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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75559 ***
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+                          Transcriber’s Note:
+
+This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.
+Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.
+
+Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are
+referenced.
+
+Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please
+see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding
+the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+                       THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+                             EIGHTH EDITION
+
+                                 OF THE
+
+                         JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX.
+
+                         TWO VOLUMES, 5/- NET.
+
+        With Map, recently prepared to accompany same, 6/6 net.
+                 The Map separately, in case, 2/6 net.
+
+                                -------
+
+“His life well repays study. It is a rich mine, and every page of it
+seems to be solid gold. Books now-a-days are spun out, and you get
+little after reading much; but _The Journal of George Fox_ contains
+ingots of gold—things to be thought on and that will have to be thought
+on month by month before you get at the bottom of them.”—CHARLES HADDON
+SPURGEON.
+
+                                -------
+
+                  LONDON: FRIENDS’ TRACT ASSOCIATION.
+
+        Sold by HEADLEY BROTHERS, 14, Bishopsgate Without, E.C.
+
+
+                              THE JOURNAL
+
+                                   OF
+
+                              GEORGE FOX;
+
+                                BEING AN
+
+                           HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
+
+                                   OF
+
+                   HIS LIFE, TRAVELS, SUFFERINGS, AND
+                         CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCES.
+
+
+                            IN TWO VOLUMES.
+                                VOL. I.
+
+
+                                -------
+
+
+ _THE EIGHTH (Bi-Centenary) EDITION, reprinted from stereotype plates,
+                  with revised and enlarged indexes._
+
+
+                                -------
+
+
+                                LONDON:
+                  =Friends’ Tract Association;=
+                                SOLD BY
+                           HEADLEY BROTHERS,
+                  14, BISHOPSGATE STREET WITHOUT, E.C.
+                                 1901.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+                           HEADLEY BROTHERS,
+
+                               PRINTERS,
+
+                     LONDON; AND AT ASHFORD, KENT.
+
+
+
+
+                         NOTICE TO THE READER.
+
+                                -------
+
+The present issue of _The Journal of George Fox_ has been printed from
+the stereotype plates of the Eighth (Bi-Centenary) Edition, slightly
+corrected, and has been furnished with additional particulars of
+previous editions of _The Journal_ (see pp. 541-544) and with greatly
+enlarged Indexes.
+
+To accompany this issue, a map has been prepared to show the places
+mentioned in _The Journal_, the spelling of the names being mostly taken
+from the First Edition. This work has necessitated a considerable amount
+of research and enquiry in order to identify some of the more obscure
+localities referred to by George Fox. It is hardly to be expected that
+the positions of all these, after this lapse of time, will accord with
+the judgment of all readers, but it is hoped that the map may promote
+the intelligent perusal of these volumes.
+
+_The Journal_ may be obtained with or without the map (see advertisement
+on page ii.).
+
+                                          NORMAN PENNEY,
+                                 _Hon. Sec. Friends’ Tract Association_.
+
+LONDON, 1901.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+                              INTRODUCTION
+
+                         TO THE EIGHTH EDITION.
+
+
+The following Eighth Edition of _The Journal of George Fox_, taken from
+the Seventh Edition, as prepared by the late Wilson Armistead, of Leeds,
+has been carefully read and collated with the original or First Edition
+of that Work. And the reader can be confidently assured, making due
+allowance for the translation or omission of a few obsolete expressions,
+that the Work is now, in truth and substance, _the same_ as when it was
+first printed. A large number of corrections in the spelling of names,
+and of other chiefly clerical errors, have also been made, bringing all
+down, so far as practicable, into harmony with the usage of the present
+date in these respects.
+
+                                                     DANIEL PICKARD.
+
+LEEDS, 1891.
+
+
+
+
+                              INTRODUCTION
+
+                        TO THE SEVENTH EDITION.
+
+
+                                -------
+
+
+The present re-issue of the _Journal of George Fox_ has, in a great
+measure, resulted from the concern of a Friend lately deceased, who was
+actively engaged in the last edition, and who provided a handsome sum
+towards the further republication of this valuable Testimony to the
+Truth.
+
+Assisted by the above bequest, and prompted by the encouragement of many
+Friends, the Editor of this Seventh Edition of the Journal has
+endeavoured to increase the usefulness by issuing it in a manner
+considerably more adapted, than heretofore, for general usefulness, and
+calculated, he hopes, to insure a still more extended circulation.
+
+In printing from the last edition (which was collated with the first and
+third) some further slight improvements in the style have been made, and
+redundancies omitted, with an occasional transposition in the
+construction of a sentence, or the omission or insertion of a word to
+impart clearness to the sense of the author, care being taken in every
+instance not in the least to misrepresent his meaning. In addition to
+this, the work has now, for the first time, been divided into chapters;
+a general table of contents has been supplied; and a considerable number
+of Notes, chiefly biographical and historical, have been added, which
+must materially increase its interest.
+
+Though highly approved as a standard work, there is reason to believe
+that the _Journal of George Fox_ has not obtained that attention which
+its real worth justly demands, even from the members of the Society
+which the author was so eminently instrumental in forming. Let those who
+have not perused it be induced to make themselves acquainted with its
+contents; and may those who are of ability, be stimulated to expend a
+portion of their means in promoting the circulation of a work recording
+the labours of so eminent a servant of the Lord, concerning whom the
+following character was given by one of his contemporaries—not the less
+truthful and applicable from having been often quoted—that “He was
+indeed a heavenly-minded man, zealous for the name of the Lord, and
+preferred the honour of God before all things. He was valiant for the
+Truth, bold in asserting it, patient in suffering for it, unwearied in
+labouring in it, steady in his testimony to it, immovable as a rock.”
+
+The many and important truths unfolded in this work, though conveyed in
+a style not always suited to the taste of the present day, will, if
+patiently and seriously perused, amply compensate the reader, of
+whatever denomination, for the time and attention he may bestow upon it.
+Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH says, it “Is one of the most extraordinary and
+instructive narratives in the world, which no reader of competent
+judgment can peruse without revering the virtue of the writer;” and
+COLERIDGE in his _Biographia Literaria_ observes: “There exist folios on
+the human understanding, and the nature of man, which would have a far
+juster claim to their high rank and celebrity, if, in the whole huge
+volume, there could be found as much fulness of heart and intellect, as
+bursts forth in many a simple page of George Fox.”
+
+In every point of view, George Fox was a character of no ordinary rank.
+Though a stranger to the polish of human learning, he possessed a truly
+enlightened mind, connected with sound practical knowledge; and
+fearlessly inculcated, amongst persons of all ranks, sentiments and
+views on various points, equally conducive to the immediate comfort, and
+to the amelioration and advancement of the various classes of civil
+society. These views, though then rejected by many as visionary, have
+since met with very general acceptance, and in some cases have even
+obtained the favourable attention of government.
+
+But what is of still more importance, he was well taught in the school
+of Christ. He was thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures, which, to
+use his own expression, were “very precious” to him, and he always held
+them in high estimation. He firmly believed in the Son of God—in the
+atoning efficacy of his sacrifice upon the cross, and in all his offices
+and works both _for_ us, and _in_ us; and by obedience to the Light of
+Life, the illuminating, renovating power of the Holy Spirit—to Christ in
+his spiritual appearance, he realized in himself the benefits conferred
+upon mankind by the sufferings and death of the Saviour. By a variety of
+preparatory baptisms, he was, on the one hand, given to see the depths
+of Satan, and on the other, richly instructed in the mysteries of the
+everlasting kingdom of God. Thus trained and exercised he became
+abundantly furnished, and qualified to enter upon the arduous service,
+to which he believed himself Divinely called; and proved himself to be,
+as his _Journal_ largely testifies, “a workman that needed not to be
+ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”
+
+Contemplating the character of George Fox in this twofold light, the
+Editor may, in conclusion, say with his predecessors, that he “indulges
+a hope that the history of the author’s life, written by his own hand,
+unfolding the energy and operation of that grace by which he was what he
+was, will be found interesting to persons of every class, especially to
+the really religious of whatever denomination, and still more peculiarly
+so to those who profess to believe in the same doctrines he was engaged
+so strenuously in preaching. To the promulgation of these doctrines he
+steadily devoted upwards of forty years of his life—a life which
+exhibited throughout ‘an example of suffering affliction, and of
+patience;’ evincing him to be, both in principle and in practice, a
+genuine disciple of his crucified LORD—a real CHRISTIAN.”
+
+                                                                W.A.
+
+P.S.—The Editor is also desirous of directing the special attention of
+the reader to the admirable Preface to this work, by William Penn.
+
+LEEDS, 1852.
+
+                          CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
+
+                                                                   PAGE.
+
+ THE PREFACE; Being a summary account of the divers dispensations
+   of God to men, from the beginning of the world to that of our
+   present age, by the ministry and testimony of his faithful
+   servant, George Fox, as an introduction to the ensuing Journal.  xix.
+
+
+ CHAPTER I.—1624-1647.—George Fox’s birth and parentage—his
+   gravity and piety in youth—apprenticed to a shoemaker, who is
+   also a grazier, &c.—his integrity in dealing—refuses to drink
+   healths—his exercises of mind commence—he lives retired—is
+   tempted to despair—his sorrows continue for some years—has a
+   sense of Christ’s sufferings—confutes a people who held women
+   to be devoid of souls—begins to travel on Truth’s account—meets
+   with Elizabeth Hooton—fasts often, and retires to solitary
+   places with his Bible—his exercises intermit—sees why none but
+   Christ could speak to his condition—visits a woman who had
+   fasted twenty-two days—first declares the Truth at Dukinfield
+   and Manchester—preaches at a great meeting at Broughton—his
+   troubles wear off, and he weeps for joy—sees things which
+   cannot be uttered—is reported to have a discerning
+   spirit—overcomes his temptations through the power of Christ.       1
+
+
+ CHAPTER II.—1648-1649.—Begins to have great meetings—at Mansfield
+   he is moved to pray—the Lord’s power so great the house is
+   shaken—cannot pray in his own will—a temptation besets him that
+   there is no God, which is dissipated by an inward voice—he
+   afterwards disputes with and confounds some Atheists—goes to
+   courts and steeple-houses, &c., to warn against oppression and
+   oaths—reproves a notorious drunkard, who is reformed—sees who
+   are the greatest deceivers—shows how people read and understand
+   the Scriptures—various mysteries are revealed to him—he is sent
+   to turn people to the Inward Light, Spirit, and Grace, the
+   Divine Spirit which he infallibly knew would not
+   deceive—priests and professors rage at these innovations—he
+   cries for justice in courts and against various wrong
+   things—denounces the trade of preaching—is sent to preach
+   freely.                                                            23
+
+
+ CHAPTER III.—1649-1650.—George Fox is first imprisoned at
+   Nottingham, where the sheriff is convinced—he is liberated and
+   quiets a distracted woman—he is cruelly treated at
+   Mansfield-Woodhouse—is taken before the magistrates at
+   Derby—acknowledges that he is sanctified—is temptingly asked if
+   he were Christ, which he denies, yet is committed for
+   blasphemy—his mittimus to Derby prison—writes to the priests of
+   Derby against preaching for hire, &c.—also against
+   persecution—to Barton and Bennet, justices, on the same
+   subject—to Justice Bennet against covetousness—to Justice
+   Barton, a preacher and a persecutor—to the Mayor of Derby
+   against persecution and oppression—to the court of Derby
+   against oaths and oppression—to the bell-ringers of Derby
+   against vanities and worldly pleasures—his jailer is
+   convinced—Justice Bennet first gives Friends the name of
+   Quakers in derision—writes to Friends and others, to open their
+   understandings, and to direct them to their true Teacher within
+   themselves—to the convinced people, directing them to internal
+   silence and to true obedience—an encouragement to the
+   faithful—to the justices of Derby against persecution, thrice
+   repeated—to the priests of Derby, on the same subject—to the
+   justices of Derby, to prize their time, and to depart from
+   evil—the like to Colonel Barton, justice, and warning of the
+   plagues and vengeance hanging over the oppressor.                  42
+
+
+ CHAPTER IV.—1650-1651.—A trooper visits George Fox from an inward
+   intimation—declines a commission in the army, and is put in the
+   dungeon—confutes one who denied Christ’s outward appearance,
+   from whence a slander is raised against Friends—testifies
+   against capital punishments for small matters—writes for more
+   speedy justice to prisoners—intercedes for the life of a young
+   woman, imprisoned for stealing, who is brought to the gallows,
+   but reprieved, and afterwards convinced—again refuses to bear
+   arms, and is committed close prisoner—writes to Barton and
+   Bennet, justices, against persecution—addresses the convinced
+   and tender people against hirelings—to the magistrates of Derby
+   against persecution, and foretelling his own enlargement and
+   their recompense—is greatly exercised for the wickedness of
+   Derby—sees the visitation of God’s love pass away from the
+   town, and writes a lamentation over it—a great judgment fell
+   upon the town—he is liberated after a year’s
+   imprisonment—visits Lichfield—preaches repentance through
+   Doncaster—many dread “the man with leather breeches”—goes to
+   steeple-houses, as the apostles did to the temples, to bring
+   people off from them—is denied entertainment, and ill-treated
+   at some places—refuses to inform against his persecutors—many
+   are convinced in Yorkshire, amongst others, Richard Farnsworth,
+   James Naylor, William Dewsbury, Justice Hotham, and Captain
+   Pursloe.                                                           67
+
+
+ CHAPTER V.—1652.—George Fox visits great men’s houses, warning
+   them to repent—is accused of calling himself Christ—refutes the
+   charge, and tells the accuser that Judas’s end would be his,
+   which shortly came to pass, hence a slander is raised against
+   Friends—is stoned at Doncaster—a scoffing priest made to
+   tremble at the Lord’s power—a slandering priest cut off in his
+   wickedness—a murderous man seeks George Fox, but misses him—he
+   lays in a wood all night—the influence of one man or woman, who
+   lives in the same spirit that the prophets and apostles were
+   in, is to be felt within a circuit of ten miles—George Fox
+   ascends Pendle Hill, whence he sees the place of a great
+   gathering of people—on descending, refreshes himself at a
+   spring of water, having taken little sustenance for several
+   days—foresees a great people in white raiment about Wensleydale
+   and Sedbergh—a wicked man designs to injure him, but is
+   prevented—many are convinced in Dent, and a meeting is settled
+   at Sedbergh, where he had seen a people in white
+   raiment—preaches for several hours in the steeple-house yard
+   there—preaches on a rock, near Firbank chapel, to 1,000 people
+   for three hours—the family of Judge Fell convinced, and a
+   meeting settled at his house, and continued for forty
+   years—preaches through Lancaster streets—at a meeting of
+   priests at Ulverstone he speaks in great power, so that one of
+   them said, “the church shook”—disputes with priest
+   Lampitt—Justice Sawrey is the first persecutor in the
+   north—forty priests appear against George Fox at Lancaster
+   Sessions for speaking blasphemy; they are confounded, and he is
+   cleared of the charge—James Naylor’s account of George Fox’s
+   trial at Lancaster Sessions—priest Jackus is reproved from the
+   bench for his blasphemy—these priests are reproved by the
+   populace—Colonel West defends and protects George Fox against
+   the machinations of the priests, and the design of Judge
+   Windham, at the risk of losing his place.                         100
+
+
+ CHAPTER VI.—1652-1653.—George Fox is branded by the priests as a
+   witch—writes to Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments
+   impending over him—warning to priest Lampitt—exhortation to the
+   people of Ulverstone—to the followers of Lampitt, against a
+   hireling ministry, &c.—a rebuke to Adam Sands for his
+   wickedness—to priest Tatham, against his hireling ministry and
+   his suing for tithes—foretells the dissolution of the Long
+   Parliament—fasts ten days—James Milner and Richard Myer create
+   a schism, which is soon healed—the latter is miraculously
+   healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the Lord, and
+   dies not long after—Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is
+   convinced—the priests are shown to be Antichrist—George Fox
+   preaches at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house three
+   hours—admonishes a professor _for praising him_—reproves
+   Wilkinson for speaking against his conscience—many hundreds are
+   convinced—discerns an unclean spirit in a woman, and speaks
+   sharply to her—the like of some other women—speaks sharply to
+   an envious Baptist—preaches in the steeple house at Carlisle,
+   where the Lord’s power was such that the people
+   trembled—committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer, heretic,
+   and seducer—the priests who come to see him are exceedingly
+   rude—Anthony Pearson’s remonstrance to the Judges of assize
+   against the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox—he
+   is put in the dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found
+   eaten to death with vermin—here James Parnell visits him—a
+   challenge to professors to declare their objections to George
+   Fox’s ministry—it being reported that George Fox was to die for
+   religion, the Little Parliament write to the sheriff respecting
+   him—he himself expostulates with Justices Craston and Studholm
+   on their imprisoning him—A. Pearson and the governor visit the
+   prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties of the jailer,
+   and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his cruelty to
+   George Fox, who is soon after liberated—George Fox has great
+   meetings, and _thousands_ are convinced—visits Gilsland, a
+   noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many
+   thousands, near Langlands, on the top of a hill—great
+   convincement in the six northern counties.                        145
+
+
+ CHAPTER VII.—1653-1654.—George Fox disputes most of the day with
+   priest Wilkinson—Many Friends lose their business for declining
+   the world’s salutations, but afterwards their tried
+   faithfulness and integrity procure them more than their
+   neighbours—George Fox issues an address to Friends
+   everywhere—two persecuting justices at Carlisle are cut off and
+   a third disgraced—George Fox passes through Halifax, a rude
+   town of professors—at Synderhill-Green, he has a mighty meeting
+   of some thousands, and there was a general convincement—about
+   sixty ministers are now raised up in the north, to travel
+   towards the south, the east, and the west, in Truth’s
+   service—George Fox’s address to Friends in the ministry—Rice
+   Jones and many other false prophets rise up against friends and
+   are blasted—a wicked man binds himself with an oath to kill
+   George Fox, but is prevented—great convincement in
+   Lincolnshire—at Swannington, George Fox has much controversy
+   with professors—has a great dispute with priest Stevens and
+   seven other priests at Drayton—his father being present was
+   convinced, and said, “Truly I see he that will but stand to the
+   truth it will carry him out”—priest Stevens propagates lies
+   respecting George Fox, which the Lord swept away—is taken
+   before Colonel Hacker, who sends him before the
+   Protector—speaks prophetically to the Colonel—has a friendly
+   conference with the Protector—is dismissed by him very
+   friendly—refuses his entertainment—Captain Drury scoffs at
+   trembling, but is made to tremble in a remarkable manner—George
+   Fox prays with some officers, who are greatly shaken by the
+   Lord’s power—priests and professors greatly disturbed because
+   many of the people are convinced, and moved to declare against
+   the rest.                                                         184
+
+
+ CHAPTER VIII.—1654-1655.—Address to professors of Christianity
+   against persecution—to such as follow the world’s fashions—to
+   the Pope, and all kings, and rulers in Europe, against
+   persecution—to the justices appointed for trying ministers of
+   religion, being a testimony against hireling ministers—Samuel
+   Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at Romney, where
+   the Lord’s power is marvellously displayed—a large meeting at
+   Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted several
+   hours—many reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying,
+   slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth
+   set over the gainsayers—to those who scorn trembling and
+   quaking—great rage is manifested against the truth and Friends,
+   and their plainness is contemned—to the churches gathered into
+   outward forms, opening their state and warning of the woes
+   coming upon them—to the Protector, respecting the imprisonment
+   of Friends for refusing to take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to
+   Friends to offer themselves to lie in prison for a brother or
+   sister—an encouragement to Friends in their several exercises.    216
+
+
+ CHAPTER IX.—1655-1656.—Friends slandered by Presbyterians and
+   Independents, suffer much from them and the Baptists for
+   refusing to pay tithes—the priests hunt after a fallen benefice
+   like crows after carrion—great miracles wrought through
+   several—an Independent preacher convinced, but relapses—address
+   to the convinced in Ireland—a sick woman at Baldock
+   restored—George Fox parts and reconciles two furious
+   combatants—to the seven parishes at the Land’s End,
+   recommending attention to the Inward Light—George Fox parts
+   with James Naylor, and has a presentiment of his fall—Major
+   Ceely places George Fox and Edward Pyot under arrest—they are
+   sent to Launceston jail—put into Doomsdale, and suffer a long
+   and cruel imprisonment—a paper against swearing—Peter Ceely’s
+   mittimus—George Fox has great service in jail—many are
+   convinced and opposers are confounded—experiences some
+   remarkable preservations—Edward Pyot writes an excellent letter
+   to Judge Glynne on the liberty of the subject, and on the
+   injustice and illegality of their imprisonment—Truth spreads in
+   the west by the very means taken to prevent it—exhortation and
+   warning to magistrates—answer to the Exeter general warrant for
+   taking up and imprisoning Friends—exhortation to Friends in the
+   ministry—warning to priests and professors—cruel jailer
+   imprisoned in Doomsdale, and further judgments upon him
+   follow—a Friend offers to lie in prison instead of George
+   Fox—Edward Pyot to Major General Desborough, in answer to his
+   conditional offer of liberty—George Fox to the same—he and his
+   Friends are soon after liberated.                                 250
+
+
+ CHAPTER X.—1656-1657.—Address to those who are given to pleasures
+   and wantonness—to the bowlers in Castle-Green at
+   Launceston—George Fox visits Friends imprisoned at Exeter,
+   amongst whom is James Naylor, who has apostatized, but
+   afterwards returned into the Truth—at a meeting in the orchard
+   at Bristol about ten thousand persons are present—Paul Gwin, a
+   rude Baptist, creates a disturbance, but is reproved and
+   silenced—meeting of two or three thousand persons at N.
+   Crisp’s—Justice Stooks prevents the magistrates from
+   apprehending George Fox—speaks to the Protector at Hyde Park,
+   who invites him to his house—accordingly goes to Whitehall, and
+   speaks to the Protector about Friends’ sufferings—travels
+   through most parts of the nation after his liberation from
+   Launceston jail—this year, 1656, there were seldom fewer than
+   one thousand Friends in prison—to Friends on the schism of J.
+   Naylor—to Friends to keep up their meetings—on judging the
+   ministry, &c.—an answer to a high-flown professor—to
+   professors, priests, and teachers on immediate revelation and
+   universal grace, &c. &c.—at Cardiff, George Fox sends word to
+   some who had run out that “the day of their visitation was
+   over”—at Brecknock, his companion, John-ap-John, preaches in
+   the streets—at night, there is a great uproar, like that of
+   Diana’s craftsmen—at William Gandy’s has a large meeting of two
+   or three thousand persons—Cromwell proclaims a fast for rain,
+   and is told by George Fox that the drought was a sign of their
+   barrenness—concerning the true fast and the false—preaches
+   three hours at a great meeting in Radnorshire, and many are
+   convinced—their horses are twice robbed of their oats—from a
+   high hill sounds the day of the Lord, and foretells where God
+   would raise up a people to himself, which came to pass—travels
+   through every county in Wales, where there is a brave people,
+   who sit under Christ’s teaching—has a large meeting on the top
+   of a hill near Liverpool—at Manchester is taken into custody,
+   but soon released.                                                323
+
+ 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 Colonel Osburn 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 from 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.                                     384
+
+
+ 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.                                413
+
+
+ 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.                   456
+
+
+ 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 Bailie 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 Capt. Brown and his wife; the former had
+   fled 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.                                                             489
+
+
+
+
+                              THE PREFACE;
+
+                                 BEING
+
+            A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS DISPENSATIONS OF
+                              GOD TO MEN,
+
+FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THAT OF OUR PRESENT AGE, BY THE
+    MINISTRY AND TESTIMONY OF HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT, GEORGE FOX, AS AN
+    INTRODUCTION TO THE ENSUING JOURNAL.
+
+                                   BY
+
+                             WILLIAM PENN.
+
+
+         ------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+Divers have been the dispensations of God since the creation of the
+world unto the sons of men; but the great end of all of them has been
+the renown of his own excellent name in the creation and restoration of
+man: man, the emblem of himself, as a god on earth, and the glory of all
+his works. The world began with innocency: all was then good that the
+good God had made: and as he blessed the works of his hands, so their
+natures and harmony magnified Him their Creator. Then the morning stars
+sang together for joy, and all parts of his works said Amen to his law;
+not a jar in the whole frame, but man in paradise, the beasts in the
+field, the fowl in the air, the fish in the sea, the lights in the
+heavens, the fruits of the earth; yea the air, the earth, the water, and
+fire worshipped, praised, and exalted his power, wisdom, and goodness! O
+holy sabbath! O holy day to the Lord.
+
+But this happy state lasted not long: for man, the crown and glory of
+the whole, being tempted to aspire above his place, unhappily yielded
+against command and duty, as well as interest and felicity; and so fell
+below it, lost the divine image, the wisdom, power, and purity he was
+made in. By which, being no longer fit for paradise, he was expelled
+that garden of God, his proper dwelling and residence, and was driven
+out, as a poor vagabond, from the presence of the Lord, to wander in the
+earth, the habitation of beasts.
+
+Yet God that made him, had pity on him; for He seeing he was deceived,
+and that it was not of malice, or an original presumption in him, but
+through the subtilty of the serpent (that had first fallen from his own
+state), and by the mediation of the woman, man’s own nature and
+companion (whom the serpent had first deluded), in his infinite goodness
+and wisdom found out a way to repair the breach, recover the loss, and
+restore fallen man again by a nobler and more excellent Adam, promised
+to be born of a woman; that as by means of a woman the evil one had
+prevailed upon man, by a woman also he should come into the world, who
+would prevail against him and bruise his head, and deliver man from his
+power; and which, in a signal manner, by the dispensation of the Son of
+God in the flesh, in the fulness of time, was personally and fully
+accomplished by him, and in him, as man’s Saviour and Redeemer.
+
+But his power was not limited, in the manifestation of it, to that time;
+for both before and since his blessed manifestation in the flesh he has
+been the light and life, the rock and strength of all that ever feared
+God: present with them in their temptations, he followed them in their
+travels and afflictions, and supported and carried them through and over
+the difficulties that have attended them in their earthly pilgrimage. By
+this, Abel’s heart excelled Cain’s, Seth obtained the pre-eminence, and
+Enoch walked with God. It was this that strove with the old world, and
+which they rebelled against, and which sanctified and instructed Noah to
+salvation.
+
+But the outward dispensation that followed the benighted state of man,
+after his fall, especially among the patriarchs, was generally that of
+angels; as the Scriptures of the Old Testament do in many places
+express, as to Abraham, Jacob, &c. The next was that of the law by
+Moses, which was also delivered by angels, as the apostle tells us. This
+dispensation was much outward, and suited to a low and servile state;
+called therefore that of a schoolmaster, to point out and prepare that
+people to look and long for the Messiah, who would deliver them from the
+servitude of a ceremonious and imperfect dispensation, by knowing the
+realities of those mysterious representations in themselves. In this
+time the law was written on stone, the temple built with hands, attended
+with an outward priesthood, and external rites and ceremonies, that were
+shadows of the good things that were to come, and were only to serve
+till the Seed came, or the more excellent and general manifestation of
+Christ, to whom was the promise, and to all men only in him, in whom it
+was Yea and Amen; even life from death, immortality and eternal life.
+
+This the prophets foresaw, and comforted the believing Jews in the
+certainty of it; which was the height of the Mosaical dispensation, and
+which ended in John’s ministry, the forerunner of the Messiah, as John’s
+was finished in him, the fulness of all. And God, that at sundry times
+and in divers manners, had spoken to the fathers by his servants the
+prophets, spoke then by his Son Christ Jesus, “who is heir of all
+things”; being the gospel day, which is the dispensation of sonship;
+bringing in thereby a nearer testament and a better hope; even the
+beginning of the glory of the latter days, and of the restitution of all
+things; yea, the restoration of the kingdom unto Israel.
+
+Now, the Spirit, that was more sparingly communicated in former
+dispensations, began to be “poured forth upon all flesh,” according to
+the prophet Joel; and the light that shined in darkness, or but dimly
+before, the most gracious God caused to shine out of darkness: and the
+day-star began to arise in the hearts of believers, giving unto them the
+knowledge of God in the face (or appearance) of his Son Christ Jesus.
+
+Now, the poor in spirit, the meek, the true mourners, the hungry and
+thirsty after righteousness, the peace-makers, the pure in heart, the
+merciful, and the persecuted, came more especially in remembrance before
+the Lord, and were sought out and blessed by Israel’s true Shepherd. Old
+Jerusalem with her children grew out of date, and the New Jerusalem into
+request, the mother of the sons of the gospel day. Wherefore no more at
+Old Jerusalem, nor at the mountain of Samaria, will God be worshipped,
+above other places; for, behold, he is declared and preached a Spirit,
+and he will be known as such, and worshipped in the Spirit and in the
+Truth. He will come nearer than of old time, and he will write his law
+in the heart, and put his fear and Spirit in the inward parts, according
+to his promise. Then signs, types, and shadows flew away, the day having
+discovered their insufficiency in not reaching to the inside of the cup,
+to the cleansing of the conscience; and all elementary services were
+expired in and by Him that is the substance of all.
+
+And to this great and blessed end of the dispensation of the Son of God,
+did the apostles testify, whom he had chosen and anointed by his Spirit,
+to turn the Jews from their prejudice and superstition, and the Gentiles
+from their vanity and idolatry, to Christ’s Light and Spirit that shined
+in them; that they might be quickened from the sins and trespasses in
+which they were dead, to serve the living God in the newness of the
+Spirit of life, and walk as children of the light, and of the day, even
+the day of holiness: for such “put on Christ,” the light of the world,
+“and make no more provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
+So that the Light, Spirit, and Grace that comes by Christ, and appears
+in man, was what the apostles ministered from, and turned people’s minds
+unto, and in which they gathered and built up the churches of Christ in
+their day. For which cause they advised them not to quench the Spirit,
+but wait for the Spirit, and speak by the Spirit, and pray by the
+Spirit, and walk in the Spirit too, as that which approved them the
+truly begotten children of God; “born, not of flesh and blood, or of the
+will of man, but of the will of God;” by doing his will, and denying
+their own; by drinking of Christ’s cup, and being baptised with his
+baptism of self-denial: the way and path that all the heirs of life have
+trod to blessedness. But, alas! even in the apostles’ days, those bright
+stars of the first magnitude of the Gospel light, some clouds,
+foretelling an eclipse of this primitive glory, began to appear, and
+several of them gave early caution of it to the Christians of their
+time; that even then there was, and yet would be more and more, a
+falling away from the power of godliness, and the purity of that
+spiritual dispensation, by such as sought to make a fair show in the
+flesh, but with whom the offence of the cross ceased; yet with this
+comfortable conclusion, that they saw beyond it a more glorious time
+than ever, to the true church. Their sight was true, and what they
+foretold to the churches, gathered by them in the name and power of
+Jesus, came so to pass: for Christians degenerated apace into outsides,
+as days, and meats, and divers other ceremonies. And which was worse,
+they fell into strife and contention about them, separating one from
+another, then envying, and as they had power, persecuting one another,
+to the shame and scandal of their common Christianity, and grievous
+stumbling and offence to the heathen, among whom the Lord had so long
+and so marvellously preserved them. And having got at last the worldly
+power into their hands, by kings and emperors embracing the Christian
+profession, they changed what they could, the kingdom of Christ, which
+is not of this world, into a worldly kingdom; or at least styled the
+worldly kingdom that was in their hands the kingdom of Christ, and so
+they became worldly, and not true Christians. Then human inventions and
+novelties, both in doctrine and worship, crowded fast into the church; a
+door being opened thereunto by the grossness and carnality that appeared
+then among the generality of Christians; who had long since left the
+guidance of God’s meek and heavenly Spirit, and given themselves up to
+superstition, will-worship, and voluntary humility. And as superstition
+is blind, so it is heady and furious; for all must stoop to its blind
+and boundless zeal, or perish by it: in the name of the Spirit,
+persecuting the very appearance of the Spirit of God in others, and
+opposing that in them which they resisted in themselves, viz., the
+Light, Grace, and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ; but always under the
+notion of innovation, heresy, schism, or some such plausible name.
+Though Christianity allows of no name or pretence whatever for
+persecuting any man for matters of mere religion; religion being in its
+very nature, meek, gentle, and forbearing; and consists of faith, hope,
+and charity, which no persecutor can have, whilst he remains a
+persecutor; in that a man cannot believe well, or hope well, or have a
+charitable or tender regard to another, whilst he would violate his mind
+or persecute his body for matters of faith or worship towards his God.
+
+Thus the false church sprang up, and mounted the chair. But though she
+lost her nature, she would keep her good name of the Lamb’s bride, the
+true church and mother of the faithful; constraining all to receive her
+mark, either in the forehead, or right hand, publicly or privately: but
+in deed and in truth she was Mystery, Babylon, the mother of harlots;
+mother of those that, with all their show and outside of religion, were
+adulterated and gone from the Spirit, nature, and life of Christ, and
+grown vain, worldly, ambitious, covetous, cruel, &c., which are the
+fruits of the flesh, and not of the Spirit.
+
+Now it was that the true church fled into the wilderness, that is, from
+superstition and violence, to a retired, solitary, and lonely state;
+hidden, and as it were out of sight of men, though not out of the world:
+which shows that her wonted visibility was not essential to the being of
+a true church in the judgment of the Holy Ghost; she being as true a
+church in the wilderness, though not as visible and lustrous, as when
+she was in her former splendour of profession. In this state many
+attempts she made to return, but the waters were yet too high, and her
+way blocked up, and many of her excellent children, in several nations
+and centuries, fell by the cruelty of superstition, because they would
+not fall from their faithfulness to the truth.
+
+The last age did set some steps towards it, both as to doctrine,
+worship, and practice. But practice quickly failed, for wickedness
+flowed in a little time, as well among the professors of the
+Reformation, as those they reformed from; so that by the fruits of
+conversation they were not to be distinguished. And the children of the
+reformers, if not the reformers themselves, betook themselves very early
+to earthly policy and power to uphold and carry on their reformation,
+that had been begun with spiritual weapons; which I have often thought
+has been one of the greatest reasons the Reformation made no better
+progress, as to the life and soul of religion; for whilst the reformers
+were lowly and spiritually minded, and trusted in God, and looked to
+him, and lived in his fear, and consulted not with flesh and blood, nor
+sought deliverance in their own way, there were daily added to the
+church such as, one might reasonably say, should be saved. For they were
+not so careful to be safe from persecution, as to be faithful under it,
+being more concerned to spread the truth by their faith and patience in
+tribulation, than to get the worldly power out of their hands, that
+inflicted their sufferings upon them; and it will be well if the Lord
+suffer them not to fall by the very same way they took to stand. In
+doctrine, they were in some things short; in other things, to avoid one
+extreme they ran into another; and for worship, there was, for the
+generality, more of man than of God. They owned the Spirit, Inspiration,
+and Revelation indeed, and grounded their separation and reformation
+upon the sense and understanding they received from it, in the reading
+of the Scriptures of Truth; and this was their plea, the Scripture was
+the text, the Spirit the interpreter, and that to every one for himself.
+But yet there was too much of human invention, tradition, and art, that
+remained both in praying and preaching, and of worldly authority and
+worldly greatness in their ministers, especially in this kingdom,
+Sweden, Denmark, and some parts of Germany. God was therefore pleased
+among us, to shift from vessel to vessel: and the next remove humbled
+the ministry, so that they were more strict in preaching, devout in
+praying, and zealous for keeping the Lord’s day, and catechising
+children and servants, and repeating at home in their families what they
+had heard in public.
+
+But even as these grew into power, they were not only for whipping some
+out, but others into the temple; and they appeared rigid in their
+spirits, rather than severe in their lives, and more for a party than
+for piety; which brought forth another people, that were yet more
+retired and select. They would not communicate at large, or in common
+with others; but formed churches among themselves of such as could give
+some account of their conversion, at least of very promising experiences
+of the work of God’s grace upon their hearts, and under mutual
+agreements and covenants of fellowship they kept together. These people
+were somewhat of a softer temper, and seemed to recommend religion by
+the charms of its love, mercy, and goodness, rather than by the terrors
+of its judgments and punishments; by which the former party would have
+terrified people into religion.
+
+They also allowed greater liberty to prophesy than those before them;
+for they admitted any member to speak or pray, as well as their pastor
+(whom they always chose, and not the civil magistrate), if such found
+anything pressing upon them to either duty, even without the distinction
+of clergy or laity; persons of any trade, be it never so low and
+mechanical. But alas! even these people suffered great loss: for tasting
+of worldly empire, and the favour of princes, and the gain that ensued,
+they degenerated but too much. For though they had cried down national
+churches, and ministry, and maintenance too, some of them, when it was
+their own turn to be tried, fell under the weight of worldly honour and
+advantage, got into profitable parsonages too much, and outlived and
+contradicted their own principles: and which was yet worse, turned some
+of them absolute persecutors of other men for God’s sake, that but so
+lately came themselves out of the furnace; which drove many a step
+farther, and that was into the water—another baptism, as believing they
+were not scripturally baptized; and hoping to find that presence and
+power of God in submitting to that ordinance, which they desired and
+wanted.
+
+These people made also profession of neglecting, if not renouncing, and
+censuring, not only the necessity but use of all human learning as to
+the ministry; and all other qualifications to it, besides the helps and
+gifts of the Spirit of God, and those natural and common to men; and for
+a time they seemed like John of old, a burning and a shining light to
+other societies.
+
+They were very diligent, plain, and serious, strong in Scripture, and
+bold in profession, bearing much reproach, and contradiction: but that
+which others fell by, proved their hurt. For worldly power spoiled them
+too; who had enough of it to try them, what they would do if they had
+more; and they rested also too much upon their watery dispensation,
+instead of passing on more fully to the fire and Holy Ghost, which was
+his baptism, who came with a “fan in his hand that he might thoroughly
+(and not in part only) purge his floor,” and take away the dross and the
+tin of his people, and make a man finer than gold. Withal, they grew
+high, rough, and self-righteous, opposing further attainment; too much
+forgetting the day of their infancy and littleness, which gave them
+something of a real beauty; insomuch that many left them, and all
+visible churches and societies, and wandered up and down, as sheep
+without a shepherd, and as doves without their mates; seeking their
+beloved, but could not find Him (as their souls desired to know him)
+whom their souls loved above their chiefest joy.
+
+These people were called Seekers by some, and the Family of Love by
+others; because, as they came to the knowledge of one another, they
+sometimes met together, not formally to pray or preach, at appointed
+times or places, in their own wills, as in times past they were
+accustomed to do; but waited together in silence, and as anything rose
+in any one of their minds that they thought savoured of a divine spring,
+so they sometimes spoke. But so it was, that some of them not keeping in
+humility, and in the fear of God, after the abundance of revelation,
+were exalted above measure; and for want of staying their minds in an
+humble dependence upon Him that opened their understandings to see great
+things in his law, they ran out in their own imaginations, and mixing
+them with those divine openings, brought forth a monstrous birth, to the
+scandal of those that feared God, and waited daily in the temple not
+made with hands, for the consolation of Israel; the Jew inward, and
+circumcision in spirit.
+
+This people obtained the name of Ranters, from their extravagant
+discourses and practices. For they interpreted Christ’s fulfilling of
+the law for us, to be a discharging of us from any obligation and duty
+the law required, instead of the condemnation of the law for sins past,
+upon faith and repentance; and that now it was no sin to do that which
+before it was a sin to commit, the slavish fear of the law being taken
+off by Christ, and all things good that man did, if he did but do them
+with the mind and persuasion that it was so. Insomuch that divers fell
+into gross and enormous practices; pretending in excuse thereof that
+they could, without evil, commit the same act which was sin in another
+to do; thereby distinguishing between the action and the evil of it, by
+the direction of the mind, and intention in the doing of it. Which was
+to make sin superabound by the aboundings of grace, and to turn from the
+grace of God into wantonness, a securer way of sinning than before; as
+if Christ came not to take away sin, but that we might sin more freely
+at his cost, and with less danger to ourselves. I say, this ensnared
+divers, and brought them to an utter and lamentable loss, as to their
+eternal state; and they grew very troublesome to the better sort of
+people, and furnished the looser with an occasion to profane.
+
+It was about that very same time, as you may see in the ensuing annals,
+that the eternal, wise, and good God was pleased, in his infinite love,
+to honour and visit this benighted and bewildered nation with his
+glorious dayspring from on high; yea, with a most sure and certain sound
+of the Word of Light and Life, through the testimony of a chosen vessel,
+to an effectual and blessed purpose, can many thousands say, Glory be to
+the name of the Lord for ever!
+
+For as it reached the conscience and broke the heart, and brought many
+to a sense and search, so what people had been vainly seeking _without_,
+with much pains and cost, they by this ministry found _within_; where it
+was they wanted what they sought for, viz., the right way to peace with
+God. For they were directed to the Light of Jesus Christ within them, as
+the seed and leaven of the kingdom of God; near all, because _in_ all,
+and God’s talent to all; a faithful and true witness and just monitor
+_in_ every bosom; the gift and grace of God to life and salvation, that
+appears to all, though few regard it. This, the traditional Christian,
+conceited of himself, and strong in his own will and righteousness, and
+overcome with blind zeal and passion, either despised as a low and
+common thing, or opposed as a novelty, under many hard names or
+opprobrious terms; denying, in his ignorant and angry mind, any fresh
+manifestation of God’s power and Spirit in man in these days, though
+never more needed to make true Christians: not unlike those Jews of old,
+that rejected the Son of God at the very same time that they blindly
+professed to wait for the Messiah to come; because, alas, he appeared
+not among them according to their carnal mind and expectation.
+
+This brought forth many abusive books, which filled the greater sort
+with envy, and lesser with rage, and made the way and progress of this
+blessed testimony strait and narrow indeed to those that received it.
+However, God owned his own work, and this testimony did effectually
+reach, gather, comfort, and establish, the weary and heavy laden, the
+hungry and thirsty, the poor and needy, the mournful and sick of many
+maladies, that had spent all upon physicians of no value, and waited for
+relief from heaven; help only from above: seeing, upon a serious trial
+of all things, nothing else would do but Christ himself, the light of
+his countenance, a touch of his garment, and help from his hand, who
+cured the poor woman’s issue, raised the centurion’s servant, the
+widow’s son, the ruler’s daughter, and Peter’s mother; and like her,
+they no sooner felt his power and efficacy upon their souls, than they
+gave up to obey him in a testimony to his power, and with resigned wills
+and faithful hearts, through all mockings, contradictions, beatings,
+prisons, and many other jeopardies that attended them for his blessed
+name’s sake.
+
+And truly, they were very many and very great; so that in all human
+probability they must have been swallowed up quick of the proud and
+boisterous waves that swelled and beat against them; but that the God of
+all their tender mercies was with them in his glorious authority, so
+that the hills often fled and the mountains melted before the power that
+filled them; working mightily for them, as well as in them, one ever
+following the other. By which they saw plainly, to their exceeding great
+confirmation and comfort, “that all things were possible with him with
+whom they had to do.” And that the more that which God required seemed
+to cross man’s wisdom, and expose them to man’s wrath, the more God
+appeared to help and carry them through all to his glory; insomuch that
+if ever any people could say in truth, “Thou art our sun and our shield,
+our rock and sanctuary, and by thee we have leaped over a wall, and by
+thee we have run through a troop, and by thee we have put the armies of
+the aliens to flight,” these people had right to say it. And as God had
+delivered their souls of the wearisome burdens of sin and vanity, and
+enriched their poverty of spirit, and satisfied their great hunger and
+thirst after eternal righteousness, and filled them with the good things
+of his own house, and made them stewards of his manifold gifts; so they
+went forth to all quarters of these nations, to declare to the
+inhabitants thereof, what God had done for them; what they had found,
+and where and how they had found it; viz., the way to peace with God;
+inviting them to come and see and taste for themselves, the truth of
+what they declared unto them.
+
+And as their testimony was to the principle of God in man, the precious
+pearl and leaven of the kingdom, as the only blessed means appointed of
+God to quicken, convince, and sanctify man; so they opened to them what
+it was in itself, and what it was given to them for; how they might know
+it from their own spirit, and that of the subtle appearance of the evil
+one; and what it would do for all those, whose minds are turned off from
+the vanity of the world and its lifeless ways and teachers, and adhere
+to this blessed light in themselves, which discovers and condemns sin in
+all its appearances, and shows how to overcome it, if minded and obeyed
+in its holy manifestations and convictions; giving power to such to
+avoid and resist those things that do not please God, and to grow strong
+in love, faith, and good works; that so man, whom sin hath made as a
+wilderness, overrun with briars and thorns, might become as the garden
+of God, cultivated by his Divine power, and replenished with the most
+virtuous and beautiful plants of God’s own right hand planting, to his
+eternal praise.
+
+But these experimental preachers of glad tidings of God’s truth and
+kingdom, could not run when they list, or pray or preach when they
+pleased, but as Christ their Redeemer prepared and moved them by his own
+blessed Spirit, for which they waited in their services and meetings,
+and spoke as that gave them utterance, and which was as those having
+authority, and not like the dreaming, dry, and formal Pharisees. And so
+it plainly appeared to the serious-minded, whose spiritual eye the Lord
+Jesus had in any measure opened; so that to one was given the word of
+exhortation, to another the word of reproof, to another the word of
+consolation, and all by the same Spirit and in the good order thereof,
+to the convincing and edifying of many.
+
+And truly they waxed strong and bold through faithfulness; and by the
+power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus became very fruitful; thousands, in a
+short time, being turned to the Truth through their testimony in
+ministry and sufferings, insomuch as in most counties, and many of the
+considerable towns of England, meetings were settled, and daily there
+were added such as should be saved. For they were diligent to plant and
+to water, and the Lord blessed their labours with an exceeding great
+increase; notwithstanding all the opposition made to their blessed
+progress, by false rumours, calumnies, and bitter persecutions; not only
+from the powers of the earth, but from every one that listed to injure
+and abuse them; so that they seemed indeed to be as poor sheep appointed
+to the slaughter, and as a people killed all the day long.
+
+It were fitter for a volume than a preface, but so much as to repeat the
+contents of their cruel sufferings from professors as well as from
+profane, and from magistrates as well as from the rabble, that it may
+well be said of this abused and despised people, they went forth weeping
+and sowed in tears, bearing testimony to the precious seed, the seed of
+the kingdom, which stands not in words, the finest, the highest that
+man’s wit can use, but in power; the power of Christ Jesus, to whom God
+the Father hath given all power in heaven and in earth, that he might
+rule angels above, and men below; who empowered them, as their work
+witnesseth, by the many that were turned through their ministry from
+darkness to the light, and out of the broad into the narrow way,
+bringing people to a weighty, serious, and godly conversation; the
+practice of that doctrine which they taught.
+
+And as without this secret Divine power there is no quickening and
+regenerating of dead souls, so the want of this generating and begetting
+power and life, is the cause of the little fruit that the many
+ministries that have been, and are in the world, bring forth. O that
+both ministers and people were sensible of this! My soul is often
+troubled for them, and sorrow and mourning compass me about for their
+sakes. O that they were wise! O that they would consider, and lay to
+heart the things that truly and substantially make for their lasting
+peace!
+
+Two things are to be briefly touched upon; the doctrine they taught, and
+the example they led among the people. I have already touched upon their
+fundamental principle, which is as the corner-stone of their fabric; and
+to speak eminently and properly, their characteristic, or main
+distinguishing point or principle, viz., the Light of Christ within, as
+God’s gift for man’s salvation. This, I say, is as the root of the
+goodly tree of doctrines that grew and branched out from it, which I
+shall now mention in their natural and experimental order.
+
+First, Repentance from dead works to serve the living God; which
+comprehends three operations, first, a sight of sin; secondly, a sense
+and godly sorrow for it; thirdly, an amendment for the time to come.
+This was the repentance they preached and pressed, and a natural result
+from the principle they turned all people unto. For of light came sight;
+and of sight came sense and sorrow; and of sense and sorrow came
+amendment of life; which doctrine of repentance leads to justification;
+that is, forgiveness of the sins that are past, through Christ, the
+alone propitiation; and to the sanctification or purgation of the soul
+from the defiling habits of sin present; which is justification in the
+complete sense of that word; comprehending both justification from the
+guilt of the sins that are past, as if they had never been committed,
+through the love and mercy of God in Christ Jesus; and the creature’s
+being made inwardly just through the cleansing and sanctifying power and
+Spirit of Christ revealed in the soul which is commonly called
+sanctification.
+
+From hence sprang a second doctrine they were led to declare, as the
+mark of the prize of the high calling of all true Christians, viz.,
+perfection from sin, according to the Scriptures of Truth, which testify
+it to be the end of Christ’s coming, the nature of his kingdom, and for
+which his Spirit was given. But they never held a perfection in wisdom
+and glory in this life, or from natural infirmities or death, as some
+have with a weak or ill mind, imagined and insinuated against them.
+
+This they called a redeemed state, regeneration, or the new birth;
+teaching everywhere, according to their foundation, that unless this
+work were known, there was no inheriting of the kingdom of God.
+
+Third, to an acknowledgment of eternal rewards and punishments, as they
+have good reason; for else of all people, certainly they must be the
+most miserable; who for about forty years have been exceedingly great
+sufferers for their profession, and in some cases, treated worse than
+the worst of men, yea, as the refuse and offscouring of all things.
+
+This was the purport of their doctrine and ministry; which, for the most
+part, is what other professors of Christianity pretend to hold in words
+and forms, but not in the _power_ of godliness; that has been long lost
+by men’s departing from that principle and Seed of Life that is in man,
+and which man has not regarded, but lost the sense of; and in and by
+which only he can be quickened in his mind to serve the living God in
+newness of life. For as the life of religion was lost, and the
+generality lived and worshipped God after their own wills, and not after
+the will of God, nor the mind of Christ, which stood in the works and
+fruits of the Holy Spirit; so that which they pressed, was not notion,
+but experience, not formality, but godliness; as being sensible in
+themselves, through the work of God’s righteous judgments, that without
+holiness no man should ever see the Lord with comfort.
+
+Besides these doctrines, and out of them, as the larger branches, there
+sprang forth several particular doctrines, that did exemplify and
+further explain the truth and efficacy of the general doctrine before
+observed, in their lives and examples. As,
+
+I. Communion and loving one another. This is a noted mark in the mouth
+of all sorts of people concerning them. “They will meet, they will help
+and stick one to another.” Whence it is common to hear some say, “Look
+how the Quakers love and take care of one another.” Others less moderate
+will say, “The Quakers love none but themselves”; and if loving one
+another, and having an intimate communion in religion, and constant care
+to meet to worship God and help one another, be any mark of primitive
+Christianity, they had it, blessed be the Lord, in an ample manner.
+
+II. To love enemies. This they both taught and practised; for they did
+not only refuse to be revenged for injuries done them, and condemned it
+as of an unchristian spirit, but they did freely forgive, yea, help and
+relieve those that had been cruel to them, when it was in their power to
+have been even with them; of which many and singular instances might be
+given; endeavouring, through patience, to overcome all injustice and
+oppression, and preaching this doctrine as Christian for others to
+follow.
+
+III. The sufficiency of truth speaking, according to Christ’s own form
+of words, of Yea, Yea, and Nay, Nay, among Christians without swearing,
+both from Christ’s express prohibition, “Swear not at all,” Matt. v.;
+and for that they being under the tie and bond of truth in themselves
+there was both no necessity for an oath, and it would be a reproach to
+their Christian veracity to assure their truth by such an extraordinary
+way of speaking; but offering at the same time, to be punished to the
+full, for false speaking, as others for perjury, if ever guilty of it;
+and hereby they exclude with all true, all false and profane swearing;
+for which the land did and doth mourn, and the great God was and is not
+a little offended with it.
+
+IV. Not fighting but suffering, is another testimony peculiar to this
+people; they affirm that Christianity teacheth people “to beat their
+swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and to
+learn war no more,” so that the wolf may lie down with the lamb, and the
+lion with the calf, and nothing that destroys be entertained in the
+hearts of people; exhorting them to employ their zeal against sin, and
+turn their anger against Satan, and no longer war one against another;
+because all wars and fightings come of men’s own hearts’ lusts,
+according to the apostle James, and not of the meek spirit of Christ
+Jesus, who is captain of another warfare, and which is carried on with
+other weapons. Thus, as truth-speaking succeeded swearing, so faith and
+truth succeeded fighting, in the doctrine and practice of this people.
+Nor ought they for this to be obnoxious to civil government, since if
+they cannot fight for it, neither can they fight against it; which is no
+mean security to the state; nor is it reasonable that people should be
+blamed for not doing more for others than they can do for themselves.
+And Christianity set aside, if the costs and fruits of war were well
+considered, peace, with its inconveniences, is generally preferable. But
+though they were not for fighting, they were for submitting to
+government; and that, not only for fear, but for conscience’ sake, where
+government doth not interfere with conscience; believing it to be an
+ordinance of God, and where it is justly administered, a great benefit
+to mankind; though it has been their lot, through blind zeal in some,
+and interest in others, to have felt the strokes of it with greater
+weight and rigour than any other persuasion in this age; whilst they, of
+all others (religion set aside) have given the civil magistrate the
+least occasion of trouble in the discharge of his office.
+
+V. Another part of the character of this people is, they refuse to pay
+tithes, or maintenance to a national ministry, and that for two reasons;
+the one is, that they believe all compelled maintenance, even to gospel
+ministers, to be unlawful, because expressly contrary to Christ’s
+command, who said, “Freely you have received, freely give;” at least
+that the maintenance of gospel ministers should be free, and not forced.
+The other reason of their refusal is, because those ministers are not
+gospel ones, in that the Holy Ghost is not their foundation, but human
+arts and parts; so that it is not matter of humour or sullenness, but
+pure conscience towards God, that they cannot help to support national
+ministries where they dwell, which are but too much and too visibly
+become ways of worldly advantage and preferment.
+
+VI. Not to respect persons, was another of their doctrines and
+practices, for which they were often buffeted and abused. They affirmed
+it to be sinful to give flattering titles, or to use vain gestures and
+compliments of respect; though to virtue and authority they ever made a
+difference, but after their plain and homely manner, yet sincere and
+substantial way; well remembering the example of Mordecai and Elihu, but
+more especially the command of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ who
+forbade his followers to call men Rabbi, which implies lord and master,
+also the fashionable greetings and salutations of those times; that so
+self-love and honour, to which the proud mind of man is incident, in his
+fallen estate, might not be indulged but rebuked.
+
+VII. They also used the plain language of Thou and Thee, to a single
+person, whatever was his degree among men. And indeed the wisdom of God
+was much seen, in bringing forth this people in so plain an appearance;
+for it was a close and distinguishing test upon the spirit of those they
+came among; showing their insides and what predominated, notwithstanding
+their high and great profession of religion. This, among the rest,
+sounded so harsh to many of them, and they took it so ill, that they
+would say, “Thou me, thou my dog; if thou thouest me, I’ll thou thy
+teeth down thy throat,” forgetting the language they use to God in their
+own prayers, and the common style of the Scriptures, and that it is an
+absolute and essential propriety of speech; and what good had their
+religion done them, who were so sensibly touched with indignation for
+the use of this plain, honest, and true speech?
+
+VIII. They recommended silence by their example, having very few words
+upon all occasions; they were at a word in dealing; nor could their
+customers with many words tempt them from it; having more regard to
+truth than custom, to example than gain. They sought solitude; but when
+in company, they would neither use, nor willingly hear, unnecessary as
+well as unlawful discourses; whereby they preserved their minds pure and
+undisturbed from unprofitable thoughts and diversions; nor could they
+humour the custom of “Good night, Good morrow, God speed;” for they knew
+the night was good, and the day was good, without wishing of either; and
+that in the other expression, the holy name of God was too lightly and
+unthinkingly used, and therefore taken in vain. Besides, they were words
+and wishes of course, and are usually as little meant, as are love and
+service in the custom of cap and knee; and superfluity in those, as well
+as in other things, was burdensome to them; and therefore they did not
+only decline to use them, but found themselves often pressed to reprove
+the practice.
+
+IX. For the same reason they forbore drinking to people, or pledging of
+them, as the manner of the world is; a practice that is not only
+unnecessary, but they thought evil in the tendencies of it; being a
+provocation to drinking more than did people good, as well as that it
+was in itself vain and heathenish.
+
+X. Their way of marriage is peculiar to them; and is a distinguishing
+practice from all other societies professing Christianity. They say that
+marriage is an ordinance of God, and that God only can rightly join man
+and woman in marriage. Therefore they use neither priest nor magistrate,
+but the man and woman concerned, take each other as husband and wife, in
+the presence of divers credible witnesses, “promising unto each other,
+with God’s assistance, to be loving and faithful in that relation, till
+death shall separate them.” But, antecedent to all this, they first
+present themselves to the Monthly Meeting for the affairs of the church,
+where they reside, there declaring their intentions to take one another
+as man and wife, if the said meeting have nothing material to object
+against it. They are constantly asked the necessary questions,[A] as in
+case of parents, or guardians, if they have acquainted them with their
+intention, and have their consent, &c. In case it appears they proceeded
+orderly, the meeting passes their proposal, and so records it in their
+meeting book; and in case the woman is a widow and hath children, due
+care is there taken, that provision also be made by her for the orphans
+before the said marriage; advising the parties concerned to appoint a
+convenient time and place, and to give fitting notice to their
+relations, and such friends and neighbours, as they desire should be the
+witnesses of their marriage: where they take one another by the hand,
+and by name promising reciprocally after the manner before expressed. Of
+all which proceedings, a narrative, in the way of certificate, is made,
+to which the said parties first set their hands, thereby making it their
+act and deed; and then divers of the relations, spectators, and auditors
+set their names as witnesses of what they said and signed; which
+certificate is afterward registered in the record belonging to the
+meeting where the marriage is solemnized. Which regular method has been,
+as it deserves, adjudged in courts of law a good marriage where it has
+been disputed and contested, for want of the accustomed formality of
+priest and ring, &c., which ceremonies they have refused, not out of
+humour, but conscience reasonably grounded, inasmuch as no Scripture
+example tells us, that the priest had any other part of old time, than
+that of a witness among the rest, before whom the Jews used to take one
+another: and therefore this people look upon it as an imposition, to
+advance the power and profits of the clergy. And for the use of the
+ring, it is enough to say, that it was a heathenish and vain custom, and
+never in practice among the people of God, Jews, or primitive
+Christians. The words of the usual form, as “With my body I thee
+worship,” &c., are hardly defensible: in short, they are more careful,
+exact, and regular than any form now used, and it is free from the
+inconveniences other methods are attended with; their care and checks
+being so many, and such, that no clandestine marriages can be performed
+among them.
+
+XI. It may not be unfit to say something here of their births and
+burials, which make up so much of the pomp and solemnity of too many
+called Christians. For births, the parents name their own children,
+which is usually some days after they are born, and afterward sign a
+certificate, for that purpose prepared, of the birth and name of the
+child, or children, which is recorded in a proper book, in the Monthly
+Meeting, to which the parents belong; avoiding the accustomed ceremonies
+and festivals.
+
+XII. Their burials are performed with the same simplicity. If the corpse
+of the deceased be near any public meeting place, it is usually carried
+thither, for the more convenient reception of those that accompany it to
+the ground they bury in, and it so falls out sometimes, that while the
+meeting is gathering for the burial, some or other have a word of
+exhortation, for the sake of the people there met together: after which,
+the body is borne away by the young men, or those that are of their
+neighbourhood, or that were most intimate with the deceased party: the
+corpse being in a plain coffin, without any covering or furniture upon
+it. At the ground, they pause some time before they put the body into
+its grave, that if any there should have anything upon them to exhort
+the people, they may not be disappointed, and that the relations may the
+more retiredly and solemnly take their last leave of the corpse of their
+departed kindred, and the spectators have a sense of mortality, by the
+occasion then given them to reflect upon their own latter end. Otherwise
+they have no set rites or ceremonies on those occasions; neither do the
+kindred of the deceased wear mourning, they looking upon it as a worldly
+ceremony and piece of pomp; and that what mourning is fit for a
+Christian to have, at the departure of a beloved relation or friend,
+should be worn in the mind, which is only sensible of the loss; and the
+love they had to them, and remembrance of them, to be outwardly
+expressed by a respect to their advice, and care of those they have left
+behind them, and their love of that they loved. Which conduct of theirs,
+though unmodish or unfashionable, leaves nothing of the substance of
+things neglected or undone; and as they aim at no more, so that
+simplicity of life is what they observe with great satisfaction, though
+it sometimes happens not to be without the mockeries of the vain world
+they live in.
+
+These things gave them a rough and disagreeable appearance with the
+generality; who thought them turners of the world upside down, as indeed
+in some sense they were: but in no other than that wherein Paul was so
+charged, viz., to bring things back into their primitive and right order
+again. For these, and such like practices of theirs, were not the result
+of humour, as some have fancied, but a fruit of inward sense, which God,
+through his fear, had begotten in them. They did not consider how to
+contradict the world, or distinguish themselves; being none of their
+business, as it was not their interest; no, it was not the result of
+consultation, or a framed design to declare or recommend schism or
+novelty. But God having given them a sight of themselves, they saw the
+whole world in the same glass of truth; and sensibly discerned the
+affections and passions of men, and the rise and tendency of things;
+what gratified “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the
+pride of life, which are not of the Father, but of the world.” And from
+thence sprang, in that night of darkness and apostacy, which hath been
+over people, through their degeneration from the Light and Spirit of
+God, these and many other vain customs; which are seen, by the heavenly
+day of Christ which dawns in the soul, to be, either wrong in their
+original, or, by time and abuse, hurtful in their practice. And though
+these things seemed trivial to some, and rendered this people stingy and
+conceited in such persons’ opinions; there was and is more in them than
+they were aware of. It was not very easy to our primitive Friends to
+make themselves sights and spectacles, and the scorn and derision of the
+world; which they easily foresaw must be the consequence of so
+unfashionable a conversation in it. But herein was the wisdom of God
+seen in the foolishness of these things; first, that they discovered the
+satisfaction and concern that people had in and for the fashions of this
+world, notwithstanding their pretences to another; in that any
+disappointment about them came so very near them, that the greatest
+honesty, virtue, wisdom, and ability were unwelcome without them.
+Secondly, it seasonably and profitably divided conversation; for making
+their society uneasy to their relations and acquaintance, it gave them
+the opportunity of more retirement and solitude, wherein they met with
+better company, even the Lord God, their Redeemer, and grew strong in
+his love, power, and wisdom, and were thereby better qualified for his
+service; and the success abundantly showed it: blessed be the name of
+the Lord.
+
+And though they were not great and learned in the esteem of this world
+(for then they had not wanted followers upon their own credit and
+authority), yet they were generally of the most sober of the several
+persuasions they were in, and of the most repute for religion; and many
+of them of good capacity, substance, and account among men.
+
+And also some among them neither wanted for parts, learning, nor estate;
+though then, as of old, not many wise, nor noble, &c., were called, or
+at least received the heavenly call; because of the cross that attended
+the profession of it in sincerity; but neither do parts or learning make
+men the better Christians, though the better orators and disputants; and
+it is the ignorance of people about the divine gift that causes that
+vulgar and mischievous mistake. Theory and practice, expression and
+enjoyment; words and life; are two things. O! it is the penitent, the
+reformed, the lowly, the watchful, the self-denying and holy soul that
+is the Christian; and that frame is the fruit and work of the Spirit,
+which is the life of Jesus; whose life, though hid in God the Father, is
+shed abroad in the hearts of them that truly believe. O! that people did
+but know this to cleanse them, to circumcise them, to quicken them, and
+to make them new creatures indeed; re-created, or re-generated after
+Christ Jesus unto good works; that they might live to God and not to
+themselves; and offer up living prayers and living praises to the living
+God, through his own living Spirit, in which he is only to be worshipped
+in this gospel day. O! that they that read me could but feel me; for my
+heart is affected with this merciful visitation of the Father of Lights
+and Spirits, to this poor nation, and the whole world, through the same
+testimony. Why should the inhabitants thereof reject it? Why should they
+lose the blessed benefit of it? Why should they not turn to the Lord
+with all their hearts, and say, from the heart, “Speak, Lord, for now
+thy poor servants hear? O! that thy will may be done, thy great, thy
+good and holy will, in earth as it is in heaven: do it in us, do it upon
+us, do what thou wilt with us, for we are thine and desire to glorify
+thee our Creator, both for that, and because thou art our Redeemer; for
+thou art redeeming us from the earth; from the vanities and pollutions
+of it, to be a peculiar people unto thee.” O! this were a brave day for
+England, if so she could say in truth. But alas, the case is otherwise,
+for which some of thine inhabitants, O land of my nativity I have
+mourned over thee with bitter wailing and lamentation. Their heads have
+been indeed as waters, and their eyes as fountains of tears, because of
+thy transgression and stiffneckedness; because thou wilt not hear and
+fear, and return to the Rock, even thy Rock, O England! from whence thou
+wert hewn. But be thou warned, O land of great profession, to receive
+him into thy heart; behold at that door it is, he hath stood so long
+knocking, but thou wilt yet have none of him. O! be thou awakened, lest
+Jerusalem’s judgments do swiftly overtake thee, because of Jerusalem’s
+sins that abound in thee. For she abounded in formality, but made void
+the weighty things of God’s law, as thou daily doest.
+
+She withstood the Son of God in the flesh, and thou resistest the Son of
+God in the Spirit. He would have gathered her as a hen gathereth her
+chickens under her wings, and she would not; so would he have gathered
+thee out of thy lifeless profession, and have brought thee to inherit
+substance, to have known his power and kingdom, for which he often
+knocked within by his grace and Spirit, and without, by his servants and
+witnesses; but thou wouldst not be gathered. On the contrary, as
+Jerusalem of old persecuted the manifestation of the Son of God in the
+flesh, and crucified him, and whipped and imprisoned his servants; so
+hast thou, O land, crucified to thyself afresh the Lord of life and
+glory, and done despite to his Spirit of grace; slighting the fatherly
+visitation, and persecuting the blessed dispensers of it by thy laws and
+magistrates; though they have early and late pleaded with thee in the
+power and Spirit of the Lord; in love and meekness, that thou mightest
+know the Lord and serve him, and become the glory of all lands.
+
+But thou hast evilly entreated and requited them. Thou hast set at
+naught all their counsel, and wouldst have none of their reproof, as
+thou shouldst have done. Their appearance was too strait, and their
+qualifications were too mean for thee to receive them; like the Jews of
+old, that cried, “Is not this the carpenter’s son, and are not his
+brethren among us; which of the scribes, of the learned, (the orthodox)
+believe in him?” prophesying their fall in a year or two, and making and
+executing severe laws to bring it to pass; by endeavouring to terrify
+them out of their holy way, or destroying them for abiding faithful to
+it. But thou hast seen how many governments that rose against them, and
+determined their downfall, have been overturned and extinguished, and
+that they are still preserved, and become a great and a considerable
+people among the middle sort of thy numerous inhabitants. And
+notwithstanding the many difficulties, without and within, which they
+have laboured under, since the Lord God Eternal first gathered them,
+they are an increasing people, the Lord still adding unto them, in
+divers parts, such as shall be saved, if they persevere to the end. And
+to thee were they, and are they lifted up as a standard, and as a city
+set upon a hill, and to the nations round about thee, that in their
+light thou mayest come to see light, even in Christ Jesus, the Light of
+the world; and therefore thy Light, and Life too, if thou wouldst but
+turn from thy many evil ways, and receive and obey it. For in the “Light
+of the Lamb, must the nations of them that are saved walk,” as the
+Scriptures testify.
+
+Remember, O nation of great profession! how the Lord has waited upon
+thee since the days of reformation, and the many mercies and judgments
+with which he has pleaded with thee; awake and arise out of thy deep
+sleep, and yet hear his Word in thy heart, that thou mayest live.
+
+Let not this thy day of visitation pass over thy head, nor neglect thou
+so great salvation as is this which is come to thy house, O England! For
+why shouldst thou die, O land that God desires to bless? Be assured it
+is He that has been in the midst of this people, in the midst of thee,
+and no delusion, as thy mistaken teachers have made thee believe. And
+this thou shalt find by their marks and fruits, if thou wilt consider
+them in the spirit of moderation.
+
+I. They were changed men themselves before they went about to change
+others. Their hearts were rent as well as their garments; and they knew
+the power and work of God upon them. And this was seen by the great
+alteration it made, and their stricter course of life, and more godly
+conversation, that immediately followed upon it.
+
+II. They went not forth, or preached in their own time and will, but in
+the will of God, and spoke not their own studied matter, but as they
+were opened and moved of his Spirit, with which they were well
+acquainted in their own conversion; which cannot be expressed to carnal
+men so as to give them any intelligible account; for to such it is as
+Christ said, “like the blowing of the wind, which no man knows whence it
+cometh, or whither it goeth;” yet this proof and seal went along with
+their ministry, that many were turned from their lifeless professions,
+and the evil of their ways, to the knowledge of God, and a holy life, as
+thousands can witness. And as they freely received what they had to say
+from the Lord, so they freely administered it to others.
+
+III. The bent and stress of their ministry was conversion to God,
+regeneration, and holiness; not schemes of doctrines and verbal creeds,
+or new forms of worship; but a leaving off in religion, the superfluous,
+and reducing the ceremonious and formal part, and pressing earnestly the
+substantial, the necessary and profitable part; as all upon a serious
+reflection must and do acknowledge.
+
+IV. They directed people to a principle by which all that they asserted,
+preached and exhorted others to, might be wrought in them, and known to
+them, through experience, to be true; which is a high and distinguishing
+mark of the truth of their ministry; both that they knew what they said,
+and were not afraid of coming to the test. For as they were bold from
+certainty, so they required conformity upon no human authority, but upon
+conviction, and the conviction of this principle, which they asserted
+was in them that they preached unto, and unto that they directed them,
+that they might examine and prove the reality of those things which they
+had affirmed of it, and its manifestation and work in man. And this is
+more than many ministries in the world pretend to. They declare of
+religion, say many things true in words, of God, Christ, and the Spirit,
+of holiness and heaven; that all men should repent and mend their lives,
+or they will go to hell, &c. But which of them all pretend to speak of
+their own knowledge and experience; or ever directed men to a divine
+principle or agent, placed of God in man, to help him; and how to know
+it, and wait to feel its power to work that good and acceptable will of
+God in them?
+
+Some of them indeed have spoken of the Spirit and the operations of it
+to sanctification, and the performance of worship to God; but _where_
+and _how_ to find it, and wait in it to perform this duty, was yet as a
+mystery reserved for this further degree of reformation. So that this
+people did not only in words more than equally press repentance,
+conversion, and holiness, but did it knowingly and experimentally; and
+directed those to whom they preached to a sufficient principle, and told
+them where it is, and by what tokens they might know it, and which way
+they might experience the power and efficacy of it to their soul’s
+happiness; which is more than theory and speculation, upon which most
+other ministries depend; for here is certainty,—a bottom upon which man
+may boldly appear before God in the great day of account.
+
+V. They reached to the inward state and condition of people, which is an
+evidence of the virtue of their principle, and of their ministering from
+it, and not from their own imaginations, glosses, or comments upon
+Scripture. For nothing reaches the heart, but what is from the heart, or
+pierces the conscience, but what comes from a living conscience:
+insomuch that as it hath often happened, where people have under secrecy
+revealed their state or condition to some choice friends for advice or
+ease, they have been so particularly directed in the ministry of this
+people, that they have challenged their friends with discovering their
+secrets, and telling the preachers their cases. Yea, the very thoughts
+and purposes of the hearts of many have been so plainly detected, that
+they have, like Nathaniel, cried, out of this inward appearance of
+Christ, “Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” And
+those that have embraced this divine principle have found this mark of
+its truth and divinity (that the woman of Samaria did of Christ when in
+the flesh, to be the Messiah, viz.), “it had told them all that ever
+they had done;” shown them their insides, the most inward secrets of
+their hearts; and laid judgment to the line and righteousness to the
+plummet; of which thousands can at this day give in their witness. So
+that nothing has been affirmed by this people of the power and virtue of
+this heavenly principle, that such as have turned to it have not found
+true, and more; and that one half had not been told to them of what they
+have seen of the power, purity, wisdom, mercy, and goodness of God
+herein.
+
+VI. The accomplishments with which this principle fitted, even some of
+the meanest of this people, for their work and service; furnishing some
+of them with an extraordinary understanding in divine things, and an
+admirable fluency and taking way of expression, which gave occasion to
+some to wonder, saying of them, as of their Master, “Is not this such a
+mechanic’s son? how came he by this learning?” As from thence others
+took occasion to suspect and insinuate they were Jesuits in disguise,
+who have had the reputation of learned men for an age past, though there
+was not the least ground of truth for any such reflection.
+
+VII. They came forth, low, and despised, and hated, as the primitive
+Christians did, and not by the help of worldly wisdom or power, as
+former reformations in part did: but in all things, it may be said, this
+people were brought forth in the cross, in a contradiction to the ways,
+worships, fashions, and customs of this world; yea, against wind and
+tide, that so no flesh might glory before God.
+
+VIII. They could have no design to themselves in this work, thus to
+expose themselves to scorn and abuse, to spend and be spent; leaving
+wife and children, house and land, and all that can be accounted dear to
+men, with their lives in their hands, being daily in jeopardy, to
+declare this primitive message, revived in their spirits by the good
+Spirit and power of God, viz., “That God is light, and in him is no
+darkness at all; and that he has sent his Son a light into the world to
+enlighten all men in order to salvation; and that they that say they
+have fellowship with God and are his children and people, and yet walk
+in darkness, viz., in disobedience to the light in their consciences,
+and after the vanity of this world, lie, and do not the truth. But that
+all such as love the light, and bring their deeds to it, and walk in the
+light, as God is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son should
+cleanse them from all sin.”
+
+IX. Their known great constancy and patience in suffering for their
+testimony, in all the branches of it, and that, sometimes unto death, by
+beatings, bruisings, long and crowded imprisonments, and noisome
+dungeons. Four of them in New England dying by the hands of the
+executioner, purely for preaching amongst that people; besides
+banishments and excessive plunders and sequestrations of their goods and
+estates, almost in all parts, not easily to be expressed, and less to be
+endured, but by those that have the support of a good and glorious
+cause: refusing deliverance by any indirect ways or means, as often as
+it was offered to them.
+
+X. That they did not only not show any disposition to revenge, when it
+was at any time in their power, but forgave their cruel enemies; showing
+mercy to those that had none for them.
+
+XI. Their plainness with those in authority; not unlike the ancient
+prophets, not fearing to tell them to their faces of their private and
+public sins; and their prophecies to them of their afflictions and
+downfall, when in the top of their glory: also of some national
+judgments, as of the plague, and fire of London, in express terms, and
+likewise particular ones to divers persecutors, which accordingly
+overtook them, and which were very remarkable in the places where they
+dwelt, and in time they may be made public for the glory of God.
+
+Thus, reader, thou seest this people in their rise, principles,
+ministry, and progress, both their general and particular testimony, by
+which thou mayest be informed how and upon what foot they sprung, and
+became so considerable a people. It remains next that I show also their
+care, conduct, and discipline, as a Christian and reformed Society, that
+they might be found living up to their own principles and profession.
+And this, the rather, because they have hardly suffered more in their
+character from the unjust charge of error, than by the false imputation
+of disorder; which calumny indeed has not failed to follow all the true
+steps that were ever made to reformation, and under which reproach none
+suffered more than the primitive Christians themselves, that were the
+honour of Christianity, and the great lights and examples of their own
+and succeeding ages.
+
+This people increasing daily, both in town and country, a holy care fell
+upon some of the elders among them, for the benefit and service of the
+church. And the first business in their view, after the example of the
+primitive saints, was the exercise of charity; to supply the necessities
+of the poor, and answer the like occasions. Wherefore collections were
+early and liberally made for that and divers other services in the
+church, and entrusted with faithful men, fearing God, and of good
+report, who were not weary in well-doing; adding often of their own, in
+large proportions, which they never brought to account, or desired
+should be known, much less restored to them, that none might want, nor
+any service be retarded or disappointed.
+
+They were also very careful that every one that belonged to them,
+answered their profession in their behaviour among men upon all
+occasions; that they lived peaceably, and were in all things good
+examples. They found themselves engaged to record their sufferings and
+services; and in case of marriage, which they could not perform in the
+usual methods of the nation, but among themselves, they took care that
+all things were clear between the parties and all others. And it was
+rare then, that any one entertained such inclinations to a person on
+that account, till he or she had communicated it secretly to some very
+weighty and eminent friends among them, that they might have a sense of
+the matter; looking to the counsel and unity of their brethren as of
+great moment to them. But because the charge of the poor, the number of
+orphans, marriages, sufferings, and other matters multiplied, and that
+it was good that the churches were in some way and method of proceeding
+in such affairs among them, to the end they might the better correspond
+upon occasion, where a member of one meeting might have to do with one
+of another; it pleased the Lord, in his wisdom and goodness, to open the
+understanding of the first instrument of this dispensation of life,
+about a good and orderly way of proceeding; and he felt a holy concern
+to visit the churches in person throughout this nation, to begin and
+establish it among them; and by his epistles the like was done in other
+nations and provinces abroad; which he also afterwards visited, and
+helped in that service, as shall be observed when I come to speak of
+him.
+
+Now the care, conduct, and discipline I have been speaking of, and which
+are now practised among this people, are as followeth:—
+
+This godly elder, in every county where he travelled, exhorted them,
+that some out of every meeting of worship, should meet together once in
+the month, to confer about the wants and occasions of the church. And as
+the case required, so those monthly meetings were fewer or more in
+number in every respective county; four or six meetings of worship
+usually making one monthly meeting of business. And accordingly the
+brethren met him from place to place, and began the said meetings, viz.,
+for the Poor; Orphans; Orderly Walking; Integrity to their Profession;
+Births, Marriages, Burials, Sufferings, &c. And that these monthly
+meetings should, in each county, make up one quarterly meeting, where
+the most zealous and eminent friends of the county should assemble to
+communicate, advise, and help one another, especially when any business
+seemed difficult, or a monthly meeting was tender of determining a
+matter.
+
+Also these quarterly meetings should digest the reports of the monthly
+meetings, and prepare one for the county, against the yearly meeting, in
+which the quarterly meetings resolve, which is held yearly in London;
+where the churches in this nation and other nations[1] and provinces
+meet, by chosen members of their respective counties, both mutually to
+communicate their church affairs, and to advise, and be advised in any
+depending case to edification; also to provide a requisite stock for the
+discharge of general expenses for general services in the church, not
+needful to be here particularized.
+
+Footnote 1:
+
+  At present (1891), there are eleven Yearly Meetings on the American
+  continent also, in association with each other, and with that of
+  London.
+
+At these meetings any of the members of the churches may come if they
+please, and speak their minds freely, in the fear of God, to any matter;
+but the mind of each meeting therein represented is chiefly understood,
+as to particular cases, in the sense delivered by the persons deputed or
+chosen for that purpose.
+
+During their yearly meeting, to which their other meetings refer in
+their order and resolve themselves, care is taken by a select number,
+for that service chosen by the general assembly, to draw up the
+minutes[2] of the said meeting, upon the several matters that have been
+under consideration therein, to the end that the respective quarterly
+and monthly meetings may be informed of all proceedings, together with a
+general exhortation to holiness, unity, and charity. Of all which
+proceedings in yearly, quarterly, and monthly meetings, due record is
+kept by some one appointed for that service, or that hath voluntarily
+undertaken it. These meetings are opened, and usually concluded, in
+their solemn waiting upon God, who is sometimes graciously pleased to
+answer them with as signal evidences of his love and presence, as in any
+of their meetings for worship.
+
+Footnote 2:
+
+  This is not now quite correct. A committee still draws up the General
+  Epistle; but the minutes of the transactions of the meeting are made
+  as matters occur during its several sittings.
+
+It is further to be noted, that in these solemn assemblies for the
+church’s service, there is no one who presides among them after the
+manner of the assemblies of other people; Christ only being their
+president, as he is pleased to appear in life and wisdom in any one or
+more of them, to whom, whatever be their capacity or degree, the rest
+adhere with a firm unity, not of authority but conviction, which is the
+divine authority and way of Christ’s power and Spirit in his people:
+making good his blessed promise, “that he would be in the midst of his,
+where and whenever they were met together in his name, even to the end
+of the world.” So be it.
+
+Now it may be expected, I should here set down what sort of authority is
+exercised by this people, upon such members of their society, as
+correspond not in their lives with their profession, and that are
+refractory to this good and wholesome order settled among them; and the
+rather, because they have not wanted their reproach and suffering from
+some tongues, upon this occasion, in a plentiful manner.
+
+The power they exercise is such as Christ has given to his own people,
+to the end of the world, in the persons of his disciples, viz., “to
+oversee, exhort, reprove,” and after long suffering and waiting upon the
+disobedient and refractory, “to disown them, as any more of their
+communion, or that they will any longer stand charged in the sight and
+judgment of God or men, with their conversation or behaviour as one of
+them until they repent.” The subject matter about which this authority,
+in any of the foregoing branches of it, is exercised, is first, in
+relation to common and general practice; and secondly, about those
+things that more strictly refer to their own character and profession,
+and distinguish them from all other professors of Christianity; avoiding
+two extremes upon which many split, viz., persecution and libertinism;
+that is, a coercive power to whip people into the temple; that such as
+will not conform, though against faith and conscience, shall be punished
+in their persons or estates; or leaving all loose and at large, as to
+practice, unaccountable to all but God and the magistrate. To which
+hurtful extreme nothing has more contributed than the abuse of church
+power, by such as suffer their passions and private interests to prevail
+with them to carry it to outward force and corporal punishment—a
+practice they have been taught to dislike, by their extreme sufferings,
+as well as their known principle for an universal liberty of conscience.
+
+On the other hand, they equally dislike an independency in society, an
+unaccountableness in practice and conversation to the terms of their own
+communion, and to those that are the members of it. They distinguish
+between imposing any practice that immediately regards faith or worship
+(which is never to be done, nor suffered, or submitted unto), and
+requiring Christian compliance with those methods that only respect
+church-business in its more civil part and concern, and that regard the
+discreet and orderly maintenance of the character of the society, as a
+sober and religious community. In short, what is for the promotion of
+holiness and charity, that men may practice what they profess, live up
+to their own principles, and not be at liberty to give the lie to their
+own profession, without rebuke, is their use and limit of church power.
+They compel none to them, but oblige those that are of them to walk
+suitably, or they are denied by them; that is all the mark they set upon
+them, and the power they exercise, or judge a Christian society can
+exercise, upon those that are the members of it.
+
+The way of their proceeding against one who has lapsed or transgressed
+is this. He is visited by some of them, and the matter of fact laid home
+to him, be it any evil practice against known and general virtue, or any
+branch of their particular testimony, which he, in common, professeth
+with them. They labour with him in much love and zeal for the good of
+his soul, the honour of God, and reputation of their profession, to own
+his fault and condemn it, in as ample a manner as the evil or scandal
+was given by him; which, for the most part, is performed by some written
+testimony under the party’s hand; and if it so happen that the party
+proves refractory, and is not willing to clear the truth they profess
+from the reproach of his or her evil-doing or unfaithfulness, they,
+after repeated entreaties and due waiting for a token of repentance,
+give forth a paper to disown such a fact, and the party offending;
+recording the same as a testimony of their care for the honour of the
+truth they profess.
+
+And if such shall clear their profession and themselves, by sincere
+acknowledgment of their fault, and godly sorrow for so doing, they are
+received and looked upon again as members of their communion. For as
+God, so his true people, upbraid no man after repentance.
+
+This is the account I had to give of the people of God called Quakers,
+as to their rise, appearance, principles, and practices, in this age of
+the world, both with respect to their faith and worship, discipline and
+conversation. And I judge it very proper in this place, because it is to
+preface the Journal of the first blessed and glorious instrument of this
+work, and for a testimony to him in his singular qualifications and
+services, in which he abundantly excelled in this day, and which are
+worthy to be set forth as an example to all succeeding times; to the
+glory of the most high God, and for a just memorial to that worthy and
+excellent man, his faithful servant and apostle to this generation of
+the world.
+
+I am now come to the third head or branch of my Preface, viz., the
+instrumental author. For it is natural for some to say, Well, here is
+the people and work, but where and who was the man, the instrument? he
+that in this age was sent to begin this work and people? I shall, as God
+shall enable me, declare who and what he was, not only by report of
+others, but from my own long and most inward converse, and intimate
+knowledge of him; for which my soul blesseth God, as it hath often done;
+and I doubt not, that by the time I have discharged myself of this part
+of my Preface, my serious readers will believe I had good cause so to
+do.
+
+The blessed instrument of this work in this day of God, of whom I am now
+about to write, was GEORGE FOX, distinguished from another of that name,
+by that other’s addition of Younger to his name in all his writings; not
+that he was so in years, but that he was so in the truth; but he was
+also a worthy man, witness, and servant of God in his time.
+
+But this George Fox was born in Leicestershire, about the year 1624. He
+descended of honest and sufficient parents, who endeavoured to bring him
+up, as they did the rest of their children, in the way and worship of
+the nation; especially his mother, who was a woman accomplished above
+most of her degree in the place where she lived. But from a child he
+appeared of another frame of mind than the rest of his brethren; being
+more religious, inward, still, solid, and observing, beyond his years,
+as the answers he would give, and the questions he would put upon
+occasion, manifested to the astonishment of those that heard him,
+especially in divine things.
+
+His mother taking notice of his singular temper, and the gravity,
+wisdom, and piety that very early shined through him, refusing childish
+and vain sports and company, when very young, she was tender and
+indulgent over him, so that from her he met with little difficulty. As
+to his employment, he was brought up in country business: and as he took
+most delight in sheep, so he was very skilful in them; an employment
+that very well suited his mind in several respects, both from its
+innocency and solitude; and was a just figure of his after ministry and
+service.
+
+I shall not break in upon his own account, which is by much the best
+that can be given, and therefore desire, what I can, to avoid saying any
+thing of what is said already, as to the particular passages of his
+coming forth; but, in general, when he was somewhat above twenty, he
+left his friends, and visited the most retired and religious people in
+those parts; and some there were in this nation, who waited for the
+consolation of Israel night and day; as Zacharias, Anna, and good old
+Simeon did of old time. To these he was sent, and these he sought out in
+the neighbouring counties, and among them he sojourned till his more
+ample ministry came upon him. At this time he taught, and was an example
+of silence, endeavouring to bring them from self-performances,
+testifying and turning to the Light of Christ within them, and
+encouraging them to wait in patience to feel the power of it to stir in
+their hearts, that their knowledge and worship of God might stand in the
+power of an endless life, which was to be found in the Light, as it was
+obeyed in the manifestation of it in man. “For in the Word was Life, and
+that Life is the Light of men,” Life in the Word, Light in men—and Life
+in men too, as the Light is obeyed; the children of the Light living in
+the Life of the Word, by which the Word begets them again to God, which
+is the regeneration and new birth, without which there is no coming unto
+the kingdom of God; and which, whoever comes to, is greater than John,
+that is, than John’s dispensation, which was not that of the kingdom,
+but the consummation of the legal, and forerunning of the gospel
+dispensation. Accordingly, several meetings were gathered in those
+parts; and thus his time was employed for some years.
+
+In 1652, he being in his usual retirement to the Lord upon a very high
+mountain, in some of the higher parts of Yorkshire, as I take it, his
+mind exercised towards the Lord, he had a vision of the great work of
+God in the earth, and of the way that he was to go forth to begin it. He
+saw people as thick as motes in the sun, that should in time be brought
+home to the Lord; that there might be but one shepherd and one sheepfold
+in all the earth. There his eye was directed northward, beholding a
+great people that should receive him and his message in those parts.
+Upon this mountain he was moved of the Lord to sound forth his great and
+notable day, as if he had been in a great auditory, and from thence went
+north, as the Lord had shown him; and in every place where he came, if
+not before he came to it, he had his particular exercise and service
+shown to him, so that the Lord was his leader indeed; for it was not in
+vain that he travelled, God in most places sealing his commission with
+the convincement of some of all sorts, as well publicans as sober
+professors of religion. Some of the first and most eminent of them which
+are at rest, were Richard Farnsworth, James Naylor, William Dewsbury,
+Francis Howgill, Edward Burrough, John Camm, John Audland, Richard
+Hubberthorn, T. Taylor, John Aldam, T. Holmes, Alexander Parker, William
+Simpson, William Caton, John Stubbs, Robert Widders, John Burnyeat,
+Robert Lodge, Thomas Salthouse, and many more worthies, that cannot be
+well here named, together with divers yet living of the first and great
+convincement, who, after the knowledge of God’s purging judgments in
+themselves, and some time of waiting in silence upon him, to feel and
+receive power from on high to speak in his name (which none else rightly
+can, though they may use the same words), felt the divine motions, and
+were frequently drawn forth, especially to visit the public assemblies,
+to reprove, inform, and exhort them; sometimes in markets, fairs,
+streets, and by the highway-side, calling people to repentance, and to
+turn to the Lord with their hearts as well as their mouths; directing
+them to the Light of Christ within them, to see, examine, and consider
+their ways by, and to eschew the evil, and do the good and acceptable
+will of God. They suffered great hardships for this their love and
+goodwill, being often put in the stocks, stoned, beaten, whipped, and
+imprisoned, though honest men and of good report where they lived, that
+had left wives and children, and houses and lands, to visit them with a
+living call to repentance. And though the priests generally set
+themselves to oppose them, and write against them, and insinuated most
+false and scandalous stories to defame them, stirring up the magistrates
+to suppress them, especially in those northern parts; yet God was
+pleased so to fill them with his living power, and give them such an
+open door of utterance in his service, that there was a mighty
+convincement over those parts.
+
+And through the tender and singular indulgence of Judge Bradshaw and
+Judge Fell, who were wont to go that circuit in the infancy of things,
+the priests were never able to gain the point they laboured for, which
+was to have proceeded to blood, and, if possible, Herod-like, by a cruel
+exercise of the civil power, to have cut them off and rooted them out of
+the country. Especially Judge Fell, who was not only a check to their
+rage in the course of legal proceedings, but otherwise upon occasion,
+and finally countenanced this people; for his wife receiving the truth
+with the first, it had that influence upon his spirit, being a just and
+wise man, and seeing in his own wife and family a full confutation of
+all the popular clamours against the way of truth, that he covered them
+what he could, and freely opened his doors, and gave up his house to his
+wife and her friends, not valuing the reproach of ignorant or
+evil-minded people, which I here mention to his and her honour, and
+which will be, I believe, an honour and a blessing to such of their name
+and family, as shall be found in that tenderness, humility, love, and
+zeal for the truth and people of the Lord.
+
+That house was for some years at first, till the truth had opened its
+way in the southern parts of this island, an eminent receptacle of this
+people. Others of good note and substance in those northern counties,
+had also opened their houses with their hearts, to the many publishers,
+that in a short time the Lord had raised to declare his salvation to the
+people, and where meetings of the Lord’s messengers were frequently
+held, to communicate their services and exercises, and comfort and edify
+one another in their blessed ministry.
+
+But lest this may be thought a digression, having touched upon this
+before, I return to this excellent man; and for his personal qualities,
+both natural, moral, and divine, as they appeared in his converse with
+his brethren, and in the church of God, take as follows:—
+
+I. He was a man that God endued with a clear and wonderful depth, a
+discerner of others’ spirits, and very much a master of his own. And
+though the side of his understanding which lay next to the world, and
+especially the expression of it, might sound uncouth and unfashionable
+to nice ears, his matter was nevertheless very profound; and would not
+only bear to be often considered, but the more it was so, the more
+weighty and instructing it appeared. And as abruptly and brokenly as
+sometimes his sentences would fall from him, about divine things, it is
+well known they were often as texts to many fairer declarations. And
+indeed it showed, beyond all contradiction, that God sent him; that no
+arts or parts had any share in the matter or manner of his ministry; and
+that so many great, excellent, and necessary truths as he came forth to
+preach to mankind, had therefore nothing of man’s wit or wisdom to
+recommend them; so that as to man he was an original, being no man’s
+copy. And his ministry and writings show they are from one that was not
+taught of man, nor had learned what he said by study. Nor were they
+notional or speculative, but sensible and practical truths, tending to
+conversion and regeneration, and the setting up of the kingdom of God in
+the hearts of men; and the way of it was his work. So that I have many
+times been overcome in myself, and been made to say, with my Lord and
+Master upon the like occasion; “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven
+and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent of
+this world, and revealed them to babes.” For many times hath my soul
+bowed in an humble thankfulness to the Lord, that he did not choose any
+of the wise and learned of this world to be the first messenger, in our
+age, of his blessed truth to men; but that he took one that was not of
+high degree, or elegant speech, or learned after the way of this world,
+that his message and work he sent him to do, might come with less
+suspicion or jealousy of human wisdom and interest, and with more force
+and clearness upon the consciences of those that sincerely sought the
+way of truth in the love of it. I say, beholding with the eye of my
+mind, which the God of heaven had opened in me, the marks of God’s
+finger and hand visibly, in this testimony, from the clearness of the
+principle, the power and efficacy of it, in the exemplary sobriety,
+plainness, zeal, steadiness, humility, gravity, punctuality, charity,
+and circumspect care in the government of church affairs, which shined
+in his and their life and testimony that God employed in this work, it
+greatly confirmed me that it was of God, and engaged my soul in a deep
+love, fear, reverence, and thankfulness for his love and mercy therein
+to mankind; in which mind I remain, and shall, I hope, to the end of my
+days.
+
+II. In his testimony or ministry, he much laboured to open truth to the
+people’s understandings, and to bottom them upon the principle and
+principal, Christ Jesus, the Light of the world, that by bringing them
+to something that was of God in themselves, they might the better know
+and judge of him and themselves.
+
+III. He had an extraordinary gift in opening the Scriptures. He would go
+to the marrow of things, and show the mind, harmony, and fulfilling of
+them with much plainness, and to great comfort and edification.
+
+IV. The mystery of the first and second Adam, of the fall and
+restoration, of the law and gospel, of shadows and substance, of the
+servant’s and Son’s state, and the fulfilling of the Scriptures in
+Christ, and by Christ, the true Light, in all that are his through the
+obedience of faith, were much of the substance and drift of his
+testimonies. In all which he was witnessed to be of God, being sensibly
+felt to speak that which he had received of Christ, and which was his
+own experience, in that which never errs nor fails.
+
+V. But above all he excelled in prayer. The inwardness and weight of his
+spirit, the reverence and solemnity of his address and behaviour, and
+the fewness and fulness of his words, have often struck, even strangers,
+with admiration, as they used to reach others with consolation. The most
+awful, living, reverent frame I ever felt or beheld, I must say, was his
+in prayer. And truly it was a testimony he knew and lived nearer to the
+Lord than other men; for they that know Him most, will see most reason
+to approach him with reverence and fear.
+
+VI. He was of an innocent life, no busy-body, nor self-seeker, neither
+touchy nor critical; what fell from him was very inoffensive if, not
+very edifying. So meek, contented, modest, easy, steady, tender, it was
+a pleasure to be in his company. He exercised no authority but over
+evil, and that everywhere and in all; but with love, compassion, and
+long-suffering. A most merciful man, as ready to forgive, as unapt to
+take or give an offence. Thousands can truly say, he was of an excellent
+spirit and savour among them, and because thereof, the most excellent
+spirits loved him with an unfeigned and unfading love.
+
+VII. He was an incessant labourer; for in his younger time, before his
+many great and deep sufferings and travels had enfeebled his body for
+itinerant services, he laboured much in the word, and doctrine, and
+discipline in England, Scotland, and Ireland, turning many to God, and
+confirming those that were convinced of the truth, and settling good
+order as to church affairs among them. And towards the conclusion of his
+travelling services, between the years 1671 and 1677, he visited the
+churches of Christ in the plantations in America, and in the United
+Provinces, and Germany, as his following Journal relates, to the
+convincement and consolation of many. After that time he chiefly resided
+in and about the city of London; and besides the services of his
+ministry, which were frequent and serviceable, he wrote much, both to
+them that are within, and those that are without, the communion. But the
+care he took of the affairs of the church in general was very great.
+
+VIII. He was often where the records of the affairs of the church are
+kept, and the letters from the many meetings of God’s people over all
+the world, where settled, come upon occasions; which letters he had read
+to him, and communicated them to the meeting that is weekly[3] held
+there for such services; and he would be sure to stir them up to
+discharge them, especially in suffering cases, showing great sympathy
+and compassion upon all such occasions, carefully looking into the
+respective cases, and endeavouring speedy relief, according to the
+nature of them. So that the churches, or any of the suffering members
+thereof, were sure not to be forgotten or delayed in their desires, if
+he were there.
+
+Footnote 3:
+
+  Called the Meeting for Sufferings, and now held monthly, except
+  exigencies require more frequent sittings.
+
+IX. As he was unwearied, so he was undaunted in his services for God and
+his people; he was no more to be moved to fear than to wrath. His
+behaviour at Derby, Lichfield, Appleby, before Oliver Cromwell, at
+Launceston, Scarborough, Worcester, and Westminster-Hall, with many
+other places and exercises, did abundantly evidence it to his enemies as
+well as his friends.
+
+But as in the primitive times, some rose up against the blessed apostles
+of our Lord Jesus Christ, even from among those that they had turned to
+the hope of the gospel, who became their greatest trouble; so this man
+of God had his share of suffering from some that were convinced by him,
+who through prejudice or mistake ran against him, as one that sought
+dominion over conscience; because he pressed by his presence or
+epistles, a ready and zealous compliance with such good and wholesome
+things as tended to an orderly conversation about the affairs of the
+church, and in their walking before men. That which contributed much to
+this ill work, was, in some, a begrudging of this meek man the love and
+esteem he had and deserved in the hearts of the people; and weakness in
+others, that were taken with their groundless suggestions of imposition
+and blind obedience.
+
+They would have had every man independent; that as he had the principle
+in himself, he should only stand and fall to that, and nobody else; not
+considering that the principle is one in all; and though the measure of
+light or grace might differ, yet the nature of it was the same; and
+being so, they struck at the spiritual unity, which a people, guided by
+the same principle, are naturally led into; so that what is evil to one,
+is so to all, and what is virtuous, honest, and of good report to one,
+is so to all, from the sense and savour of the one universal principle
+which is common to all, and, which the disaffected also profess to be,
+the root of all true Christian fellowship, and that Spirit into which
+the people of God drink, and come to be spiritually-minded, and of one
+heart and one soul.
+
+Some weakly mistook good order in the government of church affairs, for
+discipline in worship, and that it was so pressed or recommended by him
+and other brethren. And they were ready to reflect the same things that
+Dissenters had very reasonably objected upon the national churches, that
+have coercively pressed conformity to their respective creeds and
+worships. Whereas these things related wholly to conversation, and the
+outward (and as I may say) civil part of the church, that men should
+walk up to the principles of their belief, and not be wanting in care
+and charity. But though some have stumbled and fallen through mistakes,
+and an unreasonable obstinacy, even to a prejudice; yet, blessed be God,
+the generality have returned to their first love, and seen the work of
+the enemy, that loses no opportunity or advantage by which he may check
+or hinder the work of God, disquiet the peace of his church, and chill
+the love of his people to the truth and one to another; and there is
+hope of divers of the few that are yet at a distance.
+
+In all these occasions, though there was no person the discontented
+struck so sharply at as this good man, he bore all their weakness and
+prejudice, and returned not reflection for reflection; but forgave them
+their weak and bitter speeches, praying for them that they might have a
+sense of their hurt, see the subtilty of the enemy to rend and divide,
+and return into their first love that thought no ill.
+
+And truly, I must say, that though God had visibly clothed him with a
+divine preference and authority, and indeed his very presence expressed
+a religious majesty, yet he never abused it; but held his place in the
+church of God with great meekness, and a most engaging humility and
+moderation. For upon all occasions, like his blessed Master, he was a
+servant to all; holding and exercising his eldership, in the invisible
+power that had gathered them, with reverence to the Head and care over
+the body; and was received only in that spirit and power of Christ, as
+the first and chief elder in this age; who, as he was therefore worthy
+of double honour, so for the same reason it was given by the faithful of
+this day; because his authority was inward and not outward, and that he
+got it and kept it by the love of God, and power of an endless life. I
+write my knowledge and not report, and my witness is true, having been
+with him for weeks and months together on divers occasions, and those of
+the nearest and most exercising nature, and that by night and by day, by
+sea and by land, in this and in foreign countries: and I can say I never
+saw him out of his place, or not a match for every service or occasion.
+For in all things he acquitted himself like a man, yea, a strong man, a
+new and heavenly-minded man; a divine and a naturalist, and all of God
+Almighty’s making. I have been surprised at his questions and answers in
+natural things; that whilst he was ignorant of useless and sophistical
+science, he had in him the foundation of useful and commendable
+knowledge, and cherished it everywhere. Civil, beyond all forms of
+breeding, in his behaviour; very temperate, eating little, and sleeping
+less, though a bulky person.
+
+Thus he lived and sojourned among us: and as he lived, so he died;
+feeling the same eternal power, that had raised and preserved him, in
+his last moments. So full of assurance was he, that he triumphed over
+death; and so even in his spirit to the last, as if death were hardly
+worth notice or a mention; recommending to some with him, the despatch
+and dispersion of an epistle, just before written to the churches of
+Christ throughout the world, and his own books; but above all, Friends,
+and, of all Friends, those in Ireland and America, twice over saying,
+“Mind poor Friends in Ireland and America.”
+
+And to some that came in and inquired how he found himself, he answered,
+“Never heed, the Lord’s power is over all weakness and death; the Seed
+reigns, blessed be the Lord:” which was about four or five hours before
+his departure out of this world. He was at the great meeting near
+Lombard Street on the first day of the week, and it was the third
+following, about ten at night, when he left us, being at the house of
+Henry Goldney at the same court. In a good old age he went, after having
+lived to see his children’s children, to many generations, in the truth.
+He had the comfort of a short illness, and the blessing of a clear sense
+to the last; and we may truly say, with a man of God of old, that “being
+dead, he yet speaketh;” and though absent in body, he is present in
+spirit; neither time nor place being able to interrupt the communion of
+saints, or dissolve the fellowship of the spirits of the just. His works
+praise him, because they are to the praise of Him that wrought by him;
+for which his memorial is, and shall be blessed. I have done, as to this
+part of my Preface, when I have left this short epitaph to his name:
+“Many sons have done virtuously in this day; but, dear George, thou
+excellest them all.”
+
+And now, Friends, you that profess to walk in the way this blessed man
+was sent of God to turn us into, suffer, I beseech you, the word of
+exhortation, as well fathers as children, and elders as young men. The
+glory of this day, and foundation of the hope that has not made us
+ashamed since we were a people, you know, is that blessed principle of
+Light and Life of Christ which we profess, and direct all people to, as
+the great instrument and agent of man’s conversion to God. It was by
+this we were first touched, and effectually enlightened as to our inward
+state, which put us upon the consideration of our latter end, causing us
+to set the Lord before our eyes, and to number our days, that we might
+apply our hearts to wisdom. In that day we judged not after the sight of
+the eye, or after the hearing of the ear; but according to the light and
+sense this blessed principle gave us, we judged and acted in reference
+to things and persons, ourselves and others, yea, towards God our Maker.
+For being quickened by it in our inward man, we could easily discern the
+difference of things; and feel what was right and what was wrong, and
+what was fit and what not, both in reference to religious and civil
+concerns. That being the ground of the fellowship of all saints, it was
+in that our fellowship stood. In this we desired to have a sense one of
+another, and acted towards one another, and all men, in love,
+faithfulness, and fear.
+
+In the feeling of the motions of this principle we drew near to the
+Lord, and waited to be prepared by it, that we might feel those drawings
+and movings before we approached the Lord in prayer, or opened our
+mouths in ministry. And in our beginning and ending with this, stood our
+comfort, service, and edification. And as we ran faster, or fell short,
+we made burdens for ourselves to bear; our service finding in ourselves
+a rebuke instead of an acceptance, and in lieu of “Well done,” “Who hath
+required this at your hands?” In that day we were an exercised people;
+our very countenances and deportment declared it.
+
+Care for others was then much upon us, as well as for ourselves,
+especially the young convinced. Often had we the burden of the word of
+the Lord to our neighbours, relations, and acquaintance; and sometimes
+strangers also. We were in travail for one another’s preservation; not
+seeking but shunning occasions of any coldness or misunderstanding,
+treating one another as those that believed and felt God present; which
+kept our conversation innocent, serious, and weighty, guarding ourselves
+against the cares and friendships of the world. We held the truth in the
+spirit of it, and not in our own spirits, or after our own wills and
+affections. These were bowed and brought into subjection, insomuch that
+it was visible to them that knew us. We did not think ourselves at our
+own disposal, to go where we list, or say or do what we list, or when we
+list. Our liberty stood in the liberty of the Spirit of Truth; and no
+pleasure, no profit, no fear, no favour, could draw us from this
+retired, strict and watchful frame. We were so far from seeking
+occasions of company, that, we avoided them what we could, pursuing our
+own business with moderation, instead of meddling with other people’s
+unnecessarily.
+
+Our words were few and savoury, our looks composed and weighty, and our
+whole deportment very observable. True it is, that this retired and
+strict sort of life from the liberty of the conversation of the world,
+exposed us to the censures of many, as humourists, conceited and
+self-righteous persons, &c.; but it was our preservation from many
+snares, to which others were continually exposed from the prevalency of
+the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, that
+wanted no occasions or temptations to excite them abroad in the converse
+of the world.
+
+I cannot forget the humility and chaste zeal of that day. O how constant
+at meetings, how retired in them, how firm to Truth’s life, as well as
+Truth’s principles! and how entire and united in our communion, as
+indeed became those that profess One Head, even Christ Jesus the Lord!
+
+This being the testimony and example the man of God before mentioned was
+sent to declare and leave amongst us, and we having embraced the same as
+the merciful visitation of God to us, the word of exhortation at this
+time is, that we continue to be found in the way of this testimony with
+all zeal and integrity, and so much the more, by how much the day
+draweth near.
+
+And first, as to you, my beloved and much honoured brethren in Christ,
+that are in the exercise of the ministry: Oh, feel Life in your
+ministry! Let Life be your commission, your well-spring and treasury on
+all such occasions, else, you will know, there can be no begetting to
+God, since nothing can quicken or make people alive to God, but the Life
+of God: and it must be a ministry in and from Life, that enlivens any
+people to God. We have seen the fruit of all other ministries, by the
+few that are turned from the evil of their ways. It is not our parts or
+memory, the repetition of former openings in our own will and time, that
+will do God’s work. A dry, doctrinal ministry, however sound in words,
+can reach but the ear, and is but a dream at the best. There is another
+soundness, that is soundest of all, viz., Christ the power of God. This
+is the key of David, that opens and none shuts, and shuts, and none can
+open; as the oil to the lamp, and the soul to the body, so is that to
+the best of words: which made Christ to say, “My words they are spirit,
+and they are life;” that is, they are from life and therefore they make
+you alive, that receive them. If the disciples that had lived with Jesus
+were to stay at Jerusalem till they received it, so must we wait to
+receive before we minister, if we will turn people from darkness to
+light, and from Satan’s power to God.
