins of government as protector. He was said to be one of the leaders of the Independents. Bishop Burnet, the historian, says of him:—“Though he set up a form of religion in a way of his own, yet it consisted rather in a withdrawing from all other forms, than in any new or particular forms and opinions; from which he and his party were called Seekers, and seemed to wait for some new and clearer manifestations.” James Naylor, in a letter to Margaret Fell, speaks of Vane as “very loving to Friends, but drunk with imaginations.”

After a while I went to READING, where I was under great sufferings and exercises, and in great travail of spirit for about ten weeks. For I saw there was great confusion and distraction amongst the people, and that the powers were plucking each other to pieces. And I saw how many were destroying the simplicity, and betraying the truth. Much hypocrisy, deceit, and strife, was got uppermost in the people, so that they were ready to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels. There had been a tenderness in many of them formerly, when they were low, but when they were got up, had killed and taken possession, they came to be as bad as others; so that we had much to do with them about our hats, and saying Thou and Thee to them. They turned their profession of patience and moderation into rage and madness; and many of them were like distracted men for this hat-honour. For they had hardened themselves by persecuting the innocent, and were at this time crucifying the Seed, Christ, both in themselves and others; till at last they fell to biting and devouring one another, until they were consumed one of another; who had turned against, and judged, that which God had wrought in them, and showed unto them. So shortly after, God overthrew them, and turned them upside down, and brought the king over them, who were often surmising that the Quakers met together to bring in King Charles, whereas, Friends did not concern themselves with the outward powers, or government. But at last the Lord brought him in, and many of them when they saw he would be brought in, voted for bringing him in. So with heart and voice praise the name of the Lord, to whom it doth belong; who over all hath the supremacy, and who will rock the nations, for he is over them.

I had a sight and sense of the king’s return a good while before, and so had some others. I wrote to Oliver several times, and let him know that while he was persecuting God’s people, they whom he accounted his enemies were preparing to come upon him. When some forward spirits that came amongst us, would have bought Somerset-house, that we might have meetings in it, I forbade them to do so; for I then foresaw the king’s coming in again. Besides, there came a woman to me in the Strand, who had a prophecy concerning King Charles’s coming in, three years before he came: and she told me, she must go to him to declare it. I advised her to wait upon the Lord, and keep it to herself; for if it should be known that she went on such a message, they would look upon it to be treason; but she said, she must go, and tell him, that he should be brought into England again. I saw her prophecy was true, and that a great stroke must come upon them in power; for they that had then got possession were so exceeding high, and such great persecution was acted by them, who called themselves saints, that they would take from Friends their copyhold lands, because they could not swear in their courts.

Sometimes when we laid these sufferings before Oliver Cromwell, he would not believe it. Wherefore Thomas Aldam[61] and Anthony Pearson were moved to go through all the jails in England, and to get copies of Friends’ commitments under the jailer’s hands, that they might lay the weight of their sufferings upon Oliver Cromwell. And when he would not give order for the releasing of them, Thomas Aldam was moved to take his cap from off his head, and to rend it in pieces before him, and to say unto him, “So shall thy government be rent from thee and thy house.”

Footnote 61:

Thomas Aldam died in 1660, and as this is the last mention of him in this journal, the following particulars may be added:—He resided at Warmsworth, in Yorkshire, and was convinced by George Fox, in 1651, having been previously a great follower of the priests and teachers of the times. But his hungering and thirsting soul not being satisfied amongst them, he left them, and having received the Truth, became valiant for the same, giving up his strength and substance to serve the Lord. Many beatings, reproaches, imprisonments, much spoiling of goods and other sufferings he endured, for Christ’s sake. He was one of the first called a Quaker imprisoned in York castle, in 1652, where he was kept two years and six months, not being suffered once to go home, nor permitted to see his wife, children, or relatives, when they went to visit him. He was also fined during that imprisonment £40, at the assize, for appearing before the judge with his hat on, and saying thee and thou to him. During the same imprisonment for tithes, he was sued at law for treble damages, his property being taken to the value of £42, not leaving one cow to give milk for his young children and family. Many other sufferings did he undergo, which made him have a tender sympathy for others who were sufferers for the Truth, whose cause he often pleaded. He wrote several small works in defence of Truth, and his son, Thomas Aldam, who was also a faithful minister, published a testimony concerning him, in 1690. See Piety Promoted, vol. i., pp. 25-28; vol. iii., p 58.

Another Friend also, a woman, was moved to go to the parliament (that was envious against Friends) with a pitcher in her hand, which she broke into pieces before them, and told them, “so should they be broken to pieces:” which came to pass shortly after.

And in my great suffering and travail of spirit for the nation, being grievously burdened with their hypocrisy, treachery, and falsehood, I saw God would bring that over them, which they had been above; and that all must be brought down to that which convinced them, before they could get over that bad spirit within and without: for it is the pure, invisible Spirit, that doth and only can work down all deceit in people.

While I was under that sore travail at Reading, by reason of grief and sorrow of mind, and the great exercise that was upon my spirit, my countenance was altered, and I looked poor and thin; and there came a company of unclean spirits to me, and told me, “the plagues of God were upon me.” I told them, it was the same spirit spoke that in them, that said so of Christ, when he was stricken and smitten; they hid their face from him. But when I had travailed with the witness of God, which they had quenched, and had got through with it, and over all that hypocrisy which the outside professors were run into, and saw how that would be brought down, and turned under, and that life would rise over it, I came to have ease, and the light, power, and Spirit shone over all. And then having recovered, and got through my travails and sufferings, my body and face swelled, when I came abroad into the air; and then the bad spirits said, “I was grown fat,” and they envied at that also. So I saw, that no condition nor state would please that spirit of theirs. But the Lord preserved me by his power and Spirit through and over all, and in his power I came to LONDON again.

Now was there a great pother made about the image or effigy of Oliver Cromwell lying in state; men standing and sounding with trumpets over his image, after he was dead. At this my spirit was greatly grieved, and the Lord, I found, was highly offended. Then did I write the following lines, and sent among them, to reprove their wickedness, and warn them to repent:—

“O friends, what are ye doing! What mean ye to sound before an image! Will not all sober people think ye are like madmen? O, how am I grieved with your abominations! O, how am I wearied! My soul is wearied with you, saith the Lord: will I not be avenged of you, think ye, for your abominations? O, how have ye plucked down and set up! How are your hearts made whole, and not rent! How are ye turned to fooleries! Which things in times past, ye stood over. How have ye left my dread, saith the Lord! Fear therefore, and repent, lest the snare and the pit take you all. The great day of the Lord is come upon all your abominations; the swift hand of the Lord is turned against them. The sober people in these nations stand amazed at your doings, and are ashamed, as if ye would bring in Popery.”

G. F.

About this time great stirs were in the nation, the minds of people being unsettled. Much plotting and contriving there was by the several factions, to carry on their several interests. And a great care being upon me, lest any young or ignorant people, that might sometimes come amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, I was moved to give forth the following epistle as a warning unto all such:—

“All Friends, everywhere, keep out of plots and bustling, and the arm of flesh; for all these are amongst Adam’s sons in the fall, where they are destroying men’s lives like dogs, beasts, and swine, goring, rending, and biting one another, destroying one another, and wrestling with flesh and blood. Whence arise wars and killing but from the lusts? Now all this is in Adam in the fall, out of Adam that never fell, in whom there is peace and life. Ye are called to peace, therefore follow it; and that peace is in Christ, not in Adam in the fall. All that pretend to fight for Christ, are deceived; for his kingdom is not of this world, therefore his servants do not fight. Fighters are not of Christ’s kingdom, but are without Christ’s kingdom; his kingdom stands in peace and righteousness, but fighters are in the lust; and all that would destroy men’s lives, are not of Christ’s mind, who came to save men’s lives. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world; it is peaceable: and all that are in strife, are not of his kingdom. All that pretend to fight for the Gospel, are deceived; for the gospel is the power of God, which was before the devil, or fall of man was; and the gospel of peace was before fighting was. Therefore they that pretend fighting, are ignorant of the gospel; and all that talk of fighting for Sion, are in darkness; for Sion needs no such helpers. All such as profess themselves to be ministers of Christ, or Christians, and go about to beat down the whore with outward, carnal weapons, the flesh and the whore are got up in themselves, and they are in a blind zeal; for the whore got up by the inward ravening from the Spirit of God; and the beating down thereof, must be by the inward stroke of the sword of the Spirit within. All such as pretend Christ Jesus, and confess him, and yet run into the use of carnal weapons, wrestling with flesh and blood, throw away the spiritual weapons. They that would be wrestlers with flesh and blood, throw away Christ’s doctrine; the flesh is got up in them, and they are weary of their sufferings. Such as would revenge themselves, are out of Christ’s doctrine. Such as being stricken on one cheek, would not turn the other, are out of Christ’s doctrine: and such as do not love one another, nor love enemies, are out of Christ’s doctrine.

“Therefore, ye that are heirs of the blessings of God, which were before the curse and the fall were, come to inherit your portions; and ye that are heirs of the gospel of peace, which was before the devil was, live in the gospel of peace, seeking the peace of all men, and the good of all men; and live in Christ, who came to save men’s lives, out of Adam in the fall, where they destroy men’s lives, and live not in Christ. The Jews’ sword outwardly, by which they cut down the heathen, was a type of the Spirit of God within, which cuts down the heathenish nature within. So live in the peaceable kingdom of Christ Jesus. Live in the peace of God, and not in the lusts, from whence wars arise. Live in Christ the Prince of Peace, the way of God, who is the second Adam, that never fell; but live not in Adam in the fall, in the destruction, where they destroy one another. Therefore come out of Adam in the fall, into the Adam that never fell. Live in love and peace with all men; keep out of all the bustlings in the world; meddle not with the powers of the earth; but mind the kingdom, the way of peace. Ye that are heirs of grace, heirs of the kingdom, heirs of the gospel, heirs of salvation, saints of the Most High, and children of God, whose conversation is in heaven, that is above the combustions of the earth; let your conversation preach to all men, and your innocent lives, that they who speak evil of you, beholding your godly conversation, may glorify your Father which is in heaven.

“All Friends everywhere, this I charge you, which is the word of the Lord God unto you all, ‘Live in peace, in Christ the way of peace,’ and therein seek the peace of all men, and no man’s hurt. In Adam in the fall, is no peace; but in Adam out of the fall, is peace: so, ye being in Adam which never fell, it is love that overcomes, and not hatred with hatred, nor strife with strife. Therefore live all in the peaceable life, doing good to all men, and seeking the good and welfare of all men.”

G. F.

Not long after this, George Booth rose in arms in Cheshire, and Lambert went against him. At which time some foolish, rash spirits, that came sometimes amongst us, were ready to take up arms; but I was moved of the Lord to warn and forbid them, and they were quiet. In the time of the Committee of Safety (so called), we were invited by them to take up arms, and great places and commands were offered some of us; but we denied them all, and declared against it both by word and writing; testifying that our weapons and armour were not carnal, but spiritual. And lest any that came amongst us, should be drawn into that snare, it came upon me from the Lord, to write a few lines on that occasion, and send them forth, as a caution to all amongst us. Of which this is a copy:

“All Friends everywhere, take heed to keep out of the powers of the earth, that run into wars and fightings, which make not for peace, but destroy it; such will not have the kingdom. And, Friends, take heed of joining with this or the other, or meddling with any, or being busy with other men’s matters; but mind the Lord, his power, and his service. Let Friends keep out of other men’s matters, and keep in that which answers the witness in them all, out of the man’s part, where they must expect wars and dishonour. Friends everywhere, dwell in your own, in the power of the Lord God, to keep your minds up to the Lord God, from falling down to the strength of Egypt, or going thither for strength, after ye are come out of it, like the children of Israel after they were come out of outward Egypt. But dwell in the power of the Lord God, that ye may keep over all the powers of the earth, amongst whom the just hand of God is come; for they have turned against the just, disobeyed the just, in their own particulars, and so gone on in one against the just; therefore the just sets them one against another. Now he that goes to help among them, is astray from the just in himself, in the unstaid state, and doth not know, by the All-seeing Eye (that beholdeth,) him that recompenseth and rewardeth, and lives not in the hand, in the power, that mangles and overturns, which vexeth the transgressors, that come to be blind, and zealous for they do not know what. Therefore keep in peace, and in the love and power of God, and in unity and love one to another, lest any go out, and fall with the uncircumcised: that is, they that are from the Spirit in themselves, and they that go from it, go into the pit together. Therefore stand (it is the word of the Lord God to you all) in the fear and dread of the Lord God, his power, life, light, seed, and wisdom, by which ye may take away the occasion of wars, and so know a kingdom which hath no end, and fight for that with spiritual weapons, which takes away the occasion of the carnal; and there gather men to war, as many as ye can, and set up as many as ye can with these weapons.”

G. F.

After I had stayed some time in London, and had visited Friends’ meetings there and thereabouts, and the Lord’s power was set over all, I travelled into the counties again, passing through ESSEX and SUFFOLK into NORFOLK, visiting Friends, till I came to NORWICH, where we had a meeting about the time called Christmas. The Mayor of Norwich, having got previous notice of the meeting I intended to have there, granted a warrant to apprehend me. When I was come thither, and heard of the warrant, I sent some friends to the mayor to reason with him about it. His answer was, the soldiers should not meet; and did we think to meet? He would have us to go and meet without the city, for he said, the town’s-people were so rude that he could hardly order them, and he feared that our meeting would make tumults in the town. But our friends told him we were a peaceable people, and that he ought to keep the peace; for we could not but meet to worship God, as our manner was. So he became moderate, and did not send his officers to the meeting. A large one it was, and abundance of rude people came, with an intent to do mischief; but the Lord’s power came over them, so that they were chained by it, though several priests were there, and professors and Ranters.

Among the priests, one whose name was Townsend, stood up and cried, “Error, blasphemy, and an ungodly meeting!” I bid him not burden himself with that which he could not make good; and I asked him what was our error and blasphemy; for I told him, he should make good his words before I had done with him, or be shamed. As for an ungodly meeting, I said, I believed there were many people there that feared God, and therefore it was both unchristian and uncivil in him, to charge civil, godly people with an ungodly meeting. He said, my error and blasphemy was, in that I said, that people must wait upon God by his power and Spirit, and feel his presence when they did not speak words. I asked him then, whether the apostles and holy men of God did not hear God speak to them in their silence, before they spoke forth the Scripture, and before it was written? He replied, Yes, David and the prophets heard God, before they penned the Scriptures, and felt his presence in silence before they spoke them forth. Then said I, All people take notice, he said this was error and blasphemy in me to say these words; and now he hath confessed, it is no more than the holy men of God in former times witnessed. So I showed them that as the holy men of God who gave forth the Scripture as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, heard and learned of God, before they spoke them forth; so must they all hearken and hear what the Spirit saith, which will lead them into all truth, that they may know God and Christ, and may understand the Scriptures. O, said the priest, this is not that George Fox I would speak withal; this is a subtle man, said he. So the Lord’s power came over all, and the rude people were made moderate, and were reached by it; and some professors that were there, called to the priests, saying, “prove the blasphemy and errors which ye have charged them with; ye have spoken much against them behind their backs, but nothing ye can prove now (said they) to their faces.” But the priest began to get away; whereupon I told him, we had many things to charge him withal, therefore let him set a time and place to answer them; which he did and went his way. A glorious day this was, for truth came over all, and people were turned to God by his power and Spirit, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher, who was exalted over all. And as we passed away, people’s hearts were generally filled with love towards us; yea, the ruder sort of them desired another meeting, for the evil intentions they had against us were thrown out of their hearts. At night I passed out of town to a Friends’ house, and thence to Colonel Dennis’s, where we had a great meeting; and afterwards travelled on, visiting Friends in NORFOLK, HUNTINGDONSHIRE, and CAMBRIDGESHIRE. But George Whitehead and Richard Hubberthorn stayed about Norwich to meet the priest, who was soon confounded, the Lord’s power came so over him.

After I had travelled through many counties in the Lord’s service, and many were convinced, notwithstanding the people in some places were very rude, I returned to LONDON, when General Monk was come up thither, and the gates and posts of the city were pulling down. Long before this I had a vision, wherein I saw the city lie in heaps and the gates down; and it was then represented to me, just as I saw it several years after, lying in heaps, when it was burned.

Divers times, both by word and writing, had I forewarned the several powers, both in Oliver’s time and after, of the day of recompense that was coming upon them; but they rejecting counsel, and slighting those visitations of love to them, I was moved now, before they were quite overturned, to lay their backsliding, hypocrisy, and treacherous dealing before them, thus:

“FRIENDS, now are the prophecies fulfilled and fulfilling upon you, which have been spoken to you by the people of God in your courts, steeple-houses, towns, cities, markets, highways, and at your feasts, when ye were in your pleasures, and puffed up, that ye would neither hear God nor man; when ye were in your height of authority, though raised up from a mean state, none might come nigh you without bowing, or the respect of persons, for ye were in the world’s way, compliments, and fashions, which, for conscience’ sake towards God they could not go into, being redeemed therefrom; therefore they were hated by you for that cause. But how are ye brought low, who exalted yourselves above your brethren, and threw the just and harmless from among you, until at last God hath thrown you out; and when ye cast the innocent from among you, then ye fell to biting one another until ye were consumed one of another. And so the day is come upon you, which before was told you, though ye would not believe it. And are not your hearts so hardened, that ye will hardly yet believe, though ready to go into captivity? Was it not told you, when ye spilt the blood of the innocent in your steeple-houses, markets, highways, and cities, yea, and even in your courts also, because they said the word ‘Thou’ to you, and could not put off their hats to you, that if something did not arise up amongst yourselves, to avenge the blood of the innocent, there would come something from beyond the seas, which lay reserved there, which being brought by the arm of God, the arm of flesh and strongest mountain cannot withstand? Yet ye would not consider, regard, or hear; but cried, peace, peace, and feasted yourselves, and sat down in the spoil of your enemies, being treacherous both to God and man; and who will trust you now? Have ye not made covenants and oaths? and broken covenants and oaths between God and man, and made the nations breakers both of covenants and oaths; so that nothing but hypocrisy, rottenness, and falsehood under fair pretence, was amongst you?

“When ye pretended to set up the old cause, it was but yourselves; for which ye long stuck to sober people, who saw ye would do no good. But it was a joy for any of you to get up into authority, that ye might have praise, honour, and respect; and they that were in the self-denial were a derision to you, from amongst whom that was banished. Thus ye became the nation’s masters, and not servants; whereas the greatest of all should be the servants of all. But there ye lost your authority, not considering your estates, from whence ye were, and to what end God had raised you up; but forgot the Lord, and quenched that which was good in yourselves, and persecuted them that lived in it; and so are grown so gross and perverse, that at last ye are fit for neither God nor man. Have not ye called the Quakers the fanatic people, and the giddy heads? But whither now are ye giddying? into Cain’s city Nod, which signifies fugitive, or wandering? Have not ye persecuted and imprisoned to death such as God had respect to, and is now reproving you for their sakes, by them whom ye have hated? Were not many amongst you cut off for your persecution, and yet the rest of you would not take warning? Was there not a book of examples sent out unto you, of what sudden and strange deaths happened to the persecutors of the innocent; and yet ye would not take warning, until the overflowing scourge is now coming upon you. Are not ye they that have killed like Cain, who have killed about your sacrifice, and mingled the blood of the innocent with it? Hath not God now vagabonded you, that ye should become a curse upon the earth, who have persecuted Friends to death? Did not the blood of the righteous cry out of the ground for vengeance? And will not the blood of the righteous be required? Could ye think that the Lord would let you sit always with bloody hands and fists of wickedness? Ah! what is become of all your feasts and your fasts, the prayers and blessings of your priests?”

Vol. I, Chapter XIII (1659-1660)

CHAPTER XIII.

1659-1660.—Address to the Cornish people, respecting shipwrecks—the soldiers at Bristol are punished for disturbing Friends’ meetings—several thousands attend a general meeting at Edward Pyot’s—General Monk also restrains his soldiers—great drunkenness at elections for Parliament-men—the Yearly Meeting is held at Balby—and a general meeting of discipline for several counties held at Skipton—a Friend goes naked (divested of the upper garments) through the town, declaring Truth, and is much abused—general meeting at Arnside for three counties—George Fox is committed to Lancaster Castle by Major Porter—writes an answer to his mittimus—Margaret Fell writes to the magistrates thereon—address on true religion—against persecution—to Friends, on the change of government—to Charles II., exhorting him to exercise mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to restrain profaneness—the Sheriff of Lancashire’s return to George Fox’s writ of Habeas Corpus—M. Fell and Ann Curtis speak to the King on the subject—the King orders his removal to London by Habeas Corpus, and there sets him at liberty.

Being now clear of the City of London, and finding my spirit drawn to visit Friends in the western parts of England, passing first into SURREY and SUSSEX, I came to a great town where there was a large meeting, to which several Friends from Reading came, and a blessed one it was. The priest of the town was in a great rage, but did not come out of his house; wherefore, hearing him make a great noise in his house, as we were passing from the meeting, we bid him come out into the street, and we would discourse with him; but he would not. So the Lord’s power being over all, Friends were refreshed therein. Thence I went to another market-town, where in the evening we had a precious meeting, and the fresh sense of the presence of the Lord was sweetly felt amongst us. Then turning into HAMPSHIRE and DORSETSHIRE, I went to RINGWOOD and POOLE, visiting Friends in the Lord’s power, and had great meetings amongst them.

At DORCHESTER we had a great meeting in the evening at our inn, which many soldiers attended, and were pretty civil. But the constables and officers of the town came, under pretence to look for a Jesuit, whose head (they said) was shaved; and they would have all put off their hats, or they would take them off, to look for the Jesuit’s shaven crown. So they took off my hat (for I was the man they aimed at,) and looked very narrowly, but not finding any bald or shaven place on my head they went away with shame; and the soldiers, and other sober people, were greatly offended with them. But it was of good service for the Lord, and all things wrought together for good; for it affected the people; and after the officers were gone, we had a fine meeting, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher, who had bought them, and would reconcile them to God.

Thence we passed into SOMERSETSHIRE, where the Presbyterians and other professors were very wicked, and often disturbed Friends’ meetings. One time especially (as we were then informed) there was a very wicked man, whom they got to come to the Quakers’ meeting; this man put a bear’s skin on his back, and undertook with that to play pranks in the meeting. Accordingly, setting himself just opposite to the Friend that was speaking, he lolled his tongue out of his mouth, having his bear’s skin on his back, and so made sport to his wicked followers, and caused a great disturbance in the meeting. But an eminent judgment overtook him, and his punishment slumbered not; for as he went back from the meeting, there was a bull-baiting in the way which he stayed to see; and coming within the bull’s reach, he struck his horn under the man’s chin into his throat, and struck his tongue out of his mouth, so that it hung lolling out, as he had used it before, in derision in the meeting. And the bull’s horn running up into the man’s head, he swung him about upon his horn in a most remarkable and fearful manner. Thus he that came to do mischief amongst God’s people, was mischiefed himself; and well would it be, if such apparent examples of Divine vengeance, would teach others to beware.[62]

Footnote 62:

Many were the judgments which overtook the persecutors of the Early Friends, as related in their journals, and the histories of the Society. The following occurred in Scotland, as related in Jaffray’s diary:—“James Skene, who was generally known by the name of ‘White James,’ to distinguish him from a very abusive and wicked man of the same name, called ‘Black James,’ took great delight in inventing malicious slanders against Friends. On one occasion, whilst he was repeating some wicked verses, which he had composed on purpose to defame a worthy and innocent person, he was in that instant suddenly struck down as one dead, and was for some time deprived of his senses. When he recovered, he acknowledged the just judgment of God upon him, confessed the offence he had committed against this innocent people, and gave proof of repentance by ever after abstaining from such practices.”

We travelled through SOMERSETSHIRE and DEVONSHIRE, till we came to PLYMOUTH, and so into CORNWALL, visiting the meetings of Friends to the Land’s End. Many precious and blessed meetings we had all along as we went, wherein they that were convinced were established, and many others were added to them. At the LAND’S END, there was an honest fisherman convinced, who became a faithful minister of Christ; I took notice of him to Friends, and told them, “He was like Peter.”[63]

Footnote 63:

The honest fisherman mentioned here was Nicholas Jose, who was a great sufferer for Christ’s sake, both in loss of goods and imprisonments in Launceston Jail, Pendennis Castle, and other places; indeed scarcely a year passed over without his being called on to suffer severely in some way or other for the testimony of a good conscience. He was imprisoned with twenty-four other Friends, about the year 1682, and continued in confinement till 1685. For an interesting account of this worthy man, see Select Miscellanies vol. iv., 250-255.

While I was in Cornwall, there were great shipwrecks about the Land’s End. Now it was the custom of that country, that at such a time both rich and poor went out, to get as much of the wreck as they could, not caring to save the people’s lives; and in some places, they call shipwrecks, God’s grace. These things troubled me; it grieved my spirit to hear of such unchristian actions, considering how far they were below the heathen at Melita, who received Paul, made him a fire, and were courteous towards him, and them that had suffered shipwreck with him. Wherefore I was moved to write a paper, and send it to all the parishes, priests, and magistrates, to reprove them for such greedy actions, and to warn and exhort them that, if they could assist to save people’s lives, and preserve their ships and goods, they should use their diligence therein; and consider, if it had been their own condition, they would judge it hard if they should be upon a wreck, and people should strive to get what they could get from them, and not regard their lives. A copy of this paper here follows:—

“FRIENDS AND PEOPLE,

“Take heed of greediness and covetousness, for that is idolatry; and the idolater must not enter into the kingdom of God. Take heed of drunkenness, oaths, and cursings, for such are destroyers of the creation, and make it to groan. Lay aside all fighting, quarrelling, brawling, and evil speakings, which are the works of the flesh, and not of the Spirit; for they who follow such things are not likely to inherit the kingdom of God. Put away all corrupt words, which are unsavoury, and misnaming one another; for ye must give an account of every idle word. Lay aside all profession and religion that is vain; and come to the possession, and the pure religion, which is to visit the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger, and receive them; for some thereby may entertain angels, or the servants of the Lord unawares, as Paul was entertained after the shipwreck at Melita. Do not take people’s goods from them by force out of their ships, seamen’s or other’s, neither covet ye them; but rather endeavour to preserve their lives, and their goods for them; for that shows a spirit of compassion, and the spirit of a Christian. But if ye be greedy and covetous of other men’s goods, not mattering what becomes of the men, would ye be served so yourselves? If ye should have a ship cast away in other places, and the people should come to tear the goods and ship in pieces, not regarding to save the men’s lives, but be ready to fight one with another for your goods, do not ye believe such goods would become a curse to them? And may ye not as surely believe, such kind of actions will become a curse unto you? When the spoil of one ship’s goods is idly spent, and consumed upon the lusts, in ale-houses, taverns, and otherwise, then ye gape for another. Is this to ‘do as ye would be done by,’ which is the law and the prophets?

“Therefore, priest Hull, are these thy fruits? What dost thou take people’s labour and goods for? Hast thou taught them no better manners and conversation, who are so brutish and heathenish? Now all such things we judge in whomsoever. But if any Friend, or others, preserve men’s lives, and endeavour to save their goods and estates, and restore what they can of a wreck to the owners; if they consider such for their labour, doing in that case unto them what they would have done unto themselves, that we approve. And if they buy or sell, and do not make a prey, that is allowed of still, in the way of ‘doing as ye would be done by,’ keeping to the law and to the prophets: that is, if ye should be wrecked in another country, ye would have other people to save your lives and goods, and have your goods restored to you again, and you would commend them for so doing. All that do otherwise, that wait for a wreck, and get the goods for themselves, not regarding the lives of the men: but if any of them escape drowning, let them go begging up and down the country; and if any escape with a little, sometimes rob them of it;—all that do so, are not for preserving the creation, but for destroying it; and those goods which are so gotten, shall be a curse, a plague, and a judgment to them, and the judgments of God will follow them for acting such things; the witness in your consciences shall answer it. Therefore, all ye who have done such things, ‘do so no more lest a worse thing come unto you.’ But that which is good, do; preserve men’s lives and estates, and labour to restore the loss and breach; that the Lord requires. Be not like a company of greedy dogs, and worse than heathens, as if ye had never heard of God, nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor pure religion.

“And priest Hull, have people spent their money upon thee, for that which is no bread? for a thing of nought, that thou hast such fruits? All such teachers we utterly deny as make a trade of the Scriptures, which are given forth from the Spirit of God, that they may be believed, read, and practised, and that Christ, whom they testify of, may be enjoyed. We own Christ, and are come off from all your steeple-houses, which were the old mass-houses; for there are their bad fruits harboured. Come to the Church which is in God (1 Thess. i.), and to the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, which shows you all your ungodly words, ungodly thoughts, and ungodly actions. This will be your teacher, if ye love it; your condemnation if ye hate it; for the mighty day of the Lord is coming upon all wickedness and ungodliness; therefore lay aside your whoredoms and fornications.

“And ye magistrates who are to do justice, think ye not that the hand of the Lord God is against you, and that his judgments will come upon you, who do not look after these things and stop them with the law, which is, ‘to do unto all men, as they would have done unto them,’ whereby ye might be good savour in your country? Is not the law to preserve men’s lives and estates, ‘doing unto all men, as they would that men should do unto them?’ For all men would have their lives and estates preserved; therefore, should not ye preserve others, and not suffer them to be devoured and destroyed? The evil of these things will lie upon you, both priests and magistrates.”

G. F.

”Postscript.—All dear Friends who fear the Lord, keep out of the ravenous world’s spirit, which leads to destroy, and which is out of the wisdom of God. When ships are wrecked, do not run to destroy and make havoc of ship and goods with the world; but to save the men, and the goods for them, and so deny yourselves, ‘and do unto them, as ye would that they should do unto you.’”

G. F.

This paper had good service among the people; and Friends have endeavoured much to save the lives of the crews in times of wrecks, and to preserve the ships and goods for them. And when some that have suffered shipwreck, have been almost dead and starved, Friends have taken them to their houses, to succour and recover them; which is an act to be practised by all true Christians.

I had many precious, blessed, living meetings in Cornwall, several eminent people being convinced in that county, whom neither priests nor magistrates, by spoiling goods or imprisonments, could make to forsake their Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, who bought them; and all Friends, who were turned to Christ, their Teacher and Saviour, being settled in peace and quietness upon him, their foundation, we left them to the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching and ordering, fresh and green. Thomas Lower, who had accompanied me through all that county, brought me over Horse-bridge into DEVONSHIRE again; and after several meetings there, we came into SOMERSETSHIRE, where we had divers large and peaceable meetings; and so passed through the county, visiting Friends, till we came to BRISTOL.

I entered BRISTOL on the seventh day of the week. The day before, the soldiers came with their muskets into the meeting, and were exceedingly rude, beating and striking Friends with them, and drove them out of the orchard in a great rage, threatening what they would do, if Friends came there again. For the mayor and the commander of the soldiers had, it seems, combined together to make a disturbance amongst Friends. When Friends told me what a rage there was in the town, how they were threatened by the mayor and soldiers, and how unruly the soldiers had been the day before, I sent for several Friends, as George Bishop, Thomas Gouldney, Thomas Speed, and Edward Pyot, and desired them to go to the mayor and aldermen, and request them, seeing he and they had broken up our meetings, to let Friends have the town-hall to meet in; and for the use of it Friends would give them twenty pounds a-year, to be distributed amongst the poor; and when the mayor and aldermen had business to do in it, Friends would not meet in it, but only on First-days. These Friends were astonished at this, and said the mayor and aldermen would think that they were mad. I said, nay; for this would be a considerable benefit to the poor. And it was upon me from the Lord to bid them go. At last they consented, and went, though in the cross to their own wills. When they had laid the thing before the mayor, he said, “for his part he could consent to it, but he was but one:” and he told Friends of another great hall they might have, but that they did not accept, it being inconvenient. So Friends came away, leaving the mayor in a very loving frame towards them; for they felt the Lord’s power had come over him. When they came back, I spoke to them to go also to the colonel that commanded the soldiers, and lay before him the rude conduct of his soldiers, how they came armed amongst innocent people, who were waiting upon, and worshipping the Lord; but they were backward to go to him.

Next morning, being first day, we went to the meeting in the orchard, where the soldiers had so lately been so rude. After I had declared the truth some time in the meeting, there came in many rude soldiers and people, some with drawn swords. The innkeepers had made some of them drunk; and one had bound himself with an oath, to cut down and kill the man that spoke. He came pressing in, through all the crowd of people, to within two yards of me, and stopped at those four Friends before mentioned (who should have gone to the colonel as I would have had them,) and began jangling with them. Suddenly I saw his sword was put up and gone: for the Lord’s power came over all, and chained him with the rest. We had a blessed meeting, and the Lord’s everlasting power and presence was felt amongst us. On the day following, the four Friends went and spoke with the colonel, and he sent for the soldiers, and cut and slashed some of them before the Friends’ faces; which when I heard of I blamed the Friends for letting him do so, and also that they did not go on the seventh day, as I would have had them, which might have prevented this cutting of the soldiers, and the trouble they gave at our meeting. But thus the Lord’s power came over all those persecuting, bloody minds, and the meeting there was held in peace for a good while after without disturbance.

I had then also a general meeting at Edward Pyot’s, near Bristol, at which it was supposed were several thousands; for besides Friends from many parts thereabouts, some of the Baptists and Independents, with their teachers, came to it, and many of the sober people of Bristol; insomuch that the people that stayed behind said, “the city looked naked,” so many were gone out of it to this meeting. It was very quiet, many glorious truths were opened to the people, and the Lord Jesus Christ was set up, who was the end of all figures and shadows of the law, and the first covenant. It was declared to the people that all figures and shadows were given to man, after he fell; and that all the rudiments and inventions of men, which have been set up in Christendom, many of which were Jewish and heathenish, were not set up by the command of Christ; and all images and likenesses man has made to himself, or for himself, whether of things in heaven or things in earth, have been since he lost the image and likeness of God, which God made him in. But now Christ is come to redeem, translate, convert, and regenerate man out of all these things that he hath set up in the fall, out of the true types, figures, and shadows also, and out of death and darkness, into the light, life, and image of God again, which man and woman were in before they fell. Therefore all now should come, and all might come to receive, Christ Jesus, the substance, by his light, Spirit, grace, and faith; and should live and walk in him, the Redeemer and Saviour.

And as we had much work with priests and professors, who pleaded for imperfection, I was opened to declare and manifest unto them, that Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell; and God saw that all that he had made, was good, and he blessed it. But imperfection came in by the fall, through man and woman’s hearkening to the devil, who was out of truth. And though the law made nothing perfect, yet it made way for the bringing in of the better hope, which hope is Christ, who destroys the devil and his works, that made man and woman imperfect. Christ saith to his disciples, “Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect:” and he, who himself was perfect, comes to make man and woman perfect again, and brings them again to the state which God made them in. So he is the maker up of the breach, and the peace between God and man.

That this might the better be understood by the lowest capacities, I used a comparison of two old people, that had their house broken down by an enemy, so that they, with all their children, were liable to all storms and tempests. And there came some to them that pretended to be workmen, and offered to build up their house again, if they would give them so much a-year: but when they had got their money, they left their house as they found it. After this manner came a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, each with his several pretence, to build up the old house, and each got the people’s money; and then cried, “they could not rear up the house, nor could the breach be made up; for there is no perfection here, cry they; the house can never be perfectly built up again in this life;” though they had taken the people’s money for the doing of it. For all the sect-masters in Christendom (so called) have pretended to build up Adam and Eve’s fallen house, and when they have got people’s money, they tell them the work cannot be perfectly done here; and so their house lies as it did. But I told the people, Christ was come to do it freely, who, by one offering, hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified, and renews them into the image of God, which man and woman were in before they fell, and makes man and woman’s house as perfect again as God made them at the first: and this, Christ, the heavenly man, doth freely. Therefore all are to look unto him, and all that have received him, are to walk in him, the life, the substance, the first and the last, the rock of ages, and foundation of many generations. Largely were these, and many other things, opened and declared unto the people, the word of life was preached, which doth live and abide; and all were exhorted to hear and obey that which liveth and abideth, that by it all might be born again of the immortal Seed, and feed on the milk of the Word. A glorious meeting there was, wherein the Lord’s everlasting Seed, Christ Jesus, was set over all, and Friends parted in the power and Spirit of the Lord, in peace and in his truth, that is over all.

About this time the soldiers under General Monk’s command were rude and troublesome at Friends’ meetings in many places, whereof complaint being made to him, he gave forth the following order, which somewhat restrained them:—

“St. James’s, the 9th of March, 1659.

“I do require all officers and soldiers to forbear to disturb the peaceable meetings of the Quakers, they doing nothing prejudicial to the Parliament or Commonwealth of England.

“GEORGE MONK.”

After the meeting at Edward Pyot’s I passed to OLVESTON, to NAILSWORTH, and to Nathaniel Crisp’s; where there was a large meeting, and several soldiers at it, but quiet. From thence we passed to GLOUCESTER, visiting meetings. In Gloucester we had a peaceable meeting, though the town was very rude, and divided; for one part of the soldiers were for the king, and another for the parliament. As I passed out of the town, over the bridge, Edward Pyot being with me, the soldiers there said, “they were for the king;” but after we were past them, and they understood it was I, they were in a great rage that I had escaped them, and said, “had they known it had been I, they would have shot me with hail-shot, rather than I should have escaped them.” But the Lord prevented their devilish design, and brought me safe to Colonel Grimes’s house, where we had a large general meeting, and the Lord’s truth and power was set over all; Friends were established upon the Rock, and settled under the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching.

We passed thence to TEWKESBURY, and so to WORCESTER, visiting Friends in their meetings as we went. And in all my time I never saw the like drunkenness as in the towns, for they had been choosing parliament-men. At Worcester the Lord’s truth was set over all, people were finely settled therein, and Friends praised the Lord; nay, I saw the very earth rejoiced. Yet great fears and troubles were in many people, and a looking for the king’s coming in, and all things being altered. They would ask me what I thought of times and things. I told them the Lord’s power was over all, and his light shone over all; that fear would take hold only on the hypocrites, such as had not been faithful to God, and on our persecutors. For in my travail and sufferings at Reading, when people were at a stand, and could not tell what might come in, and who might rule, I told them the Lord’s power was over all (for I had travelled through in it), and his day shined, whosoever should come in; and whether the king came in or not, all would be well to them that loved the Lord, and were faithful to him. Therefore I bid all Friends fear none but the Lord, and keep in his power that was over all.

From Worcester I visited Friends in their meetings, till I came to BADDESLEY, and thence I went to DRAYTON, in Leicestershire, to visit my relations. While there, one Burton, a justice, hearing I had a good horse, sent a warrant to search for me and my horse; but I was gone before they came; and so he missed of his wicked end. I passed on to TWY-CROSS, SWANNINGTON, and DERBY, where I visited Friends, and found my old jailer amongst them, who had formerly kept me in the house of correction there, now convinced of the truth, which I then suffered under him for.

Passing into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, I came to SYNDERHILL-GREEN, visiting Friends through all those parts in their meetings, and so on to BALBY in Yorkshire, where our Yearly Meeting at that time was held in a great orchard of John Killam’s, where it was supposed some thousands of people and Friends were gathered together. In the morning I heard that a troop of horse was sent from York, to break up our meeting, and that the militia, newly raised, was to join them. I went into the meeting, and stood up on a great stool, and after I had spoken some time, two trumpeters came up, sounding their trumpets near me, and the captain of the troop cried, “Divide to the right and left, and make way;” then they rode up to me. I was declaring the everlasting truth, and word of life, in the mighty power of the Lord. The captain bid me “come down, for he was come to disperse our meeting.” After some time I told him they all knew we were a peaceable people, and used to have such great meetings; but if he apprehended that we met in a hostile way, I desired him to make search among us, and if he found either sword or pistol about any there, let such suffer. He told me, “he must see us dispersed, for he came all night on purpose to disperse us.” I asked him, “what honour it would be to him, to ride with swords and pistols amongst so many unarmed men and women as there were?” If he would be still and quiet, our meeting probably might not continue above two or three hours; and when it was done, as we came peaceably together, so we should part; for he might perceive the meeting was so large, that all the country thereabouts could not entertain them, but that they intended to depart towards their homes at night. He said “he could not stay to see the meeting ended, but must disperse them before he went.” I desired him then, if he himself could not stay, that he would let a dozen of his soldiers stay, and see the order and peaceableness of our meeting. He said, “he would permit us an hour’s time;” and left half a dozen soldiers with us. Then he went away with his troop, and Friends of the house gave the soldiers that stayed, and their horses, some meat. When the captain was gone, the soldiers that were left told us, “we might stay till night if we would.” But we stayed but about three hours after, and had a glorious, powerful meeting; for the presence of the living God was manifest amongst us; the Seed, Christ, was set over all, and Friends were built upon him, the foundation, and settled under his glorious, heavenly teaching.

After the meeting, Friends passed away in peace, greatly refreshed with the presence of the Lord, and filled with joy and gladness, that the Lord’s power had given them such dominion. Many of the militia soldiers stayed also, and were much vexed that the captain and troopers had not broken up our meeting, and cursed them. It was reported that they intended to do us some mischief that day; but the troopers, instead of assisting them, were rather assistant to us, in not joining with them, as they expected, but preventing them from doing the mischief they designed. Yet this captain was a desperate man, for it was he that had said to me in Scotland, that “he would obey his superior’s commands; and if it were to crucify Christ he would do it; or execute the great Turk’s commands against the Christians, if he were under him.” So that it was an eminent power of the Lord, which chained both him and his troopers, and those envious militia-soldiers also, who went away, not having power to hurt any of us, nor to break up our meeting.

Next day we had a heavenly meeting at WARMSWORTH, of Friends in the ministry and several others; and then Friends parted. As they passed through the country, several were taken up. For the day that our first meeting was held on, Lambert was routed, and it made great confusion in the country; but Friends were not kept long in prison at that time. As I went to this meeting at Balby, there came several to me at Skegby in Nottinghamshire, that were then going to be soldiers under Lambert, and would have bought my horse of me; and because I would not sell him, they were in a great rage against me, using many threatening words; but I told them, “God would confound and scatter them;” and within two or three days after, they were scattered indeed.

From Warmsworth, I passed in the Lord’s power to BARTON-ABBEY, [Monk Bretton] where I had a great meeting; and thence to Thomas Taylor’s, and so to SKIPTON, where there was a general meeting of men Friends out of many counties, concerning the affairs of the church.[64] A Friend went naked [divested of the upper garments] through the town, declaring truth, and he was much beaten. Some others also came to me all bloody. As I walked in the street, a desperate fellow had an intent to do me a mischief; but he was prevented, and our meeting was quiet. To this meeting came many Friends out of most parts of the nation; for it was about business relating to the church, both in this nation and beyond the seas.

Footnote 64:

General Meetings and Yearly Meetings appear to have been somewhat similar in their character. They were held in various parts. The first of which we have any account took place at Swannington, in Leicestershire, in 1654.

Several years before, when I was in the North, I was moved to recommend the setting up of this meeting for that service; for many Friends suffered in divers parts of the nation, their goods were taken from them contrary to the law, and they understood not how to help themselves, or where to seek redress. But after this meeting was set up, several Friends who had been magistrates, and others that understood something of the law, came thither, and were able to inform Friends, and to assist them in gathering up the sufferings, that they might be laid before the justices, judges, or Parliament. This meeting had stood several years, and divers justices and captains had come to break it up; but when they understood the business Friends met about, and saw their books and accounts of collections for relief of the poor, how we took care one county to help another, and to help our friends beyond the seas, and provide for our poor, that none of them should be chargeable to their parishes, &c., the justices and officers confessed we did their work, and passed away peaceably and lovingly, commending Friends’ practice. Sometimes there would come two hundred of the poor of other people, and wait there till the meeting was done (for all the country knew we met about the poor,) and after the meeting, Friends would send to the bakers for bread, and give every one of these poor people a loaf, how many soever there were of them; for we were taught to “do good unto all; though especially to the household of faith.”

After this meeting I visited Friends in their meetings, till I came to LANCASTER; whence I went to Robert Widders’s, and so to ARNSIDE, where I had a general meeting for all the Friends in Westmorland, Cumberland, and Lancashire. It was quiet and peaceable, and the living presence of the Lord was amongst us. I went back with Robert Widders; and Friends all passed away, fresh in the life and power of Christ, in which they had dominion, being settled upon him, the heavenly rock and foundation. After the meeting, there came several rude fellows, serving-men, belonging to one called Sir George Middleton, a justice that lived near, to make some disturbance, as it was thought. The meeting being ended, they did nothing there; but lighting on three women Friends going from it, they set upon them with impudent scoffs, and one of them carried himself very abusively and immodestly towards them. The same man abused other Friends also, and was so outrageous that he would have cut them with an axe; but was restrained by some of his fellows. Another time the same man set upon six Friends that were going to meeting, at Yealand, and beat and abused them very much, so that he bruised their faces, and shed much of their blood, wounding them very sore, one of them in several parts of his body; yet they lifted not up a hand against him, but gave him their backs and their cheeks to beat.

From Robert Widders’s I went next day to SWARTHMORE, Francis Howgill and Thomas Curtis being with me. I had not been long there before Henry Porter, a justice, sent a warrant by the chief constable and three petty constables to apprehend me. I had a sense of this beforehand; and being in the parlour with Richard Richardson and Margaret Fell, her servants came, and told her there were some come to search the house for arms; and they went up into the chambers under that pretence. It came upon me to go out to them; and as I was going by some of them, I spoke to them; whereupon they asked me my name. I readily told them my name; and then they laid hold on me, saying, “I was the man they looked for,” and led me away to ULVERSTONE. They kept me all night at the constable’s house, and set a guard of fifteen or sixteen men to watch me; some of whom sat in the chimney, for fear I should go up it; such dark imaginations possessed them. They were very rude and uncivil, and would neither suffer me to speak to Friends, nor suffer them to bring me necessaries; but with violence thrust them out, and kept a strong guard upon me. Very wicked and rude they were, and a great noise they made about me. One of the constables, whose name was Ashburnham, said, “He did not think a thousand men could have taken me.” Another of the constables, whose name was Mount, a very wicked man, said, “He would have served Judge Fell himself so, if he had been alive, and he had had a warrant for him.”

Next morning, about six, I was putting on my boots and spurs to go with them before some justice; but they pulled off the latter, took my knife out of my pocket, and hastened me away along the town, with a party of horse and abundance of people, not suffering me to stay till my own horse came down. When I was gone about a quarter of a mile with them, some Friends, with Margaret Fell and her children, came towards me; and then a great party of horse gathered about me in a mad rage and fury, crying out, “Will they rescue him? Will they rescue him?” Whereupon I said unto them, “Here is my hair, here is my back, here are my cheeks, strike on!” With these words their heat was a little assuaged. Then they brought a little horse, and two of them took up one of my legs, and put my foot in the stirrup, and two or three lifting over my other leg, set me upon it behind the saddle, and so led the horse by the halter; but I had nothing to hold by. When they were come some distance out of the town, they beat the little horse, and made him kick and gallop; whereupon I slipped off him, and told them, “They should not abuse the creature.” They were much enraged at my getting off, and took me by the legs and feet, and set me upon the same horse, behind the saddle again; and so led it about two miles, till they came to a great water called the CARTER-FORD. By this time my own horse was come to us, and the water being deep, and their little horse scarcely able to carry me through, they let me get upon my own, through the persuasion of some of their own company, leading him through the water. One wicked fellow kneeled down, and lifting up his hands, blessed God, that I was taken. When I was come over the Sands, I told them I heard I had liberty to choose what justice I would go before; but Mount and the other constables cried, “No, I should not.” Then they led me to LANCASTER, about fourteen miles, and a great triumph they thought to have had; but as they led me, I was moved “to sing praises to the Lord, in his triumphing power over all.”

When I was come to Lancaster, the spirits of the people being mightily up, I stood and looked earnestly upon them; and they cried, “Look at his eyes!” After a while I spoke to them; and then they were pretty sober. Then came a young man, and took me to his house; and after a little time the officers had me to Major Porter’s, the justice, and who had sent forth the warrant against me; he had several others with him. When I came in, I said, “Peace be amongst you.” Porter asked me, “Why I came down into the country that troublesome time?” I told him, “To visit my brethren.” “Then,” said he, “you have great meetings up and down.” I told him though we had, our meetings were known throughout the nation to be peaceable, and we were a peaceable people. He said, “We saw the devil in people’s faces.” I told him, “If I saw a drunkard, or a swearer, or a peevish, heady man, I could not say I saw the Spirit of God in him.” And I asked him, “If he could see the Spirit of God?” He said, “We cried against their ministers.” I told him, while we were as Saul, sitting under the priests, and running up and down with their packets of letters, we were never called pestilent fellows, nor makers of sects; but when we were come to exercise our consciences towards God and man, we were called pestilent fellows, as Paul was. He said, we could express ourselves well enough, and he would not dispute with me; but he would restrain me. I desired to know, “for what, and by whose order he sent his warrant for me;” and I complained to him of the abuse of the constables and other officers, after they had taken me, and in their bringing me thither. He would not take notice of that, but told me, “He had an order, but would not let me see it; for he would not reveal the king’s secrets;” and besides, “a prisoner,” he said, “was not to see for what he was committed.” I told him, that was not reason; for how should he make his defence then? I said, “I ought to have a copy of it;” but he said, “There was a judge once that fined a man for letting a prisoner have a copy of his mittimus; and,” said he, “I have an old clerk, though I am a young justice.” Then he called to his clerk, saying, “Is it not ready yet? Bring it,” meaning the mittimus; but it not being ready, he said to me, “I was a disturber of the nation.” I told him, I had been a blessing to the nation, in and through the Lord’s power and truth, and the Spirit of God in all consciences would answer it.

Then he charged me as “an enemy to the king; that I endeavoured to raise a new war, and imbrue the nation in blood again.” I told him, I had never learned the postures of war, but was clear and innocent as a child concerning those things, and therefore was bold. Then came the clerk with the mittimus, and the jailer was sent for, and commanded to take and put me into the Dark-house, and to let none come to me; but keep me there a close prisoner, till I should be delivered by the king or parliament. Then the justice asked the constables where my horse was; “for I hear,” said he, “that he has a good horse; have ye brought it?” I told him where my horse was, but he did not meddle with him. As they took me to the jail, the constable gave me my knife again, and then asked me to give it him; but I told him, nay, he had not been so civil to me. So they put me into the jail, and the under-jailer, one Hardy, a very wicked man, was exceedingly rude and cruel, and many times would not let me have meat brought in, but as I could get it under the door. Many people came to look at me, some in great rage, and very uncivil and rude. Once there came two young priests, and very abusive they were; the worst of people could not be worse. Amongst those that came in this manner, old Preston’s wife, of Holker, was one. She used many abusive words, telling me, “My tongue should be cut out,” and that “I should be hanged;” showing me the gallows. But the Lord God cut her off, and she died in a miserable condition.

Being now a close prisoner in the common jail at Lancaster, I desired Thomas Cummins and Thomas Green to go to the jailer, and desire of him a copy of my mittimus, that I might know what I stood committed for. They went; and the jailer answered, “he could not give a copy of it, for another had been fined for so doing:” but he gave them liberty to read it over. To the best of their remembrance the matters therein charged against me were, “that I was a person generally suspected to be a common disturber of the peace of the nation, an enemy to the king, and a chief upholder of the Quakers’ sect; and that, together with others of my fanatic opinion, I have of late endeavoured to raise insurrections in these parts of the country, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood. Wherefore the jailer was commanded to keep me in safe custody, until I should be released by order of the king and parliament.”

When I had thus got the heads of the charge contained in the mittimus, I wrote a plain answer, in vindication of my innocency in each particular; as follows:—

“I am a prisoner at Lancaster, committed by Justice Porter. A copy of the mittimus I cannot get, but such expressions I am told are in it, as are very untrue; as ‘that I am generally suspected to be a common disturber of the nation’s peace, an enemy to the king, and that I, with others, endeavour to raise insurrections to embroil the nation in blood;’ all of which is utterly false, and I do, in every part thereof, deny it. for I am not a person generally suspected to be a disturber of the nation’s peace, nor have I given any cause for such suspicion; for through the nation I have been tried for these things formerly. In the days of Oliver, I was taken up on pretence of raising arms against him, which was also false; for I meddled not with raising arms at all. Yet I was then carried up a prisoner to London, and brought before him; when I cleared myself, and denied the drawing of a carnal weapon against him, or any man upon the earth; for my weapons are spiritual, which take away the occasion of war, and lead into peace. Upon my declaring this to Oliver, I was set at liberty by him.

“After this I was taken, and sent to prison by Major Ceely in Cornwall, who, when I was brought before the judge, informed against me, ‘that I took him aside, and told him, that I could raise forty thousand men in an hour’s time, to involve the nation in blood, and bring in King Charles.’ This also was utterly false, and a lie of his own inventing, as was then proved upon him: for I never spoke any such word to him. I never was found in any plot; I never took any engagement or oath; nor ever learned war-postures. As those were false charges against me then, so are these now, which come from Major Porter, who is lately appointed to be justice, but wanted power formerly to exercise his cruelty against us; which is but the wickedness of the old enemy. The peace of the nation I am not a disturber of, nor ever was; but seek the peace of it, and of all men, and stand for all nations’ peace, and all men’s peace upon the earth, and wish all knew my innocency in these things.

“And whereas Major Porter says, ‘I am an enemy to the king:’ this is false; for my love is to him and to all men, though they be enemies to God, to themselves, and to me. And I can say, it is of the Lord that he is come in, to bring down many unrighteously set up; of which I had a sight three years before he came in. It is much he should say I am an enemy to the king, for I have no reason so to be, he having done nothing against me. But I have been often imprisoned and persecuted these eleven or twelve years by them that have been against both the king and his father, even the party that Porter was made a major by, and bore arms for; but not by them that were for the king. I was never an enemy to the king, nor to any man’s person upon the earth. I am in the love that fulfils the law, which thinks no evil, but loves even enemies, and would have the king saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, and be brought into the fear of the Lord, to receive his wisdom from above, by which all things were made and created; that with that wisdom he may order all things to the glory of God.

“Whereas he calls me, ‘a chief upholder of the Quakers’ sect.’ I answer: the Quakers are not a sect, but are in the power of God, which was before sects were; they witness the election before the world began, and are come to live in the life, which the prophets and apostles lived in, who gave forth the Scriptures; therefore are we hated by envious, wrathful, wicked, and persecuting men. But God is the upholder of us all by his mighty power, and preserves us from the wrath of the wicked, that would swallow us up.

“And whereas he says, ‘that I, together with others of my fanatic opinion, as he calls it, have of late endeavoured to raise insurrections, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood:’ I say this is altogether false; to these things I am as a child, and know nothing of them. The postures of war I never learned: my weapons are spiritual and not carnal: for with carnal weapons I do not fight: I am a follower of him who said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ And though these lies and slanders are raised upon me, I deny the drawing of any carnal weapon against the king or parliament, or any man upon earth; for I am come to the end of the law, ‘to love enemies, and wrestle not with flesh and blood;’ but am in that which saves men’s lives. A witness I am against all murderers, plotters, and all such as would ‘imbrue the nation in blood;’ for it is not in my heart to have any man’s life destroyed. And as for the word fanatic, which signifies furious, foolish, mad, &c., he might have considered himself, before he had used that word, and have learned the humility which goes before honour. We are not furious, foolish, or mad; but through patience and meekness have borne lies and slanders, and persecutions many years, and have undergone great sufferings. The spiritual man that wrestles not with flesh and blood, and the Spirit that reproves sin in the gate, which is the Spirit of truth, wisdom, and sound judgment; this is not mad, foolish, furious, which fanatic signifies; but all are of a mad, furious, foolish spirit, that wrestle with flesh and blood, with carnal weapons, in their furiousness, foolishness, and rage. This is not the Spirit of God, but of error, that persecutes in a mad, blind zeal, like Nebuchadnezzar and Saul.

“Now, inasmuch as I am ordered to be kept prisoner, till I be delivered by order from the king or parliament, therefore have I written these things to be laid before you, the king and parliament, that ye may consider of them before ye act anything therein; that ye may weigh, in the wisdom of God, the intent and end of men’s spirits, lest ye act the thing that will bring the hand of the Lord upon you, and against you, as many have done before, who have been in authority, whom God hath overthrown; in whom we trust, whom we fear and cry unto day and night;—who hath heard us, doth, and will hear us, and avenge our cause. For much innocent blood has been shed; and many have been persecuted to death by such as have been in authority before you, whom God hath vomited out, because they turned against the just. Therefore consider your standing, now that ye have the day, and receive this as a warning of love to you.

“From an innocent sufferer in bonds, and close prisoner in Lancaster Castle, called

“GEORGE FOX.”

Upon my being taken and forcibly carried away from Margaret Fell’s house, and charged with things of so high a nature, she was concerned, looking upon it to be an injury offered to herself. Whereupon she wrote the following lines, and distributed them:—

“To all Magistrates, concerning the wrong taking up, and imprisoning of George Fox at Lancaster.

“I do inform the governors of this nation, that Henry Porter, mayor of Lancaster, sent a warrant, with four constables, to my house, for which he had no authority or order. They searched my house, and apprehended George Fox in it, who was not guilty of the breach of any law, or of any offence against any in the nation. After they had taken him, and brought him before the said Henry Porter, bail was offered, what he would demand, for his appearance, to answer what could be laid to his charge; but he (contrary to law, if he had taken him lawfully) refused to accept of any bail, and put him in close prison. After he was in prison, a copy of his mittimus was demanded, which ought not to be denied to any prisoner, so that he may see what is laid to his charge; but it was denied him: a copy he could not have, they were suffered only to read it over. Every thing that was there charged against him was utterly false; he was not guilty of any one charge in it, as will be proved and manifested to the nation. Let the governors consider it. I am concerned in this thing, inasmuch as he was apprehended in my house; and if he be guilty, I am too. So I desire to have this searched out.

“MARGARET FELL.”

After this Margaret Fell determined to go to London, to speak with the king about my being taken, and to show him the manner of it, and the unjust dealing and evil usage I had received. When Justice Porter heard of this, he vapoured, that he would go and meet her in the gap. But when he came before the king, having been a zealous man for the parliament against the king, several of the courtiers spoke to him concerning his plundering their houses; so that he quickly had enough of the court, and soon returned into the country. Meanwhile the jailer seemed very fearful, and said, he was afraid Major Porter would hang him, because he had not put me in the Dark-house. But when the jailer waited on him, after his return from London, he was very blank and down, and asked, “how I did,” pretending he would find a way to set me at liberty. But having overshot himself in his mittimus, by ordering me “to be kept a prisoner till I should be delivered by the king or parliament,” he had put it out of his power to release me if he would. He was the more down also upon reading a letter which I sent him; for when he was in the height of his rage and threats against me, and thought to ingratiate himself into the king’s favour by imprisoning me, I was moved to write to him, and put him in mind, “how fierce he had been against the king and his party, though now he would be thought zealous for the king.” Among other things in my letter, I called to his remembrance, that when he held Lancaster Castle for the parliament against the king, he was so rough and fierce against those that favoured the king, that he said, “he would leave them neither dog nor cat, if they did not bring him provision to the castle.” I asked him also, “whose great buck’s horns those were, that were in his house; and where he had both them and the wainscot from that he ceiled his house withal; had he them not from Hornby Castle?”

About this time Ann Curtis, of Reading, came to see me; and understanding how I stood committed, it was upon her also to go to the king about it. Her father, who had been sheriff of Bristol, had been hung near his own door for endeavouring to bring in the king; on which consideration she had some hopes the king might hear her on my behalf. Accordingly, when she returned to London, she and Margaret Fell went to the king together, who, when he understood whose daughter she was, received her kindly. And her request to him being “to send for me up, and hear the cause himself,” he promised her he would, and commanded his secretary to send down an order for bringing me up. But when they came to the secretary for the order, he, being no friend to us, said, “it was not in his power; he must act according to law, and I must be brought up by an habeas corpus before the judges.” So he wrote to the judge of the King’s Bench, signifying that it was the king’s pleasure, that I should be sent up by an habeas corpus. Accordingly a writ was sent down, and delivered to the sheriff; but because it was directed to the chancellor of Lancaster, the sheriff put it off to him; on the other hand, the chancellor would not make the warrant upon it, but said the sheriff must do that. At length both chancellor and sheriff were got together; but being both enemies to truth, they sought occasion for delay, and found, they said, an error in the writ, which was, that being directed to the chancellor, it stated, “George Fox in prison under your custody,” whereas the prison I was in was not, they said, in the chancellor’s custody, but in the sheriff’s; so the word your should have been his. On this they returned the writ to London, only to have that one word altered. When it was altered, and brought down again, the sheriff refused to carry me up, unless I would seal a writing to him, and become bound to pay for the sealing, and the charge of carrying me up; which I refused, telling them I would not seal anything to them, nor be bound. So the matter rested a while, and I continued in prison.

Meanwhile the assize came on; but as there was a writ for removing me up, I was not brought before the judge. At the assize many people came to see me; and I was moved to speak out of the jail window to them, and show them “how uncertain their religion was; and that every sort, when uppermost, had persecuted the rest. When Popery was uppermost, people had been persecuted for not following the mass; and they who then held up the mass cried, ‘It was the higher power, and people must be subject to the higher power.’ Afterwards, they that set up the Common Prayer persecuted others for not following that; saying, ‘It was the higher power then also, and we must be subject to that.’ Since that, the Presbyterians and Independents cried each of them, ‘We must be subject to the higher power, and submit to the directory of the one, and the church-faith of the other.’ Thus all, like the apostate Jews, have cried, ‘Help, men of Israel, against the true Christians.’ So people might see, how uncertain they are of their religions. But I directed them to Christ Jesus, that they might be built upon him, the rock and foundation, that changeth not.” Much on this wise I declared to them, and they were very quiet and very attentive.

Afterwards I gave forth a paper concerning True Religion, as follows:

“True Religion is the true rule, and right way of serving God; a pure stream of righteousness, flowing from the image of God; the life and power of God planted in the heart and mind by the law of life, which bringeth the soul, mind, spirit, and body to be conformable to God, the Father of spirits, and to Christ; so that they come to have fellowship with the Father and the Son, and with all his holy angels and saints. This religion is from above, pure and undefiled before God, leads to visit the fatherless, widows, and strangers, and keeps from the spots of the world. This religion is above all the defiled, spotted religions in the world, that keep not their professors from defilement, but leave them impure, below, and spotted; whose fatherless, and widows, and strangers beg up and down the streets.”

G. F.

Soon after I gave forth a paper against persecution as follows:

“The Papists, Common-Prayer-men, Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists persecute one another about their own inventions, their mass, common-prayer, directory, and church-faith, which they have made, and framed, and not for the truth; for they know not what spirit they are of, who persecute, and would have men’s lives destroyed about church-worship and religion, as saith Christ; who also said, ‘He came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ Now we cannot trust our bodies, souls, or spirits into the hands of those that know not what spirit they are of, but will persecute and destroy men’s lives, and not save them; they know not what spirit they are of themselves, therefore they are not fit to be trusted with others. They would destroy by a law, as the disciples once would have done by prayer, who would have commanded ‘fire to come down from heaven’ to destroy them that would not receive Christ. But Christ rebuked them, and told them they did not know what spirit they were of. If they did not know what spirit they were of, do these who have persecuted about church and religion since the apostles’ days, who would compel men’s bodies, goods, lives, souls, and estates, into their hands by a law, or make them suffer? Those that destroy men’s lives are not the ministers of Christ, the Saviour; and seeing they know not what spirit they are of, the lives, bodies, and souls of men are not to be trusted in their hands. And ye that persecute shall have no resurrection to life with God, except ye repent. But they that know what spirit they are of themselves, are in the unrebukable zeal, and by the spirit of God they offer up their spirits, souls, and bodies to the Lord, which are his, to keep them.”

G. F.

Whilst I was kept in Lancaster jail, I was moved to give forth the following paper, “for staying the minds of any such as might be hurried or troubled about the change of government”:—

“ALL FRIENDS, let the dread and majesty of God fill you! And as concerning the changing of times and governments, let not that trouble any of you; for God hath a mighty work and hand therein. He will yet change again, until that come up, which must reign; in vain shall powers and armies withstand the Lord, for his determined work shall come to pass. But it is just with the Lord that what is now come up should be so, and he will be served by it. Therefore let none murmur, nor distrust God; for he will provoke many to zeal against unrighteousness, and for righteousness, through things which are suffered now to work for a season; yea many, whose zeal was even dead, shall revive again, shall see their backslidings, and bewail them bitterly. For God shall thunder from heaven, and break forth in a mighty noise; his enemies shall be astonished, the workers of iniquity confounded, and all that have not the garment of righteousness shall be amazed at the mighty and strange work of the Lord, which shall be certainly brought to pass. But, my babes, look ye not out, but be still in the light of the Lamb; and he shall fight for you. The Almighty Hand, which must break and divide your enemies, and take away peace from them, preserve and keep you whole, in unity and peace with itself, and one with another. Amen.”

G. F.

I was moved also to write to the king, to “exhort him to exercise mercy and forgiveness towards his enemies, and to warn him to restrain the profaneness and looseness that had got up in the nation on his return.” It was thus:—

“To the King.

“KING CHARLES,

“Thou earnest not into this nation by sword, nor by victory of war, but by the power of the Lord. Now if thou live not in it, thou wilt not prosper. If the Lord hath showed thee mercy and forgiven thee, and thou dost not show mercy and forgiveness, the Lord God will not hear thy prayers, nor them that pray for thee. If thou stop not persecution and persecutors, and take away all laws that hold up persecution about religion; if thou persist in them, and uphold persecution, that will make thee as blind as those that have gone before thee; for persecution hath always blinded those that have gone into it. Such, God by his power overthrows, doth his valiant acts upon, and bringeth salvation to his oppressed ones. If thou bear the sword in vain, and let drunkenness, oaths, plays, may-games, with such like abominations and vanities be encouraged or go unpunished, as setting up may-poles, with the image of the crown on the top of them, &c., the nations will quickly turn like Sodom and Gomorrah, and be as bad as the old world, who grieved the Lord until he overthrew them; and so he will you, if these things be not suppressed. Hardly was there so much wickedness at liberty before, as there is at this day, as though there was no terror nor sword of magistracy; which doth not grace the government, nor is a praise to them that do well. Our prayers are for them that are in authority, that under them we may live a godly life, in which we have peace, and that we may not be brought into ungodliness by them. Hear, and consider, and do good in thy time, whilst thou hast power; be merciful and forgive; this is the way to overcome, and obtain the kingdom of Christ.”

G. F.

It was long before the sheriff would yield to remove me to London, unless I would seal a bond to him, and bear their charges; which I still refused to do. Then they consulted how to convey me, and first concluded to send up a party of horse with me. I told them, “If I were such a man as they had represented me to be, they had need send a troop or two of horse to guard me.” When they considered what a charge it would be to them to send up a party of horse with me, they altered their purpose, and concluded to send me up guarded only by the jailer and some bailiffs. But, upon further consideration, they found that would be a great charge to them also, and therefore sent for me to the jailer’s house, and told me, if I would put in bail, that I would be in London such a day of the term, I should have leave to go up with some of my own friends. I told them I would neither put in bail, nor give one piece of silver to the jailer; for I was an innocent man, and they had imprisoned me wrongfully, and laid a false charge upon me. Nevertheless, I said, if they would let me go up with one or two of my friends to bear me company, I might go up, and be in London such a day, if the Lord should permit; and if they desired it, I, or any of my friends that went with me, would carry up their charge against myself. At last, when they saw they could do no otherwise with me, the sheriff yielded, consenting that I should come up with some of my friends, without any other engagement than my word, to appear before the judges at London, such a day of the term if the Lord should permit.

Whereupon I was let out of prison, and went to SWARTHMORE, where I stayed two or three days, and then to LANCASTER again, and so to PRESTON, having meetings amongst friends, till I came into CHESHIRE to William Gandy’s, where there was a large meeting out of doors, the house not being sufficient to contain it. That day the Lord’s everlasting Seed was set over all, and Friends were turned to it, who is the Heir of the Promise. Thence I came into STAFFORDSHIRE and WARWICKSHIRE, to Anthony Bickliff’s; and at NUNEATON, at the house of a priest’s widow, we had a blessed meeting, wherein the everlasting Word of Life was powerfully declared, and many settled in it. Then travelling on, visiting Friends’ meetings, in about three weeks of my coming out of prison, I reached LONDON, Richard Hubberthorn and Robert Widders being with me.

When we came to Charing-Cross, multitudes of people were gathered together to see the burning of the bowels of some of the old king’s judges, who had been hung, drawn, and quartered.

We went next morning to judge Mallet’s chamber, who was putting on his red gown, to go sit upon some more of the king’s judges. He was very peevish and froward, and said I might come another time. We went again to his chamber, when Judge Foster was with him, who was called the lord chief justice of England. With me was one called Esquire Marsh, who was one of the bedchamber to the king, When we had delivered to the judges the charge that was against me, and they had read to those words, “that I and my friends were embroiling the nation in blood,” &c., they struck their hands on the table. Whereupon I told them, “I was the man whom that charge was against, but I was as innocent of any such thing as a new-born child, and had brought it up myself; and some of my friends came up with me without any guard.” As yet they had not minded my hat, but now seeing it on, they said, “What, did I stand with my hat on!” I told them I did not so in contempt of them. They then commanded it to be taken off; and when they called for the marshal of the King’s Bench, they said to him, “You must take this man and secure him; but let him have a chamber, and not put him amongst the prisoners.” “My lord,” said the marshal, “I have no chamber to put him into; my house is so full I cannot tell where to provide a room for him, but amongst the prisoners.” “Nay,” said the judge, “you must not put him amongst the prisoners.” But when he still answered, he had no other place to put me in, Judge Foster said to me, “Will you appear to-morrow about ten o’clock at the King’s Bench bar in Westminster Hall?” I said, “Yes, if the Lord give me strength.” Then said Judge Foster to the other judge, “If he says yes, and promises it, you may take his word;” so I was dismissed.

Next day I appeared at the King’s Bench bar at the hour appointed, Robert Widders, Richard Hubberthorn, and Esquire Marsh going with me. I was brought into the middle of the court; and as soon as I came in, was moved to look round, and turning to the people, said, “Peace be among you;” and the power of the Lord sprang over the court. The charge against me was read openly. The people were moderate, and the judges cool and loving; and the Lord’s mercy was to them. But when they came to that part which said, “that I and my friends were embroiling the nation in blood, and raising a new war, and that I was an enemy to the king,” &c., they lifted up their hands. Then, stretching out my arms, I said, “I am the man whom that charge is against; but I am as innocent as a child concerning the charge, and have never learned any war postures. And,” said I, “do ye think that if I and my friends had been such men as the charge declares, that I would have brought it up myself against myself? Or that I should have been suffered to come up with only one or two of my friends with me? Had I been such a man as this charge sets forth, I had need to have been guarded with a troop or two of horse. But the sheriff and magistrates of Lancashire thought fit to let me and my friends come up with it ourselves, nearly two hundred miles, without any guard at all; which, ye may be sure, they would not have done, had they looked upon me to be such a man.” Then the judge asked me, whether it should be filed, or what I would do with it. I answered, “Ye are judges, and able, I hope, to judge in this matter, therefore do with it what ye will; for I am the man these charges are against, and here ye see, I have brought them up myself; do ye what ye will with them, I leave it to you.” Then Judge Twisden beginning to speak some angry words, I appealed to Judge Foster and Judge Mallet, who had heard me over-night. Whereupon they said, “They did not accuse me, for they had nothing against me.” Then stood up Esquire Marsh, who was of the king’s bedchamber, and told the judges, “It was the king’s pleasure, that I should be set at liberty, seeing no accuser came up against me.” They asked me, “Whether I would put it to the king and council?” I said, “Yes, with a good will.” Thereupon they sent the sheriff’s return, which he made to the writ of habeas corpus, containing the matter charged against me in the mittimus, to the king, that he might see for what I was committed. The return of the sheriff of Lancaster was thus:—

“By virtue of his Majesty’s writ, to me directed, and hereunto annexed, I certify, that before the receipt of the said writ, George Fox, in the said writ mentioned, was committed to his Majesty’s jail at the castle of Lancaster, in my custody, by a warrant from Henry Porter, Esq., one of his Majesty’s justices of peace within the county palatine aforesaid, bearing date the fifth of June now last past; for that he, the said George Fox, was generally suspected to be a common disturber of the peace of this nation, an enemy to our sovereign lord the king, and a chief upholder of the Quakers’ sect; and that he, together with others of his fanatic opinion, have of late endeavoured to make insurrections in these parts of the country, and to embroil the whole kingdom in blood. And this is the cause of his taking and detaining. Nevertheless, the body of the said George Fox I have ready before Thomas Mallet, knight, one of his Majesty’s justices, assigned to hold pleas before his Majesty, at his chamber in Serjeant’s Inn, in Fleet-street, to do and receive those things which his Majesty’s said justice shall determine concerning him in this behalf, as by the aforesaid writ is required.

‘GEORGE CHETHAM, Esq., Sheriff.’”

On perusal of this, and consideration of the whole matter, the king, being satisfied of my innocency, commanded his secretary to send an order to Judge Mallet for my release; which he did, thus:—

“It is his Majesty’s pleasure, that you give order for releasing, and setting at full liberty, the person of George Fox, late a prisoner in Lancaster jail, and commanded hither by an habeas corpus. And this signification of his Majesty’s pleasure shall be your sufficient warrant. Dated at Whitehall, the 24th of October, 1660.

“EDWARD NICHOLAS.”

For Sir Thomas Mallet, Knight, one of the Justices of the King’s Bench.

When this order was delivered, Judge Mallet forthwith sent his warrant to the marshal of the King’s Bench for my release, as follows:—

“By virtue of a warrant, which this morning I have received from the Right Hon. Sir Edward Nicholas, Knight, one of his Majesty’s principal secretaries, for the releasing and setting at liberty of George Fox, late a prisoner in Lancaster jail, and from thence brought hither by habeas corpus, and yesterday committed unto your custody; I do hereby require you accordingly to release and set the said prisoner, George Fox, at liberty; for which this shall be your warrant and discharge. Given under my hand, the 25th day of October, in the year of our Lord God, 1660.

“THOMAS MALLET.”

To Sir John Lenthal, Knight, Marshal of the King’s Bench, or his deputy.

Thus, after being a prisoner more than twenty weeks, I was freely set at liberty by the king’s command, the Lord’s power having wonderfully wrought for the clearing of my innocency; Porter, who committed me, not daring to appear to make good the charge he had falsely suggested against me.

Vol. I, Chapter XIV (1660-1662)

CHAPTER XIV.

1660-1662.—George Fox writes an epistle of consolation to Friends unjustly imprisoned in consequence of the insurrection of the Fifth-Monarchy Men—Friends’ declaration against war and plots—John Perrot and Charles Bailey create a schism—some Friends in New England are put to death, a sense whereof is given to George Fox at the time—the King’s mandamus to the Governor of New England and others, to restrain them from executing Friends—the Battledore is published, showing, by examples from thirty languages, that “Thou” and “Thee” are proper to one person—on true worship—George Fox disputes with some Jesuits, and with all other sects—John Perrot’s heresy condemned—on judicial swearing—George Fox and Richard Hubberthorn write to the King, showing the number of Friends imprisoned prior to, and during the first year of, the Restoration, and the number who died in prison during the Commonwealth—Thomas Sharman, jailer at Derby, convinced, and writes to George Fox—George Fox applies to Lord D’Aubigny on behalf of two Friends imprisoned in the Inquisition at Malta, who procures their liberation—the ground and rise of persecution set forth—great service at Bristol, where also he has a vision—visits Captain Brown and his wife; the former had lied from persecution, and was judged in himself, but afterwards convinced—George Fox and several others are arrested by Lord Beaumont, and sent to Leicester jail—they are suddenly liberated—to Friends on the death of Edward Burrough—escapes from persecutors—Friends established on Christ, the Rock of Ages.