+
+I fervently bow my knees to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
+that you may always be like-minded, that you may ever wait reverently
+for the coming and opening of the Word of Life, and attend upon it in
+your ministry and service, that you may serve God in his Spirit. And be
+it little, or be it much, it is well; for much is not too much, and the
+least is enough, if from the motion of God’s Spirit; and without it
+verily, ever so little is too much, because to no profit.
+
+For it is the spirit of the Lord immediately, or through the ministry of
+his servants, that teacheth his people to profit; and to be sure, so far
+as we take him along with us in our services, so far we are profitable,
+and no farther. For if it be the Lord that must work all things in us,
+and for our own salvation, much more is it the Lord, that must work in
+us, for the conversion of others. If therefore it was once a cross to us
+to speak, though the Lord required it at our hands, let it never be so
+to be silent, when he does not.
+
+It is one of the most dreadful sayings in the book of God, that “he that
+adds to the words of the prophecy of this book, God will add the plagues
+written in this book.” To keep back the counsel of God is as terrible;
+for “he that takes away from the words of the prophecy of this book, God
+shall take away his part out of the book of life.” And truly, it has
+great caution in it to those that use the name of the Lord, to be well
+assured that the Lord speaks, that they may not be found of the number
+of those that add to the words of the testimony of prophecy, which the
+Lord giveth them to bear; nor yet to mince or diminish the same, both
+being so very offensive to God.
+
+Wherefore, brethren, let us be careful neither to out-go our Guide, nor
+yet loiter behind him; since he that makes haste may miss his way, and
+he that stays behind, lose his Guide: for even those that have received
+the word of the Lord, had need wait for wisdom, that they may see how to
+divide the word aright; which plainly implieth, that it is possible for
+one that hath received the word of the Lord, to miss in the division and
+application of it, which must come from an impatiency of spirit, and a
+self-working, which makes an unsound and dangerous mixture; and will
+hardly beget a right-minded, living people to God.
+
+I am earnest in this, above all other considerations, as to public
+brethren, well knowing how much it concerns the present and future
+state, and preservation of the church of Christ Jesus, that has been
+gathered and built up by a living and powerful minister, that the
+ministry be held, preserved, and continued in the manifestations,
+motions, and supplies, of the same life and power, from time to time.
+
+And wherever it is observed that any one does minister more from gifts
+and parts than life and power, though they have an enlightened and
+doctrinal understanding, let them in time be advised and admonished for
+their preservation, because insensibly such will come to depend upon a
+self-sufficiency; to forsake Christ the living Fountain, and to hew out
+unto themselves cisterns that will hold no living waters; and by degrees
+draw others from waiting upon the gift of God in themselves, and to feel
+it in others, in order to their strength and refreshment, to wait upon
+them, and to turn from God to man again, and so to make shipwreck of the
+faith once delivered to the saints, and of a good conscience towards
+God; which are only kept by that Divine gift of life, that begat the
+one, and awakened and sanctified the other in the beginning.
+
+Nor is it enough that we have known the Divine gift, and in it have
+reached to the spirits in prison, and been the instruments of the
+convincing of others of the way of God, if we keep not as low and poor
+in ourselves, and as depending upon the Lord as ever; since no memory,
+no repetitions of former openings, revelations, or enjoyments, will
+bring a soul to God, or afford bread to the hungry, or water to the
+thirsty, unless life go with what we say; and that must be waited for.
+
+O that we may have no other fountain, treasury or dependence! that none
+may presume at any rate to act of themselves for God; because they have
+long acted from God; that we may not supply want of waiting with our own
+wisdom, or think that we may take less care, and more liberty in
+speaking, than formerly; and that where we do not feel the Lord by his
+power to open us and enlarge us, whatever be the expectation of the
+people, or has been our customary supply and character, we may not
+exceed or fill up the time with our own.
+
+I hope we shall ever remember who it was that said, “Of yourselves you
+can do nothing;” our sufficiency is in Him. And if we are not to speak
+our own words, or take thought what we shall say to men in our defence,
+when exposed for our testimony, surely we ought to speak none of our own
+words, or take thought what we shall say in our testimony and ministry
+in the name of the Lord to the souls of the people; for then of all
+times, and of all other occasions, should it be fulfilled in us, “for it
+is not you that speak, but the Spirit of my Father that speaketh in
+you.”
+
+And indeed, the ministry of the Spirit must and does keep its analogy
+and agreement with the birth of the Spirit; that as no man can inherit
+the kingdom of God unless he be born of the Spirit, so no ministry can
+beget a soul to God but that which is from the Spirit. For this, as I
+said before, the disciples waited before they went forth; and in this
+our elder brethren, and messengers of God in our day, waited, visited,
+and reached to us. And having begun in the Spirit, let none ever hope or
+seek to be made perfect in the flesh. For what is the flesh to the
+Spirit, or the chaff to the wheat? And if we keep in the Spirit, we
+shall keep in the unity of it, which is the ground of true fellowship.
+For by drinking into that one Spirit, we are made one people to God, and
+by it we are continued in the unity of the faith, and the bond of peace.
+No envying, no bitterness, no strife, can have place with us. We shall
+watch always for good, and not for evil, over one another and rejoice
+exceedingly and not begrudge one another’s increase in the riches of the
+grace with which God replenisheth his faithful servants.
+
+And, brethren, as to you is committed the dispensation of the oracles of
+God, which give you frequent opportunities, and great place with the
+people among whom you travel, I beseech you that you would not think it
+sufficient to declare the word of life in their assemblies, however
+edifying and comfortable such opportunities may be to you and them. But,
+as was the practice of the man of God before mentioned, in great
+measure, when among us, inquire the state of the several churches you
+visit; who among them are afflicted or sick, who are tempted, and if any
+are unfaithful or obstinate; and endeavour to issue those things in the
+wisdom and power of God, which will be a glorious crown upon your
+ministry. As that prepares your way in the hearts of the people to
+receive you as men of God, so it gives you credit with them to do them
+good by your advice in other respects. The afflicted will be comforted
+by you; the tempted, strengthened; the sick, refreshed; the unfaithful,
+convicted and restored; and such as are obstinate, softened and fitted
+for reconciliation: which is clenching the nail, and applying and
+fastening the general testimony by that particular care of the several
+branches of it, in reference to them more immediately concerned in it.
+
+For though good and wise men, and elders too, may reside in such places,
+who are of worth and importance in the general, and in other places; yet
+it does not always follow, that they may have the room they deserve in
+the hearts of the people they live among; or some particular occasion
+may make it unfit for him or them to use that authority. But you that
+travel as God’s messengers, if they receive you in the greater, shall
+they refuse you in the less? And if they own the general testimony, can
+they withstand the particular application of it in their own cases? Thus
+ye will show yourselves workmen indeed, and carry your business before
+you to the praise of His name that hath called you from darkness to
+light, that you might turn others from Satan’s power unto God and his
+kingdom, which is _within_. And O that there were more of such faithful
+labourers in the vineyard of the Lord!—Never more need since the day of
+God.
+
+Wherefore I cannot but cry and call aloud to you, that have been long
+professors of the truth, and know the truth in the convincing power of
+it, and have had a sober conversation among men, yet content yourselves
+only to know truth for yourselves, to go to meetings, and exercise an
+ordinary charity in the church, and an honest behaviour in the world,
+and limit yourselves within those bounds; feeling little or no concern
+upon your spirits for the glory of the Lord in the prosperity of his
+truth in the earth, more than to be glad that others succeed in such
+service. Arise ye in the name and power of the Lord Jesus! Behold how
+white the fields are unto harvest, in this and other nations, and how
+few able and faithful labourers there are to work therein! Your country
+folks, neighbours, and kindred, want to know the Lord and his truth, and
+to walk in it. Does nothing lie at your door upon their account? Search
+and see, and lose no time, I beseech you, for the Lord is at hand. I do
+not judge you, there is one that judgeth all men, and his judgment is
+true. You have mightily increased in your outward substance; may you
+equally increase in your inward riches, and do good with both, while you
+have a day to do good. Your enemies would once have taken what you had
+from you, for his name’s sake, in whom you have believed; wherefore he
+has given you much of the world in the face of your enemies. But, O let
+it be your servant and not your master—your diversion rather than your
+business! Let the Lord be chiefly in your eye, and ponder your ways, and
+see if God has nothing more for you to do; and if you find yourselves
+short in your account with him, then wait for his preparation, and be
+ready to receive the word of command, and be not weary of well-doing,
+when you have put your hand to the plough; and assuredly you shall reap
+(if you faint not) the fruit of your heavenly labour in God’s
+everlasting kingdom.
+
+And you, young convinced ones, be you entreated, and exhorted to a
+diligent and chaste waiting upon God, in the way of his blessed
+manifestation and appearance of himself to you. Look not out, but
+within. Let not another’s liberty be your snare. Neither act by
+imitation, but sense and feeling of God’s power in yourselves. Crush not
+the tender buddings of it in your souls, nor overrun in your desires,
+and warmness of affections, the holy and gentle motions of it. Remember
+it is a still voice that speaks to us in this day, and that it is not to
+be heard in the noises and hurries of the mind; but it is distinctly
+understood in a retired frame. Jesus loved and chose solitudes; often
+going to mountains, to gardens, and sea-sides, to avoid crowds and
+hurries, to show his disciples it was good to be solitary, and sit loose
+to the world. Two enemies lie near your states, imagination and liberty;
+but the plain, practical, living, holy truth, that has convinced you,
+will preserve you, if you mind it in yourselves, and bring all thoughts,
+imaginations, and affections to the test of it, to see if they are
+wrought in God, or of the enemy, or your ownselves. So will a true
+taste, discerning, and judgment, be preserved to you, of what you should
+do and leave undone. And in your diligence and faithfulness in this way
+you will come to inherit substance: and Christ, the eternal wisdom, will
+fill your treasury. And when you are converted, as well as convinced,
+then confirm your brethren, and be ready to every good word and work,
+that the Lord shall call you to; that you may be to his praise, who has
+chosen you to be partakers, with the saints in light, of a kingdom that
+cannot be shaken, an inheritance incorruptible, in eternal habitations.
+
+And now, as for you that are the children of God’s people, a great
+concern is upon my spirit for your good; and often are my knees bowed to
+the God of your fathers for you, that you may come to be partakers of
+the same divine life and power, that has been the glory of this day;
+that a generation you may be to God, a holy nation and a peculiar
+people, zealous of good works, when all our heads are laid in the dust.
+O you young men and women, let it not suffice you, that you are the
+children of the people of the Lord! you must also be born again, if you
+will inherit the kingdom of God. Your fathers are but such after the
+flesh, and could but beget you in the likeness of the first Adam; but
+you must be begotten into the likeness of the second Adam by a spiritual
+generation. And therefore look carefully about you, O ye children of the
+children of God! consider your standing, and see what you are in
+relation to this divine kindred, family, and birth. Have you obeyed the
+Light, and received and walked in the Spirit, that is the incorruptible
+Seed of the Word and kingdom of God, of which you must be born again?
+God is no respecter of persons. The father cannot save or answer for the
+child, or the child for the father, but “in the sin thou sinnest, thou
+shalt die; and in the righteousness thou doest, through Jesus Christ,
+thou shalt live;” for it is the willing and obedient that shall eat the
+good of the land. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; such as all
+nations and people sow, such they shall reap at the hand of the just
+God. And then your many and great privileges, above the children of
+other people, will add weight in the scale against you, if you choose
+not the way of the Lord. For you have had line upon line, and precept
+upon precept, and not only good doctrine, but good example; and which is
+more, you have been turned to, and acquainted with, a principle in
+yourselves, which others have been ignorant of; and you know, you may be
+as good as you please, without the fear of frowns and blows, or being
+turned out of doors and forsaken of father and mother for God’s sake,
+and his holy religion, as has been the case of some of your fathers, in
+the day they first entered into this holy path. If you, after hearing
+and seeing the wonders that God has wrought in the deliverance and
+preservation of them, through a sea of troubles, and the manifold
+temporal, as well as spiritual blessings, that he has filled them with,
+in the sight of their enemies, should neglect and turn your backs upon
+so great and so near a salvation, you would not only be most ungrateful
+children to God and them, but must expect that God will call the
+children of those that knew him not, to take the crown out of your
+hands, and that your lot will be a dreadful judgment at the hand of the
+Lord. But O, that it may never be so with any of you! The Lord forbid,
+saith my soul.
+
+Wherefore, O ye young men and women, look to the rock of your fathers!
+choose the God of your fathers. There is no other God but he; no other
+Light but his; no other grace but his, nor Spirit but his, to convince
+you, quicken, and comfort you: to lead, guide, and preserve you to God’s
+everlasting kingdom. So will you be possessors, as well as professors,
+of the truth; embracing it not only by education, but judgment and
+conviction, from a sense begotten in your souls, through the operation
+of the eternal Spirit and power of God in your hearts, by which you may
+come to be the seed of Abraham through faith, and the circumcision not
+made with hands, and so heirs of the promise made to the fathers of an
+incorruptible crown; that (as I said before) a generation you may be to
+God, holding up the profession of the blessed truth in the life and
+power of it. For formality in religion is nauseous to God and good men;
+and the more so, where any form or appearance has been new and peculiar,
+and begun and practised upon a principle, with an uncommon zeal and
+strictness. Therefore, I say, for you to fall flat and formal, and
+continue the profession, without that salt and savour, by which it is
+come to obtain a good report among men, is not to answer God’s love, nor
+your parents’ care, nor the mind of truth in yourselves, nor in those
+that are without; who, though they will not obey the truth, have sight
+and sense enough to see if they do, that make a profession of it. For
+where the divine virtue of it is not felt in the soul, and waited for,
+and lived in, imperfections will quickly break out, and show themselves,
+and detect the unfaithfulness of such persons, and that their insides
+are not seasoned with the nature of that holy principle which they
+profess.
+
+Wherefore, dear children, let me entreat you to shut your eyes at the
+temptations and allurements of this low and perishing world, and not
+suffer your affections to be captivated by those lusts and vanities that
+your fathers, for truth’s sake, long since turned their backs upon. But
+as you believe it to be the truth, receive it into your hearts, that you
+may become the children of God; so that it may never be said of you, as
+the Evangelist writes of the Jews of his time, that Christ, the true
+Light, “came to his own, but his own received him not; but to as many as
+received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God; which
+were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
+of man, but of God.” A most close and comprehensive passage to this
+occasion. You exactly and peculiarly answer to those professing Jews, in
+that you bear the name of God’s people, by being the children and
+wearing the form of God’s people; so that he, by his light in you, may
+be said to come to his own, and if you obey it not, but turn your back
+upon it, and walk after the vanities of your minds, you will be of those
+that receive him not, which, I pray God, may never be your case and
+judgment; but that you may be thoroughly sensible of the many and great
+obligations you lie under to the Lord for his love, and to your parents
+for their care; and with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your
+strength, turn to the Lord, to his gift and Spirit in you, and hear his
+voice, and obey it, that you may seal to the testimony of your fathers,
+by the truth and evidence of your own experience; that your children’s
+children may bless you, and the Lord for you, as those that delivered a
+faithful example, as well as record of the truth of God unto them. So
+will the grey hairs of your dear parents yet alive, go down to the grave
+with joy, to see you the posterity of truth, as well as theirs, and that
+not only their nature but spirit shall live in you when they are gone.
+
+I shall conclude this Preface with a few words to those that are not of
+our communion, into whose hands this may come; especially those of our
+own nation.
+
+Friends, as you are the sons and daughters of Adam, and my brethren
+after the flesh, many and earnest have been my desires and prayers to
+God on your behalf, that you may come to know your Creator to be your
+Redeemer and Restorer to the image that, through sin, you have lost, by
+the power and Spirit of his Son Jesus Christ, whom he hath given for the
+light and life of the world. And O that you who are called Christians,
+would receive him into your heart! for there it is you want him, and at
+that door he stands knocking, that you should let him in, but you do not
+open to him; you are full of other guests, so that a manger is his lot
+among you now, as well as of old. Yet you are full of profession, as
+were the Jews when he came among them, who knew him not, but rejected
+and evilly entreated him. So that if you come not to the possession and
+experience of what you profess, all your formality in religion will
+stand you in no stead in the day of God’s judgment.
+
+I beseech you ponder with yourselves your eternal condition, and see
+what title, what ground and foundation you have for your Christianity;
+if more than a profession, and an historical belief of the gospel. Have
+you known the baptism of fire, and the Holy Ghost, and the fan of Christ
+that winnows away the chaff,—the carnal lusts and affections?—that
+divine leaven of the kingdom, that, being received, leavens the whole
+lump of man, sanctifying him throughout, in body, soul, and spirit? If
+this be not the ground of your confidence, you are in a miserable state.
+
+You will say, perhaps, that though you are sinners, and live in the
+daily commission of sin, and are not sanctified, as I have been
+speaking, yet you have faith in Christ, who has borne the curse for you,
+and in him you are complete by faith; his righteousness being imputed to
+you.
+
+But, my friends, let me entreat you not to deceive yourselves in so
+important a point, as is that of your immortal souls. If you have _true_
+faith in Christ, your faith will make you clean, it will sanctify you:
+for the saints’ faith was their victory. By this they overcame sin
+within, and sinful men without. And if thou art in Christ, thou walkest
+not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, whose fruits are manifest.
+Yea, thou art a new creature, new made, new fashioned after God’s will
+and mould; old things are done away, and, behold, all things are become
+new; new love, desires, will, affections, and practices. It is not any
+longer thou that livest, thou disobedient, carnal, worldly one; but it
+is Christ that liveth in thee; and to live is Christ, and to die is thy
+eternal gain; because thou art assured, that “thy corruptible shall put
+on incorruption, and thy mortal immortality:” and that thou hast a
+glorious house, eternal in the heavens, that will never wax old or pass
+away. All this follows being in Christ, as the sensation of heat follows
+fire, and light the sun.
+
+Therefore have a care how you presume to rely upon such a notion, as
+that you are in Christ, whilst in your old fallen nature. For what
+communion hath light with darkness, or Christ with Belial? Hear what the
+beloved disciple tells you; “If we say we have fellowship with God, and
+walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” That is, if we go on in
+a sinful way, are captivated by our carnal affections, and are not
+converted to God, we walk in darkness, and cannot possibly have any
+fellowship with God. Christ clothes them with his righteousness, that
+receive his grace in their hearts, and deny themselves, and take up his
+cross daily, and follow him. Christ’s righteousness makes men inwardly
+holy, of holy minds, wills, and practices. It is nevertheless Christ’s,
+because we have it; for it is ours, not by nature, but by faith and
+adoption. It is the gift of God. But still, though not ours, as of or
+from ourselves, for in that sense it is Christ’s, for it is of and from
+him; yet it is ours, and must be ours in possession, efficacy, and
+enjoyment, to do us any good, or Christ’s righteousness will profit us
+nothing. It was after this manner, that he was made to the primitive
+Christians, righteousness, sanctification, justification, and
+redemption; and if ever you will have the comfort, kernel, and marrow of
+the Christian religion, thus you must come to learn and obtain it.
+
+Now, my friends, by what you have read, and will read in what follows,
+you may perceive that God has visited a poor people among you with this
+saving knowledge and testimony; whom he has upheld and increased to this
+day, notwithstanding the fierce opposition they have met withal. Despise
+not the meanness of this appearance; it was, and yet is (we know) a day
+of small things, and of small account with too many; and many hard and
+ill names are given to it; but it is of God; it came from Him because it
+leads to Him. This we know, but we cannot make another know it, as we
+know it, unless he will take the same way to know it that we took. The
+world talks of God; but what do they do? They pray for power, but reject
+the principle in which it is. If you would know God, and worship and
+serve God as you should do, you must come to the means he has ordained
+and given for that purpose. Some seek it in books, some in learned men,
+but what they look for is _in themselves_, yet they overlook it. The
+voice is too still, the Seed too small, and the Light shineth in
+darkness. They are abroad, and so cannot divide the spoil; but the woman
+that lost her silver, found it at home, after she had lighted her candle
+and swept her house. Do you so too, and you shall find what Pilate
+wanted to know, viz., Truth.
+
+The Light of Christ within, who is the Light of the world (and so a
+light to you, that tells you the truth of your condition), leads all
+that take heed unto it, out of darkness into God’s marvellous light; for
+light grows upon the obedient. It is sown for the righteous, and their
+way is a shining light, that shines forth more and more to the perfect
+day.
+
+Wherefore, O friends, turn in, turn in, I beseech you! Where is the
+poison, there is the antidote; there you want Christ, and there you must
+find him; and, blessed be God, there you may find him. “Seek and you
+shall find,” I testify for God; but then you must seek aright, with your
+whole heart, as men that seek for their lives, yea, for their eternal
+lives; diligently, humbly, patiently, as those that can taste no
+pleasure, comfort, or satisfaction in anything else, unless you find him
+whom your souls want, and desire to know and love above all. O, it is a
+travail, a spiritual travail! let the carnal, profane world think and
+say as it will. And through this path you must walk to the city of God,
+that has eternal foundations, if ever you will come there.
+
+And what does this blessed Light do for you? 1. It sets all your sins in
+order before you; it detects the spirit of this world in all its baits
+and allurements, and shows how man came to fall from God, and the fallen
+estate he is in. 2. It begets a sense and sorrow, in such as believe in
+it, for this fearful lapse. You will then see Him distinctly whom you
+have pierced, and all the blows and wounds you have given him by your
+disobedience; and how you have made him to serve with your sins, and you
+will weep and mourn for it, and your sorrow will be a godly sorrow. 3.
+After this it will bring you to the holy watch, to take care that you do
+so no more, that the enemy surprise you not again. Then thoughts as well
+as words and works, will come to judgment, which is the way of holiness,
+in which the redeemed of the Lord do walk. Here you will come to love
+God above all, and your neighbours as yourselves. Nothing hurts, nothing
+harms, nothing makes afraid on this holy mountain; now you come to be
+Christ’s indeed, for you are his in nature and spirit, and not your own.
+And when you are thus Christ’s, then Christ is yours, and not before;
+and here communion with the Father and with the Son you will know, and
+the efficacy of the blood of cleansing, even the blood of Jesus Christ,
+that immaculate Lamb, which speaketh better things than the blood of
+Abel, and which cleanseth from all sin the consciences of those that,
+through the living faith, come to be sprinkled with it from dead works
+to serve the living God.
+
+To conclude; behold the testimony and doctrine of the people called
+Quakers! Behold their practice and discipline! and behold the blessed
+man and men that were sent of God in this excellent work and service!
+all which will be more particularly expressed in the ensuing annals of
+the man of God; which I do heartily recommend to my reader’s most
+serious perusal, and beseech Almighty God, that his blessing may go
+along with it, to the convincing of many, as yet strangers to this holy
+dispensation, and also to the edification of the church of God in
+general; who, for his manifold and repeated mercies and blessings to his
+people, in this day of his great love, is worthy ever to have the glory,
+honour, thanksgiving, and renown; and be it rendered and ascribed, with
+fear and reverence, through Him in whom he is well pleased, his beloved
+Son and Lamb, our Light and Life, that sits with him upon the throne,
+world without end. Amen,
+
+Says one whom God has long since mercifully favoured with his fatherly
+    visitation, and who was not disobedient to the heavenly vision and
+    call; to whom the way of Truth is more lovely and precious than
+    ever, and who knowing the beauty and benefit of it above all worldly
+    treasure, has chosen it for his chiefest joy; and therefore
+    recommends it to thy love and choice, because he is with great
+    sincerity and affection thy soul’s friend,
+
+                                                       WILLIAM PENN.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+              -------------------------------------------
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[For the testimonies respecting George Fox, which were here inserted in
+    former editions of this work, see Appendix at the conclusion of Vol.
+    II.]
+
+
+                         JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX.
+
+
+                         ---------------------
+
+                               CHAPTER I.
+
+1624-1647.—George Fox’s birth and parentage—his gravity and piety in
+    youth. Apprenticed to a shoemaker, who is also a grazier, &c.—his
+    integrity in dealing. Refuses to drink healths—his exercises of mind
+    commence—he lives retired—is tempted to despair. His sorrows
+    continue for some years—has a sense of Christ’s sufferings. Confutes
+    a people who held women to be devoid of souls—begins to travel on
+    Truth’s account—meets with Elizabeth Hooton—fasts often, and retires
+    to solitary places with his Bible—his exercises intermit. Sees why
+    none but Christ could speak to his condition. Visits a woman who had
+    fasted twenty-two days—first declares the Truth at Dukinfield and
+    Manchester. Preaches at a great meeting at Broughton. His troubles
+    wear off, and he weeps for joy—sees things which cannot be
+    uttered—is reported to have a discerning spirit—overcomes his
+    temptations through the power of Christ.
+
+
+That all may know the dealings of the Lord with me, and the various
+exercises, trials, and troubles through which he led me, in order to
+prepare and fit me for the work unto which he had appointed me, and may
+thereby be drawn to admire and glorify his infinite wisdom and goodness,
+I think fit (before I proceed to set forth my public travels in the
+service of Truth), briefly to mention how it was with me in my youth,
+and how the work of the Lord was begun, and gradually carried on in me,
+even from my childhood.
+
+I was born in the month called July, 1624, at DRAYTON-IN-THE-CLAY, in
+LEICESTERSHIRE. My father’s name was Christopher Fox: he was by
+profession a weaver, an honest man; and there was a seed of God in him.
+The neighbours called him Righteous Christer. My mother was an upright
+woman; her maiden name was Mary Lago, of the family of the Lagos, and of
+the stock of the martyrs.
+
+In my very young years I had a gravity and stayedness of mind and
+spirit, not usual in children; insomuch, that when I saw old men behave
+lightly and wantonly towards each other, I had a dislike thereof raised
+in my heart, and said within myself, “If ever I come to be a man, surely
+I shall not do so, nor be so wanton.”
+
+When I came to eleven years of age, I knew pureness and righteousness;
+for while a child I was taught how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord
+taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully two ways,
+viz., inwardly to God, and outwardly to man; and to keep to Yea and Nay
+in all things. For the Lord showed me, that though the people of the
+world have mouths full of deceit, and changeable words, yet I was to
+keep to Yea and Nay in all things; and that my words should be few and
+savoury, seasoned with grace; and that I might not eat and drink to make
+myself wanton, but for health, using the creatures in their service, as
+servants in their places, to the glory of Him that created them; they
+being in their covenant, and I being brought up into the covenant, as
+sanctified by the Word which was in the beginning, by which all things
+are upheld; wherein is unity with the creation.
+
+But people being strangers to the covenant of life with God, they eat
+and drink to make themselves wanton with the creatures, wasting them
+upon their own lusts, and living in all filthiness, loving foul ways,
+and devouring the creation; and all this in the world, in the pollutions
+thereof, without God: therefore I was to shun all such.
+
+Afterwards, as I grew up, my relations thought to make me a priest; but
+others persuaded to the contrary: whereupon I was put to a man, a
+shoemaker by trade, but who dealt in wool, and was a grazier, and sold
+cattle; and a great deal went through my hands. While I was with him, he
+was blessed; but after I left him he broke, and came to nothing. I never
+wronged man or woman in all that time; for the Lord’s power was with me,
+and over me to preserve me. While I was in that service, I used in my
+dealings the word Verily, and it was a common saying among people that
+knew me, “If George says Verily, there is no altering him.” When boys
+and rude people would laugh at me, I let them alone, and went my way;
+but people had generally a love to me for my innocency and honesty.
+
+When I came towards nineteen years of age, being upon business at a
+fair, one of my cousins, whose name was Bradford, a professor, and
+having another professor with him, came to me and asked me to drink part
+of a jug of beer with them, and I, being thirsty, went in with them; for
+I loved any that had a sense of good, or that sought after the Lord.
+When we had drunk each a glass, they began to drink healths, calling for
+more, and agreeing together, that he that would not drink should pay
+all. I was grieved that any who made profession of religion, should do
+so. They grieved me very much, having never had such a thing put to me
+before, by any sort of people; wherefore I rose up to go, and putting my
+hand into my pocket, laid a groat on the table before them, and said,
+“If it be so, I will leave you.” So I went away; and when I had done
+what business I had to do, I returned home, but did not go to bed that
+night, nor could I sleep, but sometimes walked up and down, and
+sometimes prayed and cried to the Lord, who said unto me, “Thou seest
+how young people go together into vanity, and old people into the earth;
+thou must forsake all, both young and old, and keep out of all, and be
+as a stranger unto all.”
+
+Then at the command of God, on the ninth day of the seventh month, 1643,
+I left my relations, and broke off all familiarity or fellowship with
+old or young. I passed to LUTTERWORTH, where I stayed some time; and
+thence to NORTHAMPTON, where also I made some stay: then to
+NEWPORT-PAGNELL, whence, after I had stayed a while, I went to BARNET,
+in the fourth month, called June,[4] in 1644. As I thus travelled
+through the country, professors took notice and sought to be acquainted
+with me; but I was afraid of them, for I was sensible they did not
+possess what they professed.
+
+Footnote 4:
+
+  Old Style.
+
+Now during the time that I was at BARNET, a strong temptation to despair
+came upon me. Then I saw how Christ was tempted, and mighty troubles I
+was in; sometimes I kept myself retired in my chamber, and often walked
+solitary in the chace, to wait upon the Lord. I wondered why these
+things should come to me; and I looked upon myself and said, “Was I ever
+so before?” Then I thought, because I had forsaken my relations, I had
+done amiss against them; so I was brought to call to my mind all the
+time that I had spent, and to consider whether I had wronged any. But
+temptations grew more and more, and I was tempted almost to despair; and
+when Satan could not effect his design upon me that way, he laid snares
+for me, and baits to draw me to commit some sin, whereby he might take
+advantage to bring me to despair. I was about twenty years of age when
+these exercises came upon me; and I continued in that condition some
+years, in great trouble, and fain would have put it from me. I went to
+many a priest to look for comfort, but found no comfort from them.
+
+From BARNET I went to LONDON, where I took a lodging, and was under
+great misery and trouble there; for I looked upon the great professors
+of the city, and I saw all was dark and under the chain of darkness. I
+had an uncle there, one Pickering, a Baptist (and they were tender
+then,) yet I could not impart my mind to him, nor join with them; for I
+saw all, young and old, where they were. Some tender people would have
+had me stay, but I was fearful, and returned homewards into
+LEICESTERSHIRE again, having a regard upon my mind unto my parents and
+relations, lest I should grieve them; who, I understood, were troubled
+at my absence.
+
+When I was come down into Leicestershire, my relations would have had me
+marry, but I told them I was but a lad, and I must get wisdom. Others
+would have had me into the auxiliary band among the soldiery, but I
+refused; and I was grieved that they proffered such things to me, being
+a tender youth. Then I went to COVENTRY, where I took a chamber for a
+while at a professor’s house, till people began to be acquainted with
+me; for there were many tender people in that town. After some time I
+went into my own country again, and was there about a year, in great
+sorrows and troubles, and walked many nights by myself.
+
+Then the priest of DRAYTON, the town of my birth, whose name was
+Nathaniel Stevens, came often to me, and I went often to him; and
+another priest sometimes came with him; and they would give place to me
+to hear me, and I would ask them questions, and reason with them. And
+this priest Stevens asked me a question, viz., Why Christ cried out upon
+the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” and why he said,
+“If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but
+thine be done?” I told him that at that time the sins of all mankind
+were upon Him, and their iniquities and transgressions with which He was
+wounded, which He was to bear, and to be an offering for, as He was man,
+but He died not as He was God; and so, in that He died for all men, and
+tasted death for every man, He was an offering for the sins of the whole
+world. This I spoke, being at that time in a measure sensible of
+Christ’s sufferings, and what He went through. And the priest said, “It
+was a very good, full answer, and such a one as he had not heard.” At
+that time he would applaud and speak highly of me to others; and what I
+said in discourse to him on the week-days, he would preach on the
+first-days; for which I did not like him. This priest afterwards became
+my great persecutor.
+
+After this I went to another ancient priest at MANCETTER, in
+Warwickshire, and reasoned with him about the ground of despair and
+temptations; but he was ignorant of my condition; he bade me take
+tobacco and sing psalms. Tobacco was a thing I did not love, and psalms
+I was not in a state to sing; I could not sing. Then he bid me come
+again, and he would tell me many things; but when I came he was angry
+and pettish, for my former words had displeased him. He told my
+troubles, sorrows, and griefs to his servants; which grieved me that I
+had opened my mind to such a one. I saw they were all miserable
+comforters; and this brought my troubles more upon me. Then I heard of a
+priest living about TAMWORTH, who was accounted an experienced man, and
+I went seven miles to him; but I found him only like an empty hollow
+cask. I heard also of one called Dr. Cradock, of COVENTRY, and went to
+him. I asked him the ground of temptations and despair, and how troubles
+came to be wrought in man? He asked me, Who was Christ’s father and
+mother? I told him, Mary was his mother, and that he was supposed to be
+the son of Joseph, but he was the Son of God. Now, as we were walking
+together in his garden, the alley being narrow, I chanced, in turning,
+to set my foot on the side of a bed, at which the man was in a rage, as
+if his house had been on fire. Thus all our discourse was lost, and I
+went away in sorrow, worse than I was when I came. I thought them
+miserable comforters, and saw they were all as nothing to me; for they
+could not reach my condition. After this I went to another, one Macham,
+a priest in high account. He would needs give me some physic, and I was
+to have been let blood; but they could not get one drop of blood from
+me, either in arms or head (though they endeavoured to do so,) my body
+being as it were, dried up with sorrows, grief and troubles, which were
+so great upon me that I could have wished I had never been born, or that
+I had been born blind, that I might never have seen wickedness or
+vanity; and deaf, that I might never have heard vain and wicked words,
+or the Lord’s name blasphemed. When the time called Christmas came,
+while others were feasting and sporting themselves, I looked out poor
+widows from house to house, and gave them some money. When I was invited
+to marriages (as I sometimes was,) I went to none at all, but the next
+day, or soon after, I would go and visit them; and if they were poor, I
+gave them some money; for I had wherewith both to keep myself from being
+chargeable to others, and to administer something to the necessities of
+those who were in need.
+
+About the beginning of the year 1646, as I was going to COVENTRY, and
+approaching towards the gate, a consideration arose in me, how it was
+said that “all Christians are believers, both Protestants and Papists;”
+and the Lord opened to me that, if all were believers, then they were
+all born of God, and passed from death to life, and that none were true
+believers but such; and though others said they were believers, yet they
+were not. At another time, as I was walking in a field on a first-day
+morning, the Lord opened to me, “that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge
+was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of Christ;” and I
+wondered at it, because it was the common belief of people. But I saw it
+clearly as the Lord opened it to me, and was satisfied, and admired the
+goodness of the Lord who had opened this thing unto me that morning.
+This struck at priest Stevens’ ministry, namely, “that to be bred at
+Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to make a man fit to be a minister of
+Christ.” So that which opened in me, I saw struck at the priest’s
+ministry. But my relations were much troubled that I would not go with
+them to hear the priest; for I would get into the orchards, or the
+fields, with my Bible by myself. I asked them, Did not the apostle say
+to believers, that “they needed no man to teach them, but as the
+anointing teacheth them?” And though they knew this was Scripture, and
+that it was true, yet they were grieved because I could not be subject
+in this matter, to go to hear the priest with them. I saw that to be a
+true believer was another thing than they looked upon it to be; and I
+saw that being bred at Oxford or Cambridge did not qualify or fit a man
+to be a minister of Christ: what then should I follow such for? So
+neither these, nor any of the Dissenting people, could I join with, but
+was as a stranger to all, relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
+
+At another time it was opened in me, “That God, who made the world, did
+not dwell in temples made with hands.” This at first seemed a strange
+word, because both priests and people used to call their temples or
+churches, dreadful places, holy ground, and the temples of God. But the
+Lord showed me clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men
+had commanded and set up, but in people’s hearts: for both Stephen and
+the apostle Paul bore testimony, that he did not dwell in temples made
+with hands, not even in that which he had once commanded to be built,
+since he put an end to it; but that his people were his temple, and he
+dwelt in them. This opened in me as I walked in the fields to my
+relations’ house. When I came there, they told me that Nathaniel
+Stevens, the priest, had been there, and told them “he was afraid of me,
+for going after new lights.” I smiled in myself, knowing what the Lord
+had opened in me concerning him and his brethren; but I told not my
+relations, who though they saw beyond the priests, yet they went to hear
+them, and were grieved because I would not go also. But I brought them
+Scriptures, and told them, there was an anointing within man to teach
+him, and that the Lord would teach his people himself. I had also great
+openings concerning the things written in the Revelations; and when I
+spoke of them, the priests and professors would say that was a sealed
+book, and would have kept me out of it: but I told them, Christ could
+open the seals, and that they were the nearest things to us; for the
+Epistles were written to the saints that lived in former ages, but the
+Revelations were written of things to come.
+
+After this, I met with a sort of people that held women have no souls,
+(adding in a light manner,) no more than a goose. But I reproved them,
+and told them that was not right; for Mary said, “My soul doth magnify
+the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”
+
+Removing to another place, I came among a people that relied much on
+dreams. I told them, except they could distinguish between dream and
+dream, they would confound all together; for there were three sorts of
+dreams; multitude of business sometimes caused dreams; and there were
+whisperings of Satan in man in the night-season; and there were
+speakings of God to man in dreams. But these people came out of these
+things, and at last became Friends.
+
+Now though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptation came
+many times upon me; so that when it was day, I wished for night, and
+when it was night, I wished for day: and by reason of the openings I had
+in my troubles, I could say as David said, “Day unto day uttereth
+speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.” When I had openings,
+they answered one another, and answered the Scriptures; for I had great
+openings of the Scriptures: and when I was in troubles, one trouble also
+answered to another.
+
+About the beginning of the year 1647, I was moved of the Lord to go into
+DERBYSHIRE, where I met with some friendly people, and had many
+discourses with them. Then passing further into the PEAK-COUNTRY, I met
+with more friendly people, and with some in empty, high notions.
+Travelling on through some parts of LEICESTERSHIRE and into
+NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, I met with a tender people, and a very tender woman,
+whose name was Elizabeth Hooton;[5] and with these I had some meetings
+and discourses. But my troubles continued, and I was often under great
+temptations; I fasted much, and walked abroad in solitary places many
+days, and often took my Bible, and went and sat in hollow trees and
+lonesome places till night came on; and frequently, in the night, walked
+mournfully about by myself: for I was a man of sorrows in the times of
+the first workings of the Lord in me.
+
+Footnote 5:
+
+  Elizabeth Hooton was born at Nottingham about the year 1600; was the
+  wife of a person who occupied a respectable position in society. In
+  1647, when George Fox first met with her, she formed one of a company
+  of serious persons, who occasionally met together. Little is known of
+  her, but “the meetings and discourses” she had with George Fox appear
+  to have been the means of convincing her of the spiritual views of
+  Friends. Sewell says in 1650—“From a true experience of the Lord’s
+  work in man, she felt herself moved publicly to preach the way of
+  salvation to others.” She was therefore not only the first of her sex,
+  but the second individual who appeared in the character of a minister
+  amongst the newly-gathered society. The preaching of women was not at
+  this period considered singular, several being thus engaged among the
+  various religious sects then in England. Elizabeth Hooton had not long
+  publicly testified as a minister, before her sincerity and
+  faithfulness were tested by persecution. Besides suffering in other
+  ways, she endured several imprisonments, sometimes for months
+  together. As a gospel minister, she stood high in the estimation of
+  her friends, and in advanced life performed two religious visits to
+  America and the West Indies, the latter of which occupied her several
+  years. She was one who travelled with George Fox amongst the West
+  India Islands, as related elsewhere in these volumes, being suddenly
+  taken ill in Jamaica, where she died the day following, aged about 71
+  years, a minister 21 years.
+
+During all this time I was never joined in profession of religion with
+any, but gave myself up to the Lord, having forsaken all evil company,
+and taken leave of father and mother, and all other relations, and
+travelled up and down as a stranger in the earth, which way the Lord
+inclined my heart; taking a chamber to myself in the town where I came,
+and tarrying sometimes a month, more or less, in a place; for I durst
+not stay long in any place, being afraid both of professor and profane,
+lest, being a tender young man, I should be hurt by conversing much with
+either. For which reason I kept myself much as a stranger, seeking
+heavenly wisdom and getting knowledge from the Lord; and was brought off
+from outward things, to rely wholly on the Lord alone. Though my
+exercises and troubles were very great, yet were they not so continual
+but that I had some intermissions, and was sometimes brought into such a
+heavenly joy, that I thought I had been in Abraham’s bosom. As I cannot
+declare the misery I was in, it was so great and heavy upon me; so
+neither can I set forth the mercies of God unto me in all my misery. O,
+the everlasting love of God to my soul, when I was in great distress!
+when my troubles and torments were great, then was his love exceedingly
+great. “Thou, Lord, makest a fruitful field a barren wilderness, and a
+barren wilderness a fruitful field; thou bringest down and settest up;
+thou killest and makest alive; all honour and glory be to thee, O Lord
+of glory; the knowledge of thee in the Spirit, is life; but that
+knowledge which is fleshly, works death.” While there is this knowledge
+in the flesh, deceit and self-will conform to anything, and will say
+yes, yes, to that it doth not know. The knowledge which the world hath
+of what the prophets and apostles spoke, is a fleshly knowledge; and the
+apostates from the life, in which the prophets and apostles were, have
+gotten their words, the Holy Scriptures, in a form, but not in their
+life nor Spirit that gave them forth. So they all lie in confusion, and
+are making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; but not
+to fulfil the law and command of Christ in his power and Spirit: this,
+they say, they cannot do; but to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, that
+they can do with delight.
+
+Now after I had received that opening from the Lord, that “to be bred at
+Oxford or Cambridge was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of
+Christ,” I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the
+Dissenting people. Among them I saw there was some tenderness; and many
+of them came afterwards to be convinced, for they had some openings. But
+as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also,
+and those esteemed the most experienced people; for I saw there was none
+among them all that could speak to my condition. When all my hopes in
+them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help
+me, nor could I tell what to do; then, O! then I heard a voice which
+said, “There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy
+condition;” and when I heard it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the
+Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my
+condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory; for all are
+concluded under sin, and shut up in unbelief, as I had been, that Jesus
+Christ might have the pre-eminence, who enlightens, and gives grace, and
+faith, and power. Thus when God doth work, who shall hinder it? and this
+I knew experimentally. My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal
+in the pure knowledge of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of
+any man, book, or writing. For though I read the Scriptures that spoke
+of Christ and of God; yet I knew him not, but by revelation, as he who
+hath the key did open, and as the Father of Life drew me to his Son by
+his Spirit. Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see his love,
+which was endless and eternal, surpassing all the knowledge that men
+have in the natural state, or can obtain from history or books; and that
+love let me see myself, as I was without him. I was afraid of all
+company, for I saw them perfectly where they were, through the love of
+God, which let me see myself. I had not fellowship with any people,
+priests, or professors, or any sort of separated people, but with
+Christ, who hath the key, and opened the door of Light and Life unto me.
+I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers, for I could see nothing but
+corruptions, and the life lay under the burthen of corruptions. When I
+myself was in the deep, shut up under all, I could not believe that I
+should ever overcome; my troubles, my sorrows, and my temptations were
+so great, that I thought many times I should have despaired, I was so
+tempted. But when Christ opened to me, how he was tempted by the same
+devil, and overcame him and bruised his head, and that through him and
+his power, light, grace, and Spirit, I should overcome also, I had
+confidence in him; so he it was that opened to me, when I was shut up,
+and had no hope nor faith. Christ, who had enlightened me, gave me his
+light to believe in; he gave me hope, which he himself revealed in me,
+and he gave me his Spirit and grace, which I found sufficient in the
+deeps and in weakness. Thus, in the deepest miseries, and in the
+greatest sorrows and temptations, that many times beset me, the Lord in
+his mercy did keep me. I found that there were two thirsts in me; the
+one after the creatures, to get help and strength there; and the other
+after the Lord, the Creator, and his Son Jesus Christ. I saw all the
+world could do me no good; if I had had a king’s diet, palace, and
+attendance, all would have been as nothing; for nothing gave me comfort,
+but the Lord by his power. I saw professors, priests, and people, were
+whole and at ease in that condition which was my misery; and they loved
+that which I would have been rid of. But the Lord stayed my desires upon
+himself, from whom came my help, and my care was cast upon him alone.
+Therefore, all wait patiently upon the Lord, whatsoever condition you be
+in; wait in the grace and truth that comes by Jesus: for if ye so do,
+there is a promise to you, and the Lord God will fulfil it in you.
+Blessed are all they that do indeed hunger and thirst after
+righteousness, they shall be satisfied with it. I have found it so,
+praised be the Lord who filleth with it, and satisfieth the desires of
+the hungry soul. O let the house of the spiritual Israel say, “His mercy
+endureth for ever!” It is the great love of God to make a wilderness of
+that which is pleasant to the outward eye and fleshly mind; and to make
+a fruitful field of a barren wilderness. This is the great work of God.
+But while people’s minds run in the earthly, after the creatures and
+changeable things, changeable ways and religions, and changeable,
+uncertain teachers, their minds are in bondage, they are brittle and
+changeable, tossed up and down with windy doctrines and thoughts, and
+notions and things; their minds being out of the unchangeable truth in
+the inward parts, the Light of Jesus Christ, which would keep them to
+the unchangeable. He is the way to the Father; and in all my troubles he
+preserved me by his Spirit and power; praised be his holy name for ever!
+
+Again I heard a voice which said, “Thou serpent! thou dost seek to
+destroy the life, but canst not; for the sword which keepeth the tree of
+life shall destroy thee.” So Christ, the Word of God, that bruised the
+head of the serpent, the destroyer, preserved me; my inward mind being
+joined to his good Seed, that bruised the head of this serpent, the
+destroyer. This inward life sprung up in me, to answer all the opposing
+professors and priests, and brought Scriptures to my memory to refute
+them with.
+
+At another time I saw the great love of God, and I was filled with
+admiration at the infinitude of it; I saw what was cast out from God,
+and what entered into God’s kingdom; and how by Jesus, the opener of the
+door, with his heavenly key, the entrance was given; and I saw death,
+how it had passed upon all men, and oppressed the seed of God, in man,
+and in me; and how I in the seed came forth, and what the promise was
+to. Yet it was so with me, that there seemed to be two pleading in me;
+questionings arose in my mind about gifts and prophecies; and I was
+tempted again to despair, as if I had sinned against the Holy Ghost. I
+was in great perplexity and trouble for many days; yet I gave up myself
+to the Lord still.
+
+One day when I had been walking solitarily abroad, and was come home, I
+was wrapped up in the love of God, so that I could not but admire the
+greatness of his love. While I was in that condition it was opened unto
+me by the eternal Light and Power, and I saw clearly therein, “that all
+was done, and to be done, in and by Christ; and how he conquers and
+destroys this tempter, the Devil, and all his works, and is above him;
+and that all these troubles were good for me, and temptations for the
+trial of my faith, which Christ had given me.” The Lord opened me, that
+I saw through all these troubles and temptations; my living faith was
+raised, that I saw all was done by Christ, the Life, and my belief was
+in Him. When at any time my condition was veiled, my secret belief was
+stayed firm, and hope underneath held me, as an anchor in the bottom of
+the sea, and anchored my immortal soul to its Bishop, causing it to swim
+above the sea, the world, where all the raging waves, foul weather,
+tempests, and temptations are. But, O! then did I see my troubles,
+trials, and temptations more clearly than ever I had done. As the light
+appeared, all appeared that is out of the light; darkness, death,
+temptations, the unrighteous, the ungodly; all was manifest and seen in
+the light. After this, a pure fire appeared in me: then I saw how he sat
+as a refiner’s fire and as fullers’ soap;—then the spiritual discerning
+came into me, by which I did discern my own thoughts, groans, and sighs;
+and what it was that veiled me, and what it was that opened me. That
+which could not abide in the patience, nor endure the fire, in the light
+I found it to be the groans of the flesh, that could not give up to the
+will of God, which had veiled me; and that could not be patient in all
+trials, troubles, and perplexities;—could not give up self to die by the
+cross, the power of God, that the living and quickened might follow him;
+and that that which would cloud and veil from the presence of
+Christ—that which the sword of the Spirit cuts down, and which must die,
+might not be kept alive. I discerned also the groans of the Spirit,
+which opened me, and made intercession to God; in which Spirit is the
+true waiting upon God, for the redemption of the body and of the whole
+creation. By this Spirit, in which the true sighing is, I saw over the
+false sighings and groanings. By this invisible Spirit I discerned all
+the false hearing, the false seeing, and the false smelling which was
+above the Spirit, quenching and grieving it; and that all they that were
+there, were in confusion and deceit, where the false asking and praying
+is, in deceit, in that nature and tongue that takes God’s holy name in
+vain, wallows in the Egyptian sea, and asketh, but hath not; for they
+hate his light and resist the Holy Ghost; turn grace into wantonness,
+and rebel against the Spirit; and are erred from the faith they should
+ask in, and from the Spirit they should pray by. He that knoweth these
+things in the true Spirit, can witness them. The divine light of Christ
+manifesteth all things; the spiritual fire trieth all things, and
+severeth all things. Several things did I then see as the Lord opened
+them to me; for he showed me that which can live in his holy refining
+fire, and that can live to God under his law. He made me sensible how
+the law and the prophets were until John; and how the least in the
+everlasting kingdom of God is greater than John.
+
+The pure and perfect law of God is over the flesh, to keep it and its
+works, which are not perfect, under, by the perfect law; and the law of
+God that is perfect, answers the perfect principle of God in every one.
+This law the Jews, and the prophets, and John were to perform and do.
+None know the giver of this law but by the Spirit of God; neither can
+any truly read it, or hear its voice, but by the Spirit of God; he that
+can receive it, let him. John, who was the greatest prophet that was
+born of a woman, did bear witness to the light, which Christ, the great
+heavenly prophet, hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world
+withal; that they might believe in it, and become the children of light,
+and so have the light of life, and not come into condemnation. For the
+true belief stands in the light that condemns all evil, and the Devil,
+who is the prince of darkness, and would draw out of the light into
+condemnation. They that walk in this light, come to the mountain of the
+house of God, established above all mountains, and to God’s teaching,
+who will teach them his ways. These things were opened to me in the
+light.
+
+I saw also the mountains burning up, and the rubbish; the rough and
+crooked ways and places, made smooth and plain, that the Lord might come
+into his tabernacle. These things are to be found in man’s heart. But to
+speak of these things being within, seemed strange to the rough, and
+crooked, and mountainous ones. Yet the Lord saith, “O Earth, hear the
+word of the Lord!” The law of the Spirit crosseth the fleshly mind,
+spirit, and will, which lives in disobedience, and doth not keep within
+the law of the Spirit. I saw this law was the pure love of God, which
+was upon me, and which I must go through though I was troubled while I
+was under it; for I could not be dead to the law, but through the law
+which did judge and condemn that which is to be condemned. I saw many
+talked of the law, who had never known the law to be their schoolmaster;
+and many talked of the gospel of Christ, who had never known life and
+immortality brought to light in them by it. You that have been under
+that schoolmaster, and the condemnation of it, know these things; for
+though the Lord in that day opened these things unto me in secret, they
+have since been published by his eternal Spirit, as on the house top.
+And as you are brought into the law, and through the law to be dead to
+it, and witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you, you will
+afterwards come to know what it is to be brought into the faith, and
+through faith from under the law; and abiding in the faith, which Christ
+is the author of, you will have peace and access to God. But if ye look
+out from the faith, and from that which would keep you in the victory,
+and look after fleshly things or words, you will be brought into bondage
+to flesh again, and to the law, which takes hold upon the flesh and sin,
+and worketh wrath, and the works of the flesh will appear again. The law
+of God takes hold upon the law of sin and death; but the law of faith,
+or the law of the Spirit of life, which is the love of God, and which
+comes by Jesus (who is the end of the law for righteousness’ sake,)
+makes free from the law of sin and death. This law of life
+fleshly-minded men do not know; yet they will tempt you, to draw you
+from the Spirit into the flesh, and so into bondage.
+
+Therefore ye, who know the love of God, and the law of his Spirit, and
+the freedom that is in Jesus Christ, stand fast in him, in that divine
+faith which he is the author of in you; and be not entangled with the
+yoke of bondage. For the ministry of Christ Jesus, and his teaching,
+bring into liberty and freedom; but the ministry that is of man, and by
+man, and which stands in the will of man, bringeth into bondage, and
+under the shadow of death and darkness. Therefore none can be ministers
+of Christ Jesus but in the eternal Spirit, which was before the
+Scriptures were given forth; for if they have not his Spirit, they are
+none of his. Though they may have his light to condemn them that hate
+it, yet they can never bring any into unity and fellowship in the
+Spirit, except they be in it; for the Seed of God is a burdensome stone
+to the selfish, fleshly, earthly will, which reigns in its own knowledge
+and understanding that must perish, and in its wisdom that is devilish.
+And the Spirit of God is grieved, and vexed, and quenched with that
+which brings into the fleshly bondage; and that which wars against the
+Spirit of God, must be mortified by it; for the flesh lusteth against
+the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the
+one to the other. The flesh would have its liberty, and the Spirit would
+have its liberty; but the Spirit is to have its liberty and not the
+flesh. If therefore ye quench the Spirit, and join to the flesh, and be
+servants of it, then ye are judged and tormented by the Spirit; but if
+ye join to the Spirit and serve God in it, ye have liberty and victory
+over the flesh and its works. Therefore keep in the daily cross, the
+power of God, by which you may witness all that to be crucified which is
+contrary to the will of God, and which shall not come into his kingdom.
+These things are here mentioned and opened for information, exhortation,
+and comfort to others, as the Lord opened them unto me in that day. In
+that day I wondered that the children of Israel should murmur for water
+and victuals, for I could have fasted long without murmuring or minding
+victuals. But I was judged at other times, that I was not contented to
+be sometimes without the water and bread of life, that I might learn to
+know how to want, and how to abound.
+
+I heard of a woman in LANCASHIRE, that had fasted two and twenty days,
+and I travelled to see her; but when I came to her I saw that she was
+under a temptation. When I had spoken to her what I had from the Lord, I
+left her, her father being one high in profession. Passing on, I went
+among the professors at DUKINFIELD and MANCHESTER, where I stayed a
+while, and declared truth among them. There were some convinced, who
+received the Lord’s teaching, by which they were confirmed and stood in
+the truth. But the professors were in a rage, all pleading for sin and
+imperfection, and could not endure to hear talk of perfection, and of a
+holy and sinless life. But the Lord’s power was over all; though they
+were chained under darkness and sin, which they pleaded for, and
+quenched the tender thing in them.
+
+About this time there was a great meeting of the Baptists, at BROUGHTON,
+in Leicestershire, with some that had separated from them; and people of
+other notions went thither, and I went also. Not many of the Baptists
+came, but many others were there. The Lord opened my mouth, and the
+everlasting truth was declared amongst them, and the power of the Lord
+was over them all. For in that day the Lord’s power began to spring, and
+I had great openings in the Scriptures. Several were convinced in those
+parts, and were turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan
+unto God; and many were raised up to praise God. When I reasoned with
+professors and other people, some became convinced.
+
+I was still under great temptations sometimes, and my inward sufferings
+were heavy; but I could find none to open my condition to but the Lord
+alone, unto whom I cried night and day. I went back into
+NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and there the Lord showed me that the natures of those
+things, which were hurtful without, were within, in the hearts and minds
+of wicked men. The natures of dogs, swine, vipers, of Sodom and Egypt,
+Pharaoh, Cain, Ishmael, Esau, &c.; the natures of these I saw within,
+though people had been looking without. I cried to the Lord, saying,
+“Why should I be thus, seeing I was never addicted to commit those
+evils?” and the Lord answered, “That it was needful I should have a
+sense of all conditions, how else should I speak to all conditions?” and
+in this I saw the infinite love of God. I saw also, that there was an
+ocean of darkness and death; but an infinite ocean of light and love,
+which flowed over the ocean of darkness. In that also I saw the infinite
+love of God, and I had great openings.
+
+And as I was walking by the steeple-house,[6] in MANSFIELD, the Lord
+said unto me, “That which people trample upon, must be thy food.” And as
+the Lord spoke he opened it to me, that people and professors trampled
+upon the life, even the life of Christ; they fed upon words, and fed one
+another with words; but they trampled upon the life; trampled underfoot
+the blood of the Son of God, which blood was my life, and lived in their
+airy notions, talking of him. It seemed strange to me at first, that I
+should feed on that which the high professors trampled upon; but the
+Lord opened it clearly to me by his eternal Spirit and Power.
+
+Footnote 6:
+
+  The term “steeplehouse” occurs not unfrequently in this _Journal_, and
+  in the early writings and records of Friends. Though it may sound
+  harsh, and appear to savour of the scurrility and intolerance of that
+  zealous age, yet this, or any other mode of speech adopted by Friends,
+  was by no means taken up for the purpose of opprobrium, but rather
+  significantly to discover the little veneration or distinction they
+  could show for these buildings more than others; believing that the
+  Almighty is equally present everywhere, to bless and to sanctify every
+  place and everything to those that walk uprightly on the earth, his
+  footstool.
+
+  One of the chief points of George Fox’s ministry was to overturn that
+  insidious reverence for names and things which is too frequently
+  substituted for the worship that is “in spirit and in truth.” Few
+  instances more distinctly exhibit this sort of covert idolatry, than
+  the general notion of _sanctity_ which is attached to the building
+  called a “_church_.” The word “church” is, in the Holy Scriptures,
+  never applied to an outward temple or building, but to a company of
+  believers, whether generally or particularly. The use of this term
+  appears to have crept in among Christians, and with it a superstitious
+  consecration of those places, as possessing some latent quality not
+  affecting other works of art or nature. To this Stephen the martyr
+  evidently alluded when he said, “Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in
+  temples made with hands,” &c., Acts vii. 48. Clemens of Alexandria
+  says, “Not the place, but the congregation of the elect, I call a
+  church,” Stromat. vii., 715 B.
+
+Then came people from far and near to see me; but I was fearful of being
+drawn out by them; yet I was made to speak, and open things to them.
+There was one Brown, who had great prophecies and sights of me upon his
+death-bed. He spoke openly of what I should be made instrumental by the
+Lord to bring forth. And of others he spoke, that they should come to
+nothing, which was fulfilled on some, who then were something in show.
+When this man was buried, a great work of the Lord fell upon me, to the
+admiration of many, who thought I had been dead; and many came to see me
+for about fourteen days. I was very much altered in countenance and
+person, as if my body had been new moulded or changed. While I was in
+that condition, I had a sense and discerning given me by the Lord,
+through which I saw plainly, that when many people talked of God and of
+Christ, &c., the serpent spoke in them; but this was hard to be borne.
+Yet the work of the Lord went on in some, and my sorrows and troubles
+began to wear off, and tears of joy dropped from me, so that I could
+have wept night and day with tears of joy to the Lord, in humility and
+brokenness of heart. I saw into that which was without end, and things
+which cannot be uttered, and of the greatness and infinitude of the love
+of God, which cannot be expressed by words. For I had been brought
+through the very ocean of darkness and death, and through and over the
+power of Satan, by the eternal, glorious power of Christ; even through
+that darkness was I brought, which covered over all the world, and which
+chained down all, and shut up all in death. The same eternal power of
+God, which brought me through these things, was that which afterwards
+shook the nations, priests, professors, and people. Then could I say I
+had been in spiritual Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, and the grave; but by the
+eternal power of God I was come out of it, and was brought over it, and
+the power of it, into the power of Christ. I saw the harvest white, and
+the seed of God lying thick in the ground, as ever did wheat that was
+sown outwardly, and none to gather it; for this I mourned with tears. A
+report went abroad of me that I was a young man that had a discerning
+spirit; whereupon many came to me, from far and near, professors,
+priests, and people. The Lord’s power broke forth; and I had great
+openings and prophecies; and spoke unto them of the things of God, which
+they heard with attention and silence, and went away, and spread the
+fame thereof. Then came the tempter, and set upon me again, charging me,
+that I had sinned against the Holy Ghost; but I could not tell in what.
+Then Paul’s condition came before me, how, after he had been taken up
+into the third heavens, and seen things not lawful to be uttered, a
+messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him. Thus, by the power of Christ,
+I got over that temptation also.
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER II.
+
+1648-1649.—Begins to have great meetings—at Mansfield he is moved to
+    pray—the Lord’s power so great the house is shaken—cannot pray in
+    his own will—a temptation besets him that there is no God, which is
+    dissipated by an inward voice—he afterwards disputes with and
+    confounds some Atheists—goes to courts and steeple-houses, &c., to
+    warn against oppression and oaths—reproves a notorious drunkard, who
+    is reformed—sees who are the greatest deceivers—shows how people
+    read and understand the Scriptures—various mysteries are revealed to
+    him—he is sent to turn people to the Inward Light, Spirit, and
+    Grace, the Divine Spirit which he infallibly knew would not
+    deceive—priests and professors rage at these innovations—he cries
+    for justice in courts and against various wrong things—denounces the
+    trade of preaching—is sent to preach freely.
+
+In the year 1648, as I was sitting in a friend’s house in
+Nottinghamshire (for by this time the power of God had opened the hearts
+of some to receive the word of life and reconciliation,) I saw there was
+a great crack to go throughout the earth, and a great smoke to go as the
+crack went; and that after the crack there should be a great shaking:
+this was the earth in people’s hearts, which was to be shaken before the
+seed of God was raised out of the earth. And it was so; for the Lord’s
+power began to shake them, and great meetings we begun to have, and a
+mighty power and work of God there was amongst people, to the
+astonishment of both people and priests.
+
+And there was a meeting of priests and professors at a justice’s house,
+and I went among them. Here they discoursed how Paul said, “He had not
+known sin, but by the law, which said, Thou shalt not lust:” and they
+held that to be spoken of the outward law. But I told them, Paul spoke
+that after he was convinced; for he had the outward law before, and was
+brought up in it, when he was in the lust of persecution; but this was
+the law of God in his mind, which he served, and which the law in his
+members warred against; for that which he thought had been life to him,
+proved death. So the more sober of the priests and professors yielded,
+and consented that it was not the outward law, but the inward, which
+showed the inward lust which Paul spoke of after he was convinced: for
+the outward law took hold upon the outward action; but the inward law
+upon the inward lust.
+
+After this I went again to MANSFIELD, where was a great meeting of
+professors and people; here I was moved to pray; and the Lord’s power
+was so great, that the house seemed to be shaken. When I had done, some
+of the professors said it was now as in the days of the apostles, when
+the house was shaken where they were. After I had prayed, one of the
+professors would pray, which brought deadness and a veil over them: and
+others of the professors were grieved at him and told him, it was a
+temptation upon him. Then he came to me, and desired that I would pray
+again; but I could not pray in man’s will.
+
+Soon after there was another great meeting of professors, and a captain,
+whose name was Amor Stoddard, came in. They were discoursing of the
+blood of Christ; and as they were discoursing of it, I saw, through the
+immediate opening of the Invisible Spirit, the blood of Christ. And I
+cried out among them, and said, “Do ye not see the blood of Christ? See
+it in your hearts, to sprinkle your hearts and consciences from dead
+works, to serve the living God:” for I saw it, the blood of the New
+Covenant, how it came into the heart. This startled the professors, who
+would have the blood only without them, and not in them. But Captain
+Stoddard was reached, and said, “Let the youth speak; hear the youth
+speak;” when he saw they endeavoured to bear me down with many words.
+
+There was also a company of priests, that were looked upon to be tender;
+one of their names was Kellett; and several people that were tender,
+went to hear them. I was moved to go after them, and bid them mind the
+Lord’s teaching in their inward parts. That priest Kellett was against
+parsonages then; but afterwards he got a great one, and turned a
+persecutor.
+
+Now, after I had had some service in these parts, I went through
+DERBYSHIRE into my own county, LEICESTERSHIRE, again, and several tender
+people were convinced. Passing thence, I met with a great company of
+professors in WARWICKSHIRE, who were praying, and expounding the
+Scriptures in the fields. They gave the Bible to me, and I opened it on
+the fifth of Matthew, where Christ expounded the law; and I opened the
+inward state to them, and the outward state; upon which they fell into a
+fierce contention, and so parted; but the Lord’s power got ground.
+
+Then I heard of a great meeting to be at LEICESTER, for a dispute,
+wherein Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, and Common-prayer-men
+were said to be all concerned. The meeting was in a steeple-house; and
+thither I was moved by the Lord God to go, and be amongst them. I heard
+their discourse and reasonings, some being in pews, and the priest in
+the pulpit; abundance of people being gathered together. At last one
+woman asked a question out of Peter, What that birth was, viz., a being
+born again of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God, that liveth and
+abideth for ever? And the priest said to her, “I permit not a woman to
+speak in the church;” though he had before given liberty for any to
+speak. Whereupon I was wrapped up, as in a rapture, in the Lord’s power;
+and I stepped up and asked the priest, “Dost thou call this (the
+steeple-house) a church? Or dost thou call this mixed multitude a
+church?” For the woman asking a question, he ought to have answered it,
+having given liberty for any to speak. But, instead of answering me, he
+asked me what a church was? I told him, “The church was the pillar and
+ground of truth, made up of living stones, living members, a spiritual
+household, which Christ was the head of: but he was not the head of a
+mixed multitude, or of an old house made up of lime, stones, and wood.”
+This set them all on fire: the priest came down out of his pulpit, and
+others out of their pews, and the dispute there was marred. But I went
+to a great inn, and there disputed the thing with the priests and
+professors of all sorts; and they were all on a fire. But I maintained
+the true church, and the true head thereof, over the heads of them all,
+till they all gave out and fled away. One man seemed loving, and
+appeared for a while to join with me; but he soon turned against me, and
+joined with a priest, in pleading for infants’ baptism, though he
+himself had been a Baptist before; and so left me alone. Howbeit, there
+were several convinced that day; and the woman that asked the question
+was convinced, and her family; and the Lord’s power and glory shone over
+all.
+
+After this I returned into Nottinghamshire, and went into the VALE OF
+BEAVOR. As I went, I preached repentance to the people; and there were
+many convinced in the Vale of Beavor, in many towns; for I stayed some
+weeks amongst them. One morning, as I was sitting by the fire, a great
+cloud came over me, and a temptation beset me; but I sat still. And it
+was said, “All things come by nature;” and the elements and stars came
+over me, so that I was in a manner quite clouded with it. But as I sat
+still, and silent, the people of the house perceived nothing. And as I
+sat still under it, and let it alone, a living hope arose in me, and a
+true voice, which said, “There _is_ a living God who made all things.”
+And immediately the cloud and temptation vanished away, and life rose
+over it all; my heart was glad, and I praised the living God. After some
+time, I met with some people who had a notion that there was no God, but
+that all things came by nature. I had a great dispute with them, and
+overturned them, and made some of them confess that there is a living
+God. Then I saw that it was good that I had gone through that exercise.
+We had great meetings in those parts, for the power of the Lord broke
+through in that part of the country. Returning into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, I
+found there a company of shattered Baptists, and others; and the Lord’s
+power wrought mightily, and gathered many of them. Afterwards I went to
+MANSFIELD and thereaway, where the Lord’s power was wonderfully
+manifested both at Mansfield and other neighbouring towns. In Derbyshire
+the mighty power of God wrought in a wonderful manner. At EATON, a town
+near Derby, there was a meeting of Friends, where there was such a
+mighty power of God that they were greatly shaken, and many mouths were
+opened in the power of the Lord God. Many were moved by the Lord to go
+to steeple-houses, to the priests and to the people, to declare the
+everlasting truth unto them.
+
+At a certain time, when I was at MANSFIELD, there was a sitting of the
+justices about hiring of servants; and it was upon me from the Lord to
+go and speak to the justices, that they should not oppress the servants
+in their wages. So I walked towards the inn where they sat; but finding
+a company of fiddlers there, I did not go in, but thought to come in the
+morning, when I might have a more serious opportunity to discourse with
+them, not thinking that a seasonable time. But when I came again in the
+morning, they were gone, and I was struck even blind, that I could not
+see. I inquired of the innkeeper where the justices were to sit that
+day; and he told me, at a town eight miles off. My sight began to come
+to me again; and I went and ran thitherward as fast as I could. When I
+was come to the house where they were, and many servants with them, I
+exhorted the justices not to oppress the servants in their wages, but to
+do that which was right and just to them; and I exhorted the servants to
+do their duties, and serve honestly, &c. They all received my
+exhortation kindly; for I was moved of the Lord therein.
+
+Moreover, I was moved to go to several courts and steeple-houses at
+Mansfield, and other places, to warn them to leave off oppression and
+oaths, and to turn from deceit to the Lord, and do justly. Particularly
+at Mansfield, after I had been at a court there, I was moved to go and
+speak to one of the most wicked men in the country, one who was a common
+drunkard, a noted whore-master, and a rhyme-maker; and I reproved him in
+the dread of the mighty God, for his evil courses. When I had done
+speaking, and left him, he came after me, and told me, that he was so
+smitten when I spoke to him, that he had scarcely any strength left in
+him. So this man was convinced, and turned from his wickedness, and
+remained an honest, sober man, to the astonishment of the people who had
+known him before. Thus the work of the Lord went forward, and many were
+turned from the darkness to the light, within the compass of these three
+years, 1646, 1647, and 1648. Divers meetings of Friends, in several
+places, were then gathered to God’s teaching, by his light, Spirit, and
+power; for the Lord’s power broke forth more and more, wonderfully.
+
+Now was I come up in Spirit through the flaming sword, into the paradise
+of God. All things were new; and all the creation gave another smell
+unto me than before, beyond what words can utter. I knew nothing but
+pureness, and innocency, and righteousness, being renewed into the image
+of God by Christ Jesus, to the state of Adam, which he was in before he
+fell. The creation was opened to me; and it was showed me how all things
+had their names given them, according to their nature and virtue. I was
+at a stand in my mind, whether I should practise physic for the good of
+mankind, seeing the nature and virtues of things were so opened to me by
+the Lord. But I was immediately taken up in Spirit, to see into another
+or more steadfast state than Adam’s innocency, even into a state in
+Christ Jesus, that should never fall. And the Lord showed me that such
+as were faithful to him, in the power and light of Christ, should come
+up into that state in which Adam was before he fell; in which the
+admirable works of creation, and the virtues thereof, may be known,
+through the openings of that divine Word of wisdom and power, by which
+they were made. Great things did the Lord lead me into, and wonderful
+depths were opened unto me, beyond what can by words be declared; but as
+people come into subjection to the Spirit of God, and grow up in the
+image and power of the Almighty, they may receive the Word of Wisdom,
+that opens all things, and come to know the hidden unity in the Eternal
+Being.
+
+Thus I travelled on in the Lord’s service, as the Lord led me. And when
+I came to NOTTINGHAM, the mighty power of God was there among Friends.
+From thence I went to CLAWSON in Leicestershire, in the VALE of BEAVOR,
+and the mighty power of God was there also, in several towns and
+villages where Friends were gathered. While I was there, the Lord opened
+to me three things, relating to those three great professions in the
+world, physic, divinity (so called), and law. He showed me that the
+physicians were out of the wisdom of God, by which the creatures were
+made; and so knew not their virtues, because they were out of the Word
+of Wisdom; by which they were made. He showed me that the priests were
+out of the true faith, which Christ is the author of; the faith which
+purifies and gives victory, and brings people to have access to God, by
+which they please God; which mystery of faith is held in a pure
+conscience. He showed me also, that the lawyers were out of the equity,
+and out of the true justice, and out of the law of God, which went over
+the first transgression, and over all sin, and answered the Spirit of
+God, that was grieved and transgressed in man. And that these three, the
+physicians, the priests, and the lawyers, ruled the world out of the
+wisdom, out of the faith, and out of the equity and law of God; the one
+pretending the cure of the body, the other the cure of the soul, and the
+third the property of the people. But I saw they were all out of wisdom,
+out of the faith, out of the equity and perfect law of God. And as the
+Lord opened these things unto me, I felt his power went forth over all,
+by which all might be reformed, if they would receive and bow unto it.
+The priests might be reformed, and brought into the true faith, which
+was the gift of God. The lawyers might be reformed, and brought into the
+law of God, which answers that of God, which is transgressed, in every
+one, and brings to love one’s neighbour as himself. This lets man see,
+if he wrongs his neighbour he wrongs himself; and this teaches him to do
+unto others as he would they should do unto him. The physicians might be
+reformed, and brought into the wisdom of God, by which all things were
+made and created; that they might receive a right knowledge of them, and
+understand their virtues, which the Word of Wisdom, by which they were
+made and are upheld, hath given them. Abundance was opened concerning
+these things; how all lay out of the wisdom of God, and out of the
+righteousness and holiness that man at the first was made in. But as all
+believe in the light, and walk in the light, which Christ hath
+enlightened every man that cometh into the world withal, and so become
+children of the light, and of the day of Christ; in his day all things
+are seen, visible and invisible, by the divine light of Christ, the
+spiritual, heavenly man, by whom all things were made and created.
+
+Then I saw concerning the priests, that although they stood in deceit,
+and acted by the dark power, which both they and their people were kept
+under; yet they were not the greatest deceivers spoken of in the
+Scriptures; for these were not come so far as many of them had come. But
+the Lord opened to me who the greatest deceivers were, and how far they
+might come; even such as came as far as Cain, to hear the voice of God;
+and such as came out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, and to praise
+God on the banks of the sea-shore; such as could speak by experience of
+God’s miracles and wonders; such as were come as far as Korah and
+Dathan, and their company; such as were come as far as Balaam, who could
+speak the word of the Lord, who heard his voice and knew it, and knew
+his Spirit, and could see the star of Jacob, and the goodliness of
+Israel’s tent; the second birth, which no enchantment could prevail
+against: these that could speak so much of their experiences of God, and
+yet turned from the Spirit and the Word, and went into the gainsaying;
+these were, and would be, the great deceivers, far beyond the priests.
+Likewise among the Christians, such as should preach in Christ’s name,
+and should work miracles, cast out devils, and go as far as a Cain, a
+Korah, and a Balaam, in the gospel times, these were and would be the
+great deceivers. They that could speak some experiences of Christ and
+God, but lived not in the life: these were they that led the world after
+them, who got the form of godliness, but denied the power; who inwardly
+ravened from the Spirit, and brought people into the form, but
+persecuted them that were in the power, as Cain did; and ran greedily
+after the error of Balaam, through covetousness, loving the wages of
+unrighteousness, as Balaam did. These followers of Cain, Korah, and
+Balaam have brought the world, since the apostles’ days, to be like a
+sea. And such as these, I saw, might deceive now, as they had in former
+ages: but it is impossible for them to deceive the elect, who are chosen
+in Christ, who was before the world began, and before the deceiver was;
+though others may be deceived in their openings and prophecies, not
+keeping their minds to the Lord Jesus Christ, who doth open and reveal
+to his.
+
+I saw the state of those, both priests and people, who, in reading the
+Scriptures, cry out much against Cain, Esau, and Judas, and other wicked
+men of former times, mentioned in the Holy Scriptures; but do not see
+the nature of Cain, of Esau, of Judas, and those others, in themselves.
+These said, it was they, they, they, that were the bad people; putting
+it off from themselves: but when some of these came, with the light and
+Spirit of truth, to see into themselves, then they came to say, I, I, I,
+it is I myself that have been the Ishmael, and the Esau, &c. For then
+they came to see the nature of wild Ishmael in themselves; the nature of
+Cain, of Esau, of Korah, of Balaam, and of the son of perdition in
+themselves, sitting above all that is called God in them. Thus I saw it
+was the fallen man that was got up into the Scriptures, and was finding
+fault with those before mentioned; and, with the backsliding Jews,
+calling them the sturdy oaks, and tall cedars, and fat bulls of Bashan,
+wild heifers, vipers, serpents, &c.; and charging them that it was they
+that closed their eyes, and stopped their ears, and hardened their
+hearts, and were dull of hearing: that it was they that hated the light
+and rebelled against it; that quenched the Spirit, and vexed, and
+grieved it; that walked despitefully against the Spirit of grace, and
+turned the grace of God into wantonness; and that it was they that
+resisted the Holy Ghost, that got the form of godliness, and turned
+against the power: and they were the inwardly ravening wolves, that had
+got the sheep’s clothing; they were the wells without water, and clouds
+without rain, and trees without fruit, &c. But when these, who were so
+much taken up with finding fault with others, and thought themselves
+clear from these things, came to look into themselves, and with the
+light of Christ thoroughly to search themselves, they might see enough
+of this in themselves; and then the cry could not be, it is he, or they,
+as before; but I and we are found in these conditions.
+
+I saw also, how people read the Scriptures without a right sense of
+them, and without duly applying them to their own states. For, when they
+read that death reigned from Adam to Moses; that the law and the
+prophets were until John; and that the least in the kingdom is greater
+than John; they read these things and applied them to others, but they
+did not turn in to find the truth of these things in themselves. As
+these things came to be opened in me, I saw death reigned over them from
+Adam to Moses; from the entrance into transgression, till they came to
+the ministration of condemnation, which restrains people from sin that
+brings death. Then, when the ministration of Moses is passed through,
+the ministry of the prophets comes to be read and understood, which
+reaches through the figures, types, and shadows unto John, the greatest
+prophet born of a woman; whose ministration prepares the way of the
+Lord, by bringing down the exalted mountains, and making straight paths.
+And as this ministration is passed through, an entrance comes to be
+known into the everlasting kingdom. Thus I saw plainly that none could
+read Moses aright, without Moses’ spirit, by which Moses saw how man was
+in the image of God in Paradise, and how he fell, how death came over
+him, and how all men have been under this death. I saw how Moses
+received the pure law, that went over all transgressors; and how the
+clean beasts, which were figures and types, were offered up, when the
+people were come into the righteous law that went over the first
+transgression. Both Moses and the prophets saw through the types and
+figures and beyond them, and saw Christ, the great prophet, that was to
+come to fulfil them. I saw that none could read John’s words aright, and
+with a true understanding of them, but in and with the same divine
+Spirit by which John spoke them; and by his burning, shining light,
+which is sent from God. For by that Spirit their crooked natures might
+be made straight, and their rough natures smooth, and the exacter and
+violent doer in them might be cast out; and they that had been
+hypocrites might come to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, and
+their mountain of sin and earthliness might be laid low, and their
+valley exalted in them, that there might be a way prepared for the Lord
+in them: then the least of the kingdom is greater than John. But all
+must first know the voice crying in the wilderness, in their hearts,
+which through transgression, were become a wilderness. Thus I saw it was
+an easy matter to say death reigned from Adam to Moses; and that the law
+and the prophets were until John; and that the least in the kingdom is
+greater than John; but none could know _how_ death reigned from Adam to
+Moses, &c., but by the same Holy Spirit that Moses, the prophets, and
+John were in. They could not know the spiritual meaning of Moses’, the
+prophets’, and John’s words, nor see their path and travels, much less
+see through them, and to the end of them into the kingdom, unless they
+had the Spirit and light of Jesus; nor could they know the words of
+Christ, and of his apostles, without his Spirit. But as man comes
+through by the Spirit and power of God, to Christ, who fulfils the
+types, figures, shadows, promises, and prophecies that were of him, and
+is led by the Holy Ghost into the truth and substance of the Scriptures,
+sitting down in him who is the author and end of them; then are they
+read, and understood with profit and great delight.
+
+Moreover, when I was brought up into his image in righteousness and
+holiness, and into the paradise of God, He let me see how Adam was made
+a living soul: and also the stature of Christ, the mystery that had been
+hid from ages and generations; which things are hard to be uttered and
+cannot be borne by many. For, of all the sects in Christendom (so
+called) that I discoursed withal, I found none that could bear to be
+told that any should come to Adam’s perfection, into the image of God,
+that righteousness and holiness that Adam was in before he fell; to be
+clear and pure without sin, as he was. Therefore how should they be able
+to bear being told that any should grow up to the measure of the stature
+of the fulness of Christ, when they cannot bear to hear that any should
+come, whilst upon earth, into the same power and Spirit that the
+prophets and apostles were in? Though it is a certain truth, that none
+can understand their writings aright, without the same Spirit by which
+they were written.
+
+Now the Lord God opened to me by his invisible power, “that every man
+was enlightened by the divine light of Christ;” and I saw it shine
+through all; and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation
+to the light of life, and became the children of it; but they that hated
+it, and did not believe in it, were condemned by it, though they made a
+profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light,
+without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in
+the Scriptures, though afterwards, searching the Scriptures, I found it.
+For I saw in that Light and Spirit which was before the Scriptures were
+given forth, and which led the holy men of God to give them forth, that
+all must come to that Spirit, if they would know God, or Christ, or the
+Scriptures aright, which they that gave them forth were led and taught
+by.
+
+But I observed a dulness and drowsy heaviness upon people, which I
+wondered at: for sometimes when I would set myself to sleep, my mind
+went over all to the beginning, in that which is from everlasting to
+everlasting. I saw death was to pass over this sleepy heavy state; and I
+told people they must come to witness death to that sleepy, heavy
+nature, and a cross to it in the power of God, that their minds and
+hearts might be on things above.
+
+On a certain time, as I was walking in the fields, the Lord said unto
+me: “Thy name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, which was before
+the foundation of the world;” and, as the Lord spoke it, I believed, and
+saw it in the new birth. Then, some time after, the Lord commanded me to
+go abroad into the world, which was like a briery thorny wilderness; and
+when I came, in the Lord’s mighty power, with the word of life into the
+world, the world swelled, and made a noise like the great raging waves
+of the sea. Priests and professors, magistrates and people, were all
+like a sea, when I came to proclaim the day of the Lord amongst them,
+and to preach repentance to them.
+
+I was sent to turn people from darkness to the light, that they might
+receive Christ Jesus: for, to as many as should receive him in his
+light, I saw that he would give power to become the sons of God; which I
+had obtained by receiving Christ. I was to direct people to the Spirit,
+that gave forth the Scriptures, by which they might be led into all
+truth, and so up to Christ and God, as they had been who gave them
+forth. I was to turn them to the grace of God, and to the truth in the
+heart, which came by Jesus; that by this grace they might be taught,
+which would bring them salvation, that their hearts might be established
+by it, and their words might be seasoned, and all might come to know
+their salvation nigh. I saw that Christ died for all men, and was a
+propitiation for all; and enlightened all men and women with his divine
+and saving light; and that none could be a true believer, but who
+believed in it. I saw that the grace of God, which bringeth salvation,
+had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the Spirit of God
+was given to every man, to profit withal. These things I did not see by
+the help of man, nor by the letter, though they are written in the
+letter, but I saw them in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by his
+immediate Spirit and power, as did the holy men of God, by whom the Holy
+Scriptures were written. Yet I had no slight esteem of the holy
+Scriptures, but they were very precious to me, for I was in that Spirit
+by which they were given forth: and what the Lord opened in me, I
+afterwards found was agreeable to them. I could speak much of these
+things, and many volumes might be written, but all would prove too short
+to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God, in preparing,
+fitting, and furnishing me for the service he had appointed me to;
+letting me see the depths of Satan on the one hand, and opening to me,
+on the other hand, the divine mysteries of His own everlasting kingdom.
+
+Now, when the Lord God and his son Jesus Christ sent me forth into the
+world, to preach his everlasting gospel and kingdom, I was glad that I
+was commanded to turn people to that inward light, Spirit, and grace, by
+which all might know their salvation, and their way to God; even that
+Divine Spirit which would lead them into all truth, and which I
+infallibly knew would never deceive any.
+
+But with and by this divine power and Spirit of God, and the light of
+Jesus, I was to bring people off from all their own ways, to Christ, the
+new and living way; and from their churches, which men had made and
+gathered, to the church in God, the general assembly written in heaven
+which Christ is the head of: and off from the world’s, teachers, made by
+men, to learn of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life, of
+whom the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, hear ye him;” and off
+from all the world’s worships, to know the Spirit of Truth in the inward
+parts, and to be led thereby; that in it they might worship the Father
+of spirits, who seeks such to worship him; which Spirit they that
+worshipped not in, knew not what they worshipped. And I was to bring
+people off from all the world’s religions, which are vain; that they
+might know the pure religion, might visit the fatherless, the widows,
+and the strangers, and keep themselves from the spots of the world; then
+there would not be so many beggars, the sight of whom often grieved my
+heart, as it denoted so much hard-heartedness amongst them that
+professed the name of Christ. I was to bring them off from all the
+world’s fellowships, and prayings, and singings, which stood in forms
+without power; that their fellowship might be in the Holy Ghost, and in
+the Eternal Spirit of God; that they might pray in the Holy Ghost, and
+sing in the Spirit, and with the grace that comes by Jesus; making
+melody in their hearts to the Lord, who hath sent his beloved Son to be
+their Saviour, and caused his heavenly sun to shine upon all the world,
+and through them all, and his heavenly rain to fall upon the just and
+the unjust (as his outward rain doth fall, and his outward sun doth
+shine on all), which is God’s unspeakable love to the world. I was to
+bring people off from Jewish ceremonies, and from heathenish fables, and
+from men’s inventions and windy doctrines, by which they blew the people
+about this way and the other way, from sect to sect; and from all their
+beggarly rudiments, with their schools and colleges for making ministers
+of Christ, who are indeed ministers of their own making, but not of
+Christ’s; and from all their images and crosses, and sprinkling of
+infants, with all their holy days (so called) and all their vain
+traditions, which they had instituted since the apostles’ days, which
+the Lord’s power was against: in the dread and authority of which, I was
+moved to declare against them all, and against all that preached and not
+freely, as being such as had not received freely from Christ.
+
+Moreover, when the Lord sent me forth into the world, he forbade me to
+put off my hat to any, high or low; and I was required to Thee and Thou
+all men and women, without any respect to rich or poor, great or small.
+And as I travelled up and down, I was not to bid people Good morrow or
+Good evening; neither might I bow or scrape with my leg to any one; and
+this made the sects and professions to rage. But the Lord’s power
+carried me over all to his glory, and many came to be turned to God in a
+little time; for the heavenly day of the Lord sprung from on high, and
+broke forth apace, by the light of which many came to see where they
+were.
+
+But O! the rage that then was in the priests, magistrates, professors,
+and people of all sorts; but especially in priests and professors! for,
+though Thou, to a single person, was according to their own learning,
+their accidence, and grammar rules, and according to the Bible, yet they
+could not bear to hear it: and as to the hat-honour, because I could not
+put off my hat to them, it set them all into a rage. But the Lord showed
+me that it was an honour below, which he would lay in the dust, and
+stain;—an honour which proud flesh looked for, but sought not the honour
+which came from God only;—an honour invented by men in the fall, and in
+the alienation from God, who were offended if it were not given them;
+and yet they would be looked upon as saints, church-members and great
+Christians: but Christ saith, “How can ye believe, who receive honour
+one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” “And
+I (saith Christ) receive not honour of men:” showing that men have an
+honour, which men will receive and give; but Christ will have none of
+it. This is the honour which Christ will not receive, and which must be
+laid in the dust. O! the rage and scorn, the heat and fury that arose!
+O! the blows, punchings, beatings, and imprisonments that we underwent,
+for not putting off our hats to men! for that soon tried all men’s
+patience and sobriety what it was. Some had their hats violently plucked
+off and thrown away, so that they quite lost them. The bad language and
+evil usage we received on this account are hard to be expressed, besides
+the danger we were sometimes in, of losing our lives for this matter,
+and that by the great professors of Christianity, who thereby evinced
+that they were not true believers. And though it was but a small thing
+in the eye of man, yet a wonderful confusion it brought among all
+professors and priests; but, blessed be the Lord, many came to see the
+vanity of that custom of putting off the hat to men, and felt the weight
+of Truth’s testimony against it.
+
+About this time I was sorely exercised in going to their courts to cry
+for justice, and in speaking and writing to judges and justices to do
+justly; in warning such as kept public-houses for entertainment, that
+they should not let people have more drink than would do them good; and
+in testifying against their wakes or feasts, may-games, sports, plays,
+and shows, which trained up people to vanity and looseness, and led them
+from the fear of God; and the days they had set forth for holy-days were
+usually the times wherein they most dishonoured God by these things.[7]
+In fairs, also, and in markets, I was made to declare against their
+deceitful merchandise, cheating, and cozening; warning all to deal
+justly, to speak the truth, to let their yea be yea, and their nay be
+nay; and to do unto others as they would have others do unto them;
+forewarning them of the great and terrible day of the Lord, which would
+come upon them all. I was moved also to cry against all sorts of music,
+and against the mountebanks playing tricks on their stages, for they
+burthened the pure life, and stirred up people’s minds to vanity. I was
+much exercised, too, with school-masters and school-mistresses, warning
+them to teach their children sobriety in the fear of the Lord, that they
+might not be nursed and trained up in lightness, vanity, and wantonness.
+Likewise I was made to warn masters and mistresses, fathers and mothers
+in private families, to take care that their children and servants might
+be trained up in the fear of the Lord; and that they themselves should
+be therein examples and patterns of sobriety and virtue to them. For I
+saw that as the Jews were to teach their children the law of God and the
+old covenant, and to train them up in it, and their servants, yea, the
+very strangers were to keep the Sabbath amongst them, and be
+circumcised, before they might eat of their sacrifices; so all
+Christians, and all that made a profession of Christianity, ought to
+train up their children and servants in the new covenant of light,
+Christ Jesus, who is God’s salvation to the ends of the earth, that all
+may know their salvation: and they ought to train them up in the law of
+life, the law of the Spirit, the law of love and of faith; that they
+might be made free from the law of sin and death. And all Christians
+ought to be circumcised by the Spirit, which puts off the body of the
+sins of the flesh, that they may come to eat of the heavenly sacrifice,
+Christ Jesus, that true spiritual food, which none can rightly feed upon
+but they that are circumcised by the Spirit. Likewise, I was exercised
+about the star-gazers, who drew people’s minds from Christ, the bright
+and the morning star; and from the Sun of righteousness, by whom the
+sun, and moon, and stars, and all things else were made, who is the
+wisdom of God, and from whom the right knowledge of all things is
+received.
+
+Footnote 7:
+
+  By a royal proclamation of James I., issued in 1618 (for Lancashire),
+  these pastimes were made lawful recreations for the First-day of the
+  week, provided they did not interfere with the times appointed for
+  worship. Many of the clergy at first refused to promulgate the
+  proclamation, though by so doing they acted contrary to their
+  canonical obedience, and laid themselves open to penalties. In the
+  seventh year of Charles I., this proclamation, at the instigation of
+  Archbishop Laud, was revived, and extended to the whole nation, and
+  was enjoined to be published and advocated from the pulpit by all
+  ministers, to their disgrace. By the revival of this offensive
+  proclamation, these disorderly revels had arrived to such a height of
+  licentious depravity, that some well-disposed justices, in the county
+  of Somerset, petitioned the judges on the western circuit, Sir Thomas
+  Richardson, Lord Chief Justice, and Baron Denham, to suppress them.
+  For so doing, they were summoned before the King and Council, by
+  Archbishop Laud, for illegally interfering with the ecclesiastical
+  jurisdiction, and the council rescinded the prohibitions, and
+  cashiered the judges.—(See Fuller’s _Church Hist._, Book x., p. 74:
+  and Book xi., p. 147).
+
+But the earthly spirit of the priests wounded my life; and when I heard
+the bell toll to call people together to the steeple-house, it struck at
+my life; for it was just like a market-bell, to gather people together,
+that the priest might set forth his ware to sale. O! the vast sums of
+money that are gotten by the trade they make of selling the Scriptures,
+and by their preaching, from the highest bishop to the lowest priest!
+What one trade else in the world is comparable to it? notwithstanding
+the Scriptures were given forth freely, and Christ commanded his
+ministers to preach freely, and the prophets and apostles denounced
+judgment against all covetous hirelings and diviners for money. But in
+this free Spirit of the Lord Jesus was I sent forth to declare the Word
+of life and reconciliation freely, that all might come to Christ, who
+gives freely, and who renews up into the image of God, which man and
+woman were in before they fell, that they might sit down in heavenly
+places in Christ Jesus.
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER III.
+
+1649-1650—George Fox is first imprisoned at Nottingham, where the
+    Sheriff is convinced—he is liberated and quiets a distracted
+    woman—he is cruelly treated at Mansfield-Woodhouse—is taken before
+    the magistrates at Derby—acknowledges that he is sanctified—is
+    temptingly asked if he were Christ, which he denies, yet is
+    committed for blasphemy—his mittimus to Derby prison—writes to the
+    priests at Derby against preaching for hire, &c.—also against
+    persecution—to Barton and Bennet, justices, on the same subject—to
+    Justice Bennet against covetousness—to Justice Barton, a preacher
+    and a persecutor—to the Mayor of Derby against persecution and
+    oppression—to the court of Derby against oaths and oppression—to the
+    bell-ringers of Derby against vanities and worldly pleasures—his
+    jailer is convinced—Justice Bennet first gives Friends the name of
+    Quakers in derision—writes to Friends and others, to open their
+    understandings, and to direct them to their true Teacher within
+    themselves—to the convinced people, directing them to internal
+    silence and to true obedience—an encouragement to the faithful—to
+    the justices of Derby against persecution, thrice repeated—to the
+    priests of Derby, on the same subject—to the justices of Derby, to
+    prize their time, and to depart from evil—the like to Colonel
+    Barton, justice, and warning of the plagues and vengeance hanging
+    over the oppressor.
+
+
+Now as I went towards NOTTINGHAM on a First-day in the morning, with
+Friends to a meeting there, when I came on the top of a hill in sight of
+the town, I espied the great steeple-house; and the Lord said unto me,
+“thou must go cry against yonder great idol, and against the worshippers
+therein.” I said nothing of this to the Friends that were with me, but
+went on with them to the meeting, where the mighty power of the Lord was
+amongst us; in which I left Friends sitting in the meeting, and I went
+away to the steeple-house. When I came there, all the people looked like
+fallow-ground, and the priest (like a great lump of earth) stood in his
+pulpit above. He took for his text these words of Peter, “We have also a
+more sure Word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as
+unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
+day-star arise in your hearts.” And he told the people that this was the
+Scriptures, by which they were to try all doctrines, religions, and
+opinions. Now the Lord’s power was so mighty upon me, and so strong in
+me, that I could not hold, but was made to cry out and say, “O no, it is
+not the Scriptures;” and I told them what it was, namely, the Holy
+Spirit, by which the holy men of God gave forth the Scriptures, whereby
+opinions, religions, and judgments were to be tried; for it led into all
+truth, and so gave the knowledge of all truth. The Jews had the
+Scriptures, and yet resisted the Holy Ghost, and rejected Christ, the
+bright morning-star. They persecuted Christ and his apostles, and took
+upon them to try their doctrines by the Scriptures, but erred in
+judgment, and did not try them aright, because they tried without the
+Holy Ghost. As I spoke thus amongst them, the officers came and took me
+away, and put me into a nasty, stinking prison; the smell whereof got so
+into my nose and throat, that it very much annoyed me.
+
+But that day the Lord’s power sounded so in their ears, that they were
+amazed at the voice; and could not get it out of their ears for some
+time after, they were so reached by the Lord’s power in the
+steeple-house. At night they took me before the mayor, aldermen, and
+sheriffs of the town; and when I was brought before them, the mayor was
+in a peevish, fretful temper, but the Lord’s power allayed him. They
+examined me at large; and I told them how the Lord had moved me to come.
+After some discourse between them and me, they sent me back to prison
+again; but some time after the head sheriff, whose name was John
+Reckless, sent for me to his house. When I came in, his wife met me in
+the hall, and said, “Salvation is come to our house.” She took me by the
+hand, and was much wrought upon by the power of the Lord God; and her
+husband, and children, and servants were much changed, for the power of
+the Lord wrought upon them. I lodged at the sheriff’s, and great
+meetings we had in his house. Some persons of considerable condition in
+the world came to them, and the Lord’s power appeared eminently amongst
+them. This sheriff sent for the other sheriff, and for a woman they had
+had dealings with in the way of trade; and he told her before the other
+sheriff, that they had wronged her in their dealings with her (for the
+other sheriff and he were partners), and that they ought to make her
+restitution. This he spoke cheerfully; but the other sheriff denied it;
+and the woman said she knew nothing of it. But the friendly sheriff said
+it was so, and that the other knew it well enough; and having discovered
+the matter, and acknowledged the wrong done by them, he made restitution
+to the woman, and exhorted the other sheriff to do the like.
+
+The Lord’s power was with this friendly sheriff, and wrought a mighty
+change in him, and great openings he had. The next market-day, as he was
+walking with me in the chamber, in his slippers, he said, “I must go
+into the market, and preach repentance to the people;” and accordingly
+he went into the market, and into several streets, and preached
+repentance to the people. Several others also in the town were moved to
+speak to the mayor and magistrates, and to the people, exhorting them to
+repent. Hereupon the magistrates grew very angry, and sent for me from
+the Sheriff’s house, and committed me to the common prison. When the
+assize came on, there was one moved to come and offer up himself for me,
+body for body; yea, life also: but when I should have been brought
+before the judge, the sheriff’s man being somewhat long in fetching me
+to the sessions-house, the judge was risen before I came. At which I
+understood the judge was somewhat offended, and said, “he would have
+admonished the youth, if he had been brought before him;” for I was then
+imprisoned by the name of A YOUTH. So I was returned to prison again,
+and put into the common jail. The Lord’s power was great among Friends;
+but the people began to be very rude; wherefore the governor of the
+castle sent down soldiers, and dispersed them; and after that they were
+quiet. But both priests and people were astonished at the wonderful
+power that broke forth; and several of the priests were made tender, and
+some did confess to the power of the Lord.
+
+Now, after I was released from Nottingham jail, where I had been kept
+prisoner some time, I travelled as before, in the work of the Lord.
+Coming to MANSFIELD-WOODHOUSE, there was a distracted woman under a
+doctor’s hand, with her hair loose all about her ears. He was about to
+bleed her, she being first bound, and many people being about her,
+holding her by violence; but he could get no blood from her. I desired
+them to unbind her, and let her alone, for they could not touch the
+spirit in her, by which she was tormented. So they unbound her; and I
+was moved to speak to her, and in the name of the Lord to bid her be
+quiet and still; and she was so. The Lord’s power settled her mind, and
+she mended; and afterwards she received the truth, and continued in it
+to her death. The Lord’s name was honoured; to whom the glory of all his
+works belongs. Many great and wonderful things were wrought by the
+heavenly power in those days; for the Lord made bare his omnipotent arm,
+and manifested his power to the astonishment of many, by the healing
+virtue whereof many have been delivered from great infirmities, and the
+devils were made subject through his name; of which particular instances
+might be given, beyond what this unbelieving age is able to receive or
+bear. But blessed for ever be the name of the Lord, and everlastingly
+honoured, and over all exalted and magnified be the arm of his glorious
+power, by which he hath wrought gloriously; let the honour and praise of
+all his works be ascribed to him alone.
+
+Now while I was at Mansfield-Woodhouse, I was moved to go to the
+steeple-house there, and declare the truth to the priest and people; but
+the people fell upon me in great rage, struck me down, and almost
+stifled and smothered me; and I was cruelly beaten and bruised by them
+with their hands, Bibles, and sticks. Then they haled me out, though I
+was hardly able to stand, and put me into the stocks, where I sat some
+hours; and they brought dog-whips and horse-whips, threatening to whip
+me. After some time they had me before the magistrate, at a knight’s
+house, where were many great persons; who, seeing how evilly I had been
+used, after much threatening, set me at liberty. But the rude people
+stoned me out of the town, for preaching the word of life to them. I was
+scarcely able to move or stand, by reason of the ill-usage I had
+received; yet with considerable effort I got about a mile from the town,
+and then I met with some people who gave me something to comfort me,
+because I was inwardly bruised; but the Lord’s power soon healed me
+again. That day some people were convinced of the Lord’s truth, and
+turned to his teaching, at which I rejoiced.
+
+Then I went into LEICESTERSHIRE, several Friends accompanying me. There
+were some Baptists in that country whom I desired to see and speak with,
+because they were separated from the public worship. So one Oates, who
+was one of their chief teachers, and others of the heads of them, with
+several others of their company, came to meet us at BARROW; and there we
+discoursed with them. One of them said, “What was not of faith was sin.”
+Whereupon I asked them, What faith was? and how it was wrought in man?
+But they turned off from that, and spoke of their baptism in water. Then
+I asked them, Whether their mountain of sin was brought down and laid
+low in them? and their rough and crooked ways made smooth and straight
+in them? for they looked upon that Scripture as meaning outward
+mountains and ways. But I told them they must find them in their own
+hearts; which they seemed to wonder at. We asked them who baptized John
+the Baptist? and who baptized Peter, John, and the rest of the Apostles?
+and put them to prove by Scripture that these were baptized in water;
+but they were silent. Then I asked them, “Seeing Judas, who betrayed
+Christ, and was called the Son of Perdition, had hanged himself, what
+Son of Perdition was that which Paul spoke of, that sat in the temple of
+God, exalted above all that is called God? and what temple of God that
+was in which this Son of Perdition sat? and whether he, that betrays
+Christ within in himself, be not one in nature with that Judas, that
+betrayed Christ without?” But they could not tell what to make of this,
+nor what to say to it. So after some discourse we parted; and some of
+them were loving to us. On the First-day following we came to BAGWORTH,
+and went to a steeple-house, where some Friends were got in; and the
+people locked them in, and themselves too, with the priest. But after
+the priest had done, they opened the door, and we went in also, and had
+a service for the Lord amongst them. Afterwards we had a meeting in the
+town, amongst several people that were in high notions.
+
+Passing from thence, I heard of a people that were in prison in COVENTRY
+for religion. And as I walked towards the jail, the word of the Lord
+came to me saying, “MY LOVE WAS ALWAYS TO THEE, AND THOU ART IN MY
+LOVE.” And I was ravished with the sense of the love of God, and greatly
+strengthened in my inward man. But when I came into the jail, where the
+prisoners were, a great power of darkness struck at me, and I sat still,
+having my spirit gathered into the love of God. At last these prisoners
+began to rant, and vapour, and blaspheme, at which my soul was greatly
+grieved. They said they were God; but that we could not bear such
+things. When they were calm, I stood up and asked them whether they did
+such things by motion, or from Scripture; and they said, from Scripture.
+A Bible being at hand, I asked them to point out that Scripture; and
+they showed me the place where the sheet was let down to Peter, and it
+was said to him, what was sanctified he should not call common or
+unclean. When I had showed them that that Scripture proved nothing for
+their purpose, they brought another, which spoke of God’s reconciling
+all things to himself, things in heaven, and things in earth. I told
+them I owned that Scripture also, but showed them that that was nothing
+to their purpose either. Then seeing they said they were God, I asked
+them, if they knew whether it would rain to-morrow? they said they could
+not tell. I told them, God could tell. Again, I asked them, if they
+thought they should be always in that condition, or should change? and
+they answered they could not tell. Then said I unto them, God can tell,
+and God doth not change. You say you are God; and yet you cannot tell
+whether you shall change or not. So they were confounded, and quite
+brought down for the time. After I had reproved them for their
+blasphemous expressions, I went away; for I perceived they were Ranters.
+I had met with none before; and I admired the goodness of the Lord in
+appearing so unto me before I went amongst them. Not long after this,
+one of these Ranters, whose name was Joseph Salmon, put forth a paper,
+or book of recantation; upon which they were set at liberty.
+
+From Coventry I went to ATHERSTONE; and it being their lecture-day, I
+was moved to go to their chapel to speak to the priests and people. They
+were generally pretty quiet; only some few raged, and would have had my
+relations to have me bound. I declared largely to them how that God was
+come to teach his people himself, and to bring them off from all their
+man-made teachers to hear his Son. Some were convinced there.
+
+Then I went to MARKET-BOSWORTH, and there was a lecture there also. He
+that preached that day was Nathaniel Stevens, who was priest of the town
+where I was born. He raged much when I spoke to him and to the people,
+and told them I was mad. He had said before, to one Colonel Purfoy, that
+there was never such a plant bred in England; and he bid the people not
+to hear me. So the people, being stirred up by this deceitful priest,
+fell upon us, and stoned us out of the town; yet they did not do us much
+hurt. Howbeit, some people were made loving that day, and others were
+confirmed, seeing the rage of both priests and professors; and some
+cried out, that the priest durst not stand to prove his ministry.
+
+As I travelled through markets, fairs, and divers places, I saw death
+and darkness in all people, where the power of the Lord God had not
+shaken them. As I was passing on in Leicestershire, I came to TWY-CROSS,
+where there were excise-men. I was moved of the Lord to go to them, and
+warn them to take heed of oppressing the poor; and people were much
+affected with it. There was in that town a great man, that had long lain
+sick, and was given up by the physicians; and some Friends in the town
+desired me to go to see him. I went up to him in his chamber, and spoke
+the word of life to him, and was moved to pray by him; and the Lord was
+entreated, and restored him to health. But when I was come down stairs,
+into a lower room, and was speaking to the servants, and to some people
+that were there, a serving-man of his came raving out of another room,
+with a naked rapier in his hand, and set it just to my side. I looked
+steadfastly on him, and said, “Alack for thee, poor creature! what wilt
+thou do with thy carnal weapon; it is no more to me than a straw.” The
+standers-by were much troubled, and he went away in a rage, and full of
+wrath. But when the news of it came to his master, he turned him out of
+his service. Thus the Lord’s power preserved me, and raised up the weak
+man, who afterwards was very loving to Friends; and when I came to that
+town again, both he and his wife came to see me.
+
+After this I was moved to go into Derbyshire, where the mighty power of
+God was among Friends. And I went to CHESTERFIELD, where one Britland
+was priest. He saw beyond the common sort of priests, for he had been
+partly convinced, and had spoken much on behalf of Truth, before he was
+priest there; but when the priest of that town died, he got the
+parsonage, and choked himself with it. I was moved to speak to him and
+the people in the great love of God, that they might come off from all
+men’s teaching unto God’s teaching; and he was not able to gainsay. But
+they had me before the Mayor, and threatened to send me, with some
+others, to the House of Correction; and kept us in custody till it was
+late in the night. Then the officers, with the watchmen, put us out of
+the town, leaving us to shift as we could. So I bent my course toward
+Derby, having a friend or two with me. In our way we met with many
+professors; and at KIDSEY-PARK many were convinced.
+
+Then coming to DERBY, I lay at a doctor’s house, whose wife was
+convinced; and so were several more in the town. As I was walking in my
+chamber, the [steeple-house] bell rung, and it struck at my life at the
+very hearing of it; so I asked the woman of the house what the bell rung
+for? She said there was to be a great lecture there that day, and many
+of the officers of the army, and priests, and preachers were to be
+there, and a colonel, that was a preacher. Then was I moved of the Lord
+to go up to them; and when they had done I spoke to them what the Lord
+commanded me, and they were pretty quiet. But there came an officer and
+took me by the hand, and said I must go before the magistrates, and the
+other two that were with me. It was about the first hour after noon that
+we came before them. They asked me, Why we came thither; I said, God
+moved us so to do; and I told them, “God dwells not in temples made with
+hands.” I told them also, All their preaching, baptism, and sacrifices
+would never sanctify them; and bid them look unto Christ in them, and
+not unto men; for it is Christ that sanctifies. Then they ran into many
+words; but I told them they were not to dispute of God and Christ, but
+to obey him. The power of God thundered amongst them, and they flew like
+chaff before it. They put me in and out of the room often, hurrying me
+backward and forward; for they were from the first hour till the ninth
+at night in examining me. Sometimes they would tell me, in a deriding
+manner, that I was taken up in raptures. At last they asked me, Whether
+I was sanctified? I answered, Yes; for I was in the paradise of God.
+Then they asked me, If I had no sin? I answered, “Christ, my Saviour,
+has taken away my sin, and in him there is no sin.” They asked, How we
+knew that Christ did abide in us? I said, By his Spirit, that he has
+given us. They temptingly asked, If any of us were Christ? I answered,
+Nay, we were nothing, Christ is all. They said, If a man steal, is it no
+sin? I answered, All unrighteousness is sin. So when they had wearied
+themselves in examining me, they committed me and one other man to the
+House of Correction in Derby for six months, as blasphemers; as appears
+by the following mittimus:—
+
+      _To the Master of the House of Correction in Derby, greeting._
+
+  “We have sent you herewithal the bodies of George Fox, late of
+  Mansfield, in the county of Nottingham, and John Fretwell, late of
+  Stainsby, in the county of Derby, husbandman, brought before us this
+  present day, and charged with the avowed uttering and broaching of
+  divers blasphemous opinions contrary to a late Act of Parliament,
+  which, upon their examination before us, they have confessed. These
+  are therefore to require you forthwith, upon sight thereof, to receive
+  them, the said George Fox and John Fretwell, into your custody, and
+  them therein safely to keep during the space of six months, without
+  bail or mainprize, or until they shall find sufficient security to be
+  of good behaviour, or be thence delivered by order from ourselves.
+  Hereof you are not to fail. Given under our hands and seals this 30th
+  day of October, 1650.
+
+                                                      GER. BENNETT,
+                                                      NATH. BARTON.”
+
+Now did the priests bestir themselves in their pulpits to preach up sin
+for term of life; and much of their work was to plead for it; so that
+people said, never was the like heard. After some time, he that was
+committed with me, not standing faithful to his testimony, got in with
+the jailer, and by him made way to the justice to have leave to go to
+see his mother; and so got his liberty. It was then reported, that he
+said I had bewitched and deceived him; but my spirit was strengthened
+when he was gone. The priests and professors, the justices and the
+jailer, were all in a great rage against me. The jailer watched my words
+and actions, and would often ask me questions to ensnare me; and
+sometimes asked me such silly questions as, Whether the door was latched
+or not? thinking to draw some sudden, unadvised answer from me, whence
+he might take advantage to charge sin upon me; but I was kept watchful
+and chaste, so that they could get no advantage of me, which they
+wondered at.
+
+Not long after my commitment, I was moved to write both to the priests
+and magistrates of Derby. And first to the priests.
+
+  “O friends, I was sent unto you to tell you, that if you had received
+  the gospel freely, you would minister it freely without money or
+  price: but you make a trade and sale of what the prophets and the
+  apostles have spoken; and so you corrupt the truth. And you are the
+  men that lead silly women captive, who are ever learning, and never
+  able to come to the knowledge of the truth; you have a form of
+  godliness, but you deny the power. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood
+  Moses, so do you resist the truth, being men of corrupt minds,
+  reprobate concerning the faith. But you shall proceed no further; for
+  your folly shall be made manifest to all men as theirs was. Moreover,
+  the Lord sent me to tell you, that he doth look for fruits. You asked
+  me, if Scripture was my rule? but it is not your rule, to rule your
+  lives by, but to talk of in words. You are the men that live in
+  pleasures, pride, and wantonness, in fulness of bread, and abundance
+  of idleness: see if this be not the sin of Sodom. Lot received the
+  angels, but Sodom was envious. You show forth the vain nature; you
+  stand in the steps of them that crucified MY SAVIOUR, and mocked him;
+  you are their children; you show forth their fruit. They had the chief
+  place in the assemblies, and so have you; they loved to be called
+  Rabbi, and so do you.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+I wrote to the magistrates who committed me to this effect:—
+
+        “FRIENDS,
+
+  “I am forced, in tender love unto your souls, to write unto you, and
+  beseech you to consider what you do, and what the commands of God call
+  for. He requires justice and mercy, to break every yoke, and to let
+  the oppressed go free. But who calleth for justice, or loveth mercy,
+  or contendeth for the truth? Is not judgment turned backward, and doth
+  not justice stand afar off? Is not truth silenced in the streets, or
+  can equity enter? And do not they that depart from evil make
+  themselves a prey? Oh! consider what ye do in time, and take heed whom
+  ye imprison; for the magistrate is set for the punishment of
+  evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. Now, I entreat
+  you, in time take heed what you do; for surely the Lord will come, and
+  will make manifest both the builders and the work. If it be of man, it
+  will fail; but if it be of God, nothing will overthrow it. Therefore I
+  desire and pray, that you would take heed, and beware what you do,
+  lest ye be found fighters against God.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Now, after I had thus far cleared my conscience to them, I waited in
+holy patience, leaving the event to God, in whose will I stood. After
+some time I was moved to write again to the justices that had committed
+me, to lay their evils before them, that they might repent. One of them,
+Nathaniel Barton, was a colonel, a justice, and a preacher.
+
+        “FRIENDS,
+
+  “You spoke of the good old way which the prophet spoke of; but the
+  prophet cried against the abominations which you hold up. Had you the
+  power of God, ye would not persecute the good way. He that spoke of
+  the good way was set in the stocks. The people cried, ‘Away with him
+  to the stocks,’ for speaking the truth. Ah! foolish people, who have
+  eyes and see not, ears and hear not, without understanding! ‘Fear ye
+  not me,’ saith the Lord, ‘and will ye not tremble at my presence?’ O
+  your pride and abominations are odious in the eyes of God! You that
+  are preachers have the chief place in the assemblies, and are called
+  of men, Master. Such were and are against my Saviour and Maker: they
+  shut up the kingdom of heaven from men, and neither go in themselves,
+  nor suffer others. Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation,
+  who have their places, and walk in their steps. You may say, if you
+  had been in the days of the prophets, or Christ, you would not have
+  persecuted them; wherefore be ye witnesses against yourselves, that ye
+  are the children of them, seeing ye now persecute the way of truth. O
+  consider, there is a true judge, that will give every one of you a
+  reward according to your works. O mind where you are, you that hold up
+  the abominations which the true prophet cried against! O come down,
+  and sit in the dust! The Lord is coming with power, and he will throw
+  down every one that is lifted up, that he alone may be exalted.”
+
+As I had thus written unto them jointly, so, after some time, I wrote to
+each of them by himself. To Justice Bennet thus:—
+
+  “FRIEND,
+
+  “Thou that dost profess God and Christ in words, see how thou
+  followest him. To take off burthens, to visit them that are in
+  prison, to show mercy, clothe thy own flesh, and deal thy bread to
+  the hungry; these are God’s commandments. To relieve the fatherless,
+  and to visit the widows in their afflictions, and to keep thyself
+  unspotted of the world; this is pure religion before God. But if
+  thou dost profess Christ, and follow covetousness, and greediness,
+  and earthly-mindedness, thou deniest him in life, and deceivest
+  thyself and others, and takest him for a cloak. Woe be to you,
+  greedy and rich men; weep and howl, for your misery that shall come.
+  Take heed of covetousness and extortion; God doth forbid that. Woe
+  be to the man that coveteth an evil covetousness, that he may set
+  his nest on high, and cover himself with thick clay. O! do not love
+  that which God forbids. His servant thou art, whom thou dost obey,
+  whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.
+  Think of Lazarus and Dives; the one fared sumptuously every day, the
+  other was a beggar. See if thou be not Dives: be not deceived, God
+  is not mocked with vain words; evil communication corrupteth good
+  manners; awake to righteousness, and sin not.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+That to Justice Barton was in these words:—
+
+        “FRIEND,
+
+  “Thou that preachest Christ, and the Scriptures in words, when any
+  come to follow that which thou hast spoken of, and to live the life of
+  the Scriptures, then they that speak the Scriptures, but do not lead
+  their lives according thereunto, persecute them that do. Mind the
+  prophets, and Jesus Christ, and his apostles, and all the holy men of
+  God; what they spoke was from the life; but they that had not the
+  life, but the words, persecuted and imprisoned them that lived in the
+  life, which those had backslidden from.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Having written to the justices and to the priests, it was upon me to
+write to the Mayor of Derby also; who, though he did not sign the
+mittimus, had a hand with the rest in sending me to prison. To him I
+wrote after this manner:—
+
+  “FRIEND,
+
+  “Thou art set in place to do justice; but, in imprisoning my body,
+  thou hast done contrary to justice, according to your own law. O take
+  heed of pleasing men more than God, for that is the way of the Scribes
+  and Pharisees; they sought the praise of men more than God. Remember
+  who said, ‘I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in; I was in prison,
+  and ye visited Me not.’ O friend, thy envy is not against me, but
+  against the power of truth. I had no envy to you, but love. O take
+  heed of oppression, ‘for the day of the Lord is coming, that shall
+  burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be
+  as stubble; and the day that cometh, shall burn them up, saith the
+  Lord of Hosts; it shall leave them neither root nor branch.’ O friend,
+  if the love of God were in thee, thou wouldst love the truth, hear the
+  truth spoken, and not imprison unjustly. The love of God beareth, and
+  suffereth, and envieth no man. If the love of God had broken your
+  hearts, you would show mercy; but you show forth what ruleth you.
+  Every tree doth show forth its fruit; you do show forth your fruits
+  openly. For drunkenness, swearing, pride, and vanity, rule among you,
+  from the teacher to the people. O friend, mercy, and true judgment,
+  and justice, are cried for in your streets! Oppression,
+  unmercifulness, cruelty, hatred, pride, pleasures, wantonness, and
+  fulness, are in your streets; but the poor are not regarded. O! take
+  heed: ‘Woe be to the crown of pride! Woe be to them that drink wine in
+  bowls, and the poor is ready to perish.’ O! remember Lazarus and
+  Dives! One fared deliciously every day, and the other was a beggar. O
+  friend, mind these things, for they are near; and see whether thou be
+  not in Dives’ state.”
+
+I wrote also to the court at Derby thus:—
+
+  “I am moved to write unto you, to take heed of oppressing the poor in
+  your courts, or laying burthens upon poor people, which they cannot
+  bear; and of imposing false oaths, or making them to take oaths which
+  they cannot perform. The Lord saith, ‘I will come near to judgment,
+  and will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the false
+  swearers, and against the idolaters, and against those that oppress
+  widows and fatherless.’ Therefore take heed of all these things
+  betimes. The Lord’s judgments are all true and righteous; and he
+  delighteth in mercy. So love mercy, dear people, and consider in
+  time.”
+
+Likewise to the ringers of the bells in the steeple-house, called St.
+Peter’s, in Derby, I sent these few lines:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “Take heed of pleasures, and prize your time now, while you have it,
+  and do not spend it in pleasures or earthliness. The time may come,
+  that you will say you had time, when it is past. Therefore look at the
+  love of God now, while you have time; for it bringeth to loathe all
+  vanities and worldly pleasures. O consider! Time is precious. Fear
+  God, and rejoice in him, who hath made heaven and earth.”
+
+While I was in prison, divers professors came to discourse with me; and
+I had a sense, before they spoke, that they came to plead for sin and
+imperfection. I asked them, Whether they were believers and had faith?
+and they said, Yes. I asked them, In whom? and they said, In Christ. I
+replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death
+to life; and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death.
+And if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the
+devil, purify your hearts and consciences (for the true faith is held in
+a pure conscience,) and bring you to please God, and give you access to
+him again. But they could not endure to hear of purity, and of victory
+over sin and the devil; for they said they could not believe that any
+could be free from sin on this side the grave. I bid them give over
+babbling about the Scriptures, which were holy men’s words, whilst they
+pleaded for unholiness.
+
+At another time a company of professors came, and they also began to
+plead for sin. I asked them, Whether they had hope? and they said, Yes:
+God forbid but we should have hope. I asked them, What hope is it that
+you have? Is Christ in you the hope of your glory? Doth it purify you,
+as he is pure? But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here.
+Then I bid them forbear talking of the Scriptures, which were holy men’s
+words. For the holy men, that wrote the Scriptures, pleaded for holiness
+in heart, life, and conversation here; but since you plead for impurity
+and sin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with the holy men’s
+words?
+
+Now the keeper of the prison, being a high professor, was greatly
+enraged against me, and spoke very wickedly of me: but it pleased the
+Lord one day to strike him so, that he was in great trouble and under
+great terror of mind. As I was walking in my chamber I heard a doleful
+noise; and standing still, I heard him say to his wife, “Wife, I have
+seen the day of judgment, and I saw George there, and I was afraid of
+him, because I had done him so much wrong, and spoken so much against
+him to the ministers and professors, and to the justices, and in taverns
+and ale-houses.” After this, towards the evening, he came up into my
+chamber, and said to me, “I have been as a lion against you; but now I
+come like a lamb, and like the jailer that came to Paul and Silas
+trembling.” And he desired that he might lodge with me; I told him that
+I was in his power, he might do what he would: but he said nay, he would
+have my leave, and he could desire to be always with me, but not to have
+me as a prisoner; and he said “he had been plagued, and his house had
+been plagued for my sake.” So I suffered him to lodge with me; and then
+he told me all his heart, and said he believed what I had said of the
+true faith and hope to be true; and he wondered that the other man that
+was put into prison with me did not stand to it; and said, “That man was
+not right, but I was an honest man.” He confessed also to me, that at
+those times when I had asked him to let me go forth to speak the word of
+the Lord to the people, and he had refused to let me, and I had laid the
+weight thereof upon him, that he used to be under great trouble, amazed,
+and almost distracted for some time after; and in such a condition that
+he had little strength left him. When the morning came, he rose, and
+went to the justices, and told them, “that he and his house had been
+plagued for my sake:” and one of the justices replied (as he reported to
+me), that the plagues were on them too for keeping me. This was Justice
+Bennet of Derby, who was the first that called us Quakers, because I bid
+them tremble at the word of the Lord. This was in the year 1650.[8]
+
+Footnote 8:
+
+  The designation “Quakers,” which was at first applied in scorn, has
+  ever since been used by the world to distinguish Friends from other
+  professors of religion. The first use of the term in the records of
+  Parliament, occurs in the journals of the House of Commons in 1654.
+
+After this the justices gave leave that I should have liberty to walk a
+mile. I perceived their end, and told the jailer if they would show me
+how far a mile was, I might walk it sometimes; for I believed they
+thought I would go away. And the jailer confessed afterwards, that they
+did it with that intent, to have me escape, to ease them of their
+plague; but I told him I was not of that spirit.
+
+This jailer had a sister, a sickly young woman. She came up into my
+chamber to visit me; and after she had stayed some time, and I had
+spoken the words of truth to her, she went down, and told them that “we
+were an innocent people, and did none any hurt, but did good to all,
+even to them that hated us;” and she desired them to use kindness
+towards me.
+
+As my restraint prevented my travelling about, to declare and spread
+truth through the country, it came upon me to write a paper, and send it
+forth to be spread abroad both amongst Friends and other tender people,
+for the opening of their understandings in the way of truth, and
+directing them to the true teacher in themselves. It was as follows:—
+
+  “The Lord doth show unto man his thoughts, and discovereth all the
+  secret workings in man. A man may be brought to see his evil thoughts,
+  running mind, and vain imaginations, and may strive to keep them down,
+  and to keep his mind in; but he cannot overcome them, nor keep his
+  mind within, to the Lord. In this state and condition submit to the
+  Spirit of the Lord, which discovers them, and which will bring to wait
+  upon him, and destroy them. Therefore stand in the faith of the Lord
+  Jesus Christ, who is the author of the true faith, and mind him; for
+  he will discover the root of lusts, evil thoughts, and vain
+  imaginations, and how they are begotten, conceived, and bred; then how
+  they are brought forth, and how every evil member doth work. He will
+  discover every principle from its own nature and root.
+
+  “So mind the faith of Christ, and the anointing which is in you, to be
+  taught by it, which will discover all workings in you; and as he
+  teacheth you, so obey and forsake; else you will not grow up in the
+  faith, nor in the life of Christ, where the love of God is received.
+  Now love begetteth love, its own nature and image: and when mercy and
+  truth meet, what joy there is! Mercy triumphs in judgment; and love
+  and mercy bear the judgment of the world, in patience. That which
+  cannot bear the world’s judgment is not the love of God; for love
+  beareth all things, and is above the world’s judgment: for the world’s
+  judgment is but foolishness. And though it be the world’s judgment and
+  practice to cast all the world’s filthiness that is among themselves
+  upon the saints, yet their judgment is false.
+
+  “Now the chaste virgins follow Christ, the Lamb that takes away the
+  sins of the world; but they that are of that spirit which is not
+  chaste, will not follow Christ the Lamb in his steps, but are
+  disobedient to him in his commands. So the fleshly mind doth mind the
+  flesh, and talketh of the flesh! its knowledge is fleshly and not
+  spiritual; and savours of death and not of the Spirit of life. Some
+  men have the nature of swine wallowing in the mire. Some the nature of
+  dogs to bite both the sheep and one another. Some of lions, to tear,
+  devour, and destroy. Some of wolves, to tear and devour the lambs and
+  sheep of Christ; and some men have the nature of the serpent (that old
+  adversary), to sting, envenom, and poison. ‘He that hath an ear to
+  hear, let him hear,’ and learn these things within himself. Some men
+  have the natures of other beasts and creatures, minding nothing but
+  earthly and visible things, and feeding without the fear of God. Some
+  have the nature of a horse, to prance and vapour in their strength,
+  and to be swift in doing evil; and some have the nature of tall,
+  sturdy oaks, to flourish and spread in wisdom and strength; who are
+  strong in evil, which must perish and come to the fire. Thus the evil
+  is but one in all, but worketh many ways; and whatsoever a man’s or
+  woman’s nature is addicted to, that is outward, the evil one will fit
+  him with that, and will please his nature and appetite to keep his
+  mind in his inventions, and in the creatures from the Creator.
+
+  “O! therefore let not the mind go forth from God; for if it do, it
+  will be stained, venomed, and corrupted. If the mind go forth from the
+  Lord it is hard to bring it in again; therefore take heed of the
+  enemy, and keep in the faith of Christ. O! therefore mind that which
+  is eternal and invisible, and him who is the Creator and Mover of all
+  things; for the things that are made are not made of things that do
+  appear; for the visible covereth the invisible sight in you. But as
+  the Lord who is invisible, opens you by his invisible Power and
+  Spirit, and brings down the carnal mind in you, so the invisible and
+  immortal things are brought to light in you. O! therefore you, that
+  know the light, walk in the light! for there are children of darkness,
+  that will talk of the light and of the truth, and not walk in it. The
+  children of the light love the light, and walk in the light; but the
+  children of darkness walk in darkness, and hate the light; and in
+  these the earthly lust, and the carnal mind choke the seed of faith;
+  and this bringeth oppression on the seed and death over themselves. O!
+  therefore, mind the pure Spirit of the everlasting God, which will
+  teach you to use the creatures in their right place, and which judgeth
+  the evil. ‘To Thee, O God, be all glory and honour, who art Lord of
+  all, visible and invisible! To Thee be all praise, who bringest out of
+  the deep, to Thyself; O powerful God who art worthy of all glory!’ For
+  the Lord, who created all, and gives life and strength to all, is over
+  all, and merciful to all. ‘So Thou who hast made all, and art overall,
+  to Thee be all glory! In Thee is my strength, my refreshment, and
+  life, my joy and my gladness, my rejoicing and glorying for evermore!’
+  To live and walk in the Spirit of God is joy, and peace, and life; but
+  the mind going forth into the creatures, or into any visible things
+  from the Lord, this bringeth death. Now when the mind is got into the
+  flesh and into death, the accuser gets within, and the law of sin and
+  death gets into the flesh. Then the life suffers under the law of sin
+  and death; and then there is straitness and failings. For then the
+  good is shut up, and the self-righteousness is exalted. Then man doth
+  work in the outward law, though he cannot justify himself by the law
+  but is condemned by the light; for he cannot get out of that state,
+  but by abiding in the light, resting in the mercy of God and believing
+  in him, from whom all mercy flows. For there is peace in resting in
+  the Lord Jesus. This is the narrow way that leads to him, the life;
+  but few will abide in it; keep therefore in the innocency, and be
+  obedient to the faith in him; and take heed of conforming to the
+  world, and of reasoning with flesh and blood, for that bringeth
+  disobedience; and then imaginations and questionings arise to draw
+  from obedience to the truth of Christ. But the obedience of faith
+  destroyeth imaginations and questionings, and all the temptations in
+  the flesh, and buffetings, and lookings forth, and fetching up things
+  that are past. By not keeping in the life and light, and not crossing
+  the corrupt will by the power of God, the evil nature grows up in man,
+  and then burdens will come, and man will be stained with that nature.
+  But Esau’s mountains shall be laid waste, and become a wilderness,
+  where the dragons lie: but Jacob, the second birth, shall be fruitful,
+  and shall arise. For Esau is hated, and must not be lord; but Jacob,
+  the second birth, which is perfect and plain, shall be lord; for he is
+  beloved of God.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+I wrote another paper about the same time, and sent it forth amongst the
+convinced people as follows:—
+
+  “The LORD IS KING over all the earth! Therefore, all people, praise
+  and glorify your King in true obedience, in uprightness, and in the
+  beauty of holiness. O! consider, in the true obedience, the Lord is
+  known, and an understanding from him is received. Mark and consider in
+  silence, in lowliness of mind, and thou wilt hear the Lord speak unto
+  thee in thy mind. His voice is sweet and pleasant; his sheep hear his
+  voice, and they will not hearken to another. When they hear his voice,
+  they rejoice and are obedient; they also sing for joy. O, their hearts
+  are filled with everlasting triumph! They sing, and praise the eternal
+  God in Sion; their joy man shall never take from them. Glory to the
+  Lord God for evermore!”
+
+But many that had been convinced of the truth, turned aside, because of
+the persecution that arose; whereupon I wrote a few lines for the
+comfort and encouragement of the faithful, thus:—
+
+  “Come, ye blessed of the Lord, and rejoice together! keep in unity and
+  oneness of spirit; triumph above the world! be joyful in the Lord,
+  reigning above the world, and above all things that draw from the
+  Lord; that in clearness, righteousness, pureness, and joy, you may be
+  preserved to the Lord. O hear! O hearken to the call of the Lord! Come
+  out of the world and keep out of it for evermore! Come, sing together,
+  ye righteous ones, the song of the Lord, the song of the Lamb; which
+  none can learn, but they who are redeemed from the earth, and from the
+  world.”
+
+While I was in the House of Correction, my relations came to see me; and
+being troubled for my imprisonment, they went to the justices that cast
+me into prison, and desired to have me home with them; offering to be
+bound in one hundred pounds, and others of Derby with them in fifty
+pounds each, that I should come no more thither to declare against the
+priests. So I was had up before the justices; and because I would not
+consent, that they, or any should be bound for me (for I was innocent
+from any ill behaviour, and had spoken the word of life and truth unto
+them,) Justice Bennet rose up in a rage; and as I was kneeling down to
+pray to the Lord to forgive him, he ran upon me, and struck me with both
+his hands, crying, “Away with him, jailer, take him away, jailer.”
+Whereupon I was had again to prison, and there kept, until the time of
+my commitment for six months was expired. But I had now the liberty of
+walking a mile by myself, which I made use of, as I felt freedom.
+Sometimes I went into the market, and streets, and warned the people to
+repent of their wickedness; and so returned to prison again. And there
+being persons of several sorts of religion in the prison, I sometimes
+went and visited them in their meetings on first-days.
+
+After I had been before the justices, and they had required sureties for
+my good behaviour (which I could not consent should be given, to blemish
+my innocency,) it came upon me to write to the justices again; which I
+did as follows:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “See what it is in you that doth imprison; see, who is head in you;
+  and see, if something do not accuse you? Consider, you must be brought
+  to judgment. Think of Lazarus and Dives; the one fared sumptuously
+  every day, the other was a beggar. Now you have time, prize it, while
+  you have it. Would you have me to be bound to my good behaviour? I am
+  bound to my good behaviour; and cry for good behaviour of all people,
+  to turn from the vanities and pleasures, the oppression and deceits,
+  of this world; and there will come a time that you shall know it.
+  Therefore take heed of pleasures, and deceits, and pride; and look not
+  at man, but at the Lord; for ‘Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth,
+  and be ye saved,’ saith the Lord.”
+
+Some little time after I wrote to them again:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “Would you have me to be bound to my good behaviour from drunkenness,
+  or swearing, or fighting, or adultery, and the like? The Lord hath
+  redeemed me from all these things; and the love of God hath brought me
+  to loathe all wantonness, blessed be His name! Drunkards, and
+  fighters, and swearers, have their liberty without bonds; and you lay
+  your law upon me, whom neither you, nor any other can justly accuse of
+  these things; praised be the Lord! I can look to no man for my
+  liberty, but to the Lord alone, who hath all men’s hearts in his
+  hand.”
+
+And after some time, not finding my spirit clear of them, I wrote to
+them again, as follows:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “Had you known who sent me to you, ye would have received me; for the
+  Lord sent me to warn you of the woes that are coming upon you; and to
+  bid you look at the Lord, and not at man. But when I told you my
+  experience, what the Lord had done for me, then your hearts were
+  hardened, and you sent me to prison, where you have kept me many
+  weeks. If the love of God had broken your hearts, then would ye see
+  what ye have done; you would not have imprisoned me, had not my Father
+  suffered you; and by his power I shall be loosed; for he openeth and
+  shutteth; to him be all glory! In what have I misbehaved myself, that
+  any should be bound for me? All men’s words will do me no good, nor
+  their bonds either, to keep my heart, if I had not a guide _within_,
+  to keep me in the upright life to God. But I believe in the Lord, that
+  through his strength and power, I shall be preserved from ungodliness
+  and worldly lusts. The Scripture saith, ‘receive strangers,’ but you
+  imprison such. As you are in authority, take heed of oppression and
+  oaths, of injustice, and gifts or rewards, for God doth loathe all
+  such. But love mercy, and true judgment, and justice, for that the
+  Lord delights in. I do not write with hatred to you; but to keep my
+  conscience clear; take heed how you spend your time.”
+
+I was moved also to write again to the priests of Derby:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “You profess to be the ministers of Jesus Christ in words, but you
+  show by your fruits what your ministry is. Every tree shows its fruit:
+  the ministry of Jesus Christ is in mercy and love, to loose them that
+  are bound, to bring out of bondage, and to let them that are in
+  captivity go free. Where is your example, if the Scriptures be your
+  rule, to imprison for religion? Have you any command for it from
+  Christ? If that were in you, which you profess, you would walk in
+  their steps, who wrote the Scriptures. ‘But he is not a Jew who is one
+  outwardly, whose praise is of men; but he is a Jew who is one
+  inwardly, whose praise is of God.’ But if you build upon the prophets
+  and apostles in words, and pervert their life, remember the woes which
+  Jesus Christ spoke against such. They that spoke the prophets’ words,
+  but denied Christ, they professed a Christ to come; but had they known
+  him they would not have crucified him. The saints, whom the love of
+  God did change, were brought thereby to walk in love and mercy; for he
+  that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God. But where envy, pride, and
+  hatred rule, the nature of the world rules, and not the nature of
+  Jesus Christ. I write with no hatred to you; but that you may weigh
+  yourselves, and see how you pass your time.”
+
+Thus having cleared my conscience to the priests, it was not long before
+a concern came upon me to write again to the Justices, which I did as
+follows:—
+
+  “I am moved to warn you to take heed of giving way to your own wills.
+  Love the cross; and satisfy not your own minds in the flesh; but prize
+  your time, while you have it, and walk up to that you know, in
+  obedience to God; then you shall not be condemned for that you know
+  not; but for that you do know, and do not obey. Consider betimes,
+  weigh yourselves, and see where you are, and whom you serve. For if ye
+  blaspheme God, and take his name in vain; if ye swear and lie; if ye
+  give way to envy and hatred, to covetousness and greediness, to
+  pleasures and wantonness, or any other vices, be assured that ye do
+  serve the Devil. But if ye fear the Lord, and serve him, you will
+  loathe all these things. He that loveth God, will not blaspheme his
+  name; but where there is opposing God, and serving the Devil, that
+  profession is sad and miserable. O prize your time, and do not love
+  that which God forbids; lying, wrath, malice, envy, hatred,
+  greediness, covetousness, oppression, gluttony, drunkenness, whoredom,
+  and all unrighteousness God doth forbid. So consider, and be not
+  deceived; ‘Evil communication corrupts good manners.’ Be not deceived,
+  God will not be mocked with vain words; the wrath of God is revealed
+  from heaven against all ungodliness. Therefore obey that which
+  convinces you of all evil, and tells you that you should do no evil;
+  it will lead you to repentance, and keep you in the fear of the Lord.
+  O look at the mercies of God, and prize them, and do not turn them
+  into wantonness. O eye the Lord, and not earthly things!”
+
+Besides this, I wrote the following to Colonel Barton, who was both a
+justice and a preacher, as was hinted before:—
+
+  “FRIEND,
+
+  “Do not cloak and cover thyself; there is a God, who knoweth thy
+  heart, and will uncover thee; he seeth thy way. ‘Woe be to him that
+  covereth, and not with My Spirit,’ saith the Lord. Dost thou do
+  contrary to the law, and then put it from thee? Mercy and true
+  judgment thou neglectest; look what was spoken against such. My
+  Saviour said to such, ‘I was sick and in prison, and ye visited Me
+  not; I was hungry, and ye fed Me not; I was a stranger, and ye took Me
+  not in.’ And when they said, ‘When saw we Thee in prison, and did not
+  come to Thee,’ &c., he replied, ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of
+  these little ones, ye did it not to Me.’ Thou hast imprisoned me for
+  bearing witness to the life and power of truth, and yet thou
+  professest to be a minister of Christ; but if Christ had sent thee,
+  thou wouldst bring out of prison, and out of bondage, and wouldst
+  receive strangers. Thou hast been wanton upon earth, thou hast lived
+  plenteously, and nourished thy heart, as in a day of slaughter; thou
+  hast killed the Just. O look where thou art, and how thou hast spent
+  thy time! O remember thyself, and now, whilst thou hast time, prize
+  it. Do not slight the free mercy, or despise the long-suffering of
+  God, which is great salvation; but mind that in thee which doth
+  convince, and would not let thee swear, nor lie, nor take God’s name
+  in vain. Thou knowest thou shouldst do none of these things; thou hast
+  learned that which will condemn thee; therefore obey the light, which
+  doth convince thee, forsake thy sins, and look at the mercies of God;
+  and prize his love in sparing thee till now. The Lord saith, ‘Look
+  unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved; cease from man,
+  whose breath is in his nostrils.’ Prize thy time, and see whom thou
+  servest; for his servant thou art whom thou dost obey, whether of sin
+  unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. If thou serve God, and
+  fear him, thou wilt not blaspheme his name, or curse, or swear, or
+  take his name in vain, or follow pleasures and wantonness, whoredom,
+  and drunkenness, or wrath, or malice, or revenge, or rashness, or
+  headiness, pride or gluttony, greediness, oppression, or covetousness,
+  or foolish jestings, or vain songs. God doth forbid these things, and
+  all unrighteousness. If thou profess God, and act any of these things,
+  thou takest him for a cloak, and servest the Devil. Consider with
+  thyself, and do not love that which God hateth. He that loveth God,
+  keepeth his commandments. The Devil will tell thee, it is a hard thing
+  to keep God’s commandments; but it is an easy thing to keep the
+  Devil’s commandments, and to live in all unrighteousness and
+  ungodliness, turning the grace of God into wantonness. But let the
+  unrighteous man forsake his ways, and turn unto me, saith the Lord,
+  and I will have mercy. ‘Turn ye, why will ye die?’ saith the Lord.
+
+  “Howl, ye great ones, for the plagues are pouring out upon you! Howl,
+  ye oppressors, for recompense and vengeance is coming upon you! Woe
+  unto them that covetously join one house to another; and bring one
+  field so nigh unto another that the poor can get no more ground, and
+  that ye may dwell upon the earth alone; these things are in the ears
+  of the Lord of Hosts. Woe unto him that covetously getteth evil-gotten
+  goods into his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from
+  the power of evil.”
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER IV.
+
+1650-1651.—A trooper visits George Fox from an inward
+    intimation—declines a commission in the army, and is put in the
+    dungeon—confutes one who denied Christ’s outward appearance, from
+    whence a slander is raised against Friends—testifies against capital
+    punishments for small matters—writes for more speedy justice to
+    prisoners—intercedes for the life of a young woman, imprisoned for
+    stealing, who is brought to the gallows but reprieved, and
+    afterwards convinced—again refuses to bear arms, and is committed
+    close prisoner—writes to Barton and Bennet, justices, against
+    persecution—addresses the convinced and tender people against
+    hirelings—to the magistrates of Derby against persecution, and
+    foretelling his own enlargement and their recompense—is greatly
+    exercised for the wickedness of Derby—sees the visitation of God’s
+    love pass away from the town, and writes a lamentation over it—a
+    great judgment fell upon the town—he is liberated after a year’s
+    imprisonment—visits Lichfield—preaches repentance through
+    Doncaster—many dread “the man with leather breeches”—goes to
+    steeple-houses, as the apostles did to the temples, to bring people
+    off from them—is denied entertainment, and ill-treated at some
+    places—refuses to inform against his persecutors—many are convinced
+    in Yorkshire, amongst others, Richard Farnsworth, James Naylor,
+    William Dewsbury, Justice Hotham, and Captain Pursloe.
+
+
+While I was yet in the House of Correction, there came unto me a
+trooper, and said, as he was sitting in the steeple-house, hearing the
+priest, exceeding great trouble came upon him; and the voice of the Lord
+came to him saying, “Dost thou not know that my servant is in prison? Go
+to him for direction.” So I spoke to his condition, and his
+understanding was opened. I told him, that which showed him his sins,
+and troubled him for them, would show him his salvation; for he that
+shows a man his sin, is the same that takes it away. While I was
+speaking to him, the Lord’s power opened him, so that he began to have a
+good understanding in the Lord’s truth, and to be sensible of God’s
+mercies; and began to speak boldly in his quarters amongst the soldiers,
+and to others, concerning truth (for the Scriptures were very much
+opened to him), insomuch that he said, “his colonel was as blind as
+Nebuchadnezzar, to cast the servant of the Lord into prison.” Upon this
+his colonel had a spite against him; and at Worcester fight, the year
+after, when the two armies were lying near one another, two came out of
+the king’s army, and challenged any two of the Parliament army to fight
+with them; his colonel made choice of him and another to answer the
+challenge. And when in the encounter his companion was slain, he drove
+both his enemies within musket-shot out of the town, without firing a
+pistol at them. This, when he returned, he told me with his own mouth.
+But, when the fight was over, he saw the deceit and hypocrisy of the
+officers; and being sensible how wonderfully the Lord had preserved him,
+and seeing also to the end of fighting, he laid down his arms.
+
+Now the time of my commitment to the house of correction being nearly
+ended, and there being many new soldiers raised, the commissioners would
+have made me captain over them; and the soldiers said they would have
+none but me.[9] So the keeper of the house of correction was commanded
+to bring me before the commissioners and soldiers in the market-place;
+and there they offered me that preferment, as they called it, asking me,
+if I would not take up arms for the Commonwealth against Charles Stuart?
+I told them, I knew from whence all wars arose, even from the lust,
+according to James’s doctrine; and that I lived in the virtue of that
+life and power that took away the occasion of all wars. But they courted
+me to accept their offer, and thought I did but compliment them. But I
+told them, I was come into the covenant of peace, which was before wars
+and strifes were. They said, they offered it in love and kindness to me,
+because of my virtue; and such like flattering words they used. But I
+told them, if that was their love and kindness, I trampled it under my
+feet. Then their rage got up, and they said, “Take him away, jailer, and
+put him into the dungeon amongst the rogues and felons.” So I was had
+away and put into a lousy, stinking place, without any bed, amongst
+thirty felons, where I was kept almost half a year, unless it were at
+times; for they would sometimes let me walk in the garden, having a
+belief that I would not go away. Now when they had got me into Derby
+dungeon, it was the belief and saying of people that I should never come
+out; but I had faith in God, and believed I should be delivered in his
+time; for the Lord had said to me before, that I was not to be removed
+from that place yet, being set there for a service which he had for me
+to do.
+
+Footnote 9:
+
+  The English nation at this period was much engrossed with the great
+  subjects of religion and politics, and both were mingled together in
+  strange conjunction. The chief rulers of the Commonwealth, more
+  especially Oliver Cromwell, had contrived to interweave their own
+  views on spiritual matters into the minds of the soldiers; who, in
+  those days, commonly united, with the profession of arms, the
+  profession also of Christianity. The unsettled state of the country
+  caused them to be stationed in considerable numbers in most of the
+  principal towns of the north, and several of them had made
+  acquaintance with George Fox during his imprisonment, and were so much
+  impressed in his favour, that it appears they were desirous, as the
+  time of his release drew near, to engage him in the capacity of their
+  captain.
+
+After it was noised abroad that I was in Derby dungeon, my relations
+came to see me again; and they were much troubled that I should be in
+prison; for they looked upon it to be a great shame to them for me to be
+imprisoned for religion; and some thought I was mad, because I advocated
+purity, and righteousness, and perfection.
+
+Among others that came to see, and discourse with me, was a person from
+Nottingham, a soldier, that had been a Baptist (as I understood), and
+with him came several others. In discourse he said to me, “Your faith
+stands in a man that died at Jerusalem, and there was never any such
+thing.” I was exceedingly grieved to hear him say so; and I said to him,
+“How! did not Christ suffer without the gates of Jerusalem through the
+professing Jews, and chief priests, and Pilate?” And he denied that ever
+Christ suffered there outwardly. Then I asked him whether there were not
+chief priests, and Jews, and Pilate there outwardly? and when he could
+not deny that, then I told him, as certainly as there was a chief
+priest, and Jews, and Pilate there outwardly, so certainly was Christ
+persecuted by them, and did suffer there outwardly under them. Yet from
+this man’s words was a slander raised upon us, that the Quakers denied
+Christ that suffered and died at Jerusalem; which was all utterly false,
+and the least thought of it never entered our hearts; but it was a mere
+slander cast upon us, and occasioned by this person’s words. The same
+person also said, that never any of the prophets, or apostles, or holy
+men of God, suffered any thing outwardly; but all their sufferings were
+inward. But I instanced to him how many of them suffered, and by whom
+they suffered: and so was the power of the Lord brought over his wicked
+imaginations.
+
+There came also another company to me, that pretended they were triers
+of spirits; I asked them what was the first step to peace, and what it
+was by which a man might see his salvation? and they were presently up
+in the airy mind, and said I was mad. Thus they came to try spirits, who
+did not know themselves, nor their own spirits.
+
+In this time of my imprisonment, I was exceedingly exercised about the
+proceedings of the judges and magistrates in their courts of judicature.
+I was moved to write to the judges concerning their putting men to death
+for cattle, and money, and small matters; and to show them how contrary
+it was to the law of God in old time; for I was under great suffering in
+my spirit because of it, and under the very sense of death; but standing
+in the will of God, a heavenly breathing arose in my soul to the Lord.
+Then did I see the heavens opened, and I rejoiced, and gave glory to
+God. So I wrote to the judges as follows:—
+
+  “I am moved to write unto you to take heed of putting men to death for
+  stealing cattle or money &c.; for thieves in the old time were to make
+  restitution; and if they had not wherewith, they were to be sold for
+  their theft. Mind the laws of God in the Scriptures, and the Spirit
+  that gave them forth; let them be your rule in executing judgment; and
+  show mercy, that you may receive mercy from God, the judge of all.
+  Take heed of gifts and rewards, and of pride; for God doth forbid
+  them; they blind the eyes of the wise. I do not write to give liberty
+  to sin; God hath forbidden it; but that you should judge according to
+  his laws, and show mercy: for he delighteth in true judgment and in
+  mercy. I beseech you to mind these things, and prize your time, now
+  you have it: fear God, and serve him; for he is a consuming fire.”
+
+Besides this, I wrote another letter to the judges, to this effect:—
+
+  “I am moved to write unto you that ye do true justice to every man;
+  and see that none be oppressed, or wronged, or any oaths imposed; for
+  the land mourneth because of oaths, and adulteries, and sorceries, and
+  drunkenness, and profaneness. O consider, ye that are men set in
+  authority: be moderate, and in lowliness consider these things. Show
+  mercy to the fatherless, to the widows, and to the poor; and take heed
+  of rewards or gifts, for they blind the eyes of the wise; the Lord
+  doth loathe all such. Love mercy and true judgment, justice, and
+  righteousness, for the Lord delighteth therein. Consider these things
+  in time, and take heed how ye spend your time. Now ye have time, prize
+  it, and show mercy, that ye may receive mercy from the Lord; for he is
+  coming to try all things, and will plead with all flesh, as by fire.”
+
+Moreover I laid before the judges what a hurtful thing it was, that
+prisoners should lie so long in jail; showing how they learned
+wickedness one of another in talking of their bad deeds: and therefore
+speedy justice should be done. For I was a tender youth, and dwelt in
+the fear of God, and being grieved to hear their bad language, I was
+often made to reprove them for their wicked words, and evil conduct
+towards each other. People admired that I was so preserved and kept; for
+they could never catch a word or action from me, to make any thing of
+against me, all the time I was there; for the Lord’s infinite power
+upheld and preserved me all that time; to him be praises and glory for
+ever!
+
+While I was here in prison, there was a young woman in the jail for
+robbing her master of some money. When she was to be tried for her life,
+I wrote to the judge and to the jury about her, showing them how it was
+contrary to the law of God in old time to put people to death for
+stealing, and moving them to show mercy. Yet she was condemned to die,
+and a grave was made for her; and at the time appointed she was carried
+forth to execution. Then I wrote a few words, warning all people to
+beware of greediness or covetousness, for it leads from God; and
+exhorting all to fear the Lord, to avoid all earthly lusts, and to prize
+their time while they have it: this I gave to be read at the gallows.
+And though they had her upon the ladder, with a cloth bound over her
+face, ready to be turned off, yet they did not put her to death, but
+brought her back again to prison: and in the prison she afterwards came
+to be convinced of God’s everlasting truth.
+
+There was also in the jail, while I was there, a prisoner, a wicked,
+ungodly man, who was a reputed conjuror. He threatened how he would talk
+with me, and what he would do to me; but he never had power to open his
+mouth to me. And once the jailer and he falling out, he threatened that
+he would raise the Devil, and break his house down, so that he made the
+jailer afraid. Then I was moved of the Lord to go in his power, and
+rebuke him, and say unto him, “Come let us see what thou canst do; do
+Thy worst;” and I told him the Devil was raised high enough in him
+already, but the power of God chained him down: so he slunk away from
+me.
+
+Now the time of Worcester fight coming on, Justice Bennet sent the
+constables to press me for a soldier, seeing I would not voluntarily
+accept of a command. I told them that I was brought off from outward
+wars. They came down again to give me press-money, but I would take
+none. Then I was brought up to Sergeant Holes, kept there awhile, and
+then taken down again. After a while the constables fetched me up again,
+and brought me before the commissioners, who said I should go for a
+soldier; but I told them that I was dead to it. They said I was alive. I
+told them, where envy and hatred are, there is confusion. They offered
+me money twice, but I would not take it: then they were angry, and
+committed me close prisoner, without bail or mainprize. Whereupon I
+wrote to them again, directing my letter to Colonel Barton (who was a
+preacher), and the rest that were concerned in my commitment. I wrote
+thus:—
+
+  “You who are without Christ, and yet use the words which he and his
+  saints have spoken; consider, neither he nor His apostles did ever
+  imprison any; but my Saviour is merciful even to the unmerciful and
+  rebellious. He brings out of prison and bondage; but men, while the
+  carnal mind rules, oppress and imprison. My Saviour saith, ‘Love your
+  enemies, and do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that
+  despitefully use you and persecute you;’ for the love of God doth not
+  persecute any, but loveth all where it dwelleth. ‘He that hateth his
+  brother is a murderer.’ You profess to be Christians, and one of you a
+  minister of Jesus Christ; yet you have imprisoned me, who am a servant
+  of Jesus Christ. The apostles never imprisoned any, but were
+  imprisoned themselves. Take heed of speaking of Christ in words, and
+  denying him in life and power. O friends, the imprisoning of my body
+  is to satisfy your wills; but take heed of giving way to your wills,
+  for that will hurt you. If the love of God had broken your hearts, ye
+  would not have imprisoned me; but my love is to you, as to all my
+  fellow-creatures; and that you may weigh yourselves, and see how you
+  stand, is this written.”
+
+About this time I was moved to give forth the following, to go amongst
+the convinced and tender people, to manifest the deceits of the world,
+and how the priests have deceived the people:—
+
+_To all you that love the Lord Jesus Christ with a pure and naked heart,
+and the generation of the righteous._
+
+  “Christ was ever hated; and the righteous for his sake. Mind who they
+  were that did ever hate them: he that was born after the flesh did
+  persecute him that was born after the Spirit; and so it is now. Mind
+  who were the chiefest against Christ; even the great, learned men, the
+  heads of the people, rulers and teachers, that professed the law and
+  the prophets, and looked for Christ. They looked for an outwardly
+  glorious Christ, to hold up their outward glory; but Christ spoke
+  against the works of the world, and against the priests, and scribes,
+  and Pharisees, and their hypocritical profession. He that is a
+  stranger to Christ, is a hireling; but the servants of Jesus Christ
+  are free men. The false teachers always laid burdens upon the people;
+  and the true servants of the Lord spoke against them. Jeremiah spoke
+  against hirelings, and said, It was a horrible thing; What will ye do
+  in the end? for the people and priests were given to covetousness.
+  Paul spoke against such as made gain upon the people; and exhorted the
+  saints to turn away from such as were covetous men and proud, such as
+  loved pleasures more than God—such as had a form of godliness, but
+  denied the power thereof; ‘for of this sort,’ said he, ‘are they that
+  creep into houses, and lead captive silly women, who are ever
+  learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; men of
+  corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith; and as Jannes and
+  Jambres withstood Moses, so,’ said he, ‘do these resist the truth; but
+  they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be made manifest
+  unto all men.’ Moses forsook honours and pleasures which he might have
+  enjoyed. The apostle in his time saw this corruption entering, which
+  now is spread over the world, of having a form of godliness, but
+  denying the power. Ask any of your teachers whether you may ever
+  overcome your corruptions or sins? None of them believe that; but, ‘as
+  long as man is here, he must,’ they say, ‘carry about with him the
+  body of sin.’ Thus pride is kept up, and that honour and mastership,
+  which Christ denied, and all unrighteousness; yet multitudes of
+  teachers! heaps of teachers! the golden cup full of abominations! Paul
+  did not preach for wages, but laboured with his hands, that he might
+  be an example to all them that follow him. O people, see who follow
+  Paul! The prophet Jeremiah said, ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and
+  the priests bear rule by their means;’ but now the priests bear rule
+  by the means they get from the people: take away their means, and they
+  will bear rule over you no longer. They are such as, the apostle said,
+  ‘intruded into those things which they never saw, being vainly puffed
+  up with a fleshly mind;’ and as the Scriptures declare of some of old,
+  ‘They go in the way of Cain, who was a murderer, and in the way of
+  Balaam, who coveted the wages of unrighteousness.’ The prophet Micah
+  also cried against the judges that judged for reward, and the priests
+  that taught for hire, and the prophets that prophesied for money; and
+  yet leaned on the Lord, saying, ‘Is not the Lord amongst us? Gifts
+  blind the eyes of the wise.’ The gift of God was never purchased with
+  money. All the holy servants of God did ever cry against deceit; and
+  where the Lord hath manifested his love, they do loathe it, and that
+  nature which holdeth it up.”
+
+Again a concern came upon me to write to the magistrates of Derby; which
+I did as follows:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “I desire you to consider in time whom ye do imprison; for the
+  magistrate is set for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise
+  of them that do well. But when the Lord doth send his messengers unto
+  you, to warn you of the woes that will come upon you, except you
+  repent, then you persecute them, and put them in prison; and say, ‘We
+  have a law, and by our law we may do it.’ For you indeed justify
+  yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts. He will not be
+  worshipped with your forms and professions, and shows of religion.
+  Therefore consider, ye that talk of God, how ye are subject to him;
+  for they are his children that do his will. What doth the Lord require
+  of you but to do justice, to love and show mercy, to walk humbly with
+  him, and to help the widows and fatherless to their right? But instead
+  thereof ye oppress the poor. Do not your judges judge for rewards, and
+  your priests teach for hire? The time is coming, that he who seeth all
+  things, will discover all your secrets: and know this assuredly, the
+  Lord will deliver his servants out of your hands, and he will
+  recompense all your unjust dealings towards his people. I desire you
+  to consider of these things; search the Scriptures, and see whether
+  any of the people of God did ever imprison any for religion. They were
+  themselves imprisoned. I desire you to consider, that it is written,
+  ‘When the church is met together, ye may all prophesy one by one, that
+  all may learn, and all may be comforted;’ and then, ‘if anything be
+  revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.’
+  Thus it was in the true church; and thus it ought to be now. But it is
+  not so in your assemblies; he that teaches for hire may speak, and
+  none may contradict him. Again, consider the liberty that was given to
+  the apostles, even among the unbelieving Jews; when after the reading
+  of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue said unto
+  them, ‘Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the
+  people, say on.’ I desire you to consider in stillness, and strive not
+  against the Lord; for he is stronger than you. Though ye hold his
+  people fast for a time, yet when he cometh, he will make known who are
+  his; for his coming is like the refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap.
+  Then the stone that is set at nought by you builders, shall be the
+  headstone of the corner. O friends, lay these things to heart, and let
+  them not seem light things to you. I write to you in love, to mind the
+  laws of God and your own souls, and to do as the holy men of God did.”
+
+Great was my exercise and travail in spirit, during my imprisonment
+here, because of the wickedness that was in this town; for though some
+were convinced, yet the generality were a hardened people; and I saw the
+visitation of God’s love pass away from them. I mourned over them; and
+it came upon me to give forth the following lamentation for them:—
+
+  “O Derby! as the waters run away when the flood-gates are up, so doth
+  the visitation of God’s love pass away from thee, O Derby! Therefore
+  look where thou art, and how thou art grounded; and consider, before
+  thou art utterly forsaken. The Lord moved me twice, before I came to
+  cry against the deceits and vanities that are in thee, and to warn all
+  to look at the Lord, and not at man. The woe is against the crown of
+  pride; the woe is against drunkenness and vain pleasures, and against
+  them that make a profession of religion in words, yet are high and
+  lofty in mind, and live in oppression and envy. O Derby! thy
+  profession and preaching stink before the Lord. Ye profess a Sabbath
+  in words, and meet together, dressing yourselves in fine apparel; you
+  uphold pride. Thy women go with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes,
+  &c., which the true prophet of old cried against. Your assemblies are
+  odious, and an abomination to the Lord: pride is set up, and bowed
+  down to; covetousness abounds; and he that doeth wickedly is honoured:
+  so deceit bears with deceit; and yet they profess Christ in words. O
+  the deceit that is within thee! it doth even break my heart to see how
+  God is dishonoured in thee, O Derby!”
+
+After I had seen the visitation of God’s love pass away from this place,
+I knew that my imprisonment here would not continue long; but I saw that
+when the Lord should bring me forth, it would be as the letting of a
+lion out of a den amongst the wild beasts of the forest. For all
+professions stood in a beastly spirit and nature, pleading for sin, and
+for the body of sin and imperfection, as long as they lived. They all
+raged, and ran against the life and Spirit which gave forth the
+Scriptures, which they professed in words. And so it was, as will appear
+hereafter.
+
+There was a great judgment upon the town, and the magistrates were
+uneasy about me; but they could not agree what to do with me. One while
+they would have me sent up to the parliament; another while they would
+have banished me to Ireland. At first they called me a deceiver, and a
+seducer, and a blasphemer; afterwards, when God had brought his plagues
+upon them, they said I was an honest, virtuous man. But their good
+report or bad report, their well speaking or ill speaking, was nothing
+to me; for the one did not lift me up, nor the other cast me down:
+praised be the Lord! At length they were made to turn me out of jail,
+about the beginning of Winter, in the year 1651, after I had been a
+prisoner in Derby almost a year, six months in the House of Correction,
+and the rest of the time in the common jail and dungeon.
+
+Thus being set at liberty again, I went on, as before, in the work of
+the Lord, passing through the country, first, into my own country of
+LEICESTERSHIRE, and had meetings as I went; and the Lord’s Spirit and
+power accompanied me. Afterwards I went near to BURTON-ON-TRENT, where
+some were convinced; and so to BUSHEL-HOUSE, where I had a meeting. I
+went up into the country, where there were friendly people; yet an
+outrageous wicked professor had an intent to do me a mischief, but the
+Lord prevented him. Blessed be the Lord!
+
+As I was walking along with several Friends, I lifted up my head and saw
+three steeple-house spires, and they struck at my life. I asked them
+what place that was? and they said, LICHFIELD. Immediately the word of
+the Lord came to me that I must go thither. Being come to the house we
+were going to, I wished the Friends that were with me, to walk into the
+house, saying nothing to them whither I was to go. As soon as they were
+gone, I stepped away, and went by my eye over hedge and ditch, till I
+came within a mile of Lichfield; where, in a great field, there were
+shepherds keeping their sheep. Then I was commanded by the Lord to pull
+off my shoes. I stood still, for it was Winter; and the word of the Lord
+was like a fire in me. So I put off my shoes, and left them with the
+shepherds; and the poor shepherds trembled and were astonished. Then I
+walked on about a mile, and as soon as I was within the city, the word
+of the Lord came to me again, saying, “Cry, Woe unto the bloody city of
+Lichfield.” So I went up and down the streets, crying with a loud voice,
+“WOE TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD!” It being market-day, I went into
+the market-place, and to and fro in the several parts of it, and made
+stands, crying as before, “WOE TO THE BLOODY CITY OF LICHFIELD!” And no
+one laid hands on me; but as I went thus crying through the streets,
+there seemed to me to be a channel of blood running down the streets,
+and the market-place appeared like a pool of blood. When I had declared
+what was upon me, and felt myself clear, I went out of the town in
+peace; and returning to the shepherds, gave them some money, and took my
+shoes of them again. But the fire of the Lord was so in my feet, and all
+over me, that I did not matter to put on my shoes any more, and was at a
+stand whether I should or not, till I felt freedom from the Lord so to
+do; and then, after I had washed my feet, I put on my shoes again. After
+this a deep consideration came upon me, why, or for what reason, I
+should be sent to cry against that city, and call it THE BLOODY CITY.
+For though the parliament had the minster one while, and the king
+another, and much blood had been shed in the town, during the wars
+between them, yet that was no more than had befallen many other places.
+But afterwards I came to understand, that in the Emperor Dioclesian’s
+time, a thousand Christians were martyred in Lichfield. So I was to go,
+without my shoes, through the channel of their blood, and into the pool
+of their blood in the market-place, that I might raise up the memorial
+of the blood of those martyrs which had been shed above a thousand years
+before, and lay cold in their streets. So the sense of this blood was
+upon me, and I obeyed the word of the Lord. Ancient records testify how
+many of the Christian Britons suffered there. Much I could write of the
+sense I had of the blood of the martyrs that hath been shed in this
+nation for the name of Christ, both under the ten persecutions and
+since; but I leave it to the Lord, and to His book, out of which all
+shall be judged; for His book is a most certain record, and His Spirit a
+true recorder.
+
+Then I passed up and down through the countries, having meetings amongst
+friendly people in many places; but my relations were offended at me.
+After some time I returned into Nottinghamshire, to MANSFIELD, and went
+into Derbyshire, visiting Friends. Then passing into Yorkshire, I
+preached repentance through DONCASTER, and several other places; and
+after came to BALBY, where Richard Farnsworth[10] and some others were
+convinced. So travelling through several places, preaching repentance,
+and the word of life to the people, I came into the parts about
+WAKEFIELD, where James Naylor lived; he and Thomas Goodyear came to me,
+and were both convinced, and received the truth. William Dewsbury[11]
+also and his wife, with many more, came to me, who were convinced, and
+received the truth.
+
+Footnote 10:
+
+  Richard Farnsworth became an eminent minister, and many were turned to
+  God by him. He was mighty in discourses with priests and professors,
+  and laboured much in the gospel. He was twelve months imprisoned at
+  Banbury in 1655, and after great sufferings and persecutions, he
+  finished his testimony in London, in 1666. A short time before his
+  death, sitting up in bed, he spoke in as much power and strength of
+  spirit as he had done at any time in his health, testifying that he
+  was filled with the love of God more than he was able to express. He
+  published many small works in defence of truth.
+
+Footnote 11:
+
+  William Dewsbury, often mentioned in this Journal, became a valiant
+  minister of the gospel, travelling extensively in its advocacy.
+  Whiting says, “he was an extraordinary man many ways, and I thought as
+  exact a pattern of a perfect man as ever I knew.” His health became
+  impaired through the sharp persecutions he passed through, consisting
+  of many long imprisonments, beatings, and bruisings. In 1688, going up
+  to London to visit the brethren, he was taken ill of a distemper
+  contracted in prison. Returning home, he died shortly after, leaving a
+  heavenly testimony behind him, expressed about a week before he died.
+  This, with other information, is recorded in _Piety Promoted_, vol.
+  i., pp. 163-168, and further particulars in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, p.
+  25, and at pp. 376-387. His works were published in 1 vol. quarto, in
+  1689.
+
+From thence I passed through the country towards Captain Pursloe’s house
+by SELBY, and visited John Leek, who had been to visit me in Derby
+prison, and was convinced. I had a horse, but was fain to leave him, not
+knowing what to do with him; for I was moved to go to many great houses,
+to admonish and exhort the people to turn to the Lord. Thus passing on,
+I was moved of the Lord to go to BEVERLEY steeple-house, which was then
+a place of high profession; and being very wet with rain, I went first
+to an inn, and as soon as I came to the door, a young woman of the house
+came to the door, and said, “What, is it you? come in,” as if she had
+known me before; for the Lord’s power bowed their hearts. So I refreshed
+myself and went to bed; and in the morning, my clothes being still wet,
+I got ready, and having paid for what I had had in the inn, I went up to
+the steeple-house, where was a man preaching. When he had done, I was
+moved to speak to him, and to the people, in the mighty power of God,
+and turned them to their teacher, Christ Jesus. The power of the Lord
+was so strong, that it struck a mighty dread amongst the people. The
+mayor came and spoke a few words to me; but none of them had any power
+to meddle with me. So I passed away out of the town, and in the
+afternoon went to another steeple-house about two miles off. When the
+priest had done, I was moved to speak to him, and to the people very
+largely, showing them the way of life and truth, and the ground of
+election and reprobation. The priest said, he was but a child, and could
+not dispute with me; I told him I did not come to dispute, but to hold
+forth the word of life and truth unto them, that they might all know the
+one Seed, which the promise of God was to, both in the male and in the
+female. Here the people were very loving, and would have had me come
+again on a week-day, and preach among them; but I directed them to their
+teacher, Christ Jesus, and so passed away.
+
+The next day I went to CRANSWICK, to Captain Pursloe’s, who accompanied
+me to Justice Hotham’s. This Justice Hotham was a tender man, one that
+had some experience of God’s workings in his heart. After some discourse
+with him of the things of God, he took me into his closet; where,
+sitting together, he told me he had known that principle these ten
+years, and was glad that the Lord did now publish it abroad to the
+people. After a while there came a priest to visit him, with whom also I
+had some discourse concerning Truth. But his mouth was quickly stopped,
+for he was nothing but a notionist, and not in possession of what he
+talked of.
+
+While I was here, there came a great woman of Beverley to speak to
+Justice Hotham about some business; and in discourse she told him, that
+the last Sabbath-day (as she called it) there came an angel or spirit
+into the church at Beverley, and spoke the wonderful things of God, to
+the astonishment of all that were there; and when it had done, it passed
+away, and they did not know whence it came, nor whither it went; but it
+astonished all, both priests, professors, and magistrates of the town.
+This relation Justice Hotham gave me afterwards, and then I gave him an
+account how I had been that day at Beverley steeple-house, and had
+declared truth to the priest and the people there. There were in the
+country thereabouts some noted priests and doctors, with whom Justice
+Hotham was acquainted. He would fain have them speak with me, and
+offered to send for them, under pretence of some business he had with
+them, but I wished him not to do so.
+
+When the First-day of the week was come, Justice Hotham walked out with
+me into the field; and Captain Pursloe coming up after us, Justice
+Hotham left us and returned home, but Captain Pursloe went with me into
+the steeple-house. When the priest had done, I spoke both to priest and
+people; declared to them the word of life and truth, and directed them
+where they might find their teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some were
+convinced, received the truth, and stand fast in it; and have a fine
+meeting to this day.
+
+In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house about three miles off,
+where preached a great high-priest, called a doctor, one of them whom
+Justice Hotham would have sent for to speak with me. I went into the
+steeple-house, and stayed till the priest had done. The words which he
+took for his text were these, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to
+the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come,
+buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Then was I moved of
+the Lord to say unto him, “Come down, thou deceiver; dost thou bid
+people come freely, and take of the water of life freely, and yet thou
+takest three hundred pounds a-year of them, for preaching the Scriptures
+to them. Mayest thou not blush for shame? Did the prophet Isaiah, and
+Christ do so, who spoke the words, and gave them forth freely? Did not
+Christ say to his ministers, whom he sent to preach, ‘Freely ye have
+received, freely give?’” The priest, like a man amazed, hastened away.
+After he had left his flock, I had as much time as I could desire to
+speak to the people; and I directed them from the darkness to the light,
+and to the grace of God, that would teach them, and bring them
+salvation; to the Spirit of God in their inward parts, which would be a
+free teacher unto them.
+
+Having cleared myself amongst the people, I returned to Justice Hotham’s
+house that night, who, when I came in, took me in his arms, and said his
+house was my house, for he was exceedingly glad at the work of the Lord,
+and that his power was revealed. Then he told me why he went not with me
+to the steeple-house in the morning, and what reasonings he had in
+himself about it; for he thought, if he had gone with me to the
+steeple-house, the officers would have put me to him; and then he should
+have been so put to it, that he should not have known what to do. But he
+was glad, he said, when Captain Pursloe came up to go with me; yet
+neither of them was dressed, nor had his band about his neck. It was a
+strange thing then to see a man come into a steeple-house without a
+band; yet Captain Pursloe went in with me without his band, the Lord’s
+power and truth had so affected him that he minded it not.
+
+From hence I passed on through the country, and came at night to an inn
+where was a company of rude people. I bid the woman of the house, if she
+had any meat, to bring me some; but because I said Thee and Thou to her
+she looked strangely on me. Then I asked her if she had any milk; and
+she said, No. I was sensible she spoke falsely, and being willing to try
+her further, I asked her if she had any cream; she denied that she had
+any. Now there stood a churn in the room, and a little boy playing about
+it, put his hands into it, and pulled it down, and threw all the cream
+on the floor before my eyes. Thus was the woman manifested to be a liar.
+She was amazed, and blessed herself, and taking up the child, whipped it
+sorely; but I reproved her for her lying and deceit. After the Lord had
+thus discovered her deceit and perverseness, I walked out of the house,
+and went away till I came to a stack of hay, and lay in the hay-stack
+that night in rain and snow, it being but three days before the time
+called Christmas.
+
+The next day I came into YORK, where were several people that were very
+tender. Upon the First-day of the week following, I was commanded of the
+Lord to go to the great minster, and speak to the priest Bowles and his
+hearers in their great cathedral. Accordingly I went: and when the
+priest had done, I told them I had something from the Lord God to speak
+to the priest and people. “Then say on quickly,” said a professor that
+was among them, for it was frost and snow, and very cold weather. Then I
+told them, This was the word of the Lord God unto them, that they lived
+in words; but God Almighty looked for fruits amongst them. As soon as
+the words were out of my mouth, they hurried me out, and threw me down
+the steps; but I got up again without hurt, and went to my lodgings.
+Several were convinced there: for the very groans that arose from the
+weight and oppression that was upon the Spirit of God in me, would open
+people, and strike them, and make them confess that the groans which
+broke forth through me did reach them: for my life was burthened with
+their profession without possession, and words without fruit. After I
+had done my present service in York, and several were convinced there,
+received the truth of God, and were turned to his teaching, I passed out
+of York, and looking towards Cleveland, I saw there was a people that
+had tasted of the power of God. I saw then there was a seed in that
+country, and that God had an humble people there.
+
+Passing onwards that night, a Papist overtook me, and talked to me of
+his religion, and of their meetings; and I let him speak all that was in
+his mind. That night I stayed at an ale-house. The next morning I was
+moved of the Lord to speak the word of the Lord to this Papist. So I
+went to his house, and declared against his religion, and all their
+superstitious ways; and told him that God was come to teach his people
+himself. This put the Papist into such a rage, that he could not then
+endure to stay in his own house.
+
+The next day I came to BURRABY, where a priest and several friendly
+people met together. Many of the people were convinced, and have
+continued faithful ever since; and there is a great meeting of Friends
+in that town. The priest also was forced to confess to the truth, though
+he came not into it.
+
+The day following I went into CLEVELAND, amongst those people that had
+tasted of the power of God. They had formerly had great meetings, but
+were then all shattered to pieces, and the heads of them turned Ranters.
+I told them that after they had had such meetings, they did not wait
+upon God to feel His power, to gather their minds inward, that they
+might feel His presence and power amongst them in their meetings, to sit
+down therein, and wait upon Him; for they had spoken themselves dry;
+they had spent their portions, and not living in that which they spoke
+of, they were now become dry. They had some kind of meetings still; but
+they took tobacco and drank ale in their meetings, and were grown light
+and loose. But my message unto them from the Lord was, That they should
+all come together again, and wait to feel the Lord’s power and Spirit in
+themselves, to gather them to Christ, that they might be taught of Him
+who says, “Learn of me.” For when they had declared that which the Lord
+had opened to them, then the people were to receive it; and both the
+speakers and hearers were to live in that themselves. But when these had
+no more to declare, but went to seek forms without life, that made
+themselves dry and barren, and the people also; and from thence came all
+their loss: for the Lord renews His mercies and His strength to them
+that wait upon Him. The heads of these people came to nothing: but most
+of them came to be convinced, and received God’s everlasting truth, and
+continue a meeting to this day, sitting under the teaching of the Lord
+Jesus Christ their Saviour.
+
+Upon the First-day of the next week, the word of the Lord came to me to
+go to the steeple-house there, which I did. When the priest had done I
+spoke the truth to him and the people, and directed them to their
+teacher within, Christ Jesus, their free teacher, that had bought them.
+The priest came to me, and I had a little discourse with him; but he was
+soon stopped, and silent. Then being clear of the place, I passed away,
+having had several meetings amongst those people.
+
+Though at this time the snow was very deep, I kept travelling; and going
+through the country, came to a market-town, where I met with many
+professors, with whom I had much reasoning. I asked them many questions,
+which they were not able to answer; saying, they had never had such deep
+questions put to them in all their lives.
+
+From them I went to STAITHES, where also I met with many professors, and
+some Ranters. I had large meetings amongst them, and a great
+convincement there was. Many received the truth; amongst whom, one was a
+man of an hundred years of age; another was a chief constable; and a
+third was a priest, whose name was Philip Scafe. Him the Lord, by his
+free Spirit, did afterwards make a free minister of his free gospel.
+
+The priest of this town was a lofty one, who much oppressed the people
+for his tithes. If they went a-fishing many leagues off, he would make
+them pay the tithe-money of what they made of their fish, though they
+caught them at a great distance, and carried them as far as Yarmouth to
+sell. I was moved to go to the steeple-house there, to declare the
+truth, and expose the priest. When I had spoken to him, and laid his
+oppression of the people before him, he fled away. The chief of the
+parish were very light and vain; so after I had spoken the word of life
+to them, I turned away from them, because they did not receive it, and
+left them. But the word of the Lord, which I had declared amongst them,
+remained with some of them; so that at night some of the heads of the
+parish came to me, and most of them were convinced and satisfied, and
+confessed to the truth. Thus the truth began to spread in that country,
+and great meetings we had; at which the priest began to rage, and the
+Ranters to be stirred; and they sent word that they would have a dispute
+with me, both the oppressing priest, and the leader of the Ranters. A
+day was fixed, and the Ranter came with his company; and another priest,
+a Scotchman, came; but not the oppressing priest of Staithes. Philip
+Scafe, who had been a priest, and was convinced, was with me; and a
+great number of people met. When we were settled, the Ranter, whose name
+was T. Bushel, told me he had had a vision of me; that I was sitting in
+a great chair, and that he was to come and put off his hat, and bow down
+to the ground before me; and he did so; and many other flattering words
+he spoke. I told him it was his own figure, and said unto him, “Repent,
+thou beast.” He said it was jealousy in me to say so. Then I asked him
+the ground of jealousy, and how it came to be bred in man? and the
+nature of a beast, what made it, and how it was bred in man? For I saw
+him directly in the nature of the beast; and therefore I wished to know
+of him how that nature came to be bred in him? I told him he should give
+me an account of the things done in the body, before we came to
+discourse of things done out of the body. So I stopped his mouth, and
+all his fellow Ranters were silenced; for he was the head of them. Then
+I called for the oppressing priest, but he came not; only the Scotch
+priest came, whose mouth was soon stopped with a very few words; he
+being out of the life of what he professed. Then I had a good
+opportunity with the people. I laid open the Ranters, ranking them with
+the old Ranters in Sodom. The priests I manifested to be of the same
+stamp with their fellow-hirelings, the false prophets of old, and the
+priests that then bore rule over the people by their means, seeking for
+their gain from their quarter, divining for money, and teaching for
+filthy lucre. I brought all the prophets, and Christ, and the apostles,
+over the heads of the priests, showing how the prophets, Christ, and the
+apostles had long since discovered them by their marks and fruits. Then
+I directed the people to their inward teacher, Christ Jesus their
+Saviour; and I preached up Christ in the hearts of His people, when all
+these mountains were laid low. The people were all quiet, and the
+gainsayers’ mouths were stopped; for though they broiled inwardly, yet
+the power bound them down, that they could not break out.
+
+After the meeting, this Scotch priest desired me to walk with him on the
+top of the cliffs; whereupon I called a brother-in-law of his, who was
+in some measure convinced, and desired him to go with me, telling him I
+desired to have somebody by to hear what was said, lest the priest, when
+I was gone, should report anything of me which I did not say. We went
+together; and as we walked, the priest asked me many things concerning
+the light, and concerning the soul; to all which I answered him fully.
+When he had done questioning, we parted, and he went his way; and
+meeting with Philip Scafe, he broke his cane against the ground in
+madness, and said, if ever he met with me again, he would have my life,
+or I should have his; adding that he would give his head, if I was not
+knocked down within a month. By this, Friends suspected that his intent
+was, in desiring me to walk with him alone, either to thrust me down
+from off the cliff, or to do me some other mischief; and that when he
+saw himself frustrated in that, by my having one with me, it made him
+rage. I feared neither his prophecies nor his threats; for I feared God
+Almighty. But some Friends, through their affection for me, feared much
+that this priest would do me some mischief, or set on others to do it.
+Yet after some years this very Scotch priest, and his wife also, came to
+be convinced of the truth; and about twelve years after this I was at
+their house.
+
+After this, there came another priest to a meeting where I was, one that
+was in repute above all the priests in the country. As I was speaking in
+the meeting, that the gospel was the power of God, and how it brought
+life and immortality to light in men, and was turning people from
+darkness to the light, this high-flown priest said the gospel was
+mortal. I told him, the true minister said, the gospel was the power of
+God, and would he make the power of God mortal? Upon that the other
+priest, Philip Scafe, that was convinced, and had felt the immortal
+power of God in himself, took him up and reproved him; so a great
+dispute arose between them: the convinced priest holding that the gospel
+was immortal, and the other priest that it was mortal. But the Lord’s
+power was too hard for this opposing priest, and stopped his mouth; and
+many people were convinced, seeing the darkness that was in the opposing
+priest, and the light that was in the convinced priest.
+
+Then another priest sent to have a dispute with me, and Friends went
+with me to the house where he was; but when he understood we were come,
+he slipped out of the house, and hid himself under a hedge. The people
+went to seek him, and found him, but could not get him to come to us.
+Then I went to a steeple-house hard by, where the priest and people were
+in a great rage: this priest had threatened Friends what he would do;
+but when I came he fled; for the Lord’s power came over him and them.
+Yea, the Lord’s everlasting power was over the world, and reached to the
+hearts of people, and made both priests and professors tremble. It shook
+the earthly and airy spirit, in which they held their profession of
+religion and worship, so that it was a dreadful thing unto them, when it
+was told them, “The man in leather breeches is come.”[12] At the hearing
+thereof the priests, in many places would get out of the way; they were
+so struck with the dread of the eternal power of God; and fear surprised
+the hypocrites.
+
+Footnote 12:
+
+  The leathern garments worn by George Fox were chosen by him for their
+  simplicity and durability; and though they often subjected their
+  wearer to ridicule and abuse, he had no motive beyond the
+  above-mentioned for choosing such a garb. Many persons have been
+  amused, if not offended at him for having worn such a dress when he
+  was a young man. In those days leathern garments were not so singular
+  as some suppose. It was a well authenticated fact, that an eminent
+  merchant of the city of London, about 150 years ago, travelled on foot
+  from Newcastle, in search of a livelihood, clad in a _coat of
+  leather_. He opened a warehouse in London for the sale of heavy
+  articles of iron, which were manufactured in the neighbourhood of
+  Newcastle. In a few years he became prosperous, accumulated a large
+  fortune, and ranked with the magnates of the city, sharing in all the
+  civic honours of the corporation. The firm which he established still
+  continues to conduct a flourishing business, at a warehouse in Thames
+  Street, which is familiarly known in the trade by “The Leathern
+  Doublet;” a representation of the founder’s original dress being fixed
+  as a sign in front of the building.
+
+From this place we passed to WHITBY and SCARBOROUGH, where we had some
+services for the Lord; there are large meetings settled there since.
+From thence I passed over the WOLDS to MALTON, where we had great
+meetings; as we had also at the towns thereabouts. At one town a priest
+sent me a challenge to dispute with me; but when I came, he would not
+come forth; so I had a good opportunity with the people, and the Lord’s
+power came over them. One, who had been a wild, drunken man, was so
+reached therewith, that he came to me as lowly as a lamb; though he and
+his companions had before sent for drink, to make the rude people drunk,
+on purpose that they might abuse us. When I found the priest would not
+come forth, I was moved to go to the steeple-house; the priest was
+confounded, and the Lord’s power came over all.
+
+On the First-day following, came one of the highest Independent
+professors, a woman, who had let in such a prejudice against me, that
+she said before she came, she could willingly go to see me hanged: but
+when she came, she was convinced, and remains a Friend.
+
+Then I turned to MALTON again, and very great meetings there were; to
+which more people would have come, but durst not for fear of their
+relations; for it was thought a strange thing then to preach in houses,
+and not go to the church, as they called it; so that I was much desired
+to go and speak in the steeple-houses. One of the priests wrote to me,
+and invited me to preach in the steeple-house, calling me his brother.
+Another priest, a noted man, kept a lecture there. Now the Lord had
+showed me, while I was in Derby prison, that I should speak in
+steeple-houses, to gather people from thence; and a concern sometimes
+would come upon my mind about the pulpits that the priests lolled in.
+For the steeple-houses and pulpits were offensive to my mind, because
+both priests and people called them the house of God, and idolized them;
+reckoning that God dwelt there in the outward house. Whereas they should
+have looked for God and Christ to dwell in their hearts, and their
+bodies to be made the temples of God; for the apostle said, “God
+dwelleth not in temples made with hands:” but by reason of the people’s
+idolizing those places, it was counted a heinous thing to declare
+against them. When I came into the steeple-house, there were not above
+eleven hearers, and the priest was preaching to them. But after it was
+known in the town that I was in the steeple-house, it was soon filled
+with people. When the priest that preached that day had done, he sent
+the other priest that had invited me thither, to bring me up into the
+pulpit; but I sent word to him, that I needed not to go into the pulpit.
+Then he sent to me again, desiring me to go up into it; for, he said, it
+was a better place, and there I might be seen of the people. I sent him
+word again, I could be seen and heard well enough where I was; and that
+I came not there to hold up such places, nor their maintenance and
+trade. Upon my saying so, they began to be angry, and said, “these false
+prophets were to come in the last times.” Their saying so grieved many
+of the people; and some began to murmur at it. Whereupon I stood up, and
+desired all to be quiet; and stepping upon a high seat, I declared unto
+them the marks of the false prophets, and showed that they were already
+come; and set the true prophets, and Christ, and His apostles over them;
+and manifested these to be out of the steps of the true prophets, and of
+Christ and His apostles. I directed the people to their inward teacher,
+Christ Jesus, who would turn them from darkness to the light. And having
+opened divers Scriptures to them, I directed them to the Spirit of God
+in themselves, by which they might come to Him, and by which they might
+also come to know who the false prophets were. So having had a large
+opportunity among them, I departed in peace.
+
+After some time, I came to PICKERING, where in the steeple-house the
+justices held their sessions, Justice Robinson being chairman. I had a
+meeting in the school-house at the same time; and abundance of priests
+and professors came to it, asking questions, which were answered to
+their satisfaction. It being sessions-time, four chief constables and
+many other people were convinced that day; and word was carried to
+Justice Robinson that his priest was overthrown and convinced, whom he
+had a love to, more than to all the priests besides. After the meeting,
+we went to an inn. Justice Robinson’s priest was very lowly and loving,
+and would have paid for my dinner, but I would by no means suffer it.
+Then he offered that I should have his steeple-house to preach in, but I
+refused it, and told him and the people, that I came to bring them off
+from such things to Christ.
+
+The next morning I went with the four chief constables, and others, to
+visit Justice Robinson, who met me at his chamber door. I told him I
+could not honour him with man’s honour. He said he did not look for it.
+So I went into his chamber, and opened to him the state of the false
+prophets, and of the true prophets; and set the true prophets, and
+Christ, and the apostles over the other; and directed his mind to Christ
+his teacher. I opened to him the parables, and how election and
+reprobation stood; as that reprobation stood in the first birth, and
+election stood in the second birth. I showed also what the promise of
+God was to, and what the judgment of God was against, He confessed to it
+all; and was so opened with the truth, that when another justice that
+was present, made some little opposition, he informed him. At our
+parting, he said it was very well that I exercised that gift, which God
+had given me. He took the chief constables aside, and would have given
+them some money for me, saying, he would not have me at any charge in
+their country; but they told him that they could not persuade me to take
+any; and so accepting his kindness, I refused his money.
+
+From thence I passed up into the country, and the priest that called me
+brother (in whose school-house I had the meeting at Pickering,) went
+along with me. When we came into a town to bait, the bells rang. I asked
+what they rang for: and they said, for me to preach in the
+steeple-house. After some time I felt drawings that way; and as I walked
+to the steeple-house, I saw the people were gathered together in the
+yard. The old priest would have had me to go into the steeple-house; but
+I said, it was no matter. It was something strange to the people, that I
+would not go into that which they called the house of God. I stood up in
+the steeple-house yard, and declared to the people, that I came not to
+hold up their idol temples, nor their priests, nor their tithes, nor
+their augmentations, nor their priests’ wages, nor their Jewish and
+heathenish ceremonies and traditions (for I denied all these,) and told
+them that that piece of ground was no more holy than another piece of
+ground. I showed them that the apostles’ going into the Jews’ synagogues
+and temples, which God had commanded, was to bring people off from that
+temple, and those synagogues, and from the offerings, and tithes, and
+covetous priests of that time; that such as came to be convinced of the
+truth, and converted to it, and believed in Jesus Christ, whom the
+apostles preached, met together afterwards in dwelling-houses; and that
+all who preach Christ, the Word of life, ought to preach freely, as the
+apostles did, and as He had commanded. So I was sent of the Lord God of
+heaven and earth to preach freely, and to bring people off from these
+outward temples made with hands, which God dwelleth not in; that they
+might know their bodies to become the temples of God and of Christ: and
+to draw people off from all their superstitious ceremonies, and Jewish
+and heathenish customs, traditions, and doctrines of men; and from all
+the world’s hireling teachers, that take tithes and great wages,
+preaching for hire, and divining for money, whom God and Christ never
+sent, as themselves confess, when they say they never heard God’s voice,
+nor Christ’s voice. Therefore I exhorted the people to come off from all
+these things, and directed them to the Spirit and grace of God in
+themselves, and to the light of Jesus in their own hearts, that they
+might come to know Christ, their free teacher, to bring them salvation,
+and to open the Scriptures to them. Thus the Lord gave me a good
+opportunity amongst them to open things largely unto them. All was
+quiet, and many were convinced; blessed be the Lord!
+
+I passed on to another town, where there was another great meeting, the
+old priest before mentioned going along with me; and there came
+professors of several sorts to it. I sat on a haystack, and spoke
+nothing for some hours; for I was to famish them from words. The
+professors would ever and anon be speaking to the old priest, and asking
+him when I would begin, and when I would speak. He bade them wait; and
+told them, that the people waited upon Christ a long while before he
+spoke. At last I was moved of the Lord to speak; and they were struck by
+the Lord’s power; the word of life reached to them, and there was a
+general convincement amongst them.
+
+From hence I passed on, the old priest being still with me, and several
+others. As we went along, some people called to him, and said, “Mr.
+Boyes, we owe you some money for tithes, pray come and take it.” But he
+threw up his hands, and said he had enough, he would have none of it;
+they might keep it; and he praised the Lord he had enough.
+
+At length we came to this old priest’s steeple-house in the MOORS; and
+when we were come into it, he went before me, and held open the pulpit
+door; but I told him I should not go into it. This steeple-house was
+very much painted. I told him and the people, that the painted beast had
+a painted house. Then I opened to them the rise of all those houses, and
+their superstitious ways; showing them, that as the end of the apostles’
+going into the temple and synagogues, which God had commanded, was not
+to hold them up, but to bring the people to Christ, the substance; so
+the end of my coming there, was not to hold up these temples, priests,
+and tithes, which God had never commanded, but to bring themselves off
+from all these things, to Christ the substance. I showed them the true
+worship, which Christ had set up; and distinguished Christ the true way
+from all the false ways, opening the parables to them, and turning them
+from darkness to the true light, that by it they might see themselves,
+their sins, and Christ their Saviour; that believing in Him, they might
+be saved from their sins.
+
+After this we went to one Birdet’s house, where I had a great meeting,
+and this old priest accompanied me still, leaving his steeple-house; for
+he had been looked upon as a famous priest, above Common-Prayer-men, and
+Presbyters, and Independents too. Before he was convinced, he went
+sometimes into their steeple-houses and preached; for he had been a
+zealous man in his way. And when they complained of him to Justice
+Hotham, he bid them distrain his horse for travelling on the Lord’s day
+(as he called it); but Hotham did that only to put them off, for he knew
+the priest used no horse, but travelled on foot.
+
+Now I came towards CRANSWICK, to Captain Pursloe’s and Justice Hotham’s,
+who received me kindly, being glad that the Lord’s power had so
+appeared; that truth was spread, and so many had received it; and that
+Justice Robinson was so civil. Justice Hotham said, If God had not
+raised up this principle of light and life, which I preached, the nation
+had been overrun with Ranterism, and all the justices in the nation
+could not have stopped it with all their laws; because (said he) they
+would have said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept
+their own principle still. But this principle of truth, said he,
+overthrows their principle, and the root and ground thereof; and
+therefore, he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and
+truth.
+
+From thence I travelled up to HOLDERNESS, and came to a justice’s house,
+whose name was Pearson, where there was a very tender woman, that
+believed in the truth, and was so affected therewith, that she said she
+could have left all and have followed me.
+
+Thence I went to ORAM, to one George Hartis’s, where many of that town
+were convinced. On the First-day I was moved to go into the
+steeple-house, where the priest had got another to help him; and many
+professors and contenders were assembled together. But the Lord’s power
+was over all; the priests fled away, and much good service I had for the
+Lord amongst the people. Some of those great professors were convinced,
+and became honest, faithful Friends, being men of account in the place.
+
+The next day, Friends and friendly people having left me, I travelled
+alone, declaring the day of the Lord amongst people in the towns where I
+came, and warning them to repent. One day, I came towards night into a
+town called PATRINGTON; and as I walked along the town, I warned both
+priest and people (for the priest was in the street) to repent and turn
+to the Lord. It grew dark before I came to the end of the town; and a
+multitude of people gathered about me, to whom I declared the word of
+life. When I had cleared myself, I went to an inn, and desired them to
+let me have a lodging; but they would not. Then I desired them to let me
+have a little meat, or milk, and I would pay them for it; but they would
+not. So I walked out of the town, and a company of fellows followed me,
+and asked me, what news? I bid them repent, and fear the Lord. After I
+had gone some distance, I came to another house, and desired the people
+to let me have a little meat and drink, and lodging for my money; but
+they denied me. Then I went to another house, and desired the same; but
+they refused me also. By this time it was grown so dark, that I could
+not see the highway; but I discerned a ditch, and got a little water and
+refreshed myself. Then I got over the ditch, and being weary with
+travelling, sat down among the furze-bushes till it was day. About break
+of day I got up and passed over the fields. A man came after me with a
+great pike-staff, and went along with me to a town; and he raised the
+town upon me, with the constable and chief constable, before the sun was
+up. I declared God’s everlasting truth amongst them, warning them of the
+day of the Lord, that was coming upon all sin and wickedness; and
+exhorted them to repent. But they seized me, and had me back to
+Patrington, about three miles, guarding me with pikes, staves, and
+halberds.
+
+Now when I was come back to Patrington, all the town was in an uproar,
+and the priest and people were consulting together; so I had another
+opportunity to declare the word of life amongst them, and warn them to
+repent. At last a professor, a tender man, called me into his house, and
+there I took a little milk and bread, not having eaten for some days
+before. Then they guarded me about nine miles to a justice. When I was
+come near his house, a man came riding after us, and asked me whether I
+was the man that was apprehended? I asked him wherefore he asked? He
+said, for no hurt; and I told him I was; so he rode away to the justice
+before us. The men that guarded me said, It was well if the justice was
+not drunk, before we got to him; for he used to be drunk early. When I
+was brought in before him, because I did not put off my hat, and said
+Thou to him, he asked the man that rode thither before me, whether I was
+not mazed or fond; but the man told him, no, it was my principle. Then I
+warned him to repent, and come to the light, which Christ had
+enlightened him with, that by it he might see all his evil words and
+actions; and to return to Christ Jesus whilst he had time; and that
+whilst he had time, he should prize it. “Ay, ay,” said he, “the light
+that is spoken of in the third of John.” I desired him that he would
+mind it and obey it. As I admonished him, I laid my hand upon him, and
+he was brought down by the power of the Lord; and all the watchmen stood
+amazed. Then he took me into a little parlour with the other man, and
+desired to see what I had in my pockets, of letters or intelligence. I
+plucked out my linen, and showed him that I had no letters. He said, He
+is not a vagrant by his linen; and then he set me at liberty. I went
+back to Patrington, with the man that had ridden before me to the
+justice; for he lived at Patrington. When I came there, he would have
+had me have a meeting at the Cross; but I said, it was no matter, his
+house would serve. He desired me to go to bed, or lie down upon a bed;
+which he did, that they might say, they had seen me in a bed, or upon a
+bed; for a report had been raised that I would not lie on any bed,
+because at that time I lay many times out of doors. Now when the
+First-day of the week was come, I went to the steeple-house, and
+declared the truth to the priest and people; and the people did not
+molest me, for the power of God was come over them. Presently after I
+had a great meeting at the man’s house where I lay, and many were
+convinced of the Lord’s everlasting truth, who stand faithful witnesses
+of it to this day. They were exceedingly grieved that they did not
+receive me, nor give me lodging, when I was there before.
+
+From hence I travelled through the country, even to the furthest part
+thereof, warning people, in towns and villages, to repent, and directing
+them to Christ Jesus, their teacher.
+
+On the First-day of the week I came to one Colonel Overton’s house, and
+had a great meeting of the prime of the people of that country; where
+many things were opened out of the Scriptures, which they had never
+heard before. Many were convinced, and received the word of life, and
+were settled in the truth of God.
+
+Then I returned to PATRINGTON again, and visited those Friends that were
+convinced there; by whom I understood that a tailor, and some wild
+blades in that town, had occasioned my being carried before the justice.
+The tailor came to ask my forgiveness, fearing I would complain of him.
+The constables also were afraid, lest I should trouble them. But I
+forgave them all, and warned them to turn to the Lord, and to amend
+their lives. Now that which made them the more afraid was this: when I
+was in the steeple-house at Oram not long before, there came a
+professor, who gave me a push on the breast in the steeple-house, and
+bid me get out of the church. “Alas, poor man!” said I, “dost thou call
+the steeple-house the church? The church is the people, whom God hath
+purchased with His blood, and not the house.” It happened that Justice
+Hotham came to hear of this man’s abuse, sent his warrant for him, and
+bound him over to the sessions; so affected was he with the truth, and
+so zealous to keep the peace. And indeed this Justice Hotham had asked
+me before, whether any people had meddled with me, or abused me; but I
+was not at liberty to tell him anything of that kind, but was to forgive
+all.
+
+
+
+
+                               CHAPTER V.
+
+1652.—George Fox visits great men’s houses, warning them to repent—is
+    accused of calling himself Christ—refutes the charge, and tells the
+    accuser that Judas’s end would he his, which shortly came to pass;
+    hence a slander is raised against Friends—is stoned at Doncaster—a
+    scoffing priest made to tremble at the Lord’s power—a slandering
+    priest cut off in his wickedness—a murderous man seeks George Fox,
+    but misses him—he lays in a wood all night—the influence of one man
+    or woman, who lives in the same spirit that the prophets and
+    apostles were in, is to be felt within a circuit of ten miles—George
+    Fox ascends Pendle Hill, whence he sees the place of a great
+    gathering of people—on descending, refreshes himself at a spring of
+    water, having taken little sustenance for several days—foresees a
+    great people in white raiment about Wensleydale and Sedbergh—a
+    wicked man designs to injure him, but is prevented—many are
+    convinced in Dent, and a meeting is settled at Sedbergh, where he
+    had seen a people in white raiment—preaches for several hours in the
+    steeple-house yard there—preaches on a rock, near Firbank chapel, to
+    1,000 people, for three hours—the family of Judge Fell convinced,
+    and a meeting settled at his house, and continued for forty
+    years—preaches through Lancaster streets—at a meeting of priests at
+    Ulverstone he speaks in great power, so that one of them said, “the
+    church shook”—disputes with priest Lampitt—Justice Sawrey is the
+    first persecutor in the north—forty priests appear against George
+    Fox at Lancaster Sessions for speaking blasphemy; they are
+    confounded, and he is cleared of the charge—James Naylor’s account
+    of George Fox’s trial at Lancaster Sessions—priest Jackus is
+    reproved from the bench for his blasphemy—these priests are reproved
+    by the populace—Col. West defends and protects George Fox against
+    the machinations of the priests, and the design of Judge Windham, at
+    the risk of losing his place.
+
+
+From PATRINGTON I went to several great men’s houses, warning them to
+repent. Some received me lovingly, and some slighted me. Thus I passed
+on, and at night came to another town, where I desired lodging and meat,
+and I would pay for it; but they would not lodge me, except I would go
+to the constable, which was the custom (they said) of all lodgers at
+inns, if strangers. I told them I should not go; for that custom was for
+suspicious persons, but I was an innocent man. After I had warned them
+to repent, declared unto them the day of their visitation, and directed
+them to the light of Christ and Spirit of God, that they might come to
+know salvation, I passed away; and the people were something tendered,
+and troubled afterwards. When it grew dark, I spied a hay-stack, and
+went and sat under it all night, till morning.
+
+The next day I passed into HULL, admonishing and warning people, as I
+went, to turn to Christ Jesus that they might receive salvation. That
+night I got a lodging, but was very sore with travelling on foot so far.
+
+Afterwards I came to BALBY, and visited Friends up and down in those
+parts; and then passed into the edge of NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, visiting
+Friends there; and so into LINCOLNSHIRE, and visited Friends there. And
+on the First-day of the week I went to a steeple-house on this side of
+Trent; and in the afternoon to one on the other side of the Trent,
+declaring the word of life to the people, and directing them to their
+teacher, Christ Jesus, who died for them that they might hear him, and
+receive salvation by him. Then I went further into the country, and had
+several meetings. To one meeting came a great man, and a priest and many
+professors; but the Lord’s power came over them all, and they went their
+ways peaceably. There came a man to that meeting, who had been at one
+before, and raised a false accusation against me, and made a noise up
+and down the country, reporting that I had said I was Christ; which was
+utterly false.
+
+And when I came to GAINSBOROUGH, where a Friend had been declaring truth
+in the market, the town and market-people were all in an uproar. I went
+into a friendly man’s house, and the people rushed in after me; so that
+the house was filled with professors, disputers, and rude people. This
+false accuser came in, and charged me openly before all the people, that
+I had said, I was Christ, and he had got witnesses to prove it. This set
+the people into such a rage, that they had much to do to keep their
+hands off me. Then I was moved of the Lord God to stand up on the table,
+and, in the eternal power of God, to tell the people “That Christ was
+_in them_, except they were reprobates; and that it was Christ the
+eternal power of God, that spoke in me at that time unto them; not that
+I was Christ.” And the people were generally satisfied, except himself,
+a professor, and his own false-witnesses. I called the accuser Judas,
+and was moved to tell him, that Judas’s end would be his; and that that
+was the word of the Lord and of Christ, through me, to him. So the
+Lord’s power came over all, and quieted the minds of the people, and
+they departed in peace. But this Judas went away, and shortly after
+hanged himself, and a stake was driven into his grave. Afterwards the
+wicked priests raised a scandal upon us, and reported that a Quaker had
+hanged himself in Lincolnshire, and had a stake driven through him. This
+falsehood they printed to the nation, adding sin to sin; which the truth
+and we were clear of: for he was no more a Quaker than the priest that
+printed it, but was one of their own people. But notwithstanding this
+wicked slander, by which the adversary designed to defame us, and turn
+people’s minds against the truth we held forth, many in Lincolnshire
+received the gospel, being convinced of the Lord’s everlasting truth,
+and sat down therein under the Lord’s heavenly teaching.
+
+After this I passed, in the Lord’s power, into YORKSHIRE, came to
+WARMSWORTH, and went to the steeple-house in the forenoon,[13] but they
+shut the door against me; yet after a while they let in Thomas Aldam,
+and then shut it again; and the priest fell upon him, asking him
+questions. At last they opened the door, and I went in. As soon as I was
+in the priest’s sight, he discontinued preaching, though I said nothing
+to him, and asked me, “What have you to say!” and presently cried out,
+“Come, come, I will prove them false prophets, in Matthew;” but he was
+so confounded, he could not find the chapter. Then he fell on me, asking
+me many questions, and I stood still all this while, not saying anything
+amongst them. At last I said, “Seeing here are so many questions asked,
+I may answer them.” But as soon as I began to speak, the people
+violently rushed upon me, and thrust me out of the steeple-house again,
+and locked the door on me. As soon as they had done their service, and
+were come forth, the people ran upon me, and knocked me sorely with
+their staves, threw clods and stones at me, and abused me much; the
+priest also, being in a great rage, laid violent hands on me himself.
+But I warned them and him of the terrible day of the Lord, and exhorted
+them to repent, and turn to Christ. Being filled with the Lord’s
+refreshing power, I was not sensible of much hurt I had received by
+their blows. In the afternoon I went to another steeple-house, but the
+priest had done before I got thither; so I preached repentance to the
+people that were left, and directed them to their inward teacher, Jesus
+Christ.
+
+Footnote 13:
+
+  The circumstance of Friends entering the public places of worship in
+  the times of the Commonwealth, is one which has been much
+  misunderstood, and greatly misrepresented. For these acts of
+  dedication they have been calumniated as disturbers of religious
+  congregations, and as outraging the peace and order of the churches.
+  This estimate, doubtless, has been formed with reference to usages of
+  more modern date; but to decide upon the conduct of Friends in this
+  particular, from a consideration of present circumstances, would be
+  exceedingly erroneous. In preaching in the national places of worship,
+  they did but avail themselves of a common liberty, in a period of
+  extraordinary excitement on religious things. There were numerous
+  other religious meetings held in those times, but into none of these
+  did Friends obtrude themselves. Some probably will argue, that the
+  fact of their being so severely punished for persisting in this
+  practice, may be adduced in support of its irregularity; but it may be
+  answered, that the preaching of Friends almost everywhere, at that
+  time, whether in steeple-houses or private houses, in-doors or out of
+  doors, equally called down the rigour of ecclesiastical vengeance. It
+  was not, in fact, because Friends preached in these places so much as
+  for what they preached that they suffered. When George Fox was
+  committed to Derby prison in 1650, after preaching in the
+  steeple-house at “a great lecture,” the mittimus states his offence
+  was, for “uttering and broaching of divers blasphemous opinions.” In
+  1659, Gilbert Latey went to Dunstan’s steeple-house in the west, where
+  the noted Dr. Manton preached. At the conclusion of the sermon,
+  Gilbert Latey addressed the assembly relative to some errors in
+  Manton’s sermon, for which he was seized by a constable and taken
+  before a magistrate; who, however, gave G. Latey leave to speak for
+  himself. The statement he made satisfied the justice, and he replied,
+  that he had heard the people called Quakers, were a sort of mad,
+  whimsical folks; “but,” said he, “for this man, he talks very
+  rationally, and I think, for my part, you should not have brought him
+  before me.” To which the constable replied, “Sir, I think so too.”
+  This occurred eleven years after G. Fox first visited a steeple-house,
+  and, during that time, Friends had suffered very much for speaking in
+  them, yet now a magistrate declares, that speaking rationally after
+  the preacher had finished in a steeple-house, is not an offence for
+  which a man ought to be brought before him. But the ministry of
+  Friends struck at the very foundation of all hierarchical systems, and
+  the discovery of this circumstance prompted the priests to call in the
+  aid of the civil power, to suppress the promulgation of views so
+  opposed to ecclesiastical domination.
+
+From hence I went to BALBY, and so to DONCASTER, where I had formerly
+preached repentance on the market-day; which had made a noise and alarm
+in the country. On the First-day I went to the steeple-house, and after
+the priest had done, I spoke to him and the people what the Lord had
+commanded me; and they were in a great rage, hurried me out, threw me
+down, and haled me before the magistrates. A long examination they made
+of me, and much work I had with them. They threatened my life if ever I
+came there again; and that they would leave me to the mercy of the
+people. Nevertheless, I declared truth amongst them, and directed them
+to the light of Christ in them; testifying unto them that “God was come
+to teach his people himself, whether they would hear or forbear.” After
+a while they put us out (for some Friends were with me) among the rude
+multitude, and they stoned us down the street. An innkeeper, that was a
+bailiff, came and took us into his house; and they broke his head, that
+the blood ran down his face, with the stones that they threw at us. We
+stayed a while in his house, and showed the more sober people the
+priest’s fruits. Then we went to Balby, about a mile off, and the rude
+people laid wait for us, and stoned us down the lane; but, blessed be
+the Lord, we did not receive much hurt.
+
+The next First-day I went to TICKHILL, whither the Friends of that side
+gathered together, and in the meeting a mighty brokenness by the power
+of God was amongst the people. I went out of the meeting, being moved of
+God to go to the steeple-house; and when I came there, I found the
+priest and most of the chief of the parish together in the chancel. So I
+went up to them, and began to speak; but they immediately fell upon me;
+and the clerk took up his Bible, as I was speaking, and struck me on the
+face with it, so that it gushed out with blood, and I bled exceedingly
+in the steeple-house. Then the people cried, “Let us have him out of the
+church;” and when they had got me out, they beat me exceedingly, and
+threw me down, and over a hedge; and afterwards they dragged me through
+a house into the street, stoning and beating me as they drew me along,
+so that I was besmeared all over with blood and dirt. They got my hat
+from me, which I never obtained again. Yet when I was got upon my legs
+again, I declared to them the word of life, and showed them the fruits
+of their teacher, and how they dishonoured Christianity. After a while I
+got into the meeting again amongst Friends; and the priest and people
+coming by the house, I went forth with Friends into the yard, and there
+I spoke to the priest and people. The priest scoffed at us, and called
+us Quakers. But the Lord’s power was so over them, and the word of life
+was declared in such authority and dread to them, that the priest began
+trembling himself; and one of the people said, “Look how the priest
+trembles and shakes, he is turned a Quaker also.” When the meeting was
+over, Friends departed; and I went without my hat to BALBY, about seven
+or eight miles. Friends were much abused that day by the priest and his
+people; insomuch that some moderate justices hearing of it, two or three
+of them came, and sat at the town, to hear and examine the business. And
+he that had shed my blood was afraid of having his hand cut off, for
+striking me in the church (as they called it;) but I forgave him, and
+would not appear against him.
+
+In the beginning of this year 1652 great rage got up in priests and
+people, and in some of the magistrates of the West-Riding of Yorkshire,
+against the truth and Friends; insomuch that the priest of WARMSWORTH
+procured a warrant from the justices against me and Thomas Aldam, to be
+executed in any part of the West-Riding of Yorkshire. At the same time I
+had a vision of a bear and two great mastiff dogs; that I should pass by
+them, and they should do me no hurt; and it proved so: for the constable
+took Thomas Aldam and carried him to York. I went with Thomas Aldam
+twenty miles towards York: and the constable had the warrant for me
+also, and said, “he saw me, but he was loath to trouble men that were
+strangers; but Thomas Aldam was his neighbour.” So the Lord’s power
+restrained him, that he had not power to meddle with me. We came to
+Lieutenant Roper’s, where we had a great meeting of many considerable
+men; and the truth was powerfully declared amongst them, and the
+Scriptures wonderfully opened, and the parables and sayings of Christ
+were expounded, and the state of the church in the apostles’ days was
+plainly set forth, and the apostacy since from that state discovered.
+The truth had great dominion that day, so that those great men that were
+present did generally confess to it, saying, “they believed that this
+principle must go over the whole world.” There were at this meeting
+James Naylor, Thomas Goodyear,[14] and William Dewsbury, who had been
+convinced the year before; and Richard Farnsworth also. And the
+constable stayed with Thomas Aldam till the meeting was over, and then
+went towards York prison; but did not meddle with me.
+
+Footnote 14:
+
+  Thomas Goodyear became a faithful minister, and suffered much
+  persecution and imprisonment. When in Oxford jail (for refusing to
+  swear), the jailer put irons on his legs, which being too small hurt
+  him, and besides other abuse, would not let him and other Friends have
+  straw to lie on. The jailer also told the other prisoners if they
+  wanted coats, they might take those of the Friends off their backs;
+  but one of the prisoners answered he would go naked first.
+
+  Thomas Goodyear was the author of “_A Plain Testimony to the Ancient
+  Truth and Work of God_.” He died at Selby, in 1693.
+
+From hence I went to WAKEFIELD; and on the First-day after, I went to a
+steeple-house, where James Naylor had been a member of an Independent
+church; but upon his receiving truth, he was excommunicated. When I came
+in, and the priest had done, the people called upon me to come up to the
+priest, which I did; but when I began to declare the word of life to
+them, and to lay open the deceit of the priest, they rushed upon me
+suddenly, thrust me out at the other door, punching and beating me, and
+cried, “Let us have him to the stocks.” But the Lord’s power restrained
+them, that they were not suffered to put me in. So I passed away to the
+meeting, where were a great many professors and friendly people
+gathered, and a great convincement there was that day; for the people
+were mightily satisfied that they were directed to the Lord’s teaching
+_in themselves_. Here we got some lodging; for four of us had lain under
+a hedge the night before, there being then few Friends in that place.
+
+The same day Richard Farnsworth went to another great steeple-house,
+belonging to a high priest, and declared the word of truth unto the
+people; and a great service he had amongst them; for the Lord’s dread
+and power was mightily over all.
+
+The priest of that church which James Naylor had been a member of, whose
+name was Marshall, raised many wicked slanders about me, as, “that I
+carried bottles with me, and made people drink of them, which made them
+follow me;” and, “that I rode upon a great black horse, and was seen in
+one country upon it in one hour, and at the same hour in another country
+threescore miles off;” and that I would give a fellow money to follow
+me, when I was on my black horse. With these lies he fed his people, to
+make them think evil of the truth which I had declared amongst them. But
+by these lies he preached many of his hearers away from him; for I was
+then travelling on foot, and had no horse at that time; which the people
+generally knew. The Lord soon after cut off this envious priest in his
+wickedness.
+
+After this I came to HIGH-TOWN, where dwelt a woman who had been
+convinced a little before. We went to her house, and had a meeting; and
+the people gathered together, and we declared the truth to them, and had
+some service for the Lord amongst them; they passed away again
+peaceably. But there was a widow woman, named Green, who, being filled
+with envy, went to one that was called a gentleman in the town, (who was
+reported to have killed two men and one woman,) and informed him against
+us, though he was no officer. The next morning we drew up some queries
+to be sent to the priest. When we had done, and were just going away,
+some of the friendly people of the town came running up to the house
+where we were, and told us that this murdering man had sharpened a pike
+to stab us, and was coming up with his sword by his side. We were just
+passing away, and so missed him. But we were no sooner gone, than he
+came to the house where we had been; and the people generally concluded
+if we had not been gone, he would have murdered some of us. That night
+we lay in a wood, and were very wet, for it rained exceedingly. In the
+morning I was moved to return to the town, when they gave us a full
+relation of this wicked man.
+
+From hence we passed to BRADFORD, where we met with Richard Farnsworth
+again, from whom we had parted a little before. When we came in, they
+set meat before us; but as I was going to eat, the word of the Lord came
+to me, saying, “Eat not the bread of such as have an evil eye.”
+Immediately I arose from the table, and ate nothing. The woman of the
+house was a Baptist. After I had exhorted the family to turn to the Lord
+Jesus Christ, and hearken to his teachings in their own hearts, we
+departed thence.
+
+As we travelled through the country, preaching repentance to the people,
+we came into a town on the market-day. There was a lecture there that
+day; and I went into the steeple-house, where were many priests,
+professors, and people. The priest that preached, took for his text
+those words of Jeremiah, chap. v., ver. 31: “My people love to have it
+so,” leaving out the foregoing words, viz., “The prophets prophesy
+falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means.” So I showed the
+people his deceit, and directed them to Christ, the _true Teacher
+within_; declaring, “that God was come to teach his people himself, and
+to bring them off from all the world’s teachers and hirelings, that they
+might come to receive freely from him.” Then warning them of the day of
+the Lord, that was coming upon all flesh, I passed from thence without
+much opposition.
+
+At night we came to a country place, where there was no public-house
+near. The people desired us to stay all night; which we did, and had
+good service for the Lord, declaring his truth amongst them.
+
+The next day we passed on; for the Lord had said unto me, “If but one
+man or woman were raised up by His power, to stand and live in the same
+Spirit that the prophets and apostles were in, who gave forth the
+Scriptures, that man or woman should shake all the country in their
+profession for ten miles round.” For people had the Scriptures, but not
+in that same light, and power, and Spirit, which they were in that gave
+forth the Scriptures; and so they neither knew God, nor Christ, nor the
+Scriptures aright; nor had they unity one with another, being out of the
+power and Spirit of God. Therefore as we passed along we warned all
+people, wherever we met them, of the day of the Lord that was coming
+upon them.