When it was known I was discharged from Lancaster Castle, a company of envious, wicked spirits were troubled, and terror took hold of Justice Porter; for he was afraid I would take advantage of the law against him for my wrong imprisonment, and thereby undo him, his wife, and children. Indeed I was pressed by some in authority to make him and the rest examples; but I said, “I should leave them to the Lord; if the Lord forgave them, I should not trouble myself with them.”

Now did I see the end of the travail which I had had in my sore exercise at Reading; for the everlasting power of the Lord was over all, and his blessed truth, life, and light shone over the nation, and great and glorious meetings we had, and very quiet; and many flocked in unto the truth. Richard Hubberthorn had been with the king, who said, “None should molest us, so long as we lived peaceably,” and promised this to us upon the word of a king, telling him we might make use of his promise.[65] Some Friends also were admitted into the House of Lords, and had liberty to declare their reasons, why they could not pay tithes, swear, or go to the steeple-house worship, or join with others in worship, and they heard them moderately. And there being about seven hundred Friends in prison in the nation, who had been committed under Oliver’s and Richard’s government, upon contempts (as they call them), when the king came in, he set them all at liberty. There seemed at that time an inclination and intention in the government to grant Friends’ liberty, because they were sensible that we had suffered as well as they under the former powers. But still, when anything was going forward in order thereto, some dirty spirits or other, that would seem to be for us, threw something in the way to stop it.

Footnote 65:

Some interesting particulars of what passed during Richard Hubberthorn’s interview with the king are related in Sewell’s History, for which see the index of that work.

It was said, there was an instrument drawn up for confirming our liberty, and that it only wanted signing; when, suddenly, that wicked attempt of the Fifth-monarchy-people broke out, and put the city and nation in an uproar. This was on a First-day night, and very glorious meetings we had had that day, wherein the Lord’s truth shone over all, and his power was exalted above all; but about midnight, or soon after, the drums beat, and the cry was, “Arm, Arm!” I got up out of bed, and in the morning took boat, and landing at Whitehall-stairs, walked through Whitehall. They looked strangely at me there, but I passed through them, and went to Pall-Mall, where divers Friends came to me, though it had now become dangerous passing the streets; for by this time, the city and suburbs were up in arms, and exceedingly rude the people and soldiers were; insomuch that Henry Fell,[66] going to a Friend’s house, the soldiers knocked him down, and he would have been killed, had not the Duke of York come by. Great mischief was done in the city this week; and when the next First-day came, as Friends went to their meetings, many were taken prisoners.

Footnote 66:

Henry Fell was an eminent minister in the Society. In 1656 and 1658 he visited the West India isles. During the first visit, he was absent from home about a year. From 1659 to 1662, he was mostly engaged in gospel labours in England, and from this period we lose all trace of him. He is mentioned in Whiting’s Catalogue as having died in America. His home was in Lancashire, and there is reason to believe he was a near relative of Judge Fell. He appears to have received an education considerably above most of his day. Some of his letters are given in Bowden’s History of Friends in America, and in Barclay’s Letters of Early Friends.

I stayed at Pall-Mall, intending to be at the meeting there; but on the Seventh-day night, a company of troopers came and knocked at the door. The servant letting them in, they rushed into the house, and laid hold of me; and there being amongst them one that had served under the parliament, he put his hand to my pocket, and asked, “whether I had any pistols?” I told him he knew I did not carry pistols, why therefore ask such a question of me, whom he knew to be a peaceable man? Others of the soldiers ran into the chambers, and there found in bed Esquire Marsh, who, though he was one of the king’s bedchamber, out of his love to me, came and lodged where I did. When they came down again, they said, “Why should we take this man away with us? We will let him alone.” “O,” said the parliament soldier, “he is one of the heads, and a chief ringleader.” Upon this the soldiers were taking me away, but Esquire Marsh hearing of it, sent for him that commanded the party, and desired him to let me alone, for he would see me forthcoming in the morning.

In the morning before they could fetch me, and before the meeting was gathered, there came a company of foot soldiers to the house and one of them drawing his sword, held it over my head. I asked him, “why he drew his sword at an unarmed man?” at which his fellows being ashamed, bid him put up his sword. These foot soldiers took me away to Whitehall, before the troopers came for me. As I was going out, several friends were coming in to the meeting, whose boldness and cheerfulness I commended, and encouraged them to persevere therein. When I was brought to Whitehall, the soldiers and people were exceedingly rude, yet I declared truth to them; but some great persons coming by, who were very full of envy, “What,” said they, “do ye let him preach? Put him into such a place, where he may not stir.” So into that place they put me, and the soldiers watched over me. I told them, though they could confine my body and shut that up, yet they could not stop the Word of Life. Some came and asked me, “What I was?” I told them, “A preacher of righteousness.” After I had been kept there two or three hours, Esquire Marsh spoke to Lord Gerrard, and he came and bid them set me at liberty. The marshal, when I was discharged, demanded fees. I told him I could not give him any, neither was it our practice; and asked him how he could demand fees of me, who was innocent.

Then I went through the guards, the Lord’s power being over them; and after I had declared truth to the soldiers, I went up the streets with two Irish colonels that came from Whitehall, to an inn, where many Friends were at that time prisoners under a guard. I desired these colonels to speak to the guard to let me go in to visit my friends, that were prisoners there; but they would not. Then I stepped to the sentry, and desired him to let me go up; and he did so. While I was there, the soldiers went to Pall-Mall again to search for me there; but not finding me, they turned towards the inn, and bid all come out that were not prisoners; so they went out. But I asked the soldiers that were within, “Whether I might not stay there a while with my friends?” They said, “Yes.” I stayed, and so escaped their hands again. Towards night I went to Pall-Mall, to see how it was with the Friends there; and after I had stayed a while, I went up into the city. Great rifling of houses there was at this time to search for people. I went to a private friend’s house, and Richard Hubberthorn was with me. There we drew up a declaration against plots and fightings, to be presented to the king and council; but when finished, and sent to print, it was taken in the press.

On this insurrection of the Fifth-monarchy men, great havoc was made both in city and country, so that it was dangerous for sober people to stir abroad for several weeks after; men or women could hardly go up and down the streets to buy provisions for their families without being abused. In the country they dragged men and women out of their houses, and some sick men out of their beds by the legs. Nay, one man in a fever, the soldiers dragged out of bed to prison, and when he was brought there he died. His name was Thomas Pachyn.

Margaret Fell went to the king, and told him what sad work there was in the city and nation, and showed him we were an innocent, peaceable people, and that we must keep our meetings as heretofore, whatever we suffered; but that it concerned him to see that peace was kept, that no innocent blood might be shed. The prisons were now everywhere filled with Friends, and others, in the city and country, and the posts were so laid for the searching of letters, that none could pass unsearched. We heard of several thousands of our Friends being cast into prison in several parts of the nation, and Margaret Fell carried an account of them to the king and council. Next week we had an account of several thousands more being cast into prison; and she went and laid them also before the king and council. They wondered how we could have such intelligence, having given strict charge for the intercepting of all letters: but the Lord so ordered it, that we had an account, notwithstanding all their stoppings.

In the deep sense I had of the grievous suffering Friends underwent, and of their innocency towards God and man, I was moved to send the following epistle to them, as a word of consolation, and advised them to send up an account of their sufferings:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“In the immortal seed of God, which will plead its own innocency, who are inheritors of an everlasting kingdom that is incorruptible, and of a world and riches that fade not away, peace and mercy be multiplied amongst you in all your sufferings; whose backs were not unready, but your hair and cheeks prepared; who never feared suffering, knowing it is your portion in the world, from the foundation of which the Lamb was slain, who reigns in his glory, which he had with his Father before the world began. He is your rock in all floods and waves, upon which ye can stand safe, with a cheerful countenance, beholding the Lord God of the whole earth on your side. So in the Seed of God, which was before the unrighteous world, in which sufferings are, live and feed; wherein the Bread of Life is felt, and no cause to complain of hunger or cold. Friends, I would have you all, that are or have been lately in prison, to send up an account of your sufferings, and how things are amongst you, that it may be delivered to the king and his council; for things are pretty well here after the storm.”

G. F.

London, the 28th of the 11th Month, 1660.

Having lost our former declaration in the press, we hastily drew up another against plots and fighting, got it printed, and sent some copies to the king and council; others were sold in the streets, and at the Exchange. Which declaration was some years after reprinted, and is as follows:—

A Declaration from the harmless and innocent people of God, called Quakers, against all sedition, plotters, and fighters in the world: for removing the ground of jealousy and suspicion from magistrates and people concerning wars and fightings.

Presented to the King upon the 21st day of the 11th Month, 1660.

“Our principle is, and our practices have always been, to seek peace and ensue it; to follow after righteousness and the knowledge of God; seeking the good and welfare, and doing that which tends to the peace of all. We know that wars and fightings proceed from the lusts of men, as James iv. 1-3, out of which the Lord hath redeemed us, and so out of the occasion of war. The occasion of war, and war itself (wherein envious men, who are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God, lust, kill, and desire to have men’s lives or estates) ariseth from lust. All bloody principles and practices, as to our own particulars, we utterly deny; with all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever; this is our testimony to the whole world.

“And whereas it is objected:

“But although you now say ‘that you cannot fight, nor take up arms at all, yet if the Spirit move you, then you will change your principle, and you will sell your coat, and buy a sword, and fight for the kingdom of Christ.’

“To this we answer, Christ said to Peter, ‘Put up thy sword in his place;’ though he had said before, he that had no sword might sell his coat and buy one (to the fulfilling of the law and the Scripture), yet after, when he had bid him put it up, he said, ‘he that taketh the sword, shall perish with the sword.’ And further, Christ said to Pilate, ‘Thinkest thou, that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?’ And this might satisfy Peter, Luke xxii. 36, after he had put up his sword, when he said to him, ‘He that took it, should perish with it;’ which satisfieth us, Matt. xxvi. 51-53. And in the Revelation, it is said, ‘He that kills with the sword, shall perish with the sword; and here is the faith and the patience of the saints.’ And so Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, therefore do not his servants fight, as he told Pilate, the magistrate, who crucified him. And did they not look upon Christ as a raiser of sedition? and did not he pray, ‘Forgive them?’ But thus it is that we are numbered amongst transgressors, and fighters, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.

“That the Spirit of Christ, by which we are guided, is not changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as evil, and again to move unto it; and we certainly know, and testify to the world, that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for the kingdoms of this world.

“First, Because the kingdom of Christ God will exalt, according to his promise, and cause it to grow and flourish in righteousness; ‘not by might, nor by power (of outward sword), but by my Spirit, saith the Lord,’ Zech. iv. 6. So those that use any weapon to fight for Christ, or for the establishing of his kingdom or government,—their spirit, principle, and practice we deny.

“Secondly, We do earnestly desire and wait, that, by the Word of God’s power, and its effectual operation in the hearts of men, the kingdoms of this world may become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ; that he may rule and reign in men by his Spirit and truth; that thereby all people, out of every profession, may be brought into love and unity with God, and one with another; and that they may all come to witness the prophet’s words, who said, ‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,’ Isa. ii. 4., Mic. iv. 3.

“So we, whom the Lord hath called into the obedience of his truth, have denied wars and fightings, and cannot more learn them. This is a certain testimony unto all the world, of the truth of our hearts in this particular, that as God persuadeth every man’s heart to believe, so they may receive it. For we have not, as some others, gone about with cunningly-devised fables, nor have we ever denied in practice what we have professed in principle; but in sincerity and truth, and by the word of God, have we laboured to manifest unto all men, that both we and our ways might be witnessed in the hearts of all.

“And whereas all manner of evil hath been falsely spoken of us, we hereby speak the plain truth of our hearts, to take away the occasion of that offence; that so being innocent, we may not suffer for other men’s offences, nor be made a prey of by the wills of men for that of which we were never guilty; but in the uprightness of our hearts we may, under the power ordained of God for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well, live a peaceable and godly life, in all godliness and honesty. For although we have always suffered, and do now more abundantly suffer, yet we know that it is for righteousness’ sake; ‘for our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world,’ 2 Cor. i. 12, which for us is a witness for the convincing of our enemies. For this we can say to all the world, we have wronged no man, we have used no force nor violence against any man: we have been found in no plots, nor guilty of sedition. When we have been wronged, we have not sought to revenge ourselves; we have not made resistance against authority; but wherein we could not obey for conscience’ sake, we have suffered the most of any people in the nation. We have been counted as sheep for the slaughter, persecuted and despised, beaten, stoned, wounded, stocked, whipped, imprisoned, haled out of synagogues, cast into dungeons and noisome vaults, where many have died in bonds, shut up from our friends, denied needful sustenance for many days together, with other the like cruelties.

“And the cause of all these sufferings is not for any evil, but for things relating to the worship of our God, and in obedience to his requirings. For which cause we shall freely give up our bodies a sacrifice, rather than disobey the Lord: for we know, as the Lord hath kept us innocent, so he will plead our cause, when there is none in the earth to plead it. So we, in obedience unto his truth, do not love our lives unto death, that we may do his will, and wrong no man in our generation, but seek the good and peace of all men. He who hath commanded us that we shall not swear at all, Matt. v. 34, hath also commanded us that we shall not kill, Matt. v.; so that we can neither kill men, nor swear for or against them. This is both our principle and practice, and has been from the beginning; so that if we suffer, as suspected to take up arms, or make war against any, it is without any ground from us; for it neither is, nor ever was in our hearts, since we owned the truth of God; neither shall we ever do it, because it is contrary to the Spirit of Christ, his doctrine, and the practices of his apostles; even contrary to him, for whom we suffer all things, and endure all things.

“And whereas men come against us with clubs, staves, drawn swords, pistols cocked, and beat, cut, and abuse us, yet we never resisted them; but to them our hair, backs, and cheeks, have been ready. It is not an honour to manhood or nobility to run upon harmless people, who lift not up a hand against them, with arms and weapons.

“Therefore consider these things, ye men of understanding; for plotters, raisers of insurrections, tumultuous ones, and fighters, running with swords, clubs, staves, and pistols, one against another; these, we say, are of the world, and have their foundation from this unrighteous world, from the foundation of which the Lamb hath been slain; which Lamb hath redeemed us from this unrighteous world, and we are not of it, but are heirs of a world of which there is no end, and of a kingdom where no corruptible thing enters. Our weapons are spiritual, and not carnal, yet mighty through God, to the pulling down of the strongholds of sin and Satan, who is the author of wars, fighting, murder, and plots. Our swords are broken into ploughshares, and spears into pruning-hooks, as prophesied of in Micah iv. Therefore we cannot learn war any more, neither rise up against nation or kingdom with outward weapons, though you have numbered us amongst the transgressors and plotters. The Lord knows our innocency herein, and will plead our cause with all people upon earth, at the day of their judgment, when all men shall have a reward according to their works.

“Therefore in love we warn you for your soul’s good, not to wrong the innocent, nor the babes of Christ, which he hath in his hand, which he cares for as the apple of his eye; neither seek to destroy the heritage of God, nor turn your swords backward upon such as the law was not made for, i.e., the righteous: but for sinners and transgressors, to keep them down. For those are not peacemakers, nor lovers of enemies, neither can they overcome evil with good, who wrong them that are friends to you and all men, and wish your good, and the good of all people on the earth. If you oppress us, as they did the children of Israel in Egypt, and if you oppress us as they did when Christ was born, and as they did the Christians in the primitive times; we can say, ‘The Lord forgive you;’ and leave the Lord to deal with you, and not revenge ourselves. If you say, as the council said to Peter and John, ‘speak no more in that name;’ and if you serve us, as they served the three children spoken of in Daniel, God is the same that ever he was, that lives for ever and ever, who hath the innocent in his arms.

“O, Friends! offend not the Lord and his little ones, neither afflict his people; but consider and be moderate. Do not run on hastily, but consider mercy, justice, and judgment; that is the way for you to prosper, and obtain favour of the Lord. Our meetings were stopped and broken up in the days of Oliver, under pretence of plotting against him; in the days of the Committee of Safety we were looked upon as plotters to bring in King Charles; and now our peaceable meetings are termed seditious. O! that men should lose their reason, and go contrary to their own conscience; knowing that we have suffered all things, and have been accounted plotters from the beginning, though we have declared against them both by word of mouth and printing, and are clear from any such thing! We have suffered all along, because we would not take up carnal weapons to fight, and are thus made a prey, because we are the innocent lambs of Christ, and cannot avenge ourselves! These things are left on your hearts to consider; but we are out of all those things, in the patience of the saints; and we know, as Christ said, ‘He that takes the sword, shall perish with the sword;’ Matt. xxvi. 52; Rev. xiii. 10.

“This is given forth from the people called Quakers, to satisfy the king and his council, and all those that have any jealousy concerning us, that all occasion of suspicion may be taken away, and our innocency cleared.”

“Postscript.—Though we are numbered amongst transgressors, and have been given up to rude, merciless men, by whom our meetings are broken up, in which we edified one another in our holy faith, and prayed together to the Lord that lives for ever, yet he is our pleader in this day. The Lord saith, ‘They that feared his name spoke often together’ (as in Malachi); which were as his jewels. For this cause, and no evil-doing, are we cast into holes, dungeons, houses of correction, prisons (neither old nor young being spared, men nor women), and made a prey of in the sight of all nations, under the pretence of being seditious, &c., so that all rude people run upon us to take possession. For which we say, ‘The Lord forgive them that have thus done to us;’ who doth, and will enable us to suffer; and never shall we lift up hand against any that thus use us; but desire the Lord may have mercy upon them, that they may consider what they have done. For how is it possible for them to requite us for the wrong they have done to us? Who to all nations have sounded us abroad as seditious, who were never found plotters against any, since we knew the life and power of Jesus Christ manifested in us, who hath redeemed us from the world, all works of darkness, and plotters therein, by which we know the election, before the world began. So we say, the Lord have mercy upon our enemies and forgive them, for what they have done unto us!

“O! do as ye would be done by; do unto all men as you would have them do unto you; for this is the law and the prophets.

“All plots, insurrections, and riotous meetings we deny, knowing them to be of the devil, the murderer; which we in Christ, who was before they were, triumph over. And all wars and fightings with carnal weapons we deny, who have the sword of the Spirit; and all that wrong us, we leave to the Lord. This is to clear our innocency from the aspersion cast upon us, that we are seditious or plotters.”

Added in the reprinting.

“COURTEOUS READER,

“This was our testimony above twenty years ago; since then we have not been found acting contrary to it, nor ever shall; for the truth, that is our guide, is unchangeable. This is now reprinted to the men of this age, many of whom were then children, and doth stand as our certain testimony against all plotting and fighting with carnal weapons. And if any by departing from the truth should do so, this is our testimony in the truth against them, and will stand over them, and the truth will be clear of them.”

This declaration somewhat cleared the dark air that was over the city and country. And soon after the king gave forth a proclamation, “That no soldiers should search any house without a constable.” But the jails were still full, many thousands of Friends being in prison; which mischief was occasioned by the wicked rising of the Fifth-monarchy-men. But when those that were taken came to be executed, they did us the justice to clear us openly from having any hand in or knowledge of their plot. After that, the king being continually importuned thereunto, issued a declaration, “That Friends should be set at liberty without paying fees.” But great labour, travail, and pains were taken, before this was obtained; for Thomas Moor and Margaret Fell went often to the king about it.[67]

Footnote 67:

Among the Swarthmore collection of MSS. has been found a narrative of an interview Thomas Moore had with the king, which has been printed in Letters of Early Friends, p. 92, to which the reader is referred. It is endorsed by George Fox thus:—“What the king said to T. Moor, 1600, 14th of 10th month.” It will be remembered Thomas Moor was formerly a justice of the peace, and was convinced by George Fox, as related at page 260 in this volume.

Much blood was shed this year, many of the late king’s judges being hung, drawn, and quartered. Amongst them that so suffered, Colonel Hacker was one, who sent me prisoner from Leicester to London in Oliver’s time, of which an account is given before. A sad day it was, and a repaying of blood with blood. For in the time of Oliver Cromwell, when several men were put to death by him, being hung, drawn, and quartered, for pretended treasons, I felt from the Lord God, that their blood would be required; and I said as much then to several. And now upon the king’s return, when several that had been against him were put to death, as the others that were for him had been before by Oliver, this was sad work, destroying people contrary to the nature of Christians, who have the nature of lambs and sheep. But there was a secret hand in bringing this day upon that hypocritical generation of professors, who, being got into power, grew proud, haughty, and cruel beyond others, and persecuted the people of God without pity.

Therefore when Friends were under cruel persecutions and sufferings in the Commonwealth’s time, I was moved of the Lord to write to Friends to draw up accounts of their sufferings, and lay them before the justices at their sessions; and if they would not do justice, then to lay them before the judges at the assize; and if they would not do justice, then to lay them before the parliament, the protector and his council, that they might all see what was done under their government; and if they would not do justice, then to lay it before the Lord, who would hear the cries of the oppressed, and of the widows and fatherless whom they had made so. For that which we suffered for, and for which our goods were spoiled, was our obedience to the Lord in his Power and in his Spirit, who was able to help and to succour, and we had no helper in the earth but him. And he heard the cries of his people, and brought an overflowing scourge over the heads of all our persecutors, which brought a dread, and a fear amongst and on them all: so that those who had nicknamed us (who are the children of light) and in scorn called us Quakers, the Lord made to quake; and many of them would have been glad to have hid themselves amongst us; and some of them, through the distress that came upon them, did at length come to confess to the truth. O! the daily reproaches, revilings, and beatings we underwent amongst them, even in the highways, because we could not put off our hats to them, and for saying Thou and Thee to them! O! the havoc and spoil the priests made of our goods, because we could not put into their mouths and give them tithes; besides casting into prisons, and laying great fines upon us, because we could not swear! But for all these things did the Lord God plead with them. Yet some were so hardened in their wickedness, that when they were turned out of their places and offices, they said, “If they had power, they would do the same again.” And when this day of overturning was come upon them, they said, “It was all on account of us.” Wherefore I was moved to write to them, and ask them, “Did we ever resist them when they took away our ploughs and plough-gears, our carts and horses, our corn and cattle, our kettles and platters from us, whipped us, set us in the stocks, and cast us into prison, and all this only for serving and worshipping God in spirit and truth, and because we could not conform to their religions, manners, customs, and fashions? Did we ever resist them? Did we not give them our backs to beat, and our cheeks to pull off the hair, and our faces to spit on? Had not their priests, that prompted them on to such work, pulled them with themselves into the ditch? Why then would they say, ‘It was all on account of us,’ when it was owing to themselves and their priests, their blind prophets, that followed their own spirits, and could foresee nothing of these times and things that were come upon them, which we had long forewarned them of, as Jeremiah and Christ had forewarned Jerusalem. They had thought to weary us out, and undo us, but they undid themselves. Whereas we could praise God, notwithstanding all their plundering of us, that we had a platter, a horse, and plough still.”

Many ways were these professors warned, by word, by writing, and by signs; but they would believe none, till it was too late. William Sympson[68] was moved of the Lord to go, several times for three years, naked and barefoot before them, as a sign unto them, in markets, courts, towns, cities, to priests’ and great men’s houses, telling them, “So should they be stripped naked, as he was stripped!” And sometimes he was moved to put on sackcloth, and besmear his face, and tell them, “So would the Lord God besmear all their religion, as he was besmeared.” Great sufferings did that poor man undergo, sore whippings with horse-whips and coach-whips on his bare body, grievous stonings and imprisonments, in three years’ time, before the king came in, that they might have taken warning; but they would not: they rewarded his love with cruel usage. Only the Mayor of Cambridge did nobly to him, for he put his gown about him, and took him into his house.

Footnote 68:

This is probably the Friend of whom there is some account in Piety Promoted, vol. ii., p. 71. He was born in Lancashire, and receiving the Truth, became a faithful minister of it, for which he was often imprisoned, and underwent cruel and hard sufferings. In 1670, he went to Barbadoes with John Burnyeat, to preach the gospel in that island, but after having some service there, he was taken ill of a fever, during which he felt great peace and consolation of spirit, and signified “he should die.” He was often praising and glorifying God after this manner: “O! all that is within me praise and magnify the Lord God, who is worthy for ever of all glory; everlasting praises to the God of my life, who only is worthy, and lives over all, and is above all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” He died in much peace and quietness.

Another Friend, Robert Huntingdon, was moved of the Lord to go into Carlisle steeple-house, with a white sheet about him, amongst the great Presbyterians and Independents there, to show them that the surplice was coming up again: and he put a halter about his neck, to show them that a halter was coming upon them; which was fulfilled upon some of our persecutors not long after.

Another, Richard Sale, living near Chester, being constable of the place where he lived, had a Friend sent to him with a pass, whom those wicked professors had taken up for a vagabond, because he travelled in the work of the ministry; and this constable being convinced by the Friend that was thus brought to him, gave him his pass and liberty, and was afterwards himself cast into prison. After this, on a lecture-day, Richard Sale was moved to go to the steeple-house, in the time of their worship, and carry to those persecuting priests and people, a lantern and candle, as a figure of their darkness; but they cruelly abused him, and like dark professors as they were, put him into their prison called Little-Ease; and so squeezed his body therein, that not long after he died.[69]

Footnote 69:

Richard Sale, the constable who became convinced, was an undaunted reprover of vice. The place in which he lost his life, called “Little Ease,” is described to have been “a hole hewed out in a rock; the breadth across, seventeen inches; from the back to the inside of the great door, at the top, seven inches; at the shoulders, eight inches; at the breast, nine inches and a half; from the top to the bottom, one yard and a half, with a device to lessen the height, as they are minded to torment the persons put in, by drawboards which shoot over the two sides to a yard height, or thereabout.”

Into this place was Richard Sale put several times, in 1656-1657, for three, four, five and eight hours together. Being corpulent, it required the strength of four men to thrust him in. In doing which they crushed him till the blood gushed out of his mouth and nose. He survived the last torture but two months, and died imputing his death to the cruelty of his persecutors.

In this place they tormented many of those who were induced, with, Christian courage, to reprove the vices, either of ministers, magistrates, or people. Richard Costrop, for preaching repentance in the streets, was put in Little Ease till next day, and then, by the Mayor, sent to Bridewell. Thomas Yarwood, who, as the Mayor and Aldermen were going to a customary feast, with music playing before them, dared to remind them wherein real Christianity stood, viz., in true holiness and the fear of the Lord, was sent to Little Ease, and kept there five hours; by which he, being but a weak sickly man was much bruised and hurt. William Sympson, attempting, in Christian love, to exhort the people, after their public preacher had ended his sermon, was first put in the stocks, and afterwards kept in Little Ease nine hours. When, next morning, he complained to the Mayor of his cruel usage, he was sent again to the same place, after the Sheriff, in the Mayor’s presence, had struck him in the face, so that he bled very much. Edward Morgan, complaining to the Mayor against a drunken fellow who had grossly abused him, was sent to Little Ease for not putting off his hat when he made that complaint, and the drunkard went unpunished; as did also a servant who had robbed his master, a Friend, the master being, by this same magistrate, imprisoned eleven weeks, because he would not swear to the fact of the robbery.

Many warnings of many sorts were Friends moved, in the power of the Lord, to give to that generation; which they not only rejected, but abused Friends, calling us giddy-headed Quakers; but God brought his judgments upon those persecuting priests and magistrates. For when the king came in, most of them were turned out of their places and benefices, and the spoilers were spoiled: and then we could ask them, “Who were the giddy heads now?” Then many confessed we had been true prophets to the nation, and said, “Had we cried against some priests only, they should have liked us then; but crying against all made them dislike us.” But now they saw those priests, which were then looked upon to be the best, were as bad as the rest. For indeed, some of those that were counted the most eminent, were the bitterest and greatest stirrers up of the magistrates to persecution; and it was a judgment upon them to be denied the free liberty of their consciences when the king came in, because when they were uppermost, they would not have liberty of conscience granted to others. One Hewes, of Plymouth, a priest of great note in Oliver’s days, when some liberty was granted, prayed “that God would put it into the hearts of the chief magistrates of the nation, to remove this cursed toleration.” Others prayed against it under the name of Intolerable Toleration. But a while after when the king was come in and priest Hewes turned out of his great benefice for not conforming to the Common Prayer, a Friend of Plymouth meeting with him, asked, “Whether he would account toleration accursed now?” and “whether he would not now be glad of a toleration?” To which the priest returned no answer save by the shaking of his head. But as stiff as these men were then against toleration, it is well known many of them petitioned the king for toleration, and for meeting-places, and paid for licenses too. But to return to the present time, the latter end of the year 1660 and beginning of 1661.

Although those Friends that had been imprisoned on the rising of the Monarchy-men were set at liberty, meetings were much disturbed, and great sufferings Friends underwent. For besides what was done by officers and soldiers, many wild fellows and rude people often came in. There came one time, when I was at Pall Mall, an ambassador with a company of Irishmen and rude fellows; the meeting was over before they came, and I was gone up into a chamber, where I heard one of them say, “He would kill all the Quakers.” I went down to him, and was moved in the power of the Lord to speak to him. I told him, “The law said, ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;’ but thou threatenest to kill all the Quakers, though they have done thee no hurt. But,” said I, “Here is gospel for thee: here is my hair, here is my cheek, and here is my shoulder,” turning it to him. This came so over him, that he and his companions stood as men amazed, and said, if that was our principle, and if we were as we said, they never saw the like in their lives. I told them, what I was in words, I was the same in life. Then the ambassador, who had stood without, came in: for he said that Irish colonel was such a desperate man, that he durst not come in with him, for fear he should do us some mischief; but truth came over him, and he carried himself lovingly towards us; as also did the ambassador; for the Lord’s power was over them all.

At Mile-End, Friends were kept out of their meeting-place by soldiers, but they stood nobly in the truth, valiant for the Lord’s name; and at last the truth gave them dominion.

About this time we had an account that John Love, a Friend, that was moved to go and bear testimony against the idolatry of the Papists, was dead in prison at Rome: it was suspected he was privately put to death in prison. John Perrot was also a prisoner there, and being released came over again; but after his arrival here, he with Charles Baily and others, turned aside from the unity of Friends and truth. Whereupon I was moved to issue a paper, declaring how the Lord would blast him and his followers, if they did not repent and return; and that they should wither like the grass on the housetop, which many of them did; but others returned and repented.

Also before this time we received account from New England, “that the government there had made a law to banish the Quakers out of their colonies, upon pain of death, in case they returned; and that several Friends, having been so banished, and returning, were taken, and actually hung; and that many more were in prison, in danger of the like sentence being executed upon them.”[70] When those were put to death, I was in prison at Lancaster, and had a perfect sense of their sufferings, as though it had been myself, and as though the halter had been put about my own neck; though we had not at that time heard of it.

Footnote 70:

The persecution of the Quakers in New England, by the Puritans and Independents, who had themselves fled from home to enjoy religious liberty, forms a dreadful story, the very recital of which is revolting to humanity. Some they caused to have their ears cut off; and, amongst many other cruelties, which would fill a volume, they ordered three Quaker women to be stripped to the waist, and flogged through eleven towns, a distance of eighty miles, in all the severity of frost and snow. But, as if this was not enough, they actually hanged three men and one woman for Christ’s sake, who all acquitted themselves, at their awful exit, with that firmness and submission which a Christian martyr is enabled to sustain at such an hour of nature’s extremity, giving full proof of their sincerity and trust in the goodness and support of Him, who had called them to make a public profession of his name before a wicked and perverse generation. Their names were—William Robinson, Marmaduke Stevenson, William Leddra, and Mary Dyer.

On the day appointed for the execution of these innocent victims, they were led to the gallows by military officers, accompanied by a band of about 200 armed men, besides many horsemen—a measure which plainly indicated that some fear of popular indignation was apprehended; and, that no appeal might be made to the feelings of the multitude, a drummer was appointed to march before the condemned persons, to beat the drum, especially when any of them attempted to speak.

Glorious signs of heavenly joy and gladness were visible in the countenances of these holy martyrs, who walked hand in hand to the place where they were to suffer. “This is to me an hour of the greatest joy,” exclaimed Mary Dyer; adding, that no eye could see, no ear could hear, no tongue could utter, no heart could understand, the sweet refreshings of the Spirit of the Lord which she then felt.

Being come to the ladder, and having taken leave of each other with tender affection, they yielded up their lives into the hands of their enemies, Robinson’s last words being, “I suffer for Christ, in whom I live, and for whom I die;” and those of Stevenson, “This day shall we be at rest with the Lord.” William Leddra, patiently submitting himself whilst the executioner put the halter round his neck, said, “I commit my righteous cause unto thee, O God;” and, as he was turned off, died with these words, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” When Mary Dyer ascended the ladder, she was told by some of the standers-by that even now, if she would obey them, she might come down and save her life. But this magnanimous sufferer shrank not from her doom, well knowing in whom, and for whom she was about to die; she contentedly laid down her life, saying, “In obedience to the will of the Lord, I abide faithful unto death.”

“We too, have had our martyrs. Such wert thou, Illustrious woman! though the starry crown Of martyrdom has sat on many a brow, In the world’s eye, of far more wide renown.

Yet the same spirit graced thy fameless end, Which shone in Latimer and his compeers; Upon whose hallowed memories still attend Manhood’s warm reverence, childhood’s guileless tears.

Well did they win them; may they keep them long! Their names require not praise obscure as mine, Nor does my muse their cherish’d memories wrong, By this imperfect aim to honour thine.

Heroic martyr of a sect despised! Thy name and memory to my heart are dear: Thy fearless zeal (in artless childhood prized) The lapse of years has taught me to revere.

Thy Christian worth demands no poet’s lay, Historian’s pen, nor sculptor’s boasted art; What could the proudest tribute these can pay To thy immortal spirit, now impart?

Yet seems it like a sacred debt to give The brief memorial thou mayst well supply; Whose life display’d how Christians ought to live, Whose death—how Christian martyrs calmly die.”

For further particulars of the New England persecution, the reader is referred to Sewell’s History; Bowden’s History of Friends in America; Kelty’s Early Days in the Society of Friends; Hodgson’s Historical Memoirs, &c.

But as soon as we heard of it, Edward Burrough went to the king, and told him, “There was a vein of innocent blood opened in his dominions, which, if it were not stopped, would overrun all.” To which the king replied, “But I will stop that vein.” Edward Burrough said, “Then do it speedily, for we do not know how many may soon be put to death.” The king answered, “As speedily as ye will. Call,” said he to some present, “the secretary, and I will do it presently.” The secretary being called, a mandamus was forthwith granted. A day or two after, Edward Burrough going again to the king, to desire the matter might be expedited, the king said, “He had no occasion at present to send a ship thither, but if we would send one, we might do it as soon as we chose.” Edward Burrough then asked the king, “if it would please him to grant his deputation to one called a Quaker, to carry the mandamus to New England?” He said, “Yes, to whom ye will.” Whereupon E. B. named Samuel Shattock, who being an inhabitant of New England, was banished by their law, to be hung if he came again; and to him the deputation was granted. Then he sent for Ralph Goldsmith, an honest Friend, who was master of a good ship, and agreed with him for £300, goods or no goods, to sail in ten days. He forthwith prepared to set sail, and, with a prosperous gale, in about six weeks arrived before the town of Boston, in New England, upon a First-day morning. Many passengers went with him, both of New and Old England, Friends, whom the Lord moved to go to bear testimony against those bloody persecutors, who had exceeded all the world in that age in their persecutions.

The townsmen at Boston seeing a ship come into the bay with English colours, soon came on board, and asked for the captain. Ralph Goldsmith told them, he was the commander. They asked him, if he had any letters? He said, “Yes.” They asked, if he would deliver them? He said, “No, not to-day.” So they went on shore, and reported there was a ship full of Quakers, and that Samuel Shattock was among them, who, they knew, was, by their law, to be put to death, for coming again after banishment; but they knew not his errand, nor his authority.

So all being kept close that day, and none of the ship’s company suffered to land, next morning, Samuel Shattock, the king’s deputy, and Ralph Goldsmith, the commander of the vessel, went on shore; and sending back to the ship the men that landed them, they two went through the town to the governor’s (John Endicott’s) door, and knocked. He sent out a man to know their business. They sent him word, their business was from the king of England, and they would deliver their message to none but the governor himself. They were then admitted, and the governor came to them; and having received the deputation and the mandamus, he put off his hat, and looked upon them. Then going out, he bid the Friends follow him. He went to the deputy-governor, and after a short consultation, came out to the Friends, and said, “We shall obey his Majesty’s commands.” After this the master gave liberty to the passengers to land; and presently the noise of the business flew about the town, and the Friends of the town and the passengers of the ship met together, to offer up their praises and thanksgivings to God, who had so wonderfully delivered them from the teeth of the devourer. While they were thus met, a poor Friend came in, who, being sentenced by their bloody law to die, had lain some time in irons, expecting execution. This added to their joy, and caused them to lift up their hearts in high praises to God, who is worthy for ever to have the praise, the glory, and the honour; for he only is able to deliver, to save, and to support all that sincerely put their trust in him.

Here follows a copy of the mandamus:—

“CHARLES R.

“Trusty and well beloved, we greet you well. Having been informed that several of our subjects amongst you, called Quakers, have been and are imprisoned by you, whereof some have been executed, and others, as hath been represented unto us, are in danger to undergo the like, we have thought fit to signify our pleasure in that behalf for the future; and do hereby require, that if there be any of those people called Quakers amongst you, now already condemned to suffer death or other corporal punishment, or that are imprisoned, and obnoxious to the like condemnation, you are to forbear to proceed any further therein; but that you forthwith send the said persons, whether condemned or imprisoned, over into this our kingdom of England, together with the respective crimes or offences laid to their charge: to the end such course may be taken with them here, as shall be agreeable to our laws and their demerits. And for so doing, these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge. Given at our Court at Whitehall, the 9th day of September, 1661, in the thirteenth year of our reign.”

Subscribed: “To our trusty and well beloved John Endicott, Esq., and to all and every other the governor or governors of our plantations of New England, and of all the colonies thereunto belonging, that now are, or hereafter shall be: and to all and every the ministers and officers of our plantations and colonies whatsoever, within the continent of New England.

“By his Majesty’s command. “WILLIAM MORRIS.”

Some time after this several New England magistrates came over, with one of their priests. We had several discourses with them concerning their murdering our Friends, the servants of the Lord; but they were ashamed to stand to their bloody actions. On one of these occasions I asked Simon Broadstreet, one of the New England magistrates, “Whether he had not a hand in putting to death those four servants of God, whom they hung for being Quakers only, as they had nicknamed them?” He confessed he had. I then asked him and the rest of his associates that were present, “Whether they would acknowledge themselves to be subject to the laws of England; and if they did, by what laws they had put our Friends to death?” They said, “They were subject to the laws of England; and had put our Friends to death by the same law that the Jesuits were put to death in England.” I asked them then, “Whether they believed those Friends of ours, whom they had put to death, were Jesuits or jesuitically affected?” They said, nay. “Then,” said I, “ye have murdered them, if ye have put them to death by the law that Jesuits are put to death here in England, and yet confess they were no Jesuits. By this it plainly appears ye have put them to death in your own wills, without any law.” Then Simon Broadstreet, finding himself and his company ensnared by their own words, asked, “Did we come to catch them?” I told them, they had caught themselves, and they might justly be questioned for their lives; and if the father of William Robinson, one of them that were put to death, were in town, it was probable he would question them, and bring their lives into jeopardy. Here they began to excuse themselves, saying, “There was no persecution now amongst them:” but next morning we had letters from New England, giving us account that our Friends were persecuted there afresh. We went again, and showed them our letters, which put them both to silence and to shame; and in great fear they seemed to be, lest someone should call them to account, and prosecute them for their lives, especially Simon Broadstreet; for he had at first, before so many witnesses, confessed he had a hand in putting our Friends to death, that he could not get off from it; though he afterwards through fear shuffled, and would have unsaid it again. After this, he and the rest soon returned to New England again.

I went also to Governor Winthrop, and discoursed with him on these matters; he assured me, “He had no hand in putting our Friends to death, or in any way persecuting them; but was one of them that protested against it.” These stingy persecutors of New England were a people that fled thither out of Old England, from the persecution of the bishops here; but when they had got power into their own hands, they so far exceeded the bishops in severity and cruelty, that whereas the bishops had made them pay twelve pence a Sunday (so called) for not coming to their worship here, they imposed a fine of five shillings a-day upon such as should not conform to their will-worship there; and spoiled the goods of Friends that could not (for conscience’ sake) pay it. Besides, many they imprisoned, divers they whipped, and that most cruelly; of some they cut off the ears, and some they hanged; as the books of Friends’ sufferings in New England largely show, particularly that written by George Bishop, of Bristol, entitled, New England Judged. Some of the old royalists were earnest with Friends to prosecute them, but we told them, we left them to the Lord, to whom vengeance belongeth, and he would repay it. And the judgments of God have since fallen heavy on them; for the Indians have been raised up against them, and have cut off many of them.

About this time I lost a very good book, being taken in the printer’s hands; it was a useful teaching work, containing the signification and explanation of names, parables, types, and figures in the Scriptures. They who took it were so affected with it, that they were loth to destroy it; but thinking to make a great advantage of it, they would have let us have it again, if we would have given them a great sum of money for it; which we were not free to do.

Before this, while I was a prisoner in Lancaster castle, the book called The Battledore was published, which was written to show, that in all languages Thou and Thee is the proper and usual form of speech to a single person; and You to more than one. This was set forth in examples or instances taken from the Scriptures, and books of teaching, in about thirty languages. J. Stubbs and Benjamin Furly took great pains in compiling it, which I set them upon; and some things I added to it. When it was finished, copies were presented to the king and his council, to the bishops of Canterbury and London, and to the two universities one each; and many purchased them. The king said, it was the proper language of all nations; and the bishop of Canterbury, being asked what he thought of it, was at a stand, and could not tell what to say to it. For it did so inform and convince people, that few afterwards were so rugged toward us, for saying Thou and Thee to a single person, for which before they were exceedingly fierce against us. Thou and Thee was a sore cut to proud flesh, and them that sought self-honour, who, though they would say it to God and Christ, could not endure to have it said to themselves. So that we were often beaten and abused, and sometimes in danger of our lives, for using those words to some proud men, who would say, “What! you ill-bred clown, do you Thou me?” as though Christian breeding consisted in saying You to one; which is contrary to all their grammars and teaching books, by which they instruct their youth.

Now the bishops and priests being busy and eager to set up their form of worship, and compel all to come to it, I was moved to give forth the following paper, to open the nature of the true worship, which Christ set up, and which God accepts:—

“Christ’s worship is free in the Spirit to all men; and such as worship in Spirit and in truth, are they whom God seeks to worship him; for he is the God of truth, and is a Spirit, and the God of the spirits of all flesh. He hath given to all nations of men and women breath and life, to live, and move, and have their being in him: and hath put into them an immortal soul. So all are to be temples for him to dwell in; and they that defile his temple will he destroy. Now as the outward Jews, while they had their outward temple at Jerusalem, were to go up thither to worship (which temple God hath long since thrown down, and destroyed that Jerusalem, the vision of peace; and cast off the Jews and their worship; and instead thereof hath set up his gospel-worship in the Spirit and in the truth), so now all are to worship in Spirit and in truth. This is a free worship; for where the Spirit of the Lord is, and ruleth, there is liberty; the fruits of the Spirit are seen, and will manifest themselves; and the Spirit is not to be limited, but lived and walked in, that its fruits may appear. The tares are such as hang upon the wheat, and thereby draw it down to the earth; yet the tares and the wheat must grow together, till the harvest, lest they that take upon them to pluck up the tares, should pluck up the wheat with the tares. The tares are such as worship not God in Spirit and in truth; but grieve the Spirit, vex and quench it in themselves, and walk not in the truth; yet will hang about the wheat, the true worshippers in the Spirit and in the truth.

“Christ’s church was never established by blood, nor held up by prisons: neither was the foundation of it laid by carnal-weaponed men, nor is it preserved by such. But when men departed from the Spirit and truth, they took up carnal weapons to maintain their outward forms, and yet they cannot preserve them with their carnal weapons; for one plucketh down another’s form with his outward weapons. And this work hath been among nominal Christians, since they lost the Spirit, and spiritual weapons, and the true worship which Christ set up, that is in Spirit and in truth, which they that worship in, are over all the tares. All that would be plucking up the tares are forbidden by Christ, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him; for the tares and the wheat must grow together till the harvest, as Christ hath commanded. The stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth; now, if the stone fill the whole earth, all nations must be temples for the stone. All that say they travail for the seed, and yet bring forth nothing but a birth of strife, contention, and confusion, their fruit shows their travail to be wrong; for by the fruit, the end of every one’s work is seen, of what sort it is.”

G. F.

About this time many Papists and Jesuits began to fawn upon Friends, and talked where they came, that of all sects the Quakers were the best and most self-denying people; and said, “It was a great pity they did not return to the holy mother church.” Thus they made a buzz among the people, and said, “They would willingly discourse with Friends.” But Friends were loth to meddle with them, because they were Jesuits, looking upon it to be both dangerous and scandalous. But when I understood it, I said to Friends, “Let us discourse with them, be they what they will.” So a time being appointed at Gerrard Roberts’s house, there came two of them like courtiers. When we were met together, they asked our names, which we told them; but we did not ask their names, for we understood they were called Papists, and they knew we were called Quakers. I asked them the same question that I had formerly asked a Jesuit, namely, “Whether the church of Rome was not degenerated from the primitive church, from the Spirit, power, and practice, of the apostles’ times?” He to whom I put this question being subtle, said, “He would not answer it.” I asked him, “Why?” But he would show no reason. His companion said, he would answer me; and said, “They were not degenerated from the primitive church times.” I asked the other, whether he was of the same mind? He said, “Yes.” Then I told them that for better understanding one another, and that there might be no mistake, I would repeat my question over again after this manner, “Whether the church of Rome now was in the same purity, practice, power, and Spirit, that the church in the apostles’ time was in?” When they saw we would be exact with them, they flew off, and denied that, saying, “It was presumption in any to say, they had the same power and spirit that the apostles had.” “But I told them, it was presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ and his apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles, and yet be forced to confess they were not in the same power and Spirit the apostles were in. This,” said I, “is a spirit of presumption, and rebuked by the apostles’ Spirit.” I showed them how different their fruits and practices were from those of the apostles.

Then one of them said, “Ye are a company of dreamers.” “Nay,” said I, “ye are the filthy dreamers, who dream ye are the apostles successors; and yet confess ye have not the same power and Spirit they were in. And are not they defilers of the flesh, who say, ‘It is presumption in any to say, they have the same power and Spirit the apostles had?’ Now,” said I, “if ye have not the same power and Spirit the apostles had, then it is manifest that ye are led by another power and spirit than the apostles and primitive church were led by.” Then I began to tell them how that evil spirit, which they were led by, had led them to pray by beads and to images; to set up nunneries, friaries, and monasteries, and to put people to death for religion; and this practice of theirs, I showed them, was below the law, and far short of the gospel, in which is liberty. They were soon weary of this discourse, went away, and gave a charge, as we heard, to the Papists, “That they should not dispute with us, or read any of our books;” so we were rid of them. But we had reasonings with all the other sects as Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, Baptists, Episcopalians, Socinians, Brownists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Fifth-monarchy-men, Familists, Muggletonians and Ranters; none of which would affirm they had the same power and Spirit the apostles had, and were in; so in that power and Spirit the Lord gave us dominion over them all.

As for the Fifth-monarchy men, I was moved to give forth a paper, to manifest their error to them; for they looked for Christ’s personal coming in an outward form and manner, and fixed the time to the year 1666; at which time some of them prepared themselves when it thundered and rained, thinking Christ was then come to set up his kingdom; and they imagined they were to kill the whore without them. But I told them the whore was alive in them, and was not burned with God’s fire, nor judged in them with the same power and Spirit the apostles were in. And their looking for Christ’s coming outwardly to set up his kingdom, was like the Pharisees’ “Lo here” and “Lo there.” But Christ was come, and had set up his kingdom above sixteen hundred years ago (according to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s prophecy), and he had dashed to pieces the four monarchies, the great image, with its head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet part of iron and part of clay; and they were all blown away with God’s wind, as the chaff in the summer thrashing-floor. And when Christ was on earth, he said, “His kingdom was not of this world:” if it had been, his servants would have fought, but it was not; therefore his servants did not fight. Therefore all the Fifth-monarchy-men, that are fighters with carnal weapons, are none of Christ’s servants, but the beast’s and the whore’s. Christ said, “All power in heaven and in earth is given to me:” so then his kingdom was set up above sixteen hundred years ago, and he reigns. “And we see Jesus Christ reign,” said the apostle; and he shall reign till all things be put under his feet; though all things are not yet put under his feet, nor subdued.

This year several Friends were moved to go beyond the seas, to publish Truth in foreign countries. John Stubbs, and Henry Fell, and Richard Costrop were moved to go towards China and Prester John’s country; but no masters of ships would carry them. With much ado they got a warrant from the king; but the East India Company found ways to avoid it, and masters of their ships would not carry them. Then they went into Holland, hoping to get passage there, but none could they get there either. Then John Stubbs and Henry Fell took shipping for Alexandria in Egypt, intending to go by the caravans from thence. Meanwhile Daniel Baker being to go to Smyrna, drew Richard Costrop,[71] contrary to his own freedom, to go along with him, and in the passage Richard falling sick, Daniel Baker left him so in the ship, where he died: but that hard-hearted man afterwards lost his own condition.

Footnote 71:

This Richard Costrop (or Scostrop) was born in 1628. He was originally a sore persecutor of Friends, but becoming convinced of the soundness of their principles, he at length joined the Society, and preached the faith which once he destroyed, travelling for this object into various parts of Europe. he seems to have been chiefly instrumental in establishing the meeting at Scalehouse. He appears to have been a man of some estate, but left all, and spent his days in the service of the gospel. In a document issued by Friends of Settle Monthly Meeting in 1704, it is said of him, “his memory is sweet this day among the brethren.” See Life, &c., of William and Alice Ellis, by James Backhouse, pp. 278, 279, &c.

John Stubbs and Henry Fell reached Alexandria; but they had not been there long before the English consul banished them: yet before they came away, they dispersed many books and papers, for opening the principles and way of truth to the Turks and Grecians. They gave the book called, The Pope’s Strength Broken, to an old friar, for him to give or send to the Pope; which when the friar had perused, he placed his hand on his breast, and confessed, “What was written therein was truth; but” said he, “if I should confess it openly, they would burn me.” John Stubbs and Henry Fell, not being suffered to go further, returned to England, and came to London again. John had a vision that the English and Dutch, who had joined together not to carry them, would fall out one with the other; and so it came to pass.

Having now stayed in London some time, I felt drawings to visit Friends in Essex. So I went down to COLCHESTER, where I had very large meetings; and thence to COGGESHALL; not far from which a priest was convinced, and I had a meeting at his house. Travelling a little up and down in those parts, and visiting Friends in their meetings, I returned pretty quickly to LONDON, where I found great service for the Lord; for a large door was opened, many flocked in to our meetings, and the Lord’s truth spread mightily this year.

Yet Friends had great travail and sore labour, the rude people having been so heightened by the Monarchy-men’s rising a little before. But the Lord’s power was over all, and in it Friends had dominion; though we had not only those sufferings without, but sufferings within also, by John Perrot and his company; who, giving heed to a spirit of delusion, sought to introduce among Friends that evil and uncomely practice of “keeping on the hat in time of public prayers.” Friends had spoken to him and many of his followers about it, and I had written to them concerning it; but he and some others rather strengthened themselves against us.[72] Wherefore feeling the judgment of truth rise against it, I gave forth the following as a warning to all that were concerned therein:—

“Whosoever is tainted with this spirit of John Perrot, it will perish. Mark his and their end, who are turned into those outward things and janglings about them, and that which is not savoury; all which is for perpetual judgment—is to be swept and cleansed out of the camp of God’s elect. This is to that spirit, that is gone into jangling about that which is below (the rotten principle of the old Ranters)—gone from the invisible power of God, in which is the everlasting fellowship; and thus many who now clamour and speak against them that are in the power of God, are become like the untimely figs, and like the corn on the house-top. O! consider! the light and power of God goes over you all, and leaves you in the fretting nature, out of the unity which is in the everlasting light, life, and power of God. Consider this, before the day be gone from you; and take heed, that your memorial be not rooted out from among the righteous.”

G. F.

Footnote 72:

John Perrot was one who at this time caused great distress and trouble to the faithful members of the Society, from giving way to self-importance and extravagant notions. For particulars, the reader is referred to Sewell’s History; and to Hodgson’s Historical Memoirs.

Whilst the Society kept steadily pursuing its path, and increasing in numbers, notwithstanding the persecutions to which its members were everywhere subjected, it was not to be expected that every individual who was found within its precincts should have been rightly prepared for the station which he might have assumed. It would have been indeed remarkable, if, in the multitude of those who went forth in that day of zeal, in the service of the ministry, there had not been instances of men who had taken upon them (perhaps mistakenly) the office of a gospel minister, without waiting for the preparation and the call. And it would have been still more surprising if such forward spirits had proved firm in the day of outward trial, or of inward fascinations and snares of the enemy.

Among the exercises and troubles Friends had from without, one was regarding Friends’ marriages, which sometimes were called in question. This year there was a cause tried at the assize at Nottingham concerning one. The case was thus. Some years before, two Friends were joined together in marriage amongst Friends, and lived together as man and wife about two years. Then the man died, leaving his wife with child, and an estate in lands of copyhold. When the woman was delivered, the jury presented the child heir to its father’s lands, and accordingly the child was admitted; afterwards another Friend married the widow. After that, a man that was near of kin to her former husband, brought his action against the Friend that had last married her, endeavouring to dispossess them, and deprive the child of the inheritance, and to possess himself thereof as next heir to the woman’s first husband. To effect this, he endeavoured to prove the child illegitimate, alleging, “the marriage was not according to law.” In opening the cause, the plaintiff’s counsel used unseemly words concerning Friends, saying, “That they went together like brute beasts,” with other ill expressions. After the counsels on both sides had pleaded, the judge (viz., Judge Archer) took the matter in hand, and opened it to the jury, telling them, that “There was a marriage in Paradise when Adam took Eve, and Eve took Adam; and that it was the consent of the parties that made a marriage. As for the Quakers,” he said, “he did not know their opinions, but he did not believe they went together as brute beasts, as had been said of them, but as Christians and therefore he believed the marriage was lawful, and the child lawful heir.” And the better to satisfy the jury, he brought them a case to this purpose:—“A man that was weak of body, and kept his bed, had a desire in that condition to marry, and declared before witnesses that he took such a woman to be his wife, and the woman declared that she took that man to be her husband. This marriage was afterwards called in question; and (as the judge said) all the bishops at that time concluded it to be a lawful marriage.” Hereupon the jury gave in their verdict for the Friend’s child, against the man that would have deprived it of its inheritance.

About this time the oaths of allegiance and supremacy were tendered to Friends, as a snare, because it was known we could not swear, and thereupon many were imprisoned, and divers premunired. Upon that occasion Friends published in print “The grounds and reasons why they refused to swear;” besides which I was moved to issue these few lines, to be given to the magistrates:—

“The world saith, ‘Kiss the book;’ but the book saith, ‘Kiss the Son, lest he be angry.’ And the Son saith, ‘Swear not at all,’ but keep to Yea and Nay in all your communications; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil. Again, the world saith, ‘Lay your hand on the book,’ but the book saith, ‘Handle the word;’ and the word saith, ‘Handle not the traditions,’ nor the inventions, nor the rudiments of the world. And God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear Him,’ who is the life, the truth, the light, and the way to God.”

G. F.

Now their being very many Friends in prison in the nation, Richard Hubberthorn and I drew up paper concerning them,[73] and got it delivered to the king, that he might understand how we were dealt with by his officers. It was directed thus:—

“For the King.

“FRIEND,

“Who art the chief ruler of these dominions, here is a list of some of the sufferings of the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, that have suffered under the changeable powers before thee, by whom there have been imprisoned, and under whom there have suffered for good conscience’ sake, and for bearing testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, ‘three thousand one hundred and seventy-three persons,’ and there lie yet in prison in the name of the Commonwealth ‘seventy-three persons,’ that we know of. And there died in prison in the time of the Commonwealth, and of Oliver and Richard, the protectors, through cruel and hard imprisonments, upon nasty straw, and in dungeons, ‘thirty-two persons.’ There have been also imprisoned in thy name, since thy arrival, by such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby with thee, ‘three thousand, sixty and eight persons.’ Besides this, our meetings are daily broken up by men with clubs and arms, though we meet peaceably, according to the practice of God’s people in the primitive times, and our Friends are thrown into waters, and trod upon, till the very blood gushes out of them; the number of which abuses can hardly be uttered.

“Now this we would have of thee, to set them at liberty that lie in prison in the names of the Commonwealth, and of the two Protectors, and them that lie in thy own name, for speaking the truth, and for good conscience’ sake, who have not lifted up a hand against thee or any man; and that the meetings of our Friends, who meet peaceably together in the fear of God, to worship him, may not be broken up by rude people, with their clubs, swords, and staves. One of the greatest things that we have suffered for formerly, was, because we could not swear to the Protectors and all the changeable governments; and now we are imprisoned because we cannot take the oath of allegiance. Now, if our yea be not yea, and nay, nay, to thee, and to all men upon the earth, let us suffer as much for breaking that, as others do for breaking an oath. We have suffered these many years, both in lives and estates, under these changeable governments, because we cannot swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who commands, ‘we should not swear at all’ (Matt. v. James v.), and this we seal with our lives and estates, with our yea and nay, according to the doctrine of Christ. Hearken to these things, and so consider them in the wisdom of God, that by it such actions may be stopped; thou that hast the government and mayest do it. We desire that all that are in prison may be set at liberty, and that for the time to come they may not be imprisoned for conscience and for truth’s sake; and if thou question the innocency of their sufferings, let them and their accusers be brought up before thee, and we shall produce a more particular and full account of their sufferings if required.”

G.F. and R.H.

Footnote 73:

About this time persecution was very hot, and from estimates deduced from documents of the period, it is probable that, in 1661 or 1662, there were no less than 4,500 Friends in prison, in England and Wales, at one time, for meeting to worship God, refusing to swear, &c. And in such prisons too! They who would know what the miseries of prisoners have been in England, let them read Sewell’s History, which exhibits such a scene of savage persecution on the one hand, and firmness and patience in suffering on the other, as is not easily paralleled. Little known as these things are, it will hardly be credited now, that to such a length was hatred carried against the Quakers, that few of them, except those below the cognizance of the magistrates, were not in prison, at one time or other, for their religious faith.

The interruption of family ties, the breaking up of households, the loss to many of all means of support, were hard and cruel sufferings for conscience’ sake, but they were grievously aggravated at this period by the damp and filthy condition of the prisons, holes, and dungeons in which the sufferers were confined, as well as by their very crowded condition. And to all these circumstances of trial, must be added those of personal abuse, fines, distraints, and, it may strictly be said, of wholesale robberies they endured. Some died of the beatings which they received in the breaking up of their meetings, and many from the filthy and close state of the prisons, in some of which they were so closely packed that they had to take it by turns to stand up, whilst others sat or lay down. They were also often overrun with lice and other vermin.

I mentioned before, that in the year 1650, I was kept prisoner six months in the house of correction at Derby, and that the keeper of the prison, a cruel man, and one that had dealt very wickedly towards me, was smitten in himself, the plagues and terrors of the Lord falling upon him because thereof (p. 57.). This man, being afterwards convinced of truth, wrote me the following letter:—

“DEAR FRIEND,

“Having such a convenient messenger, I could do no less than give thee an account of my present condition, remembering, that in the first awakening of me to a sense of life, and of the inward principle, God was pleased to make use of thee as an instrument. So that sometimes I am taken with admiration that it should come by such a means as it did; that is to say, that providence should order thee to be my prisoner, to give me my first real sight of the truth. It makes me many times think of the jailer’s conversion by the apostles. O happy George Fox! that first breathed that breath of life within the walls of my habitation! Notwithstanding my outward losses are since that time such, that I am become nothing in the world, yet I hope I shall find that all these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, will work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They have taken all from me, and now, instead of keeping a prison, I am rather waiting the time when I shall become a prisoner myself. Pray for me, that my faith fail not, but that I may hold out unto death, that I may receive a crown of life. I earnestly desire to hear from thee, and of thy condition, which would very much rejoice me. Not having else at present but my kind love unto thee, and all Christian Friends with thee, in haste, I rest, thine, in Christ Jesus,

THOMAS SHARMAN.”

Derby, 22nd of 4th Month, 1662.

There were two of our friends in prison in the Inquisition at Malta, both women; Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers.[74] I was told that one called the Lord D’Aubigny [a Roman Catholic priest], could procure their liberty, so I went to him; and having informed him concerning their imprisonment, desired him to write to the magistrates there for their release. He readily promised he would; and, “if I would come again within a month, he would tell me of their discharge.” I went again about that time, and he said, “he thought his letters had miscarried, because he had received no answer.” But he promised he would write again, and he did so; and they were both set at liberty.

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Footnote 74:

Katherine Evans and Sarah Chevers suffered a dreadful confinement for about four years in the Inquisition at Malta, of which a full account has been published. A more condensed one may be seen in Select Miscellanies, v. p. 50-68.

“——These ministers of Christ did leave Their homes in England, faithfully to bear The Saviour’s message into Eastern lands; And here, at Malta, they were seized upon By bigoted intolerance, and shut Within this fearful engine of the Pope. Priests and inquisitors assail them there, And urge the claims of Popery. The rack And cruel deaths are threatened; and again Sweet liberty is offered, as the price Of their apostacy. All, all in vain! For years these tender women have been thus Victims of cruelty. At times apart, Confined in gloomy, solitary cells. But all these efforts to convert them failed; The inquisition had not power enough To shake their faith and confidence in Him, Whose holy presence anciently was seen To save his children from devouring flames; He from this furnace of affliction brought These persecuted women, who came forth Out of the burning, with no smell of fire Upon their garments, and again they trod Their native land, rejoicing.”

Some idea of the sufferings of these poor creatures may be formed from the fact of their often lying down before the crevice of their prison-door, to inhale what air could be obtained from it. In this state their skin was parched, the hair fell off their heads, and, they frequently fainted; and, in moments when the strength and glory of the Divine presence was not so feelingly experienced as at others, it cannot occasion surprise that, through human weakness, they wished for death; their distress sometimes being such, that when it was day they longed for night, and yet when night came it was only to prompt the constant sigh for returning light. Yet the heavenly content which, on the whole, was the portion of these sufferers for Christ’s sake, in this dark and cloudy day, was remarkable. One of them, in writing to her relatives in England, says, “We are witnesses that the Lord can provide a table in the wilderness, both spiritual and temporal. In all our afflictions and miseries, the Lord remembered mercy, and did not leave nor forsake us, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail; but caused the sweet drops of his mercy to distil upon us, and the brightness of his glorious countenance to shine into our hearts.”

The other of these suffering captives writes that she could not, by pen and paper, set forth the extent of the love of God to her soul, in fulfilling his gracious promises to her in the wilderness. They were indeed enabled to “sing the Lord’s song in a strange land;” and in the midst of heaviness, “their mouths were often filled with laughter, and their tongues with joy,” being strong in the faith, giving praises and glory to God.

The following, composed by them in the Inquisition, affords a view of the motives and abilities of these devoted women:—

“In prisons strong, and dungeons deep, To God alone we cry and weep; Our sorrows none can learn nor read, But those that in our path do tread. But he whose beauty shineth bright, Who turneth darkness into light, Makes cedars bow, and oaks to bend, To him that’s sent to the same end; He is a fountain pure and clear, His crystal streams run far and near To cleanse all those that come to him For to be healed of their sin: All them that patiently abide, And never swerve nor go aside, The Lord will free them out of all Bondage, captivity, and thrall.”

It was not in the Inquisition only that these women suffered, but much also in England. In 1657, Katherine Evans was stripped, and tied to a whipping-post in the market-place at Salisbury, and there whipped, for exhorting the people to repentance. Her husband, a man of property, also suffered several imprisonments, and at last died in prison for obeying our Saviour’s command, “Swear not at all.”

-----

With this great man I had much reasoning about religion, and he confessed that “Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world, with his spiritual light; that he tasted death for every man; that the grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared to all men, and that it would teach them and bring their salvation, if they obeyed it.” Then I asked him, “what would they (the Papists) do with all their relics and images, if they should own and believe in this light, and receive the grace to teach and bring their salvation?” He said, “those things were but policies, to keep people in subjection.” He was very free in discourse; I never heard a Papist confess so much as he did.

Though several about the court began to grow loving to Friends, yet persecution was very hot, and several Friends died in prison. Whereupon I gave forth a little paper concerning the grounds and rise of persecution; which was thus:—

“All the sufferings of the people of God in all ages were, because they could not join in the national religions and worships, which men had made and set up; and because they would not forsake God’s religion and his worship, which he had set up. You may see through all chronicles and histories, that the priests joined with the powers of the nation; the magistrates, soothsayers, and fortune-tellers, all united against the people of God, and imagined vain things against them in their councils. When the Jews did wickedly, they turned against Moses; and when the Jewish kings transgressed the law of God, they persecuted the prophets, as may be seen in the prophets’ writings. When Christ, the substance, came, the Jews persecuted Christ, his apostles, and disciples. And when the Jews had not power enough of themselves to persecute answerably to their wills, they got the heathen Gentiles to help them against Christ, and against his apostles and disciples, who were in the Spirit and power of Christ.”

G. F.

After I had made some stay in London, and had cleared myself of those services that at that time lay upon me there, I went into the country, having with me Alexander Parker and John Stubbs. We travelled through the country, visiting Friends’ meetings, till we came to BRISTOL. There we understood the officers were likely to come and break up the meeting. Yet on First-day we went to the meeting at Broadmead, and Alexander Parker standing up first, while he was speaking the officers came and took him away. After he was gone, I stood up, and declared the everlasting truth of the Lord God in his eternal power, which came over all; the meeting was quiet the rest of the time, and broke up peaceably. I tarried till the First-day following, visiting Friends, and being visited by them.

On First-day morning several Friends came to Edward Pyot’s house (where I lay the night before,) and used great endeavours to persuade me not to go to the meeting that day, for the magistrates, they said, had threatened to take me, and had raised the trained bands. I wished them to go to the meeting, not telling them what I intended to do; but I told Edward Pyot I intended to go, and he sent his son to show me the way from his house by the fields. As I went I met divers Friends who were coming to me to prevent my going, and did what they could to stop me. “What!” said one, “wilt thou go into the mouth of the beast?” “Wilt thou go into the mouth of the dragon?” said another. I put them by and went on. When I came to the meeting, Margaret Thomas was speaking; and when she had done, I stood up. I saw a concern and fear upon Friends for me; but the power of the Lord, in which I declared, soon struck the fear out of them; life sprang, and a glorious heavenly meeting we had. After I had cleared myself of what was upon me from the Lord to the meeting, I was moved to pray; and after that to stand up again, and tell Friends, “Now they might see there was a God in Israel that could deliver.” A very large meeting this was, and very hot; but truth was over all, the life was exalted, which carried through all, and the meeting broke up in peace. The officers and soldiers had been breaking up another meeting, which had taken up their time, so that our meeting was ended before they came. But I understood afterwards they were in a great rage, because they had missed me; for they were heard to say one to another before, “I’ll warrant we shall have him;” but the Lord prevented them.

I went from the meeting to Joan Hily’s, where many Friends came to see me, rejoicing and blessing God for our deliverance. In the evening I had a fine fresh meeting among Friends at a Friend’s house over the water, where we were much refreshed in the Lord. After this I stayed most part of that week in Bristol, and at Edward Pyot’s. Edward was brought so low and weak with an ague, that when I first came, he was looked upon as a dying man; but it pleased the Lord to raise him up again, so that before I went away, his ague left him, and he was finely well.

Having been two First-days together at the meeting at Broadmead, and feeling my spirit clear of Bristol, I went next First-day to a meeting in the country not far distant. And after the meeting, some Friends from Bristol told me, that the soldiers that day had beset the meeting house round at Bristol, and then went up, saying, “they would be sure to have me now;” but when they came, and found me not there, they were in a great rage, and kept the Friends in the meeting-house most part of the day, before they would let them go home; and queried of them, which way I was gone, and how they might send after me; “for the mayor,” they said, “would fain have spoken with me.” I had a vision of a great mastiff dog, that would have bitten me, but I put one hand above his jaws, and the other hand below, and tore his jaws in pieces. So the Lord by his power tore their power to pieces, and made way for me to escape them.

Then I passed through the country, visiting Friends in WILTSHIRE and BERKSHIRE, till I came to LONDON, having great meetings amongst Friends as I went. The Lord’s power was over all, and a blessed time it was for the spreading of his glorious truth. It was indeed his immediate hand and power that preserved me out of their hands at Bristol, and over the heads of all our persecutors; and the Lord alone is worthy of all the glory, who did uphold and preserve for his name and truth’s sake.

At London I did not stay long, being drawn in spirit to visit Friends northward, as far as LEICESTERSHIRE, John Stubbs being with me. So we travelled, having meetings amongst Friends as we went; at SKEGBY we had a great one. Thence passing on, we came to a place called BARNET-HILLS, where lived Captain Brown, a Baptist, whose wife was convinced of truth. This Captain Brown, after the act for breaking up meetings came forth, being afraid lest his wife should go to meetings, and be cast into prison, left his house at Barrow, and took one on these hills, saying, “his wife should not go to prison.” And this being a free place, many, both priests and others, got thither as well as he, But he who would neither stand to truth himself, nor suffer his wife, was, in this place where he thought to be safe, found out by the Lord, whose hand fell heavy upon him for his unfaithfulness; so that he was sorely plagued, and grievously judged in himself for flying, and drawing his wife into that private place. We went to see his wife, and being come into the house, I asked him, “how he did?” “How do I?” said he, “the plagues and vengeance of God are upon me, a runagate, a Cain as I am. God may look for a witness for me, and such as me; for if all were not more faithful than I, God would have no witness left in the earth.” In this condition he lived on bread and water, and thought it was too good for him. At length he returned again with his wife to his own house at Barrow, where he afterwards came to be convinced of God’s eternal truth, and died in it. A little before his death he said, “though he had not borne a testimony for truth in his life, he would bear a testimony in his death, and would be buried in his orchard;” and he was so. He was an example to all the flying Baptists in the time of persecution, who could not bear persecution themselves, yet persecuted us when they had power.

From Barnet-Hills we came to SWANNINGTON in LEICESTERSHIRE, where William Smith and some other Friends came to me; but they went away towards night, leaving me at a Friend’s house in Swannington. At night, as I was sitting in the hall, speaking to a widow woman and her daughter, there came one called Lord Beaumont with a company of soldiers, who, slapping their swords on the door, rushed into the house with swords and pistols in their hands, crying, “Put out the candles, and make fast the doors.” Then they seized upon the friends in the house, and asked, “if there were no more about the house?” The Friends told them, there was one man more in the hall. There were some Friends out of Derbyshire, one of whom was named Thomas Fauks; and this Lord Beaumont, after he had asked all their names, bid his man set down that man’s name Thomas Fox; but the Friend said, his name was not Fox, but Fauks. In the meantime some of the soldiers came, and brought me out of the hall to him. He asked me my name; I told him, my name was George Fox, and that I was well known by that name. “Ay,” said he, “you are known all the world over.” I said, “I was known for no hurt, but for good.” Then he put his hand into my pockets to search them, and pulled out my comb-case, and afterwards commanded one of his officers to search further for letters, as he pretended. I told him, I was no letter-carrier, and asked him, Why he came amongst a peaceable people with swords and pistols, without a constable, contrary to the king’s proclamation, and to the late act? For he could not say there was a meeting, I being only talking with a poor widow woman and her daughter. By reasoning thus with them, he came somewhat down; yet sending for the constables, he gave them charge of us, and to bring us before him next morning. Accordingly the constables set a watch of the town’s-people upon us that night, and had us next morning to his house, about a mile from Swannington.

When we came before him, he told us “we met contrary to the act.” I desired him to show us the act. “Why,” says he, “you have it in your pocket.” I told him, he did not find us in a meeting. Then he asked us, “whether we would take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy?” I told him, I never took any oath in my life, nor engagement, nor covenant. Yet still he would force the oath upon us. I desired him to show us the oath, that we might see whether we were the persons it was to be tendered to, and whether it was not for the discovery of Popish recusants. At length he brought a little book; but we called for the statute-book. He would not show us that, but caused a mittimus to be made, which mentioned, “that we were to have had a meeting.” With this he delivered us to the constables to convey us to Leicester jail. But when they had brought us back to Swannington, being harvest time, it was hard to get anybody to go with us; for the people were loath to go with their neighbours to prison, especially in such a busy time. They would have given us our mittimus, to carry it ourselves to the jail; for it had been usual for constables to give Friends their own mittimuses (for they durst trust Friends,) and they have gone themselves with them to the jailer. But we told them, though our Friends had sometimes done so, yet we would not take this mittimus, but some of them should go with us to the jail. At last they hired a poor labouring man to go with us, who was loath to go, though hired. So we rode to LEICESTER, being five in number; some carried their Bibles open in their hands, declaring the truth to the people, as we rode, in the fields, and through the towns, and telling them, “we were prisoners of the Lord Jesus Christ, going to suffer bonds for his name and truth’s sake.” One woman Friend carried her wheel on her lap to spin on in prison; and the people were mightily affected.

At Leicester we went to an inn. The master of the house seemed troubled that we should go to the prison; and being himself in commission, he sent for lawyers in the town to advise with, and would have taken up the mittimus, and kept us in his own house, and not have let us go into the jail. But I told Friends, it would be a great charge to lie at an inn; and many Friends and people would be coming to visit us, and it might he hard for him to bear our having meetings in his house besides, we had many Friends in the prison already, and we had rather be with them. So we let the man know that we were sensible of his kindness, and to prison we went: the poor man that brought us thither, delivering both the mittimus and us to the jailer. This jailer had been a very wicked, cruel man. Six or seven Friends being in prison before we came, he had taken some occasion to quarrel with them, and thrust them into the dungeon amongst the felons, where there was hardly room for them to lie down. We stayed all that day in the prison-yard, and desired the jailer to let us have some straw. He surlily answered, “you do not look like men that would lie on straw.” After a while, William Smith, a Friend, came to me, and he being acquainted in the house, I asked him, “what rooms there were in it, and what rooms Friends had usually been put into, before they were put into the dungeon?” I asked him also, Whether the jailer or his wife was master? He said, The wife was master; and though she was lame, and sat mostly in her chair, being only able to go on crutches, yet she would beat her husband when he came within her reach, if he did not do as she would have him. I considered, probably, many Friends might come to visit us, and that if we had a room to ourselves, it would be better for them to speak to me, and me to them, as there should be occasion. Wherefore I desired William Smith to go speak with the woman, and acquaint her, if she would let us have a room, suffer our Friends to come out of the dungeon, and leave it to us to give her what we would, it might be better for her. He went, and after some reasoning with her, she consented; and we were had into a room. Then we were told, that the jailer would not suffer us to have any drink out of the town into the prison, but that what beer we drank, we must take of him. I told them I would remedy that, for we would get a pail of water and a little wormwood once a day, and that might serve us; so we should have none of his beer, and the water he could not deny us.