+
+As we travelled we came near a very great hill, called PENDLE-HILL, and
+I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with
+difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I
+saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the
+Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered. As
+I went down I found a spring of water in the side of the hill, with
+which I refreshed myself, having eaten or drunk but little for several
+days before.[15]
+
+Footnote 15:
+
+  The spring here alluded to is called George Fox’s Well to this day.
+
+At night we came to an inn, and declared truth to the man of the house,
+and wrote a paper to the priests and professors, declaring “the day of
+the Lord, and that Christ was come to teach people himself, by his power
+and Spirit in their hearts, and to bring people off from all the world’s
+ways and teachers, to his own free teaching, who had bought them, and
+was the Saviour of all them that believed in Him.” The man of the house
+spread the paper abroad, and was mightily affected with the truth. Here
+the Lord opened unto me, and let me see a great people in white raiment
+by a river side, coming to the Lord; and the place that I saw them in
+was about WENSLEYDALE and SEDBERGH.
+
+The next day we travelled on, and at night got a little fern or brackens
+to put under us, and lay upon a common. Next morning we reached a town,
+where Richard Farnsworth parted from me; and then I travelled alone
+again. I came up Wensleydale, and at the market-town in that Dale, there
+was a lecture on the market-day. I went into the steeple-house; and
+after the priest had done, I “proclaimed the day of the Lord to the
+priest and people, warning them to turn from darkness to the light, and
+from the power of Satan unto God, that they might come to know God and
+Christ aright, and to receive his teaching, who teacheth freely.”
+Largely and freely did I declare the word of life unto them, and had not
+much persecution there. Afterwards I passed up the Dales, warning people
+to fear God, and preaching the everlasting gospel to them.
+
+In my way I came to a great house, where was a schoolmaster; and they
+got me into the house. I asked them questions about their religion and
+worship; and afterwards I declared the truth to them. They had me into a
+parlour, and locked me in, pretending that I was a young man that was
+mad, and had run away from my relations: and that they would keep me
+till they could send to them. But I soon convinced them of their
+mistake, and they let me forth, and would have had me to stay; but I was
+not to stay there. Then having exhorted them to repentance, and directed
+them to the light of Christ Jesus, that through it they might come unto
+him and be saved, I passed from them, and came in the night to a little
+ale-house on a common, where there was a company of rude fellows
+drinking. Because I would not drink with them, they struck me with their
+clubs; but I reproved them, and brought them to be somewhat cooler; and
+then I walked out of the house upon the common in the night. After some
+time one of these drunken fellows came out, and would have come close up
+to me, pretending to whisper to me; but I perceived he had a knife; and
+therefore I kept off him, and bid him repent, and fear God. So the Lord
+by His power preserved me from this wicked man; and he went into the
+house again. The next morning I went on through other Dales, warning and
+exhorting people everywhere as I passed, to repent and turn to the Lord:
+and several were convinced. At one house that I came to, the man of the
+house (whom I afterwards found to be a kinsman of John Blakelin’s,)
+would have given me money, but I would not receive it.
+
+As I travelled through the Dales, I came to a man’s house, whose name
+was Tennant. I was moved to speak to the family, and declare God’s
+everlasting truth to them; and as I was turning away from them, I was
+moved to turn again, and speak to the man himself; and he was convinced,
+and his family, and lived and died in the truth. Thence I came to Major
+Bousfield’s, who received me, as did also several others; and some that
+were then convinced have stood faithful ever since. I went also through
+GRISDALE, and several others of those Dales, in which some were
+convinced. And I went into DENT, where many were convinced also. From
+Major Bousfield’s I came to Richard Robinson’s, and declared the
+everlasting truth to him.
+
+The next day I went to a meeting at Justice Benson’s, where I met a
+people that were separated from the public worship. This was the place I
+had seen, where a people came forth in white raiment. A large meeting it
+was, and the people were generally convinced, and continue a large
+meeting still of Friends near Sedbergh; which was then first gathered
+through my ministry in the name of Jesus.
+
+In the same week there was a great fair, at which servants used to be
+hired; and I declared the day of the Lord through the fair. After I had
+done so, I went into the steeple-house yard, and many of the people of
+the fair came thither to me, and abundance of priests and professors.
+There “I declared the everlasting truth of the Lord, and the word of
+life for several hours, showing that the Lord was come to teach his
+people himself, and to bring them off from all the world’s ways and
+teachers, to Christ the true teacher, and the true way to God. I laid
+open their teachers, showing that they were like them that were of old
+condemned by the prophets, and by Christ, and by the apostles. I
+exhorted the people to come off from the temples made with hands; and
+wait to receive the Spirit of the Lord, that they might know themselves
+to be the temples of God.” Not one of the priests had power to open his
+mouth against what I declared: but at last a captain said, “Why will you
+not go into the church? this is not a fit place to preach in.” I told
+him, I denied their church. Then stood up one Francis Howgill, who was a
+preacher to a congregation: he had not seen me before, yet he undertook
+to answer that captain, and soon put him to silence. Then said Francis
+Howgill of me, “This man speaks with authority, and not as the scribes.”
+After this I opened to the people, that that ground and house was no
+holier than another place; and that that house was not the church, but
+the people, whom Christ is the head of. After a while the priests came
+up to me, and I warned them to repent. One of them said I was mad, and
+so they turned away. But many people were convinced there that day, and
+were glad to hear the truth declared, and received it with joy. Amongst
+these was one Captain Ward, who received the truth in the love of it,
+and lived and died in it.
+
+The next First-day I came to FIRBANK CHAPEL, in Westmoreland, where
+Francis Howgill, before named, and John Audland,[16] had been preaching
+in the morning. The chapel was full of people, so that many could not
+get in. Francis Howgill said, he thought I looked into the chapel, and
+his spirit was ready to fail, the Lord’s power did so surprise him; but
+I did not look in. They made haste, and had quickly done, and they and
+some of the people went to dinner, but abundance stayed till they came
+again. Now John Blakelin and others came to me, and desired me not to
+reprove them publicly; for they were not parish teachers, but pretty
+tender men. I could not tell them whether I should or not (though I had
+not at that time any drawings to declare publicly against them), but I
+said they must leave me to the Lord’s movings. While the others were
+gone to dinner, I went to a brook and got a little water; and then came
+and sat down on the top of a rock hard by the chapel. In the afternoon
+the people gathered about me, with several of their preachers. It was
+judged there were above a thousand people; “amongst whom I declared
+God’s everlasting truth and word of life freely and largely, for about
+the space of three hours, directing all to the Spirit of God _in
+themselves_, that they might be turned from darkness to the light, and
+believe in it, that they might become the children of it; and might be
+turned from the power of Satan, which they had been under, unto God; and
+by the Spirit of truth might be led into all truth, and sensibly
+understand the words of the prophets, and of Christ, and of the
+apostles; and might all come to know Christ to be their teacher, to
+instruct them, their counsellor to direct them, their shepherd to feed
+them, their bishop to oversee them, and their prophet to open divine
+mysteries to them; and might know their bodies to be prepared,
+sanctified, and made fit temples for God and Christ to dwell in.” In the
+openings of heavenly life, I explained unto them the prophets, and the
+figures, and shadows, and directed them to Christ, the substance. Then I
+opened the parables and sayings of Christ, and things that had been long
+hid, showing the intent and scope of the apostles’ writings, and that
+their epistles were written to the elect. When I had opened that state,
+I showed also the state of the apostacy since the apostles’ days; that
+the priests have got the Scriptures, but are not in that Spirit which
+gave them forth, and have put them into chapter and verse, to make a
+trade of holy men’s words; and that the teachers and priests now are
+found in the steps of the false prophets, chief priests, scribes, and
+Pharisees of old, and are such, as the true prophets, Christ, and his
+apostles cried out against, and so are judged and condemned by the
+Spirit of the true prophets, and of Christ, and of his apostles; and
+that none, who are in that Spirit, and guided by it now, can own them.
+
+Footnote 16:
+
+  Francis Howgill and John Audland were both religiously inclined, and
+  were convinced during the present year. They became eminent ministers,
+  travelling in the gospel, and suffering fines and imprisonments for
+  its sake, turning many to God. Howgill, for refusing to swear, was
+  sent to Appleby jail, the following sentence being passed against
+  him:—“You are put out of the king’s protection and the benefit of the
+  law: your lands are confiscated to the king during your life, and your
+  goods and chattels for ever; and you to be a prisoner during your
+  life.” He praised God for the many sweet enjoyments and refreshments
+  he received on his prison bed, whereon he lay, freely forgiving all.
+  His end was in great peace, in 1668. See _Piety Promoted_, i. 64-67.
+
+  John Audland also laboured much in the gospel, for which he suffered
+  persecution and imprisonments. In his last sickness he was exceedingly
+  filled with high praises to God, being overcome with a sense of His
+  love and joy. When he grew weaker he was helped on his knees, and upon
+  his bed fervently supplicated the Lord on behalf of all His people
+  that “they might be preserved in the truth, out of the evil of the
+  world.” See _Piety Promoted_, i., 41-44; and _Memoirs of F. Howgill_,
+  by James Backhouse.
+
+Now there were many old people, who went into the chapel and looked out
+at the windows, thinking it a strange thing to see a man preach on a
+hill, and not in their church, as they called it; whereupon “I was moved
+to open to the people, that the steeple-house, and the ground whereon it
+stood, were no more holy than that mountain; and that those temples,
+which they called the dreadful houses of God, were not set up by the
+command of God and of Christ; nor their priests called, as Aaron’s
+priesthood was; nor their tithes appointed by God, as those amongst the
+Jews were; but that Christ was come, who ended both the temple and its
+worship, and the priests and their tithes; and that all should now
+hearken unto him; for he said, “Learn of me;” and God said of him, “This
+is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.” I declared
+unto them that the Lord God had sent me to preach the everlasting gospel
+and word of life amongst them, and to bring them off from all these
+temples, tithes, priests, and rudiments of the world, which had been
+instituted since the apostles’ days, and had been set up by such as had
+erred from the Spirit and power the apostles were in.” Very largely was
+I opened at this meeting, and the Lord’s convincing power accompanied my
+ministry, and reached the hearts of the people, whereby many were
+convinced; and all the teachers of that congregation (who were many,)
+were convinced of God’s everlasting truth.
+
+After the meeting was over I went to John Audland’s, and from thence to
+PRESTON-PATRICK chapel, where a great meeting was appointed; to which I
+went, and had a large opportunity amongst the people to preach the
+everlasting gospel, opening to them (as to others on the like occasion),
+that the end of my coming into that place was, not to hold it up, no
+more than the apostles’ going into the Jewish synagogues and temple was,
+to uphold those; but to bring them off from all such things, as the
+apostles brought the saints of old from off the Jewish temple and
+Aaron’s priesthood, that they might come to witness their bodies to be
+the temples of God, and Christ in them to be their teacher.
+
+From this place I went to KENDAL, where a meeting was appointed in the
+town-hall; in which I declared the word of life amongst the people,
+showing them “how they might come to the saving knowledge of Christ, and
+have a right understanding of the Holy Scriptures, opening to them what
+it was that would lead them into the way of reconciliation with God, and
+what would be their condemnation.” After the meeting I stayed a while in
+the town; several were convinced there, and many appeared loving. One,
+whose name was Cock, met me in the street, and would have given me a
+roll of tobacco, for people then were much given to smoking: I accepted
+his love, but did not receive the tobacco.
+
+From thence I went to UNDERBARROW, to one Miles Bateman’s; and several
+people going along with me, great reasonings I had with them, especially
+with Edward Burrough.[17] At night the priest and many professors came
+to the house, and much disputing I had with them. Supper being provided
+for the priest and the rest of the company, I had not freedom to eat
+with them, but told them, if they would appoint a meeting for the next
+day at the steeple-house, and acquaint the people with it, I might meet
+them. They had a great deal of reasoning about it; some being for it,
+and some against it. In the morning I went out, after I had spoken again
+to them concerning the meeting; and as I walked upon a bank by the
+house, there were several poor people, travellers, asking relief, who I
+saw were in necessity; and they gave them nothing, but said they were
+cheats. It grieved me to see such hard-heartedness amongst professors;
+so, when they were gone in to their breakfast, I ran after the poor
+people about a quarter of a mile, and gave them some money. Meanwhile
+some of them that were in the house, coming out again, and seeing me a
+quarter of a mile off, said I could not have gone so far in such an
+instant, if I had not had wings. Hereupon the meeting was like to have
+been put by; for they were filled with such strange thoughts concerning
+me, that many of them were against having a meeting with me. I told them
+I ran after those poor people to give them some money, being grieved at
+their hard-heartedness, who gave them nothing. Then came Miles and
+Stephen Hubbersty, who being more simple-hearted men, would have the
+meeting held. So to the chapel I went, and the priest came. A great
+meeting there was, and the way of life and salvation was opened; and
+after a while the priest fled away. Many of Crook and Underbarrow were
+convinced that day, received the word of life, and stood fast in it
+under the teaching of Christ Jesus. After I had declared the truth to
+them for some hours, and the meeting was ended, the chief-constable, and
+some other professors fell to reasoning with me in the chapel-yard;
+whereupon I took a Bible, and opened to them the Scriptures, and dealt
+tenderly with them, as one would do with a child. They that were in the
+light of Christ, and Spirit of God, knew when I spoke Scripture, though
+I did not mention chapter and verse, after the priest’s form unto them.
+
+Footnote 17:
+
+  Edward Burrough was a religious and promising young man, had left the
+  Episcopal church, for which he had been educated as a minister, and
+  joined the Presbyterians, with whom he was a preacher of great
+  account. After several discussions with George Fox, he became fully
+  convinced, and joined Friends, to the great displeasure of his parents
+  and relatives. He became a most active and zealous gospel labourer,
+  being both a great writer and a powerful and awakening preacher. In
+  1662, he was taken from a meeting in London, and for “testifying to
+  the name of the Lord Jesus,” was committed to prison, where he lay
+  with above 100 of his friends imprisoned on the same account, being
+  shut up among felons in nasty places, so that, for want of room, many
+  of them sickened and died. Amongst these was Edward Burrough, whose
+  sickness increased daily. He was heard often in prayer, day and night,
+  not forgetting to intercede for his persecutors. The morning before he
+  died, he said, “Now my soul and spirit is entered into its own being
+  with God, and this form of person must return from whence it was
+  taken.” His works were collected and printed in 1672, and parts of
+  them have recently been re-published.
+
+From hence I went along with an aged man, whose heart the Lord had
+opened, and he invited me to his house; his name was James Dickinson; he
+was convinced that day, received the truth, and lived and died in it.
+
+I came the next day to James Taylor’s, of NEWTON in CARTMEL, in
+LANCASHIRE. And on the First-day of the week I went to the chapel, where
+one priest Camelford used to preach; and after he had done I began to
+speak the word of life to the people. But this priest was in such a
+rage, and was so peevish, that he had no patience to hear; but stirred
+up the rude multitude, who haled me out, struck and punched me, and
+threw me headlong over a stone wall; yet, blessed be the Lord, his power
+preserved me. He that did this violence to me was a wicked man, one John
+Knipe, whom afterwards the Lord cut off. There was a youth in the
+chapel, writing after the priest; I was moved to speak to him, and he
+came to be convinced, and received a part of the ministry of the gospel;
+his name was John Braithwaite.
+
+Then I went up to an ale-house, to which many people resorted between
+the time of their morning and afternoon preaching. I had much reasoning
+with the people there, declaring to them, that “God was come to teach
+his people Himself, and to bring them off from all false teachers, such
+as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against.” Many received
+the word of life at that time, and abode in it.
+
+In the afternoon I went about two or three miles to another
+steeple-house or chapel, called LYNDAL. When the priest had done, I
+spoke to him and the people what the Lord commanded me; and there were
+great opposers; but afterwards they came to be convinced. After this I
+went to one Captain Sands, who with his wife seemed somewhat affected
+with truth; and if they could have held the world and truth together
+they would have received it; but they were hypocrites, and he a very
+chaffy light man. Wherefore I reproved him for his lightness, and for
+his jesting, telling him it was not seemly in a great professor, as he
+was. He told me he had a son, who upon his death-bed had also reproved
+him for it, and warned him of it. But he neither regarded the admonition
+of his dying son, nor the reproofs of God’s Spirit in himself.
+
+From hence I went to ULVERSTONE, and so to SWARTHMORE to Judge Fell’s;
+whither came up one Lampitt, a priest, who was a high notionist. With
+him I had much reasoning; for he talked of high notions and perfection,
+and thereby deceived the people. He would have owned me, but I could not
+own nor join with him, he was so full of filth. He said, he was above
+John; and made as though he knew all things. But I told him, “Death
+reigned from Adam to Moses, that he was under death, and knew not Moses,
+for Moses saw the paradise of God; but he knew neither Moses nor the
+prophets, nor John.” For that crooked and rough nature stood in him, and
+the mountain of sin and corruption; and the way was not prepared in him
+for the Lord. He confessed he had been under a cross in things; but now
+he could sing psalms, and do anything: I told him, “now he could see a
+thief, and join hand in hand with him, but he could not preach Moses,
+nor the prophets, nor John, nor Christ, except he were in the same
+spirit that they were in.” Margaret Fell had been absent in the
+day-time; and at night her children told her, that priest Lampitt and I
+had disagreed; which somewhat troubled her, because she was in
+profession with him; but he hid his dirty actions from them. At night we
+had much reasoning, and I declared the truth to her and her family.
+
+The next day Lampitt came again, and I had much discourse with him
+before Margaret Fell, who then clearly discerned the priest. A
+convincement of the Lord’s truth came upon her and her family. Soon
+after a day was to be observed for a humiliation, and Margaret Fell
+asked me to go with her to the steeple-house at Ulverstone, for she was
+not wholly come off from them; I replied, “I must do as I am ordered by
+the Lord.” So I left her, and walked into the fields; and the word of
+the Lord came to me, saying, “Go to the steeple-house after them.” When
+I came, Lampitt was singing with his people; but his spirit was so foul,
+and the matter they sung so unsuitable to their states, that after they
+had done singing, I was moved of the Lord to speak to him and the
+people. The word of the Lord to them was, “He is not a Jew that is one
+outwardly, but he is a Jew that is one inwardly, whose praise is not of
+man, but of God.” Then, as the Lord opened further, I showed them, “that
+God was come to teach His people by His Spirit, and to bring them off
+from all their old ways, religions, churches, and worships; for all
+their religions, worships, and ways, were but talking with other men’s
+words; but they were out of the life and Spirit which they were in who
+gave them forth.” Then cried out one, called Justice Sawrey, “Take him
+away;” but Judge Fell’s wife said to the officers, “Let him alone, why
+may not he speak as well as any other?” Lampitt also, the priest, in
+deceit said, “Let him speak.” So at length, when I had declared some
+time, Justice Sawrey caused the constable to put me out; and then I
+spoke to the people in the grave-yard.
+
+The First-day after, I was moved to go to ALDINGHAM steeple-house; and
+when the priest had done, I spoke to him; but he got away. Then I
+declared the word of life to the people, and warned them to turn to the
+Lord.
+
+From thence I passed to RAMPSIDE, where was a chapel, in which Thomas
+Lawson used to preach, who was an eminent priest. He very lovingly
+acquainted his people in the morning of my coming in the afternoon; by
+which means very many people were gathered together. When I came, I saw
+there was no place so convenient as the chapel; so I went into it, and
+all was quiet. Thomas Lawson went not up into his pulpit, but left all
+the time to me. The everlasting day of the eternal God was proclaimed
+that day, and the everlasting truth was largely declared, which reached
+and entered into the hearts of people, and many received the truth in
+the love of it. This priest came to be convinced, left his chapel, threw
+off his preaching for hire, and came to preach the Lord Jesus and his
+kingdom freely. After that some rude people cast scandals upon him, and
+thought to have done him a mischief; but he was preserved over all, grew
+in the wisdom of God mightily, and proved very serviceable in his place.
+
+I returned to Swarthmore again, and on the next First-day went to DALTON
+steeple-house; where, after the priest had done, I declared the word of
+life to the people, that they might be turned from darkness to light,
+and from the power of Satan to God, and might come off from their
+superstitious ways, and from their teachers made by man, to Christ, the
+true and living way, to be taught of him.
+
+From thence I went into the island of WALNEY; and after the priest had
+done, I spoke to him, but he got away. Then I declared the truth to the
+people, but they were rude. I went to speak with the priest at his
+house, but he would not be seen. The people said he went to hide himself
+in the haymow; and they went to look for him there, but could not find
+him. Then they said he was gone to hide himself in the standing corn,
+but they could not find him there either. So I went to James
+Lancaster’s, who was convinced in the island; and thence I returned to
+SWARTHMORE, where the Lord’s power came upon Margaret Fell and her
+daughter Sarah, and several others.
+
+Then I went to BAYCLIFF, where Leonard Fell was convinced, and became a
+minister of the everlasting gospel. Several others were convinced there,
+and came into obedience to the truth. Here the people said, they could
+not dispute, and would fain have put some other to converse with me; but
+I bid them “fear the Lord, and not in a light way talk of the Lord’s
+words, but put the things in practice.” I directed them to the divine
+light of Christ and his Spirit in their hearts, which would discover to
+them all the evil thoughts, words and actions, they had thought, spoken,
+and acted; by which light they might see their sin, and also their
+Saviour, Christ Jesus, to save them from their sins. This, I told them,
+“was their first step to peace, even to stand still in the light that
+showed them their sins and transgressions; by which they might come to
+see how they were in the fall of old Adam, in darkness and death,
+strangers to the covenant of promise, and without God in the world; and
+by the same light they might see Christ, that died for them, to be their
+Redeemer and Saviour, and their way to God.”
+
+After this I went to a chapel beyond GLEASTON, which was built, but no
+priest had ever preached in it. Thither the country people came, and a
+quiet, peaceable meeting it was, in which the word of life was declared,
+and many were convinced of the truth about Gleaston.
+
+From thence I returned to SWARTHMORE. After I had stayed a few days, and
+most of the family were convinced, I went again into Westmorland, where
+priest Lampitt had been amongst the professors on Kendal side, and had
+mightily incensed them against me; telling them I held many strange
+things; I met with those he had so incensed, and sat up all night with
+them at James Dickinson’s, and answered all their objections. They were
+both thoroughly satisfied with the truth that I had declared, and
+dissatisfied with him and his lies, so that he clearly lost the best of
+his hearers and followers, who thus came to see his deceit, and forsook
+him.
+
+I passed on to John Audland’s and Gervase Benson’s, and had great
+meetings amongst those people that had been convinced before; then to
+John Blakelin’s[18] and Richard Robinson’s, and had mighty meetings
+there; and so up towards GRISDALE.
+
+Footnote 18:
+
+  John Blakelin, mentioned elsewhere in this Journal, became a faithful
+  minister of the gospel, travelling much on truth’s account, for which
+  he also suffered imprisonments, and great loss of goods. He died
+  without sigh or groan, in 1705, aged about 80. He expressed, in his
+  old age, “the comfort he had in the Lord’s peace and presence with
+  him, that his day’s work was nigh done, and his reward and rest with
+  God sure.” See _Piety Promoted_, ii., 42-46.
+
+Soon after, Judge Fell being come home, Margaret Fell his wife sent to
+me, desiring me to return thither; and, feeling freedom from the Lord so
+to do, I went back to SWARTHMORE. I found the priests and professors,
+and that envious Justice Sawrey, had much incensed Judge Fell and
+Captain Sands against the truth by their lies; but when I came to speak
+with him, I answered all his objections; and so thoroughly satisfied him
+by the Scriptures, that he was convinced in his judgment. He asked me if
+I was that George Fox, whom Justice Robinson spoke so much in
+commendation of amongst many of the parliament men. I told him, I had
+been with Justice Robinson, and with Justice Hotham in Yorkshire, who
+were very civil and loving to me, and that they were convinced in their
+judgment by the Spirit of God, that the principle which I bore testimony
+to, was the truth, and they saw over and beyond the priests of the
+nation; so that they, and many others, were now come to be wiser than
+their teachers. After we had discoursed some time together, Judge Fell
+himself was satisfied also, and came to see, by the openings of the
+Spirit of God in his heart, over all the priests and teachers of the
+world, and did not go to hear them for some years before he died; for he
+knew it was the truth that I declared, and that Christ was the teacher
+of his people, and their Saviour. He sometimes wished that I were a
+while with Judge Bradshaw to discourse with him. There came to Judge
+Fell’s, Captain Sands before-mentioned, endeavouring to incense the
+judge against me; for he was an evil-minded man, and full of envy
+against me; and yet he could speak high things, and use the Scripture
+words, and say, “Behold, I make all things new.” But I told him, then he
+must have a new God, for his God was his belly. Besides him, came also
+that envious justice, John Sawrey. I told him “his heart was rotten, and
+he was full of hypocrisy to the brim.” Several other people also came,
+whose states the Lord gave me a discerning of; and I spoke to their
+conditions. While I was in those parts, Richard Farnsworth and James
+Naylor came to see me and the family; and Judge Fell, being satisfied
+that it was the way of truth, notwithstanding all their opposition,
+suffered the meeting to be kept at his house; and a great meeting was
+settled there in the Lord’s power, which continued near forty years,
+until the year 1690, that a new meeting-house was erected near it.
+
+After I had stayed a while, and the meeting there was well settled, I
+went to UNDERBARROW, where I had a great meeting. From thence to KELLET,
+and had a great meeting at Robert Widders’s, to which several came from
+Lancaster, and some from York; and many were convinced there. On the
+market-day I went to LANCASTER, and spoke through the market in the
+dreadful power of God, declaring the day of the Lord to the people, and
+crying out against all their deceitful merchandise. I preached
+righteousness and truth unto them, which they should all follow after,
+and walk and live in; directing them how and where they might find and
+receive the Spirit of God to guide them thereinto. After I had cleared
+myself in the market, I went to my lodging, whither several people came,
+and many were convinced, who have stood faithful to the truth.
+
+On the First-day following, in the forenoon, I had a great meeting in
+the street at Lancaster, amongst the soldiers and people, unto whom I
+declared the word of life, and the everlasting truth. I opened unto
+them, “that all the traditions they had lived in, and all their worships
+and religions, and the profession they made of the Scriptures, were good
+for nothing, while they lived out of the life and power which they were
+in who gave forth the Scriptures. I directed them to the light of
+Christ, the heavenly Man, and to the Spirit of God in their own hearts,
+that they might come to be acquainted with God and with Christ, receive
+him for their teacher, and know his kingdom set up in them.”
+
+In the afternoon I went to the steeple-house at Lancaster, and declared
+the truth both to the priest and people; laying open before them the
+deceits they lived in, and directing them to the power and Spirit of
+God, which they wanted. But they haled me out, and stoned me along the
+street, till I came to John Lawson’s house.
+
+Another First-day I went to a steeple-house by the water side, where one
+Whitehead was priest, to whom, and to the people, I declared the truth
+in the dreadful power of God. There came to me a doctor, who was so full
+of envy, that he said he could find in his heart to run me through with
+his rapier, though he should be hung for it the next day; yet this man
+came afterwards to be convinced of the truth, so far as to be loving to
+Friends. Some people were convinced thereabouts, who willingly sat down
+under the ministry of Christ their teacher: and a meeting was settled
+there in the power of God, which has continued to this day.
+
+After this I returned into Westmorland, and spoke through KENDAL, on a
+market-day. So dreadful was the power of God upon me, that people flew
+like chaff before me into their houses. I warned them of the mighty day
+of the Lord, and exhorted them to hearken to the voice of God in their
+own hearts, who was now come to teach his people Himself. When some
+opposed, many others took my part, insomuch that at last some of the
+people fell to fighting about me; but I went and spoke to them, and they
+parted again. Several were convinced.
+
+On the First-day after, I had a very large meeting in UNDERBARROW, at
+Miles Bateman’s house, where I was moved to declare, “that all people in
+the fall were gone from the image of God, righteousness, and holiness,
+and were become as wells without the water of life, as clouds without
+the heavenly rain, as trees without the heavenly fruit, and were
+degenerated into the nature of beasts, and of serpents, and of tall
+cedars, and of oaks, and of bulls, and of heifers: so that they might
+read the natures of these creatures within, as the prophet described
+them to the people of old that were out of truth. I opened to them how
+some were in the nature of dogs and swine, biting and rending; some in
+the nature of briars, thistles, and thorns; some like the owls and
+dragons in the night; some like wild asses and horses, snuffing up the
+wind; and some like mountains and rocks, and crooked and rough ways.
+Wherefore I exhorted them to read these things within, in their own
+natures, as well as without; and that, when they read without of the
+wandering stars, they should look within, and see how they wandered from
+the bright and morning star. And they should consider, that as the
+fallow ground in their fields must be ploughed up, before it would bear
+seed to them, so must the fallow ground of their hearts be ploughed up,
+before they could bear seed to God. Now all these names and things I
+showed them, were spoken of, and to man and woman, since they fell from
+the image of God; but as they come to be renewed again into the image of
+God, they come out of the natures of these things, and so out of the
+names thereof.” Many more such things were declared to them, and they
+were turned to the light of Christ, by which they might come to know
+Christ, to receive him, and to witness him to be their substance and
+their way, their salvation and true teacher. Many were convinced at that
+time.
+
+After I had travelled up and down in those countries, and had had great
+meetings, I came to SWARTHMORE again. And when I had visited Friends in
+those parts, I heard of a great meeting the priests were to have at
+ULVERSTONE, on a lecture-day. I went to it, and into the steeple-house
+in the dread and power of the Lord. When the priest had done, I spoke
+among them the word of the Lord, which was as a hammer, and as a fire
+amongst them. And though Lampitt, the priest of the place, had been at
+variance with most of the priests before, yet against the truth they all
+joined together. But the mighty power of the Lord was over all; and so
+wonderful was the appearance thereof, that priest Bennett said “the
+church shook,” insomuch that he was afraid and trembled. And when he had
+spoken a few confused words, he hastened out, for fear it should fall on
+his head. Many priests got together there; but they had no power as yet
+to persecute.
+
+When I had cleared my conscience towards them, I went up to SWARTHMORE
+again, whither came four or five of the priests. Coming to discourse, I
+asked them, “whether any one of them could say he ever had the word of
+the Lord to go and speak to such or such a people?” None of them durst
+say he had; but one of them burst out into a passion, and said, “he
+could speak his experiences as well as I.” I told him experience was one
+thing; but to receive and go with a message, and to have a word from the
+Lord, as the prophets and apostles had and did, and as I had done to
+them, this was another thing. And therefore I put it to them again,
+“could any of them say he had ever had a command or word from the Lord
+immediately at any time?” but none of them could say so. Then I told
+them, the false prophets, the false apostles, and antichrists, could use
+the words of the true prophets, the true apostles, and of Christ, and
+would speak of other men’s experiences, though they themselves never
+knew or heard the voice of God or Christ; and such as they might obtain
+the good words and experiences of others; this puzzled them much, and
+laid them open. At another time, when I was discoursing with several
+priests at Judge Fell’s house, and he was by, I asked them the same
+question, “whether any of them ever heard the voice of God or Christ, to
+bid him go to such and such a people, to declare his word or message
+unto them?” for any one, I told them, that could but read, might declare
+the experiences of the prophets and apostles, which were recorded in the
+Scriptures. Hereupon Thomas Taylor,[19] an ancient priest, did
+ingenuously confess before Judge Fell, “that he had never heard the
+voice of God, nor of Christ, to send him to any people, but he spoke his
+experiences, and the experiences of the saints in former ages, and that
+he preached.” This very much confirmed Judge Fell in the persuasion he
+had, “that the priests were wrong;” for he had thought formerly, as the
+generality of people then did, “that they were sent from God.”
+
+Footnote 19:
+
+  Thomas Taylor, born in 1616, was educated at Oxford University, and
+  became a preacher among the Puritans, at or near Skipton, and also at
+  Richmond. He discontinued preaching for hire, and joined Friends,
+  becoming a valiant minister of Christ. He also wrote much in support
+  of the truth. He suffered many imprisonments, but the Lord was with
+  him, and upheld him by his mighty power, in the hardships and
+  opposition he met with for truth’s sake. He died in peace at Stafford,
+  in 1681.
+
+Thomas Taylor was convinced at this time, and travelled with me into
+Westmorland. Coining to CROSSLAND steeple-house, we found the people
+gathered together; and the Lord opened Thomas Taylor’s mouth (though he
+was convinced but a day before), so that he declared amongst them, “how
+he had been before he was convinced;” and like the good scribe that was
+converted to the kingdom, he brought forth things new and old to the
+people, and showed them how “the priests were out of the way;” which
+tormented the priest. Some little discourse I had with them, but they
+fled away; and a precious meeting there was, wherein the Lord’s power
+was over all; and the people were directed to the Spirit of God, by
+which they might come to know God and Christ, and to understand the
+Scriptures aright. After this I passed on, visiting Friends, and had
+very large meetings in Westmorland.
+
+Now began the priests to rage more and more, and as much as they could,
+to stir up persecution. James Naylor and Francis Howgill were cast into
+prison in Appleby jail, at the instigation of the malicious priests;
+some of whom prophesied “that within a month we should be all scattered
+again, and come to nothing.” But, blessed for ever be the worthy name of
+the Lord, the work of the Lord went on and prospered. For about this
+time John Audland, Francis Howgill, John Camm,[20] Edward Burrough,
+Richard Hubberthorn,[21] Miles Hubbersty, and Miles Halhead,[22] with
+several others, being endued with power from on high, came forth in the
+work of the ministry, and approved themselves faithful labourers
+therein, travelling up and down, and preaching the gospel freely; by
+means whereof multitudes were convinced, and many effectually turned to
+the Lord. Amongst these, Christopher Taylor[23] was one, brother to
+Thomas Taylor before-mentioned; and who had been a preacher to a people
+as well as his brother; but after they had received a knowledge of the
+truth, they soon came into obedience thereunto, and left their preaching
+for hire or rewards. And having received a part of the ministry of the
+gospel, they preached Christ freely; being often sent by the Lord to
+declare his word in steeple-houses and in markets; and great sufferers
+they were.
+
+Footnote 20:
+
+  John Camm, after joining Friends, became an eminent minister,
+  travelling in the service of truth. He was a man of weak constitution,
+  but richly furnished with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, clear in
+  judgment, and a sharp reprover of wickedness. His ministry was deep
+  and weighty. Having an estate of his own, he suffered the spoiling of
+  his goods joyfully. He often called his children together, and
+  exhorted them to fear the Lord, and would wonderfully praise God for
+  his goodness, counting his bodily weakness a happiness, saying, “How
+  great a benefit do I enjoy beyond many, I have such a large time of
+  preparation for death, being daily dying, that I may live for ever
+  with my God, in that kingdom that is unspeakably full of glory. My
+  outward man daily wastes and moulders down, and draws towards its
+  place and centre; but my inward man revives and mounts upwards,
+  towards its place and habitation in the heavens.” See _Piety
+  Promoted_, i., 3-6.
+
+Footnote 21:
+
+  Richard Hubberthorn, who is frequently mentioned in this _Journal_,
+  and whose name often occurs in the early part of the history of
+  Friends, became an able gospel minister, and patient sufferer for the
+  truth. He was a native of Lancashire, the only son of a yeoman of good
+  repute. In his youth he obtained a post in the Parliamentary army,
+  which, on his embracing the truth, he quitted, and testified publicly
+  against it; becoming a valiant soldier under the banner of the Prince
+  of peace. After passing through many inward probations, he became
+  qualified to direct others in their way to the kingdom of heaven, and
+  was one of the first of our Society who travelled in the work of the
+  ministry.
+
+  Richard Hubberthorn was a man of much meekness, humility, patience,
+  and brotherly kindness, clear in judgment, and quick of understanding;
+  and, although he was of low stature, and had an infirm constitution
+  and weak voice, he was a powerful and successful minister, and great
+  numbers were convinced by him, and brought over to the faith and
+  practice which he preached. He travelled in the exercise of his gift
+  nine years, and shared at different times in the sufferings to which
+  the early Friends were exposed. In 1662, he was violently haled from a
+  meeting in London, and taken before that implacable persecutor,
+  Alderman Brown, who, after abusing him with his own hands, committed
+  him to Newgate. Here the throng was so great, and the air so impure,
+  that he soon fell sick. His disorder increased upon him, and, within
+  two months from the time of his commitment, with an unclouded prospect
+  of a resting place “where the wicked cease from troubling,” he was
+  released by death. He wrote many treatises, which were collected and
+  published in 1 vol. quarto, in 1663.
+
+Footnote 22:
+
+  This is the only mention of Miles Halhead in this Journal. His name
+  occurs frequently in Sewell’s _History_, from which it appears he
+  travelled largely and suffered much on Truth’s account, being the
+  first of the Quakers imprisoned at Kendal.
+
+Footnote 23:
+
+  Christopher Taylor, after writing and preaching much on Truth’s
+  account, removed to America about the year 1683, and died at
+  Philadelphia in 1686. See account of him in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, pp.
+  352-55.
+
+After I had visited Friends in WESTMORLAND, I returned into LANCASHIRE,
+and went to ULVERSTONE, where W. Lampitt was priest; who, though he had
+preached of a people that should own the teachings of God, and had said,
+“that men and women should come to declare the gospel;” yet afterwards,
+when it came to be fulfilled, he persecuted both it and them. To this
+priest’s house I went, where abundance of priests and professors were
+got together after their lecture, with whom I had great disputings
+concerning Christ and the Scriptures; for they were loath to let their
+trade go down, which they made of preaching Christ’s, and the apostles’
+and prophets’ words. But the Lord’s power went over the heads of them
+all, and his word of life was held forth amongst them; though many of
+them were exceedingly envious and devilish. Yet after this many priests
+and professors came to me from far and near; of whom, they that were
+innocent and simple-minded were satisfied, and went away refreshed; but
+the fat and full were fed with judgment, and sent empty away: for that
+was the word of the Lord to be divided to them.
+
+Now when meetings were set up, and we met in private houses, Lampitt the
+priest began to rage; and he said, “we forsook the temple, and went to
+Jeroboam’s calves’ houses;” so that many professors began to see how he
+had declined from that which he had formerly held and preached. Hereupon
+the case of Jeroboam’s calves was opened to the professors, priests, and
+people; and it was manifested unto them, “that their houses (which they
+called churches) were more like Jeroboam’s calves’ houses, even the old
+mass-houses which were set up in the darkness of Popery; and which they,
+who called themselves Protestants, and professed to be more enlightened
+than the Papists, did still hold up; although God had never commanded
+them: whereas that temple, which God had commanded at Jerusalem, Christ
+came to end the service of; and they that received and believed in him,
+their bodies came to be the temples of God, and of Christ, and of the
+Holy Ghost, to dwell in them, and to walk in them. And all such were
+gathered into the name of Jesus, whose name is above every name, and
+there is no salvation by any other name under the whole heaven, but by
+the name of Jesus. And they that were thus gathered met together in
+several dwelling-houses, which were not called the temple, nor the
+church; but their bodies were the temples of God, and the believers were
+the church, which Christ was the head of. So that Christ was not called
+the head of an old house, which was made by men’s hands, neither did he
+come to purchase and sanctify, and redeem with his blood, an old house,
+which they called their church, but the people of whom he is the head.”
+Much work I had in those days with priests and people, concerning their
+old mass-houses, which they called their churches; for the priests had
+persuaded the people that it was the house of God; whereas the apostle
+says, “whose house we are,” &c., Heb. iii. 6. So the people are God’s
+house, in whom he dwells. And the apostle saith, “Christ purchased his
+church with his own blood;” and Christ calls his church his spouse, his
+bride, and the Lamb’s wife; so that this title, church and spouse, was
+not given to an old house, but to his people, the true believers.
+
+After this, on a lecture-day, I was moved to go to the steeple-house at
+ULVERSTONE, where were abundance of professors, priests, and people. I
+went up near to priest Lampitt, who was blustering on in his preaching;
+and after the Lord had opened my mouth to speak, John Sawrey the justice
+came to me and said, “if I would speak according to the Scriptures, I
+should speak.” I wondered at his speaking so to me, for I did speak
+according to the Scriptures, and I told him, “I should speak according
+to the Scriptures, and bring the Scriptures to prove what I had to say;
+for I had something to speak to Lampitt and to them.” Then he said, I
+should not speak, contradicting himself who had said just before, “I
+should speak, if I would speak according to the Scriptures.” The people
+were quiet, and heard me gladly, until this Justice Sawrey (who was the
+first stirrer up of cruel persecution in the North) incensed them
+against me, and set them on to hale, beat, and bruise me. Suddenly the
+people were in a rage, and fell upon me in the steeple-house before his
+face; knocked me down, kicked me, and trampled upon me; and so great was
+the uproar, that some tumbled over their seats for fear. At last he came
+and took me from the people, led me out of the steeple-house, and put me
+into the hands of the constables and other officers, bidding them whip
+me and put me out of the town. They led me about a quarter of a mile,
+some taking hold of my collar, and some by my arms and shoulders, and
+shook and dragged me along. Many friendly people being come to the
+market, and some of them to the steeple house to hear me, divers of
+these they knocked down also, and broke their heads, so that the blood
+ran down from several of them; and Judge Fell’s son running after, to
+see what they would do with me, they threw him into a ditch of water,
+some of them crying, “knock the teeth out of his head.”
+
+Now when they had haled me to the common moss-side, a multitude of
+people following, the constables and other officers gave me some blows
+over my back with their willow-rods, and so thrust me among the rude
+multitude, who, having furnished themselves, some with staves, some with
+hedge-stakes, and others with holm or holly-bushes, fell upon me, and
+beat me on my head, arms, and shoulders, till they had deprived me of
+sense; so that I fell down upon the wet common. When I recovered again,
+and saw myself lying in a watery common, and the people standing about
+me, I lay still a little while; and the power of the Lord sprang through
+me, and the Eternal Refreshings refreshed me, so that I stood up again
+in the strengthening power of the Eternal God; and stretching out my
+arms amongst them, I said with a loud voice, “Strike again; here are my
+arms, my head, and my cheeks.” There was in the company a mason, a
+professor, but a rude fellow; he with his walking rule-staff gave me a
+blow with all his might, just over the back of my hand, as it was
+stretched out; with which blow my hand was so bruised, and my arm so
+benumbed, that I could not draw it unto me again; so that some of the
+people cried out, “he hath spoiled his hand for ever having the use of
+it any more.” But I looked at it in the love of God (for I was in the
+love of God to them all, that had persecuted me), and after a while the
+Lord’s power sprang through me again, and through my hand and arm, so
+that in a moment I recovered strength in my hand and arm, in the sight
+of them all. Then they began to fall out among themselves, and some of
+them came to me, and said, if I would give them money, they would secure
+me from the rest. But I was moved of the Lord to declare to them the
+word of life, and showed them their false Christianity, and the fruits
+of their priest’s ministry; telling them they were more like heathens
+and Jews, than true Christians.
+
+Then was I moved of the Lord to come up again through the midst of the
+people, and go into ULVERSTONE market. As I went, there met me a
+soldier, with his sword by his side; “Sir,” said he to me, “I see you
+are a man, and I am ashamed and grieved that you should be thus abused;”
+and he offered to assist me in what he could. But I told him the Lord’s
+power was over all; so I walked through the people in the market, and
+none of them had power to touch me then. But some of the market-people
+abusing some Friends in the market, I turned me about and saw this
+soldier among them with his naked rapier, whereupon I ran in amongst
+them, and catching hold of his hand that his rapier was in, I bid him
+put up his sword again, if he would go along with me; for I was willing
+to draw him out from the company, lest some mischief should be done. A
+few days after seven men fell upon this soldier, and beat him cruelly,
+because he had taken part with Friends and me; for it was the manner of
+the persecutors of that country, for twenty or forty people to run upon
+one man. And they fell so upon Friends in many places, that they could
+hardly pass the highways, stoning, beating, and breaking their heads.
+When I came to SWARTHMORE, I found the friends there dressing the heads
+and hands of Friends and friendly people, which had been broken or hurt
+that day by the professors and hearers of Lampitt, the priest. My body
+and arms were yellow, black, and blue, with the blows and bruises I
+received amongst them that day. Now began the priests to prophesy again,
+that within half a year we should be all put down and gone.[24]
+
+Footnote 24:
+
+  The priests reckoned wrong in this, for, as Sewell justly observed, it
+  fared with the early Friends as with trees, which grow best when most
+  lopped. “Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus, per damna, per cædes, ab
+  ipso, ducit opes animumque ferre.”
+
+           “As by the lopping axe, the sturdy oak
+           Improves her shade, and thrives beneath the stroke:
+           Tho’ present loss and wounds severe she feel,
+           She draws fresh vigour from the invading steel.”
+
+About two weeks after this I went into WALNEY island, and James Naylor
+went with me. We stayed one night at a little town on this side, called
+COCKAN, and had a meeting there, where one was convinced. After a while
+there came a man with a pistol, whereupon the people ran out of doors.
+He called for me; and when I came out to him, he snapped his pistol at
+me, but it would not go off. This caused the people to make a great
+bustle about him; and some of them took hold of him, to prevent his
+doing mischief; but I was moved in the Lord’s power to speak to him; and
+he was so struck by the power of the Lord, that he trembled for fear,
+and went and hid himself. Thus the Lord’s power came over them all,
+though there was a great rage in the country.
+
+Next morning I went over in a boat to James Lancaster’s. As soon as I
+came to land, there rushed out about forty men with staves, clubs, and
+fishing poles, who fell upon me, beating and punching me, and
+endeavouring to thrust me backward into the sea. When they had thrust me
+almost into the sea, and I saw they would have knocked me down in it, I
+went up into the midst of them; but they laid at me again, and knocked
+me down, and stunned me. When I came to myself, I looked up and saw
+James Lancaster’s wife throwing stones at my face, and her husband,
+James Lancaster, was lying over me, to keep the blows and the stones off
+me. For the people had persuaded James Lancaster’s wife that I had
+bewitched her husband; and had promised her, that if she would let them
+know when I came hither, they would be my death. And having got
+knowledge of my coming, many of the town rose up in this manner with
+clubs and staves to kill me; but the Lord’s power preserved me, that
+they could not take away my life. At length I got up on my feet, but
+they beat me down again into the boat; which James Lancaster observing,
+he presently came into it, and set me over the water from them; but
+while we were on the water within their reach, they struck at us with
+long poles and threw stones after us. By the time we were come to the
+other side, we saw them beating James Naylor; for whilst they had been
+beating me, he walked up into a field, and they never minded him till I
+was gone; then they fell upon him, and all their cry was, “Kill him,
+kill him.”
+
+When I was come over to the town again, on the other side of the water,
+the townsmen rose up with pitchforks, flails, and staves, to keep me out
+of the town, crying, “Kill him, knock him on the head, bring the cart,
+and carry him away to the churchyard.” So after they had abused me, they
+drove me some distance out of the town, and there left me. Then went
+James Lancaster back to look after James Naylor; and I being now left
+alone, went to a ditch of water, and having washed myself (for they had
+besmeared my face, hands, and clothes, with miry dirt), I walked about
+three miles to Thomas Hutton’s house, where lodged Thomas Lawson, the
+priest that was convinced. When I came in, I could hardly speak to them,
+I was so bruised; only I told them where I left James Naylor; so they
+took each of them a horse, and went and brought him thither that night.
+The next day Margaret Fell hearing of it, sent a horse for me; but so
+sore I was with bruises, I was not able to bear the shaking of the horse
+without much pain. When I was come to SWARTHMORE, Justice Sawrey, and
+one Justice Thompson of Lancaster, granted a warrant against me; but
+Judge Fell coming home it was not served upon me; for he was out of the
+country all this time, that I was thus cruelly abused. When he came
+home, he sent forth warrants into the isle of Walney, to apprehend all
+those riotous persons; whereupon some of them fled the country. James
+Lancaster’s wife was afterwards convinced of the truth, and repented of
+the evils she had done me; and so did others of those bitter persecutors
+also; but the judgments of God fell upon some of them, and destruction
+is come upon many of them since. Judge Fell asked me to give him a
+relation of my persecution; but I told him they could do no otherwise in
+the spirit wherein they were, and that they manifested the fruits of
+their priest’s ministry, and their profession and religion to be wrong.
+So he told his wife I made light of it, and that I spoke of it as a man
+that had not been concerned; for, indeed, the Lord’s power healed me
+again.
+
+After I was recovered, I went to YEALAND, where there was a great
+meeting. In the evening there came a priest to the house, with a pistol
+in his hand, under pretence to light a pipe of tobacco. The maid of the
+house seeing the pistol told her master; who, clapping his hands on the
+door-posts, told him he should not come in there. While he stood there,
+keeping the door-way, he looked up, and spied over the wall a company of
+men coming, some armed with staves, and one with a musket. But the Lord
+God prevented their bloody design; so that seeing themselves discovered,
+they went their way, and did no harm.
+
+The time for the sessions at LANCASTER being come, I went thither with
+Judge Fell; who on the way told me, he had never had such a matter
+brought before him before, and he could not well tell what to do in the
+business. I told him, when Paul was brought before the rulers, and the
+Jews and priests came down to accuse him, and laid many false things to
+his charge, Paul stood still all that while. And when they had done,
+Festus, the governor, and king Agrippa, beckoned to him to speak for
+himself; which Paul did, and cleared himself of all those false
+accusations; so he might do with me. Being come to LANCASTER, Justice
+Sawrey and Justice Thompson having granted a warrant to apprehend me,
+though I was not apprehended by it, yet hearing of it, I appeared at the
+sessions; where there appeared against me about forty priests. These had
+chosen one Marshall, priest of Lancaster, to be their orator; and had
+provided one young priest, and two priests’ sons, to bear witness
+against me, who had sworn beforehand that I had spoken blasphemy. When
+the justices were sat, they heard all that the priests and their
+witnesses could say and charge against me; their orator Marshall,
+sitting by, and explaining their sayings for them; but the witnesses
+were so confounded, that they discovered themselves to be false
+witnesses; for when the court had examined one of them upon oath, and
+then began to examine another, he was at such loss he could not answer
+directly, but said the other could say it. Which made the justices say
+to him, “have you sworn it, and given it in already upon your oath, and
+now say that he can say it? It seems you did not hear those words spoken
+yourself, though you have sworn it.”
+
+There were then in court several people who had been at that meeting,
+wherein the witnesses swore I spoke those blasphemous words, which the
+priests accused me of; and these being men of integrity and reputation
+in the country, declared and affirmed in court, that the oath, which the
+witnesses had taken against me, was altogether false; and that no such
+words as they had sworn against me, were spoken by me at that meeting.
+Indeed, most of the serious men of that part of the country, that were
+then at the sessions, had been at that meeting, and had heard me both at
+that and other meetings also. This was taken notice of by Colonel West,
+who, being a justice of the peace, was then upon the bench; and having
+long been weak in body, blessed the Lord, and said, “the Lord had healed
+him that day;” adding, that he never saw so many sober people and good
+faces together in all his life. And then, turning himself to me, he said
+in the open sessions, “George, if thou hast anything to say to the
+people, thou mayst freely declare it.” I was moved of the Lord to speak;
+and as soon as I began, priest Marshall, the orator for the rest of the
+priests, went away. That which I was moved to declare was this: “that
+the Holy Scriptures were given forth by the Spirit of God, and all
+people must first come to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they
+might know God and Christ, of whom the prophets and the apostles learnt;
+and by the same Spirit know the Holy Scriptures; for as the Spirit of
+God was in them that gave forth the Scriptures, so the same Spirit of
+God must be in all them that come to understand the Scriptures; by which
+Spirit they might have fellowship with the Son, and with the Father, and
+with the Scriptures, and with one another; and without this Spirit they
+can know neither God nor Christ, nor the Scriptures, nor have right
+fellowship one with another.” I had no sooner spoken these words, than
+about half a dozen priests that stood behind me, burst out into a
+passion; and one of them, named Jackus, amongst other things that he
+spoke against the truth, said, that the Spirit and the letter were
+inseparable. I replied, “then every one that hath the letter hath the
+Spirit; and they might buy the Spirit with the letter of the
+Scriptures.” This plain discovery of darkness in the priest, moved Judge
+Fell and Colonel West to reprove them openly, and tell them, that
+according to that position they might carry the Spirit in their pockets,
+as they did the Scriptures. Upon this the priests being confounded and
+put to silence, rushed out in a rage against the justices, because they
+could not have their bloody ends upon me. The justices, seeing the
+witnesses did not agree, and perceiving that they were brought to answer
+the priests’ envy, and finding that all their evidences were not
+sufficient in law to make good their charge against me, discharged me.
+And after Judge Fell had spoken to Justice Sawrey and Justice Thompson
+concerning the warrant they had given forth against me, and showed them
+the errors thereof, he and Colonel West granted a supersedeas to stop
+the execution of it.
+
+Thus was I cleared in open sessions of all those lying accusations which
+the malicious priests had laid to my charge; and multitudes of people
+praised God that day, for it was a joyful day to many. Justice
+Benson[25] of WESTMORLAND, was convinced; and Major Ripan, mayor of
+LANCASTER, also. It was a day of everlasting salvation to hundreds of
+people; for the Lord Jesus Christ, the way to the Father, and the free
+teacher, was exalted and set up, and his everlasting gospel was preached
+and the word of eternal life was declared over the heads of the priests,
+and all such money-preachers. For the Lord opened many mouths that day
+to speak his word to the priests, and several friendly people and
+professors reproved the priests in their inns, and in the streets; so
+that they fell, like an old rotten house; and the cry was among the
+people, that the Quakers had got the day, and the priests were fallen.
+Many people were convinced that day, amongst whom was Thomas Briggs, who
+before had been averse to Friends and truth, insomuch that discoursing
+with John Lawson, a Friend, concerning perfection, Thomas Briggs said to
+him, “dost thou hold perfection?” at the same time lifting up his hand
+to give the Friend a box on the ear. But this Thomas Briggs, being
+convinced of the truth that day, declared against his own priest,
+Jackus; and afterwards became a faithful minister of the gospel, and
+stood so to the end of his days.[26]
+
+Footnote 25:
+
+  Gervase Benson, once a colonel in the army, and, at this date, a
+  Justice of the peace, appears, from the burial register of Friends, to
+  have been resident at Kendal. He died in 1679. In _Barclay’s Letters,
+  &c., of Early Friends_, is a letter from him to George Fox and James
+  Naylor. It is dated at London, 11th Month, 29th, 1653. He appears to
+  have gone up to that city under a sense of duty. “Pray to the Lord for
+  me,” he writes, “that I may be kept in all faithfulness, with boldness
+  to bear witness to the truth, against all deceits as they are made
+  manifest in me, to the praise of his free grace and love to me, which
+  I find daily flowing into my soul, to the refreshing thereof.”
+
+Footnote 26:
+
+  Thomas Briggs, from being a persecutor and an opposer, became an
+  eminent minister amongst Friends, and his name occurs frequently in
+  Sewell’s _History_, and in Whiting’s _Memoirs_, to which the reader is
+  referred for some account of his labours. He was very instrumental in
+  turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto
+  God. Not only did he suffer personally, by imprisonment and violence,
+  but was fined five times, for having meetings in his house, to the
+  extent of £50. He travelled much in Wales, and other places, often
+  accompanying George Fox. He went with him to the West Indies in 1671.
+  A short time before his death, he wrote to George Fox, in which he
+  signified his perseverance in godliness. He bore “a large testimony
+  the First-day before his decease,” being aged about seventy-five; a
+  minister thirty-two years.
+
+When the sessions were over, James Naylor, who was present, gave a brief
+account of the proceedings in a letter, which soon after he wrote to
+Friends; and which is here added for the reader’s further satisfaction
+in this matter:—
+
+  “Dear friends and brethren in the Lord Jesus Christ, my dear love unto
+  you all, desiring you may be kept steadfast in the Lord Jesus Christ,
+  and in the power of his love, boldly to witness forth the truth, as it
+  is revealed in you by the mighty working of the Father: to whom alone
+  be everlasting praise and honour for evermore! Dear friends, the Lord
+  doth much manifest his love and power in these parts. On the
+  Second-day of last week, my brother George and I were at Lancaster;
+  there were abundance of Friends from all parts: and a high sort, who
+  sided with the priests, giving out, they now hoped to see a stop put
+  to that great work which had gone on so fast, and with such power that
+  their kingdom is much shaken. We were called before Judge Fell,
+  Colonel West, Justice Sawrey, &c., to answer what was charged against
+  George. There were three witnesses to eight particulars, but they were
+  much confused in themselves; which gave much light to the truth;
+  whereby the justices did plainly see that it was envy; and they many
+  times told them so. One of the witnesses was a young priest, who
+  confessed he should not have meddled, had not another priest sent for
+  him, and set him to work. The other witnesses were two priests’ sons:
+  it was proved there by many that heard one of them say, ‘if he had
+  power he would make George deny his profession, and that he would take
+  away his life.’ This was a single witness to one of the greatest
+  untruths that was charged against George; and the justices told him,
+  that they saw, because he could not take away his life, he went about
+  to take away his liberty. There was one priest chosen out of the whole
+  number, as an orator to plead against us; who spared no pains to show
+  forth his envy against the truth; and when he could not prevail, he
+  went down in a rage; and there came up a number of them into the room,
+  among whom was one Jackus. George was then speaking in the room, one
+  of the justices having desired him, if he had anything to say, he
+  would speak, at which priest Jackus was in such a rage, that he broke
+  forth into many high expressions against the truth spoken by my dear
+  brother George; amongst which this was one that the letter and the
+  Spirit were inseparable. Hereupon the justices stood up, and bid him
+  prove that, before he went any further. Then seeing himself caught, he
+  would have denied it; and when he could not get off so, the rest of
+  the priests would have helped him to a meaning for his words; but the
+  justices would admit no other meaning than the plain sense of the
+  words, and told him he had laid down a position, and it was fit he
+  should prove it; pressing the matter close upon him. Whereupon the
+  priests, being put to silence, went down in a greater rage than
+  before; and some of them, after they were gone down, being asked what
+  they had done, lied and said, they could not get into the room;
+  thereby to hide their shame, and keep the people in blindness. The
+  justices, Judge Fell and Colonel West, were much convinced of the
+  truth, and set up justice and equity; and have much silenced the rage
+  of the people. Many bitter spirits were at Lancaster to see the event,
+  but went home and cried the priests had lost the day: everlasting
+  praises be to him who fought the battle for us, who is our King for
+  ever! There were others called, whom the witnesses confessed were in
+  the room when the things charged on George were said to have been
+  spoken; but they all, as one man, denied that any such words were
+  spoken; which gave much light to the justices, and they durst rely on
+  what they witnessed; for they said they knew many of them to be honest
+  men.
+
+  “There was a warrant granted against us at Appleby; but Justice Benson
+  told them it was not according to law, and so it ceased. I hear he is
+  a faithful man in the truth. The priests began to preach against the
+  justices, and said, they were not to meddle in these things, but to
+  end controversy between neighbour and neighbour. They are not pleased
+  with the law, because it is not in the statute to imprison us, as the
+  priest that pleaded against us said. The justices bid him put it into
+  the statute, if he could; he said, it should want no will of his. They
+  are much afraid that they shall lose all; they are much discontented
+  in these parts; and some of them cry, all ‘is gone.’ Dear Friends,
+  dwell in patience, and wait upon the Lord, who will do his own work.
+  Look not at man, in the work; nor at man who opposeth the work; but
+  rest in the will of the Lord, that so ye may be furnished with
+  patience both to do and to suffer what ye shall be called unto; that
+  your end in all things may be his praise. Take up his cross freely,
+  which keeps low the fleshly man; that Christ may be set up and
+  honoured in all things, the light advanced in you and the judgment set
+  up, which must give sentence against all that opposeth the truth;—that
+  the captivity may be led captive, and the prisoner set free to seek
+  the Lord;—that righteousness may rule in you, and peace and joy may
+  dwell in you, wherein consisteth the kingdom of the Father; to whom be
+  all praise for ever! Dear friends meet often together, and take heed
+  of what exalteth itself above its brother; but keep low, and serve one
+  another in love for the Lord’s sake. Let all Friends know how it is
+  with us, that God may have the praise of all.”
+
+                                                               J. N.
+
+  Written from Kellet, the 30th
+     of the 8th Month, 1652.
+
+At this time I was in a fast, and was not to eat until this work of God,
+which then lay weighty upon me, was accomplished. But the Lord’s power
+was wonderfully exalted, and gave truth and Friends dominion therein
+over all, to his glory. His gospel was freely preached that day, over
+the heads of about forty hireling priests. I stayed two or three days
+afterwards in Lancaster, and had some meetings there; and the rude and
+baser sort of people plotted together to draw me out of the house, and
+to throw me over LANCASTER bridge, but the Lord prevented them. Then
+they invented another mischief, which was this: after a meeting at
+Lancaster they brought down a distracted man, and another with him with
+bundles of birchen rods bound together like besoms, with which they
+would have whipped me: but I was moved to speak to them in the Lord’s
+mighty power, which chained down the distracted man, and the other also,
+and made them calm and quiet. Then I bid him throw his rods into the
+fire, and burn them; and he did so. Thus the Lord’s power being over
+them, they departed quietly.
+
+But the priests, fretting to see themselves overthrown at the sessions
+at LANCASTER, got some of the envious justices to join with them; and,
+at the following assize at LANCASTER, informed Judge Windham against me.
+Whereupon the judge made a speech against me in open court; and
+commanded Colonel West, who was clerk of the assize, to issue forth a
+warrant for the apprehending of me: but Colonel West told the judge of
+my innocency, and spoke boldly in my defence. Yet the judge commanded
+him again, either to write a warrant, or go off from his seat: then he
+told the judge plainly that he would not do it; but that he would offer
+up all his estate, and his body also, for me. Thus he stopped the judge;
+and the Lord’s power came over all; so that the priests and justices
+could not get their envy executed. That same night I came into
+LANCASTER, it being the assize time, and hearing of a warrant to be
+given out against me, I judged it better to show myself openly, than for
+my adversaries to seek me. So I went to Judge Fell’s and Colonel West’s
+chambers. As soon as I came in they smiled on me; and Colonel West said,
+“What! are you come into the dragon’s mouth?” I stayed in town till the
+judge went out of town; and I walked up and down the town, but no one
+meddled with me, or questioned me. Thus the Lord’s blessed power, which
+is over all, carried me through and over this exercise, gave dominion
+over his enemies, and enabled me to go on in his glorious work and
+service for his great name’s sake. For though the beast maketh war
+against the saints, yet the Lamb hath got, and will get, the victory.
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER VI.
+
+1652-1653.—George Fox is branded by the priests as a witch—writes to
+    Justice Sawrey, prophesying of the judgments impending over
+    him—warning to priest Lampitt—exhortation to the people of
+    Ulverstone—to the followers of Lampitt, against a hireling ministry,
+    &c.—a rebuke to Adam Sands for his wickedness—to priest Tatham,
+    against his hireling ministry and his suing for tithes—foretells the
+    dissolution of the Long Parliament—fasts ten days—James Milner and
+    Richard Myer create a schism, which is soon healed—the latter is
+    miraculously healed of his lameness, but afterwards disobeys the
+    Lord, and dies not long after—Anthony Pearson, an opposer, is
+    convinced—the priests are shown to be antichrist—George Fox preaches
+    at John Wilkinson’s steeple-house three hours—admonishes a professor
+    _for praising him_—reproves Wilkinson for speaking against his
+    conscience—many hundreds are convinced—discerns an unclean spirit in
+    a woman, and speaks sharply to her—the like of some other
+    women—speaks sharply to an envious Baptist—preaches in the
+    steeple-house at Carlisle, where the Lord’s power was such that the
+    people trembled—committed to Carlisle prison as a blasphemer,
+    heretic, and seducer—the priests who come to see him are exceedingly
+    rude—Anthony Pearson’s remonstrance to the Judges of assize against
+    the unjust imprisonment and detention of George Fox—he is put in the
+    dungeon, a filthy place, where a woman is found eaten to death with
+    vermin—here James Parnell visits him—a challenge to professors to
+    declare their objections to George Fox’s ministry—it being reported
+    that George Fox was to die for religion, the Little Parliament write
+    to the sheriff respecting him—he himself expostulates with Justices
+    Craston and Studholm on their imprisoning him—A. Pearson and the
+    governor visit the prison, blame the magistrates, require sureties
+    of the jailer, and put the under-jailer in the dungeon for his
+    cruelty to George Fox, who is soon after liberated—George Fox has
+    great meetings, and _thousands_ are convinced—visits Gilsland, a
+    noted country for thieving—has a glorious meeting of many thousands,
+    near Langlands, on the top of a hill—great convincement in the six
+    northern counties.
+
+
+From LANCASTER I returned to Robert Widders’s, and from thence I went to
+Thomas Leper’s to a meeting in the evening; and a very blessed meeting
+we had there: after which I walked in the evening to Robert Widders’s
+again. No sooner was I gone, than there came a company of disguised men
+to Thomas Leper’s, with swords and pistols; who, suddenly entering the
+house, put out the candles, and swung their swords about amongst the
+people of the house, who held up the chairs before them to save
+themselves from being cut and wounded. At length they drove all the
+people out of the house, and then searched it for me; who, it seems, was
+the only person they looked for: for they had laid wait before on the
+highway, by which I should have gone had I rode to Robert Widders’s. And
+not meeting with me on the way, they thought to find me in the house,
+but the Lord prevented them. Soon after I was come to Robert Widders’s,
+some Friends came from the town where Thomas Leper lived, and gave us a
+relation of this wicked attempt: and they were afraid lest they should
+come and search Robert Widders’s house also for me, and do me a
+mischief; but the Lord restrained them that they came not. Though these
+men were in disguise, the Friends perceived some of them to be
+Frenchmen, and supposed them to be servants belonging to one called Sir
+Robert Bindlas; for some of them had said, that in their nation they
+used to tie the Protestants to trees, and whip and destroy them. His
+servants used often to abuse Friends, both in their meetings, and going
+to and from them. They once took Richard Hubberthorn and several others
+out of one, and carried them a good way off into the fields; and there
+bound them, and left them bound in the Winter season. At another time,
+one of his servants came to Francis Fleming’s house, and thrust his
+naked rapier in at the door and windows; but there being at the house a
+kinsman of Francis Fleming’s, one who was not a Friend, he came with a
+cudgel in his hand, and bid the serving-man put up his rapier; which,
+when the other would not, but vapoured at him with it, and was rude, he
+knocked him down with his cudgel, and took his rapier from him; and had
+it not been for Friends, he would have run him through with it. So the
+Friends preserved the life of him that would have destroyed theirs.
+
+From Robert Widders’s I went to visit Justice West, Richard Hubberthorn
+accompanying me. Not knowing the way, or the danger of the sands, we
+rode where, as we were afterwards told, no man ever rode before,
+swimming our horses over a very dangerous place. When we were come in,
+Justice West asked us if we did not see two men riding over the sands:
+“I shall have their clothes anon,” said he, “for they cannot escape
+drowning, and I am the coroner.” But when we told him that we were the
+men, he was astonished, and wondered how we escaped drowning. Upon this
+the envious priests and professors raised a slanderous report concerning
+me, that neither water could drown me, nor could they draw blood of me;
+and that therefore surely I was a witch; indeed, sometimes when they
+beat me with great staves, they did not much draw my blood, though they
+bruised my body oftimes very sorely. But all these slanders were nothing
+to me with respect to myself, though I was concerned on the truth’s
+behalf, which I saw, they endeavoured by these means to prejudice people
+against; for I considered that their forefathers, the apostate Jews,
+called the master of the house Beelzebub; and these apostate Christians
+from the life and power of God, could do no less to his seed. But the
+Lord’s power carried me over their slanderous tongues, and their bloody
+murderous spirits; who had the ground of witchcraft in themselves, which
+kept them from coming to God, and to Christ.
+
+Having visited Justice West, I went to SWARTHMORE, visiting Friends; and
+the Lord’s power was over all the persecutors there. I was moved to
+write several letters to the magistrates, priests, and professors,
+thereabouts, who had raised persecution before; that which I sent to
+Justice Sawrey was after this manner:—
+
+  “FRIEND,
+
+  “Thou wast the first beginner of all the persecution in the North;
+  thou wast the beginner and the maker of the people tumultuous. Thou
+  wast the first stirrer of them up against the righteous seed, and
+  against the truth of God; the first strengthener of the hands of
+  evil-doers against the innocent and harmless; and thou shalt not
+  prosper. Thou wast the first stirrer up of strikers, stoners,
+  persecutors, stockers, mockers, and imprisoners in the North, and of
+  revilers, slanderers, railers, and false accusers. This was thy work,
+  and this thou stirredst up! so thy fruits declare thy spirit. Instead
+  of stirring up the pure mind in people, thou hast stirred up the
+  wicked, malicious, and envious, and taken hand with the wicked. Thou
+  hast made the people’s minds envious up and down the country; this was
+  thy work. But God hath shortened thy days, and limited thee; hath set
+  thy bounds, and broken thy jaws; discovered thy religion to the simple
+  and babes, and brought thy deeds to light. How is thy habitation
+  fallen, and become the habitation of devils! How is thy beauty lost,
+  and thy glory withered! How hast thou showed thy end that thou hast
+  served God but with thy lips, thy heart being far from him, and thou
+  in hypocrisy! How hath the form of thy teaching declared itself to be
+  the mark of the false prophets, whose fruit declares itself! for by
+  their fruits they are known. How are the wise men turned backward!
+  View thy ways, and take notice with whom thou hast taken part. That of
+  God in thy conscience will tell thee; the Ancient of days will reprove
+  thee. How hath thy zeal appeared to be the blind zeal of a persecutor,
+  which Christ and his apostles forbade Christians to follow! How hast
+  thou strengthened the hands of evil-doers, and been a praise to them,
+  and not to them that do well! How like a madman and blind man, didst
+  thou turn thy sword backward against the saints, against whom there is
+  no law! How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one day, when thou shalt
+  feel the flame and have the plagues of God poured upon thee, and thou
+  begin to gnaw thy tongue for pain, because of the plagues! Thou shalt
+  have thy reward according to thy works. Thou canst not escape; the
+  Lord’s righteous judgment will find thee out, and the witness of God
+  in thy conscience shall answer it. How hast thou caused the heathen to
+  blaspheme, gone on with the multitude to do evil, and joined hand and
+  hand with the wicked! How is thy latter end worse than thy beginning,
+  who art come with the dog to bite, and art turned as a wolf, to devour
+  the lambs! How hast thou discovered thyself to be a man more fit to be
+  kept in a place to be nurtured, than to be set in a place to nurture!
+  How wast thou exalted and puffed up with pride! and now art thou
+  fallen down with shame, that thou comest to be covered with that which
+  thou stirredst up and broughtest forth. Let not John Sawrey take the
+  words of God into his mouth till he be reformed; let him not take his
+  name into his mouth till he depart from iniquity; let not him and his
+  teacher make a profession of the saints’ words, except they intend to
+  proclaim themselves hypocrites, whose lives are so contrary to the
+  lives of the saints; whose church hath made itself manifest to be a
+  cage of unclean birds. You, having a form of godliness, but not the
+  power, have made them that are in the power your derision, your
+  by-word, and talk at your feasts. Thy ill savour, John Sawrey, the
+  country about have smelled, and of thy unchristian carriage all that
+  fear God have been ashamed; and to them thou hast been a grief; in the
+  day of account thou shalt know it, even in the day of thy
+  condemnation. Thou wast mounted up, and hadst set thy nest on high,
+  but never gottest higher than the fowls of the air. Now thou art run
+  amongst the beast of prey, and art fallen into the earth; so that
+  earthliness and covetousness have swallowed thee up. Thy conceitedness
+  would not carry thee through, in whom was found the selfish principle,
+  which hath blinded thy eye. Thy back must be bowed down always; for
+  thy table is already become thy snare.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+This Justice Sawrey, who was the first persecutor in that country, was
+afterwards drowned.
+
+I wrote also to William Lampitt, the priest of ULVERSTONE, thus:—
+
+  “The word of the Lord to thee, O Lampitt! who art a deceiver,
+  surfeited and drunk with the earthly spirit, rambling up and down in
+  the Scriptures, and blending thy spirit amongst the saints’
+  conditions; who hadst a prophecy, as thy father Balaam had, but art
+  erred from it, as thy father did; one whose fruit hath withered (of
+  which I am a witness,) and many who have known thy fruit, have seen
+  the end of it, that it is withered, and do see where thou art in the
+  blind world, a blind leader of the blind; as a beast wallowing and
+  tumbling in the earth, and in the lust; one that is erred from the
+  Spirit of the Lord, of old ordained for condemnation. Thou art in the
+  seat of the Pharisees, art called of men master, standest praying in
+  the synagogues, and hast the chief seat in the assemblies; a right
+  hypocrite in the steps of the Pharisees, and in the way of thy
+  fathers, the hypocrites, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe
+  against. Such with the light thou art seen to be, and by the light art
+  comprehended; which is thy condemnation, who hatest it, and will be so
+  eternally, except thou repent. To thee this is the word of God; for in
+  Christ’s way thou art not, but in the Pharisees’, as thou mayest read,
+  Matt, xxiii., and all that own Christ’s words may see thee there.
+  Christ, who died at Jerusalem, cried woe against such as thou art; and
+  Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. The woe remains
+  upon thee, and from under it thou canst never come, but through
+  judgment, condemnation, and true repentance. To thee this is the word
+  of God; to that of God in thy conscience do I speak, which will
+  witness the truth of what I write, and will condemn thee. And when
+  thou art in thy torment (though now thou swellest in thy vanity, and
+  livest in wickedness,) remember thou wast warned in thy lifetime. When
+  the eternal condemnation is stretched over thee, thou shalt witness
+  this to be the word of the Lord God unto thee; and if ever thy eye
+  shall see repentance, thou wilt witness me to have been a friend of
+  thy soul.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Having thus cleared my conscience to the justice, and to the priest of
+ULVERSTONE, who had raised the first persecution in that country, it was
+upon me to send this warning in writing to the people of ULVERSTONE in
+general.
+
+  “Consider, O people! who are within the parish of ULVERSTONE; I was
+  moved of the Lord to come into your public places to speak among you,
+  being sent of God to direct your minds to him, that you might know
+  where you might find your teacher; that your minds might be staid
+  alone upon God, and you might not gad abroad without you for a
+  teacher; for the Lord God alone will teach his people; and he is
+  coming to teach them, and to gather them from idols’ temples, and from
+  the customary worships, which all the world is trained up in. God hath
+  given to every one of you a measure of his Spirit, according to your
+  capacity; liars, drunkards, whoremongers, and thieves, and who follow
+  filthy pleasures, you all have this measure in you. This is the
+  measure of the Spirit of God, that shows you sin, and evil, and
+  deceit; which lets you see that lying is sin; and theft, drunkenness,
+  and uncleanness, all to be the works of darkness. Therefore mind your
+  measure (for nothing that is unclean shall enter into the kingdom of
+  God), and prize your time while you have it, lest the time come that
+  you say with sorrow, we had time, but it is past. O! why will ye die?
+  why will ye choose your own ways? why will ye follow the course of the
+  world? and why will ye follow envy, malice, drunkenness, and foolish
+  pleasures? know ye not in your consciences that all these are evil and
+  sin? and that they who act such things, shall never enter into the
+  kingdom of God? O! that ye would consider, and see how you have spent
+  your time, and mind how ye do spend it, and observe whom you serve;
+  for ‘the wages of sin is death.’ Do not ye know, that whatsoever is
+  more than yea and nay, cometh of evil? O! ye drunkards, who live in
+  drunkenness, do ye think to escape the fire and the judgment of God?
+  Though ye swell in venom, and live in lust for a while, yet God will
+  find you out, and bring you to judgment.
+
+  “Therefore love the light, which Christ hath enlightened you withal,
+  who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and who doth enlighten every
+  one that cometh into the world. One loves the light, and brings his
+  works to the light and there is no occasion at all of stumbling; the
+  other hates the light, because his deeds are evil, and the light will
+  reprove him. Thou that hatest this light, thou hast it; thou knowest
+  that lying, drunkenness, swearing, whoredom, theft, all ungodliness,
+  and all unrighteousness, are evil. Christ Jesus hath given thee light
+  enough to let thee see these are evil. This light, if thou lovest it,
+  will teach thee holiness and righteousness, without which none shall
+  see God; but if thou hatest this light, it is thy condemnation. Thus
+  are Christ’s words found to be true, and fulfilled among you; you that
+  hate this light, set up hirelings, and idols’ temples, and such
+  priests as bear rule by their means; such shepherds as hold up such
+  things; who are called of men masters, and have the chiefest place in
+  the assemblies, whom Christ cried woe against, Matt, xxiii.; such as
+  go in the way of Cain in envy, and after the error of Balaam for
+  wages, gifts, and rewards; these have been your teachers; and these
+  you have held up. But they who love the light, are taught of God; and
+  the Lord is coming to teach his people himself, and to gather his own
+  from the hirelings, and from such as seek for their gain from their
+  quarter, and from such as bear rule by their means. The Lord is
+  opening the eyes of people, that they may see such as bear rule over
+  them. But all, whose are shut, are such as the prophet spoke of, that
+  ‘have eyes and see not,’ but are foolish, upholding such things.
+  Therefore, poor people, as ye love your own souls, consider the love
+  of God to your souls, while ye have time, and do not turn the grace of
+  God into wantonness. That which shows you ungodliness and worldly
+  lusts, should and would be your teacher, if ye would hearken to it;
+  for the saints of old witnessed the grace of God to be their teacher,
+  which taught them to live soberly and godly in this present world. Ye
+  that are not sober, this grace of God hath appeared unto you, but you
+  turn it into wantonness, and so set up teachers, who are not sober,
+  not holy, not godly. Here you are left without excuse, when the
+  righteous judgment of God shall be revealed upon all who live ungodly.
+  Therefore to the light in you I speak; and when the book of conscience
+  shall come to be opened, then shall you witness what I say to be true,
+  and you all shall be judged out of it. God Almighty direct your minds
+  (such of you especially who love honesty and sincerity,) that you may
+  receive mercy in the time of need. Your teacher is _within you_; look
+  not forth; it will teach you both lying in bed, and going abroad, to
+  shun all occasion of sin and evil.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+As the foregoing was directed to all the inhabitants of ULVERSTONE in
+general, so it was upon me to write also to those more particularly,
+that most constantly followed W. Lampitt, the priest. To these I wrote
+thus:—
+
+  “The word of the Lord God to all the people that follow priest
+  Lampitt, who is a blind guide. Ye are such as are turned from the
+  light of Christ within, which he hath enlightened you withal; ye are
+  such as follow that which Christ cried woe against, that go not in
+  Christ’s way, but in the Pharisees’ way, as ye may read, Matt. xxiii.,
+  which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against. He is the same
+  yesterday, to-day, and for ever; but him ye own not, while ye follow
+  such as he cried woe against; though under a colour ye make a
+  profession, and Lampitt, your priest, makes a trade of Christ’s and
+  the saints’ words, as his fathers, the Pharisees, made a profession of
+  the prophets’ and of Moses’s words. Woe was unto them who had not the
+  life, so woe is unto you who have not the life that gave forth the
+  Scriptures, as your fruits have made manifest. For when the Lord hath
+  moved some to come amongst you to preach the truth freely, you have
+  knocked them down, beat, and punched, and haled them out of your
+  assemblies. Such a people serve thee, O Lampitt, to make a prey upon,
+  and these are thy fruits. O! let shame, shame, strike thee and you all
+  in the faces, who make a profession of Christ’s words, and yet are
+  stoners, and strikers, and mockers, and scoffers. Let all see, if this
+  be not a cage of unclean birds, spoken of in the Scriptures, by those
+  who had the life of the Scriptures. Such a company of people thou
+  deceivest, and feedest them with thy fancies; thou makest a trade of
+  the Scriptures, and takest them for thy cloak. But thou art manifest
+  to all the children of light; for that cloak will not cover thee; thy
+  skirts are seen, and thy nakedness appears. The Lord made one to go
+  naked among you, a figure of thy nakedness, and of your nakedness, and
+  as a sign amongst you, before your destruction cometh; that you might
+  see that you were naked, and not covered with the truth. To the light
+  in all your consciences I speak, which Christ Jesus doth enlighten you
+  withal. It will show you the time you have spent, and all the evil
+  deeds you have done in that time; who follow such a teacher, that acts
+  contrary to this light, and leads you into the ditch. When you are in
+  the ditch together, both teacher and people, remember ye were warned
+  in your lifetime. If ever your eyes come to see repentance, and you
+  obey the light of Jesus Christ in you, you will witness me to have
+  been a friend of your souls, and that I have sought your eternal good,
+  and written this in dear love to you. Then will you own your
+  condemnation; which you must all own, before you can come into that
+  blessed life, of which there is no end. But ye, who hate the light,
+  because your deeds are evil, this light is your condemnation. O! that
+  ye would love this light, and hearken to it! It would teach you, both
+  in your daily occupations, and as you lie upon your beds, and would
+  never let you speak a vain word. In loving it, you love Christ; in
+  hating it, you bring condemnation thereof upon yourselves. To you this
+  is the word of God, from under which you can never pass, nor ever
+  escape the terror of the Lord, in the state you are in, who hate the
+  light.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Amongst the chief hearers and followers of this priest Lampitt of
+ULVERSTONE, was one Adam Sands, who was a very wicked, false man, and
+would have destroyed truth and its followers if he could. To him I was
+moved to write thus:—
+
+  “ADAM SANDS,
+
+  “To the light in thy conscience I appeal, thou child of the Devil,
+  thou enemy of righteousness; the Lord will strike thee down, though
+  now for a while in thy wickedness thou mayest reign. The plagues of
+  God are due to thee, who hardenest thyself in thy wickedness against
+  the pure truth of God. With the pure truth of God, which thou hast
+  resisted and persecuted, thou art to be thrashed down, which is
+  eternal, and doth comprehend thee; and with the light, which thou
+  despisest, thou art seen; and it is thy condemnation. Thou as one
+  brutish, and thy wife as an hypocrite, and you both as murderers of
+  the just, in that which is eternal, are seen and comprehended; and
+  your hearts searched, and tried, and condemned by the light. The light
+  in thy conscience will witness the truth of what I write to thee; and
+  will let thee see that thou art not born of God, but art from the
+  truth, in the beastly nature. If ever thy eye see repentance, thou
+  wilt witness me a friend of thy soul, and a seeker of thy eternal
+  good.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+This Adam Sands afterwards died miserably.
+
+I was moved also to write to priest Tatham.
+
+  “The word of the Lord to thee, priest Tatham, who art found out of the
+  doctrine of Christ; having the chiefest place in the assembly, being
+  called of men, master, and standing praying in the synagogue in the
+  steps of the Pharisees, which our Lord Jesus Christ cried woe against.
+  In his way thou art not, but in the way of the scribes and Pharisees,
+  as thou mayest read, Matt. xxiii. There Christ’s words judge thee, and
+  the Scriptures of truth condemn thee. For thou art such a one as sues
+  men at the law for tithes, and yet professest thyself to be a minister
+  of Christ; which Christ never empowered his to do; neither did any of
+  his apostles or ministers ever do so. Here I charge thee in the
+  presence of the living God, to be out of their doctrine; and that as
+  one of those evil beasts the Scripture speaks of, thou mindest earthly
+  things, which the life of the Scriptures is against. Thou art for
+  destruction in the state wherein thou standest; and it will be thy
+  portion eternally, if thou dost not repent. To that of God in thy
+  conscience I speak, which will witness the truth of what I say. Thou
+  goest in Cain’s way, in envy, an enemy to God, and from the command of
+  God. Thou goest in Balaam’s way, from the Spirit of God, for gifts and
+  rewards, the wages of unrighteousness. Thou son of Balaam, thou art
+  worse than thy father, for though he loved the wages of
+  unrighteousness, yet he durst not take them; but thou not only takest
+  them, but suest men at the law if they will not give them thee, which
+  no true minister of Jesus Christ ever did; therefore stop thy mouth
+  for ever, and never make mention of them, or profess thyself one of
+  them. With the light thou art seen and comprehended, who art light and
+  vain, and speakest a divination of thy own brain, and deceivest the
+  people. That in thy conscience will witness what I say, and will
+  condemn thee, who art one of those that bear rule by their means,
+  which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry against, Jer. v.; and so thou
+  holdest up ‘the horrible and filthy thing that is committed in the
+  land.’ They that do not tremble at the word of the Lord, are the
+  foolish people that hold thee up; they are sottish children, and have
+  no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but not to do good, who
+  are deceived by thee. Thou art one of those that seek their gain from
+  their quarter; a greedy dumb dog, that never hath enough, as thy
+  practice makes manifest, which the Lord sent Isaiah to cry against,
+  Isa. lvi. 11, 12. And thou art such a one as the Lord sent Ezekiel to
+  cry against, who feedest of the fat, and clothest with the wool, and
+  makest a prey of the people. But the Lord is gathering his sheep from
+  thy mouth, that to thee they shall be a prey no longer. Thou enemy of
+  God, here this prophecy is fulfilled upon thee, Ezek. xxxiv., and thou
+  art one of them; I charge it upon thee in the presence of the living
+  God; a hireling thou art, and they that put not into thy mouth, thou
+  preparest war against them. Thou hatest the good, and lovest the evil,
+  which the Lord sent Micah to cry against, Mic. iii. Cover thy lips,
+  and stop thy mouth for ever, thou child of darkness; for with the
+  light thou art comprehended, and seen to be among them which the holy
+  men of God cried woe against; and by the Spirit of the Living God thou
+  art judged. In the light, which is thy condemnation, thou art
+  comprehended; thy race is seen, and thy compass known, who art out of
+  the commands of Christ, and out of the doctrine and life of the
+  apostles. Thou art proved and tried: to thee this is the word of the
+  Lord, to thee it shall be as a hammer, a fire, and a sword, and from
+  under it thou shalt never come, unless thou repent; who art with the
+  light to be condemned in that state wherein thou standest: and if ever
+  thy eye see repentance, this thy condemnation thou must own.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+I wrote also to —— Burton, priest of SEDBERGH, much to the same purpose,
+he being in the same evil ground, nature, and practice. Many other
+epistles also and papers, which are too many and large to be inserted in
+this place, I wrote about that time, as the Lord moved me thereunto,
+which I sent among the priests, professors, and people of all sorts, for
+the laying their evil ways open before them, that they might see and
+forsake them; and opening the way of truth unto them, that they might
+come to walk therein.
+
+After I had cleared my conscience at that time to the priests and people
+near SWARTHMORE, I went again into WESTMORLAND. A company of men with
+pikes and staves laid wait for me at a bridge in the way, and they met
+with some Friends, but missed me. Afterwards they came to the meeting
+with their pikes and staves: but Justice Benson being there, and many
+considerable people besides, they were prevented from doing the mischief
+they intended. So they went away in a great rage, without hurting any
+one.
+
+I went from the meeting to GRAYRIGG, and had a meeting there at
+Alexander Dixon’s house, to which the priest (who was a Baptist, and a
+chapel priest,) came to oppose; but the Lord confounded him by his
+power. Some of the priest’s people tumbled down some milk-pails which
+stood upon the side of the house, which was much crowded; whereupon the
+priest, after he and his company were gone away, raised a slander, “that
+the Devil frightened him, and took away a side of the house while he was
+in the meeting.” And though this was a known falsehood, yet it served
+the priests and professors to feed on for a while; and so shameless they
+were, that they printed and published it.
+
+Another time this priest came to a meeting, and fell to jangling. First
+he said, “the Scriptures were the word of God.” I told him they were the
+words of God, but were not Christ, who is the Word; and bid him prove by
+Scripture what he said. Then he said it was not the Scripture that was
+the Word; and, setting his foot upon the Bible, he said it was but
+copies bound up together. Many unsavoury words came from him, but after
+he was gone we had a blessed meeting, and the Lord’s power and presence
+was preciously manifested and felt amongst us. Soon after he sent me a
+challenge to meet me at KENDAL. I sent him word he need not go so far as
+KENDAL, for I would meet him in his own parish. The hour being fixed, we
+met, and abundance of rude people gathered together, besides the
+baptized people who were his own Members; and they had intended to do
+mischief, but God prevented them. When we were met, I declared the day
+of the Lord to them, and directed them to Christ Jesus. Then the priest
+out with his Bible, and said it was the word of God. I told him it was
+the words of God, but not God, the Word. His answer was, he would prove
+the Scriptures to be the word before all the people. I let him go on,
+having a man there that could take down in writing both what he said,
+and what I said. When he could not prove it (for I kept him to Scripture
+proof, chapter and verse for it,) the people gnashed their teeth for
+anger, and said he would have me anon; but in going about to prove that
+one error, he ran into many. And when at length he saw he could not
+prove it, then he said he would prove it to be a God: so he toiled
+himself afresh, till he perspired again, but could not prove what he had
+affirmed. And he and his company were full of wrath; for I kept his
+assertions on the head of him and them all, and told them I owned what
+the Scriptures said of themselves, namely, that they were the words of
+God, but Christ was the Word. So the Lord’s power came over all, and
+they being confounded went away. The Lord disappointed their mischievous
+intentions against me, and Friends were established in Christ; and many
+of the priest’s followers saw the folly of their teacher.
+
+After this, priest Bennet, of CARTMEL, sent a challenge to dispute with
+me. Hereupon I came to his steeple-house on a First-day, and found him
+preaching. When he had done, I spoke to him and his people; but the
+priest would not stand the trial, but went his way. After he was gone, I
+had much discourse with the people; and when I was come out into the
+steeple-house yard, and was discoursing further with the professors, and
+declaring truth unto them, one of them set his foot behind me, and two
+of them ran against my breast, and threw me down backwards against a
+grave-stone, wickedly and maliciously seeking to hurt me; but I got up
+again, and was moved of the Lord to speak to them. Then I went up to the
+priest’s house, and desired him to come forth that I might discourse
+with him, seeing he had challenged me; but he would not be seen. So the
+Lord’s power came over them all, which was greatly manifested at that
+time. Amongst the priest’s hearers was one Richard Roper, one of the
+bitterest professors the priest had: he was very fierce and hot in his
+contention; but afterwards he came to be convinced of God’s eternal
+truth, became a minister thereof, and continued faithful to his death.
+
+It was now about the beginning of the year 1653, when I returned to
+SWARTHMORE; and going to a meeting at GLEASTON, a professor challenged a
+dispute with me. I went to the house where he was, and called him to
+come forth; but the Lord’s power was over him, so that he durst not
+meddle. Then I departed thence, and visited the meetings of Friends in
+LANCASHIRE, and came back to SWARTHMORE. Great openings I had from the
+Lord, not only of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward
+things, relating to the civil government. For being one day in
+Swarthmore-hall, when Judge Fell and Justice Benson were talking of the
+news, and of the parliament then sitting, which was called the Long
+Parliament, I was moved to tell them, that before that day two weeks the
+Parliament should be broken up, and the speaker plucked out of his
+chair. And that day two weeks Justice Benson coming thither again, told
+Judge Fell, that now he saw George was a true prophet; for Oliver had
+broken up the parliament.
+
+About this time I was in a fast for about ten days, my spirit being
+greatly exercised on truth’s account; for James Milner and Richard Myer
+went out into imaginations, and a company followed them. This James
+Milner and some of his company, had true openings at first; but getting
+into pride and exaltation of spirit, they ran out from truth. I was sent
+for to them, and was moved of the Lord to go, and show them their
+outgoings: and they were brought to see their folly, and condemned it,
+and came into the way of truth again. After some time I went to a
+meeting at ARNSIDE, where Richard Myer was, who had been long lame of
+one of his arms. I was moved of the Lord to say unto him, amongst all
+the people, “Stand up on thy legs” (for he was sitting down): and he
+stood up, and stretched out his arm that had been lame a long time, and
+said, “Be it known unto you, all people, that this day I am healed.” Yet
+his parents could hardly believe it; but after the meeting was done,
+they had him aside, took off his doublet, and then saw it was true. He
+came soon after to Swarthmore meeting, and then declared how that the
+Lord had healed him. Yet after this the Lord commanded him to go to York
+with a message from him, but he disobeyed the Lord; and the Lord struck
+him again, so that he died about three-quarters of a year after.
+
+Now were great threatenings given forth in CUMBERLAND, that if ever I
+came there again, they would take away my life. When I heard it I was
+drawn to go into CUMBERLAND, and went to Miles Wennington’s, in the same
+parish from which those threatenings came; but they had not power to
+touch me.
+
+About this time Anthony Pearson was convinced, who had been an opposer
+of Friends.[27] He came over to SWARTHMORE; and I being then at Colonel
+West’s, they sent for me. Colonel West said, “Go, George, for it may be
+great service to the man.” So I went, and the Lord’s power reached him.
+
+Footnote 27:
+
+  Justice Pearson, who “was convinced as he sat on the bench,” became
+  the author of an approved work, _The Great Case of Tithes_. A striking
+  letter from him, dated in 1653, respecting his religious state, is
+  inserted in _Letters of Early Friends_, pages 10-12.
+
+About this time also the Lord opened several mouths to declare the truth
+to priests and people, so that many were cast into prison. I went again
+into CUMBERLAND, and Anthony Pearson and his wife, and several Friends,
+went with me to BOOTLE, where Anthony Pearson left me, and went to
+Carlisle sessions; for he was a Justice of the peace in three counties.
+On a First-day I went into the steeple-house at BOOTLE; and when the
+priest had done, I began to speak. But the people were exceeding rude,
+and struck and beat me in the yard: one gave me a very great blow over
+my wrist, so that the people thought he had broken my hand to pieces.
+The constable was very desirous to keep the peace, and would have set
+some of them by the heels that struck me, if I would have given way to
+it. After my service amongst them was over, I went to Joseph Nicholson’s
+house,[28] and the constable went a little way with us, to keep off the
+rude multitude. In the afternoon I went again; and then the priest had
+got another priest, that came from LONDON, and was highly accounted of,
+to help him. Before I went in to the steeple-house, I sat a little upon
+the Cross, and Friends with me; but the Friends were moved to go into
+the steeple-house, and I went in after them. The London priest was
+preaching; who gathered up all the Scriptures he could think of, that
+spoke of false prophets, and antichrists, and deceivers, and threw them
+upon us; but when he had done I recollected all those Scriptures, and
+brought them back upon himself. Then the people fell upon me in a rude
+manner; but the constable charged them to keep the peace, and so made
+them quiet again.
+
+Footnote 28:
+
+  Joseph Nicholson was one of those who, with his wife, suffered in the
+  New England persecution, being imprisoned there and laid in irons. He
+  was also immured within the walls of Dover Castle in 1661. See
+  Bowden’s _History of Friends in America_, vol. i., pp. 203-206, and
+  268, &c.
+
+Then the priest began to rage, and said I must not speak there, I told
+him he had his hour-glass, by which he had preached, and he having done,
+the time was free for me, as well as for him, for he was but a stranger
+there himself. So I opened the Scriptures to them, and let them see
+“that those Scriptures, that spoke of the false prophets, and
+antichrists, and deceivers, described them and their generation, and
+belonged to them who were found walking in their steps, and bringing
+forth their fruits; and not unto us, who were not guilty of such
+things.” I manifested to them, that they were out of the steps of the
+true prophets and apostles; and showed them clearly, by the fruits and
+marks, that it was they of whom those Scriptures spoke, and not we. And
+I declared the truth, and the word of life to the people, and directed
+them to Christ their Teacher. All was quiet while I was speaking; but
+when I had done, and was come out, the priests were both of them in such
+a rage, that they foamed at the mouth for anger against me. The priest
+of the place made an oration to the people in the steeple-house yard,
+and said, “This man hath gotten all the honest men and women in
+LANCASHIRE to him; and now,” said he, “he comes here to do the same.”
+Then said I unto him, “What wilt thou have left? and what have the
+priests left them, but such as themselves? For if it be the honest that
+receive the truth, and are turned to Christ, then it must be the
+dishonest that follow thee, and such as thou art.” Some also of the
+priest’s people began to plead for their priest, and for tithes; but I
+told them it were better for them to plead for Christ, who had ended the
+tithing-priesthood and tithes, and had sent forth his ministers to give
+freely, as they had received freely. So the Lord’s power came over them
+all, put them to silence, and restrained the rude people, that they
+could not do the mischief they intended. When I came down again to
+Joseph Nicholson’s house, I saw a great hole in my coat, which was cut
+with a knife, but it was not cut through my doubtlet, for the Lord had
+prevented their mischief. And the next day a rude wicked man would have
+done violence to a Friend, but the Lord’s power stopped him.
+
+Now was I moved to send James Lancaster to appoint a meeting at John
+Wilkinson’s steeple-house near COCKERMOUTH, who was a preacher in great
+repute, and had three parishes under him; wherefore I stayed at
+MILLOM-IN-BOOTLE till he came back again. In the meantime some of those
+called the gentry of the country had formed a plot against me, and had
+given a little boy a rapier, to do me mischief with it. They came with
+the boy to Joseph Nicholson’s house to seek me; but the Lord had so
+ordered it, that I was gone into the fields. They met with James
+Lancaster, but did not much abuse him; and not finding me in the house,
+after a while they went away again. So I walked up and down in the
+fields that night, and did not go to bed, as very often I used to do.
+
+The next day we came to the steeple-house, where James Lancaster had
+appointed the meeting. There were at this meeting twelve soldiers and
+their wives, who were come thither from CARLISLE; and the country people
+came in, as if it had been to a fair. I lay at a house a short distance
+from the place, so that many Friends were there before me. When I came,
+I found James Lancaster speaking under a yew tree; which was so full of
+people that I feared they would break it down. I looked about for a
+place to stand upon, to speak to the people; for they lay all up and
+down like people at a leaguer. After I was discovered, a professor came
+to me, and asked, if I would go into the church; seeing no place
+convenient to speak to the people from, I told him, “Yes;” whereupon the
+people rushed in; so that when I came in, the house and even the pulpit
+was so full of people, that I had much ado to get in; and they that
+could not get in, stood about the walls. When the people were settled, I
+stood up on a seat; and the Lord opened my mouth “to declare his
+everlasting truth, and his everlasting day; and to lay open all their
+teachers, their rudiments, traditions, and inventions, that they had
+been in, in the night of apostacy since the apostles’ days. I turned
+them to Christ the true teacher, and to the true spiritual worship;
+directing them where to find the Spirit and truth, that they might
+worship God therein. I opened Christ’s parables unto them, and directed
+them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would open the Scriptures
+unto them. And I showed them, how all might come to know their Saviour,
+and sit under his teaching;—might come to be heirs of the kingdom of
+God, and know both the voice of God and of Christ, by which they might
+discover all the false shepherds and teachers they had been under; and
+be gathered to the true shepherd, priest, bishop, and prophet, Christ
+Jesus, whom God commanded all to hear.” So when I had largely declared
+the word of life unto them, for about three hours, I walked from amongst
+the people, and they passed away very well satisfied.
+
+Among the rest a professor followed me, praising and commending me; but
+his words were like a thistle to me. At last I turned about, and bid him
+“fear the Lord:” whereupon priest Larkham, of COCKERMOUTH (for several
+priests were got together on the way who came after the meeting was
+over,) said to me, “Sir, why do you judge so; you must not judge.” But I
+turned to him and said, “Friend, dost not thou discern an exhortation
+from a judgment? I admonished him to fear God; and dost thou say I judge
+him?” So this priest and I falling into discourse, I manifested him to
+be amongst the false prophets and covetous hirelings. And several people
+being moved to speak to him, he and two others of the priests soon got
+away. When they were gone, John Wilkinson, who was preacher of that
+parish, and of two other parishes in CUMBERLAND, began to dispute
+against his own conscience for several hours, till the people generally
+turned against him; for he thought to have tired me out, but the Lord’s
+power tired him out, and the Lord’s truth came over him and them all.
+Many hundreds were convinced that day, and received the Lord Jesus
+Christ, and his free teaching, with gladness; of whom some have died in
+the truth, and many stand faithful witnesses thereof. The soldiers also
+were convinced, and their wives, and continued with me till First-day.
+
+On First-day I went to the steeple-house at COCKERMOUTH, where priest
+Larkham lived. When he had done, I began to speak, and the people began
+to be rude; but the soldiers told them we had broken no law, and they
+became quiet. Then I turned to the priest, and laid him open among the
+false prophets and hirelings; at which word the priest went his way, and
+said, “He calls me hireling;” which was true enough, and all the people
+knew it. Then some of the great men of the town came to me, and said,
+“Sir, we have no learned men to dispute with you.” I told them I came
+not to dispute, but to show the way of salvation to them, the way of
+everlasting life. I declared largely the way of life and truth, and
+directed them to Christ their Teacher, who had died for them, and bought
+them with his blood.
+
+When I had done, I went about two miles to another great steeple-house
+of John Wilkinson’s, called BRIGHAM; where the people, having been at
+the other meeting, were mightily affected, and would have put my horse
+into the steeple-house yard; but I said, “No, the priest claims that;
+take him to an inn.” When I came into the steeple-house yard, I saw the
+people coming in great companies, as to a fair; and abundance were
+already gathered in the lanes, and about the steeple-house. I was very
+thirsty, and walked about a quarter of a mile to a brook, where I got
+some water, and refreshed myself. As I came up again, I met Wilkinson,
+who as I passed by him said, “Sir, will you preach to-day? If you will,”
+said he, “I will not oppose you in word or thought.” I replied, “Oppose
+if thou wilt; I have something to speak to the people.” “And,” said I,
+“thou carriedst thyself foolishly the other day, and spoke against thy
+conscience and reason; insomuch that thy hearers cried out against
+thee.” So I left him, and went on; for he saw it was in vain to oppose,
+the people were so affected with the Lord’s truth. When I came into the
+steeple-house yard, a professor came to me, and asked if I would not go
+into the church as he called it. And I seeing no convenient place to
+stand to speak to the people from, went in, and stood up on a seat after
+they were settled. The priest came in also, but did not go up to his
+pulpit.
+
+The Lord opened my mouth, and I declared his everlasting truth, and word
+of life to the people; “directing them to the spirit of God in
+themselves, by which they might know God and Christ, and the Scriptures,
+and come to have heavenly fellowship in the Spirit. I declared to them,
+that every one that cometh into the world, was enlightened by Christ the
+life; by which light they might see their sins, and Christ, who was come
+to save them from their sins, and died for them. And, if they came to
+walk in this light, they might therein see Christ to be the author of
+their faith, and the finisher thereof; their Shepherd to feed them,
+their Priest to teach them, and their great Prophet to open divine
+mysteries unto them, and to be always present with them. I explained
+also unto them, in the openings of the Lord, the first covenant,
+explaining to them the types, and the substance of those figures; and so
+bringing them on to Christ, the new covenant. I also manifested unto
+them, that there had been a night of apostacy since the apostles’ days;
+but that now the everlasting gospel was preached again, which brought
+life and immortality to light; and the day of the Lord was come, and
+Christ was come to teach his people himself by his light, grace, power,
+and Spirit.” A fine opportunity the Lord gave me to preach truth among
+the people that day for about three hours; and all was quiet. Many
+hundreds were convinced; and some of them praised God and said, “Now we
+know the first step to peace.” The preacher also said privately to some
+of his hearers, that I had broken them and overthrown them.
+
+After this I went to a village, and many people accompanied me. As I was
+sitting in a house full of people, declaring the word of life unto them,
+I cast mine eye upon a woman, and discerned an unclean spirit in her.
+And I was moved of the Lord to speak sharply to her, and told her she
+was a witch [under the influence of an unclean spirit]; whereupon she
+went out of the room. Now, I being a stranger there, and knowing nothing
+of the woman outwardly, the people wondered at it, and told me
+afterwards that I had discovered a great thing; for all the country
+looked upon her to be a witch. The Lord had given me a spirit of
+discerning, by which I many times saw the states and conditions of
+people, and could try their spirits. For not long before, as I was going
+to a meeting, I saw some women in a field, and I discerned them to be
+witches; and I was moved to go out of my way into the field to them, and
+declare unto them their conditions. At another time there came such an
+one into Swarthmore-hall in the meeting time; and I was moved to speak
+sharply to her, and told her she was a witch [under the power of an evil
+spirit]; and the people said afterwards she was generally accounted so.
+There came also at another time another woman, and stood at a distance
+from me, and I cast mine eye upon her, and said, “thou hast been a
+harlot;” for I perfectly saw the condition and life of the woman. The
+woman answered and said, many could tell her of her outward sins, but
+none could tell her of her inward. Then I told her her heart was not
+right before the Lord, and that from the inward came the outward. This
+woman came afterwards to be convinced of God’s truth, and became a
+Friend.
+
+From the aforesaid village we came up to Thomas Bewley’s, near CALDBECK;
+and from thence, having had some service for the Lord there, I passed to
+a town, where I had a meeting at the Cross; and all was pretty quiet.
+When I had declared the truth unto them, and directed them to Christ
+their teacher, some received the truth. We had another meeting upon the
+borders, in a steeple-house yard, to which many professors and
+contenders came; but the Lord’s power was over all; and when the word of
+life had been declared amongst them, some received the truth there also.
+
+From thence we came to CARLISLE, and the pastor of the Baptists, with
+most of his hearers, came to me to the abbey, where I had a meeting, and
+declared the word of life amongst them; and many of the Baptists, and of
+the soldiers, were convinced. After the meeting, the pastor of the
+Baptists, a high notionist, and a flashy man, came to me, and asked me,
+“what must be damned;” I was moved immediately to tell him, “that which
+spoke in him was to be damned.” This stopped his mouth; and the witness
+of God was raised up in him. I opened to him the states of election and
+reprobation, so that he said he never heard the like in his life. He
+also came afterwards to be convinced.
+
+Then I went up to the castle among the soldiers, who beat a drum, and
+called the garrison together. I preached the truth amongst them,
+“directing them to the Lord Jesus Christ to be their teacher, and to the
+measure of his Spirit in themselves, by which they might be turned from
+the darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. I
+warned them all, that they should do no violence to any man, but should
+show forth a Christian life; telling them, that he who was to be their
+teacher, would be their condemner, if they were disobedient to him.” So
+I left them, having no opposition from any of them except the sergeants,
+who afterwards came to be convinced.
+
+On the market-day I went up into the market, to the market-cross. Now
+the magistrates had both threatened and sent their serjeants; and the
+magistrates’ wives had said that if I came there, they would pluck the
+hair off my head; and that the serjeants should take me up.
+Nevertheless, I obeyed the Lord God, and went upon the Cross, and there
+declared unto them, that the day of the Lord was coming upon all their
+deceitful ways and doings, and deceitful merchandize; and that they
+should put away all cozening and cheating, and keep to yea and nay, and
+speak the truth one to another; so the truth and the power of God was
+set over them. After I had declared the word of life to the people, the
+throng became so great that the serjeants could not get to me, nor the
+magistrates’ wives come at me, I passed away quietly. Many people and
+soldiers came to me, and some Baptists, that were bitter contenders;
+amongst whom one of their deacons, being an envious man, and finding the
+Lord’s power was over them, cried out for very anger. Whereupon I set my
+eyes upon him, and spoke sharply to him in the power of the Lord; and he
+cried, “Do not pierce me so with thy eyes; keep thy eyes off me.”
+
+On the First-day following I went into the steeple-house; and after the
+priest had done, I preached the truth to the people, and declared the
+word of life amongst them. The priest got away, and the magistrates
+desired me to go out of the steeple-house. But I still declared the way
+of the Lord unto them, and told them, “I came to speak the word of life
+and salvation from the Lord amongst them.” The power of the Lord was
+dreadful amongst them in the steeple-house, so that the people trembled
+and shook, and they thought the steeple-house shook: and some of them
+feared it would fall down on their heads. The magistrates’ wives were in
+a rage, and strove mightily to be at me: but the soldiers and friendly
+people stood thick about me. At length the rude people of the city rose,
+and came with staves and stones into the steeple-house, crying, “Down
+with these round-headed rogues;” and they threw stones. Whereupon the
+governor sent a file or two of musketeers into the steeple-house, to
+appease the tumult, and commanded all the other soldiers out. So those
+soldiers took me by the hand in a friendly manner, and said they would
+have me along with them. When we came forth into the street, the city
+was in an uproar, and the governor came down; and some of those soldiers
+were put in prison for standing by me, and for me, against the
+town’s-people. A lieutenant, that had been convinced, came, and brought
+me to his house, where there was a Baptists’ meeting, and thither came
+Friends also, and we had a very quiet meeting; they heard the word of
+life gladly, and many received it.
+
+The next day, the justices and magistrates of the town being gathered in
+the townhall, they granted a warrant against me, and sent for me to come
+before them. I was then gone to a Baptist’s house; but hearing of it, I
+went up to the hall to them, where many rude people were; some of whom
+had sworn strange, false things against me. I had much discourse with
+the magistrates, wherein I laid open the fruits of their priests’
+preaching, and showed them how void they were of Christianity; and that,
+though they were such great professors (for they were Independents and
+Presbyterians,) they were without the possession of that which they
+professed. After a large examination they committed me to prison as a
+blasphemer, a heretic, and a seducer; though they could not justly
+charge any such thing against me. The jail at CARLISLE had two jailers,
+an upper and an under, who looked like two great bear-wards. Now when I
+was brought in, the upper jailer had me up into a great chamber, and
+told me, I should have what I would in that room. But I told him, he
+should not expect any money from me, for I would neither lie in any of
+his beds, nor eat any of his victuals. Then he put me into another room;
+where after a while, I got something to lie upon. There I lay till the
+assizes came; and then all the talk was, that I was to be hanged. The
+high sheriff, whose name was Wilfred Lawson, stirred them much up to
+take away my life; and said, he would guard me to my execution himself.
+They were in a great rage, and set three musketeers for a guard upon me;
+one at my chamber door, another at the stairs’ foot, and a third at the
+street door; and they would let none come at me, except one sometimes,
+to bring me some necessary things. At night they would bring up priests
+to me, sometimes as late as the tenth hour; who were exceedingly rude
+and devilish. There was a company of bitter Scotch priests,
+Presbyterians, made up of envy and malice, who were not fit to speak of
+the things of God, they were so foul-mouthed; but the Lord, by his
+power, gave me dominion over them all, and I let them see both their
+fruits and their spirits. Great ladies also (as they were called) came
+to see the man that they said was to die. Now, while both the judge,
+justices, and sheriff, were contriving together how they might put me to
+death, the Lord disappointed their design by an unexpected way; for the
+judge’s clerk (as I was informed,) started a question among them, which
+confounded all their counsels; so that after that they had not power to
+call me before the judge.
+
+Anthony Pearson being then in Carlisle, and perceiving that they did not
+intend to bring me, as was expected, upon my trial, wrote a letter to
+the judges, directed as follows:—
+
+    TO THE JUDGES OF ASSIZE AND JAIL-DELIVERY FOR THE NORTHERN PARTS,
+                           SITTING AT CARLISLE.
+
+  “You are raised up to do righteousness and justice, and sent forth to
+  punish him that doth evil, and to encourage him that doth well, and to
+  set the oppressed free. I am therefore moved to lay before you the
+  condition of George Fox, whom the magistrates of this city have cast
+  into prison, for words that he is accused to have spoken, which they
+  call blasphemy. He was sent to the jail, till he should be delivered
+  by due course of law; and it was expected he should have been
+  proceeded against in the common-law court at this assizes. The
+  informations against him were delivered into court; and the act allows
+  and appoints that way of trial. How hardly and unchristianly he hath
+  been hitherto dealt with, I shall not now mention; but you may
+  consider, that nothing he is accused of is nice and difficult. And, to
+  my knowledge, he utterly abhors and detests every particular, which by
+  the act against blasphemous opinions, is appointed to be punished; and
+  differs as much from those people against whom the law was made, as
+  light from darkness. Though he is committed, judgment is not given
+  against him; nor have his accusers been face to face, to affirm before
+  him what they have informed against him; nor was he heard as to the
+  particulars of their accusations; nor doth it appear, that any word
+  they charge against him, is within the act. But, indeed, I could not
+  yet so much as see the information, no, not in court, though I desired
+  it, both of the clerk of the assizes and of the magistrates’ clerk;
+  nor hath he had a copy of them. This is very hard; and that he should
+  be so closely restrained, that his friends may not speak with him, I
+  know no law nor reason for. I do therefore claim for him a due and
+  lawful hearing, and that he may have a copy of his charge, and freedom
+  to answer for himself; and that rather before you, than to be left to
+  the rulers of this town, who are not competent judges of blasphemy, as
+  by their mittimus appears; who have committed him upon an act of
+  parliament, and mention words as spoken by him at his examination,
+  which are not within the act, and which he utterly denies. The words
+  mentioned in the mittimus he denies to have spoken; and hath neither
+  professed nor avowed them.”
+
+                                                    ANTHONY PEARSON.
+
+Notwithstanding this letter, the judges were resolved not to suffer me
+to be brought before them; but reviling and scoffing at me behind my
+back, left me to the magistrates of the town; giving them what
+encouragement they could to exercise their cruelty upon me. Whereupon
+(though I had been kept up so close in the jailer’s house that Friends
+were not suffered to visit me, and Colonel Benson and Justice Pearson
+were denied to see me,) the next day, after the judges were gone out of
+town, an order was sent to the jailer to put me down into the dungeon
+among the moss-troopers,[29] thieves, and murderers, which accordingly
+he did. A filthy nasty place it was, where men and women were put
+together in a very uncivil manner, and not even a house of convenience
+to it; and the prisoners so lousy that one woman was almost eaten to
+death with lice. Yet, as bad as the place was, the prisoners were all
+made very loving and subject to me; and some of them were convinced of
+the truth, as the publicans and harlots were of old; so that they were
+able to confound any priest, that might come to the grates to dispute.
+But the jailer was very cruel, and the under-jailer very abusive to me
+and to Friends that came to see me; for he would beat Friends with a
+great cudgel, that did but come to the window to look in upon me. I
+could get up to the grate, where sometimes I took in my meat; at which
+the jailer was often offended. One time he came in a great rage, and
+beat me with a great cudgel, though I was not at the grate at that time;
+and as he beat me, he cried, “Come out of the window,” though I was then
+far enough from it. While he struck me, I was made to sing in the Lord’s
+power; and that made him rage the more. Then he fetched a fiddler, and
+brought him in where I was, and set him to play, thinking to vex me
+thereby; but while he played, I was moved in the everlasting power of
+the Lord God to sing; and my voice drowned the noise of the fiddle, and
+struck and confounded them, and made them give over fiddling and go
+their way.
+
+Footnote 29:
+
+  Moss-troopers were the remnant of a kind of freebooters, who infested
+  the borders of England and Scotland in feudal times, making incursions
+  on each other, less for the purpose of contention in arms, than for
+  committing depredations on cattle and property.
+
+Justice Benson’s wife was moved of the Lord to come to visit me, and to
+eat no meat but what she ate with me at the bars of the dungeon window.
+She was afterwards herself imprisoned at YORK, when she was great with
+child, for speaking to a priest; and was kept in prison, and not
+suffered to go out, when the time of her travail was come; so she was
+delivered of her child in the prison. She was an honest, tender woman,
+and continued faithful to the truth until she died.
+
+Whilst I was in the dungeon at CARLISLE, James Parnell, a little lad of
+about sixteen years of age, came to see me, and was convinced. And the
+Lord quickly made him a powerful minister of the word of life, and many
+were turned to Christ by him, though he lived not long: for, travelling
+into ESSEX, in the work of the ministry, in the year 1655, he was
+committed to COLCHESTER castle, where he endured very great hardships
+and sufferings; being put by the cruel jailer into a hole in the castle
+wall, called the oven, so high from the ground, that he went up to it by
+a ladder; which being six feet too short, he was obliged to climb from
+the ladder to the hole by a rope that was fastened above. And when
+Friends would have given him a cord and a basket, to draw up his
+victuals in, the inhuman jailer would not suffer them, but forced him to
+go down and up by that short ladder and rope, to fetch his victuals,
+(which for a long time he did), or else he might have famished in the
+hole. At length, his limbs being much benumbed with lying in that place,
+yet being constrained to go down to take up some victuals, as he came up
+the ladder again with his victuals in one hand, and caught at the rope
+with the other, he missed the rope, and fell down from a very great
+height upon the stones; by which fall he was exceedingly wounded in his
+head and arms, and his body was so much bruised, that he died in a short
+time after.[30] When he was dead, the wicked professors, to cover their
+own cruelty, wrote a book of him, and said, “he fasted himself to
+death;” which was an abominable falsehood, and was manifested so to be
+by another book, which was written in answer to that, and was called
+“The Lamb’s Defence against Lies.”
+
+Footnote 30:
+
+  James Parnell, according to the historian Sewell, was trained up in
+  the schools of literature. Though young, he became a valiant soldier
+  of the Lamb;
+
+                “In age a stripling, but in service old;”
+
+  and died a true martyr in a dungeon’s gloom. Particulars of his
+  barbarous treatment, and consequent death in jail, may be found in
+  Sewell’s _History_, vol. i., under date 1655; and fuller information
+  in his _Life_ by Callaway. In Barclay’s _Letters of early Friends_ is
+  one from James Parnell written from Colchester Castle, wherein he
+  says, “They have laboured to make my bonds grievous, but my strength
+  the Philistines know not: I am kept and nourished in the midst of mine
+  enemies; glory be to God the Highest, who hath counted me worthy to
+  bear the bonds of the gospel.”
+
+Now when I saw that I was not likely to be brought to a public hearing
+and trial (although I had before answered in writing, the particular
+matters charged against me, at the time of my first examination and
+commitment), I was moved to send the following paper, as a public
+challenge to all those that belied the truth and me behind my back, to
+come forth and make good their charge:—
+
+  “If any in Westmorland, or Cumberland, or elsewhere, that profess
+  Christianity, and pretend to love God and Christ, are not satisfied
+  concerning the things of God, which I, who am called George Fox, have
+  spoken and declared, let them declare and publish their
+  dissatisfaction in writing, and not back-bite, nor lie, nor persecute,
+  in secret: this I demand of you all in the presence of the living God,
+  as ye will answer it to him. For the exaltation of the truth, and the
+  confounding of deceit, is this given forth. To that of God in your
+  consciences I speak; declare or write your dissatisfaction to any of
+  them, whom you call Quakers, that truth may be exalted, and all may
+  come to the light, with which Christ has enlightened every one that
+  cometh into the world: that nothing may be hid in darkness, in
+  prisons, holes, or corners, but that all things may be brought to the
+  light of Christ, and by the light of Christ may be tried. This am I
+  moved of the Lord to write, and send forth to be set upon the
+  market-crosses in Westmorland, and elsewhere. To the light of Christ
+  in you I speak, that none of you may speak evil of the things of God,
+  which you know not; nor act contrary to the light, that gave forth the
+  Scriptures; lest you be found fighters against God, and the hand of
+  the Lord be turned against you.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+While I thus lay in the dungeon at CARLISLE, the report raised at the
+time of the assize, “that I should be put to death,” was gone far and
+near; insomuch that the parliament then sitting (which, I think, was
+called the Little Parliament), hearing, that a young man at CARLISLE was
+to die for religion, caused a letter to be sent to the sheriff and
+magistrates concerning me. About the same time I wrote also to the
+justices at CARLISLE, that had cast me into prison, and that persecuted
+Friends at the instigation of the priests for tithes; expostulating the
+matter with them thus:—
+
+  “FRIENDS, THOMAS CRASTON AND CUTHBERT STUDHOLM.
+
+  “Your noise is gone up to London before the sober people. What
+  imprisoning, what gagging, what havoc and spoiling of the goods of
+  people have you made within these few years! Unlike men; as though you
+  had never read the Scriptures, or had not minded them! Is this the end
+  of Carlisle’s religion? is this the end of your ministry; and is this
+  the end of your church, and of your profession of Christianity? You
+  have shamed it by your folly, your madness, and blind zeal. Was it not
+  always the work of the blind guides, watchmen, leaders, and false
+  prophets, to prepare war against them that would not put into their
+  mouths? And have not you been the priests’ pack-horses, and
+  executioners? When they spur you up to bear the sword against the
+  just, do not you run on against the creatures, that cannot hold up
+  such as the Scriptures did always testify against? Yet will you lift
+  up your unholy hands, and call upon God with your polluted lips, and
+  pretend a fast, who are full of strife and debate. Did your hearts
+  never burn within you? Did you never come to question your conditions?
+  Are you wholly given up to do the Devil’s lusts, to persecute? Where
+  is your loving of enemies? Where is your entertaining of strangers?
+  Where is your overcoming evil with good? Where are your teachers that
+  can stop the mouths of gainsayers, and can convince gainsayers and
+  such as oppose themselves? Have you no ministers of the Spirit, no
+  soldiers with spiritual weapons displaying Christ’s colours? But all
+  the dragon’s, the murderer’s, the persecutor’s arm of flesh; Cain’s
+  weapons, chief priests taking counsel; Judas and the multitude with
+  swords and staves; Sodom’s company raging about Lot’s house; like the
+  priests and princes against Jeremiah; like the dragon, beast, and
+  great whore, and the false church, which John saw, should cast into
+  prison, and kill, and persecute? Whose weapons are you bearing? Doth
+  not the false church make merchandise of cattle, corn, wine, and oil,
+  even to the very souls of men? And hath not all this been since the
+  true church went into the wilderness? Read Revelations the xiith, with
+  the xviiith: do you not read and see what a spirit you are of, and
+  what a bottomless pit you are in? And have not you dishonoured the
+  place of justice and authority? What! turned your sword backward like
+  madmen, who are a praise to the evil-doer, and would be a terror to
+  the good, with all force and might to stop the way of justice! Doth
+  not the Lord, think you, behold your actions? How many have you
+  wronged? how many have you imprisoned and persecuted, and put out of
+  your synagogues? Are you they that must fulfil the prophecy of Christ,
+  Matt. xxiii. John xvi.?
+
+  “Read the Scriptures, and see how unlike you are to the prophets,
+  Christ, and his apostles; and what a visage you have, like unto them
+  that persecuted the prophets, Christ, and the apostles. You are found
+  in their steps, wrestling with flesh and blood, and not with
+  principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickedness, and your
+  teachers imprisoning and persecuting for outward things, you being
+  their executioners; the like whereof hath not been in all the nations.
+  The havoc that hath been made, the spoiling of the goods of people,
+  taking away their oxen and fatted beeves, their sheep, corn, wool, and
+  household goods, and giving them to the priests, that have done no
+  work for them; more like moss-troopers than ministers of the gospel,
+  they take them from Friends; sueing them in your courts, and fining
+  them because they will not break the commands of Christ; that is,
+  because they will not swear. Thus you act against them that do not
+  lift up a hand against you; and as much as you turn against them you
+  turn against Christ. But he is risen that will plead their cause, and
+  you cannot be hid; for your works are come to light, and the end of
+  your ministry is seen, what it is for—for means. You have dishonoured
+  the truth, the gospel, and are they that make it chargeable. You have
+  lost your glory. You have dishonoured yourselves. Persecution was ever
+  blind and mad. Read the apostle, what he saith of himself, when he was
+  in your nature. Exaltation and pride, and your lifting up yourselves,
+  hath brought you to this; not being humble, not doing justice, not
+  loving mercy. When such as have been beaten and bruised by your rude
+  company, to whom you are a praise and encouragement, have come, and
+  laid things before you, that you might do justice, preserve and keep
+  peace, you, knowing they could not swear, have put an oath to them.
+  This hath been your trick and cover, that ye might not do justice to
+  the just; but by this means you have gone on still further to
+  encourage the evil-doer. But the Lord sees your hearts! If ye were not
+  men past feeling, ye would fear and tremble before the God of the
+  whole earth, who is risen and will stain your glory, mar your pride,
+  deface your beauty, and lay it in the dust. Though for a time you may
+  swell in your pride, glory in your shame, and make a mock of God’s
+  messengers, who for reproving sin in the gate, are become your prey,
+  you will feel the heavy hand of God, and his judgments at the last.
+
+  “This is from a lover of the truth, and of righteousness, and of your
+  souls; but a witness against all such as make a trade of the
+  prophets’, Christ’s, and the Apostles’ words, and are found in the
+  steps of them that persecuted the prophets’, Christ’s, and the
+  Apostles’ life; who will persecute them, that will not hold you up,
+  and put into your mouths, and give you means. Tithes were before the
+  law, and tithes were in the law; but tithes, since the days of the
+  apostles, have been only since the false church got up. Now Christ,
+  who is come to end the law, and to end war, redeems men out of the
+  tenths, and out of the nines also. The redeemed of the Lord shall
+  reign upon the earth, and know the election, which was before the
+  world began. Since the days of the apostles, tithes have been set up
+  by the Papists, and by them that went forth from the apostles into the
+  world; so set up by the false church, that made merchandise of people,
+  since the true church went into the wilderness. But now is the
+  judgment of the great whore come, and the beast and false prophet, the
+  old dragon, shall be taken and cast in the fire, and the Lamb and his
+  saints shall have the victory. Now is Christ come, who will make war
+  in righteousness, and destroy with the sword of his mouth all these
+  inventors and inventions, that have got up, and been set up since the
+  days of the apostles, and since the true church went into the
+  wilderness. And the everlasting gospel, which is the power of God,
+  shall be preached again to all nations, and kindreds and tongues, in
+  this the Lamb’s day, before whom you shall appear to judgment. You
+  have no way to escape. For He hath appeared, who is ‘the First and the
+  Last, the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and the Omega; He that
+  was dead, is alive again, and lives for evermore!’”
+
+I mentioned before that Gervase Benson and Anthony Pearson, though they
+had been justices of the peace, were not permitted to come to me in the
+prison; whereupon they jointly wrote a letter to the magistrates,
+priests, and people at CARLISLE, concerning my imprisonment; which was
+thus:—
+
+  “Him, who is called George Fox, who is persecuted by rulers and
+  magistrates, by justices, by priests, and by people, and who suffers
+  imprisonment of his body at this present, as a blasphemer, and a
+  heretic, and a seducer, him do we witness, who in measure are made
+  partakers of the same life, that lives in him, to be a minister of the
+  eternal Word of God, by whom the everlasting gospel is preached; by
+  the powerful preaching whereof the eternal Father of the saints hath
+  opened the blind eyes, hath unstopped the deaf ears, hath let the
+  oppressed go free, and hath raised up the dead out of the graves.
+  Christ is now preached in and among the saints, the same that ever he
+  was; and because his heavenly image is borne up in this his faithful
+  servant, therefore doth fallen man (rulers, priests, and people)
+  persecute him. Because he lives up out of the fall, and testifies
+  against the works of the world, that the deeds thereof are evil, he
+  suffers by you magistrates; not as an evil-doer. For thus it was ever,
+  where the seed of God was kept in prison under the cursed nature, that
+  nature sought to imprison them in whom it was raised. The Lord will
+  make him to you as a burdensome stone; for the sword of the spirit of
+  the Almighty is put into the hands of the saints, which shall wound
+  all the wicked, and shall not be put up till it hath cut down all
+  corrupt judges, justices, magistrates, priests, and professors; till
+  he hath brought his wonderful thing to pass in the earth; which is to
+  make new heavens and a new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness;
+  which now he is about to do. Therefore fear the Lord God Almighty, ye
+  judges, justices, commanders, priests, and people; ye that forget God,
+  suddenly will the Lord come, and destroy you with utter destruction,
+  and will sweep your names out of the earth, and will restore his
+  people judges, as at the first, and counsellors, as at the beginning.
+  And all persecutors shall partake of the plagues of the whore, who
+  hath made the kings of the earth and the great men drunk with the wine
+  of her fornications, and hath drunk the blood of the saints; and
+  therefore shall you be partakers of her plagues.
+
+  “We are not suffered to see our friend in prison, whom we witness to
+  be a messenger of the living God. Now all people, consider whether
+  this be according to law, or from the wicked, perverse, envious will
+  of the envious rulers and magistrates, who are of the same generation
+  that persecuted Jesus Christ; for, said he, ‘as they have done to me,
+  so will they do to you.’ And as he took the love, the kindness, and
+  service that was showed and performed to any of his afflicted ones in
+  their sufferings and distress, as done unto himself, so the injuries
+  and wrongs that were done by any to any of his little ones, he
+  resented, as done unto himself also. Therefore you, who are so far
+  from visiting him yourselves in his suffering servant, that ye will
+  not suffer his brethren to visit him, ye must depart, ye workers of
+  iniquity, into the lake that burns with fire. The Lord is coming to
+  thrash the mountains, and will beat them to dust; and all corrupt
+  rulers, corrupt officers, and corrupt laws, the Lord will take
+  vengeance on, by which the tender consciences of his people are
+  oppressed. He will give his people his law, and will judge his people
+  himself, not according to the sight of the eye, and hearing of the
+  ear, but with righteousness, and with equity. Now are your hearts made
+  manifest to be full of envy against the living truth of God, which is
+  made manifest in his people, who are contemned and dispised of the
+  world, and scornfully called Quakers. You are worse than the heathens,
+  that put Paul in prison, for none of his friends or acquaintance were
+  hindered to come to him by them; therefore they shall be witnesses
+  against you. Ye are made manifest to the saints, to be of the same
+  generation that put Christ to death, and that put the apostles in
+  prison on the same pretence that you act under, in calling truth
+  error, and the ministers of God blasphemers, as they did. But the day
+  is dreadful and terrible, that shall come upon you, ye evil
+  magistrates, priests and people, who profess the truth in words
+  outwardly, and yet persecute the power of truth, and them that stand
+  in and for the truth. While ye have time prize it, and remember what
+  is written, Isa. liv. 17.”
+
+                                                    GERVASE BENSON.
+                                                    ANTHONY PEARSON.
+
+Not long after this, the Lord’s power came over the justices, and they
+were made to set me at liberty. But some time previous, the governor,
+and Anthony Pearson, came down into the dungeon to see the place where I
+was kept, and understand what usage I had. They found the place so bad,
+and the savour so ill, that they cried shame on the magistrates for
+suffering the jailer to do such things. They called for the jailers into
+the dungeon, and required them to find sureties for their good
+behaviour; and the under-jailer who had been such a cruel fellow, they
+put into the dungeon with me, amongst the moss-troopers.
+
+After I was set at liberty, I went to Thomas Bewley’s, where came a
+Baptist teacher to oppose me; but he was convinced. Robert Widders being
+with me, was moved to go to CALDBECK steeple-house, and the Baptist
+teacher went along with him the same day. The people fell upon them, and
+almost killed Robert Widders; and took the Baptist’s sword from him and
+beat him sorely. This Baptist had the inheritance of an impropriation of
+tithes; and he went home, and gave it up freely. Robert Widders was sent
+to CARLISLE jail, where having lain a while, he was set at liberty
+again.[31] William Dewsbury also went to another steeple-house hard by,
+and the people almost killed him, they beat him so; but the Lord’s power
+was over all, and healed him again. In that day many Friends went into
+the steeple-houses, to declare the truth to the priests and people, and
+great sufferings they underwent; but the Lord’s power sustained them.
+
+Footnote 31:
+
+  Robert Widders is often mentioned in this Journal, having travelled
+  with George Fox in Scotland, as also in many parts of America. They
+  went through great perils by sea and land, in the wilderness and in
+  woods, in danger of wild beasts; yet through all the Lord supported
+  him, and kept him faithful to the end. He was valiant for God’s truth,
+  establishing many in the faith. He was a great sufferer from
+  persecutors; once, at Caldbeck, he was thrown down on the ground, and
+  kicked and beaten so cruelly, that blood gushed out of his mouth, and
+  he was supposed to be dead. At Lamplugh, his clothes were torn on his
+  back, and the hair from off his head; and at Bishop-Auckland, he was
+  stoned and sorely bruised. His cattle, corn, and household goods were
+  also swept away by wholesale, yet he was not at all dejected or
+  concerned, knowing well for what he suffered. He was much resigned
+  during his last sickness, often saying on his death-bed, “his heart
+  was filled with the love of God;” and he departed this life in great
+  peace in 1686, aged sixty-eight years.
+
+Now I went into the country, and had mighty great meetings. The
+everlasting gospel and word of life flourished, and thousands were
+turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his teaching. Several that had
+taken tithes, as impropriators, denied the receiving of them any longer,
+and delivered them up freely to the parishioners. Passing into
+WESTMORLAND, I had many great meetings. At STRICKLAND-HEAD I had a large
+meeting, where a justice of peace out of Bishoprick, whose name was
+Henry Draper, came, and many contenders were there. The priests and
+magistrates were in a great rage against me in WESTMORLAND, and had a
+warrant to apprehend me, which they renewed from time to time, for a
+long time; yet the Lord did not suffer them to serve it upon me. I
+travelled on amongst Friends, visiting the meetings till I came to
+SWARTHMORE, where I heard that the Baptists and professors in Scotland
+had sent to have a dispute with me. I sent them word, that I would meet
+them in CUMBERLAND, at Thomas Bewley’s house, whither accordingly I
+went, but none of them came.
+
+Some dangers at this time I underwent in my travels; for at one time, as
+we were passing from a meeting, and going through WIGTON on a
+market-day, the people of the town had set a guard with pitch-forks; and
+although some of their own neighbours were with us, they kept us out of
+the town, and would not let us pass through it, under the pretence of
+preventing the sickness; though there was no occasion for any such
+thing. However, they fell upon us, and had like to have spoiled us and
+our horses; but the Lord restrained them, that they did not much hurt;
+and we passed away. Another time, as I was passing between two Friends’
+houses, some rude fellows lay in wait in a lane, and exceedingly stoned
+and abused us; but at last, through the Lord’s assistance, we got
+through them, and had not much hurt. But this showed the fruits of the
+priest’s teaching, which shamed their profession of Christianity.
+
+After I had visited Friends in that county, I went through the county
+into DURHAM, having large meetings by the way. A very large one I had at
+Anthony Pearson’s, where many were convinced. From thence I passed
+through NORTHUMBERLAND to DERWENT-WATER, where there were great
+meetings; and the priests threatened that they would come, but none
+came. The everlasting word of life was freely preached, and freely
+received; and many hundreds were turned to Christ, their teacher.
+
+In NORTHUMBERLAND many came to dispute, of whom some pleaded against
+perfection: unto whom I declared, “that Adam and Eve were perfect before
+they fell; and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection
+came by the Devil, and the fall; but Christ, that came to destroy the
+Devil, said, ‘Be ye perfect.’” One of the professors alleged that Job
+said, “Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not
+clean in his sight. God charged his angels with folly.” But I showed him
+his mistake, and let him see, “that it was not Job that said so, but one
+of those that contended against Job; for Job stood for perfection, and
+held his integrity: and they were called miserable comforters.” Then
+these professors said, the outward body was the body of death and sin. I
+showed them their mistake in that also; for “Adam and Eve had each of
+them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them;
+and that man and woman will have bodies, when the body of sin and death
+is put off again; when they are renewed up into the image of God again
+by Christ Jesus, which they were in before they fell.” So they ceased at
+that time from opposing further; and glorious meetings we had in the
+Lord’s power.
+
+Then we passed on to HEXHAM, where we had a great meeting at the top of
+a hill. The priest threatened he would come, and oppose us, but he came
+not; so that all was quiet; and the everlasting day, and renowned truth
+of the ever-living God was sounded over those dark countries, and his
+Son exalted over all. It was proclaimed amongst the people that “the day
+was now come, wherein all that made a profession of the Son of God,
+might receive him; and that to as many as would receive him, he would
+give power to become the sons of God, as he had done to me.” And it was
+further declared, that “he that had the Son of God, had life eternal;
+but that he that had not the Son of God (though he professed all the
+Scriptures, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelations),
+had not life.” After all were directed to the light of Christ, by which
+they might see him and receive him, and know where their true teacher
+was, and the everlasting truth had been largely declared amongst them,
+we passed away through HEXHAM peaceably, and came to GILSLAND, a country
+noted for thieving.
+
+Here a Friend seeing the priest, went to speak to him; whereupon the
+latter came down to our inn, and the town’s-people gathered about us.
+The priest said, he would prove us deceivers out of the Bible, but could
+find no Scripture for his purpose. Then he went into the inn; and after
+a while came out again, and brought some broken sentences of Scripture,
+that mention “the doctrines and commandments of men, &c., and, touch
+not, taste not, &c., for they perish with the using.” All which, poor
+man! was his own condition; whereas we were persecuted, because we would
+not taste, nor touch, nor handle their doctrines and traditions, which
+we knew perished with the using. I asked him what he called the
+steeple-house? “O,” said he, “the dreadful house of God, the temple of
+God.” Then I showed him, and the poor dark people, that their bodies
+should be the temples of God; and that Christ never commanded these
+temples, but ended that temple at Jerusalem, which God had commanded.
+While I was speaking, the priest got away; and afterwards the people
+appeared as if they feared we would take their purses, or steal their
+horses; judging us like themselves, who are naturally given to thieving.
+
+The next day we came through the country into CUMBERLAND again, where we
+had a general meeting of many thousands of people at the top of a hill
+near LANGLANDS. A glorious and heavenly meeting it was; for the glory of
+the Lord did shine over all; and there were as many as one could well
+speak over, the multitude was so great. Their eyes were fixed on Christ
+their teacher; and they came to sit under their own vine; insomuch that
+Francis Howgill, coming afterwards to visit them, found they had no need
+of words; for they were sitting under their teacher Christ Jesus; in the
+sense whereof, he sat down amongst them, without speaking anything. A
+great convincement there was in CUMBERLAND, DURHAM, NORTHUMBERLAND,
+WESTMORLAND, LANCASHIRE, and YORKSHIRE; and the plants of God grew, and
+flourished, the heavenly rain descending, and God’s glory shining upon
+them, so that many mouths were opened by the Lord to his praise; yea, to
+babes and sucklings he ordained strength.
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER VII.
+
+1653-1654.—George Fox disputes most of the day with priest
+    Wilkinson—many Friends lose their business for declining the world’s
+    salutations, but afterwards their tried faithfulness and integrity
+    procure them more than their neighbours—George Fox issues an address
+    to Friends everywhere—two persecuting justices at Carlisle are cut
+    off, and a third disgraced—George Fox passes through Halifax, a rude
+    town of professors—at Synderhill-Green he has a mighty meeting of
+    some thousands, and there was a general convincement—about sixty
+    ministers are now raised up in the north, to travel towards the
+    south, the east, and the west, in Truth’s service—George Fox’s
+    address to Friends in the ministry—Rice Jones and many other false
+    prophets rise up against Friends and are blasted—a wicked man binds
+    himself with an oath to kill George Fox, but is prevented—great
+    convincement in Lincolnshire—at Swannington George Fox has much
+    controversy with professors—has a great dispute with priest Stevens,
+    and seven other priests at Drayton—his father being present was
+    convinced, and said, “Truly I see he that will but stand to the
+    truth, it will carry him out”—Priest Stevens propagates lies
+    respecting George Fox, which the Lord swept away—is taken before
+    Colonel Hacker, who sends him to the Protector—speaks prophetically
+    to the Colonel—has a friendly conference with the Protector—is
+    dismissed by him very friendly—refuses his entertainment—Captain
+    Drury scoffs at trembling, but is made to tremble in a remarkable
+    manner—George Fox prays with some officers, who are greatly shaken
+    by the Lord’s power—priests and professors greatly disturbed because
+    many of their people are convinced, and moved to declare against the
+    rest.
+
+
+After my release from CARLISLE prison, I was moved to go to priest
+Wilkinson’s steeple-house again at BRIGHAM; and being got in before him,
+when he came in, I was declaring the truth to the people, though they
+were but few; for the most and the best of his hearers were turned to
+Christ’s free teaching; and we had a meeting of Friends hard by, where
+Thomas Stubbs was declaring the word of life amongst them. As soon as
+the priest came in, he opposed me; and there we stayed most part of the
+day; for when I began, he opposed me; so if any law was broken, he broke
+it. When his people would be haling me out, I manifested his fruits to
+be such, as Christ spoke of, when he said, “they shall hale you out of
+their synagogues;” and then he would be ashamed, and they would let me
+alone. There he stood till it was almost night, jangling and opposing
+me, and would not go to his dinner; for he thought to weary me out. But
+at last, the Lord’s power and truth came so over him, that he packed
+away with his people. When he was gone, I went to the meeting of
+Friends, who were turned to the Lord, and by his power established on
+Christ, the rock and foundation of the true prophets and apostles, but
+not of the false.
+
+About this time the priests and professors fell to prophesying against
+us afresh. They had said long before, that we should be destroyed within
+a month; and after that, they prolonged the time to half-a-year; but
+that time being long expired, and we mightily increased in number, they
+now gave forth, that we would eat out one another. For often after
+meetings, many tender people having a great way to go, tarried at
+Friends’ houses by the way, and sometimes more than there were beds to
+lodge in; so that some have lain on the hay-mows; hereupon Cain’s fear
+possessed the professors and world’s people. For they were afraid, that
+when we had eaten one another out, we would all come to be maintained by
+the parishes, and be chargeable to them. But after a while, when they
+saw that the Lord blessed and increased Friends, as he did Abraham, both
+in the field and in the basket, at their goings forth, and comings in,
+at their risings up and lyings down, and that all things prospered with
+them; then they saw the falseness of all their prophesies against us;
+and that it was in vain to curse, where God had blessed.
+
+At the first convincement, when Friends could not put off their hats to
+people, or say You to a single person, but Thou and Thee;—when they
+could not bow, or use flattering words in salutations, or adopt the
+fashions and customs of the world, many Friends, that were tradesmen of
+several sorts, lost their customers at first; for the people were shy of
+them, and would not trade with them; so that for a time some Friends
+could hardly get money enough to buy bread. But afterwards, when people
+came to have experience of Friends’ honesty and faithfulness, and found
+that their yea was yea, and their nay was nay; that they kept to a word
+in their dealings, and that they would not cozen and cheat them; but
+that if they sent a child to their shops for anything, they were as well
+used as if they had come themselves; the lives and conversation of
+Friends did preach, and reached to the witness of God in the people.
+Then things altered so, that all the inquiry was, “where is there a
+draper, or shopkeeper, or tailor, or shoemaker, or any other tradesman,
+that is a Quaker?” Insomuch that Friends had more trade than many of
+their neighbours, and if there was any trading, they had a great part of
+it. Then the envious professors altered their note, and began to cry
+out, “if we let these Quakers alone, they will take the trade of the
+nation out of our hands.” This has been the Lord’s doing to and for his
+people! which my desire is, that all, who profess his holy truth, may be
+kept truly sensible of, and that all may be preserved, in and by his
+power and Spirit, faithful to God and man; first to God, in obeying him
+in all things; and then in doing unto all men, that which is just and
+righteous, to all men and women, in all things, that they have to do or
+deal with them in; that the Lord God may be glorified in their
+practising truth, holiness, godliness, and righteousness, amongst people
+in all their lives and conversation.
+
+Friends being now grown very numerous in the northern parts of the
+nation, and many young-convinced ones coming daily in among us, I was
+moved of the Lord to write the following epistle, and send it forth
+amongst them, in order to stir up the pure mind, and raise a holy care
+and watchfulness in them over themselves, and one another, for the
+honour of truth:—
+
+  “_To you all, Friends everywhere, scattered abroad_.
+
+  “In the measure of the life of God, wait for wisdom from God, even
+  from him, from whom it comes. And all ye, who are children of God,
+  wait for living food from the living God, to be nourished up to
+  eternal life, from the one fountain, from whence life comes; that ye
+  may all be guided and walk in order; servants in your places, young
+  men and women in your places, and rulers of families; that every one,
+  in your respective places, may adorn the truth, in the measure of it.
+  With it let your minds be kept up to the Lord Jesus, from whom it
+  comes, that ye may be a sweet savour to God, and in wisdom ye may all
+  be ordered and ruled;—that a crown and a glory ye may be one to
+  another in the Lord. And that no strife, bitterness, or self-will, may
+  appear amongst you; but with the Light, in which is unity, all these
+  may be condemned. And that every one in particular, may see to, and
+  take care of, the ordering and ruling of his own family; that in
+  righteousness and wisdom it may be governed, the fear and dread of the
+  Lord being set in every one’s heart; that the secrets of the Lord
+  every one may come to receive; that stewards of his grace you may come
+  to be, to dispense it to every one as they have need; and so in
+  savouring and right discerning you may all be kept; that nothing, that
+  is contrary to the pure life of God, may be brought forth in you, or
+  among you; but all that is contrary to it, may be judged by it; so
+  that in light, in life, and love, ye may all live, and all that is
+  contrary to the light, and life, and love, may be brought to judgment,
+  and by that light condemned. And that no fruitless trees be among you;
+  but all cut down and condemned by the light, and cast into the fire;
+  so that every one may bear and bring forth fruit unto God, and grow
+  fruitful in his knowledge, and in his wisdom; and that none may appear
+  in words beyond what they are in the life, that gave forth the words.
+  Here none shall be as the untimely figs; none shall be of those trees
+  whose fruit withers; such go in Cain’s way, from the light, and by it
+  are condemned.
+
+  “Let none amongst you boast yourselves above your measure; for if you
+  do, out of God’s kingdom you are excluded; for in that boasting part
+  gets up the pride, and the strife, which is contrary to the light,
+  that leads to the kingdom of God, and gives an entrance thereinto, and
+  an understanding to know the things that belong to the kingdom of God.
+  There the light and life of man every one receives, even Him who was,
+  before the world was, by whom it was made, who is the righteousness of
+  God, and his wisdom; to whom all glory, honour, thanks, and praise
+  belong, who is God blessed for ever. Let no image or likeness be made;
+  but wait in the light, which will bring condemnation on that part that
+  would make the images; for that prisons the just. So to the lust yield
+  not the eye, nor the flesh; for the pride of life stands in that which
+  keeps out the love of the Father; and upon which his judgments and
+  wrath remain, where the love of the world is sought after, and a crown
+  that is mortal. In this ground the evil enters, which is cursed; which
+  brings forth briars and thorns, where death reigns, and tribulation
+  and anguish are upon every soul, and the Egyptian tongue is heard; all
+  which is by the light condemned. There the earth is, which must be
+  removed; by the light it is seen, and by the power it is removed, and
+  out of its place it is shaken; to which the thunders utter their
+  voices, before the mysteries of God be opened, and Jesus revealed.
+  Therefore all ye whose minds are turned to this light, wait upon the
+  Lord Jesus for the crown that is immortal, and that fadeth not away.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+  “This is to be sent amongst all Friends in the truth, the flock of
+  God, to be read at their meetings.”
+
+While Friends abode in the northern parts, a priest of WREXHAM, in
+Wales, whose name was Morgan Floyd, having heard reports concerning us,
+sent two of his congregation into the North to inquire concerning us, to
+try us, and bring him an account of us. But when these triers came down
+amongst us, the power of the Lord overcame them, and they were both
+convinced of the truth. So they stayed some time with us, and then
+returned to Wales; where afterwards one of them departed from his
+convincement; but the other, whose name was John-ap-John, abode in the
+truth, and received a part in the ministry, in which he continued
+faithful.
+
+Now were the priests greatly disturbed at NEWCASTLE, at KENDAL, and in
+most of the northern counties. There being one Gilpin, that had
+sometimes come amongst us at KENDAL, and soon run out from the truth
+into vain imaginations, the priests made what evil use they could of him
+against us; but the Lord’s power confounded them all. And the Lord God
+cut off two of the persecuting justices at CARLISLE; and the other,
+after a time, was turned out of his place, and left the town.
+
+About this time the oath or engagement to OLIVER CROMWELL, was tendered
+to the soldiers; many of whom were disbanded, because, in obedience to
+Christ, they could not swear. John Stubbs was one, who was convinced
+when I was in CARLISLE prison, and became a good soldier in the Lamb’s
+war, and a faithful minister of Christ Jesus, travelling much in the
+service of the Lord in Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Egypt, and
+America. And the Lord’s power preserved him out of the hands of the
+Papists, though many times he was in great danger of the Inquisition.
+But some of the soldiers who had been convinced, but had not come into
+obedience to the truth, took Cromwell’s oath; and going afterwards into
+Scotland, and coming before a garrison there, the garrison thinking they
+had been enemies, fired at them, and killed many of them; which was a
+sad judgment.
+
+When the churches were settled in the North, and Friends were sat down
+under Christ’s teaching, and the glory of the Lord shone over them, I
+passed from SWARTHMORE to LANCASTER (about the beginning of the year
+1654,) and so through the counties, visiting Friends till I came to
+SYNDERHILL-GREEN,[32] where a meeting was appointed three weeks before;
+leaving the North fresh and green, under Christ their teacher. But
+before I came to SYNDERHILL-GREEN, we passed through HALIFAX, a rude
+town of professors, and came to one, Thomas Taylor’s, who had been a
+captain, where we met with some janglers; but the Lord’s power was over
+all; for I travelled in the motion of God’s power. When I came to
+SYNDERHILL-GREEN, there was a mighty meeting, some thousands of people
+(as it was supposed). Many persons of note were there, as captains and
+other officers; and there was a general convincement; for the Lord’s
+power and truth was over all, and there was no opposition.
+
+Footnote 32:
+
+  Near Handsworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire.
+
+About this time did the Lord move upon the spirits of many, whom he had
+raised up, and sent forth to labour in his vineyard, to travel
+southwards, and spread themselves, in the service of the gospel, to the
+eastern, southern, and western parts of the nation; as Francis Howgill
+and Edward Burrough to LONDON; John Camm and John Audland to BRISTOL;
+Richard Hubberthorn and George Whitehead[33] towards NORWICH; Thomas
+Holmes[34] into Wales, and others different ways; for above sixty
+ministers had the Lord raised up, and now sent abroad out of the North
+country. The sense of their service being very weighty upon me, I was
+moved to give forth the following paper:—
+
+        “_To Friends in the Ministry._
+
+  “All Friends everywhere, Know the Seed of God, which bruiseth the seed
+  of the serpent, and is above the seed of the serpent; which Seed sins
+  not, but bruiseth the serpent’s head, that doth sin, and tempts to
+  sin; which Seed God’s promise and God’s blessing is to; and which is
+  one in the male and in the female. Where it is head, and hath bruised
+  the head of the other, to the beginning you are come; and the younger
+  is known, and he that is servant to the younger. And the promise of
+  God, which is to the Seed, is fulfilled and fulfilling; the Scriptures
+  come to be opened and owned; the flesh of Christ known, who took upon
+  him the seed of Abraham according to the flesh; and the everlasting
+  priesthood known, the everlasting covenant. Christ takes upon him the
+  seed of Abraham, and is a priest after the order of Melchizedek;
+  without father, without mother, without beginning of days (mark) or
+  end of life; this is the priest that ever lives; the covenant of life,
+  of light and peace. And the everlasting offering here is known once
+  for all, which offering overthrows that nature which offered; out of
+  which the priesthood arose, that could not continue by reason of
+  death. And here is the other offering known, the everlasting offering
+  which perfects for ever them that are sanctified; which offering
+  blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances, triumphs over them, and
+  ascends above all principalities and powers.
+
+  “Now he that hath the Spirit of Jesus, sees this; and here is the love
+  of God received, that doth not rejoice in iniquity, but leads to
+  repent of it. This is the word of the Lord God to you all, Friends
+  everywhere scattered abroad, Know the power of God in one another, and
+  in that rejoice; for then you rejoice in the cross of Christ, who is
+  not of the world; which cross is the power of God to all them that are
+  saved. You, that know the power, and feel the power, you feel the
+  cross of Christ, you feel the gospel, which is the power of God unto
+  salvation to every one that believeth. Now, he that believes in the
+  light, believes in the everlasting covenant, in the one offering;
+  comes to the life of the prophets and Moses; comes to see Christ the
+  hope, the mystery, which hope perisheth not, but lets you see the hope
+  that perisheth, which is not that mystery; and the expectation in that
+  perishing hope fades. Where this never-failing hope is witnessed, the
+  Lord comes to be sanctified in the heart, and you come to the
+  beginning, to Christ the hope, which perisheth not; but the other
+  hope, and the other expectation perisheth. So all of you, know the
+  perishing of the other, and the failing of the expectation therein;
+  and know that which perisheth not; that you may be ready to give a
+  reason of this hope with meekness and fear, to every man that asketh
+  you. Christ the hope, the mystery, that perisheth not; the end of all
+  perishing things, the end of all changeable things, the end of the
+  decaying covenant, the end of that which waxeth old and doth decay;
+  the end of the first covenant, of Moses, and of the prophets; the
+  righteousness of God, Christ Jesus the Son; his throne ye will know,
+  heirs with him ye will be; who makes his children kings and priests to
+  him, and brings them to know his throne and his power.
+
+  “There is no justification out of the light, out of Christ;
+  justification is in the light in Christ; here is the doer of the will
+  of God, here is the entering into the kingdom. He that believes in the
+  light, becomes a child of light; and here the wisdom is received that
+  is justified of her children. Here believing in the light, you shall
+  not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of life; and come
+  every one to witness the light that shines in your hearts, which light
+  will give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the
+  face of Jesus Christ. With which light you will see him reign, who is
+  the prince of life and of peace; which light turns from him, that is
+  out of the truth, and abode not in it; where the true peace is not.
+
+  “Friends, be not hasty; for he that believes in the light, makes not
+  haste. Here the grace is received, by which you come to be saved; the
+  election is known, which obtains the promise; the will is seen that
+  wills; the mind is known that runs and obtains not, but stops and
+  becomes dull. Now, that with the light being seen, and judged, and
+  stopped, the patience is here known which obtains the crown, and the
+  immortality is come to light. So all they now that act contrary to the
+  light, and do not believe in it, do not come to justification. And,
+  all Friends, if you go from the light, from wanting to have the
+  promise of God fulfilled to the Seed, whereby you may know Christ to
+  reign, you thereby bring on yourselves changeable garments, and come
+  to wear the changeable garments, and the strange flesh, which leads to
+  adultery, which the law goes upon, which shuts out of the kingdom: and
+  out of this will doth proceed the work or building, that is for the
+  fire; whereby you may come to suffer loss. Therefore love the light,
+  which doth condemn that, and receive the power from the Lord, with
+  which you stand over that, and condemn it: feeling and seeing that
+  which gives you the victory over the world, and to see out of time, to
+  before time.
+
+  “Again Friends, know Abraham, that must obey the voice of Sarah, that
+  bears seed; which casts forth the bondwoman and her son: do not go
+  forth, there will the wildness lodge. Know that which bears the wild
+  son, and its mother, who is not Sarah; for the promise is to the Seed,
+  not of many, but one, which seed is Christ: and this Seed now you come
+  to witness stands above all, yea, on the head of the serpent. And so
+  all, as I said before, who come to feel and witness this, come to the
+  beginning; and this to all the seed of God, the church, that it you
+  all may come to know, where there is no blemish, nor spot, nor
+  wrinkle, nor any such thing. This is that which is purchased by the
+  blood of Jesus, and to the Father presented out of all that defiles;
+  which is the pillar and ground of truth. None come to this, but such
+  as come to the light of Christ, who purchased this church. They who go
+  from the light are shut out and condemned, though they profess all the
+  Scriptures declared from it. Therefore walk in the light, that you may
+  have fellowship with the Son, and with the Father; and come all to
+  witness his image, his power, and his law, which is his light; which
+  hath converted your souls, and brought them to submit to the higher
+  power, above that which is out of the truth: that you may know here
+  the mercy and truth, and the faith that works by love, which Christ is
+  the author of, who lighteth every one of you; which faith gives the
+  victory. Now that which gives the victory is perfect; and that which
+  the ministers of God received from God, is that which is perfect; and
+  that which they are to minister is for the perfecting of the saints,
+  till they all come in the unity of the faith unto a perfect man. This
+  is the word of the Lord God to you all; every one in the measure of
+  life wait, that with it all your minds may be guided up to the Father
+  of life, the Father of Spirits; to receive power from him, and wisdom,
+  that with it you may be ordered to his glory; to whom be all glory for
+  ever! All keep in the light and life, that judgeth down that which is
+  contrary to the light and life. So the Lord God Almighty be with you
+  all. And keep your meetings everywhere, being guided by that of God;
+  by that you may see the Lord God among you, even him who lighteth
+  every man that cometh into the world: by whom the world was made; that
+  men, who are come into the world, might believe. He that believeth
+  not, the light condemns him: he that believeth, cometh out of
+  condemnation. So this light, which lighteth every man that cometh into
+  the world, and which they that hate it stumble at, is the light of
+  men.
+
+  “All Friends, that speak in public, see that it be in the life of God;
+  for that begets to God: the fruits of that shall never wither. This
+  sows to the Spirit, which is in prison, and of the Spirit reaps life;
+  and the other sows to the flesh, and of the flesh reaps corruption.
+  And this you may see all the world over, amongst these seeds-men, what
+  may be reaped in the field, that is, the world. Therefore in the
+  Spirit of the Lord God wait, which cuts down and casts out all this,
+  the root and branches of it. In that wait to receive power, and the
+  Lord God Almighty preserve you in it; whereby you may come to feel the
+  light, that comprehends time and the world, and fathoms it; which,
+  believed in, gives you victory over the world. And here the power of
+  the Lord is received, which subdues all the contrary, and puts off the
+  garments that will stain and pollute. With this light you come to
+  reach the light in every man, which Christ enlightens every man that
+  cometh into the world withal: and here the things of Christ come to be
+  known, and the voice of Christ heard. Therefore keep in the light, the
+  covenant of peace, and walk in the covenant of life.
+
+  “There is that which maketh merry over the witness of God; and there
+  is that which maketh merry in the Lord; which rejoiceth over that
+  which hath made merry over it: of that take notice, you who are in the
+  light. Such the Lord doth beautify, whose trust is in his strength:
+  and the Lord doth see such, and them that are in his light. But such
+  as are from the light, whose eyes are after their abominations and
+  idols, their eyes are to be blinded; and their beautiful idols, and
+  their abominations to be destroyed, and by the light condemned, which
+  they have made from the life, in their own strength; which with the
+  light is seen, and overthrown by the power of God. ‘If you can change
+  my covenant,’ saith the Lord, ‘which keeps the day in its season, and
+  the night in its season (mark, my covenant, the light); if you can
+  change this, then may you change the covenant of God with his seed.’
+
+  “So all Friends, that are turned to the light, which cometh from him,
+  by whom the world was made, who was, before it was made, Christ Jesus,
+  the Saviour of your souls; abide in the light, and you will see your
+  salvation to be walls and bulwarks against that, which the light
+  discovers to be contrary to it. Waiting in the light, you will receive
+  the power of God, which is the gospel of peace; that you may be shod
+  with it, and know that in one another, which raiseth up the seed of
+  God, sets it over the world and the earth, and crucifies the
+  affections and lusts: then the truth comes to reign, which is the
+  girdle.”
+
+                                                                G.F.
+
+Footnote 33:
+
+  George Whitehead, who was convinced when about seventeen years old,
+  became a valiant minister for about sixty-eight years, till the time
+  of his decease, which took place, in great peace, after an illness of
+  some weeks. He waited, patiently resigned to the will of God, desiring
+  to be dissolved and be with Christ; saying, “he felt the sting of
+  death to be taken away.” He was a preacher of the gospel in life and
+  power, and turned many from darkness to light, being a chief
+  instrument in gathering a people to the Lord in and about Norwich. At
+  one meeting he had in those parts, it is recorded that “nearly the
+  whole congregation was convinced by the mighty power of God, through
+  his lively and piercing testimony and prayer.” He suffered great
+  hardships, long and sore imprisonments, and severe whipping for his
+  testimony to the truth, much of which is recorded in his published
+  Journal, with his travels and other services, to which the reader is
+  referred.
+
+Footnote 34:
+
+  Thomas Holmes was serviceable in his day and generation, suffering
+  imprisonment on Truth’s account. In 1656, he was in jail, at Chester,
+  with seven or eight other Friends. Some of his services in Wales are
+  related, in a letter from him (probably to George Fox,) in Barclay’s
+  _Letters of Early Friends_, p. 222.
+
+About this time Rice Jones of NOTTINGHAM (who had been a Baptist, and
+was turned Ranter,) and his company, began to prophesy against me,
+giving out, that I was then at the highest, and that after that time I
+should fall down as fast. He sent a bundle of railing papers from
+NOTTINGHAM to MANSFIELD, CLAWSON, and the towns thereabouts, judging
+Friends for declaring the truth in the markets and in steeple-houses;
+which papers I answered. But his and his company’s prophecies came upon
+themselves; for soon after they fell to pieces, and many of his
+followers became Friends, and continued so. And through the Lord’s
+blessed power, truth and Friends have increased, and do increase in the
+increase of God: and I, by the same power, have been and am preserved,
+and kept in the everlasting Seed, that never fell, nor changes. But Rice
+Jones took the oaths that were put to him, and so disobeyed the command
+of Christ. Many such false prophets have risen up against me, but the
+Lord hath blasted them, and will blast all who rise against the blessed
+Seed, and me in that. My confidence is in the Lord; for I saw their end,
+and how the Lord would confound them, before he sent me forth.
+
+I was now at SYNDERHILL-GREEN, where I had had a large meeting in the
+daytime; and at night we had a great meeting again in Thomas Stacey’s
+house; for people came from far, and could not soon depart. The high
+sheriff of the county told Captain Bradford, that he intended to come up
+with half a dozen of his troopers to the meeting; but the Lord prevented
+him. When I had attended some meetings thereabouts, I travelled up and
+down in YORKSHIRE, as far as HOLDERNESS, and to the land’s end that way,
+visiting Friends and the churches of Christ; which were finely settled
+under Christ’s teaching. At length I came to Captain Bradford’s house,
+whither many Ranters came from YORK to wrangle; but they were confounded
+and stopped. Thither came also she who was called the Lady Montague, who
+was then convinced, and lived and died in the truth.
+
+Then I came again to Thomas Taylor’s, within three miles of HALIFAX,
+where was a meeting of about two hundred people; amongst which were many
+rude people, and divers butchers, several of whom had bound themselves
+with an oath before they came out, that they would kill me (as I was
+told); one of those butchers had been accused of killing a man and a
+woman. They came in a very rude manner, and made a great disturbance in
+the meeting. The meeting being in a field, Thomas Taylor stood up, and
+said unto them, “If you will be civil, you may stay, but if not, I
+charge you to be gone from off my ground.” But they were the worse, and
+said they would make it like a common; and they yelled, and made a
+noise, as if they had been at a bear-baiting. They thrust Friends up and
+down; and Friends being peaceable, the Lord’s power came over them.
+Several times they thrust me off from the place I stood on, by the
+crowding of the people together against me; but still I was moved of the
+Lord to stand up again, as I was thrust down. At last I was moved of the
+Lord to say unto them, “if they would discourse of the things of God,
+let them come up to me one by one; and if they had anything to say or to
+object, I would answer them all, one after another;” but they were all
+silent, and had nothing to say. And then the Lord’s power came so over
+them all, and answered the witness of God in them, that they were bound
+by the power of God; and a glorious, powerful meeting we had, and his
+power went over all, and the minds of the people were turned by the
+Spirit of God in them to God, and to Christ their teacher. The powerful
+word of life was largely declared that day; and in the life and power of
+God we broke up our meeting; and that rude company went their way to
+HALIFAX. The people asked them, why they did not kill me, according to
+the oath they had sworn; and they maliciously answered, that I had so
+bewitched them, that they could not do it. Thus was the devil chained at
+that time. Friends told me, that they used to come at other times, and
+be very rude; and sometimes break their stools and seats, and make
+frightful work amongst them; but the Lord’s power had now bound them.
+
+Shortly after this, the butcher, that had been accused of killing a man
+and a woman before, and who was one of them that had then bound himself
+by an oath to kill me, killed another man, and was sent to YORK jail.
+Another of those rude butchers, who had also sworn to kill me, having
+accustomed himself to thrust his tongue out of his mouth, in derision of
+Friends, when they passed by him, had it so swollen out of his mouth,
+that he could never draw it in again, but died so. Several strange and
+sudden judgments came upon many of these conspirators against me, which
+would be too large here to declare. God’s vengeance from heaven came
+upon the blood-thirsty, who sought after blood; for all such spirits I
+laid before the Lord, and left them to him to deal with them, who is
+stronger than all; in whose power I was preserved, and carried on to do
+his work. The Lord hath raised a fine people in these parts, whom he
+hath drawn to Christ, and gathered in his name; who feel Christ amongst
+them, and sit under his teaching.
+
+After this I came to BALBY; from whence several Friends went with me
+into LINCOLNSHIRE; of whom some went to the steeple-houses, and some to
+private meetings. There came to the meeting where I was, the sheriff of
+LINCOLN, and several with him, who made great contention and jangling
+for a time. But at length the Lord’s power struck him, that he was
+convinced of the truth, and received the word of life, as did several
+others also that had opposed, and continued among Friends till they
+died. Great meetings there were, and a large convincement in those
+parts. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and came to sit under his
+teaching; leaving their priests, and their superstitious ways; and the
+day of the Lord flourished over all. Amongst them that came to our
+meetings in that country, was one called Sir Richard Wrey, who was
+convinced; as was also his brother, and his brother’s wife, who abode in
+the truth, and died therein, though he afterwards ran out.
+
+Having visited these countries, I came into DERBYSHIRE; the sheriff of
+LINCOLN, who was lately convinced, being with me. In one meeting we had
+some opposition, but the Lord’s glorious power gave dominion over all.
+At night there came a company of bailiffs and serving-men, and called me
+out. I went out to them, having some Friends with me. They were
+exceedingly rude and violent; for they had plotted together, and
+intended to carry me away with them in the dark of the evening by force:
+and then to do me a mischief; but the Lord’s power went over them, and
+chained them, so that they could not effect their design; and at last
+they went away. The next day, Thomas Aldam understanding that the
+serving-men belonged to one called a knight, who lived not far off, went
+to his house, and laid before him the bad conduct of his servants. The
+knight rebuked them, and did not allow of their evil carriage towards
+us.
+
+After this we came into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE to SKEGBY, where we had a great
+meeting of divers sorts of people: and the Lord’s power went over them,
+and all was quiet. The people were turned to the Spirit of God, by which
+many came to receive his power, and to sit under the teaching of Christ,
+their Saviour. A great people the Lord hath in those parts.
+
+I passed towards KIDSLEY PARK, where came many Ranters; but the Lord’s
+power checked them. From thence I went into the PEAK COUNTRY towards
+Thomas Hammersley’s, where came the Ranters of that country, and many
+high professors. The Ranters opposed me, and began swearing. When I
+reproved them for it, they would bring Scripture for it, and said,
+Abraham, and Jacob, and Joseph swore; and the priests, Moses, the
+prophets, and the angels swore. Then I told them, “I confessed all these
+did so, as the Scripture records; but, said I, Christ (who said, ‘Before
+Abraham was, I am’) saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And Christ ends the
+prophets, and the old priesthood, and the dispensation of Moses, and
+reigns over the house of Jacob and of Joseph; and he says, ‘Swear not at
+all.’ And God, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world,
+saith, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him,’ to wit, Christ Jesus,
+who saith, ‘Swear not at all.’ And as for the plea that men make for
+swearing to end their strife, Christ, who says, ‘Swear not at all,’
+destroys the Devil and his works, who is the author of strife, for that
+is one of his works. And God said, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
+well pleased; hear ye him.’ So the Son is to be heard, who forbids
+swearing. And the apostle James, who heard the Son of God, followed him,
+and preached him, forbids all oaths, James v. 12.” So the Lord’s power
+went over them: and his Son and his doctrine was set over them. The word
+of life was fully and richly preached, and many were convinced that day.
+This Thomas Hammersley being summoned to serve upon a jury, was admitted
+to serve without an oath; and when he, as foreman of the jury, brought
+in the verdict, the judge declared, “that he had been a judge many
+years, but never heard a more upright verdict than that Quaker had then
+brought in.” Much might be written of things of this nature, which time
+would fail to declare. But the Lord’s blessed power and truth was
+exalted over all, who is worthy of all praise and glory for ever!
+
+Travelling through DERBYSHIRE, I visited Friends till I came to
+SWANNINGTON, in LEICESTERSHIRE, where there was a general meeting, to
+which many Ranters, Baptists, and other professors came; for great
+contests there had been with them, and with the priests in that town. To
+this meeting several Friends came from various parts, as John Audland,
+Francis Howgill, and Edward Pyot from BRISTOL, and Edward Burrough from
+LONDON; and several were convinced in those parts. The Ranters made a
+disturbance, and were very rude, but at last the Lord’s power came over
+them, and they were confounded. The next day Jacob Bottomley, a great
+Ranter, came from LEICESTER; but the Lord’s power stopped him, and came
+over them all. There came a priest too, but he also was confounded by
+the mighty power of the Lord. About this time the priests, Baptists,
+Ranters, and other professors, were very rude, and stirred up the rude
+people against us. We sent to the Ranters to come forth, and try their
+God. Abundance of them came, who were very rude, and sung, and whistled,
+and danced; but the Lord’s power so confounded them, that many of them
+came to be convinced.
+
+After this I went to TWYCROSS, whither came some Ranters, who sung and
+danced before me. But I was moved in the dread of the Lord to reprove
+them; and the Lord’s power came over them, so that some of them were
+convinced, and received the Spirit of God; and are become a fine people,
+living and walking soberly in the truth of Christ. I went to Anthony
+Brickley’s in WARWICKSHIRE, where there was a great meeting; several
+Baptists and other people came and jangled; but the Lord’s power came
+over them.
+
+Then I went to DRAYTON in LEICESTERSHIRE to visit my relations. As soon
+as I was come in, Nathaniel Stephens the priest, having got another
+priest, and given notice to the country, sent to me to come to them, as
+they could not do anything till I came. Having been three years away
+from my relations, I knew nothing of their design. But at last I went
+into the steeple-house yard, where the two priests were; and they had
+gathered abundance of people. When I came there, they would have me go
+into the steeple-house. I asked them what I should do there; and they
+said, Mr. Stephens could not bear the cold. I told them he might bear it
+as well as I. At last we went into a great hall, Richard Farnsworth
+being with me; and a great dispute we had with these priests, concerning
+their practices, how contrary they were to Christ and his apostles. The
+priests would know where tithes were forbidden or ended. I showed them
+out of the seventh chapter to the Hebrews, “that not only tithes but the
+priesthood that took tithes, was ended; and the law was ended and
+disannulled, by which the priesthood was made, and tithes were commanded
+to be paid.” Then the priests stirred up the people to some lightness
+and rudeness. I had known Stephens from a child, therefore I laid open
+his condition, and the manner of his preaching; and “how that he, like
+the rest of the priests, did apply the promises to the first birth,
+which must die. But I showed that the promises were to the Seed, not to
+the many seeds, but to one Seed, Christ; who was one in male and female;
+for all were to be born again before they could enter into the kingdom
+of God.” Then he said, I must not judge so: but I told him, “he that was
+spiritual judged all things.” Then he confessed that that was a full
+Scripture; “but, neighbours,” said he, “this is the business; George Fox
+is come to the light of the sun, and now he thinks to put out my
+star-light.” I told him, “I would not quench the least measure of God in
+any, much less put out his star-light, if it were true star-light—light
+from the morning star.” But I told him, “if he had anything from Christ
+or God, he ought to speak it freely, and not take tithes from the people
+for preaching, seeing Christ commanded his ministers to give freely, as
+they had received freely.” So I charged him to preach no more for
+tithes, or any hire. But he said he would not yield to that. After a
+while the people began to be vain and rude; so we broke up; yet some
+were made loving to the truth that day. Before we parted, I told them
+that, if the Lord would, I intended to be at the town again that day
+week.
+
+In the interim I went into the country, and had meetings, and came
+thither again that day week. Against that time this priest had got seven
+priests to help him: for priest Stephens had given notice at a lecture
+on a market-day at ATHERSTONE, that such a day there would be a meeting
+and a dispute with me. I knew nothing of it; but had only said, I should
+be in town that day week again. These eight priests had gathered several
+hundreds of people, even most of the country thereabouts, and they would
+have had me into the steeple-house; but I would not go in, but got on a
+hill and there spoke to them and the people. There were with me Thomas
+Taylor, who had been a priest, James Parnell, and several other Friends.
+The priests thought that day to trample down truth; but the truth came
+over them. Then they grew light, and the people rude; and the priests
+would not stand trial with me; but would be contending here and there a
+little, with one Friend or other. At last one of the priests brought his
+son to dispute with me; but his mouth was soon stopped. When he could
+not tell how to answer, he would ask his father: and his father was
+confounded also, when he came to answer for his son. So, after they had
+toiled themselves, they went away in a rage to priest Stephens’ house to
+drink. As they went away, I said, “I never came to a place where so many
+priests together would not stand the trial with me.” Whereupon they and
+some of their wives came about me, laid hold of me, and fawningly said,
+“what might I have been, if it had not been for the Quakers!” Then they
+began to push Friends to and fro, to thrust them from me, and to pluck
+me to themselves. After a while several lusty fellows came, took me up
+in their arms, and carried me into the steeple-house porch, intending to
+carry me into the steeple-house by force; but the door being locked,
+they fell down on a heap, having me under them. As soon as I could, I
+got up from under them, and went to the hill again: then they took me
+from that place to the steeple-house wall, and set me on something like
+a footstool; and all the priests being come back, stood under with the
+people. The priests cried, “Come, to argument, to argument:” I said, “I
+denied all their voices, for they were the voices of hirelings and
+strangers.” And they cried, “Prove it, prove it.” Then I directed them
+to the tenth of John, where they might see what Christ said of such; he
+declared, “he was the true shepherd that laid down his life for his
+sheep, and his sheep heard his voice, and followed him; but the hireling
+would fly, when the wolf came, because he was a hireling.” I offered to
+prove that they were such hirelings. Then the priests plucked me off
+from the stool again; and they themselves got all upon footstools under
+the steeple-house wall.
+
+Then I felt the mighty power of God arise over all, and told them, “if
+they would but give audience, and hear me quietly, I would show them by
+the Scriptures, why I denied those eight priests or teachers, that stood
+before me; and all the hireling teachers of the world whatsoever; and I
+would give them Scriptures for what I said.” Whereupon both priests and
+people consented. Then I showed them out of the prophets Isaiah,
+Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Malachi, and others, that they were in the
+steps of such as God sent his true prophets to cry against; for, said I,
+“You are such as the prophet Jeremiah cried against, chap. v. when he
+said, ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their
+means;’ which he called an astonishing and horrible thing. You are such
+as they that used their tongues and said, Thus saith the Lord, when the
+Lord never spoke to them: and such as followed their own spirits, and
+saw nothing; but spoke forth a divination of their own brain; and by
+their lies and their lightness had caused the people to err, Jer. xiv.
+You are such as they were, that sought for their gain from their
+quarter; that were as greedy, dumb dogs, that could never have enough,
+whom the Lord sent his prophet Isaiah to cry against, Isaiah lvi. You
+are such, as they were, who taught for handfuls of barley, and pieces of
+bread; who sewed pillows under people’s arm-holes, that they might lie
+soft in their sins, Ezek. xiii. You are such as they that taught for the
+fleece, and the wool, and made a prey of the people, Ezek. xxxiv. But
+the Lord is gathering his sheep from your mouths, and from off your
+barren mountains; and is bringing them to Christ, the one Shepherd, whom
+he hath set over his flocks; as by his prophet Ezekiel he then declared
+he would do. You are such as they that divined for money, and preached
+for hire; and if a man did not put into their mouths, they prepared war
+against him, as the prophet Micah complained, chap. iii.” Thus I went
+through the prophets, too largely to be here repeated. Then coming to
+the New Testament, I showed from thence, “that they were like the chief
+priests, and scribes, and Pharisees of old, such as Christ cried woe
+against, Matt, xxiii. And that they were such false apostles, as the
+true apostles cried against, such as taught for filthy lucre; such
+antichrists and deceivers, as they cried against, that minded earthly
+things, and served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies: for
+they that served Christ gave freely, and preached freely, as he
+commanded them. But they that will not preach without hire, tithes, or
+outward means, serve their own bellies, and not Christ; and through the
+good words of the Scriptures, and feigned words of their own, they made
+merchandise of the people then, as (said I) ye do now.”
+
+So when I had largely quoted the Scriptures, and showed them, wherein
+they were like the Pharisees, loving to be called of men masters, and to
+go in long robes, and to stand praying in the synagogues, and to have
+the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the like; and when I had thrown them
+out in the sight of the people amongst the false prophets, deceivers,
+scribes, and Pharisees, and showed at large, how such as they were
+judged and condemned by the true prophets, by Christ, and by the
+apostles, “I directed them to the light of Christ Jesus, who enlightens
+every man that cometh into the world; that by it they might see, whether
+these things were not true, as had been spoken.” When I appealed to that
+of God in their consciences, the light of Christ Jesus in them, they
+could not bear to hear of it; they were all quiet till then; but then a
+professor said, “George, what! wilt thou never have done?” I told him, I
+should have done shortly. So I went on a little longer, and cleared
+myself of them in the Lord’s power. When I had done, all the priests and
+people stood silent for a time: at last one of the priests said, they
+would read the Scriptures that I had quoted. I told them, with all my
+heart. They began to read the 23rd of Jeremiah, and there they saw the
+marks of the false prophets, that he cried against. When they had read a
+verse or two, I said, “Take notice, people:” but the priests said, “Hold
+thy tongue, George.” I bid them read the whole chapter throughout; for
+it was all against them: then they stopped, and would read no further;
+but asked me a question. I told them, I would answer their question, the
+matter being first granted that I had charged them with, viz., that they
+were false prophets, false teachers, antichrists, and deceivers, such as
+the true prophets, Christ, and the apostles cried against. A professor
+said Nay to that; but I said, “Yea; for you leaving the matter, and
+going to another thing, seem to consent to the proof of the former
+charge.” Then I answered their question, which was this; Seeing those
+false prophets were adulterated, whether I did judge Stephens to be an
+adulterer? To which I answered, he was adulterated from God in his
+practice, like those false prophets and the Jews. They would not stand
+to vindicate him, but broke up the meeting. Then the priests whispered
+together; and priest Stephens came to me, and desired that my father and
+brother and I might go aside with him, that he might speak to me in
+private; and the rest of the priests should keep the people from coming
+to us. I was very loath to go aside with him; but the people cried, “Go,
+George; do, George, go aside with him.” I was afraid, if I did not go,
+they would say, I was disobedient to my parents; so I went, and the rest
+of the priests were to keep the people off; but they could not, for the
+people being willing to hear, drew close to us. I asked the priest what
+he had to say; and he said, “if he was out of the way, I should pray for
+him: and if I was out of the way he would pray for me: and he would give
+me a form of words to pray for him by.” I replied, “It seems thou dost
+not know whether thou art in the right way, or not; neither dost thou
+know whether I am in the right way, or not; but I know that I am in the
+everlasting way, Christ Jesus, which thou art out of. And thou wouldest
+give me a form of words to pray by, and yet thou deniest the Common
+Prayer-Book to pray by, as well as I; and I deny thy form of words, as
+well as it. If thou wouldst have me pray for thee by a form of words, is
+not this to deny the apostle’s doctrine and practice of praying by the
+Spirit, as it gave words and utterance?” Here the people fell a
+laughing: but I was moved to speak more to him. And when I had cleared
+myself to him and them, we parted, after I had told them, that I should
+(God willing) be in the town that day week again. So the priests packed
+away, and many people were convinced; for the Lord’s power came over
+all. Though they thought to have confounded truth that day, many were
+convinced of it; and many that were convinced before, were by that day’s
+work confirmed in the truth, and abode in it; and a great shake it gave
+to the priests. My father, though he was a hearer and follower of the
+priest, was so well satisfied, that he struck his cane upon the ground,
+and said, “Truly, I see, he that will but stand to the truth, it will
+carry him out.”
+
+I passed about in the country till that day week, and then came again;
+for we had appointed a meeting at my relations’ house. Now priest
+Stephens having had notice beforehand thereof, had got another priest to
+him; and they had a company of troopers with them, and sent for me to
+come to them. But I sent them word our meeting was appointed, and they
+might come to it, if they would. The priests came not; but the troopers
+came, and many rude people. They had laid their plot, that the troopers
+should take every one’s name, and then command them to go home; and such
+as would not go, they should take, and carry them away with them.
+Accordingly they began, and took several names, charging them to go
+home; but when they came to take my name, my relations told them, I was
+at home already: so they could not take me away that time. Nevertheless
+they took my name: but the Lord’s power was over them, and they went
+away, both professors and troopers, crossed and vexed, because they
+obtained not their end. But several were convinced that day, and admired
+the love and power of God. This was that priest Stephens, who once said
+of me, “never was such a plant bred in England:” yet afterwards he
+reported, “that I was carried up into the clouds, and found again full
+of gold and silver;” and many lies, and false reports he raised
+respecting me: but the Lord swept them all away. The reason why I would
+not go into their steeple-house was, because I was to bear my testimony
+against it, and to bring all off from such places, to the Spirit of God;
+that they might know their bodies to be the temples of the Holy Ghost;
+and to bring them off from all the hireling teachers, to Christ their
+free teacher, who died for them, and purchased them with his blood.
+
+After this I went into the country, and had several meetings, and came
+to SWANNINGTON, where the soldiers came again; but the meeting was
+quiet, the Lord’s power was over all, and the soldiers did not
+interfere. Then I went to LEICESTER, and then to WHETSTONE. There came
+about seventeen troopers of Colonel Hacker’s regiment, with his marshal,
+and took me up before the meeting, though Friends were beginning to
+gather together; for there were several Friends come from various parts.
+I told the marshal, “he might let all the Friends go, I would answer for
+them all;” so he took me, and let them go, except Alexander Parker, who
+went with me.[35] At night they had me before Colonel Hacker, his major,
+and captains, a great company of them; and much discourse we had about
+the priests, and meetings, for at this time there was a rumour of a plot
+against Oliver Cromwell. Much reasoning I had with them about the light
+of Christ, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world.
+Colonel Hacker asked, whether it was not this light of Christ that made
+Judas betray his master, and afterwards led him to hang himself? I told
+him, “No; that was the spirit of darkness, which hated Christ and his
+light.” Then Colonel Hacker said, I might go home, and keep there, and
+not go abroad to meetings. I told him, “I was an innocent man, free from
+plots, and denied all such work.” His son Needham said, “Father, this
+man hath reigned too long, it is time to have him cut off.” I asked him,
+“For what? what had I done? or whom had I wronged from a child? for I
+was bred and born in that country, and who could accuse me of any evil
+from a child?” Then Colonel Hacker asked me again, if I would go home,
+and stay there? I told him, “if I should promise him that, it would
+manifest that I was guilty of something, to go home, and make my home a
+prison; and if I went to meetings, they would say, I broke their order.”
+I told them, “I should go to meetings, as the Lord should order me, and
+therefore could not submit to their requirings;” but I said, “we were a
+peaceable people.” “Well then,” said Colonel Hacker, “I will send you to
+my Lord Protector, by Captain Drury, one of his life-guards.”
+
+Footnote 35:
+
+  “Alexander Parker,” says Whiting, “was an eminent servant of God, and
+  minister of Jesus Christ; born near Bolton, in Lancashire,
+  well-educated, and had a gentleman-like carriage and deportment, for I
+  knew him well.” He travelled extensively in the service of the gospel,
+  often in company with George Fox, being frequently mentioned in this
+  Journal. He suffered fines, imprisonments, and persecution, being once
+  pulled down as he was preaching in London, and fined for it £20. He
+  died in great peace in 1689, having written many books and epistles,
+  in which, though being dead, he yet speaketh.
+
+That night I was kept a prisoner at the Marshalsea; and the next morning
+by six o’clock, I was delivered to Captain Drury. I desired he would let
+me speak with Colonel Hacker before I went, and he had me to his
+bed-side. Colonel Hacker set upon me presently again, to go home and
+keep no more meetings. I told him, “I could not submit to that, but must
+have my liberty to serve God and go to meetings.” “Then,” said he, “you
+must go before the Protector.” “Whereupon I kneeled by his bedside, and
+besought the Lord to forgive him, for he was as Pilate, though he would
+wash his hands; and when the day of his misery and trial should come
+upon him, I bid him then remember what I had said to him. But he was
+stirred up, and set on by priest Stephens, and the other priests and
+professors, wherein their envy and baseness was manifest; who, when they
+could not overcome me by disputes and arguments, nor resist the Spirit
+of the Lord that was in me, then they got soldiers to take me up.
+
+Afterwards, when this Colonel Hacker was in prison in LONDON, a day or
+two before he was executed, he was put in mind of what he had done
+against the innocent; and he remembered it, and confessed to it to
+Margaret Fell, saying he knew well whom she meant; and he had a trouble
+upon him for it. So his son, who told his father I had reigned too long,
+and that it was time to have me cut off, might observe how his father
+was cut off afterwards, he being hanged at TYBURN.
+
+Now was I carried up a prisoner by Captain Drury from LEICESTER; and
+when we came to HARBOROUGH, he asked me, if I would go home and stay a
+fortnight? “I should have my liberty,” he said, “if I would not go to,
+nor keep meetings.” I told him, “I could not promise any such thing.”
+Several times upon the road did he ask, and try me after the same
+manner, and still I gave him the same answers. So he brought me to
+LONDON, and lodged me at the Mermaid over-against the Mews at
+CHARING-CROSS. As we travelled, I was moved of the Lord to warn people
+at the inns and places, where I came, of the day of the Lord that was
+coming upon them. William Dewsbury and Marmaduke Storr being in prison
+at NORTHAMPTON, he let me go and visit them.
+
+After Captain Drury had lodged me at the Mermaid, he left me there, and
+went to give the Protector an account of me. When he came to me again,
+he told me, the Protector required that I should promise not to take up
+a carnal sword or weapon against him or the government, as it then was,
+and I should write it in what words I saw good, and set my hand to it. I
+said little in reply to Captain Drury. But the next morning I was moved
+of the Lord to write a paper to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell; “Wherein
+I did in the presence of the Lord God declare, that I denied the wearing
+or drawing of a carnal sword, or any other outward weapon, against him
+or any man: and that I was sent of God to stand a witness against all
+violence, and against the works of darkness; and to turn people from
+darkness to light; and to bring them from the causes of war and
+fighting, to the peaceable gospel, and from being evil-doers, which the
+magistrates’ swords should be a terror to.” When I had written what the
+Lord had given me to write, I set my name to it, and gave it to Captain
+Drury to hand to Oliver Cromwell, which he did.
+
+After some time Captain Drury brought me before the Protector himself at
+WHITEHALL. It was in a morning, before he was dressed, and one Harvey,
+who had come a little among Friends, but was disobedient, waited upon
+him. When I came in, I was moved to say, “Peace be in this house; and I
+exhorted him to keep in the fear of God, that he might receive wisdom
+from Him, that by it he might be directed, and order all things under
+his hand to God’s glory.” I spoke much to him of truth, and much
+discourse I had with him about religion; wherein he carried himself very
+moderately. But, he said, we quarrelled with priests, whom he called
+ministers. I told him, “I did not quarrel with them, but they quarrelled
+with me and my friends.” “But,” said I, “if we own the prophets, Christ,
+and the apostles, we cannot hold up such teachers, prophets, and
+shepherds, as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared against;
+but we must declare against them by the same power and Spirit.” Then I
+showed him, “that the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared
+freely, and against them that did not declare freely; such as preached
+for filthy lucre, and divined for money, and preached for hire, and were
+covetous and greedy, that can never have enough; and that they that have
+the same Spirit, that Christ, and the prophets, and the apostles had,
+could not but declare against all such now, as they did then.” As I
+spoke, he several times said, it was very good, and it was truth. I told
+him, “that all Christendom (so called) possessed the Scriptures, but
+wanted the power and Spirit that they had, who gave forth the
+Scriptures, and that was the reason they were not in fellowship with the
+Son, nor with the Father, nor with the Scriptures, nor one with
+another.”
+
+Many more words I had with him, but people coming in, I drew a little
+back; and as I was turning, he caught me by the hand, and with tears in
+his eyes, said, “Come again to my house, for if thou and I were but an
+hour a day together, we should be nearer one to the other;” adding that
+he wished me no more ill than he did his own soul. I told him, “if he
+did, he wronged his own soul;” and I bid him “hearken to God’s voice,
+that he might stand in His counsel and obey it; and if he did so, that
+would keep him from hardness of heart; but if he did not hear God’s
+voice, his heart would be hardened.” He said, it was true. Then I went
+out; and when Captain Drury came out after me, he told me, “his lord
+Protector said, I was at liberty, and might go whither I would.” Then I
+was brought into a great hall, where the Protector’s gentlemen were to
+dine; and I asked them, what they brought me thither for? they said, it
+was by the Protector’s order, that I might dine with them. I bid them
+let the Protector know, I would not eat of his bread, nor drink of his
+drink. When he heard this, he said, “Now I see there is a people risen
+and come up, that I cannot win either with gifts, honours, offices, or
+places; but all other sects and people I can.” It was told him again,
+“that we had forsaken our own, and were not likely to look for such
+things from him.”
+
+Being set at liberty I went to the inn again, where Captain Drury had at
+first lodged me. This Captain Drury, though he sometimes carried fairly,
+was an enemy to me and to truth, and opposed it; and when professors
+came to me (while I was under his custody,) and he was by, he would
+scoff at trembling, and call us Quakers, as the Independents and
+Presbyterians had nick-named us before. But afterwards he once came to
+me, and told me, that, as he was lying on his bed to rest himself in the
+day-time, a sudden trembling seized on him, that his joints knocked
+together, and his body shook so that he could not rise from his bed; he
+was so shaken, that he had not strength enough left to rise. But he felt
+the power of the Lord was upon him, and he fell off his bed, and cried
+to the Lord, and said, he never would speak against the Quakers more, or
+such as trembled at the word of God.
+
+During the time I was prisoner at CHARING-CROSS, there came abundance to
+see me, people of almost all sorts, priests, professors, officers of the
+army, &c. And one time a company of officers being with me, desired me
+to pray with them. I sat still, with my mind retired to the Lord. At
+last I felt the power and Spirit of God move in me, and the Lord’s power
+did so shake and shatter them, that they wondered, though they did not
+live in it.
+
+Among those that came to see me, was one Colonel Packer, with several of
+his officers; and while they were with me, came in one Cobb, and a great
+company of Ranters with him. The Ranters began to call for drink and
+tobacco; but I desired them to forbear it in my room, telling them, if
+they had such a desire for it, they might go into another room. One of
+them cried, “all is ours;” and another said, “all is well.” I replied,
+“how is all well, while thou art so peevish, and envious, and crabbed?”
+for I saw he was of a peevish nature. I spoke to their conditions, and
+they were sensible of it, and looked upon one another, wondering.
+
+Then Colonel Packer began to talk with a light, chaffy mind, concerning
+God, and Christ, and the Scriptures; it was a great grief to my soul and
+spirit, when I heard him talk so lightly; so that I told him, “he was
+too light to talk of the things of God, for he did not know the solidity
+of a man.” Thereupon the officers raged, and said, would I say so of
+their colonel. This Packer was a Baptist, and he and the Ranters bowed
+and scraped to one another very much; for it was the manner of the
+Ranters to be exceedingly complimental (as they call it), so that Packer
+bid them give over their compliments; but I told them, “they were fit to
+go together, for they were both of one spirit.”
+
+This Colonel Packer lived at THEOBALDS near WALTHAM, and was made a
+justice of peace. He set up a great meeting of the Baptists at THEOBALDS
+PARK; for he and some other officers had purchased it. They were
+exceedingly high, and railed against Friends and truth, and threatened
+to apprehend me with their warrants if ever I came there. Yet after I
+was set at liberty, I was moved of the Lord God to go down to THEOBALDS,
+and appoint a meeting hard by them; to which many of his people came,
+and divers of his hearers were convinced of the way of truth, and
+received Christ, the free teacher, and came off from him; and that made
+him rage the more. But the Lord’s power came over him, so that he had
+not power to meddle with me. Then I went to WALTHAM close by him, and
+had a meeting there; but the people were very rude, and gathered about
+the house and broke the windows. Whereupon I went out to them, with the
+Bible in my hand, and desired them to come in; and told them, “I would
+show them Scripture both for our principles and practices.” And when I
+had done so, I showed them also, “that their teachers were in the steps
+of such, as the prophets, and Christ, and the apostles testified
+against.” Then I directed them to the Light of Christ, and Spirit of God
+in their own hearts, that by it they might come to know their free
+teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ. The meeting being ended, they went away
+quieted and satisfied, and a meeting has since been settled in that
+town. But this was some time after I was set at liberty by Oliver
+Cromwell.
+
+When I came from WHITEHALL to the Mermaid at CHARING-CROSS, I stayed not
+long there; but went into the city of LONDON, where we had great and
+powerful meetings; so great were the throngs of people, that I could
+hardly get to and from the meetings for the crowds; and the truth spread
+exceedingly. Thomas Aldam and Robert Craven, who had been sheriff of
+LINCOLN, and many Friends, came up to LONDON after me; but Alexander
+Parker abode with me.
+
+After a while I went to WHITEHALL again, and was moved “to declare the
+day of the Lord amongst them, and that the Lord was come to teach his
+people himself;” so I preached truth both to the officers, and to them
+that were called Oliver’s gentlemen, who were of his guard. But a priest
+opposed, while I was declaring the word of the Lord amongst them; for
+Oliver had several priests about him, of which this was his news-monger;
+an envious priest, and a light, scornful, chaffy man. I bid him repent;
+and he put it in his newspaper the next week, that I had been at
+WHITEHALL, and had bid a godly minister there repent. When I went
+thither again, I met with him; and abundance of people gathered about
+me. I manifested the priest to be a liar in several things that he had
+affirmed; and so he was silenced. He put in the news, that I wore silver
+buttons, which was false, for they were but alchymy. Afterwards he said
+in the news, that I hung ribands on people’s arms, which made them
+follow me; this was another of his lies, for I never wore or used
+ribands in my life. Three Friends went to examine this priest, that gave
+forth this false intelligence, and to know of him where he had that
+information. He said, it was a woman that told him so; and if they would
+come again, he would tell them her name. When they returned, he said it
+was a man, but would not mention his name then; but if they would come
+again, he would tell them his name, and where he lived. They went the
+third time, and then he would not say who told him; but offered, if I
+would give it under my hand, that there was no such thing, he would put
+that into the news. Thereupon the Friends carried it to him under my
+hand; but when they came, he broke his promise, and would not insert it;
+but was in a rage, and threatened them with the constable. This was the
+deceitful doing of this forger of lies; which he spread over all the
+nation in the news, to render truth odious, and to put evil into
+people’s minds against Friends and truth; of which a more large account
+may be seen in a book printed soon after this time, for the clearing of
+Friends and truth from the slanders, lies, and false reports raised and
+cast upon them. These priests, the news-mongers, were of the Independent
+sect, like those in LEICESTER; but the Lord’s power came over all their
+lies, and swept them away; and many came to see the naughtiness of these
+priests. The God of Heaven carried me over all in his power, and his
+blessed power went over the nation: insomuch, that many Friends about
+this time were moved to go up and down, to sound forth the everlasting
+gospel in most parts of it, and also in SCOTLAND: and the glory of the
+Lord was felt over all to his everlasting praise. A great convincement
+there was in LONDON, and some in the Protector’s house and family; I
+went to see him again, but could not get access to him, the officers
+were grown so rude.
+
+The Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, were greatly disturbed;
+for many of their people turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, and sat down
+under his teachings: they received his power, and felt it in their
+hearts: and then they were moved of the Lord to declare against the rest
+of them.
+
+I appointed a meeting in the fields near ACTON, in which the word of
+life, the saving truth, was declared freely. The Lord’s power was
+eminently manifested, and his blessed day exalted over all.
+
+
+
+
+                             CHAPTER VIII.
+
+1654-1655.—Address to professors of Christianity against persecution—to
+    such as follow the world’s fashions—to the Pope, and all kings, and
+    rulers in Europe, against persecution—to the justices appointed for
+    trying ministers of religion, being a testimony against hireling
+    ministers—Samuel Fisher and others are convinced at a meeting at
+    Romney, where the Lord’s power is marvellously displayed—a large
+    meeting at Coggeshall of about two thousand people, which lasted
+    several hours—many reproaches are cast upon the truth, and lying
+    slanderous books published, which are answered, and the truth set
+    over the gainsayers—to those who scorn trembling and quaking—great
+    rage is manifested against the truth and Friends, and their
+    plainness is contemned—to the churches gathered into outward forms,
+    opening their state and warning of the woes coming upon them—to the
+    Protector, respecting the imprisonment of Friends for refusing to
+    take oaths and pay tithes, &c.—to Friends, to offer themselves to
+    lie in prison for a brother or sister—an encouragement to Friends in
+    their several exercises.
+
+
+About this time I was moved to write a paper, and send it among the
+professors; as follows:—
+
+  “_To all professors of Christianity._
+
+  “All they that professed Jesus Christ in words, and yet heard him not
+  when he was come, said, he was a deceiver and a devil. The chief
+  priests called him so. The Jews said, ‘He hath a devil, and is mad;
+  why do ye hear him?’ But others said, ‘These are not the words of him
+  that hath a devil: can a devil open the eyes of the blind?’ The Jews
+  then doubted, whether he was the Christ or not; and so all, like the
+  Jews, in the knowledge, in the notion, that profess Christ without
+  only, where Christ is risen within, do not own him, but doubt of him;
+  though Christ is the same now and for ever. Jesus Christ said, ‘I and
+  my Father are one;’ then the Jews took up stones to stone him. And
+  where Jesus Christ is now spiritually come and made manifest, such as
+  are Christians in outward profession only, have the same hard hearts
+  inwardly now, as the Jews had then; and cast stones at him where he is
+  risen. Jesus said, ‘For which of these good works do ye stone me?’ The
+  Jews answered, ‘For thy good works we stone thee not; but for
+  blasphemy, in that thou being a man, makest thyself God.’ Jesus
+  answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
+  and the Scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him, whom the Father
+  hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I
+  said, I am the Son of God?’ The Jews said to him, ‘Say we not well,
+  that thou hast a devil?’ Jesus answered, ‘I honour my Father, and ye
+  dishonour me.’ And they that were in the synagogue rose up, and thrust
+  him out of the city; and took him up to the edge of the hill whereon
+  their city was built, to cast him down headlong. The pharisees said of
+  him, ‘He casteth out devils, by the prince of devils.’ Jesus Christ
+  was called a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and
+  sinners; but wisdom is justified of her children. The officers, when
+  the high-priests and pharisees asked them, ‘Why have ye not brought
+  him?’ said, ‘Never man spake like this man.’ The Pharisees said, ‘Are
+  ye also deceived? Do any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believe on
+  him?’ but this people, which know not the law, are accursed. Nicodemus
+  (he that came unto Jesus by night), said unto them, ‘Doth our law
+  judge any man, before it hear him?’ When Stephen confessed Jesus, the
+  substance of all figures and types, and was brought before the chief
+  priests to his trial, he told them, ‘The Most High dwelleth not in
+  temples made with hands:’ and brought the prophets’ words to witness,
+  and told them they were stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and
+  ears, and always resisted the Holy Ghost, as their fathers had done.
+  Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost, and said he saw Jesus, and they
+  ran upon him and stoned him to death, as he was calling upon the Lord.
+  When Paul confessed Jesus Christ and his resurrection, Festus said he
+  was mad. When Paul preached the resurrection, some mocked; the Jews
+  persuaded the people, and they stoned him, and drew him out of the
+  city, thinking he had been dead. They stirred up the Gentiles to make
+  their minds evil-affected towards the brethren. They stirred up the
+  devout and honourable women, and the chief of the city, and raised
+  persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their
+  coasts; and there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and of the
+  Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully and to stone them. In
+  like manner all in the nature of those Jews now, whose religion stands
+  in notions, stir up the rulers, and ignorant people, and incense them
+  against Jesus Christ, to stone all with one consent, in whom he is
+  risen. This is, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, and the
+  blindness of the people discovered.
+
+  “The same power now is made manifest, and doth overturn the world, as
+  did then overturn the world, to the exalting of the Lord, and to the
+  pulling down of the kingdom of Satan and of this world, and setting up
+  his own kingdom, to his everlasting praise. The Lord is now exalting
+  himself, and throwing down man’s self. The proud one’s head is aloft,
+  fearing he should lose his pride and his crown. The priests incense
+  the ignorant people, for fear their trade should go down; and the
+  professors show forth what is in them, being full of rage; which
+  proves that Jesus Christ, the substance, is not there; but a stony
+  heart to stone the precious, where it is risen. The carnal mind feeds
+  upon the outward letter; earth feeds upon earth; and that vineyard is
+  not dressed, but is full of briars and nettles; and ravenous beasts,
+  swine and dogs, wolves and lions, and all venomous creatures lodge in
+  that habitation. That house is foul and is not swept. These are the
+  persecutors of the just, enemies of the truth, and of Christ;
+  blasphemers of God and his truth. These call upon God with their lips,
+  but their hearts are far from him. These feed on lies, priests and
+  people. These incense the people, and stir up envy; for it begets its
+  own, one like itself. These are as the waves of the sea, foaming out
+  their own shame. These have double eyes, whose bodies are full of
+  darkness. These paint themselves with the prophets’, with Christ’s,
+  and with the apostles’ words most fair. Whited walls ye are; painted
+  sepulchres; murderers of the just. Your eyes, your minds, your hearts
+  are double. Ye flatterers, repent and turn from your carnal ends, who
+  are full of mischief, pretending God and godliness, taking him for
+  your cloak; but he will uncover you, and he hath uncovered you to his
+  children. He will make you bare, discover your secrets, and take off
+  your crown; he will take away your mantle and your veil, and strip you
+  of your clothing, that your nakedness may appear, and how you sit
+  deceiving the nations. Your abomination and your falseness is now made
+  manifest to them, who are of God; who in his power triumph over you,
+  rejoice over you, the beast, the dragon, the false prophet, the
+  seducer, the hypocrite, the mother of all harlots. Now thou must have
+  thy cup double, give it to her double.
+
+  “Sing over her, ye righteous ones, sing over them all ye saints;
+  triumph in glory, triumph over deceit; sing the song of the Lamb,
+  triumph over the world; spread the truth abroad. Come ye captive ones
+  out of prison, and rejoice with one accord, for the joyful days are
+  coming. Let us be glad and rejoice for ever! singleness of heart is
+  come, pureness of heart is come, joy and gladness is come. The
+  glorious God is exalting himself: truth hath been talked of, but now
+  it is possessed. Christ hath been talked of; but now he is come and is
+  possessed. The glory hath been talked of; but now it is possessed, and
+  the glory of man is defacing. The Son of God hath been talked of; but
+  now he is come, and hath given us understanding. Unity hath been
+  talked of; but now it is come. Virgins have been talked of; but now
+  they are come with oil in their lamps. He will be glorified alone.
+
+  “Where pride is thrown down, earth and the fleshly will is thrown
+  down, and the pure is raised up; there alone is the Lord exalted. Let
+  the heavens bow down to him, and the earth reel to and fro, and
+  stagger up and down. The Lord is setting up his throne and his crown,
+  and throwing down the crown of man, and he alone will be glorified; to
+  whom be all honour and glory, all praises and all thanks! Who gives
+  his children wisdom and strength, knowledge and virtue, power and
+  riches, blessings and durable substance; an eye to discern, and an ear
+  to hear things singly; and brings down the pride of man’s heart, and
+  turns the wicked out of the kingdom. The righteous inherit
+  righteousness; the pure, pureness; the holy, holiness. Praises,
+  praises be to the Lord, whose glory now shines, whose day is broken
+  forth; which is hid from the world, hid from all worldly-wise ones,
+  and from all the prudent of this world; hid from the fowls of the air,
+  hid from all vultures’ eyes, all venomous beasts, all liars, all dogs,
+  and all swine. But to them that fear his name, the secrets of the Lord
+  are made manifest, the treasures of wisdom are opened, and the fulness
+  of knowledge: for thou, O Lord, dost make thyself manifest to thy
+  children.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+My spirit was greatly burdened to see the pride, that existed in the
+nation, even among professors; and in the sense thereof I was moved to
+give forth the following paper, directed—
+
+  “_To such as follow the World’s Fashions._
+
+  “What a world is this! how doth the devil garnish himself! and how
+  obedient are people to do his will and mind! They are altogether so
+  carried away with fooleries and vanities, both men and women, that
+  they have lost the hidden man of the heart, and the meek and quiet
+  spirit; which with the Lord is of great price. They have lost the
+  adorning of Sarah; they are putting on gold and gay apparel; women
+  plaiting the hair, men and women powdering it; making their backs look
+  like bags of meal. They look so strange, that they can scarce look at
+  one another, they are so lifted up in pride. Pride is flown up into
+  their head, and hath so lifted them up, that they snuff up, like wild
+  asses; like Ephraim, they feed upon wind; and are like wild heifers,
+  who feed upon the mountains. Pride hath puffed up every one of them:
+  they are out of the fear of God, men and women, young and old; one
+  puffs up another. They must be in the fashion of the world, else they
+  are not in esteem; else they shall not be respected, if they have not
+  gold or silver upon their backs, or if the hair be not powdered. But
+  if he have store of ribands hanging about his waist, and at his knees,
+  and in his hat, of divers colours, red, white, black, or yellow, and
+  his hair be powdered, then he is a brave man; then he is accepted, he
+  is no Quaker, because he has ribands on his back, and front, and
+  knees, and his hair powdered. This is the array of the world. But is
+  not this from the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, or the pride
+  of life?
+
+  “Likewise the women having their gold, their patches on their faces,
+  noses, cheeks, foreheads; having their rings on their fingers, wearing
+  gold, having their cuffs double, under and above, like unto a butcher
+  with his white sleeves; having their ribands tied about their hands,
+  and three or four gold laces about their clothes; this is no Quaker,
+  say they. This attire pleaseth the world: and if they cannot get these
+  things, they are discontented. But this is not the attire of Sarah,
+  whose adorning was the hidden man of the heart, the ornament of a
+  quiet and meek spirit. This is the adorning of the heathen, not of the
+  apostle, nor of the saints, whose adorning was, not wearing of gold,
+  nor plaiting of hair, but a meek and quiet spirit; which was and is of
+  great price with the Lord. Here was the sobriety and good ornament,
+  which was accepted of the Lord. This was Paul’s exhortation and
+  preaching; but we see, the talkers of Paul’s words live out of Paul’s
+  command, and out of the example of Sarah; and are found in the steps
+  of the great heathen, who comes to examine the apostles in his
+  gorgeous apparel.
+
+  “Now, are not these, that have got their ribands hanging about their
+  arms, hands, back, waists, knees, hats, like unto fiddlers’ boys? This
+  shows that you are got into the basest and most contemptible life, who
+  are in the fashion of the fiddler’s boys and stage-players, quite out
+  of the paths and steps of solid men; and in the very steps and paths
+  of the wild heads, who give themselves up to every invention and
+  vanity of the world that appears, and are inventing how to get it upon
+  their backs, heads, feet, and legs, and say, if it be out of the
+  fashion it is nothing worth. Are not these the spoilers of the
+  creation, who have the fat and the best of it, and waste and destroy
+  it? Do not these cumber God’s earth? Let that of God in all
+  consciences answer, and those who are in the wisdom, judge. And
+  further, if one get a pair of trousers like a coat, and hang them
+  about with points, and up almost to the middle, a pair of double cuffs
+  upon his hands, and a feather in his cap, here is a gentleman; bow
+  before him, put off your hats, get a company of fiddlers, a set of
+  music, and women to dance. This is a brave fellow. Up in the chamber;
+  up in the chamber without, and up in the chamber within. Are these
+  your fine Christians? Yea, say they, they are Christians.
+
+  “But, say the serious people, they are out of Christ’s life, and out
+  of the apostles’ command, and out of the saints’ ornament. And to see
+  such as are before described, as are in the fashions of the world
+  before-mentioned, a company of them playing at bowls, or at tables, or
+  at shuffle-board; or each taking his horse, that has bunches of
+  ribands on his head, as the rider has on his own (who, perhaps, has a
+  ring in his ear too) and so go to horse-racing, to spoil the
+  creatures; O, these are gentlemen indeed, these are bred up gentlemen,
+  these are brave fellows, and they must take their recreation; for
+  pleasures are lawful. These in their sports set up their shouts, like
+  wild asses. They are like the kine or beasts, when they are put to
+  grass, lowing when they are full. Here is the glorying of those before
+  mentioned; but it is in the flesh, not in the Lord. These are bad
+  Christians, and show that they are gluttoned with the creatures, and
+  then the flesh rejoiceth. Here is bad breeding of youth and young
+  women, who are carried away with the vanities of the mind in their own
+  inventions, pride, arrogancy, lust, gluttony, uncleanness. They eat
+  and drink, and rise up to the play. This is the generation which God
+  is not well-pleased with; for their eyes are full of adultery, and
+  cannot cease from evil. These be they that live in pleasures upon
+  earth; these be they who are dead while they live; who glory not in
+  the Lord, but in the flesh. These be they that are out of the life,
+  that the Scriptures were given forth from; who live in the fashions
+  and vanities of the world, out of truth’s adorning, in the devil’s
+  adorning (who is out of the truth); and not in the adorning of the
+  Lord, which is a meek and quiet spirit, which is with the Lord of
+  great price. But this ornament and this adorning is not put on by them
+  that adorn themselves, and have the ornament of him that is out of the
+  truth. That is not accepted with the Lord, which is accepted in their
+  eye.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Moreover it came upon me about this time from the Lord, to write a short
+paper and send forth, as an exhortation and warning to the Pope, and all
+kings and rulers in EUROPE; as follows:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “Ye heads, and rulers, kings, and nobles of all sorts, be not bitter,
+  nor hasty in persecuting the lambs of Christ, neither turn yourself
+  against the visitation of God, and his tender love and mercies from on
+  high, who sent to visit you; lest the Lord’s hand, arm, and power,
+  take hold swiftly upon you; which is now stretched over the world. It
+  is turned against kings, and shall turn wise men backward, and will
+  bring their crowns to the dust, and lay them low and level with the
+  earth. The Lord will be king, who gives crowns to whomsoever obey his
+  will. This is the age wherein the Lord God of heaven and earth is
+  staining the pride of man, and defacing his glory. You that profess
+  Christ, and do not love your enemies, but on the contrary shut up and
+  imprison those who are his friends; these are marks that you are out
+  of his life, and do not love Christ, who do not the things he
+  commands. The day of the Lord’s wrath is kindling, and his fire is
+  going forth to burn up the wicked; which will leave neither root nor
+  branch. They that have lost their habitation with God, are out of the
+  Spirit, that gave forth the Scriptures, and from the light that Jesus
+  Christ hath enlightened them withal; and so from the true foundation.
+  Therefore be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slower to persecute:
+  for the Lord is bringing his people to himself, from all the world’s
+  ways, to Christ the way; and from all the world’s churches, to the
+  church which is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and from
+  all the world’s teachers, to teach his people himself by his Spirit;
+  from all the world’s images, into the image of himself; and from their
+  likeness into his own likeness; and from all the world’s crosses of
+  stone or wood, into his power, which is the cross of Christ. For all
+  these images, crosses, and likenesses are among them, that are
+  apostatized from the image of God, the power of God, the cross of
+  Christ, which now fathoms the world, and is throwing down that which
+  is contrary to it; which power of God never changes.
+
+  “Let this go to the kings of France, and of Spain, and to the Pope,
+  for them to prove all things, and to hold that which is good. And
+  first to prove, that they have not quenched the Spirit: for the mighty
+  day of the Lord is come, and coming upon all wickedness, and
+  ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who will plead with all flesh
+  by fire and by sword. And the truth, the crown of glory, and the
+  sceptre of righteousness over all shall be exalted; which shall answer
+  that of God in every one upon the earth, though they be from it.
+  Christ is come a light into the world, and doth enlighten every one
+  that cometh into the world; that all through him might believe. He
+  that feeleth the light that Christ hath enlightened him withal, he
+  feeleth Christ in his mind, and the cross of Christ, which is the
+  power of God; he shall not need to have a cross of wood or stone, to
+  put him in mind of Christ, or of his cross, which is the power of God
+  manifest in the inward parts.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Besides this I was moved to write a letter to the Protector, to warn him
+of the mighty work the Lord hath to do in the nations, and of the
+shaking of them; and to beware of his own wit, craft, subtilty, and
+policy, or seeking any by-ends to himself.
+
+There was about this time an order for the trying of ministers (so
+called), and for approving, or ejecting them out of their places or
+benefices; whereupon I wrote a paper to the justices, and other
+commissioners, who were appointed to that work, as follows:—
+
+  “FRIENDS,
+
+  “You that are justices, and in commission to try ministers, who have
+  so long been in the vineyard of God, see whether they be such as are
+  mentioned in the Scriptures, whom the prophets, Christ, and the
+  apostles, disapproved of. And if they be such as they disapproved, see
+  how ye can stand approved in the sight of God, to let such go into his
+  vineyard, and approve of them who will admire your persons, because of
+  advantage, and if you do not give them advantage, they will not admire
+  your persons. Such Jude speaks of. See if they be not such as teach
+  for filthy lucre, for the love of money, covetous, such as love
+  themselves, who have a form of godliness, but deny the power; from
+  such the apostles bid to ‘turn away.’ The apostle said their mouths
+  should be stopped, who served not the Lord Jesus, but their own
+  bellies, being evil, who mind earthly things. Paul gave Timothy a
+  description to try ministers by; he said, ‘they must not be covetous,
+  nor given to wine, nor filthy lucre, nor novices; lest being lifted up
+  into pride, they fall into the condemnation of the devil:’ these he
+  was to try and prove without partiality. Now take heed of approving
+  such as he disapproved; for since the apostles’ days such as he
+  disapproved have had their liberty; and they have told us, the tongues
+  were their original, and that they were orthodox men; and that the
+  steeple-house, with a cross on the top of it, was the church (the
+  Papist’s mass-house, you may look on the top of it, and see the sign).
+  But the Scriptures tell us, ‘all the earth was of one language before
+  the building of Babel;’ and when Pilate crucified Christ, he set the
+  tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, over his head. And John tells us,
+  that the beast had power over the tongues, kindreds, and nations; and
+  that the whore sits upon the tongues, of whose cup all nations have
+  drunk, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
+  John also said the tongues are waters.