Before we came, when the few Friends that were prisoners there, met together on First-days, if any of them was moved to pray to the Lord, the jailer would come up with his quarter-staff in his hand, and his mastiff dog at his heels, and pluck them down by the hair of the head, and strike them with his staff; but when he struck Friends, the mastiff dog, instead of falling upon them, would take the staff out of his hand. When the First-day came, I spoke to one of my fellow prisoners, to carry a stool and set it in the yard, and give notice to the debtors and felons, that there would be a meeting in the yard, and they that would hear the word of the Lord declared might come thither. So the debtors and prisoners gathered in the yard, and we went down, and had a very precious meeting, the jailer not meddling. Thus every First-day we had a meeting as long as we stayed in prison; and several came in out of the town and country. Many were convinced, and some received the Lord’s truth there, who have stood faithful witnesses for it ever since.

When the sessions came, we were brought before the justices, with many more Friends sent to prison whilst we were there, to the number of about twenty. Being brought into the court, the jailer put us into the place where the thieves were put, and then some of the justices began to tender the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to us. I told them, I never took any oath in my life, and they knew we could not swear, because Christ and his apostle forbade it; therefore they put it but as a snare to us. We told them, if they could prove, that after Christ and the apostle had forbid swearing, they did ever command Christians to swear, then we would take these oaths; otherwise we were resolved to obey Christ’s command and the apostle’s exhortation. They said, “we must take the oath, that we might manifest our allegiance to the king.” I told them, I had been formerly sent up a prisoner by Colonel Hacker, from that town to London, under pretence that I held meetings to plot to bring in King Charles. I also desired them to read our mittimus, which set forth the cause of our commitment to be, that “we were to have had a meeting;” and I said, Lord Beaumont could not by that act send us to jail, unless we had been taken at a meeting, and found to be such persons as the act speaks of; therefore we desired they would read the mittimus, and see how wrongfully we were imprisoned. They would not take notice of the mittimus, but called a jury, and indicted us for refusing to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. When the jury was sworn and instructed, as they were going out, one that had been an alderman of the city, spoke to them, and bid them, “have a good conscience;” and one of the jury, being a peevish man, told the justices, there was one affronted the jury; whereupon they called him up, and tendered him the oath also, and he took it.

While we were standing where the thieves used to stand, a cut-purse had his hand in several Friends’ pockets. Friends declared it to the justices, and showed them the man. They called him up before them, and upon examination he could not deny it; yet they set him at liberty.[75]

Footnote 75:

Cases similar to the above are not rare in the early history of the Society; even thieves being allowed to escape, whilst the party robbed, being unwilling to swear to the known fact, have been made to suffer. In 1660, the following occurrence took place at Reading assizes:—Henry Hodges, a poor smith, lost three cows, which were found in the possession of the thief who stole them, he was brought to trial, and Hodges appeared to claim his cows. The judge told him they must be proved on oath before he could have them again. He replied that he could not swear for conscience sake. The judge said if any of his neighbours would swear they were his, they should be returned to him; upon which one of his neighbours took his oath, and the judge promised that they should be returned. Thus far, the proceedings appeared just and equal, but many thought the judge too rigorous, when, having observed the sincerity and tenderness of the poor man’s conscience, who could not swear in a case of his own property, he caused the oath of allegiance to be tendered him in court; and, for his refusing to take it, sent him to jail.—(Besse.)

It was not long before the jury returned, and brought us in guilty; and then, after some words the justices whispered together, and bid the jailer take us down to prison again; but the Lord’s power was over them and his everlasting truth, which we declared boldly amongst them. There being a great concourse of people, most of them followed us; so that the cryer and bailiffs were fain to call the people back again to the court. We declared the truth as we went down the streets all along till we came to the jail, the streets being full of people. When we were in our chamber again, after some time the jailer came to us, and desired all to go forth that were not prisoners. When they were gone, he said, “Gentlemen, it is the court’s pleasure that ye all should be set at liberty, except those that are in for tithes; and you know, there are fees due to me; but I shall leave it to you to give to me what you will.”

Thus we were all set at liberty suddenly, and passed everyone into his service. Leonard Fell stayed with me, and we two went again to SWANNINGTON. I had a letter from Lord Hastings, who hearing of my imprisonment, had written from London to the justices of the sessions to set me at liberty. I had not delivered this letter to the justices, but whether they had any knowledge of his mind from any other hand, which made them discharge us so suddenly, I know not. But this letter I carried to Lord Beaumont who had sent us to prison; and when he had broken it open and read it, he seemed much troubled; but at last came a little lower; yet threatened us, if we had any more meetings at Swannington, he would break them up and send us to prison again. But notwithstanding his threats we went to Swannington, and had a meeting with Friends there, and he neither came, nor sent to break it up.

From Swannington we went to TWY-CROSS, where that great man formerly mentioned, whom the Lord God raised up from his sickness, in the year 1649 (and whose serving-man came at me with a drawn sword to do me a mischief,) and his wife came to see me. Thence we travelled through WARWICKSHIRE, where we had brave meetings; and into NORTHAMPTONSHIRE and BEDFORDSHIRE, visiting Friends till we came to LONDON.

I stayed not long in London, but went into ESSEX, and so into NORFOLK, having great meetings. At NORWICH, when I came to Captain Lawrence’s,[76] there was a great threatening of disturbance; but the meeting was quiet. Passing thence to SUTTON, and so into CAMBRIDGESHIRE, I heard of Edward Burrough’s decease. And being sensible how great a grief and exercise it would be to Friends to part with him, I wrote the following lines for the staying and settling of their minds;—

“FRIENDS,

“Be still and quiet in your own conditions, and settle in the Seed of God that doth not change, that in that ye may feel dear E.B. among you in the Seed, in which and by which he begat you to God, with whom he is; and that in the Seed ye may all see and feel him, in which is the unity with him in the life: and so enjoy him in the life that doth not change, which is invisible.”

G.F.

Footnote 76:

This Captain Lawrence, who has been mentioned before, was a man of some note in the days of the Commonwealth. After he joined Friends, he became a faithful sufferer for Christ. In 1660, with his brother, Joseph Lawrence, and George Whitehead, he was imprisoned in Norwich castle, in a small narrow cell called the Vice, where they endured much hardship. In speaking of this imprisonment, George Whitehead says, “I remember one morning, Joseph Lawrence, after his pleasant manner, said to his brother John, ‘O, Captain Lawrence, I have seen the day thou wouldst not have lain there!’”

Thence I passed to LITTLE PORT and the ISLE OF ELY; where the ex-mayor with his wife, and the wife of the then mayor of Cambridge, came to the meeting. Travelling into LINCOLNSHIRE and HUNTINGDONSHIRE, I came to Thomas Parnell’s, where the mayor of Huntingdon came to see me, and was very loving. Thence I came into the FEN-COUNTY, where we had large and quiet meetings. While I was in that country, there came so great a flood that it was dangerous to go out, yet we did get out, and went to LYNN, where we had a blessed meeting.

Next morning I went to visit some prisoners there; and then back to the inn, and took horse. As I was riding out of the yard, the officers came to search the inn for me. I knew nothing of it then, only I felt a great burden come upon me as I rode out of the town, till without the gates. When some Friends that came after, overtook me, they told me, that the officers had been searching for me in the inn, as soon as I was gone out of the yard. So by the good hand of the Lord, I escaped their cruel hands. After this we passed through the countries, visiting Friends in their meetings.

The Lord’s power carried us over persecuting spirits, and through many dangers; his truth spread and grew, and Friends were established therein; praises and glory to his name for ever.

VOLUME II

JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX.

VOL. 2.

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Vol. II, Chapter I (1663-1666)

CHAPTER 1.

1663-1666.—George Fox visits London—taken up at Tenterden and examined by the magistrates, but liberated—travels to the S. W. of England—precious meetings in Wales—at Derwentwater meets with an old woman whose husband was aged 122 years—apprehended and taken before the magistrates at Holker Hall, but liberated on his parole to appear at the sessions—appears accordingly, and is committed to Lancaster jail—many poor friends imprisoned there at the same time, whose families become chargeable in consequence—one of them (Oliver Atherton) dies in jail, where he was immured by the Countess of Derby for tithes—George Fox has the oath tendered him at the assizes, and is re-committed—Margaret Fell is also imprisoned there—the prisoners in Lancaster jail to Justice Fleming—a brief warning to the same by George Fox—George Fox disputes with Major Wiggan (who was also a prisoner), and confutes him—writes to the judges against giving nicknames—writes a warning to all high professors—also a warning against the spirit of John Perrot—at the assizes he points out many fatal errors in his indictment, and it is quashed in consequence, but the judge ensnares him with the oath, and he is again remanded to prison—suffers much from the badness of the prison—at the next assizes he again points out fatal errors in his indictment, and is immediately hurried away to jail, and sentence is passed on him in his absence—a testimony against tithes—he is removed to Scarbro’ Castle—has several conferences and disputes with divers persons there—writes to the king respecting his imprisonment, and is set at liberty—copy of his discharge and passport—the day after George Fox’s liberation the great fire broke out in London, a vision of which he had in Lancaster Castle—the hand of the Lord turned against persecutors.

Having passed through NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, ESSEX, and HERTFORDSHIRE, we came to LONDON again; where I stayed awhile, visiting Friends in their meetings, which were very large, and the Lord’s power was over all. After some time I left the city again, and travelled into KENT, having Thomas Briggs with me. We went to ASHFORD where we had a quiet, and a very blessed meeting; and on First-day we had a very good and peaceable one at CRANBROOK. Then we went to TENTERDEN, and had a meeting there, to which many Friends came from several parts, and many other people came in, and were reached by the truth. When the meeting was over, I walked with Thomas Briggs into a field, while our horses were got ready; and turning my head, I espied a captain coming, and a great company of soldiers with lighted matches and muskets. Some of them came to us, and said, “We must go to their captain.” When they had brought us before him, he asked, “Where is George Fox? which is he?” I said, “I am the man.” Then he came to me and was somewhat struck, and said, “I will secure you among the soldiers.” So he called for them to take me. He took Thomas Briggs, and the man of the house with many more; but the power of the Lord was mightily over them all. Then he came to me again, and said, “I must go along with him to the town;” and he carried himself pretty civilly, bidding the soldiers bring the rest after. As we walked, I asked him, “Why they did thus;” for I had not seen so much ado a great while, and I bid him be civil to his peaceable neighbours.

When we were come to the town, they had us to an inn that was the jailer’s house; and after a while the mayor of the town, and this captain, and the lieutenant, who were justices, came together and examined me, “why I came thither to make a disturbance?” I told them, I did not come to make a disturbance, neither had I made any since I came. They said, “there was a law against the Quakers’ meetings, made only against them.” I told them, I knew no such law. Then they brought forth the act that was made against Quakers and others. I told them, that was against such as were a terror to the king’s subjects, and were enemies, and held principles dangerous to the government, and therefore that was not against us, for we held truth; and our principles were not dangerous to the government, and our meetings were peaceable, as they knew, who knew their neighbours were a peaceable people. They told me, “I was an enemy to the king.” I answered, We loved all people and were enemies to none; that I, for my own part, had been cast into Derby dungeon, about the time of Worcester fight, because I would not take up arms against him, and that I was afterwards brought by Colonel Hacker to London, as a plotter to bring in King Charles, and was kept prisoner there till set at liberty by Oliver. They asked me, “whether I was imprisoned in the time of the insurrection?” I said, yes; I had been imprisoned then, and since that also, and had been set at liberty by the king’s own command. I opened the act to them, and showed them the king’s late declaration; gave them the examples of other justices, and told them also what the House of Lords had said of it. I spoke also to them concerning their own conditions, exhorting them to live in the fear of God, to be tender towards their neighbours that feared him, and to mind God’s wisdom, by which all things were made and created, that they might come to receive it, be ordered by it, and by it order all things to God’s glory. They demanded bond of us for our appearance at the sessions; but we, pleading our innocency, refused to give bond. Then they would have us promise to come no more there; but we kept clear of that also. When they saw they could not bring us to their terms, they told us, “we should see they were civil to us, for it was the mayor’s pleasure we should all be set at liberty.” I told them their civility was noble, and so we parted.

Then leaving Tenterden we went to NEWICK in SUSSEX, where we visited some Friends. Thence we passed through the country, visiting Friends, and having great meetings; all quiet and free from disturbance, except by some jangling Baptists, till we came into HAMPSHIRE. After a good meeting at SOUTHAMPTON, we went to POUNER, in the parish of Ringwood, where was a monthly meeting next day, to which many Friends came from Southampton, Poole, and other places; and the weather being very hot, some of them came pretty early in the morning. I took a friend and walked out with him into the orchard, inquiring of him how the affairs of truth stood amongst them; (for many of them had been convinced by me, before I was a prisoner in Cornwall.) While we were conversing, a young man came and told us the trained bands were raising, and he heard they would come and break up the meeting. It was not yet meeting-time for about three hours, and there being other Friends walking in the orchard, the Friend that I was discoursing with before, desired me to walk into a corn-field adjoining it, which we did. After a while the young man that spoke of the trained bands left us, and when he was gone some distance, he stood and waved his hat. Whereupon I spoke to the other young man that was with me, to go and see what he meant. He went, but did not return; for the soldiers were come into the orchard. As I kept walking I could see the soldiers, and some of them, as I heard afterwards, saw me, but had no mind to meddle. Coming so long before the meeting-time, they did not tarry; but took what Friends they found at the house, and some whom they met in the lane coming, and led them away. After they were gone, it drew towards eleven, Friends began to come in apace, and a large and glorious meeting we had; for the everlasting Seed of God was set over all, and the people were settled in the new covenant of life, upon the foundation, Christ Jesus.

Towards the latter part of the meeting, there came a man in gay apparel, and looked in while I was declaring, and went away again presently. This man came with an evil intent; for he went forthwith to Ringwood, and told the magistrates “they had taken two or three men at Pouner, and had left George Fox there preaching to two or three hundred people.” Upon this the magistrates sent the officers and soldiers again; but the meeting being nearly ended when the man looked in, and he having about a mile and a half to go with his information, to fetch the soldiers, and they as far to come, after they had received their orders, before they came our meeting was over; ending about three o’clock peaceably and orderly. After the meeting I spoke to the Friends of the house where it was held (the hostess lying then dead in the house,) and then some Friends conducted me to another Friend’s at a little distance; where, after we had refreshed ourselves, I took horse, having about twenty miles to ride that afternoon to one —— Fry’s house in WILTSHIRE, where a meeting was appointed for the next day.

After we were gone, the officers and soldiers came in a great heat, and when they found they were too late, and had missed their prey, they were much enraged; and the officers were offended with the soldiers, because they had not seized my horse in the stable the first time they came. But the Lord, by his good providence, delivered me, and prevented their mischievous design. For the officers were envious men, and had an evil mind against Friends; but the Lord brought his judgments upon them, so that it was taken notice of by their neighbours. For “whereas before they were wealthy men, after this their estates wasted away; and John Line, the constable, who was not only very forward in putting on the soldiers to take Friends, but also carried those that were taken to prison, and took a false oath against them at the assize, upon which they were fined and continued prisoners, was a sad spectacle to behold. For his flesh rotting away while he lived, he died in a very miserable condition, wishing he had never meddled with the Quakers, and confessing that he had never prospered since he had had a hand in persecuting them; and that he thought the hand of the Lord was against him for it.”

At —— Fry’s in Wiltshire, we had a very blessed meeting, and quiet, though the officers had purposed to break it up, and were on their way in order thereunto. But before they got to it, word was brought them, that there was a house just broken up by thieves, and they were required to go back again with speed, to search after and pursue them; by which means, our meeting escaped disturbance, and we were preserved out of their hands.

We passed through Wiltshire into DORSETSHIRE, having large and good meetings. The Lord’s everlasting power was with us, and carried us over all; in which we sounded forth his saving truth and word of life, which many gladly received. Thus we visited Friends, till we came to TOPSHAM in DEVONSHIRE, travelling some weeks eight or nine score miles a week, and had meetings every day. At Topsham we met with Margaret Fell and two of her daughters, Sarah and Mary, and with Leonard Fell and Thomas Salthouse.[1] Thence we passed to TOTNESS, where we visited some Friends, then to KINGSBRIDGE, and to Henry Pollexfen’s, who had been an ancient justice of peace. There we had a large meeting. This old Justice accompanied us to PLYMOUTH, and into CORNWALL to Justice Porter’s, and thence to Thomas Mount’s, where we had another large meeting. After which we went to Humphrey Lower’s, where also we had a large meeting, and thence to Loveday Hambley’s, where we had a general meeting for the whole country; and all was quiet.

A little before this, Joseph Hellen and G. Bewley, had been at Loo to visit Blanch Pope, a Ranting woman, under pretence to convince and convert her; but before they left her, she had so darkened them with her principles, that they seemed to be like her disciples, especially Joseph Hellen; for she had asked them, “who made the devil; did not God?” This idle question so puzzled them, that they could not answer her. They afterwards asked me that question. I told them, no; for all that God made was good and was blessed; so was not the devil. He was called a serpent before he was called a devil and an adversary, and then he had the title of devil given to him. Afterwards he was called a dragon, because he was a destroyer. The devil abode not in the truth, and by departing from the truth, he became a devil. So the Jews, when they went out of the truth, were said to be of the devil, and were called serpents. Now there is no promise of God to the devil, that ever he shall return to truth again; but to man and woman, who have been deceived by him, the promise of God is, that “the Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head,”—shall break his power and strength to pieces. Now when these things were opened more at large to the satisfaction of Friends, those two who had yielded to the spirit of that ranting woman, were judged by the truth; and one of them, Joseph Hellen, ran quite out, and was disowned by Friends; but George Bewley was recovered, and afterwards became serviceable.

We passed from Loveday Hambley’s to Francis Hodges’s, near FALMOUTH and PENRYN, where we had a large meeting. Thence we went to HELSTONE that night, where some Friends came to visit us; and next day passed to Thomas Teage’s, where we had another large meeting, at which many were convinced. I was led to open “the state of the church in the primitive times, the state of the church in the wilderness, and the state of the false church that was got up since, and to show that now the everlasting gospel was preached again over the head of the whore, beast, false prophets, and antichrists, which had got up since the apostles’ days; and now the everlasting gospel was received and receiving, which brought life and immortality to light, that they might see over the devil that had darkened them.” The people received the gospel and the word of life gladly, and a glorious blessed meeting we had for the exalting of the Lord’s everlasting truth and his name. After the meeting was over I walked out, and as I was coming in again I heard a noise in the court, and coming nearer, I found the man of the house speaking to the tinners and others, and telling them, “it was the everlasting truth that had been declared there that day;” and the people generally confessed to it.

From thence we passed to the LAND’S END, to John Ellis’s, where we had a precious meeting. Here was a fisherman, one Nicholas Jose, that was convinced. He spoke in meetings, and declared the truth amongst the people, and the Lord’s power was over all. I was glad that the Lord had raised up his standard in those dark parts of the nation, where there is since a fine meeting of honest-hearted Friends; many are come to sit under Christ’s teaching; and a great people the Lord will have in that country.

Thence we returned to REDRUTH, and next day to TRURO, where we had a meeting. Next morning, some of the chief of the town desired to speak with me, amongst whom was Colonel Rouse. I went and had much discourse with them concerning the things of God. In their reasoning, they said, “the gospel was the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John;” and they called it natural. I told them, “the gospel was the power of God, which was preached before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, or any of them were printed or written; and it was preached to every creature (of which a great part might never see or hear of those four books,) so that every creature was to obey the power of God; for Christ, the spiritual man, would judge the world according to the gospel, that is, according to his invisible power.” When they heard this, they could not gainsay; for the truth came over them. I directed them to their teacher, the Grace of God, and showed them the sufficiency of it, which would teach them how to live, and what to deny; and being obeyed, would bring them salvation. So to that grace I recommended them, and left them.

Then we returned through the country, visiting Friends, and had meetings at Humphrey Lower’s again, and at Thomas Mount’s. Afterwards at George Hawkins’s, at STOKE, we had a large meeting, to which Friends came from Launceston and several other places. A living, precious meeting it was, in which the Lord’s presence and power was richly manifested amongst us; and I left Friends there under the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching.

In Cornwall I was informed there was one Colonel Robinson, a very wicked man, who, after the king came in, was made a justice of peace, and became a cruel persecutor of Friends, of whom he sent many to prison. Hearing that they had some little liberty, through the favour of the jailer, to come home sometimes to visit their wives and children, he made great complaint thereof to the judge at the assize against the jailer; whereupon the jailer was fined a hundred marks, and Friends were kept very strictly up for a while. After he was come home from the assize, he sent to a neighbouring justice, to desire him to go to a fanatic-hunting with him. On the day that he intended, and was prepared to go, he sent his man about with his horses, and walked himself on foot from his dwelling-house to a tenement, where his cows and dairy were kept, and where his servants were then milking. When he came there he asked for his bull. The maid-servants said, they had shut him into the field, because he was unruly against the kine, and hindered their milking. Then he went into the field to the bull, and having formerly accustomed himself to play with him, he began to fence at him with his staff. But the bull snuffed at him, and passed a little back; then turning upon him again, ran fiercely at him and struck his horn into his thigh, and heaving him upon his horn, threw him over his back, and tore up his thigh to his belly. When he came to the ground again he gored him with his horns, run them into the ground in his rage and violence, roared, and licked up his master’s blood. The maid-servant, hearing her master cry out, ran into the field, and took the bull by the horns to pull him off from her master. The bull, without hurting her, put her gently by with his horns, but still fell to goring him and licking up his blood. Then she ran and got some men, that were at work not far off, to come and rescue her master; but they could not at all beat off the bull, till they brought mastiff dogs to set on him; and then he fled in great rage and fury. Upon hearing of it his sister came, and said to him, “Alack! brother, what a heavy judgment is this that has befallen you!” He answered, “Ah! sister, it is a heavy judgment indeed. Pray let the bull be killed, and the flesh given to the poor,” said he. They carried him home, but he died soon after. The bull was grown so fierce that they were forced to shoot him; for no man durst come near to kill him. Thus does the Lord sometimes make some examples of his just judgment upon the persecutors of his people, that others may fear, and learn to beware.

After I had cleared myself of Cornwall, and Thomas Lower had brought us over Horsebridge into DEVONSHIRE again, we took our leave of him. Thomas Briggs, Robert Widders, and I, came to TIVERTON; and it being their fair, and many Friends there, we had a meeting amongst them. The magistrates gathered in the street, but the Lord’s power stopped them. I saw them in the street over against the door, but they had not power to come in to meddle with us, though they had will enough to do it.

After the meeting we passed to COLLUMPTON and WELLINGTON, for we had appointed a meeting five miles off, where we had a large one at a butcher’s house, and a blessed meeting it was. The people were directed to their Teacher, the Grace of God, which would bring them salvation, and many were settled under its teaching. The Lord’s presence was amongst us, and we were refreshed in him, in whom we laboured and travailed; and the meeting was quiet. There had been very great persecution in that country and town a little before, insomuch that some Friends questioned the peaceableness of our meeting; but the Lord’s power chained all, and his glory shone over all. Friends told us how they had broken up their meetings by warrants from the justices, and how by their warrants they were required to carry Friends before the justices; and Friends bid them “carry them then.” The officers told Friends, “they must go:” but Friends said, nay; that was not according to their warrants, which required them to carry them. Then they were forced to hire carts, and waggons, and horses, and to lift Friends into their waggons and carts, to carry them before a justice. When they came to a justice’s house, sometimes he happened to be from home, and if he were a moderate man, he would get out of the way, and then they were obliged to carry them before another, so that they were many days carting and carrying friends up and down from place to place. And when afterwards the officers came to lay their charges for this upon the town, the town’s-people would not pay it, but made them bear it themselves; which broke the neck of their persecution there for that time. The like was done in several other places, till the officers had shamed and tired themselves, and then they were glad to give over.

At one place they warned Friends to come to the steeple-house. Friends met to consider of it, and finding freedom to go to the steeple-house, they met together there. Accordingly when they came thither, they sat down to wait upon the Lord in his power and Spirit, and minded the Lord Jesus Christ, their Teacher and Saviour; but did not mind the priest. When the officers saw that, they came to them to put them out of the steeple-house again; but the Friends told them, it was not time for them to break up their meeting yet. A while after, when the priest had done, they came to the Friends again, and would have had them go home to dinner; but the Friends told them, they did not choose to go to dinner, they were feeding upon the bread of life. So there they sat, waiting upon the Lord, and enjoying his power and presence, till they found freedom in themselves to depart. Thus the priest’s people were offended, because they could not get them to the steeple-house: and when there, they were offended, because they could not get them out again.

From the meeting near Collumpton we went to TAUNTON, where we had a large meeting. The next day we came to a general meeting in Somersetshire, which was very large; and the Lord’s everlasting word of life and truth was largely declared. The people were refreshed thereby, and settled upon Christ, their Rock and Foundation, and brought to sit under his teaching; the meeting was peaceable. But about the second hour of the night there came a company of men who knocked at the door, and bid us open it, or they would break it open; for they wanted a man that they came to search the house for. I heard the noise, and got up, and at the window saw a man at the door with his sword by his side. When they had let him in, he came into the chamber where I was, and looked on me, and said, “You are not the man I look for:” and went his way.

We came thence to STREET, and to William Beaton’s, at PUDDIMORE, where we had a very large general meeting, wherein the Lord’s everlasting truth was declared, the people refreshed, and all quiet. Thence we went to John Dander’s, where we had another large and very precious meeting; and then passed on to BRISTOL, where we had good service for the Lord, and all quiet. Here we met with Margaret Fell and her daughters again. After some time we went to SLAUGHTERFORD in WILTSHIRE, where was a very large meeting in a great barn. Good service we had there: for the truth, as it is in Jesus, was published amongst them, and many were gathered by it into the name of the Lord.

After this I passed into GLOUCESTERSHIRE and HEREFORDSHIRE, having large meetings in each. In HEREFORD I had a meeting in the inn. When I was gone, the magistrates, hearing there had been a meeting, came to search the inn for me, and were vexed that they had missed me. But the Lord so ordered it, that I escaped their hands; and Friends were established upon Christ, their Foundation, the Rock of Ages.

Then I went into RADNORSHIRE, in WALES, and had several precious meetings there. The Lord’s name and standard was set up, and many were gathered to it, and settled under the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour, who bought them.

After I was clear of Wales, I came to a market-town between England and Wales, where there was a great fair that day; and several Friends being at the fair, we went to an inn, and they came to us. After we had had a fine opportunity with Friends, we parted from them, and went on our way. The officers of the town took notice, it seems, of our being there, and of Friends gathering to us. They began also to meet together to consult among themselves how to ensnare us, though it was the fair time; but before they could do anything we were gone on our journey, and so escaped them.

Thence we came into SHROPSHIRE, where we had a large and precious meeting. After many meetings in those parts we came into WARWICKSHIRE, and visited Friends there, and so into DERBYSHIRE and STAFFORDSHIRE, visiting Friends’ meetings as we went. At WHITEHAUGH we had a large, blessed meeting, and quiet; after which we rode about twenty miles that night to Captain Lingard’s. We heard afterwards that when we were gone, the officers came to seize us, and were much disturbed that they missed us; but the Lord disappointed them, and Friends were joyful in the Lord that we escaped them.

At Captain Lingard’s we had a blessed meeting, the Lord’s presence being wonderfully amongst us. After this we passed through the PEAK-COUNTRY in DERBYSHIRE, and went to SYNDERHILL-GREEN,[2] where we had a large meeting. Here John Whitehead[3] and several other Friends came to me. Then I passed through the country, visiting Friends, till I come to the farther end of HOLDERNESS, and so passed by SCARBRO’, WHITBY, and MALTON, to YORK, having many meetings in the way; and the Lord’s everlasting power was over all.

We went from York to BOROUGHBRIDGE, where I had a glorious meeting. Thence we passed into Durham to one Richmond’s, where there was a general meeting; and the Lord’s power was over all, though people were grown exceedingly rude about this time. After the meeting we went to Henry Draper’s, where we stayed all night. Next morning a Friend came to me, as I was passing away, and told me, “if the priests and justices (for many priests were made justices in that country at that time) could find me, they would destroy me.”

Being clear of Durham, I went over STAINMOOR into YORKSHIRE, and to SEDBERGH, where having visited Friends, I went into WESTMORLAND, visiting Friends there also. Thence I passed into LANCASHIRE and came to SWARTHMORE. Here I stayed but a little while before I went over the Sands to ARNSIDE, where I had a general meeting. After it was ended, there came some men to break it up; but understanding before they arrived that the meeting was over, they turned back. I went to Robert Widders’s, and thence to UNDERBARROW, where I had a glorious meeting, and the Lord’s power was over all. Thence I passed to GRAYRIGG, and having visited Friends there, I went to Ann Audland’s, where they would have had me to stay their meeting next day; but I felt a stop in my spirit. It was upon me to go to John Blakelin’s in SEDBERGH, and to be next day at the meeting there; which is large, and a precious people there is. We had a very good meeting next day at Sedbergh; but the constables went to the meeting at Ann Audland’s, to look for me. Thus by the good hand and disposing Providence of the Lord, I escaped their snare.

I went from John Blakelin’s with Leonard Fell to STRICKLAND HEAD, where on First-day we had a very precious meeting on the common. That night we stayed amongst Friends there, and next day passed into NORTHUMBERLAND. After the justices had heard of this meeting at Strickland-Head, they made search for me; but by the good hand of the Lord, I escaped them again, though there were some very wicked justices. We went to Hugh Hutchinson’s house in NORTHUMBERLAND, a Friend in the ministry, whence we visited Friends thereabouts, and then went to DERWENTWATER, where we had a very glorious meeting. There came an ancient woman to me, and told me her husband remembered his love to me; she said, I might call him to mind by this token, that I used to call him “the Tall White Old Man.” She said, he was six score and two years old, and that he would have come to the meeting, but his horses were all employed upon some urgent occasion. I heard he lived some years after.

When I had visited Friends in those parts, and they were settled upon Christ, their Foundation, I passed through NORTHUMBERLAND, and came to old Thomas Bewley’s in CUMBERLAND. Friends came about me, and asked, “would I come there to go into prison?” For there was great persecution in that country at that time; yet I had a general meeting at Thomas Bewley’s, which was large and precious, and the Lord’s power was over all.

One Musgrave was at that time deputy-governor of Carlisle. Passing along the country, I came to a man’s house that had been convinced, whose name was Fletcher; and he told me, “if Musgrave knew I was there, he would be sure to send me to prison, he was such a severe man.” But I stayed not there, only calling on the way to see this man; and then I went to William Pearson’s, near WIGTON, where the meeting was, which was very large and precious. Some Friends were then prisoners at Carlisle, whom I visited by a letter, which Leonard Fell carried. From William Pearson’s I visited Friends, till I came to PARDSHAW-CRAG, where we had a general meeting, which was large; all was quiet and peaceable, and the glorious, powerful presence of the everlasting God was with us.

So eager were the magistrates about this time to stir up persecution in those parts, that some offered five shillings, and some a noble a day, to any that could apprehend the speakers amongst the Quakers; but it being now the time of the quarter Sessions in that county, the men who were so hired were gone to the sessions to get their wages, and so all our meetings were at that time quiet.

From Pardshaw-Crag we went into WESTMORLAND, calling on the way upon Hugh Tickell[4], near KESWICK, and upon Thomas Laythes, where Friends came to visit us; and we had a fine opportunity to be refreshed together. We went that night to Francis Benson’s, in Westmorland, near Justice Fleming’s house. This Justice Fleming was at that time in a great rage against Friends, and me in particular; insomuch that in the open sessions at Kendal just before, he had bid five pounds to any man that should take me, as Francis Benson told me. And it seems, as I went to this Friend’s house, I met one man coming from the sessions that had this five pounds offered him to take me, and he knew me; for as I passed by him, he said to his companion, that is George Fox; yet he had not power to touch me, for the Lord’s power preserved me over them all. The justices being so eager to have me, and I being so often near them, and yet they missing me, tormented them the more.

I went thence to James Taylor’s at CARTMEL, where I stayed First-day, and had a precious meeting; and after it I came over the Sands to SWARTHMORE.

When I came there, they told me, Colonel Kirby had sent his lieutenant thither to take me, and that he had searched trunks and chests for me. That night as I was in bed, I was moved of the Lord to go next day to KIRBY-HALL, which was Colonel Kirby’s house, about five miles off, to speak with him, and I did so. When I came thither, I found the Flemings, and several others of the gentry (so called) of the country, come to take their leave of Colonel Kirby, he being about to go up to London to the parliament. I was shown into the parlour amongst them; but Colonel Kirby was not then within, being gone out; so they said little to me, nor I much to them. But presently he came in, and I told him, that understanding he was desirous to see me, “I came to visit him, to know what he had to say to me, and whether he had anything against me.” He said, before all the company, “As he was a gentleman, he had nothing against me. But,” said he, “Mistress Fell must not keep great meetings at her house, for they meet contrary to the act.” I told him, “that act did not take hold on us, but on such as met to plot and contrive, and to raise insurrections against the king, whereas we were no such people; for he knew that they that met at Margaret Fell’s house were his neighbours, and a peaceable people.” After many words had passed, he shook me by the hand, and said again, “he had nothing against me;” and others of them said, I was a deserving man. So we parted, and I returned to SWARTHMORE.

Shortly after, when Colonel Kirby was gone to London, there was a private meeting of the justices and deputy-lieutenants at Holker-Hall, where Justice Preston lived; and there they granted a warrant to apprehend me. I heard over-night both of their meeting and of the warrant, and so could have escaped out of their reach if I would; for I had not appointed any meeting at that time, and I had cleared myself of the north, and the Lord’s power was over all. But I considered, there being a noise of a plot in the north, if I should go away, they might fall upon Friends; but if I gave up myself to be taken, it might stop them, and the Friends should escape the better. So I gave up to be taken, and prepared myself against they came.

Next day an officer came with sword and pistols to take me. I told him, “I knew his errand before, and had given up myself to be taken; for if I would have escaped their imprisonment, I could have gone forty miles off before he came; but I was an innocent man, and so cared not what they could do to me.” He asked me “How I heard of it, seeing the order was made privately in a parlour.” I said it was no matter, it was sufficient that I heard of it. I asked him to let me see his order; whereupon he laid his hand on his sword, and said, “I must go with him before the lieutenants, to answer such questions as they should propose to me.” I told him it was but civil and reasonable for him to let me see his order; but he would not. Then said I, I am ready. So I went along with them, and Margaret Fell accompanied us to HOLKER-HALL.

When we came thither, there was one Rawlinson, a justice, and one called Sir George Middleton, and many more that I did not know, besides old Justice Preston who lived there. They brought Thomas Atkinson, a Friend of Cartmel, as a witness against me, for some words which he had told to one Knipe, who had informed them; which words were, “that I had written against the plotters, and had knocked them down.” These words they could not make much of, for I told them I had heard of a plot, and had written against it. Old Preston asked me, whether I had a hand in that script? I asked him what he meant? He said, in the Battledore. I answered, Yes. Then he asked me, whether I understood languages. I said, sufficient for myself; and that I knew no law that was transgressed by it. I told them also, that “to understand outward languages, was no matter of salvation; for the many tongues began but at the confusion of Babel; and if I did understand anything of them, I judged and knocked them down again for any matter of salvation that was in them.” Thereupon he turned away, and said, “George Fox knocks down all the languages. Come,” said he, “we will examine you of higher matters.”

Then said George Middleton, “You deny God, and the church, and the faith.” I replied, “Nay, I own God, and the true church, and the true faith. But what church dost thou own?” said I (for I understood he was a Papist.) Then he turned again and said, “You are a rebel and a traitor.” I asked him to whom he spoke, or whom did he call rebel: he was so full of envy that for a while he could not speak, but at last he said, “he spoke it to me.” With that I struck my hand on the table, and told him, “I had suffered more than twenty such as he, or than any that was there; for I had been cast into Derby dungeon for six months together, and had suffered much because I would not take up arms against this king before Worcester fight. I had been sent up prisoner out of my own country by Colonel Hacker to Oliver Cromwell, as a plotter to bring in King Charles in the year 1654; and I had nothing but love and goodwill to the king, and desired the eternal good and welfare of him and all his subjects.” “Did you ever hear the like,” said Middleton. “Nay,” said I, “ye may hear it again if ye will. For ye talk of the king, a company of you, but where were ye in Oliver’s days, and what did ye do then for him? But I have more love to the king for his eternal good and welfare than any of you have.”

Then they asked me, “whether I had heard of the plot?” and I said, “yes, I had heard of it.” They asked me how I had heard of it, and whom I knew in it? I told them, I had heard of it through the high-sheriff of Yorkshire, who had told Dr. Hodgson that there was a plot in the north; that was the way I heard of it; but I had never heard of any such thing in the south, nor till I came into the north. And as for knowing any in the plot, I was as a child in that, for I knew none of them. Then said they, “why would you write against it, if you did not know some that were in it.” I said, “my reason was because you are so forward to mash the innocent and guilty together, therefore I wrote against it to clear the truth from such things, and to stop all forward, foolish spirits from running into such things. I sent copies of it into Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham, and Yorkshire, and to you here. I sent another copy of it to the King and his council, and it is likely it may be in print by this time.” One of them said, “O, this man hath great power!” I said, “yes, I had power to write against plotters.” Then said one of them, “you are against the laws of the land.” I answered, “Nay, for I and my Friends direct all people to the Spirit of God in them, to mortify the deeds of the flesh. This brings them into well-doing, and from that which the magistrate’s sword is against, which eases the magistrates, who are for the punishment of evil-doers. So people being turned to the Spirit of God, which brings them to mortify the deeds of the flesh,—this brings them from under the occasion of the magistrate’s sword; and this must needs be one with magistracy, and one with the law, which was added because of transgression, and is for the praise of them that do well. In this we establish the law, are an ease to the magistrates, and are not against, but stand for, all good government.”

Then George Middleton cried, “Bring the book and put the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to him.” Now he himself being a Papist, I asked him, “whether he had taken the oath of supremacy, who was a swearer? As for us, we could not swear at all, because Christ and the apostle had forbidden it.” Some of them would not have had the oath put to me, but have set me at liberty. But the rest would not agree to that; for this was their last snare, and they had no other way to get me into prison, all other things had been cleared to them. This was like the Papist’s sacrament of the altar, by which they ensnared the martyrs. So they tendered me the oath, which I could not take; whereupon they were about to make my mittimus to send me to Lancaster jail; but considering of it, they only engaged me to appear at the sessions, and so for that time dismissed me. I went back with Margaret Fell to Swarthmore; and soon after Colonel West came to see me, who was at that time a justice of peace. He told us, “he acquainted some of the rest of the justices, that he would come over to see me and Margaret Fell; but it may be,” said he, “some of you will take offence at it.” I asked him, “What he thought they would do with me at the sessions;” and he said, “they would tender the oath to me again.”

Whilst I was at Swarthmore, William Kirby came into Swarthmore meeting, and brought the constables with him. I was sitting with Friends in the meeting, and he said to me, “How now, Mr. Fox! you have a fine company here.” “Yes,” said I, “we meet to wait upon the Lord.” So he began to take the names of Friends, and them that did not readily tell him their names, he committed to the constables’ hands, and sent some to prison. The constables were unwilling to take them without a warrant, whereupon he threatened to set them by the heels; but one of the constables told him, “he could keep them in his presence, but after he was gone, he could not keep them without a warrant.”

The sessions coming on, I went to LANCASTER, and appeared according to my engagement. There was upon the bench Justice Fleming, who had bid five pounds in Westmorland to any man that would apprehend me; for he was a justice both in Westmorland and Lancashire. There were also Justice Spencer, Colonel West, and old Justice Rawlinson the lawyer, who gave the charge, and was very sharp against truth and Friends; but the Lord’s power stopped them. The session was large, and the concourse of people great; and way being made for me, I came up to the bar and stood there with my hat on, they looking earnestly upon me, and I upon them for a pretty space. Proclamation being made for all to keep silence upon pain of imprisonment, and all being quiet, I said twice, “Peace be among you.” The chairman asked, “If I knew where I was;” I said, “yes, I do, but it may be,” said I, “my hat offends you; that is a low thing, that is not the honour that I give to magistrates; for the true honour is from above; which I have received, and I hope it is not the hat which ye look upon to be the honour.” The chairman said, “they looked for the hat too,” and asked, “wherein I showed my respect to magistrates, if I did not put off my hat?” I replied, “In coming when they called me.” Then they bid one, “take off my hat.” After which it was some time before they spoke to me, and I felt the power of the Lord to arise.

After some pause, old Justice Rawlinson, the chairman, asked me, “if I knew of the plot?” I told him, “I had heard of it in Yorkshire, by a Friend, that had it from the high-sheriff.” Then they asked me, “whether I had declared it to the magistrates.” I said, “I had sent papers abroad against plots and plotters, and also to you, as soon as I came into the country, to take all jealousies out of your minds concerning me and my friends; for it was and is our principle to declare against such things.“ They asked me then, “if I knew not of an act against meetings.” I said, “I knew there was an act that took hold of such as met to the terrifying of the king’s subjects, and were enemies to the king, and held dangerous principles; but I hoped, they did not look upon us to be such men, for our meetings were not to terrify the king’s subjects, neither are we enemies to him or any man.” Then they tendered me the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. I told them “I could not take any oath at all, because Christ and his apostle had forbidden it; and they had had sufficient experience of swearers, first one way, then another; but I had never taken any oath in my life.” Then Rawlinson the lawyer asked me, “whether I held it was unlawful to swear?” This question he put on purpose to ensnare me; for by an act that was made, such were liable to banishment or a great fine that should say, it was “unlawful to swear.” But I seeing the snare, avoided it, and told him, “that in the time of the law amongst the Jews, before Christ came, the law commanded them to swear; but Christ, who doth fulfill the law in his gospel time, commands ‘not to swear at all;’ and the apostle James forbids swearing, even to them that were Jews, and had the law of God.” After much discourse they called for the jailer and committed me to prison.

I had about me the paper which I had written as a testimony against plots, which I desired they would read, or suffer to be read, in open court; but they would not. So being committed for refusing to swear, “I bid them and all the people take notice, that I suffered for the doctrine of Christ, and for my obedience to his command.” Afterwards I understood the justices said, they had private instructions from Colonel Kirby to prosecute me, notwithstanding his fair carriage and seeming kindness to me before, when he declared before many of them “that he had nothing against me.” Several other Friends were committed to prison, some for meeting to worship God, and some for not swearing; so that the prison was very full. Many of them being poor men, that had nothing to maintain their families by but their labour, which now they were taken from, several of their wives went to the justices who had committed their husbands, and told them, “if they kept their husbands in jail for nothing but the truth of Christ, and for good conscience’ sake, they would bring their children to them to be maintained.” A mighty power of the Lord rose in Friends, and gave them great boldness, so that they spoke much to the justices. Friends also that were prisoners wrote to the justices, laying the weight of their sufferings upon them, and showing them both their injustice and want of compassion towards their poor neighbours, whom they knew to be honest, conscientious, peaceable people, that in tenderness of conscience could not take any oath; yet they sent them to prison for refusing to take the oath of allegiance. Several who were imprisoned on that account were known to be men that had served the king in his wars, and had hazarded their lives in the field in his cause, and had suffered great hardships, with the loss of much blood for him, and had always stood faithful to him from first till last, and had never received any pay for their service. To be thus requited for all their faithful services and sufferings, and that by them that pretended to be the king’s friends, was hard, unkind, and ungrateful dealing. At length the justices being continually attended with complaints of grievances, released some of the Friends, but kept divers of them still in prison.

Amongst those that were then in prison, there were four Friends for tithes, who had been sent at the suit of the Countess of Derby, and had lain near two years and a half. One of these, Oliver Atherton, a man of a weakly constitution, was, through his long and hard imprisonment in a cold, raw, unwholesome place, brought so low and weak in his body, that there appeared no hope of his life, unless he might be removed. Wherefore a letter was written on his behalf to the Countess, and sent by his son, Godfrey Atherton, wherein were laid before her “the reasons why he and the rest could not pay tithes; because, if they did, they should deny Christ come in the flesh, who by his coming had put an end to tithes, and to the priesthood to which they had been given, and to the commandment by which they had been paid under the law. His weak condition of body was also laid before her, and the apparent likelihood of his death if she continued to hold him there; that she might be moved to pity and compassion, and also warned not to draw the guilt of his innocent blood upon herself.” When his son went to her with his father’s letter, a servant of her’s abused him, plucked off his cap, and threw it away, and put him out of the gate. Nevertheless the letter was delivered into her own hand, but she shut out all pity and tenderness, and continued him in prison till death. When his son returned to his father in prison, and told him, as he lay on his dying bed, that the Countess denied his liberty, he only said, “She hath been the cause of shedding much blood, but this will be the heaviest blood that ever she spilt;” and soon after he died. Friends having his body delivered to them to bury, as they carried it from the prison to Ormskirk, the parish wherein he had lived, they stuck up papers upon the crosses at Garstang, Preston, and other towns, through which they passed, with this inscription:—“This is Oliver Atherton, of Ormskirk parish, persecuted to death by the Countess of Derby for good conscience’ sake towards God and Christ, because he could not give her tithes,” &c., setting forth at large the reasons of his refusing to pay tithes, the length of his imprisonment, the hardships he had undergone, her hard-heartedness towards him, and the manner of his death.

After his death, Richard Cubban, another of her prisoners for tithes, wrote a large letter to her, on behalf of himself and his fellow-prisoners at her suit, laying their innocency before her; and “that it was not out of wilfulness, stubbornness, or covetousness, that they refused to pay her tithes, but purely in good conscience towards God and Christ; and letting her know that, if she should be suffered to keep them there till every one died, as she had done their fellow-sufferer Oliver Atherton, they could not yield to pay her. And therefore desired her to consider their case in a Christian spirit, and not bring their blood upon herself also.” But she would not show any pity or compassion towards them, who had now suffered hard imprisonment about two years and a half under her. Instead thereof she sent to Garstang, and threatened to complain to the king and council, and bring them into trouble, for suffering the paper concerning Oliver Atherton’s death, to be stuck upon their cross. The rage that she expressed made the people take the more notice of it, and some of them said, “the Quakers had given her a bone to pick.” But she, that regarded not the life of an innocent sufferer for Christ, lived not long after herself; for that day three weeks that Oliver Atherton’s body was carried through Ormskirk to be buried, she died; and her body was carried that day seven weeks through the same town to her burying-place. Thus the Lord pursued the hard-hearted persecutor.

I was kept till the assize; and Judge Turner and Judge Twisden coming that circuit, I was brought before Judge Twisden on the 14th day of the month called March, in the year 1663. When I was set to the bar, I said, “Peace be amongst you all.” The judge looked upon me, and said, “What! do you come into the court with your hat on?” Upon which, the jailer taking it off, I said, “The hat is not the honour that comes from God.” Then said the judge to me, “Will you take the oath of allegiance, George Fox?” I said, “I never took any oath in my life, nor any covenant or engagement.” “Well,” said he, “will you swear or not?” I answered, “I am a Christian, and Christ commands me ‘not to swear,’ and so does the apostle James, and whether I should obey God or man, do thou judge.” “I ask you again,” said he, “whether you will swear or not?” I answered again, “I am neither Turk, Jew, nor heathen, but a Christian, and should show forth Christianity.” And I asked him, “if he did not know that Christians in the primitive times, under the ten persecutions, and some also of the martyrs in Queen Mary’s days, refused swearing, because Christ and the apostle had forbidden it?” I told him also, “they had had experience enough, how many men had first sworn for the king and then against him. But as for me, I had never taken an oath in my life; and my allegiance did not lie in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness; for I honour all men, much more the king. But Christ, who is the great Prophet, and King of kings, who is the Saviour of the world, and the great Judge of all the earth, saith, ‘I must not swear.’ Now, whether must I obey Christ or thee? For it is in tenderness of conscience, and in obedience to the commands of Christ, that I do not swear; and we have the word of a king for tender consciences.” Then I asked the judge, “if he owned the king?” “Yes,” said he, “I do own the king.” “Why then,” said I, “dost thou not observe his declaration from Breda, and his promises made since he came into England, ‘that no man should be called in question for matters of religion, so long as he lived peaceably?’ If thou ownest the king, why dost thou call me into question, and put me upon taking an oath, which is a matter of religion, seeing neither thou nor any else can charge me with unpeaceable living?”

Upon this he was moved, and looking angrily at me, said, “Sirrah, will you swear?” I told him, “I was none of his sirrahs, I was a Christian; and for him, an old man and a judge, to sit there and give nick-names to prisoners, it did not become either his gray hairs or his office.” “Well,” said he, “I am a Christian too.” “Then do Christian works,” said I. “Sirrah!” said he, “thou thinkest to frighten me with thy words.” Then catching himself, and looking aside, he said, “Hark! I am using the word [sirrah] again;” and so checked himself. I said, “I spoke to thee in love; for that language did not become thee, a judge. Thou oughtest to instruct a prisoner in the law, if he were ignorant and out of the way.” “And I speak in love to thee too,” said he. “But,” said I, “love gives no nick-names.” Then he roused himself up, and said, “I will not be afraid of thee, George Fox; thou speakest so loud, thy voice drowns mine and the court’s; I must call for three or four criers to drown thy voice: thou hast good lungs.” “I am a prisoner here,” said I, “for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake; for his sake do I suffer, for him do I stand this day; and if my voice were five times louder, I should lift it up, and sound it for Christ’s sake, for whose cause I stand this day before your judgment-seat, in obedience to Christ, who commands not to swear; before whose judgment-seat you must all be brought and must give an account.” “Well,” said the judge, “George Fox, say, whether thou wilt take the oath, yea or nay?” I replied, “I say, as I said before, whether ought I to obey God or man, judge thou? If I could take any oath at all, I should take this; for I do not deny some oaths only, or on some occasions, but all oaths, according to Christ’s doctrine, who hath commanded his followers not to swear at all. Now if thou or any of you, or your ministers or priests here, will prove that ever Christ or his apostles, after they had forbidden all swearing, commanded Christians to swear, then I will swear.” I saw several priests there, but not one of them offered to speak. “Then,” said the judge, “I am a servant to the king, and the king sent me not to dispute with you, but to put the laws in execution; therefore tender him the oath of allegiance.” “If thou love the king,” said I, “why dost thou break his word, and not keep his declarations and speeches, wherein he promised liberty to tender consciences? I am a man of a tender conscience, and, in obedience to Christ’s command, I cannot swear.” “Then you will not swear,” said the judge; “take him away, jailer.” I said, “It is for Christ’s sake that I cannot swear, and for obedience to his command I suffer, and so the Lord forgive you all.” So the jailer took me away; but I felt the mighty power of the Lord was over them all.

The sixteenth day of the same month I was brought before Judge Twisden again: he was somewhat offended at my hat; but it being the last morning of the assize before he was to leave town, and not many people there, he made the less of it. He asked me, “whether I would traverse, stand mute, or submit.” But he spoke so fast that it was hard to know what he said. However, I told him, “I desired I might have liberty to traverse the indictment, and try it.” Then said he, “Take him away, I will have nothing to do with him, take him away.” I said, “Well, live in the fear of God, and do justice.” “Why,” said he, “have not I done you justice?” I replied, “That which thou hast done has been against the command of Christ.” So I was taken to the jail again, and kept prisoner till the next assizes.

Some time before this assize, Margaret Fell was sent prisoner to Lancaster jail by Fleming, Kirby, and Preston, justices; and at the assize the oath was tendered to her also, and she was again committed to prison, to lie till the next assize.

Now Justice Fleming being one of the fiercest and most violent justices in persecuting Friends, and sending his honest neighbours to prison for religion’s sake, and many Friends at this time being in Lancaster jail committed by him, and some having died in prison, we that were then prisoners had it upon us to write to him, as follows:—

“O JUSTICE FLEMING!

“Mercy, compassion, love, and kindness adorn and grace men and magistrates. O! dost thou not hear the cry of the widows, and the cry of the fatherless, who were made so through persecution! Were they not driven, like sheep, from constable to constable, as though they had been the greatest transgressors or malefactors in the land? Which grieved and tendered the hearts of many sober people, to see how their innocent neighbours and countrymen, who were of a peaceable carriage, and honest in their lives and conversations amongst men, were used and served! One more is dead whom thou sent to prison, having left five children, both fatherless and motherless. How canst thou do otherwise than take care of these fatherless infants, and also of the other’s wife and family? Is it not thy place? Consider Job (c. xxix). He was a father to the poor, he delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless that had none to help. He broke the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. But oh! measure thy life and his, and take heed of the day of God’s eternal judgment, which will come, and the sentence and decree from Christ, when every man must give an account, and receive a reward according to his deeds. Then it will be said, ‘O, where are the months that are past!’

“Again, Justice Fleming, consider, when John Stubbs was before thee, having a wife and four small children, and little to live on, but what they honestly got by their own diligence, as soon as he appeared thou criedst out, ‘Put the oath to that man.’ And when he confessed that he was but a poor man, thou hadst no regard; but cast away pity, not hearing what he would say. And now he is kept in prison, because he could not swear, and break the command of Christ and the apostle; it is to be hoped thou wilt take care for his family, that his children do not starve; and see that they do not want bread. Can this be allegiance to the king, to do that which Christ and his apostle say is evil, and brings into condemnation? Would not you have cast Christ and the apostle into prison, who commanded ‘not to swear,’ if they had been in your days?

“Consider also thy poor neighbour, William Wilson,[5] who was known to all the parish and neighbours to be an industrious man, and careful to maintain his wife and children; yet had little, but what he had got with his hands in diligence and travels to supply himself. How should his wife maintain her children, when thou hast cast her husband into prison, and thereby made him incapable of working for them? Therefore it may be expected, thou wilt have a care of his wife and children, and see they do not want; for how should they live, having no other way to be sustained, but by the little that he got? Surely the noise of this is in the very markets, the death of thy two neighbours; and the cry of the widows and fatherless is heard. All those fatherless and widows are made so for righteousness’ sake. For might not John Stubbs and William Wilson have had their liberty still, if they would have sworn, though they had been such as go after mountebanks and stage-plays, or run a hunting?

“O! consider, for the Lord’s mind is otherwise; he is tender. And the king hath declared his mind to be, that there should be no cruelty inflicted upon his peaceable subjects. Besides, several poor, honest people were fined, who had need to have something given them; and it had been more honourable to have given them something, than to fine them and send them to prison; some of whom live upon the charity of other people. What honour or grace can it be to thee, to cast thy poor neighbours into prison who are peaceable, seeing thou knowest these people cannot do that which thou requirest of them, if it were to save their lives, or all that they have? Because in tenderness they cannot take any oath, thou makest that a snare to them. What, thinkest thou, do the people say concerning this? ‘We know,’ say they, ‘the Quakers’ principle, that keep to Yea and Nay; but we see others swear and forswear.’ For many of you have sworn first one way and then another. So we leave it to the Spirit of God in thy conscience, Justice Fleming, who wast so eager for the taking of George Fox, and so offended with them that had not taken him, and now hast fallen upon thy poor neighbours. But, oh! where is thy pity for their poor, fatherless children, and motherless infants? O, take heed of Herod’s hard-heartedness, and casting away all pity! Esau did so, not Jacob.

“Here is also Thomas Walters, of Bolton, cast into prison, and the oath imposed on him through thee; and for denying to swear at all, in obedience to Christ’s command, he is continued in prison; having five small children, and his wife near confinement. Surely thou shouldst take care for them also, and see that his wife and small children do not want; who are as fatherless, and she as a widow, through thee. Dost thou not hear in thy ears the cry of the fatherless, and the cry of the widows, and the blood of the innocent speak, who through thee have been persecuted to prison, and are now dead? O! heavy sentence at the day of judgment! How wilt thou answer, when thou and thy works come to be judged,—when thou shalt be brought before the judgment-seat of the Almighty, who in thy prosperity hast made widows and fatherless for righteousness’ sake, and for tenderness of conscience towards God? The Lord knows and sees it! O man! consider in thy life-time, how thou hast stained thyself with the blood of the innocent! When thou hadst power, and might have done good amongst thy peaceable neighbours, and would not, but used thy power not to a good intent, but contrary to the Lord’s mind and to the king’s. The king’s favour, his mercy, and clemency to sober people, and to tender consciences, have been manifested by declarations and proclamations, which thou hast abused and slighted by persecuting his peaceable subjects. For at London, and in other parts, the Quakers’ meetings are peaceable; and if thou look but as far as Yorkshire, where the plot hath been, Friends’ innocency hath cleared itself in the hearts of sober justices; and for you here to fall upon your peaceable neighbours and people, and to be rigorous and violent against them that are tender, godly, and righteous, it is no honour to you. How many drunkards and swearers, fighters, and such as are subject to vice, have you caused to be brought before your courts? It were more honourable for you to look after such; for the law was not made for the righteous, but for sinners and transgressors. Therefore, consider, and be humbled for these things; for the Lord may do to thee as thou hast done to others; and thou dost not know how soon there may be a cry in thy own family, as the cry is amongst thy neighbours, of the fatherless and widows that are made so through thee. But the Quakers can and do say, ‘the Lord forgive thee, and lay not these things to thy charge, if it be his will.’”[6]

Besides this, which went in the name of many, I sent him also a line subscribed by myself only, and directed:—

“To Daniel Fleming.

“FRIEND,

“Thou hast imprisoned the servants of the Lord, without the breach of any law; therefore take heed what thou doest, for in the light of the Lord God thou art seen, lest the hand of the Lord be turned against thee!”

G. F.

It was not long after this ere Fleming’s wife died, and left him thirteen or fourteen motherless children.

When I was prisoner at Lancaster, there was prisoner also one Major Wiggan, a Baptist preacher. He boasted much beforehand what he would say at the assize, if the oath should be put to him; and that he would refuse to swear. But when the assize came, and the oath was tendered him, he desired time to consider of it; and that being granted him till the next assize, he got leave to go to London before the assize came again, and stayed there till the plague broke forth, and there both he and his wife were cut off. He was a very wicked man, and the judgments of God came upon him; for he had published a book against Friends, full of lies and blasphemies; the occasion of which was this. Whilst he was in Lancaster castle he challenged Friends to a dispute. Whereupon I got leave of the jailer to go up to them; and entering into discourse with him, he affirmed, “that some men never had the Spirit of God, and that the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, is natural.” For proof of his first assertion he instanced Balaam, affirming, “that Balaam had not the Spirit of God.” I affirmed and proved, “that Balaam had the Spirit of God, and that wicked men have the Spirit of God; else how could they quench it, and vex it, and grieve it, and resist the Holy Ghost, like the stiff-necked Jews?” To his second assertion I answered, “that the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, was the life in the Word, and that was divine and eternal, and not natural; and he might as well say that the Word was natural, as that the life in the Word was natural. And wicked men were enlightened by this light, else how could they hate it? Now it is expressly said, that they did hate it; and the reason given why they hated it was, because ‘their deeds were evil;’ and they would not come to it, because it reproved them; and that must needs be in them, that reproved them. Besides, that light could not be the Scriptures of the New Testament, for it was testified of before any part of the New Testament was written; so it must be the divine light, which is the life in Christ, the Word, before the Scriptures were. And the grace of God, which brought salvation, had appeared unto all men, and taught the saints; but they that turned it into wantonness, and walked despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, were the wicked. Again, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, which leads the disciples of Christ into all truth, the same should reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment, and of their unbelief. So the wicked world had it to reprove them; and the true disciples and learners of Christ, that believed in the light as Christ commands, had it to lead them. But the world that did not believe in the light, though they were lighted; but hated the light which they should have believed in, and loved the darkness rather than it,—this world had a righteousness and a judgment, which the Holy Ghost reproved them for, as well as for their unbelief.” Having proved that the good and the bad were enlightened, that the grace of God had appeared unto all, and that all had the Spirit of God, else they could not vex and grieve it, I told Major Wiggan, the least babe there might see him; and presently one Richard Cubban stood up, and proved him an antichrist and a deceiver by Scripture. Then the jailer had me away to my prison again. Afterwards Wiggan wrote a book of this dispute, and put in abundance of abominable lies; but it was soon answered in print, and himself not long after was cut off, as aforesaid.

This Wiggan was poor, and while he was a prisoner at Lancaster, he sent into the country, and got money gathered for relief of the poor people of God in prison; and many people gave freely, thinking it had been for us, when indeed it was for himself. But when we heard of it, we laid it upon him, and wrote also into the country, that Friends might let the people know the truth of the matter, that it was not our manner to have collections made for us; and that those collections were only for Wiggan and another, a drunken preacher of his society.

After this it came upon me to write to the judges, and other magistrates, concerning their “giving evil words and nick-names to such as were brought before them;” which was after this manner:—

“To all you that be Judges, or other officers whatsoever, in the whole world, who profess yourselves to be Christians.

“FRIENDS,

“Herein and by reading the Scriptures, ye may see both your own words and behaviour, and the words and practice of both Jews and Heathens, and of the King of Kings, the great Lawgiver and Judge of the whole world. First, for the words and carriage of the Jews, when such as were worthy of death were brought before the rulers amongst them. When Achan had taken the Babylonish garment, and the two hundred shekels of silver, and the wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, and Joshua, who was then judge of Israel, had by lot found him out, he did not say unto him, Sirrah,[7] nor, you rascal, knave, rogue, as some, that are called Christian magistrates, are too apt to do. But Joshua said unto Achan, ‘My son’ (mark his clean language, his savoury expression and gracious words), ‘My son,’ said he, ‘give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him, and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.’ Then Achan confessed, that he had sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus he had done. Then Joshua the judge said, ‘Why hast thou troubled Israel? The Lord shall trouble thee this day.’ And they stoned him and his with stones, and burnt his goods with fire. But there was no unsavoury word given to him that we read of, though he was worthy of death. Josh. vii.

“So when the man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath-day was taken and brought before Moses, the judge of Israel, and put in ward until the mind of the Lord was known concerning him, we read not of any reviling language given him, but the Lord said to Moses, and Moses to the people, ‘The man shall surely be put to death.’ Numb. xv. 35.

“Likewise in the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, where Moses called them to trial, he did not sirrah them or miscall them, but said to Korah and the rest, ‘Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi,’ Numb. xvi. 8. And when he gave the sentence against them, he said, ‘If these men die the common death of all men,’ &c. He did not say, If these rascals or knaves, as many that profess themselves Christians now do.

“When Elihu spoke to Job, who was a judge, and to his friends, and said, ‘Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man, for I know not to give flattering titles: in so doing my Maker would soon take me away,’ Job xxxii. Job did not say, ‘Sirrah, hold thy tongue,’ nor give him any unsavoury expression. Then for the words of David and Solomon, and other kings and officers, see in the books of the Kings and Chronicles the savoury language that they gave to them that were brought before them; nay, though Shimei cursed David the king, yet neither did David then, or afterwards, nor Solomon, when he caused him to be put to death, give him any reproachful language, or so much as call him sirrah; 2 Sam. xvi. and 1 Kings ii.

“Read the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the rest of the prophets, who prophesied to several people, and against rulers, kings, and magistrates; yet where can it be found, that they had any bad language given them, as sirrah, or the like, by any ruler either of the Jews or heathens? Nay, though Jeremiah was cast into prison, and into the dungeon, yet there was no such word as sirrah, or knave given to him. Jer. xxxvii.

“Then for the words and carriage of the heathens: when Abraham was brought before Abimelech, who was a king, he gave Abraham no unsavoury expressions, Gen. xx. And when Isaac came before Abimelech, he gave him no taunting language either, Gen. xxvi. When Joseph was cast into prison, and that in Egypt, we do not read that he had any railing language given him, Gen. xxxix. Neither did Pharaoh, when Moses and Aaron appeared before him, give them bad language, as sirrah, knave, or the like.

“When Nebuchadnezzar sentenced the three children to the fiery furnace, there was no such language given them as sirrah, knave, rascal; but he called them by the names they were known by, Dan. iii. And when Daniel was brought before Darius, and sentenced to be cast into the lions’ den, he had no such names given him, as many give now, who call those rulers heathens, but themselves Christians.

“If ye look into the New Testament, in the parable of the wedding supper, the king, that came to view his guests, did not say unto him that was found without a wedding-garment, ‘Sirrah, how camest thou in hither?’ but, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither?’ &c., though he was one that was to be bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness, Matt. xxii. Nay, when Judas had betrayed his master Christ Jesus, the Lord of life, and had sold him to the priests, Christ did not call him sirrah, when he came to apprehend him, but friend: Matt. xxvi. 50. Stephen in his examination, sentence, and death, had no such reproachful word given him as sirrah, or knave, Acts vi. and vii. When the apostles Peter and John were brought before the high priest and rulers of the Jews, and commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus, Acts iv., they were not called sirrah, or knaves, nor had they any such ill names given them. And when Paul and Silas were cast into prison by the magistrates, there was no such word given them in their examination, nor in their sentence, Acts xvi. They called them men, not rogues, sirrahs, or knaves. And when the magistrates had done contrary to law, they feared. So ye may see how short of this example many are, that call themselves Christian rulers, who are not afraid to cast innocent people into prison, and give them ill names besides, below both Jews and Heathens.

“When the uproar was at Ephesus about Diana’s shrine, Demetrius, who bore great sway among the craftsmen, did not call Paul sirrah, but Paul, Acts xix. And when Paul was brought prisoner before the high-priest Ananias, and the council of the Jews, and told them he had lived in all good conscience towards God until that day, though they, who professed the Scriptures but lived out of the life of them, could not bear to hear of living in a good conscience, as professors of the Scriptures now, that live not in the life, cannot bear to hear of living in a good conscience now-a-days: but Ananias caused Paul to be smitten on the mouth; yet he did not call him knave or sirrah, Acts xxiii. The apostate Jews indeed, who, though they professed Scripture, were out of the life thereof, and had rejected Christ, in accusing Paul before the Roman magistrates, did once call him a ‘pestilent fellow,’ Acts xxiv., as the accusing professors who live out of the life will sometimes call us now. But Felix gave Paul no such language; neither did Festus nor King Agrippa, in all their examinations of him, give him any such words as sirrah, rascal, knave, or the like, but heard him patiently. So now Christians may see through all the Scriptures, that when any persons were brought before rulers, kings, or magistrates, whether Jews or Heathens, they did not use to call them evil names, as sirrah, rascal, knave, and the like; they had no such fouled-mouthed language in their courts, nor did they use to say to them, ‘Sirrah, put off your hat.’ Now, ye that profess Christianity, and say the Scripture is your rule, may see, that more corrupt words proceed out of your mouths, than either out of the Jews or Heathens, if ye will try your practice by the Scriptures. And doth not the apostle tell you, that no corrupt communication should proceed out of your mouths, and that your words should be gracious? Now I query, where and whence ye, that call yourselves Christians, have got all these bad words and names, seeing neither God, nor Christ, nor the prophets, nor the judges, nor kings, nor rulers, ever gave any such names, so far as appears by Scripture, either amongst Heathens, Jews, or Christians?”

G.F.

Before the next assizes, there was a quarter-sessions held at Lancaster by the justices; to which though we were not brought, I put Friends upon drawing up an account of their sufferings, and laying them before the justices in their open sessions. For Friends had suffered deeply by fines and distresses, the bailiffs and officers, making great havock and spoil of their goods, but no redress was afforded.

And because some evil-minded magistrates would tell us sometimes of the late plot in the North, we gave forth the following paper to stop their mouths, and to clear truth and Friends therefrom.

A Testimony from the people of God, whom the world calls Quakers, to all magistrates and officers, of what sort soever, from the highest to the lowest.

“We are peaceable, and seek the peace, good, and welfare of all, as in our lives and peaceable conduct is manifested; and we desire the eternal good and welfare of all, and their souls’ everlasting peace. We are become heirs of the blessing before the curse was, and of the power of God before the devil was, and before the fall of man. We are heirs of the gospel of peace, which is the power of God; and we are heirs of Christ, who have inherited him and his everlasting kingdom, and do possess the power of an endless life. Knowing this our portion and inheritance, this is to remove all jealousies out of your minds, and out of the minds of all people concerning us, that all plots and conspiracies, plotters and conspirators against the king, and all aiders and assisters thereunto, we always did and do utterly deny to be of us, or to be of the fellowship of the gospel of Christ’s kingdom, or his servants. For Christ said, ‘his kingdom was not of this world; if it were his servants would fight.’ And therefore he bid Peter ‘put up his sword, for,’ said he, ‘he that taketh the sword, shall perish with the sword.’ Here is the faith and patience of the saints, to bear and suffer all things, knowing that vengeance is the Lord’s, and he will repay it to them that hurt his people, and wrong the innocent. Therefore we cannot avenge, but suffer for his name’s sake. We know that the Lord will judge the world in righteousness, according to their deeds, and that, when every one shall give an account to him of the ‘deeds done in the body,’ then will the Lord give every man according to his works, whether they be good or evil. Christ said, he came not to ‘destroy men’s lives;’ and when his disciples would have had ‘fire to come down from heaven,’ to consume them that did not receive him, he told them, ‘they knew not what spirit they were of,’ that would have men’s lives destroyed, and therefore he rebuked them and told them, ‘that he came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ We are of Christ’s mind, who is the great Prophet, whom all ought to hear in all things, who saith to his, ‘if they strike thee on one cheek, turn the other; and render to no one evil for evil.’ This doctrine of his we have learned, and not only confess him in words, but follow his doctrine; therefore we suffer all manner of reproaches, scandals, slanders, spoiling of goods, buffetings, whippings, stripes, and imprisonments, for these many years; and can say, ‘the Lord forgive them that have thus served us, and lay not these things to their charge.’ And we know that the Jews’ outward sword, by which they cut down the Heathen outwardly, was a type of the inward sword of the Spirit, which cuts down the inward Heathen, the raging nature in people. The blood of bulls, lambs, rams, and other offerings, and that priesthood which offered them, together with other things in the law, were types of Christ, the one offering, and of his blood, who is the everlasting priest and covenant, our life and way to God, the great prophet and shepherd, the head of his church, and the great bishop of our souls, whom we witness come; and he doth oversee and keep his flock. For in Adam, in the fall, we know the striving, quarrelling, unpeaceable spirits are in the enmity one with another, and not in peace; but in Christ Jesus, the second Adam, that never fell, is peace, rest and life. The doctrine of Christ, who never sinned, is, to ‘love one another;’ and they who are in this doctrine, hurt no man; in which we are, in Christ, who is our life.

“Therefore it is well for you to distinguish between the precious and the vile, between them that fear God and serve him, and them that do not; and to make a difference between the innocent and the guilty, between him that is holy and pure, and the ungodly and profane; for they that do not so, bring troubles, burthens, and sorrows upon themselves. This we write in love to your souls, that ye may consider these things; for we cannot say that they who hate enemies and one another, are of God, or in Christ’s doctrine, but are opposers of it. And such as wrestle with flesh and blood, with carnal weapons, are gone into the flesh, out of the Spirit. They are not in our fellowship in the Spirit, in which is the bond of peace; neither are they of us, nor have we unity with them in their fleshly state, and with their carnal weapons. For our unity and fellowship stand in the gospel, which is the power of God, before the devil was, the liar, and the murderer, the man-slayer, and the envious. Christ’s mind and his doctrine being to save men’s lives, we, who are of Christ’s mind, are out of, and above these things. And our desire is, that in the fear of the Lord, ye may all live, and receive God’s wisdom, by which all things were created, that by it all may be ordered to his glory.

“This is from them that love all your souls, and seek your eternal good.”

Being now a prisoner in Lancaster Castle, a deep sense came upon me of a day of sore trial and exercise that was come and coming upon all who had been in high profession of religion; and I was moved to give forth the following paper as a warning to such:—

“Now is the day that every one’s faith and love to God and Christ will be tried; they who are redeemed out of the earth, and they who are in the earth, will be manifested; and who is the master they serve, and whether they will run to the mountains to cover them. Now will it appear who are the stony ground, who are the thorny ground, and who are the highway ground, in whom the fowls of the air take away the seed, and the thorns and cares of the world choke, and the heat of persecution scorches and burns up your green blade; for the day trieth all things. Therefore let not such as forsake truth, for saving the earth, say that your brother priest only ‘serveth not the Lord Jesus Christ, but his own belly, and mindeth earthly things,’ for such themselves also do the same, and hug and embrace self, and not the Lord. Now it will be made manifest, who is every one’s God, Christ, and Saviour, and their love will be manifest, whether it be of the world, or of God; for if it be the love of the world, it is enmity, and the enmity will manifest itself what it is; and the day will try every spirit and his fruits. Therefore, my dear friends, in the everlasting Seed of God live, that is over all the house of Adam and his works in the fall; and so dwelling in the Seed, Christ, that never fell, in him you all have virtue, life, and peace, and through him ye will overcome all that is in the fall.”

G.F.

I wrote also another epistle to Friends, to warn them to keep out of the spirit, that wrought in John Perrot and his company against the truth:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“Dwell in the love of God, and in his righteousness; that will preserve you above all changeable spirits, that dwell not in the truth, but in quarrels. Avoid such, and keep your habitations in the truth. Dwell in the truth, and in the Word of God, by which ye are reconciled to him. Keep your meetings in the name of Jesus Christ, who never fell; then ye will see over all the gatherings of Adam’s sons and daughters, you being met in the life over them all, in which are your unity, peace, and fellowship with God, and one with another, in the life, in which ye may enjoy God’s presence among you. So remember me to all Friends in the everlasting Seed of God. The fellowship of all those that are got into fellowship in outward things, will corrupt and wither away. Therefore live in the gospel, the power of God, which was before the devil was. This fellowship in the gospel, the power of God, is a mystery to all the fellowships of the world. So look over all outward sufferings, and look at the Lord, and the Lamb, who is the First and the Last, the Amen; in whom farewell.”

G.F.

In the sixth month, the assizes were held again at Lancaster, and the same judges, Twisden and Turner, came that circuit again; but Judge Turner then sat on the crown bench, and so I was brought before him. Before I was called to the bar, I was put among the murderers and felons for about two hours, the people, the justices, and the judge, also gazing upon me. After they had tried several others, they called me to the bar, and empannelled a jury. Then the judge asked the justices, “whether they had tendered me the oath at the sessions.” They said, “they had.” Then he bid, “give them the book, that they might swear they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment.” Some of the justices refused to be sworn; but the judge said, he would have it done, to take away all occasion of exception. When the jury were sworn, and the justices had sworn that “they had tendered me the oath according to the indictment,” the judge asked me, “whether I had not refused the oath at the last assizes?” I said, “I never took an oath in my life, and Christ, the Saviour and Judge of the world, said, ‘Swear not at all.’” The judge seemed not to take notice of my answer, but asked me, “whether or not I had refused to take the oath at the last assizes?” I said, “the words that I then spoke to them were, that if they could prove, either judge, justices, priest, or teacher, that after Christ and the apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded that Christians should swear, I would swear.” The judge said he was not at that time to dispute, whether it was lawful to swear, but to inquire whether I had refused to take the oath or not, I told him, “those things mentioned in the oath, as plotting against the king, and owning the Pope’s, or any other foreign power, I utterly deny.” “Well,” said he, “you say well in that, but did you deny to take the oath? what say you?” “What wouldst thou have me to say?” said I; “for I have told thee before what I did say.” Then he asked me, “if I would have these men to swear, that I had taken the oath?” I asked him, “If he would have those men to swear, that I had refused the oath?” at which the court burst out into laughter. I was grieved to see so much lightness in a court, where such solemn matters are handled, and thereupon asked them, “if this court was a play-house? where is gravity and sobriety? for this behaviour doth not become you.”