+
+  “Christ gives marks to his disciples, and to the multitude, how to try
+  such as these that you are to try. They are called of men, master;
+  they love the chiefest seat in the assemblies; they are sayers but not
+  doers; and, said he, they shall put you out of the synagogues. Seven
+  woes he denounced against them, and so disapproved them. Christ said,
+  false prophets should come; and John saw they were come; for they went
+  forth from them, and the world since hath gone after them. But Babylon
+  must be confounded, the mother of harlots; and the Devil must be
+  taken; and with him the beast, and the false prophet must be cast into
+  the lake of fire; for the Lamb and his saints over all must reign, and
+  have the victory. The Lord God sent his prophets of old, to cry
+  against the shepherds that sought for the fleece, Ezek. xxxiv., and to
+  cry against such shepherds as seek for their gain from their quarter,
+  and never have enough, Isa. v. 6; and to cry against the prophets that
+  prophesied falsely, and the priests that bore rule by their means;
+  which was the filthy and horrible thing, Jer. v. And if you would
+  forbear to give them means, you would see how long they would bear
+  rule.
+
+  “There was in old time a storehouse for the fatherless, strangers, and
+  widows, to come to and be filled; and they did not prosper then who
+  did not bring their tithes to the storehouse. But did not Christ put
+  an end to that priesthood, tithes, temple, and priests? And doth not
+  the apostle say, that the priesthood is changed, the law is changed,
+  and the commandment disannulled? Might not they have pleaded the law
+  of God that gave them tithes? Have ever any of the priests prospered
+  that take tithes since, by the law of man? Was not the first author of
+  them, since Christ’s time, the Pope, or some of his church? Did the
+  apostles cast men into prison for tithes, as your ministers do now? As
+  instance; Ralph Hollingworth, priest of Phillingham, for petty tithes,
+  not exceeding six shillings, has cast into Lincoln prison a poor
+  thatcher, named Thomas Bromby; where he has been about eight and
+  thirty weeks, and still remains a prisoner. And the priest petitioned
+  the judge that the poor man might not labour in the city, to get a
+  little money towards his maintenance in prison. Is this a good savour
+  amongst you, that are in commission to choose ministers? Is this glad
+  tidings, to cast into prison a man that is not his hearer, because he
+  could not put into his mouth? Can such as are in the fear of God, and
+  in his wisdom, own such things?
+
+  “The ministers of Christ are to plant a vineyard, and then eat of the
+  fruit; to plough, sow, and thrash, and get the corn; and then let them
+  reap; but not cast them into prison for whom they do no work. Christ,
+  when he sent forth his ministers, bid them give freely, as they had
+  received freely; and into what city or town soever they came, inquire
+  who were worthy and there abide; and what they set before you, said
+  he, that eat. And when these came back again to Christ, and he asked
+  them if they wanted anything, they said No. They did not go to a town,
+  and call the people together, to know how much they might have by the
+  year, as these that are in the apostacy do now. The apostle said,
+  ‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ But he did not say, to take
+  tithes, Easter-reckonings, Midsummer-dues, augmentations, and great
+  sums of money; but ‘have I not power to eat and to drink?’ Yet he did
+  not use that power among the Corinthians. But they that are
+  apostatized from him, will take tithes, great sums of money,
+  Easter-reckonings, and Midsummer-dues; and cast them into prison that
+  will not give it them, whom they do no work for. The ox’s mouth must
+  not be muzzled that treads out the corn; but see if the corn be
+  trodden out in you, and the wheat be in the garner. This is from a
+  lover of your souls, and one that desires your eternal good.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+After I had made some stay in the city of LONDON, and cleared myself of
+what service lay upon me at that time there, I was moved of the Lord to
+go down into BEDFORDSHIRE to John Crook’s house, at LUTON, where there
+was a great meeting, and people generally convinced of the Lord’s truth.
+When I was come thither, John Crook told me that next day several of
+those that were called the gentlemen of the country, would come to dine
+with him and to discourse with me. They came, and I declared to them
+God’s eternal truth. Several Friends went to the steeple-houses that
+day. And there was a meeting in the country, which Alexander Parker went
+to; and towards the middle of the day it came upon me to go to it,
+though it was several miles off. John Crook went with me. When we
+arrived, there was one —— Gritton, who had been a Baptist, but was got
+higher than they, and called himself a trier of spirits. He told people
+their fortunes, and pretended to discover to them when their goods were
+stolen or houses broken up, who the persons were that did it; by which
+he had got into the affections of many people thereabouts. This man was
+in that meeting, speaking, and making a hideous noise over the
+young-convinced Friends, when I came in; and he bid Alexander Parker
+give a reason of his hope. Alexander Parker told him, Christ was his
+hope; but because he did not answer him so soon as he expected, he
+boastingly cried, “his mouth is stopped.” Then Gritton directed his
+speech to me, for I stood still and heard him express many things, which
+were not agreeable to Scripture. I asked him, whether he could make
+those things out by Scripture which he had spoken, and he said, Yes,
+yes. Then I bid the people take out their Bibles to search the places he
+should quote for proof of his assertions; but he could not make good by
+Scripture that which he had said. So he was ashamed and fled out of the
+house, and his people were generally convinced: for his spirit was
+discovered, and he came no more amongst them. When his people were
+convinced and settled in God’s truth, they gave forth a book against
+him, and denied his spirit and his false discoveries. Many were turned
+to Christ Jesus that day, and came to sit under his teaching; insomuch
+that the judges were in a great rage, and many of the magistrates in
+BEDFORDSHIRE, because there were so many turned from the hireling
+priests to the Lord Jesus Christ’s free teaching. But John Crook[36] was
+kept by the power of the Lord; yet he was discharged from being a
+justice.
+
+Footnote 36:
+
+  John Crook was a Justice of the Peace, and a man of note in the county
+  of Bedford. He became an eminent preacher of the gospel, in which he
+  laboured extensively, and many were the seals of his ministry. He
+  suffered many imprisonments, which he bore with patience, as also his
+  bodily infirmities, often expressing the inward joy and peace he had
+  with the Lord. He died in 1699, in the eighty-second year of his age,
+  having been a minister about forty-four years, and his writings were
+  published in 1701, entitled, _The Design of Christianity testified in
+  the Books, Epistles, and MSS. of John Crook_.
+
+After some time I returned to LONDON again, where Friends were finely
+established in the truth, and great comings-in there were. About this
+time several Friends went beyond sea to declare the everlasting truth of
+God. When I had stayed a while in the city, I went into KENT. When we
+came to ROCHESTER, there was a guard kept to examine passengers, but we
+passed by, and were not stopped. So I went to CRANBROOK, where there was
+a great meeting; several soldiers were at it, and many were turned to
+the Lord that day. After the meeting, some of the soldiers were somewhat
+rude, but the Lord’s power came over them. Thomas Howsigoe, an
+Independent preacher, who lived near CRANBROOK, was convinced, and
+became a faithful minister for the Lord Jesus. Some Friends had
+travelled into KENT before, as John Stubbs and William Caton, and the
+priests and professors had stirred up the magistrates at MAIDSTONE to
+whip them, for declaring God’s truth unto them; as may be seen at large
+in the Journal of William Caton’s life. Captain Dunk was also convinced
+in KENT. He went with me to RYE, where we had a meeting; to which the
+Mayor and officers, and several captains came. They took down what I
+said in writing, which I was well pleased with. All was quiet, and the
+people affected with the truth.
+
+From RYE I went to ROMNEY, where, the people having had notice of my
+coming some time before, there was a very large meeting. Thither came
+Samuel Fisher, an eminent preacher among the Baptists, who had had a
+parsonage reputed worth about two hundred pounds a year, which for
+conscience sake he had given up. There was also the pastor of the
+Baptists, and abundance of their people. The power of the Lord was so
+mightily over the meeting, that many were reached thereby, and one
+greatly shaken, and the life sprung up in many. One of the pastors of
+the Baptists, being amazed at the work of the Lord’s power, bid one of
+our friends that was so wrought upon, have a good conscience; whereupon
+I was moved of the Lord to bid him take heed of hypocrisy and deceit;
+and he was silent. A great convincement there was that day; many were
+turned from darkness to the divine light of Christ, and came to see
+their teachers’ errors, and to sit under the Lord Jesus Christ’s
+teaching, to know him their way, and the covenant of light, which God
+had given to be their salvation; and they were brought to the one
+baptism, and to the one baptizer, Christ Jesus. When the meeting was
+over, Samuel Fisher’s wife said, “Now we may discern this day between
+flesh and spirit, and distinguish spiritual teaching from fleshly.” The
+people were generally well satisfied with what had been declared; but
+the two Baptist teachers and their company, when they were gone from the
+meeting, fell to reasoning amongst the people. Samuel Fisher, with many
+others, reasoned for the word of life, which had been declared that day;
+and the other pastor and his party reasoned against it; so it divided
+them asunder, and cut them in the midst. A friend came and told me, that
+the Baptists were disputing one with another; and desired me to go up to
+them; but I said “let them alone, the Lord will divide them; and they
+that reason for truth, will be too hard for the other;” and so it was.
+Samuel Fisher received the truth in the love of it, became a faithful
+minister, preached Christ freely, and laboured much in the service of
+the Lord, being moved to go and declare the word of life at Dunkirk and
+in Holland, and in divers parts of Italy, as Leghorn, and Rome itself;
+yet the Lord preserved him and his companion John Stubbs, out of their
+Inquisitions.[37]
+
+Footnote 37:
+
+  Sewell states that Samuel Fisher and John Stubbs, when at Rome,
+  conversed with some of the cardinals, and testified against Popish
+  superstitions. They also spread books among the friars, some of whom
+  expressed their contents to be true; but, said they, if we should
+  acknowledge this publicly, we might expect to be burned for it.
+
+  Whiting records the death of Samuel Fisher in 1665. “Other Friends,”
+  he says, “were transported; and many died in Newgate, and on
+  shipboard, in order to transportation, to the number of 122, in
+  London, Westminster, and Southwark; particularly Samuel Fisher, &c.,
+  faithful ministers and labourers in the work of the Lord, taken at
+  meetings died in the White Lion prison, Southwark, 1665, in the time
+  of the pestilence [plague], which began in the time of the persecution
+  of Friends under the Conventicle Act, as a signal token of the Lord’s
+  displeasure. It broke out first in a house next to that of the first
+  man that was banished, who lived to return to London, and died at a
+  great age.”
+
+From ROMNEY I passed to DOVER, and had a meeting, where several were
+convinced. Near DOVER a governor and his wife were convinced, who had
+been Baptists; and the Baptists thereabouts were much offended, and grew
+very envious; but the Lord’s power came over all. Luke Howard of DOVER
+was convinced some time before, and became a faithful minister of
+Christ.[38]
+
+Footnote 38:
+
+  For some account of Luke Howard, see _Piety Promoted_, Part ix. He was
+  several times imprisoned; once in Dover Castle, for sixteen months,
+  for going to meetings. At this time, he employed six men in his trade,
+  but was obliged to shut up his shop for six months. He obtained the
+  use of an entry to the prison grate, where meat was drawn up with a
+  cord, and he worked a little there. He suffered another long
+  confinement in 1684. Speaking of his imprisonments, he says, “I had
+  perfect peace, joy, and content in it all; the Lord made it good unto
+  me, both within and without.”
+
+Returning from DOVER I went to CANTERBURY, where a few honest-hearted
+people were turned to the Lord, who sat down under Christ’s teaching.
+Thence I passed to CRANBROOK again, where I had a great meeting. A
+friend went to the steeple-house, and was cast into prison; but the
+Lord’s power was manifested, and his truth spread.
+
+From thence I passed into SUSSEX, and lodged near HORSHAM, where there
+was a great meeting, and many were convinced. Also at STEYNING we had a
+great meeting in the market house, and several were convinced; for the
+Lord’s power was with us. I had several meetings in the neighbourhood;
+and among the rest, one was appointed at a great man’s house, and he and
+his son went to fetch several priests that had threatened to come and
+dispute. But none of them came; for the Lord’s power was mighty in us; a
+glorious meeting we had. The man of the house and his son were vexed,
+because none of the priests would come. So the hearts of people were
+opened by the Spirit of God, and they were turned from the hirelings to
+Christ Jesus their shepherd, who had purchased them without money, and
+would feed them without money or price. Many that came, expecting to
+hear a dispute, were convinced; amongst whom Nicholas Beard was one.[39]
+
+Footnote 39:
+
+  Nicholas Beard was an early seeker of the Lord in his youth, and would
+  often travel many miles to hear the best reputed teachers of the
+  times. He became a faithful minister of Christ, and a large sufferer
+  for his sake. For one year’s tithes he had taken from him twelve oxen,
+  six cows, and one bull, which were sold for £111 5s., but worth more.
+  For worshipping God, and refusing to swear or bear arms, he was
+  prosecuted on the statute for £20 a month, and underwent imprisonment
+  several years, and loss of goods to more than £1,000. Yet it pleased
+  the Lord to support and bless him and a large family, so that on his
+  deathbed he was heard to say, “O Lord, my soul blesseth thee, and all
+  that is within me magnifieth thy holy name!” He often desired to
+  depart and be with Christ, and died in great peace, in 1702, aged
+  eighty, a minister about thirty years.
+
+Thus the Lord’s power came over all, and his day many came to see. There
+were abundance of Ranters in those parts, and professors that had been
+so loose in their lives, that they began to be weary of it and had
+thought to go into Scotland to live privately. But the Lord’s net caught
+them, and their understandings were opened by his light, Spirit, and
+power, through which they came to receive the truth, and to be settled
+upon the Lord; and so became very sober men, and good friends in the
+truth. Great blessing and praising of the Lord there was amongst them,
+and great admiration in the country.
+
+Out of SUSSEX I travelled to READING, where I found a few that were
+convinced of the way of the Lord. There I stayed till First-day, and had
+a meeting in George Lamboll’s orchard; and a great part of the town came
+to it. A glorious meeting it proved; a great convincement there was, and
+the people were mightily satisfied. Thither came two of Judge Fell’s
+daughters to me, and George Bishop, of BRISTOL, with his sword by his
+side, for he was a captain.[40] After the meeting many Baptists and
+Ranters came privately, reasoning and discoursing; but the Lord’s power
+came over them. The Ranters pleaded, that God made the Devil; I denied
+it, and told them, “I was come into the power of God, the seed Christ,
+which was before the Devil was, and bruised the head of him; and he
+became a Devil by going out of truth, and so became a murderer and a
+destroyer. So I showed them that God did not make the Devil; for God is
+a God of truth, and he made all things good, and blessed them; but God
+did not bless the Devil. And the Devil is bad, and was a liar and a
+murderer from the beginning, and spoke of himself and not from God.” And
+so the truth stopped them, and bound them, and came over all the highest
+notions in the nation, and confounded them. For by the power of the Lord
+God I was manifest, and sought to be made manifest to the Spirit of God
+in all; that by it (which they vexed, and quenched, and grieved,) they
+might be turned to God; as many were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ by
+the Holy Spirit, and were come to sit under his teaching.
+
+Footnote 40:
+
+  This Captain Bishop, who is mentioned as wearing his sword, soon
+  discontinued it, being convinced, and joining Friends. He was the
+  author of _An Account of the Persecution in New England_, and he
+  issued a prophetic warning to the King and Parliament, in 1664, for
+  banishing Friends, which was fulfilled. See _Sewell’s History_; Index.
+
+After this meeting at READING I passed up to LONDON, where I stayed a
+while, and had large meetings, then into ESSEX, and came to COGGESHALL,
+where was a meeting of about two thousand people, as it was supposed,
+which lasted several hours, and a glorious meeting it was; for the word
+of life was freely declared, and people were turned to the Lord Jesus
+Christ, their teacher and their Saviour, the way, the truth, and the
+life.
+
+On the sixth day of that week I had a meeting near COLCHESTER, to which
+many professors and the Independent teachers came. After I had done
+speaking, and was stepped down from the place on which I stood, one of
+the Independent teachers began to make a jangling; which Amor Stoddart
+perceiving, said to me, Stand up again, George, for I was going away,
+and did not at first hear them. But when I heard the jangling
+Independent, I stood up again; and after a while the Lord’s power came
+over him and his company; and they were confounded, and the Lord’s truth
+went over all. A great flock of sheep hath the Lord Jesus Christ in that
+country, that feed in his pastures of life. On the First-day following
+we had a very large meeting, near COLCHESTER, wherein the Lord’s power
+was eminently manifested, and the people were very well satisfied; for
+they were turned to Christ’s free teaching, and received it gladly. Many
+of these people had been of the stock of the martyrs.
+
+As I passed through COLCHESTER, I went to visit James Parnel in prison,
+but the cruel jailer would hardly let us come in, or stay with him. Very
+cruel they were to him; the jailer’s wife threatened to have his blood;
+and in that jail they destroyed him, as the reader may see in a book
+printed soon after his death, giving an account of his life and death;
+and also in an epistle printed with his collected books and writings.
+
+From COLCHESTER I went to IPSWICH, where we had a little meeting, and
+very rude; but the Lord’s power came over them. After the meeting I
+said, “if any had a desire to hear further, they might come to the inn;”
+and there came in a company of rude butchers, that had abused Friends;
+but the Lord’s power so chained them that they could not do mischief.
+Then I wrote a paper, and gave it forth to the town, “warning them of
+the day of the Lord, that they might repent of the evils they lived in;
+directing them to Christ, their teacher, and way; and exhorting them to
+forsake their hireling teachers.”
+
+We passed from IPSWICH to MENDLESHAM, in SUFFOLK, where Robert Duncan
+lived. There we had a large quiet meeting, and the Lord’s power was
+preciously felt amongst us. Then we passed to a meeting at Captain
+Lawrence’s in NORFOLK; where, it was supposed, were above a thousand
+people; and all was quiet. Many persons of note were present, and a
+great convincement there was; for they were turned to Christ, their way
+and their teacher, and many of them received him, and sat down under
+him, their vine. Here we parted with Amor Stoddart and some other
+Friends, who intended to meet us again in HUNTINGDONSHIRE.
+
+About two in the morning we took horse for NORWICH, where Christopher
+Atkins had run out, and brought dishonour upon the blessed truth and
+name of the Lord. But he had been denied by Friends; and afterwards he
+gave forth a paper of condemnation of his sin and evil. We came to
+YARMOUTH, and there stayed a while; where there was a Friend, Thomas
+Bond, in prison for the truth of Christ. There we had some service; and
+some were turned to the Lord in that town. From thence we rode to
+another town, about twenty miles off, where were many tender people; and
+I was moved of the Lord to speak to them, as I sat on my horse, in
+several places as I passed along.
+
+We went to another town about five miles from thence, and set up our
+horses at an inn, Richard Hubberthorn and I having travelled five and
+forty miles that day. There were some friendly people in the town; and
+we had a tender, broken meeting amongst them, in the Lord’s power, to
+his praise. We bid the hostler have our horses ready by three in the
+morning; for we intended to ride to LYNN, about three and thirty miles,
+next morning. But when we were in bed at our inn, about eleven at night,
+the constable and officers came, with a great rabble of people, into the
+inn, and said they were come with a hue and cry from a justice of peace,
+that lived near the town about five miles off, where I had spoken to the
+people in the streets, as I rode along, to search for two horsemen, that
+rode upon gray horses, and in gray clothes; a house having been broken
+up on the Seventh-day before at night. We told them “we were honest,
+innocent men, and abhorred such things;” yet they apprehended us, and
+set a guard with halberts and pikes upon us that night; making some of
+those friendly people, with others, to watch us. Next morning we were up
+betimes, and the constable with his guard carried us before a justice of
+peace about five miles off. We took two or three of the sufficient men
+of the town with us, who had been with us at the great meeting at
+Captain Lawrence’s, and could testify that we lay both the Seventh-day
+night, and the First-day night, at Captain Lawrence’s; and it was the
+Seventh-day night that they said the house was broken up.
+
+The reader is to be informed, that during the time that I was a prisoner
+at the Mermaid at CHARING CROSS, this Captain Lawrence brought several
+Independent justices to see me there, with whom I had much discourse;
+which they took offence at. For they pleaded for imperfection, and to
+sin as long as they lived; but did not like to hear of Christ teaching
+his people himself, and making people as clear, whilst here upon the
+earth, as Adam and Eve were before they fell. These justices had plotted
+together this mischief against me in the country, pretending a house was
+broken up; that they might send their hue and cry after me. They were
+vexed also, and troubled, to hear of the great meeting at John
+Lawrence’s aforesaid; for a colonel was convinced there that day, who
+lived and died in the truth. But Providence so ordered, that the
+constable carried us to a justice about five miles onward in our way
+towards LYNN, who was not an Independent justice, as the rest were.
+
+When we were brought before him, he began to be angry, because we did
+not put off our hats to him. I told him, I had been before the
+Protector, and he was not offended at my hat; and why should he be
+offended at it, who was but one of his servants? Then he read the hue
+and cry; and I told him, “that that night, wherein the house was said to
+be broken up, we were at Captain Lawrence’s house; and that we had
+several men present who could testify the truth thereof.” Thereupon the
+justice, having examined us and them said “he believed we were not the
+men that had broken the house; but he was sorry,” he said, “that he had
+no more against us.” We told him, “he ought not to be sorry for not
+having evil against us; but rather to be glad; for to rejoice, when he
+got evil against people, as for housebreaking, or the like, was not a
+good mind in him.” It was a good while yet, before he could resolve,
+whether to let us go, or send us to prison; and the wicked constable
+stirred him up against us, telling him, “we had good horses, and that if
+it pleased him, he would carry us to NORWICH jail.” But we took hold of
+the justice’s confession, that “he believed we were not the men that had
+broken the house;” and after we had admonished him to fear the Lord in
+his day, the Lord’s power came over him, so that he let us go; so their
+snare was broken. A great people were afterwards gathered to the Lord in
+that town, where I was moved to speak to them in the street; and from
+whence the hue and cry came.
+
+Being set at liberty, we travelled to LYNN; where we arrived about three
+in the afternoon. Having set up our horses, we met with Joseph Fuce,[41]
+who was an ensign; and we wished him to speak to as many of the people
+of the town as he could that feared God; and to the captains and
+officers to come together; which he did. We had a very glorious meeting
+amongst them, and turned them to the Spirit of God, by which they might
+know God and Christ, and understand the Scriptures; and so learn of God
+and of Christ, as the prophets and apostles did. Many were convinced
+there; and a fine meeting there is, of them that are come off from the
+hirelings’ teaching, and sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus
+Christ.
+
+Footnote 41:
+
+  Joseph Fuce was one of those faithful ministers who died in White Lion
+  prison, Southwark, in 1665, during the time of the plague.
+
+LYNN being then a garrison, we desired Joseph Fuce to get us the gate
+opened by three next morning, for we had forty miles to ride next day.
+By that means getting out early, we came next day by eleven or twelve to
+SUTTON, near the Isle of Ely, where Amor Stoddart, and the Friends with
+him, met us again. A multitude of people was gathered there, and no less
+than four priests. The priest of the town made a great jangle; but the
+Lord’s power so confounded him, that he went away: the other three
+stayed; and one of them was convinced. One of the other two, whilst I
+was speaking, came to lean upon me; but I bid him sit down, seeing he
+was so slothful. A great convincement there was that day; and many
+hundreds were turned from the darkness to the light, from the power of
+Satan unto God, and from the spirit of error to the Spirit of truth, to
+be led thereby into all truth. People came to this meeting from
+HUNTINGDON, and beyond; and the mayor’s wife of CAMBRIDGE was there
+also. A glorious meeting it was, and many were settled under Christ’s
+teaching, and knew him, their Shepherd, to feed them; for the word of
+life was freely declared, and gladly received by them. The meeting ended
+in the power of the Lord, and in peace; and after it I walked out and
+went into a garden; where I had not been long, before a Friend came to
+me, and told me several justices were come to break up the meeting. But
+many of the people were gone away; so they missed of their design: and
+after they had stayed a while, they went away also, in a fret.
+
+That evening I passed to CAMBRIDGE. When I came into the town, the
+scholars hearing of me, were up, and were exceedingly rude. I kept on my
+horse’s back, and rode through them in the Lord’s power; but they
+unhorsed Amor Stoddart before he could get to the inn. When we were in
+the inn, they were so rude in the courts, and in the streets, that
+miners, colliers, and carters could never be ruder. The people of the
+house asked us “what we would have for supper.” “Supper!” said I, “were
+it not that the Lord’s power is over them, these rude scholars look as
+if they would pluck us in pieces, and make a supper of us.” They knew I
+was so against the trade of preaching, which they were there as
+apprentices to learn, that they raged as much as ever Diana’s craftsmen
+did against Paul. At this place John Crook met us. When it was within
+night, the mayor of the town, being friendly, came and fetched me to his
+house; and as we walked through the streets, there was a bustle in the
+town; but they did not know me, it being darkish. They were in a rage,
+not only against me, but against the mayor also; so that he was almost
+afraid to walk the streets with me, for the tumult. We sent for the
+friendly people, and had a fine meeting there in the power of God: and I
+stayed there all night. Next morning, having ordered our horses to be
+ready by six, we passed peaceably out of town; and the destroyers were
+disappointed; for they thought I would have stayed longer, and intended
+to do us mischief; but our passing away early in the morning frustrated
+their evil purposes against us.
+
+Then we rode to BISHOP-STORTFORD, where some were convinced: and so to
+HERTFORD, where also there were some convinced; and where there is now a
+large meeting. From thence we returned to LONDON, where Friends received
+us gladly; the Lord’s power having carried us through many snares and
+dangers. Great service we had for the Lord; for many hundreds were
+brought to sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, their
+Saviour, and to praise the Lord through him. James Naylor also was come
+up to London; and Richard Hubberthorn and I stayed some time in the
+city, visiting Friends and answering gainsayers; for we had great
+disputes with professors of all sorts. Many reproaches they cast upon
+truth; and lying slanderous books they gave forth against us: but we
+answered them all, cleared God’s truth, and set it over them; and the
+Lord’s power was over all.
+
+Amongst other services for the Lord, which then lay upon me in the city,
+I was moved to give forth a paper which is as follows:—
+
+          _To Those that Made a Scorn of Trembling and Quaking._
+
+  “The word of the Lord to all you that scorn trembling, and quaking;
+  who scoff at, scorn, stone, and belch forth oaths against, those who
+  are trembling and quaking; threatening them, and beating them.
+  Strangers ye are to all the apostles and prophets; and are of the
+  generation that stoned them, and mocked them in those ages. Ye are the
+  scoffers of whom they spoke, that are come in the last times. Be ye
+  witnesses against yourselves. To the light in all your consciences I
+  speak, that with it you may see yourselves to be out of the life of
+  the holy men of God.
+
+  “Moses, who was judge over all Israel, trembled, feared, and quaked:
+  when the Lord said unto him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of
+  Isaac, and the God of Jacob, then Moses trembled, and durst not
+  behold.’ This, which makes to tremble now, ye teachers and people
+  scoff at, and scorn them in your streets who witness the power of the
+  Lord. Moses forsook the pleasures of the world, which he might have
+  enjoyed for a season. He might have been called the son of Pharaoh’s
+  daughter; he refused it, and forsook Pharaoh’s house; yet was no
+  vagabond. David, a king, trembled; he was mocked; they made songs on
+  him; they wagged their heads at him. Will you profess David’s words,
+  and Moses’s words, who are in the generation of your fathers, mockers,
+  scoffers, wonderers, and despisers, who are to perish? O blush! be
+  ashamed of all your profession, and be confounded! Job trembled, his
+  flesh trembled, and they mocked him: so do you now mock them in whom
+  the same power of God is made manifest; and yet you profess Job’s
+  words. O deceitful hypocrites! will ye not own Scripture? O shame!
+  never profess Scripture words, and deny the power, which, according to
+  Scripture, makes the keepers of the house to tremble, and the strong
+  man to bow himself. These things both priests, magistrates, and people
+  scoff at; but with the power ye are judged, and by the power and life
+  condemned.
+
+  “The prophet Jeremiah trembled, he shook, his bones quaked, he reeled
+  to and fro, like a drunken man, when he saw the deceits of the priests
+  and prophets, who were turned from the way of God; they were not
+  ashamed, neither could they blush. Such were gone from the light; and
+  such were they that ruled over the people. But he was brought to cry,
+  O foolish people! that had eyes, and could not see; that had ears, and
+  could not hear; that did not fear the Lord, and tremble at his
+  presence, who placed the sands for bounds to the sea, by a perpetual
+  decree, that the waves thereof cannot pass! And he said, ‘A horrible
+  thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the
+  priests bear rule by their means. Shall not I visit for these things,
+  saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged upon such a nation as
+  this?’ They were such as did not tremble at the word of the Lord;
+  therefore he called them a foolish people. Hear all ye the word of the
+  Lord, ye foolish people, who scorn trembling and quaking. Give over
+  professing the prophet Jeremiah’s words, and making a trade of them;
+  for with his words you are judged to be among the scoffers, scorners,
+  and stockers. For he was stocked by your generation; and you now stock
+  them that tremble at the word of the Lord, at the power of the mighty
+  God, which raises up the seed of God, and throws down the earth which
+  hath kept it down. So, you who are in the fall where death reigneth,
+  who are enemies of the truth, despising the power of God, as those of
+  your generation ever did, woe and misery is your portion, except you
+  speedily repent.
+
+  “Isaiah saith, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his
+  word.’ Again, ‘To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and
+  of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.’ Isa. lxv. 2. ‘Your
+  brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said,
+  Let the Lord be glorified; but he shall appear to your joy, and they
+  shall be ashamed.’ Isa. lxvi. 5. Now all ye scoffers and scorners,
+  that despise trembling, you regard not the word of the Lord; they are
+  not regarded by you, that tremble at the word; who are regarded by the
+  Lord: therefore you are contrary to Isaiah’s words. Profess him and
+  his words no more, for shame, nor make a trade of his words, ye that
+  seek for your gain from your quarter, ye greedy, dumb dogs, that never
+  have enough; ye are they that despise trembling; ye are such as Isaiah
+  cried against, who himself witnessed trembling. Here therefore be ye
+  witnesses against yourselves, that with the light in your consciences
+  ye may see ye are out of the prophet Isaiah’s spirit, and are haters
+  of them that tremble, whom the Lord regards; such you regard not, but
+  hate and persecute, mock and rail against them. It is manifest that
+  you walk in the steps of your forefathers, that persecuted the
+  prophets.
+
+  “Habakkuk, the prophet of the Lord, trembled. And Joel, the prophet of
+  the Lord, said, ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, and let all the inhabitants
+  of the earth tremble: the people shall tremble, and all faces shall
+  gather blackness, and the people shall be much pained.’ And now this
+  trembling is witnessed by the power of the Lord. This power of the
+  Lord is come; the trumpet is sounding; the earth is shaking, the
+  inhabitants of the earth are trembling; the dead are arising, and the
+  living are praising God; the world is raging, and the scoffers are
+  scorning; and they that witness trembling and quaking wrought in them
+  by the power of the Lord, can scarcely pass up and down the streets,
+  but with stones and blows, fists and sticks, or dogs set at them; or
+  they are pursued with mockings and reproaches. Thus you vent forth
+  your malice against them that witness the power of the Lord, as the
+  prophets did; who are come to the broken heart and contrite spirit,
+  who tremble at the word of the Lord, and whom the Lord regards: these
+  you stone and stock, and set your dogs at; these you scoff and scorn,
+  these you revile and reproach; but these reproaches are our riches;
+  praised be the Lord who hath given us power over them. If you see one,
+  as Habakkuk, whose ‘lips quivered,’ whose ‘belly shook,’ who said,
+  ‘rottenness was entered into his bones,’ and who ‘trembled in
+  himself;’ if you see such a one in this condition now, ye say, he is
+  bewitched. Here again you show yourselves strangers to that power, to
+  that life, that was in the prophet: therefore, for shame, never make a
+  profession of his words, nor a trade of his words; nor of Joel’s, who
+  witnessed trembling, which ye scorn and scoff at. Ye proud scoffers
+  and scorners, misery, misery is your end, except you speedily repent.
+
+  “Daniel, a servant of the most high God, trembled; his strength and
+  his breath were gone; he was imprisoned, he was hated, he was
+  persecuted. They laid baits and snares for him, in whom the Holy
+  Spirit of God was. Now for shame, you that make a profession of
+  Daniel’s words, give over your profession; priests and people, who
+  scorn and scoff at trembling, with the light you are seen to be out of
+  Daniel’s life, and by the same power you are judged, at which you
+  scorn and scoff. Here again be ye witnesses against yourselves, that
+  ye are scorners and scoffers against the truth; and with the Scripture
+  ye are judged to be contrary to the life of the holy men of God.
+
+  “Paul, a minister of God, made, by the will of God, a messenger of the
+  Lord Jesus, a vessel of the Lord, to carry his name abroad into
+  several nations, trembled: and when the dark, blind world, having got
+  some of his words and epistles, you teachers make a trade of them, and
+  obtain great sums of money by it, and so destroy souls for dishonest
+  gain: making a trade of his words, and of the rest of the apostles’
+  and prophets’, and of Christ’s words, but denying the Spirit and life
+  that they were guided by; and that power which shook the flesh and the
+  earth, which the apostle witnessed, who said, when he came among the
+  Corinthians, that ‘he was with them in weakness, and in fear, and in
+  much trembling,’ that their faith might not stand in the wisdom of
+  men, but in the power of God; in that power which made him to tremble.
+  This power it is that the world, and all the scoffing teachers, scoff
+  at and scorn in your towns, in your villages, in your assemblies, in
+  your ale-houses. For shame, lay aside all your profession of the
+  apostle’s words and conditions! Some of them that scoff at this power,
+  call it the power of the devil. Some persecute, stone and stock,
+  imprison and whip them, in whom that power is made manifest, and load
+  them with reproaches, as not worthy to walk on the earth; hated and
+  persecuted, as the off-scouring of all things. Here you may see you
+  are in the steps of your forefathers, who persecuted the apostles, and
+  acted so against them, stocked them, mocked them, imprisoned them,
+  stoned them, whipped them, haled them out of the synagogues,
+  reproached them, and shamefully entreated them. Do not you here fulfil
+  the Scripture, and Christ’s saying, who said, ‘If they kill you, they
+  will think they do God service?’ Yet you make a profession of Christ’s
+  words, of the prophets’ and apostles’ words, and call yourselves
+  churches, and ministers of the gospel. I charge you, in the presence
+  of the living God, to be silent who act such things! Mind the light in
+  your consciences, ye scoffers and scorners, which Christ hath
+  enlightened you withal: that with it ye may see yourselves, what ye
+  act, and what ye have acted; for they who act such things shall not
+  inherit the kingdom of God: all such things are by the light
+  condemned.
+
+  “You who have come to witness trembling and quaking, the powers of the
+  earth to be shaken, the lustful nature to be destroyed, the scorning
+  and scoffing nature judged by the light; wait in it to receive power
+  from him who shakes the earth. That power we own, and our faith stands
+  in it, which all the world scoffs at; the lofty ones, the proud, the
+  presumptuous, who live in presumption, and yet make a profession of
+  the Scriptures, as your fathers the Pharisees did, who were painted
+  sepulchres and serpents; and as the scribes did, who had the chiefest
+  place in the assemblies, stood praying in the synagogues, and were
+  called of men masters, which Christ cried woe against. These are not
+  come so far as the trembling of devils, who believed and trembled. Let
+  that judge you. The light and life of the Scripture is seen and made
+  manifest, and with it all you scoffers and scorners, all you
+  persecutors and railers are seen.
+
+  “Take warning, all ye powers of the earth, how ye persecute them whom
+  the world nickname and call Quakers, who dwell in the eternal power of
+  God; lest the hand of the Lord be turned against you, and ye be all
+  cut off. To you this is the word of God. Fear and tremble, and take
+  warning! for this is the man whom the Lord doth regard, who trembles
+  at his word; whom you, who are of the world, scoff and scorn, stock,
+  persecute, and imprison. Here ye may see ye are contrary to God and to
+  the prophets; and are such as hate what the Lord regards; which we,
+  whom the world scorns and call Quakers, own. We exalt and honour that
+  power, that makes the devils tremble, shakes the earth, and throws
+  down the loftiness and the haughtiness of man; which makes the beasts
+  of the field to tremble, and the earth to reel to and fro; which
+  cleaves the earth asunder, and overturneth the world. This power we
+  own, and honour, and preach; but all scoffers and persecutors, railers
+  and scorners, stockers and whippers, we deny by that power which
+  throweth down all that nature; seeing that all who act such things,
+  without repentance, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, but are for
+  destruction.
+
+  “Rejoice, all ye righteous ones, who are persecuted for righteousness’
+  sake; for great is your reward in heaven. Rejoice ye that suffer for
+  well doing; for ye shall not lose your reward. Wait in the light, that
+  you may grow up in the life that gave forth the Scriptures; that with
+  it you may see the saints’ conditions, and all that which they
+  testified against; and there with it ye will see the state of those
+  that reproached and scoffed at them; that mocked and persecuted them;
+  that whipped and stocked them, and haled them out of the synagogues
+  before magistrates. To you, who are in the same light and life, the
+  same things do they now; that they may fill up the measure of their
+  fathers. With the light now they are seen, where the light, and life,
+  and power of God is made manifest; for as they did unto them, so they
+  will do unto you. Here is our joy; the Scripture is fulfilled, and
+  fulfilling; and with the light, which was before the world was, which
+  is now made manifest in the children of light, they see the world, and
+  comprehend it, and the actions of it; for he that loves the world, and
+  turns from the light, is an enemy to God; he turneth into wickedness;
+  for the whole world lieth in wickedness. He who turns from the light,
+  turns into the works of evil, which the light of Christ testifies
+  against; and by this light, where it is made manifest, all the works
+  of the world are seen and made manifest.”
+
+                                                                G.F.
+
+  This is to go abroad among the scattered
+       ones, and among the world.
+
+Great was the rage and enmity of professors, as well as profane, against
+the truth and people of God at this time; and great the contempt and
+disdain they showed of Friends’ plainness. Wherefore I was moved to
+write the following, and sent it forth:—
+
+     _An Epistle to Churches gathered into outward forms, upon the
+                                earth._
+
+  “All ye churches gathered into outward forms upon the earth, the Son
+  of God is come to reign; he will tread and trample, will shake and
+  make you quiver, you that are found out of his light, without his life
+  and power. His day hath appeared; mortar and clay will you be found.
+  Breaking, shaking, and quaking are coming among you! your high
+  building is to be laid desolate; your professed liberty shall be your
+  bondage; the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it. Tremble, ye
+  hypocrites, ye notionists! the fenced cities shall be laid desolate,
+  the fruitful fields shall become a wilderness; your false joy shall
+  become your heaviness; the time of weeping and desolation draweth
+  nigh! Come, ye witty ones, see how ye can stand before the Almighty,
+  who is now come to plead with you; you will fall like leaves, and
+  wither like weeds! Come, you that have boasted of my name, saith the
+  Lord, and have gloried in the flesh, ye shall fade like a flower; who
+  have slain my witness yet boast of my words, which have been as a song
+  unto you. Come, ye novelists, who love novelties, changeable suits of
+  apparel, who are in the fashions, outward and inward, putting on one
+  thing this day, and another the other day. ‘I will strip thee,’ saith
+  the Lord, ‘I will make thee bare, I will make thee naked, and thou
+  shalt know that I am the Lord.’
+
+  “‘What! hast thou professed the prophets’ words? hast thou professed
+  the apostles’ words, and my Son’s words; hast thou covered thyself
+  with their expressions? thinkest thou not that I see thee out of my
+  life? thinkest thou, thou witty one, to hide thyself where none can
+  see thee? thinkest thou, if thou fliest to the uttermost parts of the
+  earth, that I am not there? Is not the earth mine, and the fulness of
+  it, saith the Lord?’ Come, all ye that have trusted in your own
+  conceited notions, and knowledge, and wisdom, who were never yet out
+  of the earth, and the lusts of it; never yet got the load of thick
+  clay off you; never were out of the drunken spirit, whose imperfection
+  appears, which must be come upon as a potter’s vessel; broken
+  cisterns; ye that have been made wise in your own conceit, wise in
+  your own eyes, in which pride hath lifted you up, and not the
+  humility; you must be abased. You have run on, every one after his own
+  invention; every man hath done the thing that was right in his own
+  eyes, that which pleased himself. This hath been the course of people
+  upon earth. Ye have run on without a king, without Christ, the light
+  of the world, which hath enlightened every one that is come into the
+  world. But now is truth risen, now are your fruits withering.
+
+  “And you that are fortified, and have fortified your strong houses,
+  called your churches, make ye your cords strong, the Lord will break
+  you asunder, ye that are gathering in, and ye that are gathered. For
+  the Lord is risen to scatter you; his witness is risen in the hearts
+  of his people, they will not be fed with dead words, nor with that
+  which dies of itself; nor will they be satisfied with the husks which
+  the swine feed upon. All ye priests in the nation, and teachers, that
+  now stand against the light, your envy shows that ye are in Cain’s
+  way; your greediness shows that ye are in Balaam’s way; your standing
+  against the light which hath enlightened every man that cometh into
+  the world, doth manifest that you are in Korah’s way, that spoke the
+  great high words of vanity; ye whose consciences are seared as with a
+  hot iron, whose judgment doth not linger, whose damnation doth not
+  slumber, who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but your own bellies;
+  who are the evil beasts spoken of, which have destroyed many families,
+  taken away their cattle, their horses, their goods, even their
+  household goods; destroyed many poor men, even whole families, taking
+  their whole estates from them whom you do no work for. O! the grievous
+  actions that are done by you, the ministers of unrighteousness; whose
+  fruits declare to the whole nation that you are the devil’s
+  messengers! your actions declare it; your taking tithes,
+  augmentations, treble damages, Midsummer-dues (as ye call them), of
+  them ye do no work for, nor minister to.
+
+  “All ye powers of the earth, beware of holding such up as are
+  unrighteous. Let not the words of the unrighteous overcome you, lest
+  God, the righteous judge of heaven and earth, take hold upon you;
+  whose judgment is according to that of God in you, which will let you
+  see when you transgress. Come you proud and lofty ones, who have not
+  considered the handy-works of the Lord, but have destroyed them; nor
+  have regarded the way of the Lord, but have had plenty of the
+  creatures, and have therewith fattened yourselves, and forgotten the
+  Lord and his way: O let shame cover your faces here upon earth! Come
+  ye that are given to pleasures, and spend your time in sports, and
+  idleness, and fulness; your fruits declare the sins of Sodom; yet you
+  will talk of my name, and of my saints’ words. ‘But I behold you afar
+  off,’ saith the Lord; you are proud and lofty; you are evil patterns,
+  bad examples, full, rich, and idle; who say others are idle, that
+  cannot maintain your lusts. O! the unrighteous balances that are among
+  people! O! the iniquity in measuring! O! the oppression in ruling and
+  governing! Because of these things my hand shall come upon you, saith
+  the Lord. For the oppression is entered into the ears of the Lord, who
+  gives rest to the wearied, to the burthened, to the oppressed; who
+  feeds the hungry, and clothes the naked; who brings the mighty from
+  their seats, beats the lofty to the ground, and makes the haughty
+  bend.
+
+  “Come, saith the Lord, ye mockers, scorners, and rebellious ones,
+  light and wild people, vain and heady; you have had your day of joy,
+  you have scoffed, you have mocked and derided my messengers and my
+  ambassadors, who have preached in your streets, and cried in your
+  synagogues and temples; a day of trembling and lamentation shall come
+  upon you, when you are not aware. I will take away your pride and your
+  height; I will shake you as a leaf, and bring you to be as men
+  distracted. I will distract you, and make you that you shall not trust
+  one another in the earth, who have joined hand in hand against my
+  servants in the truth. I will smite you with terrors, and bring fear
+  upon you; the cup of my indignation and fury shall you drink. Where
+  will you appear when repentance is hid from your eyes, when profane
+  Esau, your father, is set before you, and Ishmael and Cain, wild and
+  envious, whose fruits declare the stock?
+
+  “Come, ye proud priests, who have eaten up the fat of the nation, who
+  by violence have taken other men’s goods, whose envy hath slain many,
+  whose wickedness and darkness hath abounded, and whose unrighteousness
+  daily appears; your fruits every day declare it, in summoning up by
+  writs and subpœnas from most parts of the nation for wages and
+  tithes, such as you do no work for. O abominable unrighteousness! how
+  is the state of man lost, that they do not take these things to heart
+  to feel them! what havoc is made in most parts of the nation with
+  such! And all ye priests and teachers, who are railing and brawling in
+  the pulpit, setting people at variance one against another, haters and
+  hateful, provoking people to hate one another, here is the seed of
+  enmity seen, which you have sown and are sowing, whose seed must he
+  bruised by the seed of the woman, which above your heads is set.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+This year came out the oath of abjuration, by which many Friends
+suffered; and several went to speak to the Protector about it; but he
+began to harden. And sufferings increasing upon Friends, by reason that
+envious magistrates made use of that oath as a snare to catch Friends
+in, who, they knew, could not swear at all; I was moved to write to the
+Protector, as follows:—
+
+  “The magistrate is not to bear the sword in vain, who ought to be a
+  terror to evil-doers; but as the magistrate that doth bear the sword
+  in vain, is not a terror to evil-doers, so he is not a praise to them
+  that do well. Now hath God raised up a people by his power, whom
+  people, priests, and magistrates, who are out of the fear of God,
+  scornfully call Quakers, who cry against drunkenness (for drunkards
+  destroy God’s creatures), and against oaths (for because of oaths the
+  land mourns), and these drunkards and swearers, to whom the
+  magistrate’s sword should be a terror, are, we see, at liberty; but
+  for crying against such, many are cast into prison; as also for
+  testifying against their pride and filthiness, their deceitful
+  merchandise in markets, their cozening and their cheating, their
+  excess and naughtiness, their playing at bowls and shuffle boards, at
+  cards and at dice, and their other vain and wanton pleasures. They who
+  live in pleasures are dead while they live; and they who live in
+  wantonness kill the just. This we know by the Spirit of God, which
+  gave forth the Scriptures, which the Father has given to us, and hath
+  placed his righteous law in our hearts; which law is a terror to
+  evil-doers, and answers that which is of God in every man’s
+  conscience. They who act contrary to the measure of God’s Spirit in
+  every man’s conscience, cast the law of God behind their backs, and
+  walk despitefully against the Spirit of grace. The magistrate’s sword,
+  we see, is borne in vain, whilst the evil-doers are at liberty to do
+  evil; and they that cry against such, are for so doing punished by the
+  magistrate, who hath turned his sword backward against the Lord. Now
+  the wicked one fenceth himself, and persecutes the innocent as
+  vagabonds and wanderers, for crying against sin, and against
+  unrighteousness and ungodliness openly, in the markets and in the
+  highways; or as railers, because they tell them what judgment will
+  come upon them that follow such practices. Here they that depart from
+  iniquity are become a prey, and few lay it to heart. But God will
+  thrash the mountains, beat the hills, cleave the rocks, and cast into
+  his press, which is trodden without the city, and will bathe his sword
+  in the blood of the wicked and unrighteous. You that have drunk the
+  cup of abominations, a hard cup have you had to drink; you are the
+  enemies of God, and of you he will be avenged.
+
+  “Now ye, in whom something of God is remaining, consider; If the sword
+  was not borne in vain, but turned against the evil-doers, then the
+  righteous would not suffer, and be cast into holes, dungeons, corners,
+  prisons, and houses of correction, as peace-breakers, for testifying
+  against sin openly, as they are commanded of the Lord, and against the
+  covetousness of the priests, and their false worships; who exact money
+  of poor people, whom they do no work for. O! where will you appear in
+  the day of the Lord? or how will you stand in the day of his righteous
+  judgment? How many jails and houses of correction are now made places
+  to put the lambs of Christ in, for following him, and obeying his
+  commands, which are too numerous to mention. The royal law of Christ,
+  ‘to do as ye would be done by,’ is trodden down under foot; so that
+  men can profess him in words, but crucify him wheresoever he appears,
+  and cast him into prison, as the talkers of him always did in the
+  generations and ages past. The labourers, whom God, the master of the
+  harvest, hath sent into his vineyard, do the chief of the priests, and
+  the rulers now take counsel together against, to cast them into
+  prison: and here are the fruits of priests, and people, and rulers,
+  without the fear of God. The day is come and coming, that every man’s
+  work doth appear and shall appear; glory be to the Lord God for ever.
+  So see, and consider the days you have spent, and do spend; for this
+  is your day of visitation. Many have suffered great fines, because
+  they could not swear, but obey Christ’s doctrine, who saith, ‘Swear
+  not at all:’ and are made a prey upon for abiding in the command of
+  Christ. Many are cast into prison because they cannot take the oath of
+  abjuration, though they denied all that is abjured in it; and by that
+  means many of the messengers and ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ
+  are cast into prison because they will not swear, nor go out of
+  Christ’s command.
+
+  “Therefore, O man, consider; to the measure of the life of God in thee
+  I speak. Many also lie in jails, because they cannot pay the priest’s
+  tithes; many have their goods spoiled, and treble damages taken of
+  them; and many are whipped and beaten in the house of correction,
+  without breach of any law. These things are done in thy name, in order
+  to protect them in these actions. If men fearing God bore the sword,
+  if covetousness were hated, and men of courage for God were set up,
+  then they would be a terror to evil-doers, and a praise to them that
+  do well; and not cause them to suffer. Here equity would be heard in
+  our land, and righteousness would stand up and take place; which
+  giveth not place to the unrighteous, but judgeth it. To the measure of
+  God’s Spirit in thee I speak, that thou mayest consider, and come to
+  rule for God; that thou mayest answer that which is of God in every
+  man’s conscience; for this is that, which bringeth to honour all men
+  in the Lord. Therefore consider for whom thou dost rule, that thou
+  mayest come to receive power from God to rule for him; and all that is
+  contrary to God may by his light be condemned.
+
+  “From a lover of thy soul, who desires thy eternal good.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+But sufferings and imprisonments continuing and increasing, and the
+Protector (under whose name they were inflicted,) hardening himself
+against the complaints that were made to him, I was moved to issue the
+following amongst Friends, to bring the weight of their sufferings more
+heavy upon the heads of the persecutors:—
+
+  “Who is moved by the power of the Lord to offer himself to the justice
+  for his brother or sister, that lies in prison, and to go lie there in
+  their stead, that his brother or sister may come out of prison, and so
+  offer his life for his brother or sister? Where any lie in prison for
+  tithes, witnessing the priesthood changed, that took tithes, and the
+  unchangeable priesthood come; if any brother in the light, who
+  witnesseth a change of the old priesthood that took tithes, and a
+  disannulling of the commandment for tithes, be moved of the Lord to go
+  to the priest or impropriator, to offer himself to lie in prison for
+  his brother, and to lay down his life, that he may come forth, he may
+  cheerfully do it, and heap up coals of fire upon the head of the
+  adversary of God. Likewise where any suffer for the truth by them who
+  are in the untruth, if any Friends be moved of the Lord to go to the
+  magistrate, judge, general, or protector, and offer up themselves to
+  lay down their lives for the brethren; as Christ hath laid down his
+  life for you, so lay down your lives one for another. Here you may go
+  over the heads of the persecutors, and reach the witness of God in
+  all. And this shall rest a judgment upon them all for ever, and be
+  witnessed to by that which is of God in their consciences. Given forth
+  from the Spirit of the Lord through
+
+                                                              G. F.”
+
+Besides this, I wrote also a short epistle to Friends, as an
+encouragement to them in their several exercises; which was as follows:—
+
+        “MY DEAR FRIENDS,
+
+  “In the power of the everlasting God, which comprehends the power of
+  darkness, and all temptation, and that which comes out of it, in this
+  power of God dwell. It will bring and keep you to the Word in the
+  beginning; it will keep you up to the life, to feed thereupon, in
+  which you are over the power of darkness, and in which you will find
+  and feel dominion and life. And that will let you see, before the
+  tempter was, and over him; and into that the tempter cannot come; for
+  the power and truth he is out of. Therefore in that life dwell, in
+  which you will know dominion; and let your faith be in the power, and
+  over the weakness and temptations, and look not at them: but in the
+  light and power of God look at the Lord’s strength, which will be made
+  perfect in your weakest state. In all temptations look at the grace of
+  God to bring your salvation, which is your teacher to teach you: for
+  when you look or hearken to the temptations, you go from your teacher,
+  the grace of God; and so are darkened in going from that teacher, the
+  grace of God, which is sufficient in all temptations, to lead out of
+  them, and to keep over them.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+
+
+
+                              CHAPTER IX.
+
+1655-1656.—Friends slandered by Presbyterians and Independents, suffer
+    much from them and the Baptists for refusing to pay tithes—the
+    priests hunt after a fallen benefice like crows after carrion—great
+    miracles wrought through several—an Independent preacher convinced,
+    but relapses—address to the convinced in Ireland—a sick woman at
+    Baldock restored—George Fox parts and reconciles two furious
+    combatants—to the seven parishes at the Land’s End, recommending
+    attention to the Inward Light—George Fox parts with James Naylor,
+    and has a presentiment of his fall—Major Ceely places George Fox and
+    Edward Pyot under arrest—they are sent to Launceston jail—put into
+    Doomsdale, and suffer a long and cruel imprisonment—a paper against
+    swearing—Peter Ceely’s mittimus—George Fox has great service in
+    jail—many are convinced, and opposers are confounded—experiences
+    some remarkable preservations—Edward Pyot writes an excellent letter
+    to Judge Glynne on the liberty of the subject, and on the injustice
+    and illegality of their imprisonment—Truth spreads in the west by
+    the very means taken to prevent it—exhortation and warning to
+    magistrates—answer to the Exeter general warrant for taking up and
+    imprisoning Friends—exhortation to Friends in the ministry—warning
+    to priests and professors—cruel jailer imprisoned in Doomsdale, and
+    further judgments upon him follow—a Friend offers to lie in prison
+    instead of George Fox—Edward Pyot to Major-General Desborough, in
+    answer to his conditional offer of liberty—George Fox to the same—he
+    and his Friends are soon after liberated.
+
+
+After clearing myself of those services for the Lord, which lay upon me
+in LONDON, I passed into BEDFORDSHIRE and NORTHAMPTONSHIRE. At
+WELLINGBOROUGH, I had a great meeting, in which the Lord’s everlasting
+power and truth was over all; and many in that country were turned to
+the Lord. Great rage was amongst the professors, for the wicked priests,
+Presbyterians, and Independents, falsely reported “that we carried
+bottles about with us, which we gave people to drink of; which made them
+follow us:” but the Power, and Spirit, and Truth of God kept Friends
+over the rage of the people. Great spoiling also there was of Friends’
+goods for tithes, by the Independent and Presbyterian priests, and some
+Baptist priests, that had got into the steeple-houses.
+
+From WELLINGBOROUGH I went into LEICESTERSHIRE, where Colonel Hacker had
+threatened that if I came there he would imprison me again, though the
+Protector had set me at liberty: but when I was come to WHETSTONE, (the
+meeting from which he took me before,) all was quiet there. Colonel
+Hacker’s wife, and his marshal came to the meeting, and were convinced:
+for the glorious powerful day of the Lord was exalted over all, and many
+were convinced that day. There were at that meeting two justices of the
+peace, that came out of Wales, whose names were Peter Price and Walter
+Jenkin; who came both to be ministers of Christ.
+
+I went from thence to SILEBY, to William Smith’s, where was a great
+meeting, to which several Baptists came; one of them, a Baptist teacher,
+was convinced, and came to sit under the Lord’s teaching by his Spirit
+and power. This Baptist said, he had baptized thirty in a day.
+
+From thence I went to DRAYTON, my native town, where so many priests and
+professors had formerly gathered together against me; but now not a
+priest or professor appeared. I asked some of my relations where all the
+priests and professors were? They said, the priest of NUN-EATON was
+dead, and eight or nine of them were seeking to get his benefice. “They
+will let you alone now,” said they, “for they are like a company of
+crows, when a sheep is dead, they all gather together to pull out the
+puddings; so do the priests for a fallen benefice.” These were some of
+their own hearers that said so of them; but they had spent their venom
+against me, and the Lord delivered me by his power out of their snares.
+
+Then I went to BADDESLEY, where was a great meeting. Many came far to
+it; and were convinced and turned to the Lord; who came under Christ’s
+teaching, and were settled upon him, their foundation and their rock.
+
+From thence I passed into NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, and had large meetings there;
+and into DERBYSHIRE, where the Lord’s power came over all; and many were
+turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and
+came to receive the Holy Ghost. Great miracles were wrought in many
+places by the power of the Lord through several.
+
+In DERBYSHIRE James Naylor met me, and told me, seven or eight priests
+had challenged him to a dispute. I had a travail in my spirit for him,
+and the Lord answered me, and I was moved to bid him go on, and God
+Almighty would be with him, and give him the victory in His power. And
+the Lord did so; insomuch that the people saw the priests were foiled,
+and they cried, “a Nailer, a Nailer hath confuted them all.” After the
+dispute, he came to me again, praising the Lord. Thus was the Lord’s day
+proclaimed and set over all their heads, and people began to see the
+apostacy and slavery they had been under to their hireling teachers for
+means; and they came to know their teacher, the Lord Jesus, who had
+purchased them, and made their peace between God and them. While we were
+here, Friends came out of YORKSHIRE to see us, and were glad of the
+prosperity of truth.
+
+After this I passed into WARWICKSHIRE, through Friends, visiting their
+meetings; and so into WORCESTERSHIRE. I had a meeting at BIRMINGHAM, as
+I went, where several were convinced and turned to the Lord. At length I
+came to one Cole’s house in WORCESTERSHIRE, near CHATTAN. This Cole had
+given an Independent preacher a meeting-place, and the Independent came
+to be convinced, and after he was convinced he laid aside his preaching;
+whereupon the old man—— Cole gave him a hundred pounds a-year. I had a
+meeting there, and a very great one it was, insomuch that the
+meeting-place would not hold the people: and many were turned to the
+Lord that day. Afterwards, when the time of trials came, this
+Independent did not stand to that which had convinced him, but turned
+back, whereupon the old man took away his hundred pounds a-year from him
+again. But Cole himself died in God’s truth.
+
+I heard that at EVESHAM the magistrates had cast several Friends into
+prison; and that, hearing of my coming, they made a pair of high stocks.
+I sent for Edward Pittaway, a Friend that lived near EVESHAM, and asked
+him the truth of the thing; and he said it was so. I went that night
+with him to EVESHAM, and in the evening we had a large, precious
+meeting, wherein Friends and people were refreshed with the word of
+life, and with the power of the Lord. Next morning I rode to one of the
+prisons, and visited Friends there, and encouraged them. Then I rode to
+the other prison, where there were several prisoners; and amongst them
+was Humphrey Smith,[42] who had been a priest, but was now become a free
+minister of Christ. When I had visited the Friends at both prisons, and
+was turned away from the prison to go out of town, I espied the
+magistrates coming to seize me. But the Lord frustrated their intent,
+the innocent escaped their snare, and God’s blessed power came over them
+all. But exceedingly rude and envious were the priests and professors
+about this time in those parts.
+
+Footnote 42:
+
+  Humphrey Smith became an able gospel minister, turning many to
+  righteousness. He had a vision of the destruction of London by fire,
+  six years before it happened, which vision he made known as a warning
+  to the people to repent. (See _Piety Promoted_, vol. i. p. 39 and his
+  published works). He had also a clear foresight of his own sufferings
+  and death thereby. He died a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus in
+  Winchester jail, in 1663, where he fell ill after a year’s
+  imprisonment. Whilst he was very ill in prison, he said, “My heart is
+  filled with the power of God;” and then added, “It is good for a man
+  at such a time as this, to have the Lord to be his friend.” Near his
+  departure, he prayed earnestly, saying, “Hear me, O Lord, uphold and
+  preserve me. I know that my Redeemer liveth: Thou art strong and
+  mighty, O Lord;” and prayed “that the Lord would deliver His people
+  from their cruel oppressors”; and for those who had been convinced by
+  him, “that the Lord would be their teacher.”
+
+I went from EVESHAM to WORCESTER, and had a precious meeting there, and
+quiet. But after it, as we came down the street towards our inn, some of
+the professors fell to discourse with Friends, and were like to have
+made a tumult in the city. As we went into the inn, they all cluttered
+into the yard; but I went among them, and got them quieted. Next day I
+walked into the town, and had much discourse with some of the
+professors, concerning Christ and the way of truth. One of them denied
+that Christ was of Abraham, according to the flesh, and that he was
+declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit; but I proved
+from Rom. i. that he was of the seed of Abraham, being made of the seed
+of David according to the flesh; and that according to the Spirit he was
+declared to be the Son of God. Afterwards I wrote a paper concerning it.
+
+From WORCESTER we went to TEWKESBURY, where in the evening we had a
+great meeting; to which came the priest of the town with a great rabble
+of rude people. He boasted, that he would see whether he or I should
+have the victory. “I turned the people to the divine light, which
+Christ, the heavenly and spiritual man, enlighteneth them withal; that
+with that light they might see their sins, and that they were in death
+and darkness, and without God in the world; and that with the same light
+they might also see Christ from whom it comes, their Saviour and
+Redeemer, who shed his blood and died for them, and who is the way to
+God, the truth, and the life.” Here the priest began to rage against the
+Light, and denied it; for neither priest nor professor could endure to
+hear the Light spoken of. So the priest having railed at the Light went
+away, and left his rude company amongst us; but the Lord’s power came
+over them, though mischief was in their hearts.
+
+Leaving TEWKESBURY, we came to WARWICK, where in the evening we had a
+meeting at a widow’s house, with many sober people. A precious meeting
+we had in the Lord’s power, and several were convinced and turned to the
+Lord. After it, as I was walking out, a Baptist in the company began to
+jangle; and the bailiff of the town with his officers came in, and said,
+“What do these people here at this time of night?” So he secured John
+Crook, Amor Stoddart, Gerrard Roberts,[43] and myself, but we had leave
+to go to our inn, and to be forth-coming in the morning. Next morning
+many rude people came to the inn, and into our chambers, desperate
+fellows; but the Lord’s power gave us dominion over them. Gerrard
+Roberts and John Crook went up to the bailiff to speak with him, and to
+know what he had to say to us. He said we might go our ways, for he had
+little to say to us. As we rode out of town, it lay upon me to ride to
+his house to let him know, “that the Protector having given forth an
+instrument of government, in which liberty of conscience was granted, it
+was very strange that, contrary to that instrument of government, he
+would trouble peaceable people that feared God.” The Friends went with
+me, but the rude people gathered about us with stones; and one of them
+took hold of my horse’s bridle and broke it; but the horse drawing back
+threw him under him. Though the bailiff saw this, yet he did not stop,
+nor so much as rebuke the rude multitude, so that it was much we were
+not slain or hurt in the streets; for the people threw stones, and
+struck at us, as we rode along the town.
+
+Footnote 43:
+
+  Gerrard Roberts, a merchant of London, was one of the most active
+  members of the Society in making the needful arrangements for the
+  visits of its ministers to foreign parts.
+
+When we were quite out of the town, I told Friends, “it was upon me from
+the Lord, that I must go back into it again; and if anyone of them felt
+anything upon him from the Lord, he might follow me, and the rest that
+did not, might go on to DUN-COW.” So I passed up through the market in
+the dreadful power of God, declaring the word of life to them, and John
+Crook followed me. Some struck at me; but the Lord’s power was over
+them, and gave me dominion over all. I showed them their unworthiness of
+the name of Christians, and the unworthiness of their teachers who had
+not brought them into more sobriety; and what a shame they were to
+Christianity!
+
+Having cleared myself, I turned back out of the town again, and passed
+to COVENTRY; where we found the people closed up with darkness. I went
+to a professor’s house that I had formerly been at, and he was drunk,
+which grieved my soul so, that I did not go into any house in the town;
+but rode into some of the streets, and into the market-place. I felt the
+power of the Lord God was over the town.
+
+Then I went on to DUN-COW, and had a meeting there in the evening, and
+some were turned to the Lord by his Spirit, as also at WARWICK and
+TEWKESBURY. We lay at DUN-COW that night, and there we met with John
+Camm, a faithful minister of the everlasting gospel. In the morning
+there gathered a rude company of priests and people, who behaved more
+like beasts than men; for some of them came riding on horseback into the
+room where we were; but the Lord gave us dominion over them.
+
+From thence we passed into LEICESTERSHIRE, where we had a great meeting
+at the place where I had been taken formerly; and after that we came to
+BADDESLEY in WARWICKSHIRE. Here William Edmundson,[44] a Friend who
+lived in Ireland, having some drawings upon his spirit to come over into
+England to see me, met with me; by whom I wrote to the few Friends then
+convinced in the north of Ireland, as follows:—
+
+        “FRIENDS,
+
+  “In that which convinced you, wait; that you may have that removed you
+  are convinced of. And all my dear Friends, dwell in the life, and
+  love, and power, and wisdom of God, in unity one with another, and
+  with God; and the peace and wisdom of God fill all your hearts, that
+  nothing may rule in you but the life, which stands in the Lord God.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Footnote 44:
+
+  William Edmundson was the first person who publicly espoused the
+  principles of Friends in Ireland. He was some time a soldier in
+  Cromwell’s army, but the strivings of the Holy Spirit drew him out of
+  the corruptions of the world, to a nearer acquaintance with God. He
+  left the army, and joined the people called Quakers, though they were
+  much spoken against. His life and property were given up to the
+  service of the gospel, and many were his trials and sufferings on its
+  account, which he bore with exemplary patience. During the civil wars,
+  he had on one occasion twenty of his cows driven away from him. His
+  house was also beset by some hundreds of banditti, and the shots they
+  fired into the house were heard at two miles’ distance. After it was
+  plundered and burned, himself and two sons were led away prisoners,
+  bareheaded, and barefooted, and nearly naked, except they gave William
+  Edmundson an old blanket of his own to wrap about him.
+
+  After a toilsome night, journeying through bushes, rough stones, mire,
+  and water knee-deep, they were taken to a wood, and after a mock show
+  of justice, condemned to death; the young men to be hanged, and their
+  father, in compliment to his courage, to be shot. Though death was no
+  terror to this pious man, he expostulated with his persecutors;
+  reminding them of his services in behalf of their countryfolk. Several
+  of them confessed they knew him to be an honest man; yet justice and
+  mercy were disregarded, and they prepared to execute their purpose.
+  The youths were hoodwinked, in order to hang them; and two firelocks
+  made ready to shoot their father, whom they were about to hoodwink
+  also; but he told them they need not, for he could look them in the
+  face, and was not afraid to die.
+
+  At this juncture arrived a lieutenant, a brother of one whose life
+  William Edmundson had saved, when the English soldiers were about to
+  hang him. Thus the Lord interposed and would not suffer them to take
+  their lives. The officer released the prisoners from death, but did
+  not restore them to liberty, taking them to Athlone, not from a
+  grateful sense of remembered services, but from a hope of preferment
+  thereby. On entering the town, the high sheriff, soldiers, and rabble,
+  gave them abusive language; and their lives were endangered, had not a
+  lieutenant of the Irish army who recognised William Edmundson,
+  declared aloud his knowledge of him, and of his worth, and thus
+  quieted the tumult. They were then brought to the Irish colonel,
+  before whom he appeared, wrapped in his blanket. Though the colonel
+  was personally acquainted with him, he did not, in these
+  circumstances, know him; but when he said, I am old William Edmundson,
+  the colonel rose, and with tears in his eyes, expressed his sorrow to
+  see him in that condition. After reprimanding the lieutenant, he
+  committed them to the care of one of his captains, sent them food and
+  money, and they met with better treatment.
+
+  Great sufferings was it the lot of this faithful man to endure; who
+  was unwearied in his Master’s service for upwards of fifty years of
+  his life, counting nothing too near or dear to part with, or too great
+  to suffer, if he could but win Christ and the souls of his fellow-men.
+  Yet in these and many other great exercises and straits, the Lord’s
+  arm and generous providence, says he, have preserved and supported me.
+  He spared not himself, even to old age, in performing travels and
+  services as a gospel minister, beyond the ordinary course of nature,
+  often saying the Lord was his song and his strength, and had carried
+  him through many and various exercises and perils. As a fixed star in
+  the firmament of God’s power did he continue to hold his integrity to
+  the last, being enabled to say, “O death! where is thy sting? O grave!
+  where is thy victory?”
+
+When these few lines were read amongst the Friends in Ireland at their
+meeting, the power of the Lord came upon all in the room.
+
+From Baddesley we passed to SWANINGTON and HIGHAM, and so into
+Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, having great meetings; and many were
+turned to the Lord by his power and Spirit. When we came to BALDOCK in
+Hertfordshire, I asked, if there was nothing in that town, no
+profession; and it was answered me, there were some Baptists and a
+Baptist woman sick. John Rush of Bedfordshire went with me to visit her.
+When we came in, there were many tender people about her. They told me
+she was not a woman for this world, but if I had anything to comfort her
+concerning the world to come, I might speak to her. I was moved of the
+Lord God to speak to her; and the Lord raised her up again to the
+astonishment of the town and country. This Baptist woman and her
+husband, whose name was Baldock, came to be convinced, and many hundreds
+of people have met at their house since. Great meetings and
+convincements were in those parts afterwards; many received the word of
+life, and sat down under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour.
+
+When we had visited this sick woman, we returned to our inn, where were
+two desperate fellows fighting so furiously, that none durst come nigh
+to part them. But I was moved, in the Lord’s power, to go to them; and
+when I had loosed their hands, I held one of them by one hand, and the
+other by the other, showed them the evil of their doings, and reconciled
+them one to the other, and they were so loving and thankful to me, that
+people admired at it.[45]
+
+Footnote 45:
+
+  The circumstance above related is reminding of a somewhat similar one
+  recorded of Edward Burrough.
+
+  “At London,” says Sewell the historian, “there is a custom in
+  summer-time, when the evening approaches, and tradesmen leave off
+  working, that many lusty fellows meet in the fields, to try their
+  skill and strength in wrestling, where generally a multitude of people
+  stand gazing in a ring.
+
+  “Now it so fell out, that Edward Burrough passed by the place where
+  they were wrestling, and standing still among the spectators, saw how
+  a strong and dexterous fellow had already thrown three others, and was
+  waiting for a fourth champion, if any durst venture to enter the
+  lists. At length, none being bold enough to try, Edward Burrough
+  stepped into the ring, which was commonly made up of all sorts of
+  people; and having looked upon the wrestler with a serious
+  countenance, the man was not a little surprised, instead of an airy
+  antagonist, to meet with a grave and awful young man; and all stood
+  amazed as it were at this sight, eagerly expecting what would be the
+  issue of this combat. But it was quite another fight Edward Burrough
+  aimed at. For having already fought against spiritual wickedness, that
+  had once prevailed over him, and having overcome in measure, by the
+  grace of God, he now endeavoured also to fight against it in others,
+  and to turn them from the evil of their ways. With this intention, he
+  began very seriously to speak to the bystanders, and that with such a
+  heart-piercing power, that he was heard by the mixed multitude, with
+  no less attention than admiration; for his speech tended to turn them
+  from darkness to the light, and from the power of Satan unto God. To
+  effect this, he laboured with convincing words, showing how God had
+  not left himself without a witness, but had given to man a measure of
+  his grace, and enlightened every one with the light of Christ.
+
+  “Thus zealously he preached; and though many might look upon this as a
+  novelty, yet it was of such effect, that some were convinced of the
+  truth; for Burrough was a breaker of stony hearts, and therefore by a
+  certain author not unjustly called ‘a son of thunder;’ though he
+  omitted not in due season to speak a word of consolation to those that
+  were of a broken heart, and of a contrite spirit.”
+
+From thence I passed to MARKET-STREET, where God had a people, and
+through ALBAN’S to LONDON, where Friends were glad of the prosperity of
+truth, and the manifestation of the Lord’s glorious power which had
+delivered us, and carried us through many dangers and difficulties. I
+also rejoiced to find truth prosper in the city, and all things well
+amongst friends there. Only there was one John Toldervey, who had been
+convinced of truth, and run out from it, and the envious priests took
+occasion from thence to write a wicked book against Friends, which they
+stuffed with many lies, to render truth and Friends odious. They
+entitled their book, “_The Foot out of the Snare_.” But this poor man
+came to see his folly and returned, condemned his backsliding, answered
+the priest’s book, and exposed all their lies and wickedness. Thus the
+Lord’s power came over them, and his everlasting Seed reigned, and
+reigns to this day.
+
+Now after I had tarried some time in London, and had visited Friends in
+their meetings, I went out of town, leaving James Naylor in the city. As
+I passed from him I cast my eyes upon him, and a fear struck me
+concerning him; but I went away, and rode down to RYEGATE in Surrey,
+where I had a little meeting. There the Friends told me of one Thomas
+Moore, a justice of peace, that lived not far from Ryegate, a friendly,
+moderate man; I went to visit him at his house, and he came to be a
+serviceable man in truth.
+
+We passed on to Thomas Patching’s, of Binscombe in Godalming, where we
+had a meeting, to which several Friends came from London, and John
+Bolton and his wife came on foot in frost and snow. After this we went
+towards HORSHAM-PARK; and having visited Friends, passed on to ARUNDEL
+and CHICHESTER, where we had meetings. At Chichester many professors
+came in, and made some jangling, but the Lord’s power was over them. The
+woman of the house where the meeting was, though convinced of truth, yet
+not keeping her mind close to that which convinced her, fell in love
+with a man of the world, who was there that time. When I knew it, I took
+her aside, and was moved to speak to her, and to pray for her; but a
+light thing got up in her mind, and she slighted it. Afterwards she
+married the man, and soon after went distracted; for he was greatly in
+debt, and she greatly disappointed. Then was I sent for to her, and the
+Lord was entreated, raised her up again, and settled her mind by his
+power. Afterwards her husband died; and she acknowledged the just
+judgments of God were come upon her, for slighting the exhortation and
+counsel I had given her.
+
+After we left Chichester, we travelled to PORTSMOUTH. There the soldiers
+had us to the governor’s house. After some examination, the Lord’s power
+came over them, and we were set at liberty, and had a meeting in the
+town. After which we came to RINGWOOD, where in the evening we had a
+meeting, at which several were convinced, and turned to the Spirit of
+the Lord, and to the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour.
+
+From Ringwood we came to POOLE; and having set up our horses at an inn,
+we sent into the town to inquire for such as feared the Lord, and such
+as were worthy; and had a meeting with several sober people. William
+Baily, a Baptist teacher, was convinced there at that time.[46] The
+people received the truth in the inward parts, and were turned to the
+Lord Jesus Christ, their rock and foundation, their teacher and Saviour;
+and there is become a great gathering in the name of Jesus of a very
+tender people, who continue under Christ’s teaching.
+
+Footnote 46:
+
+  William Bailey (or Bayley), whose writings were published in one
+  volume, 4to, in 1676, and of whom there is a brief account in _Piety
+  Promoted_, vol. i., p. 83, is stated to have been “mighty in the
+  Scriptures,” and not only a believer and preacher of the word of
+  faith, but a sufferer for the same. On one occasion, he was thrown
+  down and dragged upon the ground by the hair of his head, his
+  persecutors endeavouring to rend and break asunder his jaws, so that
+  the ground whereon he lay was besmeared with his blood. As if this
+  butchering had not been enough to make him a sacrifice, a heavy man
+  stamped on his breast with his feet, endeavouring to beat the breath
+  out of his body. When this persecutor had done his pleasure, he told
+  the jailer to take him away and put him in some nasty hole, for his
+  entertainment and cure.
+
+  William Bailey, being master of a ship, often crossed the mighty
+  waters for the maintenance of his family, and many beyond the seas
+  were comforted by his ministry. He was taken ill at sea on his return
+  from visiting Friends in Barbadoes, and died on board the _Samuel_ of
+  London, in latitude 46° 36´ N. He died in great peace, as if he had
+  fallen asleep, exhorting those around him to fear God.
+
+We went also to SOUTHAMPTON and had a meeting; several were convinced
+there also. Edward Pyot of Bristol travelled with me all this western
+journey.
+
+From thence we went to DORCHESTER, and alighted at an inn, a Baptist’s
+house; we sent into the town to the Baptists, to let us have their
+meeting-house to meet in, and to invite the sober people to the meeting;
+but they denied it us. We sent to them again, to know why they would
+deny us their meeting-house; so the thing was noised in the town. Then
+we sent them word, if they would not let us come to their house, they,
+or any people that feared God, might come to our inn, if they pleased.
+They were in a great rage; and their teacher and many of them came up,
+and slapped their Bibles on the table. I asked them, why they were so
+angry; were they angry with the Bible? But they fell into a discourse
+about their water-baptism. I asked them, whether they could say, they
+were sent of God to baptise people, as John was; and whether they had
+the same Spirit and power that the apostles had? They said, they had
+not. Then I asked them, how many powers there are; whether there are any
+more than the power of God, and the power of the devil? They said, there
+was not any other power than those two. Then said I, “if you have not
+the power of God that the apostles had, then you act by the power of the
+devil.” Many sober people were present, who said, “they have thrown
+themselves on their backs.” Many substantial people were convinced that
+night; a precious service we had there for the Lord, and his power came
+over all. Next morning, as we were passing away, the Baptists, being in
+a rage, began to shake the dust off their feet after us. “What,” said I,
+“in the power of darkness! We, who are in the power of God, shake off
+the dust of our feet against you.”
+
+Leaving Dorchester, we came to WEYMOUTH; where also we enquired after
+the sober people; and about fourscore of them gathered together at a
+priest’s house. Most of them received the word of life, and were turned
+to their teacher Christ Jesus, who had enlightened them with his divine
+light, by which they might see their sins, and him who saveth from sin.
+A blessed meeting we had with them of several hours, and they received
+the truth in the love of it, with gladness of heart. The state of their
+teachers and the apostacy was opened to them; and the state of the
+apostles, and of the church in their days; and the state of the law, and
+of the prophets before Christ, and how Christ came to fulfil them; how
+he was their teacher in the apostles’ days, and how he was come now to
+teach his people himself by his power and Spirit. All was quiet, the
+meeting broke up peaceably, and the people were very loving; and a
+meeting is continued in that town to this day. Many are added to them;
+and some that had been Ranters came to own the truth, and to live very
+soberly.
+
+There was a captain of horse in the town, who sent to me, and would fain
+have had me to stay longer; but I was not to stay. He and his man rode
+out of town with me about seven miles, Edward Pyot also being with me.
+This captain was the fattest, merriest man, the most cheerful, and the
+most given to laughter, that ever I met with; insomuch that I was
+several times moved to speak in the dreadful power of the Lord to him;
+and yet it was become so customary to him, that he would presently laugh
+at anything he saw. But I still admonished him to come to sobriety,
+sincerity, and the fear of the Lord. We staid at an inn that night; and
+in the morning I was moved to speak to him again, when he parted from
+us. Next time I saw him, he told me, that when I spoke to him at
+parting, the power of the Lord so struck him, that before he got home he
+was serious enough, and had discontinued his laughing. He afterwards was
+convinced, and became a serious and good man, and died in the truth.
+
+Parting from him we went to HONITON; and at our inn inquired what people
+there were in the town that feared God, and sent for them. There came to
+us some of the Particular Baptists, with whom we had much reasoning. I
+told them, “they held their doctrine of particular election in Esau’s,
+Cain’s, and Ishmael’s nature; not in Jacob, the second birth; but they
+must be born again, before they could enter the kingdom of God. And that
+as the promise of God was to the Seed, not as many, but as one, which is
+Christ; so the election stands _in Christ_; and they must be such as
+walk in his light, grace, Spirit, and truth.”
+
+From thence we passed to TOPSHAM, and stayed over the First-day; but the
+innkeeper and his people were rude. Next morning we gave forth some
+queries to the priests and professors; whereupon some rude professors
+came into our inn; and had we not gone when we did, they would have
+stopped us. I wore a girdle, which through forgetfulness I left behind
+me at the inn, and afterwards sent to the innkeeper for, but he would
+not let me have it again. Afterwards, when he was tormented in his mind
+about it, he took it and burnt it, lest he should be bewitched by it, as
+he said; yet when he had burnt it, he was more tormented than before.
+Some, notwithstanding the rudeness of the place, were convinced; and a
+meeting was afterwards settled in that town, which has continued ever
+since.
+
+After this we passed to TOTNESS, a dark town. We lodged at an inn, and
+at night Edward Pyot was sick, but the Lord’s power healed him, so that
+next day we got to KINGSBRIDGE, and at our inn inquired for the sober
+people of the town. They directed us to Nicholas Tripe and his wife, and
+we went to their house. They sent for the priest, with whom we had some
+discourse; but he being confounded, quickly left us. Nicholas Tripe and
+his wife were convinced; and there is since a good meeting of Friends in
+that country. In the evening we returned to our inn; and there being
+many people drinking in the house, I was moved of the Lord to go amongst
+them, and to direct them to the light, which Christ, the heavenly Man,
+had enlightened them withal; by which they might see all their evil
+ways, words, and deeds, and by the same light they might also see Jesus
+Christ their Saviour. The innkeeper stood uneasy, seeing it hindered his
+guests from drinking; and as soon as the last words were out of my
+mouth, he snatched up the candle, and said, “Come, here is a light for
+you to go into your chamber.” Next morning, when he was cool, I
+represented to him “what an uncivil thing it was for him to do so;” then
+warning him of the day of the Lord, we got ready and passed away.
+
+We came next day to PLYMOUTH, and after having refreshed ourselves at
+our inn, we went to Robert Cary’s house, where we had a very precious
+meeting. At this meeting was one Elizabeth Trelawny, daughter to a
+baronet; she being somewhat dull of hearing came close to me, and placed
+her ear very near me while I spoke; and she was convinced. After the
+meeting some jangling Baptists came in, but the Lord’s power came over
+them, and Elizabeth Trelawney gave testimony thereto. A fine meeting was
+settled there in the Lord’s power, which has continued ever since; where
+many faithful Friends have been convinced.
+
+From thence we passed into CORNWALL, and came to an inn in the parish of
+MENHENIOT. At night we had a meeting at Edward Hancock’s house, to which
+came one Thomas Mounce, and a priest, with many people. We made the
+priest confess he was a minister made and maintained by the state; and
+he was confounded and went his way; but many of the people stayed. I
+directed them to the “light of Christ, by which they might see their
+sins, and their Saviour Christ Jesus, the way to God, and their Mediator
+to make peace between God and them; their Shepherd to feed them, and
+their Prophet to teach them. I directed them also to the Spirit of God
+in themselves, by which they might know the Scriptures, and be led into
+all truth; by which they might know God, and in it have unity one with
+another.” Many were convinced at that time, and came under Christ’s
+teaching, and there are fine gatherings in the name of Jesus in those
+parts at this day.
+
+We travelled thence through PENRYN to HELSTON; but could not obtain
+knowledge of any sober people, through the badness of the innkeepers. At
+length we came to a village where some Baptists and sober people lived,
+with whom we had some discourse; and some of them were brought to
+confess, that they stumbled at the light of Christ. They would have had
+us to stay with them, but we passed thence to MARKET-JEW (Marazion); and
+having taken up our lodging at an inn, we went out over-night to inquire
+for such as feared the Lord. Next morning the mayor and aldermen
+gathered together, with the high-sheriff of the county; and they sent
+first the constables to bid us come before them. We asked them for their
+warrant, and they saying they had none, we told them we should not go
+along with them without. Upon the return of the constables without us,
+they sent their serjeants, and we asked them for their warrant. They
+said, they had none; but they told us, the mayor and aldermen stayed for
+us. We told them, the mayor and his company did not well to trouble us
+in our inn, and we should not go with them without a warrant. So they
+went away and came again; and when we asked them for their warrant, one
+of them pulled his mace from under his cloak; we asked them whether this
+was their custom to molest and trouble strangers in their inns and
+lodgings? After some time Edward Pyot went to the mayor and aldermen,
+and had much discourse with them; but the Lord’s power gave him dominion
+over them all. When he had returned, several of the officers came to us,
+and we laid before them the incivility and unworthiness of their conduct
+towards us, who were the servants of the Lord God, thus to stop and
+trouble us in our lodgings; and what an unchristian act it was. Before
+we left the town I wrote a paper, to be sent to the seven parishes at
+the Land’s End. A copy of which follows:—
+
+  “The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming, wherein all hearts
+  shall be made manifest, and the secrets of everyone’s heart shall be
+  revealed by the light of Jesus, who lighteth every man that cometh
+  into the world, that all men through him might believe, and that the
+  world might have life through him, who saith, ‘Learn of me,’ and of
+  whom God saith, ‘This is my beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Christ is come
+  to teach his people himself; and everyone that will not hear this
+  Prophet, which God hath raised up, and which Moses spoke of, when he
+  said, ‘Like unto me will God raise you up a Prophet, him shall you
+  hear;’ every one (I say) that will not hear this Prophet, is to be cut
+  off. They that despised Moses’s law, died under the hand of two or
+  three witnesses; but how much greater punishment will come upon them
+  that neglect this great salvation, Christ Jesus, who saith, ‘Learn of
+  me: I am the way, the truth, and the life;’ who lighteth every man
+  that cometh into the world: and by His light lets him see his evil
+  ways and his evil deeds. But if you hate this light, and go on in
+  evil, this light will be your condemnation. Therefore, now ye have
+  time, prize it; for this is the day of your visitation, and salvation
+  offered to you. Every one of you hath a light from Christ, which lets
+  you see you should not lie, nor do wrong to any, nor swear, nor curse,
+  nor take God’s name in vain, nor steal. It is the light that shows you
+  these evil deeds; which if you love, and come unto it and follow it,
+  will lead you to Christ, who is the way to the Father, from whom it
+  comes; where no unrighteousness enters, nor ungodliness. If you hate
+  this light, it will be your condemnation; but if you love it and come
+  to it, you will come to Christ; and it will bring you off from all the
+  world’s teachers and ways, to learn of Christ, and will preserve you
+  from the evils of the world, and all the deceivers in it.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+This paper a Friend who was then with me had; and when we were gone
+three or four miles from Market-Jew towards the west, he meeting with a
+man upon the road, gave him a copy of the paper. This man proved to be a
+servant to one Peter Ceely, major in the army, and a justice of peace in
+that county; and he riding before us to a place called St. Ives, showed
+the paper to his master, Major Ceely. When we came to IVES, Edward
+Pyot’s horse having cast a shoe, we stayed to have it set; and while he
+was getting his horse shod, I walked down to the sea-side. When I
+returned I found the town in an uproar; and they were hailing Edward
+Pyot and the other Friend before Major Ceely. I followed them into the
+justice’s house, though they did not lay hands upon me. When we came in,
+the house was full of rude people; whereupon I asked whether there were
+not an officer among them to keep the people civil? Major Ceely said, he
+was a magistrate. I told him, “he should show forth gravity and sobriety
+then, and use his authority to keep the people civil; for I never saw
+any people ruder: the Indians were more like Christians than they.”
+After a while they brought forth the paper aforesaid, and asked whether
+I would own it? I said, yes. Then he tendered the oath of abjuration to
+us; whereupon I put my hand in my pocket and drew forth the answer to
+it, which had been given to the Protector. After I had given him that,
+he examined us severally, one by one. He had with him a silly, young
+priest, who asked us many frivolous questions; and amongst the rest he
+desired to cut my hair, which then was pretty long; but I was not to cut
+it though many times many were offended at it. I told them, “I had no
+pride in it, and it was not of my own putting on.” At length the justice
+put us under a guard of soldiers, who were hard and wild, like the
+justice himself; nevertheless “we warned the people of the day of the
+Lord, and declared the truth to them.” The next day he sent us, guarded
+by a party of horse with swords and pistols, to REDRUTH.
+
+On First-day the soldiers would have taken us away; but we told them it
+was their Sabbath, and it was not usual to travel on that day. Several
+of the town’s-people gathered about us, and whilst I held the soldiers
+in discourse, Edward Pyot spoke to the people; and afterwards he held
+the soldiers in discourse whilst I spoke to the people; and in the mean
+time the other Friend got out the back way, and went to the
+steeple-house to speak to the priest and people. The people were
+exceedingly desperate, in a mighty rage against him, and abused him. The
+soldiers also missing him, were in a great rage, ready to kill us; but I
+declared the day of the Lord, and the word of eternal life to the people
+that gathered about us. In the afternoon the soldiers were resolved to
+have us away, so we took horse. When we were got to the town’s-end, I
+was moved of the Lord to go back again, to speak to the old man of the
+house; the soldiers drew out their pistols, and swore I should not go
+back. I heeded them not, but rode back, and they rode after me. I
+cleared myself to the old man and the people, and then returned with
+them, and reproved them for being so rude and violent.
+
+At night we were brought to a town called Smethick then, but since
+FALMOUTH. It being the evening of the First-day, there came to our inn
+the chief constable of the place, and many sober people, some of whom
+began to inquire concerning us. We told them we were prisoners for
+truth’s sake; and much discourse we had with them concerning the things
+of God. They were very sober and loving to us. Some were convinced and
+stood faithful ever after.
+
+After the constable and these people were gone, other people came in,
+who were also very civil, and went away very loving. When all were gone
+we went to our chamber to go to bed, and about eleven o’clock Edward
+Pyot said, “I will shut the door, it may be some may come to do us some
+mischief.” Afterwards we understood that Captain Keat, who commanded the
+party, had purposed to do us some mischief that night; but the door
+being bolted he missed his design. Next morning Captain Keat brought a
+kinsman of his, a rude, wicked man, and put him into the room, he
+himself standing without. The evil-minded man walking huffing up and
+down the room, I bid him fear the Lord; whereupon he ran upon me, struck
+me with both his hands; and placing his leg behind me, would have fain
+thrown me down, but he could not for I stood stiff and still, and let
+him strike. As I looked towards the door, I saw Captain Keat look on and
+see his kinsman thus beat and abuse me. Whereupon I said, “Keat, dost
+thou allow this?” and he said, he did; “Is this manly or civil,” said I,
+“to have us under a guard and put a man to abuse and beat us? is this
+manly, civil, or christian?” I desired one of our friends to send for
+the constables, and they came. Then I desired the captain to let the
+constables see his warrant or order, by which he was to carry us; which
+he did; and his warrant was to conduct us safe to Captain Fox, governor
+of Pendennis Castle; and if the governor should not be at home, he was
+to convey us to Launceston jail. I told him, he had broken his order
+concerning us; for we, who were his prisoners, were to be safely
+conducted, but he had brought a man to beat and abuse us; so he having
+broken his order, I wished the constable to keep the warrant.
+Accordingly he did, and told the soldiers they might go, for he would
+take charge of the prisoners; and if it cost twenty shillings in charges
+to carry us up, they should not have the warrant again. I showed the
+soldiers the baseness of their carriage towards us; and they walked up
+and down the house, being pitifully blank and down. The constables went
+to the castle, and told the officers what they had done. The officers
+showed great dislike of Captain Keat’s base carriage towards us; and
+told the constables that Major-General Desborough was coming to Bodmin,
+and that we should meet him; and it was likely he would free us.
+Meanwhile our old guard of soldiers came by way of entreaty to us, and
+promised that they would be civil to us, if we would go with them. Thus
+the morning was spent till it was about eleven o’clock; and then upon
+the soldiers’ entreaty, and promise to be more civil, the constables
+gave them the order again, and we went with them. Great was the civility
+and courtesy of the constables and people of that town towards us, who
+kindly entertained us; and the Lord rewarded them with his truth; for
+many of them have since been convinced thereof, and are gathered into
+the name of Jesus, and sit under Christ, their teacher and Saviour.
+
+Captain Keat, who commanded our guard, understanding that Captain Fox,
+who was the governor of Pendennis Castle, was gone to meet Major-General
+Desborough, did not take us thither; but went with us directly to
+Bodmin. We met Major-General Desborough on the way; the captain of his
+troop that rode before him, knew me, and said, “O, Mr. Fox, what do you
+here?” I replied, “I am a prisoner.” “Alack,” said he, “for what?” I
+told him, “I was taken up as I was travelling.” “Then,” said he, “I will
+speak to my lord, and he will set you at liberty.” So he came from the
+head of his troop, rode up to the coach, and spoke to the major-general.
+We also told him how we were taken. He began to speak against the light
+of Christ, for which I reproved him; then he told the soldiers they
+might carry us to Launceston; for he could not stay to talk with us,
+lest his horses should take cold.
+
+So to BODMIN we were conveyed that night; and when we were come to our
+inn, Captain Keat, who was in before us, put me into a room, and went
+his way. When I was come in, there stood a man with a naked rapier in
+his hand. Whereupon I turned out again, called for Captain Keat, and
+said unto him, “What now, Keat, what trick hast thou played now, to put
+me into a room where there is a man with his naked rapier? what is thy
+end in this?” “O,” said he, “pray hold your tongue; for if you speak to
+this man, we cannot all rule him, he is so devilish.” “Then,” said I,
+“dost thou put me into a room where there is such a man with a naked
+rapier, that thou sayest you cannot rule him? what an unworthy, base
+trick is this! and to put me singly into this room from the rest of my
+friends, that were my fellow prisoners with me!” Thus his plot was
+discovered, and the mischief they intended was prevented. Afterwards we
+got another room, where we were together all night; and in the evening
+we declared the truth to the people; but they were hardened and dark
+people. The soldiers also, notwithstanding their fair promises, were
+very rude and wicked to us again, and sat up drinking and roaring all
+night.
+
+Next day we were brought to LAUNCESTON, where Captain Keat delivered us
+to the jailer. Now was there no friend, nor friendly people near us; and
+the people of the town were dark and hardened. The jailer required us to
+pay seven shillings a-week for our horse-meat, and seven for our diet a
+piece. But after some time several sober people came to see us, and some
+of the town were convinced; and many friendly people out of several
+parts of the country, came to visit us, and were convinced. Then arose a
+great rage among the professors and priests against us; and they said,
+this people Thou and Thee all men without respect, and they will not put
+off their hats, nor bow the knee to any man: this made them fret. But,
+said they, we shall see, when the assize comes, whether they will dare
+to Thou and Thee the judge, and keep on their hats before him. They
+expected we should be hanged at the assize. But all this was little to
+us; for we saw how God would stain the world’s honour and glory, and
+were commanded not to seek that honour, nor give it; but we knew the
+honour that comes from God only, and sought that.
+
+It was nine weeks from the time of our commitment to the assizes, to
+which abundance of people came from far and near to hear the trial of
+the Quakers. Captain Bradden lay with his troop of horse there, whose
+soldiers and the sheriff’s men guarded us up to the court through the
+multitude of people that filled the streets; and much ado they had to
+get us through them. Besides, the doors and windows were filled with
+people looking out upon us. When we were brought into the court, we
+stood some time with our hats on, and all was quiet; and I was moved to
+say, “Peace be amongst you!” Judge Glynne, a Welchman, then chief
+justice of England, said to the jailer, “what be these you have brought
+here into the court?” “Prisoners, my Lord,” said he. “Why do you not put
+off your hats?” said the judge to us: we said nothing. “Put off your
+hats,” said the judge again. Still we said nothing. Then said the judge,
+“The court commands you to put off your hats.” Then I spoke, and said,
+“Where did ever any magistrate, king, or judge, from Moses to Daniel,
+command any to put off their hats, when they came before them in their
+courts, either amongst the Jews, the people of God, or amongst the
+heathens? and if the law of England doth command any such thing, show me
+that law either written or printed.” Then the judge grew very angry, and
+said, “I do not carry my law-books on my back.” “But,” said I, “tell me
+where it is printed in any statute-book, that I may read it.” Then said
+the judge, “Take him away, prevaricator! I’ll _jerk_ him.” So they took
+us away, and put us among the thieves. Presently after he calls to the
+jailer, “Bring them up again.” “Come,” said he, “where had they hats
+from Moses to Daniel; come, answer me: I have you fast now,” said he. I
+replied, “Thou mayest read in the third of Daniel, that the three
+children were cast into the fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar’s command,
+with their coats, their hose, and their hats on.” This plain instance
+stopped him: so that not having any thing else to say to the point, he
+cried again, “Take them away, jailer.” Accordingly we were taken away,
+and thrust in among the thieves, where we were kept a great while; and
+then, without being called again, the sheriff’s men and the troopers
+made way for us (but we were almost spent) to get through the crowd of
+people, and guarded us to the prison again, a multitude of people
+following us, with whom we had much discourse and reasoning at the jail.
+We had some good books to set forth our principles, and to inform people
+of the truth: which the judge and justices hearing of, they sent Captain
+Bradden for them, who came into the jail to us, and violently took our
+books from us, some out of Edward Pyot’s hands, and carried them away;
+so we never got them again.
+
+In the afternoon we were had up again into the court by the jailer and
+sheriff’s men, and troopers, who had a mighty toil to get us through the
+crowd of people. When we were in the court, waiting to be called, I
+seeing both the jurymen, and such a multitude of others swearing, it
+grieved my life, that such as professed Christianity should so openly
+disobey and break the command of Christ and the apostle. And I was moved
+of the Lord to give forth a paper against swearing, which I had about
+me, to the grand and petty juries; which was as follows:—
+
+                         “_Concerning Swearing._
+
+  “Take heed of giving people oaths to swear: for Christ our Lord and
+  Master saith, ‘Swear not at all; but let your communications be yea
+  yea, and nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.’
+  If any man was to suffer death, it must be by the hand of two or three
+  witnesses; and the hands of the witnesses were to be first put upon
+  him, to put him to death. And the apostle James saith, ‘My brethren,
+  above all things swear not, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by
+  any other oath, lest ye fall into condemnation.’ Hence you may see,
+  those that swear fall into condemnation, and are out of Christ’s and
+  the apostle’s doctrine. Therefore, every one of you having a light
+  from Christ, who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and doth
+  enlighten every man that cometh into the world; who also saith, ‘Learn
+  of me,’ whose doctrine is, not to swear; and the apostle’s doctrine
+  is, not to swear; ‘let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, in all
+  your communications; for whatsoever is more, cometh of evil.’ Then,
+  they that go into more than yea and nay, go into evil, and are out of
+  the doctrine of Christ.
+
+  “Now, if you say, ‘that the oath was the end of controversy and
+  strife,’ they who are in strife, are out of Christ’s doctrine; for he
+  is the covenant of peace: and they who are in it, are in the covenant
+  of peace. And the apostle brings that but as an example: as, men
+  swearing by the greater; and the oath was the end of controversy and
+  strife among men; and said, verily, men swear by the greater: but God
+  could not find a greater, but swears by himself, concerning Christ;
+  who, when he was come, taught not to swear at all. So such as are in
+  him, and follow him, cannot but abide in his doctrine.
+
+  “If you say, ‘they swore under the law, and under the prophets,’
+  Christ is the end of the law, and of the prophets, to every one that
+  believeth for righteousness’ sake. Now mark; if you believe, ‘I am the
+  light of the world, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
+  the world,’ saith Christ, by whom it was made; and every man of you
+  that is come into the world is enlightened with a light that comes
+  from Christ, by whom the world was made, that all of you through him
+  might believe; that is the end for which he doth enlighten you. Now if
+  you do believe in the light, as Christ commands, and saith, ‘believe
+  in the light, that you may be children of light,’ you believe in
+  Christ, and come to learn of him who is the way to the Father. This is
+  the light which shows the evil actions you have all acted, the ungodly
+  deeds you have committed, and all the ungodly speeches you have
+  spoken; and all your oaths, cursed speaking, and ungodly actions. Now
+  if you attend to this light, it will let you see all that you have
+  done contrary to it; and loving it, it will turn you from your evil
+  deeds, evil actions, evil ways, evil words, to Christ, who is not of
+  the world; who is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into
+  the world;—who testifies against the world, that the deeds thereof are
+  evil. So doth the light in every man, that he hath received from him,
+  testify against his works and deeds that are evil, that they are
+  contrary to the light; and each shall give an account at the day of
+  judgment for every idle word that is spoken. This light shall bring
+  every tongue to confess, yea, and every knee to bow at the name of
+  Jesus; in which light, if you believe, you shall not come into
+  condemnation, but come to Christ, who is not of the world;—to him by
+  whom it was made; but if you believe not in the light, this, the
+  light, is your condemnation, saith Christ.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+This paper passing among them from the jury to the justices, they
+presented it to the judge; so that when we were called before the judge,
+he bade the clerk give me that paper; and then asked me, “whether that
+seditious paper was mine;” I told him, “If they would read it up in open
+court, that I might hear it, if it was mine I would own it, and stand by
+it.” He would have had me to take it, and look upon it in my own hand;
+but “I again desired that it might be read, that all the country might
+hear it, and judge whether there was any sedition in it or not; for if
+there were I was willing to suffer for it.” At last the clerk of the
+assize read it with an audible voice, that all the people might hear it:
+and when he had done, I told them, “it was my paper; I would own it; and
+so might they too, except they would deny the Scripture: for was not
+this Scripture language, and the words and commands of Christ, and the
+apostle, which all true Christians ought to obey?” Then they let fall
+that subject; and the judge fell upon us about our hats again, bidding
+the jailer take them off, which he did, and gave them to us; and we put
+them on again. Then we asked the judge and the justices, what we had
+lain in prison for these nine weeks, seeing they now objected nothing to
+us but about our hats; and as for putting off our hats, I told them,
+that was the honour which God would lay in the dust, though they made so
+much to do about it; the honour which is of men, and which men seek one
+of another, and is the mark of unbelievers. For “how can ye believe,”
+saith Christ, “who receive honour one of another, and seek not the
+honour that cometh from God only?” and Christ saith, “I receive not
+honour from men;” and all true Christians should be of his mind.
+
+Then the judge began to make a great speech, how he represented the lord
+Protector’s person; who had made him lord chief justice of England, and
+sent him to come that circuit, &c. We desired him then, that he would do
+us justice for our false imprisonment, which we had suffered nine weeks
+wrongfully. But instead of that, they brought in an indictment, that
+they had framed against us; so strange a thing, and so full of lies,
+that I thought it had been against some of the thieves; that we came “by
+force and arms, and in a hostile manner into the court;” who were
+brought, as aforesaid. I told them, “it was false:” and still we cried
+for justice for our false imprisonment, being taken up in our journey
+without cause by Major Ceely. Then Peter Ceely spoke to the judge, and
+said, “May it please you, my lord, this man (pointing to me), went aside
+with me, and told me how serviceable I might be for his design; that he
+could raise forty thousand men at an hour’s warning, and involve the
+nation in blood, and so bring in King Charles. I would have aided him
+out of the country, but he would not go. If it please you, my lord, I
+have a witness to swear it.” So he called upon his witness; but the
+judge not being forward to examine the witness, I desired that he would
+be pleased to let my mittimus be read in the face of the court and
+country, in which my crime was signified, for which I was sent to
+prison. The judge said, “it should not be read;” I said, “it ought to
+be, seeing it concerned my liberty and my life.” The judge said again,
+“It shall not be read;” but I said, “it ought to be read; for if I have
+done anything worthy of death, or of bonds, let all the country know
+it.” Then seeing they would not read it, I spoke to one of my
+fellow-prisoners, “Thou hast a copy of it, read it up,” said I. “It
+shall not be read,” said the judge; “Jailer,” said he, “take him away, I
+will see whether he or I shall be master.” So I was taken away; and a
+while after called for again. I still cried to have my mittimus read;
+for that signified the cause of my commitment: wherefore I again spoke
+to the friend, my fellow prisoner, to read it. He did read it, and the
+judge, justices, and whole court were silent; for the people were eager
+to hear it. It was as follows:—
+
+_Peter Ceely, one of the Justices of the Peace of this County, to the
+    Keeper of His Highness’s jail at Launceston, or his lawful Deputy in
+    that behalf, Greeting_:—
+
+  “I send you herewithal by the bearers hereof, the bodies of Edward
+  Pyot of Bristol, and George Fox of Drayton-in-the-Clay, in
+  Leicestershire, and William Salt of London, which they pretend to be
+  the places of their habitations, who go under the notion of Quakers
+  and acknowledge themselves to be such; who have spread several papers
+  tending to the disturbance of the public peace, and cannot render any
+  lawful cause of coming into these parts, being persons altogether
+  unknown, and having no pass for their travelling up and down the
+  country, and refusing to give sureties of their good behaviour,
+  according to the law in that behalf provided; and refuse to take the
+  oath of abjuration, &c. These are therefore, in the name of his
+  Highness the lord Protector, to will and command you, that when the
+  bodies of said Edward Pyot, George Fox, and William Salt, shall be
+  unto you brought, you them receive, and in his highness’s prison
+  aforesaid you safely keep them, until by due course of law they shall
+  be delivered. Hereof fail you not, as you will answer the contrary at
+  your perils. Given under my hand and seal, at St. Ives, the eighteenth
+  day of January, 1665.”
+
+                                                           P. CEELY.
+
+When it was read I spoke thus to the judge and justices: “Thou that
+sayest thou art chief justice of England, and you justices know, that if
+I had put in sureties, I might have gone whither I pleased; and have
+carried on the design (if I had had one), which Major Ceely hath charged
+me with: and if I had spoken those words to him, which he hath here
+declared, judge ye, whether bail or mainprize could have been taken in
+that case.” Then, turning my speech to Major Ceely, I said, “When or
+where did I take thee aside? Was not thy house full of rude people, and
+thou as rude as any of them at our examination: so that I asked for a
+constable or some other officer, to keep the people civil? But if thou
+art my accuser, why sittest thou on the bench? This is not a place for
+thee to sit in; for accusers do not use to sit with the judge: thou
+oughtest to come down, and stand by me, and look me in the face.
+Besides, I would ask the judge and justices whether or not Major Ceely
+is not guilty of this treason, which he charges against me, in
+concealing it so long as he hath done? Does he understand his place
+either as a soldier or a justice of the peace? For he tells you here,
+that I went aside with him, and told him what a design I had in hand,
+and how serviceable he might be for my design: that I could raise forty
+thousand men in an hour’s time, and bring in King Charles, and involve
+the nation in blood. He saith, moreover, he would have aided me out of
+the country, but I would not go; and therefore he committed me to prison
+for want of sureties for the good behaviour, as the mittimus declares.
+Now do not you see plainly that Major Ceely is guilty of this plot and
+treason that he talks of, and hath made himself a party to it, by
+desiring me to go out of the country, and demanding bail of me, and not
+charging me with this pretended treason till now, nor discovering it?
+But I deny and abhor his words, and am innocent of his devilish design.”
+So that business was let fall: for the judge saw clearly enough, that
+instead of ensnaring me, he had ensnared himself.
+
+Major Ceely then got up again and said, “If it please you, my lord, to
+hear me: this man struck me, and gave me such a blow, as I never had in
+my life.” At this I smiled in my heart, and said, “Major Ceely, thou art
+a justice of peace, and a major of a troop of horse, and tells the judge
+here in the face of the court and country, that I (who am a prisoner)
+struck thee, and gave thee such a blow, as thou never hadst the like in
+thy life? What! art thou not ashamed? Prithee, Major Ceely?” said I,
+“where did I strike thee? and who is thy witness for that? who was by?”
+He said it was in the Castle-Green, and that Captain Bradden was
+standing by, when I struck him. “I desired the judge to let him produce
+his witness for that, and I called again upon Major Ceely to come down
+from off the bench, telling him, it was not fit that the accuser should
+sit as judge over the accused.” When I called again for his witnesses,
+he said Captain Bradden was his witness. Then, I said, “Speak, Captain
+Bradden, didst thou see me give him such a blow, and strike him, as he
+saith?” Captain Bradden made no answer; but bowed his head towards me. I
+desired him to speak up, if he knew any such thing: but he only bowed
+his head again. “Nay,” said I, “speak up, and let the court and country
+hear, and let not bowing of the head serve the turn. If I have done so,
+let the law be inflicted on me; I fear not sufferings, nor death itself,
+for I am an innocent man concerning all this charge.” But Captain
+Bradden never testified to it: and the judge finding those snares would
+not hold, cried, “Take him away, jailer:” and then, when we were taken
+away, he fined us twenty marks a-piece for not putting off our hats; and
+to be kept in prison till we paid it: so he sent us back to the jail.
+
+At night Captain Bradden came to see us, and seven or eight justices
+with him, who were very civil to us, and told us, they believed neither
+the judge nor any in the court gave credit to the charges which Major
+Ceely had brought forward against me in the face of the country. And
+Captain Bradden said, Major Ceely had an intent to take away my life if
+he could have got another witness. “But,” said I, “Captain Bradden, why
+didst not thou witness for me, or against me, seeing Major Ceely
+produced thee for a witness, that thou saw me strike him; and when I
+desired thee to speak either for me or against me, according to what
+thou saw or knew, thou wouldst not speak.” “Why,” said he, “when Major
+Ceely and I came by you, as you were walking in the Castle-Green, he put
+off his hat to you, and said, ‘How do you do, Mr. Fox? Your servant,
+Sir.’ Then you said to him, ‘Major Ceely, take heed of hypocrisy, and of
+a rotten heart: for when came I to be thy master, and thou my servant?
+Do servants cast their masters into prison?’ This was the great blow he
+meant you gave him.” Then I called to mind that they walked by us, and
+that he spoke so to me, and I to him; which hypocrisy and
+rotten-heartedness he manifested openly, when he complained of this to
+the judge in open court, and in the face of the country; and would have
+made them all believe, that I struck him outwardly with my hand.
+
+Now we were kept in prison, and many came from far and near, to see us;
+of whom some were people of account in the world; for the report of our
+trial was spread abroad, and our boldness and innocency in our answers
+to the judge and court were talked of in town and country. Among others
+came Humphrey Lower to visit us, a grave, sober, old man, who had been a
+justice of peace; he was very sorry we should lie in prison; telling us
+how serviceable we might be if we were at liberty. We reasoned with him
+concerning swearing; and having acquainted him how they tendered the
+oath of abjuration to us, as a snare, because they knew we could not
+swear, we showed him that no people could be serviceable to God, if they
+disobeyed the command of Christ; and that they that imprisoned us for
+the hat-honour, which was of men, and which men sought for, prisoned the
+good, and vexed and grieved the spirit of God in themselves, which
+should have turned their minds to God. So we turned him to the Spirit of
+God in his heart, and to the light of Christ Jesus; and he was
+thoroughly convinced, and continued so to his death, and became very
+serviceable, to us.[47]
+
+Footnote 47:
+
+  Humphrey Lower, who resided near Bodmin, in Cornwall, was an
+  influential magistrate, his name appearing as such in the history of
+  the county, under Charles I. He could, however, say with Paul, “What
+  things were gain unto me, those I counted loss for Christ.” In 1658,
+  for not attending the national worship, and refusing to enter into
+  bond to appear at the assizes, on a presentment made against him by
+  the constable of the parish, H. Lower was, on his non-appearance,
+  committed, notwithstanding his age and high character, to Launceston
+  jail, where he continued till the assizes; and then was put forth
+  without examination or trial, or any satisfaction for such rough
+  treatment. In 1660, he was sent for by a warrant, to appear before two
+  justices at Wadebridge, when one of them, Roscarrock, tendered him the
+  oath of supremacy; and for his refusing to take it, a mittimus was
+  made out and subscribed by him and two other magistrates, who acted
+  very unwillingly. Thereupon he was again sent to Launceston jail,
+  where he remained about two weeks, and then was freed by Sir J.
+  Coryton and E. Hearle. It is stated that H. Lower, when himself in the
+  commission of the peace, had more obliged the said Roscarrock than any
+  other man, by doing him many singular offices of justice and courtesy.
+  The return was a very ungrateful one.
+
+  G. Fox mentions large and satisfactory meetings held at his house in
+  1663 and 1668, and says that he continued serviceable till his death,
+  the date of which event is not recorded.
+
+There came also to see us one Colonel Rouse, a justice of peace, with a
+great company with him. He was as full of words and talk as ever I heard
+any man in my life, so that there was no speaking to him. At length I
+asked him, “whether he had ever been at school, and knew what belonged
+to questions and answers;” (this I said to stop him.) “At school!” said
+he, “Yes.” “At school!” said the soldiers; “doth he say so to our
+colonel, that is a scholar?” Then said I, “If he be so, let him be
+still, and receive answers to what he hath said.” Then I was moved to
+speak the word of life to him in God’s dreadful power; which came so
+over him that he could not open his mouth: his face swelled and was red
+like a turkey; his lips moved, and he mumbled something; but the people
+thought he would have fallen down. I stepped to him, and he said he was
+never so in his life before: for the Lord’s power stopped the evil power
+in him; so that he was almost choked. The man was ever after very loving
+to Friends, and not so full of airy words to us; though he was full of
+pride; but the Lord’s power came over him, and the rest that were with
+him.
+
+Another time there came an officer of the army, a very malicious, bitter
+professor, whom I had known in London. He was full of his airy talk
+also, and spoke slightingly of the light of Christ, and against the
+truth, and against the Spirit of God being in men, as it was in the
+apostles’ days; till the power of God that bound the evil in him, had
+almost choked him as it did Colonel Rouse: for he was so full of evil
+that he could not speak, but blubbered and stuttered. But from the time
+that the Lord’s power struck him, and came over him, he was ever after
+more loving to us.
+
+The assize being over, and we settled in prison upon such a commitment,
+that we were not likely to be soon released, we discontinued giving the
+jailer seven shillings a-week each for our horses, and seven for
+ourselves; and sent our horses out into the country. Upon which he grew
+very wicked and devilish; and put us down into Doomsdale, a nasty,
+stinking place, where they put murderers, after they were condemned. The
+place was so noisome, that it was observed few that went in ever came
+out again in health. There was no house of office in it; and the
+excrements of the prisoners that from time to time had been left there,
+had not been carried out (as we were told) for many years. So that it
+was all like mire, and in some places to the top of the shoes in water
+and urine; and he would not let us cleanse it, nor suffer us to have
+beds or straw to lie on. At night some friendly people of the town
+brought us a candle and a little straw, and we burnt some of it to take
+away the stink. The thieves lay over our heads, and the head jailer in a
+room by them, over us also. It seems the smoke went up into the jailer’s
+room; which put him into such a rage, that he took the pots of
+excrements of the thieves, and poured them through a hole upon our heads
+in Doomsdale; whereby we were so bespattered, that we could not touch
+ourselves or one another. And the stink increased upon us, so that what
+with that, and what with smoke, we had nearly been choked and smothered.
+We had the stink under our feet before, but now we had it on our heads
+and backs also; and he having quenched our straw with the filth he
+poured down, had made a great smother in the place. Moreover he railed
+at us most hideously, calling us hatchet-faced dogs, and such strange
+names as we had never heard. In this manner were we fain to stand all
+night, for we could not sit down, the place was so full of filthy
+excrements.[48] A great while he kept us in this manner, before he would
+let us cleanse it, or suffer us to have any victuals brought in but what
+we had through the grate. Once a girl brought us a little meat, and he
+arrested her for breaking his house, and sued her in the town-court for
+breaking the prison. Much trouble he put her to, whereby others were so
+discouraged, that we had much to do to get water or victuals. Near this
+time we sent for a young woman, Ann Downer, from London, that could
+write, and take things well in short-hand, to buy and dress our meat for
+us, which she was very willing to do, it being also upon her spirit to
+come to us in the love of God; and she was very serviceable to us.
+
+Footnote 48:
+
+  We who live in the 19th century, when the impartial administration of
+  justice extends to all ranks of society, and when the accommodations
+  of our prisons are so vigilantly looked into, can scarcely credit that
+  respectable Englishmen should be subjected to such gross abuse in
+  pestilential dungeons. But the early annals of Friends abound with
+  similar cases, many of them still more aggravated. Take the following
+  example:—
+
+  During the close imprisonment of Friends at Aberdeen, Patrick
+  Livingstone often preached to the people through the prison windows,
+  exhorting the people to fear God. This practice was highly displeasing
+  to the magistrates. They, therefore, sought to prevent it, by causing
+  some of them to be separated from the rest of their companions, and
+  violently thrust into a close-vaulted cell, on the top of the jail,
+  called the “iron-house,” where the worst of felons and murderers were
+  usually confined. They had neither light nor air, except through a
+  long hole in a thick wall, which had a double grating of iron on the
+  outside and another within. Here they were kept night and day, in the
+  heat of the summer of 1678, when the filthiness of the place, and the
+  corruption of the air so closely pent-up, produced a multitude of
+  worms, called _white maggots_ and _other vermin_, which swarmed about
+  even upon their beds and victuals, and manifestly tended to the
+  extreme danger of their health and lives.
+
+This head-jailer, we were informed, had been a thief, and was branded in
+the hand and in the shoulder: his wife, too, had been branded in the
+hand. The under-jailer had been branded in the hand and shoulder; and
+his wife in the hand also. Colonel Bennet, who was a Baptist teacher,
+having purchased the jail and lands belonging to the castle, had placed
+this head-jailer therein. The prisoners, and some wild people, talked of
+spirits that haunted Doomsdale, and how many had died in it; thinking
+perhaps to terrify us therewith. But I told them, that if all the
+spirits and devils in hell were there, I was over them in the power of
+God, and feared no such thing; for Christ, our priest, would sanctify
+the walls and the house to us, he who bruised the head of the devil. The
+priest was to cleanse the plague out of the walls of the house under the
+law, which Christ, our priest, ended; who sanctifies both inwardly and
+outwardly the walls of the house, the walls of the heart, and all things
+to his people.
+
+By this time the general quarter-sessions drew nigh; and the jailer
+still carrying himself basely and wickedly towards us, we drew up our
+suffering case, and sent it to the sessions at Bodmin. On reading of
+which the justices gave order, “that Doomsdale door should be opened and
+that we should have liberty to cleanse it, and to buy our meat in the
+town.” We also sent a copy of our sufferings to the Protector, setting
+forth how we were taken and committed by Major Ceely; and abused by
+Captain Keat as aforesaid, and the rest in order. The Protector sent
+down an order to Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, to examine
+the matter about the soldiers abusing us, and striking me. There were at
+that time many of the gentry of the country at the castle; and Captain
+Keat’s kinsman, that struck me, was sent for before them, and much
+threatened. They told him, “that if I should change my principle, I
+might take the extremity of the law against him, and might recover sound
+damages of him.” Captain Keat also was checked, for suffering the
+prisoners under his charge to be abused. This was of great service in
+the country; for afterwards Friends might have spoken in any market or
+steeple-house thereabouts, and none would meddle with them.
+
+I understood that Hugh Peters, one of the Protector’s chaplains, told
+him they could not do George Fox a greater service for the spreading of
+his principles in Cornwall, than to imprison him there. And indeed my
+imprisonment there was of the Lord, and for his service in those parts;
+for after the assizes were over, and it was known we were likely to
+continue prisoners, several Friends from most parts of the nation came
+into the country to visit us. Those parts of the West were very dark
+countries at that time; but the Lord’s light and truth broke forth,
+shone over all, and many were turned from darkness to light, and from
+Satan’s power unto God. Many were moved to go to the steeple-houses; and
+several were sent to prison to us; and a great convincement began in the
+country. For now we had liberty to come out and to walk in the
+Castle-Green; and many came to us on first-days, to whom we declared the
+word of life. Great service we had among them, and many were turned to
+God, up and down the country; but great rage got up in the priests and
+professors against the truth and us. One of the envious professors had
+collected many Scripture sentences, to prove that we ought to put off
+our hats to the people; and he invited the town of Launceston to come
+into the castle-yard to hear him read them: amongst other instances that
+he there brought, one was, that Saul bowed to the witch of Endor. When
+he had done, we got a little liberty to speak; and we showed both him
+and the people, “that Saul was gone from God, and had disobeyed God,
+like them, when he went to the witch of Endor: that neither the
+prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostles ever taught people to bow to a
+witch.” The man went away with his rude people; but some stayed with us,
+and we showed them that this was not gospel instruction, to teach people
+to bow to a witch. For now people began to be affected with the truth,
+and the devil’s rage increased; so that we were often in great danger.
+
+One time there came a soldier to us; and whilst one of our friends was
+admonishing and exhorting him to sobriety, &c., I saw him begin to draw
+his sword. Whereupon I stepped to him, and told him what a shame it was
+to offer to draw his sword upon a naked man, and a prisoner; and how
+unfit and unworthy he was to carry such a weapon; and that if he should
+have offered such a thing to some men, they would have taken his sword
+from him, and have broken it to pieces. So he was ashamed, and went his
+way; and the Lord’s power preserved us.
+
+Another time, about eleven at night, the jailer being half drunk, came
+and told me he had got a man now to dispute with me (this was when we
+had leave to go a little into the town.) As soon as he spoke these
+words, I felt there was mischief intended to my body. All that night and
+the next day, I lay down on a grass-plat to slumber, and I felt
+something still about my body; and I started up and struck at it in the
+power of the Lord, and yet still it was about my body. Then I arose and
+walked into the Castle-Green, and the under-keeper came to me, and told
+me there was a maid would speak with me in the prison. I felt a snare in
+his words too, therefore I went not into the prison, but to the grate,
+and looking in, I saw a man that was lately brought to prison for being
+a conjurer, and he had a knife in his hand. I spoke to him, and he
+threatened to cut my chaps; but being within the jail, he could not come
+at me. This was the jailer’s great disputant. I went soon after into the
+jailer’s house, and found him at breakfast; and he had then got his
+conjurer out with him. I told the jailer his plot was discovered. Then
+he got up from the table, and cast his napkin away in a rage; and I left
+them and went away to my chamber; for at this time we were out of
+Doomsdale. At the time the jailer had said the dispute should be, I went
+down and walked in the court (the place appointed) till about eleven,
+but nobody came. Then I went up to my chamber again, and after a while I
+heard one call for me. I stepped to the stairs’ head, and there I saw
+the jailer’s wife upon the stairs, and the conjuror at the bottom of the
+stairs, holding his hand behind his back and in a great rage. I asked
+him, “Man, what hast thou in thy hand behind thy back? Pluck thy hand
+before thee,” said I; “let us see thy hand, and what thou hast in it.”
+Then in a rage he plucked forth his hand with a naked knife in it. I
+showed the jailer’s wife the wicked design of her husband and herself
+against me; for this was the man they they had brought to dispute of the
+things of God. But the Lord discovered their plot, and prevented their
+evil design; they both raged, and the conjuror threatened. Then I was
+moved to speak sharply to him in the dreadful power of the Lord, which
+bound him down, so that he never after durst appear before me to speak
+to me. I saw it was the Lord alone that preserved me out of their bloody
+hands; for the devil had a great enmity to me, and stirred up his
+instruments to seek my hurt. But the Lord prevented them; and my heart
+was filled with thanksgivings and praises unto him.
+
+Now while I was exercised with people of divers sorts, that came some
+out of good will to visit us, some out of an envious, carping mind to
+wrangle and dispute, and some out of curiosity to see us, Edward Pyot,
+who before his convincement had been a captain in the army, and had a
+good understanding in the laws and rights of the people, being sensible
+of the injustice and envy of Judge Glynne to us at our trial, and
+willing to lay the weight thereof upon him, and make him sensible
+thereof also, wrote an epistle to him on behalf of us all, thus:—
+
+               “_To John Glynne, Chief Justice of England._
+
+        “FRIEND,
+
+  “We are free men of England, free born; our rights and liberties are
+  according to law, and ought to be defended by it: and therefore with
+  thee, by whose hand we have so long suffered, and still suffer, let us
+  reason a little plainly concerning thy proceedings against us, whether
+  they have been according to law, and agreeable to thy duty and office,
+  as chief minister of the law, or justice of England. And in meekness
+  and lowliness abide, that the witness of God in thy conscience may be
+  heard to speak and judge in this matter, for thou and we must all
+  appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that everyone may receive
+  according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Therefore,
+  friend, in moderation and soberness, weigh what is herein laid before
+  thee.
+
+  “In the afternoon, before we were brought before thee at the assize at
+  Launceston, thou didst cause many scores of our books to be violently
+  taken from us by armed men without due process of law; which being
+  perused to see if anything in them could be found to be laid to our
+  charge, who were innocent men, and then upon our legal issue, thou
+  hast detained from us to this very day. Now our books are our goods,
+  and our goods are our property; and our liberty is to have and enjoy
+  our property; and of our liberty and property the law is the defence,
+  which saith, ‘No free man shall be disseized of his freehold,
+  liberties, or free customs, &c., nor any way otherwise destroyed: and
+  we shall not pass upon him, but by lawful judgment of his peers, or by
+  the law of the land.’ Magna Charta, cap. 29. Now friend, consider, is
+  not the taking away of a man’s goods violently, by force of arms, as
+  aforesaid, contrary to the law of the land? Is not the keeping of them
+  so taken away, a disseizing him of his property, and a destroying of
+  it and his liberty, yea, his very being, so far as the invading of the
+  guard the law sets about him, is in order thereunto? Calls not the law
+  this, a destroying of a man? Is there any more than one common guard
+  or defence to property, liberty, and life, viz. the law? And can this
+  guard be broken on the former (viz. property and liberty), and the
+  latter (viz. life,) be sure? Doth not he that makes an invasion upon a
+  man’s property and liberty (which he doth, who, contrary to law, which
+  is the guard, acts against either,) make an invasion upon a man’s
+  life; since that which is the guard of the one, is also of the other?
+  If a penny, or a penny’s-worth, be taken from a man contrary to law,
+  may not by the same rule all that a man hath be taken away? If the
+  bond of the law be broken upon a man’s property, may it not on the
+  same ground be broken upon his person? And by the same reason, as it
+  is broken on one man, may it not be broken upon all, since the
+  liberty, and property, and beings of all men under a government are
+  relative, a communion of wealth, as the members in the body, but one
+  guard and defence to all, the law? One man cannot be injured therein,
+  but it redounds to all. Are not such things in order to the subversion
+  and dissolution of government? Where there is no law, what is become
+  of government? And of what value is the law made, when the ministers
+  thereof break it at pleasure upon men’s properties, liberties, and
+  persons? Canst thou clear thyself of these things, as to us? To that
+  of God in thy conscience, which is just, do I speak. Hast thou acted
+  like a minister, the chief minister, of the law, who hast taken our
+  goods, and yet detainest them, without so much as going by lawful
+  warrant, grounded upon due information, which in this our case thou
+  couldst not have; for none had perused them, whereby to give thee
+  information? Shouldst thou exercise violence and force of arms on
+  prisoners’ goods, in their prison-chamber, instead of proceeding
+  orderly and legally, which thy place calls upon thee, above any man,
+  to tender, defend, and maintain against wrong, and to preserve entire
+  the guard of every man’s being, liberty, life, and livelihood?
+  Shouldst thou, whose duty it is to punish the wrong-doer, do wrong
+  thyself? who ought to see that the law is kept and observed, break the
+  law, and turn aside the due administration thereof? Surely from thee,
+  considering thou art chief justice of England, other things were
+  expected, both by us and by the people of this nation.
+
+  “And when we were brought before thee, and stood upon our legal issue,
+  and no accuser or accusation came in against us, as to what we had
+  been wrongfully imprisoned, and in prison detained for nine weeks,
+  shouldst not thou have caused us to be acquitted by proclamation?
+  Saith not the law so? Oughtest thou not to have examined the cause of
+  our commitment? And there not appearing a lawful cause, oughtest thou
+  not to have discharged us? Is it not the substance of thy office and
+  duty, to do justice according to the law and custom of England? Is not
+  this the end of the administration of the law? of the general assizes?
+  of the jail delivery? of the judges going the circuits? Hast not thou
+  by doing otherwise, acted contrary to all these, and to Magna Charta?
+  which, cap. 29, saith, ‘We shall sell to no man, we shall deny or
+  defer to no man, either justice or right.’ Hast thou not both deferred
+  and denied to us, who had been so long oppressed, this justice and
+  right? And when of thee justice we demanded, saidst thou not, ‘If we
+  would be uncovered, thou wouldst hear us, and do us justice?’—‘We
+  shall sell to no man, we shall deny or defer to no man, either justice
+  or right,’ saith Magna Charta, as aforesaid. Again, ‘We have commanded
+  all our justices, that they shall henceforth do even law, and
+  execution of right to all our subjects, rich and poor, without having
+  regard to any man’s person; and without letting to do right for any
+  letters or commandments, which may come to them from us, or from any
+  other, or by any other cause, &c., upon pain to be at our will, body,
+  lands, and goods, to do therewith as shall please us, in case they do
+  contrary,’ saith Stat. 20. Edw. III. cap. 1. Again, ‘Ye shall swear
+  that ye shall do even law and execution of right to all, rich and
+  poor, without having regard to any person; and that ye deny to no man
+  common right by the king’s letters, or other man’s, nor for any other
+  cause. And in case any letter come to you contrary to the law, that ye
+  do nothing by such letter, but certify the king thereof, and go forth
+  to do the law notwithstanding those letters. And in case ye be from
+  henceforth found in default in any of the points aforesaid, ye shall
+  be at the king’s will of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be done,
+  as shall please him,’ saith the oath, appointed by the statute to be
+  taken by all the judges, Stat. 18. Edw. III. But none of these nor any
+  other law hath such an expression or condition in it as this, viz.,
+  ‘provided he will put off his hat to you, or be uncovered:’ nor doth
+  the law of God so say, or that your persons be respected; but the
+  contrary. From whence then comes this new law, ‘If ye will be
+  uncovered I will hear you, and do you justice?’ This hearing complaint
+  of wrong, this doing of justice, upon condition, wherein lies the
+  equity and reasonableness of that? When were these fundamental laws
+  repealed, which were the issue of much blood and war; to uphold which
+  cost the miseries and blood of the late wars, that we shall now be
+  heard, as to right, and have justice done us but upon condition, and
+  that too such a trifling one as putting off the hat? Doth thy saying
+  so, who art commanded, as aforesaid, repeal them, and make them of
+  none effect, and all the miseries undergone, and the blood shed for
+  them of old, and of late years? Whether it be so or not indeed, and to
+  the nation, thou hast made it so to us, to whom thou hast denied the
+  justice of our liberty (when we were before thee, and no accuser, nor
+  accusation came in against us,) and the hearing of the wrong done to
+  us, who are innocent, and the doing us right. And bonds hast thou
+  cast, and continued upon us until this day, under an unreasonable and
+  cruel jailer, for not performing that thy condition, for
+  conscience-sake. But thinkest thou that this thine own conditional
+  justice maketh void the law? or can it do so? or absolve thee before
+  God or man? or acquit the penalty mentioned in the laws aforesaid?
+  unto which hast thou not consented and sworn? viz., ‘And in case ye be
+  from henceforth found in default, in any of the points aforesaid, ye
+  shall be at the king’s will, of body, lands, and goods, thereof to be
+  done as shall please him.’ And is not thy saying, ‘If ye will be
+  uncovered (or put off your hats), I will hear you, and do you
+  justice;’ and because we could not put them off for conscience-sake,
+  thy denying us justice, and refusing to hear us, as to wrong, who had
+  so unjustly suffered, a default in thee against the very essence of
+  those laws, yea, and overthrow thereof, for which thing’s sake (being
+  of the highest importance to the well-being of men), so just, so
+  equal, so necessary, those laws were made, and all the provisions
+  therein? To make a default in any one point of which provisions,
+  exposeth to the said penalty. Dost not thou by this time see where
+  thou art? Art thou sure thou shalt never be made to understand and
+  feel the justice thereof? Is thy seat so high, and thy fence so great,
+  and art thou so certain of thy time and station, above all that have
+  gone before thee, whom justice hath cut down, and given them their
+  due, that thou shalt never be called to an account, nor with its long
+  and sure stroke be reached? Deceive not thyself, God is come nearer to
+  judgment than the workers of iniquity in this age imagine; who
+  persecute and evil-entreat those that witness the just and Holy One,
+  for their witnessing of him who is come to reign for ever and ever.
+  Saith he not, he will be a swift witness against the false swearers?
+  God is not mocked.
+
+  “Surely, friend, that must needs be a very great offence which
+  deprives a man of justice, of being heard as to wrong, of the benefit
+  of the law, and of those laws afore-rehearsed; to defend the justice
+  and equity of which a man hath adventured his blood and all that is
+  dear to him. But to stand covered (or with the hat on), in conscience
+  to the command of the Lord, is made by thee such an offence (which is
+  none in law), and rendered upon us (who are innocent, serving the
+  living God), effectual to deny us justice, though the laws of God, and
+  of man, and the oath, equity and reason, say the contrary, and on it
+  pronounce such a penalty. ‘If ye will be uncovered (uncovered, saidst
+  thou), I will hear you, and do you justice;’ but justice we had not,
+  nor were we heard, because Jesus Christ, who is the higher power, the
+  lawgiver of his people, in our consciences commanded us not to respect
+  persons, whom we choose to obey rather than man. And for our obedience
+  unto him hast thou cast us into prison, and continued us there till
+  this very day, having showed us neither law for it, nor Scripture, nor
+  instances of either, nor example of heathens nor others.
+
+  “Friend, come down to that of God, that is just in thee, and consider,
+  was ever such a thing as this heard of in this nation? what is become
+  of seriousness, of true judgment, and of righteousness? An unrighteous
+  man, standing before thee with his hat off, shall be heard; but an
+  innocent man, appearing with his hat on in conscience to the Lord,
+  shall neither be heard nor have justice. Is not this regarding of
+  persons contrary to the laws aforesaid, and the oath and the law of
+  God? Understand and judge: Did we not own authority and government
+  oftentimes before the court? Didst not thou say in the court, thou
+  wast glad to hear so much from us of our owning magistracy? Pleaded we
+  not to the indictment, though it was such a new-found one as England
+  never heard of before? Came we not when thou sent for us? Went we not
+  when thou bade us go? And are we not still prisoners at thy command
+  and at thy will? If the hat had been such an offence to thee, couldst
+  not thou have caused it to be taken off, when thou heard us so often
+  declare, we could not do it in conscience to the commands of the Lord,
+  and that for that cause we forbore it, not in contempt of thee or of
+  authority, nor in disrespect to thine, or any man’s person (for we
+  said, we honoured all men in the Lord, and owned authority, which was
+  a terror to evildoers, and a praise to them that do well; and our
+  souls were subject to the higher powers for conscience-sake): as thou
+  caused them to be taken off, and to be kept so, when thou called the
+  jury to find us transgressors without a law?
+
+  “What ado hast thou made to take away the righteousness of the
+  righteous from him, and to cause us to suffer further, whom thou knew
+  to have been so long wrongfully in prison contrary to law? Is not
+  liberty of conscience a natural right? Had there been a law in this
+  case, and we bound up in our consciences that we could not have obeyed
+  it, was not liberty of conscience there to take place? For where the
+  law saith not against, there needs no plea of liberty of conscience;
+  but the law have we not offended, yet in thy will hast thou caused,
+  and dost thou yet cause us to suffer for our consciences, where the
+  law requires no such thing; and yet for liberty of conscience hath all
+  the blood been spilt, and the miseries of the late wars undergone, and
+  (as the Protector saith,) this government undertakes to preserve it;
+  and a natural right, he saith, it is; and he that would have it, he
+  saith, ought to give it. And if it be a natural right, as is
+  undeniable, then to attempt to force it, or to punish a man for not
+  doing contrary to it, is to act against nature; which, as it is
+  unreasonable, so it is the same as to offer violence to a man’s life.
+  And what an offence that is in the law thou knowest; and how, by the
+  common law of England, all acts, agreements, and laws, that are
+  against nature, are mere nullities; and all the judges cannot make one
+  case to be law that is against nature. But put the case, had our
+  standing with our hats on been an offence in law, and we wilfully, and
+  in contempt, and not out of conscience had stood so (which we deny as
+  aforesaid), yet that is not a ground wherefore we should be denied
+  justice, or be heard as to the wrong done to us. ‘If ye will not
+  offend in one case, I will do you justice in another;’ this is not the
+  language of the law, or of justice, which distributes to everyone
+  right; justice to whom justice is due, punishment to whom punishment
+  is due. A man who does wrong may also have wrong done to him; shall he
+  not have right wherein he is wronged, unless he right him whom he hath
+  wronged? The law saith not so; but the wrong-doer is to suffer, and
+  the sufferer of wrong to be righted. Is not to do otherwise a denying,
+  letting, or stopping of even law and execution of justice, and a
+  bringing under the penalties aforesaid? Mind and consider.
+
+  “And shouldst thou have accused, when no witness appeared against us,
+  as in the particulars of striking Peter Ceely, and dispersing books
+  (as thou saidst) against magistracy and ministry, with which thou
+  didst falsely accuse one of us? Saith not the law, ‘the judge ought
+  not to be the accuser?’ much less a false accuser? And wast not thou
+  such a one, in affirming, that he dispersed books against magistracy
+  and ministry, when as the books were violently taken out of our
+  chamber (as hath been said,) undispersed by him, or any of us? Nor
+  didst thou make it appear in one particular, wherein those books thou
+  didst so violently cause to be taken away, were against magistracy or
+  ministry? or gave one instance, or reply, when he denied what thou
+  charged therein, and spoke to thee to bring forth those books and make
+  thy charge appear. Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass
+  upon such evil-doing? And according to the administration of the law,
+  ought not accusations to be by way of indictment, wherein the offence
+  is to be charged, and the law expressed against which it is? Can there
+  be an issue without an indictment? Or can an indictment be found
+  before proof be made of the offence charged therein? And hast thou not
+  herein acted contrary to the law and the administration thereof, and
+  thy duty as a judge? What just cause of offence gave George Fox to
+  thee, when, upon thy producing a paper concerning swearing, sent by
+  him (as thou said) to the grand jury, and requiring him to say,
+  whether it was his handwriting? he answered, ‘read it up before the
+  country, and when he heard it read, if it were his, he would own it?’
+  Is it not equal, and according to law, that what a man is charged with
+  before the country, should be read in the hearing of him and of the
+  country? When a paper is delivered out of a man’s hand, alterations
+  may be made in it to his prejudice, which, on a sudden looking over
+  it, may not presently be discerned, but by hearing it read up, may be
+  better understood, whether any such alterations have been made
+  therein? Couldst thou in justice have expected or required him to do
+  otherwise? Considering also, that he was not insensible how much he
+  had suffered already, being innocent, and what endeavours were used to
+  cause him further to suffer? Was not what he said, as aforesaid, a
+  plain and single answer, and sufficient in the law? Though (as hath
+  been demonstrated) thou didst act contrary to law, and to thy office,
+  in being his accuser therein, and producing the paper against him. And
+  his liberty it was, whether he would have made thee any answer at all,
+  to what thou didst exhibit, or demand, out of the due course of law;
+  for to the law answer is to be made, not to thy will. Wherefore then
+  wast thou so filled with rage and fury at his reply? Calmly, and in
+  the fear of the Lord, consider, wherefore didst thou revile him,
+  particularly with the reproachful names of juggler and prevaricator?
+  Wherein did he juggle? wherein did he prevaricate? Wherefore didst
+  thou use such threatening language, and such menacings to him and us,
+  saying, thou wouldst _ferk_ us, with such like? Doth not the law
+  forbid reviling, and rage, and fury, threatening, and menacing of
+  prisoners? Soberly mind, is this to act like a judge or a man? Is not
+  this transgression? Is not the sword of the magistrate of God to pass
+  on this as evil-doing, which the righteous law condemns, and the
+  higher power is against, which judgeth for God?
+
+  “Take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who
+  is with you in the judgment. ‘Wherefore now, let the fear of the Lord
+  be upon you; take heed, and do it: for there is no iniquity with the
+  Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts,’ said
+  Jehoshaphat to the judges of Judah. Pride and fury, passion and rage,
+  reviling and threatening, are not the Lord’s; these, and the principle
+  out of which they spring, are for judgment, and must come under the
+  sword of the magistrate of God; and it is of an ill savour, especially
+  such an expression, as to threaten to _ferk_ us. Is not such a saying
+  more becoming a schoolmaster with his rod and ferula in his hand, than
+  thee, who art the chief justice of the nation, who sittest in the
+  highest seat of judgment, who ought to give a good example, and so to
+  judge that others may hear and fear? Weigh it soberly and consider,
+  doth not threatening language demonstrate an inequality, and
+  partiality in him, who sits as judge? Is it not a deterring of a
+  prisoner from standing to, and pleading the innocency of his cause?
+  Provides not the law against it? Saith it not, that irons and all
+  other bonds shall be taken from the prisoner, that he may plead
+  without fear, and with such freedom of spirit, as if he were not a
+  prisoner? But when he, who is to judge according to the law, shall
+  beforehand threaten and menace the prisoner contrary to the law, how
+  can the mind of the prisoner be free to plead his innocency before
+  him? or expect equal judgment from him who, before he hears him,
+  threatens what he will do unto him? Is not this the case between thee
+  and us? Is not this the measure we have received at thy hands? Hast
+  thou herein dealt according to law? or to thy duty? or as thou wouldst
+  be done unto? Let that of God in thy conscience judge.
+
+  “And didst thou not say, there was a law for putting off the hat, and
+  that thou wouldst show a law? and didst not thou often so express
+  thyself? But didst thou produce any law, or show where that law might
+  be found? or any judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, when we
+  so often desired it of thee, having never heard of, nor known any such
+  law, by which thou didst judge us? Was not what we demanded of thee
+  reasonable and just? Was that a savoury answer, and according to law,
+  which thou gave us, viz., ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back,
+  up and down the country; I am not to instruct you?’ Was ever such an
+  expression heard before these days to come out of a judge’s mouth? Is
+  he not to be of counsel in the law for the prisoner, and to instruct
+  him therein? Is it not for this cause that the prisoner, in many
+  cases, is not allowed counsel by the law? In all courts of justice in
+  this nation, has it not been known so to have been? And to the
+  prisoner has not this been often declared when he demanded counsel,
+  alleging his ignorance in the law, by reason of which his cause might
+  miscarry, though it were righteous, viz., ‘the court is of counsel for
+  you’? Ought not he that judgeth in the law, to be expert in the law?
+  Couldst thou not tell by what act of parliament it was made, or by
+  what judicial precedent, or in what king’s reign, or when it was
+  adjudged so by the common law (which are all the grounds the law of
+  England has), had there been such a law, though the words of the law
+  thou couldst not remember? Surely, to inform the prisoner when he
+  desired it, especially as to a law which was never heard of, by which
+  he proceeds to judge him, that he may know what law it is by which he
+  is to be judged, becomes him who judgeth for God; for so the law was
+  read to the Jews by which they were to be judged, yea, every
+  Sabbath-day; this was the commandment of the Lord. But instead thereof
+  to say, ‘I am not to carry the law-books at my back up and down the
+  country; I am not to instruct you:’ to say, ‘there is a law,’ and to
+  say, ‘thou wilt show it,’ and yet not to show it, nor to tell where it
+  is to be found; consider whether it be consistent with truth or
+  justice?
+
+  “Have not thy whole proceedings against us made it evidently appear,
+  that thy desire was to cause us to suffer, not to deliver us, who,
+  being innocent, suffered; to have us aspersed and reproached before
+  the country, not to have our innocency cleared and vindicated? Doth
+  not thy taking away our books as aforesaid, and perusing them in such
+  haste before our trial, and accusing us with something, which thou
+  said was contained in them, make it to appear, that matter was sought
+  out of them, wherewithal to charge us, when the Et Cetera warrant
+  would not stand in law, by which we stood committed, and were then
+  upon our delivery, according to due course of law? Doth it not further
+  appear, by thy refusing to take from our hands a copy of the strange
+  Et Cetera warrant, by which we were committed, and of the paper for
+  which we were apprehended, to read it or cause it to be read, that so
+  our long sufferings by reason of both might be looked into, and
+  weighed in the law, whether just or righteous, and the country might
+  as well see our innocency and sufferings without a cause, and the
+  manner of dealing with us as to hear such reports as went of us, as
+  great offenders, when we called upon thee often so to do, and which
+  thou ought to have done, and said, thou would do, but did it not; or
+  so much as take notice before the country that we had been falsely
+  imprisoned, and had wrongfully suffered? But what might asperse and
+  charge us, thou brought in thyself, contrary to law, and called to
+  have us charged therewith. Is not this further manifest, in that thou
+  didst cause us on a sudden to be withdrawn, and the petty jury to be
+  called in with their verdict, whereupon Peter Ceely’s falsely accusing
+  George Fox with telling him privately of a design, and persuading him
+  to join therein, it was by G. Fox made so clear to be a manifest
+  falsehood, and so plainly to be perceived, that the cause of our
+  sufferings was not any evil we had done, or law that we had
+  transgressed, but malice and wickedness?
+
+  “And is it not abundantly clear from thy not permitting us to answer,
+  and clear ourselves of the many foul slanders charged upon us in the
+  new-found indictment, of which no proof was made; but when we were
+  answering thereunto, and clearing ourselves thereof, thou didst stop
+  us, saying, ‘thou minded not those things, but only the putting off
+  the hat’ when as, before the country, the new-found indictment,
+  charged us with those things, and the petty jury brought in their
+  verdict, ‘guilty of the trespasses and contempts mentioned therein;’
+  of which (except as to the hat) not one witness or evidence was
+  produced; and as to the hat, not any law, or judicial precedent, upon
+  the transgression of which all legal indictments are only to be
+  grounded? Now the law seeks not for causes whereby to make the
+  innocent suffer, but helps him to right who suffers wrong, relieves
+  the oppressed, and searches out the matter, whether that, of which a
+  man stands accused, be so or not, seeking judgment, and hastening
+  righteousness; and it saith, ‘the innocent and the righteous slay thou
+  not.’ But whether thou hast done so to us, or the contrary, let the
+  witness of God in thee search and judge, as these thy fruits do also
+  make manifest.
+
+  “And, friend, consider how abominably wicked, and how highly to be
+  abhorred, denied, and witnessed against, and how contrary to the laws
+  such a proceeding is, to charge a man with many offences in an
+  indictment, which they who draw the indictment, they who prosecute,
+  and they who find the bill, know to be false, and to be inserted
+  purposely to reproach and wound his good name, whom with some small
+  matter which they can prove, they charge and indict; as is the common
+  practice at this day. Prove but one particular charge in the
+  indictment, and it must stand (say they) for a true bill, though there
+  be ever so many falsehoods therein, purposely to wrong him, who is
+  maliciously prosecuted: this is known to the judges, and almost every
+  man who has to do with, and attends, their courts. How contrary is
+  this to the end and righteousness of the law, which clears the
+  innocent, and condemns the guilty, and condemns not the righteous with
+  the wicked! Much it is cried out against; but what reformation is
+  there thereof? How else shall clerks of assize, and other clerks of
+  courts, fill up their bags (out of which perhaps their master must
+  have a secret consideration), and be heightened in pride and
+  impudence; that even in open court they take upon them to check and
+  revile men; men without reproof, when a few lines might serve instead
+  of a hundred? How else shall the spirit that is in men, that lusteth
+  unto envy, malice, strife, and contention, be cherished and nourished
+  to feed the lawyers, and dependents on courts, with the bread of men’s
+  children, and the ruin of their families, to maintain their long suits
+  and malicious contentions! For a judge to say, ‘I mind not these
+  things; I will not hear you clear yourselves of what you are falsely
+  accused: one thing I mind in your charge, the rest are but matter of
+  form, set there to render you such wicked men before the country, as
+  the thing that is to be proved against you is not sufficient to make
+  out.’
+
+  “O! abominable wickedness, and perverting of the righteous end of the
+  law, which is so careful and tender of every man’s peace and
+  innocency. How is the law in the administration thereof adulterated by
+  lawyers, as the Scriptures are mangled by priests! And that which was
+  made to preserve the righteous, and to punish the wicked, perverted to
+  the punishing of the righteous, and the preserving of the wicked! An
+  eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth; life for life; burning for
+  burning; wound for wound; a stripe for a stripe; he that accuseth a
+  man falsely to suffer the same as he should have suffered, who was
+  falsely accused, if he had been guilty; this saith the righteous law
+  of God, which is agreeable to that of God, in every man’s conscience.
+  Are not such forms of iniquity to be denied, which are so contrary to
+  the law of God, and man? which serve for gendering strife, and
+  kindling contention? and of this nature was not that, with which thou
+  didst cause us to be indicted? and this form didst thou not uphold, in
+  not permitting us to answer to the many foul slanders therein; saying,
+  ‘Those things thou mindest not.’ Will not the wrath of God be revealed
+  from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
+  hold the truth in unrighteousness; who are so far from the power of
+  godliness, that they have not the form, but the form of iniquity,
+  which is set and held up, instead of, and as a law, to overthrow and
+  destroy the righteousness of the righteous, and so to shut him up, as
+  by the law he can never get out? Is not the cry, thinkest thou, gone
+  up? ‘It is time for thee to set to thine hand, O Lord, for thine
+  enemies have made void thy law!’ Draws not the hour nigh? Fills not up
+  the measure of iniquity apace? Surely the day is coming, and
+  hasteneth. Ye have been warned from the presence, and by the mouth of
+  the Lord; and clear will he be when he cometh to judgment, and upright
+  when he giveth sentence. That of God in every one of your consciences
+  shall so to him bear witness and confess, and your mouths shall be
+  stopped, and before your Judge shall ye be silent, when he shall
+  divide you your portion, and render unto you according to your deeds.
+  Therefore, whilst thou hast time, prize it, and repent: for verily
+  ‘Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour
+  before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall
+  call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that he may judge his
+  people; and the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is
+  judge himself. Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in
+  pieces, and there be none to deliver.’
+
+  “And, friend, shouldst thou have given judgment against us (wherein
+  thou didst fine us twenty marks a-piece, and imprisonment till
+  payment), without causing us, being prisoners, to be brought before
+  thee, to hear the judgment, and to move what we had to say in arrest
+  of judgment? Is not this contrary to the law, as is manifest to those
+  who understand the proceedings thereof? Is not the prisoner to be
+  called before judgment be given? and is not the indictment to be read?
+  and the verdict thereupon? And is not liberty to be given him to move
+  in arrest of judgment? And if it be a just exception in the law, ought
+  not there to be an arrest of judgment? For the indictment may not be
+  drawn up according to law, and may be wrong placed, and the offence
+  charged therein may not be a crime in law; or the jury may have been
+  corrupted, or menaced, or set on by some of the justices; with other
+  particulars, which are known to be legal and just exceptions. And the
+  judgment ought to be in the prisoner’s hearing, not behind his back,
+  as if the judge were so conscious of the error thereof, that he dare
+  not give it to the face of the prisoner. But these privileges of the
+  law, this justice, we (who had so long and so greatly suffered
+  contrary to law), received not, nor could have at thy hands; no, not
+  so much as a copy or sight of that long and new-found indictment
+  (which in England was never heard of before, nor that the matter
+  contained therein was an offence in law, nor ever was there any law,
+  or judicial precedent, that made it so); though two friends of ours in
+  our names and our behalf, that night, next day, and day following,
+  often desired it of the clerk of the assize, his assistants, and
+  servants; but they could not have it, nor so much liberty as to see
+  it. And it is likely not unknown or unperceived by thee, that, had we
+  been called, as we ought to have been, or known when it was to be
+  given, three or four words might have been a sufficient, legal arrest,
+  of the judgment given on that new-found indictment, and the verdict
+  thereupon.
+
+  “Therefore, as our liberties, who are innocent, have not (in thy
+  account) been worth the minding, and esteemed fit for nothing but to
+  be trampled under foot, and destroyed, so, if we find fault with what
+  thou hast done, thou hast taken care that no door be left open to us
+  in the law, but a writ of error; the consideration whereof, and the
+  judgment to be given thereon, is to be had only where thyself art
+  chief; of whom such complaint is to be made, and the error assigned
+  for the reverse of thy judgment. And what the fruit of that may be
+  well expected to be, by what we have already mentioned, as having
+  received at thy hands, thou hast given us to understand. And here thou
+  mayest think thou hast made thyself secure, and sufficiently barred up
+  our way of relief, against whom (though thou knew we had done nothing
+  contrary to the law, or worthy of bonds, much less of the bonds and
+  sufferings we had sustained): thou hast proceeded as has been
+  rehearsed: notwithstanding that thou art (as are all the judges of the
+  nation) entrusted, not with a legislative power, but to administer
+  justice, and to do even law and execution of right to all, high and
+  low, rich and poor, without having regard to any man’s person; and art
+  sworn so to do, as has been said: and wherein thou dost contrary art
+  liable to punishment, as ceasing from being a judge, and becoming a
+  wrong-doer, and an oppressor; which what it is to be, many of thy
+  predecessors have understood, some by death, others by fine and
+  imprisonment. And of this thou mayest not be ignorant, that to deny a
+  prisoner any of the privileges the law allows him, is to deny him
+  justice, to try him in an arbitrary way, to rob him of that liberty
+  which the law gives him, which is his inheritance as a free man; to do
+  which is in effect to subvert the fundamental laws and government of
+  England, and to introduce an arbitrary and tyrannical government
+  against law; which is treason by the common law; and treasons by the
+  common law are not taken away by the statutes of 25 Edw. III. 1 Henry
+  IV. 1, 2, m. See O. St. Johns, now chief justice of the common pleas,
+  his argument against Strafford, fol. 65, in the case.
+
+  “These things we have laid before thee in all plainness, that (with
+  the light of Jesus Christ, who lighteth every one that cometh into the
+  world, a measure of which thou hast, which showeth the evil, and
+  reproveth thee for sin, for which thou must be accountable,) thou
+  mayest consider and see what thou hast done against the innocent; that
+  shame may overtake thee, and thou mayest turn unto the Lord, who now
+  calleth thee to repentance by his servants, whom, for witnessing his
+  living truth in them, thou hast cast into, and yet continues under,
+  cruel bonds and sufferings.”
+
+                                                          EDW. PYOT.
+
+  From the Jail in Launceston, the 14th
+      day of the 5th Month, 1656.
+
+By this letter the reader may observe how contrary to law we were made
+to suffer; but the Lord, who saw the integrity of our hearts to him, and
+knew the innocency of our cause, was with us in our sufferings, bore up
+our spirits, and made them easy to us; and gave us opportunities of
+publishing his name and truth amongst the people; so that several of the
+town came to be convinced, and many were made loving to us. Friends from
+many parts came to visit us; amongst whom were two out of Wales, who had
+been justices of peace. Also Judge Haggert’s wife, of Bristol, who was
+convinced, with several of her children; and her husband was very kind
+and serviceable to Friends, and had a love to God’s people, which he
+retained to his death.
+
+Now in Cornwall, Devonshire, Dorsetshire, and Somersetshire, truth began
+to spread mightily, and many were turned to Christ Jesus and his free
+teaching; for many Friends that came to visit us, were drawn forth to
+declare the truth in those counties; which made the priests and
+professors rage, and they stirred up the magistrates to ensnare Friends.
+They placed watches in the streets and highways, on pretence of taking
+up all suspicious persons; under which colour they stopped and took up
+the Friends that travelled in and through those counties, coming to
+visit us in prison; which they did, that they might not pass up and down
+in the Lord’s service. But that by which they thought to stop the truth,
+was the means of spreading it so much the more; for then Friends were
+frequently moved to speak to one constable, and to the other officer,
+and to the justices they were brought before; and this caused the truth
+to spread the more amongst them in all their parishes. And when Friends
+got among the watches, it would be a fortnight or three weeks before
+they could get out of them again; for no sooner had one constable taken
+them and carried them before the justices, and they had discharged them,
+than another would take them up, and carry them before other justices;
+which put the country to much needless trouble and charges.
+
+As Thomas Rawlinson was coming out of the north to visit us, a constable
+in Devonshire took him up, and at night took twenty shillings out of his
+pocket; and after being thus robbed, he was cast into Exeter jail. They
+cast Henry Pollexfen also into prison in Devonshire for being a Jesuit,
+who had been a justice of peace for nearly forty years before. Many
+Friends were cruelly beaten by them; nay, some clothiers that were going
+to the mill with their cloth, and others about their occupations, were
+taken up and whipped, though men of about eighty or a hundred pounds a
+year, and not above four or five miles from their families.
+
+The mayor of Launceston, too, was a very wicked man, for he took up all
+he could get, and cast them into prison; and he would search substantial
+grave women, their petticoats and their head-clothes. A young man having
+come to see us, who came not through the town, I drew up all the gross,
+inhuman, and unchristian actions of the mayor (for his carriage was more
+like a heathen than a Christian,) to him I gave it, and bid him seal it
+up, and go out again the back way; and then come into the town through
+the gates. He did so; and the watch took him up, and carried him before
+the mayor, who presently searched his pockets and found the letter,
+wherein he saw all his actions characterized. This shamed him so, that
+from that time he meddled little with the servants of the Lord.
+
+Now from the sense I had of the snare that was laid, and mischief
+intended, in setting up those watches at the time to stop and take up
+Friends, it came upon me to give forth the following, as—
+
+            “_An Exhortation and Warning to the Magistrates._
+
+  “All ye powers of the earth, Christ is come to reign, and is among
+  you, and ye know him not; who doth enlighten every one of you, that ye
+  all through him might believe in him, who is the light, who treads the
+  wine-press alone without the city, and whose feet are upon it.
+  Therefore see all, and examine with the light, what ye are ripe for;
+  for the press is ready for you.
+
+  “Before honour is humility. You that would have honour before ye have
+  humility (mark, before ye have humility), are ye not as the heathen
+  are? Ye would have honour before ye have humility; did not all the
+  persecutors that ever were upon the earth want this humility? They
+  wanted the honour, and yet would have the honour before they had the
+  humility, and had learned that. So ye that are out of the humility,
+  are out of the honour; and ye are not to have the honour, who have not
+  the humility; for before honour is humility; mark, before it.
+
+  “Now ye pretend liberty of conscience; yet one shall not carry a
+  letter to a friend, nor men visit their friends, nor prisoners, nor
+  carry a book about them, either for their own use, or for their
+  friends. Men shall not see their friends; but watches are set up to
+  catch and stop them; and these must be well-armed men too, against an
+  innocent people, that have not so much as a stick in their hands, who
+  are in scorn called Quakers. Yet by such as set up these watches is
+  pretended liberty of conscience; who take up them, whose consciences
+  are exercised towards God and men, who worship God in their way, which
+  is the truth; which they that are out of the light call heresy. Now
+  these set up the watches against them, whom they in scorn call
+  Quakers, because they confess and witness the true light, that
+  lighteth every one that cometh into the world, amongst people, as they
+  pass through the country, or among their friends. This is the
+  dangerous doctrine which watchmen are set up against, to subdue error,
+  as they call it, which is the light that doth enlighten every man that
+  cometh into the world—Him, by whom the world was made; who was
+  glorified with the Father before the world began. For those whom they
+  in scorn call Quakers, have they set their watches, able men,
+  well-armed; to take up such as bear this testimony either in words,
+  books, or letters. So that is the light you hate, which enlightens
+  every man that cometh into the world; and these that witness to this
+  light you put in prison; and after you have imprisoned them, you set
+  your watches to take up all that go to visit them, and imprison them
+  also; so that by setting up your watches, ye would stop all relief
+  from coming to prisoners.
+
+  “Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you, and a charge to
+  you all, in the presence of the living God of heaven and earth; every
+  man of you being enlightened with a light that cometh from Christ, the
+  Saviour of people’s souls; to this light, all take heed, that with it
+  you may see Christ, from whom the light cometh, to be your Saviour, by
+  whom the world was made, who saith, ‘Learn of me.’ But if ye hate this
+  light, ye hate Christ, who doth enlighten you all, that through him
+  (who is the light) you might believe. But not believing in, nor
+  bringing your deeds to the light, which will make them manifest and
+  reprove them, this is your condemnation, even the light. Remember, you
+  are warned in your life-time, for this light is your way to salvation,
+  if you walk in it; and your condemnation, if you reject and hate it.
+  You can never come to Christ, the Second Priest, unless you come to
+  the light, which the Second Priest hath enlightened you withal. So ye
+  that come not to the light, ye go to the priests that take tithes, as
+  did the first priesthood: and hale out of your synagogues and temples
+  (as some call them), as that priesthood did that took tithes; which
+  they that were of the second priesthood did not. Was there ever such a
+  generation! or did ever such a generation of men appear, as in this
+  age, who are so full of madness, envy, and persecution, that they
+  stand up in watches, with weapons against the truth, to persecute it,
+  as the towns and countries do declare; which rings as Sodom, and like
+  Gomorrah! And this hath its liberty, and truth is stood against; and
+  to reprove sin is accounted a breach of the peace, as they say who are
+  out of the truth, and set up their watches against it.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Besides this general warning, there coming to my hand a copy of a
+warrant issued from the Exeter sessions, in express terms, “for
+apprehending all Quakers,” wherein truth and Friends were reproached and
+vilified, I was moved to write an answer thereunto, and send it abroad,
+for clearing truth and Friends from the slanders therein cast upon them,
+and to manifest the wickedness of that persecuting spirit from whence it
+proceeded; which was after this manner:—
+
+  “Whereas a warrant was granted last sessions, held at Exeter, on the
+  eighteenth day of the fifth month, 1656, which warrant is ‘for
+  apprehending and taking up all such as are Quakers, or call themselves
+  Quakers, or go under the notion of Quakers; and is directed to the
+  chief constables, to be sent by them to the petty constables,
+  requiring them to set watches, able men with bills, to take up all
+  such Quakers as aforesaid.’ And whereas in your said warrant, you
+  speak of the Quakers spreading seditious books and papers; I answer,
+  They whom ye in scorn call Quakers, have no seditious books or papers:
+  but their books are against sedition, and seditious men, and seditious
+  books, and seditious teachers, and seditious ways. Thus ye have
+  numbered them, who are honest, godly, and holy men, that fear God,
+  amongst beggars, rogues, and vagabonds; thus putting no difference
+  between the precious and the vile. You are not fit to judge, who have
+  set up your bills, and armed your men, to stand up together in battle
+  against innocent people, the lambs of Christ, who have not lifted up a
+  hand against you. But if ye were sensible of the state of your own
+  country, your cities, your towns, your villages, how the cry of them
+  is like Gomorrah, and the ring like Sodom, and the sound like the old
+  world, where all flesh had corrupted its way, which God overthrew with
+  the flood;—if you did consider this with yourselves, you would find
+  something to turn the sword against, and not against the lambs of
+  Christ;—you would not make a mock of the innocent, that stand a
+  witness against all sin and unrighteousness in your towns and
+  steeple-houses.
+
+  “Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, was grieved
+  with the filthy conversation of the wicked; so are we now. So likewise
+  just Lot was grieved with their unmerciful deeds, and the filthy
+  conversation of Sodom. And were not these hated of the world, and of
+  them that lived in filthiness? And whereas you speak of those, whom
+  you in scorn call Quakers, that they are a grief to those whom you
+  call pious and religious people, and their religion. To such as are in
+  the religion that is vain, whose tongues are not bridled, I believe
+  the Quakers are a grief; but they are not a grief to such as are in
+  the pure religion, which keepeth unspotted from the world; which sets
+  not up bills, nor watches, to maintain it by the world; for they are
+  not of the world who are in the pure religion, which keeps them
+  unspotted of the world; mark, the ‘pure religion, which keeps
+  unspotted of the world.’ But to such as are in the religion that is
+  not pure, who have a form of godliness, and not the power—to such as
+  you call pious, the truth itself was always a grief; and so it is in
+  this age. And now your fruits appear, the end of your religion and
+  profession, and what you possess; but you are in the error, and have
+  been but in the profession, out of the possession of the Spirit, who
+  are not in the Spirit of truth. For where did that ever set stints and
+  bounds, and number the just and innocent with the wicked? But the
+  wicked set stints, and bounds, and limits to the just, and number them
+  among the wicked; yea, they spoke all manner of evil of them, as ye
+  are doing now of us. Nay, according as it was foretold in the
+  Scripture, such as tremble at the word of God, you cast out and hate,
+  you that have your temple-worship.
+
+  “You say, the Quakers come to disturb you in your churches (as you
+  call them,) was it not the practice of the apostles to go into the
+  synagogues and temples, to witness against the priesthood that took
+  tithes, and was it not the practice of the Jews to hale them out,
+  persecute and stone them, that witnessed Christ the second priest, and
+  went to bring people off from the first priesthood? Was it not the
+  practice of the prophets, to go and cry against the high places? And
+  was it not the practice of the Jews, when they were backslidden, and
+  of the heathen, to imprison and persecute the prophets, and send after
+  them into other countries? And is this not the practice of you now,
+  who are holding up your high places, which the Papists erected, which
+  ye now call your churches; where ye beat and persecute? What kind of
+  religious people are you, that are filled with so much madness? Did
+  not Paul confess he was mad, while he was in your practice, haling,
+  beating, imprisoning, putting out of the synagogues, having his
+  authority from the chief priests? And are not the chief priests the
+  cause of this? Was there ever such a cry made in any age past, as
+  there is now in the pulpits, railing against an innocent people, whom
+  in scorn ye call Quakers, who lift not up a hand against you; but who
+  are indeed the pious, that are of the pure religion, who fear God,
+  worship him in Spirit and in truth, and cannot join with you in your
+  religion? And do not the ministers of God say, that the Scriptures are
+  a declaration, which you call the word? Do you not rob Christ of his
+  title, and of his honour, and give it to the letter, and show
+  yourselves out of the doctrine of the ministers of God, who call the
+  Scriptures by the name of writings and treatises, and declarations;
+  and who said, Christ’s name is called the Word of God? Are not you
+  here in the error you speak of, which is your common talk among you?
+  There was talk among some of you of your gospel-shining; doth your
+  gospel which you profess persecute? Did ever any of them, that did
+  possess it, cast into prison and not suffer others to go to visit
+  them? Are you like Christians in this, or like heathens, who set
+  bounds and watches over the land, that they should not pass to visit
+  them that are in prison? Was ever the like heard in any age? Search
+  and see, if you have not outstripped them all in your watches, in your
+  persecution, and imprisonments. O! never talk, that we are a grief to
+  them that are in the pure religion.
+
+  “And whereas in your warrant we are represented as disaffected to
+  government; I say, the law, which is a terror to the evil-doer, we
+  own, the higher power to which the soul must be subject; but we deny
+  the evil-doer, the malicious man reigning, and the envious man seeking
+  for his prey, whose envy is against the innocent; who raiseth up the
+  country against honest men, and so becomes a trouble to the country,
+  in raising them up to take the innocent; but that we leave to the Lord
+  to judge. Your false accusations of heresy and blasphemy we deny. You
+  should have laid them down in particulars, that people might have seen
+  them, and not have slandered us behind our backs. The law saith, the
+  crime should be mentioned in the warrant. Then for your saying, ‘we
+  deny the godly ministers to be a true ministry of Christ,’ that is
+  false; for we say, that the godly ministers are the ministers of
+  Christ. But which of your ministers dare say, that they are truly
+  godly? And your charging us with seducing many weak people, is false
+  also; we seduce none; but you, that deny the light, which lighteth
+  every man that cometh into the world, are seduced from the anointing
+  which should teach you; and if ye would be taught by it, ye would not
+  need that any man should teach you. But such as are taught by the
+  anointing, which abideth in them, and deny man’s teaching, these ye
+  call seducers, quite contrary to John’s doctrine, 1 John ii. 26, 27.
+  You speak quite contrary to him; that which is truth, ye call
+  seducing; and that which he calls seducing, you call truth; read the
+  latter part of the chapter.
+
+  “Beware, I warn you all from the Lord God of glory, set not any bound
+  against him; stint him not; limit not the Holy One of Israel; for the
+  Lord is rising in power and great glory, who will rule the nations
+  with a rod of iron, which to him are but as the drop of a bucket. He
+  that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, will dash the
+  nations together as a potter’s vessel. And know, you that are found in
+  this his day blaspheming his work, that God hath brought forth,
+  calling it blasphemy, fighting against it, setting up your carnal
+  weapons, making your bonds strong; God will break asunder that which
+  your carnal policy hath invented, and which by your carnal weapons ye
+  would uphold; and make you to know there is a God in heaven, who
+  carries his lambs in his arms, which are come among wolves, and are
+  ready to be torn in pieces in every place, yea, in your
+  steeple-houses; where people have appeared without reason, and natural
+  affection.
+
+  “Therefore all ye petty constables, sheriffs, and justices, take
+  warning; take heed what ye do against the lambs of Christ; for Christ
+  is come, and coming, who will give to every one of you a reward
+  according to your works, you who have the letter, which speaks of
+  Christ; but now ye are persecuting that which the Scripture speaks of;
+  as your fruits make manifest. Therefore every one, sheriffs, justices,
+  constables, &c., consider what ye do possess, and what a profession ye
+  are now in, that all these carnal weapons are now set up against the
+  innocent, yea, against the truth; which shows that ye have not the
+  spiritual weapons, and that ye want the counsel of Gamaliel, yea, ye
+  want the counsel of such a man among you, who said, ‘Let the apostles
+  alone; if it be of God it will stand; if it be not, it will come to
+  nought.’ But ye may see yourselves on the contrary, in the spirit of
+  them that came with Judas, with swords and staves from the chief
+  priests against Christ; still it is against Christ, where he is made
+  manifest. Paul (while Saul) went against him, though he professed a
+  Christ that was to come; and the Jews professed a Christ that was to
+  come; yet Paul persecuted him, where he was manifested in his saints.
+  So ye profess a Christ that is come, but persecute him where he is
+  manifest. You that have the letter, the high places, the synagogues,
+  you persecute him, where he is made manifest in his saints, as the
+  Jews did. They who were in the letter, out of the life, persecuted
+  them that were in the life of that which they profess in the letter;
+  so now do you persecute them that are in the life, and are yourselves
+  strangers to it, as your fruits make appear. You have numbered the
+  people of God amongst transgressors; but have you imprisoned any of
+  the rogues and transgressors you speak of? You have imprisoned the
+  innocent, and let the others go free.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+When I had sent abroad the foregoing, so great a sense came upon me of
+the veil of darkness that was over the priests and professors of
+Christianity, that I was moved to give forth the following, as an
+awakening warning to them:—
+
+  “Blindness hath happened to the professed Christians of the letter
+  now-a-days, as blindness happened to the Jews, who professed the
+  letter, but owned not the life which the letter speaks of; as the
+  Christians now, to whom this blindness hath happened, who profess the
+  Scripture, but own not the life, which the Scripture speaks of. For
+  against the life the Jews stood, who professed the letter of the
+  Scripture, but they were blind; they gathered counsel against the
+  life; they were in an uproar when the babe was born in Bethlehem,
+  Herod and all the chief priests. And Herod sought to destroy all the
+  young children in Bethlehem, yet missed the babe; Herod, that fox,
+  though he put John to death. You may here see how the literal
+  professors stood up, not for the truth, but quite against it.
+  Furthermore, the chief priests consulted together how they might take
+  Jesus by subtilty, and put him to death; mark, by their subtilty. The
+  professors of a Christ that was to come, preached of a Messiah, of a
+  Christ, of a Saviour; but denied the life, when he was made manifest.
+  The chief priests, when they were assembled with the elders, and had
+  taken counsel, gave large money unto the soldiers, to declare that
+  ‘his disciples came by night, and stole him away.’ Likewise in the
+  day, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, and they with their
+  children began to spread and multiply, ‘Come,’ said the Egyptians,
+  ‘let us deal wisely with them to afflict them, and tax them;’ which
+  held, until the Lord overthrew their oppressors, and brought out his
+  seed by his mighty power from under the oppressor, and exalted his Son
+  above all, though the heathen raged, and the people imagined vain
+  things. He made his power known, that all might see that there was no
+  God upon the earth but himself. This power now hath brought forth the
+  work of the Lord! Many who are turned to Christ, the light, have
+  received the power of God, and are thereby become the sons of God.
+
+  “Now this birth, that is born of God, are all the powers of the world
+  joined together to crucify; to put to death those Jews in the Spirit,
+  as they put Christ to death in the flesh formerly. This is the birth
+  that all the wicked world is enraged against; against this they set
+  their watches,—this birth, brought forth by the Mighty God of Jacob,
+  who rides upon the high places of the earth. This is the birth that
+  the professed Christians without the life in our days rage against,
+  and lay out all their wisdom about. Are not the chief priests and wise
+  men of the earth consulting together how they may destroy this birth?
+  Is not this the birth, that is banished out of your hearts, you that
+  profess the Scripture, and are talkers of it, but do not own the light
+  and life which the Scripture speaks of, as the Jews would not; and so
+  you will not have Christ to reign over you, as they would not? Do you
+  not hale out of your synagogues, and before magistrates? Do you not
+  herein fulfil Christ’s words, who said to his disciples, They should
+  be haled out of the synagogues, and before rulers? Do you not
+  persecute them from city to city? Do you not almost fill your prisons
+  with them? And now set your watches, that none may visit them, whom ye
+  have put into prison? Is not this an unchristian spirit? How can you
+  for shame say you are upholders of truth? Or how can you for shame say
+  that truth hath been professed among you? Yet we grant that you have
+  talked of it. And how can you for shame say the gospel shines among
+  you, when you will not own the life of it; when you call it error, and
+  the evil seed? Yea, the very truth, the very life of truth ye have
+  blasphemed against now, as the Jews did against Christ, calling him a
+  devil; you now call it error, and the evil seed, and stand up against
+  it, and turn the sword against it. As in the days of the Jews, it was
+  the Jews outward in the flesh, not the Jews in the Spirit, who turned
+  the sword against Christ; so in these days it is those Christians who
+  profess the Scripture, but are out of the Life of it. And is it not a
+  shame to all the ministers of the Gospel (as they are called,) that
+  they can find no better way to maintain that which they call the truth
+  and their Gospel, than by carnal weapons, stocks and prisons, whips,
+  watches, and wards, and powers of the earth? Were these the apostles’
+  weapons? Carnal watches and wards, stocks and prisons, and haling out
+  of the synagogues, when they came to speak? Judge yourselves, what an
+  antichristian spirit you have. Never talk of defending truth with that
+  which is against truth. For are you not setting up the rabble of the
+  world against it? Do they not join with you with swords and staves
+  against it? Is this the life of Christians? Is not this the life of
+  error, and of the evil seedsman?
+
+  “Surely, ye would find work enough, if ye were in the fear of the
+  Lord, to turn your swords against profaneness, the oaths and
+  wickedness that are in your streets and highways. How do they ring
+  like Sodom, and give a sound like Gomorrah! But these are become a
+  prey in this your age, that reprove in your gates sin, wickedness, and
+  profaneness; they are become your by-word. Against them your councils
+  are gathered, them you cast into prison, and hale out of your
+  synagogues; and cast them likewise into prison that write and speak
+  against it, and set your guards to stop and hinder any from visiting
+  them whom you cast into prison, and give them the names of vagabonds
+  and wanderers. Was ever the like heard, in the days of the heathen,
+  against the apostles who witnessed the gospel? Did they set guards and
+  watches in every town, in every city, to take the disciples, the
+  brethren, the believers, that heard that the apostles were cast into
+  prison, and came to see what they wanted? Show ye not as much rage and
+  fury now in your age, as was in those in that age? And how can you
+  talk of the gospel, and of defending the gospel, when you are setting
+  guards and watches against it, and are defending that which stands
+  against it; and the lambs of Christ are almost torn to pieces amongst
+  you, who are like wolves? for the Lord hath now sent his lambs amongst
+  wolves. Have not you professed the words of Christ, of the prophets
+  and apostles, as the Jews had long professed the Scriptures, the words
+  of Moses and of the prophets, that prophesied of Christ that was to
+  come, and stood against him when he was come? as you do in this day of
+  his reign, in this day of his glorious gospel, who are persecuting the
+  messengers of it, imprisoning them, persecuting them in your streets
+  and highways; and are setting up your watches against them, who bring
+  you the glad tidings of peace to your souls, whose feet are beautiful
+  on the top of the mountains; mark, on the top of the mountains, that
+  against which the mountains rage and swell. But God will make them
+  melt; the sun is risen, which will make them melt. God will cleave the
+  rocks and mountains asunder, and make the hills to bow perpetually;
+  for his Son he will exalt, and his glory he will give to HIM and not
+  to another.
+
+  “Therefore be awakened, ye rulers of the earth, and take counsel of
+  the Lord; take not counsel together against him. Make not your bonds
+  strong; set not yourselves in battle against him, for ye will be found
+  but as briars and thorns before him, which the fire shall consume.
+  Therefore be awakened, all ye talkers of the Scripture, that gather
+  yourselves together by your multitudes and meetings, and have had your
+  teachers; but not having the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures,
+  the Lord God of glory, the Father of spirits, will scatter you. All
+  your bonds will not hold you together, who are out of the Spirit,
+  which is the bond of peace. The thrashing instrument is gone forth,
+  which will beat the hills to pieces. Sion is risen to thrash. Out of
+  the holy mountain is the trumpet sounded. Stand not up against the
+  Lord; for all nations are with the Lord as the drop of a bucket. He
+  that measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weighs the
+  earth in scales, the Lord of hosts is his name, who is now risen and
+  rising to plead the cause of the innocent; who is exalting his Son,
+  and bringing his sheep to him. Now are they seen and known that feed
+  upon wind, that are lifted up, given up to believe lies; who report,
+  and say, ‘Report, and we will report it.’ Now are they seen who have a
+  form of godliness, but deny the power; so Christ is denied, the power
+  itself is denied; for Christ is the power of God. And the power being
+  denied by you, that have a form of godliness, that have the words of
+  the Scriptures, the gospel is denied; for the gospel is the power of
+  God. Thus it is among you, that have the knowledge and wisdom that is
+  sensual, earthly, and devilish. Doth it not appear so? Let your jails
+  and watches witness your fruits in every town. Your wisdom is earthly,
+  sensual, and devilish; you have a knowledge and wisdom, but not that
+  which is from above; for that is pure and gentle, so is not your
+  knowledge; but to know Christ is life eternal. Now your fruits have
+  manifested that you are not of this; and so out of the power of God,
+  which is the cross of Christ; for you are found in the world, out of
+  the power of God, out of the cross of Christ, persecuting. So that
+  which doth persecute, and send forth writings and decrees to stop all,
+  and take up all, and set watches, and prepare bonds to stint the Lord;
+  to imprison and persecute, and suffer none to go to visit them; this
+  shows you are not Christians, but stand against a Christian’s life,
+  which brings to love enemies.
+
+  “Where is your heaping up coals of fire; your love to your enemies;
+  who are thus persecuting your friends? ‘He came to his own, and his
+  own received him not;’ here is a turning of the sword against the
+  just. Do you show here a Christian’s life, or yourselves Christians,
+  who are filling your jails with Christians in Spirit, you that are in
+  the letter (in shadows), as the Jews in the letter put the Jews in the
+  Spirit into prison? Is not this the fruit in our days of the
+  Christians in the letter, to put the Christians in the Spirit into
+  prison? Doth not this show that your decrees, which you have sent
+  forth, proceed from death, who thus act against the life, and them
+  that are in it; which the Scriptures were given forth from? Is it not
+  here as it was with Saul, when he went to persecute, to hale to
+  prison, and bind all that he could find calling upon that name, who
+  were Christians in the life, the Spirit, such as you are now
+  persecuting, because they are in the life, though you profess their
+  words? Are not your decrees gone forth from the same spirit of envy,
+  against the same Spirit of Christ they were in? Is it not manifest to
+  all that fear God, and to the sober-minded and honest-hearted people
+  that see your practices, your decrees, your letters, to stop, to
+  molest, to hinder, to imprison them that are moved of the Lord to do
+  his will, or to go to visit prisoners whom you have imprisoned? Doth
+  this show you to have a spirit like Paul, yea or nay? or are you not
+  quite contrary, like unto them that persecuted Paul? The day hath
+  declared it.
+
+  “To that of God in you all I speak, which shall witness it at the last
+  day,—the day of judgment. Persecution was blind in all ages; and
+  madness and folly led it: yet persecution got always a form or
+  pretence of godliness,—a talk of religion, as in the days of Moses, of
+  Jeremiah, of Christ, and of the apostles. ‘Come,’ saith the council,
+  ‘let us crush them while they are young, they have almost overspread
+  the nation in every corner.’ This is as much as to say, ‘Let us put
+  this birth to death, as Pharaoh and Herod did the children.’ But the
+  Lord caused his truth the more to spread. For you may read, what
+  numbers came out of Egypt! and what multitudes followed Christ!
+  Therefore, with consideration read these lines, and not with fury. Let
+  not foolishness appear; but consider in humility the paths you go in,
+  what spirit you are of, and what the end of your conversation is; for
+  in love to your souls I write, that in the day of your visitation you
+  may consider it.
+
+  “From him who loveth righteousness, and the establishing of it, and
+  truth, peace, and faith, which is by Christ Jesus (Mercy and peace be
+  multiplied among such!) but a witness against all hypocrites, and all
+  who have a profession, but live out of the possession, in an
+  hypocritical religion, in the lusts and fashions of the world, having
+  a form of godliness, but standing against the power with might and
+  main, sword and staff. Which things declare your conversation and
+  practices to be out of Christ’s life, against the gospel practice, and
+  contrary to the manner and order of the saints.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+We continued in prison till the next assize; before which time divers
+Friends, both men and women, were sent to prison, that had been taken up
+by the watches. When the assize came on, several of these were called
+before the judge, and indicted; and though the jailer brought them into
+court, yet they indicted them, that they came in “by force of arms and
+in an hostile manner;” and the judge fined them, because they would not
+put off their hats. But we were not called before the judges any more.
+
+Great work we had, and service for the Lord, both between the assizes
+and after, amongst professors and people of all sorts; for many came to
+see us and to reason with us. Elizabeth Trelawny of Plymouth (who was
+the daughter of a baronet) being convinced (as was formerly mentioned,)
+the priests and professors, and some great persons of her kindred were
+exasperated, and wrote letters to her. She being a wise and tender
+woman, and fearing to give them any advantage, sent their letters to me;
+and I answered them, and returned them to her again, for her to answer.
+Which she did: till growing in the power, and Spirit, and wisdom of God,
+she came herself to be able to answer the wisest priest and professor of
+them all; and had a dominion over them in the truth, through the power
+of the Lord, by which she was kept faithful to her death.
+
+While I was in prison here, the Baptists and Fifth-monarchy-men
+prophesied, “That this year Christ should come, and reign upon earth a
+thousand years.” And they looked upon this reign to be outward; when he
+was come inwardly in the hearts of his people, to reign and rule there,
+and these professors would not thus receive him. So they failed in their
+prophecy and expectation, and had not the possession of him. But Christ
+_is_ come, and doth dwell in the hearts of his people, and reign there.
+Thousands, at the door of whose hearts he hath been knocking, have
+opened to him; and he is come in, and doth sup with them and they with
+him; the heavenly supper with the heavenly and spiritual man. So many of
+these Baptist and Monarchy-people became the greatest enemies to the
+possessors of Christ; but he reigns in the hearts of his saints over all
+their envy.
+
+At the assize divers justices came to us and were pretty civil, and
+reasoned of the things of God soberly, expressing a pity towards us.
+Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, came and looked me in the
+face, and said not a word; but went to his company, and told them, “he
+never saw a simpler man in his life.” I called after him, and said,
+“Stay, we will see who is the simpler man.” But he went his way; a light
+chaffy man.
+
+Thomas Lower[49] also came to visit us, and offered us money, which we
+refused; accepting his love nevertheless. He asked us many questions
+concerning our denying the Scriptures to be the word of God; and
+concerning the sacraments and such like; to all which he received
+satisfaction. I spoke particularly to him and he afterwards said, “my
+words were as a flash of lightning, they ran so through him.” He said,
+“he never met with such men in his life; for they knew the thoughts of
+his heart, and were as the wise master-builders of the assemblies, that
+fastened their words like nails.” He came to be convinced of the truth,
+and remains a Friend to this day. When he came home to his aunt
+Hambley’s, where he then lived, and made report to her concerning us,
+she, with her sister Grace Billing, hearing the report of truth, came to
+visit us in prison, and was convinced also. Great sufferings and
+spoiling of goods both he and his aunt have undergone for the truth’s
+sake.
+
+Footnote 49:
+
+  Thomas Lower was son-in-law to Judge Fell, having married his daughter
+  Mary.
+
+About this time I was moved to give forth the following exhortation to
+Friends in the ministry:—
+
+        “FRIENDS,
+
+  “In the power of life and wisdom, and dread of the Lord God of life,
+  and heaven, and earth, dwell, that in the wisdom of God over all ye
+  may be preserved, and be a terror to all the adversaries of God, and a
+  dread, answering that of God in them all, spreading the truth abroad,
+  awakening the witness, confounding deceit, gathering out of
+  transgression into the life, the covenant of light and peace with God.
+  Let all nations hear the sound by word or writing. Spare no place,
+  spare no tongue nor pen; but be obedient to the Lord God; go through
+  the work; be valiant for the truth upon earth; and tread and trample
+  upon all that is contrary. Ye have the power, do not abuse it; and
+  strength and presence of the Lord, eye it, and the wisdom; that with
+  it you may all be ordered to the glory of the Lord God. Keep in the
+  dominion; keep in the power over all deceit; tread over them in that
+  which lets you see to the world’s end, and the uttermost parts of the
+  earth. Reign and rule with Christ, whose sceptre and throne are now
+  set up, whose dominion is over all to the ends of the earth; whose
+  dominion is an everlasting dominion; whose throne is an everlasting
+  throne; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and whose power is
+  above all powers. Therefore this is the word of the Lord God to you
+  all: keep in the wisdom of God, that spreads over all the earth; the
+  wisdom of the creation, that is pure, from above, not destructive. For
+  now shall salvation go out of Zion, to judge the mount of Esau: and
+  now shall the law go forth from Jerusalem, to answer the principle of
+  God in all; to hew down all inventors and inventions. For all the
+  princes of the earth are but as air to the power of the Lord God,
+  which you are in, and have tasted of: therefore live in it; this is
+  the word of the Lord God to you all, do not abuse it; keep down and
+  low; and take heed of false joys, that will change.
+
+  “Bring all into the worship of God. Plough up the fallow ground.
+  Thrash and get out the corn; that the seed, the wheat, may be gathered
+  into the barn; that to the beginning all people may come—to Christ,
+  who was, before the world was made. For the chaff is come upon the
+  wheat by transgression; he that treads it out, is out of
+  transgression, and fathoms transgression; puts a difference between
+  the precious and the vile; and can pick out the wheat from the tares,
+  and gather into the garner: so brings to the lively hope, the immortal
+  soul into God, out of which it came. None worship God but who come to
+  the principle of God, which they have transgressed. None are ploughed
+  up but he who comes to the principle of God in him, that he hath
+  transgressed. Then he doth service to God; then is the planting and
+  the watering; and the increase from God cometh. So the ministers of
+  the Spirit must minister to the Spirit that is in prison, which hath
+  been in captivity in every one; that with the Spirit of Christ, people
+  may be led out of captivity up to God, the Father of Spirits, do
+  service to him, and have unity with him, with the Scriptures, and one
+  with another. This is the word of the Lord God to you all, and a
+  charge to you all in the presence of the living God; be patterns, be
+  examples in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you
+  come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of
+  people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the
+  world, answering that of God in every one; whereby in them ye may be a
+  blessing, and make the witness of God, in them to bless you: then to
+  the Lord God you will be a sweet savour, and a blessing.
+
+  “Spare no deceit. Lay the sword upon it; go over it; keep yourselves
+  clear of the blood of all men, either by word, or writing; and keep
+  yourselves clean, that you may stand, in your throne, and everyone
+  have his lot, and stand in the lot in the Ancient of Days. The
+  blessing of the Lord be with you, and keep you over all the idolatrous
+  worships and worshippers. Let them know the living God; for teachings,
+  churches, worships, set up by man’s earthly understanding, knowledge,
+  and will, must be thrown down by the power of the Lord God. All this
+  must be overthrown by that which gave forth Scripture; and who are in
+  that, reign over it all: that is the word of the Lord God to you all.
+  In that is God worshipped, that brings to declare his will; and brings
+  to the church in God, the ground and pillar of truth: for now has the
+  mighty day of the Lord appeared, and the arrows of the Almighty are
+  gone forth, which shall stick in the hearts of the wicked. Now will I
+  arise, saith the Lord God Almighty, to trample and thunder down
+  deceit, which hath long reigned, and stained the earth: now will I
+  have my glory out of every one. The Lord God Almighty over all in his
+  strength and power keep you, to his glory, that you may come to answer
+  that of God in every one.
+
+  “Proclaim the mighty day of the Lord of fire and sword, who will be
+  worshipped in spirit and in truth; and keep in the life and power of
+  the Lord God, that the inhabitants of the earth may tremble before
+  you; that the Lord’s power and majesty may be admired among the
+  hypocrites and heathens, and ye in the wisdom, dread, life, terror,
+  and dominion preserved to his glory: that nothing may rule or reign,
+  but power and life itself; and in the wisdom of God ye may be
+  preserved in it. This is the word of the Lord God to you all. The call
+  is now out of transgression; the Spirit bids, ‘come.’ The call is now
+  from all false worships and gods, and from all inventions and dead
+  works, to serve the living God. The call is to repentance, to
+  amendment of life, whereby righteousness may be brought forth; which
+  shall go throughout the earth. Therefore ye that are chosen and
+  faithful, who are with the Lamb, go through your work faithfully, and
+  in the strength and power of the Lord: and be obedient to the power;
+  for that will save you out of the hands of unreasonable men, and
+  preserve you over the world to himself. Hereby you may live in the
+  kingdom, that stands in power, which hath no end; where glory and life
+  is.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+After the assizes, the sheriff, with some soldiers, came to guard a
+woman to execution, that was sentenced to die; and we had much discourse
+with them. One of them wickedly said, that “Christ was as passionate a
+man as any that lived upon the earth;” for which we rebuked him. Another
+time we asked the jailer what doings there were at the sessions; and he
+said, “Small matters: only about thirty for bastardy.” We thought it
+very strange, that they who professed themselves Christians should make
+small matters of such things. But this jailer was very bad himself; I
+often admonished him to sobriety; but he abused people that came to
+visit us. Edward Pyot had a cheese sent him from BRISTOL by his wife;
+and the jailer took it from him, and carried it to the mayor, to search
+it for treasonable letters, as he said; and though they found no treason
+in the cheese, they kept it from us. This jailer might have been rich if
+he had carried himself civilly; but he sought his own ruin; which soon
+after came upon him; for the next year he was turned out of his place,
+and for some wickedness cast into the jail himself; and there begged of
+our Friends. And for some unruliness in his conduct, he was, by the
+succeeding jailer, put into Doomsdale, locked in irons, and beaten; and
+bid to “remember how he had abused those good men, whom he had wickedly,
+without any cause, cast into that nasty dungeon;” and told, “that now he
+deservedly should suffer for his wickedness; and the same measure he had
+meted to others, should be meted out to himself.” He became very poor,
+and died in prison; and his wife and family came to misery.
+
+While I was in prison in LAUNCESTON, a friend went to Oliver Cromwell,
+and offered himself, body for body, to lie in Doomsdale in my stead; if
+he would take him, and let me have liberty. Which thing so struck him,
+that he said to his great men and council, “Which of you would do so
+much for me if I were in the same condition?” And though he did not
+accept of the Friend’s offer, but said, “he could not do it, for that it
+was contrary to law;” yet the truth thereby came mightily over him. A
+good while after this he sent down Major-General Desborough, pretending
+to set us at liberty. When he came, he offered us our liberty, if we
+would say, “we would go home, and preach no more;” but we could not
+promise him. Then he urged, that we should promise “to go home, if the
+Lord permitted;” whereupon Edward Pyot wrote him the following letter:—
+
+                     “_To Major-General Desborough._
+
+        “FRIEND,
+
+  “Though much might be said as to the liberty of Englishmen to travel
+  in any part of the nation of England, it being as the Englishman’s
+  house by the law, and he to be protected in any part of it; and if he
+  transgress the law, the penalty upon the transgressor is to be
+  inflicted. And as to the liberty of conscience, which is a natural
+  right, and a fundamental; the exercise of it, by those who profess
+  faith in God by Jesus Christ, is to be protected; as by the instrument
+  of government appears, though they differ in doctrine, worship, and
+  discipline; provided the liberty extend not to Popery, to prelacy, nor
+  to licentiousness. Where these rights, which are the price of much
+  blood and treasure in the late wars, are denied us, our liberty is
+  infringed. Yet in the power of God over all, by which all are to be
+  ruled, are we, and in it dwell, and by it alone are guided to do the
+  will of God; whose will is free; and we, in the freedom of his will,
+  walk by the power, either as it commands or permits, without any
+  condition or enforcement thereunto by men; but as the power moves
+  either by command or permission. And although we cannot covenant or
+  condition to go forth of these parts, or to do this or that thing, if
+  the Lord permit (for that were to do the will of man by God’s
+  permission,) yet it is probable we may pass forth from these parts in
+  the liberty of the will of God, as we may be severally moved, guided
+  by the pure power, and not of necessity. We, who were first committed,
+  were passing homewards when we were apprehended; and, as far as I
+  know, we might pass, if the prison doors were commanded to be opened,
+  and we freed of our bonds. Should we stay, if the Lord commands us to
+  go; or should we go, if the Lord commands us to stay; or having no
+  command to stay, but being permitted to pass from hence, the pure
+  power moving thereto, and yet we stay; or go, when as before commanded
+  to stay; we should then be wanderers indeed; for such are wanderers,
+  who wander out from the will and power of God, abroad, at large, in
+  their own wills and earthly minds. And so, in the fear of the Lord
+  God, well weigh and consider, with the just weight and just balance,
+  that justice thou mayest do to the just and innocent in prison.”
+
+                                                        EDWARD PYOT.
+
+Some time having elapsed after the foregoing was delivered him, and he
+not giving any order for our discharge, I also wrote to him, as
+follows:—
+
+                     “_To Major-General Desborough._
+
+        “FRIEND,
+
+  “We who are in the power of God, the ruler and upholder of all things,
+  who know and dwell in his power, to it we must be obedient; which
+  brings us to stand out all men’s wills, unlimited. To say, ‘we will,
+  if the Lord permit,’ in a case of buying and selling to get gain, if
+  the intent be so to do, may be done; but we standing in the power of
+  God to do his will, and to stand out of man’s will, if man propose,
+  ‘we shall have our liberty if we will say we will go to our outward
+  home, if the Lord permit, or if it will be the will of God;’ and
+  because we cannot say these words in this case, shall not have our
+  liberty, when we know that the will of God is, we shall ‘go to speak
+  at some other place;’ here we cannot say these words truly. For to
+  say, ‘we will go to our outward habitation, if it be according to the
+  will of God,’ when we know the will of God is otherwise, we cannot
+  speak so truly and clearly. Neither can any man say so to him, that
+  requires it of him; who stands in the power, and knows the power of
+  God to lead him, according to God’s will, when it leads him to another
+  place than his outward home. But the Son of God, who came to do, and
+  did, the will of God, had no place whereon to lay his head; and the
+  apostles, and many of the followers of Christ, had no certain
+  dwelling-place. Now, if these should have been restrained, because
+  they could not say, they would go to their outward homes, if it were
+  the will of God, when they knew it was the will of God they should
+  not; and they could not do the will of God in doing so; and therefore
+  could not speak those words to satisfy man’s mind and will, would not
+  such restraint have been evil? Abraham could not do the will of God,
+  but in going from his native country; and those who are of faith are
+  of Abraham, of whom Christ came according to the flesh. Now, if you
+  allege, ‘this is to let all loose, and at liberty to idleness,’ I say,
+  no; such as are in the power of God, who do the will of God, come to
+  receive his wisdom, by which all his creatures were created; and by
+  which they are used to his glory. This I shall say; whoever are moved
+  by the Lord God of glory and power, to go to their outward
+  habitations, such of us may go to our outward homes, and there be
+  diligent in serving the Lord, that they may be a blessing from the
+  Lord God in their generation; diligently serving him in life and
+  doctrine, in manners, in conversation, in all things. And those of us
+  who are moved of the Lord to go to any other place, we standing in his
+  will, and being moved by his power, which comprehends all things, and
+  is not to be limited, we shall do his will, as we are commanded to do.
+
+  “So the Lord God open your understandings, that you may see this great
+  power of the Lord, which he is now manifesting among his children in
+  this his day; that ye may not withstand it in our Friends, that are
+  come into the power of God, and to God, and know him by whom the world
+  was made; by whom all things were created that were created; and there
+  was not anything made, but what was made for him, and to him, and by
+  him; who is the power of God, and doth enlighten every man that cometh
+  into the world. Friends being come to this light, which cometh from
+  Christ, and having received power from him, by whom all things were
+  created, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, who is
+  the wisdom of God, we have received wisdom and power from him; by
+  which the Lord doth give us to know how to use and order the creatures
+  to the glory of him who is the creator of all things. Friends here are
+  taught of the Lord to be diligent, serving him; and who come into the
+  life, the Scriptures were given forth from, are given up to serve the
+  Lord; and of this I have in all your consciences a witness. So, if
+  thou open the prison door, we shall not stay there. If thou send a
+  liberate, and set us free, we shall not stay in prison; for Israel is
+  to go out free, whose freedom is purchased by the power of God, and
+  the blood of Jesus. But who goeth out of the power of God, loseth his
+  freedom.
+
+                                                        “GEORGE FOX,
+
+        “The 13th of the 6th         And the rest who are sufferers for
+            Month, 1656.”              the truth in Launceston jail.”
+
+After this Major Desborough came to the Castle-Green, and played at
+bowls with the justices and others. Several Friends were moved to go,
+and admonish them not to spend their time so vainly; desiring them to
+consider, that “though they professed themselves to be Christians, yet
+they gave themselves up to their pleasures, and kept the servants of God
+meanwhile in prison;” and telling them, “the Lord would plead with them,
+and visit them for such things.” But notwithstanding what was written or
+said to him, he went away, and left us in prison. We understood
+afterwards, that he left the business to Colonel Bennet, who had the
+command of the jail. For sometime after Bennet would have set us at
+liberty, if we would have paid his jailer’s fees. But we told him, “we
+could give the jailer no fees, for we were innocent sufferers; and how
+could they expect fees of us, who had suffered so long wrongfully?”
+After a while Colonel Bennet coming to town, sent for us to an inn, and
+insisted again upon fees, which we refused. At last the power of the
+Lord came so over him, that he freely set us at liberty on the 13th day
+of the seventh month, 1656. We had been prisoners nine weeks at the
+first assize, called the Lent-assize, which was in the spring of the
+year.
+
+
+
+
+                               CHAPTER X.
+
+1656-1657.—Address to those who are given to pleasures and wantonness—to
+    the bowlers in the Castle-Green at Launceston—George Fox visits
+    Friends imprisoned at Exeter, amongst whom is James Naylor, who has
+    apostatized, but afterwards returned into the Truth—at a meeting in
+    the orchard at Bristol about 10,000 persons are present—Paul Gwin, a
+    rude Baptist, creates a disturbance, but is reproved and
+    silenced—meeting of two or three thousand persons at N.
+    Crisp’s—Justice Stooks prevents the magistrates from apprehending
+    George Fox—speaks to the protector at Hyde-park, who invites him to
+    his house—accordingly goes to Whitehall, and speaks to the Protector
+    about Friends’ sufferings—travels through most parts of the nation
+    after his liberation from Launceston jail—this year, 1656, there
+    were seldom fewer than one thousand Friends in prison—to Friends, on
+    the schism of J. Naylor—to Friends, to keep up their meetings—on
+    judging the ministry, &c.—an answer to a high-flown professor—to
+    professors, priests, and teachers, on immediate revelation and
+    universal grace, &c., &c.—at Cardiff, George Fox sends word to some
+    who had run out that “the day of their visitation was over”—at
+    Brecknock, his companion, John-ap-John, preaches in the streets—at
+    night there is a great uproar, like that of Diana’s craftsmen—at
+    William Gandy’s has a large meeting of two or three thousand
+    persons—Cromwell proclaims a fast for rain, and is told by George
+    Fox that the drought was a sign of their barrenness—concerning the
+    true fast and the false—preaches three hours at a great meeting in
+    Radnorshire, and many are convinced—their horses are twice robbed of
+    their oats—from a high hill sounds the day of the Lord, and
+    foretells where God would raise up a people to himself, which came
+    to pass—travels through every county in Wales, where there is a
+    brave people, who sit under Christ’s teaching—has a large meeting on
+    the top of a hill near Liverpool—at Manchester is taken into
+    custody, but soon released.
+
+
+Observing, while I was a prisoner at LAUNCESTON, how much the people
+(especially they who are called the gentry) were addicted to pleasures
+and vain recreations, I was moved, before I left the place, to give
+forth several papers as a warning to them, and all that so misspend
+their time. One of which was thus directed:—
+
+    “THIS IS TO GO ABROAD AMONG THEM WHO ARE GIVEN TO PLEASURES AND
+                              WANTONNESS.
+
+  “The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were pride, fulness of bread, and
+  abundance of idleness. Their filthy conversation vexed the righteous
+  soul of just Lot day by day, and they would not take warning; on whom
+  God therefore sent fire, and turned them into ashes. And in spiritual
+  Sodom and Egypt was our Lord Jesus Christ crucified; and it is
+  written, ‘The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to
+  play; with whom God was not well pleased; and there fell three and
+  twenty thousand in one day.’ These the apostle commanded the saints
+  they should not follow; for these things happened to them for
+  examples, and are written for our admonition. God spared not the old
+  world; but reserving Noah, a preacher of righteousness, brought the
+  flood upon the world of the ungodly, making them an example to all
+  that after should live ungodly. Mark, ye ungodly ones, who are as
+  natural brute beasts, who speak great swelling words of vanity,
+  alluring through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, as
+  they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time, sporting
+  yourselves with your own deceivings; ye shall receive the reward of
+  unrighteousness. Ye are as dogs and swine turned to the vomit, and
+  wallowing in the mire, speaking evil of things that ye know not; and
+  unless ye repent, ye shall utterly perish in your own corruptions. 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. Go to, weep and howl, for
+  the misery that is coming upon you. She that liveth in pleasures, is
+  dead while she liveth. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah,
+  making them an example to all those that after should live ungodly, in
+  the wicked, filthy conversation: mark, here is your example. Hear
+  this, ye that are given to pleasures, and read your examples.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Another paper, upon my taking notice of the bowlers that came to sport
+themselves in the Castle-Green, was as follows:—
+
+  “The word of the Lord to all you vain and idle-minded people, who are
+  lovers of sports, pleasures, foolish exercises, and recreations, as
+  you call them; consider of your ways, what it is you are doing. Was
+  this the end of your creation? Did God make all things for you, and
+  you to serve your lusts and pleasures? Did not the Lord make all
+  things for you, and you for himself, to fear and worship him in spirit
+  and in truth, in righteousness and true holiness? But where is your
+  service of God, so long as your hearts run after lusts and pleasures?
+  Ye cannot serve God, and the foolish pleasures of the world, as
+  bowling, drinking, hunting, hawking, and the like: if these have your
+  hearts, God will not have your lips: consider, for it is true.
+  Therefore from the Lord must you all witness woe and misery,
+  tribulation and wrath, who continue in the love and practice of your
+  vain sports, lusts, and pleasures. Now is the day, when all everywhere
+  are exhorted to repentance. O foolish people, wicked and slow of heart
+  to believe the threatenings of the great Jehovah against the wicked!
+  What will ye do in the day of the Lord’s fierce wrath, that makes
+  haste to come upon the world of ungodly men! What good have your
+  foolish sports and delights done you now they are past? Or what good
+  will they do you, when the Lord calls for your souls?
+
+  “Therefore all now awake from sleep, and see where you are: and let
+  the light of Jesus Christ, that shines in every one of your
+  consciences, search you thoroughly; and it will let you clearly see,
+  for all your profession of God, Christ, and the Scriptures, you are
+  ignorant of them, and enemies to them all, and your own souls also:
+  and being found living in pleasures, you are dead while you live.
+  Therefore doth the Lord by many messengers forewarn you, and call you
+  to repentance and deep humiliation, that you may forsake the evil of
+  your doings, own this day of your visitation, and while you have time,
+  prize it; lest the things which belong to your peace be hid from your
+  eyes, for your disobedience and rebellion against the Holy One. And
+  then had it been good that you never had been born. Repent, for the
+  kingdom of heaven is at hand: again I say, repent!”
+
+                                     Given forth in LAUNCESTON Jail,
+                                            in Cornwall.
+
+  To the Bowlers in the Green.
+
+Being released from our imprisonment we got horses and rode towards
+Humphrey Lower’s, and met him on the road. He told us, “He was much
+troubled in his mind concerning us, and could not rest at home, but was
+going to Colonel Bennet to seek our liberty.” When we told him, “we were
+set at liberty, and were going to his house,” he was exceedingly glad.
+To his house we went, and had a fine precious meeting; many were
+convinced, and turned by the Spirit of the Lord to the Lord Jesus
+Christ’s teaching.
+
+From his house we went to Loveday Hambley’s, where we also had a fine
+large meeting. The Lord’s power was over all; many were convinced there
+also, and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher.
+
+After we had tarried there two or three days, we came to Thomas
+Mouncey’s, where we had a general meeting for the whole county; which,
+being very large, was held in his orchard. Friends from Plymouth were
+there, and from many places. The Lord’s power was over all; and a great
+convincement there was in many parts of the county. Their watches were
+down, and all was plain and open; for the Lord had let me see, before I
+was set at liberty, that he would make all the country plain before us.
+Thomas and Ann Curtis, with an alderman of Reading, who was convinced,
+had come to Launceston to see us while I was a prisoner: and when Ann,
+and the other man returned, Thomas Curtis stayed behind in CORNWALL, and
+had good service for the Lord at that time.[50]
+
+Footnote 50:
+
+  Thomas Curtis became a faithful minister, and sufferer for Christ’s
+  sake. In 1666, he is mentioned in a letter from Alexander Parker to
+  Margaret Fell as being a prisoner with thirty-two or thirty-three
+  others. His wife, Ann Curtis, was a daughter of a sheriff of Bristol.
+  See a letter of T. Curtis to George Fox, in _Letters of Early
+  Friends_, p. 240.
+
+From Thomas Mouncey’s we passed to LAUNCESTON again, and visited that
+little remnant of Friends that had been raised up there while we were in
+prison; and the Lord’s plants grew finely, and were established on
+Christ, their rock and foundation. As we were going out of town again,
+the constable of Launceston came running to us with the cheese that had
+been taken from Edward Pyot; which they had kept from us all this while,
+and were tormented with it. But being now set at liberty, we would not
+receive it.
+
+From Launceston we came to OKINGTON [Oakhampton], and lodged at an inn,
+which the mayor of the town kept. He had stopped and taken up several
+Friends, but was very civil to us; and was convinced in his judgment.
+
+From thence we came to EXETER, where many Friends were in prison; and
+amongst the rest James Naylor. For a little before we were set at
+liberty, James had run out into imaginations, and a company with him:
+which raised up a great darkness in the nation.[51] He came to Bristol,
+and made a disturbance there: and from thence he was coming to
+Launceston to see me; but was stopped by the way, and imprisoned at
+Exeter; as were also several others; one of whom, an honest tender man,
+died in prison there, whose blood lieth on the heads of his persecutors.
+
+Footnote 51:
+
+  James Naylor was a monument of human frailty. His gift in the ministry
+  was eminent; his experience in divine things truly great. He fell
+  through unwatchfulness, but was restored through deep sufferings and
+  unfeigned repentance. His own writings are the most clear and lively
+  description of the various dispensations he underwent; some of them
+  deserve to be transmitted to the latest posterity. His address to his
+  brethren bespeaks the real repentance of his heart; in that he says,
+  “My heart is broken this day for the offence I have occasioned to
+  God’s truth and people,—I beseech you, forgive wherein I evilly
+  requited your love in that day. God knows my sorrow for it!” &c. A few
+  hours before his death, he spoke in the presence of several witnesses
+  the following remarkable words:—
+
+  “There is a spirit which I feel, that delights to do no evil, nor to
+  revenge any wrong; but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy
+  its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention,
+  and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a
+  nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations; as
+  it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in thought to any
+  other. If it be betrayed, it bears it; for its ground and spring is
+  the mercy and forgiveness of God. Its crown is meekness; its life is
+  everlasting love unfeigned. It takes its kingdom with entreaty, and
+  not with contention, and keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone
+  it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its life. It is
+  conceived in sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it; nor
+  doth it murmur at grief and oppression. It never rejoiceth, but
+  through sufferings; for with the world’s joy it is murdered. I found
+  it alone; being forsaken. I have fellowship therein with those who
+  lived in dens and desolate places in the earth; who through death
+  obtained this resurrection, and eternal, holy life!”
+
+  Such was the end of James Naylor; who, in his forty-fourth year,
+  “chastened, but not killed—cast down, but not destroyed”—through much
+  tribulation, entered, we may humbly hope, “into the kingdom of
+  God.”—(For full particulars, see his Life by Joseph Gurney Bevan.)
+
+The night we came to EXETER, I spoke with James Naylor; for I saw he was
+out and wrong: and so was his company. Next day, being First-day, we
+went to visit the prisoners, and had a meeting with them in the prison;
+but James Naylor and some of them could not stay the meeting. There came
+a corporal of horse into the meeting, and was convinced, and remained a
+very good Friend. The next day I spoke to James Naylor again; and he
+slighted what I said, and was dark, and much out; yet he would have come
+and kissed me. But I said, “since he had turned against the power of
+God, I could not receive his show of kindness;” the Lord moved me to
+slight him, and to set the power of God over him. So after I had been
+warring with the world, there was now a wicked spirit risen up amongst
+Friends to war against. I admonished him and his company. When he was
+come to London, his resisting the power of God in me, and the truth that
+was declared to him by me, became one of his greatest burdens. But he
+came to see his out-going, and to condemn it; and after some time he
+returned to truth again; as in the printed account of his repentance,
+condemnation, and recovery, may be more fully seen.
+
+We passed from Exeter through COLLUMPTON and TAUNTON, visiting Friends;
+and had meetings amongst them. From thence we came to PUDDIMORE, to
+William Beaton’s; where on the First-day we had a very large meeting. A
+great convincement there was all through that country; many meetings we
+had, and the Lord’s power was over all; many were turned, by the power
+and Spirit of God, to the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for them, and came
+to sit under his free teaching.
+
+From thence we went to John Dander’s, where we had another precious
+meeting. The Lord’s power was over all, and many were convinced of God’s
+eternal truth. Contention was raised by professors and Baptists in some
+places, but the Lord’s power came over them. From thence we came to
+Edward Pyot’s house near BRISTOL. It was the Seventh-day at night that
+we came thither; and it was quickly noised over the town that I was
+come. I had never been there before.
+
+On First-day morning I went to the meeting in Broadmead at BRISTOL;
+which was large and quiet. Notice was given of a meeting to be in the
+afternoon in the orchard. There was at Bristol a rude Baptist, named
+Paul Gwin, who had before made great disturbance in our meetings, being
+encouraged and set on by the mayor, who, it was reported, would
+sometimes give him his dinner to encourage him. Such multitudes of rude
+people he gathered after him, that it was thought there had been
+sometimes ten thousand people at our meeting in the orchard. As I was
+going into the orchard the people told me, that Paul Gwin, the rude
+jangling Baptist, was going to the meeting. “I bid them never heed, it
+was nothing to me who went to it.”
+
+When I was come into the orchard, I stood upon the stone that Friends
+used to stand on when they spoke; and I was moved of the Lord to put off
+my hat, and to stand a pretty while, and let the people look at me; for
+some thousands of people were there. While I thus stood silent, this
+rude Baptist began to find fault with my hair; but I said nothing to
+him. Then he ran on into words; and at last, “Ye wise men of Bristol,”
+said he, “I strange at you, that you will stand here, and hear a man
+speak and affirm that which he cannot make good.” Then the Lord opened
+my mouth (for as yet I had not spoken a word), and I asked the people,
+“whether they ever heard me speak; or ever saw me before:” and I bid
+them “take notice what kind of man this was amongst them that should so
+impudently say, that I spoke and affirmed that which I could not make
+good; and yet neither he nor they had ever heard me or seen me before.
+Therefore that was a lying, envious, malicious spirit, that spoke in
+him; and it was of the Devil, and not of God. I charged him in the dread
+and power of the Lord to be silent: and the mighty power of God came
+over him, and all his company. Then a glorious, peaceable meeting we
+had, and the word of life was divided amongst them; and they were turned
+from the darkness to the light,—to Jesus their Saviour. The Scriptures
+were largely opened to them; and the traditions, rudiments, ways, and
+doctrines of men were laid open before the people; and they were turned
+to the light of Christ, that with it they might see them, and see him to
+lead them out of them. I opened also to them the types, figures, and
+shadows of Christ in the time of the law; and showed them that Christ
+was come, and had ended the types, shadows, tithes, and oaths, and put
+down swearing; and had set up yea and nay instead of it, and a free
+ministry; for he was now come to teach people himself, and his heavenly
+day was springing from on high.” For many hours did I declare the word
+of life amongst them in the eternal power of God, that by him they might
+come up into the beginning, and be reconciled to him. And having turned
+them to the Spirit of God in themselves, that would lead into all truth,
+I was moved to pray in the mighty power of God; and the Lord’s power
+came over all. When I had done, this fellow began to babble again; and
+John Audland was moved to bid him repent, and fear God. So his own
+people and followers being ashamed of him, he passed away, and never
+came again to disturb the meeting. The meeting broke up quietly, and the
+Lord’s power and glory shone over all: a blessed day it was, and the
+Lord had the praise. After a while this Paul Gwin went beyond the seas;
+many years after I met with him again at Barbadoes: of which in its
+place.
+
+From Bristol we returned to Edward Pyot’s, where we had a great meeting.
+The Lord’s power was over all, truth was declared and spread abroad, and
+many were turned to Christ Jesus, their life, their prophet to teach
+them, their shepherd to feed them, and their bishop to oversee them,
+After the meeting, I had reasoning with some professors; and the Lord’s
+truth and power came over them.
+
+From Edward Pyot’s we passed to SLAUGHTERFORD, where we had a very large
+meeting (Edward Pyot and another Friend being still with me); great
+turning of people there was to the Lord Jesus Christ, their teacher; and
+people were glad that they were brought to know their way, their free
+teacher, and their Saviour, Christ Jesus.
+
+The First-day following we went to Nathaniel Crisp’s house, who had been
+a justice of peace in WILTSHIRE, where it was supposed there were
+between two and three thousand people at a meeting; and all was quiet.