Then the clerk read the indictment, and I told the judge, “I had something to speak to it;” for I had informed myself of the errors that were in it. He told me, “he would hear afterwards any reasons that I could allege, why he should not give judgment.” Then I spoke to the jury, and told them, “that they could not bring me in guilty according to that indictment, for the indictment was wrong laid, and had many gross errors in it.” The judge said, “I must not speak to the jury, but he would speak to them,” and he told them I had denied to take the oath at the last assizes; and, said he, “I can tender the oath to any man now, and premunire him for not taking it;” and he said, they must bring me in guilty, seeing I refused to take the oath. Then said I, “What do ye do with a form? ye may throw away your form then.” And I told the jury, “it lay upon their consciences, as they would answer it to the Lord God, before his judgment-seat.” Then the judge spoke again to the jury, and I called to him to “do me justice.” The jury brought me in guilty. Whereupon I told them, that “both the justices and they had foresworn themselves, and therefore they had small cause to laugh, as they did a little before.” O! the envy, rage, and malice that appeared against me, and the lightness; but the Lord confounded them, and they were wonderfully stopped. So they set me aside, and called up Margaret Fell, who had much good service among them; and then the court broke up near the second hour.

In the afternoon we were brought again to have sentence passed upon us. Margaret Fell desired, that sentence might be deferred till the next morning. I desired nothing but law and justice at his hands, for thieves had mercy; only I requested the judge to send some one to see my prison, which was so bad, they would put no creature they had in it; and I told him, that Colonel Kirby, who was then on the bench, said, “I should be locked up, and no flesh alive should come to me.” The judge shook his head, and said, “when the sentence was given, he would leave me to the favour of the jailer.” Most of the gentry of the country were gathered together, expecting to hear the sentence; and the noise among the people was, “that I should be transported.” But they were all crossed at that time; for the sentence being deferred till next morning, I was sent to prison again. Upon my complaining of the badness of my prison, some of the justices, with Colonel Kirby, went up to see it; but when they came, they durst hardly go in, the floor was so bad and dangerous, and the place so open to wind and rain. Some that came up said, “sure it was a jakes-house.” When Colonel Kirby saw it, and heard what others said of it, he excused the matter as well as he could, saying, “I should be removed ere long to some more convenient place.”

Next day, towards eleven, we were called again to hear the sentence; and Margaret Fell being called first to the bar, had counsel to plead, who found many errors in her indictment; whereupon, after the judge had acknowledged them, she was set by. Then the judge asked, “what they could say to mine?” I was not willing to let any man plead for me, but to speak to it myself; and indeed, though Margaret had some that pleaded for her, yet she spoke as much herself as she would. But before I came to the bar, I was moved in my spirit to pray, that God would confound their wickedness and envy, set his truth over all, and exalt his Seed. The Lord heard and answered, and did confound them in their proceedings against me; and though they had most envy against me, yet the most gross errors were found in my indictment.

Now, I having put by others from pleading for me, the judge asked me, “what I had to say, why he should not pass sentence upon me?” I told him, “I was no lawyer, but I had much to say, if he would have patience to hear.” At that he laughed, and others laughed also, and said, “Come, what have you to say? he can say nothing.” “Yes,” said I, “I have much to say, have but the patience to hear me.” Then I asked him, “whether the oath was to be tendered to the king’s subjects, or to the subjects of foreign princes?” He said, “to the subjects of this realm.” “Then,” said I, “look at the indictment, and ye may see that ye have left out the word, subject: so not having named me in the indictment as a subject, ye cannot premunire me for not taking the oath.” Then they looked over the statute and the indictment, and saw that it was as I said; and the judge confessed it was an error.

I told him, “I had something else to stop his judgment;” and I desired him to look what day the indictment said the oath was tendered to me at the sessions there. They looked, and said, “it was the eleventh day of January.” “What day of the week were the sessions held on?” said I. “On a Tuesday,” said they. “Then,” said I, “look at your almanacs, and see whether there were any sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of January, so called?” So they looked, and found that the eleventh was the day called Monday, and that the sessions were on the day called Tuesday, which was the twelfth day of that month. “Look now,” said I, “ye have indicted me for refusing the oath in the quarter sessions held at Lancaster on the eleventh day of January last, and the justices have sworn that they tendered me the oath in open sessions here that day, and the jury upon their oaths have found me guilty thereupon; and yet ye see there were no sessions held in Lancaster that day.” Then the judge, to cover the matter, asked, “whether the sessions did not begin on the eleventh?” But some in the court answered, “no; the sessions held but one day, and that was the twelfth.” Then the judge said, “this was a great mistake, and an error.” Some of the justices were in a great rage at this, and were ready to quit the bench; they stamped and said, “who hath done this? somebody hath done it on purpose;” and a great heat was amongst them. “Then,” said I, “are not the justices here, that have sworn to this indictment, forsworn men in the face of the country? But this is not all,” said I, “I have more yet to offer why sentence should not be given against me.”

Then I asked, “in what year of the king the last assize here was holden, which was in the month called March last?” The judge said, “it was in the sixteenth year of the king.” “But,” said I, “the indictment says it was in the fifteenth year.” They looked, and found it so. This also was acknowledged to be another error. Then they were all in a fret again, and could not tell what to say; for the judge had sworn the officers of the court, that the oath was tendered to me at the assize mentioned in the indictment. “Now,” said I, “is not the court here forsworn also, who have sworn that the oath was tendered to me at the assize holden here in the fifteenth year of the king, when it was in his sixteenth year, and so they have sworn a year false?” The judge bid them look whether Margaret Fell’s indictment was so or not. They looked, and found it was not so.

I told the judge, “I had more yet to offer to stop sentence;” and asked him, “whether all the oath ought to be put into the indictment or not?” “Yes,” said he, “it ought to be all put in.” “Then,” said I, “compare the indictment with the oath, and there thou mayest see these words, viz. [or by any authority derived, or pretended to be derived from him, or his see] left out of the indictment, which is a principal part of the oath, and in another place the words [heirs and successors] are left out.” The judge acknowledged these also to be great errors. “But,” said I, “I have something further to allege.” “Nay,” said the judge, “I have enough, you need say no more.” “If,” said I, “thou hast enough, I desire nothing but law and justice at thy hands, for I don’t look for mercy.” “You must have justice,” said he, “and you shall have law.” Then I asked, “Am I at liberty and free from all that hath ever been done against me in this matter?” “Yes,” said the judge, “you are free from all that hath been done against you. But then,” starting up in a rage, he said, “I can put the oath to any man here, and I will tender you the oath again.” I told him, “he had examples enough yesterday of swearing and false-swearing, both in the justices and the jury; for I saw before mine eyes, that both justices and jury had forsworn themselves.” The judge asked me, “if I would take the oath?” “I bid him do me justice for my false imprisonment all this while; for what had I been imprisoned so long for? and I told him I ought to be set at liberty.” “You are at liberty,” said he, “but I will put the oath to you again.” Then I turned me about and said, “All people, take notice, this is a snare, for I ought to be set free from the jailer and from this court.” But the judge cried, “Give him the book;” and the sheriff and the justices cried, “Give him the book.” Then the power of darkness rose up in them, like a mountain, and a clerk lifted up a book to me. I stood still and said, “If it be a Bible, give it me into my hand.” “Yes, yes,” said the judge and justices, “give it him into his hand.” So I took it and looked into it, and said, “I see it is a Bible, I am glad of it.”

Now he had caused the jury to be called, and they stood by; for after they had brought in their former verdict, he would not dismiss them, though they desired it; but told them, “he could not dismiss them yet, for he should have business for them, and therefore they must attend and be ready when they were called.” When he said so, I felt his intent, that if I was freed, he would come on again. So I looked him in the face, and the witness of God started up in him, and made him blush when he looked at me again, for he saw that I saw him. Nevertheless, hardening himself, he caused the oath to be read to me, the jury standing by; and when it was read, he asked me, “whether I would take the oath or not?” Then said I, “Ye have given me a book here to kiss and to swear on, and this book which ye have given me to kiss, says, ‘Kiss the Son;’ and the Son says in this book, ‘Swear not at all;’ and so says also the apostle James. Now, I say as the book says, and yet ye imprison me; how chance ye do not imprison the book for saying so? How comes it that the book is at liberty amongst you, which bids me not swear, and yet ye imprison me for doing as the book bids me? Why don’t ye imprison the book?” As I was speaking this to them, and held up the Bible open in my hand, to show them the place in the book, where Christ forbids swearing, they plucked the book out of my hand again; and the judge said, “Nay, but we will imprison George Fox.” Yet this got abroad over all the country as a by-word, “that they gave me a book to swear on, that commanded me ‘not to swear at all;’ and that the Bible was at liberty, and I in prison for doing as the Bible said.”

Now when the judge still urged me to swear, I told him, “I never took oath, covenant, or engagement in my life, but my yea or nay was more binding to me than an oath was to many others; for had they not had experience how little men regarded an oath; and how they had sworn one way and then another; and how the justices and court had forsworn themselves now?” I told him, ‘I was a man of a tender conscience, and if they had any sense of a tender conscience, they would consider, that it was in obedience to Christ’s command that I could not swear. “But,” said I, “if any of you can convince me, that after Christ and the apostle had commanded not to swear, they altered that command and commanded Christians to swear; then ye shall see I will swear.” There being many priests by, I said, “if ye cannot do it, let your priests stand up and do it.” But not one of the priests made any answer. “O,” said the judge, “all the world cannot convince you.” “No,” said I, “how is it like the world should convince me; for ‘the whole world lies in wickedness;’ but bring out your spiritual men, as ye call them, to convince me.” Then both the sheriff and the judge said, “the angel swore in the Revelations.” I replied, “when God bringeth in his first-begotten Son into the world, he saith, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him;’ and he saith, ‘swear not at all.’” “Nay,” said the judge, “I will not dispute.” Then I spoke to the jury, telling them, “it was for Christ’s sake that I could not swear, and therefore I warned them not to act contrary to that of God in their consciences, for before his judgment-seat they must all be brought.” And I told them, “that as for plots and persecution for religion and Popery, I do deny them in my heart; for I am a Christian, and shall show forth Christianity amongst you this day. It is for Christ’s doctrine I stand.” More words I had both with the judge and jury before the jailer took me away.

In the afternoon I was brought up again, and put among the thieves some time, where I stood with my hat on till the jailer took it off. Then the jury having found this new indictment against me “for not taking the oath,” I was called to the bar; and the judge asked me, “what I would say for myself:” I bid them read the indictment, for I would not answer to that which I did not hear. The clerk read it, and as he read the judge said, “take heed it be not false again;” but he read it in such a manner that I could hardly understand what he read. When he had done, the judge asked me, “what I said to the indictment?” I told him, “at once hearing so large a writing read, and at such a distance that I could not distinctly hear all the parts of it, I could not well tell what to say to it; but if he would let me have a copy, and give me time to consider it, I would answer it.” This put them to a little stand; but after a while the judge asked me “what time I would have?” I said, “till the next assize.” “But,” said he, “what plea will you now make? are you guilty or not guilty?” I said, “I am not guilty at all of denying swearing obstinately and wilfully; and as for those things mentioned in the oath, as jesuitical plots and foreign powers, I utterly deny them in my heart; and if I could take any oath, I should take that; but I never took any oath in my life.” The judge said, “I said well; but,” said he, “the king is sworn, the parliament is sworn, I am sworn, the justices are sworn, and the law is preserved by oaths.” I told him, “they had had sufficient experience of men’s swearing, and he had seen how the justices and jury had sworn wrongly the other day; and if he had read in the Book of Martyrs how many of the martyrs had refused to swear, both within the time of the ten persecutions and in Bishop Bonner’s days, he might see, that to deny swearing in obedience to Christ’s command was no new thing.” He said, “he wished the laws were otherwise.” I said, “Our Yea is yea, and our Nay is nay; and if we transgress our yea and our nay, let us suffer as they do, or should do, that swear falsely.” This, I told him, we had offered to the king; and the king said, “it was reasonable.” After some further discourse, they committed me to prison again, there to lie till the next assize; and Colonel Kirby gave order to the jailer, “to keep me close, and suffer no flesh alive to come at me, for I was not fit,” he said, “to be discoursed with by men.”

Then I was put into a tower, where the smoke of the other prisoners came up so thick, that it stood as dew upon the walls, and sometimes it was so thick that I could hardly see the candle when it burned; and I being locked under three locks, the under-jailer, when the smoke was great, would hardly be persuaded to come up to unlock one of the uppermost doors, for fear of the smoke, so that I was almost smothered. Besides, it rained in upon my bed, and many times, when I went to stop out the rain in the cold winter season, my shirt was wet through with the rain that came in upon me, while I was labouring to stop it out. And the place being high and open to the wind, sometimes as fast as I stopped it, the wind blew it out again. In this manner did I lie, all that long cold winter, till the next assize; in which time I was so starved with cold and rain, that my body was greatly swelled, and my limbs much benumbed.

The assize began on the 16th day of the month called March, 1664-5. The same Judges, Twisden and Turner, coming that circuit again, Judge Twisden sat this time on the crown-bench, and before him I was brought. I had informed myself of the errors in this indictment also. For though at the assize before, Judge Turner had said to the officers in court, “Pray see that all the oath be in the indictment, and that the word, subject, be in, and that the day of the month and the year of the king be put in right; for it is a shame that so many errors should be seen and found in the face of the country;” yet there were many errors, and those great ones, in this indictment, as well as in the former. Surely the hand of the Lord was in it, to confound their mischievous work against me, and to blind them therein; insomuch, that although after the indictment was drawn at the former assize, the judge examined it himself and tried it with the clerks, yet the word, subject, was left out of this indictment also, the day of the month was put in wrong, and several material words of the oath were left out; yet they went on confidently against me, thinking all was safe and well.

When I was set to the bar, and the jury called over to be sworn, the clerk asked me, first, “whether I had any objection to make against any of the jury?” I told him, “I knew none of them.” Then, having sworn the jury, they swore three of the officers of the court to prove “that the oath was tendered to me at the last assizes, according to the indictment.” “Come, come,” said the judge, “it was not done in a corner.” Then he asked me, “what I had said to it, or whether I had taken the oath at the last assize?” I told him, what I had said, viz., “that the book they gave me to swear on, says, ‘swear not at all;’” and I repeated more of what I had formerly said to them, as it now came to my remembrance. Whereupon the judge said, “I will not dispute with you, but in point of law.” “Then,” said I, “I have something to speak to the jury concerning the indictment.” He told me, I must not speak to the jury, but if I had anything to say, I must speak to him. Then I asked him, “whether the oath was to be tendered to the king’s subjects only, or to the subjects of foreign princes?” He replied, “to the subjects of this realm; for I will speak nothing to you,” said he, “but in point of law.” “Then,” said I, “look in the indictment, and thou mayest see that the word, subject, is left out of this indictment also. And therefore seeing the oath is not to be tendered to any but the subjects of this realm, and ye have not put me in as a subject, the court is to take no notice of this indictment.” I had no sooner spoken than the judge cried, “Take him away, jailer, take him away.” So I was presently hurried away. The jailer and people looked when I should be called for again; but I was never brought to the court any more, though I had many other great errors to assign in the indictment.

After I was gone, the judge asked the jury, “if they were agreed?” They said, “yes,” and found for the king against me as I was told. But I was never called to hear sentence given, nor was any given against me, that I could hear of. I understood that when they had looked more narrowly into the indictment, they saw it was not good: and the judge having sworn the officers of the court, that the oath was tendered me at the assize before, such a day, according as was set in the indictment, and that being the wrong day, I should have proved the officers of the court forsworn men again, if the judge would have suffered me to plead to the indictment; which was thought to be the reason why he hurried me away so soon. The judge had passed sentence of premunire upon Margaret Fell, before I was brought in; and it seems, when I was hurried away, they recorded me as a premunired person, though I was never brought to hear the sentence or knew of it; which was very illegal. For they ought not only to have had me present to hear the sentence given, but also to have asked me first, “what I could say why sentence should not be given against me?” But they knew I had so much to say, that they could not give sentence, if they heard it.

While I was prisoner in Lancaster castle, there was a great noise and talk of the Turk’s overspreading Christendom, and great fears entered many. But one day as I was walking in my prison chamber, “I saw the Lord’s power turn against him, and that he was turning back again.” And I declared to some what the Lord had let me see, when there were such fears of his over-running Christendom; and within a month after the news came, that they had given him a defeat.

Another time, as I was walking in my chamber, with my eye to the Lord, “I saw the angel of the Lord with a glittering drawn sword stretched southward, as though the court had been all on fire.” Not long after the wars broke out with Holland, the sickness broke forth, and afterwards the fire of London; so the Lord’s sword was drawn indeed.

By reason of my long and close imprisonment in so bad a place, I was become very weak in body; but the Lord’s power was over all, supported me through all, and enabled me to do service for him, and for his truth and people, as the place would admit. For while I was in Lancaster prison, I answered several books, as the Mass, the Common-Prayer, the Directory, and the Church Faith; which are the four chief religions that are got up since the apostles’ days. And there being several Friends in prison at Lancaster and other prisons for not paying tithes, I was moved to give forth the following lines:—

Concerning Tithes.

“In the time of the law, they that did not bring their tithes into the store-house, robbed God; then there was not meat in their house; therefore the Lord commanded ‘to bring them into his house, that there might be meat in the store-house, which was to fill the fatherless, stranger, and widow.’ But these priests, who are counterfeits, who take people’s tithes now by a law, are from the beast; and if any will not pay them, they imprison them, or make them pay treble. These rob the poor, rob the fatherless; and the stranger and the widow are not filled; so their cry is gone up to heaven against these. Many are made almost beggars by these oppressing priests, their cattle and corn being taken away, and they cast into prison. Others are sued at law by them, and have treble damage taken from them; yet such priests are cried up to be ministers of the gospel. Though, when the unchangeable priest was come, the priesthood that was changeable, was denied, as we now deny these. But if any be moved now to cry against them, they are stocked, beaten, or imprisoned. Many are now in prison at Lancaster, and in other places, by a national law; the like whereof was never done by the law of God, which was delivered to Moses. For we do not read, that under Moses’s law any suffered imprisonment, or spoiling of their goods for not paying tithes, or had to pay treble damage. Surely, surely, the cry for vengeance will be heard, which arises from the oppressed souls that lie under the altar. There are many prisoners at Kendal, because they cannot pay tithes, as Captain Ward, Thomas Robertson,[8] and the widow Garland, who has many small children; these suffer because they cannot pay tithes. Others are in Kendal prison, who were moved of the Lord to speak to the priests, one to go in sackcloth, and with ashes upon her head. Others have been moved to go in sackcloth, as a lamentation for the miserable estate of this nation, seeing so much crying up of the preaching of the gospel, and yet so much strife, debate, and oaths, and dissension among people. But where the gospel is received indeed, strife and contention are ended, and oppression is taken off.

O! the land mourns, because of the oppression of those called ministers! And though the cry of the oppressed hath not entered into the ears of the magistrates; yet is the cry of the poor, oppressed people of God, entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, who now will be avenged of all his adversaries. You unjust lawgivers, and unjust judges, to that in all your consciences I speak, to be cleared, when ye are judged by the just Judge of heaven and earth; whose terror is gone forth against all the ungodly, and all the oppressors of God’s people whatsoever, whether ye will hear or forbear.”

G.F.

After the assize, Colonel Kirby and some other justices were very uneasy with my being at Lancaster; for I had galled them sore at my trials there, and they laboured much to get me removed to some remote place. Colonel Kirby threatened I should be sent far enough, and sometimes said, I should be sent beyond sea. About six weeks after the assizes, they got an order from the king and council to remove me from Lancaster; and with it they brought a letter from the Earl of Anglesea, wherein was written, “that if those things were found true against me, which I was charged withal, I deserved no clemency or mercy:” yet the greatest matter they had against me was, because I could not disobey the command of Christ, and swear.

When they had prepared for my removal, the under-sheriff and the head-sheriff’s man, with some bailiffs, came and fetched me out of the castle, when I was so weak with lying in that cold, wet, and smoky prison, that I could hardly go or stand. They had me into the jailer’s house, where were William Kirby, a justice, and several others, and they called for wine to give me. I told them, “I would have none of their wine.” Then they cried, “Bring out the horses.” I desired them first to show me their order, or a copy of it, if they intended to remove me; but they would show me none but their swords. I told them, “there was no sentence passed upon me, nor was I premunired, that I knew of; and therefore I was not made the king’s prisoner, but was the sheriff’s; for they and all the country knew, that I was not fully heard at the last assize, nor suffered to show the errors that were in the indictment, which were sufficient to quash it, though they had kept me from one assize to another, to the end they might try me. But they all knew, there was no sentence of premunire passed upon me; and therefore not being the king’s prisoner, but the sheriff’s, I desired to see their order.” Instead of showing me their order, they haled me out, and lifted me upon one of the sheriff’s horses. When I was on horseback in the street, the town’s-people being gathered to gaze upon me, I told the officers, I had received neither Christianity, civility, nor humanity, from them. They hurried me away about fourteen miles to BENTHAM, though I was so very weak, I was hardly able to sit on horseback; and my clothes smelt so of smoke, that they were loathsome to myself. The wicked jailer, one Hunter, a young fellow, would come behind, and give the horse a lash with his whip, and make him skip, and leap; so that I being weak, had difficulty to sit him; and then he would come and look me in the face, and say, “How do you, Mr. Fox?” I told him, “it was not civil in him to do so.” The Lord cut him off soon after.

When we were come to Bentham, there met us many troopers, and a marshal; and many of the gentry of the country were come in, and abundance of people to stare at me. I being very weak and weary, desired them to let me lie down on a bed, which the soldiers permitted me; for they that brought me thither, gave their order to the marshal, and he set a guard of his soldiers upon me. When they had stayed a while, they pressed horses, and raised the bailiff of the hundred, and the constables, and others, and had me to GIGGLESWICK that night; but exceedingly weak I was. There they raised the constables with their clog-shoes, who sat drinking all the night in the room by me, so that I could not get much rest. Next day we came to a market-town, where several Friends called to see me; and Robert Widders and divers Friends came to me on the road. The next night I asked the soldiers, “whither they intended to carry me, and whither I was to be sent?” Some of them said, “beyond sea;” others said, “to Tynemouth Castle.” A great fear there was amongst them, lest some one should rescue me out of their hands; but that fear was needless.

Next night we came to YORK, where the marshal put me into a great chamber, where most part of two troops came to see me. One of these troopers, an envious man, hearing that I must be premunired, asked me, “what estate I had, and whether it was copyhold or free land?” I took no notice of his question, but was moved to declare the word of life to the soldiers, and many of them were very loving. At night the Lord Frecheville (so called), who commanded these horse, came to me, and was very civil and loving. I gave him an account of my imprisonment, and declared many things to him relating to truth. They kept me at York two days, and then the marshal and four or five soldiers were sent to convey me to SCARBRO’ CASTLE. Indeed these were very civil men, and carried themselves civilly and lovingly to me. On the way we baited at MALTON, and they permitted Friends to come and visit me. When we were come to SCARBRO’, they had me to an inn, and gave notice to the governor, who sent six soldiers to be my guard that night. Next day they conducted me into the castle, put me into a room, and set a sentry on me. Being very weak and subject to fainting, they let me go out sometimes into the air with the sentry. They soon removed me out of this room, and put me into an open one, where the rain came in; and smoked exceedingly, which was very offensive to me.

One day the governor, Sir J. Crossland, came to see me, and brought with him Sir Francis Cobb. I desired the governor to go into my room, and see what a place I had. I had got a little fire made in it, and it was so filled with smoke, that when they were in it, they could hardly find their way out again; and he being a Papist, I told him, that was his Purgatory which they had put me into. I was forced to lay out about fifty shillings to stop out the rain, and keep the room from smoking so much. When I had been at that charge, and made it somewhat tolerable, they removed me into a worse room, where I had neither chimney nor fire-hearth. This being to the sea-side and lying much open, the wind drove in the rain forcibly, so that the water came over my bed, and ran about the room, that I was fain to skim it up with a platter. And when my clothes were wet, I had no fire to dry them; so that my body was benumbed with cold, and my fingers swelled, that one was grown as big as two. Though I was at some charge in this room also, I could not keep out the wind and rain. Besides they would suffer few Friends to come to me, and many times not any, no, not so much as to bring me a little food; but I was forced for the first quarter to hire one, not a Friend, to bring me necessaries. Sometimes the soldiers would take it from her, and she would scuffle with them for it. Afterwards I hired a soldier to fetch me water and bread, and something to make a fire of, when I was in a room where a fire could be made. Commonly a threepenny loaf served me three weeks, and sometimes longer, and most of my drink was water with wormwood steeped or bruised in it. One time when the weather was very sharp, and I had taken great cold, I got a little elecampane beer, and I heard one of the soldiers say to the other, that they would play me a trick, for they would send for me up to the deputy-governor, and in the meantime drink my strong beer out; and so they did. When I came back, one of the soldiers came to me in a jeer, and asked me for some strong beer. I told him they had played their pretty trick; and so I took no further notice of it.

But inasmuch as they kept me so very strait, not giving liberty for Friends to come to me, I spoke to the keepers of the castle to this effect: “I did not know till I was removed from Lancaster castle, and brought prisoner to this castle of Scarbro’, that I was convicted of a premunire; for the judge did not give sentence upon me at the assizes in open court. But seeing I am now a prisoner here, if I may not have my liberty, let my friends and acquaintance have their liberty to come and visit me, as Paul’s friends had among the Romans, who were not Christians but Heathens. For Paul’s friends had their liberty; all that would, might come to him, and he had his liberty to preach to them in his hired house; but I cannot have liberty to go into the town, nor for my friends to come to me here. So you that go under the name of Christians, are worse in this respect than those heathens were.”

But though they would not let Friends come to me, they would often bring others, either to gaze upon me, or to contend with me. One time a great company of Papists came to discourse with me; they affirmed, “the Pope was infallible, and had stood infallible ever since Peter’s time.” But I showed them the contrary by history; for one of the bishops of Rome, (Marcellinus by name,) denied the faith and sacrificed to idols; therefore he was not infallible. I told them, if they were in the infallible spirit, they need not have jails, swords, and staves, racks and tortures, fires and faggots, whips and gallows, to hold up their religion by, and to destroy men’s lives about it; for if they were in the infallible spirit they would preserve men’s lives, and use none but spiritual weapons about religion. I told them also what one that had been of their society told me. A woman who lived in Kent, had not only been a Papist herself, but had brought over several to that religion; but coming to be convinced of God’s truth, and turned by it to Christ her Saviour, she exhorted the Papists to the same. One of them, a tailor, being at work at her house, while she opened to him the falseness of the Popish religion, and endeavoured to draw him from it to the truth, drew his knife, and got between her and the door; but she spoke boldly to him, and bid him put up his knife, for she knew his principle. I asked the woman, “what she thought he would have done with his knife?” She said, “he would have stabbed her.” “Stabbed thee,” said I, “what would he have stabbed thee for? thy religion.” “Yes,” said she, “it is the principle of the Papists, if any turn from their religion, to kill them if they can.” This story I told those Papists, and that I had it from a person that had been one of them, but had forsaken their principles and discovered their practices. They did not deny this to be their principle; but said, “What! would I declare this abroad?” I told them, “yes, such things ought to be declared abroad; that it might be known how contrary their religion was to true Christianity.” Whereupon they went away in a great rage.

Another Papist came to discourse with me, who said all the patriarchs were in hell, from the creation till Christ came, and that when Christ suffered he went into hell, and the Devil said to him “What comest thou hither for, to break open our strongholds?” And Christ said, “to fetch them all out.” So he said, “Christ was three nights and three days in hell, to bring them out.” I told him that was false, for Christ said to the thief, “This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.” And Enoch and Elijah were translated into heaven. And Abraham was in heaven, for the Scripture saith, Lazarus was in his bosom; and Moses and Elias were with Christ upon the Mount before he suffered. These instances stopped the Papist’s mouth, and put him to a stand.

Another time came Dr. Witty, who was esteemed a great doctor of physic, with Lord Falconbridge; with these came also the governor of Tynemouth castle, and several knights. Being called to them, Witty undertook to discourse with me, and asked me, “what I was in prison for?” I told him, “because I would not disobey the command of Christ, and swear.” He said, “I ought to swear my allegiance to the king.” He being a great Presbyterian, I asked him, “whether he had not sworn against the King, and House of Lords, and taken the Scotch covenant? and had he not since sworn to the king? and what then was his swearing good for? But my allegiance,” I told him, “did not consist in swearing, but in truth and faithfulness.” After some further discourse, I was sent away to my prison again. And afterwards this Dr. Witty boasted in the town amongst his patients, that he had conquered me. When I heard of his boasting, I told the governor, “it was a small boast in him to say he had conquered a bondman.” I desired to bid him visit me again, when he came to the castle.

He came again a while after, with sixteen or seventeen great persons; and ran himself worse on ground than before. For he affirmed before them all, “that Christ hath not enlightened every man that cometh into the world; and that the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath not appeared unto all men; and that Christ died not for all men.” I asked him, “what sort of men those were whom Christ had not enlightened? and to whom his grace had not appeared? and for whom he had not died?” He said, “Christ did not die for adulterers, and idolaters, and wicked men.” I asked him, “whether adulterers and wicked men were not sinners?” He said, “Yes.” “And did not Christ die for sinners?” said I. “Did he not come to call sinners to repentance?” “Yes,” said he. “Then,” said I, “thou hast stopped thy own mouth.” So I proved that the grace of God had appeared unto all men, though some turned it into wantonness, and walked despitefully against it; and that Christ had enlightened all men, though some hated the light. Several of the people that were present, confessed it was true; but he went away in a great rage, and came no more to me.

Another time the governor brought a priest, but his mouth was soon stopped. Not long after he brought two or three parliament-men, who asked me, “whether I owned ministers and bishops?” I told them, “yes, such as Christ sent, such as had freely received, and would freely give, such as were qualified, and were in the same power and Spirit that they were in in the apostles’ days. But such bishops and teachers as theirs were, that would go no farther than a great benefice, I did not own; for they were not like the apostles. Christ saith to his ministers, ‘Go ye into all nations, and preach the gospel;’ but ye parliament-men, who keep your priests and bishops in such great fat benefices, have spoiled them all. For do ye think they will go into all nations to preach; or any farther than they have a great fat benefice? Judge yourselves whether they will or not.”

There came another time the widow of old Lord Fairfax, and with her a great company; one of whom was a priest. I was moved to declare the truth to them, and the priest asked me, “Why we said, Thou and Thee to people? for he counted us but fools and idiots for speaking so.” I asked him, “Whether they that translated the Scriptures, and that made the grammar and accidence, were fools and idiots, seeing they translated the Scriptures so, and made the grammar so, Thou to one, and You to more than one, and left it so to us. If they were fools and idiots, why had not he, and such as he, that looked upon themselves as wise men, and that could not bear Thou and Thee to a singular, altered the grammar, accidence, and Bible, and put the plural instead of the singular. But if they were wise men that had so translated the Bible, and had made the grammar and accidence so, I wished him to consider whether they were not fools and idiots themselves, that did not speak as their grammars and Bibles taught them; but were offended with us, and called us fools and idiots for speaking so?” Thus the priest’s mouth was stopped, and many of the company acknowledged the truth, and were pretty loving and tender. Some of them would have given me money, but I would not receive it.

After this came Dr. Cradock, with three priests more, and the governor and his lady (so called) and another that was called a lady, and a great company with them. Dr. Cradock asked me, “what I was in prison for?” I told him, “for obeying the command of Christ and the apostle, in not swearing. But if he, being both a doctor and a justice of peace, could convince me, that after Christ and the apostle had forbidden swearing, they commanded Christians to swear, then I would swear. Here was the Bible,” I told him, “he might, if he could, show me any such command.” He said, “It is written, ‘ye shall swear in truth and righteousness.’” “Ay,” said I, “It was written so in Jeremiah’s time; but that was many ages before Christ commanded, ‘not to swear at all;’ but where is it written so, since Christ forbade all swearing? I could bring as many instances for swearing out of the Old Testament as thou, and it may be more; but of what force are they to prove swearing lawful in the New Testament, since Christ and the apostle had forbade it? Besides,” said I, “in that text, where it is written, ye shall swear, what ye was this? Was it ye Gentiles, or ye Jews?” To this he would not answer. But one of the priests that were with him answered, “it was to the Jews that this was spoken.” Then Dr. Cradock confessed it was so. “Very well,” said I, “but where did God ever give a command to the Gentiles to swear? For thou knowest that we are Gentiles by nature.” “Indeed,” said he, “in the gospel-times everything was to be established out of the mouths of two or three witnesses; but there was to be no swearing then.” “Why then,” said I, “dost thou force oaths upon Christians, contrary to thy own knowledge, in the gospel-times. And why dost thou excommunicate my friends?” (for he had excommunicated abundance, both in Yorkshire and Lancashire). He said, “for not coming to church.” “Why,” said I, “Ye left us above twenty years ago, when we were but young lads and lasses, to the Presbyterians, Independents and Baptists, many of whom made spoil of our goods and persecuted us, because we would not follow them. Now we being but young, knew little then of your principles; and if ye had intended to keep the old men that did know them, to you, and your principles alive, that we might have known them, ye should either not have fled from us as ye did, or ye should have sent us your epistles, collects, homilies, and evening-songs, for Paul wrote epistles to the saints, though he was in prison. But they and we might have turned Turks or Jews for any collects, homilies, or epistles, we had from you all this while. And now thou hast excommunicated us, both young and old, and so have others of you done: that is, ye have put us out of your church, before ye have got us into it, and before ye have brought us to know your principles. Is not this madness in you, to put us out before we were brought in? Indeed, if ye had brought us into your church, and when we had been in, if we had done some bad thing, that had been something like a ground for excommunication or putting out again. But,” said I, “what dost thou call the church?” “Why,” said he, “that which you call the steeple-house.” Then I asked him, “whether Christ shed his blood for the steeple-house; and purchased and sanctified the steeple-house with his blood? And seeing the church is Christ’s bride and wife, and that he is the head of the church, dost thou think the steeple-house is Christ’s wife and bride, and that he is the head of that old house, or his people?” “No,” said he, “Christ is the head of the people, and they are the church.” “Then,” said I, “but you have given the title, church, which belongs to the people, to an old house, and you have taught people to believe so.”

I asked him also, “why he persecuted Friends for not paying tithes? And whether God ever gave a command to the Gentiles, that they should pay tithes? And whether Christ had not ended tithes, when he ended the Levitical priesthood that took tithes? And whether Christ when he sent forth his disciples to preach, had not commanded them to preach freely, as he had given them freely? And whether all ministers of Christ, are not bound to observe this command of Christ?” He said, “he would not dispute that;” neither did I find he was willing to stay on that subject, for he presently turned to another matter, and said, “you marry, but I know not how.” I replied, “it may be so; but why dost thou not come and see?” Then he threatened that he would use his power against us as he had done. “I bid him take heed, for he was an old man.” I asked him also, “where he read from Genesis to the Revelations, that ever any priest did marry any?” And I wished him to show me some instance thereof, if he would have us come to them to be married; “for” said I, “thou hast excommunicated one of my friends, two years after he was dead, about his marriage. And why dost thou not excommunicate Isaac, and Jacob, and Boaz, and Ruth? Why dost thou not use thy power against these; for we do not read that they were ever married by the priests; but they took one another in the assemblies of the righteous, in the presence of God and his people; and so do we. So that we have all the holy men and women, that the Scripture speaks of in this practice, on our side.” Much discourse we had, but when he found he could get no advantage over me, he went away with his company.

With such people I was much exercised while I was there; for most that came to the castle would desire to speak with me, and great disputes I had with them. But, as to Friends, I was as a man buried alive: for though many came far to see me, yet few were suffered to come to me: and when any Friend came into the castle about business, if he looked towards me they would rage at him. At last the governor came under some trouble himself; for he having sent out a privateer to sea, they took some ships that were not enemies’ ships, but their friends’; whereupon he was brought into trouble; after which he grew somewhat more friendly to me. For before I had a marshal set over me, on purpose to get money out of me, but I was not free to give him a farthing; and when they found they could get nothing from me, he was taken away again. The officers often threatened that I should be hanged over the wall. Nay, the deputy-governor told me once that the king, knowing I had a great interest in the people, had sent me thither, that if there should be any stirring in the nation, they should hang me over the wall to keep the people down. There being, a while after, a marriage at a Papist’s house, upon which occasion a great many of them were met together, they talked much then of hanging me. But I told them, “if that was what they desired, and it was permitted them, I was ready; for I never feared death nor sufferings in my life, but I was known to be an innocent, peaceable man, free from all stirrings and plottings, and one that sought the good of all men.” Afterwards, the governor growing kinder, I spoke to him when he was going to London to the Parliament, and desired him to speak to Esquire Marsh, Sir Francis Cobb (so called), and some others; and let them know how long I had lain in prison, and for what; and he did so. When he came down again, he told me, that Esquire Marsh[9] said he would go a hundred miles barefoot for my liberty, he knew me so well; and several others, he said, spoke well of me. From which time the governor was very loving to me.

There were, amongst the prisoners, two very bad men, that often sat drinking with the officers and soldiers; and because I would not sit and drink with them too, it made them the worse against me. One time when these two prisoners were drunk, one of them (whose name was William Wilkinson, a Presbyterian who had been a captain), came to me and challenged me to fight with him. Seeing what condition he was in, I got out of his way; and, next morning, when he was more sober, showed him, “how unmanly it was in him to challenge a man to fight, whose principle, he knew, it was not to strike; but if he was stricken on one ear to turn the other. I told him, if he had a mind to fight, he should have challenged some of the soldiers, that could have answered him in his own way. But however, seeing he had challenged me, I was now come to answer him with my hands in my pockets; and (reaching my head towards him) ‘here,’ said I, ‘here is my hair, here are my cheeks, here is my back.’” With that he skipped away from me, and went into another room; at which the soldiers fell a laughing; and one of the officers said, “you are a happy man, that can bear such things.” Thus he was conquered without a blow. After a while he took the oath, gave bond, and got out of prison; and not long after the Lord cut him off.

There were great imprisonments in this, and the former year, while I was prisoner at Lancaster and Scarbro’. At London many Friends were crowded into Newgate, and other prisons, where the sickness was; and many died in prison.[10] Many also were banished, and several sent on shipboard by the king’s order. Some masters of ships would not carry them, but set them on shore again; yet some were sent to Barbadoes, to Jamaica, and to Nevis, and the Lord blessed them there. One master of a ship was very wicked and cruel to Friends that were put on board his vessel; for he kept them down under decks, though the sickness was amongst them; so that many died of it. But the Lord visited him for his wickedness; for he lost most of his seamen by the plague, and lay several months crossed with contrary winds, though other ships went out and made their voyages. At last he came before Plymouth, and there the governor and magistrates would not suffer him, or any of his men, to land, though he wanted many necessaries for his voyage; but Thomas Lower, Arthur Cotton, John Light, and other Friends, went to the ship’s side and carried necessaries for the Friends that were prisoners on board. The master being thus crossed and vexed, cursed them that put upon him this freight, and said, “he hoped he should not go far before he was taken.” And the vessel was but just out of sight of Plymouth before she was taken by a Dutch man-of-war, and carried into Holland. When they came there, the States sent the banished Friends back to England, with a passport, and a certificate, “that they had not made an escape, but were sent back by them.” In time the Lord’s power wrought over this storm, and many of our persecutors were confounded and put to shame.[11]

After I had lain prisoner above a year in Scarbro’ Castle, I sent a letter to the king, in which I gave him “an account of my imprisonment, and the bad usage I had received in prison; and also that I was informed, no man could deliver me but he.” After this, John Whitehead being at London, and being acquainted with Esquire Marsh, went to visit him, and spoke to him about me; and he undertook, if John Whitehead would get the state of my case drawn up, to deliver it to the master of requests, Sir John Birkenhead, and endeavour to get a release for me. So John Whitehead and Ellis Hookes[12] drew up an account of my imprisonment and sufferings, and carried it to Marsh; and he went with it to the master of requests, who procured an order from the king for my release. The substance of the order was, “that the king being certainly informed, that I was a man principled against plotting and fighting, and had been ready at all times to discover plots, rather than to make any, &c., therefore his royal pleasure was, that I should be discharged from my imprisonment,” &c. As soon as this order was obtained, John Whitehead came to Scarbro’ with it, and delivered it to the governor; who, upon receipt thereof, gathered the officers together, and without requiring bonds or sureties for my peaceable living, being satisfied that I was a man of a peaceable life, he discharged me freely, and gave me the following passport:—

“Permit the bearer hereof, George Fox, late a prisoner here, and now discharged by His Majesty’s order, quietly to pass about his lawful occasions, without any molestation. Given under my hand at Scarbro’ Castle, this first day of September, 1666.”

JORDAN CROSLANDS, Governor of Scarbro’ Castle.

After I was released, I would have made the governor a present for the civility and kindness he had of late showed me; but he would not receive anything; saying, “whatever good he could do for me and my friends he would do it, and never do them any hurt.” And afterwards, if at any time the mayor of the town sent to him for soldiers to break up Friends’ meetings, if he sent any down he would privately give them a charge “not to meddle.” He continued loving to his dying day. The officers also and the soldiers were mightily changed, and became very respectful to me, and when they had occasion to speak of me, they would say, “he is as stiff as a tree, and as pure as a bell; for we could never bow him.”

The very next day after my release, the fire broke out in London, and the report of it came quickly down into the country.[13] Then I saw the Lord God was true and just in his word, which he had showed me before in Lancaster jail, when I saw the angel of the Lord with a glittering sword drawn southward, as before expressed. The people of London were forewarned of this fire; yet few laid it to heart, or believed it; but rather grew more wicked, and higher in pride. For a Friend was moved to come out of Huntingdonshire a little before the fire, to scatter his money, and turn his horse loose on the streets, to untie the knees of his breeches, let his stockings fall down, and to unbutton his doublet, and tell the people, “so should they run up and down, scattering their money and their goods, half undressed, like mad people, as he was a sign to them;” and so they did, when the city was burning.

Thus hath the Lord exercised his prophets and servants by his power, showed them signs of his judgments, and sent them to forewarn the people; but, instead of repenting, they have beaten and cruelly entreated some, and some they have imprisoned, both in the former power’s days and since. But the Lord is just, and happy are they that obey his word. Some have been moved to go naked in their streets, in the other power’s days, and since, as signs of their nakedness; and have declared amongst them “that God would strip them of their hypocritical professions, and make them as bare and naked as they were.” But instead of considering it, they have many times whipped, or otherwise abused them, and sometimes imprisoned them. Others have been moved to go in sackcloth, and to denounce the woes and vengeance of God against the pride and haughtiness of the people; but few regarded it. And in the other power’s days, the wicked, envious, and professing priests, put up several petitions both to Oliver and Richard, called protectors, and to the parliaments, judges, and justices, against us, full of lies, vilifying words and slanders; but we got copies of them, and, through the Lord’s assistance, answered them all, and cleared the Lord’s truth and ourselves of them. But O! the body of darkness that rose against the truth in them that made lies their refuge. But the Lord swept them away; and in and with his power, truth, light, and life, hedged his lambs about, and preserved them as on eagles’ wings. Therefore we all had, and have great encouragement to trust the Lord, who, we saw by his power and Spirit, overturned and brought to naught all the confederacies and counsels that were hatched in darkness against his truth and people; and by the same truth gave his people dominion, that therein they might serve him.

Indeed I could not but take notice, how the hand of the Lord turned against those persecutors, who had been the cause of my imprisonment, or had been abusive or cruel to me in it. The officer that fetched me to Holker-Hall wasted his estate, and soon after fled into Ireland. And most of the justices that were upon the bench at the sessions when I was sent to prison, died in a while after; as old Thomas Preston, Rawlinson, Porter, and Matthew West, of Borwick. And Justice Fleming’s wife died, and left him thirteen or fourteen motherless children, who had imprisoned two Friends to death, and thereby made several children fatherless. Colonel Kirby never prospered after. The chief constable, Richard Dodgson, died soon after, and Mount, the petty constable, and the wife of the other petty constable John Ashburnham, who railed at me in her house, died soon after. William Knipe, the witness they brought against me, died soon after also. Hunter, the jailer of Lancaster, who was very wicked to me while I was his prisoner, was cut off in his young days: and the under-sheriff that carried me from Lancaster prison towards Scarbro’, lived not long after. And Joblin, the jailer of Durham, who was prisoner with me in Scarbro’ castle, and had often incensed the governor and soldiers against me, though he got out of prison, yet the Lord cut him off in his wickedness soon after. When I came into that country again, most of those that dwelt in Lancashire were dead, and others ruined in their estates; so that, though I did not seek revenge upon them, for their actings against me contrary to the law, yet the Lord had executed his judgments upon many of them.

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Footnote 1:

Thomas Salthouse of Lancashire (but afterwards resided in the South of England,) was born about 1630, and convinced when George Fox first came to Swarthmore. He became an eminent minister of the gospel, for which he suffered much. In 1655 he, and Miles Halhead, being pressed in spirit to visit the Friends imprisoned at Plymouth, they were taken up on suspicion of having a hand in an insurrection which broke out a little before; and though the high Sheriff confessed he did not believe them concerned in it, he caused them to be kept close prisoners at Exeter for fourteen days, and then sent them from officer to officer towards home. In going towards Bridgewater, the officer who conducted them fell down, and lay grovelling on the ground in the sight of many people, and was able to go no further. So they returned to the justice to tell him what had befallen the officer, and to know what further he would do with them. But he declined to interfere with them again; set them at liberty, and desired the Lord to be with them.

For further particulars of Thomas Salthouse, the reader is referred to Whiting’s Memoirs, p. 452-460. Whiting concludes his account by saying, “He was a pleasant man in conversation, which rendered him acceptable to many others as well as Friends, had a large capacity, and an excellent gift in the ministry. He wrote some notable books, and excellent epistles to Friends, though never collected as they deserve. He died at his own house Cornwall in 1690, about sixty years of age, in peace with the Lord; and is no doubt at rest with him from all his labours and sufferings, and his works follow him.”

Footnote 2:

Near Handsworth-Woodhouse.

Footnote 3:

John Whitehead was a very eminent Minister amongst the early Friends, valiant for the truth, and a great sufferer for it. His life and writings have been published, to which the reader is referred. He wrote a very beautiful and encouraging epistle to Friends, dated Aylesbury prison, 12th month, 1660, which is inserted in Letters, &c., of Early Friends, 382-387. William Penn, in his preface to Whitehead’s Works, says, “He was among the most eminent for his sound mind and capacity, great zeal and boldness, and as great humility, patience, and labour in word, doctrine, and charity.”

Footnote 4:

Hugh Tickell was born in Cumberland, about the year 1610, being convinced by George Fox when he first visited Cumberland in 1653, he gave up his house for meetings, and entertained the Lord’s messengers. He became a faithful and eminent minister, travelling up and down in the service of the Gospel, suffering much for it, both in the spoiling of his goods and in imprisonments. In 1664 he was cast into Carlisle jail, with four other Friends, by priest Marshall of Crosthwaite, and though he kept him in prison three years, yet he took tithe of his land. But afterwards this priest fell down stairs and broke his skull, upon which he died. Hugh Tickell was again imprisoned in Carlisle jail, when about sixty-eight years old, by Richard Lowry, another priest of Crosthwaite, because he could not pay him tithes, who kept him prisoner about nine months, part of it in a cold winter, and in a damp nasty place not fit for men to lie in. This priest Lowry was suddenly stricken, and had the use of one side of his tongue, and his understanding much taken from him, and so continued a long time—a remarkable judgment.

Hugh Tickell patiently bore all his sufferings, and willingly endured them for the testimony of Jesus and a good conscience. But in his last imprisonment he contracted a distemper of body, which, increasing upon him after he came home, he grew weak, but continued in great patience; and being sensible his end drew nigh, set his house in order, and, taking leave of friends and neighbours, he sweetly departed in great peace in 1680, being above seventy years of age.

Footnote 5:

Of the William Wilson here alluded to, the following particulars have been gathered:—He was a man of an innocent life, and though he had little outward learning, God was pleased to teach him himself, and called him to bear a testimony to his name, which he did faithfully, not only in many parts of England, but in Germany and Scotland, which he visited several times. He was of a lowly and meek spirit, upright and just among his neighbours, which caused them often to submit their differences to his arbitration, in which he was careful to find out the real truth, and would never countenance deceit. In this service he was successful, seldom missing his desired end, viz., to restore peace. He was faithful in his testimony for the truth, and a sufferer for the same in prison at Kendal, in 1666, and several times afterwards, as well as by distress on his goods. Besides which he suffered cruel mockings, stoning, blows, and wounds, both from priests and people, particularly at Eskdale, where he exhorted the people “to mind that of God in their consciences, and turn to that holy light and law which he had put into their inward parts, that by the same they might come to know the will of God, and do it.” Because of these and like words, one Parker, a priest, beat and wounded him, and with one of his crutches broke his head, causing the blood to run down his shoulders. The priest being lame, and not able as he would to effect his cruel purpose, caused his horse to be brought, on which he mounted, and in the sight of the people broke his staff in three pieces upon William Wilson’s bare head, which made them cry out against such merciless behaviour. Before the priest got home, he was overtaken with sickness, and never came more to the steeple-house. During the time of his sickness he was very loathsome, and so died.

A few weeks after, William Wilson went to the same place at Eskdale, and for speaking to the people, one Fogo, a priest, took him by the hair of the head, pulled him to the ground, and drew him out. In rage and cruelty he also abused his brother Michael Wilson; but a few months after, this same Fogo, riding over some sands, accompanied by several people, fell into a quicksand, and was immediately smothered.

William Wilson left behind him a widow and two daughters, to whom he was a true husband and a tender father, instructing his children “to keep in the fear of the Lord, and to walk in the way of truth, which he walked in himself;” often saying to them, “it would be the best portion that they could enjoy.” His last illness was short. Having recently returned from a long journey, wherein his body was much spent and weak, he said, “I have not served the Lord unfruitfully; I have no trouble upon me; and I am very sensible that all is well with me.” Again he said, “He was content, whatsoever way the Lord pleased; he felt as a dove, harmless; and as a lamb, innocent.” A few hours before he died, at which time he walked several times over the room, he said, as he had often before, “My peace far exceeds my pain;” and standing upon his feet before two Friends, he said, “O that every one would mind the Lord, that they might keep life.” He then sat down and drew breath no more.

He died at his own house at Langdale, the 10th of the 5th month, 1682.

Footnote 6:

We cannot be surprised at the hard language sometimes used by the early Friends in protesting against the unchristian conduct of their persecutors. The rapacity of their enemies in the early periods of the Society carried their plunder to so great an excess, as not only to involve many in total ruin, but subjected them to long and cruel imprisonments, which, in many cases of particular hardship, terminated in death. It has already been stated that at one time there were 4,500 Quakers in prison in England and Wales at one time. In 1662, twenty died in different prisons in London, and seven more after their liberation, from ill treatment. In 1664, twenty-five died, and in 1665, fifty-two more. The number which perished in this way, throughout the whole kingdom, amounted to 369. But for fuller particulars of the cruelties practised against the early Quakers, the reader is referred to the two closely printed folio volumes, entitled Besse’s Sufferings.

Footnote 7:

The word Sirrah must not be confounded with Sir. It was no doubt made use of strictly in the sense of the only meaning Walker gives to it in his Dictionary, viz., “A compellation of reproach and insult.”

Footnote 8:

Of Thomas Robertson not much is known, but he appears to have been a faithful labourer in his day. Ambrose Rigge, in the Account of his Life, states. “A fellow-labourer was prepared for me, which was Thomas Robertson of Westmorland; who was made willing to leave his dear wife and tender babes, to go with me into the Lord’s harvest.” In Letters, &c., of Early Friends, p. 226, is a letter from Thomas Robertson to Margaret Fell, under date 1655.

Footnote 9:

The person whom George Fox here and elsewhere styles Esquire Marsh, was a gentleman attached to the court of Charles II. He always remained attached to George Fox, and ever retained a most friendly interest for the Society in general. From his station at court and office as a magistrate, he had frequent opportunities of interposing his authority to protect the early Friends from the unjust oppression of their persecutors.

Footnote 10:

The sickness here alluded to was the “Plague,” which visited London in 1665. The state of the city during this dreadful visitation seems to have been most deplorable. The following striking description is from Ellis’s Original Letters in the British Museum. The letter is one addressed to Dr. Sancroft from J. Tillison, dated Sept. 14, 1665:—

“The desolation of the city is very great. That heart is either of steel or stone, that will not lament this sad visitation, and will not bleed for those unutterable woes! What eye would not weep to see so many habitations uninhabited—the poor sick not visited—the hungry not fed—the grave not satisfied! Death stares us continually in the face in every infected person that passes by us, in every coffin which is daily and hourly carried along the streets. The custom was in the beginning to bury the dead in the night only; but now both night and day will hardly be time enough to do it. The Quakers (as we are informed) have buried, in their piece of ground, a thousand for some weeks together past.”

George Whitehead relates the satisfaction and comfort many innocent Friends expressed on their deathbeds, both in Newgate and other noisome places during the plague. Death was truly gain to these: “it being through death,” says Whitehead, “that the Lord had appointed the final deliverance of many from the cruelties and rod of the oppressors, and from the miseries and evil to come.”—“Whilst the plague was raging in the city,” he adds, “our persecutors took fifty-five of our Friends (men and women) out of Newgate, where the distemper also prevailed, and forced them on board a ship for banishment, which lay for some time in the river. They were so crowded on board, and the distemper breaking out amongst them, most of them were infected, and twenty-seven of them soon died. I visited them, and had a meeting with them on board, and the Lord my God preserved me, both from the distemper and also from banishment, wherein I did humbly confess his power and special providence to his own praise and glory.”

Footnote 11:

See extraordinary occurrences in an attempt to banish a number of Friends recorded in a note in Letters, &c., of Early Friends, p. 142-145.

Footnote 12:

Ellis Hookes was employed in London as a recording clerk to the Society of Friends. It was he who commenced the Record of Sufferings (mentioned to George Fox in a letter bearing date 1660, inserted in Letters, &c., of Early Friends, p. 86, 87), which were written out into large folio volumes, still preserved among the Society’s records in London. These are continued down to the present day in forty or more of these large volumes. The clear and excellent writing of Ellis Hookes extends over a large portion of the first of these bulky folios. To the narratives of sufferings and persecutions, were added accounts of what were regarded as judgments upon persecutors; which were, doubtless in that day, ordered to be recorded, under a sense of the fear of God, and in testimony unto his overruling power.

Ellis Hookes died in 1681. In the London Register of Burials, he is described “of Horslydown in Southwark, scrivenor;” and “died the 12th of the 9th month, 1681, of a consumption (having been clerk to Friends in London about twenty-four years)—he was buried in Checker Alley.”

Footnote 13:

The great fire of London occurred towards the latter end of 1666. The narratives given in the Diaries of Evelyn and Pepys, who were eye-witnesses of it, are sad indeed. Evelyn writes—“Sept. 3. The fire continued all this night (if I may call that night, which was light as day for ten miles about), after a dreadful manner—when conspiring with a fierce eastern wind, in a very dry season. I went on foot to the Bankside in Southwark, and saw the whole south part of the city burning from Cheapside to the Thames, and all along Cornhill, Tower Street, Gracious Street, and so along to Bainard’s Castle, and was now taking hold of St. Paul’s Church. The conflagration was so universal, and the people so astonished, that from the beginning (I know not by what despondency or fate) they hardly stirred to quench it; so that there was nothing heard or seen but crying out and lamentation, and running about like distracted creatures. O! the miserable and calamitous spectacle! such as happily the world had not seen the like since the foundation of it, nor to be outdone till the universal conflagration. All the sky was of a fiery aspect, like the top of a burning oven, the light [being] seen above forty miles round about for many nights. The poor inhabitants were dispersed about St. George’s Fields and Moorfields, as far as Highgate, and several miles in circle—some under tents, some under miserable huts and hovels, many without a rag or necessary utensils, bed or board; who, from delicateness, riches, or easy accommodations in stately and well-furnished houses, were now reduced to extremest misery and poverty,” &c., vol. i. p. 372-374.

Vol. II, Chapter II (1666-1669)

CHAPTER II.

1666-1669.—George Fox visits a man above one hundred years old, who had been convinced—refutes a slander that Friends love none but themselves—has a meeting at Captain Taylor’s [at Brighouse], where a neighbouring knight threatens again to imprison him—comes to London, and finds the city in ruins as he had seen it in a vision some years before—is moved to recommend the setting up of monthly meetings to take care of God’s glory, and to admonish and exhort such as walk disorderly—travels through the nation for this purpose—meets with opposition in Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire—when at Shrewsbury it was rumoured that “the great Quaker of England was come to town”—the hypocrisy of the Presbyterians detected—they and the Independents persecute when in power, but flinch in time of persecution by other powers—George Fox recommends certain regulations to be observed relative to Friends’ marriages—he also recommends the establishment of a school at Waltham for boys, and one at Shacklewell for girls—the meetings for discipline are the means of a great reformation among the people—George Fox discovers a cheat, writes a prophetic warning to Friends—monthly meetings settled throughout the nation—the order and good results thereof—George Fox disputes with a Papist—confers with Esquire Marsh (Justice), and shows him how to distinguish between Friends and other dissenters who refused the oath—Justice Marsh is afterwards very serviceable to Friends in screening them from suffering, and recommends the king to grant liberty of conscience—fourteen monthly meetings are settled in Yorkshire—Isaac Lindley to George Fox—when at Scarbro’ the governor presses George Fox to accept his hospitality—large and precious meetings.

Being now freed from my imprisonment in Scarbro’ castle, I went about three miles to a large general meeting at a Friend’s house, that had been a chief constable; and all was quiet and well. On the fourth day after, I returned to Scarbro’, and had a meeting in the town at Peter Hodgson’s house. To this came one called a lady, and several other great persons, also a young man, son to the bailiff of the town, who had been convinced, while I was there in prison. That lady (so called) came to me, and said, “I spoke against the ministers.” I told her, “such as the prophets and Christ declared against formerly, I declared against now.”

From hence I went to WHITBY; and, having visited Friends there, passed to BURLINGTON, where I had another meeting. Thence to ORAM, where I had another meeting: and thence to Marmaduke Storr’s, and had a large meeting at a constable’s house, on whom the Lord had wrought a great miracle.

Next day, two Friends being to take each other in marriage, there was a very great meeting, which I attended. I was moved to open to the people the state of our marriages, declaring how the people of God took one another in the assemblies of the elders, and that it was God who joined man and woman together before the fall. And though men had taken upon them to join in the fall, yet in the restoration it was God’s joining, that was the right and honourable marriage: but never any priest did marry any, that we read of in the Scriptures, from Genesis to the Revelations. Then I showed them the duty of man and wife, how they should serve God, being heirs of life and grace together.

I passed thence to Grace Barwick’s, where I had a general meeting, which was very large. I came next to Richard Shipton’s, where I had another meeting; and so to a priest’s house, whose wife was convinced, and himself grown very loving, and glad to see me. This was that priest, who, in the year 1651, threatened, “if ever he met me again, he would have my life, or I should have his;” and said, “he would lose his head, if I were not knocked down in a month.” But now he was partly convinced, and become very kind. I went from his house towards the sea, where several Friends came to visit me; and amongst others, Philip Scafe, who had formerly been a priest, but, having received the truth, was now become a preacher of Christ freely, and continued so.

Passing on, I called to see an ancient man, who was convinced of truth, and was above a hundred years old. Then I came to a Friend’s house, where I had a great meeting, and quiet. I had a great meeting near MALTON; and another large one near HULL; from which I went to HOWDEN-DYKE. As we went into the town, the watchmen questioned me and those that were with me; but not having any warrant to stay us, we passed by them, who in a rage threatened they would search us out. I went to the house of one called the Lady Montague, where I lodged that night; and several friends came to visit me. Next morning, being up early, I walked into the orchard, and saw a man about sunrise go into the house in a great cloak. He stayed not long; but came soon out again, and went away, not seeing me. I felt something strike at my life; and went into the house, where I found the maid-servant affrighted and trembling. She told me, “that man had a naked rapier under his cloak.” By which I perceived he came with an intent to do mischief, but the Lord prevented him.

I then visited Friends till I came to YORK, where we had a large meeting. After which I went to visit Justice Robinson, an ancient justice of the peace, who had been very loving to me and Friends from the beginning. There was a priest with him, who told me, “it was said of us, that we loved none but ourselves.” I told him, “we loved all mankind, as they were God’s creation, and as they were children of Adam and Eve by generation; and we loved the brotherhood in the Holy Ghost.” This stopped him. After some other discourse, we parted friendly, and passed away.

About this time I wrote a book, entitled Fear God, and Honour the King; in which I showed, “that none could rightly fear God, and honour the King, but they that departed from sin and evil.” This book affected the soldiers much, and most people.

Having visited Friends at YORK, we passed to a market town, where we had a meeting at George Watkinson’s, formerly a justice. A glorious, blessed meeting it was, and very large, and the Seed of life was set over all. We should have been troubled to get into this town, had not Providence made way for us; for the watchmen stood ready to stop us. But a man riding just before us, the watchmen questioned him first; and perceiving he was a justice of peace, they let him pass; and we riding close after him, by that means escaped.

From this place we passed to Thomas Taylor’s, formerly a captain, where we had a precious meeting. Hard by Thomas Taylor’s lived a knight, who was much displeased when he heard I was likely to be released out of prison; and threatened that, “if the king set me at liberty, he would send me to prison again the next day.” But though I had this meeting so near him, yet the Lord’s power stopped him from meddling, and the meeting was quiet. Colonel Kirby also, who had been the chief means of my imprisonment at Lancaster and Scarbro’ castles, when he heard I was set at liberty, got another order for taking me up; and said, “he would ride his horse forty miles to take me, and would give forty pounds to have me taken.” A while after I came so near as to have a meeting within two miles of him; he was then struck with the gout, and kept his bed, so that it was thought he would have died.

From Thomas Taylor’s I visited Friends till I came to SYNDERHILL-GREEN, where I had a large and general meeting. The priest of the place, hearing of it, sent the constable to the justices for a warrant, and they rode their horses so hard, that they almost spoiled them; but the notice they had being short, and the way long, the meeting was ended before they came. I did not hear of them till I was going out of the house, after meeting was over, and then a Friend came and told me, “they were searching another house for me, the one I was then going to.” As I went along the fields to it, I met the constables, wardens, and the justice’s clerk. I passed through them, they looked at me, and went to the house they had been searching. Thus they lost their design; for the Lord’s power bound them, and preserved me over them; and Friends parted, and all escaped them. The officers went away as they came; for the Lord had frustrated their design; praised be his name for ever.

After this I went to DERBYSHIRE, where I had a large meeting. Some Friends were apprehensive of the constables coming; for they had great persecution in those parts; but our meeting was quiet. A justice of peace in that county had taken away much of Friends’ goods; whereupon Ellen Fretwell had made her appeal to the sessions; and the rest of the justices granted her her goods again, and spoke to the persecuting justice, that he should not do so any more. She was moved to speak and warn him; whereupon he bid her, “come and sit down on the bench.” “Ay,” said she, “if I may persuade you to do justice to the country, I will sit down with you.” “No,” said he, “then you shall not; get out of the court.” As she was going out, she was moved of the Lord to turn again, and say, “she should be there, when he should not.” After the sessions were ended, he went home, and drove away her brother’s oxen, for going to meetings. Then Susan Frith, a Friend of Chesterfield, was moved of the Lord to tell him, that “if he continued in persecuting the innocent, the Lord would execute his plagues upon him.” Soon after which he fell distracted, and died in that state. This relation I had from Ellen Fretwell herself.

I travelled into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and had a large meeting at SKEGBY; from thence I went to MANSFIELD, where also I had a meeting; thence to another town, where there was a fair, at which I met with many Friends. Then passing through the forest in a very thundering and rainy day, I came to NOTTINGHAM. So great was the tempest many trees were torn up by the roots, and some people killed; but the Lord preserved us. On First-day following I had a large meeting in Nottingham, very quiet; Friends were come to sit under their teacher, the Grace of God, which brought them salvation, and were established upon the rock and foundation, Christ Jesus. After the meeting I went to visit the Friend who had been sheriff about the year 1649, whose prisoner I then was.

From Nottingham I passed into LEICESTERSHIRE and came to SILEBY, where we had a large, blessed meeting. After which I went to LEICESTER to visit the prisoners there, and then to John Penford’s, where we had a general meeting, large and precious. From thence I passed, visiting Friends and my relations, till I came to WARWICK, where having visited the prisoners, I passed to BADDESLEY, and had a precious meeting there. Then I travelled through NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, BEDFORDSHIRE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and OXFORDSHIRE, visiting Friends in each county. In Oxfordshire the devil had laid a snare for me, but the Lord broke it; his power came over all, his blessed truth spread, and Friends were increased therein.

Thus after I had passed through many counties, visiting Friends, and had many large and precious meetings amongst them, I came to LONDON. But I was weak with lying almost three years in cruel and hard imprisonments; my joints and my body were so stiff and benumbed, that I could hardly get on my horse or bend my joints; nor could I well bear to be near the fire or to eat warm meat, I had been kept so long from it. Being come to London, I walked a little among the ruins, and took good notice of them. I saw the city lying, according as the word of the Lord came to me concerning it several years before.

After I had been a time in London, and visited Friends’ meetings through the city, I went into the country again, and had large meetings at KINGSTON, READING, and in WILTSHIRE, till I came to BRISTOL, where also I had many large meetings. Thomas Lower came thither out of Cornwall to meet me: and Friends were there from several parts of the nation, it being then the fair time. After I was clear of Bristol, I left that city and went to Nathaniel Crisp’s; and so through the country to LONDON again, having large meetings in the way, and all quiet, blessed be the Lord. Thus, though I was very weak, yet I travelled up and down in the service of the Lord, who enabled me to go through it.

About this time some, that had run out from truth and clashed against Friends, were reached unto by the power of the Lord, which came wonderfully over, and made them condemn and tear their papers of controversies to pieces. Several meetings we had with them, and the Lord’s everlasting power was over all, and set judgment on the head of that which had run out. In these meetings, which lasted whole days, several who had run out with John Perrot and others, came in again, and condemned that spirit which led them to keep on their hats, when Friends prayed, and when they themselves prayed. Some of them said, “that Friends were more righteous than they,” and that, “if Friends had not stood, they had been gone, and had fallen into perdition.” Thus the Lord’s power was wonderfully manifested, and came over all.

Then I was moved of the Lord to recommend the setting up of five monthly meetings of men and women in the city of London (besides the women’s meetings and the quarterly meetings,) to take care of God’s glory, and to admonish and exhort such as walked disorderly or carelessly, and not according to truth. For whereas Friends had had only quarterly meetings, now truth was spread, and Friends were grown more numerous, I was moved to recommend the setting up of monthly meetings throughout the nation.[14] And the Lord opened to me what I must do, and how the men’s and women’s monthly and quarterly meetings should be ordered and established in this and in other nations; and that I should write to those where I did not come, to do the same. After things were well settled at London, and the Lord’s truth, power, seed, and life reigned and shone over all in the city, I went into ESSEX. After the monthly meetings were settled in that county, I went into SUFFOLK and NORFOLK, Thomas Dry being with me. When we had visited Friends in those parts, and the monthly meetings were settled, we went into HUNTINGDONSHIRE, where we had very large and blessed gatherings; and though we met with some opposition, the Lord’s power came over all, and the monthly meetings were established there also. When we came into BEDFORDSHIRE, we had great opposition; but the Lord’s power came over it all. Afterwards we went into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, where we had many precious gatherings, and the monthly meetings were settled there. Then passing into LINCOLNSHIRE we had a meeting of some men Friends of all the meetings in the county, at his house who had formerly been sheriff of Lincoln, and all was quiet. After this we passed over Trent into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE again, the ex-sheriff of Lincoln being with me, where we had some of all the meetings in that county together. Our meeting was glorious and peaceable; and many precious meetings we had in that county.

At that time William Smith was very weak and sick, and the constables and others had seized all his goods, to the very bed he lay upon, for truth’s sake. These officers threatened to break up our meeting; but the Lord’s power chained them, so that they had not power to meddle with us, blessed be his name. After it, I went to visit William Smith, and there were constables and others watching his corn and beasts, that none of them might be removed.[15]

Thence we passed to LEICESTERSHIRE and WARWICKSHIRE, where we had many blessed meetings. The order of the gospel was set up, and the men’s monthly meetings established in all those counties. Then we went into DERBYSHIRE, where we had several large and blessed meetings. In many places we were threatened by the officers, but, through the power of the Lord we escaped their hands. Leaving things well settled in Derbyshire, we travelled over the Peak hills, which were very cold (for it was then frost and snow), and came into STAFFORDSHIRE. At Thomas Hammersley’s we had a general men’s meeting; where things were well settled in the gospel order, and the monthly meetings established also. But I was so exceedingly weak, I was hardly able to get on or off my horse’s back; but my spirit being earnestly engaged in the work the Lord had concerned me in, and sent me forth about, I travelled on therein, notwithstanding the weakness of my body, having confidence in the Lord, that he would carry me through, as he did, by his power.

We came into CHESHIRE, where we had several blessed gatherings, and a general men’s meeting, wherein all the monthly meetings for that county were settled, according to the gospel order, in and by the power of God. After the meeting I passed away. But when the justices heard of it, they were very much troubled, that they had not come and broken it up, and taken me; but the Lord prevented them. After I had cleared myself there in the Lord’s service, I passed into LANCASHIRE, to William Barnes’s, near WARRINGTON, where met some of most of the meetings in that county; and there all the monthly meetings were established in gospel order. From thence I sent papers into WESTMORLAND by Leonard Fell and Robert Widders, and also into DURHAM, CLEVELAND, NORTHUMBERLAND, CUMBERLAND, and SCOTLAND, to exhort Friends to settle the monthly meetings in the Lord’s power in those places; which they did. So the Lord’s power came over all, and the heirs of it came to inherit it. For the authority of our meetings, is the power of God, the gospel, which brings life and immortality to light; that all may see over the devil that hath darkened them, and that all the heirs of the gospel may walk according to the gospel, and glorify God with their bodies, souls, and spirits, which are the Lord’s; for the order of the glorious gospel is not of man, nor by man. To this meeting in Lancashire, Margaret Fell, being a prisoner, got liberty to come, and went with me to Jane Milner’s in CHESHIRE, where we parted. I passed into SHROPSHIRE, and from thence into WALES, and had a large general men’s meeting at Charles Lloyd’s, where some opposers came in, but the Lord’s power brought them down.

Having gone through DENBIGHSHIRE and MONTGOMERYSHIRE we passed into MERIONETHSHIRE, where we had several blessed meetings; and then went to the sea-side, where we had a precious meeting. And Friends in these parts, being established on Christ, their foundation, and the monthly meetings settled in the power of God, we left Wales and returned into Shropshire, where the Friends of the country gathering together, the monthly meetings were established there also. Then coming into WORCESTERSHIRE, after many meetings amongst Friends in that county, we had a general men’s meeting at Henry Gibb’s house, at PASHUR, where also the monthly meetings were settled in gospel order.

The sessions were held that day in the town, and some Friends were concerned lest they should send officers to break up our meeting; but the Lord’s power restrained them, so that it was quiet; through which power we had dominion. I had several meetings amongst Friends in that county till I came to WORCESTER; and it being the fair time, we had a precious meeting there. There was then in Worcester one Major Wild, a persecuting man; and after I was gone out of town, some of his soldiers inquired after me; but having left Friends there settled in good order, we passed to DROITWICH, and thence to SHREWSBURY, where also we had a very precious meeting. The mayor hearing that I was in town, got the rest of the officers together, to consult what to do against me; for they said, “the great Quaker of England was come to town.” But when they were come together, the Lord confounded their counsels, so that, when some were for imprisoning me, others opposed it; and so being divided among themselves, I escaped their hands.

We went also into RADNORSHIRE, where we had many precious gatherings, and the monthly meetings were settled in the Lord’s power. As we came out of that county, staying a little at a market-town, a justice’s clerk and other rude fellows combined together to do us mischief on the road. They followed us out of town, and soon overtook us; but there being many market-people on the way, they were somewhat hindered from doing what they intended. Yet observing two of our company ride at some distance behind, they set upon them; and one of them drew his sword, and cut one of those two Friends, whose name was Richard Moor, Surgeon, of Shrewsbury. Meanwhile another of these rude fellows came galloping after me and the other Friend that was with me; and having to pass over a narrow bridge, in his eagerness to get before us he rode into the brook, and plunged his horse into a deep hole in the water. I saw the design, and stopped, desiring Friends to be patient, and give them no occasion. By this time Richard Moor came up to us, with the other Friend that was with him, who knew the men and their names. Then we rode on, and a little further met another man on foot much in liquor, with a naked sword in his hand. And not far beyond him we met two men and women, one of whom had his thumb cut off by the drunken man; for he, being in drink, attempted rudeness to one of the women; and this man withstanding him, and rescuing her, he drew his sword and cut off his thumb. Now this drunken man had a horse, which being loose, followed him some way behind. I rode after it, and having caught it, brought it to the man that had his thumb cut off; and bid him take the horse to the next justice of peace, by which means they might find out, and pursue the man that had wounded him.

On this occasion I wrote to the justices, and to the judge of the assize which was then at hand; and employed some Friends to carry it to the justices first. The justice to whom the clerk belonged, rebuked his clerk and the others also, for abusing us on the highway; so that they were glad to come and entreat Friends not to appear against them at the assize; which, on their submission and acknowledgment of their fault, was granted. This was of good service in the country, for it stopped many rude people, who before had been forward to abuse Friends.

We passed into HEREFORDSHIRE, where we had several blessed gatherings; and we had a general men’s meeting also, where all the monthly meetings were settled. There was about this time a proclamation against meetings; and as we came through Herefordshire, we were told of a great meeting there of the Presbyterians, who had engaged themselves to stand and give up all, rather than forsake their meetings. When they heard of this proclamation, the people came, but the priest was gone, and they were then at a loss. Then they met in Leominster privately, and provided bread, cheese, and drink in readiness, that if the officers should come, they might put up their Bibles and fall to eating. The bailiff found them out, and came in among them, and said, “their bread and cheese should not cover them, he would have their speakers.” They cried, “what then would become of their wives and children?” But he took their speakers and kept them awhile. This the bailiff told Peter Young, and said, “they were the veriest hypocrites that ever made a profession of religion.”

The like contrivance they had in other places. For there was one Pocock at London, that married Abigail Darcy, who was called a lady; and she being convinced of truth, I went to his house to see her. This Pocock had been one of the triers of the priests; and, being a high Presbyterian, and envious against us, he used to call our Friends house-creepers. He being present, she said to me, “I have something to speak to thee against my husband.” “Nay,” said I, “thou must not speak against thy husband.” “Yes,” said she, “but I must in this case. Last First-day,” said she, “he and his priests and people, the Presbyterians, met; they had candles and tobacco-pipes, bread, cheese, and cold meat on the table; and they agreed beforehand, that if the officers should come in upon them, then they would leave their preaching and praying, and fall to their cold meat.” “O,” said I to him, “is not this a shame to you, who persecuted and imprisoned us, and spoiled our goods, because we would not join you in your religion, and called us house-creepers, that now ye do not stand to your own religion yourselves? Did ye ever find our meetings stuffed with bread and cheese and tobacco-pipes? Or did you ever read in the Scriptures of any such practice among the saints?” “Why,” said the old man, “We must be as wise as serpents.” I replied, “this is the serpent’s wisdom indeed. But who would have thought that you Presbyterians and Independents, who persecuted and imprisoned others, spoiled their goods, and whipped such as would not follow your religion, should now flinch yourselves, and not dare to stand to your own religion, but cover it with tobacco-pipes, flagons of drink, cold meat, and bread and cheese!” But this, and such-like deceitful practices, I understood afterwards, were too common amongst them in times of persecution.