+The mighty power of God was manifest, and people were turned to the
+grace and truth in their hearts, that came by Jesus Christ, which taught
+them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly and
+godly in this present world; so that every man and woman might know the
+grace of God, which had appeared to all men, and which was saving, and
+sufficient to bring their salvation. This teacher, the grace of God,
+would teach them how to live, what to do, and what to deny; it would
+season their words, and establish their hearts. This was a free teacher
+to every one of them; that they might come to be heirs of this grace,
+and of Christ, by whom it came; who hath ended the prophets, and the
+priests that took tithes, and the Jewish temple. And as for the hireling
+priests that take tithes now, and their temples (which priests were made
+at schools and colleges of man’s setting up, and not by Christ), they,
+with all their inventions, were to be denied. For the apostles denied
+the true priesthood and temple, which God had commanded, after Christ
+had put an end thereto. The Scriptures, and the truths therein
+contained, were largely opened, and the people turned to the Spirit of
+God in their hearts; that by it they might be led into all truth, and
+understand the Scriptures, and know God and Christ, and come to have
+unity with them, and one with another in the same Spirit. They went away
+generally satisfied, and were glad that they were turned to Christ
+Jesus, their teacher and Saviour.
+
+Next day we went to MARLBOROUGH, where we had a little meeting. The
+sessions being held that day, they were about to grant a warrant to send
+for me; but one Justice Stooks being at the sessions, stopped them,
+telling them there was a meeting at his house yesterday, at which there
+were several thousands. So the warrant was stopped, and the meeting was
+quiet; and several received Christ Jesus their teacher, came into the
+new covenant, and abode in it.
+
+From hence we went to NEWBURY, where we had a large, blessed meeting,
+and several were convinced. Then we passed to READING, where we had a
+large, precious meeting in the Lord’s power, amongst the plants of God.
+Many of the people came in, and were reached, and added to the meeting.
+All was quiet, and the Lord’s power was over all. We went next to
+KINGSTON-ON-THAMES, where a few came in to us that were turned to the
+Lord Jesus Christ: but it is since become a larger meeting.
+
+Leaving Kingston, we rode to LONDON. When we came near Hyde Park, we saw
+a great concourse of people, and looking towards them, espied the
+Protector coming in his coach. Whereupon I rode to his coach-side; and
+some of his life-guards would have put me away, but he forbade them. So
+I rode by with him, “declaring what the Lord gave me to say to him of
+his condition, and of the sufferings of Friends in the nation; showing
+him, how contrary this persecution was to Christ and his apostles, and
+to Christianity.” When we arrived at James’s Park-gate, I left him; and
+at parting he desired me to come to his house. Next day, one of his
+wife’s maids, whose name was Mary Saunders, came to me at my lodging,
+and told me her master came to her, and said he would tell her some good
+news. When she asked him what it was, he told her, George Fox was come
+to town. She replied that was good news indeed (for she had received
+truth,) but she said, she could hardly believe him, till he told her how
+I met him, and rode from Hyde Park to James’s Park with him.
+
+After a little time Edward Pyot and I went to WHITEHALL: and when we
+came before him, Dr. Owen, vice-chancellor of Oxford, was with him. We
+were moved to speak to Oliver Cromwell concerning the sufferings of
+Friends, and laid them before him; and directed him to the light of
+Christ, who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. He said
+it was a natural light; but we “showed him the contrary, and manifested
+that it was divine and spiritual, proceeding from Christ, the spiritual
+and heavenly man; and that which was called the _life_ in Christ the
+Word, was called the _light_ in us.” The power of the Lord God arose in
+me, and I was moved in it “to bid him lay down his crown at the feet of
+Jesus.” Several times I spoke to him to the same effect. Now I was
+standing by the table, and he came and sat upon the table’s side by me,
+and said he would be as high as I was; and so continued speaking against
+the light of Christ Jesus; and went away in a light manner. But the
+Lord’s power came over him, so that when he came to his wife and other
+company, he said, “I never parted so from them before;” for he was
+judged in himself.
+
+After he had left us, as we were going out, many great persons came
+about us; and one of them began to speak against the light, and against
+the truth; and I was made to slight him, for speaking so lightly of the
+things of God. Whereupon, one of them told me he was the Major-General
+of Northamptonshire. “What!” said I, “our old persecutor, that has
+persecuted and sent so many of our friends to prison, and is a shame to
+Christianity and religion! I am glad I have met with thee,” said I. So I
+was moved to speak sharply to him of his unchristian carriage, and he
+slunk away: for he had been a cruel persecutor in Northamptonshire.
+
+Now, after I had visited the meetings of Friends in and about LONDON, I
+went into BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, and Edward Pyot with me; and in several
+places in that county many received the truth. Great meetings we had,
+and the Lord’s power was eminently manifested. I passed through
+Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, into LINCOLNSHIRE. After having
+had several meetings in Lincolnshire, I had at last a meeting where two
+knights, one called Sir Richard Wrey, and the other Sir John Wrey, with
+their wives, were at the meeting. One of their wives was convinced,
+received the truth, and died in it. When the meeting was over we passed
+away; and it being evening, and dark, a company of wild serving-men
+encompassed me about, with intent (as I apprehended) to do me some
+mischief. But I spoke aloud to them, and asked, “What are ye?
+highwaymen?” Whereupon some Friends and friendly people that were
+behind, came up to us, and knew some of them. So I reproved them for
+their uncivil and rude carriage, and exhorted them to fear God; and the
+Lord’s power came over them, and stopped their mischievous design:
+blessed be his name for ever!
+
+Then I turned into HUNTINGDONSHIRE: and the mayor of HUNTINGDON came to
+visit me, and was very loving, and his wife received the truth.
+
+Thence I passed into CAMBRIDGESHIRE, and the Fen-country, where I had
+many meetings, and the Lord’s truth spread. Robert Craven (who had been
+sheriff of Lincoln) and Amor Stoddart, and Alexander Parker were with
+me. We went to CROWLAND, a very rude place; for the townspeople were
+collected at the inn we went to, and were half drunk, both priest and
+people. I reproved them for their drunkenness, and warned them of the
+day of the Lord, that was coming upon all the wicked; exhorting them to
+leave their drunkenness, and turn to the Lord in time. Whilst I was thus
+speaking to them, and showing the priest the fruits of his ministry, he
+and the clerk broke out into a rage, and got up the tongs and
+fire-shovel to us; so that had not the Lord’s power preserved us, we
+might have been murdered amongst them. Yet, for all their rudeness and
+violence, some received the truth then, and have stood in it ever since.
+
+Thence we passed to BOSTON, where most of the chief of the town came to
+our inn, and the people seemed much satisfied. But there was a raging
+man in the yard, and Robert Craven was moved to speak to him, and told
+him he shamed Christianity, which with some few other words so stopped
+the man, that he went away quiet. Some were convinced there also.
+
+Thus we had large meetings up and down, for I travelled into Yorkshire,
+and returned out of Holderness, over Humber, visiting Friends; and then
+returning into Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and
+WARWICKSHIRE, among Friends, I had a meeting at EDGE-HILL. There came to
+it Ranters, Baptists, and several sorts of rude people; for I had sent
+word about three weeks before to have a meeting there, so that hundreds
+of people were gathered thither, and many Friends came far to it. The
+Lord’s everlasting truth and word of life reached over all; the rude and
+unruly spirits were chained down; and many that day were turned to the
+Lord Jesus Christ, by his power and Spirit, and came to sit under his
+blessed, free teaching, and to be fed with his eternal, heavenly food.
+All was peaceable; the people passed quietly away, and some of them said
+it was a mighty, powerful meeting; for the presence of the Lord was
+felt, and his power and Spirit amongst them.
+
+From hence I passed to WARWICK and to BAGLEY, having precious meetings;
+and then in GLOUCESTERSHIRE, and so to OXFORD, where the scholars were
+very rude; but the Lord’s power came over them. Great meetings we had up
+and down as we travelled. Then I went to Colonel Grimes’s, where there
+was a very large meeting; and thence to Nathaniel Crisp’s, where came
+another justice to the meeting, who was also convinced. At CIRENCESTER
+we had a meeting which is since much increased; and so we came to
+EVESHAM again, where I met John Camm.
+
+Thus having travelled over most part of the nation, I returned to LONDON
+again, having cleared myself of that which lay upon me from the Lord.
+For after I was released out of Launceston jail, I was moved of the Lord
+to travel over the nation, the truth being now spread, and finely
+planted in most places, that I might answer and remove out of the minds
+of people some objections, which the envious priests and professors had
+raised and spread abroad concerning us. For what Christ said of false
+prophets and antichrists coming in the last days, they applied to us;
+and said, We were they.
+
+  Therefore was I moved to open this through the nation, and to show
+  “That they who said we were the false prophets, antichrists, and
+  deceivers, that should come in the last days, were indeed themselves
+  they. For when Christ told his disciples in the viith and xxivth of
+  Matthew, that false prophets and antichrists should come in the last
+  times, and (if it were possible) should deceive the very elect; he
+  said, ‘By their fruits ye shall know them;’ for they should be
+  inwardly ravening wolves, having the sheep’s clothing. ‘And,’ said he,
+  ‘do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?’ as much as to
+  say, their nature and spirit should be like a thorn, or like a
+  thistle. And he bid his disciples not go after them. But before the
+  disciples were deceased, the antichrists, false prophets, and
+  deceivers were come. For John in his first epistle said, ‘Little
+  children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist
+  shall come, even now there are many antichrists, whereby we know that
+  it is the last time.’ So here, as Christ said to his disciples they
+  should come, the disciples saw they were come; as may be seen at large
+  in Peter, Jude, John, and other places of Scripture; ‘whereby,’ says
+  John, ‘we know it is the last time.’ And this last time began above
+  sixteen hundred years since. John said, ‘they went out from us;’ the
+  false prophets, antichrists, seducers, and deceivers, went out from
+  the church; ‘but you,’ said he, to the church, ‘have an anointing,
+  which abideth in you; and you need not that any man teach you, but as
+  the same anointing teacheth you of all things; and as it hath taught
+  you, ye shall abide in him.’ Christ said to his disciples, ‘Go not
+  after them, for they are inwardly ravening wolves;’ and John exhorts
+  the saints to the anointing within them; and the rest of the apostles
+  exhort the churches to the grace, the light, the truth, the Spirit,
+  the word of faith, and to Christ in their hearts, the hope of glory.
+  Christ told the saints that the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost,
+  should be their leader into all truth; and Jude exhorts the church to
+  ‘pray in the Holy Ghost,’ and ‘to be built up in their most holy
+  faith,’ which Christ was the author of. Christ, by his servant John,
+  ‘exhorted the seven churches to hear what the Spirit said to the
+  churches,’ and this was an inward, spiritual hearing. Christ says, the
+  inwardly ravening wolves should have the sheep’s clothing. Paul speaks
+  of some in his time, that had ‘a form of godliness, but denied the
+  power.’ John said, ‘they went out from us.’ Jude said, they go in
+  Cain’s way, and in Balaam’s, and Corah’s way. By all which it may be
+  clearly seen, that the false prophets and antichrists, which Christ
+  foretold should come, the apostles saw were come; and in their day it
+  was the last time; and these went forth from them into the world, and
+  the world went after them. These were the foremen, the leaders of the
+  world, that brought them into a form of godliness, but inwardly
+  ravened from the power and Spirit. These have the sheep’s clothing,
+  the words of Christ, of the prophets, and of the apostles; but are
+  inwardly ravened from the power and Spirit that they were in, who gave
+  forth the Scriptures. These have made up the beast and the whore!
+  These have got the dragon’s power, the murdering, destroying,
+  persecuting power! and these are they that the world wonders after!
+  These have drunk the blood of the martyrs, prophets, and saints, and
+  persecuted the true church into the wilderness! These have set up the
+  false compelling worships, and have drunk the blood of the saints,
+  that will not drink of their cup! These have made the cage for the
+  unclean birds, that have their several unclean notes in their cage;
+  which cage is made up by the power of darkness, and uncleanness; and
+  the birds of the cage deny the Holy Ghost, and the power of God, which
+  the apostles were in, is to be now manifested in the saints!
+
+  “Thus since Christ said, the false prophets and antichrists should
+  come, and the apostle said, they were come, the beast’s and the
+  dragon’s worship hath been set up; and the whore is got up with her
+  false prophets, and her cage hath been made, and all the nations have
+  drunk of her cup of fornication; the blood of the martyrs and saints
+  they have drunk, and the true church hath fled into the wilderness;
+  and all this since the apostles’ days. Yet the blind deceivers, the
+  antichrists, and false prophets of our age, would make us and people
+  believe, that the false prophets, antichrists, and deceivers are come
+  but now, though John and other of the apostles tell us they were come
+  above sixteen hundred years ago. And ye may see what work and
+  confusion they have made in the world; how much blood these Cains have
+  drunk that went in Cain’s way; which blood cries to God for vengeance
+  upon Christendom! And how these Balaams that have erred from the power
+  and Spirit which the apostles were in, have coveted after other men’s
+  estates, the many jails, courts, and spoilings of goods will bear
+  witness. And how the Corahs have gainsayed the life, power, and
+  Spirit, which the apostles and true church were in, and the free
+  teaching of Christ and his apostles, and the work of their ministry,
+  which was ‘to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,’ hath been
+  evident.
+
+  “Therefore in the name and power of the Lord Jesus was I sent to
+  preach again the everlasting gospel, which had been preached before
+  unto Abraham, and in the apostles’ days; which was to go over all
+  nations, and be preached to every creature. For as the apostacy hath
+  gone over all nations since the apostles’ days, so that the nations
+  are become as waters, unstable, being gone from Christ the foundation;
+  so must the gospel, the power of God, go over all nations again. We
+  find the false prophets, anti-christs, deceivers, whore, false church,
+  beast, and his worship in the dragon’s power, have got up in the times
+  between the apostles and us. For Christ said, ‘they should come;’ and
+  the apostles saw ‘they were come,’ and coming in their days; and that
+  they went forth from them, and the world went after them. And now hath
+  the Lord raised us up beyond them, and set us over them in the
+  everlasting gospel, the power of God; that as all have been darkened
+  by the beast, whore, false prophets, and antichrists, so the
+  everlasting gospel may be preached again by us to all nations, and to
+  every creature, which will bring life and immortality to light in
+  them, that they may see over the devil and his false prophets,
+  antichrists, seducers, and deceivers, and over the whore and beast,
+  and to that which was before they were. This message of the glorious
+  everlasting gospel was I sent forth to declare and publish, and
+  thousands by it are turned to God, having received it; and are come
+  into subjection to it, and into the holy order of it. And since I have
+  declared this message in this part of the world, and in America, and
+  have written books on the same, to spread it universally abroad; the
+  blind prophets, preachers, and deceivers, have given over telling us
+  the false prophets should ‘come in the last times;’ for a great light
+  is sprung up, and shines over their heads; so that every child in
+  truth sees the folly of their sayings.
+
+  “Then they raised other objections against us, and invented shifts to
+  save themselves from truth’s stroke. For when we blamed them for
+  taking tithes, which came from the tribe of Levi, and were set up here
+  by the Romish church, they would plead, ‘that Christ told the scribes
+  and Pharisees they ought to pay tithes of mint, anise, and cummin,
+  though they had neglected the weightier matters;’ and that Christ
+  said, ‘the scribes and pharisees sat in Moses’s seat, therefore all
+  that they bid you do, that do and observe.’ And when we told them they
+  were envious, persecuting priests, they would reply, that ‘some
+  preached Christ of envy, and some of contention, and some of
+  good-will.’ Now these Scriptures, and such like they would bring to
+  darken the minds of their hearers, and to persuade them and us, ‘that
+  we ought to do as they say, though they themselves were like the
+  Pharisees; and that we should rejoice when envious men and men of
+  strife preached Christ; and that we should give them the tithes, as
+  the Jews did to the tribe of Levi.’ These were fair glosses; here was
+  a great heap of husks, but no kernel. Now this was their blindness;
+  for the Levitical priesthood Christ hath ended, and disannulled the
+  commandment that gave them tithes, and the law, by which those priests
+  were made. Christ did not come after that order, neither did he send
+  forth his ministers after that order; for those of that order were to
+  take tithes for their maintenance; but his ministers he sent forth
+  _freely_. And as for hearing that the Pharisees, and the Jews paid
+  tithes of mint, anise, and cummin, that was before Christ was
+  sacrificed and offered up; the Jews were then to do the law, and
+  perform their offerings and sacrifices, which the Jewish priests
+  taught them. But after Christ was offered up, he bid them then, ‘go
+  into all nations and preach the gospel; and lo,’ said he, ‘I will be
+  with you to the end of the world;’ and in another place he saith, ‘I
+  will be _in_ you.’ So he did not bid them go to hear the Pharisees
+  then, and pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin then; but ‘Go preach
+  the gospel, and believe in the Lord Jesus, and be saved, and receive
+  the gospel,’ which would bring people off from the Jews, the tithes,
+  the Levitical law, and the offerings thereof, to Christ, the one
+  Offering, made once for them all. O what work had the apostle with
+  both the Galatians and the Romans, to bring them off the law to the
+  faith in Christ!
+
+  “And as for the apostle’s saying, ‘Some preached Christ of envy and
+  strife,’ &c., that was at the first spreading of Christ’s name abroad,
+  when they were in danger not only to be cast out of the synagogues,
+  but to be stoned to death, that confessed the name of Jesus, as may be
+  seen by the uproars that were among the Jews and Diana’s worshippers
+  at the preaching of Christ. So the apostle might well rejoice, if the
+  envious, and men of strife and contention did preach Christ at that
+  time, though they thought thereby to add affliction to his bonds; but
+  afterward, when Christ’s name was spread abroad, and many had got a
+  form of godliness, but denied the power thereof, envious, proud,
+  contentious men, men of strife, covetous teachers for filthy lucre,
+  the apostles commanded the saints to turn from, and not have any
+  fellowship with them. And the deacons and ministers were first to be
+  proved, to see if they were in the power of godliness, and the Holy
+  Ghost made them overseers and preachers. So it may be seen how the
+  priests have abused these Scriptures for their own ends, and have
+  wrested them to their own destruction, to justify envious, contentious
+  men, and men of strife. Whereas the apostle says, ‘the man of God must
+  be patient, and apt to teach;’ and they were to follow Christ as they
+  had him for their example. The apostle indeed was very tender to
+  people, while he saw them walk in simplicity; as in the case of them
+  that were scrupulous about meats and days; but when the apostle saw
+  that some drew them into the observation of days, and to settle in
+  such things, he then reproves them sharply, and asks them, ‘who had
+  bewitched them?’ So in the case of marrying he was tender, lest their
+  minds should be drawn from the Lord’s joining; but when they came to
+  forbid marriage, and to set up rules for meats and drinks, he called
+  it ‘a doctrine of devils,’ and an ‘erring from the true faith.’ So
+  also he was tender concerning circumcision, and in tenderness suffered
+  some to be circumcised; but when he saw they went to make a sect
+  thereby, and set up circumcision as a standing practice, he told them
+  plainly, ‘if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing.’
+  In like manner he was tender concerning baptizing with water; but when
+  he saw they began to make sects about it, some crying up Paul, others
+  Apollos, he judged them, and called them carnal, and thanks God he had
+  baptised no more, but such and such; declaring plainly, that ‘he was
+  sent to preach the gospel, and not to baptize;’ and brought them to
+  the one baptism by the one Spirit, into the one body, which Christ,
+  the spiritual man, is the head of; and exhorted the church ‘all to
+  drink into that one Spirit.’ For he set up in the church one faith,
+  which Christ was the author of; and one baptism, which was that of the
+  Spirit, into the one body; and one Lord Jesus Christ, the spiritual
+  baptizer, whom John said should come after him. And further the
+  apostle declared, that they who worshipped and served God in the
+  Spirit, were of the circumcision of the Spirit, which was not made
+  with hands; by which ‘the body of the sins of the flesh was put off;’
+  which circumcision Christ is the minister of.
+
+  “Another great objection they had, ‘That the Quakers denied the
+  sacrament (as they called it) of bread and wine, which,’ they said,
+  ‘they were to take, and do in remembrance of Christ to the end of the
+  world.’ Much work we had with the priests and professors about this,
+  and the several modes of receiving it in Christendom, so called; for
+  some take it kneeling, and some sitting; but none of them all, that
+  ever I could find, take it as the disciples took it. For they took it
+  in a chamber, after supper; but these generally take it before dinner:
+  and some say, after the priest hath blessed it, it is ‘Christ’s body.’
+  But as to the matter, Christ said, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ He
+  did not tell them how often they should do it, or how long; neither
+  did he enjoin them to do it always, as long as they lived, or that all
+  believers in him should do it to the world’s end.
+
+  “The apostle Paul, who was not converted till after Christ’s death,
+  tells the Corinthians, that he had received of the Lord that which he
+  delivered unto them concerning this matter: and he relates Christ’s
+  words concerning the cup thus; ‘This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
+  remembrance of me;’ and himself adds, ‘For [as often as] ye eat this
+  bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.’
+  So according to what the apostle here delivers, neither Christ nor he
+  enjoined people to do this always; but leave it to their liberty [as
+  oft as ye drink it, &c.]. Now the Jews used to take a cup, and to
+  break bread, and divide it among them in their feasts; as may be seen
+  in the Jewish Antiquities: so that the breaking of bread, and drinking
+  of wine, were Jewish rites, which were not to last always. They also
+  baptised with water; which made it not seem a strange thing to them
+  when John the Baptist came with his decreasing ministration of
+  water-baptism. But as to the bread and wine, after the disciples had
+  taken it, some of them questioned whether Jesus was the Christ; for
+  some of them said, after he was crucified, ‘We trusted that it had
+  been he which should have redeemed Israel,’ &c. And though the
+  Corinthians had the bread and wine, and were baptized in water, the
+  apostle told them they were ‘reprobates, if Christ was not in them;’
+  and bid them ‘examine themselves.’ And as the apostle said, ‘As oft as
+  ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s
+  death [till he come:’] so Christ had said before, that he ‘was the
+  bread of life, which came down from heaven;’ and that ‘he would come
+  and dwell in them;’ which the apostles did witness fulfilled; and
+  exhorted others to seek for that which comes down from above; but the
+  outward bread and wine, and water, are not from above, but from below.
+
+  “Now ye that eat and drink this outward bread and wine in remembrance
+  of Christ’s death, and have your fellowships in that, will ye come no
+  nearer to Christ’s death, than to take bread and wine in remembrance
+  of it? After ye have eaten in remembrance of his death, ye must come
+  _into his death_, and _die with him_, as the apostles did, if ye will
+  _live with him_. This is a nearer and further advanced state, to be
+  with him in the fellowship of his death, than only to take bread and
+  wine in remembrance of his death. You must have fellowship with Christ
+  in his sufferings: if ye will reign with him, ye must suffer with him;
+  if ye will live with him, ye must die with him; and if ye die with
+  him, ye must be buried with him: and being buried with him in the true
+  baptism, ye also rise with him. Then having suffered with him, died
+  with him, and been buried with him, if ye are risen with Christ, ‘seek
+  those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand
+  of God.’ Eat the bread which comes down from above, which is not
+  outward bread; and drink the cup of salvation which he gives in his
+  kingdom, which is not outward wine. And then there will not be a
+  looking at the things that are seen (as outward bread and wine, and
+  water are:) for, as says the apostle, ‘The things that are seen are
+  temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.’
+
+  “So here are many states and conditions to be gone through, before
+  people come to see and partake of that, which ‘cometh down from
+  above.’ For first, there was a taking of the outward bread and wine in
+  remembrance of Christ’s death: this was temporary, and not of
+  necessity, but at their liberty; as oft as ye do it, &c. Secondly,
+  there must be a coming into his death, a suffering with Christ; and
+  this is of necessity to salvation, and not temporary, but continual:
+  there must be a dying daily. Thirdly, a being buried with Christ.
+  Fourthly, a rising with Christ. Fifthly, after they are risen with
+  Christ, then a seeking those things which are above; a seeking the
+  bread that comes down from heaven, a feeding on and having fellowship
+  in that. For outward bread, wine, and water, are from below, visible
+  and temporal: but saith the apostle, ‘We look not at things that are
+  seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that
+  are not seen are eternal.’ So the fellowship that stands in the use of
+  bread, wine, water, circumcision, outward temple, and things seen,
+  will have an end: but the fellowship which stands in the gospel, the
+  power of God, which was before the Devil was, and which brings life
+  and immortality to light, by which people may see over the Devil, that
+  has darkened them; this fellowship is eternal, and will stand. And all
+  that are in it seek that which is heavenly and eternal, which comes
+  down from above, and are settled in the eternal mystery of the
+  fellowship of the gospel, which is hid from all eyes, that look only
+  at visible things. The apostle told the Corinthians, who were in
+  disorder about water, bread and wine, that he desired to know nothing
+  amongst them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
+
+Thus were the objections, which the priests and professors had raised
+against Friends, answered and cleared; and the stumbling-blocks, which
+they had laid in the way of the weak, removed. And as things were thus
+opened, people came to see over them and through them, and to have their
+minds settled upon the Lord Jesus Christ, their free teacher: which was
+the service for which I was moved to travel over the nation after my
+imprisonment in LAUNCESTON jail. In this year the Lord’s truth was
+finely planted over the nation, and many thousands were turned to the
+Lord; insomuch that there were seldom fewer than one thousand in prison
+in this nation for truth’s testimony; some for tithes, some for going to
+the steeple-houses, some for contempts (as they called them), some for
+not swearing, and others for not putting off their hats, &c.
+
+Now after I had visited most parts of the nation, and was come to LONDON
+again, finding that evil spirit at work, which had drawn J. N. and his
+followers out from truth, to run Friends into heats about him, I wrote a
+short epistle to Friends, as follows:—
+
+  “To all the elect seed of God called Quakers, where the death is
+  brought into the death, and the elder is servant to the younger, and
+  the elect is known, which cannot be deceived, but obtains victory.
+  This is the word of the Lord God to you all: Go not forth to the
+  aggravating part, to strive with it out of the power of God; lest ye
+  hurt yourselves, and run into the same nature, out of the life. For
+  patience must get the victory; and to answer that of God in every one,
+  it must bring every one to it, to bring them from the contrary. Let
+  your moderation, and temperance, and patience be known unto all men in
+  the Seed of God. For that which reacheth to the aggravating part
+  without life, sets up the aggravating part, and breeds confusion; and
+  hath a life in outward strife, but reacheth not to the witness of God
+  in every one, through which they might come into peace and covenant
+  with God, and fellowship one with another. Therefore that which
+  reacheth this witness of God in yourselves, and in others, is the life
+  and light; which will out-last all, is over all, and will overcome
+  all. And therefore in the Seed of life live, which bruiseth the Seed
+  of death.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+I also wrote another short epistle to Friends, to encourage them to keep
+up their meetings in the Lord’s power; of which epistle a copy here
+follows:—
+
+        “DEAR FRIENDS,
+
+  “Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord, which is over all that
+  is in the fall and must have an end. Therefore be wise in the wisdom
+  of God, which is from above, by which all things were made and
+  created; that that may be justified among you, and you all kept in the
+  solid life, which was before death was; and in the light, which was
+  before the darkness was with all its works. In which light and life ye
+  all may feel, and have the heavenly unity and peace, possessing the
+  gospel fellowship, that is everlasting: which was before that, which
+  doth not last for ever; and will remain when that is gone. For the
+  gospel being the power of God, is pure and everlasting. Know it to be
+  your portion: in which is stability, and life, and immortality,
+  shining over that which darkens the mortal. So be faithful every one
+  to God, in your measures of his power and life, that ye may answer
+  God’s love and mercy to you, as obedient children of the Most High;
+  dwelling in love, unity, and peace, and in innocency of heart towards
+  one another; that God may be glorified in you, and you kept faithful
+  witnesses for him, and valiant for the truth on earth. God Almighty
+  preserve you all to his glory, that ye may feel his blessing among
+  you, and be possessors thereof.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+About this time many mouths were opened in our meetings, to declare the
+goodness of the Lord, and some that were young and tender in the truth
+would sometimes utter a few words in thanksgiving and praises to God.
+That no disorder might arise from this in our meetings, I was moved to
+write an epistle to Friends, by way of advice in that matter. And thus
+it was:—
+
+  “All my dear friends in the noble Seed of God, who have known his
+  power, life, and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see
+  the springs of life break forth in any; through which ye may have all
+  unity in the same, feeling life and power. And above all things, take
+  heed of judging any one openly in your meetings, except they be openly
+  profane or rebellious, such as be out of the truth; that by the power,
+  life, and wisdom ye may stand over them, and by it answer the witness
+  of God in the world, that such, whom ye bear your testimony against,
+  are none of you: that therein the truth may stand clear and single.
+  But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few
+  words, and speak in the Seed and Lamb’s power, suffer and bear that;
+  that is, the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure, bear
+  it in the meeting for peace and order’s sake, and that the spirits of
+  the world be not moved against you. But when the meeting is done, if
+  any be moved to speak to them, between you and them, one or two of
+  you, that feel it in the life, do it in the love and wisdom that is
+  pure and gentle from above: for love is that which edifies, bears all
+  things, suffers long, and fulfils the law. In this ye have order and
+  edification, ye have wisdom to preserve you all wise and in patience;
+  which takes away the occasion of stumbling the weak, and the occasion
+  of the spirits of the world to get up: but in the royal Seed, the
+  heavy stone, ye keep down all that is wrong; and by it answer that of
+  God in all. For ye will hear, see, and feel the power of God
+  preaching, as your faith is all in it (when ye do not hear words,) to
+  bind, to chain, to limit, to frustrate; that nothing shall rise, nor
+  come forth but what is in the power: with that ye will hold back, and
+  with that ye will let up, and open every spring, plant, and spark; in
+  which will be your joy and refreshment in the power of God.
+
+  “Now that ye know the power of God, and are come to it, which is the
+  cross of Christ, that crucifies you to the state that Adam and Eve
+  were in, in the fall, and so to the world, by this power of God ye
+  come to see the state they were in before they fell; which power of
+  God is the cross, in which stands the everlasting glory; which brings
+  up into the righteousness, holiness, and image of God, and crucifies
+  to the unrighteousness, unholiness, and image of Satan, that Adam and
+  Eve, and their sons and daughters, are in, in the fall. Through this
+  power of God, ye come to see the state they were in before they fell;
+  yea, I say, and to a higher state, to the Seed Christ, the second
+  Adam, by whom all things were made. For man hath been driven from God:
+  all Adam and Eve’s sons and daughters, being in the state of the fall
+  in the earth, are driven from God. But it is said, the Church is in
+  God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: so they who come to the
+  church, which is in God the Father of Christ, must come to God again:
+  and so out of the state that Adam and his children are in, in the
+  fall, out of the image of God, of righteousness and holiness, and they
+  must come into the righteousness, true holiness, and image of God; and
+  so out of the earth whither man hath been driven, when they come to
+  the church which is in God. The way to this, is Christ, the Light, the
+  Life, the Truth, the Saviour, the Redeemer, the Sanctifier, and the
+  Justifier; in and through whose power, light and life, conversion,
+  regeneration, and translation are known from death to life, from
+  darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God again. These are
+  members of the true church, who know the work of regeneration in the
+  operation and feeling of it; and being come to be members of the
+  church in God, they are indeed members one of another in the power of
+  God, which was before the power of darkness was. So they that come to
+  the church that is in God and Christ, must come out of the state that
+  Adam was in, in the fall, driven from God, to know the state that he
+  was in before he fell. But they that live in the state that Adam was
+  in, in the fall, and cannot believe a possibility of coming into the
+  state he was in before he fell, come not to the church which is in
+  God; but are far from that, and are not passed from death to life; but
+  are enemies to the cross of Christ, which is the power of God. For
+  they mind earthly things, and serve not Christ, nor love the power,
+  which should bring them up to the state that Adam was in before he
+  fell, and crucify them to the state that man is in in the fall; that
+  through this power they might see to the beginning, the power that man
+  was in before the heavenly image, and holiness, and righteousness was
+  lost; by which power they might come to know the Seed, Christ, which
+  brings out of the old things, and makes all things new; in which life
+  eternal is felt. For all the poorness, emptiness, and barrenness is in
+  the state that man is in, in the fall, out of God’s power; by which
+  power he is made rich, and hath strength again; which power is the
+  cross, in which the mystery of the fellowship stands: and in which is
+  the true glorying, which crucifies to all other gloryings.
+
+  “And, Friends, though ye may have been convinced, and tasted of the
+  power, and felt the light; yet afterwards ye may feel a winter storm,
+  tempest and hail, frost and cold, and temptation in the wilderness. Be
+  patient and still in the power, and in the light, that doth convince
+  you, to keep your minds to God; in that be quiet, that ye may come to
+  the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For if ye sit still
+  in the patience, which overcomes in the power of God, there will be no
+  flying. The husbandman after he hath sowed his seed, is patient. And
+  by the power, being kept in the patience, ye will come by the light to
+  see through, and feel over winter storms and tempests, and all the
+  coldness, barrenness, and emptiness: and the same light and power will
+  go over the tempter’s head; which power and light was before he was.
+  So standing still in the light, ye will see your salvation, ye will
+  see the Lord’s strength, feel the small rain, and the fresh springs,
+  your minds being kept low in the power and light; for that which is
+  out of the power lifts up. But in the power and light ye will feel
+  God, revealing his secrets, inspiring your minds, and his gifts coming
+  in unto you: through which your hearts will be filled with God’s love,
+  and praises to him that lives for evermore: for in his light and power
+  his blessing is received. So in that, the eternal power of the Lord
+  Jesus Christ preserve and keep you! Live every one in the power of
+  God, that ye may all come to be heirs of that, and know it to be your
+  portion; even the Kingdom, that hath no end, and the endless life,
+  which the Seed is heir of. Feel that set over all, which hath the
+  promise and blessing of God for ever.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+About this time I received some lines from a high professor, concerning
+the way of Christ, to which I returned the following answer:—
+
+        “FRIEND,
+
+  “It is not circumstances we contend about, but the way of Christ and
+  his light, which are but one; though the world hath imagined many
+  ways, and all out of the light; which by the light are condemned. He
+  who preached this light, said, ‘He that knoweth God, heareth us; he
+  that is not of God heareth us not: hereby know we the Spirit of Truth,
+  and the spirit of error.’ It is the same now, with them that know the
+  truth; though the whole world lies in wickedness. All dispensations
+  and differences, that are not one in the light we deny; and by the
+  light, that was before separation, do we see them to be
+  self-separations in the sensual, having not the Spirit. Their fruits
+  and end are weighed in the even balance, and found to be in the dark,
+  the lo-here, and lo-there thou tellest of. The presence of Christ is
+  not with them, though the blind see it not; who see not with the pure
+  eye which is single; but with the many eyes which lead into the many
+  ways. Nor are any the people of God, but they who are baptised into
+  this principle of light; by which all the faithful servants of the
+  Lord were ever guided in all ages, since the apostacy, and before. For
+  the apostacy are and is from the light; and all that oppose the light
+  was apostates. They who contest against the truth, are enemies to it,
+  and are not actuated by the Spirit; but have another way than the
+  light. All such are in the world, its words, fashions, and customs,
+  though of several forms, as to their worship; yet all under the god of
+  this world, opposing the light and appearance of Christ, which should
+  lead out from under his power, of what form soever they are: yet are
+  they all joined against the light. All these are of the world; and
+  fighting against them who are not of the world, but are gathered and
+  gathering out of it; and so it ever was against the people of God,
+  under what name soever.
+
+  “They only are saints by calling, who are called into the light; and
+  sons of Sion, who vary not from the light, to which the Spirit is
+  promised, which is not tied to any forms out of the light; wherein all
+  inherit who are co-heirs with Christ; which many talk of, who inherit
+  the earthly instead of the heavenly. And whereas thou speakest of
+  Christ and his apostles clothing themselves with the sayings and words
+  of the prophets; and of their being your example in so doing; I say,
+  wolves will take the sheep’s clothing; but the light and life finds
+  them out, and judges (not by their stolen words, but) by their works.
+  Nor did Christ cover himself with any words, but what were fulfilled
+  in him; neither do any of Christ’s boast in other men’s lines made
+  ready without them: to which rule if ye be obedient, fewer words and
+  more life will be seen among you. Then ye will not count it straitness
+  to silence the flesh, and hear what he saith, who speaks peace, ‘that
+  his people turn no more to folly.’ If ye once know that what is stolen
+  must be restored fourfold, the mouth of the false prophet will be
+  stopped, which builds up in deceit, but not in righteousness.
+
+  “And whereas thou sayest, ‘The Spirit of truth affords nothing but
+  endless varieties;’ I say, the Spirit of truth thou knowest not: for
+  the Spirit of truth said, ‘there is but one thing needful;’ and to
+  speak the same thing again, is safe for the hearers. But that spirit,
+  which affords nothing but endless varieties, is not the Spirit of
+  truth; but is gone out into curious notions: and the number of his
+  names and colours is read nowhere, but in the unity of the Spirit of
+  truth. All others call truth deceit, and deceit truth, as the blind,
+  that opposed the light, ever did; who are ever learning endless
+  varieties, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, nor
+  to an end of their labours: but when they are out of one form, get
+  into another; so long as they can find a green tree without. Thus ye
+  are kept at work all your life, and to the grave in sorrow, as the
+  dumb priests, thou tellest of, have been before you: only ye have got
+  a finer image, but less life. And thou, whose teaching hath no end,
+  art in the horse-mill thou speakest of. I have read the epistles of
+  Timothy, and to the Hebrews; and there I find the duty of all
+  believers is, to see the law of the new covenant written in the heart,
+  whereby all may know God, from the least to the greatest. I know the
+  Holy Scriptures are profitable for the man of God; but what is that to
+  the man of sin, to the first-born, who is out of the light, and being
+  unstable and unlearned, wrests them to his own destruction; but to the
+  life cannot come?
+
+  “And for your two ordinances thou speakest of, I say, upon the same
+  account ye deny the priests of the world therein, we deny you; being
+  both of you not only out of the life, but out of the form too. That
+  command, Matt. xxviii. 19, ye never had, nor its power; which was, ‘to
+  baptize into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.’ What Paul
+  received of the Lord, that body, and that bread, ye know as little,
+  but what ye have found in the chapter; nor the coming of Christ
+  either, who cannot believe his light. And whereas thou speakest of
+  preaching Christ of envy, and pleadest for it; I say, such preachers
+  we have enough of in these days. What else art thou doing, who sayest,
+  Paul was sent to baptize; though Paul says he was not: and so thou
+  wouldst prove him a liar, if any would believe thee before him. Thou
+  sayest also, ‘for ought thou knowest, he might baptize thousands.’
+  Thou mightest as easily have said millions, and as soon have proved
+  it. Thou mayest say the same of circumcision also, and on the same
+  ground.
+
+  “As for the signs that followed those that believed, which thou sayest
+  are ceased; I say, they who cannot receive the light cannot see the
+  signs, nor could believe them if they should see them to carp at; no
+  more than formerly they could do, who opposed the light in former
+  ages. They cannot properly be said to cease to such, who never had
+  them; but have only heard or read, that others long ago had them. But
+  that the power, and signs, and presence of God is not the same that
+  ever it was, in the measure, wherein he is received in the light, that
+  I deny; and declare it to be false, and from a spirit that knows not
+  God, nor his power.
+
+  “And as for the gospel foundation thou speakest of, I say, it is to be
+  laid again in all the world. Ye never were on it, since the man of sin
+  set up his forms without power. Till ye can own the light of Christ,
+  which the saints preached, and their life and practice; for shame
+  cease to talk of their foundation, or glorious work, or quakings and
+  tremblings, which are the saints’ experiences, which the world knows
+  not, nor can own: though ye cannot read that ever any came aright to
+  declare how they knew God, or received his word, without them. In thy
+  exhortation thou biddest me ‘love Christ, wheresoever I see him:’ but
+  hadst thou told me where one might come to see him, or how one might
+  know him, thou hadst showed more of a Christian in that, than in all
+  thou hast spoken. But it seems, ye are not all of one mind: some of
+  you say, ‘he is gone, and will be no more seen, till doomsday;’ but if
+  ever ye come to see Christ to your comfort, while ye oppose his light,
+  then God hath not spoken by me. This thou shalt remember, when thy
+  time thou hast spent.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Great opposition did the priests and professors make about this time
+against the light of Christ Jesus, denying it to be universally given;
+and against the pouring forth of the Spirit, and sons and daughters
+prophesying thereby. Much they laboured to darken the minds of people,
+that they might keep them still in a dependence on their teaching.
+Wherefore I was moved of the Lord to give forth the following lines, for
+the opening of the minds and understandings of people, and to manifest
+the blindness and darkness of their teachers:—
+
+  “To all you professors, priests, and teachers, who are in darkness,
+  and know not the Spirit in prison, nor the light that shines in
+  darkness, and which the darkness doth not comprehend; but are the
+  infidels, whom the god of the world hath blinded, and to whom the
+  gospel is hid. For though ye have the four books, yet the gospel is
+  hid to you; who are now wondering at the work of God, and do not
+  believe that Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the
+  world. I offer you some Scriptures to read, which will prove your
+  spirits, and try them, how contrary they are to the apostles’ spirit,
+  the Spirit of Christ and of the saints. Christ went and ‘preached to
+  the spirits in prison,’ 1 Pet. iii. 19. He that readeth, let him
+  understand, whether this was a measure of the Spirit, yea or nay, or
+  the Spirit without measure, which he ministered to? ‘For he whom God
+  hath sent, speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by
+  measure unto him,’ John iii. 34. Here Christ had not the Spirit given
+  to him by measure. The apostle said, ‘We will not boast of things
+  without (or beyond) our measure.’ 2 Cor. x. 13. So here was measure,
+  and not by measure. Christ, who received not the Spirit by measure,
+  told his disciples he would ‘send them the Comforter, the Spirit of
+  Truth, that should guide them into all truth: for he should not speak
+  of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he
+  will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall
+  receive of mine, and show it unto you,’ John xvi. 13, 14. Mind, read,
+  and learn; the Comforter shall receive of mine, saith Christ, and
+  shall show it unto you: who hath the measure, receives of his who hath
+  not by measure. The Comforter, when he comes, is to ‘reprove the world
+  of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment,’ ver. 8. Now all mind
+  the great work of God: the Spirit of Truth, which leads the saints
+  into all truth, which receives of Christ’s, and shows it unto the
+  disciples, who are in the measure, he shall reprove the world of sin,
+  because they do not believe, &c. The Comforter, whom Christ will send,
+  takes of his, and shows it to the disciples; the same reproves the
+  world. Mind now, whether this be a measure, yea or nay, which comes
+  from him, who received not the Spirit by measure. He that leads the
+  believer into all truth, reproves the unbeliever in the world, of sin,
+  of righteousness, and of judgment; so he that is led into all truth,
+  sees that which is reproved, by the Spirit of Truth that leads him.
+  Now Christ saith, ‘He shall take of mine, and show it unto you.’ Is
+  this a measure, yea or nay, from him to whom God gave the Spirit not
+  by measure?
+
+  “Again, the Lord said, both by his prophet, Joel ii. 28, and his
+  apostle, Acts ii. 17, 18, ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, I
+  will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your
+  daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your
+  old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and handmaidens, I
+  will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.’
+  Look, ye deceivers: here the Lord saith, he will pour out of his
+  Spirit; mark the word, OF the Lord’s Spirit upon all flesh. What!
+  young men, old men, sons and daughters, and maidens, all these to have
+  the Spirit of God poured forth upon them? Here, say they, these deny
+  the means then: nay, that is the means. And the great and notable day
+  of the Lord is coming, wherein it shall come to pass, that whosoever
+  shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. The God of the
+  spirits of all flesh is known; ‘And,’ saith the apostle, who would not
+  boast of things beyond his measure, ‘that which may be known of God is
+  manifest _in_ them; for God hath showed it unto them,’ Rom. i. 19. By
+  this which was of God manifest in them, they knew covetousness,
+  maliciousness, murder, deceit, and ungodliness; and knew that the
+  judgments of God were upon such things; and that they were worthy of
+  death not only that did the same, but who had pleasure in them that
+  did them. Therefore said the apostle, ‘the wrath of God is revealed
+  from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men,’ &c.
+  Now this of God manifest in them, which God showed unto them, by which
+  they know unrighteousness, and God’s judgments thereupon, and that
+  they which commit such things are worthy of death; whether this be a
+  measure, yea or nay, which is of God, and which he hath showed to
+  them? What was that in them that ‘did by nature the things contained
+  in the law, which showed the work of the law written in their heart,’
+  Rom. ii. 14, 15? Mark, ‘written!’ Shall not this judge them that have
+  the outward law, but are out of the life of it? The apostle saith,
+  ‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
+  withal,’ 1 Cor. xii. 7. There are diversities of gifts, but the same
+  Spirit; but ‘the manifestation of it is given to every man to profit
+  withal.’ Mark, ‘to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to
+  another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by
+  the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
+  to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
+  discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another
+  the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the
+  self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.’ Mark
+  that, to every man severally as he will.
+
+  “Again, the apostle saith, ‘the grace of God that bringeth 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 ye, that turn this grace which
+  bringeth salvation, into lasciviousness, deny it, and say, that which
+  teacheth the saints, who by grace are saved, hath not appeared to all
+  men. Jude saith, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
+  saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
+  ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have
+  committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have
+  spoken against him,’ ver. 15. Here mark again; him that cometh with
+  ten thousands of his saints, to convince all of their ungodly deeds
+  and hard speeches; here it is, ALL of their ungodly deeds, and ALL of
+  their hard speeches; none left out, but ALL to be convinced and
+  judged, the world reproved by him who comes with ten thousands of his
+  saints, and will reign, and be king and judge. And have not ye all
+  something in you, that doth reprove you for your hard speeches, and
+  your ungodly deeds, the ungodliest of you all, who live in your hard
+  speeches against him, and his light and spiritual appearance in his
+  people?
+
+  “Again, the apostle, writing to the Gentiles, saith, ‘But unto every
+  one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of
+  Christ,’ Eph. iv. 7. Now mark, here is the measure of the gift of
+  Christ, ‘who lighteth every man that cometh into the world,’ John i.
+  9, ‘that all men through him might believe. He that believeth on him
+  is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned, &c. And this
+  is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,’ &c., John
+  iii. 18, 19. Now every man that cometh into the world being
+  enlightened, one loves it, and brings his deeds to the light, that
+  with the light he may see whether they be wrought in God; the other
+  hates the light, ‘because his deeds are evil;’ and he will not bring
+  his deeds to the light, because he knows the light will reprove him.
+  So he that hates the light, wherewith Christ hath enlightened him,
+  knows the light will reprove him for his evil deeds; and, therefore,
+  he will not come to the light.
+
+  “Again, the Lord by his prophet said concerning Christ, ‘I will give
+  him for a light to the Gentiles, that he may be my salvation to the
+  ends of the earth,’ Isa. xliv. 6. And what is that, which the children
+  that walk ‘according to the course of this world, according to the
+  prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
+  children of disobedience,’ Eph. ii. 2, are disobedient to? Mark, and
+  read for yourselves, who being disobedient, walk according to the
+  course of the world, according to the power of the prince of the air;
+  mark, I say, what it is that all such are disobedient to? He that hath
+  an ear, let him hear. The apostle saith to the Colossians, ‘the wrath
+  of God cometh upon the children of disobedience,’ Col. iii. 6. Come,
+  ye professors, let us see, is not this something of God that is
+  disobeyed? Is it not that which is of God manifest in them, which God
+  hath shown them, which lets them see God’s judgments are upon such,
+  when they act unrighteously? Is not this the measure of God (mark),
+  the Spirit that is in prison? and the Spirit of God that is grieved?
+
+  “And ye professors, come, let us read the parable of the talents, and
+  reckon with you, and see who it is that hath hid the Lord’s money in
+  the earth? Come, ye that have gained, enter ye into your master’s joy.
+  Go, thou that hast hid the Lord’s money in the earth, into utter
+  darkness; ‘take it from him, and give it to him that hath;’ every man
+  shall have his reward. For the Lord hath given ‘to every man according
+  to his several ability,’ Matt. xxv. 15; mark that, ‘to every man
+  according to his several ability?’ read this, if you can. Now is the
+  Lord coming to call every man severally to account, to whom he hath
+  given severally according to his ability. Now the wicked and slothful
+  servant, who hid the Lord’s money in the earth, will be found out; and
+  the Lord’s money will be taken from him, although he hath hidden it.
+  To him the Lord’s commands have been grievous; but to us they are not,
+  who love God and keep his commandments. ‘And,’ saith the apostle to
+  the Romans, ‘I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that
+  is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
+  think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
+  the measure of faith,’ Rom. xii. 3. Read and mark, here is a measure
+  of faith.
+
+  “‘And,’ said another apostle, ‘as everyone hath received the gift,
+  even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the
+  manifold grace of God,’ 1 Pet. iv. 10, ‘For the grace of God hath
+  appeared unto all men.’ The good stewards can give their account with
+  joy; but ye bad stewards, that turn the grace of God into
+  lasciviousness, now ye will be reckoned withal; now ye shall have your
+  reward. ‘But,’ say the world, ‘must every one minister as he hath
+  received the gift?’ ‘Yea,’ say I, ‘but let him speak as the oracles of
+  God; and let him do it as of the ability which God giveth,’ ver. 11.
+  John in the Revelation saith, ‘They were judged every man according to
+  his works,’ Rev. xx. 13. Christ saith, ‘every idle word that men shall
+  speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment,’ Matt.
+  xii. 36. So ‘ye, that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity,’ 2
+  Tim. ii. 19. ‘The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father,
+  with his angels; and then he shall reward every one according to his
+  works,’ Matt. xvi. 27. He who is gone into a far country, and hath
+  given the talents to every one of you, according to your several
+  ability, ‘will render to every man according to his deeds,’ Rom. ii.
+  6. ‘And further I say unto you, if any man have not the Spirit of
+  Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead
+  because of sin, but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness,’
+  Rom. viii. 9, 10. So let the light which cometh from Christ examine;
+  for the Lord is appearing. Ye that have received according to your
+  ability, smite not your fellow-servant; and think not that the Lord
+  delayeth the time of his coming. Be not as they that said, ‘Let us eat
+  and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.’
+
+  “The apostle tells the Ephesians, that unto him ‘this grace was
+  given—to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
+  from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all
+  things by Jesus Christ,’ Eph. iii. 9. Read and understand every one
+  with the light which comes from Christ, the mystery, which will be
+  your condemnation, if ye believe not in it. This is to all, who
+  stumble at the work of the Spirit of God, the manifestation of it,
+  ‘which is given to every man, to profit withal.’ Come, ye professors,
+  who stumble at it; let us read the parables. ‘A sower went forth to
+  sow; and some seed fell on the highway ground, and some on stony
+  ground, and some on thorny ground; the Seed is the Word, the Son of
+  Man is the seedsman. He that hath an ear, let him hear,’ Matt. xiii.
+  Now look, all ye professors, what ground ye are? and what ye have
+  brought forth? and whether the wicked seedsman hath not got his seed
+  into your ground? ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ And come, read
+  another parable, of the householder, hiring labourers to go into the
+  vineyard, and agreeing with every man for a penny, Matt. xx. Every man
+  is to have his penny, the last that went in, as well as the first; and
+  the last shall be first, and the first shall be last; for many are
+  called but few are chosen. He that hath an ear, let him hear.’ There
+  is a promise spoken to Cain, that if he did well he should be
+  accepted, Gen. iv. 7. And Esau had a birthright, but despised it. Yet
+  it is ‘not of him that willeth,’ Rom. ix. 16; ‘but by grace ye are
+  saved,’ Eph. ii. 8. And stand still, and see your salvation, Exod.
+  xiv. 13. And ye that are children of light, put on the armour of
+  light, that ye may come into the ‘unity of the faith, and of the
+  knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
+  the stature of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth ye be no more
+  children tossed to and fro,’ Eph. iv. 13.
+
+  “And the Lord said, he would make a new covenant, by ‘writing his law
+  in people’s hearts, and putting his Spirit in their inward parts;’
+  whereby they should all come to know the Lord—Him by whom the world
+  was made. Now every one of you, mind the law written in your hearts,
+  and this Spirit put in your inward parts, that it need not be said to
+  you, ‘know the Lord;’ but that ye may witness the promise of God
+  fulfilled in you. ‘But,’ say the world, and professors, ‘if every one
+  must come to witness the law of God written in their hearts, and the
+  Spirit put in the inward parts, what must we do with all our
+  teachers?’ As we come to witness that, we need not any man to teach us
+  to know the Lord, having his law written in our hearts, and his Spirit
+  put in our inward parts. This is the covenant of life, the everlasting
+  covenant, which decays not, nor changes; and here is the way to the
+  Father, without which no man cometh unto the Father.
+
+  “And here is the everlasting priesthood, the end of the old
+  priesthood, whose lips were to preserve knowledge; but now, saith
+  Christ, ‘Learn of me;’ who is the high-priest of the new priesthood.
+  ‘And,’ saith the apostle, ‘that ye may grow up in the knowledge of
+  Jesus Christ, in whom are hid the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’
+  So we are brought off from the old priesthood that changed, to Christ,
+  to the new priesthood, that changeth not; and off from the first
+  covenant, that doth decay, to the everlasting covenant that doth not
+  decay, Christ Jesus, the covenant of Light, from whom every one of you
+  have a light, that ye might believe in the covenant of Light. If ye
+  believe not, ye are condemned; for light is come into the world, and
+  men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. ‘I
+  am come a light into the world,’ saith Christ, ‘that whosoever
+  believeth in me, should not abide in darkness, but have the light of
+  life,’ John xii., 46. And, ‘believe in the light, that ye may be
+  children of the light.’ But ye who do not believe in the light, but
+  hate it, because it manifests your deeds to be evil, ye are they that
+  are condemned by the light.
+
+  “Therefore, while ye have time, prize it; seek the Lord while he may
+  be found, and call upon him while he is near; lest he say, ‘time is
+  past;’ for the rich glutton’s time was past. Therefore, while time is
+  not quite past, consider, search yourselves, and see if ye be not they
+  that hate the light; and so are builders that stumble at the
+  corner-stone; for they that hated the light, and did not believe in
+  the light, did so in ages past. ‘I am the light of the world,’ saith
+  Christ, ‘who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;’ and
+  he also saith, ‘learn of me;’ and of him God saith, ‘this is my
+  beloved Son, hear ye him.’ Here is your teacher. But ye that hate the
+  light, do not learn of Christ, and will not have him to be your king,
+  to reign over you;—Him, to whom all power in heaven and earth is
+  given, who bears his government upon his shoulders, who is now come to
+  reign; who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and will
+  give to every man a reward, according to his works, whether they be
+  good or evil. So every man, with the light that comes from Christ,
+  will see his deeds, both he that hates it, and he that loves it. And
+  he that will not bring his deeds to the light, because it will reprove
+  him, that is his condemnation; and he shall have a reward according to
+  his deeds. For the Lord is come to reckon with you. He looks for
+  fruits; now the axe is laid to your root, and every tree of you that
+  bears not good fruit, must be hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+Having stayed some time in LONDON, and visited the meetings of Friends
+in and about the city, and cleared myself of what services the Lord had
+at that time laid upon me there, I travelled into KENT, SUSSEX, and
+SURREY, visiting Friends, amongst whom I had great meetings; and many
+times met with opposition from Baptists and other jangling professors;
+but the Lord’s power went over them.
+
+We staid one night at FARNHAM, where we had a little meeting, and the
+people were exceedingly rude; but at last the Lord’s power came over
+them. After it we went to our inn, and gave notice that any that feared
+God might come to us: and there came abundance of rude people, the
+magistrates of the town also, and some professors. I declared the truth
+unto them; and those of the people that behaved rudely, the magistrates
+put out of the room. When they were gone there came another rude company
+of professors and some of the chief of the town. They called for faggots
+and drink, though we forbade them; and were as rude a people as ever I
+met with. The Lord’s power chained them that they had not power to do us
+any mischief; but when they went away, they left all their faggots and
+beer which they had called for into the room, for us to pay for in the
+morning. We showed the innkeeper what an unworthy thing it was, but he
+told us, “we must pay it,” and we did. Before we left the town I wrote a
+paper to the magistrates and heads of the town, and to the priest,
+showing them and him how he had taught his people, and laying before
+them their rude and uncivil conduct to strangers that sought their good.
+
+Leaving that place we came to BASINGSTOKE, a very rude town; where they
+had formerly very much abused Friends. There I had a meeting in the
+evening, which was quiet for the Lord’s power chained the unruly. At the
+close of it I was moved to put off my hat, and pray to the Lord to open
+their understandings; upon which they raised a report, that, “I put off
+my hat to them, and bid them good-night,” which was never in my heart.
+After the meeting, when we came to our inn, I sent for the innkeeper (as
+I used to do,) and he came into the room to us, and showed himself a
+very rude man. I admonished him to be sober and fear the Lord; but he
+called for faggots and a pint of wine, and drank it off himself; then
+called for another, and called up half a dozen men into our chamber.
+Thereupon I bid him go out of the chamber, and told him he should not
+drink there, for we sent for him up to speak to him concerning his
+eternal good. He was exceedingly mad, rude, and drunk. When he continued
+his rudeness, and would not be gone, I told him the chamber was mine for
+the time I lodged in it, and called for the key. Then he went away in
+great rage. In the morning he would not be seen; but I told his wife of
+his unchristian and rude behaviour towards us.
+
+After this we came to BRIDPORT, having meetings in the way. We went to
+an inn, and sent into the town for such as feared God; and there came a
+shopkeeper, a professor, and put off his hat to us, and seeing we did
+not the same to him again, but said Thou and Thee to him, he told us,
+“he was not of our religion;” and after some discourse with him he went
+away. Then he went and stirred up the priest and magistrates against us,
+and after a while sent to the inn to desire us to come to his house, for
+there were some that would speak with us, he said. Thomas Curtis was
+with me, and he went to the man’s house; where, when he came, the man
+had laid a snare for him, for he had got the priest and magistrate
+thither, and they boasted much that they had caught George Fox, taking
+him for me. When they perceived their mistake, they were in great rage;
+yet the Lord’s power came over them, so that they let him go again.
+Meanwhile I had an opportunity of speaking to some sober people that
+came to the inn. When Thomas was come back, and we were passing out of
+the town, some of them came to us, and said, “the officers were coming
+to fetch me;” but the Lord’s power came over them all, so that they had
+not power to touch me. There were some convinced in the town, who were
+turned to the Lord, and have stood faithful in their testimony to the
+truth ever since, and a fine meeting there is there.
+
+Passing hence we visited PORTSMOUTH and POOLE, where we had glorious
+meetings; and many were turned to the Lord. At RINGWOOD we had a large
+general meeting, where the Lord’s power was over all. At WEYMOUTH we had
+a meeting; and thence came through DORCHESTER to LYME, where the inn we
+went to was taken up with mountebanks, so that there was hardly any room
+for us or our horses. In the evening we drew up some queries concerning
+the ground of all diseases, and the natures and virtues of medicinal
+things, and sent them to the mountebanks; letting them know, “if they
+would not answer them, we would stick them on the cross next day.” This
+brought them down, and made them cool, for they could not answer them;
+but in the morning they reasoned a little with us. We left the queries
+with some friendly people, that were convinced in the town, to stick
+upon the market-cross. The Lord’s power reached some of the sober people
+in that place, who were turned by the Light and Spirit of Christ to his
+free teaching.
+
+We then travelled to EXETER; and at the sign of the Seven Stars, an inn
+at the bridge foot, had a general meeting of Friends out of Cornwall and
+Devonshire; to which came Humphrey Lower, Thomas Lower, and John
+Ellis[52] from the Land’s End, Henry Pollexfen, and Friends from
+Plymouth, Elizabeth Trelawny, and divers other Friends. A blessed
+heavenly meeting we had, and the Lord’s everlasting power came over all,
+in which I saw and said, “that the Lord’s power had surrounded this
+nation round about, as with a wall and bulwark, and his seed reached
+from sea to sea.” Friends were established in the everlasting Seed of
+life, Christ Jesus, their life, rock, teacher and shepherd.
+
+Footnote 52:
+
+  John Ellis, who is only twice mentioned in this journal, was an able
+  gospel minister, preaching in the authority of divine life, to the
+  reaching of God’s witness in many hearts. His doctrine was sound,
+  flowing from the living fountain and divine spring of life and
+  heavenly wisdom. His preaching was full of reproof and caution, but in
+  that meekness which made it edifying. Whilst tender of the good in
+  all, he was terrible against the workers of iniquity. He was a man of
+  great kindness, a visitor of the widows and fatherless in their
+  distress, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, according to his
+  ability. He laboured greatly in the gospel in several counties, often
+  saying, “His Father’s business must not be neglected, or done
+  negligently.” As he was travelling in the service of Truth, he was
+  taken ill, and died in great peace in 1707 saying, “I am ready, for I
+  have a sure foundation.”
+
+Next morning Major Blackmore sent soldiers to apprehend me; but I was
+gone before they came. As I was riding up the street, I saw the officers
+going down; so the Lord crossed them in their design, and Friends passed
+away peaceably and quietly. The soldiers examined some Friends after I
+was gone, “what they did there;” but when they told them they were in
+their inn, and had business in the city, they went away without meddling
+any further with them.
+
+From EXETER I took meetings as I went, till I came to BRISTOL, and was
+at the meeting there. After which I did not stay in the town, but passed
+into Wales, and had a meeting at the Slone. Thence going to CARDIFF, a
+justice of the peace sent to me, desiring I would come with half a dozen
+of my friends to his house. So I took a friend or two, and went up to
+him, and he and his wife received us very civilly. The next day we had a
+meeting at Cardiff in the town-hall, and that justice sent about
+seventeen of his family to the meeting. There came some disturbers, but
+the Lord’s power was over them, and many were turned to the Lord. To
+some that had run out with James Naylor, and did not come to meetings, I
+sent word, that “the day of their visitation was over,” and they never
+prospered after.
+
+We travelled from Cardiff to SWANSEA, where we had a blessed meeting;
+and a meeting was settled there in the name of Jesus. In our way thither
+we passed over in a boat, with the high-sheriff of the county, and next
+day I went to speak with him, but he would not admit me.
+
+We went to another meeting in the country, where the Lord’s presence was
+much with us. Thence to a great man’s house, who received us very
+lovingly; but next morning he would not be seen; one that in the mean
+time had come to him, had so estranged him, that we could not get to
+speak with him again.
+
+We still passed on through the countries, having meetings and gathering
+people, in the name of Christ, to Him their heavenly teacher, till we
+came to BRECKNOCK; where we set up our horses at an inn. There went with
+me Thomas Holmes and John-ap-John, who was moved of the Lord to speak in
+the streets. I walked out a little into the fields, and when I came in
+again, the town was in an uproar. When I came into the chamber in the
+inn, it was full of people, and they were speaking in Welsh; I desired
+them to speak in English, which they did, and much discourse we had.
+After a while they went away; but towards night the magistrates gathered
+together in the streets, with a multitude of people, and they bid them
+shout, and gathered up the town; so that for about two hours together,
+there was such a noise, that the like we had not heard; and the
+magistrates set them on to shout again, when they had given over. We
+thought it looked like the uproar, which we read was amongst Diana’s
+craftsmen. This tumult continued till night; and if the Lord’s power had
+not limited them, they seemed likely to have pulled down the house, and
+us to pieces.
+
+At night, the woman of the house would have had us go to supper in
+another room, but we discerning her plot, refused. Then she would have
+had half a dozen men come into the room to us, under pretence of
+discoursing with us. We told her, no persons should come into our room
+that night, neither would we go to them. Then she said, we should sup in
+another room; but we told her we would have no supper, if not in our own
+room. At length, when she saw she could not get us out, she brought up
+our supper in a great rage. So she and they were crossed in their
+design, for they had an intent to do us mischief; but the Lord God
+prevented them. Next morning I wrote a paper to the town concerning
+their unchristian conduct, showing the fruits of their priests and
+magistrates; and as I passed out of the town I spoke to the people, and
+told them, they were a shame to Christianity and religion.
+
+From this place we went to a great meeting in a steeple-house yard,
+where was a priest, and Walter Jenkin, who had been a justice, and
+another justice. A blessed glorious meeting we had. There being many
+professors, I was moved of the Lord to open the Scriptures to them, and
+to answer their objections (for I knew them very well;) and to turn them
+to Christ, who had enlightened them; with which light they might see the
+sins and trespasses they had been dead in, and their Saviour, who came
+to redeem them out of them, who was to be their way to God, the truth
+and the life to them, and their priest made higher than the heavens, so
+that they might come to sit under his teaching. A peaceable meeting we
+had; many were convinced and settled in the truth that day. After it, I
+went with Walter Jenkin to the other justice’s house; and he said to me,
+“You have this day given great satisfaction to the people, and answered
+all the objections that were in their minds.” For the people had the
+Scriptures, but were not turned to the Spirit, which should let them see
+that, which gave them forth, the Spirit of God, which is the key to open
+them.
+
+From hence we passed to Richard Hamborow’s, at PONTEMOIL, where was a
+great meeting; to which came another justice of peace, and several great
+people, whose understandings were opened by the Lord’s Spirit and power,
+and they were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, from whence it came. A
+great convincement there was; a large meeting was gathered in those
+parts, and settled in the name of Jesus.
+
+After this we returned to England, and came to SHREWSBURY, where we had
+a great meeting, and visited Friends all over the countries in their
+meetings, till we came to William Gandy’s, in CHESHIRE, where we had a
+meeting of between two and three thousand people, as it was thought; and
+the everlasting word of life was held forth, and received that day. A
+blessed meeting it was, for Friends were settled by the power of God
+upon Christ Jesus, the rock and foundation.
+
+At this time there was a great drought; and after this general meeting
+was ended, there fell so great a rain, that Friends said, they thought
+we could not travel, the waters would be so risen. But I believed the
+rain had not extended so far, as they had come that day to the meeting.
+Next day in the afternoon, when we turned back into some parts of Wales
+again, the roads were dusty, and no rain had fallen there.
+
+When Oliver Cromwell sent forth a proclamation for a fast throughout the
+nation, for rain, when there was a very great drought, it was observed,
+that as far as truth had spread in the north, there were pleasant
+showers and rain enough, when in the south, in many places, they were
+almost spoiled for want of rain. At that time I was moved to write an
+answer to the Protector’s proclamation, wherein I told him, “if he had
+come to own God’s truth, he should have had rain; and that drought was a
+sign unto them of their barrenness, and want of the water of life.”
+About the same time was written the following paper, to distinguish
+between true and false fasts:—
+
+               “_Concerning the true Fast and the false._
+
+  “To all you that are keeping fasts, who ‘smite with the fist of
+  wickedness, and fast for strife and debate;’ against you hath a voice
+  cried aloud, like a trumpet, that you may come to know the true fast,
+  which is accepted; and the fast, which is in the strife and the
+  debate, and smiting with the fists of wickedness; which fast is not
+  required of the Lord. ‘Behold, in the day of your fast, you find
+  pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold (mark, take notice), ye
+  fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness;
+  ye shall not fast, as ye do this day, to make your voice heard on
+  high. Is it such a fast, that I have chosen, saith the Lord, a day for
+  a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
+  and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a
+  fast and an acceptable day to the Lord?’
+
+  “Consider all you that fast, see, if it be not ‘hanging down the head
+  for a day, like a bulrush;’ and fasting for ‘strife and debate,’ and
+  to ‘smite with the fists of wickedness, to make your voice be heard on
+  high?’ But this fast is not accepted of the Lord: but that which leads
+  you from strife, from debate, from wickedness; which is not to ‘bow
+  down the head, as a bulrush for a day,’ and yet live in exacting and
+  pleasure; this is not accepted of the Lord: but that which separates
+  from all these before-mentioned. That which separates from
+  ‘wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, smiting with the fist of
+  wickedness,’ brings to know the true fast, which ‘breaks the bonds of
+  iniquity, and deals bread to the hungry; brings the poor that are cast
+  out to his own house, and when he sees any naked, he covers them, and
+  hides not himself from his own flesh.’ Here is the true fast, which
+  separates from them, where the bonds of iniquity are standing, and the
+  heavy burthens of the oppressed remaining, and the yoke not broken;
+  who deal not bread to the hungry, and bring not the poor to their own
+  house; who see the naked, but let him go unclothed, and hide
+  themselves from their own flesh. Yet such will make their voice to be
+  heard on high, as Christ speaks of the Pharisees, who ‘sounded a
+  trumpet before them, and disfigured their faces,’ to appear to men to
+  fast; but the bonds of iniquity were standing, strife and debate were
+  standing, striking with the fists of wickedness standing; these made
+  their voice heard on high, who had their reward.
+
+  “But that which brings to the true fast, which appears not to men to
+  fast, but unto the Father ‘who seeth in secret; the Father that seeth
+  in secret, shall reward this openly.’ This fast separates from the
+  Pharisees’ fast, and them that bow the head for a day, like a bulrush.
+  This is it which brings ‘to deal bread to the hungry, and clothe thine
+  own flesh when thou seest them naked; to bring the poor to thine
+  house, and to loose the bonds of wickedness;’ mark, this is the fast;
+  and ‘to undo every heavy burthen (mark again), and to let the
+  oppressed go free;’ this is the fast: and ‘to break every yoke.’ When
+  thou observest this fast, ‘then shall thy light break forth as the
+  morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy
+  righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy
+  rere-ward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt
+  cry, and he shall say, Here I am: if thou take away from the midst of
+  thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
+  and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
+  soul, then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as
+  the noon-day.’ The light brings to know this fast; and walking in it
+  this fast is kept; and he that believeth in the light, abides not in
+  darkness. And again; ‘the Lord shall guide thee continually, and
+  satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be
+  like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail
+  not,’ Isa. lviii. 11. These are they that are guided by the light
+  which comes from Christ, where the springs are.
+
+  “And again; ‘they that shall be of thee (that keep this fast,) shall
+  build the old waste places, and thou shalt raise up the foundations of
+  many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach,
+  The restorer of the paths to dwell in,’ Isa. lviii. 12. Now that which
+  gives to see the foundations of many generations, is the light which
+  separates from all, which is out of the light: and they that go out of
+  the light, though they may pretend a fast, and bow down the head for a
+  time, yet they are far from this fast, that doth raise up the
+  foundations of many generations, and is the repairer of the breach,
+  and restorer of the paths to dwell in. That which doth give to see
+  these foundations of many generations, and these breaches that are to
+  be repaired and restored, and paths to dwell in, is the light which
+  brings to know the true fast; and where this fast is known, which is
+  from wickedness, debate, strife, pleasures, from exacting, from the
+  voice that is heard on high, from the speaking of vanity, from the
+  bonds of iniquity, which breaks every yoke, and lets the oppressed go
+  free; here the health grows; here the morning is known, and
+  righteousness goes forth; the glory of the Lord is the rere-ward, and
+  the light riseth; the soul is drawn out to the hungry, and satisfies
+  the afflicted soul; and the springs of living water are known and
+  felt. The waters fail not here; the Lord guides continually, and the
+  foundations of many generations come to be seen and raised up: The
+  repairer of breaches is here witnessed, The restorer of paths to dwell
+  in.
+
+  “But all such as are out of the light which the prophets were in, with
+  which they saw Christ, and such as are in fasts, where was strife,
+  wickedness, debate, and bowing down the head like a bulrush for a day,
+  lifting their voice on high, and the bonds of wickedness yet standing,
+  and the burthens unloosed, and the oppressed not let go free, and the
+  yoke not broken, the nakedness not clothed, the bread not dealt to the
+  hungry, and these foundations of many generations not raised up; until
+  these things before-mentioned, be broken down,—on such the light
+  breaks not forth as the morning, and the Lord hears them not. Such
+  have their reward; their iniquities have separated them from their
+  God, their sins have hid his face from them, that he will not hear:
+  their hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity,
+  whose lips have spoken lies, and tongues muttered perverseness. ‘None
+  calleth for justice, nor do any plead for truth; they trust in vanity,
+  and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. They
+  hatch cockatrice-eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of
+  their eggs, dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper:
+  their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover
+  themselves with their works.’ Observe; ‘their works are works of
+  iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands: their feet run to
+  do evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts
+  are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths;
+  the way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their
+  doings. They have made them a crooked path; whosoever goeth therein
+  shall not know peace:’ mark; such go from the light, therefore is
+  judgment far off; neither doth justice overtake. Here is obscurity,
+  walking in darkness; groping like blind men, as though they had no
+  eyes, and stumbling at noon-day in desolate places, like blind men.
+  Here is the roaring like bears, and mourning sorely like doves; here
+  judgment is looked for, but there is none, and salvation is put far
+  off: for the light is denied, which gives to see it. But here are the
+  multiplying of transgression, and their sins testifying against them;
+  the transgression that was within them, and their iniquities, which
+  they knew in transgressing and lying against the Lord, speaking the
+  things they should not, when they knew by that of God in them, that
+  they should not speak it. So departing from the way of God, speaking
+  oppression, revolting, conceiving and uttering forth from the heart
+  words of falsehood; here judgment is turned away backward, and justice
+  stands afar off; truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot
+  enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil makes
+  himself a prey. The Lord saw it, and it displeased him. These are such
+  as are in the fast, which God doth not accept; not in the true fast,
+  whose ‘light breaks forth as the morning:’ but these are such as are
+  in the false fast, who grope, like blind men.
+
+  “That which gives to know the true fast, and the false fast, is the
+  Light, which gives the eye to see each fast, where the true judgment
+  is, and the iniquity standeth not, nor the transgressor, nor the
+  speaker of lies; but that is judged and condemned with the Light,
+  which makes it manifest. And when they who are in this fast call upon
+  the Lord, the Lord will answer them, Here am I. Here truth is pleaded
+  for, and falsehood flies away.
+
+  “But they who are out of this fast, in the perverseness, whose tongues
+  utter perverse things, who are stumbling and groping like blind men,
+  out of the light, in the iniquity which separates from God, who hides
+  his face from them that he will not hear;—these going from the light,
+  go from the Lord and his face. So this is it which must be fasted
+  from; for it separates from God; and here comes the reward openly,
+  which condemns all that is contrary to the light; injustice, iniquity,
+  transgression, vanity, and that which bringeth forth mischief, which
+  hatcheth the cockatrice-eggs, and weaves the spider’s web: he that
+  eateth of these eggs dies. Mark, ‘that which is crushed breaks out
+  into a viper;’ mark again, ‘their webs shall not become garments,
+  neither shall they cover themselves with their works of vanity; acts
+  of violence are in their hands.’ This is all out of the light, in the
+  wickedness. ‘Their feet run to do evil, and they make haste to shed
+  innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of vanity; wasting and
+  destruction are in their path.’ This is all far from the light. Again,
+  ‘the way of peace they know not, there is no judgment in their goings;
+  they have made them crooked paths, whosoever go therein, shall not
+  know peace.’ Mark; who go in their way, that know not the way of
+  peace, shall they know peace? ‘Whose path is crooked, where there is
+  no judgment in their goings;’ take notice, ‘no judgment in their
+  goings;’ this is all from the light, which manifesteth that which is
+  to be judged; where the covenant of peace is known, where all that
+  which is contrary to it is kept out. All who live in those things
+  contrary to the light, in the false fast, stumbling and groping like
+  blind men, may mark their path, and behold their reward. They that are
+  in the true fast, are separated from all these; from their words and
+  actions, their fruits, and their fast: but of those whose fast breaks
+  the bonds of iniquity, whom the Lord hears, and to whom righteousness
+  springs forth, and goes before them, the glory of the Lord is the
+  rere-ward.”
+
+                                                               G. F.
+
+We passed into Wales through MONTGOMERYSHIRE, and so into RADNORSHIRE,
+where there was a meeting like a leaguer, for multitudes. I walked a
+little aside, whilst the people were gathering; and there came to me
+John-ap-John, a Welshman, whom I desired to go to the people; and if he
+had anything upon him from the Lord to them, he might speak to them in
+Welsh, and thereby gather them more together. Then came Morgan
+Watkins[53] to me, who was then become loving to Friends, and said, “the
+people lie like a leaguer, and the gentry of the country are come in.” I
+bid him go up also, and leave me, for I had a great travail upon me for
+the salvation of the people. When they were well gathered, I went into
+the meeting, and stood upon a chair about three hours. I stood a while
+before I began to speak; after some time I felt the power of the Lord go
+over the whole assembly; and his everlasting life and truth shone over
+all. The Scriptures were opened to them, and their objections answered.
+They were directed to the light of Christ, the heavenly man; that by it
+they might all see their sins, and Christ Jesus to be their Saviour,
+their Redeemer, their Mediator, and come to feed on him, the bread of
+life from heaven. Many were turned to the Lord Jesus, and his free
+teaching that day; and all were bowed down under the power of God; so
+that though the multitude was so great, that many sat on horseback to
+hear, there was no opposition. A priest who sat with his wife on
+horseback, heard attentively, and made no objection. The people parted
+peaceably and quietly, with great satisfaction; many of them saying they
+never heard such a sermon before, or the Scriptures so opened. For the
+new covenant was opened, and the old, and the nature and terms of each;
+and the parables were explained. The state of the church in the
+apostles’ days was set forth, and the apostacy laid open; and the free
+teaching of Christ and the apostles was set over the hireling teachers;
+and the Lord had the praise of all, for many were turned to him that
+day.
+
+Footnote 53:
+
+  Morgan Watkins, who is only mentioned in this place, became a sufferer
+  for the truth. About eight years from the above date, we find him in
+  the Gatehouse prison, near Westminster abbey, with nineteen others on
+  the same account, being committed by warrant from the Duke of
+  Albemarle, “for being at a meeting in St. John’s.” This was during the
+  time the plague visited London. In Barclay’s _Letters of Early
+  Friends_, are two from Morgan Watkins, one of them dated from the
+  Gatehouse prison, in which he says, “Blessed be His name who hath kept
+  me, and nineteen more in this close place, all in health, above these
+  five weeks; notwithstanding three have been buried out of this prison
+  of the sickness.—Good is the hand of the Lord to his own, whose death
+  is gain.”
+
+  In a letter written about three months after the above, he mentions
+  the release of himself and Friends, and adds, “I have been weak since
+  I came out into the air, but through the great love of my God, I am
+  wonderfully preserved, to the praise of his name. But the two
+  imprisonments in Newgate, and the one at the Gatehouse, have much
+  weakened my body, in which I have had several battles with death; but
+  the power of my God arising, gave me dominion over the distemper and
+  weakness of the flesh. The day was dreadful to all flesh, and few were
+  able to abide it, and stand in the judgment; but the Lord was very
+  merciful to the remnant of his people, and his blessed seed is arising
+  in many.”
+
+I went back thence to LEOMINSTER, where was a great meeting in a field;
+many hundreds of people being gathered together. There were about six
+congregational preachers and priests among them; and Thomas Taylor, who
+had been a priest, but was now become a minister of Christ, was with me.
+I stood up, and declared about three hours; and none of the priests were
+able to open their mouths in opposition; the Lord’s power and truth so
+reached them, and bound them down. At length one priest went off about a
+bow-shot from me, drew several of the people after him, and began to
+preach to them. So I kept our meeting, and he kept his. After a while
+Thomas Taylor was moved to go and speak to him; and he gave over; and
+he, and the people he had drawn off, came to us again; and the Lord’s
+power went over them all. At last a Baptist, that was convinced, said,
+“Where’s priest Tombs? how chance he doth not come out?” This Tombs was
+priest of Leominster. Hereupon some went and told the priest; who came
+with the bailiffs and other officers of the town. When he was come, they
+set him upon a stool over against me. Now I was speaking of the
+heavenly, divine light of Christ, with which he “enlightens every one
+that cometh into the world, to give them the knowledge of the glory of
+God in the face of Christ Jesus their Saviour.” When priest Tombs heard
+this, he cried out, “That is a natural light, and a made light.” Then I
+desired the people to take out their Bibles; and I asked the priest
+whether he affirmed that that was a created, natural, made light, which
+John, a man that was sent from God, did bear witness to, and spoke of,
+when he said, “In him (to wit, in the Word) was life, and that life was
+the light of men,” John i. 4. “Dost thou affirm and mean,” said I, “that
+this light here spoken of, was a created, natural, made light?” And he
+said, “Yes.” Then I showed by the Scriptures, that the natural, created,
+made light, is the outward light in the outward firmament, proceeding
+from the sun, moon, and stars. “And dost thou affirm,” said I, “that God
+sent John to bear witness to the light of the sun, moon, and stars?”
+Then said he, “Did I say so?” I replied, “Didst thou not say it was a
+natural, created, made light, that John bore witness unto? If thou dost
+not like thy words, take them again and mend them.” Then he said, “That
+light which I spoke of, was a natural, created light.” I told him, “he
+had not at all mended his cause; for that light which I spoke of, was
+the very same that John was sent of God to bear witness to, which was
+the life in the Word, by which all the natural lights, as sun, moon, and
+stars, were made. ‘In him (to wit, the Word) was life, and that life was
+the light of men.’” So I directed the people to turn to the place in
+their Bibles, and recited to them the words of John, how that ‘In the
+beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
+The same was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and
+without him was not anything made, that was made. (So all natural,
+created lights were made by Christ the Word.) In him was life, and the
+life was the light of men; and that was the true light, which lighteth
+every man that cometh into the world.’ And Christ saith of himself, John
+viii. 12, “I am the light of the world;” and bids them “believe in the
+light,” John xii. 36. And God said of him by the prophet Isaiah, chap.
+xlix. 6, “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou
+mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth.” So Christ in his light
+is saving. And the apostle said, “The light which shined in their
+hearts, was to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
+in the face of Jesus Christ;” and that was their “treasure in their
+earthen vessels,” 2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.
+
+When I had thus opened the matter to the people, the priest cried to the
+magistrates, “Take this man away, or else I shall not speak any more.”
+“But,” said I, “Priest Tombs, deceive not thyself, thou art not in thy
+pulpit now, nor in thy old mass-house; but we are in the fields.” So he
+was shuffling to be gone; and Thomas Taylor stood up, and undertook to
+make out our principle by Christ’s parable concerning the sower, Matt.
+xiii. Then said the priest, “Let that man speak, and not the other.” So
+he got into a little jangling for a while; till the Lord’s power stopped
+and confounded him. Afterwards a Friend stood up and told him, how he
+had sued him for tithe eggs, and other Friends for other tithes; for he
+was an Anabaptist preacher, and yet had a parsonage at Leominster, and
+had several journeymen under him. He said “he had a wife, and he had a
+concubine; and his wife was the baptized people, and his concubine was
+the world.” But the Lord’s power came over him and them all, and the
+everlasting truth was declared that day; and many were turned by it to
+the Lord Jesus Christ their teacher and way to God. Of great service
+that meeting was in those parts. Next day Thomas Taylor went to this
+priest, and reasoned with him; and overcame him by the power of the
+Word.
+
+From this place I travelled on in Wales, having several meetings, till I
+came to TENBY; where, as I rode up the street, a justice of peace came
+out of his house, desired me to alight, and stay at his house; and I did
+so. On First-day the mayor and his wife, and several of the chief of the
+town, came in about ten o’clock, and stayed all the time of the meeting.
+A glorious one it was. John-ap-John being then with me, left it, and
+went to the steeple-house; and the governor cast him into prison. On the
+Second-day morning the governor sent one of his officers to the
+justice’s house to fetch me; which grieved the mayor and the justice;
+for they were both with me in the justice’s house when the officer came.
+So the mayor and the justice went up to the governor before me; and a
+while after I went up with the officer. When I came in, I said, “Peace
+be unto this house.” And before the governor could examine me, I asked
+him why he cast my friend into prison. He said, “For standing with his
+hat on in the church.” I said, “Had not the priest two caps on his head,
+a black one and a white one? Cut off the brims of the hat, and then my
+friend would have but one, and the brims of the hat were but to defend
+him from weather.” “These are frivolous things,” said the governor. “Why
+then,” said I, “dost thou cast my friend into prison for such frivolous
+things?” Then he asked me, whether I owned election and reprobation;
+“Yes,” said I, “and thou art in the reprobation.” At that he was in a
+rage, and said he would send me to prison till I proved it; but I told
+him I would prove that quickly, if he would confess truth. Then I asked
+him, whether wrath, fury, rage, and persecution, were not marks of
+reprobation; for he that was born of the flesh, persecuted him that was
+born of the Spirit; but Christ and his disciples never persecuted nor
+imprisoned any. Then he fairly confessed that he had too much wrath,
+haste and passion in him. I told him Esau was up in him, the first
+birth, not Jacob, the second birth. The Lord’s power so reached and came
+over him, that he confessed to truth; and the other justice came, and
+shook me kindly by the hand.
+
+As I was passing away, I was moved to speak to the governor again, and
+he invited me to dine with him, and set my friend at liberty. I went
+back to the other justice’s house; and after some time the mayor and his
+wife, and the justice and his wife, and divers other Friends of the
+town, went about half a mile out of town with us, to the water-side,
+when we went away; and there, when we parted from them, I was moved of
+the Lord to kneel down with them; and pray to the Lord to preserve them.
+So after I had recommended them to the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour
+and free teacher, we passed away in the Lord’s power, and the Lord had
+the glory. A meeting continues in that town to this day.
+
+We travelled to Pembrokeshire, and in PEMBROKE had some service for the
+Lord. Thence we passed to HAVERFORD-WEST, where we had a great meeting,
+and all was quiet. The Lord’s power came over all, and many were settled
+in the new covenant, Christ Jesus, and built upon him, their rock and
+foundation; and they stand a precious meeting to this day. Next day,
+being their fair-day, we passed through it, and sounded the day of the
+Lord, and his everlasting truth amongst them.
+
+After this we came into another county, and at noon came into a great
+market-town, and went into several inns, before we could get any meat
+for our horses. At last we came to one where we got some. Then
+John-ap-John being with me, went and spoke through the town, declaring
+the truth to the people; and when he came to me again, he said he
+thought all the town were as people asleep. After a while he was moved
+to go and declare truth in the streets again; then the town was all in
+an uproar, and cast him into prison. Presently after, several of the
+chief of the town came, with others, to the inn where I was, and said,
+“They have cast your man into prison.” “For what?” said I, “He preached
+in our streets,” said they. Then I asked them, “What did he say? had he
+reproved some of the drunkards and swearers, and warned them to repent,
+and leave off their evil doings, and turn to the Lord?” I asked them,
+who cast him into prison? They said, the high-sheriff and justices, and
+the mayor. I asked their names, and whether they understood themselves?
+and whether that was their conduct to travellers that passed through
+their town, and strangers that admonished and exhorted them to fear the
+Lord, and reproved sin in their gates? These went back, and told the
+officers what I said; and after a while they brought down John-ap-John,
+guarded with halberts, in order to put him out of the town. Being at the
+inn door, I bid the officers take their hands off him. They said, ‘the
+mayor and justices had commanded them to put him out of town.’ I told
+them I would talk with their mayor and justices, concerning their
+uncivil and unchristian carriage towards him. So I spoke to John to go
+look after the horses, and get them ready, and charged the officers not
+to touch him. And after I had declared the truth to them, and showed
+them the fruits of their priests, and their incivility and
+unchristian-like carriage, they left us. They were a kind of
+Independents; but a very wicked town, and false. We bid the innkeeper
+give our horses a peck of oats; and no sooner had we turned our backs,
+than the oats were stolen from our horses. After we had refreshed
+ourselves a little, and were ready, we took horse, and rode up to the
+inn, where the mayor, sheriff, and justices were. I called to speak with
+them, and asked them why they had imprisoned John-ap-John, and kept him
+in prison two or three hours? But they would not answer me a word; they
+only looked out at the windows upon me. So I showed them how unchristian
+their carriage was to strangers and travellers, and manifested the
+fruits of their teachers; and I declared the truth unto them, and warned
+them of the day of the Lord, that was coming upon all evildoers; and the
+Lord’s power came over them, that they looked ashamed; but not a word
+could I get from them in answer. So when I had warned them to repent,
+and turn to the Lord, we passed away; and at night came to a little inn,
+very poor, but very cheap; for our own provision and our two horses,
+cost but eightpence; but the horses would not eat their oats. We
+declared the truth to the people of the place, and sounded the day of
+the Lord through the countries.
+
+Thence, we came to a great town, and went to an inn. Edward Edwards went
+into the market, and declared the truth amongst the people; and they
+followed him to the inn, and filled the yard, and were exceedingly rude;
+yet good service we had for the Lord amongst them; for the life of
+Christianity and the power of it tormented their chaffy spirits, and
+came over them, so that some were reached and convinced; and the Lord’s
+power came over all. The magistrates were bound; they had no power to
+meddle with us.
+
+After this we came to another great town on a market-day; and
+John-ap-John declared the everlasting truth through the streets, and
+proclaimed the day of the Lord amongst them. In the evening many people
+gathered about the inn; and some of them, being drunk, would fain have
+had us into the street again; but seeing their design, I told them, if
+there were any that feared God, and desired to hear the truth, they
+might come into our inn; or else we might have a meeting with them next
+morning. Some service for the Lord we had amongst them, both over night
+and in the morning; and though the people were hard to receive the
+truth, yet the seed was sown; and thereabouts the Lord hath a people
+gathered to himself. In that inn also I turned but my back to the man
+that was giving oats to my horse; and looking round again, I observed he
+was filling his pockets with the provender. A wicked, thievish people,
+to rob the poor dumb creature of his food. I would rather they had
+robbed me.
+
+Leaving this town and travelling on, a great man overtook us on the way,
+and he purposed (as he told us afterwards) to take us up at the next
+town for highwaymen. But before we came to the town, I was moved of the
+Lord to speak to him. What I spoke reached to the witness of God in the
+man, who was so affected therewith, that he had us to his house, and
+entertained us very civilly. He and his wife desired us to give them
+some Scriptures, both for proof of our principles and against the
+priests. We were glad of the service, and furnished them with Scriptures
+enough; and he wrote them down, and was convinced of the truth, both by
+the Spirit of God in his own heart, and by the Scriptures, which were a
+confirmation to him. Afterwards he set us on our journey, and as we
+travelled we came to a hill, which the people of the country say, is two
+or three miles high; from the side of this hill I could see a great way.
+And I was moved to set my face several ways, and to sound the day of the
+Lord there; and I told John-ap-John (a faithful Welsh minister) in what
+places God would raise up a people to himself, to sit under his own
+teaching. Those places he took note of, and a great people have since
+been raised up there. The like I have been moved to do in many other
+rude places; and yet I have been moved to declare the Lord had a seed in
+those parts, and afterwards there have been a brave people raised up in
+the covenant of God, and gathered in the name of Jesus; where they have
+salvation and free teaching.
+
+From this hill we came to DOLGELLY, and went to an inn. John-ap-John
+declared through the streets, and the town’s people rose and gathered
+about him. There being two Independent priests in the town, they came
+out and discoursed with him together. I went up to them, and finding
+them speaking in Welsh, I asked them, “what was the subject they spoke
+upon, and why they were not more moderate, and spoke not one by one? For
+the things of God,” I told them, “were weighty, and they should speak of
+them with fear and reverence.” Then I desired them to speak in English,
+that I might discourse with them, and they did so. They affirmed, “that
+the light which John came to bear witness of, was a created, natural,
+made light.” But I took the Bible, and showed them (as I had done to
+others before,) “that the natural lights, which were made and created,
+were the sun, moon, and stars; but this light, which John bare witness
+to, and which he called ‘the true light, that lighteth every man that
+cometh into the world,’ is the life in Christ the Word, by which all
+things were made and created. The same that is called the life in
+Christ, is called the light in man; and this is a heavenly divine light,
+which lets men see their evil words and deeds, shows them all their
+sins, and, if they would attend unto it, would bring them to Christ,
+from whom it comes, that they might know him to save them from their
+sin, and to blot it out. This light, I told them, shone in the darkness
+of their hearts, and the darkness in them could not comprehend it; but
+in those hearts where God had commanded it to shine out of darkness, it
+gave unto such the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ
+Jesus their Saviour. Then I opened the Scriptures largely to them, and
+turned them to the Spirit of God in their hearts, which would reveal the
+mysteries in the Scriptures to them, and would lead them into all truth
+as they became subject thereunto. I directed them to that which would
+give everyone of them the knowledge of Christ, who died for them, that
+he might be their way to God, and make peace between God and them.”
+
+The people were attentive, and I spoke to John-ap-John to stand up and
+speak it in Welsh to them, which he did; and they generally received it,
+and with hands lifted up blessed and praised God. The priests’ mouths
+were stopped, so that they were quiet all the while, for I had brought
+them to be sober at the first, by telling them that, “when they speak of
+the things of God and of Christ, they should speak with fear and
+reverence.” Thus the meeting broke up in peace in the street, and many
+of the people accompanied us to our inn, and rejoiced in the truth that
+had been declared unto them; that they were turned to the light and
+Spirit in themselves, by which they might see their sin, and know
+salvation from it. When we went out of the town, the people were so
+affected, that they lifted up their hands, and blessed the Lord for our
+coming. A precious seed the Lord hath thereaway, and many people in
+those parts are since gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ, to sit down
+under his free teaching; and they have suffered much for him.
+
+From hence we passed to CAERNARVON, a city like a castle. When we had
+put up our horses at an inn, and refreshed ourselves, John-ap-John went
+forth, and spoke through the streets; which were so strait and short,
+that one might stand in the midst of the town and see both the gates. I
+followed him, and a multitude of people were soon gathered; amongst whom
+a very dark priest began to babble; but his mouth was soon stopped. When
+John had cleared himself, I declared the word of life amongst the
+people; directing them to “the light of Christ in their hearts, that by
+it they might see all their own ways, religions, and teachers, and might
+come off from them all, to Christ, the true and living way, and the free
+teacher.” Some of them were rude, but the greater part were civil, and
+told us they had heard how we had been persecuted and abused in many
+places, but they would not do so to us there. I commended their
+moderation and sobriety, and warned them of “the day of the Lord, that
+was coming upon all sin and wickedness;” testifying unto them, “that
+Christ was now come to teach his people himself, by his Spirit and by
+his power.”
+
+From hence we went to BEAUMARIS; a town wherein John-ap-John had
+formerly been preacher. After we had put up our horses at an inn, John
+went forth and spoke through the street: and there being a garrison in
+the town, they took him and put him into prison. The innkeeper’s wife
+came and told me that the governor and magistrates were sending for me
+to commit me to prison also. I told her, they had done more than they
+could answer already; and had acted contrary to Christianity in
+imprisoning him for reproving sin in their streets and for declaring the
+truth. Soon after came other friendly people, and told me, if I went out
+into the street they would imprison me also; and therefore they desired
+me to keep at the inn. Upon this I was moved to go and walk up and down
+the streets; and told the people, “what an uncivil and unchristian thing
+they had done, in casting my friend into prison.” And, they being high
+professors, I asked them, “if this was the entertainment they had for
+strangers; if they would willingly be so served themselves; and whether
+they, who looked upon the Scriptures to be their rule, had any example
+therein from Christ or his apostles, for what they had done?” So after a
+while they set John-ap-John at liberty.
+
+Next day, being market-day, we were to cross a great water: and not far
+from the place where we were to take boat, many of the market-people
+drew to us; amongst whom we had good service for the Lord, “declaring
+the word of life and everlasting truth unto them, and proclaiming the
+day of the Lord amongst them, which was coming upon all wickedness; and
+directing them to the light of Christ, which he, the heavenly man, had
+enlightened them with; by which they might see all their sins, and false
+ways, religions, worships, and teachers: and by the same light might see
+Christ Jesus, who was come to save them, and lead them to God.” After
+the Lord’s truth had been declared to them in the power of God, and
+Christ the free teacher set over all the hireling teachers, I bid
+John-ap-John get his horse into the boat, which was then ready. But
+there being a company of wild gentlemen, as they called them, got into
+it, whom we found very rude, and far from gentleness, they, with others,
+kept his horse out of the boat. I rode to the boat’s side and spoke to
+them, showing them “what unmanly and unchristian conduct it was; and
+told them they showed an unworthy spirit, below Christianity or
+humanity.” As I spoke, I leaped my horse into the boat amongst them,
+thinking John’s horse would have followed, when he had seen mine go in
+before him; but the water being deep, John could not get his horse into
+the boat. Wherefore I leaped out again on horseback into the water, and
+stayed with John on that side till the boat returned. There we tarried
+from eleven in the forenoon, to two in the afternoon, before the boat
+came to fetch us; and then we had forty-two miles to ride that evening:
+and when we had paid for our passage, we had but one groat left between
+us in money. We rode about sixteen miles, and then got a little hay for
+our horses. Setting forward again, we came in the night to a little
+ale-house, where we intended to stay and bait; but finding we could have
+neither oats nor hay there, we travelled on all night; and about five in
+the morning got to a place within six miles of WREXHAM; where that day
+we met with many Friends, and had a glorious meeting; and the Lord’s
+everlasting power and truth was over all: and a meeting is continued
+there to this day. Very weary we were with travelling so hard up and
+down in Wales; and in many places we found it difficult to get meat
+either for our horses or ourselves.
+
+Next day we passed thence into FLINTSHIRE, sounding the day of the Lord
+through the towns; and came into WREXHAM at night. Here many of Floyd’s
+people came to us; but very rude, wild, and airy they were, and little
+sense of truth they had: yet some were convinced in that town. Next
+morning one called a lady sent for me, who kept a preacher in her house.
+I went, but found both her and her preacher very light and airy; too
+light to receive the weighty things of God. In her lightness she came
+and asked me, if she should cut my hair: but I was moved to reprove her,
+and bid her cut down the corruptions in herself with the sword of the
+Spirit of God. So after I had admonished her to be more grave and sober,
+we passed away: and afterwards in her frothy mind, she made her boast
+that “she came behind me and cut off the curl of my hair;” but she spoke
+falsely.
+
+From Wrexham we came to CHESTER; and being the fair time, we stayed a
+while, and visited Friends. For I had travelled through every county in
+Wales, preaching the everlasting gospel of Christ; and a brave people
+there is now, who have received it, and sit under Christ’s teaching. But
+before I left Wales, I wrote to the magistrates of BEAUMARIS concerning
+the imprisoning of John-ap-John; letting them see their conditions, and
+the fruits of their Christianity, and of their teachers. Afterwards I
+met with some of them near LONDON; but oh how ashamed they were of their
+action!
+
+From CHESTER we came to LIVERPOOL, where was at that time a fair also.
+As I rode through the fair, there stood a Friend upon the cross,
+declaring the truth to the people: who seeing me ride by, and knowing I
+had appointed a meeting next day upon a hill not far off, gave notice to
+the people “that George Fox, the servant of the Lord, would have a
+meeting next day upon such hill; and if any feared the Lord, they might
+come and hear him declare the word of life to them.” We went that night
+to Richard Cubban’s, who himself was convinced, though not his wife; but
+at that time she became convinced also.
+
+Next day we went to the meeting on the top of the hill, which was very
+large. Some rude people with a priest’s wife came, and made a noise for
+a while, but the Lord’s power came over them, the meeting became quiet,
+and the truth of God was declared amongst them. Many were that day
+settled upon the rock and foundation, Christ Jesus, and under his
+teaching; who made peace between God and them.
+
+We had a small meeting with a few Friends and people at MALPAS. Thence
+we came to another place, where we had another meeting. There came a
+bailiff with a sword, and was rude; but the Lord’s power came over him,
+and Friends were established in the truth.
+
+Thence we came to MANCHESTER; and the sessions being there that day,
+many rude people were come out of the country. In the meeting they threw
+at me coals, clods, stones, and water; yet the Lord’s power bore me up
+over them, that they could not strike me down. At last, when they saw
+they could not prevail by throwing water, stones, and dirt at me, they
+went and informed the justices in the sessions; who thereupon sent
+officers to fetch me before them. The officers came in while I was
+declaring the word of life to the people, and plucked me down, and haled
+me up into their court. When I came there, all the court was in disorder
+and noise. Wherefore I asked where were the magistrates that they did
+not keep the people civil? Some of the justices said they were
+magistrates. I asked them, why then did they not appease the people, and
+keep them sober? for one cried, “I’ll swear,” and another cried, “I’ll
+swear.” I declared to the justices how we were abused in our meeting by
+the rude people who threw stones, and clods, dirt, and water; and how I
+was haled out of the meeting, and brought thither, contrary to the
+instrument of government, which said, “none shall be molested in their
+meetings that professed God, and owned the Lord Jesus Christ;” which I
+did. So the truth came over them, that when one of the rude fellows
+cried “he would swear,” one of the justices checked him, saying “what
+will you swear? hold your tongue.” At last they bid the constable take
+me to my lodging; and there be secured till morning, till they sent for
+me again. So the constable had me to my lodging; and as we went the
+people were exceedingly rude; but I let them see “the fruits of their
+teachers, and how they shamed Christianity, and dishonoured the name of
+Jesus, which they professed.” At night we went to a justice’s house in
+the town, who was pretty moderate; and I had much discourse with him.
+Next morning we sent to the constable to know if he had anything more to
+say to us. And he sent us word “he had nothing to say to us, but that we
+might go whither we would.” The Lord hath since raised up a people to
+stand for his name and truth in that town over those chaffy professors.
+
+We passed from Manchester, having many precious meetings in several
+places, till we came to PRESTON; between which and Lancaster I had a
+general meeting: from which I went to LANCASTER. There at our inn I met
+with Colonel West, who was very glad to see me: who meeting with Judge
+Fell, told him I was mightily grown in the truth; when indeed he was
+come nearer to the truth, and so could better discern it.
+
+We came from Lancaster to Robert Widders’s. On the First-day after I had
+a general meeting near SAND-SIDE, of Friends of WESTMORLAND and
+LANCASHIRE, when the Lord’s everlasting power was over all; in which the
+word of eternal life was declared, and Friends were settled upon the
+foundation, Christ Jesus, under his free teaching; and many were
+convinced, and turned to the Lord.
+
+Next day I came over the Sands to SWARTHMORE, where Friends were glad to
+see me. I stayed there two First-days, visiting Friends in their
+meetings thereaways. They rejoiced with me in the goodness of the Lord,
+who by his eternal power had carried me through, and over many
+difficulties and dangers in his service: to him be the praise for ever!
+
+
+
+
+                              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.
+
+
+
+
+                              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?”
+
+
+
+
+                             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.
+
+
+
+
+                              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.
+
+-----
+
+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.
+
+                           END OF VOL. I.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+       HEADLEY BROTHERS, PRINTERS, LONDON AND ASHFORD, KENT.
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+                         Transcriber’s Note
+
+The handling of hyphenation of compound words across line breaks is
+governed by the frequency with which they are hyphenated midline.
+
+‘Steeple-house’ is nearly always hyphenated in midline, and the few
+outliers that were not have been corrected. The exceptions are where
+‘steeplehouse’ occurs in the editorial apparatus. See footnote 6,
+and (arguably) in the parenthetical phrase at 25.28.
+
+As one can see from the list below, the printer was not consistent
+in the use of the opening quote mark in long, multi-paragraph
+passages. There were also a number of occasions where a closing
+quote mark either was missing or illogically added. On rarer
+occasions, a single quote was employed matching a double quote (and
+vice versa). These have been added where missing, emoved where they
+were deemed spurious, and corrected where appropriate:
+
+61.15 [“]The (added); 63.3 saved,[’] (added); 75.1 wise.[’] (added);
+142.5 [“]There (added); 150.20 [‘/“]Consider (added); 198.33
+him,[’](added); 208.9 order.[”](added); 210.14 [“]But (added); 217.8
+me.[’] (added); 217.47 [“]The (added); 218.41 [“]Sing (added);
+219.48 [“]Where (added); 220.36 [“]Now (added); 221.11 [“]But
+(added); 224.13 [“]Christ (added); 224.35 [“]There (added); 232.29
+inn;[”] (added); 281.8 [“]doth (added); 288.21 land.[”/’]
+(replaced); 297.2 therein;[’] (added) 298.2 [“]O! abominable
+(added); 305.13 [“]Noah, (added); 305.44 [“]You say (added); 307.21
+[“]Beware,(added); 307.38 [“]Therefore (added); 309.19 [“]Now
+(added); 379.24 God.[”] (added); 336.30 church;[’] (removed); 353.6
+world,[’] (added); 367.28 peace.[”/’](replaced); 368.43 many.[”]
+(added); 374.10 town.[’] (added); 405.5 [“]I will (added); 411.6
+would.[”] (added); 416.14 could.[”] (added); 430.8 [“/‘]remembrance
+(replaced); 486.21 myself?[”] (removed); 507.1 them.[”] (added);
+522.11 [“/‘]three (replaced); 522.17 persons.[”/’] (replaced);
+526.10 it.[”] (added).
+
+The word ‘chace’ at 4.8, is likely an obsolete spelling of ‘chase’,
+which refers to a large wooded estate.
+
+A quotation beginning at line 114.1 (“amongst whom I declared...)
+has no closing mark. The voice seems to shift on line 114.15 (..to
+dwell in.”). and the closing mark was added there.
+
+A quoted passage ending on p. 122 most likely should have been
+opened at 121.32 (“was their first step to peace...), and an opening
+quote was added.
+
+A sentence beginning at 208.22 (“Whereupon I kneeled...)and ending
+at 208.26, (...what I had said to him.”) seems an error. It does not
+seem to be part of the dialogue and the surrounding quote marks have
+been removed.
+
+A lonely closing quote appears at 421.12 (...fellowships in the
+world.”) A logical point for this quote to open is on the previous
+page at 420.19 ([“]The promise of God...). Judging by the context,
+the paragraph is a continuation of the previous quoted passage.
+
+The word ‘throughly’ (xxv.2) is likely an obsolete spelling of
+‘thoroughly’.
+
+Other errors, deemed most likely to be the printer’s, have been
+corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and
+line in the original.
+
+  xviii.13 to Charles II.[./,] exhorting him              Replaced.
+  xx.22    and instructed Noah to salvation[.]            Added.
+  xxvii.3  their exceeding great co[m/n]firmation         Replaced.
+  25.17    steeple[-]house                                Inserted.
+  56.37    Doth it [d/p]urify you                         Inverted.
+  93.5     to preach in the steeple-house[.]              Added.
+  142.21   in all things may [h/b]e his praise.           Replaced.
+  142.44   plotted tog[e]ther to draw                     Inserted.
+  147.30   who had raised pers[e]cution before            Inserted.
+  151.28   Matt, xxiii.[,];                               Removed.
+  164.28   with the Lord’s truth[,/.]                     Replaced.
+  176.13   ye would[ would] fear and tremble              Removed.
+  178.25   who are contemned and dispised                 _Sic._
+  179.40   in great pea[e/c]e in 1686                     Replaced.
+  210.25   could not but declare[t] agains[t]             Deleted/Added.
+  222.43   and unrighteou[s]ness of men                   Inserted.
+  258.1    SWANINGTON an[d] HIGHAM                        Added.
+  261.28   On[e] one occasion                             Removed.
+  283.39   and the corr[r]uption                          Removed.
+  287.8    against me[,];                                 Removed.
+  352.16   given to every man to profit withal[,/.]’      Replaced.
+  407.34   pp. 62[–]68.                                   Added.
+  490.8    steeple[-]house                                Inserted.
+  412.17   brings fo[r]th heavenly and spiritual fruit    Inserted.
+  480.30   continued in prison[.]                         Added.
+  508.25   childhood’s guileless tears[.]                 Added.
+  535.28   yet threaten[en]ed us                          Removed.
+
+
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75559 ***