After we had travelled through Herefordshire, and meetings were well settled there, we passed into MONMOUTHSHIRE, where I had several blessed meetings; and at Walter Jenkins’s, who had been a justice of the peace, we had a large gathering, where some were convinced; this meeting was quiet. But to one before this, came the bailiff of the hundred, almost drunk, pretending he was to take up the speakers. There was a mighty power of God in the meeting, so that, although he raged, the power of the Lord limited him, that he could not break it up. When it was over, I stayed awhile, and he stayed also. After some time I spoke to him, and so passed quietly away. At night some rude people came, and shot off a musket against the house, but did not hurt anybody. Thus the Lord’s power came over all, and chained down the unruly spirits, so that we escaped them. We came to Ross that night, and had a meeting at James Merrick’s.

After this we came into GLOUCESTERSHIRE and had a general men’s meeting at Nathaniel Crisp’s house, where all the monthly meetings were settled in the Lord’s everlasting power; and the heirs of salvation were exhorted to take their possessions in the gospel, the power of God, which was and is the authority of their meetings. Many blessed gatherings we had up and down in that county, before we came to BRISTOL. And after several powerful meetings there, the men’s and women’s meetings were settled there also.

As I was in bed at Bristol, the word of the Lord came to me, that I must go back to London. Next morning Alexander Parker and several others came to me: I asked them, “what they felt?” They in like manner asked me, “what was upon me?” I told them, “I felt I must return to London.” They said, “the same was upon them.” So we gave up to return to London; for whatever way the Lord moved and led us, thither we went in his power. Leaving Bristol, we passed into WILTSHIRE, and established the men’s monthly meetings in the Lord’s power there; and visited Friends till we came to LONDON.

After we had visited Friends in the city, I was moved to exhort them to bring all their marriages to the men’s and women’s meetings, that they might lay them before the faithful; that care might be taken to prevent those disorders that had been committed by some. For many had married contrary to their relations’ minds; and some young, raw people that came amongst us, had mixed with the world. Widows had married without making provision for their children by their former husbands, before their second marriage. Yet I had given forth a paper concerning marriages about the year 1653, when truth was but little spread over the nation; advising Friends who might be concerned in that case, “that they might lay it before the faithful in time, before anything was concluded, and afterwards publish it in the end of a meeting, or in a market, as they were moved thereto. And when all things were found clear, they being free from all others and their relations satisfied, they might appoint a meeting on purpose for the taking of each other, in the presence of at least twelve faithful witnesses.” Yet these directions not being observed, and truth being now more spread over the nation, it was therefore ordered, by the same power and Spirit of God, “that marriages should be laid before the men’s monthly and quarterly meetings, or as the meetings were then established; that Friends might see that the relations of those that proceeded to marriage, were satisfied; that the parties were clear from all others; and that widows had made provision for their first husband’s children, before they married again; and what else was needful to be inquired into; that all things might be kept clean and pure, and be done in righteousness to the glory of God.” Afterwards it was ordered, in the same wisdom of God, “that if either of the parties, that intended to marry, came out of another nation, county, or monthly meeting, they should bring a certificate from the monthly meeting to which they belonged; for the satisfaction of the monthly meeting before which they came to lay their intentions of marriage.”[16]

These things, with many other services for God, being set in order, and settled in the churches in the city, I passed out of London, in the leadings of the Lord’s power into HERTFORDSHIRE. After I had visited Friends, and the men’s monthly meetings were settled there, I had a great meeting at BALDOCK, of many sorts of people. Then returning towards London by WALTHAM, I advised the setting up of a school there for teaching boys; and also a girls’ school at SHACKLEWELL, for instructing them in whatsoever things were civil and useful in the creation.[17]

After I had had several precious meetings in the country, I came to LONDON again, where I stayed a while in the work and service of the Lord; and then went into BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, where I had many precious meetings. At John Brown’s, of WESTON near Aylesbury, some of the men Friends of each meeting being gathered together, the men’s monthly meetings for that county were established, in the order of the gospel, the power of God; and the power of the Lord confirmed it in all that felt it, and they came thereby to see and feel, that the power of God was the authority of their meetings. Then after the monthly meetings were settled there in the order of the gospel, and upon the foundation of Christ Jesus, I went to Nathaniel Ball’s, at NORTH NEWTON near BANBURY, in Oxfordshire, who was a Friend in the ministry. And there being a general meeting, where some from all the meetings were present, the monthly meetings for that county, were then settled in the power of God; and Friends were very glad of them; for they came into their services in the church, to take care for God’s glory. After this meeting, we passed into GLOUCESTERSHIRE, visiting Friends, till we came into MONMOUTHSHIRE, to Richard Hambery’s; where meeting with some from all the meetings of that county, the monthly meetings were settled there also in the Lord’s power, that all might take care of God’s glory, and admonish and exhort such as did not walk as became the gospel. And indeed these meetings made a great reformation amongst people, insomuch that the justices took notice of their usefulness.

Richard Hambery and his wife accompanied us a day’s journey visiting Friends, till we came to a widow’s house, where we stayed that night. Thence we passed over the hills next day, visiting Friends and declaring truth to the people, till we came to another widow’s, where we had a meeting. She could not speak English, yet she praised the Lord for sending us to visit them.

We travelled till we came to SWANSEA, where on the First-day we had a large and precious meeting, the Lord’s presence being eminently amongst us. On a week day afterwards we had a general meeting beyond Swansea, of men Friends from Swansea, Tenby, Haverfordwest, and other places; and there the monthly meetings were settled in gospel order, and received by Friends in the power of the Lord; and the Lord’s truth was over all.

From hence we endeavoured to go by water into Cornwall, and returned through Swansea to MUMBLES, thinking to get passage there, but the captain deceived us; for though he had promised to carry us, yet when we came he would not. We went to another place where there was a passage-boat, into which we got our horses; but some rude men in the boat (though called gentlemen) threatened to pistol the master, if he took us in, who, being afraid of them, turned our horses out again; which put us out of hopes of getting over that way. Wherefore turning back into the country, we stayed up all night, and about two in the morning took horse, and travelled till we came near CARDIFF, where we stayed one night. The next day we came to NEWPORT; and it being market-day there, several Friends came to us with whom we sat a while; and after a refreshing season together we parted from them, and went on our way.

Beyond this market-town we overtook a man, who lingered on the way, as if he stayed for somebody; but when we came up to him, he rode along with us, and asked us many questions. At length meeting with two others, who seemed to be pages to some great persons, he made acquaintance with them, and I heard him tell them he would stop us, and take us up. We rode on; being in our way; and when he came to us, and would have stopped us, I told him, “none ought to stop us on the king’s highway, for it was as free for us as for them;” and I was moved to exhort him to fear the Lord. Then he galloped away before us; and I perceived his intent was to stop us at SHIPTON in Wales, which was a garrison town, through which we were to pass. When we were come to Shipton, John-ap-John being with me, we walked down the hill into the town leading our horses. It being the market-day there, several Friends met us, and would have had us to an inn. But we were not to go into any inn; so we walked directly through the town over the bridge, and then we were out of the limits of that town. Thus the Lord’s everlasting arm and power preserved us, and carried us on in his work and service.

The next First-day we had a large meeting in the FOREST OF DEAN; and all was quiet. Next day we passed over the water to OLVESTON; where, after we had visited Friends, we came again to William Yeoman’s house, at IRB’S COURT in Somersetshire. From thence we went to a meeting at PORTISHEAD, whither several Friends from Bristol came to us. After this we went further up into the country, and had several large meetings; and the Lord’s living presence was with us, supporting and refreshing us in our labour and travel in his service.

We came to a place near MINEHEAD, where we had a general meeting of the men Friends in Somersetshire. There came also a cheat, whom some friendly people would have had me to take along with me. I saw he was a cheat; and therefore bid them bring him to me, and see whether he could look me in the face. Some were ready to think I was too hard towards him, because I would not let him go along with me; but when they brought him to me, he was not able to look me in the face, but looked hither and thither; for he was indeed a cheat, and had cheated a priest by pretending to be a minister; he had got the priest’s suit and went away with it.

After the meeting we passed to MINEHEAD, where we tarried. In the night I had an exercise upon me, from a sense of a dark spirit, working and striving to get up to disturb the church of Christ. Next morning I was moved to write a few lines to Friends as a warning thereof, as follows:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“Live in the power of the Lord God, in his Seed that is set over all, and is over all trials that you may have with the dark spirit, which would be owned in its actings, and thrust itself amongst you; which is not come as yet: but in the power of the Lord God, and his Seed, keep over it, and bring it to condemnation. For I felt a kind of dark spirit thrusting itself up towards you, and heaving up last night; but you may keep it down with the power of God, that the witness may arise to condemn its actings, so far as it hath spread its dark works, before it have any admittance. So no more, but my love in the Seed of God, which changeth not.”

G.F.

Minehead in Somersetshire, 22nd of 4th Month, 1668.

Next day several Friends of Minehead accompanied us as far as BARNSTAPLE and APPLEDORE in DEVONSHIRE, where we had a meeting. Barnstaple had been a bloody, persecuting town. There were two men Friends of that place, who had been a great while at sea; and coming home to visit their relations, one of them having a wife and children, the mayor of the town sent for them, under pretence to converse with them; and he put the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to them. Because they could not swear, he sent them to Exeter jail, where Judge Archer premunired them, and kept them till one of them died in prison. When I heard of this, I was moved to write a letter to Judge Archer, and another to the mayor of Barnstaple, laying their wicked and unchristian actions upon their heads, and letting them know, “that the blood of that man would be required at their hands.”

After a precious meeting at Appledore among some faithful Friends there, we passed to STRATTON, and stayed at an inn all night. Next day we rode to Humphrey Lower’s, where we had a very precious meeting; and next day to TRURO; visiting Friends till we came to the LAND’S-END. Then coming up by the south part of that county, we visited Friends till we came to TREGANGEEVES, where at Loveday Hambley’s we had a general meeting for all the county; in which the monthly meetings were settled in the Lord’s power, and in the blessed order of the gospel; that all who were faithful might admonish and exhort such as walked not according to the gospel; that so the house of God might be kept clean, and righteousness might run down, and all unrighteousness be swept away. Several that had run out, were brought to condemn what they had done amiss; and through repentance came in again.

Being clear of the county of CORNWALL, we came into DEVONSHIRE, and had a meeting amongst Friends at PLYMOUTH. Whence passing to Richard Brown’s, we came to the widow Phillips’s, where we had some men Friends from all the meetings together; and there the men’s monthly meetings were settled in the heavenly order of the gospel, the power of God; which answered the witness of God in all. There was a great noise of a troop of horse coming to disturb our meeting; but the Lord’s power prevented it, and preserved us in peace and safety.

After things were well settled, and the meeting over, we came to KINGSBRIDGE, and visited Friends there. Then leaving Friends in those parts well settled in the power of God, we passed to TOPSHAM, and MEMBURY, visiting Friends, and having many meetings in the way, till we came to ILCHESTER in SOMERSETSHIRE. Here we had a general men’s meeting, and therein settled the men’s monthly meetings for that county in the Lord’s everlasting power; and Friends being refreshed and comforted in the Lord’s power, and established upon Christ, their rock and foundation, we passed to PUDDIMORE; where, at William Beaton’s, we had a blessed meeting, and all was quiet; though the constables had threatened before.

When we had visited most of the meetings in Somersetshire, we passed into DORSETSHIRE to George Harris’s house, where we had a large men’s meeting. There all the men’s monthly meetings for that county were settled in the glorious order of the gospel, that all in the power of God might “seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away; cherish the good, and reprove the evil.”

Then we came to SOUTHAMPTON, where we had a large meeting on First-day. Thence we went to Captain Reeves’s, where the general men’s meeting for Hampshire was appointed; to which some of all the county came, and a blessed time we had. There the men’s monthly meetings for that county were settled in the order of the gospel, which had brought life and immortality to light in them. But there came a rude company of Ranters, who had opposed and disturbed our meetings much. One of the women had lain with a man, who declared it at the market-cross, and gloried in his wickedness. A company of these lewd people lived together at a house hard by the place where our meeting was. I went to it, and told them of their wickedness. The man of the house said, “Why! did I make so strange of that?” Another of them said, “It was to stumble me.” I told them, “their wickedness should not stumble me, for I was above it.” And I was moved of the Lord to tell them, “that the plagues and judgments of God would overtake them, and come upon them.” Afterwards they went up and down the country, till at last they were cast into Winchester jail, where the man that had lain with the woman stabbed the jailer, but not mortally. And after they were let out of jail, this fellow that had stabbed the jailer hung himself; the woman had like to have cut a child’s throat, as we were informed. These people had formerly lived about London; and when the city was fired, they prophesied, “that all the rest of London should be burnt within fourteen days,” and hastened out of town. Though they were Ranters, great opposers of Friends, and disturbers of our meetings, yet in the country where they came, some people that did not know them, would be apt to say they were Quakers. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write a paper, to be dispersed among the magistrates and people of Hampshire, to clear Friends and truth of these lewd people and their wicked actions.

After the men’s monthly meetings in those parts were settled, and the Lord’s blessed power was over all, we went to a town where we had a meeting with Friends. Thence we came to Farnham, where we met many Friends, it being the market-day. We had many precious meetings up and down that country. Friends in those parts had formerly been plundered, and their goods much spoiled, both for tithes, and for going to meetings; but the Lord’s power at this time preserved both them and us from falling into the persecutor’s hands.

We passed thence, and had a general men’s meeting at a Friend’s house in SURREY, who had been plundered so extremely, that he had scarcely a cow, horse, or swine left. The constables threatened to come and break up our meeting, but the Lord restrained them. At this meeting the men’s monthly meetings were settled in the authority of the heavenly power. After we had visited Friends in that county, and had many large and precious gatherings, we passed to a Friend’s house in SUSSEX, where the general meeting for the men Friends of that county was appointed to be held; and thither came several Friends from London to visit us. We had a blessed meeting; and the men’s monthly meetings for that county were then settled in the Lord’s eternal power. There were at that time great threatenings of disturbance; but the meeting was quiet. We had several large meetings in that county, though Friends were then in great sufferings there, and many in prison. I was sent for to visit a Friend that was sick, and went to see those that were prisoners. There was danger of my being apprehended; but I went in the faith of God’s power, and thereby the Lord preserved me in safety.

Having visited Friends through the country, we passed into Kent, where, after we had been at several meetings, we had a general meeting for the men Friends of that county. There also the men’s monthly meetings for that county were settled in the power of God, and established in the order of the gospel, for all the heirs of it to enter into their services, and care in the church for the glory of God. Friends rejoiced in the order of the gospel, and were glad of the settlement thereof, which is not of man nor by man. After this I visited Friends in their meetings in KENT; and when I had cleared myself of the Lord’s service in that county, I came up to LONDON.

Thus were the men’s monthly meetings settled through the nation; for I had been in Berkshire before, where most of the ancient Friends of that county were in prison; and when I had informed them of the service of these monthly meetings, they were settled amongst them also. The quarterly meetings were generally settled before. I wrote also into Ireland by faithful Friends, and into Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of America, advising Friends to settle their men’s monthly meetings in those countries. For they had their general quarterly meetings before; but now that truth was increased amongst them, they should settle those men’s monthly meetings in the power and Spirit of God, that first convinced them.

Since these meetings have been settled, and all the faithful in the power of God, who are heirs of the gospel, have met together in the power of God, which is the authority of them, to perform service to the Lord therein, many mouths have been opened in thanksgivings and praise, and many have blessed the Lord God, that ever he sent me forth in this service; yea, with tears have many praised the Lord. For now all coming to have a concern and care for God’s honour and glory, that his name be not blasphemed, which they profess; and to see that all who profess the truth, walk in the truth, in righteousness, and in holiness, which becomes the house of God, and that all order their conversation aright, that they may see the salvation of God; all having this care upon them for God’s glory, and being exercised in his holy Power and Spirit, in the order of the heavenly life and gospel of Jesus, they may all see and know, possess and partake of, the government of Christ, of the increase of which there is to be no end. Thus the Lord’s everlasting renown and praise are set up in every one’s heart that is faithful; so that we can say, the gospel order established amongst us, is not of man, nor by man, but of and by Jesus Christ, in and through the Holy Ghost. This order of the gospel, which is not of man, nor by man, but from Christ, the heavenly man, is above all the orders of men in the fall, whether Jews, Gentiles, or apostatized Christians, and will remain when they are gone. For the power of God, which is the everlasting gospel, was before the devil was, and will be and remain for ever.

And as the everlasting gospel was preached in the apostles’ days to all nations, that all nations might come into the order of it, through the divine power, which brings life and immortality to light, that they who are heirs of it, might inherit the power and authority of it; so now, since all nations have drunk the whore’s cup, and all the world hath worshipped the beast (but they whose names are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, who have worshipped God in Spirit and in truth, as Christ commanded), the everlasting gospel is to be, and is, preached again, as John the divine foresaw it should, to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. This everlasting gospel torments the whore, and makes her and the beast to rage, even the beast that hath power over the tongues, which are called the original, to order them, by which they make divines, as they call them. But all that receive the gospel, the power of God, which brings life and immortality to light, come to see over the beast, devil, whore, and false prophet, that darkened them and all their worships and orders, and come to be heirs of the gospel, the power of God, which was before the beast, whore, false prophet, and devil were, and will be, when they are all gone and cast into the lake of fire. And they that are heirs of this power and of this gospel, inherit the power which is the authority of this order, and of our meetings. These come to possess the joyful order of the joyful gospel, the comfortable order of the comfortable gospel, the glorious order of the glorious gospel, and the everlasting order of the everlasting gospel, the power of God, which will last for ever, and will out-last all the orders of the devil, and that which is of men or by men. These shall see the government of Christ, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him; and of the increase of his glorious, righteous, holy, just government, there is no end; but his government and his order will remain; for he who is the author of it, is the first and the last, the beginning and ending, the foundation of God, which over all stands sure, Christ Jesus, the Amen.

Being returned to LONDON, I stayed some time there, visiting Friends’ meetings in and about the city. While I was in London, I went one day to visit Esquire Marsh, who had showed much kindness both to me and to Friends; I happened to go when he was at dinner. He no sooner heard my name, than he sent for me up, and would have had me sit down with him to dinner; but I had not freedom to do so. Several great persons were at dinner with him; and he said to one of them who was a great Papist, “Here is a Quaker, whom you have not seen before.” The Papist asked me, “whether I owned the christening of children?” I told him, “there was no Scripture for any such practice.” “What,” said he, “not for christening children?” I said, “nay.” I told him, “the one baptism by the one Spirit into one body we owned; but to throw a little water on a child’s face, and say that was baptizing and christening it, there was no Scripture for that.” Then he asked me, “whether I owned the Catholic faith,” I said, “yes,” but added, that “neither the Pope nor the Papists were in that Catholic faith; for the true faith works by love, and purifies the heart, and if they were in that faith that gives victory, by which they might have access to God, they would not tell the people of a purgatory after they were dead.” So I undertook to prove that “neither Pope nor Papists that held a purgatory hereafter, were in the true faith; for the true, precious, divine faith, which Christ is the author of, gives victory over the devil and sin, that had separated man and woman from God. And if they, the Papists, were in the true faith, they would never use racks, prisons, and fines, to persecute and force others to their religion, that were not of their faith. This was not the practice of the apostles and primitive Christians, who witnessed and enjoyed the true faith of Christ; but it was the practice of the faithless Jews and Heathens so to do.

“But,” said I, “seeing thou art a great and leading man among the Papists, and hast been taught and bred up under the Pope, and seeing thou sayest, ‘there is no salvation but in your church,’ I desire to know of thee, what it is that doth bring salvation in your church?” He answered, “a good life.” “And nothing else?” said I. “Yes,” he said, “good works.” “And is this it that brings salvation in your church, a good life and good works? Is this your doctrine and principle?” said I. “Yes,” said he. “Then,” said I, “neither thou, nor the Pope, nor any of the Papists know what it is that brings salvation.” Then he asked me, what brought salvation in our church? I told him, “that which brought salvation to the church in the apostles’ days, the same brought salvation to us, and not another; namely, ‘the Grace of God,’ which, the Scripture says, brings salvation, and hath appeared to all men, which taught the saints then, and teaches us now. This Grace which brings salvation, teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly. So it is not the good works nor the good life that brings salvation, but the Grace.” “What!” said the Papist, “doth this Grace that brings salvation, appear unto all men?” “Yes,” said I. “Then,” said he, “I deny that.” I replied, “all that deny that, are sect-makers, and are not in the universal faith, grace, and truth, which the apostles were in.”

Then he spoke to me about the mother church. I told him, “the several sects in Christendom had accused us, and said, ‘we forsook our mother-church.’ The Papists charged us with forsaking their church, saying, ‘Rome was the only mother-church.’ The Episcopalians taxed us with forsaking the old Protestant religion, alleging, ‘theirs was the reformed mother-church.’ The Presbyterians and Independents blamed us for leaving them, each of them pretending, ‘theirs was the right reformed church.’” But, I said “if we could own any outward city or place to be the mother-church, we should own Jerusalem, where the gospel was first preached by Christ himself and his apostles, where Christ suffered, where the great conversion to Christianity by Peter was, where were the types, figures, and shadows, which Christ ended, and where Christ commanded his disciples to ‘wait until they were endued with power from on high.’ If any outward place deserved to be called the mother, that was the place where the first great conversion to Christianity was. But the apostle saith, Gal. iv. 25-27, ‘Jerusalem, which now is, is in bondage with her children; but Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all.’ For it is written, ‘Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.’ The apostle does not say, outward Jerusalem was the mother, though the first and great conversion to Christianity was there. And there is less reason for the title [mother] to be given to Rome, or to any other outward place or city, by the children of Jerusalem, that is above and free; neither are they Jerusalem’s children, that is above and free, who give the title of mother either to outward Jerusalem, to Rome, or to any other place or sect of people. And though this title [mother] hath been given to places and sects amongst and by the degenerate Christians, yet still we say, as the apostle said of old, ‘Jerusalem that is above, is the mother of us all.’ And we can own no other, neither outward Jerusalem nor Rome, nor any sect of people for our mother, but Jerusalem which is above, which is free, the mother of all that are born again, and are become true believers in the light, grafted in Christ, the heavenly Vine. For all who are born again of the immortal Seed, by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever, feed upon the milk of the Word, the breasts of life, and grow by it in life, and cannot acknowledge any other to be their mother but Jerusalem which is above.” “O,” said Esquire Marsh to the Papist, “You do not know this man, if he would but come to church now and then, he would be a brave man.”

After some other discourse, I went aside with Justice Marsh into another room, to speak with him concerning Friends; for he was a justice of peace for Middlesex, and being a courtier, the other justices put much of the management of affairs upon him. He told me “he was in a strait how to act between us and some other Dissenters. For,” said he, “you cannot swear, and the Independents, Baptists, and Fifth-monarchy people say also they cannot swear; therefore,” said he, “how shall I know how to distinguish betwixt you and them, seeing they and you all say it is for conscience’ sake that you cannot swear?” I answered “I will show thee how to distinguish. They, or most of them, thou speakest of, can and do swear in some cases, but we cannot swear in any case. If a man should steal their cows and horses, and thou shouldst ask them whether they would swear they were theirs; many of them would readily do it. But if thou try our Friends, they cannot swear for their own goods. Therefore, when thou puttest the oath of allegiance to any of them, ask them, ‘whether they can swear in any other case, as for their cow or horse;’ which, if they be really of us, they cannot do, though they can bear witness to the truth.” Hereupon I gave him a relation of a trial in Berkshire, which was thus: A thief stole two beasts from a Friend of ours, the thief was taken and cast into prison, and the Friend appeared against him at the assizes. But somebody having informed the judge, that the prosecutor was a Quaker, and could not swear, the judge, before he heard what the Friend could say, said, “Is he a Quaker? and will he not swear? Then tender him the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.” So he cast the Friend into prison, and premunired him, and set the thief at liberty that had stolen his goods. Justice Marsh, said, “that judge was a wicked man.” “But,” said I, “if we could swear in any case, we would take the oath of allegiance to the king, who is to preserve the laws that are to support every man in his estate. Whereas others, that can swear in some cases to preserve a part of their estates, if they be robbed, will not take this oath to the king, who is to preserve them in their whole estates and bodies also. So that thou mayest easily distinguish, and put a difference between us and those people.” Justice Marsh was afterwards very serviceable to Friends in this and other cases; for he kept several, both Friends and others, from being premunired. When Friends were brought before him in time of persecution, he set many of them at liberty; and when he could not avoid sending to prison, he sent some for a few hours, or for a night. At length he went to the king, and told him, “he had sent some of us to prison contrary to his conscience, and he could not do so any more.” Wherefore he removed his family from Limehouse, where he lived, and took lodgings near St. James’s Park. He told the king that “if he would be pleased to give liberty of conscience, that would quiet and settle all; for then none could have any pretence to be uneasy.” And indeed he was a very serviceable man to truth and Friends in his day.

We had great service at London this year; the Lord’s truth came over all, and many that had gone out from truth came in again, confessing and condemning their outgoings. After I had stayed some time in London, I visited Friends in SURREY and SUSSEX, and in other places that way, and afterwards travelled northward, having Leonard Fell with me. We visited Friends till we came to WARWICK, where many were in prison; and we had a meeting in the town. I passed thence to BIRMINGHAM and BADDESLEY. At Baddesley I had a large meeting; after which I came to NOTTINGHAM, where on First-day we had a precious meeting, but not without danger of being apprehended, the constables having threatened to take up Friends.

I passed thence, visiting Friends, till I came to BALBY, and so to YORK, to the quarterly meeting; and a blessed time we had. Friends in Yorkshire had seven monthly meetings before; and they were so sensible of the service of them, that they desired to have seven more added to them, for truth was much spread in that county. So they were established; and now they have fourteen monthly meetings in that county.[18]

It being the assizes at York, I met with Justice Hotham, a well-wisher to Friends, who had been tender, and very kind to me from the first.

After I had finished my service for the Lord in York, I passed into the country. As I went a great burthen fell upon me, but I did not presently know the reason of it. I came to a meeting on First-day at Richard Shipton’s, which was very large, but there being one the same day at another place also, the priest of that place, being misinformed that I was to be there, got a warrant, and made great disturbance at that meeting; of which Isaac Lindley, who was there, gave me an account in the following letter:—

G.F.

“When thou went from York, the First-day after thou wast at Richard Shipton’s, that day I had appointed a meeting ten miles from York, where there had not been one before. But the priest and the constable got a warrant on the seventh day, and put thy name only in the warrant, for they had heard that thou wast to be there. They came with weapons and staves, and cried, ‘Where is Mr. Fox?’ over and over; many Friends being there, they concluded thou wast among them. But those raveners, being disappointed, plucked me down and abused me, and beat some Friends, and then took me before a magistrate, but he set me at liberty.”

ISAAC LINDLEY.

Then I visited Friends at WHITBY and SCARBRO’. When at Scarbro’, the governor hearing I was come, sent to invite me to his house, saying, “surely I would not be so unkind as not to come and see him and his wife.” After the meeting I went up to visit him, and he received me very courteously and lovingly.

Having visited most of the meetings in Yorkshire, the WOLDS, and HOLDERNESS, I came to Henry Jackson’s, where I had a great meeting. Thence to Thomas Taylor’s, and so to John Moor’s at ELDRETH, where we had a very large meeting; the Lord’s power and presence were eminently amongst us. Not far from this place lay Colonel Kirby, lame of the gout, who had threatened that “if ever I came near he would send me to prison again; and had bid forty pounds to any man that could take me;” as I was credibly informed.

After this I came into STAFFORDSHIRE, and CHESHIRE, where we had many large and precious meetings. I had a very large one at William Barnes’s house, about two miles from WARRINGTON; and though Colonel Kirby was out again, as violent in breaking up meetings as before, and was then at Warrington, the Lord did not suffer him to come to this meeting; and so we were preserved out of his hands.

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Footnote 14:

For some very interesting particulars respecting the setting up of Monthly and other disciplinary Meetings and their object, see Letters of Early Friends, pp. 288-292.

Footnote 15:

The William Smith mentioned here was originally pastor of an Independent congregation, living after the strictest manner of that people. He was convinced about the year 1658, and became a faithful labourer in the gospel. Many were turned to God by him, for he proved himself a minister of Jesus Christ, in labours, in travails, in watchings, necessities, and distresses, suffering much loss of goods and long and tedious imprisonments. For not paying tithes he was imprisoned twenty-one weeks among felons in Nottingham jail; and another time had the value of £42 taken from him, whilst he was in prison, for £7 demanded by the priest of Elton.

In the times of his frequent imprisonments, William Smith wrote several books, which were printed together in a folio volume in 1675, entitled Balm from Gilead, &c. When at liberty he travelled abroad strengthening the brethren, and though often visited by sickness, he was kept in patience and content, much of the power and presence of God appearing in him many times when he was in great weakness of body, to the admiration of beholders. During his last sickness, one evening, many Friends being in the room sitting in silence, he turned in his bed towards them, and plentifully declared of the love of God, by which they were much refreshed and tendered. He also testified of a large portion which he had in life eternal. Then he spoke to Friends “to be mindful of truth, and of their service therein, more than of their daily food; and so committed them to the grace of God.” The day before he died he called his children (six or seven), and tenderly exhorted them “to keep in the fear of God, and to love the truth, and God would be a father and portion to them.”

Footnote 16:

Some interesting documents, exhibiting the early care of the Society with regard to marriages, may be referred to in Letters, &c., of Early Friends, p. 259, 279, 283, &c. So early as 1659, at a meeting of Friends from four counties, an Epistle of Counsel and Advice was issued on this, and other subjects; recommending “that no marriage take place hastily or rashly; but in the fear of the Lord, and in the presence of many witnesses, according to Scripture example; that so no scandal or blemish may be laid upon the truth, but that all may be brought to the light; that a record in writing of the day, place, and year, be kept within the meeting where a marriage occurs, of which one or both are members; under which the witnesses may set their names.”

Footnote 17:

In the establishment of the schools at Waltham and at Shacklewell, at the suggestion of George Fox, we have evidence of his desire that a useful education should be imparted to youth. It is an error to suppose the early Friends depreciated human learning, and they must be exonerated from any such charge. They exhibited in their own persons, the practicability of the union of knowledge and virtue. While they were, many of them, eminent for their learning, they were distinguished for the piety of their lives. They were indeed the friends of both, but did not patronise the one to the prejudice and expulsion of the other. They always maintained (as Friends continue to do) that learning is not necessary to make a gospel minister, and here it is that many have mistaken their meaning.

Barclay, in his celebrated Apology, nowhere condemns the propriety, or usefulness of human learning, or denies it to be promotive of the temporal comforts of man. He says the knowledge of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, or of Logic and Philosophy, of Ethics or of Physics and Metaphysics, is not necessary. But mark his meaning. Not necessary to make a minister of the gospel. But where does he say that knowledge, which he himself possessed to such a considerable extent, was not necessary; or that it did not contribute to the innocent pleasures of life? What would have been the character of his own book, or what would have been its comparative value and usefulness, had he not been able to quote so many authors to his purpose in their original texts, or to have detected so many classical errors, introduced such apposite history, or to have drawn up his propositions with so much logical and mathematical clearness and precision; if he had not been among the first literary characters of his day?

William Penn was equally celebrated with Barclay as a scholar. His works afford abundant proof of his erudition, and of the high cultivation of his mind. Like the rest of his associates, he was no advocate for learning as a qualification for a minister of the gospel; but he was yet a friend to it, on the principle that it enlarged the understanding, and that it added to the innocent pleasures of the mind. He entreated his wife, in the beautiful letter he left her before he embarked on his first voyage to America, “not to be sparing of expense in procuring learning for his children; for that by such parsimony, all was lost that was saved.” And he recommended also, in the same letter, a mathematical and philosophical education.

Penn’s Secretary, James Logan, was also a patron of learning among the early Friends. He was a correspondent of Sir Hans Sloane and other literati of Europe, a contributor to Philosophical Transactions, and bequeathed his library, of 3000 vols. on arts and sciences in various languages, to the city of Philadelphia, with an endowment to preserve it for public use.

Thomas Ellwood, the companion of Milton, was so sensible of the disadvantages arising from a want of knowledge, that he revived his learning with great industry after he had become a Friend. “I mentioned before,” says he in his Journal, “that when I was a boy I made some progress in learning, and that I lost it all again before I came to be a man. Nor was I rightly sensible of my loss therein, till I came amongst Friends. But there I both saw my loss and lamented it, and applied myself with the utmost diligence at all leisure times to recover it. So false I found that charge to be, which in those times was cast as a reproach on the Society, that they despised and decried all human learning, because they denied it to be essentially necessary to a gospel ministry, which was one of the controversies of those times.” Ellwood’s friend, Isaac Penington, assisted him in this matter, and through his influence with Dr. Paget, procured him the means of improvement in becoming a reader to Milton.

Footnote 18:

The fourteen monthly meetings mentioned above as settled in Yorkshire so early as 1669, were York, Balby, Pontefract, Brighouse, Knaresbro’, Settle, Malton, Thirsk, Richmond, Guisbro’, Scarbro’, Kelk, Oustwick, and Elloughton.

Vol. II, Chapter III (1669-1671)

CHAPTER III.

1669-1671.—George Fox sails for Ireland in company with several other Friends—he there sends a challenge to the Popish priests to try their God, which is not accepted—he contrasts them with Baal’s priests—the authorities of Cork threaten him, and issue warrants for his apprehension—he rides publicly through the city, and is seen by the mayor but not molested—writes to Friends in the ministry there—discourses with professors on election and reprobation—returns to England—a report is spread that George Fox is turned Presbyterian, through a trick to obtain a congregation for John Fox, the Presbyterian, which however turns to the advantage of Friends—George Fox is married to Margaret Fell at Bristol—writes to the quarterly meetings about putting children apprentices—Margaret Fox is cast into prison—two of her daughters go to the king, and obtain a promise of their mother’s liberty—on the passing of the Conventicle Act, George Fox writes a declaration against seditious conventicles—writes to Friends to strengthen them in their trials—is apprehended at a meeting at Gracechurch Street—taken before the mayor, who discourses with him and sets him at liberty—visits Friends in Reading jail—undergoes great travail of spirit, loses his sight and hearing, and becomes as a sign—persecution becoming hot, some meeting-houses are pulled down, and Friends are much abused—George Fox endures great mental conflict—the faithfulness of Friends is said by some professors to have preserved the nation from debauchery—George Fox writes an encouraging letter to Friends—as persecution abates he recovers—writes a warning to the rulers of the nation—recommends certain regulations respecting marriage—writes a prayer.

Now was I moved of the Lord to go over into IRELAND to visit the seed of God in that nation. There went with me Robert Lodge, James Lancaster, Thomas Briggs, and John Stubbs. We waited near Liverpool for shipping and wind. After waiting some days, we sent James Lancaster to take passage, which he did, and brought word the ship was ready, and would take us in at Black Rock. We went thither on foot; and it being some distance, and the weather very hot, I was much spent with walking. When we arrived, the ship was not there; so we were obliged to go to the town, and take shipping. When we were on board, I said to the rest of my company, “Come, ye will triumph in the Lord, for we shall have fair wind and weather.” Many passengers in the ship were sick, but not one of our company. The captain and many of the passengers were very loving; and we being at sea on the first day of the week, I was moved to declare truth among them; whereupon the captain said to the passengers, “Here are things that you never heard in your lives.”

When we came before DUBLIN, we took boat and went ashore; and the earth and air smelt, methought, of the corruption of the nation, so that it yielded another smell to me than England did; which I imputed to the Popish massacres that had been committed, and the blood that had been spilt in it, from which a foulness ascended. We passed through among the officers of the customs four times, yet they did not search us; for they perceived what we were: some of them were so envious they did not care to look at us. We did not soon find Friends; but went to an inn, and sent out to inquire for some; who when they came to us were exceedingly glad of our coming, and received us with great joy. We stayed there the weekly meeting, which was a large one, and the power and life of God appeared greatly in it. Afterwards we passed to a province meeting, which lasted two days, there being one about the poor, and another meeting more general; in which a mighty power of the Lord appeared. Truth was livingly declared, and Friends were much refreshed therein.

Passing thence about four and twenty miles, we came to another place, where we had a very good refreshing meeting, but after it, some Papists that were there were angry, and raged very much. When I heard of it, I sent for one of them, who was a schoolmaster; but he would not come. Whereupon I sent a challenge to him, with all the friars and monks, priests and Jesuits, to come forth, and “try their God and their Christ, which they had made of bread and wine,” but no answer could I get from them. Wherefore I told them, “they were worse than the priests of Baal; for Baal’s priests tried their wooden god, but these durst not try their god of bread and wine; and Baal’s priests and people did not eat their god as these did, and then make another.”

We went to NEW GARDEN, where there was a great meeting. Thence we travelled on among Friends, till we came to BANDON BRIDGE and the LAND’S END, having many meetings as we went, in which the mighty power of the Lord was manifested, Friends were well refreshed, and many people were affected with the truth. At Bandon, the Mayor’s wife being herself convinced, desired her husband to come to the meeting; but he bid her, for her life, not to make known that I was at a meeting there.

He that was then Mayor of CORK was very envious against truth and Friends, and had many Friends in prison; and knowing that I was in the country, he had issued four warrants to take me; wherefore Friends were desirous that I might not ride through Cork. But being at Bandon, there appeared to me, in a vision, “a very ugly visaged man, of a black and dark look: my spirit struck at him in the power of God; and it seemed to me, that I rode over him with my horse, and my horse set his foot on the side of his face.” When I came down in the morning, I told a Friend that was with me, that the command of the Lord was to me to ride through Cork; but bade him tell no man. So we took horse, many Friends being with me; and when we came near the town, they would have showed me a way on the backside of the town; but I told them, my way was through the streets. Wherefore taking one of them along with me, whose name was Paul Morrice, to guide me through the town, I rode on; and as we rode through the market-place, and by the mayor’s door, he seeing me ride by, said, “there goes George Fox;” but he had not power to stop me. When we had passed through the sentinels, and were come over the bridge, we went to a Friend’s house and alighted. There the Friends told me what a rage was in the town, and how many warrants were granted to take me. While I was sitting there with Friends, I felt the evil spirit at work in the town, stirring up mischief against me; and I felt the power of the Lord strike at that evil spirit. By and by some other Friends coming in, told me, that it was over the town, and amongst the magistrates, that I was in the town. I said, “let the devil do his worst.” After a while, and Friends were refreshed one in another, and we travellers had refreshed ourselves, I called for my horse, and having a Friend to guide me, we went on our way. But great was the rage, that the mayor and others of Cork were in, that they had missed me; and great pains they afterwards took to take me, having their scouts abroad upon the roads, as I understood, to observe which way I went. Afterwards there was scarcely a public meeting I came to, but spies came to watch if I were there. And the envious magistrates and priests sent informations one to another concerning me, describing me by my hair, hat, clothes, and horse, so that when I was near a hundred miles from Cork, they had an account concerning me, and description of me, before I came amongst them.

One very envious magistrate, who was both a priest and a justice, got a warrant from the judge of the assize to apprehend me; which warrant was to go over all his circuit, which reached near a hundred miles. Yet the Lord disappointed all their counsels, and defeated all their designs against me; by his good hand of Providence preserved me out of all their snares, and gave us many sweet and blessed opportunities to visit Friends, and spread truth through that nation. For meetings were very large, Friends coming to them far and near; and other people flocking in. The powerful presence of the Lord was preciously felt with and amongst us; whereby many of the world were reached, convinced, and gathered to the truth; the Lord’s flock was increased, and Friends were greatly refreshed and comforted in feeling the love of God. O, the brokenness that was amongst them in the flowings of life! So that, in the power and Spirit of the Lord, many together broke out into singing, even with audible voices, making melody in their hearts.

At which time I was moved to declare as follows:—

To Friends in the Ministry.

“Sound, sound abroad, ye faithful servants of the Lord, and witnesses in his name, ye prophets of the Highest, and angels of the Lord! Sound ye all abroad in the world, to the awakening and raising of the dead, that they may be awakened, and raised up out of the grave, to hear the voice that is living. For the dead have long heard the dead, the blind have long wandered among the blind, and the deaf amongst the deaf. Therefore sound, ye servants, prophets, and angels of the Lord, ye trumpets of the Lord, that you may awaken the dead, and them that are asleep in their graves of sin, death and hell, sea and earth, and who lie in the tombs. Sound abroad, ye trumpets, and raise up the dead, that they may hear the voice of the Son of God, of the second Adam that never fell; the voice of the Light, and of the Life; the voice of the Power, and the voice of Truth; the voice of the Righteous, and of the Just. Sound ye the trumpets, the melodious sound abroad, that all the deaf ears may be opened to hear the pleasant sound of the trumpet to judgment and life, to condemnation and light.

“Sound your trumpets all abroad, ye angels of the Lord, sons and daughters, prophets of the Highest, that all who are dead and asleep in the graves—who have been long dreaming and slumbering, may be awakened, and hear the voice of the Lamb;—that all who have long heard the voice of the beast, may now hear the voice of the Bridegroom and the voice of the Bride;—that they may now hear the voice of the great Prophet and King—the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls. Sound, sound it all abroad, ye trumpets, among the dead in Adam; for Christ is come, the second Adam, that they might have life, yea have it abundantly. Awaken the dead, awaken the slumberers, the dreamers, them that are asleep, awaken them out of their graves, out of their tombs, out of their sepulchres, out of the seas! Sound abroad, ye trumpets that awaken the dead, that they may all hear the sound of it in the graves, and they that hear may live, and come to the Life, that is, the Son of God. He is risen from the dead; the grave could not hold nor contain him, neither could all the watchers of the earth, with all their guards, keep him therein. Sound, ye trumpets of the Lord, to all the seekers of the living among the dead, that he is risen from the dead; to all the seekers of the living among the dead, and in the graves that the watchers keep; he is not in the grave, he is risen; there is that under the grave of the watchers of the outward grave, which must be awakened and come to hear His voice, who is risen from the dead, that they may come to live. Therefore sound abroad, ye trumpets of the Lord, that the grave may give up her dead, and hell and the sea give up their dead; that all may come forth to judgment, to the judgment of the Lord before his throne, and have their sentence and reward according to their works.”

G. F.

To James Hutchinson’s in Ireland came many great persons, desiring to discourse with me about election and reprobation. I told them, “though they judged our principle foolish, it was too high for them, they could not with their wisdom comprehend it; therefore I would discourse with them according to their capacities. You say (said I), that God hath ordained the greatest part of men for hell, and that they were ordained so before the world began; for which your proof is in Jude. You say Esau was reprobated, and the Egyptians, and the stock of Ham. But Christ saith to his disciples, ‘Go, teach all nations,’ and ‘go into all nations and preach the gospel of life and salvation.’ Now, if they were to go to all nations, were they not to go to Ham’s stock and Esau’s stock; did not Christ die for all? then for the stock of Ham, of Esau, and the Egyptians. Doth not the Scripture say, ‘God would have all men to be saved?’ Mark, all men, then the stock of Esau and of Ham also. Doth not God say, ‘Egypt, my people?’ and that he would have an altar in Egypt? Isa. xix. Were there not many Christians formerly in Egypt? And doth not history say, that the Bishop of Alexandria would formerly have been Pope? And had not God a church in Babylon? I confess, ‘the word came to Jacob, and the statutes of Israel; the like was not to other nations.’ For the law of God was given to Israel; but the gospel was to be preached to all nations, and is to be preached. The gospel of peace and glad tidings is to all nations, ‘he that believes, is saved; but he that doth not believe, is condemned already;’ so the condemnation comes through unbelief. And whereas Jude speaks of some, that were of old ordained (or written of before) to condemnation, he doth not say, before the world began; but, ‘written of old,’ which may be referred to Moses’s writings, who wrote of those whom Jude mentions, namely, Cain, Korah, Balaam, and the angels that kept not their first estate. And such Christians as followed them in their way, and apostatized from the first state of Christianity, were and are ordained for condemnation by the light and truth, which they are gone from. And though the apostle speaks of God’s loving Jacob and hating Esau; yet he tells the believers, ‘we all were by nature children of wrath as well as others.’ This includes the stock of Jacob, of which the apostle himself and all believing Jews were. Thus both Jews and Gentiles were all concluded under sin, and so under condemnation, that God might have mercy upon all, through Jesus Christ. The election and choice stands in Christ; and ‘he that believes, is saved; and he that believes not, is condemned already.’ Jacob typifies the second birth, which God loved; and both Jews and Gentiles must be born again, before they can enter the kingdom of God. When you are born again, ye will know election and reprobation; for the election stands in Christ, the Seed, before the world began; but the reprobation lies in the evil seed, since the world began.” After this manner, but somewhat more largely, I discoursed with those great persons on this matter, and they confessed they had never heard so much before.

After I had travelled over Ireland, and had visited Friends in their meetings, as well for business as for worship, and had answered several papers and writings from monks, friars, and Protestant priests (for they all were in a rage against us, and endeavoured to stop the work of the Lord; and some Jesuits swore in the hearing of some of us, that we came to spread our principles in that nation, but we should not do it,) I returned to DUBLIN to take passage for England. When I had stayed the First-day meeting there (which was very large and precious,) a ship being ready and the wind serving, we took our leave of Friends, parting in much tenderness and brokenness, in the sense of the heavenly life and power, manifested amongst us. So having put our horses and necessaries on board in the morning, we went ourselves in the afternoon, many Friends accompanying us to the ship; and divers, both Friends and friendly people, came after us in boats when we were near a league at sea, their love drawing them, though not without danger. A good, weighty, and true people there is in that nation, sensible of the power of the Lord God and tender of his truth; and very good order they have in their meetings, for they stand up for righteousness and holiness, which dams up the way of wickedness. A precious visitation they had, and there is an excellent spirit in them, worthy to be visited. Many things more I could write of that nation, and of my travels in it, which would be large to mention particularly; but this I have thought good to signify, that the righteous may rejoice in the prosperity of truth.

James Lancaster, Robert Lodge, and Thomas Briggs came back with me; John Stubbs having further service there, stayed behind. We were two nights at sea; in one of which a mighty storm arose, that put the vessel in great danger. But I saw the power of God went over the winds and storms; he had them in his hand, and his power bound them. And the same power of the Lord God which carried us over, brought us back again; and in his life gave us dominion over all the evil spirits that opposed us there.

We landed at LIVERPOOL, and went to Richard Johnson’s. Whence departing the next day, we passed to William Barnes’s house, and so to William Gandy’s, visiting Friends, and having many precious meetings in LANCASHIRE and CHESHIRE. When we came into GLOUCESTERSHIRE, we met with a report at NAILSWORTH, which was spread about that country, “that George Fox was turned Presbyterian; that they had prepared a pulpit for him, and set it in a yard, and that there would be a thousand people there the next day to hear him.” I thought it strange that such a report should be raised of me; yet as we went further, from one Friend’s house to another, we met with the same. We passed by the yard where the pulpit was, and saw it, and went on to the place where Friends’ meeting was to be next day, and there we stayed that night. Next day, being First-day, we had a very large meeting, and the Lord’s power and presence were amongst us.

The occasion of this strange report (as I was informed) was this. There was one John Fox, a Presbyterian priest, who used to go about preaching; and some changing his name (as was reported) from John to George, gave out that George Fox had changed his religion, and was turned from a Quaker, to be a Presbyterian, and would preach at such a place such a day. This begot so great a curiosity in the people, that many went thither to hear this Quaker turned Presbyterian, who would not have gone to hear John Fox himself. By this means, it was reported, they had got together above a thousand people. But when they came there, and perceived they had a trick put upon them, and that he was a counterfeit George Fox, and understood that the real George Fox was hard by, several hundreds of them came to our meeting, and were sober and attentive. I directed them to the grace of God in themselves, which would teach them, and bring them salvation. When the meeting was over, some of the people said, “they liked George Fox the Quaker’s preaching better than George Fox the Presbyterian’s.” Thus, by my providential coming into those parts at that time, was this false report discovered; and shame came over the contrivers of it.

Not long after, this John Fox was complained of in the House of Commons, for “having a tumultuous meeting, in which treasonable words were spoken;” which (according to the best information I could get of it) was thus:—He had formerly been priest of Mansfield [Manningford?] in Wiltshire; and being put out of that place, was afterwards permitted by a Common-Prayer priest to preach sometimes in his steeple-house. At length this Presbyterian priest, presuming too far upon the parish priest’s former grant, began to be more bold than welcome, and attempted to preach there, whether the parish priest would or not. This caused a great bustle and contest in the steeple-house between the two priests, and their hearers, on each side; in which contest the Common-Prayer-Book was cut to pieces, and some treasonable words were spoken by some of the followers of John Fox. This was quickly put in the news: and some malicious Presbyterians caused it to be worded as if it had proceeded from George Fox, the Quaker, when I was above two hundred miles from the place where this bustle happened. When I heard of it, I soon procured certificates from some of the members of the House of Commons, who knew this John Fox, and gave it under their hands, that it was John Fox, who had formerly been parson at Mansfield in Wiltshire, that was complained of to the House of Commons, to be the chief ringleader in that unlawful assembly.

And indeed this John Fox discovered himself to be an ill man; for when some, who had been his followers, came to be convinced of truth, and thereupon left him, he came to some of their houses to talk with them about it, and they telling him, “he was in the steps of the false prophets, preaching for hire and filthy lucre, like them whom Christ cried woe against, and the apostles declared against, such as served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies; and telling him also, Christ said, ‘freely ye have received, freely give;’ and therefore he should not take money of people for preaching, especially now times were so hard;” he replied, “God bless preaching, for that brings in money, let times go how they will. Fill my belly with good victuals; and then call me false prophet, or what you will, and kick me about the house when ye have done if ye will.” This relation I had from a man and his wife, who had been formerly his hearers, and whom this John Fox, with others, caused deeply to suffer. For he and some other Presbyterian priests, using to resort to a widow-woman’s house, who had the impropriation, and took the tithes of the parish, she told them, there was a Quaker in that parish, that would not pay her tithes, and asked what she should do with him. They advised her “to send workmen to cut down and carry away his corn;” which she did, and thereby impoverished the man. But to proceed—

After this meeting in Gloucestershire was over, we travelled till we came to BRISTOL; where I met with Margaret Fell, who was come to visit her daughter Yeomans. I had seen from the Lord a considerable time before, that I should take Margaret Fell to be my wife. And when I first mentioned it to her, she felt the answer of Life from God thereunto. But though the Lord had opened this thing to me, yet I had not received a command from the Lord, for the accomplishing of it then. Wherefore I let the thing rest, and went on in the work and service of the Lord as before, according as he led me; travelling up and down in this nation and through Ireland. But now being at BRISTOL, and finding Margaret Fell there, it opened in me from the Lord that the thing should be accomplished. After we had discoursed the matter together, I told her, if “she also was satisfied with the accomplishing of it now, she should first send for her children;” which she did. When the rest of her daughters were come, I asked both them and her sons in law, “if they had anything against it, or for it;” and they all severally expressed their satisfaction therein. Then I asked Margaret, “if she had fulfilled and performed her husband’s will to her children.” She replied, “the children knew that.” Whereupon I asked them, “whether, if their mother married, they should not lose by it?” And I asked Margaret, “whether she had done anything in lieu of it, which might answer it to the children?” The children said, “she had answered it to them, and desired me to speak no more of it.” I told them, “I was plain, and would have all things done plainly; for I sought not any outward advantage to myself.” So after I had thus acquainted the children with it, our intention of marriage was laid before Friends, both privately and publicly, to their full satisfaction, many of whom gave testimony thereunto that it was of God. Afterwards, a meeting being appointed for the accomplishing thereof, in the meeting-house at Broad-Mead in Bristol, we took each other, the Lord joining us together in the honourable marriage, in the everlasting covenant and immortal Seed of life. In the sense whereof, living and weighty testimonies were borne thereunto by Friends, in the movings of the heavenly power which united us together. Then was a certificate relating both to the proceedings and the marriage, openly read, and signed by the relations, and by most of the ancient Friends of that city, besides many others from divers parts of the nation.[19]

We stayed about a week in Bristol, and then went together to OLVESTON; where taking leave of each other in the Lord, we parted, betaking ourselves to our several services, Margaret returning homewards to the north, and I passing on in the work of the Lord, as before. I travelled through WILTSHIRE, BERKSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE, and BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and so to LONDON, visiting Friends; in all which counties I had many large and precious meetings.

Being in LONDON, it came upon me to write to Friends throughout the nation, about “putting out poor children to trades.” Wherefore I sent the following epistle to the quarterly meetings of Friends in all counties:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“Let every quarterly meeting make inquiry through all the monthly and other meetings, to know all Friends that are widows, or others, that have children fit to put out to apprenticeships; so that once a quarter you may set forth an apprentice from your quarterly meeting; and so you may set forth four in a year in each county, or more, if there be occasion. This apprentice, when out of his time, may help his father or mother, and support the family that is decayed; and in so doing, all may come to live comfortably. This being done in your quarterly meetings, ye will have knowledge through the county in the monthly and particular meetings, of masters fit for them, and of such trades as their parents or you desire, or the children are most inclinable to. Thus being placed out with Friends, they may be trained up in truth; and by this means in the wisdom of God, you may preserve Friends’ children in the truth, and enable them to be a strength and help to their families, and nursers and preservers of their relations in their ancient days. Thus also things being ordered in the wisdom of God, you will take off a continual maintenance, and free yourselves from much cumber. For in the country, ye know, ye may set forth an apprentice for a little to several trades, as bricklayers, masons, carpenters, wheelwrights, plough-wrights, tailors, tanners, curriers, blacksmiths, shoemakers, nailers, butchers, weavers of linen and woollen, stuffs and serges, &c. And you may do well to have a stock in your quarterly meetings for that purpose. All that is given by any Friends at their decease (except it be given to some particular use, person, or meeting,) may be brought to the public stock for that purpose. This will be a way for the preserving of many that are poor among you, and it will be a way of making up poor families. In several counties it is practised already. Some quarterly meetings set forth two apprentices; and sometimes the children of others that are laid on the parish. You may bind them for fewer or more years, according to their capacities. In all these things the wisdom of God will teach you, by which ye may come to help the children of poor Friends, that they may come to support their families, and preserve them in the fear of God. So no more, but my love in the everlasting Seed, by which ye will have wisdom to order all things to the glory of God.”

G.F.

London, 1st of 11th Month, 1669.

I stayed not long in LONDON; but having visited Friends, and finding things there quiet and well, the Lord’s power being over all, I passed into ESSEX, and HERTFORDSHIRE, where I had many precious meetings. Intending to go as far as LEICESTERSHIRE, I wrote a letter to my wife, before I left London, to acquaint her therewith, that if she found it convenient to her she might meet me there. From Hertfordshire I turned into CAMBRIDGESHIRE, thence into HUNTINGDONSHIRE, and so into LEICESTERSHIRE; where, instead of meeting with my wife, I heard she was haled out of her house to Lancaster prison again, by an order obtained from the king and council, to fetch her back to prison upon the old premunire; though she had been discharged from that imprisonment by their order the year before. Wherefore, having visited Friends as far as Leicestershire, I returned by DERBYSHIRE into WARWICKSHIRE, and so to LONDON, having had many large and blessed meetings in the several counties I passed through, and been sweetly refreshed amongst Friends in my travels.

As soon as I reached LONDON, I hastened Mary Lower and Sarah Fell (two of my wife’s daughters) to the king, to acquaint him how their mother was dealt with, and see if they could obtain a full discharge for her, that she might enjoy her estate and liberty without molestation. This was somewhat difficult, but by diligent attendance, they at length obtained it; the king giving command to Sir John Otway, to signify his pleasure therein by letter to the sheriff, and others concerned therein in the country. Which letter Sarah Fell going down with her brother and sister Rous, carried with her to Lancaster; and by them I wrote to my wife as follows:—

“MY DEAR HEART IN THE TRUTH AND LIFE, THAT CHANGETH NOT,

“It was upon me that Mary Lower and Sarah should go to the king concerning thy imprisonment, and to Kirby, that the power of the Lord might appear over them all in thy deliverance. They went, and then they thought to come down; but it was upon me to stay them a little longer, that they might follow the business till it was effected; which it now is, and is here sent. The late declaration of mine hath been very serviceable, people being generally satisfied with it. So no more, but my love in the holy Seed.”

G.F.

The declaration here mentioned, was a printed sheet, written upon occasion of a new persecution stirred up. For by the time I was returned out of Leicestershire to London, a fresh storm was risen, occasioned (it was thought) by that tumultuous meeting in a steeple-house in Wiltshire or Gloucestershire, mentioned a little before (page 116); from which, it was said, some members of parliament took advantage to get an act passed against seditious conventicles;[20] which soon after came forth and was turned against us, who of all people were free from sedition and tumult. Whereupon I wrote a declaration, showing from the preamble and terms of the act, that we were not such a people, nor our meetings such as were described in that act. I wrote also another short paper on the occasion of that act against meetings, opening our case to the magistrates, as follows:—

“O Friends, consider this act, which limits us to five. Is this doing as ye would be done by? Would ye be so served yourselves? We own Christ Jesus as well as you, his coming, death, and resurrection; and if we be contrary-minded to you in some things, is not this the apostle’s exhortation, ‘to wait till God hath revealed it?’ Doth not he say, ‘what is not of faith, is sin’? Seeing we have not faith in things, which ye would have us to do, would it not be sin in us, if we should act contrary to our faith? Why should any man have power over another man’s faith, seeing Christ is the author of it? When the apostles preached in the name of Jesus, and great multitudes heard them, and the rulers forbade them to speak any more in that name, did not they bid them judge whether it were better to obey God or man? Would not this act have taken hold of the twelve apostles and seventy disciples; for they met often together? If there had been a law made then, that not above five should have met with Christ, would not that have been a hindering of him from meeting with his disciples? Do ye think that He, who is the wisdom of God, or his disciples, would have obeyed it? If such a law had been made in the apostles’ days, that not above five might meet together, who had been different-minded from either the Jews or the Gentiles, do ye think the churches of Christ at Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus, Thessalonica, or the rest of the gathered churches, would have obeyed it? O therefore consider! for we are Christians, and partake of the nature and life of Christ. Strive not to limit the Holy One; for God’s power cannot be limited, and is not to be quenched. Do unto all men as ye would have them do unto you; for that is the law and the prophets.”

“This is from those who wish you all well, and desire your everlasting good and prosperity, called Quakers; who seek the peace and good of all people, though they afflict us, and cause us to suffer.”

G. F.

As I had endeavoured to soften the magistrates, and to take off the sharpness of their edge in the execution of the act, so it was upon me to write a few lines to Friends “to strengthen and encourage them to stand fast in their testimony, and bear, with Christian patience and content, the suffering that was coming upon them.” This I did in the following epistle:—

“My dear Friends, Keep in the faith of God above all outward things, and in his power, that hath given you dominion over all. The same power of God is still with you to deliver you as formerly; for God and his power is the same; his Seed is over all, and before all; and will be, when that which makes to suffer, is gone. Be of good faith in that which changeth not; for whatsoever any do against the truth, it will come upon themselves, and fall as a millstone on their heads. If the Lord suffer you to be tried, let all be given up; and look at the Lord and his power, which is over the whole world, and will remain when the world is gone. In the Lord’s power and truth rejoice over that which makes to suffer, in the Seed, which was before it was; for the life, truth, and power of God is over all. All keep in that; and if ye suffer in that, it is to the Lord.

“Friends, the Lord hath blessed you in outward things; and now the Lord may try you, whether your minds be in outward things, or with the Lord that gave you them? Therefore keep in the Seed, by which all outward things were made, and which is over them all. What! shall not I pray, and speak to God, with my face towards heavenly Jerusalem, according to my wonted time? Let not any one’s Delilah shave his head, lest he lose his strength; neither rest in its lap, lest the Philistines be upon you. For your rest is in Christ Jesus; therefore rest not in anything else.”

G. F.

London, 12th of 2nd Month, 1670.

On the First-day after the act came in force, I went to the meeting at GRACECHURCH-STREET, where I expected the storm was most likely to begin. When I came there, I found the street full of people, and a guard set to keep Friends out of their meeting-house. I went to the other passage out of Lombard-street, where also I found a guard; but the court was full of people, and a Friend was speaking amongst them; but he did not speak long. When he had done, I stood up, and was moved to say, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against that which pricks thee. Then I showed that it is Saul’s nature, that persecutes still, and that they who persecute Christ in his members now, where he is made manifest, kick against that which pricks them. That it was the birth of the flesh that persecuted the birth born of the Spirit; and that it was the nature of dogs to tear and devour the sheep, but that we suffered as sheep that bite not again; for we were a peaceable people, and loved them that persecuted us.” After I had spoken a while to this effect, the constable came with an informer and soldiers; and as they pulled me down, I said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” The commander of the soldiers put me among the soldiers, and bid them secure me, saying to me, “You are the man I looked for.” They took also John Burnyeat and another Friend, and led us away first to the Exchange, and afterwards towards Moorfields.

As we went along the streets the people were very moderate; some of them laughed at the constable, and told him, “we would not run away.” The informer went with us unknown, till falling into discourse with one of the company, he said, “It would never be a good world till all people came to the good old religion that was two hundred years ago.” Whereupon I asked him, “Art thou a Papist? What! a Papist informer; for two hundred years ago there was no other religion but that of the Papists.” He saw he had ensnared himself, and was vexed at it; for as he went along the streets, I spoke often to him, and manifested what he was. When we were come to the mayor’s house, and were in the court-yard, several of the people that stood about, asked me, “how and for what I was taken?” I desired them to ask the informer, and also know what his name was; but he refused to tell his name. Whereupon one of the mayor’s officers looking out at a window, told him, “he should tell his name before he went away; for the lord mayor would know by what authority he intruded himself with soldiers into the execution of those laws which belonged to the civil magistrate to execute, and not to the military.” After this, he was eager to be gone; and went to the porter to be let out. One of the officers called to him, saying, “Have you brought people here to inform against, and now will you go away before my lord mayor comes?” Some called to the porter not to let him out; whereupon he forcibly pulled open the door, and slipped out. No sooner was he come into the street, than the people gave a shout, that made the street ring again, crying out, “a Papist informer! a Papist informer!” We desired the constable and soldiers to go and rescue him out of the people’s hands, fearing lest they should do him a mischief. They went, and brought him into the mayor’s entry, where they stayed a while; but when he went out again, the people received him with another shout. The soldiers were fain to go and rescue him once more, and they led him into a house in an alley, where they persuaded him to change his periwig, and so he got away unknown.

When the mayor came, we were brought into the room where he was, and some of his officers would have taken off our hats, which he perceiving, called to them, and bid them, “let us alone, and not meddle with our hats; for,” said he, “they are not yet brought before me in judicature.” So we stood by while he examined some Presbyterian and Baptist teachers; with whom he was somewhat sharp, and convicted them. After he had done with them, I was brought up to the table where he sat; and then the officers took off my hat; and the mayor said mildly to me, “Mr. Fox, you are an eminent man amongst those of your profession; pray, will you be instrumental to dissuade them from meeting in such great numbers? for, seeing Christ hath promised that where two or three are met in his name, he will be in the midst of them, and the king and parliament are graciously pleased to allow of four to meet together to worship God; why will not you be content to partake both of Christ’s promise to two or three, and the king’s indulgence to four?” I answered to this purpose: “Christ’s promise was not to discourage many from meeting together in his name, but to encourage the few, that the fewest might not forbear to meet, because of their fewness. But if Christ hath promised to manifest his presence in the midst of so small an assembly, where but two or three were gathered in his name, how much more would his presence abound where two or three hundred are gathered in his name? I wished him to consider, whether this act would not have taken hold of Christ, with his twelve apostles and seventy disciples, if it had been in their time, who used to meet often together, and that with great numbers? However, I told him this act did not concern us; for it was made against seditious meetings, of such as met, under colour and pretence of religion, ‘to contrive insurrections, as (the act says) late experience had shown;’ but we had been sufficiently tried and proved, and always found peaceable, and therefore he should do well to put a difference between the innocent and the guilty.” He said, “the act was made against meetings, and a worship not according to the liturgy.” I told him, “according to” was not the very same thing: and I asked him, “whether the liturgy was according to the Scriptures? and whether we might not read Scriptures, and speak Scriptures?” He said “Yes.” I told him, “this act took hold only of such, as met to plot and contrive insurrections, as late experience had shown; but they had never experienced that by us. Because thieves are sometimes on the road, must not honest men travel? And because plotters and contrivers have met to do mischief, must not an honest, peaceable people meet to do good? If we had been a people that met to plot and contrive insurrections, &c., we might have drawn ourselves into fours; for four might do more mischief in plotting than if there were four hundred, because four might speak out their minds more freely one to another than four hundred could. Therefore, we being innocent, and not the people this act concerns, we keep our meetings as we used to do: and, I said, I believed that he knew in his conscience we were innocent.” After some more discourse, he took our names and the places where we lodged, and at length, as the informer was gone, set us at liberty.

Being set at liberty, the Friends with me asked me “whither I would go?” I told them, “to Gracechurch Street meeting again, if it were not over.” When we came there, the people were generally gone; only some few stood at the gate. We went into Gerrard Roberts’s house; and from thence I sent out to know how the other meetings in the city were. I understood that at some of the meeting-places Friends were kept out; at others they were taken, but set at liberty again a few days after. A glorious time it was, for the Lord’s power came over all, and his everlasting truth got renown. For as fast as some that were speaking were taken down, others were moved of the Lord to stand up and speak, to the admiration of the people; and the more, because many Baptists and other sectaries left their public meetings, and came to see how the Quakers would stand. As for the informer aforesaid, he was so frightened, that there durst hardly any informer appear publicly again in London for some time after. But the mayor, whose name was Samuel Starling, though he carried himself smoothly towards us, proved afterwards a very great persecutor of our Friends, many of whom he cast into prison, as may be seen in the trials of W. Penn, W. Mead, and others, at the Old Bailey this year.[21]

After some time the heat of persecution in London began to abate, and meetings were quieter there. Being now clear of the city, I went to visit Friends in the country; and attended several meetings in MIDDLESEX, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and OXFORDSHIRE, which were quiet, though in some places there was much threatening. At READING most of the Friends were in prison, and I went to visit them. When I had been a while with them, the Friends that were prisoners gathered together, and several other persons came in; so that I had a fine opportunity amongst them, and “declared the Word of Life, encouraging them in the truth; and they were refreshed in feeling the presence and power of the Lord amongst them.” When the meeting was ended, the jailer understanding that I was there, the Friends were concerned how to get me out safe again; for they feared lest he should stop me. But after I had stayed a while, and eaten with them, I went down stairs, and the jailer being at the door, I put my hand in my pocket, which he had such an eye to, hoping to get something from me, that he asked me no question. So I gave him something, and bade him “be kind and civil to my Friends in prison, whom I came to visit;” and he let me pass out without interruption. But soon after Isaac Penington coming to visit them, he stopped him, and caused him to be made a prisoner.[22]

Next morning I rode about fourteen miles to a meeting at BANGHURST in HAMPSHIRE, Thomas Briggs being with me. When we came into the parish, some sober people told us, that “the priest of the town was an envious man, and threatened us.” We went on to the meeting, which was large; and after some time Thomas Briggs stood up and spoke. It seems the priest had got a warrant, and sent the constables and other officers with it. They came to the house, stayed a while, and then went away again, without coming into the meeting; so we in the meeting did not know of their being there. After Thomas Briggs had done speaking, I was moved of the Lord to stand up, and declare the Word of Life to the people; and a precious meeting we had. When it was ended and risen, I heard a great clatter in the yard; and when we came out, the man of the house told us, “that the officers had been in the house before, but did not come into the meeting, going away without doing anything; and that now the priest in a great rage had sent them again, and his own servant with them.” But the meeting being ended before they came, they could do nothing. Thus the good providence of the Lord preserved us from the wicked design of the envious priest.

Thence we went to a Friend’s house on the edge of BERKSHIRE, where several Friends came to visit us. Afterwards we passed into SURREY, and had many precious meetings, till we came to Stephen Smith’s, near GUILDFORD, where great persecution had been, and very much property taken away from Friends for their meetings; and under great threatenings they were at that time; yet we had several blessed meetings thereabouts, and the Lord’s power was over all, in and by which we were preserved.

We went into SUSSEX, by Richard Baxe’s, where we had a large, precious, quiet meeting, though the constables had given out threatenings before. I had many more meetings in that county; and though there were some threatenings, they were peaceable; and Friends were refreshed, and established upon the foundation of God, that stands sure. When I had thoroughly visited SUSSEX, I went into KENT, and had many glorious and precious meetings in several parts of that county. I went to a meeting near DEAL, which was very large; and returning from thence to CANTERBURY, visited Friends there. I then passed into the ISLE OF SHEPPEY, where I stayed two or three days; and thither came Alexander Parker, George Whitehead, and John Rous to me.

Next day, finding my service for the Lord finished there, we passed towards ROCHESTER. On the way, as I was walking down a hill, a great weight and oppression fell upon my spirit; I got on my horse again, but the weight remained so that I was hardly able to ride. At length we came to Rochester, but I was much spent, being so extremely laden and burdened with the world’s spirits, that my life was oppressed under them. I got with difficulty to GRAVESEND, and lay at an inn there; but could hardly either eat or sleep. The next day John Rous and Alexander Parker went for London; and John Stubbs being come to me, we went over the ferry into ESSEX. We came to HORNCHURCH, where was a meeting on First-day. After it I rode with great uneasiness to STRATFORD, to a Friend’s house, whose name was Williams, and who had formerly been a captain. Here I lay exceedingly weak, and at last lost both hearing and sight. Several Friends came to me from London: and I told them, that “I should be as a sign to such as would not see, and such as would not hear the truth.” In this condition I continued some time. Several came about me; and though I could not see their persons, I felt and discerned their spirits, who were honest-hearted, and who were not. Divers Friends who practised physic, came to see me, and would have given me medicines, but I was not to meddle with any; for I was sensible I had a travail to go through; and therefore desired none but solid, weighty Friends might be about me. Under great sufferings and travails, sorrows and oppressions, I lay for several weeks, whereby I was brought so low and weak in body, that few thought I could live. Some that were with me went away, saying, “they would not see me die;” and it was reported both in London and in the country, that I was deceased; but I felt the Lord’s power inwardly supporting me. When they that were about me had given me up to die, I spoke to them to get a coach to carry me to Gerrard Roberts’s, about twelve miles off; for I found it was my place to go thither. I had now recovered a little glimmering sight, so that I could discern the people and fields as I went, and that was all. When I came to Gerrard’s, he was very weak: and I was moved to speak to him, and encourage him.

After I had stayed about three weeks there, it was with me to go to Enfield. Friends were afraid of my removing; but I told them I might safely go. When I had taken my leave of Gerrard, and was come to ENFIELD, I went first to visit Amor Stoddart, who lay very weak, and almost speechless. I was moved to tell him, “he had been faithful as a man, and faithful to God; and that the immortal seed of life was his crown.” Many more words I was moved to speak to him, though I was then so weak I was hardly able to stand; and within a few days after, Amor died. I went to the widow Dry’s at Enfield, where I lay all that winter, warring in spirit with the evil spirits of the world, that warred against truth and Friends. For there were great persecutions at this time; some meeting-houses were pulled down, and many were broken up by soldiers. Sometimes a troop of horse, or a company of foot came; and some broke their swords, carbines, muskets, and pikes, with beating Friends; and many they wounded, so that their blood lay in the streets. Amongst others that were active in this cruel persecution at London, my old adversary Colonel Kirby was one; who, with a company of foot, went to break up several meetings; and he would often enquire for me at the meetings he broke up. One time as he went over the water to Horsleydown, there happening some scuffle between some of his soldiers and some of the watermen, he bid his men “fire at them.” They did so, and killed some.

I was under great sufferings at this time, beyond what I have words to declare. For I was brought into the deep, and saw all the religions of the world, and people that lived in them, and the priests that held them up, who were as a company of men-eaters, eating up the people like bread, and gnawing the flesh from off their bones. But as for true religion and worship, and ministers of God, alack! I saw there were none amongst those of the world that pretended to it. For they that pretended to be the church, were but a company of men-eaters, men of cruel visages, and of long teeth; and, though they had cried against the men-eaters in America, I saw they were in the same nature. And as the great professing Jews did “eat up God’s people like bread,” and the false prophets and priests then preached peace to people, so long as they “put into their mouths and fed them;” but if they fed them not, they prepared war against them, “they ate their flesh off their bones, and chopped them as for the caldron;” so these that profess themselves Christians now (both priests and professors,) and are not in the same power and Spirit that Christ and the holy prophets and apostles were in, are in the same nature that the old professing Jews were in, and are men-eaters as well as they. These stirred up persecution and set the wicked informers to work; so that a Friend could hardly speak a few words in a private family, before they sat down to eat meat, but some were ready to inform against them. A particular instance of which I have heard as follows:—

At Droitwich, John Cartwright came to a Friend’s house, and being moved of the Lord to speak a few words before he sat down to supper, there came an informer, and stood hearkening under the window. When he had heard the Friend speak, hoping to get some gain to himself, he went and informed, and got a warrant to distrain his goods, under pretence that there was a meeting at his house; whereas there were none in the house at that time, but the Friend, the man of the house, his wife, and their maid-servant. But this evil-minded man, as he came back with his warrant in the night, fell off his horse, and broke his neck. So there was a wretched end of a wicked informer, who hoped to enrich himself by spoiling Friends; but the Lord prevented him, and cut him off in his wickedness.

Now, though it was a cruel, bloody, persecuting time, yet the Lord’s power went over all, and his everlasting Seed prevailed; and Friends were made to stand firm and faithful in the Lord’s power. Some sober people of other professions would say, “if Friends did not stand, the nation would run into debauchery.”

Though by reason of my weakness, I could not travel amongst Friends as I used to do, yet in the motion of life, I sent the following lines as an encouraging testimony to them:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“The Seed is above all. In it walk: in which ye all have life. Be not amazed at the weather; for always the just suffered by the unjust, but the just had the dominion. All along ye may see, by faith the mountains were subdued; and the rage of the wicked, and his fiery darts, were quenched. Though the waves and storms are high, yet your faith will keep you so as to swim above them; for they are but for a time, and the truth is without time. Therefore keep on the mountain of holiness, ye who are led to it by the light where nothing shall hurt. Do not think that anything will outlast the truth, which standeth sure; and is over that which is out of the truth; for the good will overcome the evil; the light, darkness; the life, death; virtue, vice; and righteousness, unrighteousness. The false prophet cannot overcome the true; but the true prophet, Christ, will overcome all the false. So be faithful, and live in that which doth not think the time long.”

G.F.

After some time it pleased the Lord to allay the heat of this violent persecution; and I felt in spirit an overcoming of the spirits of those men-eaters, that had stirred it up, and carried it on to that height of cruelty, though I was outwardly very weak. And I plainly felt, and those Friends that were with me, and that came to visit me, took notice, that as the persecution ceased, I came from under the travails and sufferings, that had lain with such weight upon me; so that towards the spring I began to recover, and to walk up and down, beyond the expectation of many, who did not think I could ever have gone abroad again.

Whilst I was under this spiritual suffering, the state of the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven, was opened to me; which some carnal-minded people had looked upon to be like an outward city dropped out of the elements. I saw the beauty and glory of it, the length, the breadth, and the height thereof, all in complete proportion. I saw, that all who are within the light of Christ, and in his faith, which he is the author of; and in the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which Christ and the holy prophets and apostles were in; and within the grace, and truth, and power of God, which are the walls of the city;—such are within the city, are members of it, and have right to eat of the tree of life, which yields her fruit every month, and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. But they that are out of the grace, truth, light, Spirit, and power of God; they who resist the Holy Ghost, quench, vex, and grieve the Spirit of God; who hate the light, turn the grace of God into wantonness, and do despite to the Spirit of Grace; they who have erred from the faith, and made shipwreck of it and of a good conscience, who abuse the power of God, and despise prophesying, revelation, and inspiration;—these are the dogs and unbelievers that are without the city. These make up the great city Babylon, confusion, and her cage, the power of darkness; and the evil spirit of error surrounds and covers them over. In this great city Babylon are the false prophets, in the false power and false spirit; the beast, in the dragon’s power, and the whore that is gone a whoring from the Spirit of God, and from Christ her husband. But the Lord’s power is over all this power of darkness, false prophets, and their worshippers, who are for the lake which burns with fire.

Many things more did I see concerning the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which are hard to be uttered, and would be hard to be received. But, in short, this holy city is within the light, and all that are within the light, are within the city; the gates whereof stand open all the day (for there is no night there,) and all may come in. Christ’s blood being shed for every man, he tasted death for every man, and enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; and his grace that brings salvation having appeared to all men, there is no place or language where his voice may not be heard. The Christians in the primitive times were called by Christ, “a city set upon a hill;” they were also called “the light of the world,” and “the salt of the earth;” but when Christians lose the light, and salt, and power of God, then they came to be trodden under foot, like unsavoury salt. Even as the Jews, who while they kept the law of God, were preserved above all nations; but when they turned their backs on God and his law, they were trodden under foot of other nations. Adam and Eve, while they obeyed God, were kept in his image and in the Paradise of God, in dominion over all the works of his hands; but when they disobeyed God, they lost his image, the righteousness and the holiness in which they were made; they lost their dominion, were driven out of paradise; and so fell under the dark power of Satan, and came under the chains of darkness. But the promise of God was, “that the Seed of the woman, Christ Jesus, should bruise the serpent’s head,”—should break his power and authority, which had led into captivity, and had held man therein. So Christ, who is the first and the last, sets man free, and is the resurrection of the just and unjust, the judge of the quick and dead; and they that are in him are invested with everlasting rest and peace, out of all the labours, and travails, and miseries of Adam in the fall. So he is sufficient and of ability to restore man into the state he was in before he fell; and not into that state only, but into that also that never fell, even to himself.

I had also in this time a great exercise and travail of spirit upon me, concerning the powers and rulers of these nations, from the sense I had of the many tender visitations and faithful warnings, that had been given them, and of their great abuse thereof, who had refused to hear, and rejected the counsel of the Lord. And though I knew Friends would be clear of their blood, yet I could not but mourn over them, and gave forth these few lines following concerning them:—

“We have given them a visitation, have faithfully warned them, have declared to them our innocency and uprightness, and that we never did any hurt to the king, nor to any of his people. We have nothing in our hearts but love and goodwill to him and his people, and desire their eternal welfare. But if they will not hear, the day of judgment and of sorrow, of torment, misery, and sudden destruction, will come from the Lord upon them, that have been the cause of the sufferings of many thousands of simple, innocent, harmless people that have done them no hurt, nor have had any ill-will towards him or them; but have desired their eternal good for the eternal truth’s sake. Destruction will come upon them that turn the sword backward. Therefore do not blind your eyes, the Lord will bring swift destruction and misery upon you; surely he will do it, and will relieve his innocent people; who have groaned for deliverance from under your oppression, and have also groaned for your deliverance out of wickedness. Blessed be the Lord God, that he hath a people in this nation, that seek the good of all men upon the face of the earth; for we have the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, that desires not the death of a sinner, but the salvation and good of all. Blessed be the name of the Lord our God for ever.”

G. F.

While I continued at Enfield, a sense came upon me of a hurt that sometimes happened, by persons under the profession of truth coming out of one country into another, to take a husband or wife amongst Friends, where they were strangers, and it was not known whether they were clear and orderly, or not. And it opened in me to recommend the following method unto Friends for preventing such inconveniences:—

“All Friends that marry, whether they be men or women, if they come out of another nation, island, or county, let them bring a certificate from the men’s meeting of that county, nation, or island from which they came, to the men’s meeting where they propose their intention of marriage. For the men’s meeting being made up of the faithful, this will stop all wrong spirits from roving up and down. When any come with a certificate, or letter of recommendation from one men’s meeting to another, one is refreshed by another, and can set their hands and hearts to the thing. This will prevent a great deal of trouble. And then what ye have to say to them in the power of God, in admonishing and instructing them, ye are left to the power and Spirit of God to do it, and to let them know the duty of marriage, and what it is; that there may be unity and concord in the Spirit, and power, and light, and wisdom of God, throughout all the men’s meetings in the whole world, in one, in the life.

“Let copies of this be sent to every county, and nation, and island where Friends are, that so all things may be kept holy, and pure, and righteous, in unity and peace; and God over all may be glorified among you, his lot, his people and inheritance, who are his adopted sons and daughters, and heirs of his life. So no more, but my love in that which changeth not.”

G. F.

14th of 1st Month, 1670-1.

When I had recovered, so that I could walk a little, I went from Enfield to Gerrard Roberts’s again, and thence to the women’s school at SHACKLEWELL, and so to the meeting at Gracechurch Street, LONDON; where, though I was yet but weak, the Lord’s power upheld and enabled me to declare his eternal Word of life.

About this time I was moved to pray to the Lord as follows:—

“O Lord God Almighty! Prosper truth, and preserve justice and equity in the land! Bring down all injustice and iniquity, oppression and falsehood, cruelty and unmercifulness in the land; that mercy and righteousness may flourish!

“O Lord God! Set up and establish verity, and preserve it in the land! Bring down in the land all debauchery and vice, whoredoms and fornication, and this raping spirit, which causeth people to have no esteem of thee, O God! nor of their own souls or bodies; nor of Christianity, modesty, or humanity.

“O Lord! Put it in the magistrates’ hearts to bring down all this ungodliness, violence, and cruelty, profaneness, cursing, and swearing; and to put down all those lewd houses and play-houses, which corrupt youth and people, and lead them from thy kingdom, where no unclean thing can enter, neither shall come! Such works lead people to hell! Lord! In mercy bring down all these things in the nation, to stop thy wrath, O God! from coming on the land.”

G. F.

This Prayer was written at night, the 17th of the 2nd Month, 1671.

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Footnote 19:

The date of the marriage of George Fox and Margaret Fell, in the Bristol Register of Friends, is 27th of 8th Month, 1669.

Margaret Fell, it will be remembered, was the widow of Judge Fell of Swarthmore Hall. It is remarkable with what high esteem and Christian love this devoted woman appears to have been regarded by our early and most eminent Friends. She seems to have been generally acknowledged as a faithful nursing-mother of the flock; and she often addressed them, when in bonds or otherwise, with letters of consolation and encouragement. (See numerous letters to and from her in Barclay’s Letters, &c., of Early Friends). It is also probable she contributed largely from her means to the relief of their outward necessities. Having faithfully fulfilled her allotted labours, she died much beloved and lamented, at her own house at Swarthmore, in 1702, being near the eighty-eighth year of her age, and having survived George Fox about twelve years.

Some remarkable expressions of assured happiness fell from her lips during her last illness, if that could be called an illness, which was the decay of nature. At one time, under the meltings of heavenly love, she said, “Oh my sweet Lord! into thy holy bosom do I commit myself freely; not desiring to live in this troublesome, painful world—it is all nothing to me—for my Maker is my husband.” A little before her departure she called her daughter Rachel to her, saying, “Take me in thy arms”—after which she said, “I am in peace!”

Footnote 20:

The “Conventicle Act” so called, first passed in 1664, was renewed at the above time (1670), with increased rigour. The penalties were £5, or three months to the house of correction, for the first offence of attending a conventicle, if above sixteen years of age; £10, or six months, for the second; transportation for seven years for the third, with sequestration of estate, or distraint for the charges; and five years’ SLAVERY IN THE COLONIES, by contract between the sheriff and a purchaser, on being sent abroad, in defect of property to distrain upon; or out of which to pay £100 as a liberating fine. This fine to be repeated, and £100 added as oft as he should offend afterwards, or transportation, &c. (with death for returning), and the forfeiture of his life-interest in his estate.

Conventicles to be broken up by an armed force, under the direction of lieutenants of counties, sheriffs, &c. Even a femme covert could not escape; but must be redeemed by her husband, at the price of £40; or go to prison, or be transported with him. Nor could a peer of the realm: he must be fined £10 for the first offence, £20 for the second, and for the third, be tried by his peers. The fines to be levied by distress, by warrant of any two justices, or a chief magistrate.

The force of this Act was directed against the Quakers, by inserting, in the latter part of it, three sections, which brought their refusal to take an oath under its full penalties; and they suffered dreadfully through it! In the streets, or where they met to assert their religious rights, they were dragooned; in court they had oaths tendered, and were convicted under this Act upon their refusal.

“This Act,” says Besse, “was forthwith put into a rigorous execution, and many hungry informers [for the sake of their third of the penalties] made it their business to live upon the spoil and ruin of conscientious people.” Friends were great sufferers thereby, of the nature of which the reader may have some idea by reference to “Sufferings under the Conventicle Act;” Select Miscellanies, vol. iii., pp. 220-245.

Footnote 21:

The celebrated trial of Penn and Mead at the Old Bailey, above alluded to, may be seen at full length in Clarkson’s Life of Penn—“a trial which, for the good it has done to posterity, ought to be engraved on tablets of the most durable marble.” It was certainly one of those events which, in conjunction with others of a similar sort, by showing the inadequacy of punishment for religion to its supposed end, not only corrected and improved the notions of succeeding ages in this respect, but, by so doing, lessened the ravages of persecution, and the enmity between man and man. Nor ought posterity to be less grateful for it as a monument of the ferocity and corrupt usages of former times; for, contrasting these with the notions and customs of our own age, we see the improvement of our social and moral condition. Newgate is no longer the receptacle of innocent individuals suffering for conscience’ sake. In our courts of law we see an order, a decorum, and an administration of justice, unknown at the period of this memorable trial. Nor will the prospect be less grateful, if we quit the present for a moment, and direct our eyes to the future. We have the best reason to hope, on contemplating the signs of the times, that the day is approaching when the Christian religion, which is capable of cementing men in the strongest possible union, and for the noblest purposes, will be restored to its primitive purity, and made a blessing to all the dwellers upon the earth.

Footnote 22:

Isaac Penington has been mentioned before, but only cursorily, in the whole of this Journal; not often meeting with George Fox. But he was one of the most eminent, experienced, and beloved, of the Early Friends. He was well descended as to his worldly parentage, being the eldest son of Alderman Penington, who was two years successively Mayor of London, and a noted member of the Long Parliament. Born about the year 1617, he received a liberal education, having, according to Penn, “all the advantages the schools and universities of his own country could give, joined with the conversation of some of the most learned and considerable men of that time.”

From childhood, Isaac Penington was religiously inclined, and, in a paper written by himself, and found after his death amongst his writings, we have such a living portrait of a deeply-exercised mind, as demonstrates that godliness with him was indeed the “one thing needful.” “In the sense of my lost estate,” he writes, “I sought after the Lord; I read the Scriptures; I watched over mine own heart; and whatever I read in the Scriptures, as the way of God, to my understanding, I gave myself to the faithful practice of.” He became fully convinced of the principles of Friends, and joined that despised people—becoming a faithful sufferer for the cause of Christ.

“Early believers in the light of Truth Dwelt not at ease in Zion. They endured Conflicts and trials, and imprisonments. Even the humble Penington, whose mind Seemed purged and purified from dross Of human nature—who appeared as meek And harmless as an infant—was compelled To dwell in loathsome prisons.”

He was six times in jail, some of his imprisonments being long, yet borne with great quietness and constancy of mind. His first imprisonment was in Aylesbury jail in 1661 and 1662, being committed there for worshipping God in his own house. He was kept there seventeen weeks, great part of it in winter—in a cold and very incommodious room without a chimney, from which usage he contracted so severe an indisposition, that for several weeks after he was unable to turn himself in his bed.

In the sixty-third year of his age “he died as he lived, in the faith that overcomes the world.”

Vol. II, Chapter IV (1671-1672)

CHAPTER IV.

1671-1672.—His wife being still detained a prisoner, George Fox puts two women Friends upon going to the king to procure her discharge, which he granted under the broad seal, to clear her person and estate after being a prisoner under premunire ten years—he sails for the plantations in America with several other Friends—chased by a Sallee man-of-war—the master in a strait asks advice of George Fox, who seeks counsel of the Lord, and is assured of their preservation—the event verifies the prediction—they land at Barbadoes after a seven weeks’ passage—a man in the island, who was greatly incensed against George Fox without just cause, and who had threatened his life, died a few days before his landing—is laid up for some weeks—writes to Friends in England—exhorts Friends to care and watchfulness in regard to marriages, keeping registers and records, providing burial grounds, &c.—to deal mildly with their negroes, and, after certain years of servitude, to set them free—writes a further exhortation to Friends in England—visits the governor, who is very kind—has many large meetings, and there is a great convincement; Colonel Lyne testifies how much Friends exalt Christ in all his offices beyond what he had ever heard—the priests rage, and try in vain to stir up persecution—there is much clamour and cavilling against Friends, and many slanders and false reports are issued, which George Fox answers in a paper addressed to the governor—the governor visits him—writes to his wife—sails for Jamaica, where he has many meetings, and many are convinced—Elizabeth Hooton dies there.

I mentioned before, that, upon the notice I received of my wife’s being imprisoned again, I sent two of her daughters to the king, and they procured his order to the sheriff of Lancashire, for her discharge. But though I expected she would be set at liberty thereby, this violent storm of persecution coming suddenly on, the persecutors there found means to hold her still in prison. But now the persecution a little ceasing, I was moved to speak to Martha Fisher and another woman Friend, to go to the king about her liberty. They went in faith, and in the Lord’s power, who gave them favour with the king, so that he granted a discharge under the broad-seal, to clear both her and her estate, after she had been ten years a prisoner, and premunired; the like whereof was scarcely to be heard of in England. I sent down the discharge forthwith by a Friend; by whom also I wrote to her, informing her how to get it delivered to the justices, and acquainting her that it was upon me from the Lord to go beyond the seas to visit America; and therefore desired her to hasten to London, as soon as she could conveniently, after she had obtained her liberty, because the ship was then fitting for the voyage. In the meantime I got to Kingston, and stayed at John Rous’s till my wife came up, and then I began to prepare for the voyage. But the Yearly Meeting being near at hand, I stayed till that was over. Many Friends came up to it from all parts of the nation, and a very large and precious meeting it was; for the Lord’s power was over all, and his glorious everlastingly-renowned Seed of life was exalted above all.

After this meeting was over, and I had finished my services for the Lord in England, the ship and the Friends that intended to go with me being ready, I went to GRAVESEND on the 12th of 6th month, my wife and several Friends accompanying me to the Downs. We went from Wapping in a barge to the ship, which lay a little below Gravesend, and there we found the Friends that were bound for the voyage with me, who had gone down to the ship the night before. Their names were Thomas Briggs, William Edmundson, John Rous, John Stubbs, Solomon Eccles, James Lancaster, John Cartwright, Robert Widders, George Pattison, John Hull, Elizabeth Hooton, and Elizabeth Miers. The vessel was a yacht, called the Industry; the captain’s name Thomas Forster, and the number of passengers about fifty. I lay that night on board, but most of the Friends at Gravesend.

Early next morning the passengers, and those Friends that intended to accompany us to the Downs, being come on board, we took our leave in great tenderness of those that came with us to Gravesend only, and set sail about six in the morning for the DOWNS. Having a fair wind, we out-sailed all the ships that were outward-bound, and got thither by evening. Some of us went ashore that night, and lodged at DEAL; where, we understood, an officer had orders from the governor to take our names in writing; which he did next morning, though we told him they had been taken at Gravesend. In the afternoon, the wind serving, I took leave of my wife and other Friends, and went on board. Before we could sail, there being two of the king’s frigates riding in the DOWNS, the captain of one of them sent his press-master on board us, who took three of our seamen. This would certainly have delayed, if not wholly prevented, our voyage, had not the captain of the other frigate, being informed of the leakiness of our vessel, and the length of our voyage, in compassion and much civility, spared us two of his own men. Before this was over, a custom-house officer came on board to peruse packets and get fees; so that we were kept from sailing till about sunset; during which delay a very considerable number of merchantmen, outward-bound, were got several leagues before us. Being clear, we set sail in the evening, and next morning overtook part of that fleet about the height of Dover. We soon reached the rest, and in a little time left them all behind; for our yacht was counted a very swift sailer. But she was very leaky, so that the seamen and some of the passengers did, for the most part, pump day and night. One day they observed, that in two hours’ time she sucked in sixteen inches of water in the well.

When we had been about three weeks at sea, one afternoon we spied a vessel about four leagues astern of us. Our master said it was a Sallee man-of-war, that seemed to give us chase. Our master said, “Come, let us go to supper, and when it grows dark we shall lose him.” This he spoke to please and pacify the passengers, some of whom began to be very apprehensive of the danger. But Friends were well satisfied in themselves, having faith in God, and no fear upon their spirits. When the sun was gone down, I saw the ship out of my cabin making towards us. When it grew dark, we altered our course to miss her; but she altered also, and gained upon us. At night the master and others came into my cabin, and asked me, “what they should do?” I told them, “I was no mariner;” and I asked them, “what they thought was best to do?” They said, “There were but two ways, either to outrun him, or to tack about, and hold the same course we were going before.” I told them, “if he were a thief, they might be sure he would tack about too; and as for outrunning him, it was to no purpose to talk of that, for they saw he sailed faster than we.” They asked me again “what they should do? for,” they said, “if the mariners had taken Paul’s counsel they had not come to the damage they did.” I answered, “it was a trial of faith, and therefore the Lord was to be waited on for counsel.” So retiring in spirit, the Lord showed me, “that his life and power was placed between us and the ship that pursued us.” I told this to the master and the rest, and that our best way was to tack about and steer our right course. I desired them also to put out all their candles, but the one they steered by, and to speak to all the passengers to be still and quiet. About eleven at night, the watch called and said, “they were just upon us.” That disquieted some of the passengers; whereupon I sat up in my cabin, and looking through the porthole, the moon being not quite down, I saw them very near us. I was getting up to go out of the cabin; but remembering the word of the Lord, “that his life and power was placed between us and them,” I lay down again. The master and some of the seamen came again and asked me, “if they might not steer such a point?” I told them, “they might do as they would.” By this time the moon was quite down, a fresh gale arose, and the Lord hid us from them; and we sailed briskly on and saw them no more. The next day, being the first day of the week, we had a public meeting in the ship, as we usually had on that day throughout the voyage, and the Lord’s presence was greatly among us. And I desired the people “to mind the mercies of the Lord, who had delivered them; for they might have been all in the Turks’ hands, by that time had not the Lord’s hand saved them.” About a week after, the master and some of the seamen endeavoured to persuade the passengers, that it was not a Turkish pirate that chased us, but a merchantman going to the Canaries. When I heard of it, I asked them, “Why then did they speak so to me? why did they trouble the passengers? and why did they tack about from him and alter their course?” I told them “they should take heed of slighting the mercies of God.”

Afterwards, while we were at Barbadoes, there came in a merchant from Sallee, and told the people, “that one of the Sallee men-of-war saw a monstrous yacht at sea, the greatest that ever he saw, and had her in chase, and was just upon her, but that there was a spirit in her that he could not take.” This confirmed us in the belief that it was a Sallee-man we saw make after us, and that it was the Lord that delivered us out of his hands.

I was not sea-sick during the voyage, as many of the Friends and other passengers were; but the many hurts and bruises I had formerly received, and the infirmities I had contracted in England by extreme cold and hardships, that I had undergone in many long and sore imprisonments, returned upon me at sea; so that I was very ill in my stomach and full of violent pains in my bones and limbs. This was after I had been at sea about a month. For about three weeks after I came first to sea, I perspired abundantly, chiefly my head, and my body broke out in pimples, and my legs and feet swelled extremely, so that my stockings and slippers could not be drawn on without difficulty and great pain. Suddenly the sweating ceased, so that when I came into the hot climate, where others perspired most freely, I could not perspire at all; but my flesh was hot, dry, and burning; and that which broke out in pimples, struck in again to my stomach and heart, so that I was very ill, and weak beyond expression. Thus I continued during the rest of the voyage, which was about a month; for we were above seven weeks at sea.

On the third of the eighth month, early in the morning, we discovered the Island of BARBADOES, but it was between nine and ten at night ere we came to anchor in CARLISLE BAY. We got on shore as soon as we could, and I, with some others, walked to a Friend’s house, a merchant, whose name was Richard Forstall, above a quarter of a mile from the bridge. But being very ill and weak, I was so tired with that little walk, that I was in a manner spent by the time I got thither. There I abode very ill for several days, and though they several times gave me things to make me perspire, they could not effect it. But what they gave me did rather parch and dry up my body, and made me probably worse than otherwise I might have been. Thus I continued about three weeks after I landed, having much pain in my bones, joints, and whole body, so that I could hardly get any rest; yet I was pretty cheerful, and my spirit kept above it all. Neither did my illness take me off from the service of truth, but both while I was at sea, and after I came to Barbadoes, before I was able to travel about, I gave forth several papers (having a Friend to write for me), some of which I sent by the first conveyance for England to be printed.

After I had rested three or four days at Richard Forstall’s, where many Friends came to visit me, John Rous[23] having borrowed a coach of Colonel Chamberlain, came to fetch me to his father, Thomas Rous’s house.[23] But it was late ere we could get thither, and little or no rest could I take that night. A few days after, Colonel Chamberlain, who had so kindly lent his coach, paid me a visit, and was very courteous towards me.

Soon after I came into the island, I was informed of a remarkable occurrence, wherein the justice of God did eminently appear. It was thus:—

There was a young man of Barbadoes, whose name was John Drakes, (a person of some note in the world’s account, but a common swearer and wicked man,) who, when in London, had a mind to marry a Friend’s daughter, left by her mother very young, and with a considerable portion, to the care and government of several Friends, whereof I was one. He made application to me, that he might have my consent to marry this young maid. I told him, “I was one of her overseers appointed by her mother, who was a widow, to take care of her; that if her mother had intended her for a match to any man of the world, she would have disposed of her accordingly; but she committed her to us, that she might be trained up in the fear of the Lord, and therefore I should betray the trust reposed in me, if I should consent that he who was out of the fear of God, should marry her; which I would not do.” When he saw that he could not obtain his desire, he returned to Barbadoes with great offence of mind against me, but without just cause. Afterwards, when he heard I was coming to Barbadoes, he swore desperately, and threatened, that “if he could possibly procure it, he would have me burned to death when I came there.” Which a Friend hearing, asked him, “what had I done to him, that he was so violent against me?” He would not answer, but said again, “I’ll have him burned.” Whereupon the Friend replied, “Do not march on too furiously, lest thou come too soon to thy journey’s end.” About ten days after, he was struck with a violent burning fever, of which he died; and by which his body was so scorched, that the people said, “it was as black as a coal.” Three days before I landed, his body was laid in the dust. This was taken notice of as a sad example.

While I continued so weak, that I could not go abroad to meetings, the other Friends that came over with me, bestirred themselves in the Lord’s work. The day but one after we landed, they had a great meeting at the bridge, and after that several others in different parts of the island; which alarmed the people of all sorts, so that many came to our meetings, and some of the chief rank. For they had got my name, understanding I was come upon the island, and expected to see me at those meetings, not knowing that I was unable to go abroad. And indeed, my weakness continued the longer on me, by reason that my spirit was much pressed down at first with the filth and dirt and unrighteousness of the people, which lay as a heavy weight and load upon me. But after I had been above a month upon the island, my spirit became somewhat easier, and I began to recover in some measure my health and strength, and to get abroad among Friends. In the meantime, having opportunity to send to England, I wrote to Friends there, to let them know how it was with me, as follows:—

“DEAR FRIENDS,

“I have been very weak these seven weeks past, and not able to write myself. My desire is to you and for you all, that ye may live in the fear of God, and in love one unto another, and be subject one to another in the fear of God. I have been weaker in my body than ever I was in my life that I remember, yea, my pains have been such as I cannot express; yet my heart and spirit is strong. I have hardly perspired these seven weeks past, though I am come into a very hot climate, where hardly any but are well nigh continually perspiring; but as for me, my old bruises, colds, numbness, and pains, struck inwardly, even to my very heart. So that I have taken little rest, and the chief things that were comfortable to my stomach, were a little water and powdered ginger; but now I begin to drink a little beer as well as water, and sometimes a little wine and water mixed. Great pains and travails I have felt, and in measure am under; but it is well, my life is over all. This island was to me as all on a fire ere I came to it, but now it is somewhat quenched and abated. I came in weakness amongst those that are strong, and have so continued; but now I am got a little cheery, and over it. Many Friends, and some considerable persons of the world, have been with me. I tired out my body much when amongst you in England; it is the Lord’s power that helps me; therefore I desire you all to prize the power of the Lord and his truth. I was but weak in body when I left you, after I had been in my great travail amongst you; but after that, it struck all back again into my body, which was not well settled after so sore travails in England. Then I was so tired at sea, that I could not rest, and have had little or no stomach a long time. Since I came into this island, my life hath been very much burthened; but I hope, if the Lord give me strength to manage his work, I shall work thoroughly, and bring things that have been out of course, into better order.

“So, dear Friends, live all in the peaceable truth, and in the love of it, serving the Lord in newness of life; for glorious things and precious truths have been manifested among you plentifully, and to you the riches of the kingdom have been handed. I have been almost a month in this island, but have not been able to go abroad or ride out; only very lately I rode out twice, a quarter of a mile at a time, which wearied me much. My love in the truth is to you all.”

G. F.

Because I was not well able to travel, the Friends of the island concluded to have their men’s and women’s meeting for the service of the church at Thomas Rous’s, where I lay; by which means I was present at each of their meetings, and had very good service for the Lord in both. For they had need of information in many things, divers disorders having crept in for want of care and watchfulness. I exhorted them, more especially at the men’s meeting, “to be watchful and careful with respect to marriages, to prevent Friends marrying in near kindreds, and also to prevent over-hasty proceedings towards second marriages, after the death of a former husband or wife; advising that a decent regard might be had in such cases to the memory of the deceased husband or wife.

“As to Friends’ children marrying too young, as at thirteen or fourteen years of age, I showed them the unfitness thereof, and the inconveniences and hurts that attend such childish marriages. I admonished them to purge the floor thoroughly, to sweep their houses very clean, that nothing might remain that would defile, and to take care that nothing be spoken, out of their meetings, to the blemishing or defaming one of another.

“Concerning the registering of marriages, births, and burials, I advised them to keep exact records of each in distinct books for that only use; and also to record in a book for that purpose, the condemnations of such as went out from truth into disorderly practices, and the repentance and restoration of such of them as returned again.

“I recommended to their care the providing of convenient burying-places for Friends, which in some parts were yet wanting. Some directions also I gave them concerning wills, and the ordering of legacies left by Friends for public uses, and other things relating to the affairs of the church.

“Then as to their blacks or negroes, I desired them to endeavour to train them up in the fear of God, those that were bought, and those born in their families, that all might come to the knowledge of the Lord; that so, with Joshua, every master of a family might say, ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ I desired them also that they would cause their overseers to deal mildly and gently with their negroes, and not use cruelty towards them, as the manner of some hath been and is; and that after certain years of servitude, they would make them free.”[24] Many sweet and precious things were opened in these meetings by the Spirit, and in the power of the Lord, to the edifying, confirming, and building up of Friends, both in the faith and holy order of the gospel.

After these meetings, the vessel bound for England not being gone, I was moved to write another epistle to Friends there, as follows:—

“Dear Friends and brethren, to whom is my love in that which never changeth, but remains in glory, which is over all, the top and corner-stone. In this all have peace and life, as ye dwell in the blessed Seed, wherein all is blessed, over that which brought the curse; where all shortness and narrowness of spirit, brittleness and peevishness are. Therefore keep the holy order of the gospel. Keep in this blessed Seed, where all may be preserved in temperance, patience, love, meekness, righteousness, holiness, and peace, in which the Lord may be seen amongst you, and no ways dishonoured, but glorified by you all. In all your meetings, in cities, towns, and countries, let righteousness flow among you, and the holy truth be uppermost; the pure Spirit your guide and leader, and the holy wisdom from above your orderer, which is gentle, and easy to be entreated. Keep in the religion that preserves from the spots of the world, which is pure and undefiled in God’s sight. Keep in the pure and holy worship, in which the pure and holy God is worshipped, to wit, in the Spirit and in the truth, which the devil is out of, who is the author of all unholiness and of that which dishonours God. Be tender of God’s glory, of his honour, and of his blessed and holy name, in which ye are gathered. All who profess the truth, see that ye walk in it, in righteousness, godliness, and holiness; for ‘holiness becomes the house of God, the household of faith.’ And that which becomes God’s house, God loves; for he loves righteousness—the ornament which becomes his house, and all his family. Therefore see that righteousness run down in all your assemblies, that it flow, to drive away all unrighteousness. This preserves your peace with God; for in righteousness, ye have all peace with the righteous God of Peace, and one with another.

“Everyone that bears the name of the Anointed, that high title of being a Christian, named after the Heavenly Man, see that ye be in the divine nature, made conformable unto his image, even the image of the Heavenly Divine Man, who was before that image which Adam and Eve got from Satan in the fall; so that in none of you that fallen image may appear, or be seen; but his image, and you made conformable unto him. Here translation is showed forth in life and conversation, not in words only; yea, and conversion and repentance, which is a change of the nature of the mind and of the heart, of the spirit and affections, which have been below, and come to be set above; and so receive the things that are from above, and have your conversation in heaven, not that conversation which is according to the power of the prince of the air, that now rules in the disobedient. So be faithful; this is the word of the Lord God unto you all. See that godliness and holiness, righteousness and truth, virtue, and the fruits of the good Spirit, flow over the bad and its fruits, that ye may answer that which is of God in all; for your heavenly Father is glorified in that ye bring forth much fruit. Therefore ye, who are plants of his planting, and his trees of righteousness, see that every tree be full of fruit.

“Keep in true humility, and in the true love of God, which doth edify his body; that the true nourishment from the head, the refreshings, and springs, and rivers of water, and bread of life, may be plenteously known and felt amongst you; that so praises may ascend unto God. Be faithful to the Lord God, and just and true in all your dealings and doings with men. Be not negligent in your men’s meetings to admonish, to exhort, and reprove in the spirit of love and of meekness; to seek that which is lost, and to bring back again that which hath been driven away. So let all minds and spirits, souls and hearts, be bended down under the yoke of Christ Jesus, the power of God.

“Much I could write, but am weak, and have been mostly so since I left you. Burthens and travails I have been under, and have gone through many ways; but it is well. The Lord Almighty knows my work, which he hath sent me forth to do by his everlasting arm and power; which is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be his holy name, which I am in, and in which my love is to you all.”

G. F.

After I was able to go about, and had been a little amongst Friends, I went to visit the governor; Lewis Morice, Thomas Rous, and some other Friends being with me. He received us very civilly, and treated us very kindly, making us dine with him; and keeping us most part of the day before he let us go away.

The same week I went to BRIDGE-TOWN. There was to be a general meeting of Friends that week; and the visit I had made to the governor, and the kind reception I had with him, being generally known to the officers, civil and military, many came to this meeting from most parts of the island, and those not of the meanest rank; several being judges or justices, colonels or captains; so that a very great meeting we had, both of Friends and others. The Lord’s blessed power was plentifully with us; and although I was somewhat straightened for time, three other Friends having spoken before me, yet the Lord opened things through me to the general and great satisfaction of them that were present. Colonel Lewis Morice came to this meeting, and with him a neighbour of his, a judge in the country, whose name was Ralph Fretwell; who was very well satisfied, and received the truth.

Paul Gwin, a jangling Baptist, came into the meeting, and asked me, “How I spelt Cain? and whether I had the same spirit as the apostles had?” I told him, “Yes.” And he bade the judge take notice of it. I told him, “He that had not a measure of the same Holy Ghost as the apostles had, was possessed with an unclean spirit.” And then he went his way.

I went home with Lewis Morice that night, being about nine or ten miles, going part of the way by boat, the rest on horseback. The place where his plantation was, I thought to be in the finest air of the island. The next day Thomas Briggs and William Edmundson came to see me, intending to leave the island the day following, to go on the Lord’s service to Antigua and Nevis. Lewis Morice went with them; at Antigua they had several good meetings, to which there was a great resort of people; and many were convinced. But when they went to Nevis, the governor, an old persecutor, sent soldiers on board the vessel, to stop them, and would not suffer them to land. Wherefore, after Friends of the place had been on board the vessel with them, and they had been sweetly refreshed together, feeling the Lord’s power and presence amongst them, they returned to Antigua; where having stayed a while longer, they came back again to Bardadoes, Thomas Briggs being weak and ill.

Of the other Friends that came over with me from England, James Lancaster, John Cartwright, and George Pattison, were gone some time before to Jamaica, and others to other places, so that few remained in Barbadoes with me. We had many great and precious meetings, both for worship and for the affairs of the church; to the former of which many other people came. At one of these meetings Colonel Lyne, a sober person, was so well satisfied with what I declared, that he said, “Now I can gainsay such as I have heard speak evil of you; who say, you do not own Christ, nor that he died; whereas I perceive you exalt Christ in all his offices beyond what I have ever heard before.”[25] This man, observing a person take in writing the heads of what I delivered, desired to have a copy of it; and stayed another day with us; so great a love was raised in him to the truth. Indeed, a very great convincement there was in most parts of the island; which made the priests and professors rage.

Our meetings were very large, and free from disturbance from the government, though the envious priests and some professors endeavoured to stir up the magistrates against us. When they found they could not prevail that way, some Baptists came to the meeting at the town, which was full of people of several ranks and qualities. A great company came with them; and they brought a slanderous paper, written by John Pennyman, with which they made a great noise. But the Lord gave me wisdom and utterance to answer their cavils; so that the auditory generally received satisfaction, and those quarrelsome professors lost ground. When they had wearied themselves with clamour, they went away; but the people staying, the meeting was continued; the things they cavilled about were further opened and cleared; and the life and power of God came over all. But the rage and envy in our adversaries did not cease; they endeavoured to defame Friends with many false and scandalous reports, which they spread abroad through the island. Whereupon we drew up a paper, to go forth in the name of the people called Quakers, for the clearing of truth and Friends from those false reports. It was directed thus:—

“For the Governor of Barbadoes, with his Council and Assembly, and all others in power, both civil and military, in this Island; from the people called Quakers.

“Whereas many scandalous lies and slanders have been cast upon us, to render us odious; as that ‘We deny God, and Christ Jesus, and the Scriptures of truth,’ &c. This is to inform you, that all our books and declarations, which for these many years have been published to the world, clearly testify the contrary. Yet, for your satisfaction, we now plainly and sincerely declare, ‘that we do own and believe in God, the only wise, omnipotent, and everlasting God, the Creator of all things both in heaven and in earth, and the preserver of all that he hath made; who is God over all, blessed for ever; to whom be all honour and glory, dominion, praise, and thanksgiving, both now and for evermore!’

“And we own and believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved and only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; who is the express image of the Invisible God, the first-born of every creature, by whom were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created by him. And we do own and believe that He was made a sacrifice for sin, who knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; that he was crucified for us in the flesh, without the gates of Jerusalem; and that he was buried, and rose again the third day by the power of his Father, for our justification; and that he ascended up into heaven, and now sitteth at the right hand of God. This Jesus, who was the foundation of the holy prophets and apostles, is our foundation; and we believe that there is no other foundation to be laid than that which is laid, even Christ Jesus; who tasted death for every man, shed his blood for all men, and is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world; according as John the Baptist testified of him, when he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.’ John i. 29. We believe that he alone is our Redeemer and Saviour, even the Captain of our Salvation, who saves us from sin, as well as from hell, and the wrath to come, and destroys the devil and his works; he is the Seed of the woman, that bruises the serpent’s head, to wit, Christ Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. He is (as the Scriptures of truth say of him,) our wisdom and righteousness, justification and redemption; neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we may be saved. It is he alone, who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls; He is our Prophet, whom Moses long since testified of, saying, ‘A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you; and it shall come to pass, that every soul that will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.’ Acts iii. 22, 23.

“He it is that is now come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true. He rules in our hearts by his law of love and of life, and makes us free from the law of sin and death. We have no life but by him; for he is the quickening Spirit, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven; by whose blood we are cleansed, and our consciences sprinkled from dead works to serve the living God. He is our Mediator, that makes peace and reconciliation between God offended and us offending, He being the oath of God, the new covenant of light, life, grace, and peace; the author and finisher of our faith. This Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly Man, the Emmanuel, God with us, we all own and believe in; him whom the high-priest raged against, and said, he had spoken blasphemy; whom the priests and the elders of the Jews took counsel together against, and put to death; the same whom Judas betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, which the priests gave him as a reward for his treason, who also gave large money to the soldiers to broach a horrible lie, namely, ‘that his disciples came and stole him away by night, whilst they slept.’ After he was risen from the dead, the history of the Acts of the Apostles sets forth, how the chief priests and elders persecuted the disciples of this Jesus, for preaching Christ and his resurrection. This, we say, is that Lord Jesus Christ, whom we own to be our life and salvation.

“Concerning the Holy Scriptures, we do believe that they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God, through the holy men of God, who (as the Scripture itself declares, 2 Pet. i. 21.) ‘spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ We believe they are to be read, believed, and fulfilled (He that fulfils them, is Christ;) and they are ‘profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works,’ 2 Tim. iii, 15, and are ‘able to make wise unto salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.’ We believe that the Holy Scriptures are the words of God; for it is said, Ex. xx. 1, ‘God spake all these words, saying,’ &c., meaning the ten commandments given forth upon Mount Sinai. And in Rev. xxii. 18, saith John, ‘I testify to every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: if any man addeth unto these, and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy’ (not the word,) &c. So in Luke i. 20, ‘Because thou believedst not my words.’ And in John v. 47; xv. 7; xiv. 23; and xii. 47. So that we call the Holy Scriptures, as Christ and the apostles called them, and holy men of God called them, viz., the words of God.

“Another slander which they have cast upon us is, ‘that we teach the negroes to rebel;’ a thing we utterly abhor in our hearts; the Lord knows it, who is the searcher of all hearts, and knows all things, and can testify for us, that this is a most abominable untruth. For that which we have spoken to them is, ‘to exhort and admonish them to be sober, and to fear God; to love their masters and mistresses, and to be faithful and diligent in their masters’ service and business; and then their masters and overseers would love them, and deal kindly and gently with them; also, that they should not beat their wives, nor the wives their husbands, neither should the men have many wives; that they should not steal, or be drunk,—should not commit adultery, or fornication,—should not curse, swear, lie, or give bad words to one another, or to any one else: for there is something in them that tells them, they should not practise these or any other evils. But if, notwithstanding, they should do them, then we let them know there are but two ways, the one that leads to heaven, where the righteous go; and the other that leads to hell, where the wicked and debauched, whoremongers and adulterers, murderers and liars go. To the one the Lord will say, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;’ but to the other he will say, ‘Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:’ so ‘the wicked go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.’ Matt. xxv.

“Consider, Friends, it is no transgression for a master of a family to instruct his family himself, or for some others to do it in his behalf; but rather it is a very great duty incumbent upon them. Abraham and Joshua did so: of the first the Lord said, Gen. xviii. 19, ‘I know that Abraham will command his children and his household after him; and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham the things that he hath spoken of him.’ And the latter said, Josh. xxiv. 15, ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ We declare that we esteem it a duty incumbent on us to pray with and for those in and belonging to our families, and to teach, instruct, and admonish them; this being a command of the Lord, disobedience whereunto will provoke his displeasure; as may be seen, Jer. x. 25, ‘Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy name.’ Now Negroes, Tawnies, Indians, make up a very great part of the families in this island; for whom an account will be required by him who comes to judge both quick and dead, at the great day of judgment, when everyone shall be ‘rewarded according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil:’ at that day, we say, of the resurrection both of the good and of the bad, of the just and of the unjust, when ‘the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe in that day.’ 2 Thess. i. 8, &c. See also 2 Pet. iii. 3, &c.”

This wicked slander (of our endeavouring to make the negroes rebel) our adversaries took occasion to raise, from our having had some meetings with and amongst the negroes; for both I and other Friends had several meetings with them in several plantations, wherein we exhorted them to justice, sobriety, temperance, chastity, and piety, and to be subject to their masters and governors; which was altogether contrary to what our envious adversaries maliciously suggested against us.

As I had been to visit the governor as soon as I was well able, after I came thither; and so when I was at Thomas Rous’s, the governor came to see me, carrying himself very courteously.

Having been three months or more in Barbadoes, and having visited Friends, thoroughly settled meetings, and despatched the service for which the Lord had brought me thither, I felt my spirit clear of that island, and found drawings to Jamaica. When I had communicated this to Friends, I acquainted the governor also, and divers of his council, that I intended shortly to leave the island and go to Jamaica. This I did, that as my coming thither was open and public, so my departure also might be. Before I left the island, I wrote the following letter to my wife; that she might understand both how it was with me, and how I proceeded in my travels:—

“MY DEAR HEART,

“To whom is my love, and to all the children in the Seed of Life that changeth not, but is over all; blessed be the Lord for ever. I have undergone great sufferings in my body and spirit, beyond words; but the God of heaven be praised, his truth is over all. I am now well; and, if the Lord permit, within a few days I pass from Barbadoes towards Jamaica; and I think to stay but little there. I desire that ye may be all kept free in the Seed of Life, out of all cumbrances. Friends are generally well. Remember me to Friends that enquire after me. So no more, but my love in the Seed and Life that changeth not.”

G.F.

Barbadoes, 6th of 11th Month, 1671.

I set sail from Barbadoes to Jamaica on the 8th of the 11th month, 1671; Robert Widders, William Edmundson, Solomon Eccles, and Elizabeth Hooton, going with me. Thomas Briggs and John Stubbs, remained in Barbadoes; with whom were John Rous and William Bailey. We had a quick and easy passage to JAMAICA, where we met with our Friends James Lancaster, John Cartwright, and George Pattison again, who had been labouring there in the service of truth; into which we forthwith entered with them, travelling up and down through the island, which is large; and a brave country it is, though the people are, many of them, debauched and wicked. We had much service. There was a great convincement, and many received the truth; some of whom were people of account in the world. We had many meetings there, which were large and very quiet. The people were civil to us, so that not a mouth was opened against us. I was twice with the governor, and some other magistrates, who all carried themselves lovingly towards me.

About a week after we landed in Jamaica, Elizabeth Hooton, a woman of great age, who had travelled much in truth’s service, and suffered much for it, departed this life. She was well the day before she died; and departed in peace, like a lamb, bearing testimony to truth at her departure.

When we had been about seven weeks in Jamaica, had brought Friends into pretty good order, and settled several meetings amongst them, we left Solomon Eccles there; the rest of us embarked for Maryland, leaving Friends and truth prosperous in Jamaica, the Lord’s power being over all, and his blessed Seed reigning.

Before I left Jamaica, I wrote another letter to my wife, as follows:—

“MY DEAR HEART,

“To whom is my love, and to the children, in that which changeth not, but is over all; and to all Friends in those parts. I have been in Jamaica about five weeks. Friends here are generally well; and there is a convincement: but things would be too large to write of. Sufferings in every place attend me; but the blessed Seed is over all: the great Lord be praised, who is Lord of sea and land, and of all things therein. We intend to pass from hence about the beginning of next month, towards Maryland if the Lord please. Dwell all of you in the Seed of God; in his truth I rest in love to you all.”

G.F.

Jamaica, 23rd of 12th Month, 1671.

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Footnote 23:

Thomas Rous was a wealthy sugar-planter of Barbadoes. John Rous was his son, and son-in-law to George Fox, having married his wife’s eldest daughter. John Rous visited New England as a gospel minister when a young man, and suffered whipping and imprisonment there. After his release from Boston jail in 1658, except a visit which he paid to the island of Nevis towards the close of that year, we lose all trace of him until his marriage with Margaret, eldest daughter of Judge Fell, at Swarthmore Hall, in 1662. After his marriage he settled in London, in which, and in its vicinity, he appears to have resided during the remainder of his life. But few particulars respecting him are preserved, except a visit to the county of Kent in 1670, accompanied by Alexander Parker and George Whitehead; and to Barbadoes the following year with George Fox, as related in this Journal. Besides this, and a visit to the counties of York and Durham in 1689, we know nothing of his gospel labours after he settled in England. In his will, dated from Kingston in Surrey in 1692, he describes himself as a merchant, and his property, which, it appears was considerable, lay chiefly in Barbadoes. It is singular no record of his death has been found, but as his will was proved in 1695, it probably took place in that year.

Footnote 24:

The interest of Friends in behalf of the Negro may be dated from the rise of the Society, at least from the time of their acquaintance with them at the above date. In proportion as intercourse was more frequently maintained with the distant colonies, and the abominations of Slavery were more generally known, Friends were more decided in their opposition to it. In 1727 the whole Society, at their Yearly Meeting in London, passed a general resolution: “That the importing of Negroes from their native country is not a commendable or allowable practice, and is therefore censured by this meeting.” At several subsequent meetings, through a series of years, minutes were passed to the same effect, but gradually increasing in strength. In 1758, the practice was declared to be in direct violation of the gospel rule, and Friends were warned carefully to avoid being in any way concerned in reaping the unrighteous profits arising from so iniquitous a practice. In 1761 all were disowned who persisted in a practice so repugnant to Christianity, and so reproachful to a Christian profession.

Clarkson, in alluding to this subject, observes, “I must beg leave to stop here for a moment, just to pay the Quakers a due tribute of respect for the proper estimation in which they have uniformly held these miserable outcasts of society. What a contrast does it afford to the sentiments of many others concerning them! How have we been compelled to prove, by a long chain of evidence, that Negroes have the same feelings and capacities as ourselves! How many, professing themselves enlightened, even now view them as of a different species. But by the Friends we have seen them uniformly represented, as persons ‘ransomed by one and the same Saviour,’ ‘as visited by one and the same light for salvation,’ and ‘as made equally for immortality as others.’ These practical views of mankind, as they are highly honourable to the members of this Society, so they afford a proof both of the reality and of the consistency of their religion.”

See Clarkson’s History of the Abolition of the Slave Trade, and Copley’s History of Slavery.

Footnote 25:

The faith of the early Friends in the divinity and offices of our Saviour being called in question by some, they boldly resented such an inference. From a work published by Samuel Crisp, in 1704, take the following extracts:—

“Our faith is, and always has been in that Christ, the Son of God, who, according to the flesh, was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem: He is the object of our faith, to the merit of whose death and passion, with the work of his Spirit in our hearts, we trust only for life and salvation; with his stripes we are healed.”

“As to what he (a libeller) says of our forcing ourselves to speak with a seeming reverence and respect of the outward Christ, his death and sufferings, I would hope that he knows better in his own conscience than thus to represent us. We bear a true reverence and respect to Jesus Christ, his death and sufferings, and can never be sufficiently thankful to him who was pleased to humble himself to death, even the death of the cross; that all that believe in him might, through the cross, be made heirs of life and immortality.”

For further elucidation of the soundness of the early Friends in their belief as to the divinity and offices of Christ, see Evans’ Exposition of the Faith of the Society of Friends, especially John Banks’ “Testimony concerning his faith in Christ,” and an “Essay drawn up by John Burnyeat and John Watson in 1688,” contained in the above-mentioned work.

Vol. II, Chapter V (1672-1673)

CHAPTER V.

1672-1673.—-George Fox embarks for Maryland, where he arrives after a seven weeks’ voyage, and having experienced some remarkable deliverances—attends a General Meeting for Maryland, which held four days—several meetings for discipline established—has meetings with the Indian kings—travels towards New England—attends the half-year’s meeting on Long Island, which continued four days—has a meeting with some opposers—visits Rhode Island, where the Yearly Meeting for New England is held, which continued six days—attends a marriage there, and has a meeting with some Ranters—also one with some Indians on Shelter Island—one of his companions thrown from his horse and lays apparently dead, but soon recovers in an unexpected manner—they reach Maryland after nine days’ travel overland between three and four hundred miles—visits a judge who is ill, but recovers—attends the General Meeting for Maryland, which held five days—sails for Virginia, and arrives in three days, a distance of 200 miles—thence proceeds towards Carolina—visits the Indians, and shows them that God made but one woman for one man—returns to Virginia—sails for Maryland—endures great extremes of heat and cold within a very short period—speaks to a woman who had been many years in trouble, and entreats the Lord for her, and she is thereupon restored—attends the General Meeting for Maryland, to the edification and comfort of Friends—sails for England, and arrives safe, after a six weeks’ passage.

We went on board on the 8th of 1st Month, 1671-2; and having contrary winds, were a full week sailing forwards and backwards, before we could get out of sight of Jamaica. A difficult voyage this proved, and dangerous, especially in passing through the Gulf of Florida, where we met with many trials by winds and storms. But the great God, who is Lord of the sea and land, and who rideth upon the wings of the wind, did by his power preserve us through many and great dangers, when by extreme stress of weather our vessel was many times likely to be upset, and much of her tackling broken. And indeed we were sensible that the Lord was a God at hand, and that his ear was open to the supplications of his people. For when the winds were so strong and boisterous, and the storms and tempests so great, that the sailors knew not what to do, but let the ship go which way she would; then did we pray unto the Lord, who graciously heard us, calmed the winds and the seas, gave us seasonable weather, and made us to rejoice in his salvation; blessed and praised be the holy name of the Lord, whose power hath dominion over all, whom the winds and the seas obey!

We were between six and seven weeks in this passage from Jamaica to MARYLAND. Some days before we came to land, after we had entered the bay of PATUXENT RIVER, a great storm arose, which cast a boat upon us for shelter, in which were several people of account in the world. We took them in; but the boat was lost, with five hundred pounds’ worth of goods in it, as they said. They continued on board us several days, not having any means to get off; and we had a very good meeting with them in the ship. But provisions grew short, for they brought none in with them; and ours, by reason of the length of our voyage, were well nigh spent when they came to us; so that with their living with us too, we had now little or none left. Whereupon George Pattison took a boat, and ventured his life to get to shore; the hazard was so great, that all but Friends concluded he would be cast away. Yet it pleased the Lord to bring him safe to land; and in a short time after, the Friends of the place came to fetch us to land also, in a seasonable time, for our provisions were quite spent.

We partook also of another great deliverance in this voyage, through the good providence of the Lord, which we came to understand afterwards. For when we were determined to come from Jamaica, we had our choice of two vessels, that were both bound for the same coast. One of these was a frigate, the other a yacht. The master of the frigate, we thought, asked unreasonably for our passage; which made us agree with the master of the yacht, who offered to carry us ten shillings a-piece cheaper than the other. We went on board the yacht, and the frigate came out together with us, intending to be consorts during the voyage; and for several days we sailed together; but what with calms and contrary winds, we were in a while separated. After that, the frigate, losing her way, fell among the Spaniards; by whom she was taken and plundered, and the master and mate were made prisoners; afterwards, being retaken by the English, she was sent home to her owners in Virginia. Which when we came to understand, we saw and admired the providence of God, who preserved us out of our enemies’ hands; and he that was covetous fell among the covetous.

Here we found John Burnyeat[26] intending shortly to sail for England; but on our arrival he altered his purpose, and joined us in the Lord’s service. He had appointed a general meeting for all the Friends in the province of Maryland, that he might see them together, and take his leave of them, before he departed out of the country; and it was so ordered by the good providence of God, that we landed just in time to reach that meeting; by which means we had a very seasonable opportunity of taking the Friends of the province together. A very large meeting this was, and held four days; to which, besides Friends, came many other people, many of whom were of considerable quality in the world’s account; for there were amongst them five or six justices of the peace, a speaker of their parliament or assembly, one of the council, and divers others of note; who seemed well satisfied with the meeting.

After the public meetings were over, the men’s and women’s meetings began; wherein I opened to Friends the service thereof to their great satisfaction. After this we went to a place called the CLIFFS, where another general meeting was appointed. We went some part of the way by land, the rest by water; and a storm arising, our boat was run on ground, in danger to be beaten to pieces; and the water came in upon us. I perspired much, having come very hot out of a meeting before, and was now wet with the water beside; yet having faith in the divine power, I was preserved from taking hurt; blessed be the Lord. To this meeting also many people came, and received the truth with reverence. We had also a men’s meeting and a women’s meeting, at which most of the backsliders came in again; and several of those meetings were established for taking care of the affairs of the church.

After these two general meetings, we parted company, dividing ourselves unto several coasts, for the service of truth. James Lancaster and John Cartwright went by sea for New England; William Edmundson and three other Friends sailed for Virginia, where things were much out of order; John Burnyeat, Robert Widders, George Pattison, and I, with several Friends of the province, went over by boat to the eastern shore, and had a meeting there on the First-day; where many people received the truth with gladness, and Friends were greatly refreshed. A very large and heavenly meeting it was; and several persons of quality in that country were at it, two of whom were justices of the peace.

It was upon me from the Lord, to send to the Indian emperor and his kings to come to that meeting. The emperor came and was at it; but his kings, lying further off, could not reach in time; yet they came after with their cockarooses. I had in the evening two good opportunities with them; they heard the word of the Lord willingly, and confessed to it. What I spoke to them, I desired them to speak to their people; and let them know, that “God was raising up his tabernacle of witness in their wilderness country, and was setting up his standard and glorious ensign of righteousness.” They carried themselves very courteously and lovingly, and inquired “where the next meeting would be, and they would come to it;” yet they said, “they had had a great debate with their council about their coming, before they came now.”

Next day we began our journey by land to New England; a tedious journey through the woods and wilderness, over bogs and great rivers. We took horse at the head of TREDHAVEN CREEK, and travelled through the woods, till we came a little above the head of MILES (now “St.” Michael’s) RIVER; by which we passed, and rode to the head of WYE RIVER, and so to the head of CHESTER RIVER; where, making a fire, we took up our lodging in the woods. Next morning we travelled through the woods till we came to SASSAFRAS RIVER, which we went over in canoes (or Indian boats,) causing our horses to swim by. Then we rode to BOHEMIA RIVER; where in like manner swimming our horses, we ourselves went over in canoes. We rested a little while at a plantation by the way, but not long, for we had thirty miles to ride that afternoon, if we would reach a town; which we were desirous to do, and therefore rode hard for it. I with some others, whose horses were strong, got to the town that night, exceedingly tired, and wet to the skin; but George Pattison and Robert Widders being weaker-horsed, were obliged to lie in the woods that night also. The town we went to was a Dutch town, called NEWCASTLE, whither Robert Widders and George Pattison came to us next morning. We departed thence and got over the River Delaware, not without great danger of some of our lives.

When we were over, we were troubled to procure guides; who were hard to get and very chargeable. Then had we that wilderness country to pass through, since called WEST JERSEY, not then inhabited by English; so that we have travelled a whole day together, without seeing man or woman, house or dwelling-place. Sometimes we lay in the woods by a fire, and sometimes in the Indians’ wigwams or houses. We came one night to an Indian town, and lay at the king’s house, who was a very worthy man. Both he and his wife received us very lovingly, and his attendants (such as they were) were very respectful to us. They laid us mats to lie on; but provision was very short with them, having caught but little that day.[27] At another Indian town where we stayed, the king came to us, and he could speak some English. I spoke to him much, and also to his people, and they were very loving to us.

At length we came to MIDDLETOWN, an English plantation in EAST JERSEY, where there were some Friends, but we could not stay to have a meeting there at that time, being earnestly pressed in our spirits, to get to the half-year’s meeting of Friends at Oyster-Bay in Long Island, which was very near at hand. We went with a Friend, Richard Hartshorn, (brother to Hugh Hartshorn, the upholsterer, in London,) who received us gladly at his house, where we refreshed ourselves, and then he carried us and our horses in his own boat over a great water, which occupied most part of the day getting over, and set us upon LONG ISLAND. We got that evening to Friends at GRAVESEND, with whom we tarried that night, and next day got to FLUSHING, and the day following reached OYSTER-BAY; several Friends of Gravesend and Flushing accompanying us.

The half-year’s meeting began next day, which was the first day of the week, and lasted four days. The first and second days we had public meetings for worship, to which people of all sorts came; on the third day were the men’s and women’s meetings, wherein the affairs of the church were taken care of. Here we met with some bad spirits, who had run out from truth into prejudice, contention, and opposition to the order of truth, and to Friends therein. These had been very troublesome to Friends in their meetings there and thereabouts formerly, and likely would have been so now; but I would not suffer the service of our men’s and women’s meetings to be interrupted and hindered by their cavils. I let them know, that “if they had anything to object against the order of the truth which we were in, we would give them a meeting another day on purpose.” And indeed I laboured the more, and travelled the harder to get to this meeting, where it was expected many of these contentious people would be; because I understood they had reflected much upon me, when I was far from them.

The men’s and women’s meetings being over, on the fourth day we had a meeting with these discontented people, to which as many of them as chose came, and as many Friends as desired were present also; and the Lord’s power broke forth gloriously to the confounding of the gainsayers. Then some of those that had been chief in the mischievous work of contention and opposition against the truth, began to fawn upon me, and to cast the blame upon others; but the deceitful spirit was judged down and condemned, and the glorious truth of God was exalted and set over all; and they were all brought down and bowed under. Which was of great service to truth, and to the satisfaction and comfort of Friends; glory to the Lord for ever!

After Friends were gone to their several habitations, we stayed some days upon the island; had meetings in several parts thereof, and good service for the Lord. When we were clear of the island, we returned to Oyster-Bay, waiting for a wind to carry us to RHODE ISLAND, which was computed to be about two hundred miles. As soon as the wind served we set sail, and arrived there on the thirtieth day of the third month; and were gladly received by Friends. We went to Nicholas Easton’s house, who at that time was governor of the island; where we rested, being very weary with travelling. On First-day following we had a large meeting, to which the deputy-governor and several justices came, who were mightily affected with the truth.

The week following, the Yearly Meeting for all the Friends of New England and the other colonies adjacent, was held in this island; to which, besides very many Friends who lived in those parts, came John Stubbs from Barbadoes, and James Lancaster and John Cartwright from another way. This meeting lasted six days, the first four days being general public meetings for worship, to which abundance of other people came; for they having no priest in the island, and so no restriction to any particular way of worship; and both the governor and deputy-governor, with several justices of the peace daily frequenting the meetings; this so encouraged the people that they flocked in from all parts of the island. Very good service we had amongst them, and truth had a good reception. I have rarely observed people, in the state wherein they stood, hear with more attention, diligence, and affection, than generally they did, during the four days together; which also was taken notice of by other Friends.

After these public meetings were over, the men’s meeting began, which was large, precious, and weighty; and the day following was the women’s meeting, which also was large and very solemn. These two meetings being for ordering the affairs of the church, many weighty things were opened and communicated to them, by way of advice, information, and instruction in the services relating thereunto; that all might be kept clean, sweet, and savoury amongst them. In these two meetings, several men’s and women’s meetings for other parts, were agreed and settled, to take care of the poor, and other affairs of the church; and to see, that all who profess truth, walk according to the glorious gospel of God. When this great general meeting in Rhode Island was ended, it was somewhat hard for friends to part; for the glorious power of the Lord, which was over all, and his blessed truth and life flowing amongst them, had so knit and united them together, that they spent two days in taking leave one of another, and of the Friends of the island; and then, being mightily filled with the presence and power of the Lord, they went away with joyful hearts to their various habitations, in the several colonies where they lived.[28]

When Friends had taken their leave one of another, we, who travelled amongst them, dispersed ourselves into our several services, as the Lord ordered us. John Burnyeat, John Cartwright, and George Pattison, went into the eastern parts of New England, in company with the Friends that came from thence, to visit the particular meetings there; whom John Stubbs and James Lancaster intended to follow a while after, in the same service; but they were not yet clear of this island. Robert Widders and I stayed some time longer also upon this island; finding service still here for the Lord, through the great openness of the people, and the daily coming in of fresh people from other colonies, for some time after the general meeting; so that we had many large and serviceable meetings among them.

During this time a marriage took place amongst Friends in this island; and we were present. It was at a Friend’s house, who had formerly been governor of the island; three justices of the peace, and many others not in profession with us, were there; and both they and Friends said, they never saw so solemn an assembly on such an occasion, so weighty a marriage and so comely an order. Thus truth was set over all. This might serve for an example to others, for there were some present from many other places.

After this I had a great travail in spirit concerning the Ranters in those parts, who had been rude at a meeting which I was not at. Wherefore I appointed a meeting amongst them, believing the Lord would give me power over them; which he did to his praise and glory: blessed be his name for ever. There were at this meeting many Friends, and other people; some of whom were justices of the peace, and other officers, who were generally well affected. One of the justices, who had been one twenty years, was convinced, and spoke highly of the truth; and more highly of me, than is fit for me to mention or take notice of.

Then we had a meeting at PROVIDENCE, which was very large, consisting of many sorts of people; I had a great travail upon my spirit, that it might be preserved quiet, and that truth might be brought over the people, might gain entrance, and have a place in them; for they were generally above the priests, in high notions; and some of them came on purpose to dispute. But the Lord, whom we waited upon, was with us, and his power went over them all; and his blessed Seed was exalted and set above all. The disputers were silent, and the meeting was quiet, and ended well; praised be the Lord! The people went away mightily satisfied, much desiring another meeting. This place (called Providence) was about thirty miles from Rhode Island; and we went to it by water. The governor of Rhode Island, and many others, went with me thither; and we had the meeting in a great barn, which was thronged with people, so that I was exceedingly hot, and perspired much; but all was well; the glorious power of the Lord shone over all; glory to the great God for ever!

After this we went to NARRAGANSET, about twenty miles from Rhode Island; and the governor went with us. We had a meeting at a justice’s house, where Friends had never had any before. It was very large, for the country generally came in; and people came also from Connecticut, and other parts round about, amongst whom were four justices of the peace. Most of these people had never heard Friends before; but they were mightily affected with the meeting, and a great desire there is after the truth amongst them; so that our meeting was of very good service, blessed be the Lord for ever! The justice at whose house the meeting was, and another justice of that country, invited me to come again; but I was then clear of those parts, and going towards Shelter Island. But John Burnyeat and John Cartwright, being come out of New England into Rhode Island, before I was gone, I laid this place before them; and they felt drawings thither, and went to visit them. At another place, I heard some of the magistrates said among themselves, “If they had money enough, they would hire me to be their minister.” This was, where they did not well understand us, and our principles; but when I heard of it, I said, “It was time for me to be gone; for if their eye was so much to me, or any of us, they would not come to their own teacher.” For this thing (hiring ministers) had spoiled many, by hindering them from improving their own talents: whereas our labour is to bring all men to their own teacher in themselves.

I went from hence towards Shelter Island, having with me Robert Widders, James Lancaster, George Pattison, and John Jay, a planter of Barbadoes. We went in a sloop; and passing by POINT JUDITH and BLOCK ISLAND, we came to FISHER’S ISLAND, where at night we went on shore; but were not able to stay for the mosquitoes which abound there, and are very troublesome. Wherefore we went into our sloop again, put off from the shore, and cast anchor; and so lay in our sloop that night. Next day we went into the SOUND, but finding our sloop was not able to live in that water, we returned again, and came to anchor before Fisher’s Island, where we lay in our sloop that night also. There fell abundance of rain, and our sloop being open, we were exceedingly wet. Next day we passed over the waters called the TWO HORSE RACES, and then by GARDNER’S ISLAND; after which we passed by GULL’S ISLAND, and so got at length to SHELTER ISLAND; which, though it was but about twenty-seven leagues from Rhode Island, yet through the difficulty of the passage we were three days in reaching.

The day after, being First-day, we had a meeting there. In the same week, I had another among the Indians; at which were their king, his council, about a hundred Indians more. They sat down like Friends, and heard very attentively, while I spoke to them by an interpreter, an Indian that could speak English well. After the meeting they appeared very loving, and confessed that what was said to them was truth. Next First-day we had a great meeting on the island, to which came many people who had never heard Friends before. They were very well satisfied with it, and would not go away when it was over, till they had spoken with me; wherefore I went amongst them, and found they were much taken with the truth; good desires were raised in them, and great love. Blessed be the Lord, his name spreads, and will be great among the nations, and dreadful among the heathen.

While we were in Shelter Island, William Edmundson came to us, who had been labouring in the work of the Lord in Virginia. From whence he travelled through the desert-country, through difficulties and many trials till he came to ROANOKE, where he met with a tender people. After seven weeks’ service in those parts, sailing over to Maryland, and so to New York, he came to Long Island, and so to Shelter Island; where we met with him, and were very glad to hear from him the good service he had had for the Lord, in the several places where he had travelled since he parted from us.

We stayed not long in Shelter Island, but entering our sloop again, put to sea for Long Island. We had a very rough passage, for the tide ran so strong for several hours, that I have not seen the like; and being against us, we could hardly get forwards, though we had a gale. We were upon the water all that day and the night following; but found ourselves next day driven back near to Fisher’s Island. For there was a great fog, and towards day it was very dark, so that we could not see what way we made. Besides, it rained much in the night, which in our open sloop made us very wet. Next day a great storm arose, so that we were fain to go over the Sound, and got over with much difficulty. When we left Fisher’s Island, we passed by Falkner Island, and came to the Main, where we cast anchor till the storm was over. Then we crossed the Sound, being all very wet; and much difficulty we had to get to land, the wind being strong against us. But blessed be the Lord God of heaven and earth, and of the seas and waters, all was well. We got safe to OYSTER-BAY in Long Island, on the seventh of sixth month, very early in the morning, which is about two hundred miles from Rhode Island. At Oyster-bay we had a very large meeting. The same day James Lancaster and Christopher Holder[29] went over the Bay to Rye, on the continent, in Governor Winthrop’s government, and had a meeting there. From Oyster-Bay we passed about thirty miles to FLUSHING, where we had a very large meeting; many hundreds of people being there, some of whom came about thirty miles to it. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was (praised be the Lord God!) and the people were much satisfied. Meanwhile Christopher Holder and some other Friends went to a town in Long Island, called Jamaica, and had a meeting there. We passed from Flushing to GRAVESEND, about twenty miles, and there had three precious meetings; to which many would have come from New York, but the weather hindered them.

Being clear of this place, we hired a sloop; and the wind serving, set out for the New Country, now called JERSEY. Passing down the Bay by Coney Island, Natton (now Governor’s) Island, and Staten Island, we came to Richard Hartshorn’s, at MIDDLETOWN HARBOUR, about break of day, the 27th of sixth Month. Next day we rode about thirty miles into the country through the woods and over very bad bogs, one worse than all the rest; the descent into which was so steep, that we were fain to slide down with our horses, and then let them lie and breathe, before they could go on. This place the people of the country called Purgatory. We got at length to SHREWSBURY in EAST JERSEY, and on First-day had a precious meeting there, to which Friends and other people came from far; and the blessed presence of the Lord was with us. The same week we had a men’s and women’s meeting out of most parts of New Jersey. They are building a meeting-place in the midst of them, and there is a monthly and general meeting set up; which will be of great service in those parts, in “keeping up the gospel order and government of Christ Jesus (of the increase of which there is no end), that they who are faithful may see that all who profess the holy truth live in the pure religion, and walk as becometh the gospel.”

While we were at Shrewsbury, an accident befell, which, for the time, was a great exercise to us. John Jay, a Friend of Barbadoes, who came with us from Rhode Island, and intended to accompany us through the woods to Maryland, being to try a horse, got upon his back; and the horse fell a-running, and cast him down upon his head, and broke his neck, as the people said. They that were near him took him up as dead, carried him a good way, and laid him on a tree. I got to him as soon as I could; and feeling him, concluded he was dead. As I stood by him, pitying him and his family I took hold of his hair, and his head turned any way, his neck was so limber. Whereupon I took his head in both my hands, and setting my knees against the tree, I raised his head, and perceived there was nothing out or broken that way. Then I put one hand under his chin, and the other behind his head, and raised his head two or three times with all my strength, and brought it in. I soon perceived his neck began to grow stiff again, and then he began to rattle in the throat, and quickly after to breathe. The people were amazed: but I bid them have a good heart, be of good faith, and carry him into the house. They did so, and set him by the fire. I bid them get him something warm to drink, and put him to bed. After he had been in the house a while he began to speak; but he did not know where he had been. The next day we passed away (and he with us, pretty well) about sixteen miles to a meeting at MIDDLETOWN, through woods and bogs, and over a river; where we swam our horses, and got over ourselves upon a hollow tree. Many hundred miles did he travel with us after this. To this meeting came most of the people of the town. A glorious meeting we had, and the Truth was over all; blessed be the great Lord God for ever!

After the meeting we went to MIDDLETOWN-HARBOUR, about five miles, in order to take our long journey next morning, through the woods towards Maryland; having hired Indians for our guides. I determined to pass through the woods on the other side of Delaware-Bay, that we might head the creeks and rivers as much as possible. On the 9th of the 7th month we set forwards, and passed through many Indian towns, and over some rivers and bogs; and when we had rode about forty miles, we made a fire at night, and laid by it. As we came among the Indians, we declared the day of the Lord to them. Next day we travelled fifty miles, as we computed; and at night, finding an old house, which the Indians had forced the people to leave, we made a fire and stayed there, at the head of Delaware-Bay. Next day we swam our horses over a river about a mile, at twice, first to an island called UPPER TINICUM, and then to the mainland; having hired Indians to help us over in their canoes. This day we could reach but about thirty miles, and came at night to a Swede’s house, where we got a little straw, and stayed that night. Next day, having hired another guide, we travelled about forty miles through the woods, and made a fire at night, by which we lay, and dried ourselves; for we were often wet in our travels. The next day we passed over a desperate river, which had in it many rocks and broad stones, very hazardous to us and our horses. Thence we came to CHRISTIANA RIVER, where we swam our horses, and went over ourselves in canoes; but the sides of this river were so bad and miry, that some of the horses had like to have been laid up. Thence we went to NEWCASTLE, heretofore called NEW AMSTERDAM; and being very weary, and inquiring in the town where we could buy some corn for our horses, the governor came and invited me to his house; and afterwards desired me to lodge there, saying he had a bed for me, and I should be welcome. So I stayed there, the other Friends being taken care of also. This was on the seventh day of the week; and he offering his house for a meeting, we had the next day a pretty large one; for most of the town were at it. There had never been a meeting here before, nor any within a great way of it; but this was a very precious one, many of the people were tender, and confessed to the truth; and some received it; blessed be the Lord for ever!

On the the 16th of the 7th month we set forward again, and travelled, as near as we could compute, about fifty miles, through woods and over bogs, heading BOHEMIA and SASSAFRAS RIVERS. At night we made a fire in the woods, and lay there all night; and it being rainy weather, we got under some thick trees for shelter, and afterwards dried ourselves again by the fire. Next day we waded through CHESTER RIVER, a very broad water, and after passing through many bad bogs, lay that night also in the woods by a fire; not having gone above thirty miles that day. The day following we travelled hard; and though we had some troublesome bogs in our way, we rode about fifty miles; and got safe that night, but very weary, to Robert Harwood’s, at MILES (now “ST.” MICHAEL’S) RIVER in MARYLAND. This was the eighteenth of the month; and though we were very weary, and much dirtied with getting through the bogs in our journey, yet hearing of a meeting next day, we went to it, and then to John Edmundson’s; from whence we went three or four miles by water to a meeting the First-day following. Here was a judge’s wife, who had never been at any of our meetings before; who was reached, and said after, “she had rather hear us once, than the priest a thousand times.” Many others also were very well satisfied; for the power of the Lord was eminently with us; blessed for ever be his holy name!

We passed thence about twenty-two miles, and had a meeting upon the KENTISH shore, to which one of the judges came; and a good meeting it was. Then, after another meeting hard by, at Henry Wilcock’s house, where also we had good service for the Lord, we went by water about twenty miles to a very large meeting, where were some hundreds of people, four justices of the peace, the high-sheriff of Delaware, an Indian emperor or governor, and two chiefs. With these Indians I had a good opportunity the night before. I spoke to them by an interpreter; they heard the truth attentively, and were very loving. A blessed meeting this was, and of great service, both for convincing and establishing in the truth them that were convinced of it. Blessed be the Lord, who causeth his blessed truth to spread!

After the meeting a woman came to me, whose husband was one of the judges of that part of the country, and a member of the assembly, and told me, “her husband was sick, not likely to live; and desired me to go home with her to see him.” It was three miles to her house; and being just come hot out of the meeting, it was hard for me then to go; yet considering the service, I got a horse, went with her, visited her husband, and spoke what the Lord gave me to him. The man was much refreshed, and finally was raised up by the power of the Lord; and he afterwards came to our meetings.

I went back again to the Friends that night; and next day we departed thence about twenty miles to TREDHAVEN-CREEK, to John Edmundson’s again; whence, on the 3rd of the 8th month, we went to the general meeting for all Maryland Friends. This held five days; the first three, we had meetings for public worship, to which people of all sorts came; the other two were spent in the men’s and women’s meetings. To the public meetings came many Protestants of divers sorts, and some Papists; amongst these were several magistrates and their wives, and other persons of chief account in the country. There were so many, besides Friends, that it was thought there were sometimes a thousand people at one of these meetings. So that, though they had not long before enlarged their meeting-place, and made it as large again as it was before, it could not contain the people. I went by boat every day four or five miles to it, and there were so many boats at that time passing upon the river, that it was almost like the Thames. The people said, “there were never so many boats seen there together before.” And one of the justices said, “he never saw so many people together in that country before.” It was a very heavenly meeting, wherein the presence of the Lord was gloriously manifested, and Friends were sweetly refreshed, the people generally satisfied, and many convinced; for the blessed power of the Lord was over all; everlasting praises to his holy name for ever! After the public meetings were over, the men’s and women’s meetings began, and were held the other two days; for I had something to impart to them which concerned the glory of God, the order of the gospel, and the government of Christ Jesus. When these meetings were over, we took our leave of Friends in those parts, whom we left well established in the truth.

On the 10th of the 8th Month we went thence about thirty miles by water, passing by CRANES ISLAND, SWAN ISLAND, and KENT ISLAND, in very foul weather and much rain; whereby (our boat being open) we were not only very much wet, but in great danger of being overset; insomuch that some thought we could not escape being cast away, till they saw us come to shore next morning. But blessed be God, we were very well. Having got to a little house, dried our clothes by the fire, and refreshed ourselves a little, we took to our boat again; and put off from land, sometimes sailing and sometimes rowing; but having very foul weather that day too, we could not get above twelve miles forward. At night we got to land, and made a fire; some lay by that, and some by a fire at a house a little way off. Next morning we passed over the GREAT-BAY, and sailed about forty miles that day. Making to shore at night, we lay there, some in the boat, and some at an ale-house. Next morning, being First-day, we went six or seven miles to a Friend’s house, who was a justice of the peace; where we had a meeting: this was a little above the head of the Great-Bay. We were almost four days on the water, weary with rowing, yet all was very well: blessed and praised be the Lord. We went next day to another Friend’s house, near the head of HATTON’S ISLAND, where we had good service amongst Friends and others; as we had also the day following at George Wilson’s,[30] a Friend that lived about three miles further; where we had a very precious meeting, there being great tenderness amongst the people.

After this meeting we sailed about ten miles to James Frizby’s, a justice of the peace, where, on the 16th, we had a very large meeting, at which, besides Friends, were some hundreds of people it was supposed; amongst whom were several justices, captains, and the sheriff, with other persons of note. A blessed, heavenly meeting this was; a powerful, thundering testimony for the truth was borne therein; a great sense there was upon the people, and much brokenness and tenderness amongst them. We stayed after meeting till about eleven at night, that the tide turned for us; then taking boat, we passed that night and next day about fifty miles, to another Friend’s house. The two next days we made short journeys, visiting Friends, and on the twentieth we had a great meeting at a place called SEVERN, where there was a meeting-house, but not large enough to hold the people. Divers chief magistrates were at it, and many other considerable people, and it gave them generally great satisfaction.

Two days after, we had a meeting with some that walked disorderly, and had good service. Then spending a day or two in visiting Friends, we passed to the WESTERN-SHORE; and on the twenty-fifth had a large and precious meeting at William Coale’s,[31] where the speaker of their assembly, his wife, a justice, and several other people of quality were present. Next day we had a meeting six or seven miles further, at Abraham Birkhead’s, where many of the magistrates and upper sort of people were, and the speaker of the assembly for that country was convinced: a blessed meeting it was, praised be the Lord!

We travelled next day; and the day following, the 28th, had a large and very precious meeting at Peter Sharp’s, on the CLIFFS, between thirty and forty miles distant from the former. Many of the magistrates and people of upper rank were at this meeting, and a heavenly meeting it was. The wife of one of the governor’s council was convinced, and her husband was very loving to Friends. A justice from Virginia was convinced, and had a meeting afterwards at his house. Some Papists were at this meeting, and one of them threatened before he came, that he would dispute with me; but he was reached, and could not oppose. Blessed be the Lord, the truth reached into the hearts of people beyond words, and it is of a good savour amongst them! After the meeting we went about eighteen miles, to James Preston’s, a Friend that lived on Patuxent river; and thither came to us an Indian king, with his brother, to whom I spoke, and found they understood what I spoke of. Having finished our service in Maryland, and intending for Virginia, we had a meeting at PATUXENT on the 4th of the 9th month, to take our leave of Friends. Many people of all sorts were at it, and a powerful meeting it was.

On the 5th we set sail for VIRGINIA, and in three days came to a place called NANCEMOND, about two hundred miles from Maryland. In this voyage we met with foul weather, storms, and rain, and lay in the woods by a fire in the night. At Nancemond lived a Friend, called the widow Wright. Next day we had a great meeting there, of Friends and others. There came to it Colonel Dewes, with several other officers and magistrates, who were much taken with the truth declared. After this we hastened towards Carolina; yet had several meetings by the way, wherein we had good service for the Lord; one about four miles from Nancemond Water, which was very precious; and there was a men’s and women’s meeting settled, for taking care of the affairs of the church. Another very good one also we had at William Yarrow’s, at PAGAN CREEK, which was so large, that we were fain to be abroad, the house not being large enough to contain the people. A great openness there was, the sound of truth spread abroad, and had a good savour in the hearts of people: the Lord have the glory for ever!

After this our way to Carolina grew worse, being much of it plashy, and pretty full of great bogs and swamps; so that we were commonly wet to the knees, and lay abroad at nights in the woods by a fire; saving one night we got to a poor house, at SOMMERTOWN [now SOMERTON,] and lay by the fire. The woman of the house had a sense of God upon her. The report of our travel had reached thither, and drawn some that lived beyond Sommertown, to that house, in expectation to see and hear us (so acceptable was the sound of truth in that wilderness country:) but they missed us. The next day, the 21st of the 9th Month, having travelled hard through the woods, and over many bogs and swamps, we reached BONNER’S CREEK; and there we lay that night by the fireside, the woman lending us a mat to lie on.

This was the first house we came to in CAROLINA; here we left our horses, over-wearied with travel. From hence we went down the creek in a canoe, to Macocomocock [now Chowan] River; and came to Hugh Smith’s house, where the people came to see us (for there were no Friends in that part of the country,) and many of them received us gladly. Amongst others came Nathaniel Batts, who had been governor of Roanoke; he went by the name of Captain Batts, and had been a rude, desperate man. He asked me about a woman in Cumberland, who, he said, he was told, had been healed by our prayers, and laying on of our hands, after she had been long sick, and given over by the physicians; and he desired to know the certainty of it. I told him we did not glory in such things, but many such things had been done by the power of Christ.

Not far from hence we had a meeting among the people, and they were taken with the truth: blessed be the Lord! Then passing down the river ROANOKE in a canoe, we went down the bay CONEY-HOE, and came to a captain’s house, who was very loving, and lent us his boat, for we were much wet in the canoe, the water splashing in upon us. With this boat we went to the governor’s house; but the water in some places was so shallow that the boat being laden, could not swim; so that we were fain to put off our shoes and stockings, and wade through the water some distance. The governor, with his wife, received us lovingly; but a doctor there would needs dispute with us. And truly his opposing us was of good service, giving occasion for the opening of many things to the people, concerning the light and Spirit of God, which he denied to be in every one; and affirmed that it was not in the Indians. Whereupon I called an Indian to us, and asked him, “Whether or not, when he lied, or did wrong to any one, there was not something in him that reproved him for it?” he said, “There was such a thing in him, that did so reprove him; and he was ashamed when he had done wrong, or spoken wrong.” So we shamed the doctor before the governor and the people; insomuch that the poor man ran out so far, that at length he would not own the Scriptures. We tarried at the governor’s that night; and next morning he very courteously walked with us himself about two miles through the woods, to a place whither he had sent our boat about to meet us. Taking leave of him, we entered our boat, and went that day about thirty miles to Joseph Scott’s, one of the representatives of the country. There we had a sound, precious meeting; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings. Wherefore at a house about four miles further, we had another meeting, to which the governor’s secretary came, who was chief secretary of the province, and had been formerly convinced.

I went from this place among the Indians, and spoke unto them by an interpreter; showing them, “that God made all things in six days, and made but one woman for one man; and that God drowned the old world, because of their wickedness. Afterwards I spoke to them concerning Christ, showing them, that he died for all men, for their sins, as well as for others; and had enlightened them as well as others; and that if they did that which was evil, he would burn them, but if they did well, they should not be burned.” There was among them their young king; and others of their chief men, who seemed to receive kindly what I said to them.

Having visited the north part of Carolina, and made a little entrance for truth upon the people there, we began to return towards Virginia, having several meetings in our way, wherein we had very good service for the Lord, the people being generally tender and open; blessed be the Lord. We lay one night at the Secretary’s house, to which we had much to do to get; for the water being shallow, we could not bring our boat to shore; but the secretary’s wife seeing our strait, came herself in a canoe (her husband being from home) and brought us to land. Next morning our boat was sunk; but we got her up, mended her, and went away in her that day about twenty-four miles, the water being rough, and the winds high; but the great power of God was seen, in carrying us safe in that rotten boat. In our return we had a very precious meeting at Hugh Smith’s; praised be the Lord for ever! The people were very tender, and very good service we had amongst them. There was at this meeting an Indian captain who was very loving, and acknowledged it to be truth that was spoken. There was also one of the Indian priests, whom they call a Pawaw, who sat soberly among the people. On the 9th of the 10th Month we got back to BONNER’S CREEK, where we had left our horses; having spent about eighteen days in North Carolina.

Our horses having rested, we set forward for VIRGINIA again, travelling through the woods and bogs, as far as we could well reach that day; and at night lay by a fire in the woods. Next day we had a tedious journey, through bogs and swamps, and were exceedingly wet and dirty all the day, but dried ourselves at night by a fire. We got that night to SOMMERTOWN. When we came near the house, the woman of the house seeing us, spoke to her son to fasten up their dogs (for both in Virginia and Carolina they generally keep great dogs to guard their houses, living lonely in the woods); but the son said, “he need not, for the dogs did not use to meddle with these people.” Whereupon, when we were come into the house, she told us, “we were like the children of Israel, whom the dogs did not move their tongues against.” Here we lay in our clothes by the fire, as we had done many a night before. Next day, before we went away, we had a meeting; for the people having heard of us, had a great desire to hear us; and a very good meeting we had among them, where we never had one before; praised be the Lord for ever! After the meeting we hasted away. When we had rode about twenty miles, calling at a house to inquire the way, the people desired us to tarry all night with them, which we did. Next day we came among Friends, after we had travelled about a hundred miles from Carolina into Virginia; in which time we observed a great variety of climates, having passed in a few days from a very cold, to a warm and spring-like country. But the power of the Lord is the same in all, is over all, and doth reach the good in all; praised be the Lord for ever!

We spent about three weeks in travelling through Virginia, mostly among Friends, having many large and precious meetings in several parts of the country; as at the widow Wright’s, where a great many magistrates, officers and other high people came. A most heavenly meeting we had, wherein the power of the Lord was so great, that it struck a dread upon the assembly and chained all down, and brought a reverence upon the people’s minds. Among the officers was a major, kinsman to the priest; he told me, “the priest threatened to come and oppose us.” But the Lord’s power was too strong for him, and stopped him; we were quiet and peaceable, and the people were wonderfully affected with the testimony of truth; blessed be the Lord for ever! Another very good meeting we had at CRICKATROUGH, at which many considerable people were, many of whom had never heard a Friend before; and they were greatly satisfied with the meeting, praised be the Lord! We had also a very good and serviceable meeting at John Porter’s, which consisted mostly of other people; in which the power of the Lord was gloriously seen and felt, and it brought the truth over all evil walkers and talkers; blessed be the Lord! Divers other meetings we had, and many opportunities of doing service for the Lord amongst the people where we came. The last week we stayed, we spent some time and pains among Friends, sweeping away that which was to be swept out, and working down a bad spirit that was got up in some; blessed for ever be the name of the Lord! he it is that gives victory over all.

Having finished what service lay upon us in Virginia, on the 30th we set sail in an open sloop for MARYLAND. But having a great storm, and being much wet, we were glad to get to shore before night; and, walking to a house at WILLOUGHBY POINT, we got lodging there that night. The woman of the house was a widow, and a very tender person; she had never received Friends before; but she received us very kindly, and with tears in her eyes. We returned to our boat in the morning, and hoisted up our sail, getting forward as fast as we could; but towards evening a storm rising, we had much to do to get to shore; and our boat being open the water splashed often in, and sometimes over us, so that we were completely wet. Being got to land, we made a fire in the woods, to warm and dry us, and there we lay all night, the wolves howling about us.

On the 1st of 11th month we sailed again, but the wind being against us, we made but little way, and were fain to get to shore at POINT COMFORT, where yet we found but small comfort; for the weather was so cold, that though we made a good fire in the woods to lie by, our water, that we had got for our use, was frozen near the fireside. We made to sea again next day; but the wind being strong and against us, we advanced but little, but were glad to get to land again, and travel about to find some house, where we might buy some provisions, for our store was spent. That night also we lay in the woods; and so extremely cold was the weather, the wind blowing high, and the frost and snow being great, that it was hard for some to abide it.

On the 3rd, the wind setting pretty fair, we fetched it up by sailing and rowing, and got that night to MILFORD-HAVEN, where we lay at Richard Long’s, near Quince’s Island. Next day we passed by Rappahannock River, where dwell much people; and Friends had a meeting there-aways at a justice’s house, who had formerly been at a meeting where I was. We passed over Potomac River also, the winds being high, the water very rough, our sloop open, and the weather extremely cold; and having a meeting there-aways also, some people were convinced; and when we parted thence, some of our company went amongst them. We steered our course for Patuxent River. I sat at the helm most part of the day, and some of the night. About the first hour in the morning we reached James Preston’s house on Patuxent River, which is about two hundred miles from Nancemond in VIRGINIA. We were very weary; yet the next day, being the first of the week, we went to the meeting not far from thence. The same week we went to an Indian King’s cabin, where several of the Indians were, with whom we had a good opportunity to discourse; and they carried themselves very lovingly. We went also that week to a general meeting; then about eighteen miles further to John Geary’s, where we had a very precious meeting; praised be the Lord God for ever!

After this the cold grew so exceedingly sharp, the frost and snow so extreme, beyond what was usual in that country, that we could hardly endure it. Neither was it easy or safe to stir out; yet we got, with some difficulty, six miles through the snow to John Mayor’s, where we met with some Friends come from New England, whom we had left there when we came away; and glad we were to see each other, after so long and tedious travels. By these Friends we understood, that William Edmundson, having been at Rhode Island and New England, was returned to Ireland; that Solomon Eccles, coming from Jamaica and landing at Boston in New England, was taken at a meeting there, and banished to Barbadoes; that John Stubbs and another Friend were gone into New Jersey, and several other Friends to Barbadoes, Jamaica, and the Leeward Islands. It was matter of joy to us, to understand that the work of the Lord went on and prospered, and that Friends were unwearied and diligent in the service.

On the 27th we had a very precious meeting in a tobacco-house; and next day returned to James Preston’s, about eighteen miles distant. When we came there, we found his house was burnt to the ground the night before, through the carelessness of a servant; so we lay three nights on the ground by the fire, the weather being very cold. We made an observation, which was somewhat strange, but certainly true; that one day in the midst of this cold weather, the wind turning into the South, it grew so hot that we could hardly bear it; and the next day and night, the wind changing back into the North, we could hardly endure the cold.

The 2nd of 12th month we had a glorious meeting at Patuxent; and after it, went to John Geary’s again, where we waited for a boat to carry us to the monthly meeting at the CLIFFS, and a living one it was; praised be the Lord! This was on the 6th: another meeting we had on the 9th, wherein the glory of the Lord shone over all; blessed and magnified be his holy name for ever!

On the 12th of the month we set forward in our boat; and, travelling by night, ran aground in a creek near MANOKIN RIVER. There we were fain to stay till morning, when the tide came and lifted her off. In the meantime sitting in an open boat, and the weather being bitterly cold, some of us had like to have lost the use of our hands, they were so frozen and benumbed with cold. In the morning, when the tide had set us afloat again, we got to land, and made a good fire, at which we warmed ourselves well. Then returning to our boat, we passed on about ten miles further to a Friend’s house; where next day we had a very precious meeting, at which some of the chief of the place were. I went after it to a Friend’s house, about four miles off, at the head of ANAMESSIC RIVER, where, on the day following, the judge of the country and the justice with him came to me, and were very loving, and much satisfied with Friends’ order. The next day we had a large meeting in the justice’s barn, for his house could not hold the company. There were several of the great folks of that country, and among the rest an opposer; but all was preserved quiet and well; a precious meeting it was, and the people were much affected with the truth; blessed be the Lord! We went next day to see Captain Colburn, who was also a justice, and there we had some service; then returning again, we had a very glorious meeting at the same justice’s, where we met before; to which came many people of account in the world, magistrates, officers, and others. It was large, and the power of the Lord was much felt, so that the people were generally well satisfied, and taken with the truth; and there being several merchants and masters of ships from New England, the truth was spread abroad; blessed be the Lord!

A day or two after, we travelled about sixteen miles through the woods and bogs, heading ANAMESSIC RIVER and AMOROCA RIVER, part of which last, we went over in a canoe, and came to MANOKIN, to a friendly woman’s house; where, on the 24th, we had a large meeting in a barn. The Lord’s living presence was with us, and among the people; blessed be his holy name for evermore! Friends had never had a meeting in those parts before. After this we passed over the River Wicomico, through many bad and watery swamps and marshy ways, and came to James Jones’s, a Friend, and a justice of the peace; where we had a large and very glorious meeting; praised be the Lord God. Then passing over the water in a boat, we took horse and travelled about twenty-four miles through woods and troublesome swamps, and came to another justice’s house, where we had a very large meeting, much people, and many of considerable account being present; and the living presence of the Lord was amongst us, praised for ever be his holy name! This was on the 3rd of the 1st month, 1672-3;[32] and on the 5th we had another living and heavenly meeting, at which divers of the justices, with their wives, and many other people, were; amongst whom we had very good service for the Lord; blessed be his holy name. At this meeting was a woman that lived at Anamessic, who had been many years in trouble of mind, and sometimes would sit moping near two months together, and hardly speak or mind anything. When I heard of her, I was moved of the Lord to go to her, and tell her, “that salvation was come to her house.” After I had spoken the word of life to her, and entreated the Lord for her, she mended, went up and down with us to meetings, and is since well, blessed be the Lord!

Being now clear of these parts, we left Anamessic on the 7th, and passing by water about fifty miles, came to a friendly woman’s house at HUNGER RIVER. We had very rough weather in our passage to this place, and were in great danger, for the boat had nearly been turned over; but through the good providence of God, we got safe thither; praised be his name! At this place we had a meeting; and amongst the people present, were two Papists, a man and a woman; he was very tender, and she confessed to the truth. This meeting was not so large as it would have been, if many, who had intended, could have got to it; but the weather was so foul, and the water, by reason of high winds, so rough, that it was not safe to pass over it. I had no Friend now with me but Robert Widders, the rest having dispersed themselves into several parts of the country in the service of truth.

As soon as the wind would permit, we passed hence about forty miles by water, rowing most part of the way, and came to the head of LITTLE CHOPTANK RIVER, to Dr. Winsmore’s, who was a justice, lately convinced. Here we met with some Friends, with whom we stayed a while; and then went on by land and water, and had a large meeting out of doors, for the house we were at could not receive the people. Divers of the magistrates and their wives were present, and a good meeting it was; blessed be the Lord, who is making his name known in that wilderness country! We returned thence to a Friend’s house, named William Stephens, where we met the Friends that had been travelling in other parts; and were much refreshed in the Lord together, imparting to each other the good success we had had in the Lord’s work, and the prosperity and spreading of truth in the places where we travelled. John Cartwright and another Friend had been in Virginia, where there were great desires in people after truth; and being now returned, they stayed a little with us here, and then set forward for Barbadoes. Before we left this place we had a very glorious meeting, at which were very many people; amongst others, the judge of that country, three justices, and the high-sheriff, with their wives. Of the Indians was one called their emperor, an Indian king and their speaker, who all sat very attentive, and carried themselves very lovingly. An establishing, settling meeting it was. This was on the 23rd of 1st month.

On the 24th we went by water ten miles to the Indian town where this emperor dwelt, whom I had acquainted before of my coming, and desired him to get their kings and councils together. In the morning the emperor came himself, and had me to the town; and they were generally come together, and had their speaker and other officers with them, and the old empress sat among them. They sat very grave and sober, and were all very attentive, beyond many called Christians. I had some with me that could interpret to them, and we had a very good meeting with them, and of very great service it was; for it gave them a good esteem for truth and Friends: blessed be the Lord.

After this we had many meetings in several parts of that country, one at William Stephens’s, which was a general meeting once a month; others at Tredhaven Creek, Wye, Reconow Creek, and at Thomas Taylor’s in the Island of Kent. Most of these were large, there being many people at them, divers of them of the most considerable account. The Lord’s power and living presence were with us, and plenteously manifested amongst the people; by which their hearts were tendered and opened to receive the truth, which had a good savour amongst them; blessed be the Lord God over all for ever. Being clear of that side, we passed over the bay about fourteen miles to a Friend’s house, where we met with several Friends. I sent for Thomas Thurston thither, and had a meeting with him, to bring the truth over his bad actions.

Having travelled through most parts of that country and visited most of the plantations, having sounded the alarm to all people where we came, and proclaimed the day of God’s salvation amongst them, we found our spirits began to be clear of these parts of the world, and draw towards Old England again. Yet we were desirous, and felt freedom from the Lord, to stay over the general meeting for the province of Maryland (which drew nigh) that we might see Friends generally together before we departed. Wherefore spending our time, in the interim, in visiting Friends and friendly people, in attending meetings about the Cliffs and Patuxent, and in writing answers to cavilling objections, which some of the truth’s adversaries had raised and spread abroad, to hinder people from receiving the truth, we were not idle, but laboured in the work of the Lord, until that general provincial meeting came on, which began on the 17th of the 3rd month, and lasted four days. On the first of these, the men and women had their meetings for business, wherein the affairs of the church were taken care of, and many things relating thereto were opened unto them, to their edification and comfort. The other three days were spent in public meetings for the worship of God, of which divers of considerable account of the government, and many others, were present, who were generally satisfied, and many of them reached; for it was a wonderful, glorious meeting, and the mighty presence of the Lord was seen and felt over all; blessed and praised be his holy name for ever, who over all giveth dominion!

After this meeting we took our leave of Friends, parting in great tenderness, in the sense of the heavenly life and virtuous power of the Lord, that was livingly felt amongst us; and went by water to the place where we were to take shipping, many Friends accompanying us thither and tarrying with us that night. Next day, the 21st of the 3rd month, 1673, we set sail for England; the same day Richard Covell came on board our ship, having had his own taken from him by the Dutch. We had foul weather and contrary winds, which caused us to cast anchor often, so that we were till the 31st ere we could get past the capes of Virginia and come out into the main sea. But after this we made good speed, and on the 28th of the 4th month cast anchor at King’s Road, which is the harbour for BRISTOL. We had on our passage very high winds and tempestuous weather, which made the sea exceedingly rough, the waves rising like mountains; so that the masters and sailors wondered at it, and said they never saw the like before. But though the wind was strong, it set for the most part with us, so that we sailed before it; and the great God who commands the winds, who is Lord of heaven, of earth, and the seas, and whose wonders are seen in the deep, steered our course and preserved us from many imminent dangers. The same good hand of Providence that went with us, and carried us safely over, watched over us in our return, and brought us safely back again; thanksgiving and praises be to his holy name for ever! Many sweet and precious meetings we had on board the ship during this voyage (commonly two a week,) wherein the blessed presence of the Lord did greatly refresh us, and often break in upon and tender the company.

-----

Footnote 26:

John Burnyeat, a fellow-labourer in the gospel with George Fox, and who is several times named in this Journal, was born in Cumberland about the year 1631. He was well educated, and religiously inclined from his youth, and convinced by George Fox when he first came into Cumberland in 1653. He became an unwearied traveller in the gospel, both in this country and in America, boldly proclaiming the glad tidings of salvation, for which he fell in for his share of abuse and imprisonments. Once at Ripon, when visiting twenty-four of his friends imprisoned there for the testimony of Jesus, speaking a few words to them he was haled away before the mayor, and several times knocked off his knees when at prayer, being sent to prison to his friends, and kept there fourteen weeks.

He married and settled in Ireland, where his service mostly lay in his latter days. In 1683 he was imprisoned in the Marshalsea in Dublin two months for meeting and preaching. His wife died in 1688; and he, having finished his course, and kept the faith, departed in peace in 1690. His works, and testimonies concerning him, with an account of his convincement, and journal of his travels, were published in a 4to volume, to which the reader is referred. See also Piety Promoted, vol. i. p. 179; and Whiting’s Memoirs, p. 416-430.

Footnote 27:

The instances of heathen kindness and hospitality, experienced by George Fox and others who have visited the Indians in a friendly manner, contrast very favourably in comparison with the many acts of bigoted intolerance and cruelty recorded in these volumes on the part of those professedly civilized and Christian.

Many incidents might be related in proof of Indian kindness when unprovoked to opposite conduct. When the Quakers were under a cruel persecution by the magistrates of Boston, in New England, Nicholas Upshal, “a man of unblameable conversation,” and a church member of their communion, showed the sufferers kindness, by giving five shillings a week to the jailer to let those confined in prison have the sustenance necessary for life—the magistrates having caused the jail window to be boarded up, that none might communicate with, or help them. He proceeded afterwards to reason with the magistrates, and warn them not to be found fighting against God, for which he was fined £20, imprisoned, and then banished; though a weakly old man, and the season the depth of winter. In his banishment in the wilderness, he met an Indian, who, having understood how he had been dealt with, took compassion on him, and very kindly told him, if he would live with him he would make him a warm house; and further said, “What a God have these English, who deal so with one another about their God!”

See here the Red Indian’s kindly care Though he the name of savage bear. Christian, more savage thou than he, Blush for thy cruel deeds of infamy: The Indian’s unasked cup of charity Is larger than as mixed by thee. The white man aged, through frost and snows, A banish’d exile to his country goes, Full many a welcome does he say, To his warm house whate’er the day. More Christian he who thus does prove By practice kindred with a God of love. More Christian he than they who thus pollute Their faith, and for their God a brother persecute.

Footnote 28:

See Bowden’s History of Friends in America, vol. i., pp. 280-284.

Footnote 29:

This is the only mention of Christopher Holder in these volumes. He was a great sufferer in the New England persecution. In 1657 he and another Friend being at Salem, went to the Puritan place of worship there, and after the priest had concluded, Christopher Holder addressing the assembly, was not allowed to proceed; one of the commissioners with much fury “seizing him by the hair of his head,” and violently thrusting a glove and handkerchief into his mouth. These two Friends were subsequently sentenced, under “the law against Quakers,” to receive thirty lashes. The brutal manner in which this sentence was carried out, was in accordance with the spirit that prompted the rulers to pass the cruel law. A three-corded knotted whip was used on the occasion; and the executioner, to make more sure of his blows, “measured his ground,” and then “fetched his strokes with all his might.” Thirty strokes thus inflicted, as will be readily imagined, left the sufferers miserably torn and lacerated; and in this state they were conveyed to their prison cell. Here, without any bedding, or even straw to lie on, the inhuman jailer kept them for three days without food or drink; and, in this dismal abode, often exposed to damp and cold, were these faithful men confined for the space of nine weeks. We may wonder that, under such aggravated cruelties their lives were spared; but He, for whose holy cause they thus suffered, was near to support and console them. His ancient promise was fulfilled in their experience, and they rejoiced in the comforting presence of his living power.—Bowden’s History of Friends in America.

Previous to this, Christopher Holder and his companion had been banished from Rhode Island. The governor having hired an Indian to convey them off the island, ordered the Friends to pay for the passage themselves. But not being willing to facilitate their own banishment, and not feeling that it was their Divine Master’s will for them to leave the island, they declined to go, or to pay the Indian who was hired to take them. The governor directed the constable forcibly to obtain the requisite sum from the strangers, and gave peremptory orders to the natives to take them away in their canoes. The Algonquins, however, not being in any great haste to execute the bidding of the governor, contrary to the will of the Friends, and at a time too when the weather was stormy, entertained them for three days with marked kindness and hospitality. A change in the weather then taking place, and the banished ones feeling that it was no longer required of them to stay on the island, the Indians, at their own request, prepared to take them across. Before leaving the island the Friends offered to remunerate the natives for their kindness, but these poor people, from the generous impulses of their hearts, acting more in unison with the spirit of Christianity than those who were wont to be their teachers, declined to receive any reward. “You are strangers,” they replied, “and Jehovah hath taught us to love strangers.” Such simple and feeling language from the lips of North American Indians, was a striking rebuke to the bigotry and intolerance which marked the conduct of their highly professing teachers.—Bowden’s History of Friends in America.

Footnote 30:

This George Wilson, at whose house George Fox was entertained, is not mentioned elsewhere in the Journal. He was originally from Great Britain, and a great sufferer for the truth during the New England persecution. In 1661, it appears he was amongst twenty-seven other Friends in prison in Boston, who were liberated that year by an order from the home government. But these faithful messengers of the Lord, who were thus unexpectedly released from bondage, were concerned, almost immediately on leaving the jail, to preach to the inhabitants those truths for which they had suffered. The magistrates, already at their wits’-end, in fruitlessly endeavouring to arrest the spread of Quaker principles, being impatient at this fresh manifestation of devotedness, ordered a guard of soldiers to drive all the Friends out of their territory into the wilderness; an order which was speedily executed. George Wilson was among those who were thus forcibly expelled; but, undismayed by the new law for the application of the whip, they returned at once to their homes. There they were quickly apprehended, and sentenced to undergo a flogging through three towns, and to be put out of the limits of the colony. The executioner, desirous of lending his ingenuity to increase the severity of the sentence, provided himself with a singularly constructed whip, or as it is called, a “cruel instrument,” with which he “miserably tore” the bodies of the sufferers. Such was the new and barbarous character of the weapon used on this occasion, that Friends endeavoured, though unsuccessfully, to obtain it to send to England, as another proof of the malignant cruelty which actuated the rulers of Massachusetts towards the new Society. At the conclusion of this whipping at Boston, George Wilson, in the midst of his persecutors, knelt in solemn supplication to the Most High.

Being on a gospel mission in Virginia, George Wilson became a victim to the reigning intolerance, and was incarcerated in the dungeon at James’ Town. The circumstances of his case evinced great barbarity on the part of his persecutors. The place of his imprisonment was an extremely loathsome one, without light or ventilation. Here, after being cruelly scourged and heavily ironed for a long period, he had to feel the heartlessness of a persecuting and dominant hierarchy; until, at last, his flesh actually rotted from his bones, and, within the cold damp walls of the miserable dungeon of James’ Town, he laid down his life a faithful martyr for the testimony of Jesus.

The patience and resignation with which George Wilson bore his aggravated sufferings, and his faithfulness unto death, form a striking instance of the inflexible adherence to conscientious conviction, which so remarkably characterized the early Friends. Living near to Him who is the fountain and fulness of love, his enemies also became the objects of his solicitude; and, whilst lingering in the wretched dungeon, his heart was lifted up in prayer for his persecutors. “For all their cruelty,” he writes, “I can truly say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”—Bowden’s History of Friends in America.

Footnote 31:

William Coale, a Friend of Maryland, was convinced about the year 1657. He was a man of an innocent and tender spirit; and a living and weighty minister of the gospel of Christ. He visited Friends in Virginia with George Wilson, and was very serviceable, some being turned to the Lord through his ministry, and many established in the truth. He suffered cruel imprisonment for the gospel, which injured him so much that he never recovered it. In the time of his last illness he was cheerful, freely given up to die, saying, “The living presence of the Lord is with me;” with many more words of the great satisfaction he had from the Lord concerning his peace; adding, “I bless the Lord, I have finished my course, and I have nothing to do but to wait on the Lord and die.” He departed very peaceably and quietly about the year 1678.

Footnote 32:

The difference implied here and elsewhere in the date is between the old style and the new. The above may be read either, the 3d of the 11th month, 1672; or the 3rd of the 1st month, 1673. It would appear that an alteration in the mode of reckoning did not take place generally till made by Act of Parliament in 1752, when the Friends also adopted a change in the mode of reckoning the months, which is explained at large in the Book of Discipline, p. 73. ED.: 1833.

Vol. II, Chapter VI (1673-1675)

CHAPTER VI.

1673-1675.—George Fox writes to his wife from Bristol—has a glorious powerful meeting there, in which he declares of three estates and three teachers—at Slaughterford meets with much opposition to the settlement of women’s meetings—the chief opposer struck by the Lord’s power, condemns his error—at Armscott is arrested by Justice Parker, and sent to Worcester jail with Thomas Lower—writes to his wife—he and T. Lower write to Lord Windsor and other magistrates, with a statement of their case—they are examined at the sessions, but George Fox is ensnared with the oath, and re-committed for refusing to take it—Thomas Lower is discharged, and afterwards visits Justice Parker, and gives the priest of the parish (who instigated their imprisonment) a severe rebuke in his presence, though unknown—George Fox disputes with Dr. Crowder on swearing—he is removed to London by Habeas Corpus—but ultimately remanded to Worcester—is examined at the assizes by Judge Turner, but the case is referred to the sessions—disputes with a priest on perfection—brought up at the sessions and re-committed, but has liberty till the next sessions—is again removed by Habeas Corpus, and tenders in court a declaration instead of the oath—attends the Yearly Meeting in London—appears again at the sessions of Worcester, and points out the flaws in his indictment—yet he is brought in guilty and premunired—writes to the king respecting the principle of Friends—is seized with illness, and his life almost despaired of—Justice Parker writes to the jailer to relax the rigour of his imprisonment—his wife intercedes with the king for his release, which he is willing to grant by a pardon—this George Fox could not accept, as it implied guilt—he is once more removed by Habeas Corpus—the under-sheriff quarrels with him for calling their ministers priests—he is brought before the judges, and Counsellor Corbet starts a new plea, that the Court cannot imprison on a premunire—the indictment is quashed for error, and he is freed by proclamation after nearly fourteen months’ imprisonment—he writes many papers and pamphlets in Worcester jail.

When we came into Bristol Harbour, there lay a man-of-war, and the press-master[33] came on board us to press our men. We had a meeting at that time in the ship with the seamen before we went to shore, and the press-master sat down with us and stayed the meeting, and was very well satisfied with it. I spoke to him to leave two of the men he had pressed in our ship (for he had pressed four), one of whom was a lame man; and he said, “at my request, he would.”

We went on shore that afternoon, and got to SHIREHAMPTON, where we obtained horses, and rode to BRISTOL that night, where Friends received us with great joy. In the evening I wrote a letter to my wife, to give her notice of my landing; as follows:—

“DEAR HEART,

“This day we came into Bristol near night, from the sea; glory to the Lord God over all for ever, who was our convoy, and steered our course! the God of the whole earth, of the seas and winds, who made the clouds his chariot, beyond all words, blessed be his name for ever! He is over all in his great power and wisdom, Amen. Robert Widders and James Lancaster[34] are with me, and we are well; glory to the Lord for ever, who hath carried us through many perils, perils by water, and in storms, perils by pirates and robbers, perils in the wilderness and amongst false professors! praises to him whose glory is over all for ever, Amen! Therefore mind the fresh life, and live all to God in it. I intend (if the Lord will) to stay a while this away; it may be till the fair. So no more, but my love to all Friends.”

G.F.

Bristol, 28th of 4th Month, 1673.

Between this and the fair, my wife came out of the North to Bristol to me, and her son-in-law Thomas Lower with two of her daughters[35] came with her. Her other son-in-law John Rous, W. Penn and his wife, and Gerrard Roberts, came from London, and many Friends from several parts of the nation, to the fair; and glorious, powerful meetings we had at that time, for the Lord’s infinite power and life was over all. In the fresh openings whereof, I was moved to declare of “Three estates, and three teachers,” viz.: “God was the first teacher of man and woman in Paradise; and as long as they kept to and under his teaching, they kept in the image of God, in his likeness, in righteousness and holiness, and in dominion over all that he had made; in the blessed state, in the paradise of God. But when they hearkened to the serpent’s false teaching (who was out of truth,) disobeyed God and obeyed the serpent, in feeding upon that which God forbade them, they lost the image of God, the righteousness and holiness, came under the power of Satan, and were turned out of Paradise, out of the blessed into the cursed state. Then the promise of God was, ‘that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head,’ break his power that man and woman were under, and destroy his works. So here were three states and three teachers.”

God was the first teacher in Paradise; and whilst man kept under his teaching, he was happy. The serpent was the second teacher; and when man followed his teaching, he fell into misery, into the fall from the image of God, from righteousness and holiness, and from the power that he had over all that God had made; and came under the serpent, whom he had power over before. Christ Jesus was the third teacher; of whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him;’ and who himself saith, ‘Learn of me.’ This is the true gospel-teacher, who bruises the head of the serpent, the false teacher, and the head of all false teachers, and of all false religions, false ways, false worships, and false churches. Now Christ, who said, ‘Learn of me,’ and of whom the Father said, ‘Hear ye him,’ said, ‘I am the Way to God, I am the Truth, I am the Life, and the true Light.’ So as man and woman come again to God, and are renewed up into his image, righteousness, and holiness by Christ, thereby they come into the Paradise of God, the state which man was in before he fell; and into a higher state than that, to sit down in Christ that never fell. Therefore the Son of God is to be heard in all things, who is the Saviour and Redeemer; who laid down his life, and bought his sheep with his precious blood.

We can challenge all the world. Who hath anything to say against our way? our Saviour? our Redeemer? our Prophet, whom God hath raised up that we may hear, and whom we must hear in all things? Who hath anything against our Shepherd, Christ Jesus, who leads and feeds us, and we know his heavenly voice? Who hath anything against our Bishop, in whose mouth was never guile found, who doth oversee us in his pasture of life, that we do not go astray from God, and out of his fold? Who hath anything against our Priest, Christ Jesus, made higher than the heavens, who gives us freely, and commands us to give freely? Who hath anything to say against our Leader and Counsellor, Christ Jesus, who never sinned; but is holy, harmless, and separate from sinners? God hath commanded us to hear Him; and He saith, ‘Learn of me;’ and if we should disobey God’s and Christ’s command, we should be like our father Adam and mother Eve, who disobeyed God’s command, and hearkened to the serpent’s teaching.

Man commands, and would force us to hear the hirelings, who plead for sin and the body of death to the grave; which doctrine savours of the devil’s teaching, not of Christ’s; but we resolve to hear the Son, as both he and the Father command, and in hearing the Son we hear the Father also, as the Scripture testifies. For the author to the Hebrews says, ‘God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son;’ mark that, God hath spoken unto us (his apostles, disciples, church), by his Son. And whereas some have objected, that although Christ did speak both to his disciples and to the Jews, in the days of his flesh, yet since his resurrection and ascension he doth not speak now:—the answer is, that ‘as God did then speak by his Son in the days of his flesh, so the Son, Christ Jesus, doth now speak by his Spirit.’ Wherefore John saith in the Revelations, ‘He that hath an ear let him hear, what the Spirit saith to the churches,’ Rev. ii. And Christ is said to ‘speak from heaven,’ Heb. xii. 25. ‘See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven.’ They that resisted Moses’ law, who spake on earth, died for it without mercy, which was a natural death; but they that refuse Him that speaks from heaven, neglect and slight their own salvation, and so die a spiritual death through unbelief and hardness of heart. Therefore was the exhortation given of old, ‘To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,’ &c. Heb. iii. 15, &c. So that they who neglect or refuse to hear the voice of Christ, now speaking from heaven in this his gospel-day, harden their hearts.

“Let all therefore mark well these three estates and teachers; the God of Truth was the first teacher, while man was in Paradise and in innocency. The serpent was the second teacher, the false teacher, who by his false teaching came to be the god of the world, which lies in wickedness. Christ Jesus, that bruises the serpent’s head, is the third teacher, who saith, ‘Learn of me,’ and of whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him;’ and of whom the testimony of the saints of old was, ‘God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.’ Thus they that come to be renewed up again into the divine, heavenly image, in which man was at first made, will know the same God, that was the first teacher of Adam and Eve in Paradise, to speak to them now by his Son, who changes not; glory be to his name for ever!”

Many deep and precious things were opened in those meetings by the Eternal Spirit, which searcheth and revealeth the deep things of God.

After I had finished my service for the Lord in that city, I departed thence into GLOUCESTERSHIRE, where we had many large and precious meetings; and the Lord’s everlasting power flowed over all. From Gloucestershire I passed into WILTSHIRE, where also we had many blessed meetings.

At SLAUGHTERFORD, in Wiltshire, we had a very good meeting, though we met there with much opposition from some who had set themselves against WOMEN’S MEETINGS; which I was moved of the Lord to recommend to Friends, for the benefit and advantage of the Church of Christ. “That faithful women, who were called to the belief of the truth, being made partakers of the same precious faith, and heirs of the same everlasting gospel of life and salvation that men are, might in like manner come into the possession and practice of the gospel order, and therein be meet-helps unto the men in the restoration, in the service of truth, in the affairs of the church, as they are outwardly in civil, or temporal things. That so all the family of God, women as well as men, might know, possess, perform, and discharge their offices and services in the house of God, whereby the poor might be better taken care of, the younger instructed, informed, and taught in the way of God; the loose and disorderly reproved and admonished in the fear of the Lord; the clearness of persons proposing marriage more closely and strictly inquired into in the wisdom of God; and all the members of the spiritual body, the church, might watch over and be helpful to each other in love.” But after these opposers had run into much contention and wrangling, the power of the Lord struck down one of the chief of them, so that his spirit sunk, and he came to be sensible of the evil he had done in opposing God’s heavenly power, and confessed his error before Friends; and afterwards gave forth a paper of condemnation, wherein he declared, “that he did wilfully oppose (although I often warned him to take heed,) until the fire of the Lord did burn within him; and he saw the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn in his hand, ready to cut him off,” &c.

Notwithstanding the opposition at the meeting at Slaughterford, yet a very good and serviceable one it was; for occasion was thereby administered to answer their objections and cavils, and to open the services of women in and for the church. At this the women’s meetings, for that county, were established in the blessed power of God.

After this I went to MARLBOROUGH and had a meeting there, to which some of the magistrates came, and were civil and moderate. Then passing to Bartholomew Maylin’s, I had a very precious meeting there; and then went a little beyond OARE, where we had a blessed meeting, and very large, as we had also soon after upon the border of HAMPSHIRE. Then turning into OXFORDSHIRE, we visited Friends there; and then went to READING, where we had a large meeting. Thence passing into BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, we had many precious meetings in that county. After which we visited Friends till we came to KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES, where my wife and her daughter Rachel met me. I made no long stay at Kingston, but went to LONDON, where I found the Baptists and Socinians, with some old apostates, grown very rude, having printed many books against us; so that I had a great travail in the Lord’s power, before I could get clear of that city. But blessed be the Lord, his power came over them, and all their lying, wicked, scandalous books were answered.

I made a short journey into some parts of ESSEX and MIDDLESEX, visiting Friends at their meetings, and their children at their schools, and returned soon to LONDON. After some service there among Friends, I went to KINGSTON, and thence to Stephen Smith’s in SURREY, where was a very large meeting, many hundreds of people attending it. I stayed in those parts till I had cleared myself of the service the Lord had given me to do there, and then returned by KINGSTON to LONDON, whither I felt my spirit drawn; having heard that many Friends were taken before the magistrates, and divers imprisoned in London and other towns, for opening their shop-windows on holidays and fast-days (as they were called,) and for bearing testimony against all such observations of days. Which Friends could not but do, knowing that the true Christians did not observe the Jews’ holidays in the apostles’ times, neither could we observe the Heathens’ and Papists’ holidays (so called) which have been set up amongst those called Christians, since the apostles’ days. For we were redeemed out of days by Christ Jesus, and brought into the day which hath sprung from on high, and are come into Him who is Lord of the Jewish Sabbath, and the substance of the Jews’ signs.

After I had stayed some time in London, labouring for some relief and ease to Friends in this case, I took leave of Friends there, and went into the country with my wife, and her daughter Rachel, to HENDON, in MIDDLESEX, and thence to William Penn’s at RICKMANSWORTH, in HERTFORDSHIRE, whither Thomas Lower (who married another of my wife’s daughters) came next day to accompany us in our journey northward. After we had visited Friends thereabouts, we passed to a Friend’s house near AYLESBURY, and thence to Bray Doily’s at ADDERBURY, in OXFORDSHIRE, where, on First-day, we had a large and precious meeting. Truth being well spread, and Friends in those parts much increased in number, two or three new meetings were then set up.

At night, as I was sitting at supper, I felt I was taken; yet I said nothing then to any one of it. But getting out next morning, we travelled into WORCESTERSHIRE, and went to John Halford’s, at ARMSCOTT, where we had a very large and precious meeting in his barn, the Lord’s powerful presence being eminently with and amongst us. After the meeting, Friends being most of them gone, as I was sitting in the parlour, discoursing with some Friends, Henry Parker, a justice, came to the house, and with him one Rowland Hains, a priest of HUNNINGTON, in WARWICKSHIRE. This justice heard of the meeting by means of a woman Friend, who being nurse to a child of his, asked leave of her mistress to go to the meeting to see me; and she, speaking of it to her husband, he and the priest plotted together to come and break it up and apprehend me. But from their sitting long at dinner, it being the day on which his child was sprinkled, they did not come till the meeting was over, and Friends mostly gone. But though there was no meeting when they came, yet I being in the house, who was the person they aimed at, Henry Parker took me, and Thomas Lower for company with me; and though he had nothing to lay to our charge, sent us both to Worcester jail, by a strange sort of mittimus; a copy of which here follows:—

“To the constables of Tredington, in the said county of Worcester, and to all constables and tithing-men of the several townships and villages within the said parish of Tredington, and to the keeper of the jail for the county of Worcester.

“Complaint being made to me, being one of His Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said county of Worcester, that within the said parish of Tredington in the same county, there has of late been several meetings of divers persons, to the number of four hundred persons and upwards at a time, upon pretence of exercise of religion, otherwise than what is established by the laws of England. And many of the said persons, some of them were teachers, and came from the North, and others from the remote parts of the kingdom; which tends to the prejudice of the reformed and established religion, and may prove prejudicial to the public peace. And it appearing to me that there was, this present day, such a meeting as aforesaid, to the number of two hundred or thereabouts, at Armscott, in the said parish of Tredington, and that George Fox of London, and Thomas Lower of the parish of Creed, in the county of Cornwall, were present at the said meeting, and the said George Fox was teacher or speaker of the said meeting; and no satisfactory account of their settlement or place of habitation appearing to me, and forasmuch as the said George Fox and Thomas Lower refused to give sureties to appear at the next sessions of the peace to be holden for the said county, to answer the breach of the common laws of England, and what other matters should be objected against them; these are, therefore, in His Majesty’s name, to will and require you, or either of you, forthwith to convey the bodies of the said George Fox and Thomas Lower to the county jail of Worcester aforesaid, and there safely to be kept, until they shall be from thence delivered by due course of law; for which this shall be your sufficient warrant in that behalf. Dated the 17th day of December, in the 25th year of His Majesty’s reign over England, &c.”

HENRY PARKER.

Being thus made prisoners, without any probable appearance of being released before the quarter sessions at soonest, we got some Friends to accompany my wife and her daughter into the North, and we were conveyed to WORCESTER jail. From whence, by that time I thought my wife could be got home, I wrote her the following letter:—

“DEAR HEART,

“Thou seemedst to be a little grieved when I was speaking of prisons, and when I was taken; be content with the will of the Lord God. For when I was at John Rous’s at Kingston, I had a sight of my being taken prisoner, and when I was at Bray Doily’s in Oxfordshire, as I sat at supper, I saw I was taken; and I saw I had a suffering to undergo. But the Lord’s power is over all; blessed be his holy name for ever!”

G. F.

When we had been some time in the jail, we thought fit to lay our case before the Lord Windsor, who was lord-lieutenant of Worcestershire, and before the deputy-lieutenants and other magistrates: which we did by the following letter:—

“These are to inform you, the lord-lieutenant (so called,) and the deputy-lieutenants, and the justices of the county of Worcestershire, how unchristianly and inhumanly we have been dealt withal by Henry Parker, a justice (so called,) in our journey towards the North. We coming to our Friend, John Halford’s house, on the 17th of the 10th month, 1673, and some Friends bringing us on the way, and others coming to visit us there, towards night there came the aforesaid justice, and a priest, called Rowland Hains, of Hunnington, in Warwickshire, and demanded our names and places of abode. And though we were not in any meeting, but were discoursing together when they came in, yet he made a mittimus to send us to Worcester jail.

“Now, whereas he says in his mittimus, ‘that complaint had been made to him of several by-past meetings of many hundreds at a time,’ we know nothing of that, nor do we think that concerns us. And whereas he says further, ‘that no satisfactory account of our settlement, or place of habitation appeared unto him.’ This he contradicts in his own mittimus, mentioning therein the places of our abode and habitation, the account of which we satisfactorily and fully gave him. And one of us (Thomas Lower) told him, that he was going down with his mother-in-law (who is George Fox’s wife,) and with his sister, to fetch up his own wife and child out of the North into his own country. And the other of us (George Fox) told him, that he was bringing forward his wife on her journey towards the North (who had been at London, to visit one of her daughters that had lately lain in.) And having received a message from his mother, an ancient woman in Leicestershire, that she earnestly desired to see him before she died, he intended, as soon as he had brought his wife on her journey as far as Cossall, in Warwickshire, to turn into Leicestershire, to visit his mother and relations there, and then to return to London again. But by his interrupting us on our journey, taking the husband from his wife, and the son from his mother and sister, and stopping him from visiting his wife and child so remote, we were forced to get strangers, or whom we could, to help them on their journey, to our great damage and their hinderance. We asked the priest, ‘whether this was his gospel, and their way of entertaining strangers?’ And we desired the justice to consider, ‘whether this was doing as he would be done by?’ But he said, ‘he had said it, and he would do it.’ And whereas he says, ‘we refused to give sureties;’ he asked only George Fox for sureties; who replied, ‘he was an innocent man, and knew no law he had broken;’ but he did not ask Thomas Lower for any, as if it had been crime and cause enough for his commitment, that he came out of Cornwall. If we were at a meeting, as he says in his mittimus, he might have proceeded otherwise than by sending us to jail, to answer the breach of the common laws; though he showed us no breach of any; as may be seen in the mittimus. We thought fit to lay before you the substance of his proceedings against us, hoping there will more moderation and justice appear in you towards us, that we may prosecute our intended journey.”

GEORGE FOX. THOMAS LOWER.

But no enlargement did we receive by our application to the Lord Windsor (so called.) And although Thomas Lower received several letters from his brother, Dr. Lower, who was one of the king’s physicians, concerning his liberty, and one, by his procurement, from Henry Savile, who was of the king’s bed-chamber, to his brother, called the Lord Windsor, to the same effect; yet seeing it related only to his enlargement, not mine, so great was his love and regard to me that he would not seek his own liberty singly, but kept the letter by him unsent. So we were continued prisoners till the next general quarter sessions; at which time divers Friends from several places being in the town, spoke to the justices concerning us, who answered fair and said we should be discharged. For many of the justices seemed to dislike the severity of Parker’s proceedings against us, and declared an averseness to ensnare us by the tender of the oaths. Some Friends also had spoken with Lord Windsor, who likewise answered them fair, so that it was the general discourse that we should be discharged. We heard also that Dr. Lower had procured a letter from Colonel Sands at London, to some of the justices in favour of us. Some of the justices also spoke to some Friends to acquaint us, that they would have us speak but little in the court, lest we should provoke any of the bench; and they would warrant we should be discharged.

We were not called till the last day of the sessions, which was the 21st of the 11th month, 1673. When we came in, they were stricken with paleness in their faces, and it was some time before anything was spoken; insomuch that a butcher in the hall said, “What, are they afraid? Dare not the justices speak to them?” At length, before they spoke to us, Justice Parker made a long speech on the bench, much to the same effect as was contained in the mittimus; often mentioning the common laws, but not instancing any that we had broken; adding, “that he thought it a milder course to send us two to jail, than to put his neighbours to the loss of two hundred pounds, which they must have suffered, had he put the law in execution against conventicles.” But in this he was either very ignorant or very deceitful, for there being no meeting when he came, or any to inform, he had no evidence to convict us, or his neighbours by.

When Parker had ended his speech, the justices spoke to us, and began with Thomas Lower, whom they examined as to the cause of his coming into that country; of which he gave them a full and plain account. Sometimes I put in a word while they were examining him, and then they told me, “they were upon his examination, but that when it came to my turn, I should have free liberty to speak, for they would not hinder me; but I should have full time, and they would not ensnare us.” When they had done with him, they asked me an account of my travel, which I gave them, as is mentioned before, but more largely. And whereas Justice Parker, to aggravate the case, had made a great noise of “there being some from London, some from the North, some from Cornwall, and some from Bristol, at the house where I was taken;” I told them, that “this was in a manner all but one family, for there was none from London, but myself; none from the North, but my wife and her daughter; none from Cornwall, but my son-in-law, Thomas Lower; nor any from Bristol, but one Friend, a merchant there; who met us, as it were, providentially, to assist my wife and her daughter in their journey homewards, when by our imprisonment they were deprived of our company and help.” When I had spoken, the chairman, whose name was Simpson, an old Presbyterian, said, “Your relation or account, is very innocent.”

Then he and Parker whispered a while together, and after that the chairman stood up and said, “You, Mr. Fox, are a famous man, and all this may be true which you have said; but, that we may be the better satisfied, will you take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy?” I told them, “they had said they would not ensnare us; but this was a plain snare; for they knew we could not take any oath.” However, they caused the oath to be read; and when they had done, I told them, “I never took an oath in my life, but I had always been true to the government; that I was cast into the dungeon at Derby, and kept a prisoner six months there, because I would not take up arms against King Charles at Worcester fight; and for going to meetings was carried up out of Leicestershire, and brought before Oliver Cromwell, as a plotter to bring in King Charles. And ye know,” said I, “in your own consciences, that we, the people called Quakers, cannot take an oath, or swear in any case, because Christ hath forbidden it. But as to the matter or substance contained in the oaths, this I can and do say, that I do own and acknowledge the king of England to be the lawful heir and successor to the realm of England; and do abhor all plots and plotters, and contrivances against him; and I have nothing in my heart but love and good-will to him and all men, and desire his and their prosperity; the Lord knows it, before whom I stand, an innocent man. And as to the oath of supremacy, I deny the Pope, and his power, and his religion, and abhor it with my heart.” While I was speaking, they cried, “give him the book;” and I said, “the book saith, ‘Swear not at all.’” Then they cried, “take him away, jailer;” and I still speaking on, they were urgent upon the jailer, crying, “take him away, we shall have a meeting here; why do you not take him away? that fellow (meaning the jailer) loves to hear him preach.” Then the jailer drew me away, and as I was turning from them, I stretched out my arm and said, “the Lord forgive you, who cast me into prison for obeying the doctrine of Christ.” Thus they apparently broke their promise in the face of the country; for they promised I should have free liberty to speak, but now they would not give it me; and they promised they would not ensnare us, yet now they tendered me the oaths on purpose to ensnare me.

After I was had away Thomas Lower was stayed behind in the court, and they told him, “he was at liberty.” Then he would have reasoned with them, asking them, “why I might not be set at liberty as well as he, seeing we were both taken together, and our case was alike?” But they told him, “they would not hear him,” saying, “you may be gone about your business, for we have nothing more to say to you, seeing you are discharged.” And this was all he could get from them. Wherefore after the court was risen, he went to speak with them at their chamber, desiring to know, “what cause they had to detain his father, seeing they had discharged him;” and wishing them to consider whether this was not partiality, and would be a blemish to them. Whereupon Simpson threatened him, saying, “if you be not content, we will tender you the oaths also, and send you to your father.” To which he replied, “they might do that, if they thought fit; but whether they sent him or not, he intended to go, and to wait upon his father in prison, for that was now his business in that country.” Then said Justice Parker to him, “Do you think Mr. Lower, that I had not cause to send your father and you to prison, when you had so great a meeting, that the parson of the parish complained to me, that he has lost the greatest part of his parishioners; so that when he comes among them, he has scarcely any auditors left?” “I have heard,” replied Thomas Lower, “that the priest of that parish comes so seldom to visit his flock (but once, it may be, or twice in a year, to gather up his tithes,) that it was but charity in my father to visit so forlorn and forsaken a flock; and therefore thou hadst no cause to send my father to prison for visiting them, or for teaching, instructing, and directing them to Christ, their true teacher, who had so little comfort or benefit from their pretended pastor, who comes amongst them only to seek for his ‘gain from his quarter.’” Upon this the justice fell a laughing, for it seems Dr. Crowder (who was the priest they spoke of) was then in the room, sitting among them, though Thomas Lower did not know him; and he had the wit to hold his tongue, and not undertake to vindicate himself in a matter so notoriously known to be true. But when Thomas Lower was come from them, the justices did so play upon Dr. Crowder, that he was pitifully ashamed, and so nettled with it that he threatened to sue Thomas Lower in the bishop’s court, upon an action of defamation. Which when Thomas Lower heard, he sent him word, that he would answer his suit, let him begin it when he would; and would bring his whole parish in evidence against him. This cooled the doctor. Yet some time after, he came to the prison, pretending that he had a mind to dispute with me, and to talk with Thomas Lower about that business; and he brought another with him, he himself being then a prebendary at Worcester.

When he came in, he asked me, “What I was in prison for?” “Dost thou not know that?” said I. “Wast not thou upon the bench when Justice Simpson and Parker tendered the oath to me? And hadst not thou a hand in it?” Then he said, “It is lawful to swear; and Christ did not forbid swearing before a magistrate; but swearing by the sun, and the like.” I bid him prove that by the Scriptures, but he could not. Then he brought that saying of Paul’s, “All things are lawful unto me,” 1 Cor. vi. 12. “And if,” said he, “all things were lawful unto him, then swearing was lawful unto him.” “By this argument,” said I, “thou mayest also affirm, that drunkenness, adultery, and all manner of sin and wickedness is lawful also, as well as swearing.” “Why,” said Dr. Crowder, “do you hold that adultery is unlawful?” “Yes,” said I, “that I do.” “Why then,” said he, “this contradicts the saying of St. Paul.” Thereupon I called to the prisoners and the jailer, to hear what doctrine Dr. Crowder had laid down as orthodox, viz., “that drunkenness, swearing, adultery, and such like things were lawful.” Then he said, “he would give it under his hand;” and took a pen, but wrote another thing than that which he had spoken. Then, turning to Thomas Lower, he asked him, “whether he would answer what he had there written?” who undertook it. Whereupon, when he had threatened Thomas Lower to sue him in the bishop’s court, for speaking so abusively (as he called it) of him before the justices, and Thomas had bid him begin when he pleased, for he would answer him, and bring his parishioners in evidence against him, he went away in a great fret, grumbling to himself as he went. A few days after Thomas Lower sent him an answer to the paper he had written and left with him; which answer a Friend of Worcester carried to him; and he read it and said, “he would reply to it;” but never did, though he often sent him word he would do it.

Soon after the sessions, the term coming on, an habeas corpus was sent down to Worcester for the sheriff to bring me up to the King’s Bench bar. Whereupon, the under-sheriff, having made Thomas Lower his deputy to convey me to London, we set out the 29th of the 11th Month, 1673, and came to LONDON the 2nd of the 12th; the ways being very deep, and the waters out. Next day, notice being given that I was brought up, the sheriff was ordered to bring me into court. I went accordingly, and appeared before Judge Wild; and both he and the lawyers were pretty fair, so that I had time to speak, to clear my innocency, and show my wrong imprisonment. After the return of the writ was entered, I was ordered to be brought into court again next day, the order of court being as follows:—

“WORCESTER. } Thursday, next after the morrow of the The King } Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, against } in the 26th Year of King Charles the George Fox. } Second.

“The defendant being brought here into court, upon a writ of ‘habeas corpus ad subjiciend’, &c., under the custody of the sheriff of the county aforesaid; it is ordered, That the Return unto the habeas corpus be filed, and the defendant is committed unto the marshal of this court, to be safely kept until, &c.

“By motion of Mr. G. STROUDE. “By the court.”

In the morning, I walked in the hall, till the sheriff came to me (for he trusted me to go whither I would,) and it being early, we went into the court of the King’s Bench, and sat there among the lawyers almost an hour till the judges came in. When they came in, the sheriff took off my hat; and after a while I was called. The Lord’s presence was with me, and his power I felt was over all. I stood and heard the king’s attorney, whose name was Jones, who indeed spoke notably on my behalf, as did also another counsellor after him; and the judges, who were three, were all very moderate, not casting any reflecting words at me. I stood still in the power and Spirit of the Lord, seeing how he was at work. When they had done, I applied to the chief justice to speak; and he said, I might. Then I related the cause of our journey, the manner of our being taken and committed, and the time of our imprisonment until the sessions; with a brief account of our trial there, and what I had offered to the justices then, as a declaration that I could make or sign, instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. When I had done, the chief justice said, “I was to be turned over to the King’s Bench, and the sheriff of Worcester to be discharged of me.” He said also “they would consider further of it; and if they found any error in the record, or in the justice’s proceedings, I should be set at liberty.” So a tipstaff was called to take me into custody, and he delivered me to the keeper of the King’s Bench, who let me go to a Friend’s house, where I lodged, and appointed to meet me at Edward Mann’s, in Bishopsgate Street, next day.

But after this, Justice Parker, or some other of my adversaries moved the court that I might be sent back to Worcester. Whereupon another day was appointed for another hearing, and they had four counsellors that pleaded against me. George Stroude, a counsellor, pleaded for me, and was pleading before I was brought into court; but they bore him down, and prevailed with the judges to give judgment, that “I should be sent down to Worcester sessions.” Only they told me, I might put in bail to appear at the sessions, and to be of good behaviour in the meantime. I told them, “I never was of ill behaviour in my life; and that they, the four judges, might as well put the oath to me there, as send me to Worcester to be ensnared by the justices, in their putting the oath to me, and then premuniring me, who never took an oath in my life.” But I told them, “if I broke my Yea and Nay, I was content to suffer the same penalty that they should who break their oaths.” This alteration of the judge’s minds in my case, proceeded, as was thought, from some false informations, that my adversary, Justice Parker, had given against me; for between the times of my former appearance and this, he had spread abroad a very false and malicious story, viz., “that there were many substantial men with me, out of several parts of the nation, when he took me; and that we had a design or plot in hand; and that Thomas Lower stayed with me in prison, long after he was set at liberty, to carry on our design.” This was spoken in the parliament house, insomuch, that if I had not been brought up to London when I was, I should have been stopped at Worcester, and Thomas would have been recommitted with me. But although these lies were easily disproved, and laid open to Parker’s shame, yet would not the judges alter their last sentence, but remanded me to Worcester jail; only this favour was granted, that I might go my own way, and at my own leisure; provided I would be without fail there by the assize, which was to begin the 2nd of the 2nd month following.

I stayed in and about London till toward the latter end of the 1st month, 1674, and then went down leisurely (for I was not able to bear hasty and hard travelling,) and came into WORCESTER on the last day of the 1st month, 1674, being the day before the judges came to town. On the 2nd of the 2nd month, I was brought from the jail to an inn near the hall, that I might be in readiness if I should be called. But not being called that day, the jailer came to me at night, and told me, “I might go home” (meaning to the jail.) Whereupon Gerrard Roberts of London being with me, he and I walked down together to the jail without any keeper. Next day being brought up again, they set a little boy of about eleven years old, to be my keeper. I came to understand that Justice Parker and the clerk of the peace had given order that I should not be put into the calendar, that so I might not be brought before the judge; wherefore I got the judge’s son to move in court that “I might be called;” and thereupon I was called, and brought up to the bar before Judge Turner, my old adversary, who had tendered me the oaths and premunired me once before at Lancaster.

After silence made, he asked me, “what I desired?” I answered, “My liberty, according to justice.” He said, “I lay upon the oath;” and asked, “if I would take it.” I desired he would hear the manner of my being taken and committed, and he being silent, I gave him an account thereof at large, as is before set down, letting him also know that “since my imprisonment I had understood that my mother, who was an ancient, tender woman, and had desired to see me before she died, hearing that I was stopped and imprisoned in my journey, so that I was not likely to come to see her, was so struck by it, that she died soon after: which was a very hard thing to me.” When I had done speaking, he again asked me “to take the oaths;” I told him I could not take any oath for conscience’ sake, and that I believed he and they all knew in their consciences, that it was for conscience’ sake I could not swear at all. I declared amongst them what I could say, and what I could sign, in owning the king’s right to the government, and in denying the Pope and his pretended powers, and all plotters, plots, and conspiracies against the government. Some thought the judge had a mind to set me at liberty, for he saw they had nothing justly against me; but Parker, who committed me, endeavoured to incense him against me, telling him, “that I was a ringleader; that many of the nation followed me, and he knew not what it might come to;” with many more envious words, which some that stood near took notice of: who also observed that the judge gave him no answer to it. However, the judge, willing to ease himself, referred me and my case to the sessions again, bidding the justices make an end of it there, and not trouble the assizes any more with me. So I was continued prisoner chiefly (as it seemed) through the means of Justice Parker, who, in this case, was as false as envious; for he had promised Richard Cannon, of London, who had acquaintance with him, that he would endeavour to have me set at liberty; yet he was the worst enemy I had in court, as some of the court observed and reported. Other justices were very loving, and promised that I should have the liberty of the town, to lodge at a Friend’s house till the sessions; which accordingly I had, and the people were very civil and respectful to me.

Between this time and the sessions, I had some service for the Lord, with several people that came to visit me. At one time three nonconformist priests and two lawyers came to discourse with me; and one of the priests undertook to prove, “that the Scriptures are the only rule of life.” Whereupon, after I had plunged him about his proof, I had a fit opportunity to open unto them “the right and proper use, service, and excellency of the Scriptures; and also to show, that the Spirit of God, which was given to everyone to profit withal—the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, and which hath appeared unto all men, and teacheth them that obey it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; that this, I say, is the most fit, proper, and universal rule, which God hath given to all mankind to rule, direct, govern, and order their lives by.”

Another time came a Common-Prayer priest, and some people with him. He asked me, “if I was grown up to perfection?” I told him, “what I was, I was by the grace of God.” He replied, “it was a modest and civil answer.” Then he urged the words of John, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” And he asked, “what did I say to that?” I said, with the same apostle, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us;” who came to destroy sin, and to take away sin. So there is a time for people to see that they have sinned, and there is a time for them to see that they have sin; and there is a time for them to confess their sin, and to forsake it, and to know “the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin.” Then the priest was asked, “whether Adam was not perfect before he fell? and whether all God’s works were not perfect?” The priest said, “there might be a perfection, as Adam had, and a falling from it.” But I told him, “there is a perfection in Christ, above Adam, and beyond falling; and that it was the work of the ministers of Christ, to present every man perfect in Christ; and for the perfecting of whom they had their gifts from Christ; therefore, they that denied perfection, denied the work of the ministry, and the gifts which Christ gave for the perfecting of the saints.” The priest said, “we must always be striving.” But I told him, “it was a sad and comfortless sort of striving, to strive with a belief that we should never overcome.” I told him also, “that Paul, who cried out of the body of death, did also ‘thank God, who gave him the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ So there was a time of crying out for want of victory, and a time of praising God for the victory. And Paul said, ‘there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.’” The priest said, “Job was not perfect.” I told him, “God said, Job was a perfect man, and that he did shun evil: and the Devil was forced to confess that ‘God had set a hedge about him,’ which was not an outward hedge, but the invisible heavenly power.” The priest said, “Job said, ‘He chargeth his angels with folly, and the heavens are not clean in his sight.’” I told him, “that was his mistake; for it was not Job who said so, but Eliphaz, who contended against Job.” “Well but,” said the priest, “what say you to that Scripture, ‘The justest man that is, sinneth seven times a day.’” “Why truly,” said I, “I say, there is no such Scripture;” and with that the priest’s mouth was stopped. Many other services I had with several sorts of people between the assizes and the sessions.

The next quarter sessions began the 29th of the 2nd month, and I was called before the justices. The chairman’s name was —— Street, who was a judge in the Welsh circuit; and he misrepresented me and my case to the country, telling them, “that we had a meeting at Tredington, from all parts of the nation, to the terrifying of the king’s subjects, for which we had been committed to prison: that for the trial of my fidelity the oaths were put to me; and having had time to consider of it, he asked me, ‘if I would now take the oaths?’” I desired liberty to speak for myself; and having obtained that, began first to clear myself from those falsehoods he had charged on me and Friends, declaring “that we had not any such meeting from all parts of the nation, as he had represented it; but that (except the Friend from whose house we came, and who came with us to guide us thither, and one Friend of Bristol, who came accidentally, or rather providentially, to assist my wife homewards after we were taken) they that were with me were part of my own family, being my wife, her daughter, and her son-in-law. And we did not meet in any way that would occasion terror to any of the king’s subjects, for we met peaceably and quietly, without arms; and I did not believe there could any one be produced that could truly say he was terrified with our meeting. Besides, I told them, we were but in our journey, the occasion whereof I now related as before. Then as to the oaths, I showed why I could not take them (seeing Christ hath forbidden all swearing), and what I could say or sign in lieu of them, as I had done before.” Yet they caused the oaths to be read to me again, and afterwards read an indictment also, which they had drawn up in readiness, having a jury ready also.

When the indictment was read, the judge asked me, “if I was guilty?” I said, “Nay, for it was a great bundle of lies, which I showed and proved to the judge in several particulars, which I instanced; asking him, if he did not know in his conscience that they were lies?” He said, “it was their form.” I said, “it was not a true form.” He asked me again, “whether I was guilty?” I told him “nay, I was not guilty of the matter, nor of the form; for I was against the Pope and Popery, and did acknowledge and should set my hand to that.” Then the judge told the jury what they should say, and what they should do, and what they should write on the backside of the indictment; and as he said, they did. But before they gave in their verdict, I told them, “that it was for Christ’s sake, and in obedience to his and the apostle’s command, that I could not swear; and therefore, said I, take heed what ye do, for before his judgment-seat ye shall all be brought.” The judge said, “this is canting.” I said, “If to confess our Lord and Saviour, and to obey his command, be called ‘canting’ by a judge of a court, it is to little purpose for me to say more among you: yet ye shall see that I am a Christian, and shall show forth Christianity, and my innocency shall be manifest.” So the jailer led me out of the court; and the people were generally tender, as if they had been in a meeting. Soon after I was brought in again, and the jury found the bill against me, which I traversed; and then I was asked to put in bail till the next sessions, and the jailer’s son offered to be bound for me. But I stopped him, and warned Friends not to meddle; for I told them, “there was a snare in that:” yet I told the justices, that I could promise to appear, if the Lord gave health and strength, and I were at liberty. Some of the justices were loving, and would have hindered the rest from indicting me, or putting the oath to me; but Justice Street, who was the chairman, said, “he must go according to law.” So I was sent to prison again; yet within two hours after, through the moderation of some of the justices, I had liberty given me to go at large till next quarter-sessions. These moderate justices, it was said, desired Justice Parker to write to the king for my liberty, or for a Noli prosequi, because they were satisfied I was not such a dangerous person as I had been represented. This, it was said, he promised them to do; but he did it not.

After I had got a copy of the indictment, I went to LONDON, visiting Friends as I went. When I came there, some that were earnest to get me out of the hands of those envious justices, that sought to premunire me at Worcester, would needs be tampering again, to bring me before the judges of the King’s Bench: whereupon I was brought again by a habeas corpus before them. I tendered them a paper, in which was contained what I could say instead of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, as follows:—

“This I do in the truth, and in the presence of God declare, that King Charles the Second is lawful king of this realm, and of all other his dominions; that he was brought in, and set up king over this realm by the power of God: and I have nothing but love and goodwill to him and all his subjects, and desire his prosperity and eternal good. I do utterly abhor and deny the Pope’s power and supremacy, and all his superstitions and idolatrous inventions: and do affirm, that he hath no power to absolve sin. I do abhor and detest his murdering of princes or other people, by plots or contrivances. And likewise I do deny all plots and contrivances, and plotters and contrivers against the king and his subjects; knowing them to be the works of darkness, the fruits of an evil spirit, against the peace of the kingdom, and not from the Spirit of God, the fruit of which is love. I dare not take an oath, because it is forbidden by Christ and the apostle; but if I break my Yea or Nay, let me suffer the same penalty as they that break their oaths.”

GEORGE FOX.

But the business being so far proceeded in at Worcester, they would not meddle in it, but left me to appear again before the justices, at the next general quarter-sessions at Worcester.

Meanwhile the YEARLY MEETING of Friends came on, at which (through the liberty granted me till the sessions) I was present, and exceedingly glorious the meetings were beyond expression; blessed be the Lord.

After the Yearly Meeting I set forward for Worcester, the sessions drawing on, which were held in the 5th month. When I was called to the bar, and the indictment read, some scruple arising among the jury concerning it, the judge of the court, Justice Street, caused the oaths to be read and tendered to me again. I told him, “I came now to try the traverse of my indictment, and that his tendering me the oaths anew, was a new snare.” I desired him to answer me a question or two; and asked him, “whether the oaths were to be tendered to the king’s subjects, or to the subjects of foreign princes?” He said, “to the subjects of this realm.” “Then,” said I, “you have not named me a subject in the indictment, and therefore have not brought me within the statute.” The judge cried, “Read the oath to him:” I said, “I require justice.” Again I asked him, “Whether the sessions ought not to have been held for the king and the body of the county?” He said, “Yes.” “Then,” said I, “you have there left the king out of the indictment; how then can you proceed upon this indictment to a trial between the king and me, seeing the king is left out?” He said, “the king was in before.” But I told him, “the king’s name being left out, here was a great error in the indictment, and sufficient, as I was informed, to quash it. Besides,” I told him, “that I was committed by the name of George Fox, of London; but now I was indicted by the name of George Fox, of Tredington, in the county of Worcester: and I wished the jury to consider, how they could find me guilty upon that indictment, seeing I was not of the place the indictment mentioned?” The judge did not deny that there were errors in the indictment; but said, “I might take my remedy in the proper place.” I answered, “Ye know we are a people that suffer all things, and bear all things; and therefore ye thus use us, because we cannot revenge ourselves; but we leave our cause to the Lord.” The judge said, “The oath has been tendered to you several times, and we will have some satisfaction from you concerning the oath.” I offered them the same declaration instead of the oath, which I had offered to the judges above; but it would not be accepted.

Then I desired to know, seeing they put the oath anew to me, whether the indictment was quashed or not? Instead of answering me, the judge told the jury, “they might go out.” Some of the jury were not satisfied; whereupon the judge told them, “they had heard a man swear that the oath was tendered to me the last sessions:” and then he told them what they should do. I told him, “he should leave the jury to their own consciences.” However, the jury, being put on by him, went forth, and soon came in again, and found me guilty. I asked the jury “how they could satisfy themselves to find me guilty upon that indictment, which was laid so false, and had so many errors in it?” They could make but little answer; yet one, who seemed to be the worst of them, would have taken me by the hand; but I put him by, saying, “How now Judas, hast thou betrayed me, and dost thou now come with a kiss?” So I bid him and them repent. Then the judge began to tell me, “how favourable the court had been to me.” I asked him, “how he could say so? Was ever any man worse dealt by than I had been in this case, who was stopped in my journey, when travelling upon my lawful occasions, and imprisoned without cause; and now had the oaths put to me only for a snare?” And I desired him to “answer me in the presence of the Lord, in whose presence we all were, whether this oath was not tendered me in envy?” He would not answer that, but said, “Would you had never come here to trouble us and the country.” I told him, “I came not thither of myself, but was brought, being stopped in my journey. I did not trouble them, but they had brought trouble upon themselves.” Then the judge told me, “what a sad sentence he had to tell me.” I asked him, “whether what he was going to speak was by way of passing sentence, or of information? For,” I told him, “I had many things to say, and more errors to assign in the indictment, besides those I had already mentioned, to stop him from giving sentence against me upon that indictment.” He said, “he was going to show me the danger of a premunire, which was the loss of my liberty, and of all my goods and chattels, and to endure imprisonment during life.” But he said, “he did not deliver this as the sentence of the court upon me, but as an admonition to me.” Then he bid the jailer take me away. I expected to be called again to hear the sentence; but when I was gone, the clerk of the peace (whose name was Twittey) asked him, as I was informed, “whether that which he had spoken to me should stand for sentence?” And he, consulting with some of the justices, told him, “Yes, that was the sentence, and should stand.” This was done behind my back, to save himself from shame in the face of the country.

Many of the justices, and the generality of the people, were moderate and civil; and John Ashley, a lawyer, was very friendly, both the time before and now, speaking on my behalf, and pleading the errors of the indictment for me; but Justice Street, who was the judge of the court, would not regard, but overruled all. This Justice Street said to some Friends in the morning before my trial, “that if he had been upon the bench the first sessions, he would not have tendered me the oath; but if I had been convicted of being at a conventicle, he would have proceeded against me according to that law; and that he was sorry that ever I came before him;” and yet he maliciously tendered the oath to me in the court again, when I was to have tried my traverse upon the indictment. But the Lord pleaded my cause, and met with both him and Justice Simpson, who first ensnared me with the oath at the first sessions; for Simpson’s son was arraigned not long after, at the same bar, for murder. And Street, who, as he came down from London, after the judges had returned me back from the King’s Bench to Worcester, said, “Now I was returned to them, I should lie in prison and rot,” had his daughter, whom he so doted on that she was called his idol, brought dead from London in a hearse, to the same inn where he spoke those words, and brought to Worcester to be buried within a few days after. People took notice of the hand of God, how sudden it was upon him; but it rather hardened than tendered him, as his conduct afterwards showed.

After I was returned to prison, several came to see me; and amongst others, the Earl of Salisbury’s son, who was very loving, and troubled that they had dealt so wickedly by me. He stayed about two hours with me, and took a copy of the errors in the indictment in writing.

The sessions being now over, and I fixed in prison by a premunire, my wife came out of the North to be with me; and the assizes coming on, in the sixth month, the state of my case being drawn up in writing, she and Thomas Lower delivered it to Judge Wild. In it were set forth the occasion of my journey; the manner of my being taken and imprisoned; the proceedings of the several sessions against me; and the errors in the indictment by which I was premunired. When the judge had read it, he shook his head, and said, “we might try the validity or invalidity of the errors, if we would;” and that was all they could get from him.

While I lay in prison, it came upon me to state our principle to the king; not with particular relation to my own sufferings, but for his better information concerning our principle, and us as a people.

“TO THE KING.

“The principle of the Quakers is the Spirit of Christ, who died for us, and is risen for our justification; by which we know that we are his. He dwelleth in us by his Spirit; and by the Spirit of Christ we are led out of unrighteousness and ungodliness. It brings us to deny all plottings and contrivings against the king, or any man. The Spirit of Christ brings us to deny all manner of ungodliness, as lying, theft, murder, adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness, debauchery, malice, hatred, deceit, cozening, and cheating whatsoever, and the devil and his works. The Spirit of Christ brings us to seek the peace and good of all men, and to live peaceably; and leads us from such evil works and actions as the magistrates’ sword takes hold upon. Our desire and labour are, that all, who profess themselves Christians, may walk in the Spirit of Christ; that they, through the Spirit, may mortify the deeds of the flesh, and by the sword of the Spirit cut down sin and evil in themselves. Then the judges and other magistrates would not have so much work in punishing sin in the kingdom; neither then need kings or princes fear any of their subjects; if they all walked in the Spirit of Christ; for the fruits of the Spirit are love, righteousness, goodness, temperance, &c.

“If all, that profess themselves Christians, walked in the Spirit of Christ, and by it did mortify sin and evil, it would be a great ease to the magistrates and rulers, and would free them from much trouble; for it would lead all “to do unto others, as they would have others to do unto them;” and so the royal law of liberty would be fulfilled. For if all, that are called Christians, did walk in the Spirit of Christ, by it to have the evil spirits and its fruits mortified and cut down in them; then, not being led by the evil spirit, but by the good Spirit of Christ, the fruits of the good Spirit would appear in all. For as people are led by the good Spirit of Christ, it leads them out of sin and evil, which the magistrates’ sword takes hold of, and so would be an ease to the magistrates. But as people err from this good Spirit of Christ, and follow the evil spirit, which leads them into sin and evil; that spirit brings the magistrate into much trouble, to execute the law upon the sinners and transgressors of the good Spirit. That Spirit which leads people from all manner of sin and evil, is one with the magistrates’ power, and with the righteous law; for the law being added because of transgression, that Spirit that leads out of transgression, must needs be one with that law that is against transgressors. So that Spirit which leads out of transgression, is the good Spirit of Christ, and is one with the magistrates in the higher power, and owns it and them; but that spirit which leads into transgression, is the bad spirit, is against the law, against the magistrates, and makes them much troublesome work.

“Now the manifestation of the good Spirit is given to every man to profit withal; and no man can profit in the things of God, but by the Spirit of God, which brings to deny all sin and evil. It is said of Israel, Neh. ix., ‘The Lord gave them his good Spirit to instruct them, yet they rebelled against it.’ But if all people did mind this manifestation of the Spirit, which God hath given to instruct them, it would lead them to forsake all manner of sin and evil, enmity, hatred, malice, and all manner of unrighteousness and ungodliness, and to mortify it. And then in the Spirit of Christ they would have fellowship and unity, which is the bond of peace; then would love and peace, which are the fruits of the good Spirit, flow among all that are called Christians.

“We are a people, who, in tenderness of conscience to the command of Christ and his apostle, cannot swear; for we are commanded in Matt. v. and James v. to keep to Yea and Nay, and ‘not to swear at all; neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, lest we go into evil, and fall into condemnation.’ The words of Christ are these, ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said by (or to) them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.’ These were true and solemn oaths, which they who made, ought to have performed in old time; but these Christ and his apostle forbid in the gospel times, as well as false and vain oaths. If we could take any oath at all, we could take the oath of allegiance, as knowing that King Charles was by the power of God brought into England, and set up king of England, &c., over the heads of our old persecutors; and as for the Pope’s supremacy, we do utterly deny it. But Christ and the apostle having commanded us not to swear, but to keep to Yea and Nay, we dare not break their commands; and therefore many have put the oaths to us, as a snare, that they might make a prey of us. Our denying to swear is not in wilfulness, stubbornness, or contempt, but only in obedience to the command of Christ and his apostle, and we are content, if we break our Yea and Nay, to suffer the same penalty that they should who break their oaths. We desire, therefore, that the king would take this into consideration, and also how long we have suffered in this case. This is from one who desires the eternal good and prosperity of the king, and of all his subjects in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

G. F.

About this time I had a fit of sickness, which brought me very low and weak in my body; and I continued so a pretty while, insomuch that some Friends began to doubt of my recovery. I seemed to myself to be amongst the graves and dead corpses; yet the invisible power did secretly support me, and conveyed refreshing strength into me, even when I was so weak, that I was almost speechless. One night, as I was lying awake upon my bed in the glory of the Lord, which was over all, it was said unto me, “that the Lord had a great deal more work for me to do for him, before he took me to himself.”

Endeavours were used to get me released, at least for a time, till I was grown stronger; but the way of effecting it proved difficult and tedious; for the king was not willing to release me by any other way than a pardon, being told he could not legally do it; and I was not willing to be released by a pardon, which he would readily have given me, because I did not look upon that way as agreeable with the innocency of my cause. Edward Pitway, a Friend, having occasion to speak with Justice Parker, upon some other business, desired him to give order to the jailer, that, in regard of my weakness, I might have liberty to go out of the jail into the city. Whereupon Justice Parker wrote the following letter to the jailer, and sent it to the Friend to deliver.

“MR. HARRIS,

“I have been much importuned by some friends to George Fox to write to you. I am informed by them, that he is in a very weak condition, and very much indisposed; what lawful favour you can do for the benefit of the air for his health, pray show him. I suppose, the next term they will make application to the king.

“I am, Sir, your loving friend, “HENRY PARKER.”

Evesham, the 8th of October, 1674.

After this, my wife went to London, and spoke to the king, laying before him my long and unjust imprisonment, with the manner of my being taken, and the justices’ proceedings against me, in tendering me the oath as a snare, whereby they had premunired me; so that I being now his prisoner, it was in his power, and at his pleasure, to release me, which she desired. The king spoke kindly to her, and referred her to the lord-keeper; to whom she went, but could not obtain what she desired; for he said, “the king could not release me otherwise than by a pardon;” and I was not free to receive a pardon, knowing I had not done evil. If I would have been freed by a pardon, I need not have lain so long, for the king was willing to give me pardon long before, and told Thomas Moore, “that I need not scruple being released by a pardon, for many a man, that was as innocent as a child, had had a pardon granted him;” yet I could not consent to have one. For I had rather have lain in prison all my days, than have come out in any way dishonourable to truth; wherefore I chose to have the validity of my indictment tried before the judges. And thereupon, having first had the opinion of a counsellor upon it (Thomas Corbet, of London, whom Richard Davies of Welchpool was well acquainted with, and recommended to me), an habeas corpus was sent down to Worcester to bring me up once more to the King’s Bench bar, for the trial of the errors in my indictment. The under-sheriff set forward with me the 4th of the 12th Month, there being with us in the coach the clerk of the peace and some others. The clerk had been my enemy all along, and now sought to ensnare me in discourse; but I saw, and shunned him. He asked me, “what I would do with the errors in the indictment?” I told him, “they should be tried, and every action should crown itself.” He quarrelled with me for calling their ministers priests. I asked him, “if the law did not call them so?” Then he asked me, “What I thought of the church of England? were there no Christians among them?” I said, “they are all called so, and there are many tender people amongst them.”

We came to LONDON on the 8th, and on the 11th I was brought before the four judges at the King’s Bench, where Counsellor Corbet pleaded my cause. He started a new plea; for he told the judges, “that they could not imprison any man upon a premunire.” Whereupon Chief Justice Hale, said, “Mr. Corbet, you should have come sooner, at the beginning of the term, with this plea.” He answered, “we could not get a copy of the return and the indictment.” The judge replied, “you should have told us, and we would have forced them to make a return sooner.” Then said Judge Wild, “Mr. Corbet, you go upon general terms; and if it be as you say, we have committed many errors at the Old Bailey, and in other courts.” Corbet was positive that by law they could not imprison upon a premunire. The judge said, “there is summons in the statute.” “Yes,” said Corbet, “but summons is not imprisonment; for summons is in order to a trial.” “Well,” said the judge, “we must have time to look in our books and consult the statutes.” So the hearing was put off till the next day.

The next day they chose rather to let this plea fall, and begin with the errors of the indictment; and when they came to be opened, they were so many and gross, that the judges were all of opinion that, “the indictment was quashed and void, and that I ought to have my liberty.” There were that day several great men, lords and others, who had the oaths of allegiance and supremacy tendered to them in open court, just before my trial came on; and some of my adversaries moved the judges, that the oaths might be tendered again to me, telling them, “I was a dangerous man to be at liberty.” But Judge Hale said, “he had indeed heard some such reports, but he had also heard many more good reports of me;” and so he and the rest of the judges ordered me to be freed by proclamation. Thus after I had suffered imprisonment a year and almost two months for nothing, I was fairly set at liberty upon a trial of the errors in my indictment, without receiving any pardon, or coming under any obligation or engagement at all; and the Lord’s everlasting power went over all, to his glory and praise. Counsellor Corbet, who pleaded for me, obtained great fame by it, for many of the lawyers came to him, and told him he had brought that to light which had not been known before, as to the not imprisoning upon a premunire; and after the trial a judge said to him, “You have attained a great deal of honour by pleading George Fox’s cause so in court.”

During the time of my imprisonment in Worcester, notwithstanding my illness and want of health, and my being so often hurried to and fro to London and back again, I wrote several books for the press; one of which was called, A Warning to England. Another was, To the Jews, proving, by the Prophets, that the Messiah is come. Another, Concerning Inspiration, Revelation, and Prophecy. Another, Against all Vain Disputes. Another, For all Bishops and Ministers to try themselves by the Scriptures. Another, To such as say, “We love none but ourselves.” Another entitled, Our Testimony concerning Christ. And another little book, Concerning Swearing; being the first of those two that were given to the parliament. Besides these, I wrote many papers and epistles to Friends to encourage and strengthen them in their services for God, which some, who had made profession of truth, but had given way to a seducing spirit, and were departed from the unity and fellowship of the gospel, in which Friends stand, endeavoured to discourage them from, especially in their diligent and watchful care for the well-ordering and managing of the affairs of the church of Christ.

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Footnote 33:

An officer who had power to force men to serve as sailors and soldiers in the navy; a procedure long since abolished.

Footnote 34:

This is nearly the last mention of James Lancaster, whose name occurs so often in these volumes. Perhaps there was no one who associated so much in gospel labours with George Fox as he; not only accompanying him throughout his visit to the western hemisphere, but was also with him during his visit to Scotland in 1657, and to Ireland in 1669, and on these occasions it appears that he frequently acted as his amanuensis. James Lancaster’s residence was on the island of Walney, in Lancashire, and he was convinced by George Fox during his visit to that county in 1652. In the following year he came forth as a minister and in 1654, went on a gospel mission to Scotland with Miles Halhead. In 1665, he visited many of the midland counties of England.

Footnote 35:

When George Fox married the widow of Judge Fell, she had one son; and seven daughters; viz., Margaret, who married John Rous; Bridgett, married to John Draper; Isabel; Sarah, married to William Mead; Mary, married to Thomas Lower; Susanna, married to William Ingram; and Rachel, married to Daniel Abraham.

Vol. II, Chapter VII (1675-1677)

CHAPTER VII.

1675-1677.—George Fox attends the Yearly Meeting, and afterwards sets forward towards the North—attends the Quarterly Meeting at Lancaster, and goes thence to Swarthmore—writes many books and papers for the Truth—the titles of several named—writes to Friends in Westmorland to keep in the power of God, and thereby avoid strife—writes an epistle to the Yearly Meeting—makes a collection and arrangement of his various papers and writings, and of the names of divers Friends engaged in particular service, or against the Truth—some meetings for discipline established in the North in 1653—recites his labours and travels for establishing meetings for discipline—a spirit of discord and separation appears in the church—the separatists are rebuked and reproved—the establishment of men’s and women’s meetings is much opposed—a narrative of the spreading of Truth, and of the opposition from the worldly powers—death of Priest Lampitt, a persecutor—George Fox travels again towards the South—writes to his wife from York—finds some slack in their testimony against Tithes—writes an epistle to Friends on the subject—attends the Yearly Meeting—with John Burnyeat, and other Friends, visits Wm. Penn at his house at Worminghurst, in Sussex—sets things in order for visiting Holland—precious meeting.

Being now at liberty, I visited Friends in LONDON; and having been very weak, and not yet well recovered, I went to KINGSTON. I did not stay long, but having visited Friends there, I returned to LONDON, wrote a paper to the parliament, and sent several books to them. A great book against Swearing had been delivered to them a little before; the reasonableness whereof had so much influence upon many of them, that it was thought they would have done something towards our relief, if they had sat longer. I stayed in and near London till the Yearly Meeting, to which Friends came from most parts of the nation, and some from beyond the sea. A glorious meeting we had in the everlasting power of God.

This meeting being over, and the parliament also risen (who had done nothing for or against Friends,) I was clear of my service for the Lord at London. And having taken my leave of Friends there, and had a glorious meeting with some of them at John Elson’s in the morning, I set forward with my wife and her daughter Susan, by coach (for I was not able to travel on horseback) towards the North; many Friends accompanying us as far as HIGHGATE, and some to DUNSTABLE, where we lodged that night. We visited Friends, and were visited by them, at NEWPORT-PAGNEL, NORTHAMPTON, and COSSALL, where, amongst others, came a woman, and brought her daughter, for me to see how well she was; putting me in mind, “that when I was there before, she had brought her to me, much troubled with the disease called the king’s evil, and had then desired me to pray for her;” which I did, and she grew well upon it, praised be the Lord! From Cossall we went on by John Simcock’s and William Gandy’s, to WARRINGTON and PRESTON, and so to LANCASTER.

I had not been at Lancaster since I was carried prisoner from thence by the under-sheriff and jailer, towards Scarbro’ Castle. I found the town full of people; for it was both the fair time, and the trained bands were met upon a general muster. Many Friends were also in town from several parts of the county, because the Quarterly Meeting was to be there the next day. I stayed two nights and a day at Lancaster, and visited Friends both at their men’s and women’s meetings, which were very full, large, and peaceable; for the Lord’s power was over all, and none meddled with us. Here met us Thomas Lower and his wife, Sarah Fell, James Lancaster, and Leonard Fell. Next day after the meeting, being the 25th of the 4th Month, we went over the Sands, with several other Friends, to SWARTHMORE.

After I had been a while at Swarthmore, several Friends from divers parts of the nation came to visit me, and some out of Scotland; by whom I understood that four young students of Aberdeen were convinced there this year, at a dispute held there by Robert Barclay, and George Keith, with some of the scholars of that university.[36]

Among others Colonel Kirby paid me a visit, who had been one of my great persecutors; but now, he said, he came to bid me welcome into the country; and carried himself in appearance very lovingly. Yet before I left Swarthmore, he sent for the constables of Ulverstone, and ordered them to tell me, “that we must have no more meetings at Swarthmore; for if we had, they were commanded by him to break them up; and they were to come the next First-day.” That day we had a very precious meeting, the Lord’s presence was wonderfully amongst us, and the constables did not come to disturb us. The meetings have been quiet since, and have increased.

The illness I got in my imprisonment at Worcester had so much weakened me, that it was long before I recovered my natural strength again. For which reason, and as many things lay upon me to write, both for public and private service, I did not stir much abroad during the time that I now stayed in the North; but when Friends were not with me, spent much time in writing for truth’s service. While I was at Swarthmore, I gave several books to be printed. One, Concerning Swearing. Another, showing, “that none are successors to the Prophets and Apostles, but who succeed them in the same power and Holy Ghost that they were in.” Another, “that Possession is above Profession, and how the professors now do persecute Christ in Spirit, as the professing Jews did persecute him outwardly in the days of his flesh.” Also the eight following books, viz.:—To the Magistrates of Dontzic; Cain against Abel, or, an Answer to the New Englandmen’s Laws; To Friends at Nevis, concerning Watching;[37] A General Epistle to all Friends in America; Concerning Cæsar’s due, and God’s due, &c.; Concerning the Ordering of Families; The Spiritual Man judgeth all things; Concerning the Higher Power.

Besides these, I wrote several epistles to Friends, both in England, and beyond the seas; and answers to divers papers concerning “the running out of some, who had opposed the order of the gospel, and had stirred up much strife and contention in Westmorland.” Wherefore I was moved to write a few lines, particularly to Friends there.

“THIS IS FOR FRIENDS IN WESTMORLAND.

“All live in the power of God, in his Light and Spirit, which first convinced you; that in it ye may keep in the ancient unity, in humility, in the fear of the Lord, and his gentle and peaceable wisdom, which is easy to be entreated; that in the same Power, Light, and Spirit of God, ye may all be serviceable in your men’s and women’s meetings, in the possession of the gospel-order; which gospel, the power of God, hath brought life and immortality to light; that in this ye may see over him that hath darkened you. In this power, the glorious gospel, no apostates can come; for the power of God was before apostates were, or the fall of man and woman was, or the devil either, and will be when he is gone. Therefore praise God in the eternal fellowship of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, which is not of man, nor by man. And therefore, all Friends in Westmorland, keep in the power of God, which will and must preserve and cover you, if ye be preserved. Let your faith stand in the power of God, and not in the wisdom of men’s words, lest ye fall. In God’s power ye have peace, life, and unity; and for want of keeping in God’s power, and in his righteousness and Holy Ghost, is all this strife come among you.”

G. F.

I also wrote the following general epistle to Friends at the Yearly Meeting in London:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN,

“Whom the Lord hath preserved by his eternal power to this day, over and through many troubles, storms, tempests, and prisons. Let, therefore, every one’s faith stand in the power of God, which is over the Devil and was before him. So your faith standing in the invisible power of God, stands in that which does not change; and the faith, that Christ Jesus, the power of God, is the author of, must stand in the power of God; so then it stands in that which is over all, in which they are established. To this the apostle brought the church, the true Christians; and so now the faith of all true Christians, which Christ is the author of, must stand in the power of God, in which the everlasting kingdom stands. As every one’s faith stands in the power of God, it keeps all in the power of godliness.

“For as it was in the days of the apostles, when some were crying up Paul and Apollos, and so forth, he judged them as carnal; and exhorted and admonished them, that their faith should not stand in men, nor in the words of man’s wisdom, but in the power of God. He said ‘he would not know the speech of them, but the power amongst them; for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.’ So it is to be now. Every one’s faith must stand in the power of God, and not in men, nor in their speeches or good words. For we have seen by experience, when any begin to cry up men, and their faith stands in them, such men as would have people’s faith stand in them, love popularity, and bring not people’s faith to stand in the power of God. Such cannot exalt Christ; and when such fall, they draw a great company after them. Therefore the apostle would not know such after the flesh, but would know them that were in the power and Spirit; and struck down every one’s faith that stood in the words of man’s wisdom, that they might stand in the power of God. So it must be now. They whose faith doth not stand in the power of God, cannot exalt his kingdom that stands in power; therefore every one’s faith must stand in the power of God.

“The apostle denied popularity, when he judged the Corinthians, for looking at Paul and Apollos, to be carnal; such are carnal still. Therefore all should know one another in the Spirit, life, and power, and look at Christ; this keeps all in humility. They, whose faith stands in men, will make sects; as in the days of J. N. and J. P. and others. The faith of such Christ is not the author of; and if he hath been, they have erred from it, and made shipwreck of it. All that are in the true faith, that stands in the power of God, will judge them as carnal, and judge down that carnal part in them, that cries up Paul or Apollos; that their faith may stand in the power of God, and that they may exalt Christ, the author of it. For every one’s eye ought to be to Jesus; and every just man and woman may live by their faith, which Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of. By this faith every man and woman may see God, who is invisible; this faith gives the victory, and by it he hath access to God. So every one’s faith and hope standing in the power of God, all therein have unity, victory, and access to God’s throne of grace; in which faith they please God. By this faith they are saved;—by this faith they obtain the good report, and subdue all the mountains that have been betwixt them and God.

“This power hath preserved Friends over their persecutors, over the wrath of men, and above the spoilings of their goods, and imprisonments; as seeing God who created all—who gives the increase of all, and upholds all by his word and power. Therefore let every one’s faith be in his power. In this no schism or sect can come; for it is over them, before they were, and will be when they are gone. But perfect unity is in the truth, in the Spirit, that circumcises the body of death, that puts off the sins of the flesh, and plunges it down with the Spirit. In the Spirit of God, there is perfect fellowship; and Christ is the minister of this circumcision and baptism.

“This is upon me from the Lord, to write unto you, that every one of you, whose faith Jesus is the author of, may stand in the power of God. From the Lord I warn you, and all everywhere, of the same. For if a star should fall, which has been a light, either the earth or the sea does receive it; that is, the earthly mind, or the foaming, raging people; though neither the seed, light, power, nor truth ever fell, nor the faith itself, the gift of God; but men going from it, become unsavoury.

“Adam, whilst he kept in truth, and obeyed the command of God, was happy; but when he disobeyed the Lord, he fell under the power of Satan, and became unhappy, though he might talk after of his experiences in Paradise; but he had lost his image, his power and dominion, in which God had created him.

“The Jews received the law of God, and as long as they kept the law, which was just, holy, good, and perfect, it kept them good, just, holy, and savoury; but when they turned their backs on the Lord, and forsook his law, then they came under the power of darkness, under the powers of the earth, and were trodden under as unsavoury.

“So the Christians were called ‘a city set on a hill, the light of the world, and the salt of the earth;’ but when they forsook the power of God, and their faith stood in words and men, and not in the power, then their walls fell down, though the power in itself stood; and they lost their hill, their saltness, and their shining. And as Christendom now does confess, they are not in the same power and spirit that the apostles were in; so not in the same salt, nor upon the same hill. So they came to be trodden under; and the beast, the whore, and the false prophet are uppermost, the unsavoury. Their dead faith is in men, and in words; therefore they are full of sects, and one against another.

“And now the everlasting gospel, the power of God, is preached again, which was before the devil was, that darkened man; and by this power of God, life and immortality are brought to light again. Therefore every one’s faith is to stand in this power, that hath brought life and immortality to light in them, that so all may come to be heirs of the power of God, the gospel. Herein all have a right to the power of God, which is also the authority of the men’s and women’s meetings, and of all the other meetings set up thereby.

“Now, as the gospel is preached again, if your faith does not stand in the power, but in men, and in the wisdom of words, you will grow carnal; and such are for judgment, who cry up Paul or Apollos, and not Christ, the author of your faith. They who love to be popular, would have people’s faith to stand in them; and such do not preach Christ, but themselves. But such as preach Christ and his gospel, would have every man and woman to be in the possession of it, and every man and woman’s faith to stand in Christ, the author of it, and in the power of God. And as their faith stands in the power of God, nothing can get between them and God; for if any should fall amongst us, as too many have done, that [love of popularity] leads its followers either into the waters, or into the earth.

“If any should go from the spirit of prophecy, that did open to them, and from the power, they may speak their experiences, which the power opened to them formerly. So might Adam and Eve speak of what they saw and enjoyed in Paradise; so might Cain and Balaam of what they saw; and also the Jews, Korah and Dathan, who praised God on the banks, saw the victory over Pharaoh, ate of the manna, drank of the rock, came to Mount Sinai, and saw the glory of the Lord. So also might the false apostles speak of their experiences, and all those false Christians, that turned from the apostles and Christ. And so may those do now, that err from the Spirit, that are come out of Egypt (in spirit) and Sodom, and have known the raging of the Sodomites, as Lot did the outward; and the pursuit of the spiritual Egyptians, as the outward Jew did of the outward Egyptians; yet if they do not walk in the Spirit of God, in the light, and in the grace, which keeps their hearts established, and their words seasoned, and also their faith in the power of God, in which the kingdom stands; they may go forth like the false Christians, like the Jews, like Adam and Eve, Cain, Korah, and Balaam, and be wandering stars, trees without fruit, wells without water, and clouds without rain; and so come to be unsavoury and trodden down; as Adam who lost Paradise, and the Jews who lost the Holy Land, not walking in the law, and keeping the command of God; and as the Christians who lost the city, the hill, the salt, and the light since the apostle’s days, and came to be unsavoury, and to be trodden under foot of men.

“Therefore, let every one’s faith stand in the Lord’s power, which is over all; through which they may be built upon the Rock, the Foundation of God, the Seed Christ Jesus. So all in Christ may be always fresh and green; for he is the green tree that never withers. All are fresh and green that are grafted into and abide in him, bringing forth heavenly fresh fruits to the praise of God. And though Adam and Eve fell from Paradise, the Jews fell from the law of God, and many of the Christians fell from their prophecies, and erred from the faith, the Spirit, and the grace; and the stars have fallen, as was spoken in the Revelations: yet the Spirit, grace, faith, and power of God remain.

“Many such states have I seen within these twenty-eight years; though there is a state that shall never fall, nor be deceived, in the Elect before the world began. These are come to the end of the prophecies, are in Him where they end, and renewed by Christ into the image of God which man was in before he fell,—in that power where he had dominion over all that God made: and not only so, but they ‘attain to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,’ who never fell. In him is the sitting down in life eternal, where their feet stand sure and fast in the gospel, his power. Here their bread is sure; and he that eats this bread lives for ever.

“And all Friends and brethren, that declare God’s eternal truth, and word of life, live in it; be seasoned with grace, and salted with the heavenly salt, that your lives and conversations may preach wherever you come;—that there be no rawness, no quenching of the Spirit, no despising of prophecy either in men or women. For all must meet in the faith that Jesus is the author of, and in the light that comes from Jesus, and be so grafted into the life, that your knowledge may be there one of another, in Christ; and that there may be none slothful, nor sitting down in earthly things, minding them, like Demas of old; lest you clothe yourselves with another clothing than you had at first; but all keep chaste; for the chaste do follow the Lamb.

“And Friends, that are settled in places, and are ministers, possess, as if ye did not; be married, as if ye were not; and be loose to the world in the Lord’s power; for God’s oil will be above all visible things, which makes his lamps burn, and gives light afar off. Let none strive nor covet to be rich in this world, in these changeable things that will pass away; but let your faith stand in the Lord God, who changes not, who created all, and gives the increase of all.

“Now Friends, concerning faithful men’s and women’s meetings, which were set up in God’s counsel; whoever oppose them, and the authority and tenure of them, oppose the power of God, which is the authority of them. They are no ministers of the gospel, nor of Christ, that oppose his power, which all are to possess. The gospel is to be preached to all nations: as deceit is gone over all nations, and all nations have drunk the whore’s cup, and she hath them in her cage, her unclean power from the beast and dragon, out of the power of God, and out of truth, and the Spirit of God the apostles were in; the power of God must come over all this again; and all the true ministers that preach the gospel, the power of God, must bring people into the possession of it again. I say, whosoever preaches the gospel of Christ and him to people or nations, those people and nations receiving the gospel, receive the power of God, that brings life and immortality to light in them; they see over the devil that hath darkened them, and over the beast, the whore, and her cage. So, by the power of God, life and immortality are brought to light in them; then these men and women, being heirs of this power, the gospel, are heirs of authority and power over the devil, beast, whore, and dragon.

“This is their possession and portion; and they are to labour in their possession and portion, and do God Almighty’s business and service in the possession of the power of God, the gospel, which is a joyful, glorious, everlasting order. And here is the authority of our men’s and women’s meetings, and other meetings in the name of Jesus, the gospel of Christ, the power of God, which is not of man, nor by man. In this are all to meet and to worship God; by this are all to act; and in this all have fellowship, a joyful fellowship, a joyful and comfortable assembly. This is the day when, in the eternal light, all are to take their possession of the gospel and its order, that power of God, which they are heirs of. All faithful men and women in every country, city, and nation, whose faith stands in the power of God, the gospel of Christ, who have received, and are in the possession of, this gospel, the power of God, have all right to the power in these meetings; for they are heirs of the power, which is the authority of the men’s and women’s meetings.

“So here is God’s choice (and not man’s) by his power, of his heirs; and they have all freedom in this gospel, the power of God, to go to the meetings, the men to the men’s, and the women to the women’s; for they are heirs of the power, which is not of man, nor by man, but from heaven, received in the Holy Ghost; and they see over enmity, and before it was, by the light, by the life, and immortality, which are brought to light in them.

“The devil, the author of enmity, cannot get into this authority, power, order, nor fellowship of the gospel; nor into this life, light, nor unity of the faith, which gives victory over him that hath separated man from God. Into the unity of this faith the serpent cannot come, nor into the worship of God in Spirit and truth can the devil come, or any enmity. And they that are in this, are in unity over him. Therefore, let every one’s faith stand in the power of God, the glorious gospel; and let all walk as becomes the gospel, and the order of it. As every one hath received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, and let him be their Lord and Orderer. For the preaching of the gospel of Christ Jesus is to the intent that all may come to be heirs of the gospel, and into the possession of it; and to be heirs of Christ and of his government, of the increase of which there is no end; who is over all in his righteousness, and over all in his light, life, power, and dominion. Therefore know one another in his power, his gospel, which is the authority of your meetings; know one another in Christ Jesus, who is able to restore man out of the state of the fall, into the image of God, into that power and dominion that man had before he fell, and into Himself that never fell, whence they shall go no more forth. Here is the rock and foundation of God that stands sure.

“And, Friends, be tender to the tender principle of God in all. Shun vain disputes and janglings, both amongst yourselves and others; for that many times is like a blustering wind that hurts and bruises the tender buds and plants. For the world, though they have the words, are out of the life; and the apostle’s disputing with them was to bring them to the life. And those disputers, that were amongst the Christians, about genealogies, circumcision, and the law, meats, drinks, and days, came to be the worst sort of disputers, whom the apostles judged; for such destroyed people from the faith. Therefore the apostles exhorted the churches, that every one’s faith should stand in the power of God, and to look at Jesus, the author of it. There every graft stands in Christ, the vine, quiet; where no blustering storms can hurt them; there is safety. There all are of one mind, one faith, one soul, one spirit, baptized into one body with the one Spirit, and made all to drink into one Spirit, one church, one head, that is heavenly and spiritual; one faith in this head, Christ, who is the author of it, and hath the glory of it; one Lord to order all, who is the baptizer into this one body. So Christ hath the glory of this faith out of every man and woman; and God through him hath his glory, the Creator of all in his power, the gospel that hath brought life and immortality to light in them; and their faith standing in it, they know the immortal God, serve and worship him, in his Spirit and in his truth; by which they are made God’s free men and women, free from him that is out of the truth.

“Now, Friends, you that have long been labourers, and have known the dealings of the Lord these twenty years (more or less,) as I have often said to you, draw up what you can, of those passages and sufferings which the Lord hath carried you through by his power, and how by him ye have been supported from the first; that the Lord may be exalted by his power now, and in ages to come, who hath been the only support, defence, and stay, of his people all along, over all to himself; to whom be all glory and praise for ever and ever, Amen. He deserves it in his church throughout all ages, from his living members, who return the praise to the living God, who lives and reigns over all, blessed for ever; who is the life, and strength, and health, and length of days of all his people. Therefore let there be no boasting, but in the Lord, and in his power and kingdom; this keeps all in humility.

“And, Friends, in the Lord’s power and truth, what good you can do for Friends in prison, or sufferers, by informing or helping them, every one bend yourselves to the Lord’s power and spirit, to do his will and his business; and in that all will have a fellow-feeling of one another’s condition, in bonds, or in what trials and tribulations soever; you will have a fellow-feeling one of another, having one head, one Lord, and being one body in him. For God’s heavenly flail hath brought out his seed, his heavenly plough hath turned up the fallow ground, and his heavenly seed is sown by the heavenly man, which brings forth fruits to the heavenly sower, in some fifty, sixty, and a hundred fold in this life; and such in the world without end will have life eternal. O, therefore, all keep within; let your lights shine, and your lamps burn, that you all may be wells full of the living water, and trees full of the living fruit of God’s planting, whose fruit is unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

“The Lord God of power preserve you all in his power. Let your faith stand therein, that you may have unity in the faith, and in the power; and by this faith and belief you may be all grafted into Christ, the sure root, where the eternal Sun of Righteousness shines, in the heavenly and eternal day, upon his plants and grafts. This sun never goes down; and the heavenly springs of life, and showers are known to water and nourish the grafts, and plants, and buds, that they may always be kept fresh and green, and never wither; bringing forth fresh and green, and living fruit, which is offered up to the living God, who is glorified in that you bear much fruit. The Lord God Almighty keep you, and preserve you all in his power, light, and life, over death and darkness; that therein you may spread his truth abroad, and be valiant for it upon the earth, answering that of God in all; that with it, the minds of people may be turned to him, so that with it they may come to know the Lord Christ Jesus in the new covenant, in which the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters do the sea. His life must go over death, and his light must go over darkness, and the power of God must go over the power of Satan.

“So, all ye that are in the light, life, and power, keep the heavenly fellowship in the heavenly power, the heavenly unity in the heavenly divine faith, and the unity of the Spirit, which is the bond of the heavenly Prince of princes’ peace; who bruises the head of the enemy, the adversary, and reconciles man to God, and all things in heaven and in the earth: a blessed reconciliation! Let every one’s faith stand in the power of God, which Jesus Christ is the author of; that all may know their crown of life. For all outward things without the substance, life, and power, areas the husk without the kernel, and do not nourish the immortal soul, nor the new-born babe; but that by which it is nourished, is the milk of the Word, whereby it groweth in the heavenly life, strength, and wisdom. The gospel is not of man, nor by man, but is the power of God, and answers the truth in all; all the possessors of it are to see that all walk according to it; which everlasting order is ordained of God already, and all the possessors of him possess their joy, their comfort, and salvation. My love unto you all, with him that reigns and is over all, from everlasting to everlasting.

“Dwell in the love of God, which passeth knowledge, and edifieth the living members of the body of Christ; which love of God you come to be built up in, and in the holy faith. This love of God will bring you to bear all things, endure all things, and hope all things. From this love of God which you have in Christ Jesus, nothing will be able to separate you; neither powers nor principalities, heights nor depths, things present nor things to come, prisons nor spoiling of goods, neither death nor life. The love of God keeps above all that which would separate from God, and makes you more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Therefore in this love of God dwell, that with the same love you may love one another, and all the workmanship of God—that you may glorify God with your bodies, souls, and spirits, which are the Lord’s. Amen.”

G. F.

“All Friends sit low in life, the Lord’s power. Keep your place in it, till the Lord and Master of the feast bid you ‘sit higher;’ lest you take the highest place, and be put down with shame. He that hath an ear, let him hear.”

G. F.

“Friends, take heed of speaking the things of God in the words that men’s wisdom hath taught; for those words will lift up the foolish, that have erred from the Spirit of God; which words and wisdom are for condemnation, and that which is lifted up by them, and they that thereby speak the things of God in them. So that old house, with its goods, must be thrown under the foot of the new birth.

“And, Friends, I desire that you may all keep the holy order, which is in the gospel, the glorious order in the power of God, which the devil is out of; which was before all his orders were, and before the world made any.

“This joyful order keeps all hearts pure to God, in everlasting peace, unity, and order; feel it, and keep the order of it, both men and women, and come to be heirs of the gospel, which brings life and immortality to light; and to see over that power of darkness, by Him who was before the power of death was. In this is the holy order of love and peace. So keep in this, that keeps you always pure; what men and women act in this, they act in that which will stand when the world is gone.

“There hath been some scruple about men’s and women’s meetings. Men and women in the gospel are heirs of the power, which was before the devil was; heirs of this, then enter into the possession of it, and do the Lord’s business therein. Everyone take the care of God’s honour, and keep all things in righteousness, in holiness which becomes God’s house, and in that which honours the Lord God. It eased me, when those meetings were set up; for men and women, that are heirs of the gospel, have right to the gospel order; and it belongs to them. Then take your possessions, and practise in it; be not talkers only, but live and walk in the gospel, the power of God, which is the authority of your meetings.”

G. F.

Swarthmore, the 28th of the 2nd Month, 1676.

[The above Epistle was read at the Yearly Meeting in London, the 17th of the 3rd Month, 1676.]

During this time I collected together as many as I could, of the epistles I had written in former years to Friends. I made a collection of the several papers that I had written to Oliver Cromwell, and his son Richard, in the time of their protectorships; and to the parliaments and magistrates that were in their times. I collected also the papers I had written to King Charles II. since his return, and to his council and parliaments, and the justices or other magistrates under him. I made another collection of certificates, which I had received from divers governors of places, judges, justices, parliament-men, and others, for the clearing of me from many slanders, which the envious priests and professors, both here and beyond the seas, had cast upon me. This I did for the truth’s sake, as knowing that their design in slandering me, was to defame the truth published by me, and hinder the spreading thereof amongst the people. Besides these, I made two books of collections; one was, a list or catalogue of the names of those Friends who went out of the North of England, when truth first broke forth there, to proclaim the day of the Lord through this nation. The other was of the names of those Friends that went first to preach the gospel in other nations, countries, and places, in what years, and to what parts they went.

I made another collection, in two books; one of epistles and letters from Friends and others, on several occasions, to me; the other of letters of mine to Friends and others.

I wrote also a book of the types and figures of Christ, with their significations; and many other things, which will be of service to truth and Friends in time to come.

I took notice also of those who had run out from truth, drawn others out after them, and turned against truth and Friends at several times since the first breaking forth of truth in this latter age, and what became of them; noting particularly the repentance and return of such of them as came back to truth again. Some ran quite out, and never returned, but were cut off in their gainsaying and rebellion; for the word and power of God hath blasted and is blasting them, and the holy seed hath ground, and is grinding them to pieces. I have observed, that they who have been convinced, and have not lived and walked in the truth, have been the worst enemies to the truth, and done most hurt amongst Friends in the truth, and to others. In these I have seen fulfilled what the Lord did long since show me, “that such should be greater deceivers than all the priests and professors.” For such as came as far as Cain, Balaam, Korah, and Dathan, and could “preach Christ,” and say, “they had preached in his name;” such as came to be apostles, and had tasted of the power of Christ, and then turned from it, could yet speak their old experiences, and have good words, like Korah and Balaam: but not keeping in the life and truth, they deceived the hearts of the simple. Such come to be of the devil, who abode not in the truth; as Cain, and all the Jews, that abode not in the truth, were. For though Cain did sacrifice to God, and did talk with God; and the Jews could talk of Abraham, Moses, and the prophets, yet Christ told them, “they were of their father, the devil.” In like manner, though they who are called Christians, can talk of Christ, and use his and his apostles’ and disciples’ words, yet not abiding in the truth, and power, and Spirit, that the apostles were in, they are of the devil, out of truth, and do his work. So are all those that have been convinced of God’s eternal truth since it sprang up in this nation, that have not abode in the light, and in the Spirit and power of Christ Jesus; but have turned against the power, and have opposed the work thereof; though they may retain their former experiences, and be able to speak many good words, yet not living in the life and power that gave them those experiences, they live in the power of darkness, which is of the devil: and by the light and truth both he and they are condemned; and must own their condemnation if ever they come to truth again. For to resist the heavenly power, and to oppose the workings and divine manifestations thereof through any, is not a light matter.

As I had been moved of the Lord to travel in his power round this nation, and in other parts, to preach the everlasting gospel, and to declare the Word of Life, which was in the beginning, through many imprisonments, hardships, sufferings, and trials; so I was afterwards moved to travel, in the same heavenly power, about the nation again (and to write to such places where I came not) to recommend to Friends the “setting up of the quarterly and monthly meetings in all counties, for looking after the poor, taking care for orderly proceedings in marriages; and other matters relating to the church of Christ;” though some meetings for this end were settled in the North of England, in the year 1653.

After this also, truth still spreading further over the nation, and Friends increasing in number, I was moved, by the same eternal power, to recommend the setting up of women’s meetings also; that all, both male and female, who had received the gospel, the Word of eternal Life, might come into the order of the gospel, brought forth by the power of God, and might act for God in the power, and therein do business and service for him in his church. All the faithful must labour in God’s vineyard, they being his hired servants, and he having given them the earnest of his Spirit. For a master that hires a servant, and gives him the earnest of his hire, expects he should do his work, after he knows his will, in the outward creation; so all God’s people, that are of the new creation, and have received the earnest of his Spirit, ought to labour with, by, and in his Spirit, power, and grace, and faith, in the light, in God’s vineyard, that they may have their wages when they have done God’s work and business in his day, which is eternal life. But none can labour in his vineyard, and do his work and will, but as they walk in the heavenly divine light, grace, and Spirit of Christ; which it hath been, and is, my travail and labour in the Lord to turn all to.

Some that professed truth, and had made a great show therein, being gone from the simplicity of the gospel into jangling, division, and a spirit of separation, endeavoured to discourage Friends (especially the women), from their godly care and watchfulness in the church over one another in the truth; opposing their meetings, which, in the power of the Lord, were set up for that end and service. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it among Friends, for the discovering of that spirit, by which those opposers acted, its work and way, by which it wrought, and to warn Friends of it, that they might not be betrayed by it:—

“All my dear Friends, Live in the seed of peace, Christ Jesus, in whom ye have life. That spirit that comes amongst you to raise up strife, is out of Christ; for it is the spirit that is not easy to be entreated, not gentle, so not of the wisdom of God, which is justified of her children. They that follow that spirit, are none of Wisdom’s children. There is a spirit that hath made a separation, and has been against men’s and women’s meetings; yet those of this spirit have set up one of their own, to which they have given power, and allow none to sit amongst them but such as they give power to, looking upon others as usurpers of authority. This spirit and its work is not of God, though it has made a jumble amongst some; and the path it may travel in, is through the earthly affections, amongst the unestablished, or apostates. But all that are in the life, Spirit, and light, in the grace, truth, and power of God, bar it out; and such as sit under their own vine, Christ Jesus, and are grafted into him, have no need of their exhortation or counsel; for the true believers are entered into their rest. Therefore all keep in the gospel of peace; and you that are heirs of the kingdom, keep in your possession of it.

“Some of this spirit have said to me, ‘they see no service in women’s meetings.’ My answer is, and hath been to such, if they be blind and without sight, they should not oppose others; for none impose anything upon them. God never received the blind for a sacrifice, neither can his people. But Christ has enlightened all; and to as many as receive him, he gives ‘power to become the sons of God.’ Such as are heirs of his power, and of his gospel, which brings life and immortality to light, can see over him that has darkened them; and all such keep the order of the gospel, the power of God, and their meetings therein, which preserves them in life and immortality. These see the great service of men’s and women’s meetings, in the order of the gospel, the power of God; for they are meet-helps in this power, which is the authority of their meetings.

“Now I say to all of you, that are against women’s meetings or the men’s, and say, ‘you see no service for the women’s meetings,’ and oppose them, you are therein out of the power of God, and his Spirit you live not in. For God saw a service for the assemblies of the women in the time of the law, about those things that appertained to his worship and service, and to the holy things of his tabernacle; and so they in his Spirit see now their service in the gospel; many things in these meetings being more proper for the women than the men; and they in the power and wisdom of God may inform the men of such things as are not proper for them; and the men may inform the women of such things as are not proper for them, as meet-helps to each other. For in the time of the law, the women were to offer as well as the men; so in the time of the gospel much more are they to offer their spiritual sacrifices; for they are all called, both men and women, a royal priesthood; they are of the household of faith; they are the living stones that make up the spiritual building, which Christ is the head of; and are to be encouraged in their labour in the gospel; for all things that they do, both men and women, are to be done in the power of God. All such as see no service for these women’s meetings, or the men’s, but oppose them, and make strife amongst Friends, are in the spirit of the world, that is against, and forbids our other meetings;—are in the same spirit of the world, that hath been, and is against women’s speaking in meetings, and say, ‘they must be silent,’ &c., though the same apostle commands, ‘that men should keep silence as well as the women,’ if there were not an interpreter. Therefore, you may see that the spirit of the world hath entered such opposers, though they come under another colour; for they would not have us to meet at all. And these are against the women’s meetings, and some of them against the men’s also, and say, ‘they see no service for them;’ then they may hold their tongues, and not oppose them that do see their service for God in these meetings.

“Therefore, all you that feel the power of God, and your service for God in them, both men and women, keep your meetings in the power of God, the authority of them, as they were settled in it; then ye will be preserved both over this spirit that opposes them, and over the spirit of the world that opposes your other meetings; for it is all one in the ground, and would bring you into bondage. Such are out of the peaceable gospel, who oppose its order; out of the faith that works by love; out of the wisdom that is gentle, easy, and peaceable, &c., and out of the kingdom that stands in peace and joy. Therefore, keep over that spirit that sows discord or dissension, and would draw you from your habitation and possession in the order of the gospel; for it is the same spirit that deceived Adam and Eve, by which they lost their habitation in righteousness and holiness,, and their dominion; so that spirit got over them; and so it would get over you. One while it will tell you, ‘it sees no service for your meetings,’ and another time will oppose you. But I say, this is the blind spirit, which is out of the power of God, and which the power of God is over. Therefore, keep in the power, that ye may stand up for your liberty in Christ Jesus, males and females, heirs of him and of his gospel, and his order. Stand up for your liberty in the gospel, and in the faith, which Christ Jesus hath been the author of; for if ye lose it, and let another spirit get over you, ye will not so soon regain it.

“I knew the devil would bestir himself in his instruments, when men’s and women’s meetings came to be set up in the power, light, and truth, and the heirs of the gospel, to take their possession of it in every county and city, therein to walk, and to watch one over another, to take care of God’s glory and honour, and his precious truth; and to see that all walk in the truth, and as becomes the gospel, and that nothing be lacking; and so to exhort all whatsoever is decent, modest, virtuous, lovely, comely, righteous, and of good report, to follow after; to admonish all that are not faithful, and to rebuke all that do evil. I knew this would give such a check to all loose speakers, talkers, and walkers, that there would be an opposition against such meetings. But never heed, truth will come over them all, and is over them all, and faith must have the victory; for the gospel and its order is everlasting; the Seed (Christ) is the beginning and the ending, and will outlast all; the Amen, in whom ye have peace. I say all that oppose the men’s and women’s meetings, or that marriages should be laid before them, or the recording of condemnations of sin and evil, or admonishing or exhorting such as walk not in the truth, are of a loose spirit, and their spirits tend to looseness. Let those take them that will; truth will not have them, nor any of their sacrifice; for nothing is accepted of God, but what is done in truth, and in his Spirit, which is peaceable. The authority of our men’s and women’s meetings is the power of God; and all the heirs of the gospel are heirs of that authority and dignity; this is of God, and shall answer the witness of God in all. The greatest opposers of this practice and work, are such as have been convinced of God’s truth, but have not lived in it. Such were the greatest troublers of the church in Moses’ day, and in the days of the apostles; but mark their end, and read what became of them all. And therefore, all keep your habitation in the truth, and therein ye may see what has become of all the opposers of it for twenty years past; they are all gone, and the truth lives and reigns; the Seed is over all, and all are one in it, in rest, peace, and life everlasting; and therein they sit down together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, the Amen.”

G. F.

Swarthmore, the 5th of the 8th Month, 1676.

Narrative of the spreading of Truth, and of the opposition thereto.

“The truth sprang up first to us, so as to be a people to the Lord, in Leicestershire in 1644, in Warwickshire in 1645, in Nottinghamshire in 1646, in Derbyshire in 1647, and the adjacent counties in 1648, 1649, and 1650; in Yorkshire in 1651, in Lancashire and Westmorland in 1652; in Cumberland, Durham, and Northumberland in 1653; in London, and most of the other parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in 1654.

“In 1655 many went beyond sea, where truth also sprang up, and in 1656 it broke forth in America and many other places.

“In the authority of this divine truth, Friends stood all the cruelties and sufferings that were inflicted upon them by the Long Parliament; to the spoiling of goods, imprisonment, and death, and over all reproaches, lies, and slanders; as well as those in Oliver Cromwell’s time, and all the acts made by him and his parliament; his son Richard after him, and the Committee of Safety; and afterwards withstood and outlasted all the acts and proclamations since 1660, that the king came in.

“Friends never feared their acts, prisons, jails, houses of correction, banishment, nor spoiling of goods, nay, nor the loss of life itself; nor was there ever any persecution that came, but we saw in the event it would be productive of good; nor were there ever any prisons that I was in, or sufferings, but it was for the bringing multitudes out of prison; though they who imprisoned the truth, and quenched the Spirit in themselves, would imprison and quench it without them; so that there was a time when so many were in prison, that it became as a by-word, ‘truth is scarce anywhere to be found but in jails.’

“And after the king came in, divers Friends suffered much, because they would not drink his health, and say, ‘God bless the king’; so that many Friends were in danger of their lives from rude persons, who were ready to run them through with their swords for refusing it, until the king gave forth a proclamation against drinking healths; for we were and are against drinking any healths, and all excess, both before his coming in and after; and we desire the king’s good, and that the blessing of God might come upon him and all his subjects, and all people on the face of the earth; but we desired people not to drink the king’s health, but let him have his health, and all people else; and to drink for their own health and necessity only; for that way of drinking healths, and to excess, was not for the king’s health, nor their own nor any others’; which excess often brought forth quarrelling and destroying one another; for they destroyed the creation and one another; and this was not for the king’s wealth, nor health, nor honour, but might grieve him to have the creatures and his subjects destroyed; and so the Lord’s power gave us dominion over that also, and all our other sufferings. But,

“O! the number of sufferers in the Commonwealth’s and Oliver Cromwell’s days, and since; especially those who were haled before the courts for not paying tithes, refusing to swear on their juries, not putting off their hats, and for going to meetings on the First-days; under pretence of breaking the Sabbath; and to meetings on other days of the week: who were abused both in meetings and on the highways.

“O! how great were the sufferings we then sustained upon these accounts! for sometimes they would drive Friends by droves into the prison-houses like penfolds, confine them on the First-days, and take their horses from them, and keep them for pretended breach of their Sabbath, though they would ride in their coaches and upon their fat horses to the steeple-houses themselves, and yet punish others. And many Friends were turned out of their copyholds and customary tenements, because, in obedience to the command of Christ and his apostle, they could not swear; and as they went to meetings, they have been stoned through the streets, and otherwise cruelly abused. Many were fined with great fines, and lay long in prison for not putting off their hats, which fines Friends could never pay, though they kept them in prison till they had satisfied their own wills, and at last turned them out, after keeping them a year or more in prison.

“Many books I gave forth against tithes, showing how the priesthood was changed that took them; and that Christ sent forth his twelve, and afterwards seventy disciples, saying unto them, ‘Freely ye have received, freely give.’ So all who do not obey the doctrine and command of Christ therein, we cannot receive them.

“I was also moved to give forth several books against swearing, and that our Yea and Nay might be taken instead of an oath, which, if we broke, let us suffer the same punishment as they who broke their oaths. And in Jamaica the governor and the assembly granted the thing; it is also granted in some other places; and several of the parliament men in England have acknowledged the reasonableness thereof. The magistrates, after some time, when they saw our faithfulness in Yea and Nay, they who were moderate, both before and since the king came in, would put Friends into offices without an oath; but the cruel and envious would fine Friends to get money of them, though they could not pay them any.

“Thus the Lord’s power hath carried us through all, and over all, to his everlasting glory and praise; for God’s power hath been our hedge, our wall and our keeper (the preserver of his plants and vineyard,) who have not had the magistrates’ sword and staff to help us, nor ever trusted in the arm of flesh, but have gone without these, or Judas’ bag, to preach the Word of life, which was in the beginning before they were; which reconciles to God. And thousands have received this Word of reconciliation, and are born again of the immortal Seed, by the Word of God; and are feeding upon the milk of the Word, which lives and abides for ever.

“Many have suffered death for their testimony, in England and beyond the seas, both before and since the king came in; which may be seen in an account given to the king and both houses of parliament; being, ‘A brief, plain, and true relation of the late and sad sufferings of the people of God in scorn called Quakers, for worshipping and exercising a good conscience towards God and man.’

“By reason whereof eighty-nine have suffered till death; thirty-two of whom died before the king came into England, and fifty-seven since, by hard imprisonment and cruel usage. Forty-three have died in the city of London and Southwark since the Act made against meetings, &c., about 1661, of which a more particular account was given, with the names of the sufferers, to the king and parliament, about 1663.

“And though divers laws were designed against us, yet never could any of them justly touch us, being wrested and misapplied in their execution by our adversaries, which some have been made to confess. All those laws that were made, and the oath which they imprisoned us for, because, in obedience to the command of Christ Jesus, we could not swear at all, were not originally intended against us; and yet we suffered by the several powers, and their laws, both spoiling of goods and imprisonment, even to death. And the governor of Dover castle, when the king asked him if he had dispersed all the sectaries’ meetings? said, that ‘he had; but the Quakers, the devil himself could not; for if he did imprison them, and break up their meetings, they would meet again; and if he should beat them or knock them down, or kill some of them, all was one, they would meet, and not resist again.’ Thus the Lord’s power supported and kept them over their persecutors, and made them to justify our patience and lamb-like nature. This was about 1671.

“Since the king came in, three acts have been made against us, besides the proclamations, by which many have suffered imprisonment and banishment, and many to death. And yet for all these acts and proclamations, persecutions, sufferings, banishments, faithful Friends are as fresh as ever in the Lord’s power, and valiant for his name and truth.

“Some weak ones there were, when the king came in, who took the oath; but after they had so done, they were sore troubled for disobeying the command of Christ and the apostle, and went to the magistrates, condemned themselves, and offered to go to prison.

“Thus the Lord, in his everlasting power, hath been the support and stay of his people; and still his Seed reigns, his truth is over all, and exceedingly spreads unto this year 1676.”

In 1676, while I was at Swarthmore, died William Lampitt, the old priest of Ulverstone (which parish Swarthmore is in.) He was an old deceiver, a perverter of the right way of the Lord, and a persecutor of the people of God. Much contest I had with him, when I first came into those parts. He had been an old false prophet; for in 1652 he prophesied (and said he would wage his life upon it), “that the Quakers would all vanish, and come to nought within half a year:” but he came to nought himself. For he continued in his lying and false accusing of God’s people, till a little before he died, and then he cried for a little rest. To one of his hearers that came to visit him before he died, he said, “I have been a preacher a long time, and thought I had lived well; but I did not think it had been so hard a thing to die.”

After I had finished the services which lay upon me then to do, feeling my spirit drawn again towards the south (though I was yet but weakly, and not able to travel far in a day,) I left Swarthmore the 26th of the 1st Month, 1677, and went to Thomas Pearson’s at POOL BANK, in WESTMORLAND, where I had a meeting the next day; and thence to Thomas Camm’s,[38] at CAMSGILL, where Robert Widders with his wife, and several other Friends came to see me before I left the country, and to attend the meeting there next day, which was very large, and in which I was largely drawn forth in testimony to the truth. I had much discourse with some of that meeting, who were not in unity with the quarterly meeting they belonged to; but afterwards several of them that were somewhat tender, came to see their error, and gave forth condemnations against themselves. Next day John Blakelin came to Thomas Camm’s, to bring me to his house at DRAWELL in SEDBERGH, whither I went with him, visiting Friends in the way. I stayed at Drawell two or three nights, having meetings there and thereabouts; for while I was there the men’s and women’s meetings were held there, which were very large and precious.

The First-day following I had a meeting at BRIGFLATS, to which came most of the Friends from the several meetings round about, and a great concourse of others also; it was thought there were five or six hundred people. A very good meeting it was, wherein truth was largely declared and preciously opened, to the comforting and refreshing of the faithful, and the drawing near of them that were afar off. I had another meeting at John Blakelin’s, at which were many Friends that were going to the quarterly meeting at Kendal. With them my wife went back, who, with her daughter Rachel, had accompanied me thus far; and I, having Leonard Fell with me, passed on through SEDBERGH and GARSDALE, into WENSLEYDALE, visiting Friends as we went. At night I reached Richard Robinson’s at COUNTERSIDE, where several Friends came to me that evening; some of whom went with me next day over the hills to the widow Tennant’s at SCARHOUSE, in LANGSTROTH-DALE, which we had much difficulty to reach, the snow lay so deep, though it was a week in the 2nd [4th?] Month. Here, on First-day, we had a large meeting, Friends coming to it from several parts round about; and the Lord gave me a very seasonable testimony to bear amongst them, which I did for several hours, to their great satisfaction and comfort.

Thence passing through BISHOPDALE, MIDDLEHAM, BARTON, and so by BEDALE and NORTHALLERTON, I came to George Robinson’s at BURROWBY; where also Friends coming out of several parts, we had a very large and good meeting, and very peaceable. But not long after, an envious justice, who lived not far off, hearing that I had a great meeting there, troubled Friends about it, and made them appear at the sessions, where he asked them many ensnaring questions; for he knew not how to convict them, because he had no proof against them. When he saw his questions did not catch them, he told them, “he had heard that George Fox was at a large meeting with them, and they all sat silent, and none spoke in the meeting.” This false story he cunningly feigned, thinking thereby to draw out some of the Friends to contradict him, and say, “that I had spoken in the meeting;” that so he might convict them upon their own confession, and fine them. But Friends standing in the wisdom of God, did not answer him according to his desire, and so escaped his snare. But two Friends that came out of Ireland, and were at this meeting, having another that evening about three miles off, this evil-minded justice got information thereof, and fined Friends, and plundered them very sorely for it.

I went from Burrowby to Isaac Lindley’s, calling upon Friends as I went. Robert Lodge and other Friends being with me, we passed next day to YORK, and the day following being First-day, I was at Friends’ meeting there, which was large and peaceable. Second day also I stayed in York, and had two meetings with Friends at John Taylor’s;[39] whence I wrote to my wife, as follows:—

“DEAR HEART,

“To whom is my love, and to thy daughters, and to all Friends that inquire after me. My desires are, that ye all may be preserved in the Lord’s everlasting Seed, in whom ye will have life and peace, dominion and settlement in the everlasting home or dwelling in the house built upon the foundation of God. In the power of the Lord I am brought to York, having had many meetings in the way. The road was many times deep and bad with snow, our horses sometimes were down, and we were not able to ride; and sometimes we had great storms and rain; but by the power of the Lord I went through all. At Scarhouse there was a very large meeting, and another at Burrowby, to which Friends came out of Cleveland and Durham; and many other meetings we have had. At York, yesterday, we had a very large meeting, exceedingly thronged, Friends being at it from many parts, and all quiet, and well satisfied: O! the glory of the Lord shone over all. This day we have had a large men’s and women’s meeting, many Friends, both men and women, being come out of the country, and all was quiet; and this evening we are to have the men’s and women’s meeting of the Friends of the city. John Whitehead is here, with Robert Lodge[40] and others; Friends are mighty glad, above measure. So I am in my holy element, and holy work in the Lord, glory to his name for ever! To-morrow I intend to go out of the city towards Tadcaster, though I cannot ride as in days past; yet praised be the Lord that I can travel as well as I do! So with my love in the fountain of life, in which as ye all abide, ye will have refreshment of life, that by it ye may grow and gather eternal strength to serve the Lord, and be satisfied. To the God of all power, who is all-sufficient to preserve you, I commit you all to his ordering.”

G. F.

York, the 16th of the 2nd Month, 1677.

Leaving York, I visited Friends at TADCASTER, KNOTTINGLEY, DONCASTER, and BALBY, having meetings as I went. At Balby I stayed the First-day meeting, and went next day to Thomas Stacey’s at BALLOWFIELD, where in the evening I had a meeting, to compose a difference that had happened between some that professed truth, and they were reconciled. Next day I came to STAINSBY in DERBYSHIRE, in which county I had formerly lived about the first breaking forth of truth. Here I had a good meeting with Friends, and afterwards passed to SKEGBY in NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and from thence to NOTTINGHAM, to John Reckless’s. I had a meeting with Friends at his house that evening, and another next day in Friends’ public meeting-house, which was peaceable and well.

I went the day following to John Fox’s at WIMESWOLD in LEICESTERSHIRE, where I had a meeting that evening; and next day to William Smith’s at SILEBY, where, it being First-day, we had a very large meeting; for besides Friends from several places, many of the townspeople hearing I was there, came to it, and heard the truth declared gladly. Next day I went to LEICESTER, where finding many Friends come out of the country, to be at the horse-fair next day, I had a very good meeting with them that night; and another next evening at William Wells’s house at KNIGHTON, about a mile from Leicester. Next day I passed to SWANNINGTON, and had a meeting there; thence to Samuel Fretwell’s at HARTSHORN in DERBYSHIRE, where I had a meeting also; then to Henry Sidon’s, at BADDESLEY in WARWICKSHIRE, and stayed the meeting there, which, it being First-day, was very large and peaceable, notwithstanding a justice had threatened to come and break it up.

Having stayed a while with Friends, I went in the evening to Richard Ball’s of WHITTINGTON, where several Friends came to visit me. Next day I went to Nathaniel Newton’s at HARTSHILL, where several Friends met me, with whom I had good service. After this I passed on, visiting Friends in divers places, till I came to DINGLEY, where a meeting was appointed before, which was very large, and truth was largely opened to the people. It was peaceable and quiet, and the people generally sober; saving that while I was showing how Christendom (so called) was gone from the pure religion that is undefiled, &c., one man rushed out in a furious manner, and said, “I deny that.” After this meeting I went with Thomas Charles to his house at ADINGWORTH, and next day to NORTHAMPTON, where I stayed the First-day meeting, which was very large and peaceable. I had much service among Friends besides. Next day Edward Cooper of Northampton, accompanied me to OLNEY in BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, where I stayed at James Brierlie’s, several Friends coming to see me in the evening.

Next day I went to a meeting at TURVEY in BEDFORDSHIRE, to which Friends came from several parts; so that it was very large. Here I met with William Dewsbury, who after the meeting took me to his son-in-law John Rush’s of KEMPSTON, where I stayed with William that night and most of next day, passing thence towards evening through AMPTHILL, to Thomas Gamboll’s of BULLOCK’S HILL. William Dewsbury went along with me, and several Friends came to visit us. Next day, passing through LUTON, I went to MARKET STREET, William Dewsbury accompanying me part of the way, and the day following Leonard Fell[41] and I had a meeting at KENSWORTH, which was pretty large and peaceable. After it we went to ALBAN’S, where we visited Friends; and next day passing through SOUTH MIMS and BARNET, where also we visited Friends, we came that night to widow Hayley’s at GUTTERHEDGE in HENDON in MIDDLESEX. Next day, being First-day, we had a very large meeting there, several Friends coming from London. I stayed there Second-day, and on third went to William Mead’s house at HIGHGATE, with whom next day I went to LONDON. It being Fourth day, I went to the meeting at Gracechurch Street, where Friends and I were greatly refreshed in each other in the Lord, and the Lord’s power and Seed were set over all, blessed be his name for ever!

Thus it pleased the Lord to bring me safe to London, though much wearied, for though I rode not very far in a day, yet through weakness of body, continual travelling was hard to me. Besides, I had not much rest at night to refresh nature; for I often sat up late with Friends, where I lodged, to inform and advise them in things wherein they were wanting; and when in bed, I was often hindered of sleep by great pains in my head and teeth, occasioned, as I thought, from cold taken by riding often in the rain. But the Lord’s power was over all, and carried me through all, to his praise.

In my journey I observed a slackness and shortness in some that professed the truth, in keeping up the ancient testimony against tithes; for wherever that spirit got entrance, which wrought division in the church, and opposed the men’s and women’s meetings, it weakened those that received it in their testimony against tithes. Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to issue a short “Epistle to Friends,” to stir up the pure mind, and to encourage and strengthen them in their Christian testimony against that antichristian yoke and oppression:—

“MY DEAR FRIENDS,

“Be faithful to the Lord in your testimony for Jesus, who ended the Levitical priesthood of Aaron, that took tithes, and sent his ministers forth freely, to give freely that which they had received of him freely, without a bag or a staff. Christ’s disciples could not join with those that made a trade of preaching. And as there was a testimony to be borne against those tithes which were commanded, in the law, for Levi and Aaron, so there is a testimony to be borne against these tithes, which have been set up by man, in the dark time of Popery, and not by God or Christ. Now to cry against the priests in words, and yet to give them means, and put into their mouths, that they may not prepare war against you, is a contradiction. Therefore take heed; for if the Lord bless you with outward creatures, and you bestow them upon Baal’s priests, he may justly require the outward things from you again, which he hath given you: who saith, that his ministers should freely give, as they have freely received. So all the preachers for tithes and money, and the takers and payers of tithe, must be testified against in the Lord’s power and Spirit; that all may stand up in their testimony for Jesus Christ, in his power and Spirit, against the tithe-mongers. Consider how many faithful servants and valiants of the Lord, have laid down their lives against them, in this day of the Lord; and in the days of the martyrs they did witness against them. Consider also what judgments have come upon those that spoiled Friends’ goods, and cast them into prison for tithes and maintenance. Therefore in the power of the Lord, maintain the war against the beast, and do not put into his mouth, lest he cry peace to you; which peace you must not receive; but it must be broken, and thrown out by the Spirit of God. Then in the same Spirit, ye will receive from the Son of Peace, that peace which the beast, and the whore, and the world, with all their earthly teachers for the earth, made by man, cannot receive, nor bereave you of. Therefore keep your authority and dominion in the power, Spirit, and name of Jesus, in whom my love is to you.”

G. F.

3rd Month, 1677.

I came to LONDON on the 23rd of the 3rd month, ten or twelve days before the Yearly Meeting, in which time I fell in with Friends there in the service of truth, visiting them at the meetings. The parliament then sitting, we prepared something to lay before them, concerning the seizing of the third part of Friends’ estates, as Popish recusants, which was a great suffering, and a grievance we complained of; but we obtained no redress.

To the Yearly Meeting many Friends came from most parts of the nation; and some out of Scotland, Holland, &c., and very glorious meetings we had, wherein the Lord’s powerful presence was very largely felt; and the affairs of truth were sweetly carried on in the unity of the Spirit, to the satisfaction and comfort of the upright-hearted; blessed be the Lord for ever! After the Yearly Meeting, having stayed a week or two with Friends in London, I went down with William Penn[42] to his house in SUSSEX; John Burnyeat and some other Friends being with us. As we passed through SURREY, hearing the quarterly meeting was that day, William Penn, John Burnyeat, and I, went from the road to it; and after the meeting returning to our other company, went with them to William Penn’s that night; which is forty miles from London. I stayed at WORMINGHURST about three weeks; in which time John Burnyeat and I answered a very envious and wicked book, which Roger Williams, a priest of New England (or some colony thereabout) had written against truth and Friends. When we had finished that service, we went with Stephen Smith to his house at WORPLESDON in SURREY, where we had a large meeting. Friends thereaway had been exceedingly plundered about two months before on the priest’s account; for they took from Stephen Smith five kine (being all he had) for about fifty shillings’ tithes.

Thence we went to KINGSTON, and so to LONDON, where I stayed not long; for it was upon me from the Lord to go into Holland, to visit Friends and to preach the gospel there, and in some parts of Germany. Wherefore setting things in order for my journey as fast as I could, I took leave of Friends at London; and with several other Friends went down to COLCHESTER, in order to my passage for Holland. Next day, being First-day, I was at the public meeting of Friends there, which was very large and peaceable. In the evening I had another large one, but not so public, at John Furly’s house, where I lodged. The day following, I was at the women’s meeting there, which also was very large. Thence next day we passed to HARWICH, where Robert Duncan, and several other Friends out of the country came to see us; and some from London came to us there, that intended to go over with me. The packet in which we were to go not being ready, we went to the meeting in the town, and a precious opportunity we had together; for the Lord, according to his wonted goodness, by his overcoming, refreshing power, opened many mouths to declare his everlasting truth, and to praise and glorify him.

-----

Footnote 36:

Some particulars of the controversy here alluded to, may be seen in Barclay’s Works; also in Jaffray’s Diary, p. 328-330. The students who were convinced issued a written declaration, stating the grounds of their change, which is to be found in Jaffray’s Diary.

Footnote 37:

See Selections from the Epistles of George Fox, by Samuel Tuke.

Footnote 38:

Thomas Camm, of Camsgill, in Westmorland, was born in 1641, and had a good education. He was from childhood inclined to be religious, was early convinced of Friends’ principles, and after some time called to the work of the ministry. He counted nothing too near or dear to part with for truth’s sake, but left all to follow the Lord, and, with his whole strength and substance, was given up to serve him. He was an able preacher, diligent and laborious in the work of the Lord, and instrumental to convince and establish many in the way of truth. His doctrine was sound, and his delivery in the demonstration of that Divine power which reached the witness of God in the hearts of his hearers.

Great and many were the sufferings he met with and went through, as, imprisonments, spoiling of goods, mockings and scoffings from those without, and suffering among false brethren; in all which, he stood firm and faithful, approving himself a true follower of Jesus Christ, suffering joyfully for his name’s sake, who had counted him worthy not only to believe, but suffer for him. During an illness of some continuance, many were the weighty expressions that fell from him, often magnifying the Lord to the tendering of all hearts present. When grown very weak, being asked how he felt, he would say, “Weak of body, but strong in the Lord;” saying also, “In Abraham’s bosom there is sweet repose.” Seeming to be faint, a friend gave him a little wine, thinking it might refresh him, but his stomach could not bear it; then looking at him he said, “Thou seest these things will not do; but one cup of new wine in the heavenly kingdom, with my dear and blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, will make up all.”—For further particulars, see Piety Promoted, vol. ii., p. 101-108.

Footnote 39:

John Taylor was an able minister amongst the early Friends, but a very brief account is preserved of his religious labours. He was born in Huntingdonshire (?) about the year 1638. He embarked on a gospel mission to America in 1660, being then only in the twenty-second year of his age. How long he was occupied there is not stated, but his religious services were not confined to the English settlers. Trusting to the never-failing arm of Divine guidance and protection, he travelled alone among the Indian tribes, and “had meetings in the woods and wilderness, to declare the truth to them,” as he remarks, “and to turn them from darkness to the light of Christ Jesus in their own hearts.” By these untutored sons of the forest the stripling preacher was “received with kindness,” and in their wigwams he became a welcome guest. “They heard me soberly,” he says, “and confessed to the truth I spoke, by an interpreter; and they were loving and kind afterwards to Friends.”

On his return from America, John Taylor, being on gospel service in London, was taken from a meeting and committed to prison. He visited America a second time, and resided some time in Jamaica, also in Barbadoes, where he became a merchant, but finally returned to England, and settled at York as a sugar refiner. After which, he was also largely engaged in the ministry in different parts of the nation, and died in 1708, aged about seventy, a minister about fifty years.

John Taylor is described by a contemporary as “an able minister of the New Testament; in the publishing of which, the Spirit of God and of glory rested upon him, to the comforting and true refreshment of the churches, where the Lord ordered him, or his lot was cast.”

Footnote 40:

Robert Lodge, mentioned before, was of Masham, in Yorkshire, born about the year 1636. He was religiously inclined from his youth, was convinced about 1658, and became a valiant gospel minister. He was very serviceable in gathering many out of the ways of the world, into the way of life, travelling up and down in the service of his Lord, enduring many trials, exercises, and imprisonments for his sake. John Whiting says of him, “He was an excellent minister; he had a fine refreshing testimony, and an extraordinary gift in prayer. He was instrumental to turn many to righteousness, and to build them up in the most holy faith. His testimony reached to the witness of God in the consciences of many; and was a consolation to the watering and refreshing many weary souls. He kept his first love and habitation in the truth to the last; and, towards his latter end, laboured much with and for the young generation, that they might come up in the footsteps of those who were gone before. He was a man of a sweet disposition, and left a good savour behind him.” Much might be said of him, but I refer to the Several Living Testimonies given forth by divers Friends concerning him, and his Faithful Labours and Travels, printed in 1691.

Footnote 41:

The above is the last mention of Leonard Fell, whose name has frequently occurred in the progress of this Journal. Very little is known of him but that he was a faithful minister amongst the early Friends.

I feel inclined to insert an anecdote respecting him, as an instance among others that might be adduced, of the carrying out of the non-resistant principle. The conduct of several “Friends” who, having “fallen among thieves,” were, of course, precluded from retaliating violence, even in their own defence, affords an exemplification of this feature in the Christian character.

Leonard Fell, when travelling alone, was attacked by a highwayman, who demanded his money, which he gave him; then he desired to have his horse: Leonard dismounted and let him take it. Then feeling the power of truth rise in his mind, he turned to the robber, and under its authority, solemnly warned him of the evil of his ways; but he flying into a passion, asked the Friend why he preached to him, and threatened to blow out his brains. But Leonard replying to this effect, “Though I would not give my life for my money or my horse, I would give it to save thy soul,” so struck the astonished robber, that he declared, if he was such a man as that, he would take neither his money nor his horse from him; and, returning both to the faithful Friend, went his way, leaving Leonard to the enjoyment of that peace, attending the honest discharge of his conscience, to obtain which he had not counted his life dear.

The courage and presence of mind exhibited by a true soldier of Jesus Christ, when permitted in the course of Divine Providence, to be cast into straits and trying situations, is often conspicuous. He not only knows the strength of that preserving arm, which rules or overrules all circumstances for the good of those that are faithful, he not only is furnished for all occasions, and “out of weakness is made strong,” so as even to “stop the mouths of lions,” and “quench the violence of fire” (Heb. xi.), but is abundantly furnished with resignation to submit unto the Lord in all things; and, with one who was “in perils of robbers,” and “in deaths oft,” he can say, “Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom. xiv. 8).—W.A.

Footnote 42:

A close intimacy existed between William Penn and George Fox, which enabled the former to indite so admirable an introduction to these volumes. The name of William Penn occurs frequently in these pages. Scarcely any name is more generally known or respected, by those of other religious persuasions than his; indeed, so familiar are most readers with his history, that it would be superfluous to enter into much relating to him.

It may suffice briefly to state that his birth and education were both good; he being the son of Admiral Penn, who was knighted by Charles II; and became a great favourite with the Duke of York, afterwards James II. William, his son, was born at London in 1644. He imbibed religious impressions as early as his twelfth year. In his fifteenth year he entered a student at Christ Church, Oxford. On his return home he exhibited a religious seriousness and manner of deportment, which (as likely to stand in the way of his worldly preferment) was so displeasing to his father that he turned him out of doors.

Ultimately he joined the despised Quakers, a step which highly displeased his father the Admiral; but he became quite reconciled to him before his death. Penn continued to advance in religious growth, became a minister amongst the Quakers, and a considerable writer in defence of their principles, suffering persecution and imprisonment in consequence. It was whilst he was imprisoned in the Tower that he wrote that excellent work, No Cross, No Crown.

The persecution of Dissenters continuing to rage in England, notwithstanding their repeated applications to parliament for sufferance and protection, William Penn turned his thoughts towards a settlement in the New World, as a place where himself and his friends might enjoy their religious opinions without molestation, and where an example might be set to the nations of a just and righteous government. He therefore, in 1681, obtained a patent from Charles II., for a province in North America, in consideration of his father’s services, and of a debt still due to him from the crown. He founded the colony of Pennsylvania, and watched it with a paternal eye, till his death in 1718. Its prosperity is a lasting monument of his wisdom as a politician and a legislator. For further particulars the reader is referred to Clarkson’s Life of William Penn; a highly interesting work, and well worthy of perusal.